It’s the public image of Bruce Wayne. It’s the Napoleonic Complex of Ari Gold. She calls it my ‘smartassness’, but one of my close buddies gave it the best nickname of all: ‘Hollywood’. The ‘Hollywood’ persona gets its roots in the pro wrestlers I looked at as a kid. Guys like Ric Flair, Shawn Michaels, and […]
If you’re a regular reader of mine, you know I look at (my) life through three prisms: spiritual happiness, professional growth, and personal relationships. As I look at where I am now, compared even to 12 months ago, I’m incredibly humbled. At 33, I’ve written and directed a professional short. I still can’t say enough […]
(Due to our busy schedules, Aaron and I couldn’t do our prediction column as promised. But since there was no way in hell either of us would miss the show live, here is our marathon conversation over IM. Enjoy…) MALIK: Welcome to the 1st Annual Art Fradieu Oscar Running Diary. My pre-show thoughts: While I like to think […]
In a company town like this, there is no shortage of screens to see films, old and new. I get out to the Landmark once in a while, the Grove is still nice just because of the shopping center that surrounds it. From a purely film geek, filmgoer experience, I will always have a […]
Going back to my hometown and seeing old friends, I naturally took my fair share of jokes for being ‘Hollywood’ from my Circle. I was already outside the norm as a Midwestern kid to begin with, my adopted hometown has really brought out the best in me in terms of inspiring me creatively, giving my […]
Not long ago, I went to the movies with a friend I don’t see very often. I told her I was going back to my hometown for the holidays, so she asked me about growing up in Kansas, and what I was like before I was ‘Malik Aziz’ (literally and figuratively). I’m only being slightly […]
5. Changing Gears While I certainly doubt I’ve hung up my director’s hat forever, my time as an ‘indie film director’ has come to an end (on a high note at that – #7). My feel for the craft is on point, but now that putting money away for my future is my number […]
Looking back on it, the past 12 months have been a benchmark year for me, personally and professionally. We’ll see how this new decade plays out, but at the moment this feels like the year where all the various ‘instruments’ that are playing the soundtrack of my life are starting to all play the same […]
A man who never spends time with his family can never be a real man. – Don Vito Corleone I’ll tell you up front, this is me rambling… Last night I had a dream about one of my exes. The one my homie describes as my ‘Trying to Fix My Childhood’ Ex…funny because it’s true. […]
Sura 1, the Holy Qu’ran: In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful Praise be to God, Lord of the worlds! The compassionate, the merciful! King on the day of reckoning! Thee only do we worship, and to Thee do we cry for help. Guide Thou us on the straight path,2 The path […]
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