In honor of Ray Bradbury

I first became aware of Ray Bradbury in high school. I was going through a dystopia phase, as a melodramatic teenager the idea fascinated me. Making my way through the dystopia holy trinity (1984, Brave New World and Fahrenheit 451) I had my first taste of Bradbury. Although his world wasn't as grand as Huxley's or as overarching as Orwell's, it was his voice that I became interested in. Since then I've read his short stories and, after immersing myself in it, I can't help but see Bradbury as one of the best science fiction writers of all time. With his passing today, I decided to honor him the only way I know how: by writing a blog about him.

It was the least I could do.

You see, Bradbury was the science fiction writer that spoke to me the best. Kurt Vonnegut maybe my favorite author, but he was not strictly science fiction. Bradbury on the other hand wrote exclusively in the genre. What set him apart, however, from his contemporaries was his focus. You have writers like Issac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke and Robert Heinlein that made science fiction these grand stories, constrained only by whatever dogma they were interested in writing about (and, for Philip K. Dick, whatever drugs he was on at the time). Bradbury was different though. No matter how fantastic the settings were or how many times he mentioned rocket ships, he was more concerned with the human aspect of things. Even when aliens were involved.

Old sci-fi covers are always really cool.

While the future and technology are always important in the genre, Bradbury was more of a soft science fiction. He used the future and technology to not astound us or warn us of the dangers of the atomic age, but instead to give us a look into the soul of the protagonist or a beautiful image. Bradbury understood that the final frontier wasn't in space but instead the emotional landscape inside a person. It is just as foreign a frontier as space and even harder to navigate.

Whoops, got a little too emo there for a second.

Without a human element, science fiction is just as mechanical as the robots that populate its worlds. Bradbury was different though. He never lost sight of the fact that, while science leads to many wonders, it is humanity that has to deal with the fallout. And no matter how marvelous man's ingenuity is, he still falls prey to the same foibles that have plagued him throughout history. Through the prism of science fiction, Bradbury told stories about the vulnerability of man, racism, religion and why you should never keep a lion in a children's room. Stories that penetrated the reader and truly made them think about human nature.

And lion nature.

This is why I enjoy science fiction. When done right, it's not about the technology. Instead it's a statement about contemporary human society, yet told with freedom from the contemporary world's constraints. This is why Bradbury was a master. Because he could do all of that and make it look so damn easy. So, with his passing, I mourn one of the great authors of the 20th century.

The death of Ryan Dunn

The history of those involved in Jackass is one of self-harm and maiming. Danger was always close by to the Jackass crew, yet for so long they seemed to be protected by something divine and unexplainable. Johnny Knoxville himself only laughs his infectious, characteristic laugh every time something almost takes his life. As kids we grew up watching grown men injure themselves for our entertainment. And, if you asked thirteen year old me watching Jackass late at night on MTV which member would be the first to meet their end, Ryan Dunn would be the last on my list.

R.I.P. Random Hero

Dunn seemed the most sensible one in the group. He seemed genuinely affable and cool to hang out with. In short, he seemed pretty bro-tastic. He was my favorite member of Jackass. He didn't put himself at the forefront of the show like Knoxville of Bam Margera and he wasn't an annoying attention whore like Steve-O. He was just fun to watch. And, not counting Knoxville or Margera (arguably Margera), Dunn was the most successful outside Jackass. He had his own MTV with Homewrecker (only lasted a season but still, it was better received than Dr. Steve-O), guest starred in an episode of Law & Order and he had two projects coming out in 2011. G4's Proving Ground and a movie called Booted. Proving Ground has since been put on hold after Dunn's death.

I keep forgetting that director Spike Jonze technically got his start with Jackass.

Frankly, I'm shocked at the amount of attention Dunn's death is getting by the media. But with the 11 o'clock news a hold of it, it will mostly be played as a warning against drunk driving than anything else. Even Roger Ebert has chimed in on the accident. But the accident shouldn't be made into a drunk driving PSA. The people chiming in didn't grow up watching Jackass. While it is dumb to drink and drive, the point is that this was a man who made a living almost dying for our entertainment. And he did entertain us. Here now is a reprint of a column I wrote about Jackass 3-D when it came out.

They even have a video game.

“Hi, I’m Johnny Knoxville. Welcome to Jackass.”

Thus began the Jackass phenomenon. These immortal words ushered in a whole new world of painful opportunities. The MTV show that redefined the phrase “Don’t try this at home” is celebrating its tenth anniversary with a new film, Jackass 3-D.

The Jackass crew has been a part of growing up for many people of this generation. Their wild antics have entertained impressionable audiences for years. Some stunts were violent, some disgusting and others just plain fun to watch. In a world where you can’t count on much, it’s nice to depend on Jackass for its patented mindless fun. No matter how bad a mood someone is in, seeing a person get hit below the belt in creative ways is always pleasant to watch.

Ever since the first Jackass movie, the skits have been getting more extreme. Without having to worry about offending television audiences, Knoxville and his associates have the freedom to film new and creative ways of hurting themselves. The first film is relatively tame compared to the sequel. While the first Jackass film contained destruction and toy-car tomfoolery, the second one seemed downright suicidal.

Now that a third film is coming out this week with the now-overused 3-D gimmick, the antics can only be more insane. Each film, television show and project has gone further than the last. It will be safe to assume that the filmmakers will make the most out of the special effects and do things in 3-D that have never been seen before (and probably shouldn’t be seen at all).

While some may have been misguided enough to replicate some of the activities from Jackass, even a single iota of survival instinct should have prevented that. In the films, thankfully, the scenarios become more elaborate and less easy to replicate. Watching those idiots on the big screen should make for an enjoyable movie experience. The whole audience can laugh and groan together, uniting the packed theater in the spectacle that is Jackass.

Jackass is not high art. There is no artistic merit or deeper meaning. What the series stands for is the fun in stupidity. By performing these stunts, the crass entertain us and put their lives and souls on the line so viewers don’t have to try it at home.

Watching a semi-professional getting hurt is a lot better than peer-pressuring some kid from the neighborhood to try out homemade rocket skates. In a way, they are doing us a favor. They are angels of stupidity and self-inflicted harm.

Jackass 3-D premieres in theaters Oct. 15.

Happy belated birthday Andrew W.K and R.I.P. Macho Man

The world was once much bleaker. A hopeless existence. A partyless life. God, taking pity on this depressing world, created an agent of fun. Born into this world as Andrew Fetterly Wilkes-Krier, he would be rechristened as Andrew W.K., one of the coolest people in existence.

PARTY TIP: Stretch your mind past the breaking point.
I'm here to help you pull it all back together. -Andrew W.K.'s twitter.

His twitter describes himself as, "KING OF PARTYING - professional partier, international rock 'n' roller, new age self help motivational speaker, nightclub owner, TV personality." He is more than all of that though. He is a white-jeans wearing spiritual adviser. He's like Yoda, except much more fun to be with. His philosophy is simple. The answer to all of life's questions, no matter how complicated, all boil down to partying. Never has one word meant so much, but Andrew W.K. has boiled the answer to all of life's problems into one simple phrase: Party Hard.

Let's have a banana together! I LOVE TO PARTY! -Andrew W.K.'s twitter.

Sadly, because of finals week, I missed his May 9 birthday. So, in an attempt to make amends, I hope to further extoll his philosophy in my blog. You see, partying is not just an act of having fun. It's a state of mind. It's a way to forget life's troubles and have fun. And who can hate a life-view based on having fun? In his songs he's not just asking for fun, he is demanding it. He is shouting to his party-disciples to forget their lives for a little bit and get lost in the fun. Not only does he sing of this worldview or even preach it on motivational speaker tours. He genuinely lives his life the way he expects others to. And his doing so puts him on a greater plane of existence than the rest of us. It almost makes him angelic, in his white clothes and scruffy beard.

Grant me the strength to party the things I can't party, the courage to party the things I can party,
and then to just party. -Andrew W.K.'s twitter

Yes his singles may all sound the same, but it's not annoying in an AC/DC way. Instead it gives him an earnestness that few artists have. His songs maybe simple in their messages but they are messages he believes in. He wants to party hard and he beseeches all around him to follow suit. He is probably the happiest man alive. And not just because he is a successful musician, a regular television guest, motivational speaker and host of a show of Cartoon Network. His resume is not so diverse because he is a sellout looking for a paycheck. It's the complete opposite. He just loves what he does and it shows whenever he is in the spotlight. He loves what he does and he genuinely loves his fans. One time he played at a funeral of a fan who died. Another instance he spent a whole tour in a wheelchair because he broke his leg yet didn't want to disappoint fans. He even signs autographs while being lead to the ambulance. Those that claim Andrew W.K. has sold out or become deluded are missing the point. He has always been like this. And the world should be so lucky that he is sharing his gospel of partying with the world. God knows we need to hear it.

"I just mailed out $120 worth of party cash to some very worthy partiers.
Let all the money in the world be spent on joy!" -Andrew W.K.'s twitter.

That's why all of these captions have been from his twitter. Because his twitter is so entertaining and thoughtful that I am compelled to read it at least once a week. He really does believe in his message. And why not, it's worked for him so far. He has a lovely wife and a devoted following. He may be known for his songs about partying but that's not even what he is all about. He makes whatever music he damn well pleases. Whether it's Japanese pop-covers or piano rock albums, he just does whatever he thinks is fun. He's like Peter Fonda in Easy Rider. Few people can embrace true freedom. Yet here is Mr. W.K., partying for all us sinners.

PARTY TIP: Do what you want today. By tomorrow, it could be illegal. -Andrew W.K.'s twitter.

In other news, Macho Man Randy Savage died last Friday, in an apparent heart attack, that led to his car crashing into a tree. Savage will forever be remembered as one of the top wrestlers in the 90s. Any man my age would be lying if they claimed to never watch wrestling growing up. We were alive during a renaissance in wrestling. With the Monday night wars between WCW and WWF (I refuse to call it WWE) and WWF's "attitude era," the sport was at its height of popularity. This golden age would last all through the 90s, until the movie Ready to Rumble premiered in 2000 (which I didn't hate, to be completely honest). Savage's Macho Man persona, complete with shades and cowboy hat, defined the wrestling-watching experience for a lot of people. His raspy voice was used for more than just calling out Ric Flair during interviews. He was also the face of Slim Jims, the snack so amazing that you don't even want to know how they make it. Now, whenever I snap into a Slim Jim, I will think of him.

There's gotta be a better way to put that...

R.I.P. Sidney Lumet

I get most of my news from Facebook. That's a lie actually. As a journalism major I pride myself on buying a newspaper every time I go to Wawa or any other convenience store. Facebook is a source of some of my news though. I learned through Facebook the Kanye West/Taylor Swift debacle and it was interesting seeing everyone's reactions during the 2008 election (surprisingly a lot of "Gobama" statuses). Currently I am finding out about Tiger Woods' comeback through status progression. On Facebook, there is one dear friend of mine that knows about movies almost as much as I do. I usually go to her statuses to see what's going on in movie news. It is with a heavy heart that I read her status yesterday.

"RIP Sidney Lumet... wow... that is one tough loss."

Sidney Lumet was responsible for some of the best films ever made. This is not my humble opinion or some gross exaggeration. While his name may not ring out as loud to layman as Woody Allen or Martin Scorsese, Lumet helped shape the cinematic landscape in his own way. And if you don't believe, just look at his first theatrical film: 12 Angry Men. I have long considered 12 Angry Men a perfect film. I mean that as in, every little aspect in the film could not be improved on whatsoever. The acting, lighting, writing, framing and directing all synergized in a way that elevated it from a television anthology episode into an AFI acknowledged film.

Less to do about knives and more to do with sitting around.

In the AFI's top 10 courtroom dramas, 12 Angry Men took second place, only being beat out by To Kill a Mockingbird (Also on that list was Lumet's 1982 film, The Verdict). I have no problem with the fact that it got beat out by To Kill a Mockingbird. To Kill a Mockingbird is, arguably, one of the best, most quintessential American films. But, back to Lumet, 12 Angry Men gets everything right. And, in turn, making a bunch of men talking at a table into a harrowing spectacle. It could of been as boring as real jury duty, but instead it turns into a passion play. In my opinion, a big part of this came from the camera work. There was not a single wasted frame of film in the whole movie. With only one room and 12 men to film, Lumet milked that set for all it was worth. The audience was at the whim of the director, who could make the room as claustrophobic as he wanted or control the pace frantically with reaction cut after reaction cut.

Lumet would team up again with Juror #8, Henry Fonda, in Fail-Safe. Fail-Safe was a thought provoking, rich meditation on nuclear war. The movie had a problem though. It was released in 1964, the same year as Dr. Strangelove. Now, I'm sure you, dear reader, can guess which movie stood the test of time and which fell into obscurity. Not saying that Fail-Safe was bad, it was in fact a very good movie. It just never stood a chance. The novel of the same name was even sued by the author of Red Alert (the novel Strangelove was based off of) for plagiarism.

Peter Sellers in three different roles in Strangelove ensured Fail-Safe's demise.

The 70s were a true Renaissance for Lumet. Between the years 1973 to 1978 Lumet made a film each year that was nominated for multiple Academy Awards. To be fair, 1978's was The Wiz, but we won't judge him too harshly for that. In 1973 he released Serpico. Sadly, I've never seen Serpico so I can't in all good conscious comment on it. After Serpico was Murder on the Orient Express, a movie made solely to cram as many actors into it at once. There are ensemble casts and then there is Orient Express. Based on the Agatha Cristie mystery, the movie stars Anthony Perkins, Sean Connery, Michael York, Ingrid Bergman (my silver screen movie star crush), Lauren Bacall, Vanessa Redgrave, Martin Balsam (who was also in 12 Angry Men and co-starred with Perkins in Psycho), and Albert Finney, visibly enjoying himself as the detective Hercule Poirot.

Half of the budget was reserved for Finney's mustache wax.

Next came Dog Day Afternoon, which is the best heist movie ever made. Inspired by true events, the film is stars Pacino as a desperate man trying to acquire money for his boyfriend's sexual reassignment surgery. What follows is the worst bank robbing attempt ever and a film that every heist movie since has been based off of. Pacino co-stars with fellow Godfather actor John Cazale, the most underrated actor in cinema history. I may get more into this in another post, but, while Cazale was only in five movies, these five movies were considered some of the best of all time. His acting credits are The Godfather, The Conversation, Godfather: Part II, Dog Day Afternoon and Deer Hunter. Name anyone else with a track record like that.

He died in 1978 of bone cancer.

In 1976 Lumet came out with a film so mind-blowing that it resides in my own personal all time top five. Network is not just a film, it's a religious experience. It's commentary on the media, America, and everything wrong with the world, not just in the 70s but even past then. The film is a mad prophet, raging at the world. Starring Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Robert Duvall, Ned Beatty and Peter Finch, Network is a tour de force about a news anchor whose nervous breakdown/existential crisis becomes ratings fodder for a fledgling television network. Written by Paddy Chayefsky, Network has a wit so sharp that it still cuts today. It is one of the best written screenplays of all time, one of the best directed films of all time and one of the best acted. Finch himself was so memorizing as Howard Beale, the mentally unstable news anchor, that he was the first actor to win a major Academy Award posthumously. That feat would not be replicated until Heath Ledger in 2009. You may not of seen the film, but you've heard the line "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore."

One of the most iconic scenes in movie history.

Lumet continued to make films throughout the years. His last film, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, premiered in 2007 to critical acclaim. Lumet was a master of his craft who knew how to get the best performance out of everyone he worked with. His filmography is not just a gift to his fans but a gift to movie fans everywhere. We have truly lost one of the greats. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to watch Network for the 20th time. Lumet died of lymphoma in his Manhattan apartment on April 9. He was 86.

Tune in next episode when I talk about Snookie.

R.I.P. Leslie Nielsen and Irvin Kershner

Last Sunday I heard that comedy actor Leslie Nielsen died at the age of 84. Shortly after finding out about Nielsen I also read about Irvin Kershner dying the day before, Kershner was 87 years old. Both men have made significant contributions to pop culture, and to hear that they have both died is horrible.

Leslie Nielsen, 1926-2010:

Did you know he was Canadian?

Leslie Nielsen was not a comedian. If he was forced to get in front of an audience on a stage he probably wouldn't have a single joke to tell. What he was, was a comedy actor. Nobody could work a gag like Nielsen. While his films may have been over-the-top and silly, he always kept a straight face. He understood that you didn't have to ham it up to get a laugh. He was like an old, silly uncle. Earnest in his convictions, but dumped into whatever situation the director threw him in (no wonder they cast him as Mr. Magoo).

He originally began his career as a serious actor, starring in such films as Forbidden Planet and The Poseidon Adventure. Then Airplane! came, and forced Neilsen to reinvent his whole career. With the success of Airplane!, and his standout role as a doctor stuck on the doomed airliner. The Zucker brothers made Nielsen their go-to star. The Naked Gun film series further solidified Nielsen as a spoof movie king and guaranteed Nielsen work for the rest of his life. The movies may not have always been good, to be honest a fair amount of them were terrible, however Nielsen never phoned in any of his performances. He always managed to have fun on screen and it showed through. That and he got to play Santa Clause twice, which is one more time than award winning actor/director Richard Attenborough.

Irvin Kershner 1923-2010:

Lets get this out of the way, the reason why you should respect Kershner is because he directed The Empire Strikes Back, which is considered to be the best Star Wars film ever. Kershner managed to bring a humanity to Star Wars that all the other films missed. There's a reason why you are more emotionally invested in Empire than all the other Star Wars films, it's because it's the one that focuses on the characters more. Yes there's the badass battle of Hoth (recreated nicely in the Shadows of the Empire N64 video game), and there's the duel between Vader and Luke (as a kid I referred to Empire as "That movie where the guy gets his hand chopped off"), but those are only small parts of the film. Kershner made sure to focus on the characters we care about, not set pieces or people that would make kickass action figures. He populated the screen with characters we cared about.

The best of the Star Wars films.

Before Star Wars, Kershner was a respected film director. Though his work was not as well known as Empire, he made a nice name for himself on the small films he made. When the director asked Lucas why he was chosen to direct a Star Wars film, Lucas answered (according to Wikipedia), ""Well, because you know everything a Hollywood director is supposed to know, but you're not Hollywood."

The next big movie after Empire was a James Bond film, titled Never Say Never Again. Never Say Never Again is interesting on two counts: it brought Sean Connery back in the role as Bond and it wasn't made by EON, Bond's usual production company. Not only did Kershner have the balls to make a Bond movie without EON, but he released it around the same time as Octopussy, Moore's second-to-last Bond film. While Octopussy made more money, Never Say Never Again still made $160 million and got a better score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Connery also got to make-out with Kim Basinger, Suck it Moore.

Kershner's next movie was Robocop 2, which managed to out-crazy the original film, directed by the insane Paul Vehoeven. Robocop 2 was darker, more violent, and a lot more over-the-top than the original film. Sadly, the film was not met with kind reviews or box office. The movie has grown in respect however, after the abortion Robocop 3 was released.

It's sad to see these two men pass, however, their cinematic legacy is still there for future generations to enjoy. I doubt Empire Strikes Back will be forgotten anytime soon, and Leslie Nielsen has made so many movies, he's bound to be on television at some point.