The Jotter

Bonnie And Clyde trailer here

#90 Der Untergang (Downfall)
#89 Blood Simple
#88 Bonnie And Clyde
#87 The Big Lebowski

100 Films You Must See #88

2012-01-30T11:43:00.000+11:00

#88
BONNIE AND CLYDE
Arthur Penn
1967

I can remember seeing Bonnie And Clyde as a young man and thinking it was a light take on a gangster film. The music and sometimes blase performance of Warren Beatty had me believing that he was a joker and that this film would somehow be over the top. When you finish Bonnie And Clyde you begin to realise that there was no joke, no whimsy, actually nothing light about it at all. If there is one word I could give such a film, it would be that of truth. You see I don't know what being a bank robber, criminal, gangster or all three of them combined would be like, but I'm willing to bet it starts out being fun and games but it will most likely reach the depths of that famous last scene. If you haven't seen it, I won't spoil it.

You may find from my past reviews that I like my crime film with necessary violence, I always remember Francis Ford Coppola stating how much he hated violence and creating a crime scene on film. I think the violence he directs in his films is always necessary. Cut to Arthur Penn director of Bonnie And Clyde and he states he wanted to show what real violence would be like, none of your old Hollywood type murders and subdued blood. I think what he achieved here is a portrait of the aftermath, something audiences can learn from, it's all justified within.

With some master performances from Beatty and Dunaway this is a must watch film that stands the test of time for it's brutality and truth.

100 Films You Must See

Blood Simple trailer here

#90 Der Untergang (Downfall)
#89 Blood Simple
#88 Bonnie And Clyde

100 Films You Must See #89

2012-01-27T09:54:00.000+11:00

#89
BLOOD SIMPLE
Joel & Ethan Coen
1984

Blood Simple is the first piece of writing and directing the Coen Brothers attempted. For me there are way too many first films from virgin directors to list that are perfect. It's something about your first feature that shows a freedom, a style and confidence in story, that really shines through. Here in Blood Simple a film from their thriller genre we are invited to go inside a small American community and to touch on what violence and what madness it brings.

Do you know what it's like to do something wrong once and be so upset with your self that making the same mistake seems like a sense of freedom is bestowed upon you. The Coen's touch on that here, Blood Simple does not give us a series of murders, but one, and in this you can't help but remember Alfred Hitchcock and harp back to the way his films and Blood Simple concentrate on one murder and their is no glorifying it. Also alike is the manner of the murder, and the complexity of one man's death, that with it, comes a conscience, regret, and what's most fun, a way to hide it.

The actions of these characters are so thought out that you begin to believe that yes this could really happen and what's worst is that you can mildly understand the bewildering decisions they make. Blood Simple is a fine achievement in the thriller genre and just maybe one day, the many thrillers made would see sense to drop the overt, in your face, jumbled flashback, flash-forward aspects of the psychological thriller and concentrate on how a murder can inhibit or release some from their burdens and learn from the masterclass of these very fine filmmakers.

100 Films You Must See

#90 Der Untergang (Downfall)
#89 Blood Simple

100 Films You Must See #90

2012-01-12T10:58:00.002+11:00

#90
DER UNTERGANG (DOWNFALL)
Oliver Hirschbiegel
2004

I'm still not sure if most Germans new what was happening under their noses. I wonder even if they knew, what could be done? One things for certain, this type of thing could happen again, people are so easily swayed, that's why Downfall is an important film.

I have recently viewed Judgement At Nuremberg 1961 (which should but will not be included in this list as it was viewed after the close of 2011) a film that delves into the trials shortly after the holocaust. The film had German judges up on trial, we the audience can swing either way as these men made and passed law to keep that abominable man in power and allowing him to do what he did. I bring up this film because I believe Downfall's themes are very similar, that is, do these people know what they are really doing and will anyone who can forsee the severity of their actions make a change?

Simply put, Downfall is a must see film. It's truly up to you what you take from the film. We take perspective from Traudi Junge (Alexandra Maria Lara) whom is hired by Adolf Hitler (Bruno Ganz) as his secretary, you can only imagine the atrocities she would become aware of. Downfall is actually that, the fall of a dictator all set within a claustrophobic German bunker as the allies drew closer and closer to capturing the man. "I do not want to live in a world without National Socialism" one associate would say as suicide became an ever apparent alternative to having been captured, but are these the words of an idealist or a coward? It's for you to decide.

If we ever chat about men that make films, then Bruno Ganz is at the very top. Never over the top or nonchalant, Ganz's adaptation of Adolf Hitler is flawless. Yes, I almost felt for this awful awful lack of a human.

I believe what Downfall does above all, is it reinstates the confusion and uncertainty of that time. It raises the same questions and some 70 years later gives no certain answers. Downfall is an account of a horrific time, that needs to be seen. Oliver Hirschbiegel understands that we the audience don't need anyone to tell us we need a trial or a lynching or a long dictatorial speech, what we do need are the facts and we will come to our own independent conclusions, something Nazi Germany individually could not determine for themselves.

Downfall trailer here

100 Films You Must See

#90 Der Untergang (Downfall)

100 Films You Must See #91

2012-01-11T10:57:00.001+11:00

#91
MATCH POINT
Woody Allen
2005

Match Point signified two things for Woody Allen, his turn to making more films abroad as opposed to his love of New York. The other being his collaboration with Scarlett Johansson, she would later be cast in Scoop 2006 and Vicky Cristina Barcelona 2008. I bring these two points up because I find them vital to his filmography and his writing. You see in those films starring Johansson, Allen was now writing a form of his character that frequented most of all his earlier films. If you closely watch Johansson in all three films included Scoop where she co-starred with Allen, She is Allen reborn into a new body, a better looking one at that. The Woody Allen character has not been lost at all, he has hung onto it.

I have been debating whether or not to give you a rundown on the plot or not, I know I shouldn't as Match Point's backbone is that is surprises. Even having said that, you'll be waiting for something like a bang. I've said too much already. This is a thriller but a thriller that is planted purely in pace and timing. There is nothing in the major part of the introduction and first act that desires to tell you a thriller will emerge, after all it is a Woody Allen picture and he is most intent to concentrate on character, the rest will flow on. Please just watch the film without even reading the blurb, you'll see I haven't included a trailer either.

Match Point is scathing on it's character's, it's not about the old deabte, good vs. evil, it's not really about relationships and their ups and downs, it's simply about surviving in human world of mistakes and misfortune.

So Woody Allen makes his first appearance on my list of films you must see. Expect to see a few more from the director. I am enjoying this new wave of cinema from the director, surprisingly his more recent films are some of his best, but in all I have hardly seen an average Allen picture.

100 Films You Must See

Okuribito (Departures) trailer here

#92 Okuribitu (Departures)
#91 Match Point

100 FIlms You Must See #92

2012-01-10T10:52:00.001+11:00

#92
Okuribio (Departures)
Yojiro Takita
2008

Departures is a film full of sincere beauty. Everything about this film, it's content included is about the beauty you find within every circumstance and to that, the most dire. Daigo (Masahiro Motoki) a retrenched cellist is in need of a new job. The job is that of encoffinment which is preparing the dead for burial. Daigo never tells his wife, after-all he is coming home everyday having bathed and cleaned the dead, he only takes the job as to support his family. This is not a film about afterlife and having the dead enter that realm, it is simply about all the people who are left behind once a death has occurred. Unlike anything I have ever seen before there is a lengthy, done with care and absolute respect. I won't say more, for this film is all about feeling and not thought, something you should have lack-there-of while viewing this impressive film.

If you have noticed already from the list of films I am compiling, I have a soft spot for serious drama that can make you laugh at all the right times, Departures does just that. There is a soft humour but it never interferes with the ensuing story, it only helps us see the lighter side, it does not allow us to fear the death themes but with that allows us to understand and accept the tradition of departing gracefully and with respect.

There are many films that try to tap into the beauty of something so dire, Yojiro Takita does it with humility and sincerity. Departures is a film that must be seen if not for anything but for it's beauty.

100 Films You Must See

Gran Torino trailer here

#92 Okuribitu (Departures)

100 Films You Must See #93

2012-01-09T11:22:00.000+11:00

#93
GRAN TORINO
Clint Eastwood
2008

Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) is a hard man. Gran Torino opens to find Walt at his wife's funeral. An elderly man almost invincible at her wake. While his son and family float among the place as if he doesn't exist. Their intentions are solely to suit themselves. With that Walt's community is ever changing, the old American's (and one wonders where Kowalski came from..Poland?) like himself, have seen their own families grow to have their own, and everyone around him has either moved on or died. Enter the new residents and his neighbours in particular, a large family of Hmong people and girl and boy who set this story into action.

Young Hmong boy Thao is under direct peer pressure from his cousins gang to infiltrate Walt's garage and steal his prized possesion, his Gran Torino. Thao does not succeed. Young Hmong girl and Thao's sister Sue is somewhat rescued by a gang of would be racists by Walt. Then there is a scene which changes everything. Thao and Sue's cousin's gang starts a ruckus on their front lawn as they intend to use force to persuade Thao to join their cause. The fight spills out onto Walt's lawn. Being an ex-military man, and having someone invade his own property Walt eventually takes action. A friendship then blossoms.

To me Gran Torino is about the elder population and there decline only in the eyes of people around them. Walt proves the man he was, is still the man he is. It is also about the ever growing mixing of cultures, yes in America, but also in my Australia and many many other countries. For me there is a reliance on tolerance, something Walt lived by, and not that of acceptance. But what most sticks out for me is the gang culture and how one man can help another if only for some guts, something Clint Eastwood's characters all swear by.

100 Films You Must See

#96 No Country For Old Men
#95 To Sir, With Love
#94 Juno
#93 Gran Torino

100 Films You Must See #94

2012-01-08T12:36:00.000+11:00


#94 JUNO Jason Reitman 2007

I've never quite seen a film of it's kind, this well made. Juno is one of those films you can't help but fall in love with. It's a simple story, a teenager falls pregnant and her mission is to find suitable adoptive parents. Witted, intelligent, carefree, Juno is played by Ellen Page who does an amazing job. The ensemble cast from her Mother, best friend, soon to be adoptive parents and the babies Father (Allison Janney, Olivia Thirlby, Jason Bateman, Jennifer Garner, Michael Cera respectively) all have great parts to play in Juno's life. It's central to a marvelous, witty and clever screenplay by then first time screenwriter Diablo Cody.

But for me it is Juno's Father (J.K, Simmons) who set's up the emotion that will later be conveyed in the film. After-all we are products of our family and environment and Juno definitely is her Father. His liberal views and sense of humour are reflected through Juno, but Juno being the 2.0 version. Something her Father comes to realise. For me, he is one of the great Patriarchal characters in modern cinema. It's important to have such characters when building up the protagonists own character.

There are also scenes with the soon to be biological parents that would have you at one time laughing with the discomfort they find themselves in and the next moment close to a tear. Juno is an emotional film with refined touches of comedic brilliance. It helps me remember that when you feel there is no more ground beneath you, all is not lost, be happy with what you have and all the things you don't need.

Juno trailer here

100 Films You Must See

To Sir, With Love trailer here

#96 No Country For Old Men
#95 To Sir, With Love
#94 Juno

100 Films You Must See #95

2012-01-07T09:49:00.000+11:00

#95
TO SIR, WITH LOVE
James Clavell
1967

I'm not sure if I have seen a film about a teacher and their pupils made prior to 1967. I'm sure there was, but this is probably all I need to keep me satisfied that this one here writes the rules on how to do it. I won't say very much about the storyline here as in all honesty If you have seen a film about a teacher and their pupils, you probably can guess as to how the film pans out.

Set in the 60s, it's a booming London, the kids in this classroom are near graduating, they are the rejects from other more sought after schools. These are the next men and women of the real world. They can either change the world or add to it's problems. The females, with their mini dresses and attitudes are foul mouthed. The males have no respect for the female kind, dressed with attitude, which was eventually replicated in the 80s and beyond by punk rock bands. In the lunch breaks they dance to quite provocative music for the sixties. In between school yard conversations are loud and in a cockney accent.

In enters an Engineer graduate, Mark Thackery (Sidney Poitier) taking a job as a teacher as there is no work in his field. A man of great morals and principals. Poitier is quite amazing here as he is in many films, great line delivery, eyes that deliver and array of emotions, he connects with the audience from the very first scene.

The film is centered around the Lulu song "to sir, with love" which is a beautiful backdrop, she also takes a part in the film as a student.

This film is what many directors look to when trying to create a film about the Teacher/Student film. So many lessons you learn along the way, they are so relevant to this day and age and will never change. I'm not sure if they do but, this film has to be made a concrete film to view in high schools all around the world.

100 Films You Must See

No Country For Old Men trailer here

#96 No Country For Old Men
#95 To Sir, With Love

100 Films You Must See #96

2012-01-06T11:29:00.000+11:00

#96
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
Ethan Coen & Joel Coen
2007

I'll let you in on a secret, there are four Coen Brother's films in my list, three of which are heavily reliant on crime rather than comedy. The rest you can figure for yourself. There is always a thin line between both in their films. If one of their characters don't make you laugh, the circumstances of their decisions will always make you chirp out with shy laughter. The Coen's are masters of this sort of storytelling. This time very much along the lines of their masterpiece debut Blood Simple 1984, this is pure crime/thriller. Yes there are times of pure absurdity, where you can double take at the screen and wonder why? but it works as it does most the time in their pictures.

No Country For Old Men is adapted from the book of the same name, by Cormac McCarthy, I never read the book. I'm not one that is super-religious on how true a film-maker stays to the original text. After all these are two very different mediums, but one tells me that it stays true and from reading All The Pretty Horses and The Road and their subsequent films, you know that Cormac writes in a very filmic way.

But again, the characters and story are what set's Coen Brothers films apart, with the former being more of a priority. Usually it's having characters and allowing them to take the plot forward, back, right, left or whatever. This is for all to see within their writing. No Country For Old Men is a crime about pace and timing, it will not get caught up in action, the action is an afterthought to the positions their characters find themselves in. It is also a thriller that leaves you wondering and anticipating, much like Blood Simple. So what's your hesitation? watch it friend-O!

100 Films You Must See

The Castle compialtion here

#98 Groundhog Day
#97 The Castle

100 Films You Must See #97

2012-01-05T11:12:00.002+11:00

#97
THE CASTLERob Sitch
1997

For an Australian this is the perfect film. For a run of the mill Aussie battler, this is a film that is very close to your heart. Meet Darryl Kerrigan along with his four kids and wife he is the happiest man alive. With his 'Castle' his family home, he is simply at peace with himself and all he has achieved. "how's the serenity?" he gasps after taking in a heap of that murky suburban air. He is a simple man, a man that I believe we all aspire to be. Maybe more refined, maybe more intelligent, but simply deep down in all our hearts we aspire to be simpletons and happy with that style of life. It's the abundance of the world we live in that somehow always spoils our bliss.

The film has the characters within at a crossroads when the family's home is under threat from the government to only add to the ever growing capitalisation of suburban Australia. It's something I remember in the early to mid 90s as a young boy. I remember many people loosing their jobs and super-markets/shopping malls going up and sending folks with small business's out!

There is a comment here within this film. But there is also a genuine heart something that touches us all. An Australian classic.

100 Films You Must See

Groundhog Day trailer here

#98 Groundhog Day
#97 The Castle

100 Films You Must See #98

2012-01-04T09:50:00.000+11:00

#98
GROUNDHOG DAY
Harold Ramis
1993

Groundhog Day is a film with an extravagant concept. Man gets stuck in a universal glitch and re-lives the same day over and over again, man then needs to find out why and rectify it to start a brand new day. Imagine bringing this script to a producer, you'd get a quick 'No' followed by a sneaky 'Good Luck'.

It has a smart, funny screenplay and it is no doubt pulled off by the comic genius of Bill Murray, he is the pivotal key to making this film. It's the subtle moments of frustration and anxiety that give this mans journey the credence you need to stick with such an out-there concept. At it's heart, there is a romance and Phil (Bill Murray) admittedly has no interest in his colleague Rita (Andy McDowell). The concept acts as quite and original plot for the romance to work in. There have been other films that have clearly stolen from Groundhog Day, like 50 first dates.

This is a film you have to see at least once, or twice or thrice, it's groundhog day!

100 Films You Must See

The Goonies trailer here

#98 Groundhog Day

100 Films You Must See #99

2012-01-03T01:50:00.001+11:00

#99
DRIVE
Nicholas Winding Refn

2011

I know this film has only been in cinema for two months at most now. I hear you ask, but how can a film stand the test of time if it's a newborn? Drive is unlike any crime film I have seen in recent memory. It is a crime film full of style & class which has a straightforward plot with themes of film noir. What Drive does better than it's contemporaries, is it does not shy away from the fact that this could well be a classic in film. It knows what it can be and through director Refn it is achieved, whereas your typical crime films which follow a very similar plot to this are always full of shoot-em-up's and dialogue that is a fabrication of macho protagonists that don't seem to exist. Along with it's soundtrack, Drive seems certain to stand the test of time.

Drive trailer here

100 Films You Must See
#100 The Goonies

#99 Drive

100 Films You Must See #100

2012-01-02T15:49:00.001+11:00

#100
THE GOONIES
Richard Donner
1985

The Goonies was a childhood favourite of mine. It was very different to other PG films, this one had an attitude and it's character's were not afraid to be the adolescents they were. Coarse language was prevalent so was the language friends and I were using in the school yard. An adventure film it is, but at it's heart The Goonies was a buddy film and a film about boys becoming men. Remember to do the Truffle Shuffle.

The Jotter's 100 Films You Must See History Lesson

2011-12-31T16:50:00.000+11:00

Some time ago, OK, 16 years ago now, I received an encyclopedic book on film from my Mother. She knew I was heavily into acting. So this along with my local video store, my world just opened. Now you have to remember this is a world without internet being what it is today, frequented, fast and on hand.

Within this book I could narrow down the actor's I'd like to see and see what films they had done, pre 1994 though. I would circle each film I had seen, from actor, director, writer etc. to actor, director, writer...

I remember being in year 10, and having a rain day...a day either spent writing, reading, or playing the Nintendo entertainment system. Instead I started an excel sheet database, with 4 important columns. Year, Film, Director and Rating. It took me 2 whole days to finish that book and inputting all the correct information for all the films i had seen. Being 15 I aptly named it Deans Best Films. For nostalgic reasons I haven't changed the grammatically incorrect title, or for that matter, immature.

Currently my film viewing stands at 2369 films, with a conscious effort not to watch all the so called 'classics' in one year. I love having films on the IMDB top 250 list or various other prestigious lists, as pending. Films like City Of God, Notorious, Sunset Boulevard, City Lights, M, Double Indemnity, Das Boot, Rashomon, Metropolis, Rebecca, Paths Of Glory, Judgment at Nuremberg, Dr. Zhivago, Lawrence Of Arabia etc. the list goes on and on. I enjoy the fact that my life goes on and on, and I hope in 10 years time I can watch Metropolis for example and be blown away.

Over the 6 or so years I have kept a top 100 list, that was easily expanded to 250. It's very hard to cut films, but this like all the other lists is a very personal one. It's not voted by anyone other than myself. My ratings are 5 being faultless, through to 0 not a film. There is .5 increments in-between. Not all the chosen top 100 films are 5 out of 5, remembering that when you do something like this, you have to remember to be personal and not put a classic before something that's quite recent, just because. Although I also succumb to the fact that films that beat the test of time must be given more creedence when deciphering between two of equally quality but years apart.

Either way it is all subjective and if anyone was to see this list, no doubt, they would have an argument or two at the very least. When the list is complete for this year I will post it up. Til then my friends.

Solitude

2011-08-17T14:01:00.000+10:00

Enjoying the sounds of silence
succumbed to my hearts defiance
there is way too much reliance
taking shelter without a license

Remember Fender Get's Internet Release

2011-08-15T10:53:00.005+10:00

Remember Fender finally goes live onto the world wide web. Make sure you check it out and leave us any critique, thoughts or questions you have. Cheers.

Remember Fender from Dean Marando on Vimeo.

The Sum Of A Man

2011-08-15T07:52:00.000+10:00

You may dine at five star restaurants, fly first class. You may have a healthy wage, a car to boot. You may have seen Rome and it's Colosseum, flown the coup. You may wake to sun, and sleep to silence.You may adventure in life's playground, having the dust settle long after your gone. You may conquer your burdens, by being free. Are these the sum of a man?

Giving without gift, respect for a stranger, healthy in spirit, expanding your mind, loving the loveless, enduring hurt, learning without knowing it all, opening your heart to the wonder of all, selfless in your pursuit to happiness, Are these the sum of a man?

Amity Volume 1

2011-08-08T05:20:00.000+10:00

Vanity was a thing she could do without. She could also live without the innuendo and competitiveness. On top of her social insecurities, living at home with her Father was taking it's toll. New to the thirties she would often state to the few acquaintances she kept, that she felt like all she achieved was hindered by the fact she was still a daughter in her Fathers house.

Success found Amity at the tender age of nine. She was what some would say a child genius. By the media, Amity was known simply as 'Majestic Amy' a name she despised not for the Majestic part but the latter. She often hated when others felt the need to shorten names and nicknames could only be used by people who shared a childhood with the persons in subject.

Laddy was a boy whom to quote the lovely Amy "was just somebody she used to know" In fact Laddy was her childhood companion, the boy down the road, who used to walk with her to school, who used to share paddle pop sticks while sitting on the curb watching wheels of cars go by, who used to go down to the lake and literally create magic. Laddy was in fact a nickname for Lawrence, not a common nickname nor for that fact in the case of Lawrence it was something she especially donned for him.

The memories she kept with her and only her, accounts of there childhood together came from the occasional bully or school mate they'd cross paths with. With only her Father to report to, who usually was out making a living for Amity and himself, She grew up pretty quickly, a little lady of sorts. Her childhood would come to an abrupt end eventually.

It was on one of those adventures out by the lake that young Laddy lost his life. The local police to this day could not definitively prove the events of that balmy evening on January 1989. It's been said by local folk that Amity drowned Laddy but the police's reports state otherwise

The Spy Outside My Window

2011-08-05T11:36:00.000+10:00

had a case of 'Rear Window on 11th December 2009 '... guy outside my house, stalking someone. Tinted Windows, 2 fingers hanging out the window...a smoker, interesting phone convo's, and parked under a massive tree!

im now equipped with camera, binoculars, water and some tasty chips -forget working

doesn't everyone want to be a spy?

he has been and gone 3 times today.

he got out went to the other side of the car rested his arms and his head in them. 2 mins later walked back around to the drivers side and zipped up.

he took a piss. he left as a red car approached the owners of where he was parking.
the car gone, only the pee stain remained.

he has green long shorts, white singlet and hat.

got the registration.

he listened to SEN radio...i swore i heard Anthony Hudson

had his phone on speaker and it could be heard from my backyard.

"the guy i followed, when i found him, he was hiding in the bushes"
he had a slight accent

Waiting For The Sun

2011-07-20T11:56:00.000+10:00

'I'm sitting here waiting for the sun' - Powderfinger -

I usually would be reflective of what the weather dishes up. I'd probably adhere to the above quote. But I'm not, weather wise I will not be bossed around. So I go;

I will not be bossed,
for it's I who'll cost.
By you my sun,
In rain, wind, cloud, I'll still, have fun!

At, On & In The Moon

2011-07-14T11:54:00.000+10:00

Is there a reason why people say 'on the moon'
I mean it's not if you sit on the moon as if it is a couch, only with the exception of the craters and moondust!
Why don't we say 'Oh that Neil Armstrong is IN the moon'
like 'My friend is IN Argentina'
Or is it that we still see the moon without horizons and that it is this Big Rock that people sometimes land on with no water or atmosphere?
What about if we used the term 'AT' like 'My friend is at the local shops'
let's use that in a sentence... 'Neil Armstrong is AT the moon if you need to call him'
Yeah still seems wrong being light miles away!
Can my iPhone dial the moon?

Escape

2011-02-14T16:22:00.000+11:00

It's creativity time now kiddies! I have the urge, feeling, notion, excitement to put together another short film. Possibly not a 39 minute length short, more like a 6-15 minute range kinda short. I'm not inspired, not motivated...just know I must.

It's settled, at least in my mind, I am a filmmaker, be it part time, casually, it must be done. I have a long list of short's I'd like to direct, that I have written. Honestly I'd be rapt just to put together the production and let someone else take the reigns.

I have a range of small genre films that could be shot.

Drama
"A House Of Cards"
The story of a mentally ill father and his son. It is a Father and Son story dealing with depression and fear. It is about responsibility and becoming a man and how a son teaches his father how to become a man.

Thriller
"The Disciple"
is a short story I wrote in 2005 about a priest sent from the Vatican to investigate the disappearance of missionaries in a fictional jungle country, he is accompanied by his guide a femme fatale. Con's: locations and one scene with special effects.

Drama/Romance/Comedy/Horror
"Laundry"
Laundry is 3 short films shot in the same Laundry on 3 separate days involving the one character named Lenny and his story is the beginning and end of the film, creating the Arc. I have been working on this film for many years now and it is getting much better. The book ends of the Lenny film are done...It's up to the 3 other directors to put their take on the 3 middle shorts.

Rom/Com
"Six Kilometers"
My ode to the romance comedy. All shot in a car. Is heavy reliant on dialogue and Acting between the female and male characters. The context of the conversation from the pickup to the cinema is about the negatives of their relationship, but their characters react in an amusing way, displaying their love.

Drama
"Mates"
This short is based on the death of a young man and his remaining friends. It is set outside the church on day of his funeral. It is how 10 or so friends react and what their relationships were like, be it embellished or loyal. Imagine yourself dead and watching friends, lovers, acquaintances react.

So these are the five I have. I have been a little vague as to not give away too much here on the blog. These are all working scripts and I hope to at very least get one of them done this year.

The Coloured Arch

2011-01-10T10:20:00.000+11:00

When it moves, it brings the rain.
It's cold and damp, filled with flickering gold.
I don't know what you are, I haven't a clue.
Where the ocean did lay, it's blood now resides.
When I look up, the sky is filled with colour.
If I try to catch you, you move further away.
Your an illusion, a pretty picture from Earth.

The Chrysalis

2011-01-09T10:35:00.001+11:00

Save your sermon
for angels in your bathroom
When you go, send me
a message by winged service

How do you breathe
without a heart
How do you beat
without your mind

Raise your glass
to yesterdays of love
to today's presence
and tomorrow's magic

Salvation's found
in a plastic jar
with holes punched out
crunchy peanut butter

Things you leave
on your bookcase
In fact
leave you in the dark
your Chrysalis spark

Film Reviewing

2011-01-09T09:30:00.000+11:00

I am back on track with film reviewing this month after being away from about November.
There are 2 new film reviews and 5 to come this month from DeanThirteen. New films like Somewhere and Black Swan have been viewed and reviewed, so log on to The Film (B)log.
Then make up your own mind.
Cheers

To a friend

2010-12-15T16:23:00.000+11:00

To a friend,

I know how you feel, I do. You feel alone, insecure, unloved, unresolved, empty, pending. I know, I do.
Here I'll go, I'll lie, you'll be fine, summer's will feel warm again, clouds will move away, love will stay.
Here I'll go, I'll lie, you'll feel all that you do now.

Truth is I don't know, no one knows. Not you not her.

Comfort is in knowing that you are in the majority. You have not lost, only experienced.
To suck in the thick air on top of mountains, is only succeeded by the lost sweat, blood and tears you need to endure.
It feels finite, it is not, your not even half way.
Take comfort that you are 1 in nearly 7 billion, take comfort that in your lull other beauties emerge, friendship, solidarity, backbone, courage, respect...all things a man should be judged by.
Through our conversations I know without a doubt you posses all of those.

Go through the motions, it is what humans need to do. Without the negative, the positive would not exist. Without loss, gain would not exist. We need hurt as much as we need love, otherwise all the good in life will not exist. It is all part of you and everyone.

Remember it is ok to fear, it is ok to doubt, it is ok to lose, it is ok just to be...

Notes In My Head

2010-11-03T11:29:00.000+11:00

Moving the edges,
the new sprouts of spring.
Weissenberg's 'debussy' runs through your veins,
replacing the brewing blood as it now rushes to your head.

Winter's gone but in this town,
we still weather the storm.
Piano seeps through waxy ears,
like last seasons rust, replaced by new life.

Mobile Man : Episode 4 Partner

2010-10-27T13:52:00.003+11:00

My new Mobile Man episode.

Tommy And The Bones

2010-10-26T00:35:00.002+11:00

One thing I love to do while feeding my 10 year old dog Tommy, is to wait for him to bury his bones. Then without words, the game between animal and man begins.

He waits out my first move like a good old chess game. While fixated on his new toy/food, he quickly moves his head from left to right to observe the scene like an expert bank robber. He then looks up at me, I give way, I heed to the staircase and pretend to go inside. Game on!

Tommy makes his way to his desired part in the garden, he then attempts to bury his bone. All the while, I sit upon the porch looking down on his every move, you could say this Chess game has a cheater.

Tommy heads back to his bowl minus the bone. Our eyes glance at each other as we cross paths. His big worried eyes say to me "I wonder if Dean saw where I buried my bone?" I move over to the fresh grave he just dug. By this time Tommy sprints over. He plants his foot atop of the fresh dirt to protect his investment. Easily moved, I dig up the bone and replace it in it's original bowl.

Back and forth the charade continues, with every attempt bringing a new hiding place.

Every time we come back to the starting point of the neverending game and interchange stares, I believe Tommy thinks "Wow this guy won't get the hint, I can do this ALL DAY!"

TV Trasher's : The Experience

2010-10-25T17:00:00.004+11:00

Around 2 months ago a friend (Steve-O) and I started a TV disposing hobby aptly named 'TV Trasher's'. What do we do?
Well we grab abandoned TV's from footpaths and nature-strips outside the house's of their past owners, who in turn in all likelihood have a new 50 inch plasma TV sitting inside their lounge room now.

We bring them back to a private residence and simply drop them off rooftops, ladders and also club in the Tv tubes with nine irons, putters and pitching wedges. We finish off the insides with secateurs, pliers, crow bars, hammers and even mallets for a funny finish.

The TV Trasher's have since gone on 2 otuings disposing of 3 TV's and 4 in stock for safe removal.

The experience itself is usually relieving frustration and weirdly liberating. The sense you get from trashing a TV and hearing the implosion of it's gases as it makes contact with the cold concrete is amazing, a sound that could not be captured properly on Digital video equiptment. We have talked about getting in a sound recordist!

If you like destruction like most full blooded male's I suggest you trash a TV at least once in your life. Tv Trashing is a great way to dispose of TV's, which end up being small enough to fit into your recycling bin.

Tv trasher's threatens to be a big hobby, with the emergence of new flat screen HD TV's. We already have a few people who have expressed getting involved, male and female! yes!

I've Forgotten To Write

2010-10-25T11:44:00.000+11:00

It's been about 3 months I reckon since I last started to seriously write. I mean anything, Screenplay, stories, blogging, journal writing, film reviewing etc.

I have a love hate relationship with my pen, i abuse the fuck out of it playing word games on TV, jotting nothings and infrequently drawing stick figures. When it comes down to writing because I haven't for a while, I just can't. Sometimes I will but that's after an hour of scribbling shit! I figure, I have had nothing to really write about.

For me, writing is about getting all the feelings pent up inside out on paper. Secrets shared between me and my pen and a bit of blank paper.

Lately the whole process of writing and more importantly, needing to has dissipated into worrying, panic and anxiety. I have translated my feelings inward, with a slight case of misanthropy again.
Forcing the pen=wrong!

The last important thing I wrote other than the shopping list was a letter to myself while in a dark place one night listening to Elephants Instrumental by Rachel Yamagata over and over again.
Music=flowing pen!

The spark has gone kids, so I start to write about THAT experience = Writing!

Is This Correct?

2010-08-19T14:28:00.000+10:00

Is this correct
I feel a change coming on
my own government abandons me

Thanks to family and friends
I will have support
caring and filled with love

When fear and frustration collide
there will be no reason to hide
only the nerves that rest inside

To the one's that left
I feel only calm
go with my love

Don't, don't me
I will as I will
living inside a beautiful world

Trading the comfy warmth
for a trip up the icy road
spray as you go

With a whisper and a hug
they set me off
to be alone again

Fictitious songs and films
building courage in a paper bag
no torch for my map

Is this correct?

She's A Ghost Inside Me

2010-08-18T16:16:00.000+10:00

Purse your salty lips,
oceans she sips.
Homebound at our alter,
perfect you will never falter.

Leave and give way,
don't stay.
Recall the lyrics,
of our hysterics.

I run through the forest,
in my sunday best.
This is what I see,
all the ghosts that live inside me went free.

Hey You

2010-08-18T05:43:00.000+10:00

I know I inherited it from you,
why didn't you tell me, warn me, help me?
It's only a hunch, because I don't know you.
Thinking of my lifeless life with you,
where was my lesson, my warning?
thanks for all the nothing you did,
know I'm you with the safety on,
give me your vice's for I don't need your virtue's
they don't reflect on me, so why do I need them?
A lot of questions need answering
why do I bear your scars?
Help me, now I'm asking
don't worry about it, it wasnt instant
what's the point of waiting on hope
when I am hardly of you
You taught me to do the opposite
I'm supposedly thankful
but I'm not a cliche'
thing's I lost in the storm
the constant struggle
not knowing which way you were flowing
I don't remember anything
I have no memories
Sad, fearful I lost
I have no photographs
there are no images of the good times
where there good times?
more questions
I know, I'm too much for you
I'm wrapped up in a ball of love
not your love
not of you
but love that needs filling
I know now that with or without
It needs filling
not by you, your chance has passed?
Yes?
No?
I don't know
I was a tree that needed to be pruned
Instead I collapsed on my self
surviving while the others flourish into the sky
My life is torment within life's garden
where are you?
Go away
your a contradiction I learnt
How will I ever be a man?
If you never were
Life without direction is like a puppet without a voice
someone pulls my strings
let them go
give me my own voice back
struggling to survive in this jungle of choices
this ocean of waves
in the desert of dry mouths
I needed a hand
a guide for this city
not a map
your hand
instead I write
searching, searching, searching
where was the folder I threw away?
case file: you
I need it
I'm without a base
no research
your a blank page
i don't know how to start my book
on your shoulders I once stood
but I know what I will do
what will I do?

My Heart Want's Out

2010-08-17T11:32:00.000+10:00

This i'll shout,
my heart wants out.

Banging your drum,
along my throat,
to the beat of the hum,
it's all your fault.

This i'll shout,
my heart wants out.

Giving me a glance,
on my l.c.d.
you won't make me dance,
wrapped up, that's not me.

This i'll shout,
my heart want's out.

Your Words

2010-08-07T06:31:00.000+10:00

Again music is fueling me writing,
makes me forget all the over sighting.
don't pay for your words.

When all the shyness,
leaves me with nothing less.
don't pray for your words.

Like a rake in the sand,
she cheers me with a wave of her hand.
don't cut your words.

Loosing the colours from my eyes,
a little in her dies.
don't write your words.

She finds comfort in me,
we promise just to be.
don't justify your words.

One day i''l write a masterpiece,
from her I will lease.
don't forget your words.

A Title?

2010-08-06T18:27:00.000+10:00

So I just got a massive burst of inspiration for a new short film I am writing. I know the plot and as usual it will be a few days before my team find out. You see I have been jotting in my Project 2010 notebook. I can't write on this keyboard creatively, which I am sure you are all aware.

Anyhow, now I am in the midst of changing the name. Checking with IMBD to see if the film clashes, that isn't so bad I guess, but you don't want the same sort of film with the same name to exist, to me, it is just wrong.

I have "Living within a house of cards" for the moment. It seems too long, but is that a bad thing? probably not, but most importantly it needs to prompt an audience to view, not be overused and have specific meaning to the story. Anyhow I will keep working it out. No rush.

In other news related, I have an ending. Actually I have a couple. What's more is that all the images of the story are in my head, and what's weird is that they are not leaving. I'm not forgetting them. A first for me as they usually leave like dreams escape before I write them down in the morning.

Can You Hear?

2010-08-06T17:22:00.001+10:00

Cold day and you notice the sleeves
their dead on their knees
there is no devotion
only emotion
and they've worked out the crossword
singing without their songbird

Can you hear me at all?

Hot day and you notice no sleeves
their up from their knees
there is no emotion
only devotion
but they've ruined the crossword
singing with his songbird

Can you hear me now?

Ticking

2010-08-05T14:01:00.001+10:00

This was her last day on Earth and she knew it. Her mind was clear, she knew what to do. You see, 3 months ago a she visited a palm reader and subsequently, this was the final day for her. She was ultra busy for the last 3 months and only managed to free up one day within that time. She decided to make it the last day for obvious reasons.

One thing was playing on her mind though. It was the thought of when? She knew it was this day, but when? at 11:59 and 59 seconds? or sometime during the day? or even the stroke of midnight, and how would she get the correct time synced to all of her expensive time reading devices.

Over the past 3 months her goal while still busy at work was to look up ebay in her spare time and purchase clocks, all sorts of time reading devices, from Analogue clocks, digital wrist watches, calculator clocks, new ipod docks, countdown and stop watches, dutch cuckoo clocks, she bought a sun dial she set up in her back yard and even an old grandfather clock made by a German time master from the world war II era. You name it, she probably had it.

Her house was like a clock museum awaiting the arrival of her death. She remembered, there was a cheap digital LCD watch the palm reader gave her. Maybe she could flip a switch and it would give her the time, from what she remembered it had only the date. She locked that away in mind and locked the digital watch away in a safe.

She ran upstairs hurriedly and in anticipation, came to the picture frame of a cat wearing a wrist watch and checking it smartly. Ripped the picture frame off, put in her code, 25 left, 13 right, 2 turns and 17 on the left. Click it was open. The wrist watch she couldn't get quick enough on her right wrist. The date read Thursday 12th of July, she looked over to her left wrist and it also read Thursday 12th of July, she quickly clicked the switch on the left wrist watch and it read 11:49 A.M. she hesitantly reached over to her right wrist, pressed the switch, it read 3:30 P.M. That was sorted, her time of death would be no longer than 3 hours and 41 minutes.

She knew what she had to do, she had to set every clock in the house to ring at 3.30 P.M. She had grown accustomed to the rings, chimes, dings and even chirps of her the clocks, it was the sound she would die to. She quickly set her left wrist alarm for 3.30 then ran as quick as she could downstairs, wearing socks was probably a bad idea, as she slipped on the 7th step from the ground and tumbled over banging her head several times on the railing and steps.

Her story faded to black.

An annoying ringing could be heard. The kind of alarm that would wake the worst drunk. it was deafening to her ear. She was slowly coming through. Her eyes were adjusting as they squinted from black to sharp whites and quickly formed an image of her ceiling roof, slowly brought up her wrist to her eye line. The clock blurred into a vision that read 3:39 P.M.

She squealed in pain, but with joy. She was alive! The Alarm went off again after no snooze had been hit. Suddenly her life was in full grasp, she was back. She let out a whaling cry, full of life. She was happy and alive. She ripped off her watches and threw them to her left while still lying on her back. They hit something and broke, she gasped. She turned over in excruciating pain to see the damage she had caused.

A mirror awaiting her appearance was in full sight. she found it hard to make out as it was cracked in many places distorting the image. she panned down from her face til she got to her stomach and paused, then closed her eyes. She gulped expecting the worst. Slowly opening her eyes again, it was revealed, a chimney rod. It had pierced her belly, she let out a girlish cry. She had lost a lot of blood, she felt her self fainting again, she gave way to the feeling and her eyelids were closing slowly, her breathing became slower, til she faded away into the sounds of her alarm going off again another 9 minutes later.

Ode To Thom

2010-08-05T13:20:00.000+10:00

A boy born into peril,
A boy with no family,
A boy that grew strong,
A boy who left town,
A boy with big love,
A boy who wrote a play,
A boy that had a boy,
A boy who died alone.

Weird In Winter

2010-08-04T12:53:00.000+10:00

This may seem strange in early August and it's not the fact that I have a cold. It's not even that it was 12 degrees centigrade on Sunday with hail, wind and rain, but the fact that through my nasally cough, headache, sore throat etc. I can sense spring.

That's right, with this cold and in this state of being sick, my senses are feeling and smelling spring in the air. I told you this was strange. I guess when sick you take on a different kind of breathing pattern and a much more deeper and conscious one at that. I can smell the air, the grass, the rain and it's lovely.

I'm in a heightened state of being, my sleep is out of whack and im starting to feel warm where it's freezing cold. I'm not the kind to hate being sick with a cold, it never really bothers me, bar the sore throat which is atrocious for sleeping.

I'm going with the flow, feeling weird in winter.

Fly Away Into A Bubble

2010-07-30T00:01:00.000+10:00

Buy yourself a coat for the summer
go out and buy a big puffy one
keep the cold thoughts away
for a distant moment you fell into obscurity
naked in winter
fly away into a bubble

thoughts are unfinished
music played over gramophone's
in courtyards of your love
wander into the evening
moonlight and space
fly away into a bubble

lonely in your mind
toiling soil with your feet
numbers and alphabet
return to me in summertime
anxiously in love with my seed
fly away into a bubble

Project 2010 Progress

2010-07-29T10:15:00.000+10:00

So it has now been 2 months since the Remember Fender premiere screening. A massive night that signified the completion of 19 months work. I remember growing my hair as a 15-16 year old for 19 months. It's a bloody long time. Fender is not completely done, we are currently entering festivals for it, throughout the year, although it has been rejected from the first 3 so far. We will see, at the end of the day, the film premiered to a hundred strong audience. We are happy and a screening at a festival will satisfy us.

Three days after the premiere, I remember sitting at my desk starting to read texts for my final semester at university only to be hit with an overpowering feeling of anxiety. I was amazed, it had not happened in a while. I had heaps of time to just get things in order, but the lack of creativity in my distant future hit me like a ton of bricks.

I knew I needed to do something about it, because I can't get back to the anxious ways in previous days before Fender. I immediately started writing creatively. It came to me in visions although the pictures were not translating so easily into words on paper. I quickly opened up a thread on facebook with my closest film collaborators. I wrote all I was thinking in regards to a new project. Without a flinch the two men committed to doing what they loved.

I kind of rested on that and allowed the patience for the story to come to me. I must say, it was kind of an excuse to be lazy and watch 61 of 64 world cup games. by the start of July, I had hit the wall again and knew it was time to kick up a gear.

Last week, a Wednesday night a certain calm came over me, a more in depth calm. Visions were flooding into my head. It was the story. It was all I wished for, but structured. I felt the emotion of the two characters and the location in which this project initially began was easily coming to me. I got my trusty notebook and wrote. Ideas, characters, locations, structure, look, feel, music etc. It was truly amazing. Creating stories to me is the pinnacle of what I can do, what I am good at, the only thing that I know I can do well.

After the write up, I quickly contacted my collaborators and told them I have the story. Only know it's coming up with the nerve to write a treatment. You see it's a hard task for me and the main reason is the based on the whole "saying it aloud" theory. I have many ideas, but when I speak them to someone, most the time, I discover how awful they are. It's in the process from visual in my mind to paper, where idea's and context get lost. This is where the treatment comes in, the treatment is a shout out of everything the film should be from feel, to story etc. but delivering it to another human being.

But I will get on with it and after hearing back from my collaborators, I will post the successful treatment here. Til then, be creative!

To Be Humble

2010-07-28T12:18:00.000+10:00

When you feel you have everything, its quite important to understand the world does not always replicate how you feel.

Being humble is all about accepting that the rest of the world is different to yourself and understanding
that your happiness is not everyone elses goal.

So I Ran

2010-07-24T00:22:00.001+10:00

So I ran to the sand
reached out with my hand

So I ran to the church
reached out with a lurch

So I ran to the sun
reached out with my gun

So I ran to the commuity
reached out with a city

So I ran to river
reached out with a shiver

So I ran to miss
reached out with a kiss

Go, Go, Go

2010-07-23T00:01:00.015+10:00

This is such a simple note
to you who will never quote

go, go, go in your drunken slumber

find me in a dream, turn my face to another
if it helps you sleep through the night
or it may be easier to pretend
turn out the candle light

prose in the morning
prose in the night

go, go, go in your drunken slumber

never used to drink much
changing in the daylight
your skin is as such
all without a fight

my poetry is a mess

go, go, go in your drunken slumber

Words In My Hand

2010-07-21T12:10:00.000+10:00

Words in my hand
laying in tall dried grass
in a distant land
this was all but a farce

Words in my hand
listening to romance
in a distant land
fake at a glance

Words in my hand
our eyes locked
in a distant land
my mind mocked

Words in my hand
there you are in my dreams
in a distant land
failed with all the schemes
Words in my hand

Dean Martin

2010-07-20T15:15:00.003+10:00

If you didn't know I am an unabashed Dean Martin fan.

You see as a youngster of the 80s the norm was to listen to popular music, watch 80s teen films and go with the trend. I had no idea the 80s happened. I had no reference to popular culture. My attentions were towards school which I liked but wondered into creative dreamland, while being woken up with blackboard dusters imprinted on my chest.

Films were also a big part, but I tended to watch Martin & Lewis, Abbott and Costello, Presley, and Martial Arts films my Father would rent for me and my brothers as I was heavily into Karate, also participating two nights a week.

My musical background also had nothing to do with the 80s. I listened to 'Golden Oldies' on my Mother's car stereo, at home to Creedence, Joe Cocker and Janis Joplin on her Cassette tape and to horse races on my Father's car stereo. At my grandparents house I would listen to Dean Martin, One of my Grandmothers favourite.

He is my favourite singer, The baritone voice, the charisma in the words and the easy flow music that has stood the test of time. People think of Dean Martin as the fellow who sung 'That's Amore' that Italo-American song of the 50s, but Dean is much more than that. To me, he is the coolest cat that ever lived.

'Motivation is a lotta crap' -Dean Martin-

By far my most used quote, he is right, Human's only do things as they need to be done, not for a motivational reasoning. If I have to do something, then I just will...OR....won't. It is simply your choice, or mine.

It just displays the man's easy way at looking at life, from the music he chose to sing and how he did. If you listen to live recordings of Dean, you will truly understand what I mean. First and foremost he was an entertainer and one of the funniest comedians I have ever seen, bar, Jerry Lewis.

Many may not know but Mr. Martin was nominated for 4 Emmy's and 5 Golden Globes with one win, for his hit show "The Dean Martin Comedy Hour" which I have seen many episodes and they are hilarious. The show ran for 9 years from 65-74 and Dean signed the biggest contract at NBC ever. You see the man was loved and would attract guest like Orson Welles, John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Milton Berle, Geroge Burns, Bing Crosby...etc...you name them, chances are they were on it.

The laid back attitude is a treasure to have, something only a few years ago, I prided myself on. When I am at most happiest or in need of a cheer up, you will hear the tunes of Mr. Martin blaring through my house...Oh with myself trying to keep up with his Royalty.

I want for one day to be able to incorporate his music within a short film of mine. His music appears on more than 150 films and TV of note. I looked into using his music once, but it was a maze...but who knows...one day.

Anyhow, if you havent heard of the man, please do so, it won't let you down, get a Capitol recording, or a live recording from the Sands Casino, or a Rat Pack recording, or watch an episode of The Dean Martin Show, or a Celebrity roast and you will know what I am talking about...

A man who could sum up love in one verse, then make you laugh at it, then make you think - true! then make you sing it ALL day long. I'll leave you with this one;

"How lucky can one guy be,
I kissed her and she kissed me.
Like the fella once said,
Ain't that a kick in the head"

For IMBD Profile

Therapy In The Snow

2010-07-20T12:18:00.000+10:00

To all the departed ones
and to all the inevitable rising suns

To all the broken hearts
and to all the morning starts

To all the lost souls
and to all the empty holes

Go forth and write your words
of sorrow, misery and loss

Therapy in the snow
Only you could know, yours is a,
Therapy in the snow

To Hibernate

2010-07-15T03:31:00.003+10:00

She came to me in the Summer of my life,
Missed Spring,
Changed me in Autumn,
Left me alone during Winter,

To Hibernate.

Personal Update

2010-07-14T15:08:00.001+10:00

So, after heated debate with the circuits upstairs that reside in my brain, I have decided to let it all hang out (reminds me of a Van Morrison song). My decision is solely based on the fact that I have it all in me to write at this point of time in my life, just can't seem to put it down, through a keyboard or pen. I totally forgot music, you see music is like ink to me, it sends me in all different directions,

"Most of the time I have nothing to say
When I do it's nothing and nobody's there to listen anyway"
-Ryan Adams-

I know most of the time I don't have much to say, but lately I'm understanding it's a product of my environment and has been for a long time. I need to be stimulated and mostly that's through conversing, I enjoy interaction and human beings, I really do. Just most times, I'm never in the mood, go figure, I've tried.

The writing bug is back but I'm scared how long it will stay this time. I hope it lasts as long as I need to get through University essays, a new untitled screenplay, The Film (B)log reviews, and my own prose, short stories and ramblings.

May was a massive month for me organising the film premiere for Remember Fender, it culminated in the night itself to end May. It was a very special night to me and I suggest will be better than any graduating night I may have in my life.

June saw me bring in my last birthday in my twenties and start the countdown to which should be just another year passed, but with those numbers in sight sets off a countdown that I can't seem to shrug off. I get a sense that even if Uni was done with, Work was set up, I'd still be unfullfilled and the prospective birthday would be as daunting. The fact is that since I was a toddler milestones have always played a big part, from football games, high school scores and my 10th birthday to ring in a few. I'll try to get my head around it, I promise.

So after the initial birthday week, June flew by, I felt like I needed time off, but I may have taken much more than I wanted to. The world cup was on and being in Australia the daily life to a world cup devotee meant a sleepless month and structures i've built up around me like meals and excercise put second. It's taken about a week and I have recovered.

Today is Wednesday and I promised I'd be writing by yesterday's date, in which I did, but quickly stopped. But here I am again today, writing to you, that's right, you upstairs buddy! Trying to figure out and set my path again, for the next half of the year, which is well belated. If I have nothing else to show for my life, I know I will have my written word. The stories, critiques, rants, life lessons, and philosophies, all I need now is someone to share them with.

Inside My Mind

2010-07-14T03:00:00.004+10:00

The record function is not fucntioning

The raw footage remains

I need more space for new recordings

Inside my mind

New memories won't fit

There is not enough room

Ill make a deal

Inside my mind

You give me space for new memories

Ill archive the past

I promise to keep even the sad ones

Inside my mind

I am not removing her, them, him, that from my mind

But the potential to record

Not to overwrite

Inside my mind

So, condense the old files

Label them 'My History 18-29'

I promise to keep it filed away, memories...

Inside my mind

Drink Up

2010-07-13T06:15:00.010+10:00

Writing out my heart

Feelings left in a paper bag

Set it on fire

Ashes beneath my feet

Rain washes away

Drink the earth

I'm On My Side

2010-07-12T18:12:00.000+10:00

The future lies within

I try to play it like a piano

Slowly in my approach

Creating notes

Direction is for the unique

Talking to it

Strings pull organs

Fever's swept up inside

Faint feelings reside

I'm on my side
I'm on my side

United 93 (2006)

2010-06-05T14:17:00.001+10:00

Paul Greengrass of the 'Bourne' films directs this true account of the 93 passengers that died in the terrorist hijacking of the plane that went down in Pennsylvania, US. Usually I enjoy a good old 'plane going down' story, here I was out of that element. All thanks go to the vomit inducing camera work that Greengrass employs. It works fantastically well in the Bourne films and they for action films are in my opinion at the top of their game. It just does not work here for me.

Call me an ass, but I hate true stories that get nations worked up to the point of being patriotic about their people. It reaks of those propaganda war films of WWII. I take nothing away from the people that went to their death and the fear, bravery they went through and their poor families. But I am talking about being entertained through the medium of film. I indeed was not.

I'm sure there will be those of you that love this film and are moved by it. But simply it's a film that passes as a true account, about something I have seen a dozen times already and not directed very well at all.

Remember Fender Reviews

2010-05-30T11:49:00.032+10:00

On the night of premiere, I made sure we had a rating and thoughts card for anyone to fill out.

Here are the reviews, I have omitted names and ratings, so here you will see thoughts from some of the 100 people that attended on the night.

#1 "Truely professional, creative and aspirational. Guys; have confidence in yourselves, as its the only thing bringing you down; sell your self and your creativity you have earnt it and yo definately deserve it! love me xx---P.T.O.---Speak up, you have earnt this-you created this and most importantly you deserve this. Your passion your spirit and your drive is evident. This is much more than many producers will ever deliver, and in one "short art house film" you have accomplished this. Congrats and don't forget us from the 'Bur' and facebook xx"

#2 Very Entertaining, Keep up the good work

#3-Funny
-Pretty good acting
-very creative

#4 Very creative and very funny. I hope you follow your dream and do well in the future. You deserve to succeed.

#5 Well done! this was a great short film, the plot was clear and the characters were funny + shoed enthusiasm. Keep up the good work.

#6 A great idea to get everyone together to celebrate the project! you have a great film - thanks for letting me be part of it! Good luck with film festivals etc.

#7 Very witty, clever and thoroughly entertaining. Hope to see more. Keep up the good work.

#8 I will never forget Fender! Brilliant, loved it. Well done everyone involved.

#9 fender (ralph) is wonderful and the mother-too good

#10 As a low profile movie it wasnt too bad. Although it was ridiculous humour, it was enough to make you go "what the hell's he on". Overall it was a fair attempt. Could be generally funnier but what you have done is something exciting. Only concern, laughs were at extremely exagerated lines.

#11 You are amazing, you brought back a lot of beautiful memories, Not only did it have a good story, love the great humour too.

#12 Congratulations. All the hard work has paid off! you pulled it off! I loved your movie! I know its going to do well. you have just opened the door. and i hope success follows. You deserve it. all the best.

An Open Letter To The Remember Fender Cast & Crew

2010-05-28T11:39:00.005+10:00

The films concept came to me back in 2006 at Deakin. The unit I undertook was Independent Production. We were given the task to create a dialectical film narrative. I took lessons I learnt in various classes about Video artists and documentary and fused both into what was a mockumentary. Influences included Yoko Ono’s 1966 bottom’s a video art piece spanning 80 minutes, were you only saw nude bottoms. I felt unease at this, that art could be formed so un-intelligently. Another influence was “this is spinal tap” I used elements of looking back on the life of an artist. and the last influence was a 1966 - Don't Look Back, by Donn A. Pennebaker about Bob Dylan's tour of England. I took elements of celebrity and naivety from that. So the film was made over 3 consecutive night one weekend with friends who helped behind and in front of the camera. It was guerilla film-making at it’s ultimate. No money, no sets, no lighting. I got a good reception at a screening at uni but left it at that.

A couple of year later and after conversations about the possibilities one sunny Sunday in september over a bbq and beer, they had officially persuaded me to do it again, this time on a scale that would justify such a job. Anna and Iurgi are Remember Fender’s biggest fans, they took on roles on the production that without them this would not have existed. I want to thank you again for believing in the project and more importantly in me.

So in October of 2008 a script was in motion with Iurgi my supervisor and co-producer to kick my arse and critique me on every step of the way. Script was complete by Feb of 2009 while pre-production had got underway.

I want to thank Iurgi and Anna who saw something I didnt even see in the film. And that was pure potential. Especially Iurgi who was present at every thing we did throughout this film. He would be on set/location before me, chirping me up and making sure the job was done. You are totally professional Iurgi and a great film-maker in your own right, I am your biggest fan behind Anna. We work well, criticising each others works constantly which in turn delivers a higher quality of product we produce. I am very happy to call you my partner in everything we have done together. I know I have learnt a lot from him. Thanks. Iurgi and Anna would and still support me through film times and times were you just need a friend. On top of all that Iurgi would always travel up to 90 minutes at a time, even to his dislike of the Melbourne Public transport system. What’s even more, Iurgi continually makes the trip just to hang out and be an unbelievable friend of mine. I have nothing but admiration for you my friend.

I also want to send a massive thank you to my friend Steve Ramsie. Steve-O you are a magnificent jewel in what we call Fender. Steve came late to the team, but was invaluable. He started doing some sound for us. Steve is an intelligent film-maker who is as massive a film buff I know. He lives it He breathes it. We were stuck on editing Fender for a couple of months. It was after when we were well acquainted that Steve came to Iurgi and I with a massive 10 page document of how the narrative structure should work. I was so convinced that I stood back from the project and Steve along with Iurgi put together the masterplan he had drawn up and that Iurgi and I had Okayed. So thank you for all Steve and also for the support.

One very special thing had happened and that was Matt Kosub, who is an actor and was to play Ralph Fender. He was to go over to Japan to play in Blues Brothers. But that is where the special thing happened, he got a hold of someone he knew could play the part and that was Christian Cavallo. An excellent Actor who by the end of filming had embodied Ralph so much that we had an improvisational interview with him as Ralph, he nailed him perfectly and if you ever get a chance to see it, there are Fenderisims throughout it.

Another key recruit was that of Paul Congdon who, through the Frankston arts center where he and Iurgi worked together. A jovial character himself, he was absolutely perfect for Ray Fender, Ralph's brother. He gave us comedic relief and a strong character performance saw his character move from supporting to equal lead role. Paul has this natural ability to make a scene funny.

Through the leads we eventually got Sarah Watson as Ralph’s girlfriend Susie Archer. Sarah had performed with Christian in ‘Grease’. We were very lucky to get Sarah. Sarah has a professionalism I have not yet seen in an actor. She had a massive monologue and she nailed every word on the first take. She was the perfect accompaniment for Ralph’s quirky character.

So meet two of my friends Luca and Marco Finanzio. the only cast members that got a gig from the old film. Luca and Marco have this amazing chemistry together, they kind of know what the other is going to say. They also have an unbelievable ability to ‘spin shit’ ! Something I know Luca and I used to do also as youngsters. They were a perfect fit for the agent and producer Leon and Charlie King. From the first film the really had their characters down, so for this version I wrote some of their characters into their lines. For two men who have had no experience at improvisational acting, my hats of to you.  
We also had the beautiful pleasure of welcoming Gaye Meadows who would play Rosaline Fender into the mix. She was superb. Gaye has this beautiful motherly aspect to her, comforting, warming and always smiling. She did a fantastic job of creating the warm Rosaline.

Anna Meadows playing a younger version of Rosaline in one cameo scene was fantastic, She was very professional and is always a pleasure to work with giving her all, wether it be acting, producing, costume, make up, first a.d-ing,, she was truly amazing and an amazing friend through the filming and still is. And good luck to Anna Meadows and Sarah Watson on being part of the musical ‘Dusty’!

One little man I cant forget to mention is Rafael. Yes that tiny little actor over there. (points) Here are some facts you may not know about him, he is an actor -yes, he made his debut as a one year old -yes, and lastly he knew all of his lines - ma-ma,,he-he, and my fave wah! Thank your Rafael and hopefully one day you will see the film and understand it. Thank you to Natashia and Damian for allowing to use Rafael in our film!

I want to also thank David Muscat who is now in the UK looking for acting work who laid down the voice of Ralph’s father Frederick, it was a long process to get him as we had 5 actors who could do the job. David got it eventually because of his quirkiness. that fitted fender perfectly.

I also want to thank Cameron Myrtle for producing a beautiful and quirky film score. He spent an amazing amount of hours refining the score along with Iurgi producing him. Originally the score was produced 4 years ago by Bruno Montesano and I. but Cameron took that and all the notes and references I could give him and created his own pieces. Cameron your music fills all the holes in the film, it links all the emotions and conveys the feel a director wants an audience to have. He is very talented. it is perfect. A massive thank you.

I also want to thank Paul Azcue, who played a cameo. Matthew O’Carroll who contributed two of his songs. Dianne Jeffery for her equipment and also Spencer Barnes who were down for England for one of our shoots and helped. John McAuslan who put together a distinct colour grade to the film, he delivered the look I always had visioned in Fender, Excellent work. Haimar Olaskoaga who in Spain went out of his way to produced a professional Sound Mix. Also Inaki Txiko who also in Spain acted as our second unit and got shots of Donostia to represent when the film moves there and also photographed the film poster dictaphone for us. My brother Jason who also worked on the film as a production assistant and on sound and who would drive around to all the local locations and get up nice and early to help on sets.

I want to send out a massive thank you to My mum, who without her would not have had the support and drive to continue with this film for the last 2 years. She is magnificent and supportive, all a young man could ask for. I know I have given her some headaches along the way so thank you for putting up with me.

I want to also give a massive thank you to my brothers Jason and Benny who are magnificent and continue to give me support and love. Throughout the shoot and the planning of this event they have been an ever presenting bundle of help, with a hand in everything you see here tonight, projector, sound, etc.

Lastly I want to thank Benny for catering for tonight, taking days off to prepare and cook up a storm, that I know everyone loves. You out did yourself. An Amazing cook.

I am forever grateful for everyone in the extended Fender Family. I would gladly do it all over again and not change a thing.

That is maybe a little re-write!

Enjoy your night.

Dean Marando
28th May 2010

Undrafted Rambling

2010-05-06T14:03:00.000+10:00

Sometimes I clearly have something to say,
Sometimes I tend to jot jibberish,
I like to interact, with the words in my mind,
the numbers in my heart, counting the seconds,
I still love you Melbourne
We have so much in common,
Four seasons in one day,
I feel sorry for the ones that are tempered,
Creativity is inspiration, is an open mind, is blood, oxygen and water,
At it's primal, humanity is a creation, an evolving mess, caught in it an ever flowing dislike for one-another, for war, greed, and discourse.
Like an undrafted rambling, life exists
Like the thoughts of an individual
we are all up in the air, we float around through the misanthropy, through the need for company, through the love and lost.
Struggling to search for the ends of the universe,
to discover the science that makes us.
To have everything is to have nothing
To know all is to have nothing
Everything is nothing,
Nothing ... is something.

To bleed, love, fear, laugh, cry, feel is to Be

Triangle (2009)

2010-05-01T03:24:00.001+10:00

Jess: [first lines - consoling her child] Oh you're just having a bad dream, that's all baby. That's all it was. Bad dreams make you think you're seeing things that you haven't. You know what I do when I have bad dream? I close my eyes and I think of something nice - like being here with you.

Okay so I viewed Triangle, English Director, American speaking characters, set in Australia. Not a bad combination if we are talking film culture, but it irritated me in this film. Why on Earth do we see (Melissa George-Australian) playing an American on the Sunshine Coast meeting up with American friends. It had me dazzled and nearly made me forget to view the film as it should be.

The film has had a long wait for release and one of the reasons I believe is, it doesn't know where it sits along the lines of distribution. Having said all this, I was attached to the film as soon as she (Melissa George) 'boards' the narrative! A psychological thriller that works. I have not seen too many of them in recent times. My feeling is they just don't work, flashbacks and forwards are too intrusive. This one does.

I won't give very much away because it will give away the storyline of the film and you really need that to strum along with the beats. I think apart from my negative thoughts on the directors choice to take a slice of many nations pies and you can get past that, the film works and it is entertaining and will make you think. Give it a go.

Who Do I Think I Am?

2010-04-29T01:07:00.000+10:00

I have been encapsulated by the "Who do you think you are" Television series. I started out viewing the Australian one, then got caught up in the UK one and last night viewed for the first time the US one. Let me tell you, it's edited like an episode of 'Kitchen Nightmares' Please stop, take a leaf out of the UK's book, please, but that is another story (rant).

I really want to find my family! No, I actually want to know about my ancestors. I know who I am, no discovery of ancestors losses or gains will alter that, I just want to know where I come from, where I get certain traits from and where my parents traits come from etc.

I have observed that some families just don't talk about their history, I want to find mine while everyone is still alive. So I will sit down with my Mum soon enough and write down all I know about her side, I will then fill in the blanks with my own research. I'm no genealogist but I will try.

It's exciting

World's Greatest Dad (2009)

2010-04-17T01:59:00.001+10:00

I must say overall I liked it this film. I thought the direction was lost a little. There are a lot of things open for interpretation which I like, use of music was really bad. Film without any morales. I disagree with the notion that as long as the bad guy learns something by the end, then the film sits morally correct. It just doesn't do that for me. It doesnt have to by standards, but it was quite disturbing given the subject matter.

I always enjoy Robin Williams performances but I must say I felt cheated with him in it. He was excellent, but I have seen it so many times before and I would of felt more for someone else playing this role.

I enjoy black humour, but sometimes it just does not work here, I didn't know whether to laugh or not. I understand black humour does that, but I want to be able to laugh out loud at something disturbing portrayed with that little bit of charm, this film doesn't have that charm, like I have seen in many other films in this weird and wacky genre.

Remember Fender Premiere Screening

2010-04-14T15:19:00.001+10:00

Our film 'Remember Fender' has been complete for a month now. It was rejected from 500 applicants in the St. Kilda Film Festival to make finals and have a premiere screening. We have now lined up 17 film festivals till November to enter it into. They are more appropriate festivals. It's my belief that 39:58 minutes was probably way too long for St. Kilda. In recent years they have not had anything screen over 20 minutes. So the festivals we have lined up will fit our film much more.

So without a public premiere insight, we have decided to hold a semi private event for the film. Getting the cast and crew together was impossible. Out of 16 dates, the date we have is based on percentage of attendees. We have maybe 60% of crew and cast committed. The event invitation can be found here.

The numbers are looking good and the response from attendees is a little overwhelming. You see with two weeks remaining to gather numbers we are already nearing 45 people. I have started to become nervous now. It seems real. I really don't want to host the event in any form. There is something pig headed about the whole idea of hosting a film premiere that you are an integral member of. I would absolutely love not to be there and someone film the event so I can gauge guests reactions towards the films first screening. It has only been seen by 4 people, Editors and myself.

I know that if spirits are high and I am feeling good on the night, I can mix it up with the best of them. But I am a reserved person by nature. I only show my true colours when I know someone. I have discussed it with my 'Partners in crime' Iurgi Urrutia and Steve Ramsie, that I infact feel like a bit of a show-off. I feel this way because who the heck am I to invite friends to view something that could be outrageously bad? I know how I feel about the film, but the event in it's self is a 'look at me, open for criticism'. I understand this is part of the game. I want in, but i'd rather do it as big brother. I guess I can't hide anymore.

I've shown smaller works before, I mean I showed the old 2006 Remember Fender to a packed class of colleagues at university. I warn you, I go red in the face, perspire and my heart beats like a motherf###r! Now I have to show this film to friends, family friends, cast, crew, people I don't know and a larger audience. Oh and I'm sure I'll have to say something. The only time I had to get up in front of a crowd other than school or uni, was my grandmothers funeral in 1997. I was sixteen. I grew up in that week leading up to my beautiful grandmas death. I had to, my father didn't give a fuck to show any support to my Mother. I felt like a man, I felt alive, I felt like a writer for the first time.

I got up to do the Eulogy, yes me, a 16 year old, you see my brothers were much younger along with my cousins. I was close to my grandmother and I wanted to say something. My younger cousins read passages, which I knew were hard to do. I felt like I was on another planet. A day before I started writing. I didn't write a Eulogy, I wrote a short story. It was a metaphor for the living and the dead, that involved my Grandmother. It demonstrated how loosing someone was not the end. You see my faith was strong then, instilled by my grandmother. I was proud of myself that day reading to about 300 people, I didnt cry, I was calm, probably the most calm I have ever been. It's hard to watch someone die but it helps you live. I still have it and read it every now and then. A week later we got a visit from a nurse who worked with patients on the verge of the end. She asked if she could use it to read to families of patients. I felt like a writer.

If only I could write my way out of this premiere.

What's A Man?

2010-04-08T15:14:00.001+10:00

"How many roads must a man walk down before you call him a man?"

Thanks Mr. Dylan, thank you for the question. On this day many years ago Bob Dylan finished writing 'Blowin' in the wind' from which he posed that question. Obviously the question is not literal. I've walked down many roads in my time.

A road metaphorically speaking can be seen as a place, a journey, a space, a thought, a mind, I could go on and on. I believe it to be an experience, of all of those metaphors mentioned, how will you know unless you go?

More pivotal is his next line

"the answer my friend is blowin' in the wind, the answer is blowin' in the wind"

Like a God, he delivers us the answer. So firstly is it an answer to how many roads we probable men must go down? I think not. I believe it to be a lost boys interpretation of not knowing the answers.

You see being male, does not necessarily make you a man, being 18, or 21 or 30 or married or having a child or in control of a billion dollar company does not either. So what makes a man? Is he the sum of all his experiences? how many experiences do you need to qualify?

I promise you the answer is in the second sentence. I promise.

In the words of Willie Wonka "it's right here, black and white clear as crystal"

Now you need to accept

Mobile Man: Episode 3

2010-03-26T11:51:00.000+11:00

Check out the latest episode in the Mobile Man animated series brought to you with the assitance of www.xtranormal.com. Mobile Man has his first lesson.

Film Festival Nightmares

2010-03-19T16:00:00.000+11:00

ACCOUNT
This dream is taken from 1st March 2010.

DREAM
My dream last night was seeing the official selection list for the St. Kilda Film Festival. There were twenty selected, eventually having 100. Our film 'Remember Fender' is actually entered into in real life, decision day is April 2nd. It was not on the list. We hadn't made the cut so far.

REACTION
I knew time, I knew it was the start of March. I guess, now, I'm really thinking about it.

Mobile Man Episode 2

2010-03-15T16:05:00.001+11:00

This week's installment of 'Mobile Man' Episode 2 The Cape

Escape From Alcatraz (1979)

2010-03-12T00:00:00.000+11:00

Clint Eastwood plays the central protagonist Frank Morris, who along with two brothers Clarence and John Anglin escape the un-escapable prison walls int his true story that led to the demise of the infamous Alcatraz prison in San Francisco.

This was my third helping of the film and it gets better each time. Director Don Siegel who has worked with Eastwood a few times, allows for the actions of prisoners to be substituted for dialogue or close ups to display the angst and despair of men not only locked up in prison, but coming under the rule of the sadistic Warden played by Patrick McGoohan who feels it appropriate to go above and beyond the normal treatment of these criminals. The Warden's character is used to great affect, grabbing the audience and swaying them to the criminals side. But really why wouldn't you be gunning for the badie when he is escaping a prison? I mean unless his motive is to rape and murder. The audience is allowed to cheer without morale suspicion, while watching the 'heroes' execute their plan.

This film is a little gem and I feel had definitely been a blueprint for another jail film fifteen years later The Shawshank Redemption. You have a feeling that this film inspired Steven King's writing especially for the escape part of that film. It is is apparent from the chipping away at crumbling walls to the disposing of the sand and rocks secretly in the yard. I take nothing away from Shawshank as it holds up it's own all the way.

There are some special scenes where a prisoner asks for a hack axe in wood shop after having his painting privileges taken away from him by the warden. You won't guess what happens.

Modern suspense/thriller sequences are edited for fast pace, anxious music and hopefully culminating in achieving the suspense. In Escape From Alcatraz there is none of that. The music is low and can be heard only at certain points and the sequence is drawn out, instead of viewing a quick clip of the three prisoners going down a pipe, climbing a barbed wire fence etc. here, we see all of the action. By doing this, the suspense grows, each second counts, we wait for the tower lights to move out of the spotlight as our characters do. That is how you do suspense, by putting us there with the characters.

Ralph Fender Inside His Creators Mind

2010-03-11T00:00:00.001+11:00

Check out the imaginative character Ralph Fender from inside his creators mind. He chats about the film and his inception for the film Remember Fender.

Pulp Fictitious

2010-03-10T16:59:00.003+11:00

My 3rd Animation thanks to Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction and again xtranormal.com is Pulp Fictitious. Two actors on a talk show set run through the dialogue from the scene where Julius and Vincent are cleaning the car filled with brain and blood. Enjoy I hope.

Remember Fender Catch Up

2010-03-10T01:11:00.009+11:00

(Steven Walshe interpretation of Ralph Fender (Right) who is the central protagonist in the film)

A little reminder that A Handmade Candor film Remember Fender is complete. It is entered into the St.Kilda Film Festival and team will be notified before April 3rd if we have premiere status. If not we plan to have a premiere of our own very soon. It is very important, for none of the cast and crew (apart from 2/3 of the editors have seen it in full, not even myself!) The film will continue to be entered into film festivals home and abroad. So wish us luck.

This has been my dream, I have worked on this project since October 2008, so no matter what my life may entail in the future, i will never regret 'not following my dream. I am happy, fearful, melancholic and a little lost without my baby anymore. But on to bigger things now. I hope we can get some recognition for all the hard work everyone has put into OUR film.

There will be more to come from me in the near future. To keep you in the loop, below i have attached links and multimedia to keep you up to date. Cheers and thanks for all your support.

Remember Fender - Temporary Official Website

All the information you need

Facebook Film Fan Page Site

207 official fans. Find photographs, video's, Ralph Fender's projects, updates...etc.

A Sneak Peek
It's Dangerous - A Funny Outtake

Teaser Trailer

Sports Cast: Butchering

2010-03-10T00:00:00.001+11:00

Check out my new animation from www.xtranormal.com Sports Cast: Butchering about an Aussie Butcher named Ronald who is interviewed by a Sporting program about his world record fastest venison dish from turf to plate.

We Are Of The Crust

2010-03-09T00:00:00.001+11:00

From a tomb to an urn,
we all learn.
To Earth's floor,
gravity is but a door.
Pulling us into it's centre,
for us to enter.
We'll turn to dust,
in the sky with gust.

We are of the crust.

Mobile Man

2010-03-08T13:11:00.003+11:00

Check Out the new Mobile Man sketch created by myself with the assistance of www.xtranormal.com

Le scaphandre et le papillon (The Diving Bell And The Butterfly) (2007)

2010-03-08T12:00:00.000+11:00

Jean-Dominque Bauby: I decided to stop pitying myself. Other than my eye, two things aren't paralyzed, my imagination and my memory.

Oh! what a magnificent film. Diving Bell is quite an experience. Simple plot, a man has a stroke now he is rendered mute, paralyzed and can only see out of one eye. How can he communicate? and how can an audience really understand this? Diving Bell is a breakthrough film in my opinion, it creates a new way of film-making, i'm sure there have been example in film history that proceed this, but this has to be the best portrayal of human interaction I have ever seen.

The director Julian Schnabel has to be congratulated, his craft here is astonishing in telling the true tale of the based on true story of Jean-Dominique Bauby (Jean-Do) an Editor for 'Elle' magazine played by Mathieu Amalric in a magnificent performance. The screenplay is just magic and look out for Anne Consigny who plays his speech nurse.

The cinematography is above all what makes this film work, usually I get a little motion sickness with this sort of camera work, but not in this film. It creates a vision of what this man lives with, it doesn't disturb your viewing experience, it creates an experience.

Rating: 4.5/5
Le scaphandre et le papillon (The Diving Bell And The Butterfly) Trailer

Garden State (2004)

2010-03-06T00:00:00.000+11:00

Andrew Largeman (Zach Braff), is an actor drugged up on tranquilisers for the most part of his life, he simply forgets how to feel, socially inept, incapable of love. He comes back to his home town for his Mother's funeral. Andrew bumps into former friends from high school, who have not left the small town and have lives not dissimilar to his own.

Andrew meets a cute and loving girl named Sam (Natalie Portman) she is the sun to his clouded mind, they connect through their own afflictions. There is a special moment where Sam asks Andrew to do something unique, anything;

Sam: This is your one opportunity to do something that no one has ever done before and that no one will copy throughout human existence. And if nothing else, you will be remembered as the one guy who ever did this. This one thing.

This scene really set's up Andrew's character for what is to come.

I feel Garden State is quite a personal film for Zach Braff who writes, directs and plays the main role here. I would love and have anticipated another film he has directed but it hasnt to be the case, Maybe because of his ongoing work on TV hit Scrubs or for the simple fact that these moving films only come from life experience. I have viewed this film quite a few times now and it resonates with me on a personal level also. I am by no means an actor or the same person Zach Braff inhabits, but the themes and lessons of this film hit home like any of the millions of people nearing 30, hitting brick walls and still trying to find your way in life.

The writing is masterful, the acting along with Peter Sarsgaard who plays his friend Mark and his Father played by Ian Holm are amazing and touching. Cinematography for the film has that suburban local feel that works great for the piece. The music plays a massive part in the film, lyrics that bend into dialogue infrequently to remind you of the pain inside the brain. If you haven't, do yourself a favour and grab the soundtrack along with the film.

Rating: 4.5/5
Garden State Trailer

Spelling Not On Target

2010-03-05T00:00:00.001+11:00

Target the store has a new TV advertisement which is 'targeted' towards school kids. It's slogan is "Biggerest and Besterest Kids Sale" admittedly they want to cash in on the needs of kids at 20% off retail price. Fine. Do what you have to.

But when you send out a message to children please get the spelling right. Biggerest and Besterest are not words from the English language, they are words children make up when they can't find a word to describe how the new toy they have is 'better' than the last! Smart parent's will pull their children up and teach them the correct words.

Target, you are setting an awful example. Now kids have a precedent;

"But Mummy, it is a word at target"
Or
"Daddy, it's spelled like that in this magazine"

Look at the introduction of the SMS (Short Message Service) for mobile phones. Young people have undoubtely been changing the English language since its inception. You may blame them, I blame the network carriers whom charge(d) 15-30 cents per 160 characters. I also wrote this short-shorthand style when I was younger, substituting letters for numbers like 'great' to gr8' etc. I got to an age and found myself using it in emails, till I pulled myself up on it and thought, I can't write like this to a client, scholar, colleague. We have caps on phones now, send as many messages, emails as you want, so there are no more excuses.

The scary part is it is creeping into schools and students works. I think the worst example is the shortening of 'The' to 'da', that is a whole different situation where the whole word's sound is changed. I will only touch on spelling, It is awful, I used to pride myself on spelling as a kid, of course I still get words wrong and that is down to using spell checks on a computer.

I just hope Target get a good kick in the backside and don't make the same mistake again. I may sound pretentious, a couple of innocent, playful words, who cares right? Well probably no one, but please understand that these are the seeds planted non-intentionally that will only start to eat away at the English language.

Dreams

2010-03-04T12:34:00.005+11:00

I have recently started a new journal full of my dreams. I remember never really jotting them down for the simple fact that, I have missed out on so many dreams, so why start now. Silly, I know. See I want to account for them, I always have, I just needed to get started. Oh and it is so painful waking at 4am with a dream and having to write it down. Especially when you wake during an amazing dream, you don't want to loose the link to that dream, so you try to get back to sleep as quick as possible.

So I will be blogging about dream's also from now on.

The first of two dream's was me picking these red tiny flowers my Mother has and she telling me off "Stop picking all my Pink Rose's" Strange I know.

The second dream was about a friend of a friend who had an amazing singing voice and didn't know it. We were in a theater. His lyrics and sound were amazing, I wish I could remember them. We also had dinner at my house later on in the dream. I remember singing Simon and Garfunkle's "The Only Living Boy In New York" I was quite good too, which doesn't parody real life.

Son Of Rambow (2007)

2010-03-02T15:12:00.002+11:00

Will Proudfoot: Good morning, Lee Carter. I'm here to help you!
Lee Carter: Jesus Christ!

A story of two young boys, the 'Good Boy' who only recently lost his Father, from a strict, religious family is Will Proudfoot (Bill Milner) and the 'Bad Boy' a spoiled boy, with absent parents and a nonchalant brother Lee Carter (Will Poulter).

The pair unite as Will sits class out in the hallway as he is not to watch Television. Lee get's kicked out as usual for being a menace. Through the latest film release 'First Blood' the first in the Rambo series. Being rich, Lee has access to a video camera, which is currently used by himself under his brothers rule to duplicate releases of new films. The film is spent watching the pair produce an action film with Will's character Son Of Rambow spawned from the action film hero Rambow.

Issues of religion, family, love and loss are explored while watching the unlikely pair form a loving friendship. The film follows a familiar path many 'boy's growing up' films do, but you take that with a grain of salt and really enjoy the ride. The originality comes from the Screenplay and it's dialogue between the cast, it is fantastic, the performances memorable and wonderful cinematography.

I thought of giving this a good/solid rating, but i will recommend this film. It reminded me of being a boy again, coming home dirty, stories of adventures and learning through failing and falling.

4/5
Son Of Rambow Trailer

To Entertain

2010-03-01T20:24:00.000+11:00

It was early, they told him it was late. Playing with his light bulb, he tempted fate to see if currents ran through the elements. Nothing, but silence. Tip toeing out of bed to where the putty met the 6mm nails on the old dry floorboards as to not make a creek or a sound. He got to the door...again silence. Index finger swiped the almost shut door, ajar. A faint scream could be heard in the room of his destination. It died down. The hallway had been reached, he was in the dark now.

Silence yet again filled the house. He walked on the balls of his feet and sometimes rotating to the sides as to not make a sound. A calling bell started to chime, he froze on the balls of his feet, a tissue fell to the floorboards from his pyjama shirt pocket and landed on the top of his foot. Disgusted with the phlegm covered tissue on his foot, he felt the itch to move his statue like position, but he could not give his status away. He fought off the strain in his ankles and liquid that was now running under his feet.

The bell got louder till there was a scream, he could not have timed it better, his ankles gave way, and fell onto the hard floorboards. The ankle had definitely been sprained and he now had a wet foot. A mystically eerie, organ ran through the house, he thought all or nothing, being careful not to slip on his wet foot he ran as fast as he could, turned the corner, to the ambient kitchen and slid under the table and chairs. The music had instantly stopped.

He had made it, he knew he could not move, so his stomach and protruding ribs gave into the cold floor, his legs elevated to his bottom, as a bit of lingering phlegm fell onto his pyjama bottoms, he relaxed nothing could dampen his mood now. With his elbows placed onto the floor, his palms rested encasing his small chin. He turned to gather prime position. The glow on the television was brighter than ever before, there seemed to be more of an array of colours than in day. It was if it was a new technology that easily matched or bettered any toy he had or pined for.

He watched the horror film with glee.

Grandma's Boy (2006)

2010-03-01T19:15:00.000+11:00

Alex: My grandma drank all my pot.
Jeff: That's awesome.
Alex: What?
Jeff: I mean, how many people can say that in a lifetime?

Where do I start with this one? Don't answer. Please.

The plot: A programmer for game consoles, has to move out of his place. He moves in with grandma. A lot of depth I know!

Alex Covert play's the character Alex who is in his mid 30s, he looks about 45, actually he looks like Huey Lewis. I'll be honest, this film was on Television and I only watched it for I saw clips of Jonah Hill in the Advertisements. He is not really in this film.

Above all, this film is not really funny, the jokes are there, but have either been done before or are on the shoulders of Alex Covert the Huey Lewis lookalike, who can't really act at all. Apparently he has been in most Adam Sandler films. Hmm! Linda Cardellini is good and Doris Roberts seems to have been written in as the same Marie character from Everybody Loves Raymond. Oh and upon viewing the www.imdb.com site, I found the film won an award, yes thats right a Razzie Award for the wonderful talent of Rob Schneider who has never ever been good in anything I have seen. He is woeful, he isn't even a comic, he is an impersonator of what he thinks are lesser human beings, hold a second, on that summation I must say he was great in Judge Dredd as the guy who mocks Sylvester Stallone after all that was his character!

If you are looking for a film to do ironing to, or just reading your old golf magazines, with soundbites in the background, this may be it.

0.5/5

We Write

2010-02-27T15:00:00.001+11:00

Jotting anecdotes,
from days of yore.
Memories we wear as coats,
leave you sore.

Inland... isolated,
growing waters surround us.
Quicksand's elated,
sinking, no time for fuss.

I write,
with your light,
you write,
from my height,

we write.

D.O.D.

2010-02-26T23:47:00.000+11:00

You live within, without a soul,
feeding on the air I breathe.
Suckling my serotonin is your goal,
burying fear, on that day you'll leave.

Orange Rectangle

2010-02-11T18:00:00.000+11:00

I closed my eyes. I saw colour. A tiny orange dot. I thought it may have been the light protruding my eyelid. I then covered my eyes with my palm. The orange dot slowly got brighter and bigger. A rectangle of orange. I don't know why, but I, quickly opened my eyes. The magic dissipated. I wanted it back. I closed them again. Nothing. I thought to induce it and stared into the 100 watt globe. I closed my eyelids again. Nothing.

Adventureland (2009)

2010-01-29T15:16:00.000+11:00

Sue: What are you majoring in? Joel: Russian literature and Slavic languages. Sue: Oh wow, that's pretty interesting. What career track is that? Joel: Cabby, hot dog vendor, marijuana delivery guy. The world is my oyster.

It's 1987 and teenagers will inevitably do what they do. Experiment with alcohol, sometimes drugs, party, and chase after the opposite sex. In recent years the teenage flick has got smarter. Superbad is a great example of the sort. For me Adventureland is a throw back to the 80s teenage flick. Mostly apparent in John Hughes films like Sixteen Candles (1984) & The Breakfast Club (1985). The director Greg Mottola of Superbad, wrote this one and he nailed it. The film is sweet, subtle and the characters all have a lot of depth to them.

It was a pleasure watching the story unfold. Sometimes in the teenage flick you get the sense that when there is a dramatic scene to be played out between boy and girl respectively, it is always done in an immature way. Here Mottola gives his characters a much more mature way in resolving drama's, which is smart considering that teenagers are always involved in adult content. It seems much more real. Adventureland is a drama that has some very funny content. In the same vein of those early John Hughes films.

Look for the scene where Em (Kirsten Stewart) and James (Jesse Eisenberg) are driving along, to The Velvet Underground's Pale Blue Eye's. A special understated moment that uses music extremely well.

Funny Games (2007)

2010-01-19T15:18:00.000+11:00

Anna: Why don't you just kill us?
Peter: (smiling) You shouldn't forget the importance of entertainment.

Michael Haneke 's remake of his own film from 1997 is Funny Games (Austria). A tale of a family who go on holiday to their vacation house upon a lake. Starring Naomi Watts and Tim Roth in what is very much a thriller with horrific elements. Naomi Watts had a hand here getting this film up, even helping finance it as Executive Producer.

For the first 21 minutes, I could have sworn this film was directed by Alfred Hitchcock himself. To quote the man himself "There is no terror in a bang, only in the anticipation of it" Haneke masters it then gloats a little. It works. I was lucky to have the film on DVD, I had to keep pausing it at intervals as to let my heart restart a little. Yes at times I forgot to breathe.

There is a shot that runs over 5 minutes as you are forced to be disturbed. Get prepared. There are messages sprinkled throughout the film, like when the criminals chat to the audience and ponder what they are seeing, sometimes it seems like an attack on Horror seeking audiences. I loved it. Great film-making is about being original while telling a narrative, a hard task these days, Hanneke achieves this feat.

If this is not great film-making, then I have no idea what is. To me Funny Games is a pure thriller, you jump on board and enjoy the ride.

Funny Games Trailer

The One-Liner

2010-01-16T08:00:00.007+11:00

Currently there is a time-slot uncertainty war between Jay Leno and Conan. It got me to thinking about the late Johnny Carson. You see this all comes about with change. David Letterman seems safe...for now. I'll drop another name, Ed Sullivan. I grew up watching these blokes in Australia, not live, I mean Carson and Sullivan were before my time. I watched them on video's and part of my Martin and Lewis collections.

One-liners, I believe are the root of all comedy. There is a genius behind the one-liner. It's easy enough to state an observation, but to lead an audience to a joke, then swing them another way and still be funny is pure genius. Johnny Carson was King. Up until his death, he still wrote one-liners for David Letterman's stand up at the start of his own show. Having watched a charity benefit he hosted last minute with The Rat Pack this man held his own, while visibly being stunned by the star power he had on display. The one-liner is a throw back to a golden age of comedy. Something we are now missing unfortunately. There may be people out there applying this trade still, but it does not get the recognition it deserves.

I accidentally started a thread of them on facebook with friend Steve Ramsie. Note it get's a bit weird towards the end.

So to pay homage to the one-liner and Johnny Carson.

Dean Today was so hot joke #53
Today was so hot, I saw a tree begging for a do to take a leak on it.

Today was so hot, the pilot light kept blowing itself out.

Today was so hot my air conditioning jumped into my freezer.

Today was so hot that listening to Hanson's Snowed In album actually seemed like a good idea.

Today was so hot, I used my hatching chicks incubator as a cooler

Today was so hot, I didn't need to order a Hot Ball from the Pancake Parlour. I already have two.

Today was so hot, I kept stumbling over my testicles as I walk.

Today was so hot, I actually had to tell Natalie Portman to put on some clothes, put a bag on her head and act ugly.

Today was so hot, my sun tan peeled off and ran away.

Today was so hot, my sunscreen told me 'Uh-uh! I want my own protection, bitch'.

Today was so hot, I used SPF get the fuck out of the sun

Today was so hot, acid seemed to burn less than the sun.

Today was so hot, my liver asked for another beer.

Today was so hot, my body appeared as a mirage.

Today was so hot, Britney Spears actually had a reason to strip off.

Today was so hot, the freezer wanted an ice-bath, but all the ice attempted to sail to their homeland Antartica. Tragically, none of them made it.

Today was so hot, old dirty men in hospitals and nursing homes jumped at the chance to ask for a sponge bath.

Today was so hot, spicy curries were cold in comparison.

Today was so hot, The aliens passing through thought they had stumbled upon hell.

Today was so hot, people thought going to Hell would be a great way to cool off.

Today was so hot, steve and dean started a neverending string of "today was so hot" jokes.

Today was so hot, I'm not really sure when this strand might end.

Today was so hot, that the sun heard Steve's last comment and made it it's creed to wilt all humans. This went on for years. Until humans invented an SPF go fuck yourself sun and eventually the population was restored. The sun, the creator of SPF go fuck yourself and Steve are in talks to produce the film based on real events with the biggest budget ever...apparently the film will open to a " today was so hot....." line