Ah, Not The NEWSpaper!

I completely disagree with Jon Katz, I strongly dislike reading the newspaper. Never has the paper appealed to me. From it’s floppy and broad body composition. To it’s black and white complexion, nothing even remotely stands out to me. So this week was a very interesting experiment for me.

I decided to keep it consistent and read the same paper all week. My paper of choice, The Denver Post. Now some say that the post is boring and uneventful. And to this I would retort that this is in fact true. But what do you really expect from people that are presenting the news. I found that I am so uninterested in current happenings, a minor downfall I will say. As I sat at my work on the first day of this trial I could not help but quickly skipping over the front page and business sections, heading rather for the entertainment and seemingly more interesting articles. As I read the movie reviews and horoscopes I thought to myself why would you care about politics and happenings when there are more fun things to read. I will admit that I probably think this way due to my age. An eighteen year old does not think the same as a forty-two year old. When I completed the entertainment section I found that I had lots of time on my hands to still be reading. Another section that is not too terrible to read is the technology. Ever since our discussions in class I have found I have an obsession with how technology is advancing and how we don’t even realize the effects it has on us.

Since I am not a subscriber to the newspaper, the only time I psychically have one in front of my face is at work. This presented a problem. As a broke college student was I going to spend my small amount of money on a paper for the day, the answer was no. So where do you turn when you don’t know where else to go, the Internet of course! I began reading The Denver Post online every other day. I have previously stated that I don’t like newspaper; well I do not like them on the Internet just as much. I feel like there is so much for me to look at. How am I supposed to know what to look for, what is important, and what to spend my time for the day reading? Again I found myself clicking right to entertainment news and movie reviews. These sort of news stories appeal to me. Sit me down in front of Perez Hilton and I can read for hours. Ask me about the miners in Chile, I can tell you that they got rescued slowly but surely, only due to the fact that I heard this from everyone else. I think it is important when reading a paper to know what interests you. What can keep you reading? Current events were never my thing, even in high school. I dreaded looking through a paper, trying to find something relevant to the world. This helps me know that I probably won’t want to read the front page of the paper. But ask me what celebrity just got divorced or what movie is a total dud, I can talk to you about it for hours. So I turn to what makes me happy.

Even though my hate of the paper is deeply embedded in my membrane, I didn’t mind this. It forced me to care about things that were happening. I have never had to do that and I think about some point in time I will care more. But this was a good little teaser, an intriguing trial of time and interest.

Reservoir Dogs – Most EPIC Independent of Them ALL!

As a brand new director in the industry Quentin Tarantino did something completely unexpected. He made his film career debut with the outstanding movie called Reservoir Dogs. This movie was rated the number one best independent film of all time on the list of movies we had to pick from. When I saw this, my heart leapt. Finally I felt people recognized the sheer genius of the Tarantino smash hit.  If you have seen one Tarantino film though, you know how every other one will be. Filled with violence, obscene language, and ridiculous situations a Tarantino film can be in a class by itself.  Reservoir Dogs is no exception to this.

Reservoir Dogs is a movie about a diamond heist. Staring an all male cast with six thieves and two masterminds.  Money on their minds, the thieves go into the job expecting it to be quick and simple only to find that the cops are aware of their plan. Just as they rob the diamond store, the police show up. This leads the cast to assume they have been set up and through out the whole movie they try to uncover who the rat is.

Each character has a specific personality and they all complement each other well. And everyone has fake names or aliases to prevent them from knowing any real information about one another. From the young newcomer to the sociopath, the casting and acting from the eight men is spectacular.

Brilliantly put together, the movie starts by showing you the middle of the action, starting right after the heist. Continuing on in regular time you get set into flashbacks. These flashbacks give you insight about each character and their background.  The flashbacks are also knows as chapters, like in book. Each chapter describes someone else, tells you more detail, and helps you put the pieces together.  These chapters are very famous and used in almost all of Quentin Tarantino’s movies.

This movie differs from a major Hollywood blockbuster in it’s looks, a majority of the movie is in a warehouse and they all wear the same outfit since the movie is essentially set in one day. The script is also very simple with minimal dialogue, only saying things that are essential to the story line. This movie also was made on a low budget and didn’t make massive amounts of money in the theaters. When Quentin wrote this screenplay, he was in a dead end job and didn’t think anything would come of it. Independent films usually get recognition after they have been out a while and by word of mouth. This is different then a Hollywood produced film that gets some serious promotion and loads of DVD sales.

I think that independent films are vital to the film industry. Hollywood most of the time does not want to produce things they do not think will make money. Although because of cult followings independent movies often make almost the same amount as regular movies.  And more often than not, independent films are more creative and interesting as opposed to a Hollywood that is engineered because they know it will make money. In the end it is all about taking risks which producers are almost always unwilling to do. So small low budget films will keep being made and they will keep us guessing.

The Office: Television Review.

The Office is a witty comedy show about well an office. Set in Scranton, PA the show documents the daily workings of a paper company called Dunder Mifflin and its employees. The Office was based and adapted from a British version of the same name. This show has mass appeal not only for it’s fun one liners and awkward situations but because it shows a life most people live. Now most of the situations don’t happen in a normal office but that is part of the fun of the show. It plays on ordinary situations in a workplace. Obviously The Office is a hit because it is now in its seventh season.

Not only are the scenarios played out in each episode hilarious but the characters are comic gold. The choice of characteristics leads to the perfect combination for comedy and connection. -Michael is the boss or general manager of the Scranton branch. He is always looking for people to like him and in his dialogue he comes off social unapt. I think almost everyone can say that they have been around someone like this. He is one of the most entertaining people on the show because of the fact that we can all say, “Oh my gosh, so-and-so acts just like that!” -Jim and Pam are the love birds. Since the beginning of the show you have been rooting for them to get together. Pam is the innocent, pretty secretary and Jim is the sarcastic trickster. Together they bring a love that brings people to come and watch the show. With their constant mischievous and roller coaster love life they are the perfect counteraction to the last main character. -Dwight. A beet farmer by nature and a hard working employee. Known for his monochromatic suits and huge glasses, Dwight’s personality is almost so ridiculous you can’t believe it. Many more characters make up The Office cast. But for each person there is a counter balance. The mix of personas and beliefs creates a realistic work environment.

The Office reinforces the daily life of many Americans. It is a average job scene just like where a majority of people spend their days. Often a time if you look at the computers of the employees you can see solitaire on the screen. It shows that they almost never work done. But when they do they take pride in it. The show demonstrates the fact that your work is your second family. Many a times the average person spends more time with their “work family” than their actual families.

I enjoy watching this show because I think the characters and situations are not so absurd. Things like this happen everyday and I think most people that watch this show would agree. I like shows that depict real life and honest situations. That is why I cannot get into shows like 24 or Lost. Somehow they seem so far off. How could things really happen like that? They don’t. And this is why I can only really watch shows that have some merit and legitimate real world application.

Anyone who appreciates comedy enjoys The Office. We can almost all find someone we relate to because it almost seems real. You become so intertwined with the characters and their lives you can’t help but keep watching every week. Shows that apply to people’s lives will always be on the air.