"Crossroads" Premiere

So, since I came back to Indy earlier than I planned - I was able to attend an event that I originally was really upset that I was going to miss. The premiere of Steve "Papaw" Pyatte's film "Crossroads".

Thankfully, my friend Annette was kind enough to be my driver, and accompany my gimpy self to the screening. Although, I think I would have traded the pain of driving myself, for all the "cripple" comments she made throughout the night... I'm just thankful she wanted to go, and kept me company.

She was also kind enough to play "photo girl" for us, and got recruited to snap a bunch of pictures on various cameras. Here's a pair from the evening:

Steve "Papaw" Pyatte and Myself.

Myself, "Papaw" and fellow filmmaker Chris Allen.

It was a REALLY great time. I got to me Michael Garcia - who wrote the original screenplay. He came into town from Texas. We've talked numerous times via email, so it was nice to put a face to the name. I got to see regulars like Jim Dogherty, Don Becker, and Joe Martin. And I hung out most of the night with Chris Allen. I also got the chance to meet and talk to Daniel Risk - who basically took over what I started, and helped Papaw get this thing finished.

Onto the film: The film makes its point. And I have high respect for ANYONE who can complete a project. The film has a VERY straight forward message, and it hits it. It sometimes overkills it, however - at the screening, the played all of the "Bonus Features" from the DVD right after the film, and we had a HUGE into by Steve, so I might have just been overloaded with "the message" - perhaps in smaller doses, it wouln't feel the same.

The problem with me (one of MANY) is this: When I watch any film, for the first time, I critique it - for its technical aspects. That's just how my brain works. There's many films that when I see them in the theatre, I claim and swear that they are horrible - and once I watch it on DVD, I realize its not that bad. It's RARE that a film like "The Last Kiss" comes along, and I'm SO involved in the story (because of an amazing script) that I do not look at the technical aspects of the film.

Sadly, as with most indie flick, the dialogue just didn't get me hooked - so I started technically watching the flick. It probably did NOT help that I've read the script numerous times - and knew the story. For some reason, this just sadly happens with too many indie scripts - MINE INCLUDED - we are too focused on the words, and disregard the fact that this is a visual medium. It's something that I've attempted to work on, and it's tough. It's a tough thing to move past the words, and move into the fact that the visuals are more important to keeping people interested. It's a visual medium - with dialogue to accompany the visuals.

So, here's my semi-technical comments: The editing at the beginning and ending were very good. Lots of quick cuts, cut to music, it flowed, it didn't sit on one shot too long, it felt like a good edit. The middle was a little SLOW. They focused too much on the dialogue - and didn't allow their actors to move. They stood still - they didn't move. It kept cutting between the same two shots, except to give me a Close Up of the same angle. Visually, I was bored with what I was seeing. I understand that they were more concerned with getting their message, but I'm going to argue that more people than not, are going to be visually bored. And the problem is that when you visually bore the audience, they shut off their ears to hearing the dialogue, because their eyes have given up. It's very simple to create movement between people. Have them walk around. Have one of them go off and do something, and force the other one to follow. Something. Anything. Film is a visual medium, and if you're going to chose it to tell your story, then you need to make sure you're satisfying the audiences visual needs. If the story is the only important thing - then it should be a book.

The one thing that I CAN NOT say ANYTHING negative about was the music/score. It was GREAT. It was PERFECT. Watching the credits - it looked like it was all pre-recorded stuff, and they MADE IT WORK for the film. I thought the music was well cut to the scenes, and they worked as if it was perfectly written for the flick. It really set the mood and the tone for what was going at various points. It also worked REALLY well at various moments when "shock value" was being used. The music really added another depth to the flick.

The film is essentially a high-end PSA. It's anti-drinking and driving, and it does an EXCELLENT job of conveying its message. It shows you the remorse in the characters. You do feel their pain. It was ambitious. It was a big project. And for a first-time director like Steve, it was a HUGE step. I'll guarantee it was a massive step over what "Consternate" was. And if this is where Steve's learning curve is beginning - then he's got a HUGE potential to tell amazing stories and with the right work, homework, and research into the art of filmmaking - he's got a chance to go on to bigger and better things.

In today's society, ANYONE and EVERYONE believes that they can make films. Look at YouTube or MySpace or Google Video, they are overcrowded with lots and lots of bad products. And its because all of these people hear stories about filmmakers - one in a billion chances - and they think that they can do it too. They don't take the time to read the books, watching the bonus features on DVDs (Ten Minute Films School Segments 1, 2, 3 and 15-Minute Film School), read magazines (1, 2, 3, 4), do homework - and TRULY learn the mental reasoning behind filmmaking. Filmmaking is a mental work - because through millions of perfectly arranged pictures - you have to tell a story. Mise-en-Scene is a basic principle that I felt was lacking in "Crossroads" - it felt like the just had people stand "where they should be" - then worked their shots around the actors, instead of arranging their actors to make a more dynamic shot. I REALLY hope that Steve takes the time to look into a few books that go into the technical aspects of setting up four framing and shots, and then also looks into some of the books which deal in the psychology of framing a shot. How the audience interprets various set-ups. I think he's got MAJOR potential, and like I said, he's already WAY SURPASSED my first film. It's also wonderful to see someone who is so kind, so caring, and so giving with himself - that you can't but hope he makes it far. He's got a wonderful attitude, and deserves lots of respect and acknowledgement for his work on the project.

I also have to THANK Steve, he said A LOT of nice things about me in his introduction to the film, and again in closing. It was very nice for someone to acknowledge those who he's worked with. It was an amazing time, and I'm so glad to have been able to attend. And I'm glad to add "Crossroads" to my DVD collection.

Following the showing, Chris Allen asked if we wanted to catch a bite to eat, so we all hit the Steak-N-Shake, where we talked and TALKED film forever. We talked a lot about the curent state of the film community in Indy. We talked about his upcoming project. We talked about past projects. When Chris and I sit down, we TALK and TALK film. The last time we did lunch - it turned into a 4-hour meeting. He's an AWESOME guy, and someone that I really respect.

It was a good night for Indy Indie Film - and I hope more people get to see the film, as lots of hard work and time were put into it. I'm also looking forward to the IndianaActors.com Film Festival in March. I am looking forward to seeing a lot more indie films, and getting to spend more time with fellow filmmakers - talking film and enjoying each other's company.

Tonight was awesome - because it REALLY reminds me how much I love doing this. And hopefully it will help me carry on in developing the scripts I'm working on. Now, I'm looking forward to spending a day, or two, in Chicago to see some more cool flicks, and much like in Boston, get a feeling for how filmmakers from others parts of the country/world are doing.

Annette and I somehow got onto the topic of the film "Love Actually" on the drive home - so I HAD TO put it in and watch it. So, I'm going to do that - get my foot up - and try to get healed.

FOR HEIDI: Who asked me how involved I was in the project, HERE is a link where I go into details about how the project was born, and what I had to do with it. ENJOY!

Two More Flicks

I rolled into work with Jason today. When we first got here this morning, he threaded up "The Black Dahlia" for me to watch. I'm a really big James Ellroy fan, and a huge "L.A. Confidential" fan, so I was really looking forward to this movie - add in a cast that I really like, and you've got my expectations up. Sadly, it wasn't as wonderful as "L.A. Confidential", but it holds its own. It deviates from the facts that I know about the Elizabeth Short murder, but after all - it is a work of fiction. It's worth watching.

Following that flick, I killed a couple of hours at the Galleria Mall, before heading back to Kendall Square to watch "Edmond". David Mamet is so hit or miss with me. When he adapts his own plays into movies, I don't tend to like them. But stuff like "Spartan" or "State and Main" - I really enjoy. I don't know. I guess I do like "Glengarry Glenross"... I just didn't really care for "Edmond", it was too much exposition, and I didn't feel any kind of connection to William H. Macy's character.

Yesterday was a creatively productive day. I stayed "home" all day and worked on the plotline for the new flick. I'm trying to map out all the events and place them in chronological order, and find some fillers for certain places. I've also began using the working title: "Wake Up in the Breakdown". I have a feeling that once I get the timeline done, I'm going to be making some more serious changes... We'll see, when the time comes.

I'm also toying with the notion of taking Jason and I's original concept for "Consternate" and re-doing it as a comedy. I think there's a lot of thing we could incorporate into the idea, and not make it a cheesey "spoof" movie, but instead an original comedy, with outlandish murders, based on the original storyline we had for the film. There's a couple of people in Indy that I would like their creative input - to see if we can make a script... It's an idea I'm going to toy with for a while. Lots of over-the-top blood and gore sounds like a lot of fun to play with!

It looks like I'm going to be heading back to Indy in about a week. I've done a lot out here - had an amazing time, seen some amazing things, and been able to do some soul-searching. But, it's time to get back to my life - and time to work on my future. Hopefully, with ay luck, I'll be working on two scripts by the end of the year, and going into production on one of them early next year. I hope...

Walden Pond

Some people have emotional experiences when they visit such landmarks as the Vientam War Memorial or the World War II Memorial. Today, I had one at Walden Pond.

This blog is being written as I sit in the Replica Thoreau House. It's an exact recreation using Thoreau's vivid descriptions from Walden. I started at the Replica House. Before walking down to the beach and the trails. I then started the 1.7 mile journey around Walden Pond, which took close to 45 minutes - including several stops at various lookout points to snap some pictures, and an extended stay at the site of the original Thoreau House, where the foundation for the original fireplace still stands.

I also left my mark on the Original Thoreau house. There is a pile of rocks, which members of the Thoreau Historical Society place rocks upon. I added my own rock, with my name and today's date on it. I walked extensively around the area of the original house, touching trees that Thoreau most likely touched back in his day. I had to take it all in. It was amazing.

I walked 1.7 miles around the pond, and ended up back at the main beach, where I sat down and relaxed for a while. I took in the beauty of the water, the sun shining down on me, and the cool breeze blowing between the trees.

This is something I've dreamed of doing for the past 11 years, since I was a freshman in high school and was in the play "The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail". It was Paris M. Goodrum who introduced me to Thoreau, and now after all these years - I've finally fulfilled the dream of coming to the place where he lived and worked on his amaIng book. Today, I feel like I've accomplished something.

"The mass of men, lead lives of quiet desperation."
-From "Walden".

OH CANADA!

I'm back.
In Indiana.
Yippy!
First off, I was WRONG about where we were going. Pointe Pelee (which I learned that I've been pronouncing WRONG for years...) is not a park where you can camp at. So, they directed us to Rondeau Provincial Park - and it turned out to be AWESOME!!! Here's a new map, explaining where we ended up.
Second, I'm going to start this off with some pictures, before I get into my thoughts and experiences in Canada.

I'm told this means "Following too closely, kills". those Canadians have a sense of humor!

Zach and Jason at our campsite. It was VERY nice and SPACIOUS.

As if it was a twist of fate, our campsite was on Manning Road. Rondeau was the main road in the camp.

There was a nice long pier in the park. This was on the Canada side, in the bay - looking back north, towards Canada.

It appears that Canadians have a much more advanced Bird House Building Philosophy. Or, this might be a hotel?

I SWEAR, we had NOTHING to do with the table ending up in the middle of the water...

I found this hatch. I REALLY wanted to find some dynomite and blow it open. I can only imagine what's down it...

Other signs read:
"Fatigue Kills, Take a Break." and
"Drinking and Driving Kills. Don't Drink and Drive."

Okay. Now onto my thoughts on Canada.
I LOVE THE COUNTRY and I LOVE THE PEOPLE.
EVERYONE is nice.
Example, from Canadian Customs - as we were crossing the bridge into Canada:

Canadian Customs Officer: Where ya goin' boys?
Us: Camping at Rondeau Park, sir.
Canadian Customs Officer: Do ya got any booze in theer? (YES, mispelled on purose)
Us: No sir. We didn't think we could bring it across the border.
Canadian Customs Officer: Ooohhh.... Well, ya shoulda been buyin' it at the Duty Free. Its cheep an' no taxes on it.
Us: Really? And we can bring it across the border?
Canadian Customs Officer: O' Course! I don't know whereya gonna be gettin' it now.
Us: I'm sure we'll find somewhere.
Canadian Customs Officer: Well, if you go... (HE GIVES US SOME DETAILED DIRECTIONS, I DON'T REMEMBER THEM...)
Us: Well, thank you, sir.
Canadian Customs Officer: If you boys be comin' back, I suggest the Duty Free, it's tha best place to buy stuff. Enjoy yer stay!

Let me just say that the Unites States Custom guy WAS NOT friendly AT ALL. He was rather, rude and mean. He looked ex-military, and like he didn't trust a word we said. He was short, simple, and didn't talk much, other than to ask us question about what was in the car and why we were in Canada.

This brings me to my First Point: Canadians ARE SUPER-FRIENDLY. EVERYONE is nice. EVERY road we drove down, people on the side of the road waved at us - EVERYONE. This is no exaggeration.

Here's a short quick list of the notes I made about Canada:

1. They use thinner and longer straws.
2. They put gravy on their french fries - and look at you very funny when you ask for "no gravy".
3. Potato Skins are actually THE SKIN OF POTATOS - not the same are America.
4. I was told I sounded like I was from Australia.
5. Nobody likes the government - probably because the tax rate is 14%!!!
6. People are very friendly and talkative - they walk right up to you and start talking about stuff. I almost punched the first guy who did it. I was scared!
7. No one locks their bikes - ANYWHERE. Outside of the supermarket, the drug store, the park - no locks on bikes, EVER.
8. The don't have Mt. Dew - instead its called Dew Fuel. I forgot to take a picture.
9. "Detour" means - the lanes up ahead and merging into one road. NOT - you have to take an alternate route.

Luckily, almost all of the Canadians we talked to were VERY willing to teach us about their culture and their country - without treating us like we were morons.

One really odd fact is that there is no SET exchange rate. At the Gas Stations there was NO EXCHANGE RATE. At the Beer Store it was 1.06 to 1. At the restaurants it was 1.09 to 1. At the Park it was 1.11 to 1. Eventually we asked someone after things weren't making sense. Basically, there is no set rate - each business can set their own rate. However, this is the bank rate: They BUY U.S. Dollars at a rate of 1.09 to 1, and the SELL U.S. Dollars at the rate of 1.13 to 1. It's an odd country... But, I can't complain about the service and the kindness. At the final gas station we stopped at - we were trying to spend the rest of our Canadian Dollars, and we forgot about the 14% Sales Tax, and ended up being 30 cents short - the guy at the counter was like, "Forget aboot it. It's cool. I'll take care of it." REALLY!?!?! Yep. The guy said we were fine, and let us go. It was cool, good kharma for you - Canadian Gas Station Man.

Also, we learned that in school the Canadians have to learn the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem. It was crazy to hear that. This one girl we talked to told us that she could probably answer more questions about United States history than we could about Canadian history. We didn't even test her, or argue with her, we told her she was right.

The ENTIRE time were we in Canada, we NEVER ONCE saw a police car or police man, and we only saw the Park Ranger once. Also, sadly, I never got to see the two guys on horseback... Someone told us that we'd only see law enforcement "...if something was really wrong..." Interesting...

There WAS NOT a McDonalds the entire time we were there. Although, we were told there was one in Toronto. Also, NO STARBUCKS. However, we were told there was one in London, but only in a bookstore called Chapters. Appearently, that's their version of Borders.

If only people in American could be nice as Canadian. I look forward to going back sometime. It was a REALLY GREAT TRIP.

Oh, and we camped too. And we were eaten alive by mosquitos. We forgot citronella candles. That was a MISTAKE!

"Accepted" Get an A+

"Accepted" was funny. It was really funny. I had a good time watching the flick. It's right up there with "Grandma's Boy" for the funniest COMEDY of the year. ("Snakes on a Plane" wins Funniest FILM of the Year, hands down). It's very much along the lines of "Animal House" and "P.C.U." - in that its rather unbelievable, yet enjoyable at the same time. It's a good time.

My mother brought this T.V. series to my attention - "The Class" - it's from the people who created "Friends" and "Mad About You", so I have a good feeling that I'm going to enjoy the show. The preview doesn't show much, but the description has be interested in the show. Also, the piolt is directed by one of my favorite directors, James Burrows. Mr. Burrows created one of my all-time favorite shows, "Cheers" and has directed TONS of other T.V. shows that I watch. Chances are, if you watch a lot of T.V. Comedies - you've seen his named attached as the director, alot of times on the Pilot episode.

A VERY shocking revelation happened yesterday. I realized that I only have TWO more days at work! Then I'm done - and unemployeed. But, I'll be a "true starving artist". And I've got a lot of plans for the upcoming time - which MOST IMPORTANTLY revolves around writing a new script. SCARY times ahead!

Finally, I HAVE TO CUT this blog short. Last night, following "Accepted", Troy and I were goofing off a little, and got into a sparing match - in which I JAMMED my hand pretty bad. It's swollen up today, and I'm icing it, but its kind of painful, and typing hasn't been helping. I hope it heals quickly! Sorry to make this so short, I'm sure you're disappointed...

Crappy Movie Day

Today, I had the distaste of viewing two completely HORRIBLE films.

First up, Sibley and I went to see "The Night Listener" - and it SUCKED.
There was SO MUCH CRAP in that movie that didn't need to be there, and didn't make sense, and didn't progress the story AT ALL. But, then the problem is that if you remove all of that: You've got a ten minute movie, that doesn't make ANY SENSE! There was really no way and nothing to do to save this movie - UNLESS the remade the movie with the twist that I predicted at the beginning. I leaned over to Dave and I told him what I thought was going to happen. I was wrong, but had I been right - it would have been a GOOD movie. Sometimes I REALLY wonder how crap like this gets funding and produced. Friends of Friends with money... I guess that's how, because this script was AWFUL!

Then, I was convinced to go watch "The Descent" with some other friends. I've been very adament that I didn't want to see the film, but then three of foru good friends have been telling me that they REALLY liked the film. Employees and managers at work, other friends I do movies with, etc... I had not heard one bad review of the flick. WHAT WAS EVERYONE ELSE WATCHING!?!?!?!?! That was one of the worst movies I've seen this year! HOLY CRAP it was stupid! STUPID! STUPID, I SAY! I can't believe people actually enjoyed and found it scary. I laughed through most of it, and thought the rest was just dumb. It takes WAY to long to start killing these girls, and by the time they do start to get killed - I'm ROOTING for the bad guys, because these chicks have annoyed me to death!

Why do films like this get made? It BLOWS my mind!

"Brick"

I picked up "Brick" on DVD today. I haven't seen the flick - but the preview is AMAZING. I kept waiting and waiting for Landmark to get the film, and it kept getting pushed back and back. Everything I've read was positive, and I think it's my kind of film. Sadly, it looks like it's going to be Saturday before I get the chance to actually watch it.

Also on DVD today is one of the BEST shows currently on Television. "Prison Break" - The Complete First Season came out today. I'm SO EXCITED about it, even though I've got the whole first season on my iPod, I can now watch it on a nice big T.V. Next to "Lost", this is my current favorite show on T.V. I can't wait for Season Two to start, even though the first episode is the week that I'm camping with Zach, Troy and Romberg. I sure hope SOMEONE (FATHER!) records it for me!

Right now, I can highly recommend "Prison Break". By the end of the weekend, I should have a review of "Brick" up.

I'm really looking forward to Saturday. Or even Friday night. Once this "screening" of "Crazy About You" is over, and I no longer have to sit in front of a computer for hours, getting more and more upset about the fact that this all got dumped on me - then perhaps I can calm down and remember that I enjoy life. And maybe I'll stop being so moody around my friends. I can hope...

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!

Shane's 50 Films to See Before You Die

So, here's SHANE'S LIST of the 50 Films You Should See Before You Die:

(in alphabetical order)

12 Monkeys
2001: A Space Odyssey
Abre los Ojos
Alien
American Beauty
Benny & Joon
Braveheart
Casablanca
Chasing Amy
Chinatown
Citizen Kane
Crash
Do the Right Thing
Donnie Darko
Field of Dreams
Fight Club
Garden State
Go
Godfather, The
Gone With the Wind
In the Company of Men
It's a Wonderful Life
Leaving Las Vegas
Life as a House
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Love Actually
Magnolia
Maltese Falcon, The
Matrix, The
Memento
Mulholland Dr.
Passion of the Christ, The
Pi
Poolhall Junkies
Primal Fear
Primer
Princess Mononoke
Psycho
Pulp Fiction
Rebel Without a Cause
Resevoir Dogs
Se7en
Serenity
Shawshank Redemption, The
Silence of the Lambs
Sound of Music, The
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
Swingers
The Wizard of Oz
Untitled - The Director's Cut of Almost Famous

Here's the list for anyone to take to the video store...

50 Films to See Before You Die

THIS WEBSITE, came up with a list of "50 Films to See Before You Die".
Here's the list. The ones I've seen are in BOLD.

1. Apocalypse Now
2. The Apartment
3. City of God
4. Chinatown
5. Sexy Beast
6. 2001: A Space Odyssey
7. North by Northwest
8. A Bout de Souffle
9. Donnie Darko
10. Manhattan
11. Alien
12. Lost in Translation
13. The Shawshank Redemption
14. Lagaan: Once Upon A Time in India
15. Pulp Fiction
16. Touch of Evil
17. Walkabout
18. Black Narcissus
19. Boyz N the Hood
20. The Player
21. Come and See
22. Heavenly Creatures
23. A Night at the Opera
24. Erin Brockovich
25. Trainspotting
26. The Breakfast Club
27. Hero - I'm assuming they mean the Jet Li flick???
28. Fanny and Alexander
29. Pink Flamingos
30. All About Eve
31. Scarface
32. Terminator 2
33. Three Colours: Blue
34. The Royal Tenen-baums (unfortunetly... piece of crap...)
35. The Ladykillers
36. Fight Club
37. The Searchers
38. Mulholland Drive
39. The Ipcress File
40. The King of Comedy
41. Manhunter (So much better than "Red Dragon")
42. Dawn of the Dead
43. Princess Mononoke
44. Raising Arizona
45. Cabaret
46. This Sporting Life
47. Brazil
48. Aguirre: The Wrath of God
49. Secrets and Lies
50. Badlands.

Let's Talk About Movies

First topic: "Little Manhattan". I've been wanting to see this flick for a LONG TIME - ever since I saw the trailer a few months ago, but it didn't ever come to Indy. It came out on DVD about a month ago, but I never got around to buying it - and no one I knew had seen it to tell me if it was any good, or not. So today, I just finally picked it up. I was wandering around Best Buy and it just kind of jumped at me - so I picked it up.

And, while I was checking out, my tattoo got another compliment. It seems that I unintentially have created something that everyone feels the need to tell me they think is "cool". Which, is fine by me, but sometimes I don't need/want the extra attention it brings in a large area. Luckily, the girl at the checkout counter was cooler than most, and said "I really dig your tattoo...", I said "Thanks", and it was left at that. UNLIKE most people, who ask the MORONIC question, "Is that real? No it's not... Let me see that... blah..." When they first see it. OF COURSE ITS REAL!!! No, actually, I just like drawing fake stuff on my arm with a Sharpie - and then having to tell people how much of a fool I am... Honestly, WHY must people ask "Is that real?" when they are staring at it!!! Oh, I just thought of my reply to the next time I hear, "Is that real?" My reply: "No, it's not. I'm actually controlling your brain right now, and making you see all kinds of things that aren't really there..." I wonder if I can freak anyone out with that response? Oh, and for those of you who haven't seen it in person, here's a good picture for you:

Read more about it HERE.

Anyways, back to "Little Manhattan" - I don't regret buying the flick, I actually laughed A LOT throughout the thing. If you've seen "Love Actually" and you know Sam's story, then imagine that, but expanded into a much longer story. It's the story of a 10-year-old boy, and the first time he feel in love. There's a whole lot of humor, and it makes some good observations about love, in the progress of the film. The main character's parents are in the middle of a divorce, so he's stuck in the middle of watching his parents falling out of love, while he's falling head of heels for a girl in his class - and attempting to break down the social walls that are put up at that age. It's just a really cute and fun flick. You can check out the TRAILER for yourself.

I just mentioned "Love Actually" and it is AMAZING how many people actually haven't seen the flick. I've been lending this one out left and right to people. Anything I can do to spread one of my favorite films of all time.

Next up, this morning I had a breakfast meeting with Zach and Jason Romberg, to discuss his bachelor party trip. After the meeting, while standing in Perkins' parking lot, Zach and I got to discuss some things with the rough edit of "Crazy About You" - he gave me a couple of ideas to try, some things he thought might help, and hopefully later tonight or tomorrow I'll have the time to try them. One of them is a complete reworking of the opening credits, but I like the idea - so I'll probably be spending another a 6 hours working on that, and hope that Spurgin can get me the new music SOON! While we were talking, Zach made another one of his comments about me still editing on Adobe Premiere 6.0, basically telling me that I am the editing equivalent of a Caveman. After we left Perkins, I headed to Barnes & Noble, to pick up MovieMaker Magazine, and I wish I would have bought it before today, because I would have had a rebuttle for Zach. Here's a quote from Robert Rodriguez:

"Creative people are notoriously the slowest to adopt new technology. That's just how it's always been. Creative people on one side, technical people on the other. Creative people aren't technical, and technical people aren't creative, and they always need each other. New technology comes up, creative people run from it and it takes them so long to adopt it. But, when they do, they never go back."

So, there's hope. One day, I might learn how to edit on single track editing, on some higher-advanced software. But, here's the thing: I don't WANT to edit. I don't mind it. I know how to do it, I'll claim to be great at it, but I can do it. But, I don't WANT to. I want to write stories and transform them visually, and I want someone who WANTS to edit, to help me out - by editing for me and working with me. I need to find one really super talented editor, who wants to work closely with me, and help me create my stories - and not try to take them over for themself. I can admit when I need help, and on the next project - I'm going to need to find an editing-genius to help me. And, while I'm on the topic, let me tell you about a discussion/debate that my friends and I got into the other night, after "Clerks II". We were all talking about the current influx of Digital Cinema, and how production companies, distribution companies, and filmmakers are quickly jumping into Digital Cinema, and discussing who much money everyone thinks its going to save, blah... blah... blah... Anyways, I bought up my arguement against Digital Cinema and filming HD, and let me try to explain it to you:

Part of the symbolism behind my tattoo is the fact that I want to make FILMS. I've shot numerous things in the digital format, and that's great and fine, but my goal has always been to work with real film, and create a "film". HD and Digital Cinema are as close to perfect as we can get. I've seen a good number of films in Digital Theatres, and I've noticed the HUGE improvement in quality. But, here's where I'm a little different from most (but not really, most people just aren't aware that they do this): I'm an escapist. I got to the movies to ESCAPE my life, and to be entertained for a period of time with images that I know are not real. When you get into digital cinema, it's almost TOO PERFECT, and that breaks down the walls of escapism. It makes you feel as if you're really there, and really a part of the film, which doesn't allow you to disconnect yourself from the film, and "escape" into it. Film is entertainment, it doesn't have to be in High-Def. they've been entertaining people for a century now, and people have never complained before. Yes, it is an evolutionary step, which one day I'll have to take - if I wish to be a part of this industry, but for now - I can continue to stay on my path of working with film, and creating my own piece of art to perhaps help someone escape their own problems, when they watch. The other problem arises, when someone can't understand that the characters they see on screen are FICTIONAL, and they expect people in real life to act in ways that are ONLY PRESENT in film - not in reality. Again, escapism - but a person needs to understand that is ends, when the movie ends.

Speaking of a talented editor, if I could pick someone right now, I'd probably beg Brett's girl friend Hannah to edit my next flick for me. This chick is UBER-talented, and you can check out a music video that she directed AND edited: RIGHT HERE. Also, Brett was the DP for this music video - and YEP! I'm going to be asking him to DP for me on the flick. I just hope it all works out, since we've tried working on a couple of projects together, and the timing just never worked out for both of us. Hopefully, we can make it happen next year. If you want to check out his DP Reel, GO HERE.

Now, let's move a little closer to home, and hit some Mid-West film news. Yesterday, when I cruised over to Heidiology - to get my daily (or semi-daily) dose of Heidi news/thoughts, I caught a HUGE write up about another local Mid-West actress, Angie Craft.
It appears that a local magazine did a HUGE write up on Angie. Angie and I have talked a few times via emails and MySpace, and it was nice to read the whole thing, and get a better perspective of who she is, and what she does for her passion. It's always nice to read articles about local people, and how they are achieving their dreams. I really hope that some day in the future I'll be able to put her in a flick of my own - she really seems A-List worthy! The best place to read the article is Angie's Blog on MySpace.

Finally, I'll leave you with a collection of trailer for flicks that I can't wait to see. Some of these I've mentioned before, and I mention them again because: THEY ARE COOL. WATCH THEM!

"The Fountain"

"The Prestige"

"Employee of the Month"

"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles"

"Transformers"

"Spider-Man 3"

"The Last Kiss"

"Children of Men"

Finally, one last thing that REALLY MAKES ME MAD!!!
The Pacers really just seem like they want to destroy themselves this season. The newest news, we're getting rid of Anthony Johnson (9.2 PPG, 4.3 APG) and getting Darrell Armstrong (2.1 PPG, 1.4 APG) - now, I'm NOT a math major, but I'm pretty darn good at it, and these numbers look like a HORRIBLE TRADE!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!?!?!!?!?! The guy is like 25% of Anthony Johnson. GIVE THEM JAMAAL!!! I want to get rid of that guy, who only plays 1/3 of the season, and it was Anthony Johnson who stepped up and took over - HE DESERVES TO STAY! WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE PACERS?!?!?!? I sure hope they figure out a way to get Al Harrington back, or... Or else... I'm going to be one disappointed fan this year.

Finally, I was reffered to as an "Esquire" yesterday. Here's the quote:

"And for the record, I have no idea if that show "Lost" is REALLY gay. I just said that to annoy my brother and Shane M. White, Esquire."

Now, if you're not aware - I have been given the HONOR of being compared to one of this cutlture's GREATEST "heros" - Bill S. Preston, Esq. of "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure". Thank you, Michael, for putting me in that category! Check out the COOL BLOG that has lots of cool pictures from his bike rides, HERE.

Well, I hope you've enjoyed!

Curse of the Shyamalan

I don't have the greatest history with Mr. Shyamalan, and let me explain.

I was BLOWN AWAY by "The Sixth Sense" - and the guy has yet to come close to living up to that flick, in my mind.

When "Unbreakable" was released, I was jumping at the chance to go to the screening of the flick - and I left UTTERLY disappointed. However, when the DVD came out - I still picked up the flick (I'm a SUCKER for bonus materials...) And after I saw the film for a second time, I really enjoyed it.

Then came, "Signs". I went in thinking it was an "alien" film, and I was (once again) disappointed. However, after talking to some people and reading some reviews, I went and saw the movie a second time - this time I watched it as a religious film surrounded by aliens - and I LOVED the film and the message.

Next was "The Village". Sadly, this is the flick I still don't like. I didn't like it the first time. And I thought, "Well, I just need to see it a second time". Wrong. I hated it the second time too, and I still don't own the DVD. Even though its got some amazing actors in it - I can't bring myself to own it.

So, tonight we got together to watch Shyamalan's new flick, "Lady in the Water". It's different. It's NOT typical Shyamalan. He's taken a different road with this flick. And I'm not impressed. I go to Kevin Smith movies to listen to people complain about stuff and talk crazy, I got to Tony Scott films to get dizzy with moving cameras, and I go to Shyamalan films to get THE TWIST ENDING. And since I've read interviews with Shyamalan where he claims this doesn't have a trick ending - I don't consider it a spoiler when I CONFIRM that. And the lack of a twist ending, is disappointing. I was hoping for something cool. Instead I got a slow story that doesn't make a lot of sense, and really doesn't do a very good job of exploring itself, since one character has all the answers, but only offers them in spoonfuls. The movie could have been a 15 minute short film, if they would have just got all the information from this person at once. Instead, it drags out, forces you to watch WAY TOO MUCH EXPOSITION!

It's not Shyamalan's fault. It's not his fault that he made an AMAZING film, and that I continue to compare everything after it - to it. It's not his fault. But, I do blame him for not writing a more interesting story for me to dislike the first time. I can't decide if I'm going to see this one again, I don't think I missed anything that I need. If I read something that changes my mind, I'd be willing to watch it again, because some of the acting is amazing (I LOVE Jeffrey Wright). So, only time will tell. But, I can guarantee this: I'll be seeing "Clerks II" a second time, before I sit through that again, so if you're looking for a movie to watch this weekend: There's my recommendation.

Oh, and here's another trailer for A MOVIE I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE!!!!

"Clerks II" Review!!!

It came in.
I built it.
I watched it.
And I LOVED IT.

Sometimes, there's just THOSE MOVIES that hit you at a certain point in your life - and they feel like they are there for a reason. The dialogue sounds like its speaking to you, and characters are put into situations that you too feel that you're in.

First, let me tell you that this WILL BE SPOILER-FREE.

I'm NOT trying to ruin the flick for anyone, just praise Kevin Smith for delivering a movie that is really enjoyable, has some good twists, and shows real emotion. Ultimately, this film answers the eternal question: Am I REALLY happy with where my life is going?

It's amazing to watch a film that stays SO TRUE to the original characters, while still being COMPLETELY original. It's not a complete rehash of what worked the first time, they don't play hockey on the roof again (I hope that' not considered a spoiler...), they don't go to another funeral (is that one?), and they don't have another guy die in the bathroom (So, I'm confused - is the DENYING of events, considered a spoiler??? Someone explain that to me...). It's all fresh. We get caught up on the last ten years, and we move on. We see their advancement, or lack thereof, and we see that the heart of the story is still the same: Two best friends, trying to make life day to day.

And let me say this about little Rosario Dawson: AWESOME.
Kevin Smith has an amazing talent for writing the MOST PERFECTLY ATTRACTIVE female characters ever! She's just too cool, laid back, chill, and just enjoys life. She's got a great smile and just the right amount of "bad girl" that leaves you begging for more. And to top it all off, she rolls in a CLASSIC Mustang - could she be more perfect? However, I'm lucky enough to realize that she's a FICTIONAL CHARACTER - and that NO CHICK is ever that cool. A lesson some people need to learn, so that they don't constantly compare you to one of those "Chick Flick Guys" and think that you should be all "perfect all the time". One downfall to society - people believing that fictional characters are how you should act in real life. Enough on that subject, I'm off topic.

Film makes some good observations about romance, relationships, and how people get through each day. It makes the same "mistake" as "The Break Up" and "Click" - which is it gets REALLY SERIOUS at one point - not that there is ANYTHING wrong with this... - however, where this flick goes right: During the serious part, it still interjects humor AND it doesn't last longer than it has to.

It's really weird to be at the crossroads of my life, and then to watch the scenes in the film - characters questioning the hows ans whys of their life. I've been out of high school for going on 10 years now - and what have I REALLY accomplished? Am I always going to manager a movie theatre, pop popcorn, show movies early to my friends, continue to search for the "perfect script" to write and find funding for, review movies on my blog, and just glide through life? Do I really have dilusions of grandieur? Is my life really nothing in the big picture of the world? I'm not thirty yet, but I'm sure getting to the same point as the characters in the film - I'm really at the point where I need to figure out who and what I am - and prepare myself to be that, and nothing more, for the rest of my life.

But, that doesn't really sound like me. I'm always going to try tobe bigger, better, have the best toys, rebel, and enjoy life to its fullest. Wherever that leads me, wherever that takes me. Life is a ride - and I'm going to live it. And wherever that ride takes me, I'll be sure to bring along "Clerks II" on DVD - to ensure myself that I'll be laughing the whole time.

I highly reccomend the flick. You'll be in the aisle laughing - while at the same time wondering "Is it OKAY to laugh at this???". GREAT JOB MR. SMITH!!!

Perfect bookend?
You'd better believe it.

"London"

Nope, sadly this posting has nothing to do with the city that I hope to one day call home. Aside from the fact that it shares the name with one of the main characters in the flick I FINALLY got around to watching this morning.

Yes, I'm continuing to avoid editing - but I HOPE I'll get back into it soon. It's tough. But, I want to get through it, I just needed a little break.

So, I finally got around to watching a flick I picked up a couple of months ago - it's just been sitting on my pile of "To Watch Soon" DVDs. (Where I still have Troy's copy of "All the Real Girls" and Justin's copy of "The Cooler").

The flick is "okay". It's not great, but its FAR from sucking. It's VERY dialogue heavy - which is NOT a negative, and I'm not trying to be a hypocrit, since my films have been described the same way. Perhaps it was just the pacing that seemed a little slow to be. However, the storytelling and editing REALLY made this flick. It's told non-linear, as the story picks up the night that London is having a going away party. Two months earlier, her and Syd broke up, after a two year long relationship. Syd finds out about the party, and still being heartbroken and in depression - somehow decides it's a good idea to crash the party. He convinces his Coke supplier to join him (Jason Statham - with hair!!!), and they spend the majority of the night in the bathroom - talking various philosophies, as other party-goers come and go. Through flashbacks, we get to see the evolution and demise of London and Syd's relationship - and get to watch the paranoia that plagues many relatnioships - as any and every subject is covered.

Emotional Blackmail is the main subject of my upcoming flick - and "London" is going to be required viewing for the leads, because it REALLY deals with the subject in an indirect way - as you see the things London and Syd put each other through. And the scene where Jason Statham finally opens up and tells Syd about his personal life - it's pretty interesting. Chris Evans is REALLY unnoticable. He's really in character - and doesn't act goofy or zany like he has in previous films. It's nice to see an actor I never considered "serious" to play such a great role. Jessica Biel is what she always has been, and always will be - a beautiful body to look at. Sadly, in this film - any beautiful girl could have played London.

You can check out the trailer HERE.

24 Frames on Skin

I live my life 24 frames at a time.
And that's what my newest Tattoo represents.
24 Frames is the exact number in one second of film.
I've been thinking about this tattoo for a long time, and finally took the first step. It's not a finished piece, and it might take a long time to finish. We're going to be inserting images into each frame of film. It's going to end up being a filmstrip of my life, filling the frame with images that reflect who I am, and where I've been, and how I got here. And every so often, a new frame will get filled in. Ryan, the artist, made lots of comments and suggestions, and I look forward to the next time I go back to see him, although I told him it would probably be a while...

Edit, edit, edit...

Boy, I forgot how much fun editing can be.
But, I had also forgotten how painstakingly boring and repetative it can be.

Editing "Crazy About You" is what I've been working on for the past two days - when I wasn't at work - and it's what I'm going to be working on late into the night, and tomorrow before work.

I didn't even want to do this, but now I'm finding myself rushing through it, trying to make it as good as I can, knowing I'm on a short time frame.

Jason's going to be back in town in August, and if we don't set up the premiere then, it's going to be 2007 before he'll be able to come back for the premiere. So, I've got a SHORT amount of time to get this thing edited, get it to Chris to get music, get it to Zach to fix the color balancing and the audio, and then get this whole puppy put back together to get a premiere organized.

Luckily, I'm just doing a rough cut to give to Chris and Zach, and then we'll tweak everything once that rough cut is done, and we'll add the additional pieces as it goes on. We'll tighten stuff and shorten things here and there to make it better, but right now I'm just trying to put this thing together to tell the story. We've got a good amount of coverage, but I'm constantly wishing we had "this shot" or "that shot" - seeing how this is the first film that I'm editing that I didn't direct, it's tough that certain things are missing, that I would have gotten as a director. I'm learning to appreacite editors more, and I'll ALWAYS appreciate those who edit my projects in the future. However, I'll also attempt to give them LOTS of coverage (WHERE is the shot of the roses hitting the ground?!?!?!?!?!?) I'm getting through it. It's an experience. Luckily, the performances so far are REALLY good. And I'm once again impressed with Jason. He REALLY delivered in this flick, and his tone and facial responses are amazing. I'll have to keep him in mind for a future project.

And the coolest thing, for me personally, is that I've REALLY hit my next film. I bought a Black Mead Notebook (I stole the idea from Eddie Vedder) and I've been writing and writing and writing my little heart out into this thing. The pages are just flowing, and I'm really coming up with some good characters and a fairly dramatic situation. As always, I've been pulling a lot of ideas and concepts out of my own head, and putting them into a fictional world. Allowing me to take lots of things I've learned and observed over the years and give them a fictional set of people to portray them. I think it's going to be a really good flick. And it's somewhat indie. I believe it still has a mainstream story, but I think I'm going to handle the flick in an indie way. We'll see how it goes. But, it is taking on a life of its own, and the characters and emotions are becoming very vivid in the notes. I plan to start writing it once I hit the east coast later this summer.

"The Last Kiss"

I know I've written about this flick before, but I SWEAR this is a NEW trailer for it.
Or, I've just got one HORRIBLE memory, because I don't remember half of what's in this preview, compared to the one that was previously on Zach Braff's Blog. (Which also now carries this version)

The uncertain future.
Fear of monotony.
Acceptance of loved ones.
The desire to be free.

Also themes for my next script...

Pearl Jam Seats

Just for those who care, I wanted to show you how close Dave got us to the concert.

We're the XXs in section 130, Row E, Seats 5 and 6. Nice and close.

Also, later I will be commenting on how cool Cincinnati is, down by the water. Having three arenas lined up next to each other, all overlooking the river - is pretty COOL. Sadly, I didn't take any pictures, so I'll have to Google Search some. More on that later, there's pizza to be eaten.

"Jam"-ing in Cincy

I'm not a huge Pearl Jam fan.
I have nothing against them, I enjoy their music when I hear it, but I've never been die-hard, I don't know all the lyrics to all their songs. So, when I went to their concert, I didn't know what to expect. What I got was an amazing experience.

Most appearant was the kindness of people. I don't remember seeing or interacting with one rude person. When people needed to get by you, they said "excuse me" and were polite. When they were dancing, and bummed into you - they apologized for it. During some songs, they grabbed your hand and held it up with theirs. It was really a "bonding" experience. Before the show, so of the people around us ("Us" being my buddy The Dave, who had an extra ticket and was kind enough to invite me to go with him to the show) began talking to Dave about how many shows he'd been to, and which ones, etc... It appears that their followers REALLY follow them. Since you can go online and download EVERY concert they have, and see their sets lists for the last SIXTEEN YEARS WORTH of shows, the fans really can "follow" this band. It's cool.

The show itself went well. LOTS of standing, making me feet feel like Jell-O right now, but I'm surviving. They played for about 2 and a half hours, and did some really intense songs. Dave explained to me after the show that appearently the fans were complaining about the middle of the show, when they slowed down the pace, so they only did a couple of soft songs (which was kind of disappointing, because it meant we didn't get to hear "Last Kiss"). But, the BEST part of the night was the fact that I got to hear Pearl Jam play "Baba O'Reilly" by The Who. This song ranks in my Top Five Songs of All-Time. So, it was a GREAT way to end the concert, and end my first ever live Pearl Jam show.

While I'm not turning into a die-hard fan, I do enjoy the music. And Eddie Vedder is starting to grow on me. The most impressive part was when he pulled out a copy of Rolling Stone Magazine, which has him on the cover. Yes - HIM, NOT the BAND. And he began wiping his own butt with the magazine. He then went on to explain that they told the magazine MULTIPLE TIMES not to put just him on the cover, but to put THE WHOLE BAND. He went on to explain his deep upset feelings towards the magazine for pulling this on them. He then destroyed the magazine and tossed it into the crowd.

Probaby one of the most important events of the night was coming into contact with the ONE Booth. I'm seen the logo on fellow filmmaker Chad Richard's Blog, and I've surfed their website, but I'd never ordered anything from them. Well, I saw it as a sign when I saw the booth. So, I'm now taking this campaign upon myself. I bought some extra bracelets for anyone who wants one, and I've added the link to the right. Defeating Poverty and AIDS are two things that I believe in, and I'd like to do my part to help, and so can you. Just go to their website and sign the petition. They don't ask you fo any money. Just your support and your voice to spread the word to others.

"Click" Review

"Click" falls into the same pit as "The Break Up", but not as quick and not as bad.

It's a really funny movie, with your typical Adam Sandler running jokes. It has its moments of seriousness, but balances it well. Until the end, where it pulls the same move as "The Break Up" and has to go 100% serious and depressing in order to make its point.

Also, I feel cheated. "Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift" had THE BEST PAYOFF of the year, and this flick really has the worst.

I give it a 6 out of 10. It's a fun watch, but I'd suggest catching a matinee, and using the extra couple bunchs to buy some sugar to keep you awake. The laughing isn't common enough to keep you awake through the entire thing...

It's nice to introduce your friends to "fun" and "cool" things.
Jason introduced me to "Firefly" and the "Serenity" world.
And now I've been able to introduce some other friends to the "Entourage" world. As we waited for "Click" to arrive at my theatre we made it through a good number of episodes and it's nice to see people enjoy a show that you really love.

Although, Justin had the best quote of the night:
"One of us needs to hurry up and get rich".
Amen, brother. Because I want that lifestyle!

A Pair of Reviews

First review: NOT SO GOOD.
"Nacho Libre" = CRAP.
I know, I know: "Shane doesn't like anything". Luckily, I've yet to meet ANYONE who actually liked this movie. I'll admit, I laughed here and there. Jack Black is funny, and he has his moments in this film, but overall - it's just a waste of time. I crappy story, BAD scenes, and sadly Jared Hess reused A TON of his shots and setups from "Napolean Dynomite". It's really just the Spanish version of that film. He's got his sidekick. He mumbles around through life, never happy. Blah, blah, I AM BORED! Then, half the film is in Spanish - with NO SUBTITLES!!! COME ON! The film gets a "D", 4 out 10.

Second review: "The Lake House".
Okay, this is a tough review. The film isn't BAD, but it's not really that good. And it's not that it's horribly written, it just makes some typical mistakes. First, I'll preface this by saying "Back to the Future" is one of my all-time favorite time-travel films, and I KNOW the whole series has mistakes. But, this film REALLY makes a HUGE mistake, that ruined the entire film for me. It's a MASSIVE plot error, and I just can't get past it.

Okay, the film is PREDICTABLE. No doubt about it, ten minutes into the film, you know what happened and what's going to happen. An hour in, your KNOW for a fact that you're right. So, it doesn't come as a surprise in the end. That's working against it, only because they actually act like you're dumb enough to NOT see it coming. Okay, whatever.

The only real complaint I have about the film is the pacing. It is REALLY SLOW. It probably could have been 10 minutes shorter, and not lost my interest as much. On top of that, I went in with low expectations, and they were meet.

And here's the problem. As far as "Changing the Past" this film is NOWHERE NEAR as good as "Frequency" and "The Butterfly Effect". When one of characters causes an event to change in the past, The Ripple Effect SHOULD TAKE PLACE, and cause events in the future to be altered. However, it does not. The end of the film makes you (as the audience) believe that even when an event is changed, only THAT MOMENT at the end of the film is changed. In reality, it should have pulled a "Butterfly Effect"-type-REWIND to the REAL MOMENT that would have been changed - and pick up the story from there.

Then again, it all boils down to if you believe in the "Time is Relative" or the "Time is Constant" philosophy. I'm a relative person, so as far as movies go: This one should have been different.

It's a good, yet predictible, date movie. Chicks who don't think (or care) about the story will enjoy it. It's an alright story, that just seems to drag. I would be interested in seeing the original, to see how much the story was "Americanized". I give it a "C", 6 out of 10.

I'm making my way through the Second Season of "Entourage" and I LOVE IT!!! Such a great show! I almost with James Cameron REALLY was making an "Aquaman" movie, that would be too cool. And I also have realized why I identify with Eric so much - his ex-girlfriend is named Kristen and she's NOT such a nice girl. We've got a lot in common...

AWESOME Lunch!

Quite often, when I sit down to eat with someone, we start talking and talking and talking. That's exactly what happened this afternoon when I met up with Chris Allen at O'Charley's.

Chris and I have been "virtual" friends for a long time. We met on the IndianapolisFilm.NET message board, and we started talking on there. When he premiered his film "A Certain Justice", he was kind enough to send me four tickets to the premiere, which I REALLY enjoyed. Since then, I've been a big fan of Chris' work, and he was even kind enough to send me a copy of "A Certain Justice" on DVD when he released it. (Today, I FINALLY paid him back with a free copy of "Reuion"! Only a couple of years late!). So, we've run into each other at various film premieres and events, and we'd talk briefly and always say that we'd "do lunch" sometime soon.

Well, that meeting finally happened today, and it was as if we were old friends. We spent three hours at O'Charley's (our waitress got an AMAZING tip!) and we just talked film, shared stories, learned about each other and our projects, and discussed our methods and passions. It was great!

It's really cool for me to talk to other people who are on my level. The people who want to make films and are running into the same types of problems I have. Actors. Locations. Money. People to help. Often, I talk to people in L.A. who don't have these problems and it gets me down. It makes me feel like I'm the only one with problems, so it's nice to see others in the same boat. I offered to help in any way that I could his projects, and he made the same offer to me. Thus, giving both of us an extra pair of eyes, ears, and hands if the going gets too tough.

I'm really wanting to collaborate more with people. Get something rolling. I'm tired of the number of "hats" I have to wear on film productions. I still want to produce, but I'd like to get some new writers, some people who want to direct, some other people to help me produce, and I REALLY want to get some people to help with DP-work and Audio. Those are the two places I need to make LEAPS and BOUNDS of improvements. I want help, and it's nice to network with people who might be able to fill those roles.

It appears that I might, once again, be able to spend a couple of monthes away from Indianapolis. My goal is to Detox myself from all the drama that has aroused in my life, and spend September and October in another city. And while I'm gone, I want to do LOTS and LOTS of writing. Most importantly, is the "Christmas Flick". It's an easy and simple concept, and it's something that I really believe will appeal to many families during the holidays, and just be a "Feel Good Film". My dream would be that every Decemeber, some family all sits down and makes a BIG DEAL about watching Shane's Christmas Movie!!!

Second, I'm going to be expanding "No One Dies" into the feature length script that it once was going to be. The first time I wrote it, the flick came out VERY MUCH like "Se7en", so I quit. I just felt like I was being completely un-original, and I didn't want to make a copycat film. So, I took my opening 5 minute scene, and expanded it into the short film we previously shot. Now, with a new storyline, I'll be able to condense the first five minutes back to what it originally was, and make the short film NOT DRAG OUT and make it a part of the whole film. Also, bringing back Papaw's character later on in the film, as he serves a greater purpose now. New ideas are flowing, and it's going to turn out pretty well.

Sadly, as long as I'm in this city, and have to deal with certain people and things, I'll never be able to truly dedicate myself to film, the way I want to. So, after August, I'm going to go "find myself" and in process I'm hoping to complete TWO scripts that I'm really passionate about.

Spending the afternoon with Chris, and hearing his "War Stories" of the past 12 years that he's been trying to make films, was really inspirational to me, and reminded me that things do not come easy. Chris was IN HOLLYWOOD having meetings with Disney, who wanted to option his story, when it all came to an end, and he was lost in the shuffle of corporate Hollywood. But, he's still trying, and his passion and desire is a good example for people like me.

"The Break-Up"

If you're like me, many time when you go to the movies, you place yourself and your friends in various characters in the film. Or, when you're sitting around a party you start assigning people at the party based on personalities.

Then, sometimes comes a movie where you don't have to pretend. Because you've recently gone through every single last thing depicted in the film. And you can sit there and remember those exact same words and those exact same fights. That's "The Break-Up" for me, in a nutshell.

The movie is mediocre. Still not a good addition to this summer line up. While it is REALLY FUNNY at time, the film drags on. It overplays stereotypes. And the drama is just bad. It's honestly like two short stories put together to make a long film. Some things work well, others just fall flat. And it's going to upset lots of moviegoers, and it's not going to be a repeat viewing film for most people.

I had dinner with Zach and Jenny tonight, my present to Zach for his birthday. We talked about the re-filming of "No One Dies" and we discussed the plans for "Crazy About You" and his editing schedule on it. It was a good time and fun to spend some time with Zach.

And it's really interesting how ONE DAY can be filled with so many ups and downs. I was dealing with the ups and down of "No One Dies", when I get a really nice email from a friend, to being told things about former friends that bring me down and upset me, to... I don't even know where I am right now. I'm stuck in the middle. I'm attempting to move on and live this HAPPY GO LUCKY lifestyle, while I'm just not all here up in my head. Life just doesn't make sense sometimes. But, it all happens for a reason. It's going to make me stronger.

59 Days and counting...

New Tattoo

So, this is what happens on the last day of hanging out with your best friend:

Him and Lee go to the tattoo shop (with appointments) to get some new tattoos before Jason leaves. You tag along, because you want to hang out with your best friend. You spend four hours sitting around in a tattoo shop, talking to some of the guys, and you just think to yourself "Man, I should get another one too!" 30 minutes later, you've got a new tattoo on your arm, and Jason still hasn't sat down to do his. Oh, the randomness of life! Spontaneity...

"X-Men" Quickly

I saw "X-Men: The Last Stand" tonight.
I'm going to wait until tomorrow to do my write up.
It's going to be long.

The short: 7/10, B-

More to come tomorrow...

"What Love Is"

Those who know me, know how much I respect and admire Mars Callahan for the film "Poolhall Junkies" which later became part of the inspiration behind "Reunion". I'm also a fan of his previous film "Double Down" and always get a laugh when I catch him acting at the end of "That Thing You Do!".

I'm a big fan of his dialogue and the dry humor his characters envoke upon one another. It's quick and witty and I enjoy that. So, I've been waiting a fairly long time for another movie from Mars. And finally, there's a semi-official website from Big Sky Motion Pictures that's dedicated to his new film: "What Love Is".

And this flick has one heckuva cast:
Cuba Gooding, Jr.
Matthew Lillard
Mars Callahan
Sean Astin
Anne Heche
Gina Gershon
Shiri Appleby

It's nice to see someone whose work I have previously admired taking steps up in the film world, and going from low budget flicks without big names, to doing a studio flick with some High B Listers on it. Big Sky's website reports the film is in post production, so I can only hope that it will be out sometime this year.

From 8:30pm to 8:37pm I was glued to FOX, while I was watching a 7-minute preview of "X-Men 3: The Last Stand". It looked AMAZING. I'm really looking forward to seeing it, and I'm REALLY ANNOYED at the fact that I know Jason is going to the screening of the film in NYC tomorrow night. How lucky is that punk? The footage is supposed to be posted online after midnight, and I'm sure I'll link to it sometime after that.

"Poseidon"

So, I now feel that the first true Summer Blockbuster is here.
"Poseidon" is everything that it is supposed to be.
Man vs. Nature.
"Titanic" meets "Armageddon".
I'm a fan of Kurt Russell. I'm a fan of Josh Lucas. And I enjoyed both of them in this flick.

One of my "All-Time Hotties" is also in this flick:
Stacy "Fergie" Ferguson of the Black Eyed Peas. She doesn't get a lot of screen time, but she's still nice to look at. And I just discovered something BEYOND AWESOME: Fergie has a Peanuts connection, she did the voice of Sally Brown in "It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown" and "Snoppy's Getting Married, Charlie Brown", how cool is that? She was also on a TV show I watched as a kid, called "Kids, Inc." it was a short lived Disney series that I was secretly obsessed with. The show also featured Mario Lopez and Jennifer Love Hewitt.

So, anyways, back to the flick.
It follows the same formula that has worked for successful blockbusters. It has drama and suspense, it has romance and it has people overcoming obstacles to reach victory. It's a fast paced movie, and only comes in a little over 1:45. It doesn't burden itself with a long first act, it quickly gets into the real story, while taking what feels like just the right amount of time to develop the characters, before throwing them into the drama of the situation. There's not too many cheesey lines, and while there are some confusing moments (where they obviously cut some connecting story elements) it moved pretty well. At times things got confusing when they would be talking about going "down" when theoretically they meant "up" because the ship is upside down (sorry if I spoiled that for anyone, but if didn't know that happened, you either haven't seen the trailer, or the original).

Wolfgang Peterson has proven he knows ships.
He directed "Das Boot", "The Perfect Storm" and now "Poseidon". There is a good amount of beautiful cinematography, and the camera moves through the ship is some unique and interesting ways. While the beautiful opening sequence is obviously a large part CGI, it still looks good and blends well with the "real life" events that were filmed.

Is "Poseidon" going to redefine cinema? Nope.
Is "Poseidon" an evolutionary leap in CGI? Nope.
Is "Poseidon" enjoyable? For sure.

So enjoyable, that I'm going to do my best to catch it at the IMAX sometime, and actually pay for a ticket (If the Indy IMAX ever gets this film, according to their website, it's not booked...) According to the Kerasotes Website, they might be playing it in Digital. If that's the case, perhaps I'll pay to see that, since the Indy IMAX is so "odd". Or perhaps I'll make a road trip up to the Windy City, if they're playing it IMAX. I'll have to look into that sometime.

If you're looking for fun, and just a plain old good time without thinking too hard about characters, motivation, and HOW THAT KID GOT IN THERE???, then this isn't a bad way to spend two hours. There's some good tension that had me squirming in my seat (my distaste for height may have a played a part in that too...) and it's enjoyable.

Next week is "The Da Vinci Code", which I'll probably get into one of the early screenings of next week. I'm looking forward to it, based solely on the previews and no knowledge of the book.

I just had the best film school ever. Sean and I watched "Reunion" and he helped me by pointing out a lot of things for me.

Just got the tour of Jargon Entertainment Studio. I'm going to have to build up my reel to get a job there.

Filming in HD.

Doing some test footage in HD, with the Panasonic DVC P2.

Another Shot of The Sunset.

Here's another shot of the sun actually going down.

Pacific Winnetka 21

The Pacific Winnetka 21 Theatre, where I spent many Friday nights. Notice the PALM TREES!!!

The View.

Looking down into the valley, from Sean and Becky's porch.

"Crash"

So, I should have been tweaking "No One Dies" this afternoon, but I sat down to eat lunch and ended up putting in "Crash". So, about a year after I saw the first preview, I've finally watched the film. I bought the DVD really cheap a couple of weeks back, and just hadn't made the time to watch it.

I've recently heard a quote, and it goes something like this: "Movies don't have beginnings and they don't have ends. All they have is middles."

The more and more I think about this, the more true it becomes. I mean, aside from having a film where the entire Earth explodes in the end, there's always going to be more to a story. And even if there was a film where the entire Earth exploded at the end, a couple of years later James Cameron would come along and remind us that there was one small ship of humans in outer space when the explosion happened, and now we need to see their story. Thus, our entire galaxy would have to collapse and implode on itself, along with every other galaxy in the 'verse, or else there would be a story, somewhere, to tell.

Back to my point: "Crash" is definetly a "middle" movie. It's got two things going really well for it: The acting and the message. However, when the film was over, I did not feel like I was taken for a narrative journey. I didn't feel like I knew anything better than when I sat down to watch it. So, again, it's really a film with a message and great acting. The message is that if you look hard enough, you can find discrimination anywhere. It happens everyday, and it happens in many different forms. That message is overpowerful in the film, and the actors who relay this message do a phenomenal job.

But again, when it's over, I don't feel like I've watched a movie, as much as a PSA for anti-discrimination. There's lots of storylines that aren't resolved (which I understand isn't a requirement...), and I'm left wondering how these characters are going to change the next day. Are they going to change? Are they going to continue on the same paths that they were on? Or have the events of these two days transformed their lives for the better? Or worse? Or am I supposed to write these endings for myself? Come to my own conclusions?

Despite my feelings for the film (as a film), it did one thing right: I can't stop thinking about it after I watched it. And I think that's a true test for a powerful film.

"When a Stranger Calls"

Back in 1999 and 2000, while Jason and I were getting started on "Consternate" - I was doing my homework by watching LOTS of horror films. The original "When a Stranger Calls" was recommended to me, and I checked it out. While it was fiarly creepy at times, it wasn't the best production value. Thus, a remake - like this one - doesn't have a whole lot to live up to.

The film has ONE good thing going for it: It is suspenseful, most of the time. (When you're not yelling at her about what she's doing wrong)

The film has one MAJOR thing going WRONG for it: Lack of story. Lots of suspense with little payoff, and a cheap (and obvious) ending.

Aside from that, it's just plain average. I've seen A LOT worse, but there's so much better stuff out there.

If you're on a date, and you want a chick all over your arm, this is the right movie. If you're looking for something that's actually "good" - Check out "Match Point".