Response to Classmate's Journal, Week 6

This comes from Randie:

After helping mentor a genre poetry class with editing and finding their signs, I found that adjusting to different people and different writing styles becomes an important aspect to teaching a writing intensive course. What helped the most with working each student, I believe, was opening the dialogue with the poem they are working on to find a specific element in the poem through such dialogue. Helping the students was quite similar to how we have discussed sign inventories in class, yet at, perhaps, a different level and perspective as many of the students were new to studying and understanding poetry. The signs I discussed with the students varied as some often jumped to interpretation while others named more than one sign to work with so I was then able to focus on several ways of approaching the mentoring process.

That is an interesting take on mentoring, and something I've struggled with in the writing process. Being a journalist for many years has been a struggle as I transitioned back into graduate school. My writing style has been straight forward for years, and it's a hard habit to break. Working with writers that have different strengths can be very helpful, but it is something that very painstaking. Writers have to be willing to change their style, but it is an important step in the writing process.

Diving into my collection

Starting tomorrow I will be back online with at least a post a week. I am going to start with my entire DVD collection. I will start with the A's and move to the end.
So tomorrow Almost Famous will be the first movie and if you have missed this gym then you are in for a treat.
I hope people will enjoy and I am sorry for the lack of posts.


See ya later at the Yarbage Movie Collection,

Chris

61*

Directed by Billy Crystal

Starring:
Barry Pepper: Roger Marris
Thomas Jane: Mickey Mantle
Micheal Anythony Ford: Whitey Ford

I was not alive for the original home run case between Mantle and Marris, so I was not aware of all the history between the two players. It must have been great pressure between the two as they raced for the Babe. Mith Sammy and Mark it seemed everyone wanted them to break the record and I was apart of it, so I saw what what happened. 61* gives many people a chance that did not know about the first chase a chance to learn about a little history.

Ford Frick was the commish of baseball caused a lot of the problems with his ruling making two different records for home runs, because of the different number of games. The movie was made for HBO; so many people did not see it right away when it was released. This is a chance for people to pick up a rare gem of a sports movie.

61* deals with more than just baseball, but the two distinct personalities of Mantle and Marris. Mantle is the movie star and Marris is the average everyday American. The best thing about 61* is the in depth relationship between the two sluggers.
There were many things I never knew about the two mainly for two reasons. First off I hate the Yankees, and second I was not around during this period of baseball. When you hear about how great Mantle could have been, it makes you wonder about his numbers if he had been healthy.

Crystal does a great job of weaving of the baseball and the outside relationships. There is great scene after Mantle moves in Marris when they are watching the Andy Griffith Show. Just the horror on Marris's face is just priceless. The main sub-plot in the movie is the pressure of Media to break the the record. The difference between today and then was the Media was against the two players. There are many scenes that focus on Roger's struggles as the people of New York turn against him and with his family. Everyone knows how Mantle was a loved a Yankee, but the fact that many Yankee fans would not root for Marris is just beside me.

Jane and Pepper do a great job of becoming these two players. You can really see the effect that the race does to Marris and Pepper really embodies the role. You can just imagine Jane as Mantle.

If you really like sports movies and baseball, then run out and buy this one tomorrow. This a rare sports movie that really takes a deep look into players lives and struggles they face. I imagine that if McGwire did not have Sosa, he would have been a lot more like Marris in the long run. The fact that Mantle got hurt, probably really hurt Marris with the media.



61* Score: 91

Guys and Dolls

Directed by: Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Sky Masterson: Marlon Brando
Nathan Detroit: Frank Sinatra
Sargent Brown: Jean Simmons

First I have to say I am sorry for anyone looking for regular updates in the past couple of weeks, but I have been busy with the new job and all. So here you go Joe. Now what made watch this movie tonight? To tell you the truth I was not sure, but it seemed like a good idea. Many of you know that I was music education major for a little bit, but many don't know that I have been in a couple of productions. I was in Bye Bye Birdie and I was Linus in Your a Good Man Charlie Man.

Now that we have that out the way, lets look at Guys and Dolls. This has always been one of my favorite musicals and it has a good story of comedy, romance and drama. One thing that amazes me is the job by Brando. If there is one movie that shows he had great range as an actor. The sets all look good and it is always hard to adapt a musical to a movie, but they do a good job.

The story finds Detroit in a jam looking for a place to have his famous crap game, but the police are all around. He comes up with a scheme to get the money out of Masterson. All along both Detroit and Masterson are having women problems, but is that any different than any of us.

Of course there are a lot of random music numbers, but hey this a musical. Guys and Dolls is not of the best musicals of all time, but it is one of the most fun. Of course if you don't like musicals, then you will not even need to get past the opening titles, but if by some chance you enjoy a good musical then this is for you.

Guys and Dolls Score: 70 Musical Haters:10 Musical Lovers:85

Sorry for the different scores, but there are factors that go into this.

Dr. Stangelove

Directed by: Stanley Kubrick

Starring:

Peter Sellers: Dr. Strangelove, The President, and Mandrake
George C. Scott: Gen. 'Buck' Turgidson
Sterling Hayden: Gen. Jack D. Ripper
Slim Pickens: Maj. T.J. 'King' Kong

I was looking for a movie to watch tonight, but could not choose one. Then I came across Dr. Strangelove. I have been meaning to give this movie a second look and found nobody to watch it with me. For some reason when black and white films are involved they just can't get interested. The problem with that kind of thinking is the fact that they miss many great movies.

I am not a huge fan of Stanley Kubrick. For the most part I just never got into his movies. I found Full Metal Jacket really good for the first half, but the second half is a bust. I found 2001 a little boring. His later work like Eyes Wide Shut did not make much sense to me. Then there is Dr. Strangelove: Or How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.
A movie that I think is Kubrick's best work. The humor throughout the movie is just great with such a serious subject. The movie came out in 1964 so I can only imagine the tension during Cold War. This movie also came out about the same time as Fail Safe. Fail Safe was the drama and Strangelove the comedy of the two, but both deal with a nuclear bomber that can't return.

What makes this movie so great is the preformances of Peter Sellers and George C. Scott. Sellers plays different parts. Captain Mandrack, the President, and Dr. Strangelove. Scott plays a general in the joint Chiefs who sees an different plan once this madness starts. There are some great lines throughout the movie.

Mr. President: "You can't fight in here! This is a war room!"

General Jack D. Ripper: "I can no longer sit back and allow Communist infiltration, Communist indoctrination, Communist subversion and the international Communist conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids."

General "Buck" Turgidson: Hello.. (whispering)look, I told you never to call me here, don't you know where I am?!?... Well look, baby, I c-, I *can't* talk to you now.. my president needs me!.. Of *course* Bucky'd rather be there with you!.. Of *course* it isn't only physical!.. I deeply respect you as a human being.. Some day I'm gonna make you *Mrs* Buck Turgidson!.. Ah, listen uh, you just go back to sleep hon, and Bucky'll be back there just as soon as he can.. Alright,.. listen, don't forget to say your prayers!! "


These are just a few. Overall this movie is just a comic masterpiece and every viewing allows you to get something new out of it. If you have yet to see this film then go out and rent or buy it today. After seeing 1941, I know now that Spielberg got many of his ideas from this movie. How Peter Sellers did not win the oscar is beyond me. Rex Harrison won the award for My Fair Lady, but really come on Sellers played three great parts.

Dr. Strangelove Score: 93

Don't forget if you have a review that you would liked published I will post it.

Wonder Boys

I have watched movies for a long time and even worked at a video store for 5 years. The problem is I never knew what to say about the films I have seen. So here it is, my try to be Roger Ebert.

Directed by: Curtis Hanson

Starring;
Michael Douglas
Tobey Maguire
Frances McDormand
Katie Holmes
Robert Downey Jr.

The first thing that drew me to this movie was Curtis Hanson. After seeing L.A. Confidential it was a natural reaction. The film finds Grady Tripp (Douglas) having his wife leave him(who we never meet) and his lover(McDormand) pregnant. Douglas plays a teacher that once wrote a great book and is living off that fame. His students all want to learn from the great writer. His live-in student played by Katie Holmes thinks the world of him. There is also an attaction that is played up there, but never fully develops.

The best character in the movie is by far Tobey Maguire. Long before Spiderman or Seabiscuit was this great role that not many people saw. This was a string of really good roles for him. He always seems to play these really lovable characters like in Pleasentville and Cider House Rules. Magure plays a James Leer a student that is troubled, but a very talented writer. The story revolves around the misadventures of Grady and James. One scene that really grabs you is the early at a party for all these writers. Grady walks outside to find young James standing out in the cold. I knew the film would be one that I would like by the last couple of lines of scene.

Grady: Do you want to go inside. It is cold out here.
James: Well it is cold in there to.

A real look at human emotion. James would rather be outside in the cold than inside with all the fake cold people. There are many other great lines throughout the movie.

Each character is developed well expect for the Holmes. She is underused in her role, but does a nice job. The cast is rounded out by Frances McDormand and Robert Downey Jr. Downey is truely a gifted actor, but it is too bad that he continues to get in trouble. Both of their characters are well thought and provide good support for the lead cast.

This was Hanson's first film since L.A. Confidential and it was a good choice. The film contains real good pacing and the it looks very crisp.

This is the part of the film that I give it a rating. I hate the star system or grades, so I am going to give it a numerical rating.

When I go to a movie all I want is to have a good time. Sometimes a film comes out that really makes an impact on me. For example: Films like Star Wars would be in the 90's.


Wonder Boys score: 85

I might revisit the score later, but for right now I think it is a good start.

Welcome to the Show

I have been thinking about doing this blog for a while now. So why I was sitting down and trying to figure out what I wanted to write about movies and my DVD collection. I will have a link to my collection so you can browse and leave comments. My new goal is to go through my entire collection and write a review for each movie I own. Along with DVD reviews, I will have other entertainment reviews from my favorite TV shows and movies that I see the traditional route. I will begin with a movie that I really find fun and very smart. I will try to at least post a new review about 2 twice a week. I also want reviews from the readers of this site. If you have a movie that you would want to review then just email me and I will post it as soon as I can.