Jonathan Jones of The Guardian writes a great post on contemporary performance art. “Performance art is funny for a very simple reason – it takes itself more seriously than appears justified. Anything that takes itself seriously invites mockery, from politics to religion: but when the gap between ostentatious importance and self-evident silliness is as vast as it is in so much performance art, the only honest response is laughter.” RT

Did you know that albatrosses have intense life-long love affairs? “For a long while they will dance with several partners, but gradually — it can take years to pick the right partner — they will find a particular favorite. Together those two continue to refine their steps, until, having “spent so much time dancing with that specific bird … that pair’s sequence of moves is as unique as a lover’s fingerprint.” RT

Chris Messina has released a new film at Tribeca. “Some actors have obvious breakout roles that change their careers forever, but Messina’s been working his way to the top for decades before winning hearts as lovable grump Danny Castellano, and Alex of Venice, his first turn behind the camera, is suffused with a sense of maturity and restraint. The film centers on the title character, a young mother and dedicated environmental lawyer played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World), with Messina as her unhappy husband George. But the actor-director cedes the main stage to his talented co-star, and in doing so, presents a portrait of an unusually nuanced female protagonist.” RT

Disney is making LOTS of Star Wars movies. “The studio also has announced plans to do at least two spin-off films that are separate from the new trilogy, and will release them in the years between trilogy installments. After Disney CEO Robert Iger confirmed those projects, sources close to them told EW they will be a young Han Solo film, set before the events of 1977′s Star Wars: A New Hope, and a saga about Boba Fett and his rival bounty hunters, set either right before or after The Empire Strikes Back.” RT

Tagged: albatross mating patterns, albatrosses, Alex of Venice, art, art criticism, birds, Chris Messina, Chris Messina directing, Chris Messina film, Disney studio, divorce, love lives of birds, performance art, Star Wars, Star Wars casting, Star Wars news, Tribeca, Tribeca film review, upcoming Star Wars movies