EVERYTHING I EVER NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT LIFE, I LEARNED FROM SIRIUS, HERMIONE AND DUMBLEDORE.

Ah, the Fall and Winter months. They're cold and lonely -- a time for inward journeys and self-reflection. While the Summer is a place for ass-kicking and rising to the top, Fall is for discovering what you're truly made of before you're called to face your destiny. Fall and Winter are about planning for the battle that lies ahead.

Some people might say that the decision to break-up the 7th and final chapter of the HARRY POTTER saga is a total ploy for Warner Bros. to make more dough, but I say it's one of the smartest decisions the studio has ever made. Sometimes it's necessary to journey into the woods, or as Joseph Campbell might call it, "the belly of the beast," in order to truly prepare yourself for an oncoming life-or-death struggle. I find it beyond fitting that the first installment of HP7 dropped in November and its successor will drop in July because, for the reasons described above, HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PT. I is the perfect cold-weather movie.

Our pals Harry, Ron and Hermione take a detour into the woods to gather necessary tools and plan for their eventual showdown with the Dark Lord. What ensues is a fascinating two and a half hours of on-the-road self-meditation and some of the best acting (and dancing) scenes the Harry Potter franchise has ever seen.


Upon seeing this movie, I realized that NOW is the perfect time to journey into my own metaphorical woods and do some meditating... not on how I will triumph over Lord Voldemort, but on what HARRY POTTER means to me. I'd rather think about it now (in chilly desolation) than in July when I'll be squealing with delight at seeing Ron and Hermione's repressed romantic feelings finally come to fruition... not to mention Neville Longbottom whooping some major butt.

Remember when the final book came out a few summers ago... and coming to the last chapter, feeling majorly bummed, but then consoling yourself with the fact that at least you still had the movies to look forward to? Well, the movies are almost over. For folks my age, the franchise we all literally grew-up with is coming to an end. And it's a bit depressing (like we needed a wake-up call that it's finally time to become adults!!)

What I'm saying has probably been said before 1000 times over and in a more eloquent way, but I still feel the need to say it -- if only for my own homage-paying purposes..

I still recall very vividly my first encounter with the bespectacled boy wizard when I was in the fifth grade. My teacher had purchased a classroom copy of a book entitled, HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE, for kids who forgot to bring reading materials for "super silent reading." All Spring long, I watched classmates of mine randomly pick the book up. By recess, they were so hooked, they would be READING rather than playing on the playground. It was at this point, I knew something crazy was going on and I decided to start perusing the story myself. That afternoon when I got home from school, I demanded my mother take me to Barnes & Noble so I could purchase the book and finish it.


Harry Potter made (at least temporary) literary nerds of a generation who very vocally loathed reading. And what a splendid, bookish ride its been -- the horror of realizing Tom Marvollo Riddle to be Lord Voldemort, the surprise and relief at discovering Sirius Black NOT to be a terrifying mass murderer, but Harry's godfather. These are but a few of the twists and turns on an erudite roller coaster made of solid gold.

Then there were the movies.

For me, seeing a Harry Potter film is not unlike experiencing a broadway show. I remember every detail of the experience -- who I was with, what we had for dinner beforehand -- all of it.

The movies really started to get to me with volume 5. Don't ask me why -- something about Harry having a dark night of the soul. I also felt a great deal of compassion toward loopy Luna Lovegood and her crazy ideas. What really got to me, however, was something uttered by Sirius Black toward the middle of the film. He says,

"I want you to listen to me very carefully, Harry. You're not a bad person. You're a very good person, who bad things have happened to. Besides, the world isn't split into good people and death eaters. We've all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That's who we really are."

I was never really able to put my finger on it... what it was about Harry Potter that I (along with a billion others) really jived with... but I think the above quote says it all. It's not the powers you have, but how you choose to use them. Do you choose to be in Gryffindor or do you choose to be in Slytherin?

When witnessing Harry Potter (in any medium), it takes little effort to put yourself into the story. To subconsciously ask yourself, "if I were at Hogwarts, what kind of person would I be? Where would I fit in?" In fact, it's difficult not to contemplate these questions. It doesn't matter if you are 11 or 86 when you first pick up the book, the story is about you -- about US... discovering the "powers" within ourselves and, more importantly, how to use them -- how to be good people.

Go back and watch the "Wingardium Leviosa" sequence from the first movie -- how Hermione gets cocky with her superior intelligence, flaunting it in front of her classmates... only to realize that her cockiness has cost her her only friends. Consider that J.K Rowling based Hermione on herself in middle school and it becomes all the more poignant to see the little know-it-all take the bullet for her pals-- to watch her transform from self-serving to self-sacrificing within the span of a minute.

Then, read the epilogue for DEATHLY HALLOWS. Read what Harry tells his son about "choice."

I suppose when it comes down to it, that's what is most meaningful about Harry Potter to me. As you grow-up, you discover what you're truly capable of -- both good and bad. If you're lucky, you learn that all the riches, all the strength, all the immortality in the world mean nothing unless you choose to live in a way that is loving and kind... because when push comes to shove, as Albus Dumbledore says, "we must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy,"

and

"it is not our abilities that show what we really are. It is our choices."


So make good ones. And ciao for now.

QUOTATION TIME!

Ordinarily, I reserve this blog exclusively for my own profound thoughts, but during some internet soul-searching this morning, I came across this Maya Angelou quote and... well... I find great satisfaction in sharing stuff that stirs my emotions. With all the negativity and cynicism that pervades the news, I'd like to give you something inspirational to put in your back pocket.

Take it away, Dr. Angelou...

“I don't know if I continue, even today, always liking myself. But what I learned to do many years ago was to forgive myself. It is very important for every human being to forgive herself or himself because if you live, you will make mistakes- it is inevitable. But once you do and you see the mistake, then you forgive yourself and say, 'well, if I'd known better I'd have done better,' that's all. So you say to people who you think you may have injured, 'I'm sorry,' and then you say to yourself, 'I'm sorry.' If we all hold on to the mistake, we can't see our own glory in the mirror because we have the mistake between our faces and the mirror; we can't see what we're capable of being. You can ask forgiveness of others, but in the end the real forgiveness is in one's own self. I think that young men and women are so caught by the way they see themselves. Now mind you. When a larger society sees them as unattractive, as threats, as too black or too white or too poor or too fat or too thin or too sexual or too asexual, that's rough. But you can overcome that. The real difficulty is to overcome how you think about yourself. If we don't have that we never grow, we never learn, and sure as hell we should never teach.”

Bearing that in mind, maybe I should get a job or do something remotely productive... rather than blogging at 10:42 A.M. Either way, I'm going to try to respect myself a little more. You should too.

Ciao for now. :)

A TRIBUTE TO TEARJERKERS

Over the weekend, I saw NEVER LET ME GO -- an ambiguous movie about repressed clones whose sole purpose in existing is to donate their organs so that the rest of humanity can live disease-free. It's a brilliantly acted meditation not about the immorality of cloning or organ harvesting, but about the value of a person's life... and how to make the most of the short time that one is given. It's also an unrelenting sob-fest. Below is the trailer.



During the middle of the movie, I wanted to cry, but couldn't because the woman in the row behind me was sniffling so hard, I got distracted (apparently Roger Ebert had a similar experience). However, by the film's completion, I felt a huuuuuge gush of emotion come over me... and I couldn't really contain myself. I tried to hold it all in, but I ended up making a weird noise -- a mix between a gasp and a moan. My mother, who was also crying pretty hard, turned to me and laughed.

It was one of those movie experiences that will likely never let me go (pun intended).

Anyway, as I've been thinking about it the past couple of days, I've been recollecting other tearjerker movies that have had a huge impact on me... as well as my experiences with other big-time movie criers like myself.

The first movie I ever cried during was BEAUTY AND THE BEAST in 1991. I remember the tears falling down when the beast died at the end and Belle was all alone. I recall the feeling quite vividly. As a four-year-old, I was almost confused by it. Since that time (with the exception of some "dry" spells), it's been quite a wet and teary film-watching ride -- a ride for which I am entirely grateful. Why? Because despite a carrying a certain stigma, crying at movies is totally good for you...

Here's the basic gist of movie tears: you're not crying for the characters on screen, you're crying for yourself and the people you know. Don't believe me? Try it the next time you're watching a movie and feel the sniffles coming on. What's the image that pops into your head just before the tears fall down? Odds are, it's something to do with your life and your various relationships...

But it's okay -- this is what movies are good for. It's good to watch actors actualize grief... it helps us to actualize it within ourselves. It's good to see characters finally getting what they need... because it's like we're getting what we need. It's good to catch little glimpses of the truth... little hints of people's souls. It gives us hope for ourselves and the people in our lives. Not to sound really corny here, but it gives us a glimpse of our own souls.

Movies call attention to the things we don't say to each other in real life because we're too afraid. Fiction in general reveals the emotional truth of life and helps us to purge ourselves of feelings that have accumulated inside of us -- feelings that need to come out.

Bursting into tears in the middle of the street is not generally considered socially acceptable in American culture. But sometimes life and love and the world make you feel like crying the middle of the street. Fortunately, most of the time you're able to control yourself and keep it in check... but those feelings and those tears are still locked deep within you. Where do they go? Well...

The tears you refuse to cry during your everyday life come spewing out of you during THE GREEN MILE. And after you take a deep breath, even though you feel a little sad, you feel a great sense of relief because you've just disposed of all those pent-up emotions. That's catharsis... and that's why it's important to watch a "depressing" movie every once in a while.

How do people who refuse to watch sad movies rid themselves of their overwhelming feelings?

If you're a guy, screaming your head off at the NFL on Sunday and Monday might help you let off some steam, but... I think, whether you admit it or not, to prevent from having a wild outburst, even you need to shed some tears -- and films are the perfect protected outlet in which to do that.

People who refuse to watch sad movies are more likely to have some sort of breakdown. Note: this isn't proven in science... it's just my guess. Take it for what it's worth.

I want this blog entry to serve as my formal apology to those I've mocked when they've cried at movies. If I told you to calm down when you blubbered like a baby at TERMS OF ENDEARMENT, or if I pointed and laughed at you when you were still crying (even in the lobby) after seeing THE NOTEBOOK, or if I got into a fight with you because your incessant sniffling annoyed the crap out of me when we saw BABEL. I'm very sorry. Though I have sobbed at movies before, I didn't really know what you were going through until this weekend... when I experienced one of those explosive crying moments for myself.

If you're made curious by this blog entry and looking for a good tearjerker, I highly recommend IN AMERICA. I've known people who thought they were incapable of crying or in a dry spell (including myself) and then they watched this movie and were quickly proven wrong. Try it.

And keep crying those cathartic tears.

Until next time. Ciao.

"TWITTER-SITY"

Per a facebook chat with one of my besties last night, the self-realization that I live a very closed-off existence really hit home. We were discussing the latest episode of Glee - the song choices, the plot twists, who should get nominated for an Emmy. We just went on and on and on. Finally, my friend paused (yes, there can be dramatic pauses on facebook chat) and said something along the lines of:

Isn't it pathetic that we know so much and can talk so eloquently about this stupid little TV show, but when it comes to real world issues and politics, we have no clue what's going on?

This question actually really stuck with me.

Today, as I got on twitter and perused all my new tweets, I realized there's probably a reason we're oblivious and politically apathetic. Look at the people we follow on twitter -- celebs, friends, the Arts section of The New York Times...

We're not being fed any sort of substantial dose of real news. At least not in the way that older generations were fed the news -- y'know by flipping through a newspaper or turning on the TV to a national network? Unlike our parents, we're glued to our computers and smart phones. Network news? What's that? I'd wager most of us sit down and watch it maybe once a month... or less. This means our primary source of what's going on in the universe is twitter or facebook.

Theoretically, this wouldn't be such a horrible thing if we followed legitimate news sites, but the truth of the matter is that a lot of us don't. We are only in-tuned with people that share our interests and viewpoints, and for this reason, sites like twitter (if they are a person's primary source for what's going on in the world) are frankly a little dangerous.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not here to twitter-bash. Actually, I happen to be of the belief that twitter is the greatest thing since sliced cake, but...

I AM saying that our generation would do well to be a little cautious with how we use twitter and the like as our main source for news and politics.

Back in the day, if a sports fan wanted to read or find out about sports, he had to scour through a newspaper or sit through a newscast. While flipping through the paper, he was shown stories about crimes in his hometown and articles about fashion -- and even if he never read those articles, he was a better person for having been exposed to them. He was presented with ideas and thoughts that may have differed from his own. On some microcosmic level, this probably made him a little bit more open and tolerant.

These days, if a sports fan wants to know about sports, he follows ESPN and the National Football League on twitter -- and as a result -- avoids stumbling across local crime or fashion. It's all sports. All the time. No differing outlooks.

Okay. So, sports might not be the best metaphor.

But what happens if you're only exposed to and in contact with people that share your exact same viewpoints and interests ALL THE TIME? As a result, these viewpoints becomes reinforced and stronger, forming what politicos have coined an "echo chamber." Well, after so much time spent marinating in your own beliefs, how are you going to react when somebody comes at you with a differing opinion? This is one way in which extremist movements are started.

Life should be a dialogue, not a monologue. Conservative and liberal, fat and thin, rich and poor, we keep each other in check -- and it would be better if our twitter accounts reflected this more.

So, I'm going to follow my own advice -- and break out of my cloistered little universe by starting to keep up to speed with more legitimate news organizations. If you don't do it already, I urge you to do the same thing.

Maybe we'll learn something.

P.S. - This argument is not just about twitter. It also applies to specialty news channels like MSNBC and FOX's cable news. We shouldn't be plastered with THE SAME opinion all the time. We need a little bit of both for balance as there are always two sides to every story.

For now, peace and love.

And ciao.

22 YEARS, 5 MOVIES

Two nights ago I finished watching all of the movies on both of the American Film Institute's top 100 lists -- the one that was released in 1998 and the one that was released in 2007. This either makes me an expert, or a huge nerd with a lot of free time on her hands. I'd prefer to believe the former, but will also buy into the latter.

Anyway, I thought I'd celebrate the occasion by telling you about a handful of the truly awesome movies on the list. I'm not going to mention CASABLANCA, THE GODFATHER or THE WIZARD OF OZ. They've been analyzed to death. My purpose in writing this entry is to reflect on the five films that I've probably learned the most from -- movies that have inspired me and influenced the way I look at screen storytelling. It's also sort of a plea. If you haven't seen these movies, I think you should -- whoever you are. Though I can't imagine somebody having missed THE SOUND OF MUSIC. ;)

And we're off...

AMADEUS (1984)
In stories, every behavior or action leads to a certain consequence. That consequence is the story's theme. Vices lead to punishment, while virtues lead to reward. The theme of AMADEUS might be worded something like this - if you choose to destroy somebody else (vice), you will most certainly destroy yourself (punishment). The reason AMADEUS succeeds as a film is that its main character Antonio Salieri craves the downfall somebody else out of spite and jealousy. I think a lot of us harbor a secret desire that those who are more talented than we are, or more successful than we are, would just fail... or have their powers shut off. Feeling inadequate next to someone else is a tough situation to be in. AMADEUS teaches us that rather than lashing out at those who have more than we do, rather than seeking destruction, we should learn to respect our own attributes for what they are. If we constantly compare ourselves to others, we will almost always fall short. To love and get the most out of life, one should appreciate him/herself.

Stories that show us human vices and their subsequent punishments are essential for the world. How do we learn to take the higher, more noble road if we don't see the horrific and painful consequences that come with taking the lower, more corrupt one?? Sometimes in order to prove a particular idea, you first have to prove its opposite.

For example, if you fart in public, people will think you smell bad, so they'll stay away from you and, as a result, you'll have no friends; whereas, if you have good manners and go somewhere else to fart (like outside or to a bathroom), people won't have reason to dislike you and you'll have more friends. Now, which of these scenarios would you rather see a movie about? Somebody who farts in public or somebody who has the decency to go to the bathroom?

Yeah, I thought so. We love to learn from the vices of our movie characters... and while it's not about farting, AMADEUS definitely explores some pretty pathetic human flaws.


CABARET (1972)
For a movie musical to be believable, the harshest critics say that the song and dance numbers should be confined to a stage and/or to subconscious fantasies. They say it's not believable for people to just burst out into song in the middle of the street... and they're right. The reason CABARET is an amazing film is that it creates two separate story planes. One is reality -- Germany on the brink of Nazism and perhaps the biggest crime against humanity the world has ever witnessed; the other is a cabaret -- a subconscious night club stage... where the musical numbers occur.

CABARET taught me what a good musical is. In good musicals, the songs serve the traditional function of a Greek chorus -- commentating on the action that is occurring during the play. The songs drive the story's point home. In CABARET, the entire parallel musical universe exists to provide an ironic dictum on hatred and Nazism. They sing silly songs and do funny dances and preach that "life is beautiful..."

The greatest storytelling lesson that the film provides is this: when you make a statement like "life is beautiful," but with images on the screen show that life is volatile and inhumane, you're forcing your audience to examine things a little closer. You're forcing them dig deeper instead of accepting something at face value. Is life really beautiful? It might seem that way in the cabaret, but in reality... horrible things are happening.

A lot of great art awakens us to this fact -- it might seem all fun and games, but look closer.


MIDNIGHT COWBOY (1969)
People remember it as the only X-rated flick to win Best Picture. That's not what I remember. When I first saw this movie, I didn't see the grubby New York streets. I didn't see the male prostitution. I didn't see the dirt or grime. I SAW two lonely, tragic people in need of companionship. I watched them find companionship with each other... and I saw them both, despite the bleakness of their circumstances, become transformed and ultimately saved by their friendship. What more can you ask for in a movie, really? To me, a worthwhile story makes that statement that we as people save each other.

When you take the time to be my friend, you save me.


ON THE WATERFRONT (1954)
I mentioned this movie a few entries ago when I talked about unlikely heroes. I'll re-state the point I made then. Despite everything, despite who you think you are, despite all the bad things you've done, despite that it might cause you some physical pain, if you get up and do the right thing, you will redeem yourself... and maybe even save a few other people too.

That's it.

Getting up and doing the right thing is important and can change the world... and the extent to which your supporting cast chants this into your reluctant hero's ear is the extent to which your film will succeed.

Also, acting in films needn't be showy. The method works. If the actors on screen are feeling it ("it" being real emotions), we probably will too. Seriously, watch the clip below.



Simple. Clean cut. Amazing. Classics never die.


THE SOUND OF MUSIC (1965)
Forget the optimism, forget the catchy songs, forget the irresistibility of Julie Andrews, forget how you used to watch it over and over again as a kid. Sometimes we just need to get back to the notion of "learning to hear the music again..." And that's what this blissful, wonderful film is all about. We get caught-up in our own negativity and sadness and we forget to really squeeze the nectar out of life... We have to be re-awakened to the splendors again. Still need some convincing? Go back and re-watch the scene where after accusing Maria of corrupting them, Captain Von Trapp realizes that his kids can sing... I dare you not to tear up.

I can't tell you how much the song "Edelweiss" has transformed the way that I view storytelling. Flowers die, but then they're born again. It's all a process of growth and renewal. I think every story should have its "Edelweiss" moment -- where the cycle of life is acknowledged, where we realize our place as small pieces in the decidedly bigger game that is the universe.

Before there was "Circle of Life", there was "Edelweiss"...


Anywho, here were some of my honorable mentions in thinking about what movies to discuss:
Pulp Fiction, The Apartment, Rocky, City Lights, A Streetcar Named Desire, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Raging Bull, The Grapes of Wrath, Chinatown, Double Indemnity, Sunset Boulevard, It's a Wonderful Life, Singin' in the Rain, The Graduate, Toy Story, Do the Right Thing, 12 Angry Men, Titanic, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?...

And, of course, the aforementioned Casablanca, The Wizard of Oz and The Godfather.

Check it out for now: http://www.afi.com/100years/

And ciao.

SOPRAN-O-RAMA

By examining the good qualities of THE SOPRANOS, I hope to draw some conclusions about the nature of good storytelling. The funny thing about most successful stories is that they share a lot of the same traits.

Some of you might look at this list and say, "DUH! That's what good stories are supposed to do! THE SOPRANOS didn't invent the wheel or anything." Well, to nay-sayers, I politely retort with, "DUH! I know that..." Anyway, here are 10 things to think about.


DUALITY WITHIN AN INDIVIDUAL
Jean Renoir, the French filmmaker and humanist, once said, "everybody has their reasons." THE SOPRANOS sets out to prove this statement with all its characters -- not just Tony. I believe there's something to be taken from that. Everybody's human -- including big bad mob bosses.

One lesson often described in "How to Write" books is that of "petting the dog." In a traditional good vs. evil story, the cowboy hero comes out of the saloon and pets the neighborhood dog while the villain comes out and kicks it. In interesting stories, it's the villain that comes out and pets the dog... And in very interesting stories, the villain (who also happens to be the protagonist) then has a panic attack because he can't please everybody.


JUDAS, RATS AND BETRAYAL
A lot of great stories look no further than the story of Jesus' last supper for inspiration. Here's Jesus, trying to save the world, trying to do good deeds, then one of his best friends, Judas, deceives him and betrays him. Even though they are closely knit disciples, Judas turns Jesus over to the people that will ultimately slay him.

"Rats" who commit acts of betrayal are among the most interesting characters of any story, not just those about the mob. Put a character in a bind where he/she has to make a decision that will adversely affect somebody that he/she loves -- aaaand you will learn the true nature of that character very quickly.


WHAT'S REALLY VALUABLE?
Living in America at present, most of us have our basic needs met -- food, water, shelter. Some of us even have our physical/sexual needs met... When you have all of these possessions, where is there left to go? This is where we get into spiritual/existential territory. As the royal crime family of North Jersey, Tony, Carmela, Meadow and A.J provide the perfect metaphor for American life. They have everything they could ever want, yet it still doesn't feel like enough. All of them struggle to find real meaning and purpose in their existences. To me, this is the kind of soul-searching that kisses all great works of art from IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE to THE CATCHER IN THE RYE.

Toward the end of FORREST GUMP, Forrest asks his dying mother, "what's my destiny, mama?" To which, she replies, "you're gonna have to figure that out for yourself."

How does one figure out his/her grand place in the universe if he/she is embroiled in and aware of the violence and corruption that surrounds him/her? That's why they're all in therapy and that's what makes this series brilliant.


MORAL DILEMMA
We determine whether a person is good or bad based on the decisions that he/she makes. Does he choose to sacrifice himself for the betterment of others? Or does he say, "screw 'em. I only care about me."? Almost always, the choices a character makes are fated to follow him around for a long time... The members of the Soprano crew are a great example of this. Even though the series moves at a slow and savory pace, a moral dilemma (however subtle) is at the center of each episode.

Sometimes we even ROOT for the mobsters to whack somebody -- because, through great writing, a good whacking seems to be the best decision -- a decision of justice and higher principle.


LOCATION
When you watch an episode of THE SOPRANOS, from the moment the opening credits begin and you see the car get on the turnpike, you know you're headed to New Jersey. To me, the show has an absolutely uncanny feel that could only be captured from shooting on location in New Jersey and New York using actors from the region. It's not L.A disguised to look like New Jersey, it is New Jersey. Most importantly, it feels like New Jersey. Movies have textures and you can feel them. One of the best ways to give a story a particular feeling is to utilize it's location -- to milk it for all its possibilities.


HUMOR AND THE POWER OF "PLAYING IT STRAIGHT"
SOPRANOS might be known for changing the face of TV drama forever, but it's hands-down one of the funniest shows I've ever seen -- and from it, there are lessons to be learned about humor.

First lesson: what's funny isn't often aware that it's funny. The minute one becomes conscious of trying to be funny, he/she is no longer funny. It's just a fact. Jokes play better when the actor who says them does not deliver them with a wink and a nod. A lot of jokes on THE SOPRANOS are delivered so matter-of-fact-ly that if you're not listening closely, they'll role right by you.

Second lesson: Humor can also stem from the belief that you are something that you're not -- think Ron Burgundy believing he's a ladies man in Anchorman. He's not. The characters in THE SOPRANOS often think they're pretty intelligent. With few exceptions, they're not.



WOUNDS AND VIOLENCE
Physical wounds are something I've always been intrigued by in storytelling. There's just something about how one's little bruises and scratches can hint at a deeper inner or inter-personal plight. Howard Suber, in his phenomenal book THE POWER OF FILM, puts it much better than I ever could... "heroes are inevitably wounded in body or soul -- often in both. Whatever the cause, the function of wounds is the same in all the world's stories, myths and religions: they are stigmata that prove the bearer is a hero." When watching this particular show, it's very interesting to think about what a character does to merit getting socked in the face, or worse, shot in the chest...

Also, storytelling seems to take on a whole new level of stakes when set in a blood-soaked world of violence and slaughter. In these settings, one wrong move can get you whacked. Want to know how to keep audience members on the edge of their seats?


MUSIC
There's a reason that I'm so into musicals. In musical storytelling, songs provide commentary on and breathe meaning into what happens to the characters in the tale. While THE SOPRANOS is not a musical, it certainly functions as one. The songs that emerge from the radios and TVs of the show's characters lyrically comment on the action, and melodically provide it a tone. Like in Peter Bogdanovich's LAST PICTURE SHOW and a lot of Scorsese's movies, there is tons of source music and very little musical score. While watching the show, I have been astounded at how sheer silence can add to the intensity of the scene. It just feels less manipulated and much more real. Also similar to feature films, each episode concludes with a different song that helps to state its theme. Radiohead's "Kid A" and Bobby Darin's "If I were a Carpenter" are among my favorite show-enders.


SIMPLICITY AND ACTING
If I were a director, I would like to direct lots of scenes that take place in one room with only two actors. There's nothing more interesting (to me, anyway) than watching two people come together or split apart within the span of a few minutes.

Forget that each SOPRANOS episode has the aesthetic of a feature film. Forget the guns, drugs and heists. At its core, THE SOPRANOS is a show about people. People in crisis, people in conflict -- with each other and within themselves. Yes, there are guns, yes there are fists, but it's oftentimes words that can deliver the deadliest blow and hurt somebody the most. It's been said that weapons don't hurt people, people hurt people... and that's why these little 2-actor scenes are the real meat of the show.


WHO WE REALLY ARE...
One of my heroes Mr. Mike Nichols says that an audience responds to what's going on underneath. In life as in stories, we work with great fervor to keep our walls up and our true feelings coiled deep inside... and often we don't let those feelings out until provoked. Sometimes we don't let them out at all.

But what's beneath the big bellies, the big hair, the big violence, and thick accents? What's behind all that protection?

THE SOPRANOS is a great work of fiction because it is first and foremost about feelings -- and how we often have trouble expressing them; how when we repress them for too long, the consequences can be absolutely horrific. It's about the ramifications, both positive and negative, about opening your mouth and being honest.

As Tony learns and states in the first episode, "talking helps."

That's why I love it.
That's why I highly recommend it.


I have 12 more episodes left in the final season. I'm savoring them.

FAVORITE EPISODES: College, D-Girl, Employee of the Month, The Strong Silent Type, Whitecaps, Long Term Parking and Join the Club.

ALL-TIME FAVORITE EPISODE: Irregular Around the Margins... Sometimes it just seems like an episode of TV is made for you. For me, this was one of those episodes.

If you've made it this far, you're a champ. I feel bad for how bored you must be... and I owe you a prize.

Ciao for now.

"JUST WHEN I THOUGHT I WAS OUT... THEY PULL ME BACK IN."

You never realize it before it happens -- those moments before you crack open a book or pop in a DVD. Almost always, it strikes you sometime during the middle, or after it's finished. I'm talking about that feeling -- the sensation of being lifted off the ground as if by helium, being overtaken by catharsis, then filled with self-awareness. You get this feeling when you witness an incredible story -- the kind of story that sticks with you for years. I'm talking about films, novels and plays and how we react to them; how through them, we define our lives.

NOT TO SOUND 100% CORNY OR ANYTHING...

I recall very vividly the first time I read TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD and (almost) all the books in the HARRY POTTER series. I remember how I tossed and turned in bed, unable to get to sleep on the school nights that I first watched AMERICAN BEAUTY and ALMOST FAMOUS. To this day, my sister still gets a good guffaw at the way my mouth was hanging open at the end of the musical WICKED... and sometimes I still get choked-up thinking about how all the ladies finally got what they needed at the conclusion of SEX AND THE CITY.

There are tons of stories out there, but only a select few that really get under our skin and stick with us for the rest of our lives... It's a special occasion worth celebrating... and worth blog blabbing about.

SO HERE IT GOES

Since I started telling people that I'd like to pursue filmmaking as a career, I've been given a fury of recommendations. For years, friends and family told me that David Chase's THE SOPRANOS was really something to see. They didn't know whether to call it the best TV series they'd ever seen or the best multi-part film... Regardless, I wasn't into it.

Because I had been poisoned by MTV and its brainless (but flashy) reality shows, I dismissed all television as garbage -- and frankly mobsters were not high on my list of compelling story topics. I thought I knew everything back then...

Boy, was I an IDIOT.

Anyway, there's a nice lesson to be gained from my rambling. I've come to understand and labor under the idea that you should visit a movie, book, play, song, etc. only when you are ready to visit it. If you see something before you're emotionally mature or hungry enough for it, it won't mean as much to you and you could end-up dissing something that you might have adored if you had waited to see it at another, later time.

This past Spring Break, my friend and I were staying with my Aunt in New Jersey. For something to do, we checked out the first season of THE SOPRANOS from the library.

I was finally ready for it.


Five episodes later, as I lay belly-up on the little fold-out mattress on the floor in New Jersey -- I was indelibly hooked. I couldn't stop thinking about Tony Soprano and his dilemma over being a good father/husband and a good mob boss. I loved the characters and how they were equally riddled with as much conflict as they were potential bullets. I knew it was going to be one of those grand love affairs that I sometimes have with certain TV programs.

Several months later, I'm in the middle of the prolonged 6th season. Since that night over Spring Break my fascination with the Soprano crew has expanded like the Grinch's heart on Christmas Day. After watching an episode a week or so ago, I was driving in the car with my sister and we were listening to Eminem's ode to abusive relationships "The Way You Lie". I started spacing out... completely enraptured, thinking about a nail-biting scene of domestic abuse I had just seen on the show. My sister had to turn to me and ask me if I was okay. I was that lost in thought. Every episode, I take in, I'm filled with horror, laughter and gut-wrenching empathy (or sometimes antipathy).


In my time living at home this show has become a really big thing for me... like TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD or ALMOST FAMOUS or WICKED. That being said, I'd love to muse on WHY it's such a masterpiece of a story. I just have a colossal need to discuss it -- a need which far exceeds the puny number of people I have to discuss it with.

I want to tell you the lessons I've learned from it-- how those lessons are almost more impactful than a year of film school.

This'll be comin' at you in my next entry. Pretend to indulge me (but you don't have to).

Be back soon. For now...

CIAO.

CHARACTER.

About a month ago I went to a screening of GONE WITH THE WIND at the Alabama Theater in Birmingham. The entire place was totally packed and people cheered and booed throughout the entire film. It kind of blew my mind. During intermission, as I waited in an ungodly long line for the ladies room, I asked myself...

How does an almost 4-hour long film made over 70 years ago hold up today to the point that people are cheering at it? Sure, GONE WITH THE WIND is an iconic piece of cinema, but I certainly don't recall anyone screaming or applauding when I went to see SALT or DINNER FROM SCHMUCKS at the local multiplex. I thought about a screening of ON THE WATERFRONT I went to last summer. By the end of it, nearly the whole audience was on its feet with applause. Hmmm...



Why is it that some movies elicit such a profound response in people, then go on to be considered classics, while others are simply yawn-inducing and are lucky if somebody fishes them out of the $2 bin at Wal-Mart? What do some films have that others apparently don't?

The only reasonable conclusion that I could draw was... characters. Ok, not just any characters, but characters who undergo profound changes to become genuine heroes by the end of the film -- characters who at the story's start are grade A losers, but then over the course of the telling, through taking action, learn to put their selfishness and other issues aside for the benefit of the rest of the world, and ultimately themselves. They grow to save something or someone, and in doing so, give their lives value. That's the reason I watch movies in the first place. I watch to see somebody else mature.

While standing there in that bathroom line I couldn't help feeling just a tad envious of people like Scarlett O'Hara and Terry Malloy. In movie world, a naive, selfish hussy can grow to love somebody else. She can maintain her family's plantation. She can even go from being unable to tie her own bonnet to shooting a Union soldier smack in the face to protect her best friend. A bum who threw away his opportunity at a promising boxing career can stand-up after being beaten to a pulp, and through his action, ensure that justice is served to his fellow dock workers in Hoboken.


In fact, the more pitiful or vile the movie character starts out, the more we like him/her. We like pathetic people because they remind us of ourselves. I think we enjoy being able to (through our movie heroes and heroines) punch the guy who yelled at us for taking his parking spot, etc. We like the notion that we might be somebody. It is for the benefit of our emotional well-being that the movie industry stays in booming business. Through relating to film heroes and heroines, we can take our stresses and fears from our back pockets and temporarily let them breathe. We're relieved when we get to walk around in Atticus Finch's shoes for a while... even if Atticus Finch might be a jerk... because sometimes we need to release the jerk part of our personality.

(For the record, NO. I'm not saying that Atticus Finch is a jerk. On the contrary, he's very noble. However, if HE WAS a jerk, that could be okay because we need jerk heroes)

I suppose that when a girl is living at home with her parents and still searching for employment of any kind, she hopes that movie character syndrome will kick in... that an opportunity will present itself...

And even though the prospect of adventure might seem a bit terrifying, she will plunge right in and brave the waves... and, through her actions, give meaning to her existence. She'll save somebody else in order to save herself.

Gee, wouldn't it be nice if we could all assimilate a bit of movie character into our personalities?

In a way, I guess all of us really do have a little hero within us. We're the heroes of our own lives anyway. It just takes a very special, detail-oriented eye to catch the small things - those tiny and seemingly insignificant gestures - that make a person a hero.

Think of all the times you've done a favor for someone when you didn't have to, when there was nothing in it for you. Think of a time you gave someone a hug when he/she was having a crappy day, or all the times you just listened to somebody else. It's those things -- those almost insignificant things -- that we oftentimes look over. Those things can make for-real movie heroes of all we average Joes and Janes who live in the real world.

Sometimes heroism isn't only in the movies. Sometimes its right in front of our faces... Lurking within that girl who's unemployed and living with her parents. ANY of us can be heroes.


At least that's the thought that gets me out of bed in the morning...

Ciao for now.

THE WAR OF... MUSIC?

Over 4th of July I was chillin' at the Lake with my extended family. As we drank margaritas and swam in the brackish, we blasted Billboard's top tunes through the decades. Suddenly, one of the "adults" shot a comment at us "kids," making the statement that nobody will listen to our generation's music 25 years from now because it's all completely disposable.

I immediately reacted with a spiteful tongue, saying, "of course people will listen to our music 25 years from now! We'll be the ones listening to it!" They shook their heads and looked at me like I was crazy. So, I sat there as they turned up the Jimmy Buffet. I griped that nobody cares about Jimmy Buffet anymore and made it known that his music SUCKS. I was just so angry. I acted childish and bitter and didn't think through a rational argument.

Until now...

Music is music is music -- no matter when it was released. I'd wager to say that Aretha Franklin's "Chain of Fools" still produces the same soul-expanding, euphoric effect today that it did when it was released in 1967. It doesn't matter when a song was written, played on the radio, pressed to a record, or put on iTunes. 1872 or 1994. If the song as an effect upon me, I'm still going to embrace it as my own... and I know the same is true for a lot of my peers.

The notion of "our" music doesn't really work because it's ALL our music.

The one thing that will always remain constant in the world is this -- things change. From hairstyles to plate tectonics. Nothing ever remains the same. Perhaps one of the greatest cultural examples of this IS music. I remember hearing a story about how Frank Sinatra felt that Elvis's was the trashiest music he had ever heard. He thought it would bring about the nation's moral decay. Was Frank right? Did Elvis destroy our decent human nature and send our country straight to hell? Who's to say? But I think people will do corrupt things no matter the kind of music that pumps through their stereos. My mother has been known to have similar negative feelings about Rihanna.



To all of it, I say: people will always sing about sex. Elvis sang about sex. Rihanna sings about sex. Their styles might be different, but their essence is the same. People have always sung about sex. People will continue to sing about sex. Why? Because people will always sing. It's how we cope with life. We use background music. We use it to infuse meaning into our humdrum existences.



So, to say that nobody will listen to our music 25 years from now is to say that nobody will listen to music at all 25 years from now. I'm sure there were middle-agers back in the day who said, "nobody will listen to AC/DC or The Go-Go's... or even Madonna 25 years from now." Well, if history has proven one thing, it's that middle-agers can be kind of dumb when it comes to music. It's because once they turn 30 they become numb to anything new in culture. If they didn't grow-up with it, it's filth. If it's unfamiliar to them, it doesn't count. Honestly, it's kind of depressing and makes me apprehensive about getting older.

The great thing about us (the iTunes generation) is that due to access to TONS of music - old, new, mainstream and independent, we've got huge range in our musical taste. We've been exposed to more and have a higher tolerance than a lot of our ancient ancestors. This is where there's hope.

Perhaps in having all kinds of music at our fingertips, we'll continue to be more open than the gen "X" crowd... and when our kids come around, we won't dismiss the music that they listen to. Hopefully, we won't say that nobody will acknowledge it in 25 years. Hopefully, we will continue to embrace music of the past, present and future because ALL OF IT is ours. And a lot of if matters.

And here's a personal confession. Even though I reacted with wrath and condemnation toward Jimmy Buffet on the 4th of July, I have to admit that "Volcano" is a favorite of mine.

Ciao for now, babes.

STORIES... AND WHO REALLY OWNS 'EM

About 2 months ago, before I graduated from college, I showed a friend of mine the first 13 episodes of the TV show Glee. We watched 4 episodes per sitting over the span of 3 nights. This made me incredibly happy because only a few weeks earlier, my friend refused to give Glee much of a chance. He held it in contempt for airing at 9 P.M on Tuesday nights -- the same time slot as his beloved Lost.

Imagine my excitement when he said that he really liked Glee and that he wanted to keep watching more episodes. He even formed theories about what he thought would happen next and talked about how much he adored certain characters and hated others. Naturally, I was thrilled.

When all the episodes were over and we had discussed the show in detail for the better part of an hour, I went back to my apartment. I told my roommate about the Glee sessions and about how excited I was that my friend liked the show. After I rambled on for a few minutes, she just looked at me and said, "Why do you care so much? You didn't create the show..."

My roommate spoke the truth. Nonetheless, I was a little shocked at how much her statement really stung me. I went to bed thinking about it. Why do I care sooo much about whether or not someone likes Glee? She's right. It's not my show. I didn't create it.

As I sat there, thinking, two memories came into my mind.

When I attended his seminar a year ago, screenwriting teacher Robert McKee presented the following idea: We as people identify so much with the characters of the stories we take in that it's as if we are those characters. We love movies, plays, TV, novels, etc. because we see ourselves in them. Therefore, if you insult someone's favorite movie, it's like you're in insulting him/her. That's why we get so enraged when people don't agree with our taste in film or theater or literature. In a weird way, it feels like being rejected.

Then, last year I was talking with a nitrate film specialist at the Library of Congress -- a real movie buff who told me that the greatest thing in the world to him is seeing a movie that makes him cry and sharing it with someone else. Immediately after he said this, I felt myself nodding my head.

All of this was flittering around my brain as I thought about my concern for Glee.

Okay. So, I didn't create Glee. I don't write for Glee. Shoot I've never even met the writers. I don't know them from a whole in the ground -- how they live or where they're coming from... but for some strange reason, I can relate to their show and it gives me a euphoric feeling when I watch it.

And when you love and identify with something - just face it - it's a part of you. And in my opinion, there's nothing more beautiful than sharing a little part of yourself with someone else.

Who really owns a story anyway? Is it the person who formally recorded that story? Or is it the people who listen to the story, who embrace it, then pass it on to others for hundreds of years? I think certainly Homer and maybe even Shakespeare would agree with me when I say that those who hear a story and then share it with someone else are crucial to the tale-telling process.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS... I love Glee. It's not the first TV show or story that I've loved and it definitely won't be the last, but what remains a constant is this - I love to share stories with people. Whether I wrote the them or not, nothing provides me more joy.

Ciao for now, my friends.

HALVES

I haven't had time to really sit down and blog about something for a while. When I get a free minute, I plan to express my feelings about the Disney Renaissance and Glee... But for now, I thought I'd post something really quick - just so no one forgets about this little ol' blog.

Here's some food for thought. Take a look at this yin-yang.

Now. Think about this:

When God first created "man," he created him in his image. God was androgynous... and Adam was like him -- perfect. When God felt bad for Adam and didn't want him to be lonely, he sought to create from him a companion. So, God pulled out Adam's rib and created Eve. It was when God pulled Eve out of Adam that we forgot what God looked like and fell from perfection into duality. Some folks say that we're joined like that (our androgynous form) in heaven -- then pulled apart, made man and woman when we're born. We spend our whole lives seeking to be reunited with our other half.

Just something to ponder. I'm not really sure where I stand in regard to the above paragraph, but I think it's an interesting (and very moving) notion - like the song "Origin of Love" from Hedwig and the Angry Inch. It's something that's been on my mind ever since I took a class on the Cosmogonic Cycle last term... Isn't it weird that all the religions and stories in existence, if dissected, are all essentially the same single story?

And... Like Adam's rib (and the yin-yang), we carry pieces of each other within ourselves. I think about that sometimes and it literally blows my mind.

Ciao for now.

A CHICKEN BURRITO FOR THE SOUL

I heard recently that Mexican food is America's fast food of choice. This statistic, fact or not, doesn't surprise me. There's no denying that Americanized Mexican food is quite delicious. Perhaps my favorite fast mex establishment is the McDonald's-owned Chipotle. Ever since my college chums and I set foot into that place my Freshmen year, I've been absolutely hooked.

A lot has changed since I first started dining there though... not with the restaurant, but with me. For starters, I don't flock there quite as frequently. Two years ago, I'd estimate I partook of their food at least once a week. Now, I'm lucky if I go once a month... and I don't order a big burrito complete with a 290-calorie flour tortilla like I used to. No. Instead, I choose something slightly lighter (though not by much).

When I eat at Chipotle these days, I get burrito bowl with pinto beans, chicken, tomato salsa, cheese, sour cream and rice. It's about a 650 calorie meal. All and all, around 13 weight watchers points. I make it my business to know all about calories and weight watchers points because, unlike my younger, more carefree self, I'm now on a diet. I don't drink Coca-Cola anymore either -- diet or otherwise. I've given up soft drinks for the most part in favor of that precious natural resource called water.

And the truth is... I feel better.

I'm not on some crazy weight loss fad. I don't try to eat only raw foods or anything intense like that. I just try to casually watch it. It's worked for the most part and even though I haven't taken off that many pounds since the initial few when I first started, I still feel good. My mood is lighter and I don't get as easily stressed. Yes. Starting to be aware of what I'm eating has been the best thing I've ever done for myself.

But sometimes I miss the good old days.

I miss the times my friends and I had just eating and shooting the shit. We would sit around the place for a really long time - mainly because it took so long to finish a burrito... It was bliss.

And lately I've been pretty nostalgic for those times. I don't know if I miss the tortillas and Coca-Cola or if I just miss the company. Growing up is difficult because as you move along down the road of life, you begin to see less and less of your friends.

I just want my pals to know that in the future, when we're graduated and separated, I'll think about them every time I devour a burrito bowl.

And I'll think about all the wonderful, scary, funny, sad, transcendent moments we had.

So, how do we know what's really good for us? Hmmm?

Sometimes the food you eat might not be too healthy for you, but the company you eat it in can do wonders for your emotional well-being. So, I'm going to challenge myself as well as you (whoever you are) to think about what's truly good for you.

Ciao for now while we figure it out.

LOCO FOR LOCOMOTIVES

On Friday, March 12 of this year, I was one smart cookie. It was my first day of Spring Break and I decided to take the opportunity to head back home to Alabama for a few days. Since my Freshmen year of college, I have always opted to get home via airplane and a flight from Greensboro to Birmingham typically requires a connection in... Ugh. Atlanta.

Because Atlanta is the world's busiest airport, it's no secret that there are usually delays there, and when you want nothing more than to get home to your bed, your family and your dog, it can resemble uncannily, with its winding trams and endless concourses, the bowels of hell.

ANYWAY. Let's get back to when a few Fridays ago, I was quite the genius. Like any wise traveler, I woke-up a few hours before my flight to check the Delta website to make sure that everything was on time. Imagine my great surprise when I found that my flight had already been delayed three hours due to foul weather in ATLANTA! Boy, was I livid. However, I then noticed something nice. Did you know that when your travel plans get mucked-up by stuff you can't help like faulty engines or the weather, Delta allows you to switch flights for no extra charge? Aren't they great?

So, I looked for potential flight swaps. Wouldn't you know that they ALL conveniently stopped in Atlanta... but then, hark! My eyes fell upon something different - a means of getting to Birmingham with a short lay-over in Memphis, Tennessee. Needless to say that quicker than grass through a goose, I signed-up for that Memphis flight, which inevitably left Greensboro on time and got me home to the big ol' salty 'ham only 10 minutes after the time my original flight was supposed to arrive.

Yes. I felt quite intelligent in my ability to avert Atlanta -- so intelligent that I've felt the urge to re-tell the story to you today.

Okay. So, you're probably chastising me as a bragadocious wench right about now. Well, go ahead. But you should know that my reason for telling you this airplane story is not entirely for ego related reasons. I wanted to tell you this little anecdote in order to promote another mode of transportation --

a mode of transportation wherein, if you wanted to travel from Greensboro to Birmingham, there would be no connecting flight and no waiting around the terminal for hours. The mode of travel to which I am referring is, of course... the train.

I hope you will allow me to wax poetic for a few moments on the brilliance of the locomotive. YES, I know that it can sometimes take a little longer than the plane, it can cost a little more than driving your car, and quite frankly, the loud snoring and fart smells can be somewhat off-putting, but the train is the BEST way to travel -- that is, if you really want to get somewhere.

When you're sitting on a the train, you're moving - headed toward a destination. I'm sorry, but when did traveling mean sitting around an airport terminal or gas station? Hmmm? Trains are great for their sheer efficiency.

They also offer a nice amount of space for your feet and the ability to really recline... and when your ass hurts, you're not confined to your seat due to turbulence. You can get up and walk around or hang out in the lounge car.

Then, there's the food. It might not be gourmet cuisine and you might have to pay for it, but if you want to sit down and have a meal on the train, by-golly YOU CAN! Do they serve food on planes anymore? Uhhhh... negative.

Finally, the best part of traveling by train...

... the view! Instead of looking at clouds or the ocean or little green lumps of land, you can really see and enjoy woods and urban landscapes as they zoom past. The windows are big and there's no obligation to hold onto a steering wheel. I can't think of anything more relaxing than to watch the world speed by.

A friend of mine and I took Amtrak's Southern Crescent (which runs from New Orleans to New York City) from Greensboro to Penn Station and I can honestly say it helped me to clear my mind. Spec-tac-u-lar.

On the return trip, we dined with a fellow who explained that Amtrak is trying to expand and improve their service to be more like Europe or Japan. To that I say: YOU GO! I blog in support of more and better trains!

However, in all of this travel yak, I have come to a most definite conclusion. Unless you have a buddy to travel with, all of it is extremely dull. You've got to have somebody with you -- a companion to swap stories with. If I'd had a pal during all of my many Atlanta lay-overs, maybe I wouldn't despise flying so much.

Ciao for now.

THE POTENCY OF LITTLE THINGS, OR MY TWO CENTS ON THIS YEARS OSCARS... PT. 2

Reason #3

As Sandra Bullock got up to receive her Oscar, one of my friends bashed her winning film, THE BLIND SIDE, citing that it glorified the American Upper-Middle class. I turned to him and asked...

"Corey, have you seen THE BLIND SIDE?"

"No," he retorted, smug.

I told him that he was not aloud to insult it if he hadn't seen it.

Here's the ironic part: When I first saw the trailer for THE BLIND SIDE, I felt the exact same way. Something about it really disturbed the hell out of me. It seemed like the kind of film during which, bleach-blonde, conservative soccer moms would all sit around the theater and congratulate themselves; and when relatives and friends of mine gushed about wanting to see it, I thought they were... well... dumb.

But then something happened. On Thanksgiving Day, my sister wanted to see TWILIGHT: NEW MOON... and let's just say there was one movie that I actually wanted to see less than THE BLIND SIDE. So, when we went to the cineplex, my father and I opted for Sandra Bullock in a stupid wig and put-on Southern accent. We braved the hordes of Alabama and Auburn football fans waiting to see Nick Saban and Tommy Tubberville's cameos, shouting "Roll Tide!" and "War Eagle." Absolutely obnoxious.

However, when the movie began, I did something that is somewhat rare for me. I ate my words.

For here was a movie that in its trailer seemed to be about how a monied white family sees the good in a poor black kid, then decides to pull him out of certain destitution. What I saw on the screen that Thanksgiving evening, fortunately was quite different. I saw a movie about not one, but two struggling people - Leigh Anne Tuohy and Michael Oher - who learn to bring out the best in each other.

The film uses stereotypes to, in some surprisingly nuanced ways, break them. In its advertising, it makes you think its going to aggrandize the benevolence of the Southern White Upper class, but it does sooo much more than that.

I'm not sure that I can give justice to this particular quality in a short blog entry. I do, however, recognize the feeling that I get from watching two people who theoretically should not accept one-another, but somehow manage to. That's the feeling THE BLIND SIDE provides.

Once in a blue moon, there's a film that seems to transcend it's packaging... and just like you can't judge a book by its cover, you can't judge a movie by its trailer, OR for that matter, a person by her political party or occupation.

This is the beauty of Sandra Bullock - the way she gets you to see past the stereotype. I'm glad the Academy recognized this because it's something that I think should be a part of all films, something that we might do well to strive for not only in our creative efforts, but also in our everyday lives.

REASON #4

I'm pretty sure this picture says it all...

Nonetheless, I will make a little commentary....

Kathryn Bigelow broke the barrier for aspiring female filmmakers (or should I say aspiring female Oscar winners?) with her victory in the Best Director category on Sunday night. I watched the telecast with a bunch of dudes and I was a little ashamed to let them see my tears, but I looked to my left and to my right to see both other ladies in the room quite awash as well, so I didn't feel so lame.

I'm really happy that they finally recognized a girl director, but... I can't help feeling a little weird about it.

Let me explain myself. A few weeks ago, I read a book by Maureen Murdock entitled, THE HEROINE'S JOURNEY. I'm not a bra-burner or anything, I just was curious to see how I might write better female protagonists (which is something I attempt more often, than not). In the book, Murdock talks about how women often try to find fulfillment in guy territory. I hate to put it bluntly, but the movie directing business is definitely guy territory. As ladies, we work really hard to find success the man's way -- kicking ass and taking no prisoners. In the modern world, women are starting to dominate more in business and other arenas previously ruled by the fellas. A successful woman ignores urges to have a kid and start a family in order to be fiscally and hierarchically... a success. Many women, according to Murdock, start to feel really unfulfilled after the fireworks of climbing up the ladder have worn off. They feel this way, she claims, because they have ignored the "feminine" part of themselves - those urges to nurture and be the cheerleader.

Well, I can't say that I agree with everything that Murdock writes. Frankly, I think some of it is quite extreme, but her words did sit with me as I thought about the whole Kathryn Bigelow situation. While I think it's great that there's finally an Oscar-winning female director, I can't help feeling that she's being rewarded for being a guy... or finding success "the guy" way... making a movie about war and testosterone and dudes. Let's be honest. At this point in time, she wouldn't have won an award for directing a "chick flick." I think if the Academy REALLY wanted to make a big social stride (because as I mentioned before, these awards are NOT about quality... they are about politics), they would've given the award to Lee Daniels for directing PRECIOUS. A film directed by a black man (the likes of whom have never won a directing Oscar before either) about black people -- a black film! I would be willing to put money on the following assertion - that when an African American finally wins a directing Oscar, it will be for directing a movie that isn't about black people... We'll see, I guess.

For now, however, I will be content that at least, we as lady filmmakers can say, WE GOT ONE... regardless of what kind of film it was that she directed. Because as much as the social and political stuff sucks, it's constantly changing and getting better. Different doors are being opened everyday and progress is being made... Bigelow's Oscar is evidence of it -- and that's what counts.

ONE FINAL THOUGHT:

I'm proud to be going into an industry that honors a film like THE HURT LOCKER over a film like AVATAR. I could go on about this subject for days, but I won't. Instead, I will just say this. Yes, 3-D is the wave of the future. Sure. Okay. We get it. But let the first 3-D film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture merit it with its moving story and resonating themes, not its technical innovations.

And even though I never mentioned them in these Oscar entries, I loved INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, UP IN THE AIR and AN EDUCATION. Perhaps, I'll muse about them later, but for now,

Ciao.

THE POTENCY OF LITTLE THINGS, OR MY TWO CENTS ON THIS YEARS OSCARS... PT. 1

I read an article last week in THE NEW YORK TIMES in which A.O. Scott said the Academy Awards are not about the quality of the motion pictures that they honor, but rather "about how the American film industry thinks about itself, its future, its desires and ideals." Last night, as I sat fixated on the telecast, checking off my predictions, Mr. Scott's supposition really resonated with me. In fact, it transformed how I viewed the entire ceremony this year...

I contemplated - how would the Academy, and thus the entire film industry, choose to define itself this year? Would they favor technical prowess and unparalleled cinematic spectacle over smaller, more thought-provoking fare?

Well... As a film student who has tended to create by the mantra that "small, good things" are more satisfying and emotionally worthwhile, I found at least several of the ceremony's conclusions and revelations to be not only adequate, but actually fulfilling!

If last night's Oscars are truly an indication of how the film industry wishes to view itself, here are some reasons (plucked directly from my viewing of the telecast) that I would like to be a part of it:

Reason # 1

In the blurb that came before the Short Film awards were presented, John Lasseter said this: "The tools to make a film are so readily accessible - cameras, your laptop. My advice to young filmmakers is the tools never make a great film. It's what you do with the tools. Telling a great story, entertaining the audience - that's what's going to win you an Academy Award." Everybody that I watched the telecast with, including myself, hollered a hearty AMEN when Mr. Lasseter said this... Yet in my film school experience, this exact notion is something that continually gets overlooked. Many people believe that they can make an engaging movie with nothing more than some pretty images and some intense music. Okay... Their movies are beautiful, but they're empty and sterile... and they mean absolutely nothing. I want to be a member of a film community that values storytelling and making sense of the world through characters.

Reason #2

Over the summer, as part of an internship, I got to attend a lot of screenings at the National Audio Visual Conservation Center in Culpeper, Virginia. Part of their summer showings was a series entitled, "The Cinema of John Hughes". Up until this point in my life, I had written Mr. Hughes off as corny and belonging to the 80s, where (let's face it) movies just weren't as good. But then something happened...

One day, during my internship, I got to inspect a print of SIXTEEN CANDLES. Up until then, if I had to pick a favorite Hughes movie, it would have been this one, but that's really not saying much. However, as the film rolled along on the flatbed, I became more and more beguiled... and as the silly banter and impeccable teen angst continued, I realized that the movie inspired me waaaaay more than I had ever thought possible.

It's not some corny 80s movie to be written off as crap. It's a fantastic film that clenches the heart... and embodies the simple and extremely relatable idea that we all just want to be loved... and if we just take a deep breath and be ourselves, we'll get everything we wish for.

Needless to say, I have since re-visited a lot of Hughes' movies and witnessed others for the first time. The result? I've fallen in love.

Somebody like Jerry Bruckheimer won't get a tribute like the one they gave to John Hughes on the Oscars last night. I'd be willing to put money on it. My reasoning is this - films like the kind Bruckheimer makes aren't small, nor are they good. They don't reach an audience on the same emotional level that Hughes' movies do. It's emotion, not spectacle that makes for classic cinema... and for wonderful tributes at the Academy Awards.

(To Be Continued...)