The Cons of Long Hair

The Cons of Long Hairstyles - Summer Fall 2009 Hair Edition

While long hair is the 'in' thing for many women especially and is often seen as a sign of good health with the majority of the community raving it, there can still be certain disadvantages that are associated with it.

The Cons of Long Hairstyles

While long hair may be beautiful and can be styled in many different ways, it must be said that it requires a lot more time and effort to care and maintain it in order for it to be attractive. Comparatively, short hair is easy to maintain – even if you are late for school/work/meeting, you won't need to spend an incessant amount of time to comb, brush or style it. One of the main cons of having long hair is that if you do not care for it, it can turn out to be really ugly. When you run into situations such as that, do remember that you read it here!

Long hair takes a LONG time to grow (no pun intended there!). If you are only starting to grow your hair long, you may find that it takes almost forever to reach first to your bottom of the ears, neck then shoulders. Many tend to give up along the way and just choose to go for hair extensions instead.

One of the more well known cons of long hair is that they are more accident-prone. There are many instances where freak accidents have occurred for those with really long hair such as having it get caught in the fan blowers, vacuum cleaners, car doors, drawers and so on.

While having long hair comes with these cons, you will have to look at both sides of the coin to weigh it out yourselves.

Pictures Copyright of PR PHOTOS

IFC Films on DVD, Round 2 + Akerman + Petzold - Michael Jackson

Though you might have other things on your mind, I thought I'd post another DVD update. Through their new deal with MPI, IFC Films announced their second round of DVD releases after that Blockbuster/Genius drought. Unfortunately, all of their titles so far have been part of their Festival Direct package and not their theatrical releases (The Last Mistress, The Duchess of Langeais, A Christmas Tale, Hunger, Gomorrah, My Winnipeg, etc). On 15 September, look for Spiros Stathoulopoulos' single-take thriller PVC-1 and Baltasar Kormákur's White Night Wedding [Brúðguminn], which stars the Icelandic director's frequent actor Hilmir Snær Guðnason. On 29 September, Madonna's wretched directorial debut Filth and Wisdom and the Spanish thriller Fermat's Room [La habitación de Fermat] will be released.

Icarus Films has set a release date for Chantal Akerman's acclaimed, little seen From the East [D'Est] for 6 October, as well as David Barison and Daniel Ross' documentary The Ister for 3 November. Kino will release a double-feature of sci-fi/horror films from director Graham Reznick, I Can See You and The Viewer, on 28 September.

Cinema Guild will follow Project X's July release of Christian Petzold's The State I Am In [Die Innere Sicherheit] with his latest Jerichow on 27 August. And finally, it appears as if the elusive Phantasm II will make its way onto DVD on 15 September (though I can't back this up) from Universal. I know you've been waiting.

Jean-Jacques Beineix on DVD (Updated)

Cinema Libre announced the first two DVD releases of their Jean-Jacques Beineix collection, Roselyne and the Lions [Roselyne et les lions] on 14 July and IP5: The Island of Pachyderms [IP5: L'île aux pachydermes] on 18 August. As Eric pointed out, the studio is re-releasing Beineix's most famous film Betty Blue, with Béatrice Dalle and Jean-Hughes Anglade, in theatres before a DVD release next year.

As for other DVD announcements, PeaceArch will release Marianna Palka's Good Dick on 1 September, as well as Valentino: The Last Emperor, on DVD and Blu-ray, 15 September. MPI is releasing Marcel Sarmiento and Gadi Harel's Deadgirl on both formats 15 September. James Cotton's La linea, with Andy Garcia and Ray Liotta, will be out through Maya on 10 November. Facets is set to re-release Wojciech Has' trippy Saragossa Manuscript on 28 July. Oscilloscope will add Treeless Mountain to the already crowded 15 September street date. And sometime in October, Water Bearer Films will be releasing Philippe Vallois' We Were One Man [Nous étions un seul homme] for the first time on DVD in the US.

On the Blu-ray horizon, a couple of noteworthy titles have been announced. Shout! Factory will have Takashi Miike's Audition on 7 October; from Sony, The Craft on 13 October; and from Dark Sky, John McNaughton's Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer on 29 September... all in time for Halloween. That's all for now. I'll resume the Decade List soon. I've taken a needed break from it by revisiting Six Feet Under.

UPDATE: Thanks to Jeremy at, of course, The Moon in the Gutter for finding this. Cinema Libre has the dates set for all of their Beineix releases, including a box-set with all of them on 1 December. According to their site, a DVD of Beineix's Locked-In Syndrome [Assigné à résidence], a documentary about Jean-Dominique Bauby who was the subject of Julian Schnabel's The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Otaku and his first short Mr. Michel's Dog [Le chien de Monsieur Michel] was released today, but I didn't find it on Amazon.com. Mortal Tranfer [Mortel transfert], also with Jean-Hughes Anglade, will hit shelves on 22 September, and The Moon in the Gutter [La lune dans le caniveau], with Nastassja Kinski, Gérard Depardieu and Victoria Abril, will be out 20 October. It also didn't dawn on me that the studio's theatrical release of Betty Blue would be the first time it's officially been shown in its full version in the US. Betty Blue will be on DVD on 17 November.

Grindhouse? Maybe?

A couple of people have suggested to me that the theatrical version of Grindhouse, with all the trailers, is coming to DVD and Blu-ray on 11 August. No official announcement has been made, so I don't know the specifics of the release. I'm pretty skeptical about any of the upcoming Weinstein Company's releases anyway.

New Fever Ray Video

The new video from Fever Ray, better known as Karin Dreijer Andersson of The Knife's solo project, was released last week for "Triangle Walks," directed by Mikel Cee Karlsson. As expected, it's gorgeous, unsettling and totally fucking awesome. Enjoy!

Sarah Jessica Parker Hairstyles

Sarah Jessica Parker Hairstyles - Lovely Long Waves - Summer Fall 2009

As one of the best-known actresses in Hollywood for her role in the series “Sex in the City,” Sarah Jessica Parker hairstyles are admired by millions of her fans. One of the hairstyles that many women like a lot is her casual look with her hair in long waves with a center part.

Sarah Jessica Parker Hair

This is an easy style to duplicate if you know how to style it or if your salon stylist is familiar with this hairdo. After you shampoo and condition your hair, simply apply a bit of texturizing spray to your hair while it’s wet and the blow dry. Next you will need to use a one-inch curling iron to small sections of your hair, allowing it to set for about 15 seconds.
What gives Sarah Jessica Parker hairstyle their natural cascading effect is the styling you apply after you have finished setting your entire head of hair. Using a lifting comb, select different sections and then fluff them out to make the waves in the hair fall naturally.
This style is worn by Sarah Jessica Parker pulled up and away from her face with a few tendrils left to fall loosely around her oval shaped face. She also wears this style pulled back from her forehead to cascade over her shoulders to put the focus on her face.
Hair color highlights can add more contrast, depth and tonal interest in the movement of this hairstyle especially when accented with gel for additional shine and bounce.

Pictures Copyright of PR PHOTOS

Family Ties

Summer Hours [L'heure d'été] - dir. Olivier Assayas - 2008 - France - IFC Films

Written for Gone Cinema Poaching.

Separating Olivier Assayas' films into two camps, the "globe-trotting erotic-thriller" and the "prestige" pic, is an easy action. On a superficial level, Boarding Gate and Summer Hours couldn't be more different. However, when it comes to Assayas' work, most people choose to make the simple connections, such as the one above or noting the similarities between demonlover and Boarding Gate without recognizing their strong dissimilarities. But really, pairing one against the other overlooks the central idea that appears in nearly his entire body of work (I haven't seen any of the films that came before L'eau froide): a search for identity within changing landscapes, even if it's indirect.

In Summer Hours, the search is quite apparent. After the passing of their mother Hélène (Edith Scob), three siblings (Charles Berling, Juliette Binoche, Jérémie Renier) must determine how to deal with their family's inheritance, with special consideration for the fact that each of them live on separate continents. Like really all of the director's films, Summer Hours is almost deceptively slight. Assayas keeps the film free of teary melodrama and unwanted sentimentality, restricting his camera from the actual death of Hélène as well as her funeral. Summer Hours isn't about a family's grief; it's about the value, monetary and sentimental, of what's left behind.

Though its persistent honesty is no small feat, the strength of the film reveals itself fully in its final moments. Once it's decided to sell the family home, the two eldest grandchildren (Alice de Lencquesaing, Emile Berling) throw a party in the nearly empty house. As teenagers and loud music occupy the rooms, Assayas takes the film in a place I never expected, though maybe I should have known better as he's always placed great emphasis on his films' closing scenes, even if they seem initially puzzling. As my hands down choice for the best film to hit theatres this year, I'd be surprised to find a film as sublime as Summer Hours in the remaining months of 2009.

A Few More from Sony, Miramax Martial Arts on Blu-ray

Sony is continuing to make it their year for DVD releases. Here are a few DVD and Blu-ray releases I uncovered this weekend.

DVDs

- The Buttercup Chain, 1970, d. Robert Ellis Miller, Sony, 8 September
- Crank 2: High Voltage, 2009, d. Mark Neveldine, Brian Taylor, Lionsgate, also on Blu-ray, 8 September
- Love and Pain and the Whole Damn Thing, 1973, d. Alan J. Pakula, Sony, 8 September, w. Maggie Smith, Timothy Bottoms
- Model Shop, 1969, d. Jacques Demy, Sony, 8 September, w. Anouk Aimée
- The Pursuit of Happiness, 1971, d. Robert Mulligan, 8 September, w. Barbara Hershey
- Private Century [Soukromé století], 2006, d. Jan Sikl, Facets, 22 September
- The Hanging Woman [La orgía de los muertos], 1973, d. José Luis Merino, Troma, 29 September
- Anvil! The Story of Anvil, 2008, d. Sacha Gervasi, Universal Music, 6 October

Blu-ray

- Go, 1999, d. Doug Liman, Sony, 18 August
- Silverado, 1985, d. Lawrence Kasdan, Lionsgate, 8 September
- Requiem for a Dream, 2000, d. Darren Aronofsky, Lionsgate, 8 September
- Hero, 2002, d. Zhang Yimou, Miramax, 15 September
- Iron Monkey, 1993, d. Yuen Woo-ping, Miramax, 15 September
- The Legend of Drunken Master, 1994, d. Liu Chia-Liang, Jackie Chan, Miramax, 15 September
- Zatôichi, 2003, d. Takeshi Kitano, Miramax, 15 September
- The Prisoner: The Complete Series, 1967-1968, A&E, 27 October

I Wanna Be Adored

Adoration - dir. Atom Egoyan - 2008 - Canada - Sony Pictures Classics

Written for Gone Cinema Poaching.

It seems a long time ago that Atom Egoyan, after the successes of Exotica and The Sweet Hereafter, was among the forefront of international cinema. By following The Sweet Hereafter, which garnered the Egyptian-born, Canadian-raised filmmaker two Oscar nominations, with the disappointing Felicia's Journey, we got our first indication that Egoyan might never create the magic he showed during the late '80s and '90s again. With Adoration, Egoyan returns to the style and structure that worked so well for him early in his career; unfortunately, something's missing, even if it feels like all the pieces are there.

Those familiar with the director's work will spot some of the director's trademarks of style and theme easily. Airport customs, video recorders, fragmented narrative, paternal struggles, Arsinée Khanjian, devastating loss, the nature of truth, traces of personal ancestry. All are weaved into Adoration as one might expect, so why does the film feel so minor league? Like Ararat, the only post-Sweet Hereafter film of his that I genuinely like (even though I'm in the minority), Adoration never comes off like a sad act of self-mimicry. Egoyan continues to pose fascinating, gray-area quandaries; they just don't resonate or haunt the way his films always used to.

I suspect one of the reasons why could be attributed to the fact that Adoration (as well as Ararat) addresses very specific, button-pushing issues where Exotica, The Adjuster, Family Viewing and The Sweet Hereafter tackled more abstract ideas through less particular situations (Where the Truth Lies is another story altogether). It's not that Egoyan is preaching or over-symplifying these matters; it's that, like Charles Aznavour's character in Ararat says, Adoration feels like something he always "needed" to make. This necessity and self-applied obligation to explore terrorism and the waves of ignorance that surround it restrains the director and make the film's mysteries and revelations a hell of a lot less seamless and profound.

Additionally, the importance Egoyan places on keeping Adoration from being sanctimonious gives way for some glaring surface-level problems. It never seemed to dawn on Egoyan the preposterousness of the film's main plot detail, in which high schooler Simon (Devon Bostick) presents an assignment/monologue, with the encouragement of his French teacher Sabine (Khanjian) who also teaches drama, that adopts the perspective of an unborn child whose Middle Eastern father has planted a bomb on the child's mother as she boards a flight to Israel without him. Simon asserts that the story is true, even though his parents (Rachel Blanchard, Noam Jenkins) actually died in a car accident. This "experiment" leads to more social exercises between the boy and his teacher, all of which begin to enrage the (physical and online) community. All the major plot points and subsequent disclosures never rise above their own contrivances, and you can almost see an uneasiness in the way Khanjian, Egoyan's wife and muse, plays her scenes.

Despite fantastic turns from Scott Speedman, as Simon's uncle who raises him after the accident, and Kenneth Welsh, every bit as creepy here as he was in Twin Peaks as Simon's grandfather, Egoyan can't get much out of Bostick, who plays the youthful centerpiece that's so crucial in nearly all of Egoyan's films. After eliciting such a mesmerizing performance from Sarah Polley in The Sweet Hereafter, Egoyan hasn't been able to replicate that with Elaine Cassidy, David Alpay, Alison Lohman (though she has been forgiven thanks to Drag Me to Hell) and now Bostick. In his two principle actors, we can see a glimpse of Egoyan's own admirable, but disconcerting hereafter, where everything has become a murky reflection of what once was and the pieces that once fit together no longer do.

September Criterions and Other Upcoming DVD Releases

On the surface, September would seem to be a disappointing month for Criterion, with only two official releases, David Mamet's Homicide and Alexander Korda's That Hamilton Woman (on a side note, I think Criterion should really give Korda a rest, as their staff must include the world's only Korda fanboys). However, they also announced a Blu-ray of Jean-Luc Godard's Pierrot le fou, in addition to The Complete Monterey Pop Festival. And, similar to their release of Henry Cass' Last Holiday this past Tuesday, they're releasing Réné Clément's Gervaise, Marcel Carné's Le jour se lève and Anatole Litvak's Mayerling, with Danielle Darrieux and Charles Boyer, for the first time on DVD in the US as part of their Essential Art House Collection. Volume 4 of this set also includes Akira Kurosawa's Throne of Blood, Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps and Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's Tales of Hoffman; all six are available separately as well. I thought a prominent New York newspaper said Wim Wenders' Wings of Desire was coming in September as well, but if it is, they haven't announced it officially.

Sony will be releasing Gregor Jordan's adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis' The Informers on DVD and Blu-ray on 25 August. The film's box office failure may have been one of the contributing factors to its distribution company Senator's shutting down, which came about last week; it's also worth noting that The Informers was first (and last) release from them, leaving a number of other films like the two Mesrine films in limbo. Season 3 of 30 Rock, in my opinion the best yet, will be out on 22 September from Universal; Salma Hayek, Jon Hamm, Oprah Winfrey and Alan Alda make memorable guest appearances throughout the season.

Sony announced Carlos Cuarón's Rudo & Cursi on DVD and Blu-ray for 25 August. Strand will be releasing Veiko Õunpuu's Sügisball on 22 September and Yôji Yamada's Kabei: Our Mother on the 8th. And finally, Sony will also release Steven Sodebergh's sex, lies and videotape on Blu-ray on 25 August. More catch-up soon!

Katie Holmes Bob Haircuts

Katie Holmes Bob Hairstyles - Summer Fall 2009

Katie Holmes Bob haircuts over the years have been one of the hottest conversations in the fashion world, especially when she decided to wear the “pob” hairstyle invented by Victoria Beckham.

Katie Holmes Bob Hairstyles

There are numerous celebrities choosing to style their hair in the face-flattering chin-length bob that Katie wore in 2008. The classic bob hairstyle has seen plenty of variations and today this hairstyle is worn cut shorter in the back, with the longer chin length sections of hair in the front. The shape of Katie Holmes face makes it perfect for the bob haircut, which is very much like the idealized flapper image of the “Roaring Twenties.” Beside the precision cut, what makes this hairstyle work so well for her is the hair color that’s used. Although highlighting is a popular styling trend, solid colors work best in this haircut.
Katie Holmes has experimented with several bob haircuts and looks great in every style, which is a credit to the versatility of it; it suits most hair and face types. While she looked elegant in the classic bob, the angled, razor cut bob accented her sex appeal, giving her a little bit dangerous look. This edgy look is quite fitting for the wife of the “Mission Impossible” movie star Tom Cruise. Many celebrities like Katie Holmes like the way the angled bob is layered and textured in the front while the hair at the back of the head is cut to taper gradually. She has used both fringe and side-swept bangs on different occasions for a softer look.

Pictures Copyright of PR PHOTOS

2009 Hairstyles For African American Women

2009 Hairstyles For African American Women - Summer Fall 2009 Hair

Black Hairstyles in 2009 reveal an increased flexibility in all hair lengths. The credit goes to the development of new formulas especially for the texture of black hair. The hairstyles on center stage for 2009 feature longer hair worn sleek and smooth or with waves, thanks to numerous celebrities such as Beyoncé.
Styling with hair extensions, color highlights hairstyles to choose from in this day and age. These choices include black hair weaves, braids, dreadlocks, natural and fades. Extremely short hair styles are also popular for 2009. Braided hairstyles have always been one of the most versatile looks for African-American women. Today, stylists are enhancing this look with human hair of a contrasting color for a more dramatic effect. Micro-braids are used when the design is more intricate. Classic and sophisticated are the buzz words for Black hairstyles in 2009 such as the French roll. In this style, the hair is pulled back to form a cone shape and then secured at the back of the head with hairpins. This is an elegant style that works well for an evening on the town as well as for a business interview. For women who prefer to wear their hair in a natural style or dreadlocks, there are also many styling options. The ponytail remains a classic favorite for a casual look that can work for hair of medium length. Women who wear long dreadlocks can also style their hair in different ways from the French roll to a chignon or back bun.

Picture Copyright of PR PHOTOS

Tyra Banks Hairstyles

Tyra Banks Hairstyles - Millions Adore Tyra

Tyra Banks hairstyles may surprise a few people who are unaware that this African-American super model uses lace front wigs along with hairpieces and extensions to create her sensational looks. This fashion pioneer has been featured on magazine covers such as the famous Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and the Victoria's Secret catalog.
Tyra Banks Straight and Curly Hairstyles

The millions of fans that adore Tyra Banks hairstyles have seen her as a blond and a brunette in the Hollywood movies 'Higher Learning” and “Coyote Ugly”, as well as music videos for Michael Jackson and George Michael.
Tyra Banks Long Straight Hair

Preparation of her chosen hairstyle of the day is what makes Tyra Banks look so well put together. Every day, she carefully selects the lace front wigs, hair weaves or extensions that she will wear on her television show, now being broadcast from New York. She has created a new wave of interest in the versatility of using a variety of styling techniques to produce a unique and stunning hairdo. This supermodel and actress has also launched her own line of wigs and hair extensions. Whether you choose the lace front wig or hair weave you can have that star-quality look.
Tyra Banks With Bangs

Tyra Banks hairstyles range from straight and sleek to a head full of voluptuous curls giving her a femme fatale look that just oozes sex appeal.
Tyra Banks Curly Hair

The use of hair extensions or wigs gives her the opportunity to personify the look that is the perfect complement to her modeling assignments for companies such as Nike and Swatch.

Pictures Copyright of PR PHOTOS

Cracks in My Canvas

I've just returned from my (very bittersweet) trip to Chicago to see PJ Harvey and John Parish in concert. I'll have some updates for you either tomorrow or Thursday.

Longer Hairstyles For Men

Longer Hairstyles For Men - Summer Fall 2009 Hair Ideas

For longer locks of the male persuasion, many men have made this style a growing trend. Santiago Cabrera and Ace Young have recently been seen with wavy to curly long locks to stand in line for. Here are a few ideas on how to get these looks at home.
Ace Young was seen at the Grammy’s wearing his hair to his shoulders in a wavy long style. To get this at home, simply start with wet hair and begin with a strong holding mousse, wax and hairspray. Apply the mousse between your palms and then use the palms to distribute the mousse through the hair evenly. Start at the roots and work your way out to the ends, and this will help to give the roots a boost of body. Scrunch the hair between palms and fingers starting at the ends, and working towards the scalp. This will help to build the waves you are looking for, even if you have straight hair. Part the hair at the natural part with a wide toothed comb, for a natural look. Finish up with a light mist of hairspray to hold in place.
Santiago Cabrera

Santiago Cabrera’s look was seen at the TV Land Awards, and he used his natural curls to create a look that so many women swoon over. To begin with, the hair should be damp. Use mousse or gel between the palms and distribute evenly beginning at the roots of the hair, down to the ends. This will help hold for a longer time. Scrunch the hair between the palms and fingers and allow to dry.

Pictures Copyright of PR PHOTOS

Peter Greenaway's Nightwatching on DVD in September

E1 Distribution announced a 15 September DVD release date for Peter Greenaway's Nightwatching, which stars Martin Freeman as Rembrandt. They will release the film in two editions; the special edition will also contain Greenaway's Rembrandt's J'accuse. Nightwatching also stars Natalie Press, Toby Jones and Jodhi May. Koch Lorber also announced Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon and Bruno Romy's Rumba for the same date.

Also, Sony announced Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck's Sugar for 1 September on DVD and Blu-ray. The fourth season of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia will be out 15 September. Zeitgeist is releasing Sergei Dvortsevoy's Tulpan on 22 September. And finally, Lionsgate will have 1988's Homeboy, which stars Mickey Rourke as a boxer, on 1 September.

Chicken Liver Balls

I'm on my way up to Chicago to cross one of my life goals off the list: seeing PJ Harvey live. After having tickets for three of her shows that were canceled during her Uh Huh Her tour, I finally have my chance, which has been quite a long time coming. I may not update for the next couple days (then again, maybe I will). If you haven't checked it out already, I highly recommend PJ and John Parish's latest album A Woman, A Man Walked By, which ranks among the best music releases this year, along with Fever Ray's Fever Ray, Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavillion, Grizzly Bear's Veckatimest and Bat for Lashes' Two Suns. I'm always down for new music recommendations as well, so toss 'em my way.

Medium Length Hairstyles

Medium Length Hairstyles - Paula Abdul's Hair

Women in the spotlight such as Paula Abdul have been wearing style breaking medium hairstyles for decades, and making them a beautiful addition to starlets everywhere. Here are a few ideas on how to recreate the wavy medium hairstyle that Paula wore on Fox in 2008.
Paula Abdul's Hair Medium Length Hairstyle

To create the wavy medium hairstyle Paula wears normally, hot rollers and a hair dryer are required as well as mousse, smoothing shine and lacquer or wax. This style is great for women with oval or diamond shaped faces, as this creates a frame around the face. To begin, the hair should be wet, and apply the mousse throughout the hair evenly. Distribute the mousse through with a round brush to have an even application. Place the hot rollers into the hair starting at the ends, carefully wrapping ends inside the first complete layer of hair. Roll up the entire head, and then blow dry. This should take about a half an hour to complete including the styling. Remove the rollers, and tousle the curls with fingers only and apply wax between the palms of your hands to distribute over the curls as you go.
For the straight medium hairstyle sported on Fox, wet or dry hair can be used. A straightening balm or wax and smoothing shine serum should be applied prior to beginning. Use a straightening iron on the entire head, working through pieces about 1 inch wide until the entire head is done. At the roots, apply hairspray while holding the hair up, so as to give lift and body.
Photos/PR PHOTOS

How Long is Long Hair?

How Long is Long Hair - Summer Fall 2009 Hair Edition

This is a very good question but one that is open to debate. Different individuals have different perceptions of the definition for long hair. In certain instances, the definition of long hair differs between cultures or inter-culture in itself. Long hair is also often seen as a sign of good health and thus, often seen as a reflection of the person wearing it. I will bring you through several examples to illustrate the varying definitions of long hair and leave you to decide on your own at the end of it.
How Long is Long Hair

Women are generally more inclined to have long hair as opposed to men. Women with long hair is often considered to be feminine while short-haired women are seen as masculine. For a start, women with hair up to their chin may be considered as having short hair in certain cultures while in other cultures, men with that very same hair-length is said to have long hair.
In certain religions such as Sikh, it is a must for men to don their hair long and keep it under a turban. The hair length can go as long as to the waist when released and thus, it is considered to be a 'norm' in that particular culture and religion. However, despite everything that has been said, surveys have shown that the it is generally accepted that shoulder-length hair is considered to be long; for both women and men alike. Still, what really constitutes long hair is a question that will always be open to debate.

Pictures Copyright of PR PHOTOS

Field of Broken Dreams

Sugar - dir. Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck - 2008 - USA - Sony Pictures Classics

Written for Gone Cinema Poaching.

While Laurent Cantet's The Class [Entre les murs] and the fourth season of The Wire may have forever altered the tired classroom genre, Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden's Half Nelson was the first, rousing sign that the days of Dangerous Minds and Mona Lisa Smile had ended. With Sugar, Fleck and Boden have aimed to do the same with another eye-rolling genre: the sports film. While a mostly admirable attempt, Sugar comes up short in a lot of the aspects Half Nelson succeeded.

Fleck and Boden were the only two people who could have got me excited about a sports film, being neither a fan of athletic competitions nor, especially, their representation on film. Following gifted Dominican pitcher Miguel (Algenis Perez Soto), or Sugar as he's known by everyone else, the filmmaking pair take a surprisingly singular approach to the usually team-oriented subject of baseball. As Sugar moves from the Dominican Republic into the American minor leagues with very little knowledge of the English language, his journey becomes a predominantly solitary one. While it's perhaps unfair to constantly compare the film to Half Nelson, Sugar lacks the astonishing dynamics of character between Ryan Gosling and Shareeka Epps.

Though aided by some fantastically edited game sequences and an aversion to cheap sentimentality, the temptation to descend into lame clichés isn't evaded as much as one might hope. Sugar's debut on the mount comes with a slew of expected conventions: the initial fumble, the pep talk from his sort-of mentor (Rayniel Rufino) and then the extraordinary delivery on his promise. The film takes a shift in its final third, but for those of you hoping for a scene to mirror the exhilarating climax of Half Nelson (when Gosling and Epps see each other in the hotel room while Broken Social Scene's "Shampoo Suicide" plays on the soundtrack), it isn't there.

In downplaying most of the film, Fleck and Boden provide us with something a lot more meaningful than the typical underdog story, but they also risk making Sugar as unmemorable as the films it's critiquing. I'd also like to start a petition to ban filmmakers from using any version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." From films like Basquiat and Watchmen all the way down to episodes of The West Wing and Scrubs, the song has worn out its welcome, and even using a Spanish-language cover of it, as they do in Sugar, still feels just as trite.

My Sort-Of Top 10 for 2000

Over at Counting Down the Zeroes, I was asked to list my Top 10 films of 2000. I'm not totally set on the ten I chose, but I thought I'd link to it anyway. I may create a more definitive one by the end of the year.

1. Presque rien (Come Undone) [d. Sébastien Lifshitz]
2. Songs from the Second Floor (Sånger från andra våningen) [d. Roy Andersson]
3. Dancer in the Dark [d. Lars von Trier]
4. Water Drops on Burning Rocks (Gouttes d'eau sur pierres brûlantes) [d. François Ozon]
5. Code Unknown (Code inconnu: Récit incomplet de divers voyages) [d. Michael Haneke]
6. In the Mood for Love [d. Wong Kar-wai]
7. George Washington [d. David Gordon Green]
8. Under the Sand (Sous le sable) [d. François Ozon]
9. La fidélité [d. Andrzej Żuławski]
10. Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV [d. Lloyd Kaufman]