The Tragic Reality of Blogging when Grown-Up
I've done it again. I've started a blog and written several times within the first day or two of its genesis, and then I suddenly demote it from my list of priorities. The blog then sits there, collecting dust, and fades into obscurity. I know the Xanga people are probably wondering if I have died. I think I need to force myself to keep writing on here, not only so I can keep discussing films that I love, but also to keep exercising my writing muscles. I always wanted to be a writer (most high school English teachers did at some point, Stephen King actually made it happen) and I never want to lose the dream.
A lot of people were inspired by Julie Powell and her success with the Julie/Julia project and began writing their own blogs in the hope that someone might notice or care about what they had to say. I have no such aspirations here, mainly because I have no gimmick. I'm just a lonely schoolteacher who sits at home spending most of his free time watching movies or TV shows...and I enjoy writing about it. I suppose I'm just vain. I'd like to think that someone out there might read this blog one day and chuckle to themselves because I said something witty...or maybe thinks to themselves that I must be one pretentious bastard to think that I can tell when I type something witty or not.
This weekend I did see a new movie, which happens to be the rage right now and finally was able to scare up enough hype to beat Saw (not that I have anything against Saw, I just think that maybe six movies is enough). The film was Paranormal Activity and I found myself really enjoying the film. It probably seems odd that someone who only mildly enjoyed The Blair Witch Project would really like a film with the exact same shooting concept, but then that misses the point of analysis and examination. With Blair Witch I was unsettled by the actions and the uncertainty of what was out there, but got so ticked off with the central characters and their lines that it seriously affected my engagement in the picture. They didn't really have lines, and clearly weren't the best at coming up with their own, so there was a lot of circular discussion and cursing that didn't go anyway. With Paranormal Activity, the filmmakers were able to avoid this by not keeping the conversations with the characters too long and by giving them more 'dialoguey' things to say (I assume anyway). Also, the scenes with the 'activity' in them were very well structured and had a nice build to them. Every night something new gets added to what you see and it keeps you in suspense until the ending, which is the biggest and most in-your-face of the phenomenons. That praise aside, I don't feel as though Paranormal Activity is the kind of movie that you really want to see twice...especially if the second time is on video. It is an experience and should be shared in a dark theater with a lot of squealing people. Also, after seeing it once you know what is going to happen...so some of the suspense is removed. This may end up not being the case and the film may have a big following on video because it is very spooky. It certainly leaves a lasting impression if it is successful in getting to you (I myself was rather annoyed at myself for going to see the film at night, knowing that I have a dark and empty home to come home to).
Oh, and for the record, I liked Cloverfield too.
A lot of people were inspired by Julie Powell and her success with the Julie/Julia project and began writing their own blogs in the hope that someone might notice or care about what they had to say. I have no such aspirations here, mainly because I have no gimmick. I'm just a lonely schoolteacher who sits at home spending most of his free time watching movies or TV shows...and I enjoy writing about it. I suppose I'm just vain. I'd like to think that someone out there might read this blog one day and chuckle to themselves because I said something witty...or maybe thinks to themselves that I must be one pretentious bastard to think that I can tell when I type something witty or not.
This weekend I did see a new movie, which happens to be the rage right now and finally was able to scare up enough hype to beat Saw (not that I have anything against Saw, I just think that maybe six movies is enough). The film was Paranormal Activity and I found myself really enjoying the film. It probably seems odd that someone who only mildly enjoyed The Blair Witch Project would really like a film with the exact same shooting concept, but then that misses the point of analysis and examination. With Blair Witch I was unsettled by the actions and the uncertainty of what was out there, but got so ticked off with the central characters and their lines that it seriously affected my engagement in the picture. They didn't really have lines, and clearly weren't the best at coming up with their own, so there was a lot of circular discussion and cursing that didn't go anyway. With Paranormal Activity, the filmmakers were able to avoid this by not keeping the conversations with the characters too long and by giving them more 'dialoguey' things to say (I assume anyway). Also, the scenes with the 'activity' in them were very well structured and had a nice build to them. Every night something new gets added to what you see and it keeps you in suspense until the ending, which is the biggest and most in-your-face of the phenomenons. That praise aside, I don't feel as though Paranormal Activity is the kind of movie that you really want to see twice...especially if the second time is on video. It is an experience and should be shared in a dark theater with a lot of squealing people. Also, after seeing it once you know what is going to happen...so some of the suspense is removed. This may end up not being the case and the film may have a big following on video because it is very spooky. It certainly leaves a lasting impression if it is successful in getting to you (I myself was rather annoyed at myself for going to see the film at night, knowing that I have a dark and empty home to come home to).
Oh, and for the record, I liked Cloverfield too.
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