ED's Story

https://vimeo.com/20249114

I found this story about a year ago and really was drawn to it, it's actually a beautiful story about Ed Dobson. The video pretty much tells the story and gives a good picture of what "Ed's Story is about" Whenever I have a crappy day or think that I cannot get past a struggle in my own life, I think about Ed. It would be great to get to meet this guy in person and hear from him in a more personal way. The following passage I got from Ed's Blog back in 2011 in November. So the next words are not my own and I give all the credit to Ed. Please watch this video, I think it can give all of us hope in this life, and yes he is still alive to this present day.

I was diagnosed with ALS in November, shortly before Thanksgiving. About a week later I was sitting on the porch of my house watching the first snowfall of the season. As I sat there I was beginning to sink into that darkness. I was thinking that this would be my last winter. I was thinking that this would be my last Christmas. I was hoping to make it to spring! As I sat there depressed, I noticed a bird on the bush outside the window. As I sat there watching, it flew away, and I thought, “I wish I could be that bird.” And I thought that the birds have no cares, no issues, and no ALS. Then immediately I was drawn to the words of the writer of the Hebrew Scriptures:

My heart is in anguish within me:
the terrors of death assail me.
Fear and trembling have beset me
Horror has overwhelmed me.
I said, “oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest—
I would flee far away
And stay in the desert.”
–Psalms 55:4-7

Manic

After an act of extreme aggression during a baseball game and a perverse, uncooperative interview with a psychiatrist (Don Cheadle), Lyle (Joseph Gordeon-Levitt) find himself placed into a psychiatric ward. While in the ward, Lyle befriends Chad, an insecure rich kid, Lauren (Zooey Deschanel), a withdrawn unsocialiable. This flim has a lot of emotion to it, I saw it last summer on Netflix and pretty much fell in-love with the story and characters. I love movies like this, as I previous wrote about the film Blue Valentine. Movies that show the world how it really is 3/4 of the time really get to me, and make feel something more than just watching a movie to be entertained. Zooey Deschanel is spot on in this film and JGL is his brilliant self once again.

Wreck-It Ralph

"Wreck it Ralph" is probably the best non-Pixar Disney movie of the last 10 years. It's the story of an arcade video game bad guy named Wreck it Ralph(John C. Reilly) who wants to be a good guy. Since he can't be a hero in his own game he hops games to try to prove he can be good. In the process he meets all kinds of crazy characters, especially one little girl, Vanellope (Sarah Silverman) in a game called Sugar Rush who he befriends and tries to help win an important race. The voice cast is perfect, especially Jack McBrayer as Fix it Felix. He is absolutely hysterical, and the highlight of the movie. This is perfect for boys, girls, and anyone who ever liked the old time arcade games(or any games in general). It's funny, heartwarming, has plenty of action, and is exactly what you would want in a Disney Animated movie. I saw this in 3D, and really the 3D wasn't that impressive, which was surprisingly considering how colorful the film is. Also, there is a short movie at the beginning called "Paperman", which is better than 90% of the romantic movies out there. It's a very well made black and white animated short that should win an Oscar. Definitely have to see this movie.

Blue Valentine - Official Trailer [HD]

It is so very rare to see film this honest and truthful about relationship and marriage. Actually the whole film has this outstandingly authentic feel of real life. What director and co-writer Derek Cianfrance has achieved here is to capture all those feelins that are releated to us humans when we first fall in love orwhen we fight or when we sadly break up. But while Blue Valentine certainly has documentary feel in it, it also has moments of pure magic. It has ability to make us laugh and cry at the same time. It has tender moments and it has few brutal ones too. Like in a real life, there is no clear closure to things. People meet and the rest is in the hands of ourselves. Cianfrance takes quite a leap of faith with his story. It has two main characters whose life we observe very closely. Those roles are crucial and if they would go wrong the whole film would collapse, but to cast Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams to play the story's couple is a stroke of genius. I also wrote about this film for my mid-term paper and it's by far my favorite movie out there.

Sigur Rós - Fjögur píanó

I have recently been on a kick of Shia LaBeouf's work and came across this beautiful work of art in a form of a music video. Hopefully I do not get into trouble for posting this, but I do warn you it does contain nudity, you see mainly see the "front business" of Shia, and the breast of the women. It's not portraying it in a dirty way either so don't worry. Now for my summary on the video itself. The butterflies represent their past relationship, they are beautiful, and preserved so well, but they are dead. You can read their expressions so, when they first walk into the room the butterflies you can tell that they are rediscovering something from their pasts. Shia is able to portray the story so well through his emotion. You feel the passion of the couple, you can see their love, and it may have made you happy or even uncomfortable but it affected you. Please do watch this, and judge it on the beauty of the art it gives off.


- Austin

Mad Men: Meet Don Draper

Just wanted to talk about my favorite television show pretty much ever, the wonderful series on AMC 'Mad Men". This show has everything that I love style, relationships, 1960's setting, and a very complex story line to keep track of with all the characters. I started watching Mad Men about a year ago on a boring summer day when it was a million degrees outside it seemed, so I turned my netflix account on and started watching season 1, I always have heard that it was well done. I was so hooked on it from the very beginning, the first seen of the show you see Don Draper smoking that cigarette, and just looking like a badass business man would in the 60's. Don is my favorite character in the whole series, there are just so many good stories lines, and a very interesting one with him. So I do recommend this show if you haven't ever seen it.


Austin

"Maniac"

Today I am going to blog over this short film that I have watched about 4 times now, and just can't get over how beautiful it really is. It was directed by a well known actor we all know Shia LaBeouf, it stars also I famous rapper that most of us know too Kid Cudi. I do warn you that the film is kind of "bad" from HU standards or whatever that means. It tells a story of a documentary team that follows these two serial killers, and around while they plot to murder there next victims. I love the camera angles used in this film, the way the actors act, and really put off the vibe that you are really there with them. I would love to see Shia direct more things in the future, if I knew he was actually good at it. I highly do recommend that everyone give up 10 mins of your time and watch this film.

Hello everyone! My name is Austin Miltenberger! This is my first year at Huntington University, and I am really enjoying myself thus far! All my classes seem interesting to a point, but I am excited to learn and just grow as a person while I am here. I transfer in this year from IWU which is a college in the city of Marion, about 30 minutes away from Huntington. I really never was decided what I really wanted to do with my life there, but I really always had a love for movies and such. So that is why I decided that HU was the best fit for me to major in Film Production, I am excited to learn about the field of study, and be one of the best at it. My goal is to one day be a director for a major motion picture, and make a bio-pic on the late great Kurt Cobain.

Some things l love to do in my spare time is spend time with my family and girlfriend, also I have a love for music and sports. I am a huge Patriots fan, and just please don't talk about the past Super Bowl with me, because it still hurts. Another thing I love is Batman and Lego'sThey are simply the best and something I will always play with even when I am an old man some day! The Dark Knight Rises was the was best Batman period in my eyes, yes I did miss the Joker "RIP Heath" but it really summed up the whole series that Nolan did in the most perfect way. I look forward to learning the art of film making over the next 4 years.

Later days,

Austin