A place where I can dish about the world, pop culture, and my life. I may be talking to no one, but at least I'm talking.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Blahness

Sitting here at my job bored out of my skull. No donations so far today. Don't expect many if any at all, since this is Virginia and an inch of purported snows causes the state to panic. I've been handling the cabin fever quite well compared to how most probably would so I guess I'm okay.

Had to scrap another novel recently due to being unable to find the right direction and stress. Though I have a new idea, I'm working a little bit slower. Not to mention instead of a novel it will be a short story collection. I'm almost done with the first draft of "Look." I will then move on to the next "Sleeper" using a character from another scrapped book of mine.

Right now, I'm in a perputal gray zone. Waiting to finish the editing so I can finally publish the novel so maybe I could make some money maybe and finally put it behind me. It should not be much longer. I hope. Until then, I got not much else than my bullshit job and my vain attempts to stave off insanity. What can I say, I'm only human.

Until next time, fly high and fly well.

Friday, February 3, 2012

New news!

Hello!

Sorry I've been away for awhile, been real busy but do I have some news for you.

-"Tranquility" is coming out, I promise! I'm in the last stages of editing, only about 3 sections left to go. When I finally get some cover art to sift through thanks to an old HS acquaintance I can upload it to Createspace and order that proof copy. Once I approve it, that baby will be on Amazon in no time. Probably will only be POD at first, but I will try to get the Kindle version up ASAP too.

-Started a new project. Will have news soon.

-Also coming soon, a new blog possibly! Considering doing a writer's blog, where I can exclusively talk about writing, give tips and advice etc, and just be in the trenches with other writers. That's actually what I'm thinking of calling it. The Trenches.

Well that's enough for now. I will be back in a while. Don't you worry.

Until next time, fly high and fly well.

Like Jim Sterling before me, I can admit when I'm wrong (Kinda)




After a recent conversation with Kenobi/Romulus, I came to a conclusion about my recent rant about David Fincher's remake of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.




I kind of came off as a whiny fanboy.




Yeah, that happens to everyone at some point. You have a problem with some form of pop culture and you lose your genuine points of criticism in the middle of your ranting.




Now, I will not take back everything I said, because I still believe in most of it. I thought the movie felt overly long and spoon fed for mass consumption. I thought Daniel Craig was only adequate and gave no "oomph" to which I thought the role required. And Rooney Mara while going for broke, just didn't do much for me.




However, I will back up on one thing. I am now kinda interested to see what they will do with Part 2 and 3 which are basically an extended chase film stretched between two films and see if they can do anything better. Plus, I am curious of who they will get to potray the hulking, sociopathic Niedermann.




I still stand by my main claim; that the filmmakers had the best of the trilogy and they bungled it. I will stand by that. And even though, I probably will see the other ones, I am still not going to buy them. They just don't sit well with me. But now I admit I was perhaps too harsh on the film.




It took me a few days to realize what my biggest problem with the remake was when it hit the other night. My problem was I knew and IT FELT like a Hollywood production. Let me explain. Foriegn films are just that; foriegn, unknown to the common consumer. Though the themes they touch on may be universal, the actors are usually unknown, the film are in another language, and thus performances have to carry more.




When I saw the Millenium Trilogy for the first time, I knew nothing about it. What made it great was that is what so unknown. I didn't know the actors and actresses and that was a good thing. They didn't look like them. They looked like normal people, which gave an air of authencity and reality that Hollywood could never provide. Michael Nyqist is actually one of Sweden's most beloved actors but I had no foreknowledge of that. He was just a guy acting his ass off along with newcomer Noomi Rapace who gave everything to their performances.




And I think that's the nail on the head for me. When I was watching David Fincher's version, it didn't feel plausible because I couldn't immerse myself like other films. I didn't see Mikael Blomkist on the screen, I was like "Look, it's James Bond playing a reporter!" The other recognizable faces of machine glossed Hollywood took me out of a bit of what was supposed to be a down and gritty mystery.




Maybe I'm reading into this too much. Still, there is much to be said of the unknown of the foriegn film market and its ability to envoke plausibility by its differences to U.S. culture.




But what I do know? I'm just a fanboy. On the other hand so is everyone else, whether they admit or not. Everyone has an opinion. This is mine.




Until next time fly high and fly well.