Up, Up and Away!

I'm no dinosaur, but the fact that last night marked my very first 3-D theater experience puts me well past being fashionably late. While I recognize the appeal of watching a film in all of it's three-dimensional splendor, I always preferred to spend the extra 5 dollars on a dixie cup of soda. It's not that I'm a technophobe by any means, but the prospect of seeing a movie with the added perception of depth and occasionally having shit fly out of the screen at you always seemed more like a gimmicky distraction rather than a truly immersive tool, and after watching Up in Glorious Three Dee, I'm glad to put my bias to rest.

When I put the glasses on for the first time, I immediately noticed that the lenses made everything seem much darker than I expected, which never bodes well if you're about to watch a Pixar film. However, as disappointed as I was by the prospect of not being able to see Up's full range of color, the effect really grew on me. In spite of a few (very) brief instances where it was more distracting than anything, I found that the majority of Up's 3-D struck a wonderfully balanced effect, and the fact that it wasn't outwardly noticeable after the first 5-10 minutes is a Good Thing in my book. The immersion was subtle but effective, especially when you're already treated to such a fine piece of animation. I wish that I had watched the 2-D version first so I could have a better point of reference for comparison, but by no means do I regret the experience, and I honestly doubt that it would make much of a difference anyway.

Excuse the tangent, but if any of you are keeping up with news on James Cameron's Avatar, there are a couple of really cool interviews where he talks about the revolutionary technology that's supposedly going to change 3-D and/or cinema as we know it. Part of what's so interesting about this movie is the effect it will have on the sub-conscious level. The human brain processes information through different channels when presented with a 2-D or 3-D image, and apparently, the latter allows the brain to recall the details of said image better, which I'm guessing happens because you're processing more information, but I digress.

Up is yet another top-notch effort from Pixar. I'm not a big fan by any means, but I honestly can't think of a single film of theirs that I haven't been able to enjoy on some level. It's rare to find a production house that churns out such consistently charming films that entertain on a wide scale without feeling like they've compromised anything in the process. Every time I see a Pixar film, it usually comes with such a level of polish (on all accounts) that it keeps on reinforcing the feeling that these guys know exactly what they're doing.

Up's story is deceptively simple, but it's one of the most mature and ambitious films they've made to date. They opt to tell the story of Carl and Ellie's relationship in a dialogue-free montage that's as poignant as it is effective. It's one thing to get basic information across to an audience, but Up didn't just show us that Carl and Ellie loved each other, it showed us how. I really love it when films do away with dialogue and allows the story to tell itself expressly through images and sounds. I'm guessing the sweetness of that scene along with the subtle 3-D must have subconsciously hypnotized me and melted my cold black heart while I wasn't looking, because that was easily one of the best sequences in the entire movie. The element of romance feels genuine and acts as a stepping stone rather than an obligatory hurdle the audience must cross to move the plot along (I'm looking at you, Lucas).

Although the protagonist and the antagonist are clearly established, the villain doesn't feel like one because his motivations mirror Carl's. They're both trying to break out of their self-imposed exiles and move past their pain and loss so they can get back on the horse and resume their lives. It's great how well both characters are developed with relatively little to go on, and it's a testament to the superb writing and animation that they both feel alive in a way that doesn't directly hinge on overbearing sentiment, which is refreshing in it's own way. Even the sidekicks are fleshed out relatively well, and Carl and Russel's interactions are great without submitting to all the associated cliches of such a relationship.

Up struck a deeper chord in me than I had expected it to, and is definitely my favorite Pixar film so far, with the Incredibles not far behind it. Up invigorates and uplifts without preaching, and Carl Fredricksen acts as the perfect vessel for this sentiment.

Set amps to SkullFuck

The Secret Chiefs 3 performed at the Music Hall of Williamsburg last night, and it's the closest I've come to having a religious experience without the aid of hallucinogenics. Some highlights of the night included realizing that the keyboardist looked exactly like Stephen Chow, shamelessly fishing a hundred dollar bill out of the urinal and fucking EXODUS. Which one of these doesn't belong? I went in expecting an epic show, and they delivered that in spades. It was easily the best concert experience I've ever had, and I can't wait to see them again next year! If you're a fan of Mike Patton and any of the million side bands that he was in, you'd be doing yourself a disservice not checking these guys out.

Hello Cleveland!

Hello, and welcome to my new blog! It's been more than a year and a half since I made my last post, but I decided to preserve my ancient xanga account as a testament of how cool I was compared to the shell of a man I am now. It's quite the time capsule!

One of the main reasons I decided to start this blog was because I wanted to talk about and share my love of all things related to film, television and video games, as well as anything else that tickles my imagination. I also wanted to get back into the swing of writing on a semi-frequent basis again, as I've wasted enough time allowing myself to become stagnant. Writing has always been one of the few consistent passions in my life, and with all this extra time on my hands, I decided to spend my summer doing something more productive than picking at my navel day and night. Hopefully, this blog will be a return to form, or at the very least, provide an entertaining distraction.

To christen this post, I'd like to introduce those who aren't familiar with one of the best shows on television at the moment:

The Premise
Breaking Bad follows Walter White, a high-school chemistry teacher that's diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. In order to ensure his family's financial security after his passing, Walt attempts to raise $737,000 by entering the meth business with Jesse Pinkman, one of his former students. As the show progresses, so does Walt's transformation from a middle class family man to a kingpin of the meth trade.

The Players

Walter Hartwell White a.k.a. "Heisenberg" (Bryan Cranston)

The man behind the curtain, Walt is a man with nothing to lose. Diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer, he justifies his foray into the meth trade by convincing himself that he is preparing his family for the worst. However, Walt's deeper motivation comes from the prospect of shedding his mid-life crisis for the much more dangerous but exciting alternative. Walt is a brilliant chemist that is easily overqualified for his day job, and previously worked at a company called Gray Matter, where his research led to a breakthrough that he never received credit for. Walt handles the production end of business while trying to keep his activities a secret from his family. His extensive background in chemistry allows him to cook top-quality meth with a signature blue tint, which has started to draw unwanted attention by the DEA. All he needs to do now is clear $737,000 before the law (or worse) catches up to him.

Jesse Pinkman a.k.a. "Captain Cook" (Aaron Paul)

Walt's partner in crime. Jesse handles the distribution end of business, along with providing the initial contacts. His relationship with his family is rocky due to his history of drug abuse, and he has a tendency to act without thinking. Although his contacts helped get their operation off the ground, they've also made way for even more complications and obstacles.

Skylar White (Anna Gunn)

Pregnant with their second child, Skylar suspects that Walt is up to no good as his demeanor becomes more distant. In spite of dealing with Marie's kleptomania, Walt's diagnosis/secretive attitude, the general pressure of her unborn baby and their unsteady financial situation, Skylar struggles to maintain an optimistic perspective and to take things in stride.

Walter Jr. White a.k.a. "Flynn" (RJ Mitte)

Walter Jr. is a high-school student with cerebral palsy, which requires him to move with the aid of crutches and gives him trouble speaking. With Walt's diminishing presence in his life, Walter Jr. is trying to establish his own identity and finds alternative father figures.

Hank Shrader (Dean Norris)

DEA agent and Walt's brother-in-law, Hank may be loud and goofy, but his heart is always in the right place and he possesses solid instincts. Hank is part of the detail that is investigating Walt and Jesse's encounter with Tuco in the desert and the identity of the mysterious "Heisenberg".


Marie Shrader (Betsy Brandt)

Skylar's sister and part-time kleptomaniac, Marie's lack of tact is made up for by her good intentions...sort of. She takes no pride in her penchant for theft, which eventually lands her in hot water.

Why you should be watching

First off, Breaking Bad's cinematography is beautifully composed and edited, the latter of which earned them an Emmy Award. The universe is established on such a solid foundation that the drama, comedy, action and suspense/horror all gel together to form a very cohesive and compelling narrative that never steps out of it's own bounds and feels very much like it's own entity. The pre-intro sequences are positively seductive and honestly deserve a separate entry of their own. This is where the show really gets to flex it's editing muscle, and not only do they work as a great foreshadowing device, but they also have a vaguely disturbing and/or surreal quality, which makes sense considering that series producer and writer Vince Gilligan also served in the same capacity for The X-Files.

Color is also a very important element in the show, and the way they utilize such a seemingly simple visual element to flesh out the characters and drive the story is nothing short of inspirational. Vince Gilligan intended for each character to have their own color scheme, and as the characters grow and develop, so do their palettes. The art direction is subtle yet incredibly effective, and the clever use of color breathes life into every aspect of the show.

One of the most consistently amazing and entertaining aspects of Breaking Bad is the sense of authenticity they bring to the characters. The writers always do an excellent job of capturing everyone's voices and making sure that the characters come first, all while tailoring them to a seamless fit for their slightly off-kilter universe. Another thing that the show should be commended for is the fact that they aren't afraid to take their time to set up the relationships, but even more important is the realism of Walt and Jesse's foray into the drug trade. Honestly, this is easily the most polarizing aspect of the show, but I personally love the fact that they want to show the most truthful scenario of what kind of challenges two middle-class shmoes with only the most basic knowledge of the business have to deal with. It's great that they're willing to pay a lot of attention to detail and have the show grounded in reality as much as possible, not to mention that Walt and Jesse have great chemistry (zing!) and their scenes together are always a joy to watch, especially with this show's penchant for dark humor which is often compared to the Coen Brothers' work.

Breaking Bad's cast is amazing, and this is never more apparent than when Bryan Cranston is on screen. The only thing I recognized him from was the goofy father in Malcolm in the Middle, and he makes a complete 180 for this role. His facial expressions manage to convey a thousand words, which makes his delivery even more of a treat. I can't praise the guy enough, and the fact that he won an Emmy for this role and managed to pull off such wildly varied characters so well gave me a newfound respect for the man, and I can't wait to watch him play Buzz Aldrin in From the Earth to the Moon.

Well, I think this wall-o-text is sufficient for a first post. If you want to learn more about the show, AMC's website is a great resource and has tons of extra videos, interviews, and all kinds of fun stuff. Cheers!