Action... Reaction. Causality?

Well, was it the best movie of 2005? If not, what was better? I have not seen every movie made during the year, but I saw a lot. I'm personally glad that it won the award, but I'd be interested in hearing some different opinions if they exist.

My main critique of this film is that it was not original enough. To me, the movie combines the style of Magnolia (intertwined storylines) with the message of American History X (Racial prejudice and baggage) to build the end result. So, although there was nothing I had never seen in this film, I still loved everything that I did see.

Although there were similarities which prevented Crash from being superb in its own right, there were enough differences to make it interesting and extremely powerful. A lot of movies that deal with race tend to lean towards the triumphant overcoming of these racial differences in a feel good, "Remember the Titans" sort of way. Crash acknowledged the differences and stereotypes in people, but didn't give people the easy way out. A few people commented that this left them feeling hopeless because we weren't given the answer in the end. I felt that this was the strongest part of the movie in the sense that they didn't give an incredibly difficult problem an over-simplified pallatable solution.

I want to thank everybody who came to Mind Over Media on Friday, it was great to see you all and I was encouraged by the discussion and interactions that went on. Thank you Jill for bringing the coffee, thank you Sprinkles for bringing the fudge oat bars, thank you mandy for bringing the snickerdoodle cookies, thank you benjie for providing the cherry covered cheesecake. So, what are some thoughts? Think with your fingers everybody, fingers on the keys and think. let's do it.

Are we in control of our reactions or do they happen automatically? Are they effected by our previous thoughts/experiences? Can we harness anger that is justified? Are we slaves to our emotions?

Ticking of Clocks

We've talked some about the concept of convenience over the past couple of months. I have mentioned that there is always a cost to something being convenient. I would like to dig a little deeper with you all on this, and see where it takes us.

So, is quality of the product the only thing that suffers when you make convenience a top priority? I'm sure we'd all agree that the "good things" that come to those who wait are the products themselves. So we pretty much understand the concept that something is most likely not as good if I get it faster and easier.

What else could suffer, other than the product itself? Is it possible that our character might take a blow? I would argue that there are certain virtues that run counter to things being convenient and easy. Patience is a pretty obvious one. If I never have to wait for the things that I want, do I develop a lot of patience? In my experience, the people who are the most impatient are the people who live a fast-paced, convenience driven lifestyle. They come into the coffee shop on their cell phone (of course attached to their ear, how convenient!!), sending emails with one hand and paying for the drink with the other. If something goes wrong and that person has to wait, you better believe they're not the most patient.

The people who live the most convenience driven lifestyles are often more bitter, and more stressed. This could be in part b/c all of their experiences are not as full as they could be, since they want to cram more in, so they end up feeling more empty.

So convenience stands in opposition to qualities that can grow your character into a person who will actually enjoy life and the people around you much more.

Mandy and I just got a puppy dog last week, and we're starting to train her. Of course puppies are patient naturally, right?? Obviously not, Mandy and I always have to hold her (Ivy) back until it's the right time, before we finally let her get what she wants. We try to teach her things b/c we know it's important for her to not feel she can always get her way, right away. The problem is, our culture doesn't keep this teaching going, it usually fosters the opposite mindset in us. If I have a coffee shop and you tell me that I could make tons more money by adding a drive-thru, b/c people want that convenience... would I say "No, make the public learn to be patient, that's better in the long run." I would of course take every advantage in getting more money without thought one for how this effects people's character.

Who's job is it to train us? It's certainly not McDonalds (or if it was, they're fired). Please share what you all are thinking when you read this stuff, I need to grow from your thoughts.

New Marlboro Man?

Most of you would be embarrassed to go into a respectable restaurant wearing a hat like this. My friends and I award prizes for stuff like this. This is my friend Bret at this past year's Crazy Hat Night, which happened to be the 10th year in a row that we've done this. Bret is not ashamed. He embraces the fact that most people will laugh at him and mock him. A lot of people spend their lives paralyzed by what others may or may not think.

How can we change the world when the world is forever changing us?

Here is a picture of my friend Sean, trying his hardest to change the world.



Total loser, right? Spent hours hot glueing plasticwear together to form a Crazy Hat, so he could look like an idiot in front of a bunch of normal people. Normal people who most likely will wonder to themselves... why would he do this?

It's not for breast cancer awareness. It's not for AIDS relief, or Children's Hospital, although those are obviously all great causes for action. This type of behavior is to raise awareness about ourselves. We need to be able to live our lives free from the bondage of hoping everybody will think we are cool.

It's good for us to do things occasionally that remind us that we aren't above being laughed at, or even looked down upon. It will grow our humility.

Do something that will make you look foolish on purpose. It might change the world.

Is it Worth it?

Mandy and I went to Chicago yesterday to see the musical "Wicked." It's based (rather loosely) on Gregory Maguire's book, same title. We really enjoyed ourselves, and we better have because we had to buy those tickets 6 months in advance. But as we sat there in the theatre, we realized a couple of things. First, that this was the first musical we'd been to together as a couple. We've probably been to over 100 concerts, seen several hundred films (some of them were musicals). Why don't we think to go to the theatre? It made us kind of sad, because there's something on the stage that is just so different than what is on the screen.

It touches on one of the root issues we have in our society when it comes to engaging art and culture... it seems like too much work. We literally centered our entire day around going. Sat in the car for a total of 3.5 hours, spent 25$ on parking, 160$ total for tickets, 50$ on all meals, 7$ on coffees. So it's hard in a different way than reading subtitles can be hard. It's hard to justify in our minds that this art is going to be worth all of this time and money.

The 2nd thing we realized was looking around this theatre, it is just astounding the kind of work that goes into them, architecturally speaking. You wouldn't have theatres like these popping up all over the place like you would a Starbucks.... because it's harder.

We seem to base so much of our lives around this concept of convenience. From the invention of the drinking straw to the drive-thru fast food to the Home Theatre. In our minds, we don't always question whether or not something being convenient is worth the price we have to pay. Most of us don't realize there's a serious cost.

So, why is convenience the "lord of our lives"? Why have we decided this is the criteria for a movement being positive or negative? If it makes our lives more convenient, why are we willing to look the other way at consequences?

Rennie's Landing (Aka Stealing Time)

Just thought I would drop this movie title in here to see if anyone has seen it, if not I would check it out.
Stealing Time or Rennie's Landing. Directed by Marc Fusco, he takes you in to the college days of 4 friends who suddenly reunite a year after graduation and then...... well guess you'll have to watch it to find out. Let me know what you thought, be honest. It stars Ethan Embry(Can't Hardly Wait), Peter Facinelli(Also Can't Hardly Wait), Scott Foley(Felicity), Charlotte Ayanna(Training Day).

Despite all my Rage

It's a million dollar shot, Nicolas Cage with a frosty spilled all over him. It's from the film "Weather Man" which Mandy and I just watched last night. This post isn't about the movie, I don't want to ruin it for anybody. All you need to know from me is that I liked it a lot.

This picture represents the new Nicolas Cage that has been reformed over the past several years. Starting with the film "Leaving Las Vegas," Cage has actually impressed me in lots of films, all characters with one thing in common... he's not cool. Raising Arizona, Matchstick Men and Adaptation are a few that you could look to.

The films in which he loses my respect are ones like Con Air, The Rock, Snake Eyes and Face Off. He's an action hero who women are attracted to, and who guys are supposed to think is cool. Trouble is, I'm just not buying it. And I hated him and his fake movies that tried to sell this image. This picture above is of the Nicolas Cage that is more accurate, more believable.

Another great example of an actor finding their darker side is Bill Murray. Notice the kind of films Murray was in during the 80's and early 90's (Caddyshack, Ghostbusters, Man who Knew Too Little). Then Wes Anderson gets ahold of him, and all of a sudden you've got films like Life Aquatic, Lost in Translation and Broken Flowers. His performances are brilliant.

The point is that in both cases the early movies made them famous, then they branch out and find their true niche with these movies that are more somber. I love to see it, I guess that's my main point here. So if you're a superstar actor reading this, don't make the "National Treasure" films that bring in the dough. Stick to playing washed up has beens b/c that's what I love seeing.