I've finally got somewhat of a portfolio up and running. I hope. I haven't tried to see if it works on any computers other than mine... the last one that I started to build looked great on my computer but apparently it was linked to images on my hard drive... I don't know how I did that... oh well. Eventually I will have a nice, hand-designed portfolio site, but for right now I'm just using a Flash template thing.
Anybody watch the Academy Awards tonight? I was watching out of the corner of my eye as I worked on my portfolio. I think the Departed took 4 awards. I still haven't seen that movie. I didn't go when it was in town because nobody that I talked to that watched it here liked it. We were going to rent it on Friday night, but the video store was pretty much cleaned out when we got there at 4:45. Everybody knew we were in for some lousy weather this weekend. Every copy of Babel was rented as well... that one was nominated for a handful of awards tonight too.
I was just excited to see Pan's Labyrinth do well. Although it didn't get best picture (I don't even think it was nominated). It got three awards: makeup, cinematography, and art direction. I thought it would take home the best score too, but Babel took that one.
I can't believe I'm even talking about this. I generally think it's pretty stupid that all these big industries think they need everyone to watch them award themselves, but before I end this post I just need to mention the best part of the show... Ennio Morricone got some sort of honorary Oscar. It was as if someone at the academy realized how ridiculous it was that he's never gotten one. Five nominations, but none of them for his best work, as far as I'm concerned. Congratulations Ennio! (oh wait... although he probably does read my blog on a regular basis, he does not speak English....oh well)
Monday, February 26, 2007
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Bridge to Terebithia
Although I haven't had time to watch movies this semester, I watch them anyway (okay... so I think I've watched 3 now this semester). Anyhow the three that I have seen I have really enjoyed.
On Friday afternoon Meg got out early due to weather so I thought it might be our best chance to watch a movie without the crowd and without having to stay up too late. So we went in to watch Bridge to Terebithia.
Just as with the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the trailers are deceiving in that they make it look like the movie takes an entirely different approach than the book and have different themes. At first when I see this I get a little upset, but after seeing that the movie is quite faithful to the book I can understand why they would want to have such a preview for marketing reasons. If everyone knew what the movie was really about, nobody would go, although everybody should.
I am surprised at the number of people who haven't read the book. It was required reading at my school in fourth grade. I thought it was required in a lot more schools (for 4th-6th grade reading). I will say that the fact that I read the book 12 years ago and all the characters have existed in my head for some time definitely had an role iin my thinking the movie was very good. Reading the book was a huge experience for me when I was 10 and I returned to that watching the movie. For anyone who didn't read the book when they were young, the movie may not have as much impact.
There are a few things I wasn't a real big fan of... mainly the crass commercialization of the soundtrack. The vocal tunes that pop up throughout the movie are awkward, and though the words suggest they were written just for that use, they do not seem to fit.... and I just didn't like them. I also wasn't too in love with the CGI characters, but they don't really have a very big role in the film. Unlike what the trailers suggest, most of the movie takes place in "the real world" much like Pan's Labyrinth.
I dare say that the faithfulness to the book is probably in large due to David Paterson who worked on the film as a writer and a producer. His mother, Katherine Paterson, is the one who wrote the book. The character Jesse is based on David. The character, or at least the incident involving Leslie, is based on David's best friend Lisa Hill, an 8 year old. Only in real life the girl was struck by lightning. Katherine didn't think that that would be believable.
With a story with such a powerful theme, I am glad that the filmmakers were, for the most part faithful to the book. That being said, "faithfulness to the book" is not always something I'm concerned about. The best example I can think of is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I don't care that it is truer to the book than the movie Willy Wonka was. I think Gene Wilder made a much better Willy Wonka and I think it was a much better movie over all. Books and movies are different mediums, and I don't think they should always be treated the same way.
On Friday afternoon Meg got out early due to weather so I thought it might be our best chance to watch a movie without the crowd and without having to stay up too late. So we went in to watch Bridge to Terebithia.
Just as with the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the trailers are deceiving in that they make it look like the movie takes an entirely different approach than the book and have different themes. At first when I see this I get a little upset, but after seeing that the movie is quite faithful to the book I can understand why they would want to have such a preview for marketing reasons. If everyone knew what the movie was really about, nobody would go, although everybody should.
I am surprised at the number of people who haven't read the book. It was required reading at my school in fourth grade. I thought it was required in a lot more schools (for 4th-6th grade reading). I will say that the fact that I read the book 12 years ago and all the characters have existed in my head for some time definitely had an role iin my thinking the movie was very good. Reading the book was a huge experience for me when I was 10 and I returned to that watching the movie. For anyone who didn't read the book when they were young, the movie may not have as much impact.
There are a few things I wasn't a real big fan of... mainly the crass commercialization of the soundtrack. The vocal tunes that pop up throughout the movie are awkward, and though the words suggest they were written just for that use, they do not seem to fit.... and I just didn't like them. I also wasn't too in love with the CGI characters, but they don't really have a very big role in the film. Unlike what the trailers suggest, most of the movie takes place in "the real world" much like Pan's Labyrinth.
I dare say that the faithfulness to the book is probably in large due to David Paterson who worked on the film as a writer and a producer. His mother, Katherine Paterson, is the one who wrote the book. The character Jesse is based on David. The character, or at least the incident involving Leslie, is based on David's best friend Lisa Hill, an 8 year old. Only in real life the girl was struck by lightning. Katherine didn't think that that would be believable.
With a story with such a powerful theme, I am glad that the filmmakers were, for the most part faithful to the book. That being said, "faithfulness to the book" is not always something I'm concerned about. The best example I can think of is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I don't care that it is truer to the book than the movie Willy Wonka was. I think Gene Wilder made a much better Willy Wonka and I think it was a much better movie over all. Books and movies are different mediums, and I don't think they should always be treated the same way.
Friday, February 02, 2007
Pan's Labyrinth
Tonight we watched Pan's Labyrinth. More than anything else on this blog I've probably mentioned how every time I think a movie is going to be really good I am disappointed and whenever I think a movie is going to be terrible I am pleasantly surprised. Not so this time. I've been wanting to see this one for a few months, thinking that it would be really good. And it was. The movie is very dark and somewhat disturbing, yet very beautiful. I can think of nothing to say about it that wouldn't ruin it for anybody who might want to watch it. If there was anything wrong with it, I missed it... possibly due to the fact that it's in Spanish and requires reading subtitles. I will give one warning about it. It is gory. Very gory. With normal movies if your stomach can't handle the visuals you can look away. If the movie uses a language other than your own, this doesn't work so well.
So I guess I should say at least something about the actual movie. The basic idea is Ofelia, a young girl, is taken to live with the father of her soon-to-be-born brother. He is not a very pleasant man. Her head is full of fairy tales and stuff and she escapes to these magical adventures to avoid her terrible reality. Other critics have put it in a category with Alice in Wonderland and Spirited Away. I would say it's much more like the Neverending Story (anybody else love that movie when they were a kid?) except the main character is a girl and the special effects look like they used more than $100.
This is probably the best movie I've seen in the theatre since Return of the King.... oh, and one more reason why this is a great movie... as far as I know it's original. It's not based on a book, not a remake of an old movie, and it's not a sequel. So if you've got the time, the money, and can stomach a little gore, definitely watch this movie.
On the way to the movie we stopped by Jon Schmidt's apartment to pick him up. His apartment is pretty amazing. It's in an old mansion that's been turned into seven apartments. One of his rooms is round. I think he has pictures on his blog... you'll have to go back a few posts to when he moved in i think. (The link is to the right where it says "Jonathan").
After the movie we grabbed supper at a big restaurant/bar called MacBehr's. The decorating there was terrible. It may well be the only place that is fancy enough to use tablecloths and cloth napkins and sloppy enough to have a 5' cardboard standee of a bottle of budweiser wearing a football helmet. Anyhow the food was really good. We all had sandwiches of some sort. Meg told me to be sure to mention that we had sweet potato fries and that they were really good... or at least Meg and Jon did... sweet potatos are not my thing. So I guess what I'm trying to say is if you like Sweet Potatoes, go to MacBehrs in Sioux City.
I was going to try to be smooth and edit more into my paragraphs about the movie, but I want to go to bed so I'll just make this post extra long instead. Anyhow... I should also mention that the movie is quite intense. I think Meg had her hand over her mouth for about half of it. I just thought I should mention that as another disclaimer so that nobody who can't handle real intense movies (hi mom) sees that I recommended this and goes to watch it.
So I guess I should say at least something about the actual movie. The basic idea is Ofelia, a young girl, is taken to live with the father of her soon-to-be-born brother. He is not a very pleasant man. Her head is full of fairy tales and stuff and she escapes to these magical adventures to avoid her terrible reality. Other critics have put it in a category with Alice in Wonderland and Spirited Away. I would say it's much more like the Neverending Story (anybody else love that movie when they were a kid?) except the main character is a girl and the special effects look like they used more than $100.
This is probably the best movie I've seen in the theatre since Return of the King.... oh, and one more reason why this is a great movie... as far as I know it's original. It's not based on a book, not a remake of an old movie, and it's not a sequel. So if you've got the time, the money, and can stomach a little gore, definitely watch this movie.
On the way to the movie we stopped by Jon Schmidt's apartment to pick him up. His apartment is pretty amazing. It's in an old mansion that's been turned into seven apartments. One of his rooms is round. I think he has pictures on his blog... you'll have to go back a few posts to when he moved in i think. (The link is to the right where it says "Jonathan").
After the movie we grabbed supper at a big restaurant/bar called MacBehr's. The decorating there was terrible. It may well be the only place that is fancy enough to use tablecloths and cloth napkins and sloppy enough to have a 5' cardboard standee of a bottle of budweiser wearing a football helmet. Anyhow the food was really good. We all had sandwiches of some sort. Meg told me to be sure to mention that we had sweet potato fries and that they were really good... or at least Meg and Jon did... sweet potatos are not my thing. So I guess what I'm trying to say is if you like Sweet Potatoes, go to MacBehrs in Sioux City.
I was going to try to be smooth and edit more into my paragraphs about the movie, but I want to go to bed so I'll just make this post extra long instead. Anyhow... I should also mention that the movie is quite intense. I think Meg had her hand over her mouth for about half of it. I just thought I should mention that as another disclaimer so that nobody who can't handle real intense movies (hi mom) sees that I recommended this and goes to watch it.
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