Turn on, tune in, drop out

You may not know this yet, but I'm a Woodstock whore. I would have been the hippiest hippie ever back in the day. Except I would not have smelt like patchouli--even I have some principles.
Anyway, I don't know what exactly are your thoughts on those happy hippie people, but I am madly infatuated with them. What's wrong about peace and love, right? Having stoned epiphanies naked in a poppy field sounds super awesome.
The thing is, I was born way too late. Nowadays hippies just don't have the same vibe. I would kill for a Volkswagen van, but when you can see one stuck in downtown traffic and the person driving it does not have facial hair, you know something is not right.

So yes, I feel like I should have been born just in time to be in my twenties during the Summer of 1969, when "sex drugs and rock'n'roll" was more a reality than an elusive ideal, when it was okay for men to wear flare jeans, and when life seemed to be about experiencing and not just conforming. I guess you could argue that people were conforming to non-conformity, but then I would prove you wrong, so let's just not go into that (and that's how you avoid debate).
I think I would have blended in just fine.

But I'm losing focus here (see? I can't help but being a hippie at heart). I was going to tell you about the film Taking Woodstock by Ang Lee. A very good friend of mine mentioned it to me and I chain-reacted along the lines of "Woodstock alert!!"/"wait--Ang Lee directed this?!"/"why haven't I heard of it before??". Answer: my best friend IMdB told me that it had a limited realease in the USA. Which is weird--in four words: Ang. Lee. Emile. Hirsch. Make that seven words: Emile. Frigging. Hirsch.
Let's face it, Emile-frigging-Hirsch (I had to check online to hear how his name was actually said because we the French, masters of mispronunciation, say it "Eh-meal Ear-sh". LAME) is a good reason to see any movie. I know what you're going to say, but since every rule has its exception Speed Racer doesn't count--poor Eh-meal, who the hell tricked you into this one?

Ladies and gay gentlemen, keep your eyes wide open during the film because not only does Eh-meal look insanely scruffy and hot and dirrty--wait, I'll even give you a visual proof:

Why, hello there!

Are you happy now? I know I am. Anyway, not only does he look like my perfect ideal guy, but he is also really great in the movie as a slightly deranged Vietnam vet/alcoholic/stoner/rebel. Told you--totally my type.
His character rocks, but there's even more. Icing on the already yummy cake (as you can see I'm losing all control here): you can see him naked at one point, and sliding half-naked in the mud later on. Doesn't that scream "must see movie" to you?

If not, I don't know what does, but I do have more arguments. And I'm so nice that I'll even list them for you.

1. The story. It is not original in its premises, but it's endearing. Ang Lee (I don't know why but I always feel the need to say/write his entire name. Maybe because it's only two syllables) does a good job intertwining the story of the Tiber family with Woodstock as we know it.
Weecap: Elliot Tiber is struggling to keep afloat El Monaco, the "resort" (a.k.a. seedy motel) run by his parents in the Catskills. When he finds out that a nearby town has pulled the permit on a music festival, he decides to host it. And that my friends, triggers both a personal and a generational journey.

2. The music. Woodstock concerts are actually never shown onscreen, which I thought was a good thing, because Woodstock was so much more than that. Instead, the score is made of original compositions from Danny Elfman (who distances himself from his somewhat repetitive Burtonian scores) and sixties classics. My personal favorite being 'The Red Telephone' by Love.

3. The cinematography. I don't have a very scientific knowledge of cameras and directorial techniques and stuff--proof of that ignorance: me saying "and stuff". Bad sign.
But I can say that I really enjoyed whatever it was that Ang Lee did. There are quite a few split screens and usually I'm not a fan, but I thought it went really well with the whole mess/conglomerate that was Woodstock. The director of photography really did a good job, the colors are vibrant and yet have that vintage aspect to them. The visual effects are nicely done, and of course I loved the costume design.

4. Just to throw this in: Meryl Streep's daughter. Liev Schreiber as a transexual. Nakedness. Paul Dano with weird long hair. Special brownies. (Facial) Hair heaven. Acid trip in a van.

5. If you are not convinced by anything I've said so far, this should do it.
In the film there's a really hot guy with really curly hair who is almost always seen riding either a horse or a motorcycle. Well, according to my friend Mag who went to see it with me, this guy and I both have the same "mischievous but cute" facial expressions!
So if you want to agree or disagree with that statement and find out by yourself if I have any resemblance with this guy...

I know... unbelievable, right? Though I wish I had that hair...

... you just have to check that movie out. And my work here will be done.

Until then... Peace out.

PS: I wrote this listening to the album Forever Changes by Love (one of my fave bands if you must know everything) and I thought you too deserved an adequate musical atmosphere for your reading. So I made a special playlist for your ears only: click on it and feel the love.