New Moon: The Twilight Saga (2009)- Tuesday Movie Review

Today’s Film: The Twilight Saga: New Moon

Hit Theaters on November 20^th, 2009

Directed by Chris Weitz

Notable Stars: Kristen Stewart (Bella Swan), Robert Pattinson (Edward Cullen), Taylor Lautner (Jacob Black), Michael Sheen (Aro), Dakota Fanning (Jane)

Here is a link to New Moon’s IMDB page

My Rating – **** (out of a possible 5 stars)

Synopsis:  New Moon, the second installment in the Twilight series, picks up right where Twilight left off. Bella and Edward are officially together and trying to be normal seniors in high school. But romance is never simple, and soon Edward moves away leaving Bella all alone.  The newly buffed Jacob Black is there to help mend Bella’s broken heart with friendship and possibly more.

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My first thoughts

As stated in my previous review of the film Twilight, I could make the necessary emotional connections to the story plot and I even found myself liking the characters. I was interested to see where this film, a sequel with a new director, took me. Twilight felt like a stand alone high school romance/vampire picture. Of course you want to know what happens to these characters, but it could have ended there. New Moon is a transition movie. It doesn’t stand particularly well on its own. It is a continuation of afore mentioned adventure.

Harlequin Romance Anyone?

The emotions in this film are Intense with a capital “I”. Bella is in pain, and who can blame her? Edward is the kind of man every woman wants, right? She had the perfect man, and he deserted her. There are no words to make that kind of pain go away. Only time heals those wounds. You feel for Bella, and then Jacob appears. Handsome, strong, compassionate Jacob. In real life, most people would fall into Jacob’s arms and let him fill the void Edward left, but not Bella. She resists, then resists again, then resists some more. You can see it in Kristen Stewart’s eyes. Jacob is not what she wants. Edward is.

This film is like watching a repetitive, frustrating tug of war. As the audience you get pulled back and fourth between wanting her to end up with Edward and then with Jacob. Even more than the original, this film is a chick flick. Most men will find it difficult to sit through. It is long and chalk full of scenes examining emotions and romantic turmoil.  I found that my mind was able to relate to the teenage angst, though it was usually an uncomfortable experience. For some reason these films make me relive pieces of my childhood. My stomach felt nervous for Bella and for Jacob. I’m worried enough for these characters that I’m fearful of them making mistakes. And mistakes in romance can be some of the most scarring. Just ask Harlequin…

Team Jacob

In this film, I found myself connecting the most with Jacob. He is the one that is coming to terms with who he is, while dealing with issues that only he can understand. I enjoyed everything about his character. He loves someone who does not love him back.  He deals with that and with many other extreme issues, while still basically remaining a gentleman. For me, he was the star of this film.

His character arch is vast and uncomfortable. At first, we can see he is sustained by only being a supportive wall for Bella to lean on. When we first experience Jacob in this film, he seems young, a little timid and infatuated. But then life steps in and very quickly he is a changed and different man.  Jacob transforms from an emotional pushover to a strong, resilient, warrior. His stance changes from a submissive slumped shoulder teen to a gladiator with head high, shoulders back and fists ready at his sides. His main focus shifts from supporting Bella, to suddenly supporting an ancient cause he feels is bigger than himself. He’s not perfect. He stumbles. Becoming a man is difficult. I can relate.

I have not read any of these books, so I do not yet know Jacob’s overall fate. But in this film alone I respected him and I was in his corner. I wanted Bella to kiss him. I wanted him to get the girl. And I wanted someone to help ease the torture he was obviously experiencing. I have always been partial to the truly tragic characters. They are more like the rest of us; trapped, always feeling like our true happiness is just beyond our reach. Besides, in this film and many before it, the werewolf really is a tragic case. I expect some tragedy in Jacob’s future and I will be cringing as that unfolds, because after New Moon, I am definitely a member of Team Jacob.

Don’t draw a line…

At one point in the film Bella asks this of Jacob. She does not want him to force her to choose between him and the Cullens. Like Bella, lines make me nervous. In real life you can feel these being drawn every day. People metaphorically trace a division line in the sand and suddenly ‘you are with us or against us’. Pride, fear and resentment are catalysts for such lines being drawn, and it is no different in New Moon. Werewolves don’t trust vampires and vice versa. Part of me wishes this could be written off as a make believe story device. But prejudices create lines between races, economic statuses and family loyalties in all of our lives. What makes New Moon unique is that we get to watch, from the beginning, as Jacob gets caught up in this B.S. He starts off innocent and prejudice free, then life changes him and he chooses a side. It’s difficult to witness and sad to see, but entering adulthood does not necessarily make us wiser and New Moon addresses this effectively.

Bottom Line:

New Moon is a pretty smooth ride. Not a lot of action but the emotions are heavy. It feels like waiting for a shoe to drop. You can feel something menacing on the horizon. There’s not much sunshine and the characters moods never get very bright either. This is a definite chick flick and the pace is pretty slow.  Lovers of the series will not be disappointed but the cliff hanger ending leaves us anxious to see the next installment. When I think of this film I see two faces: Bella and Jacob. Kristen Stewart does an excellent job reminding me of what it was like to be a confused teenage. Still, Taylor Lautner steals the show with both his bleeding heart and his muscled physique. Though this is a sequel, it has left me with more positive feelings for a longer time after viewing it than even the first film did. Thus, I am giving it ½ star higher rating than Twilight. Though I’m a man, I did like this film. I’m involved in seeing what happens next in the world of Twilight…

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)- Tuesday Movie Review

Today’s Film: A Nightmare on Elm Street

Hit Theaters on November 16^th, 1984

Directed by Wes Craven

Notable Stars: Heather Langenkamp(Nancy Thompson), Johnny Depp (Glen Lantz), Robert Englund (Freddy Krueger), John Saxon (Lt. Thompson)

Here is a link to A Nightmare on Elm Street’s IMDB page

My Rating – ****1/2 (out of a possible 5 stars)

Synopsis:  Nancy Thompson and her friends are having trouble sleeping. A mysterious man with knifes for fingers is haunting their dreams. Nancy may be the only one that can stop the creepy, badly burned stranger, before it’s too late.

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An Icon of our Generation?

It’s hard to imagine a world before Freddy Krueger. What must the first audience to watch “A Nightmare on Elm Street” have been thinking when Freddy’s knifed fingers first slashed across the screen, reflecting shimmering light and the fear on his victims’ faces? Was this unlike anything anyone had ever seen? Were people shocked? How has our view of nightmares changed since the creation of Freddy Krueger?

As a child I remember thinking that the Freddy movies where the ultimate horror films. As an adult, I’m impressed by the unique ground they cover and by their villain. No other villain can compare to Freddy Krueger. He is perhaps most terrifying in this first installment. In this film, Wes Craven presents him more as a boogeyman who we never get to spend a huge amount of time looking at. Plus, this is our first time experiencing the character of Nancy Thompson. To this day, I feel she is the only nemesis who was ever really worthy to beat Freddy one on one. Most other “Nightmare” heroines are poorly acted and badly written. But not Nancy.

A Brilliant Formula

A brilliant horror movie, like “A Nightmare on Elm Street”, tries to create the most authentic main character possible so that the audience feels like they are experiencing his/her’s realistic anxiety and fear. To further heighten this experience, certain horror films follow a very successful horror movie formula. In this formula, a horror film must strive to make the main character feel completely isolated and thus in greater danger. This is accomplished by removing three sources of comfort and support that exist in most everyday people’s lives. Take away our ability to rely on (1) god, (2) our mother, and (3) our friends, and we fall apart. The absence of these three staples leaves the main character, along with the audience, feeling totally alone. And then the true fear begins.

Your Mommy Can’t Help You…

Let’s break down how Wes Craven creates true fear in “A Nightmare on Elm Street”, using this same formula. First, Wes Craven destroys Nancy’s ability to turn to her mother by making her mother an alcoholic, mess who refuses to deal with the tragedies surrounding her daughter. Nancy’s mother was one of the parents who helped kill the mortal Fred Krueger. In a way, what is happening to her daughter is her fault. Imagine not being able to turn to the person who gave birth to you when something this horrible is happening.

Please, God…

Craven includes a few references to religion & God in his film. Tina calls out “Please, God” at one point. Freddy laughs this off and it becomes obvious that God won’t be saving anyone’s life in this movie.

Freddy haunting Nancy (1984)

In another scene, my favorite visual in the film, Freddy pushes himself through the wall above a bed Nancy is sleeping in. He knocks a crucifix off the wall, symbolizing that Jesus can’t keep Freddy from entering our lives either.

Friends to the End…

Finally, Wes Craven separates Nancy from her friends in three ways. First, they are unable to help each other because they are being killed off one by one by Freddy. Second, as the film progresses the audience witnesses several missed opportunities for the teenagers to talk about their dreams and learn from their common experiences. But, they try to pretend that Freddy isn’t real and this places a wedge between them and their ability to help each other. Lastly, sleep itself does a pretty good job of separating us. The true terror of Freddy Krueger is that he gets you when you sleep, and no one can stay awake forever. In one scene, Nancy attempts to rely on Glen, but he lets her down and falls asleep when he is supposed to be keeping watch. Nancy and the audience are left completely alone against Freddy Krueger.

The Original Ending

I’ve heard that Wes Craven had a totally different ending planned for this film. Originally Nancy defeats Freddy and gets her friends back. Basically, it is the existing ending to the film, minus the last 3 minutes where Freddy pops back up.

I’ve always been disappointed in the existing ending. As I’ve heard, Wes Craven admits in interviews he is also disappointed. Craven’s original ending was way better. Nancy is his only character that truly listens and learns throughout the film. She is a strong and resourceful heroine. In the end, she takes what she has learned and defeats Freddy. It turns out the seemingly indestructible Freddy has a weakness, and Nancy discovered it. She does what she was supposed to do, so she should win!

In the template for a properly structured horror film she would be rewarded for her hard work. This IS an expertly crafted, uniquely visual, properly structured horror film. But, as is so often the case, the money, the suits and the production company stepped in and broke the correct pattern. The kids get screwed in the end so that we will keep opening our wallets to see the sequels. No fault to Wes Craven, however. He did his job. And it is his vision, his directorial brilliance; his actors’ solid performances and good writing that have made this film stand the test of time as one of the classic horror greats!

Bottom Line:

“A Nightmare on Elm Street” delivers in all the ways a horror film should. There’s the appropriate amount of blood and gore, coupled with excellent performances and a solid script. Children are taught that dreams are filled with rainbows, cartoon characters and pleasant, talking animals. But in the world of Wes Craven, dreams are actually nightmares where your life is on the line and you may never wake up. Many horror characters have the ability to haunt our dreams, but none as menacingly as Freddy Krueger. One, two, Feddy’s coming for you…

Freddy Links

For those of you who are not already aware, there is a remake/re-visioning of “A Nightmare on Elm Street” set for theatrical release on April 30^th, 2010. It seems like all classics are being remade lately, doesn’t it? No new ideas I guess. Anyway, this remake looks pretty cool so I wanted to provide you with links so you can check it out yourselves. Sweet Dreams, Gentle Reader…

A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) IMDB page

A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)- New Movie Trailer @ Apple Movie Trailers



Friday Movie Review- Book of Blood (2008)

Today’s Film: Book of Blood

Released to DVD on May 8, 2009

Directed by John Harrison

Notable Stars: James Armstrong (Simon McNeal), Sophie Ward (Mary Florescu)

Here is a link to Book of Blood’s IMDB page

My Rating – * 1/2 (out of a possible 5 stars)

Synopsis:  Mary Florescu, a paranormal expert, is writing a new novel about the dangerous happenings at her most recently discovered haunted house. She enlists the help of Simon McNeal, a timid, young man with strange gifts and even odder secrets.

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Fall Asleep to Horror

Through a significant amount of this film, you are watching people sleep. In this ‘horror’ movie’s defense, they are sleeping inside a house that appears to have a fair amount of paranormal activity taking place in it.  Still, they are being filmed sleeping and you are paying to watch them sleep. If you are not into that sort of thing (and who is?) this is not the movie for you.

There were moments during this film where I thought I was going to fall asleep myself. Even now a few days after I watched the film, I can not figure out why the director and producers assumed that the film they were producing would keep anyone’s interest. I suppose I rented the movie for two reasons: 1.) I’ve been longing for a new Clive Barker movie 2.) The movie poster intrigued me. But superb advertising does not a perfect script make.

The story presented here is nothing more than a haunted house movie, and we’ve all seen PLENTY of those. I’ve personally had my fill of ‘we know there is definitely something wrong in this house and we are going to go inside anyway AND stay inside for several days’ movies. WHY DOES HOLLYWOOD KEEP PUSHING OUT THESE PATHETIC CLONES OF BETTER FILMS? (To see a film that successfully pulled off a haunted house movie with interesting characters see Poltergeist- 1980)

After the first 45 minutes, the script allows us no reason to be fascinated. In fact, I was slightly fascinated at the beginning and that fascination then morphed into distaste once I realized I had been fooled. We are given no reason to be in awe, or to be perplexed at what is happening. There is no mystery to figure out, since even a child can see that the house is indeed haunted. I found myself trying to rationalize why these people would still be in the house, but now I realize that the script should have done this rationalizing for me. There was no explanation as to why Jonas would be so invested in proving himself to this vague and selfish cause of Sophie’s.

Gore Bore

Most likely, the majority of you will feel zero remorse towards my next complaint, but I was upset by the lack of Clive Barker gore. I love classic Clive Barker gore- mainly “Hellraiser”. Now I realize that Clive did not direct this movie, but his spirit should still be present. Granted the bloodied, skin writing was worth checking out, but that is the only gore that has stuck with me.

Many people, I’m sure, will argue that there is too much useless gore in films today. But, I will argue that Clive Barker uses gore, not to disgust, but to highlight and enhance a necessary truth about life, lust or some other lesson. So, if you are visiting this movie to feel Clive’s presence, it really only exists sporadically through the movie’s sexuality and a tiny sprinkling of gore.

The Movie’s Sexuality

I will give this movie some credit for its obvious sexual energy, which I guarantee was supplied by Clive’s original writings and then enhanced by appropriate casting and excellent acting. Here is a film that is not afraid to show some skin. Sure there are plenty of horror movies where actresses are paid to bare their breasts, but few accomplish a stylized sense of sexuality. In a seldom seen twist, ‘Book of Blood’ seems to be more about Simon’s sexual energy than about Mary’s. In the scenes where the older woman pursues him, you can feel his teenage-like apprehension and shame.

Skin of Blood

The character of Simon is innocent and injured, fueled by Jonas Armstrong’s puppy eyes and performance. The story’s choice to present him continually in the nude gives a surprisingly childlike atmosphere to the character. Yes, he has an attractive, adult body, but as he is attacked throughout the film, this nudity makes him more vulnerable than sexy. Still you can almost feel Clive Barker trying desperately to reach into the film and do what he does best- make you feel turned on and then disgusted because you are watching a graphic horror movie, not soft core porn.

Bottom Line

“Book of Blood” is a horror movie about a haunted house, a ghost hunter and a medium. It is a story about one individual using the lives of others to get ahead professionally. And it is a story about lying to yourself about who you are, and eventually having that lie catch up to you. Some of these ideas sound interesting. Some of them we have seen a million times before. “Book of Blood” neither develops its characters, their character arches, or its plot ideas. That is why I am suggesting skipping it and its stylistic view of people sleeping.

Remembering My Dog Mandy…

My Dog Mandy

On Friday, September 25^th, 2009, at about 6:30 P.M., my dog Mandy, the first and only dog I’ve ever had, the family pet who saw me from childhood into adulthood, was put to sleep.

It is very difficult to explain the vast array of emotions that I experienced during this event and that I continue to experience in the days after. Anyone who has ever found themselves at a point where this was their only option for a beloved pet, understands where I am coming from. This was one of the single most awful things I’ve ever had to live through. It was, however, the correct decision. She was in a lot of pain caused by bladder stone issues, and kidney failure, along with several other ailments.

But this entry is not about regret. It is about being thankful for having the blessing of a great dog in my life. Mandy lived to be 15 years and almost 5 months old: a good, long life. She came into this world on May 2^nd 1994.  Mandy was the runt of a litter of 5 puppies. In the story of her birth, Mandy’s mother delivered four healthy puppies and appeared finished. The owners returned the next morning to find little Mandy, the tiniest of the five by far, and a surprise who appeared without any help from humans.  I’ve often wondered what ever became of Mandy’s siblings. As she grew older, I found myself wondering if the runt, the last to appear, had ended up being the strongest and the last to leave this world. One word I would always have used to describe Mandy was strong.

Though endings will always hurt, I can’t help but to remember how beginnings can be filled with excitement and joy. On that sad day when my parents and I made the final drive to the vet’s office, the world was cold, still and overcast. In direct contrast, the first day I laid my eyes on little Mandy Lou Raviart was the blindingly bright, sunny July 4^th, 1994. I remember she was slightly smaller than a pop (soda) can. I remember being so excited. It was like having a small stuffed animal that could run around and lick your face.

Man, was I thrilled to be getting a dog! It opened up a whole new world of possibilities for me. Pet owners can understand, knowing that this new personality is going to be a part of your daily life for you to learn from and love is a wonderful feeling. At the time all I could think about was an endless string of walks with my new dog. I was looking forward to games of catch and happy belly scratching that were lain before me. Puppies bring smiles, laughs and unconditional love all wrapped up in a little bundle of energy.

Mandy, unlike several tiny dogs I have known, was never a barker. She was always calm and thoughtful looking. Like she was in the middle of figuring something out. Though it was claimed that Mandy was a pure bred Shih-Tzu, it was always obvious that she had Terrier in her. Whatever her breeds, they made for an adorable combination. She was always tiny, never weighing more than 15lbs, usually weighing in at 12. She was so small in fact, that many people mistook her for a puppy right up until the very end. Even as she aged and her hair gained more white and gray, she held fast to the feeling of a young dog.

The loss of a dog leaves a hole in the entire personality of a home. I find myself, even weeks later, still glancing to the spot where her bed used to be, or getting ready to bend over to fill up her water dish. I learned a lot from my friend Mandy. I’m thankful to have known her and I realize that she will never be replaced. Though I’m sad without her, I can’t help but to smile, especially because somewhere in my mind she’s still chasing a ball around the yard. Playing with my brother and I, as my parents smile and the warm July sun reflects off her shiny puppy coat and her huge Mandy smile.

Breathing Stress Away

I recently had a stressful day.  I allowed several things to pile on top of each other and collectively stress me out.  I allowed myself to get so stressed that I actually had a slight physical reaction to the situations around me.  I felt light headed and overwhelmed.

So, Gentle Reader, how do you handle feeling stressed? What should you do when your heart starts racing, your fists start clenching and your head feels like it’s going to explode right off your shoulders?

Well, I did some research. About.com suggests breathing to relieve stress.  They say…

1. Sit or stand in a relaxed position.
2. Slowly inhale through your nose, counting to five in your head.
3. Let the air out from your mouth, counting to eight in your head as it leaves your lungs. Repeat several times. That’s it!
4. As you breathe, let your abdomen expand outward, rather than raising your shoulders. This is a more relaxed and natural way to breathe, and helps your lungs fill themselves more fully with fresh air, releasing more “old” air.

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Personally, I find this to be very helpful.  I’ve always heard that deep, gentle breathes are vital in calming ourselves down in stressful situations.  But why is breathing so helpful?

Better Health’s site explains…

“The primary role of breathing is gas exchange: our cells need oxygen and their waste product, carbon dioxide, needs to be expelled.”

“The brain sets the breathing rate according to carbon dioxide levels, rather than oxygen levels. When a person is under stress, their breathing pattern changes. Typically, an anxious person takes small, shallow breaths, using their shoulders rather than their diaphragm to move air in and out of their lungs. This style of breathing empties too much carbon dioxide out of the blood and upsets the body’s balance of gases. Shallow over-breathing – or hyperventilation – can prolong feelings of anxiety by exacerbating physical symptoms of stress.”

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One Final Note- From Personal Experience: In our lives, other people can cause us stress.  Co-workers, friends, family members, even complete strangers can negatively affect our day and cause our blood pressure to raise.  When dealing with other people always remember: You only have control over your own actions. That is it!  You CAN NOT control what other people do or say.  It is frustrating, but as long as you can embrace and accept your lack of control over others, you will open yourself up to greater peace.

Our Results:  Stress is bad.  Breathing is good. We can not control others. If you have any interest in reading more about stress relief check out Ongoing Tools for Stress Reduction and Types of Stress – each at About.com.

For some comic relief here is a Far Side Comic by Gary Larson.

Friday Movie Review- 3 Inspirational Female Characters

This will be my third movie review friday and, if you don’t mind, today I would like to try something different.  Rather than reviewing a specific film I would like to discuss three memorable female characters from some of my favorite movies.

In recent days, my life has been positively influenced by a few independent and gumption filled women.  In honor of them, I would like to suggest not only experiencing each of the following films, but paying close attention to these three monumentally influential female roles.  While the arrangement of these three films may seem random, I promise that each of these characters reflect important and unique perspectives into the lives that woman lead.

Ordinary People (1980)

Beth Jarrett is the mother and wife in Ordinary People, a brutally honest portrayal of an American family.  The film centers on the lives of three characters: Beth, her husband Calvin and their youngest son Conrad.  All three characters in this film feel like real people who you want to reach out and hug because of the horrors they are dealing with.  But it is Mary Tyler Moore’s performance as Beth that stands out the most for me.

Beth is a complex and realistic character who has trouble balancing her own need to remain strong and independent, with her family’s need for a loving and compassionate mother/wife.  One of the reasons that I find this performance so striking is because Mary Tyler Moore, who usually comes across as sweet and inviting, is completely unrecognizable in this role.  She encompasses the persona of Beth Jarrett so entirely that this character will always remain, in my mind, one of the most truthful portrayals of a woman I have ever experienced on screen.

Almost Famous (2000)

Penny Lane’s character in Almost Famous covers my arms with goose bumps and my face with a smile.  From her gestures, to her stances, to her words- truth and honestly flow from this character’s entire existence.  I have been a fan of Kate Hudson from the moment she walked onto the screen in Almost Famous and her performance of Penny Lane continues to be a gift that I treat myself with whenever I need that extra jolt of sincerity and inspiration.

Penny Lane exists in a fantasy world where following a band around the country is a full-time job and love is the only reason to perform any action.  Her world, in some ways, is based on eluding the truth and trying very hard to replace it with  hopes and dreams.  Some people would judge her for being too carefree, unrealistic and a slew of other things.  But I find her behavior to be fuller of truth than most people’s lives will ever be.  When Penny Lane gets on the plane towards the end of the film and we, the audience, watch her leave, it feels like losing a friend.  A friend that I choose to revisit quite often.

Revolutionary Road (2008)

April Wheeler is a name that, for me, has become synonymous with hopefulness, longing and tragedy.  Kate Winslet’s portrayal of a 1950’s, regret-filled housewife will stay with you long after the film has ended.  Her performance is haunting in its ability to connect with so much of our day to day thoughts.  The tragedy that is April Wheeler shines a spotlight on my own life in so many ways, that I appreciate the existence of this cautionary tale.

One of the most important factors about the marriage between Frank and April Wheeler is that though it takes place in the 1950’s, it is completely relevant to marriages in present day.  The issues, that April is torn between, are seldom discussed and though they are uncomfortable to watch, I guarantee more women will be able to relate than will want to admit.  Sometimes this film makes you cringe at life’s tragedies and other times it makes you smile at life’s gifts.  But by the end we realize, for better or worse, we all have a little April Wheeler inside of us.

I would like to dedicate this review to all of the resourceful and splendid women in my life.  From my mother to friends, I am gifted with experiencing a wonderful array of strength and honestly.  I’m grateful for the inspiration they create in me and I want to make a more conscious effort to let them know that.  Have a wonderful weekend, Gentle Reader.

Job Search for Hope

Today I would like to talk about hope.  As visitors of my blog will know, I am actively job searching.  A process that is as long as it is discouraging.  A process which requires a certain degree of hope.  I graduated from college in 2005, and since then my life has felt like floating from one job to the next.  None of these jobs have been careers.  There have been office temp jobs, and part-time jobs while I returned to school for web design.  None of these jobs made me feel creatively or professionally fulfilled.

My lack of professional work experience is really killing my ego and pride, as of late.  I feel like I am surrounded by so many people on direct career paths to success.  It feels like all of my college friends have been accruing relevant job experiences for years.  I feel so far behind the norm that it is hindering my ability to look ahead.

I feel like I am losing track of what I want to do professionally, and in return, losing track of who I am.  I hate feeling indecisive.  I’m having trouble separating my passions from my need for a paycheck.  Should I increase my knowledge of video editing even if I know there aren’t many jobs out there?  Should I take a dull, uninspired office job that would be easy to get, even if it means it will make me depressed?  What career direction would I be happiest in?  Whose standards should I be living up to here?  Lately I’ve been increasing my social media networking knowledge in hopes that some excellent, inspiring connections will come from this.  There is that word again: HOPE.  Though it may falter, our hope is always essential.  So what exactly is hope? Or more specifically what has been said about it in the past?

Webster’s dictionary defines hope (noun) as 1. desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment. 2. someone or something on which hopes are centered. 3. something hoped for

In 1^st Corinthians 13 of the international standard version Bible this is said: “Right now three things remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” Well, I certainly can’t argue with that.

Friedrich Nietzsche, a 19^th century German philosopher, said this of hope, “Hope is the worst of evils, for it prolongs the torments of man.” Interesting, but negative outlook…

Another interesting quote was credited to a man named Allan K. Chalmers.  He said, “The Grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.”

All of these are thought provoking, but here is the one I find to be most helpful in my present situation. Erik H. Erikson, a developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst in the 1900’s, said, “Hope is both the earliest and the most indispensable virtue inherent in the state of being alive. If life is to be sustained hope must remain, even where confidence is wounded, trust impaired.”

Hope is an important thing.  I think we can all agree with that.  If anyone else out there can relate to my present situation, please let know.  I would love to hear anyone’s opinions or thoughts.  Till then, best of luck to you, gentle reader.

Friday Movie Review- Twilight (2008)

Today’s Film: Twilight

Hit theaters in November 2008

Directed by Catherine Hardwicke

Notable Stars: Kristen Stewart (Isabella “Bella” Swan), Robert Pattinson (Edward Cullen), Peter Facinelli (Dr. Carlisle Cullen) and Cam Gigandet (James)

Here is a link to Twilight’s IMDB page

My Rating – * * * 1/2  (out of a possible 5 stars)

Synopsis:  Awkward, but unique Isabella Swan moves to the ever overcast town of Forks, Washington to live with her father.  Upon arrival she is welcomed by a colorful cast of individuals but seems to only have eyes for pale, attractive Edward Cullen. A love story follows with a few updated horror motifs.

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Awkwardness that feels like home

Twilight is a movie about teenage love.  I guess the major difference between teenage love and adult love is that during teenage love we are less mature and in a more awkward stage of our lives.  Right?  Wrong.  I haven’t been a teenager for over 7 years now and I can tell you that love, in my experience, always makes you feel like a 16 year old experiencing an awkward stage.

Twilight does an awesome job of relaying this awkwardness in large part via Kristen Stewart’s hesitations, facial expressions and apprehensive body language.  Sometimes I could have sworn I was watching myself perform uncomfortable flirting.  In some ways, Robert Pattinson is what all teenage girls want; a strong, sure of himself man who can make you feel protected.  But R.P. also does an excellent job of relaying confusion and unease on his face at times, reminding us of the discomfort we feel when even our usually solid lovers feel wayward.

Relatable Longing…

Perhaps one of the reasons Twilight was so popular is that its feeling of ‘longing’ is so ubiquitous.  Watch the characters’ faces in this film.  Some of them appear to be in constant pain waiting for a longing to cease inside them.  In this way, it’s difficult to not find a character you can relate to.  I like these people.  I can relate to Bella’s longing for meaningful love and comfort.  I can relate to Edward’s longing for something special in the mundane fog that usually envelops and taunts him.  I can relate to the crush that seems to spread across Jacob’s face for Bella and his dislike for Edward.  I can even relate to James’ primal need to just be who he is, and experience the splendid ‘tastes’ that life has to offer.

Do attractive people + attractive scenery = worthwhile film?

Any true movie connoisseur knows that the above equation is usually total crap.  This is part of the problem with Hollywood now a days.  A glossy, plastic finish is covering most of their feature films.  There in lies some danger.  None of us ‘normal’ everyday people can live up to these ridiculous standards of perfect hair, perfect bodies and perfect clothes.  But, at the same time, isn’t it a world that you enjoy curling up into?

Not that everyone in Twilight is a typical Hollywood, perfect type, but the whole package sure does look better than my high school experience did.  Sometimes, when watching Twilight, I was able to envision the scenes as halfway transparent cells that I could lay directly over top of my high school experience to make it more fulfilling.  I know none of this makes this film worth watching from a writing standpoint, but sometimes the way a movie makes us feel is more important than whether or not it is a work of art.

…but the book was better…

Ahh, yes, the never-ending battle between book and film?  I myself read.  Lately I wish I was reading more often, but I have had many experiences where I’ve soaked up both a novel and its movie equivalent.  I’m sure that I speak for most of us when I say, ‘the book is usually better’.  Now in Twilight’s case – here is where I lose some of my meager list of readers- I think the movie was better.

Now let me explain.  I feel that the novel was aimed at teenage girls, and while this is completely acceptable and obvious, it did not work for me.  I could barely make it through a quarter of the book.  In my opinion, the movie took all of the sufficient elements out of the novel and placed them on the screen- another reason why the movie was so successful.  Gentlemen, check out the movie if you want, but skip the book.

How convenient

Twilight does perform a horror movie ‘no no’ that will turn off old-fashioned, horror junkies.  Stephenie Meyer needed to place a love story, with vampires, into a normal day at high school.  Notice a problem?  A normal ‘day’ at high school.  Daytime requires sun and vampires are not big fans of sunlight.  So in order to accomplish this she decided to rewrite a few horror movie staples to fulfill her own selfish needs.

In Twilight, vampires + sun = sparkle sticker skin.  You have got to be kidding me!  Somehow, Edward has just become 70% less intimidating and more relatable to…oh, I don’t know… say my little ponies.  Perhaps more blasphemous, the entire vampire concept just became less tragic.  One of the reasons we feel sympathy for vampires is that they will never again see the sun rise or set.  Now they don’t need to worry about bursting into flames and ash as soon as the rays of sun hit their skin, they simply have to worry about looking like a nightclub dancer who really overdid the body glitter.

Wrap-up

All-in-all Twilight will leave you feeling sufficiently fed if not satiated.  Though there are some very flat and annoyingly uninspired performances (example: Victoria), even the cast of supporting characters leaves you smiling and thinking, ‘oh yeah, I know her’ (example: Jessica).

Perhaps most important, as a horror movie Twilight fails (see glitter vampire skin), but as an angst filled, modern day, teenage romance it works.  You can’t help but wish that more people like Edward or Bella existed in your own life.  Plus, who isn’t at least a little starved for romance?  Tell me your heart didn’t react just a little when Edward put Bella’s feet on top of his so they could dance.

New Moon

To read my new review of The Twilight Saga: New Moon, the sequel to Twilight, click on this link —> New Moon Movie Review (2009).

Visit the Traveling Lady Fatima

I myself am not a Catholic.  In fact, I myself am not even an active churchgoer.  My personal relationship with organized religion is on unsteady grounds as of late.  I’m not really sure where I stand on this topic, though I did find Bill Mayer’s Religulous to be worth watching.  But, my religion and faith are not the reasons for this post…

This blog post is about a little, Catholic lady known as Lady Fatima.  Now, as I said, I am not a Catholic and as thus can never remember hearing the name ‘Lady Fatima’ growing up.  But, recently I was randomly asked by a friend if I would accompany her to one of our local catholic churches to visit a traveling Lady Fatima statue.  I had no idea what a traveling Lady Fatima statue was.  At first I was going to pass, but then I decided the experience could be a chance to learn something new and then to gain an interesting blog post out of it.  Turns out, I was right.

So, who is Lady Fatima?  Good Question.  It is the name given to an apparition of the Virgin Mary who appeared to 3 small children over a period of time in 1917.  The location of the appearances was in Fatima, Portugal.  Supposedly

the “bright as the sun” lady appeared to the children and told them 3 secrets.  I find stories like this to be completely fascinating.  Especially how they are handed down over the ages.  If you would like to read more about Lady Fatima and her story, here is what Wikipedia has to say about her.

I guess I expected to find a gigantic, looming statue of the Virgin Mary surrounded by tiny, shrivelled, old-world, catholic women kneeling at her feet.  In actuality Lady Fatima was a humble, four foot tall statue with an inviting presence and kind glow.  Personally, that statue made me feel relaxed and thoughtful.  Perhaps I was imagining it, but I did feel comfortable around it.

My friend informed me that, according to legend, the statue is supposed to bring good luck to those who visit it.  I think what is most impressive is that the statue has supposedly traveled to several countries and other states and has been a central igniter of prayer for many people from many different backgrounds.  That in itself is impressive to me.  Though some good luck is also welcomed.

I found the statue to be smile inducing, and I mean this in a respectful way.  I enjoyed being in its presence.  For a few brief moments it was able to transport me out of my normal, crazy day and for whatever reason make me feel calm.  I have no idea what death will be like.  But since I was a child I’ve always envisioned the Virgin Mary to be a glowing,  inviting, beautiful presence.  Thus, when I die,  if she, or an angel with a similar demeanor, is there to guide me back to all my lost loved ones, I will be satisfied and fulfilled.

It seems that this concept of the ‘Traveling Lady Fatima’ began in 1946.  To read more about this check out this article and here is a link to an interesting blog article about Fatima.  There is also the official site of the traveling statue which is worth checking out if you are interested.

I found this all to be quite intriguing.  The faith that people all over the world have placed in this statue, and others like it, is truly fascinating.  It’s amazing how a feeling of calm, peace can influence people so much.  The jury is still out for me on this one.  But is there any jury that gives a ruling on faith?

Puppets

Hello to anyone who is reading my blog. Thanks for stopping by. I just wanted to post something quickly to acknowledge the fact that the appearance of my blog has changed.  I have some new stuff in the right column and I’ve changed the CSS theme.  I enjoyed the last theme with the rocks and water, but this new makeup just feels more…me. I like the structure better and the books.   I hope the change isn’t too disrupting. As I get more comfortable with WordPress I’m sure I’ll end up changing some other things.   I enjoy that blogging on WordPress causes me to use  my HTML skills.

As I stated in a previous post, I am just figuring out all these different aspects of social media.  I’m still trying to make sense of how to connect my blog to my resume site and so on.  It is all a little overwhelming if you try to learn too much too fast.  I have to step back.  I feel the need to become very savy at all of this.  Like Twitter, for instance.  A week ago I never would have imagined that there was a way to be a productive twitterer.  Now, Twitter almost seems sink or swim.  You can make excellent connections and win, or you can suck at posting on Twitter and not pass go and not collect $200.

Sometimes it feels like a game of Monopoly, doesn’t it?  By ‘it’ I mean all of it…everything…life.  Sometimes life feels like it’s all about whether you have money or not.  Whether you are proving yourself or not.  Whether there are graphs to rate some level of success in your life.  So much stress to be found.  If you allow it…

One step at a time folks.  Deep Breaths.  We can do this.  Remember, life is a gift.  Smile.  Deep Breath.  Look up at the sun.  Smile.  Breathe. Smile.

Not to get all deep and intense, but in a way, I have been trying to prove stuff to other people my whole life.  I guess mostly ‘adults’. Don’t they teach us this crap since we are children?  You can do what you want to do, be what you want to be, but don’t step out of line.  Maybe I’ll step out of line if I want to…and prove something to myself for a change.

All that being said… here is a picture of a puppet.

I bought this puppet in tiny shop in Notting Hill, England when I was studying abroad in Spring 2003.  I fell in love with him the moment I saw him.  I had to have him, even though getting him back to the U.S. was going to be a task.  Something about him felt important.  And as I type this I am realizing for the first time he actually ended up being connected to several important events in my life.  I miss studying in London…

That’s all for now folks.  Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you enjoyed today’s randomness.  If you like what you are reading here…tell a friend.   Till next time, Gentle Reader.