In honor of Gay Pride here in Los Angeles today, I wanted to take a moment and share with you what pride means to me, a straight woman.
I am blessed to have spent the last 10 years of my life living in cities where people come to be themselves. When I moved to Boston in 1999, I myself was on a journey of self discovery. Having morphed into a person I no longer understood in the final months of my high school experience, Boston was a fresh start for me, a clean slate. My collage friends welcomed me into an artistic community where, for the first time in a long while, I could relax, be myself, and begin to shed the layers of negativity I had brought into my life. I was learning not only about my art, but about myself and how to be proud of who I am again.
For me, this is what Pride is about; being embraced by a community, shedding negativity, and learning to love who you are.
So to all my friends, colleagues and people I don't know who are at Pride, thank you. This world is a better place because you are here.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
Super8
You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll jump out of your seat. How Super8 got it right.
Maybe its because I'm fresh off of last nights South Park (ep.15.07). Maybe it's because I went to a midnight showing opening night. Or maybe Super8 is just a really good, fun summer movie. But I loved it.
For those of you who missed South Park's mid-season series finale last night, it's central theme was cynicism. While the internet has both given us a voice and the resource for researching where to spend our hard earned dollars, mostly it has proven to be the place where everyone goes to rip each other a new one. Gone are the days of a simple "Yeah, it was good" or "Nah, don't bother" word of mouth review from one friend another. We now analyze every moment of the film in order to tear it to shreds online for all to see, usually with an attempt at being comedic. And for those of us not writing the blogs, we use the internet as a way to form opinions. I mean, when was the last time you made a point to see a movie that had a 38% on Rotten Tomato?
I'm not saying there are no movies that deserve to be ripped to shreds. Hollywood turns out quite a bit of crap and we need to let them know it's crap so they stop making it. But there are movies that should be seen that are not, simply because the opinion on the internet is negative. (Side note: I am fully aware of the irony of writing these statements on my blog)
So after watching South Park examine both it's own cynicism and ours, I went into Super8 with a fresh, open mind. Also, going to a midnight showing is incredibly helpful. If you ever want to see a fanboy movie in the best possible situation, go see it on midnight the day it opens. You will surrounded by geeks (me included) who simply can't wait another minute to see it. They will cheer, they will boo, they will take you with them. It's almost like watching live theatre; there is an energy in the crowd that is contagious and it makes the movie going experience that much more fulfilling.
But it is entirely possible that none of these other things matter, because Super8 is just a good movie. Sure, there are some holes (I didn't say it was perfect) but the emotion of the boys and the story carry you right through them and you quickly forget. And I meant it when I said you will laugh. The young perspective on these crazy happenings is fresh and honest and quietly reminded me of my own, lesser childhood moments of panic. Kudos to April Webster, JJ Abrams, Steven Speilberg and the host of others who put the cast together.
The use of CGI in this movie is also to be applauded. In a day and age when actors spend months on a green screen and everything is done in post (Green Lantern and Avatar I'm talking to you) it's refreshing to watch a film where you feel like they did everything they could to physically do everything they could possibly do. I know this movie is filled with CGI, there is no way it couldn't be for the price tag, but aside from a few moments, I remained blissfully unaware.
I'm not going to say anything else about the movie except that it was magical. The modern touch and skill of Abrams complimented by the old school charm of Speilberg made me remember what I love about going to the movies. Because it looked like a movie and felt like movie, but hey, it is a movie. And one totally worth checking out.
Maybe its because I'm fresh off of last nights South Park (ep.15.07). Maybe it's because I went to a midnight showing opening night. Or maybe Super8 is just a really good, fun summer movie. But I loved it.
For those of you who missed South Park's mid-season series finale last night, it's central theme was cynicism. While the internet has both given us a voice and the resource for researching where to spend our hard earned dollars, mostly it has proven to be the place where everyone goes to rip each other a new one. Gone are the days of a simple "Yeah, it was good" or "Nah, don't bother" word of mouth review from one friend another. We now analyze every moment of the film in order to tear it to shreds online for all to see, usually with an attempt at being comedic. And for those of us not writing the blogs, we use the internet as a way to form opinions. I mean, when was the last time you made a point to see a movie that had a 38% on Rotten Tomato?
I'm not saying there are no movies that deserve to be ripped to shreds. Hollywood turns out quite a bit of crap and we need to let them know it's crap so they stop making it. But there are movies that should be seen that are not, simply because the opinion on the internet is negative. (Side note: I am fully aware of the irony of writing these statements on my blog)
So after watching South Park examine both it's own cynicism and ours, I went into Super8 with a fresh, open mind. Also, going to a midnight showing is incredibly helpful. If you ever want to see a fanboy movie in the best possible situation, go see it on midnight the day it opens. You will surrounded by geeks (me included) who simply can't wait another minute to see it. They will cheer, they will boo, they will take you with them. It's almost like watching live theatre; there is an energy in the crowd that is contagious and it makes the movie going experience that much more fulfilling.
But it is entirely possible that none of these other things matter, because Super8 is just a good movie. Sure, there are some holes (I didn't say it was perfect) but the emotion of the boys and the story carry you right through them and you quickly forget. And I meant it when I said you will laugh. The young perspective on these crazy happenings is fresh and honest and quietly reminded me of my own, lesser childhood moments of panic. Kudos to April Webster, JJ Abrams, Steven Speilberg and the host of others who put the cast together.
The use of CGI in this movie is also to be applauded. In a day and age when actors spend months on a green screen and everything is done in post (Green Lantern and Avatar I'm talking to you) it's refreshing to watch a film where you feel like they did everything they could to physically do everything they could possibly do. I know this movie is filled with CGI, there is no way it couldn't be for the price tag, but aside from a few moments, I remained blissfully unaware.
I'm not going to say anything else about the movie except that it was magical. The modern touch and skill of Abrams complimented by the old school charm of Speilberg made me remember what I love about going to the movies. Because it looked like a movie and felt like movie, but hey, it is a movie. And one totally worth checking out.
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