I was going to finish this list up of my all-time leading female actors...however with the recent blog post on the homepage and also a valid point that my mom brought up WITH the addition of a cool story that I must tell...it all adds up to some very interesting points. So the list will wait for now, but I promise to bore you all with it on a later post.

First off the blogger that got someone (and a lot more than we probably don't know about) fired from their jobs. If you read the example on the homepage before you logged in, you would have noticed how this guy put on a picture of Microsoft headquarters getting in a shipment of band new dual 2.0 G5's. (The same computer that I will have soon) Now we all know how much power those computers have...even MS is buying them...however because this guy posted the picture on his weblog, he got terminated for not following the confidentiality agreement that he signed when he first got employed. At first I was like, "that's retarded". Then I realized after thinking rationally about it that Microsoft was probably in the right to do so. Not just in the right as in it is in their contracts, but rather it brings up a very important point that this blog and every single other blog is public domain. If you looked further into the story you would have also seen that major corporations are now learning of these weblogs and how popular they are becoming. They in turn are looking into their workers lives to see if they are broadcasting anything about the company and/or office politics on their blogs. Now for part two.

My mom wondered if I should take off the links to my friend's sites and also Pooky on Mental Abstraction. MA is about to reach 100,000 hits which is a milestone for a stupid personal webpage that is full of nothing but opinions and cheap photoshop shit. (Not that you are shit Adobe if you are reading this...hehe) So my mom has a very valid point. At first I was like, "well they decided to make their shit public so why can't I link to it?" Of course something like jhiro.net is a bit different than let's say Bryant's for this very reason. Jon is putting up his artwork and leaving very little room for personal photos. Just like when I started MA I decided that it would be better to leave out my friends in case this website started to get some decent hits. So I don't really have a problem linking to Jon's, however Bryant's on the other hand has photos of all of us that anyone can access from my site. A very interesting point indeed...and I hope you don't think I'm bragging. I can give a shit about the hits...MA was made so people can see what I'm up to and what I'm doing creatively...but the fact is that people are visiting the site...total strangers that have access to who we are personally. Especially on this blog. Especially with me. Which goes into my next story.

My production class thinks that Ari and I are complete assholes. So they are psychic. No big deal. However, it is a problem if your teacher thinks that you are lazy and shouldn't be in film. Now she never really told us this to our face, but we got the distinct feeling that she thought little of us as filmmakers. From the first day when we were introducing ourselves and I said I was looking forward to the day that I could sell out and make my millions. Artsy farsty people don't go into filmmaking for the money...shit I know this. And I didn't get into filmmaking for the money. I got into it because when you are shooting time goes by so fast...then I figured hey...time goes by fast when your having fun...what if I could do this for a living and also somehow get my opinion to transcend past the film reel onto the silver screen and somehow enter inside the audiences' brains?

So the advanced production pool is a pool of people that are accepted into the rigourous part of production at SFSU. Now getting in isn't too hard and I would imagine that Ari and I were in...but the fact of the matter is that some people...well a lot of people get rejected. You have to submit a 2-3 minute reel of your stuff that shows you are serious about filmmaking. Your reel is screened by a bunch of cinema professors that make up the department that is on the top ten list in the country. Anyway to get to the point about my teacher not liking me or Ari...she is also the one that screens these reels and her opinions on us also reflect if we get into this advanced production pool.

So we walk into class on Monday filled with idiots and people that Ari and I don't take seriously. These groups started shooting their final projects in class and essentially we are two weeks behind everyone else. In fact we haven't shot one roll of film yet...but that's because we had a schedule and we like pre-production. For the past two weeks our teacher, our classmates and our teaching aid have been saying this kind of shit...

"Wait you haven't started yet? Haha..you guys are screwed!"
"You know it is due on the 15th of December...perhaps you guys should stop procrastinting."
"GWAHAHAAHA...man you guys are crazy. How you gonna get it done?"

Basically all this shit in as many different phrases that you can think about. I just smile and nod. In my head I'm saying...

"No we haven't started you fuck off. Maybe your mom is screwed..by my cock you fucking ass fag."
"I know when it's fucking due. Why don't you worry about your shitty props and your shitty actor and get off my dick"
"GWAHAHAHA...man you're a bitch. Just wait till you see ours you filthy slut."

Anyway this past Monday it was all put to rest.

Ari and I stumble into class with no film and no camera. We know we aren't shooting today. After the daily ritual of these bitches asking where the fuck are shit is the teacher pulls us aside. Here we go. Yadda yadda where's your shit...yadda yadda...but she stops for a second...looks at us and tells us this little story.

"I watched your demo reels for the pool. It was beautifully shot, the story was moving, the acting was great, the sound was awesome...why didn't you show us the film in class? It was awesome. It looked professional."

Ari responds, "It was a rough cut and we didn't like how it turned out...we know we could do better." Now at this point we are getting praised by the teacher...however like I told my dad, it's like a Helen Keller telling you that your film is beautiful. While my teacher is saying this all I can hear in my head with the image of her moving lips is..."waaawaaa...waaa waaa". She then opens her lips again and says...

"Everyone on the panel was asking, 'Who are these guys'? How come we haven't seen their work before? Whose class are they in? Where did they come from...? Everyone loved it and thought it was excellent work. You aren't supposed to know this yet...but you guys are definetely in the advanced production pool. Your guys' demo reel was the best hands down out of all the submissions."

Ari and I are completely speechless.

...

Then we noticed some of our classmates turning their heads because they overheard. They love to see people get in trouble...especially us...but this wasn't no rant...this was being praised by not only our teacher, Helen Keller, but by the panel of judges that like I said earlier, make up the department of one of the top cinema departments in the nation. Yet this is the weird thing. Even though we were a little shocked...we weren't suprised. You can call us over confident...you can call us big headed...but the bottom line is this. So far at this school I have seen what teachers think is good (by showing other student films)...I have seen my classmates work (viewed in class) and I knew that I was better than that. I knew Ari was better than that. Together we deserve this kind of praise. Call it what you want. But after hearing all this shit from our classmates...by our teacher...it's one thing for your friends to like your shit...its one thing for your classmates to like your shit..but when these people who have been in the industry and still are in the industry say they like your shit...a lot...I don't take their opinion lightly...perhaps...maybe just maybe...I have a gift for this. Only time will tell. The only thing that can stop me is Mario Kart DD.

So now to tie all these together. Bottom line I have decided to take Pooky off my links this weekend. If for some unseen reason I become a good director...and I do become successful...this blog can have its consequences. By the first story we now can see that this is public. And while it would be hard for people to see or even find this page...it is public and people can dig up some shit. Shit even you fucks might sell me out. Haha...I'm serious. Haha. No but really. So this doesn't mean that I am going to lay off my comments or my rants. However it will be in the back of my mind that this could come back to haunt me. I would like to say that I'm not scared or care what anyone else thinks...but this can affect me and you guys also if some of this shit gets out...(However I know I am the more racist poster on this blog). Boo for censorship...in this country you have the right to free speech...but the public has the right to judge you for it.

I also want to show my appreciation to all you guys and all my family and family friends that think I will make it. I was always confident that whatever I chose I will excel at it...but let me tell you something...when you are recognized...that confidence turns into something more...it turns into determination to prove those people right...

Tony would like to know who are favorite female celebrities are. If I can remember correctly I believe we already did a list like this, but it was written like “name some females that you think are attractive, but doesn’t get a lot of play from either your friends and/or media”. However Tony did pose an interesting question because finding ten of your favorite actresses might actually be harder than finding your ten favorite films. Kevin even listed them in order which is bonus points. I heard Jon has compiled his list together and is just waiting for the right time to publish it. I have no clue when that is, but I’m sure he’ll have some good picks in there. Please no Matrix. I beg you. So after careful thought and consideration I’ve decided to start my list of my top ten, however there will be no way I can finish it in one blog. I could give simple descriptions of why I like them, but I have a feeling I might go overboard. So another list starts on Pooky. Some of you might find this boring, but I think it is very interesting and believe it or not, I read every single one of your guys’ lists. It makes for wonderful conversation. Overall we had some very interesting choices, but I think we can at least all agree that most of these films listed are in fact entertaining.

Shout out to Kevin for sticking on Casablanca and the wild card of sorts, It’s a Wonderful Life. I’m trying to get into the Christmas spirit too. So feel free to get my presents NOW. Now on to my list of my favorite actresses and with it…a flame war of sorts I’m sure. This list of course is not based on attractiveness alone…but I would be lying if I said it didn’t help.

Maura Tierney - A very low key actress that popped up in News Radio. I’m not sure if all of you are big fans, but I know Steve likes that show. Maura then appeared in Liar Liar I believe. Then good luck shined upon me and she was cast as Abby on my other favorite show, ER. I like how she doesn’t over dramatize her parts and in her craft there lay a subtlety that I just find irresistible.

Grace Kelly - Another actress that has that natural quality about her. She was first a model and decided to give acting a try. Hitchcock loved her and when viewing Rear Window you can see why. Nothing dramatic. In fact not even the best acting I’ve ever seen, however she is one of those actresses that can speak with her eyes and that kind of dialogue is more memorable in my mind.

Annette Bening – I loved her performance as Sydney in The American President and her crazy role in American Beauty. There is something very genuine in the way she presents herself on screen and off (well at least in interviews that I’ve seen). She seems to know when her role isn’t the lead and doesn’t try to make it more than it is. Again the fact that she can take something complex and break it down into something that comes off as simple amazes me.

Halle Berry – Okay so for some reason a lot of people don’t think she deserved that Oscar for Monster’s Ball. I don’t really understand why…she came off as an erratic, depressed mother whose life is falling apart. She made me empathize with her and that is why she made it on this list. Another reason (besides the fact that she is absolutely stunning) is that even after her Oscar she wasn’t afraid to take on different roles even if it wasn’t Oscar material. She played Storm and will continue to do so. Now she is Catwoman. This shows she doesn’t think she is too high for these fun roles.

Jodie Foster – In Silence of the Lambs she seemed vulnerable, yet believable enough to catch a serial killer. In Maverick she played the part of Annabelle to perfection. She was conniving, sweet and just a little bit naughty in that film. Maverick didn’t get on my top ten for nothing, and Jodie Foster did her part to put it there. On a quick note, even though I cannot say I enjoyed Contact, I did appreciate her performance in it…and it was the only thing keeping me awake.

Well I think that it is it for now. Overall I think I can sleep comfortably knowing that I put names that I truly believe bring something special to the screen rather than just the typical, “yeah she played the part well”. As you can tell I like simplistic acting better than crazy, dramatic shit…which is actually ironic considering that I am getting into these older films when the acting was much more “fake”. Oh well. I bored you enough. Enjoy and the next installment will be soon…