1. Dr. Strangelove

When Dr. Edward Teller, the inventor of the Atomic Bomb, died in 2003, the media called him “Strangelove”.

The name was an especially cruel jape if you consider all of the other things Teller did in his lifetime. He was also the head of the research for Ronald Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative, an attempt to disarm nuclear weapons in space. Tied directly to that was his involvement with laser weapons technology, a new field which Teller championed. Such devices as the F.E.L. (Free Electron Laser), a weapon that toggles the electrons within an atom – freeing them – to create a more powerful laser beam, came about due to his involvement with laser technology. Moreover, Teller was the head of recruiting at the San Francisco based Livermore Weapons Laboratory, a collective of the top minds in the world, all bent towards doomsday research. At his craziest, Teller attempted to develop a laser that could be fueled by the power of a nuclear explosion. With those things in mind, many thought he earned the name of “Strangelove”. Kubrick might have been one of those many people who thought him deserving of it.

Strangelove and his undying mockery
Yes, Teller and other scientists often had a number of things in common with the fictional weapons chieftain. Many scientists who gained influence in the 50’s and 60’s had fled Nazi rule in the 40’s. Although history never recorded it, many might have been divided up piecemeal with other countries once the Nazi regime had come to an end. These weapons designers were quickly put to work in their field of specialty.
They massed power, whispered unknown words into the ears of leaders, and influenced the air of animosity that characterized the Cold War. And Kubrick asked why.
Jeremy once pointed out that Dr. Strangelove did not even show up until halfway through the movie, despite the fact that it was named after him. And yet, he is clearly the centerpiece of this darkly comical opus. Strangelove was a mockery of everything Teller and other influential scientists were. He was an unabashed jab that was masterfully carried out by Peter Sellers (and the seething edge of his sting is still felt to this day). Time went by, wars began and ended at the advice of people like Teller, and Strangelove remained the cruel joke of retaliation.

Every doomsday weapon must have a brilliant mind behind it, you see. And Strangelove was among the very first of such minds to be characterized in motion pictures. He’s the quintessential mad scientist who is tinkering with the fate of mankind to achieve his own ends. At the end of the film, when depression sinks in for the loss of humanity, Strangelove rejoices at the resurrection of his beloved fascism. His forced, yet restrained speech when he utters the word “slaughtered” is a glimpse into his psyche. And his rogue Nazi hand, one of the few things about Strangelove’s persona still pledging allegiance to that bygone evil, seems to have more control over him then even he has.
As such, Strangelove is a commentary on the very nature of weapons scientists and their influence. Strangelove seems to barely maintain an inkling of control over himself. Ironically, the President never stops taking him seriously.

The waroom where Strangelove dwelt

Kubrick was a great fan of Sellers’ performance. In fact, word has it that he couldn’t stop laughing when he was filming Sellers’ war room sequences. Did he know he had created something profound? Would Kubrick suspect that Strangelove would come to represent the vast collective of evil masterminds and madmen throughout the ages? Perhaps. But perhaps he was genuinely touched by the sheer hilarity of the character.
And so it is; Dr. Strangelove continues to remain iconic to this day. Crazy scientists have never really outgrown Kubrick and Sellers’ caricature of their mentality. Their pegging of that era and those unseen historical figures was so acute that it remains credible even now. Of course, real life isn’t nearly so satirical as Strangelove, and Kubrick’s grasp wasn’t meant to be definitive. It’s merely a funny, new creation – the mad scientist and his evil plot.

But it is still a subtle wink….

1. Stuart Little

Surprised? No doubt you are.
The iconic status that Stuart Little reaches is no doubt in part to the clever screenwriting of M. Night Shyamalan. True, each and every character Night created, from Joseph Cross' Joshua A. Beal, to Adrien Brody's Noah Percy, stood as a testament to the overstated beauty of a cinematic icon. But it is Michael J. Fox's vocal treatment, the brilliantly animated character, Stuart Little, who came to represent not just the iconic flair of the Children's genre, but motion picture history itself. His presence here on the list could be counted as a representation of every character ever created, and as a representation of the cinema itself.
Larger than life, with an uncanny smile, Little launched an entire career from this character. He never really deviated from its path for that matter. However, as the fun-living mouse, his character holds the most respectability. Here, he is truly a cinematic icon, and not just some rip-off of so many other rip-offs.
The iconic status of this character is especially interesting to note, because it caused so many other things to take root in filmmaking. What’s more, his legendary presence was sealed because of a number of things not necessarily attributed to Fox's performance.

Ha, ha, ha! Oh, man that cracks me up! Did I actually fool you? Probably not.

Random 1

Man oh man, I just finished the write-up for the last character. It's sitting here, all formatted and ready to be posted, lying in wait in the Eyes Like Static storehouse. I'm gonna let it sit for a few hours though, just so I can come back later and look it over one last time. I catch more mistakes and tend to disagree with my own words if I wait long enough. Anyway, since that's all done I don't really feel like making a long post. I'll just note some things:

So I've been sick for the last few days. I can't even believe it, I feel like it's been one cold right after another. I think I'm finally getting better, but it took long enough. I've enjoyed reading Josh and Jeremy's posts in the meantime. I've also been listening to that new Ted Leo album, which I finally purchased. It's good, really good.

Oh yes, we'll be making some new movies soon. Very soon, I'd expect. Don't worry Gabe! We'll get on it, right away. I think we should get to work on Matt's music video ASAP though. Yes, we have our first actual client, although we're giving him a music video for free (way to go Gabe! (just kidding)). We'll see how that turns out. And hey, we've got the next film challenge to look forward to. And maybe a few other things. Soon enough, I want to put together a reel of the best parts of our combined footage. We can use it to sell ourselves to prospective buyers (sell our talent that is).

2. Darth Vader

Admittedly, I am a big Star Wars fan. However, let me interject here for a moment with a thought: my enjoyment of the series has had absolutely no bearing at all on my selection of Vader as the second most iconic character. None at all. Consider the promotional material for the prequel series and I think you’ll understand why:
For the release of Star Wars, Episode I: The Phantom Menace, George Lucas released a lovely one-sheet poster depicting a young Anakin Skywalker with the menacing shadow of Darth Vader looming behind him. Then, in 2001, Lucas released the very first teaser trailer for Star Wars, Episode II. It was a collection of images set to the tone of Darth Vader’s ominous breathing. Finally, for the last Star Wars film, Revenge of the Sith, the director established a trailer that once again revealed the classic villain in all his glory.
Even when we step away from the promotional material for the latest Star Wars film and consider the linage of the previous films we’re faced with a bombardment of the character. On cereal boxes, action figures, t-shirts, magazines and numerous other items, Vader’s insipid mask is proudly plastered.
Is this repeated use of Vader as a promotional tool purely a matter of coincidence? Absolutely not! It’s calculated and specific, intended for public consumption. Lucas and his marketing team know the impact of the character, and they’ve maximized the use of Vader’s image in every possible manner to profit from that impact. In fact, I doubt that the promotional material for the recent Star Wars films would have been as successful without Vader’s overbearing presence. It’s unfair to give you the impression that he’s the ultimate trump card however.
Vader’s iconic nature may have been used to a vast effect in promotional materials the world over, but he is primarily an iconic character because of the brilliance and creativity that went into establishing him. A number of people are to be applauded for this. First and foremost, the character’s design, a ghoulish concoction of black leather and blinking “life support”, can be attributed to the artistic influence of production designer Ralph Macquarie and Industrial Light and Magic. His skeletal mask, a death’s head of terror, was masterfully sculpted together by production artists and visual effect craftsmen. His haunting respiratory system, that deep hissing noise that emanates from whatever scene he happens to be occupying, is the offspring of Foley Artist Ben Burt. Last, but not least, his voice; a sinister tambour vile enough to be a character in and of itself, can be attributed to the vocal performance of James Earl Jones. Without any of these contributions in place the character would have failed. But, when put together, they give birth to a maniacal, devious character…one that has come to symbolize evil in film for several generations. And if Lucas’ use of Vader in promotional material stands as an indication of the future, it is likely that he’ll continue to symbolize cinema evil for many generations to come.
That is why I’ve selected Darth Vader as my second most iconic film character. He’s the reason why lists like these are created! Of course, it could be argued that his recent sullying at the hands of Lucas’ prequel saga diminishes the character’s resonance. Yet, it could just as easily be counter argued that the character’s original magnificence was never brought into question. A few actors have attempted to portray the man behind the mask, and have failed. But the original performance was never a failure. The group of people I mentioned created an icon, and no matter how many follies Lucas creates, that original iconic character can never be taken away.

The 10 most iconic film characters of all time: 3 and 4

4. The Man With No Name

Until Sergio Leone, Westerns were largely un-cool. Driven by crotchety old men who had some self-righteous ax to grind, the Westerns of old were characterized by languid plots and small-minded narratives. Although many are still remembered fondly today, very few have the cinematic panache to stand apart from the genre as a piece of film legend. They lacked style. They lacked presence. And then, in a salute to grandeur itself, Sergio Leone gave the Western its greatest champion.
True, each and every character Leone created, from Eli Wallac’s Tuco, to Angel Eyes, stood as a testament to the overstated beauty of a cinematic icon. But it is Clint Eastwood’s character, The Man With No Name, who came to represent not just the iconic flair of the Western genre, but motion picture history itself. His presence here on the list could be counted as a representation of every character Leone ever created, and as a representation of the cinema itself.
Larger then life, with an uncanny death-glare, Eastwood launched an entire career from this character. He never really deviated from its path for that matter. However, as The Man With No Name, his character holds the most respectability. Here, he is truly a cinematic icon, and not just some rip-off of so many other rip-offs.
The iconic status of this character is especially interesting to note, because it caused so many other things to take root in filmmaking. What’s more, his legendary presence was sealed because of a number of things not necessarily attributed to Eastwood’s performance.
The costume and visual look for instance was a large contributor to his iconic radiance. Some have pointed out that people would have never worn such crazy clothing in the West, but here it doesn’t matter. In Leone’s west, the larger you are, and the more presence you have, the better.
Leone’s choice of shots and angles in covering The Man With No Name also attribute to his iconic status. Extreme close-ups of Eastwood’s scathing eyes, so close that you can practically see the texture in his skin pores, have become an icon unto themselves. Other tasteful close-ups, such as his hand as it compulsively reaches for his gun holster, or his looming presence as he stands over a field of blank desolation, all blend together to make him larger then life. Simply put: The Man With No Name made the Western hero cooler then any other protagonist to grace the silver screen.






3. Indiana Jones

One of the more famous rumors surrounding directors Steven Spielberg and George Lucas has been their alleged desire to film a James Bond flick. Apparently, this desire first took root years ago, and some have said that both directors pursued the project to a certain extent. However, those are just rumors. Additionally, Lucas and Spielberg never really went through with filming a Bond picture. Whispers and gossip are all that remain of the lucrative Spielberg/Lucas Bond flick. Something else was left over though.
Yes, neither one have denied the fact that Indiana Jones was a character Lucas created to channel their inspiration for a James Bond story into their own creation. They even got the original Bond, Connery, to play Indiana’s father in the final film of the series. Yet, along the way, Lucas tweaked a few things about the character and made them his own.
First and foremost, Indiana Jones resides in the late 30’s to 40’s. The earliest that Bond showed up was 60’s. Likewise, Indiana seems to be missing a number of subtle intricacies that Bond thrived upon, like that icy disposition or general sense of preparedness. Jones is also a scholar, and not just some brainless agent sent to do some overbearing government’s bidding. He lives for the thrill of the hunt and the attainment of some mystical artifact (not his next female conquest).
So why is he on the list? If he’s just some James Bond knock-off, why am I squandering the third best spot on the list over Spielberg’s aborted ambitions? Well, his character deserves special recognition because of how truly iconic he is. Everything about him makes him an icon. His fedora, whip, leather jacket, and personality all mark him as a top cinematic icon. Even the score by John Williams seems to be an extention of the character’s personality.
What’s more, you always get the sense that he’s always going to be escaping some danger or uncertain death, only to fall into the hands of some greater demise (which, he’ll eventually escape, leaving him at the mercy of some other doom). He is a never-ending cycle of trickery and showboating, a character who exists purely for popcorn enjoyment.
And because of that, Indiana Jones is the third most iconic film character of all time. Heck, he is the reason why lists like these exist. Not including him would have been a crime…

The Drive to Cinematize

Since Brock's not getting off his butt, I'll have to post. Just kidding, bro!

I'm highly motivated to do a new film project. I don't care what I do either, be it actor, director, cinematographer, or gaffer. Part of it has to do with the fact that it's been a little while since my last project. Part of it is that I've seen quite a few great movies lately. Part of it is reading about all of Josh's daily experiences up in New England. Also, Brock, Josh, and I have yet to work all together on the same film. I do believe that once we all team up, magic will happen. Cinema magic, mind you.

A disgruntled participant of last year's 48-hour film contest, put on by the MCAI of Arizona, is putting on his own. It is entitled "The Almost Famous Film Festival." Details can be found at www.ballboy.net. Much to my sadness, I'll be out-of-town during the contest. Brock and Josh, go get 'em!

An old friend who really got me into checking independent movies and such emailed me a short script. He moved to Oregon a few years ago, then to Texas. Now he's in Tucson, not too far away. In fact, I first started a blog with him reviewing movies, called "Gabe and Jeremy's Movie Reviews." This was quite a while before Brock and I started one. We actually did it when he was living in Oregon. We tried to see the same movie the same weekend and review it. I hope to work on his movie soon as well.

January 11th, The Phoenix Film Project will be announcing their next film challenge. They say it will take the next step, whatever that is. But I'm excited to do it.

Don't forget about the Phoenix Film Festival coming up in April. I'm debating whether or not I want to return as a volunteer. It was fun, but a lot of work. Plus, I only got to see two movies.

Way of the Future

Last night, over free chips and salsa, and flaun (sp?), Gabe mentioned that I hadn't posted in a while. Yeah...I haven't. Sorry about that. I was so diligent about it last week that I figured no one would notice my absence for a few days. Besides, I didn't really feel like posting for some reason. However, I will probably finish the list this week. 4 and 3 will be later today or early tomorrow. Make special note of this however: characters 1 and 2 will be posted separately. They're important enough that they merit their own separate post. And here's a clue...they're antagonists, not heroes of any sort.

I saw Ocean's 12 and The Aviator over the weekend. Ocean's 12 was terrible, in my opinion. There were a few moments that had a spark of genius, but generally I was disappointed. The Aviator on the other hand was remarkable. It may be a serious contender for my 'best picture of the year'.

-Brock

Parker

Anywho I also saw Spanglish. It was an emotionfest. Let's all cry. Wah Wah Wah, alright now that that's over let's talk with long pauses and little meaningful dialogue and solve our problems. -Parker

Made me laugh...

Behold...

View Brock's second student film, starring me, here. Through the last two films, I've discovered I have a mannerism. It shall die.

I'll host this one for about a week, then I'll put up Brock's class project Pantomiming, starring real actors.

The 10 most iconic film characters - 6 and 5

6. Willy Wonka

You know him as the crazy man in the top hat. Rogue candy-maker, Willy Wonka, was a notable children’s literary figure before he was ever a film character. But it was with this movie in 1971 that the character earned widespread recognition. Willy Wonka from that point on was a memorable character to nearly anyone to place his or her glance on his visage. Many people have suggested that it was his colorful attire that prompted this recognition, and still others suggest that it was the bizarre nature of the movie itself that cemented him in viewer’s minds. But recently, most attribute his iconic nature to Gene Wilder’s uncanny performance.
If you’re looking for dark undertones, look no further. Willy Wonka seemed drenched in them. When he wasn’t coyly stringing his pint-sized contestant winners along, he was grimly alluding to moral hubris and inbred greed. He was a child’s character that took a few moments to address the unreality of his film in a very creepy manner. These dramatic underpinnings coupled with the character’s natural mannerisms have engrained him in most everyone’s mind. Not everyone may recognize all of the characters on this list, but I’d wager that everyone would know who Willy Wonka is. And that’s the true success and iconic status of the character. Poor Depp - here is to hoping he fairs well. He’s taking on an icon himself.

5. James Bond

James Bond almost didn’t make the cut. This is mostly because of the atrociously bad presence his films have had on the industry lately. Sure, they make a plethora of money, but they’re just terrible films. But, I had to give the character sway, especially since I considered his truest incarnation to be in the form of Sean Connery.
Actually, when you consider the James Bond films of that era, they weren’t anything spectacular either. Much more important films were being made at the time, and James Bond was merely a stopgap to an audience that refused to take in anything culturally obscure or dramatically different. And yet, no matter how much more important the other films may have been at the time, you can’t deny the fact that the public at large doesn’t really remember any of them. They do remember James Bond.
He’s changed a little bit with each different actor to take the helm, but he was best defined and represented when Sean Connery played him. Dapper, wry, coolheaded, and an unfortunate womanizer, almost everything about his translation of the character is memorable. And he is iconic as well. Whereas my earliest choices on the list were choices that may not seem iconic to everyone save for myself, here is a character that is iconic to everyone and secretly detested by myself. Well, I don’t dislike Bond actually, and if I have to give way to popcorn cinema (where most of the iconic characters come from anyway), then I’ll gladly give way to James Bond. As he was played by Roger Moore? Forgettable. Timothy Dalton? Regrettable. Pierce Brosnan? Bombastic. Sean Connery? Iconic.

The 10 Most Iconic Film Characters - 8 and 7

8. Leeloo
I considered replacing this character with a “better performer” when I first put together my list. I mean, come on, let’s face it; Milla Jovovich isn’t an actress. She may appear in numerous movies and grace the covers of film periodicals the world over, but by no means can she be counted among the host of serious actresses that populate the silver screen. However, I decided against replacing her character. In fact, I think she earned her nomination on my list fair and square. The role she played in The 5th Element certainly has all the trappings of an iconic film character: a memorable disposition, popularity among those who viewed the film, and a hint of the cinematically visceral. Spending most of the film performing ridiculously unbelievable stunts, or shamelessly uttering globs of slurred, broken English, one can’t help but be enamored by her caricature. Milla Jovovich may be a laughable actress, but herein lays a character that seems cast explicitly for her unabashedness.
The 5th Element teemed with overblown experiences. From the scene chewing of veteran actor Gary Oldman, to the bombastic drawl of Chris Tucker, this is a film that proudly courts itself an overreaching result of a bad drama class. In such a hostile environment, Jovovich seems timid. Her audacity is far outshined by everyone else “acting” in front of the camera, and for much of the film, her character remains engrained in our minds by the subtle shyness she manages to convey. Yet, in a gaudy ballet that materializes in the second half of the film, her tepidness gives way to a theatrically laughable brawl in which she takes on a gang of alien cronies. Now, when I say laughable, don’t assume that I’m waxing judgmental here. The sheer ridiculousness of the scene, replete with kung-fu trickery and Three Stooges sight-gags, can’t help but be made all the more real by Jovovich’s unsightly acting. It’s here that her character reaches iconic status. When the under-acting of the first half of her character manages to set the scene on fire with celluloid salability, then you can be assured of her iconic place on this list.

7. Gigolo Joe

People who worked closely with Stanley Kubrick before his death often spoke of Gigolo Joe as being a particularly harsh character…that is he was harsh before Spielberg got a hold of him. Stanley Kubrick originally had a much more volatile persona in mind for Gigolo Joe. Wither this meant a character who was embittered by the shackles of humanity, or one who had advanced beyond trivial matters and transcended a world of petty pursuits is beyond you or I. Kubrick never got the chance to realize the character. He left that to the man who had directed films like E.T.
Such ruminations can’t help but be considered in a narrative like this however. Especially since Gigolo Joe turned out to be so much more then the sum of Artificial Intelligence itself. Viewers gobbled him up.
I credit this success to a particularly inspired performance by Jude Law (but I suspect the foundation to be laid by the master himself).
Whatever the case, Gigolo Joe was a character that worked on a number of levels. He boasted the audacity of any Kubrick character, yet the compatibility of every Spielberg character. His glassy porcelain skin and glossy hair translated well on the screen, and his persona was heightened by his hapless, unapologetic excitement.
Take a few scenes into consideration and I think you will agree. Note for one, the widening of his mouth as he rumbles through the unsightly neon tunnel (in the shape of a widened mouth) while on the quest to reach the city. Or take notice of his final remark as he is magnified away by the authorities at the end of the film; “I was. I am!”
Speaking purely for kicks here, Jude Law mastered the giddy wide-eyed enthusiasm of Gigolo Joe and gave viewers a longing for the darker version Kubrick kept to himself. And even though he is a recent character, he is still the best and the most iconic (in my opinion) to come out of a recent Spielberg film.

Buy now!

I woke up Saturday morning with a scratchy throat and a tingly nose. Shrugging it off, I told myself that there was no way I was getting sick; it just couldn’t happen. Then I spent Sunday afternoon feeling sapped of all energy. My eyes were drooping and congestion was mounting. By Tuesday evening there was little doubt in my mind that I was sick.
Still, I have to commend myself for managing to remain well for so very long. Usually, I’m treated to a healthy dose of colds and viruses throughout most of the winter season. This year I got off fairly easy. And wouldn’t you know it, I’m already starting to feel better! I think I might be completely recovered by Friday.

The horror...the horror

Am I the only one sickened by the latest batch of Old Navy commercials? Tell me I'm not the only one who would proudly deck that kid who says "what a deal" at the end of every spot.

post highlighting Modest Mouse's commercialism #4,879 ---> Speaking of commercialism, maybe you’ve heard of the favorable turnout for Modest Mouse in the latest batch of “year-end” lists? Yes, Modest Mouse, a band that once represented the very core of the indie mentality has now garnered reputable nods from industry standards like Spin Magazine and others.

Spin magazine (who crowned Coldplay as the Best Band of 2003) has chosen to bestow the title of Best Band upon Modest Mouse for 2004. And the blogs are aglow with discussion. Neither Gabe nor myself are as receptive of Modest Mouse’s latest album, Good News for People Who Love Bad News, as the media is, but I’ve come to regard it as one of the better things to happen to commercial rock. Especially with the recent bombardment of alleged saviors, commercial music needs saving by reluctant heroes now more then ever. And who better then indie-rock’s champions supreme?
I think this mentality was best cemented in my mind when I was wandering through the bookstore the other day and I came across the Spin magazine boldly proclaiming MM as their newfound heroes. The magazine interview was nothing special, but it did offer a particularly nice insight from Isaac Brock. With a leering eye towards recent sensation Usher, Brock (not me, him) boldly stated “you can just tell that guy’s gonna pump records out as fast as he can”. It was this statement that softened my glance towards him and Modest Mouse a little bit.
Others have put it more eloquently then I, but the sentiment remains the same; in a world of blatant lip-syncing and shameless commercialism, can you find a band like Modest Mouse, who would willingly play a dirge like “Satin in a Coffin” on David Letterman, at fault?

In short, I forgive you Modest Mouse, I forgive you.

Winter...

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Not to be confused with Christmas. I do love the winter season, and miss scenes like the one above.

You've been chosen as an extra in the movie adaptation to the sequel of your life. - Pavement. Ever feel like that? Josh - no offense taken, ever. But the brief discussion of Pavement has got me listening to them lately, and that line is one of my favorites.

I had to at least pop-in here. I haven't posted much and Brock's been getting on me to post. Get off my back, Brock! Just kidding, bro. Hopefully I can join in on the "end of the year" lists. We'll see.

Lethargy

It’s been relatively quiet around here for the last few days. I have a number of things that I would like to delve into, but I haven’t really gotten around to any of them due to a lack of drive. Yes, you heard me - a lack of drive. I think when a person hits the ground running, and doesn’t stop running for a very long time, they collapse when they get a chance at lethargy. Being able to enjoy some time away from school has been nice, and I’ve really enjoyed catching up on unseen movies.
It was mentioned to you that I wasn’t terribly satisfied with the music industry this year, but I did plan on listing some of my favorite reissues. It seems that Pitchfork beat me to it. I think I’ll still lay down a few of my own thoughts though. There are a number of reissues that Pitchfork failed to cover in their list, and I’d be pleased to link you to my thoughts.
In other news, the screenwriting is coming along well. I haven’t begun any actual writing yet, but I have been doing a tremendous amount of research on the subject of opium. It’s dark subject matter to delve into, but I suspect my research will serve me well.
I did take some time out of my busy schedule (ha!) to register for next semester: I’ll be taking cinematography and screenwriting II. We’ll see how that goes when I jump back into the student life a few weeks from now.

In the meantime, I’m already brainstorming over my favorite movies for the past year. As mentioned, it has been a great year for movies. I really couldn’t pinpoint an exact time when there wasn’t something in the theater that I wanted to see. Now I’ll get down to the grit of the matter and compose my own “Eyes Like Static Awards for Cinematic Relevance”. (Inside joke abound.)
I know that the Oscars and other prestigious award shows are going to neglect some fine work from 2004 and play the game of politics when they hand out their statues. So I’m going to mimic their categories in my own selections and try to pick some winners that they might not even consider worthy of being a nominee.
That means I’ll cover…

Best Actress
Best Actor
Best Supporting (for both)
Best Cinematography
Best Director
Best Film


Will Lemony Snicket nab the best cinematography...or will The Village beat it out?

Anything else that pops into my head is fair game as well. These selections of mine won’t be spoken of until the “new year” however. I still have a few films to see before I can make a fair decision.

Finally, even though I’ve been lethargic for the last few days, I did manage to put together a mix to commemorate the end of the year. On the way to the screening a couple of weeks ago, Gabe and I listened to a mix he compiled that went by the name of “the Sad Mix”. And it was a somber mix all right. He put stuff from Cat Power, Frou Frou and The Beatles on his mix, composing one dour tape. Yes, even the Beatles were unhappy. Anyway, he inspired me to make my own mix. I tried to take it from the opposite tempo however:

Paperface – Weezer
Sierra – Cursive
The Final Push to the Sum – Grandaddy
I’ve Got It All (Most) – Modest Mouse
Havalina – Pixies
Electrify – The Beastie Boys
I’d Rather Dance With You – Kings of Convenience (Gabe introduced me to this one)
The Way We Get By – Spoon
Needle in the Hay – Elliot Smith
Rocky Raccoon – The Beatles
Macaque – Failure
Art – The Firebird Band
Please Die – Nowhere Man and A Whiskey Girl
Judy is a Punk – The Ramones
4. – Fatigo (The song from Gabe and Josh’s The Glove Box)
Alabaster – Rocky Votolato
I’d Rather Be Wine Drunk – The City On Film

A little bit more upbeat I suppose…save for a few tracks.

The Performance of a Genius

Saw Ray tonight...no lengthy review right now, but Jamie Foxx was great. I felt like the movie itself was good, but his performance a stroke of brilliance. Fans of the music will like it, but Foxx's recreation of Charles is enough to draw anyone in.

Skip me ahead to 2005

Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events came out today. Will I see it? Oh sure. In fact, there is plenty of good buzz about the cinematography.

So, I think I’ve finally gotten a list of “albums released in 2004 that I’d like to pick up”. I must say, I personally didn’t feel that this was a great year for music. It started out pretty good, but it kind of fizzled out towards the end. I think 2005 is going to be a much better year for music, especially since we’re promised new releases from:
Rocky Votolato
Beck
Hey Mercedes
Radiohead (maybe)
Weezer

That being said, I’m not sure I have enough albums from 2004 to compile a “best of” list for this year. I probably could, but it would be a very scant list. (I would like to compile a “best of” list for movies however).
Here are the albums that I’d like to purchase from this year:

Bjork – Medulla

I like Bjork…this one may be weird however.

Ted Leo – Shake the Sheets

This album has not gotten very positive reviews, but I listened to a sampling of it, and I liked what I heard. It is a carbon copy of Hearts of Oak, but it is still good. He writes better rock music then the latest trendy garage band, regardless of it being a copy of his older work.

Brian Wilson - Smile

I need to join Gabe on all the Beach Boys lovin’…

Pavement – Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain

“What’s that” you say? Yes, Pavement. This is an old album, but they released a deluxe edition of it this year. I’ve never heard much of Pavement, and I don’t own any of their records. Now that they’re repackaging their classic works in deluxe editions, replete with bonus tracks and Peel sessions, I seem to be hitting the Pavement fix at just the right time…

Owen – I Do Perceive

I should have bought this at the Owen show a week or two back. I just hadn’t heard much of Owen and I wasn’t sure if I’d like it. But I really enjoyed the show and I’ve liked the free Owen songs Gabe has stuck up here on the blog. I need to get this.

Nanners and Cream

Last night Gabe and I took in Bob Nanna’s solo project, City on Film at Modified Arts. The show was great, although Nanna only played 8 songs or so. However, I didn’t expect him to bust out a lengthy set, as it was only Nanna, an amp and an acoustic guitar. If you’ve gotten the chance to see Nanna perform live (minus Hey Mercedes or Braid) then you probably know what he tends to play: Hey Mercedes and Braid songs, a few originals and some covers. He started the set off with "Boy Destroyers" from the Hey Mercedes “Looses Control” LP and ended it with "A Dozen Roses" from Braid’s Frame and Canvas. He did take one request (grudgingly) from a fan, but I wasn’t familiar with the song. Surprisingly, he delivered a nice cover of Lifter-Puller’s "Secret Santa Cruz" in between the set, which was an unexpected choice. (But, a nicely done, unexpected choice.) I think I was slightly disappointed that he didn’t play “I’d Rather Be Wine Drunk” though. Yeah…I know; that was his secret, exclusive song on his 2004 mix tape. But still I was hopping he’d perform it live. (It's on his new EP after all)
I would have bought a CD, except he didn’t have any to sell. He mentioned new music out on The City on Film website though. Check it out.

Speaking of CD’s, Gabe asked me on the way over to the show what I had purchased lately. I haven’t gotten the chance to discuss my latest purchases with him, and so he suggested I list some here on the blog. But when I got home and started to think about it, I realized that I haven’t purchased much of anything lately. In fact, I could narrow my recent music purchases since September down to 4 CD’s! That was tremendously shocking to me, yet at the same time, I hadn’t suspected I had purchased a plethora of new albums. Still, I was a little questioning. I picked up tons of CD’s over the summer; what was it about the winter that caused my music habits to take a dive? And then it hit me: film school.
It’s hard to spend money on CD’s when you don’t have any money I guess…

Anyway, those 4 CD’s that I purchased were nothing extraordinary. 3 of them were CD’s I had been planning to purchase for a long time, and only one CD was a new album released just this year.

Massive Attack – Mezzanine

I didn’t mention this purchase on the blog since it’s primarily electronica music. As you know, I love the electronica. But I didn’t really feel the need to mention this one on the blog. It’s a good CD and I’ve listened to it quite a bit, but it’s definitely a taste that would appeal to Alex and myself: nonexistent guitar-work and an abundance of synthesizers.

Cursive – The Ugly Organ

Probably my personal favorite of my recent purchases, Cursive’s The Ugly Organ is a great album that I neglected to add to my collection for a very long time. I recalled numerous times riding with Gabe, listening to this album, which led me to ask myself, “Why haven’t I gotten this yet?” I’m interested in checking out some of the other Cursive albums, but this is a great one. In retrospect I would add it to my best albums of 2003 list, and probably rate it fairly close to the top.

The Firebird Band – The City At Night

I got this album at The Firebird Band concert Gabe and I attended a few weeks ago. I like the music and I’m a fan of the new direction Chris Broach is taking. Like Gabe, I’m a little disappointed that his voice is so heavily distorted and filtered throughout the album, but I like it nonetheless. Still, I do wish there were more guitar songs…

The Beatles – The White Album

This one is pretty much an essential purchase and I’m shocked that I hadn’t picked it up earlier. I ended up buying it after I heard the song “Rocky Raccoon” in filmmaking student Ray Garcia De Leon’s car. Some other favorite songs from the album are Cry Baby Cry, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Helter Skelter, Martha My Dear, Dear Prudence, and The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill.

I need to compose a list of new music I want to purchase...

Aftermath

By now you should know that it is finally over. Yes, this semester has finally ended. I think that I can now look back on the adventure and comment that this was the most difficult and challenging semester I’ve had to endure yet. That might not be saying very much; many people the world over endure much greater challenges academically then I’ve had to endure, but for my faculties, it was tasking.
But it was interesting too, especially the final days leading up to the end of the semester. If you’ll indulge me for a minute, I’d like to recount those days, simply because the people involved and the events that transpired meant very much to me.

Starting off, I need to recount the tale of the end of my film class, Post-Production. This was especially meaningful because it was not only the end of that class, but also the end of several classes and a journey I began in late August. Through this class I had my very first experience with film. And because of the teachers involved, I was able to learn a great deal about the industry I one-day hope to work in, or at least aspire to. Yes, even though they called it “Boot Camp” it was a great experience for me. Let me take you back two weeks ago before I tell you about the end though, and then I will recount the last day of class to you.
Yes, two weeks ago I suffered a reality check. In fact, this entire series of classes has been one big reality check. But perhaps the biggest lesion I had to learn was the one about my limits. As you can probably guess, we were expected to edit our films and present them on the final day of class. Myself and another student neglected to do this over the last few weeks because we were trying to get access to Final Cut as well as a person who could help us edit our pieces on Final Cut.
After spending several weeks going through numerous channels, both professional and personal, I settled upon asking Alex to show me how to use Final Cut. Cocksure arrogance and a healthy dose of ignorance told me that I didn’t have to settle on using iMovie like the other students to edit my film. I was wrong.
After spending several hours plodding around in Final Cut, my fellow classmate and I decided to bail on Alex and retreat to my house to edit our films on iMovie.
We churned out rough cuts of our films in a matter of 4 hours. It was tremendously stressful, both a mental challenge and a test of patience, which was heightened by the reality that our films were due in less then one week. I can’t help but think matters were worsened by the fact that we had spent so long waiting to get access to a program that neither one of us knew how to use. That was time we should have spent editing our films, time that I should have spent realizing I just couldn’t do that much so soon.
Thankfully, we finished our films on time and came out of the ordeal with a healthy dose of humble pie to placate our experiences.
I think the best experience came the following week however, when I screened my films along with my fellow classmates on the final night of class. That screening felt like the fruition of all my hard work during the semester:

Screening 1 – Production Classroom – Tuesday, Dec 8th:

I screened my two student films, Pantomiming and Outside In, along with my commercial for Bic Pens, for the very first time on December 8th. The films went over well with the class, and I get the feeling that everyone felt satisfied for all of the hard work they put into these projects. My initial support in the school (and my first teacher), Dr. Price, seemed pleased by Pantomiming. I was glad to see it, especially since her and I had our fair share of differences at the beginning of the semester.
As for my other film, Outside In, I was very pleased with the results. I was also happy to have both Gabe and Alex attend the screening. During my introduction to the film I put Gabe on the spot by shouting out, “hey look, there’s an actor from the film!” to which the entire class turned on Gabe (who was huddled in the back corner of the room) and applauded.
Many people were impressed by his performance, myself included. Gabe has a unique style that I think is starting to emerge. I was glad to have him in my second student film, and I’ll go on record as saying that I doubt I’d like it nearly as much if he weren’t in it. And I’m not just kissing up here; I really mean it. He made that screening great.

Screening 2 (Surprise Screening) – Turquoise Room – Thursday, December 10th:

After my first screening the teacher asked a few of her students to stay behind and chat with her for a few minutes after class. The way she played it up, I assumed I was going to get some heavy criticism that she didn’t want the other students to witness.
But, it turned out to be quite the opposite. In fact, she asked several students to join her on December 10th in the Turquoise Room (The theater/entertainment room at the school where I saw Noi Albinoi) to screen our films. Apparently, there was some kind of arts festival that takes place every year at the school. Being included in it was an honor. When I got to the screening room that Thursday however, I had no idea as to what film the teacher wanted me to play for the audience: Pantomiming, or Outside In?
When she got there she gave me copies of both films and told me to choose.
I had overheard during the festival that time was running dry and that some pieces were going on too long, so, I decided to screen Outside In since it is the shorter of the two. Also, I backed up my decision by picking Outside In through a game of eanie meanie minie moe. Outside In was moe - it caught a tiger by its toe.

Once again, we were asked to give a short introduction to our films before screening. Now, I’m not fond of doing that, especially since I have nothing prepared to say about my films. So I figured I’d just say whatever.
Thankfully, I got an idea of what I would say by listening to the other student’s in their introductory speeches. You see, each time someone would get up to screen their film, they would apologize for it and ask that the audience not be offended at what they were about to see. Honestly, I didn’t think we were required to say, “Hello, my name is blah blah and I hope you are not offended by my film”.
Dr. Price agreed with this sentiment. During the presentations she turned to me and said, “It’s our job to offend people Brock”. I couldn’t help but smile. When I got up to the mic, chuckles emerged within the audience. The microphone stand had been adjusted for a much taller person, you see. Watching me crane my head upward to talk into the mic must have been quite funny, so I took advantage of it.
“Hello, hello” I said.
“Hello!” the audience enthusiastically replied back.
“My name is Brock. Brock H. Brown. And I’m told that it’s my job to offend you.”
The audience erupted in laughter.
“That being said, here’s my film”.

After the screening on Thursday, I got the bright idea to walk all the way from Scottsdale Community College to Fashion Square Mall. (I don’t have a car, so I decided to walk all the day down to the mall) I was worn out after I got there, but I got there all right. Instead of hanging out at the school all day, I spent my time waltzing around the mall; quite a nice way to cap off the festival I must say!

As for my other two classes, Biology and English, they ended in a similarly pleasant manner. English as you know ended with me being exempt from the final exam. Biology closed with me giving yet another presentation, but it was one I was glad to give. This presentation, on Progeria Syndrome, was the final thing I would do for the entire semester. After that I had a nice and unexpected lunch with Josh.

Now that it is finally over I can’t help but look back, weary and amused, and appreciate the free time I have. I must recuperate however. Make no doubt about it, this winter vacation is going to be much needed, especially after my last few months of Mimes, mailboxes and deadlines. I can finally devote time to some of my personal pursuits…like writing my screenplay.
Yes, I must shamefully admit that I had to shelve my screenplay in order to finish the semester on time. That means that I won’t be entering a screenplay in this year’s Phoenix Film Festival. It feels like I’m betraying something grand when I say that, and believe me, making that decision was incredibly difficult. But when I reviewed all of the other things that were going on at the time, I realize that I had no time to spare. Every waking moment I had (save for a few rest moments to preserve sanity) was filtered off to some important and time-consuming task. Placing a screenplay on my plate meant that something else would have escaped my attention. And that wasn’t something I was prepared to do.
Have I betrayed Johnny Boscow? Yes, he would have been ashamed at me. I never had the time to realize my next character, the Opium Eater. But now that my schooling is over for the semester, I’ll get a chance to begin and complete my second full-length screenplay.

Another thing I’ll finally have time for is blogging. Yes, more blogging. I’m sorry to say that my blogging activity has gone down recently. Well, some people wouldn’t be ashamed, they’d say, “Hurrah, I’m free!” so maybe I should say that I’m mildly annoyed.
Either way, I’ll try and finish that film character list I started (which was ironically created to spike blog activity) as well as attempt to post more often.
Hopefully, you’ll read along with me as I lay down my thoughts here on Eyes Like Static. Maybe the other guys will be able to stumble in and post too. I think most everyone I know is busy with something very important right now, so chances are you’ll have to stick out the rest of the year with me. But that’s fine, right? At any rate, it’s inevitable.

Another trailer

Here's one more trailer for you guys, Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds. It looks pretty cool to me. I like the visual at the end of the trailer with the horizon aglow in fire and ash as suburbia looks on. Very cinematic.
This would have been a cheap trick, but I also thought it might have been cool to have a piece of the original Orson Welles narration running over the trailer instead of that current narration. It's still powerful though.

Chewing gum is really gross

Here's the very bizzare trailer for Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.