ALLIGATORS IN A HELICOPTER

a pro script reader ponders movies, reading, writing and the occasional personal flashback

Monday, December 15, 2008

My Links, Milk, Etc

So the time has come to redo all my sidebar links, which are embarrassingly out of date (sorry, Emily).

Anyone who has a blog they want to get on there, shoot me an e-mail.

*******

I saw Milk yesterday afternoon. It's a solid, solid film, with a great performance by Sean Penn.

Stunningly, it was the first movie I'd seen in a theater in at least five months, likely the longest stretch that I hadn't been in a movie theater probably since I was about 4.

Blame the economy, blame high ticket prices, blame the lack of gotta-see-it-now movies. In fact, though we went to a multiplex, Milk was the only movie there that I had any real interest in seeing. Quantum of Solace was a distant second, mostly because I keep hearing that it just isn't much fun.

********

THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL did a solid $31 million over the weekend. NOTHING LIKE THE HOLIDAYS limped in with only $3.5; I apparently vastly overestimated its appeal.

DELGO did only $916,000, finishing behind even something called RAB BE BANA DI JODI, which did $1.25 million (!) in only 105 theaters. Apparently there's a real market out there for films catering to specific cultural groups.

In very limited release, DOUBT, GRAN TORINO, THE READER and CHE all opened with very solid per-theater numbers.

18 Comments:

At 6:02 PM, Blogger E.C. Henry said...

I'd blame your five month absence on the lack of gotta-see-it-now movies.

The only show I'm trying to see now is "The Dark Knight" on a full screen DVD, as all I'm finding is the widescreen version at the video rental place.

We're in a deep freeze up here in Western Washington. When I went to work this morning my car tempature was reading 15 degrees farenheight. Brrrr...

- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

 
At 6:15 AM, Blogger Joshua James said...

I'd love a link, if you don't mind. My blog is the Daily Dojo:

http://writerjoshuajames.com/dailydojo/

Thanks!

 
At 11:49 AM, Blogger marcoguarda said...

E.C --

15 degrees?

Did the engine even start?


M.

 
At 9:24 PM, Blogger Jeff said...

Why would anyone who cares enough about film to keep up with screenwriting blogs care to watch a movie in full screen instead of widescreen? It makes no sense. It makes me crazy when Target doesn't have the widescreen of a movie.

 
At 7:52 AM, Blogger Emily Blake said...

I'm with Jeff.

E.C., why on earth do you prefer full screen? Full screen re-edits the film so you're missing the original vision.

And Scott, I've been needing to redo my links for ages too.

 
At 5:20 PM, Blogger E.C. Henry said...

Emily, I LOATHE watching a wide screen show on a regular TV that cuts off the top and bottom of the screen. You end up squinting to see details, and the whole movie just feels father away. I know the key is to BUY a big screen TV, BUT that entails buying...

- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

 
At 10:41 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Good God, E.C. Do you not understand that nothing is actually being "cut off?"

 
At 12:52 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

"I LOATHE watching a wide screen show on a regular TV that cuts off the top and bottom of the screen."

Even though it doesn't cut off the top and bottom, it DOES cut off the left and right by A LOT.

http://www.moviesbystarlight.com/widescreen/widescreen.htm

You cannot be serious. You have to be joking. There is NO WAY you believe that. You'd have to be as smart as the hat you're wearing to be an "aspiring screenwriter" AND believe that about letterbox vs. fullscreen.

 
At 5:25 PM, Blogger millar prescott said...

ing God! you can't
reen should be ou
irector's artistic vi
pan & scan is ridi
ou say you're a sc
ck off!

 
At 8:14 PM, Blogger Mama's Boyfriend said...

In fairness to E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA, he said part of the "screen" was cut off, not part of the original image. He's talking about not seeing his screen filled.

When I had nothing but a 13" television in my room I preferred watching fullscreen. Yes, I was losing part of the image, but it was damn near impossible to watch a letterboxed image on that little thing.

Before t.v. screens became the size they are now both James Cameron and Stanley Kubrick were adamantly opposed to letterboxing. I kid you not. Look it up.

- M.D. Wilson from Los Angeles, CA

 
At 8:53 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh, Cameron and Kubrick said it. Well, heavens to Betsy, must be gospel, the road to heaven, and the right, because everything they ever said was pure gold.

And Anon 2 -- EC Henry's hat is not "smart".

Oz

 
At 2:09 AM, Blogger Recovering Booth Rat said...

Jesus Christ. The guy likes widescreen. Who the fuck cares?

This isn't directed toward the marcoguarda, Jeff or Emily. But to the rest of you, get a God Damned life. Wow, you know something technical. Try not to tear your rotator cuff while patting yourself on the back for knowing shit.

And EC happened to be right, for what he was saying. The original image is kept intact, but it looks like you're getting less bang for your buck, particularly if you have a smaller television.

Fuckwads.

 
At 7:44 AM, Blogger millar prescott said...

Mine was cutoff. What it should read is:

In the name of loving God! you can't believe how much I hate watching widescreen as well. Widescreen should be outlawed. All this talk about the director's artistic vision, it's all nonsense. The story is what matters, not all the eye candy in the middle and on the sides. If you say you're a screenwriter, you shouldn't mind watching a movie in fullscreen. So back off!

 
At 9:46 AM, Blogger Mama's Boyfriend said...

Oz - I didn't mean to imply that it was "pure gold" because Cameron and Kubrick said it. I just meant there was more than legitimate opinion on the subject, particularly when you're talking about a small television.

Also, I've seen jester hats come and go and that is one smart jester hat.

- M.D. Wilson from Los Angeles, CA, but originally M.D. Wilson from Kankakee, IL, and a guy who once drove through Bonney Lake, WA.

 
At 10:04 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Matt, shouldn't you be aiming at the stars or some shit instead of posting in here?

I got a fucking life. When you gonna get yours? Oh, struggle! How you struggle!

Fuckwad indeed. Melodramatic douche.

 
At 10:47 AM, Blogger E.C. Henry said...

Scott, some of the frequenters of this blog spot are in serious need of some holiday cheer. See what you can do about that!

Actually took the day off work today, because of the SNOW and ICE. Took me 4 and half hours to get home from work last night. Had three laned ONE FREEWAYS completely stopped and actual traffic coming back off it, just south of Seattle.

But now I'm in my PJs working on the new script listening to the ladies from "The Vue" (a late morning ABC program) talk -- well, I had it on for about 30 seconds any longer and I think I would have had check to see if I still had a pair. (joke)

We are in the HOLIDAY season, right? Peace, good will, all that stuff, does it have a place with your readers? Hmm...

- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

 
At 11:00 AM, Blogger Mama's Boyfriend said...

You are the best, E.C. Don't ever change and don't let the bastards get you down. And thanks for explaining what "The Vue" is.

- M.D. Wilson from Los Angeles, CA

 
At 1:42 PM, Blogger Patrick Rodio Photography said...

Wowsa. Lots of passion here, which is nice, if it wasn't regarding full-screen or wide-screen. Kinda silly.

I do prefer wide-screen, I love keeping the original image intact as it was in the theater. But some peeps are weird about it, and that's ok, it's their opinion - just the wrong one to have.

I kid! I love all y'alls!

 

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