Louie: Pilot, Poker/Divorce, Dr. Ben/Nick

Louie's undoubtedly my favorite comedy on television, so I went back and re-watched the first three episodes last night. My enjoyment was equally as good, if not greater than my initial watch. The show's protagonist, Louie, is played by Louis C.K., who's essentially playing himself. Each episode rotates between Louie's stand-up and his actual life. In these first three episodes, the absurdity of his life is emphasized, and we're left with his hilarious instances of awkwardness. That's what made me fall in love with this show. But upon re-watch (actually third watch of these specific episodes), I'm also increasingly enjoying his stand-up. This change in taste likely correlates with my recent shift in philosophical ideals. I've found my sense of humor to be less constricted by constructions of morality; I decide what to get out of this show. The show's ideas aren't imposed on me; I select which themes/ideas to hold onto. His stand-up seems to tow the line of immorality, notably with the use of the words 'faggot,' 'cunt,' and 'nigger.'  In the first scene of Poker/Divorce, a dialogue arises surrounding the use of these words, specifically 'faggot.' Although the scene ends in a seemingly dismissive joke, I think it revealed some answers about how to tow that line of immorality. The idea was that one must be cognizant of the meaning/origin of word, then must make the judgement on whether its use is justified in stand-up; one shouldn't plead ignorance.

The other facet of this show, Louie's daily life/adventures is tremendous. The peak of these three episodes was certainly Ricky Gervais' cameo as Dr. Ben, who's treatment of Louie left me awestruck. The seemingly perpetual bewilderment Louie experiences during this show is astonishing. I'd highly recommend this show, although a certain level of maturity is required.

Note: I haven't found a suitable rating system for television, mostly because I'm not sure how to rate it. So don't expect television ratings anytime soon. If I do put come up with some, it'll likely be ratings for seasons rather than individual episodes.

Palo Alto, Gia Coppola

Yes, that Coppola. Gia is the granddaughter of Our Great Francis Ford, director of Apocalypse Now, which is in my Pantheon of movies. This film doesn't reach that level, but it's certainly an achievement considering it's her feature-film debut. It's an adolescent drama about four teenagers who're trying to get through life......to live. It feels genuine. April, who becomes entangled in a relationship with her soccer coach, is unsure of what she wants. Teddy's simply there, repositioning after some mistakes. Fred's flamboyant nature seems to be a front for an identity crisis. Emily is a tragic figure, one whose search for love has left her used and alone. Amidst the darkness there is hope, at least for April and Teddy, as their romance seems inevitable. Their interactions seem real; mannerisms indicate feelings as much as words. Gia's style combined with the score creates a seamless flow of scenes. We're left with a deeply relatable film that signifies the emergence of another great Coppola.

3.5 / 4

The Social Network, David Fincher

The nearly universal acclaim of this film has always confounded me. For this reason, I embarked on a second viewing last Sunday night. The opening scene between Eisenberg and Mara is quintessential Sorkin. The bombardment of dialogue establishes the arrogance of Zuckerberg, who is the central, and perhaps the only meaningful character in the film. Throughout the film, I found myself searching for Zuckerberg's motivations, desires. What does Mark Zuckerberg want? He appears to be on a sort of anti-establishment crusade, as first evidenced by the facemash fiasco. Zuckerberg has a dichotomous relationship with Eduardo. Eduardo aligns himself with the establishment, immediately wanting to capitalize on their idea through advertising. Zuckerberg disagrees asserting: "We don't even know what it is yet." When that line is repeated by Sean Parker, the departure of Eduardo seems inevitable. Parker's character is an idealized version of Zuckerberg himself. He certainly is anti-establishment, but also outwardly appears to have that social exuberance that Zuckerberg lacks. Zuckerberg wants to be loved, both by the populous and by the individual. This individual undoubtedly is Erica Albright. The final scene, Zuckerberg refreshing his Facebook page, is powerful solely because of this idea. This was a film of two scenes; the first and the last. I'm reminded of a quote from the immortal Avon Barksdale.

"You only do two days, the day you go in, the day you go out."

2.5 / 4

Baseline formation

Here are my favorite actors.

Henrik

Michael Fassbender - The Counselor, 12 Years a Slave, Jane Eyre

Ryan Gosling - Drive, The Place Beyond the Pines, Blue Valentine, Only God Forgives

Christoph Waltz - Inglourious Basterds

Adam

Mads Mikklesen - The Hunt, Valhalla Rising

Idris Elba - The Wire, Luther

Matthew McConaughey - The Wolf Of Wall Street, True Detective

Leonard

Brad Pitt - Inglourious Basterds, The Counselor, Babel 

Daniel Day-Lewis - There Will Be Blood

A Baseline; Introduction to Tiers

As my interest in film has expanded, I've identified some favorites. I organize my favorites in a tier system:

Top Tier: Henrik

Secondary Tier: Adam

Third Tier: Leonard

Before I summon chaos, let me identify the criteria. 

Criteria! My choices reflect each object's personal meaning; they're knowingly subjective! The choices will likely change as time passes. I'll try to keep it updated!

I'll begin with actresses. 

Henrik

Naomi Watts - Birdman,

Mulholland Drive: I'm hard-pressed to find a character more lovable than Betty. When her vibrance transformed into the obsessive Diane Selwyn, I was transfixed.

Mia Wasikowska - The Double, Jane Eyre

Adéle Exarchopoulos - Blue Is the Warmest Colour

Saskia Rosendahl - Lore

Adam

Jessica Chastain - The Tree of Life

Nicole Kidman - Eyes Wide Shut

Carey Mulligan - Drive

Leonard

Jennifer Lawrence - Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle

Cate Blanchett - Babel

Rooney Mara - Side Effects, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,  Her,  The Social Network

Michelle Williams - Blue Valentine, Synecdoche New York

Tatiana Maslany - Orphan Black

Expect more descriptions to be added in the future.

Fragments of Thought; Inspiration

This blog is a cloud of ideas on a variety of disciplines. My goal is to transcend, through whatever means available. Initially, the focus will be on films, actors, actresses, and directors. There isn't an established pattern for posts, they'll appear only when inspiration's present. Expect variance in length, format, and subject matter.