Review: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Slow. Simple. Warm.

Those are the three words I would use to describe this film.

I thought it was a beautiful film. Very simple, it unfolds very gradually with very little surprise. I was not blow away, or moved to tears but I thought it was well done and heartfelt. Brad Pitt did a good job but I felt like Cate Blanchett over acted a bit. She is a powerful actress but her performances to me didn't come off as realistic.

I reccommend the film to anyone seeking a feel good movie and likes a slow pace.

John McCain

Like I said before, I think John McCain is a good person. I truly beleive he means well.

I liked him a lot more before he backed down on his torture bill. As the ONLY person in the US Senate who had actually been held and tortured I expected him to stand his ground and get real change made. Instead he backed down to all of the Bush/Cheney administration demands and nothing changed. That was a chance to show real leadership and in my mind he didn't.

Fast forward to today and the crisis gripping the nation and John McCain again is not showing leadership or insight.

Giving a press conference suspending his campaign? Is this a joke?

First of all we are a little over a month away from the elections so 'suspending' your campaign doesn't sound wise.

Second SUSPENDING YOUR CAMPAIGN IS NOT POSSIBLE!

You can't turn off the media. You can't step out of it.

Then...

Why would you want to do that anyway?

You campaign to win? Right? What other purpose does it serve? Why then would 'suspend' something that is set up to win you the presidential office?

"So I can go to Washington and focus on the Fiancial Crisis"

The Economy has never been McCains strong suit, and this ECONOMIC CRISIS is not going anywhere any time soon. This does not bode well for McCain. We need a president who has a strong understanding of the economy and the Economy has never been McCains strong suit.

Music: The Faint

I recently discovered this band by sheer chance, and I love their music!

They have a great sound. It's very neo-80's. Electro clash with extra electro.

They have great lyrics, excellent beats and melodies. I look forward to more of there music.

We Get Seduced!

The Decline of America

The decline of America can be seen in the following shows:

I love New York
I love Money
The Real World
America's Got Talent <---- people actually watch this????
anything with Flava Flav
MTV

it's really sad

Deal or No Deal

I am getting so sock of this show.

The only reason this show, and other lame gameshows are doing so well right now is because people need the money!

Lakeview Terrace

Samuel L. Jackson plays an angry black man...

Again.

I feel like every movie I have ever seen him in he plays the same character.

The Angry black man who is pissed off and yells a lot. The only thing that seems to change is his dialogue.

Entourage 5

Not really digging it.

At first I could not buy Adrian Grenier as big star. And now since he never really rose up, and his acting has never gotten good, I really can't buy it.

I like Kevin Dillon, he's a cool guy. But his character is not making sense to me. They put him in situations that make him look so old. In the newest episode there is a part where he is posing with like ten other models and it is GLARINGLY obvious that his is like 15-20 years older then all of them. No amount of makeup can hide this.

Turtle was always repulsive to me. I can know that there are actual weasly type people like him out there so he fills a nitch or something, but I can't stand him. Jerry Farrar who plays him is also the so baby-ish and anoying it's too much.

Kevin Connelly can't tuck in his shirts because then he looks as short as he really is.

Jeremy Piven is Ari Gold only without the wit, and more of the attitude and sense of entitlement. Piven is by far one of the most 'evil' people I have ever come across.

I think the show peaked at season three. Season four was bad. I worked on that season in the production office. I can tell you first hand the whole season was an excuse for the writers (who phoned the whole season in) to go to Cannes. None of them would be able to ever go otherwise...

The show had so much potential but I don't think they are giving it the creative attention, they are getting lazy and I think it means the end of the show

Immigration

1) Immigration

Immigration is a major issue that MUST be dealt with in the very near future.

Let's pretend that America is an all you can eat buffet. You pay your fee and you get a plate. The fee covers the food. There is plenty of food and it’s good. Then people start to sneak in the back door. They grab a plate and help themselves, not paying the fee. They bring other people in and they don’t pay either. Soon the restaurant is not a pleasant. The lines are longer and the food quality begins to decline. Some of these people are caught. They say they will wash dishes to pay for their food. Soon the dishwashers are out of a job because of all the people working off there food. But the food has never gotten better. Many people can’t afford to order off the menu so they are stuck in long lines, paying there fee (even though some aren’t) and getting bad service and food.

The food is American schools, hospitals, and social services. The fee is your taxes.

Immigration is a contentious issue. But it is actually very simple.

America is not capable of handling everyone that wants to come here. It would be great if it could, but it can’t. The more people that come the more strained America gets. A weak America will not be able to help anyone.

America needs to:

1) Do a full accounting of who is here.
2) Stop people from coming here illegally
3) End the reasons they come (free services)
4) Determine who goes immediately and forever –i.e. violent criminals
5) Determine who will never be eligible for citizenship --petty criminals
6) Determine who can be put on a path to citizenship, if there is a fine associated.
7) Create a powerful efficient temporary worker program.

It is unfair to the people who followed the laws and took the legal path to citizenship, to just grant citizenship to people who did not.

America has laws. Laws must be followed and enforced or society will break down and decline. It’s time to enforce the laws on the books. This is not about race or anything other than laws, money and the economy.

I know it seems harsh, but tough times call for tough measures. I further believe that it is time to alter the ‘Birth-right Citizenship’. Citizenship should no longer be granted to the children of illegal immigrants. Citizenship should on be granted to legal immigrants children. This falls under #3.

The argument that enforcing immigration laws will break apart families is unfounded. The children follow the parents, it’s very simple.

The immigration issue is closely linked to the crisis in healthcare, the problems with schools and the economy woes. You cannot address those issues without addressing immigration and immigrants.

Again, I know it can comes off as harsh. But there is no such thing as a free lunch. Because if there is, someone else’s lunch suffers. If America can’t help itself and get it’s house in order it will not be in a position to help others.

Change is in the air...

A little change will do you good... Change we shall have.

I have learned a lot these last couple years. I tend to lean left, because the environment is at the top of my list.

I was a Hillary fan, but I can get onto the Barack bandwagon. I like his message. He has aligned himself with and won the support prominent leaders, thinkers and powers. His lack of experience means he is learning and is open to new ideas, new thinking; and this is what America needs.

"You can't teach an old dog new tricks"

With no disrespect, John McCain is an old dog. A good and loyal one, but he ain't learning no new tricks if you follow me...

America is on the precipice. The future is uncertain. Luckily this is the greatest country in the world, with the most versatile economy in the world. America is ready for a leader with a vision, a leader of the future, a person the world will rally behind. I can't see John McCain as that person.

Sarah Palin worries me a bit. She has dirty oil on her hands, and is very much an unknown quantity with unknown agenda. Personally I can see her opening up ANWR for drilling and deciding that the bridges to nowhere are back on the table. I think she is the result of advisors, stratagizors, and polling. He chose his running mate after only meeting her once. She is an attempt to inject life and some kind of enthusiasm into the McCain campaign. People should be weary of her agenda, her energy policies, and her lack of experience. While she has "used the veto pen" and "has Executive experience" there is huge difference between running a 7/11 and a 'Super-Wal-mart'. It's better to know the power players of 'Wal-mart', deal with them, know there style how they do business, than it is to not know or have met them but know what it's like run a tiny company.

I think John McCain is a good guy. He has a great story and is a real war hero. But I don't think he is what America needs right now.

America needs vibrancy. It needs charisma. It needs change. America needs to show the world that it is moving forward.

Going Green

Going Green

‘Going green’ is a term that gets thrown around a lot these days. Many people don’t really know what it means.

Or worse many people think they know but are wrong.

Or worse still they don’t care.

Being green more than driving a Pirus, shopping at Whole Foods, or putting out your recycling for the bums.

Going Green is about waking up the environment; seeing it as the living breathing organism that it is. The environment gives us life and learning how to lessen your impact upon it in a macro and micro way for the betterment of everyone, every living thing is what “Going Green” means. Going green means taking our environmental impact to nill and then restoring the parts that have been lost; creating green spaces where ever possible. It means moving into an era where clean renewable energy and renewable products are the only consumed in use.

Saving energy helps but it is not enough. Carpooling, turning off lights, and buying organic is a good start, but it will not be enough. It’s time that America lead the worlds green revolution. Going Green locally is a good start but it won’t get us to the finish. It is time for America to engage with the rest of the world and help other countries with there Green revolutions. It is far easier to reduce the pollution in developing countries than it is at home or in Europe, so it is best if we do so.

Pollution is a global terror. It kills millions, costs billions and leaves irreparable damage in it’s wake. Pollution knows no border and is a friend to no one. If your business pollutes or harms the environment your business hurts has no future.

In 19th century London a famous Economist was quoted as stating that “at current population projections, and current growth rates and the number horses and buggies London will be buried in manure in 50 years!” What he failed to see was that human innovation always steps up. Shorty after that, the car came along, then the subway, and today you would be hard pressed to find any manure in London at all.

The point is: The world is not ending. Global Warming is not going to kill us all.

But…

That does not mean the threat doesn’t exist.

It means that it is time for the innovators the to get to work. It is time to remake the world and rid it of all the pollution / manure!

Movie Review: The Dark Knight

The Dark Knight

Incredible. Amazing. Disturbing. Powerful...

This is one of the best movies I have seen in a VERY long time.

It was also the most emotionally draining movie I have seen in a VERY long time. The film takes you up and down and keeps you on the edge of your seat and and struggling to keep up for the full 2.5 hours. It is so well written and so well executed that time stops, the adrenaline takes over and you never quite know where this is going. Christopher Nolan is my new screenwriting idol.

Every performance was very good. I was skeptical about the buzz around Heath Ledger's 'Oscar worthy performance'. I thought it's all just hype and people are only saying that because he passed away and it's just a ploy by Warner Bros. Marketing department... But as I watched him, I was disturbed, as was intended and I actually agree. It really was an Oscar worthy performance. Watching him, and knowing he is no longer alive certainly makes his performance more powerful, but I think I would have still been moved even if he was still alive.

The story is exceptional. This movie is the new standard for the Superhero movie. The bar has just been raised. They take classic Batman characters and situations and modernize them. They make it feel so real and so relevent that the plot and themes really hit home. Go see it. Then go see Tropic Thunder to clear your emotional pallet!!

9.5 out of 10

Movie Review: Tropic Thunder

Tropic Thunder

Loved it.

Ben Stiller returns to directing for the first time (I believe) since Zoolander (also one of my favorite films).

Tropic Thunder is very funny, mildly demented, a little crude, but totally fun. The story unfolds nicely and keep you laughing and totally entertained from start to finish. Everyone does a great job.

The stand out performance is Tom Cruise! He was hysterical! If they gave out Oscars for Comedy Tom would be nominated for this movie. I loved that they don’t even advertise him as being in the movie (smart) and then he delivers the best performance in the movie.

I definitely recommend this film, especially if you like Ben Stiller style (dark and slap-sticky) comedy.
9 out of 10

Show Biz Idiots

Show Biz Idiots

Add Shia LaDoof to the list of Show Biz idiots.

I was a big fan of him. He is a good actor and had so much promise. But I have no respect for people that drink and drive. I have even less respect for people that drink and drive and then put hundreds (if not thoudsands) of people out of work. Production for Transformers 2 was halted because of Shia’s idiocracy. The selfishness, shamelessness and total immaturity of people that have the world at there finger tips is incredible to me.

I sincerely hope Shia does not develop ‘Paris Hilton syndrome’. That’s when you get a sense of entitlement and feelings like you are above the law, followed by elevated drug and alcohol use. Soon you become totally worthless to society.
It kills me to see young people that have so much and see so little. Why they don’t see the need to give back to a world that has given them so much. How come they can’t see that they are (were) role models for people and that they uniquely have the power to make the world a better place.

It kills me to watch them do the exact opposite.

It kills me to see the decline of America in the faces and actions of the Paris Hiltons, Shia LeBoufs, and Kardashians…
Can somebody please turn it off?

Conflict of Interest

Conflict of Interest
You cannot at once be for ‘Off Shore Drilling’ and slowing Climate Change.
You cannot be for moving away from oil and spending billions for FIND and drill for it.
You cannot simultaneously prepare for and prevent war.
You can’t be moving away from oil and be searching for more.
It is possible to have a Green, Oil Free, Energy Independent economy.
It’s insane to believe Obama is to blame for high oil prices.
It’s well established Dick Cheney met with big Oil in 2001 when America created it’s new energy policy that lowered the MPG of cars and discouraged conservation.
Raising the MPG by 2 in 2001 would have saved more than double the oil in ANWR.
America can lead the world.
The world needs to go green; before it goes dead.
The world has 6 billion people, and will have 9 billion by 2025. That’s a lot of carbon emissions from just there breathing.
Green technology is the future.
Black technology (coal, oil) is the past.
We can’t dwell in the past.
We must move into the future.
If we had started moving into the future in 2001 (not the past) I would easily have $200 extra dollars a month (gas savings) in my pocket.
I want an electric car that I can charge from the Solar Panels on my roof.
I don’t want to spend money on oil anymore.
Even if it is from the US.
Why does McCain want me to keep spending money on oil?
I would rather spend my money on me.
America should be the future, not the past.
America should be looking for renewable energy, not polluting energy.
You can’t be for a better world, cleaner air and enviornments, higher quality of life and drilling for more oil. It’s a conflict of interest.
Demand a better world, demand that America lead the way.

Review: The Dark Knight

Incredible. Amazing. Disturbing. Powerful...

This is one of the best movies I have seen in a VERY long time.

It was also the most emotionally draining movie I have seen in a VERY long time. The film takes you up and down and keeps you on the edge of your seat and and struggling to keep up for the full 2.5 hours. It is so well written and so well executed that time stops, the adrenaline takes over and you never quite know where this is going. Christopher Nolan is my new screenwriting idol.

Every performance was very good. I was skeptical about the buzz around Heath Ledger's 'Oscar worthy performance'. I thought it's all just hype and people are only saying that because he passed away and it's just a ploy by Warner Bros. Marketing department... But as I watched him, I was disturbed, as was intended and I actually agree. It really was an oscar worthy performance. Watching him, and knowing he is no longer alive certainly makes his performance more powerful, but I think I would have still been moved even if he was still alive.

The story is exceptional. This movie is the new standard for the Superhero movie. The bar has just been raised.

They take classic Batman characters and situations and modernize them. They make it feel so real and so relevent that the plot and themes really hit home.

Go see it. Then go see Tropic Thunder to clear your emotional pallet!!

Movie Review: Get Smart

Movie Review: Get Smart

Your classic summer film. Advertised and hyped like crazy. Full of stars, big action sequences, and funny one liners.

Parts of the film felt forced to me. I felt there was too much reliance on gag humor, but that’s how the original series was so…
I thought it was fun, but I also felt it was weak in a few ways. The story wasn’t that great, but it wasn’t bad either. The twists were predicable and I knew how the film would end half way through it.

Anne Hathaway did well; not great or particularly exciting. Steve Carell was fun, he was a perfect match for the character and gave the lines well. Nothing struck me as great about any of the other performances.

I give it a 6.5 out of 10.

Movie Review: Wanted

Movie Review: Wanted

Fast. Fun. Furious. Over the top.

I liked it but I thought it was a bit over blown at times. It basically works in the context of the story, but it left me with a feeling of ‘wow that was out of control’.

Angelina Jolie gave a great performance. She was definitely in her element in this film. Everyone else had a pretty solid performance as well.

The film has fun twists and will keep you entertained. I recommend it.

I give it 8 out of 10.

Drilling

Oil

Oil is a dirty business.

It always has been, and always will be. People are killed drilling it. People are killed fighting over it. Environments are killed when it’s refined, when it spills and especially when it’s burned.

It is widely known that there are alternatives for almost every use for oil. Cars can run on electricity, hydrogen, water and even sunlight. Starbucks is developing ‘plastic’ cups made from corn, that are biodegradable. Heating can come from wind power. So with so many alternatives for oil on the table why are we still using it?

Politics mostly. Money follows closely. Greed and power are not far behind. Remember how oil is a dirty business; well it’s dealings are just as dirty as it’s spills and stains.
Did you know a solar array about 40 miles in diameter could power our entire power grid?

America could have been halfway or possibly totally cured of it’s addiction to oil today had actions been taken in 2000. But we cannot go back. We must move forward. America cannot drill it’s way out of it’s oil addiction/problem any more than alcohol can cure the alcoholic. So why is there even a debate about drilling in the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge?

Politics mostly. Money follows closely. Greed and power are not far behind.

The arguments for drilling there are:

1. It will lower the Price of oil
2. It will lessen our dependence on foreign oil.
3. It won’t effect the wildlife or enviornment
4. There are 10 billion barrels of oil that are a boon for the economy

A closer look at the facts reveals the truth:

The Energy Information Administration does not feel ANWR will affect the global price of oil when past behaviors of the oil market are considered. "The opening of ANWR is projected to have its largest oil price reduction impacts as follows: a reduction in low-sulfur, light crude oil prices of $0.41 per barrel (2006 dollars) in 2026 for the low oil resource case, $0.75 per barrel in 2025 for the mean oil resource case, and $1.44 per barrel in 2027 for the high oil resource case, relative to the reference case."
"Assuming that world oil markets continue to work as they do today, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) could neutralize any potential price impact of ANWR oil production by reducing its oil exports by an equal amount."

In conclusion; it will NOT lower the price of oil anytime soon, and when it does (if it does) it will at most be $1.44 a barrel which translates to pennies per gallon. Literally no more than 7 cents!!!

So will it lessen our dependence on foreign oil? Not anytime soon. And if they drilled in ANWR the oil would be sold on the oil market to the highest bidder. The oil is not just given to the US government or citizens to solve it’s oil woes. The oil is owned by the company that drilled for it. They will sell it much the same way a foreign oil company does.

Let’s pretend you have a field you raise cattle on. Then an oil company wants to drill on it. They say they only need a tiny patch. You say ‘okay’. Once they get the okay, they say ‘well we’ll need to build a road to the drill site. So they build a road that cuts your field in half, scaring the cattle and disrupting their migration route; even occasionally hitting a few. Then when they are shipping the oil away from the ‘small drill site’ it spills and contaminates the only watering hole on the field. The oil company promises to clean it up, but in the mean time you cattle have nowhere to get water, many of the cattle die and get sick or leave your field. You want to stop the oil company but you can’t, you want them to clean up the mess, but they won’t. Now you have nothing, the land you leased them is ruined. So now they want to build a pipeline that will officially divide the land and alter the landscape… The cattle and most other animals are gone and it will cost more to restore it (if you can) than the oil coming out of it is worth. So what can you do? Nothing. The only thing you can do is not let it happen.

When oil companies tell you there will be no impact, or that drilling will be clean, it’s a lie. There is no such thing as a clean drilling and shipping process. Spills continue to happen to this day. Not even six months ago there was a spill in the San Francisco bay. There was a large oil spill in Prudhoe Bay in 2006. Tar still washes up on the shores of Santa Barbara from the oil rigs off it’s coast. The oil rigs off the coast of Santa Barbara were promised and contracted to be removed once the project was done. That was over ten years ago and they are all still there. The cost of removing them rivals the amount of money the oil they produced. Why should we believe Alaska will be treated differently? The actions of the oil companies speak louder than their words, and there actions show destruction and messes everywhere.

The oil companies try and tell us that this oil will be a boon to our economy. They say that 10 billion barrels is enough money to balance our budget and bring thousands of jobs. But again, the jobs will go to the lowest bidder, and the money will go to the oil company. They do not drill out of the goodness of their hearts to help working class Americans. They drill for money. They get over 70% of the profits from drilling the oil leaving ‘America’ with an expensive mess and a small stipend that won’t do anything for the economy.

It will cost hundreds of millions of dollars to drill in ANWR. If we put that money into clean energy. If we focused on the solutions we could be 70% off of oil in ten years; before a drop of ANWR oil hits the market.

The bottom line is WE DON’T NEED IT.

Oil is the problem, NOT the solution!

Clean, renewable (already existing) energies are the solution. Lets put our time money and energy into them. That will create millions of new jobs, be a huge boon to our economy and put America once again at the forefront of the technology and moral world stage.

Don’t be fooled by the million dollar publicity campaigns of big oil. Don’t buy into the lies.

The Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge is one of America’s greatest treasures and a special place on the Earth.

Let’s keep it that way.

Review: The Chronicles of Nariana: Prince Caspian

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

By the time it was over, I liked it. I am a huge fan of the series and I think it is the perfect book to film series. I would like to see it a more refined and concerted effort in the films… where is Peter Jackson when you need him? But over all I thought it pulled through well.

I thought it was slow to start and awkward in the beginning. The set up for Prince Caspian was weak and unsubstantial. I would have liked to see his past and place established much cleaner, mainly the importance of the relationship with his ‘half dwarf’ professor shown firmly.

I also thought the re-introduction of the kids was also weak and sloppy. The set up that brought them to Nariana was cheesy it could have been much more graceful, not so childish. After that I thought there were only a few clunky plot points before I began to enjoy the story.

The film is beautiful. There are a few sequences that I really enjoyed. Tilda Swinton as the White Witch was definitely the highlight of the film for me. There are a few artistic choices I thought were bad, some of the creatures were very poorly done but other parts I really liked. I saw some Lord of the Rings sets mixed in there for sure.

I thought the guy who played Caspian did very good. The evil Uncle did pretty good also, but I thought that the girl who played Lucy was the only one of the kids to give a genuine performance.

The film flowed well once it got going and was over all enjoyable.

Indiana Jones Four

Indiana Jones Four

In a word: Entertaining

In many words, convoluted, disjunct, fun, exciting, overblown, confusing, imaginative…

While I thought it is fun, in the beginning it packs a lot of punch, as it goes on it starts to fizzle out for me. The movie begins seemingly in the middle, I felt like I missed something. Then begins the total suspension of my disbelief. Much of the action is borderline hooky, and too much of it is far to unbelievable for me to connect with or enjoy. I know it’s a sort of fantasy but it goes way too far to many times.

This film lacks the fun and wit of the originals and attempts to substitute CGI and elaborate sets instead. It doesn’t really work. There is very little dialogue and the story is almost impossible to follow. I couldn’t explain it to you if I tried. They try to include too many elements and that don’t really come together or fit together in any discernable way. The ending was far too over the top for me. It leaves far more questions and plot holes than it solves. I felt the movie tries to appeal to kids, but they will be bored by the story and dialogue. But it also tries to appeal to adults who will put off by the gag humor and childish antics. In trying to appeal to both I feel the film does neither very well.

I thought Harrison Fords performance was ‘okay’. Not bad, not great. I would give it a C grade. Passing, but not A game. Cate Blanchet did a good job, she had fun with her character and was consistent, she also hardly spoke. Shia LeBouf did a good job as well, the greaser in him came out nicely. Karen Allen was a little flat for me, but it wasn’t bad. Everyone else did pretty well I thought.

I will admit I was slightly disappointed. They had 19 years and this is the best they came up with? I was a little surprised. I need a good story, good dialogue and it was certainly lacking. It makes me think that Speilberg and Lucas are falling out of touch. Past there peak maybe. With the money and power at there disposal it’s hard to fail, but it’s not as hard as it seems to fall flat.

Iron Man

I liked it.

Quick, witty and thoroughly enjoyable. A little predicable and cheesey, and not always well explained, but it is a superhero movie...

I thought Robert Downey Jr. did a good job. He made the character his own, a la like himself. Gwen Paltro did a good job as well. Her character worked very well.

Very well done. I still rank Spiderman 1 as the best Superhero movie followed now by Iron Man.

Show Biz

Show Biz…

I have found the Entertainment business today to be an exciting and very challenging field of work and study. It is, at once, vibrant and exciting, but can also be cut-throat and brutal. It’s a game with rules, key players and a distinct hierarchy. It can be all fun and games, or pain and suffering… it’s all in how you play; like football. Once you get on a good team and start winning, you start making the big bucks. If you fumble or make a bad play, it’s not over for you, it’s only over if you get to hurt to play.

The rules of the business are written in the sand and change with each new wave. It’s easy to drown, get washed away, or lost at sea in this business. If you want to survive or play you are going to need to find a rock to stand on or a crew to boat with. You need to be skilled, Talented and sharp; with something to bring to the table. Being drop dead gorgeous can also help, but alone is not a guarantee for success. You need to be likeable, passionate and informed at least until you establish yourself. Everybody knows that movies are not made by one person, so learn to put up with massive egos, scummy superstars and needy producers. The movie business brings together quite a cast of characters, so be prepared to deal with all types of people. From polished agents, to dirty crew hands; everyone has a place and a part to play; find yours.

In the postmodern era Hollywood rules the media world. It’s the Hegemonic authority of the visual arts. Hollywood is the place where movie style dreams actually do come true. We know this because we see it on TV! And nobody doubts the authenticity of TV; right?

In Hollywood the sun shines on everyone, and potentially anyone could be the next big thing and hit the big time; i.e. make a sh*t load of money. It's a quasi residential/social/superficial lottery! It’s about 50% who you know, 30% what you can do, and 20% being in the right place at the right time. Always be nice to people too! You never know when you are going to need something from them, or be working under them. The tables turn fast. Don’t get to lofty when you’re and high or too low when down. You should stay level at all times; poker face, bluff how good or bad you are doing and people will always assume the best. It is show business, so naturally it’s all a show, all about image and perception.

If you want to really make it in the film business today however you have to be able to do many things everything. Because of recent transformations, globalization, and general cross promotion you have to be able to do more than just act or sing or write these days. On the flips side you need to be able to do more than answer phones and get coffee, you have to be able to do many things with an effective degree of competence, and still have ability to know how you can do those things and then more things; better. It is a creative business and is always looking for and rewarding creativity on all fronts. After all it is the imaginings of people that is remaking the world as we know it…

The internet and new media has dramatically changed the structure and employment practices of the entertainment world. Competition is now global, decentralized, and has thus has gotten stiff. You are essentially competing with talent from all over the world. These days you will do better if you are able to create jobs not just get them for yourself. If you are not exceptionally talented without training (or after training) they you really need to know somebody. And even knowing somebody is not a guarantee of success. You have to offer something new and something fresh, you have to demonstrate that you can bring a new approach, a new idea, and an ability to tell the difference between the new and old.

If you want to be a Power Player in the biz today you need to be aware of what that takes; a lot. It takes more than just talent, smarts, money or good looks. It takes guts, imagination, intuition and determination. You also need to know the market and trends and how they are changing. You need to understand the business and it’s unconventional operations.

The point is, is that today the media needs artists! People in media today must have the creative ability to express themselves and what they can do. It needs designers with imagination and expression, using computers and market intuition. Being able to artistically express yourself and then sell your creations (stories, scripts, paintings, websites, clothing designs, ect) to people or sell your image to people is the name of the game. Unless of course you work in Administration in which case your job is to spot these people and put them to work for you!

A sign of the times is that big musicians today make much of their money from clothes and products –branding-, not CD's. Actors are following a similar path, getting into fashion design or other arts --or are becoming philanthropists. Postmodern Artists build their empire on their name. They use there name to sell products the have little to do with, or films they were not involved in. They use the aura of there brand to collect tons of money without even doing anything. It’s all about image… reality is irrelevant. Image is all that matters.

How can the used/done be made new and marketable? How is what I bring going to benefit or inspire people? If people like it, if it touches or entertains them, they'll use it. Why would people want to buy what I have? This is what we must begin to ask ourselves in our quest to build an Entertainment. Ask yourself what you want and then listen for the answer; and then go and get it.

Flava flave and Danny Boniduchy...

Disgust me.

Movie: Across the Universe

I liked it.

It didn't quite match the hype I had going in, but I enjoyed it.

Postmodern film making always excites me. I liked the reinvention of songs, the musical, and an over used storyline.

I found the story week but the effects and style redeeming.

I love the music of the Beatles and that's reason enough to watch and listen.

Shows I am liking

Dexter -- Really like it. Great watchable characters, simple and intriguing stories.

The Tudors -- Great casting, historical value, sex, power and the crown... love it. Showtime's coming back!

The Riches -- Really liking it, gonna watch more.

Nip Tuck -- Saw a few of the last season, I liked it. Fun and addictive.

Dirt -- Only seen parts, but I love Cortney Cox

Weeds -- Saw the first two seasons on DVD, really liked it.

60 Minutes -- I like a good news show. Andy Rooney scares me but the journalism in the show is there.

Bill O'Riley -- While I don't always agree with his views or many of his guests I will say he has become more fair and I like the incorporation of obscure words.

The Real Housewives of Orange County -- Got hooked on it, some characters remind me of friends.

20 /20 -- I love the "What would you do" shows and the feel good journalism. Medical mysteries open your eyes to all that can go wrong with the human body and make me scared to have children. It's almost a freak show but they pretty much succeed in giving it a heart and not make it exploitive.

Simpsons -- Always a fan.

American Idol -- This is the first year I have followed it from the beginning and I have grown to understand the players. Before I always just liked the first three episodes.

History Channel -- Always love Modern Marvels, Engineering and Empire, and the shows on Weaponology.

National Geographic Channel -- good shows here and there.

The Adventure of English -- on at 4am, it's the most interesting and informative show on TV. The history of the English language is fascinating to me.

Keeping up with the Kardashians

This is the stupidest show ever.

Alright I have never actually watched it but judging by what I have seen from clips on Talk Soup I can tell it's awful.

Kim Kardashian is disgusting to me. A classic example of a no talent, self obsesses no scruples person who will never understand what life is about.

It used to be that people became famous for doing something good, or something heroic.

These days people become famous for doing something shameful, like making a sex tape with another disgusting self obsessed no brain. Or going to rehab, or something like that...

Kim represents the decline of television and even the decline America...

so sad.

John McCain

I think John McCain is good man; an honorable man and a true patriot.

But he is not the President that we need in this time of great change.

McCain is not knowledgeable on the main issues that this country is facing: Health Care, the Economy, the Environment...

McCain is a war guy. He likes the war, he wants it to go on because like Bush Co, he gets his strength from it. The trouble is, it needs to end. America cannot afford it in it's present state. A base there is inescapable, but a protracted occupation like we have now is not sustainable.

Because McCain is not very knowledgeable on the economy and health care he is not prepared to address the problems with vision, and this is when the corporations provide one for you a la Bush's Prescription drug benefit Plan that cost the tax payers billions needlessly.

McCain is not a bad guy, but not the man America needs right now.

SNL

SNL is coming back slightly I think. It is still a far cry from the Will Ferrell days but I am really likeing Kristin Wig, I like Amy Pohler and a couple of the guys. I don't really like or get Will Forte.

Lasts night's SNL however was bad. Super Bad's Johah Hill was not good at all. I actually can't stand him after watching the episode. My fears that he is just like the characters he plays was realized. He is just like the characters he plays. He is not really an actor he is just playing himself. I find him gross, crude and horribly crass and almost disturbing. Not funny at all, he had no chemistry with the cast. He dominated the scenes in a bad way. One schetch was him talking non stop about how he is six years old, no one else really spoke... it was practically unwatchable.

Movie: Jumper

On a scale of 1 to 10... I give it a 5.

Hayden Christensin (or whatever) is the worst actor. Horrible delivery, totally unbelievable as any character. Rachel Bilson (who I like) is still stuck as 'Summer' from The OC. She had a few good moments but is really not a great actress either. Samuel L. Jackson also always plays an angry black man. All his roles are the same as well, this time they changed his hair color to make him seem different.... didn't work.

The effects were nice, it is the only redeaming element of the film. The plot was full of holes and clunky, the back story was hard, but poorly explained.

The story is sort of fun, it looked like a great movie to work on, great locations, some great shots, but the film was flat, oddly dull.

The Academy Awards: Revival Plan

The Oscars have been in rating free fall since 1998, that 'Titanic' year.
--Entertainment Weekly reports that the show is badly in need of a revival plan--

I would like to take this opportunity to put in my two cents:

In the postmodern times the film industry has gone global.. All the best acting gold this year went to foreigners. Many of the other talent are not Americans either. This has been happening for a while now but it is now really beginning to disconnect the heart of America from the elite Academy members.

It is essencial that Hollywood embrace talent from all over the world. It is important fot Hollywood that it remains the motion picture capital of the world and as such it must constantly acknowledge and find new talent. While this may alienate Americans it pleases foriengers. So while American viewer ship has been slipping global viewership has gone up. Awarding foriegners makes Hollywood global wich is certianly good for business.

American actors and big studio films need to get better. The problem is the average American consumer would see Saw 5 instead of There Will be Blood, and the studio's play to this. Because the average movie goer does not like, or can't follow a well done movie, it makes it hard for commercial success and critical success or academy praise to go hand in hand.

My solution for this is as follows.

Before the Academy announces it's nominations, a seperate group should begin the process of polling and asking regular Americans there choices for best movie of the year, best actor, best actress ect. They could have a website where after January 1st people can regisiter to vote and people can vote for their favorites pics for all the major catagories. The Academy would then make it's own announcements and both would be announced at the awards show. The First 3o minutes of the show would be a compilation of the best moments of the years movies, and the results of Americas votes would be announced.* This would provide insight for the academy (on it's connect or disconnect for the year), interest for the masses, reason for then to tune in, and would seek to promote more movies making the award show about all movies, making the studios and the networks happy as well. The awards would still only be for Academy pics but it would help give praise for the Will Ferrels and other comedic types who do great work but are not recognized.

*It would not be a 'Peoples choice' type thing, it could be done with class.

I would also condiser adding a comedy catagory. it could be for men and women combined, i would love to see comedians acknowledged for there contribution.

1 out of 100???

The New York Times reported today that one out of evcery 100 people is in prison.

This is out of control? Isn't it? America has more people behind bars than even China. Many states spend more on Prisons than they do on higher education!!! Something has to change... this seems completely out of control to me.

We need to figure out a cheaper way to deal with people. We need to get everyone that can work, working for the economy somehow. Working on road, building things or manufacturing something. Whit collar criminals should be punished by forced labor by the governenment. If they do a bad job, or constantly show poor work, the sentence continues. They should pay there debt to society by working for society. This is where I think planeting microchips comes in. --If you commit a felony you have lost the right to privacy-- This way people can be tracked.

For the length of their sentence they must live in governemt housing, and ride a special buss to and from work at there specified state job. If they attempt to go anywhere else, there punishment time gets longer. If they deviate again. They are incarcerated. They would be required to clean and do other chores, much like Army personell. The whole thing would be much like a non-volunteer Army. Because criminals cannot be trusted with weapons we cannot send them to combat. Peace keeping mission abroad would be a possibility for some people. Drugs and alcohol would be strictly forbidden and random testing would be done ontiop of weekly testing.

This would save the government BILLIONS and would not only help rehabilitate people and put them to work for the society they harmed but also teach people who never had a teacher. Education would also be mandatory for all who cannot pass a standardized test. Certian inmates/participants could follow classes over the internet and work towards degrees.

Also to spead the process along, all capital crimes that have been proven beyond a reasonable doubt (unequivical DNA or video proof) should be processed immediatley and the criminals executed within a year.

I know it seems harsh but when you think about how it cost's almost $40,000 to house and watch these people, it is more than obvious that that money should be spend elswhere, like on education and crime prevention!!!

Just my thoughts

Hillary or Obama?

This Democratic Primary is something isn't it? Who would have thought it would drag out this long? Hillary didn't.

But there is nothing like a good fight to gather the crowds and rally the party. This Primary is so important and so viscious because we all know that a democrat is going to win the White House. I think most people are so tired of the Repilican gaurd (including the planet) that it is all but certian. This fight for the Democratic nomination is so huge because it is essentially a fight for the presidency.

** John McCain is just to old and stale for most Americans. Huckabee just likes to campaign, go on TV and collect money from people, he's not a bad guy, but let's be honest he's in it for the fame. He doesn't strike me as Presidential at all.**

So which canidate should be President? Barack or Hillary?

Change is something we will get no matter which of our choices we elect... The question is what kind of change do you want, or to what degree?

I like Barack Obama, he is smart, articulate and a burst of life into a stale and rigid system. I look forward to great things from him. I want to see more of what he stands for, more of what he can do as a leader. But I don't think it is his time to be president.

I personally support Hillary. I think she is more prepared, she has more skills and abilities to get things done. She knows the world leaders, knows the policies, knows what she wants and needs to do to get things back to where they were before the Bush/Rove/Cheney debacle. I want a President who supports and is friendly with California. I think it is time America has a Woman president and I think that Hillary is the most qualified.

Barack has run an awesome campaign, he has vitalized, galvanized and the disenfranchised with his messages. He has great support (Obviosuly the Kennedy's are going to support him because it suits there image as much or more than it suits his, Oprah should stay out of Polotics and just stick to giving stuff away. He also has support from Repulicans who just want to hurt Hillary.) and is no doubt a fine man, and a long needed leader and role model for Black America.

He has become a trend and I am always weary of trends. I feel Barack is un-tested. By comparison he has no credit history and is seeking to buy a mansion. I'm not saying he can't afford it... he very well could, i'm just saying, if I was the Bank I would want a little more credit history before I give out such a loan. America is in a delicate place right now and experience is essential to getting things done, and even more so for undueing things that have already been done. Running America is no easy task and if you don't know what you are doing, or who you can trust, or who can help you or who is out to hurt you... things can go sour. I like that Hillary has been through this all already. She survived the worst smear campaign the Republicans could muster. No easy feat.

I also understand why she voted for the war. She, like most people thought it would be like the first Gulf War, quick and easy. It is not her fault that Billions were wasted and 'dissappeared'. That Halliburton didn't rebuild, or the Rumsfeld allowed the torturing of people. America cannot help but be involved in the Middle East. The Saudi's wanted us to dispose of him, Isreal wanted us to dispose of him, and Exxon wanted the oil. America needed that oil to stabalize it's economy, we needed to bring change to the region, the question was only how?

Bush Co.'s method of maddness f*cked Iraq up royally, wasted billions and dragged it on for as long as it possibly could/can so the checks for Halliburton keep coming, and so we can secure our control over the oil. It has all been done on purpose, there is no mistake about it.

I understand why Barack would vote against the war (remember it was a vote to dispose Sadaam, not a vote to send 140,000 troops over to Iraq for 5 years), but I also know why Hillary would vote for it.

No one wants this to get ugly, but everyone likes a fight. Obviously I am going to support whomever the nominie is but I would love to see a Hillary Obama ticket. I think that would be the best way to unify the party, and that way Barack would be fully prepared for the Presidency 4 or 8 years later.

Change we will have no matter what, and that is something I can't wait for!

TWB Farwell

No one is going to think anything of TWB until someone from TWB sells a script. Or until someone finds a script on TWB and buys it.

And the people whose thoughts matter are never going to even know about TWB unless that film is made AND makes money.

There is no getting around that.

So the question then becomes How is someone at TWB going to sell a script?

If you ask me you should make it a group effort. Write great scripts, with peer reviews et al. Collaborate and share methods and contacts, have four people work on getting one script seen and sold. You stand a much better chance focusing on one script, than four people working on four scripts or eight.

Find a project to rally around, work as a team to write it, promote it, get it buz, get it seen and read. Then if you sell it the credit TWB and the main contridutors. This would make TWB the contact that it so needs. It would make it a place where scripts go to get polished and sold, and it would give it cred that would make Agents or producers more likely to look for material.

What is important to remember is that everyone at TWB is writing 'Spec Scripts'. No one asked for them, they were written on speculation and by definition need to be four quadrant high concept, very marketable stories. Juno is the perfect example. No Country for Old Men would never sell on Spec.

I moved to LA almost two years ago and have worked on TV shows, feature films, Agencies, and management companies. I have leanred so much in this and i am still trying to understand how it all works... when you think you know, it all changes again or the rules you thought existed are all being broken. There is a definitate path to the biz, and Lit agents and producers can smell an outsider from a mile away. If you don't follow the path you will never get anywhere. There are shortcuts and there are hurdles. But if you don't even know the path you will wander aimlessly forever.

So what is the path?

Know someone in the biz who wants to help you.

or

Write a verified excellent Spec script; marketable catchy, relevant, and interesting. Make sure everyone knows about it; agents, producers, managers. Find that one person that wants to make it and buy it. Pray it makes money.

**

I have feel I am getting close and I am building up some contacts of my own, but i am not in a place to get anyone elses material read, especially if it is not amazingly good. I have enough trouble getting my material read! Remember you are competing with thousands of writers who have sold scripts, so it has to be really good or really original to even have a chance.

The issue with TWB is that is doesn't help people like me: young, in LA and work in the biz, and aspiring screewriter. When I first began looking for help in my screenwriting career/mission I found TWB. I was immature and rambuctions; but was overly criticized, even discouraged here. I went elsewhere for help and found it. Today I have a great relationship with a Literary Agent and I make new contacts on every job. I know it's only a matter of time before I write a perfect spec and get it into the right hands. It takes a lot of work, dedication and timing. But I am in for the long haul.

I think there is a definate place for TWB. This thread got me thinking about TWB and how I used it. There were some great discussons from 2005 I am copying before they get deleted. The way I see TWB today is the same way any Agency or Production house is going to see it? What have you done for me lately? No one is this biz is going to stick there neck out for you. It's unwise. It is better to say no on something that seems viable, than to say yes on something, spend millions and be totally wrong.

I know many 'senior members' don't like me as far as I can tell. None have really been helpful to me whe I asked for it; so it is hard for me to want to help them. I am in a position to help people these days but I have found a circle that I trust and that supports me, we support eachother. Helping people is a great way to help yourself. The sucess of your friends is your success right? Choose your friends well.

Once my membership expires I will not be renewing it. Wish me luck! I wish TWB the best of luck. Don't stop beleiving.

Oscars 2008

Not a bad show. Not a great show.

Dark themes, alienation, death, pain, greed, evil...

As Jon Stewart said, "Thank God for team pregnancy!"

I would have like to see more clip shows like the ones Billy Crystal did. I like Jon Stewart I think he is a great host, but I want to see the show more lively and fun. Next year hopefully the movies won't be so dark. It was a dark year for Hollywood and indeed America.

I am actaully really glad that Tilda and the French girl won. I like them both and am going to see 'en Rose' soon.

I have been watching the Academy awards since i was a kid. It is one of my favorite things, my family has always been into it. My Mom was always routing for the underdog foriegn films... it seemt that the international is now winning the prestige war with the Hollywood studios. And the foriegn acots are stealing all the American Academy gold!

Hollywood needs to take a good hard look at itself and try and understand why this is happening. Why are the people who don't live in LA better actors?

I hope the 'Britney Spears' disease is not spreading... mediocraty we cannot have.

Movie: Michael Clayton

Very good movie.

It was very Syriana, highly convoluted, hard to follow, and confusing. This film however comes together perfectly in one swoop. It all makes sense all the sudden. It truly is a great film, I would highly recommend to all intellegent film viewers.

Not Clooney's best performance I thought, he brought the gusto in the final scene, but other than that scene I didn't see a great performance.

I liked No Country for Old Men better, but this film is certianly justified as a best picture nomination.

8.6

It's a sign.

I am currently writing a script called "The Nigerian Letter". On the Tonight show with Jay Leno the term came up. It's a sign. It's gonna be a great movie. This was a sign.

Movie: There Will Be Blood

Very good.

Danielle Day Lewis is amazing. A truly powerful performance. He was the film, and he was rivetting. A great story, with a good cast.

I don't see it as best picture, but DDL should get best actor, hands down.


8.5 out of 10.

Hollywood Types

I feel like I am turning into a 'Hollywood' type.

I am not an actor, but sometimes I act like one.

I am not a director but I direct things.

I have never sold a screenplay --yet but I am close.

I live in Hollywoodland in a dream.

I am always looking for friends and networking contacts, I am going to start to put a production company together in the next year and I am going to add Producer to my resume.

I don't want to be just another Hollywood type, I want to be the guy that went Hollywood but never forgot where he came from.

Producing (Old re-post)

"A Producer is nothing but a dog with a script in his mouth."

I learned something interesting watching this DVD a friend of mine has, given to her buy a producer about producing. She works at a coffe shop he frequents, and he likes her but she said he's kinda 'creepy... and sexual' but the point is he gave her a copy of "Hello, He Lied... And Other Truths from the Hollywood Trenches (AMC Program starring Linda Obst)" and it is actually really enlightening on Producing I thought...

Basically what I gather about producing* is that it is very hard and is filled with unexpeted bumps problems, choas, good luck, awesome/horrible timing, magic, disater and sometimes a movie. What you are going through now is nothing compared to what you are going to be in for once the ball starts growing... It's all about relationships, and you have to be a good sales man, excite people about the idea... LIE WHEN YOU NEED TO... you have to make people think you have gold even though your holding lead. It will either all come together... the movie gods will smile upon you... or curse you into development hell! AAAAAAAAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Noooooooooooooooo....

Sorry I had a panic attack.

I think it sounds like you guys are not in a bad place. What has to start happening (agian in my baseless opinion) is you have to start to build a relationship with this actor, he is your new best friend and your co-worker... a tough place to be. You are his boss but he is your job, he has a lot of the power and much of your buget may be going to him, it sounds like he is the movie so...

You could be facing creative control issues, if you plan to go to a studio... get ready for that, I don't ever hear about it being an easy process... I mean once you get funding you have to make the fucking movie! You need to find a Director this actor will like who understands your vision... the movie might end up completely different than you imagine it if you are not careful... or maybe it was a good thing

It sounds to me like you are entering the realm of development... which can be a decade long process or like rolling a snow ball down the hill and a film ends up at the bottom and you win an Oscar (we can dream can't we?).

I wish you the best of luck, and I hope to learn from your experience. I am no where near ready to produce a film at the point I am at, I am just trying to sell my idea and hope it turns out well, maybe get a speaking part on it.

Some day I will produce an Oscar film... Some day I will produce an Oscar film...

Some day I will produce an Oscar film...

I tell myself that everyday.

Best!

*(I know nothing about producing but you can sure as hell bet I am going to figure it out!)

Postmodernism #4

One thing you should know about the information age, about postmoderism.

Secret#1

It is all about launguage.

No knowledge that cannot be transfer-translated-or-caputured by a computer will survive the postmoder transformation. Period the end.

If it cannot be be put into a computer language, it is not knowledge.

Experiences, dreams... not knowledge.

Words and text... knowledge, power.

Pictures... worth a thousand words.

If you master the art of communication, if you are able to translate your knowledge into a computer, if you are able to use launguage (not as many people as you think are really capable of this) to communicate your knowledge, if you can transfer it to a computer and thus share it with the postmodern-cyber-image-media driven world, then you have leanred the art of...

Postmoderism.

Language is magic.

Smoke and mirrors.

Rhyme and reason.

Law and rules.

Math and science.

Religion and philosophy.

Everything.

The reality of many people, people take books for literal truth.

Books are falable because they are created by man.

Text is meaningless, unless it has meaning. Who gets to descide?

You do.

So go ahead.

What is Postmodernism?

What is Postmodernism?

"The more you know, the more you know you don't know"

I think it helps to think about the market for your script as well as the way in which you think it will fit into the mainstream? Will it be over looked or will it stand out?...

Here is a writing exersise I engaged in that helped me and other writer understand my story and our world...

I would love to hear thoughts and discuss this more with anyone.

AxiomTy
Anything turns to everything as quickly as everything turns to anything!

Reply Criptic Quotes
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"Eclectic Simularum Reality Posted Bricollage."

Darkness and Sunshine

What is Postmodernism? It exists in Language.

jimjimgrande
Registered User
Posts: 2
(2/5/05 10:16 am)
Reply Re: ..@$% Postmodernism? %$@..
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I took a class on it in college and I still don't know what it is.

AxiomTy
Registered User
Posts: 14
(2/5/05 11:55 am)
Reply Re: ..@$% Postmodernism? %$@..
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That's why they should make a movie!

Do you think they should make a movie that adresses this totally cool social theory?

scriptfxr
Registered User
Posts: 47
(2/8/05 1:32 pm)
Reply No
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No.

They should make a movie about great characters in an engaging story. If one of them happens to talk about postmodernism theory as his "thing" then it might make for an interesting character... but to build a movie around an esoteric theory? Good luck...

AxiomTy
Registered User
Posts: 25
(2/9/05 3:09 am)
Reply Re: No
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You don't build the movie around it. You make a movie using it..

That "interesting character" is the professor in the story, and the engaging characters happen to be smart and beautiful, and ever so marketable characters.

The story is built around someone who is trying to understand the world he lives in, trying to make it right.


AxiomTy
Registered User
Posts: 28
(2/12/05 12:32 pm)
Reply What is the Matrix?
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You know what movie is built around postmodern theories. The Matrix. The Matrix digs into the esoteric, and incorporates Pomo theorist Jean Baudrillards 'death of the real' and 'simulation and simularca' as well as many other postmodern styles and concepts.

I'm telling ya, this pomo thing is already big, the market is there, waiting to be addressed.

username
Registered User
Posts: 44
(2/12/05 7:41 pm)
Reply Re: What is the Matrix?
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The Matrix was successful for it's special effects. That's what put asses in seats -- not postmodern theories.

AxiomTy
Registered User
Posts: 30
(2/13/05 3:22 am)
Reply O' contrare
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Postmodern theories of film making drove people to create such awsome visual effects. They beautifully evelated and integrated computer animation flawlessly within the story.

Before that could get on screen, there needed to be a theory for what it is that they (The Wycoski or whatever Brothers who spent five years writing and researching [postmodern] theorists) were trying to bring to the screen.

Special effects don't make up for a weak story, in my book; luckily the Matrix has both.

My point was that the market has already responded well to postmodern elements being thrown at them. I think the market is ripe for a film like the one I just so happen to be selling...

username
Registered User
Posts: 45
(2/13/05 11:39 am)
Reply Re: O' contrare
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Perhaps the Wachowski's (sp?) intended The Matrix to be based on postmodern theories, and perhaps it is based on postmodern theories -- to be honest, i'm not real sure what postmodernism is -- but, the fact remains that it was more successful for it's special effects than for it's ability to get people to buy into it's underlying postmodernistic theories. The Wachowski's (sp?) creatively found a way to turn a decades-old idea into a movie that was able to showcase cutting-edge special effects technology and CGI. That is what the market responded to.

A google of "postmodern" reveals that the concept of postmodernism emerged in the mid-80's. The concept the Wachowski's (sp?) used (machines vs. man) has been done many times before -- even before "postmodernism" emerged as a concept. Take Kubrick's Space Odyssey. That movie was released in '68. It used the same theme of man vs. machine (Hal vs. Dave) as the Wachowski's (sp?) used three decades later (man vs. machine). What about the Terminator movies??? Again, it's man vs. machine.

In ALL of the examples i listed, each of those movies were praised for their special effects, which were cutting-edge in their time. That, is/was the main attraction to those movies, and that is/was what the market responded to -- NOT any underlying postmodern theories, as in fact, postmodernism was still two decades away when Space Odyssey was released.

AxiomTy
Registered User
Posts: 33
(2/19/05 3:40 pm)
Reply The Matrix has you Username...
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I changed the size of the title in that last post and then it just deletes the whole thing, fricken computers...

The Matrix is postmodernism, an instance of postmodernism, an example of it. The effects, the story, the marketing, the concept-- postmodern!

Meaning, new, cutting edge, drawing on the past in a new way, intertextual (drawing on texts of east and west, i.e. Oracles and Kung Fu) and elevating digital effects to the status of the real... entering us into an era of hyperreality film making! Can't get someone to do that on camera? No problem we will just digitally make them do it.

Postmodernism did not just appear in the 1980's. You have completely missed the boat. The term Postmodernism, the term, has been around since the 19th century (the 1880's to be exact) and where the modern era ends and the postmodern era begins is not yet answerable. But one thing is certian, we are in the post now.

"The concept the Wachowski's (sp?) used (machines vs. man) has been done many times before -- even before "postmodernism""

This is exactly why the Matrix is postmodern. It is taking a conceopt that has been visited millions of times and making it new, bringing new elements to it and making a story conbination that relies on many elements, together. Man vs, Machine + mind over matter + hyperreality computer worlds + men in black + gangster neo-noir + spoon bending Budhists + action, explosions and unkillable computer programs. and more.

Postmodernism is best thought of as the world today, a world where all rules are out the window. All the worlds ideas, cultures, creeds, religions, races, concepts, sciences, stories and facts are stirring together contradicting eachother and making it impossible to understand who is right and who is better looking? Postmodernism is the era of the image, image is everything and money is the only sign of value, everything is sex and nothing is sex, TV and reality have blended giving us a world of simulated hyperreality where we watch TV as it watches us. In this world we can google answers and find information about anything instentaneously, whether or not it's true is only a matter of perspective anyway! In this way religion is both dieing and being reborn, falling appart and coming center stage, it becomes absolete and necessesary. Everyone is simply lost in a world of images, we perfer them to reality anyway, and we all go about our lives living in a dream world we can't rise out of, why would you want to leave anyway...

Darkness and Sunshine: A Postmodern Story

username
Registered User
Posts: 46
(2/21/05 6:41 pm)
Reply The Matrix has you Username...
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I don't know what postmodernism is, and quite frankly, i don't care what it is. The only time i ever even thought about postmodernism was after reading your posts here. A google of "postmodernism" returned...


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Postmodernism is a complicated term, or set of ideas, one that has only emerged as an area of academic study since the mid-1980s.
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That quote comes from the first link returned by google. That link is...
www.colorado.edu/English/.../pomo.html

That is where i came up with the part about postmodernism originating in the '80's. But, like i mentioned, i don't know anything about postmodernism, and if you say it started earlier, then that's fine with me. I'm in no position to question that.

However, i would like to question one of your claims. You posted...


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where the modern era ends and the postmodern era begins is not yet answerable. But one thing is certian, we are in the post now
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How can this be??? If it hasn't been answered as to when the modern era ended and the post-modern era began, then how can we know for certain that we are in the postmodern era now??? Wouldn't it be impossible to claim that we are in the postmodern era now, when we don't even know for sure when the modern era ended, or even if the modern era did in fact, end??? Perhaps we are in the modern era now -- maybe even the pre-modern era??? Is it grandiose of us to assume that we are in the postmodern era???

I watch movies to be entertained. When i watch a movie, i'm not looking for enlightenment, knowledge, understanding, etc. I simply want to be entertained for two hours. Maybe i'm shallow, but i don't want to have to think real hard at the movies, and i don't want to have to try and figure out underlying postmodern concepts or how i can apply them to my everyday world. A movie, to me, is an escape, where i can forget about the day's worries, and just relax and get lost in what's happening on the screen.

I liked The Matrix movies, because i like Mr. Smith and some of the other baddies, and i particularly liked watching them fight with Keanu Reeves and his gang. That was the entire attraction to me -- the special effects and action sequences. To me it was about man vs. machine and really cool CGI. If that's postmodernism, then so be it, but that's not what i was thinking about while watching. The main draw for me and countless others was the special effects and fight sequences. The story was secondary and nonessential. All the viewer needs to know is that the machines want the humans dead, and the humans don't want to be dead. If people want to analyze it on a deeper level, then that's up to them, but that's not what i go to the movies for, and that's not what Hollywood marketed when they advertised these films.

I'm not into the "red pill, blue pill" or "The One," or any of that other crap. I just want to see some fighting and Carrie Anne Moss in that skin tight suit. (IMO, The Matrix would have been a much better movie if they had put Angelina Jolie or Teri Hatcher or somebody like that in that skin tight suit.) The Terminator was the same way for me -- cool fighting, and in the last one, a really hot chick playing the "bad machine." Personally, i didn't care for Space Odyssey because it was too much story and not enough action.

Don't get me wrong, though -- i do like a good story, but i like it even better when there's some big explosions and big tits to back it up. If they're able to package it into a movie that is based on postmodern concepts, then that's cool too, but don't blame me if i pay more attention to the cleavage than to the concept.

AxiomTy
Registered User
Posts: 34
(2/22/05 2:59 pm)
Reply The Matrix has a lot of people...
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First of all I don't want to offend you dude, and I want to say I enjoy our difference of opinion and discussion and I hope it is mutual.

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Postmodernism is a complicated term, or set of ideas, one that has only emerged as an area of academic study since the mid-1980s.
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This statement is dead wrong becuase many of the most prominent discourses on postmodernism were written in the 1970's. Loytards "The Postmodern Condition" was written in 1972! And he was building on previous other discourses.

Did World War II ever end? Common understanding would say yes and yet some would say no. This is like modernism and postmodernism. While the war was declared over, we are still dealing with the consequences and aftermath of it. The middle east was a WWII creation, all the countries were divied up in the post WWII and that is far from over (Iraq, Isreal Palistine ect).

Postmodernism is full of contradiction and catch 22's, just like in the matrix. Man and machine trying to kill each other even though they can't survive without eachother; catch 22. This is the post dude, we hate it but thats just the way it is.

"Perhaps we are in the modern era now -- maybe even the pre-modern era??? Is it grandiose of us to assume that we are in the postmodern era???"

Of course it is! But this is also how I KNOW we are in the postmodern era (a catch-22), we are questioning wether or not we are which means we are. Just like the end of WWII came with the delcaration that it was over, the postmodern era began with the delcaration that it has begun. The problem is that it has been delcared man times by many people in many ways. What makes it even more complicated is the fact that not EVERYONE is in the postmodern mode or mindset, many people and many places are still living in the past, the pre-modern as you put it. So in a sense you are right. But only the postmodern era and thinking could give us the Matrix right?

"Don't get me wrong, though -- i do like a good story, but i like it even better when there's some big explosions and big tits to back it up. If they're able to package it into a movie that is based on postmodern concepts, then that's cool too, but don't blame me if i pay more attention to the cleavage than to the concept."

Spoken like a true red blooded American, I love it. Don't get me wrong either dude, I love a good cleavage shot and expensive explosion, but the nerd in me also like a good subtext and high concept. Postmodernism in film only draws attention to the fact that rules are breaking, it is not trying to make people strain their brains. South Park is a great example of Postmodern Television. Pushing content to the edge, and yet it is so simple or as the creaters put it in the South Park movie filled with "crappy animation". See postmodernism is fun, it is all around you, you just don't realize it because you don't know any different. Old people on the other hand grew up in a world that is long since gone, to the masses while to them it may still exist, but such is postmodernism...

Keep watching the cleavage dude, postmodernism want to give you more!

username
Registered User
Posts: 47
(2/24/05 7:34 pm)
Reply Re: The Matrix has a lot of people...
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Oh no, i'm not offended. I'm sorry if i came across like i am/was offended.

"Postmodernism," for me, is a term i've heard many times but never gave a second thought to -- i simply dismissed it, whether correctly or incorrectly, as being "artsy-fartsy," and since i've never considered myself to be much of an artsy-fartsy type guy, i've just ignored the term and/or whatever it might mean.

Then, i started reading your posts about postmodernism, and it made me start thinking about the term and what it means. I guess i'm not very good at it, because i still don't know what it means, LOL. However, as far as postmodernism relates to the movies, i think we are both in agreement, even if we don't refer to it as the same thing. In other words, i think we both liked The Matrix for the same reasons, even if i just refer to it as "cool effects," while you refer to the underlying postmodern concepts that brought us those cool effects.

I guess my point is that even though i might like a movie that is full of postmodern concepts and in fact relied on those concepts in order for the movie to be made in the first place, the red-blooded American in me won't allow myself to acknowledge the postmodern stuff, i guess because, i don't understand it.

Hollywood LOVES guys like me. As long as they keep pumping out explosions and big tits, or really cool story lines and really funny one-liners, then i'll keep buying tickets. AND, if those same movies are considered to be "postmodern," that's fine too, but Hollywood needs to market them to me as action-packed flicks with ultra-hot chicks instead of something that i would consider "artsy-fartsy." I think if Hollywood loses sight of that, and starts trying to push the postmodern angle, then Hollywood is gonna lose.

Even if The Matrix is a postmodern movie, i think you would be hard-pressed to find more than a handful of people who would be in agreement with that and/or willing to discuss the posmodern concepts involved. On the other hand, you wouldn't have any problem at all in finding a plethora of people willing to jump on the "cool effects" bandwagon. I think Hollywood realizes that and will market it's movies accordingly, since i represent the target market, LOL.


AxiomTy
Registered User
Posts: 36
(2/25/05 1:20 am)
Reply Exactly
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"Artsy-fartsy" I love it.

What I love about you is that you both love and hate postmodernism, which is so postmodern.

I have a secret though. Postmodernism is a scam!

I made it all up just to promote my script:
Darkness and Sunshine: A Postmodern Story

I bet I could get you, Joe-Hollywood, to come see my movie. I just need to add an explosion...

*This post was deleted from soyouwannasellascript.com for some reason, this post has been edited so as not to rattle any nerves!

Generation Gap

I wanted to share this cuz I think it is interesting, it came from me talking about postmodernism and my screenplay...

**

Julian (me)– per your post above about others here thinking you are immature. What we have here is a failure to communicate. (That’s a line from a very famous movie that many of us here in Jurassic Park remember clearly!).

I think the problems you are encountering here {The Writers Building} are, for the most part, generational. Most members here, judging from the bios, are Baby Boomers and grew up at a time when we inherited the world our WWII parents created for us; a world that was saved from facism by a military paradigm. Our folks came home from war, went to work for big companies based on a military, bureacratic models and bought us televisions and and some toys. Our folks stayed married and retired with a gold watch and enough in the bank to buy a condo in Florida or Arizona.

When Boomers went to work, interestingly enough, we accepted the general bureacractic paradigm and bought into most of the ‘rules’, thinking that we could work really hard and get rewarded for it. Boomers brought some changes into the workforce, namely the concepts of life/family issues, but for the most part, Boomers aren’t as adapable as we’d like to think.

Boomers’ kids, however, the Gen Xers and the Yers had a much different experience – you’re much more cynical because you saw your parents divorce in record numbers, you saw your parents get downsized and you realized that the only way to get ahead in this world is to rely on yourself. Plus, you are the most pampered generation in US history. While you may not have had a parent at home when you returned from school in the afternoon, you had a cell phone, a computer and anything else you wanted. In essence, you expect to be listened to and given as much authority and autonomy as you want because that’s what you had in your household.

I think what you’re bumping into here at TWB is no different than what’s happening at companies and businesses everywhere. The Boomers are still running the shop but we cannot for the life of us figure out how to keep Gen Xers and Yers in the workforce. We think you are too arrogant and selfish and not ready for the responsibilities you tell us you deserve. You think we are too old and stuck in the mud and unwilling to look at the world in a new way. Who cares if I work from my back deck at midnight rather than coming into the office? It should be about getting the work done, right?

What to do? Hell if I know; but my suggestion to you, Julian, is to try to understand where most people here are coming from and stop arguing when you receive advice that you don’t agree with. Instead, ignore it and move on. The business we are trying to break into is still being run, for the most part, by Boomers and the push-back you are getting here so far is based on that paradigm - scripts need three acts, a clear and concise story and logline, yada yada yada. If you have skill as a writer, you’ll be able to create a marketable script that speaks eloquently about postmodernism, though it may not ever use that word in the screenplay, logline or marketing materials. Or, you may simply need to find others in the industry who speak your language; go the independent route where you are less likely to run into the walls you are running into here. This just may not be the right community of wanna-be writers for you.

My suggestion to my fellow dinosaurs is to try to keep an open mind to what Julian is saying and understand where he and his generation are coming from as it’s very, very different than our experiences. We might be able to learn something from him. The Gen Yers are tremendous problem-solvers which is good news for all of us Boomers entering our golden years with some overwhelming societal/political issues ahead. Julian’s posse will be the ones to tackle health care, social security and, the most important thing – what we’ll go see at the senior matinee!

** My reply **

Thank you Sara!

You are exactly right, we have a failure to communicate, people are not treating me like the adult I am. Last I checked 23 is an adult, and I do expect to be treated as an equal in this system. I have just as much a right and a place here as anyone else, period.

I may be young but my mind is old, I am the oldest 23 year you will ever meet. Just the fact that i am here talking to you and wanting to learn from 'old people' is a testimate to that.

>>Boomers’ kids, however, the Gen Xers and the Yers had a much different experience<<

To say the least, just like the kids being born today or that were born in the 1990's or earily 2000's will have a totally different experience than I had, and I think many of them are spoiled 'brats'. When i was born, no one had a computer, or a CD player... now computers fit in your pocket, ipods, and HDDVD's are coming... the pace of change will only get faster, like it or not that is the way it is. You are best t except the change, don't fight it (or me), since nothing can stop it. Don't blame me, you Boomers are the ones who started the snow ball rolling!

>>The Boomers are still running the shop but we cannot for the life of us figure out how to keep Gen Xers and Yers in the workforce. <<

I have to disagree with this statment. The problem is actually that the Boomers are living longer and are not leaving the workforce, while the X&Yers are entering and the economy is not (being allowed to) growing fast enough to give them the postions many are qualified for. This is what leads many of the XY kids to be even more bratty, they don't have to do anything because it is all done for them, they don't have responsibility because it is not given to them, so what do you think they are going to do...

>>We think you are too arrogant and selfish and not ready for the responsibilities you tell us you deserve<<

This is also a major problem, for both parties. Boomer refuse to let go of the ranes, and want to continue to do things in a way that no longer makes sense in light of the present state the world is in; sometimes, many are coming around i might add.

>>You think we are too old and stuck in the mud and unwilling to look at the world in a new way.<<

Often also unwilling to except the proven physical reality of the world today, the nature of the tsunami of change taking place, and the potential of the generation that follows you. Boomers are too busy fighting and harking on XYers, rather than trying to work with them, or learn from them. They are the ones who started the generation war and they are the 'adults/bigger people' who should end it!

>>Julian, is to try to understand where most people here are coming from and stop arguing when you receive advice that you don’t agree with.<<

I am more aware of where many people are coming from than they are aware of where i am coming from, they simply don't like or are threatened by where I am coming from. I came here for help and advice, and am always greatful for TRUE guidance and WISDOM. I seem to get pointless critisism and mockery more often, which i find immature and laughable. I don't get offended, I am not easily offeneded. What people say is characterisitc of who they are and how they think, and i love building pictures and understandings of people, our posts tell others a great deal about us...

>>you had a cell phone, a computer and anything else you wanted.<<

I didn't have a cell phone till I was 18, I have used computers since elemetary school though. I did not grow up wealthy, but I was rich in everything that mattered.

>> In essence, you expect to be listened to and given as much authority and autonomy as you want because that’s what you had in your household.<<

I expect to be listened to, as do others, becuase i am part of this world too. I am hear to say and i have a stake in the future of this planet and this country! Brushing someone off becuase hey are young is folly, it's ridiculous and ludacris. I am the future, I am just getting started and if people don't like me, too bad, there is nothing they can do to stop me or my generation from coming to power. I think the boomers should be nice to the XYers becuase they are the ones who will be desciding the best way to take care of the Boomers as they begin to age and leave the work force.

>>The business we are trying to break into is still being run, for the most part, by Boomers and the push-back you are getting here so far is based on that paradigm - scripts need three acts, a clear and concise story and logline, yada yada yada. If you have skill as a writer, you’ll be able to create a marketable script that speaks eloquently about postmodernism, though it may not ever use that word in the screenplay, logline or marketing materials.<<

The business we are trying to break into has impossible odds stacked agianst you, if you really want to be sucessful in it, it probably needs to be more than a hobby. The Film business is run by trends, and by Boomers and people who are obsessed with youth, and youth culture BTW. The markets runs the biz, while yes the Boomers through a generational stroke for fortune (Boomers on average did not save any more than people today, but becuase they plunked $2000 dollars down on a house in the 70's and it's now worth $2 million, they have all the money and capital wealth) have all the money, but are burning out on idea's, especially since the Boomer are not the majority of movie goers, XYers are.

I am finally getting the point though that you Boomers don't like postmodernism, you don't get it (who does by the way?) and it bothers you. But you are also not giving me a chance. I am so busy defending my self from critics and naysayers that i cannot even finish my script! Once I am done my script will speak for itself.

>>It should be about getting the work done, right?<<

Right. It is about results, not about me.

>>My suggestion to my fellow dinosaurs is to try to keep an open mind to what Julian is saying and understand where he and his generation are coming from as it’s very, very different than our experiences. We might be able to learn something from him. The Gen Yers are tremendous problem-solvers which is good news for all of us Boomers entering our golden years with some overwhelming societal/political issues ahead. Julian’s posse will be the ones to tackle health care, social security<<

Those are the least of the problems ahead. My generation MUST be problem solvers because we have inhereted a whole heap of them (including red budget ink as far as the eye can see). We cannot solve the problems plauging the world alone however, and the mentality if Boomers that "Oh, we'll just have the next generation deal with that" must end immediately. The problems are all of ours and they need to be addressed and fixed with rapid diligence, more are on the way.

I need your help as much as you need me, we are all here together and we can all work together and achieve great things, together; or we can faulter and struggle alone.

There is no point in fighting, that solves no problems and often leaves people hurt and un productive. It is time to join forces and finally do what we are hear to do! Learn and sell screenplays!

Peace & Love

Postmodernism! (I had too:)

Best,
Julian Tyler

P.S.
sorry for errors i don't have a lot of time

***

With all possible and serious respect, Sara-- PPPPPFFFFFFTTTT!



Pigeonholing individuals (and their attitudes about writing, art, discussion, reasonable conduct, ad nauseum) according to something as arbitrary (and often flat out misleading) as marketing labels (Boomers, Xers, Yers, Millenium Babies, etc etc etc, blah blah) applied based upon year of birth pretty much excuses everyone from any personal responsibility and culpability here.

If Julian (or I or anyone) wants to burn up their small amount of "starter credibility" in any newly-joined social group by entering the room and immediately launching into a strange convoluted self-adoring ramble about topics the group has consistently indicated little or no interest in ("POSTMODERNISM!"), it's not the room's responsibility that he have a nice comfy podium from which to bray. That possible unenjoyable fact is no more a factor of age than it is of astrological sign or the pattern of bumps on the head. Rather, that's just plain old group dynamics, the sort of thing that has been around since the first time two members of the genus homo hunched around a water hole to compare hunting exploits.

As much as I enjoy Strother's voice being invoked, what we have here is not "failure to communicate." It's a refusal to communicate -- a lack of willingness to even try to communicate. Communication is a two-way thing. If someone bangs cymbals in an effort to draw an audience so they can then hold court in a play for attention and praise and applause and respect, that's something closer to performance, and in that case the audience has no responsibility to give a flip if a performer bores or annoys. Pleasant or not, that seems the description many might use to describe Julian's antics onsite since his arrival. It surely describes my take on the situation, and I've swapped a few comments with others who echo similar sentiments. (And for the record, I have not called for Julian to be driven from the site, though I did write to Admin and ask "am I the only person who's getting bored and turned off by the pointless noise in that thread?")

Julian might well be an intelligent guy -- I honestly have no idea. The sad part is that right now I no longer have much interest left in bothering to find out, as I'm really really bored by what I see as grandstanding and pomposity and a childish need to argue as proof of relevance. Can he win back ground lost in this recent episode? Surely, but not by demanding my respect, nor by having others demand the same even as they insult me by trying to dismiss me as merely the sum of the stereotyped shortcomings they choose to ascribe to something as arbitrary as year of birth.

My lack of interest in Julian's grandiloquent pronouncements is not a result of being born during the Eisenhower administration or the Kennedy administration or the Nixon administration or the first full moon following a thunderstorm in an odd-numbered month of the first Reagan mid-term election. Like you and me and everyone other person here who's slapped down a credit card and paid for a year's worth of hopefully intelligent respectful discussion about screenwriting, Julian is competent (and expected) to make his own decisions and live with the results. That's the responsibility of every thinking member of any social group. If at any point he chooses to abdicate his responsibilities and behave in a way which brings him attention and judgments he doesn't like, well, I feel for the guy but don't blame my parents. If I'd been born twelve years sooner or twelve years later, Julian's responsibilities as a member of the tribe would still remain exactly the same as they are for everyone else.

Bottom line: if someone acts like an interesting respectful thoughtful guy, chances are most folks will think of him and treat him as an interesting respectful thoughtful guy. Conversely, if someone acts like a booger-eatin' moron, chances are most folks will think of him and treat him as (wait for it...) a booger-eatin' moron.

Life is hard. Bring a cushion.

Them's my two cents and change.