A fresh, young interpretation of the magical movie moments that define us all, those moments that give us pause and make us wonder why we didn't write it ourselves.
While Love Actually is filled with possibly some of the cutest romantic comedy scenes I've come across, this is by far my favorite and no one says a thing. I don't know if it's realistic, but hey that's what movies are for, right?
I don't really have any profound thoughts here, other than the fact that sometimes not saying anything can be more powerful than babbling. I mean, it's so easy to forget what to say or maybe you say something you don't mean. Things get lost in translation all the time. But body language, looks, stares, whatever, sometimes tells us more than what words can. It's like the motto "actions speak louder than words."
Anyways, if you've seen Love Actually, what's your favorite scene? It's hard to pick one, though I suppose if you detest the movie, as many do, you could easily tell me the faults in the one I chose.
Maria: I can't seem to stop singing wherever I am. And what's worse, I can't seem to stop saying things - anything and everything I think and feel. Mother Abbess: Some people would call that honesty. Maria: Oh, but it's terrible, Reverend Mother.
For the next few posts I'm going to attempt to travel through the decades, beginning with 1950s cinema. I felt it appropriate to begin with The Ten Commandments (1956) because many people watch this movie during Holy Week or the day before Easter, when it is on network TV. I've watched it almost every year at that time. Here's the trailer, just in case you've forgotten one of the greatest (and longest) films of all time:
Moses: What change is there in me? Egyptian or Hebrew I am still Moses. These are the same hands, the same arms, the same face that were mine a moment ago.
[Vizzini has just cut the rope The Dread Pirate Roberts is climbing up] Vizzini: HE DIDN'T FALL? INCONCEIVABLE. Inigo Montoya: You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
***
So, confession. I had never seen The Princess Bride until this past weekend when one of my friends said that she felt like watching it. Having not watched a movie in forever, meaning approximately since spring break, I decided to give it a go, since she claimed it to be one of her favorite movies. "You'll love it, Mady, I promise," she told me in so many words.
Settling down onto her comfy couch, I grabbed some candy, set up a word document to attempt to do a little homework while watching (and I actually did write a few paragraphs of a journal entry), and we began. If anything, I enjoyed being able to sit on someone else's couch, which by the way, is way more comfortable than my futon. Surprisingly, however, I actually found myself laughing at the movie. In a good way.
I knew that I wanted to use something from this movie in my blog, partly because when I originally conceived this blog, I had wanted to watch some movies I hadn't seen before, giving me a "fresh" perspective. However, I found that I don't have a lot of free time, at least at the end of the semester. Thus, I was really excited when I sat down to watch The Princess Bride.
Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), I didn't find a profound moment in the movie. I mostly thought that much of what the characters said was silly or satirical, but I suppose that's the point of the movie. It reminded me of Monty Python (which I really don't like...sorry Monty Python fans!) mixed with something that I just still can't put my finger on.
Anyways, I chose these lines from the movie because I just about rolled off the couch in laughter at the words. INCONCEIVABLE. I mean, come on, we all have that friend that has the one-word catch phrase. That guy who constantly says one word in retort to everything everyone says. Maybe it's as obnoxious as "presh" or "perf." The shortening of words is a popular trend these days. Or maybe you know people who respond with "ridiculous" to everything that couldn't possibly be positive. Either way, I'm sure you know your "inconceivable" person.
On a serious note, this selection got me thinking about the overuse of words. Sometimes when we use the same words, I wonder if they somehow evaporate their meanings. It's kind of like using "love" or "hate," two words that we hear so much. Sometimes I think if we use them too much, they don't mean anything anymore. This goes for other words, but I know we're all a little guilty of saying "I love this" and "I love that" all the time. Love seems like a word that's lost it's weight.
Today in my literature class, we had the inevitable "what is literature" debate. Though I am quite liberal on my definition of literature, mostly because I think scholars are much too elitist for their own good, I wondered what other people thought about literature and how many people truly believed that the canon should only be made up of terribly complex works that seem inaccessible to many people.
To get the point, this isn't a blog about books after all, these ideas were mulling around in my brain when I came across this blog post: Steven Soderbergh's Movie List. Soderbergh is a major Hollywood movie director. An Oscar winner. Many times we forget that movie directors are kind of important people in the film industry. This guy directed Erin Brockovich, Ocean's Eleven, and Traffic, to name a few.
Soderbergh
Essentially, Soderbergh wrote down every piece of media he consumed in a year. If you take a look, his movie list is quite extensive and pretty all-encompassing. Looking at his list, I got to thinking: what constitutes a film? What's the consensus on the film vs. movie debate?
It seems to me that the literature debate stems from those who believe that works of literature have a social/political function: they're meant to change the world in some way. Seems palatable, right? If you're writing, why not evoke social upheaval, right? The other side of the coin involves those that snub the social context and want literary works to be somehow a technically complex exhibit of the human experience. And then there are some who believe both to be true.
Does the same go with movies? Are there standards that the industry has? Standards other than dollars and cents? I mean, this respected director watched Academy Award nominated films like The Social Network and Inception, but also watched Salt and Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. There aren't really any romantic comedies, so maybe that was a snub there, or maybe Soderbergh just doesn't like chick flicks since he doesn't make them and he's a guy.
I feel as though The Social Network was a movie that really depicts our time, my generation and how social networking is changing the way we operate. It's not changing the world; it's just a reflection of it, so I suppose you could label it as complex. It seems to me that the films doing work in the world are documentaries, but maybe I'm not reading into the films I watch enough.
This could be the case, since right now I'm using movies as an escape, turning off my analysis-minded brain and just relaxing.
I'm sure there are movie snobs, just as there are music and literature snobs. I've met some before. But I'm still wondering what constitutes a film? The person who made it? The venue it's shown in?
Dear readers, do you have any thoughts on this?
P.S. If you didn't read the actual post I'm responding to, you should at least jump over and check out his list of movies. It's pretty extensive and it's got some good ones that I've seen this past year as well. The Fighter, Inception, The Social Network, In Cold Blood, Se7en. Check it out!
Before you all jump down my throats and tell me that this is a terrible movie not worthy of my analysis, I'm going to give a little disclaimer: I've actually never seen the movie. Nope. I've heard about it. So why, might you ask, did I pick this random, potentially terrible movie to the be topic of my next blog? Chalk out of ideas, not having been able to watch any movies lately, I asked my roommate what her favorite movie was. She said she didn't have one (safe answer!), but that she loved Stick It!. So this one's for her. And actually, this monologue isn't half-bad. For a Disney/tween movie.
Note: I'm only using the first 30 seconds or so.
Haley Graham: There are things you wish for before big moments. I wish my friends were here. I wish my parents were different. I wish there was someone who got what was happening, and could just look at me and tell me we weren't crazy, that we weren't being stupid. Someone to say "I'm proud of you, and I got your back... no matter what."
Now this isn't a golden movie moment by any means; it's not going down on the 100 top movie quotes of all time. However, I think there's something here we can relate to.
We've all been through those big moments, or at least moments we think are big. You know, like graduation, the championship game, a recital, a spelling bee, something completely personal. A moment when time slows down and all that matters is that you're there and it's happening, then it's gone.
When it's gone, you're kind of sad. Or in a state of disbelief, as if what happened was so surreal that you're pinching yourself. Maybe a combination of the two. Either way, it's over and it's a memory.
Have you ever noticed how weird it is when something completely random pops into your mind before these moments? It's like when we're so focused, when we know something big is about to happen, something we maybe didn't realize before comes to us.
I know that I've had my share of "big moments." I'd say the biggest moment so far in my life was giving the commencement speech at my high school graduation. This was a big deal, especially since I had beaten out one of my high school "rivals" in the audition process. I wasn't nervous when I walked onto the stage and took my seat in front of 3000 people. Actually, the room, a gymnasium, was kind of warm and there was a low murmur of fans and whispers.
I remember being so excited to have this one big moment that I'd remember forever. I hoped that someone would remember something I said. I hoped that I would make my grandma tear up when I mentioned a quotation that she always had posted at her house. But what I thought about most was how I wished every teacher, every coach and every friend that had ever believed in me could be there to hear my thanks to them. I wished that they could all be there, nodding in recognition that they were partially the reason I was standing at that podium.
There have been other moments of lesser caliber, but just as memorable. Softball games that I actually got to play in, research presentations, certain award ceremonies, band concerts. Moments that I wished my friends could have been there, supporting me. My family usually was, but sometimes they weren't.
As I look to the future, I think of all the big moments to come that will be for me and me only. My friends and family won't always be there when something big is about to happen in my life. So I suppose that's it: our lives are in fact our own, and sometimes we just have to remember the good times for ourselves. Though it'd be lovely to have someone there after every step of the way patting our backs and telling us "great job," things just don't work out that way. We have to be there for ourselves, proud of what we've done or what's happened to us.
I guess that's just growing up and claiming our lives for our own.
Okay, so this is a movie blog, but who says that TV shows can't have good monologues? They totally can. Grey's Anatomy has excellent monologues, usually in the form of voiceovers. Today, however, I decided to actually pick a scene from Grey's that I find memorable. It was tough...but I think this one is wonderful. Hopefully it's a bit lighter that some of the previous posts...it is from a doctor's TV show after all.
If you've never watched the show...sorry for your loss. However, if you just know that the two characters in the video have been on and off since season 1 and that you're watching the end of season 6, you'll be perfectly fine. It's very much like a soap opera, except not really.
Grey's Anatomy is and has been one of my favorite TV shows. It's been a long haul so far: 7 seasons of love twists, medical emergencies and stressful situations. I rooted for Meredith and Derek from the beginning; there was just something about them that made sense, despite their obvious flaws and obstacles in the way of their being together.
Seriously, this couple has been through it all: psycho mother/sisters, ex-wives, cheating, lying, drinking, bomb threats, diseases, and stressful job environments. The odds were stacked against them from the beginning; he was her married boss (unbeknownst to her) and she was an intern working 80 hours weeks while taking care of a medically deteriorating mother. Talk about characterization!
I'll spare you the juicy details, although if you're interested, I can enlighten you or suggest the best/most dramatic episodes, because I really wanted to pause and examine this scene more closely.
On the top most layer, this scene is what Grey's Anatomy fans have been waiting for FOREVER. Literally. We finally get there and it's so freaking cute; how could it not be?
For those of you that just vomited in your mouth, I promise that there's more here than romance. Sure, McDreamy is all perfectly moussed and gelled, talking of his big-shot surgeries he's done. But, he levels with Meredith, saying that her dark and twisty-ness is a strength. In case you forgot, Meredith continuously refers to herself and her past as "dark and twisty," which essentially means she's "messed up."
This scene reminded me how our pasts are a part of us, making us stronger. Sure, it seems cliche, and maybe it is, but some cliches are completely true. What's happened is always there, reminding us of what lies ahead. For Meredith, it's her mother, the now-dead famous female surgeon. It's her father, who dumped her for a new family. It's her kid sister, who now works with her. And it's her friends, one of whom is sick in this season. She somehow takes all of this and turns it into something to propel her forwards.
Of course she's fallen backwards many times, like everyone else. She's had her nights of inappropriate sexual conduct and excessive drinking. But she's never given up. Despite everything up against her, and it's been a lot, she's pushed forward and gotten through it. And I think that's what Derek loves most about her: that she can pick up the pieces and move on.
Perhaps this is what I too love about Meredith Grey: her humanity. Some people can't stand her. She's not particularly funny compared to other characters and she's not the most mysterious either. We know almost everything about her. With that, we know her flaws, her weaknesses, her insecurities. She's very real, besides the fact that she somehow has beautiful men pining for her.
Either way, the point is that we can't look completely backwards. We can't look completely forwards either. We'd never look to the here and now. We also can't dwell on our flaws and trying to decide if they're normal or not. Perhaps by accepting them, we become a stronger human being, like we know ourselves better. It's part of who we are whether we like it or not.
Note: It's easier to put on the video, which only has audio, and follow along with the text since it's especially long, but incredibly good. Unfortunately, there were no videos of the actual movie.
Atticus Finch: Gentlemen, I shall be brief, but I would like to use my remaining time with you to remind you that the case of Mayella Ewell vs. Tom Robinson is not a difficult one. To begin with, this case should have never come to trial. The state of Alabama has not produced one iota of medical evidence that shows that the crime Tom Robinson is charged with ever took place. This case is as simple as black and white. It requires no minute sifting of complicated facts, but it does require you to be sure beyond all reasonable doubt as to the guilt of the defendant.
Miss Ewell did something that in our society is unspeakable: she is white, and she tempted a Negro. The defendant is not guilty, but someone in this courtroom is. I have nothing but pity in my heart for the chief witness for the state, but my pity does not extend so far as to her putting a man's life at stake. She knew full well the enormity of her offense, but because her desires were stronger than the code she was breaking, she persisted. The state of Alabama has relied solely upon the testimony of two witnesses who's evidence has not only been called into serious question, but has been flatly contradicted by the defendant.
I need not remind you of their appearance and conduct on the stand. They have presented themselves in the cynical confidence that their testimony would not be doubted. They were confident that you, the jury, would go along with the evil assumption that all Negro's lie, and are immoral. Mr. Robinson is accused of rape, when it was she who made the advances on him. He put his word against two white people's, and now he is on trial for no apparent reason- except that he is black.
Thomas Jefferson once said that all men are created equal, a phrase that the government is fond of hurling at us. There is a tendency in this year of grace, 1935, for certain people to use that phrase out of context, to satisfy all conditions. We know that all men are not created equal in the sense that some people would have us believe. Some people are smarter than others, some people have more opportunity because they are born with it, some men have more money than others, and some people are more gifted than others.
But there is one way in this country in which all men are created equal. An institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller, the ignorant man the equal of any president, and the stupid man the equal of Einstein. That institution is the court. But a court is only as sound as its jury, and the jury is only as sound as the men who make it up.
I am confident that you gentlemen will review without passion the evidence you have heard, come to a decision, and restore the defendant to his family. In the name of God, do your duty. In the name of God, gentlemen, believe Tom Robinson.
***
To Kill a Mockingbird is among my favorite books. It's one of those stories you can come back to again and again and get something new out of it. The movie is of similar delight, as, correct me if I'm wrong, this speech is essentially lifted right out of Harper Lee's novel and put into the screenplay by Horton Foote. Gregory Peck captures the very essence of Atticus Finch, who is perhaps my favorite character simply because he has kind of a mysterious aura to him; he's a man who's worked incredibly hard at doing the right thing.
The monologue I chose is from Atticus's closing argument, one of the most jaw-dropping, exciting, provoking, moving moments of the entire film. It helps if you read the entire monologue as if it were a letter or actually in the novel, in addition to listening Peck perform.
Now, to some of us, the concepts of the speech seem foreign. Not all men are created equal? What's the big deal with a bi-racial couple?
There are so many things I could tackle or say about Atticus's speech, but I simply do not have the time, space or brain power at this moment in time. Here's what I can tell you: when I stumbled across this monologue, I knew instantly that I had to use it in some way, simply because I have diversity issues on the mind and this monologue was the first to relate in some way.
When I first read it, I was taken aback by his statements in the third to last paragraph. He calls one of our favorite American phrases (all men are created equal), "a phrase that the government is fond of hurling at us." He claims that not everyone is equal, in the sense that not everyone has the same opportunities, skills, intelligence, etc. This is completely true. Depending on the circumstance, we aren't all equal...except in the court, in the eyes of the justice of our fellow man.
It is terrible to think that in 1935 a black man would be on trial because he "raped" her, when really the white woman was lying. I think that this happens frequently, even today, as we still have stigmas associated with African American men and violence. But what gets me is the lack of evidence on part of the prosecution. People believed that the white man's word was of more gravity than whatever evidence the defense could come up with. The case was a done deal. Therefore, Atticus's notions are unspeakable, radical, crazy to the packed courthouse.
There are many people who pass judgment before consuming all the facts. There are also many people who are apathetic, not caring about "these sorts of things," simply because it doesn't effect them. Big wake up call: what Atticus says is completely applicable to everyday situations, not just the court systems.
I admit, I'm not "multicultural" in any way. I haven't experienced real hate or discrimination in my life. I'm a blonde-haired, blue-eyed, religious person living in a blonde-haired, blue-eyed, religious place. But even though I'm like everyone else in appearance and are part of the majority, I realize how difficult it must be to be part of the minority in any place in the world/belief system.
The bottom line radiates respect. We need to have it for each other, all the time. Treating someone as a human being, despite what they've said, done, look like, where they go to school, whatever, is of the utmost importance. Just because someone isn't a carbon copy of you is no excuse to forget that they bleed red just like you.
Do I believe that we haven't made progress since 1935? Of course we've made progress. But especially in the place I live now, I feel as though I'm 30 years behind schedule. As Atticus says, "But a court is only as sound as its jury, and the jury is only as sound as the men who make it up." We are the jury every single day, living in our courts. And we have to possess the utmost compassion and understanding when making decisions on how we act, think, and speak.
Forrest: You died on a Saturday morning, and I had you placed here, under our tree. And I had that house of your father's bulldozed to the ground. Mama always said dying was a part of life. I sure wish it wasn't. Little Forrest, he's doing just fine. 'Bout to start school again soon. I make his breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday. I make sure he combs his hair and brushes his teeth everyday. Teaching him how to play ping-pong. He's really good. We fish a lot. And everynight we read a book- and he's so smart Jenny. You'd be so proud of him, I am. He, uh, wrote you a letter, but he says I can't read it, I'm not supposed to, so I'll just leave it here for you. Jenny, I don't know if Mama's right or if its Lieutenant Dan, I don't know if we each have a destiny or if we're all floating around accidental, like on a breeze. But I think maybe its both, maybe both is happening at the same time. I miss you, Jenny. If there's anything you need, I won't be far away.
***
Most people can quote from this movie. It's full of good ones: "Run, Forrest, run!" "Stupid is as stupid does," and "I just felt like running." My family can keep churning them out. We actually won a game of Forrest Gump trivia at Bubba Gump Shrimp Company once. Thus, I would consider myself well-versed in all things Gump.
Every time I watch this movie, I find something new that I've never thought about before. This past Friday night when I watched it for the ump-teenth time with my sister, I noticed how Forrest deals with being "abnormal" in a normal world, tracing this theme of being normal through the film. Forrest seems to do fine with his cognitive handicaps, whatever they may be, as he accomplishes great things and experiences more in his lifetime than most of us.
Now given that this is fictional movie, I'm not surprised that Forrest does a lot more than we believe cognitively handicapped people to do. He challenges the stigma, but I don't think many actually receive the wonderful opportunities he did. I like that he defies the odds not only because it gives all of us hope, but also because it makes everyone rethink what handicapped people are capable of.
Enough about the intricacies of the movie. I could go on all day, as I'm sure most of you could. But maybe you're convinced that the movie is simply a comedic look back at the 1950s-80s America. Forrest is involved in many of the most important events of those periods. He's smack dab in the middle of everything. Forrest Gump in that sense is just an American history lesson.
But then there are moments like this monologue, where Forrest is completely alone and sharing his thoughts aloud. He's already told his story, but what's behind it all? What should we make of it?
According to Forrest, it seems as though we have two different "life" views: Mrs. Gump's and Lieutenant Dan, destiny versus coincidence. These are commonplace views that we constantly deal with: are our lives planned out or do things just sort of happen?
Forrest says it's a little bit of both. "Maybe both is happening at the same time," he says. Does coincidence have a place in our destinies? Is everything just meant to be or are some things just not planned?
I don't exactly know what to make of it myself. I'd like to think that things happen because they're meant to happen, but then that makes me think that I have no chance at changing the future since it's already "destiny." I'd like to think that some things just happen coincidently. I suppose I'd side with Forrest on this one. Maybe we're not just "floating around accidental like on a breeze" but our lives are more complex than that.
Forrest's life may seem to be entirely one of coincidence. He gets lucky a lot. He's in the right place at the right time. But if he hadn't been a good runner, he wouldn't have made it out of Vietnam and if he hadn't run across the country, he wouldn't have had Jenny contact him. That part seems like destiny.
If there's anything to take away from Forrest Gump, I suppose it's that we're in the middle of history in the making. Whether it's destiny or not, we just might be in the right place at the right time being part of some of what will be monumental moments in history.
Dear readers, today I'm going to do something a little different. Though there are many brilliant monologues to deconstruct and think about, I was reading some other movie blogs when I discovered this piece by Monica Bartyzel: Amy Adams thinks Lois Lane is a powerful character.
Now, I wholeheartedly believe that Amy Adams can play any part she wants. She's a wonderful actress, really one of the most versatile and talented, as The Fighter completely convinced me of. But what struck me was the debate over whether Lois Lane is a powerful woman character.
I'm no die-hard fan of the Superman franchise. I admit to enjoying the 1990s Superman television show Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman where Teri Hatcher played a tough, successful Lois Lane, but I don't know all the movies. However, I have seen the cartoons. Thus, my understanding of Lois Lane in the context of the entire franchise is limited, but from what I've seen and from what Amy Adam's said, I have no doubt that the Lois Lane that will be portrayed in the new Superman movie will be a strong, tough woman.
Here's Adams take, in case you skipped over it in the link: "I think the role of women in society constantly changes, and what I love about Lois Lane is that she's been very consistently strong, successful, independent. I'm very attracted to that. It was a time when women were really -- I don't want to make some grand statement because I know it will come across as a grand statement -- but [women were often limited by society then and] what I loved about her was that she was able to be smartand be feminine and I think that that's something I know I'm going to teach my daughter -- that you don't have to be a man to be powerful. You can be a powerful woman."
Now, I consider Lois to be a timeless character. She's definitely a role model for any young girl. There's nothing wrong with wanting marriage or a career or both. Not at all. I think we can all agree with Adams in that sense.
But let's step back and consider what Bartyzel says. She indicates that "one can't help but wish that she'd find a radioactive spider or some other scientific anomaly that would give her the strength to save herself." We all know that Superman has to save the day for Lois Lane. There would be no good romance story without it. I had never considered the fact that maybe Lois Lane could be Superwoman or something. Why don't we see female characters portrayed more often as superheroes?
I know that there's Wonder Woman and Catwoman, but Hollywood seems to continuously ignore the female superhero. Maybe people feel uncomfortable around such a "masculine" woman. Nonetheless, if we really want to get past this whole men ruling the world thing (which has gone on for far to long, might I add) maybe some female superheroes are the way to go. Women can save the day too, and do so often on a DAILY basis.
So what do you all think? Is Lois Lane all that she's cracked up to be, or is it all a complete lie? What about female superheroes? Are there any that I forgot or should know about? Should we create them or are superheroes ridiculous?
Paul: I'm....sorry. Is he all right? Holly: Sure. Sure. He's okay. Aren't you, Cat? Poor old Cat. Poor slob. Poor slob without a name. I don't have the right to give him one. We don't belong to each other. We just took up one day. I don't want to own anything until I find a place where me and things go together. I'm not sure where that is, but I know what it's like. It's like Tiffany's. Paul: Tiffany's? You mean the jewelry store? Holly: That's right. I'm crazy about Tiffany's. Listen. You know those days when you get the mean reds? Paul: The "mean reds?" You mean, like the blues? Holly: No. The blues are because you're getting fat or it's been raining too long. You're just sad, that's all. The mean reds are horrible. Suddenly you're afraid, and you don't know what you're afraid of. Don't you ever get that feeling? Paul: Sure. Some people call it angst. Holly: When I get it, what does any good is to jump into a cab and go to Tiffany's. Calms me down right away. The quietness, the proud look. Nothing very bad could happen to you there. If I could find a real-life place that made me feel like Tiffany's, then... then I'd buy some furniture and give the cat a name...I'm sorry. You wanted something. Oh, the telephone. (http://www.whysanity.net/monos/tiffany3.html)
In case you've forgotten the movie entirely:
****
If I consistently reflect on my life, my short 20 year old life, I'm certain that I get the most moody and blue when breaks from school are ending.
Yep, just talk to me one or two days, depending on the length of the break, before its ending and I promise you that you'll be speaking to the queen of darkness.
I may be exaggerating, but everyone has those moments. You've got the blues. You're down in the dumps. Whatever you call it, you're just out of it. I say, hurry to the store and load up on some ice cream and chocolate.
But the point of this scene is the mean reds, which to me are the complete opposite of the blues. Audrey Hepburn describes them perfectly: fear. You're scared and you don't know why. There's something nagging at your very soul and you just can't seem to figure out what's wrong and/or how to fix it.
I've felt this way many times, particularly when I'm trying to make big decisions. It comes up as soon as I start thinking about the after-college question which I am now seeing many of my colleagues struggle with in real time.
But there are those days, those days that everyone has, where there's just something wrong and you just can't handle it all anymore. Nothing is working; the world is closing in on you.
So you can recognize the feeling, but how do you solve it? I don't think there's a cure, but maybe everyone has their own way of dealing with the mean reds. Do you hop in your car and drive to the nearest Tiffany's? I hardly believe this to be the case with most of us. I find Tiffany's an intimidating store where I start hyperventilating at the price tags. But Audrey finds her sanctuary there; it's the only place where she feels calm and at peace with herself.
Sanctuary. Our cure for the mean reds. Where do you feel safe? What calms you down? Maybe it's a stroll around the block. Or a shopping trip. Or even a long drive. I tend to go on drives to bodies of water. I often find myself at Lake Michigan, listening to the rush of the water and wind. It calms me down.
Audrey's problem is that she can't find a real life place that feels like Tiffany's. Nowhere in the world is as safe as Tiffany's is for her. She can't commit to something unless she finds that stillness and calmness.
Now, I don't know if that's even possible to have that kind of stability. I hope that I never feel anxious or get the mean reds when I find a permanent home for myself. However, I think that it's a innate human occurrence. We get the mean reds and that's just the way it is.
If you've seen the movie, you know that it's Audrey's neglect to move past the mean reds that propels the movie and makes her the character she is. So let's not be Audrey. Let's find a way to deal with the mean reds because they're going to happen. The point is to learn how to make sure that they don't overtake your life.
Mr. Keating: In my class, you will learn to think for yourselves again. You will learn to savor words and languages. No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world. I see that look in Mr. Pitts' eyes like 19th century literature has nothing to do with going to business school or medical school, right? Maybe. You may agree and think yes, we should study our Mr. Pritcher and learn our rhyme and meter and go quietly about the business of achieving other ambitions. Well, I have a secret for you. Huddle Up...Huddle UP!
We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. Medicine, law, business and engineering, these are all noble pursuits necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, and love; these are what we stay alive for. To quote from Whitman "Oh me, Oh life of the question of these recurring. of the endless trains of the faithless of cities filled with the foolish. What good amid these? Oh me, Oh life." "Answer...that you are here and life exists....You are here. Life exists, and identity. The powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse." The powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?
(http://www.whysanity.net/monos/dead.html)
***
I'll start with the fact that I'm convinced I'm no poet. The conciseness of poetry is something I struggle with, the fact that you have to find just exactly the right words to express something and you can't go on for pages and pages. For this reason, I have steered away from poetry creative writing classes, afraid of not being deep enough or that it will be too difficult to produce poems.
But after I watched Dead Poets Society (1989) the other evening, for perhaps the third or fourth time, I was convinced that I needed to sit down and write poetry.
Now I know that actually becoming poets isn't the point of the movie. Not at all. The point is to find your own voice and to think freely, not conforming to societal norms. And we definitely understand that when we see Neil, the main character, rekindling the Dead Poets Society with his friends and then deciding to act in a play against his father's wishes. He does what he thinks is right, but still feels the pressure and eventually commits suicide.
But nonetheless, I don't know a time when I've watched the movie that I haven't felt like trying to write a few verses. Something about the way Robin Williams encourages his students transcends the screen, making me feel as if I'm his student as well.
Dead Poets Society is a favorite among English majors because it emphasizes everything that we constantly discuss and think about in our classes. We realize how important literature is to expressing the human condition. We struggle with sharing that with those people who constantly ask us what we're going to do with our English major. "Teach?" is always their suggestion.
Teaching is a noble profession, but assuming that everyone majoring in English will become teachers because that's the only thing we can do is ridiculous. The English majors of the world are proving you wrong friends.
Many of Williams' students are headed in the opposite direction to medical, business or law school. Those students often don't understand why literature is so important or why they should have to take an English class. "I won't have to know about Thoreau or Whitman when I get a job. Who cares?" says many a student in the sciences. My own roommate, an engineering student, grumbled all the way through her English class last semester and they didn't even have to read poetry!
I already said that the movie isn't about literature. And I stand by that. But I don't see how literature doesn't fit into finding a voice. If we don't read the voices of others and understand other points of view, how can we come up with our own?
I think that the movie leaves us with questions rather than answers. How much should we conform? Are these 'radical' ideas too much for impressionable teenagers? Were Emerson and Thoreau completely nuts when they were writing about these things?
Maybe Thoreau was crazy to go live in the woods deliberately. But either way, he found his verse.
Benjamin Button: [Voice over; letter to his daughter] For what it's worth: it's never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There's no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you're proud of. If you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again. (imdb.com)
In light of this post, I'm anticipating someone to comment about the film being way too long, boring, awkward, weird, etc. And I understand why you might feel that way, but Benjamin Button intrigued me; I felt as though it was something very original and had some deeper meaning to it.
You don't have to look too far down to find some important ideas the film plays with: age, innocence, love. But what I find particularly interesting is how it deals with identity.
Now, identity is a tricky concept. Psychologists still haven't figured it out entirely, but I think as humans we get it: our identity is something we find in the things that surround us, our birthplace, age, family, occupation, hobbies, etc. It's something that we all have, but sometimes feel as if we have to find. Nonetheless, changing identity isn't as easy as it seems.
Although we live in a society and many reading are part of a generation that has no trouble picking up and leaving their roots, the core of their identity, I feel as though it's hard to start all over again. Benjamin does it constantly throughout his life, moving backwards while everyone else around him moves forward.
There are no rules to this thing. Wow. So often we box ourselves in, slaving away to rules and regulations that sometimes we impose on OURSELVES. Academia, jobs, families can all be sources of regulation. But the actual living of life, you know, the stuff that actually defines us, there's no right or wrong way to go about it.
I think what Benjamin says is extremely important for us all to ponder. Are we seeking out experiences that startle us and change the way we think about the world? Are we trying to meet people who are different than ourselves, providing us with new perspectives? And if we're not, do we have the courage to change that?
It's hard to think of this in terms of having unlimited time; that is, time is not something that should hold us back or define us. I know that I have trouble letting go of time. I was the girl with the I need this and this by 22 and then this and this by 30. But in actually getting to 20 years old, I've found that I don't have to grow up so fast and that I don't need to be rooted in something before I'm ready. It's okay to change and grow; that's what we do.
I changed my frame of mind, in theory. In practice, I find it difficult to let go of a plan and just try something, try to make it work, "fail" and then have to start all over again. It's like when your computer crashes and you lose everything: pictures, documents, music, etc. I know it's a terrible comparison, but both take a lot of courage, courage to get out of an unplanned rut.
So what do you want to do? Thankfully we're not living our lives backwards like Benjamin. That would be terrible. However, it's easy to forget that he's not real and he's not in the real world. I guess my question is how do we do this? How do we completely change our lives when we feel dissatisfied when we have all these other social/whatever pressures on us? It is just a matter of courage or does more come in to play?
Young Noah: Would you stop thinking about what everyone wants? Stop thinking about what I want, what he wants, what your parents want. What do YOU want? What do you WANT? (imdb.com)
It's tough knowing what you want. Decisions are the downfall of many, myself included. Faced with two options, no matter how similar or different, we all often hesitate, unsure of which to choose.
In The Notebook (2004), Allie has to make a choice between two wonderful men. Hers is seemingly a choice of love; however, there is more to the story. Her choice is one of lifestyle, of location, even perhaps of comfort. We don't know who she's going to choose, as both look like viable options. Will she even choose anyone? Despite a minor freakout, she chooses Noah because we knew all along that he was who she belonged with.
I've gone back to the scene many times when I was trying to make a decision on my own. It's hard not to be influenced by everyone else's wants and needs. We've all been in Allie's shoes: there's been times where we've had to figure out what we wanted instead of basing our choices on other people.
For me, I remembered this scene when I was trying to make a college choice. What did I want? Where did I want to spend the next four years of my life? It was the first time that I was able to make a big decision all by myself. So I weighed the evidence, made pros and cons lists, did all of my research, and, of course, asked my parents and friends their opinions. I'd like to think that I made the decision all by myself, and for the most part I did, but it was really difficult to pull myself away from everyone else's opinions and decide for myself.
We all have people that we look to for advice and guidance and I think that sometimes we let their judgments sneak into our own opinions.
Come on, we all know that person who bases their opinion off of everyone else's. Their opinion constantly changes depending on who they're with. Maybe it's a mechanism to keep neutral, but I think that I'd rather butt heads with a passionately free-thinking person than someone who's just trying to please me with their opinions.
So how do we pull ourselves away from the world and make our own uninfluenced decisions? If only I knew. It's a constant struggle to be an original thinker in this world, as well as being completely uninfluenced by those around us.
Despite these difficulties, we should try really hard to always evaluate each situation on our own terms. Stop worrying about everyone else around you and really think hard about what you want because you are the most important person you should be accountable to; you have to live with the decision, so you might as well be happy.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Captain Billy Tyne: "The fog's just lifting. Throw off your bow line; throw off your stern. You head out to South channel, past Rocky Neck, Ten Pound Island. Past Niles Pond where I skated as a kid. Blow your air-horn and throw a wave to the lighthouse keeper's kid on Thatcher Island. Then the birds show up: black backs, herring gulls, big dump ducks. The sun hits ya - head North. Open up to 12 - steamin' now. The guys are busy; you're in charge. Ya know what? You're a goddam swordboat captain! Is there any thing better in the world?"
-The Perfect Storm (2000), screenplay by William D. Wittliff
The Perfect Storm is a movie that is often overlooked as one of George Clooney's finer performances. Not many find Clooney to be a fantastic actor; he's the suave guy who does a lot of action movies, a man's man who can easily please the ladies. However, other than Up in the Air (2009), I find The Perfect Storm to be one of Clooney's finer moments.
Clooney's monologue occurs early on in the film. He's out on in the harbor with another captain, a woman, and the scene is exactly as he describes. The soundtrack, by the way, is gorgeous, particularly in this moment. What the captain says always makes me stop for a moment and think about the beauty I find in the things I do everyday. The things Clooney mentions are completely ordinary: he sees them everyday he goes out for work. It's not a big deal, but in this moment, he is trying to convince the woman he's talking with that what they do is the best thing ever. They live and breath swordfish fishing.
One word: passion. Swordfish captains aren't the most glamorous people, but the passion with which Clooney delivers his lines convinces me that swordfishing is something I want to try. The salty smell of the ocean air, the breeze off the water, seagulls calling, I can hear it all in the monologue. I want to pack up and head to the East coast.
It is often difficult to find beauty in such ordinary things. Life is often monotonous, we drag ourselves into a day to day routine. Stopping and breathing in the sea (or city) air can do wonders.
Having a zeal for just doing your job, or realizing how awesome it is to even have a job, especially one that you love doing, is something we all often take for granted. Sure, nobody wants to work their entire lives away; we'd much rather be on vacation. But if we remember how good it feels to be a part of something, to contribute to something, to get our hands dirty, then the blow isn't as bad.
Is there anything better in the world than being out on the water and being in charge? Nope. Not in the moment. If we can find that spark of passion to ignite us, the one that makes us come alive like Captain Billy Tyne, I'd say that we've accomplished something...no matter if we are a CEO or a swordfisherman.
Note: Photo courtesy of allmoviephoto.com, monologue courtesy of imdb.com.
"Alan: I'd like to... I'd like to say something that I've prepared tonight. (takes out a crinkled paper, begins reading somewhat nervously) Hello. How about that ride in? I guess that's why they call it Sin City. (nervous laugh) You guys might not know this, but I consider myself a bit of a loner. I tend to think of myself as a one-man wolf pack. But when my sister brought Doug home, I knew he was one of my own. And my wolf pack- it grew by one, so where there two- there were two of us in the wolf pack. I was alone first in the wolf pack and Doug joined in later. And six months ago, when Doug introduced me to you guys, I thought 'Wait a second, could it be?' And now I know for sure- I just added two more guys to my wolf pack. The four of us wolves, running around the desert together in Las Vegas, looking for strippers and cocaine. So tonight, I make a toast! (pulls out switchblade, starts cutting his hand) Blood brothers!"
The Hangover is a relatively new movie that seems to resonate most loudly with the 18-24 year old focus group. It's one of those movies that are so ridiculous, you just have to laugh at some parts, even if you hate the silly-comedy genre.
I've found the movie to be easily quotable, but most often forget Alan's monologue. The most popular quote I hear when I mention The Hangover: "Paging Dr. Faggot!" But Alan's monologue is an important turning point in the movie: it's the last time that we see the four men together in Vegas, before they wake up the next morning to find their villa trashed, a baby in the closet and a tiger in the bathroom.
Alan is easily the largest source of comic relief; he's an outsider that doesn't fit in perfectly with the bad-ass attitude of Bradley Cooper and the nerdy, submissive qualities of Ed Helms. He is invited to go along not as a friend, but as a brother-in-law, almost an afterthought or obligation.
But he tries to break into the circle of friendship he has been placed up against. We can laugh all we want at his awkward speech, but I think there's something there we can relate to. All of us have these moments trying to break into a group, whether it be a sports team, fraternity or sorority, larger group of friends or even a clique of some type. The moment where you try to convey, in the most sincere and least awkward way possible, your desire to be accepted into the crowd. It's surprising that Alan pulls out a knife, expecting the men to cut themselves and mix their blood together, but it's all for comedy.
We've all pulled out that knife in some form; extreme measures aren't often necessary to join groups, though there are plenty of exceptions. I've found that I've pulled out the knife and declared my love for groups all too often in my life: I've invested myself too soon, much like Alan has.
I did this often in high school, usually every year with a new group of friends. I had my two best friends that always stuck by me, but each year I found new friends that would float in and out of my life. Each time, I was certain that my group was finally the group I had been waiting for. It never was the case.
Like Alan, I wanted a "wolf pack," a concrete group of friends I could go to for support, that I could have sleepovers with, and eventually nights out on the town in Vegas. I think we all do. We all want to be accepted as part of a larger group. We all want to find the people that will eventually stand up in our weddings and will take retirement vacations with us. The acceptance factor never dies, no matter how old you are. It's innately human.
It's a nerve-wracking thing to try and break into a group like Alan does. He is so nervous that he spikes their drinks with roofies (the date rape drug), causing them all to do things they normally wouldn't have, and to have massive hangovers in the morning. We wouldn't have the movie without Alan, and eventually his mistake leads to his acceptance into the group.
Perhaps this is the Hollywood moment. Usually, a mistake doesn't help acceptance. I can remember many times where I tried being myself, did something silly and wasn't invited back. Friendships and social groups are tough things, but when you find the right one, it's a rewarding experience.
I'd like to think that I've found a good group of friends (finally!) in college. However, we aren't without our faults as a group. But, for the first time, I feel as though my friends somewhat replace whatever emotional support I get from my immediate family, making it feel as though we're "blood sisters."
Nothing could ever replace my real sister. No way. But, I have become so close to these women that I feel as though we function a lot like a family. What makes me feel similar to Alan is the fact that I joined this established group anew, and found myself trying to find a place to fit in. It was difficult, but with persistence and time, I meshed myself in quite well. So it can be done in real life. I promise.
So I make a toast to all of those people in our lives that we feel close to, our "blood brothers and sisters," whoever they may be. We may not be in Vegas looking for strippers and cocaine, but we're having some unforgettable moments that will hopefully last a lifetime.
Note: Photo from videogum.com, monologue from www.whysanity.net/monos.
