Sundance

One week ago today marked the start of the 26th annual Sundance Film Festival. The Festival is the event of the year for indie film lovers and has developed into a hot scene for celebrities and Hollywood elite.

There has been criticism from some that Sundance has in recent years become too connected with Hollywood and offers favoritism to the art films of the major studios. This year's Festival ought to see its roots for a couple of reasons.

First, due to the economic downturn, many of the major studio's have decided to close their specialty divisions. Warner Independent, Picturehouse, and Paramount Vantage have all been closed within the past two years, while Miramax has been significantly downsized.

Second has to do with the philosophy of Sundance's new director John Copper. Copper, who assumed the position last March, has expressed an intent on returning Sundance to a focus on the indie film. And many agree that this year's selection has more of the challenging and original stories that Sundance has grown its success with films like "Blue Valentine" starring Ryan Gosling and "Howl" about a young Allan Ginsberg. Copper has also included a new section called Next dedicated to the showcasing of "low to no budget films."

Sundance has a history of being the launching point of breakout films and brilliant directors. Films like Clerks, Donnie Darko, Little Miss Sunshine, Thankyou for Smoking, Super Troopers, sex, lies, and videotape, Reservoir Dogs, Napolean Dynamite all appeared at Sundance before gaining popularity. Sundance is also the start of directors Quentin Tarantino and Wes Anderson. Last years breakout hit Precious: Based on the Novel "Push by Sapphire has already done well at the Gloden Globes and has a great deal of oscar buzz.

Sundance 2010 Jan 21-31

Tribute and Support to the Troops

With as long as the wars have been going on it is real easy to become desensitize to the situation in the Middle East. We can not forget that there are our fellow American men and women out there at this very moment dedicating themselves to bringing peace to this unstable region. Regardless of your opinion on our entering the conflict, that fact is we are there now and have a responsiblity to leave it in a state where the people at least have the chance for living a regular life. Where the shepard can tend his flock and the mother can raise her children without fear of harassment, attack, or disaster.

This is for those men and women who work to build that peace. It's a great cause. Please support it.

Muscle Supplement

There are a lot of differences of opinion on nutrition when it comes to bodybuilding and other hyper-obsessive areas of fitness. For example, some people swear by the benefits of a glass of milk, while others will argue that it is linked to cancer. One of the big decisions for a body builder is picking a out the right supplement or combination of supplements. You're talking advance biology with guys who can hardly balance a chemical equation. It makes the situation even worse that even the most educated on the subject can barely agree on anything. Max Roosevelt explores this world of pills and powders in this article for the NY Times.

When the Gym Isn't Enough - Max Roosevelt

Inspirational Palindrome

A palindrome is something that can be read forward and backwards. Now technically it is not a palindrome like 'racecar,' but it is still really impressive. This got 2nd place for an AARP campaign competition (should of gotten 1st). Really pumps you up. When it was first shown it received an immediate standing ovation of cheers and applause.

Movie: The Edge of Darkness

Mel Gibson is BACK!!! Finally back from the shadows of scandalous embarassment to grace us again with his amazing acting talent in yet another excellant action flick. The guy may be an anti-semite, but then again so was Ezra Pound, and, like Pound, Gibson is brilliant at his art. Gibson, who has proved himself quite comparable in protraying the unstable paranoid (Hamlet, Conspiracy Theory) and ruthless revenge seekers (Payback), is perfect for the part.

The film is a movie version of a popular British television series in the '80s. The show was based around officer Ronald Craven trying to solve the murder of his activist daughter and thereby unwinding a deep and troubling conspiracy effort by the government (got to love those Brits and their paranoia for the state). Robert Di Niro was originally supposed to play the part of the British sounding fellow, Ray Winstone (The Departed), but he left production the day he arrived on set due to alleged creative differences.

Recent Doodle

I was finishing up lunch a few months back and was looking at the way what was left of my apple and sandwich ended up being posed and thought it looked pretty cool. Luckily I had my phone with me and was able to capture and save it for a later date when I had some free time. It's graphite ranging from say 5B to H.

The Cruelty of Vegans

Vegans are those far end animal rights activist acting out of some puritan extremecy claiming to live their lives without the use of any products derived from animals (eggs, meat, leather, fur, poop fertilizer). However, in reality, actualizing this lofty ideology is, if not grossly impractical, then damn near impossible when you considered just how much animal-based materials are needed in today's most common and basic manufacturing processes. It's a nice idea; I'm not taking that away from it. It's they're just so damn arrogant about the whole thing (their determined ignorance doesn't help the matter). Well, this is for anyone who finds themselves cornered in conversation faced with a scolding about their jacket or their choice in hor d'oeuvre from one of these forgone hippies. It turns out "vegetable" may not be an accurate term when we speak of the brain-dead.

Sorry, Vegans: Brussels Sprouts Like to Live, Too
By NATALIE ANGIER

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! HAPPY NEW DECADE!!!

I knew everyone had to see this as soon I saw it. I know for a lot of people's money they prefer to watch the ball drop in Manhattan, NY - I got lucky enough to see it live in Manhattan, KS, - close enough to the real thing and you don't have to deal the ridiculous crowd. But for those of you who spent 11 pm Central time fixated on the ball dropping of the Big Apple, I got to say you missed out on something pretty spectacular. Travis Pastrana, star of MTV's Nitro Circus and professional motor-cross rider, set a new world record with a 269ft jump. You got to check this out. This guy's just an amazing spectacle of insane performance.