Cooper Joshua Soller

I'm an Uncle! Uncle Blake sounds fantastic, right? Welcome to the family, little Coop.

Check back periodically: this album will get bigger as pics from other cameras start getting posted.

---
A frothy Guinness to you for stopping by and another for coming back,
Stagekid

Obama VP Predictions

Most likely, Obama will be picking his VP this week (probably Tuesday or Wednesday).

My top 3:

#1: Al Gore (obviously a pipe dream) [article posted today]
#2: Joe Biden (foreign policy strength)
#3: Tim Kaine (Virginia swing state)

#4: Kathleen Sebelius (really number three on my list since picking Gore is almost impossible)

Now that I've laid out my predictions, Evan Bayh will probably end up getting it.

A GOP comment: if McCain picks Lieberman or Romney as his VP, Obama wins BIG.

---
A frothy Guinness to you for stopping by and another for coming back,
Stagekid

Swimming in the Gutter

I'll be up and running with the blog again soon (I can't believe the longest I've gone without posting is a week: that's serious dedication, people); an excuse for my preoccupation will come later. A couple of things:

The presidential campaign has taken a turn for the pathetic: McCain's Paris Hilton ad took our country to an all-time low. What's worse is that they just responded to her recent Funny or Die "ad"; I'm not posting either here, so go to Google. The presidency is the most important position in the world and to swim in the gutter like this is beyond embarrassing.

High values, high standards: Obama must win. Period. (I'm politically scarred by what McCain did because I just spent 4 hours watching a documentary on Franklin Delano Roosevelt (incredible doc; incredible American hero: here).
---
A frothy Guinness to you for stopping by and another for coming back,
Stagekid

Pubs in Britain

Source: The Economist
Article: Pubs in Britain

Coop's Take: 2001 was the year of the Pub for me as I aimlessly hopped around Europe, toasting a Guinness to circumstance: to a country-a-week epic journey; to an unexpected addiction to all things Spain; to this great gal I met in an elevator in Madrid (now my wife); to a new-found passion for theatre. After 9/11, I remember retreating to my Irish pub in the heart of Madrid: angry, confused, desperate to see my country--my family; I remember staying for hours, writing a screenplay on coasters and napkins, sipping my froth. Anyway...


The Economist has a nice ode to pubs...

"EVERY nation needs a national myth, and Britain might seem to need more than most. A modern myth has it as a country full of overworked wage-slaves. Newspapers write of a “long-hours culture”, and point out that the British working week is significantly longer than the European average. Yet walking through the afternoon streets of St James, on my way back from Friday lunch, it is hard to see much evidence of that. A legion of investment bankers and private-equity types crowd the streets, as indistinguishable from one to the next, in their open-necked shirts and luxuriantly coifed hair, as their predecessors were in their umbrellas and bowler hats. They are the overspill from London’s pubs, which have been..." (keep reading Pubs in Britain).


---
A frothy Guinness to you for stopping by and another for coming back,
Stagekid

Film Vault: In the Shadow of the Moon

Film: In the Shadow of the Moon

Tagline: Remember when the whole world looked up.

Rotten Tomatoes: 94%
IMDB
Wikipedia

Coop's Take:
For those interested in the human side of history, you'll love this documentary. There are two things that have stuck since watching: (1) I wish Neil Armstrong could have contributed to the narrative of the film; (2) what's happened to the great American ambition? We need to get back to that place where the world, once again, looks up to the values that our country represents: strength, bold hope, relentless courage.

Favorite Acting Scene:
All things Michael Collins! Great narrative, by an easily-overlooked American hero.

Coop's Movie Rating: 9
Coop's Trailer Rating: 9 1/2

Trailer:




---
A frothy Guinness to you for stopping by and another for coming back,
Stagekid

Debate: Two Acting Styles

Source: Cinematical
Post: 400 Screens, 400 Blows: Up with Downey by Jeffery M. Anderson

Anderson presents an interesting debate about acting styles: Brando's "method" vs. the "always plays himself" school. Bringing Downey Jr. (especially his performance in Two Girls and a Guy) into the discussion certainly brings credibility to the argument.

I've added Anderson to my list of tracked Tomatoe critics.

---
A frothy Guinness to you for stopping by and another for coming back,
Stagekid

Film Vault: Lars and the Real Girl

Film: Lars and the Real Girl

Tagline: The search for true love begins outside the box...

Rotten Tomatoes: 81%
IMDB
Wikipedia

Coop's Take:
Lars is a very well-casted film with Gosling, again, showing his gifted range. Some may be turned off by the unrealistic premise, but with a little suspension of dramatic disbelief and a focus on the acting (Mortimer and Schneider are great together), the film is worth the time.

Ryan Gosling continues to make great career choices. Using The Notebook's pop success to leverage his acting career, his last three films have certainly stretched his obvious talent: Half Nelson, Fracture, and Lars (there are few actors who can hold their own against the incomparable Anthony Hopkins, let alone upstage him on screen).

Favorite Acting Scene:
Gosling, in the woods, singing to his "girlfriend."

Trivia:

• shot in 31 days
• In the scene where Lars is reading to Bianca, he is reading from Don Quixote (an ode to delusions)
  

Coop's Movie Rating: 7
Coop's Trailer Rating: 5

Trailer:

At the Movies Review


---
A frothy Guinness to you for stopping by and another for coming back,
Stagekid

Photo Vault: Whistler 2008

A much needed mini-vacation to Whistler (first time we had been there; TripAdvisor review forthcoming):



---
A frothy Guinness to you for stopping by and another for coming back,
Stagekid

Music Video Vault: I'm Yours by Jason Mraz

Just heard this on the radio--brilliant:



---
A frothy Guinness to you for stopping by and another for coming back,
Stagekid

Next Weekend: Whistler Zip

What will my wife and I be doing next weekend? Where will we be?



Bring it on.

---
A frothy Guinness to you for stopping by and another for coming back,
Stagekid

Before Sunrise and Before Sunset

Source: Cinematical
Post: "When Romance is Done Right"

I've been a huge fan of Linklater's Before Sunrise since its release; its sojourned follow-up Before Sunset was a unexpected gift in the continuation of the simple storyline. Cinematical recently posted a nice article on the evolution of the the story (with commentary, trailers, extra video footage: yes, they stole my film vault blog structure):



---
A frothy Guinness to you for stopping by and another for coming back,
Stagekid

Film Vault: Iron Man

Film: Iron Man

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 93%
Wikipedia
IMDB

Coop's Take:

The most recent Superman movie represented everything wrong with modern-day hero movie hype: no chemistry, too much noise, poor script. From the opening scene of Iron Man, it was obvious this film would take a different direction in the genre: brilliant writing, brilliant acting, brilliant direction. One of the best comic/superhero movies I've seen since the original Superman films--Robert Downey Jr. is as good as they come: by far my favorite actor today (see Saints); the film was brilliantly cast (Howard, Bridges, Paltrow); a great achievement for director John Favreau.

Favorite Acting Scene:
RDJ building the suit while acting with the inadament.

Trivia:

• Rachel McAdams was Jon Favreau's first choice to play Pepper Potts, but she turned the role down.
• Nicolas Cage and Tom Cruise were interested in playing Iron Man. Cruise in particular was going to act in and produce the film.
• The script was not completely prepared when filming began, since the filmmakers were more focused on the story and the action, so the dialogue was mostly ad-libbed throughout filming; Jon Favreau acknowledged this made the film feel more natural. Some scenes were shot with two cameras to capture lines improvised on the spot; Robert Downey Jr. would ask for many takes of one scene since he wanted to try something new... (more trivia)
  

Coop's Movie Rating: 8
Coop's Trailer Rating: 6 1/2

Trailer:




Wired Review: Iron Man a New High for RDJ
Robert Ebert's Review

Unscripted:




---
A frothy Guinness to you for stopping by and another for coming back,
Stagekid

Film Vault: There Will Be Blood

Film: There Will Be Blood

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 92%
Award: Won 2 Oscars (Best Actor, Best Cinematography)
Wikipedia
IMDB

Coop's Take: There are few actors working today that truly capture the screen; Daniel Day Lewis is certainly one of those special talents. In a time where most movies aim for big action and fluff, every so often a film comes along that heightens the art to a level worthy of its history and its potential as a medium for story-telling, for expression. There Will Be Blood is a great achievement by Paul Thomas Anderson & Co. It's definitely on my top 3 for 2007 (and ahead of No Country for Old Men).

2007 was a good year for film: No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood, Once, Sweeney Todd, Into the Wild, Juno, King of Kong and a handful of others (Breach, American Gangster, Sicko). I'll have to look back to see if I already completed my Top 10 for 2007 (I usually wait to see movies on video--unless we're talking about a film like Iron Man; I think my next post will be to start building my Top 10 list for 2008)

Favorite Acting Scene: The bowling alley scene where DD Lewis puts on an absolute clinic in acting.

Trivia:

• While on location in Marfa, Texas, No Country for Old Men was the neighboring film production. One day, director Paul Thomas Anderson and his crew tested the pyrotechnical effects of the oil derrick fire, causing an enormous billowing of smoke, intruding the shot that Joel Coen and Ethan Coen were shooting. This caused them to put off filming until the next day when the smoke dissipated from view. Both this film and No Country for Old Men would eventually become the leading contenders at the Academy Awards a year and a half later.
• Anderson told Entertainment Weekly magazine that the fake oil used throughout the movie included "the stuff they put in chocolate milkshakes at McDonald's."... (more trivia)
  

Coop's Movie Rating: 9
Coop's Trailer Rating: 8

Robert Ebert's Review

Trailer

(HD version)

Charlie Rose (a look at Blood and No Country)

---
A frothy Guinness to you for stopping by and another for coming back,
Stagekid

Video Vault: Where the Hell is Matt?

I want to hang out with Matt over a Guinness and a globe (and just to be clear: this, to me, is what life is all about: a simple idea executed brilliantly):


Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.
---
A frothy Guinness to you for stopping by and another for coming back,
Stagekid

Film Vault: Schindler's List

Film: Schindler's List
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 96%

Award: Won 7 Oscars including Best Picture
Wikipedia
IMDB

Coop's Take: A legacy-changing film, from one of the great directors of all time--Schindler's List is a true masterpiece. Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, and Ralph Fiennes give performances unmatched by but a few. Everything I have always believed about film--in terms of potential for story-telling; distribution of a message; the power to invoke anger or confusion or elation--pours out in Schindler's List.

Favorite Acting Scene: Amon Goeth in the wine cellar, where he's battling with his feelings for Helen Hirsch. Ralph Fiennes is first-class in everything I've seen him in (especially The English Patient and The End of the Affair).

Trivia:

• To prepare for the role, Ralph Fiennes put on almost 30 pounds drinking Guinness;
• Harrison Ford was offered the title role but declined, saying that some people would not be able to look past him as a star to see the importance of the film... (more trivia)
  

Coop's Movie Rating: 10
Coop's Trailer Rating: 9

Trailer


Siskel & Ebert Review


---
A frothy Guinness to you for stopping by and another for coming back,
Stagekid

Trailer Vault: The Wackness

The Wackness: HD Trailer

---
A frothy Guinness to you for stopping by and another for coming back,
Stagekid

Film Review Vault: A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints

Film: A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 75%
Box Office: $420,603
Wiki
IMDB
Trailer

Coop's Take: I will never get tired of films or stories that try to express the struggle of youth--a struggle that often times involve a desperate need to break away from home--from our town or neighborhood; from our parents or friends. Saints offers a mid-1980's, Queens, NY struggle of Dito Montiel, played by--in my opinion--the best actor working today and who may end up being the best of all time: Robert Downey Jr; RDJ's role is quite minimal, but his impact is, as always, a game changer--a film changer.

Shia Labeouf turns in a fantastic performance: there is absolutely no surprise seeing Spielberg & Co. jump at the opportunity to work with this kid. After his performance here--accompained by his role in the Rear Window-influenced, Disturbia--Labeouf's young career has risen quicker than any I've seen.

An Intro to Movie Posts on This Blog: The above links will lead to a ton of reviews if that's your thing, but too much influence/information can stain the experience. Personally, I like researching a film after I've gone through the viewing experience. So... read Coop's Take (I'll never give away an ending or a climatic scene: my focus will be more on the acting), watch the trailer (I'll try to link to the highest quality resolution), and come back, again, after you've seen the film to discuss (I'm also on FriendFeed)!

Ideally, I'd watch my films in a huge movie theatre, surrounded by nobody and nothing--except for my drenched-in-butter popcorn and a water-I-brought-from-home-because-those-charging-5-bucks-for-a-Pepsi-produced-bottle-should-be-arrested. But since the movie theatre experience is dying and since time is becoming increasingly important, a lot of my viewing will be on my iTouch: better to have seen Schindler's List (my next review) than to keep it rotting on my life list.

Also: I am a huge fan of movie trailers: it's art much in the same way a short story is art. Therefore, I'll not only be rating my movies, but also its trailer:

Coop's Movie Rating: 7 ½
Coop's Trailer Rating: 8

---
A frothy Guinness to you for stopping by and another for coming back,
Stagekid

"Lessons in Productivity from Ralph Waldo Emerson"

Source: ZenHabits
Post: "Lessons in Productivity from Ralph Waldo Emerson"

I am nowhere close to where I want to be in terms of productivity. I never want to feel satisfied. Is there anything worse than apathy and complacency?

"Emerson eliminated distractions by limiting the amount of books he read, streamlining “lower duties” like household chores, and avoiding relationships with people whose nervous temperaments upset his focus. While today there are many more distractions than in Emerson’s day, we too can reduce our information consumption. Put Haiku Productivity in practice by limiting the amount of stuff you own, RSS feeds you read, and times you check email. By doing so, you’ll create an environment"...

and

“Ah!” said a brave painter to me, thinking on these things, “if a man has failed, you will find he has dreamed instead of working. There is no way to success in our art, but to take off your coat, grind paint, and work like a digger on the railroad, all day and every day--RW Emerson” ... (keep reading)

Today's Related RSS fodder: "The Howard Roark of Engineering"
---
A frothy Guinness to you for stopping by and another for coming back,
Stagekid

Video Vault: WineLibrary TV

I'm a huge fan of Gary Vaynerchuk (hat tip to my brother). Expect his new videos to pop up here every once in awhile:

"With a wealth of knowledge and an entrepreneurial spirit, Gary spent every weekend of his college years at his parents’ store, rebranding the family business as Wine Library and establishing himself as a respected expert. As the store’s only wine buyer, he sampled every wine that entered the store. Customers depended on Gary for his advice and within a five year time period, Wine Library grew from a $4 million dollar business to a $45 million business:"




---
A frothy Guinness to you for stopping by and another for coming back,
Stagekid

An Ode to Declarations

What I love about blogging is that you can make declarations (e.g. my last post) and change your mind the next day.

I realized last night there was no way to put restrictions on the content of this blog. My last post therefore, is more of a rant. The root: I need to write more: I need to blog more. I've always had an appreciation--a passion--for film, literature, and theatre/acting; it's not surprising that I came to the conclusion yesterday that these topics needed more of my attention. Attention they will get, but to confine my efforts to express, is the wrong decision--at least for the purposes of this blog.

Thanks for keeping up :)

---
A frothy Guinness to you for stopping by and another for coming back,
Stagekid