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Have you ever noticed something interesting while driving on a regular route, told yourself you will take the time to stop and look next time by and not followed through – only to lose out and miss something that was of interest? My list of those situations is long.
Poppies are starting to come out in the valley. There is a grouping of red ones along the side of the road on Highway 75 half way between Hailey and the house. Yesterday after a hike with the girls (Shae and Merry Dog) I headed to Hailey and shop for ingredients for a Salad entree to make for dinner with Linda. As I passed by the Poppies surrounded by bursts of violet, white and golden yellow I made a promise to myself that on the return trip home I would take in these beautiful flowers. I kept my promise and At 7PM the late afternoon sunlight enhanced and already marvelous scene. I felt fortunate. Upon arriving home, I come to find that Linda had the same idea, on the salad entree not the flowers. We mixed and matched ate dinner together and watched the Tigers beat the Twins. I felt fortunate.
I had some camera gear with me and snapped some shots, but the location of the sun did not lend well to shots of my liking. It was my guess that the morning sun coming over the mountains would create a better shooting solution. So, today I got up before sunrise and waited until the sun reared itself over the ridge-lines.
I brought two completely different sets of gear for the shoot; a large [4×5] and 35MM format. A shot from each setup is below:
 Phase One IQ 180 [4×5] Digital Back, Phase One 645DF Camera and Schneider 120MM Macro Focal Shutter Lens shot at ISO:35, F8, 1/250 second, 16Bit Color and 80 MegaPixels.  Nikon D3x [35MM] camera and Nikkor 14-24 Wide Angle Zoom lens shot at ISO:75, 18MM, F8, 1/320 second, 14Bit Color and 24 MegaPixels.
The mark of a wonderful comedy film is when members of the audience are singularity laughing out loud about a previous scene a second time moments after its occurrence. This Is The End produces this kind of laughter often in its 107 running time. There are not many comedic films that can claim this accomplishment.
Written and Directed by Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogan, This Is End is the fifth film these two have written together (Superbad, Pineapple Express, The Green Hornet, The Watch). Superbad and Pineapple Express were complete winners, the other not-so-much. However, This Is The End should be considered a cut of above all of those films.
This Is The End accomplishes something few films of its ilk achieve – stringing together a boat-load of clever ideas, skits, inside-jokes, self deprecating humor and parodies seamlessly with few if any lulls. Although from a different era, using a different vehicle and a totally different genre, This Is The End is as fresh and irreverent as Blazing Saddles. Although both are replete with Potty jokes, the irony given the idiosyncrasies of Hollywood funding and public acceptance, is that Blazing Saddles could not get made today nor This Is The end in the 1970’s.
It should be noted that I feel Stripes is similar to and the equal of these films for the first 75 of its 106 minutes, but then loses steam after leaving boot-camp.
Mud, the film Written and Directed by Johnathan Nichols (Take Shelter, Shotgun Series) is a treasure. The story is engrossing. It rivals what I believe are the standard bearers of this genre – Stand By Me, The Shawshank Redemption, and The Apt Pupil. Ironically all of these films were adapted from the same book of novellas The Different Seasons (The Body, Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption, The Apt Pupil) written by Steven King.
Set near the town of Dewitt Arkansas and confluences of the White, Arkansas and Mississippi Rivers, Mud feels simultaneously mystical and everyday real. In addition to a wonderful main plot Mud provides a number of credible and interesting sub-plots. Mud gives us Characters that are total characters and others that are honest and simply bearing the burdens of hard scrabble living. Mud is about people who are trying to make ends meet from the bounty offered by working the river or ones trying to lay low and out of the way of attention. Mud presents us with families grasping for stability. Mud presents us with young teenagers who can astonish with both insight and naivete. Mud shows us how love can be used, misinterpreted, unrequited and given selflessly. Mud reveals what it is like to gain strength and feel disappointment from those you trust and love.
From a technical perspective Mud is a very fine film as well. The locations used for the film are superb, exist in real life and all sit well within 100 miles of each other. Mud is a Wide screen film (2:35 to 1 aspect ration) and Adam Stone’s (Take Shelter) cinematography and lighting are the equal of the script and acting.
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