5 Reasons Why I Can’t Stop Thinking About Bo Burnham’s INSIDE

June 17, 2021 By mwmelugin

Bo Burnham has created a modern masterpiece with his new special INSIDE. And I don’t know about you but I for one can’t get it out of my head.

Nowadays, we are presented with a perpetual onslaught of entertainment released all day, every day. We doggy paddle our way through a sea of music, tv shows, films, music videos, Instagram photos, tweets, and everything in between. We all bow down to the almighty avalanche of content, the tsunami of entertainment which threatens to drown us if we don’t keep paddling, don’t keep watching, don’t keep consuming. With this massive, almost incomprehensible influx of media being delivered straight to us as though on a nonstop IV drip, it’s next to impossible for a piece of content to rise above the masses, stand out, and shine for longer than the time it takes us to tweet a review and then move on to whatever’s next.

It takes something truly special to make us slow down, even for a moment, and pay attention to a thing for more than the amount of time it takes to consume it. Films and albums are devoured and digested then largely excreted from the brain in order to make room for the next film or album. Even great artistic achievements are often skipped past in a matter of minutes, figuratively speaking. Great works like this year’s Best Picture winner Nomadland are doomed to escape the public consciousness as soon as the next spectacle arrives. As soon as Godzilla vs. Kong hit the big screen, audiences largely moved on from last year’s biggest hits. When the next thing is here, it’s time to move on. Due to this modern phenomenon, it feels somewhat momentous when something comes along and demands my attention long past an initial viewing.

Bo Burnham performs “Content”.

I love when something comes along, completely blows me away, and forces me to sit with it for days or weeks after seeing it. I live for those moments of sheer exuberance, awe, and reflection that emerge when a piece of content utterly astounds you on an artistic level. I’m talking about those moments when you’re left completely speechless, when you can’t believe what you just saw, completely sucker-punched by the artist, when you feel full of emotion and overcome by the power and potential of art. This doesn’t happen all that often, perhaps a couple of times each year, if we’re lucky. It happened to me when I saw Get Out in the theater for the first time and it happened when I heard Kendrick Lamar’s Damn. for the first time. It happened when I saw Portrait of a Lady On Fire and then again when I saw the finale of Devs last year (read my article about that here). It’s a beautiful feeling to be overcome by art and affected by it on a deep, penetrating level.

It’s different for everyone, of course. We all react more strongly to what we’re predisposed to. That said, it happens to all of us. You know that feeling. It’s that moment when a piece of media leaves you slightly nauseous because it made you feel so many emotions. The ones that make you sit back in your chair when the credits roll and say, “how in the f*** did they DO THAT?” Well, that’s what Bo Burnham’s INSIDE made me feel.

So, without further ado, here are five reasons why my little chimpanzee brain simply cannot stop thinking about Bo Burnham’s INSIDE:

Christopher Nolan’s ‘Tenet’ and The Future of Movie Theaters

September 5, 2020 By mwmelugin

It’s a turbulent time for the movie industry and movie theaters, so what better answer than a movie about time?

It was three years, one month, and thirteen days between the domestic releases of Christopher Nolan’s last film Dunkirk and his newest release, the long-awaited and much-delayed Tenet. I lead with those numbers because the auteur director and most of his films, Tenet not withstanding, seem obsessed with the concept of time.

A lot has changed in the last three years, including the way most of us watch movies. The movie industry has evolved since the release of Dunkirk. That evolution has reached a crescendo in 2020 as face masks and home viewing have become the new normal. Movies theaters closed their doors in March and I now go through more hand sanitizer than I do artificial popcorn butter, which feels crazy. It’s a weird time to be alive and an even weirder, more precarious time for the film industry at large.

Finally, movie theaters are reopening. They started the reopening process on August 20th, with over two-thirds of theaters open as of September 3rd. To do so is an admittedly mixed bag; movie-nerds such as myself are elated to see new movies in a theater but there’s an inherent trepidation about the safety/sanity of doing so. One of the most hotly anticipated films of the year is set to open and the big question is whether anyone will actually go out to their local cinema and see it. A year ago, we never would have questioned whether we would be going to the theater to see Tenet.

Weird times indeed. And in these weird and confusing times, I find it incredibly apropos that theaters are set to reopen on the back of a weird, confusing film about time. Enter Tenet.

Considering Determinism | Was I Always Destined To Love Devs?

May 6, 2020 By mwmelugin

I recently blasted through the FX mini-series Devs. The show was created, written, and directed by Alex Garland, who I have been enamored with since his 2014 directorial debut, Ex Machina.

Don’t worry, I’m not interested in giving spoilers but let me just say, Devs is the bomb. You should seek it out immediately if you’re at all interested in sci-fi, thrillers, quantum mechanics, the social consequences of technology, or questions of moral philosophy. That said, you don’t need to have seen it to read this post.

Director Alex Garland and star Nick Offerman on-set of FX’s mini-series, Devs.

On top of being a brilliantly entertaining tech-thriller, Devs centers around the philosophy of determinism. If you aren’t familiar, determinism is the philosophical belief that all events are completely pre-determined by previously existing causes, i.e., everything in life is already meant to be. This includes the good aspects of life as well as the bad. Determinists believe that every avenue of reality is fated to occur precisely as it does. (I encourage you to watch this excellent video from Crash Course if you’d like more context on determinism before you continue reading.)

Since the onset of 2020, the world at large has been a bit, well, rocky. Between the COVID-19 outbreak and various other strokes of misfortune, including my own personal unemployment, Devs presented itself at a curious time in my life. It feels oddly serendipitous that a show about determinism would come at a time when the world faces such medical and economic turmoil. I feel the series arrived at a timely moment because it suggests that even the worst of events are meant to be. And I, for one, am thankful for a show that encourages us to ponder why good and bad things happen.

Dissecting Childish Gambino’s Mysterious New Album 3.15.20

April 10, 2020 By mwmelugin

By now, you’ve probably heard of Donald Glover. He’s a Grammy-nominated multi-hyphenate who has dominated the last decade in film, television, and music. He’s been in some of the biggest movies of the last few years, including Solo and the live-action remake of The Lion King, created one of the biggest hit TV shows in recent memory, Atlanta, and somehow found time to break the internet under his musical stage name, Childish Gambino.

On March 22nd, 2020 he released his fourth studio album, 3.15.20. The surprise release has fans everywhere simultaneously dancing and scratching their heads. Here are my theories about the mysterious nature of the new Gambino project.

A Long-Awaited Release

Childish Gambino’s last studio album, Awaken, My Love! came in late 2016. Then, after a year and a half of near radio-silence, musically speaking, Gambino dropped one of the hottest music videos of the decade in May 2018. “This Is America” signaled a grand reemergence and led to fans everywhere sniffing around for a new album. He followed that up in July 2018 when he released Summer Pack – EP which included the tracks “Summertime Magic” and “Feels Like Summer”. Between the three songs, a new album appeared to be imminent.

The album cover for Gambino’s 2018 release, Summer Pack – EP.

However, Gambino dove back into the shadows and left us guessing for over a year. This music-less period likely had much to do with his cinematic ventures and position as a new father. That, or you could say he was simply taking his sweet time. After much waiting and rampant speculation, it’s finally here. The release was sudden and the rollout was peculiar, though warmly greeted by fans who had been waiting almost three and a half years.

We all knew that Gambino’s next project would likely be genre-bending and somewhat experimental. Awaken, My Love! had signaled the prior while “This Is America” and Summer Pack – EP intimated the latter. Even with those projects setting the stage, none of us could have expected what he gave us with 3.15.20.

3.15.20 Is Very, Very Mysterious

3.15.20 is beautiful and jubilant in certain areas then haunting and borderline indecipherable in others. I’m not going to attempt to put a genre label on 3.15.20. That would be doing it a disservice. However, the way it blends various genres and then stitches itself together with exceedingly experimental transitions makes the album, well, unique.

The Value of Progress | Revisiting Your Past Creative Work

March 27, 2020 By mwmelugin

Have you ever looked back at your past creative projects from three-plus years ago and absolutely cringed? Yeah, me too. There’s something about reviewing our past creative endeavors that tends to give artists the willies. It’s similar to how most of us don’t enjoy looking at awkward photos of ourselves taken during middle school.

This process of revisiting our own past work and being terribly disheartened applies to the full spectrum of creative mediums. The sentiment is the same with regard to painting, drawing, pottery, and just about anything else. I have old poems, prose, and graphic design projects that I’m equally unmotivated to revisit but, for the sake of this article, I’m going to reference a few of my old short films.

I’ve read various interviews with famous filmmakers who have said how they rarely, if ever, revisit their past films. Even if it’s a classic. Al Pacino said in an interview last year while making the rounds for The Irishman, that “…there’s no real need (to go back). I’ve seen it; I know what it is. If it’s good, I feel lucky. If it’s not, it’s something you try to forget.”

Of course, I’m nowhere near the arena of someone like Pacino. Yet, when I rewatch past projects like Stella, I can tap into what he meant. I said in a previous post that I’m an extremely nostalgic person. This characteristic doesn’t necessarily extend into the professional sphere, however. I’m not a huge fan of my early poems and stories, nor do I enjoy re-watching old videos I’ve made. That said, it can be a *fun* exercise to do so occasionally as a means of gaging your own progress. So long as the act of doing so doesn’t make you vomit or question your self-worth.

My Top 10 Films of the Decade | 2010-2019

January 24, 2020 By mwmelugin

To no one’s surprise, there have been countless year-end and decade-end film lists in the past few weeks. Everybody and their mother has done a Top 10 Films of the Decade list. But so what? I mean, it’s not every day we enter a new decade. Why shouldn’t we take a moment to appreciate and commemorate the best of the best?

The past ten years of film history have been tumultuous and varied. Films changed as the culture evolved and new technologies such as streaming services moved in. It was the decade of Netflix, but it was also a decade of auteurs and companies like A24. If you’re into labeling eras, I’d say this has been the decade of the superhero film. Box offices were dominated by Marvel and Star Wars, reboots and sequels. Some of them were great and some weren’t. A couple of movies won Best Picture that maybe shouldn’t have (here’s to you, The King’s Speech) but it should not be overlooked how many truly exquisite films we’ve been given since 2010.

A collage of the top 10 films of the decade.

Remember, art is subjective.

Bear in mind, I’m a humble autodidact who has only been writing about film seriously for about a year. I’m not an authority so don’t be mad if your favorite movie isn’t on here. These are all great films in one way or another, whether they can definitively be called the top 10 films or not. I’m simply putting them forth as my top 10 films. Each of them has deep and resonant themes that impacted me on a personal level when I first saw them. Not only that, but they have all held up upon multiple viewings. I’ve loved and thought about these films the most. They’re the ones that have inspired and challenged me and made me feel connected to my fellow humans and the art of movie-making.

If you’ve ever tried it, you know it’s insanely difficult to rank what the best movies are. It’s all subjective. Like when you’re asked what your favorite song is, it probably depends on your mood. I’ve compiled this list alphabetically because they’re all amazing and I wanted to avoid the pain of having to rank them. After detailing my top ten, I’ll list out my forty honorable mentions, also in alphabetical order. Thus presenting my unranked top fifty best movies of the decade.

Without any further ado…

My top 10 films from 2010-2019…

A Personal Update: Finding Mindfulness and Being Deliberate With Your Time

November 13, 2019 By mwmelugin

For the past few months, I’ve felt like I haven’t been in full control of my time. Life moves so quickly; between having a full-time job, doing chores and errands, and spending time with friends and family, I’ve been finding it difficult to carve out sufficient time for myself and my creative work. It’s so easy to “let your life live you” rather than the other way around. Throughout most of 2019, it’s definitely felt as though my life has been living me.

Social engagements and daily maintenance can pose an especially dangerous threat to those seeking to make a life in the arts. I’m constantly making plans with friends, which is a wonderful problem to have, but it comes at a cost. On top of that, there are so many hours that slip away from menial tasks like going to the grocery store and washing dishes. Individually, these chores and engagements don’t matter much. I’m happy to spend time with loved ones and certainly enjoy doing so. However, when combined with every other aspect of life, they become a serious imposition on my time and mental energy which could otherwise be channeled into writing or making music.

I’m not suggesting that we should never take the time to have lunch with mom or grab a beer with a buddy, I’m a big fan of doing both, but I’m finding the trick is to be more deliberate with your time and not make such choices impulsively. With the New Year right around the corner, I’ve been reflecting on my habits, identifying the ways in which I’ve been spending my time, and making a plan to take back control of my life and rededicate myself to my creativity. For me, that means making the extra effort to be more focused, disciplined, and overall more mindful in my daily activities.

Nowadays, “being mindful” has almost become a cliché. There’s so much content and so many services advertising mindfulness, specifically meditation, that it can feel like a marketing scheme rather than honest life advice. However, a cliché usually becomes a cliché because it’s true. I’ve made attempts at becoming more mindful many times in the past but it’s proven to be a difficult regimen to stick to, largely due to the aforementioned social obligations. In the past, I’ve gone through phases during which I would practice meditation. It’s no secret that meditating is a key component of becoming more mindful. I’ve realized, though, that there’s much more we can do. This is a list of steps I’ve been taking in order to become more mindful, more focused, and overall lead a healthier creative life.

Perfectionism: 3 Tips To Help Let Go

April 15, 2018 By mwmelugin

There’s a great bit in Seinfeld where Jerry gets overly excited about having drawn the perfect triangle. Then to his dismay, Elaine is terribly unimpressed. Anyone who has ever drawn a perfect shape can likely relate to Jerry’s enthusiasm. It’s exhilarating to feel as though you have done something “perfect”. However, perfection is an elusive and nebulous concept. Yes, of course, it’s a good and admirable trait to strive for great work. Although when one’s desire to achieve perfection encroaches upon perfectionism, it can be detrimental both to their work and mental health.

We Shouldn’t Expect Ourselves To Be Perfect

Many people struggle with perfectionism. Those who do are almost guaranteed to be aware of it and know the symptoms. If you’re unsure though, check out this article that outlines the different signs that you might be a perfectionist. While this personality trait may apply to persons across any and all areas of study or work, I feel it applies most insidiously to those in creative fields. Art can be somewhat oxymoronic in that one may be great at their craft, or even be considered the best in their discipline, but it’s nearly impossible to say someone or something is perfect due to the wholly subjective nature of art. This can foment a tendency to strive for perfection, even to expect it of yourself, while never quite being able to attain it.

In my own experience, perfectionism can be extremely detrimental to the creative process. It fosters both trepidation and anxiety while working, and a fear that the final product will inevitably be less than perfect. This can lead to an inability to start a new project or to finish an existing one. In more extreme circumstances, it can even lead to depression rooted in a feeling of “never being good enough”.

Perfectionism is much like any other form of anxiety in that it’s never as simple as telling yourself, “okay, don’t be anxious anymore”. However, there are steps you can take to reduce the negative impact of perfectionist thinking. Some of these may sound obvious, but occasionally it can help to be reminded of the obvious.

The Best Opening Scenes In “The Office” and What We Can Learn From Them As Writers

November 7, 2017 By mwmelugin

Anybody who loves “The Office” surely knows about the show’s fantastic opening scenes. They’re sharp, funny, and always well punctuated. I recently rewatched most of the series and after a while, I started to pay closer attention to these scenes in an attempt to learn something from them. In doing so, I began to keep track of my favorite cold opens from the show, categorize and rank them, and think about how and why they work so well.

The Office Episode 514 - Dwight Burning Door Handle

I’ve broken my ranked list into three categories: My all-time favorites (or what I consider to be the “best” ones from a writer’s perspective), my favorite Jim and Dwight pranks, and some honorable mentions. Without further ado, here’s what I came up with.

My All-Time Favorite “Office” Opening Scenes

Fire In The Office (Season 5, Episode 14 “Stress Relief: Pt. 1”)
The DVD Logo Hits The Corner of The TV Screen (Season 4, Episode 3 “Launch Party”)
The Office Tricks Michael Into Thinking It’s 5:00PM (Season 5, Episode 28 “Company Picnic”)
Michael Shouts ‘Nooo’ When Toby Returns (Season 5, Episode 9 “Frame Toby”)
Stanley Doesn’t Notice Anything (Season 7, Episode 6 “Costume Contest”)

The thing I love most about a great cold open is how it functions as a story all its own, independent from the rest of the episode. I think that’s what truly makes these scenes so impactful, memorable, and effective. Some of these opening scenes manage to condense what could quite reasonably have been the plot for an entire episode (or at least a solid B plot) into a single scene.

Nostalgia: 4 Reasons Why It’s Good To Be Nostalgic

May 16, 2017 By mwmelugin

I’ve been a nostalgic person for as long as I can remember. I still have stacks of homework assignments from elementary and middle school, drawings I did as a child, and countless scrapbooks my mom made. Like many people I enjoy looking back through these from time to time for a casual stroll down memory lane. For me, nostalgia has always been a positive thing. It reminds me of a “simpler time”, and makes me appreciate my life.

Nostalgia can be a double edged sword however. For those like me it can connect one with their past and bring an appreciation for a time that once was. Sometimes though it can induce sadness or a tendency to “live in the past”. Despite the possible consequences, I’ve found that to be nostalgic can be tremendously beneficial both in the writing process as well as in one’s day-to-day life.

An old photo of me reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, circa 1997. This scene is essentially the epitome of nostalgia for me.

HOW NOSTALGIA IS GOOD FOR WRITING

They say “write what you know” and that “all beginning writers write about themselves”. As far as I’m concerned, these maxims both ring true. There lies great creative value in holding on to the small, emotional bits of life so as to one day channel them into a character. To appreciate the significance of the past can aid in developing more complex characters in one’s writing.