On the Outside Looking In

I've been meaning to write a review of this movie for months. So has my girlfriend. So we wrote our reviews together.

One of my favorite spots in the Disney Hollywood Studios theme park is The Magic of Disney Animation, nestled within the Animation Courtyard. I'm a fan of Disney's classics, Pixar's amazing body of work, and animation in general. This building served as a tribute to Disney's legacy of animation as well as an opportunity to entice fans with what's to come with teaser posters for upcoming Disney and Pixar films, which I would always check for. It's where I first saw the balloon-powered flying house with the word "Up" above it, knowing I would be in love with that movie. And it's where I saw a sillouette of a head, filled with circles of color and the words "Inside Out".

The poster also said "Meet the little voices inside your head." As a former philosophy student, an actor who has to be in touch with emotion, and a Gemini, I was eager to discover which voices of our pysche they'd be bringing to life. Even more than that, I was excited that Pixar was diving into some deep concepts to make a colorful animated film about it. I'm a huge fan of Pixar's films, and I knew that I was destined to be a fan of this one too, so there was no need for trailers to convince me to watch. If anything, I would rather experience the emotional rollercoaster without knowing any of the twists and turns ahead. Free of spoilers, expectations, and having already seen the cool moments and funny jokes. Since seeing that poster, I did my best to plug my ears and shut my eyes around anything that would give me any semblance of what I was in for. Which was difficult to say the least. However, by the time I was finally in the car to see it, all I knew was that the film was about the five emotions, they looked relatively human but with glittery hair, and Amy Pohler was one of them.
Well, I guess that's not entirely true. My girlfriend let slip one or two more of the voice actors. Which isn't a big deal but coupled with the character posters plastered all over Los Angeles, a picture was beginning to form and I didn't want that. This was the only time I was going into a movie virtually clueless, and getting to see it come together and unravel as the filmmakers wanted me to experience it. As we were looking for parking, my girlfriend asked if she could share a friend's thoughts on the movie, which had no specific details of course, yet I still responded with an abrupt no. That kind of shut her down, which I instantly felt bad about. So I tried to make up for it by apologizing, explaining myself, and lightening the mood, which was a little difficult. But we were so close to watching the movie! I knew once we were in the theater and seeing it, everything would chance and we'd be enjoying our time. Finally we were. And to my credit, I had no idea what I was in for.

Joy comes on screen. She is our guide into this emotional world. I immediately identify with her, not just because the filmmakers have made her the voice to trust, but also because she is an upbeat person who wants everyone to be happy and optimistic. She's a leader who is ready to take on challenges and fix problems. She enlightens us on the roles of the other emotions and how everyone fits together to keep the little girl they oversee alive and well. The film continues and the dynamic shifts. The world in which they live is tilted and changes occur. Before Joy and I know it, she is displaced and stuck with Sadness, the one emotion she just can't figure out. To make matters worse, Sadness getting in Joy's way and ruining everything. Literally, every memory she touches turns blue and is forever altered. And it was upon this revelation that I really identified with Joy.
Before everything went topsy-turvy, Sadness touched one of the memory balls they keep on hand for the little girl, Riley. When she did, it turned blue and became a sad memory. What was once a happy yellow experience is now a sad moment in Riley's life. When Joy panicked and ripped it out of Sadness' hands, it stayed blue. I thought to myself, why doesn't it change back when Joy touches it? Later on, thick in the topsy-turvyness, Joy finds Sadness has compulsively, unknowingly touched a long row of Riley's memories and turned them blue. Now I'm asking myself, why is she doing this? Even if she doesn't know why, what is the reason behind it? And why hasn't Joy figured out a way to undo it? I turn to look at my girlfriend next to me, and instead of insight I find tears are streaming down her face. Then I start to realize that she understands Sadness' actions and the laws governing the blue memories more than I ever will.
But Joy's actions are beginning to elude me as well. I understand her focused determination to get back to Headquarters and make things right. I cheer on her tactics of keeping things positive and moving forward. It helps to achieve the goal of getting back. But there was that one moment, when she couldn't get Bing Bong back on his feet, and it's Sadness who makes it happen. Not deliberately, but because she empathized with him and saw him through a rough moment. Nevertheless, Sadness accomplishes what Joy couldn't and begins to sees Sadness' strengths. Joy asks Sadness how she did that, and doesn't really get an answer, but Joy doesn't ask again. I see Joy on screen, now as an example for me, someone who is bouncy and upbeat, who doesn't understand those who aren't, and still accepts them for who they are.

I've had friends who struggle with depression. I know this only because they have made mention of it. Otherwise, I would have been oblivious to it. It was my understanding that depression was a temporary thing, like the doldrums, being in a funk, or waking up on the wrong side of the bed. When trying to being a supportive friend with the fix-it mentality, I thought all it took was cheering up. If it didn't help I'd become frustrated and eventually give up. Earlier in my life I dated someone who had issues with depression, and it led to a lot of issues with our relationship because I really didn't get it. I'd make this baffled face at her which would only make her feel worse and then we'd both end up being frustrated at each other. Like Joy, I thought there had to be a solution and it was most likely playing a game or focusing on something new. Eventually, with the help of news stories, Tumblr, and paying better attention to my friends, I began to understand that depression and anxiety weren't just feelings people tend to have sometimes. Even so, it wasn't until I realized Joy was never going to go back to those blue memories and try to fix them that I realized depression is not something I could just fix with a touch of my hand.
I still struggle with wanting to fix my girlfriend when she is succumbing to anxiety. Just as I am currently struggling to bring this essay to a conclusive point. But just as that is an ingrained part of my personality, I now know there are these quirks of her personality that are just part of who she is. Of course I still do my best to cheer her up and keep her from spiraling or catastrophizing. I've succumb to those behaviors, as everyone has, so I know sometimes you have to just stop it from snowballing and turn that frown upside down. But I also know now that sometimes you can't. I no longer get frustrated when I can't turn her into a bouncing ball of light and instead acknowledge these feelings are not a problem to be fixed. I now take notes from Sadness, to follow her example and just sit with her until she's ready to get back on her feet and resume finding a train of thought.
Sometimes my girlfriend and I don't hold the same perspective. Honestly, I find it's one of the best things about our relationship. When she's getting caught up in worry, I'm doing all I can to assure her that things are fine, and when I'm freaking out about something she's usually the one keeping me sane. But as an extrovert dating an introvert, our contrasting personalities can sometimes feel like opposing personalities. Watching Joy and Sadness, who have always been seen as opposites in most people's eyes, form a relationship and make it through this expedition together, felt very supportive of our relationship. Seeing them come together in the end, no longer being seen as opposites but rather two sides of the same emotion orb, shows me that her sadness and inexplicable moments is not something my joy has to fix. Just like all five emotions working together enriched Riley's growing personality, it shows me that her sadness working with my joy enriches our relationship.

I thoroughly enjoyed all the ways Inside Out visualized abstract concepts of thought and played with the funny little things about the human mind. But what I really brought home with me from seeing it in that theater was a greater understanding of a serious and, for me, elusive element of human behavior. Or to put it another way, I had a better idea of what my girlfriend and other friends of mine were going through. I realize that depression doesn't have a switch, anxiety is just as much of someone's personality as my often foolhardy optimism is a part of mine, and most importantly, that it's no wonder I couldn't wrap my head around it when it took Pixar's entire team just to help me start grasping these concepts. Really, I can't imagine how anyone with depression could possibly explain it by themselves. Luckily, now that it's out on DVD and Blu-Ray, we have a demonstration. I look forward to watching it again, paying better attention to it, and seeing if maybe I can get a little closer to relating to my poor girlfriend who was sobbing from having so much to relate to in this movie. Also because, again, I love Pixar and this a great film.

You can read my girlfriend's experience of this film here: On the Inside Looking Out

The Dark Knight Rises

Usually for my reviews I find an alternate poster to share. One that American audiences don't get to see, but really should. Almost always these are international posters that, for some reason, are deemed not worthy of attracting the interest of movie goers. This time I'm posting something different. This is a collection of fan-made posters by Messenjahmatt. And I did enjoy The Dark Knight Rises advertising campaign, just the same, these are movie posters that would have been really cool to see in movie theaters and bus stops.

I wasn't planning on doing a review of The Dark Knight Rises, and in a way I'm still not. This will be more of a lecture. Again, something different. The film is outstanding. There were plenty of moments in the movie that had me stunned and whispering "oh no" to myself. But I didn't come out of the theater inspired to write about it like I was with the previous movies I've reviewed. Not because it didn't resonate in me, but there was nothing about the film which stuck out to me and I thought would go unappreciated. I knew everyone was going to see the movie, and I was certain that people would recognize all the immense awesomeness in it. I could give my opinions on Christopher Nolan's adaptation of Bane, or on how much I love Alfred. (Can I hug you Alfred? Please? I just really want to give you a hug and tell you how great you are.) But after seeing some other blogs written about the movie, I found something worth bringing up and writing out. I do feel there is an aspect of the film that is under-appreciated; the entire point of the Dark Knight Trilogy.
I feel enough time has passed I can post this without ruining someone’s day. But just in case,

SPOILER ALERT!

It seems Nolan picked a keyword for each of his three films to use over and over, thematically. His cleverness is in using this keyword in a multitude of fashions to explore all the themes this word can provide, and of course tie it all in to the Batman saga. In Batman Begins it was “fear”. Bruce had to overcome his fear. Batman used fear as a tool. The Scarecrow exploited fear. The League of Shadows manufactured fear from a little flower and used fear as an instrument of destruction. It was Batman versus the Scarecrow, the two guys whose personae are all about fear. For The Dark Knight, obviously it was “knight”. Harvey Dent was the White Knight, Batman the Dark Knight. Then there was a play on words with the night being darkest just before the dawn and so on. But it was about Gotham’s two knights. Now for The Dark Knight Rises, I know you’ve probably thought of a drinking game with how many times the word “rise” is used. A fire is rising in evil. Batman must rise again. Bruce must rise to meet the occasion. The people rise up. Bruce has to rise out of a pit while everyone chants “Rise!” at him. The word is used more times than I care to count and for pretty much every major character in the movie. This is where all the confusion comes from, because the audience has difficulty placing where to put the emphasis. And being such a difficult and important obstacle to overcome, it makes sense that people would place the moment with the pit and people yelling “rise!” over and over as the pivotal moment of rising which the title suggests. Especially when that chant is used as the majority of the film’s score. But it’s not. The primary moment takes place, as it did in the previous two films, in the last seconds of the movie, right before the title card comes up. It’s the moment when John Blake discovers the batcave, steps forward, and rises up, as the new Batman. That is the moment when the Dark Knight rises.
That's right. John Blake is the new Batman. Not Nightwing. Not Robin. I know his legal name is Robin, but that was nothing more than Christopher Nolan having fun. It's just a nod. The franchise has did it before with the Riddler and Zsasz in the two previous films, albeit in a much subtler way. John Blake's origin story is, in a way, an amalgamation of the Robins', and so there's reason to suggest he is in fact Nolan's version of the Boy Wonder. However, he can't be. When he found the batcave it was filled with bat-stuff. Doing anything other than being Batman with it would just be a waste. Secondly, after becoming a caped crusader, Robin would never make his crime fighting name his actual name. No one of intelligence would. And finally, while there are similarities to the Robins, even his name, he is still a different character. His is John Blake, an orphan who grew up to become a police officer, and then Batman.
He is destined to don the cape and cowl and continue the Batman legend. Bruce Wayne left Blake with the coordinates of the cave so that he could provide him with the tools necessary to be Batman. He knew Blake would provide the rest. Bruce finally found someone he trusted with the Batman mantle, and, in doing so, could pass it on. He finally could let go of being Batman and move on with life. Just as Alfred hoped he would. After all, that was the point. Bruce couldn't be Batman forever. The film clearly showed how his body was giving out, how Wayne Enterprises was waning, and how everything that Bruce Wayne could give himself to in the name of Batman was wearing thin. If Batman would continue to live, he would have to do so without Bruce Wayne. Bruce was never meant to live up to the needs and expectations of Batman. He can't. The entire purpose of Batman was to allow Bruce to do more than he could as Bruce Wayne. Bruce Wayne is just a man. An incredible, near superhuman, disciplined to his very core man. Still, Batman is something more.
Once again, Nolan focused on a key element of Batman in each film. In Batman Begins, Bruce Wayne came to the idea of a symbol. One which wouldn't be ignored, and couldn't be destroyed. Batman is indestructible and incorruptible. In The Dark Knight, when Bruce is faced with the trouble of what to do to make things right, he has the faceless figure Batman to make the difficult choice and suffer its consequences. Batman can endure. Now, eight years later, in The Dark Knight Rises, Alfred reminds Bruce of all these qualities that Batman has, and that Bruce does not. Bruce can be destroyed. Bruce cannot endure. But he also reminds him of one thing about Bruce which does make him special. Only he can be Bruce Wayne. Batman, however, could be anyone. Nolan suggested this already in The Dark Knight when several citizens got their own capes and cowls to be wannabe Batmen. Any person could play the role, it's just only a very select few would do it well. So far it's just Bruce Wayne and John Blake. But Bruce has finally moved on. Now it's up to John Blake. Batman continues.

Honestly, my only real criticism of the film is the moment where John Blake's true name is revealed to be Robin. It was cute, but it really muddled up things. Him suddenly being Robin distracted the audience from him actually being Batman. By which I mean the next Batman. And thus it distracted from the moral of the story, anyone can be a hero. Each of those four men in the fan posters are heroes of Gotham. Each in their own way contribute to the role of Batman and ensure his success. But even more, on their own, each of them are heroes. A businessman who holds together a company so it may support charities to provide homes for orphans. A cop who isn't afraid to whatever is necessary to protect others. A father figure who bears hatred and sacrifices his happiness for something more important. And a man who put a coat around a little boy's shoulders to let him know that the world hadn't ended. Each of them are heroes. Because he fought for good and put himself in harms way to do what needed to be done, People believed Harvey Dent was Batman. So why not any of these four men? Given the opportunity, they each would rise to the occasion. Well as it turns out, one of them did.

The Hunger Games

Usually I write these reviews immediately after seeing the movie, and it's been a few weeks since I've had the time to do this, so forgive me in that the steam has died a little. I did just now watch the trailers to remind me of how I liked the movie, which was fun cuz usually I avoid trailers at all costs, so they were exciting to see. By the way, whoever edited the first theatrical trailer did an incredible job. Give that person a comfier chair, they earned it.
Alright, onto the review.
I mentioned in my blog that The Hunger Games was the first book I read in a day. If you wanna know why that's such a big deal, read my blog. But I bring it up to emphasize just how much I enjoyed the experience of reading The Hunger Games. I hoped that the experience I got from the film wouldn't disappoint. It didn't. I'll say it wasn't as solid of an experience, and I'll get to why that is in a moment, but it still was an enthralling movie viewing experience.
What won we over in Suzanne Collins' writing was how easily and purely she put the reader into Katniss Everdeen's place. The perspective in the book is entirely through her thoughts, memories, and reactions. It's so easy to connect to her and feel for her because the way it's read, we all might as well be her. The dialogue was casual and the asides were natural. Nothing felt elevated or forced, it felt just as if this was a first hand experience that went straight from her brain's synapses to the page. The writing was even clever enough that nothing needed to be explained to me in a direct manner. I was just given information and was allowed to put it together myself. Just like in the way my brain works. And considering this book was set in the new nation of a dystopian future with it's own customs and jargon, the fact nothing had to be explained to me says something.
Still, above the accomplishment of giving the reader information in a way that doesn't remind you're merely a reader of a book is Collins' ability to put the reader so deeply in the place of her protagonist that the reader truly empathizes with the character. That's what I loved about The Hunger Games film. The film gave its viewer as much of Katniss' experience as it could. Rather than letting the action play out in front of us, like some disconnected sports fan from the Capitol, the filmmakers wanted us to have the experience of one of the tributes right in the middle of the games. Director Gary Ross utilized all the techniques his crew had to let the audience be a part of Katniss' story, rather than just watching it. Shaky cameras, ringing silence, slowed moments, blurred focus,and misframed shots are things that usually deter an audience. And I'm sure it deterred some people in this movie. It made it harder to see or hear all the action going on in some scenes, but, in my opinion, it gave us so much more.
These tricks were craftfully used to give us Katniss' account of what was happening around her. Yeah, I didn't get to see a handful of nameless characters die in a flurry of blood and violence, but I got to feel the exhilartion and fear that Katniss must have felt as she ran into the choas and decided that was a bad move. I could tell just how bad it was. I didn't logically come to that conclusion by inducing the other characters killing each other may or may not come to Katniss' space where they would most likely decide to kill her as well. I knew she had made a mistake worthy of putting me on the edge of my seat in concern because I felt it. Ross had set the scene up to make me understand how scared she was by playing out her experience for us in the way it came to her, taking time when there was a long hallway, and throwing us into the madness when a countdown reached zero. Most films try to slow down the interesting moments and skip past the uninteresting ones, which usually is a very good thing to do. But Ross played out everything for what it was. He let us stew in the anticipation in that long hallway, and when the countdown reached zero our eyes and ears had to keep up or else miss something. I felt the pressure Katniss felt. I felt relief when there was calm, and my heart went racing when there was action. Just as with the books, I felt right there in Katniss' place because the film did it's best to let me experience it first hand.
Now, keep in mind what I said there. The film did the best it could. This film was incredibly clever to give us the information we needed in that casual, natural way that the book did. But it couldn't do it for everything. It still reverted to that old staple of having an educational video give us the exposition for the setting. It had to explain tracker jackers to the audience. And it had to use flashbacks to stir up Katniss' old emotions when words would only fail. That's just how it is. Movies have to be a little more blunt than books because movies can't tell us what a character is thinking. If it sets things up right it can suggest it, and actor can show us what a character is feeling, but the only way for a movie to spell out exactly what a character is thinking is with a voice-over, but then you just might as well have a narrator tell you straight up. So, Katniss can wonder what Gale is thinking of her when she's in the cave, but we won't know that's what's on her mind through the facade she's putting on unless the director cuts to Gale doing that.
So no, the feels-like-I'm-really-there experience of the movie isn't as solid as the book. And no amount of 3D is ever going to fix that. Unfortunately, to give those in the audience who hadn't read the books and already knew everything the information that was necessary to follow along, there were scenes which cut away from Katniss and our first hand experience. The film cut to the Greek chorus that was Gale and Katniss' loved ones, and to the narrator that was Caesar Flickerman and Claudius Templesmith's commentary. When those tracker jackers showed up, the writers went to that old staple so the audience knew they were not ordinary wasps and how they could easily kill a career tribute. I just wish they had been a little less straightforward with how they got that information out. I felt like the rest of the film was so clever in telling us stuff that to have it explained like an encyclopedia would do it just fell short. My only complaint really.
But getting back to what I was saying, the book had to be adapted into a movie. Pretty much all of them do when they become movies. So Ross decides to cut to a few scenes and take us away from Katniss for a moment. Well, if we're going to be forced to pause on the Katniss Everdeen Experience, and instead focus on someone else for a moment, we might as well roll with that. To give us perspective on what exactly is happening to her. Ross takes us behind the scenes to see how the show that is the Hunger Games is put on. He gives us insight to Haymitch's workings, and how events in the book get to where they can take place. He devises a new character to make this all relatable to the story. Pretty cool. Not sure whether I would rather it be left out like in the book, but I can see how it fills in the picture. I can only imagine that it's really setting the stage for the sequels. We'll just have to wait and see. I will say, in most cases these additions did give me more of the foreboding sense of the omni-powerful Capitol that Katniss already knew of. So I think it does tie back to the goal of giving us the first hand experience that the books did. However, there definitely were scenes that were just secondary plot unfolding. Yes, it made me dislike President Snow as much as Katniss and Peeta must, but it did seem unnecessary. Like I said, I can only assume it's needed for the sequels. I will say the final moment with President Snow brought out the same reaction I had in the final moment of the book; "I need to know what happens next!" Somehow they managed to flesh out the plot and expand upon the story, while also allowing us to take our time with scenes, and still keep things to the point. Even more impressive, they did all that editing and didn't miss anything.
What I enjoyed the most with this film is how well it managed to adapt the book and still give the same experience. Yes, characters were left out, and thus moments with those characters were also left out. Not everything happened the way it did in the book and therefore I did not have the same exact experience. What I'm saying is, through Jennifer Lawrence's phenomenal acting and the direction of this film, I experienced The Hunger Games. I didn't just watch it, I felt it. And just like with the book, I kept wanting to know what happened next. Being someone who had read the book beforehand, you'd think I wouldn't have that feeling watching the movie, but that's how immersed I was into this film. That's how well they snagged me; I felt everything all over again. All the anticipation and all the dread. The addition of new scenes and characters, as well as the exemption of others shook things up just enough, and then there was the reaction to Rue. Oh man. That was my favorite moment from the book. They took it out. But what they did instead really shook things up. Katniss didn't know what was going on, but I wouldn't want to miss out on that moment. It fills out the picture, and I know it's setting up those sequels. I'm glad they adapted that scene, cuz I can't wait to see what happens next.

American Idiot: The Musical

I've written before about my obsession with Green Day's American Idiot, my dream of one day getting to perform in an adaptation of it, and my heartbreak of missing out on the show when it premiered in Berkeley. I had just moved to Los Angeles, I was poor as dirt, and by the time I scrounged enough money together to go see the show, it was sold out. After dreaming of what a dramatic performance of American Idiot would be like for four years, I'd have to wait another two and half before the show would have gone to Broadway, rocked the city, toured around the country, and finally make it's way back to Southern California where I might have a second chance to see it.

But it finally did! Trouble is, this time I'm poor as $#*+ and have even less of a chance to afford tickets. Well, my good friend Sami surprised me with tickets as an early birthday present, and next thing I know I was finally going to see the show. I had a crazy past couple of days, today being no exception, but when I had 20 minutes to get ready, I dressed up in what I always had imagine was the fashion of the Jesus of Suburbia (just like a good fan usually does on opening night) and we headed off.

It was like a rock concert to me. We got our tickets at will call, walked in, checked out the merch booth, and then found our way to the pit of the arena. Or in this case, the orchestra seating. I was a few rows back from the front, but dead center, just like I did when I saw Green Day do their American Idiot tour. Except this time I was the only one dressed for the occasion and younger than 50. I was thumbing through the program, checking out the song list for the show, delighted at seeing all the 'Idiot' B-sides and tracks from 21st Century Breakdown which will make this version. Sami asked which were which, and upon explaining the conversation went into the story of the original American Idiot album. Then a guy sitting a few seats away moved in closer and asked me to tell him all about it. I was honored to be sharing the story and concepts and alternate theories of the rock opera with people, then conversing on how different the stage show would be with new songs and characters. Just as I was wrapping up my theories, the lights dimmed. And after all my countless hours listening, discussing, theorizing, and imagining.. my mind was about to be blown all over again.

The lights dimmed and the curtain remained still. Among the waning murmurs of the audience was a growing rabble of early 21st century media. Real audio snippets of television, music, commercials, politics, war declarations, and all the soundbites that drove our country mad a decade ago. The curtain rose, and there was the source of that rabble. Towering walls of television monitors stealing attention from the people on the stage, who all with their backs to the people watching them, and with remotes fixed firmly in their hands. They, like us, were entranced by the imagery that was all too familiar and suffocating. Then someone shouted. "Don't wanna be an American idiot!" Boom. Everything was shook up and we snapped out of our trances. For the next hour and forty minutes, our attention never left the cast of young Americans rocking the stage.
The stage is set just like that of a small town repertory theatre company putting on a grassroots performance of something that was clearly dreamed up by a fan who didn't have much more than passion and good cast to work with. The set looked as if it's nothing more than the walls and doors already built into the building. The band is standing on stage with the cast. The cast is strewn about a limited set made almost entirely of scaffolding and some boxes. I think I even saw a broken tv set turned away from the audience, as if they fished it out of the dumpster cuz that's all they had. I don't know if this was because the show started this way when they debuted at the Berkeley Repertory Theater and they wanted to stay close to their roots, or because scenic designer Christine Jones is freaking brilliant. It's probably both. Either way I have all the respect in the world for the technical team on this show. The artistic direction of the show utilized minimalistic set pieces, gobo lighting, projections, video screens, and having most every ensemble actor on stage at all times; all the black box theater staples. That's how this show felt. It had that raw aesthetic of a black box performance put on by a group of starving artists, with all the passion that comes with that kind of show. But it also had the powerhouse talent and finely tuned production value of a Tony award-winning Broadway show. Somehow the cast and crew of American Idiot found a way to walk the line between organic passion project and mainstream musical, and do it a million and one £÷¢&ing times.

Amidst shouting out that anthem against mainstream media, the cast took the stage like frustrated rock stars finally letting out their angst. Which is perfectly appropriate. The ensemble players pause between whichever lines and verses they are cued to belt to bend over and stomp the ground the way which I have done all too often whenever I've got something in me that I can only get out through a good song. Throughout the show I took notice of choreography that seemed to come right out of my bag of moves done when rocking out at concerts and in my bedroom. And of course, a big part of these kudos goes to the choreographer who was bold enough to use mosh pit moves on a musical theatre stage. But it's the cast who really put themselves into these songs, letting it well up and inside them and then allowing it to burst out of them when the time was right. And when done in unison, it's an impressive spectacle of both emotion from the characters and drive from the actors. And as a rocker who had to endure hearing theatre kids pretending to have that rock n' roll attitude when Rocky Horror was being put on in my college's conservatory theater, I really appreciated seeing actors who had genuinely found that fire within them and knew how to let go of music theatre merit enough to rock.
Personally, I especially appreciated the actors who were clear homages to Green Day's band members. Larkin Bogan (@LBogster) made me giddy at seeing and hearing "Billie Joe" on stage. But in total truth, each individual actor had moments that captivated me and each one gave an outstanding performance. The main protagonist of the American Idiot album, the Jesus of Suburbia, who goes out into the city only to make the wrong choices, lose everything, and come home defeated, was shared by three tragic heroes. Each character took a unique path, all of which could be described as the fall of the American dream; Will doing the 'couch tour', Tunny doing the USO tour, and Johnny wandering aimlessly around the big city. Actors Jake Epstein (@Jake_Epstein), J. Scott Campbell (@ScottJCampbell7), and Van Hughes respectively each gave leading performances, starting from the same place as very similar roles, arcing through their different stories until they were almost unrecognizable by the end, and finally standing strongly as three very separate, real characters. Of course, they were supported by the driving forces behind their transformations, the love interests. Actresses Lesie McDonel (@lesliemcdonel), Nicci Claspell (@nclaspell), and Gabrielle McClinton (@gabbymcclinton) played opposites the JoS trio, as well as a few ensemble roles in certain numbers. Regardless of whether their character had names or not, their presence was strongly felt when they took command of the stage. Especially when joined by their fellow actresses for "Letterbomb" when they demanded attention and never let go of it. It was intimidating how hard they rocked that number. And I also have to give praise to the bombastic, almost surreal performances of Jarran Muse (@Jarranmuse) as the undeniably perfect Favorite Son, and Joshua Kobak as uncontrollably fantastic St. Jimmy. Muse had the honor of the token fun song of a good musical theatre show, and reveled in it so much we had fun watching him, making his sudden turn to seriousness all the more impacting. Kobak was an entirely different type of fun to watch, with his sparkling face and devilish smile all over the video screens or capturing even the dimmest of light, either way allowing us to appreciate his mischievous and devious performance. True to his role, he and his epically wailing voice were irresistible. And as I mentioned, the entire ensemble was solid. Even when someone would step out to take the lead in the song or begin a piece of choreography, it took focus. The performances were sharp and strong. Each face and voice became familiar, and each one was great.

Now, as I said earlier, a good part of the stage presence is credited to choreographer Steven Hoggett. Not only did he infuse alternative rock and punk into dance, but he managed to tell complex stories in a matter of seconds without sacrificing one ounce of the emotional impact that comes from them. At the same time, he took brief moments and savored the drama from them via extended movement. As a rock opera, most of the what is told was through poetic lyrics which are representative of ideas and feelings, and also open to interpretation. So the plot was given to us through gesture in clever and engaging choreography. But just the same, a lot of the choreography was representative of what the characters were feeling, with the staging giving the clues. I suppose this is the beauty of the show; the collaborative nature in presentation and potency. At one point in the show, I was taking notice of the projected lighting on the walls, which had set a tone which I found intriguing. Then a change in costuming, which I understood the point of, though I still hadn't put two and two together. Soon, the movement of the actors had completed the scene. And once I felt its full impact, tears came to my eyes.
The stories told in this show carried such weight, and many specific moments gave us the full force of that weight. Characters reaching out for one another, the sounds of bombs exploding, punches in the music, quells in the music, everything from the entire cast rushing the stage to one sole performer softly singing out to the spotlight all by his lonesome. I found myself reacting with fear and sorrow just as much as I did with excitement and joy. There is a great deal in this musical that resonates in me. Each song means something to me, as I'm sure it does most, and there are more lines than I can count which hold some specific significance to my own personal experience. I have my ideas about the show and the characters, yet this show surpassed almost every one of them. I never imagined the scale this show would have, or how moments that meant something to me would be presented in such a universal and powerful way. I always imagined American Idiot as a story of a kid who wanted something more, and his internal struggles brought on and reflected by his surroundings, the decisions he makes, and the consequences of them. After watching American Idiot: The Musical, and witnessing director Michael Mayer's vision of the same album I was obsessed with, I'm shown three separate stories, about all of us affected by the recent past, the struggles brought on by life, whether a consequence of our actions or not. This version of Idiot is not just about one's own rage and love, it's about how it affects us. How our peers, our home, our country, and our own lives affect us. The good and the bad. The destined and the chanced. The comedic and the tragic.

In the seven and a half years I've been a fan of American Idiot, I've found the B-sides, the omitted tracks, the mashups, and of course, the follow-up, 21st Century Breakdown. American Idiot: The Musical is the culmination of this whole catalog, being something that is greater than the sum of it's parts. Just as it's a show with major themes, brilliant direction, talented players, and a kickass soundtrack that still exceeds it's hype. Still, with all these great qualities and fine source material, what I love most about this show was just how much it rocked. Throughout the show I would look over at the band on stage, and they looked like were having just a much fun playing this show as I'm sure they did playing the first one. The actors must have a serious case of 'rock neck' from the headbanging they do. And I'm sure it's in the choreography, but they still do it to the fullest. They performed this show full force, singing, jumping, pounding, dancing, everything. They just rocked. The music was loud, the performances were dynamic, and the show is amazing because of it. The music was more a part of this show than your standard musical; on more than one occasion an actor played an important instrument for a song. There was even a moment where an actor delivered a line, and it got a laugh cuz the drummer of the band had the reaction. It was a real ensemble show in that regard, where everyone supported each other, and every contributed to how hard it blew the doors off. This show was so good, and the performances were so engaging, that I couldn't help but find myself singing along. If I wasn't doing that, it was because my jaw had probably dropped, or I was in awe of the stage, or because I was tense in anticipation of the drama playing out on stage. Still, it took every ounce of my being to remind myself that grabbing the seat in front of me and rocking out is not acceptable theater behavior. I had to tell myself that while I am enjoying it as much as I am, it's not a rock concert no matter how much it feels like one.

But in true concert going fashion, I made sure to get up to the stage to grab a flyer (closest thing to the set list) and a guitar pick from the show. Tonight was awesome and I wanted souvenirs!

Hugo

This one might have spoilers. I try not to, but I didn't know what else to write about.
Someone needs to revamp the advertising spots for Martin Scorsese's latest picture, Hugo Cabret, because they make it look like a tritely enchanting story of a boy who befriends a robot who magically comes to life on goes on a CGI filled adventure. And that is not at all what this movie is. Hugo Cabret is the story of a gifted orphan who searches for his place in the grand mechanism of the world. Hugo Cabret is the story of a wound down man trying to escape a past which is being resurfaced. It's the story of a girl who finally has the adventure she's read about, a broken man becoming whole again and a couple coming together through the romance. But with all the stories that leisurely move along within the film, Hugo Cabret is above all a celebration of film.
As I watched the film, and became enveloped in the mystery of the mechanical man which Hugo devotes everything he has left in order to repair, I couldn't help feel a sense of magic. Perhaps it was simply Scorsese's direction, the winding shots which follow our orphan hero throughout the clock tower's he calls his home, or Howard Shore's lovely scores set to snowfall, but there certainly was magic in the air. Still, I couldn't figure it out. The film is set in a train station in France. The characters are not wizards, elves, or fairy tale heroes. The mechanical automaton which Hugo is repairing is a machine, and while extraordinary, it is not one which runs on anything supernatural. So where was the magic coming from? It's funny to think that the answer was in front of me the whole time. I was looking right at it. The magic was the magic film-making.
Toward the middle of the movie, Hugo takes his new friend to see her very first movie, Safety Last, the film famous for Harold Lloyd's death-defying clock stunt. You the viewer get a chance to see the film on the big screen, and feel just as audiences of it's day did, both wowed and terrified over the still impressive stunt work. The movie continues to mention how the early days of moving pictures frightened audiences into thinking a real train was heading for them. It showcases in glorious montage some of the most famous films of the early era ever. I for one was delighted at seeing images of Charlie Chaplin, Cesar the Somnambulist, and the moon from my personal favorite, Le Voyage dans la Lune (A Trip to the Moon). I was delighted to see the film continued to share the magnificent imagery from the man who produced, directed, wrote, and starred in the iconic silent film, Georges Méliès. Scorsese paid a loving tribute to silent film and Méliès' work, showcasing clips from his imaginative masterpieces, and even going so far as to let us in one one being made. In that moment I realized where the magic was coming from.
We saw the hand painted sets move back and forth to allow actors dressed in bright costumes dance around live pyrotechnics and theatrical rigging to create the illusion of floating mermaids, flying spacemen, and dancing monsters. All the special effects and wizardy that made film so popular in the first place were put displayed in all their awesomeness, without aid of CGI filler to make it pop or sparkle. Watching as the images being recreated, you could see how it was imagination that inspired such awe and wonder. And it was pure love for film and all its potential that made it so beautiful and fun. It was the stuff that dreams are made of, pure and simple.
Scorsese paid tribute to a true artist and an time of true brilliance in film. And I believe he did so when we needed it most. We are currently in an era where movies are compelled by franchise profiting and tent pole films are given the most attention. Scorsese reminded us of when films drew in audiences because they reacted to them, and inspired those to make them so they could share visions and stories that before could only be found in dreams. Hugo was released in the same year studios released 27 sequels to previous movies, and within of month of when 6 movie reboots were announced in the same week. If there was ever a time when the film industry seemed to be out of imagination and creativity, it is now. And while I know Hugo was based of a book that somebody else wrote, it still reminds us of a time when film inspired new ideas, rather than repacked old ones.
Even so, Hugo Cabret is a wonderful movie filled with touching stories, lovable performances, and plenty of emotion. It doesn't have any supernatural elements or blockbuster action sequences to curl you up onto the edge of your seat, but you'll find yourself there anyway. You'll find yourself in awe, wonder, delight, love, awkwardness, tension, suspense, and triumph as the characters go about their lives and try to find their place within each others'. And when watching the timeless works of classic filmmakers, as well as the tributes of the current ones, you'll find yourself in believing in its magic again.
You'll also find yourself wanting to find an old theater somewhere that still shows black and white movies.

The Muppets

I’m almost in tears. Reflecting on my time out at the movies tonight, it was the greatest movie viewing experience I’ve ever had. First of all, how often does a night spent sitting in a movie theater have enough happen in it where you can reflect on it? Not very, that’s how much. But tonight was unique. It was magical. It was sensational. It was muppetational.

My super amazing girlfriend Sami surprised me with tickets to go see The Muppets earlier today. I have been waiting for this movie longer than I can remember, erupting with excitement and laughter at every news tidbit, promo, music video, and parody trailer that came out of building this movie. And when it finally came… I had no money to go see it. So Sami’s surprise was more than welcome, it was uplifting! Still, neither of us knew how surprisingly joyous her joyful surprise would be. She picked two seats in the second row of the El Capitan Theater, just to the left of center. We knew there would be some sort of show involving Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy, and she figured we want to sit close enough to see it. So we arrived to the El Capitan, I checked in on FourSquare and got a free ‘50^th Anniversary of Kermit the Frog’ pin for doing so. We got our complimentary popcorn and sat down in the second row, right behind the organist, who soon played a medley of Mary Poppins and then followed it with “Rainbow Connection”. The show hadn’t started yet and I already got a little prize and felt the magic in the air resonating in me.
Sitting in the orchestral pit of the El Captain, I got to take in more of the theater than I ever had before. It was like I was seeing for the first time again. It’s a beautiful theater. The organist wrapped up his pre-show organing, exiting with “The Muppet Show Theme”, and the curtain rose, and once again, beautiful. Sitting as close as I was I really appreciated the classic Hollywood charm the curtains and lights all had. Then the final one parted and there was a series of boxes lined up across the stage, which I knew was for Kermit and Piggy. A Christmas-sweatered man came out with a microphone to sing Christmas carols with the audience. Then shortly after, Kermit and Piggy popped up from behind the boxes and joined in. Then the three asked the audience to join in, and we sang Christmas carols with Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy. We also rung jingle bells which we had been given earlier. The whole thing was wholesome yuletide merriment. As the songs continued, a spotlight popped up on Kermit, who leaned on his elbow, musing to the thought of snowfall in Hollywood, then to Piggy who sang sweetly to her frog prince. The host snuck behind them with a bucket of white confetti and threw it over the couple to make it snow for them. That was sweet enough, but the magic in the air ended the Christmas medley with snowfall in the theater itself. Kermit and Piggy waved goodbye and the theater went dark.

The movie started.

I’ll do my best not to spoil any of the fun and nostalgia of the film, but I will say that it was perfect. It began in a way that made you smile with childhood delight and fondness of yesteryear. The next scenes featured a whimsical and happy musical number in the genre that is distinctly Muppets. Optimistic songs and silly humor are expected in a Muppet movie, and this one did not disappoint. The jokes were signature of their style, but still fresh and new. The audience was laughing over and over again, and I can only imagine they were smiling between the laughs. I expected all the silliness and whimsy, but still found myself impressed with just how much was on the screen. Everything was bright, shiny, and fun!
Then the plot took our characters to Los Angeles. Immediately the bright, shiny, and new was gone. The movie addressed the unhappy reality that the Muppets have not been around much before now. Rather than seeing the brand new songs and dances, the film focused on the past. While I love nostalgia, and am excited to see relics of the past, seeing Kermit’s banjo covered in dust and Jim Henson’s picture on the wall was heartbreaking in the sweetest way. The plot continues to remind us that the Muppets have been all but forgotten. Essentially, The Muppets comes out and says the Muppets are no more. But here’s what separates the Muppets from every other beloved gang of iconic characters; they find inspiration out of nothing, support it, and believe in the most absurd of dreams. If dreams go to die in Los Angeles, they are resurrected at Muppet Studios. From there they set off to do the impossible and do what they do best. And of course, there’s optimism and silliness the entire time.
Moving right along, the majority of the movie takes place in Los Angeles, and I’m so happy to be living here because I feel I appreciated some jokes on a stronger level. Also because there are a number of locations I can “I go there!” to, and one I could say “I’m there right now!” to! In this movie, the Muppets’ Theater is the El Capitan Theater on Hollywood Boulevard, the very theater I was watching The Muppets. I was watching the Muppets perform in a movie in a theater where they perform! It was the next best thing to actually watching the show by being in the movie. That surreal dream was realized by my friend Jack, who I am now jealous as hell of. I’ve never thought I’d regret not doing more extra work. It’s always been a dream of mine to perform alongside the Muppets, and I’d totally settle for being part of the magnificent moments the people at Hollywood locations shared with them.
The Muppets gave us so many of those moments. My heartstrings were tugged repeatedly. Not just through nostalgia and fandom, but in the characters relationships, their struggles, their triumphs, their defeats, and more than anything, their hopes. While The Muppets has everything you’d expect in a Muppet movie, I was still surprised in their actions. The little things they do that make a big difference. The things you’d never see coming but for some reason are so glad you did. It was perfect. And there was also more celebrity cameos than I can count, so it had that going for it too.

As if all this wasn’t enough, I got a text from a friend of mine who works with Kermit. Yeah. Apparently he saw me sitting in that perfect spot, front and center, while he was waiting in the wings before the show. I saw my friend in the movie. Kermit saw me in the audience. Everything was awesome. And to top it off, the El Capitan put a display in their downstairs area featuring Miss Piggy’s wardrobe from the movie. There was also a mural to get your photo with, and two small sets from the movie. I got to see the dust covered banjo and picture of Jim Henson hanging on the wall. We sat down to get our picture. I got my picture in front a mural of the Muppets, in the building which housed their stage, wearing my Kermit the Frog pin, having just gotten a text from him saying he was glad I liked the movie… I’m glad I got the picture, but I’ll be reflecting on this forever.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II

For the first time, I got to be the guy who saw the big movie before all my friends. And I loved it. So I'm gonna write a little bit about it. Though I don't know who'd read this; it's not like anybody needs convincing to see the movie.

Anyway.


This movie was magnificent. But I think that's to be expected. After all, it is the epic conclusion to a decade long movie franchise that has only become more magnificent, among other valuable aesthetic qualities. The final installment is the artistic culmination of the series; having begun gleefully, grown into the "darker" episodes, and maturing into the artistic achievements that have been the Deathly Hallows films.
What really resonated with me in this film was specific moments. Director David Yates slowed down many moments so that we may fully appreciate the pain, hardship, and chaos that would normally fly by without an honest chance to comprehend its severity. Not only did he slow them down for us, but shot and edited them in a way which would stop your heart. Or he would do the exact opposite and make your heart race and pound as hard as it could. There were a lot of intense moments, and not one was missed. Yates focused the strength of his cast, his photographers, and his post production team to hit as hard as he could.
On that note, the shots used old photography tricks like, depth of field, filters, and composition to convey the story through a visual medium. It sacrificed the crystal clear blockbusting IMAX 3Dness is so popular nowadays to produce spectacle that resonates on a different level. There was only one scene where the 3D made me "feel like I was really there," with all its roller-coaster-ride fun. The rest of the movie made me feel like someone was about to die, or the end was at hand,or triumph was at hand, or any number of feelings that shook me to the core. To me, it makes for a better picture to make me cry, or gasp, or applaud, rather than to make me say "wow, that was cool." (I have a good analogy for what I’m talking about, but I don’t wanna spoil a single thing.)
I got choked up. I held my breath for the characters time and time again. And I have never heard of an audience applaud for characters often as they did this morning. Granted I was watching the movie with fans, but as I said earlier, there were so many moments! Every character we've grown to love had their moment in the light. Some more than others. Even some we don't root for. There was an incredible amount of respect given to these character and their actions, which makes this closing chapter impossible to love.
Everyone loved it. The final moments were ones of joy. Not excitement or whimsy, but pure contentment. When the credits rolled, people didn't seem to cheer and woo like most people do after a totally awesome movie. They just clapped, like after a masterpiece concerto. At least that's how I remember it
So, I know you're going to enjoy the movie, but I have to wrap this up into a nice package: Enjoy the moments. Celebrate them. Enjoy the silence, celebrate the actions. Go so far as to enjoy the credits and nostalgically triumphant score that accompanies it! And celebrate the perfect end of a magnificent, outstanding series. Point your wand at the screen when the WB logo comes up at the end and say "Mischief managed!" I can't believe I was the only one to do that.

Rango

Since I first saw the trailers for Rango, I was interested. The more trailers and TV spots I saw, the more interested and excited I became. I loved the character design, the quirky humor, and what appeared to be a great devotion to detail and not phoning it in. Then they put out a trailer that showcased Johnny Depp playing his role alongside the corresponding animated scene. Of course the ad was saying "Hey, look! Johnny Depp! See!", but I saw it more as "look how much effort we put on having believable and genuine performances!" I had to go see it!
Unfortunately for me, I'm poor. Like, broke poor. Not only that, but I made plans to see it with a friend, and they kept getting pushed back for one reason or another... then she went out town... anyway, I was tired of waiting and went to see it, damn the expense. And now that I have, I'm kind of upset I didn't go see it earlier, or at a more expensive theater. (And you never hear me say that.) I want more of the money I spent on this movie to have gone to the studio. I want this film to be successful, and I want the studio to see this film as successful, because I want studios to have the artistic drive and boldness this movie had. Also, it's an original movie in a year of sequels. Especially for animated movies!
I encourage anyone and everyone to go see this movie, not only because I want it to be successful, but also because it deserves to be! It's original, quirky, and fun, just like the trailers told you it would be. But it's also artistic and has heart. It has action and danger. And it has amazing acting talent, not just Johnny Depp, there's a ton of talented voices in it. The acting and directing is on par with live-action films, if not better. The character design is just awesome. It's clever, imaginative, incredibly detailed, and it doesn't rely on being pretty. It's brilliant in some regards, and it looks incredible! And to support all of this, the story is simple enough for kids to follow, but solid enough for adults to be entertained with. And on that note, I couldn't believe the humor, and the art direction, handling of weapons, and everything that went into this movie. I almost don't think it was made for kids because there's so much in the movie 'you just don't see in children's entertainment!' And I think it's all the better for it! I don't care who the movie was made for, because like I said, I think anyone and everyone should go see it! It was just made to be a good movie.
I'm happy that the movie opened at #1, beating out several movies that were expected to surpass it, but I still feel like the movie hasn't been a big a hit as it should have been. Not that I'm on the ball with media news, but I figured I would have heard more about it. All I heard was there was a scene, or as I discovered upon seeing it, ten seconds within a scene, where the chorus of Mariachi owls are "hung." (They're only kind of hung.) I think since that was the only big upset in the movie is a testament to how great it was, because there was plenty that lousy parents could get all riled up over. But they didn't, because it was all part of a fantastic and impressive movie. The hanging thing was just there for show. And I liked that too. But still! I can't believe that's all I heard about it. There's so much more to buzz about! I wanna dork out with people about it! Especially the scene with the Spirit of the West!! How cool was that?!! Go see this movie so I can talk to you about it!!!