triple threat Friday

a 3-for-1 post up for you all, because really, you deserve it.
let's get right to it.

i checked the box

happy to report that I went on yet another casting call on Thursday.
at this point, i'm going on the perspective that it's simply just a big numbers game, and eventually, after about 20 castings, I'll get a gig. for those looking for a little insight on what happens at a casting, it's really not overly sexy.
i was under the impression i would be in a room full of talent, a male model sandwich of sorts. it turns out though that there is never anyone else in the office with me.
the process appears to be consistent: walk in to a very small makeshift office, lots of glamour shots on the wall, and i'm asked to fill out a form. basic particulars (name, passport) along with the more hardcore questions around measurements (chest, inseam, hips). i would be a little afraid if i knew how 'hippy' i was, so each and every casting, they pull out the tape and size me up. finally, the form closes with the types of jobs i'd be interested in:

Runway (hmm, not so much)
Editorial (sure, sounds like me)
Swimwear (yah, i like to swim)
Nude (hmm, has it come to this? )

i'll admit, i'm not super eager to go full monty on a group of innocent people, and as such, have resisted ticking the box in most of my previous castings....and look where that got me.
so, what the hell, i ticked that box. my talent scout, Melody (real name), told me you're usually given a loin cloth or something like that, so it appears that the World would be spared my alter ego (Dicky Dickerson, III) if it happens to go down.
i look forward to posting those pics for you all to gawk/judge/wallpaper.

speaking of wallpaper, great segue....

Extreme Makeover: Hong Kong edition

i will keep this brief, because there isn't much to talk about, but we now have our beautiful IKEA furnishings. in all honesty, most of the stuff is nice enough, and the flat is starting to feel cozy. i smell a dinner party!
for anyone interested, the pics are posted on my Picasa page.

This is my blôg. There are many others like it, but this one is mine

i love torrents, don't you? given my extended periods of downtime, i have been known to peruse the odd torrent or 2. i have created a list of classic films, some of which i may or may not have seen (again, memory issues), that i have decided need catching up on.
it's also good post filler.
this week's review is entitled Who Won the War?
i'm talking 'Nam, kids. the 'shit'.
Platoon vs. Full Metal Jacket.
Stone vs. Kubrick.
Sheen vs. Modine.

Both share obvious similarities in terms of era, location, battle, and yet one stands out as so much more than just a war flick. Let's break it down -
Platoon has a ton of star power, including a fresh faced Johnny Depp not to mention a young Johnny Drama! the aforementioned Sheen is the main focal point of the movie, even taking on the v/o narration from time to time. without trying to offend those that choose to be Two and a Half Men fans, Sheen is a little one-dimensional. i swear, i truly thought Ricky 'Wild Thing' Vaughn got drafted into the war.
not buying what you're selling, Charles.
(spolier alert, folks)
in the end, a few soldiers die, but of course, Sheen's character does his best Rambo impression, single-handedly takes down a few hundred VC, and flies home a hero. hooray.

switch it up - Full Metal Jacket.
bit of a no-name cast, unless you consider Matthew Modine our generation's Ed Begley Jr.
the majority of the film doesn't actually take place in the jungles of Vietnam, instead focusing on the basic training that the marines had to endure before the pleasure of heading over to SE Asia. truly shocking to see the emotional abuse, that i would imagine is bang on the experience of enlisting = super fun.
transition over to Vietnam, and instead of showing the typical trees & tunnels, the fighting happens in blown out towns. Modine's character is part of the journalist core, who ends up getting sent into the 'shit' and encounters more than he necessarily signed up for. a cool angle by Kubrick, portraying a documentary theme within the film itself, showing candid moments with soldiers and their perspective on what the hell was going on.

(another sorta spoiler alert)
final portion of the movie goes somewhat badly for a few members of the featured platoon by one very accurate female sniper. ultimately, the USA takes her down and continue on with their mission. mind you, i was pleased that the movie concludes with the boys marching to the next battleground, omitting the gratuitous flag waving/thumbs up scene from the chopper headed back to freedomland.
to summarize, it probably doesn't need to be spelled out - Full Metal Jacket wins my Vietnam!
hooray & Peace out.