Pearl Jam

God I love this band.

They were at the Molson Ampetheter here in Toronto last Friday, (August 21) and, kick myself repeatedly, I had to miss them. They are so awesome live and I always leave one of their shows a richer, more apreciative fan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMVpkAWIERU

Can't wait for Backspacer, baby!

D.A.

District 9

Saw District 9 last night.
Wow.

All I can say is I was very impressed. For a "low budgest" movie, (or any movie), the special effects were spectacular. High praise to everyone involved, particularly director (and co-writer), Neill Blomkamp, his co-scribe, Terri Tatchell and lead actor, Sharlto Copley. I admit, I'm not terribly familiar with any of these people, but I will be eagerly anticipating their careers from now on.

I'm not much of a reviewer so I won't recap. All I can say is, I thought it was, by far, the most thoughtful sci-fi/action movie of the summer, (which isn't saying much), and perhaps, even, all time. Yes, I would go so far as to say that.

District 9 is, for me, what science fiction, (and storytelling in general), is all about. Allegory, metaphor, fun, thought-provoking and, definitely most important, engaging. I urge people to support this film by seeing it and wanting more.

The Mantra: A Six Part Series

What is The Mantra?

Glad you asked.

For the past few years I have been working on a series of short(ish) pulp novels of stand-alone stories that are intrinsically interconnected to make a much larger, more layered story. The macro story will be the primary plot of the sixth and final book, ingeniously titled, The Mantra.

What makes this idea particularly unique and commercially viable, (I hope), is the non-commital nature of the series on the part of the casual reader. In other words, one need not read all of the books, or read them in any particular order since each is completely seperate and only interacts with the others sparadically and superficially. However, put together, the reader is treated to a far more nuanced, multi-faceted saga. Further, depending on what order the individual books are read, the narrative will unfold slightly differently.

Sound interesting?

I hope so.

Anyway the first book, (to be written), in the series is currently in the hands of The Writers Network Screenplay and Story Competition, (as well as a few close friends) and is entitled, Minutemark. Soon I'll post a brief synopsis and perhaps offer a little taste.

It's a fairly big project, I realize. I'd love to hear what you think. Feel free.

D.A.

Kung Fu High School

I'm a little more than halfway through a great book called Kung Fu High School. Yes, that's the actual title. I tell you, if the rights to this book are or ever become available I would love to own them. The title alone would be all the pitch I need to sell it. The author's name is Ryan Gattis and, according to his acknowledgements, owes much of his inspiration to another of my favorite young adult authors of all time. Robert Cormier, who wrote, among many other books, The Chocolate War and it's sequel, Beyond The Chocolate War. If you've never heard of him or his books I highly recommend checking him out. It may sound silly but it's not. It's a great story about heirarchies in high school and those that fall savagely victim, (much like Kung Fu High School).

I don't know, with the passing of John Hughes I've been feeling the need to explore a lot of these kinds of stories. They're good for people of all ages because even if you're not in high school, you probably were at one time, or will be. I wrote a screenplay called Those Years that touches a lot on the theme of getting out from under the shadow of high school. It's the second script I ever wrote and it really helped me a lot to write it. It did okay in a couple of competitions but I always felt it could be truly great. I plan to get back to it soon, as a matter of fact. You can check out the logline and brief synopsis over at my site: http://www.squidoo.com/peripheral, and while you're at it, feel free to let me know what kinds of stories you like to wallow in.

D.A.

Tragically Hip - Depression Suite

Just wanted to pass along a great live clip from my favourite band on the planet, The Tragically Hip, playing one of their best new songs off their most recent album, We Are The Same. The song is called Depression Suite.

Enjoy.

http://bit.ly/13mRKp

For those of you not familiar with The Hip, they are, quite simply, the crown jewel of Canadian bands. I urge you to check them out. Live would be preferable.

Bye for now.

D.A.

Ray Bradbury

I'm ashamed to say I haven't read nearly enough Ray Bradbury. Last night, I began "Bradbury Speaks," his most recent book, (I think. The man is in his 90s for God's sake), which is a collection of essays spanning six frieking decades. All I can say is, what a guy. Seriously, he's who I want to be when I grow up. The man exudes passion for his craft, the glorious craft of word-sculpting, to which I too have dedicated my life. A quote of his, which struck me particularly, pretty much sums up my highest aspiration:

"In my later years, I have looked in the mirror each day and found a happy person staring back. Occasionally I wonder why I can be so happy. The answer is that every day of my life I've worked only for myself and for the joy that comes from writing and creating. The image in my mirror is not optimistic, but the result of optimal behavior."

Well shut my mouth.

You da man, Mr. Bradbury.

Also...

Just thought I'd post something about Taylor Lindsay Noel, a 14 year old gymnast, (now 15), here in Toronto, (who suffered a debilitating injury about a year ago during a competition and is now paralyzed. This beautiful girl is an inspriration to so many, (including yours truly), not only for her unwavering optimism and positivity, but also her determination to live life to the fullest. I just want you to know, Taylor, I think about you every day and wish you all the very best life has to offer. YOU WILL WALK AGAIN.

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/678516

I urge you to learn more about this corrageous young girl and her mother and, if so inclined, to donate whatever you can to a community-wide effort to rebuild the crumbling roof of their home.

teamtaylor2008@gmail.com

God bless you.

D.A.

aSocial

Here's another project I've been shoppping around, (with varying success), but I feel pretty strongly about it. It's a fun, quirky sci-fi satire, (don't you know those have been selling like hot-cakes), along the lines of Orwell, Bradbury, Huxley with some Charlie Kaufman and John Hughes mixed in). Enjoy.

aSocial – a light-hearted look at depression

Tagline:

Get happy – or else…

Logline:

Set in a fun-loving future not far from today, depression and social anxiety are things of the past...for all but an unlucky few, who spend their lives desperate to fit in and buck up -- or pay the ultimate price. (“1984”/“Brave New World” meets “Logan’s Run”/“Freejack” meets “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”)

Inept citizen, Allan Arc struggles to blend into near-future San Diego, where depression, anxiety and old-fashioned shyness are more than simply taboo––they’re borderline criminal, weeded out and ‘corrected’ for the good of the populace.

(“1984”/“Brave New World” meets “Logan’s Run”/“Total Recall” meets “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”)

Synopsis:

Allan Arc has been tagged, tracked, doped, and dissed from the day he was born. A rare carrier of the inoperable ‘zero-gene,’ he’s a second-class citizen in a first-class utopia, where heredity, depression and social anxiety are all-but forgotten encumbrances of the past––and happiness is more or less law.
Mindful not to make waves, he lives out a hollow existence, sleepwalking through life with a vacuous smile, dependant on chemicals, empty rhetoric, and fear to get him through the day––and keep crippling anxieties in line. But when a deplorable crime turns him into public enemy number one, the term ‘social outcast’ takes on a whole new meaning as poor Allan finds himself on the run from the truly unsympathetic, forced to trust in things like friendship, sincerity, compassion, and the kindness of strangers to save him from lifelong imprisonment––and the ugliest side of human nature.
Unwittingly paired-up with him for the unsavory ride is Lucy, the woman of his dreams and typically ‘shiny-eyed’ party-girl. Mistaken for Allan’s knowing accomplice, (to an alleged crime, for which he has no clear memory), she joins his ill-advised attempt at escape in a fit of blind panic. Together they run from the relentless O.Z. Division of Social Justice, led by no-nonsense "Agent Norman" and his all-powerful superior, San Diego pillar of the community and political heavyweight, Max Mednick.

Cut off from his mood-curbing meds, Allan soon deteriorates fast, coupled with a monitoring implant at the back of his neck that leads trackers right to them. Now Lucy must think for them both, waking up to her own stunted individuality while receiving a telling glimpse into life through Allan’s frightened eyes, and the all-too-subtle distinction between sincere human motives and those merely skin deep.

Upon their inevitable capture, both are plunged even further into frank self reflection as they slowly come to grips with the inhibiting worlds of their making. Now they can either stand silent in mind-numbing conformity, or go boldly forward into genuine freedom, and a chance for true happiness.

The underlined motivation behind “aSocial” is to poke fun at our current mental-health-obsessed, overtly-medicated culture through the clean, sparkly prism of tomorrow. What generally separates it from other ‘cautionary allegories’ of similar vein, (ie: “1984,” “Children of Men,” “Minority Report,” “Fahrenheit 451,” and others), is its light, colorful sensibility and sharp satirical slant, (complete with quirky characters and a hip, eclectic soundtrack). Unlike those afore-mentioned tales of ‘utopia-for-some,’ or ‘dystopia-for-all,’ which tend to be drab, grey and intentionally depressing, this story’s tone is more Charlie Kaufman, or Wes Anderson than Stanley Kubrick, or Philip K. Dick, poking gentle fun at contemporary values and image-based anxiety by way of a light, up-tempo adventure.

An Axis Oblique

Just thought I'd post a little about my first novel, An Axis Oblique. I've written another since then and am about halfway through my third, but this is my baby, about which I sat up countless nights worrying.

Every mind has that little voice inside,

but what if that voice had a mind of its own?

Detective Keith Merrimac is tired. On the heels of a case that dug into his dark side, he’d just about kill for a decent night’s sleep.

But some scars are forever –

And when bloody murder cries twice before morning, all Hell breaks loose to shake up the foundation of his shell-shocked community, and Keith’s very sanity, on the trail a ruthless killer more cunning, and sadistic than any he’s ever imagined...

Himself.

When the scope of ‘The Stand,’ meets the blood and schizophrenia of ‘American Psycho,’ An Axis Oblique takes a long, blurry look at the fine line within as it pertains to a spectrum of characters at war with themselves – and each other. Set in contemporary Connecticut, the story; part mystery, part fantasy, part family-drama, depicts a world with supernatural undertones, weaving between the real and the fantastic as it chronicles the vicious exploits of ‘Perry Finch,’ an ageless demonic consciousness that sets up shop in susceptible psyches to feed off their broken souls. Perry has had many names and faces across 10 000 years of bloodlust and brutality, but none more conflicted, opposing…and infuriating as his burnt-out latest...

From 12^th century Mongolia to the jungles of communist Cuba to the screaming sky-scrapers of New York City, this 250 000-word horror-epic told in four volumes sets the stage for the ultimate showdown between darkness and light, touching all who stand in the way of Perry’s insatiable thirst for chaos – and Keith’s exhausting quest to quench it for good.

There you have it. Check out the full prologue here.
http://www.squidoo.com/peripheral

Thanks for reading.

D.A.

Saved By The Bell!

Okay, so maybe this is somewhat of a 'hot topic' these days, (go figure), but I've been a card carrying member of the SBTB fanclub for many moons. Yes, I'm serious. Either way, love'em or hate'em (and shame on you if you do), the big story circling the ol' interweb claims integral castmates, Dennis, (Mr. Belding), Haskins and Dustin, (ScREEEch) Diamond have been whitewashed from this show's proud history.

I, for one, think this is WRONG.

Sorry. I get emotional when it comes to this subject.

Okay, maybe Dustin Diamond is a bit of a loose cannon these days; ('dick,' might be the more appropriate word), but I maintain, SAVED BY THE BELL IS NOT COMPLETE WITHOUT SCREECH. Or Mr. Belding, of course. Although something tells me when the big show finally goes down, he'll be there with bells on, (yes, incredibly lame oun intended).

For now, you can read more on this pressing news story and, dare I say it, weigh in if you feel so inclined. (http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzzlog/92875)

Cheers.

D.A.

Who is Bill Pope?

Back again.

Just wanted to pass on the great experience I had at the Bloor Theatre this week in Toronto. I attended The Wright Stuff, hosted by acclaimed UK Director, Edgar Wright, (Shawn of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Spaced), where a double-bill of Bill Pope movies was playing.

Who is Bill Pope?

Glad you asked.

Bill is an acclaimed cinemetographor, best known for little movies like, Spiderman 2 and 3, The Matrix Trilogy, Clueless, Judd Apetow's Freaks and Geeks pilot, Darkman, Evil Dead 1 & 2 and Army of Darkness, and too many more to list here. Suffice it to say, he's the shit.

Anyway, between screenings of Army of Darkness and Team America: World Police, (another Bill Pope gem), Edgar and Bill entertained questions from an eager crowd of movie buffs. I must say it was one of those thoroughly enjoyable experiences that made me wanna go out and "be all that I can be" as a storyteller/moviemaker/human being, (okay maybe not), so here I am, hoping to spread the inspiration.

If you fancy yourself an artist (and lets face it, we all do in some form or fashion), don't just sit on the sidelines. Get out there and be what you are. Focus on the joy of it, rather than the results and the results you desire will be far more likely to come. You don't have to move mountains in one day. JUST DO SOMETHING! Big, small, short, fat, whatever.

Okay, end of sermon.

Just thought I'd pass it along to movie afficionados like and myself and casual goers alike.

Be back soon.
Thanks for reading.

Dave