WORLDS ARE FORMING

Elizabethtown.

The movie?  Fine.  The soundtrack?  Great.

I didn't love the movie, but I didn't hate it, either.  Just felt...they were trying to be a little too... Garden Statey.  Maybe Cameron Crowe was trying a little too hard.  The fact that Tom Cruise was a producer didn't help, either. 

Hannah was down for the afternoon, so we decided a movie would be fun.  It was.  Elizabethtown is worth seeing.  Some memorable quotes.  Deals with the complexities of grief, too.  Made me laugh, made me identify with the characters, but it didn't change my life.  (Did I mention that the soundtrack was great?  It really was.)

Favorite quotes:
"Trust me.  Everyone is less mysterious than they think they are."
"Success is the only god the whole world has in common."

Flightplan: If I could have curled up into a ball, I would have...

Seriously.  I was almost in fetal position, but I didn't fit.  Hannah came down for the afternoon, we grabbed lunch at Whole Foods, I bought a new tie, and we went to Flightplan  on a whim. 

Jodie Foster.  Sometimes I love her, sometimes she annoys me to no end.  In this movie, I love her.  She is intense.  If I needed a mom (and I don't, I have a great one already), I'd want good ole' Jode on my side.  Seriously.  This movie is a thriller and plays with your mind.  If you need your mind played with, or if you just need some good, fun, mindless entertainment, go see Flightplan.  It's not going to win any awards, not going to change  your life, but it is a fun one to watch.  (P.S.  That flight would have been horrible.)

Broken Flowers.

Last night I saw Broken Flowers with a few friends.  Really, I am not a big Bill Murray fan, but I will say that this is a great movie.  One of those, as a friend put it, in which you have a wry smile upon your face the whole movie, and laugh at the most unexpected moments.  Check it out.  No resolution, but then again, it wasn't supposed to, I suppose.

Pulse: The IMAX Movie.

Has anyone seen Pulse?  I caught it recently at Austin's IMAX.  It features the cast of Stomp as well as musicians from all over the world.  From choruses of indigenous tribes, to twirling ropes, to the simple sound of water splashing and many more sounds, no words were spoken, and a beautiful cacophony was created.  So, if you are a percussionist, or even just love music, GO find a Pulse near you and enjoy.

North Shore.

This movie is one of my favorite 80's movies EVER. 

I was first introduced to it while at Whitworth, with my buddy Fish.  He was passionate about this movie...had sound-clips on his computer...would quote it frequently...loved it.  The other day a friend and I needed a completely cheesy movie break, and I knew EXACTLY what we needed to watch.  So quotable.  "I can tell you're lame by the way you wear your shorts!"  "You're so haole (white) you don't even know you're haole!"

So, what's your favorite 80's movie?

Luther Gone Wild.

I recently watched the movie Luther (2003).  Reminded me of Church History classes...familiar names, places, etc.  The depiction of Martin Luther's spiritual wrestling, inner termoil, passion, and love for Christ's Church was inspiring.  A few friends (like this guy) who are big fans of Uncle Marty.  To those of you historians out there, or at least with vested interest in Luther, how accurate do you feel this movie was?

Maria Full of Grace.

After hearing much about it, I rented Maria Full of Grace recently.  It is a story of drug trafficking between Columbia and the United States.  It tells of drug "mules," and the exploitation that many young women are faced with.  They are promised an "easy" way to make money for their families and the ability to see the United States, all at the extreme risk of their health and safety.  To get the drugs past customs, the women swalllow pellets of heroin.  If just one pellet burts, the women surely die.  T issue is deep, and I cannot hardly speak to it all here. 

As a Christian, I want to be a person in the pursuit of justice, so after watching it, I was asking "What can I do?"  The movie did not have much resolution, but then again, I suppose that was the point.  Still, what can we do?

Yawn: The Life Aquatic.

As part of my attempt to do absolutely nothing related to my upcoming sermon for 24 hours, I rented The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou last night.  Boiled down, here are my thoughts...

     :: Stacked cast.  :: Great music.  :: Stylistically inventive.  :: Otherwise, a yawner.

Batman Begins.

Not usually a fan of fantasy movies.  Hated this last Star Wars.  However, I was seriously impressed with Batman Begins.  All I could keep saying throughout the movie was: "Intense!"  "Dang!"  "No Way!"  Maybe I was supposed to be a high schooler in 1989.

Who do you say the best Batman was?  Adam West?  Michael Keaton?  Val Kilmer?  George Clooney?  Christian Bale?

RENT: The Movie.

So, Reno and I are big big big fans of Idina Menzel because we had a sweet time seeing Wicked December 4th, the year of our Lord, 2004.  We are thinking about declaring it a national holiday.  We won the $25 rush tickets, so we sat front row center in the Gershwin in New York City.  Idina sung to US, Reno and I, looking deep into our eyes (didn't she Reno?) from about ten feet away.

Once in awhile, Reno and I send each other emails, updating each other on what's up with our lady Idina.

Anyhow...Idina starred as Maureen in the original Broadway production of RENT.  DID ANYONE SEE HER IN RENT?  The movie comes out November 11th, 2005.  IT BETTER BE GOOD.  Hey, the cast of the movie even has its own blog.

(P.S.  How many more links could I possibly put into the post?  A few, I bet...)