spam.

thanks laurel. (http://floatfasthummingbird.blogspot.com/)

As I was looking at this picture, it occurred to me how thankful I am that my e-mail in box stays spam free.

While this picture truly brightened my day, I thought about the countless other messages I may have received with this one. This includes e-mail forwards promising the love of my life if I forward that message to 15 other people. While it is sometimes nice to get a message of inspiration about a legless boy competing in the special olympics, I like to think that those stories make their way to me in other ways (blogs, etc) and not via my e-mail.

So thanks to everyone that has my e-mail address and refrains from sending me time wasting mail. And in case you were wondering, that is a poodle dressed up as a Ninja Turtle.

revolutionary road.

sam mendes' revolutionary road.

There was a film that came out a year or so back that was called Married Life.  There are similarities between the two films, most obviously the period the films are set in.  But where Married Life lacked a certain sort of intensity, Revolutionary Road is spot on.  This film, like Sam Mendes’ other films, is a masterpiece.  His directorial choices and his camera set ups could be watched without any dialogue and still be appreciated by most movie goers.  That’s how good he is.

As for teh actors, DiCaprio plays a nice range, going from indifferent husband to the angst ridden DiCaprio we have come to know ever since he was cast in The Aviator.  While DiCaprio’s performance was strong, Kate Winslet is the shining star.  She perfectly portrays this character…wait, not a character…she becomes this woman trapped in suburbia. Every painful action is apparent and her frustration is as heartbreaking as Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler.

The film left me wondering if the story is commenting on marriage as a failed institution or a poignant reminder of marriage’s evolution through the years.  Mendes’ framing is amazing and the pacing of the film begins subtly; familiar to American Beauty.  However, the film quickly escalates and the drama and tension is built between these two titans on the screen.

There’s not much else to say about this film other than: Kate Winslet deserves the Oscar.

i’m reed fish.

zackary adler's i'm reed fish.

I watched this on a whim through Netflix.  It is one of the films that was purchased to be distributed exclusively by Netflix.  It is a pretty run of the mill rom-com (romantic comedy).  Although, it has a lot of familiar faces from other teen comedies and such.  The lead is Jay Baruchel of Knocked Up and more recently Tropic Thunder fame.  He does a solid job as the lead, proving he may not remain in the shadows of the rest of the Apatow camp for long.  His range was fairly good and he is cast well as the lovable lead.

The real interesting twist to this story is that the script is written by the real Reed Fish.  So apparently the story is based on true events, but as we all know, film takes real life and embellishes those moments.  I think that’s where this film fails a bit because the story doesn’t really grab you.  It was done more for therapy than for the masses.

Watch it if you need to put something on while you make out with your girlfriend.

wild west comedy show: 30 days & 30 nights

hollywood to the heartland.

Suprisingly to me (probably not to others), this film had few laughs. instead it seemed to lack identity.  It reminded me of another road show comedy tour that Dane Cook sponsored.  People came for the big name and ended up having to sit through 4 other guys before he got on to do his thing.  Now the guys in this film are likable and there are some really nice moments in the film.  But it ultimately fails as a stand-up comedy show and never really succeeds as a narrative either.

This would be one of those DVD’s you put in while you’re trying to get other work done.  Something that lacks the need for attention and thought, but can be gandered at every-so-often for a funny joke.

If Vince Vaughn or NY/Jersey accents are your thing, then peep this.

le scaphandre et le papillon.

julian schnabel's le scaphandre et le papillon.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly was adapted from a novel of the same name.  The story behind the novel is that the author (and consequently the main character in the film) is completely paralyzed except for the blinking of one of his eyes.  He was able to translate based on blinking to someone who would write down his thoughts.

The acting and story were poignant in a way that seems like only foreign films are able to be.  The imagery and colors of the film only lend themselves to an even stronger film.  The film really puts you in the position of the main character, Jean-Dominique Bauby.  The camera technique is a really interesting contrast between The Wrestler and The Diving Bell.  Both have similar tones, but one stays at a distance while the other must take you into the world as a first person POV in order to connect you to that person.  Both great films to watch and learn from.

Take the time to see the beauty in silence.

the wrestler.

darren aronofsky's the wrestler.

Watch the scene when Rourke’s character is signing autographs.  Instead of going for a POV (point of view) shot, Aronofsky stays OTS (over the shoulder) and follows Rourke’s head turn.  You get, without a doubt,  what’s going on in Rourke’s head while at the same time being kept at a distance from Rourke’s character, just as he holds everyone else at arms length.

Rourke, Tomei, and Wood do a ridiculously fantastic job.  They are restrained and so spot on with their roles.  You can feel the history and see the pain in their eyes.  I was truly blown away by this film.

See it.  Love it.

reviews.

So I’m going to get on the bandwagon and start reviewing flicks.  I’m going to keep it short and sweet because I have the attention span of a 5 year old.

There will be new and old films as well as life stuff mixed into the future blogs of this page.  I am going to attempt to hit the page at least every other day with a film review.  Expect many long breaks in between the personal stuff.

who killed retro girl.

powers, issue nine cover.

This was posted on myspace from writer Brian Michael Bendis:

“Right now, I’m working on the pilot for the Powers TV show, which has a network and a director and a studio and we’re rolling forward pretty quickly.”

For those of you that know what I’ve been working on, all I have to say is:

“Fuck.”

really.

batman, turkey.

I just read this on comingsoon.net and had to post about it. Apparently there is a city in Turkey named “Batman” and they are suing Christopher Nolan and Warners for royalties. They claim that the film used the city’s name without permission!

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=50434

the beat of my heart.

not my real ekg.

I’m currently sitting at the cardiologist office. Apparently high blood pressure and cholesterol are a dangerous pairing.

Health aside, I’m sitting in a room full of people over the age of 55. That’s right, you can assume that I have the heart of a 55 year old man. That is unless they all smoke and that shit really does make you look 20 years older.

Then I just have the heart of a 35 year old…