The Touching End Of 'Katyń'

'Katyń' is a film about the Katyń disaster; the mass murder of thousands of Polish nationals by the Russian Secret Police, the NKVD, between April & May, 1940. Russia did not take any form of accountability for what happened until as late as 1990, and even now relationships are still strained. I previously wrote 'There are still things to be answered about Katyn. Bodies to be found, acts to be accounted for and compensation sought, more than 70 years later." It still cuts deep with the Polish people. Even more so after the heartbreaking death of the Polish Prime Minister, Lech Kaczynski, and many other politicians and military personnel, who died in a tragic plane accident when en route to Katyn, to commemorate the seventy years since their fellow countrymen were killed, in April this year. That event, and the investigation about the accident, has caused even more stress on the relationship between the two nations.

The truth about what happened in 1940, the magnitude of the cover-up by numerous nations in the years that followed, and the complexity of the event politically, and even more so for thousands of people, personally, could never be taken care of in one feature film. In fact; an event like this makes you realize the extreme limitations of the medium. 'Katyń' (the film) was an important film, it had to be made, and it has to be seen, but it is still just a small spec of dust in the vast sea of multi-layered complexity; that we will never know about.

We don't see the mass execution until the very end of the film. When it finally arrives on screen it is harrowing, fast-paced, and deeply upsetting.

'Katyń' ended in a way I've not seen in a film before. It faded to black, and then stayed on black, for exactly one minute - and then the credits rolled. The blackness was accompanied by a beautiful piece of music. Whether you'd call it a minute's silence, a minute's reflection, or a minute to recover yourself--- it was definitely needed.

When I say the touching end of Katyń, I'm just talking about the movie. Because for Poland, it looks like Katyń will never end. It is with them, and with us in the rest of the world, forever. And unfortunately, all that most of us can really do, is watch movies about it.

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Film Watching Guilt

The key to this business, aside from having a rich Uncle with a Jewish surname who lives in LA, is to watch a lot of movies. The more you watch, the more you understand storytelling. The more you watch, the more you get what it truly is to be a truthful actor. The more you watch, the more you understand what makes a truly great scene great. There is no end to this --- literally, if you watch three films today instead of two, you're going to learn more. We should be clambering to watch films all the time... waking up early to watch a DVD, glancing down at videos on your iPhone during long train journeys, and staying up two hours late to watch 'Shawshank Redemption' for the 9th time in two months. In fact, there was a time we were like this. But then, we started listening to this.

UNCLE FRED
Is that all you do, sit around watching movies all day?

GIRLFRIEND JENNY
Couldn't you do something more productive instead? Like WORK?

JED
You've seen that already.

MICHAEL THE FLORIST
How's it going sitting at home watching your little movies?

BERT WHO HATES HIS JOB
Stop watching movies and actually do something with your life.

Before you know it -- every time you watch a film, you hear a voice saying "get up! do something! write a script! earn some money! be productive!" Despite all of your youth being incredibly enlightening and productive and inspiring and driving you towards your SOLE GOAL in life - to CREATE, instead; you start smashing up against it--- building a giant wall the size of a giant wall which stops you from ever settling. You start to sneak past the wall late at night, when it's late enough to not be 'the time people do productive things' but not so late that you look like 'someone who can stay up late because they're a waster' and you sneakily watch a film. But even then, you struggle, because this voice in your head is saying "is that all you do, watch movies? you waster!"

So now your Uncle and the florist and the guy who hates his job and his life and his wife; they all are in your head and they're telling you to stop watching movies. So you have this big giant wall the size of a big giant wall and you keep climbing over it onto both sides... every time you're watching a movie the voice says "BE PRODUCTIVE! DO SOMETHING!" so you climb over to the other side. And every time you're on that side there's a part of you that says "I love movies! I need movies! Movies are my everything!" -- so you climb to the other side. But you keep climbing and you keep feeling TIRED because somehow you've got caught between who you are, where you're going, and where everyone thinks you need to be.

If you write, or direct, or produce, or act, or dream, or design, or want to take a different route in life; then watching movies is absolutely essential. We are here, precisely, to WATCH movies, LEARN from movies and then CREATE movies. That's why we're here. Stop denying it, celebrate it. To watch movies is to be productive. To watch movies is to jump fifty steps towards your ultimate goal in life. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

"It enters through a different opening in your body. For instance, in order to be a jazz musician, you have to listen and listen and listen to a lot of Jazz. And that's an act of love. You don't think, I'm listening to study it. You just listen because you love it. And you love it, and love it... and gradually you learn. You really learn everything valuable through osmosis. It's the same with play-writing or movie-directing or acting. You love either reading or watching films or plays or listening to music. And in some way, over the years, without making any attempt, it gets into your blood, into the fibre of your body or something. If you want to teach someone film-directing, you could almost say, 'just keep going to the movies, and it will pass into your body."

-Woody Allen
Writer/Director
Three Time Academy Award Winner.

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LARRY CROWNE - Written By, Directed By and starring TOM HANKS - Coming Soon

Over a year ago I wrote an article about Tom Hanks in which I broke down his career into what I felt were three distinct sections. The early comedies (The Burbs, Big,) his masterpieces (Forrest Gump, Saving Private Ryan,) and the average period (The Da Vinci Code, The Terminal.) At the end, I said, "Whatever happens, I feel that we are now approaching chapter four. His next few decisions will determine the rest of his career. I just hope he takes some risks."

While seeing him in yet another Da Vinci snore could be seen as an extension of his average period, I am extremely excited about 'LARRY CROWNE' a low-fi drama comedy which he wrote, directed and is also the star, along with 'Charlie Wilson's War' co-star Julia Roberts.

Tom Hanks the writer/director. This really excites me. 'THAT THING YOU DO' was a perfect little film - it was pure joy. Hanks has expressed disappointment with it on numerous occasions which is perhaps why it has taken him another fourteen years to direct a film, although I think his helming of the masterful 'Crossroads' episode in 'BAND OF BROTHERS' will have gone a long way to reassuring himself that he has the skill to be a great director.

I think Tom Hanks is a perfect role model. I've always admired his incredible mix of humor, curiosity, and passion -- it seeps into his work in a natural and believable way that few other people in the history of film have managed. I hope 'LARRY CROWNE' is a success. I hope this is what chapter four is going to be; the beginning of a long career as a writer, director and actor. I think the world of film needs more of this kind of Tom Hanks. 'LARRY CROWNE' is currently in post-production.

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Discipline & Creativity - Am I Doing Everything I Can?

Am I getting up at a set time?

Do I have informative, fascinating and useful film podcasts on my iPod for while I'm travelling?

Do I Have Inspiring Music To Listen To?

Have I Set Goals For The Day?

Am I going to write today?

Am I going to keep full awareness of all the time I lose browsing on Facebook & refreshing Gmail?

Am I going to avoid negative people or at least cut down our conversations drastically?

Am I going to stand up for what I believe?

Am I going to be confident about my writing?

Am I certain of what I feel, before going into the meeting?

Am I eating well?

Am I hydrated?

Have I taken a moment to breath?

Am I wasting time watching bullshit on TV?

Am I going to ask if I need help?

Am I able to believe in myself?

Am I able to build awareness around my insecurities and the areas where I lack confidence?

Am I going to make that phone call I've been avoiding?

Am I going to reply to work-related emails immediately?

Am I just going to sit here or am I going to do the thing I said I'd do thirty minutes ago?

Am I going to go the extra mile when it comes to collaboration?

Am I going to support other people with their projects?

Am I going to be fearless?

Am I taking full responsibility for how good or bad my day is?

Am I wasting time moaning about someone, something, or someplace, when instead I could be taking action to improve the situation?

Am I Having A Good Day?

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"JURASSIC PARK" and "JAWS" on the big screen

Last night, at the Prince Charles Cinema in Leicester Square, London, I watched JURASSIC PARK and JAWS back-to-back at a sellout screening. This is thirty five years after the release of 'Jaws,' and seventeen years after we first saw 'Jurassic Park' - and it left everyone in no doubt about the genius of Steven Spielberg. Not that there ever was any doubt.

For Jurassic Park, I was sitting in the front row, center. I was every bit of the 'Kid In The Front Row' I claim to be. It's funny because most of the time I claim my favourite films to be titles like 'Jerry Maguire' and 'The Apartment' -- but I think, when you come down to the essence of what it is to be a Kid In The Front Row, what you really mean is - someone who is down front and center during a Spielberg film, feeling every dull BOOM as the T-Rex gets nearer and nearer.

I have a theory; that films are always changing. I tried to explain this once before, and didn't really succeed. The thing that is amazing to me is how a film will never play the same way twice. 'Jaws' was different in '75 to how it is now. When we watch it today, we're aware that it is not modern day, and we're aware that the shark had problems during production, and we have 35 years more collective and individual life experience. What does this mean? I don't know. It just means-- the experience is different.

It's the same for every movie. Even when you watch them at home. 'Jurassic Park' will be different today to what it was two months ago. For one, you'll have the experience and knowledge that came from your last viewing. Also, the world will have changed a little. Maybe your cousin had a baby, and suddenly now, you find it a little more scary when the dinosaurs turn the kids upside down in the jeep, maybe two weeks ago you read an article in the New York Times about cloning animals, or about nearly extinct animals, and it changed your perspective slightly. Maybe you watched 'War Of The Worlds' and was disappointed, and that made you look closer at Spielberg's direction this time around. Maybe when you watched it two months ago you had a headache, and this time, instead, you have an annoying pain in your foot. The obvious thing to say is that we change. But also, the movies change. They grow older.

'Jaws' was always a funny film. But as it ages, it gets funnier. There are things that Quint says and does that wouldn't have raised laughs 35 years ago, but now his actions border on the hysterical for audiences. Scenes that were tense and dramatic when it originally screened still are, but in different ways. If you are in any doubt about the magic of Steven Spielberg - seeing these films in a packed out cinema with hundreds of adoring fans will soon put that to rest. The crowning moment, for me, was when a shocked Chief Brody delivered the immortal line "you're gonna need a bigger boat." The entire audience spontaneously cheered and applauded, and laughed. It was a wonderful, communal moment between strangers that, for those very few seconds, brought us much closer together. It was a moment of joy, a moment of magic and a moment that acknowledges the importance of what Spielberg, Schneider and co achieved with this film.

There is no guarantee that an audience will react in that way every time 'Jaws' is screened. It's the un-plannable magic of having the right people, in the right place, at the right time. Plus, you can't help but feel, 'Jaws' was having a good night, it was ready to perform. But then, 'Jaws' is always like that. Some films have good days and bad days, but not 'Jaws.'

All I'm really saying is: It was great to see these old friends again on the big screen. They really reminded me of what it is to be a true Kid In The Front Row.

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