"this loaded pistol tastes so comforting in my mouth"

This is my punishment for not updating properly.

Jean Luc Godard:
What a great filmmaker. He didn't conform to conventions and was just an all around movie geek (a parrallel could easily be drawn to one of his many followers, Quentin Tarentino). His film are jazzy, spontaneous, stylish (sometimes dictating his story, and often using the content as a vessel just to indulge himself), original, and just plain engaging. He's slowly, but surely, becoming one of my favourite filmmakers of all time. Although I haven't seen nearly enough french new wave, I cam say his influence on cinema today is among the most important and significant. I've finally seen enough of his films to do a top 5 list (something I haven't done in a while) and I have "Pierrot Le Fou" on my scanner
Renter's Delight:
1.) "Vivre Sa Ve" (My Life to Live): ironically, his most restraining from his style is also his most beautifully mastered.
2.) "A Bout De Souffle" (Breathless): Energetic, fun, and lively, this film blows by like a breeze of fresh air.
3.) "Alphaville": bordering the line between the absurd and the serious, Godard's would be dystopia is an intriguing take on the genre.
4.) "A Band Apart" (Band of Outsiders): Some of Godard's most brilliant scenes ever, as well as influential ("Pulp Fiction")
5.) "Le Mepris" (Contempt): Mind-numbingly gorgeous and and interesting juxtaposition of the process of filmmaking and that of a relationship.
"all you need to make a film is a girl and a gun"

san francisco
beautiful. colorful. optimistic.
The palace of fine arts was divine. The french resturant was superb, and the nuances of the sunny city penentrated this cold heart. Everything about it was so picturesque (sp?) and overwhelming. Stromming down the streets my mind was attacked without mercy with hundreds of possible shots. A completely mystical experience

more scrabble
playlist; [...] - tentative
"Sparkplug Minuet" - Mark Motherbaugh
"Mood for a Day" - Yes
["Waltz #1" - Elliot Smith]
"Ominous Cloud" - Broadcast
["Lose My Breath" - My Bloody Valentine]
["Days" - Television]
"The Moon" (acoustic) - The Microphones
"Parrallel Lines" - Kings of Convenience
"Pitter Patter Goes My Heart" - Broken Social Scene
"God Only Knows" - The Beach Boys
["The Machine in India" (disc 3) - The Flaming Lips"]
It's a romance.

the rest
epitome. OK. worthless. aesthetic.

"We need an emo synth grindcore revival"
posted by Justin at 11:09 PM

carbonated blood

A taste.

"Scrabble" by Justin Dean:
INT. GYMNASIUM - DAY

We float above a large black star centered in a pink square. As we slowly zoom out more tiles, although beige, segregated by thin white lines become realized as a pattern of dark blue, light blue, pink, and red start to take shape...

It's a scrabble board.

In this sea of tiles and pastel colors a HAND interrupts the serenity.

It places an "S" on the black star...


MONTAGE (OPENING TITLES):

The "S" turns into the middle of a line of tables that extends from both ends of the gym.

- a poster hangs with "Bellemont County Scrabble Competition Finals" above the gymnasium entrance

Each table is adorned with a scrabble board, a stop clock, and two players on opposing sides.

- rapid cuts of various players begin spelling out the OPENING CREDITS
On an end table, a young man with blonde hair, 17, ADAM (as seen on his name lapel) gives a slight glance towards the left side of the screen.

We glide to the direction of his glance until we reach the end opposing end table, where a young woman with orange hair, 17, MADISON (as seen on her name tag), is devoutly playing.

- The two masterfully defeat their opponents and thus become gravitated closer to the middle contributing to make...

- the end most tables are cleared away, and the other closest begin to follow suit.

- Adam stares whimsically several times at the diligent playing Madison during the game play of his various opponents

END MONTAGE


INT. GYMNASIUM - DAY

There are only two tables left. On the right, Adam and his opponent, and on the left, Madison and her opponent.

Adam's staring is now indiscreet and idle, completely taking him away from the game.

While concentrating on her tiles, Madison gives a quick suspecting glance towards Adam, catapulting him to awkwardly look around for another host for his dissection, but discovering that all eyes are on him to make a final move on the board.

Simultaneously, Madison and Adam make their final move and as soon as they finish the crowd ROARS.

On Adam's board the title "SCRABBLE" is configured.

A judge holds up a sign that reads: "10 minute bathroom break", and Adam exits to the hallway immediately as Madison ascends from her chair to stretch.

Then she proceeds to the hallway.

the rest
jenga. clue. walker. owari.

It isn't much, but this project is really something I'm pushing for.
posted by Justin at 10:25 PM

crap: the revengence

You know what?
I'm going to update soon.
Sit tight.
posted by Justin at 10:16 PM

Technology Aids Death

A story and some theory.

based on a drawing:
"Billy #2" by Thor Johnson
Although the lose of the original Billy wasn’t forgotten, the pain his absence brought was substantially decreased by Billy #2. Billy #2 had a certain look about him that subtlety distinguished him from his predecessor. His ability to evade getting himself dirty, his peculiar eating schedule, and his precise sleeping habits all contributed to differentiate him from Billy.
Although Joseph wasn’t completely fulfilled with the new arrival of his friend, Billy #2 collectively began to fill the void that was appropriately heightened by Billy. Billy #2’s innocence and youthful optimism was a fresh breeze that was welcomed reluctantly by Joseph. What Billy #2 lacked in being solemn and observant he compensated with energy and humility.
It wouldn’t be a mistake to observe Billy #2’s behavior and determine that it seems his overall utility in life was to bring happiness to Joseph. His brightly naive eyes could move the coldest hearts into believing the ideal of love. It became fairly obvious that Billy #2 loved Joseph more than Joseph loved him, yet Billy #2 was fully aware of this and dismissed the fact ignorantly for his dependence was far too strong. Joseph was never fully gracious of Billy #2’s love, yet he had brought him a great appreciation for the simple joys in the world around him.
On one Friday night after an assumed pedestrian late night social scene with friends, Joseph never returned home. Billy #2 floated around the house solemnly as the ambiguity of the situation became more perplexing when blackened visitors would come and stalk about with a thin, insecure sadness. He began to wonder why the older woman that lived with Joseph would begin to mourn when she would awkwardly clean the coffee table adorned with Joseph’s retrospective pictures.
Reality began to slowly penetrate the protective hopeful mind of Billy #2. When would Joseph returned he wondered. Tomorrow? The next day? It became a daily habit to accompany the front door for Joseph’s arrival. He would stand with his arms erect while his body conformed into a comfortable sitting position with the same sad mouth that slightly drooped down, and the big empty yet affectionate eyes always seeming prone to set out a virgin and shallow whimper.
Billy #2 never moved from his position next to the ominous door. Seemed to be a misfortunate twist of fate, the replacement yearns for his host with a loyal sadness that only passes with it’s lonesome death. An odd irony, best friend misses man.

theory 3
evolutionary process of film
The initial vision of a film from the director is merged with process, which evolves the film through situation of the process, and the final product is that of a magical bewilderment an extravagant accident that can not be reproduced for it's process experience differentiates it and it is that which mystifies film. The sometimes extreme contrast of intial vision and final product is wonderous and an example of film as an art that evolves through process and the unintentional bastardization of a vision.

theory 4
I'm hardly the first to come across this.
Actors are tools, they are used then discarded by the audience. Through film, people escape into worlds usuing actors as their vessels, they become them, and an actors merit is credited by the ability to channel them. At the end of a film, the audience doesn't praise the actor, they praise themselves for the adventure that they just endeavored in. Although some are too shallow to realize, the actors are nothing more than a specific utility of giving and never recieving, they give you the film's world, yet they recieve nothing back from you, for as I stated before the adulation you give to an actor and their "talent" is that what you are giving yourself.
A tough job, but somebody has to do it.

the rest
day. loathing. shichi. VI

I'm a whore in the skyline for you.
posted by Justin at 6:58 PM

AlphaBetaCal

When all the bullets learn to fall
When modesty borders self-loathing and fear
When you begin to find almonds in peaches
When the lights jaunt towards the fields
When life becomes utility and impression
When logic and reason become discontent
When you least expect it.

Remember the expression.

If you got it then, then you shall still.
If you don't know now, then you never will.
posted by Justin at 4:41 PM

lemon burn

My recent viewing log

Contempt (Jean-Luc Godard):
Hated Because of Great Qualities
It was certainly different than the Godard's film I became familiar with, but never the less, it was great. Again it seems Godard loves to play with self awareness, the colors are almost nightmarishly vivid (probably alluding to the seemingless assumed beauty of the protagonist's life, but deep down isn't very stable), the actual story (a film about a film), and small tidbits here and there (the narration of the roles, the sound pausing in the theatre, the tint changes of the opening bed scene). But all in all it was a completely unexpected approach to a "mainstream film". As his usual style he plays up on casual moments that don't help the story in the action department, but rather the emotional. Camille is probably one of the most intriguing characters that graced the screen under Godard's earlier directing. Paul's suffering is powerful and the title is more than appropriate for the range of feelings the characters go through.
Although sometimes the film dragged to showcase it's breathtaking beauty, it was a nice departure from the film's I'm used to by him.

Mystic River (Clint Eastwood)
Loved Despite of Great Faults
ugh. Penn's method acting masculinity was the major downfall for me. The dialouge was overly heavy-handed, and the shots were uninspired and just pedestrian. The film became a chore halfway in. The only actors I could tolerate were Tim Robbins and Laura Linney. The emotional ambiguity that it was trying to achieve lost all purpose and meaning.Obvious oscar bait, if only it could do it correctly like "The Hours". Needless to say, the teaser and trailer were better than the actual film.

The Matrix Revolutions (Brothers Wachowski)
Universal Soldier
eh. As the second was overdone and a bit heavy-handed, this one was undercooked and vague. Although I give it merit for susprising me with the terrific Zion battle scene, the rest of the film was just the rephrasing of limited dialouge mistaken for profundity. The final battle with Smith was anti-climatic and melodramatic (I don't know how the accomplished such a feat). And the whole thing felt as if I were back in fifth grade watching "Dragon Ball Z". I was pretty disappointed to find that agent Smith doesn't become a super sayan. Also, Keanu continues to show us he is emotionless as a 5 year old girl ubstages him in every scene they share without breaking a sweat. The rest are silent convincing themselves it will pass them as sagely. The ending isn't directly a cop-out, but it certainly won't satisfy many. A moderate ending to a trilogy that shouldn't have existed.

Memento (Christopher Nolan)
Speak, See, Remember
Wow. Very rarely does a film set a riot in one's mind. The films central message of perception and optimism towards humans memories is a powerful one, for in truth the trait that seperates us from animals is that humans forget pain. Brilliantly made, structured, written, acted, just about everything. The ambigious nature of the film will have you perplexed, disturbed and trying to remember undistorted memories (which in case, don't exist). In this case the story doesn't matter, for it changes one's mind and thoughts. "Ignorance is bliss" and this film proved it.

Decalouge: Volume 1 (Kryzstof Kieslowski)
If You're Feeling Sinister
The was very good.
It may seem slow near the beginning, but that's just to garner connections for a very moving, emotional, and ultimately sad pay-off. The film accelerates it's subject matter ("thou shalt have no other gods before thine") with such a touching and warming grace that the end is almost unexpected, yet entirely, the pieces are given with such a subtle pace so that it wouldn't be so unexpected, on the contrary, it should be predictable. It just wok on so many levels, Keislowski knows when and where to pull the right strings.
The second, although...
I appreciated it thematically, but alot of it's attempts seemed lost on me, they were either too subtle (which came across as being vague) or they were too minimalist. Simply it is about a doctor who has an extreme power of a women's choices (involving the death of another human being), thus he is able to play god. Keislowski was a bit more ordinary with his cinematography and seemed as if he wanted to concentrate more on the performances. Yet most the time many of the scenes would run too long a la dramatic pauses. It had a redeeming ending, and it's message became clearer, yet I didn't feel as if it were a good pay-off for the establishment of it was, as I said before, lost on me because it was too drawn out. It left much more to be desired.

Ran (Akira Kurosawa)
Ave, Lucifer
Another great Kurosawa. This man knows how to keep his audience engaged, not once in this near three hour epic did I feel bored, or my thoughts drifted from the screen. The cinematogaphy is awe-inspiring as well as the beautifully choreographed action scenes. Kurosawa adapted Shakespeare's tragedy gracefully. Although I was never bored, I felt it could have been shorter, but that's about the only complaint besides the lack of character development in the minor roles (which really isn't necessary). Kurosawa was truly a master of his craft, and this intricately woven tale is a brilliant example.

the rest
disturb. no. fine. sure.

Full review of "Elephant" should be done soon. What a magnificent film it is.
posted by Justin at 7:20 PM

life imitates art

I lost my moleskin (I hope someone returns it) so alot of these are fuzzy.
thoughts have been discerning me this and last week.

sky:
After watching "Elephant", I began to ponder why the sky was such a popular metaphor for artist to allude to (particulary the reason it was used in "Elephant"). I came to realize that the sky reflects human's insecurity, forloness, and all around ambiguity (god, I love that word). The sky schedules are day but we can't think of it as personal for it is not exclusive to the earth. This only brings out the fear of the unknown. In "Elephant" it was used as something that can't be ignored (much like it's title animal) yet is vastly unpredictable. The sky is one of the greatest human wonders that reaches into our despair of the future and our own beliefs. Of course, this is only my theory.

flying
This one isn't as philosophical or certain (it's more inquisitive if anything), but why are violens and various string instruments associated with flying? I wondered if I was the only one that got the feeling of hovering high above landscapes when a song either broke into or used violens singularly for the effect. I don't know much about music (as in reading it and so on), but is this intention purposeful? Do artist try to accomplish this effect? or am I just different from everyone else? A theory could be that the strings serve the same piercing effect wind can have, but yet have an airy depth to create the illusion of elevation, but I might be wrong.

the rest.
curve. candy. lie. dance.

Man, I need that black book back.
posted by Justin at 7:49 PM

quitism rules!

wordy crap.

an awkward air:
An awkward air between them, he falsely goes through papers tediously, as she plays with her once finely prepared hair harder and harder, but to a skillfully unnoticeable degree. A quick slight glance is common, but hardly discreet. A Hollowness is shared within them sparks smallest tasks into acted faults that consequently embarrass and encase them in grief.
A neurotically spasmed elbow frees a pencil to the ground from his desk. Now they share something between them, a furiously chewed and dull pencil. The pencil is now the star as wishful eyes are hypnotized in all the conclusions of its possible glory. Fate is the only tone that seems to be present, although it is truly destiny who will decide. Both waiting to be carried by the others actions, the pencil’s subconscious shine begins to grow thin.
In an act of faith guided by the possibilities, she bends down as if she doesn’t care and lazily returns the pencil.
“Thanks.” He says almost as if it were involuntary.
“Ya’” She responds coldly without a glance, silently under her breath as her eyes wander across her glasses imitating to study the few sheets of paper on her desk. She wanted to embrace, but couldn’t bring herself to do it.
Not today; maybe not ever. He pulled out another pencil and placed it at edge of his desk, that flirted with the ideology.

that'll
“That’ll be $1.35, sir,” the employee said.
The customer, Peter, a gawky teenager with no distinct qualities, leisurely handed him two crumpled dollar bills. The employee has a bit of trouble using the cash register; he tries calmly yet frantically to get it to work. He presses the same combination of buttons to a maddening amount of times.
“Keep the change.” Peter said restlessly while beginning to exit.
“Thanks” the employee murmurs under his breath as his frustration heightens.
Peter walked home the remaining block, guided by the adjacent city street lights that glowed in the pearly white fog. It was hardly night time, but it was gray as morning. Enjoying the warm jets of air and cotton matted clouds, he rejected time and strolled an unhurried pace. He hadn’t treated himself to a bakery treat in quite some time; he gazed out into the endless city across a bridge. The ferocious cars, and eternal niggling construction did not faze him.
At home was an ordinary practice of his usual routines. He slept three good dreams, and four misfortunate that were forgotten as they ended.
Along with the morning, he woke up with a new appreciation for the day. He walked to the bus with a open mind to what would lead to and a modest smirk on his face. As the bus approached, he dug in his pocket to only be empty handed of the deposit he would have to make to board. Almost immediately his mood swung into a recovery depression, as he watched the bus mock him with a gigantic and thunderous roar.
Before he could turn the corner, the unexpected happened. A gigantic crash caught Peter’s attention as with everyone near him. With a reaction glance back the bus was on it’s side with cries and screams that awoke a sleepless city. Glass could’ve been mistaken for asphalt, as the red of the curb with dying blood. A cold wind rushed towards him and he withstood it, along with memories of the now deceased. Was it a ghost? A spirit? A soul?
Thinking to himself what luck. Standing next to the bakery, he could see the rebellious cash register that still held his change, just enough for a bus ride.

the rest.
virgin. clouds. dith. ice.

Awful, awful, awful.
posted by Justin at 7:49 PM