Monday, May 21, 2012

Best Documentaries on Netflix

Documentary films have been one of the most overlooked genres in the world of popular media. Sure, we have our fair share of attention garnered for reality TV programming, but a lot of documentaries are overlooked due to the social need for weekly celebrity anguish. And why advertise a great documentary when you can gain a greater profit from a Michael Bay inspired explosion-fest... not that I'm saying anything is wrong with that.

A majority of the work I've done so far has been documentary-based, which has forced me to spend a lot of time studying the techniques of popular filmmakers on Netflix. So it was only a matter of time before I created a list of must-watch documentaries. So without further adieu, here's the Top 10 Documentaries on Netflix (in my honest opinion):


10. When You're Strange
You couldn't find a better character to base a documentary on than Jim Morrison. The man was without a doubt one of the most interesting men of the late 60's/early 70's. And let's be honest, The Doors are an amazing band that is often overlooked due to their quick flash of brilliance.

9. Exit Through the Gift Shop
An excellent look into the world of graffiti artists, as well as the hypocrisies of art. This film does a great job of not only showcasing some of the brilliant minds of the early underground world of street art, but also how even an idiot could be seen as a art prodigy if they manipulate people enough.

8. Gonzo
I find Hunter S. Thompson to be one of the most inspiring yet unpredictable men I've ever studied. He is without a doubt a pioneer of modern day journalism and his impact on the media world is often overlooked. Of course the man is bat shit crazy due to the life he chose to live, but sometimes you have to be bat shit crazy to survive.

7. Collapse
Any film that gets me thinking is one worth watching again. You can go into this film with your own opinions but you'll leave questioning a lot of things in this world. Hopefully you're not a conspiracy theorist because you might even leave with a completely paranoid sense of thought.

6. Bastards of the Party
A topic that's often completely misunderstood. A lot of individuals think that gang warfare has always been apart of our nation. This documentary goes deeper. It's great to know the history and some of the role-players and game-changers who were actually trying to revolutionize society but ended up with a bloody mess.

5. Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead
Oh man, get ready to become disgusted with what you're doing to your body. This film is an inspirational piece that shows how huge changes in what you eat can completely alter your mind, body, and health. Change that comes through fasting with a diet of nothing but fruit/vegetable smoothies. Yeah, definitely easier said than done. You'll finish this movie with a sudden urge to drive to Wal-Mart and buy a juicer.

4. Religulous
Even if you are obsessed with your religious beliefs, you should still watch this film. It's great to hear all sides when dealing with something that is such a gigantic part of most people's lives. Plus, it's just fun to question ideas and stories that have been apart of our society for centuries.

3. Being Elmo
I was beyond ecstatic when I found out that Netflix was beginning to stream this one. This film leaves you wanting to accomplish all of your childhood dreams. The voice of Elmo, Kevin Clash, is such an inspiration for anyone that wants to make it in a world that has placed the odds against them.

2. Dear Zachary
Get the tissue box ready because you are going to cry. This film will make you hate people and always think twice when dealing with the strangers you meet. There isn't an emotion that this film doesn't tug at. So prepare yourself before turning this one on. Plus it's a very compelling story.

1. Man on Wire
James Marsh is a great documentary director and he shows it here. This is one of the only films on this list that I can call not only moving but also beautiful in it's own sense. I also learned more from the techniques used here than any other documentary I've watched. Marsh's other film, Project Nim, is also a great one but it's currently not on Netflix.


Honorable Mention:
Bowling For Columbine
Dive!
DMT: The Spirit Molecule
Food Inc.
How Beer Saved the World
Nightmares in Red, White, & Blue
Winnebago Man
WWE Rivalries: Michaels vs. Hart


TODAY'S TASTY TRACK

 
The Guess Who
"These Eyes"
The hurtin's on me, yeah
And I will never be free, no, no, no
You took the vow with me, yeah
An' you spoke it, an' you spoke it, babe

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

No Sleep Till Success

Holy cannoli have I been a busy beaver. By the way, that opening statement was me trying to swear less. Mission somewhat accomplished at the cost of my own dignity.

Anyways, life's been jam-packed. I moved into an apartment a little closer to downtown Portland so that I can guarantee myself a more interesting summer. Then the day we were suppose to move in, we show up and the tenant currently occupying our rooms was just beginning to bring empty boxes up to start packing; leaving us in limbo with what to do. Of course, I did what any person expected from me... I went out for wings and beer to calm myself down.

It did the trick.

We put our sheets back on our former beds and gave the tenant another day. Then the next day, we return around 12pm to find out that the guy has barely even started packing. At this point I have no idea what to do. I don't want to call the cops but at the same time I have the sudden urge to chuck an older man out from a 3 story high window. Once again, I refrain. The guy says he'll be out by 4:00pm so we once again leave for calming beers.

4 o' clock comes, and the man is no where to be found. The only things missing from the apartment are a few boxes and the dining room table. The place is still filthy and covered with his stuff. At this point I have to sit.

I sit some more...

He finally comes back acting all apologetic with excuses up the wazoo because he doesn't want to get the popo involved. Neither do we so he's got us there. We come to the conclusion that we're just going to have to sit and watch him and his crew of flunkies empty out this apartment. So we did. 5 hours later, we finally have our apartment. It looks disgusting and needs a complete makeover, but dammit we have it.

Then 2 days later and barely enough time to clean/unpack I'm running around Portland, ME for an episode of MSN's "re:discover". I had a great time and learned a lot more about the area but the 12 hour work days and considerable amount of stress can really get to a man. Luckily I had the day of Cinco de Mayo to collect myself a bit and get back to conquer the last 2 days of shooting.

But what really brings me down is the fact that I should be starting another lengthy production job right now. I had to make an extremely hard decision on a 2 month shoot down in Manchester, NH. I was in contact with Leftfield Pictures who will be in the area working on a show for the National Geographic Channel and we were close to a deal for me to help them out but I had to decline. It might have been the hardest thing to do just because I was so interested in the content and what the company has done in the past. It was just really bad timing for me professionally but the individuals I talked to over there were great and I hope to work with them down the road. Best of luck.

So now I'm here. Back at the desk with some interesting stuff coming up but still in search of something beyond that.

Something greater.

But on an optimistic note, I'm looking forward to another summer in Portland, ME with my friends and the awesome scenery that I've grown to love. If last summer was the best I've had my entire life, then this one is definitely looking to surpass that by a huge margin. I'll get into the details of that in a later post. But for now...


TODAY'S TASTY TRACK


Beastie Boys
"No Sleep Till Brooklyn"
R.I.P
MCA

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Opinion on George Zimmerman and Society

Looks like I'm going to have to take a break from using this blog as my own personal diary ("journal" for those uncomfortable with their sexuality) after reading this article:

Man Beaten By Mob, In Critical Condition

There are countless acts going on in the United States that make me question the level of humanity throughout our society, but very few annoy the hell out of me like the ridiculousness that has enveloped both sides of the fence of the Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman case.

Just in case you haven't been paying attention (because I wish I haven't been), here's a quick synopsis from Wikipedia. By the way, a big sorry to EVERY college professor who has ever told me not to do this... but turns out in the real world not many people care:
The fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman took place on February 26, 2012, in Sanford, Florida, US. Trayvon Martin was a 17-year-old African American male who was unarmed;[2] George Zimmerman is a 28-year-old biracial Hispanic[3] American who was the community watch coordinator for the gated community where the shooting took place.[4][5][6][7][8]
While on a private errand, Zimmerman saw Martin walking inside the gated community where he was visiting his father and his father's fiancée. Zimmerman called the Sanford Police Department to report Martin's appearance and behavior as suspicious. Shortly afterwards, there was an altercation, which ended with Zimmerman fatally shooting Martin once in the chest at close range.[9][10][11][12][13]
When police arrived on the scene, Zimmerman told them that Martin had attacked him, and that he had shot Martin in self-defense.[2][14] Zimmerman was bleeding from the nose and had a wound on the back of his head.[15][16] EMTs treated Zimmerman at the scene, after which he was taken to the Sanford Police department where he was questioned for hours,[16] taped a video statement, and was released without being arrested.[15] Police said that they had not found evidence to contradict his assertion of self-defense.[17][18][19][20] According to media reports, the lead homicide investigator recommended that Zimmerman be arrested, but the state attorney's office was responsible for the decision not to arrest and charge Zimmerman the night of the shooting.[18][19][20][21]
The circumstances of Martin's death, the delay in charging Zimmerman, and questions about Florida's Stand Your Ground law have received national and international attention. Allegations of racist motivation for the shooting contributed to public demands for Zimmerman's arrest.[22][23] A Special Prosecutor was appointed to take over the investigation and on April 11, 2012, she chose to file charges of murder in the second degree against Zimmerman.[24][25] Zimmerman then turned himself in and was placed in custody.[26][27] On April 20, the judge approved Zimmerman's bail on a $150,000 bond.[28] He was released from jail on April 23 and is required to wear an electronic monitoring device until trial.
Thank you Wikipedia, because I really didn't want to go through that whole story again.

Anyways, this story has created a whole new kind of race war despite any (yet) proven evidence of racism to begin with. And ever since Zimmerman was placed on bail, a lot of people have been starting to form Twitter lynch mobs in response. Publicly declaring that they themselves will murder Zimmerman if they see him or requesting someone else to do so.

WHY CAN'T WE AS A HUMAN RACE EVER LEARN FROM PAST MISTAKES???

We quote past leaders on our social networking accounts for a quick "like" or "retweet" but then we refuse to follow (or understand) the actual philosophical meaning. Did Martin Luther King Jr. never exist? Does Mahatma Gandhi ring a bell? Must more die before we put our heads down in shame once again? Will we just ignore this period in our history books just like we did most other American mistake we've made collectively in the past?

And I'm not writing this because I'm taking one concrete side. There are obscene radicals on both ends of this dual-burning candle. And they'll only get worse as more retaliation is brought into the equation.

Do I believe what Zimmerman did was right? Absolutely not. Should he be out on bail? Well according to Florida law, yes. I believe the man should get what he deserves as appointed by a court of law. If what he did is proven as racist, then vilify the hell out of him. Otherwise, stand up and vilify those who place the laws that you disagree with to begin with.

Doesn't mean you have to promote the murder of those you personally feel are to blame for Trayvon's death. It means you should get off your computer/phone and stand in front of those you voted for. And if you didn't vote at all, then why are we even having this conversation to begin with? (oh wait... I didn't vote either)

If you have a problem with that then there's an old quote: "Don't hate the player, hate the game." Hate the jumbled justice system that is in need of a massive facelift. Not those who are getting an wrist-slapped ride. Because we all paved the steps there to begin with.

Wake up, America.


TODAY'S TASTY TRACK

Freestyle Fellowship
"We Are"

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Keep on Rollin', Baby

"Did he really start us off with a title derived from a Limp Bizkit lyric? Wow, Eddie must have finally found his cuckoo's nest."
Just for you, Jack.
Oh, I most certainly have. But on the bright side, looks like we're heading back into the ever-so-great Maine Production Season. Eddie's getting calls again, which is a huge relief for the money-sack.

From late November until early April, there weren't many projects that I'd proclaim as "grand" coming my way. Thankfully things are starting to pick up along with the warm weather. I just wrapped alongside the crew of Abandoned with an episode that will air on the National Geographic Channel. The crew/talent were great and created a completely different experience from what I'm use to. I'm still aching from carrying equipment and holding up lights for prolonged amounts of time.

Then I received a call from an individual who's gathering up individuals for Buick's web series "Re:discover", which will be coming to Portland. It isn't 100% official yet but sounds like something I'd definitely be interested in.

But I'm still hungry... very hungry. Like Taco Bell 12 Taco Party Pack hungry.
...or hungry enough to eat a whole cat.
So I'll be waiting patiently by my phone while I do the same ol' job research. My goal is to not stop moving from this point until late August. Except of course for the occasional nappy time and ...well ... Taco Bell 12 Taco Party Pack consumption break.

Boo-ya-ka-sha.


TODAY'S TASTY TRACK
 
The Avett Brothers
"Murder in the City"
If I get murdered in the city
Don’t go revengin' in my name
One person dead from such is plenty
No need to go get locked away

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

A Joe Walsh Kinda Day

Oh hey, I still have one of them fancy-pants blogs going. Maybe I should give it a little more undiverted attention because I've definitely dissipated from the creative writing mindset. Speaking of "undiverted" and "dissipated", a few individuals informed me that I use too many big words in my writing. That I need to drop it down a few grade levels to connect with the common man.

I assume it's because I recently graduated from college and still have that thesis-paper-writing-style that I kinda invented within my mind. Because if you've ever actually talked to me in person, most of the time I'm using words that you develop between grades 1st through 3rd. Oh, and if you say the word "poop", I will definitely giggle like a little school girl.
Hehehehehe!
Alright, now that I've wasted two paragraphs worth of your time, I might as well cut to the chase. I haven't written in this thing because most of the topics that I currently have on my mind don't involve my professional life. I've applied for various production jobs in the past few weeks (including one with Invisible Children) but haven't had much success besides maybe a few delightful yet uninformative e-mails back. Oh, and a bunch of job offers from insurance "scam"panies.

I've also been trying to raise money for DiBacco Films' next production, Dark, but I'm realizing it's quite a slow process when you have a day job and most companies have to talk over every word of your e-mail. So if any of you have friends or family looking to get into the film industry or have a product that could definitely use some EXTREMELY affordable marketing, CONTACT ME! Eddie needs to feed his kids. And by kids, I mean stomach, wallet, and gas tank.
Such devilish children they are...
Two images of children used within a blog post about my life? Oh man, time to cut this one short before it reaches creepy status.


TODAY'S TASTY TRACK

 
Joe Walsh
"Life of Illusion"
Sometimes I can't help the feeling that I'm
Living a life of illusion
And oh, why can't we let it be
And see through the hole in this wall of confusion

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Life After Debt

Well, I'm back from a little vacation in Myrtle Beach and it seems I have left my mind somewhere on the road. I'm still collecting myself and making a dignified attempt at adapting myself back to the real world.

Progress: slow

But at least I'm surviving. I've been applying to jobs all around the U.S. because this sudden spark in traveling has inspired me to continue the cause. At this point, I'm losing care in where I end up. I just want to get out on the road again and see what the world has to offer. I haven't squeezed Portland, Maine dry yet but I'm inclined to think I'm on my way. I feel as if the opportunities are here; they're just not up to the scale of expectations I've created within my head.

"Hey Eddie! Why don't you just grow a pair and start doing instead of complaining on your wack-ass blog?"

Well, let me introduce you to debt. Oh, you already met him? This huge weight of debt has been chained to my leg ever since graduating from the University of New England. It has prevented me from doing exactly what I want to do. It's gotten to a point where I've become familiar with that steady line of Bank Account Balance that doesn't seem to go anywhere. Some hiccups here and there, but nothing special.

Luckily I've been able to keep my head above water. But there's still hope. I'm applying to jobs and crossing my fingers that some employer sees gold somewhere within this head instead of hollowed out wood.
A head which won't be the only thing hollowed out.
Just have to stay optimistic. Until then, I'll continue loving life in Southern Maine as long as the weather permits. Good things ahead.


TODAY'S TASTY TRACK
 
John Butler Trio
"Don't Wanna See Your Face"
Man now watch that toe
I ain't a step ladder man I don't think so
Whoa boy what ya trying to do
are you writing a column or jumping the queue?

Monday, March 5, 2012

The month of March

Well my life has been rushing forward professionally since I graduated back in May. I've been loving the fast ride but things have started to slow down lately. So it's time for Eddie to unwind and have a little fun.
Note to self: Talking in 3rd person makes you sound like a douche
Speaking of talking in 3rd person, I'm heading down to Boston, MA tonight to see The Rock whoop some candy ass at the WWE Raw Supershow. I haven't followed "wrestling entertainment" since Stone Cold Steve Austin was running around causing a ruckus upon the squared circle, but I'm still excited to relive my childhood with a little dabble into the realm of nostalgia.

But the nostalgia doesn't end there. Back in high school, I was a huge fan of the Arctic Monkeys and have been following them ever since. Luckily they've made the grand choice of going on tour with one of my favorite currently-radio-popular bands, The Black Keys. So tomorrow I'll be driving back up to Portland for what could be my best concert experience of the year. The only downside is I'll have to wake up the next day and head back to work after 2 nights of intense live events.

That's just 2 out of the 31 days that make up the month of March, so how can I claim the month of March as being superb right now? Well, I'll be down in Myrtle Beach, SC from the 16th through 25th with some of the most diabolical yet logical of friends. I haven't had a vacation in a while so this is much needed just so I can reboot my mind and get back to what really matters. Doing what I love and trying to get paid for it:


3/1/12 - Some of my footage on Good Day Maine

By the way, I'd just like to thank everyone who follows this blog. I've surpassed a few milestones since I began posting so definitely expect a write-up soon where I kiss my readers' asses. You have all been great and I wouldn't still be writing if people didn't have any enthusiasm towards the finished product.


TODAY'S TASTY TRACK
 
Arctic Monkeys
"R U Mine?"
 I go crazy cause here isn't where I wanna be 
And satisfaction feels like a distant memory 
And I can't help myself, 
All I wanna hear her say is "Are you mine?"