-
fuzzytypewriter asked: West Wing
- Favorite character - Josh
- Character I would sleep with - C.J.
- Character I would be good friends with - Sam or Jed
- Least favorite character - John Hoynes
- Favorite episode - In The Shadow of the Gunmen Part 1 and 2. Really showing strong character work, back story and what these characters can really be about in a moment of crisis.
- Favorite season - (Only two seasons seen so far, out of those, have to give it to 2)
- Favorite relationship - Josh and Donna, platonic though it may be.
- Least favorite relationship - Sam and Mallory, I don’t hate it, but doesn’t do much for me.
-
Put a television show in my ask and I’ll answer
I think this would be fun. Also keep in mind. I’ve watched a TON of TV.
- Favorite character -
- Character I would sleep with -
- Character I would be good friends with -
- Least favorite character -
- Favorite episode -
- Favorite season -
- Favorite relationship -
- Least favorite relationship -
Why not.
GAMES!
Bring it.
…Go laker!
-
my top ten films of 2011
How my Top Ten Works:
My top ten consist of films I saw between Jan 1, 2011 and Dec, 31st 2011. So some films that may have been nominated for last years oscars, didn’t actually come to a theater I could see them at till after Jan 1st. At the moment I still have to pay to see films and my time is limited. So here are the films I was not able to catch in those dates that could have probably made my top ten judging by the subject matter and who made them: Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy. Muppets, The Artist, Young Adult,
Melancholia:
A film that needs to be seen in theaters. “Melancholia” is Von Trier making a film about depression, the affects it has and the family that doesn’t understand it. It also happens to be a movie about the end of the world by one planet crashing into another. If you read that and roll your eyes or question the science of the film, then you’re missing the point. This isn’t a film about the plot, it’s a film about the emotions. Film, at the end of the day, is an art form, a story telling art form no doubt. But the stories don’t always have to be just plot driven, they can be driven by an emotional weight or the characters journey. Some may think that’s b.s. but what makes film like this (and another film I’ll be mentioning later) work, is that they are one thing, genuine. The difference between this and your common art school/film school graduate work, is that often those works are works of “I have images I want to put on screen, that will be cool, how can I connect them.” But with this film Von Trier seems to be going for a feeling, as if he said “I have these emotions, how can I get them across on film.” The acting in the film feels real, even if it isn’t, the actors are laid bare in this film. Kristen Dunst plays a woman suffering from depression, but unlike other films that depict depression in females by showing them having hysterical fits, or crying uncontrollably, the character of Justine has depression in more realistic fashion. It’s done as a quite, simmering problem, one she tries her best to hide and perhaps in her past has. But now it has bubbled to the surface, just before the world is about to end. And then the film flips, pulling a mirror images of itself. In the beginning, Justine, going through her problems. Looks for support that isn’t there. Her sister feels she’s doing what she can, but no one else is truly helping. She’s told to “just smile, just be happy.” But at the 2nd half, which focuses on Claire (and the oncoming planet) Claire begins to feel this dread about the planet, this overwhelming fear that death is approaching. She’s told by her family to “Calm down, don’t freak out.” And no support is there. This all sounds simple, and it is, but it falls on the backdrop of a disaster movie. And having this character go through their personal disasters while the world goes through a natural disaster is something that could easily fall into being silly. But Von Trier makes it work, with the awesome images that play out in slow motion, and the booming score piece from Tristan and Isolde., the film is the closest one can get to an art house event film. Also, the film is funny, genuinely very funny.
X-men: First Class:
It was another year with a ton of Superhero films, but the best one of the bunch, the one that felt like a real movie and not just something to make fanboys nod and go “okay, they got it” was X-men: First Class. Is there a part here or there that doesn’t work? Sure. Some of the stuff involving the young mutants picking code names is a bit brutal and though Kevin Bacon is awesome, his motivations for being the villain are…questionable? But in the end, this is a film about the relationship between Erik (Michael Fassbender) and Charles (James McAvoy). A friendship building and falling apart. But also being an X-men film set in the 60’s gives it a feel of an old school James Bond movie. With McAvoy playing the cool, smart side of Bond. And Fassbender playing the action hero Bond, the man with the license to kill. And when it comes down to it, the film is just fun. A lot of fun. Featuring fun set pieces and having the heroes use their powers as a team, which is a major part of the X-men comics, but hasn’t really been seen till now on film. It’s an adventure film featuring great acting, which seems less and less likely now a days from the adventure genre. And because of that great acting, when these characters give speeches, they have weight as opposed to dragging the film down as you wait for the next action scene. And Vaughn films the scenes in a coherent way, they’re fun. At no point did I feel confused as to what was going on and who was where. This is an action film, with just enough gravitas and poignant moments to make it feel like a real film, but those moments aren’t so hard as to make the film feel overly serious. Hands down the one superhero movie to offer more then what was simply on the written page.
Biutiful
A film that, simply put, is devastating. Javier Bardem plays Uxbal, a man who discovers he is going to die. But he is the only one who can take care of his two young children. He can’t leave them with his estranged wife, who suffers from bi-polar disorder and manic depression. He can’t leave them to his brother, their uncle. Who is also sleeping with his wife. Uxbal himself is no saint, playing an inbetween man in Spain. Delivering on goods and services between crime bosses and the people below. But he is a good father. Uxbal is also a man that is haunted, he can see and talk to dead people, in any other film, that would be your plot. Not in “Biutiful.” Some have said Biutiful is misery porn, watching a descent man going through terrible things. I can’t really argue that point, but for whatever reason, I tend to love stories that trend that way. Perhaps because they hit at certain emotions or truths. Biutiful has many things going on in it, but in the end feels like a rather simple story about a father, a good father, trying to arrange his life for his children when he only has so much time left. Bardem was nominated for Best Actor last year, and he should have been, he’s amazing, and so is the rest of the cast. This, I feel is Inarritu’s best film. It’s his most focused film. Where as “Babel” had many characters thus many stories, “Biutiful” has many parts, many layers, but it deals with one man and the painful journey he goes through.
Rango:
Rango was a love letter to the western genre films of old. The films of John Ford or Sergio Leone, but it does it through the lens of Gore Verbinski, in the guise of an animated movie for kids from Nickelodeon, starting Johnny Depp. This film is a loving homage to the western genre as a whole. Sometimes in very obvious ways and other times in very subtle ways, you may need to have seen a few westerns to appreciate certain parts. The film also features some of the best and more creative action set pieces I’ve seen in sometime. Verbinski is big on set pieces, and even if the films are good or bad, the set pieces are something to respect in how masterfully they are done and how creative they are. Thankfully Rango is a great film, so the set pieces add to the piece rather then being the only good part. It’s also interesting to see a kids film dealing with existential crisis like “Who Am I?” and do it in an interesting way rather then hammering home of the message of “be yourself, because you’re awesome!” Which would be the go to for many kids films. The design of the film is also something to look and marvel at. The character designs alone are a brave choice. Rango and his co-horts are not cute, nor attractive looking creatures. No one is going to want to get their kid a Rango doll for Christmas. Rango is a film asking interesting questions, with interesting character design and great action set pieces. But it does it all by telling the story of a gecko living a western adventure. Will kids like it? I don’t know. Will film fans? Yes, yes you will.
Shame:
Steve McQueen’s 2nd film is a harsh, uncompromising look at sex addiction and self destruction and perhaps even loneliness. Self made or otherwise. The sex isn’t sexy. There’s no romance, there’s no care. It’s just there, and if there’s anything, it’s just sadness. If you’ve seen any film dealing with addiction, what happens here isn’t that surprising. It follows the same story line as those films. We meet the addict, we see the addict in their addiction. An obstacle comes up, they try to quit cold turkey, they go on one last big bender, the something bad happens. End. It’s not about the story line, it’s about watching Brandon (Fassbender) and what he’s doing to himself. The journey is familiar, which I have to believe is done by design. You only have to ever watch one season of “Celebrity Re-Hab” or “Addicted” to see that many addicts stories, whatever their addiction is, are very similar. It’s once Sissy (Carrie Muligan) enters the films that we begin to get some understanding of Brandon. There are no giant dialogue exchanges of exposition, no pictures of the past. We are told simple things in simple strokes. Sissy says “We aren’t bad people, we just come from a bad place.” And that’s all we know, and I think that’s all we need to know. Brandon is a character of isolation. Despite living in New York, one of the more heavily populated cities in the world, we constantly see no one around, Brandon is always alone. Even during a three minute long, one take running sequence, there are very few people. Brandon desires this, no connection, no human touch. Brandon is bare, a naked individual with seemingly no personality. His house, his work, his life is white, clean, untouched. Everything is tidy and planned. He doesn’t talk much, he doesn’t have to, he doesn’t want to. He doesn’t seek connection. The only thing is his life with color, with flair, out of sorts, is his sex addiction. On the opposite side is Sissy. A person who wants connection, who wants love. She’s a performer, so she wants people to know she’s there, to see her, to feel her. She wants to make an impact. It’s two sides of a different coin. The two scenes of full frontal nudity, head to toe, aren’t sex scenes. It’s Brandon waking up, using the restroom and Sissy being frightened in the shower. It’s the time these two are most vulnerable, laid bare. It’s not when they’re having sex. It’s a story of two damaged individuals, who should be helping each other, but they can’t even help themselves. Both getting in each others way, and feeling like they’re helping the other, when they’re only causing more trouble and pain. This isn’t a story or an idea that can be wrapped up in a neat hour and half. We are only viewing a section of these people’s lives. A crossroad, and like life, it’s just there. And it’s fascinating to watch. It’s not always nice, and it’s not always clean. But it’s uncompromising, and in that way, it’s beautiful.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes:
A film that had everything going against it. A late summer release, which can often be questionable. So-so trailers, an unknown director, angry reactions of choosing to go CGI with the apes over the classic costumes, James Franco backlash post Oscars and coming after the last “Apes” film, which was no masterpiece. But in the end, Apes ended up being awesome. Hands down, no joke, awesome. Rupert Wyatt ended up being a very skilled director. Understanding how to build his set pieces from scene to scene, ratcheting up the tension and the thrills. The ending scene on the Golden Gate Bridge is fantastic. The number of things happening on the bridge but still having an understanding of geography is a challenge, and Wyatt pulls it off. And the screenwriters did the smart thing, of making this a film about Ceasar the ape. Some have complained that James Franco takes a back seat once Caesar hits adult hood. I’d say that’s the correct move. To make this movie work, you have to care about Ceasar. This isn’t a film about mankind protecting itself. It’s a film about Apes “Rising.” This film takes on the challenge of having you, the audience, route for the downfall of mankind and the plight of the apes. And it pulls it off, it pulls it off very well. And the performances help. Franco does good work with what he is given. Is the villain one note? Sure. But so many villains are. I’d hardly call Hans Gruber from Die Hard a multifaceted villain, he was just interesting. The kid from Harry Potter? Well, he’s there, but not for long. So we’re good to go. John Lithgow isn’t given much screen time. But with the little bit of time he’s given he’s able to give you a complete character. Someone you care for, laugh with and eventually feel sympathy for. And of course you can’t talk about “Apes” without talking about Andy Serkis. Serkis is this movie, him and the team at WETA bring the character of Ceasar to life. After doing work with Gollum we all knew Serkis could do performance capture. But this was a different character. Ceasar is a mostly silent role. He speaks only through facial expression and eye movement. But with that alone Serkis gives you a stunning performance. The scene near the end where Ceasar final stands up and shouts is perhaps my favorite scene in any film this year. It’s thrilling, and one to go back to again and again.
Attack the Block:
The writing/directing debut of Joe Cornish, the producer who has worked for Edgar Wright for some time, is a hell of a first film. The story of a group of inner city youths living in London fighting off an alien invasion is alot of fun. It feels like an R-Rated version of an 80’s era Amblin film or films of the ilk. It would play great at a triple feature of “The Goonies” and “Monster Squad.” Kids who are rough around the edges and going on an adventures. It also feels like the next generation of those films. Where Super 8 was a great re-creation of those films, setting it in the same time frame and telling a very Spielbergian film with modern esthetics, “Attack the Block” tells a story about today and feels very today while feeling familiar. It’s no wonder Spielberg hired on Cornish along with Wright to work on Tintin. The film is also tight, no scenes are wasted, there’s no extra dialogue. Everything we need to know we know and it’s delivered in a simple way. The movie is a quick 90 minute ride hitting all the beats quickly, and it all takes place in one night. How did these aliens get here? Why are they here? The characters wouldn’t know, so we don’t either. There are no “government” types in this film. It’s simply fun. The comedy is funny, the action is great, and the horror stuff works. This film presses all the right buttons, feeling familiar while also fresh. Also, hands down the best alien design of any movie this year, Beating the “Super 8” and “Cowboys vs. Aliens” design. For two reasons. The aliens were simple and mostly practical. They were tangible, they were on the set, the actors could actually interact with them. And making the design so simple made them more memorable.
Hugo
To many it was weird that Scorsese was making, what many felt was, a kid’s adventure film. The trailers didn’t make the film seem any out of the ordinary. The thought was this would be a very good looking children’s film, but still a children’s film. With wackiness and maybe a hammy wrap up that would make mom’s cry, but no one else. Boy how wrong we all were. What we ended up getting is perhaps Scorsese’s most personal film ever. For those who are unaware. Scorsese grew up a sickly kid in New York, he spent time watching movies since he couldn’t go out and play. The story of “Hugo” is the story of an orphan boy who finds his own escape. His escape eventually leads to film, but it’s through meeting a friend who makes her escapes through books. This all leads to a great reveal, one that I think it’s better to discover once you see the movie. But this film ends up being a love letter to films of old, the films of the silent era. This is also the film that perhaps touched me the most on an emotional level (besides my number 1.) Maybe it’s personal, but that’s what films are, your own personal experience. I could identify with the characters who pass time by escaping into stories and escaping into films. Also the 3D is essential to this film. Scorsese make’s a modern digital 3D movie, talking about old silent movies shot on film. The mixing of the now, the new and the old. Some have complained that this film feels like a history lesson, I couldn’t disagree more. To me, “Hugo” is a film about the wonder of film and story telling in general, about pursuing your dream and the magic of creation. As “movie poster” critic as this might sound, simply put, Hugo is a joy of a film
Drive
Take the films of Michael Mann. Your “Heats” or “Collateral” simple crime stories about Los Angeles, they aren’t complicated, they aren’t bigger then they need to be is scope or length, they’re tight crime thrillers. Then hand that over to an european art house director. You get “Drive.” What makes “Drive” special are the little touches, the artistic flourishes that Winding Refn puts into the film. The elevator scene, the use of “Oh My Love” during the stake out sequence. Drive is an art house film wearing the suit of an action film. That’s not to say the action stuff isn’t great. It’s sparse, but when stuff hits, it hits like a hammer. The first bullet shot in the film is deafeningly loud. You will jump. The film is violent, very violent. But like horror movie europeans directors of the 70’s. The violence, the use of red, is it’s own art. And the acting. Everyone is this film has a real understanding that great acting doesn’t mean showy. A lot can be done with simple glances, a movement of the lips, or cold stare, unblinking. Also the homage to the 80’s in the music, being there, but not being so overt that it would make someone think “Oh yeah, that song!” A great film that I hope more people will see and love as time goes on.
Tree of Life
Tree of life is a conversation with God, that we’re lucky enough to watch.
Tree of life is possibly the best film I’ve seen this year, in fact I’ll say it is the best. I think it’s a masterpiece of visual filmmaking. It’s both beautiful and brilliant, hitting themes of life, death, meaning in the universe, the power of memory, the power of family, the fear and love of parental figures and how can we matter when there’s a giant cosmos of life out there. It’s a film that will leave you with questions, with thoughts and hopefully a reason to go see it again. It will give you some of the answers while leaving you with bigger questions.
The story of “Tree of Life” despite all those giant themes is a simple one. Which is the best way to tell complicated, cerebral stories, within simplicity. Sean Penn plays a man in conflict, perhaps spiritual, but internal in someway, looking back at his life, in particular his childhood when he last felt a spiritual or internal conflict. All this falls on the anniversary of his younger brother’s death, who we are told died at 19. We’re never told why, I don’t believe it matters. That’s the simple story, a man’s internal journey and we see that journey take places on screen.
Within the journey we see Sean Penn go from birth to adolescents. The older of three boys, with Brad Pitt as his father and Jessica Chastain (the discovery of the year in my opinion) as his mother. The father, a stricked, hard edged disciplinarian. The mother, an angel like figure who gives more to affection as love then discipline. And along with Jack’s life, we see life created as whole, in a twenty minute creation of the universe sequence which may be some of the best visual work I’ve seen in years. From the creation of the universe, to earth, to dinosaurs, to the current time of the film. Using micro photography to bring forth the creation, set to the Lacrimosa by Zbigniew Preisner. The scenes are fantastic and set up the tone of the movie. This film is a poem. It’s a poem about conversations with God.
If that be God the creator, God the figure or just the idea of a God, God in the universe, whatever. It’s conversations about meaning, about who we are and why we are here. These are questions we all ask. Maybe we don’t ask it in this way, perhaps he don’t ask it in such a fashion, but we all ask these questions. “Why me?” “What’s it all mean?” “Are you out there?” Even if you feel you made up your mind on these subjects, that doesn’t mean these subjects aren’t universal.
Film is an art form. It’s a visual art form. And what raises “Tree of Life” above someone’s artsy fartsy college essay film. is that “Tree of Life” is genuine. I believe Mallick was trying to say something, to convey something. He didn’t just come up with these images and wrap a story around those because he thought they were cool. He came up with his story, his idea, his theme. And went towards the images that best conveyed those emotions. “Tree of Life” is trying to say something, and I think it says it in a beautiful and powerful way. Even if the film doesn’t work for you on a narrative level, on the level of visual art, nothing was better this year.
Mallick is able to capture something that every artist seeks to capture when they set out to make real films. Mallick captures truth, he captures life, and we’re lucky enough to be able to see it.
-
sooooo sexy! Love dem freckles.
-
Paperkeg West Double Episode!
On this double sized Episode of Paperkeg West: First we have Jon and Cameron solo as Timmy and Ryan get ready for NYCC. On that we talk about: Detective Comics, Uncanny X-force, TMNT, Conan, Venom, Batman: Death in the Family, and more. Then on episode 6: Jon, Timmy and Ryan talk about being at NYCC. Jon didn’t yell at a creator and got a free sketch. Timmy relaxed and Ryan got some burgers. Also parties were had. And Cameron had a Poltergeist moment.
Then we get into some books we are reading:
- Batman/Superman Annual #1
- Batman and Robin #2
- Mr. Murder is Dead
- Xenoholics
- Sweet Tooth
- JLA: The Age of Wonder
- and more…
Send letters to: West@Paperkeg.com. Get it here or iTunes
-
First bits… O179
This is something I started working on last night. Just wanted to start writing. This doesn’t so much end but it’s a start to something. Hoping to do some more over the next couple days.
O179
One
Rain.
It always rains in this damn city.
If there was ever a sun. It left this city along time ago. The air is thick. Thick with smoke. Thick with fog. Thick with the grime, dirt and filth that walks this city. It’s my city though. New Central. “The City of Tomorrow.” But tomorrow came and went along time ago. If this was meant to be the future then someone should have told people a long time ago to start making some changes.
I’m not sure what’s worse. The murder rate, the high traffic, the drugs or that constant smell of piss that hangs in the air. Or at least I tell myself it’s piss. I’ll never really know.
I sit in the car next to my partner, Detective Frank Grey. He’s seen better days. At least I hope he has, cause if he hasn’t then I don’t know how this old bastard could have gone on living.
“Cigarette?” He offers. I don’t take it. I never do. But he always asks. Maybe he thinks it’ll make us closer, sharing bad habits.
“Your loss.” He takes a long drag. The first is always the longest. Like it’s going to be his last. Never understood the need to smoke. It does nothing for me. Nor coffee, nor donuts. Just objects to pass the time. Time I’m spending doing a stakeout. Time I could be using to get some real work done.
“How long has it been?” Frank asks me. “Five hours, twenty two minutes, fifteen seconds.” I respond.
“Five and a half hours is fine.”
We sit there. We don’t talk much. I suppose Frank doesn’t know how to talk to me. That’s fine. I’ve never really known how to talk to him. We’ve been partners for sometime now, but we never really clicked. But I watch his back, analyze the data, I do my job, and he does his. That’s how we work.
“I’m going to take a piss.” Frank begins to get out of the car.
“You think that’s a good idea?”
“It’s a better idea then me pissing in the car.”
Frank tries to get out, but I grab him. I see are subject, he’s finally leaving the building.
“Of course.” Frank exclaims. He’s angry. I can’t blame him.
I feel the gun pressing against my leg, it’s loaded. Every bullet clean, every part of the gun perfect. I clean it every night and inspect it everyday. I know every inch of this gun. I have to. I have to realize the power I wield in this weapon. It’s a class 9. Only legal for police to use. But that doesn’t stop a number of criminals from thinking they can own it themselves. Criminals like our friend in front of us. He goes by the name “Roy Parker.” Who knows why. We’ve been looking for him for the better part of nine months. He’s a gun runner in the city, my city. We got a tip that he’d be in the neighborhood. That he frequents the local Chinese food joint. I hear their chicken is good.
Our job is not to confront the perp. Merely to I.D. him. We’ve done our job.
“Call it in?” I ask Frank. He doesn’t answer. He’s just staring ahead. “Frank?” I know this look, I’ve seen this look. Frank is about to do something stupid. And he won’t listen to me.
“Don’t go out there Frank.” I’m talking to a human brick wall. A human brick wall he sure as hell isn’t going to listen to the likes of me.
“He’s alone, let’s just go grab him.” I’m not sure if he’s trying to convince me, or perhaps convince himself out loud. He reaches for the door. I reach for his shoulder, trying to stop him, trying to convince him. “Get your fucking hands off me.” I do as I’m told. Frank is my superior, even if he’s about to get himself killed, both of us in trouble or blow this case, it’s not my place to brake the chain of command. “Do you want me to come with you?” I ask. I always do. I already know the answer. “Just stay here. Call for backup if you think we need it.” “I think we should stay in the car and do as we’re assigned.” “Good thing I’m the one with the brain huh?” Frank takes one final drag on his cigarette. Opens the door and flicks it away. More pollution to add to the city. He steps out and begins his approach.
-
Facts of birth.
So I read this:
http://jezebel.com/5806347/woman-sues-over-ex+boyfriends-heinous-miscarriage-billboard
And I feel the need to make some points of truth here: As we all know, both the man and the woman help in the birthing process. Being that both parents carry one half of the baby within their wombs. The man carries the top half in his womb and the woman carries the bottom in hers (which is why woman still have to get the ultra sound to find out the babies sex, because that top half doesn’t have breast yet… hopefully). When the woman goes into labor they have sex one more time, where the man puts the top half of the baby into the woman. Within the woman the baby is fused into an amalgamation of a finished baby. So when it comes to abortion, a woman should ask permission, because otherwise a man still has the top half of a baby stuck in his womb, with no bottom half to complete it.
Right? That’s how it work right? I’ll be a great father. So stop being selfish, women- because we get morning sickness, too.
Go men’s rights!
-
This is pretty great.
(via fuzzytypewriter)
-
Conan shaved by Will Ferrel
-
Where am I?
So there’s been some confusion over the last couple days over where I can be found in podcasting, that’s fair because I do a lot, maybe to much if you ask my family. So here’s the simple run down.
This is where you can find,
Comics Round Table. The show where I and three co-host Ali from ifanboy, Angela from 2 people Talking and Jon Stump get together and talk about comics.
Movie Round Table: Where Jon and Angela are back, usually with Paul Montgomery from ifanboy and David Accampo from Wormwood. And we talk about a movie of our choice and get really in depth.
Jon and Cameron Talk: Where Jon Stump and I just shoot the shit.
There are other shows on this feed too: The Weekly Dead, a review show of the Walking Dead television series (which is on hiatus till season two starts). And whatever strikes my fancy.
A monthly Wonder Woman show where Ali, Angela, Jon and I discuss the newest issue of Wonder Woman, talk Wonder Woman News and delve into her history with Wonder Woman homework.
The (mostly) weekly show where Angela and I just shoot the shit, talking TV, movies, comics and stuff that’s just pissing us off.
The Bi-monthly show where a guest and I sit down and talk movies. We get into movie news, reviews, what else we’ve been watching and all things cinema.
So for the time being that’s where I can be found. I’m in a place where I’m also developing some other shows, and when new episodes get posted this is where you can come to find the new episodes rather then go from place to place. So check this stuff out and let me know what you think!
5. NEW SHOW!
Filmographies NYC comedian Timmy Wood and I sit down and discuss a select director’s filmography film by film. It just started so check it out!
