by halfway-through March 8, 2009
(via bloodtasteslikepennies)

(via bloodtasteslikepennies)

by halfway-through March 2, 2009
quietbrava: idontblog: phineaspoe: Why Is Watchmen So Important? In terms of both creativity and commercial standing, it is almost impossible to overstate the importance ofWatchmen; critically, the book won multiple awards both within and outside of the comic industry, including a Hugo Award in 1988 in the “Other Forms” category. It has been consistently cited as one of the first works to demonstrate the maturity of comic books in terms of content and medium, and transcended both to be placed on Best Novel lists from Time, Entertainment Weekly and the Wall Street Journal. Commercially, the collected edition has remained in print constantly since its first release - a fact that upsets Moore, whose contract with DC asserts that the rights to the series will revert back to he and Gibbons should the book fall out of print for a specified amount of time - with multiple editions available to suit every price range (including, now, a “motion comic” animated version to accompany the movie release), and the book has consistently been one of the more successful collected editions for DC Comics, annually making it into the upper echelons of the sales chart despite its age. Joss Whedon has said that Watchmen is “proof of everything a comic could do, but also an affirmation of everything comics had done,” which is a good way to explain, in one line, one portion of the significance of the book within the medium. Moore and Gibbons’ deliberate intention to produce something “designed to show off [comic book techniques] things that other media can’t [duplicate]” resulted in a book that is almost technically perfect as an exploration of a medium, despite what you may feel about the actual plot (In fact, Gibbons has since admitted that the plot “just really isn’t the most interesting thing about Watchmen. As we actually came to tell the tale, [the way we told the story is] where the real creativity came in”). In terms of ambition, world-building and technical excellence, no superhero series before or since has come close to matching what Watchmen has accomplished. In tandem with The Dark Knight Returns, Watchmen also (accidentally) redefined the notion of how dark a superhero story should go, leading to a spate of increasingly dour, quasi-deconstructionist approaches to the genre over the decade or so after its release; even recently, comics like Mark Millar’s Ultimates and J. Michael Straczynski’s Supreme Power have born an unmistakable influence from the series, ignoring Moore’s own attempts to lighten the genre with books like Top 10 and Supreme. Entertainment Weekly’s Jeff Jensen has said that he feels that Watchmen is such a landmark in terms of its impact and influence that comic eras should simply be “Before Watchmen” and “After Watchmen.” Surprisingly, such hyperbole may be well-earned.

quietbrava:

idontblog:

phineaspoe:

Why Is Watchmen So Important?

In terms of both creativity and commercial standing, it is almost impossible to overstate the importance ofWatchmen; critically, the book won multiple awards both within and outside of the comic industry, including a Hugo Award in 1988 in the “Other Forms” category. It has been consistently cited as one of the first works to demonstrate the maturity of comic books in terms of content and medium, and transcended both to be placed on Best Novel lists from Time, Entertainment Weekly and the Wall Street Journal. Commercially, the collected edition has remained in print constantly since its first release - a fact that upsets Moore, whose contract with DC asserts that the rights to the series will revert back to he and Gibbons should the book fall out of print for a specified amount of time - with multiple editions available to suit every price range (including, now, a “motion comic” animated version to accompany the movie release), and the book has consistently been one of the more successful collected editions for DC Comics, annually making it into the upper echelons of the sales chart despite its age.

Joss Whedon has said that Watchmen is “proof of everything a comic could do, but also an affirmation of everything comics had done,” which is a good way to explain, in one line, one portion of the significance of the book within the medium. Moore and Gibbons’ deliberate intention to produce something “designed to show off [comic book techniques] things that other media can’t [duplicate]” resulted in a book that is almost technically perfect as an exploration of a medium, despite what you may feel about the actual plot (In fact, Gibbons has since admitted that the plot “just really isn’t the most interesting thing about Watchmen. As we actually came to tell the tale, [the way we told the story is] where the real creativity came in”). In terms of ambition, world-building and technical excellence, no superhero series before or since has come close to matching what Watchmen has accomplished.

In tandem with The Dark Knight Returns, Watchmen also (accidentally) redefined the notion of how dark a superhero story should go, leading to a spate of increasingly dour, quasi-deconstructionist approaches to the genre over the decade or so after its release; even recently, comics like Mark Millar’s Ultimates and J. Michael Straczynski’s Supreme Power have born an unmistakable influence from the series, ignoring Moore’s own attempts to lighten the genre with books like Top 10 and Supreme. Entertainment Weekly’s Jeff Jensen has said that he feels that Watchmen is such a landmark in terms of its impact and influence that comic eras should simply be “Before Watchmen” and “After Watchmen.” Surprisingly, such hyperbole may be well-earned.
by pianorollblues February 15, 2009
Born Into Brothels I consider myself spiritual, not religious, but Mother Teresa has always fascinated and inspired me. There are still many who continue to compassionately offer their love and energy in Calcutta. This documentary includes some glimpses into the compassionate work of Zana Briski as she interconnects with children born into and raised in brothels in Calcutta’s red light district. We see glimpses into the difficult paths facing these children for their life journeys. Zana helps the children learn and refine photographic skills. The documentary includes stills of many stunning photographs taken by these children of brothels. I was moved by many of the childhood scenes in Slumdog Millionaire and I am also very moved by the happiness, zeal, and perseverance of the children featured in Born Into Brothels. This documentary is part inspiring and part depressing. We interconnect with these children, just as we interconnect with the customers of the brothels. There are many sociological lessons learned through watching this film. This documentary is far more in-depth and contains much more vivid imagery and editing in comparison to the other documentary that I watched today: The Trials of Ted Haggard. This documentary allows us to see into another world and this is a world that I will contemplate for some time.

Born Into Brothels

I consider myself spiritual, not religious, but Mother Teresa has always fascinated and inspired me. There are still many who continue to compassionately offer their love and energy in Calcutta. This documentary includes some glimpses into the compassionate work of Zana Briski as she interconnects with children born into and raised in brothels in Calcutta’s red light district. We see glimpses into the difficult paths facing these children for their life journeys. Zana helps the children learn and refine photographic skills. The documentary includes stills of many stunning photographs taken by these children of brothels. I was moved by many of the childhood scenes in Slumdog Millionaire and I am also very moved by the happiness, zeal, and perseverance of the children featured in Born Into Brothels. This documentary is part inspiring and part depressing. We interconnect with these children, just as we interconnect with the customers of the brothels. There are many sociological lessons learned through watching this film. This documentary is far more in-depth and contains much more vivid imagery and editing in comparison to the other documentary that I watched today: The Trials of Ted Haggard. This documentary allows us to see into another world and this is a world that I will contemplate for some time.

The Trials of Ted Haggard

by pianorollblues February 15, 2009

The Trials of Ted Haggard: a film by Alexandra Pelosi

This is a 42 minute documentary chronicling some of the life journey of Ted Haggard, formerly Pastor Ted Haggard of New Life Church and formerly one of the spiritual advisors for the George W. Bush White House. This documentary focuses primarily on some tribulations for Ted Haggard following his admission of sexual and substance practices that led his church to exile him from Colorado and his church. 

While watching Ted’s difficulties in finding and maintaining employment I can not help but think of Willy Loman from Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman. Megachurches, personal sexual battles, and ostracism are all topics that interest me.

This was quite the watchable documentary, it did suffer from my watching it in the same day that I also watched Born Into Brothels. This documentary is far less cinematographic, more sparse, and substantially less inspiring than Born Into Brothels. Just as some viewers who may hold negative feelings about George W. Bush can find themselves somewhat liking George W. Bush as a human when watching Oliver Stone’s W., some viewers who hold negative feelings about Ted Haggard may find themselves empathizing or sympathizing with Ted Haggard on some levels. This documentary, like all good documentaries, should encourage most viewers to think as they view it. What you decide to think about (in regards to Ted Haggard, sexuality, ostracism, mega-evangelicalism, family dynamics, faith, addictions, shame, psychology, etc.) when watching this documentary will be based on your own life journey.

Herzog films I have yet to see.

by pianorollblues February 15, 2009

partyhats:

  1. Signs of Life (1968)x
  2. Heart of Glass (1976)x
  3. Where the Green Ants Dream (1984)x
  4. Cobra Verde (1987)x
  5. Les Français vus par… (part: Les Gaulois, 1988)
  6. Film Lesson 1-4 (1990)
  7. Scream of Stone (1991)
  8. The Transformation of the World Into Music (1994)
  9. Gesualdo: Death for Five Voices (1995)
  10. 2000 Years of Christianity [part 9 of the series] (segment: The Lord and the Laden, 1999)
  11. Pilgrimage (2001)
  12. Invincible (2001)x
  13. Ten Minutes Older: The Trumpet (2002) (co-directed by Herzog)
  14. Wheel of Time (2003)x
  15. The White Diamond (2004)x
  16. The Wild Blue Yonder (2005)x
  17. Rescue Dawn (2007)x
  18. Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009)
  19. The Ball Is a Scumbag
by pianorollblues February 10, 2009
thewayoftheworld: daylightandthesun: shhhh… don’t tell Samurai Mickey Rourke that I’m under the bed… shhhhhh….. I’m not sure, but I think Samurai Mickey Rourke fell asleep. Shhh. You’ll wake him.

thewayoftheworld:

daylightandthesun:

shhhh… don’t tell Samurai Mickey Rourke that I’m under the bed…

shhhhhh…..

I’m not sure, but I think Samurai Mickey Rourke fell asleep. Shhh. You’ll wake him.

by pianorollblues February 8, 2009
quatsch: #18 Seven Pounds (Muccino, 2008) Absurd script, badly written, and way too weepy. I had no intention of watching this, since I don’t like Muccino at all and I’m not a big fan of Will Smith either, but a friend suggested it to me. Sorry, it did not work for me. I could never understand why the main character was doing what he was doing, the whole plot is devoid of logic. It’s similar to the issue I had with Into the Wild: I simply cannot go along for the ride since there are way too many things bothering me.

quatsch:

#18 Seven Pounds (Muccino, 2008)

Absurd script, badly written, and way too weepy. I had no intention of watching this, since I don’t like Muccino at all and I’m not a big fan of Will Smith either, but a friend suggested it to me. Sorry, it did not work for me. I could never understand why the main character was doing what he was doing, the whole plot is devoid of logic. It’s similar to the issue I had with Into the Wild: I simply cannot go along for the ride since there are way too many things bothering me.

by pianorollblues February 7, 2009
naturespeaks: Go Mothra!

naturespeaks:

Go Mothra!
by pianorollblues February 7, 2009
quatsch: James Whitmore (1921-2009) He was best known (or at least to me) for the part of Brooks in The Shawshank Redemption, the old librarian of the prison.

quatsch:

James Whitmore (1921-2009)

He was best known (or at least to me) for the part of Brooks in The Shawshank Redemption, the old librarian of the prison.

by halfway-through January 27, 2009
honeyniss: justo: I saw this film over the weekend. 4 hours long and it was not enough. A lot of the books I have read about Che came together witht the film and I think that even if you’ve never read a single page about him, this film will move you. juliana keibel: dont need anymore words to describe.

honeyniss:

justo:

I saw this film over the weekend. 4 hours long and it was not enough.

A lot of the books I have read about Che came together witht the film and I think that even if you’ve never read a single page about him, this film will move you.
juliana keibel: dont need anymore words to describe.

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