Well, folks. It’s that time again: back to school for students and educators!

The excitement is palpable beyond belief. Eager children, having had a couple of glorious, sun-soaked months off from school to rejuvenate, are now primed for further enlightenment in the coming year. These little self-starters are just chomping at the bit to get back and they’re not going to let anything impede their educational development. Thanks to these ever-buoyant students, the future looks incredibly bright, indeed. Keep Reading »

A truly depressing aspect of film history is that it’s grossly incomplete. Roughly eighty to ninety percent of silent films are lost, and a good chunk of the sound pictures from Hollywood’s Golden Age have met the same fate. Preservation and posterity just didn’t–and, in many ways, still don’t–take precedent for the big shots in Hollywood. Saving a buck was more important than saving this art form. (In many cases, these lost movies, made out of  cellulose nitrate, were melted down and used again.) Almost all of them are gone forever, never to be found, restored, or recreated. But every once in a while, a wonderful thing happens: One of these movies believed to be lost is rediscovered and, with a little love and care, restored. (For example, a more complete version of Fritz Lang’s classic Metropolis was a huge find in 2008). Incredibly, in these unique instances, the cinematic giants of old are given a second chance to move and entertain us. And I am happy to report that today is such an occasion because Orson Welles’ film “Too Much Johnson” has been found.  So hit the jump for joy (and more information). Keep Reading »

There’s been a lot of talk this week on Omega-Level about the future of Star Wars. Arguments and counterarguments, both civil and passionate, flourished in the wake of JJ Abrams’ divisive entry in the Star Trek cannon. And now that he’s currently trekking across that universe towards a galaxy far, far way, most of the debating followed that trajectory by warping from Trek to Wars, going from what he’s done with his previous work(s) to what he will do with his forthcoming ones. In turn, it’s all become decidedly speculative and forward-looking, as we all try to get a read (and perhaps a grip) on what is to come. But before we can go forward, it’d be wise to examine why past Star Wars lent themselves to expansive and exciting storytelling—the stuff that truly made us want to go for the ride in the first place (and, ideally, attract us to the prospects of new installments). For this reason, let’s take a look back at the “long time ago” part of the Star Wars equation, principally by discussing the original trilogy in this week’s Opinions Vary.

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Imagine, if you will, the following scenario: You’re sitting in a movie theater, enjoying a nicely constructed action sequence on screen. Everything is working and you know the stakes involved because you’ve been paying attention the whole time and the present action, to its credit, is coherent. However, just for good measure, punctuating the sequence, some guy next to you starts to narrate the events, giving a play by play of every punch thrown, every kick dropped, every daring move displayed. And, to top it all off, he’s even thoughtful enough to add some recaps and character motivations, just in case you’re confused about what’s going on or you missed something that happened earlier in the proceedings.

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In case you missed it, it was recently announced that Rocky: the Musical, the tuneful reimagining of the Oscar-winning film and current hit in Germany, will be coming to Broadway in the near future. A brainchild of none other than Sylvester Stallone, the production transports the classic boxing story from the screen to the stage, to a genre whose aim is to not only capture the eyes of the audience, but their ears as well (without the need to cast Mike Tyson). So American audiences will soon have the opportunity to do more than just cheer on their favorite all-American underdog; they will be able to sing along with the prized pugilist, lyric for mumbled lyric. Keep Reading »

I don’t think I am postulating anything profound when I say a major aim of criticism is to evaluate a piece of art in a way that is enlightening (if not slightly edifying), allowing the audience to not only experience a fresh perspective on the value and meaning of that work in question, but also offering them a chance to see what that critic values in meaningful art. A review is as much an assessment on the reviewer who views a work of art as it is a review of the work. Sure, it may be a secondary source to the piece and, by extension, inextricably connected to the thoughts of the artist who created it, but the work of criticism instantly becomes a primary source for that critic who has those thoughts on that artist and art piece. First and foremost, we learn what that critic is thinking when we read criticism, enabling us to get into that person’s mindset (and the better the criticism, the more we want to stay there, or take those thoughts with us).

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If it isn’t already obvious, we here at Omega-Level are an assertive bunch, often to an outlandish degree. For both contributors and commenters, we like what we like, no matter how offbeat it may be, and we make sure that others know our likings, even if such views are potentially detrimental to our own pristine repute within the community and to the internet at large. When we must, we get opinionated about something because we think we get it better than anyone else. That conviction, for better or worse, is the modus operandi of our everyday goings-on here, and this new column aims to celebrate this dogged disposition.

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It’s that time of year again. Yes, that’s right, friends: The Oscars are on tonight. After months of hyping and marketing, the award ceremony will finally give the nod to the best of the year’s best, what deserves to be remembered for all times as the cinematic apotheosis of this very year. Thanks to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, each and every movie that wins the Best Picture statue becomes a cherished classic, worthy of eternal glory. And in order to get you more in the mood for tonight’s telecast (and in case there’s any lingering doubt in your mind that the AMPAS sometimes makes the wrong choice), here’s a video chronicling the illustrious winners of Oscars past. Take a look after the jump.

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David Lynch is a consummate artist. His matchless cinematic pursuit of capturing the wild, weird world that he sees around himself has been something to behold for many cineastes. He’s been pumping out fascinating works for well over thirty year, and when a new Lynch film hits the theater or the internet, it’s worth heeding, at the very least. Sure, it won’t be for everyone nor will it ever be (which is typically the case for an artist truly motivated by a personal vision rather than popularity and universal clarity), but it’s safe to say that everyone will witness something out of the ordinary–even when he’s chronicling places and experiences that have seemed ordinary before Lynch turned his gaze on it.  And his new short film/documentary “Idem Paris” is no different. Take a look after the jump.

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Mother Nature is at it again here in New England. Though She can be a dependable source of sunshine and sustenance in many parts of the world, She tends to be fickle in my neck of the woods. One moment she is warm, hospitable; the next She is cold and treacherous–out to get you if you even try to go out. It’s all part of the plan, really. She likes to keep us on our toes, never allowing anyone to be too comfortable with how things are, and I like that about Mother Nature, honestly. I welcome this aura of irregularity because inconsistent states (be they nature-based or otherwise) can be conducive to creativity and productivity: you have to deal with all the contending elements, make the best of what’s at your disposal, and hopefully something interesting comes out of it. And when this great, big storm finally hits the ground and piles up all the snow and logistical problems that come with it, we can plow and pack and shape that snow into salutatory snowmen, serene snow angels, and epic snow forts. We can sled and ski our way to freedom in a winter wonderland. And if you choose to stay inside, you can finally do all those things that you’ve been meaning to accomplish (read that book everyone’s talking about, watch a classic movie, do some writing, etc.). Once the snow is given by good ol’ Mother Nature, it’s ours for the taking. So go ahead and make good on this, just like these fine examples of snowman fecundity.

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