Me and my roomie sat down last night and watched Sling Blade featuring Billy Bob Thornton, John Ritter and Robert Duvall. I want to say that I was blown away by Billy's acting and his directing of the film. It truly is a great film in every way. Unlike most movies featuring a retard and/or featuring the South; there wasn't the heavy handed South bashing or sappy guilt ridden retard monologue. There was a pretty open pro-gay message in the film although it was not over the top and given the circumstances I would have to agree with Billy's character*. I highly recommend this film. It's rated R for some language but other than that it's a clean film.

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The directing in the film was seriously old school, and I loved it. One perfectly choreographed long take after another. The lighting was spot on and the sparse music was integrated at all the right moments. It was such a stark contrast from modern films. Directors nowadays can't seem to keep there hands off the camera. The Bourne movies are a prime example. Now I love the Bourne series just as much as the next guy but you have to admit that the fight scenes are more than shaky, they resemble a seizure. It's like the DP attached the camera to his shoe or his elbow and than ran around with it.

The cinematography in Sling Blade is far more stoic. There is only one hand held scene in the whole movie. A significant portion of the dialogue is delivered on what seems to be a 50mm lens or greater. The director and DP really let the actors do what they are supposed to do, captivate the audience. The domestic violence scene is by far one of the most difficult scenes to block, light, act and shoot that I've seen in a long time.

A portion of modern directors don't trust themselves or the actors. Lighting seems to be border on the pornographic (CSI) or the flaccid (Juno). I guess I want to lament that there is too much post and too little production art these days.

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Music of the week is the Rock Band soundtrack. Show of the week is still Entourage, but I finished it so that'll change soon. I saw a homeless guy begging for money right out side of church Sunday, I felt kinda bad until I noticed he was in front of a Burger King with a help wanted sign in the window.

*Don't send me flaming emails about gays and stuff until you see the movie.