Sound Sandwhich

Since returning after Christmas the course has yet to return to its previous balance of classes per week. We used to have several full-days each week and lots going on. Whilst there's still a lot going on, with the next two weeks being quite busy with deadlines (Richard's script, Andy's Moodle assignment, The Arches music video and the incoming assignment from Barbara and Kim), I'm quite ready to have a busy week: I use my time better when there's less of it. Weird, innit?

But last week wasn't too bad. Sound was a little repetitive - in that it was a repetition of previous lessons and we had it twice in the same week. But this helped me. I'm not great with the sound stuff, so a little repetition helps. It's just getting used to setting it up. I think I'll need to take it out at some point to practice before the assessment, though.

I missed Richard's class on Tuesday as I was at the Arches with Charlotte and Benoit watching music videos. Not the most constructive use of time, but the bit where we discussed what the project is was useful. I think what Charlotte and I are discussing will work for our song. But it's long and quite repetitive, and we've got to create interesting content for it. A bit challenging, but that's always good. And that evening Paul updated us on what we missed in Richard's class, and I was a little worried to hear that we only had two weeks to write our next 3-min script. But again, challenging is always good.

Andy's classes were insightful, as usual. I realise that sounds like I'm sucking up, because Andy is no doubt [amongst my readers/my only reader], but I genuinely do gain insight from them. I was a little shocked to realise that I follow [a lot/all] of the shows that Andy used as examples of US Network Shows. But, then again, with the volume that I follow it would be hard not to touch on a few. The documentary on The Wire has reignited my interest in watching that show, but I'm seriously so far behind with some shows at the moment that I'm better saving it until the dry-spell which comes in US TV during the summer. That way I'll have something worth watching.

Oh, and my Back to the Future review is coming soon.

Fin.

Mini-Reviews: Oscar Special

These past weeks I've tried to see as many of the big Oscar Nominated films as possible, and here are my thoughts:

Slumdog Millionaire - Don't get me wrong, this was a really good film, but to me it just isn't quite the big-deal that people seem to be making it out to be. It's certainly a very compelling story, and I really liked the narrative, particularly when it stops being flashback and becomes present. The acting was great and it was well-directed. I don't have any major criticisms that I can throw at it (beyond it's unimpressive advertising) - I connected with the film well - it's just that I've seen better films that I've enjoyed far more. It wasn't quite my bottle-of-Ribena.

The Wrestler - Mickey Rourke was awesome, certainly, as was Marisa Tomei, and again it was a really strong story. There were aspects which I wasn't so happy about, particularly the ending. I know a lot of people love it, and I'm not wanting a happier ending, just one with a little more closure for the other characters. Okay, it was about The Ram's life, and you know what probably happens to the other characters after... It's just that I would have liked to see it.


Frost/Nixon - I liked this film more than I thought I might. The strength of the acting is one reason, but the actual story was also really interesting. I still know little about the Watergate Scandal, because there was very little exposition, and being a child of the 90's I don't really know exactly what happened. But that didn't hinder the film, really, as it was about seeing these characters go head-to-head. I was slightly annoyed that everything just worked-out for Frost without him working particularly hard for it, so it felt anyway, but it may be an accurate retelling of the events.

The Reader - I saw this with an audience of OAPs. I thought it was awkward when the STDs/Use-a-condom advert came on... then the film started. I'm not afraid of nudity in cinema, but it was uncomfortable when I was the only one younger than 60, and the scenes involve a character who is 16 with an older woman. Getting over that, which I had to do fast due to the volume of nudity, I enjoyed the film. I really liked the twist (well, not a twist, but the revelation), and how the story changed dramatically twice, leaping over periods of time. Winslet was very strong, as was the younger actor, David Kross.

Milk - When film like Changeling can make me angry about injustice, you'd think that a film like Milk would be able to achieve that no-problem. But it didn't. And that annoyed me. I thought the acting was fine - and I do think that Josh Brolin is good competition for Heath Ledger for Best-Supporting Actor - and it was really well written. I'd heard Milk's story previously, but the ending was far more tense than I thought it would be when I knew what would happen. Perhaps I wasn't angry because Milk's murder wasn't really a hate-crime but an act of revenge. But still, the whole Proposition 6 issue in the movie has been mirrored recently, with Proposition 8 recently re-banning gay marriage in California. Surely, when it's dealing with an on-going issue, it could have made a bigger point.

Of the Best-Picture nominated films I've still to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which is out this coming Friday. I'll try and catch it... but Bolt is also opening, and I do love me some Disney - particularly in Disney Digital 3D. Which is the same as any other 3D, it's just that Disney love to brand things. Like Disney DVDs, which (apart from being of Disney films) are no different from your standard DVD.