Winding down

First I'd like to say it's a little disappointing that Matthew Perry has been reduced for "Made-for-TV" Johnson and Johnson movies. I mean come on man, after The Whole 9 Yards, Fools Rush In? Oh how the great have fallen.

Yesterday was my birthday. It was fun! I went hiking in the beautiful mountains of Malibu (something I hope to make a tradition). I haven't made it to work since monday, even though my class, History of American Cinema, was officially finished on Tuesday. I really enjoyed the class, it was far more interesting than the corresponding piece of shit I would have taken at my own university. In fact, I enjoyed the class so much that I decided to go to the optional class today. We watched Annie Hall and Get Shorty. Two really great movies. I've never actually seen a Woody Allen movie till Annie Hall, and I do enjoy his humor immensely. There's just something about that frantic insecurity and the culturally deep wit that I loved. It really was an intelligent comedy that definitaly appealed to the more educated to truly be enjoyed. The story is simple enough, it's about a man who is deeply in love with a woman, however all his insecurities drive her away from him. It comes highly recommend from this film major.

Allen's style in this movie (and what i'm assuming throughout the rest of his movies) is visually very mundane. There's nothing awe inspiring, visually, about any scene at all, granted there are the basic aspects of including depth, however unlike movies like Memoir's of a Geisha or Brokeback Mountain, with awe inspiring cinematography, these shots let you focus on the humor of every situation (which there is no shortage of). Anyway enough of that.

I've been trying to figure out how to weasel myself into the UCLA film school as an undergrad. I've realized by watching Entourage and my experiences at UCLA that I won't be able to become a director with the knowledge I have. Yes, I know directing is highly intuitive, yes as a director there are an immense amount of technical people behind me ready to figure out anything I need them to, and yes people become directors without schooling, but I still feeling having this technical background will help me immensely if directing is something I intend to continue with.

So the last days of the sweet California are winding down, today is my last night sleeping in the bed at UCLA, within 5 days I will be sleeping in my own bed back home. It's a little depressing, I'm not excited to return to college. Unlike most people, I am surrounded by fake "friends" almost constantly (most in my fraternity). There are few people I would call good friends, and fewer that I would regard in high esteem. It's a damn shame, that out of all the fraternities on campus this was my first choice. It's upsetting that I wouldn't choose one with more genuine people. Don't get me wrong, I have great friends, however, it's just these people that... I can't stand. I'm ready to leave, I'm ready to graduate, I'm ready to move to California. And even though this isn't possible, I can still dream.