80th Post...

Is an over 100 years old Alice in Wonderland...

It is the weekend...

Nothing really coming out locally this week at the theater... I really want to see A Prophet. I hope we get it sooner than later. EDIT GEEZ. I just checked and we get it April 9th.. one thing that I miss about LA is getting movies on time.

Today marked just my 3rd day in the gym. This is the first time in ages I have done real work outs. It can certainly make wear you out. I am feeling more energetic on the whole though. I also am very pleased with my progress only a few days in... I have already gotten my stomach largely where it needs to be. I wish others had my luck when it comes to getting into shape and having your body do what you tell it to do.

Working on some rewrites today, I think I will hold off on a handful I had planned to do... will need to get more casting done first to make sure some are the right moves. The next day of auditions is set to Wednesday. So, yay to that.

I watched A Serious Man the other day. Really nice little film. It is one of those films I cannot possibly recommend to anyone. It is just paced in a way and has a story that goes in directions that most people wouldn't like. Very allegorical. Very deft. Very odd. Great work from the Coens... but you didn't hear that from me.

I also watched a documentary about an old person choir that sings rock songs, Young @ Heart. It was cute. Give it a watch if you like that sort of thing.

Check the trailer for A Prophet....

All kinds of stuff...

Some people act in a truly spectacularly ridiculous manner. But I always have fun calling them on it, which is bound to happen in this vague instance. People do something and think no one will know. Probably no one that reads this is the mark, but still. Fun. Unfortunately it is film related, but I have a sense of humor about it now.

In Pixar news... sad stuff. SUPPOSEDLY (not confirmed) they cancelled one of their original films, NEWT. This means the next 3 Pixar films would be sequels - Toy Story 3, Monsters Inc 2, and Cars 2... this coming after Up, Wall E, Ratatouille, Cars, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo and Monsters, Inc.

Really, guys?

Really bad word of mouth on the Nightmare on Elm Street remake/reboot. Oh well.

I am about to buckle down for some more rewrites and modifications to the script. Not a ridiculous amount, but some very nice additions (I hope). This will be ongoing until it is "in the can."

There will probably be more rewrites done after casting gets firmer. I have some ideas already brewing and am starting to put some people in place (in my head, I hope they accept in reality). It has been fun becoming much more fluid with my vision and learning to work with the pieces I have available. Sometimes it results in something different and sometimes out right better... so far no compromise or change has been bad. I am glad I am the creator/writer/director... it just makes changes a lot quicker and easier.

I've met with some great people and look forward to meeting more.

Shutter Island

So, I finally saw Shutter Island today. After it being delayed for months and after missing the screening earlier in the week... the wait had been killing me. Scorsese returning to a "lower" fare of film a la Cape Fear. I love when the truly great directors go move into this territory. Before seeing the film I got a bit of a Psycho and The Shining vibe from what I was seeing (not plot wise of course) and thankfully the film gave me exactly what I was looking for in an entry of this type.

This is most definitely not the best Scorsese film... it isn't even close. I just want to make that clear before I go on. It is not even close.

However, it is one of the best examples of why Scorsese is one of the greatest directors of all time. He has so much room to play in this film and he is in total mastery over every aspect. He kills it. The film is incredibly dense and layered. Shots are composed wonderfully, the actors play amazingly, and everything is layered with an overall sense of dread most modern directors would have no clue how to build.

This film screams of classic storytelling that was perfected by the likes of Hitchcock and Wells. Large amounts of symbolism and meaning behind every choice in the film. Fantastic.

Every actor is cast perfectly, from the smallest role right up to the lead in DiCaprio, who is the backbone of the film (actor wise. and he has had an impressive decade or so... but working with Scorsese, Spielberg, Danny Boyle, Ridley Scott and more will do that). The cinematography accomplishes a very strange thing. It feels very classic... yet incredibly modern. It has a bit of a classic grainy feel... but skies and other things are CGI enhanced to make a really surreal visual. I mean that in the best possible way. Editing is in peak form. Costumes are exactly right. Great stuff at every turn.

I want to single out the films soundtrack. It is a remarkable compilation. No original score was composed, yet the selections fit it perfectly. The sounds invoke a classic Bernard Herrmann score and caused me to have a huge smile on my face the entire time. Herrmann's career of course started with Citizen Kane and came to an end with Scorsese's own Taxi Driver.

This film opened with a 40 million dollar opening weekend. Impressive. Sadly, it is Scorsese's largest opening ever. That says a lot about the movie going public. Reportedly, the film has a very mixed word of mouth. This is ridiculous. On the other hand, I can see why... mainly due to the fact this film is the work of a master who won't pander and also that modern audiences have no idea how a thriller/mystery that actually stands the test of time should be composed. In a true rarity for the genre (in the modern age anyways), this film will be BETTER on repeated viewings. Take in what was laid before you... and smile that someone has a handle on film like Scorsese...

Make no mistake. This film is the work of a master who continues to impress over 40 years into his career. This one will be around for a long time, regardless of what your average drooler thinks of it coming out of the theater. I will be going for a second theater viewing. Make sure you make it for at least one go round.

Bravo, Marty.

Ouch.

The snow let up (has been hitting just enough to keep me off the roads early) and I was able to get to the gym today. I feel a little wiped out. But, I do feel good about getting back into it. And I will need to get my legs and things with me for filming.

The second wave of auditions will be taking place this evening. Exciting. I really wonder how long this process will be... when do I say that is enough and that kind of thing. I still have at least one more wave lined up after today... beyond that I don't know.

Was supposed to go to see Shutter Island for free today. Going to have to miss that. Well worth it though.

Few films and other stuffs...

So, the first round of auditions for the lead were held this past Saturday. It was a lot of fun and I am looking forward to getting to the other's that are lined up. I won't talk about anyone or how they did, but it was a blast.

Next round in Wednesday... which is great, but means I will miss my screening of Shutter Island I was to go to... but it is not even a question of which to do. Can't wait.

I start getting back to the gym in the morning... time to get back in real shape. Should be good, just wish it wasn't so cold out.

I saw Crazy Heart today. It was a nice little film with all the actors doing great work. Very defined character arc but delivered with nuance and reality. Good stuff.

I also watch Tsotsi today on DVD. Really nice little film with a lot of good ideas. It was directed very well. I recommend both films.

Then you tried to dis my shoes...

One not making it out of the woods. One not out yet. One just heading in. Bleh. The more I stay focused on the movie, the easier it is...

Been reading over some lines the past few days. I really need to get it done for sure today... have people auditioning for the first time tomorrow. Woo. More to come next week. I have largely been out of "vision" mode... just too much other stuff going on. And I want to get this role cast. After that, I'll probably go back that side of things.

Working on getting a soundman. Some promising leads.

Mastodon is coming in May. Rock.

FINALLY!

There is a skit that draws inspiration from the sax player in Lost Boys....

Fun short.

Had some pretty good meet ups this week. Finished some small revisions on the script and will have a few other people read it soon. Readings soon.

I am going to start making a shooting bible version, that will include all the stuff in my head and scattered on random bits of paper in one hard copy of the script. This will obviously help me get a better handle of things.

This short is pretty interesting.

Keep on rockin'

“I’m not Grammy material. I hate that shit. It has nothing to do with rock ‘n’ roll. It only has to do with Hollywood, and it’s jive — a buncha people handin’ each other awards and talkin’ about how they made the best record … There is no best in music.”

- Neil Young, 1987

Jonsi solo...

Sigur Ros frontman goes solo for an album...

Self photo.

Moving past...

I finished the latest draft. The last for possibly a long time. Probably until there are more actors involved. That way I can read through with them and make changes according to them.

I hope to have some reads with people in a few weeks time to get even more perspective on things. Ready to start moving forward.

Director Michael Haneke has been rocking my socks of late. If you get a chance to catch his latest, The White Ribbon, do it. I just got around to watching his Caché and I loved it.

Really want to see Roman Polanski's The Ghost Writer. Also, really looking forward to Edgar Wright's take on Scott Pilgrim. I think it will be something truly special.