Sunday, May 29, 2005

I forgot one last thing...

I meant to end my review with a quote from A.O. Scott's review,
He sums it up best I think.


"But of course the rise of the Empire and the perdition of Anakin Skywalker are not the end of the story, and the inverted chronology turns out to be the most profound thing about the ''Star Wars'' epic. Taken together, and watched in the order they were made, the films reveal the cyclical nature of history, which seems to repeat itself even as it moves forward. Democracies swell into empires, empires are toppled by revolutions, fathers abandon their sons and sons find their fathers. Movies end. Life goes on."

Damn.

sorry I made a typo...

When I wrote for me to like this movie would have been a massive undertaking on the maker's part.

That should read for me to dislike this movie etc etc. Sorry about that.

always on the move...

Okay, let's get this over quickly. Just saw Revenge of the Sith for the fourth time yesterday, and a special note to all those waiting to see it, if you can, see it digitally. It's a remarkable difference, and it almost gets to a point where the special effects don't look like special effects, they look like a photographed image. I know there is a lot of economic turmoil surrounding the switch to digital and I'm not going to pretend to understand the implications, it's just a shame that the theatres around me haven't switched yet.

Anyway the movie, it kicks ass. It's so epic and tragic and such a big goddamn spectacle that fully justifies the star wars title. Kevin Smith said in his review he was predisposed to like this movie, I think I am of the same ilk. As someone who I suppose could be called a star wars apologist, even though I really realy hate that term. I am a prequel fan as well as a special edition fan. Anyway, none of that foolishness matters, back to the movie. For me to like this movie would have taken a mighty big undertaking on the maker's part. So for that I say, thank the maker.

Here's what I love.

1. The Opening- the dogfight, the R2-D2 stuff, the banter back and forth between anakin and obi-wan. I love the energy and the goofiness, it's also a really great opening action set piece. Part of me really hates this part just because I want the movie to stay this way, and not spill into the giant clusterfuck it will become.

2. Palpatine- He is in the zone in this movie and my hat goes off to Ian McDiarmid for not only playing a character twenty years younger from when he last saw him, which is actually twenty years older for McDiarmid. But he also makes a great villian, and he is so damn convincing in his manipulation of anakin. Watching him in that opera scene you can't help but think that this is why villians were created. He is a great villian because he can pull off the good guy disguise as chancellor and then just as easily switch gears into the bat shit crazy over the top emperor and I personally love watching it all.

3. The Jedi Massacre- Goddamn this is a tough sequence, and Lucas pulls it off beautifully. The intercutting, the tragedy of it in its inevitability. This sequence chokes me up every time I see it. I think my favorite shot in the movie is a simple close up of yoda's cane as it drops to the floor and seeing the little guy clutch his heart as his way of life is being wiped out. This sequence is just the beginning of the emotional heights this movie scales.

4. The last 45 minutes to 1 hour of this movie- I haven't really calculated how long the running time is on this part, but watching the obi-wan vs. anakin intercut with yoda vs. darth sidious is like watching some beautiful symphony. It's epic in a way that reaches operatic levels and truly brings the space opera back into star wars. Then how the movie shifts so dynamically to the intercutting of darth vader being born to that of the twins birth. Genius. My second favorite shot in the movie, when that mask comes down and vader takes his first breath. You will not hear a sound in the theatre when that happens, truly chill inducing. Then Leia and Luke landing on their perspective planets, and each of their themes being introduced and the very last shot of the movie is absolute perfection.

5. Other random shit I Like- Ewan McGregor, I feel his talents are really under appreciated in these movies. He makes obi-wan's growth so consistent with that of the alec guiness portrayal. And his humanity and wit are present even when he is delivering some truly cheesey lines. Side note, I don't give a shit about the dialogue in this movie, people need to relax about that shit, it's a star wars movie for christ sake. And one more thing, lord of the rings had some truly stupid lines in it too, but oh wait that's literary so it has to be good. Please. Anyway, Ewan really pulls out all the stops in his confrontation with anakin, it's his hurt that registers more than anything. It's devastating. Speaking of acting, even though they hit some rough patches here and there, I like hayden christensen and natalie portman, they're just not as consistent as everyone else. I think their last scene together is one of the most emotionally satisfying as anything star wars has ever put up on screen. I think they work a lot better when the relationship is falling apart, that being said I think they both did a good job and don't deserve the shit being hurled at them. Also, yoda rules but everyone knew that.

That being said, is there anything i didn't like about it?
No you bastard and how dare you make that assumption. Actually I wish there was more of the kashykk battle, I think it's effective as it is and doesn't take anything away, it just doesn't really serve a purpose other than to get yoda out of coruscant and to introduce chewbacca, which I really like by the way. The shot of yoda hopping up on chewbacca's shoulder is another particular delight. I also wish at the very end there would have been a shot of yoda getting of his little pod on dagobah, which there was supposed to be but i read that it was taken out because it was felt that the film had too many endings. I can understand that but I would have liked to see it anyway. Other than that, yeah I can see the complaint that anakin's tranformation happens a little too quickly but it's a star wars movie and if you want subtlety and nuance, go see crash. oh wait that sucked nevermind. I admit, it is sudden but remember yoda's words. Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny. That's the dark side, it gets in you and it consumes you, plus I think the moment when anakin lights up his lightsaber in the room full of younglings is a great moment in its savagery. I don't like it, but it is a hell of a shot.

To wrap up, this movie took me places I didn't think a star wars movie was capable of. I don't know if it's the best of the six, but I definitely think there are individual moments that are better than any of the original movies. As I said, I think it's safe to say the last hour of this movie is the best of all six. So yeah, this movie kicks ass. I hope you all enjoyed my thoughts, now go see the movie and make up your own damn mind. It could definintely use the money. Later, see you around maybe.

Thursday, May 26, 2005

Don't mess with a man with a Wayback Machine. I can make it so you were never born.

I didn't know my many fans were clamoring for my official episode III review.
Well t.s. I'm going to write it after I see with "the girl will scar you" or whatever you wish to call him.
That will be saturday night...yes saturday night. And in the words of arnold schwarzenegger in jingle all the way...

Ill write you that review...I PROMISE.

He said get and toy, but I adapted.

Anyway, I'd like to point everyone's attention to yet another in a long line of sadly cancelled shows. Although this one was cancelled for good reason since one of its principal cast members died. It still saddens me. Anyway, the show is NewsRadio, and I also realized that all of the shows I like seem to have a revolving door of the same writers and directors. For example, a writer for NewsRadio went on to work on Futurama, which shares many of the same writers and directors of the critic and the simpsons. Along with that, several writers and directors from Seinfeld also worked on NewsRadio. I have come to the conclusion that I need to create a collective ensemble for these people to create the greatest television show ever assembled. Think about it, take Simpsons, Futurama, NewsRadio, Seinfeld, and the Critic and toss it into a fabulous blender. The results would be television gold...pure unadulterated gold.

Anyway, NewsRadio is a really funny show. What I really like about it is that it's like a great screwball comedy in the form of one of the least funny mediums ever created, the sitcom. The writing isn't based on punchlines, or gags or any kind of cheap set up you can see a mile away. The cast creates this vibe that makes you feel like you're in on some big inside joke, it's a really weird feeling. You want to be a part of this show, at least I do, and not in a stay tuned kind of way, just in a my life is so empty because I sit around wishing they would bring back cancelled shows kind of way. Except of course for family guy, the show that deserved to be cancelled but can't stay that way for some reason. Anyway, it's a good show, rent the dvd if it should so arouse your interest.

That's it, I'll write the review this weekend.

Later.

Normally at a time like this I'd ask you for advice, and you'd say something that would make no sense at all, but somehow it would all fit together. Like, I would tell you, "Sir, I have a problem," and you'd say, "Well, what is it?" and I'd say, "Well, sir, Lisa wants to have a baby, but she doesn't want to get married," and you'd say "Dave, why milk the cow when you have a fridge full of steaks?" And I'd say, "Sir, that makes no sense," and you'd say, "Well, it sure made sense when that guy Chuck Connors said it in that movie Chinatown," and I'd say, "Sir, Chuck Connors wasn't in Chinatown," and you'd say, "Dave, if I wanted to have this conversation I'd have hired that guy Siskel Ebert to do your job," and I'd say, "Sir, Siskel and Ebert are two people," and you'd say, "Dave, just because the man is fat is no reason to make fun of him."

Thursday, May 19, 2005

insert line about circle being complete or the force is with us yet again....

I wasn't going to write this tonight, I haven't gotten a lot of sleep in the past two nights. And I waited outside of a movie theatre yesterday for almost 9 hours, surrounded by die hard star wars fans. In some cases grown men who had children left at home. Being in line initially had me frustrated, since for the second time we were not first in line. We lost out to some dudes who had been there since 8 am, so I wasn't exactly envious. I also felt a certain amount of disconnect from them because I feel like to be considered a "true" star wars fan, you need to have A) Seen them when you were at least 8 years old or around that age, which I didn't do. B) You need to be bitterly dissappointed with the first two prequel films, so much so that you have almost stopped liking the movies all together, the special editions are included in this term. and C) well, I don't really have a C. I am not ridiculing or demeaning any of these positions, I am simply postulating that I feel like I can't connect with star wars fans because I am part of the new generation. I like the prequels, I saw the special editions first, and I have no childhood memories to claim Mr. Lucas has raped me of. But I realized something as I was sitting in the theatre last night, I looked behind me and I saw a grown man sitting calmly in his seat clutching a prop lightsaber that had these glowing lights on it that looked really really cool. He looked so content and happy with the moment, his toy by his side, and I thought, this shouldn't be about differences. It doesn't matter who likes what, or who felt which film doesn't work etc. What matter is that everybody wants this series to be the best it possibly can, everybody finds comfort in the fact that this story can take us somewhere that makes us feel like that toy lightsaber is alive. I feel like all the fans and fan boys alike have hope for star wars, they just have different ways of showing it. It's nice to be a part of something like that.

Before I begin I will warn the millions of you out there that this review will be filled with many things spoiler. And if you havent seen it yet, please don't read beyond the first paragraph. Really I am warning you right now, run away.

For those of you worrying I might scurry off to dagobah to hang out with yoda if this movie didn't deliver, don't worry. I loved it, I'm sure that was a big shocker. I think there are moments in it that are the best of all six movies, Revenge of the Sith took to me places I didn't think a star wars film could. The Original Trilogy is forever changed, for the better I feel, and Star Wars still remains my favorite filmed story of all time. Read that as My favorite movie of all time.

You know what nevermind, I am too tired. I will give a much more detailed review after I get some shut eye and see the film again tomorrow. I wiill return, I promise.

Wednesday, May 18, 2005

tabled this motion is...or is it?

Today is the day...

At 3 pm estimated time I will arrive at the Brandywine Town Center to wait for Nine hours and one minute before seeing Episode III at 12:01am. This is really embarassing Im sure for those of you know me, and for those of you who don't. Welcome aboard.
Then again, what did you expect me to do?

I'm feeling very anxious right now. I don't know why, maybe it's because I'm not looking foward to a nine hour stay at the regal eagal, how many times will i see the 20wenty in nine hours? Figure that out. There's also a lot of, I don't want to say fear, but something along those lines. I don't want to go into this movie with any preconceived notions, I need to think of this as just another movie and I am an objective view point going to see it and form opinions on my own. But, I think, that's impossible. I just don't want to walk away from the last one feeling even the least bit empty. I know, that's an unfair burden to place on a movie, but that's why I'm nervous I guess, because I can't help it.

Looking around my room at all the stuff I have amassed over the years, lunchboxes, action figures, yoda busts, it's hard to explain but it feels like saying goodbye to something you have been with for a really long time. Granted, I missed out on the youth star wars years, since I got into the series when I was already 13, and then really really really got into it when I was 18. It feels like more though, it feels like I went to high school with it or something. And this movie tonight, this is it, there ain't no coming back. I don't know, it's sad but at the same time very rewarding, I do not feel like I wasted a second of my time with this stuff. And for that I am grateful. Well it's almost 2pm, i gotta go pick up danno and then...yeah nine hours.

In closing, gentle reader, I'd like to thank you.
`What's that?' you say? Me thanking you?
No, it's not a misprint, for you see, I enjoyed writing this blog as much
as you enjoyed reading it.


The End.

Will there ever be a rainbow?

Monday, May 16, 2005

You're all talk Hamill, you never even finished jedi school!

Just finished watching Hoop Dreams this morning. I started half of it last night and the rest today, it's amazing that a three hour documentary moves as astonishingly well as this one does. I haven't seen hoop dreams in its entirety since it came out in theatres, over ten years ago. I remember not being bored by it but not really getting all of the racial/class/societal questions the film asked. Then again I was only ten years old. It's a really great film though, Roger Ebert called it one of the best films ever made about american life, I haven't seen enough to certify that statement but I would say its up there. There is also a scene that I swear Spike Lee took down page for page when he wrote He Got Game. It's when one of the kids (William) is being recruited by Marquette university and they take him down to the stadium and bring him up to the press box where he listens to a fake play by play of himself hitting the game winning shot of the championship. College basketball is some sleazy shit, hell, basketball in general seems like sleazy shit. The other kid Arthur is recruited off of the playgrounds by a fancy private school called St. Joe's because the scout thought he could be the next isiah thomas. When it doesn't turn out that way as quickly as they would have hoped and his grades aren't up to snuff, they shit can him and make his parents pay thousands of dollars for tuition they promised they would pay. Anyway, the movie is remarkable and if you have a chance to rent the brand new dvd that just came out, definitely do so. Or burn it. I haven't done a plug in a while, so I figured it's about time.

Two more days, until Revenge of the Sith I don't know what else to say really. All sorts of reviews being posted, I do something really stupid whenever I read these opinions. Obviously I dont read the reviews because critics don't give a crap about spoilers, but a negative review gets me more bummed out then a positive review gets me excited. I don't know why that hapens. I shouldn't care what the village voice thinks, we've had our differences in the past. Anyway, maybe the next time you hear from me I'll be revenged, maybe not though. Maybe I'll write about what i eat for lunch today. I'll see ya.

"People always say to me, when you get to the NBA, don't forget about me. Well, I should've said back, if I don't make it to the NBA, don't you forget about me."

Friday, May 13, 2005

Well... uh... we fuckin' stole it, man.

Jane Winslett-Richardson: In twelve years, the baby will be eleven and a half.
Steve Zissou: [pause] That was my favorite age.

6 Days Until May 19th, 2005

Thursday, May 12, 2005

Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter.

I've been really lazy with this thing. Not only am I totally psyched for next wednesday because of Episode III, but also because i can stop writing in this thing. I should leave this to the professionals, I guess I'm not cut out for the fast paced blogging world.

Anyway, I've been reading the first few sentences of almost every fan site possible for Revenge of the Sith reviews. Generally, the word is positive, not a lot of enthusiasm, but like quiet applause you give to an opening act that you didn't really want to see but is giving you a good show. In other words, people who have lost faith in the series. Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with people of that persausion, people like or dislike movies for all kinds of reasons, who am I to judge? But I did run by something that really troubled me and somewhat correlates with my whole anti-fanboy stance. One review said something like, Lucas decided to take the new series on himself making every decision his own and not thinking of what was best for the series. Did I miss something here? Since when did a filmmaker's creative instincts not become his or her own? Since when did a matter of taste become what's best for the series? This really bothers me because it illustrates everything wrong with fan boy-dom, they take things SO personally. The way I see it, Lucas made some calls you don't agree with, do you know any better? I love star wars but if somebody offered me the chance to make a prequel trilogy that succesfully navigated the treacherous back story to one of the most beloved movie myths of our time, I would say thanks, but no thanks. I know, I certainly don't have the answers to what is best for the series, I just happened to agree with the approach Mr. Lucas has taken these past couple of years. And that's all I want from these fan boys, just say you didn't care for it, or you didn't agree, don't act like a stake has been driven into your heart, your all knowing fan boy piss and moan heart. I guess I'm biased and tired of hearing the term lucas apologist being thrown around. I'm also tired of these internet buffons brining me down off my star wars cloud, but maybe I should be. This may not be healthy. I'm just tired of people thinking star wars belongs to them and only them, it belongs to everyone. And as such, it will go in ways some of us don't like, and some of us like. I hope this made sense, I haven't written in this thing for a while, I think I'm a little rusty.

Less than a week now, I'm starting to think what it will be like tuesday morning, will it be pure exhiliration, or a desperate slug to the finish that will take forever. I'm thinking the former because everytime I get frustrated with how long it is taking this movie to come out, I remind myself that this is it, this is the last time. I better enjoy it. Also, the reason I said tuesday morning and not wednesday morning is because wednesday I'll probably be at the theatre all day. So if you want to give me a call that day while I'm waiting, you can remind yourself how pathetic you're not compared to me.

Also, I plan something special for the last blog, my review of ROTS. Get your game faces on for that one. Cause on May 19th, 2005 WE GO LIVE!!!!!

6 days until May 19th, 2005.

"So, in the end I'd like to say
That I'm a very thankful man
I tried to make the most of my situations
And enjoy what I had
I knew true love, and I knew passion
And the difference between the two
I had some regrets
But if I had to do it all again
Well, it's something I'd like to do"

Maybe I should have saved that one till the end, but what the hell.

Wednesday, May 11, 2005

split the country, split the street

7 Days until May 19th, 2005. It's only a week away now.

This is a song I heard today and you know when you're listening to something and it hits you instantly, this was one of those songs. It's by kevin devine.

Alabama Acres

So there's hundreds of auburn Alabama acres,
with rows of red roofs over warm farmer's daughters
who've got no intention of inviting me in.

Space shines above me so I settle myself under it.
When I wake up, I'm back in my crowded city apartment,
with some random men doing work off in the kitchen.

They're stacking mattresses up now from the ceiling down to the floor.
My father's sick in the hallway. I hear whim whistling under door.
I rush to lift him, but you know I'm weak, and you know that he's heavy.

There's no blood in his cheeks, but he's smiling straight at me.
I ask the thickest of the workers, "would you please come help me out?"
He comes ambling over and says, "Sir, I love how your whistling sounds."

So now we drag him through the kitchen to the living room and down on the carpet.
He says, "Son, I'm embarassed but the sides of my head hurt.
I just know that I'm tired and I could surely use some rest."

I tear a mattress down for him and I say,
"Here Dad. Sleep some on this."
I wake for real, and it's over. I'm alone in the acres, and my dad is still dead.

So if you're underneath one of those rooftops,
look out your window and invite me on in,
'cuz it's cold and I'm lonely, and I could sure use a friend.

A proper post will be up soon. Can't wait.

Monday, May 02, 2005

...yeah see the thing about that is.

I know that I basically have the same blog printed twice, I don't know what happened. The links didnt work when I tried it last night and then blogspot said they wouldn't publish it, so I gave up and started over. Think of the first one as the original release, and the second as the special edition. Yeah.

Darker, Scarier, Better

Finished with finals, just a make up class and an editing project to finish, then i will done R-U-N-N-O-F-T.

Got some links for you all this time, i finally learned how to do this so I'm gonna get real creative.
A Hero Falls

Check that out. It has a high quantity of what I call holy shit moments where you find yourself gasping holy shit at various moments throughout the piece. If anyone cares to tell me which moments were holy shit worthy for them let me know, I'm sure millions will respond to that one.

Here's another, quite possibly the most original music video ever made. E knows how to knock em dead.

Hey Man

It's the second to last video on the page, called Hey Man, like I said, why do I always have to repeat everything.

Some early reviews are starting to come in for Revenge of the Sith. The title of this post is the headline to the Time Magazine review, and it's very exciting. Also the fan reviews thus far have been very positive.

It's so close now.

17 days until, May 19th 2005. and also the official countdown begins to when this blog goes off the air so to speak, it's about goddamn time if you ask me. I'm too old for this shit.


"They used to get around, walkin' around, lookin' at stuff. They used to try to find clues to all the mysteries and mistakes God had made. My friend George said that he was gonna live to be 100 years old. He said-- He said that he was going to be the president of the United States. I wanted to see him lead a parade and wave a flag on the Fourth of July. He just wanted greatness. The grown-ups in my town, they were never kids like me and my friends. They had worked in wars and build machines. It was hard for them to find their peace. Don't you know how that feels? I like to go to beautiful places where there's waterfalls and empty fields. Just places that are nice and calm and quiet."

Sunday, May 01, 2005

Darker, Scarier, Better

So this is it, 18 more days as of 12 minutes ago. It is officially May of 2005, I remember back in 2002 and even 2004, how far away this seemed. I'm happy its here, but its also sad how quickly time goes. Oh well.

Not much to write about, well I do but I've just been studying all day for a media in america final, I'll give you time to laugh before you read on, and you should laugh. It's over tomorrow, so that's good.

I'm going to try to post some links of some really cool music videos that have just been released, let me see if I can do it.


Sorry I cant work these into a sentence, the help page says to be creative. I hope they don't get mad at me.

http://www.starwars.com/episode-iii/release/trailer/10.html
Link
http://www.starwars.com/episode-iii/release/trailer/10.html

http://www.eelstheband.com/media/index.asp
Link
http://www.eelstheband.com/media/index.asp

For the eels one, watch the last two videos at the bottom of the screen. Hey Man Now You're Really Living is awesome.

18 days until May 19th, 2005.

"They used to get around, walkin' around, lookin' at stuff. They used to try to find clues to all the mysteries and mistakes God had made. My friend George said that he was gonna live to be 100 years old. He said-- He said that he was going to be the president of the United States. I wanted to see him lead a parade and wave a flag on the Fourth of July. He just wanted greatness. The grown-ups in my town, they were never kids like me and my friends. They had worked in wars and build machines. It was hard for them to find their peace. Don't you know how that feels? I like to go to beautiful places where there's waterfalls and empty fields. Just places that are nice and calm and quiet."