Friday, December 30, 2011

Somewhere (2010)



This is my attitude for the New Year! (Not the judgy guy)


Since watching Hugo with mom, I can't stop listening to the soundtrack on Spotify. It has that epic film feel with a splash of Paris and a childlike feel. What more could you want?!

My 2011 Christmas movies:

Little Women (1994)
Home Alone 2 (1992)
The Family Stone (2005)
The Holiday (2006)
Last Holiday (2006)
While You Were Sleeping (1995)
[and not by choice] Cowboys & Aliens (2011)

This was the laziest Christmas but full of great food. My mom made breakfast then empanadillas, then a fruit pizza. I was stuffed and hurting. 

Christmas morning I woke up to the sweetest poem ever written.
From Brandon:

Twas the night before Christmas
And there I was,
Underway once again
On a hunt for some drugs

I stood my watch
Until it was complete,
Then made my way to berthing
To get some sleep

Not a soul was awake
No one made a peep,
So I turned on my phone
And flipped through photos I keep.

I have music galore
And apps there too,
But none of those are better
Than the photos of you.

It's the last thing I see
As I lay in bed
Your beautiful face
Dances around in my head

Another day finished
And a few more to go,
Just a couple of weeks
Until I return home.

So I leave you with this
As I close my eyes,
Merry Christmas to you
And good night my wife!

Too sweet!! 

This week week has been kind of great. I've spent it working at the Restaurant with some really fun and entertaining people I have missed so much. I've also been jotting down notes and conversations to add to a few short screenplays I am working on. It would be great if I could just write that much when I designated time to write. But that's not the way it works is it?
I've been thinking about screenwriting a lot. But it just doesn't compare to being on set set working in my opinion. If I had to choose where I wanted to be, it's on set with the craze of the production process. Doesn't mean I can't write on the side. 

I'm way too excited to go see Days in May tonight. http://www.myspace.com/daysinmay (Seriously, Kaelie, I don't know who uses Myspace anymore but that is the first link that came up on the goog.)
Anywho, my date: BEN!! 
Then tomorrow I'm convincing my mom to go see New Year's Eve (2011) with me. Cliche? Maybe. But fun. I really liked Valentine's Day (2010). 

"Fear is a sickness. It will crawl into the soul of anyone who engages it." -Apocalypto

My nephew, Wil, planking. 
Ooh! Those of you with an iPhone, add the app Heytell and send me a message. My buds and I are having WAY.TOO.MUCH.FUN. with that app. 

trimmed it, but you can't tell. This pic is so I remember the length because the next cut in 2012, will be much shorter. 
Fun 80s movie game. 


Someone once told me I remind them of Sofia Coppola, you don't forget something like that. Especially when I already adore her! Small coincidences, her bday is 4 days after mine. She lives in Paris. She is the youngest and only daughter. She is a Director, Producer, Actress, AND screenwriter. C'mon! One day...  :)

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001068/

So, I'm sitting at the Suzuki dealership waiting on my car. It's either a $1,000 fix of a $200 fix. (We are hoping for the latter.)

xoxo 
Au revoir

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Hugo (2011)

2011
that's more like it....



This movie was worth the wait, and the arm/leg it cost to see it. My date: Mom. On Christmas Eve, and it was our very own private screening. 

This film, directed by Martin Scorsese, based on the book "The Invention of Hugo Cabret"with original music by Howard Shore, was the perfect Christmas movie. With superb performances by Ben Kinglsey as Georges, Sacha Baron Cohen blew me away and he normally fails to impress me. The little boy who played Hugo, Asa Butterfield, I've never seen before but he was fantastic!! The last thing I saw Chloe Moretz in was Amityville Horror (2005). She was perfect in this role in my opinion. She found a way to gracefully play a little girl who was strong enough to metaphorically carry her depressed God Father. There were so many actors who deserve mention but this would be very long. Let me say, it was very nice to see Jude Law for the 5 minutes he is on screen. 

Watch trailer below if you haven't seen it.



<<SPOILER ALERT>> 
(and I'm sorry I put spoilers in my blog)
Scorsese cameo: as Melies' Photographer outside of his studio. 
James Cameron told Scorsese this was the best use of 3D, (including his own films) :P

A couple of times I found myself quietly thanking my American Cinema Professor, David Spencer, for screening the films he did. Along with my Editing Professor, Nola Schiff. Most of the films shown in Hugo are from the French pioneers of the late 19th century and early 20th century starting with the Lumiere Brothers. (who were the inspiration for Georges Melies) The recurring reference in this film was the first science fiction film, A Trip To the Moon (1902). And Scorsese painted a beautiful picture of that set in 1902. 

A few people who've seen the movie told me to look out for references made. The only one I noticed was to Jean Valjean. (Les Mis)

There were a few memorable quotes in the film:

Hugo: "I thought if I could fix it I wouldn't be so lonely."


Georges: "Film has the power to capture dreams."


Hugo: "If you lose your purpose, it's like you're broken."


Isabelle: "This might be an adventure, I've never had one, outside of books..."


Melies: "If you ever wondered where dreams come from, look around. This is where they are made." (shows him the set)

And a vignette I absolutely LOVED was that of the Madame Emile (cafe owner) & Monsieur Frick (newspaper stand). I especially loved that they concluded their story in the end.... without words at that.. I only had the sound of my mom's commentary, "That is a smart man...."

But the most amazing moment in the ENTIRE film has to be when Professor Tabard shows up to Melies apartment with the film. When Mama Jeanne sees herself. That's suppose to be her hanging on the waning crescent moon. 




Esther Williams, the queen of synchronized swimming



Saturday, December 24, 2011

Nothing Like the Holidays (2008)

It's Christmas Tomorrow!!!


I've taken advantage during this break to watch as many movies as I can, netflix, red box, and theaters. Most recently I've seen Midnight in Paris (2011), which I loved! If it's possible, I knew I would love it before I saw it. It combines some of my favorite elements: A movie written and directed by Woody Allen, taking place in Paris, starring Rachel McAdams and Marion Cotillard. I have to say that the character Rachel played is by far my least favorite she's ever played. The concept of this film is just brilliant to me!! A writer suffering from writer's block goes to Paris with his fiancee and on a walk one night gets transported to a time where some of the most brilliant artist lived. He gets feedback on his work by Fitzgerald, Hemmingway, and Gertude Stein. Not to mention (but I'm mentioning) being serenaded by Cole Porter and chatting with Picasso. What a night! Beautifully done in my opinion, my only gripe is that the film finishes where it should begin.....


As far as theaters go, I went to see The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011). It was first a novel ("Men Who Hate Women") trilogy by the name of "the Millennium Series." I didn't read the books, but I did see the Swedish Films. (They are on Netflix Instant watch right now). I love both the Swedish and American versions. It's the kind of film that makes you feel grateful and angry at the same time. The opening sequence is the most interesting I think I've ever seen, and I can't wait for The Girl Who Played With Fire.
David Fincher, the director, who has also directed some of my FAVORITE films: Se7en (1995), Fight Club (1999), Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons (2008) and the Social Network (2010). In my opinion, Fincher has a specific style and color palette (blues and low lights) he's faithful too. I'm a fan, that's for sure.

"I don't know how much movies should entertain. To me, I'm always interested in movies that scar. The thing I love about Jaws (1975) is the fact that I've never gone swimming in the ocean again."- David Fincher



Noomi Rapace, Lisbeth Salander from the Swedish version of Girl/Tattoo

OOH! I found the entire movie Salsa (1988) on youtube! This is in honor of my Wednesday nights! 


Tomorrow is Christmas, then next week is 2012. My 10 year high school reunion! "/ It does NOT feel like 10 years. But I wouldn't trade the last 10 years for anything in this world. (well, maybe a lifetime supply of pinkberry). Brandon will be spending Christmas in the middle of the ocean which really sucks. But he'll be back before I know it. I'm convincing him to make a travel blog, he won't be able to post a lot of info, but he's got great pics. Keep an eye out.



Cross your fingers, I'm planning but not really planning on seeing Hugo tonight at 6. Mom is cooking and if we are comatose from the food we won't make it. But I'm so hoping because they are not showing it from tomorrow on here, and they stopped showing it in Fayetteville. Listen to me.... I'm so going.


Migrant Mother by Florence Owens Thompson

This song reminds me so much of Memoirs and the first few weeks of school. 


Sunday, December 18, 2011

Life in a Day (2011)



Let me start by thanking my dear friend, Austin Elliott for recommending such an innovative film to me. For as long as I've known him he's mentioned a project he knew about a year ago where YouTube and The National Geographic asked people around the world to film themselves for a day. The same day, July 24th, 2010.
<<SPOILER ALERT>>

Now I will go ahead and spoil something very important that I wish I knew about. A cow is slaughtered about half way through the film. I had to pause it and regroup before continuing because I can only take so much. And even though I really appreciate what this film has accomplished, I would have been as affected is it were just insinuated. Maybe you disagree.
This film is a compilation of hundreds of people all over the world. Just a day in their life.
Starting with people getting into bed from partying the night before to hundreds of people waking up and waking their kids up. Having breakfast and starting their day. Have you ever wondered about the routines of other people on the other side of the world? This film puts on a chronological order of the different routines. There is a sequence of births that made me a little queasy but really touched me.
One of my favorite stories is that of Okhwan Yoon, a Korean man who bicycles around the world. I think I'd like to do that...I'll start small, maybe bike from Wilmington to SC this summer. Who's with me?
Then there was this lady with a chicken bag & a Canadian flag. (If you watch this film, tell me what you think of her..)
This film asks several questions, What do you love, what do you fear, what's in your pocket. I'm remembering a writing exercise I was given in the very first week of school for screenwriting. It was called Le Menu. (I can't remember why, but I do remember thinking that was a ridiculous name for the exercise.) This exercise asked 20 questions to help guide you in writing creatively. Basic "what do you treasure, love, fear, miss, regret" and so on. They are important questions that help you get to know someone. So you get to see the responses of many different cultures. A recurring fear was God. No matter the religion, their 'god' is what they feared most. Interesting.
Another very interesting thing to watch was the last Love Parade in Germany. 21 deaths and 500 injuries, there are clips of the crowds in the tunnel and the casualties of the loveparade. It was an electronic dance music festival in Berlin since the late 80s.
The film ends on a bit of a creepy 'darker side of humanity' note. With some girl I'd like to quote..."I want people to know I'm here, that I exist."Perfect explanation as to why people even own a camera. To make their mark in this world. The reason there were thousands of submissions for this project.
There are 6,982,109,471 people in this world right now. Or at least when I post this blog. And I wish I could meet most of them.

Saturday, December 17, 2011

The Help (2011)

Just finished The Help (2011).
I feel that I watch movies at the right time, and hate forcing myself to sit and watch something. I wanted to see this film when it was released this summer but never had the opportunity. The opportunity came this morning, in a hotel room, alone. Brandon and I rented it last night from a Redbox in Norfolk, VA. Random, I know. Well, B had to work a little this morning so I started it after a shower while I was brushing out this mane, for those of you who know me.... you know it takes FOREVER.
Well, to my surprise, here I am, crying and laughing in this hotel room counting down the minutes to check out time. (11:00am) The most emotional scene in the whole movie and it's 10:55am! BALLS!!!
So I check out, google the closest Barnes & Noble (Chesapeake) and rush through traffic to finish this movie.
Here I sit, grande sweet green tea lemonade, spinach & feta pretzel, and tissue full of snot.
What a great movie.
Great performances from Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Bryce Howard and Octavia Spencer! Not to mention, original music from my favorite composer Thomas Newman!! http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002353/
I'm left with one of those "I want to make something right now" moods. That's how I know I've truly been inspired. I am listening to the soundtrack on spottily right now and Johnny Cash is trying his best to charm me. Well Mr. Cash, it is working!


Last night we saw The Change-Up (2011), and call me a snob, but I'm kind of over those kinds of comedies. I'm afraid at one point it was my favorite genre of movie. And while I need some mindless entertainment sometimes I'd rather walk away from 2 hours of my invested time having learned something. What I learned last night is that Leslie Mann may be one of my favorite actresses and Ryan Reynolds has weird teeth. :) I did laugh though. 

What a nice treat that on my last day of school the voice students serenaded us in the Pickle Jar with some beautiful caroling. Believe it or not, but aside from performances I've attended before I was actually a student, this is the first thing I've seen by students at our school that weren't film students. (I bet there is an easier way to word that.) 

Christmas is quickly falling upon us, I'm reminded by the hustle of shoppers outside this Barnes & Noble window. There are a little more interesting today because I've now switched to listening to Thomas Newman's Little Women Composition. A cheerful, holiday mood. 
I'll be spending these next three weeks in my car a lot. Driving back from VA to Fayetteville, to Wilmington, to Charlotte then eventually back to Winston-Salem. But I cannot express how excited I am to see so many faces I love and miss! If it's one thing I am sure of is that I gain most inspiration from the people I know most. Which is why I am so excited to see my dad today. Bran and I will be driving to Petersburg soon to spend some time with our VA-based family. 

(Listening to 'Spring' from the Little Women Soundtrack.) I could cry.
I don't have many traditions that are my own, but one. To watch Little Women (1994) every Christmas morning. I can't remember when this tradition started, but I look forward to it every year. I haven't seen it in a year, and I wonder if my opinion has changed because of the things I'm learning in school. I find myself being a little more critical, which is understanding now that I understand much more about movies than I did before. 


This is a Christmas tree in downtown Winston-Salem from a night I spent exploring downtown. My company that night are some of the people I love most. And that moment under the tree was a moment worth capturing. 

Well, I will end here so I can look around for something to read over break. 
xoxo

Sunday, December 11, 2011

In Time (2011)

1st semester is done!

From Rachel Hall's 5 minute photo shoot. 

Next semester looks like this:

Screenwriting II
Directing II
American Cinema
Producing II
Editing II
Sound Design

Art History II and The History of Psychology

I'm okay with that.


Thanksgiving week was a success. I ate to my heart's content.


While I was studying for academic finals I kept getting distracted with my 'further reading' assignments for Self, Society & Cosmos. I think I have posted this before, but here it is again. 

Play is a play by Samuel Beckett. It was written between 1962 and 1963. This is a version directed by Anthony Minghella for Beckett on Film project.




Whenever I come across things I want to share with people or just things that inspire me, I post them here. Which is why it tends to be so random. I do it throughout a span of a few days or weeks so they may not make sense. But earlier I posted a few things about Buddhism, and some of my classes keep going back to it. Here is a link to a site I found helpful in describing the Four Noble Truths:

I got my grades, finally. 4 As, 4 Bs, and a C. The C I'm disappointed with because it is in Producing, which may be my concentration! 

We've started Intensive Arts which is workshop after workshop and screening after screening. Opening night, (Mon) we screened The Sitter (2011) with Jonah Hill. UNCSA alumni David Gordon Green directed it and brought it for us.  http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0337773/
He is the perfect consistency of awesome sauce.  Tuesday we screened Brokeback Mountain (2005), and Seven Samurai (1954). Seven Samurai was a little difficult to sit through. 3 1/2 hours on the uncomfortable Gold Theatre chairs... But I will say that I appreciated the film for it's pioneering shots. What we consider cliched shots today in war films were first seen in 7 Samurai. And screening these films is what film school is all about. Which is why we screened BEETLEJUICE (1988) 
A fond memory of my childhood.

Wednesday we screened "What's Up, Doc?"(1972) Directed by our very own, Peter Bogdonavich. One of the best screwball comedies I've seen. "You're The Top" will never be the same for me. It was perfect. And Barbara's "propriety" line will go down as one of my favs. To quote Peter B on a conversation between him and Barbara....
Discussing the matters of a shot:
Barbara: You're unbelievable.
Peter: No, I'm directing.
(ends Q&A)

Peter Bogdonavich & Susan Ruskin


I've started training a little in parkour. It's therapeutic and loads of fun! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkour

from rolling

Brandon deployed this weekend. You'd think it'd get easier by now. not.so.much. I pulled out my Christmas decorations recently and I think they were locked up since 2008. "/

OOH! So, I created this project while I was in Federal Work Study for my 'boss'. During the student interviews they have to sit and write a creative piece while their parents sit in the lobby and wait... well I had the idea that their parents engage in some film related activity. So we set up a little set for the parents to sit on and give a little message to their kid. Then an editor would show them how to import the footy (footage) and edit it. It was a complete success and only possible because of my dear friends! 

So, my second year, directing friend, Leah shot her guerrilla, "Guerrilla, Guerrilla."I think it's going to be great! 

Me and Austin as the sound team, DR as the first AC.

 
I can't wait for this week's workshops!! Crewing, pitching, grants/resumes, Production trucks, festival press kits!! Plus this week is our Horror series! Pan's Labyrinth (2006) to kick off tomorrow!

Well, this concludes week one of Intensi-farts. A perfect end to this week, hanging with my peeps writing pitches for a workshop listening to Steve Joblonsky.