A collection of my favorite (non film related) events and happenings from this past year.
5. Beach Vacation – The immediate family and me in our yearly trip down to Long Beach Island, NJ.
4. Senior Prom – Again, self explanatory. Had a good time with some close friends, got all dressed up and danced a bunch. T’was a night to remember fer shur.
3. High School Graduation - Fairly self explanatory.
2. Church trip down to North Carolina – Traveled out of state to spend a week in Cherokee, NC with a youth group from my church.
1. College – Not any one specific even or incident. Just my entire college experience so far. It’s been pretty rad.
In spite of these five listed items, 2010 as a whole has been pretty so-so for me. Stay tuned for my New Years ramblings and possible list of resolutions.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Monday, December 27, 2010
Weekly Watch
Thought I’d give this new series a try. It basically keeps track of all the films I watched in the past week or so, and then I do small writeups of each, with a 1-4 star rating scale for funsies. Hopefully this’ll be inspiring enough for me to do some more feature length pieces.
Grizzly Man – One of the best documentaries I’ve ever seen. An absolutely captivating portrait of a man who clearly wasn’t all “there” per say. Despite not much happening in the way of plot or story, it was one of the most dramatic and intense experiences watching a film I’ve had in a long time. Much better than I was expecting and easily my favorite film from Werner Herzog, feature or documentary. ****
Love and Death – One of the most ambitious films from Woody Allen I’ve seen yet, and also one of the funniest. ***
True Grit – Pretty much it was everything I hoped it would be, and even much more at times. A wonderfully crafted film that’s just as cinematically satisfying as it is entertaining on a purely superficial level. It goes without saying that the cinematography was stunning and the entire cast did well, with the clear standout being Hailee Steinfeld in the lead role. Barring a regrettably anticlimactic finale and a general lack of catharsis, this was one hell of a film. ****
Rio Bravo – Stunningly average western flick on all fronts, without any interesting characters or unique plot devices to lead from point A to B. An inoffensive enough piece of hackwork that had its moments, but didn’t do much for me overall. One thing I did love, though, was the liberal use of the term “dude.” How unbelievably anachronistic. **1/2
We'll see how long this one lasts.
Grizzly Man – One of the best documentaries I’ve ever seen. An absolutely captivating portrait of a man who clearly wasn’t all “there” per say. Despite not much happening in the way of plot or story, it was one of the most dramatic and intense experiences watching a film I’ve had in a long time. Much better than I was expecting and easily my favorite film from Werner Herzog, feature or documentary. ****
Love and Death – One of the most ambitious films from Woody Allen I’ve seen yet, and also one of the funniest. ***
True Grit – Pretty much it was everything I hoped it would be, and even much more at times. A wonderfully crafted film that’s just as cinematically satisfying as it is entertaining on a purely superficial level. It goes without saying that the cinematography was stunning and the entire cast did well, with the clear standout being Hailee Steinfeld in the lead role. Barring a regrettably anticlimactic finale and a general lack of catharsis, this was one hell of a film. ****
Rio Bravo – Stunningly average western flick on all fronts, without any interesting characters or unique plot devices to lead from point A to B. An inoffensive enough piece of hackwork that had its moments, but didn’t do much for me overall. One thing I did love, though, was the liberal use of the term “dude.” How unbelievably anachronistic. **1/2
We'll see how long this one lasts.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Lorne the Super Jew
Let the record show that I did not write this. It's just a fun little story written by another...let's call him "Renty" for now. Anyway, I noticed how sad and empty my blog has been looking lately, so I thought I'd drop by and share this. Be warned that there are a few in-jokes stashed in there so if you don't "get" something, it's not you. Enjoy!
Part I
Lorne the Super Jew was big.
He was fast.
He could leap tall buildings in a single bound and have motzah ball soup ready on the way back down.
Lorne the Super Jew was loved and revered by all the people of Toronto, and rightfully so, for Lorne the Super Jew was a kind man.
A virtuous man.
And most importantly, a sexy man.
In fact, Lorne the Super Jew was wanted by every hot female in Ontario. He soon the attentions of a Miss Cheesecake, who proceeded to court him and she became his queen soon after, leaving Toronto in a state of prosperity and bliss.
This is when the sidekick dead-ced-dead comes in. Mr. DCD was a kind man.
A scrupulous man.
He was also an even sexier man (though that may be my own bias).
How in the world could Lorne the Super Jew compete?
But Lorne the Super Jew soon discovered that DCD was not to be feared.
Instead, he busied himself acquiring an even more vast fortune, buying out every bank in Canada and the world over (and yes, even Serbia) before owning the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
With great power, comes great responsibility (and no, I am not plagiarising).
And it was DCD’s suggestion to give the Oscar this year to Natalie Portman for her wonderful performance in Black Swan (despite not having seen the film himself).
And so Lorne agreed, and it was done, and every Portman fanboy around the world creamed himself to a sticky death.
Part II
Lorne the Super Jew was sweet.
Lorne the Super Jew was awesome.
Lorne the Super Jew was the stuff of legend.
It was rumoured that he could run around the world in three minutes and seduce even the most bitter woman in half that time (and yes, even convert her).
It was also rumoured that he was responsible for the disappearance of Mel Gibson. This angered McFlyin, who believed every word of said rumour, and who had never heard of Mad Max, only What Women Want.
An inquiry was sent forth and it was ruled that Mr. Gibson must have hidden himself away where he could go ahead with his drunk tirades where not even the crows could hear him.
It was decided that not only would a search of the world not be worth it, it would also be more expensive, much like the pointless search for Osama bin Laden.
Part III
Lorne the Super Jew was intelligent.
Lorne the Super Jew was clever!
Lorne the Super Jew was a PATRIOT!
When it came time to defend his country against the wicked Gibson-ites (some very disturbing people not really worth a description here), he led them away by promising them gold and jewels...without detailing the amount of karats first.
And that is where our story ends, ladies and gentlemen.
I could go on and on and on about the glorious Lorne the Super Jew, but if there’s one thing that Lorne the Super Jew is known for...it is his great humility.
THE END
Part I
Lorne the Super Jew was big.
He was fast.
He could leap tall buildings in a single bound and have motzah ball soup ready on the way back down.
Lorne the Super Jew was loved and revered by all the people of Toronto, and rightfully so, for Lorne the Super Jew was a kind man.
A virtuous man.
And most importantly, a sexy man.
In fact, Lorne the Super Jew was wanted by every hot female in Ontario. He soon the attentions of a Miss Cheesecake, who proceeded to court him and she became his queen soon after, leaving Toronto in a state of prosperity and bliss.
This is when the sidekick dead-ced-dead comes in. Mr. DCD was a kind man.
A scrupulous man.
He was also an even sexier man (though that may be my own bias).
How in the world could Lorne the Super Jew compete?
But Lorne the Super Jew soon discovered that DCD was not to be feared.
Instead, he busied himself acquiring an even more vast fortune, buying out every bank in Canada and the world over (and yes, even Serbia) before owning the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
With great power, comes great responsibility (and no, I am not plagiarising).
And it was DCD’s suggestion to give the Oscar this year to Natalie Portman for her wonderful performance in Black Swan (despite not having seen the film himself).
And so Lorne agreed, and it was done, and every Portman fanboy around the world creamed himself to a sticky death.
Part II
Lorne the Super Jew was sweet.
Lorne the Super Jew was awesome.
Lorne the Super Jew was the stuff of legend.
It was rumoured that he could run around the world in three minutes and seduce even the most bitter woman in half that time (and yes, even convert her).
It was also rumoured that he was responsible for the disappearance of Mel Gibson. This angered McFlyin, who believed every word of said rumour, and who had never heard of Mad Max, only What Women Want.
An inquiry was sent forth and it was ruled that Mr. Gibson must have hidden himself away where he could go ahead with his drunk tirades where not even the crows could hear him.
It was decided that not only would a search of the world not be worth it, it would also be more expensive, much like the pointless search for Osama bin Laden.
Part III
Lorne the Super Jew was intelligent.
Lorne the Super Jew was clever!
Lorne the Super Jew was a PATRIOT!
When it came time to defend his country against the wicked Gibson-ites (some very disturbing people not really worth a description here), he led them away by promising them gold and jewels...without detailing the amount of karats first.
And that is where our story ends, ladies and gentlemen.
I could go on and on and on about the glorious Lorne the Super Jew, but if there’s one thing that Lorne the Super Jew is known for...it is his great humility.
THE END
Thursday, November 25, 2010
What I'm thankful for
Oh yeah, time to get sentimental this Thanksgiving.
- Being with my family, however asshole-ish they may be.
- Getting into a good school.
- Making lots of new friends at college
- Keeping in touch with a few of my old friends from high school.
- Being able to sleep in as late as I want to, without having to worry about alarms going off, or being late for classes.
- Good health (corny as hell for sure, but something you just have to mention)
- My puppy, Bailey.
- 50% off Criterion DVD sales
- Netflix Instant watch
- Thanksgiving feasts. Mmmmmmmmmm –
That’s all for now.
- Being with my family, however asshole-ish they may be.
- Getting into a good school.
- Making lots of new friends at college
- Keeping in touch with a few of my old friends from high school.
- Being able to sleep in as late as I want to, without having to worry about alarms going off, or being late for classes.
- Good health (corny as hell for sure, but something you just have to mention)
- My puppy, Bailey.
- 50% off Criterion DVD sales
- Netflix Instant watch
- Thanksgiving feasts. Mmmmmmmmmm –
That’s all for now.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
College updates.
Hey, I don’t see you coming up with any ideas.
- As far as classes are concerned, I’m doing very well in a few (like English Comp and Linguistics) while I’m struggling in some others (Intro to Gov’t and Astronomy)
- I’m getting much better at the guitar, due to more practice. Who knows, you could even say that I’m getting halfway decent.
- I’ve developed a routine of drinking coffee. I can’t honestly say I like it, but it’s become a habit that I drink at least 1 cup per day.
- Apparently the students that work in the library get paid $8.50 an hour, which sort of blew my mind when I learned that.
- Still no goddamn roommate.
- I should really be working on an English paper instead of writing this.
- I am no longer a member of the Snapper newspaper staff. It’s a long story, but basically, the section of the paper I was writing for got terminated and I (and a few other kids) got booted out. It was really dumb.
Woohoo!
- As far as classes are concerned, I’m doing very well in a few (like English Comp and Linguistics) while I’m struggling in some others (Intro to Gov’t and Astronomy)
- I’m getting much better at the guitar, due to more practice. Who knows, you could even say that I’m getting halfway decent.
- I’ve developed a routine of drinking coffee. I can’t honestly say I like it, but it’s become a habit that I drink at least 1 cup per day.
- Apparently the students that work in the library get paid $8.50 an hour, which sort of blew my mind when I learned that.
- Still no goddamn roommate.
- I should really be working on an English paper instead of writing this.
- I am no longer a member of the Snapper newspaper staff. It’s a long story, but basically, the section of the paper I was writing for got terminated and I (and a few other kids) got booted out. It was really dumb.
Woohoo!
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Not for you, for me
This is just a friendly reminder to myself to get my ass in gear and put something here. I keep saying I'll do it eventually, so what good is my word now? Anywho, when I have the time, I will try to write something up for my blogging pleasure.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Why ‘Hereafter’ is amazing and people are generally ignorant, stupid morons
The goal of a film’s trailer is generally to make it look appealing towards its established target audience, yes? And surely most people would agree that the average trailer is successful in that regard a very good percentage of the time. The films demographic take the bait, see the film and enjoy it while the rest of the world scoffs and forgets said trailer forever. It’s a fairly routine system that appears to work most of the time (read: most of the time). But every so often, the studios prove that they have so little faith in their product that they feel the need to dress it up like some lame ass movie-of-the-week, thus dooming it to poor word of mouth from people expecting something completely different from what the got. The last major instance of this would be M. Night Shyamalan’s misunderstood masterpiece The Village, and we find ourselves with another case nearly as outrageous, this time concerning Clint Eastwood’s Hereafter.
Hereafter tells the story of three separate storylines where the protagonist of each either experiences or is faced with a situation involving death in some way. Think of the trailer for this film like if Slumdog Millionaire was advertised to look like a James Bond film. If I were to make a comparison to a now realized genre classic, I’d say this film is this generation’s The Shining. Surely if the audiences who saw The Shining back when it was first released in theaters had Facebooks, their statuses would’ve read “The girlfriend and I both hated The Shining. So boring” and “Latest Stanley Kubrick movie: S – L – O – W” etc. However, a more recent comparison would be to say that it’s this years Funny People – as in the wrong people watching it, and thus spreading negative word of mouth, where the people who would really respond to this film brush it off as exactly what the trailer made it out to be.
But what I think upset audiences the most was Hereafter’s overall position, or lack thereof, when it comes to the various theories concerning what comes after death. The film doesn’t take any concrete position on the afterlife but rather allows the viewer to reflect parts of what they believe into the material the film exposes them to. It’s not the fault of the film, nor anybody involved, for failing to provide answers to the mystery of the afterlife. Because really, anybody who think they’ll get an answer to THE question by watching movies is bound to be disappointed
So what do I think the future holds for Hereafter? Very minimal, if any awards recognition. Reasonably mild critical/public reception and doomed to be dismissed as one of Eastwood’s lesser works. Perhaps an eventual cult following will materialize in the near future, just like The Village (high five!), but it’s certainly doubtful. The point is that whatever fate has in store for this film, it’s far less than it deserves. But in a society where Scott Pilgrim vs. the World makes less money than Vampires Suck, could you really expect anything less?
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Recent updates about my life
Okay, I'm not even going to try to avoid the fact that I've been terribly neglectful over the past few months. But I am going to start picking up the slack once I get some more things over here at M'ville on track. Expect a sudden flourish of postery to come your way over the next few weeks. But until then, here's some shit about my life for 'ya.
- I’ve decided to cancel the ongoing “2010 Films” series, for a couple of reasons. First off, I’ve seen too damn many, at least between now and the last update. Most of which weren’t very good or memorable to be honest. And with the ones I didn’t really care about, my critique was usually just “It was decent. Better than it looked, but still average.” It was a good idea, but just wasn’t as inspiring as I was hoping.
- All of my classes are going well. For a little refresher, I have English Composition, Intro to State and Local Gov’ts, International Linguistics Studies, Astronomy, and Musical Appreciation. They’re fine, I s’pose. It is what it is, you know?
- I still have no roommate, or the faintest idea of what the hell ever happened to him. Mu guess is that he was an upperclassman who got an apartment at the last second and neglected to tell somebody. Whatever the case, he still ain’t here.
- I’ve been to movies a more lot lately than I usually am. I’m sure it all has to do with a shuttle bus on campus stopping at this one plaza where there just so happens to be a movie theater. Speaking in film buff terms, I’ve actually see my Top 3 of the year up to this point during my span of living on campus. Neat-o.
- In addition to seeing movies theatrically, I’ve also made proper use of the library and its infinite selection of DVDs.
- I finally learned how to tie a tie, all on my own this time. You see, every Friday in my Gov’t course is formal wear day, where if you come dressed all formal-like, you’ll get extra points. Being about all well educated in the inner mechanisms of Gov’tal workings as a footstool, I’m thinking some extra points couldn’t hurt. So I learned how to tie my own ties for the class and hopefully gain a whopping .24755332uwejvqn8 234 4297 extra points onto my overall grade.
- I bought this awesome Kermit the Frog hat, for when it gets super cold outside.
- I’ve recently starting keeping an expense journal for my debit card, which is a huge pain in my ass. I’m always forgetting things and mixing up amounts spent and all that bs.
That’s all for now. I promise I’ll be back at least once more before the wonderful month of October ends.
- I’ve decided to cancel the ongoing “2010 Films” series, for a couple of reasons. First off, I’ve seen too damn many, at least between now and the last update. Most of which weren’t very good or memorable to be honest. And with the ones I didn’t really care about, my critique was usually just “It was decent. Better than it looked, but still average.” It was a good idea, but just wasn’t as inspiring as I was hoping.
- All of my classes are going well. For a little refresher, I have English Composition, Intro to State and Local Gov’ts, International Linguistics Studies, Astronomy, and Musical Appreciation. They’re fine, I s’pose. It is what it is, you know?
- I still have no roommate, or the faintest idea of what the hell ever happened to him. Mu guess is that he was an upperclassman who got an apartment at the last second and neglected to tell somebody. Whatever the case, he still ain’t here.
- I’ve been to movies a more lot lately than I usually am. I’m sure it all has to do with a shuttle bus on campus stopping at this one plaza where there just so happens to be a movie theater. Speaking in film buff terms, I’ve actually see my Top 3 of the year up to this point during my span of living on campus. Neat-o.
- In addition to seeing movies theatrically, I’ve also made proper use of the library and its infinite selection of DVDs.
- I finally learned how to tie a tie, all on my own this time. You see, every Friday in my Gov’t course is formal wear day, where if you come dressed all formal-like, you’ll get extra points. Being about all well educated in the inner mechanisms of Gov’tal workings as a footstool, I’m thinking some extra points couldn’t hurt. So I learned how to tie my own ties for the class and hopefully gain a whopping .24755332uwejvqn8 234 4297 extra points onto my overall grade.
- I bought this awesome Kermit the Frog hat, for when it gets super cold outside.
- I’ve recently starting keeping an expense journal for my debit card, which is a huge pain in my ass. I’m always forgetting things and mixing up amounts spent and all that bs.
That’s all for now. I promise I’ll be back at least once more before the wonderful month of October ends.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
"The Future"
Ah, yes. “The future.” The subject of many-a science fiction novel/film, and the ominous force looming over our heads always. Well, I’m not here to talk about THAT future. The future I’d like to briefly discuss is the one we’re always being old about. The one we’re supposed to fear and look forward to our entire lives. And every time we reach said future, it always slips away into another 10 or so years.
Well, I got news for y’all. The whole “future” theory… it’s overrated. Don’t get me wrong, there IS such a thing as a future. Just not that ominous presence that everyone and their mother warned us about. Right now, I’m living the future I was told of 10 years ago. The future I’ve been working my butt off through 12 years of schooling to reach. Yeah, it’s here, and I have to say that it’s rather underwhelming. Without neglecting to acknowledge some drastic changes in lodgings and overall living situation, I’m doing basically the same shit I’ve BEEN doing for most of my entire life, more or less. Wake up, go to school (or something relative to an educational facility), do work, come home (again, something relative to a home). Lather, rinse, repeat.
I’m not even sure if there’s a point that I’m trying to get across here. All I’m saying is that all these years of being told to fear what’s awaiting for us around the corner isn’t very daunting. I met my future a long time ago and it wasn’t very intimidating. I think I can rest easy now and not have to worry about what else the big, bad future will hold for me. I’m sure I’ve dealt with worse.
Well, I got news for y’all. The whole “future” theory… it’s overrated. Don’t get me wrong, there IS such a thing as a future. Just not that ominous presence that everyone and their mother warned us about. Right now, I’m living the future I was told of 10 years ago. The future I’ve been working my butt off through 12 years of schooling to reach. Yeah, it’s here, and I have to say that it’s rather underwhelming. Without neglecting to acknowledge some drastic changes in lodgings and overall living situation, I’m doing basically the same shit I’ve BEEN doing for most of my entire life, more or less. Wake up, go to school (or something relative to an educational facility), do work, come home (again, something relative to a home). Lather, rinse, repeat.
I’m not even sure if there’s a point that I’m trying to get across here. All I’m saying is that all these years of being told to fear what’s awaiting for us around the corner isn’t very daunting. I met my future a long time ago and it wasn’t very intimidating. I think I can rest easy now and not have to worry about what else the big, bad future will hold for me. I’m sure I’ve dealt with worse.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Announcment
Hi there. First off, I'll be apologizing for my recent lack of commitment. I know full well that I'm usually more dependable than just lists and photo compilations. But being a college bound individual and all is a bit jarring, as I'm usually up to my elbows in school work or other things I need to get done.
Anyhow, I've also returned to tell y'all that I've obtained a postition on the Millersville University newspaper staff. Most of the time, I'll just have random article topic assigned to me and I'll just run with them. But occasionally, I'll get the opportunity to write about a subject of my choice. Being a newbie on staff, I doubt I'll be picking my own shit very often, but that's fine with me. So for my first assignment, I got stuck with the sacred topic of the difference between left & right handed people. So whenever I get something of value published, I'll just repost it here or your viewing pleasure. Until then, enjoy my pointless lists and picture compilations.
Anyhow, I've also returned to tell y'all that I've obtained a postition on the Millersville University newspaper staff. Most of the time, I'll just have random article topic assigned to me and I'll just run with them. But occasionally, I'll get the opportunity to write about a subject of my choice. Being a newbie on staff, I doubt I'll be picking my own shit very often, but that's fine with me. So for my first assignment, I got stuck with the sacred topic of the difference between left & right handed people. So whenever I get something of value published, I'll just repost it here or your viewing pleasure. Until then, enjoy my pointless lists and picture compilations.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Rough Top 10 (Happy birthday to me!)
Because it’s my birthday weekend, and I felt like being a little indulgent.
#. Film title (Release year; Director)
1. Big Fish (2003; Tim Burton)
“They say when you meet the love of your life, time stops.”
2. Fantasia (1940; Various)
“Musically and dramatically, we have here a picture of the struggle between the profane and the sacred.”
3. The Trial (1962; Orson Welles)
“It is said that the logic of this story is that of a dream… or a nightmare.”
4. The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928; Carl Theodor Dreyer)
“Are you in a state of grace right now?”
“If I am, then may God keep me there.”
5. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968; Stanley Kubrick)
“I am putting myself to the fullest possible use, which is all I think that any conscious entity can ever hope to do.”
6. The Night of the Hunter (1955; Charles Laughton)
“It’s a hard world for little things.”
7. The Godfather Part II (1974; Francis Ford Coppola)
“I don’t feel that I need to wipe out everybody, Tom. Just my enemies.”
8. Fargo (1996; Joel Coen)
“Two more months.”
9. Princess Mononoke (1997; Hayao Miyazaki)
“Pay attention, everyone. I’m going to show you how to kill a God.”
10. The Mirror (1975; Andrei Tarkovsky)
“And I can't wait to see this dream in which I'll be a child again and feel happy again because everything will still be ahead, everything will be possible...”
[Next time, I'll have an actual piece of writing prepared. Cross my heart.]
#. Film title (Release year; Director)
1. Big Fish (2003; Tim Burton)
“They say when you meet the love of your life, time stops.”
2. Fantasia (1940; Various)
“Musically and dramatically, we have here a picture of the struggle between the profane and the sacred.”
3. The Trial (1962; Orson Welles)
“It is said that the logic of this story is that of a dream… or a nightmare.”
4. The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928; Carl Theodor Dreyer)
“Are you in a state of grace right now?”
“If I am, then may God keep me there.”
5. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968; Stanley Kubrick)
“I am putting myself to the fullest possible use, which is all I think that any conscious entity can ever hope to do.”
6. The Night of the Hunter (1955; Charles Laughton)
“It’s a hard world for little things.”
7. The Godfather Part II (1974; Francis Ford Coppola)
“I don’t feel that I need to wipe out everybody, Tom. Just my enemies.”
8. Fargo (1996; Joel Coen)
“Two more months.”
9. Princess Mononoke (1997; Hayao Miyazaki)
“Pay attention, everyone. I’m going to show you how to kill a God.”
10. The Mirror (1975; Andrei Tarkovsky)
“And I can't wait to see this dream in which I'll be a child again and feel happy again because everything will still be ahead, everything will be possible...”
[Next time, I'll have an actual piece of writing prepared. Cross my heart.]
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
That College Business
I honestly have no idea what to think about my college experience so far. It’s kind of like I love it and I hate it at the same time, you know? I mean, it’s everything I thought it was going to be, from the good and the bad perspectives. But for right now, I’d like to focus on one from each category.
First off is the sense of independence. This is really great for me because all my life, I’ve been looking for an opportunity to prove that I can take care of myself, all by myself. And this is precisely what the doctor ordered. More than that, I’m just glad to be away from the stuffy and uncomfortable environment of my home. I no longer have to be stuck under the same roof as a house full of irritable and insensitive assholes. That’s very nice. So yeah, I have been enjoying all the time to myself.
But then there’s the almost unbearable loneliness I’m feeling. Now, I know I just spent an entire paragraph explaining how much I love being on my own. But you have to understand the difference between being on your own, and being totally alone in an area you aren’t savy with in the first place. And don’t get me wrong, I’m not some Franz Kafka, sitting alone suffering. Not at all. I’ve made friends and am being reasonably sociable. It’s just that I don’t have any deep-rooted relationships yet. While it’s not like I was expecting to or anything, I just didn’t realize how much not having anybody to count on could suck. Hell, I don’t even have a roommate, which in theory that sounds cool, and at times it is nice to have some privacy. But there’s nobody around for me to just shoot the shit with. Although it is preferable to the company I shared my previous lodgings with, so there’s that.
Well, it would appear that I have some conflicting feelings to contend with. I s’pose I’ll just have to wait it out to see which one of the two aforementioned emotions I wind up indulging in. Le sigh.
First off is the sense of independence. This is really great for me because all my life, I’ve been looking for an opportunity to prove that I can take care of myself, all by myself. And this is precisely what the doctor ordered. More than that, I’m just glad to be away from the stuffy and uncomfortable environment of my home. I no longer have to be stuck under the same roof as a house full of irritable and insensitive assholes. That’s very nice. So yeah, I have been enjoying all the time to myself.
But then there’s the almost unbearable loneliness I’m feeling. Now, I know I just spent an entire paragraph explaining how much I love being on my own. But you have to understand the difference between being on your own, and being totally alone in an area you aren’t savy with in the first place. And don’t get me wrong, I’m not some Franz Kafka, sitting alone suffering. Not at all. I’ve made friends and am being reasonably sociable. It’s just that I don’t have any deep-rooted relationships yet. While it’s not like I was expecting to or anything, I just didn’t realize how much not having anybody to count on could suck. Hell, I don’t even have a roommate, which in theory that sounds cool, and at times it is nice to have some privacy. But there’s nobody around for me to just shoot the shit with. Although it is preferable to the company I shared my previous lodgings with, so there’s that.
Well, it would appear that I have some conflicting feelings to contend with. I s’pose I’ll just have to wait it out to see which one of the two aforementioned emotions I wind up indulging in. Le sigh.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
FFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
I come bearing good tidings. There will be an actual piece of writing up by tomorrow. w00t. But until that time, here's some more memetic shit.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
The Leo Strut
Because I don't think I've spammed this blog with enough pointless memes yet.
Don't worry, I'll get an actual piece of writing in here... eventually.
Don't worry, I'll get an actual piece of writing in here... eventually.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Faith in humanity, commence getting lost
There are lots of things I don’t understand in this world. But I'd at least be able to wrap my head around said goofs or just brush them off completely. However, when I came across the following U.S. box office statistics, my mind was absolutely blown.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World - $29,251,000
Vampires Suck - $33,099,000
According to these figures, more people went to see Vampires Suck than Scott Pilgrim vs. the World theatrically, which makes me a very sad panda. Humanity, you sicken me. SICKEN ME I tells ‘ya. Pointing out the obvious lack of originality in either Avatar or Shutter Island is one thing. Choosing a total and complete waste of time over quality filmmaking is just a whole new kind of evil.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World - $29,251,000
Vampires Suck - $33,099,000
According to these figures, more people went to see Vampires Suck than Scott Pilgrim vs. the World theatrically, which makes me a very sad panda. Humanity, you sicken me. SICKEN ME I tells ‘ya. Pointing out the obvious lack of originality in either Avatar or Shutter Island is one thing. Choosing a total and complete waste of time over quality filmmaking is just a whole new kind of evil.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
'Inception' memes
Because they're hilarious. Although clickage to make them larger is extremely necessary for some of these.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Funny schtuff.
'cause I can. Click on the pictures to make them larger if needed.
That last one made me laugh until I started crying.
That last one made me laugh until I started crying.
Monday, August 30, 2010
A fresh start?
This past week marked a huge milestone in my life. I had moved out of my home and relocated to my dorm at Millersville. As expected, everyone and their mother was giving me pieces of advice within the few days before my departure. While thoughtful, I had either heard said advice beforehand multiple times or found myself one step ahead of it. But there was one person whose council I awaited above all others and that would belong to my older brother, Jonathan.
The night before I left, I went out to dinner with my family at the restaurant-club-bar-whatever where my brother cooks at. But when it finally happened, I have to admit that I was momentarily disappointed with him. The basic gist of what he told me was the obviously rehearsed “You can be anybody you wanna be, it’s a fresh start” spell. I blew it off at first, but later on I really started to put some thought into what he said.
What Jonathan had said caused me to look inwards and do some hardcore soul searching. First off, who was I? Well, I am Christian Harding; an 18-yeard-old future English major. I am the youngest of 5 children and my major hobbies/points of interest my friends, film, and family members. A lot of “f” stuff, apparently. I’ve had a reasonable amount of experience with most of the big milestones, at least the ones that concern people my age. After I had gotten that figured out, I then had to decide if that was the person I wanted to bring to college with me. I mean, I like to think where I ended up at the end of my grade school career was a success on some level, despite my inability to feel happy or contented.
When the height of my confusion had finally passed, I ended with the conclusion that I wasn’t going to change a single thing about myself in preparation for college. True, I could use a good self-esteem boost every once and a while, but I expect to grow out of that at a natural pace. Whether or not I’m any more or less successful at the end of college than I was at high school, I’m going to stick with it and keep this pathetic sad sack as my guide through college. Where he takes me, only time will tell.
The night before I left, I went out to dinner with my family at the restaurant-club-bar-whatever where my brother cooks at. But when it finally happened, I have to admit that I was momentarily disappointed with him. The basic gist of what he told me was the obviously rehearsed “You can be anybody you wanna be, it’s a fresh start” spell. I blew it off at first, but later on I really started to put some thought into what he said.
What Jonathan had said caused me to look inwards and do some hardcore soul searching. First off, who was I? Well, I am Christian Harding; an 18-yeard-old future English major. I am the youngest of 5 children and my major hobbies/points of interest my friends, film, and family members. A lot of “f” stuff, apparently. I’ve had a reasonable amount of experience with most of the big milestones, at least the ones that concern people my age. After I had gotten that figured out, I then had to decide if that was the person I wanted to bring to college with me. I mean, I like to think where I ended up at the end of my grade school career was a success on some level, despite my inability to feel happy or contented.
When the height of my confusion had finally passed, I ended with the conclusion that I wasn’t going to change a single thing about myself in preparation for college. True, I could use a good self-esteem boost every once and a while, but I expect to grow out of that at a natural pace. Whether or not I’m any more or less successful at the end of college than I was at high school, I’m going to stick with it and keep this pathetic sad sack as my guide through college. Where he takes me, only time will tell.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Announcment
Hello all. Yes, I'm currently at Millersville University. And while enjoying myself, I sadly cannot blog tonight. It's a long story; basically some b.s. with my laptop not having internet access (I'm using a library computer right now) leaving me unable to email the post to myself so I could put it up here. Which sucks because I actually had something really special prepared for tonight. Ah well. Keep checking and maybe it'll be up in the next few days. Fingers crossed.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
'Summer Bucket List’ follow up
As you may (or may not) remember, one of my earliest posts on this blog was a list of things I wanted to get done before the summer ends. Now I’m just following up. Disappointment ensues.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Attend a midnight premiere – Nope. For each film that got a midnight premiere, I was either not around, found out about it too late, or just didn’t feel like it.
Float combinations – I don’t even think I’ve been to Hilltop Ice Cream at all this summer.
Hiking – I’ll give this one a meager pass.
Route to Millersville – No. I was only there a few times over the summer, not nearly enough for me to memorize the way to and from.
Guitar – Ehh, this is debatable. I’m still no good, but I have slightly improved.
Campus Life – That’s a bingo.
Shop Rite Parking Lot – Nerp.
New T.V. Series – I revisited one, if that counts; Avatar: The Last Airbender. Freaking amazing.
Waffles & Pancakes – Sadly, no.
The Vampire Chronicles – I regrettably haven’t read any books this summer, let alone any by Anne Rice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maybe if I do this for next summer, rather than set my expectations at such a middling level, I’ll just aspire not to get anything accomplished. That way, if/when I actually do something constructive, it’ll be a bigger deal.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Attend a midnight premiere – Nope. For each film that got a midnight premiere, I was either not around, found out about it too late, or just didn’t feel like it.
Float combinations – I don’t even think I’ve been to Hilltop Ice Cream at all this summer.
Hiking – I’ll give this one a meager pass.
Route to Millersville – No. I was only there a few times over the summer, not nearly enough for me to memorize the way to and from.
Guitar – Ehh, this is debatable. I’m still no good, but I have slightly improved.
Campus Life – That’s a bingo.
Shop Rite Parking Lot – Nerp.
New T.V. Series – I revisited one, if that counts; Avatar: The Last Airbender. Freaking amazing.
Waffles & Pancakes – Sadly, no.
The Vampire Chronicles – I regrettably haven’t read any books this summer, let alone any by Anne Rice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maybe if I do this for next summer, rather than set my expectations at such a middling level, I’ll just aspire not to get anything accomplished. That way, if/when I actually do something constructive, it’ll be a bigger deal.
Friday, August 13, 2010
2010 Films 3-D
If you’re having trouble viewing this post in the third dimension, feel free to adjust your glasses at your convenience.
So, I recently realized that I have a buttload of new releases to catch up on. With the large number of films to comment on, I decided to cram all the ones I’ve yet to make a comment on and shorten each critique into a shot sentence or two per film.
The Book of Eli – Gary Oldman is in this. That alone guarantees a recommendation. Appearances of awesome actors aside, this was a fairly decent and well made post apocalyptic thriller.
Remember Me – …shit.
Robin Hood – Pretty sketchy and far too brooding for its own good, but it has its moments, and there are worse ways to kill 2 ½ hours.
The Karate Kid – A very pleasant surprise. Perhaps it could have been trimmed down a bit, but overall a pretty solid remake.
Toy Story 3 – Needed more boobs.
The Last Airbender – Not bad. Sure it could’ve been better considering the source material, but it moved along at a brisk pace, the action scenes were exciting, and it’s easily Shyamalan’s best looking film yet.
Despicable Me – Reasonably cute and entertaining little animated flick.
Inception – An ambitious, initially absorbing film that quickly mutates from an intriguing, if annoyingly expository talkathon to a bombastic clusterfuck of simplistic and indulgent faux-intellectual head games, briefly punctuated by a few effective thrills.
The Kids Are All Right – A film idea that could have easily sucked if placed in the wrong hands is, with the help of sharp writing and a terrific cast, turned into a bittersweet and heartfelt comedy.
So, I recently realized that I have a buttload of new releases to catch up on. With the large number of films to comment on, I decided to cram all the ones I’ve yet to make a comment on and shorten each critique into a shot sentence or two per film.
The Book of Eli – Gary Oldman is in this. That alone guarantees a recommendation. Appearances of awesome actors aside, this was a fairly decent and well made post apocalyptic thriller.
Remember Me – …shit.
Robin Hood – Pretty sketchy and far too brooding for its own good, but it has its moments, and there are worse ways to kill 2 ½ hours.
The Karate Kid – A very pleasant surprise. Perhaps it could have been trimmed down a bit, but overall a pretty solid remake.
Toy Story 3 – Needed more boobs.
The Last Airbender – Not bad. Sure it could’ve been better considering the source material, but it moved along at a brisk pace, the action scenes were exciting, and it’s easily Shyamalan’s best looking film yet.
Despicable Me – Reasonably cute and entertaining little animated flick.
Inception – An ambitious, initially absorbing film that quickly mutates from an intriguing, if annoyingly expository talkathon to a bombastic clusterfuck of simplistic and indulgent faux-intellectual head games, briefly punctuated by a few effective thrills.
The Kids Are All Right – A film idea that could have easily sucked if placed in the wrong hands is, with the help of sharp writing and a terrific cast, turned into a bittersweet and heartfelt comedy.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
From the archives
Often considered (by myself and a few teachers where I went to high school) to be the best thing I've ever written, I present to you my published review of the 2009 PVHS drama production of Once Upon a Mattress.
Alright, Hans Christian Anderson's literary fairly tale The Princess and the Pea is, let's face it, no Les Miserables. Granted, nobody is asking it to be nor have such high marks ever been required of it. But really, how attractive does this this sound? A young princess learns of her true values by feeling a pea underneath like a gazillion mattresses. Uh huh. Well, Mary Rodgers and Marshall Barer apparently were enchanted by the concept, and adapted the story into a stage play named Once Upon a Mattress. Since then, the little fable has also been adapted into for film, television, and even a board game. Here we stand, 50 years later as our school's drama crew has picked up the aforementioned Once Upon a Mattress as their dramatic theater piece for this year.
Quite noticeably, there is a total juxtaposition in the air, with tonality in play choices shifting from a series of life-affirming theater pieces to a whimsical little children's diddy concerning vegetables in places vegetables should never be. It should also be noted that replacing Ramona Parsons from last year is Christina Castone, marking her debut as a director for the drama production. While the level of importance of a chosen director in this case is debatable, one can't help but wonder how much this play would differ had Parsons been attached, like if this is the play that would have been chosen in the first place. Castone's presence is certainly felt, but not fatal. But hey, the less time spent on the "What if?"s, the better.
An act of revitalization as much as continuation, Once Upon a Mattress seeks to breathe fresh life into the moribund family-friendly field crushed under classic literature's foot. The end result would prove all the long hours of devastating labour and time spent during and after school hours to have been time well spent. With an adequate ensemble cast ranging from seniors to sophomores to even kindergarten students. The supporting players all do their job of, well, supporting the leads, who in this case are Tom Byrne and Nicole Chouljian, both sophomores. (Side-note to all sophomores: walk faster in the hallways) If ever there was a standout in the show, quite appropriately, it would have to be Chouljian's Princess Olivia. Amidst a sea of comic performers and faux-vaudevillian whimsy, she feverishly treats her princess as sympathetic and disheartening. It's a flash of inspired risk-taking that stands out like a sore thumb in this newest Princess show, a fleeting instant of enlivened daring amid a play that's otherwise content, despite its outward appearances to the contrary, to maintain both PV's narrative and dramatic status quo.
Irrespective of the fact that its intended progressiveness is compromised, Once Upon a Mattress only intermittently delivers on its promise of glitzy and glamorous Princess bliss. When the play does falter at times, and make no mistake that it does, it’s mostly during the opening sections involving the Prince's search for a bride. As all informed viewers know, he will not succeed in finding one, and the play has some fun playing with the failures in the Prince's search, but maybe a little too much fun. Each individual princess has but one sole function. For instance, one is conceded, another is smart, and the last one…is buff, I guess. Rest assured, all the actress who portray the lot are fine and really do a good job flaunting their respective attributes and making them dominate their given personas. The fault is in the pacing of this section of the play, where it feels like the show is dragging each princess-fail joke out until it's uncomfortable and seems to be just procrastinating until it’s time for the extended finale of the show.
Another weak point of the production albeit a less troubling one, once again having to do moreso with the actual story, rather than anything the school had control over, is how the show brings itself to a close. The story itself never had much of a finale or structural arc, so it's only expected that it bled through to the drama production. It just sort of...ends. In a nutshell, the climax plays out as follows: "She felt the pea? Zomigod yay - new princess!" Fin.
But perhaps the longing for some closure signifies that the play, all things considered, achieved its goal of engaging the audience. Or maybe the one just can't help but wonder what royalty dictated by frozen food entails. For what it's worth, it's a flawed production, but gratifying in the way it delivers.
The story of all the trouble this review got me into prior to the printing could (and maybe someday will) make for an interesting blog post all its own.
Alright, Hans Christian Anderson's literary fairly tale The Princess and the Pea is, let's face it, no Les Miserables. Granted, nobody is asking it to be nor have such high marks ever been required of it. But really, how attractive does this this sound? A young princess learns of her true values by feeling a pea underneath like a gazillion mattresses. Uh huh. Well, Mary Rodgers and Marshall Barer apparently were enchanted by the concept, and adapted the story into a stage play named Once Upon a Mattress. Since then, the little fable has also been adapted into for film, television, and even a board game. Here we stand, 50 years later as our school's drama crew has picked up the aforementioned Once Upon a Mattress as their dramatic theater piece for this year.
Quite noticeably, there is a total juxtaposition in the air, with tonality in play choices shifting from a series of life-affirming theater pieces to a whimsical little children's diddy concerning vegetables in places vegetables should never be. It should also be noted that replacing Ramona Parsons from last year is Christina Castone, marking her debut as a director for the drama production. While the level of importance of a chosen director in this case is debatable, one can't help but wonder how much this play would differ had Parsons been attached, like if this is the play that would have been chosen in the first place. Castone's presence is certainly felt, but not fatal. But hey, the less time spent on the "What if?"s, the better.
An act of revitalization as much as continuation, Once Upon a Mattress seeks to breathe fresh life into the moribund family-friendly field crushed under classic literature's foot. The end result would prove all the long hours of devastating labour and time spent during and after school hours to have been time well spent. With an adequate ensemble cast ranging from seniors to sophomores to even kindergarten students. The supporting players all do their job of, well, supporting the leads, who in this case are Tom Byrne and Nicole Chouljian, both sophomores. (Side-note to all sophomores: walk faster in the hallways) If ever there was a standout in the show, quite appropriately, it would have to be Chouljian's Princess Olivia. Amidst a sea of comic performers and faux-vaudevillian whimsy, she feverishly treats her princess as sympathetic and disheartening. It's a flash of inspired risk-taking that stands out like a sore thumb in this newest Princess show, a fleeting instant of enlivened daring amid a play that's otherwise content, despite its outward appearances to the contrary, to maintain both PV's narrative and dramatic status quo.
Irrespective of the fact that its intended progressiveness is compromised, Once Upon a Mattress only intermittently delivers on its promise of glitzy and glamorous Princess bliss. When the play does falter at times, and make no mistake that it does, it’s mostly during the opening sections involving the Prince's search for a bride. As all informed viewers know, he will not succeed in finding one, and the play has some fun playing with the failures in the Prince's search, but maybe a little too much fun. Each individual princess has but one sole function. For instance, one is conceded, another is smart, and the last one…is buff, I guess. Rest assured, all the actress who portray the lot are fine and really do a good job flaunting their respective attributes and making them dominate their given personas. The fault is in the pacing of this section of the play, where it feels like the show is dragging each princess-fail joke out until it's uncomfortable and seems to be just procrastinating until it’s time for the extended finale of the show.
Another weak point of the production albeit a less troubling one, once again having to do moreso with the actual story, rather than anything the school had control over, is how the show brings itself to a close. The story itself never had much of a finale or structural arc, so it's only expected that it bled through to the drama production. It just sort of...ends. In a nutshell, the climax plays out as follows: "She felt the pea? Zomigod yay - new princess!" Fin.
But perhaps the longing for some closure signifies that the play, all things considered, achieved its goal of engaging the audience. Or maybe the one just can't help but wonder what royalty dictated by frozen food entails. For what it's worth, it's a flawed production, but gratifying in the way it delivers.
The story of all the trouble this review got me into prior to the printing could (and maybe someday will) make for an interesting blog post all its own.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
The Life Terrestrial
^ The brand new title of my blog [incaseyadidntnotice].
You see, as much as I try to come up with fresh ideas for things to ramble on here, I never really seemed to pick up on the oddness of the title. But in order to further explain this, I have to tell you the history behind the former title Criticisms and Misdemeanors.
It's a reference to a movie title. You're SHOCKED, I know. The film in question is the 1989 Woody Allen masterpiece Crimes and Misdemeanors (if you haven't seen it yet - fix that). I just fudged with the title a bit and Criticisms and Misdemeanors was born.
The thing is, when I first created this blog, it was for the purpose of film criticism and that was it. Now that I'm posting more infrequently and the things I discuss aren't all film related anymore, insinuating that there'd be a satisfactory amount of filmic topics here would be misleading, ya know?
So now I have a brand new title. And yes, it's a reference to a film title. What a twist! This time, I'm pulling a wink-wink-nudge-nudge on The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou, another case of compulsive "rent this right effing now."
You see, as much as I try to come up with fresh ideas for things to ramble on here, I never really seemed to pick up on the oddness of the title. But in order to further explain this, I have to tell you the history behind the former title Criticisms and Misdemeanors.
It's a reference to a movie title. You're SHOCKED, I know. The film in question is the 1989 Woody Allen masterpiece Crimes and Misdemeanors (if you haven't seen it yet - fix that). I just fudged with the title a bit and Criticisms and Misdemeanors was born.
The thing is, when I first created this blog, it was for the purpose of film criticism and that was it. Now that I'm posting more infrequently and the things I discuss aren't all film related anymore, insinuating that there'd be a satisfactory amount of filmic topics here would be misleading, ya know?
So now I have a brand new title. And yes, it's a reference to a film title. What a twist! This time, I'm pulling a wink-wink-nudge-nudge on The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou, another case of compulsive "rent this right effing now."
Friday, July 23, 2010
Scaffolding
Metaphors. Gotta love 'em. Like their step brothers, the analogy, metaphors are so frequently used in everyday society, it's become difficult to separate the vain from the ones that actually have value. I believe that during my stay in North Carolina, I was acquainted with one of the latter category.
Each of the three years my church has done out of state trips, we have attended a nightly chapel service. There, the Team Effort staff would have a theme relative to the work we were doing, as well as giving everyone something to think about during the week long stay on site. The major point of focus being what's keeping you from God, for the most part. Our theme for this past week was scaffolding. What scaffolding literally is, is a temporary structure used to support people and material in the construction or repair of buildings and other large structures. Metaphorically speaking, the art of scaffolding represents what's holding you up, i.e. the relationships we build around us, familiar places and thoughts, things like that. There's both good and bad scaffolding, each being pretty self-explanatory. Which is which is up to the individual.
Needless to say, I found the whole concept to be quite intriguing, after I was finished giving it my own interpretation, that is. I personally don't care much for the more dogmatic aspects of the scaffolding theme, no matter how big of a part that plays into how other people perceive it. Me, I like having more room for developing on my own terms. Selfish as hell fer shur, but it's just what makes me comfortable. For this, I substituted any relation to God with the general discovery of balance, for lack of a lamer term. What were the things that kept me from leading a satisfactory life? Is there even anything that needs tending to in my life right now? Why the frigg is the shift key on my keyboard broken? I dunno. Just some things I can ponder during the remainder of my summer. Maybe you aught to try it out as well.
Also, I STILL haven't shaved yet. But that's a story for another day. Arrevaderchi.
Each of the three years my church has done out of state trips, we have attended a nightly chapel service. There, the Team Effort staff would have a theme relative to the work we were doing, as well as giving everyone something to think about during the week long stay on site. The major point of focus being what's keeping you from God, for the most part. Our theme for this past week was scaffolding. What scaffolding literally is, is a temporary structure used to support people and material in the construction or repair of buildings and other large structures. Metaphorically speaking, the art of scaffolding represents what's holding you up, i.e. the relationships we build around us, familiar places and thoughts, things like that. There's both good and bad scaffolding, each being pretty self-explanatory. Which is which is up to the individual.
Needless to say, I found the whole concept to be quite intriguing, after I was finished giving it my own interpretation, that is. I personally don't care much for the more dogmatic aspects of the scaffolding theme, no matter how big of a part that plays into how other people perceive it. Me, I like having more room for developing on my own terms. Selfish as hell fer shur, but it's just what makes me comfortable. For this, I substituted any relation to God with the general discovery of balance, for lack of a lamer term. What were the things that kept me from leading a satisfactory life? Is there even anything that needs tending to in my life right now? Why the frigg is the shift key on my keyboard broken? I dunno. Just some things I can ponder during the remainder of my summer. Maybe you aught to try it out as well.
Also, I STILL haven't shaved yet. But that's a story for another day. Arrevaderchi.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Shaving off my experience
My week long absense was not in vain, I assure you.
But yes, I was away from any computer source for the entirety of my North Carolina adventure, meaning that I was unable to update my blog, and I feel as if I owe you an extra.
With the nature of church trips being what they are, it's usually customary for our group to gather on the eve of our departure and discuss the experience/share some thoughts with one another. We went about doing so by taking turns and going whenever we feel as if we had something of value to say. Mine was a bit, uhmm..."stranger" as opposed to everyone else's. Like all things worth writing, it came spontaneously and without method or preparation.
Anyhow, for the entire week I was gone, I did not shave. Once. I had forgotten to bring my own razor and while I received offers to share others, I declined. So I just let my facial hair grow out for the whole week. And the realization I came to was how my beard, which had turned out quite profusely by friday, somehow represented my experience for the entire week. Now, stay with me here. You see, it's like how the week progressed, I grew accustomed to life in an all new environment, all the while developing a full face of hair. It was very nice, but I knew that both would have to come to a close sooner or later. I knew that whenever I got home, I would have to readjust back to my normal life, and shave my beard as well, thus getting rid of all the feelings of comfort and homeliness I had, and their symbolic representation.
And for the record, I still haven't shaved yet. I think I may let it live until, oh I don't know, friday? Yarp, friday sounds good to me.
But yes, I was away from any computer source for the entirety of my North Carolina adventure, meaning that I was unable to update my blog, and I feel as if I owe you an extra.
With the nature of church trips being what they are, it's usually customary for our group to gather on the eve of our departure and discuss the experience/share some thoughts with one another. We went about doing so by taking turns and going whenever we feel as if we had something of value to say. Mine was a bit, uhmm..."stranger" as opposed to everyone else's. Like all things worth writing, it came spontaneously and without method or preparation.
Anyhow, for the entire week I was gone, I did not shave. Once. I had forgotten to bring my own razor and while I received offers to share others, I declined. So I just let my facial hair grow out for the whole week. And the realization I came to was how my beard, which had turned out quite profusely by friday, somehow represented my experience for the entire week. Now, stay with me here. You see, it's like how the week progressed, I grew accustomed to life in an all new environment, all the while developing a full face of hair. It was very nice, but I knew that both would have to come to a close sooner or later. I knew that whenever I got home, I would have to readjust back to my normal life, and shave my beard as well, thus getting rid of all the feelings of comfort and homeliness I had, and their symbolic representation.
And for the record, I still haven't shaved yet. I think I may let it live until, oh I don't know, friday? Yarp, friday sounds good to me.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Alright, I admit it
I don't have a post prepared for tonight. Sadface.
BUT what I do have is a legitimate excuse. My lack of postery for tonight isn't out of laziness, and certainly not fro a lack of trying. Trust me, I thought hard about what I could have written about this week. But the thing is, is that I've been really preoccupied recently.
You see, tomorrow I leave to go out of state. I won't be getting back until next saturday, which also means I won't be able to put something here next week either. But I will definitely be picking up the slack afterwards. I have the latest in my 2010 films series lined up and a few other bits as well. So there's a lot to look forward to, at least for the rest of the summer.
Until my return, please enjoy Christopher Walken dancing in my stead.
BUT what I do have is a legitimate excuse. My lack of postery for tonight isn't out of laziness, and certainly not fro a lack of trying. Trust me, I thought hard about what I could have written about this week. But the thing is, is that I've been really preoccupied recently.
You see, tomorrow I leave to go out of state. I won't be getting back until next saturday, which also means I won't be able to put something here next week either. But I will definitely be picking up the slack afterwards. I have the latest in my 2010 films series lined up and a few other bits as well. So there's a lot to look forward to, at least for the rest of the summer.
Until my return, please enjoy Christopher Walken dancing in my stead.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Test
This is just an experiment, to see if embedding videos into a post really works or not. If it does work, then enjoy an Old Spice Odor Blocker commercial and the first 10 minutes of The Passion of Joan of Arc.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Dream Project
Back when this blog was in its hey-day, a mere month and a half ago, I often discussed the prospects of writing with my blogging buddy. Within the confides of our shooting the shit, we shared ideas and concepts with one another, some better than others. After brainstorming some possible things I could write about this week, I thought it appropriate to share one of my personal favorite ideas.
The basic gist goes a little something like this: There’s this woman who is arrested for murder. I’m still ambivalent on who she’s killed and why, or even why it's a woman, but that’s besides the point. Just bare with me here. Anyhow, this woman is arrested and goes to prison, but is released shortly after her incarceration (why? I dunno). Upon her release, this woman shows no signs of regretting what she has done. In fact, she’s almost sort of proud of her crime. She soon begins to publicly profess how good her satisfaction was and encourages others to do so as well. This odd characteristic begins to catch on, and soon influences other people to partake. When enough people start following what she says, needless to say the shit hits the fan.
With summaries being what they are, just a general re-cap of the work as a whole, I feel I must also explain all the subtexts to y’all. What this story is, is really just a simple examination of the politics of free speech, and its PC boundaries. Like, is there really such a thing as going too far? Is having the power to say whatever we feel really worth all the hassle? Additionally, there's also some sort of commentary on the entire basis of modern Christianity. Challenging the very basic ideals of faith and spirituality. i.e. is it really all that sensible to blindly follow the word of one mortal human being (hint: no). Really, I don't know what this project is trying to communicate to the reader any more what actually happens within the story period.
So there you have it. Very much a work in progress as I've still yet to work out the kinks, provided I even feel like expanding upon it. At this moment, it's very sketchy and there are many details I still need to flesh out. There's still the entire plot and narrative structure that needs tending to. Hell, I don’t even have any characters, sans the instigator at the center. If per chance anybody happens to come across this post who thinks they know how to turn my concept into gold, by all means use it. Just give me due credit, thankyouverymuch.
The basic gist goes a little something like this: There’s this woman who is arrested for murder. I’m still ambivalent on who she’s killed and why, or even why it's a woman, but that’s besides the point. Just bare with me here. Anyhow, this woman is arrested and goes to prison, but is released shortly after her incarceration (why? I dunno). Upon her release, this woman shows no signs of regretting what she has done. In fact, she’s almost sort of proud of her crime. She soon begins to publicly profess how good her satisfaction was and encourages others to do so as well. This odd characteristic begins to catch on, and soon influences other people to partake. When enough people start following what she says, needless to say the shit hits the fan.
With summaries being what they are, just a general re-cap of the work as a whole, I feel I must also explain all the subtexts to y’all. What this story is, is really just a simple examination of the politics of free speech, and its PC boundaries. Like, is there really such a thing as going too far? Is having the power to say whatever we feel really worth all the hassle? Additionally, there's also some sort of commentary on the entire basis of modern Christianity. Challenging the very basic ideals of faith and spirituality. i.e. is it really all that sensible to blindly follow the word of one mortal human being (hint: no). Really, I don't know what this project is trying to communicate to the reader any more what actually happens within the story period.
So there you have it. Very much a work in progress as I've still yet to work out the kinks, provided I even feel like expanding upon it. At this moment, it's very sketchy and there are many details I still need to flesh out. There's still the entire plot and narrative structure that needs tending to. Hell, I don’t even have any characters, sans the instigator at the center. If per chance anybody happens to come across this post who thinks they know how to turn my concept into gold, by all means use it. Just give me due credit, thankyouverymuch.
Friday, June 25, 2010
You know what else I hate?
A lot.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not typically a hateful person or anything like that. It's just that I've found myself becoming more prone to radically instantaneous changes in mood than usual. And yeah, I know I was building up my latest post to be super awesome now that I'm putting some actual pathos into my postery. But the truth is, being irritable is a very serious commitment, haha. Plus, I could afford to vent a little. Without any further ado, here's a list of things that have been driving me up the wall lately.
1.) Hydro-therapy
2.) Allergies
3.) How my best friend recently left to join the military and I won't get to see him for the rest of the summer, and possibly the year too.
4.) That I'm an active member of my mother's church when I barely even have any sense of faith or spirituality. Church hypocrite, much?
5.) How my older sister barely even visits anymore and when she does, it's only when she needs something, all the while complaining about how much she hates being home.
6.) ^ How that's probably going to be me in a few years.
7.) Ear infections
8.) Fevers
9.) Having a weak stomach
10.) ^ Pretty much every ailment that I'm suffering from at the moment.
11.) Being indecisive
12. Applesauce. Ewwww.
13.) How I started this blog a few months ago and have managed only to fill it up with stupid stuff that even I don't give a shit about.
14.) Getting bloodwork done
15.) The fact the the bigger events and dilemmas I come across don't seem to phase me much, but the simplest little item can send me into a completely different state of mind.
16.) How fucked up my sleeping schedule is and how irritable it makes me.
17.) That everything or everyone I once found meaningful is either leaving me, abandoning me, or I'm just losing interest in.
18.) The Twilight Saga
19.) Douche bags
20.) People
Swell.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not typically a hateful person or anything like that. It's just that I've found myself becoming more prone to radically instantaneous changes in mood than usual. And yeah, I know I was building up my latest post to be super awesome now that I'm putting some actual pathos into my postery. But the truth is, being irritable is a very serious commitment, haha. Plus, I could afford to vent a little. Without any further ado, here's a list of things that have been driving me up the wall lately.
1.) Hydro-therapy
2.) Allergies
3.) How my best friend recently left to join the military and I won't get to see him for the rest of the summer, and possibly the year too.
4.) That I'm an active member of my mother's church when I barely even have any sense of faith or spirituality. Church hypocrite, much?
5.) How my older sister barely even visits anymore and when she does, it's only when she needs something, all the while complaining about how much she hates being home.
6.) ^ How that's probably going to be me in a few years.
7.) Ear infections
8.) Fevers
9.) Having a weak stomach
10.) ^ Pretty much every ailment that I'm suffering from at the moment.
11.) Being indecisive
12. Applesauce. Ewwww.
13.) How I started this blog a few months ago and have managed only to fill it up with stupid stuff that even I don't give a shit about.
14.) Getting bloodwork done
15.) The fact the the bigger events and dilemmas I come across don't seem to phase me much, but the simplest little item can send me into a completely different state of mind.
16.) How fucked up my sleeping schedule is and how irritable it makes me.
17.) That everything or everyone I once found meaningful is either leaving me, abandoning me, or I'm just losing interest in.
18.) The Twilight Saga
19.) Douche bags
20.) People
Swell.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
You know what I hate?
People.
You know what kinds of people? Douche bags. Douche bags who think they're being soooo clever by taking a blatantly pedestrian observation and parading it like it's their own innovative opinions. For instance, take this little scenario from when I made a pit stop at 48 Hours earlier. The store was practically empty, aside from a few customers and the two noticeably bored clerks lounging by the counter. A young woman then came in to return a DVD, and one of the clerks engaged her in the following conversation.
Clerk 1 - Oh, Shutter Island? How did you like it?
Woman - Oh, it was really good. I had a great time.
Clerk 1 - Yeah, I knew how it was going to end five minutes in.
Woman - Really? How'd you figure that out?
Clerk 1 - Oh it was really simple, once I just started looking for all of the clues.
Clerk 2 - Yeah, like the scene at the beginning when they were on the boat. The marshall asked his partner for the cigarettes, without realizing he had them all along.
Woman - Oh. Well I still really liked it, and thought the twist was good.
Clerk 1 - You know what, you should stop by next week, when we get She's out of My League and Remember Me. Both much better.
Typical douche bag propaganda. Unmercifully spewing out asinine bullcrap, no matter how uncomfortable they're making the person at the other end of the conversation, or how self-indulgent they come across. So Avatar was just Dances With Wolves in space, huh? You liked District 9 better when it was called Alien Nation, did you? Oh, you figured out the twist of Shutter Island 2/3 through the film, huh? Guess what, so did everybody else. What do you want, a cookie? You see, that's the problem with most people now-a-days. Everyone is so quick to attack a film based on its level of originality, when nobody seems to realize that originality has been dead for a very long time now. In most cases, originality means nothing to the project as a whole anyway. It's about the technique and the artistry. What, you think Leonardo Da Vinci was the first man to ever paint a picture of a half-smiling woman before? Hell no, he just did it BETTER than everyone else.
You know, I'm starting to think that nobody will be satisfied unless every film they watch or book they read or album they buy is the second coming of Christ. Oh well. Enjoy your aneurysms, douche bags. The tools and I will be busy enjoying our trite and predictable Shutter Island while you're off searching for this generation's Citizen Kane. I'm sure you won't be disappointed.
You know what kinds of people? Douche bags. Douche bags who think they're being soooo clever by taking a blatantly pedestrian observation and parading it like it's their own innovative opinions. For instance, take this little scenario from when I made a pit stop at 48 Hours earlier. The store was practically empty, aside from a few customers and the two noticeably bored clerks lounging by the counter. A young woman then came in to return a DVD, and one of the clerks engaged her in the following conversation.
Clerk 1 - Oh, Shutter Island? How did you like it?
Woman - Oh, it was really good. I had a great time.
Clerk 1 - Yeah, I knew how it was going to end five minutes in.
Woman - Really? How'd you figure that out?
Clerk 1 - Oh it was really simple, once I just started looking for all of the clues.
Clerk 2 - Yeah, like the scene at the beginning when they were on the boat. The marshall asked his partner for the cigarettes, without realizing he had them all along.
Woman - Oh. Well I still really liked it, and thought the twist was good.
Clerk 1 - You know what, you should stop by next week, when we get She's out of My League and Remember Me. Both much better.
Typical douche bag propaganda. Unmercifully spewing out asinine bullcrap, no matter how uncomfortable they're making the person at the other end of the conversation, or how self-indulgent they come across. So Avatar was just Dances With Wolves in space, huh? You liked District 9 better when it was called Alien Nation, did you? Oh, you figured out the twist of Shutter Island 2/3 through the film, huh? Guess what, so did everybody else. What do you want, a cookie? You see, that's the problem with most people now-a-days. Everyone is so quick to attack a film based on its level of originality, when nobody seems to realize that originality has been dead for a very long time now. In most cases, originality means nothing to the project as a whole anyway. It's about the technique and the artistry. What, you think Leonardo Da Vinci was the first man to ever paint a picture of a half-smiling woman before? Hell no, he just did it BETTER than everyone else.
You know, I'm starting to think that nobody will be satisfied unless every film they watch or book they read or album they buy is the second coming of Christ. Oh well. Enjoy your aneurysms, douche bags. The tools and I will be busy enjoying our trite and predictable Shutter Island while you're off searching for this generation's Citizen Kane. I'm sure you won't be disappointed.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
One More Thing
I figure that now since I'm officially dedicated this page and whatnot, I should try my best to make it look as good as possible, amiright? With my affiliates growing in popularity, I can't just leave my blog all discombobulated and everything, since it's already meager enough by comparison. I mean, why would I want people to see this if I'm not proud of what I put here? What I'm trying to say is that I'll be going back to older posts and editing them as to either tighten them up or make them more presentable. But seriously, the next new thing you see here with have some sort of creative value. Pinky promise.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Guess What?
I've actually decided to put forth some effort into my postery here. w00t.
In case you didn't notice, I have been slacking off lately, be it pulling things out of my ass at the last possible moment, resurrecting older ideas, or just flat out saying I'm done. What I think my recent lack of displaying skills has been due to, is actually a couple of factors. For instance, I haven't had the privilege of this myth called "free time" and have been all over creation for of practically last month and a half, if that. And then there's the prospect of losing my blogging buddy, and the often mentioned lack of generally interesting ideas. Not that I was any better at writing when I did have the time, but still. I'm hoping that some genuine creative drive will help make some of the things I put here actually worth a damn.
Anyhow, this post of course doesn't count. However, I will be hard at work for next week. Although it may be a bit of a challenge, since I'm on vacation pretty much the entirety of this upcoming week. But I'll be sure to make it work. After all, I am a committed blogger now. ;)
In case you didn't notice, I have been slacking off lately, be it pulling things out of my ass at the last possible moment, resurrecting older ideas, or just flat out saying I'm done. What I think my recent lack of displaying skills has been due to, is actually a couple of factors. For instance, I haven't had the privilege of this myth called "free time" and have been all over creation for of practically last month and a half, if that. And then there's the prospect of losing my blogging buddy, and the often mentioned lack of generally interesting ideas. Not that I was any better at writing when I did have the time, but still. I'm hoping that some genuine creative drive will help make some of the things I put here actually worth a damn.
Anyhow, this post of course doesn't count. However, I will be hard at work for next week. Although it may be a bit of a challenge, since I'm on vacation pretty much the entirety of this upcoming week. But I'll be sure to make it work. After all, I am a committed blogger now. ;)
Sunday, June 13, 2010
That whole "graduation" business
Yeah yeah, I know. Last week I said I was done and now I'm back almost a week later. I'm full of shit, what else is new? But come on, I friggen' graduated this week. And lack of inspiration and unappreciative friends be damned, I'm going to share my thoughts.
So yeah, the end of the school year is finally upon us and all I have to say is thank Zeus. The last few months have been more or less one big clusterfuck of highs and lows, between almost not graduating, and those always dependable 'rents of mine [btw I never thanked you two for ruining one of my most valued friendships. I really appreciate it]. If this is simply just another "chapter" in my life, I'd be more than happy to finish it. And with there being not many constructive means of relieving stress that aren't hazardous to my health, I figured that it would make sense for me to just blog about it. But if I were to be perfectly honest, I was intent on coming on here to write a post that just railed on practically everyone and everything in creation, thus reconciling my discontentment in a way that my stonefaced, timid demeanor never could. But in case you haven't noticed, that plan has been changed.
You see, as I was sitting in church earlier, I was just doing my usual routine of chilling there bored while I fantasized about a life that doesn't so closely resemble hell, and then something caught my eye. There was a little boy in across the aisle from me. He couldn't have been more than 5 or 6 years old, and I had noticed something peculiar about him. He was missing a leg. In it's place was a makeshift leg that looked like it was made up of thinly shaped play items (I know how that sounds, but it's what it looked like), rather than prosthetics. However, his other leg, while still intact, was covered with bandages and looked as though it had been worked on frequently. Naturally, I was completely caught off guard by this. Admittedly, that has nothing to do with my graduation, but it had to have meant something. It couldn't have been a coincidence that it was only a short while after witnessing the one-legged boy that I opted to make today's postery less, uh, profane than I was going for originally.
Those who know me well know that I don't typically know what I want or what it is I'm looking for exactly. I usually just wait around for something or someone unexpected to come my away and take me by surprise. And those who know me *very* well know why. But I recently came to the realization that over the past few months, and possibly for my entire senior year of high school, I had stopped being willing to accept new opportunities coming my way because I had been so content with the way things were going. And while I still would prefer that nice stretch of contentment to this period of adjustment, I'm thinking it would be wise of me to start being more open, especially with all the future milestones headed my way.
RAmen.
So yeah, the end of the school year is finally upon us and all I have to say is thank Zeus. The last few months have been more or less one big clusterfuck of highs and lows, between almost not graduating, and those always dependable 'rents of mine [btw I never thanked you two for ruining one of my most valued friendships. I really appreciate it]. If this is simply just another "chapter" in my life, I'd be more than happy to finish it. And with there being not many constructive means of relieving stress that aren't hazardous to my health, I figured that it would make sense for me to just blog about it. But if I were to be perfectly honest, I was intent on coming on here to write a post that just railed on practically everyone and everything in creation, thus reconciling my discontentment in a way that my stonefaced, timid demeanor never could. But in case you haven't noticed, that plan has been changed.
You see, as I was sitting in church earlier, I was just doing my usual routine of chilling there bored while I fantasized about a life that doesn't so closely resemble hell, and then something caught my eye. There was a little boy in across the aisle from me. He couldn't have been more than 5 or 6 years old, and I had noticed something peculiar about him. He was missing a leg. In it's place was a makeshift leg that looked like it was made up of thinly shaped play items (I know how that sounds, but it's what it looked like), rather than prosthetics. However, his other leg, while still intact, was covered with bandages and looked as though it had been worked on frequently. Naturally, I was completely caught off guard by this. Admittedly, that has nothing to do with my graduation, but it had to have meant something. It couldn't have been a coincidence that it was only a short while after witnessing the one-legged boy that I opted to make today's postery less, uh, profane than I was going for originally.
Those who know me well know that I don't typically know what I want or what it is I'm looking for exactly. I usually just wait around for something or someone unexpected to come my away and take me by surprise. And those who know me *very* well know why. But I recently came to the realization that over the past few months, and possibly for my entire senior year of high school, I had stopped being willing to accept new opportunities coming my way because I had been so content with the way things were going. And while I still would prefer that nice stretch of contentment to this period of adjustment, I'm thinking it would be wise of me to start being more open, especially with all the future milestones headed my way.
RAmen.
Friday, June 4, 2010
What's the use?
Sooooo, yeah. I think I've reached the point where I just stopped caring. What started out as a good opportunity to stretch my creative legs has become somewhat of a chore, or more of an assignment. It's just that I can't be bothered by something I honestly don't have any interest in, at least not like I used to. Not to mention the only person who ever bothered to read this in syndication couldn't care less about me anymore, let alone my fucking blog. But hey, I had a good run, and maybe I'll update sometime in the near future. Until that time, consider this my swan song. But I'll keep this up as a frame of reference, and who knows, maybe I'll have something of value to write about next week. Beats me.
Well, there you have it; I don't care right now. Peaceee.
Well, there you have it; I don't care right now. Peaceee.
Friday, May 28, 2010
2010 in Film: The Squekquel
After leaving you all hanging last week, I thought I should really make up for it this week, and have decided to turn my first official post here into a running series. Every few months, I'll check back in with short comments about each 2010 new release I see, thus satisfying both my inner writer and film buff. Enjoii.
Green Zone (Paul Greengrass)
Before I can dive into any criticisms I have, I do have to give this film an A for effort. For all of its problems, Green Zone does have a lot of ambition, being audacious enough to reach for such high-minded goals, such as being nothing more than a left-wing cousin to Rambo. Having said that, Green Zone is still the worst new release I've seen so far this year. But don't get me wrong, it's not terrible or anything, just overachievingly average [oxymoron win]. The premise itself is just one big flaw right from the get-go, dropping a fictional super-soldier into the midst of 2003 Iraq, shortly after the invasion, to re-write recent historical wrongs in our own favor. When it comes to modern action directors less interested in serving the audience rather than satisfying their own vapid fetishes, Paul Greengrass has gotten off pretty easy, despite the fact that his two Bourne films' nauseating handheld cinematography turned every fight and chase centerpiece incoherent. Thus it's no shock to find this film employing the same bump-and-jostle attention-deficit aesthetic that served as a big warning sign that you're about to waste your time, reappears here in tenfold.
Clash of the Titans (Louis Leterrier)
In a rare instance of honest studio advertising, this film has wisely been promoted for exactly what it was. Which means don't go into this thinking it looks like the stupidest film you've ever heard of, hoping to be pleasantly surprised. You won't be. Personally, I thought it looked like silly, if not completely brainless fun, and that's exactly what I got out of it. And the sooner you accept the fact that things like hurried pacing and non-existent character development are due to the fact that this film just wants to get to the next action setpiece, the sooner you'll be able to enjoy this for what it is, if that's what you're looking for. It's not trying to impress you with faux social commentary, or contrived dilemmas of humanitarian concern. Flawed, but inspired badassery.
Kick-Ass (Matthew Vaugn)
Acknowledging that where a film originates from isn't usually important to how good it is as a whole, I deem it necessary to go over some of the original graphic novel's problems. It was a franchise I never familiarized myself with, and that was due mostly to the fact that it could never find a satisfying balance between aggressively juvenile, and pitch-black cynicism. This film adaptation sidesteps that problem by chucking out the more downbeat aspects of the source material, and making aggressively juvenile the order of the day. Granted, the comics were darker and had more to say, but were also thematically unfocused, while this filmic version has admittedly been simplified but holds together better as a story. At first, said story seems like a simple parody of the Peter Parker/Spider-Man persona, but eventually developes a real heart, gaining the film a sense of humanity that the comics were mostly lacking. Granted, this film condones precisely the type of merciless, desensitized movie violence that Quentin Tarantino had in mind when he wrote the finale of Inglourious Basterds. But entertainment is entertainment, and Kick-Ass is just that from minute one, even when it doesn't have a lot on its mind.
Iron Man 2 (Jon Favreau)
Earlier in my Green Zone capsule, I mentioned that despite the absolute lack of effort on nearly each level, its ambition made it salvageable as a whole. Well that can work both ways, as pride can also be a films undoing, and boy does pride wreck this one good. But the most disappointing thing about Iron Man 2 isn’t the fact that it fails, in an altogether underwhelming way, to live up to the creative success of its predecessor, but that it does so for purely misguided reasons. Sure, the script isn’t as tight as the original, but nor should it be when plots are complicated and characters with varying motives are collecting in droves. On paper, Iron Man 2 should work, but on screen, it unfolds as a film without a singular connective vision, lurching forward in fits and spurts as it strains itself to recapture the blend of drama, comedy and action that was bestowed so effortlessly on the original. If there’s any blame to be dealt out to the creative forces behind the movie, it’s that they tried too hard.
w00t.
Green Zone (Paul Greengrass)
Before I can dive into any criticisms I have, I do have to give this film an A for effort. For all of its problems, Green Zone does have a lot of ambition, being audacious enough to reach for such high-minded goals, such as being nothing more than a left-wing cousin to Rambo. Having said that, Green Zone is still the worst new release I've seen so far this year. But don't get me wrong, it's not terrible or anything, just overachievingly average [oxymoron win]. The premise itself is just one big flaw right from the get-go, dropping a fictional super-soldier into the midst of 2003 Iraq, shortly after the invasion, to re-write recent historical wrongs in our own favor. When it comes to modern action directors less interested in serving the audience rather than satisfying their own vapid fetishes, Paul Greengrass has gotten off pretty easy, despite the fact that his two Bourne films' nauseating handheld cinematography turned every fight and chase centerpiece incoherent. Thus it's no shock to find this film employing the same bump-and-jostle attention-deficit aesthetic that served as a big warning sign that you're about to waste your time, reappears here in tenfold.
Clash of the Titans (Louis Leterrier)
In a rare instance of honest studio advertising, this film has wisely been promoted for exactly what it was. Which means don't go into this thinking it looks like the stupidest film you've ever heard of, hoping to be pleasantly surprised. You won't be. Personally, I thought it looked like silly, if not completely brainless fun, and that's exactly what I got out of it. And the sooner you accept the fact that things like hurried pacing and non-existent character development are due to the fact that this film just wants to get to the next action setpiece, the sooner you'll be able to enjoy this for what it is, if that's what you're looking for. It's not trying to impress you with faux social commentary, or contrived dilemmas of humanitarian concern. Flawed, but inspired badassery.
Kick-Ass (Matthew Vaugn)
Acknowledging that where a film originates from isn't usually important to how good it is as a whole, I deem it necessary to go over some of the original graphic novel's problems. It was a franchise I never familiarized myself with, and that was due mostly to the fact that it could never find a satisfying balance between aggressively juvenile, and pitch-black cynicism. This film adaptation sidesteps that problem by chucking out the more downbeat aspects of the source material, and making aggressively juvenile the order of the day. Granted, the comics were darker and had more to say, but were also thematically unfocused, while this filmic version has admittedly been simplified but holds together better as a story. At first, said story seems like a simple parody of the Peter Parker/Spider-Man persona, but eventually developes a real heart, gaining the film a sense of humanity that the comics were mostly lacking. Granted, this film condones precisely the type of merciless, desensitized movie violence that Quentin Tarantino had in mind when he wrote the finale of Inglourious Basterds. But entertainment is entertainment, and Kick-Ass is just that from minute one, even when it doesn't have a lot on its mind.
Iron Man 2 (Jon Favreau)
Earlier in my Green Zone capsule, I mentioned that despite the absolute lack of effort on nearly each level, its ambition made it salvageable as a whole. Well that can work both ways, as pride can also be a films undoing, and boy does pride wreck this one good. But the most disappointing thing about Iron Man 2 isn’t the fact that it fails, in an altogether underwhelming way, to live up to the creative success of its predecessor, but that it does so for purely misguided reasons. Sure, the script isn’t as tight as the original, but nor should it be when plots are complicated and characters with varying motives are collecting in droves. On paper, Iron Man 2 should work, but on screen, it unfolds as a film without a singular connective vision, lurching forward in fits and spurts as it strains itself to recapture the blend of drama, comedy and action that was bestowed so effortlessly on the original. If there’s any blame to be dealt out to the creative forces behind the movie, it’s that they tried too hard.
w00t.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Yello'
Sorry, no blog for this week. It's not [just] that I didn't have anything of worth or value to discuss or rample on about. I was actually quite busy this weekend...
[briangordonforpromking!]
[briangordonforpromking!]
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Summer Bucket List
Over the past few weeks, with summer approaching so rapidly, I kept mulling over the things I’ve always wanted to do, yet never have. Therefore, I have opted to make my own mini “Bucket List” of sorts, with the deadline being the end of summer instead of, y’know, when I die. The goal of my posting this here is that I have some initiative to accomplish these goals. Around the time I get settled into college, provided I’m still using this page, I’ll create a follow up blog to this one, and say whether I did any of these things or not. Until that time, here goes;
1.) Attend the midnight premiere for a film
2.) Try as many strange and outlandish soda-ice cream float combinations as possible
3.) Develop a habit of hiking. [Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy a nice scenic route as much as the next guy, but I’d like to make a legit habit out of this one.]
4.) Successfully learn the way from my house to Millersville
5.) Improve substantially at playing guitar
6.) Familiarize myself better with campus [both lifestyle and surroundings] at Millersville
7.) Pass on the “Shop Rite parking lot” tradition
8.) Get involved in a recent TV series [recommendations are welcome]
9.) Start eating waffles and/or pancakes for breakfast again
10.) Make it just a little further into the ‘Vampire Chronicles’ book series. Let’s say, oh I don’t know, at least two more
If I end up thinking of any more, I’ll just add onto the list. Until then, here it is.
1.) Attend the midnight premiere for a film
2.) Try as many strange and outlandish soda-ice cream float combinations as possible
3.) Develop a habit of hiking. [Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy a nice scenic route as much as the next guy, but I’d like to make a legit habit out of this one.]
4.) Successfully learn the way from my house to Millersville
5.) Improve substantially at playing guitar
6.) Familiarize myself better with campus [both lifestyle and surroundings] at Millersville
7.) Pass on the “Shop Rite parking lot” tradition
8.) Get involved in a recent TV series [recommendations are welcome]
9.) Start eating waffles and/or pancakes for breakfast again
10.) Make it just a little further into the ‘Vampire Chronicles’ book series. Let’s say, oh I don’t know, at least two more
If I end up thinking of any more, I’ll just add onto the list. Until then, here it is.
Friday, May 7, 2010
The Village / The White Ribbon
This really is turning into a film blog, isn’t it?
With writing and producing a film being what it is lately, it’s typical that certain new releases are a tad derivative from much more influential material. Recent cases of this would be Moon and 2001: A Space Odyssey, and 500 Days of Summer and Annie Hall, among others. Although a rarity, a newer film drawing inspiration from one that's barely a few years older does happen. Such is the case with Michael Haneke’s recent The White Ribbon, which shares many artistic and dramatic similarities with M. Night Shyamalan’s underappreciated The Village.
Although comparisons between the two films are valid, with their seemingly brothers-in-spirit setting and tonality, they couldn’t be more thematically dissimilar. To fit their basic morals into a mere sentence, The Village is about how the power of love can conquer anything, so long as it’s not a solo effort (barring the social commentary). The White Ribbon, on the other hand, is not so optimistic, and is rather an exploration of the roots of a certain kind of evil. It's also very much about how sins of one generation carry on to the next, despite (or perhaps because of) the best efforts of the adults to mold their children into "good" citizens.
The Village, great film though it is, doesn’t seem too preoccupied with fleshing out its motifs with as much complexity and precision as The White Ribbon. No matter how much they ring true, the ideas in The Village are admittedly a bit…naive. But the subject matter of The White Ribbon, dates way back to the 1950s and has been explored by such directors as Ingmar Bergman and Carl Theodore Dreyer. Oldness be damned, it still feels as relevant now as it did over 50 years ago. Even the most unpleasant characters in the film are given moments of humanity, and it's clear that they are all victims of - and perpetrators in - a rigid, repressive hierarchical society that dehumanizes people and codifies behavior to such an extent that deviating from the "norms" at all can only bring misery.
But maybe that’s the difference between contemporary mainstream and arthouse cinema. Or perhaps M. Night Shyamalan just has more faith in humanity than Michael Haneke. Whatever the case, both of these films work just as well separately as they do when observing just how much they have in common.
Friday, April 30, 2010
100 Awesome Things (Redux)
Another week, another stolen idea from a friend (next week will be an original. srsly.). Basically, the idea here is to compile a list consisting only of under appreciated items that I personally enjoy. Credit for this ingenious idea goes to Postsecret.com and Neil Pasricha, the creator of the blog, which I will link towards the bottom. So without any further ado, here goes my list:
1.) High Fives
2.) Sunroofs
3.) Pastafarianism
4.) Cracking your back over a chair in school
5.) Fanny packs
6.) Fresh packs of gum
7.) Fridays
8.) Coloring
9.) Aimless drives to nowhere
10.) Toilet seat covers
11.) Mountaintop experiences
12.) Driving dangerously fast while listening to The Killers.
13.) The Criterion Collection
14.) Eyepatches
15.) Warm showers
16.) Old school Playstation games
17.) Studio Ghibli
18.) PIMPIN
19.) Lotion that dissolves really fast and doesn’t leave that gross greasy feeling
20.) Afternoon naps
21.) Family Guy pajamas
22.) Mall Santas
23.) Halloween
24.) Special getaway zones that only you (and the people you choose to tell) know about
25.) A good classical symphony
26.) Driving
27.) Netflix Instant
28.) Large ass-indents you leave while getting up off furniture after sitting there for a long time
29.) The cold side of the pillow
30.) Sitting in the back of the classroom and mentally picking off all the annoying kids
31.) Being thanked
32.) People who realize that ‘The Village’ is actually a great film
33.) Finally peeing after holding it in for a very long time
34.) Rushing through a door before it closes
35.) Looking at old photographs and experiencing that amazing nostalgic feeling
36.) Blankets big enough to fit more than one person
37.) Tracking shots
38.) Overwhelmingly buttery popcorn
39.) Asian people
40.) Stanley Kubrick films
41.) Gus Van Sant films
42.) Orson Welles films
43.) Ingmar Berg – alright, I’ll stop
44.) Campfires
45.) Redoing high fives after you miss the first time
46.) Realizing you still have the ability to surprise yourself
47.) Wawa milkshakes
48.) Unbelievably short people
49.) Learning math you’re actually going to use when you get older
50.) Not having to pay for yourself when you go somewhere
51.) Correcting a mistake
52.) Planet Earth (the tv series)
53.) fmylife.com
54.) Elliott Smith
55.) Having any kind of wildlife, typically a deer, walking around in your backyard
57.) Horror films as art
58.) Eating the insides of oreos and leaving the cookie parts
59.) Spongebob Squarepants
60.) Long walks
61.) Bubble wrap
62.) Mooching off other people for their food
63.) The freshly cut grass smell
64.) Slappin’ da bass
65.) When you return to a hotel room and the bed sheets have already been changed and the room all cleaned up
66.) Sledding
67.) Mt. Dew
68.) Potter Puppet Pals
69.) Dr. Seuss books
70.) Exciting rides at amusement parks
71.) Rare instances of the film adaptation of a book actually being better
72.) Philosophy
73.) Christoph Waltz in ‘Inglourious Basterds’
74.) Old fashioned typewriters
75.) HUNGRY MOTHER!!1
76.) Writing on steamy or foggy windows
77.) New Years
78.) Words that make your lips tingle when you say them
79.) The Cat Diaries
80.) Improv
81.) The feeling and texture of Play-Doh
82.) The Muppets
83.) Drive thrus
84.) That smooth, post-shave way your skin feels
85.) Scrubs
86.) Liking a song or band before it reaches stardom
87.) Pleasant surprises
88.) Making your own food
89.) Comfy socks
90.) Learning how to play an instrument
91.) Bike rides
92.) Flea Markets
93.) The Vampire Chronicles
94.) Jacuzzis
95.) Mission trips
96.) The Nostalgia Critic
97.) Board Games
98.) Watching snow falling outside, while you’re nice and warm indoors.
99.) Returning home after being gone for a while
100.) The fact that I could actually come up with a list of 100 things in my life I’m genuinely happy to have.
http://1000awesomethings.com/ [For all the things I may have missed.]
1.) High Fives
2.) Sunroofs
3.) Pastafarianism
4.) Cracking your back over a chair in school
5.) Fanny packs
6.) Fresh packs of gum
7.) Fridays
8.) Coloring
9.) Aimless drives to nowhere
10.) Toilet seat covers
11.) Mountaintop experiences
12.) Driving dangerously fast while listening to The Killers.
13.) The Criterion Collection
14.) Eyepatches
15.) Warm showers
16.) Old school Playstation games
17.) Studio Ghibli
18.) PIMPIN
19.) Lotion that dissolves really fast and doesn’t leave that gross greasy feeling
20.) Afternoon naps
21.) Family Guy pajamas
22.) Mall Santas
23.) Halloween
24.) Special getaway zones that only you (and the people you choose to tell) know about
25.) A good classical symphony
26.) Driving
27.) Netflix Instant
28.) Large ass-indents you leave while getting up off furniture after sitting there for a long time
29.) The cold side of the pillow
30.) Sitting in the back of the classroom and mentally picking off all the annoying kids
31.) Being thanked
32.) People who realize that ‘The Village’ is actually a great film
33.) Finally peeing after holding it in for a very long time
34.) Rushing through a door before it closes
35.) Looking at old photographs and experiencing that amazing nostalgic feeling
36.) Blankets big enough to fit more than one person
37.) Tracking shots
38.) Overwhelmingly buttery popcorn
39.) Asian people
40.) Stanley Kubrick films
41.) Gus Van Sant films
42.) Orson Welles films
43.) Ingmar Berg – alright, I’ll stop
44.) Campfires
45.) Redoing high fives after you miss the first time
46.) Realizing you still have the ability to surprise yourself
47.) Wawa milkshakes
48.) Unbelievably short people
49.) Learning math you’re actually going to use when you get older
50.) Not having to pay for yourself when you go somewhere
51.) Correcting a mistake
52.) Planet Earth (the tv series)
53.) fmylife.com
54.) Elliott Smith
55.) Having any kind of wildlife, typically a deer, walking around in your backyard
57.) Horror films as art
58.) Eating the insides of oreos and leaving the cookie parts
59.) Spongebob Squarepants
60.) Long walks
61.) Bubble wrap
62.) Mooching off other people for their food
63.) The freshly cut grass smell
64.) Slappin’ da bass
65.) When you return to a hotel room and the bed sheets have already been changed and the room all cleaned up
66.) Sledding
67.) Mt. Dew
68.) Potter Puppet Pals
69.) Dr. Seuss books
70.) Exciting rides at amusement parks
71.) Rare instances of the film adaptation of a book actually being better
72.) Philosophy
73.) Christoph Waltz in ‘Inglourious Basterds’
74.) Old fashioned typewriters
75.) HUNGRY MOTHER!!1
76.) Writing on steamy or foggy windows
77.) New Years
78.) Words that make your lips tingle when you say them
79.) The Cat Diaries
80.) Improv
81.) The feeling and texture of Play-Doh
82.) The Muppets
83.) Drive thrus
84.) That smooth, post-shave way your skin feels
85.) Scrubs
86.) Liking a song or band before it reaches stardom
87.) Pleasant surprises
88.) Making your own food
89.) Comfy socks
90.) Learning how to play an instrument
91.) Bike rides
92.) Flea Markets
93.) The Vampire Chronicles
94.) Jacuzzis
95.) Mission trips
96.) The Nostalgia Critic
97.) Board Games
98.) Watching snow falling outside, while you’re nice and warm indoors.
99.) Returning home after being gone for a while
100.) The fact that I could actually come up with a list of 100 things in my life I’m genuinely happy to have.
http://1000awesomethings.com/ [For all the things I may have missed.]
Friday, April 23, 2010
3-Dizzle
Let’s face it, movies will always be evolving. The art of filmmaking is not unlike the human race, in that it will continue to move forward, for better or worse. One of the more recent developments is the use of 3D in theatrical films. The goal of 3D is to make the viewing experience that much more immersive for the viewer. Whether it does its job well or not is in the eye of the beholder. So, let’s have it out now: 3D – stroke of genius, or useless distraction?
To further explore this newest of marketing gimmicks, we have to go all the way back to the beginning. What most people don’t seem to realize is that 3D has been around longer than a majority of the audience of any given film which uses it. It actually appeared first in the early 1980s, appearing mostly in the third installments of then popular horror franchises, if only for the namesake (Jaws 3D!, Friday the 13th 3D!!, Amityville 3D!!! omgsauce!!!1) It then shortly died off for a long while, since improvement was obviously needed. However, the trend had recently resurfaced and is now in popular demand.
Now-a-days, most films that end up in 3D are shot like that during principle photography. Typically, those ones are either animated films or use CGI heavy environments, such as Avatar and Alice in Wonderland. However, sometimes a studio will decide they want 3D added in post-production, as to increase revenue. The final result usually isn’t as good-looking as the ones originally intended for 3D.
Much like a well-known actor whose been spending most of their career as a benchwarmer and has only recently achieved stardom, it seems that 3D has finally found a welcome home in mainstream cinema. Only time will tell if it lasts. But for now, the least it can do is provide for some awesome photo opportunities.
To further explore this newest of marketing gimmicks, we have to go all the way back to the beginning. What most people don’t seem to realize is that 3D has been around longer than a majority of the audience of any given film which uses it. It actually appeared first in the early 1980s, appearing mostly in the third installments of then popular horror franchises, if only for the namesake (Jaws 3D!, Friday the 13th 3D!!, Amityville 3D!!! omgsauce!!!1) It then shortly died off for a long while, since improvement was obviously needed. However, the trend had recently resurfaced and is now in popular demand.
Now-a-days, most films that end up in 3D are shot like that during principle photography. Typically, those ones are either animated films or use CGI heavy environments, such as Avatar and Alice in Wonderland. However, sometimes a studio will decide they want 3D added in post-production, as to increase revenue. The final result usually isn’t as good-looking as the ones originally intended for 3D.
Much like a well-known actor whose been spending most of their career as a benchwarmer and has only recently achieved stardom, it seems that 3D has finally found a welcome home in mainstream cinema. Only time will tell if it lasts. But for now, the least it can do is provide for some awesome photo opportunities.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
