Matt Jones' Random Acts of Verbiage

This has been around a little while (thanks to Jae for first pointing it out to me and to Erin for reminding me about it): The Landlord w/ Will Ferrell and Adam McKay (and his two year old daughter). It is freaking hilarious! (There is some language, so your sensitive types should skip this one…)

Best line: Pearl – “I need to get my drink on.” Awesome. Definitely check out Ferrell’s Funny or Die, lots of good stuff.

Last Saturday when I met up with mom and Erin, we went to see Lady in the Water (which was much more difficult than I expected: it has only been out since July 21st and was only in one theater in Seattle!). [Warning: some minor spoilers ahead] I hadn’t read any reviews of the film before seeing it, but have enjoyed M. Night Shyamalan‘s work in the past. They only thing I heard about it was that it doesn’t have his characteristic twist at the end, I was okay with that. Now having seen the movie, I have been browsing the Rotten Tomatoes reviews of the film and see that this movie has, by and large, not received critical acclaim (both from “professional” and “amateur” critics alike). Their consensus: “A far-fetched story with little suspense.” I particularly enjoyed Entertainment Weekly’s comment that Lady is “Shyamalan’s most alienating and self-absorbed project to date.” What do I have to say to all of this? What a load of crap!

A good majority of moviegoers disagree with me, but, quite frankly, they are wrong. The tagline for this film is “A Bedtime Story” – this is a fairly tale, and a well told one at that. While the movie isn’t as creepy as his previous, there are definitely still elements of creep and suspense. Paul Giamatti did a superb job in the role of “Cleveland Heep”, a kind apartment manager who finds himself in the middle of a seemingly unreal fantasy. The rest of the ensemble cast did a great job moving the story along. Bryce Dallas Howard as the Lady played the mysterious “Story” perfectly. One of the critiques Shyamalan has received is that his insertion of himself as the hero and soon to be martyred writer was self-indulgent and egotistical. Well, maybe, but he did a good job of the acting. His appearance may not have been necessary, but most other directors are self-indulgent and egotistical, Shyamalan just happened to be on the screen this time.

Shyamalan also uses humor throughout the suspense that was not very traditional (but I really enjoyed it). It was unexpected but really reflected the humor of real life (that doesn’t always happen in funny situations). The jokes were also used to poke fun at critics (no wonder they didn’t like it!), life, and even itself. I also really enjoyed the cinematography (which has also received negative comments). The use of focus (and zoom to an extent) was very original I think. There would be moments where the frame was out of focus and the character(s) would would into or out of that focus plane as the scene called for. Most film makers would probably not want to keep the focus of the scene, as it were, out of focus for the amount of time that Shyamalan does, but I think it is done very well with the movements of the scenes. The use of the pool in the final scene was also very well done and allowed for an interesting visual of the climax.

The moral of the story? Believe in fairy tales! Heh. We are taught to seek after the things we are called to and to not hide from the past. Cleavland has to deal with his past and his “place” in life. In the end, we don’t know what happens. It is left up in the air. We don’t know what happens to any of the characters. I liked that. We aren’t told that things will all be easy now, we are told that these different people came together to support each other in who they are and who they are to become. We are left with hope.

One of my favorite moments [Warning: larger spoiler ahead]: The plan to save Story has not worked out, everything is failing. Someone notes that Story told them the universe would lead them down a path to salvation (essentially). At that exact moment we see the crowd parting and the camera slides down between them to reveal Story being carried down a path by the Scrunt. All the horrible things that have happened seemed to have gotten worse at that moment, but in reality it is the event that leads to salvation. Interesting. [/ End Spoiler]

My advice: go see the movie! Don’t listen to all the reviews. It is a bedtime story, treat it as such and enjoy the story telling.

Resources:
Official Site
IMDB
Rotten Tomatoes reviews
Wikipedia
Powell’s Books – Lady in the Water: A Bedtime Story the movie
Powell’s Books – Lady in the Water: A Bedtime Story the book

Cleveland Heep: H-how was your movie?

Harry Farber: It sucked.

Cleveland Heep: Oh..

Harry Farber: Just another piece of crap movie in which the two protagonists finally confess their feelings for each other in an ending scene outside during a thunderstorm. Why is it that people in movies like to stand around and talk in the rain?

Why didn’t someone hit me over the head and drag me to see Crash? I remember thinking that the film looked interesting and that I should probably see it. I never did. Until tonight. I was blown. a. way. What a powerful and emotional film.

I had no idea what it was about coming in and when the issue of race came up my first reaction was something along the lines of “oh great, more stereotypical images about race and racism.” I was shutup pretty quickly. This Oscar deserving (and winning) work delved into people, their relationships and the complex connections between them. The ensemble cast did wonderfully in their truthful portrayal of those dealing with tough situations. Each story managed to deepen the message that none of us are devoid of prejudices, whether our own or others’. One of the taglines says things very well:

It’s the sense of touch. In any real city, you walk, you know? You brush past people, people bump into you. In L.A., nobody touches you. We’re always behind this metal and glass. I think we miss that touch so much, that we crash into each other, just so we can feel something.

True for just L.A.?

I’m not really going to say much else about this film. I hightly recommend it to everyone. Relationships are difficult and we are all affected by race in one way or another. This film crashes head on with that in a brutally honest (and difficult) way. As a side, I appreciated that there was no one star. Everyone had their role, and filled it well. Mad props to Paul Haggis.

Jean: Do you want to hear something funny?
Maria: What’s that Mrs. Jean?
Jean: You’re the best friend I’ve got.

I finally watched Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind again tonight and really enjoyed it. It is a well made and, I think, original look at relationships, bad relationships specifically. Everyone has had them, everyone wants to forget them sometimes. The beauty of this film is that it doesn’t try to ignore that or cover it up, but deals with it in a very interesting way. Most movies seem to glorify relationships: either everything is (nearly) perfect or if not, you simply end the relationship. That is not reality, in reality, relationships are difficult (and this doesn’t necessarily only pertain to romantic relationships) and we have to work through those difficulties. While both Jim Carrey’s and Kate Winslet’s characters choose (somewhat impulsively) to have the memories of each other and their relationship erased, Carrey realizes that he doesn’t want to lose those memories, even if they are painful. At one point, when he start to realize what is happening Carrey says:

Please let me keep this memory, just this one.

That moment is one of my favorites. It is the realization that while relationships can suck, they are worth holding onto. That doesn’t mean the hurt isn’t there and that there aren’t going to be relationships that need to be ended, but it means that all relationships are worth remembering and learning from.

My belief is that relationships and love were not meant to be terminated. The Fall has brought in brokenness to relationship and hurt follows. We have to keep going though. And it is worth it. One of the final scenes ends with this exchange:

Clementine: I’m not perfect.

Joel: I can’t see anything that I don’t like about you…

C: But you will…

J: Right now I can’t…

C: You will think of things and I will get bored with you and feel trapped cause that’s what happens with me.

J: [pause] …Okay

C: [pause] Okay

Good moment. Relationships are worth it, don’t forget that!

I will leave you with a portion of Alexander Pope’s Eloisa to Abelard

How happy is the blameless vestal’s lot!
The world forgetting, by the world forgot.
Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind!
Each pray’r accepted, and each wish resign’d;
Labour and rest, that equal periods keep;
“Obedient slumbers that can wake and weep;”
Desires compos’d, affections ever ev’n,
Tears that delight, and sighs that waft to Heav’n.
Grace shines around her with serenest beams,
And whisp’ring angels prompt her golden dreams.
For her th’ unfading rose of Eden blooms,
And wings of seraphs shed divine perfumes,
For her the Spouse prepares the bridal ring,
For her white virgins hymeneals sing,
To sounds of heav’nly harps she dies away,
And melts in visions of eternal day.

God Bless
-Matt Jones

As seems to be the theme for this term, I ventred south of the border again to hook up with some friends to see the opening of Clive‘s The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe at Cinerama last night. There have been numerous reviews and discussion of the movie, so I will only offer a few brief comments. Amazing. Really. I don’t think I could have been happier. Andrew Adamson vowed to do justice to Clive’s original and I must say he succeeded wonderfully. The battle scenes were extended somewhat, but its a big epic movie, it is only natural, I don’t think it hurt the book at all (plus I enjoy big battle scenes… did anyone happen to see Return of the King?). I also don’t think they played down the allusions to Christianity at all. I was worried that one of my favorite quotes had been cut, but they got it in (with slightly different wording, but the just of it was there):

“Is he – quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.” [said Susan about Aslan]

“…if there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than most or else justsilly..” [said Mrs. Beaver]

“Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy.

“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

Two more of my favorite quotes from the book that the movie grabbed as well:

Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight,
At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more,
When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death,
And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again.

And

The rising of the sun has made everything look so different – all colors and shadows were changed – that for a moment they didn’t see the important thing. Then they did. The Stone Table was broken into two pieces by a great crack that ran down it from end to end; and there was no Aslan

And He was back! Now, if we can get people to read the Bible as well…

Since the lines were not nearly as long as those for King, Erin and I almost went to see another movie while we waited, but thought better of it. We waited for about four hours in the freezing cold and it was totally worth it. Although we were first in line but when we got inside there were people in the “prime” seats that we wanted… that was pretty shady if you ask me. Got to hang out with Chad and Meghan and Leann and Marcie (I still really do like her too much I think… I know Jae, leave me alone!) so that is always fun times!

GO SEE NARNIA!! Three or four times. Now!

-Matt Jones

This weekend was, of course, the opening of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire so I made the trek down to Seattle (who care about papers?) to catch the flick at the IMAX with some good friends. I really enjoyed the movie. Of course the left much out of the book but did well for the amount of time they had. The graveyard scene was one of my favorites in the book and I do wish they had done a bit more there. Much of the evening was spent in line just hanging out and I did appreciate Dan trying to put the moves on Stacey (his wife).

Dan being smooth.

And here are a few more pictures of us waiting in line (click an image for larger version and the gallery):

Fun times! Next comes Narnia!! I am really excited for that one! I also got to see my aunts today for lunch so that was cool because I hadn’t seen them in quite a while. Good weekend… not so much in the homework sense… but there is more to life than reading and writing, right? Right? Oh, and Erin told me about the Harry Potter Lexicon, by and for people with too much time on their hands. It is actually a really helpful site to help keep all the Potter stuff straight. Check it out.

-Matt Jones

I don’t intend the title to be flippant, much respect is given to the Star Trek actor who died yesterday at 85. James Doohan was born on March 3, 1920 and died July 21, 2005 at his home in nearby Redmond, WA with his wife at his side. “Scotty” was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and will have his ashes blased into space (as was done with Trek creator Roddenberry).

Wil Wheaton offered this:

Everyone who watched Star Trek liked Scotty, but everyone who met him loved Jimmy

Doohan has a very interesting biography, to read up, head over here, here, and here.

Farewell and thanks for holding the ship together.

Shalom
Ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν.

Go. See. It.

It was dark, nice and dark, just like the original. Well done.