The Artist

I'm looking forward to the Oscars Sunday night. It feels like a foregone conclusion that The Artist is going to dominate, and that's fine with me. I saw it a couple weeks ago, and I've been thinking about it quite a bit ever since.

I've seen the word "charming" frequently used to describe The Artist, and that's spot-on, it is charming.

It's also a great metaphor for the times.

The protagonist of The Artist, George Valentin, is a silent film star when technological advancement turns his world upside down.

The film industry is facing a similar time of great change.

The digital revolution is changing a lot of things, and movies are not immune. I can see a day where the overwhelming majority of movies are released online, streamed immediately at home or on mobile devices, movie theaters a thing of the past, much like their drive-thru brethren. I'm not exactly sure how that might affect the economics of movies, but I have a feeling many people involved in film are unsure what the future holds for their industry.

The Artist perfectly captures that feeling of uncertainty. Taking the analogy even further, the digital world changes things for a lot of people. What are the jobs of the future going to be? And will there be one for me? George Valentin found a way to adapt, and that, to me, is the theme of The Artist. Despite huge changes, creative people will find a way to adapt.

So yes, The Artist is charming. And yes, Jean Dujardin is a fine dancer.

The Artist resonates for me because it comments on the future by showing us the past. That's not easy to do, in any art form.

LinSanity

I'm a huge sports fan. In my mind sports is a collection of stories. The athletes are the characters, good guys and villians (yes, Lebron, you) abound. Each game/series has exposition, rising action, a climax, and resolution. The settings of sporting events are incredibly varied and vibrant. Sports is filled with themes, many of them cliched to be sure, but it's hard to beat a good sports story.

The latest sports story to cross over into mainstream consciousness is that of Jeremy Lin. His meteoric rise is the stuff of fiction.

Lin played basketball at Harvard, so his future was always bright. He could have pursued any number of high-paying jobs, but his dream was to play in the NBA. No team felt he was good enough to be drafted, and while two teams gave him a shot, both cut him after brief stints. Jeremy Lin wasn't good enough for them. In fact, the team he stars for now, the New York Knicks, was reportedly going to cut him the day before he finally got a chance to start.

Lin is a trailblazer. I've been watching the NBA since I was a kid, and I can't remember a single Asian American player. Let's be honest, I bet there weren't a lot of people in the NBA taking the Asian guy from Harvard very seriously, yet another hurdle in Lin's journey to play basketball.

Lin has jumped all the hurdles, perseverance a prominent theme in his story. Lin has been ridiculous since entering the Knicks starting lineup, and he is now the toast of New York. Even Spike Lee approves.

I normally detest all New York teams, but last Friday night, I found myself on the edge of my seat as Lin battled Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. Then Tuesday night, Lin got me off the couch with a game-winning 3 in Toronto. For this year at least, consider me a Knicks fan. Lin's story is just too good to miss.

Madonna, Ferris, and oh yeah, a football game

For the third year in a row, the Super Bowl set a record for the most-watched TV show in U.S. history. Even though my Packers weren't playing, I was one of the record 111.3 million people who tuned in for the game. I didn't think the game was particularly well-played, and it didn't get very exciting until the last five minutes. Those five minutes were damn good though. Truth be told, I seriously dislike both teams (my mother taught me that hate is a wasted emotion), so I was more interested in the commercials.

A few commercials stood out for me. There was that one with the pug in red shoes racing the greyhounds. The pug blows away the competition, moonwalking across the finish line. I have no idea what product was being sold, but that dog cracked me up. I loved the Clint Eastwood commercial. Man, Clint's voice, that thing IS America. THE commercial of the night for me though was the Ferris commercial. I'm not exactly sure how I feel about it. Did John Hughes roll over in his grave? or was it genius? If you haven't seen it, give it a look, and let me know what you think.

I wouldn't call myself a Madonna fan, although I did see her in concert in high school. I want to say it was 1987, Who's That Girl tour? I went with a couple friends, we drove to Alpine Valley in an orange Vega, there may have been a bottle of Jack Daniels involved. Front 42 opened, great show. I thought her half-time show started slowly, gathered strength, and "Like a Prayer" nailed the ending. My girls were excited to see LMFAO and Nicki Minaj. Good on ya Madonna, bringing the generations together. One of Madonna's guests, MIA, decided to spice things up by flipping the world the bird, and I'm pretty sure she dropped "shit" into her lyrics. Luckily my kids were oblivious.

I would have enjoyed Super Bowl Sunday a lot more if the Packers had been involved, but overall, not a bad way to spend a few hours. What were some of your SB highlights?

Life is Busy

Things have been pretty hectic lately, more so than usual. My school does a Korean exchange program, and we are hosting two of the students. The girls have very limited English, and on top of that, they are quite shy. It's been fun to integrate them into our family, if only for a short time, but also more draining than I'd imagined. Two teenage girls added to the mix is a lot of work. The girls leave on Thursday, and then the normal rhythm of our family will return.

Another reason things are so crazy these days is that we have extended our soccer season this year. We're normally done by December, but we decided to step up to club soccer. I'm coaching Quinn's team, and so far we're doing great, haven't lost a game. We've really only been practicing as a team for a couple months, and we're beating club teams that have been together for a lot longer. It's a great group of girls and I'm having a blast. Scout's team is struggling. They did well in AYSO, but since they stepped up to the club world, they haven't won a game, and you can see the confidence waning. That's tough to watch. Scout and I had a long talk this weekend. It was one of those balancing acts, mixing empathy and time-to-pick-up-your-game. I think it went well, but that's the thing about being a parent, are you ever really sure?

I haven't had much time for movies lately, which always bugs me. The Oscar nominations are out, and my only real complaint is that Bridesmaids wasn't nominated for Best Picture. Meg and I always try to see all the movies up for Best Picture, and so far we've seen 5 of the 9. We still need to see The Artist, War Horse, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, and Moneyball. It looks like The Artist is the frontrunner. Maybe it's just me, but I'm having a hard time getting excited about a silent black and white film. Anybody seen it? Thoughts?

We did watch 50/50 Sunday night. Joseph Gordon Levitt is outstanding as Adam Lerner, a guy battling cancer and learning a lot about himself and those who truly matter in his life. You could probably argue he deserved an Oscar nomination. There's one scene in particular that really got me. Lerner has a last ditch surgery, and JGL's face right before going under is so right on, the fear, it caught me off guard, it reminded me of a look I saw on my dad's face once, it brought tears to my eyes.

I have managed to keep reading despite the busy schedule. I finished Roger Ebert's memoir Life Itself on Saturday. I've been a fan of Ebert's since high school, when Siskel & Ebert taught me how to appreciate movies. I've become an even bigger fan the last few years as Ebert has used blogging and twitter to find a different kind of voice, and a powerful one at that. Ebert is a great writer, and his memoir is excellent.

I put a bunch of this year's award winners and nominees on hold at the library. I started The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka on Sunday. And finished it on Sunday. It's about Japanese women who came to the US as arranged brides. It's only 127 pages, and man is it good. Anybody reading any good books lately?

One last thing. I just signed up for the A-Z Blogging Challenge. I really enjoyed the experience last year, so I'll give it another go. I haven't been blogging as much as I was last year, so hopefully I'll be able to do the Challenge justice. Ah well, nothing ventured, nothing gained. 

The Green Bay Packers Lost a Game, and This Woman Lost Her Mind

I came across a great video today, and it must be shared.

As an owner of the Green Bay Packers, Sunday's game was indeed upsetting. Fans of the Green and Gold worldwide took the loss hard, but perhaps none as hard as the woman in this video. 

Apparently she's garnered a dose of fame from this video, and really, why not.

Drowning My Sorrow in the Golden Globes

Well, the Green Bay Packers picked a really bad time to play their worst game of the season. I spent a ridiculous amount of time on the phone commiserating with friends. This is a little discussed aspect of being a fan, but talking with friends after a loss is a strangely satisfying feeling, the idea that we've experienced the same disappointment, venting to the only people who get it.

Meg patiently waited for me, and then we watched the Golden Globes. Meg and I love the Globes. We're always hopeful that drunken celebrity hijinks will break out, but it didn't look like anyone was outrageously liquored-up last night.

I loved Ricky Gervais last year. He took some heat for being too mean-spirited, but I thought he was hilarious. Gervais was quite funny again last night, but I do think he dialed it back a bit. I especially liked his exchange with Johnny Depp, a big star who isn't afraid to poke a little fun at himself. The show could have used a lot more Gervais if you ask me, with drink in hand of course. 

Here's a rundown of the awards (my comments in red):

BEST MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA: The Descendants I had this as my #4 movie of the year, so definitely a deserving winner.

BEST ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA: George Clooney, The Descendants I don't think Clooney is a very expressive actor, but I kind of like that. Makes his performances feel more realistic, and his style was perfect for this movie.

BEST MOTION PICTURE, MUSICAL/COMEDY: The Artist I haven't seen this one yet. It will certainly be nominated for an Oscar, so I'll be seeing it soon. I was kind of hoping Midnight in Paris would win.

BEST ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA: Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady Is it possible for Meryl Streep to be in a movie and not be nominated for awards? Probably not, she's just that good. I haven't seen this one yet, but I'm interested to learn a little bit about Thatcher.

BEST ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE, MUSICAL/COMEDY: Jean Dujardin, The Artist Again, I haven't seen this one, so I don't have much to go on.

BEST DIRECTOR: Martin Scorsese, Hugo A bit of a surprise I guess, but we're talking Marty here, so not too big a stretch. I love Scorsese, and I loved this movie (my #7 this year).

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Octavia Spencer, The Help I didn't read the book, but I did enjoy the movie (not enough to make my top 10 though). I was more taken by Viola Davis, but Spencer's performance was noteworthy.

BEST ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE, MUSICAL/COMEDY: Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn I haven't seen this one, but I like Michelle Williams, so I was happy to see her win.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Christopher Plummer, Beginners I would call Plummer an actor's actor. I liked the movie, and his performance was excellent.

BEST COMEDY SERIES: Modern Family Great show. Ty Burrell is my favorite, but the whole cast is stellar.

BEST ACTOR, COMEDY: Matt LeBlanc, Episodes Seriously Hollywood Foreign Press Association? Matt LeBlanc? True, I haven't seen the show, but come on, Matt LeBlanc? 

BEST ACTRESS, DRAMA: Claire Danes, Homeland I haven't seen the show, but I like Danes. Well, kind of. She still has cred with me from My So Called Life, but I better like her in something else soon.

TV SERIES, DRAMA: Homeland This feels like one of those shows with a small audience that critics like to spotlight. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Anybody out there watching this show? Tell us about it.

BEST ACTOR, DRAMA: Kelsey Grammar, Boss I have a hard time believing Grammar can still find work, let alone receive an award. 

BEST ACTRESS, COMEDY: Laura Dern, Enlightened I've caught bits and pieces of this show. I feel like I might like it, but I haven't been able to bring myself to watch a whole episode yet.

Anybody else watch the Globes? Impressions? Thoughts?

When Last Friday Night Already Feels Nostalgic

A strange thing has happened to me the last couple years. Particularly enjoyable moments are quickly tinged with nostalgia. Case in point: last Friday, Meg and I watched a bunch of Portlandia episodes. We stayed up late, drank the leftover beer from the holidays, and laughed, a lot. 

Not even a week later, I'm already feeling nostalgic. Is that weird? Is that what happens as one gets older?

Anyway, premature nostalgia aside, Portlandia is a great show.  Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein are hilarious. Meg and I especially loved this skit/song about the 90s. As former wannabe 90s hipsters (the Minneapolis variety), we thought this was brilliant.  

Gabby Giffords

January 8, 2011, was a tough day. My dad had passed away just 8 days earlier, leaving this world in the early hours of a new year, and things were still feeling surreal on a day I should have been wishing him a happy birthday. Instead, my sister and I took my mom cell phone shopping.

As we weighed the merits of various phones, I got a text from Meg. Gabby Giffords had been shot and CNN was reporting that she was dead. I told my mom and sister, a wave of texts slowly spreading the news in the store and across Tucson.

January 8 was now one of those days people in Tucson will always remember. One of those days you remember where you were when you heard the news.

Unbelievably, Gabby didn't die that day.

She continues to battle back, her strength and courage a true inspiration. If you saw her interview on TV recently, you know she still has a long way to go. I'm not sure she'll be able to return to office, and that will be a huge loss for Tucson. Of course, there are more important things. 

I admired Gabrielle Giffords before January 8, 2011. I admire her even more now. 

Top Ten Movies of 2011

I watched 68 movies in 2011, not including all the bits and pieces I caught while channel-surfing. The first movie I watched in 2011 was Easy A and the last was The Help. Overall, I think it was a solid year for movies, with a particularly strong summer crop of films. Unlike my top ten books, I've only included movies that were released this year.

10) Cedar Rapids: Ed Helms plays Tim Lippe, a staggeringly naive and genuine insurance salesman in a small Wisconsin town. Lippe attends a conference in the big city, Cedar Rapids, and hijinks ensue. This wasn't a big hit at the box office, but if you love Ed Helms as much as I do, you'll want to check this one out.

9) Rango: This is the only animated film on this year's list, and like any great animated film, it's not just for kids. Johnny Depp brings life to a chameleon who finds himself the sheriff of Dirt, a small Western town with a serious water issue. The CGI is amazing, and the allusions to classic Westerns are fun, especially the homage to Clint Eastwood.

8) Super 8: J.J. Abrahams is an unapologetic Steven Spielberg fan, and this film can simply be described as Speilbergian. A young boy, with the help of his movie-making friends and a displaced alien, learns to live after his mother's death. I recently watched this one again with the girls, making it even better the second time around.

7) Hugo: A beautiful family film from Martin Scorsese. A young boy and an old man help each other connect to their pasts while forging new futures. Even though we didn't pay the extra money for 3D, I love the irony of Scorsese using 3D to pay tribute to early film. Almost makes me want to see it again, in 3D.

6) Soul Surfer: This was perhaps the biggest surprise of the year for me. I had absolutely no interest in seeing this movie, but after nothing but raves from other parents, I gave it a shot. I'm sure you've heard about Bethany Hamilton, the girl who lost her arm in a shark attack. Her story is truly inspiring, and I have to admit, this one brought tears to my eyes, more than once.

5) Rise of the Planet of the Apes: Another big surprise. I have to say, I was never a big fan of the whole Apes franchise, but the trailer for this movie got me in the theater. This is a creative and thought-provoking prequel. I watched this again with Meg and the girls, and like Super 8, it was even more fun the second time around.

4) The Descendants: I made sure to read the book before seeing the movie. I loved the book, #5 on my top 10, and the movie is an excellent adaptation. I'm a big fan of Alexander Payne and George Clooney.

3) Midnight in Paris: Gil Pender, an unfulfilled writer, magically finds himself in 1920s Paris. He mingles with Hemingway, F. Scott and Zelda, Gertrude Stein, Picasso and Salvador Dali. His experience in the past forces him to make the future he's always wanted. I haven't enjoyed a Woody Allen movie this much in a long time.

2) Bridesmaids: Kristin Wiig is brilliant. I'll be disappointed if she isn't nominated for an Oscar. Come to think of it, this movie should be nominated for Best Picture. It is hands down the funniest movie of the year, but it's also a poignant take on the changing nature of friendship.

1) Win Win: Paul Giamatti plays Mike Flaherty, a lawyer/wrestling coach. To make ends meet, Flaherty takes in a troubled teen, who just happens to be a wrestling prodigy.  Alex Shaffer plays the kid, and he's fantastic, reminded me of a young Sean Penn. Amy Ryan, one of my favorite actresses, is great as the wife. This a movie about people quickly losing hope, finding unlikely lifelines, and creating a new path.

Let me know what you think of my choices, and of course, I'd love to hear what you enjoyed watching this year in the comments, maybe some movies to watch in 2012. Your top movie, top 3, 5, 10, whatever works for you.             

Top Ten Books of 2011

I'm a big end-of-the-year list kind of guy, and I enjoyed doing my own book and movie lists last year. I'm back at it this year, and since I'll be squeezing in a few more movies this year, I'll start with my top ten books of 2011. I read 42 books this year, down from 49 in 2010. I read more YA last year, which tends to go faster for me. The books on my list weren't necessarily published in 2011, just books I read this year.

10. The Member of the Wedding, Carson McCullers: Published in 1946, this is the oldest book on my list. Frankie Addams dreams of escaping her Southern hometown, going away with her brother and his fiance. McCullers nails the Southern gothic thing. Hell, she may have created it for all I know. I am certain Harper Lee was a fan of this book, as there are many similarities to her own Southern coming-of-age book.

9. Half a Life, Darin Strauss: This is one of two nonfiction books on the list. Strauss struck and killed a girl with his car when he was 18. He writes unblinkingly about the next half of his life, his reaction to the tragedy and his struggle to accept happiness again in his life.

8. Red Hook Road, Ayelet Waldman: Newlyweds Becca and John die on their wedding day, and the remaining members of their families must find meaning with the rest of their lives. Heavy stuff, to be sure, but Waldman is able to find beauty in tragedy.

7. the imperfectionists, Tom Rachman: This book tells the story of the rise and fall of an English newspaper in Italy. Within the larger story of the dying paper, Rachman gives us the lives of the people who are affected by its demise.

6. The Art of Fielding, Chad Harbach: This one had me with the northeastern Wisconsin setting, the description of which brought back more than a few pleasant memories. Much of the book centers around a baseball team, but this book, like all great books, is about so much more than what is presented on the surface. A passing knowledge of Moby Dick makes this book even more impressive.

5. The Descendants, Kaui Hart Hemmings: Matt King is an out-of-the-loop husband and father who must step up after a tragedy. I have to admit, I read this one after hearing about the movie. I knew I'd see the movie, so I wanted to read the book first. I didn't have many expectations, but I really enjoyed the book. Hemmings has a sparse writing style, much more direct than your typical literary fiction, a style I quite like.

4. Townie, Andre Dubus III: This is the second nonfiction book on the list, and it's a powerhouse. This book shows the evolution of a man, from fear and anger to some kind of understanding. Ultimately, it's about Dubus coming to terms with his father, coming to understand, perhaps not fully, but enough. Sometimes that's the best we can do.

3. Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, Jonathan Safran Foer: The beautiful story of Oskar Schell, a young boy learning to live after losing his dad on 9/11. Some may find this one overly sentimental, but if it's well done, and Safran Foer is a master, I'm a sucker for sentimental.

2. The Financial Lives of the Poets, Jess Walter: Matt Prior's life is a mess. He loses his job, he can't pay the mortgage, and to top it off, his marriage is crumbling. What's a guy to do? Matt has a unique idea to solve his problems, if he doesn't get himself killed. Walter uses one man's personal descent as a metaphor for the times.

1. a visit from the goon squad, Jennifer Egan: This is a brilliant book. Don't take my word for it, Egan won a little something called the Pulitzer Prize for this baby. Egan masterfully uses multiple characters, weaving their stories together to create a transcendent whole. I don't want to give anything away, but at one point Egan uses the power point format, and if for no other reason, you should read this book just to see how she pulled it off. 

Let me know what think of my choices. I'd love to hear what other people enjoyed reading this year in the comments, might give me some ideas for 2011. Your top book, top 3, 5, 10, whatever works for you.

Happy Holidays!

I caught the SNL Christmas special earlier this week, and this skit killed me. I hope everyone has a better time than the family in this clip (obviously someone filming their TV, but it's all I could find).

Happy Holidays!

On Perfection and Loss

The Green Bay Packers quest for a perfect season ended yesterday in Kansas City. I suppose most people thought the Packers would waltz out of KC with another victory, but as any football fan knows, Any Given Sunday and all that.

The Packers had won 13 in a row this season, 19 going back to last season, the 2nd longest streak in NFL history. Before yesterday, the Packers hadn't lost in 364 days.

I remember that game well. It was Dec. 19. The Packers played the Patriots on Sunday Night Football. Aaron Rodgers was unable to play due to a concussion he'd suffered a week earlier against Detroit. With a back-up quarterback, no one gave the Pack much chance. The team rallied behind Matt Flynn and battled admirably, in the end falling just short.

It wasn't the kind of game that most fans will remember, but it's a game I'll never forget. It was the last game I watched with my dad. He was in the hospital, but he thought he might go home the next day. He was in good spirits as we watched the game. When the Packers fell short, he characteristically went into positive spin mode, seeing the loss as a springboard to bigger things.

As it turned out, he was right about the Packers. Wrong about his health. My dad was technically still alive the following Sunday when the Packers beat the New York Giants, the beginning of their Super Bowl run, the first of 19 straight wins, but he was in a morphine haze in hospice, the game just background noise because it felt like the right thing to do.

So the Green Bay Packers lost to the Kansas City Chiefs yesterday, ending the quest for perfection. It was the first time the Packers lost a game since my dad died. Man, he would have loved those 364 days.

My dad would have said this was just a bump in the road, something to learn from. As I drove home from my friend's house, I could hear our conversation. It brought a smile to my face, and tears to my eyes.      

A Little Girl and her Piglet

Our trip to Anaheim was quite eventful. The girls danced beautifully, but failed to qualify for Nationals. This was Quinn's first Oireachtas (O-rock-tus), so she was mostly just happy to be there. Scout, on the other hand, had high hopes. This was her third crack at it, and she worked very hard the last couple of months. Her disappointment was palpable, but she mostly kept it together. She stayed to watch her friends who were recalled, and bugged us to stay for the awards. We opted for Downtown Disney instead, but I was proud of her for wanting to support her friends.

As we walked around Downtown Disney, Scout was unusually distant. I figured she was still recovering, but when we got back to the hotel, the truth came out. Scout burst into tears and told us that she had left her Piglet back at the Hilton (we'd moved over to the Best Western that afternoon). First the dancing, then Piglet, it was all more than she could take. It's silly I know, such trivial things in the big picture, but no matter what the cause, watching your heart-broken child is never fun. Especially when you're the one who did the final look-through in the room.

We called the hotel, but no Piglet in the lost and found. We left our number in case he turned up, but there wasn't a lot of hope.

I knew Disney would buy us some time. No matter how sad she was, Scout couldn't resist the happiest place on Earth.

There were many great moments during our two days at Disneyland, but the highlight of our stay was when the hotel called to tell us they'd found Piglet hiding out in the bedsheets. We were standing in the Tower of Terror line, and I'll never forget the look on Scout's face when Meg told her the news.

I'm not exactly sure when Scout got Piglet, but I know he's been around for a long time. It's a bit like Toy Story 3, Piglet a symbol of Scout's childhood. Scout wouldn't have been the only one devastated if that little guy hadn't shown up. Here's hoping Piglet is around for a long time to come.  

Quick Check-in

I'll spare you the details, but I've been feeling a little overwhelmed lately. I feel like JoBeth Williams in Poltergeist, that scene where she runs down the hall to save her kids, going as fast as she can, but always farther (farther/further-never been very sure about these two) away. We watched Poltergeist with the girls recently, so it's fresh. 

The Rileys are heading over to Anaheim tomorrow for a big Irish dancing competition and a couple days at Disney. Things have been so hectic lately, I'm actually looking forward to 8 hours of blissful driving. I never thought I'd be a big Disney guy, but we went a few years ago, and I have to say, the place worked its magic on me. I'm looking forward to a whole bunch of things over there.

There's still a lot to do before we go, but I wanted to post a quick video. There was a great skit on SNL this weekend involving Adele's song "Someone Like You." I love the song, it's a musical short story, a quick shot of melancholy to make it easier to face the rest of the day with a smile . The skit is hilarious and perfectly captures why the song is so popular. 

Enjoy.  

                     

Fast Five Friday: Scary Movies

My oldest (she's 11) is really pushing to watch some scary movies. She loves reading scary books, and now she wants to check out what the movies have to offer. In another sure sign that western civilization is crumbling, she tells us about all the movies the kids at school have seen, or at least say they've seen.

Meg and I aren't ready to get into the really scary stuff, but we are ready to start easing into some scary movies. Little sister has a sleep over Saturday night, so we're going to watch Signs. Meg and I love M. Night, well, early M. Night anyway, and we think this will quench our daughter's tween thirst for cinematic thrills. For now.

The oldest has also been asking what our favorite scary movies are, and since it's almost Halloween and all, why not. For this week's Fast Five, I present the five scariest movies I've ever seen.

5) The Thing: I watched this with a buddy this summer, and we were surprised by how well it's held up over the years. I know there's a remake out, but I doubt I'll see it.

4) An American Werewolf in London: A couple scenes stick out from this one: the two travelers being attacked on the moor, and of course, the famous scene where the guy turns into the werewolf.

3) The Shining: I remember reading somewhere that Stephen King was disappointed with Kubrick's adaptation, but it scared the hell out of me.

2) Alien: When that alien popped out of John Hurt's chest, I nearly lost my mind.

1) The Exorcist: To this day, the very thought of this movie reduces my chances of getting a good night's sleep.

What are some movies that send chills up your spine?

Young Writers

I've been in the computer lab the last couple days. My students are typing the final drafts of short stories they've written. It's the final project for a unit on the elements of literature: characters, setting, plot, theme. We read a number of stories together, identified the elements, and now the kids have to demonstrate their knowledge by writing their own story that incorporates all of the elements.

Last week we worked on our rough drafts in class. I let the kids listen to music as we worked. This isn't something I normally do, but I thought I'd give it a try. A colleague of mine told me Michael Jackson is usually a big hit, so I brought in Thriller. I have to say, the kids worked very well to MJ.

My school is in the process of becoming an International Baccalaureate school, and one of the goals of the International Baccalaureate program is to foster open-minded students. Let's just say, it is quite the challenge to open the average middle school mind.  In an attempt to open minds through music, I decided to bring in some music from international artists.

Day two I played some Beatles for the kids. I wish I could tell you they were excited about it, but alas, there was much whining. Mr. Riley patiently explained to his students that it was important for them to expand their musical horizons. And when that didn't work, he told them, kindly mind you, to shut up and listen to the Beatles.

I was ready for more whining day three, but I was pleasantly surprised. When I told the kids we'd be listening to Bob Marley, the room exploded with enthusiasm. Score one for the reggae master.

On day four, I went with Ireland's finest, U2. I thought most of the kids would be familiar with U2, but I was wrong. Having established a whine-free environment, the kids managed to muffle their skepticism. I could see it in their eyes, so I tried explaining that just last year I had seen U2 in Phoenix, along with 80,000 other life-long fans, but this didn't seem to impress them. To the kids credit, they gave it a chance. I don't think Bono and the boys won everyone over, but they may have managed to open a few minds.

Friday was the last day to work on the rough drafts. I needed the most conducive environment possible, so I let the kids choose the music. Three of the classes played it safe and chose more Michael Jackson, but a couple classes told me to mix it up. I complimented them on being open-minded and did my best dj imitation.

It was a fun week. There were plenty of kids who squandered their time, but unfortunately, that's par for the course. You can lead a horse to water, as they say. I do think the music helped, and I can see myself using music when we write in the future.

The final product is due Thursday, and I'm looking forward to reading the stories. Let's hope MJ, Bono, Bob Marley, and yes, even the Beatles, helped my students write some decent fiction.   

Fast Five Friday: Movies in the Big Apple

I saw a fun infographic on /Film last week about movie landmarks in NYC. It reminded me of the carriage ride we took with the girls through Central Park a few years ago. Our driver, in a movie-thick Russian accent, pointed out a number of spots in the park that have featured in popular films. I can't really remember the spots or the movies, but I still chuckle remembering that guy's delivery.

New York is of course one of the great movie settings, a city so vibrant, so alluring, it is often a character in its own right. This week's Fast Five features some of my favorite movies set in the Big Apple.

5) A Bronx Tale: This movie was based on a Chazz Palminteri play and directed by Robert De Niro. It tells the story of a father trying to keep his son on the right path after he is befriended by a mafia boss. De Niro clearly learned a lot from working with Scorsese over the years, especially the art of picking great music for film. 

4) Quick Change: Bill Murray starred in and directed this movie about bank robbers at the mercy of New York City. This is one of my favorite Bill Murray movies, right up there with Rushmore. 

3) Annie Hall: There has to be a Woody Allen movie on any list of great New York movies. This was my first Allen film, and he painted a beautiful picture of New York City for this kid from Green Bay, Wisconsin. 

2) Do the Right Thing: This one sparked a lot of controversy when it was released. Spike Lee challenged audiences with this story of racial tensions erupting on the hottest day of the summer. Wherever you stand on the ending, this movie made you think.     

1) After Hours: In my mind, Scorsese is the ultimate New York filmmaker. This isn't one of Scorsese's most popular movies, but it may be my favorite. The main character's journey through a wild and wacky night in the city captured this Green Bay kid's imagination. 

What are some of your favorite New York movies? 

Just a Thought

I haven't been paying much attention to the news lately, but I did plug in last night for a little while to catch up a bit. I knew about the Occupy Wall Street protests, but I hadn't put much thought into them. If anything, I thought they were just a flash in the pan.

As I flipped between CNN and Fox (I like to keep tabs on what everyone is saying), an interesting thought occurred to me. What if the Wall Street Occupiers and the Tea Partiers worked together?

Sound crazy? Allow me to elaborate.

The common perception, and one that I would have to agree with, is that Wall Street Occupiers are liberal and the Tea Partiers are conservative. Fair enough.

But.....

Banks really do seem to be pushing their luck these days, what with Bank of America, and logically, all their banking brethren, about to charge $5 a month to use a debit card. That surely riles up every red-blooded American. Who knows what other rapacious fees banks will devise if people don't cause a ruckus.

We know the Tea Partiers can mobilize. Hit 'em in the wallet enough, and they might just find some common ground with all those good-for-nothing Wall Street Occupiers.

That would be something, wouldn't it?

Discuss (think Mike Myers doing his Linda Richmann voice)

Fast Five Friday: Pay it Forward Blogfest

I came across a fun Blogfest this week, and I though I'd incorporate it into my weekly Fast Five. The Pay it Forward Blogfest is the brainchild of Matthew MacNish and Alex J. Cavanaugh, and here's how it works:

The idea is to introduce everyone to everyone else. We want this to be an easy post that allows you to meet and follow as many other bloggers as you can. In your post, we would like you to please list, describe, and link to three blogs that you enjoy reading, but that you suspect may fly under the radar of a lot of other bloggers. Or they can be famous blogs, as long as they're awesome.

But don't stop there! Certainly visit and follow all the blogs that are featured in people's posts the day of the blogfest, but those don't have to be the only blogs you visit. You can visit everyone who enters in on the fun, and signs up on the linky list. In the interest of time you don't even have to leave a comment. You can just follow, and come back another time. After all, we all know we don't have time to visit every blog we enjoy every single day.

I hope that Matthew and Alex don't mind, but since this is a FFF post, I'm going to give you 5 blogs (and there are plenty more) that I enjoy reading.

1) Munk Davis: Consistently funny and thought-provoking, with great tips on music. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Munk is simply blogalicious.

2) Suburban Soliloquy: Blogging with a literary flair.

3) Brits in the USA: One of the first blogs I ever followed, and still going strong. An eclectic blog with excellent writing.    

4) Bards and Prophets: There are a lot of blogs that deal with all things writing, but this one stands out for me.

5) SLC Kismet: One of the more unique perspectives I've come across in the blogosphere.


This is a Blog Hop!

---

1. Alex J. Cavanaugh	2. Untroubled Kingdom
3. Matthew MacNish	4. Live High - oceangirl
5. A Daft Scots Lass	6. Been there, done that
7. Laura Pauling	8. JP @ ~Where Sky Meets Ground~
9. CineMarvellous!	10. Clarissa Draper
11. Kid-Free Living Humor	12. Jennifer Shirks Me, My Muse and i
13. Writers Ally/SA Larsen	14. Sommer Leigh @ Tell Great Stories
15. Shannonigans	16. Christine Rains
17. Talli Roland	18. Abby Has Issues
19. Ashley Elston	20. Em-Musing
21. The Daily Harrell	22. A Shift in Dimensions
23. Deana Barnhart	24. WriteEscape
25. Rebecca Mahoney	26. Stephanie M. Lorée
27. Michael G-G	28. Stephen Tremp Breakthrough Blogs
29. Catch the Rush	30. The Word is My Oyster
31. Daily (w)rite	32. Dont Forget the Samovar
33. The Written Word	34. Writer Musings
35. Donna K. Weaver	36. Arlee Birds Tossing It Out
37. Nancy S. Thompson	38. Melissa Bradley
39. Notice Your World	40. Life by Chocolate
41. Mark Noce Stories	42. DG Hudson - Rainforest Writing
43. Susan Oloier	44. Huntress aka CD Coffelt
45. Susan Kaye Quinn	46. Think Dream Inspire
47. My Not So Secret Writing Life	48. Dafeenah
49. Fantasy Nibbles	50. Sub Radar
51. Putting pen To Paper	52. Kelly Polark
53. Stina Lindenblatt	54. Thats Write
55. Christina Lee	56. Fabulosity Reads
57. Fabulosity Nouveau	58. The Eagles Aerial Perspective
59. The Character Depot	60. Alison Pearce Stevens
61. SLC Kismet	62. Inside Out
63. Musings of a Restless Mind	64. Mary Pax
65. Angela Orlowski-Peart	66. Dawn Kurtagich
67. Angela Brown in the Pursuit of Publishness	68. kpfwrites
69. Real World on Writing	70. Susan Says
71. Milo James Fowler, Speculative Fictioneer	72. Tyreans Writing Spot
73. Beanstalks & Bookends	74. Empty White Pages
75. LynNerds Random Acts of Writing	76. StrangePegs
77. Michael @ In Time . . .	78. Elizabeth Mueller
79. Mithril Wisdom	80. Creepy Query Girl
81. Healthy Sustainable Living Today	82. Amity
83. Literary Rambles	84. One stiletto At A Time
85. KH LeMoyne	86. Kathy- Imagine Today
87. A Pocketful of Dreams	88. My Pet Blog
89. Jemi Fraser	90. Barbara Kloss. . . the adventures of a writer
91. Notes Along the Way	92. Jonathon Arntson
93. Miranda Hardy	94. Writing In A Nutshell
95. Cynthia Lee	96. Mike Chens (Brilliant Unpublished) Novel Blog
97. Daily Dodo	98. Beths Blog
99. Laugh Quotes	100. mainewords
101. Patrick Tillett	102. Jessica Bell: The Alliterative Allomorph
103. Sierra Godfrey	104. Left Brained by Day; Write Brained - All the Time
105. L. Diane Wolfe - Spunk on a Stick	106. Silver Lining
107. Liz Fichera	108. From Pen to Paper
109. Isis Rushdan	110. Joanne Brothwell - Thoughts Interred in Phrase
111. ali cross	112. Pensuasion
113. Donna Hole	114. CINDERELLA TRIPPIN
115. Bish Denham	116. tara tyler talks
117. Christine Fonseca, Author	118. Just Following a Dream
119. Fantasy Author KH	120. Nicole Zoltack
121. David Powers King	122. Ciara Knight
123. Carolyn Abiad	124. The Corner
125. Patricia Stoltey	126. Another Slightly Scary Story
127. Ellis Shuman Writes	128. A Gay in the Life of Melinda Finch
129. The Sentinels Son	130. Get Your Giggle On
131. thefeatherednest	132. Drewciferianisms
133. Write About Now	134. Donea Lee
135. Angela Orlowski-Peart	136. PK HREZO
137. Donnas Book Pub	138. Marta Szemik
139. Susan Roebuck, author	140. One Little Spark
141. Word Doodles	142. Kiwis Life
143. Culture Shock	144. Have You Heard
145. Crazy California Claire	146. cluelesseve
147. They say everyone has a story. .	148. Wannabuyaduck
149. Sangu Mandanna	150. Stuart Sharp
151. Culture Shock	152. Book Dreaming
153. Judy Black Cloud-Writing up a Storm	154. Cate Masters
155. Reading on the F Train	156. C. K. Bryant @ Day Dreamer
157. Shelly Brown	158. Emily White, Author of Elemental
159. Piedmont Writer -- Anne Gallagher	160. Green Monkey Tales
161. Loralie @ Apathys Hero	162. Lady Readers Bookstuff
163. Patti Nielson	164. Ninja Girl Reads
165. The blog that helps you diagnose your character	166. Elle Strauss "writing otherworldliness. . . "
167. Lynn Kelley: LynNerds Random Acts of Writing	168. Uniquely Moi Books
169. Brand New Day	170. B-Word
171. Forever Rewrighting	172. A. J. Walker, fantasies & mysteries
173. Civil War Horror (Sean McLachlan)	174. J. C. Martin, Fighter Writer
175. Katie OSullivan	176. Ginas Writers Blog
177. misadventures of a chunky goddess	178. the purple goddess
179. The Dancing Paralegal	180. All Things Scots
181. Dreamers Perch	182. Kristi-TheBookFaery
183. Confessions of a Watery Tart	184. Writers Quandary
185. then she writes	186. A. B. Keuser
187. Sarah McCabe	188. Blogfestivus For The Rest of Us!
189. [sic]	190. Gypsy in my Soul
191. Cherie Reich - Author	192. 4 boys and 2 divas *newbie*
193. CPatLarge	194. All Things Books
195. Castles in the Air	196. Deniz Bevan
197. Janet Sumner Johnson	198. Concrete Pieces of Soul
199. Life Lines: Positive Thoughts About Random Stuff	200. The Blutonian Death Egg
201. Danette	202. =]V[= Throughs of a computer geek / dad
203. CherylAnne Ham	204. Free romance ebooks!
205. Joe Lunievicz	206. Ai @ {Sakura Haruka}
207. Rie & Pabkins @ Mission to Read	208. life of riles
209. emilou gnu	210. Rooikat in France
211. Javids notes	212. Calling Shotgun
213. Jennifer Hoffine	214. Jeremy [iZombie]
215. A Book, A Girl, A Journey	216. Life on the Muskoka River
217. A Quiet Corner	218. Novel Addict - Enter to win an edit!
219. Leovi - Abstract Photos	220. Appalachian Morning - Creativity Blog
221. Brits in the USA	222. Juliana Haygert
223. Christines Words	224. Callie Hutton
225. Casea Major	226. JenUnedited
227. Katy Upperman	228. My Daley Rant
229. Mikes Ramblings– Hide – Always show	230. Thriller Writer Pat Newcombes blog
231. Her World	232. Connecting with Stephanie
233. Vive le Nerd	234. Just Another Day in Paradise
235. Day By Day	236. Blogging for YA
237. Far Away Series	238. Pagan Spirits book blog
239. Girl In Shoes	240. Reflections on Writing
241. Claudia Del Balso, Writer	242. Maynard Morrisseys HORROR MOVIE DIARY
243. Jennifer Rumberger	244. From Flab to Fab
245. Mommy Has a Headache	246. Cocktails at Naptime - a funny baby book
247. rwryastyle. blogspot. com/	248. Once Upon a Time. . .
249. Writing and Living by Richard P Hughes	250. Em Dashes and Ice Cream
251. a shot og laughter	252. A Little DVersion
253. Hope Faith & Life	254. Greetings from Monmouth County
255. Fiction and Film	256. Tanya De Leeuw Photography
257. the writer in me	258. To Move Forward Live
259. Everything You Didnt Want to Know About Writing	260. One Thousand and One Parsecs
261. Julie Daines	262. Write. Skate. Dream.