Blue Like Jazz: The Movie

I don't agree with Donald Miller on 100% of every issue, but I am a big fan of the way he approaches almost every thought, his unflinching yet humble honesty, and his damn good prose. That's why when I heard money was being raised to turn his book Blue Like Jazz into a movie, I didn't have to think long about giving money to the cause.

Tonight, I had a casual Asian fusion dinner date with my lovely wife, and then had myself blown away by the very movie I helped (in a very small way) to create. When we walked into the theater 2 minutes before the previews started, I was somewhat anxious that we would turn the corner to see a sparsely populated room, but that wasn't the case--we were relegated to the lower, end-of-the-row seats because of the number of people in attendance. And I can honestly say I have never sat in an audience so engrossed a movie.

The last ten minutes or so of the movie is just a simple conversation between two of the man characters--Don and 'The Pope'--during which the entire audience was absolutely silent. The (what I believe to be exemplary) 1 hr 40 min build up to that scene firmly merited our attention in those closing minutes. The conflict is real, it doesn't occur overnight--it doesn't fully resolve (just like jazz) but it speaks one of the most poignant and honest professions of faith I have ever seen in film (and possibly in real life).

Even though the setting of the--shall we say--eccentric campus of Reed may cause some to deem this film to be "unrealistic," I think for most it provides a more solid justification for such catalytic change in Don's life, and allows for an entertaining little petri dish for him to experience and ascertain in one year what many don't until their forties.

The film is not flawless. But neither is life. It takes seriously the serious issues it wants to wrestle with, and has fun with what should be fun. Let me leave you with this, if you pay the 7, 10, or 15 dollars to see this movie you will:

1) Not be distracted by a famous actor, but by believe characters

2) Honestly feel like you are attending Reed for a year

3) Genuinely care about Don's struggle with faith

4) Think about the movie for days--whether you loved it or hated it

and

5) Not regret the price of admission.

So go see it. Wrestle with why the stars are swirling in the blue, like jazz.

Tron: Legacy

"I believe positive emotion trumps negative emotion every time. We all long for redemption, for catharsis."

--Dom Cobb in Inception.

As a writer, I find it hard to dispel this point, and its relevance lays the foundation for most of the way I evaluate entertainment. Good stories are essentially redemption stories. Tron is no exception.

The movie as a whole was phenomenal (more on what I have to say about it later). Stunning visuals that brought to life an environment literally out of this world. But what impressed me more was the blatant realism of the characters placed in an explicitly artificial world. One character, Quorra, talks about how Kevin Flynn has been teaching her about self-sacrifice: "removing yourself from the equation." But its not only positive characteristics that were real: the various programs also demonstrate greed and betrayal on a level comparable to humans. Which makes sense: no creation can surpass the perfection of its creator.

Perfection, the intended goal of Flynn's Grid (where the movie takes place), stands apart as the most interesting thing to take from this movie. Flynn nails it when he says "The thing about perfection is, it's unknowable. And yet its right in front of you." While I would say that we cannot create perfection, and we cannot know it, but we can experience it. We cannot know God's perfection, but we can, through his grace, experience it--be in it. To a lesser extent, you can experience perfection in the grace people show each other, but as all things humans touch, that grace is tainted by those less graceful actions we commit.

From a narrative stand point, Tron hit the mark. The message was woven among the visuals and plot in a subtle but ever-present manner. While trying to escape CLU's numerous attempts to achieve perfection, Sam, Kevin, and Quorra find a little bit of their own: to sum it up in a cheesy Beatles ending: "all you need is love."

Books Ruin the Movies

For most of my thoughtful life, I have been of the opinion that this shirt is mostly correct. It seemed to me that every time a piece of literature was adapted to film, the medium proved sorely lacking. Naturally, the easiest person to blame is someone else, claiming that no creative expression can match up to the individual imagination.

That would be the way I have always looked at it: the Lord of the Rings movies were fantastic, and it was enjoyable to see the story visual depicted. But, the battle for Helm's Deep was not as epic as the one I read. Nor was Saruman as evil. Nor Minas Morgul and the Ringwraiths as terrible. But I don't think this comes from a shortage of creativity on the director's part. I think the books are the ones to blame.

A recent Curator article spoke to this--the author essentially saying that no one who dove headlong into the books will ever be able to fully enjoy a film adaption, because it will always be the second time he or she has seen it. This has been my experience--I have only recently been able to get caught up in the emotion of book-to-film adaptions that I have read, because I already knew what was coming. I didn't even frown when Dumbledore died, I was too busy critiquing the differences they had made in the plot that lead up to it.

The solution, obviously, is to stop reading books. Or, and this is just a thought, we could try really really really hard to treat the movies as their own story. Certainly, you won't be surprised when Mr. Male Supporting Role dies tragically, or when Ms. Protagonist admits to that love affair, but you can enjoy the d*mn movie--which you probably paid $10+ to go see--without musing about your superior creative direction for the film.

I should say, my two favorite movies--Star Trek and Pride and Prejudice--represent both sides of this issue. Granted, I have never read the Jane Austen classic, but I know the story so well that it never surprises me. Yet, each and every time I am pissed at Darcy's arrogance and surprised by Elizabeth's ironic pride. I cry every time I watch Star Trek, and fist pump multiple times in celebration of a certain explosion or stellar cinematography. So read the book, then forget about it. Go enjoy a movie.

Something That Lasts Forever, Like A Greeting Card

The other night I caught the tail end of (500) Days of Summer, a film, you may recall, that I quite liked. It takes a special class of movie to blow your mind each time you see it. I spent the last half hour leaning murmuring "So good!" over and over again as each new scene came.

I think part of the reason I loved it so much was, as someone pointed out, it is one of a rare class of movies: a romantic comedy, surrounding a breakup, from the man's point of view, where he feels utterly screwed over. And it was well done along the way.

Plus the things it has to say about love and fate are pretty cussin' fantastic. I like it because of it's plentiful points yet lack of singular resolution. Good stuff, good stuff indeed.

I am not even joking when I say that it may be one of my favorite films ever. And it's a romantic comedy? Who'da thunk it? If you have not seen this film, then that is an error in your judgment that needs to be fixed.

Avatar vs. Pocahontas

Now, I really enjoyed Avatar, but this is hilarious. Just the fact that they could only change proper nouns and cross out the word "nearly" to get the exact same storyline cracks me up, and reinforces my conclusion that the plot was a tad cliché.

[Click to Enlarge]

Up in the Air

I went and saw this flick with some friends in Chucktown Sunday night, and I really enjoyed it. I was telling a few different people that I wouldn't be surprised or upset if it swept the Oscars.

I think one of my favorite parts was something that many filmmakers have started successfully pulling off more and more--non-resolution.

That's right, a lack of resolution. Sure, they point you in the right direction with the meaning, but there is enough left unanswered that you really have to take in what you saw and marry it to you own experience to complete the purpose of the film.

In that particular film, the two main characters, Ryan and Natalie, have very different ideas of what it means to live, to enjoy life, and to love. Different people will assuredly agree with one of the other, and I think many want to side with Natalie's more hopeful, traditional sense. Ryan's life is, appropriately, not painted in the best light.

Even then, though, you can see in Natalie how Ryan's lifestyle, in the very least, can give you some pointers on how to maintain your own.

I won't ruin the movie, but I highly recommend it. Go see it and tell me what you think.

The Matrix

For a movie about perception of reality, I had not realized how much the movie spoke about destiny. Seriously, the film is filled with it.

I found it interesting that there are several competing "destinies" for Neo. Most obviously, there is the one believed by Morpheus, that Neo is The One, who will be the salvation of mankind from The Matrix. There is also the destiny that the machines have in mind for him. In their consciousness, Neo is an anomaly, a problem who's only ineveitable end is eradication at their hands.

Throughout the story, these two destinies conflict and converse, as Neo himself seeks to find out what he is destined to be, or even if he can or ought to make his own destiny. Neo says that he doesn't believe in fate "because I don't like the idea that I'm not in control of my life," but

"You're here because you know something. What you know you can't explain, but you feel it. You've felt it your entire life, that there's something wrong with the world. You don't know what it is, but it's there, like a splinter in your mind, driving you mad. It is this feeling that has brought you to me. Do you know what I'm talking about?"

And then there's the part where shortly after being introduced Morpheus says to Neo: "You see, you may have spent the last few years looking for me, but I've spent my entire life looking for you." If that's not the gospel, I don't know what is. The only difference is, where Morpheus was looking to Neo for salvation, God is looking to us to give salvation. But the pursuit is definitively his to begin with.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

This is a really intriguing movie. And not for the fact of Heath Ledger simultaneous presence and absence as the lead role. Because that fact, I think it could be a pioneering move having four different actors playing the same role.

I will admit that as a whole the film looks similar to a couple other films, but I still think I am going to give it a watch.

Star Trek

Let me begin by saying that I thought the movie was epic, and extremely well done. I'm tempted to just end my review right there, but I'm sure you all are just dying to read what else I have to say about it.

I think the video I posted really sums up a great deal of why the movie was so excellent. Now, I must admit I only have a nominal knowledge of the original Star Trek canon, but based on what I do know, I think that J.J. Abrams did an admirable job of adhering to the core of what has given the Star Trek series such a cult following.

While hardcore Trekkies may be opposed to a twist in the movie that occurs roughly halfway through, as I was myself originally disinclined to it, but it is my opinion that it was skillfully done. Many modern plot diversions from the source material's canon are done superfluously and poorly, but this one movie were that is not the case.

I think at its heart, Star Trek is about taking the feel of the old pirate and exploration movie and stories, where an entire crew works together on an adventure, and translating it into a sci-fi, futuristic space arena.

Personally that was the one of the things that always drew me to the series: the idea that from the bridge a handful of individuals controlled this massive ship, piloting and fighting an equally massive enemy, just like an old 16th century galleon.

All in all, if you do not consider yourself a Trekkie or a Star Trek fan, you can still find a great deal to enjoy in this film. Intense and well-choreographed action sequences and space battles make for a very entertaining watch.

Those, coupled with artistically masterful transitions and cinematography in general, not to mention a pretty decent musical score cooperated for an entertaining and competent piece of work.

Finally, I'd like to address the acting. All I can say is well done: the casting was spot on! I loved seeing the Heroes villain Zachary Quinto as Spock [not to mention Leonard Nimoy], and I also enjoyed Kirk, McCoy, Chekov, and Sulu, and of course, Simon Pegg [of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz fame] as Scotty.

It was very entertaining to here familiar lines blurted out, from "Damn it man, I'm a doctor, not a physicist!" to "I'm givin' 'er all she's got, captain!" That, and there was quite a bit of humor interspersed throughout the story.

In short, you should go see this film if you already have not. While it is too early in the year to call it the best, I will easily rank it among the best movies of 2009.

Also, I may post another review of it in a more literarily analtyical manner.

The Onion & Star Trek

I'm planning on doing a more full review of the movie later, but for now, this should suffice.



Ah, the Onion. They just cut straight to the heart of the matter. I really did enjoy the movie though.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

**Some mild spoilers**

First of all, I'll list my problems with the movie. There's only three:

1) Cop-out computer animation. About half of Wolverine's claws were computer generated, and it sincerely detracted from the reality of the movie, it just bothered me.

2) Blatant and unnecessary disrespect of the source material. Really, Deadpool=Weapon XI!? And an amalgam of a bunch of different powers!? That was lame. Wade Wilson at the beginning was amazing, just like his character in the comics. But then they horribly wasted him.

3) Not enough of Gambit. Seriously, he's the character everyone's be shouting for since the first movie. While what they did have was good, they could have given him a much better role, and done more with his character. It is difficult to foresee anything happening to him between this movie and the first X-Men movie.

Other than that, the movie was excellent. The action was very well done, something that comic movie fans and action movie fans alike can get into.

It was really cool to get to know James instead of the mild a-hole Logan. It was interesting for me to see that from the beginning, he was much more reserved than his brother, much less inclined to violence. Especially because later on in the series he comes across as the most apathetic, even though his actions eventually show otherwise.

It makes one wonder: can you really ever escape your nature, even though you endure a veritable crucible of physical and mental transformation? In spite of the great pain his past was filled with, Wolverine still demonstrated himself to be the positive outcome of it.

Even though he lost virtually all of his memory, he is still tightly bound (mentally) to what happened to him, and maintains, to a certain degree, his character on the other side of a complete loss of identity.

I may write about this some more later, but right now, it's bed time.