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Movies About Performances

I saw a triple feature today.  "Crazy Heart," "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" and "It's Complicated."  All three suffered from the same problem, even though each of them were in completely different genres.  Each of them suffered from an under developed or bland script, generic storytelling & one great performance.

CRAZY HEART.  The best of the three by miles and, for the most part, I really enjoyed it - but it definitely suffered from a bland story, lazy directing and a fantastic - amazing performance by Jeff Bridges.  I also really enjoy the main song, "The Weary Kind."  Just a great song, one I'd like to cry to - if the movie worked.  What really did it in for me was Maggie Gyllenhaal.  I want to like her, but every film I've seen her in all I can see is... "look guys... I'm acting."  Except for Dark Knight, here she was just like, "look guys... I'm terrible at acting."  I think she really needs a director that can tame her, she's ready to cry and act and be merry - and when the role calls for it (like in "Away We Go") she's great.  But here, she just didn't work.  And I definitely did not believe her attraction to Bridges.  A few lines of dialogue, such as "... all the men in my life..." don't give enough back story for me.

THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS.  I have to admit, I've never been a Terry Gilliam fan and this film by far met all my expectations - which was that I'd loathe it.  There's just something about his directing style, I just don't get.  It's too... showy.  It's too... "look at me, I'm directing."  Terry Gilliam is, for me, the Maggie Gyllenhaal of directing.  And his films also feel as if they are trying so hard to be original, that a solid story, character logic, pacing and just plain investment of anything goes right out the window.  I feel like Terry Gilliam is this unfocused creative genius - who probably shouldn't be behind a camera... I say this and feel a bit guilty because I believe God doesn't really want him to be a director either... see his fights with Brazil, or the documentary Man of La Mancha, or Barry Munchausen, and the untimely death of Heath Ledger... he's got the worst luck.

But, like in "Crazy Heart," the one redeeming factor in this film was Tom Waits... he was awesome!  He plays Mr. Nick (aka - the devil).  I won't say more, but he's definitely a blast to watch... I just wish I didn't have to watch all this terrible CGI and awful cartoon acting when he's not in the frame.  Playing "Uncharted 2" on my PS3 sometimes looked better than the shots & animations within the movie.

IT'S COMPLICATED.  I expected nothing from this movie, but I like a good comedy and I like the cast... Alec Baldwin, Meryl Streep, Steve Martin & Jim Halpert... not a bad combo.  And each of them gave a funny performance but none was better than Mr. Baldwin.  Such a great comedic actor.  He played the role wonderfully and I can definitely predict that he'll be receiving a nomination for it.

Meryl Streep, I must say is too good for this movie though.  She's a very natural actor.  Her performances feel so realistic that the absurd script just didn't fit her soft and subtle smiles, tears and laughter.  But, for an chick flick for the more... mature audience, I enjoyed it.  It's like taking her "Kramer vs. Kramer" acting and tossing it into 30 Rock, you just don't go there.

A small note about... comedies.  There are a TON of original comedies coming out next year and each of them seem to be written from one of two playbooks.

PLAYBOOK 1: two big actors who don't really like each other or aren't doing too well in their current relationship and find themselves caught in an action adventure.  "The Bounty Hunter," "Knight & Day," "Date Night"  & "Cop Out."

PLAYBOOK 2: the "get a whole bunch of funny actors together and make an ensemble comedy" comedy.  "Valentine's Day," "Death at a Funeral," & "Grown Ups."

I'm glad to see original screenplays coming back into play and it's weird to think that maybe this is the  just the cycle of movies.  The Writer's Strike happened late 2007 into early 2008.  And then, they come back, away from the studio for a bit, with new original works, work through the system for the remainder of 2008 and into early 2009, go into production and then premiere in 2010.  Pretty fascinating.

I'm curious to see how long these original scripts last.

I'm also in the true belief that filmmaking in the studio world goes into 10 year cycles.  You get 10 years of great films from the 70s, ten years of big budget studio fare from the 80s, another decade of original work in the 90s, a decade of comic books & adaptations in the 00s, and now - the 10s... a new fresh era of digital and original work.

Could be fun to watch... I'm glad I'm here to be a part of it.

This Song Always Makes Me Cry (Army - Ben Folds Five)

The Decade in Seven Minutes

Fun Re: to Surprised Kitty

The 2000s: Learning To Be Me

This decade is coming to a close and I found that it was really a stripping away of what I wanted in life, what I hid from myself and what I needed to learn to become a better person.  It's been a wonderful and amazing decade.

I made friends that I believe I'll know for the rest of my life (2002).  I came out of the closet (2006).  I moved to Los Angeles (2006).  I got in film school (2002).  I went to Sundance (2008).  I lost my virginity (2002).  I... went to far with that (2008).  I learned how to write (2009).  I held on to my secrets (2009 and counting).  I loved, then hated then appreciated Spielberg & mainstream Hollywood filmmaking (the whole decade).  I found a manager (2007).  I felt closer than ever to my dream as a filmmaker (2009).

I just learned that life will take you where you want it too and along the way - it's got it's own agenda.  Anyway, I look forward to the new decade.  Goals: get paid as a director, win awards, travel the world, get married, buy a house - and settle into my life.  It's exciting to see what's to come.

2009: Year of Endings

END OF THE YEAR REPORT

2009

See Last Year's Report

This is my 4th "End of the Year Report."  I wanted to list what I considered each year to be so far:

2006: Year of Big Change

2007: Year of Foundations & Beginnings

2008: Year of Recovery

2009: Year of Endings

Anyway, here is my list for this year:

BEST MOVIES
(1) The White Ribbon
(2) I Killed My Mother
(3) Where the Wild Things Are
(4) Up in the Air
(5) Inglorious Basterds
(6) The Hurt Locker
(7) Adventureland
(8) Zombieland
(9) Star Trek
(10) Avatar

WORST MOVIES
(1) The Informers
(2) Kanikosen
(3) Angels & Demons
(4) Bruno
(5) Jennifer's Body

BEST TELEVISION
(1) Mad Men
(2) Lost
(3) True Blood
(4) Modern Family
(5) Glee
(6) NBC's Thursday Night Comedies
(7) Survivor: Samoa
(8) The Good Wife
(9) Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
(10) Bored to Death

Flashforward wants to be in my top 10... but I'll just give it a special mention.

WORST TELEVISION
(1) The Middle
(2) The Prisoner
(3) Project Runway (worst season ever)
(4) Hank
(5) Melrose Place

FAVORITE BOOK (Not Year Specific)
(1) The Road
(2) As Simple As Snow
(3) Writing a Great Movie

BEST VIDEO GAMES
(1) Uncharted 2
(2) Left 4 Dead 2 (and 1, for that matter)
(3) Batman: Arkham Asylum
(4) New Super Mario Bros Wii
(5) Fable II

BEST ALBUM
(1) Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros' UP FROM BELOW
(2) Papercuts' YOU CAN HAVE WHAT YOU WANT
(3) Peter, Bjorn & John's LIVING THING
(4) Grizzly Bear's VECTATIMEST
(5) Various Artists' DARK WAS THE NIGHT
(6) Yeah Yeah Yeahs' IT'S BLITZ!
(7) Andrew Bird's THE NOBLE BEAST
(8) Animal Collective's MERRIWEATHER POST PAVILLION
(9) Beirut's MARCH OF THE ZAPOTEC
(10) Zoot Woman's THINGS ARE WHAT THEY USED TO BE

However, I've yet to hear Phoenix's album, which I've heard is amazing.  Dan Deacon's new album was a close 10th... but it just didn't make it.

BEST SONGS 

(1) HOME by Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros

(2) SOFT SHOCK by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs

(3) FUTURE PRIMITIVE by Papercuts

(4) JUST THE PAST by Peter, Bjorn & John

(5) 10-YOU-US by Andrew Bird

(6) THE FEAR by Lilley Allen

(7) NEW THEORY by Washed Out

(8) SATURATION by Zoot Woman

(9) BLUISH by Animal Collective

(10) PAPARAZZI by Lady Gaga

BEST WEBSITES

(1) Twitter

(2) Tumblr

(3) Youtube

(4) Facebook

(5) Bing

BEST FOODS

(1) Tuna Melt

(2) Hot Chocolate w/ Whip Cream

(3) Bacon

(4) Five (ice cream)

(5) Salads in a Bag

BEST IDEAS

(1) Not Working After Getting Fired/Let Go

(2) **Private** (note to remember: slam)

(3) Learning to Love/Appreciate All Movies

(4) Buying & Using the Wii Fit Plus for $20

(5) Rereading, "How to Write a Movie in 21 Days"

WORST IDEAS

(1) Trying to Make a Dead Relationship Work for Another Six Months

(2) Not Finding Work After Getting Fired/Let Go

(3) Eating When I'm Not Hungry

(4) Seeing "Angels & Demons" after a five year ban on Ron Howard movies

(5) Using Wordpress as my "website"

FAVORITE MONTH

November, here I saw amazing foreign films, played Uncharted 2, and I began to really understand my future as a writer & director.

FAVORITE DAY

Halloween Night, having written a successful Halloween Murder Mystery Party

FAVORITE MOMENT

Finishing a brand new script only two weeks after being fired.

WORST MONTH

September, I finally had to say goodbye (made a fool of myself), got fired, felt I may have to move back to Florida.

WORST DAY

March 17th (St. Patrick's Day) the day it fell apart.

WORST MOMENT

Helping my boyfriend move out of his apartment, only to realize it was really over and would be the last day I spoke with him.

FAVORITE THING I DID

Again - the Halloween Murder Mystery Party

CELEBRITY CRUSHES

(1) Sam Worthington from Terminator Salvation & Avatar

(2) Nathan Drake from Uncharted 2 (yes, a video game character)

(3) Ryan Kwanten from True Blood

THIS YEAR'S THEMES

(1) Letting Go

(2) Embracing Life's Obstacles

(3) Dilemma, Crisis, Decision & Action, Resolution = Theme

(4) Getting Back to the Basics

(5) Optimism

HOPES / GOALS FOR THE NEXT YEAR

(1) Shoot "2 28" (my first feature) & get into a major festival

(2) Finish the scripts for "Man of Peace," "The Western," "Fear Between Vultures," & a new script

(3) Be accepted into a Screenwriter's Lab or Fellowship

(4) Finish "Bright Like Neon Love" project

(5) Continue to find a living where I can write & be creative

(6) Obama passes a SUCCESSFUL health care plan

(7) Find a new boyfriend

(8) Find a substancial financial lead for my "second" feature

(9) Start writing short stories, get published

(10) Start the new decade as a true filmmaker & artist

HOPES / GOALS FROM LAST YEAR FULFILLED?

(1) Finish scripts?

          Nope.

(2) Find someone to design my site & blog?

          Nope.

(3) Move into my own place?

          Nope, but got a great new video game roommate buddy!

(4) Pay Off Credit Cards?

          Nope, no job = no pay offs

(5) Take a Road Trip?

          I did take a weekend trip to the Salton Sea, but would like to go somewhere further next year.

(6) Get into Sundance Again?

          No project... next year...

(7) Do Something Creative?

          I did get new scripts started, wrote a Murder Mystery Party & started my "Neon Love" project.

(8) Get a bigger bed?

          Nope.  No need for this.

(9) Get new furniture?

          Again - no need.

(10) Economy better than expected?

          To be honest, I think so.  The banks have repaid their debts, and within six or so months, unemployment will be down... better than last year with the entire industry seemed to want to implode and die, leaving America a third world country.

NEWS NEWS NEWS THIS YEAR (new category)

(1) Lots & Lots of Celebrity Deaths (Michael Jackson)

(2) Swine Flu

(3) Health Care

(4) The Economy & Job Losses

(5) Miracle on the Hudson

(6) Fort Hood Shooting

(7) Auto Bailouts

(8) Obama's First Year

(9) Edward Kennedy's death

(10) Twitter & Facebook... are EVERYWHERE

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

God. Eric Ernst.  Sheri Fults. Scott Uhlfelder.  Alison Kantrowich.  Mom (congrats on your wedding) & Dad.  Holly.  Kyle.  All my ANIMAL Murder Mystery Party Guests!  Money Gods, how I manage to pay bills and enjoy my life... I'll never know... but thank you.  Shirtless Guys.  Spike Jonze.  Good writing.  Video Games & the new age of story.

I love everyone in my life seven fold & here's to the NEW DECADE!  2010!  (a new NEW imaginary toast).

Screenplays, & What I'm Learning

There are rules that have been set.

I grew up on Spielberg and the Goonies, big fun blockbuster movies.   I graduated high school ready to pursue making films of such stature and then I got into film school and I saw two films that changed my whole outlook on filmmaking.  One was 2001: A Space Odyssey and the other was The 400 Blows.  Both of these films completely unshed everything I thought good movies were.

These films gave me an emotional response that shook me.

For a few years into film school and even a few years after, I dismissed good solid Hollywood faire as formulaic and I only wanted to be a proponent for... "good movies."  Like Birth, Magnolia, or The Royal  Tenenbaums.  

2009 was a year of discovery for me.  I think this year may be considered year of endings, but it also has been a year in which all my preconceived notions of what makes a good movie become completely upended.  I found myself seeing a Ron Howard movie in the theater, after I swore him off.  I would of seen New Moon, had any of my more cynical buddies also wanted to see it.

I also saw a ton of foreign films this year, thanks to this year's AFI Film Festival, which had all free screenings.

I'm learning there are rules that are set in the industry.  I've learned of terms, I never heard before and I am finding that these aren't things you fight - but rather use as tools in your arsenal.  I read somewhere that when you're writing a spec script for a TV series, you don't write something new and "fresh."  The producers only want to know, "can you can write my show?"

Fresh ideas and new approaches are internal dialogues.

So, what are the rules?  Rules that most Hollywood relies on.  Some that are broken, but often only successfully by those... internal.  Here are a few I've found:

• Single protagonist meets single antagonist, ensemble pieces are rare.
• There are 4 quadrants of demographics Studios look for: Mom, Dad, Teen & Preeteen, meeting all four in one script is golden.  These 4 Quadrant films are the big budgets.  The Avatars and Transformers 2.
• Scripts don't need "hollywood endings" but rather, clear resolutions of dilemma.  You set a character up, you give him a tough dilemma, you deliver on a resolution and find yourself with a nice and clean theme.

I found in my writings, this far in my career, I've followed none of these rules.  The second rule may not apply as much as the first and last, but still - breaking into the industry is a tough, TOUGH act.  I have to prove that I'm worth their time because, and this is something I've somehow forgotten, it's THEIR money.  

Hollywood may come out with some really, really bad ideas: Planet 51, Did You Hear About the Morgans? and the upcoming Tooth Fairy but they also have made good choices, that have clearly made their money back:

Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen has made over $400 million dollars.  Now, this film is nothing like the work I'd like to put my name on, nor do I ever see myself capable of making an Avatar or Transformers or Iron Man film... But when those formulas work, Star Trek or The Hangover for example, the films are great fun.  

Recently, I saw Up in the Air.  This film wasn't perfectly directed.  I found some of the camera work to be a bit sloppy.  However, there were a ton of amazing details.  The performances were all top notch - and above all... the script is 100% solid.  

This I've found is the key to all success.  This is where Up in the Air has gotten its success.  It doesn't rely on niche markets (Precious, which is also pretty amazing) or excessive franchise marketing (Ice Age 3).

There are two types of success in the movie industry.  There is success from marketing, franchise & name... and then there is true success.  Up in the Air may not be my favorite film of the year, it's The White Ribbon, but it's definitely the most successful film.  And by this, I mean - a film that uses the talents of script, performance and direction to create a perfect harmony.

And that's my thoughts, in my most humble opinion.

What Does It Say About Your Music, When A Child Can Play It Just As Good As You? (File under adorable)

I'm a Sucker for Love (They're Married)

... and thank YOU duffle bag...

Night Driving (Muholland Dr.)

Writing In the New Year

Here's what I've got on my plate right now.

REVENGE FOR THEM.  This is the current title, which will change most likely in the very near future and I think I'm a draft & a half a way from finishing.  It's a story of a family man confronted with an evil that has begun to terrorize him and his family.  It's my first attempt at a solid genre film and I'm pretty happy with the results.  It's the closest thing I have to a finished script as well.

THE WESTERN.  This script has been something I've been working on since the Summer of 2007.  I put it away for awhile, as I got so lost in the woods and was dealing with my health, I just found myself unable to really deal with a complicated character drama.  However, the process of learning to edit myself, address the true nature of story, be able to step back from myself as a director (thinking of shots, moments, tones and emotions) and really look at a script as a writer has made me more confident in tackling this project again.   The film follows a married man who, while in the process of having a baby with his wife, falls for a younger man.

FEAR BETWEEN VULTURES.  Still in the early ideas phase, this script is actually the one I'm most excited about.  I think it's the closest thing to something that speaks most to my style of writing and where I'd like to go as a filmmaker.  It speaks closest to my own aesthetic as well.

The previous two scripts, I believe speak to a more philosophical and personal perspective where this one speaks to me as a filmmaker and lover of cinema.  It's a road trip film involving twenty something's running from responsibility and the fears of growing up.

I'm also reading the book, recommended by my awesome sister, AS SIMPLE AS SNOW and beginning the early stages of trying my first adaptation.

***

In the filmmaking world, I'm looking forward to beginning pre-production on my first experimental/narrative feature film "2 28" and also I'm doing a little side project, an "inspiration" for Cut Copy's "BRIGHT LIKE NEON LOVE."  A 12 track video inspired by the album.

I'm pretty excited about everything, busy busy busy and finally feeling that urge to be creative, turn on the magic again and see where it takes me.  I'm ready to take that next step.  It's exciting.

2010 is going to be amazing.