2005 Oscars 77th Academy Awards News - Eastwood Knocks Out Scorsese at Oscars
I was happy to see Clint Eastwood's film win "Best Picture" last night, and also happy to see him win an Oscar for Best Director. I have not seen "Million Dollar Baby", but I am a big fan of Clint Eastwood's previous work. I do plan to see the film, as soon as I can arrange it. I was stunned by the last line in the above linked article, which said that Eastwood, along with directing, producing and acting in the movie, also composed the score. Is this real? This guy is the Bill Belicheck of Hollywood. He just seems to "get it done" no matter what. Originally, Warner did not want to make the film, but Eastwood persisted, and the film was made in 37 days!! I read a quote from Eastwood in Time magazine, and then I heard it again on NPR. It had to do with politics and his centrist approach. Paraphrased from memory:
"If you get too far to the right, you meet the kooks coming around from the left."
I hope that Clint has a lot of work left in him. He is making a movie now about the WWII generation and soldiers that come back as heros that don't feel heroic, or something to that effect.
I also liked Clint's statement to one of his fellow award winners at the end of the Oscar ceremony, as the band started the play. He said, "don't let them intimidate you. You talk however long you want." Ha! This was classic Dirty Harry style Clint Eastwood. Who is going to argue with that!
Monday, February 28, 2005
Movie: Spongebob Squarepants The Movie
Viewed at Globe $2 theater on 2/27/05 with Sharon and Dominic.
The movie was funny in a silly kind of way. I did not enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed some of the SBSP cartoon episodes on TV, but it had some parts that made me laugh. I thought the David Hasselhoff scene was most funny.
The movie revolves around a plot that has plankton trying to take over Bikini Bottom by sabotaging The Krusty Krab's secret recipe and using his inventions to make robots out of all of the sea creature inhabitants of the underwater town. Needless to say, it wasn't exactly a dramatic storyline. However, there were several good jokes, and I usually like watching SpongeBob and Patrick talking about the dumbest stuff. I was kind of tired, so I may not have enjoyed the movie as much as I would have had I been fully awake. Also, by the end of the movie, we had shared two large tubs of popcorn, and I was feeling the effects. Yuck!
The movie was funny in a silly kind of way. I did not enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed some of the SBSP cartoon episodes on TV, but it had some parts that made me laugh. I thought the David Hasselhoff scene was most funny.
The movie revolves around a plot that has plankton trying to take over Bikini Bottom by sabotaging The Krusty Krab's secret recipe and using his inventions to make robots out of all of the sea creature inhabitants of the underwater town. Needless to say, it wasn't exactly a dramatic storyline. However, there were several good jokes, and I usually like watching SpongeBob and Patrick talking about the dumbest stuff. I was kind of tired, so I may not have enjoyed the movie as much as I would have had I been fully awake. Also, by the end of the movie, we had shared two large tubs of popcorn, and I was feeling the effects. Yuck!
Mere Christianity
Author: C.S. Lewis
Published (in whole, revised form): 1952
Mere Christianity is a book that encapsulates a series of radio discussions that C.S. Lewis held in the mid-1940s. These discussions were originally published as separate "books", but Mere Christianity combines all of the original publications into one volume. Lewis himself "translated" his radio talks into prose. The four original books became sections of the combined volume, and are titled as follows:
1) Right And Wrong As A Clue To The Meaning Of The Universe
2) What Christians Believe
3) Christian Behavior
4) Beyond Personality: Or First Steps In The Doctrine Of The Trinity
Along with the four sections of the combined book, Lewis, a former atheist, included a preface that somewhat explained his purpose and background for writing about Christianity in the way that he did.
This is the first nonfiction C.S. Lewis book that I have read. In 1998, I read The Magician's Nephew, the first book of the Narnia children's science fiction series.
Mere Christianity represents Lewis' effort to distill Christianity to a core set of fundamental and unalterable beliefs (or truths). When Sharon was joining the Catholic Church, I was her sponsor for R.C.I.A. In one of our classes the instructor, Brad Buddy, spoke of the difference between important traditions of the church and those traditions that might not be so important. He used the terms big "T" and small "t". For example, an important and vital tradition for Catholics is the belief that Jesus is the Son of God. This is an unalterable truth of the Faith. On the other hand, an example of a small "t" belief is that Catholics should give up something during Lent. I see Lewis' book as an attempt to define the large "T" of Christianity. One of the things that has always bothered me about religion is the difference between denominations and religions, and the intolerance of which these differences seem to be the catalyst. Lewis purposely minimizes these differences and gives words to a lot of what I feel about religion in general and Christianity in particular.
I was disappointed when I read that Lewis "supports" the death-penalty and sees it as being compatible with Christian Truth. I vehemently disagree with this position. Up until this chapter, I had agreed with nearly everything that Lewis had written. He, like others I have heard, makes a distinction between the words "murder" and "killing". I see this as splitting straws. I just can't imagine that if Jesus were a judge that he would send somebody to their death, no matter what they had done. I am reminded of John Mellencamp's lyric from a recent song, Walk Tall: "Be careful of those who kill in Jesus' name, he don't believe in killing at all."
I agree with Lewis that Pride is the worst of sins, and that most all other sins are a derivative of Pride. In fact, I sometimes conceptualize Satan as Pride manifested.
Lewis was once an atheist, but he found atheism too "simple" of a philosophy. He writes that we should not expect simple answers to complex questions. If we want to progress beyond "childs play philosophy", we should be prepared for the hard work and difficult logic such an endeavor requires.
Published (in whole, revised form): 1952
Mere Christianity is a book that encapsulates a series of radio discussions that C.S. Lewis held in the mid-1940s. These discussions were originally published as separate "books", but Mere Christianity combines all of the original publications into one volume. Lewis himself "translated" his radio talks into prose. The four original books became sections of the combined volume, and are titled as follows:
1) Right And Wrong As A Clue To The Meaning Of The Universe
2) What Christians Believe
3) Christian Behavior
4) Beyond Personality: Or First Steps In The Doctrine Of The Trinity
Along with the four sections of the combined book, Lewis, a former atheist, included a preface that somewhat explained his purpose and background for writing about Christianity in the way that he did.
This is the first nonfiction C.S. Lewis book that I have read. In 1998, I read The Magician's Nephew, the first book of the Narnia children's science fiction series.
Mere Christianity represents Lewis' effort to distill Christianity to a core set of fundamental and unalterable beliefs (or truths). When Sharon was joining the Catholic Church, I was her sponsor for R.C.I.A. In one of our classes the instructor, Brad Buddy, spoke of the difference between important traditions of the church and those traditions that might not be so important. He used the terms big "T" and small "t". For example, an important and vital tradition for Catholics is the belief that Jesus is the Son of God. This is an unalterable truth of the Faith. On the other hand, an example of a small "t" belief is that Catholics should give up something during Lent. I see Lewis' book as an attempt to define the large "T" of Christianity. One of the things that has always bothered me about religion is the difference between denominations and religions, and the intolerance of which these differences seem to be the catalyst. Lewis purposely minimizes these differences and gives words to a lot of what I feel about religion in general and Christianity in particular.
I was disappointed when I read that Lewis "supports" the death-penalty and sees it as being compatible with Christian Truth. I vehemently disagree with this position. Up until this chapter, I had agreed with nearly everything that Lewis had written. He, like others I have heard, makes a distinction between the words "murder" and "killing". I see this as splitting straws. I just can't imagine that if Jesus were a judge that he would send somebody to their death, no matter what they had done. I am reminded of John Mellencamp's lyric from a recent song, Walk Tall: "Be careful of those who kill in Jesus' name, he don't believe in killing at all."
I agree with Lewis that Pride is the worst of sins, and that most all other sins are a derivative of Pride. In fact, I sometimes conceptualize Satan as Pride manifested.
Lewis was once an atheist, but he found atheism too "simple" of a philosophy. He writes that we should not expect simple answers to complex questions. If we want to progress beyond "childs play philosophy", we should be prepared for the hard work and difficult logic such an endeavor requires.
Saturday, February 19, 2005
Movie: Whale Rider
The setting is contemporary New Zealand. The locals speak the Maori language (though the film is in English.)
I found myself wondering why others in the town listened to and respected the grandfather as much as they did.
Does the movie end in "triumph", as I heard it explained in one of the DVD-extras? Not necessarily. The only way that the little girl (Pai) is finally accepted by her grandfather is after she risks her life and almost dies. After this, the grandfather seems more reverant toward her than loving. Something seems wrong with this situation.
I found myself wondering why others in the town listened to and respected the grandfather as much as they did.
Does the movie end in "triumph", as I heard it explained in one of the DVD-extras? Not necessarily. The only way that the little girl (Pai) is finally accepted by her grandfather is after she risks her life and almost dies. After this, the grandfather seems more reverant toward her than loving. Something seems wrong with this situation.
Saturday, February 12, 2005
Movie: Hitch
I'm sitting in my rocking chair listening to the sound of raindrops echo down through the chimney flue. It's been raining all day. But Mom, Lynae and I braved the sour weather to go see Will Smith's new romantic comedy, "Hitch." It was well worth it. After a day filled with Dominic-birthday-party-induced action, I wasn't sure if I had the stamina for a movie at 9:50. A few cups of coffee, and I was ready to go. I liked the movie a lot. I guess it could be labeled as a romantic comedy, but that shouldn't dissuade people that normally avoid such films. It has a different angle to it, and maybe that angle is Will Smith. He just adds a presence to his films that I enjoy. He is full of wit, and that seems to be missing from a lot of actors nowadays.
Joe Morgenstern, the movie reviewer for the WSJ, actually gave the movie a "thumbs up", which surprised me even before I saw the movie, because Joe is notoriously bearish in my opinion.
A good quote from the movie, that may not be original, but I liked it anyway. Spoken by Will Smith's character, and paraphrased:
"Life is not the amount of breath you take, it's the moments that take your breath away."
Nice performances by these actors and actresses:
Kevin James
Eva Mendes
Amber Valletta
Another good quote, that sums up how love turns logic upside down:
"I've waited my whole life to feel this miserable."
Joe Morgenstern, the movie reviewer for the WSJ, actually gave the movie a "thumbs up", which surprised me even before I saw the movie, because Joe is notoriously bearish in my opinion.
A good quote from the movie, that may not be original, but I liked it anyway. Spoken by Will Smith's character, and paraphrased:
"Life is not the amount of breath you take, it's the moments that take your breath away."
Nice performances by these actors and actresses:
Kevin James
Eva Mendes
Amber Valletta
Another good quote, that sums up how love turns logic upside down:
"I've waited my whole life to feel this miserable."
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