In film school, some courses will ask you to reshoot a scene from a movie. Folks get ambitious, and it's a hard lesson in how important things like good sound equipment, talented actors, rehearsal, and a knack for direction can actually be. But it's an exercise a lot of schools have you do before you head out with your own material to butcher.
Below are what I think are likely YouTube videos of those class assignments. I can see why you'd want these scenes. Two people, both strong characters. It's all right there on the page. And you're only dealing with two actors.
Tom talks to Verna about the death of Rug Daniels...
I'm going to go on and say this: walking in heels in difficult. It's also something everyone who wants to be on TV or in movies should learn how to do. Also, don't outfit our actresses with a jingly purse, movie-people.
Film. Comics. Sci-Fi. Superheroes. Pulp. Noir. History. Superman. 20th Century Archaeology.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Join Us: Miller's Crossing at The Drafthouse Ritz
If you knew me in college you knew two things about me:
The movie comes to The Alamo Ritz on March 28th. Simon, Paul and I have our tickets, and we expect you'll be joining us (we're seats 7 - 10 on row 21 for reserved seating).
Put on your fedora or mink coat and come on out and join us to see the movie that sort of set me on the path of being into movies with guys in hats and a lifetime fascination with women in gowns who talk fast and maybe carry a gun.
- I was probably up for getting some tacos
- I never got over that first viewing of Miller's Crossing
The movie comes to The Alamo Ritz on March 28th. Simon, Paul and I have our tickets, and we expect you'll be joining us (we're seats 7 - 10 on row 21 for reserved seating).
Put on your fedora or mink coat and come on out and join us to see the movie that sort of set me on the path of being into movies with guys in hats and a lifetime fascination with women in gowns who talk fast and maybe carry a gun.
Wreck-It-Ralph, Birthday, Quiet Man, Pam Grier is well liked
I should probably have something smarter to say, as I haven't really posted much on the usual topics the past several days.
On Saturday evening I wasn't feeling up to snuff, so we watched the Disney film Wreck-It-Ralph, which turned out to be a pretty good flick. While the themes and story are going to hold up, I am concerned that the trappings of the nostalgia and with the concept of a modern game (or kids paying to play games at an arcade at all) it'll fall into Oliver and Co. territory for Disney, a sort of dated product of its time. Still, at this time, it was a really fun movie that, even if the kids don't quite get all the gags, they can stick with what's offered up on a story and emotional level. The "over their heads" bits seemed mostly winky stuff towards 80's video games, much as the Toy Story movies might reference a toy from a Gen X'er's youth. Heck, one of the credit songs is performed by Pac-Man Fever maestros Buckner and Garcia.
Today was my brother's 40th, and we spent most of the day out at my folks' place with a wide variety of characters. I saw people I hadn't seen in years, including the children I had never met of several of Jason's pals. Some of those kids are kind of not so little anymore. Time flies, man.
On Saturday evening I wasn't feeling up to snuff, so we watched the Disney film Wreck-It-Ralph, which turned out to be a pretty good flick. While the themes and story are going to hold up, I am concerned that the trappings of the nostalgia and with the concept of a modern game (or kids paying to play games at an arcade at all) it'll fall into Oliver and Co. territory for Disney, a sort of dated product of its time. Still, at this time, it was a really fun movie that, even if the kids don't quite get all the gags, they can stick with what's offered up on a story and emotional level. The "over their heads" bits seemed mostly winky stuff towards 80's video games, much as the Toy Story movies might reference a toy from a Gen X'er's youth. Heck, one of the credit songs is performed by Pac-Man Fever maestros Buckner and Garcia.
Today was my brother's 40th, and we spent most of the day out at my folks' place with a wide variety of characters. I saw people I hadn't seen in years, including the children I had never met of several of Jason's pals. Some of those kids are kind of not so little anymore. Time flies, man.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Your St. Patrick's Day Dose of Good Cheer: Jennifer Connelly
Well, I probably should have held off on posting pics of Maureen O'Hara til today, but I didn't. So, we're going for something a bit modern for this column.
I believe Connelly is as much of an American mutt as most of us are, but the name Connelly is Irish, right? Wikipedia says she's at least part Irish, so we're running with it.
Any excuse to post pics of Jennifer Connelly is a good excuse.
My Brother Turns 40
Today is my brother's 40th birthday.
This is a bit of a milestone for the family, I think. The elder son hits that magical four-oh number. Odd when I think on his birthday and can recall the elementary school birthdays with some clarity. I even remember him getting a Beach Boys album when he was 6 or 7. I guess as long as you keep showing up, they keep giving you birthdays, and that means cake, and who can argue with that incentive?
Still, 40 gives me a moment of pause as I also recall my mother turning 40 and what a to-do that was around the house. I don't think we think of 40 in the same terms today - 40 is the new 30 or whatever - and it's all what you make of it. And I think he's done okay for himself. Especially since he got his hair cut in 1995.
Here's to my brother, who has blazed the birthday trail for the Steans Bros. No matter how hard I try to catch up, he's always a couple years ahead of me, and watching him degenerate let's me know what's coming.
You can't ask for a better brother. Well, short of getting, like, an awesome robot who shoots lasers out of his face, but I'll take this one.
He's a hell of a guy, and, as it turns out, is not afraid to take the same picture with Amy in multiple locations.
And here's a more recent photo of the man rocking the house back in January with his bandmates of the past 14 years, The Mono Ensemble.
And , of course, here's a pic from the pages of the Statesman as my bro works with a client of the Veteran's Court from our own Travis County.
You can really see the magnificence of the beard.
Happy birthday, man. You're doing good.
This is a bit of a milestone for the family, I think. The elder son hits that magical four-oh number. Odd when I think on his birthday and can recall the elementary school birthdays with some clarity. I even remember him getting a Beach Boys album when he was 6 or 7. I guess as long as you keep showing up, they keep giving you birthdays, and that means cake, and who can argue with that incentive?
Still, 40 gives me a moment of pause as I also recall my mother turning 40 and what a to-do that was around the house. I don't think we think of 40 in the same terms today - 40 is the new 30 or whatever - and it's all what you make of it. And I think he's done okay for himself. Especially since he got his hair cut in 1995.
Here's to my brother, who has blazed the birthday trail for the Steans Bros. No matter how hard I try to catch up, he's always a couple years ahead of me, and watching him degenerate let's me know what's coming.
You can't ask for a better brother. Well, short of getting, like, an awesome robot who shoots lasers out of his face, but I'll take this one.
He's a hell of a guy, and, as it turns out, is not afraid to take the same picture with Amy in multiple locations.
 |
| Really, if they don't make this a thing, I'll be disappointed. |
And here's a more recent photo of the man rocking the house back in January with his bandmates of the past 14 years, The Mono Ensemble.
 |
| oh, Carousel Lounge, don't ever change... |
You can really see the magnificence of the beard.
Happy birthday, man. You're doing good.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Well, I'm Back from Spring
I drove to Spring, TX yesterday and am back.
This was the aforementioned Drama Club Reunion, sort-of. Folks who did plays and musicals between 1993 and almost 2000 showed.
It was great to see everyone, and we'll need to do it again.
You guys don't really know these people, so I'll keep it short.
Here's Jared, my director, V (I will never call her "Margaret"), a woman I never identified, and a guy we used to call "Trucker". It's a long story.
Nathan and Weston.
Meredith, Jared and Julie.
People are doing really well. Or they're at least smart enough to lie about doing really well.
But the traffic in Spring at 5:00 on a Friday is crazy insane.
This was the aforementioned Drama Club Reunion, sort-of. Folks who did plays and musicals between 1993 and almost 2000 showed.
It was great to see everyone, and we'll need to do it again.
You guys don't really know these people, so I'll keep it short.
Here's Jared, my director, V (I will never call her "Margaret"), a woman I never identified, and a guy we used to call "Trucker". It's a long story.
Nathan and Weston.
Meredith, Jared and Julie.
People are doing really well. Or they're at least smart enough to lie about doing really well.
But the traffic in Spring at 5:00 on a Friday is crazy insane.
Friday, March 15, 2013
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