public libraries

don't you just love how you can check out movies for free at public libraries? literally (and I use literally in every true sense of the word, thank you gay steamroller) you can take movies from the physical library building to wherever it is that you happen to dwell, put the movie film into the player of your choice, and voila, FREE. MOVIE. this simple fact, if for no other reason, speaks to the enduring qualities our public libraries still poses, but which many people refuse to acknowledge.

i know you are asking yourself silently (or out loud) "My dear friend, what filmic wonder did the Monroe County Public Library bestow on you this fine day?" So glad you asked! Last evening, after going through the tricky process of placing a request for this film from another library (read: pressing a button), I checked out Muriel's Wedding. The film follows Muriel, played by the love of my life and yours, Toni Collette, as she is clumsily figuring out how to live authentically in her post adolescent, early twenties, slightly overweight body. After stealing a few thousand Australian (dollars? pounds? looneys?) from her parents, Muriel steals away to a tropical Australian isle, where she begins to make all of her dreams come true.

Nearly every review I had read about this movie lavished it with praises, calling it the single most hilarious movie of 1994. While the movie is quite funny, and more than once I laughed out loud at the sight of Muriel singing or dancing to any number of ABBA songs, the film also has a pretty severe dark side. Muriel, and the people she shares her life with, struggle with situations and issues that resonated realistically with the viewer. Not only do we love Muriel because she is funny, hopeless and full of life at the same time, we love her because she is real. Muriel has an authenticity of person and an overabundance of spirit that lesser characters in lesser movies strive for but seldom achieve.

Toni Collete and The Finish indeed.

Hurt/Avatar

First, read this article, written by one Lea Goldman with Marie Claire magazine: Hurt/Avatar.

Second, read my rant.

Goldman asserts that Kathryn Bigelow, director best picture front runner The Hurt Locker should not win the oscar for best director. Why, do you ask? Because it only grossed roughly 16 million dollars. Mere chump change when compared to the absurd amount of money that Avatar is and will continue to generate as it breaks every box office record imaginable.

Goldman has other qualms, mostly concerning the plot, structure and themes of the film that are so ludicris and unfounded that I will not even attempt to post any sort of rebuttal (muddled politics? really? the film is inherently a-political, only attempting to accurately document the experiences of an elite group of soldiers, something you would understand, ms. goldman, if you performed a political self-lobotomy and just watched the damn film.)

By overtly implying early in her piece that Hurt Locker is less a film because it grossed less than 1% of Avatar's box office is offensive. While I enjoyed Avatar immensely, and respect it greatly, it cannot even compare with the honest, intense experience that is The Hurt Locker. The subtle performance of Jeremy Renner is filled with countless quiet moments that speak volumes above any of the loud, bombastic and computer-assisted performances in Avatar. The scene where Renner stands in the shower, in full combat gear, and breaks down is in itself reason enough for the film to win not only best picture, but best director for Bigelow. And the idiotic assertion that Hurt Locker is less a film because of it's box office gross fully misses the central point of what the Oscars [should be] attempting to do: award the best cinematic achievements of the year with the recognition they deserve.

Do I think The Hurt Locker is the Best Picture of 2009, and that Kathryn Bigelow deserves Best Director? Maybe. I have yet to see each of the films nominated for both best picture or director. My fear is that if the central criteria of consideration is box office, we totally overlook the essence of what good film can do: connect with and somehow change the audience.

One of my favorite films of all time, American Beauty, boasted a production budget of 15 million and grossed, after nearly a year in theaters, roughly 130 million dollars. Avatar has managed to rake in over 700 million in mere weeks. American Beauty won best picture in 1999 not because of mountains of box office revenue, but because it is a quietly affecting film that connected with, and changed audiences. I only ask that a year from now, will people primarily speak of Avatar as a film that affected and changed audiences, or as a film that broke millions of box office records?

Think about this for a moment: in an economic downturn, studios and independent financiers only have so much money to produce film projects. When films like Avatar, which is a quality film of it's kind, gross such insane amounts of money, studios and producers see this type of film as the only kind of film will result in a return on their investment. Hence, in the upcoming years, we will more than likely see big budgeted, science fiction spectacles attempting to ride on the fart winds of Avatar's success, at the expense of smaller, quiet films that, historically, have shaped and defined American and World Cinema. Think of a world without The Philadelphia Story, Sunset Boulevard, Singin' in the Rain, The Godfather, etc. These films were risks when first made, but have each impacted the American cinematic landscape as we know it. What films will we lose because of Avatar's monetary success? And how is that compounded by awarding Avatar Oscars primarily because of said success?

AUDIENCES NEED TO FUCKING WAKE UP.

Demand quality film.

Refuse to passively experience film.

Refuse to let film merely dazzle you.

Expect, and want film to change you, affect you somehow.

that's all.

Kingdom Hearts

I've discovered that I actually enjoy the music of one Lady GaGa. A few years ago (sophomore year at MSU), I would have immediately dismissed Ms. GaGa and her infectious dance-pop as very little more than music of the moment. I no longer believe this is the case. Do I think her music is (maybe) insanely materialistic, narcissistic and some other word that ends in -stic? Yes. This does not change the simple fact that each of Ms. GaGa's singles force me to dance-a-fool. True story.

Myra Lewis, you inspired me to begin writing this blog. If I can be 1/10th as thoughtful and, can I say, deliberate in this blog as you are in yours, I will be pleased.

My sister turned 21 a week ago...don't even ask me how old that makes me feel...okay, not really that old, but still. She can now order booze of her own accord in public. The world is most definitely a different place.

Grad School is exactly what everyone cracks it up to be. People who have experience with grad school will tell you about the difficulty, the sheer amount of work and responsibility, and the exhaustion. A former advisor once (accurately) stated: "There will be moments in grad school when you will feel like you can't get everything done that you need to. But you will. And it was good." (forgive the loose quoting and the inane biblical reference...). I'm at a point right now where school, work and outside commitments are demanding nearly all of me...I am finding little time to reflect on what I want to do, who I am, or begin playing the guitar/writing music like my entire body is telling me I should...STOP.

(i really should refuse to complain...I am taking advantage of so many opportunities and meeting so many people...I know that I am going to be not only a different person, but a better one at the end of this experience...right?)

It has been a long time since a film has really floored me. I mean, completely changed my life, my perspective, my world view floored me. Sure, Avatar was great, but I really miss having independent film in my town. The Moxie afforded me the opportunity to see so many films I would have missed otherwise...Happy-Go-Lucky, Let the Right One In, Margot at the Wedding, Venus, Volver, Me, You and Someone We Know...not to mention the opportunity to screen an awesomely awesome student film titled This Ends Now. Bloomington is seriously lacking in thoughtful film department. And I feel entirely disconnected.

I for real did not mean to make this one big crap session. For real. Seriously Myra, I need you to teach me your inborn art of subtlety and class...