Movie Review+Redux

Bestest thing about weekends?

Rock Band with all your friends
plus
Movies with someone you love watching movies with
plus
Boomer's Milkshakes
plus
Not reading that book for class even though you know you should
plus
Care package of food from grandparents so you don't starve to death during finals
plus
Sleeping FOREVER.

I won't go into RB details since most of you were there, but I thought I'd talk about some of the movies I watched, and include a bit of a re-review. A review squared? Whatev.

First there was Valkyrie. As most of you know (or don't), Mr.Cruise is not a fave of mine. I like, maybe...movies of his (let's see, Legend, Top Gun, A Few Good Men, oh and Last Samurai, so four) and was hoping for wowage this time around.
To be honest, wowage did not happen. Not that he didn't do a fine job but with the eyepatch, there needed to be more compensation in voice and facial expressions.

I suppose the best thing about this movie is how fast it is, at least from my perspective. It almost goes too fast, leaving not a lot of development. There was certainly a feeling that more could have been done, but at least it didn't drag.

EVERYONE was in this movie. I was constantly going 'Wait, that guy is in this too?'
It was somewhat gratifying to see Bill Nighy as someone who is NOT in control of the situation, he played off the nervousness quite well. Kenneth Branaugh was, as expected, quite good, I wish he'd been in more of the movie.

Though I'm sure some may find it difficult o accept this movie about Germans when there is only one German actor in the whole thing, I submit that they set up suspension of disbelief quite early and in what I felt was an extremely artistic way, so that it never really bothered me (and this is one of those things that usually aggravates me). The only real problem with this movie is many many times you felt that this scene was going to be one of those BIG DEALS, where Hitler was going to give this brilliant soliloquy or there was going to be an emotionally charged moment...and then that just didn't happen. So it wasn't so much that it was bad, it just felt like there was a lot of unfulfilled potential. /is trying hard not to make a Bryan Singer/X-Men joke

In conclusion: This movie is a good rental, definitely worth seeing once, though on one of those quiet days.

Immediately after, there was Frost/Nixon. Talk about flipping the coin, this movie was nothing BUT BIG DEAL moments, with a little bit of dragging. Nixon was brilliant, he stole every scene. The movie is a mix of documentary and classic cinema, which gives a definite story-focus. The downside was that in some ways, it felt very chopped together, it didn't have a nice smooth flow. The script was great, however, and there is a monologue by Nixon that will leave you going "...k..." with very wide eyes.
Michael Sheen as Frost probably did an accurate representation but between the two, it was obvious Nixon walked all over him, which unfortunately made Frost-in-the-movie seem like a weak acting job, when really that was how it actually went.

So if you're interested in history, journalism or politics, this is another good one-time rental. If not, you'll probably not get too much out of it.

And finally, another look at Star Trek. I'm really happy that from what I've seen, The Internet has reacted favorably. Even people who were not so into the canon change admitted that it was a good movie and they enjoyed it. I was a bit surprised it got bumped from number one at the box office so quickly, because there's so much rewatchability (speaking of which, still open to seeing it again :D). This time, I tried to focus on some technical aspects over content, which was my focus last time.

I was really blown away by the music. Besides having the greatest use of a Beastie Boys song ever, the whole soundtrack is just really solid, epic in some places, delicate in others. Any fan of John Williams will tell you that Sci-Fi movies offer the greatest opportunities for composers because you just don't have many other conduits to do really uplifting, big band, classic orchestra numbers.

Little tidbits, homages to other films (I promise there is a Star Wars reference in there) stuck out more as well, and I walked away more impressed with Spock, Bones and Uhura. Sadly, Kirk is still the weakest character for me, but he had to do a lot in not-a-lot-of-time, and I am more than willing to extend the benefit of the doubt to any subsequent sequels.

Like I said, some people didn't like the canon change, but there is one scene that to me acts like a giant disclaimer. They literally say: Our destiny has changed, things aren't going to be like they could have been (IE, the way the show was)and we don't know what will happen. Yes, as a long time fan, this can be really disconcerting but remember what it is that people REALLY like about the series: The characters. THOSE don't change. Yeah, Kirk and Spock didn't get along in this movie, but it made total sense in context and it was clear that the relationship would be built up. Other than that, and a few other dynamics being a little bit different, everything you liked about the old characters are here, just in a new situation.
To me, that is better than if they'd kept the STORY but changed the characters, and I think the fans would have responded way differently.
Now of course, the challenge is to maintain the inertia, bring us something else that's epic, while maintaining the intimate character dynamics, especially in our jaded consumer market.
I realized I had a problem with the trailer for Transformers 2, complete with Michael Bay explosions was shrug worthy. A few years ago, I would have been blown away, and now, it's passe'. So, Mr.Abrams...feel free to wow us some more.

Juggalugging!

Editor's Note: This post is even more rambly than usual. If you're not interested in some serious stream of consciousness then come back later when I have a more solid topic.

Greetings, Fellow Philosophers!
It's been a long time since I posted, and now I have like three different topics in mind, so I'm trying to take it one at a time.

I'm really happy because I have very little homework due this week, which is great, because I didn't do jack useful over the weekend. ^.^ This hopefully means that I will a) Get more gaming in, b) get more drawing in and c) catch up on some readings.

More good news! I had a great time with my family while they were here and I was so glad that my family and friends got along so well.

The real reason I'm writing this post, besides a brief update for those I haven't talked to recently, is to discuss a highlight of the weekend: The Freakshowcomic Photoshoot.

My good friend, Lily and I were modeling for a website that her boyfriend runs, basically trying to get his business off the ground. The characters we were portraying count as "Jugalettes", that is clowns or jesters as conceptualized by Insane Clown Posse. Now, I'm not really into rap music of any type, and though I've listened to a couple songs, ICP doesn't do a whole lot for me, but it's been the inspiration of a lot of the Freakshow stuff, so I'm rolling with it.
The pictures came out incredibly well and we had a ton of fun, but it did bring up a few philosophical questions, especially in the 'Us' versus 'Almost everyone else" variety.

Not just anyone would paint their face up like a clown, go outside with a Jesters hat on and be goofy for the sake of a photo op. Wearing that makeup home to your Mundane housemates takes even more courage and it's to Lily's credit that she is so fearless.

Apparently, after one of the few times I went to her apartment, her housemates (who I swear, are drones) said to her: "Your friend is so completely different from you.", which pissed her off because 1) it's incredibly judgemental with no real basis, and 2) it's so incredibly WRONG.

Lily and I aren't all that different, we're just opposite sides of the same page.

So this post is for her and all the reasons I love her and all the ways we're the same and we click and we're different and complete each other.

1) We're both heavily into symbolism. For her, that manifests itself into antique keys, lighthouses and little hatchetmen. For me, that involves a lot of wings and crosses. We don't just wear things whether it's accessories or clothes, without there being some meaning behind it. This means that she is incredibly feminine and graceful with earth tones and a lot of white and blue. Sort of a mix between the classic poet type and a flower-child (without the pot). I'm just really spikey :P.
2) We have a lot of the same interests, especially in writing and history.
3) We both have a 'dare you to challenge me' attitude which is what this photoshoot and the ensuing events really exemplified. Her character's name is Jester A, and like I said, is painted up like a clown. My character is kind of the 'token goth chick' Lotus C, but despite the fact that we're diametric opposites when it comes to color schemes and style, the basis is the same. It's that 'march to your own beat' mentality that lots of anti-establishment emos would like to claim despite their commodified hot-topic conformity. And wow, did that sound vain. I think a big part of these characters personalities though is that they don't care what other people think of them.

This is something I wish more people had: Comfort with themselves. Be alright with who you are. more people end up self-destructive and all around hateful because of a dissonance within themselves. Lily knows who she is, and isn't afraid to let you know who that is too.
That takes strength because to let someone know something is to let them judge it (unless you're her housemates where you judge anyway). And not many people think past the surface. They aren't interested in the Why's, which is probably why history is such an unpopular subject.

So what I think my point is, I had a lot of fun yesterday because it gave me a new respect for people who, though not vain, are proud of who they are or at least so comfortable with it that they can go outside the norm to display it.

Oh, here's a pic of our characters, hopefully, the artist Freaky B is cool with me showing you.


I'll be posting a political post and a historiography post soon, either later today or tomorrow. Thanks for listening to me ramble. I know there wasn't a whole lot of 'thesis statement' going on here, I kind of forgot what I was trying to write about at the time I started, but I think you picked up on the moral of the story.

Go read some of my fellow philosophers blogs, they have some good stuff there.

~C

A glance back into the dark forest of memory...

2008. Nearing an end, eh? As with all years, feelings are mixed, topped by a jaded 'Meh, whatev' attitude born of having seen a few years now ;) (oh don't I sound all old and wise /eyeroll).

So here's a bit of a review of my life over this year (what I'm doing instead of writing a Christmas letter too).

Favorite album: The Scarecrow-Avantasia (came out in 2007, but it was the most played album of mine this year)
Favorite song: Vampire Heart-HIM
You can't escape the wrath of my heart
Beating to your funeral song (You're so alone)
All faith is lost for hell regained
And love dust in the hands of shame (Just be brave)

Let me bleed you this song of my heart deformed
And lead you along this path in the dark
Where I belong 'till I feel your warmth

Hold me
Like you held on to life
When all fears came alive and entombed me
Love me
Like you love the sun
Scorching the blood in my vampire heart

I'll be the thorns on every rose
You've been sent by hope (You'll grow cold)
I am the nightmare waking you up
From the dream of a dream of love (Just like before)

Let me weep you this poem as Heaven's gates close
Paint you my soul, scarred and alone
Waiting for your kiss to take me back home

Hold me
Like you held on to life
When all fears came alive and entombed me
Love me
Like you love the sun
Scorching the blood in my vampire heart
(Don't freak out, it's just a cool song)

Favorite discovered artists: Ayreon, Within Temptation (hadn't listened that much before), Disturbed
Favorite new game: Eternal Sonata (RPG, PS3)
Favorite Movie seen in theatres: I know everyone expects Dark Knight, and it was cool, but it didn't do as much for me in theatre as I thought it would. I think I enjoyed Iron Man more.
Favorite anime: Still Bleach. Favorite anime finished this year? <.<....Um...I liked Claymore, I'm currently enjoying Blood+.
Favorite re-found show: X-Files (watched like five seasons in Taiwan, I'm not even kidding)
Favorite book series: The Sandman series, Neil Gaiman
Favorite "real" (pfft) book series: Heroes in Hell

~~~~

School:
For those who have been spared my ranting...I was 'let go' of by the Woodring College of Education at Western. Kicked out, as it were. Failed...the whole year, essentially. My first year at the university and...it felt like a lifetime. The stress caused by the last quarter shot white streaks through my hair. I wish I was exxagerating.

SO...that required a new plan. The old plan was as follows:
Get a Sped/Eled degree (dual endorsement)
Teach for a few years
Go back to school adn get a History endorsement for Middle/high school.

Well...that isn't going to happen now.

New Plan:
Get History teaching endorsement
If I'm not totally broke and in debt and dying: Get SPED endorsement
NEVER TEACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Teach Middle/High School
Live for several years in debt

It's not ideal but I'm not giving up. If that doesn't work, I can always go to Asia and teach English as a second language.
So last quarter (fall, 2008) I did pretty decent, so one more really good quarter should get my GPA salvaged from the grossness of last year. I'm really enjoying studying History, my teachers like me, I write solid papers and I love what I'm learning. It's probably frustrating for those around me to listen to me always blabbing to them what new story I've learned but /shrug It's exciting to me.

WORK:
Like last year, I work at one of the dining halls at school. I applied to be a Student Manager and should have gotten the job but the shift they needed covered would have interfered with me being in class. So I couldn't take it and it was given to someone less qualified. I don't really mind because since we lost our Unit Manager (think the Manager's Manager), the SM's have been screwed by the brass. They are disrespected, overworked and practically emotionally abused. That's mess I don't need, and besides, half of everyone defers to me now anyway, so I'm like a manager without the uniform. I actually end up training the managers on how to run Pizzarette because it's almost officially my domain.
I love my job, I love most people I work with and I love talking to the customers. The head manager seems to really like me, which worked in my favor because I'm getting a raise next quarter. They're hiring another student manager from outside our work, and I'm not going to pursue it, because I feel it was unfair of them to offer if they couldn't deliver.
So next quarter, I'll work two late night Pizza shifts. I love pizza because 1) I don't serve people food so I don't have to ration, 2) I'm good at it, 3) I get to listen to whatever music I want. Late night goes from 9-1 (or whenever we get out), which will only suck for the thursday night one (where I make cheesybread) because I have to get up early friday morning. I also work Pizza friday night dinner, because they need good people working dinners. And finally, I work a grill shift early saturday. I do that because they need the help and I need the money.

FAMILY:
As you can imagine, with as busy as I am with work and school, I don't do a lot with my family. It was wonderful seeing them for my 21st birthday and everytime I've visited them, but I don't get to be there often, which is pretty tough.

FRIENDS:
My friends are wonderful and I'd be lost without them. I'm going to mix this section with the 'event' section because so much of what I did involved them:
I spent a large portion of the year with the Andrews, Lee and Patry. Andrew Lee is my friend at school, he helped me through a lot of stuff there, even though he had all the same difficulties with the education department I did. I spent more time at his house in the last quarter than I did mine. We watched a lot of movies (Power Rangers, ftw), made fun of our friend Mike a lot. Made fun of a lot of stuff actually. There were times where our only therapy was ranting at each other and just generally being full of hate, getting over it and gaming. Obviously, other Andrew is my boyfriend who I didn't get to see enough of, but now we live in the same house so I suppose that makes up for it.
Jen, Andrew Ridd, Chandler, Geoff, Jeff, Dylan, Leah, Mike, Kelly, and all my other good friends were also really important to me and I'm glad we all kept in such good touch no matter how far I got.

EVENTS!
Games~ Played a lot of Rock Band and Guitar hero. I don't care if you think I should play the real instrument, that opportunity was never given to me. This is as close as I'm ever going to get. So get over your musical eliticism, because I don't care.
I rock at the drums. I still play on medium most of the time because that's the most enjoyable setting but I hold my own in Hard. Motorhead kills me though. It just is really tiring.
I love the character creation, you'd know my character (named November) as soon as you saw her. The blue hair and corset would probably help.
So we do that a lot, I can also play the guitar, but I enjoy being a drummer the most. I think it's an attitude thing.
The game that saved me last year was Shin Megami Tense: Digital Devil Saga 1 and 2. Thank you, Mr.Lee for letting me borrow it because it helped a lot. I'm looking forward to playing Persona 3 and 4 when I have time. Atlus has pretty much taken over my RPG experience, except for Eternal Sonata.
Oh yeah, I got a PS3! It's amazing, angels sing when I turn it on, etc. We also got a big tv, so I <3 movie parties in my rec room.
On another note, I still play WoW. I finally hit 70 with my main, took freaking forever. But that's cause I have WoWADD, and have like fourteen characters. Whenever a friend starts playing, I make a new char to play with them. All of my characters are female, most are Blood Elves, though I have a few Undead and two trolls. Even a tauren. Screw orcs. I also have a Death Knight, who is my first inherently evil character. I'm not even kidding, she is such a bitch. Oh, in case that didn't quite make sense, I make up stories for all of my characters, despite the fact that most of them are on a PVP server where it doesn't matter. I've now played every class but Druid and Shaman. I like Mages a lot, but I also love hitting things.

TAIWAN:
So I actually left the country this year. It was a really significant experience for me, and one I needed. I grew up as a person, realized some things about myself and got some perspective on life. Mostly that crap happens, and the only way to grow is to get over it, learn from it and move on. It's not the end of the flippin' world and life doesn't wait for you to sort your crap out.
Anyway, I did a lot of stuff in Taiwan, I taught, I prepared, I worked, I learned, I laughed, I SANG, I did tribal dances...it was stuffed.

The Concert~
So my friend Geoff, bless his heart, got us tickets to see Amanda Palmer in concert at the Showbox in Seattle. She's half of the Dresden Dolls for those who don't know. The name of her 'genre' is 'Punk Cabaret', it's very theatrical, and I find it enjoyable. The whole experience was just shot full of awesome and it was definitely a highlight of the year.

HOUSE~
This was the first year I lived away from home. At first I lived in dorms at school. But...that was not a fun scene, so I went another direction.
As you may or may not know I live with 5 other people. Well, four now. We lost one, and that's been fun trying to deal with. But I love my housemates, we haven't had many serious problems. A couple of conversations about personal preferences and whatnot, but nothing ugly. So, as long as rent isn't too sucky, my home situation is pretty nifty. I have a nice rec room, a desk, a bureau, all the necessities.
It really helps living with Andrew, and storing most of my stuff in his room (which is wayyy bigger than mine), and he's a huge support. Plus he buys me food.

B-Day:
Being 21 isn't much different than being 20 other than being able to actually walk into liquor stores and laugh at people (I don't really laugh on the outside). And feel less guilty if someone offers me something. Don't get me wrong, I'm not getting slagged anytime soon, but the fear is definitely gone.

~~~~~~~~~~~

So what's my life?
I study hard, I work hard. I play video games and WoW. I watch comic book and action movies, read webcomics and graphic novels, love anime and would be lost without my friends and family.