The Addams Family is morbidly fun. Perfect casting with great chemistry, great visual and off-kilter humor with a very enjoyable soundtrack. RIP Raul Julia, the best Gomez Addams.
Monday, January 19, 2015
Toy Story - Notes on the Narrative
Toy Story is probably one of the best subversive movies out there. What you think is a story about the beginning of a friendship is actually the story of an egotistical asshat (Woody) who's main goal is to break the spirit and crush the reality of a friendly, well-meaning toy (Buzz) out of jealousy. Woody only let's up once Buzz is broken (physically and psychologically), whereupon he regains his power and status between the two and returning Buzz to the group regains his power and status with the other toys. Andy's feelings and Woody's relationship to him never really mattered; it's all about Woody's pride and his relationship/status to the other toys.
But the excellent direction, pacing, humor and catchy soundtrack by Randy Newman (which should have been an obvious sign) prove quite the distraction.
Three cheers for the bad guy!
But the excellent direction, pacing, humor and catchy soundtrack by Randy Newman (which should have been an obvious sign) prove quite the distraction.
Three cheers for the bad guy!
Friday, January 2, 2015
House of Flying Daggers review - beautiful cinematography with an excellent soundtrack
House of Flying Daggers is a very enjoyable Eastern love story with some good twists. Yes, it can be a bit slow at times and there's not much story outside the love story/relationships - the larger picture story of the revolution/conflict is largely an after thought. However, the real highlights are the beautiful cinematography, fun action and excellent soundtrack. I particularly enjoyed the occasional silence/lack of dialogue to communicate and convey emotions
Recommended for those looking for a beautiful-looking action-romance with great music who enjoy a patient journey.
Recommended for those looking for a beautiful-looking action-romance with great music who enjoy a patient journey.
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Black Mirror series 1 and 2 review
I love the premise of Black Mirror - a dark look at how technology and society interact, as well as what our future may hold. The anthology format allows them to tell whatever stories they want, increasing the ability for satire.
Unfortunately, the premise of the show is also one of its downfalls. Tonally, the show is excellent and the music does a fantastic job of highlighting the dark nature of the show. However, the stories, particularly in the first series, fall too much into the realm of gimmicks. It felt too much like the episodes were relying on their satire premise rather than actually telling good stories.
The second series does a better job of rectifying this, with the first episode of the second series, "Be Right Back," being perhaps the best of the anthology. However, the second two episodes aren't quite as impactful, with "White Bear" being perhaps the worst of the anthology.
There are so many great, lofty ideas in the show, but the anthology nature combined with mixed runtimes and episodic nature hurts them. Few of the episodes actually feel complete. A number of them feel like they could have been fleshed out more, either as a mini-series or feature (ex. "White Bear" and "The Waldo Moment.").
Despite the above, I actually do recommend the show primarily for its dark tone and music. It's good, if not very good on the whole, but select episodes may be hit or miss. I'm definitely curious about the Christmas special.
Ranked episodes below, best to worst:
Be Right Back (very good)
The Entire History of You (very good)
The Waldo Moment (good)
The National Anthem (good)
Fifteen Million Merits (meh)
White Bear (meh)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2085059/?ref_=tt_ov_inf
Unfortunately, the premise of the show is also one of its downfalls. Tonally, the show is excellent and the music does a fantastic job of highlighting the dark nature of the show. However, the stories, particularly in the first series, fall too much into the realm of gimmicks. It felt too much like the episodes were relying on their satire premise rather than actually telling good stories.
The second series does a better job of rectifying this, with the first episode of the second series, "Be Right Back," being perhaps the best of the anthology. However, the second two episodes aren't quite as impactful, with "White Bear" being perhaps the worst of the anthology.
There are so many great, lofty ideas in the show, but the anthology nature combined with mixed runtimes and episodic nature hurts them. Few of the episodes actually feel complete. A number of them feel like they could have been fleshed out more, either as a mini-series or feature (ex. "White Bear" and "The Waldo Moment.").
Despite the above, I actually do recommend the show primarily for its dark tone and music. It's good, if not very good on the whole, but select episodes may be hit or miss. I'm definitely curious about the Christmas special.
Ranked episodes below, best to worst:
Be Right Back (very good)
The Entire History of You (very good)
The Waldo Moment (good)
The National Anthem (good)
Fifteen Million Merits (meh)
White Bear (meh)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2085059/?ref_=tt_ov_inf
Happy New Year - Time to Shed Our Defensive Culture of Blame
First, read this: http://www.newstatesman.com/laurie-penny/on-nerd-entitlement-rebel-alliance-empire
There are a lot of great points and I do agree with the general view on society's current state/situations (there's a lot of privilege out there with plenty of room for improvement), but I take issue with the general tone and construction of the piece in that it continues to generalize both men and women and only comments/calls out that SOCIETY is wrong. To paraphrase the piece, SOCIETY is bad due to patriarchy, as such, BOTH men and women are flawed (but nerdy white males have it easier than they're possibly willing to acknowledge) - I have no issue with this statement and actually recommend reading her link towards the end of Rebellions and Empires.
What I take issue with is that I'm getting tired of statements/pieces with this message because they present no real solution nor do they go to the actual source of the problem (regardless of who wrote the article). They generalize people in the sense that they are a complicit (or active) part of society and society is the problem. EVERYONE is thus inherently bad.
Sure, they acknowledge that everyone has a different life which may comparatively be difficult, but continue to generalize and inadvertently be negative. It's a backhanded, unintentional if not direct, insult, as opposed to being something more positive, uplifting and eye opening.
We need to more directly call out the root of the issue - the INDIVIDUAL. Society is made up of a large number of individuals. We do not individually act as a society. We are not psychic, even if there's occasionally a group mind. The INDIVIDUAL is what we can change. Like a pebble thrown into calm water, if we can change an individual it can have a ripple effect to hopefully spread more positivity. To walk among a society composed of beacons of light would be simply illuminating.
Be a good HUMAN, not just a good man or a good woman. Treat others as you want to be treated. Take more confidence and comfort in yourself and your individuality. Know that at the end of any day, the lowest common denominator is YOU. Actively LISTEN to each other. Maintain a POSITIVE ATTITUDE, for attitude is one of the best things we can control. Build positive habits. Acknowledge that we are flawed and imperfect. Take responsibility for all of the good and bad in your life and reflect on how and where you can change and grow. Soak it all in and reflect. Remove the bad.
For better or worse, we're currently in a CULTURE OF BLAME, with the center of the blame being who's currently in power in our society/culture - heteronormative white males. There's a lot of blame going around, on oppression (by minorities) and victimization (by majorities). I frequently see a constant failure to accept any negative responsibilities, regardless of side - and both sides are contributing to the blame/negativity. The amount and degree of that doesn't even really matter, everyone has some degree of it and all that matters is the individual level.
There will probably always be differences between us humans - sex, gender, sexuality, ethnicity - but we're all human. We're all individuals with our own unique backgrounds and identities. We all have difficulties, some more than others. We should be open and honest in discussing these situations, but not as a means to pass blame, simply to acknowledge the difference and learn how to change and improve. How can I as an individual be more empathetic, compassionate, helpful - how can I be more HUMAN?
Change can be very difficult and hard. We're often so caught up in emotions, technology, digital communication as a CULTURE OF DOING that we fail to act as a CULTURE OF BEING. The kneejerk reactions need to stop. We need to pause and reflect. Check ourselves and our thoughts.
The internet in this GOLDEN DIGITAL AGE is a great power that allows us to communicate on an instant global level. It's a great power that needs great responsibility and we have not been using it properly. We are perpetuating the fast spread of negativity because we like DRAMA. Take a look at pretty much any news outlet - sensational negativity. Take a look at all of the hotbed issues of the past few years and see what difference we as a society are actually making, how quick we are to forget - Occupy Wall Street, Ed Snowden's leak, Sandy Hook, Trayvon Martin, Catcalling, Gamergate, Ferguson.
Communication is very important. Incredibly important. RIDICULOUSLY important. It's what makes us the most advanced species on the planet, the most advanced species in the currently known UNIVERSE. Yet, what is it we're communicating, through both ACTIONS and WORDS?
It's January 1st, 2015. A fresh day of a fresh year. Let's pretend every day is a new day and new year. Let's focus on the positive and wash away the negativity of the past. Every day IS a new day. Every day IS a chance to be a new and better person, a new and better version of you. This year, as every year, I choose to make my New DAY'S Resolution a simple one:
Be a good human. Be the best me possible.
There are a lot of great points and I do agree with the general view on society's current state/situations (there's a lot of privilege out there with plenty of room for improvement), but I take issue with the general tone and construction of the piece in that it continues to generalize both men and women and only comments/calls out that SOCIETY is wrong. To paraphrase the piece, SOCIETY is bad due to patriarchy, as such, BOTH men and women are flawed (but nerdy white males have it easier than they're possibly willing to acknowledge) - I have no issue with this statement and actually recommend reading her link towards the end of Rebellions and Empires.
What I take issue with is that I'm getting tired of statements/pieces with this message because they present no real solution nor do they go to the actual source of the problem (regardless of who wrote the article). They generalize people in the sense that they are a complicit (or active) part of society and society is the problem. EVERYONE is thus inherently bad.
Sure, they acknowledge that everyone has a different life which may comparatively be difficult, but continue to generalize and inadvertently be negative. It's a backhanded, unintentional if not direct, insult, as opposed to being something more positive, uplifting and eye opening.
We need to more directly call out the root of the issue - the INDIVIDUAL. Society is made up of a large number of individuals. We do not individually act as a society. We are not psychic, even if there's occasionally a group mind. The INDIVIDUAL is what we can change. Like a pebble thrown into calm water, if we can change an individual it can have a ripple effect to hopefully spread more positivity. To walk among a society composed of beacons of light would be simply illuminating.
Be a good HUMAN, not just a good man or a good woman. Treat others as you want to be treated. Take more confidence and comfort in yourself and your individuality. Know that at the end of any day, the lowest common denominator is YOU. Actively LISTEN to each other. Maintain a POSITIVE ATTITUDE, for attitude is one of the best things we can control. Build positive habits. Acknowledge that we are flawed and imperfect. Take responsibility for all of the good and bad in your life and reflect on how and where you can change and grow. Soak it all in and reflect. Remove the bad.
For better or worse, we're currently in a CULTURE OF BLAME, with the center of the blame being who's currently in power in our society/culture - heteronormative white males. There's a lot of blame going around, on oppression (by minorities) and victimization (by majorities). I frequently see a constant failure to accept any negative responsibilities, regardless of side - and both sides are contributing to the blame/negativity. The amount and degree of that doesn't even really matter, everyone has some degree of it and all that matters is the individual level.
There will probably always be differences between us humans - sex, gender, sexuality, ethnicity - but we're all human. We're all individuals with our own unique backgrounds and identities. We all have difficulties, some more than others. We should be open and honest in discussing these situations, but not as a means to pass blame, simply to acknowledge the difference and learn how to change and improve. How can I as an individual be more empathetic, compassionate, helpful - how can I be more HUMAN?
Change can be very difficult and hard. We're often so caught up in emotions, technology, digital communication as a CULTURE OF DOING that we fail to act as a CULTURE OF BEING. The kneejerk reactions need to stop. We need to pause and reflect. Check ourselves and our thoughts.
The internet in this GOLDEN DIGITAL AGE is a great power that allows us to communicate on an instant global level. It's a great power that needs great responsibility and we have not been using it properly. We are perpetuating the fast spread of negativity because we like DRAMA. Take a look at pretty much any news outlet - sensational negativity. Take a look at all of the hotbed issues of the past few years and see what difference we as a society are actually making, how quick we are to forget - Occupy Wall Street, Ed Snowden's leak, Sandy Hook, Trayvon Martin, Catcalling, Gamergate, Ferguson.
Communication is very important. Incredibly important. RIDICULOUSLY important. It's what makes us the most advanced species on the planet, the most advanced species in the currently known UNIVERSE. Yet, what is it we're communicating, through both ACTIONS and WORDS?
It's January 1st, 2015. A fresh day of a fresh year. Let's pretend every day is a new day and new year. Let's focus on the positive and wash away the negativity of the past. Every day IS a new day. Every day IS a chance to be a new and better person, a new and better version of you. This year, as every year, I choose to make my New DAY'S Resolution a simple one:
Be a good human. Be the best me possible.
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