Big News from the Big Apple
I am here to introduce a new character in mr.strahl'sworld...Mr. Lucas I. Burt. This is the first of many times you'll here this young man's name, and not just here at my blog. For today I am filled with pride to announce to all 6 (generous count) of my readers that Mr Burt is now a paid actor. He has been in NewYork for a short time now and has just begun what will be an illustrious career of entertaining people. He is a singer, songwriter, actor, filmmaker, screenwriter and model, but I am proud to call him friend. I may not drink beer, but Lucas I. Burt... This bud's for you...
Stay tune for more info----------
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Spoiler Alert (just a little)
Spike Lee's new joint-InsideMan-is a heist thriller that finds enough action points to outwit most peers. First I am a huge fan of A-listers doing genre work. A reference would be Soderbergh's Ocean's Eleven. The equation looks like this: script that is generic enough to appeal to mass audiences + artistic creators who usually make less accessable, more personal, thought provoking films = box office bonanza!
I very much enjoyed the melting-pot style of this film. Spike Lee is well known for bringing all the ingredients of NewYork together to find drama in his movies and that tone plays quite well here as a downtown bank is robbed. At one point a construction worker has to call his ex-wife to the scene to translate Albanian for the detectives on the case. Lee films this movie with a melting pot of techniques as well, from fast motion cinematography to staging scenes like a Bogart movie of the 40's the tone stays true to the characters while moving the audience along without stall.
I found this movie most interesting because it follows the recent trend of politically themed cinema (overtly emphasised at the Acadamy Awards). Less apparent in this movie than say V for Vendetta, I found a similar thread tied these two together quite closely. Both of these films question the appearence of evil. In a society that seems now to be waking up to their feelings of remorse and confusion brought on in our daily politics these current films seem to put a finger on the pulse of uncertainy as to who is to blame for the state of our problems. Both InsideMan and V are tales of revenge. Not revenge to satisfy one perogitive, but revenge for a society, country, or a group of people. These films examine how outragous deeds can be the cover of good at work. If you have read any of my blog you will know that I appreciated both of these films on the merit of "bringing down the man." Both movies are about people standing up to the hegemony of control inflicted by the powers that be, and giving the truth back to the people whos backs upon the powerful stand.
Spike Lee's new joint-InsideMan-is a heist thriller that finds enough action points to outwit most peers. First I am a huge fan of A-listers doing genre work. A reference would be Soderbergh's Ocean's Eleven. The equation looks like this: script that is generic enough to appeal to mass audiences + artistic creators who usually make less accessable, more personal, thought provoking films = box office bonanza!
I very much enjoyed the melting-pot style of this film. Spike Lee is well known for bringing all the ingredients of NewYork together to find drama in his movies and that tone plays quite well here as a downtown bank is robbed. At one point a construction worker has to call his ex-wife to the scene to translate Albanian for the detectives on the case. Lee films this movie with a melting pot of techniques as well, from fast motion cinematography to staging scenes like a Bogart movie of the 40's the tone stays true to the characters while moving the audience along without stall.
I found this movie most interesting because it follows the recent trend of politically themed cinema (overtly emphasised at the Acadamy Awards). Less apparent in this movie than say V for Vendetta, I found a similar thread tied these two together quite closely. Both of these films question the appearence of evil. In a society that seems now to be waking up to their feelings of remorse and confusion brought on in our daily politics these current films seem to put a finger on the pulse of uncertainy as to who is to blame for the state of our problems. Both InsideMan and V are tales of revenge. Not revenge to satisfy one perogitive, but revenge for a society, country, or a group of people. These films examine how outragous deeds can be the cover of good at work. If you have read any of my blog you will know that I appreciated both of these films on the merit of "bringing down the man." Both movies are about people standing up to the hegemony of control inflicted by the powers that be, and giving the truth back to the people whos backs upon the powerful stand.
Sunday, March 26, 2006
Tom Cruise Saves the World... AGAIN!
We watched InsideMan last night and a quick note to all not aware... Tom Cruise is making another MissionImpossible movie and apparently it comes out this summer. I hope to see the trailer a few more times to understand the physics of TC being blown sideways after an explosion behind him. Anywho we'll all be sick of that until we wait in line hours to see it.
We watched InsideMan last night and a quick note to all not aware... Tom Cruise is making another MissionImpossible movie and apparently it comes out this summer. I hope to see the trailer a few more times to understand the physics of TC being blown sideways after an explosion behind him. Anywho we'll all be sick of that until we wait in line hours to see it.
Saturday, March 25, 2006
I just electronically dropped my application to the New York Film Acadamy. I am jazzed. They e-mailed me back and said there is still room in my class and every thing is in good shape. I should hear back in written form early next week. Its all coming together folks. Donnie and I are going to see Inside Man, a new SpikeLee joint, so I'll break it down later tonight or tomarrow at some point.
Friday, March 24, 2006
CNN is reporting that police in Arizona have issued arrest warrents for Elbert and Becky Higginbotham 2 people of the family stuck in the snow and recovered this week here in the great state of Oregon. The better news is that their drug of choice was meth. Even though they were arrested in Arizona then released under police supervision they knew of no better place to head, once charged with possesion on meth, than Oregon. My home state, I am so proud right now I could burst.
On a lighter note... Thanks to my good buddies Scott and Donnie for getting me out of the cement box for lunch today.
Donnie. You might already know, but Radiohead has some new tracks on the Scanner Darkly soundtrack and ThomYorke has a solo album coming out. I tried to send you the page but they didn't have a cute little email this page button.
I worked again today. This will be the basis for my rant. GO. First of all, my problem with corperateamerica is that wall-street fat cats suck the life out of the working class so they can own small islands and charter helicopters around town because the streets are busy with comuters going to and from work. I work with people who have hundreds of hours of paid time off sitting around because its just too busy to take time off right now. The best part of the relationship is that as a worker bee in this system we are simply replaceable cogs in the machine. So on a daily basis we are pushed to the limit of physical and mental stress to accomplish goals and achieve company standards, but wait, if you are to crack under this pressure there are plenty of people with even worse jobs than you who would love yours. This is what is asked of you, but what do you ask in return? For a paycheck and a 10% discount. To all the mice spinning the wheel for the man, keep asking questions and demanding answers.
Pearl Jam
Just slaving at work today so Im blogging about Pearl Jam. In honor of the highly anticipated new self-titled album I am compelled to write about my favorite band. Pearl Jam? oh yeah they were popular in the 90's right? Pearl Jam have been swimming against the mainstream of rock since day one, but they left the grid with No Code in '96. F-Ticketmaster AND pop music. World Wide Suicide is the new single you might be aware of and it is rockin. Even with Eddie Vedder mumbling through the vocals Pearl Jam is back and bad as ever. I am posting about Pearl Jam because I believe they represent something sacred in modern music... Intergrity. They have refused to sell out and they have yet to OD or wash up like every other band of that era. I can't even pick a list of songs to recomend but i tunes deep cuts gets past the stuff you are still tired of hearing on the radio and finds the reasons this band kicks it in the A. Im not done with these guys...
Just slaving at work today so Im blogging about Pearl Jam. In honor of the highly anticipated new self-titled album I am compelled to write about my favorite band. Pearl Jam? oh yeah they were popular in the 90's right? Pearl Jam have been swimming against the mainstream of rock since day one, but they left the grid with No Code in '96. F-Ticketmaster AND pop music. World Wide Suicide is the new single you might be aware of and it is rockin. Even with Eddie Vedder mumbling through the vocals Pearl Jam is back and bad as ever. I am posting about Pearl Jam because I believe they represent something sacred in modern music... Intergrity. They have refused to sell out and they have yet to OD or wash up like every other band of that era. I can't even pick a list of songs to recomend but i tunes deep cuts gets past the stuff you are still tired of hearing on the radio and finds the reasons this band kicks it in the A. Im not done with these guys...
Thursday, March 23, 2006
V
Just got out of a heated discussion about V for Vendetta. I love a little post movie talk back with close personal friends. Everyone liked the movie and seemed to take many things away. Which is why I liked it a lot, because I left the theatre thinking about the world. Through the lie that is the movie maybe we can uncover a truth about our reality. Natalie Portman is amazing and the film is dense with ideas. check it out.
Just got out of a heated discussion about V for Vendetta. I love a little post movie talk back with close personal friends. Everyone liked the movie and seemed to take many things away. Which is why I liked it a lot, because I left the theatre thinking about the world. Through the lie that is the movie maybe we can uncover a truth about our reality. Natalie Portman is amazing and the film is dense with ideas. check it out.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
