Something New
This was meant to be posted last week, but Windows Vista decided to lock me out until I activated it. After 6 trans-atlantic/trans-indian ocean calls to an Indian Call Center, I managed to resolve the problem. So minus an extreme hatred for Microsoft, I'm rocking on. There will be another entry about SXSW in a few.
I guessed it was about time to start writing about my SXSW adventures. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to go as full speed ahead as I have in the past. I saw the Lookout which was really good, the cinematography was exceptional. Then, yesterday, I saw Elvis and Annabelle, Burnt Orange Productions latest film. It was meh. Then, I saw Everything Goes Green which was between meh and good. Last night, I saw my favorite (or favourite film being it was Australian). Its called Kenny and its a fictional documentary (not really a mockmentary in the Christopher Guest sense...) about a guy who empties and services port-a-potties. The entire film is about poop, but its really smart and witty. Strangely, its the 3rd highest grossing Australian film of all time. At Christmas, it outsold all of the off-shore titles put together. None the less, I would recommend seeing it. Its funny that I liked a movie about shit more than any other simply because its the only film that actually had a connectible character that I've seen so far. All the other ones have just seemed to ignore the fact they are telling a story. Like, in Elvis and Annabelle, the Lookout, and Everything Goes Green, I sat through the first 30 minutes not knowing where it was going. There was nothing at stake. Don't get me wrong, they all had funny or touching moments, but they were just moments. The rest of the time I was thinking why everything was going slow. I'm not the kind of movie goer who needs a ticking bomb on a speeding bus to drive the narrative. I enjoy many movies that are slow, but at least these movies go somewhere and put enough at stake that I want to keep watching. Anyway, I wanted to go see some this morning, but It was raining and I don't have an umbrella. I saw this movie called He Was A Quiet Man with Christian Slater and Elisha Cuthbert. I'm not sure what I think about it really. I liked most of it, but I think I need to see it again to really appreciate it. Then I had the damn meeting, then I went and saw What Would Jesus Buy? Its a documentary about Christmas Consumerism and big box stores. Basically, this guy called Rev. Billy (I don't think he's a real reverend...) and his choir of the stop shopping singers go and do protests at starbucks and walmart. Its really cool that they aren't scared to be arrested at all. Then I went and saw Kenny again, because it was between that and some crappy horror movies, and I'll watch Kenny over and over. Tomorrow, I'm seeing Knocked Up, the next movie by the director of 40 Year Old Virgin, and some others. So far here's my list:
1.Kenny
2.What Would Jesus Buy?
3.He Was A Quiet Man
4.The Lookout
5.Everything Goes Green
6.Elvis and Annabelle
I think some Austinites really hate SXSW because all these industry professionals come in and clog up the city, but I love it. I like walking down congress and passing people from Boston with their accents, or the Jewish lady behind me calling all her friends to tell her that she would be saving them seats. Especially when its a clear night and the wind is blowing. I like watching the limo's pull up in front of the paramount to unload the stars and crew of the movies. I like the ability to walk into a movie theatre and have no idea what I'm getting myself in to. Everyone complains that SXSW is corporate and that the prices are too high for badges, but if you really want a badge, all you have to do is volunteer. And volunteering is a uniquely Austin experience, especially bag stuffing. I mean its like 5000 of the most eclectic people ever shoved into the convention center. You have college students, high school teachers, mom's with their kids in tow, old men, high school students, and everyone else. I've come to the conclusion that you can judge a crowd but what music they all collectively sing to, like if you went to a club most people would know at least part of the words to the top 40 hits, but when 95% of 5000 people know every word to REM's “Its the End Of The World As We Know It” and “I Wanna Be Sedated” by the Ramones (given there aren't a lot of words in that one), there just seems to be a deeper connection.
The only drawback to SXSW is that I always seem to do it alone which was sort of fun last year, but not having anyone to talk to for like 12 hours on end is lonely. I think it might be held over from my residual loneliness from living by myself, but still, it would be cool to have someone that was interested in all of this as I was. Don't get me wrong, I like living alone, especially when it rains and you can hear every drop on the roof. Apparently, besides being lonely, I'm growing a vag also. The rain makes me just want to cuddle, but you can't cuddle with yourself. Well, you can try but its just sad. Sleeping in the trailer during a storm really is the plus side of living in an RV, and interestingly enough, its most dangerous aspect also. I had a dream the other night that my trailer blew over in a storm. However, I have a feeling this loneliness will be therapeutic in the long term. Its going to force me to open up and not be as shy, or its simply going to drive me utterly insane. And the later case, it might not be actually therapeutic but more the cause of therapy.
I have a meeting tonight to go over last minute stage manager shit. I particularly hate this meeting because its one of those meetings were you get told the same thing over and over by nine different people.
I guessed it was about time to start writing about my SXSW adventures. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to go as full speed ahead as I have in the past. I saw the Lookout which was really good, the cinematography was exceptional. Then, yesterday, I saw Elvis and Annabelle, Burnt Orange Productions latest film. It was meh. Then, I saw Everything Goes Green which was between meh and good. Last night, I saw my favorite (or favourite film being it was Australian). Its called Kenny and its a fictional documentary (not really a mockmentary in the Christopher Guest sense...) about a guy who empties and services port-a-potties. The entire film is about poop, but its really smart and witty. Strangely, its the 3rd highest grossing Australian film of all time. At Christmas, it outsold all of the off-shore titles put together. None the less, I would recommend seeing it. Its funny that I liked a movie about shit more than any other simply because its the only film that actually had a connectible character that I've seen so far. All the other ones have just seemed to ignore the fact they are telling a story. Like, in Elvis and Annabelle, the Lookout, and Everything Goes Green, I sat through the first 30 minutes not knowing where it was going. There was nothing at stake. Don't get me wrong, they all had funny or touching moments, but they were just moments. The rest of the time I was thinking why everything was going slow. I'm not the kind of movie goer who needs a ticking bomb on a speeding bus to drive the narrative. I enjoy many movies that are slow, but at least these movies go somewhere and put enough at stake that I want to keep watching. Anyway, I wanted to go see some this morning, but It was raining and I don't have an umbrella. I saw this movie called He Was A Quiet Man with Christian Slater and Elisha Cuthbert. I'm not sure what I think about it really. I liked most of it, but I think I need to see it again to really appreciate it. Then I had the damn meeting, then I went and saw What Would Jesus Buy? Its a documentary about Christmas Consumerism and big box stores. Basically, this guy called Rev. Billy (I don't think he's a real reverend...) and his choir of the stop shopping singers go and do protests at starbucks and walmart. Its really cool that they aren't scared to be arrested at all. Then I went and saw Kenny again, because it was between that and some crappy horror movies, and I'll watch Kenny over and over. Tomorrow, I'm seeing Knocked Up, the next movie by the director of 40 Year Old Virgin, and some others. So far here's my list:
1.Kenny
2.What Would Jesus Buy?
3.He Was A Quiet Man
4.The Lookout
5.Everything Goes Green
6.Elvis and Annabelle
I think some Austinites really hate SXSW because all these industry professionals come in and clog up the city, but I love it. I like walking down congress and passing people from Boston with their accents, or the Jewish lady behind me calling all her friends to tell her that she would be saving them seats. Especially when its a clear night and the wind is blowing. I like watching the limo's pull up in front of the paramount to unload the stars and crew of the movies. I like the ability to walk into a movie theatre and have no idea what I'm getting myself in to. Everyone complains that SXSW is corporate and that the prices are too high for badges, but if you really want a badge, all you have to do is volunteer. And volunteering is a uniquely Austin experience, especially bag stuffing. I mean its like 5000 of the most eclectic people ever shoved into the convention center. You have college students, high school teachers, mom's with their kids in tow, old men, high school students, and everyone else. I've come to the conclusion that you can judge a crowd but what music they all collectively sing to, like if you went to a club most people would know at least part of the words to the top 40 hits, but when 95% of 5000 people know every word to REM's “Its the End Of The World As We Know It” and “I Wanna Be Sedated” by the Ramones (given there aren't a lot of words in that one), there just seems to be a deeper connection.
The only drawback to SXSW is that I always seem to do it alone which was sort of fun last year, but not having anyone to talk to for like 12 hours on end is lonely. I think it might be held over from my residual loneliness from living by myself, but still, it would be cool to have someone that was interested in all of this as I was. Don't get me wrong, I like living alone, especially when it rains and you can hear every drop on the roof. Apparently, besides being lonely, I'm growing a vag also. The rain makes me just want to cuddle, but you can't cuddle with yourself. Well, you can try but its just sad. Sleeping in the trailer during a storm really is the plus side of living in an RV, and interestingly enough, its most dangerous aspect also. I had a dream the other night that my trailer blew over in a storm. However, I have a feeling this loneliness will be therapeutic in the long term. Its going to force me to open up and not be as shy, or its simply going to drive me utterly insane. And the later case, it might not be actually therapeutic but more the cause of therapy.
I have a meeting tonight to go over last minute stage manager shit. I particularly hate this meeting because its one of those meetings were you get told the same thing over and over by nine different people.