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I just watched District 9, which was really fucking good. I'm actually kind of unable to talk about it. I'm still processing certain elements of it. I mean, it's not a mind fuck or anything, but everything about it was so familiar, yet original. I didn't feel like we were viewing a reiteration or revisiting of a classic narrative, even though the film is clearly doing such. What struck me the most about the film is the main character's character. He's just so innocent and all he wants is to do a good job and be with his wife. It's heartbreaking when his wife shuts him down, and even more heartbreaking when she calls him back later. If you read this and you haven't seen the film, sorry for any spoilers. But let's step away from that side of the film and talk about how fucking cool all the special effects were: The violence was top notch and very tastefully done, while still giving us shit blowing up, blood, and limbs being violently amputated by force or weapons. The hovering craft in almost every shot of the film was great, and looming, and became a fixture. The weapons were so cool.
OK. so, the social commentary. I won't go into it. It's obvious, But I just want you to know, I'm thinking about it.
OK. The director went to school in Vancouver BC at the Vancouver film school. So, that's pretty cool.
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I just started watching Dexter (I know, I'm always so behind on things...I remember when I was single and my friends were assholes who avoided me all the time--not all my friends just some friends--and my other friends had gone out of town, or had real jobs, and I would rent three movies (or TV episodes) a day from Film is Truth. I would sit in that basement apartment and watch shit, building my knowledge of film and TV, feeling really fucking lonely. At least, I had my cineaphilia. Did i spell that right Matt H? OK. Anyway, I'm just behind. I've been writing and reading a lot, so I guess that's OK. Though, I've been thinking a lot about my Iranian Cinema paper and hopefully I will get the opportunity to do something with it (conference, journal, something). Anyway, again, Dexter. I'm amazed that I went this long without watching it, especially its nod to Bret Easton Ellis. (One of Dexter's aliases is Patrick Bateman from American Psycho). It's voiceover could be completely stupid like USA's Burn Notice. Ugh. That is a shitty VO. But it's won
derful and it's unreliable. Not in the sense that it's just first person from the POV of a serial killer, narrating his story, but that he claims to be hallow and empty inside, but he's not. He just thinks he is, and what you get to witness is someone who has believed he is one way, but his actions and reactions tell the viewer otherwise. I'm only halfway through the first season, but I'm hooked. God. Between this and the Wire I'm screwed. I got a lot of catching up to do. Then Lost starts and I want to watch Battlestar (this one will have to wait).
derful and it's unreliable. Not in the sense that it's just first person from the POV of a serial killer, narrating his story, but that he claims to be hallow and empty inside, but he's not. He just thinks he is, and what you get to witness is someone who has believed he is one way, but his actions and reactions tell the viewer otherwise. I'm only halfway through the first season, but I'm hooked. God. Between this and the Wire I'm screwed. I got a lot of catching up to do. Then Lost starts and I want to watch Battlestar (this one will have to wait).*
Speaking of Bret Easton Ellis. Twenty years after his first novel Less than Zero, he has finished its sequel, Imperial Bedrooms. All the characters twenty years older. I don't know much about it...mostly because I'm trying to avoid too much info. But I know the first line is "They made a movie about us..." or something like that. I'm stoked. I first read Less than Zero after I wrote my first novella called Standards, which none of you will ever read--though about five have read, maybe ten. It's about a band who gets really big and breaks up, then starts a new band. I plan on writing a more realistic and better version one day, with different characters, bands, tours (now that I have real experience on the road and in the studio...I was 19 when I wrote it...with a three day tour under my belt and one recording session that wasn't at our high school). It'll probably be chalked full of stories from my experience with The Braille Tapes. Anyway, I read the novel, because a guy who I met through a friend (a pastor and english teacher) offered to read it and give me notes. He told me to read Less than Zero, Generation X by Douglas Coupland and some Raymond Carver. All of these were huge influences...though most of you who have read me already know this. But when we met he gave me these books and told me to learn how to write not just exposition, but feeling. Not telling people emotion, but giving it to them through words...yeah, yeah, classic show not tell. Those books were amazing for me. But they also taught me how to use understatement instead of giving everything to the reader in one fat load. Say things that imply there's more underneath. Ellis and Carver are the kings of this.
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It's funny. I've been reading a lot of fiction lately. I'm kind of getting sick of reading poetry. Maybe all the fiction will recharge me. Oliver de la Paz told me I'd hate reading poetry when I'm done with my MFA. Maybe, I will, maybe I won't. But I'll tell you this. I hate poetry that sounds and looks like poetry. I want poetry that does more. That tells stories, that show films, that offers plays, that sounds like a fucking guitar strumming a D minor and playing dissonant arpeggios. There are a couple books that I am looking forward too. One being my professors first book, which I've only read pieces of and Joshua Marie Wilkinson's latest book. Oh and Howl. Haven't read that in years. Oh and Tony Trigilio's first book. Anyway. I'm reading a book called The Girl in the Flammable Skirt by Aimee Bender. It's weird and cool and I'm enjoying it.
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God. I feel like I'm missing something here.
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Oh, I wrote a story about a kid who prays to God to make it stop raining in Seattle. But it's Seattle so God (who looks like Bowie) says he can make it rain something else, so they choose feathers. Whattacha think? I think I just miss the NW and wanted to write about the rain, plus, Labyrinth popped into my head, and I thought, if God looked like Bowie I think I might be more inclined to believe.
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I think that might be all for now. I'll probably post something new soon.
Love
J to the Izza
3 comments:
I like the thought of a Bowie god. I might be more interested if you could see god in the first place. I think that's the big flaw in christianity; they need a killer spokesperson like Bowie or even Stallone would be intriging.
They do need a killer spokesman or woman: Morgan Freeman, Bowie, Noami Watts, Diane Keaton...just someone who you can look at and say, "Yeah, I'll get behind this person."
SVU! SVU!
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