11/30/11
11/29/11
11/28/11
11/26/11
HUNGER - OFFICIAL TRAILER
Wow, this is an impressive film. On streaming and worth the watch. The 1st half has pretty much no dialogue and only images, and then a long dialogue sequence between a prisoner and a priest. I would have to rewatch it to catch everything, but it's not based on the Knut Hamsun novel. If you want something visual, philosophical and existential, this is for you.
11/24/11
William T. Vollmann Part 1
Another writer who's 'fame' is that he self-marginalizes himself and writes diarrhetically.
11/21/11
American Masters: Woody Allen
I just finished watching the PBS American Masters doc. on Woody Allen, which is available online. (Part 1 as of this writing and Part 2 shortly will follow.)
While this 3.5 hr doc. is mostly thorough, Part 1 and 2 are almost like different films. (I said almost.) Part 1 is the better half, since it goes into how Allen got involved in film in the first place, and covers his early development as an artist, his relationship with Diane Keaton, etc. Part 2 is more on commercialism and scandal, though it does cover his films with Mia Farrow.
But as for a few things that disappointed me: all the critics made it seem like Stardust Memories was a "misstep" and a "failure" of grand proportion, though none of them really stated why. Just read Dan's review and see how he disagrees with that. Stardust Memories is one of the greatest films I've ever seen in my life, so to call this masterpiece a "failure" even more than 30 years after the fact made me depressed a little.
The second disappointment is that the doc. didn't even mention Another Woman, which is another one of his greatest films. In fact, if I could rank his three best films overall, they would be Stardust Memories, Another Woman and Crimes and Misdemeanors. One out of those films was mentioned as a failure and the other wasn't even mentioned at all.
Yet why the boner for Matchpoint? Ah, because it made some money and sort of made him "cool" in a way, after various lackluster films like Jade Scorpion, Hollywood Ending and Anything Else. Though the doc. neglected to mention that Allen recycled his own material from Crimes and Misdemeanors, albeit differently. Granted, Matchpoint is a good film, but no Crimes and Misdemeanors.
Perhaps the most ridiculous was when they made it seem like A Mid Summer Night's Sex Comedy was somehow an indication that Allen was back on the "right track" after having "fallen off it" as result of Stardust Memories. Other than being the first film with Mia Farrow, it's just an ok, lite movie.
The doc. is worth the watch, even though I found the critics ill informed and overall ignorant about what makes for a great film. Oh, and for only calling Interiors "heavy." Heavy? That's all they can say about it? What a bunch of Joeys.
While this 3.5 hr doc. is mostly thorough, Part 1 and 2 are almost like different films. (I said almost.) Part 1 is the better half, since it goes into how Allen got involved in film in the first place, and covers his early development as an artist, his relationship with Diane Keaton, etc. Part 2 is more on commercialism and scandal, though it does cover his films with Mia Farrow.
But as for a few things that disappointed me: all the critics made it seem like Stardust Memories was a "misstep" and a "failure" of grand proportion, though none of them really stated why. Just read Dan's review and see how he disagrees with that. Stardust Memories is one of the greatest films I've ever seen in my life, so to call this masterpiece a "failure" even more than 30 years after the fact made me depressed a little.
The second disappointment is that the doc. didn't even mention Another Woman, which is another one of his greatest films. In fact, if I could rank his three best films overall, they would be Stardust Memories, Another Woman and Crimes and Misdemeanors. One out of those films was mentioned as a failure and the other wasn't even mentioned at all.
Yet why the boner for Matchpoint? Ah, because it made some money and sort of made him "cool" in a way, after various lackluster films like Jade Scorpion, Hollywood Ending and Anything Else. Though the doc. neglected to mention that Allen recycled his own material from Crimes and Misdemeanors, albeit differently. Granted, Matchpoint is a good film, but no Crimes and Misdemeanors.
Perhaps the most ridiculous was when they made it seem like A Mid Summer Night's Sex Comedy was somehow an indication that Allen was back on the "right track" after having "fallen off it" as result of Stardust Memories. Other than being the first film with Mia Farrow, it's just an ok, lite movie.
The doc. is worth the watch, even though I found the critics ill informed and overall ignorant about what makes for a great film. Oh, and for only calling Interiors "heavy." Heavy? That's all they can say about it? What a bunch of Joeys.
Hawaii Five 0 Intro
Jack Lord was one badass motherfucking asskicker! Another great great tv theme song.
11/20/11
Mission: Impossible Opening Montage 1
Terrific show from the 60s. So MUCH better than what passes for drama on TV these days- better writing, better acting and one of the better theme songs in TV history. Up next: Hawaii 5-O.
11/19/11
Dave Eggers TED Prize 4 Minute Talk
Amazing how many hacks win awards like this TED Prize or the MacArthur Genius Grants. So totally out of touch with reality.
11/18/11
Bret Easton Ellis Slams Self-Censorship Among Artists
Interesting that these interviewers never ask any questions that don't kiss ass. Never anything controversial.
11/17/11
Fight Club's Chuck Palahniuk Talks Latest Book, Tell-All'
Another vapid interview: Upchuck ponders why people don't read literature. Does not that, de facto, require that the queried actually write literature?
11/16/11
Arts: A Conversation With T. C. Boyle - NYTImes.com/Video
Another bad writer who somehow gets praised despite bad dialogue, no characterization, and no depth, plus an over-reliance on cliches.
11/15/11
Joyce Carol Oates - On Writing Characters
It would actually benefit if the speaker could actually practice what she preaches.
11/14/11
11/10/11
Charlie Rose interviews David Foster Wallace, 1/4
The world's least interesting man continues to drone....
11/9/11
11/8/11
David Foster Wallace on Commercial literature and reading
What an idiot. listen to the first 30 seconds.
11/7/11
David Foster Wallace on Literature
His writing's banality is only rivaled by the utter vacuity of what he speaks.
11/6/11
11/5/11
11/1/11
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