Recent scribblings

[thepaulo]

People have asked me from time to time if I write. I have done it professionally over the years but it's not my favorite thing in the world to write reviews. Still someone has been pushing me into it lately.
so here are some ....recent scribblings.

http://upcomingdiscs.com/author/paul-o/

http://www.examiner.com/user/4984336/content

http://theinterrobang.com/2012/08/life-affirming-films/

[realmenhatelife]

The old ball and chain eh? Atleast you still get to hold the remote, amirite fellas?

[thepaulo]

The old ball and chain eh? Atleast you still get to hold the remote, amirite fellas?

I wish. We've tivoe'd 20 episodes of Leverage.

[realmenhatelife]

I wish. We've tivoe'd 20 episodes of Leverage.

Your segment reminded me of something, I cant remember who said it or exactly what movie they were talking about, but I think it was that Poltergeist was an optimistic movie because anything that asserts there is an afterlife is inherantly positive.

[thepaulo]

Your segment reminded me of something, I cant remember who said it or exactly what movie they were talking about, but I think it was that Poltergeist was an optimistic movie because anything that asserts there is an afterlife is inherantly positive.

True.
Unfortunately I am trying to piece together so many disparate pieces of information that don't make sense alone.
An example. I just watched an episode of Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman in which a few scientists suggested that the entire Universe is in fact a gigantic computer making computations and therefore is alive much like computers on earth can be networked. Could space itself be God?

http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2011/01/in-the-universe-a-giant-quantum-computer.html

Another idea is somewhere in the universe a computer was designed to build better and better computers until it eventually created an all knowing super robot capable of god like powers. We've already started doing this.

http://www.nytimes.com/2000/08/31/us/scientists-report-they-have-made-robot-that-makes-its-own-robots.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm

http://dvice.com/archives/2011/10/this-robot-can.php

[realmenhatelife]

If you're asking if god is a computer I'll save you some time and just say no. If a computer was god wouldn't it cease being a computer? Isn't infallibility an essential aspect of all concepts of god, and wouldn't the idea that god developed from a lesser form contradict infallibility both for the previously diminished state and the implication that he could continue to develop?

And I feel like a fallible god is an idea that just gives you a raging blue veiner.

[thepaulo]

If you're asking if god is a computer I'll save you some time and just say no. If a computer was god wouldn't it cease being a computer? Isn't infallibility an essential aspect of all concepts of god, and wouldn't the idea that god developed from a lesser form contradict infallibility both for the previously diminished state and the implication that he could continue to develop?

And I feel like a fallible god is an idea that just gives you a raging blue veiner.

You're wrong.
I don't know anything. I can believe in Jesus but I don't really know who he is?
We all know all the various religious books contradict each other so they are no help.


I am just keeping an open mind.

I love the idea of Bible codes because it takes advanced computers to figure them out.

The problem with proponents of science and religion is they close off parts of their mind to possibilities.

[jennysmurf]

Pot talk with PaulO and RMHL.

[thepaulo]

Pot talk with PaulO and RMHL.

You holding?

[jennysmurf]

You holding?

If I had been, I would've joined in the talk! Wait...you holding?

[thepaulo]

If I had been, I would've joined in the talk! Wait...you holding?

I am holding....theoretically....figuratively.

[jennysmurf]

I am holding....theoretically....figuratively.

eeeeewwwww.....

[thepaulo]

eeeeewwwww.....

Don't be like that. I ain't hurting nothing.

[thepaulo]

http://www.examiner.com/article/films-of-fury-the-kung-fu-movie-movie
One of the links doesn't work.

[thepaulo]

I do all my best writing for Ronfez.net but I wrote this for interrobang this week.

http://theinterrobang.com/2012/12/opinions-are-like-liver/



Opinions are like livers. Everyone has one. Or at least part of one, even if it is malformed, atrophied and withered. Like livers many people have half of one or less. In fact most opinions today are formed as if the person was on life support and ready to expire in moments.

I care about the quality of movies today and I am exposed more and more to opinions that are based from the narrowest frames of reference. Still, all opinions are important. But like livers some opinions are healthier, stronger and more vital.
The Oscar is the ultimate. The final word on opinion in the culture of the moving image. Many of these opinion makers are passionate and informed and the film community takes these things seriously. These days this only goes so far, so I will take the meat from the rumor mills and publicity machines and chop it into a few digestible pieces. Are there sure things? No, there never are but it looks that way sometimes. So let’s talk about some sure things.
Zero Dark Thirty is jumping to the head of the pack. It has been cited as the best picture by an number of groups. It is an intense portrayal of the hunt for Osama Bin Laden. It is directed by Katheryn Bigelow whose career was legitimized with her previous film, The Hurt Locker. Katheryn had made a career of somewhat schlocky and fun, ultra-violent men’s pictures like Point Break and Blue Steel. As a woman director she felt marginalized and more and more irrelevant, yet miraculously she re-invented herself. Good for her.
Another name that was dragged out of the ashes and reinvented was Ben Affleck. There was no bigger joke in hollywood a few years ago than Affleck. Then he directed his first movie, Gone Baby Gone which was so good that it was hard to believe. Then he did The Town which was also pretty damn good. It seems like his latest film Argo is getting wide-spread acclaim because everyone now is willing to admit that Affleck is not a talentless hack but a brilliant force to be reckoned with. It should be mentioned that Argo and Zero Dark Thirty have striking similarities, depicting dangerous missions in the Arab world.
Steven Spielberg is a household name and as much of a generic brand as Walt Disney. But unlike Disney, Spielberg has tried to stretch his talents in different directions over the years. The average person on the street can list the Spielberg movies they like, but critics generally grudgingly respect him but also snicker at some of his trademark directorial flourishes that now have become almost cliches. Lincoln is probably Spielberg’s best movie because he has truly submerged his ego this time. The subject has overshadowed him, and this works well, because it seems Spielberg works well in the shadows. The complexity, subtlety and nuance seem to come from every performance and every word of the script and every lighting choice. This film is clearly a miracle of collaboration and a homage to greatness that is undeniable but perhaps never fully understood. The Lincoln we see in this latest film is so human and real that we feel closer to him than statesmen alive now.
Daniel Day Lewis is a sure thing as Lincoln but Joaquin Phoenix (The Master) was a sure thing as well. Until he shot his mouth off and insulted everyone in the industry, in so many words. He has since apologized but I don’t think it will matter. His performance stood so powerfully on it’s own merits that it would stand tall in any year. These two names dominate in the best actor category among a very strong field including Denzel Washington (Flight), John Hawkes (The Sessions), Jean Louis Trintignant (Amour), and Bradley Cooper (Silver Linings Playbook).
There are three directors who are making claims to join the ranks of the greats even though they are still young. Paul Thomas Anderson (The Master), David O. Russell (Silver Linings Playbook) and Wes Anderson (Moonrise Kingdom) all make films with strong personal visions and all three are in contention this year. Sorry, no Coen brothers or Darron Aronofsky this year. But personal vision is also showing up in giant showy entertainment pieces like The Dark Knight Rises, The Hobbit, The Avengers, and Les Miserables.
There is a dark horse candidate that should be noted. The foreign film Amour was named by the LosAngelos film critics after having won the Grand Prix at Cannes a while earlier.
Passion, intelligence and integrity are what make greatness in film. Film is a representation of the experience of being human in all it’s forms. There is so much excellence that I will just list some of the other names that have distinguished themselves in this year. This is only a partial list of many who have done great this year. Matthew McConoughey, Ang Lee, Helen Hunt, Sally Field, Jessica Chastain, Jennifer Lawrence, John Goodman, Tommy Lee Jones, Leonardo DiCaprio, Anne Hathaway…..and many more.
By the way, as opinions go, mine isn’t so bad and my liver isn’t bad either. Here is my top ten for 2012.

10: The Hobbit
09: Cloud Atlas
08: Life of Pi
07: Moonrise Kingdom
06: Les Miserables
05: Zero Dark Thirty
04: The Master
03: Silver Linings Playbook
02: The Sessions
01: Lincoln

[razorboy]

I'm disappointed Paul. Usually your top ten consists of twenty to twenty-five films.

[jennysmurf]

I do all my best writing for Ronfez.net but I wrote this for interrobang this week.

F the IBang in the A.

[deliciousV]

F the IBang in the A.

That-a-girl

[keithy_19]

That-a-girl

:thumbup:

[thepaulo]

F the IBang in the A.

oh you dot netters....

[thepaulo]

Don't read this.



https://www.facebook.com/paul.ocallaghan.397

http://upcomingdiscs.com/2013/07/30/the-best-movies-of-summer-are-coming-of-age/

http://upcomingdiscs.com/2013/07/30/the-best-movies-of-summer-are-coming-of-age/

http://www.examiner.com/user/4984336/content

http://theinterrobang.com/2013/07/the-spectacular-now-by-paul-o/#

http://theinterrobang.com/2013/07/paul-o-reviews-r-i-p-d-it-wont-kill-you/

http://theinterrobang.com/2013/03/paul-o-reviews-spring-breakers/#lf_token=eyJqaWQiOiAiX3VwMTIyNTg4MDdAbGl2ZWZ5cmUu Y29tIiwgImRpc3BsYXlfbmFtZSI6ICJ0aHBhdWxvIiwgImNvbn ZfaWQiOiAzMzc3NTg5NSwgImZhY2Vib29rX2Nvbm5lY3RfdXJs IjogImh0dHA6Ly9xdWlsbC5saXZlZnlyZS5jb20vYXBpL3YxLj Evb2F1dGgvYXV0aG9yaXplLz9vYXV0aF9jb21wbGV0ZT1odHRw JTNBJTJGJTJGd3d3LmxpdmVmeXJlLmNvbSUyRmF1dGglMkZjbG 9zZSUyRiZsZnRva2VuPWV5SmhiR2NpT2lBaVNGTXlOVFlpTENB aWRIbHdJam9nSWtwWFZDSjkuZXlKa2IyMWhhVzRpT2lBaWJHbD JaV1o1Y21VdVkyOXRJaXdnSW1WNGNHbHlaWE1pT2lBeE16WXpO VEEzTURNekxqYzNNalF6TWl3Z0luVnpaWEpmYVdRaU9pQWlYM1 Z3TVRJeU5UZzRNRGNpZlEuc2xWZEVsMmFEbjFKVzExdk9iN1kt NTdNdjdjMzk1NDR0bWJMWUVRS1JudyZwcm92aWRlcj1mYiIsIC JiYW5uZWQiOiBmYWxzZSwgInR3aXR0ZXJfY29ubmVjdF91cmwi OiAiaHR0cDovL3F1aWxsLmxpdmVmeXJlLmNvbS9hcGkvdjEuMS 9vYXV0aC9hdXRob3JpemUvP29hdXRoX2NvbXBsZXRlPWh0dHAl M0ElMkYlMkZ3d3cubGl2ZWZ5cmUuY29tJTJGYXV0aCUyRmNsb3 NlJTJGJmxmdG9rZW49ZXlKaGJHY2lPaUFpU0ZNeU5UWWlMQ0Fp ZEhsd0lqb2dJa3BYVkNKOS5leUprYjIxaGFXNGlPaUFpYkdsMl pXWjVjbVV1WTI5dElpd2dJbVY0Y0dseVpYTWlPaUF4TXpZek5U QTNNRE16TGpjMk9UTTFNeXdnSW5WelpYSmZhV1FpT2lBaVgzVn dNVEl5TlRnNE1EY2lmUS5VTzM5RFFiaHVscDdVLWhoUVVTMkp4 MUY0bVFwajJoam5MOUJoX0dWSEdRJnByb3ZpZGVyPXR3IiwgIm 1vZGVyYXRvciI6IGZhbHNlLCAic2V0dGluZ3NfdXJsIjogImh0 dHA6Ly93d3cubGl2ZWZ5cmUuY29tL3Byb2ZpbGUvZWRpdC9pbm ZvIiwgInRva2VuIjogImV5SmhiR2NpT2lBaVNGTXlOVFlpTENB aWRIbHdJam9nSWtwWFZDSjkuZXlKa2IyMWhhVzRpT2lBaWJHbD JaV1o1Y21VdVkyOXRJaXdnSW1WNGNHbHlaWE1pT2lBeE16WXpO VEEzTURNekxqWTRPVFE1Tml3Z0luVnpaWEpmYVdRaU9pQWlYM1 Z3TVRJeU5UZzRNRGNpZlEuX2JSdlYxUlRMMk5KTXMzS1NPdHUz bnhLN1EwZVNWR3RvOU5JZ0NZUDhWdyIsICJhdmF0YXIiOiAiaH R0cDovL2dyYXZhdGFyLmNvbS9hdmF0YXIvZGRjMzM2YzM3Nzcz NThmZWMxMmY3MDdiODc5YTEyMGIvP3M9X19zaXplX18mZD1odH RwOi8vYXZhdGFycy5meXJlLmNvL2EvYW5vbi9fX3NpemVfXy5q cGciLCAiZm9sbG93aW5nIjogZmFsc2UsICJwYXJ0aWNpcGFudC I6IGZhbHNlLCAiaWQiOiAxMjI1ODgwNywgInByb2ZpbGVfdXJs IjogImh0dHA6Ly93d3cubGl2ZWZ5cmUuY29tL3Byb2ZpbGUvMT IyNTg4MDcvIn0=

[jennysmurf]

I'm going to use "blockbusters of bloat and bombast" as much as possible in casual conversation.

[jennysmurf]

Also, I creeped on your FaceBook page.

[thepaulo]

I'm going to use "blockbusters of bloat and bombast" as much as possible in casual conversation.

I know I do.

[jennysmurf]

I know I do.

It's why we have so many friends.

[thepaulo]

It's why we have so many friends.

I grab people by the collar, get 1/2 inch from their face and bellow" Blockbusters of Bloat and Bombast!!!"

[jennysmurf]

I grab people by the collar, get 1/2 inch from their face and bellow" Blockbusters of Bloat and Bombast!!!"

That's a winning system.

[thepaulo]

http://upcomingdiscs.com/2013/08/01/rushlights/

http://theinterrobang.com/2013/08/percy-jackson-sea-of-monsters-by-paul-o/

http://upcomingdiscs.com/author/paul-o/

[thepaulo]

http://theinterrobang.com/2013/09/getaway-by-paul-o/

http://upcomingdiscs.com/2013/09/02/bronte-sisters/

http://upcomingdiscs.com/2013/09/02/getaway/

http://www.examiner.com/review/getaway-with-selena-gomez?cid=db_articles

[thepaulo]

http://upcomingdiscs.com/2013/09/09/riddick/

http://upcomingdiscs.com/2013/09/10/enlightened-the-complete-second-season/

http://theinterrobang.com/2013/09/riddick-by-paul-ocallaghan/

http://www.examiner.com/review/paranoia?cid=db_articles

https://www.facebook.com/paul.ocallaghan.397

[jennysmurf]

Vin Diesel as Kojak? Yeah, I can see it.

You almost convinced me to give Riddick a try. Almost.

[thepaulo]

Vin Diesel as Kojak? Yeah, I can see it.

You almost convinced me to give Riddick a try. Almost.

Vin Diesel isn't a bad guy. He just plays one in the movies.

[jennysmurf]

Vin Diesel isn't a bad guy. He just plays one in the movies.

The girls just watched "The Pacifier" yesterday for the first time, and loved him. I don't mind him a bit, but I don't movies that are super-loud and scary, so I will skip Riddick for that reason.

[thepaulo]

The girls just watched "The Pacifier" yesterday for the first time, and loved him. I don't mind him a bit, but I don't movies that are super-loud and scary, so I will skip Riddick for that reason.

He makes a good nanny.

[jennysmurf]

He makes a good nanny.

Those kids had never been safer.

[thepaulo]

http://theinterrobang.com/2013/10/12-years-a-slave/

http://upcomingdiscs.com/author/paul-o/

http://upcomingdiscs.com/2013/10/08/new-girl-the-complete-second-season/

http://upcomingdiscs.com/2013/09/17/the-family/

[thepaulo]

http://upcomingdiscs.com/2013/10/20/31-nights-of-terror-true-stories-of-horror/

http://upcomingdiscs.com/2013/10/25/family-tree-the-complete-first-season/

http://upcomingdiscs.com/2013/10/29/free-samples/

http://upcomingdiscs.com/2013/10/19/the-fifth-estate/

[spoon]

these are more recent links to recent scribblings

false advertisement!

[thepaulo]

these are more recent links to recent scribblings

false advertisement!

I would never glut this glowing institution with bloat and bombast. Links linger less.

[spoon]

alliteration with paul o

[thepaulo]

http://theinterrobang.com/2013/11/dallas-buyers-club/

http://upcomingdiscs.com/2013/11/15/dallas-buyers-club/

[thepaulo]

http://theinterrobang.com/2014/03/the-grand-budapest-hotel-is-grand/

http://theinterrobang.com/2014/03/bad-words-is-good/

http://upcomingdiscs.com/2014/03/19/concussion/

http://upcomingdiscs.com/2014/03/19/need-for-speed/

http://upcomingdiscs.com/2014/03/13/black-angel/

http://upcomingdiscs.com/2014/03/13/dreamworld/

http://upcomingdiscs.com/2014/02/25/3-days-to-kill/

http://upcomingdiscs.com/2014/02/24/nebraska-blu-ray/

http://upcomingdiscs.com/2014/02/23/winters-tale/

http://upcomingdiscs.com/2014/03/28/the-grand-budapest-hotel/

http://upcomingdiscs.com/2014/03/28/bad-words/

[thepaulo]

http://theinterrobang.com/2014/03/is-woody-allen-innocent/

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ZKBfWVkRHBM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/bf10SrFjpzE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[thepaulo]

http://theinterrobang.com/2014/04/rich-people-are-stupid/