More Everything!

DVD Purging (still going...)

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 14:46:00 -0500

Here is the list so far (you can read my thoughts in the entries below:

~~Storytelling (d. Todd Solondz)~~ DISCARD
~~Good Night, and Good Luck (d. George Clooney)~~ DISCARD
~~Punch-Drunk Love (d. Paul Thomas Anderson)~~ DISCARD
~~Timecode (d. Mike Figgis)~~ DISCARD
~~The Fountain (d. Darren Aronofsky)~~ DISCARD
American Splendor (d. Robert Pulcini & Shari Springer Berman)
Your Friends & Neighbors (d. Neil LaBute)
Wonder Boys (d. Curtis Hanson)
Way of the Gun (d. Christopher McQuarrie)
American Beauty (d. Sam Mendes)
The Princess and the Warrior (d. Tom Tykwer)
Amores Perros (d. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu)

The Fountain (d. Darren Aronofsky)

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 14:45:15 -0500

I watched ‘The Fountain’ the first time on plane, coming home from a trip to Europe in the Summer of 2007. If I recall correctly, I watched it on one of those little seat-back screens on a Virgin Atlantic flight. I remember being really moved by the story and really wanting to see it on a bigger screen. So I am not sure why that after buying the film on disc, it stayed sealed in cellophane, on my shelf until last night, when I finally tore open the package.

The story of ‘The Fountain’, is a little heavy handed. It uses a multiple narrative structure, that even once you figure out what is what, still seems rather contrived. The bulk of the film follows a cancer scientist, played be Hugh Jackman, who is rushing to find a way to shrink brain tumors; who just happens to be married to Izzy, played by Rachel Weisz, who is dying from a brain tumor. There are two other (or maybe one other, that is split into two) narratives that play out. One taking place in the Grand Inquisition time-period and another, thousands of years in the future.

I sort of get what writer/director Darren Aronofsky is trying to say about death and life, but I really think the script could have used another few polishing drafts. I am so curious what it could have ended up as, if he had someone else try to tie things together a little more cohesively. The film is only 95 minutes, so there is room for more!

I will say, though, that the visual canvas that Aronofsky and cinematographer Matthew Libatique create is mesmerizing. THe entire film seems to consist only of White, Black and Gold, yet it still feels rich and bold.

Finally, I will say that the on-screen chemistry between Jackman and Rachel Weisz who plays, Izzy, is sooo believable, that I give Arronofsy (who is Weisz’s husband) a lot of credit for filming that bath-tub scene (you’ll just have to watch it to see what I mean). After that, no one will ever say he didn’t suffer for his art.

Since I have only watched this film, once since I bought it. I think I am making the right choice and keeping this in the discard pile!

DVD Purging (cont...)

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:38:45 -0500

Here is the list so far (you can read my thoughts in the entries below:

~~Storytelling (d. Todd Solondz)~~ DISCARD
~~Good Night, and Good Luck (d. George Clooney)~~ DISCARD
~~Punch-Drunk Love (d. Paul Thomas Anderson)~~ DISCARD
~~Timecode (d. Mike Figgis)~~ DISCARD
The Fountain (d. Darren Aronofsky)
American Splendor (d. Robert Pulcini & Shari Springer Berman)
Your Friends & Neighbors (d. Neil LaBute)
Wonder Boys (d. Curtis Hanson)
Way of the Gun (d. Christopher McQuarrie)
American Beauty (d. Sam Mendes)
The Princess and the Warrior (d. Tom Tykwer)
Amores Perros (d. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu)

Punch-Drunk Love (d. Paul Thomas Anderson)

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:37:46 -0500

Alright, after a brief respite for the Olympics, I am back with some more quick notes on my DVD purging.

Last night, I attempted to watch Punch-Drunk Love. Firstly, I want to say that this movie is really good at making you feel really uncomfortable. I will be honest; I was not able to make it all the way through the movie last night. Just thinking about this movie right now, makes me feel uncomfortable, restless, and jittery. If that is what P.T. Anderson was going for, then he did it!

In brief, the film follows Adam Sandler’s Barry Egan as he navigates through an odd, trippy few days in his life. He finds a Harmonium in the street; goes to party with his seven verbally abusive sisters; meets Emily Watson’s character; calls a phone-sex operator; gets hassled for money; blah, blah, blah. Does it really matter?

It has been a while since my last viewing of the film and I remember, being confused, yet enamored by what Anderson and Sandler were trying to do to the standard comedic film. It seemed to unspool almost like a weird dream. This time, I just really didn’t give a shit. I guess I have changed, but that is the nature of man!

I will always hold a special place in my heart for Anderson’s Boogie Nights and Magnolia, but I really have no desire to ever watch Punch-Drunk Love again. I am eager to throw this one into the DISCARD pile.

DVD Purging (cont...)

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:58:22 -0500

Here is the list so far (you can read my thoughts in the entries below:

~~Storytelling (d. Todd Solondz)~~ DISCARD
~~Good Night, and Good Luck (d. George Clooney)~~ DISCARD
Punch-Drunk Love (d. Paul Thomas Anderson)
~~Timecode (d. Mike Figgis)~~ DISCARD
The Fountain (d. Darren Aronofsky)
American Splendor (d. Robert Pulcini & Shari Springer Berman)
Your Friends & Neighbors (d. Neil LaBute)
Wonder Boys (d. Curtis Hanson)
Way of the Gun (d. Christopher McQuarrie)
American Beauty (d. Sam Mendes)
The Princess and the Warrior (d. Tom Tykwer)
Amores Perros (d. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu)

Good Night, and Good Luck (d. George Clooney)

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:57:16 -0500

“We have currently a built-in allergy to unpleasant or disturbing information. Our mass media reflect this. But unless we get up off our fat surpluses and recognize that television in the main is being used to distract, delude, amuse, and insulate us, then television and those who finance it, those who look at it, and those who work at it, may see a totally different picture too late.”

Watching “Good Night, and Good Luck” I couldn’t help but feel that George Clooney (as director and co-star) was trying to lecture me (not that I minded the lecture!). I really wasn’t familiar with Edward R. Murrow, before this film; granted, I still don’t feel like I know him, but now I do understand what he was working towards.

The movie has a very unique feel to it. It abandons a traditional plot structure, instead, just observing the goings-on in the CBS Newsroom in the early 1950s as Murrow beggs to offer Americans more substance than “Milton Berle in a dress!” As he tries to reveal the questionable tactics that Joe McCarthy is using in his relentless persuit of so-called, ‘Enemies of the State (ie, card-carrying Communists), he ultimately proves that Americans were more interested in laughing than learning.

Clooney does a good job, though I give more credit to the DP, Robert Elswit, for filming a beautiful and lush picture in glorious black and white.

Ultimately, I think this is an important film to watch (at barely 90 mins, anyone can find the time!), but I doubt I will watch it again in the near future. Staying in the discard pile.

[I will confess that this is the 1st time I have watched this DVD since I purchased it, more than 2 years ago. In my defense, it was a used copy!]

DVD Purging (so far...)

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 23:00:15 -0500

Here is the list so far (you can read my thoughts in the entries below:

~~Storytelling (d. Todd Solondz)~~ DISCARD
Good Night, and Good Luck (d. George Clooney)
Punch-Drunk Love (d. Paul Thomas Anderson)
~~Timecode (d. Mike Figgis)~~ DISCARD
The Fountain (d. Darren Aronofsky)
American Splendor (d. Robert Pulcini & Shari Springer Berman)
Your Friends & Neighbors (d. Neil LaBute)
Wonder Boys (d. Curtis Hanson)
Way of the Gun (d. Christopher McQuarrie)
American Beauty (d. Sam Mendes)
The Princess and the Warrior (d. Tom Tykwer)
Amores Perros (d. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu)

Timecode (d. Mike Figgis)

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 22:53:00 -0500

I skipped ahead in my list, so I could watch a film that I remember being so excited about 10 years ago; I was curious to see if I would still find the film as exciting as I remembered. Timecode is Mike Figgis’ grand experiment in digital filmaking, utilizing 4 hand-held cameras, we are simultaneously shown (via a 4-way split screen) the events taking place one afternoon in and around a LA production office. All in one take; no cuts. The version we are watching, was actually the 15th version filmed.

The one thing I will say about Timecode, is that it demands your attention! You are forced to pay attention the entire time, if you want to have any semblance of what is going on. Figgis tries to help as he raises and lowers the sound mix from the different screens to help you focus on one screen.

Unfortunately, what is going on most of the time, is a pretty formulaic soap opera of Hollywood, Lesbianism, Alcoholism, Drugs, Earthquakes, etc, etc, etc… The biggest saving grace of this film, is Stellan Skarsgard - he dominates this film and makes me wish he did more challenging material these days (no more Mamma Mia crap!) I also enjoyed Saffron Burrows - but I think Figgis enjoys watching his Muse do anything, even if it is just a static shot of her looking beautful for 10 minutes.

In conclusion, this film is the definition of style over substance. The excitement of this new type of film making can help you overlook the contrived story, but, I am not sure if I will be able to handle many more repeat viewings. I think Roger Ebert summed it up best (as he usually does) in his review:

“Timecode” has a place in the history of the movies. But now I want to see Figgis cut back to one camera (digital if he must), resume editing and conduct experiments that are more likely to arouse my sense of awe than my sense of timing.”

Keeping this one in the discard list.

Storytelling (d. Todd Solondz)

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 22:32:00 -0500

“I don’t know about what happened… because once you start writing, it ALL becomes fiction.”

I had forgotten about how interesting this film was. It is a more approachable film, than Happiness (Todd Solondz’s excellent, but very disturbing, previous film), but that is not saying much.

This film is really 2 short films that are explorations of “fiction” vs. “non-fiction.” The first part features Selma Blair, who engages in a (consensual?) tryst with her Pulitzer winning Professor after breaking up with her CP afflicted boyfriend. This section concludes as she share her “story” with the class.

The second part features Paul Giamatti as a loser “Documentarian” who dreams of making a pretentious film about “High Schoolers in today’s world.” He finds a subject in Scooby and his dysfunctional family, led by John Goodman and Julie Hagerty. The most interesting parts of this section are watching Scooby’s over-achieving little brother, Mikey, interact with their solemn housekeeper, Consuela. This section comes to a shocking conclusion, as Giamatti’s character gets his ending!

I really enjoyed watching this film, but I will keep this in the discard pile, since I can’t imagine watching it again in the near future.

Some DVD Purging

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 22:04:21 -0500

In anticipation of some reorganizing in the house, I think its time to whittle down my DVD collection. In the past, the idea of getting rid-of some of my DVDs would have been unthinkable, but with Netflix and other means of digital distribution, I feel that I can watch any movie I want to, sometimes within a few minute, and at worst, within a day or two.

I put about 12 discs in the ‘get rid-of’ pile, but I also came up with another 12, that I think I want to get rid of, but I want to give them one last viewing before I make my final decision.

I figured I would write-up a few quick thoughts after each viewing. Here they are, in order of length:

Storytelling (d. Todd Solondz)
Good Night, and Good Luck (d. George Clooney)
Punch-Drunk Love (d. Paul Thomas Anderson)
Timecode (d. Mike Figgis)
The Fountain (d. Darren Aronofsky)
American Splendor (d. Robert Pulcini & Shari Springer Berman)
Your Friends & Neighbors (d. Neil LaBute)
Wonder Boys (d. Curtis Hanson)
Way of the Gun (d. Christopher McQuarrie)
American Beauty (d. Sam Mendes)
The Princess and the Warrior (d. Tom Tykwer)
Amores Perros (d. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu)

I figured it would be easier to watch some of the shorter movies first, so that is why they are in order of length.

I’ll be back shortly with my thoughts!

thisisstefanie: thedailywhat: Infographic of the Day: Putting...

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 13:24:41 -0500

thisisstefanie:

thedailywhat:

Infographic of the Day: Putting things in perspective.

[thehighdefinite.]

2 things:

1) This is messed up.

2) Really California? Marriage between first cousins?

Put’s it all in perspective!

I can’t stop watching this clip of Conan’s newest...

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:52:35 -0500

I can’t stop watching this clip of Conan’s newest (and maybe one of his last) character on The Tonight Show - The Bugatti Veyron Mouse. I really hope he lands at Fox @ 11PM.

(via sometimesagreatnotion) “So that was Mrs. Lundegaard...

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 13:50:00 -0500

(via sometimesagreatnotion)

“So that was Mrs. Lundegaard on the floor in there. And I guess that was your accomplice in the wood chipper. And those three people in Brainerd. And for what? For a little bit of money. There’s more to life than a little money, you know. Don’tcha know that? And here ya are, and it’s a beautiful day. Well. I just don’t understand it.”

Absolutely perfect…

In 2009...

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 14:15:36 -0500

I gained pre-hypertension and a new doctor.
I lost 8 lbs (and counting!).
I stopped eating sweets and/or desserts.
I started riding my exercise bike (at least a few times a week).
I was hugely satisfied by my company’s recent stock valuation.
And frustrated by my raise.
I am so embarrassed that I am now using a Blackberry.
Once again, I am a hypocrite towards a new annoying technology.
Once again, I am questioning my career choices.
The biggest physical difference between me last December and this December is that I have a beard.
The biggest psychological difference between me last December and this December is that I now accept that my parents will not always be here.
I loved spending time in Myrtle Beach.
Why did I spend even two minutes sending Mark a Christmas card.
I should have spent more time with Liam.
I regret buying that stupid bed frame!
I will never regret buying tickets to Ricky Gervais even though with that money I could have bought a more comfortable retirement.
I think about food way too much.
I didn’t rub my wife’s back enough.
Right-wing conservatives drove me crazy.
Was Lost crazier than ever last year? Or was it me?
The most relaxing place I went was to Stoweflake Spa in Stowe, Vermont.
I feel so calm when I write that down.
Why did I go to South Carolina on United Airlines?
The best thing I did for someone else was spending time with my Dad after his surgery.
The best thing I did for myself was finish paying off my car loan.
The best thing someone did for me was saving my Dad’s life.
The one thing I’d like to do again, but do it better, is to stay in touch with my best friends.

"The only man who is really free is the one who can turn down an invitation to dinner without giving..."

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:59:37 -0500

“The only man who is really free is the one who can turn down an invitation to dinner without giving an excuse.”

- Jules Renard (via bunkercomplex)

picture via mialegria Skins is one of those shows I wish I had...

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:26:00 -0500

picture via mialegria

Skins is one of those shows I wish I had never seen…so that I could watch it for the first time all over again.

bunkercomplex: wepostmusic: Radiohead — Harry Patch (In Memory...

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:25:28 -0400

bunkercomplex:

wepostmusic:

Radiohead — Harry Patch (In Memory of)

Really good new tune from Radiohead.

copycats: I Want You Back by Discoveryoriginally by The Jackson...

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:12:38 -0400

copycats:

I Want You Back by Discovery
originally by The Jackson 5
(posted by bunkercomplex)

This makes me really excited for this new side project from the lead singer of Ra Ra Riot. Discovery

(via emilyeloow) I will make sure that this coloring book is...

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 15:34:47 -0400

(via emilyeloow)

I will make sure that this coloring book is Liam’s first exposure to organized religion.

carinaavila: insidethebox: Ryan Adams - “Always On My Mind”...

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 11:27:27 -0400

carinaavila:

insidethebox:

Ryan Adams - “Always On My Mind” (Willie Nelson cover)

from the Jacksonville City Nights vinyl

Great cover version of this song. I really like when a cover really makes the song their own! This definately one the best Ryan Adams songs I have heard (after “Summer of ‘69”).