Absolute Wannabe

Sometimes a little spontaneity is good. Like most weeks, I had no idea what I wanted to watch in preparation for this week's post. Usually, I go to Netflix, list in hand (because it's in a notebook) and just start searching. Every once in a while, though, Netflix fails me. Today was one of those days. That's now I came across The Leopard. The process of deciding whether or not to watch it reminded me of when I was in middle school and I used to watch whatever was on cable. In other words, it's a really hit or miss process. I definitely didn't think I was going to watch it. Between the 185 minute runtime and the subtitles, I just wasn't feeling it. However, I figured if I didn't watch it now, I was never going to watch it. I actually really enjoy watching films in a different language. Not only does it give me a reason to say I read today, but it also gives me a new perspective on acting. Because you can't just listen to what people are saying, ...

I apologize for not posting last week. It might happen again. This week, I had the bizarre pleasure of watching one of the most misquoted movies of all time, Sunset Boulevard . I don't think I've yet recovered. This film is exactly the kind of movie I pictured when I was young and someone talked about "classic Hollywood". Black and white, bombastic lead actress, a forbidden romance, twisting plot. Everything I imagined was there. I always held these type of movies to a higher standard than those more modern movies I had already seen. People talked about them with such fondness, recounting memories of seeing them in a theatre or on TV at home. I was worried that when I watched a movie like this one for the first time, I would be disappointed. What I've realized is that any movie from any era can excite, disappoint, or surprise you. An era that a movie was made in may shape the story and how it is made, but an audience's emotions toward movies have alway...

I don't think I can do this movie justice, but here we go. This week, I watched Spike Lee's 1989 film Do The Right Thing . I'm going to be honest. I was a little nervous to write about this film, especially because of recent events in the news. Even though this is something I've always wanted to see, I waited to watch for a very long time. It was worth the wait. Do the Right Thing is one of the most thought-provoking movies I've ever seen. I was completely immersed in the world within this block of Brooklyn from the first second. From the minute Samuel L. Jackson starts describing the boiling hot weather, you feel it. As the heat radiates, so does the tension between everyone. The anger the characters feel toward one another is captivating, confusing, and frightening. Films like this that are fueled by emotion instead of a tired narrative become timeless. That's why this film still feels fresh over 25 years later. The emotions and hatred depicted in this...

It's been a few weeks since I wrote about James Stewart or Alfred Hitchcock, so I thought I'd write about both today. My post-wisdom teeth doppelgänger and my new favorite actor have made a masterpiece in Vertigo . It plays with your mind in your emotions in the best way possible, keeping you gripped through all 128 minutes. It kills me that it was a box office failure in its day. Despite being a commercial failure, this film is considered one of the greatest Hitchcock films of all time. I think it may be my new favorite. A lot of people who watch it now might comment on the fake backdrops used for the scenes where we look down from high places, but I love looking at these old painted backdrops. Even without today's special effects, the audience can still feel the fear that Scottie (James Stewart) feels when he looks down at the view. My favorite thing about a Hitchcock film is the environment he creates. You're immersed in the story, and every little decision h...

This is my 15th post! That's actually pretty cool...Now back to your regularly scheduled programming. This week, I watched The French Connection . Now, for those of you who have been reading this for a while and/or know me in real life, you know this is not my type of movie I like to watch. I don't seek out car chases, people shooting at each other makes me nervous, and I think the story of "the complicated cop" has been done over and over. I gave this one a chance for two reasons: 1) it was on the list, and 2) I was curious to see what made this movie different from other cop stories I've seen. I thought a lot during this movie about something we have been talking about a lot in the screenwriting class I'm taking: American films are very character driven. In other words, a great character makes a great movie. With that in mind, I've come up with a list of five things I love and admire about our protagonist, Popeye Doyle. Here's that list: 1) P...

"Something, something, something, America." That's how a friend described the movie to me when told I was watching West Side Story for the first time today. It's also probably how you'll remember this blog post. I haven't even seen West Side Story  on stage before, but I'll definitely seek it out after this viewing. Despite my ignorance, I couldn't help feeling a strange sense of familiarity with every number that came along. I guess this film, the story, and its music are that present in pop culture, even after 50+ years. The thing that sticks out to me about this film is how authentic it is. Here's what I mean: with a lot of play/musical adaptations, a certain magic that you feel when you see it on stage is lost. However, I didn't feel like this adaptation lost any of the stage magic. I have no idea why I feel that way. It's just a vibe I get. There are a lot of things that stick out about this movie to other people, but the thing...

Not one, not two, but three movies this week! Don't get used to it! Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb I was pumped to finally get to watch what's considered one of the greatest comedies of all time. Stanley Kubrick is one of my favorite directors. However, upon finishing the movie, I couldn't help but feel something was missing. It had nothing to do with the film itself, but the environment I was viewing it in was lacking something. This is a movie I would have loved to have seen with an audience. Anyone who knows me well knows that I like going to the movies. I like sitting with people and communally sharing a laugh, a scream, a tear, etc. I will not, however, share my Buncha Crunch. Don't even ask. I think this movie calls for that kind of environment. Alone, I felt funny (no pun intended) about laughing at certain scenes. I don't know why I was anxious about laughing, but an audience full of people would have made it a...