The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (****)"

"The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" is the best film to hit theatres this year. It is a great example of a near-perfectly crafted film. In spite of it two hour and forty minute running time, I never had to check the time. My eyes were suctioned to the screen taking in the beauty of this extraordinary film.

The story is epic in scope, and it takes its time arriving to the foregone conclusion. The viewer does not care that he or she already knows what is going to happen. The beauty of the film is getting to the point. Director Andrew Dominik makes sure not to rush the story, letting it play out slowly and methodically. The characters are fully developed, and the viewer is fascinated by them. The pacing works really well for the film, letting the viewer completely embrace and take in every scene. The voice over narration used had a kind of lyrical quality to them, and the score paired with it really stuck with the viewer.

There will probably be no better on-screen duo this year than Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck. Brad Pitt is extraordinary as Jesse James. His performance is very internalized. The viewer can see the hints of madness and extreme violence hiding behind his eyes. Brad Pitt also adds a sense of vulnerability to the character, and no scene better expresses this than when Jesse James attacks a boy. I also liked Richard Deakins cinematography because it helped say something about Jesse James. In many of the voice over scenes that talk about Jesse James, the outlines are blurred. To me, this symbolized that no one really understands who Jesse James was. The blurred outlines represent this misunderstanding of who Jesse James was. He was a complex man that many people did not fully know.

Casey Affleck also gives an amazing performance, even stealing the show from Brad Pitt. In my opinion, he gives the best performance of the year, but with the film lackluster box office take and mixed reviews, I doubt he will be nominated. His performance was reminiscent of Matt Damon's in "The Talented Mr. Ripley. " Casey Affleck plays Robert Ford, a man who is obsessed with trying to be a somebody. He refuses to be ordinary. He is the youngest in his family, and there really is nothing special about him. He lacks confidence, and he is determined to prove to himself and others that he can actually be something. He lives in the legacy of Jesse James, finding comparisons between themselves to try to find meaning in his own life. Casey Affleck gives Robert Ford a chilling voice that adds to the underlying jealousy of the character. He also takes to glancing around furtively, barely ever looking anyone in the eyes. When he kills James' cousin, he finds newfound confidence. He actually did something extraordinary, in his eyes. When he kills Jesse James, he believes that people will praise him. He defeated a giant; it's like David defeating Goliath. He believes that everything in his life was leading to this. He was in love with Jesse James and by killing him he was conquering him, becoming him.

These are two of the greatest characters written for the screen in recent years. The scene in which Pitt is taking a bath, and he asks Affleck if he wants to be him is a great scene that really sums up the film. The dinner table sequence is also interesting to watch. Pitt sits at one side of the table , having Affleck name the comparisons between the two. The whole time the viewer gets that sense of underlying violence from Pitt, and the way in which he watches Affleck, its like he is analyzing him (kind of like my film professor).

Overally, Andrew Dominik has made some excellent choices. The film moves at a methodical but comfortable pace that allows the viewer to get sucked in to the story. The cinematography is excellent and really helps establish that the character of Jesse James is a myth that many people don't understand. Affleck also turns in a groundbreaking performance, and if I had it my way he would win Best Supporting Actor this year. Overall, this is the best film this year, and it is a shame that more people have not embraced it.

Workload

It seems to be getting down to crunch time at the University of Memphis. I've been staying up late, willing myself to get my work done. The assignments just seem to be piling up, and there is no end in sight. I keep praying for it to stop, and hopefully it will come to an end soon.

Right now I am working on my Humanities paper, and I am completely lost. I have to discuss the American perceptions, ideologies, and myths in establishing leadership over American citizens and foreign nations. When I first read the assignment I quickly closed the application and did not bother looking at it again for a week. It all sounded like a bunch of gibberish to me, and my brain could not take the plethora of information. It would not be so bad if I only had to explain these concepts, but I have to relate them to two movies that we have watched in class as well as try to use as many of the readings that we have done this semester to support my thesis. I have a general idea about what I want to discuss; it is just hard trying to incorporate the films in them. I could briefly mention the films, but I think that the ideas that the films present are supposed to serve as the major foundations of our essays. Well, this paper is due in a week, and I hope I can get it done without sounding too stupid.

I also have a paper deadline coming up in my History class. The topic that I am writing about is the Salem Witch Trials. I have begun to research information on this topic, but I have yet to decide how I want to narrow it. I have come up with two ideas, but I am not sure how much I like them. I could either write about four of the accused people or I could look at the causes of the Salem Witch Trials. I just want to make sure that my paper is not boring. I have an A in the class, and the paper is worth two test grades. I do not want to lose everything that I have worked for.

In my learning community we also have this humongous group paer due in a month. It is a combination of our fourth speech and paper. We each have to talk about a problem in our chosen semester topics and present a solution. It wouldn't be so bad, but the final group paper is supposed to be anywhere from 40-48 pages. That seems like a lot, and I hope my group can manage it. I guess we will find out soon enough.

My Day.

My day started off well enough. Today is Thursday, and my first class does not start until 9:40 so I got to sleep in somewhat. My first class is Oral Communication, and this entire week people are giving speeches. I went on Tuesday, so the only thing I have to do in that class is comment on my peers' speeches.

In Introduction to Film today we got our midterm tests back. I was really nervous because I thought I had bombed that test. I am a film major so I figured I couldn't do too bad on it. When we finished taking the midterm I just knew that I did horrible, and I was wondering why I was a film major. I told my friends that I came here to major in film and if I'm not good at that I might as well go back to Louisiana where I could get in-state tuition. As it turns out I got a B on the test. That made my day. I was so excited. There weren't very many B's; most people received F's. In class that day Professor Auguiste went over the material that we did not know, and I quickly grasped the concepts that I did not understand. I asked him questions, and I seemed to know what I was talking about. Introduction to Film is a class that really interests me, and film is a medium that I understand. It's nice to have a class in which I know and care what I am learning about. It gives me confidence, making me believe that I can actually make it in the film industry, no matter the difficulties.

After class, I went to work in which I did nothing. On my way to my dorm I checked my mail. Now, about two weeks ago I had signed up to receive passes for a screening of "Reservation Road," a movie that was my most anticaipated film in the beginning of the year. I have been religiously checking my mail everyday for the past week and a half. Today, I happened to get the pass. This is good news, right? NO! The screening was for yesterday. I was so excited to see this movie, and now it looks like I am going to have to wait a few more weeks to see it. Plus, I am going to have to pay for it. Malco tentatively has it scheduled to open up there November 9, but with its poor boxoffice in-take, I am not sure if that is going to come here.

So right now I am pretty pissed. Hopefully, the great day that I was having earlier will reappear. Maybe the thought of going back home tomorrow to pick up my Mac will make things better. Who knows? I'm going to eat.

Capsule Reviews

A stampede of movies has opened up in Memphis over the past couple weeks. All of a sudden Memphis has become a movie lover's paradise, at least for the time being. Also, it is not like the theaters are being flooded with standard Hollywood crap, but they are showing engaging, adult dramas. Over the past few days I have seen a number of movies, so instead of boring you with my lengthy reviews, I am going to just write some quick short ones.

"The Nightmare Before Christmas" (***)
Tim Burton's "Nightmare Before Christmas" has been brought to the big screen once again, this time in glorious 3D. The movie remains a classic, visual achievement, and this notion is only strengthened when in 3D. The songs are great, especially "This is Halloween" and "Sandy Claws." The film runs short, not even reaching the 80 minute mark. The story seems to steam along, and the characters could have been given more to do, but at least it is not like most Hollywood films that don't know when to end. The 3D effects keep the viewer engrossed in what is going on. If you get the chance, check this out.

"Things We Lost in the Fire" (***)
"Things We Lost in the Fire" is a slow-moving, character drama that features some strong performances from Halle Berry and Benicio del Toro. The film follows two people going through some rough times who don't really like each other. Even though they don't particularly like each other, they need each other. The non-linear structure worked really well, giving the viewer a sense of who Brian was. The film did have some cheesy dialogue in some parts and really seemed to drag at the end though.The extreme close ups really emphasize the raw emotion of the characters, intricately scrutinizing their suffering. The film is about loss and coping with what you don't have anymore. It is about the personal struggles people face, whether it be the loss of a husband or drug addiction. It is a refreshing film, though somber, that everyone should check out.

"Into the Wild" (***)
"Into the Wild" is a captivating meditation on human life featuring a breakthrough performance by Emile Hirsch. The dialogue is poetic at times and thought-provoking. The film features many supporting performances, the best coming from Catherine Keener and Hal Holbrook. Emile Hirsch gives a commanding performance that is exhilarating to watch. It is fascinating to watch this man try to find this freedom in the world by leaving society as he knew it. He obviously had a dark past, and he felt lied to by those who were supposed to love him. He escapes to the wild to try to figure out who he is. Though it is lengthy, it is always fascinating.

"Elizabeth: The Golden Age" (*1/2)
This should also be known as "Elizabeth: The Film that Shouldn't Have Been Made." The story plays like a soap that could have been shown on any television station. While Cate Blanchett does a fine job reprising the role of Queen Elizabeth, it pales in comparison to the first one, and I wasn't even extremely impressed with the first one. The film, however, is beautiful to look at, but there is no substance. It is just a soap that tries to pretend to be a good film by giving the viewer some beautiful images. But even those images couldn't keep my eyes from looking at the wall.

"Michael Clayton" (**1/2)
"Michael Clayton" is one of the better thrillers that has hit theatres recently, though it is not as good as "The Bourne Ultimatum." The film has a slow, deliberate pace which works for the most part. The story confuses the viewer in the beginning, but it starts to make sense later on. It was a well-written film, something that you don't see from thrillers today. It was stylized and intriguing with some really good performances. I think George Clooney did well; I'm just not sure if I would deem it Oscar-worthy. Tilda Swinton was also good, but I preferred her perfrmance in "Stephanie Daley" earlier this year, a film that people need to check out. Tom Wilkinson did the best job, always keeping the viewer intrigued, and could receive a nomination.

Those are my thoughts. I still haven't seen "Gone, Baby Gone" or "Rendition" yet. This weekend, six new films open in the Memphis area, but I'm going home so I won't be able to catch them. I probably will end up seeing "Saw IV" which is probably going to suck, but I just have to see it. "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" finally opens up here. I have been salivating at the mouth to see this film ever since I saw the trailer. "Lust, Caution," Ang Lee's latest opens up, which is a film that I am really excited about seeing. "The Darjeeling Limited" also comes to the Memphis area. Even though the reviews have been mixed, I'm going to see it because the word of mouth seems to be strong. And finally, "Lars and the Real Girl" is also a film that I am excited about checking out. Who wouldn't want to see a film about a guy who gets involved with a blow-up doll?

Busy, Busy, Busy

Right now I am working on a speech. It's not too bad; it's just that I have been working on this thing for days., even though it has felt like weeks. It seems like I just have so much to do and not enough time. I'm trying to balance work and fun so I won't go crazy.

After I finish this speech I have to work on my paper for English. The rough draft was a mess, and I have no idea how to fix it. I have to find a non obvious theme that is prevalent in all these articles that I picked. I can point out the obvious, but it is much harder when looking for those subtle themes that run through the essays. Hopefully, as I reread the articles for the twentieth times maybe I'll have some sort of epiphany and find a common theme.

Plus I have a paper coming up in History and in Humanities. The History paper I can deal with, the Humanities one.....not so much. I read the guidelines, and it all sounded like a bunch of gibberish to me. It is something along the lines of exploring the American theologies, ideologies, mythologies, and other ologies that I haven't heard of in these two movies that we watched. If we want an A we have to relate them to 99% of the readings that we have done this semester. All the other professors gave their students the paper topic of what they would do if the draft were reinstated. Why couldn't we have gotten that? Seriously, I have as much of a possibility of breaking the space-time continuum than writing a good, thought-provoking paper.

I did have time to see some movies this weekend. I actually made a lot of time for that. As you can see, I have my priorites in order. I saw "The Nightmare Before Christmas in 3D," "Things We Lost in the Fire," "Into the Wild," and "Elizabeth: The Golden Age." I should have mini reviews of all these films coming up. I'm trying not to write as many movie reviews on this blog because my English teacher is supposed to be reading this, and I don't want to bore him with all my thoughts on movies.

Well, I need to get back to my speech I guess. I'll probably only work on it for like another ten seconds, then I'll find something better to do with my time.

"Grace is Gone" (***)

"Grace is Gone" is a small film that boasts a strong central performance and a deftly written, yet familiar script.

Stanley Philipps works at Home Store "selling shit," while his wife is fighting in Iraq. He takes care of their two daughters while their mother is away, but the girls desperately need a mother in their life. One day, Stanley receives a visit by two officers informing him that his wife has died overseas. Stanly decides that rather than tell his two daughters what has just happened, he is going to take them on a road trip to wherever they want. The script is well-written and it is nice to see the film focus on a man losing his wife in the war, an aspect not commonly portrayed on film. The film is emotionally powerful, but as I was watching I felt like I had seen it before.

The performances also help to elevate this small film. John Cusack is this year's Sundance man. Last year it was Ryan Gosling in "Half Nelson," and the year before that it was Terrence Howard in "Hustle & Flow." If the Academy sticks to this pattern that has recently developed, then Cusack is on is way to an Oscar nomination, but I'm not so sure about that. I'm not sure this film is going to be as big as "Hustle & Flow" was, and while "Half Nelson" was a small film, Ryan Gosling delivered the best performance last year out of any of the four acting categories. Cusack's performance is worthy; I'm just not sure the film is going to be able to garner much awards attention. Also good are the two girls, Dawn and Heidi. Shelan O'Keefe, in particular, is excellent as Heidi. She is very mature for her age, and she is able to hold her own with John Cusack. I would be surprised if she did not receive either some breakthrough performance awards or child awards this awards season.

Overall, this film is an emotional and powerful film, but it may be too small to receive much attention. While the script is well-written, it seemed like I had seen it before. The film, however, is worth checking out for Cusack's strong performance as well as a breakout performance from newcomer Shelan O'Keefe.

"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" (***1/2)

Last year Darren Aronofsky did it with "The Fountain," as well as Alfonso Cuaron with "Children to Men." These are filmmakers that test the boundaries of film, creating instant masterpieces that demand to be watched. Julian Schnabel has joined that elite group of filmmakers with "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," creating an original, visually intoxicating masterpiece.

The true story follows Jean-Dominique Bauby, the editor of Elle France, who suffered a stroke in 1995 that left his whole body paralyzed except for his left eye. Using a system of dictating his thoughts by blinking his eye, he is able to translate his inner thoughts into a memoir about the torment that his situation is putting him through (the diving bell) and the imagined places he sees in his mind to help cope with his predicament (the butterflies). Ten days after the publication of his memoir, Bauby would pass away. It is really a fascinating story of a man overcoming adversity. It does drag in parts, but it's hard for the viewer to take his or her eyes away from the screen.

The performances in the film are good. Mathieu Amalric is good as Bauby, but the film is seen mostly from his perspective, so it is hard to gauge his performance. Marie-Josse Croze is engaging as Bauby's speech therapist, Henriette. She is determined to help Bauby overcome insurmountable odds. Even though he is only on screen for two scenes, Max von Sydow delivers the most emotional performance as Bauby's father who has to cope with his own situation as well as his son's. He is unable to leave his apartment and dearly misses his son who is locked in his own body. The agony of this utter remoteness takes a great toll on him, and the scene in which he calls Bauby is very powerful.

While the story and performances may be good, the film excels visually. Most of the film is seen from Bauby's perspective. The viewer's view is limited to that one eye. When Bauby blinks, the camera shutters. The viewer is also able to hear Bauby's inner thoughts, creating a wonderful, poetic narration. Janusz Kaminski, in my opinion, should win Best Cinematography at this year's Academy Awards (still haven't seen The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, however), but I haven't even seen him on people's prediction pages. Julian Schnabel also should be nominated for Best Director, creating an riveting, emotional experience like no other film before.

"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" is a modern masterpiece by a truly gifted filmmaker. The story, even though it may drag in parts, is engaging. The film's biggest strength is in telling a story by actually simulating one man's experience. It is a film that should be seen as one of the visually cinematic masterpieces of the decade.

"Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" (***)

Before seeing Sidney Lumet's "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead," I had mixed feelings; I didn't know what to expect. I like heist movies, but I don't find them that intoxicating. Then again, this is Sidney Lumet.

Andy and Hank are two brothers in desperate need of money, so they hatch a plan to rob their parent's jewelry store. This is the basic premise of "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead." The film begins with the robbery. Hank is responsible for executing the robbery, but things go astray when he enlists the help of an accomplice to do the actual heist. No weapons were supposed to be involved, but his friend brings a gun in the store. One thing leads to another, and the accomplice ends up dead and the mother (who is not even supposed to be working that shift) is left in critical condition. From here, the film chronicles the days leading up to and after the heist, focusing on the lives of Hank, Andy, and their father, Charles.

The story is nothing original, but it works more as a morality tale. Essentially, the film is about family and how the ones that are closest to you can turn out to be your worst enemies. The film is about searching for love. Andy does not feel like he belongs to his family. He was always pushed to the background, his brother receiving all the attention. He even goes as far to ask his father if he was adopted. Andy is the mastermind behind the heist, and it doesn't seem so much as a scheme to get money, but as payback to the those who were supposed to love him. Andy's wife, Gina, is also searching for love. Unable to find it in her husband anymore, she begins an affair with his brother who is struggling to pay child support to his ex-wife.

The storyline may seem simple enough, but the film works because of its intricately developed characters. Philip Seymour Hoffman is quite good as Andy. He gives a fiery, intense portrayal of a man whose life is going downhill. His marriage is crumbling, work sucks, his mother is in the hospital because of the heist, and he may not even get away with it. His world begins to close in on him, and he eventually explodes. Ethan Hawke deftly plays his brother, Hank, who is in similar, dire circumstances. It's a good performance from Hawke, but he is overshadowed by Hoffman. Marisa Tomei plays Andy's wife. Her character is cliched and for the most part she just walks around naked. The best of the bunch is Albert Finney, who plays Andy and Hank's father and the husband to their mother. He perfectly portrays a husband intent on finding his wife's murderer. His performance is similar to that of Tommy Lee Jones' in "In the Valley of Elah."

Overall, "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" is a better than average heist film that boasts some strong performances. It's a good story, but I felt like I had seen it before. I guess all heist movies just kind of seem the same to me. This film should be seen as a return to form, however, for the legendary Sidney Lumet. It's definitely a movie worth checking out.

Tired

My eyelids keep closing but I'm willing them to stay open. My body wants to sleep but my mind tells me that I cannot. All I want to do is fall asleep in my bed, even if it is a crappy dorm bed. Right now I am frantically trying to get all my work done so I can leave tomorrow night (technically tonight).

I've been eagerly anticipating going home, and I want to leave early, but as the minutes fly by that dream does not look like a reality. There is just too much that I have to do. I just finished studying for an Introduction to Film midterm; I still have to finish the paper in that class. I also had some readings to do in Humanities. I don't even feel like typing this journal, but I need one more entry before I can turn it in.

I'm going to try to wake up early in the morning to get some extra work done. I just feel like I have this neverending, insurmountable amount of work, and all I want to do is go home.

I really don't feel like it, but over my fall break, I am going to have to play catch up to get on top of all my work. Fall break is supposed to be a break, but apparently some people don't understand that concept. I live in Louisiana so when I go home I want to actually enjoy my trip. I have people to see and things to do.

Well I think I am going to go to bed finally. I still have to wake up early to try to get some of this work done. I wish I could go into hibernation and never wake up. Just chill in sleep, permament nap time. That would be amazing. But I guess if that happened I would be dead, so that kind of sucks. I'll just manage this work load, and it better pay off in the future.

"We Own the Night" (***)

I did not know much about "We Own the Night" when I walked into the auditorium. I was not expecting anything special, but the film caught me off gaurd and really surprised me.

Bobby Green is the manager of El Caribe, a club owned by a Russian family. These Russians are Bobby's new family. He has turned his back on his family. His father and brother are cops, and Bobby disassociates himself with them, even going as far as using his mother's maiden name so no one will connect him with his real family. Bobby is running a life of nonstop partying and drugs. Bobby's life, however, will change forever when his brother bust into the club in search of a Russian drugdealer.

When I saw the preview to this film I said to myself that this did not look like the type of film that I would enjoy, but the story is interesting, making many unconventional choices that I did not expect. The story played out differently than I believed. Some of the dialogue was cheesy, but it was easy to overlook. The script is a refreshing ray of light in an age where every film sounds the same. I think the reason I enjoyed the story is because I went in expecting this formulaic action thriller, but the film is neither. At its heart it is a character driven story.

Joaquin Phoenix gives another tour-de-force performance as Bobby Green. At times I forgot it was Joaquin Phoenix on the screen. He WAS Bobby Green. In today's celebrity-obsessed society it is hard for a character to so completely dissolve into his character that the viewer forgets who he is; he embodies Bobby. Right now this is my favorite performance of the year, but the awards season is just beginning. The rest of the cast do good jobs, but this is Joaquin's film. Eva Mendes gives her best performance to date as Bobby's girlfriend, Amanda. The pathetic thing about this is that her performance is just good. She does a good job with the source material and has some good scenes, but she is the most cliched character of the film, the suffering girlfriend. Also noteworthy are Mark Wahlberg and Robert Duvall as Bobby's brother and father. Both give good performances, but neither can match the screen presence of Joaquin Phoenix.

The film is also skillfully directed by James Grey. He does a good job in directing his actors and make some interesting choices. There isn't much music in the film. Instead, the film relies on sounds to create tension; for example, the sound of windshield wipers echo in the viewers' heads during a car chase sequence. The cinematography was also well done. When Bobby is about to walk down the hall and into this "drug factory" of sorts the camera does not move. Bobby walks ahead and is soon enveloped in the darkeness, symbolizing the ensuing troubles that are about to occur.

Overall, "We Own the Night" is a well-done film that I really enjoyed. If you go into the theatre with no high expectations like I did, then you should walk out pleasantly surprised. It may not be a perfect film, but it is better than most of what is out now.

"The Kingdom" (**)

What starts out as an interesting political thriller, winds up being nothing more that a formulaic film that tries to convey to its audience how high and mighty America is.

The film begins with a timeline showcasing major events between America and Saudi Arabia concerning oil. It is really a fantastic sequence, but too bad the rest of the film cannot live up to it. The film then cuts to a baseball game taking place inside a Western housing compound in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. During the game terrorists attack the area killing many. Soon after the impending mayhem an explosion occurs, creating a major international incident. A special FBI team led by Ronald Fleury is assembled to go to Saudi Arabia to find out who is behind the attacks. This is the point where the film begins to drag. When men talk about pursuing a girl, most of the fun is in the chase. Well, the chase to find out who is behind the attacks in this film is not that exciting. The middle, turns out to be formulaic and dull.

The film tries to relay a political message to its audience about how superior America is to foreign countries. When the special forces are told to take the backseat in the investigation, Jamie Foxx's character tells the man, "Just let us Americans do what we're good at." Americanism unfortunately plays a major role in the film. In my Humanities class at the University of Memphis, we are told to look at America, among other things, from a different perspective. How do people in other countries view America? We are told to transcend borders in order to gain a wider knowledge of the world around us. I don't like it when America boasts its greatness. Many times when America does this, it inadvertently shows its ignorance as well.

The movie does work, however, when it illustrates universal parallels between the two nations. One example would be the theme of the importance of family. Jamie Foxx plays a father who wants to go to Saudi Arabia to exterminate the bad guys. He tells his son that he is trying to rid the world of these bad guys. Some of the films most tender moments occur between Fleury and his son whether it be in the classroom or over the phone. Al Ghazi is a Saudi Colonel who is assigned to the Americans to aid them in their investigation. He has two daughters and a son and could be considered a family man. There are a few scenes that show his family. To me, this was important because it made parallels between the two nations. Another example, would be at the end of the film. It goes back and forth between a Saudi mother asking her son what his grandfather whispered to him and Jason Bateman asking Jamie Foxx what he whispered to Jennifer Garner. Both responses were, "Don't worry. We're going to kill them all." It shows that no matter what nationality a person is from they all share certain similarities and emotions, they are all humans. This is when the film works the best.

Thoughts about Memphis and Fall Break.

I really like the University of Memphis and the people here. As of now, I definitely plan on staying here for my four years in college. My dad told my brother that he did not think that I would last a semester. He said that he believed I would end up homesick, come back home, and go to the University of Southern Mississippi. Even if I hated the campus I would at least stick it out two semesters just to prove him wrong.

With my distance from home and the recent on campus tragedy, my mom has also stated that I have to call her everday. I do not really have to say much. I just have to call, say, "Hey Mom, I'm alive," and hang up.

Next weekend, however, is fall break, and I'm going home! I could not be more excited. I have not gone home once since arriving on campus, and I am eagerly anticipating seeing my other friends again. While I am home I will be attending the New Orleans Film Festival. I went last year and cannot wait to go back. I will be seeing "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead," "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," and "Grace is Gone."

I also am excited to see my nephew. I babysat him a lot during the summer, and we became very close. He will turn one on December 8. He is the epitome of a perfect kid.

Other random things that I want to do are go back to my high school to see some of my teachers and go to Southern Miss. I have a really good friend that goes there, and her fall break is directly after mine. I will probably also end up going to LSU where many of my friends go, but I think their fall break is the same as mine so hopefully they will be home.

Textual Analysis

I just turned in the final draft of my textual analysis today, and hopefully I will get a decent grade on it. For my paper, I chose to analyze the word assisted suicide in numerous texts. It is an interesting topic to discuss because many people have different perspectives on the issue depending on their morals.

On Wednesday Professor Duncan handed back our rough drafts of the paper. He said that my rough draft was a solid start, but he gave me a few suggestions. First off, he asked me how the term is used politically. I found a few politicians' views on the issue, but I could not find a way tp incorporate them into my paper. When I tried to add a senator's quote in my paper, it sounded out of place, so I decided to just leave it out. I was also asked where the term originated. Now, I did not find where the term assisted suicide originated, but I did find out how the broader concept of euthanasia was first used. It used to be referred to as a pleasant state of mind, and I added this information to my paper when I talked about how euthanasia and assisted suicide was perceived before the Hippocratic Oath. Mr. Duncan also stated that I should find an article that states if the government tries to intentionally miseducate the general population by having them believe that euthanasia and assisted suicide are the same thing. Unfortunately, I was unable to find this information. The articles that I found for my paper distinguished assisted suicide from euthanasia. This theory, however, is interesting, and I would like to pursue it.

Overall, I believe that my paper did an adequate job of defining assisted suicide through the use of several sources. Now, I get to look forward to that wonderful synthesis paper (Did you notice the sarcasm?).