I forgot that I had interviewed the Cavs' beat writer, Brian Windhorst back in January 2005. Here it is.
Final Beat Project - Interview with an Expert
I interviewed Brian Windhorst, the Cavaliers' beat writer for the Akron Beacon newspaper. Not only did he give me a quick response, but he was also really nice about it too!
_______________________________________________________
1. What college did you go to? Did you major in journalism, thinking that’s what you wanted to do?
I went to Kent State, I graduated with a degree in journalism in 2000 (I'm 26). I was lucky enough to realize I wanted to be a sports writer when I was in high school.
2. When did you realize that you wanted to pursue a career in journalism?
I always loved the box scores when I was a kid and I kind of an obsession with stats. Even though today I try to really limit the stats in my stories. So I read the sports page often from a young age and I developed a liking for it.
3. How did you decide to become the beat writer, covering the Cavaliers, for the Plain Dealer?
Ouch, man. I work for the Akron Beacon Journal. Forget that PD stuff, I kick their butt everyday! It isn't something you decide, those jobs are hard to get. There about 65 travelling NBA beat jobs in the country, an average of about two per team. We have two in Cleveland, they have six in New York, but only one in places like Milwaukee and San Antonio. It is something you have to work up to. I covered high schools and colleges before getting to the NBA.
4. What was your job title when you first became a journalist? What is your eventual “goal title”?
I started working at the Beacon Journal as a clerk when I was 16, answering phone calls and taking high school box scores. I worked my way up to "agate editor," which means you edit box scores. Then to high school reporter. Then to college reporter. And, now, NBA beat writer. It is what I want to be doing for awhile, but you never know what the future holds. Many reporters want to become columnists.
5. What is the best part about being the Cavaliers’ beat writer? What is the worst part?
The best part is the travel. I get to make 45 road trips including the preseason. I just spent two weeks on the West Coast and will spend next week in Florida. Of course, you also have to go to places like Minneapolis in Feb. Also, you get great seats at the games.
The worst part can be dealing with the players. They read what you write and get angry at you and so do the coaches and general managers. They're all millioniares, so few of them have respect for you. But some are good guys.
6. What is the work load like? What hours of the day does the most work need to be done?
The work load is huge. I work virtually every single day from October to April. Maybe I get 4-5 days off during the season. It isn't eight hours a day all the time, but sometimes it is a lot more. You have to be committed. But I also get most of the summer totally off.
7. What would you recommend for someone to do to prepare for a future career in journalism?
Start working at a paper. Whether it be your local paper or college paper. Start as early as you possibily can.
8. What type of qualities are most important for becoming a journalist?
You have to want to work and you have to love to read. I spent two hours a day reading. The more you read, the better you write. Also, you have to know about relationships. Forming good relationships is the only way to get good stories.
9. What is one thing you'd like to accomplish in the field of journalism before you retire?
I'd like to write a book someday. I have no idea on what yet, but I've got a lot of time.
10. Is your job more fun when the Cavaliers are winning (and everyone is having a good time)?
It is easier to deal with players and coaches when they are winning. But sometimes going hard times is when you can get the best stories and create relationships and bonds that last. You can never be a player's friend, but if you're there every day and being fair, even the darkest days, they tend to cut you a break.
8.09.2009
100 of 320 Movies Down
I went through my Netflix ratings and wrote down what ratings I gave each.
I loved 28 movies (5 stars).
I really liked 52 movies (4 stars).
I liked 25 movies (3 stars).
I didn't like 5 movies (2 stars).
Keep in mind three things:
(1) I'm generous when I rate and I'm not sure why. A bunch of 3s should probably be 2s and a bunch of 4s could be 3s or 5s.
(2) Of the 320 movies, these were probably close to the 100 that I wanted to see the most, which might contribute to why I liked most of them.
(3) I made the list and intentionally left off movies I didn't think I'd like, which is another factor.
Here are the 28 movies I've loved:
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (thanks to Christian Larson)
Cooler, The (thanks to Dan Colon)
Dark City
Desperado
El Mariachi
Exterminating Angel, The (thanks to Jordan Polan-Clarke)
Following
Four Rooms
Ghostbusters II
Gran Torino (thanks to Coryn Blank)
High Noon
Into the Wild (thanks to Dan Colon)
Lynch (One)
Oldboy
Punch-Drunk Love (thanks to Dan Colon)
Run Lola Run
Searchers, The
Shadow of a Doubt (thanks to Dan Poeschl)
Shogun Assassin
Sting, The
Stranger Than Fiction
Sullivan's Travels
Taken (thanks to Andrew Cerulli)
This Film is Not Yet Rated
Treasure of the Sierra Madre
Virgin Suicides, The
Wizard of Gore (thanks to Steve Payson)
Wrestler, The (thanks to Eric Drewes)
I loved 28 movies (5 stars).
I really liked 52 movies (4 stars).
I liked 25 movies (3 stars).
I didn't like 5 movies (2 stars).
Keep in mind three things:
(1) I'm generous when I rate and I'm not sure why. A bunch of 3s should probably be 2s and a bunch of 4s could be 3s or 5s.
(2) Of the 320 movies, these were probably close to the 100 that I wanted to see the most, which might contribute to why I liked most of them.
(3) I made the list and intentionally left off movies I didn't think I'd like, which is another factor.
Here are the 28 movies I've loved:
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (thanks to Christian Larson)
Cooler, The (thanks to Dan Colon)
Dark City
Desperado
El Mariachi
Exterminating Angel, The (thanks to Jordan Polan-Clarke)
Following
Four Rooms
Ghostbusters II
Gran Torino (thanks to Coryn Blank)
High Noon
Into the Wild (thanks to Dan Colon)
Lynch (One)
Oldboy
Punch-Drunk Love (thanks to Dan Colon)
Run Lola Run
Searchers, The
Shadow of a Doubt (thanks to Dan Poeschl)
Shogun Assassin
Sting, The
Stranger Than Fiction
Sullivan's Travels
Taken (thanks to Andrew Cerulli)
This Film is Not Yet Rated
Treasure of the Sierra Madre
Virgin Suicides, The
Wizard of Gore (thanks to Steve Payson)
Wrestler, The (thanks to Eric Drewes)
4.14.2009
Al Pacino's Best Roles
Scarface is overrated. There, I said it. It’s out of the way. Now we can move on.
Okay, let me clarify. Scarface is very, very good. Al Pacino is very, very good in it. Tony Montana is a very great character and Pacino plays him to perfection. However, in no way do I think it’s his best role.
In fact, it barely cracks my top five.
Before I get into my Al Pacino ranking system, let me once again clarify and say that Al Pacino as Tony Montana is better than most actors in most roles they do. In fact, I’d go so far as to say it’s one of the best characters of all time. It’s just hard to consider it “the greatest movie ever” as so many people have dubbed it. Or, if not the “greatest” movie then at least the “coolest.”
So, okay, if Scarface and Tony Montana is #5, who are the top four?
#4 – Ricky Roma (Glengarry Glen Ross). As one of the stars in one of the best movies I’ve seen in a long time, Ricky Roma is, in my eyes, cooler than Tony Montana. Maybe it’s partially because I don’t have a stigma against this movie like I (unfortunately) do against Scarface, or maybe it’s because most people I know haven’t seen Glengarry. Whatever the reason, Ricky Roma is cooler.
#3 – Michael Corleone (The Godfather series). It’s hard to top the central character in what may be the greatest movie ever made, but I feel Pacino’s done it to himself twice. Michael Corleone has a self-control and a frightening demeanor that Tony Montana doesn’t have. I’m not saying he’s better here because he’s not frenzied (because that’s what makes Montana so great), but it’s just a better role. I think.
#2 – Frank Serpico (Serpico). When it’s Pacino against the world, I’ll take Pacino. (That is, of course, that we’re talking about vintage Pacino and not his newer crap.) With that said, in a world full of crooked cops, Pacino’s role as Officer Frank Serpico, the honest cop, wins out here.
#1 – Sonny Wortzik (Dog Day Afternoon). Without a doubt, this is number one in my eyes. It’s such a perfect role. I know this movie has great critical acclaim, but it doesn’t have the widespread cult / popular credit that movies like Scarface or the Godfather have, and that’s a shame.
So that’s the list. All five roles are fantastic and he plays each to perfection. I just wish that before someone were to say that Tony Montana is the coolest character ever, they brushed up on their Pacino. Maybe that way they’d see how wrong they were.
Okay, let me clarify. Scarface is very, very good. Al Pacino is very, very good in it. Tony Montana is a very great character and Pacino plays him to perfection. However, in no way do I think it’s his best role.
In fact, it barely cracks my top five.
Before I get into my Al Pacino ranking system, let me once again clarify and say that Al Pacino as Tony Montana is better than most actors in most roles they do. In fact, I’d go so far as to say it’s one of the best characters of all time. It’s just hard to consider it “the greatest movie ever” as so many people have dubbed it. Or, if not the “greatest” movie then at least the “coolest.”
So, okay, if Scarface and Tony Montana is #5, who are the top four?
#4 – Ricky Roma (Glengarry Glen Ross). As one of the stars in one of the best movies I’ve seen in a long time, Ricky Roma is, in my eyes, cooler than Tony Montana. Maybe it’s partially because I don’t have a stigma against this movie like I (unfortunately) do against Scarface, or maybe it’s because most people I know haven’t seen Glengarry. Whatever the reason, Ricky Roma is cooler.
#3 – Michael Corleone (The Godfather series). It’s hard to top the central character in what may be the greatest movie ever made, but I feel Pacino’s done it to himself twice. Michael Corleone has a self-control and a frightening demeanor that Tony Montana doesn’t have. I’m not saying he’s better here because he’s not frenzied (because that’s what makes Montana so great), but it’s just a better role. I think.
#2 – Frank Serpico (Serpico). When it’s Pacino against the world, I’ll take Pacino. (That is, of course, that we’re talking about vintage Pacino and not his newer crap.) With that said, in a world full of crooked cops, Pacino’s role as Officer Frank Serpico, the honest cop, wins out here.
#1 – Sonny Wortzik (Dog Day Afternoon). Without a doubt, this is number one in my eyes. It’s such a perfect role. I know this movie has great critical acclaim, but it doesn’t have the widespread cult / popular credit that movies like Scarface or the Godfather have, and that’s a shame.
So that’s the list. All five roles are fantastic and he plays each to perfection. I just wish that before someone were to say that Tony Montana is the coolest character ever, they brushed up on their Pacino. Maybe that way they’d see how wrong they were.
4.12.2009
How Does Nicolas Cage Keep Getting Work?
This is truly a question I wonder every time I see a new trailer coming out with Cage in it. He’s really… not a good actor, and I really wonder why people keep getting him to star in their movies.
He just acts so hard in every role that he plays that it’s hard to take him seriously in anything he does. His concentration and intensity brings comedy to roles that shouldn’t be funny, which consequently takes away from the situation he’s in. Also, he continually chooses the worst movies to act in. Next and Knowing… need I say more?
To be honest, I haven’t seen Knowing, and I may never actually see it. I really loved director Alex Proyas’s Dark City, so I think this movie could have potential. However, with Cage in the leading role, it’d take a lot for me to sit down and watch it. Next, on the other hand, is another story. I guess it was “cool” to most people, but I didn’t enjoy it. It was… whatever. Nothing exciting.
There are roles that Cage has played that I’ve enjoyed him in. Four, to be exact. (Maybe five, but I’m still not sure if I like Raising Arizona, so I’ll exclude that for now. Consider it an Honorable Mention in the Nic Cage Career Achievement section.) Here are those four movies / roles:
1. Wild at Heart – Cage was good in this, but I didn’t watch it for him. I watched it because it’s a David Lynch movie. I’ve only seen this movie once (and it was a little over a year ago), so I don’t know if I actually liked Cage in the role or just didn’t hate him. I guess either way, I win because, really, I don’t have to deal with a subpar performance.
2. Adaptation. – Again, it’s not a movie I watched for Cage (it was a Charlie Kaufman masterpiece). He’s lovable in this role (which is great!) mostly because he kind of makes fun of himself throughout. He’s also not acting really hard and is more relaxed, which is a relief. (As a side note, Cage plays two roles in the movie, which adds into the lovable nature and self-deprecation of his roles.)
3. Matchstick Men – Again, I’ve only seen it once (and it was months before I saw Wild at Heart, so to say I really remember the role would be kind of a lie). However, the movie is enjoyable and I don’t remember thinking at any time, ‘Hey it’s Nic Cage up to his old shenanigans again.’ Which is a good thing.
4. Grindhouse (more specifically, Werewolf Women of the S.S.) – BEST. ROLE. His five second cameo in the trailer was the best five seconds of his acting career. If this movie was made, and if he played Fu Manchu as well throughout as he did in the trailer, he would become likeable in my book. Too bad it’ll probably never get made.
He just acts so hard in every role that he plays that it’s hard to take him seriously in anything he does. His concentration and intensity brings comedy to roles that shouldn’t be funny, which consequently takes away from the situation he’s in. Also, he continually chooses the worst movies to act in. Next and Knowing… need I say more?
To be honest, I haven’t seen Knowing, and I may never actually see it. I really loved director Alex Proyas’s Dark City, so I think this movie could have potential. However, with Cage in the leading role, it’d take a lot for me to sit down and watch it. Next, on the other hand, is another story. I guess it was “cool” to most people, but I didn’t enjoy it. It was… whatever. Nothing exciting.
There are roles that Cage has played that I’ve enjoyed him in. Four, to be exact. (Maybe five, but I’m still not sure if I like Raising Arizona, so I’ll exclude that for now. Consider it an Honorable Mention in the Nic Cage Career Achievement section.) Here are those four movies / roles:
1. Wild at Heart – Cage was good in this, but I didn’t watch it for him. I watched it because it’s a David Lynch movie. I’ve only seen this movie once (and it was a little over a year ago), so I don’t know if I actually liked Cage in the role or just didn’t hate him. I guess either way, I win because, really, I don’t have to deal with a subpar performance.
2. Adaptation. – Again, it’s not a movie I watched for Cage (it was a Charlie Kaufman masterpiece). He’s lovable in this role (which is great!) mostly because he kind of makes fun of himself throughout. He’s also not acting really hard and is more relaxed, which is a relief. (As a side note, Cage plays two roles in the movie, which adds into the lovable nature and self-deprecation of his roles.)
3. Matchstick Men – Again, I’ve only seen it once (and it was months before I saw Wild at Heart, so to say I really remember the role would be kind of a lie). However, the movie is enjoyable and I don’t remember thinking at any time, ‘Hey it’s Nic Cage up to his old shenanigans again.’ Which is a good thing.
4. Grindhouse (more specifically, Werewolf Women of the S.S.) – BEST. ROLE. His five second cameo in the trailer was the best five seconds of his acting career. If this movie was made, and if he played Fu Manchu as well throughout as he did in the trailer, he would become likeable in my book. Too bad it’ll probably never get made.
4.10.2009
Offensive explosion propels Ramapo to 15-8 victory over Montclair State
I had a blog entry I was going to do, but I forget what it was. Instead, I'm just posting my coverage of Ramapo's Baseball game this past Sunday.
In what could best be described as a total team effort, Ramapo’s Baseball team knocked off Montclair State 15-8 in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader. The win pushed the team’s record to 10-8 overall with a 3-2 record in the conference.
“It’s exactly what we’re preaching about,” said Head Coach Rich Martin, “a team effort. What’s happened is we’ve been using 12, 15 guys a game. We’ve been using a lot of pinch hitters, a lot of guys defensively in the back of the game. It’s absolutely been a team effort, no question about it.”
Things got off to a rocky start for Ramapo. Starter Matt Jenisch got in trouble early, giving up a leadoff single to Jay Bionde to start the game. After Bionde stole second, Scott Evangelist hit a deep home run to left-center field, giving Montclair an early 2-0 lead. The Red Hawks’ #3 hitter, Kevin Bond, got on base after an error by shortstop Rob Dimperio, and their cleanup hitter, leftfielder Ed Kloepping, walked to put two on with nobody out.
Jenisch settled down, though, striking out Michael Boggi and getting Jason Lopez to ground out. With two outs and runners on second and third, Jenisch sealed the deal by getting Matt Hartwick to strike out looking and end the inning.
The Roadrunners responded quickly in the bottom half of the first. A Gino Gallagher single was followed by a Joey Cacchiola walk. An RBI single by Peter Sita brought the score to 2-1, and an error by Montclair’s Michael Kaminski allowed Cacchiola and Sita to score and give Ramapo the 3-2 lead.
Ramapo struck again in the bottom of the second, after Dave Deredita and Gallagher scored on a two-run triple by Cacchiola. Cacchiola scored two batters later on an RBI groundout by Mike Manges.
Jenisch faltered again in the top of the third. After striking out Kloepping to start the inning, he walked Boggi and gave up singles to Lopez and Hartwick, which brought the Red Hawks to within 6-3. Coach Martin replaced the struggling Jenisch with reliever Tim Hannes. After Hannes gave up an RBI single to make the score 6-4, he got a 1-4-3 double play to end the inning and prevent further damage.
Ramapo scored yet again in the bottom of the third. With Tim Gaven on first, Dimperio tripled him home and then scored on an overthrow, extending Ramapo’s lead to 8-4.
Montclair brought the score to 8-5 after a RBI single by Boggi plated Bionde. Hannes calmed down and finished the inning without further damage. He came back to strike out Hartwick in the fifth and got another double play to end the inning, then followed that up with two more strikeouts in the sixth.
In the bottom of the fifth, Ramapo scored again, this time on yet another miscue out of Montclair’s second base spot. After Gaven and Deredita got on base, Gallagher hit a groundball to second that the second baseman couldn’t handle cleanly. Gaven’s run put Ramapo ahead 9-5.
Hannes walked the first two batters of the seventh, which prompted Martin to replace him with John Guagliardo. Guagliardo absolutely dominated Montclair’s 6-7-8 hitters, getting two strikeouts and a groundout to keep the lead intact.
The eighth wasn’t as easy for Guagliardo. Evangelist came up yet again with a runner on base and gave an encore to his opening-inning act by hitting another home run to nearly the exact same spot in left-center field. The two-run shot, Evangelist’s second of the day and fourth of the year, brought Montclair to within two runs at 9-7.
That was as close as the Red Hawks would come, though. Ramapo broke open the game in the bottom of the eighth with six runs. After a leadoff walk by Gallagher, Cacchiola tried to bunt him over but reached base after a throwing error by Montclair pitcher Scott Shan. Sita picked up another RBI after driving Gallagher in with a single, and Manges loaded the bases after being hit by a pitch. Joseph Della Serra, who had replaced Jimenez earlier in the game, ripped a two-run single to left field. Della Serra’s hit was followed up two batters later as Dimperio drove in Manges to extend the lead to 15-7.
Needing to score eight runs in the ninth to tie, Montclair was only able to muster one; pinch-hitter Adam Bergman doubled home Boggi and chased Guagliardo, who had just gotten a double play, from the game. Martin replaced him with William Schmolze, who stuck out Montclair’s Tim Swift to end the game.
“This was a big win,” said Hannes, who got the win to improve to 2-1. “Our hitters performed, our pitchers performed. It was an all-around good win.”
Despite the win, Hannes didn’t revel in victory. He knew what still lay ahead for the team.
“What’s important, though, is we gotta sweep,” Hannes added. “We gotta take two games today. If we take two games, we’ll be at the top of the NJACs.”
Coach Martin echoed his sentiment.
“The only way to win a doubleheader is to win the first game. We’re happy about that. We’ve struggled winning the second game. We’ve won a couple first games. It’s sort of a situation where you normally split; most teams in the NJAC will normally split. It’s a big deal if we can win a doubleheader. We’re gong to go for it.”
Ramapo could not complete the sweep of the doubleheader, however, falling 8-2 in the second game. The Roadrunners also lost to Stockton on Tuesday, 5-3, which evened their record at 10-10 (3-3 in the NJAC). They will look to rebound Thursday against Rowan at home (3:30). The team will travel to TCNJ on Friday and host Kean on Saturday.
In what could best be described as a total team effort, Ramapo’s Baseball team knocked off Montclair State 15-8 in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader. The win pushed the team’s record to 10-8 overall with a 3-2 record in the conference.
“It’s exactly what we’re preaching about,” said Head Coach Rich Martin, “a team effort. What’s happened is we’ve been using 12, 15 guys a game. We’ve been using a lot of pinch hitters, a lot of guys defensively in the back of the game. It’s absolutely been a team effort, no question about it.”
Things got off to a rocky start for Ramapo. Starter Matt Jenisch got in trouble early, giving up a leadoff single to Jay Bionde to start the game. After Bionde stole second, Scott Evangelist hit a deep home run to left-center field, giving Montclair an early 2-0 lead. The Red Hawks’ #3 hitter, Kevin Bond, got on base after an error by shortstop Rob Dimperio, and their cleanup hitter, leftfielder Ed Kloepping, walked to put two on with nobody out.
Jenisch settled down, though, striking out Michael Boggi and getting Jason Lopez to ground out. With two outs and runners on second and third, Jenisch sealed the deal by getting Matt Hartwick to strike out looking and end the inning.
The Roadrunners responded quickly in the bottom half of the first. A Gino Gallagher single was followed by a Joey Cacchiola walk. An RBI single by Peter Sita brought the score to 2-1, and an error by Montclair’s Michael Kaminski allowed Cacchiola and Sita to score and give Ramapo the 3-2 lead.
Ramapo struck again in the bottom of the second, after Dave Deredita and Gallagher scored on a two-run triple by Cacchiola. Cacchiola scored two batters later on an RBI groundout by Mike Manges.
Jenisch faltered again in the top of the third. After striking out Kloepping to start the inning, he walked Boggi and gave up singles to Lopez and Hartwick, which brought the Red Hawks to within 6-3. Coach Martin replaced the struggling Jenisch with reliever Tim Hannes. After Hannes gave up an RBI single to make the score 6-4, he got a 1-4-3 double play to end the inning and prevent further damage.
Ramapo scored yet again in the bottom of the third. With Tim Gaven on first, Dimperio tripled him home and then scored on an overthrow, extending Ramapo’s lead to 8-4.
Montclair brought the score to 8-5 after a RBI single by Boggi plated Bionde. Hannes calmed down and finished the inning without further damage. He came back to strike out Hartwick in the fifth and got another double play to end the inning, then followed that up with two more strikeouts in the sixth.
In the bottom of the fifth, Ramapo scored again, this time on yet another miscue out of Montclair’s second base spot. After Gaven and Deredita got on base, Gallagher hit a groundball to second that the second baseman couldn’t handle cleanly. Gaven’s run put Ramapo ahead 9-5.
Hannes walked the first two batters of the seventh, which prompted Martin to replace him with John Guagliardo. Guagliardo absolutely dominated Montclair’s 6-7-8 hitters, getting two strikeouts and a groundout to keep the lead intact.
The eighth wasn’t as easy for Guagliardo. Evangelist came up yet again with a runner on base and gave an encore to his opening-inning act by hitting another home run to nearly the exact same spot in left-center field. The two-run shot, Evangelist’s second of the day and fourth of the year, brought Montclair to within two runs at 9-7.
That was as close as the Red Hawks would come, though. Ramapo broke open the game in the bottom of the eighth with six runs. After a leadoff walk by Gallagher, Cacchiola tried to bunt him over but reached base after a throwing error by Montclair pitcher Scott Shan. Sita picked up another RBI after driving Gallagher in with a single, and Manges loaded the bases after being hit by a pitch. Joseph Della Serra, who had replaced Jimenez earlier in the game, ripped a two-run single to left field. Della Serra’s hit was followed up two batters later as Dimperio drove in Manges to extend the lead to 15-7.
Needing to score eight runs in the ninth to tie, Montclair was only able to muster one; pinch-hitter Adam Bergman doubled home Boggi and chased Guagliardo, who had just gotten a double play, from the game. Martin replaced him with William Schmolze, who stuck out Montclair’s Tim Swift to end the game.
“This was a big win,” said Hannes, who got the win to improve to 2-1. “Our hitters performed, our pitchers performed. It was an all-around good win.”
Despite the win, Hannes didn’t revel in victory. He knew what still lay ahead for the team.
“What’s important, though, is we gotta sweep,” Hannes added. “We gotta take two games today. If we take two games, we’ll be at the top of the NJACs.”
Coach Martin echoed his sentiment.
“The only way to win a doubleheader is to win the first game. We’re happy about that. We’ve struggled winning the second game. We’ve won a couple first games. It’s sort of a situation where you normally split; most teams in the NJAC will normally split. It’s a big deal if we can win a doubleheader. We’re gong to go for it.”
Ramapo could not complete the sweep of the doubleheader, however, falling 8-2 in the second game. The Roadrunners also lost to Stockton on Tuesday, 5-3, which evened their record at 10-10 (3-3 in the NJAC). They will look to rebound Thursday against Rowan at home (3:30). The team will travel to TCNJ on Friday and host Kean on Saturday.
4.08.2009
20 Movies in 20 Days
Okay, so I’ve made the list of 320 movies to see. My goal when doing these lists is three movies a week, which I think is totally doable. Sometimes at school I fall behind, but I generally am able to make up for it in the summer.
That’s what makes what I’ve done all the more confusing and astounding to myself. In the first 20 days since I’ve started this new list, I’ve watched 20 movies. I figured it was a good time to rank them or something, in terms of how much I like them.
I think it’d be this:
1 Dark City
2 Synecdoche, New York
3 In Bruges
4 Run Lola Run
5 Wall Street
6 The Lives of Others
7 The Wizard of Gore
8 Elephant
9 Gummo
10 Alien
11 Eulogy
12 Videodrome
13 A History of Violence
14 Fear of a Black Hat
15 Waking Life
16 Paprika
17 Jerry Maguire
18 Saved!
19 Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
20 Employee of the Month
What I do when ranking movies like this is basically decide which I’d be most likely to watch again. That’s how I came up with my favorite movies. I thought, ‘If they were all on TV at the same time, what would I put on?’ I’m pretty sure this is how these 20 would be ranked.
Can I keep up my pace? Do you even care? Stay tuned!
That’s what makes what I’ve done all the more confusing and astounding to myself. In the first 20 days since I’ve started this new list, I’ve watched 20 movies. I figured it was a good time to rank them or something, in terms of how much I like them.
I think it’d be this:
1 Dark City
2 Synecdoche, New York
3 In Bruges
4 Run Lola Run
5 Wall Street
6 The Lives of Others
7 The Wizard of Gore
8 Elephant
9 Gummo
10 Alien
11 Eulogy
12 Videodrome
13 A History of Violence
14 Fear of a Black Hat
15 Waking Life
16 Paprika
17 Jerry Maguire
18 Saved!
19 Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
20 Employee of the Month
What I do when ranking movies like this is basically decide which I’d be most likely to watch again. That’s how I came up with my favorite movies. I thought, ‘If they were all on TV at the same time, what would I put on?’ I’m pretty sure this is how these 20 would be ranked.
Can I keep up my pace? Do you even care? Stay tuned!
4.07.2009
Why Charlie Kaufman is the Best Screenwriter in Hollywood
How many times have you gone to see a movie only to see it resolve in some cheap or cliché way? Maybe everything was just a dream, maybe everything miraculous comes together at the end or maybe all of the characters get exactly what they want.
Annoying, right?
Sure, it’s kind of what people want to see. Not many people enjoy going to the movies to see a depressing ending. That’s what life gives them. Life gives them reality. What people want to see when they go to the movies is fantasy – something that wouldn’t happen but leaves them feeling better about themselves and the world.
But does that mean that scripts have to be boring?
Nope. Just look at what Charlie Kaufman has written. He’s written six movies (four of which I’ve seen – Being John Malkovich; Adaptation.; Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind; and Synechdoche, New York) and each are wonderfully unique. It’s not even that his story or characters alone are great – he creates this entire world for these people to exist in that I haven’t seen anywhere else.
In Being John Malkovich, the characters find a hole where, if you go through it, you end up inside Malkovich’s brain, seeing what he sees, for like ten minutes. Eternal Sunshine takes place in a time where a company is able to wipe memories from a person’s head, so much of the movie is spent literally within Jim Carrey’s mind. Synechdoche follows Philip Seymour Hoffman as he reconstructs his life in a life-size replica of New York City. (Adaptation. doesn't have anything unique about the world, but it does have Nic Cage (in his best role!) playing two brothers).
Some of what he includes has been done elsewhere, undoubtedly. There’s no way that he could have purely original ideas when you consider how many movies have been made over the years. However, not only does he take these ideas to another level but he also does them better than they’ve been done in the past. There’s a clear evolution of the storyline, which makes perfect sense and unfolds perfectly in each film.
If only more people followed Kaufman’s lead, Hollywood wouldn’t be such a boring place after all.
Annoying, right?
Sure, it’s kind of what people want to see. Not many people enjoy going to the movies to see a depressing ending. That’s what life gives them. Life gives them reality. What people want to see when they go to the movies is fantasy – something that wouldn’t happen but leaves them feeling better about themselves and the world.
But does that mean that scripts have to be boring?
Nope. Just look at what Charlie Kaufman has written. He’s written six movies (four of which I’ve seen – Being John Malkovich; Adaptation.; Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind; and Synechdoche, New York) and each are wonderfully unique. It’s not even that his story or characters alone are great – he creates this entire world for these people to exist in that I haven’t seen anywhere else.
In Being John Malkovich, the characters find a hole where, if you go through it, you end up inside Malkovich’s brain, seeing what he sees, for like ten minutes. Eternal Sunshine takes place in a time where a company is able to wipe memories from a person’s head, so much of the movie is spent literally within Jim Carrey’s mind. Synechdoche follows Philip Seymour Hoffman as he reconstructs his life in a life-size replica of New York City. (Adaptation. doesn't have anything unique about the world, but it does have Nic Cage (in his best role!) playing two brothers).
Some of what he includes has been done elsewhere, undoubtedly. There’s no way that he could have purely original ideas when you consider how many movies have been made over the years. However, not only does he take these ideas to another level but he also does them better than they’ve been done in the past. There’s a clear evolution of the storyline, which makes perfect sense and unfolds perfectly in each film.
If only more people followed Kaufman’s lead, Hollywood wouldn’t be such a boring place after all.
4.06.2009
Why Michael Cera is a Punk
Okay, to be fair, I love Arrested Development. It’s one of the funniest and smartest shows I’ve ever seen on television, and Michael Cera was great on it as George Michael Bluth. He was the lovable loser, the guy you couldn’t help but love for his social awkwardness (and cousin awkwardness).
However, my problem with him is what he’s done since. In every role he’s played since then – Evan in Superbad, Paulie Bleeker in Juno and Nick in Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist – he’s been the same character.
Come on, Michael Cera, are you really that big of a one-trick pony? Can’t you expand your horizons?
Maybe he’s constantly typecast into that role. Maybe he’s only getting these acting gigs because casting directors know he can fulfill the roll to a tee. In that case, it’s really not Cera’s fault – it’s Hollywood. However, don’t you think he should be advocating for a more diverse range of roles? I know I would. I’d be afraid that if I didn’t speak up soon, I’d be forever enslaved to that role of the lovable dork.
Though I didn’t like every movie he’s done – I thought Superbad was Superdumb and Nick and Norah was really just mediocre – he’s played his part well in each film he’s done. I’m just upset that it’s the same role, over and over again. I think he can do better.
However, my problem with him is what he’s done since. In every role he’s played since then – Evan in Superbad, Paulie Bleeker in Juno and Nick in Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist – he’s been the same character.
Come on, Michael Cera, are you really that big of a one-trick pony? Can’t you expand your horizons?
Maybe he’s constantly typecast into that role. Maybe he’s only getting these acting gigs because casting directors know he can fulfill the roll to a tee. In that case, it’s really not Cera’s fault – it’s Hollywood. However, don’t you think he should be advocating for a more diverse range of roles? I know I would. I’d be afraid that if I didn’t speak up soon, I’d be forever enslaved to that role of the lovable dork.
Though I didn’t like every movie he’s done – I thought Superbad was Superdumb and Nick and Norah was really just mediocre – he’s played his part well in each film he’s done. I’m just upset that it’s the same role, over and over again. I think he can do better.
4.04.2009
Movie List: Redux
I’ve written on here before about my past movie list (I made up a list of 160 movies to watch). I saw 158 of them (the second and third Lord of the Rings movies still outstanding), so I decided to make a second list. I didn’t know how big to make it. While I was going through the first list, I had somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 movies ready to go, but I didn’t know how many more I’d end up adding.
I asked a ton of friends what five movies I should see, and I got more responses than I anticipated. As it stands now, the list is at 320. There are alternates (in case I can’t find some), so there is somewhere in the neighborhood of about 330-340 movies on (or near) my list. Here’s the 320.
I thought 320 was a good place to draw the line. Aside from the fact that it’s an insane number of movies, it’s also exactly twice the length of my previous list. (As a side note, what I’m scared about is making my next list… 640?) Anyway, my goal of three movies a week would put the end date somewhere around January 1, 2012. That’s fun.
In the two and a half weeks that I’ve been going through this list, though, I’ve seen 16 movies from the list. At this rate, I’ll finish in a year! Too bad I can’t keep this pace up. The 16 I’ve seen have been a good mix of great movies (Synecdoche New York, In Bruges, Dark City, The Lives of Others, Run Lola Run), good movies (Wall Street, Waking Life) and movies so bad that they’re good (The Wizard of Gore, Fear of a Black Hat).
It’s been a solid start so far, but there’s still quite a ways to go.
I asked a ton of friends what five movies I should see, and I got more responses than I anticipated. As it stands now, the list is at 320. There are alternates (in case I can’t find some), so there is somewhere in the neighborhood of about 330-340 movies on (or near) my list. Here’s the 320.
I thought 320 was a good place to draw the line. Aside from the fact that it’s an insane number of movies, it’s also exactly twice the length of my previous list. (As a side note, what I’m scared about is making my next list… 640?) Anyway, my goal of three movies a week would put the end date somewhere around January 1, 2012. That’s fun.
In the two and a half weeks that I’ve been going through this list, though, I’ve seen 16 movies from the list. At this rate, I’ll finish in a year! Too bad I can’t keep this pace up. The 16 I’ve seen have been a good mix of great movies (Synecdoche New York, In Bruges, Dark City, The Lives of Others, Run Lola Run), good movies (Wall Street, Waking Life) and movies so bad that they’re good (The Wizard of Gore, Fear of a Black Hat).
It’s been a solid start so far, but there’s still quite a ways to go.
The Wizard of Gore
Thank you, Diablo Cody.
As though I didn’t love Juno enough as it is, my roommate and I just finished watching The Wizard of Gore (the movie that’s briefly discussed by Ellen Page and Jason Bateman).
In a word, it was incredible.
Okay, incredible to my roommate and me is very different from what you might think is incredible. That’s understandable. To fully appreciate the mastery that is this movie, you have to love bad movies (and I definitely do). There are so many questions that are unanswered by this movie that many people would probably walk away angry.
I didn’t. I loved it!
The more important thing that this movie did, though, was bring a third fantastic film studio to the forefront of terrible movie culture. My friends and I all already loved Troma (home to Toxic Avenger, Poultrygiest, et al) and York Entertainment (Alien 51 and such), but now we have another: SOMETHING WEIRD VIDEOS.
To call their catalog extensive would be an understatement (You can view a list here.). There are so many movies on that list with such potential that it makes me weep in joy. I just queued up in my Netflix a Something Weird double feature: The Beast that Killed Women / The Monster of Camp Sunshine. Both deal with nudist camps (how are they not involved in more movies?) and crazy creatures that wreak havoc there. I don’t know which one will be better, but I think it’s a safe bet to say that I’m going to love both.
As though I didn’t love Juno enough as it is, my roommate and I just finished watching The Wizard of Gore (the movie that’s briefly discussed by Ellen Page and Jason Bateman).
In a word, it was incredible.
Okay, incredible to my roommate and me is very different from what you might think is incredible. That’s understandable. To fully appreciate the mastery that is this movie, you have to love bad movies (and I definitely do). There are so many questions that are unanswered by this movie that many people would probably walk away angry.
I didn’t. I loved it!
The more important thing that this movie did, though, was bring a third fantastic film studio to the forefront of terrible movie culture. My friends and I all already loved Troma (home to Toxic Avenger, Poultrygiest, et al) and York Entertainment (Alien 51 and such), but now we have another: SOMETHING WEIRD VIDEOS.
To call their catalog extensive would be an understatement (You can view a list here.). There are so many movies on that list with such potential that it makes me weep in joy. I just queued up in my Netflix a Something Weird double feature: The Beast that Killed Women / The Monster of Camp Sunshine. Both deal with nudist camps (how are they not involved in more movies?) and crazy creatures that wreak havoc there. I don’t know which one will be better, but I think it’s a safe bet to say that I’m going to love both.
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