I just finished watching Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull. Yes, it is all the movie they say it is. I think it is now my personal Scorsese favorite, although I have not been a huge fan of his. Gangs was impressive and I haven't seen Mean Streets.
Is it just me here or does he not seem to like his characters... or he finds sympathy for or creates sympathy in characters that aren't likeable, or don't want to be liked? hmmm...interesting. Take Travis Bickle from Taxi Driver for example.

Scorsese is the master of the McGuffin(after Hitchcock) and it's been a long time since I've seen an actor embody a character to the extent that Deniro did as boxer Jake Lamotta. All of the scenes that they say are amazing are, and a very humorous connection was made in my mind, having seen Boogie Nights and drawing comparisons to the very last shot of that and the very last shot of this movie. Funny, clever, impressive stuff.

In other news, what a game last night! Was anyone else watching the Huskers of Nebraska down in Texas with the boys of Michigan? Fuggehdaboutit.

Man, I wish I were a bronx gangster.

I thought this was way too funny to pass up. Yes it is plagarism, I lifted it directly from CNN.com(Cheaper by the Dozen 2 - AP REVIEW)
----------
Review: Dumber by the 2nd Dozen
(AP) - "Cheaper by the Dozen 2" is an argument for the cinematic equivalent of condoms.

Something's got to come between audiences and Hollywood's incessant desire to sequalize bad movies, or in this case, do a bad remake of a family classic, then follow with an equally dumb second chapter."

-David Germain
Associated Press

It does its thing,
and I do mine.

And when I want it to do my thing
I make it do my thing.

But when I am not doing my thing,
it can do whatever it wants.



on my computer;
-------------------------

PPHHHHH.......(gasp!)....PPHHHHHH......(gasp!) ....PPPPPPHHHHHHHH.......

Slowly the little red ballon begins to take shape.
Each strained moment breathes life into the once formless shape.

phhhhhhhh.......

Round, full and full of life,
this balloon has been inflating for 9 months.

PPPPPPPPPHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.........

This rush of air seems different than those before.
Faster, forceful snd more direct.
The shiny object glints in the soft light.
My once ballon, now just a weary skin.
Is this "Rapid Hope Loss"?

My little red balloon
==========
So, this is this, as it stands.
I called my connection to "Coldberg" (the movie I was hoping to work on in Prague) and I guess the movie was Blownout....which is semi-industry jargon for pretty much what it sounds like. Warner Brothers' has dropped the project all together. Dissapointing. So, I will be here, Selleck 6310 next semester, so feel free to drop on by.

In other news this is dead week, next is finals......and life is incredibly busy. I hope to make it through today.

peace,

matt

"Holy crap! Its pretty!" -my reaction to Dr. Zhivago

So I just watched another David Lean masterpiece (Dr. Zhivago). Wow, that guy knows how to make an epic (see also Bridge on the River Kwai and Lawrence of Arabia.)

My thoughts; first of all the composition was absolutley stunning, there were many times during the movie (and you can ask the roomie) that I let out a gasp/sigh at the beauty of the light and framing of each shot. Second thought was that "You can't make a 90 minute love story!" Film makers these days and perhaps, more importantly audiences don't know how to go on a journey with the characters. Most romantic comedies that you walk into these days you already knew the outcome yesterday. It's absurd! What happened to the classics, the epics? Sure, we have LOTR a huge undertaking but so much spectacle. What happened to having opening credits? Audiences these days would walk out if the credits came before the movie, cause thats what they've been conditioned to do. What happened to having Overtures before the movie?! Serious! This movie started out with a seven minute overture! even before the credits rolled!!

Audiences today don't have the patience to wait for a movie to unfold. We don't have the time neccesary to "go on the journey." We live in a fast-food generation where satisfaction, knowledge and pleasure should come now, now, now! And if not now, then its too late. I think this may be the downfall of the internet, of cell phones, of computers and microwave ovens.

Love take time to nourish and develop. It doesn't happen within the walls of a 90 minute film, and unfortunately it doesn't have a place in many relationships. It takes a concerted effort from both parties.

Movies don't often take this "give/take" relationship into account. Mind you a film should expect to bring more to the audience than vice versa, but the audience should at very least come ready to think, not just to be entertained. Where in the history of movies did the balance tip that direction anyways?

"Good marriages are made in Heaven - or some such place." -Gromeko, Dr. Zhivago