woolcovered

I just finished watching Almost Famous, an all-time fave that has gottten better with age - and I'll explain why.

The first two times I saw the film, I had only just begun the life-long process of finding the roots of what inspired the music for my generation. I recognized a few songs, but on this third viewing I knew most of them. One in particular stands out.

While remarking on the merits of the soundtrack mid-film ("that Skynryd song "Simple Man" is easily my favourite one of theirs"), I couldn't help but take a step back. This was one of the tracks that I didn't even recognize the last time I had seen the film, so how did I start loving it since? After some thinking I realized I had pop culture to thank.

The last time I saw this film was around five years ago, and in '04 a largely insignificant Jacksonville hard-rock band by the name of Shinedown scored their breakthrough single with a cover of the Skynyrd classic. I really liked that version, and on my first listen it sounded familiar but I didn't know why exactly. Upon learning it was a cover I sought it out, eventually coming to prefer the original and getting some better exposure into Lynyrd Skynyrd as a whole. As my only exposure to LS was classic rock radio, I'd been subject only to "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird," the only two songs lazy radio programmers can bother to slot into the playlists I heard. Had it not been for covers of the tune (inlcuding the deftones one that followed a year later) I may not have ever really come to appreciate the stellar tune, as its use in the film downplays its great lyrics.

So what am I getting at? Well, I guess I just get annoyed when people (primarily the older folks) get so irked at a band who covers a great song. While I understand the arguement that covers 'lack original creativity,' I'm personally just happy they give a less cultured chap like myself a second chance to hear a jem they otherwise might have missed.

I'd love to hear if anyone else has had a similar experience:
Think back, have you ever heard a cover and been inspired to go back and hear the original?
Have you ever come across a quality tribute album that would expose the kids to some of the great music from generations past?
...And I'll even ask the question you're not supposed to ask - have you ever preferred the cover over the original?

Posted by Jason Guitard at 04:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

To celebrate my downtime, I've been doing a bit more reading. Largely I've been checking out books I wanted to read throughout the entire school year but was too busy to get to.

I've literally just finished Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation and I've got to say I'm really impressed. This could be seen as a good companion piece to Super Size Me. While Super Size Me relied on a bit of sensationalism and shock value to sell a compelling experiment, Fast Food Nation has a meticulously researched, more sober take on the subject matter. It helps that the parts of Super Size Me that I enjoyed most (documenter Morgan Spurlock's research beyond the actual consumption of the food) are the subjects which are researched in much greater detail here.

So while Super Size Me drills into our heads that the food is bad for our health, Fast Food Nation shows us that there could be more at stake than our waistlines. The title does hint at what the book is all about, as Schlosser basically tracks the far-reaching social, economic and political effects that this relatively new industry has had on the United States. Among other things, the business practices of the major meat processing facilities are examined in the face of powerless institutions such as the USDA and the OSHA.

His access is as impressive as the research itself, as this book takes the reader to every step along the meat production process. This book takes the reader to urban ghettos in meatpacking towns, cattle ranches in the Western states, even to the labs where the artificial and "natural" flavours are engineered. What's more, when he visits a potato factory we actually learn just how the french fries are, well manufactured (reading the impressive amount of technology involved in this process will explain why this term is most appropriate).

Reading this book does scare me a little bit. The lax standards for food safety along the manufacturing process don't bode well in an era plagued by epidemic scares. Basically the system is to efficient (in terms of throughput and distribution), that by the time food borne pathogens are dectected, much of the food is already consumed.

One thing I really liked about the book is the Epilogue. Here, Schlosser actually makes recommendations based on his research. To go the extra mile, he even offers suggestions as to how his ideas could be implemented. Hard to say what'll come of it all, but the book did get a bit of attention in the UK as it came out right around when the mad-cow epidemic hit.

Most recently, the a film bearing the same title has come out. From what I've gathered, the film is a fictionalized take on what was a work of investigative journalism. So take from that what you will.

Posted by Jason Guitard at 09:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Last night I got to do something I haven't done since high school: I went to public midnight screening of a new film.

Given that many will be flocking to the theatre soon to see this summer's first major blockbuster, I figure I could share some impressions on Spiderman 3.

Don't worry, no spoilers, but read the first line below before you decide to read further...

In short, I liked it - but there were certainly things I didn't love about it.

I'll start with the good - this film gave me new respect for Topher Grace. I had some reservations when I heard he was going to be playing Eddie Brock/Venom, but he had a charismatic way of making the character his own without overdoing it. It's sort of ironic that Brock and Parker's characters are in competition in the film, as I felt Grace stole many of the scenes he was in with Tobey Maguire.

As to be expected, this film took many liberties with the source material. Most of them I was fairly happy with. New characters were tied into the storyline economically, and existing characters were utilized effectively to advance the plot. The best changes tightened up the story so it could work as a two hour film.

Spiderman 3 also featured some of the best action/fight sequences I've seen in quite some time. There were a lot of them, but each one felt fresh and original. If this ends up being the last film they do, I'd say they went out with a bang in this regard.

So where did the film fall flat?

Well, anyone familiar with the previous two films (Spiderman 2 particularly) knows that these folks aren't afraid to laugh at themselves a little. This envelope was pushed a little too far at times, and the self-parody was a little much. At times, it can be hard to tell who is in on the joke exactly (Parker with emo hair and black mascara?). Some of the scenes advancing the film's love triangles were pretty groan-worthy, but I sort of expected as much there.

So my beefs are fairly minor - some lame scenes and a little misuse of the characters. Overall, the film is worth seeing. Opening 'night' was a fun experience to revisit too, minus the frisking (piracy prevention). It was amusing to hear folk cheering at Stan Lee's (incredibly corny) mandatory cameo. Speaking of cameos, Bruce Campbell had an even funnier one than his work as the 'usher' in the first second film.

Posted by Jason Guitard at 02:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

In my last entry I mentioned Sharkwater gave me a number of blog ideas.

I think the first thing that struck me when sitting in the theatre waiting for the documentary to begin was that I was actually sitting in a theatre waiting for a documentary to begin. Silly, right? Well, in my high school days I remember having to go to the Bookshelf to get this sort of fare. Its hard to believe that so much has happened in the last five years, that even in a town like Guelph there's room for a film like Sharkwater in mainstream theatres.

I can't help but find this rather ironic - part of the reason I moved to the big smoke was for better access to various subcultural fare. Yet now that I've left, my beloved town is getting greater access to this sort of stuff.

So how did we get here? Well, I guess we could consider this the post-Columbine period. Since then some other big ones have come along, with Moore's next effort, Supersize Me, March of the Penguins, Murderball, Tupac:Resurrection and The Aristocrats all receiving at least limited screenings in mainstream markets.

I'm wondering if this movement will last. Is it just a fad, or the film industry's way of offering more to consumers in an age of sagging ticket sales?

I guess we'll truly be entering into a crazy period of acceptance when the farces actually make it into theatres.

Posted by Jason Guitard at 01:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Accompanied my sis this weekend to see Rob Stewart's Sharkwater. I found this film raised a lot of questions, some of which I'll try to explore in entries to come.

Overall, I thought the film was good. I'm going to attempt the impossible and not speak to the film's politics. I'm personally more interested in how Stewart structured his argument than in whether or not I agree with him.

A major argument in the film centers around whether or not sharks should be poached for their fins. I thought the information would have been more compelling if Stewart actually engaged a representative portion of the other side. References to foreign government corruption are made, yet we see no film of Stewart attempting to talk to any bureaucrats (even if they turned him down it could have been compelling, as seen in other films). He talks to one guy at a desk (whose position is beyond me, but I think he was an admin. on a beach), but it's not really a conversation of any substance. I'd always thought a persuasive argument is supposed to take the best points from the opposing side then refute them, and Stewart's 'shark experts' would have been put to better use against an actual outspoken critic. There's plenty of fear-mongering media clips, and allusions to 'the media', yet I don't recall him talking to a single journalist. The film is still very persuasive, but a little more primary research could have made its execution a lot more compelling. I'd be curious to know whether others agree/disagree with me here.

What Sharkwater may lack in research is certainly made up in emotional appeal. Fans of dead-animal sequences will certainly get their fill in this film. I actually thought this bordered on the excessive, and was a little numbed by the time the film ended.

The underwater sequences of Stewart swimming with sharks were the highlights of the film. The scenes were brilliantly shot, and made me glad I bothered to see the film on the big screen. I actually had a hard time believing he got the shots he did, as some were so clean and detailed you'd swear it was CG.

Posted by Jason Guitard at 11:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

So, I've just finished watching the Untouchables, and similar to my last classic-crime-film-watching experience, I was awakened to a number of cultural refences. I never realized just how much the Simpsons' 'Beer Baron' episode actually spoofed the whole idea. I mean, I knew Rex Banner was a take on Elliot Ness, but I didn't realize that the background music playing during the prominent scenes in the episode was actually the theme from the original film. I wonder if the parodies seem more obvious to me now because they're not as original, or because Matt Groening & co. have simply run out of classic stories to spoof that I'm unfamliar with.

The other reference I've got to point out is that Sean Connery's character (an Irish policeman) is pretty racist, dropping many slurs directed at the Italian antagonists in the flim. As a fan of SNL Celebrity Jeoparty, I couldn't help but laugh when this happened...one of those things that finally clicked after many years.

And wow...it looks like there could be a prequel of sorts to this made in '08, with Untouchables director Brian De Palma attached. Go figure.

In other news, I got my schedule today, and holy morning classes! My days certainly get off to an early start (8:55 Monday, 9:50 Tuesday & Thursday). The trade-off seems to be that I only have three afternoon hours of class on Wednesday and Fridays are completely off. I haven't decided how I'm going to approach the sleep issue. I'm thinking if I simply download the episodes of Conan every night, I can watch them a day late matinee-style. Or I could buy a PVR and accomplish the same task. If only there was confirmation that the PS3 is going to have that functionality (which I'm honestly doubting), then the price tag will be a little more justifiable.

Anyway, I'll post my full schedule eventually, most likely in the group calendar I already have set up.

Posted by Jason Guitard at 07:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So I just finished watching Four Brothers, and I've gotta say: decent movie, excellent soundtrack. Its set in suburban Detroit, and they really put together a good way to represent that soulful urban sound. The basic plotline here is that four adopted brothers return to their hometown to bury their mother, who died as an innocent bystander in what was ruled a typical convenience store robbery. Of course, there's much more than what the police have uncovered, and its up to the boys to take matters into their own hands. As far as the story goes, its a fairly straight-forward action flic, and I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a bit trying at times. I did like that it was a fairly no-frills afair, as the brothers tended to use fairly crude means to chase down the answers they were looking for. It was shot to reflect this as well, with a gritty style I've come to associate with all of my favorite televised police dramas (save for the one major gunfight). I should note I'm a sucker for Mark Wahlberg movies, so one could probably take it with a grain of salt when I say the film was worth checking out, but certainly nothing amazing.

In all my euphoria yesterday, I neglected to mention that I've been coming down with this sickness of mine again this week. I'm thinking it was probably something I ate, as for the first time in awhile, I can think of no real stress I've been confronted with. If anything, this has actually been the first time in awhile I haven't been stressed, since I've found a place to live and all that jazz. I've had a dip in what I expected my finances to be, which has worried me. Thankfully, I did end up winning the Hammond essay contest, so the $100 from that should alleviate some of my current financial strain.

And right on cue, when I seem to need them the most, I'd lost track of the medicated I'm about to run out of. As such, I probably should go to bed, so I can get up early tomorrow morning and get down to Shopper's to pick some up. I'm wondering if I should take some of my 'in case of emergency' stuff the doc gave me back in the spring, but I think I might hold off for another day and see how I do...here's to hoping, as I don't want to screw up this next week, which should be otherwise awesome:

Saturday - Junior Boys in Toronto with Kev!
Sunday - A belated birthday dinner for Co at the Madarin in Hamilton with her family!
Monday - Doc Appointment, then Family Values in Toronto with Nicole and Co!
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday - My last three days of work!
Friday - Rancid in Toronto with Kelsie!
Saturday - Rancid in Toronto again with Co and Kelsie!
Sunday - Most likely...move in day @ York for me!

Have I ever used so many exclamation marks in a post? This is some week indeed!

Posted by Jason Guitard at 05:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Alright, so I've just finished watching Scarface. First off, I had no idea that was a remake of a film of the same name based on the life of Al Capone (the wikipedia search for the former just revealed this to me). That to me is pretty ironic: they remade a film about an Italian-American mobster but set it during the 1980's coccaine boom in Miami - then they cast an Italian-American actor to play the title character, who in this case is Cuban!

So yeah, after reading the wikipedia article, pretty much everything I wanted to say about the film (the fact that I recognized many scenes based on the references in other things, for one) is really already touched upon there. Its amazing; I had never seen the film, knew how it would end, but enjoyed it anyway. I can't help but get all waxful about this crazy generation I'm a part of, that something that is as old as I am has become modern folklore. That's the beauty of studying pop culture I suppose, its fairly easy to find evidence of the postmodern era any time I consume any sort of modern (or in this case, 23-year-old) media.

All in all, I liked the fact that they didn't mind showing the side of U.S. immigration that most American politicians at the time probably weren't too proud of (living in tent cities refered to as "Freedomland" under the freeway upon arrival). Although it was a little heavy-handed at times, I enjoyed how Oliver Stone tried to frame the drug trade to a much bigger picture, even critiquing the American Dream (laying the groundwork for shows like The Sorpranos to do again much later on) and international politics. Aside from that, the film was clearly a product of its time and cheesy to the max. There's a good chance I'll buy it eventually, if only to increase my collection of crime/gangster based movies.

I guess I can contribute something new and worthwhile though. I cracked up when a montage started with "Scarface (Push It To The Limit)" playing. Anyone who has seen Team America can note that "Montage" has some pretty remarkable similarities to it. Anyway, after reading the page I later find out that the song itself was actually used in an episode of South Park while Cartman trains. Oh, that crazy Stone/Parker combo!

And finally - in a partially related note, ever wonder how many 'f-bombs per minute' all your favorite movies have?

Posted by Jason Guitard at 07:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Does anyone remember Dynamite Hack? They made a bit of a splash when they did a folk take on Eazy E's Boyz in tha Hood. Anyway, as much as I enjoyed the track (given the juxtaposition of gangsta-rap lyrics and acoustic folk rock), it was another cover that really got my attention: they did an alt-rock (much more like their actual style) take on Ice Cube's It Was a Good Day that I couldn't get enough of back in 2000. Anyway, NYHC punk outfit H2O also does a cover of the track, and I'd reccomend that one if you can't find the 'Hack version (as it was a bonus track on some releases of their 2000 album Superfast). Anyway, its just a funny song 'Cube wrote (his is actually quite laid back, the covers are not) about a day where everything seemed to go his way in the 'hood: "Today I didn’t even have to use my A.K. / I got to say it was a good day." It always comes to mind when I've had a good one.

Today I made good on one of my year-end pledges, working my way through a stack of borrowed movies and albums. I started last night with Antwone Fisher, which was fairly enjoyable. I'd reccomend it to fans of good drama. Today was South Park's The Passion of the Jew (three episode collection, all hillarious in the South Park way), Million Dollar Baby (which, as a coworker predicted, made me like Hillary Swank...and with Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman taking up the rest of the screentime, it's no wonder this cleaned up at the Oscars - great film) and an attempt at watching the Daredevil: The Director's Cut. See, the tagline boasts thirty additional minutes of footage along with a new plotline starring Coolio. See, I figured it would be good for a laugh, but after finding that the initial extended scenes were rightly edited out of the theatrical release, I saw that this 'additional plotline' was absolutely atrocious: in order to get to the truth in the matter, Nelson and Murdock start to play detective...putting this on the C.S.I. level in terms of ridiculousness. When they broke into the apartment of the victim to search for 'evidence', I ejected the disc. Thank you, Marvel Films editing staff: I enjoyed the movie version, though I'm sure it was due entirely to my affinity for the source material (which puts me at odds with just about every mainstream critic, as the film as torn apart in the press).

So, Saturday I made well on my plans to get inebriated: I unfortunately slept in too late (damn naps) to make it to the surprise going-away keggar for one of my co-workers (sorry Kadie if you're reading this!), but I did have time to grab a bite and pre-drink a bit with Jess before heading to what I could only refer to as Laurier Gone Wild (though I'll admit I didn't see any girls flashing or credit card applications). Anyway, the basic idea is we all got carded outside, then once you got in the school you could line up again (!) at either Wilf's, The Quad or The Turret (where Sam Roberts was playing). I chose the latter and stayed there 'till the end of Robert's set, and I've gotta say I enjoyed it and got pretty damn drunk. All in all, I'd say the night was a success.

Today quite appropriately started off at Mel's. I love the greasy spoon when hungover, and its always nice to get an opportunity to grab a meal with my homies and their lovely signifcant others. I had also been longing for Mel's since missing out on it Saturday; they were packed up pretty tight when we passed by, so Lexx and I opted for soem Thai.

Alright, last but not least, I've gotta say there's some great music coming down the pipe soon this season: in a few days the new Streets record The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living will be dropping for release outside of the U.K. Although I don't like it nearly as much as A Grand Don't Come for Free, Mike Skinner's production ability has come a long way, and seems as though he's trying to do a lot more lyrically as well (to varying success). I'm glad he's still brave enough to evolve on his own terms as an artist, and the more I think about it, the more I figure it'll grow on me: I didn't like AGDCFF as much as his debut when it came out (his focus away from 'singles' made it hard for individual tracks to 'jump out' right away, which is fitting given that it was a concept album through and though) and after time I came to like it better - could this happen again? Hard to say.

Another great release coming soon is the debut from Gnarls Barkley, St. Elsewhere (today in the U.K., we're set to get it May 9th). This is one of the best pop records I've ever heard - probably the best since the Gorillaz's Demon Days, which is an appropriate comparison given that they come from the same producer/beatmaker, Danger Mouse. GB is a duo, with Cee-Lo Green handling the vocals. I've always known Cee-Lo primarily though supporting roles (he's featured on quite a few hip-hop tracks) so seeing him take a more prominant vocal role is pretty cool (he's got a few solo records out too, but I've never heard them). Anyway, the beats are all over the place, but all share a distinctive unity of style. Cee-Lo is the truly pleasant suprise here, as not only can he sing with the best of them (and he even drops a bit of a flow here and there), but his lyrics fit the music so well. Tracks like "Crazy" and "Just a Thought" are both focused on pretty weird/heavy content (insanity and suicide), but Cee-Lo sells it like no other as he sounds both batshit crazy and somberly introspective at the same time. Its a truly remarkable juxtaposition, and its also probably the most original sound I've heard in a long time. I can't reccomend this enough - they're set to play both Coachella and Lollapalooza this year, so they should be keeping a pretty high profile in a few months - I hope this thing wins a shitwack of Grammy's and tops the Billboard charts. The fact that the Gorillaz had some success this year has given me some hope in pop music.

Anyway, I've gotta get some sleep, so that'll be it for now.

Posted by Jason Guitard at 05:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Alright, so as I hate using my mother's computer...this entry will likely be quite short (edit: that turned out to be a great big lie). In terms of net-related things, I've been in a bit of a hole anyway. That's sort of the beauty of coming home to Guelph for weekends and the like. Because I dislike using this computer, I can literally feel as if I'm on a retreat of sorts when I'm home. I'm not sure if this will change when my mother's new RAM (she's running XP on 128mb...not pleasant) comes in, but I know that for the time being its actually been beneficial to me.

Why has it helped? Well, its made studying a breeze. My nonverbal communication stuff is coming along quite nicely, I've completed three of the four chapters of reading by simply splitting them up into a chapter a day (I started in the wee hours Thursday night). Four chapters seems a little light for a final, so I'm going to be asking around about that to make sure I've got it all - I'm uncertain if 'material not covered on the midterm' will comprise of stuff from the first half that he left out. That being said, he didn't leave much out (but I bombed it, so what do I know?). So anyway, I haven't really started on the D.E. one yet, but that's not for a week so I've still got time if I get on it tomorrow night.

So as I haven't been online, my spare time has been spent a little differently than usual as well. I've had a lot of family dinners out, which has been nice but now that I'm not sick all of this greasy food is starting to catch up with me a bit. It's tough, 'cause when my health is bad I drop weight really rapidly, so it tends to come back about as fast when I get better. At the same time, I've been relishing in the fact that I can eat whatever I want again without worrying about upsetting my stomach. I've already felt my appetite increase, so moderation may be difficult. I've decided to give myself one more day, starting on Monday after the holidays are over. Tomorrow/today (as it's now 6:18 a.m.) I will be heading to Toronto to have Easter family dinner at Co's grandmother's place. It should be nice, as if memory serves I don't think I've seen her since she went away to the U.S. many months ago. Needless to say, some food will be eaten. Hence, my revised meal plan starts Monday.

While on the topic of excess, I was also lucky enough to hit the bars last night with Mike and Andrea. This is the second time in as many weeks that we've been able to go out, and as this is also probably the second time in two years we've been in the same place, I'm quite thankful to see them both again so soon. Religious folks be damned: I highly reccomend the Guelph bar scene on the Goodest of Friday's. It was dead, which meant you could drink pretty much wherever you wanted. Given my company, I didn't get to head to the Underground like I normally would for some Solstice (read: Goth-themed-electronic/rock music) action, but I did have the pleasure of an empty main floor at Van Gough's. They had some funk goin' and I must say it was a good way to end the night all hammed up.

As I knew I was going to be in a hiberatory state, I rented some movies to take home with me this weekend. Neither of these are new, but ones I've been meaning to see for some time. The first one, About Schmidt, was a bit of a letdown. The major theme (and really only idea) was delivered so heavy-handedly I sighed as the credits came up. I suppose the fact that it was so predictable was kind of appropriate, as most of the 'curveballs' in the plot were fairly telgraphed. Jack Nicholson (who won Best Actor at the Globes, and was nominated for an Oscar for this film) is one of my favourite actors, and he made it watchable. Its rare you get to see one of the greats in a role that sees a character (Warren Schmidt) just let himself go, and there was a sick pleasure (appropriate for a pitch-black comedy) in watching Schmidt's deterioration. All in all, ok...but not great. After this and Something's Gotta Give (which admittedly, I didn't make it through all of), I think it may be time to approach Jack's work a little more apprehensively.

I actually just finished watching the second film I rented,Rat Race. For those who don't remember, this was a multi-star-caper-affair that came out almost five years ago. Basically, six folks are in a race for two million dollars. Though its loosely based on the 1963 comedy It's a Mad Mad World, its interesting to view this one through our current lens of our reality-television pandamonia. See, the kicker is that the six people are really part of a much larger scheme, as the casino owner (played by the incredible John Cleese, who steals the picture) who shells out the cash has a group of high-rollers betting on the outcome of whole thing. All in all, the film is actually quite ridiculous, some great actors turn in suitably over-the-top performances, and I defintely found myself laughing out loud on several occasions. The ending, however, made me wish I'd stopped it early. If you've seen it, you'd understand.

But anyway, tonight also saw my last game of hockey. Probably related to the few pounds I've put on, I seem to have lost of a bit of my touch on the ice these last few weeks. It's not even that I'm slower so much as everything just feels a little 'off'. Its doubly bad 'cause in the last few months I've probably been the best hockey of my life. So to slip a bit is a little hard on the ego. I did have a funny goal story that will amuse probably only Netters. It was near the end of the night - my last shift actually - and in typical pick-up hockey fashion I found myself receiving a pass at the blueline (it would be fair to argue I was cherry-picking, but really I was just a little too tired to make it all the way back to the other end in time). I got the puck, turned around and started to go - but uh, oh - a defenseman was streaking across the blue line. I knew I was a little faster than him, but he had the jump on me and had my number all night (at this point, I'd only had one pretty weak goal on about four shots - a quiet night to say the least). So, I started to skate towards the net, holding the puck out to the right in anticipation of the swinging stick that was bound to come from my left-hand side. Sure enough, it came across and I took this opportunity to stride in a little faster (knowing that the D was stretching a bit). I knew I didn't have enough space to cut across the net from the right (something I'd been trying unsuccessfully to do all night), so I deked to that direction but pulled the puck back in as fast as I could - quick enough to throw the goalie out of position, but I was running out of room. In the last foot I managed to get the shot off, and as my stick brushed against the post it flew out of my hands, I lost balance (or just gave up on standing, I was pretty tired) and slid into the boards. As I laid there thinking about watching the puck flutter into the net, I wanted nothing more than the buzzer to go so I wouldn't have to get up right away. I have a bit of a reputation for my self-destructive individual efforts; so I can think of no more fitting of a goal to cap the season off with.

Posted by Jason Guitard at 06:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I read an interesting article on MTV.com the other day beamoning the apparent death of the opening title sequence in modern cinema. I've got to say this intrigued me, as not too long ago I was enjoying the 'retro' feel of the Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater intro. Basically, it was like all of the older Bond movies - a cheesy song, some silhouttes, vibrant colors, and all of that. However, MGS is a good example of how these things can get a little out of hand. Although the excessively long ones do get to me, I can sympathize with Karl Heitmueller's point that the opening title sequence "allows the audience to settle in and recover from the barrage of advertising they've just endured, to prepare for the cinematic experience that's getting under way". More often than not I actually forget what movie I'm actually going to see by the time it starts, something I'd attribute to the strange hypnotic effect of trailers preceeding the feature. I find that still recovering from trying to rapidly wrap my mind around these other stories presented when pluged into the feature presentation. This disoriented feeling also comes as a result of one of my other major peeves with the modern cinamatic experience - when exactly did it become ok for commericals to be at the start of films? Isn't shameless product placement enough? The fact that we as an audience have endured more and more ads while witnessing inflating movie ticket prices (although they apprently are starting to level off now, which gives me at least a little hope) disgusts me.

Anyway, although the article ends on a pretty bleak note for modern
filmmaking, I will say its worth checking out as its fairly well-written. Lastly, I espescially enjoyed the part of the article fretting over the excessively impractical repetition of names in different roles we see during titles: "why can't multi-taskers like Guillermo del Toro take a page from Ed Wood's book and slap all those credits on one card? It goes instantly from being tiresome to impressive".

Posted by Jason Guitard at 03:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Do you think downtown Brantford is scary? Well, you're certainly not alone. According to an article in the Brantford Expositor I was referred to, our city like no other is to be the setting of the upcoming horror film Centralia, an indie picture based around the popular Silent Hill video game series. Who would've thought all of those run down buildings along Colborne would be useful for something other than squatting in (or setting ablaze)?

Shooting is to begin in April.

Posted by Jason Guitard at 02:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In talking with people recently about movies, I've been thinking a bit about the media we consume. The films we spoke of in particular were titles like Old School, Euro Trip, and the like. The impression I got from these conversations was that I was usually the one in the room least fond of these cinematic endeavors. I’ve usually had trouble articulating my perspective, but lately they’ve really got me thinking about the way films are produced for a specific target market, and how disturbing these movies seem to me. Old School is the one that resonates the most, being that the plot itself has a degree of irony to it: a bunch of guys desperately trying to cling to their youth are trying to set up a Frat house with the local University. They are doing this to enjoy the things they generally associate with youth: binging on alcohol and participating in sexual promiscuity and various other antics. The irony of course is that this more or less what the adult-run companies are doing when attempting to cash in on the youth market. This naturalization of this ‘party hard’ image of youth is almost admissible, but the fact that it's being presented by people who aren't youth themselves troubles me. The actors, producers, directors, screenwriters and all the rest are presenting this to the youth demographic as entertainment. I guess some youth-ish actors were maybe used to portray the women the guys are lusting after in the film, but the point is clear that there's certainly something up here. All parties in question, much like the wanna-be-frat boys, are trying to present themselves (or more accurately, their product) as ‘hip’. I'm reminded of a quote from one of the Barenaked Ladies guys (Steven Page, I think) where he's evaluating the record making process. In the interview I read he's talking about this negotiated process where they have to make something that will appeal to the kids, but will also be liked by the middle-aged record execs who are looking for something to appeal to the kids. So really they are trying to please these two conflicting viewpoints in realistically marketing to one of them. BNL can obviously be an exception to their own rule as they enjoy success with the adult market as well, but the statement is still valid when examining the media today.

Posted by Jason Guitard at 02:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)