It's that time of the year again: Black Friday! And you know what that means, more DVDs! I decided to do a haul video and boy, it is long! I apologize for only being able to describe the films that I've bought simply as cute or fun and a must. Although, it may be all of these three things, the films are obviously so much more than that. Watch and read what I'm talking about.

I got:

1. Crazy Stupid Love (2011)

2. Die Another Day (2002)
3. Goldfinger (1964)
4.Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), The Good, The Bad, The Ugly (1966), The Magnificent Seven (1960)
5. The Walking Dead (2010-Present)
6. The Fast and the Furious (2001)
7. Australia (2008)
8. Scott Pilgram vs. The World (2010)
9. Wily Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
10. The Social Network (2010)
11. Splice (2009)
12. The Fifth Element (1997)
13. Gone with the Wind (1939)
14. Black Swan (2010)
15. My Week with Marilyn (2011)
16. Biutiful (2010)
17. Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)
18. Office Space (1999), Super Troopers (2001), Grandma's Boy (2006)
19. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Set
20. The Mask (1994), Dumb and Dumber (1994), Yes Man (2008), The Majestic (2001)

I got some Blu-rays online and after Black Friday

21. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
22. Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
23. Alien (1979)
24. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

I'm pretty happy with the quantity and quality of dvd's I got this year. The only thing about this video is that I described The Black Swan (2010) and Red Shoes (1948) to be almost identical which is wrong. Although they both are set in the ballet world and the protagonist both get a little loose in the head, Red Shoes is at it's core a film about love. They are both fantastic films and considering Red Shoes was made in the forties, the sheer eeriness of this classic "horror" film is undoubtedly a nail biter. Out of all the films I got, the top films everyone with good sense should watch Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Splice, The Social Network, Gone with the Wind, and Biutiful. You will not be disappointed!

In a few years, my DVD collection will be sustainable enough that I'll be able to have my own little movie theatre in Los Angeles. Well, I hope!

(via.soyunum.blogspot.com)

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When I heard that there was going to be a Stanley Kubrick exhibit at LACMA, I quickly called the museum to renew and upgrade my membership just so I could go to their membership preview days! And was it worth it? Definitely. I hate paying twenty dollars every time there is a new exclusive showcase like last year's Tim Burton exhibit. So, I decided to just upgrade myself to an Indie Membership that allows me one "free" pass. Sadly, I did not end up going to the Burton exhibit so I had no idea what to expect. 

But when I went to the Stanley Kubrick exhibit, I was flabbergasted by the amount of memorabilia, props, posters, and little knacks they had from all his films from Fear and Desire (1953) to Eyes Wide Shut (1999). Obviously they didn't let me take photographs but CNN did so check it out beforehand to see what it's about! But if you want to wait and and don't want to know anything about it, stop reading now because I'm going to talk about how freakin unbelievable it was. There is only one way in and one way out of the exhibit which is the perfect way to set up any Kubrick-esqe scenario. The first room is the screening room and an introduction to all his films. The same clip is shown on two sides of the wall side to side to one another. But while the left one is just the clip, the right one has quotes from Kubrick and film critics describing their reception or insight to the film. In the middle is the entrance to the massive size room filled with such Kubrick memorabilia as the baby model from 2001, a letter from Sue Lyon to Kubrick, or the typewriter from The Shining. There are such minute and yet important materials from each film that are accumulated in more than five rooms that you will undoubtedly be overwhelmed. BRING A SNACK. Every production note, letter, costume, newspaper cut out, and etc. is presented in their own distinctly themed room depending on the film. The sheer amount of materials will suck you in and leave you dry and by the end of it all, I felt like Shelley Duvall deliriously walking away from Jack Nicolas while he's screaming "I'm not gonna hurt ya, I'm just going to bash your brains in." Stanley Kubrick would do that to you. So be ready! To have the most fantastic time of your life ( if you're a film fan, that is ) The Stanley Kubrick exhibit is now open at LACMA. 

(via.soyunum.blogspot.com)

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its finals week and itll be the last week of my college career! yayy!! theres so many films and books that need to be watched and read before i leave for korea on the 12th of june! yippee!

1) bridesmaids

2) mad men: season two

3) everything must go

4) greatest film ever sold

5) joan rivers: a piece of work

6) valentino: the last emperor

7) fallen angels

8) howl

hopefully i can start vlogging my reviews as well as writing them..

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ladies and gentlemen, on november 15 of 2009, i met spike jonze. and then EVVVERRRYTHING CHANGED. haha jk.

but yes, this past weekend at los angeles' family bookstore, spike jonze came down for the launch of his book, heads on and we shoot: the making of where the wild things are. aaaaaahhhhhmazing!

taking the words right off the family bookstore's blog,

HEADS ON AND WE SHOOT unveils the unique collaboration behind Where the Wild Things Are -the combined work of Maurice Sendak, Spike Jonze, Dave Eggers, and all the cast and crew. The book design is heavily image-based, a mix of early sketches, storyboards, character designs, and extensive behind-the-scenes photographs that show both incredible live-action puppetry and computer animation. The text includes forewords by Jonze and Eggers, interviews with the cast and crew, stories from on and off the set, and early drafts of the screenplay. The resulting book will be simultaneously a beautiful object for collectors, an insider′s guide for devotees, and an intimate window into the creative process.

my friend michael ebert took this and unfortunately, its the only photograph i have of him from the event. but aint he soo darn cute!!

this is how our conversation went:

shake hands

me: 2 questions. one is, what advice can you give for a fellow filmmaker?

spike jonze: wear comfortable shoes.

me: haha, always got my boots on!

family worker: oh come on, nothing like how to get into the biz?

sj: well for you as an artist, what would you recommend?

fw: i dont know, just do and make stuff

sj: (turns to me) yeah just do and make stuff

me: ok, now who is your favorite director?

sj: aww man, i dont know

me: come on make me proud!

sj: (eyes sparkle) YOU.

my favorite director is So.

me: (inside) AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! omgomgomgomgogmogmgomgomogmg. kill me, i have died and gone to cinephilia heaven!!

(outside) alright! i thought you would say like i dont know stanley kubrick or something.

soo numb. i honestly walked out feeling like i just effing diiiiied!

i have really bad scanning skills. but there it is! and sooooo.... here are a few of my favorite spike jonze piiictures.

how epic is that picture with spike and brad? i repeat, not photoshopped. apparently, jonze directed a japanese commercial with brad in it.

i remember saying long time ago, "one day, i want to meet spike jonze." hahaa check! ahhh. i feel as if my life is a bit more complete now. spike actually made a bet with my friend michelle saying she wasnt in the picture she took with him. and he lost and as a prize, she got his pen. wooohoo!! all in all, it was a very successful night!

now, my next goal is just to meet daniel day-lewis or brad pitt. even breathing in the same air as both of them will suffice for a lifetime!

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CLICK HERE. the magazine is getting better and better as time progresses... and i am so honored that kristin is letting me express my passion through her art... GO TO PG. 22. !! ENJOY...

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Honestly, it was the best five days of my life.. it felt like summer camp and i really never wanted to leave... it was an amazing experience and im am eternally grateful for it. my team 'team friggen awesome' lived up to its name and made the most of the trip by exploring iowa to its limitless extent.. i am currently inundated with school work so i leave you with these photos.. i will also upload more pictures of my trip on my flickr. and as soon as the whole documentary comes out, i will post the link in here. till then, i will just have to wait till oct. 8 and attend AFIfest in la to view the 7 minute preview of it. weeeeeeee...

p.s. oh oh oh, my obsession with justin nozuka is increasing everyday and it turns out that he is performing in hermosa beach this upcoming monday and i am full of ecstasy at the moment as i announce that i will be attending this event! 'save him' has become one of my favorite song of his and i highly recommend you to check out his music. its not just his haunting lyrics and soulful tunes my ears been attached to but his stage presence. he really does shine above the sea of artists who have succumb to commercial standards and downgraded to singing synthetic and generic topics of love. check it..

or go here...

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its been only ONE day since october has started but i can tell its going to be a hectic/incredible/mind-blowing month. for one thing, i was shocked that i won the national guard contest. but this... i DID NOT EXPECT.

theres this 14 year old girl name kristin, who has an online fashion magazine and its soon becoming one of the most known online publications in the world. its called prim. have you heard of it? if not now, you will very soon. well she wanted a film section so i sent her some of my reviews and no way in hell did i think it would ever get published but IT DID! im completely blown away. even though its only ONE review out of five, im still pleasantly surprised that she even published it. check it out..

prim magazine. (pg.44)

i dont know what it is with 14 year olds but i swear theyre the new black. im not kidding. they are so beyond their years and maturing faster than anyone i ever knew at that age. i mean what ever happened to just chilling at the mall every weekend? ill elaborate more on the numerous talented 14 year olds out there once i get the approval to do so...

everything in my life is just going so beautifully...

NOW.

what to do with the overload of schoolwork being thrown at me from left to right....

edit: im so giddy i just want to share a few favorite photos of mine at the moment...

Leigh Lezark, Max Minghella, and MK

Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson

more later...

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THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO CONGRATULATED ME, IT REALLY IS AN HONOR...

ive been so busy with school and everything that im going to apologize beforehand if i dont update anytime soon... schools is kicking my ass raaah now.. as well as work.

its unbelievable how fast october is approaching. there are so many fantastic films that are coming out this fall considering how its almost oscar time. and also, one of my FAVORITE holiday is creeping up on all of us soon. HALLOWEEN of course! i wont go into details but ive decided that im dressing up as one of film history's most iconic villain. and some people will be scratching their heads but for those of you who have watched many ___'s films, you will know exactly what i am. im very excited and of course, i will post photos seeing how its related to film. hope all is well with you guys...

oh oh oh! it is monica belluci's 44th birthday today. she is most famous for (in my point of view) the french film, irreversible. if you got some balls, you should really see this film directed by one of my favorite, gasper noe. and seriously? she has one of THE best bodies i have ever seen of a woman in her mid-forties. she is wholly comfortable with her sexuality as well as her body. one can see that in her role in irreversible. if you google her, there are endless amounts of nude photos of her. i mean hey, if you got it, flaunt it!

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i didnt want to mention anything till the deal actually went through. but, after weeks of being doubtful and negative, i got the most unexpected call ive been waiting for. a month ago or so, i entered this contest to shoot a documentary about the national guard. and turns out i was one of the 15 who got picked from all over the country to fly to iowa and live there for five days...

it was all very surreal.. this is a HUGE stepping stone for me..i mean, actually leaving the west coast AND going to iowa to shoot a documentary!? when i was making phone calls to tell my friends, it felt like i was telling them that i was engaged or something.. hahah strange i know. but thats how big of a step this is.. im disgustingly excited and ecstatic about this upcoming trip on oct. 8 - oct. 13. OH OH OH, thats not all.. the doc is going to be premiered at AFI FEST in november. so, thats very exciting.. i always wanted to volunteer at the festival but never in a million years did i think i would be part of something that would be featured in the event..

alright alright, back to films..

we all know the chuck palahniuk's adapted book, choke, is coming to theatre this friday. but considering how i got a sneak preview of it earlier this year at the la film festival, here's my review.

im just really thankful right now... thats all.

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I dont know about you but thinking about seeing de niro and pacino in the same screen gives me the chills and the fever. i know they were in heat (1995) together but their legacy has grown since then and they're actually on the same side this time (or so they say). Righteous Kill is coming out next week (Sept. 12) at the same time burn after reading and i hear a movie hop session calling me... i won't go into details till later but i just wanted to share my excitement with you guys... 

and im starting my netflicks on monday even though im utterly broke and burning holes in my pocket. im going to start watching films from the 60s and 70s which include titles such as blow up, bullit, dirty harry, soylent green, the odd couple and on and on and on... man, 68' was a good year for film. movies of the 60s and 70s allowed more freedom to directors who took risks and inevitably became influenced by the political and social generation of their time. they say that when one watches a film, one should immediately tell which time period and generation the story is about. and in those times, thats what directors did.  like the way we were (1973), it wasnt just a love story, but a story that dealt with love during that time which intertwined relationship problems with politics. it's strange but it worked. it got me thinking that if i were to make a film, i would certainly incorporate the period and events and possibly strengthen the story. i completely went off from rambling on about righteous kill to the 60s, odd. 

p.s. and in no way was it my intention to relate the title to the film.. hahah but very interesting that i unconsciously did...

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Douglas Haddow wrote an article in the august/sept? issue of adbusters about the new generation of hipsters and this is what he said...

"...have become shameless clichés of a class of individuals that seek to escape their own wealth and privilege by immersing themselves in the aesthetic of the working class."
"Hipsterdom is the first “counterculture” to be born under the advertising industry’s microscope, leaving it open to constant manipulation but also forcing its participants to continually shift their interests and affiliations. Less a subculture, the hipster is a consumer group – using their capital to purchase empty authenticity and rebellion. But the moment a trend, band, sound, style or feeling gains too much exposure, it is suddenly looked upon with disdain. Hipsters cannot afford to maintain any cultural loyalties or affiliations for fear they will lose relevance. An amalgamation of its own history, the youth of the West are left with consuming cool rather that creating it. "
"We are a lost generation, desperately clinging to anything that feels real, but too afraid to become it ourselves. We are a defeated generation, resigned to the hypocrisy of those before us, who once sang songs of rebellion and now sell them back to us. We are the last generation, a culmination of all previous things, destroyed by the vapidity that surrounds us. The hipster represents the end of Western civilization – a culture so detached and disconnected that it has stopped giving birth to anything new."

to read the entire go here....

i must agree with most of his points on how this generation is pretty much a copy of a copy of a copy [of one another.] and reading this, i thought of  thousands of faces that fit into this "hipster" category (& im sure you can to.) i mean, there are some others that just like to chill and hang out at clubs who just happen to possess attire that are considered "in." but despite that fact, we cannot dismiss the reality of this generation all becoming clones of one another... or rather shall i say army? as haddow was explaining... and let me quote..

"Take a stroll down the street in any major North American or European city and you’ll be sure to see a speckle of fashion-conscious twentysomethings hanging about and sporting a number of predictable stylistic trademarks: skinny jeans, cotton spandex leggings, fixed-gear bikes, vintage flannel, fake eyeglasses and a keffiyeh"

and as im reading this, i look down and i began to realize that this article applies to me as i was there reading an article from adbusters and wearing the epitome of what is deemed as total hipster wear: a vintage flannel and black skinny jeans. sure, i will admit that i might be a perfect example of this epidemic but im not as bad as others, you have to admit. most people would never even admit to being a product of hipsterdom but thats because they are self-absorbed with taking pictures at every kickback they go to, wear unappealing headbands, and have faux glasses attached to their "how-to-be-cool" faces. and as i feel ashamed and retarded for subconsciously following a trend, i dont regret dressing the way i do because really, i wear the same thing everyday and shouldnt be judged by my lack of originality and laziness. i wanted to say more things but... i cant think of anything. all i can do is claim that i dont have originality and style, but at the same time admit that i am not like those girls who say this to seem like a "know-it-all" or "insightful" or be "faux cool." (haha, wouldnt they really though?) really, there is no way winning this argument... 

p.s. sorry if i offended anybody who is like this. i was actually thinking of two particular people that are the epitome of fake-hipsters. 

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ive decided that i should stop blabbing about films that are mainstream and just stick to the independent ones. initially, i wasnt going to talk about mainstream cinema cause there are an abundance of film magazines out there that can give you the same information that i will. so, from now on, i solemnly swear  that i will try to talk indie and foreign films around the globe. 

and i got a new job at forever 21, which is both exciting and awkwardly painful. but im going to try to update at least everyday. *and if you guys want me to talk about anything, let me know...

p.s. best buy is having (not a HUGE, but!) a decently big sale right now. i want to get...

1) planet terror

2) death proof

3) im not there

4) stranger than fiction

5) darjeeling limited

6) across the universe

7) live free or die hard?

8) transformers?

p.p.s. im insanely tired. i woke up at 7 today, which is just simply insane, considering how i usually wake up at 12:30 in the afternoon... so i shall update with real news tomorrow...

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gad, i cant wait to go to new york. i have still yet to buy my tickets.. i should get on that soon... i took this picture on my way to vegas and let me just say, i dont want to go back for a very long time. i was thinking that vegas is a joke and how its a such a fake place. its a made up city made of real cities. the people, the place, the events are all fake, as well as things in los angeles. when they say, "what happens in vegas, stays in vegas", it is completely true. things that happen in vegas does not necessarily relate to the realities of the outside world. i guess, this is why i want to go to a place outside socal. i dont know socals good but theres just something missing. some realness. some darkness. some life. 

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im trying to learn to become more decisive considering how at times i cannot even decide if i want to go left or right. and i think that taking photos will help me. i mean like they say in my best friend's wedding, theres always a moment and when that moment passes, the tone and feeling is gone. photography takes a certain skill in capturing the right moment or like everything else, the moment passes. and i hate fumbling with my camera and trying to decide when to take the picture.  and with this picture above, i had to hurry because i wasnt so sure if he was going to wake up at any moment. but, im glad that he didnt wake up... he was probably taking a break after a long half-day at work... poor man... sleep well..

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Ugh, ive literally been sleeping and eating all day for about a few weeks now and have become a complete lazy-ass. and i feel as if i am a novice film buff once again and that i bear no knowledge of the thousands of films ive watched and studied in the past years. and i apologize for not updating and reviewing the movies i have watched. i got my netflicks back and im trying to get into my crazy film mode again.

things i must discuss:

1) city of lost children

2) anthony burgess

3) the most disturbing films

4) federico fellini

5) my photography class and my film projects

Knight Countdown: 8 days!!!!

im pretty sure i want to go at 9 am considering how going at 3 am is not an option...

but i cant fucking wait. like,

I KNOW.

I KNOW. ITS GOING TO BE AMAZING.

and anything you would like me to discuss, feel free to tell me... cause i will...

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I'm all talk and no action. I say i'm going to update as soon as i have time but i feel myself getting increasingly lazier as the hot days past. But i will cause i want people to know about these things i'm going to talk about.

The CineVegas Film starts on June 12th - June 21st, which will screen all these new experimental, arty, flashy, new films such as The Wackness, Choke, Explicit Ills, and Your Name Here to name a few. and guess what? I'M GOING. yeah thats right, i'm going to the CineVegas festival. Damn, i'm thinking if i didn't look at the newspaper while i was at Chili's i wouldn't have known about this. It makes me think that if it weren't for Chili's i just wouldn't be the happiest person alive right now.

But anyway, sadly i could not get tickets for the Chuck Palahniuk book adapted film, Choke and The Wackness starring Josh Peck, Method Man, Olivia Thirbly, Mary-Kate Olsen, and Aaron Yoo. These films are going to be siiiiick. Too bad i'm just watching Your Name Here and Deficit. Your Name Here is directed by Matthew Wilder, starring Bill Pullman, Taryn Manning, and a bunch of other people. And Deficit is directed by Gael Garcia Bernal. Yes, THAT, Gael Garcia Bernal. Both of them are going to be really cool. and i'm about to go crazy right now considering how the LA Film Festival is so close too.

The LA Film Festival takes place June 19 - June 29th. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! Alrighty, i'm going to have to work my magic and try to get all the tickets for that with the negative dollars i have in my bank account. What to do? What to do?

Anyway, i'll give up all the updates about the whole experience and what not. i just cant think right now from all the excitement. and did i tell you how i just discovered the Katy Perry song "I Kissed a Girl" and real freaking addicted to it. YYYYEAAAHHHHHHH...

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Andy, ( practically my only avid reader ) i will update my blogs with bunches of new info on upcoming films and projects once school is over. Which is done in about two weeks. Sorry, seriously there's so much going on in my life right now that i don't even have time to think about new film ideas like i usually do. And thanks for reading and bearing with my crazy thoughts.

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