I've come to the conclusion that I need to go to a writer's retreat where I will not be bothered by the mundanities and distractions life throws my way. A place where people understand that if I am distant, it's not because I am being rude, but because my mind is in another place working out some problem with plot or character. Or if I don't e-mail/call someone back right away, it's because I'd much rather spend that time with my characters than a real person. Same goes for wanting to remain cooped up in my office all day rather than actually walk among mere mortals.

Didn't get that much time to write last week, a page here and there. Did manage to get ten pages on Saturday, and about five yesterday, and only six today.

Have been getting some research done. I'm going through the films of David Lynch because of the bizarre aspect of his films. I don't want to copy or emulate him, but want to study the quirkiness he brings to his work so that I can better apply my own twisted outlook in my films.

Eraserhead: appreciate it as a work of art, but didn't get it, and thought it was boring. 

 The Elephant Man: Great film, spectacular performances by Anthony Hopkins and John Hurt, who should have won an Oscar for this movie. He absolutely disappears inside the character.

Thursday night Jason and I had a DVD party:

Another early Lolita performance from Natalie Portman in Leon: The Professional. Why did no one ever complain about the over-sexualization of this kid? It's a very sweet movie about an assassin who takes in a girl who's parents and brother are murdered. Yet the relationship between Leon (Jean Reno) and Matilda (Portman) is down right creepy. Director Luc Besson did and excellent job at bringing out perhaps the best performance of Portman's career. She was around twelve when the film was made and acts more natural than many actors decades older with much more experience. 

A message movie without heart. There are a few laughs, and Matthew Mcconaughey has a rare turn at playing an antagonist instead of the party hard good old boy he's used to. Unfortunately the script makes him the only unlikeable character in the film and is all around melodramatic.

Then we watched the excellent Blue Velvet. Perhaps Lynch's most approachable film, and Dennis Hopper as perhaps the strangest villain in history.

Friday night we watched Lost Highway, which left me, well, lost at first, but I think I figured it out in the end. 

Friday we watched Pretty as a Picture: The Art of David Lynch. Interesting documentary about David Lynch as an artist and gives a rare glimpse of him personally and at work. 

We followed that up with Mulholland Drive, my all time favorite Lynch film. The first time I watched it, it got under my skin and stayed with me for days after as my mind scrambled to discover what happened. Still not sure I have it figured out, as David Lynch as a way of putting on a bookend that completely contradicts everything I've come to believe about the movie.