The best actor of all time....

   Its really come to my attention that the crazy people in our society are often the best ones. This is a man I can really relate to in my life because of his astounding approach to the art of acting. He left the world of broadway in 1949 after years of being in badly reviewed plays to pursue a career of acting on the screen. He got a lot of bad criticism from theatre directors because they feel he wasted his talent when he wanted to pursue a different career. Little did they know, it was the beginning of something big... His approach to acting changed the way we see film acting forever, and even actors today don't match up to the standards he introduced. He was completely devoid of melodrama and acted with REAL to life emotions that you can feel through the film prints. He has such a presence in each of the scenes he is in. This was also a man who completely ignored public opinion and journalists to pursue something he loved to do. That is what I consider a TRUE actor.

Narrative Project Explanation: Osiris the Killer

     This is a quick explanation of what my narrative project will be, because I will already figure that many of you will be lost upon the first viewing. This is a narrative/teaser for my final project. This is sorta a prologue to the story so its a work in progress at this stage.

   This movie I've invisioned supposed to be very stylized and like nothing you have seen before or can really compare it to. My take on it is that its A Clockwork Orange/ Jason Bourne / Matrix / Drive / 2001: A Space Odyssey / Kill Bill all put into one motion picture. The first thing that will catch your eye in this movie is the markings on the protagonists face. I figured that it would be a bit style over substance at first but why he has them is later explained in the movie. Just the prologue itself will raise many questions that will later be answered. But anyways this is what pretty much sums up the beginning of this mans story.

  He rises from his bed, disturbed and confused. In a hypnotic induced state. Trying to figure out where he is and what brought him there. He goes into his restroom to see his face that appears to have the distinctive markings and starts to recognize the unique face he has which he will never forget. He soon finds a gun on his counter that leaves him surprised but then realizes what he is which is a hired killer. This starts to raise the question of whether he has a choice or not to kill because he's been brainwashed. He puts on his clothes that have been "provided" to him and states that many people wear clothes to hide the core of who they really are and says that he wears them for business. He has an employer whom he's never met before but is somehow brainwashed by this big figure, playing a big significance in what this hired killer does on a daily basis. The only thing that compels him to exist is to kill, which then brings up the question if is this the way to create a super soldier to embark on dangerous missions. The Killer is simply given a name, a face, and a location and he does what he does best. The final movie however is him questioning whether he should continue killing and to find out who this employer really is....

Argo (2012)

"Argo" directed by Ben Affleck, starring Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman.
Argo is a true story which reflects true life events dating back to 1979 dealing with a violent revolution in Iran and how the CIA got involved with the escape of 6 American diplomats. This was a time when America had close ties with Iranian dictator Reza Pahlavi and did business by taking control of the oil field thus giving him all the profit with little else going to the people. The opening scenes show a storm of protesters swarming an American embassy as the diplomats are taking shelter along with arming themselves. Six of the diplomats escape and find exile in the Canadian embassy. It is up to the CIA and Tony Mendez (Affleck) to ensure a safe getaway for these American diplomats. None of them have a plausible idea in how to get them back home until Mendez decides to hire a film crew to produce a fake movie titled "Argo" and film it on location in Iran where the ambassadors are to rescue them. He goes to Iran with the identity of a Canadian film producer to rescue these people in hiding in a time of hatred towards the Americans.

   This was a very well executed film. I thought that this was going to be a somewhat mediocre film because alot CIA movies I find are very cold, dull, unentertaining, and plain hard to get (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy...). This movie manages to get to the point and be an entertaining thrill ride of suspense. This movie often displays warm moments of comic relief from Arkin's and Goodman's characters. This manages to be an unusual yet intriguing story. You really feel for what these American diplomats have to go through yet you don't know which side to root for because it is a very distressing political situation they are in. The Americans are power hungry when the Iranians are violent and restless. This movie often reflects on events that still happen today with political unrest in the middle east. Which brings up a good message that war never changes and it is often cyclical in some parts of the world. This film had an old panavision look to it which I loved and remained loyal to the style of the 1970s. There were very intense moments of suspense that stressed me and the people next to me out in the theatre. Ben Affleck picked a very good lead character to play as and will most likely get a nomination. In fact this movie might get a nomination. On the down side, like all political thrillers it is a bit hard to understand at times and Ben made the ending a tad schlocky and hollywood but I didn't care about that because the movie held my interest. This gets a grade of: B+.

Mazzy Star "Fade into You"

  This is a song done back in the 90s by an independent group named Mazzy Star. This video has such an effect in its visuals and music that it feels you are taken to a different time of calm and happiness. Kinda has a hippie vibe to it but this song is classic and is still played on 102.1 every so often. Each time I hear this in the car especially late at night I feel a sensation of indescribable inner peace and calmness. Amazing how songs can bring emotions as well as memories because I started getting into this song at the beginning of last summer and that was a time in my life where I had everything to look forward to and I had the whole summer not expecting what was going to happen but to enjoy it anyways. Love that feeling.

End of Watch (2012)

   End of Watch starring Jake Gyllenhal, Michael Pena, and Anna Kendrick. Directed by David Ayer. Takes place in the down and dirty, gang ridden streets of Los Angeles. Jake Gyllenhal plays officer Brian Taylor who decides to record on an HD handheld and clip-on body camera all that he encounters throughout his daily job with his officer partner Mike Zavala played by Michael J. Pena. This movie shows the dangerous reality of being a cop, although if I were to ask a real cop about this movie he would most likely differ. This movie captures the rivalry of mexican and african american gangs throughout the city often showing uncomfortable scenes of an eyewitness video camera point on what they were going to do before killing someone. Officer Brian and Mike encounter a mexican cartel member unexpectedly and decide to track down the whereabouts of this cartel. They come to a realization how twisted these people can be by observing the aftermath of grizzly murders and come across a gang members house that involved a graphic scene showing the atrocious reality of trafficking illegal immigrants. As they further tug on the string the cartel members bite back at these two cops personally and it is up to them if they want to live or die.  

 Overall this movie was like a punch of emotional adrenaline to the heart. The atmosphere of this movie is so real that it made me feel a bit uncomfortable at times yet it had a really human side by showing what these characters were like which were just normal everyday people with friends and family throughout the community. It was interesting observing the relationship between the two leads, they certainly had a chemistry that very few actors in movies can achieve together. I don't even know if this is considered a movie because it feels very much like reality, showing both the happiness and pain we share with each other. There was also a love scene between Anna Kendrick and Jake Gyllenhal that featured the song "Fade into you" by Mazzy Star which was so passionate and took me to another world for a second because my recognition of the song makes me think of happier times. Its nice to hear a song in a movie that credits your sense of taste in music.  Although this movie was seemingly realistic, it seemed like at times it stretched the truth. For example each and every day it seemed they were going out to die like an action movie which I doubt is like reality (mall cops for example.). Also there were shooting scenes that seemed a tad too hollywood to me. Overall this was a very emotional with few flaws and gets a final grade of B+.

25th Annual Videofest

   Last Saturday, I went to check out what was going on at the videofest to see what kind of shorts they were going to show having no idea what I was going to see. The first and only thing I saw were the animated shorts ranging from artistic experimentation to a charming study of human appearances. The shorts that really stood were "flawed", "puberty in a minute", and a French short film that I can't find the title to. "Flawed" was about acceptance of your appearance and ultimately yourself, it was animated charmingly like a children's watercolor painting covering the life of a couple in Canada where the woman is in a relationship with a plastic surgeon but wonders if he is actually the kind of person to fix peoples "flaws" for what makes them unique, or make these people's lives change for the better. "Puberty in a minute" was probably the most uncomfortable to watch but that is why I liked it. It was an animation of a completely nude guy going through several phases which include many "bodily" functions and experimentation with sex, drugs, and rock'n roll. Painted quite an honest picture of a teenage guy's main focus in life which lies somewhere in his pants. The french film was the most interesting yet disturbing. It was animated like Tim Burton's Nightmare before christmas or Corpse Bride. About a woman with a half-scarred face living secluded in a home with a watch dog out front so she can't escape and a man who comes home to sexually take advantage of her. Until one day when he brings another woman home to live with them whom he has the same intentions for except these two women plot to kill him. The women end up succeeding and live together as lovers. I had a short but interesting experience at the videofest and I definitely look forward to seeing more artists next year.

Raging Bull montage scene

   This scene is taken from the movie Raging Bull made back in 1980 by director Martin Scorsese. This film is probably one of the best works he has done. The movie shows the grittiness and dirtiness of what life was like in the Bronx for boxer Jake Lamotta, to live as a champion yet live with complete distrust of everything and everyone. The film is shot in black and white mostly giving it a very genuine feeling of a movie made in the 40s except it can be violent as hell sometimes. This sequence really stands out in the whole movie to me because it is shot with a vintage looking camera which gives the scene a sense of pure nostalgia as we see Lamotta's years with his wife and brother pass by. This scene really touches me and is probably one of the most touching scene's I've ever seen in a movie, escaping from this world to live somewhere in a different time while watching these people live out their lives.

Gus Gus "Over"

    A music video from the icelandic music group Gus Gus. This video is a perfect example of how artistically oriented a music video can look and try to make a point or a reference to something. The make-up and fashion I think is quite reminiscent of the 80s and 90s or sci- fi films like Bladerunner, or Star Wars. The woman's makeup in the video kinda reminds me of Bjork in the 90s, or if your a fanboy, the Haradrim from Lord of the Rings. The purplish shadows and beam effects in this video are stunning and give a slick yet beautiful sci-fi atmosphere to the whole video. Videos like this inspire me to create things that are out of the norm and forward thinking.