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After much consideration, I have decided to move my blog to Wordpress. You can now find me and all my new posts at  http://karinaschroeder.com/

A Dangerous Method Movie Review

Image via A Dangerous Method- The Movie

I have another Michael Fassbender movie under my belt, but unfortunately it is with much less enthusiasm.

A Dangerous Method, which opened in theaters this past fall, features Michael Fassbender as Carl Jung, a practicing psychoanalyst in the early 20th century working at the same time as Sigmund Freud. In fact the film details the professional relationship between Jung and Freud as they discuss their different theories of the psychoanalytic practice. Their relationship becomes fractured and eventually falls apart over Sabina Spielrein, a scientific colleague and a woman whom they are treating.

The premise of the movie would have been plausibly interesting if the actors had been able to pull it together. Unfortunately, two of the three did not.

Keira Knightley as Spielrein was absolutely the weakest link. Her terrible Russian accent (her speech coach had a British name, really?) was neither convincing nor interesting in its own right. It was too soft and her British accent shone through way too often, making her appear to speak with a lisp more than anything else.

Knightley's attempts to be convincing as a mentally-ill hysteric also fell flat. Her contorted facial and body features in the beginning scenes seemed forced and fake as she initially comes to Jung as a patient needing serious treatment. As we find out later through Jung's analysis, the young woman's problems come from a relationship with her father where she developed a particular sexual fetish for being spanked.

As Spielrein stiffly contorts and shouts about her father spanking her: "I liked it! I liked it!" I couldn't help but laugh. Perhaps this is all based on a true story, but Knightley's acting makes it seem more like a comedy than a drama. Before we know it Jung is spanking her himself in passionless, boring scenes provoking more laughter at the ridiculousness of the whole portrayal.

Jung is another character who falls flat. I would have expected much more from Fassbender after seeing his performance in Shame, but for some reason there is virtually no emotion in his performance this time: Not in his affair with Spielrein, and not much in his theoretic debates with Freud. Fassbender plays a very passive and passionless role where he should have been much stronger. A man willing to break with the famous Sigmund Freud over the treatment of one young woman is not passive, yet Fassbender does a great job of appearing so.

The only actor whose performance is somewhat convincing is Viggo Mortensen as Sigmund Freud. Meticulous, stubborn, and serious, yet also somewhat patronizing, Mortensen potrays the scientist with relative ease. He plays a supporting role however, so even if his acting job was mediocre it would not bring the movie down.

With both the male and female lead actors turning in such work, however, this movie just cannot get off the ground.

Murder, Then Elegance: A Rococo Valentine's

Yes, my Valentine's Day experiences were as opposite as a brutal murder and a high-class party. Two days after my journey through a horrifying and bloody haunted house, I attended a wine, champagne, and pastry-filled Valentine's Day bash set in a recreated 18th-century Rococo room. A little extravagant, but oh so beautiful.

I have the privilege of being related to the co-owner of this gorgeous one-bedroom apartment in the Upper East Side. My brother, an architect, designed and constructed this entire room from scratch over the course of several years with his ex-boyfriend.  Historically accurate down to the very last detail, the room boasts a wide array of antique furniture, dishes, and paintings, as well as a solid marble fireplace and crystal chandelier. Walking into this place from the dreary and boring apartment complex just outside the door always takes people's breath away. You feel like  you're stepping into a palace, similar to Versailles or the period rooms at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The biggest difference is that you can actually sit on the furniture here.

I could go on and on about my love of this apartment. But as beautiful as it always seems to be, nothing beats the way it looks just before a party. My brother and his ex go all out: ribbons, fresh flowers, and beautiful multicolored pastry displays, always reminding me of one of my favorite films: Marie Antoinette. The details of the party display are just as intricate and analyzed as the room's construction was- like a high-profile art installation.



Sunday was the setting of just such a party, coming in time for Valentine's Day. It was in fact the second Valentine's Day party  held there, with last year's party being so popular that the hosts decided to repeat it. I was jealous of not being able to attend the last one, so naturally I was pretty excited to hear the news that there was going to be another.



And it was as great as I expected it to be. A creative drawing of cupid with an AK-47 sat on the flat screen tv monitor hanging on the wall, and light techno rhythms played in the background. Within an hour the entire apartment was packed with old friends and new acquaintances, everyone chatting each other up and having a great time. I was kept surprisingly busy with all the people I knew there, and with all the people commenting on my looks. I had a bright red dress on and achingly high heels, but everyone loved it. And I have to admit, so did I :)



Did I mention that cupid showed up too? This party was too great for even him to miss....

A Bloody Valentine's Day




Image via Facebook

  I had a crazy busy Valentine's Day weekend this year, and several unique holiday experiences. I went through one of the most frightening haunted houses I've ever experienced, and attended an extravagant Valentine's Day party in an apartment that looks like Versailles. That second one is for a later post.

Here is my review of Blood Manor, a fast yet bone-chilling haunted house that is sure to give you the creeps:

Blood Manor’s Bloody Valentine’s Day Haunted House, located in the West Village, may not be for everyone. But for those who love the thrill of being sincerely frightened, you will not want to miss it.

I’ve been through my fair share of haunted houses, and seen a ton of horror movies. A Halloween buff who is not so easily scared, I can say with pretty good conviction that Blood Manor is really scary- and I absolutely loved it.

The house, created and run by Halloween aficionados Jim Faro, Mike Rodriguez and Jim Lorenzo, has been running for the past eight consecutive Halloweens. This is the second time the house has also run for Valentine’s Day.

Depending on how fast you walk, or run through, the entire event only lasts about 15 minutes. But your heart will be racing and you will feel pretty terrified the entire time. Entering the house through a set of swinging doors, a series of elaborate rooms with intricate and highly realistic horror scenes await you. Many inspired by horror/murder movies like Sweeney Todd and Saw, you truly feel like you’re walking into a murder scene, or that a serial killer is just lurking in the shadows.

The characters are extremely intense and have no fear of creepy eye contact. While they don’t touch you, they are also not afraid to get in your face or trap you alone in the corner of a room. This happened to me in one of the last rooms of the house- characters directed me to what I thought was an exit to the next room, but was really just an empty corner. Then several of them surrounded me. Needless to say I got out of there as fast as I could.

While the characters did an excellent job of scaring the living daylights out of me, there was also a lot of excellent technical work in the house. Some rooms contained animatronic monsters and others had light systems purposefully meant to be disorienting. Others had flat screen televisions with zombies slowly creeping closer, until before you know it they are in front of you, so close you can feel them.

I would give more details about the horror that I went through, but I don’t want to give it all away. Half the fun was not knowing what to expect next.

Faro said the intensely horrific scenes are the result of hours of planning and preparation. By going to trade shows and constantly brainstorming for new ideas, the three owners end up changing about 30 percent of the show each year. “It’s a year round process mentally,” Faro said. “It’s a lot of work, but we love it. I always had a great love for Halloween. I really enjoy people enjoying it.”

I am certainly one of those people who enjoyed it, and I plan on going back this Halloween.

Vintage Valentines

There is this wonderful little store near my new apartment that specializes in old art prints and more modern works of art. Located on Lexington Ave. between 29th and 30th Streets, The Old Print Shop offers dozens if not hundreds of antiquarian maps, 18th and 19th century prints, satirical works of art, photography, and various other vintage art prints. It also offers beautiful work done by contemporary artists.

This store has been up and running since 1898 unbelievably, with its first location at Fourth Ave. between 9th and 10th Streets. It has been on Lexington Ave. since 1925. The Old Print Shop has historically focused on important art it believes the public has overlooked, and was instrumental in growing 19th century American painting and primitive art and sculpture collections in the 1940s and 50s.

While the entire store is a great treasure trove to dig through some Saturday afternoon, The Old Print Shop is displaying and selling an especially cool collection of artwork right now: vintage valentines, honoring the upcoming romantic holiday this Tuesday.

No one so sweet, : No one so true, : In all the Earth : There is none like you.

Hundreds of beautifully-crafted and ornate little Valentine's Day cards are waiting for you to sift through and marvel at them. Spanning the Victorian era up through the 1950s and 60s, there is a huge variety in terms of style and quality. Some are just gorgeous designs but with no written words; others are both artful and poetic, expressing feelings of love, romance and happiness.

Star of my Heart : I miss thee each lone hour, : Star of my heart! : No other voice hath power : Joy to impart! : I listen for thy hasty step, : Thy kind sweet tone...

I was drawn in to this seasonal sale by the store's window display, where several of the cards were featured. When I walked in to check them out, I had no idea there would be so many to admire. I fell in love with several, but unfortunately could not afford to buy any of them. Instead I settled on a card that wasn't quite so rare or vintage, but that still had an image I loved: the profile of an 18th-century French woman with gigantically tall hair. Cupid is sitting in front with his bow at the ready, as if her hair is a conquering army and cupid is the vanguard.

The image is paired with an interesting poetic phrase: Fair tresses man's imperial race ensnare, and beauty draws us with a single hair.

I was so captivated by both the image and the words, I had to buy this. It was also really cheap in comparison to the others, so that helped too. While relatively small, I'm hoping to frame it and hang it in my room someday soon.

If you're looking to see something totally new, rare and interesting in your Valentine's Day shopping this year, check out The Old Print Shop. I have a feeling I'm going to be checking out this place more than once.

Charles Dickens Turns 200

Today would be Charles Dickens' 200th birthday. I've been hearing a lot about this event on Twitter today and in conjunction with an exhibit at the Morgan Library. I haven't checked out the exhibit yet but I will be sure to do so this weekend, as it closes Feb. 12.

While hopefully I will get the chance to write about that, I also wanted to write a little something today to honor the great author. Taking advanced and AP English classes all throughout school, Dickens novels were a frequent staple of assignments, references and discussions. As I read more and more classical authors covering a variety of genres and subjects, I found time and again that Dickens was one of my absolute favorites.

What I love about Dickens' writing is its very humanistic yet sometimes satirical approach to very real problems facing England during his time. He always had a wonderful way of writing about human flaws and of making the reader emotionally involved in his characters' lives and troubles. His writing also had a way of making you think and reflect about societal issues, without necessarily forcing his point of view down your throat. His words were powerful and lasting, and once you read them you don't forget them.

My favorite Dickens novel is Hard Times, although A Tale of Two Cities comes in a close second. I don't think Hard Times is as recognizable as his other works like A Christmas Carol or Oliver Twist, but to me it is one of his most profound and heartwrenching works. Reminding me a little bit of The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, Hard Times focuses on the horrible working conditions in manufacturering factories during the Industrial Revolution, and critiques a popular school of thought called Utilitarianism.

Utilitarians believed in a very strict and harsh rational view of the world. The most radical followers believed in the use of strict logical analysis and the shunning of emotional investment. Dickens portrays this in his details of schoolchildren and their headmaster, who believes that, quite literally, nothing but "facts" are important to a child's education. As we see through the novel's development, it takes a lot more to raise a psychologically healthy and competent person, and thinking only in terms of rational detachment is not always so healthy.

With the Industrial Revolution under way, Dickens also critisized the capitalist economic system fast gaining traction, a system which he deemed as materialistic and selfish. We in turn see the consequences of this selfishness throughout the course of the novel.

I'm not really sure I need to explain how his commentary is still relevent today, with the Occupy Wall Street Protests, the We Are the 99% movement, and the Arab Spring still ongoing. Dickens may have written Hard Times more than 150 years ago, but his criticisms of unfair systems, systemic greed, and emotionless rationality (anything to keep up profits!) should continue to resonate in the current state of world affairs. It's been a while since I read it, and I'm looking forward to picking it up again soon.

Happy Birthday Charles Dickens! You're still very much appreciated.

Palatial Baroque Facades, Hiding Slums

Image via travel.webshots.com 

When I think of St. Petersburg, I think of the grandeur of former Imperial Russia; the Czars and Czarinas, their families and servants, palaces, balls, silks, jewels, and countless other details of royal life. St. Petersburg was, until Lenin came to power in the early 20th century, Russia's capital city, where the royalty often spent their time and entertained guests. I have wanted for so long to visit the remnants of this history, to see the beautiful palace architecture and walk along the cobblestone streets of the old city, dreaming of the wonderful and tragic memories that are hauntingly imprinted there.

That's how I've always imagined it at least. Ever since I saw the animated film Anastasia at age10, and my older sister told me it was based on a true story, I've been oddly obsessed with St. Petersburg and the last imperial family to rule Russia before the revolution: the Romanovs. I've read countless books and gawked over countless photos detailing their fascinating, and also isolating, lives. I imagined that the palaces and old buildings were still standing relatively undamaged or at least restored after the war, and that they were now tourist attractions empty and open to the public.

Until I read this article/ multimedia package in Al Jazeera English. I guess it wasn't as simple as I imagined it.

Window Display

This is the window display of the wholesale china store right next to my work office on 26th St. and 5th Ave. I wasn't allowed to take photographs inside, but the beauty on the outside is reflective of the beauty on the inside: intricate, colorful, and delicate patterns on porcelain white dishes. I love the fashion and artwork of late 18th-century France, and this always brings me back to daydreams of Versailles.

*As I write this in the coffee shop, a classical song from the Marie Antoinette soundtrack has just begun playing in the background. What perfect timing.

Apple and the Abuse of Labor Standards in China

Apple, one of the most successful technological companies in history, is under a lot of fire after an explosive new report was published by the New York Times detailing the company's disregard for safety standards among its suppliers in China.

The article, "Apple Accused of Ignoring Labor Abuses that Can Kill," details a long list of problems and labor violations at plants in China where iPads, iPhones, and other Apple products are manufactured. It also accuses Apple of largely ignoring these problems, while claiming their plants are highly regulated and held to strict ethical standards.

The report is highly extensive, with interviews and reports showing employees working 60+ hours a week, or more than 12 hours a day, six days a week in some cases. Employees often live in small, cramped dorm spaces and work with dangerous chemicals in rooms with little ventilation, the article also says.

The explanation for these violations is one we've heard a million times before: consumers want products fast and they want them cheap. In order to keep up with demand, both from consumers and from the Apple company, manufacturing factories cut corners to improve output. And Apple doesn't really demand a change.

"Apple says that when an audit reveals a violation, the company requires suppliers to address the problem within 90 days and make changes to prevent a recurrence. 'If a supplier is unwilling to change, we terminate our relationship,' the company says on its website.

"The seriousness of that threat, however, is unclear. Apple has found violations in hundreds of audits, but fewer than 15 suppliers have been terminated for transgressions since 2007, according to former Apple executives."

Big surprise. Apple's PR wheel is always running on high gear to give buyers a sense of well-being about their Chinese-made gadgets, but the truth isn't so rosy. It never is, as we've found time and time again through investigations into similar companies.

Twitter was very busy on Thursday when this article was first published, with lots of people commenting in horror on the report's assertions. Apple also expressed outrage, saying that it cares deeply about its workers and will continue investigating violations at its plants. Talk is still going on today about possible PR repercussions of the report, and there have been numerous follow-up articles on the backlash.

While Apple shares a lot of responsibility for properly monitoring its factories, its use of cheap labor and back-breaking work conditions is not entirely their fault. They may claim to do their best at overseeing the manufacturering process, and such egregious violations of fair labor standards may show that they are failing, but the truth is this: consumer demand fueling the production rate of new Apple products is unrealistic. No one can expect millions of new and improved iPhones and iPads every year to hit the market without manufacturers and plant workers bearing an unhealthy workload. It's not feasible and everyone knows it, yet we continue to act surprised and outraged when faced with reports of that reality.

Unfortunately a very pervasent cultural mentality has taken hold in our culture over the past century: a mentality that the customer is always right, and that the customer gets whatever they want, at whatever the cost.

It's a mentality I learned well while working for a department store for three years in high school, and that I reflected on often while living in France, a country where such thinking is not so prevalent. As Apple and other companies have continually bought in to that psychology, they have constantly competed to feed the consumer's demand for, as I said earlier, cheaper and faster products than ever.

No one dares to stand up and say "No, you don't get everything you want. Cheaper and faster products come at an inhuman cost, and we're not willing to pay that. Get over it." Instead they just give in, for the profit, and then everyone follows suit in order to remain competitive. Once you've given in a million times over, it's pretty hard to reverse course.

Consumers deserve blame for not caring about where or how their cheap products are made. But companies are also to blame for catering to that demand, even when doing so requires the services of $1-a-day, 12+ hours a day, sometimes child workers. I do hope this controversy continues, and I hope all the horrified readers realize they can't have it both ways.

Back to the Futurama

Apparently this story is two years old, but I just saw it on the news rounds today. This art piece is called Back to the Futurama by New York artist Jeremy Dean. Dean bought a Hummer H2, cut it in half, modified it and got two horses (named Duke and Diesel) to pull it as a stagecoach around Central Park in March 2010.

The name Back to the Futurama is derived from two different things: First, a General Motors-sponsored exhibition in 1939 at the New York World's Fair, "Futurama," and Second, the 1980s film Back to the Future. Also known as the "CEO Stagecoach," Dean called the artwork part protest and part sculpture. The most environmentally efficient Hummer created, it has silver chrome, working LED lights, and an audio and video system.

Back to the Futurama seeks to represent, among other things, the failure of America's consumer culture. According to Dean, it also "focuses on the rise and fall of the automobile industry as a symbol of the vulnerability of American capitalism." The work sparked both controversy and intense conversation when it displayed at New York's Armory Week in 2010, and I believe it has been on exhibit in various other locations since then.

Unfortunately I cannot find a current location for the piece, so it looks like I may have missed it. I'll keep my eyes peeled though, because Back to the Futurama looks like it would be an amazing thing to see.

My Blogging Break

So as you've noticed, I've taken a little break from blogging in the past month or so. There have been a lot of big changes though and I'm still fully settling into it all, so that's my excuse.

I've started a full-time job, moved into a new apartment (that needs lots of furnishings and some repairs), and started trying to be more social. I still have a huge list of things I need to get done, but I'm going to try making this blog a bigger priority again.

Unfortunately my apartment doesn't have Wi-Fi, another "furnishing" I need to worry about. Luckily I have a Starbucks just across the street-and the employees there are already starting to recognize me. Let the blogging recommence!