9/11: 7 years later

And so here we stand, 7 years later, from what cannot be denied by anyone as a moment in history that should not be soon forgotten.

Perhaps it's something in my current nature, or perhaps it's something else entirely, but I will not pretend that I have not questioned the legitimacy of that attack. Was it Al Qaeda? and if so, how did they attack us? Were they helped? How could we not prevent this from happening? Admittedly, I have asked more questions after seeing the documentary, Zeitgeist. I would also recommend that people view it, not because of what it says, but because it inspires a reaction. It cannot be full truth, as seldom things ever are, but it does raise very interesting points that I have yet to find answers for on my own.

But I digress.

I am not here to persuade one way or the other. What people choose to believe is their own agenda and nothing more. What I am here to say is that we should all unarguably recognize one thing: On this day, innocent people were intentionally attacked.

I read a quote that quelled troubled thoughts I had, that perhaps humanity was indeed dying in this troubled world. And I will leave you with it as I go to bed and sleep these thoughts away.

"It is easier to accept natural or unintentional tragedies; it is the intentional loss of life that makes us fear that some people have lost their humanity."

Lazy

Procrastination

A short film by John Kelly.

This accurately describes what can happen when you're hit with "possibility paralysis".
I do it. You do it.

As a matter of fact, I bet you're doing it right now...
Now back to work with you!

How do you animate lightning again?

Oh yea.
That's how.

The 2008 Olympic Games

I am relatively excited about this years Summer Olympics. I think it highlights a lot of great things for our global community, and reminds everyone in the world, even if only for a moment or two, that we're all in this together.

Not only do I enjoy that the Olympics bring about this universal awareness of each other, but I enjoy the progression of the games as well. The opening ceremonies were gorgeous, and I'm a little disappointed that I didn't get to watch the first 20 minutes. BUT, with the wonder that is the world wide web, not only can I catch recaps and highlights of the ceremony, but I can, at any given moment, log into the 2008 Bejing Olympics homepage and watch an event going on, streaming live, free of charge (right now I'm watching women's soccer, Japan vs. US - earlier it was men's badminton and women's Judo) But events that I never cared about (interestingly enough, all the one's that got crap coverage on the t.v. stations) are now pumped with a new life, because it's given it's own moment in the sun via internet. Just fun, fun stuff.

The games really are a wonderful thing, and I think we'd all do well to take a moment and remember that they are just that - games. Medals, pride, and stiff competition aside (though that IS the lifeblood of these events) they are just games, and what we're really doing is coming together, for maybe a few hours at a time, looking someone else who doesn't speak a lick of your language right in the eye, and squaring off, to essentially say, "Hey, look - we both enjoy doing the same exact thing."

Then comes the excitement. Thanks to this streaming coverage deal, I tune in to every event going, "I wonder if the US has gone yet," and find myself twitching with sophomoric giddy when I see a US contender. I mean, in a day and age where it's almost shameful to admit your American in a global setting, it's nice to have something to root for. It doesn't make me hate politics, or wish things were different. It's just nice to ROOT for the US instead of cringing for it.

Either way, these games will be a refreshing few weeks of entertainment at least. Plus, the night owl in me greatly appreciates the around the clock coverage. haha.

The Dark Knight

The Dark Knight Delivers

The Clown Prince of Crime steals the show.

I'm sure everyone has heard the buzz surrounding Heath Ledgers performance in this movie, with talk floating in the air about Academy Award nominations and Oscar worthy acting. Perhaps all of it is nothing more then polite commentary after his tragic passing only months after the films shooting ended. Either way, I was eager to see it for myself, and I can honestly say that it lives up to every bit of the hype.

Any good comic geek can tell you that The Joker is Batman's antithesis in regards to morale justice and integrity. The yin to his yang, as it were, but what REALLY makes the 2 characters so much bloody fun to watch is that the line between the 2 characters is unimaginably thin.

The Joker has always seems watered down outside comics. Not quite campy, but not quite raw enough. The Dark Knight nailed it. The Joker is supposed to be messed up - I mean, REALLY screwed up in the head, and Heath Ledger's portrayal marks him as the best Joker of all time. It can easily be argued that The Joker steals the show, because every moment that he's not on screen, your waiting (and at the same time, silently dreading) the next time he will appear. He's eerie and mystifying, and every bit as messed up as The Joker should be.

I also bow down to Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard, because they gave this movie the mood and feel that Gotham City deserves. The absolutely chilling violin crescendo, that eerily creeps louder and louder, adds to the tension and uneasiness of the characters and the film overall. Just wonderfully enhancing, chilling, and driving.

The areas and themes explored also oozed tension - self doubt, sexuality (separate loves), and the all endearing pure psychotic glee, to name a few.
The viewer is forced to watch as The Batman is helpless to stop this psycho path in fear of losing himself to the same madness. And The Joker IS mad. Completely mad. You feel utterly ill watching The Joker parade through Gotham City unchecked, like a cancer slowly digging its tendrils into the heart of the city. Dark, dark, dark - this movie is gritty as hell. It transcends the pulpy medium it was born into and rises it to an entirely new level.

This movie is real. It will resonate within every movie goer on some level. The second I knew this was going to the kind of movie I'd hoped for was when The Joker did his "magic trick" at the beginning of the film. That just, totally fucked up moment of humor that you know you're going to hell for laughing at, but all the while realizing that you're only laughing to easy the tension - you're actually not really "laughing" at all. Because you know that it's not funny. It's wrong. THAT'S why The Joker was so good. Excellent writing. Excellent acting. Excellent execution.

If EVERY Batman story were told with this kind of attention to character detail, it would be my favorite series hands down. I eagerly await the chance to see this movie again.

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