Monthly Archives: December 2015
Happy Monday!
Steven Spielberg turned 69 this past Friday.
Arguably the greatest director of all-time, Spielberg has become a film genre himself. Kids and adults love and admire his visual storytelling, for different and similar reasons. For any person who loves movies, a Spielberg foundation is a necessity. Without experiencing the magic of Spielberg, it’s impossible to experience the true magic of movies.
And that’s why he’s celebrated with such fanfare.
That’s why it’s surprising that some people within the film industry didn’t see his burgeoning genius for granted from the very beginning of his bright, trailblazing career. The father of the summer blockbuster (Jaws) received a few nominations from the Academy for his work with the great white shark.
The video below offers Spielberg’s reaction from back in 1976.
People don’t always remember who won Oscars, but they will remember Steven Spielberg’s golden legacy.
Trust yourself and your vision and the right people will see it the right way.
Happy Birthday Steven Spielberg!
The Force Awakens: The New Hope
Star Wars: The Force Awakens is now in theaters!
It all started back in 1977 with Star Wars IV: A New Hope. As we all know, it was a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.
Good vs. Evil. Droids and Lightsabers. Storm Troopers and Jedi’s. Han Solo and Princess Leia. The Death Star and the Millennium Falcon.
The spoiler-free reviews and reactions from the privileged few who have already seen Star Wars: The Force Awakens have been stellar. And why shouldn’t they be? Embracing the out-of-this-world expectations, director and sci-fi aficionado J.J. Abrams seems to have delivered on the fresh reboot of the beloved franchise. The trailers look fantastic, the cast incredible (Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac), the story appears to have an intriguing premise and feel and, most importantly, the sets are rooted in practical effects.
The latter is paramount because green-screens can ruin even the most popular series (cough cough Star Wars prequels). Yes, there are digital effects in The Force Awakens. However, practical sets seems to have trumped digital wherever possible. This extra effort and attention to detail is a great tribute to the original 1977 and 1980s episodes IV-VI, which were driven by the story and its iconic characters.
Speaking of iconic characters, perhaps the best way to prepare for Episode VII is to watch the most famously pivotal scene from the Star Wars saga.
Luke Skywalker vs. Darth Vader.
After the disastrous prequels, The Force Awakens seems to be offering Star Wars fans optimism not only for this movie, but for the next two chapters episodes in this epic space saga.
J.J. Abrams + Company (Bad Robot and Lucasfilm) seems to have found the force within themselves and it has led them to their cinematic destiny:
The right side of the Star Wars universe.
Weather’s Awakening
Global warming.
Climate change.
Global cooling.
As climate scientists at national and international institutions continue to change their minds as to what the exact disastrous term should be used regarding their apparent Kung-Fu grip on weather, meteorologists provide the public with daily weather observations and insights. To be blunt, their job really is to tell us coat-or-no-coat.
And yet, they don’t always make the right prediction.
However, one British meteorologist did something that was all kinds of right during yesterday’s newscast.
A beautiful woman who has a stunning smile, a cute accent, a great sense of humor and is a fan of Star Wars (with no ring on the left hand).
Will you marry me?
The Force is Surprising with This One
I don’t know if you’ve heard, but a new Star Wars movie arrives in theaters this Friday. And if the movie promotions in virtually every segment imaginable (toys, food, cars, jewelry, etc.) are any indication, a few people may end up seeing the seventh episode of this space epic.
To celebrate the triumphant return of the Star Wars cinematic universe, the next few blog posts will focus on the highly-anticipated J.J. Abrams-directed Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
On a completely random note, what would you do if you were tossed a lightsaber?
Our faith in humanity (courtesy of UCLA) looks a little brighter after watching this video.
Always remember to wake up with the force because, well, you never know…
Jimmy's Daily Planet 