The Ho and I just finished watching Ender’s Game on blu-ray. It was terrible. Seriously. And, I have to be honest, I’m not surprised. I did think it was going to be a little more fun than it was, but it just wasn’t. The only thing it had going for it were the effects.
This director/writer Gavin Hood, just based on his two studio movies at least (the other being X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which was obviously a shit show), is just fucking inept. I mean, what happened? It’s like Hollywood has forgotten how to make movies. Seriously. I mean, I know there have always been bombs, but not like this. It just occurred to me that Hollywood doesn’t make any mid-level movies any more, which tended to be character-driven pieces…and that was kind of where screenwriters and directors cut their teeth. And then, those that had kinda risen to the top got handed the few, and I mean FEW, tentpole-type movies that were made in any given year.
Not any more. Tent-poles are ALL studios are trying to make. And then, they’re hiring the guy that shot his own movie and got famous from it, but has no experience doing a bigger complicated feature, OR, it’s the guy that made a couple music videos and all the sudden HE’S in charge of a giant studio project.
While both of those guys may be very talented, neither has what actually makes a movie fun to watch, and that’s a refined grasp of dialogue and intention between two characters.
Seriously. That’s EVERYTHING in a movie, right? That’s how we fall in love with characters! By being shown that we should love them! Not being TOLD why we should. Or it just being ASSUMED because it was in the fucking book.
It’s bad, guys. It’s really bad out there. I don’t get excited to see these big movies anymore, I really don’t. Because they’re going to be okay, at BEST. Apparently the new X-Men movie is worth checking out. So, that’s cool. I’d bet you a lot of that movie being good has to do with how well our main characters are handled. Once you get that down, THEN you can have license to put them in some wacky, fun situations. Then, we’re with you.
I didn’t know this entry was going to become a rant 😛 And, don’t get me wrong. In no conceivable way am I saying that I have this shit figured out. Not at all. I hope to some day. I’m just lamenting the fact that Hollywood seems like it used to be populated much more with people who understood how to write and produce real human drama as opposed to people who just know how to make stuff look cool.
In the real world, I had a great day. Not particularly lazy, although I did get in a solid 90 minute nap in the afternoon. It was glorious, and very very necessary. I was OUT. I even dreamed. Something about Liz and Kerry meeting Britney Spears in Las Vegas and me being really hungry.
The editing is done. Like, completely. I do have one lesson to narrate tomorrow, which will take about 15 minutes, and I do have to review the most recent ones I’ve already recorded…but man. It’s a huge accomplishment, guys. I’m very, very happy.
It also, weirdly this time, doesn’t feel like a big deal. Less like I just ran a marathon, and that rush of having just got it done on time. The end of this race was much more measured this time around. And, I hope it makes a difference come Monday, when I start all over with June again. Because, it isn’t a race, actually. It’s a never-ending process. And finishing this week of work was just like finishing any other week of work. It really feels like that this time around, and I think it’s a good thing. I hope it will keep me from burning out this first week of June, like I did back at the beginning of this month.
I want very much to be diligent about that. Just keep my head up, and keep moving forward. I got my pages written today. The pilot is sooooo close to being done. It’s the final showdown that I get to write tomorrow. Then, in all likelihood, I’ll spend a day or two after that doing the aftermath stuff. Then…the rewrite begins. I felt much less intimidated about that today, and just really excited. I’ve figured out A LOT of stuff doing this pass. And, I have to say, I’ve very much enjoyed the process this time around. It certainly works, and isn’t something that should be concerning, should I find myself with a project that once again just doesn’t seem to figuring itself out in the outlining phase. Just writing the damn thing DOES work.
Kk. That’s all for now. Good night, and see you chaps tomorrow!