Heart of a Dog
Director: Laurie Anderson
Year Released: 2015
Rating: 2.5
Anderson, typically known for her contributions to music, turns to film, using the life and blindness and eventual passing of her terrier Lolabelle to meditate on the U.S. after 9/11 and reflect on relationships in her life (including her mother and friendship with fellow artist Gordon Matta Clark) ... but really, it's mostly about death. It's visually creative - she shot it with an iPhone and used some animation tools - but also flighty (some of her tangents come out of nowhere) and a bit too self-satisfied and smug (many adults do know what they're talking about), giving off the feeling of accidentally walking into a New Age shop and getting a lecture on chakras and the healing power of crystals. From the Realm of Things Artsy People Do: hiring someone to teach their visually disabled pet how to paint, sculpt and play the piano.
