Cute as a Button

Okay, I've been writing all day AND it's been a few days now since I actually saw the film I am about to talk about, so I apologize if my thoughts seem rather fluid.

I thought The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was a delightfully creative film. Though it's based on a short story from F. Scott Fitzgerald, it takes a remarkable amount of ingenuity to actually attempt to create such a complicated movie.

The basic premise is this. Our hero, a Mr. Benjamin Button is born quite a different person from you or I. You see, he ages backwards - born as a withered old man, and growing younger until he dies as a baby. Throughout the film, he falls in love with Daisy who, as an old lady dying in a hospital, is the impetus for the telling of the tale, as her daughter reads it from Benjamin's diary.

Now, consider what this requires: the actor, Brad Pitt, must be an old, small man, and then gradually become a child. What this means is that the film shows the execution of some marvelous special effects. Think Robert Zemeckis CG, only more life-like. Of course, its hard for us to guess what an old man the size of a child would look like, so it's hard to say if this part was exactly "realistic," but I found the overall fact that Brad Pitt was aging younger to be generally believable.

The story itself is very sweet. Rather than fighting his fate, Benjamin seems to accept his condition, largely do to his upbringing by a wonderful African American woman named Queenie. (I hope this actress is at least nominated for an Oscar - but more on that in a moment). In the end, the film bears the message that you can't fight fate or death, that when the time comes, you must simply let go. I find this remarkably insightful and a lesson well worth learning.

I also really enjoyed the love story between Benjamin and Daisy (played by the fabulous Cate Blanchett who, in my mind, can do no wrong). I thought it was very sweet, though not meant to last, and had a star-crossed lovers feeling that is very powerful film material. Daisy, of course, had to age at the same time Benjamin got younger, and I thought the makeup on Blanchett was quite good.

There was one scene in the film that I regard with utter amazement and extreme admiration. (This has a slight spoiler in it, so if you're someone who doesn't want to know a single thing about a movie before you see it, these next three paragraphs aren't for you...) At one point in the movie, something happens that makes Benjamin go to Paris - the audience isn't told what immediately. Instead, we are presented with a chain of events. More specifically, it's a chain of changed events... events that would have normally happened one way, but for some reason, happened differently.

A woman, leaving her apartment, forgets her coat and goes back inside. There, she answers the phone. When she does leave, she catches a second cab because the first one had just left. This second cab driver had just recently stopped for coffee, making him arrive at the woman's apartment at the time that he did. Upon backing up, he almost hits a man who was crossing the street, but was doing so at a different time than he normally does because he didn't set his alarm clock. It goes on like that. Eventually, it begins to involve Daisy, leading up to the moment she led the theater and began to cross the street. Now, Benjamin goes back through the events, showing what it would have looked like if everything had gone normally, and on this train of events, the cab with the woman in it stops when they see Daisy crossing the street.

However, as you can tell, that's now how things happened. The cab actually hits Daisy, breaking her leg and forcing her to stop dancing. While this is clearly complicated to pull off, it's something I enjoy thinking about quite frequently. The point as I understood it is that every moment in our individual lives is a byproduct of hundreds of other moments. While each of these moments could happen a hundred different ways, they only happen one way, and when they intersect, they cause the moment that we personally experienced.

Now, there are a few gripes I have regarding Benjamin Button. I understand that the film attempts to incorporate the entirity of Benjamin's long life, but somehow the filmmakers managed to take a "short" story and create a nearly three-hour movie! Personally, I'm not against long movie... but I believe that the story should dictate the length. Films like The Dark Knight or Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, which were both over or around two and a half hours, did not feel long. The action near the end, the excitement, and the climactic energy led to a strong finish, one that made me (I don't know about anyone else) feel as if the extra length was well spent. However, Benjamin, I'm not going to lie... felt a tad too long. I began to notice time passing (something I believe I shouldn't do while in a movie) and felt that some parts could have been edited a bit more.

Additionally, well, there's Brad Pitt. Sure, he's a hottie (and is he EVER when he's on a motorcycle, wearing a leather jacket and aviators!) but I personally don't believe he did that much acting. He kind of just... was. Was in the scene, was in love. I didn't really believe that he was anyone other than Brad Pitt pretending to be named Benjamin. Cate, well, she was great... from her accent to her mixed feelings about loving Benjamin.

Now, last thought here... Oscars. I'm pretty sure the nominations are bound to be announced soon, and I expect Benjamin Button will figure in them. Some of the blogs I read seem to think it'll make Best Picture... I'm not sure what I think about that. I hope and believe that the actress who played Queenie will be nominated, and I'm sure it will get nominations for best makeup, best adapted screenplay, and maybe special effects. We'll have to see!

All in all, I would recommend seeing it because it's cute, uplifting, and makes you think. It also has some very cool effects, and very nice shot of Brad Pitt in aviators.

Food - er - Milk for Thought

Wow, it's been a few days since I've gotten a post up. I've seen two very good, very blog-able (yes, I know that's not a word) movies since I last wrote, and I want to get to them each in turn. So, first up is...

The fantastically acted, very socially-poignant (and currently resonant) film, Milk. I'm going to take this in a few pieces.

The Story:
Okay, personally, this was one bit of history that never came to my attention. I had never heard the story of Harvey Milk, Proposition 6, Anita Bryant, or the "Twinkie defense." Background for anyone who doesn't know: Harvey Milk was the first openly gay man elected to public office, as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. (More biographical information here). But what an interesting story. Harvey Milk really fought all the odds, running again and again, gaining momentum until he was finally elected. Then, he began to fight for gay rights. Battles were raging in many states, focusing around ordinances whether or not people could be discriminated against on the basis of their sexuality. The culmination was Proposition 6 in California, in which a senator attempted to fire all teachers who proved to be homosexual. Milk and his supporters, friends, and allies managed to... well, if you know history, you know how it goes. If not, I'll leave it to the movie to tell you what happened.

The Acting:
Wow. Seriously, what words can describe? I fully believed, for those two hours, that Sean Penn was Harvey Milk, a gay man fighting for what he believed in. The supporting actors - James Franco, Diego Luna, Emile Hirsche, Josh Brolin... were all equally believable. At the end of the film, before the credits, clips of the actual men were shown with clips of the actors. It was darn hard to tell them apart.

The Sentiments:
What really struck me about Milk was how it seems to resonate with the current events concerning gay marriage, particularly regarding Proposition 8 in California. We really are facing the same battle that Harvey Milk and everyone in his time fought 30 years ago. What led to this? Did our country take so many steps back to be facing this yet again?

On a personal note, I fully support gay rights. I believe that how someone lives his or her life - and particularly who they love - should not be the concern of anyone else, and should not be regulated. I feel disgusted when I hear Bible-clutching conservatives spouting off nonsense about how God hates homosexuality. Okay, that's a personal opinion, and one that Milk allows, but doesn't necessarily support. It takes the facts about Harvey Milk's life, about the battle against Proposition 6, and presents it for you to disgust as you will.

The Effect:
I walked out of the theater feeling inspired and saddened - an odd mix of emotions, I know. So much of the movie's message (if you believe in something, fight for it) felt strengthened by this past election. And yet, I come again to Proposition 8. My family and I were wondering on our way home whether this movie's release (if it had been released earlier) would have effected the outcome of Proposition 8 in California. I, personally, believe it might have. Though it wouldn't have reached people who are already close-minded on the subject, it might have reminded others of the past, and opened their eyes to think for themselves. Regardless, it was released afterwards. And, as it faces the future as a work of media, it's entirely possible it will win Oscars - I'd be willing to place money on actor nominations, if not screenplay as well... But I wonder how it will effect the next major battle of gay rights. Harvey Milk is definitely worth remembering.

One final note:
There was one part of the movie I wasn't a huge fan of. It's narrated in pieces by Milk, looking back on his life, recording a tape in case he is assasinated. Now, if this tape actually exists, more power to them... this is a brilliant addition. If not, it felt a bit choppy, as if they were in need of some narration to speed events along and explain things they didn't have time to show. Maybe if I saw it again, I'd like it, but the first time round, this interrupted the flow of the movie for me.

24/7

(Don't worry; this is SPOILER FREE!)

Whew. I get exhausted just watching Jack Bauer. Poor guy - never drinks, eats, or goes to the bathroom, and he gets the pulp beaten out of him constantly throughout the hellish day we watch him go through.

Yes, I'm in the middle of Season 6 of 24. And, man, is it addicting! It's a bit curious, really, why something about terrorism and terrible horrible no-good, very bad days would make such a good television show, but I really do enjoy it, as do many people.

I think it's adrenaline. It's exciting and gives you a rush as you watch it. And, even though it depicts things that would be so horrible in real life, it's not real. It came a bit too close to reality on 9/11 (by coincidence, more or less), but other than that, it doesn't really depict reality. There is no CTU, and there's no miraculous agent Jack Bauer here to save the world. Seriously, each of those punches would do some serious damage.

But, it's amusing. I enjoy watching it with my family, enjoying our various response: My dad who pretends he's not interested ("it's too violent") then ends up joining us and asking to watch it; My mom, who gets annoyed at the medical innacuraces, and shrinks at any sign of needles or blood (we do watch Grey's Anatomy also, by the way); and me, who ends up shouting various vulgarities at evil Presidents, troublesome Jack, and stupid terrorists.

So, if you haven't already partaken in this blood-fest, spiraling body-count of a TV show, I recommend you do, because it's too much fun to miss out on.

I've got one note about this season that I find interesting. It is, of course, a necessity to keep changing the country from which the terrorists originate from. In 6 seasons, the writers have been creative: Russia, Mexico, and even pissed-off British Marine guys have come into play. However, in this season, we are dealing with some Middle Eastern country... trouble is, we don't know which one. They keep saying "go find the ambassador" not specifing his country, or "we must bomb the northern part of their country," again not being specific. It strikes me as a bit of a double standard to create a fictional terrorist group from Russia, and then one from some unnamed Middle Eastern country. I suppose it would be hitting a little too close to home if they were to specify which one.

So, anyway, we've got 6 episodes left and the clock is ticking (quite literally). While we know beloved Jack will continue muttering in his musky breath, breaking rules, shouting at bad guys, shooting and never missing, and above all, never taking a break, I can't wait to see what happens next!

Worth a Million Dollars. Or Rupees.

Okay, I'm finally going to talk about Slumdog Millionaire. While it's true that the initial shine and glory of walking stunned and amazed out of the theater has worn off since Saturday, I still have a few thoughts about it.

Thought #1: Wow.

Yeah, that's it, really. It's an incredible film. Not only was it filmed on location in India, a feat in and of itself, but it seemed to capture some essential feeling of India... Even thought it was made by a non-Indian director - He's British, actually... I believe.

While I'm on the director - Whose name is Danny Boyle, I wanted to point out something I observed.

Thought #2: This guy is obsessed with millions of dollars.

I recognized his name from another film, which stayed with me for some reason: Millions. Millions was a small, generally un-noticed film about a young boy who found a great deal of money, and had to figure out what to do with it. It was also a beautiful, really sweet film... But I wonder what it is about millions of $ for this man Boyle. He seems transfixed about the effect winning or getting such an amount of money would have on a human. It's an interesting topic, I'll grant you that.

Okay, back to Slumdog. Really briefly, it's the tale of a boy (Jamal) and his brother (Salim) who are orphaned. Along the way, they meet a girl named Latika, who Jamal takes a liking to, in that really cute little kid kind of way. Chaos insues, and the boys are separated from Latika. The rest of the film is basically about Jamal fighting all the odds to get back to Latika. However, there's a catch, of sorts... It's not a linear story. The entire film also centers around Jamal being a contestant on the Indian version of Who Wants to Be A Millionaire. As each question comes up, it relates somehow to his life, and we learn a bit more about his story.

Now, it sounds simple - or maybe complicated - but what you can't get from a summary is that it's done beautifully. Everything ties together smoothly, flows completely congruently, and just basically combines to create a work of art. What really struck me, though. It's a really complicated way of telling a story, yet it came off quite naturally.

Thought #3: It doesn't take much.

We don't learn about Jamal's entire life, yet we feel like we do. Each question that is asked reveals a piece of his story, yet by the end, I feel like I traveled with Jamal along his entire life's journey.

Okay, final comment. As you can maybe tell by the poster, one of the movie's main ideas or themes is the idea of Destiny: "It is written."

Thought #4: Destiny rocks.

It's such a nice touch to make a movie seem as if it could have only happened one way. There are no alternate-scenarios, no "what-ifs"... That's how real life is. Life happens one way. You can't double back or second guess, and neither could a viewer of this film. Even the hard parts of the film - some of the more violent scenes - are acceptable because that's just how it is. It's how it is in India, and it's what the character would have faced had this been a real story. It isn't glossed over or made prettier than it actual is, which would have taken away some of the film's beauty and authenticity.

So there you have it. It's an amazing film and I truly and heartily recommend it. I hope it wins all sorts of awards, because I think it deserves it.

Ruminations from a different time

Whew, I've just finished reading Emma, one of Jane Austen's wonderful novels. What a ride! I always feel like I've been transported to a totally different place and time when I'm in the middle of one of those books... Life was so different then - for women, for men... for everyone!

I can't imagine living in a time where everything was about marriage, social visits, and propriety! It was so simple, and could so easily be tedious.

Women had nothing to do but to search for a husband, to manage the servants and the household, and watch the children. If they were lucky enough to live in lively social circles, they could partake in balls and grand evenings... but that would only lead to social ridicule and inevitably someone whispering about someone else when backs were turned. They were quite mean to each other then, but really did nothing more than exchange pleasantries. The cattiness that Jane Austen paints - I assume it reflected how life reallyw as - is astounding! It's like high school only in a ball gown!

Men had nothing more to do than to manage the farm or the money, to meet with their friends, and to search for a wife who would be acceptable for their position in society. If he was lucky, he ended up with a wife he liked - or even loved... but it seems a too often occurance of ending up with a silly prattling woman like Emma's Mrs. Elton.

It sure makes for a fun read, though. I love being in that world of social conduct, of tête-à-têtes, and searching for a way to find a spouse above anything else is quite refreshing compared to a world of college, technology, bad economies, and global warming.

I was particularly struck by a theme in Emma - or rather, an idea. It's an important part of the plot that one character will fancy it that another loves them... and it leaves to all sorts of miscommunication and wrongdoings. It really shows how objective the world is... That what I perceive is completely different and perhaps even totally independent to how you would perceive it. I suppose this is important to remember for dealings with anyone, as Emma learned, and Jane Austen was probably trying to teach... That you never know what someone else is thinking!

Anyway, I do intend to get down some thoughts about Slumdog Millionaire, but that will have to be tomorrow's task. Have a lovely evening!

Oh, and in the words of the great John and Hank Green.... DFTBA!

Do we take it all for granted?

Why thank you. Yes, that is a new look I'm sporting. Fetching, isn't it?

I was going to save today's blog for a movie review, but as we aren't seeing anything until later, I think I'll save that for tomorrow.

I'm here to talk about technology. I was inspired by a recent YouTube video recommended to me by a Leaky friend. Check it out first, then I'll lay some thoughts down.



Now, this man has some excellent points. We do take a lot for granted these days. Are we too cavalier about technology? Or is my generation simply used to it? Is it okay that we're used to it?

A lot of questions to ask I know. Let me just share a quick story. This afternoon, I was writing a chapter summary for Leaky (my online bookclub) in Firefox. One thing led to another, I accidentally hit the back button and - boom - all my work done just as I had finished. Rightly so, I suppose, I was quite angry. Frustrated. Throwing things. You know, mad moment.

But in retrospect, should I be? I mean, I was typing something, online, to be used in an online bookclub, in which I communicate with hundreds of people from all around the world, all while sitting at my desk.

Whoa.

That's amazing. Just to be doing all that is quite phenomenal. So, should I be angry when the technology that allows all this to happen doesn't work quite right?

Now, I know that guy up in that YouTube video has a good point, and maybe we shouldn't take technology for granted quite so much. However, it is something that is in our lives to stay, and we're used to it, so maybe we do have the right to be frustrated when it doesn't work.

After all, back in the days of rotary telephones, as Mr. What's-his-name up there was saying... if they had malfunctioned, people probably would've been frustrated. Would they have been thinking of the miracle that is a telephone call anyway? I don't think so.

I think it's human nature to become accustomed to the technology that surrounds us, to revel in it, and take it for granted. Sure, we shouldn't waste too much belly-aching over it, but I don't entirely think we should be blown away every time a light comes on. After all, we've had electricity for a long time now!

What do you think? Do we take it all for granted? Or do we accept it as a part of our daily lives, as we well should?

Writing with a Fuzzy Head

Woot! I'm on break. And I'm sick. Of course. Yeah, I've accepted it's part and parcel of being a student. I held out most of the semester, but now my immune system seems to be angry. Great.

Anyway, I've been thinking now that my head isn't full of Statistics problems and Physics formulas... and I've been poking around the internet.

So, let me just throw this out there. The internet's cool. Really cool. Totally awesome. Everyone's blogging and vlogging, soul searching, and being seen by 1000s of people. They're raising awareness for charities (Woot to Project for Awesome) and soul searching right in front of the camera (or via the keyboard). It's neat. And I want to be a part of it.

I might be late to the bandwagon... Most Leaky people already have blogs and vlogs. And, hell, John and Hank Green have been doing it every day for a year. But better late than never, right?

So, that's my main New Year's Resolution. It might be a little early for this (it's only December 19th) but there you have it. Sure, I also want to exercise more, relax more, be happier... but this is something more concrete.

I'd like to blog OR vlog 4 days a week. Of course, that will require learning how to vlog, but I can do that. There you have it, it's written down.

And, of course, I have a few weeks to get ready. To do a practice vlog (once I get all this fuzziness out of my head)... and all that.

Well, there you have it. Cheers

Sign-offs, Peace Outs, and other Un-Salutations

Well, what other fancy name for "goodbyes" is there? They're un-salutations... as in, I'm not saluting you, I'm walking away from you.

Anyway, I've noticed lately that these are very popular and very iconic. Some of my friends (or at least acquaintances) will regularly say "Peace" or "Peace Out" or simply "Later" instead of something spontaneous like "Goodbye," or "See you later."

And on blogs this is common too. Over at the Krug Blog, who I admit I admire for writing regularly, Cass always signs out with "May the Force Be With You" (and there's a story behind it).

So do I need a sign out? A farewell-bidder to anyone or everyone who's reading, or even to myself for closure as I end a blog?

Not a bad idea. Let's see... I hate one word responses... "peace" is a noun, not a replacement for Goodbye. Star Wars has been referenced... is there anything from Pirates? Ah, yes. There we go.

Drink up me hearties. Till tomorrow.

Christmas TV Specials, non rant edition

Okay, I'm not even going to get into a rant about the ridiculous numbers of Christmas movies, specials, concerts, events, and series that start to abide on all TV stations during this time of year.

Nope, not gonna go there.

Instead, I'm just going to focus on the silliness of holiday-themed episodes of current TV series. What I mean here is when you tune into Lipstick Jungle or Life or Psych and you find it's a 'special Thanksgiving (or Christmas or fill-in-other-holiday-here) edition.'

Don't get me wrong, I've seen it done really well. Who can forget the Friends Thanksgiving episodes? As memorable as the rest of the series (or perhaps more so), these celebrations of the current holiday were an homage to the characters and to the wackiness of a holiday itself.

Even more recently, Grey's Anatomy did a great Thanksgiving episode a few seasons back. I still remember the hilariousness of trying to dress the turkey, surgeon style... "Gloves, scalpel, baster..."

But it's a little weird this year. Sure, Life did a good black Friday episode, but it came a week or two early. Lipstick Jungle's Thanksgiving episode was a week in advance, even though the show itself was on the day after Thanksgiving. What happened to scheduling here?

So, as much as I love seeing my favorite TV characters sit down to carve the turkey or open presents, I think ABC, NBC, and corporate networks alike have forgotten the point. These episodes should be used only if they're useful as a plot device. If having a holiday shows something about a character's past, a character's neurosis, or another plot line that's important in the overall show. Just throwing it out there is a little annoying.

Plus, what's with all the Christmas stuff coming so early? Stephen Colbert's Christmas special was hilarious, but why was it on November 23? What about the Psych episode, the weekend after Thanksgiving?

Come on, it's enough that we have to see Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations go up in Michaels in August... At least check your calendars once in a while.

Falling for "The Fall"

As I jump back into school (eeek!), I'm sure it will be hard to find time to blog. In fact, for the next few days, I might have to blog with a purpose (unheard of!), as I have several essays to brainstorm for Scholarship Applications. This seems as good a place as any to get some thoughts jotted down.

But, for tonight, I want to talk about a film. And not just any film, a truly incredible awe-inspiring, rave-worthy film my family recently saw. It's called, simply, The Fall.

As a quick summary, The Fall is set at a hospital in the 1920's. A little girl who is staying there while her broken arm heals befriends another patient named Roy. Aiming to entertain her (and to achieve other, darker ends), Roy begins to tell the little girl a story. The story takes shape around the people in the girl's life, around Roy's past, and around other events in the plot.

Sure, it sounds simple, but let me add the kicker. The Fall was filmed over a four-year period, in over 18 different locations. It used no green-screen or special effects. Check out the trailer (see the link below) and you may begin to understand why this achievement is so spectacularly marvelous. I remain firmly convinced that Tarsem, the director, found the most beautiful locations possible for this film. And location isn't everything. The plot packs quite a punch as well.

Now, I won't bother truly rating this movie - I like pretty much everything I see (with the exception of perhaps one Kate Hudson movie, and the Fantastic Four films). But this, well, this film just took my breath away.

In my mind, it takes filmmaking back to its roots. Back to a time when there was no green-screen, no Gollum or Davy Jones, no Dragons, CG environments, or magical yet physically impossible worlds. Tarsem did something truly incredible. He captured our world, just as it is, and wove it in with a beautiful story, creating a wondrous work of art. Don't get me wrong ... I'm fully intrigued by all the possibilities modern day CG techniques have to offer. It's just nice to see something so simply beautiful.

Anyway, if there's anyone out in the ever-expanding World Wide Web currently reading this, anyone who hasn't seen this film, let me just finish with two words: You must.

For more information on Tarsem's The Fall, check out the following links:
IMDb Info
Official Site
Trailer

A Few Words of Wisdom

Okay, yeah, not so much with the "every day" concept, but I'm still working on it. (Who knows what this will be like once school is actually in session again, right?) Anyway, on that note, tonight's blog has a few words of wisdom, though not my own - of course.

I've just begun sinking into Merlin's Dragon by Boulder author and my personal favorite writer T.A. Barron. This latest book is set between his Lost Years of Merlin series and the Great Tree of Avalon books. Of course, it's shaping up to be quite a wonderful read.

Basically, at the beginning of each chapter, there are a few lines of, well, thoughts. I haven't figured out exactly whose thoughts they are - but they seem to be coming from the main character, a dragon/lizard/unknown creature named Basil. I've been continually astounded by the wisdom and quotable-ness these few lines seem to contain. So, I've decided to share a few of my favorites with you. My favorites so far that is. I'm only about 100 pages into the book. Here we go...

Chapter 6:
I learned something valuable that day - a lesson I've never forgotten. It's worth listening well to what you hear. No matter how bizarre the story ... or how bizarre the storyteller.

Chapter 9:
Change. What a paradox! The more you do it, the more you don't. The farther you seek it, the nearer you find it. The less it's in your world, the more it's in you.

Chapter 10:
Wisdom, like those who possess it, comes in all shapes and sizes. That much I've learned, often the hard way. yet despite all their differences, truly wise people share this same understanding:
No matter how much you know, you still have a lot to learn.

So there you have it, a few pearls of wisdom... inklings of thoughts... gems to ponder. T.A. Barron sure knows how to string words together!

Blogging, Day Two: Haunting Tunes

Okay, I promise I won't just having "counting" titles for ever and ever, but as I make good on my new blogging goal, it's a good reminder. Here we go, Day Two.

Today's topic focuses around the sweet, haunting, and powerful tunes currently assailing my eardrums: The soundtrack (or rather, "score" as they're calling it) from the movie Twilight. Composed by Carter Burwell, an artist I'm not aware of other than this work, this music has definitely amazed me. I admit that Twilight itself wasn't a Grade-A movie. For a fan of the books, it hit dead on. It was like living in the story for a sweet 2-hour period. For an outsider, a critic, and basically anyone who's not a "Twihard," yes, it might fall a little short of a great movie.

However, the music is a different story altogether. I admit I barely noticed it during the movie. Whether this is the sign of its perfection - that it blended in so well it was not noticeable - or it's shortcomings, that I'm not sure, but I can truly say I haven't heard a soundtrack like this in a while.

Every now and then, a movie's music takes me by surprise. National Treasure's score by Trevor Rabin was an excellent example of this. It was a change from the John Williams and Hans Zimmers of the composing world (not that I have anything against either of those amazing composers). What these two soundtracks have in common is a freshness - an electric vibe and a jarring burst of noise that brings you back to the moment, and makes you stop whatever you're doing to simply listen.

This particular score is extremely expressive. From the first haunting notes of the first track, my mind immediately goes to Bella and Edward's story - to their predicament and Romeo + Juliet esque love story. The pounding drums of "Humans are Predators Too" seems to work through to your very heart as you listen. The jarring feedback of the electric guitar later on in the soundtrack brings yet another layer of sound. Yet it always comes back to the simple guitar notes and haunting violin that is simply beautiful and heart-renching.

And, as a final note, Bella's Lullaby is amazing. As not only a piece of music but a part of the plot, this little "ditty" had a lot to live up to, and I think it did so quite well. I don't know what I imagined on my own terms for this tune, but what they have is great.

Plus, I've been getting more and more amused by soundtrack "remixes" ever since the Pirates Remixed CDs started coming out. The remix on this particular CD certainly amuses, between the mix of the dialogue, and the contrast of the piano and the electronic beat... it's enough to keep one entertained without becoming annoyed.

So, there you have it. This may not be the first new soundtrack I've listened to non-stop or ranted about, and maybe someday it will be lost among my thousands of CDs that sit on my silver harddrive, but it won't be anytime soon, for Twilight's haunting music is hard to stop listening to.

Blog Goal, Day One.

Whew, long time no see! Life got pretty crazy there for a while... but I have a new resolution. I want to try blogging at least once a day, every day. If I miss a couple here and there, that will be fine, but other than that, I'd like to see if I could do it. I think it'd be a good writing exercise, a good way to express myself and to get some thoughts out there, and a good way to unwind and relax. It will be fun.

I'm sure it will be on any topic... I've been meaning to write about Twilight, Quantum for Solace, 24... plus other, non-movie topics like Jane Austen, and Facebook.

See, I have ideas! It shouldn't be that hard. Here we go then.... This is my goal, to post a blog every day, and I hope I can keep to it.

I guess it's a New Year's Resolution come early.

See you tomorrow!

Olé, olé!!

I thought I'd post the final version of the DNC blog for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy - or ignore. Let me know what you think, either way!

(If the link works, you can see it posted at the @15 website, here. 

A Great Time to be in the Mile-High City

If we've learned anything from the Olympic games, it's probably that the weight of the world watching one city is a heavy yet important burden to bear. The Democratic National Convention must live up to this lesson, though maybe on a smaller scale. It's no small burden that much of the country will be watching both Denver and Minneapolis this summer as the presidential candidates are officially nominated. But, some people are still asking, why are these conventions important? After all, we already know who the candidates will be - it's no secret that McCain and Obama will face off this fall. In fact, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who didn't know about it. But the convention's importance lies in its history. These conventions have been held every four years since 1832, no small amount of time. Each convention year, a city in the nation is chosen for political followers and politicians to descend upon. It's rare, however, that we get an election like this one, one that is so close, has so much riding on it, and carries so much excitement. Decision '08 is truly a landmark election. Its historic nature dates back to the caucuses and primaries which were held earlier than ever before, to the vast field of candidates that took months to narrow down, to the time it took to choose the final contenders. Most importantly, it's fueled by the final candidates themselves. Barack Obama has inspired more young people than ever to care about politics; while John McCain has the older, set-in-stone voters ready to defend the White House. And so, we now face an election that could produce the first African American President in the history of this country, or finally give McCain a chance to be the oldest President we've ever elected.

Of course, of all the years, this is the year that Denver has been chosen to play a part. Herein lies the true root of all my excitement. Going into the convention, I know I don't play a large role. I can't even vote in the election, and it's the same with most of my friends. Why, then, is there a Facebook group from my high school which has declared their choice of President? Why are there multitudes of squealing students who are overjoyed to be spending a few days at the DNC? Because it's momentous and we all know it. We know what we are a part of and we're proud of it. Personally, the excitement comes simply from having the opportunity to play a part - any part. It's the chance to say to my grandchildren that I was there - I was at the DNC in 2008. It's the chance to represent and to witness; to learn and to teach. It's an amazing opportunity and I feel privileged to participate.

Say Hi to Tolkien

Thought I'd leave one more quick post before I sign off for the day explaining my change of title (and URL - if you bookmarked my Blog, which I hope you did, make sure you add it again!)

I liked Cinematic Living and I might change back, but I'm still sculpting this blog like clay and I hope I can turn it into a good place to journal and think ... so I realized that the title I had chosen was a little to limiting and it didn't really reflect what I wanted this to be about.

Hence the change. The real explanation can be found in the little subtitle or description of my blog, but I have always loved the quote that I believe was by JRR Tolkien "All that glitters is not gold; All who wander are not lost." Words of wisdom, right there.

Anyway, leave me a comment with feedback if you want to, but most importantly, please keep reading.

I'm still just as in love with ... just as focused on movies, but I wanted a title that had room to explore... to wander... so expect some movie reviews, some more rants about the stupid move by Warner Brothers (see "Stop Right Now") but also expect some thoughts on real life.

Enjoy.

Musings with a purpose

Right, so, slight change of pace today... I actually have to write something. As in required. Responsibility. Grown-up stuff. Scary, right? Anyway, I was invited into this program called @15. It's just getting started, so don't expect to find much information on it, but it's a program sponsored by Best Buy (as in the big corporate conglomerate) and it's aim is to give teenagers a voice... in the world, in politics, all that. Anyway, as part of it, I have a chance to go to part of the DNC. I'm not sure how much of it, but at least a reception with some cool "big-shot" type people.

Rob, the guy who I've been talking to, asked me to write a blog. 

I am writing to see if you could lend your hand (and strong writing skills) in writing up a short “blog” type post on why you are excited for the Democratic Convention? The @15 web site will be launching pretty soon in its test stage, and we are looking to populate the blog section with some real teen-created content. Honestly, if you would prefer to write about an issue you are interested instead that is totally fine, but I thought that it might be easier to put down some thoughts on why you’re excited for the convention to come to Denver, and why you’re excited to be a part of it. This can be a few sentences or a few paragraphs (probably close to a paragraph is optimal) – the important thing is that it’s your thoughts.

Yup, that's my assignment. I know! ... not even officially back to school and I'm using the dreaded a-word. I said I'd try to get him something this weekend ... but I thought I'd put my thoughts up here and get a blog post and this done in one. Two birds with one stone, and all that. So, here goes. I'll muse on here for a while and then eventually refine it down to the smaller amount (one paragraph?!) that Rob asked for.

The DNC ... The DNC ... *puts on thinking cap*

If there's one thing we've learned from the Olympic games, it's probably that the weight of the world watching is a heavy yet important burden to bear. The Democratic National Convention must live up to this lesson, though maybe in a smaller scale. After all, much of the country will be watching both Denver and Minneapolis this summer as the presidential candidates are officially nominated. 

Why are these conventions important? After all, we already know who the candidates will be - it's no secret that McCain and Obama will face of this fall. In fact, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who didn't know about it. But the convention's importance lies in its history. After all, these conventions have been held every four years since 1832, no small amount of time. Each year, a city in the nation is chosen for political followers and politicians to descend upon. It's rare, however, that we get an election like this one. One that is so close, has so much riding on it, and is so very exciting to many "normal" middle-class citizens. Conventions like this year's stand in a separate category; they aren't mundane rituals that have taken place for over 150 years, they're the kind that are written about in the history textbooks, that are referenced, and that are remembered. 

And so, of all the years, Denver was selected. 100 years after our last turn, we're playing the role of host once again. The election we play a part in, however, is a completely different one than that of 1908, where William Howard Taft beat William Jennings Bryan by an 8% margin. We now face an election that could produce the first African American President in the history of this country, or finally give McCain a chance as the oldest President in the books. 

Going into the convention, I know I don't play a large role. I can't even vote in the election, and it's the same with most of my friends. Why, then, is there a Facebook group from my High School who has declared their choice of President? Why are there multitudes of squealing students who are overjoyed to be spending a few days at the DNC? Because it's historic, and we all know it. We know what we're a part of and we're proud of it. 

Personally, it's the opportunity to play a part - any part. It's having the experience and obeying the call to adventure. It's the chance to say to my grandchildren that I was there - I was at the DNC in 2008. It's the chance to represent and to witness; to learn and to teach. It's an amazing opportunity, quite possibly once-in-a-lifetime, and one I'm overjoyed to have. 

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What do you think? Please leave me comments! I have to refine it down, so I'd love to hear what you think are my strengths and weaknesses, the best parts to keep and the parts to leave out. Let me know! Just hit the comments link below the post and then select "Name/URL" as your identity. Let me know if you have problems or email me your thoughts if you prefer. Thanks!

Stop Right Now...

It's a classic song among, well, virtually any teenage girl my age - give or take a few years. What Spice Girl song isn't "classic" for us? Given the lyrics, aren't we all amazed (and slightly sickened) when we all start singing along? But that's another matter entirely.

They had a good point, those girls... Some things need to "Stop Right Now." Especially lately, there have been several things where I want to wish a great big karmic reprieve; where I'd love the Spice Girls to come waltzing out of the nearest closet and sing this song right in certain people's faces.

What people, you ask? Good question. Those silly people who are making the Mummy movies come to mind first off. Goodness, gracious - enough already. Yes, the first two rocked, they're awesome, you rule, go die rich... but a third? Really? The Scorpion King AND a sequel for that? REALLY? 

This leads to a slightly bigger point that rumbles around my mind for ages after any jaunty trip to a movie theater. Stop with the sequels and three-quels, already. If you've got a series like Bond, Batman, or Harry Potter, movies that naturally continue, that feel no slow and painful slow of momentum, by all means, continue. I'm the last person you'll hear complain about the Pirates sequels, after all. My real problem comes with movies that are born with all the pain of real labor. Movies that don't have a natural story arc, but that are being forced. 

Spiderman. Goodness gracious. It's enough of a problem that they should have stopped at the second (don't even get me started on that third movie), but the fact that they're planning production on a fourth when the two main leads have already dropped out? Arrrrghhh! The Mummy falls in this category too. Maybe I would have felt a much higher inclination to like the third one if it wasn't missing one of its primary characters: Rachel Weisz. Of course, the character was still there, but filled by some random stranger pretending that nothing had happened. Not okay. 

This leads to my next point - the next "thing" that needs to stop. Greedy Hollywood C.E.Os. Sure, I don't know how the business works all that well, but I know when I see greed motivating a decision more than artistic drive. I know when I see upper-level studio executives interrupting an otherwise smooth process of imagine-write-film-voila! 

And, please, give a warm round of applause to Warner Brothers themselves for making a wonderful example of this. What are they thinking with this Harry Potter decision? ("What arrrrr you doing?" as Barbossa would ask). 

In case you haven't heard, Warner Brothers pushed back the release date of the next Harry Potter movie from this November, as it's been planned for a while now, to next July. When asked for a reason, they didn't really have one, other than they saw a better opportunity to release it in the summer than in the fall. Translation: they'll make more money. No, it doesn't need to be delayed - it's in post-production and everything is golden there ... they just saw that the writer's strike from this past spring caused fewer moves to be released next summer, meaning they could make more money if they release then. Stupid. 

My final point is basically unrelated to any of this, but goes to the sensationalism that Hollywood is playing into. Everything has to be more exciting. It's easy to see the connection between the money-making fever I was just venting about and this, but this goes a bit further. It annoys me even more, shall we say. If I could walk into a screenwriter's office right now and give them one word of advice that they'd have to obey, it'd be this: History and Literature are quite fine the way they are. You don't need to make them more exciting.

Robin Hood. A wonderful, er, horrible examples. It's a classic story, we all know it - Robin is in love with Maid Marian but can't marry her until King Richard returns and all is well in the land - until then, poor Robin fights injustice, robbing from the rich to give to the poor. One of the reasons I was so enamored with BBC's latest revamp of this story (aside from the gorrrrgeeeous Jonas Armstrong) was that you could count on the ending - that ending. This was very refreshing, especially when paired with drive-you-up-the-wall-uncertain shows like Lost. And then they went and did the stupid Series 2 Finale. (Spoiler Alert...) You don't kill Maid Marian. It shouldn't, it can't, it musn't be done. I don't care if the stupid actress wanted to leave - actors have been forced to keep their contracts before. Armstrong is only contracted through Series 3 anyway, so that girl would have only had to stay on for 13 more episodes. You can't change this story. 

Right, hopefully the Universe will hear me here and send these messages out into the void ... We're friends, you know, the Universe and I - I get emails all the time. 

Now, I would hate to leave you feeling down, so here's a final thought. Things that don't need to stop at all? Michael Phelps. You go, man. Rock on. 

All for one and one for all - or not.

Indecision is a real killer - and it's a truly horrible problem in this day and age, with thirteen million versions or options of each and every thing you try to buy, use, or sign up for.

Take blogging, for example. I finally took the plunge, signed up for one, and started writing on here... but then I follow one link to another link and end up on LiveJournal - another Blog site. And then I go, "oh, yeah!" Meaning, I remember how cool that site is and remind myself that I was going to sign up for it once upon a sugar plum fairy...

But I already signed up for Blogger aka Blogspot, right?

So, what to do? All I wanted was a simple blog where I could post a few thoughts... and I ended up sitting here searching for a brick wall to bang my head into... What if it's a cooler site? What if more people read it, or it will have more to offer?

Do I switch? Do I stay put? Do I think about switching sometime in the future?

Isn't this the case with everything nowadays? Let's say you finally decide you want a super-fancy "I do everything except make toast" type cell phone - something like the new Blackberry's, the iPhone (wa-hoot!), or any of the hundreds of other phone-type-gadgets that check your email, go online, and possibly even give you a back massage. Wouldn't it be nice if you could walk into the PHONE STORE and say "I want one of those phone-type gadgets that does all that stuff" and voila!, you're done...

But, noooo... You've got to consider the different carriers: Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, TMobile and on and on. Then you've got to choose a phone, a model of that phone, a service plan, memory size - the list literally goes on and on

I'm not advocating Communism here - I'm not thinking that we should have one government operate phone company with no Capitalist market. I'm just wondering if we're driving ourselves insane here.

Maybe I'm just in a grumpy mood today, but everything sure seems darn complicated in this day and age.

So, in leiu of my blog's little theme there, Cinematic Living, I can just see a perfect scene... Airhead ditz girl decides she wants something - be it to write a blog, to buy a cell phone, or even to go and get a soda from a local cafe. But said ditz is not blessed by the ease of saying "I'd like a cell phone please" - no, she has to deal with which brand, what features, how much, service plans, and on and on.

And so, is there a moral to this story, erm... rant? Why yes, I think there is. Last night, my mom and I went to see a presentation of The Long Way Down, a film of a motorcycle trip taken by actors Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman (I'll probably blog on this again soon). In it, they traveled from John O'Groats Scotland (the tip top) to Cape Town South Africa (the very bottom). Especially in Africa, they met many sweet, kind people who had almost nothing... but time and time again, they found that these people were willing to share everything. These are people who deal with what food they'll find for dinner, not what type of cell phone to buy.

So why is our society so stuck on dealing with this affluenza type Consumerism? Why can't we realize what's more important in life?

That's a question I just don't have an answer to. On that *happy* note, adieu.

Here we go...

Well, I did it. I clicked "sign up here"; I filled out a form; I hit submit. 

I now have a blog.

Yes, woot! I stared at my computer for an hour trying to decide on a name - it's like naming a child... no small feat... and finally came up with something.

My life revolves around movies - anyone who knows me can probably tell you that. I always know what trailers were just released, what the box office is doing, the names of current celebrities, DVDs that are being released - all that. And I watch 'em... Lots of them. 

I hope to go into that business, but for now, I can safely say it's part of my life, and that probably won't change. 

So, here we go... Here's my blog, Cinematic Living - a small look into a high-schooler's life and into a life led by that insane world of Hollywood. Please enjoy!

We are living in a technological world...

It's something of a statement of the way our lives revolve around computers today that I come back to face over 100 emails, around 100 RSS Feed items, thousands of Skype posts, personal messages from various web programs.... after being gone for less than a week.

It took me a fraction of the time to unpack my real suitcase than the hours I'm spending settling back in at my computer. 

Now, don't get me wrong... I'm not complaining here. As my very first blog, I don't want to just kvetch about the technological world. After all, I love technology not only as much as the next guy, but probably much much more. Who else feels their heart racing when they notice that the passenger on the bus next to them has an iPhone? Who feels insanely excited when they see an Apple store, even if they've been to those stores a hundred times? Who else physically misses their computer on vacation? I do!

Now, I know my new Blog's theme is Cinematic Living - and I'll get to that in my next post, hopefully, but I had to take a moment and marvel at the way that computers and general technology have literally taken over our lives - or at least, has definitely taken over mine. 

So here's where the cinematic part comes in... You know all those movies where machines take over the world? I'm thinking I Robot, The Matrix movies (squee!) or even Wall-E, here... Well, maybe that's not so much in the realm of "impossible" as much as it's part of that whole "yikes - that'd be horrible - but it might actually happen." 

Many of us are chained - blissfully, nerd-ily to our computers, our cell phones, our iPods, our blackberries, I suppose, and now our iPhones... but what if those chains become real some day, not just metaphorical?

I know, I know... that's my wonderfully happy thought of the day. 

See you later for thoughts on Batman!