Ayrton Senna: In His Last Race to Spirituality and Immortality

I never understood people´s fascination with car racing. My primal girl-self cannot grasp what type of adrenaline one gets from hearing the sound of screeching tires and the humming of machines for what I would plainly categorise as a man sport. Since being involved in a minor accident years ago, I had sworn never to drive again. But lo and behold! Seeing the documentary on Ayrton Senna had made me change my mind. Aside from becoming a fan of the legendary driver and having a newfound respect for Formula One, I´m no longer afraid to take up driving once again.

Who would have thought that a film about racing would touch my soul to the core? But that´s what exactly this film did.  Directed by Asif Kapadia, the film is in itself a breakthrough in documentary filmmaking as it tells the story of Senna through archival footage Read More »

Mr. Brainwash Brainwashes in the Banksy Film: Exit Through the Gift Shop

Better late than never. I have just seen Banksy´s documentary:  Exit Through the Gift Shop which was already shown at the Sundance in 2010.  After seeing some works of Mr. Brainwash at the Opera Gallery the other day, I just had to see it. It´s supposed to be the story of his evolution from an eccentric French shop keeper to a  world-renowned  street artist.

I love underdog stories like these. I do find myself cheering for people who came out of nowhere and then boom, suddenly being tossed in a sort of X-factor limelight.  I guess it just gives me some form of catharsis. But you know what´s different about  Thierry Guetta, a.k.a Mr. Brainwash?  Well aside from the fact, that he didn´t look young and hip,  he didn´t plan to be an artist. It just came to be.

Poster. Photo by Spencer Hickman Read More »