Tarantino Snubbed, AGAIN (and No One is Surprised)

Last night, The Hurt Locker won a handful of awards, including Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing. Oh yeah, it also won Best Picture and Achievement in Directing, but no one really cares about those awards. I saw The Hurt Locker, and while I thought it was a quality film, I didn't really understand it. I appreciated the fact that it managed to be the most powerful film about the War in Iraq (that I've seen so far) with almost no actual warfare, or guns a-blazing. But that isn't saying much, because most films about the War in Iraq outright suck, because the message itself, including in The Hurt Locker, always seem to be the same: the war sucks. No one understands it, it's pointless and unnecessary, terrorists are absolutely bonkers, etc. It's just a matter of why the film decides it sucks; in this case, its addiction. Those ol' wires and diffusing, James just can't get enough of them. I just hope the Academy chose this film for the right reasons, not because of it's controversial or relevant theme (I'm looking at you, Brokeback Mountain). Within days before the Awards, lots of controversies surrounded the film, mainly from Iraq veterans. A veteran even admits to watching it with his buddies overseas and laughing at it. Ouch. Obviously, that wasn't enough to damage it's reputation. I haven't seen all ten of the nominated pictures, but I was secretly hoping Inglorious Basterds would make a surprise and take away Best Picture or Director, because God knows Tarantino deserves one of those by now (although I believe he won one for Best Screenplay for Pulp Fiction). Oh, well. At least Christoph Waltz got the much deserved Supporting Actor award (I don't think I've ever loved a Nazi's presence more on-screen).

Guy Who Made Epic Spartan Movie Makes Epic Owl Movie

Zack Snyder, who helmed the epic remake of Dawn of the Dead, the epic adaptation of 300 and more recently the epic adaptation of Watchmen, is trying out new territory by directing an adaptation of a children's book series known as Guardians of Ga'Hoole (although I don't know if simply replacing badass people with badass owls instead is enough to excuse it as a kid's flick). It has been retitled Legend of the Guardians; a little lame, but I'm guessing because most people who haven't read the books (including myself) will have no idea what the hell a "Ga'Hoole" is, so it makes sense. The production has been pretty quite for a while, but a new teaser trailer has been recently released as seen below, and I must say it looks very beautiful and...epic; especially for a a movie that is based on a childen's book. I now have a new title to add to my list of movies to watch out for, but I'm skeptical because Snyder's trailers are always amazing and spectacular; he knows exactly how to draw his audience in. The problem is, the final product doesn't usually live up to the hype, but let's hope I'm wrong.

You Can't Unsee the Blue and Orange

A new conspiracy has been revealed, involving movie posters. For reasons beyond my imagination, some movie studios have a habit of using nothing but blue and orange to promote their movies. Slashfilm points out that Hollywood believes blue and orange have been scientifically proven to be "cool". How this is supposed to make movies more appealing is beyond me. John Travolta certainly isn't going to trick me into seeing his movie by looking like a pissed off con-smurf (or is it smurf-con?). The newest addition is the upcoming Prince of Persia movie as seen above (in Russian, of course). Wanna see more? Of course you do! Here are a few examples...

The Count Finds 1, 2, 3 ways to Bash Edward Cullen's Pale, Glittering Face in

The above picture, ingeniously titled "Down for the Count" is quite the masterpiece. Get the wallpaper here. I'm aware I will probably lose a lot of potential readers because of this...but screw it, it's totally worth it.

Did You Know Tim Burton is Weird?

Two days ago, I came across a new book that is being adapted into a film. This is a book about Abraham Lincoln. Who slays vampires. I was so intrigued that I told my Dad about it, and he bought me the book home the next day, and I can't wait to start it. The book has lots of praise, so if the film is given at least a little dedication, it should be a dream come true.

I do have one gripe, however; it turns out Tim Burton will be co-producing it. While this only means he'll be watching over the production of the film, and not directing it (yet), it still has me worried. Don't get me wrong though. I am a fan of most of his movies (A Nightmare on Christmas is possibly my favorite Christmas movie ever), and I am looking somewhat forward to seeing his take on Alice in Wonderland, but the formula's beginning to get a little old; we get it, you're weird. Do something different! He's managed to be "different" so many times in a row that he's actually become predictable, if that makes any sense. Just yesterday I was griping about this aloud, and today I came across this great video from College Humor, where, just in time for his new film that opens tomorrow, they film one of Burton's meetings about a new project he's come up with. Obviously, the guys at CH feel my pain (especially the bit about the opening credit music). Thank you, College Humor.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Cabin Fever

I've been sick since Sunday with a headache that refuses to leave me alone. I think my body's survival is becoming dependent on extra strength Tylenol. The only contact I've had with lifeforms other than my dog since the weekend has been with my parents, and a text here and there from the outside world. Every hour that passes makes me feel like Jack Torrence in The Shining; or in other words, I'm going bat-shit crazy. Like the addictive drug that it is, Facebook actually began to eat away at my brain from being on it so much, so I (temporarily) disabled it for the sake of my sanity. Or maybe I'll suffer from severe withdrawal from "Rob Curtis is gearing up for Friday" (OK, I stole that from Zombieland). Facebook is like celebrity gossip, it's so incredibly irrelevant and unimportant to your life, and yet you can't help but spend hours paying attention to it, making yourself 3 percent dumber in the process for every half hour you do (scientific fact). Of course, this has nothing to do with the fact that no one talks to me on it. Seriously. I swear.

By the next post I will (hopefully) kick off into a continuous set of film-related posts, and less rambling about my social networking loneliness and isolation. Until then, farewell.

Another schmuck's blog

I never understood why someone would start their own blog, where one reveals to the world that the blueberry waffles he had for breakfast this morning were okay but totally could've been better. Last time he ever buys those waffles again. It's entries like those that make me despise the internet and it's capabilities to no end, how it turns a teenager's torturous diary into a public torturous diary.

Nevertheless, here I am, torturing you as you read this. If you're wondering exactly what I plan on writing in this blog in the future, which you're not, keep wondering. Because I don't know either. As a matter of fact, it is highly like this will be my last entry as well as my first. If I do return however, it will most likely be a Seinfeldesque blog...you know, a blog about nothing. Well, not nothing. Probably movies. As an aspiring filmmaker, a lot of people come to me for my opinions on movies. "Write a blog" they say. "Talk about movies!". As if the internet doesn't have enough of those schmucks anyway. Well, here's another schmuck to add to the list I suppose.
So basically, if you don't like movies, don't come back here. But then again, if you don't enjoy movies, you probably don't have a soul. So I stick out my tongue to you, sir.