Avant que ça...

Forgot to describe how/why this blog...is. Here's the entry from my (old school, non-electronic) travel journal that made me decide to do this

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MY NEW TOY - 05 avril 07

I did an impulsive, (hopefully) wonderful thing yesterday. I bought myself my March "me" present. January's was my screenplay notebook; Febraury's was my trip to the salon and now March ? The UGC Cinema Illimite Carte. A prelevement of 18euro per month and I get to see as many movies as I want ! WHY doesn't this exist in the States ? They could charge like $50/month for it in California, and I bet people would still purchase it.

At any rate, I haven't actually gone to the movies since I got it (whoops), but I definitely am making plans. So many movies...

And it led me to thinking. I should document this. Like, I always write on my calendar what movies I see, but what about opinions ? Ratings ? I will be seeing, over the next months that I'll be staying in France, many movies.

And so, a new idea. This journal is almost full. Started primarily as a travel journal, I have since (mostly due to lack of funds) stopped traveling. I'm not VISITING Paris. And though I make jokes about being on vacation here, I actually do LIVE here. In Paris. Most likely not forever, but most definitely, yes, for now.

Journals--"life" journals--have always been difficult for me. But a movie journal ? A film diary ? I think I could do this. I take my journal with me to the cinema, and immediately after the film, give it a rating of 1-5, a one line thought and then...a brief disection ? Five lines or less ? Characters, plot, directing, acting, music. 5-5-5.

For instance :

ALPHA DOG - http://www.alphadogmovie.com/
"This film makes you think."
Possibly because ALPHA DOG is based on a very current true tale, the characters in Nick Cassavetes' newest number (following THE NOTEBOOK, oddly enough) are realistic, and the story swerves along at an excellent pace until you're almost holding your breath by the end. Beware of a certain Karate Kid's overacting (Ben Foster, remember, the angel from X-MEN III ???), and be impressed by (hot) Justin Timberlake's (hot) performance. No really. He's really (hot) talented. Surprisingly so, dare I say it. Cassavete's style is cool, at times miming documentary or almost a home video feel, completely connecting with the realism, and at others using stop-frame action to not only connect you to but immerse you in the authentic police drama/unfolding court case. The music is appropriate to the teenage/young adult angst, though it sometimes--unfortunately--gets annoyingly oppressive. But one word for the song that plays over the end credits : awesome.
Overall rating - 3.5 of 5

Okay, that was way more than five lines. But whatever. I think I like this idea, despite my wordiness.

A new journal, thus, is born. First, though, I have to buy it. April gift ???

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And so I "bought" a blog.