the BLARG: The Official Blog of Bill Cornelius

Bill's Top 40 Films of All Time

2011-12-13T16:32:00.025-06:00

Because I'm a filmmaker, people always ask me what my favorite films are. Typically they are surprised to hear me mention anything mainstream (apparently filmmakers are supposed to like unknown art house films...). I grew up enjoying works of cinema that had invaded the mainstream and I still enjoy them today (within reason). So if you're expecting to find a list of pretentious art house dramas with no clear storyline, you've come to the wrong place!

This is a list of films that I absolutely love, both as a filmmaker and a regular audience member. Everything listed is completely my personal opinion. The list has a tendency to change over time as my tastes in films change. Reflected are my all time favorites as of the end of 2011. Enjoy!

40. "Little Nemo: Adventures In Slumberland" (1989)- This film has to be one of the most underrated and overlooked animated films ever made. It's a film about a boy who enters an enchanted and dangerous dream world when he falls asleep and is then chosen to defeat the evil Nightmare King. The story and characters are based on the early 1900s comic strip of the same name by Windsor McKay, who was one of the earliest animation pioneers. The animation is top-notch and the film itself carries a dark and mysterious undercurrent. The script was written by American filmmaker Chris Columbus, with the entire film being produced and animated by TMS; the Japanese animation company responsible for animating "Batman: The Animated Series" in the early 90s. Sadly the film was largely overlooked and forgotten because it was eclipsed by the Disney resurgence with "The Little Mermaid" that came out around the same time.

39. "Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust" (2000)- I promise you this isn't a top animated films list... I feel like I've long been on a search for the perfect vampire movie. I've never been a fan of the gory b-movie depictions of vampires nor the sparkly disgrace that the "Twilight" series birthed. This film is by far the closest to my idea of what a great vampire movie is. The film follows half-vampire/half-human D as he journeys to rescue a young woman from the clutches of a vampire nobleman. The animation style is rich with a lot of attention given to the dark and detailed gothic imagery. Action, adventure, romance, thrills, you name it. The Japanese have created a wonderful piece of vampire art with this film. It's a great watch for Halloween.

38. "Taken" (2008)- As a guy who is extremely protective of the women I love, this film was like a fulfilling 3-course steak dinner. Liam Neeson plays a retired CIA agent who travels across Europe to rescue his teenage daughter who has been kidnapped by traffickers. The body count Neeson leaves behind is somewhere in the 30s +. It's a fantastic action/thriller written by French filmmaker Luc Besson. It also has a very rewarding ending that makes the entire ride well worth it.

37. "Edward Scissorhands" (1990)- I have a great appreciation for Tim Burton. It's not even his filmwork that I really appreciate. It's his art and his stylistic vision. This film is a fantastic representation of classic Burton-esque style. A strange gothic man with scissors for hands (Johnny Depp) struggles to fit-in in a cookie cutter pastel-laden suburban environment. It's a great story of a lonely outsider trying to find acceptance. It is by far one of my favorite Burton-directed films where I truly think his artistic vision was very accurately and explicitely put on display. Haunting and fantastic!

36. "Minority Report" (2002)- Steven Spielberg's futuristic action/thriller inspired by a short story from sci-fi author Philip K. Dick. The film follows John Anderton (Tom Cruise), a police chief working for the Department of PreCrime; a department that relies on precognative abilities to predict upcoming murder. Anderton is eventually framed for murder and must fight to survive while unraveling a conspiracy within the department. Spielberg takes us to a very dark future that feels cold and visceral, yet full of thrills and excitement. It could've possibly been a bit shorter as it feels too long in some areas, but it still rocks!

35. "RoboCop" (1987)- The campy 80s sci-fi action extravaganza from Paul Verhoeven about a cop in future Detroit who is brutally murdered by thugs only to be reborn as the cyborg RoboCop (Peter Weller). The film of course seems absolutely ridiculous, but that's the charm of it. I first saw "RoboCop" at my older cousin's house when I was seven. It frightened me to the core, specifically Kurtwood Smith's twisted depiction of the main antagonist Clarence Boddicker. I wouldn't face the film again until I was 21, which was when I discovered the strange and cheesy charm of the whole thing. Plain and simple, it's just a fun and campy 80s action film that can be appreciated on that basis alone.

34. "Rush Hour 2" (2001)- Yes, I like the "Rush Hour" sequel more than the original. I'm honestly not sure why. This film is a fun action/comedy with just enough variety (locations, comedy, action, characters) to keep it entertaining from beginning to end without overdoing it. Detective Carter (Chris Tucker) and Inspector Lee (Jackie Chan) team up again to take out a counterfeit scheme involving the Chinese Triads. The film is just a good time. That's right, I'm a filmmaker and I can like a film for being a "good time". That might be a little too much for the hipster to swallow.

33. "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country" (1991)- Following my rabid fandom for the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" as a child, I began to adopt a fandom for "Star Trek". A lot of Trekkies would consider me a blasphemer for favoring this film over "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" (aka. the one considered the "Citizen Kane" of Trek films). Sorry, but yes. "VI" is my favorite of the films starring the original "Star Trek" cast. I like films that feel like a full meal. This film is a full meal with a vast variety of plot points and adventure. The film is also an allegory for the Chernobyl disaster and subsequent fall of the Soviet Union, which makes it a lot more intriguing thematically. Plus, you really can't beat Christopher Plummer as the antagonistic Shakespeare-quoting Klingon with an eye patch bolted to his face. Yes, bolted.

32. "House of Flying Daggers" (2004)- If I could sum up this film from Chinese director Zhang Yimou in one word it would be "beautiful". This is honestly one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen. Not only is it a fantastic martial arts film, but it is a deeply tragic love story with ridiculous and almost painterly cinematography. It's simply a story of two men fighting for the love of the same woman (Zhang Ziyi). Yes, the entire film is in Mandarin Chinese, but it's just so freaking beautiful! I really can't emphasize that enough.

31. "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" (1990)- Yep, you read that right. Since I was the target audience for the turtles as a child, I most definitely saw this film in the theater when it came out. Admittedly I would go on to favor the second film over the first, although in the last few years I have come to appreciate this film more. It's the classic retelling of when the turtles first meet April O'Neil, Casey Jones, and their nemesis the Shredder. It is definitely a darker approach more in-line with the original comics by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, yet it still contains some of the kid-friendly elements that had been birthed by the 80s cartoon series. It wasn't until later that I would discover that this film was produced by an independent production company (Golden Harvest) for a lower budget. This came as a surprise since the film never feels low budget. It's gritty, it's awesome, it's the turtles! I'll go ahead and mention Elias Koteas' portrayal of Casey Jones as being one of the best and most underrated characterizations ever. Ever!

30. "The Lord of the Rings" Trilogy (2001-2003)- I'm grouping this entire trilogy together because I can. While the word "epic" seems to be tossed around a lot lately, all three of these films certainly embody it to a great degree. The adaptation of the series of novels by J.R.R. Tolkien is a long and magnificent fantasy/adventure that follows a number of different characters, most importantly Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) as he journeys to rid himself of the all-powerful Ring. The detailed sets, effects, and grandiose score from Howard Shore are just some of the many reasons why this trilogy truly defines the word epic. Sure the acting can be a bit cheesy at times, but the phrase "who cares?" comes to mind.

29. "The Departed" (2006)- I've never been much of a Martin Scorsese fan, but this film changed my feelings. It's a clever cat and mouse crime thriller about Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) operating as a mole for the Irish mob inside of the Massachusetts state police while simultaneously Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) is operating as a mole for the state police inside of the Irish mob. The film very colorfully showcases the city of Boston and Irish American culture. It's refreshing to see a film with mobsters that aren't Italian for once. The film also has some of the best, albeit profane one-liners of any movie in the last 20-years.

28. "Casino Royale" (2006)- The James Bond franchise is not without its duds. This film is not one of them. I've been a Bond fan for a while and "Casino Royale" is by far one of the best. The film was Daniel Craig's first outing as 007. He introduced audiences to a meaner and blunter Bond that we hadn't previously seen. I talk about loving films that feel like a full meal. This film was definitely a full meal, plus desert. Exotic locales, beautiful and complex women (Eva Green), action, adventure, etc... Nothing is really missing. Director Martin Campbell rocked it both with this film and "GoldenEye" back in 1995.

27. "Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi" (1983)- Traditionally I've favored "Star Trek" over "Star Wars", although I appreciate them both. While most "Star Wars" fanboys and girls speak at great length about how "The Empire Strikes Back" is the greatest film of the franchise, I beg to differ. "Jedi" is my favorite of the lot. George Lucas' storytelling genius was the creative force behind this, but the film itself was written and directed by folks other than Lucas, making it easily better than the three prequels. Yes, the Ewoks were interesting to say the least, but they just added to the tons of variety and story development. Plus there's an epic climax to tie-off the series. What can I say, I like resolution at a story's end.

26. "Iron Man" (2008)- The trailer for this film was awful. It was awful to the degree that I didn't want to see the film, despite liking Iron Man as a kid. After hearing rave reviews from my peers, I went ahead and saw it... and now it sits in my top 40. Robert Downey Jr. delivers a fantastic performance as the douchey but lovable Tony Stark; an eccentric playboy who dons the Iron Man suit to stop the violence and injustice fueled by the products of the company he inherited from his father. Amidst all of the high-tech action is Downey Jr.'s flirty rapport with Gwyneth Paltrow's Pepper Potts, which is both brilliantly written and acted. It's a face-paced action/adventure with enough light humor peppered throughout to make the film feel like a complete and satisfying experience.

25. "The Rocketeer" (1991)- Wow... Two films in a row about comic book heroes that can fly with the use of machinery. I swear I didn't plan this... This film has become a forgotten classic as of late. Stunt pilot Cliff Secord (Billy Campbell) discovers a rocket pack and uses it to perform various heroic acts, all while being pursed by the mob and Nazi spies who want the pack for their own fiendish schemes. I absolutely loved it when I saw it in theaters as a kid and even today it still holds up as a fun World War II-era action/adventure with a wide variety of elements and excitement. Jennifer Connelly as the love interest and 80s James Bond Timothy Dalton as the villain? I think yes! People should really do themselves a favor and discover or re-discover this film. Despite its poor box office performance, the stylistic direction of Joe Johnston gave Johnston "Captain America" in 2011.

24. "Hook" (1991)- Another film that has become largely overlooked these days except for an enormous cult following of former 80s and 90s kids, myself included. The film tells the story of the legendary Peter Pan (Robin Williams) that had left Neverland and had grown up to become a corporate yuppie and horrible father to his two children. His children are kidnapped by Captain Hook (Dustin Hoffman), forcing Peter to return to Neverland and become "the Pan" again to save his children. It's a great adventure story about recapturing one's youth and imagination. Hoffman's performance as Hook is so incredible, I didn't realize it was actually Hoffman until years after I saw the film in theaters. Critics hated the film and consider it one of Steven Spielberg's failures, but those of us who were kids during its release know how awesome it is, and that's all that matters. Bangarang!

23. "The Little Mermaid" (1989)- It takes a real man to admit that he enjoys this film. After all, it's an animation masterpiece. This film had such an impact that it began Disney's animation renaissance in the late 80s. It represents an art and a craftsmanship that has sadly gone by the wayside thanks to Pixar. Sure it has a girly little love story about a mermaid who wants to be human in order to be with her prince charming, but it also contains really dark Faustian themes like selling your soul (or voice) to the devil (sea witch) to get what you desire. And let's be honest, the musical numbers by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken are top-notch and unforgettable. Nothing puts a smile on my face like the "Under the Sea" sequence. Let's not forget that Ariel sparked in-depth discussions amongst pre-pubescent boys over the fact that she is only wearing shells to cover herself. Classy Disney! Classy, and I love it!

22. "Inception" (2010)- It's difficult for me to accept a newer film into my top 40. This film blew me away to such a great degree and on so many levels (no pun intended) that it has been given a place here. "Inception" is a wonderfully imaginative film about entering and manipulating one's dreams. Combine that premise with the style and swagger of a great Bond film and you have a winning formula. This "pet project" of Christopher Nolan's gives writer/directors like myself hope that someday I can turn a pet project into a well-crafted success. The explosive box office earnings of the film also give me some indication that the American movie-going public may not be as stupid as they oftentimes seem to be. That makes me happy.

21. "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" (2000)- The trailer for this film used to play continuously on a rotation in the lobby of the movie theater I was working at in 2000. In all of that time I never once grew tired of hearing the bluegrass tune of the Soggy Bottom Boys. This film is fantastic on so many different levels. It's strong southern flavoring made me proud to be from the south at a time when I was living in the north. The film is a dusty and almost cartoonish telling of Homer's "The Odyssey", an interpretation that Homer himself could've never imagined. The clever mythological interpretation mixed with old bluegrass music, comedy, and adventure make this film ridiculously entertaining and interesting. In college I found a paperback version of the Coen Brothers' script in the school library and read it from cover-to-cover in one sitting and found it just as entertaining as if I had I been watching the film.

20. "Jurassic Park" (1993)- You can probably start counting how many Spielberg films end up on this list now. I almost didn't get a chance to see this film when it came out in theaters because of my age. It's adapted from the Michael Crichton novel of the same name about an island where dinosaurs have been brought back into existence using fossilized DNA and the chaos that ensues as a result of "playing God". The film is an exciting and sometimes intense action/adventure featuring some of the first hyper-realistic CG animation ever done in cinema, blended seamlessly with animatronics from effects master Stan Winston. The dinosaurs are both terrifyingly believable and awesome. Suspense, cutting-edge special effects, and shock and awe all accompanied by a memorable score from John Williams. This film is definitely a classic adventure movie. It's also the first time I ever saw Samuel L. Jackson. "Hold on to yer butts!"

19. "Collateral" (2004)- It should come as no surprise that Tom Cruise is excellent in his portrayal of a psychopath. This film takes place over the course of one night during which hitman Vincent (Cruise) holds reluctant L.A. cab driver Max (Jaime Foxx) hostage, forcing Max to drive to various "hits" before Max finally reaches a breaking point. It's a dark and gritty action/thriller from director Michael Mann. One of the first major motion pictures to be shot in HD video, adding to the overall visceral and atmospheric feel of the film. Foxx delivers a fantastic and believable performance, making it easy to empathize and cheer for his character. Cruise is a stone-cold killer. One of the most genuinely exciting and suspenseful films I've seen. You don't fall asleep during a film like this.

18. "Aladdin" (1992)- Another Disney masterpiece released during the animation renaissance. My sister and I liked this film so much, we dragged our poor dad to the theater a total of 6-times to see it. It's the classic Arabian tale of a peasant who finds a lamp and is granted three wishes from a genie during which he finds romance with a princess and has to battle an evil sorcerer. Like "The Little Mermaid", the animation is stunning. One cannot forget the brilliant voice performance of Robin Williams as the Genie and of course the wonderfully catchy musical numbers by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken. It's just a great well-rounded animated film. My dad was relieved when the film finally exited theaters. His relief, however, was short-lived once my sis and I obtained a bootleg VHS copy of the film.

17. "Happy Gilmore" (1996)- This film is one of my favorite comedies of all time. The film follows rejected hockey player with an ironic name Happy (Adam Sandler) as he enters a golf tournament to save his beloved grandmother from eviction. The film has all of the elements I look for in a comedy. A relatively grounded story, goofiness that isn't too over-the-top, colorful characters that aren't overkill, and dozens of hilarious and quotable lines. Yes, it does tend to walk the line of ridiculous, but it doesn't quite reach that point, keeping it somewhat grounded in reality. There's nothing I hate more than unbelievably ludicrous comedy and characters that are complete overkill (ie. most Will Ferrell "comedies"). "Happy Gilmore" is balanced and that's why most people don't just like it, they LOVE it.

16. "The Secret of NIMH" (1982)- A somewhat overlooked masterpiece by renowned American animator Don Bluth. This film was Bluth's first outing as an independent filmmaker after quitting his work at Disney in the 70s. Based on the Robert C. O'Brien novel "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH", the film follows a widowed mouse who seeks the help of genetically engineered rats to help her relocate her family before it is destroyed by humans. "NIMH" can definitely be cited as the start of Bluth's wobbly walk between the kid-friendly and the darker more adult-themed (something he has continued to do throughout his career). When I saw this film as a child I was shocked to see blood and violence. These mice bleed, get stabbed, killed, etc... It shocks you as a viewer, yet has a sense of allure and intrigue behind it that stands out amongst even the most polished Disney fare. This isn't Saturday morning fluff and there are no musical numbers. It's dark and the peril is real. The characters just look cute.

15. "Aliens" (1986)- This is a relatively new film for me. "New you say?" Yes. The first time I saw this film was in 2009. I wasn't allowed anywhere near the "Alien" franchise growing up, and it's a good thing I wasn't considering the effect "RoboCop" had on me... So 23-years after the film's release I found myself blown away. James Cameron adds a louder, flashier, and more violent chapter to the "Alien" saga kicked-off by Ridley Scott in 1979. A group of future marines with Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) in-tow answer a distress call on a distant human colony only to be viciously attacked by the frightening alien creatures from the first film. It's a great sci-fi survival film with one of the most legendary ass-kicking female characters in cinema. "Aliens" also has a fantastic "you think it's over, but it's not over" ending climax. It rocks all around. It's disappointing that the "Alien" franchise has never been able to top or even match this film's greatness in the years that have followed.

14. "The Land Before Time" (1988)- Yes, this is the first film that came out long before the 200,000 straight-to-video sequels. In my mind, it's the only one that really exists. The film was produced by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg and was directed by Don Bluth following his success with "An American Tail". "The Land Before Time" is simply put, animation art. It is comprised of layer upon layer of detail and depth as well as some of the most organic and warm hand-drawn animation I have seen. In the film, a group of young dinosaurs band together to find their family after being displaced by a devastating earthquake. Like most of Bluth's work, the film is colorful and kid-friendly with dark and very adult elements at its core. Some elements were so dark, Spielberg requested that an entire sequence be cut from the final version of the film, much to Bluth's disdain. No musical numbers here. Just a wonderful score by James Horner. Because of its box office success, the "suits" in Hollywood found it necessary to create hundreds of brainless, heartless, sing-a-long sequels that aren't worth the cheap white DVD cases they're packaged in. Of course this film will always stand out as a beautiful example of the finest in American traditional animation.

13. "Gladiator" (2000)- Ridley Scott's epic sword and sandal masterpiece. The story of Maximus (Russell Crowe), a respected general for the Roman Empire who is cast out and who's family is murdered under the orders of the psychopathic Emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). Maximus fights as a gladiator in order to work his way back into Rome and exact his revenge. If the opening battle between the Romans and the tribes of Germania doesn't get you into this film, I really don't know what will. Historical action and excitement combined with breathtaking set pieces and a punishing score by Hans Zimmer make this film seriously epic. You genuinely want to hate Phoenix's Commodus and hope he gets a good death, not only for Crowe's Maximus, but for you as an audience member. It's all very exciting!

12. "Saving Private Ryan" (1998)- Another historical epic, this time from Steven Spielberg. A company of American soldiers led by Captain Miller (Tom Hanks) trek across war torn Europe to find Private Ryan (Matt Damon), the last surviving of his brothers, and bring him home. The film opens with one of the most visceral and heart-stopping "war is hell" sequences I've ever seen. The shaky and bleached-out cinematography of Janusz Kaminski, combined with an overload of sound effects gives you a seriously raw feeling of what it would've been like as a soldier during World War II. The entire film is engaging and leaves you with an appreciation for what those who served during WWII had gone through.

11. "Mission: Impossible" (1996)- Tom Cruise again?! What can I say, he's been in some good movies. This film is Brian De Palma's Hollywood adaptation of the popular 1960s spy series of the same name. IMF agent Ethan Hunt (Cruise) is falsely accused of disloyalty and must discover and expose the real spy without the help of his organization. Unlike the sequels, "Mission: Impossible" is a smart and entertaining spy film. One of the best in its genre in my opinion. It's not an effects extravaganza with off-the-wall action from beginning to end. While it is secret agent fantasy, it's grounded enough in reality to be believable, even if it has one of the greatest ending action sequences ever involving a helicopter, some rope, and a bullet train. "Red light! Green light!"

10. "Star Trek: First Contact" (1996)- As I mentioned earlier, there was a time when I was a rabid "Star Trek" fan. This film came out during the height of my fandom. Even though I have been "Trek" sober since 1998, this film still stands out as an amazing piece of dark sci-fi adventure. I remember anticipating its release like an absolute crazy person. Fortunately it didn't disappoint. The Enterprise crew from "Star Trek: The Next Generation" travel through time to battle the Borg (who are basically twisted cybernetic zombies) in order to save Earth and history from being assimilated. It's one of the darkest in the "Trek" film franchise and one of the most entertaining. It's a very solid story that only serves to fulfill without ever dragging along the way. You get epic space battles, horror, action, humor, drama, you name it! You even get to see Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) step into a 1940s holodeck simulation and kill Borg drones with a Tommy gun. Yes! All of this excitement is accompanied by an epic and beautiful score from the late Jerry Goldsmith. Even non "Trek" fans can appreciate the awesomeness of this film. It rocks hard!

9. "GoldenEye" (1995)- Years before the groundbreaking Nintendo 64 game, there was the film from which it was based. This film was Pierce Brosnan's first outing as James Bond, as well as the first Bond movie I ever saw. In it, Bond has to stop an old colleague (Sean Bean) from using an electromagnetic satellite as a weapon against Western civilization. "GoldenEye" was my first taste of not only 007, but the spy/action genre in-general. I was immediately enamored by the action/adventure, romance, exotic locations, and secret agent swagger of the film. It's definitely one of the more satisfying and complete Bond movie experiences, despite the slightly disconcerting musical score from Eric Serra. It was the first Bond film directed by Martin Campbell, who would go on to direct the aforementioned "Casino Royale". Campbell has proven that he definitely knows how to handle a Bond movie.

8. "The Dark Knight" (2008)- A newer film in my top 10?! Yes, I know. It's worthy though. Assuming the upcoming "Dark Knight Rises" is as amazing as its two predecessors, I will probably group Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy together as one. Batman has been my favorite comic book character ever since I was a child, so naturally I would have high expectations for any media connected to him. I hadn't been as excited about a film coming out since... "Star Trek: First Contact". And like "First Contact" I was not disappointed. The story, the technical craftsmanship, the performances... While certainly no film is perfect, this one is as close as it gets. It's Batman (Christian Bale) facing off against his arch-nemesis the Joker (Heath Ledger) as the Joker throws Gotham City into anarchy and chaos. I was absolutely mesmerized by Ledger's performance as an inconsistent nihilistic madman. Watching the film was like being on a ride. I was never certain what was going to happen next to the point where I began to get nervous while watching. It's the kind of film that made me want to be a better filmmaker and performer. Aside from Bale's overblown guttural Batman voice, "The Dark Knight" is an example of what great modern cinema should be.

7. "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (1977)- Hello again, Mr. Spielberg! I first saw this film on HBO when I was around the age of four. Watching it was honestly the first time I remember being awestruck by the magic and power of movies. I couldn't follow the story at the time, but I'll never forget the way the film made me feel. After having a "close encounter" with alien life, Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) and a group of others obsessively search to find answers. In the process, Neary leaves his family behind and travels to Devil's Tower, Wyoming where first contact is made. This film is one of the only films that Steven Spielberg had actually written himself, the basic premise inspired by a film he did in high school called "Firelight". Yes, the film is paced rather slow and drags in a lot of places, but it was the 70s. Attention spans were longer back then. All of the madness and the mystery leads up to one final climax at the base of the oddly shaped Devil's Tower mountain where the alien mothership descends and has an epic musical face-off with government scientists. I'm not entirely sure what it is, but I still get goosebumps when I watch that scene. I sometimes wonder if I would've ever been intrigued about movies enough to enter the industry had I not seen this film as a small child.

6. "Back to the Future" Trilogy (1985-1990)- I hesitate to group this entire trilogy together just because I'm not fond of the third installment, but whatever. First of all, the plot: An 80s teen (Michael J. Fox) with the help of an eccentric scientist (Christopher Lloyd), goes back-in-time to the 1950s where he accidentally meets his mother (Lea Thompson) as a teenager, subsequently leading her to fall in-love with him, threatening his very existence. Just the creative and whimsical madness of the plot alone makes this film awesome. The second film was just as great, giving the audience a glimpse of an 80s-style future and a revisiting of the events from the first film, including an alternate timeline. If we don't have flying cars by 2015, I'm going to be very disappointed! It's colorful fantasy adventure like this that I feel is missing from movies today. There are no great comedic villains like Biff Tannen (Thomas F. Wilson) anymore. Director/Co-Writer Robert Zemeckis was at the top of his game with these films. No time traveling film since "Back to the Future" has been able to duplicate or even come close to the greatness of this franchise. Is it weird that one of my dream cars is a DeLorean? No.

While most of my top 40 may shuffle around over time, my top 5 have remained fairly concrete over the years. These are the films that I love and cherish very deeply and that have influenced me to a great degree as both an artist and a filmmaker.

5. "The Nightmare Before Christmas" (1993)- With "Edward Scissorhands" I mentioned that I am a fan of Tim Burton as an artist more so than as a filmmaker. This film is the artistic vision of Burton come to life. Although Henry Selick was the director, the entire film was visually conceptualized by Burton as well as its story elements while Burton was working for Disney in the early 80s. Selick was essentially taking what was inside of Burton's head and putting it on-screen. Jack Skellington (voiced by Chris Sarandon/Danny Elfman), the king of Halloweentown, decides to put his own twist on Christmas which has nightmarish consequences. For someone who very much enjoys the atmosphere and the imagery of Halloween, this film is the holy grail. From Danny Elfman's eccentric music to the groundbreaking stop-motion animation, the film stands alone as a wonderful piece of entertaining visual art. And while it only had modest box office returns, it's influence and cult status have subsequently entered the public consciousness at-large. It isn't easy to bring your inner-most artistic visions to life. Selick/Burton have done this and I strive to do the same in my own work.

4. "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" (1988)- Director Robert Zemeckis was still on a roll following "Back to the Future" with this film. Produced by Steven Spielberg (no way!), this film is a loose adaptation of the Gary K. Wolf novel "Who Censored Roger Rabbit?". The film is about Roger Rabbit (voiced by Charles Fleischer), a cartoon star in 1940s Hollywood that is framed for murder and must rely on alcoholic detective Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins) to unravel a conspiracy and clear his name. I feel fortunate to have witnessed such a creative film in the theaters when I was five. It was the first time a feature-length film had been created that almost seamlessly blended live-action with traditional cel animation, years before computer assistance was possible. In the world of this film, cartoon characters are real and live side-by-side with humans. It's the only time in cinema history that you will see Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny alongside one another, not to mention a piano duel between Donald Duck and Daffy Duck. All of these goofy and colorful elements are combined with the class and style of a film noir from Hollywood's Golden Age. As a child, I enjoyed how colorful and imaginative the film is. As an adult, I came to understand that the film is peppered with clever sexual innuendo and other adult humor. This goes to show that it can be enjoyed by both children and adults, allowing it to withstand the test of time. A true classic!

3. "An American Tail" (1986)- To me, this is the greatest animated film ever made. Don Bluth was asked by Steven Spielberg (again!) to helm this film after Spielberg had seen his work with animated mice in "The Secret of NIMH". It's the story of Russian-born mouse Fievel Mousekewitz (voiced by Phillip Glasser) who is separated from his family as they immigrate to America to escape cats at the end of the 19th century. Fievel must journey the dangerous streets of New York in the hopes of being reunited with his family. I had seen this film in the theater when I was four. After seeing it, I became obsessed with it and tried very hard to draw Fievel and all of the characters from the film on my own using only a crayon and some notebook paper. Because of that, I credit this film with heavily influencing my current drawing style. The animation is top-notch and filled with beautifully painted backgrounds of Victorian-era New York accompanied by a great score from James Horner. As is a signature in Bluth's work, "An American Tail" is a family film with dark undercurrents. The cats in-particular are depicted in a manner that could potentially scar small children for life. I have a very deep love for this film and will still watch it today with as much enthusiasm as I did when I was kid. In 2011, I purchased an original animation cel of Fievel that was used in the film and now hangs framed in my office.

2. "Indiana Jones" Trilogy (1981-1989)- Again, I'm grouping an entire trilogy into one. We'll go ahead and disregard the fourth film. Steven Spielberg, a big 007 fan, had always wanted to direct a Bond film. To his displeasure, Bond film exec Albert R. Broccoli had rejected his bid to do a Bond film. Fortunately Spielberg's buddy George Lucas had created a character that he deemed was "better" than James Bond. That character was Indiana Jones. The rest, as they say, is history. Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) is by far one of the greatest and most iconic characters in cinema. He's a college professor who often takes extended absences to travel the world looking for legendary artifacts while getting into action-packed scuffles with tribal folk, Nazis, and sometimes the supernatural. And of course somewhere in-between he always gets the beautiful girl. It's wildly entertaining and over-the-top action/adventure that makes archeology look like the most exciting career choice on the planet. Ford's grumpy yet charming characterization of Jones makes the character very likable which is undoubtedly why he remains one of the most iconic hero figures. I can watch all three of these films back-to-back and never tire of the adventure and excitement. These films are true classics. In another life I would've definitely been an archeologist, but not nearly as cool as Dr. Jones.

1. "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial" (1982)- And we have finally arrived! Steven Spielberg has made a number of iconic films in his career, but "E.T." will always stand out as the film that defined him as a director and catapulted him into being a household name. The script was a first draft written by Melissa Mathison, after having story discussions with Spielberg. It's the story of Elliott (Henry Thomas), a lonely boy who befriends an alien that has been stranded on Earth. When I was growing up, my family had a VHS copy of the film that me and my sister would watch repeatedly and get lost in all of its magic and wonder. It is one of the few films that I get goosebumps from just speaking about. "E.T." is an amazing and imaginative film that even after watching it hundreds of times, will still grab your heart in a merciless grip. It's the kind of film that makes you honestly wonder whether or not its detractors actually have souls. Ordinary characters placed in extraordinary circumstances is a theme that has pervaded most of the films in my top 10, this one more so than others. As a child, I wanted to believe that I could befriend life from another planet and experience the same adventure as Elliott did. I will always watch "E.T." with a profound fondness and childlike excitement the likes of which I don't fully understand. It reminds me of my childhood and that movies have the power to literally reach into our spirits and touch us with a tremendous and lasting effect. Just listening to the iconic score from John Williams is enough to transport me into the world of this film. It has been my goal with anything that I create, whether it be film or otherwise, to reach the viewer on a deep and very personal level and leave them with an impression they will take with them forever, much like this film has done for me. For me, "E.T." will always be one of the greatest films ever made.

And there it is ladies and gentlemen! My all time top 40! Take it or leave it, these are the films that I love! You like how my rundown of each film seemed to get progressively longer the further down the list? Couldn't help but to gush more the closer I got to #1.

Make your own list!

"HEAR ME NOW" Trailer

2011-11-25T18:02:00.004-06:00

So the trailer for my upcoming school bullying documentary "Hear Me Now" is finally out! Please be sure to spread this around to everyone you know! Let's raise awareness!

When It Happened

2011-09-11T15:31:00.007-05:00

Being the 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks today, a lot of people are discussing where they were and what they were doing when it all happened. Traditionally I have chosen not to speak in great detail about such a tragedy because I feel as though we have to move forward and live our lives to the fullest. Dwelling on a horrific moment from the past is no way to go about life. But since it is the 10th year anniversary, I figured I would share something. When the attacks took place, I happened to be in the midst of keeping a journal. It was my first semester at college and I had just moved to Nashville, TN, living in an apartment by myself. Here is my unedited journal entry from Tuesday, September 11, 2001:

"My alarm went off at 8:30, but I of course didn’t move from the bed until 9:00. I dragged myself out of bed and turned on the TV as I usually do. I turned to the news since MTV was playing rap videos. Immediately I saw a helicopter shot of one of the World Trade Towers with a large fiery hole in it. I wasn’t going to hit the shower until I figured out what had happened. Apparently a plane had accidentally crashed into the tower. Wow! While the news anchors were talking about the crash, I saw a large airliner fly straight into the middle of the other World Trade Tower. I was shocked, as were the news anchors. It became obvious that this was a terrorist attack. I couldn’t believe what I just saw unfold on live television. I decided to quickly go take my shower. After I got out of the shower, the World Trade Towers were smoking heavily. As I was pouring a bowl of cereal, breaking news was mentioned that the Pentagon had been struck by another airliner. At this point I felt numb. My knees were actually quivering. It’s strange enough to wake up and see an airliner crash into a World Trade Tower on live TV, but the Pentagon under attack? I was almost in disbelief until they showed the cloud of smoke rising from the Pentagon in Washington D.C. I’d been down by the Pentagon before on the 8^th grade D.C. trip I went on. I felt nervous and shocked. The defense center of our powerful country was attacked. The news began talking about everyone evacuating the World Trade Towers, the Pentagon, and the White House. I couldn’t eat my breakfast. It seemed like the country was falling apart and being destroyed right in front of my eyes. I’ve never felt so upset and insecure about my safety and the nation’s safety in my entire life. I felt shivers while the news developed. While the news anchors were talking, one of the World Trade Towers collapsed. Soon after, the other tower collapsed. I threw my Pop-Tart away because I immediately lost my appetite. I’ve never been to New York City, but I always see the 2 large towers in the downtown area. They are just something you associate with the image of New York City. Now they were nothing, but clouds of smoke. The whole event was incredibly mind-numbing to me. What was happening to our country?

I was forced to leave for class at 9:30. On the way to class I listened to the news on the radio. I still felt light-headed and numb. A plane flew low over my car. My heart raced for a quick moment. Every airport in the country was being shut down. While waiting for the teacher to arrive at my Elements of Film Lab, me and some other film dept. guys discussed the terror in the news. I was the only one of the group that saw the second plane collision on live television. When the lab started, our teacher told us that she had 3 good friends that worked in the World Trade Center. She was almost in tears. We turned on the radio and discussed the event during the entire 3-hour lab. Later, our teacher learned that one of her NYC friends stayed home with a migraine headache today. What an act of God for that person! My English Comp. teacher was too shocked to speak on the American disaster. We got out of class early, so I was heading home at around 3:15. I wanted to get home and watch "TRL" to see if they were still operating out of their Times Square studio despite the World Trade Center destruction.

I had 2 messages on my answering machine when I entered my apartment. I immediately turned on the TV. MTV was replaced by the face of Dan Rather of CBS News. I haven’t seen good ‘ol Dan since I was in Minnesota. For some odd reason, CBS is fuzzy on my TV. I can never get Dan. I flipped between Dan and CNN throughout the day. I checked the messages on my machine. The first one was from Nana, asking how I was doing. The second one was from Dad, also asking how I was doing. The mindset set-in that America has been emotionally affected at a wide scale from this tragedy. On the news they were showing footage of innocent people running from a large cloud of debris when the towers collapsed. The aftermath was a horrible sight. A section of downtown NYC had been obliterated. Dan put on a home video tape that showed the second airliner hitting the other tower from a different angle. CBS had not edited the sounds on the home video. People were yelling the “F” word and some other explicit language as the tower was hit. Women were screaming and crying. At that moment I began to feel extreme rage. The news mentioned that thousands of people had lost their lives. That number was more than I could comprehend. Dad called and we discussed the tragedy. After we hung up, I watched the news literally until midnight. I was almost brought to tears when the members of congress spontaneously began singing “God Bless America” together on the steps of the Capitol Building. I can’t believe this happened in our country. It hurt to watch the images of the devastation over and over again. People screaming, crying, cussing. I was broken inside and filled with fury and anger. I haven’t felt this bad about an event since the Columbine shooting about 2-years ago. It was so movie-like it was unbelievable. What are we going to do? What has happened to our great nation? I’m tired of this horror and violence. I want to see peace and love and coexistence. I can’t escape the reality of this great tragedy. Why can’t love shine over the entire world? Why must innocent people die? I was also almost brought to tears when Dan told of a man and women that jumped from the high floors of one of the towers, hand-in-hand. Why does this happen? Where is a world where love and peace exist? When will hate be ultimately defeated? I want to be safe. I want to be held tightly by a loved one. I don’t want this to happen anymore. I am ill from this. When I tried to call back Nana, I got a busy signal from my AT&T calling card number. This was the first direct physical effect of the devastation coming to me. When my calling card is tied up, that means that many others are calling to check on loved ones during this disaster. I was one of them. Eventually I got through to Granddaddy. He was upset by the attack, as he should be. I spoke to him for a while and then called Mom and Mike and talked to them for a while. My heart was held back over-the-phone. I was feeling so much pain inside, but I tried to block it and talk with my Mom. After I hung up, I fell silent. I kept the TV muted. I am upset and shocked. This will be a day I will never forget for as long as I live. When will there be safety, peace, and love?"

--Me (September 11, 2001)

In my entry for the following day I mentioned that I couldn't sleep that night because I could hear sirens and people screaming and crying in my head... I eventually visited New York City for the first time back in April of 2010. It is by far one of the most amazing places I have ever been. In the week I was there, no one ever spoke of 9/11. The over-priced NYC-themed merchandise in Times Square was a reflection of post-9/11 New York. There were no photos, artwork, or anything relating to the World Trade Center to be found. These people have obviously done their best to move on from those events. In the bedroom of the Manhattan apartment I was staying in was a black & white photo of the NYC skyline from the 1980s. It was the only image of the twin towers I had seen while there. At that moment a part of me was saddened that I never got a chance to see them in real life.

I still wish for what I had said about there being a world with peace and love. One of the many sad things to take place in the wake following the attack has been a hatred and intolerance for those of the Islamic faith. How on this great Earth do we ever expect to prevent tragedies such as the one on 9/11 if we continue to display hatred towards one another. Like it or not, we all share this wonderful planet and should do our best to co-exist with one another. Mahatma Gandhi said it best:

"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind."

Say a prayer for all of those who lost loved ones on that day.

A photo I took from Central Park.

"The Story of B.C. Films" Part-7

2011-07-17T22:09:00.001-05:00

If you missed it on June 29th, here is the final part of "The Story of B.C. Films"!

Totally Awesome Trailers

2011-06-22T20:13:00.005-05:00

Movie trailers have one function and that is to promote a movie. Rarely it seems does a trailer come along that stands on an entirely different level, almost independent of the film it's promoting. It's when a trailer becomes more than just a piece of advertising and becomes its own tiny piece of art. There are two such trailers that I can think of.

The first is the teaser trailer for the 2009 film "Watchmen".

This trailer is cut so well and crafted so cohesively with the song "The Beginning is the End is the Beginning" (a Smashing Pumpkins b-side), that you forget that it's simply there to function as an advertisement. Even Billy Corgan of the Pumpkins stated that his song worked magnificently with the trailer. After seeing this trailer I immediately bought the song on iTunes and purchased the "Watchmen" graphic novel from which the film is based. Please note that I never purchase books. To me, this trailer is far superior to the film itself.

The second is the new teaser trailer for David Fincher's "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo", based on the Swedish novel of the same name.

This trailer is a beautiful example of images cut to music (Trent Reznor/Karen O cover of Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song"). This form of editing can't help but illicit a deep response within the brain. You don't forget a trailer like this. The images and music are literally married to one another. I love it!

Sometimes I wish every movie trailer was as well done as the two above, but then gems like these wouldn't stand out in the way that they do.

"The Story of B.C. Films" Part-6

2011-06-16T17:29:00.001-05:00

Behold! PART-6 of the B.C. Films web documentary! PART-7 (the final part) will be out on the B.C. Films 20th anniversary of June 29th!

"The Story of B.C. Films" Part-5

2011-06-01T21:24:00.002-05:00

Here's PART-5 of the B.C. Films web documentary! PARTS 6 & 7 will be both be out this month to celebrate 20-years on June 29th!

"The Story of B.C. Films" Part-4

2011-05-26T23:02:00.004-05:00

Here's PART-4 of the B.C. Films web documentary! PART-5 will be out in a few days!

Generations

2011-04-23T20:45:00.013-05:00

When I've had some free time recently (usually around 2am) I have been doing some research on my family's history. Doing so has unlocked past moments in time and newfound appreciation for the people that have paved the way for my existence. In Asian countries such as Japan, having a spiritual respect and appreciation for your ancestors is part of the culture. I recommend that everyone seek to uncover and understand their own family history. We as Americans tend to ignore our descendants and take for granted our American citizenship, ignorant of the trials our families had gone through in immigrating here. After all, you have DNA from your descendants inside of you that you will pass on to your children and further down for generations to come whether you like it or not. You owe it to yourself and your descendants to find out who these people were.

My great aunt Bobbie Robertson (the baby girl in the above picture) had spent a great deal of her life researching my mom's end of the family tree. It wasn't incredibly difficult for her since my maternal grandmother's family had a long history of consistent family record-keeping. They also enjoyed being photographed, even in the early days of photography in the 1800s. When I was in high school she would often share her findings with me, knowing of my curiosity.

I'm a direct descendant of William Robertson of the Scottish Clan Donnachaidh. William had fought with the Jacobites against the ruling English House Hanover in the 1740s. They ultimately lost the battle and as punishment, House Hanover broke up most of the Scottish clans and forced them into hard labor. William, however, escaped on a ship bound for America. His descendants eventually settled in Owensboro, Kentucky and have been there ever since.

My great aunt Bobbie passed away in 2004, leaving behind a large amount of research. She had done all of the work for my mom's side. Nobody it seems had extensively researched my dad's side of the tree...

... until now!

It's common knowledge in my dad's family that my grandfather Cornelius and his younger brother William Burton Cornelius fought in World War II. My grandfather led a group of men across Europe, even coming upon a Nazi concentration camp that had been abandoned as Germany was about to surrender. He didn't speak a great deal to my dad about his war experience and for good reason I presume. He died when I was 8, so I never really got a chance to ask him anything myself. His brother William was flying a bomber when he was shot down by the Japanese somewhere over the Pacific near New Guinea. His body was never recovered. His name is inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines. My dad is in possession of a trunk filled with his belongings (including a letter from President Harry Truman) that was shipped to my great grandmother after he was reported dead. This is the most family history my dad's family seems to possess.

Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines

Through the wonder that is the internet, I was successfully able to uncover pieces of my dad's family that even he wasn't aware existed! I signed-up for a free trial with Ancestry.com. During the trial I combed through census, birth/death, and military records trying to find any information that I could on the Cornelius family. I happened upon my great-great grandfather William Cornelius (my name too!). William was just 18 when he enlisted in the 8th Kentucky Infantry of the Union Army during the American Civil War. I found pictures of his muster roll and enlistment records, including a form that gave his physical description!

Upon further research, I found that he was given the option to return home after the 8th Ky Infantry was dissolved. He decided to re-enlist and continue fighting, this time with 4th Kentucky. At the age of 20, he entered decisive battles like the bloody Battle of Franklin, Battle of Nashville, and Wilson's Raid in Georgia and Alabama. The war ended not long after and he returned home to Kentucky where he settled down and started a family (that included my great grandfather). During his battles with 4th Ky, he took on the forces of the infamous Confederate general Nathan Bedford Forrest, who is considered the founder of the Klu Klux Klan. In all of these battles Forrest was defeated and William Cornelius was there to watch him retreat/surrender. Now when I pass Forrest's goofy statue on I-65 in Nashville, I laugh to myself knowing of his defeat at the hands of the men my great-great grandfather fought with.

I won't bore you with stories about my ancestors such as the fact that one of my direct descendants settled at the Massachusetts Bay Colony from the English ship the Arabella in 1630, or that one of my ancestors was part of a clan plot to assassinate King James I, or that one of my ancestors fought at the Alamo... You can research your own family and find out what interesting things they did.

Looking at all of this family history has put things in perspective for me. I am an American today because my family chose to leave Europe over political/religious dissatisfaction over 200-years ago. I am descended from men who were courageous soldiers during times of war, fighting for the freedom I enjoy today. I am ultimately my own man that will make my own place in history, but I carry a part of all of these men and women that have come before me. I can do nothing but offer my thanks and appreciation to them. Someday, my children will learn about them too.

NOTE: The picture at the very top of the blog is a piece of art I was inspired to do during my research. It's of me and the generations of men that came before me. It was done as a sort of tribute.

"The Story of B.C. Films" Part-3

2011-04-22T14:51:00.001-05:00

Here's PART-3 of the B.C. Films web documentary! ENJOY!!!

"The Story of B.C. Films" Part-2

2011-03-02T07:04:00.002-06:00

Here's PART-2 of the B.C. Films web documentary! You'll learn about the "Jail Cells and Robots" franchise, my early 90s video blogging, and more!!!

New Public Facebook Page

2011-02-16T02:38:00.003-06:00

So I've got a new public filmmaker/artist Facebook page up now for everyone to enjoy!

Its creation was influenced by the fact that a lot of people I don't know that had the desire to network with me or just enjoy my work were adding my personal profile on the FB. Since it is in fact my personal profile, I found it necessary to make a more public page to give the would-be networkers and fans a nice open forum to go to. I really appreciate all of the people that have shown an interest in my work as of late! I do my work to share with you!

Even if you do know me personally and have already added my personal profile, you should still hop over to this one! There are funtimes to be had there and perhaps even cake!

Peace, love, and awesomeness!

--Bill

"Hear Me Now"

2011-01-17T21:49:00.009-06:00

For those who don't know, I have had a lot of personal experience when it comes to school bullying. During the earlier part of my schooling I actually was a bully, taking pleasure in getting a good laugh at someone else's expense. As I moved to a new town by middle school, I became a victim of bullying myself. So much so, that I fell into a deep depression that I battled for a number of years. Seeing the Columbine tragedy unfold on TV at 15 was a very emotional experience for me. Ever since then, I have had the desire to help those that are dealing with bullying like I once did and prevent future violence. I never really knew how I would go about helping since I've been a bit shy and reluctant about the darkness of the whole matter in my own life. I first tackled the subject in my short film 'Lavorsia', so I figured maybe narrative film may be my best route for reaching out and helping others.

Then I started working with experienced "documentarian" Zac Adams. During the production of our upcoming documentary about the 2010 Nashville flood 'Nashville Rises', Zac suggested to me the prospect of making a documentary about bullying. The light bulb immediately went off! I don't know why I hadn't thought of that before! I guess sometimes the right path can be right under your nose, you just need someone to point it out. So that's what is happening now. I'm heading up a documentary about the harsh realities of bullying and what can be done to help curb it, along with producing assistance from Mr. Adams. I want to make the quintessential bullying documentary that is done candidly and truthfully. This isn't being made by child counselors, professors of behavior or psychology, or any institution. It's being made by the people who were there, dealt with it first hand, and survived to talk about it! The personal experiences of me and others will hopefully inject this project with an unmistakable passion and truthfulness. We want to effectively raise awareness and inspire with this production. We want to save lives! The points we hope to cover are as follows:

-- What is bullying? (examples, etc...)

-- What are the possible effects of bullying? (depression, suicide, school shootings, etc...)

-- What are the motives of the bullies? (attention, domestic problems, insecurity, etc...)

-- What is being done about bullying?

-- Pro-active ideas on how to combat bullying and help students who are bullied.

All of these things will be addressed through testimonials from former bullied people/bullies, teachers, counselors, parents, celebrities, etc... All will be inner-cut with raw and visceral reenactments that display the real and harsh reality of what goes on. In contrast to the darkness that will be depicted, we will also share stories of triumph over the odds and a clear message that there is in fact a light at the end of the tunnel and that there are positive things being done! The doc will be made with the target audience in-mind, that being young people as well as school administrators and parents. Most importantly young people. This film is ultimately for them. The documentary will be released nationwide and hopefully be viewed in schools and homes everywhere!

We want to get this project off of the ground as soon as possible, but we need help. There is no budget currently attached to the project. Crew will be on a volunteer basis, knowing that they will be assisting with a noteworthy cause. The only budget we would need would be travel expenses. This is a national issue, not just local. We have to travel to get all of the stories we can. We're also looking for people that can speak on-camera (ie. former bullies/bullied, counselors, teachers, parents, celebs, etc...). If you would like to help in any way with this documentary please contact me at: bcornelius@lavorsia.com

I hope we can help a lot of people! We may not stop bullying altogether, but we may at least succeed in saving some of the victims of bullying before they potentially hurt themselves or someone else and give them hope for the future and the notion that they are loved whether they believe it or not. THANKS!

--Bill

UPDATE: As of March 3, 2011, this documentary has a title. "HEAR ME NOW"!

20-Years of Filmmaking

2011-01-15T20:10:00.004-06:00

It's really wild to consider that this year will mark 20-years of filmmaking for me... I have been after this for 20-YEARS! The only reason things haven't taken off in my career to an enormous degree before now is because of a little demon called fear. Now that I've reached this ridiculous 20-year mark, I can't help but to consider that now more than ever fear should be relinquished and I should soar as high as humanly capable in the arts and entertainment. I will no longer be fearful! There will always be both lovers and supporters/detractors and haters. Nothing has stopped me in 20-years and nothing will stop me in the future! Cheers to 20-years and the beginning of an EXPLOSION of things to come!!! I'm just getting warmed up.......

To celebrate this long-standing filmmaking pursuit, I've put together a 7-part web documentary about the history of B.C. Films (the spiritual father and predecessor of Lavorsia Pictures). Each month will feature a new part of the documentary until June 29th when B.C. Films officially turns 20 and Lavorsia Pictures turns 6! Below is Part-1. Enjoy!

Light & Dark

2010-09-20T18:34:00.017-05:00

First off, unlike my "Anti-Depressant" blog where there was some confusion about whether or not the crude artwork was a depiction me, the picture above IS actually a depiction of me, albeit a light and dark side.

Every human being young or old, male or female has both a light and dark side. If anyone thinks my mention of "dark side" is in relationship to "Star Wars", you should be ashamed of yourself... Unlike cultural depictions such as in "Star Wars", the dark side is not necessarily a bad side. Carl Jung referred to what I'm talking about by calling it the "Shadow Side". While I'm not completely speaking about Jung's shadow side, I'm kind of in a similar area. The dark side is the side of all of us where the things we are most passionate about and unrestrained about exist. It is also the side that is often suppressed due to a fear of judgment from those in society. The dark side is emotional and highly imaginative. Strong emotions such as love and compassion can exist on the dark side, so really it isn't a bad thing right? Jung says that the shadow side often manifests itself in dreams as a locked away section of the subconscious. Of course with any strong and unrestrained emotions you can have some negatives like hate, but that is all based on how you chose to handle your emotions. While attending an art college, I found that a lot of the students there seemed to prefer the dark side 24/7. They were very emotional and sometimes strangely unique people who had no fear of society and the judgment it could bring.

On the opposite end is the light side. The light side typically feels safe from judgment and is generally of a more conformist nature. It is a side that is very restrained. People that are fully engulfed with this side wouldn't stand out in a crowd or seem to boast any unique quality. They would never be judged or criticized for anything.

I've found that it is healthy to have an even immersion in both sides. A lot of people live their lives completely unaware of such things. If you are a creative person like myself, you are more likely to establish an awareness of these two sides at some point.

I had spent a large portion of my life suppressing my dark side. I kept a safe and judgment-free existence on the light side, especially after having dealt with a great deal of bullying and judgment while in middle school. Because of such an imbalance, I felt an unidentified void inside of me for a long time. I would go to high school with my neatly combed and conformed hair, wearing my khaki pants and monochrome polo shirt, devoid of any outward expression for fear of judgment. I didn't stand out, yet I didn't belong. I was completely and absolutely invisible. When I would go home and into the privacy of my room, I would listen to music and lose myself in dark and passionate imagination. My musical tastes at the time were very telling about my suppressed dark side. I favored a lot of electronic alternative and industrial rock from a notably darker end of the musical spectrum. I had a little goth/emo kid inside of me that wasn't getting any attention, but I would've never taken the chance and let that part of me out back then.

It wasn't until my 3rd year of college that my dark side was forced out (and I'm thankful that it was). Like so many of us, I had a particularly painful experience with a young lady. So painful that it called up some of my deepest set emotions. Since the dark side stays immersed in emotion, that part of me surfaced and it showed in a large portion of my artwork at the time. My art was wildly imaginative, emotional, and completely unrestrained. The following year I shot my film "Lavorsia", which was a film with a story that came from a deep pocket of my dark side. It subsequently won numerous awards and acclaim. It was a very liberating time for me. In my opinion, it was a time when some of my best artwork was done and with the most unmistakable passion. Below are some examples of the art I cranked out at that time:

These days I try to keep a healthy balance of dark and light. You won't see me walking around in khakis with neatly combed hair anymore, but you won't see me wearing all black and "guy-liner" either. I stay neutral. And yes, in my experience the side you typically align yourself with DOES show in outward appearance believe-it-or-not, although not necessarily deliberate. Your grandmother may seem like she only enjoys cute fluffy bunnies, sunshine, and rainbows, but beneath the surface there is undoubtedly a more dark and whimsical passion wanting to get out and express to the world! We've all got it. Embrace it!

NOTE: If you want to see a wonderful example of a human being's dance between their light and dark side, watch Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins". Overall, the character of Batman embodies the inner light and dark concept.

5-Years of Work for YOU!

2010-09-19T00:38:00.004-05:00

In the next month I'm releasing a DVD collection of short films, music videos, and animation that I have been involved with as a writer, director, or both in the last 5-years. Working in production professionally has been a very brutal uphill battle since I graduated from college in 2005. Many bridges have been built and networks made, and many bridges have burned. I've worked with the good and the bad and have had my share of personal self-reflecting to do as well. Everything you do is a learning experience be it good or bad. I'm excited to share with everyone all of this work spanning from 2005 to 2010. A lot of what will be contained on this DVD would not have become what it did had it not been for a lot of amazing people that have worked with me through thick and thin and have given me an opportunity to do something fun and creative. A lot of blood, sweat, and tears have allowed this collection to exist. This collection is a gift for the people and a symbol representing the end of an era and the beginning of a new and exciting chapter in my career. I hope the works on this DVD are enjoyed! And it's FREE!

Included on the DVD will be:

SHORT FILMS:
"Lavorsia"
"My Computer"
"A Little Christmas"
"Seize"
"Slumber's Kiss" (brand new!)

MUSIC VIDEOS:
"Bayou Baby", Karen Waldrup
"Mr. Optimist", The Opposed
"Play That Song", Karen Waldrup
"Jemboy", Samantha Newark

ANIMATION:
"Donaraphaello's Italian Cuisine"
"Furusato"
"Anti-Smoking PSA-1 & 2"
Unfinished "Red's Revenge" Prologue
8-Bit "Slumber's Kiss" Promo

Unfortunately I couldn't fit everything on the DVD and was forced to leave off a small handful of work, but this ultimately represents the best!

Anti-Depressant

2010-07-11T21:08:00.020-05:00

Fourth blog in 4-days! I'm on a roll! That's what happens when you neglect your blog for over a year, then suddenly have stuff to talk about. Ever been depressed or stressed out? Of course you have, unless you aren't a sentient living creature. Everyone gets the blues and overly stressed-out at one point or another, especially in a fast-paced, workaholic American society. Everyone also has their own ways of dealing with such things. Some bad, some good, some questionable... Until recently it's been very difficult for me to find my own method of de-stressing or pick-me-up. Some of the more popular ways people try and defeat stress and depression are as follows:

EXERCISE: A lot of people exercise after a stressful work day or after receiving bad news, etc... This has never worked for me personally as I never exercise, even when I'm not upset. Exercise just makes me feel defeated and in serious pain. It may not work for me, but it works for a lot of people out there. When I visited New York City, I noticed the hundreds of people jogging, biking, etc... in Central Park, undoubtedly attempting to exercise-away the stresses of life in a large and fast-paced metropolitan environment.

LISTENING TO MUSIC: This form of de-stressing actually has worked for me in the past, but not as well as it does for others. There's nothing like coming home from a hard day at work and listening to your favorite tunes. Blasting some more heavy music can a lot of times defuse internal anger, at least for me it does. Chill music can also have the same effect.

DOING ART: Believe it or not, this has never worked for me. Doing art can be anything from writing, to drawing, to playing music. Whatever activity causes creative stimulation as opposed to negative stimulation would work well here. When I'm upset, I can't process art. Yes, I know this is strange coming from the person who did the crude rush-job drawings seen in this blog, as well as a host of other artwork... Doing art can be very therapeutic for the artistically inclined.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE: This is probably the most popular of all of the ways people de-stress and combat depression. How many times have you heard someone say, "I need a drink" after something crappy happens to them? Bars get most of their revenue from upset people that go there to "drink their cares away". Drug use is also prevalent. Rather than visit the bar, a lot of people will go home and enjoy their favorite illegal drug of choice (and sometimes visit the bar afterward). I personally don't recommend this particular way of handling things. It hasn't worked for me, and quite frankly, it could harm you or someone else. Alcohol is considered a "depressant". The reason people go to alcohol to drown-out their sorrows is beyond me. It only worsens the feelings.

SEX: Yes, sex is a very effective way to de-stress. It's also good for the heart. Although the main issue with sex is that you have to rely on your partner's willingness to partake. If you're having a bad day and want to "fool around" a bit but your partner is not "feeling it", you can find yourself in a much more frustrating position. In some cases your partner may also be the very reason you are upset or stressed. Angry sex is like alcohol, once the buzz is over you really don't feel any happier.

VIDEO GAMES: I have tried this many times in an attempt to take my mind off of the negative things of the day. While it has typically been a good form of escapism for me, I find myself getting incredibly frustrated and angry if I happen to be playing a challenging game that I'm not winning. This works for a lot of people that are casual, as well as frequent gamers. For me, this method could end in me throwing my controller through my television screen in a fit of rage...

MEDITATION: Meditation has worked to calm humanity for thousands of years. The founding principles of Buddhism are built upon the act of meditation. Meditation can be a very peaceful and soul-calming exercise. Prayer can also fall into this category. As much as I would like to say that I can meditate, I cannot. My mind is like a circus taking place in the middle of a traffic jam. I have yet to establish a mental "off switch" for myself so meditation is even possible.

Those were just a simple run-down of some of the more popular methods of handling stress and depressing things. Different things work for different people. There can of course be more severe degrees of stress and depression that require consultation either by a counselor or doctor. Conditions of that severity should definitely not be ignored. Suicide is definitely not a way to de-stress or reach a peaceful state. Life is too beautiful of a gift to throw it away.

So I wanna know; how do you de-stress, fight depression, etc...? Oh... yeah.... You're probably wondering what actually does work for me? Cartoons from my childhood. I have found that watching a couple episodes of "DuckTales" after a horrible day can brighten my mood and cause me to forget about all of the negative things. Watching these things seem to bring me back to a time of carefree innocence and fun. Plus, who doesn't love a little nostalgia? One animated sequence in-particular brightens my mood like no other these days. I've posted it for your enjoyment below!

(NOTE: The character featured in my crude drawings is NOT supposed to be me! I know a lot of people will assume this. If you think that "stock dude character" is me, then I suppose it is just another example of art being a reflection of self. It would also be worth noting that the "stock girl character" that appears in the SEX picture is not anyone in-particular. "Any likeness to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental.")

Art for the People

2010-07-10T13:24:00.009-05:00

Everything that's "hot" and trendy in the mainstream had its origins in someone's art. Yes, it's true. I went to an art college/film school for 4-years where the collective consciousness in the atmosphere could be described using words like pretentious, pessimistic, and cynical. If your ideas weren't 100% original, you might as well be labeled a "sell-out". Mainstream was in essence seen as the root of all the evils in the world. I once heard a fellow film student state, "I don't make films for an audience." It had to be one of the most idiotic and snobbish statements I have ever heard. That would be like the sun saying, "Hey man, I don't shine to give light." Art is meant to be seen, shared, and experienced by others. It doesn't have to be a private thing. Creative expression is just that. It's EXPRESSION! Do you creatively express to a wall?

After graduating from college, I struggled to enter the entertainment business. During this time I heard some wise words from a musician that has enjoyed a comfortable level of success over the last 30+ years. He said,

"Appealing to the mainstream doesn't mean you have to compromise your art."

This is coming from a man who is an absolute artist in his own right and has various platinum albums hanging on his walls. Those words of wisdom have impacted me greatly. They are also words that sting a lot of the cynical "art student" folks out there. When you think about it and unpack exactly what that statement means, you come to realize that everything that has ever been popular and mainstream has had its humble beginnings in an artist's work. The big corporate emperors and suits didn't create the "vampire craze" that we're currently experiencing, they're only trying to capitalize on the fact that it grabs a large number of the public. If an artist (filmmaker, author, musician, etc...) creates a work of art that touches a large number of people, the suits will take notice, seeing the $$$ and attempt to capitalize, thus creating the new trend. This is the mainstream at work. The reason these trends in the mainstream fade is due in part to oversaturation. Suits are like robots that cannot be reprogrammed. If the art continues to collect $$$, the suits will continue milking it until the public becomes overwhelmed and grows tired of it. At that point, the suits will try to find another new work of art that is grabbing the people, continuing the cycle. The suits don't make the trends. They're only interested in business.

An artist becomes a true sell-out when they try, much like the suits, to bend their art to emulate the current mainstream trend in order to capitalize on its success. Because of this, many of these artists quickly fade into obscurity once the trend has become exhausted. Living in Nashville has allowed me to witness different musicians carry out this very practice. Some young musicians in-particular sacrifice what made them unique and stand out among others in order to capitalize on the current trends, essentially becoming nothing more than a cookie-cutter shape or emulation of dozens of others. These musicians will find themselves wondering why their careers have already ceased by the time they reach 30. Had they continued with the art that made them authentic, unique, and garner tons of fans on a grassroots level, they could have achieved a greater level of success and career longevity.

It's ultimately about the people. If you create works of art that grab the people, you're heading down a path to success. The more people you grab, the more likely the suits will take notice, and before you know it, you'll be the originator of one of the hottest things on Earth. You didn't compromise anything, you just spoke to the people, and to me, that is what creating art is all about. It's about connecting with people. There are over 6-billion people on Earth. Connect with them!

"But Bill! What if I don't want my art to connect with lots of people." Don't expect to be successful then. Get a cubical job and do your art as a hobby.

The First Script

2010-07-07T21:15:00.013-05:00

First of all, I'm back! I haven't had a blog in over a year, but my sister's recent jump into blogging has inspired my return! You can peep her blog at http://kellycornelius.blogspot.com While unpacking some boxes a few months ago I happened across the first script I had ever written when I was but a young lad of 13. The script was called "Route-21", based on my actual school bus route when I was in middle school in the Chicago suburb/hell-hole of Dekalb, Illinois. Most of the characters in the script were based on real people that rode the bus everyday with me, even to the point of me naming these characters after the real people, myself included. I attempted to write an action/thriller about these people on this bus route just to add a little fun fantasy to the monotonous and sometimes nightmarish reality of the time. I wrote this during the time of my life when I was being constantly bullied at school. It was common for me to create fantastical stories in my head to escape from the reality. In this script I even tried to create a fantasy scenario for myself and the first girl I ever had a legitimate "I'm old enough to like girls now" crush on. Funny right? After finding this script, I posted the front cover image on my Facebook wall just to share in the old-timey goodness. I soon received a number of comments from people requesting that I share the script, turn it into a flash cartoon, or have a table read for it. All of these things horrified me because, really.... this thing was written by a 13-year old! So now I've settled and decided to share it with the world if only for a good laugh. I had written it in stage play format because that was all I was familiar with at the time. If while reading you find yourself scratching your head, just remember; a 13-year old wrote this! Also note that it switches from past tense to present tense for no apparent reason. None of the content has been edited and is presented to you in its original form. Have fun!

"ROUTE-21"
ACT-1
SCENE-1

Its a normal morning in Dekalb, Illinois and Bill is setting off towards the bus stop. He rides Route-21. The people that ride his bus are John, a large 8th grader that loves to show off. Charles, a tall 8th grader that loves basketball. Nicole, a soft talking 8th grader. Steven, a small annoying 1st grader. Carolyn, an 8th grader who liked Bill at one time. Carl, a small annoying 7th grader. Eric, an 8th grade big athletic show off. Kirsten, a half chinese half white 8th grader that loves to start arguments. Brent, a nice athletic 9th grader. Oliver Armstrong or "O", the strict bus driver. And then there's Katie, a beautiful blue eyed 8th grader that has attracted Bill. Yeah, just a normal morning. The long yellow school bus pulled up and Bill and the others got on.

O: Good mornin.

BILL: Morning

(Bill sits down and across from him sits John.)

JOHN: Hey Bill.

BILL: Hey.

JOHN: I had this weird dream last night that the bus was hijacked and we were on it for days!

BILL: That would be bad.

JOHN: Yeah really.

(Bill pauses and glances over at Katie.)

JOHN: You like her don't you?

BILL: Well... Umm...

JOHN: Yeah, I know you do. Hey why don't you go ask her out?

BILL: I don't think so. I'm too shy. And besides, she doesn't really know me anyway. She doesn't even know I exist.

JOHN: Well thats too bad because Brent is over there talking to her.

(Bill and John both turn and look at Brent and Katie. Katie laughs at something Brent says.)

BILL: Ohhhh! I hate to see that!

JOHN: Your jealous aren't you?

BILL: I guess you could call it that.

JOHN: Your too late Bill. Brents already got her.

(Bill takes a deep breath and sighs.)

BILL: Yep.

SCENE-2

That afternoon on the bus Bill sits by himself and watches in horror as Brent takes advantage of Katie.

(Bill sighs again.)

STEVEN: Are you looking at my sister?

BILL: What?..... No!

STEVEN: Yes you are! I saw you!

CARL: Shut up Steven!

BILL: Hey! Don't tell him to shut up! He's just a little kid!

CARL: Geez Bill! Sorry to hurt your little friend's feelings!

BILL: He's not my friend!

CARL: Yeah! What ever!

(Meanwhile Katie and Brent are having a conversation.)

KATIE: So you go to the high school?

BRENT: Yep. Believe me, when you get there you'll have a lot of homework.

KATIE: Ohhh I can't wait!

BRENT AND KATIE: (Laughing.)

BRENT: We're almost to our stop. Do you need help carrying books?

KATIE: Yeah sure. Carry this. (Katie hands Brent her coat.) Thanks.

BRENT: No problem!

(Everyone gets off the bus and goes home. Bill walks in the door of his house slamming his backpack on the table in anger.)

BILL'S MOM: Whats wrong?

BILL: Nothing!

(Bill runs upstairs to his room.)

BILL: If I were only stuck with Katie for a long time I could get her to like me. But thats never gonna happen.

(It is night and Bill goes to bed hoping for a better tomorrow.)

SCENE-3

Its the next morning and Bill walks to the bus stop as usual again. Brent is talking to Katie. And John is acting crazy to impress others. Bill got on the bus and noticed a man on the bus. He had a pony tail and a mustache and wore sunglasses.

STEVEN: Who are you?

MAN: I'm Dan McRoberts. Who are you?

STEVEN: I'm Steven.

DAN: Nice to meet you Steven. I'll be on your bus for a while.

STEVEN: Okay!

(Dan gave Bill an evil look as Bill passed him. It was as if Dan McRoberts had some diabolical plan.)

BILL: That guy is scary.

STEVEN: Who? Dan? Hes nice.

BILL: Really?

(Bill still became very disturbed as he heard Katie and Brent laughing and talking.)

ERIC: That guy up there looks B.D.

JOHN: Yeah I know.

BILL: How if he pulls out a gun?

ERIC: Shut up Bill! We weren't talking to you.

(Eric had always had a problem with Bill. Bill never could figure out why.)

(The bus reached the high school and Brent got up to get off.)

KATIE: Brent!

BRENT: See ya Katie!

CAROLYN: Are you and Brent going out?

KATIE: Yeah. I guess.

KIRSTEN: You didn't tell me you and Brent were going out!

KATIE: Shut up Kirsten! We're just good friends.

CAROLYN: He is really cute.

KATIE: Oh be quiet!

SCENE-4

On the bus in the afternoon everyone is quiet. Dan looks even more vicious than ever. And Bill gets eager to get off the bus.

CHARLES: Does that guy have a problem or somethin, man?

NICOLE: Who is he?

BILL: His name is Dan McRoberts and he doesn't look too friendly.

(O bends over to ask Dan something.)

O: Dan. Could you hand me that route map?

(Dan looks at O with an evil eye.)

DAN: Sure.

(Dan jumps from his seat, pulls out a gun, and shoots O in the shoulder! Everyone on the bus screams!)

DAN: Okay! Nobody moves! This bus is mine now!

(Katie throws her arms around Brent.)

KATIE: Brent! Save me!

BRENT: Don't worry Katie! I'll protect you!

DAN: Everybody shut up and sit down!

(Dan fires his gun blowing a hole in the seat in front of Eric. Everyone screams again.)

DAN: You think I'm jokin?! I'm not!

(Dan stomps down the aisle and grabs Katie's arm.)

KATIE: Nooo! Please! Brent!

(Brent gets ready to stand up and attack, but then Dan puts his gun to Katie's head.)

DAN: If anyone moves! She dies!

KATIE: (Scream!) Pleease!

(Bill looks at the glove box on the bus dash board and notices a wrench. Bill quickly gets up and grabs the wrench.)

DAN: Hey!

(Dan fires his gun at Bill missing and hitting the front windshield. Then Bill takes the wrench and throws it at Dan. Dan gets hit in the head and about falls down.)

DAN: Ohhh! Man!

KATIE: Help me!

(Bill runs and grabs ahold of Katie then ducks behind a seat.)

DAN: Ohhh! Your gonna die boy! But theres no time for that. We gotta go!

(Dan jumps in the driver's seat and begins driving the bus. The bus had been hijacked! John's dream came true! They were all doomed!)

ACT-2
SCENE-5

It was night and the bus was speeding quickly south of Dekalb.

O: Please man! Don't hurt the kids!

DAN: Oh would you shut up! I'm surprised we haven't run into any cops yet. I'm goin about 90 in a 65 zone!

(In one of the seats in the back of the bus Bill had his arm around Katie. Katie was frightened and was crying.)

BILL: It's gonna be okay. Don't worry. The police will catch him. Hes goin too fast.

KATIE: I scared! We're all gonna die!

BILL: No we're not! We'll be fine! ....... I hope.

(Charles looks out the window.)

CHARLES: There's police cars out there!

NICOLE: We're saved!

DAN: Quiet back there! I don't want to come back there and......

(Dan notices a police car on his tail in the side view mirror.)

DAN: Crap!

CHARLES: Heh! Heh! We're saved now!

KIRSTEN: Ohh! I hope!

(Dan presses his foot down hard on the gas pedal and starts making the bus swerve back and fourth on the road trying to knock the police car off his tail.)

O: They're gonna catch you!

DAN: Shut up!

(Dan hits O with the handle of his gun.)

COP: Uh.... Base. We got a school bus full of children going almost 100 mph. Its trying to knock me off the road. Could you send back up?

BASE: Ten four.

COP: I'm gonna try to ram it!

(The police car speeds up and bumps the rear of the bus.)

DAN: Ohh! Crap! Hes tryin to force me off the road!

ERIC: That cop is tryin to knock us off the road!

STEVEN: That police man will save us. Right?

BRENT: Yeah. I hope.

(The bus receives another jolt as the police car rams it from behind.)

COP: Its too big! I can't get it off the road!

BASE: The bus is heading into Indiana. I'll contact their police force.

COP: (Sigh) Ten four.

(The police car slows down and breaks it's pursuit as the bus enters Indiana.)

DAN: Yes! We got away!

O: Don't be so sure!

(O jumps out of his seat and grabs Dan from behind trying to choke him!)

O: Somebody get to the radio!

(The bus swerves back and fourth out of control! John gets up, runs to the dash board, and grabs the radio speaker!)

JOHN: Hello! Hello! Please help we're on a bus trapped! Hello?!

(The radio was not getting John's signal. Dan throws O over his shoulder into the aisle and then pulls out his gun!)

DAN: Turn that thing off!

JOHN: Oh crap!

(Dan fires his gun hitting the radio and destroying it! John jumps back into his seat!)

DAN: When we get to Florida I'm gonna kill you all!!!

(Everyone on the bus shrieks.)

CAROLYN: We're goin to Florida?

ERIC: I guess, but it ain't gonna be too pretty when we get there.

(Meanwhile in the back of the bus Bill calms Katie.)

KATIE: Uhhh.... Isn't your name Bill?

BILL: Yeah.

KATIE: I'm Katie... Uh.... Thanks for.... you know..... saving me earlier.

BILL: Yeah no problem.

KATIE: Could you stay here?..... With me?

(Bill starts to blush and put his head down.)

BILL: Oh..... Well.... I guess.

KATIE: Your shy aren't you?

BILL: Yeah. Kind of.

KATIE: Thats alright.

BILL: Umm.... Katie? Don't you like Brent?

KATIE: Well.... Brent helped me with my coat, but he didn't save my life.

(Bill and Katie stare quietly into each others eyes.)

BILL: Hmm.... So..... Uhhh.....

(Katie slides closer to Bill.)

BILL: Umm!.... Uhh!..... We're goin to Florida!

(Katie scoots back away from Bill.)

KATIE: Yeah, but that Dan guy is gonna kill us when we get there.

BILL: Don't worry..... Umm..... I'll see to it that, that doesn't happen.

KATIE: I know.

(Katie scoots close to Bill again. They stare at each other. And then Katie gives Bill a small kiss.)

BILL: (Huff) Thanks.

KATIE: We're doomed.

(Bill puts his arm around Katie.)

BILL: We'll make it. Don't worry. We'll get home.

SCENE-6

Bill's mom is at home in Dekalb watching the news in horror. She is terribly worried about her son.

NEWS CASTER: Late this afternoon a school bus from Dekalb, Illinois was hijacked by an unknown person. The bus was full of kids and there hasn't been any radio contact from the bus. Right now the bus is about to Indianapolis, Indiana. The Indiana police are tracking it down.

BILL'S MOM: Ohhhh my gosh!!!

(Bill's stepdad, Mike steps in the front door after returning from a business trip.)

MIKE: Connie I'm home!

BILL'S MOM: Ohhh Bill!!!

MIKE: Whats wrong?

(Bill's mom points to the T.V. and Mike gasps.)

BILL'S MOM: We've gotta go to Indianapolis!

MIKE: When?

BILL'S MOM: Right now!

MIKE: Okay! Lets go!

ACT-3
SCENE-7

It is late at night and the bus is still moving. The lights from the city of Indianapolis are glowing in the distance. Everyone on the bus is quiet.

FIN???

And that's all I wrote! I never finished it! I know you've been on the edge of your seat the whole time you've been reading this! I get a cold sweat from reading it, primarily because of embarrassment... We've all gotta start somewhere and this is where I began as far as script-writing is concerned. After this script I wrote a script called "Techno Vampires" that I actually finished. It was about emo vampires that take over a high school (YEARS before the "Twilight" craze). That script would be followed by the script that became "Lavorsia" and so on, and so on... Anyway, that was "Route-21". I hope this thoroughly satisfied all of the people that wanted to experience this script. Make up your own ending!

I Wasn't the Only Thing Born in the 80s

2009-06-07T01:16:00.004-05:00

Yeah, I referred to myself as a "thing" in the blog title, but anything that exists can be considered a "thing", but that's neither here nor there... In the days of the internet it's easy to come across things from many years ago that have been long forgotten. Ever accidentally rediscover something that jarred loose memories of long ago? I did just this week and what I found made things more recent seem understandable.

For many years I've had the memory of a show I'd once watched on PBS in the 80s stuck in the back of my memory. This was mainly because the show frightened me as a child. Most things that scared me as a kid seem to reside in my memory into adulthood. I forgot the name of the show and for many years haven't been able to rediscover it, almost to the point of thinking the show could've been a random figment of my imagination. This week, I accidentally happened upon the show in-question. It was a show produced by a Canadian production company called "Read All About It!". It aired on PBS in America throughout most of the 1980s. It was basically a show about kids that hang-out in an abandoned "coach house" and solve mysteries with the help of a talking computer and a typewriter that prints dialogue and sounds like R2-D2. Here's what makes the show REALLY unique... The children would run and hide when a hanging light fixture would lower itself into the coach house because the light fixture had the ability to transport the children to another dimension where an evil galactic warlord lived. Yeah.... CRAZY! I'm not making this up. This was "Read All About It!".

Anyway, this show had really creepy music and was frightening mainly because of how unusually dark it was. So where am I trying to go with this? As an artist and filmmaker a lot of my contemporary work has been influenced by the things I saw as a child whether intentionally or unintentionally. In 2006 I made a film called "My Computer"... Some of the stylistic motifs and concepts in "My Computer" are so similar to this 80s show it's honestly scary. "My Computer" was based on a nightmare I had when our family got our first home computer. I tried to translate my "techno-fright" into the film (albeit not well). Some of the fright that I got from watching "Read All About It!" in the 80s somehow subconsciously found its way into "My Computer". As much as I don't like "My Computer" because of the handicapped script I wrote, the fact that this 80s show undoubtedly influenced it in a lot of ways makes the film seem cooler to me. Talking computers, creepy music, dark lit rooms, strange printed messages, etc... You wanna see the stark examples, watch below. One is an episode of "Read All About It!" that is in really poor quality from YouTube. The other is the theatrical trailer from "My Computer". Look for the similarities and shutter in fear!

Yeah.... creepy... I'll be honest, "Lavorsia" and the basic premise surrounding it was strongly influenced by me having watched "RoboCop", "Short Circuit", and even "Mannequin" as a child on HBO. I'd be lying if I said even the short lived sitcom "Small Wonder" didn't influence "Lavorsia"... Artists, filmmakers, appreciate your childhood! It can have a profound impact on your work!

How Could I Forget?

2009-04-20T23:59:00.002-05:00

Okay, so it's 4/20, the day all of the stoners celebrate in great jubilation. It's also the 10th anniversary of the massacre at Columbine High School. I remember hearing about the terror that ensued on that day in 1999 very vividly. I was 15 and attending a high school of similar size and demographics to Columbine, living in a community roughly the size and of the same economic standing as Littleton, Colorado. What happened at Columbine saddened me greatly. I could almost feel the pain of the students even though I fortunately wasn't there. Back in high school I used to regularly type a journal of sorts. I had recounted my feelings on that day in the journal, but haven't been able to find my original entry from back then, otherwise I'd be sharing it in this blog. As news spread about the massacre and information was uncovered about the perpetrators I became even more saddened. The 2 students that committed the massacre were bullied and treated as outsiders during their time at school. I had first-hand experience with being bullied when I was in middle school. I was sad that the bullying and torment led them to commit something that awful... Fortunately for me, I had God and a strong family to fall back on during my hard times in school. These 2 guys didn't have that. It makes you take a hard look at how kids treat one another in school and how supportive and involved parents AND teachers should be.

Nearly 24-hours after the Columbine massacre, the atmosphere at my high school became incredibly tense. Anyone wearing dark clothing and perceived as a social outsider was monitored closely. Any mention of the word "gun" or "killing" could've landed you in the principal's office. A guy in one of my art classes was suspended after drawing a sketch of a comic book-like character carrying a shotgun. One of my films was banned from being shown in class because I had characters using toy guns in it. I recall there was a 9th grade student that drew a picture of a noose and a handgun in the boy's bathroom stall that said "MHS is next" below it.(MHS stands for Mahtomedi High School, where I went) Word of the picture spread around the student body and frightened a large number of us. A police officer was hired to patrol the school regularly. Eventually this 9th grader admitted to a fellow student that he made the drawing and was escorted from the school in handcuffs. I was in the front lawn of the school with my art class, drawing the school's exterior when I saw the kid being taken to the police car. The tension lasted for the remainder of the school year and didn't quite subside until the following year.

It's sad to think I sort of forgot about the Columbine massacre, especially after September 11, 2001. There are things that happen in this country sometimes that shake your entire soul. I cried on the night of April 20, 1999. I cried out of sadness for the students at Columbine and I prayed for their comfort. I also prayed that something like that would never happen again, especially at my school or the school of someone I loved. It was one of the first times I became enraged by the existence of the 2nd amendment. The Virginia Tech shootings a couple years ago made me even more speculative about the relevance and necessity for the "right to bear arms", but my views on gun control are a completely different story... I still hope and pray that school violence like what was committed at Columbine and Virginia Tech cease to happen. There was a time previous to 1999 when school shootings were unheard of. Why can't those times come again? A large part of preventative action can come from parents and teachers supporting kids and actually being pro-active about reducing bullying. I want my future children and grandchildren to be safe at school.

World High School

2009-04-09T21:44:00.000-05:00

There's a lot of madness going on in the world today. A few months ago myself and my friend Dustin(who currently lives in Japan) were discussing international issues via Skype. We soon came to the conclusion that a lot of the international relations mirror that of the relationships of students within a high school setting. When I got to work, I began drawing different countries of the world as high school students, bringing life to the "World High School" concept. If you take every country and break it down into a high school student the conflicts within our world today become very trivial and almost childish. The United States (aka. "U.S.") is an arrogant jock with whom most of the school has a love/hate relationship with. Lately U.S. has taken-on the task of turning Iraq, who once associated with social outcasts like Iran and North Korea(aka. "N.K."), into a popular well-respected dude(in the same form as "She's All That"). Israel (aka. "Izz") and Palestine are constantly fighting and bad-mouthing one another. N.K. chooses to sit at the lunch table by himself. Let's not forget that the rumor around school is that U.S. and United Kingdom (aka. "Britt") are sleeping together... U.S. is jealous of the European Union Club and wants to start his own North American Union Club. See? When you break it down that way it's all very trivial and so very high school-ish.

I only drew a handful of countries. Of course every country attends World High School, including the Vatican and Palestine(since he's technically not a country). I'd LOVE to turn this into an online Flash cartoon of some sort that's drama reflects real world politics. I recommend clicking on the above picture to see a bigger more detailed version. I have no sympathy for anyone from the international community that takes offense to my decidedly American depiction of their home country. You have to learn to laugh at your own nation. My own home country's depiction isn't exactly flattering. He's "Douchebag McDouche". North Korea shouldn't mind. Internet is against the law there.

The Protector

2009-01-29T22:28:00.002-06:00

This particular blog comes about after seeing the film "Taken" starring Liam Neeson. I have to admit, I saw this film before its American release. It wasn't hard since the film has been out in the rest of the world since February of last year. Luc Besson ("Leon 'The Professional'", "The Fifth Element") wrote this action/thriller/drama about an ex-CIA agent (Neeson) and his determined and violent journey to rescue his kidnapped daughter from an underground European prostitution ring. I must say I loved this film and felt particularly refreshed and satisfied by the film's end. My attraction to the film stems from my own personal protectiveness of the women in my life.

I don't typically speak about women in a blog because that just isn't anyone's business, although my old blog titled "SEX" got more views than any blog I've ever posted to date... To put it simple, I am very protective. I don't know why, I just am. As most people that know me know, I'm very protective of my sister. If anyone were to ever harm a hair on her head, they would answer to me and I can't promise it would be without serious and brutal consequences. She knows this, and while she seems to see my protectiveness as a nuisance at times, I know she takes comfort in knowing that I've got her back in any potentially threatening situation. I frightened a shady 48-year old "photographer" that contacted her through Myspace and wanted to take some pictures. He dumped his Myspace account after I was finished with him... I'm honestly no different with the women in my life outside of my family. It stings me to the core when I hear on the news of a young woman being abducted, or raped, or killed by some scumbag. I don't have nightmares often, but one that reoccurs is one in-which a woman I care about very dearly falls victim to such a thing. It makes me sick to my stomach, but all the more defiant and protective. It's a dangerous world out there, for young women in-particular. I've known plenty of naive young women that think they'll be fine just going out someplace by themselves at night... Things like that make me nervous. There is always some "Creepy McCreepster" somewhere around the corner. If I could protect every young woman in the world from harm, especially those I love, I would. I kind of hope I never have a daughter because I know I'll be a nervous wreck anytime she leaves the house. So yeah, I love any movie where a guy kills 30+ scumbags to rescue the woman he loves. That's "Taken" ladies and gents.

The moral of the story is that I'm just naturally protective of the woman in my life. Ironically my name "William" means protector. Just know that if you're female and you're close to me, be it as a friend, family, or otherwise, I'll have your back.

(NOTE ABOUT THE ABOVE PICTURE: Yes, I drew that at work while talking somebody through unplugging their internet modem, etc, etc, etc.... With the exception of me, no one in the pic is supposed to resemble anyone in-particular. Like they say at the end of movies, "Any likeness to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental.")

Candy Canes & Lollipops

2008-12-31T03:35:00.001-06:00

I'm not one to post a blog that contains a poem and/or song lyrics, but today I will for the first time. I wrote this to be a song, but because of its drawn-out length and rhyme it may just be better as a poem. It's one of the first poem/songs I've written that isn't angry and about the opposite sex. I think it's appropriate as we come upon a new year. Check it!

My armor is strong

My wings are bright

I step on the shadows

And dance through the night

Good to know bad first hand

From the ashes we rise

Only now, I understand

It's what you bring with you

It's what you take away

Helps you grow as a person

Helps you know where to sway

Happy for the happy

Sad for the sad

I'm just glad I'm here

With the friends I hadn't had

Spoils for the rotten

Sweets for the pure

We've all made mistakes

We all seek the cure

Stay where you are if you please

That's your decision

Be careful what you seize

Stand proud

Stand tall

Love what you've found

Be it large or small

Tomorrow is for you

Out with the old

In with the new

Happy New Year peeps and peepettes!

What they say in the papers...

2008-12-14T23:17:00.001-06:00

Speaking on behalf of Lavorsia Pictures, I'd like to first state that we had nothing to do with the assumption that Lavorsia Pictures is "of Hollywood". What?! Did I say assumption?! We will neither confirm nor deny anything stated in this article that relates to the geographical location of Lavorsia Pictures.

--Me

Rock out with your wings out!

"Quantum of Solace"/Silence of Critics

2008-11-15T21:38:00.003-06:00

It's no secret that I'm a 007 fan. Naturally I've been excited about the latest installment "Quantum of Solace". I finally saw it and now I will offer my review of it. My review won't be so much a review as a scathing response to the film critics out there that have been highly critical of this film. As I've stated before, if you're going to get paid to offer your opinion on a movie, you need to actually go and make one first. It's because of this that critics are basically lucky fanboys who somehow dropped into the opportunity to share their opinion to make money, yet really know nothing of the filmmaking process or anything else for that matter. So here we go!

Leading up to my viewing of "Quantum", I had peered at various reviews critics had posted, even critics overseas. The consensus seemed mixed. Common criticisms were that Bond seemed to be nothing more than a cold-hearted killer with zero emotion. Variety critics stated that the film didn't seem like a stand-alone film, just a short anecdote. Roger Ebert (who I've had a distaste for ever since he berated "Gladiator", yet praised "Tomb Raider"), went as far as to say that Bond wasn't an "action hero", but a man that just wants to mill around, finish the job, and then have a cigarette (NOTE: Pierce Brosnan ended Bond's smoking habit. Why should a man that can get shot and not die be killed by a cigarette?). The editing was also criticized for being too frantic and hard to decipher. It was criticized for not having a strong female lead outside of Judi Dench and losing all of that "traditional" Bond humor and charm. Reading all of this actually prepared me for something that was going to be less than my original expectations. I watched it and about half-way through the film, I became puzzled. I was puzzled about all of the criticisms that I had read. I saw no evidence of such things, almost as though the critics had seen a different film. I very much enjoyed "Quantum"! Allow me to debunk these criticisms individually;

1. Bond is a cold-hearted killer with no emotion and no humor. He is nothing more than a "blunt instrument".

This couldn't be more untrue. Daniel Craig's Bond is probably the most emotionally complex of any previous Bond incarnations. In "Quantum" we pretty much experience a Bond that is still grieving from the loss of Vesper Lynd in "Casino Royale". He feels a deep sense of pain, yet tries to shrug his feelings off on the exterior when asked about Vesper. He even secretly pockets a file photo of Vesper in the film, just so he can carry her image with him, which he looks at later in the film with a somber manner. This is an emotionally broken Bond. As far as humor goes, Bond delivers all of the sarcastic quips and smart-arse remarks that you would normally expect. None of that has been lost, despite what critics say. People in the theater were laughing at his colorful remarks. Yes, Craig's Bond is a blunt instrument of sorts, but he's James Bond, not Cliff Huxtable!

2. The film did not seem like a stand-alone film, was edited frantically, and was more action than substance.

I can only partially agree with one criticism here. The action sequences at the beginning of the film are cut a little frantically and are sometimes hard to follow, but I have a feeling that this is due mostly in-part to the fact that it's on a big screen and cutting like that can have that effect. On a smaller screen, it would be less frantic. I know these things, I'm an editor and a cinematographer... Is Ebert? No. The film felt very much like a stand-alone film, only it would be best for it to stand as a companion to "Casino Royale" since it is the first direct Bond sequel in the franchise's history. The ending of the film almost presents itself as a beginning of greater things to come. I'm really at a loss when I hear critics say that it was all action and no substance. "Quantum" feels a lot like any other Bond film in that the action is broken-up throughout, with story and plot development filling the gaps. No substance? What do critics expect?! "The English Patient"?!

3. There are no strong female leads in the film outside of Judi Dench. There is nothing "traditional" Bond.

I agree that Judi Dench's M is a strong character, but she seems to be more like Bond's mother than anything else. "Quantum" introduces Olga Kurylenko as Camille. Kurylenko is actually of Ukrainian descent, yet plays a South American woman. I found her to be a great companion to Bond. She didn't really act as Bond's lover either. She was more of a "I'll watch your back, if you watch mine" kind of partner. Not only is she beautiful, but she is a woman who is aggressive and independent. I've had a longtime affinity for women that can hold their own and beat the crap out of an aggressor. The whole "damsel in distress" thing doesn't do it for me. There is also Gemma Arterton who is equally beautiful, although she only has what could amount to a cameo in the film. Arterton portrays Strawberry Fields, which brings me to the criticisms about the film straying from "traditional" Bond fare. Take the name Strawberry Fields for example. Is that not traditional Bond? Remember, this is the franchise that has featured women with names like Pussy Galore and Christmas Jones. Without spoiling anything, I'll also note that there is a stark homage to "Goldfinger" featuring the Fields character. Just because Craig doesn't say "The name's Bond. James Bond." at any point in the film doesn't make it an outcast from the franchise. "Casino Royal" and "Quantum" have reinvented the franchise and have brought about a new sense of realism, albeit heightened. The Fields character even goes so far as to not utter her first name for fear of embarrassment. Modern international politics are discussed a few times during the film, a quality that some critics have criticized. Bond is a secret service agent for the British government! If he didn't know about international politics, than he wouldn't be in the line of work that he is in! You may fret when you don't see the iconic gun barrel opening, but don't despair! You'll see it by the end of the film!

Overall, I really enjoyed "Quantum of Solace". I invite you to ignore the critics on this one. Typically, while I don't always agree, I can see why critics say what they do about a film. With "Quantum" I just don't understand their interpretation. What I saw was great! Sure it's not as awesome as "Casino Royale", but it was still very enjoyable! Go see it!

Art from the Dark Side

2008-09-29T01:58:00.001-05:00

As you all probably know, I've been creating art since I was old enough to hold a crayon... So pretty much forever. Throughout my childhood, my artwork was a large reflection of my innocence at the time and the cartoons I was watching on TV. Colorful characters existing in a "candy cane & lollipop" world with over-the-top villains who's only motive was to be an over-the-top villain. This was my work for a good while until I got to middle school.

My move from Kentucky to the Chicago area when I was 11 started my descent into what was probably the darkest years of my life. As can be inferred from my film "Lavorsia", I was bullied a large amount of time and really had no friends to speak of. My life was a living hell. In retrospect, my artwork began to reflect these conditions. As a form of escapism from "real life", I created a small comic book series called "The Explorers". Taking place in an alternate 1990s where commerce with alien life is common, "The Explorers" was about a group of orphaned siblings from an alien world that come to Earth to stop injustice in the galaxy and eventually form a rag-tag group of ambitious young people including an exiled king and the naive daughter of a politician, to take-on the evils that were abound. All of these characters were my age and capable of doing extraordinary things. There was even a villain character named "Will" that looked identical to me, except for a large scar on his cheek and glowing red eyes.

The comic was nothing more than pencil (sometimes pen) drawings on lined paper that were stapled together, typically drawn while I was in study hall or in my room at home. This was my escape.

When I was 12 and 13, "The Explorers" took a dark turn. The comic was especially violent and began to introduce sexual tension between male and female characters. The stories went from being X-Men-like fluff to being interpersonal stories of characters trying to find themselves in a time of violence and darkness as well as dealing with the pressures of celebrity as a result of their heroic exploits. Not only was the violence intensified, but some characters began exploring sexuality, drugs, and other taboo-like subjects. By the time I was 14, "The Explorers" had gotten so violent and so exploitative that I ceased to work on them. In fact I was ashamed that I had let them go that far. There wasn't any innocence to them anymore. I ended up throwing away about 65% of the work I'd done on "The Explorers", including comics and other forms of promotional and conceptual art. In keeping with story continuity, I basically killed-off "The Explorers" with a massacre committed by their long-time nemesis. A tragic end to their epic story. All of the work that was leftover was shoved into a binder and has remained in my closet for the last 11-years. I had ultimately turned my back on "The Explorers" because it reminded me of my years of torment while in middle school. I wanted to erase that time from my memory.

Below is a picture of "The Explorers" that one of my friends in middle school drew as a tribute:

Only now in 2008 have I actually reflected on what I created back then and see how it was a sort of accidental chronicle of where I was at that time and how I've grown. Plus, the stories I had devised back then were probably some of the darkest and personal character stuff I've ever come up with. As a mature adult I can feel comfortable with pulling all of the old stuff from the closet and making it new... "New you say?" Yes. New.

Inspired by reading my first graphic novel "Watchmen" by Alan Moore, I've been working on a graphic novel of my own. What is it you ask? "The Explorers". I've dusted off all of these old characters and polished their backstories and given them new life. I'm ready to tell their story. I'm even retro-dating it, making it take place in the early to mid-90s when I was in middle school. I reflected on their name, "The Explorers" and what it really means. I originally gave them that name because they explored dangerous parts of the galaxy. Looking back, the name means a little more than just that. It's about the characters exploring themselves and the people around them. Growth, change, heartbreak. Ambitious young people that rise to great fantastical heights and while at the height of their successes, fall into darkness and are forced to face life in its sometimes cruel offerings. Yeah, that's deep right? I've been working on the novel off and on for a few months now. Maybe I'll make it into an animated film or TV series someday.

Dreamcatcher

2008-09-15T01:39:00.001-05:00

Nope. This blog has nothing to do with the film "Dreamcatcher", which I haven't seen and don't plan to. I made the picture above a while back, but I never found any place to really use it. I think it visually fits the subject of this blog though. A few years ago I curiously began writing the dreams I was having the day after I was having them, just to see in a controlled and conscious form what they looked like. It's interesting to see what your mind manufactures without your active consent. I had stopped logging my dreams out of pure laziness. Recently, I began logging them again. I love it! It's crazy! What is also really wild about logging your dreams after you have them is that your mind acquires the ability to recall the dream in vivid detail. I even found myself remembering vividly dreams I had weeks, months, and even years ago! It's as though once you make an active effort to remember and record your dream, that floozy part of your memory that so easily forgets dreams seems to kick on and start a full-on recall.

When I first started logging my dreams years ago, I actually tried to make sense of them in an almost narrative format. This time I'm logging exactly as I remember without attempting to manufacture any sense of it. Honestly if you didn't know it was a dream I was recalling, you'd think I was on a serious LSD trip. I've now recorded my dreams for a consecutive 2-weeks. In looking back on them, as jacked-up and backwards as they are, it becomes easy to identify the "hows" and "whys" of what I was dreaming. There are plenty of publications and websites out there that call themselves "dream dictionaries" and claim that every element within a dream has a deeper meaning. I used to buy into that idea, but reflecting on my dreams I've had in the last 2-weeks, I can identify exactly where most of the elements came from and surmise as to why. That whole, "if you see a bare tree in your dream, that means your soul longs for an unfulfilled desire" doesn't add up anymore. Sure reoccurring dreams mean something, but typically it's more obvious and literal than some deep form of symbology. I dream that I'm in school a lot. This isn't because my subconscious misses school or some crap like that, it's because I spent 17-consecutive years of my life in school and now I'm not, so I suppose my mind is conjuring up old remnants and memories of life as a student. It's the same for dreams about the workplace. There is no hidden meaning there, it just means that you spend a lot of your time at work, so that's what your brain coughs up.

One thing that is slightly disconcerting about logging your dreams day-after-day, is that your memory becomes slightly muddled and you start to get your awake memories confused with your dream memories. I found myself in this state a few times and have started logging my dreams in moderation. I was even explaining a dream that I had to someone while actually in a dream. I highly recommend that people give this a try, even for a little while. It's really fun and interesting! It's almost like recording the memories of a part of your life that you had no active control over, or a television series that is so complex and random that you can't anticipate what the next episode will be. Who needs TV when you've got your dreams! Give it a spin!

I wasn't going to say it because it would be cheesy and cliche, but... "sweet dreams."

Top Ten Animated Films of All Time

2008-06-28T02:43:00.001-05:00

   Again, like top ten lists before this one, this list is my opinion. These are animated gems that have not only grabbed me in terms of animation quality but story as well, among other things. Some of these films have even influenced me as an artist and filmmaker. There are a lot of people out there my age that would never care to admit their enjoyment of an animated film for fear it might make them seem childish. What's childish is to not admit that you enjoy animation. Holding back the things you find enjoyment in because you're afraid of what other people think is a spot-on sign of someone who hasn't reached a certain level of maturity. On that note, here is my list:

10.- "Little Nemo: Adventures In Slumberland". This film has to be one of the most underrated and overlooked animated films ever made. I saw it with my grandparents in the theater when it came out in 1989. I was completely blown away by it! It's a film about a boy who enters an enchanted and dangerous dream world when he falls asleep and how he is led to defeat the evil Nightmare King. The story and characters are based on the early 1900s comic strip of the same name by Windsor McKay, who was one of the earliest animation pioneers. The animation is top-notch and the film itself carries a dark and mysterious undercurrent. The script was written by American filmmaker Chris Columbus, but the entire film was produced and animated by TMS, the Japanese animation company responsible for animating "Batman: The Animated Series" in the early 90s. Some reasons why I think this film was overlooked and forgotten is because it was eclipsed by the Disney resurgence with "The Little Mermaid" that came out around the same time. Plus the film is dark and a bit too wicked for some small children. It's hard to get a copy of this film, but I highly recommend it!

9.- "The Land Before Time". Yes, this is the first film that came out long before the 200,000 straight-to-video sequels. This film was produced by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg and was directed by American animation god Don Bluth. The film was made after the success of the Spielberg/Bluth project "An American Tail". "The Land Before Time" is simply put, animation art! It is comprised of layer upon layer of detail and depth as well as some of the most organic cell animation I've ever seen. The film's atmosphere is accented by a powerful score from James Horner. It's also a mainstream animated film that has absolutely no musical numbers. My family bought this on VHS when it was first released. My sis and I also collected the "Land Before Time" hand puppets they were showcasing at Pizza Hut. This film is beautiful!

8.- Osamu Tezuka's "Metropolis". This 2002 Japanese film is an adaptation of a comic(manga) by Osamu Tezuka, who is considered the father of Japanese animation. Tezuka's style was influenced largely by early Disney films in the 40s and 50s and the work of the Flescher Brothers("Popeye", "Felix the Cat", "Betty Boop"). His idea for "Metropolis" came when he saw a poster for Fritz Lang's "Metropolis". Just the poster's image inspired the comic and later film. The film takes place in a utopian future and features the story of a boy who falls in-love with a robotic girl and is torn away from her in the end because of rising civil warfare and government interests. No, I had not seen this film before I wrote "Lavorsia", although the plotline is strikingly similar. This film has a colorful blend of traditional cell animation and CGI and is also accompanied by an interesting jazz/blues score that is intertwined with an epic orchestral score. The visuals are so striking, you'll have trouble blinking while watching it.

7.- "Steamboy". Yes, it's another Japanese film. What can I say? They're doing animation right. This film was helmed by Katsuhiro Otomo, who is known for creating the highly acclaimed "Akira" in the late 80s. "Steamboy" is fantastic! The animation is so detailed and complex, it took the animation team years to complete it. It also ranks as being one of the most expensive traditional animation films ever made, at least in Japan. The film takes place in England during the turn of the 20th century and features a mix of Victorian era and early industrial visuals. It follows a boy named Ray Steam and his adventures while trying to stop his eccentric father from creating an eye-popping steam-powered castle and army that could destroy London. Ray rises to become a hero similar to the Rocketeer, jetpack and all. It features the voices of actors like Patrick Stewart, Alfred Molina, and Anna Paquin. This film is exciting and incredibly fun to watch! It's also a lot more muted and down-to-earth as compared to Otomo's "Akira".

6.- "The Little Mermaid". It takes a real man to admit that he enjoys this film. After all, it's practically an animation masterpiece. This film had such an impact that it began the "animation renaissance" in America in the late 80s. I won't speak a lot about it because I'm sure everyone's seen it at least once. Sure it had a girly little love story in it, but it also contained really dark Faustian themes, like selling your soul(or voice) to the devil(sea witch) to get what you desire. Let's not forget the climactic and semi-violent "final battle" where the prince rams the tip of a ravaged ship into Ursella's stomach, causing her to explode into tiny barnacles. That's good stuff right there! Let's also not forget that the character of Ariel sparked in-depth discussions amongst pre-pubescent boys over the fact that she is basically only wearing shells to cover herself. Yeah, this film is a Disney classic!

5.- "The Secret of NIMH". Another Don Bluth masterpiece that also happens to be somewhat overlooked. This film was Bluth's first outing as an independent filmmaker after quitting his work at Disney in the 70s.(side note: Bluth was the character animator for Disney's "Robin Hood" and "The Rescuers") This film was also the film that Spielberg fell in-love with and pulled Bluth on-board to do "An American Tail". "NIMH" is the story of a widowed mouse who seeks the help of genetically engineered rats to help her relocate her family before it is destroyed by humans. It's the kind of animation at a caliber that only Bluth can deliver. It's the start of Bluth's unintentional trademark of making films with kid-friendly characters that take place in more darker, adult-themed settings. As a kid, I was shocked to see blood and violence in this film. These mice bleed, get stabbed, killed, etc... It's one of those things that kind of shocks you as a viewer, but yet has a sense of allure and intrigue behind it. A classic in my book!

4.- "Aladdin". Another Disney masterpiece which came out near the end of the animation renaissance. My sis and I liked this film so much when it came out, that we dragged our poor dad to the theater a total of 6-times to see it! It's just a really well-rounded, well-animated film. I also found the musical numbers catchy. One can't forget the brilliant voice performance by Robin Williams as the Genie. Like a few of the films mentioned above, this film had some dark undertones and violence towards the climax. I'll be honest, I love that stuff! My dad was relieved when this film exited the theater. We ended up getting a bootleg VHS copy from our dad the following year. Poor guy...

3.- "Howl's Moving Castle". This is the most recent film on the list. I had just seen it last summer and was completely blown away! Enough to make it 3 on my list. "Howl's Moving Castle" is another Japanese creation from acclaimed animator/writer Hayao Miyazaki, who I believe either won or was nominated for an Academy Award for "Spirited Away". He also received a lot of acclaim for "Princess Mononoke". It's hard to describe this film's story. It's basically about a girl that's inflicted with a curse that turns her into an ugly old woman. She seeks the aid of a sorcerer named Howl that lives in a large mechanical castle that walks. There is a lot of stuff going on in this film, so I won't go into detail. Not only is the animation breathtaking, but the story is amazing as well. It's a very well-crafted story written by Miyazaki himself. Disney picked up this film and distributed it under their name in 2006, I guess because they're in denial after shutting down their animation department... This film features the voices of Christian Bale as Howl and Billy Crystal as a sarcastic talking patch of fire. You want an awesome story told with awesome animation? This film is it!

2.- "The Nightmare Before Christmas". I've spoken a great deal about this Tim Burton masterpiece before in previous blogs. This film sits in my top 5 films of all time. It's imaginative, stylistically amazing, and captures the festive atmosphere and spirit of Halloween. It's a tradition for me to watch this film on Halloween. I just can't shower it with enough praises!

And last, but not least....

1.- "An American Tail". You knew this was coming... In my mind this film represents the apex of American animation at its very best. Of course, Don Bluth was behind this with Spielberg serving as producer. I was obsessed with this film when I saw it for the first time as a kid. It has influenced me as an artist and filmmaker like no other animated film has. This is it. To me, the greatest animated film of all time! If you haven't seen it.... well, I'm very sorry.

   There you have it! My personal top ten! Feel free to share your own! I'd like to hear what others think. There were a number of other animated films that I enjoy, but couldn't fit into this list. Peace!

Ye Olde Trailers

2008-06-21T11:15:00.001-05:00

As can be gathered from my last blog, I have decided to share some retro-gems from my earlier years in filmmaking. My last blog had clips from stuff I shot when I was 8. I recently dug through some old boxes containing most of the film work I did in middle school and high school. I thought I might share with you folks some trailers I made for a number of feature-length films I did in high school. All of these trailers (as well as the films) were edited together using VHS-to-VHS editing. That's why the tracking is all jacked-up in certain places.

The first trailer I have is from "Shutting Down Krostockon", a film I made when I was 14 about a group of agents that have to foil a terrorist plot devised by an evil mega-corporation. This film was actually the bench-mark film that influenced "Lavorsia".

"Shutting Down Krostockon" Trailer (1998) from B.C. Films on Vimeo.

The next trailer is from "Road Trip". A film I made when I was 16, nearly a year before the Tom Green garbage of the same name was made. I inner-cut car chase scenes from the film "Ronin" to add to the otherwise semi-lame experience. And yes, Bob Woodblock (political powerhouse/social activist) appears in this film.

"Road Trip" Trailer (1999) from B.C. Films on Vimeo.

The last trailer is from "Operation: Overthrow- The Movie" that I made when I was 17. Why "The Movie"? I made a pseudo T.V. series with some friends back in middle school called "Operation: Overthrow". This was supposed to be like the big feature-film version of the show... that nobody saw. I'm actually writing a big-budget feature script now for "Operation: Overthrow". Bob Woodblock also appears in this film with.... HANDS!

"Operation: Overthrow- The Movie" Trailer (2000) from B.C. Films on Vimeo.

I have a lot more retro trailers, but after reviewing them I have found them to be way too embarassing to share...

Awesomely RETRO!

2008-06-21T11:14:00.004-05:00

People have asked me a lot recently, "Did you go to school for film? Is that where you learned to shoot?" My answer, "yes and no". Yes, I went to film school, but I’ve been shooting since I was 8-years old. I’m not one of those people that decided at 21 that I wanted to do something in film because I liked movies. A month or so ago I purchased a hard-to-find VHS to firewire deck from eBay which now allows me to upload old film gems from days of long ago.

Those aren’t even half of the old VHS tape library that I have. I decided to dig through some of my ancient films and post some highlights for your enjoyment! Most of the tapes I dug up are old and corroded-looking and have magic marker drawings covering them. What I also found surprising is that back then, as it is today, I favored Fuji tape stock. "High Quality Video Tape with High Durability"! That’s early-90s hardcore! Most of what I shot long ago was shot on a 1988 Philco VHS camera nicknamed "Big Phil". "Big Phil" was abused more than any piece of electronic equipment ever should be. Notice in the pic that the end of the microphone has been chewed off by a cat. Also notice the scratches, scars, and dings all over the camera’s body. Surprisingly, it still works today. It sounds like an old car engine, but hey, they don’t make ’em like they used to! When I was 8, I accidentally dropped "Big Phil" down a flight of stairs at my aunt’s house. I cried for a week from the devastation. I’ve posted below a few exerpts of some of my old film intros from when I was 8, including a clip from "Jail Cells and Robots-4"(fabulous title, I know). Please note that I also did the score for some of my old films... Enjoy!

I’m going to upload some old trailers from back-in-the-day at a later time. Now you can see, it is true, I’ve been making films since I was 8!

The Arcade: R.I.P.

2008-06-21T11:09:00.001-05:00

Remember the arcade? No, not today's arcade that has a "Dance Dance Revolution" game in the corner and is practically empty. THE arcade. The place to go to play awesome games with awesome graphics that just couldn't be matched on a home console. Why do I say remember? Because that type of arcade no longer exists. As home game consoles have gotten more advanced and prevalent, the arcade has slowly died. It's become a victim of the very industry that it belongs to. Who wants to go out to the mall and play a video game with sweet graphics on a big screen when you can play it in your own home? Sadly, I myself, being a casual gamer, have helped contribute to the demise of the arcade in recent times.

I have fond memories of the arcade. In-particular the arcade in the early 90s. You know, the loud and many times crowded arcade with tacky post-80s style carpet. When I was in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade, my dad would take me and my sister out to Fayette Mall in Lexington, Kentucky every other Tuesday and Thursday just to spend time together as ordered by divorce court I suppose. One staple of our visit was going to Aladdin's Castle, the mall's busy arcade. We'd load up on tokens and play the most awesome-looking game, no matter how challenging or easy. We'd just play it because it looked sweet! Most games back then were stamped with the famous FBI "Winners Don't Use Drugs" in an attempt to further America's war on drugs amongst teens during the Bush Sr. days. There were games that I dreamed of taking home with me, but knew I never could. I think that's what made the arcade so appealing. It was a treat to go to one. Back then, it was common for the home game console to be something 8-bit, maybe even 16-bit. And if you were one of those lucky kids with money, you had something even more advanced like the Atari Jaguar or the Neo Geo. The arcade was also a hit for birthday parties. It was a blast to spend a couple hours and about $20 worth of tokens in the arcade with a number of your friends. The first time I ever got a high score on an arcade game, I was prompted to enter my initials. Being young and ignorant, I attempted to put in my full first name. Since only 3 characters were allowed to be inputted, my high score name ended up showing as "BIL". This has since become a staple with me when I obtain a high score in any game. Even my Wii console is nicknamed "BIL".

Slowly, the home game consoles became more and more advanced, eventually surpassing the games in the arcade. It wasn't really a treat to visit the arcade anymore. I visited Fayette Mall a couple years ago and found that Aladdin's Castle had closed years ago and that the mall is now devoid of an arcade, as are most malls nowadays. The last arcade I can recall seeing today is the tiny arcade located in a movie theater in Franklin, Tennessee. Even when the theater is crowded with hundreds of waiting patrons, the arcade is empty. It's like a ghost town. A trend that has faded. The video game market has consumed an extension of its own arm...

One of the upsides of the fall of the arcade and the advancement of the home console is that a number of the arcade games from years ago have been put into compilations and released for the PS2, Wii, and other consoles. Needless to say, I own a number of these collections and partake in the nostalgia from the old days of the arcade within the comfort of my own home. Most of these collections are direct copies, right down to the blinking "INSERT COIN" prompt. Unfortunately none of them carry the William S. Sessions anti-drug stamp. If you miss the old days of the arcade, I highly recommend the affordable collections below.

Nothing eases the pain of a stressful day like sitting down and playing "1941" or "Rampage".