yea, mal is posting here now. this kind of signifies step 1 of our evolutionary process to take over the world...

and it's not really a departure. i've bashed my share of teen/crime films in the past week and a half.

speaking of Dinosaur: that film represents what a bad movie is. not just because it probably has a bad story/effects/title sequence/whatever (i've never seen the movie actually), but because i know what kind of movie it is. when this idea get's pitched to disney, this is what is said:

producer: so this movie will be called $$$$$. it's main characters will be $$$$ and $$$$ with a $$$$ for comic relief. the basic plot is to get $$$$$ out of the $$$$$ in the $$$$$ while $$$$$ makes it's $$$$$. we really don't have the script written yet. but, you CAN have a look at these toys, which have already been produced and are being shipped as we speak.

writer: what about $$$$$? will there be $$$$$?

producer: i thought i just said that...

and THAT is why i tend to enjoy independent films. when they pitch a film it goes like this:

writer/actor/director/producer: i've been writing this script for 5 years. it's the cumulative total of every emotion i've ever felt. this is my pain. if this movie gets made it will say everything i've ever wanted to say.

producer: will there be any $$$$ in it?

w/a/d/p: no... uhh... that has nothing to do with the script...

producer: i'd really like to see some $$$$$$...

w/a/d/p: well... i have some bananas in the back seat of my car. i think i know some actors that like bananas...

producer: you know why i have my thumb pointed down? you should. it's the universal symbol for "your picture has no $$$$, so you can go to hell." if i had a button that would throw you out of that seat and send you to a bottomless pit, i'd press it.

despite that, he'd work for years, get the money and FINALLY make the movie. and that would be his first step to making a masterpiece.

after Disney said, "let's make a movie with $$dinosaurs$$!" they should have thrown the whole fucking thing out the window. of course, they're only making product, so i guess they DO know what they're doing...

i wondered why i liked Perfect Storm so much, since it does seem to be a money making movie. but i saw something. and when i listened to the dvd commentary with the author of the book Perfect Storm, i knew exactly why i loved it. HE had the passion to make something great... and a lot of that came through in the movie. some got lost, but i think enough stayed...

so let that be a lesson: bananas make good movies.