Class Blog 3

Have you ever seen someone’s head split open and their tongue extend out and try to grab you? Have you ever seen pooled blood on the lenses of your glasses? Have you ever been chased by a man with a massive, 10 foot hammer that he swings and throws at you? If you answered yes to any of these questions, seek the help of a professional. If you would like to experience these strange, eerie situations, go and see Resident Evil: Afterlife. It was by far the best entry in the Resident Evil franchise. The 3D effects are fantastic. We sat in the middle of the theater and every time something was slung or thrown, the whole audience moved their heads to the appropriate side to dodge the incoming missiles. It was also very atmospheric. The acting was pretty good for a horror flick… However, the 3D effects are what makes the film worth your while. I would pass if it is not in 3D.

For many college students, after the first week of classes, it can feel like an entire semester has gone by. Burnout happens to many. This occurs generally because of lack of sleep, poor eating habits due to perpetually being in a rush, and lack of motivation. Feeling overwhelmed and anxious as you study for mid-terms and finish papers are common emotions that lead to these poor sleeping and eating habits and cloud your brain when it needs to focus the most. I, myself, am beginning to feel burned out. I started college in 2002, straight from high school. It has been a long and tedious eight years. But, light is showing at the end of the tunnel… This is the last semester in the coursework to obtain my Bachelor’s Degree. However, I won’t be completely finished for a little longer. Currently, I work at the alternative school in Bossier. I like teaching because of the amazing feeling you get when you see the light bulb over a student’s head come on and stay on. So, my next step after receiving my Bachelor’s is to obtain a teaching certificate. I’m not too sure how much longer this will take, but I hope it isn’t very long. To be successful in college requires balance-a balance of school and work, as well as balancing a life between these two. I know many college students and high school students who find it hard to relax. They let the stress of school and everyday life get the best of them. One way that I try and overcome this is by watching films. I use films as a means for escape. It is difficult to take vacations when school and work are in session. So, I go to wherever a movie takes me. It helps to calm my nerves and I become absorbed in what I’m watching. Whatever helps you get through, keep it up and do not give up.

Class Blog 2

It is Friday once again.  We didn’t make it to the cinema last weekend, so we are going tonight. “Resident Evil: Afterlife” is on the menu.  An update to my original post regarding “Piranha 3D”:  the film was pretty good for what it was a sleazy, bloody, funny, mess.  It had some truly sick parts in it, as well as, some excellent 3D effects.  Also, there is a cameo by Richard Dreyfus at the beginning, in which he was in a boat singing, “Show me the way to go home…” I hope you know what film that is from.  I would definitely see “Piranha” in the theater, because without the “eye popping” effects, it is just another stupid horror movie.  3D movies have become the new thing.  But, how long have they actually been around?  According to Widescreen Movies Magazine, 3D films have been around since the 1800s.  What makes these movies come alive in the 3^rd dimension is a process called stereo scoping.  In this process, 3D images are made by using two layers of color that are shifted slightly when laid on top of each other. Usually the main subject in the image is centered, while the foreground and background are offset from each other, about 2 to 21/2 inches, which is about how far the eyes are apart.  This creates the 3D image.  The visual cortex in your brain brings the two images together when you look at them through a special viewer holding two lenses with different colored filters, usually red and blue; however, with advancements in computer and green screen technology, the filters are increasingly green and purple. The first public demonstration of the Polaroid projection of 3D movies was at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York in a promotional film for Chrysler.  While there were various attempts at anaglyph 3D motion pictures over the next 30 years - most notably the introduction of Edwin H. Land's Polaroid film.  The heyday of the format came between 1952 and 1955. This is when filmmakers attempted to make movies "bigger and better than ever", to compete with television.  One idea they were testing was experimenting widely with anaglyph 3D processes. This period is often called the "golden era of 3D."  The first full-color stereoscopic feature, "Bwana Devil," was released in 1952. "Bwana Devil" was project dual-strip using Polaroid filters. The now-iconic image of moviegoers watching a 3D film wearing paper-frame anaglyph glasses has come to represent both this era and the American culture of the 1950s. Another important 3D film around this time period was “House of Wax” starring none other than Vincent Price.  According to www.ezinearticles.com, British film pioneer William Friese-Greene gets credit for ushering in the era of stereoscopic motion pictures in the late 1980s. Friese-Greene patented a 3-D movie process in which two films were projected side by side on a screen. The movie watcher looked a stereoscope that brought the two images together.  However, because this process was so mechanically cumbersome, as in trying to get two different films to synchronize on a screen, it was never commercially viable for use in a theater.  A better way to show 3D movies was the over and under method.  Movies that utilized this method were “Friday the 13^th Part 3” and “Amityville 3D.”  Today and the future of 3D utilizes digital processing to put the third dimension into the film from the get go.  Some future releases in 3D that are noteworthy are:  “Saw 3D”, “Jackass 3D”, and “Tron 2”.
My next blog will feature what I think about “Resident Evil”.

September 10, 2010 Class Blog Number One

These past few weeks have been hectic.  Labor Day was a much needed day off from work, as well as from school.  I spent the day grilling and spending time with close friends and family.  We grilled shrimp, rib-eyes, kebabs with purple onions, bell peppers, and fresh mushrooms.  They were so delicious!  Also, some Coors light was consumed. Later in the day, I went to visit a friend I've known since Kindergarten- and we had a big time. We played Rock Band for hours. I am terrible at the drums, and I want to play better, so I practice whenever possible.  I'd like to have The Beatles version of the game at home, because The Beatles are the greatest band of all time. The Beatles are also my favorite band. I dig them because they were innovators and they have influenced many people.  John Lennon and Paul McCartney evidently shared the same brain. They were on the same page and shared what seems to be some sort of telekinetic link between one another. I have never been able to develop it; though my oldest friend and I can communicate without words, but if they were words, they would be short. It is difficult to choose a favorite contributing member, as everyone wants to choose Lennon, because he wrote the best songs, but Ringo Starr has the most unique sound. Also, drummers who can sing at the same time as they are playing are admirable.  I hate that they broke up before they could make any more music. In seven years, they wrote and recorded only 12 albums, most of which, on the early albums, were covers.  My favorite album is Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.  I read in The Beatles Anthology that some of the craziest things were put into that album. For instance, on the very last track, John suggested that a 15 kilocycle whistle be added for the track, "in case any dogs might be listening". ( http://math.mercyhurst.edu/~griff/sgtpepper/sgt.html)  Also, four french horn players were employed for the album. I am a teacher's aide, and the teacher I work with and I have many years separating us. One thing we both agree on is The Beatles. I work mainly with elementary kids, and when they are well-behaved and follow directions, I play music for them.  I find that they all love The Beatles.  They don't get much of the convoluted meanings and references that are buried in the songs, they simply take them for what they are:  catchy pop tunes. Since last Christmas, I have begun collecting records. I have a pretty good selection so far, with a few Beatles albums, only one is the original pressing, however, because their albums are the highest in demand and can be very pricey.  The Holy Grail of these albums would be a first pressing of Sgt. Pepper in mint condition.

This weekend, my girlfriend and I are going to see Avatar in 3D, or possibly Resident Evil 5 in 3D. I am a sucker for the rebirth of the 3D craze. I keep every pair of glasses, as well as the tickets. I am looking forward to a very relaxing weekend.

The First One

Never thought I'd have a blog, but here it is.

Plans tonight include dinner and a movie. Italian food and then...
We have been on a 3d kick since the industry started putting them out, no matter how ridiculous the premise. Will give a thumbs up, down, or sideways in the coming days