The Day We Stood Still

It's REALLY hard for me to comment about this film. Here's the downside: I NEVER got into this, as a film. It was very much a docu-drama to me, which I can see being the intent. Perhaps its the fact that I lived through it, that I see it differently than films like "We Were Soldiers". In no way can I say it's a bad film, but I can't talk about it like I could with anything else.

If nothing else, this "film" is an experience. It has its up and downs, and it really takes you on an emotional roller coaster with its characters. While I can't say I enjoyed all of the movie - it has some moments that I just don't feel need to be there - I can't say anything negative about it. I can say that they handled many situations very well. The handled the planes and the buildings in an impressive manner - one that I can't see offending anyone in any way. They handled the mass confusion of the day very well. People talking about what they heard happened - when as a viewer, we know their comments to be false (or misled).

Since "Family Man", Nic Cage has only done one good film - "National Treasure" - so it was good to see him in something that I liked him in. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that he couldn't move for most of the film, and his face was covered in ash - but... Who knows? I liked him in the role, I think he did it well. I also really enjoyed Maria Bello in the flick.

I honestly think more than anything - the flick served more of a "Where Was I" type memory in my mind while I was watching it.

I can remember the day clearly.
I didn't have a job.
I woke up around 8am, and went to the bathroom - with the full intention of going back to sleep. When I got out of the bathroom the T.V. was on in the living room. Both of my parents should have been at work, so I went to see what was going on. It turns out Lawrence Township was doing their ISTEP testing in the fall, and my brother was home, because he didn't have to go to school until noon-ish-sometime. I said "hey" to him, then went back to bed. The radio was on while I was trying to fall back asleep, and that's when I heard the first report. I honestly thought it was some kind of hoax - but quickly learned it wasn't. I leaped out of bed, tossed on a shirt and went back to the living room, to find my brother already down from the loft, and watching the replay of the first plane hitting. I stood with Scott in the living for the next hour, watching the events unfold.

The second plane hit.
The hit on the Pentagon.
The plane in Pennslyvania.
The President on T.V.

I remember around 11am, my cell phone went off. It was Jason. He'd been watching too, but he was calling to tell me that AMC was closing all of their theatres for the day. At this time, I spent a lot of time at Castleton Arts, working on scripts, watching movies, and hanging out with my friends who worked there. They didn't want me to drive all the way out there, when they were going to be closed.

I don't remember what time my Father came home from work, but I know it was early. I remember sitting in the living room with him and my brother watching T.V. coverage.

Sometime around 5pm, Zach called. He didn't have anyone to hang out with, and wondered what I was up to. We eventually decided to try O'Rourke's. I called Sloan's phone, to find out if they were even going to be open, "I've got nowhere else to go, and nothing else to do..." was his reply. Zach and I made it up to the bar, and spent most of the night watching the T.V.s and talking to Sloan. I don't think he made his waitresses come in that night, but I know a couple stopped in from time to time. I don't think there was more than seven people in the place all night - Sloan, Zach, and myself being the three that never left. We talked about it, we made some food and ate it, we watched T.V., we shot some pool, and we just kind of did nothing. I think that's kind of how to sum up the day: The country was so in shock - we didn't know what to do, or how to react. We all were just kind of there. I remember being in the middle of a game of pool, at 8pm - when the President came on the news. We quit the game, and sat and listened.

If nothing else, "World Trade Center" made me remember that day, and how I felt.

Here's a collection of the Magazines I still own from that horrible time in history:


I suppose this blog would be more fitting on September 11th of this year - when we commemorate 5 Year Anniversary of that day, but since I saw the film tonight, it was on my mind. Anyways, on that day - Scott will be living with Letha in NYC, and I'm hoping that Jason and I can drive up there - so that I can be in the city on that day. Jason gets to see Letha, I get to see my brother, and the four of us get to be a part of a historical day. An infamous historical day.

I'm honestly getting worried that "Crazy About You" isn't going to be done by Friday. Part of me is ready to say "SCREW IT" no one else ever put in this much time on this project, and now they're all making me finish up a film I swore I would never edit. But, at the same time - I know if I don't do it, none of the others will. So, sadly - in order to save my reputation and artistic name, I have to finish a project that I have long since stopped caring about. I want to move on. I want to work on the films I want to work on. I'm tired of cleaning up this mess, when I've got three other producers who don't give a crap about it. Lucky for them, I like the actors in the flick, and want to keep my good relationship with them. Or I would have long since stopped working on this thing, and waited to see if anyone else ever took the time to finish it.

Okay, it's late. I'm upset and frustrated. And I didn't exactly watch an "uplifting" film tonight - so I should go to bed, and KNOW that in five hours I'll be up editing AGAIN!