Tonight, Steph and I saw Superman. Honestly, I have been pretty interested in this for some time now. I have not cared much for any of the big Superhero movies that have come along lately.
I saw Spiderman in 2002 and I liked it pretty well. Especially the first half of it. The second half was somewhat lacking. Really though, it wasn't very good over all, and the more I watched it the worse it got. There was Hulk, and that was just flat out dreadful. And I mean bad. Then there was Daredevil. And that was lousy. And I love Ben Affleck. Then there was Spiderman 2, and it was better than the last. But by that time, I really didn't care. Last year was interesting. First there was Batman Begins. Now this one was good. Really, very good. But I had a little bit of ill will toward it, because I still didn't think it was THAT good. I mean, as good as everyone was trying to say. There was also Fantastic Four. Which I actually kind of liked. On a low standard sort of scale. Oh, and then there was X-Men. Pretty cool in 2000. Pretty cool in 2003. And Pretty cool in 2006. But to be honest. The only one that I honestly like is Batman Begins.
At this point, the Superhero genre is in full swing. I honestly feel like Superman and Batman are a little above the trend of superhero movies being popular. So I wasn't thrilled about them coming out during this time. But we got a pretty good one in Batman, so I was cautiously optimistic about Superman Returns.
One thing I loved was that this was going to be a sequel to Superman II. For two reasons. One, it kind of wipes out the crap that is Superman III and IV. Two, it does not wipe out the excellence that is Superman and Superman II. While Batman Begins is kind of like a prequel to the others, it really didn't feel like it fit with the others. But this one does. Superman Returns is a straight up direct sequel to Superman II. Not just stylistically. It looks and feels just like the old series. The credits are the same, the music is the same. The mannerisms of Supes and Clark and Lois and everyone are still the same.
I'll tell you what. I loved this movie. Straight up loved it. Its not without a problem or two, but it was really really good. And now, I'm kind of glad that it came out now. Because it deserves to be the best of the bunch. As Superman is clearly the best of all Superheros. I now see a little battle starting, and it could be good, and it could be bad. But no matter what, it will be interesting.
We have a franchise of Batman movies on the way. All trying to be the darkest and grittiest.
We have a franchise of Superman movies on the way. All trying to be the brightest and classiest.
We have a franchise of Spiderman movies that are already here and still coming. All trying to be the most fun and silliest.
Who's going to come out on top? I don't know. But in the end. I think Batman and Superman will crush Spiderman. Or at least I hope so. Right now, box officially speaking. Spidey is cleaning up. But he clearly sucks.
We shall see. But for now.....Maybe I will Lois.....Maybe I will.
-T
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
I think it's time for me to fly
I turned in my two weeks notice tonight. I'll tell you what. I was actually a little nervous, and this surprised me. I have, of course, expected this day would come for quite some time. I have, of course, been ready to be done with this line of work for a while. I have, of course, no real regrets or sadness over leaving Texas. I have, however, a strange and urgent desire to make sure people don't hate me. Sometimes, this desire can be a problem. Most times I'd say. I honestly though that my current supervisor would be fine with me leaving, but on the way over I got really nervous that he might be mad. He wasn't. He reacted how I generally expected him to. Supportive and generally cool, all the way around.
So now I am free. I am ready to give up all this. My 23 dollar an hour job. My food per diam. My free housing. Everything. I'm ready to be an artist. Preferably not the starving kind, but an artist anyway. I'm ready to go! I can't wait. California here we come, right back where we started from. California.....Californyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.
And Stephanie realized that my last day will be July 12th 2006. My first day ever working for Dataline in Utah was July 12th 2004. 2 years to the exact day! Thats freaky.
-T
So now I am free. I am ready to give up all this. My 23 dollar an hour job. My food per diam. My free housing. Everything. I'm ready to be an artist. Preferably not the starving kind, but an artist anyway. I'm ready to go! I can't wait. California here we come, right back where we started from. California.....Californyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.
And Stephanie realized that my last day will be July 12th 2006. My first day ever working for Dataline in Utah was July 12th 2004. 2 years to the exact day! Thats freaky.
-T
Saturday, June 10, 2006
Finally!!!
Ha ha....after weeks and weeks of problems, I finally saw a good movie that didn't lose the critics. Cars is the movie, and the critics finally get it.
This movie was first, very very funny. Second, it was very clever. Third, it was quite touching. As we know, Disney/Pixar movies have become kind of a Genre on its own. Mixed in with a couple of notable cartoons from other studios (Dreamworks' Shrek and New Line's Lord of the Rings Trilogy), the world of computer animated features has completely replaced the hand drawn animation of the past. Toy Story and Toy Story 2 are, without a doubt, the best of the bunch. Cars is next on the list for me.
One thing the Pixar does well is cleverness, and this movie is full of it. Lots of good humor that adults can appreciate a long with kids. Tractor Tipping is funny. SUV boot camp for SUVs that have never been offroad is hilarious. And Jeremy Piven in the role of Lightning McQueen's agent is the funniest thing ever. And if you don't know why... YOU BETTER RECOGNIZE. All that mixed with typical pixar heartwarming story about people and relationships that helps kids learn good lessons and reminds adults that they should remember whats important.
All that said, the critics liked it too. Good for them. Maybe they're not as dumb as I thought.
-T
This movie was first, very very funny. Second, it was very clever. Third, it was quite touching. As we know, Disney/Pixar movies have become kind of a Genre on its own. Mixed in with a couple of notable cartoons from other studios (Dreamworks' Shrek and New Line's Lord of the Rings Trilogy), the world of computer animated features has completely replaced the hand drawn animation of the past. Toy Story and Toy Story 2 are, without a doubt, the best of the bunch. Cars is next on the list for me.
One thing the Pixar does well is cleverness, and this movie is full of it. Lots of good humor that adults can appreciate a long with kids. Tractor Tipping is funny. SUV boot camp for SUVs that have never been offroad is hilarious. And Jeremy Piven in the role of Lightning McQueen's agent is the funniest thing ever. And if you don't know why... YOU BETTER RECOGNIZE. All that mixed with typical pixar heartwarming story about people and relationships that helps kids learn good lessons and reminds adults that they should remember whats important.
All that said, the critics liked it too. Good for them. Maybe they're not as dumb as I thought.
-T
Friday, June 09, 2006
Finally!!!
Ha ha....after weeks and weeks of problems, I finally saw a good movie that didn't lose the critics. Cars is the movie, and the critics finally get it.
This movie was first, very very funny. Second, it was very clever. Third, it was quite touching. As we know, Disney/Pixar movies have become kind of a Genre on its own. Mixed in with a couple of notable cartoons from other studios (Dreamworks' Shrek and New Line's Lord of the Rings Trilogy), the world of computer animated features has completely replaced the hand drawn animation of the past. Toy Story and Toy Story 2 are, without a doubt, the best of the bunch. Cars is next on the list for me.
One thing the Pixar does well is cleverness, and this movie is full of it. Lots of good humor that adults can appreciate a long with kids. Tractor Tipping is funny. SUV boot camp for SUVs that have never been offroad is hilarious. And Jeremy Piven in the role of Lightning McQueen's agent is the funniest thing ever. And if you don't know why... YOU BETTER RECOGNIZE. All that mixed with typical pixar heartwarming story about people and relationships that helps kids learn good lessons and reminds adults that they should remember whats important.
All that said, the critics liked it too. Good for them. Maybe they're not as dumb as I thought.
-T
This movie was first, very very funny. Second, it was very clever. Third, it was quite touching. As we know, Disney/Pixar movies have become kind of a Genre on its own. Mixed in with a couple of notable cartoons from other studios (Dreamworks' Shrek and New Line's Lord of the Rings Trilogy), the world of computer animated features has completely replaced the hand drawn animation of the past. Toy Story and Toy Story 2 are, without a doubt, the best of the bunch. Cars is next on the list for me.
One thing the Pixar does well is cleverness, and this movie is full of it. Lots of good humor that adults can appreciate a long with kids. Tractor Tipping is funny. SUV boot camp for SUVs that have never been offroad is hilarious. And Jeremy Piven in the role of Lightning McQueen's agent is the funniest thing ever. And if you don't know why... YOU BETTER RECOGNIZE. All that mixed with typical pixar heartwarming story about people and relationships that helps kids learn good lessons and reminds adults that they should remember whats important.
All that said, the critics liked it too. Good for them. Maybe they're not as dumb as I thought.
-T
Saturday, June 03, 2006
5 Weeks in a Row!
Its great. Apparently, I am the dumbest movie person ever. Every Single Saturday, for 5 weeks in a Row, I have gone to see the Hot movie of the week. Whoa. Actually, 4 weeks. The first week I saw Stick It, instead of Mission Impossible III. But for 5 straight Saturdays, I have gone to the movies, and come back pleased. More than pleased. My reactions ranged from Very Pleased to Really Excited. And, for 5 weeks in a row, the same movies that I saw have been slapped across the face by the Film Critics. First it was Stick It, the Posiden, then DaVinci Code, then XMen 3. The latest entry to the list is The Break Up.
The Break Up, coming in at a dismal 33% Fresh Rating , was a good movie. In fact, it was a very good movie. First things first. It was as funny as a comedy should be. As funny as the trailer implied it would be. But more than that. It was pretty darned good. Romantic Comedies tend to be blown off by people anyway, as summer fun for girls. So it should surprise no one that it would have as difficult a time as summer action movies have in getting respect. This movie is better than that. It had real drama without ever having to try too hard. A well-made movie that perfectly blended comedy and drama. Almost every man in the world has a relationship or two, so its not just for women. It plays on the very obvious themes of Men and Women are different. But it does not rely on that. We are presented with the facts that its really not about the differences between men and women and the various aspects that are unique to gender. Its really just about these two people. We are given to outside characters that react to the stars. Joey Lauren Adams plays Jennifer Aniston's sister, and Jon Favreau plays Vince Vaughn's friend. John Favreau points out to Vaughn that he is not just a dumb guy, but that he specifically is kind of selfish. Selfish to all his friends, not just his girlfriend. Adams tells Aniston that she specifically is handling this situation all wrong. That she is acting crazy, not that women just do that. This is what I liked the best. It showed us some things that TEND to be common amongst typical guys and typical girls, but explained that they don't have to be that way. And that most people can get over that and work together.
However, I read reviews of people who clearly didn't watch this movie. They come in with their catchy little catch phrases. The ones they clearly had in mind a week ago and were just hoping to get to use. Like Just another Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus retread. No it wasn't. And if you had actually watched, instead of writing in your little notebooks through the whole movie, you would know that. Its a shame, but I say again: Film Critics have the most power in influencing people to see a movie yet they are clearly the least qualified people on earth to give their opinion about a movie.
Sad But True.
-T
The Break Up, coming in at a dismal 33% Fresh Rating , was a good movie. In fact, it was a very good movie. First things first. It was as funny as a comedy should be. As funny as the trailer implied it would be. But more than that. It was pretty darned good. Romantic Comedies tend to be blown off by people anyway, as summer fun for girls. So it should surprise no one that it would have as difficult a time as summer action movies have in getting respect. This movie is better than that. It had real drama without ever having to try too hard. A well-made movie that perfectly blended comedy and drama. Almost every man in the world has a relationship or two, so its not just for women. It plays on the very obvious themes of Men and Women are different. But it does not rely on that. We are presented with the facts that its really not about the differences between men and women and the various aspects that are unique to gender. Its really just about these two people. We are given to outside characters that react to the stars. Joey Lauren Adams plays Jennifer Aniston's sister, and Jon Favreau plays Vince Vaughn's friend. John Favreau points out to Vaughn that he is not just a dumb guy, but that he specifically is kind of selfish. Selfish to all his friends, not just his girlfriend. Adams tells Aniston that she specifically is handling this situation all wrong. That she is acting crazy, not that women just do that. This is what I liked the best. It showed us some things that TEND to be common amongst typical guys and typical girls, but explained that they don't have to be that way. And that most people can get over that and work together.
However, I read reviews of people who clearly didn't watch this movie. They come in with their catchy little catch phrases. The ones they clearly had in mind a week ago and were just hoping to get to use. Like Just another Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus retread. No it wasn't. And if you had actually watched, instead of writing in your little notebooks through the whole movie, you would know that. Its a shame, but I say again: Film Critics have the most power in influencing people to see a movie yet they are clearly the least qualified people on earth to give their opinion about a movie.
Sad But True.
-T
Monday, May 29, 2006
A new Look at an Old Movie
First let me say how much I love Boogie Nights. This is one of my favorite films ever. I saw Boogie Nights for the first time in May of 1998. I immediately thought it was fantastic. I rented it two or three times that summer and tried to copy it to a tape of my own. Yes, that was wrong. The only reason I didn't buy it on tape of course was that I was going to be getting a DVD player that Christmas. My friends also liked Boogie Nights. We did, or course, get the film on DVD and watched it again and again. It was pretty much a full year of Boogie Nights in our Apartment. Along the way came a liking for the film's director, Paul Thomas Anderson. Since the film was conceived, written and directed by him, we considered ourselves P.T.A. fans. And so we eagerly awaited his next movie.
Magnolia. aka PTA's I can do whatever I want film.
After Boogie Nights, PTA got pretty close to blank check and free reign to do what he wanted with his next movie, and thats what he did.
The Trailer was very promising. And I admit, expectations were high.
Then we saw it. My feelings were all over the place. Watching the movie I was engrossed in all of the Hoffman/Robards scenes, but not so much in the others. When the Frogs came at the end, I really loved it. My first reaction was that I really liked it a lot. Though I talked with Brian that night about it, and the more I examined it, the more I was dissappointed. Then I watched the trailer a few more times. I love this trailer. And I started remembering all the things I loved about the movie. I went back to see it again, and was dissappointed. Brian, on the other hand, loved it the second time.
Thus began a 6 year debate over what is or is not wrong with this movie. For years we have talked about this thing, and for years I have been frustrated about how the movie isn't what seems/claims to be.
My problems with the movie. First, it's too long. Say what you will. Call me a low-brow Joe Six-Pack if you want. It's TOO DAMN LONG. It's not even that there are unneeded scenes, its just that scenes go on too long.
Second, it doesn't really work as well in the coincidence department as it wants too. They set up the film with a series of interesting though not really relevant urban legends. At least two of which are untrue. They use them as a way to set up the idea that strange things happen all the time. The film's characters are all somewhat interconnected and are all experiencing harrowing and bizarre events on one day in a small area of Los Angeles. This never comes through as well as it should or could. I read recently that initially there was a scene where it is explained that all of this is happening within a one square mile part of town, but it was cut for time reasons. THREE HOURS LONG and this is what they cut out?
I have watched this film a few times since the first time. Probably 4 or 5 now. And one thing is true. Generally I have been more and more happy with it each time. Last night, I watched it again. And a something occurred to me. I really like this movie. A lot. And I really always have. And what I realize, after dealing with the DaVinci Code movie reviewer debacle last week, is that I am grading this movie unfairly.
I still generally feel about its problems, the same way I have always felt. Actually its not its length that as much as the pacing. Its plods along in the end, when it really should pick up the pace. The idea of the freakishness of the situations linked by a freak of nature event still does not come across as well as it should. But the movies is really good. It could be great. I mean really great. But its only very good. I have been treating it like it could be good, but instead is bad. I've been giving it the DaVinci Code treatment. Like I think it should be an 85 but its so its a 35. The truth is, it IS an 85, but it COULD BE a 95.
So let it be said. I like Magnolia. If I ever said I didn't, I take it back. I like it. Its a very good movie. Its a great movie. I love it. I really like it. Its not even that it has some problems any more. I can think of some things that would have made it better, but that does not detract from what is there.
Magnolia. aka PTA's I can do whatever I want film.
After Boogie Nights, PTA got pretty close to blank check and free reign to do what he wanted with his next movie, and thats what he did.
The Trailer was very promising. And I admit, expectations were high.
Then we saw it. My feelings were all over the place. Watching the movie I was engrossed in all of the Hoffman/Robards scenes, but not so much in the others. When the Frogs came at the end, I really loved it. My first reaction was that I really liked it a lot. Though I talked with Brian that night about it, and the more I examined it, the more I was dissappointed. Then I watched the trailer a few more times. I love this trailer. And I started remembering all the things I loved about the movie. I went back to see it again, and was dissappointed. Brian, on the other hand, loved it the second time.
Thus began a 6 year debate over what is or is not wrong with this movie. For years we have talked about this thing, and for years I have been frustrated about how the movie isn't what seems/claims to be.
My problems with the movie. First, it's too long. Say what you will. Call me a low-brow Joe Six-Pack if you want. It's TOO DAMN LONG. It's not even that there are unneeded scenes, its just that scenes go on too long.
Second, it doesn't really work as well in the coincidence department as it wants too. They set up the film with a series of interesting though not really relevant urban legends. At least two of which are untrue. They use them as a way to set up the idea that strange things happen all the time. The film's characters are all somewhat interconnected and are all experiencing harrowing and bizarre events on one day in a small area of Los Angeles. This never comes through as well as it should or could. I read recently that initially there was a scene where it is explained that all of this is happening within a one square mile part of town, but it was cut for time reasons. THREE HOURS LONG and this is what they cut out?
I have watched this film a few times since the first time. Probably 4 or 5 now. And one thing is true. Generally I have been more and more happy with it each time. Last night, I watched it again. And a something occurred to me. I really like this movie. A lot. And I really always have. And what I realize, after dealing with the DaVinci Code movie reviewer debacle last week, is that I am grading this movie unfairly.
I still generally feel about its problems, the same way I have always felt. Actually its not its length that as much as the pacing. Its plods along in the end, when it really should pick up the pace. The idea of the freakishness of the situations linked by a freak of nature event still does not come across as well as it should. But the movies is really good. It could be great. I mean really great. But its only very good. I have been treating it like it could be good, but instead is bad. I've been giving it the DaVinci Code treatment. Like I think it should be an 85 but its so its a 35. The truth is, it IS an 85, but it COULD BE a 95.
So let it be said. I like Magnolia. If I ever said I didn't, I take it back. I like it. Its a very good movie. Its a great movie. I love it. I really like it. Its not even that it has some problems any more. I can think of some things that would have made it better, but that does not detract from what is there.
Saturday, May 20, 2006
The Davinci Code
So I went to see the Davinci Code today. First off, I'm glad to finally know what the heck all the fuss is about. And I must say, its pretty darn cool, and I'm glad to finally be in on it. And as of right now. It just posted a 29.5 million dollar opening day. Which puts it pretty darned high up in the all time rankings. Sitting in the Star Wars weekend, a week before Memorial day, this movie could potentially a pretty big grosser.
Now, here is the first issue that needs touching on. The reviews for this movie are pretty bad. Actually, the reviews seem to be only slightly bad. Its just that there are a ton of them. Rotten Tomatoes gives it a fresh rating of 16!! Thats extremely low. But it calls out the inherit problem with the rotten tomatoes system. In this case, its seems that most reviewers don't think its THAT bad, but just that 123 out of 150 think its kind of bad. So it makes it look worse than it is. That said....Are they NUTS!!!!
This movie was very good. VERY GOOD. Its now three weekends in a row where I am left to deal with the ridiculous fact that reviewers are morons, and I don't understand what it is they are looking for in a movie. What's different about this movie from Stick It and Posiden is that I feel they were waiting to love this movie. The Reviewers (calling them writers would give them too much credit at this point) are continuing to bring too much baggage into the movies with them. They clearly went into Stick It and Posiden chomping ready and eager to pounce on them. Armed with catch phrases and pithy remarks already written just waiting for the opportunity to use them.
It would seem that Davinci Code was different. It seems to me that they are all desperately dissappointed by a film that they inexplicably assumed would be the next Schindler's List. When it turned out to be just another very good film, they couldn't handle it.
I am pretty much done with movie reviewers at this point. We will go ahead and add most of them to ESPN personalites on the list of people with the most power but the least understanding of what they are talking about.
The second thing of interest about this film is the religious aspect. I know there have been protests. I met a person recently who said he wouldn't see the movie because he "was a Christian." I told him I consider myself a Christian and I can't wait to see it.
Having seen the movie I can now examine my thoughts on the subject. I thought it was great. And from a religious point of view I thought it was interesting. First things first, it's fiction. It does not mean that Ron Howard or Tom Hanks or anyone involved believe what it says. Its fiction. Its just like Star Wars or Superman. Its a story, fabricated to excite people. Furthermore, the movie never really claims to prove that its story is true. They say that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalen and that she gave birth to a daughter after the Crucifixion. In the end, characters in the movie assert that this is true and that one character in the movie is a descendant of Jesus. They are searching for the final resting place of Mary Magdalen which is essentially the big mystery. They mention doing DNA testing to verify. However that would only prove that she was related to Mary. In the end, the very best that they could do was prove that all of this was about Mary Magdalen and her descendants. There is still no definitive proof that her unborn child was that daughter of Jesus.
In addition to all that is this. I am speaking of myself. If I were to find that this is true. If I were to find out that Jesus was a man. Had a wife, and a child. Would this change how I feel about God and my religion. The answer is no. I would not feel different. I have always believed in God. I have always felt the power and comfort of my religion. And I have always been aware that things in the bible are stories that are designed to illustrate the best way to live life. I could believe that the story of Jesus could fit that discription as well. What the Davinci Code is about, in my opinion, is plausible. But it would not change how I live my life and how I practice my faith.
I do, however, understand why some people will be upset. I do not know much about the Catholic Church in general, but I understand why many would feel that they had been living a lie if this were to be true. I just know for myself, it would not affect me that way.
-T
Now, here is the first issue that needs touching on. The reviews for this movie are pretty bad. Actually, the reviews seem to be only slightly bad. Its just that there are a ton of them. Rotten Tomatoes gives it a fresh rating of 16!! Thats extremely low. But it calls out the inherit problem with the rotten tomatoes system. In this case, its seems that most reviewers don't think its THAT bad, but just that 123 out of 150 think its kind of bad. So it makes it look worse than it is. That said....Are they NUTS!!!!
This movie was very good. VERY GOOD. Its now three weekends in a row where I am left to deal with the ridiculous fact that reviewers are morons, and I don't understand what it is they are looking for in a movie. What's different about this movie from Stick It and Posiden is that I feel they were waiting to love this movie. The Reviewers (calling them writers would give them too much credit at this point) are continuing to bring too much baggage into the movies with them. They clearly went into Stick It and Posiden chomping ready and eager to pounce on them. Armed with catch phrases and pithy remarks already written just waiting for the opportunity to use them.
It would seem that Davinci Code was different. It seems to me that they are all desperately dissappointed by a film that they inexplicably assumed would be the next Schindler's List. When it turned out to be just another very good film, they couldn't handle it.
I am pretty much done with movie reviewers at this point. We will go ahead and add most of them to ESPN personalites on the list of people with the most power but the least understanding of what they are talking about.
The second thing of interest about this film is the religious aspect. I know there have been protests. I met a person recently who said he wouldn't see the movie because he "was a Christian." I told him I consider myself a Christian and I can't wait to see it.
Having seen the movie I can now examine my thoughts on the subject. I thought it was great. And from a religious point of view I thought it was interesting. First things first, it's fiction. It does not mean that Ron Howard or Tom Hanks or anyone involved believe what it says. Its fiction. Its just like Star Wars or Superman. Its a story, fabricated to excite people. Furthermore, the movie never really claims to prove that its story is true. They say that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalen and that she gave birth to a daughter after the Crucifixion. In the end, characters in the movie assert that this is true and that one character in the movie is a descendant of Jesus. They are searching for the final resting place of Mary Magdalen which is essentially the big mystery. They mention doing DNA testing to verify. However that would only prove that she was related to Mary. In the end, the very best that they could do was prove that all of this was about Mary Magdalen and her descendants. There is still no definitive proof that her unborn child was that daughter of Jesus.
In addition to all that is this. I am speaking of myself. If I were to find that this is true. If I were to find out that Jesus was a man. Had a wife, and a child. Would this change how I feel about God and my religion. The answer is no. I would not feel different. I have always believed in God. I have always felt the power and comfort of my religion. And I have always been aware that things in the bible are stories that are designed to illustrate the best way to live life. I could believe that the story of Jesus could fit that discription as well. What the Davinci Code is about, in my opinion, is plausible. But it would not change how I live my life and how I practice my faith.
I do, however, understand why some people will be upset. I do not know much about the Catholic Church in general, but I understand why many would feel that they had been living a lie if this were to be true. I just know for myself, it would not affect me that way.
-T
Monday, May 08, 2006
A new attitude
I woke up this morning and decided one thing. I'm going to be in control of myself. That may seem a little over the top. After all, its not like I grope people in public or cuss and spit in church or anything. However, I do have some problems with letting my brain run wild on me. I guess that comes with the territory of being a genius. LOL
Sometimes I get a little wired up. I'm in my own head. I work a job that is juuuuuusstt brain occupying enough to keep me from thinking about anything important, but not nearly complex enough to keep my brain stimulated properly. Its been like this for just about 2 years now and I think it has taken a considerable toll on my intellect.
Its hard to explain, but I sometimes feel that this job is making me stupid. And the funniest part is this. It makes me more stupid than when I pushed carts at Wal-Mart. More stupid than when I hustled burgers at McDonalds or Fries and Sodas at the In-N-Out Burger. mmmmmmm In-N-Out Burger. When I worked Fast Food I was normally too busy working to think about anything other than what I was doing. Chop Chop, quick quick you know? When I worked the carts at Wal-Mart, it was easy breazy. Just me and my thoughts and generally pleasant phyisical outside sunshine work. I kept a notebook in my pocket and wrote down ideas all the time.
This job though leaves me stuck in brain limbo though. By the end of the day, I find that my brain has been racing all day trying to shoehorn in thoughts and ideas into every available free moment. And its all easy, low-brow, crap too. Mostly consisting of Barry Bonds and various other sports topics. Sometimes its more heady stuff like how to build high-density neighborhoods that are still family friendly. While there will certainly be a time and place for this line of thought, its not exactly helpful or productive given my current goals and objectives. Anyway, by the end of the day, I'm exhausted. All I want to do is vege out in front of re-runs. I used to think that it was the job that wore me out, but its not.
So what to do about it? Control myself....and remain calm. Another by-product of this behavior is that I tend to panic in easy situations. So I got up, I sat on the couch and I calmly collected my thoughts. I made sandwiches, I got dressed I went to work. I spent the majority of my day just listening to my Ipod and staying conscious. Staying in reality and out of my crazy world of racing thoughts.
Breath in Breath out. Remain Calm.
Reggie Bush wants to wear number 5 in the NFL (not allowed for Running Backs by rule)
...nope. Not interested. Relax, clear your mind.
Barry Bonds is just one Homerun from tying Ruth
well, its not really tying since he.........Shhht. Quiet your mind Tom and you'll hear the midi-chlorians talking to you.
And so it went most of the day. Know what? Surprisingly easy. Even easy to avoid the pitfalls of entering conversations with my co-workers about Paris Hilton and Jager Bombs.
After doing....whatver I'll name this new discipline....all day, I came home and went to the Gym. I burned 500 calories and felt pretty darned good. I read some of a filmmaking book, I read some filmmaking articles and actually felt like blogging. I feel rested, mentally rested. And it feels great!
Day 1: A success. Lets see how this works out the rest of the week. Til Then....
answers will come when you are at peace, placid.
-T
Sometimes I get a little wired up. I'm in my own head. I work a job that is juuuuuusstt brain occupying enough to keep me from thinking about anything important, but not nearly complex enough to keep my brain stimulated properly. Its been like this for just about 2 years now and I think it has taken a considerable toll on my intellect.
Its hard to explain, but I sometimes feel that this job is making me stupid. And the funniest part is this. It makes me more stupid than when I pushed carts at Wal-Mart. More stupid than when I hustled burgers at McDonalds or Fries and Sodas at the In-N-Out Burger. mmmmmmm In-N-Out Burger. When I worked Fast Food I was normally too busy working to think about anything other than what I was doing. Chop Chop, quick quick you know? When I worked the carts at Wal-Mart, it was easy breazy. Just me and my thoughts and generally pleasant phyisical outside sunshine work. I kept a notebook in my pocket and wrote down ideas all the time.
This job though leaves me stuck in brain limbo though. By the end of the day, I find that my brain has been racing all day trying to shoehorn in thoughts and ideas into every available free moment. And its all easy, low-brow, crap too. Mostly consisting of Barry Bonds and various other sports topics. Sometimes its more heady stuff like how to build high-density neighborhoods that are still family friendly. While there will certainly be a time and place for this line of thought, its not exactly helpful or productive given my current goals and objectives. Anyway, by the end of the day, I'm exhausted. All I want to do is vege out in front of re-runs. I used to think that it was the job that wore me out, but its not.
So what to do about it? Control myself....and remain calm. Another by-product of this behavior is that I tend to panic in easy situations. So I got up, I sat on the couch and I calmly collected my thoughts. I made sandwiches, I got dressed I went to work. I spent the majority of my day just listening to my Ipod and staying conscious. Staying in reality and out of my crazy world of racing thoughts.
Breath in Breath out. Remain Calm.
Reggie Bush wants to wear number 5 in the NFL (not allowed for Running Backs by rule)
...nope. Not interested. Relax, clear your mind.
Barry Bonds is just one Homerun from tying Ruth
well, its not really tying since he.........Shhht. Quiet your mind Tom and you'll hear the midi-chlorians talking to you.
And so it went most of the day. Know what? Surprisingly easy. Even easy to avoid the pitfalls of entering conversations with my co-workers about Paris Hilton and Jager Bombs.
After doing....whatver I'll name this new discipline....all day, I came home and went to the Gym. I burned 500 calories and felt pretty darned good. I read some of a filmmaking book, I read some filmmaking articles and actually felt like blogging. I feel rested, mentally rested. And it feels great!
Day 1: A success. Lets see how this works out the rest of the week. Til Then....
answers will come when you are at peace, placid.
-T
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
My Date With Drew
Tonight I watched a great movie called My Date With Drew. The story of a guy who won 1100 dollars on a gameshow and set out to get a date with his lifelong crush Drew Barrymore. Furthermore, he wants to make a movie out of it. Here is a guy I can relate to.
While Drew is a personal childhood/early adulthood favorite of mine, I admit to not being quite as enthralled with her as this guy. He has daydreamed about this for his whole life. He was even a member of the Drew Barrymore fan club as a kid.
He gets a video camera from Circuit City. One of his buddies buys it because his credit card is declined. The plan is to return it in 30 days on Circuit City's no questions asked 30 day return policy. So he has 30 days to make the date happen.
What follows is a fantastic film about following your dreams. Its a film about being, not just persistant, but relentless. It is about being childlike, full of hopes and dreams. It is about reaching for the stars and proving that you can reach them. Yes, its also about how cool it would be to get a date with a movie star you have loved for 20 years.
This is going on my buy it list. Put it down as inspirational. Plus, at 40 minutes in, you can see the main character drive by the Burger King on Van Nuys Blvd across from our old apartment. Steph and I used to get breakfast there a lot.
-T
"If you don't take risks, you'll have a wasted soul." - Drew Barrymore
While Drew is a personal childhood/early adulthood favorite of mine, I admit to not being quite as enthralled with her as this guy. He has daydreamed about this for his whole life. He was even a member of the Drew Barrymore fan club as a kid.
He gets a video camera from Circuit City. One of his buddies buys it because his credit card is declined. The plan is to return it in 30 days on Circuit City's no questions asked 30 day return policy. So he has 30 days to make the date happen.
What follows is a fantastic film about following your dreams. Its a film about being, not just persistant, but relentless. It is about being childlike, full of hopes and dreams. It is about reaching for the stars and proving that you can reach them. Yes, its also about how cool it would be to get a date with a movie star you have loved for 20 years.
This is going on my buy it list. Put it down as inspirational. Plus, at 40 minutes in, you can see the main character drive by the Burger King on Van Nuys Blvd across from our old apartment. Steph and I used to get breakfast there a lot.
-T
"If you don't take risks, you'll have a wasted soul." - Drew Barrymore
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Study?--oh, and Not without Buck
I have to Study tonight. Seriously. Study for a test tomorrow. Weird huh?
I'm not really going to. Its an open-book open-note 70 question multiple choice test that I have 4 hours to take. Basically. I spent the night streamlining my notebook so I know where to look for everything.
Also, I watched 8 Men Out today. About the 1919 White Sox throwing the World Series. Its a very good movie. Made by John Sayles, who Steph and I saw at SXSW a month ago. Its pretty sympathetic to the players and I don't think that is an unreasonable stance to take.
Brian and I have talked off and on about Shoeless Joe Jackson and the movement to get him in the Hall of Fame. There is a few things to consider.
Was Joe Jackson good enough to be in the Hall of Fame? Almost definitely. However, his career stats don't really measure up. That puts him in the Kirby Puckett/Sandy Koufax category. Puckett was hit by a ball and went blind. He never played again. Koufax had 6 of the most dominant seasons in the history of the game. He was unbeatable for 6 years. He retired at 30 because of an arm injury. Both would most certainly have had numbers that ranked very well amongst HOFers had they been able to complete their careers. Jackson fits in that category as well, though the reason for his career being cut short is considerably less understandable.
The other thing is to determine just how guilty he is. Was he just a "dumb hick" that didn't really know any better? Well, he did know something. We know he got 5000 dollars and we know he knew why he got it. There are some plays he made in the field that were marked "questionable" by writers at the time. So it comes down to this. Do we think he was just too weak minded to resist the pressure put on him by his fellow teammates? I'm not sure.
I do know this. There is no way Jackson should be reinstated before Buck Weaver. Based on the movie, as well as research, Buck was guilty only of knowing about it. One of his buddies came and got him and brought him to a meeting. At the meeting the team pitched it to Weaver and Weaver told them to go to hell. He wasn't interested. He didn't tell anyone, because he thought they'd come around. This is all he is guilty of.
So I can say this. I'm ok with Joe Jackson being reinstated, and therefore being eligible for the Hall of Fame. However, there is no way I'd support Jackson until after Buck Weaver is allowed back.
-T
I'm not really going to. Its an open-book open-note 70 question multiple choice test that I have 4 hours to take. Basically. I spent the night streamlining my notebook so I know where to look for everything.
Also, I watched 8 Men Out today. About the 1919 White Sox throwing the World Series. Its a very good movie. Made by John Sayles, who Steph and I saw at SXSW a month ago. Its pretty sympathetic to the players and I don't think that is an unreasonable stance to take.
Brian and I have talked off and on about Shoeless Joe Jackson and the movement to get him in the Hall of Fame. There is a few things to consider.
Was Joe Jackson good enough to be in the Hall of Fame? Almost definitely. However, his career stats don't really measure up. That puts him in the Kirby Puckett/Sandy Koufax category. Puckett was hit by a ball and went blind. He never played again. Koufax had 6 of the most dominant seasons in the history of the game. He was unbeatable for 6 years. He retired at 30 because of an arm injury. Both would most certainly have had numbers that ranked very well amongst HOFers had they been able to complete their careers. Jackson fits in that category as well, though the reason for his career being cut short is considerably less understandable.
The other thing is to determine just how guilty he is. Was he just a "dumb hick" that didn't really know any better? Well, he did know something. We know he got 5000 dollars and we know he knew why he got it. There are some plays he made in the field that were marked "questionable" by writers at the time. So it comes down to this. Do we think he was just too weak minded to resist the pressure put on him by his fellow teammates? I'm not sure.
I do know this. There is no way Jackson should be reinstated before Buck Weaver. Based on the movie, as well as research, Buck was guilty only of knowing about it. One of his buddies came and got him and brought him to a meeting. At the meeting the team pitched it to Weaver and Weaver told them to go to hell. He wasn't interested. He didn't tell anyone, because he thought they'd come around. This is all he is guilty of.
So I can say this. I'm ok with Joe Jackson being reinstated, and therefore being eligible for the Hall of Fame. However, there is no way I'd support Jackson until after Buck Weaver is allowed back.
-T
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Another Day in Arkansas
Boy o boy its boring here. Third night in this hotel room. Third night all by myself. I like being by myself a little bit. But really, I miss Stephanie and the pup. Oh man I love that pup.
Work was ok. Today was a real hands-on day. Which made it 10 times better than yesterday. Though still 100 times worse than a day off and 1000 times worse than hanging out in Santa Monica. Still obsessed, as you can see.
I had Waffle House for dinner tonight. Man was that good. Best Grits I've had in a long time.
Today is just plain blah. I don't have much on my mind I guess. Waiting for the Dodgers to start and avoiding watching the Sopranos.
peace
-T
Work was ok. Today was a real hands-on day. Which made it 10 times better than yesterday. Though still 100 times worse than a day off and 1000 times worse than hanging out in Santa Monica. Still obsessed, as you can see.
I had Waffle House for dinner tonight. Man was that good. Best Grits I've had in a long time.
Today is just plain blah. I don't have much on my mind I guess. Waiting for the Dodgers to start and avoiding watching the Sopranos.
peace
-T
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Blah Blah Blah
Arkansas is sooooo boring. I don't think that is really a fair statement. I don't really want to be here. I'm stuck in a hotel room. I don't much feel like going out with these guys here. I really didn't feel much like coming and I want to just put my time in and get back to Texas. So, in fairness, Arkansas may be great. I just wouldn't know.
I did make this though
I did make this though
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Back to Work
Today I went back to work. For real this time. I am whooped man. The Film Festival is officially behind us. I won't look back at least for now. Today was about work. Which, quite frankly, sucked. What was I expecting right?
I don't know what to say. There are two ways to look at this day. First thing I thought when I got there was sssssssssssssssssssssssss. Air out of balloon, wind out of sails etc. But then there was something else. A little bit of arrogance maybe. Just a little renewed confidence set in. Its a nice little feeling. Its similar to that feeling you get when you walk around listening to your headphones. Its like your there and you can interact in their world, but you live in your world. Its nice. A little obnoxious maybe, but a nice feeling anyway.
It didn't matter too much anyway, because our Baseball Draft really kicked off in earnest today, and that occupied most of my thoughts.
I took Chase Utley with my first pick this morning and Juan Pierre. These are two picks that I am quite pleased with. I cant say any of my goals for the future because my enemies will read this.
-T
I don't know what to say. There are two ways to look at this day. First thing I thought when I got there was sssssssssssssssssssssssss. Air out of balloon, wind out of sails etc. But then there was something else. A little bit of arrogance maybe. Just a little renewed confidence set in. Its a nice little feeling. Its similar to that feeling you get when you walk around listening to your headphones. Its like your there and you can interact in their world, but you live in your world. Its nice. A little obnoxious maybe, but a nice feeling anyway.
It didn't matter too much anyway, because our Baseball Draft really kicked off in earnest today, and that occupied most of my thoughts.
I took Chase Utley with my first pick this morning and Juan Pierre. These are two picks that I am quite pleased with. I cant say any of my goals for the future because my enemies will read this.
-T
Monday, March 20, 2006
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Day 9. The 4 movie Big Finale *LOL*
Today was pretty long and tiring, but pretty darned good nonetheless. A 4 movie Finale.
First was a movie that was just flat out not good. I don't know what to say about it much more than that. Things That Hang From Trees. The ongoing theme of this festival for Steph and me is how to make good films from small amounts of money. Well heres an example of a lousy film that was made with a lot more money than we would get. I have nothing else to say other than this movie was just lame.
Second was Charlize Theron's movie East of Havana. She produced the movie that is. And the important part is that it was shot on the same camera that we bought. Thats a big deal. And it was important for us to get a look at what our camera can do. And its nice. Real nice. As a film, this movie was quite good. A real look at a tough situation for poverty stricken people in Cuba. Its interesting to see how American Rap Music can appeal to the poor and downtrodden in Cuba in much the same way it spoke to similar people in America in the late 80s and early 90s.
The next film we saw was American Dreamz. This was a lot of fun. A real, big budget movie that will be released in a few weeks. It appeals of course to the Idol fans in both Steph and me of course. It was very funny. I think, of course, some of the audience members got a little carried away with their Anti-Bush excitement. The movie has a President character in it. In my opinion, it is much more a parody of our media than of our President. But these people are all stupid, so they don't see it.
The last movie of the night was LOL. This is one of the most interesing movies for us. It is made for dirt cheap (3000 dollars), and by a filmmaker (Joe Swanberg) that seems to have a similar outlook on movies as us. It was a very cool film. I really liked it a lot. It serves as inspiration. Kind of like, "If this can get in, than ours can get in." But thats a little unfair, as LOL is not a bad film. I just know that it is something that we could make.
The last day was a long one. By the time it was over, I had quite a headache and I was looking forward to sleeping in late the next day. Fortunately, I had 2 days off to recover. What a day! What a week!
-T
First was a movie that was just flat out not good. I don't know what to say about it much more than that. Things That Hang From Trees. The ongoing theme of this festival for Steph and me is how to make good films from small amounts of money. Well heres an example of a lousy film that was made with a lot more money than we would get. I have nothing else to say other than this movie was just lame.
Second was Charlize Theron's movie East of Havana. She produced the movie that is. And the important part is that it was shot on the same camera that we bought. Thats a big deal. And it was important for us to get a look at what our camera can do. And its nice. Real nice. As a film, this movie was quite good. A real look at a tough situation for poverty stricken people in Cuba. Its interesting to see how American Rap Music can appeal to the poor and downtrodden in Cuba in much the same way it spoke to similar people in America in the late 80s and early 90s.
The next film we saw was American Dreamz. This was a lot of fun. A real, big budget movie that will be released in a few weeks. It appeals of course to the Idol fans in both Steph and me of course. It was very funny. I think, of course, some of the audience members got a little carried away with their Anti-Bush excitement. The movie has a President character in it. In my opinion, it is much more a parody of our media than of our President. But these people are all stupid, so they don't see it.
The last movie of the night was LOL. This is one of the most interesing movies for us. It is made for dirt cheap (3000 dollars), and by a filmmaker (Joe Swanberg) that seems to have a similar outlook on movies as us. It was a very cool film. I really liked it a lot. It serves as inspiration. Kind of like, "If this can get in, than ours can get in." But thats a little unfair, as LOL is not a bad film. I just know that it is something that we could make.
The last day was a long one. By the time it was over, I had quite a headache and I was looking forward to sleeping in late the next day. Fortunately, I had 2 days off to recover. What a day! What a week!
-T
Friday, March 17, 2006
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Monday, March 13, 2006
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Friday, March 10, 2006
Day 1. F*CK! SXSW is on!!
Ok, here we go. The day arrived. I got up and went to work. But I spent pretty much the whole day just trying to get out of there. We managed to get out a bit early which worked out really well. So I had enough time to get home, get showered and eat.
So lets get to it. Steph and I got downtown in pretty decent time. We took MOPAC down to Cesar Chavez Blvd. We had to stop at an ATM to make sure we had money to park. We parked in the Convention Center Parking Garage. From there we went to the convention center to get our Badges. We picked up our badges and a bag full of swag. An interesting and personal thing happened here, but I will get into that a little later.
We got a coupon for a free beer. That was a good way to start. After that, it was time to walk to the Paramount movie theater and find some food along the way. We ate at Schlotsky's Deli, and it was pretty good.
Ok. The first movie was called F*ck, and it was pretty darned good. It was a documentary about the word. Where did it come from? What does it mean? Why do people like saying it? This movie was good. It was very funny and pretty clever. Even when it got a little political, it still stayed pretty even and in the middle. Although, people in the audience seem to respond only to the parts that are sort of typical "liberal" positions. It was also very cool to be able to hear from the director after the film was over.
The next film we saw was Robert Altman's new film Prairie Home Companion. This one was a big deal. This is the North American premiere of a major Hollywood film. Not that Altman wants to be known as a Hollywood filmmaker. The best part was that John C. Freaking Reilly spoke on stage before the movie started. Holy Crap that was cool. The movie itself was pretty good. It was a little weird which is typical of RA, especially in his recent movies. Unlike his recent movies, this one was pretty enjoyable. Fun to watch in a lot of places. Especially Reilly and Woody Harrellson.
After the movie, we popped into the after party at a bar on 6th street. We saw JC Reilly again there which was cool.
We headed home around midnight or so. What a night! All in all, a great beginning to what should be an awesome, if not exhausting, week of movie stuff! Woo Hoo! I'm lovin this!
-T
So lets get to it. Steph and I got downtown in pretty decent time. We took MOPAC down to Cesar Chavez Blvd. We had to stop at an ATM to make sure we had money to park. We parked in the Convention Center Parking Garage. From there we went to the convention center to get our Badges. We picked up our badges and a bag full of swag. An interesting and personal thing happened here, but I will get into that a little later.
We got a coupon for a free beer. That was a good way to start. After that, it was time to walk to the Paramount movie theater and find some food along the way. We ate at Schlotsky's Deli, and it was pretty good.
Ok. The first movie was called F*ck, and it was pretty darned good. It was a documentary about the word. Where did it come from? What does it mean? Why do people like saying it? This movie was good. It was very funny and pretty clever. Even when it got a little political, it still stayed pretty even and in the middle. Although, people in the audience seem to respond only to the parts that are sort of typical "liberal" positions. It was also very cool to be able to hear from the director after the film was over.
The next film we saw was Robert Altman's new film Prairie Home Companion. This one was a big deal. This is the North American premiere of a major Hollywood film. Not that Altman wants to be known as a Hollywood filmmaker. The best part was that John C. Freaking Reilly spoke on stage before the movie started. Holy Crap that was cool. The movie itself was pretty good. It was a little weird which is typical of RA, especially in his recent movies. Unlike his recent movies, this one was pretty enjoyable. Fun to watch in a lot of places. Especially Reilly and Woody Harrellson.
After the movie, we popped into the after party at a bar on 6th street. We saw JC Reilly again there which was cool.
We headed home around midnight or so. What a night! All in all, a great beginning to what should be an awesome, if not exhausting, week of movie stuff! Woo Hoo! I'm lovin this!
-T
Thursday, March 09, 2006
We got the Camera!!
Its here! Its here! The Camera is here. I'm so excited I can just about burst. Its here just in time for us to go to the Film Festival and not really use it.
The Panasonic DVX100B. Its very complicated, and a little overwhelming. I am excited to get started on it, but its a bit frustrating because its not just something you can dive right into. It comes with two books, a thick manual plus another book about how to get the most out of it. Additionally, it comes with a tutorial cd.
I did open it up and turn it on. I shot a couple of shots of Sonny. Let me just say, you can see the difference. Really. This thing looks good! I can't wait to make a movie.
In another quick note, Steph and I drove downtown tonight to do a little scouting. We got a decent look at where the convention center is and where we may park tomorrow. I am so excited about this. I'm glad Stephanie pushed this issue with me. I'd be damned mad if I blew off an opportunity like this.
-T
The Panasonic DVX100B. Its very complicated, and a little overwhelming. I am excited to get started on it, but its a bit frustrating because its not just something you can dive right into. It comes with two books, a thick manual plus another book about how to get the most out of it. Additionally, it comes with a tutorial cd.
I did open it up and turn it on. I shot a couple of shots of Sonny. Let me just say, you can see the difference. Really. This thing looks good! I can't wait to make a movie.
In another quick note, Steph and I drove downtown tonight to do a little scouting. We got a decent look at where the convention center is and where we may park tomorrow. I am so excited about this. I'm glad Stephanie pushed this issue with me. I'd be damned mad if I blew off an opportunity like this.
-T
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Barry Bonds Book
Barry Bonds is Back in the News today and now it is really juicy. I mean big time. Just when you thought that you were going to have to watch his smug face all year acting like he had gotten away with it all and was headed to the hall of fame. SMACK. Its all downhill now.
Today, Sports Illustrated released some excerpts from a book that comes out later this month. Lance Williams and Mark Fainaru-Wada are writers for the San Francisco Chronicle who have been following the Bonds story for almost 10 years. This book is essentially a wrap-up and summary of all of their work. And it is juicy. These guys are very credible and are generally going to be believed.
The best part is this. It will turn the heat back up under Barry just in time for the season to start, and will guarentee that this issue will not go away.
-T
Today, Sports Illustrated released some excerpts from a book that comes out later this month. Lance Williams and Mark Fainaru-Wada are writers for the San Francisco Chronicle who have been following the Bonds story for almost 10 years. This book is essentially a wrap-up and summary of all of their work. And it is juicy. These guys are very credible and are generally going to be believed.
The best part is this. It will turn the heat back up under Barry just in time for the season to start, and will guarentee that this issue will not go away.
-T
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Aunt Melinda
My Aunt Melinda died last night. I CANT believe I just wrote that. Its a sentence that I have never typed before. Its absurd and surreal. This is impossible. It can't be real.
Yesterday morning I was thinking about jokes. My family likes to tell jokes. I was trying to think of some to tell one of my co-workers, but I couldn't remember any. I got my phone out and thought to call my Aunt Melinda. She would know some great jokes. I have no idea why I did that. My Aunt and I are pretty close. But I don't talk to her on the phone very much or anything. I just thought to call her. I didn't though. I figured she was busy. Turns out, she was in the hospital. Her kidneys and Liver were failing.
My mother called me last night and said, my Aunt Melinda is in the hospital and it was very serious. I worried. I thought, this could be life threatening. I thought in the next few days I might have to start thinking about how she might be possibly dying. I understood how serious it was, but I thought there would be time to process it. I thought there would be time to see if she could fight it. About 2 hours later my mom called and said that she won't make it through the night.
What!? How can this be? Two Hours. She was one of my favorite people who will always be there. Two hours later. She won't make it though the night.
And she didn't. My Aunt Melinda died just before midnight last night. And I can't believe I just said that.
My family is struggling with this. I tend to handle deaths pretty well. This morning when I got up and found out that it was really true, I accepted it pretty well. People often say things about Heaven and spirits and things like that. For me, I always really believed that those things were true. Some people think these things, but when death comes, they have a tough time with them. I really don't. I really feel those emotions. When I heard that she had died. I immediately thought of her in Heaven with my Granny and I gave a little smile.
I am stunned and shocked. Its hard to process it all. I am very sad for my family. I hope they will be ok. But when they say she's in a better place, I believe it. I really do. I have heard the saying that both Birth and Death are doorways to new worlds, and I believe that. I also believe that God has a plan for everyone. Some of this sounds like crap. But I believe its true. I really do.
I love you Aunt Melinda. I thank you for the time I spent with you and I will never forget you.
Your Nephew
-Tom
Yesterday morning I was thinking about jokes. My family likes to tell jokes. I was trying to think of some to tell one of my co-workers, but I couldn't remember any. I got my phone out and thought to call my Aunt Melinda. She would know some great jokes. I have no idea why I did that. My Aunt and I are pretty close. But I don't talk to her on the phone very much or anything. I just thought to call her. I didn't though. I figured she was busy. Turns out, she was in the hospital. Her kidneys and Liver were failing.
My mother called me last night and said, my Aunt Melinda is in the hospital and it was very serious. I worried. I thought, this could be life threatening. I thought in the next few days I might have to start thinking about how she might be possibly dying. I understood how serious it was, but I thought there would be time to process it. I thought there would be time to see if she could fight it. About 2 hours later my mom called and said that she won't make it through the night.
What!? How can this be? Two Hours. She was one of my favorite people who will always be there. Two hours later. She won't make it though the night.
And she didn't. My Aunt Melinda died just before midnight last night. And I can't believe I just said that.
My family is struggling with this. I tend to handle deaths pretty well. This morning when I got up and found out that it was really true, I accepted it pretty well. People often say things about Heaven and spirits and things like that. For me, I always really believed that those things were true. Some people think these things, but when death comes, they have a tough time with them. I really don't. I really feel those emotions. When I heard that she had died. I immediately thought of her in Heaven with my Granny and I gave a little smile.
I am stunned and shocked. Its hard to process it all. I am very sad for my family. I hope they will be ok. But when they say she's in a better place, I believe it. I really do. I have heard the saying that both Birth and Death are doorways to new worlds, and I believe that. I also believe that God has a plan for everyone. Some of this sounds like crap. But I believe its true. I really do.
I love you Aunt Melinda. I thank you for the time I spent with you and I will never forget you.
Your Nephew
-Tom
Monday, March 06, 2006
Ok, lets talk about Crash
Let me come right out and say this...I did not want Crash to win Best Picture. I did not think it was the best movie of the year. I did not think it should have been nominated for best picture at all. So lets talk about why.
The makers of Crash, and it supporters too, have done something that bothers me a little bit. They have positioned Crash to be a "provacative" movie. They can say "If someone doesn't like it, then we have done a good job." The problem here is this. The reason I didn't like it has nothing to do with the subject matter. The reason I don't like it, is that it is a flawed film from a filmmaking point of view.
The problem for me is that the film doesn't work as a story. The Acting is fantastic. The Cinematography is great. And, for the most part, the scenes are well written. As a collection of scenes, however, it just doesn't add up to any kind of satisfying resolution. Its like there's no end. I can accept the idea that all of these people's lives are incredibly intertwined. Its just that this strange circle of people never really go anywhere or amount to much. It really is just a collection of scenes that deal with a very serious topic. While it may work to make a strong point about racial disharmony, it really falls short as a story that works.
Another issue is this. In any movie, you must be careful to be true to your characters and your story while trying to make your point. In this case, the filmmakers seem to be pushing so hard to get their point across, that sometimes the characters do and say things that seem unnatural. Terrence Howard's reaction to the police after being hijacked is simply too much to be believed. I could believe he would freak and give Ludacris what he gave him. But he puts the gun in his pants and steps out to the police who have guns on him? No way. That was unnatural. And you might say that someone would actually do that, and I believe it could happen. But they did not show me anything about his character that would make that action believable. Another thing, is pretty much all of Ryan Phillippe's role in the films ending. It all just doesn't work for me. Phillippe and Tate in the car posturing to each other. Its the same old tired "Let me show you whats in my pocket/Take your hand out of your pocket or I'll shoot" bit. Its stupid. How about just say something like. "Hey, I have a statue just like yours. Its in my pocket, can I show you?" And then I am to believe that Ryan Phillippe, the good cop, just burns his car and hides the evidence. The guy had a gun on him. Who wouldn't believe that the guy tried to pull the gun on him? No one, thats who. You can't lose touch with reality just to prove a point. No matter how good the point.
These flaws are from a purely filmmaking point of view are not based on the issue of racism. So without even getting into that, the film has some serious shortcomings. I think many of those were overlooked because people were so enamored by its strong stance on Racism. But you still have to do your job. This movie faked its way to the Oscar. Its like Country music. If you pick a subject that is serious and important and that everyone is passionate about, then they won't notice when do shoddy work. Thats just the way it is.
-T
The makers of Crash, and it supporters too, have done something that bothers me a little bit. They have positioned Crash to be a "provacative" movie. They can say "If someone doesn't like it, then we have done a good job." The problem here is this. The reason I didn't like it has nothing to do with the subject matter. The reason I don't like it, is that it is a flawed film from a filmmaking point of view.
The problem for me is that the film doesn't work as a story. The Acting is fantastic. The Cinematography is great. And, for the most part, the scenes are well written. As a collection of scenes, however, it just doesn't add up to any kind of satisfying resolution. Its like there's no end. I can accept the idea that all of these people's lives are incredibly intertwined. Its just that this strange circle of people never really go anywhere or amount to much. It really is just a collection of scenes that deal with a very serious topic. While it may work to make a strong point about racial disharmony, it really falls short as a story that works.
Another issue is this. In any movie, you must be careful to be true to your characters and your story while trying to make your point. In this case, the filmmakers seem to be pushing so hard to get their point across, that sometimes the characters do and say things that seem unnatural. Terrence Howard's reaction to the police after being hijacked is simply too much to be believed. I could believe he would freak and give Ludacris what he gave him. But he puts the gun in his pants and steps out to the police who have guns on him? No way. That was unnatural. And you might say that someone would actually do that, and I believe it could happen. But they did not show me anything about his character that would make that action believable. Another thing, is pretty much all of Ryan Phillippe's role in the films ending. It all just doesn't work for me. Phillippe and Tate in the car posturing to each other. Its the same old tired "Let me show you whats in my pocket/Take your hand out of your pocket or I'll shoot" bit. Its stupid. How about just say something like. "Hey, I have a statue just like yours. Its in my pocket, can I show you?" And then I am to believe that Ryan Phillippe, the good cop, just burns his car and hides the evidence. The guy had a gun on him. Who wouldn't believe that the guy tried to pull the gun on him? No one, thats who. You can't lose touch with reality just to prove a point. No matter how good the point.
These flaws are from a purely filmmaking point of view are not based on the issue of racism. So without even getting into that, the film has some serious shortcomings. I think many of those were overlooked because people were so enamored by its strong stance on Racism. But you still have to do your job. This movie faked its way to the Oscar. Its like Country music. If you pick a subject that is serious and important and that everyone is passionate about, then they won't notice when do shoddy work. Thats just the way it is.
-T
Sunday, March 05, 2006
Oscar Prediction Time
Its SuperBowl Sunday in Hollywood California. Thats Los Angeles for those who don't know. Its the most important day of the year for movie nerds. So its time to make those picks. A little more difficult than making a Super Bowl pick. I will list what Should win in the categories I have seen enough of the choices to feel comfortable.
Here we go:
Best Motion Picture of the Year
Nominees:
----Winner: Brokeback Mountain (2005) - Diana Ossana, James Schamus
Capote (2005) - Caroline Baron, William Vince, Michael Ohoven
Crash (2004) - Paul Haggis, Cathy Schulman
Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) - Grant Heslov
Should win: Munich (2005) - Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy, Barry Mendel
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Nominees:
---Winner: Philip Seymour Hoffman for Capote (2005)
Should Win: Terrence Howard for Hustle & Flow (2005)
Heath Ledger for Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Joaquin Phoenix for Walk the Line (2005)
David Strathairn for Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Nominees:
---Winner/Should Win Felicity Huffman for Transamerica (2005)
Judi Dench for Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005)
Keira Knightley for Pride & Prejudice (2005)
Charlize Theron for North Country (2005)
Reese Witherspoon for Walk the Line (2005)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Nominees:
---Winner/Should Win: Jake Gyllenhaal for Brokeback Mountain (2005)
George Clooney for Syriana (2005)
Matt Dillon for Crash (2004)
Paul Giamatti for Cinderella Man (2005)
William Hurt for A History of Violence (2005)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Nominees:
Amy Adams for Junebug (2005)
Catherine Keener for Capote (2005)
Frances McDormand for North Country (2005)
Rachel Weisz for The Constant Gardener (2005)
----Winner/Should Win: Michelle Williams for Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Best Achievement in Directing
Nominees:
Should Win: George Clooney for Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)
Paul Haggis for Crash (2004)
----Winner: Ang Lee for Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Bennett Miller for Capote (2005)
Steven Spielberg for Munich (2005)
Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
Nominees:
---Winner: Crash (2004) - Paul Haggis, Robert Moresco
Should Win: Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) - George Clooney, Grant Heslov
Match Point (2005) - Woody Allen
The Squid and the Whale (2005) - Noah Baumbach
Syriana (2005) - Stephen Gaghan
Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
Nominees:
---Winner/Should Win: Brokeback Mountain (2005) - Larry McMurtry, Diana Ossana
Capote (2005) - Dan Futterman
The Constant Gardener (2005) - Jeffrey Caine
A History of Violence (2005) - Josh Olson
Munich (2005) - Tony Kushner, Eric Roth
Best Achievement in Cinematography
Nominees:
Batman Begins (2005) - Wally Pfister
Should Win: Brokeback Mountain (2005) - Rodrigo Prieto
---Winner: Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) - Robert Elswit
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) - Dion Beebe
The New World (2005) - Emmanuel Lubezki
Best Achievement in Editing
Nominees:
Cinderella Man (2005) - Daniel P. Hanley, Mike Hill
The Constant Gardener (2005) - Claire Simpson
Crash (2004) - Hughes Winborne
---Winner/Should Win:Munich (2005) - Michael Kahn
Walk the Line (2005) - Michael McCusker
Best Achievement in Art Direction
Nominees:
---Winner/Should Win: Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) - James D. Bissell, Jan Pascale
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) - Stuart Craig, Stephanie McMillan
King Kong (2005) - Grant Major, Dan Hennah, Simon Bright
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) - John Myhre, Gretchen Rau
Pride & Prejudice (2005) - Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer
Best Achievement in Costume Design
Nominees:
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) - Gabriella Pescucci
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) - Colleen Atwood
Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005) - Sandy Powell
---Winner: Pride & Prejudice (2005) - Jacqueline Durran
Walk the Line (2005) - Arianne Phillips
Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score
Nominees:
---Winner: Brokeback Mountain (2005) - Gustavo Santaolalla
The Constant Gardener (2005) - Alberto Iglesias
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) - John Williams
Munich (2005) - John Williams
Pride & Prejudice (2005) - Dario Marianelli
Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song
Nominees:
---Winner/Should Win: Hustle & Flow (2005) - Jordan Houston, Cedric Coleman, Paul Beauregard ("It's Hard Out Here For a Pimp")
Crash (2004) - Michael Becker, Kathleen York ("In the Deep")
Transamerica (2005) - Dolly Parton ("Travelin' Thru")
Best Achievement in Makeup
Nominees:
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) - Howard Berger, Tami Lane
Cinderella Man (2005) - David LeRoy Anderson, Lance Anderson
---Winner/Should Win/Should be one of about 6 Oscar Nominations!!!Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) - Dave Elsey, Annette Miles
Best Achievement in Sound
Nominees:
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) - Terry Porter, Dean A. Zupancic, Tony Johnson
King Kong (2005) - Christopher Boyes, Michael Semanick, Michael Hedges, Hammond Peek
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) - Kevin O'Connell, Greg P. Russell, Rick Kline, John Pritchett
Walk the Line (2005) - Paul Massey, Doug Hemphill, Peter F. Kurland
---Winner/Should WinWar of the Worlds (2005) - Andy Nelson, Anna Behlmer, Ron Judkins
Best Achievement in Sound Editing
Nominees:
King Kong (2005) - Mike Hopkins, Ethan Van der Ryn
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) - Wylie Stateman
---Winner/Should Win: War of the Worlds (2005) - Richard King
Best Achievement in Visual Effects
Nominees:
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) - Dean Wright, Bill Westenhofer, Jim Berney, Scott Farrar
King Kong (2005) - Joe Letteri, Brian Van't Hul, Christian Rivers, Richard Taylor
---Winner/Should Win: War of the Worlds (2005) - Pablo Helman, Dennis Muren, Randy Dutra, Daniel Sudick
Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
Nominees:
Corpse Bride (2005) - Tim Burton, Mike Johnson
Hauru no ugoku shiro (2004) - Hayao Miyazaki
---Winner: Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005) - Steve Box, Nick Park
Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
Nominees:
Bestia nel cuore, La (2005) - Cristina Comencini (Italy)
---Winner: Joyeux Noël (2005) - Christian Carion (France)
Paradise Now (2005) - Hany Abu-Assad (Palestine)
Sophie Scholl - Die letzten Tage (2005) - Marc Rothemund (Germany)
Tsotsi (2005) - Gavin Hood (South Africa)
Best Documentary, Features
Nominees:
Darwin's Nightmare (2004) - Hubert Sauper
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005) - Alex Gibney, Jason Kliot
---Winner/Should Win: March of the Pinguins (2005) - Luc Jacquet, Yves Darondeau
Murderball (2005) - Henry Alex Rubin, Dana Adam Shapiro
Street Fight (2005) - Marshall Curry
Best Documentary, Short Subjects
Nominees:
---Winner: God Sleeps in Rwanda (2005) - Kimberlee Acquaro, Stacy Sherman
A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin (2005) - Corinne Marrinan, Eric Simonson
The Life of Kevin Carter (2004) - Dan Krauss
The Mushroom Club (2005) - Steven Okazaki
Best Short Film, Animated
Nominees:
Badgered (2005) - Sharon Colman
The Moon and the Son (2005) - John Canemaker, Peggy Stern
The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello (2005) - Anthony Lucas
9 (2005) - Shane Acker
---Winner/Should Win:One Man Band (2005) - Mark Andrews, Andrew Jimenez
Best Short Film, Live Action
Nominees:
Ausreißer (2004) - Ulrike Grote
Should Win: Cashback (2004) - Sean Ellis, Lene Bausager
SÃðasti bærinn à dalnum (2004) - Rúnar Rúnarsson, Þórir Snær Sigurjónsson
---Winner: Our Time Is Up (2004) - Rob Pearlstein, Pia Clemente
Six Shooter (2005) - Martin McDonagh
So there it is. Good Luck to all, except for King Kong.
-T
Here we go:
Best Motion Picture of the Year
Nominees:
----Winner: Brokeback Mountain (2005) - Diana Ossana, James Schamus
Capote (2005) - Caroline Baron, William Vince, Michael Ohoven
Crash (2004) - Paul Haggis, Cathy Schulman
Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) - Grant Heslov
Should win: Munich (2005) - Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy, Barry Mendel
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Nominees:
---Winner: Philip Seymour Hoffman for Capote (2005)
Should Win: Terrence Howard for Hustle & Flow (2005)
Heath Ledger for Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Joaquin Phoenix for Walk the Line (2005)
David Strathairn for Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Nominees:
---Winner/Should Win Felicity Huffman for Transamerica (2005)
Judi Dench for Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005)
Keira Knightley for Pride & Prejudice (2005)
Charlize Theron for North Country (2005)
Reese Witherspoon for Walk the Line (2005)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Nominees:
---Winner/Should Win: Jake Gyllenhaal for Brokeback Mountain (2005)
George Clooney for Syriana (2005)
Matt Dillon for Crash (2004)
Paul Giamatti for Cinderella Man (2005)
William Hurt for A History of Violence (2005)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Nominees:
Amy Adams for Junebug (2005)
Catherine Keener for Capote (2005)
Frances McDormand for North Country (2005)
Rachel Weisz for The Constant Gardener (2005)
----Winner/Should Win: Michelle Williams for Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Best Achievement in Directing
Nominees:
Should Win: George Clooney for Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)
Paul Haggis for Crash (2004)
----Winner: Ang Lee for Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Bennett Miller for Capote (2005)
Steven Spielberg for Munich (2005)
Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
Nominees:
---Winner: Crash (2004) - Paul Haggis, Robert Moresco
Should Win: Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) - George Clooney, Grant Heslov
Match Point (2005) - Woody Allen
The Squid and the Whale (2005) - Noah Baumbach
Syriana (2005) - Stephen Gaghan
Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
Nominees:
---Winner/Should Win: Brokeback Mountain (2005) - Larry McMurtry, Diana Ossana
Capote (2005) - Dan Futterman
The Constant Gardener (2005) - Jeffrey Caine
A History of Violence (2005) - Josh Olson
Munich (2005) - Tony Kushner, Eric Roth
Best Achievement in Cinematography
Nominees:
Batman Begins (2005) - Wally Pfister
Should Win: Brokeback Mountain (2005) - Rodrigo Prieto
---Winner: Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) - Robert Elswit
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) - Dion Beebe
The New World (2005) - Emmanuel Lubezki
Best Achievement in Editing
Nominees:
Cinderella Man (2005) - Daniel P. Hanley, Mike Hill
The Constant Gardener (2005) - Claire Simpson
Crash (2004) - Hughes Winborne
---Winner/Should Win:Munich (2005) - Michael Kahn
Walk the Line (2005) - Michael McCusker
Best Achievement in Art Direction
Nominees:
---Winner/Should Win: Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) - James D. Bissell, Jan Pascale
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) - Stuart Craig, Stephanie McMillan
King Kong (2005) - Grant Major, Dan Hennah, Simon Bright
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) - John Myhre, Gretchen Rau
Pride & Prejudice (2005) - Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer
Best Achievement in Costume Design
Nominees:
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) - Gabriella Pescucci
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) - Colleen Atwood
Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005) - Sandy Powell
---Winner: Pride & Prejudice (2005) - Jacqueline Durran
Walk the Line (2005) - Arianne Phillips
Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score
Nominees:
---Winner: Brokeback Mountain (2005) - Gustavo Santaolalla
The Constant Gardener (2005) - Alberto Iglesias
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) - John Williams
Munich (2005) - John Williams
Pride & Prejudice (2005) - Dario Marianelli
Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song
Nominees:
---Winner/Should Win: Hustle & Flow (2005) - Jordan Houston, Cedric Coleman, Paul Beauregard ("It's Hard Out Here For a Pimp")
Crash (2004) - Michael Becker, Kathleen York ("In the Deep")
Transamerica (2005) - Dolly Parton ("Travelin' Thru")
Best Achievement in Makeup
Nominees:
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) - Howard Berger, Tami Lane
Cinderella Man (2005) - David LeRoy Anderson, Lance Anderson
---Winner/Should Win/Should be one of about 6 Oscar Nominations!!!Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) - Dave Elsey, Annette Miles
Best Achievement in Sound
Nominees:
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) - Terry Porter, Dean A. Zupancic, Tony Johnson
King Kong (2005) - Christopher Boyes, Michael Semanick, Michael Hedges, Hammond Peek
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) - Kevin O'Connell, Greg P. Russell, Rick Kline, John Pritchett
Walk the Line (2005) - Paul Massey, Doug Hemphill, Peter F. Kurland
---Winner/Should WinWar of the Worlds (2005) - Andy Nelson, Anna Behlmer, Ron Judkins
Best Achievement in Sound Editing
Nominees:
King Kong (2005) - Mike Hopkins, Ethan Van der Ryn
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) - Wylie Stateman
---Winner/Should Win: War of the Worlds (2005) - Richard King
Best Achievement in Visual Effects
Nominees:
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) - Dean Wright, Bill Westenhofer, Jim Berney, Scott Farrar
King Kong (2005) - Joe Letteri, Brian Van't Hul, Christian Rivers, Richard Taylor
---Winner/Should Win: War of the Worlds (2005) - Pablo Helman, Dennis Muren, Randy Dutra, Daniel Sudick
Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
Nominees:
Corpse Bride (2005) - Tim Burton, Mike Johnson
Hauru no ugoku shiro (2004) - Hayao Miyazaki
---Winner: Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005) - Steve Box, Nick Park
Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
Nominees:
Bestia nel cuore, La (2005) - Cristina Comencini (Italy)
---Winner: Joyeux Noël (2005) - Christian Carion (France)
Paradise Now (2005) - Hany Abu-Assad (Palestine)
Sophie Scholl - Die letzten Tage (2005) - Marc Rothemund (Germany)
Tsotsi (2005) - Gavin Hood (South Africa)
Best Documentary, Features
Nominees:
Darwin's Nightmare (2004) - Hubert Sauper
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005) - Alex Gibney, Jason Kliot
---Winner/Should Win: March of the Pinguins (2005) - Luc Jacquet, Yves Darondeau
Murderball (2005) - Henry Alex Rubin, Dana Adam Shapiro
Street Fight (2005) - Marshall Curry
Best Documentary, Short Subjects
Nominees:
---Winner: God Sleeps in Rwanda (2005) - Kimberlee Acquaro, Stacy Sherman
A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin (2005) - Corinne Marrinan, Eric Simonson
The Life of Kevin Carter (2004) - Dan Krauss
The Mushroom Club (2005) - Steven Okazaki
Best Short Film, Animated
Nominees:
Badgered (2005) - Sharon Colman
The Moon and the Son (2005) - John Canemaker, Peggy Stern
The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello (2005) - Anthony Lucas
9 (2005) - Shane Acker
---Winner/Should Win:One Man Band (2005) - Mark Andrews, Andrew Jimenez
Best Short Film, Live Action
Nominees:
Ausreißer (2004) - Ulrike Grote
Should Win: Cashback (2004) - Sean Ellis, Lene Bausager
SÃðasti bærinn à dalnum (2004) - Rúnar Rúnarsson, Þórir Snær Sigurjónsson
---Winner: Our Time Is Up (2004) - Rob Pearlstein, Pia Clemente
Six Shooter (2005) - Martin McDonagh
So there it is. Good Luck to all, except for King Kong.
-T
Its SuperBowl Sunday in Hollywood California. Thats Los Angeles for those who don't know. Its the most important day of the year for movie nerds. So its time to make those picks. A little more difficult than making a Super Bowl pick. I will list what Should win in the categories I have seen enough of the choices to feel comfortable.
Here we go:
Best Motion Picture of the Year
Nominees:
Winner: Brokeback Mountain (2005) - Diana Ossana, James Schamus
Capote (2005) - Caroline Baron, William Vince, Michael Ohoven
Crash (2004) - Paul Haggis, Cathy Schulman
Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) - Grant Heslov
Should win: Munich (2005) - Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy, Barry Mendel
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Nominees:
Winner: Philip Seymour Hoffman for Capote (2005)
Should Win: Terrence Howard for Hustle & Flow (2005)
Heath Ledger for Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Joaquin Phoenix for Walk the Line (2005)
David Strathairn for Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Nominees:
Winner/Should Win Felicity Huffman for Transamerica (2005)
Judi Dench for Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005)
Keira Knightley for Pride & Prejudice (2005)
Charlize Theron for North Country (2005)
Reese Witherspoon for Walk the Line (2005)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Nominees:
Winner: Jake Gyllenhaal for Brokeback Mountain (2005)
George Clooney for Syriana (2005)
Matt Dillon for Crash (2004)
Paul Giamatti for Cinderella Man (2005)
William Hurt for A History of Violence (2005)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Nominees:
Amy Adams for Junebug (2005)
Catherine Keener for Capote (2005)
Frances McDormand for North Country (2005)
Rachel Weisz for The Constant Gardener (2005)
Winner/Should Win: Michelle Williams for Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Best Achievement in Directing
Nominees:
Should Win: George Clooney for Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)
Paul Haggis for Crash (2004)
Winner: Ang Lee for Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Bennett Miller for Capote (2005)
Steven Spielberg for Munich (2005)
Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
Nominees:
Winner: Crash (2004) - Paul Haggis, Robert Moresco
Should Win: Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) - George Clooney, Grant Heslov
Match Point (2005) - Woody Allen
The Squid and the Whale (2005) - Noah Baumbach
Syriana (2005) - Stephen Gaghan
Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
Nominees:
Winner/Should Win: Brokeback Mountain (2005) - Larry McMurtry, Diana Ossana
Capote (2005) - Dan Futterman
The Constant Gardener (2005) - Jeffrey Caine
A History of Violence (2005) - Josh Olson
Munich (2005) - Tony Kushner, Eric Roth
Best Achievement in Cinematography
Nominees:
Batman Begins (2005) - Wally Pfister
Should Win: Brokeback Mountain (2005) - Rodrigo Prieto
Winner: Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) - Robert Elswit
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) - Dion Beebe
The New World (2005) - Emmanuel Lubezki
Best Achievement in Editing
Nominees:
Cinderella Man (2005) - Daniel P. Hanley, Mike Hill
The Constant Gardener (2005) - Claire Simpson
Crash (2004) - Hughes Winborne
Winner/Should Win:Munich (2005) - Michael Kahn
Walk the Line (2005) - Michael McCusker
Best Achievement in Art Direction
Nominees:
Winner/Should Win: Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) - James D. Bissell, Jan Pascale
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) - Stuart Craig, Stephanie McMillan
King Kong (2005) - Grant Major, Dan Hennah, Simon Bright
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) - John Myhre, Gretchen Rau
Pride & Prejudice (2005) - Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer
Best Achievement in Costume Design
Nominees:
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) - Gabriella Pescucci
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) - Colleen Atwood
Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005) - Sandy Powell
Winner: Pride & Prejudice (2005) - Jacqueline Durran
Walk the Line (2005) - Arianne Phillips
Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score
Nominees:
Winner: Brokeback Mountain (2005) - Gustavo Santaolalla
The Constant Gardener (2005) - Alberto Iglesias
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) - John Williams
Munich (2005) - John Williams
Pride & Prejudice (2005) - Dario Marianelli
Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song
Nominees:
Winner/Should Win: Hustle & Flow (2005) - Jordan Houston, Cedric Coleman, Paul Beauregard ("It's Hard Out Here For a Pimp")
Crash (2004) - Michael Becker, Kathleen York ("In the Deep")
Transamerica (2005) - Dolly Parton ("Travelin' Thru")
Best Achievement in Makeup
Nominees:
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) - Howard Berger, Tami Lane
Cinderella Man (2005) - David LeRoy Anderson, Lance Anderson
Winner/Should Win/Should be one of about 6 Oscar Nominations!!!Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) - Dave Elsey, Annette Miles
Best Achievement in Sound
Nominees:
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) - Terry Porter, Dean A. Zupancic, Tony Johnson
King Kong (2005) - Christopher Boyes, Michael Semanick, Michael Hedges, Hammond Peek
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) - Kevin O'Connell, Greg P. Russell, Rick Kline, John Pritchett
Walk the Line (2005) - Paul Massey, Doug Hemphill, Peter F. Kurland
Winner/Should WinWar of the Worlds (2005) - Andy Nelson, Anna Behlmer, Ron Judkins
Best Achievement in Sound Editing
Nominees:
King Kong (2005) - Mike Hopkins, Ethan Van der Ryn
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) - Wylie Stateman
Winner/Should Win: War of the Worlds (2005) - Richard King
Best Achievement in Visual Effects
Nominees:
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) - Dean Wright, Bill Westenhofer, Jim Berney, Scott Farrar
King Kong (2005) - Joe Letteri, Brian Van't Hul, Christian Rivers, Richard Taylor
Winner/Should Win: War of the Worlds (2005) - Pablo Helman, Dennis Muren, Randy Dutra, Daniel Sudick
Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
Nominees:
Corpse Bride (2005) - Tim Burton, Mike Johnson
Hauru no ugoku shiro (2004) - Hayao Miyazaki
Winner: Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005) - Steve Box, Nick Park
Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
Nominees:
Bestia nel cuore, La (2005) - Cristina Comencini (Italy)
Winner: Joyeux Noël (2005) - Christian Carion (France)
Paradise Now (2005) - Hany Abu-Assad (Palestine)
Sophie Scholl - Die letzten Tage (2005) - Marc Rothemund (Germany)
Tsotsi (2005) - Gavin Hood (South Africa)
Best Documentary, Features
Nominees:
Darwin's Nightmare (2004) - Hubert Sauper
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005) - Alex Gibney, Jason Kliot
Winner/Should Win: March of the Pinguins (2005) - Luc Jacquet, Yves Darondeau
Murderball (2005) - Henry Alex Rubin, Dana Adam Shapiro
Street Fight (2005) - Marshall Curry
Best Documentary, Short Subjects
Nominees:
Winner: God Sleeps in Rwanda (2005) - Kimberlee Acquaro, Stacy Sherman
A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin (2005) - Corinne Marrinan, Eric Simonson
The Life of Kevin Carter (2004) - Dan Krauss
The Mushroom Club (2005) - Steven Okazaki
Best Short Film, Animated
Nominees:
Badgered (2005) - Sharon Colman
The Moon and the Son (2005) - John Canemaker, Peggy Stern
The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello (2005) - Anthony Lucas
9 (2005) - Shane Acker
Winner/Should Win:One Man Band (2005) - Mark Andrews, Andrew Jimenez
Best Short Film, Live Action
Nominees:
Ausreißer (2004) - Ulrike Grote
Should Win: Cashback (2004) - Sean Ellis, Lene Bausager
SÃðasti bærinn à dalnum (2004) - Rúnar Rúnarsson, Þórir Snær Sigurjónsson
Winner: Our Time Is Up (2004) - Rob Pearlstein, Pia Clemente
Six Shooter (2005) - Martin McDonagh
So there it is. Good Luck to all, except for King Kong.
-T
Here we go:
Best Motion Picture of the Year
Nominees:
Winner: Brokeback Mountain (2005) - Diana Ossana, James Schamus
Capote (2005) - Caroline Baron, William Vince, Michael Ohoven
Crash (2004) - Paul Haggis, Cathy Schulman
Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) - Grant Heslov
Should win: Munich (2005) - Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy, Barry Mendel
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Nominees:
Winner: Philip Seymour Hoffman for Capote (2005)
Should Win: Terrence Howard for Hustle & Flow (2005)
Heath Ledger for Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Joaquin Phoenix for Walk the Line (2005)
David Strathairn for Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Nominees:
Winner/Should Win Felicity Huffman for Transamerica (2005)
Judi Dench for Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005)
Keira Knightley for Pride & Prejudice (2005)
Charlize Theron for North Country (2005)
Reese Witherspoon for Walk the Line (2005)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Nominees:
Winner: Jake Gyllenhaal for Brokeback Mountain (2005)
George Clooney for Syriana (2005)
Matt Dillon for Crash (2004)
Paul Giamatti for Cinderella Man (2005)
William Hurt for A History of Violence (2005)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Nominees:
Amy Adams for Junebug (2005)
Catherine Keener for Capote (2005)
Frances McDormand for North Country (2005)
Rachel Weisz for The Constant Gardener (2005)
Winner/Should Win: Michelle Williams for Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Best Achievement in Directing
Nominees:
Should Win: George Clooney for Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)
Paul Haggis for Crash (2004)
Winner: Ang Lee for Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Bennett Miller for Capote (2005)
Steven Spielberg for Munich (2005)
Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
Nominees:
Winner: Crash (2004) - Paul Haggis, Robert Moresco
Should Win: Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) - George Clooney, Grant Heslov
Match Point (2005) - Woody Allen
The Squid and the Whale (2005) - Noah Baumbach
Syriana (2005) - Stephen Gaghan
Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
Nominees:
Winner/Should Win: Brokeback Mountain (2005) - Larry McMurtry, Diana Ossana
Capote (2005) - Dan Futterman
The Constant Gardener (2005) - Jeffrey Caine
A History of Violence (2005) - Josh Olson
Munich (2005) - Tony Kushner, Eric Roth
Best Achievement in Cinematography
Nominees:
Batman Begins (2005) - Wally Pfister
Should Win: Brokeback Mountain (2005) - Rodrigo Prieto
Winner: Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) - Robert Elswit
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) - Dion Beebe
The New World (2005) - Emmanuel Lubezki
Best Achievement in Editing
Nominees:
Cinderella Man (2005) - Daniel P. Hanley, Mike Hill
The Constant Gardener (2005) - Claire Simpson
Crash (2004) - Hughes Winborne
Winner/Should Win:Munich (2005) - Michael Kahn
Walk the Line (2005) - Michael McCusker
Best Achievement in Art Direction
Nominees:
Winner/Should Win: Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) - James D. Bissell, Jan Pascale
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) - Stuart Craig, Stephanie McMillan
King Kong (2005) - Grant Major, Dan Hennah, Simon Bright
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) - John Myhre, Gretchen Rau
Pride & Prejudice (2005) - Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer
Best Achievement in Costume Design
Nominees:
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) - Gabriella Pescucci
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) - Colleen Atwood
Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005) - Sandy Powell
Winner: Pride & Prejudice (2005) - Jacqueline Durran
Walk the Line (2005) - Arianne Phillips
Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score
Nominees:
Winner: Brokeback Mountain (2005) - Gustavo Santaolalla
The Constant Gardener (2005) - Alberto Iglesias
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) - John Williams
Munich (2005) - John Williams
Pride & Prejudice (2005) - Dario Marianelli
Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song
Nominees:
Winner/Should Win: Hustle & Flow (2005) - Jordan Houston, Cedric Coleman, Paul Beauregard ("It's Hard Out Here For a Pimp")
Crash (2004) - Michael Becker, Kathleen York ("In the Deep")
Transamerica (2005) - Dolly Parton ("Travelin' Thru")
Best Achievement in Makeup
Nominees:
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) - Howard Berger, Tami Lane
Cinderella Man (2005) - David LeRoy Anderson, Lance Anderson
Winner/Should Win/Should be one of about 6 Oscar Nominations!!!Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) - Dave Elsey, Annette Miles
Best Achievement in Sound
Nominees:
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) - Terry Porter, Dean A. Zupancic, Tony Johnson
King Kong (2005) - Christopher Boyes, Michael Semanick, Michael Hedges, Hammond Peek
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) - Kevin O'Connell, Greg P. Russell, Rick Kline, John Pritchett
Walk the Line (2005) - Paul Massey, Doug Hemphill, Peter F. Kurland
Winner/Should WinWar of the Worlds (2005) - Andy Nelson, Anna Behlmer, Ron Judkins
Best Achievement in Sound Editing
Nominees:
King Kong (2005) - Mike Hopkins, Ethan Van der Ryn
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) - Wylie Stateman
Winner/Should Win: War of the Worlds (2005) - Richard King
Best Achievement in Visual Effects
Nominees:
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) - Dean Wright, Bill Westenhofer, Jim Berney, Scott Farrar
King Kong (2005) - Joe Letteri, Brian Van't Hul, Christian Rivers, Richard Taylor
Winner/Should Win: War of the Worlds (2005) - Pablo Helman, Dennis Muren, Randy Dutra, Daniel Sudick
Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
Nominees:
Corpse Bride (2005) - Tim Burton, Mike Johnson
Hauru no ugoku shiro (2004) - Hayao Miyazaki
Winner: Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005) - Steve Box, Nick Park
Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
Nominees:
Bestia nel cuore, La (2005) - Cristina Comencini (Italy)
Winner: Joyeux Noël (2005) - Christian Carion (France)
Paradise Now (2005) - Hany Abu-Assad (Palestine)
Sophie Scholl - Die letzten Tage (2005) - Marc Rothemund (Germany)
Tsotsi (2005) - Gavin Hood (South Africa)
Best Documentary, Features
Nominees:
Darwin's Nightmare (2004) - Hubert Sauper
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005) - Alex Gibney, Jason Kliot
Winner/Should Win: March of the Pinguins (2005) - Luc Jacquet, Yves Darondeau
Murderball (2005) - Henry Alex Rubin, Dana Adam Shapiro
Street Fight (2005) - Marshall Curry
Best Documentary, Short Subjects
Nominees:
Winner: God Sleeps in Rwanda (2005) - Kimberlee Acquaro, Stacy Sherman
A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin (2005) - Corinne Marrinan, Eric Simonson
The Life of Kevin Carter (2004) - Dan Krauss
The Mushroom Club (2005) - Steven Okazaki
Best Short Film, Animated
Nominees:
Badgered (2005) - Sharon Colman
The Moon and the Son (2005) - John Canemaker, Peggy Stern
The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello (2005) - Anthony Lucas
9 (2005) - Shane Acker
Winner/Should Win:One Man Band (2005) - Mark Andrews, Andrew Jimenez
Best Short Film, Live Action
Nominees:
Ausreißer (2004) - Ulrike Grote
Should Win: Cashback (2004) - Sean Ellis, Lene Bausager
SÃðasti bærinn à dalnum (2004) - Rúnar Rúnarsson, Þórir Snær Sigurjónsson
Winner: Our Time Is Up (2004) - Rob Pearlstein, Pia Clemente
Six Shooter (2005) - Martin McDonagh
So there it is. Good Luck to all, except for King Kong.
-T
Saturday, March 04, 2006
2005 Official Movie Rankings
At long last, the time has arrived. 2005 was a banner year for Tom. I have seen more movies this year than any other. At the moment I have seen 58 2005 movies. I plan to sneak a couple more in tomorrow morning before the big show. The Superbowl for movie makers. So, at long last, I have made my official list. Here goes.
The first step is to determine the bad movies. In Baseball we have something we call The Mendoza Line that seperates the Bad hitters from the fair or good hitters. It is based how low a player's batting average can be before it negates that player's good defense. We have a line in the movie world too. It is the point at which poor filmmaking quality can no longer be tolerated in spite of fun or entertainment levels. Or vice versa. I should come up with a name for this line. Hmmmmmm
So I went through the whole list and decided which movies I would say are simply Bad movies. I came up with 12. These I ranked in order from worst to least worst.
The next step was to go through the list and determine which movies are top ten worthy. I usually do this and come up with about 15. This year it was 13. 13 movies that were legitimately top 10 movies.
The next step, of course, is to eliminate 3 movies from the top ten. That was also pretty easy. There were three that were just not quite there for me.
Here is the catch. I made the list today right before I went to see one last movie....and guess what. Its a top ten movie no doubt. Which means there is one movie that was a top ten one and got nudged out at the last minute. And its a biggie too.
The next step is the big deal. To rank the top ten. The first thing I did was to determine if they were in the top or bottom of the top ten. I came up with 3 bottoms and 7 tops. I ranked the bottom 3 then moved on to the other 7.
After all of that, I took the other 32 movies and broke them up in to top middle and bottom of the rest. I did not rank them all, just put them in general groups.
So here we go.
The Top Ten
1. Munich
2. Brokeback Mountain
3. Goodnight and Good Luck
4. Revenge of the Sith
5. Hustle and Flow
6. Walk the Line
7. Elizabethtown
8. TransAmerica
9. Capote
10. Cinderella Man
I think that Munich and Brokeback mountain stand out above the rest. Flawless filmmaking and both very compelling stories. Munich edges out Brokeback, but not by much.
Now lets talk Star Wars. Seriously. I know that few will support this, but they don't know as much about film as I do. This movie was flawless. Oh, not just flawless for an average movie either. Never before was there a movie with more work to do. George Lucas put himself into a place where no filmmaker has been. Tying two movies that were made in the last 6 years seemlessly to 3 movies that were made more than 25 years before. It does this, and does it brilliantly. To be honest, for a long time I thought it was truly the best film of the year. I decided, however, that it doesn't have quite enough punch in the What does it mean? department. After all, it is still a fantasy adventure. But if anyone says that its anything less than brilliant, they are film snobs and pretenders.
The rest of the Top 10 was pretty easy. Hustle and Flow and Elizabethtown are two you might not see on other lists, but they were incredible. These, while very different in most ways, are films about life, what it means and what is important.
You might notice that Crash is missing. Well, it made the top 10. Only for a minute. Because I saw Transamerica tonight and...forget it. Sorry Paul Haggis. Crash is a very good film. It packs quite a punch in the What does it mean? department, but is sorely lacking in the Does anything that happens make sense? department.
So it was a great year. I belive I will see North Country and Enron tomorrow, so I will edit them in later. For now... here is the Official Tom list of 2005.
1. Munich
2. Brokeback Mountain
3. Goodnight and Good Luck
4. Revenge of the Sith
5. Hustle and Flow
6. Walk the Line
7. Elizabethtown
8. TransAmerica
9. Capote
10. Cinderella Man
11. Crash
12. War of the Worlds
13. The Island
14. Rent
15. The Jacket
Best of the Rest (no particular order)
Upside of Anger
March of the Penguins
House of Wax
Bad News Bears
Constant Gardner
Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants
Fever Pitch
Must Love Dogs
Skeleton Key
Chronicles of Narnia
Wedding Crashers
Batman
Mr. And Mrs. Smith
Middle of the Rest (no particular order)
Ice Princess
Murderball
Junebug
A Lot Like Love
Wallace and Gromit Were Rabbit
Red eye
Sky High
Guess Who
Monster in Law
40 year old virgin
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Hitch
Worst of the Rest (no particular order)
Pretty Persuasion
Bewitched
Herbie
Are We There Yet
Fantastic Four
Madagascar
King Kong
-------------The Bad Line------------
Flightplan
The Longest Yard
Dukes of Hazzard
Sin City
Miss Congeniality 2
Dark Water
White Noise
The Ring Two
Man of the House
Dirty Love
Boogeyman
Cursed
There it is, in all its glory. Man, I love my job.
-Tom
The first step is to determine the bad movies. In Baseball we have something we call The Mendoza Line that seperates the Bad hitters from the fair or good hitters. It is based how low a player's batting average can be before it negates that player's good defense. We have a line in the movie world too. It is the point at which poor filmmaking quality can no longer be tolerated in spite of fun or entertainment levels. Or vice versa. I should come up with a name for this line. Hmmmmmm
So I went through the whole list and decided which movies I would say are simply Bad movies. I came up with 12. These I ranked in order from worst to least worst.
The next step was to go through the list and determine which movies are top ten worthy. I usually do this and come up with about 15. This year it was 13. 13 movies that were legitimately top 10 movies.
The next step, of course, is to eliminate 3 movies from the top ten. That was also pretty easy. There were three that were just not quite there for me.
Here is the catch. I made the list today right before I went to see one last movie....and guess what. Its a top ten movie no doubt. Which means there is one movie that was a top ten one and got nudged out at the last minute. And its a biggie too.
The next step is the big deal. To rank the top ten. The first thing I did was to determine if they were in the top or bottom of the top ten. I came up with 3 bottoms and 7 tops. I ranked the bottom 3 then moved on to the other 7.
After all of that, I took the other 32 movies and broke them up in to top middle and bottom of the rest. I did not rank them all, just put them in general groups.
So here we go.
The Top Ten
1. Munich
2. Brokeback Mountain
3. Goodnight and Good Luck
4. Revenge of the Sith
5. Hustle and Flow
6. Walk the Line
7. Elizabethtown
8. TransAmerica
9. Capote
10. Cinderella Man
I think that Munich and Brokeback mountain stand out above the rest. Flawless filmmaking and both very compelling stories. Munich edges out Brokeback, but not by much.
Now lets talk Star Wars. Seriously. I know that few will support this, but they don't know as much about film as I do. This movie was flawless. Oh, not just flawless for an average movie either. Never before was there a movie with more work to do. George Lucas put himself into a place where no filmmaker has been. Tying two movies that were made in the last 6 years seemlessly to 3 movies that were made more than 25 years before. It does this, and does it brilliantly. To be honest, for a long time I thought it was truly the best film of the year. I decided, however, that it doesn't have quite enough punch in the What does it mean? department. After all, it is still a fantasy adventure. But if anyone says that its anything less than brilliant, they are film snobs and pretenders.
The rest of the Top 10 was pretty easy. Hustle and Flow and Elizabethtown are two you might not see on other lists, but they were incredible. These, while very different in most ways, are films about life, what it means and what is important.
You might notice that Crash is missing. Well, it made the top 10. Only for a minute. Because I saw Transamerica tonight and...forget it. Sorry Paul Haggis. Crash is a very good film. It packs quite a punch in the What does it mean? department, but is sorely lacking in the Does anything that happens make sense? department.
So it was a great year. I belive I will see North Country and Enron tomorrow, so I will edit them in later. For now... here is the Official Tom list of 2005.
1. Munich
2. Brokeback Mountain
3. Goodnight and Good Luck
4. Revenge of the Sith
5. Hustle and Flow
6. Walk the Line
7. Elizabethtown
8. TransAmerica
9. Capote
10. Cinderella Man
11. Crash
12. War of the Worlds
13. The Island
14. Rent
15. The Jacket
Best of the Rest (no particular order)
Upside of Anger
March of the Penguins
House of Wax
Bad News Bears
Constant Gardner
Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants
Fever Pitch
Must Love Dogs
Skeleton Key
Chronicles of Narnia
Wedding Crashers
Batman
Mr. And Mrs. Smith
Middle of the Rest (no particular order)
Ice Princess
Murderball
Junebug
A Lot Like Love
Wallace and Gromit Were Rabbit
Red eye
Sky High
Guess Who
Monster in Law
40 year old virgin
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Hitch
Worst of the Rest (no particular order)
Pretty Persuasion
Bewitched
Herbie
Are We There Yet
Fantastic Four
Madagascar
King Kong
-------------The Bad Line------------
Flightplan
The Longest Yard
Dukes of Hazzard
Sin City
Miss Congeniality 2
Dark Water
White Noise
The Ring Two
Man of the House
Dirty Love
Boogeyman
Cursed
There it is, in all its glory. Man, I love my job.
-Tom
Friday, March 03, 2006
And now for something completely different
I woke up this morning to watch a little bit of the World Baseball Classic. Live from Japan, it was a game that started at 3 am here. I watched about a half hour before I went to work.
It was alright. It was cool to see Ichiro. I'm pretty excited about this thing. Its tough to deal with at first. There are a lot of games in the far east, which make them pretty tough to watch. There will be games in these time zones on Tuesday. It should be pretty cool to watch.
The Americans are, of course, awesome. The Dominican Republic team is also incredible.
In addition, Spring Training has gotten underway. The Dodgers are playing, with all their new guys. I am loving Nomar as a Dodger. This should be a great season.
Woo Hoo...Baseball is back!
-T
It was alright. It was cool to see Ichiro. I'm pretty excited about this thing. Its tough to deal with at first. There are a lot of games in the far east, which make them pretty tough to watch. There will be games in these time zones on Tuesday. It should be pretty cool to watch.
The Americans are, of course, awesome. The Dominican Republic team is also incredible.
In addition, Spring Training has gotten underway. The Dodgers are playing, with all their new guys. I am loving Nomar as a Dodger. This should be a great season.
Woo Hoo...Baseball is back!
-T
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Nuts
Well, tonight we got thwarted. The car's battery was dead. We were going out to eat and then going to see Matchpoint. Alas no. The universe conspired against us.
Thus ends our streak of 7 straight days of seeing an oscar nominated movie. We did ok though. Still a few more to get to. And almost time to make the list. I can't wait.
On another note, I spent a lot of time working on my MySpace profile I finally got it close to what I like. I'm not done yet though, so we will see what develops.
Thats all for now. Next week I will be back to real writing.
-T
Thus ends our streak of 7 straight days of seeing an oscar nominated movie. We did ok though. Still a few more to get to. And almost time to make the list. I can't wait.
On another note, I spent a lot of time working on my MySpace profile I finally got it close to what I like. I'm not done yet though, so we will see what develops.
Thats all for now. Next week I will be back to real writing.
-T
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Hustlin and Flowin....whoa!
Its hard out there for a pimp. Indeed it is. Holy crap was this movie good. Ok Ok, I blew it. Yesterday I flat out said that I thought I'd seen everything with a shot to crack the top 5. I also told my buddy Brian that I thought Terrence Howard wouldn't pose a threat to the other 4 Oscar Nominees.
First thigns First. Terrence Howard gave THE best performance by an actor in a leading role last year. Seriously. Strathairn, Hoffman, Ledger, Phoenix were all awesome. In a year with some REALLY good performances, Terrence Howard absolutely was the best.
As for Hustle and Flow the movie? Amazing! I thought this was fantastic. It has to be said...I loved it. It was much better than Crash. I'm going to watch it again and again. This movie is twice the movie Crash is. And I feel comfortable in saying its going to crack the top 5 or at least 10. Its crazy that this movie is not nominated and Crash is.
First thigns First. Terrence Howard gave THE best performance by an actor in a leading role last year. Seriously. Strathairn, Hoffman, Ledger, Phoenix were all awesome. In a year with some REALLY good performances, Terrence Howard absolutely was the best.
As for Hustle and Flow the movie? Amazing! I thought this was fantastic. It has to be said...I loved it. It was much better than Crash. I'm going to watch it again and again. This movie is twice the movie Crash is. And I feel comfortable in saying its going to crack the top 5 or at least 10. Its crazy that this movie is not nominated and Crash is.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Still Going
Oscar nominated Documentary film Murderball was the special of the day and boy was it cool. Another addition to the oscar marathon. This movie was interesting, cool and hilarious at times.
We are making our way towards Oscar Sunday, and the point at which I must make my top 10 list. Its getting interesting. I have seen more movies this year than ever before. We have a few more to see, but I feel like we have seen most of the movies with a real shot of cracking the top 5 if not the top 10.
Hustle and Flow, Matchpoint, Transamerica, Pride and Prejudice are still out there. Hopefully to be had this week. Its going to be a good week.
-T
We are making our way towards Oscar Sunday, and the point at which I must make my top 10 list. Its getting interesting. I have seen more movies this year than ever before. We have a few more to see, but I feel like we have seen most of the movies with a real shot of cracking the top 5 if not the top 10.
Hustle and Flow, Matchpoint, Transamerica, Pride and Prejudice are still out there. Hopefully to be had this week. Its going to be a good week.
-T
Monday, February 27, 2006
Capote
We did it. We watched all of the 5 Best Picture nominees. This one was pretty damned good too. I really didn't know much about Truman Capote at all. It was really interesting. Not only did I not know much about Capote, but I didn't know what this movie was about. It was totally not what I expected.
Phillip Seymore Hoffman. What can I say. I have been watching this guy for 10 years. I first remember him in Twister in the mid 90s. Then I saw him in Scent of a Woman, which was the early 90s, but I didn't watch until 97. Then came Boogie Nights. Ahhh Boogie Nights (more on that later) By then he was famous. He's awesome, and he deserved to get a role like this. And he drilled it.
We have one more Best Actor nominee to see this week. But between Hoffman, Straithairn, Phoenix and Ledger I frankly don't know who to pick. They were all amazing.
I don't have a lot to say about this movie other than it was just really really interesting. I liked it a lot. Its up there.
Its really just about time to make the big list. Matchpoint, Hustle and Flow and Transamerica are still waiting to be seen. I think that will be it though.
2005 was fun.
-T
Phillip Seymore Hoffman. What can I say. I have been watching this guy for 10 years. I first remember him in Twister in the mid 90s. Then I saw him in Scent of a Woman, which was the early 90s, but I didn't watch until 97. Then came Boogie Nights. Ahhh Boogie Nights (more on that later) By then he was famous. He's awesome, and he deserved to get a role like this. And he drilled it.
We have one more Best Actor nominee to see this week. But between Hoffman, Straithairn, Phoenix and Ledger I frankly don't know who to pick. They were all amazing.
I don't have a lot to say about this movie other than it was just really really interesting. I liked it a lot. Its up there.
Its really just about time to make the big list. Matchpoint, Hustle and Flow and Transamerica are still waiting to be seen. I think that will be it though.
2005 was fun.
-T
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Watched 12 more movies today.
No really, I did. Steph and I went to see all of the Oscar Nominated Short films today. Living in Austin is starting to pay off. I won't go into detailed reviews of all of them. I'll give my overall impression.
I was not particularly impressed. I wasn't dissappointed. Just not blown away. To be honest, I could do that. I know I know....why don't you then? Ok, I will.
There was one, Cashback, that I did like quite a bit. I think it should win the award, I hope it does. The others had some good things about them, but weren't overwhelmingly great.
The animated shorts were good. There were two that were serious. Two that were humorous and 1 that was completely WTF? The Funny ones were good, especially the Pixar One Man Bad film. That was cool and should win. If The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello wins, I will seriously consider shooting someone. Blech. By the way, that is not the WTF? one. That was called 9 and I liked it but holy crap I don't get it.
Tonight we came home and watched The Constant Gardener. This was a decent movie. It was fine. It was too simple. Anyone who reads this, who has seen it, and who isn't as smart as me will say "Too Simple?" That is because the movie goes out of its way to seem complicated. It is overwhelming in its details. Its "complex" plot dealing with large pharmaceutical companies working with governments doing illegal testing on poor Africans...blah blah blah.
Heres the movie. A bad guy teams with some other bad people to do some bad things. A good person catches them, they kill her. The good person's husband spends the movie connecting the dots to catch the bad guy. I have seen this movie once a month for my entire life. Just because you set in a new place and give it a new crime doesn't make it a new movie. Just because you inundate us with absurd amounts of details and characters and convoluted plot devices does not make your movie complex. Its not supposed to be confusing. Its supposed to be good. I like it fine. It was interesting. But nothing particularly special.
Wow what a week. King Kong, Walk the Line, Brokeback Mountain, Junebug, Good Night and Good Luck, Wallace and Gromit, and all the Nominated Short Films. Not too shabby.
Capote tomorrow.
-T
Also, I bought an Ipod Nano today. Woo Hoo
I was not particularly impressed. I wasn't dissappointed. Just not blown away. To be honest, I could do that. I know I know....why don't you then? Ok, I will.
There was one, Cashback, that I did like quite a bit. I think it should win the award, I hope it does. The others had some good things about them, but weren't overwhelmingly great.
The animated shorts were good. There were two that were serious. Two that were humorous and 1 that was completely WTF? The Funny ones were good, especially the Pixar One Man Bad film. That was cool and should win. If The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello wins, I will seriously consider shooting someone. Blech. By the way, that is not the WTF? one. That was called 9 and I liked it but holy crap I don't get it.
Tonight we came home and watched The Constant Gardener. This was a decent movie. It was fine. It was too simple. Anyone who reads this, who has seen it, and who isn't as smart as me will say "Too Simple?" That is because the movie goes out of its way to seem complicated. It is overwhelming in its details. Its "complex" plot dealing with large pharmaceutical companies working with governments doing illegal testing on poor Africans...blah blah blah.
Heres the movie. A bad guy teams with some other bad people to do some bad things. A good person catches them, they kill her. The good person's husband spends the movie connecting the dots to catch the bad guy. I have seen this movie once a month for my entire life. Just because you set in a new place and give it a new crime doesn't make it a new movie. Just because you inundate us with absurd amounts of details and characters and convoluted plot devices does not make your movie complex. Its not supposed to be confusing. Its supposed to be good. I like it fine. It was interesting. But nothing particularly special.
Wow what a week. King Kong, Walk the Line, Brokeback Mountain, Junebug, Good Night and Good Luck, Wallace and Gromit, and all the Nominated Short Films. Not too shabby.
Capote tomorrow.
-T
Also, I bought an Ipod Nano today. Woo Hoo
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Dear George Clooney
This afternoon I saw your film Goodnight and Goodluck. I would like to thank you for what is truly a fantastic piece of filmmaking.
Let me tell you a little about myself. I loathe politics in the media. I find the onslaught of media coverage of National politics to be disgraceful and, more significantly, a complete fraud. National news discussion is to this decade what Seinfeld was to the 90's. It is simply a new type of entertainment masquerading as social consciousness.
In all honesty, I thought this movie was going to serve only as encouragement to this type of "Journalism." I knew the story was a good one and certainly worth telling. I thought that it was being made now in responce to perceived wrongdoings by our current administration.
I cannot tell you how happy I am to be wrong. Not only did this film NOT do what I was afraid of, but it DID do something important that I believe was desperately needed. It provided a right and responsible example of how media editorials SHOULD be handled. It asks that those in charge give serious and responsible thought to the issue, how they feel about it, and whether or not to challenge it. It then asks that they present a fair and responsible argument. Moreso, it asks that the media treat the public with respect and as though they are intelligent enough to make up their own minds.
What I feared would be an awful show of support for the poor way in which the national news media is handling coverage of our government, turned out to be a perfectly timed admonishment of the national media in general. I would genuinely like to thank you for a profound piece of filmmaking. You are, in fact, my favorite movie maker.
-Tom Andrews
Independant Filmmaker
P.S. It was fantastic Technically too.
Let me tell you a little about myself. I loathe politics in the media. I find the onslaught of media coverage of National politics to be disgraceful and, more significantly, a complete fraud. National news discussion is to this decade what Seinfeld was to the 90's. It is simply a new type of entertainment masquerading as social consciousness.
In all honesty, I thought this movie was going to serve only as encouragement to this type of "Journalism." I knew the story was a good one and certainly worth telling. I thought that it was being made now in responce to perceived wrongdoings by our current administration.
I cannot tell you how happy I am to be wrong. Not only did this film NOT do what I was afraid of, but it DID do something important that I believe was desperately needed. It provided a right and responsible example of how media editorials SHOULD be handled. It asks that those in charge give serious and responsible thought to the issue, how they feel about it, and whether or not to challenge it. It then asks that they present a fair and responsible argument. Moreso, it asks that the media treat the public with respect and as though they are intelligent enough to make up their own minds.
What I feared would be an awful show of support for the poor way in which the national news media is handling coverage of our government, turned out to be a perfectly timed admonishment of the national media in general. I would genuinely like to thank you for a profound piece of filmmaking. You are, in fact, my favorite movie maker.
-Tom Andrews
Independant Filmmaker
P.S. It was fantastic Technically too.
Friday, February 24, 2006
Brokeback
This afternoon, Steph and I finally saw Brokeback Mountain. I'm a little mixed. I am dealing with expectation issues. Not so much expecting that it was going to be the greatest thing ever, but just of what the movie was going to be like.
Its hard to say. I think the movie was flawless. Truly flawless. It was incredibly shot and put together. It was brilliantly acted. It was fantastic writing. I just didn't connect with it quite the way I expected to. Its on me, I know. Because I can think of nothing that they should have done differently.
So heres what,s good though. Heath Ledger is a stud. A straight up stud. He was fantastic. He went from being an incredibly strong figure to a desperate broken down loser. He played it all with dignity and strength. I was really impressed by him.
Also, Michelle F. Williams. Woo Hoo baby. I said it way back when. She was THE best thing on Dawson's Creek, even when everyone was all over Katie "facial ticks are acting" Holmes. Oh, that's mean. I actually like Katie Holmes a lot now. I loved Michelle Williams on that show though. I thought she was easily the best actor there and hoped she would get a decent shot. She got one, and she knocked it out of the park.
This movie was heartbreaking. Its terrifying to see 20 years of a person's life go right by and watch them completely bottom out. I think I had some ideas about this movie being a bit more uplifting than it was. I think I thought it was going to be the kind of unconventional yet inspiring romance type. It was not. It was a tragedy and a very sad one at that. It ends at the bottom, at the beginning of the climb back up. So there is some goodness in its final scene. Enough to know that he is ready to reclaim his life. So it leaves you with a good feeling. But it was very sad and very very good.
-T
Its hard to say. I think the movie was flawless. Truly flawless. It was incredibly shot and put together. It was brilliantly acted. It was fantastic writing. I just didn't connect with it quite the way I expected to. Its on me, I know. Because I can think of nothing that they should have done differently.
So heres what,s good though. Heath Ledger is a stud. A straight up stud. He was fantastic. He went from being an incredibly strong figure to a desperate broken down loser. He played it all with dignity and strength. I was really impressed by him.
Also, Michelle F. Williams. Woo Hoo baby. I said it way back when. She was THE best thing on Dawson's Creek, even when everyone was all over Katie "facial ticks are acting" Holmes. Oh, that's mean. I actually like Katie Holmes a lot now. I loved Michelle Williams on that show though. I thought she was easily the best actor there and hoped she would get a decent shot. She got one, and she knocked it out of the park.
This movie was heartbreaking. Its terrifying to see 20 years of a person's life go right by and watch them completely bottom out. I think I had some ideas about this movie being a bit more uplifting than it was. I think I thought it was going to be the kind of unconventional yet inspiring romance type. It was not. It was a tragedy and a very sad one at that. It ends at the bottom, at the beginning of the climb back up. So there is some goodness in its final scene. Enough to know that he is ready to reclaim his life. So it leaves you with a good feeling. But it was very sad and very very good.
-T
Thursday, February 23, 2006
I hear the train a comin
Woo Woo the Trevor Train is comin through. Really the Oscar movie train I mean. Tonight is the first night in what I think will be a whole weekend of Oscar movies.
First up. Walk the Line. This movie was fantastic. I have been reading about this movie for what seems like years. It came out in November, and I just couldn't get to it though. Let me say, it was great. I loved it. I'll say this. I think Hollywood is really coming around on the Biopic thing. Pick the most important part. Find the part of the story that is real and tell that. Don't just give me a series of re enactments of their life.
Johnny Cash had a really tough childhood, and it haunted him as an adult. They told us about his childhood quickly and then focused on the 10 year period in which he struggled with it and dealt with it. Good Job.
Joaquin Pheoenix was great, as was Reece Witherspoon. Both will be tough to beat next Sunday.
This movie is up there. Im not making my official 2006 list until next week, but this one is going to be up there.
-T
First up. Walk the Line. This movie was fantastic. I have been reading about this movie for what seems like years. It came out in November, and I just couldn't get to it though. Let me say, it was great. I loved it. I'll say this. I think Hollywood is really coming around on the Biopic thing. Pick the most important part. Find the part of the story that is real and tell that. Don't just give me a series of re enactments of their life.
Johnny Cash had a really tough childhood, and it haunted him as an adult. They told us about his childhood quickly and then focused on the 10 year period in which he struggled with it and dealt with it. Good Job.
Joaquin Pheoenix was great, as was Reece Witherspoon. Both will be tough to beat next Sunday.
This movie is up there. Im not making my official 2006 list until next week, but this one is going to be up there.
-T
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
I have no idea...
what to write about. First I thought about writing about TV. A couple of things. They cancelled Love Monkey, and that really sucks. I'm sick of likeing shows that don't last. The other thing is...They can say Bullshit on TBS?? I know TBS said they were going to stretch the limits when they were going to put Sex and the City on the air, but wow. I didn't think they could do that. Thats all I have to say about TV.
Theres also the enough with the fake trailer bit already. Shining was cool, and the Sleepless in Seattle horror trailer was cool. And now there are several others that are just lame and not funny. Swingers the Horror movie, Broke Back to the Future. Whatever. Not much to say about that either.
Then there is American Idol.....Well....I like that show. I like the gray-haired Taylor and Ace and the kid who looks like Peter Brady.
Well enough of this. Tomorrow I'll write about Jack Kerouac and the Beat Generation and I will seem smart again.
-T
Theres also the enough with the fake trailer bit already. Shining was cool, and the Sleepless in Seattle horror trailer was cool. And now there are several others that are just lame and not funny. Swingers the Horror movie, Broke Back to the Future. Whatever. Not much to say about that either.
Then there is American Idol.....Well....I like that show. I like the gray-haired Taylor and Ace and the kid who looks like Peter Brady.
Well enough of this. Tomorrow I'll write about Jack Kerouac and the Beat Generation and I will seem smart again.
-T
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Work work work...
Back to work today. After being off for three and a half days, its hard to go back. Man this job is boring. I'm not sure what to say about it, it just sucks. I walked in there this morning and just smirked. Blech, I didn't take my hands out of my pockets until I absolutely had to.
No no, its ok I guess. Its just not very challenging, and its tough to stay energetic about something thats not that challenging.
The good part was it was pipe running time again. I've got a good solid weeks worth of good tricky pipe work to do. When all else fails, I can fall back on that. Apparently I am the greatest pipe bender in all the land.
I'll take it.
-T
No no, its ok I guess. Its just not very challenging, and its tough to stay energetic about something thats not that challenging.
The good part was it was pipe running time again. I've got a good solid weeks worth of good tricky pipe work to do. When all else fails, I can fall back on that. Apparently I am the greatest pipe bender in all the land.
I'll take it.
-T
Monday, February 20, 2006
King Kong
Well, I finally saw it. I finally got to see the movie that would possibly break Titanic's record at the box office. The movie that could blow away the Oscar competition. And.....
It sucked. No wait. It didn't suck. It had good parts. And its good parts were pretty good. But it had bad parts. And its bad parts were baaaaaaaddddd.
Seriously. Who saw this movie and said it was oscar worthy? First off, the special effects had serious problems. Bad looking blue screen work. The CGI was really sketchy. And to be honest, I think it was just plain edited badly.
It was too too long too. I tend to think that its ok for movies to be longer if they are good. A lot of my favorite movies are longer than two hours. But there is a reason why most movies don't get to be this long. The reason is, that most movies don't need to be this long. Really 99% of movies don't need to be this long. They just don't. In short, if you're going to be long, you better be right. This movie just doesn't need it. There are bunch of scenes that run a little too long, and a couple of scenes that run waaaay too long. Not to mention, a couple that just don't need to be there.
Mostly, its just not that good. I liked some of it. But its just too all over the place. Too many characters, too complicated, too many story lines and just too over-the-top in most places.
The reviews were pretty good though, so its not going to be the failure that I think Peter Jackson really deserves. Its a box office bomb though, and an Oscar joke. Its finishing up around 216 million, which would be nice for most movies. Not for one that cost 300 million to make and was expected to make close to 400 if not way above that. If they had just canned this project, they could have built a whole mile of Wilshire Blvd. Subway with that money and Steph and I could have seen Brokeback Mountain today.
Oh well, better movies to come this week.
-T
It sucked. No wait. It didn't suck. It had good parts. And its good parts were pretty good. But it had bad parts. And its bad parts were baaaaaaaddddd.
Seriously. Who saw this movie and said it was oscar worthy? First off, the special effects had serious problems. Bad looking blue screen work. The CGI was really sketchy. And to be honest, I think it was just plain edited badly.
It was too too long too. I tend to think that its ok for movies to be longer if they are good. A lot of my favorite movies are longer than two hours. But there is a reason why most movies don't get to be this long. The reason is, that most movies don't need to be this long. Really 99% of movies don't need to be this long. They just don't. In short, if you're going to be long, you better be right. This movie just doesn't need it. There are bunch of scenes that run a little too long, and a couple of scenes that run waaaay too long. Not to mention, a couple that just don't need to be there.
Mostly, its just not that good. I liked some of it. But its just too all over the place. Too many characters, too complicated, too many story lines and just too over-the-top in most places.
The reviews were pretty good though, so its not going to be the failure that I think Peter Jackson really deserves. Its a box office bomb though, and an Oscar joke. Its finishing up around 216 million, which would be nice for most movies. Not for one that cost 300 million to make and was expected to make close to 400 if not way above that. If they had just canned this project, they could have built a whole mile of Wilshire Blvd. Subway with that money and Steph and I could have seen Brokeback Mountain today.
Oh well, better movies to come this week.
-T
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Dr. Pepper and The Alamo
Another busy day. Got up and left Houston this morning. We went to San Antonio. That wasn't really in the plan, but we added it. Didn't take too long. We saw the Alamo. This is actually the third time I have been to the Alamo. Once when I was a kid with my parents while moving across the country. Then again in 96 when I was with Jeff and Susie on our trip to Arizona to see Florida get their butts cut by Nebraska. And well...it was pretty cool.
Here is another reason to love Stephanie. She has the same time/space hangup that I do. Its freaky to her that we were driving on the same highway that Jeff and I were once on before. Also one that she and Shelley were on once before as well. "Its like you guys are still here" she said. She's weird. I love her. I feel the same way. Not to mention, we discussed how Santa Anna and 4000 angry Mexican soldiers were standing in the Hyatt Regency San Antonio ready to slaughter the guys in the Alamo. Very weird.
Here's the really cool thing. In a gas station on I-10, I found "the special Dr Pepper" Its pretty darned good too. It has a kind of homemade taste too it. I bought 4 bottles. But they were gone by tonight. Steph had one, and I had three. Thats why I'm up late too. I'd like to find a way to get some more.
Man Texas is great. Sports, History and the home of one of my favorite things in the world. I think we are going to take a little trip up to Waco next weekend and visit the Dr Pepper museum. Sweet.
-T
Here is another reason to love Stephanie. She has the same time/space hangup that I do. Its freaky to her that we were driving on the same highway that Jeff and I were once on before. Also one that she and Shelley were on once before as well. "Its like you guys are still here" she said. She's weird. I love her. I feel the same way. Not to mention, we discussed how Santa Anna and 4000 angry Mexican soldiers were standing in the Hyatt Regency San Antonio ready to slaughter the guys in the Alamo. Very weird.
Here's the really cool thing. In a gas station on I-10, I found "the special Dr Pepper" Its pretty darned good too. It has a kind of homemade taste too it. I bought 4 bottles. But they were gone by tonight. Steph had one, and I had three. Thats why I'm up late too. I'd like to find a way to get some more.
Man Texas is great. Sports, History and the home of one of my favorite things in the world. I think we are going to take a little trip up to Waco next weekend and visit the Dr Pepper museum. Sweet.
-T
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Whataday!
Ok, where to begin. Ok, at the beginning. Got up this morning, had a complementary apple danish and some orange juice. Steph and Sonny and I got in the car to go into town.
We figured we'd do some driving and picture taking with the pup first. So we went to the Astrodome. This didn't start out as well as I'd hoped. I thought we'd be able to go to the parking lot and stop and get out and look at it and take a picture and what not. We couldn't though, because they are having a Rodeo there this weekend. That was kind of a bummer.
We drove out and had to turn right, so I had to move over to another street to go back into town. This was a lucky break, because there was a petsmart right there on that street. I hadn't really planned to go, but there it was. We bought a crate for Sonny. This made us feel better about leaving Sonny later that night. Plus we will need one for later this year. This was a good one, because it is collapsable. Plus we finally got his nails clipped. On top of that, the Petsmart parking lot is a very good place to take pictures of the Astrodome.
We went into town to look around. We saw the new Houston light rail. That thing is cool! We went by the convention center, through downtown and then over to Minute Maid Park. Then we went back to the hotel for lunch and to drop off the Dog.
We had Whataburger! And I had the new chicken strip sandwich. It was awesome. I have been wanting to eat this for three weeks, and it was all that.
Back to Houston and to the Park. This was great. An hour tour of Minute Maid Ballpark. First off, I learned that its original name was..no not Enron Field. It was The Ballpark at Union Station. Thats cool. I dig that. I'm going to try to refer to it as that now. We got to go out on the field. At least on the dirt part. We got to sit in the dugout! Very very cool. All in all, a very cool experience.
Then to All-Star Jam Session. I am not much of an NBA fan. Not at all really, but I do know a fair amount about it. I do like basketball in general and as a sports fan, I respect it a lot. And, turns out, it was pretty darned cool. It was cool to see all the people trying to show their skills at various basketball skill competitions. I liked the lowered rim slam dunk competitions. I'm a wimp, I didn't try anything. I have minimal skills. I shoot pretty well. I don't dribble. Most of all, I don't want to wait in line for 30 minutes just to go 2 for 3 from the line.
I also bought a box of 1989 Topps Baseball cards for 7 bucks. That was an unexpected little bonus. Steph and I opened them up in the Hotel tonight after we got back. I got a Sheffield, but no Gregg Jeffries. Whatdayagonna do?
So we had a great day. A long and fun day. It was awesome. Exhausting, but well worth it. I'm really glad we did this.
-T
We figured we'd do some driving and picture taking with the pup first. So we went to the Astrodome. This didn't start out as well as I'd hoped. I thought we'd be able to go to the parking lot and stop and get out and look at it and take a picture and what not. We couldn't though, because they are having a Rodeo there this weekend. That was kind of a bummer.
We drove out and had to turn right, so I had to move over to another street to go back into town. This was a lucky break, because there was a petsmart right there on that street. I hadn't really planned to go, but there it was. We bought a crate for Sonny. This made us feel better about leaving Sonny later that night. Plus we will need one for later this year. This was a good one, because it is collapsable. Plus we finally got his nails clipped. On top of that, the Petsmart parking lot is a very good place to take pictures of the Astrodome.
We went into town to look around. We saw the new Houston light rail. That thing is cool! We went by the convention center, through downtown and then over to Minute Maid Park. Then we went back to the hotel for lunch and to drop off the Dog.
We had Whataburger! And I had the new chicken strip sandwich. It was awesome. I have been wanting to eat this for three weeks, and it was all that.
Back to Houston and to the Park. This was great. An hour tour of Minute Maid Ballpark. First off, I learned that its original name was..no not Enron Field. It was The Ballpark at Union Station. Thats cool. I dig that. I'm going to try to refer to it as that now. We got to go out on the field. At least on the dirt part. We got to sit in the dugout! Very very cool. All in all, a very cool experience.
Then to All-Star Jam Session. I am not much of an NBA fan. Not at all really, but I do know a fair amount about it. I do like basketball in general and as a sports fan, I respect it a lot. And, turns out, it was pretty darned cool. It was cool to see all the people trying to show their skills at various basketball skill competitions. I liked the lowered rim slam dunk competitions. I'm a wimp, I didn't try anything. I have minimal skills. I shoot pretty well. I don't dribble. Most of all, I don't want to wait in line for 30 minutes just to go 2 for 3 from the line.
I also bought a box of 1989 Topps Baseball cards for 7 bucks. That was an unexpected little bonus. Steph and I opened them up in the Hotel tonight after we got back. I got a Sheffield, but no Gregg Jeffries. Whatdayagonna do?
So we had a great day. A long and fun day. It was awesome. Exhausting, but well worth it. I'm really glad we did this.
-T
Friday, February 17, 2006
Houston...Here we are.
So we are in Houston tonight. Houston Texas...woo hooo. And today, I saw the dog gone Astrodome. The Astrodome! And guess what. Its ugly as crap! But its legendary, and I saw it.
It was a good day. Had a half day at work, stopped by Dunkies for some Vanilla Chai. Got one for Steph too.
Then we got on the road around noon. It was an easy trip, very little traffic. At least very little until we got to Houston. An easy trip made easier by a good 3 hour chat with Steph about the fascinating world of urban planning. I know I know. There is no way I'm letting that girl get away.
We got to Houston and boy was it busy. But we did fine. I think we were just ahead of the major part of rush hour. And let me just say Houston can join Austin as the kings of the elevated highways.
We stayed on the 610 freeway around the south side of Houston where we went past the Dome. Reliant stadium is there too, and it dwarfs the Dome. Hard to believe, but true.
Heres a bonus. I missed a sign that, I assume, said "Hey dummy, don't get into the HOV lane or you will miss your exit." So I missed our exit. The good part was, the HOV lane took us by about 1 mile and a half of dead stopped traffic because of construction. I just had to turn around and come back a little way. That little screw up of mine saved us at least 30 minutes or so.
We got to our hotel, picked up some Outback, and chilled for the night. Tomorrow should be great. Stadiums, the NBA, picture taking..fun fun.
Til Then
-T
It was a good day. Had a half day at work, stopped by Dunkies for some Vanilla Chai. Got one for Steph too.
Then we got on the road around noon. It was an easy trip, very little traffic. At least very little until we got to Houston. An easy trip made easier by a good 3 hour chat with Steph about the fascinating world of urban planning. I know I know. There is no way I'm letting that girl get away.
We got to Houston and boy was it busy. But we did fine. I think we were just ahead of the major part of rush hour. And let me just say Houston can join Austin as the kings of the elevated highways.
We stayed on the 610 freeway around the south side of Houston where we went past the Dome. Reliant stadium is there too, and it dwarfs the Dome. Hard to believe, but true.
Heres a bonus. I missed a sign that, I assume, said "Hey dummy, don't get into the HOV lane or you will miss your exit." So I missed our exit. The good part was, the HOV lane took us by about 1 mile and a half of dead stopped traffic because of construction. I just had to turn around and come back a little way. That little screw up of mine saved us at least 30 minutes or so.
We got to our hotel, picked up some Outback, and chilled for the night. Tomorrow should be great. Stadiums, the NBA, picture taking..fun fun.
Til Then
-T
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Elizabethtown
Wow, I loved this movie. We watched it tonight. I wanted to see it when it came out, but I just didn't get to it. It came and went pretty quickly. I guess it just didn't play well out in the world. So we watched it tonight.....and....
Wow. I really loved this movie. It was really great. I feel like Cameron Crowe is talking directly to me. He's so good at showing people in their natural state. His movies are so personal and genuinely moving.
This movie, in particular, really touched a nerve. It looks at that need to awaken from the dull sleep of the mundane and actually go through life awake, alert and interested in the world.
Plus, it had a road trip. And I love road trips. I believe in America. I believe that everyone needs to get out and see the country. They need to see other places and meet other people and experience other things.
Life is for Living. This is a movie about a guy finally waking up and really LIVING his life. And I loved it.
-T
Wow. I really loved this movie. It was really great. I feel like Cameron Crowe is talking directly to me. He's so good at showing people in their natural state. His movies are so personal and genuinely moving.
This movie, in particular, really touched a nerve. It looks at that need to awaken from the dull sleep of the mundane and actually go through life awake, alert and interested in the world.
Plus, it had a road trip. And I love road trips. I believe in America. I believe that everyone needs to get out and see the country. They need to see other places and meet other people and experience other things.
Life is for Living. This is a movie about a guy finally waking up and really LIVING his life. And I loved it.
-T
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
On the Road
Monday I started reading On the Road by Jack Kerouac. A legendary book from the 50s. I didn't know much about it. I know it is legendary in the Beat or Beatnik world. The sort of pre-vietnam 60s rebels. I knew its about taking a road trip and seeing America, of which I am a big fan.
I'm just underway in the book, but I am hooked. I'm also very interested in reading more about the Beat Generation.
Steph and I have developed some very real philosophies and theories, and I am always looking for people who feel the same way. It seems that these guys might be close.
I was impressed early on by the narrator's description of his friend Dean. How he loved Dean because he was excited about life. I thought, here is something I can get behind. They are rebels because they want to live their lives, not because they are protesting war or any other great "cause." I believe in living life, not just getting by and surviving. That is a quest worth pursuing.
-T
I'm just underway in the book, but I am hooked. I'm also very interested in reading more about the Beat Generation.
Steph and I have developed some very real philosophies and theories, and I am always looking for people who feel the same way. It seems that these guys might be close.
I was impressed early on by the narrator's description of his friend Dean. How he loved Dean because he was excited about life. I thought, here is something I can get behind. They are rebels because they want to live their lives, not because they are protesting war or any other great "cause." I believe in living life, not just getting by and surviving. That is a quest worth pursuing.
-T
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Crash
Tonight, Steph and I watched Crash. Let me first say that I liked this movie very much. But here is the catch. I have a lot of little negative things to say.
First off, its extremely heavy handed. If I were Roger Ebert, I'd find some really clever analogy about spreading icing on so thick that they used a shovel or some nonsense. Really though, after about 3 or 4 scenes I'm like "Ok, we get it. People are racist. I accepted that after a while though. I decided it was an artsy film about racism, I suppose they should talk about race.
Second, a lot of it is contrived. There are several scenes where characters do and say things that just don't seem natural. Its like they are just doing whatever it takes to make each scene be "about something." What I call Tony and Christopher posturing. In the Sopranos, Tony and Christopher often posture to each other, even when they are essentially on the same page. It always results in the two of them being mad at each other. Only in the Sopranos its usually believeable, as Tony and Christopher are stubborn and prideful.
Last, there is really not much plot. Stuff happens in the movie, and the stuff is good and interesting. The characters are good and interesting too. In the end, however, it never comes together in anyway that makes for a good story. Its a series of interconnecting happenings. Nobody seems to have much of a complete story, and none of them ever amount to any sort of satisfying culmination. The two movies that automatically come to mind are Nashville and Magnolia.
Nashville, which I love, does the same sort of interconnecting story thing. In the end, all the characters come together for the big finish. Magnolia, which I would like if it wasn't kind of flawed, does a similar thing. Here too is a movie where all of the interconnecting characters unite in the end in some sort of culmination that works, even if it doesn't make a lot of sense.
This movie could really have stood to employ a writer that was good at story telling. A little LA Confidential or Shakespeare In Love would be nice. These were Oscar caliber movies that were sharp, clever and had really interesting stories.
All that said...I really liked this movie. Had I seen it last Summer, before people said it was so fantastic, I think I'd be raving about it. I'd have still noticed its problems though. I don't have any problem with it being nominated. I doubt it will make my top 5 but it will be up there.
-T
First off, its extremely heavy handed. If I were Roger Ebert, I'd find some really clever analogy about spreading icing on so thick that they used a shovel or some nonsense. Really though, after about 3 or 4 scenes I'm like "Ok, we get it. People are racist. I accepted that after a while though. I decided it was an artsy film about racism, I suppose they should talk about race.
Second, a lot of it is contrived. There are several scenes where characters do and say things that just don't seem natural. Its like they are just doing whatever it takes to make each scene be "about something." What I call Tony and Christopher posturing. In the Sopranos, Tony and Christopher often posture to each other, even when they are essentially on the same page. It always results in the two of them being mad at each other. Only in the Sopranos its usually believeable, as Tony and Christopher are stubborn and prideful.
Last, there is really not much plot. Stuff happens in the movie, and the stuff is good and interesting. The characters are good and interesting too. In the end, however, it never comes together in anyway that makes for a good story. Its a series of interconnecting happenings. Nobody seems to have much of a complete story, and none of them ever amount to any sort of satisfying culmination. The two movies that automatically come to mind are Nashville and Magnolia.
Nashville, which I love, does the same sort of interconnecting story thing. In the end, all the characters come together for the big finish. Magnolia, which I would like if it wasn't kind of flawed, does a similar thing. Here too is a movie where all of the interconnecting characters unite in the end in some sort of culmination that works, even if it doesn't make a lot of sense.
This movie could really have stood to employ a writer that was good at story telling. A little LA Confidential or Shakespeare In Love would be nice. These were Oscar caliber movies that were sharp, clever and had really interesting stories.
All that said...I really liked this movie. Had I seen it last Summer, before people said it was so fantastic, I think I'd be raving about it. I'd have still noticed its problems though. I don't have any problem with it being nominated. I doubt it will make my top 5 but it will be up there.
-T
Monday, February 13, 2006
Going to Houston
Steph and I are going to go to Houston this weekend...probably. I'm excited. I still plan to go to Austin at some point. I have been here for 2 1/2 weeks and not really been here.
There are some cool things to do in Houston. The air and space museum is there, which is very very cool. Also the NBA All-Star game is there this weekend. Now, I don't really like the NBA, but this is just kind of cool. I do have respect for it, so that would kind of neat to be around. Also, there is Minute Maid Park. We are going to do a tour. That is going to be very cool. Baseball stadiums are awesome.
And then, there is the 8th Wonder of the World itself. The Astrodome. In all its splendid hideousness. I absolutely abhor this structure, yet I am compelled to respect its place in history as one of the most famous sports arenas of all time. I can't wait to get a picture of Sonny in front of it.
I can't wait.
-T
There are some cool things to do in Houston. The air and space museum is there, which is very very cool. Also the NBA All-Star game is there this weekend. Now, I don't really like the NBA, but this is just kind of cool. I do have respect for it, so that would kind of neat to be around. Also, there is Minute Maid Park. We are going to do a tour. That is going to be very cool. Baseball stadiums are awesome.
And then, there is the 8th Wonder of the World itself. The Astrodome. In all its splendid hideousness. I absolutely abhor this structure, yet I am compelled to respect its place in history as one of the most famous sports arenas of all time. I can't wait to get a picture of Sonny in front of it.
I can't wait.
-T
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Decision 2006
I am making a decision tonight. I have to look at what I want to do and decide to actualy do it. Sometimes I find it hard to do what I want to do. I'm afraid. It's a lot like that moment before you get into the pool. You know its what you want to do. You can't wait to be swimming. You know you'll get used to it almost as soon as you get in. But for the moment, you are afraid of taking the plunge. You know it will be cold so you just circle around the pool. Walking back and forth along the edge, staring at the water. You know you want to be in there, but you are just nervous about getting wet.
I'm not really like this. I'm the guy that usually jumps in before I have a chance to think about it. But I haven't done that with this. I have committed to being a filmmaker, yet I haven't made myself take the leap yet. I told everyone what I wanted to do, and I can't go back now. I don't want to. Now I'm telling everyone that I am ready to really start. And I am.....NOW
Read something, Write something, Think something, Shoot Something. This is how I will live. I am going to think, read and write every day. And I will shoot something every single week. No matter what. No excuses, no rationalizations, no Bull Shit.
I have decided.
Tom Andrews
Independant Filmmaker
I'm not really like this. I'm the guy that usually jumps in before I have a chance to think about it. But I haven't done that with this. I have committed to being a filmmaker, yet I haven't made myself take the leap yet. I told everyone what I wanted to do, and I can't go back now. I don't want to. Now I'm telling everyone that I am ready to really start. And I am.....NOW
Read something, Write something, Think something, Shoot Something. This is how I will live. I am going to think, read and write every day. And I will shoot something every single week. No matter what. No excuses, no rationalizations, no Bull Shit.
I have decided.
Tom Andrews
Independant Filmmaker
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Movies...woo!
We saw The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe today. Tonight we watched The Graduate. Two movies that you might think are pretty different, but I find to be quite similar.
First off, it was really nice to see a movie at the theater. This was just the third time Steph and I had been to the theater since we left Utah. It was a good feeling, and we will be out to the movies much more in the weeks to come.
Chronicles of Narnia was pretty darned good. As one of only 2 or 3 people on Earth that hasn't read The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, I realized going in that I had absolutely no idea what this movie was about. I'm still not sure I know completely. Its a kids story about excitement and adventure, complete with morals and life lessons. Its an escapist movie if there ever was one.
4 kids are trapped in London during the World War II bombings. Their father is away fighting in the war. Peter, the oldest, is charged with being the "man of the house." It is hard when war comes to your home and isn't just in a far off land. It is hard for those who have to deal with it, but have no way to do anything about it.
If people facing hardship were to find a portal to a magical land, one might think that that land would be wonderful and happy and free of conflict. That is not true. The land they discover is very dangerous and is in the midst of a massive war of its own. Only in this war, these 4 kids play a pivotal role. And Peter, in specific, is chosen to lead an entire army in a fight for freedom. There are no ambiguous poltical issues here. There is a clear and true cause against an enemy that is pure evil. The kids, of course save the day. Freedom and righteousness return to Narnia.
Tonight, we watched the Graduate. One of my favorite movies, and not as dissimilar from Narnia as one might think. Contrary to the general belief the Graduate is NOT about sex. It is not about affairs. It is not about creepy old ladies seducing young men. The Graduate is about desperation. It is about young people who do not understand or like their place in the world. It is about older people with regrets about their lost youth.
Ben is a college graduate. He was a fantastic student and athelete in college, and now he has no idea what to do with himself. He is bored out of his mind. His parents' life is not appealing to him. Adults tell him on several occasions that he will only be young once. Mrs. Robinson once went to college, she once wanted to be an artist. Instead she became a wife and then a mother and then an alcoholic and then she wants to sleep with Ben in some desperate attempt to feel young again.
There is a theme in both of these movies. It exists in movies like Fight Club, the Matrix, Lost in Translation and several others. It is a feeling that has been around for a long time. A need that exists in all humans to live a life that is satisfying. To be in control of your own destiny. To do or be something that feels important. To feel like you matter. It is an inate feeling that exists within people, and the best kinds of movies are the ones that get in touch with this feeling.
-T
First off, it was really nice to see a movie at the theater. This was just the third time Steph and I had been to the theater since we left Utah. It was a good feeling, and we will be out to the movies much more in the weeks to come.
Chronicles of Narnia was pretty darned good. As one of only 2 or 3 people on Earth that hasn't read The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, I realized going in that I had absolutely no idea what this movie was about. I'm still not sure I know completely. Its a kids story about excitement and adventure, complete with morals and life lessons. Its an escapist movie if there ever was one.
4 kids are trapped in London during the World War II bombings. Their father is away fighting in the war. Peter, the oldest, is charged with being the "man of the house." It is hard when war comes to your home and isn't just in a far off land. It is hard for those who have to deal with it, but have no way to do anything about it.
If people facing hardship were to find a portal to a magical land, one might think that that land would be wonderful and happy and free of conflict. That is not true. The land they discover is very dangerous and is in the midst of a massive war of its own. Only in this war, these 4 kids play a pivotal role. And Peter, in specific, is chosen to lead an entire army in a fight for freedom. There are no ambiguous poltical issues here. There is a clear and true cause against an enemy that is pure evil. The kids, of course save the day. Freedom and righteousness return to Narnia.
Tonight, we watched the Graduate. One of my favorite movies, and not as dissimilar from Narnia as one might think. Contrary to the general belief the Graduate is NOT about sex. It is not about affairs. It is not about creepy old ladies seducing young men. The Graduate is about desperation. It is about young people who do not understand or like their place in the world. It is about older people with regrets about their lost youth.
Ben is a college graduate. He was a fantastic student and athelete in college, and now he has no idea what to do with himself. He is bored out of his mind. His parents' life is not appealing to him. Adults tell him on several occasions that he will only be young once. Mrs. Robinson once went to college, she once wanted to be an artist. Instead she became a wife and then a mother and then an alcoholic and then she wants to sleep with Ben in some desperate attempt to feel young again.
There is a theme in both of these movies. It exists in movies like Fight Club, the Matrix, Lost in Translation and several others. It is a feeling that has been around for a long time. A need that exists in all humans to live a life that is satisfying. To be in control of your own destiny. To do or be something that feels important. To feel like you matter. It is an inate feeling that exists within people, and the best kinds of movies are the ones that get in touch with this feeling.
-T
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