The Forty-Ninth Story-- Fans Hit The Fan When Fans Hit The Fan

Howdy peoples and peopettes!! How are you on this fine evening? Me? I'm doing fine!
I'll be brief, I haven't been doing this blog often because I have another one (on top of SO many other things) that is currently preoccupying me.  You can find said OTHER blog here... http://weareallportalsmusic.blogspot.com/

It's pretty much music stuff, local, serious music and some stuff from other places in the country, maybe other places in the world eventually, that would be pretty sick!  Anyway, between that, full time job, part time job, homework, girlfriend and attempting to start a new musical project, I'm busy.

Recommendations time!!!!!

Film: Gojira (1954) original Japanese version

Album: Holdypaws by Deerhoof... boom! DONE!


ANYWAY, if you're ACTUALLY reading my previous posts on here, I hope you're digging them, keep reading and please come check my new blog out!! I'll leave you today with TWO things!

These here music vidyas, from a guy I interviewed in my other blog... http://vimeo.com/lovedrunk

AND a pic of Bruce Lee fighting Chuck Norris, cuz why not?

The Forty-eighth Murder-- Because I Must!

Okay, I've been reading a bit about the upcoming Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises.  Let me start this off by saying, don't hate me! I think this film could easily end up being another case of the Spiderman 3, what I mean by that is that, I feel like they're trying to cram so much story and so many characters into this film (much like Spiderman 3) that it could end up getting bogged down and we could loose out on both plot and character development.  What will save this, of course, is Christopher Nolan, we know there won't be any emo jazz dance numbers, or seeing Eric Foreman playing one of the greatest (and most wasted) super villains in this hero's rogue catalogue.  That's the good news, the film is in good hands and therefore has a real chance, but it's sitting on the edge of this knife of being an excellent film and just having too much.

Next up is the fandom, in this post on ign.com, the question was asked if our nitpicking every teaser photo will ruin the film.  http://comics.ign.com/articles/116/1163584p2.html

Personally I disagree with that idea, what I think will ruin this film is the previous installment, The Dark Knight.  The last film was so well done and beloved by all (Heath Ledger won a fucking oscar for a super hero villain, unheard of!) that our comparisons and expectations will be what ruins the film.  No matter how wonderful this movie is or the fact that Nolan is still heading it, it may not compare to the last film.  In my opinion, Christian Bale is not a very good actor, especially not in this role and what made the last film so amazing was the raw talent of Heath Ledger as the Joker.  Without that pure acting ability, the story will have to be amazing to compensate.  Not all is lost however, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman are still there and their adding Joseph Gordon-Levitt who I think is a good actor.  These role will keep things decent.  Overall though, the comparisons the The Dark Knight could also end up ruining this film for a lot of people (although I hope not).

Another thing about this film is the villain choices, neither seemingly as good as The Joker.

First off is Tom Hardy as Bane...

I've heard a lot of people complain about Tom Hardy playing Bane, he's not big enough blahblahblah.  I think this is a good choice for actor.  However, I think this is a poor choice of villain, and I know I'll probably get Bane fans hating on me and that's fine, but Bane was never my favorite.  He's a tactical genius, incredibly strong and the only one to truly harm Batman but overall I feel like there could have been better choices.  If they make Bane like Bane is supposed to be (which I assume they will), it could be okay, but if they were to make Bane like they did in Batman & Robin, they might as well stop now.  Since Bane is in this film, I would hate to see him become another mindless pawn for another villain.  In terms of the looks of Bane, Tom Hardy doesn't look like the biggest Bane (in fact he doesn't even look as big as he was in Bronson) but that's okay, what I don't get is the mask thing, I would have preferred to see them keep the lucha mask.  Personally, in terms of a main villain, I would have liked to see Hush or Hugo Strange or Two-Face return, I feel like the character of Two-Face in the last film was not used to it's full potential.  It was a bit depressing to see Two-Face as a simple pawn in one of the biggest film plot fuck ups ever (hey, I lost my family so I'm going to let the guy who killed my family use me to try to kill someone who tried to help me!).  Oh well, they didn't make Two-Face the mastermind that he is, maybe they'll keep Bane true to his character.

Next is Anne Hathaway as Catwoman...

Once again, not the worst casting (even though I hear people complain), but why Catwoman? It me adding Catwoman is almost as bad as adding Robin.  I have no problem with Catwoman or women or anything, it's just that the character always struck me as a bit gimmick-y.  I have faith that Nolan will make it worth the while, but I dunno how it'll tie in.  Will she be a neutral thief like in the comics? A love interest that ends up becoming a pseudo-hero like the comics? Or just a campy gimmick-y villain like in Batman Returns? We'll have to see.

I also hear Ra's Al Ghul is coming back, not bad but it depends on how they do it and if it adds too much story and ruins the film, This movie could easily be 4 hours long or longer.  I dunno, I'm sure it will be great as long as we see it as it is, no comparisons, no fears.

I'm going to keep with the recommendations, for my album is Rejoicing in The Hands by Devendra Banhart, it's a great freak folk album and one of his most accessible.  My movie is V for Vendetta, one of the best comic films I've seen, it's follows the book pretty closely but doesn't quite get the level of depth, but what do you expect? It's a movie.

Finally, I've started a youtube channel for stupid semi animation comics called Snotty Caveman, check it out if you dare...
http://www.youtube.com/user/SnottyCaveman
There's a facebook page too!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Snotty-Caveman/153346154733700?ref=ts

Anyway, there you go, have a good day and feel free to comment and tell me I suck or something.

The Forty-seventh Blank-- Short

This is short.  I don't feel like writing this blog anymore, no one reads it, no one cares about it and I have other stuff to do, I don't feel passionate about it anymore, I don't really feel passionate about much anymore.  I don't get to go to college, maybe not for a few years, I'm in that limbo between getting school payed for me cuz I have no money and being able to pay for it alone.  I'm depressed.

I'm getting a  job at AMC Theaters, minimum wage, I'm still not going to have any money but it'd be better than being jobless. I'm going to try to be a musician maybe, I won't make it but I have nothing to lose I guess, even though I don't have to waste my time like that anymore.

Anyway, there it is, if you get to do what you want, if you're that lucky then yeah...

The Forty-sixth Repetition-- A Few Good Finds

So, so, so... I found a few cool things that I wish to share, this may be short...
TV On The Radio did a short video for their album Nine Types of Light, that includes interviews with people about life, love, dreams and the future AND music videos for every song on the album... the video for "You" is actually quite hilarious and sad... here's the video...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8B5GP0AiQMc&feature=channel_video_title

Also, there's a documentary called We Are Wizards, that is about the music that Harry Potter fans make about the books/films (that's right, people make Harry Potter music), it's good to know that such nerdy and odd things have such a good scene too...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jduMAnjMXCg

A few free films on youtube (at least for right now) include Plan 9 From Outer Space (considered the worst movie ever), four Charlie Chaplin films, El Mariachi, M (a mystery film by Fritz Lang), Vampyr, and Nosferatu, all pretty cool, so jump on those while they're available!

Also, Winter Chairs has a youtube, if you are interested, here are two studio recording shorts, chronicling mishaps and what not...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hwmc_ZdRM8s&feature=channel_video_title
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTjiyMm9XFo&feature=channel_video_title

ANYWAY, there are a few things, now on to recommendations!
With my first comment I will say my album is Nine Types of Light by TV On The Radio, which (in my opinion) is the best TV On The Radio album next to Return To Cookie Mountain (which is a wonderful record).  For a film, I recommend Project Nim, which is a documentary about an experiment to teach a chimp to communicate via sign language.  It has some issues but is a good movie.

The Forty-fifth Resolution-- That Feeling

You ever get that feeling like you know someone out there is watching what you do and criticizing you? Criticizing every move you make, every word you say, every false step and mistake, laughing at what they do better than you, thinking they're smarter than you, telling other people to be weary of you. Ever get that feeling? I have all too much as of late, I know there's someone out there that I don't know judging me because there always is, but what's worse is when you know that there are tons and tons of people out there that you DO know who are judging you, people you may have cared about, people you may have been friends with and they're talking you down. They don't really want anything Yo do with you yet they put on a smile and put up with you for who knows why, maybe they think they can get something from you...

This is all going to be a bit personal, turn off the computer now if you'd like. I'm stuck and that feeling has really been bothering me. It's like a feeling of helplessness that I can't get away from and I can see all of these other people going on and doing things and I'm stuck in the same place. Does anyone care? No, not really, but I want to get away from this town, the only thing that I have here is my amazing girlfriend, but more or less I want to get away from this sludge of a town. This place that inhibits and shackles and drags and beats down until you have no spirit left. This place with it's horrible people and their horrible obsessions. I've always been one to want to "go it alone" if you will. I have a need for companionship as is human nature but I enjoy my time to reflect and create and I feel as though I get none of that here. I want to begin my life and start something, start creating something that matters to me and I can't do that being stuck. I thought I could go off and start that in Lincoln and meet new people to refresh my mind and spirit, but now I can't, who knows if there's anywhere where I could REALLY do that though. I don't wanna see people go off and make something of themselves with me just left behind to wallow anymore.

Okay, more things that matter. First off, I've been reading a lot about these underground attempts to stop Scientology and other dangerous cults and I'm all for it. I think that all dangerous, brainwashing cults should be put to an end. No more of these power hungry and money hungry organizations hiding behind the guise of "religion" they should all be brought down. Scientology promotes censorship (like so many other groups) and claim that they are the only ones who can truly cure disease. They keep their members away from medication outside of the church, they don't support psyciatric treatment outside of the church and have been known to kill members for speaking out against the church. This sounds just as dangerous as other "religious" sects and have no place. I agree with the movement that has, ironically, started on 4chan. Another thing is the environment, I have been a vegetarian for some time now and I believe that not eating the flesh of another living creature could drastically help the planet. So much land is deforested for the farming of cattle and not only do cattle make the ground barren and unfertile, but cows produce more methane than most things on the planet and that leads to a higher greenhouse effect. Also, by eating meat you are just feeding a unjust, inhumane and unsanitary business. Cows, chickens and pigs are some of the most horrifically treated animals on the planet, they are crawling with disease and are viscously slaughtered after a life of hormones and torture. There are so many diseases in meat from industrial farms that the worlds largest and most deadly outbreak of salmonella is only a matter of time. Industrial farms and packing plants polite the water and the air and add to world hunger. A cow eats 50 times more than a person and will only feed the rich few lucky enough to afford the meat. All of the grain produced to feed a cow could feed a ridiculously large number of people and significantly cut down on world hunger. The health benefits are there too, fatty meats are unhealthy, really vegetarianism ia the way to go. There are so many other mistreatments or animals (such as the skinning of live dogs in China, another reason not to wear fur, you don't know what it is) but I won't talk about that now.

I suppose I'll do a few recommendations now that I'm done ranting. Album this time is Dark Night of the Soul by Sparklehorse, this album was produced by Danger Mouse and features a ton of guest artists from all over the musical spectrum, even David Lynch is on this album. It's dark and brooding but it's a great disc. Movie, movie, movie, movie... For my movie I'm going to say City Lights, it's a classic Chaplain film that has a great message about the rich and the poor rift. It's a classic of the silent film era and worth a watch.

Anyway, there you go, a long rant about my fragile mental state and a few things I believe in. Tell anyone that is fake to fuck off and have a good one!

The Forty-fourth Explosion-- Another Damn Script?

Yeah, another damn script that I wrote, hope you think it's funny...


(Phone rings)


Operator: (calm) Hello, 9-11, what's your emergency?


Girl: (nervous) Hello... it... it's my boyfriend... I...


Operator: (calm) Ma'am, please tell me what happened


Girl: (crying) My... my boyfriend... he... he's been shot... I think he's dead! (intense sobbing)


Operator: (calm) Ma'am, please tell me what happened


Girl: (crying) We were just walking... it was a beautiful day... he... he said he had to tell... tell me something... (intense sobbing)


Operator: (calm) Ma'am, please calm down


Girl: (intense sobbing)


Operator: (stern) Ma'am, I need to know the details, please calm down


Girl: (calmer, nervous) We... we were walking... and... this... this little kid in a diaper... he came out of the bushes... oh God!...


Operator: (calm) Go on...


Girl: (more nervous) he... he came out of the bushes... and... shot him with an arrow!...


Operator: (calm) Where are you now ma'am?


Girl: (crying) So... so... much blood!... so... much blood! (intense sobbing)


Operator: (stern) Ma'am, tell me where you are so I can send help


Girl: (calm) Wait!... what's that!


Operator: (stern) Ma'am...


Girl: (angry) Hold on!... I see him!...


Operator: (angry) Ma'am, stay on the line, don't approach him!


Girl: (silence)


Operator: (angry) Ma'am?


Girl: (slience)


Operator: (worried) Ma'am are you still there?


Girl: (silence)


Operator: (very worried) Ma'am... answer me!


Girl: (scared) I went after him!... he started shooting at me!... I think I'm safe now!


Operator: (scared) Tell me where you are ma'am


Girl: (calm) Eisenhower Park


Operator: (calmer) Help will be there shortly ma'am, please stay on the line


Girl: (angry) Wait!... I see him again!


Operator: (worried) Ma'am!


Girl: (silence)


Operator: (angry) Ma'am!


Girl: (in the background) Get back here you little bastard!


(Phone disconnects)


Operator: (stunned) ...Ma'am?...






(Phone rings)


Operator: (calm) 9-11, what's your emergency?


Boy: (high pitched, worried) Hello, this is Cupid!


Operator: (cam) Sir, what's your emergency?


Cupid: (out of breath) I'm being chased by a crazy bitch!


Operator: (calm) Sir, please tell me what happened


Cupid: (out of breath) I was just... out in the woods... doin' my job... he was in love wit' her!


Operator: (calm) Who was in love with who sir?


Cupid: (nervous) I didn't mean to kill no one man! (crying)


Operator: (stern) Who did you kill sir? tell me what happened!


Cupid: (scared) Then that crazy bitch started chasin' me around!... She got my bow!... been shootin' at me!


Operator: (worried) Sir...


Cupid: (scared) It was supposed to be for love!


Operator: (worried) Sir...


Cupid: (scared) Ahhh Shit!... Here she comes again!


Girl: (screaming in the background) I'll get you! you little bastard!


(Phone disconnects)


Operator: (worried) Sir?... Sir?...

There it is, in all of it's glory or what not...
ANYWAY, recommendations shall we?

So, here we go! The album Actor by St. Vincent is my album of choice for this post.  St. Vincent got her start with Sufjan Stevens, it's a wonderful album that should be listened to and my film recommendation is District 9 which is a sci-fi film set in South Africa about a race of aliens who get stuck on Earth and treated as second class citizen and forced into slums.  The whole film plays out as a metaphor for apartheid but still has the ridiculous action sequences of a standard sci-fi film.

But there we go, another one down the drain! Take it easy! 

The Forty-third Dimension-- Black in French

Hello folks! This blog post shall relate to a genre of film that I enjoy and that ladies and germs is Film Noir! but before I get into all of that, I'm going to squeeze in some shit to start out on!

First off, I just played the game World of Goo and it's pretty fun, it's a physics based puzzle game where you have to build structures with goo balls.  I may be behind on it but it'd would be a good app to get on an iPad or iPhone I'm sure.  Another one is Plants vs. Zombies it may be lame but I really dig this game, you plant a bunch of plants that work like guns to kill invading zombies and then the last one, as everyone knows, is Angry Birds, which is also pretty fun.  ANYWAY, there are some apps for you if you want games and shit...

Also, there's this youtube channel, dunno why, but I call it Shit Cats!  You'll see...  http://www.youtube.com/user/KimKwitter

Next in the line are my recommendations (as usual).  For the film, I'm going to be super lame and let you see a side of me that I'm not proud of and say Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007).  That's right, this incredibly stupid comedy film that satirizes music documentaries like Walk The Line and The Doors.  I thought the film was actually hilarious and great if you want a mindless, lowbrow sort of comedy.  For the album today, I'll go with Surfer Rosa from Pixies.  This is a great piece of alternative rock, it's great.

Okay, now onto the good stuff, film noir.  If you don't know what a film noir is, it's generally a hollywood crime drama.  Classic film noir lasted from the 1940s to the 1950s and had a black and white style that was similar to German expressionism.  Film noir came out of the pulp crime fiction of the Depression.  It is a very difficult genre to classify due to the fact that it could span and include many different subjects.  One reason for the rise of the noir style in America was due to German expressionist film makers, like Fritz Lang, fleeing to America in the 30s and 40s to get away from Nazi control of Germany and bringing that style with them.  Classic noir generally had a low budget and lacked a well known star.  They were essentially B-movies  that didn't always get the recognition they deserved until after they were released.  Many of these films revolved around strong women, generally with questionable intent, which was uncommon at the time.  The femme fatale was a common character archetype in noir, along with the brooding and hardened detective.  Many of the popular and beloved noir films were A-list endeavors also, many of the noir directors that may have started off doing b-list movies eventually went onto direct A-list films also.

Noir is generally seen as an American film form, however, there are noir films from all over the world.  France, Britain, Italy and Japan are just a few of the international entities that produced classic noir films.

The popularity of noir carried on into the 60s and became a style that is generally classified as neo-noir.  Generally these new takes on the genre either revived or reworked the conventions of the classics and at times amplified the classic standards.  Even as the new payed homage and revitalized the old, it also critiqued it.  It took the standard archetypes and made then laughable at times , made them over-exaggerations of themselves but largely it took what classic noir had begun and relaunched it's importance in society.

Neo-noir continued into the 80s and 90s, becoming grittier, more sexually charged and more acclaimed.  Some directors who relaunched and changed the noir style for the new decade were Martin Scorsese, The Coen Brothers, David Cronenberg and David Lynch, who all mixed aspects of noir into different styles and genres.  A perfect example of the new noir of the 90s was Pulp Fiction by Quentin Tarantino, the name alone describes where it's influence came from, the same place that influenced many noir films.

Noir has become popular in the 2000s also crossing into genres such as comic based movie even (such as with The Dark Knight), and sci-fi.

There are many noir staples such as the detective, the crime boss or the femme fatale.  Common occurrences in noir films are murder (or some other form of crime), heists, false accusations of crimes, amnesia, and alienated characters.  The setting is generally always urban and usually in a big city at night or during storms.  Casinos, bars and nightclubs are also common locales in a noir.  They generally always either question morality or include characters on the negative end of the morality spectrum.  They usually include flashbacks, disrupted or obscure narrative, voiceover narration, and can be told in third-person but is generally first-person.

The lighting of noir films is very low and provides a lot of light/dark contrast and a lot of shadow.  Many camera angles are common in noir such as the Dutch angle, low angle shots, wide angle shots, and skewed angle shots.  Another noir staple is the use of mirrors, seeing characters in mirrors is common.  On-site shooting is also common in noir and night-for-night shooting which means that night scenes are actually shot at night instead of in the daytime.

Noir is so popular that they even have video games in the style such as L.A. Noire or the noir section of Spiderman: Shattered Dimensions.

I would enjoy doing a noir style film some day in my hopeful career as a director, but we'll see if that all works out... anyway, I hope this was informative for you and check you later.