Media Meaning

Media Match Series (Oscar Nominees)-The Artist Actors

2012-01-27T12:02:00.003-05:00

The Artist, a multiple Oscar nominee, stars acting nominees Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo who also starred together in the 1996 international spy action-comedy OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies, which is now available on Netflix.

Media Match Series (Oscar Nominees)-Rise of the Planet of the Apes

2012-01-26T17:02:00.006-05:00

Get out your calendars, "to-get" lists, or other reminders for the new "Media Match" series. When I see two prominent matches in the media world, then I'll let you know!

Well, Andy Serkis was robbed in the Supporting Actor categories, but Rise of the Planet of the Apes still amazes and got one nomination for visual effects (there should really be a stunt category too). Rise was one of my top ten films of the 2011 and even better on Blu-ray with extra features - check it out before Oscar night! ...Rise's media match is, of course, Project Nim, coming to home video on February 7. The DVD version features two featurettes and audio commentary with director James March (Man on Wire). Set in the 1970s, this documentary tells the story of a chimpanzee taken from its mother at birth and raised as a human child to tragic consequences.

Look for more Oscar nominee "media matches" until the February 26, when the Oscars are televised.

Oscar Nomination Snubs and Surprises

2012-01-24T10:07:00.002-05:00

The Oscar nominations are out! Hugo led the pack with The Artist close behind with 10 nods. War Horse and Moneyball each had six. The Descendants and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo each got five. Four nominations each for Midnight in Paris and The Help while The Tree of Life, Albert Nobbs, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 each got three nods. Dual nominees included Bridesmaids, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, The Iron Lady, A Separation, and My Week With Marilyn.

The Snubs

No Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 for Best Picture (all those British actors and no nomination?...guess this series does not get the ending sendoff the Lord of the Ring trilogy enjoyed)

No The Adventures of Tintin for Best Animated Picture (a fantastic film)

No Albert Brooks (Drive) for Best Supporting Actor (Drive did get one nod for Best Sound Editing)

No The Tree of Life for Best Editing (usually the longest films get the nomination)

Only two nominations for Best Song (a slow year for musicals…even animated ones)

No technical nominations for Super 8 or Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

Welcome Surprises

Eleven nominations for Hugo

A Seperation for Best Original Screenplay

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close for Best Picture

Kung Fu Panda 2 for Best Animated Picture

Max von Sydow (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) for Best Supporting Actor

Demián Bichir (A Better Life) for Best Actor

Margin Call for Best Original Screenplay

My picks went very well except for the documentary, animated feature, and sound mixing categories.

See the full nomination list here.

Oscar Nomination Predictions

2012-01-22T16:54:00.006-05:00

Best Picture
The Artist, The Descendants, The Help, Hugo, Midnight in Paris, War Horse, Moneyball, and The Tree of Life with two possible wildcards - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II and Tinker Tailer Soldier Spy

Best Director
Michel Hazanavicius – The Artist
Alexander Payne – The Descendants
Martin Scorsese – Hugo
Woody Allen – Midnight in Paris
Terrence Malick – The Tree of Life

Best Actor
Georgy Clooney – The Descendants
Jean Dujardin – The Artist
Brad Pitt – Moneyball
Michael Fassbender – Shame
Gary Oldman – Tinker Tailer Soldier Spy

Best Actress
Viola Davis – The Help
Meryl Streep – The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams – My Week with Marilyn
Glenn Close – Albert Nobbs
Rooney Mara - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Best Supporting Actor
Christopher Plummer – Beginners
Albert Brooks – Drive
Kenneth Branagh – My Week with Marilyn
Jonah Hill – Moneyball
Nick Nolte – Warrior

Best Supporting Actress
Octavia Spencer – The Help
Berenice Bejo – The Artist
Jessica Chastain – The Help
Melissa McCarthy – Bridesmaids
Shailene Woodley – The Descendants

Best Original Screenplay
Will Reiser - 50/50
Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist
Mike Mills - Beginners
Kristin Wiig & Annie Mumulo - Bridesmaids
Woody Allen - Midnight in Paris

Best Adapted Screenplay
Jim Rash, Nat Faxon, Alexander Payne - The Descendants
Steve Zaillian & Aaron Sorkin - Moneyball
Tate Taylor - The Help
John Logan - Hugo
Peter Straughan & Bridget O’Connor - Tinker Tailor Solider Spy

Best Animated Feature
The Adventures of Tintin
Puss in Boots
Rango
Arthur Christmas
Cars 2

Best Documentary Feature
Project Nim
Buck
Bill Cunningham New York
Pina
Paradise Lost 3

Best Editing
The Artist
Hugo
The Girl with the Dragon Tatto
The Tree of Life
Moneyball

Best Cinematography
Hugo
The Artist
The Tree of Life
War Horse
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Best Makeup
The Iron Lady
Albert Nobbs
Harry Potters and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

Best Visual Effects
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Harry Potters and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Hugo
The Tree of Life
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

Best Original Song
“Life’s a Happy Song” – The Muppets
“Man or Muppet” – The Muppets
"Lay Your Head Down" - Albert Nobbs
"The Living Proof" - The Help
"Hello Hello" - Gnomeo & Juliet

Best Original Score
The Adventures of Tintin
The Artist
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Best Sound Editing
Hugo
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
Super 8
Transformers: The Dark Of The Moon
War Horse

Best Sound Mixing
The Adventures of Tintin
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
Transformers: The Dark of The Moon
Super 8
War Horse

Best Costume Design
The Artist
The Help
Hugo
Jane Eyre
W.E.

Best Art Direction
The Artist
Anonymous
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 2
Hugo
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Best Foreign Language Film
A Separation
Footnote
In Darkness
Monsieur Lazhar
Pina

Stream of Consciousness Jukebox, session three

2012-01-18T11:30:00.000-05:00

Great A.M. music....
:-)

"At or With Me" – Jack Johnson

"Won’t Go Home Without You" – Maroon 5

"Perfect Lie" – Sheryl Crow

"Stole" – Kelly Rowland

"God of Wonders" – Cliff Young

"Fallin & Flyin’ " – Jeff Bridges

"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" – Tears for Fears

"One Day" – Matisyahu

My Worst Films of 2011

2012-01-13T11:00:00.001-05:00

The Bottom 10 Films of 2011

No particular order. They all stink...

Your Highness
Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil
Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son
Paul
Conan the Barbarian
Drive Angry 3D
Hall Pass
Passion Play
Monte Carlo
Green Lantern

...and films like Human Centipede 2, Hangover Part 2, Straw Dogs, A Very Harold & Humar 3D Christmas, Insidious, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, A Good Old-Fashioned Orgy, Paranormal Activity 3 are definitely off my radar to protect my mind.
:-)

Best Books of 2011

2012-01-12T09:17:00.001-05:00

My personal best list of 2011 books.

The Holy Bible (every year..)
The Information: A History, A Theory, A Flood – James Gleick
Bossypants – Tina Fey
The Compass of Pleasure: How Our Brains… - David Linden
Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finishing Well – Billy Graham

Stream of Consciousness Jukebox, session two

2012-01-10T11:32:00.000-05:00

...today’s AM offering:

"Save Room"-John Legend

"Hide and Seek" – Imogen Heap

"Better Be Good to Me" – Tina Turner

"Thin Air"-Pearl Jam

"Hindi Sad Diamonds" – Alka Yagnik

"Protest to Praise" – Downhere

"Top Priority" – Tal & Acacia

"Everything Little Thing She Does is Magic" – Police

"Memories Can’t Wait" – Living Colour

"In My Room"-Beach Boys

"Aaj Mera Jee Kardaa (Today My Heart Desires)"- Sukhwinder Singh

Rockin' out

2012-01-08T23:11:00.002-05:00

Borrowed another electric guitar for Rocksmith session two. Watching the latest Pearl Jam Twenty documentary tonight makes the anticipation even higher. Music is such an involving media. I love it. Besides percussion and singing, I have always wanted to gain skills in piano, trumpet, and guitar. My music teachers instilled so much into that medium for me and I'm always grateful. It enhanced so many other elements in my life and so many other talents. At this point in my life where I am turning 40 later this year, music remains one of the best media experiences in almost any genre. Like many other media, music gives you the opportunity for personal expression where the feedback comes back in emotional waves and raw feeling. Music comes back much quicker usually after three or four minutes, so packing a composition and multiple instruments into something meaningful always amazes me. We will see how much my guitar skills progress, but I am always going to love and cherish the progress.

2012 Movie Preview

2012-01-07T07:51:00.008-05:00

Also appearing in my regular movie/home video section in Mature Living Magazine for the upcoming February issue...all release dates subject to change.

2012 has several promising releases featuring many prominent and rising stars. Jeremy Renner (Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol) looks at have another stellar year in the superhero-filled The Avengers (May 4), Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (March 2), and The Bourne Legacy (August 3) with co-stars Edward Norton, Rachel Weisz, Joan Allen, and Scott Glenn. Bruce Willis also looks to have a big year with G.I. Joe: Retalliation (June 29), The Expendables 2 (August 17), and Looper (Sept. 28) about a hitman living in a future where his victims are sent to him from the future co-starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Emily Blunt, Piper Perabo, and Jeff Daniels.

Other high profile sequels will include Wrath of the Titans (March 30), The Dark Night Rises (July 20), Taken 2 (Oct. 5), Men In Black 3 (May 25), Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (Aug. 3), The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 (Nov. 16), and James Bond returns in Skyfall (Nov 9). Other remakes and “reboots” include The Great Gatsby (Dec. 25), The Amazing Spider-Man (July 3), The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (Dec. 14), Total Recall (Aug. 3), 21 Jump Street (March 16), and the Alien prequel Prometheus (June 8).

Book adaptations include Hunger Games (March 23) and What to Expect When You’re Expecting (May 11) while fairy tales also look to rule the theaters with Jack the Giant Killer (June 15) and the competing films Snow White and the Huntsman (June 1) and Mirror Mirror (March 16). Director Tim Burton remakes the cult classic TV show Dark Shadows (May 11) while the Farrelly Brothers offer The Three Stooges (April 13).

Disney continues their traditional Earth Day nature documentary release with Chimpanzee while Titanic sets sail again in 3D. The Odd Life of Timothy Green (Aug. 15) offers an inspiring story about a couple trying for a baby who find themselves in a unique situation after a visitor lands on their doorstep while Tyler Perry also directs and writes The Marriage Counselor (July 27). Musically themed films include the heavy metal Rock of Ages (June 1), Sparkle (Aug. 10), and Les Miserables (Dec. 7) starring Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman, and Anne Hathaway.

Comedian showcases include Eddie Murphy in A Thousand Words (March 23), Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn in Neighborhood Watch (July 27), Kevin James in Here Comes the Boom (Oct. 12), and Adam Sandler in I Hate You, Dad (June 15). Promising romantic comedies include Steve Carell and Keira Knightley in Seeking a Friend for the End of the World and Robert De Niro, Katherine Heigl, and Diane Keaton in The Big Wedding (Oct. 19).

Animated films will include Finding Nemo 3D (Sept. 14), Wreck-It Ralph (Nov. 2), Dr. Suess’ The Lorax (March 2), ParaNorman (Aug 17), Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted (June 8), Pixar’s Brave (June 22), Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie (Oct. 5), Ice Age: Continental Drift (July 13), The Pirates! Band of Misfits (March 30), and Rise of the Guardians (Nov. 21) featuring the voices of Hugh Jackman and Alec Baldwin where five familiar seasonal/holiday figures battle the Bogeyman.

Holiday films will include the space sci-fi epic Gravity starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney plus Brad Pitt in the adaptation of Max Brooks’ novel World War Z (Dec. 21). Steven Spielberg directs Daniel Day-Lewis in the biopic Lincoln (December), and Quentin Tarantino helms Django Unchained (Dec. 25). Billy Crystal and Bette Midler star as grandparents helping care for their grandkids in the comedy Parental Guidance (Nov. 21). Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones, and Steve Carell star in the comedy-drama Great Hope Springs (Dec 14).

I Don't Know How She Does It mini-review

2012-01-06T12:03:00.007-05:00

My wife is amazing. A great partner, multitasker...you name it. We watched I Don't Know How She Does It last night (picked it over Larry Crowne much to my surprise (I'm usually a big Tom Hanks fan) and my wife's dismay (apparently her ordered choices where according the preference in her email). It was a solid, enjoyable movie mainly due to Sara Jessica Parker's persona. She's one of the few stars you want to keep watch and who keeps you in the movie no matter what it it. Beyond the superficial elements, like what she's wearing, she is so charming and appealing that audiences want to keep watching her. The movie had a few no-nos near beginning like "break the audience plane" (actors directly addressing the camera) and talking about financial problems (box office kryptonite these days...see the 2009 film Confessions of a Shopaholic), but then really had a nice flow. I really admired they way Kate handled Jack, played by Pierce Brosnan – one of the best relationship scenes I’ve seen. Very honorable and opposite of endless scenes where character instantly succumb to impulse and temptation. The way the film make an impact was subtle. For example, a misplaced Power Point picture had a much stronger reaction because filmmakers did not show the typical reactionary shot of the supplementary characters, which matches perfectly with the narration style directed at the audience. I don’t know the box office on this film and I don’t need to know. It's great. Adding it to our movie library. I loved the sections on lists. My attitude has always been "write it down so it’s out of your head", but something to be said for the process. Keeping all the items in your head. Thinking through each item. Prioritizing...Engaging stuff amid a world filled with stuff.

Stream of Consciousness Jukebox, session one

2012-01-05T12:12:00.000-05:00

Starting a new semi-regular media feature here on Media Meaning: Stream of Consciousness Jukebox. Here is today’s AM offering:

"Hard Day (Shep Pettibone Remix)"-George Michael

"Girl"-Beatles

"All Falls Down (edited)"-Kanye West

"It’s Too Late"-Carole King

"Bathwater"-No Doubt (awesome group – hope to catch one of their concerts this year)

"Incinerate"-Sonic Youth

"Angel"-Aerosmith (wow, remember singing my heart out on this song during a dance at Todd Runyan’s house…because no girl would dance with me)

"Call It Democracy"-Bruce Cockburn (great song, but one F*** word…preceded by “flying”)

"Miles Away"-Madonna

Mean Media

2012-01-04T11:58:00.000-05:00

Being mean does not get us anywhere. It is an ugly, unappealing entity that can spread like wildfire, especially via the Web – a place where mean people communicate in cowardly way that would be quite different in a real face-to-face setting. It is hard to submit, even if you are right, but it can be done to avoid being mean. Use more desirable, simple responses. I disagree with you. I prefer this way. Greedy and selfish are mean elements some people might see as “getting ahead in life”, but the reality is our own needs cannot sustain our world. “Every man for himself” does not promote community. Amid this world of bullies and bad economies, we need to fight meanness now more than ever. The media has enough villains like Simon Cowell, Mr. Burns from The Simpsons, Cruella DeVille, and many more Disney film baddies – do not make yourself into one.

God may be subtle, but he isn't plain mean.

~Albert Einstein

Best Movies of 2011

2012-01-03T10:56:00.001-05:00

The Artist
Cave of Forgotten Dreams
Crazy Stupid Love
Descendants
Hugo
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
Moneyball
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
The Warrior
X-Men First Class

Best of 2011 Video Games

2012-01-02T00:06:00.001-05:00

My personal best list of 2011 video games… Again, consider this quote from last year’s Game Informer article on Epic Mickey from Warren Spector:

"...Games can do only two things that I can think of that no other medium can do; one is offer real-time, dynamic puzzles and the other is offer players the opportunity to tell their own story, or at least tell a story in collaboration with others..."

Batman: Arkham City
Battlefield 3
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
L.A. Noire
Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
MarioKart 7
NBA 2K12
Portal 2
Rocksmith
Super Mario Land 3D

Happy Media New Year!

2012-01-01T22:34:00.001-05:00

Enjoying your holiday gear? Well, the 2012 U.S. technology media blitz has already begun. People will get a breather in January then in February Sony will release their PlayStation Vita…for a price higher than the Amazon Kindle Fire.

In March, new media will likely include Nintendo’s Wii U and Apple’s iPad 3.

In April, the next laptop computer version launches – the Ultrabook.

In the summer, Apple looks to also release a HD television service.

New and old. Bad and good. Can we really keep up with everything by categorizing, typing, ranking, and segmenting media? What we keep up with is key. Does this new media meet ours’ or others’ needs? How can both benefit from more detailed relationships like work and personal or time and resources. Is it up to the developers or the users to find ways to “make it work”? What about collaboration (e.g. Sony’s PlayStation Move.me, etc.)

Users definitely have more influence now. Even the many local news outlets solicit stories, news updates, traffic updates, etc. When given the opportunity, users have found creative, unintended media blends like Danger Mouse’s The Grey Album - a remix of Jay-Z's Black Album and the Beatles' White Album

Most people are comfortable using technology, although their skills may be limited, but there are still many people who have not integrated the Web/Internet into their work, so paper-based layouts, contact information and word-of-mouth/user satisfaction is still very important. Most media producers give users the options, but are forgetting how their choices affect users. For example, I could experience Monday Night Football since I do not have cable, but it is not the same experience. Do I feel discriminated against on ESPN’s college bowl coverage, especially tomorrow?...not really, but it would be nice to at least keep the National Championship on a national network…just take National off the title.

Purpose is key. What it this new media about and what does it seek to achieve…Money and money might be the answers for both. Companies have a financial responsibility, so have a larger risk factor than the user. For example, Sony’s Ericsson Experia Play offering risked the mobile media choice between providing users with a standalone game console or a game system combined with a phone.

Companies usually include the following objectives in their new media products:

Heightens education and overall awareness
24/7 access (unavailable elsewhere)
Offers opportunities to participate in several programs/activities
Presents various perspectives

I would love to see more of the following objectives met:

Offers information otherwise not available to a wide audience
Acts as an effective community communications tool
Provides a historical value
Creates the ability to encourage and respond to interactivity based on actual feedback

Old media can never be fully replaced, even though people think it is just because it looks physically different (a superficial perspective running rampant today). Pop culture and advertising bombards us with "brand new" and "comeback" concepts. Madonna's tour titled "Reinvention" exemplifies the remediation required by media artists in today's world. We are driven to get the latest technology or be left behind.

Most teachers would be surprised to receive a handwritten paper today. Clean computerized font and hand printed letters similar to that font are the norm now. Why did I take those handwriting classes in school again? Because our instructor did not anticipate the computer age? So what's to become of the media of the pen?

Many people are ruled by the fads and remediation "branding" that convinces us to consume. People who refuse to update are perceived as "old" or "useless". One of my previous employers refused to update their media techniques and missed the Website "wave" loosing many clients and their reputation. Co-workers constantly struggled to convince management that these updates were needed, but were refuted with "this is the way we've always done business".

Just because certain media is the latest craze, does not mean we have to purchase it. There are social factors working here, but if the audience is significant, we at least have to consider what everyone is using on a large scale. I think ideas, audience and practical use should cross our minds before hopping on the bandwagon. Eventually it becomes a matter of anticipating what new technology/media will be most useful.

Best Music of 2011

2011-12-21T12:06:00.001-05:00

My personal best list of 2011 music.

Hot Sauce Committee Part Two, Beastie Boys
Mylo Xyloto, Coldplay
Wasting Light, Foo Fighters
X-Men: First Class motion picture soundtrack, Henry Jackman
Watch the Throne, Jay-Z and Kanye West
The Lonely Island, Lonely Island
The King of Limbs, Radiohead
I’m With You, Red Hot Chili Peppers
A She & Him Christmas, She & Him
So Beautiful or So What, Paul Simon

Goodbye PlayStation Home

2011-10-31T16:31:00.003-04:00

Well, it has been a while since my last post. Life enhancements. Enriching experiences. Continuing this trend with the deletion of the PlayStation Home community site and associated files from my PlayStation 3. My physical memory is liberated and my emotional/mental memory does not have much to say about PS Home. Interactions were minimal. Start a conversation. Minimal response. Commercialism. Unnecessary complexity and increasingly useless content. It's like they tried for the Sims (a much better experience) and took all the fun out of it and replaced it with real money. I can watch game previews, movie previews, mini games, etc. in several other media. Eventually PS home never gave me a reason to come back.

My ultimate decision was based on freeing memory from my PS3, but also just not getting much back from the time I put into this experience. Let's start a ROM (return on media) and break down how much we are getting from specific media experiences. Music and movies still rule the roost in my mind. Tal and Acacia are a recent music discovery (thanks to my wife) and the film Courageous (about 2 hours and 15 minutes) did more for me personally than my entire PlayStation Home experience (14+ hours total since I installed it).

UPDATE:
PlayStation relaunching Home...I won't even be at the launch pad.
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6343630.html?tag=nl.e576

Media Collection Time

2011-09-23T10:33:00.006-04:00

With so many video, games, music, pictures, and related activities increasing in our lives, we must address a common life component – time management. Extra time gives us the compatibility to do different things, but are we diverting that time to community building endeavors (volunteering, etc.) or just finding different ways to plug in? Fast food is a great example. What do we do with the time we would spend making food, washing dishes, and buying more groceries?

We have the power, not the media, which is just the tool for us, so we need some serious development time to estimate planned time and desired results. Is it worth the time to create a huge Excel database of our video game library for our own feeling of self worth? OR…could we add fields like online options, number of players, and other features and store all the game discs in enveloped cases with this database inside instead of storing all the boxes somewhere? Of course there are always media choices for managing and “databasing” media like video games, or movies and games, but is it worth the time to replicate information that we already have? That decision might be easier with a simple bar code scan...as we slowly transform our media collection into a retail store format and receive constant recommendations for more collection editions. At what point are we satisfied? Do we have a target list? What are our standards for that collection?

It can be a slow progression, but as long as we question our processes, then we make progress. My brothers and I had a minimum “three good song” rule for music purchases since then my processes have improved where I’m spending much less time maintaining collections. Now more than ever we want our money to stretch and give us the best most useful media possible. We have to scrutinize ourselves though, not necessarily the media. “It would be nice, but is it necessary?”. Do we have one process that we keep improving on or do we float from one thing to the next with no real “media system legacy” in place? There is plenty of stuff out there and we cannot also rely on others for our processes, but we can certainly customize their tools for our purposes instead of a vice versa scenario. Feel free to share your media/item processes here in the comments.

Media Choice

2011-08-10T21:54:00.004-04:00

Categorized organization of media has been an interesting and previous practice in my life. I currently alphabetize everything now, but before I spent hours switching organization and even making contests from them. For example, my brothers and I would have albums "showdowns" in the basement according to most singles released...then sales...then best liked. On and on. Now it seems there is so much more available to the masses that taking the time to think about what we've collected has lost it's meaning.

Friends have discussed how they manage media, but feel less satisfied when they actually get down to experiencing it. "Full-length"? Who has time for that now. We choose not to make the time anymore. There are too many distractions that might give us a better experience, which leads back to the core - our socially crafted methods of choice. Time used to be on our side, but now it's an inconvenience. Media providers want to move people to the next "new" thing. Without relating media experiences to real life or our experiences, we lose the meaning. It just becomes an endless circle a la Seven Degrees to Kevin Bacon.

I attended a party for writing film reviews once. No one had met me before they just knew me by reading my reviews. I enter the party and am quickly addressed as "movie guy". My face soured. I have a name. Movies are great, but they don't define me. I don't want to be know as movie guy. I found "Tall Writer" to be an acceptable alias in this frenzied world, but "movie guy" was too general. I strive to evoke more than just simple trivia and associations. The writing connected to my love of movies creates an amazing feeling when using these God-given talents.

My wife and I are currently discussing our Netflix queue. She mentioned starting the queue over from scratch. I thought so we could repopulate it with what we really want (cough, "13 Assassins") while she thought we could reorganize it...alphabetically.

Media influence

2011-07-07T11:14:00.005-04:00

Media influence has been a particularly poignant subject lately, especially for this family man. After reading the decent, but repetitive book "So Sexy, So Soon", I had several new approaches to help our family's cause. We already had a long standing "open discussion" requirement when a given media provokes thought or questions, along with other protections and approaches. Parents/guardians/family cannot simply give up and, as the book states, go beyond just saying no to inappropriate activities.

First, the best overall point in this book discusses how media gears people towards consumerism ideologies and the "quick fix to happiness" instead of getting satisfaction and a solid well being from creativity, hard work, and imagination. Remediation is a huge element in this consumerism that results in diminishing originality, fewer ground breaking experiences, and recycled archetypes/cliches.

Now for the relationship factors. One of the biggest points was how men find attachment and intimacy more difficult to achieve than women. Sex in intimacy should be seen as a privilege and honor instead of something to exploit or take advantage of. It's a defining activity that is associated with overall life success and sadly linked to violence. Sex scenes in movies do not show many redeeming qualities any more. No Strings Attached/Friends With Benefits are unfortunate movie media examples reflecting the so-called norm. Society claims it is the norm, so peer pressure, shallow thoughts, and immediacy typically overcome deep thought, methodical thinking, and objective decision making. Why else would "kids feel guilty experiencing things they know parents disapprove." They know it is wrong.

Check who kids follow, how they use their environment, communicate or miscommunicate real life elements, and consider what they see as pretend versus what is real as time goes on. Parent can monitor and keep kids accountable to their actions, but kids make the ultimate decision. Young ones influenced by media see they must achieve "effortless perfection" to "win" in life and become a success in other people's eyes.

The "pressure for sex and lack of sexual power" instills fear that people will lose their partner or arouse anger if they do not give into other's wants/desires. Unfairly inflicting one's will involuntarily over another human being is never a good idea. It has reduced governments to rubble in the news, but it occurs on a personal level through misused media. Media can be such a blessing when used according to God's will not ours.

We must address how young people learn about sex and how it has become so impersonal and destructive in modern culture. We have to protect each other, build accountability/community, show authentic compassion, try hard at cooperation, and build open forums where people can discuss "legimate sexual feelings of their own" without exploitation, mediation, and unnecessary dissemination. Lately notable female celebrities feel its necessary to express their sexuality exclusively through media (magazines, private cell phone pictures, etc.). Media defines actions and influences, which makes the difficult task of understanding how young people process sex even more complex as they try to "make sense of their experiences".

Finished reading this book last night, then saw a great related post in today's USA Today - see below:
---
Game violence is unprecedented
There is a vast difference between the violence in Grimm's fairy tales, which I grew up on, and images of women being brutally tortured and killed in video games.

In the story of Hansel and Gretel, the image of an old witch being put into an oven because she wanted to eat children is not a violent image to a child. In a child's imagination, the witch is symbolic of something ugly that perhaps brings unhappiness to a child's life. Putting the old witch into the oven is helping the child understand that something evil, or ugly, can be gotten rid of.

Graphic images of topless women being violently harmed are being ingrained into the minds of innocent children repeatedly in some games, leaving little room for imagination. As an adult, I don't want those images in my mind. If I had those images in my mind as a child, I perhaps would be a depressed adult today.

Shame on the manufacturers who degrade the human race with such vile products. Forget regulation. Ban the product entirely.

Theresa B. Slusher; Cincinnati
from USA Today Opinion section - Letter on July 7, 2011

I do not know how the Harry Potter series ends

2011-07-05T19:32:00.003-04:00

...for that reason, I am starting to get more excited about the final film. It's baffling to people when I tell them. How could someone miss out on such a huge media craze - in print and on screen?!? It did not really change me at all until I saw the HP films passed the James Bond/007 film series for best British box office ever. James Bond ignited my attention to detail and passion for gadgetry, so I am certainly not going to overlook Harry's appeal. The magical elements define the HP series, but Harry has always had a great heart to do good as well, even in the face of intimidating odds. In the preview, I heard Daniel Radcliffe echo Harry's words "I did not expect any one to die for me." I am not sure if that phrase appear in the film series, but what an amazing phrase. I know who I would die for, but to see a human character have so much understanding and empathy in a dire situation was refreshing...and made me want to see the last film even more.

Top Three Heartbreaking Movie Moments

2011-05-30T07:55:00.010-04:00

Memorial Day honors those who gave their lives for our country. An obvious day to reminisce, so I thought I would share some memorable movie moments that have really stuck in my head over the years. These top three candidates represents my current viewing cache only, so I would love to hear yours as well.

3) Layer Cake - savage beating
Also known as the "tea pot beating scene", this harrowing revenge sequence features Morty, played by George Harris, unloading on his past acquaintance in crime Freddy, played by Ivan Kaye. Already an outstanding crime drama, this 2004 film cuts to the core of human nature. How could a human do this to another? A prequel to this film would have plenty of ammunition just from this past relationship, but we do get a decent explanation here.

2) Hope Floats - beginning talk show sequence (also read the first paragraph from Lisa S's EW review)
This 1998 divorce drama begins with Sandra Bullock's character Birdee blindsided on a talk show as a friend reveals her affair with Birdee's husband. Heartbreaking, right? Wait until you see the reaction from Birdee and her husband's daughter while the crowd ruthlessly enjoys the bombshell.

1) The Passion of the Christ
No other film has evoked more emotions from me than Mel Gibson's 2004 film depicting the last 12 hours in the life of Jesus. Words fail me, which is exactly the point of the film. This film is a moving painting. The film is so visual that many scenes would not even need subtitles, except maybe for two scenes: Pontius Pilate’s discussion about “truth” with his wife and the Roman soldiers’ actions to the other two men crucified after Jesus dies. Director Mel Gibson captures the essence of what a person would see as a spectator at these events by enhancing the simplest actions with sound, close-ups and slow motion. My most emotional point of the film comes when Mary has a vivid flashback as Jesus falls – a touching sequence that captures the simple love between a mother and son.

As a child, I remember seeing almost pristine images where only a bit of blood would hang from the nail points on the crucifix, these memories are a stark contrast to the portrayal of Jesus’ suffering in The Passion of Christ. The vivid level of violence may cause strong reactions, but does not include flashy style that glorifies the deplorable actions. Most importantly, the violence ultimately yields grace, love and salvation for all. The short flashbacks give you necessary breaks from the violence while providing more background about Jesus’ life, His important messages and His humanity. Everyone has perceived ideas about Jesus’ life before seeing this film, but now people are paying special attention to the money the film is making which deflects the meaning of the film - Jesus died for everyone, the sins of the whole world, not for one particular generation or people.

Gear Games Update: PSN / Qriocity Outage Could Change Media Outlook

2011-05-11T16:46:00.000-04:00

Gear Games Update: PSN / Qriocity Outage Could Change Media Outlook

Chaffing the Media Wheat

2011-04-12T12:10:00.003-04:00

I’m currently reading the book Reality is Broken by Jane McGonigal, an experienced game designer, who gives some interesting insight and framework into why so many people flock to games for hours at a time. She qualifies her theories with past history (e.g. game origins and historically popular games to shift focus away from poverty, etc.). She mentions the word “god” in her book 15 times, but only in the context of “god” games like The Sims, but not Him, my God, the God of all. Everyone is seeking something. Games are a great outlet and McGonigal’s interesting proposals for positive game design incorporated into reality evoke “utopian”-type hope. It’s all interesting, but God is my hope and the Bible is my media to grow closer to Him, take risks in the world for Him, and act for Him. Media has many interesting options, but God is ever forging my participation. Media can be positive, complicated and surprising, like this recent health feature, but it is not always essential. I have adapted a scan, skim, then trim method, but occasionally find myself engaging with more media to extract the best. The basic logic of "more is better" still applies here. I want to cut down my media consumption, but end up adding more because of the excitement, interaction, and overall experience. Relating this information to my Biblical/essential knowledge is paramount here. So keeping my crop size the same while still taking out the non-essential chaff will be a big challenge. Anyone have some recommended methods?

beyond ourselves

2011-03-13T14:23:00.002-04:00

It's easy to get caught up in our media world. The iPad 2. The latest technological gadget to make our lives easier. The app that find a parking space. We get that rushing sense of accomplishment, purpose, and power...only for a while. We think we can do it. We strive to reach beyond our capabilities at work, home, and elsewhere. That dream of reaching the unattainable seems within reach.

Don't think you can do it? Here is the tool. Just buy this thing. After this one, you'll be able to do it...wait, get this too. It's a never ending cycle that only ends when we depend on Him, then His desire become ours. Plus, you won't pay anything for God's love - a never ending resource and strength. So when will the "bubble" burst in our media world. When will we say enough is enough and stop our fickle habits including buying the latest craze then moving on to another one. The media wave never stops, so we have to determine its direction in our lives, not vice versa.

Don't Buy Stuff You Cannot Afford...
Just do it.

Is it really that simple? Can we deal with this concept on our own? How do we speak to others through our action and even our purchases?

The Media Process

2011-02-09T16:26:00.002-05:00

I thought about how showing an entire media project process. Something beyond a simple journal. I groaned about how time consuming it would be (VRT would help there), but then considered how the process could boost credibility because everything is included. This process, likely resembling an interactive Web project, could also add a “narrative” to the process so people can understand/analyze it better.

If audiences have a set of visuals as a narrative, then the author’s must organize these concepts and theory to a way that allows viewers total access in many different media. This creative process requires a lot of technical skill so audiences can access links to related topics or display items simultaneously. It’s almost like a thesis writer would be telling the story of their work.

Visual works have varying degrees of success, but I concentrate on the social change of this technology. DVDs and Websites are prime examples of an author’s quest to bring his/her viewer closer to the work and get a deeper understanding of it. DVDs and Websites are relatively new concepts that people are still excited about, so transferring information to these media would be recommended—for now. I think about how the novelty of the BETA tape wore off – probably because VHS was close behind. We haven’t yet invented another film format beyond DVD and VHS or a concept as revolutionary as the Internet. We’re still in the “honeymoon” period with these technologies. Our technology is supposed to save use time and make life easier, so why doesn’t it for some? Because they choose to let the technology govern their lives. Is there something beyond the Web on the horizon or our we stuck in endless remediation?

I can think of many research projects and regular work where people expressed their fear of submitting a work that is not entirely finished. They were more comfortable with keeping it as a “work in progress” instead of taking a risk and submitting it. It reminds me of article about Martin Scorsese who won’t view his own films because of his compulsive mindset of never being finished with them. Research project subjects are responsible for creating most of the work, but the research or compiles the work in presented in a way that most subjects would not be able to do. It's similar to a movie director getting all the credit for a film without any kudos going to the actors, cinematographers or crew members.

Personal experiences helped me understand the full scope of research and every person involved, especially when the author discusses conflicts and problems with the research. Surprising honesty and truthfulness help people learn tremendously. The perceptions of what is expected of you can drive people to do their best or drive them away from their own work. They look to other factors that will affect the research or move it along, while it lingers out of their mind as time goes by. No media project will be perfect, yet we strive for perfection to the point of madness at times. I always seek criticism and counsel throughout any process I’m working on. I make sure it includes peers related to the project, but also include many other friends and associates that can give me other perspectives and insights to my work. These people represent the randomization of my personal criticism giving me insight, peace of mind and a higher learning.

Call it a sampling of criticism. As a media critic, I’ve learned how powerful criticism can be. You have the power to comment on someone’s work where the subject frequently has a deep personal connection to the work because they’ve spent so much time and resources on it. It’s very easy to use lack of time and resources as a reason to delay submission of a project. It is very satisfying to pursue project areas that are personally interesting, but it’s even more satisfying to receive actual results and feedback from peers that you’re on the right track. You have to get those results and feedback yourself and not wait for it to magically happen, because it usually does not.

In a complex world, it’s very easy to be affected by several factors, but if we don’t grab hold of our personal beliefs and confidence, these factors can begin to erode worthwhile work. We look for outside factors to affirm we are on the right path, instead of looking into our own mind and abilities. “Crito” by Plato and John 15: 18-19 puts the world into perspective very well for me.

Best Music of 2010

2011-01-24T19:37:00.002-05:00

My personal best list of 2010 music.

Sir Lucious Leftfoot: Son of Chico Dusty, Big Boi
Tron Legacy motion picture soundtrack, Daft Punk
To The Sea, Jack Johnson
Hands All Over, Maroon 5
The ArchAndroid, Janelle Monae
How I Got Over, The Roots
Wake Up!, Roots and John Legend
Soldier of Love, Sade
Lisbon, The Walkmen
Inception motion picture soundtrack, Hans Zimmer

:-)

Best Books of 2010

2011-01-18T15:10:00.002-05:00

The Holy Bible (every year...helps me gives books like #10 the appropriate perspective)
Play Their Hearts Out: A Coach, His Star Recruit, and the Youth Basketball Machine by George Dohrmann
The Imperfectionists: A Novel by Tom Rachman
Four word film reviews by Benj Clews and Michael Onesi…because I’m in it (not by name though)
Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margins of Error by Kathryn Schulz
Chasing Zebras: The Unofficial Guide to House, M.D. by Barbara Barnett…my Blogcritics.org colleague
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Presents Earth (The Book): A Visitor's Guide to the Human Race by Jon Stewart, David Javerbaum, Rory Albanese, and Steve Bodow
The Tenth Parallel: Dispatches from the Fault Line Between Christianity and Islam by Eliza Griswold
Origins: How the Nine Months Before Birth Shape the Rest of Our Lives by Annie Murphy Paul
Grand Design by Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow

Best Video Games of 2010

2011-01-16T12:47:00.002-05:00

As you consider this top ten video game list, consider this quote from a recent Game Informer article on Epic Mickey from Warren Spector:
"...Games can do only two things that I can think of that no other medium can do; one is offer real-time, dynamic puzzles and the other is offer players the opportunity to tell their own story, or at least tell a story in collaboration with others..."

Heavy Rain
Bioshock 2
Super Mario Galaxy 2
Mass Effect 2
Call of Duty Black Ops
Picross 3D
Split/Second
Just Cause 2
Kirby's Epic Yarn
Red Dead Redemption

My Bottom 10 Films of 2010

2011-01-05T18:26:00.002-05:00

No particular order. They all stink...

Furry Vengence
Skyline
The Nutcracker
MacGruber
Pirahana 3D
You Again
She's Out of My League
Tooth Fairy
Legion
Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore

...and films like Saw 3D, Black Swan, The Crazies, and The Killer Inside Me are definitely off my radar to protect my mind.
:-)

Top Ten Films of 2010

2011-01-03T21:22:00.003-05:00

My personal best films of 2010...

Inception
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Social Network
The Town
Red
Despicable Me
Green Zone
Micmacs
Buried

A New Media Year!

2011-01-01T10:18:00.001-05:00

It’s easy to associate media with everything. It’s easy to note everything in your life at the beginning of the new year and take note. Resolutions can work, but a media review always works better for me.

Movies, TV, cartoons/comics, video games, art, music, digital, Web, publications, computers, art, marketing, etc. It’s great to use media for something useful, a respite, celebrate accomplishments, and, of course, to look ahead.

Think I’ll review two main areas this year. First, continuing “media meshing” projects like my family home movies and not just multitasking or interesting tidbits and incorporate more narrative elements in my media production.

The latest movie "meaning"

2010-11-08T21:42:00.000-05:00

Lately I’ve noticed how movie meaning leans towards the box office soap operas instead of great filmmaking. I would love to hear more discussions and media communication about what these films mean, not the statistics and box office grosses. Where is the headline for Red this weekend. If it was not for the three new films, Red would have been the number one film this week. More people are talking about the showdowns and competitions between Due Date and Megamind. Sports themes easily permeate through media. The populous wants their desires fulfilled and bends towards media that fulfills them. What does it really mean in the grand scheme? What do we learn before we move on to the next entertainment craze. What do these desires tell us about ourselves?

Changing media

2010-10-09T10:22:00.003-04:00

With the holiday media season in full swing at the beginning of October, I thought I'd reflect on how we wrap our heads around keeping up with all the new motion sensitive controllers, e-readers, smartphones and other media/devices. It's exciting, but an initial perspective must be considered. These devices and related experiences are basically remediations. We can think of an infinite number of possible representations for a page of information. So why do we create this neverending, depleting hype and quickly move on to the bigger, better thing? One simple answer - because it's what we want to do.

There is no lasting progressive experience. As a writer, it's a challenge to sustain the audience experience in this fickle, technology filled world. Many time I have to stop and think - what would I really get out of this experience that is beneficial and, more importantly, memorable?

Data mining, immediate information and media genre blending impress initially. Our minds delight, but what lasting effects remain...another experience based on the same parameters. Bing makes fun of the search engine mind slush in it's marketing, but Bing is just offering a different way of doing the same thing yet Bing put in the time and research this new media method, so they get the benefit. This world values these new methods, so communicators must research a subject fully and really put in some considerable time to create a sustainable experience for audiences. "Reinventing" is a tiring term, but we must to some extent to survive professionally. We must market ourselves and prove how we can be useful as a "mediator of meaning."

Summer Movies

2010-05-23T19:56:00.006-04:00

OK. This summer, I only have two movies I really want to see. Inception and Toy Story 3. It's shocking and it's a first for me, but it's a sign of the times as well. Filmmakers need to give audiences more credit and intelligent consideration. I can usually summarize my movie needs in one word - story.

Let's look at the summer movie previews (they're not "trailers" because they don't come at the end of the film anymore). These previews often fail to convey a storyline for audiences. They may have one, but the preview fails to entice and establish purpose beyond entertainment. Avatar was a great film with a solid story that took considerable production time.

If the preview works, then the next step is the waning prospect of going to the theater to see the film. Unruly patrons often unchecked by a lack of ushers (this unfortunate state ruined my disappointing Hulk and The Happening double features in the summer of 2008...the films were a supporting factor as well), expensive prices, unhealthy food, and other factor can ruin the experience.

Sometimes that Hollywood movie magic works its spell and we find it a privilege to go to the movies, but some high end services at the theater quell this spell. It's the experience, but I suppose it's required we have to pay for the experience? How about some awesome customer service from knowledgeable staff who ask you something other than "do you want extra butter"?

Successful films can create amazing experiences no matter where you are. I'll never forget seeing The Sixth Sense or Forrest Gump in the summer time. Lack of successful Hollywood films has opened up the foreign markets more and we're making make more informed choices through objective formal reviews and/or user comments. Filmmaking experience and knowledge really helps so seek those reviewers/commentors (myself included) before heading out to the multiplexes and single cinemas.

On the Hollywood business side, producers have franchised movies into a glutton of sequels. At least theater goers aren't subject to every sequel thanks to the new straight to video market (Wrong Turn 3 anyone?). Summer movies need to spend more time developing great stories and less time on marketing aspects, product placements and demographic considerations.

Yes, Hollywood has changed since the failed “if has successful stars/branding, people will see it” mantra has hurt the bottom line in the financial part of the business, but consider the audience. They’re fickle. Trends are hard to track. There is no magic formula, so lumping films together financially and hoping for a big blockbuster among several risky ventures became the norm.

Plug in a big name actor with a successful box office record and it’s sure to produce a sure fire hit right? Not always since this overused method has exposed the inevitable truth of every star – not every movie will be successful for each actor/actress. Just like life. We learn from challenges. Some might say mistakes, but can a box office failing movie really be qualified as a mistake overall? I love reflecting on this aspect. Avatar made me feel like a privileged patron while Perfect Stranger left me uninspired.

The bountiful fall has many great films to anticipate including Red, Hereafter, Tron Legacy, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, True Grit, Casino Jack, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1, The Next Three Days, and The King's Speech. As long as the story is there, then I'm there.

Happy summer viewing everyone! It's been a while. :-)

For the Love of the Movies

2010-02-25T11:32:00.003-05:00

Coverage of the upcoming Academy Award always catches everyone's interest in some form every year. I always get fun, exciting feeling before the awards, hosting parties, and somehow sharing the experience with others because I have such a large love of movies. Making my own movies transfers into our family home movies now and learning programs like iMovie and MovieMaker. I've also decided to put several of my personal screenplay ideas into short story/treatment form and work with ideas/storyboards mapped out on our basement wall. It's a process where I want God's plans to come through not mine. With the emerging "Christian" film scene (Fireproof and the upcoming Courageous), my existing knowledge and experiences, especially in college plus some great amateur movies with my brothers, I'm still on path where these talents can be used for God's good in some type of media ministry or finished production. With added love and support from my family, I'm so excited right now. Early in my life, I thought a screenwriting nomination at the Academy Awards would be the ultimate goal for me, but the process is ongoing. The writing/visualization process never seems to end for me, so movies are a constant guide for all my work, profession and other problem solving challenges. As I grew older, it was easier to jettison the cliches, stereotypes, and fluff thanks to great life experience (there is no substitute). It's great to watch movies, but like sports, I'd much rather being doing them myself than watching them. :-)

Drumming

2010-01-07T10:30:00.006-05:00

The medium of drumming has always fascinated me. It's a multitasker's dream and a musician's anchor. Each piece is a wonder. Each component providing something to every song...it's just expensive to get all the pieces. :-) Anybody got a used gong?

Just the cymbals themselves provide an amazing experience. I always imagine each cymbal as an explosion of sound I can use over and over. Besides the rhythm and beat, the pick ups and fillers give me so much creative power.

Making drum tape mixes with other songs (using artists like Living Colour, Phil Collins and other drum greats) and matching the beats on my Uncle Jim's borrowed drum set in Mom and Dad's basement. Playing "No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn" by the Beastie Boys with my brother Steve on the guitar. Playing with my high school bandmates. Sometimes I would play for therapy...other times for development. I always enjoy every minute.

Now I have a great full set (fantastic garage sale find just up the road from us two summers ago). The girls and I even decorated the area this year with those clear CDs (usually at the top of blank CD packs) strung together with fishing line. A constant wonder, which gradually has ebbed into my writing. I have a hard time writing poetry or creative writing without some incorporated rhythm. :-)

So, if you haven't drummed. Try it. Make it loud! Make each hit count.

Holiday Hijinx

2009-12-28T11:37:00.003-05:00

Media exchanges for the things "we really want" seem common, but can we remember what we got last year? The exchange of items fascinates me this year. It's been on my mind a lot, particularly the negative connotations like in the Verizon vs. AT&T "3G" commercials. Cell phone coverage has many practical uses and comes down to the argument - does it work for me when I need it? Oh, that chart isn't as big, so Verizon must be better. No need to read that fine print on the commercial, which I can't read that quickly any way (unless recorded)...but wait, AT & T has postcards all over their map, so it looks like they cover enough. Right?

I don't even understand what 3G means yet (research opportunity :-) or the other territorial issues, so I'm able to view this "feud" more objectively as a non-user. Other companies like Sprint aren't being considered. It's just the biggest companies duking it out on the airwaves because they can afford it. An example of how media influence still matters. If consumers exuded some common sense, then the issue may not exist. Also, once video becomes more common on the Web and computer hardware can handle it, then these battles can be waged for a lower cost in cyberspace.

Exchanging for the Bigger Better Deal (BBD) hasn't changed much. Consumers are still playing the same ol' game. Companies are willing to go to great lengths to vy for customers. Why can't some of that energy go towards commonality or making a proven technology standard. For example, standard USB media would be great for everything. No more adapters. No more unnecessary junk...and more meaning and energy devoted towards more useful activities like helping are fellow man in practical, tangible ways.

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-22T18:50:00.001-05:00

Dictation, media reviews, film studies, note organization and teaching have been amazing activities these last two months, so I haven't had much time to write on my blog, but will have more coming soon. Merry Christmas!