Wow!!!!!! No this is not a post about the Saints winning the Superbowl. I attended 2001 A Space Odyssey, Star Wars (the real first one in 1977), all the Lord of the Rings movies, and they were movies that had a tremendous impact on the industry. The viewing public too. Earlier today I attended a movie in Corinth, Ms., at the Malco Theater. I refuse to watch any movie in the Cinemark in Tupelo. It's downright nasty. We also have a Malco and I've been there several times. It's not nasty. I still think the one in Corinth is the best. Anyway, got off on a tangent.
James Cameron was born in Canada and made a living driving a truck. His family moved to California and Cameron developed an interest in moviedom. He's had many hits that were blockbusters and is rumored to be hot tempered and hard on cast and crew members. That aside, he has changed movie making and viewing forever. Don't believe me? Go see Avatar in RealD 3D. After sitting for 2 hrs 40 mins we walked out of the theater in awe of what we had just experienced. This is not some cheesy 3D film from the '50s, but a major innovation in movie making. You will truly want to reach out and try to touch things. The plot is good, the pace is exciting, the acting is brilliant and the special effects don't seem like trickery on camera. They seem to be genuine.
If this movie doesn't win major Academy Awards then the Hollywood hafwits that vote should be put on a rocket and shot into the moon. This is by far the best movie going experience to date. It is now my all time favorite movie. Go see it before it leaves the RealD 3D theaters.
"The Possible's slow fuse is lit By the Imagination." ~Emily Dickinson
Rarely, do I get to read for pleasure nowadays. Am still reading a Jimmy Buffett book that was received Christmas 2006. Reading is one the great joys of life. Calming, stimulating, mind expanding and books demand no harsh time schedule. Dreamed last night of being on campus and defending the terseness of Hemingway's writing style. Also defended Thomas Wolfe's right to be verbose. My conscious mind does not remember this event, so it may be something I wanted to say in class. Even the dream was a nice distraction from the ever so important tech manuals that are now front and center.
Early in life I developed a love of things science. Best I can remember it was probably stimulated by reading the monthly issues of Boys Life, the Boy Scouts of America magazine. They were "hand-me-downs." I do know the story was serialized. It was by Robert Heinlein. Might have been a tale named The Rolling Stones. So I was off and running at an early age and remember many exciting events concerning earth's real adventures in outer space. I devoured the article in the newspaper about Sputnik's launch. We were visiting a relative in Burnsville as this event took place and it was a hot topic of discussion. I sat and listened to opinions, some favorable and others not. Remember, the cold war was in full swing at that time. When Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon July 20, 1969, I was so proud. In Vietnam at the time and wrote excitedly to Mother about it and told her how cool it was that this event occurred on her birthday! That was in the days of snail mail.
Why all this nostalgia? One of my all time favorite movies is being remade. Can't recollect how many hundreds of times it's been viewed, but it never grows old. The title? The Day the Earth Stood Still. The remake is scheduled out during Christmas holidays. Take a look at the original trailer:
Now here is a preview of the new version due to hit the big screen this coming December:
Unlike a lot of people I like Keanu Reeves and he may be a perfect choice to play Klaatu. I hope so. This is an enormous undertaking. It is brave to remake a great classic of science fiction films. Think about it. This is akin to remaking 2001: A Space Odyssey!
Why the segue to the movies? I actually read the short story from which this movie script was written. The title of the story is Farewell to the Master by Henry Bates. The written story is quite different from the movie (I like the movie better). BTW, the robot Gort had the name Gnut in the short story (I like Gort better). You can read the entire story on the web at The Nostalgia League. If you are a fan of the movie the original story will surprise you. It's not a great read, but it is good and short.
Technology, what a wonderful concept. You think? "Klaatu has been killed, you must save him." ~Literal translation of "Klaatu barada nikto."
Oh yes! Come May 22nd my butt will be in a theater to see this movie. Wow! Now if they can just work out the problems with The Hobbit.
Gosh, popcorn and one of my favorite all time movie series! Just a big kid here. Come on May 22nd!!
"A good film is when the price of the dinner, the theatre admission and the babysitter were worth it." ~Alfred Hitchcock
I'll be in the theater for this film. What more can I say about C.S. Lewis? An exemplary Christian, awesome writer, great friend of J.R.R. Tolkien, humanitarian, loving husband and brother all describe Clive Staples Lewis. These 7 books, The Chronicles of Narnia, are awesome. Age does not matter. You'll never be too old to appreciate the beauty of the written word inspired by the Most High. Wow! This is a movie to anticipate! Take the kids! Take your grandparents! "Humans are amphibians - half spirit and half animal. As spirits they belong to the eternal world, but as animals they inhabit time." ~C. S. Lewis
HAPPY BIRTHDAY VERDANA! EDIT NOTE: Trailer changed from Disney to a youtube likeness to avoid the autoplay feature,
This clip is from the movie Inventing the Abbotts. Never seen the movie, but must have listened to this song at least a thousand times. I will go to the local movie rental place and check it out. The lyrics are today's quote.
(Looking For) The Heart of Saturday Night
Well you gassed her up Behind the wheel With your arm around your sweet one In your Oldsmobile Barrelin' down the boulevard You're looking for the heart of Saturday night
And you got paid on Friday And your pockets are jinglin' And you see the lights You get all tinglin' cause you're cruisin' with a 6 And you're looking for the heart of Saturday night
Then you comb your hair Shave your face Tryin' to wipe out ev'ry trace All the other days In the week you know that this'll be the Saturday You're reachin' your peak
Stoppin' on the red Goin' on the green 'Cause tonight'll be like nothin' You've ever seen And you're barrelin' down the boulevard Lookin' for the heart of Saturday night
Tell me is the crack of the poolballs, neon buzzin? Telephone's ringin'; it's your second cousin Is it the barmaid that's smilin' from the corner of her eye? Magic of the melancholy tear in your eye.
Makes it kind of quiver down in the core 'Cause you're dreamin' of them Saturdays that came before And now you're stumblin' You're stumblin' onto the heart of Saturday night
Well you gassed her up And you're behind the wheel With your arm around your sweet one In your Oldsmobile Barrellin' down the boulevard, You're lookin' for the heart of Saturday night
Is the crack of the poolballs, neon buzzin? Telephone's ringin'; it's your second cousin And the barmaid is smilin' from the corner of her eye Magic of the melancholy tear in your eye.
Makes it kind of special down in the core And you're dreamin' of them Saturdays that came before It's found you stumblin' Stumblin' onto the heart of Saturday night And you're stumblin' Stumblin onto the heart of Saturday night ~Tom Waits
Being ill makes me do strange things like watch movies, read books, sleep, wear comfortable clothes, eat healthy food, and rest in general. Well, this morning I caught a movie on IFC that was outstanding. A Love Song for Bobby Long is different. The majority of the movie is set in New Orleans and the actors have embraced decent southern accents, attitudes and actions. This is not for children. Adult themes and language should keep the kids away. It is moving and the actors are very good. Scarlett Johannson is so pretty and really nails her part. John Travolta is a surprise and does a tremendous job. I've known these people. As a matter of fact some of them are still around. Yankees probably won't like this film. IMDB has all the info and rating is 7.2 out of 10. I think it's better than that.
Time to gear up for a methodical, non hurried day. Sometimes it's good to remember that life, at its best, is casual. "Fiction reveals truths that reality obscures." ~Jessamyn West
Watched a very good movie last night. The title is Big Fish. This one is hard to describe so I stole a comment from IMDB that is linked by the title. It is by Low Man from Lafayette, IN.
What do you say about this movie?
I am at a total loss to describe it. The concept itself, a son tries to come to terms with his dying father that he knows nothing about but an enormous catalog of unbelievable stories, doesn't sound very promising. It sounds like a tired old formula, and I expected such when the rental started playing
It's not.
Werewolves, giants, witches, siamese twins, bank robbers, hidden cities, sirens, etc. are all present in the fantasy, but they seem unremarkably to be part of the life of an otherwise ordinary traveling salesman. Whether they really are or not is never made completely clear, but that's the rub.
I once read a review by Harlan Ellison in which the main point was how a well told lie illuminates the truth in far better clarity than a simple recitation of the facts ever can. At one point in the film, the questing son remarks to his bed-ridden father that he's heard all of his stories thousands of times, and he has know idea who his father really is. The father's reply is, `I've never been anybody but me from the day I was born. If you don't know who I am, that's your failing, not mine.' Later investigations make the point clearer. I'll bet Ellison loved this movie. It is an extraordinary lie.
Did I like the film? You bet. It's Tim Burton's best work without a doubt. Is it for everybody? Probably not. Many will find it confusing and pointless, but good fantasy is like that. All I can say is, relax and let it happen. You won't regret it.
How did I miss this movie? It came out in 2003. Well, just glad I ran across it. Check it out. "To send light into the darkness of men's hearts - such is the duty of the artist." ~Schumann
Shrek III is making box office news and is expected to set records. The reviews are good. You can read an article about Johnny Depp and Keith Richards "Pirate3" adventures over at RollingStone. You might be able to watch a trailer of the Fantastic Four/Silver Surfer movie here after an annoying ad. A plugin may be needed for Windows Media Player if you use Firefox. This was unstable, but I think that was due to a Windows Vista issue. Try it and let me know.
Now it's time to research why the media player in Vista is flickering like a 60s strobe light. Have a swell Sunday. "Why should people go out and pay money to see bad films when they can stay home and see bad television for nothing?" ~Samuel Goldwyn
James Cameron was born in Canada and made a living driving a truck. His family moved to California and Cameron developed an interest in moviedom. He's had many hits that were blockbusters and is rumored to be hot tempered and hard on cast and crew members. That aside, he has changed movie making and viewing forever. Don't believe me? Go see Avatar in RealD 3D. After sitting for 2 hrs 40 mins we walked out of the theater in awe of what we had just experienced. This is not some cheesy 3D film from the '50s, but a major innovation in movie making. You will truly want to reach out and try to touch things. The plot is good, the pace is exciting, the acting is brilliant and the special effects don't seem like trickery on camera. They seem to be genuine.
