What Has Happened to Everyone

[FilmFan720]

Things have been crazy around here too, starting my final quarter of grad school and just not having been to the movies in longer than I care to admit. Glad to hear everyone else is happily busy too:)

[OscarGuy]

Unfortunately, we're not in a great time for getting out to the movies. It's September, which means usually the worst of the worst releases wide and most of the unquestionable Oscar contenders aren't due out for a couple of months.

[Mister Tee]

thanks, everyone, for the kind words. i hope to be in better shape (at minimum, able to use the shift key) before long

it was eerie, how everyone seemed to drop away at the same time. especially with Sonic and me both missing, we had a drastic shortage of review threads from the festivals. (and my home computer for some reason refuses to access Variety reviews, so i'm unable to catch up with those)

anyway, it's good most people have chimed in here. now, we all need to start getting out to the movies

[Eric]

Eric, what's new with you?

Sadly, I have no excuse for being so quiet lately, aside from not watching many movies (just the same as everyone else, it seems). I'm more or less getting stuff settled at my place after my sister moved out and went back to college for a degree in musical theatre (I say "oy" now, but can't wait until I get to go see her first production there). This marks the very first time in my life I've lived completely alone, and I'm nauseatingly conflicted about it.

Spent a few three day weekends seeing about my widowed grandmother in Des Moines and making sure she has some occasional company. Will soon take a trip to Chicago (as soon as my cousin confirms I can crash at his place), Madison, Wis. (where I hope to see some intense Halloween rioting) and Freeport, Ill.

Just married off another of my best friends. This time, I played piano in her wedding, which constituted perhaps the most extended public performance I've given, well, ever. I played no less than 10 pieces, most of them French (the dude she married was named Lamoureux, and his mother complimented my choices, saying "I love the Debussy.") Really lit the fire for me to get back into the swing of practicing and pushing myself to attempt more difficult music -- an all-important creative outlet. Ravel is giving me a lot to chew on. Oh, here's what I played at the wedding:

Frédéric Chopin, “Prélude No. 17 in A-flat major” (Op. 28)
Ludwig van Beethoven, “Piano Sonata No. 8, Mvt. 2: Adagio cantabile” (Op. 13)
Claude Debussy, “Clair de lune” from Suite Bergamasque
Maurice Ravel, “Mouvement de menuet” from Sonatine
Leonard Bernstein/Stephen Sondheim, “One Hand, One Heart” from West Side Story [My sister sang this one.]
J.S. Bach, “Air on the G String”
Erik Satie, “Gymnopédie No. 1”
Claude Debussy, “Serenade for the Doll” and "Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum" from Children’s Corner

Hope everyone else is doing well. Flipp and Pen, I'm grateful for the existence of YouTube so that I don't have to watch ATWT at work any longer ... make that don't have to watch non-Nuke ATWT any longer.

[Sonic Youth]

I'm just one of the stagehands, but thanks.

[flipp525]

I've been in the middle in a lot of personal drama lately -- some really great, fulfilling, juicy, life-altering romantic stuff but complicated and real in a way I wasn't prepared for. I've been finding a lot of solace in old films and books. Iris Murdoch's The Message to the Planet seems like it was literally hand-picked for me to read at this juncture in my life. It's scary how much the prose seems to reflect my situation. Jennifer Jones in Love Letters had me reduced to a pile of tears on the floor last month. Good times.

Work has been taking me to Boston, Newport, and other places, too, which breaks up the week but can also be tiring.

I'm also getting closer to closing on my new condo. It's construction completion date has been set at December 2007 and my interior decorator and I have been meeting regularly to line up painters, furniture, etc. It's a really exciting time.

Tee, I hope you feel better soon. I loved your "Round Three" pre-Oscar season analysis. Big Magilla, looking forward to your take on this year's upcoming race. Sonic, break a leg. I'm sure you'll be great. Sabin, I hope something pans out for you sooner rather than later but in the meantime, keep on writing. You, too, anonymous. Damien, enjoy NYC in all its fall splendor. Marco, I hope work becomes more manageable and you can bless us with your posts more often. We've had our little skirmishes here and there but I really enjoyed your analysis of Cruising and The Boys in the Band this past week. Penelope, Steamworks' D.C. counterpart is The Crew Club. I'm sure you're loving the Luke/Noah drama on ATWT as much as I have been! Gotta check out Dynasty Season 2 on Netflix when I get a chance. Hope Chicago is treating you well. Eric, what's new with you?



Edited By flipp525 on 1189973805

[dws1982]

I've been working a lot and trying to polish the resume to get another (better) job that's more in line with my degree.

I haven't been watching many new movies either--there doesn't seem to be much of interest out there. So not much to post about there. I've lost a bit of interest in movies lately, but it'll come back soon, probably.

[Damien]

I was on holiday in northern California, but I'm back home in New York City now.

Tee. sorry to hear about your accident -- hope you're coming along.

Sabin -- L.A.? Cool -- I had a great time the year I lived there. What part of town are you living in?

anonymous, good luck with the screenplay.

[anonymous1980]

I'm actually working on a screenplay outline for an independent director who liked one of my film ideas. Hopefully, something will come out of this. Wish me luck.

[Sabin]

Moved to L.A.. Finishing post on two films to make the Slamdance deadline. Homeless. Mostly homeless. Semester on the CBS lot fairly fruitless. First screenwriting gig procured. Networking like a motherfucker. Applying for internships. Got a decent shot at a Writer's Assistant job at the Bill Maher show (fingers crossed). Writing. Getting over ex-girlfriend's engagement. Looking forward to going to the Arclight theater.

[Big Magilla]

Accident? How did I miss that? Well, here's to a speedy recovery, Tee.

[Mister Tee]

Thanks for the shout-out, Sonic. I'm coming along -- supposed to start physical therapy Wednesday or so.

Meantime, I managed to cobble together a post-festivals post in the Round Three thread in the top section.

[Sonic Youth]

I've been very busy, both day and night. Working, household errands, and play rehearsal in the evening. Mister Tee is still recuperating from his accident, I'm sure. Get well soon, Tee.

There has actually been a lot to talk about. The Venice and Toronto festivals have premiered many films that could be contenders for Best Picture and other categories. Had I a more stable schedule, I'd be posting those reviews, but it's been too crazy for me. "Eastern Promises" looks like it Cronenberg's most successful film, one the critic's may take under their wing. And Viggo Mortensen, I think, is a lock. And I'm interested to see how far the Brad Pitt "Jesse James" film goes.

[ITALIANO]

I wish I were travelling, Big Magilla! Unfortunately I've come back to Milan from the Middle East, so it's mainly work which prevents me from writing here more often.

[Penelope]

I've been incredibly busy--working far too much, applying to grad school at UIC, watching As the World Turns and Dynasty....

I'm sure in a few more months this place will be busier than Steamworks on a Saturday night. :p