The Last Semester: Twolovers

A frequent posting meant to document my final semester of undergraduate studies. Lazy, wandering journal entries for posterity's sake.

First discussion for my philosophy class. Not to be mean but there's some lame people in there. Some kid says the worst movie he's heard about (though not seen) is Slumdog Millionaire because they pronounce "millionaire" like "mill-a-naire." Some pretentious mathematics kid in a wheelchair (he doesn't get an asshole pass because he has a disability) talked at length about how great Benjamin Button was without ever actually saying anything. I think I'll see that friday.

Signed up for film symposium. Leonard is kind of cool. Grampy cartoon that precluded the screening reminded me of a Santa Grampy, inset. I hope to find the VHS tape that I know this from when i go home this weekend. Two Lovers was screened. Painfully realistic, and not in a good way. I've never understood the complaint that things are too real ... until now. I saw myself on screen in some of the worst ways. I could see this being somewhat cathartic for the creator but what did he want an audience to get out of this? Message was clear about 20 minutes in and then he just subjected us to an hour and a half more of tense discomfort. That unease was not worth the message. Not to mention how self-aggrandizing it was. The two lovers in the picture often lobbed compliments at the protagonist (a retarded Marlon Brando-esque Joaquin Phoenix) about how great he was in the sack and what a great "artist" he was (he took black and white photos and loved movies ... here's to transparency). Better movie about a sociopath in New York with love problems? Taxi Driver.

The Last Semester: Philosophy for College Students

A frequent posting meant to document my final semester of undergraduate studies. Lazy, wandering journal entries for posterity's sake.

Philosophy class, first day. Questions: What is Philosophy? Who am I? Why are we here? What is the meaning of life? Answers (mine): The study of knowledge ... and stuff. A lazy fool. Because. If i knew i wouldn't be here. The class feels like a very "this is what college is like" course. Full of what should be "heavy" ideas that after four years of study feel somewhat hollow. I finish reading Of Mice and Men. It took me over two months. The ending was most satisfying.

Graduate level Global Cinema Pre-WWII at night. Graduate students just as ridiculous as undergraduate students: "For those of us that aren't "Critical Studies" students," the girl asks, not even trying to hide her disdain, "could you lay out what it is that actually want from our film responses? Like should i talk about how my aunt grew up in such and such a time and place and remembers this movie?" Oh, film students. Casanblanca was screened. That movie is so beautiful (made even more astonishing in its 35mm print). Rick Blaine is one of the best characters in contemporary fiction. The close-ups of Ingrid Bergman are breathtaking. Claude Rains is one of my favorite character actors. This is one of those moments in Hollywood where everything and everyone comes together (writing, directing, acting, music, etc.) and produces that which is most rare in Hollywood: art. Beautiful, timeless art.