Tuesday, September 28, 2004

Haha. Oh, Hemingway, you satirical rogue,you!

Donald Stewart, a 72 year old writer in Pompalona, Spain has hit the jackpot. He just happened to find, in a letter from Ernest Hemingway to Stewarts father, an unpublished short story by Hemingway. But the real surprise.... It's a satire.

The main character is a comical version of what was to become the Hemingway hero (those of you who reade Hemingway know what I'm talking about.) The main character, a bull fighter, kills a bull with his bare hands but loses part of his entrails in the process.

But alas excited Hemingway scholars, the story will not be published. Any Hemingway piece published must be approved by both the Hemingway Foundation and the Hemingway estate. The foundation says okay, the family says no. Bad, bad family. I want to read the story but they won't let us!!!

I'm a Christian; Leave me Alone!

The Title line of this blog links you to a news story out of San Diego discussing Proposition K in San Diego California. To give you the background, there is a war memorial in San Diego. It is a cross. This cross sits on a hill. This hill is city property. Oh, No! Seperation of curch and state, it must be torn down (thus saith a prominant San Diego Atheist who has been suing the city to have it torn down for the last 15 years.)

I am a moderate Republican and a slightly liberal Christian. It didn't bother me when the ten commandments were removed from the Alabama courthouse last year. I didn't whine about removing organized prayer from public schools. I'd rather teach my kids about God anyway, rather than some teacher. But when does it stop?

As the writer of this article points out, there are other religious sites owned by the city including Jewish synagogues and temples of eastern religions. Why, oh why Mr Athiest are you now concerned with those locations? When will they remove the Shriner images from our money. Please hurry, they bothering my sensibilities and must be removed.

I think my biggest gripe about the issue is this: does a big cross paying homage to our countries war dead make you want to be less of an athiest? Does it cause you to be intimidated into attending Christian church services? If the answer is no, which unless you, oh athiest, are an easily moved shallow person it will be, than why is it so important that you have the cross removed? Why is your comfort more important than mine anyway?

But then again, it's not about religion. It's not about politics. It's not about the constitution. It certainly isn't about honering those veterans that the cross was erected to memorialize. It's about me and my fifteen minutes of fame. God bless America!

Monday, September 27, 2004

Actor and Actress Needed

I have a script which I have been waiting a while to try to film. I am hoping to film it this winter, like January'ish. It is a three person script but I am saving one part for John Greening. I still need one actor and one actress who would be available to rehearse in the evenings a couple nights a week until January when I would begin filming. If anyone is interested e-mail me at jrspruill@yahoo.com. There is no pay but I am hoping to send the film to some smaller festivals so it's good resume work.

The Film is called "The Origina of Language" and is about two cavemen trying to invent language on to discover too late that they still cannot communicate.

Sunday, September 26, 2004

Big Words = High Art? A review of "Waking Life"



"Waking Life":
A Film by Richard Linklater

Don't watch this movie. On second thought, everybody should see this movie as an example on how not to make a film. You'll see a great deal of praise for this movie such as "nothing short of Amazing," (Peter Travers,Rolling Stone) and "an amazing film that dances and vibrates with life!" (Roger Ebert,Chicago Sun-Times) but I promise you, this praise is unwarranted. This prasie comes from those who are afraid to trash it because of it's high language and faux depth. They are afraid they may be seen as un-intellegent for not "getting it." Well, I tell you, take a stand. Be not afraid to say, "not liking your lousy movie doesn't make me stupid."

The film is about a kid who is in a dream state and can't figure out how to wake up (I guess this is what it's about). It explores the idea that we may be awake when we think we are asleep and visa versa. A fun topic to think about, I myself have made a student film on this subject. The problem with this movie however is that the entire film is made up of long-winded sermons about reality and existence. The film never introduces a ....you know....plot, something that I feel is essential in good writing. This film typifies the type of "art" which attempts to claim that if a writer uses big words and talks about deep subjects he is automatically hailed as a genius. Unfortunatally, I think that view is half correct. If a writer used big words and talks about profound subjects, lots of people do account him as a genius. Untrue I tell you!!!!

Discovering new ways to present old ideas, finding a way to connect your work to an audience to make them feel and think as they never have before, this is the mark of true genius! Anyway, don't see this piece of garbage. Oh wait, see it, bask in its artistic uselessness. Try to make it through the whole film. I dare you.

If you love this movie and think I'm a retard for hating it, feel free to post a reply.

Shout out to my homies in Beantown

Sweet Action! The Redsox beat the Yankees this afternoon to clinch this series 2 games to 1. We're still 3 1/2 back. but leading in the wild-card race. The wildcard is close enough to taste. Can you say re-match! It's almost October baby!

Welcome me to the 21st century

I have been trying to get Heathe to build me a blod for a long time. I finally decided to go to Blogger and build one myself. Now I just have to talk him into sticking a link to it on my site. I decided with my job and the constant rants it inpires, the election coming up and Baseball playoffs, now would be the perfect time to start a blog.

On my blog, I will periodically list reviews of books, movies and music that I like. I will talk a little politics and religion. I may update on my life and the life of my friends (but probably not often) Anyway. Here it is. Enjoy.