Showing posts with label Daily. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Daily. Show all posts

12 January 2009

"Doubt" Review - Michigan Daily

Yeah, the ending would have been a little more applicable had this still been a stage play. But no, this is a movie. Thank God it's a fantastic movie though. 

I'm a Catholic school refugee. I was in for five years, but that's long enough to leave a mark. And within the first five minutes, I was totally sold on where this movie was going.

See it. It's a great overdone drama. And Meryl Streep has stayed in the game this long for a real good reason.

And CLICK HERE to read my review.

"Milk" Review - Michigan Daily

My  brother and I were talking about this the other night, and the thing I neglected to mention (courtesy of staff editing...) is the fact that "Milk" is awesome for its up-front sexuality. 

It's like they're here, they're gay and who gives a shit you know?

"Milk" is the great progressive American film of 2008, and with "Gran Torino," it's an idealistically American film. 

With that, CLICK HERE to read my review. 

18 December 2008

Words, Images, Forks and Notes on The Journey

Hopefully this isn't all about the end product, but the steps taken on the way to realization and ultimate actualization. Wordy, yes, but bear with me. This will have some media to pad the text.

With Thylias Moss's "Words & Images" course, the need to focus in on an idea, in order to give my work theme was necessary. It's still necessary in every piece of work I produce. Writing, video, pontification — it needs to relate for me. 

With that, I've relied on my never-ending infatuation with my all-time favorite blending of word and image: Film.

Here's the process:

1. Take a limitless field of study, like film, and begin to explore.

2. Incorporate it into your writing and artwork and performances and speaking.

3. Exploit these interests to their fullest and weirdest outlets. Wanna make something esoteric about Jaws? Well, what's to stop you.

4. Research the alternative campaigning, studio politics, pop cultural history and social relevance of the thing and then subvert it to flip these set standards around.

5. See what happens.

6. Make a blog out of it. And other things.

7. Make fake posters.

8. Make fake radio spots.

9. Change the editing in the film.

10. Advertise in an alternate reality.

11. Keep seeing what happens.

12. Like and dislike the results.

13. Keep seeing.

14. Turn things in. Gain feedback.

15. Keep working.





24 November 2008

"Culture on the Export" Article - Michigan Daily

The foreign film market is a complicated thing.

We send out tons of poorly translated, tent-pole films every year.

We receive a couple of beautiful and outstanding foreign films in the US that too few people see.

And Brad Pitt's abs? They sell.

"Guilty Pleasures" Article - Michigan Daily

Thanks to glowstick swinging idiots, you can't enjoy electronic music anymore without feeling the wrath of nay sayers. 

That is why it's a guilty pleasure, among many other things.

Read all about them HERE.

Please. Let. This. Be. Good.

WATCH IT NOW.

It's a whole lot better than the last one.

And read my response HERE.

12 November 2008

"The Dark Knight" Review - Michigan Daily

The Daily review that merited the most threats on my life.

Why? I gave it 4.5 stars. Not 5. As if!

But, hindsight is key here, and I wish I had 1500 words to share on this one.

This is actually an early candidate for my best film of the year.

It's a "Complete Wagnerian Work of Art."

"Trouble the Water" Review - Michigan Daily

A brief review from the Daily.

Way under-seen, incredibly important documentary about Hurricane Katrina, shot in part by people while they were experiencing it.

Needs to be seen.

"Madagascar 2" Review - Michigan Daily

Another Daily review.

You know, for chintzy kids stuff... this wasn't that bad. Thank god for the fast-moving penguins, or else this would have been way too happy/corny. Are they supposed to be based on the Beatles? I dunno.

10 November 2008

Paul Newman: 1925-2008

Paul Newman: 1925-2008

Possibly the greatest actor of our time, he exuded perfect charm and craft in his performances. And that's just a fraction of his greatness.


He'll not be forgotten.


Meeting Owen Gleiberman of EW

More information to come, but the film critic from Entertainment Weekly had lunch with several Michigan Daily writers last week. I was among them. 

Oh, and he was way cool.



08 November 2008

"Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2" Review - Michigan Daily

"Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2" Review.

I get large sums of flack for reviewing these. It's not my fault this flick was lame...

CLICK HERE to read.

"Changeling" Review - Michigan Daily

Review for "Changeling." 

You know that new, wildly uneven Clint Eastwood film.

CLICK HERE to read.