The mark f thread
 

I realize that there's a very good chance that this thread will die out quickly. I normally like to respond to specific posts or write up ny own "reviews", etc., but lately I've found myself unable to participate quite as much as normal, so if I just post here what's on my mind, maybe the few people who care will notice it. I will definitely NOT dump random reviews in here. I'm WAY over 100 films behind at this point and have no intentions of writing any kind of mini-reviews in here. Rather, I'd feel better just posting things which mean something to me regarding the site, my own personal world view, or current events. If you haven't noticed, I have completely stopped reading and contributing to the more "political" threads here, and I intend to continue with that.

Now that all that is said and done, I suppose I don't have much to add to this first post. My health is horrible, although when push comes to shove, I can almost act normally in public. My daughter is in the process of finishing a major film at USC, so I'm going to watch it next Saturday with as many people I can get to accompany me, no matter how much I bleed all over the place. Is there anyone who lives near USC who would like to watch the film at Norris Theatre? If so, I can give you more info, but I believe there will be at least two dozen short (five minute) films shown that evening. The reason I'm asking is that we seem to have many members from SoCal and many of them seem to be involved in film.

So the chance of you seeing a film this week becoming number 12 on your list is small?

I should adopt that policy, but about once a year, I can't help myself.

I'm sorry to here that Mark.

Congratulations Sarah!

Re: The mark f thread
 

Thanks, Loner. I meant to say that I'm over 100 writeups behind, but I basically stopped doing those when it became painful to sit and type for so long. I need a laptop although in my case, I don't have a lap.

Re: The mark f thread
 

Sorry about the increased pain, Mark. Looking forward to hearing whatever odds and ends come out of your head in here. :)

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mark f, you are always so upbeat. I will read anything you choose to write about. Im sorry for your pain and your health. I hope with all my heart that you start feeling better, I will send good and healing thoughts your way :yup:

Re: The mark f thread
 

Thanks MoFos. I'm doing things to try to correct the problem but it will apparently take a lot of time and self-control.

Re: The mark f thread
 

What's wrong with your health?

Re: The mark f thread
 

As always mark, I'm always interested in what you have to say about film. You're pretty good on most other things, too. :p

Hope you feel a bit better today. :)

I'm not ready to get into that but I have enough problems with me to have seven or eight specialists competing for my time, at least if I went to the doctor. However, I'm not going because I realize that I'll be in a revolving door or admitted into the hospital which I will not do. We have excellent insurance so that's not the question. The main problem is obesity which is causing extreme pain and occasional external bleeding around my trunk area. That's already way too disusting to go into any further, but I will say if I lose some weight, the pain and bleeding will go away and I then might attempt to go to my GP for some other minor help. My wife has tried every which way to get me to go but I'm stubbornly trying my way, and I can see now that it's a long haul. Of course, some days are better than others.

I'd much rather talk about other things than my health in this thread though.

Re: The mark f thread
 

Go see a doctor.

External bleeding ain't cool.

I was in the hospital last year. It was kidney stones. I got out and I'm still here.

Re: The mark f thread
 

OK, MoFos, I expected to read things like these. Thanks for your concern. It appears though that nobody who has read this is in the position or the mood to come to USC next Saturday.

I'm sorry to hear that, Mark. If you need any help figuring out how you're going to lose weight in a healthy manner, give me a shout. I could offer anything ranging from the most general of guidelines to detailed daily eating programs. This is by no means an obligation, just a kind hand if you need it.

Seeing as you don't want to talk about your health, tell me about the films you've watched released in 2011 that you think are worth-watching, special, or really top drawer material. I'm not only curious for your views on 2011 in movie terms, but also to see if I missed any good ones so far.

Re: The mark f thread
 

Which USC?

Re: The mark f thread
 

The one near where you live, I think... the University of Southern California. My daughter is a junior at the film school. Last semester, she made five short films but they technically belong to USC so she can't post them online. This semester, she just finished writing and directing her first film, and since we paid for the permits and a venue to shoot a concert scene, she ("we") own this one and she can submit it to festivals. Her film is debuting on Saturday. After that, she's working as the cinematographer/editor of her partner's film, doing the same jobs he just did on hers.

Re: The mark f thread
 

Have you two met before already?

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No, I just have ideas based on some of his posts.

Bedtime: Later, Gators.

To tell you the truth, I've only seen four films released in 2011. That's out of 425 I've watched this year. I haven't even gone to the theatre once. The four, in order of decreasing quality to me, are The Lincoln Lawyer, Thor, Source Code and Hobo With a Shotgun. So, in reality, I should be asking you the question. :cool:

Maybe I'll PM you about the first paragraph, but even though I find myself in a poor current situation, I used to exercise an enormous amount each day and was a normal-weighing person through most all my twenties. Before that and afterwards, I've always had a weight problem but I was still playing full-court basketball at lunch with the teenagers as recently as five years ago.

Hi Mark. As I've said in PM's before I really hope your health improves. I'd also like to say what a fantastic post that was from Sexy Celebrity on page 1.. You're a much loved member of this site mark. Word.

Seeing as you don't want to focus too much on your health in this thread, and seeing as I'm on the wrong side of the Atlantic (not to mention the US) to come to USC. Are you able to tell us anymore about Sarah's film?

I'm certainly curious because I know you've worked on script ideas with her before (granted this was unrelated to college), and well let's face it; she's had one heck of a movie influenced upbringing.

Please tell us some more if you can.

I haven't seen the final film yet. I saw the video lock version which has some excellent transition cuts between reality and fantasy as well as impressive cinematography, but that was before all the sound was cleaned up, added, foleyed and the score was put in. She's got a few more days before the final version is due. It's about a rock musician who seems adrift in the world even though he's just been offered a contract from a label. He's having visions of being pursued in a forest and hearing loud gunshots and also of a knight who tells him to go on a quest for the tree of life. He really has no idea what that means. For a five-minute film Sarah wrote far too-complicated a script which required shooting in a forest and at a local rock club, it was a big step up from her earlier films which basically used only one or two locations at her apartment, our home or a friend's home. What also gummed up the works was that it was difficult to get extras for the scenes at the club and the forest, and the band she lined up for the concert scene even cancelled at the last second. This caused her to have to improvise and make the whole film seem more dream-like. The lead character also never speaks in the film although he does sing. Everybody around here is looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

Thanks, it sounds intriguing. Is this a black and white or colour film? Something about the description makes me think black and white, but I'm probably wrong. Also was the music specially composed for the project, or did Sarah source it from elsewhere?