Monday, December 17, 2007

"We now return to our regularly scheduled life, already in progress."

As some of you might already know, a sizable part of my life has recently changed. Nothing spectacular, mind you. I haven't sold a screenplay nor been offered a film production deal. I haven't hit the lottery. And I haven't just gotten fed up, moved to Los Angeles and jumped headfirst into the porn industry. (Yet.)

But, I did finally leave my post at our local, beloved video store. Maybe you've read about the myriad of changes befalling the home video industry, from the death of VHS to the explosion in internet retail and shipping brought about by various well known movie-delivery services. After a spectacularly insane final few months that included everything from store closings, in-house detective work and surveillance, transfers, legal proceedings, random sketchy threats and fulfilling the local area's insatiable need for The Bourne Ultimatum and Harry Potter 5... I have moved on from this particular realm of the entertainment world.

It was time, really. Four years on the frontlines of video store work is plenty. In many ways, it felt like a repeat of high school complete with well-wishings and even some graduation jitters. Now that I'm moving into a larger world (also retail, but in a much different environment and in a more intellectual field), I look forward to seeing what opportunities lie ahead. Corporate gigs have their ups and downs but a homegrown business gives you a sense of community and accomplishment that I am, even now, experiencing on a daily basis.

Having made some great friends over the last four years ("Hi, Lilyplush!") I'll always appreciate my time at the videostore. Time marches on, though. The new spot feels like a great fit: a warm n' happy place to be and one with real possibility. As always, more about this later. You know, as the pieces of the puzzle fit together.

In other news, you might remember a few posts back when I mentioned that I was beginning my next creative endeavor in the screenplay form. I'd mentioned moving some things around in my workspace environment in an attempt to alleviate the visual chaos of my workspace and to suffer far less distraction from writing. Excellent theory, yes? I think so too. Except, it didn't work.

This isn't to say my excellent theory isn't a sound one. It didn't have a chance to take effect, really. Life got in the way, work went crazy and due to long hours, stress and other factors that would definitely sound like whining if I didn't know them to all be true, nothing of much substance got done. But I continue to come up with other, small ways to keep focused. I recently purchased a blank, faux-leather bound journal to write in. My thinking is that I need to get off the computer more often, to write in other places, to keep away from the distraction of technology and the internet, to get out of my room once in a while, in order to clear my head and get creatively cracking. The journal's cover has that time-worn look, like an old manuscript, and carries some weight to it. I'm hoping this combination of low-tech heart and personal connection inspires me on at least some sort of deeper level, even if it's not immediately detectable. If "clothes make the man," then maybe "the journal can make the script." We'll see. I love looking at it, at any rate... That, and my simple-yet-awesome new coffee cup (seen above).

Otherwise, tomorrow signals the Special Edition DVD, HD and Blu-Ray release of one of the most important and influential motion pictures of the 1980's -- Ridley Scott's Blade Runner. Featuring fine performances, superb screenwriting, dazzling special effects and wonderous cinematography, music scoring, production design and direction, the film is the thinking person's action/sci-fi/noir classic. Blade Runner -- in any version you see (and there are at least four) -- ranks amongst what I consider to be the best movies of our time. If you haven't seen it yet, please do. You owe it to yourself.

Theatrical:
Blade Runner: The Final Cut ****
No Country For Old Men ***1/2
I Am Legend ***

DVD/Home Video:
2001: A Space Odyssey 2-Disc Special Edition ****
Tekkonkinkreet (Japan/Anime) ***
The Chronicles Of Riddick ***
Heroes: Season One ***
Sasquatch (1978) ***
Immortality (aka The Wisdom Of Crocodiles) **1/2
Masked And Anonymous **1/2
Reincarnation (Japan) **1/2
The Odd One Dies (Hong Kong) **
The Golden Child (1987) **
Jam Films 2 (Japan) **
Feast **
Novel Romance *