Normally, I find earthquakes to be unbelievably creepy and unsettling, but this just made me laugh, mostly because of the situation...
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
The Status is Not Quo
Sorry to hit you ad nauseum with this Dr. Horrible stuff, but I've become such of huge fan of not only the show, but the idea that has driven the show to the success it has had: putting the creativity in the hands of the creatives, and allowing a niche market to spread the word. I recently read Joss' interview (along with Nathan, Neil and Felicia) in Entertainment Weekly, and they discussed this very issue. While the Writer's Strike accomplished very little (at least in my eyes), it did however manage to change how a lot of writers saw the Internet. Fighting for their new media residuals seemed to have simply ignited their excitement for the power of the Internet. Another favorite of mine, John August, also has contributed to this new trend, but his product has yet to see any light (as far as I know), but I'm sure it will. The Internet makes it possible for anyone to post anything, and it's about time we move above and beyond the YouTube crowd, and let the big boys play. Having Joss' show be such a success will only fuel other star writers/directors to flex their Internet muscle, and create original material for the Net. This is what makes me excited.
So, yeah... The reason for this post is to simply point you in the direction of hulu.com, where you'll be pleased to find Dr. Horrible, in its entirety, and for free. So please, if you haven't indulged quite yet, do so now, and enjoy.
Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog
I'd embed it here, but it'd probably take a toll on this page's load times, so thank me for sparing you the agony of dial-up like speeds in today's high-speed world...
So, yeah... The reason for this post is to simply point you in the direction of hulu.com, where you'll be pleased to find Dr. Horrible, in its entirety, and for free. So please, if you haven't indulged quite yet, do so now, and enjoy.
Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog
I'd embed it here, but it'd probably take a toll on this page's load times, so thank me for sparing you the agony of dial-up like speeds in today's high-speed world...
Friday, July 18, 2008
Joss is Boss
Have you watched it yet? All Three Acts are now up at www.drhorrible.com. Or, in order to further the notion of choice and our unique ability to have one, you can choose to click the above button, which will whisk you magically away from this blog, and into the world of Joss Whedon and Friends...
The show is too much fun to pass up, and with the fact that all that is free will vanish Sunday the 20th at midnight, I would expect all of you blog-o-friends to seriously consider your loyalties to Joss and Friends, and take the most appropriate action.
Things like this don't pop up often, so enjoy it now.
Really.
The Dark Screen
Guess who just saw 9/10ths of The Dark Knight?
Yeah, I know... Talk about poor timing. I get up for a 3:10am showing of quite possibly the most anticipated film of the year, only to have the finale cut short by some sort of "power failure" on the part of the IMAX projector that so deliciously entertained me for about two hours. Not only did I have to sit in line for 2 and a half hours, outside, surrounded by drunks and stoners, but we then had to sit in the theatre and wait for the freakin' thing to start for an extra half an hour (at least, I think it was that long). Finally, the film began, and boy did it begin. Full IMAX glory, bank robbery scene. Seen it before, but it was a good refresher. Anyway, the movie rocked. Or, at least 9/10ths of it rocked. I'm pretty sure the last bit was awesome too, but I cannot judge until I see it. We got free tickets, of course, but no refund (the line to get one was super long). Honestly, two tickets would have sufficed.
Anyway, that's the short story. A lot more tomfoolery went down (drunken beach ball poppers, drunk screamers, someone lighting up a blunt while we waited for the movie to come back, etc.). All it all, save for the awesomeness of the film, it was a pretty reprehensible experience. Which sucks.
Oh well, right? Not really. I'm still a little pissed, and rightfully so, right?
Oh, update: I'm esteemed frère has just informed me that per his sources, there was at least a half an hour left. So, let's readjust our fractions: 9/10ths, which is, you know, not too much, has now become 4/5ths, which is, um, redonkulous? Yeah, that's it. Re-freakin'-donkulous.
Ugh. Ugh times 5, hours, of my life, practically wasted.
Ugh times 17, dollars, which is what I spent to see the darned thing on the IMAX screen.
Ugh a million times over.
I'm done here. No one spoil the end. I may see it today. Who knows. Still, I can really say wholeheartedly that this is the best superhero flick I've ever seen, bar none. Spider-man 2 ain't got nothin' on this sucka. Nor Iron Man. Nor X-Men 2. None of 'em. Not even close. See why I'm pissed?
Yeah, I know... Talk about poor timing. I get up for a 3:10am showing of quite possibly the most anticipated film of the year, only to have the finale cut short by some sort of "power failure" on the part of the IMAX projector that so deliciously entertained me for about two hours. Not only did I have to sit in line for 2 and a half hours, outside, surrounded by drunks and stoners, but we then had to sit in the theatre and wait for the freakin' thing to start for an extra half an hour (at least, I think it was that long). Finally, the film began, and boy did it begin. Full IMAX glory, bank robbery scene. Seen it before, but it was a good refresher. Anyway, the movie rocked. Or, at least 9/10ths of it rocked. I'm pretty sure the last bit was awesome too, but I cannot judge until I see it. We got free tickets, of course, but no refund (the line to get one was super long). Honestly, two tickets would have sufficed.
Anyway, that's the short story. A lot more tomfoolery went down (drunken beach ball poppers, drunk screamers, someone lighting up a blunt while we waited for the movie to come back, etc.). All it all, save for the awesomeness of the film, it was a pretty reprehensible experience. Which sucks.
Oh well, right? Not really. I'm still a little pissed, and rightfully so, right?
Oh, update: I'm esteemed frère has just informed me that per his sources, there was at least a half an hour left. So, let's readjust our fractions: 9/10ths, which is, you know, not too much, has now become 4/5ths, which is, um, redonkulous? Yeah, that's it. Re-freakin'-donkulous.
Ugh. Ugh times 5, hours, of my life, practically wasted.
Ugh times 17, dollars, which is what I spent to see the darned thing on the IMAX screen.
Ugh a million times over.
I'm done here. No one spoil the end. I may see it today. Who knows. Still, I can really say wholeheartedly that this is the best superhero flick I've ever seen, bar none. Spider-man 2 ain't got nothin' on this sucka. Nor Iron Man. Nor X-Men 2. None of 'em. Not even close. See why I'm pissed?
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
It Must Be Bunnies...
In my efforts to keep all of my blog-o-friends abreast about awesome Internet videos and such not, I feel obligated to link you to this:
Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog
To summarize, it's got all of the below items in full force:
1) Neil Patrick Harris, who's turn as Barney Stinson on TV's How I Met Your Mother is a bright spot in today's dreary comedic television world.
2) Nathan Fillion, or Captain Tightpants from TV's Firefly. He's just plain awesome.
3) Cute newcomer, Felicia Day, who I've never seen before, but with whom I have instantly fallen in love.
4) All of the above singing... I know, right!?
5) The traditionally witty dialogue stylings of Joss Whedon.
6) Songs, à la Once More, With Feeling!, far and away one of the best episodes of Buffy, The Vampire Slayer.
7) It's free. For now.
8) It's pretty funny.
9) It's Joss Whedon, people.
10) Joss. Whedon. For free. Now. Seriously.
Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog
To summarize, it's got all of the below items in full force:
1) Neil Patrick Harris, who's turn as Barney Stinson on TV's How I Met Your Mother is a bright spot in today's dreary comedic television world.
2) Nathan Fillion, or Captain Tightpants from TV's Firefly. He's just plain awesome.
3) Cute newcomer, Felicia Day, who I've never seen before, but with whom I have instantly fallen in love.
4) All of the above singing... I know, right!?
5) The traditionally witty dialogue stylings of Joss Whedon.
6) Songs, à la Once More, With Feeling!, far and away one of the best episodes of Buffy, The Vampire Slayer.
7) It's free. For now.
8) It's pretty funny.
9) It's Joss Whedon, people.
10) Joss. Whedon. For free. Now. Seriously.
There's A World Outside of Yonkers...
C - Johanna DeNeige McCuen, one of my dearest and best friends. She moved away this past weekend, much to my great dismay. Thankfully, she returned to the motherland, so she's only a short car ride away, once I make the move myself. But still, I've lost, for the moment, one of the most amazing individuals I've had the pleasure of knowing.
L - My grandparent's house, waiting to go to the airport. I'm also here alone, which is a rare thing. Usually Gangy is all over me, feeding me way too much, and making sure I have enough blankets to cover me, even in July.
O - My indispensable laptop. Probably one of the smartest purchases I've ever made.
S - Watching Bridesmaids and D-minus with old friends, and laughing just as hard as I did the first time. I love my friends. I really do.
A - Squealing with elation when I realized my grandparents owned Hello, Dolly!
T - Whodathunk that Hello, Dolly! could make a grown man get weepy. Thanks WALL-E.
Many of you are aware of one my biggest wishes/inappropriate thought: Marry Tina Fey. Yes, she's super married, and yes, she's totally a hot mom, but I cannot help but seriously swoon when I watch 30 Rock, or that wicked awesome American Express commercial with Marty Scorcese. But, I am realistic, and completely aware of the absurdity of my obsession, so I simply hope that the bride I eventually wed be equal parts funny and hot. Yeah, I wanna funny woman, ladies, so if you desire the flesh de Parker, brush up on your improv, join The Groundlings or Second City, and then give me a ring.
But, it was just yesterday that I realized I have another wholly unrealistic obsession, but possibly more probable: I want to work for Pixar. Not as an animator, as I've abandoned that idea with a series of sub-par sketchbooks, but as a writer. I remember listening to a podcast featuring Michael Arndt, Oscar winning writer of Little Miss Sunshine, and the writer of Toy Story 3, discussing the writer's room at Pixar, which he recently joined. This room, if you were curious, features some of the brightest talent working in the biz, from Pixar's Grand Chef, John Lassiter to a god in his own right, Brad Bird, as well as my new favorite Andrew Stanton (Thanks WALL-E). My mind was blown, literally, when I heard that such a room existed. I'd often heard of television writers rooms, and the idea always gave me a slight orgasmic giggle (all that clever crowded into one room? Yeah, it's a writer's wet dream), but I'd never really imagined a room within the realm of cinema. Mr. Arndt talked about how each and every writer would consult on the various films being worked on by each party, and they would offer support and aid for any story issues and character problems. Now, at this point, I pulled my oxygen mask down, and declared quite boldly that I would someday be a part of this room. A moment of silence passed, and then I sat back down, shrugged, and realized my dream was about as distant as the possibility of Mrs. Fey's marriage falling apart, and me (her new best friend) falling for her romantic comedy style, and then getting hitched. Yeah, I'm sick...
Again, the possibility of my employment at Pixar is much more probable, but that doesn't make it any less difficult. I can only hope that my pure, unadulterated desire to work for such a creative giant will eventually produce fruit, and I suppose that's the only way to move about it. And, I think it'll continue to haunt me, as long as each Pixar film that comes out is as spectacular as WALL-E. I mean, what film could cause me to ever put on Hello, Dolly!, a film I have purposely avoided, due mostly to it's star, and also the fact that I've seen the original play upon which it is based (Thornton Wilder's "The Matchmaker"), which I really didn't find that interesting? I suppose a Pixar movie could, and it did, as that's what is keeping me "entertained" as I blog.
Anyway, enough of that. Back to reality, I suppose. *sigh*. Still, I think I'll do whatever it takes to get to that point, even if takes me to a different, and equally as rewarding point in my life. I'm a firm believer in dreams coming true, if we will them to be. Why? Because if we simply take what we can get, we're always settling, and as I've always said, you get what you settle for. That's not to say I'll sit on my arse until Pixar comes a knocking. I certainly want to try my hand a television writing, and probably some feature writing before I settle down in Northern California, but I think if I do my best to prove my worth as a writer, then the chances are all the more realistic.
So, there you have it. My heart. On my sleeve. Now all my blog-o-friends will know what keeps me up at night, and what keeps me going. I hope Tina never catches wind of this blog, because that would be embarrassing, until she realized my comedic genius (HA!) and invited me to join the writing staff on 30 Rock (double HA!). No, really, it'd be pretty awful if she did see this. She's totally married, people. With a cute baby daughter. And to that, I simply say: Blurg.
L - My grandparent's house, waiting to go to the airport. I'm also here alone, which is a rare thing. Usually Gangy is all over me, feeding me way too much, and making sure I have enough blankets to cover me, even in July.
O - My indispensable laptop. Probably one of the smartest purchases I've ever made.
S - Watching Bridesmaids and D-minus with old friends, and laughing just as hard as I did the first time. I love my friends. I really do.
A - Squealing with elation when I realized my grandparents owned Hello, Dolly!
T - Whodathunk that Hello, Dolly! could make a grown man get weepy. Thanks WALL-E.
Many of you are aware of one my biggest wishes/inappropriate thought: Marry Tina Fey. Yes, she's super married, and yes, she's totally a hot mom, but I cannot help but seriously swoon when I watch 30 Rock, or that wicked awesome American Express commercial with Marty Scorcese. But, I am realistic, and completely aware of the absurdity of my obsession, so I simply hope that the bride I eventually wed be equal parts funny and hot. Yeah, I wanna funny woman, ladies, so if you desire the flesh de Parker, brush up on your improv, join The Groundlings or Second City, and then give me a ring.
But, it was just yesterday that I realized I have another wholly unrealistic obsession, but possibly more probable: I want to work for Pixar. Not as an animator, as I've abandoned that idea with a series of sub-par sketchbooks, but as a writer. I remember listening to a podcast featuring Michael Arndt, Oscar winning writer of Little Miss Sunshine, and the writer of Toy Story 3, discussing the writer's room at Pixar, which he recently joined. This room, if you were curious, features some of the brightest talent working in the biz, from Pixar's Grand Chef, John Lassiter to a god in his own right, Brad Bird, as well as my new favorite Andrew Stanton (Thanks WALL-E). My mind was blown, literally, when I heard that such a room existed. I'd often heard of television writers rooms, and the idea always gave me a slight orgasmic giggle (all that clever crowded into one room? Yeah, it's a writer's wet dream), but I'd never really imagined a room within the realm of cinema. Mr. Arndt talked about how each and every writer would consult on the various films being worked on by each party, and they would offer support and aid for any story issues and character problems. Now, at this point, I pulled my oxygen mask down, and declared quite boldly that I would someday be a part of this room. A moment of silence passed, and then I sat back down, shrugged, and realized my dream was about as distant as the possibility of Mrs. Fey's marriage falling apart, and me (her new best friend) falling for her romantic comedy style, and then getting hitched. Yeah, I'm sick...
Again, the possibility of my employment at Pixar is much more probable, but that doesn't make it any less difficult. I can only hope that my pure, unadulterated desire to work for such a creative giant will eventually produce fruit, and I suppose that's the only way to move about it. And, I think it'll continue to haunt me, as long as each Pixar film that comes out is as spectacular as WALL-E. I mean, what film could cause me to ever put on Hello, Dolly!, a film I have purposely avoided, due mostly to it's star, and also the fact that I've seen the original play upon which it is based (Thornton Wilder's "The Matchmaker"), which I really didn't find that interesting? I suppose a Pixar movie could, and it did, as that's what is keeping me "entertained" as I blog.
Anyway, enough of that. Back to reality, I suppose. *sigh*. Still, I think I'll do whatever it takes to get to that point, even if takes me to a different, and equally as rewarding point in my life. I'm a firm believer in dreams coming true, if we will them to be. Why? Because if we simply take what we can get, we're always settling, and as I've always said, you get what you settle for. That's not to say I'll sit on my arse until Pixar comes a knocking. I certainly want to try my hand a television writing, and probably some feature writing before I settle down in Northern California, but I think if I do my best to prove my worth as a writer, then the chances are all the more realistic.
So, there you have it. My heart. On my sleeve. Now all my blog-o-friends will know what keeps me up at night, and what keeps me going. I hope Tina never catches wind of this blog, because that would be embarrassing, until she realized my comedic genius (HA!) and invited me to join the writing staff on 30 Rock (double HA!). No, really, it'd be pretty awful if she did see this. She's totally married, people. With a cute baby daughter. And to that, I simply say: Blurg.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
I Don't Snack on Meat
C - Tina Fey, because her show 30 Rock, and her character Liz Lemon, offer up some of the brightest and most ingenious comedy on TV today.
L - A children's clothing store in Dubai
O - Drumsticks. You know, the ice cream cones with the unbelievably good waffle cones that have that teeny bit of chocolate at the reverse apex, that's just teeming with orgasmic goodness that I find I can hardly express myself without the use of sexual metaphors, they're just that good.
S - Trying to break my spec for Pushing Daisies, while at the same time get a treatment together for a feature, edit my dern movie, meet with Parkin, find a wife, and figure out what August will bring once I leave my domicile for bigger and better things.
A - Physically injuring to near hospitalization the once lauded M. Night Shyamalan. Three movies full of disappointment hit its peak two weeks ago with The Happening, his biggest ball of suck by far. Redemption will not be easy, nor swift, and by the good gods of Olympus, you better not screw up the Avatar movie, or so help me I'll personally cut your legs off.
T - Never trust anyone wearing pleats in their slacks, especially if they're a woman. Ms. Poundstone, I'm glaring in your direction...
So I'm learning as we speak that absence makes the heart grow fonder. What a dumb cliché, I know, but as someone may or may not have said, "It's resonant because it's true." I am so bored here at my place of employ, I can barely stand it. I finally have time to start working 40 hour weeks here at my editing job, only to find that the first week of 40 also happens to be limbo. Nothing to do here. The person who could be giving us loads of work hasn't shown up in two days, and thus we are stuck to our own devices. One of us is gleefully entertaining himself with Final Cut Pro and prosumer camera tutorials, hoping to someday become so techno-literate, he could make the world's greatest wedding video (which, unfortunately for him, I've already seen *cough*Johanna*cough*, so he's got quite the uphill battle). My other coworker (and "non-sexual life partner" for the past two years) is busy doing whatever his mind tells him is next on the agenda, whether that be reading the comic tomfoolery of Chris' Invincible Super Blog, or just Wiki-ing random names and people for his latest thrill of knowledge. He was looking at Clark Gable not too long ago, which is at least slightly classy (unless he was only curious about Clarky's sexuality, which can be a surprisingly fun game to play with classic Hollywood stars and starlets).
I myself have personally ravaged the video resources available to me, from Hulu to the new thewb.com, which is still only in Beta. I've kinda grown tired of Internet video viewing. I'm not sure whether it's the fact that I'm not on a comfortable couch, or the fact that I'm sitting in an impossibly awkward wooden torture device (read: chair), or just that I'm not comfortable (I'm 98% sure it's screen size). In any case, it gets boring after a while. Real fast.
So, in between random spurts of AD, Buffy, Burn Notice, Raising Arizona, and Eternal Sunshine, I've found myself entranced by the long forgotten joys of Ben Folds courtesy of Pandora, and bits of writing (mostly emails and blogs). It calms me down between fits of intense boredom, but still doesn't solve my problem. What I need is some honest to goodness work. I need to strap myself down in my little wooden chair and multi-clip edit the bejeezus out of some wickedly boring Masterclass. What I wouldn't give to hear the incessant plucking of a slightly out of tune Folk Harp at an Open Mic session, or the jazz harp stylings of Park Stickney, as he thumps the pedals up and down to achieve such a crisp jazz sound. That's what I need right now. That is my drug of choice du jour, thank you very much. How I often used to believe that any double dose of Buster Bluth could cure the boredom of even the most humorless people now seems ridiculous. In my eyes, such a feat cannot fully give a man back his joy.
Work is essential for humans. Haven't we all noticed that the most miserable individuals are those who have not, or are not currently putting in a hard days work, day in and day out? I know of someone now who fits this bill, and his life is utterly (pardon the sharpness) pathetic. He works, yes, but for 4 measly hours out of the day, at a job reserved for high school kids and college freshman. The rest of his time is spent doing who knows what, holed up in his bedroom. He occasionally makes an appearance in our living room, if only to participate in whatever we are laughing at for the moment, even if he doesn't quite get it most of the time (yeah, he's like that). I don't mean to harp (ha!) on the guy, but I pretty much get depressed just looking at him, because I know he's not happy. I've been in his shoes, where I know that I'm not getting the most out of life. It saddens me to think about.
And so, here I am, again, wondering why I'm not working. Well, this time, it's out of my hands. While the money is rolling in at a steady $8.95 an hour, I'm still wasting my time away. And while reading up on Tina Fey's Wiki, or writing on someone's wall on Facebook may sound like the ultimate in luxury if one is getting paid, it's not. It's a little like hell. Each minute that passes is a minute wasted, and you know deep down that there's something better you can be doing.
My hope is that this blog will be a call to action on my part. I need to stop sulking, and find work. I have two projects that desperately need my fingers to type them up, and also countless other ideas that could use a treatment or two. What am I doing wasting my time relishing in the works of others? This time is a gift, given to me to really flesh out the things I've come to find most important to me. If time is not to be wasted, why am I so insistent on complaining about my situation?
I dunno. I really don't. I guess blogging is better than sitting about, so I suppose this is the final complaint; the final straw. No more complaining. Seize the opportunity to creatively expand the world. Seize it, and then go watch something cool.
L - A children's clothing store in Dubai
O - Drumsticks. You know, the ice cream cones with the unbelievably good waffle cones that have that teeny bit of chocolate at the reverse apex, that's just teeming with orgasmic goodness that I find I can hardly express myself without the use of sexual metaphors, they're just that good.
S - Trying to break my spec for Pushing Daisies, while at the same time get a treatment together for a feature, edit my dern movie, meet with Parkin, find a wife, and figure out what August will bring once I leave my domicile for bigger and better things.
A - Physically injuring to near hospitalization the once lauded M. Night Shyamalan. Three movies full of disappointment hit its peak two weeks ago with The Happening, his biggest ball of suck by far. Redemption will not be easy, nor swift, and by the good gods of Olympus, you better not screw up the Avatar movie, or so help me I'll personally cut your legs off.
T - Never trust anyone wearing pleats in their slacks, especially if they're a woman. Ms. Poundstone, I'm glaring in your direction...
So I'm learning as we speak that absence makes the heart grow fonder. What a dumb cliché, I know, but as someone may or may not have said, "It's resonant because it's true." I am so bored here at my place of employ, I can barely stand it. I finally have time to start working 40 hour weeks here at my editing job, only to find that the first week of 40 also happens to be limbo. Nothing to do here. The person who could be giving us loads of work hasn't shown up in two days, and thus we are stuck to our own devices. One of us is gleefully entertaining himself with Final Cut Pro and prosumer camera tutorials, hoping to someday become so techno-literate, he could make the world's greatest wedding video (which, unfortunately for him, I've already seen *cough*Johanna*cough*, so he's got quite the uphill battle). My other coworker (and "non-sexual life partner" for the past two years) is busy doing whatever his mind tells him is next on the agenda, whether that be reading the comic tomfoolery of Chris' Invincible Super Blog, or just Wiki-ing random names and people for his latest thrill of knowledge. He was looking at Clark Gable not too long ago, which is at least slightly classy (unless he was only curious about Clarky's sexuality, which can be a surprisingly fun game to play with classic Hollywood stars and starlets).
I myself have personally ravaged the video resources available to me, from Hulu to the new thewb.com, which is still only in Beta. I've kinda grown tired of Internet video viewing. I'm not sure whether it's the fact that I'm not on a comfortable couch, or the fact that I'm sitting in an impossibly awkward wooden torture device (read: chair), or just that I'm not comfortable (I'm 98% sure it's screen size). In any case, it gets boring after a while. Real fast.
So, in between random spurts of AD, Buffy, Burn Notice, Raising Arizona, and Eternal Sunshine, I've found myself entranced by the long forgotten joys of Ben Folds courtesy of Pandora, and bits of writing (mostly emails and blogs). It calms me down between fits of intense boredom, but still doesn't solve my problem. What I need is some honest to goodness work. I need to strap myself down in my little wooden chair and multi-clip edit the bejeezus out of some wickedly boring Masterclass. What I wouldn't give to hear the incessant plucking of a slightly out of tune Folk Harp at an Open Mic session, or the jazz harp stylings of Park Stickney, as he thumps the pedals up and down to achieve such a crisp jazz sound. That's what I need right now. That is my drug of choice du jour, thank you very much. How I often used to believe that any double dose of Buster Bluth could cure the boredom of even the most humorless people now seems ridiculous. In my eyes, such a feat cannot fully give a man back his joy.
Work is essential for humans. Haven't we all noticed that the most miserable individuals are those who have not, or are not currently putting in a hard days work, day in and day out? I know of someone now who fits this bill, and his life is utterly (pardon the sharpness) pathetic. He works, yes, but for 4 measly hours out of the day, at a job reserved for high school kids and college freshman. The rest of his time is spent doing who knows what, holed up in his bedroom. He occasionally makes an appearance in our living room, if only to participate in whatever we are laughing at for the moment, even if he doesn't quite get it most of the time (yeah, he's like that). I don't mean to harp (ha!) on the guy, but I pretty much get depressed just looking at him, because I know he's not happy. I've been in his shoes, where I know that I'm not getting the most out of life. It saddens me to think about.
And so, here I am, again, wondering why I'm not working. Well, this time, it's out of my hands. While the money is rolling in at a steady $8.95 an hour, I'm still wasting my time away. And while reading up on Tina Fey's Wiki, or writing on someone's wall on Facebook may sound like the ultimate in luxury if one is getting paid, it's not. It's a little like hell. Each minute that passes is a minute wasted, and you know deep down that there's something better you can be doing.
My hope is that this blog will be a call to action on my part. I need to stop sulking, and find work. I have two projects that desperately need my fingers to type them up, and also countless other ideas that could use a treatment or two. What am I doing wasting my time relishing in the works of others? This time is a gift, given to me to really flesh out the things I've come to find most important to me. If time is not to be wasted, why am I so insistent on complaining about my situation?
I dunno. I really don't. I guess blogging is better than sitting about, so I suppose this is the final complaint; the final straw. No more complaining. Seize the opportunity to creatively expand the world. Seize it, and then go watch something cool.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Faster, must go faster...
Sorry for no real posts, but this was just too awesome, once again...
And this one too...
And this one too...
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Monday, June 02, 2008
Iron Head
If you don't find this funny, well, then, you're hopelessly hopeless... Or just not as immature as myself...
Friday, May 23, 2008
Indiana Jones and the Disappointed Masses
C - Sam the Cooking Guy. He's a local (local as in San Diego) cooking show host who just released a pretty solid cookbook. Nifty.
L - David Day's office. *GULP*
O - An elusive copy of The Usual Suspects that doesn't cost me $20.
S - Trying to get my old video editor job back at the library.
A - Losing an important prop for a film shoot that shoots tomorrow. Awesome, right?
T - Expectations: they'll kill any chance of a great experience.
So, I saw Indiana Jones. The new one. The Crystal Skull, as they call it. I came out of it with a very ho hum attitude. I was frustrated. I was let down. I was, like so many, disappointed in the film. It felt weak, unnecessary, and at times, utterly ridiculous. I sat around in a pity storm all day, thinking about how sad I was that a beloved franchise and character were completely mishandled and mistreated. Why so much CGI? Why the trip into the science fiction? Why Lucas? Why Spielberg? WHY?
However, in spite of my unrelenting questioning of the filmmaker's motives, I couldn't help but wonder how so many critics, who usually tend to be very harsh on films of this nature, are almost unabashedly accepting of it. The film currently ranks a 79% Fresh rating at RottenTomatoes.com (which is an amalgamation of critical reviews from across the internet). They hold no shame in proclaiming that Indy is back, and that this film serves the franchise well. Huh? Did we see the same film?
So, I kept thinking. A lot. Did I miss something? Was the magic there, but I chose not to see it? Did I accentuate the negative? Was I, in spite of my long-running, pre-film mantra of "This'll never be Raiders", really expecting the second coming of a classic? I don't know. I really can't say. I do know that I'm not alone in my distaste for the film. Several friends absolutely hated it, calling it terrible names and pushing it off the swings into the dirt at one point. This, of course, angered me. Why? I dunno. Probably because I want to like it. I want it to be the Indy I remember.
I've been thinking a lot about phenomenology (thanks theory), and Indy is a perfect example of this idea. Phenomenology, according to Dudley Andrew, says that a film-going experience is not solely shaped by the narrator's (the filmmaker's) presentation of the film, but also by the experiences of the viewer. It is clear that, in spite of what my friends may believe, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull's failure as a film cannot be solely placed on the filmmaker's shoulders (which is where they instantly went to). Why is this? Because while they disliked it, many people did not, critics included. Thus we see phenomenology at play: [LONGTIME FANS + MIDNIGHT SHOWING] (high expectations, or their own personal experience) + [SUBPAR SEQUEL] (yes, the filmmakers are at fault for many things) = [PURE UNADULTERATED DETEST]. However, lets plug in the critics to this equation: [LONGTIME FANS] (who isn't?) + [FREE CRITICS SCREENING] + [SUBPAR SEQUEL] + (and here's the x factor)[LOWERED EXPECTATIONS FOR ANY AND ALL BIG BUDGET BLOCKBUSTERS] = [A RATHER PLEASANT, FUN, FILMGOING EXPERIENCE].
So, class, what have we learned? Well, that maybe, Indiana Jones is not plagued by a bad script, or bad ideas, but rather by an audience not ready to accept a new Indy film. They may pretend to be; they may have even lined up, hundreds upon hundreds of 'em, at 9:30pm on Wednesday the 21st to see the film at 12:01am, but they weren't ready. I wasn't ready. Count me among the many incapable of letting this new entry into the canon of fantastic adventure films. Is that so wrong? No, probably not, as we are all entitled to our opinions, and certainly phenomenology insists that we allow our own experiences to play into the film viewing, but that's not the point. My point is, I think, that we need to stop blaming Spielberg, Lucas, Ford, LaBeouf, Allen, Winstone, Koepp, Hurt and maybe, if we're super vindictive, Connery. Yes, the film stumbles, and is without a doubt superbly inferior to the best of the series, but can we honestly say, given our excessive fandom for this beloved series, that this was indeed a bad film? No. We cannot. We are a biased majority, bent on destroying all that does not please. It's in our very nature. Fans are ruthless consumers of anything out of the ordinary. Lost anyone? The show strays from answering mythology questions for barely one half of a season (it's a character-based show, people, not some elaborate video game enigma for you to solve at your own disposal and patience level), and there's a significant (10 million viewers) drop in viewership, and constant cries from all sorts of detractors that the show is dead, and that it's lost what it once had (pretty quick to judge a show after only one season...Oh, and by the way, most of those detractors have eaten their words....).
I plan on seeing Indy again, and in the very near future. Am I crazy? Maybe. But I just got a job, and $5.50 (yeah, cheap!) is pretty expendable at this point. I want to enjoy it. I need to enjoy it, or else my summer will be ruined. Yeah, that might sound premature and childish, but I cannot continue to believe that my own high expectations didn't, in some regard, hurt my acceptance. I can't live with that, and I'm certainly not waiting until DVD to find out.
But, please, humble blogites, see this movie and judge for yourselves. The fans'll have their opinion, and they'll fight it till the day they die, but it's up to you to know how the film is. Keep your expectations low. Remember that both Spielberg and Lucas have both changed as filmmakers. Remember that this is Indiana Jones, a series made famous for having the spirit of God melt the faces of Nazi's, ruthless cults tear the hearts out of humans (who continue to live), and a 1,000 year old knight guarding a carpenter's cup that can heal a bullet wound like OxyClean gets out red wine stains from the whitest of carpets; it's all ridiculous... It's all out of this world. Remember that, and maybe this film's leap into the 1950s won't feel all that dissimilar.
L - David Day's office. *GULP*
O - An elusive copy of The Usual Suspects that doesn't cost me $20.
S - Trying to get my old video editor job back at the library.
A - Losing an important prop for a film shoot that shoots tomorrow. Awesome, right?
T - Expectations: they'll kill any chance of a great experience.
So, I saw Indiana Jones. The new one. The Crystal Skull, as they call it. I came out of it with a very ho hum attitude. I was frustrated. I was let down. I was, like so many, disappointed in the film. It felt weak, unnecessary, and at times, utterly ridiculous. I sat around in a pity storm all day, thinking about how sad I was that a beloved franchise and character were completely mishandled and mistreated. Why so much CGI? Why the trip into the science fiction? Why Lucas? Why Spielberg? WHY?
However, in spite of my unrelenting questioning of the filmmaker's motives, I couldn't help but wonder how so many critics, who usually tend to be very harsh on films of this nature, are almost unabashedly accepting of it. The film currently ranks a 79% Fresh rating at RottenTomatoes.com (which is an amalgamation of critical reviews from across the internet). They hold no shame in proclaiming that Indy is back, and that this film serves the franchise well. Huh? Did we see the same film?
So, I kept thinking. A lot. Did I miss something? Was the magic there, but I chose not to see it? Did I accentuate the negative? Was I, in spite of my long-running, pre-film mantra of "This'll never be Raiders", really expecting the second coming of a classic? I don't know. I really can't say. I do know that I'm not alone in my distaste for the film. Several friends absolutely hated it, calling it terrible names and pushing it off the swings into the dirt at one point. This, of course, angered me. Why? I dunno. Probably because I want to like it. I want it to be the Indy I remember.
I've been thinking a lot about phenomenology (thanks theory), and Indy is a perfect example of this idea. Phenomenology, according to Dudley Andrew, says that a film-going experience is not solely shaped by the narrator's (the filmmaker's) presentation of the film, but also by the experiences of the viewer. It is clear that, in spite of what my friends may believe, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull's failure as a film cannot be solely placed on the filmmaker's shoulders (which is where they instantly went to). Why is this? Because while they disliked it, many people did not, critics included. Thus we see phenomenology at play: [LONGTIME FANS + MIDNIGHT SHOWING] (high expectations, or their own personal experience) + [SUBPAR SEQUEL] (yes, the filmmakers are at fault for many things) = [PURE UNADULTERATED DETEST]. However, lets plug in the critics to this equation: [LONGTIME FANS] (who isn't?) + [FREE CRITICS SCREENING] + [SUBPAR SEQUEL] + (and here's the x factor)[LOWERED EXPECTATIONS FOR ANY AND ALL BIG BUDGET BLOCKBUSTERS] = [A RATHER PLEASANT, FUN, FILMGOING EXPERIENCE].
So, class, what have we learned? Well, that maybe, Indiana Jones is not plagued by a bad script, or bad ideas, but rather by an audience not ready to accept a new Indy film. They may pretend to be; they may have even lined up, hundreds upon hundreds of 'em, at 9:30pm on Wednesday the 21st to see the film at 12:01am, but they weren't ready. I wasn't ready. Count me among the many incapable of letting this new entry into the canon of fantastic adventure films. Is that so wrong? No, probably not, as we are all entitled to our opinions, and certainly phenomenology insists that we allow our own experiences to play into the film viewing, but that's not the point. My point is, I think, that we need to stop blaming Spielberg, Lucas, Ford, LaBeouf, Allen, Winstone, Koepp, Hurt and maybe, if we're super vindictive, Connery. Yes, the film stumbles, and is without a doubt superbly inferior to the best of the series, but can we honestly say, given our excessive fandom for this beloved series, that this was indeed a bad film? No. We cannot. We are a biased majority, bent on destroying all that does not please. It's in our very nature. Fans are ruthless consumers of anything out of the ordinary. Lost anyone? The show strays from answering mythology questions for barely one half of a season (it's a character-based show, people, not some elaborate video game enigma for you to solve at your own disposal and patience level), and there's a significant (10 million viewers) drop in viewership, and constant cries from all sorts of detractors that the show is dead, and that it's lost what it once had (pretty quick to judge a show after only one season...Oh, and by the way, most of those detractors have eaten their words....).
I plan on seeing Indy again, and in the very near future. Am I crazy? Maybe. But I just got a job, and $5.50 (yeah, cheap!) is pretty expendable at this point. I want to enjoy it. I need to enjoy it, or else my summer will be ruined. Yeah, that might sound premature and childish, but I cannot continue to believe that my own high expectations didn't, in some regard, hurt my acceptance. I can't live with that, and I'm certainly not waiting until DVD to find out.
But, please, humble blogites, see this movie and judge for yourselves. The fans'll have their opinion, and they'll fight it till the day they die, but it's up to you to know how the film is. Keep your expectations low. Remember that both Spielberg and Lucas have both changed as filmmakers. Remember that this is Indiana Jones, a series made famous for having the spirit of God melt the faces of Nazi's, ruthless cults tear the hearts out of humans (who continue to live), and a 1,000 year old knight guarding a carpenter's cup that can heal a bullet wound like OxyClean gets out red wine stains from the whitest of carpets; it's all ridiculous... It's all out of this world. Remember that, and maybe this film's leap into the 1950s won't feel all that dissimilar.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
I'm On The Pill Now
For those of you under a rock, How I Met Your Mother is consistently one of the funniest shows on TV, and this week they continued the saga of Canadian teen pop icon of the 90s Robin Sparkles, née Scherbatsky (Cobie Smulders) with a brand new single to follow up her not even close to platinum hit "Let's Go To The Mall". This, my friends, is right up there with "Werewolf Bar-Mitzvah" in terms of absolute perfection. Check it out below! And yes, that is Dawson... And Tiffany... And Jason Seaver.
Robin Sparkles – Sandcastles in the Sand
So rad, eh? Told ya so!
And, well, if you haven't seen it, here's her first hit below. Mid-90s Pop Gold!:
Let's Go To The Mall
Oh, and a side note: the 80s didn't come to Canada until the 90s, hence the anachronistic clothing choices.
Robin Sparkles – Sandcastles in the Sand
So rad, eh? Told ya so!
And, well, if you haven't seen it, here's her first hit below. Mid-90s Pop Gold!:
Let's Go To The Mall
Oh, and a side note: the 80s didn't come to Canada until the 90s, hence the anachronistic clothing choices.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Boxy Brown
C - Tina Fey. If you need to ask why, you really don't know me, or anything, for that matter...
L - Bunguren's car, where we discussed Hugh Nibley and his Marxist tendencies, and how that relates to media theory.
O - DVDs! Four of them! For my birthday!
S - Having to carry my bag, under my arm, all around campus today because the shoulder strap broke today, after 4 long years of loyal service.
A - Watching new episodes of 30 Rock and How I Met Your Mother. Deborah has the bearing of a queen, and Ted Mosby is not a jerk.
T - Trust everyone.
My apologizes for the last post, with all of the links to YouTube and what not. I hope you enjoyed them, in spite of their load times.
I celebrated my birthday last weekend, and it was quite the celebration. Wednesday was party time chez the Fudges, where we watched a creepy film (Joshua), ate some really good dip, and some cheap pizza, but mostly we enjoyed each other's company, I think. Thursday, I spent the whole day at school, which sucked, considering that was indeed my birthday, but Johanna made my evening by taking me for frozen yogurt, and by having me come to her work to help her fix a wedding video she had some issues with. I was able to watch it, and it was pretty fantastic. Friday was a bigger day. Johanna and I went to a really great play, and then to dinner (we discovered a fantastic Mexican place. Ask me or her about it), and then dessert at Maestro's for gelato and European drinking chocolate, which was delicious. Overall, a great birthday. I thank you all.
The semester ended today. I managed to survive, amazingly enough. Considering all of the garbage I've been put through on several fronts, I'm happy to be done, and move on.
Okami came out today, and so did Juno. I want both, but cannot afford either. *sigh*. Why? Because I bought this coupon card for a mechanic's shop, that I hope to use, but fear that I won't. Yeah, it's an investment, but one that I wasn't really hoping to make right now. Oh well.
So, yeah, that's all from here, I think... Stay tuned for more late-breaking developments on whatever may or may not be happening in my life.
L - Bunguren's car, where we discussed Hugh Nibley and his Marxist tendencies, and how that relates to media theory.
O - DVDs! Four of them! For my birthday!
S - Having to carry my bag, under my arm, all around campus today because the shoulder strap broke today, after 4 long years of loyal service.
A - Watching new episodes of 30 Rock and How I Met Your Mother. Deborah has the bearing of a queen, and Ted Mosby is not a jerk.
T - Trust everyone.
My apologizes for the last post, with all of the links to YouTube and what not. I hope you enjoyed them, in spite of their load times.
I celebrated my birthday last weekend, and it was quite the celebration. Wednesday was party time chez the Fudges, where we watched a creepy film (Joshua), ate some really good dip, and some cheap pizza, but mostly we enjoyed each other's company, I think. Thursday, I spent the whole day at school, which sucked, considering that was indeed my birthday, but Johanna made my evening by taking me for frozen yogurt, and by having me come to her work to help her fix a wedding video she had some issues with. I was able to watch it, and it was pretty fantastic. Friday was a bigger day. Johanna and I went to a really great play, and then to dinner (we discovered a fantastic Mexican place. Ask me or her about it), and then dessert at Maestro's for gelato and European drinking chocolate, which was delicious. Overall, a great birthday. I thank you all.
The semester ended today. I managed to survive, amazingly enough. Considering all of the garbage I've been put through on several fronts, I'm happy to be done, and move on.
Okami came out today, and so did Juno. I want both, but cannot afford either. *sigh*. Why? Because I bought this coupon card for a mechanic's shop, that I hope to use, but fear that I won't. Yeah, it's an investment, but one that I wasn't really hoping to make right now. Oh well.
So, yeah, that's all from here, I think... Stay tuned for more late-breaking developments on whatever may or may not be happening in my life.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Cucumberwang!
C - Diablo Cody. Why? I don't know. Because she's funny, and I envy her success, and I just found out today that she'll be featured on the commentary track for Spaced, the greatest British TV show America hasn't seen. Yet (see below). Check out her blog. (Warning: contains colorful language)
L - Panda Express, where I actually asked the poor lady there for two helpings of Panda Express... I meant Orange Chicken, but I somehow crossed the streams, and my words went all manic-a-what. Side note: Their Beijing Beef is pretty fantastic. Check it out before it's a goner.
O - A new belt. After 6 years, I finally purchased a new belt. Believe me, the time had come, many a moons ago. And, to boot, it's reversible, so I now have the ability to coordinate my colors with a simple pull and click action. What a world we live in!
S - The Tom Hanks-a-thon, currently in progess. First it was Catch Me If You Can (featuring the best score John Williams has ever composed), and now we are indulging in a little That Thing You Do! (featuring one song that doesn't seem to get old, even though they play it at least 8 times during the course of the film).
A - Neglecting to write a single word on either one of my scripts. Why? Even boredom can't cure writer's block...
T - Be kind, rewind.
Saw The Kingdom - Decent action flick, with a shallow attempt at some sort of political message. Jen Garner swears a bit (why Sydney? WHY!?) but kicks some serious terrorist behind, and Jason Bateman makes me laugh, even though he's kidnapped and nearly decapitated. The other two were just Oscar-winning showboaters (the usually fantastic Chris Cooper and the okay Jaime Foxx) feigning sentimentality; I could have lived without them, frankly. Overall, a nice weekend rental.
I found my little black notebook with tons and tons of secret things (mostly film ideas). I was glad it was only under my bed, and not in the hands of some evil-doer. While I doubt anyone would have the know-how to take my ideas to La La Land and pitch them to the folks at Dreamworks, you never know sometimes... The mind makes up some pretty interesting stories when you can't sleep (thanks Kent), and so I became relatively obsessed with getting it back.
My senior project approaches. I don't know what to think or say about it at this point. More work needs to be done. If anyone knows a good songwriter, let me know... I am in need, like yesterday, for a song. Talk about writing oneself into a corner!
Oh! If any of you fools get the BBC, or its American equivalent BBC America (whoa!), then you need to check out my newest addiction, That Mitchell and Webb Look. This show borders on Python-esque genius, I kid you not. There are loads of clips on YouTube. I think I'll post my favourites (wink wink) here below:
So, enjoy. Mind you, the language is a bit coarse at times, but their British accents make it sound so regal that it's hard to feel cross. I just wanted to spread the love.
And, finally, as I mentioned earlier, Spaced, the brilliant show from Simon Pegg, Jessica Hynes (née Stevenson), Nick Frost and Edgar Wright, will finally make its Region 1 debut this July, with all new commentaries, and loads of new stuff. I have seen most of this series, and can vouch for its uncanny brilliance. It launched the careers of these folks, and helped get two of the greatest po-mo comedies of this decade made (Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz). More deets to come. Video below!
L - Panda Express, where I actually asked the poor lady there for two helpings of Panda Express... I meant Orange Chicken, but I somehow crossed the streams, and my words went all manic-a-what. Side note: Their Beijing Beef is pretty fantastic. Check it out before it's a goner.
O - A new belt. After 6 years, I finally purchased a new belt. Believe me, the time had come, many a moons ago. And, to boot, it's reversible, so I now have the ability to coordinate my colors with a simple pull and click action. What a world we live in!
S - The Tom Hanks-a-thon, currently in progess. First it was Catch Me If You Can (featuring the best score John Williams has ever composed), and now we are indulging in a little That Thing You Do! (featuring one song that doesn't seem to get old, even though they play it at least 8 times during the course of the film).
A - Neglecting to write a single word on either one of my scripts. Why? Even boredom can't cure writer's block...
T - Be kind, rewind.
Saw The Kingdom - Decent action flick, with a shallow attempt at some sort of political message. Jen Garner swears a bit (why Sydney? WHY!?) but kicks some serious terrorist behind, and Jason Bateman makes me laugh, even though he's kidnapped and nearly decapitated. The other two were just Oscar-winning showboaters (the usually fantastic Chris Cooper and the okay Jaime Foxx) feigning sentimentality; I could have lived without them, frankly. Overall, a nice weekend rental.
I found my little black notebook with tons and tons of secret things (mostly film ideas). I was glad it was only under my bed, and not in the hands of some evil-doer. While I doubt anyone would have the know-how to take my ideas to La La Land and pitch them to the folks at Dreamworks, you never know sometimes... The mind makes up some pretty interesting stories when you can't sleep (thanks Kent), and so I became relatively obsessed with getting it back.
My senior project approaches. I don't know what to think or say about it at this point. More work needs to be done. If anyone knows a good songwriter, let me know... I am in need, like yesterday, for a song. Talk about writing oneself into a corner!
Oh! If any of you fools get the BBC, or its American equivalent BBC America (whoa!), then you need to check out my newest addiction, That Mitchell and Webb Look. This show borders on Python-esque genius, I kid you not. There are loads of clips on YouTube. I think I'll post my favourites (wink wink) here below:
So, enjoy. Mind you, the language is a bit coarse at times, but their British accents make it sound so regal that it's hard to feel cross. I just wanted to spread the love.
And, finally, as I mentioned earlier, Spaced, the brilliant show from Simon Pegg, Jessica Hynes (née Stevenson), Nick Frost and Edgar Wright, will finally make its Region 1 debut this July, with all new commentaries, and loads of new stuff. I have seen most of this series, and can vouch for its uncanny brilliance. It launched the careers of these folks, and helped get two of the greatest po-mo comedies of this decade made (Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz). More deets to come. Video below!
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Insolent Noise...
C - Anthony Minghella, who just this morning passed away at the too young age of 54. I've loved every movie of his I've seen, and this is truly a sad, sad day for the film world. He will be missed, but fondly remembered thanks to his beautiful films.
L - The lobby at Novell, again, where we had to plaster a 30 pound directory sign up on a marble pillar with 14 3M adhesive strips. Surprisingly enough, it stuck, so good on us, right? Too bad getting it off wasn't quite as nice... Thank you Windex!
O - The Hellboy 3-Disc Director's Cut for only 10 bucks at Wal-Mart. All my dislike for WallyWorld aside, that's a price I can't ignore.
S - Going to see Be Kind Rewind at the last minute, and loving it. This is a film for filmmakers, or anyone who has ever experienced the transcendental bliss of watching their creation on screen.
A - Buying Silk (the vanilla flavor), and liking it. Makes my Special K all the more special...
T - It is decidedly difficult to argue that Titanic did not deserve the Best Picture Oscar in 1997, but it could prove to be a worthy challenge.
Nothin' big to say now. This post was really my tribute to Mr. Minghella, whose sudden death really hurts to think about. He was a talented writer, and an equally as talented director, and he will be missed, for sure. Sad, sad day...
L - The lobby at Novell, again, where we had to plaster a 30 pound directory sign up on a marble pillar with 14 3M adhesive strips. Surprisingly enough, it stuck, so good on us, right? Too bad getting it off wasn't quite as nice... Thank you Windex!
O - The Hellboy 3-Disc Director's Cut for only 10 bucks at Wal-Mart. All my dislike for WallyWorld aside, that's a price I can't ignore.
S - Going to see Be Kind Rewind at the last minute, and loving it. This is a film for filmmakers, or anyone who has ever experienced the transcendental bliss of watching their creation on screen.
A - Buying Silk (the vanilla flavor), and liking it. Makes my Special K all the more special...
T - It is decidedly difficult to argue that Titanic did not deserve the Best Picture Oscar in 1997, but it could prove to be a worthy challenge.
Nothin' big to say now. This post was really my tribute to Mr. Minghella, whose sudden death really hurts to think about. He was a talented writer, and an equally as talented director, and he will be missed, for sure. Sad, sad day...
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Corybungus
C - Hayley Smith, whose blog gives me endless amounts of joy. What is so bittersweet is while her blogs on London and nannying are simply divine, she's not around to make me laugh in person. We all miss her (you, if you're reading this, Hayley).
L - The Family Parkin's humble abode, for game night, which turned into movie night (a short one, but quite the setup, though, I will say...), which became "Let's hear Jeff tell us weird stories about skinny dipping and ticks." I'm not complaining... 'Twas a blast.
O - New headphones! I bought some semi-nice Sony headphones to use with my computers, mostly, and I adore them. The cord is long, and the comfort is exceptional. Bravo.
S - Getting a cold just in time to work on-set for one more weekend. Ironic? Maybe...
A - Watching the second season of Alias (finally, I know). It's truly awesome. I dig.
T - Life is fierce. A fierce, hot tranny mess... tranny... Fierce.
A'ight. Here's a quick video I created in less than 10 minutes yesterday while skipping class to chill with Bunguren (pardon the hand...):
Pretty sweet, no? It's this cool program called "SingleFramer", and its free, and I recommend you all download it if you have a MiniDV camera, or an iSight attached to your computer. It's loads of fun.
Now, I must go and convalesce before I have to go back to class, and then to set, and then back to class. Grrr.... Shame on me for being so helpful and agreeable!
L - The Family Parkin's humble abode, for game night, which turned into movie night (a short one, but quite the setup, though, I will say...), which became "Let's hear Jeff tell us weird stories about skinny dipping and ticks." I'm not complaining... 'Twas a blast.
O - New headphones! I bought some semi-nice Sony headphones to use with my computers, mostly, and I adore them. The cord is long, and the comfort is exceptional. Bravo.
S - Getting a cold just in time to work on-set for one more weekend. Ironic? Maybe...
A - Watching the second season of Alias (finally, I know). It's truly awesome. I dig.
T - Life is fierce. A fierce, hot tranny mess... tranny... Fierce.
A'ight. Here's a quick video I created in less than 10 minutes yesterday while skipping class to chill with Bunguren (pardon the hand...):
Pretty sweet, no? It's this cool program called "SingleFramer", and its free, and I recommend you all download it if you have a MiniDV camera, or an iSight attached to your computer. It's loads of fun.
Now, I must go and convalesce before I have to go back to class, and then to set, and then back to class. Grrr.... Shame on me for being so helpful and agreeable!
Friday, February 29, 2008
Garth Marenghi's Darkplace
C - Desmond Hume, who, due to a heavy dose of electromagnetism, has become unstuck in time, and therefore has to seek out the one constant in each time period, who naturally is the love of his life, Penny Widmore.
L - A lonely Tokyo hotel room, with a tiny shower, and your own personal prostitute, who will demand you to lip her stockings.
O - A parkay sofa table that needs to be returned to the studio prop shop. Curses.
S - Bracing oneself for another lonely Friday. Just me and my laptop, writing lame page after lame page of whatever script I'm compelled to work on.
A - Wishing I was at home with my sister. Her life kinda sucks right now, and it kills me to be away.
T - Even if a dwarf tells you he's been boffing your dad, that's still no excuse to tie him up and feed him "valium". It can only turn out bad... and hilarious...
Just one thought for today:
Am I crazy, but is Lost in Translation one of the most romantic movies ever? That, along with Once are two films that really prove to me that love is best served between soul mates, and not necessarily romantic love. I mean, really, both films feature romances that are filled with love, and passion, but none of the icky stuff that seems to doom even the most optimistic couples. Instead, they're simple, sweet, and feature two of the most picture perfect endings, ever. Life could only dare to be as blissfully uncomplicated. Ah, to be lost and in love.
L - A lonely Tokyo hotel room, with a tiny shower, and your own personal prostitute, who will demand you to lip her stockings.
O - A parkay sofa table that needs to be returned to the studio prop shop. Curses.
S - Bracing oneself for another lonely Friday. Just me and my laptop, writing lame page after lame page of whatever script I'm compelled to work on.
A - Wishing I was at home with my sister. Her life kinda sucks right now, and it kills me to be away.
T - Even if a dwarf tells you he's been boffing your dad, that's still no excuse to tie him up and feed him "valium". It can only turn out bad... and hilarious...
Just one thought for today:
Am I crazy, but is Lost in Translation one of the most romantic movies ever? That, along with Once are two films that really prove to me that love is best served between soul mates, and not necessarily romantic love. I mean, really, both films feature romances that are filled with love, and passion, but none of the icky stuff that seems to doom even the most optimistic couples. Instead, they're simple, sweet, and feature two of the most picture perfect endings, ever. Life could only dare to be as blissfully uncomplicated. Ah, to be lost and in love.
Monday, February 25, 2008
No Direction Home
C - Natasha Haught-Fudge, who I still love and adore, even though she hated my favorite movie of last year oh so passionately. I would link you there, but I know she's embarrassed by it, so I'll spare her that.
L - Brown Brother's Gallery, where I spent a bit of my Friday being an extra for Nick Stenzel's four-one-nine. Sweet place... Gotta love that BL!!!
O - An Oscar, for Diablo Cody, Glen Hansard, Marketa Irglova, and Marion Cotillard. You all deserved it! Way to go!
S - Realizing that I'm losing friends left and right, and that eventually, I'll have to move back home and accept reality. Oh August! Please do not make haste!
A - Seeing three movies, in the theatres, over the course of 5 days. Haven't done that in a long while.
T - The Film Faculty doesn't care about you, or your films. Accept it, and you might do well. Forget it, and it'll break your heart.
So yeah, three movies. Here they are!
The Spiderwick Chronicles - Decent, fun, family entertainment. Scarier than I had imagined, but overall, something nice for the 8 year olds of the world to enjoy. I saw it cause my screenwriting prof saw it with his young'uns, and liked it. I liked it too.
Dan in Real Life - Yep, I went and saw it. Funny, really funny. Schmaltzy, of course, but genuinely entertaining. Steve Carell is pretty great, and I really do love Juliette Binoche. Vive la France!
Vantage Point - Meh. I cannot say that I wasn't entertained, because I was, BUT! they use a cinematic conceit more suited for television to tell their story. Let me explain: we all know the premise from the trailers which have played ad nauseum for the better part of 8 months (8 strangers, 8 points of view, one truth, blah blah). Well, every time the point of view switches, we get this lovely white fade out, and then we are subjected to a rewinding of the events we previously saw, and then a lovely clock, a la 24 shows up in the bottom left hand of the screen, telling us what time it is. It was nice, the first time, but the filmmakers decided, as I previously stated, to do it every time we switched perspectives! Thankfully, we only have to suffer through this brief lapse of judgement four times, but man alive did it get old fast. Still, all preposterousness aside, the film was a nice thriller, with a kinda surprising twist. I felt that, for the most part, this story would have been great as a 6 episode miniseries, where each episode was one perspective. Then, we could have gotten to know our characters more, and thus making it less one-dimensional. Oh, and also the film features the most AWKWARD bit of exposition I've seen in a long time, save for that news reporter bit in War of the Worlds. I shudder when I think about it. A nice rental on a lazy Saturday evening. Nothing more. I only paid $5.50, so I'm not complaining.
The Oscars were last night, and they were actually fun. I watched them live for the first time in a while, which wasn't as painful as it usually is. The speeches were nice and short, and there were some nice surprises, especially Marion Cotillard's much deserved win for La Vie en Rose. All those women were worthy of the prize, but she stood out to me big time. Oh, and Once winning best song, and seeing Colin Farrell get choked up presenting it was a nice tender moment. Oh, and don't forget Jon Stewart's lovely gesture of bringing dear sweet Marketa back on stage to give a very moving speech after Bill Conti (orchestra guy) oh so rudely interrupted her. Talk about classy. I don't know what it is about that film, but it raises my spirits in ways I don't think any other film has. As much as I loved No Country, I want more positive, hopeful cinema. It's why I dug Juno so much, I think: it took teenage pregnancy and didn't make it about parenting issues, or anything overly serious. Instead, it made us laugh, and it made the character's arc more about finding her identity as a teenager than her identity as a mother (which is often how those movies play out). It made me smile in the end, which was a welcome change. And no, Tash, that wasn't a jab at you and your blog. Really...
And, in other news, my senior project made it into the third round of production (yay!). No real surprise there, as I know that there's been little concern about it since the beginning (keepin' it simple!). But, not all is well in Zion. For you see, during our little meeting with the big wigs of the Media Arts department, I had a dark epiphany: There are two individuals on that committee would couldn't care less whether or not I made a film. I won't name names for privacy sake, but anyone familiar with our department should known darn well who they are. In fact, even those not familiar at all with our department should know one of them, but in a VERY different context. ANYway, the fact of the matter is, despite these person's place on the Project Review Committee, it is disturbingly clear after our last encounter that their interest in students and projects is at about 10%, which is probably a generous amount, but they do show up to these pitches, so I guess that accounts for something. I'm just fed up with it. I'm fed up with the lack of support. Instead of support, we have to jump over a billion hurdles, and then climb a few walls. THEN, we have to white water raft down a river with Kevin Bacon, gun firmly planted on our temples, all while singing the university's fight song (which no self-respecting Media Arts student knows, which makes this uber impossible). Yeah, it's that ridiculous. Misunderstandings, lack of communication, and a general lack of interest are all adding up to equal serious frustration on my part, while they couldn't care less. Really. It's sad, isn't it? Shouldn't they be supporting us? The people who pay their salaries? Isn't that what they should but don't do as professors? Seriously! It makes no sense to me sometimes.
A'ight, rant over. It really gets me going when I think about it.
Dang it. I'm exhausted. I'm sure I had more to say, but it all escapes me. Oh, let me just say this before I close: I am in love with Tina Fey. Absolutely in love with her. In fact, I'm so in love with her, I don't even care that she's supporting Hillary. The very fact that Tina Fey is living and breathing, and currently writing super awesome episodes of 30 Rock makes me giddy. She hosted Saturday Night Live this past weekend, and it was actually pretty grand. Tina was at her usually awesomeness, in spite of some pretty bad sketches. Other great moments were Bill Hader's spot-on impression of Daniel Plainview from There Will Be Blood (the Daniel Day-Lewis role), the Celebrity Apprentice spoof, the Annuele drug ad, and the cold open, which had me laughing almost too hard. Oh, and Tina's monologue with Steve Martin, and her Weekend Update bit: Awesome and awesome. And, in spite of himself, I'm much more endeared to Mike Huckabee than I was before after he so wonderfully spoofed himself. Pretty great. I'm stoked for our dear Ms. Ellen Page to host next week. She's a bundle of awesome as well, and probably a much healthier crush, as she's much closer to my age than Tina, and not married with a baby. A cute baby, but a baby nonetheless.... *sigh*...
See y'all later...
L - Brown Brother's Gallery, where I spent a bit of my Friday being an extra for Nick Stenzel's four-one-nine. Sweet place... Gotta love that BL!!!
O - An Oscar, for Diablo Cody, Glen Hansard, Marketa Irglova, and Marion Cotillard. You all deserved it! Way to go!
S - Realizing that I'm losing friends left and right, and that eventually, I'll have to move back home and accept reality. Oh August! Please do not make haste!
A - Seeing three movies, in the theatres, over the course of 5 days. Haven't done that in a long while.
T - The Film Faculty doesn't care about you, or your films. Accept it, and you might do well. Forget it, and it'll break your heart.
So yeah, three movies. Here they are!
The Spiderwick Chronicles - Decent, fun, family entertainment. Scarier than I had imagined, but overall, something nice for the 8 year olds of the world to enjoy. I saw it cause my screenwriting prof saw it with his young'uns, and liked it. I liked it too.
Dan in Real Life - Yep, I went and saw it. Funny, really funny. Schmaltzy, of course, but genuinely entertaining. Steve Carell is pretty great, and I really do love Juliette Binoche. Vive la France!
Vantage Point - Meh. I cannot say that I wasn't entertained, because I was, BUT! they use a cinematic conceit more suited for television to tell their story. Let me explain: we all know the premise from the trailers which have played ad nauseum for the better part of 8 months (8 strangers, 8 points of view, one truth, blah blah). Well, every time the point of view switches, we get this lovely white fade out, and then we are subjected to a rewinding of the events we previously saw, and then a lovely clock, a la 24 shows up in the bottom left hand of the screen, telling us what time it is. It was nice, the first time, but the filmmakers decided, as I previously stated, to do it every time we switched perspectives! Thankfully, we only have to suffer through this brief lapse of judgement four times, but man alive did it get old fast. Still, all preposterousness aside, the film was a nice thriller, with a kinda surprising twist. I felt that, for the most part, this story would have been great as a 6 episode miniseries, where each episode was one perspective. Then, we could have gotten to know our characters more, and thus making it less one-dimensional. Oh, and also the film features the most AWKWARD bit of exposition I've seen in a long time, save for that news reporter bit in War of the Worlds. I shudder when I think about it. A nice rental on a lazy Saturday evening. Nothing more. I only paid $5.50, so I'm not complaining.
The Oscars were last night, and they were actually fun. I watched them live for the first time in a while, which wasn't as painful as it usually is. The speeches were nice and short, and there were some nice surprises, especially Marion Cotillard's much deserved win for La Vie en Rose. All those women were worthy of the prize, but she stood out to me big time. Oh, and Once winning best song, and seeing Colin Farrell get choked up presenting it was a nice tender moment. Oh, and don't forget Jon Stewart's lovely gesture of bringing dear sweet Marketa back on stage to give a very moving speech after Bill Conti (orchestra guy) oh so rudely interrupted her. Talk about classy. I don't know what it is about that film, but it raises my spirits in ways I don't think any other film has. As much as I loved No Country, I want more positive, hopeful cinema. It's why I dug Juno so much, I think: it took teenage pregnancy and didn't make it about parenting issues, or anything overly serious. Instead, it made us laugh, and it made the character's arc more about finding her identity as a teenager than her identity as a mother (which is often how those movies play out). It made me smile in the end, which was a welcome change. And no, Tash, that wasn't a jab at you and your blog. Really...
And, in other news, my senior project made it into the third round of production (yay!). No real surprise there, as I know that there's been little concern about it since the beginning (keepin' it simple!). But, not all is well in Zion. For you see, during our little meeting with the big wigs of the Media Arts department, I had a dark epiphany: There are two individuals on that committee would couldn't care less whether or not I made a film. I won't name names for privacy sake, but anyone familiar with our department should known darn well who they are. In fact, even those not familiar at all with our department should know one of them, but in a VERY different context. ANYway, the fact of the matter is, despite these person's place on the Project Review Committee, it is disturbingly clear after our last encounter that their interest in students and projects is at about 10%, which is probably a generous amount, but they do show up to these pitches, so I guess that accounts for something. I'm just fed up with it. I'm fed up with the lack of support. Instead of support, we have to jump over a billion hurdles, and then climb a few walls. THEN, we have to white water raft down a river with Kevin Bacon, gun firmly planted on our temples, all while singing the university's fight song (which no self-respecting Media Arts student knows, which makes this uber impossible). Yeah, it's that ridiculous. Misunderstandings, lack of communication, and a general lack of interest are all adding up to equal serious frustration on my part, while they couldn't care less. Really. It's sad, isn't it? Shouldn't they be supporting us? The people who pay their salaries? Isn't that what they should but don't do as professors? Seriously! It makes no sense to me sometimes.
A'ight, rant over. It really gets me going when I think about it.
Dang it. I'm exhausted. I'm sure I had more to say, but it all escapes me. Oh, let me just say this before I close: I am in love with Tina Fey. Absolutely in love with her. In fact, I'm so in love with her, I don't even care that she's supporting Hillary. The very fact that Tina Fey is living and breathing, and currently writing super awesome episodes of 30 Rock makes me giddy. She hosted Saturday Night Live this past weekend, and it was actually pretty grand. Tina was at her usually awesomeness, in spite of some pretty bad sketches. Other great moments were Bill Hader's spot-on impression of Daniel Plainview from There Will Be Blood (the Daniel Day-Lewis role), the Celebrity Apprentice spoof, the Annuele drug ad, and the cold open, which had me laughing almost too hard. Oh, and Tina's monologue with Steve Martin, and her Weekend Update bit: Awesome and awesome. And, in spite of himself, I'm much more endeared to Mike Huckabee than I was before after he so wonderfully spoofed himself. Pretty great. I'm stoked for our dear Ms. Ellen Page to host next week. She's a bundle of awesome as well, and probably a much healthier crush, as she's much closer to my age than Tina, and not married with a baby. A cute baby, but a baby nonetheless.... *sigh*...
See y'all later...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
