A bracing still life of moments between a dad struggling to use humor to connect with his daughter, and the daughter caught up in the priorities of “success”. Sometimes it’s heavy work finding the lightness of being.
Category: Only Cool Movies
Coen catchup
Picked up on a few more Coen gems recently:
- rewatched Burn After Reading
- The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
- Gambit (written by, not directed)
Such good fun, from Tom Waits yelling “you measly skunk!” to Cameron Diaz’s ridiculous drawl to Brad Pitt crazy jamming to his Walkman drinking Jamba Juice…
Center for Biological Diversity Raleigh Meetup
I created a Raleigh-based meetup group for the Center’s Ignite Change action network. I’m excited to keep it going! (even though the first meeting was a bust because I cluelessly scheduled it to start at the exact moment that the Superbowl started! Doh.)
Here are some teasers for what’s to come. Tropic cascade is a fairly recent famous exciting biological observation showing that apex predators have complex positive effects on the layers of flora and fauna under them. Most famous is the example of the effect of wolves re-introduced to Yellowstone. Here is the link, followed by the TED talk of the guy who basically narrated it before it was brilliantly captured with Yellowstone footage. And more and more real-world amazingness. Fight for it!!
- George Manbiot spins out the initial Yellowstone yarn in 2013
- The amazing and beautiful Yellowstone wolf trophic cascade video
- The scientist who initially lit it on fire (with starfish)
- A longer National Geographic deeper dive into Yellowstone that hopefully survives copyright infringement…
- Trophic cascade, Australian style
9.0 Arrival
“Maybe I’d say what I was feeling more often”.
Dan brought home the major whammy after the credits rolled, ask me after you watch.
9.0 People Places Things
Jemaine you crafty bastard. Best movie ending ever.
The subject of divorce has a lot of good material to mine. New relationships that follow, as well. Life changes from idyllic idealism, “which is never sustainable” (–Will), to something more wise, gracious and tolerant, tempered with caution, a better knowledge of self, and, hopefully, direct honesty. I’m happy I’m finding my way, and so lucky to be with you baby. <3
JJ smackdown
I found quality entertainment on YouTube. Granted it’s only 2 minutes long… In my best Holly Hunter voice: “I LOVE HIM SO MUCH!! (Sob sob sob…)”…
9.0 Leon: The Professional
Where to start… you thought you liked Kick Ass? Ha, child’s play compared to this… You thought you liked Lucy? Bah, faggedaboutit… don’t miss this earlier groundbreaker that deals with death and pain and Gary Oldman and mobsters and their quiet moments and Natalie’s first killer performance and… Matilda’s passion for life, like that of many tweens, is inspiring. I was listening to Bjork’s Debut earlier, another amazing example of unbridled passion and obsession, and when Luc included nearly the entirety of “Venus as a Boy” in the movie, I had a moment. :-)
9.0 Jabberwocky
How can there be a Terry Gilliam-directed movie starring Michael Palin that I have never even heard of??! Good Lord! Stephen tuned me in and we thoroughly enjoyed this massive indulgent romp through a middle age equally beleaguered by a huge monster and the beginnings of a free market economy. Classic!
9.5 The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Imagine some of the most respected, regal and talented British actors of our generation relocating to India to make an epic movie about discovering the beauty of life – you don’t have to, just watch this amazing film.
9.5 Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy
Those rock solid hugely fun Marvel superhero blockbusters keep coming. I loved that CA had a serious and important motivational element. Guardians of the Galaxy was epic too – huge fan of Chris Pratt – Marvel just keeps delivering! These are just AWESOME fun!
I like that the blockbuster action movies have moved away from the stupid so-fast-you-can’t-tell-what-happened style of action – there are some seriously – SERIOUSLY – beautiful superhuman stunts for which I don’t want to miss a single movement. Strange to work so hard to write properly (no dangling prepositions) about superhero movies with short curt dialog. But even that is being so well done these days. Hollywood is getting their action movies right. :-)
