Holiday Hours

Blogging is both a ridiculous made up word and a passion so easily embraced by the common folk that the action attached to said word bears a range of opinions from idiotic to mildly important.
I like to think that The Free-Lancer resides somewhere near the important side of the scale and is read constantly by many people who thirst incesently for posts, but the truth is nobody reads this blog except for you (yes, you). Any fool can have a blog and a blog is only as good as its material. Thus, I feel it necessary to inform you, dear Reader, that as a part time blogger I will not be able to keep the quality posts going for the upcoming week as my life outside the internet calls me to greater things.

Oh really? You might ask. Is the Free-Lancer actually doing some freelance? Industry work? New project?

I'm glad you asked, and no. I am just on vacation. Nothing grand, or earth shattering, just a little break. Thus, as many of you may find yourself with more freetime to peruse the internet during the Thanksgiving week, I encourage you to take a look at past posts. Catch up on what you missed, and revist some of those old favorite (use the handy archive feature located on the right side of your screen under the Hulu app). I promise you that as soon as next Monday rolls around, I will be back blogging full force with more insight and intrigue then you can shake a stick at Tom. I threw Tom in there so as not to end a sentence on a preposition, since Lee is a snob.

Speaking of Crime in Savannah....

I thought in honor of Savannah making national news today for a campus shooting at Savannah State University I would share with you one of my earliest digital shorts.
Murder is an everyday affair in Savannah, though the suspects aren't always who you'd expect....


We shot this over the course of two days, and by we I mean me and the three actors (who also did the music). I shot this on my Canon XL1 right when I first got it before I really knew what I was doing (I was in high school after all) and edited on some cheapo consumer program that I wouldn't even think about using anymore. It still strikes me as funny, despite its obvious amateur look, and to date it is one of my favorite pieces.

Hometown Heroes

It's always nice to see your hometown in the news. (From foxnews.com)

"Savannah State University is on lockdown after a student was wounded in a shooting at University Commons, an on-campus residence hall.

Two people were taken to a local hospital after shots were fired between 11 a.m. and noon Friday, according to university spokeswoman Loretta Heyward. Heyward said SWAT was called because officials believe the shooter was still in an apartment in the residence hall. There were unconfirmed reports that the injured student was shot outside a classroom, according to MyFOXAtlanta. The campus was locked down immediately following the shooting. Cars were allowed to leave the school around 2 p.m. but weren't allowed to travel back onto the campus. "We have locked our doors and are keeping our students inside," said Tara Cox, a marine biologist at the Georgia school.Campus and local police, including a S.W.A.T team, are at the university, along with investigators from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Savannah State University, a historically black college, was founded in 1890 and has a student population of about 3,200."

Being born and raised in Savannah, this does not come as a surprise to me at all. Savannah State is a black school, and the black population in Savannah is well known for its consistency in keeping the murder rate jacked up. I actually do have a white friend (one of the minority) who is attending the school, and in the developing hours I will attempt to get his word on the subject.

Savannah State has always been known as a degree factory. Now they can add "becoming corpses" to their already stellar litany of achievements.

The Heart of the Fatter

The world we live in today is a bafflingly idiotic place, and things seem to be becoming more and more ridiculously inane with each passing day (and yes, I get points for using adjectives.) One need only scroll through the archived posts on this very blog to get a fill of the absurd and heartbreakingly foolish (i.e. the resurgence of Piracy, water on Mars, mosquito nets vs. DDT, etc.).

I personally felt a blow to the brain when Barack Obama was elected president, and have not since recovered (but many of you readers know me and know how hard I take politics). My current state of hopelessness in humanity is not helped by the Obama merchandise hawked by the Blacks outside the train station ("Get yo' Obama, First Black President hat right here. I gots 'em in all colors!") or by every single story I read about the insanity already surrounding our next president (is anyone surprised that the terrorists called him a house negro? I'm surprised they said negro, to be honest. I wonder if they realize that they watered that remark down....I digress).

Today I read THIS STORY today about a study that proposes cutting out Fast Food advertisements from television could reduce "childhood obesity" by up to 18%. What these "researchers" or "scientists" are basically saying in their study is that kids in America are stupid (natch) and that they are so easily influenced by TV that the mere sight of a McDonald's commercial makes them at risk for being fat. Let's not consider that kids get fat because their parents allow them to eat too much, eat unhealthily, do not encourage physical activity, or any number of other DIRECTLY RELATED environmental factors. The "scientists" instead assume that the actual purveyors of the food products are (once again) the perpetrators truly responsible for making kids fat (how dare you supersize me!).

This study is based on a premise that has been circulating for a while now in "science" and the media that essentially posits that responsibility for fat people lies in the hands of the merchants, not the individual doing the eating. The corollary is the belief that, in all reality, McDonalds wants to make you and your kid fat--because they are evil and they make money (like Wal-Mart.) Studies like these never take into account the actual problem, the true reason for obesity:

Lack of Discipline.

I can speak from experience. A little over a year ago I weighed close to 275 pounds and my health suffered for it (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc.) and thus the doctor informed me that I needed to lose weight and fast. Realizing that I had no excuse for being fat (I never exercised, had an atrocious diet, and was basically just plain lazy) I decided to take action, and you know what, it was hard.
It is hard to not eat McDonalds and instead train yourself to enjoy vegetables, fiber products, and almost no sweets. It is hard to go out and run every day, to lift weights, to exercise. It is hard to pass by those free donuts at work every morning, or to give up your favorite sugary breakfast cereals and beer binges. All the things that are necessary to keep you from being fat, to keep you healthy, are hard. However, I did them. With discipline I changed my diet to a very healthy one, and I began to exercise daily. Over the course of a few months I lost nearly fifty pounds. A year later I weigh in at 200, and am continuing each day to lose more. I knuckled down and dedicated myself to the lifestyle that was required. My blood pressure is perfect, as is my cholesterol, and my resting heart beat is around 50 now....but it was hard. Changing my life required enormous amounts of struggle, because I absolutely hate running, but the discipline pays off.

Such is true for almost all areas of life, and is why the military is often successful in transforming reprobates and worthless losers into heroes, or at least people who can live a positive life. All of America's problems stem from an endemic lack of discipline, which itself stems from many other factors that I do not have the time to go into. Discipline is a learned behaviour that is not inherent to our human, sinful natures, and thus we see the effects of a rampant, ungodly society reflected daily in America. Credit Card debt? Lack of financial discipline. Obesity? Lack of nutritional discipline. In prison? Lack of an encyclopedia's worth of discipline. Democrats in Washington? Lack of political discipline.

The lack of discipline shown by these "scientists" in blaming Fast Food ads for fat kids is just another indicator of America's inherent ruin.

Friday Batman

El Caballero de la Noche!


DVD of the Dark Knight is out Dec. 9th.
Where upon I will begin my new tradition of watching it every night before bed.

The Final Frontier

In what is no doubt a calculated move by the crack marketing team in charge of promoting J.J. Abrams Star Trek reboot, "scientists" are now claiming that there is in fact frozen water hidden on Mars. Sure....

This seems to be a cyclical phenomena. Every other decade or so "scientists" will decide that there is water on Mars, and that human life might just be sustainable. This goes all the way back to the late 19th, early 20th centuries when the fissures visible on the surface of the planet were theorized to be river canyons. That theory is what helped people like C.S.Lewis and Edgar Rice Burroughs to craft their fantastical Martian worlds. Of course, "scientists" being the fickle sort that they are, eventually decide that, no, there really isn't water there. Those poles that looked capped in ice are really just frosted over with frozen nitrogen and children's broken dreams.

With the Earth supposedly on the verge of collapse, according to Al Gore and Roland Emmerich, it makes sense that the NASA "scientists" would be turning their collectively useless minds back to Mars and deciding, based on "science", "Ground-penetrating radar used by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter", and probably a few too many drunk viewings of Red Planet (Val Kilmer and a killer robot!) that it is possible to send people to Mars where they could drill into these magical underground reservoirs and take Hope and Change to the stars. NASA has become a big, crooked-toothed, joke.

Let us recap today's world shall we? Obama has been elected President of the United States, Pirates are going crazy over in Somalia, and there are underground glaciers on Mars that could support life.
Here is the rest of the Mars story:
"In addition to their scientific value, they could be a source of water to support future exploration of Mars," said Holt. Scientists on the 12-member research team surmise that the frozen water deposits are remnants of a Martian ice age millions of years ago. Because water is one of the primary requirements for life, scientists said the frozen reservoirs are an encouraging sign of extra-terrestrial life. The buried glaciers reported by Holt and his 11 co-authors lie in the Hellas Basin region of Mars' southern hemisphere, and scientist said even larger frozen water reservoirs may exist in Mars' northern hemisphere.

"The fact that these features are in the same latitude bands -- about 35 to 60 degrees -- in both hemispheres points to a climate-driven mechanism for explaining how they got there," said Holt. Another member of the research team noted however, that a basic mystery about the glaciers remains unsolved.

"A key question is 'How did the ice get there in the first place?'" said James Head of Brown University. Unanswered questions also persist, Brown said, about what might be contained in the frozen water.

"On Earth, such buried glacial ice in Antarctica preserves the record of traces of ancient organisms and past climate history," he said. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA.

Things You Should be Eating #1

The greatest of all brown sauce, and probably the best thing to come out of Britain since Cricket. HP goes on everything, though I particularly favor it on fried eggs, pork, or just by itself on bread as a sandwich. I have now eaten HP in three different English speaking countries and must conclude that Australia's version is a bit more on the malt vinegary side, the kind you can get in Canada is spiced differently (and has French on the bottle, which is blasphemous), but the good ole English variety (the one you can get in America) is the best place to start.

Interested in getting a bottle? Try your local World Market, or order some online. 'Tis worth.

UPDATE:
One of those clever devils over at Threedonia dug up an entire website dedicated to brown sauce. CHECK IT OUT HERE.

JFM Goes Global

Inspired by extreme boredom, I typed my name into google to see what would come up. The expected links were there to my lame and seldom visited myspace page and to Facebook. There were also plenty of links to things about John Ford, or John Milton. Nothing new really, or so I thought.

I came across this link to some crazy Asian website where a video I put up on youtube last winter has been embedded. It's just a quick clip of me tackling a snow man. I have no idea what the website is, or why that particular video shows up there. Baffling.

Hulu

If you aren't familiar with Hulu.com, you should avail yourself of this opportunity to become acquainted. Hulu is a sponsored site that features legally viewable movies, TV shows, clips, etc.
Conglomerates like Fox and NBC (GE) allow their movies and shows to be featured on the site to attract advertisers. Youtube is going a similar route soon, but right now Hulu is the champ. Basically, you can watch your favorites Fox or NBC shows online (in HiDef even) with three or four short (no more than 30 secs) commercials spiced in.

For a while now the ability to stream TV shows on the net has been available, mostly illegally (since there are no commercial and no one makes money off them...greed is good, right?). To combat sites like THIS AWESOME ONE, the networks now almost universally offer their current seasons of entertainment on their individual websites. Sometimes you have to wait a week to view the new episodes after they air on TV, but most are up the morning after. Hulu consolidates a lot of show for you in one place, so you don't have to go from network site to network site. Plus they've got movies, and it is all free.

Anyway, that having been said I have embedded a widget in the sidebar that will update with Hulu's new holiday offerings as they become available. First up is the feature film Rudy (a rather lame classic, I know) and there will be more to come. I encourage you to keep and eye out for updates and check the site because they also have a pretty decent catalouge of full movies you can watch (good mix of old, new, classic and WTF?). I love the internets.

My Life: A Graphical Representation

WORK

PLAY



Relationship



CATS

More Pirate News

This just got real folks.

I wrote earlier about how the perception of "pirate" has changed rather dramatically from its Treasure Island/Pirates of the Caribbean perception recently, and that now piracy is firmly situated once again in the realm of villainy. Recently, the largest ship ever to be hijacked was boarded by Somali pirates and the crew is now being held for ransom, including two Britons.
Despite the 100m in oil aboard, the pirates are apparently only interested in the ransom money. This seems logical, because how would a salt-sea pirate move thousands of oil barrels onto the market anyway?

Similarly, a tanker bound from Hong Kong to Saudi Arabia was taken over by pirates in the Gulf of Aden, which seems to be the hunting ground for these vermin, because a few days later another Hong Kong vessel bearing wheat to Iran was captured. The Saudi's are likening these pirates to terrorists, and I would have to partly agree with that assessment since no doubt many are themselves Muslim extremists. Yet, it is hard to get worked up about the Iranians not getting their Chinese wheat as both of those countries are hostile to America and Iran especially is an enemy. Also, the goal in these hijackings seems purely financial, making piracy the more fitting term in any event.

It seems to me that the USA is not terribly concerned about these pirates as they are localizing their attacks in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Aden, mostly targeting Chinese or Saudi vessels, and not really effecting our interests. Remember, dear readers, that America was welled served by foreign nationals attacking the British Empire at sea during our earlier troubles with our good cousins. However, the taking of a ship with Britons aboard cannot be excused by our government in today's age. Though, as cited in my earlier post, the Royal Navy don't seem to have a problem killing pirates themselves and taking care of business when the opportunity arises.

Our own Navy is responding rather cryptically: (from Breitbart)
The top US military officer said Monday he was "stunned" by the reach of the Somali pirates who seized a Saudi supertanker off the east coast of Africa, calling piracy a growing problem that needs to be addressed.

But Admiral Michael Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said there were limits to what the world's navies could do once a ship has been captured because national governments often preferred to pay pirates ransom.

"I'm stunned by the range of it, less so than I am the size," Mullen said of the seizure of the Sirius Star Sunday by armed men.

The huge, oil laden prize, which is three times the size of a US aircraft carrier, was some 450 miles east of Kenya when it was boarded, he said.

That is the farthest out at sea that a ship has been seized in the latest surge of piracies, according to Mullen.

The pirates, he said, are "very good at what they do. They're very well armed. Tactically, they are very good."

"And so, once they get to a point where they can board, it becomes very difficult to get them off, because, clearly, now they hold hostages.

"The question then becomes, well, what do you do about the hostages? And that's where the standoff is.

"That's a national question to ask based on the flag of the vessel. And the countries by and large have been paying the ransom that the pirates have asked," he said.

Mullen said the number of successful piracies have gone down, but the incidence of ship seizures were way up.

"It's got a lot of people's attention and is starting to have impact on the commercial side, which I know countries raise as a concern," he said.

"And so there's a lot more focus on this. It's a very serious issue. It's a growing issue. And we're going to continue to have to deal with it," he said.

To add to everything, apparently a Danish vessel was seized by armed pirates, but allowed to go free without ransom. Interesting to say the least.

Concerning the New Star Trek

If you were somehow unaware, there is a new Star Trek film coming soon from Director J.J. Abrams that posits itself as a prequel. A bunch of "hot" young actors assume the famous roles of Kirk, Spock, Scottie, Sulu, etc. as they train to eventually become the crew of the USS Enterprise.

Well, the trailer debuted this weekend in front of Quantum of Solace (at least in my theatre it did) and is now online for your scrutiny HERE AT APPLE.

When I initially saw it I reacted with a mixture of excitement and disgust. I am a Star Trek fan to a limited extent (meaning I've seen the movies and grew up watching The Next Generation.) I think the kid playing Spock looks just like a young Leonard Nemoy, I think the effects look great, and I think Simon Pegg (of Shaun of the Dead fame) will play a great Scottie. However, nearly all of the dialouge in the trailor is awful, the scene with Kirk and Spock fighting promises to be retarded a la this famous showdown:


And worst of all, the kid playing James Tiberius Kirk looks like he couldn't act his way out of a wet paper bag. Honestly, I didn't think this film needed to be made. Despite the fact that I appreciate everything Abrams has done (for the most part) up to this point, and feel that he is a very talented guy, I just don't think even he can pull this off. Plus, what is the deal with just titling it "Star Trek"? Has all creativity been syphoned from the Hollywood naming industry? That is almost as bad as The Cave.

Judge for yourself, but I don't have my hopes up.

The MACtrix

No doubt crafted by Mac users taking a break from their exciting ilives, this Matrix parody is both funny and incredibly well produced. The effects are better than in most TV shows these days. It's been dugg nearly 9000 times by now, so some of you may have seen it, but I just love the little paper clip guy:

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Intervention

Atlanta has been trying to distance itself from the South for a very long time now, and has for the most part succeeded in part due to an ingenious propaganda campaign. Similar tactics have been at work around the world and we happy few of Southern decent ought to be on the look out, the signs are everywhere:

It is as I feared....but at least the parking is free.

Economy's Down, Invest in Bonds....James Bonds

Take a look at this number:

$160,963,936

That's how much money Quantum of Solace had already made worldwide before even opening today in the USA.

Screw the stock market, I need to get a piece of that action.

Friday Batman

A Friday Batman twofer: The Dark Knight Trailers redone....in Lego!

Quantum of Solace: A Review

A lot of what you get out of a James Bond film depends on what you take into it, and I'm not speaking specifically about expectations. All of us, in one way or another, walk into a film with expectations (especially sequels.) However, to see a James Bond film is to participate in the longest running film franchise in history and, whether you've seen all the movies or just a few, you know the drill. Beyond simple expectations, you have demands.

That is why Quantum of Solace is different (and I argue better) from any of the other Bond films, and a worthy sequel to the reboot Casino Royale, because director Marc Forster brings to life a film that doesn't care one way or another about audience demands. The paradox is that the film, having taken its own path, still respects audience expectations by having the action, the chases (by land, sea, and air!), the sexy women, the spy shenanigans.
You can read all sorts of reviews on Rotten Tomatoes where writers complain that Quantum is a great action movie, but not a great Bond movie. Or you can read how Quantum is the worst Bond movie ever made and only a competent spy movie. Though the film is currently rated "fresh" somewhere in the seventy percentile range, the general consensus is that Casino Royale was better, Marc Forster made a decent action movie, but as a Bond film Quantum is a missed opportunity.
To all of that, I would say bollicks.
Now to elaborate without spoiling anything:


Quantum of Solace is a film about James Bond in the desert, reflected in both the story and the setting. The core of the film is the revenge story, certainly, but not Bond's hunt for revenge. Throughout the film we see a man who has lost greatly and knows only that he is filled with anger, however Bond doesn't know with whom to be angry. He certainly has his options, the man responsible for Vesper's death, Vesper herself, or the organization that put him in a position to choose duty over love (solidly represented by Judie Dench's M). Thus, unable to decide who is to blame he approaches all three with the same furor, willing to smash everything to bits and sort out the mess afterwards to see if along the way he actually hit the right target. Bond is alone, deserted, and his internal emptiness is externally reflected by director Forster's choice of setting: the barren wastes of a South American desert.
There is a paralell to Bond's struggle represented in the "Bond girl" of the film, gorgeous Russian actress Olga Kurylenko as Camille. However, Camille's revenge plot is allowed to play out straight, with a clear antagonist, and to see how her story intertwines and affects that of Bond is clever, and poetic.

That is the true story of Quantum of Solace (hence the title), but the other plotlines are good as well. Part of Bond's search for revenge involves his angry assault on his "duty", which takes him tooth and claw into a plan by a ghost-like organization that is arranging a military coup in Bolivia to take control of that country's resources (ostensibly oil), something we learn they accomplished previously in Haiti (and hearkening back to Casino Royale we see the same going on in Africa with La Chifre.) Thus the main "bad guy" is an environmentalists with evil ulterior motives. Here the film becomes a bit of a political mess as the US and the CIA are shown in support of the regime change so they can get their hands on more oil. There is an unfortunately large amount of retardation thrown about wherein the Americans are vilified, or just made to look incompetent under the pretense that the US deals with anybody to get what they want (oil). Which is of course why were such good friends with Chavez, right? This is clearly the contribution Paul Haggis brought to the screenplay. I digress....
Ultimately the politics get worked out and become interesting because, unlike some vague world domination plan seen in earlier Bond stories, the bad guys in the new Bond world operate in a believable, real world context. Eventually, the stories all come together in the aforementioned desert in a (literally) explosive climax that where Bond passes through the fire.

The film is much tighter than Casino Royale (which despite its higher RT rating) suffered greatly from an overlong runtime, an unfocused plot, and one of the most boring third acts ever. I would place both films on equal footing as far as action and spy vs. spy plotting, but I would choose Quantum of Solace as the smarter movie. One that has all the expected action and Bond-i-ness without caving into the demands of a series that produced, at best, four truly worthwhile films.

Obama Election Aftermath: A Special Report

(H/T Lee Tucciarone for finding this one:)

Bonding at the Movies

The night has finally arrived. At exactly 12:01 am I will be sitting in a theatre as the 20 plus minutes of commercials and previews begin to role. Then, James Bond.

Quantum of Solace is really the only movie I am excited about this fall. Well, Australia obviously, but that's it. The film promises not to disappoint, and you can be sure to have my educated appearing shortly before Friday Afternoon.

My Hero

Whoever this kid is, he's my hero. Steak also makes me calm and is my favorite food.

Hiphopanonymous

"You're a white girl at a hip-hop station...that's social commentary enough."

As promised in yesterday's posting, I went and viewed a local stage production put on by some friends entitled "Where Hip-Hop Lives" that purported to be a " a socially relevant poetisical (think musical...but replace the music w/ poetry) takes a funny and provocative look at the elements of hip hop culture & where the art is going." The first and obvious question is, was it at all good? And in short, I must answer yes.

Now the caveat:
To be truly objective I would have to disassociated myself from the fact that the only reason I saw the "poetisical" (I would have gone with poetriesical) is because two friends were involved (as actors, writers, producers, etc...). However, No one really cares--that is going to read this--whether I am truly objective, so up front I'm going to admit that I am approaching this review with good natured bias.

The play was put on in a library auditorium with very minimal staging ( two tables, chairs, laptops, fake mics, and some handwritten signs) and as such not much can be said for production value (on the contrary, the programs were professionally done). The outfit responsible for the show (founded by playwright/lead actor Paul Grigsby) known as Art As An Agent For Change (take a breath...) obviously was operating on a catch-as-catch-can basis. Thus there was no real stage direction, lighting, sound, etc. The only audio outside of the actors speaking voices came from sound-clips played from the laptops being used as props. All in all it didn't detract from the show, but it certainly was noticeable.

The best thing that can be said for "Where Hip-Hop Lives" is that the performances are solid, and at times inspired. Saying such is vastly important, because the play is put on by three actors with very minimal action, so if the actors didn't bring it, then there would be no reason to come. Thankfully, the actors did bring with them an intensity and enthusiasm for the material that was infectious and helped pull you out of the dead spaces (which there were an unfortunately large number of, but it was the shows first full run through.) The story involves three main characters, played by Odinaka Ezeokoli, Hetty White, and Grigsby and centers around Odinaka's and Hetty's character's as DJs in separate radio stations. Both stations are run by the same guy named Irv played by Grigsby. The DJs characters are solid, and it was very obvious that Hetty was having a good time playing up her white girl acting black stereotype (a point that fits prominently into the thematic of the play, and might actually have been the strongest element.) She really threw herself into the role, and was able to draw out some real emotion (a good sign that she could handle future, more dramatically oriented roles.) Odinaka, who also does stand up, really stood out as the auxiliary characters he played (with a surprise that I just can't spoil for you in good conscience), but even as the DJ character he brought the comic energy of a stand-up routine to his lines (throwing in a little dance or two here and there.) There were children in the audience, and his antics really brought the giggles out. Grigsby proved he could really act by switching between three main parts, two of which really demonstrated his outstanding range being as they are so diametrically opposed (think mousy fairy vs. overcompensating thug). Yet, I must admit that he was much better playing the humorous characters then he was playing it straight as Irv. One of my biggest problems with the whole story, and the performance, was the Irv character who always seemed like he was meant to be a white, corporate stereotype (Grigsby is black) but who just came off as awkward.

The format of the show doesn't really work yet, like I said earlier, because of the near complete lack of action. There were moments when the DJ characters sat in silence behind their tables for far too long because when they stop talking...nothing is happening. The intention was to mix poetry into the story, and to this end the three actors periodically take center stage to deliver poetic monologues. This method didn't work so much as when the poems were brought into the story by one of the characters (say as a caller in to the radio program). The problem is that, as the synopsis provided by the artists states, the play wants to be socially relevant. When this is attempted in the story, it works for the most part, but simply expressing esoteric ideas about the current state of hip-hop (an oddly paradoxical act in-and-of itself) in verse tends to lose the audience (this could be a fault of delivery, I would have to see the show again to really be able to make that call.)
Yet, as I stated, when the story attacks "issues" surrounding hip-hop, it is a bit more successful. The plotline involving the female DJ, Katy Cain, works best in its attempt to deconstruct the misogyny and racism inherent to modern "hip-hop." The other storyline, involving Odinaka's DJ is less convincing, and borderline ridiculous as it attempts to make a commentary on hip-hop's predilection for violence by having the DJ faced with a dilemma wherein to keep his job he must agree to give away 9mm pistols over the air.

More only real criticism is that there is no real emotional payoff in the ending. The characters are simply mouth-pieces for their respective issues, and the resolution of the plotlines is weakened as a result. There is an ending of sorts, but it tries to be a bit too tidy. (Don't get mad, nothing can be perfect.)

All in all the play is a mostly enjoyable experience because the actors bring an energy and life to the characters that at time elicits a real emotional response. I laughed out loud a few times, and had there been more than fifteen people in the audience (a near-tragic sight) I think the humor would have been more apparently appreciated. As for the social-relevance (I have intentionally left out any commentary on the "homophobia" because it feels forced and unrelated in its current inclusion) I'm not sure. If the play is truly meant to be used an agent for change, it needs to find the right audience I suppose.

In Pirate News

Before Stevenson made Pirates glamorous in Treasure Island, it was soundly excepted by decent folk that piracy was a foul crime and a blight on the Empire....er....Nation (depending on what decent folk we are talking about here.)

However, in recent memory Pirates have assumed a fabled, nay, mythical status in literature, film, and pop culture for very obvious reasons. As Captain Jack and Gibbs recite to each other in the Disney movies,
"Take what you can, and give nothin' back."
A very alluring mentality to be sure, and quite well fitting with the fantastical setting of the open seas, tropical islands, ships, parrots, rum, etc.

Yet, today piracy is either one of two things in the real world:
1) Copyright infringement by means of "illegally" obtaining electronic media over the internets

OR

2) A bunch of dirty Arab, Somali, or Filipino aqua-bandits cruising around in rusted hulls and causing mischief and grief in the seas of the Third World.

Don't quite look like Long John Silver and his crew do they?

In the sense of instance number 2, the pirate has once again assumed his rightful place as the villain, and one who is to be loathed and dispatched to boot. That, friends, is exactly what the Royal Navy did yesterday when a boatload of Yemeni Pirates fired on the HMS Cumberland after the Brits thwarted an attempted hijacking of a cargo ship.
It was the first Naval engagement by Royal Marines is recent memory to actually result in the deaths of anyone, friend or foe. In other words, it was the first Pirate Battle of the new Millennium!

The FULL STORY can be found at the link, here are excerpts:

"Pirates caught red handed by one of Her Majesty’s warships after trying to hijack a cargo ship off Somalia made the grave mistake of opening fire on two Royal Navy assault craft packed with commandos armed with machine guns and SA80 rifles. In the ensuing gunfight, two Somali pirates in a Yemeni-registered fishing dhow were killed, and a third pirate, believed to be a Yemeni, suffered injuries and subsequently died. It was the first time the Royal Navy had been engaged in a fatal shoot-out on the high seas in living memory."

Time Sculpting

Yes, "Time Sculpting." That's what this is being called:


Heres the facts on what you just witnessed. (h/t cinematical)

• The TV ad was shot using 200 Toshiba Gigashot Cameras: the highest number of moving image cameras ever used in a film sequence
• This particular technique, viewing looping action in 360 degrees, has never been done before
• The time spent processing footage from 200 cameras was over four weeks - 24 hours a day seven days a week!
• In terms of data, this is one of the biggest jobs a post-production house has ever taken on - 20TB of data
• New offline and online editing software had to be specifically built for the job

You may recognize the beginnings of this technique as the "bullet-time" sequences in The Matrix (or more specifically the scene with Trinity leaping into the air followed by a freezeframe 360 degree pan.)

Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous in its waste of time and resources. However, it is a really nifty visual stunt. Here's the making of:

Get My Play On

A few suprises:

First, it might surprise some of you to learn that I have a (admittedly limited) theatre background. For a short while I worked as a stage manager, and have been involved with the theatre in one way or another since my first year of college. That involvement has slackened as of late, for the movie industry and blogging are both so terribly demanding. However, I still retain an interest.

That having been said, I will be attending a local production being put on by some friends in downtown Atlanta this evening. I too was involved peripherally (I read and critiqued the play, offering some no doubt unheeded suggestions) and therefore have more than a passing interest. I will be taking my theatre background and general brilliance along with me, so you can expect an insightful write-up when I return tonight.

The second surprise is the nature of the performance. It is entitled "Where Hip-Hop Lives" and is a play/spoken word poetry hybrid about, well, Hip Hop. Here is the official description from the writer:

"Art as an Agent for Change Presents..."Where Hip Hop Lives" A socially relevant poetisical (think musical...but replace the music w/ poetry) takes a funny and provocative look at the elements of hip hop culture & where the art is going. Two radio DJ’s struggle with their boss and against their callers to make sense of a society that is steady boxing them in. Is it really as simple as following the music? Touching on race, homophobia and of course,the music, on Nov 12th find out where Hip Hop lives! Featuring.... Paul Grigsby ................ Hetty White ................ Odinaka OD Ezeokoli This event is free and open to the public. Please bring a donation to support Art as an Agent for Change. "

Yeah, I know, words like "socially relevant", "homophobia, and "Hip-Hop" aren't really part of my vocabulary, and under normal circumstances I would be miles away from this thing. However, dear readers, The Free Lancer knows no bounds and I am stepping out for a little "socially relevant" culture. I'll let you know how it goes.

If any of you in the Atlanta area are interested in actually attending the show, it will be performed at the Fulton County Central Library Branch in downtown (right next to the Peachtree Center Marta station.)

Luther

Yesterday was apparently the anniversary of Martin Luther's birth. We protestants (and I would argue the Christian community period) owe Luther an immeasurable amount of gratitude. He brought the faith back from superstition and Popish tomfoolery to its roots in the Word. Not so much a reformation as a return to the truth. Unfortunately, protestantism would eventually (even during Luther's own life) splinter and faction and embelish and obfuscate as much as the Catholic Church. Yet Luther translating the Bible into the common tounge, and taking it out of the hands of the elite remains one of the greatest actions by a single man, religious or otherwise, to this day.

In his honor, one of his hyms:

A mighty fortress is our God,
  A bulwark never failing;
  Our helper He, amid the flood
  Of mortal ills prevailing;
  For still our ancient foe
  Doth seek to work us woe;
  His craft and power are great,
  And, armed with cruel hate,
  On Earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide,
  Our striving would be losing;
  Were not the right Man on our side,
  The Man of God's own choosing;
  Dost ask who that may be?
  Christ Jesus, it is He;
  Lord Sabaoth, His name,
  From age to age the same,
  And He must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled,
  Should threaten to undo us,
  We will not fear, for God hath willed
  His truth to triumph through us;
  The Prince of Darkness grim --
  We tremble not for him;
  His rage we can endure,
  For lo, his doom is sure,
  On little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers,
  No thanks to them, abideth.
  The Spirit and the gifts are ours
  Though Him who with us sideth;
  Let goods and kindred go,
  This mortal life also;
  The body they may kill;
  God's truth abideth still,
  His kingdom us forever.

Eye Witness, You Witness

The previous post details an amittedly sensationalized account of a shooting that took place this morning (Nov 11, 2008) in downtown Atlanta.

The Atlanta Urinal and Constipation has finally caught up with the story (remember dear readers, I broke it here first!).

Here is their take on the events. What follows in an excerpt:

"A knife-wielding homeless man was shot in Woodruff Park Tuesday morning by MARTA police officers who had pursued him out of the nearby Five Points station, police said. The incident played out across several busy blocks of downtown Atlanta in front of college students, workers and homeless people who frequent the area. 'I was really scared,' said Georgia State University student Tiara Ramos, who witnessed the shooting while working at a nearby coffee shop. 'I have always heard this is not the safest place, but nothing like this has happened before.'

The man, shot four times in the chest, arm and legs, was , according to Atlanta police.

A veteran MARTA officer suffered a slash wound on the palm of one of his hands from the suspect’s butcher knife and broke an ankle when he fell down during a struggle over the weapon, police said. His injuries were not life-threatening.

Both the suspect and the officer, whose identities were not immediately made public, were taken to Grady Memorial Hospital."

The Naked City

"There are eight million stories in the Naked City....and this is one of them."

Since October is over and with it Australia month, and the election has terminated, I feel it is time to add a new segment to the Free-Lancer. The concept really isn't new, and I could feasibly retroactively include a few earlier posts under the heading, but now I'm making it official.

The Naked City: Atlanta

I don't much care for the city, its people, its smells, its size, its murders. Yet for a few years now I have made my home in the Capital of the South and, having attended school and now working full time in the heart of the downtown I have seen a great deal of ridiculous things. Here is where I will recount them as I see fit.

Today, November 11th 2008, a crazed black man runs from the Peachtree Center Marta Train Station brandishing a long, bloodied blade. The man, with madness in his eyes and murder on his hands is fleeing for his life through the very epicenter of Georgia State University. Students walk to class unawares that death is today's guest lecturer.
For the students of GSU, a dirty-looking black man running through campus is not an unusual sight, in fact you could almost set your watch by them. Thus, the man with the knife crosses through campus unmolested, his feet carrying him swiftly away from his unjust deed towards an unexpected, but inevitable confrontation.
Woodruff park, the centerpiece to the GSU campus is alive this morning like it is every morning with loiters and bums, chess players and panhandlers. The man with the knife runs to this park, hoping maybe to loose himself in the sea of black faces, nappy roots, and Obama T-shirts. Inside he meets Johnny Law.
Johnny is older now then when he joined the force. His hair is white and his gut is copiously fed on the good life. The APB has gone out, and Johnny has just been jarred from his boredom by the news. He rushes to the center of the park, his hand on his hip-holster and his jaw set in determination. Johnny's seen a lot in his time, and he's ready for anything. Anything, except for our man and his knife.
Maybe Johnny has too much faith in mankind, maybe he was just rusty, but when he stepped in front of the perpetrator running towards him in Woodruff Park this morning, he made one, painful error: he didn't shoot first and ask questions later. The crazed black man with the knife, having killed once already, doesn't think twice about what he is going to do when he sees Johnny bar his way to freedom. He charges straight forward, knife out, and stabs for the heart.
Now Johnny's been pierced, his blood has been drawn. Immediately the pain shakes the rust free, the years dissipated in an instant and Johnny moves like lighting. Jumping back from the man, arching his back to avoid another thrust, he rips free his pistol from its complacency and makes that gun barrel speak volumes.
The sound echoes across the park, bouncing off of Atlanta's tall buildings, ringing through the halls of the still sleepy campus.
Johnny's done it. He's killed the man with the knife. The pistol still smokes in his hand, blood still pours from his knife wounds, but justice has been served.
Other officers arrive, the scene is taped off, and a white sheet is laid over the dead perpetrator. An ambulance is brought for Johnny Law, and he is heroically driven off to Grady Memorial Hospital. The students and lookie-loos go back about their business, to class, to work, to loitering. Another life has come to an end in the Naked City of Atlanta, and with it another story.

Moneygascar

The election is behind, and the future unclear, the only thing for The Free-Lancer to do is watch movies and talk about them. Proving for the umpteenth time that the only sure-fire way to make money with movies these days is to make a hit family film and then immediately crank out a sequel or four, Madagascar 2 made an estimated 63 million dollars this weekend. That my friends, is a HUGE number this time of year, and I must say (as industry savvy as I am) exceeded my own predictions.
I saw the first film and enjoyed it, as it is a humorous romp, but I wasn't one of the contributors to the new films success. O sure, I want to see it (growing up with three younger sisters I have always had a soft spot for cartoons) but I probably won't make it until later this week. Until then, here is a good review that basically says, sure it has laughs but the Penguins are the best part--much like the first movie.

Though I didn't manage to make it to the cinemas this weekend (I had an interest in seeing one of two films, such as Eastwood's Changeling), I did stop by last weekend for a little pre-election diversion.
I saw Zack & Miri and RocknRolla. Of the two I would recommended the later and completely ward you away from the former.
For some reason, people cannot be truly honest when it comes to reviewing Kevin Smith films. I have never liked the guy, or his films, and really have only enjoyed bits of his catalog and never whole films. The scenes in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back with Will Ferrell and the orangutan are funny, but that movie is a horrendous mess. Mallrats has its moments, as does Chasing Amy, but everything else is gratuitous, self-indulgent, and downright boring--to include (and maybe especially) Smith's "revolutionary" debut Clerks. I don't really want to talk much about Zack & Miri, because Dirty Harry wrote a great review of it that really gets to the point.
However, I will make a few observations: Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks are both excellent comedic actors, and Justin Long's appearance is the only true bright spot of the film. In the TV spots for the film, they call it "the perfect date movie" to which I can only balk and scratch my head, because it cetainly is not anywhere near a movie any self-respecting couple should be watching unless you hang around at home alternating between Clerks II and internet porn all day....
Anyway, we've got James Bond on Thursday at midnight, so I don't imagine many of you will get around to seeing RocknRolla. Already its on its way out of theaters, which is a same because it is really the only movie worth spending money on (other than Quantum of Solace) that is going to be around for a few weeks. Guy Ritchie is back in top form and brings a new level of maturity to his familar Lock, Stock/Snatch material. Those who are fans of his first two success will find the same things to love, but those who appreciated Revolver (I being one) will certainly see the same seriousness coming through in the plot, which is an intricate and well designed crime story this time around and less of a caper-esque romp like in the aforementioned earlier films.

Ritchies talent has always been grounded in bringing to life great characters, and RocknRolla has an exceptional cast chock full of 'em, with Gerard Butler being the real stand-out. The end of the film promises a sequeal, but it looks to be a long ways off. Next up from Ritchie is the Downey Jr., Jude Law Sherlock Holmes vehicle which (if RocknRolla is any indication) ought to absolutely sore. So if you get a moment and feel the need for some cinematic escapism, check out said film, and be sure to ignore Kevin Smith's new turd.

Voter Turnout Same as in '04

As I sat with a group of people (all Obama supporters for the most part) on the night of the election I mentioned how, despite increases in registration, there was no rise in actually voting participation. The Obamatons couldn't believe this. "No" they said, "that can't be true. Lots of people (read blacks) are voting this year that have never voted before."

Well turns out I was right, but so where the Sheeple...to an extent. According to reports, turnout was the same as in '04, but more Democrats made it to the polls than did Republicans. Big surprise there, eh? With Acorn's shenanigans going around registering everybody under the sun (to include plenty of fake people), more Dems were registered this year, and at least a small percentage of those registrees actually did manage to cast a ballot.

Here is the story:

The report released Thursday estimates that between 126.5 and 128.5 million Americans cast ballots in the presidential election earlier this week. Those figures represent 60.7 percent or, at most, 61.7 percent of those eligible to vote in the country.

“A downturn in the number and percentage of Republican voters going to the polls seemed to be the primary explanation for the lower than predicted turnout,” the report said. Compared to 2004, Republican turnout declined by 1.3 percentage points to 28.7 percent, while Democratic turnout increased by 2.6 points from 28.7 percent in 2004 to 31.3 percent in 2008.

“Many people were fooled (including this student of politics although less so than many others) by this year’s increase in registration (more than 10 million added to the rolls), citizens’ willingness to stand for hours even in inclement weather to vote early, the likely rise in youth and African American voting, and the extensive grassroots organizing network of the Obama campaign into believing that turnout would be substantially higher than in 2004,” Curtis Gans, the center’s director, said in the report. “But we failed to realize that the registration increase was driven by Democratic and independent registration and that the long lines at the polls were mostly populated by Democrats.”

Some experts also note that national turnout trends may mask higher turnout in swing states with more intensive attempts by both campaigns to get their supporters to the polls. Several large states, including California and New York, had no statewide races and virtually no advertising or get-out-the-vote efforts by either presidential campaign.

According to the report, several Southern states — North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Virginia, and Mississippi — and the District of Columbia saw the greatest increases in voter turnout.

Overall turnout was highest in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Michigan, South Dakota and North Carolina, according to the report.

In 2004, 122 million Americans voted in the general election.

Did you read that? Southern states saw the greatest increases in voter turn out....I would wager because of Blacks, but it still didn't matter. Only Virginia went for Obama, and the counties that pushed him to a win were the predominately white suburbs of DC. So what does all this mean? Everything....and nothing.

Friday Batman

In honor of next weeks release (in the US, 14 days after the UK and the rest of th world---come on!) of Bond 22 Quantum of Solace, today's Friday Batman is an odd find of James Bond vs Batman....as seen through the prism of TV's Friends. Yeah, I know, it is weird:


And when you're done with that, keep you Bond excitement going by revisiting THIS EARLIER POST ON THE NEW THEME SONG BY JACK WHITE AND ALICIA KEYS.

So Long....

Into the Jurassic Dark

Sad news, Michael Crichton, famed author/director/producer and father of the "techo-thriller" has passed. At 66, he has been taken from us to write no more. Apparently he was battling cancer, but there are very few details available right now.

Crichton was one of the first real authors I read. In second grade, following the film, I picked up a copy of Jurassic Park and couldn't put it down. I didn't understand half of the words or situations, but I knew it was awesome because it was about dinosaurs. Since then I have reread Jurassic Park countless times, and every other book that Crichton wrote (actually revisited Congo again this summer). All of the books are entertaining, many of them are thought-provoking, and at least two of them are what could be called important works (State of Fear and Next.)

I hope he had something finished before he died that can be left to us, but as it is he leaves behind quite a literary legacy.

Not So Gay Now I Bet

Some good news from last night:

"LOS ANGELES (AP) - In an election otherwise full of liberal triumphs, the gay rights movement suffered a stunning defeat as California voters approved a ban on same-sex marriages that overrides a recent court decision legalizing them.

The constitutional amendment—widely seen as the most momentous of the nation's 153 ballot measures—will limit marriage to heterosexual couples, the first time such a vote has taken place in a state where gay unions are legal.

Gay-rights activists had a rough election elsewhere as well. Ban-gay-marriage amendments were approved in Arizona and Florida, and Arkansas voters approved a measure banning unmarried couples from serving as adoptive or foster parents. Supporters made clear that gays and lesbians were their main target.

In California, with 95 percent of precincts reporting Wednesday, the ban had 5,125,752 votes, or 52 percent, while there were 4,725,313 votes, or 48 percent, opposed.

Similar bans had prevailed in 27 states before Tuesday's elections, but none were in California's situation—with about 18,000 gay couples married since a state Supreme Court ruling in May. The state attorney general, Jerry Brown, has said those marriages will remain valid, although legal challenges are possible."

Unfortunately however, abortion bans were voted down in Colorado and South Dakota. Abortion is a much more serious issue, as it concerns the lives of human beings, and it is disconcerting that people can't pull their heads out of their rear ends to do the right thing. Our cheating culture at work.