Been a lot more difficult than I thought it would be to just organize my stuff. I'm doing a pretty good job of weeding out the things I'm not taking with me. (Even though I'd take everything if I could, but it's just not reasonable) A lot of these things are just junk that I've collected over time and they need to go...so what better time to do that than now, when I'm packing to move to my new life!
I can't really gauge yet if I have more than I thought I would or less than I thought... we'll find out in the next couple of days I suppose!
Been having a few contacts popping up in the LA area for work, so hopefully once we're moved in I can find sometime to meet with them and see what opportunities there might be! Could be a breath of relief!
Spent most of this last week seeing a lot of movies too... considering I've tried in the last few years (especially since I was at school) to see all the films nominated for the oscars. I know the list isn't out yet, but I'm going to go ahead a say most of these films WILL be nominated. The official list won't be announced until the 25th or so... which is right in the middle of Sarah and I being on the road out West. Then once we get there and move in we won't have all the time in the world to go see films (even though we'll still see some). So I'm trying to get a lot out of the way this week... I saw The King's Speech (excellent film, very well written... my prediction? Well I'll save my predictions for my post about the Oscars around that time) but I must say I think the cinematography was pushing it to be very artsy, so much so that I think they over did it. Then I saw True Grit, also very good... very true to the Coen Brother's style. And finally I saw The Fighter last night, which was also very good. It has very interesting family dynamics in it, and for once showed a different side of a boxer in a movie.... but I must say this movie as good as it was, didn't live up to all the hype that I've been hearing from everyone. I'm not saying it wasn't good, it was and I recommend seeing it if you haven't seen it... but I think it was talked up just a tad too much.
Saw another movie this week too, but not at the theater... a film I've been wanting to see for some time. Into The Wild... very well made film, beautiful shots, etc. But I think people tend to miss the point of this movie... SPOILER ALERT.
Everyone sees this movie and seems to talk about how much it makes them question there lives, that they want to go out and explore the world on their own and break free. As much as I can appreciate that.... I don't see the relationship to the movie.
Yes, the movie is about a kid who feels so smothered by his life and is expected to do too much from his dysfunctional family so he runs away to find himself in the world. I can appreciate the connection between the two. But THAT'S NOT WHAT THE MOVIE IS ABOUT... or at least not the overall message at the end of the film. What he realizes at the end is that life and happiness aren't something you find alone, it's something you share with the people in your life that you love. I mean, not only is it literally written out for you as he WRITES THAT IN HIS BOOK, but his last thought before he dies is wishing he could see his family again and embrace them. He realized they loved him... he finally heard what every single person he met along the way said to him... I'll recap... The hippies talk about just enjoying being together and enjoying life. The farmer talks about not running away from the bad things in society but taking in the good things. The girl he meets who loves him (although she is young) gives him a reason to be happy and feel truly loved. The old man tells him he shouldn't be afraid of his life and to just live his life. And each and every time this kid pushes it aside and continued on with his narrow minded adventure.... that's not a kid wanting to find his life, that's a kid being naive.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not talking trash on the kid... because I know this is based on a true story... and I think the biggest tragedy is that he did finally learn all of this but only in his moment of death. Well, I guess technically he did learn this all but couldn't get home and then began to die... but still, it all happened at the same time. My beef is not with the kid, it's with the viewers who watch this film and misinterpret the point!
I think the world is meant to be explored, but I don't think it should be done blindly. Don't go out to run away from people... go out to learn about the world and become a better/wiser person.
So yes, I liked this film because it showed true human emotion... but it saddens me that people seem to see this as some sort of higher calling to their inner spirits to forget the world and just be alone. FALSE.
A friend of mine understood this and did his own adventure, while still understanding the importance of human relations! He traveled the country, meeting all different people... but he didn't do it with any blind ambition of discovering the faults of society and becoming "one with nature" He did it to explore the world and cultures. I commend him for this.
The only other thing about this movie, that I can't decide if I hate or like... is there is one time when the character is sitting and enjoying a real, fresh apple he found in the woods. He's eating it and enjoying it and then it becomes a musical montage of him eating and just shots of nature and him traveling. But it cuts back to him eating the apple and he looks straight into the camera, leans toward it, makes a face and is being silly.... it seems like it was probably an outtake of the actor just goofing off but they decided to put it in the movie.
Here's why I hated it... IT BROKE THE FOURTH WALL. The 4th wall, if you are wondering, is the implied separation between the world of the film and the audience. The wall exists to make it clear that the world of the film is not the actual world we live in. The wall can be broken, it's not a commandment of film or anything "Thou Shalt Not Breaketh The Wall of Four" but it should be used in the right fashion... I feel this was a horrible use of it.
Examples of good uses... Ferris Bueller's Day Off, he consistently stops and looks into the camera, acknowledging the audience and talking to them. Cartoons do this a lot too, like Bugs Bunny stopping, looking into the camera and winking or pointing at something he finds funny. It works best in comedies, because these films have such a laid back atmosphere to begin with that there isn't any separation to worry about... the audience is laughing along with the characters, they get to see everything about these characters... the hilarious hardships they go through, their dumb plans to fix their problems, and their comical vulnerable moments. It's ok that the audience can be recognized by the characters on screen.
Dramas are different, we're watching these characters on their journey and although we are taking the journey with them... we have to know that this is, in the end, their journey that we were witness to. After they did this in Into The Wild, I felt like I was no longer watching this guy go through his life, I felt like I was watching some guy impersonating the character... basically it didn't feel real to me anymore... whereas before they did that I did feel like this story was really happening before me. I hope that makes sense....
Here's why I might like it... but I can't decide. Once it broke the fourth wall, it almost felt like a recreation of what happened, more like a documentary. Which gave it a different feel in terms of pace. I felt like I was watching this guy go through his life, and now I was watching it to not take the journey with him, but to learn from his mistakes and adventures. But I have a small feeling in the pit of my stomach this was not the purpose of them doing this... and that's what bugs me.
ANYWAY, still good, worth seeing... beautifully shot!
That's it for now. I leave home in 1 week from today to go to West Virginia to meet up with Sarah and her family, and then one day after that Sarah and I will be burning rubber!
Will post more about the move as the days get closer... but be sure to follow along as we go, we'll be posting photos and videos as we travel!
Adios.
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