Couple a things...
J.G. Ballard (Crash) writes in The Guardian about the post war films of Michael Powell in the context of how time and context alter the way a film is perceived.
Slate piece on how Owen Wilson may be the tempering force in the work of Wes Anderson.
Also, D.o.S. #29 just went up.
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
It Finally Happened
After talking about it for much longer than I care to recall, I finally did it.
I decided to leave my job.
Not next year. Not after the trip. Now.
I emailed the bosses to set up a meeting and two weeks after whenever that is, I'm outta here.
Because you're probably wondering, no, I don't know what I'm going to do. And I'm okay with that. The fact is I'm not getting any younger, this isn't where I want to be, and the longer I stay here the slimmer my chances of getting where I want to be get. My reasoning is that a little fire under my ass is the motivation I need to make things happen. Work a couple of McJobs while I work on the whole "career" thing and see what takes off.
God, I hope I know what I'm doing.
I decided to leave my job.
Not next year. Not after the trip. Now.
I emailed the bosses to set up a meeting and two weeks after whenever that is, I'm outta here.
Because you're probably wondering, no, I don't know what I'm going to do. And I'm okay with that. The fact is I'm not getting any younger, this isn't where I want to be, and the longer I stay here the slimmer my chances of getting where I want to be get. My reasoning is that a little fire under my ass is the motivation I need to make things happen. Work a couple of McJobs while I work on the whole "career" thing and see what takes off.
God, I hope I know what I'm doing.
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Movies I Watched Instead of Writing: Part 7
Dawn of the Dead [1978]: I should probably be embarrassed about this one. About 10 minutes in I was able to declare that I loved the movie. My husband was happy because that meant he didn't have to divorce me. What can I say that hasn't already been said? A true classic. Manages to be a product of its time, yet still feels relevant all these years later.
Return of the Living Dead [1985]: Dan O'Bannon seems like a lovely man. I kind of want to start going to sci-fi conventions to increase my chances of seeing him in person. Very silly, camp "reimagining" of the Romero classic. So '80's it hurts. Notable for a naked Linnea Quigley (for almost the entire time she is on screen) & some good E.C. inspired designs.
War of the Worlds [2005]: I like Spielberg. So sue me. And I stand by the happy ending. Lays it on a little thick, but it could have been A LOT worse.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith [2005]: Saw this with my mom. Great "popcorn movie." Pretty people, lots of 'splosions. Doug Liman may not be loved by actors, but he seems to know what he's doing.
Bad News Bears [1976]: Rented this in anticipation of the remake. I think it's one of my favourite sports movies ever. Walter Mathau rules. Still manages to shock.
Bad News Bears [2005]: Best part of the movie was the 8 years old kid beside me. Felt bad whenever I laughed at something dirty because he'd start laughing too, but it was the kind of laugh that told me he had no idea why he was laughing. More of an "updating" than a real "remake." Stays incredibly faithful (enough to wonder why they bothered), with more sex (all pretty benign) and less violence. Quality of ball much better (obviously directed by someone who had played at a higher level) & Sammi Kraft kicks Tatum O'Neil's ass in acting and ballplaying. Billy Bob plays pretty much the same character as in "Bad Santa," only not as pathetic.
Return of the Living Dead [1985]: Dan O'Bannon seems like a lovely man. I kind of want to start going to sci-fi conventions to increase my chances of seeing him in person. Very silly, camp "reimagining" of the Romero classic. So '80's it hurts. Notable for a naked Linnea Quigley (for almost the entire time she is on screen) & some good E.C. inspired designs.
War of the Worlds [2005]: I like Spielberg. So sue me. And I stand by the happy ending. Lays it on a little thick, but it could have been A LOT worse.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith [2005]: Saw this with my mom. Great "popcorn movie." Pretty people, lots of 'splosions. Doug Liman may not be loved by actors, but he seems to know what he's doing.
Bad News Bears [1976]: Rented this in anticipation of the remake. I think it's one of my favourite sports movies ever. Walter Mathau rules. Still manages to shock.
Bad News Bears [2005]: Best part of the movie was the 8 years old kid beside me. Felt bad whenever I laughed at something dirty because he'd start laughing too, but it was the kind of laugh that told me he had no idea why he was laughing. More of an "updating" than a real "remake." Stays incredibly faithful (enough to wonder why they bothered), with more sex (all pretty benign) and less violence. Quality of ball much better (obviously directed by someone who had played at a higher level) & Sammi Kraft kicks Tatum O'Neil's ass in acting and ballplaying. Billy Bob plays pretty much the same character as in "Bad Santa," only not as pathetic.
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Friday, July 15, 2005
I Need a New Day Job
Couple amusing anecdotes this week.
It all started last week. I'd been dealing with a guy in Mexico trying to buy over $700 worth of TV box sets online, which although not impossible, was unusual enough to set off the "fraud alarm" in my head. So, following procedure I politely emailed him and asked him to fax us a copy of his Visa card and his signature so that we could verify that he was in fact the card holder. To my surprise, the very next day we received a fax, which showed the front and back of a Visa Card and a Mexican driver's license. Holy cow, didn't expect that. Usually if it's fraud and I ask them to fax us anything they get scared off and we never hear from them again. Then I took a closer look. Buddy had forgotten to take the "Authorization" sticker off the front of the card so that the name and card number were both obscured. Nice try Rocket Scientist. I emailed the guy back informing him that the card number was obscured and that we were canceling his order. Oddly enough, he emailed back, insisting in broken English that he had called Visa to activate his card and to please mail him his DVDs, right now. Uh huh, right, sure. I again, very cordially, emailed him to let him know that we still needed evidence that the card in question did in fact belong to him, since as of yet he had not been able to provide such.
So, Monday morning I find a fax in our in-box which was a photocopy of a brand new order for $600 worth of TV box sets, a Texas ID and a different Visa card. The name on the order and the name on the credit card and the ID all matched, but guess where they wanted the DVDs shipped? That's right, Mexico. And besides that, the only way for him to know that I wanted photocopies of his credit card and ID would be if I had requested it. And I only do that if I suspect you of fraud. The time seemed right for the "You Are A Crook" email. This is an email template that was created long before I started at the store that is sent to let people know we are on to them (if they haven't already figured it out):
Rocket Scientist actually responded:
We tried our best to translate the last part, I think it had something to do with me being a pathetic whore/bitch and to go fuck my mother. If someone out there with a better command of Spanish curses than myself is able to better translate that section I would really appreciate it.
I'll save the other anecdote for another post.
It all started last week. I'd been dealing with a guy in Mexico trying to buy over $700 worth of TV box sets online, which although not impossible, was unusual enough to set off the "fraud alarm" in my head. So, following procedure I politely emailed him and asked him to fax us a copy of his Visa card and his signature so that we could verify that he was in fact the card holder. To my surprise, the very next day we received a fax, which showed the front and back of a Visa Card and a Mexican driver's license. Holy cow, didn't expect that. Usually if it's fraud and I ask them to fax us anything they get scared off and we never hear from them again. Then I took a closer look. Buddy had forgotten to take the "Authorization" sticker off the front of the card so that the name and card number were both obscured. Nice try Rocket Scientist. I emailed the guy back informing him that the card number was obscured and that we were canceling his order. Oddly enough, he emailed back, insisting in broken English that he had called Visa to activate his card and to please mail him his DVDs, right now. Uh huh, right, sure. I again, very cordially, emailed him to let him know that we still needed evidence that the card in question did in fact belong to him, since as of yet he had not been able to provide such.
So, Monday morning I find a fax in our in-box which was a photocopy of a brand new order for $600 worth of TV box sets, a Texas ID and a different Visa card. The name on the order and the name on the credit card and the ID all matched, but guess where they wanted the DVDs shipped? That's right, Mexico. And besides that, the only way for him to know that I wanted photocopies of his credit card and ID would be if I had requested it. And I only do that if I suspect you of fraud. The time seemed right for the "You Are A Crook" email. This is an email template that was created long before I started at the store that is sent to let people know we are on to them (if they haven't already figured it out):
Unfortunately we are not as stupid as you must think we are and your order will not be filled.
We would appreciate it if you no longer placed orders through our website using stolen credit card numbers.
We have passed all accumulated information on to the relevant authorities. Consider yourself busted and have a wonderful day. We hope to visit you in jail soon.
Rocket Scientist actually responded:
what do you say???
The stupid person and busted is you.
I hope visit to jail and I demand millonarie.
Putos desgraciados
chinguen a su madre
fuck you
We tried our best to translate the last part, I think it had something to do with me being a pathetic whore/bitch and to go fuck my mother. If someone out there with a better command of Spanish curses than myself is able to better translate that section I would really appreciate it.
I'll save the other anecdote for another post.
Thursday, July 14, 2005
Just Because You Can...
...Doesn't Mean You Should.
Stumbled across this article today while "working" and it really hit home. Although it deal more with the production end of things, the basic dilemma is very similar to the one I am facing now.
It took me a long time to figure out what it is I want to do with my life. Film has always been a passion of mine and while initially I thought that I, (like everyone else and his monkey), wanted to become a director, I eventually realized that what really excited me about film was talking about it. And writing about it. Analyzing the technical aspects and looking at what different films say about us or what they should be saying.
I had to really struggle to accept the fact that I am a writer. This is funny to me because I kind of hate writing. While I love the final product and the fame (ha!) and fortune (ha!) that it brings, I find the process of sitting down and trying to put my thoughts together in coherent sentences rather torturous. My fragile self esteem doesn't help much either as one of the reasons I resisted entering the writing field was that I have a hard time believing my opinions matter to anyone else. I do not posses the sort of personality that knows that I am right and you are wrong. I am, in most things, a moderate and would rather just walk away than have to defend my personal views to someone who obviously will not understand me. However, one thing I believe in is education, and I think that this is one of the things that makes criticism, filmic or otherwise, important. I like finding out about new genres and directors and sharing these discoveries with others. I take my job of knowing what I'm talking about very seriously and while I have on occasion made mistakes, I own up to my errors and generally just enjoy the educational process.
But, as this article drove home yet again, none of this really matters. Anyone with access to a computer, regardless of their command of English (or any language for that matter) can be a film critic. Just scroll through IMDb or Amazon and you will be confronted by hundreds of amateur critics. Hundreds. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. With so much free criticism floating all over the internets, why should anyone take what I have to say seriously, let alone offer to pay me to say it? The whole thing is just incredibly disheartening.
Yet, I am still plugging away. Earlier today my boss at the video store asked me about eFilmCritic.com. Because I wasn't familiar with that particular site, I decided to take a look and it seems like a solid enough archive site, similar to Rotten Tomatoes. Up at the top of the page was a link button: "looking for new writers". Curious, and getting a little desperate for ways to kickstart my "career", I clicked and was encourage to find that there was some sort of screening process and they ask you to submit two reviews, one positive, one negative. "Let your personality shine through," it says, "and, all things considered, maybe you'll be a movie critic in a week or so." Hey, sounds great. Although it doesn't look like they pay anything. And travel for any "assignments" would likely be at my own expense.
Wait a minute. I am a movie critic.
Stumbled across this article today while "working" and it really hit home. Although it deal more with the production end of things, the basic dilemma is very similar to the one I am facing now.
It took me a long time to figure out what it is I want to do with my life. Film has always been a passion of mine and while initially I thought that I, (like everyone else and his monkey), wanted to become a director, I eventually realized that what really excited me about film was talking about it. And writing about it. Analyzing the technical aspects and looking at what different films say about us or what they should be saying.
I had to really struggle to accept the fact that I am a writer. This is funny to me because I kind of hate writing. While I love the final product and the fame (ha!) and fortune (ha!) that it brings, I find the process of sitting down and trying to put my thoughts together in coherent sentences rather torturous. My fragile self esteem doesn't help much either as one of the reasons I resisted entering the writing field was that I have a hard time believing my opinions matter to anyone else. I do not posses the sort of personality that knows that I am right and you are wrong. I am, in most things, a moderate and would rather just walk away than have to defend my personal views to someone who obviously will not understand me. However, one thing I believe in is education, and I think that this is one of the things that makes criticism, filmic or otherwise, important. I like finding out about new genres and directors and sharing these discoveries with others. I take my job of knowing what I'm talking about very seriously and while I have on occasion made mistakes, I own up to my errors and generally just enjoy the educational process.
But, as this article drove home yet again, none of this really matters. Anyone with access to a computer, regardless of their command of English (or any language for that matter) can be a film critic. Just scroll through IMDb or Amazon and you will be confronted by hundreds of amateur critics. Hundreds. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. With so much free criticism floating all over the internets, why should anyone take what I have to say seriously, let alone offer to pay me to say it? The whole thing is just incredibly disheartening.
Yet, I am still plugging away. Earlier today my boss at the video store asked me about eFilmCritic.com. Because I wasn't familiar with that particular site, I decided to take a look and it seems like a solid enough archive site, similar to Rotten Tomatoes. Up at the top of the page was a link button: "looking for new writers". Curious, and getting a little desperate for ways to kickstart my "career", I clicked and was encourage to find that there was some sort of screening process and they ask you to submit two reviews, one positive, one negative. "Let your personality shine through," it says, "and, all things considered, maybe you'll be a movie critic in a week or so." Hey, sounds great. Although it doesn't look like they pay anything. And travel for any "assignments" would likely be at my own expense.
Wait a minute. I am a movie critic.
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
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