I Love You Phillip Morris and More Culture Picks
Each week, The Daily Beast sifts through the cultural landscape to choose three top picks. This week, Jim Carrey plays a smitten con man, the craziest literary tattoos, and a new art show fashioned with a ballpoint pen.
A Different Kind of Love Story
You know how it goes: Con man gets caught, falls in love in prison, and breaks out of Texas correctional facilities four times to be with his soul mate. Steven Russell, played by Jim Carrey in the new film I Love You Phillip Morris, is this story’s protagonist. Ewan McGregor plays his love interest Phillip Morris and their twisted, charming relationship makes this a standout effort in a crowded pack of December offerings. The Daily Beast’s Gina Piccalo and Nicole LaPorte spoke to Phillip Morris and Steven Russell about their jailhouse romance (every jail-break took place on a Friday the 13th—the day Morris was born) and how to make a knife that could aid in a prison escape. (Hey, no one said love wasn’t dangerous.)
Outrageous Lit Ink
Forget butterflies or skull and bones, the new tattoo fad is Plath, Faulkner, and other quotes from famous authors. A new book, The Word Made Flesh: Literary Tattoos From Bookworms Worldwide, is a well-designed and thoughtfully curated collection of the very best body art received by the authors, accompanied by a few words from each inked-up contributor. David Goodwillie spoke to authors Justin Taylor and Eva Talmadge. Plus, view the most notable literary tattoos, from odes to David Foster Wallace and Marcel Proust to a full arm sleeve devoted to Twilight.
The Art World’s Latest Obsession
Look at the blue ballpoint pen sitting on your desk. Handle it in the right way and your drawings could end up hanging at a New York gallery. Cary Kwok, a London-based artist, forms the base of his drawings with ink, adding embellishments with gold leaf and acrylics. Now his new explorations of fashion, sex, and celebrity—a glowing Audrey Hepburn makes an appearance—are on view at the FLAG Art Foundation in New York City. The show Obsession is curated by the fashion designer Prabal Gurung, who is dipping into the art world for the first time. View the photos here—they’re not to be missed.