Born Again ~ Gravity

Wow, Gravity... I could talk about this movie all day. It's a film that seems simple and quiet on the surface but there is so much going on underneath. This is MY kind of film because this one is 99% symbolism. What a cinematic feast!

First off, I am just happy to see another film by Alfonso Cuaron. He is so versatile and breathes so much life and meaning into everything he touches. He made a fantastic Harry Potter film (though it wasn't a great *adaptation* it was an exceptional *film* that stood on it's own two feet in the saga) and he also made Children of Men, which is an utter masterpiece and one of my favorite films of all time. I think Gravity and Children of Men are equally exceptional, just incredibly different so kind of like apples and oranges. Anyway, SO happy he came back with fire.

The main thing I want to discuss with Gravity is it's beautiful theme and symbolism. There are many small pieces all under the banner of one large theme: rebirth. The three acts in this film mirror the three stages of human life coming about: conception, growth, and finally the laborious delivery.


That was the point, for us, of the film. Adversities and the possibility of rebirth. And rebirth also metaphorical in the sense of gaining a new knowledge of ourselves.  
                                                        ~ Alfonso Cuaron

The early stages of the film involve Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) working with a team, more particularly Matt Kowalski (George Clooney). Matt is only in the film for a short time but when he is he's like a ray of sunshine. Literally, too, because often times when he is on screen you can see the sun's rays flare across the screen. His positive and encouraging nature is the perfect contrast to her distant, aloof persona. It's the coming together of the two opposite personalities, male and female, sun and moon, just as in conception. His encouragement and leadership as he shows her what to do and points out that she can do it, is the seed that impregnates her new outlook and decisions for the rest of the film.

My favorite moment and perhaps the deepest moment of symbolism is when Ryan is finally on her own. She barely makes it into the space station before running out of oxygen. She removes her space suit and in the simplicity of her form crawls into it's womb. Her entire body is relieved as oxygen fills her lungs and every pore. She closes her eyes and simply floats curling her body into a fetal position, soaking in this comfort and safety. The visuals in this moment are incontrovertibly obvious, and so beautiful. Tubes hang like an umbilical cord, light pours in through the circular airlock, all sound is muffled and hushed.

Ryan faces many hardships and struggles, after this, she is growing and transforming and though both of those are good things they are also painful. She not only lost her child, as we learn from a story about her past, but with her daughter's death she has killed much of herself....

We have a character that is drifting metaphorical and literally, drifting towards the void. A victim of their own inertia. Getting farther and farther away from Earth where life and human connections are. And probably she was like that when she was on planet Earth, before leaving for the mission. It's a character who lives in her own bubble. And she has to shred that skin to start learning at the end. This is a character who we stick in the ground, again, and learns how to walk.
                                                                        ~Alfonso Cuaron

I LOVED how space was used as such a layered setting and so specifically utilized. In the beginning they give facts about space and how life cannot survive in it. It's a place of, basically, death. Void of life. Void of anything. Ryan is a doctor, it doesn't make much sense that she would be with NASA unless having chosen to pursue it on her own. It's obvious why she chooses it, the solitude and the lack of connection. You can just close your eyes and drift away from all the chaos and hurt of life, but that's just it, you drift into the only place these things cannot be... a place void of life. Detached. Disconnected. 

I think this is also very obvious in the moment where she speaks to the Chinese operator over the radio. He is on Earth, you can hear his life happening in the background, the cries of his baby, the sounds of his world. You can see it in Ryan's face how hearing those sounds brings a pang to her, she remembers what life REALLY is. 

At her most hopeless moment, she turns off her oxygen, thinking there's no way of going back... of getting back, no point in going on. It is in this moment she is visited by an apparition of Matt. Though Matt is speaking, she is clearly talking to herself, reminding herself of things she already knows in her heart. This takes Matt's form because she also acknowledges who he was in his encouraging nature and how he put her life before his own. She sees now that she cannot waste what she was given by him, the chance that lay before her now to live again.

Labor begins when Ryan finally decides she wants to go home and wants to LIVE. The struggle of her descent burning through the atmosphere of the planet is so symbolic of birth. The fire, the pain, the hard push into life. She comes down to Earth and lands in water, a global symbol of life and being born again. Water is the one thing life needs to be fruitful and lush and she is baptized in it. Underwater she sheds her suit for a second time, this time to break free and surface back to life. As she crawls up from the shore, heavy from the weight of gravity, she glides through the mud and mire- the amniotic fluid of her rebirth. Shaky she stands to her feet and learns to walk again, her lungs filled with air that is from an organic source, she no longer bears the weight of her suit and gear. She is free and alive.


As I write, I am listening to the track "Shenzou" from the film's stunning soundtrack and remembering that ending while listening chokes me up and fills me with so much emotion. It reminds me of the feeling I get when I think about where I once was and the freedom and new life I too was given. Beautiful.

I am also reminded of another song, also bearing the name "Gravity" by one of my favorite artists, Vienna Teng. After I saw the film, her song immediately came to mind. I went home and listened to it and even the lyrics reminded me of Ryan and her journey, her relationship with Matt, and the place he had in her life. So in closing I will share the lyrics and the song right here. If you have not seen this film, please go see it and watch it with eyes open to so much more than just the enchanting visual display.


"Gravity"
Vienna Teng

Hey love
Is that the name you're meant to have
For me to call

Look love
They've given up believing
They've turned aside our stories of the gentle fall

But don't you believe them
Don't you drink their poison too
These are the scars that words have carved
On me

Hey love
That's the name we've long held back
From the core of truth

So don't turn away now
I am turning in revolution
These are the scars that silence carved
On me

This the same place
No, not the same place
This is the same place, love
No, not the same place we've been before

Hey, love
I am a constant satellite
Of your blazing sun
My love
I obey your law of gravity
This is the fate you've carved on me
The law of gravity
This is the fate you've carved on me, on me...

The Fear is in the Atmosphere ~ A Look at The Neverending Story

I haven't done a scene or theme analysis in a while, so I thought I would randomly throw a curve ball out there today.

As a young child my favorite movie was The Neverending Story. I even used to put necklaces over my head and wear white sheets to dress up like the childlike Empress. I have a hilarious memory of being in daycare (age 6) and bringing the film to share with everyone and watch. (Even then, I was passionate about films!) I presented my case, but the caretaker ignored me and said we were going to watch Chitty Chitty Bang Bang instead. Now don't get me wrong, I liked that film too growing up, but I was so passionate about sharing my favorite movie that I ran off into a corner and sulked until my father came to pick me up after work.

While this is a film that definitely reeks of it's 1980s origin, with some points of bad acting (I personally could never stand Bastian or the Empress), some cheesy moments and terrible green-screen flying scenes, I still think it's a good film because it's got it where it counts... the heart. The themes and morals presented struck my heart even as such a young girl and I never forgot them.

I remember the huge pang I felt when Artax the horse dies. Not just because he dies, which is sad enough, but the manner in which he dies sinking into the Swamps of Sadness. The idea of losing hope and dying because you've given up is something that has always been unfathomable to a naturally hopeful person like me. Atreyu's character is bravery and hope personified, so watching him lose someone he loves to something so opposite his character- despair and sadness- was extra painful for me as a viewer. I think it was the first time a movie moved me to tears.

Atreyu's character is easily the best part of the movie. I didn't have a crush on him or anything, I simply admired him. He willingly laid aside his own life to journey for the good of all. He didn't know what that would entail or how high the cost would be, and he chose to lay down his weapons, leave everything behind, and go. Atreyu is such a strong symbol of hope... and often seems to be the only person who makes any logical sense in their whole silly world. Even after he lost his horse, and that stupid turtle Morla told him he shouldn't even bother trying to help Fantasia, he still trudged through the Swamps of Sadness and, even as he sank, he kept reaching upward, moving forward when all seemed hopeless. THAT is what I call a hero, pressing on toward the goal.

What I'd like to discuss in this post specifically though is the element of fear and how powerfully this film communicates that. My favorite scene, even though it terrifying as all hell, is the ending scene where Atreyu confronts Gmork, the creature who has been hunting him since the start of his quest. Gmork is a huge black wolf with some serious fangs and a desire to see "The Nothing" consume their world. He is the entity of darkness, despair, and defeat.

This scene is established with the element and atmosphere of fear to perfection. You already feel tension having known that Atreyu was being followed, but by this point you kind of forget because so many other events have taken place.

The final painting. I'd make that face too, kid!

Atreyu ends up alone, and wandering the last piece of his crumbling world. As he walks through the stony labyrinth he sees a series of paintings... paintings of himself. I remember being severely creeped out by those. They show every major event he encounters on his quest, including the death of his beloved Artax. He follows the paintings in a linear timeline until suddenly you see one of a huge, black wolf with bared fangs attacking...

Then, a grumble and a sharp blunt of abrasive music almost channeling Hitchcock's Psycho. Atreyu turns to find Gmork sitting, waiting for him in a cave. It gives me chills every time. When you build up an air of creepy uncertainty through subtle imagery, its far more horrifying to meet the end result.

Now as for me, I would have ran away screaming probably have gotten eaten in the process. But Atreyu sits down, as if he knew eventually this would happen, and the two begin a very intense dialogue. Gmork's voice, the manners in which he moves his mouth, and those glowing eyes scared me to death. He is definitely not a CGI creation but an animatronic, and that makes him ten times scarier in my opinion. I even read some funny comments on YouTube from men in their 30s saying Gmork still scares the crap out of them. Oftentimes a childhood fear carries strongest into adulthood and honestly, as a filmmaker, you want to inspire such unforgettable emotions.

Atreyu faces Gmork, a fanart. 

Even though I was afraid, I remember listening intently to the conversation. It completely enveloped me. I loved the themes and ideas expressed throughout, and also the fear of knowing that eventually they would have to stop talking and one would have to kill the other. Though faced with an obviously powerful adversary, Atreyu simply warns him, "I will not die easily, I am a warrior." In some ways Atreyu, a preteen with shiny, long hair, is more of a badass than half the grown men we see in contemporary cinema.

Gmork teases him about being a "brave warrior" and challenges him to fight The Nothing. Atreyu says he can't because he can't reach the boundaries of their world, as he's been trying to his whole quest. Gmork lets him know, Fantasia has no boundaries.

This truth shakes Atreyu... but he continues to listen. Gmork reveals, "Fantasia is the realm of human fantasy. Every part, every creature of it, is a piece of the dreams and hopes of mankind, therefore, it has no boundaries."

Atreyu: "Why is Fantasia dying then?"

Gmork: "Because people have begun to lose their hopes, and forget their dreams, so The Nothing grows stronger."

Atreyu: "What IS The Nothing?"

Gmork: "It's the emptiness that's left. It is like a despair destroying this world, and I have been trying to help it."

"BUT WHY?" asks Atreyu. Knowing that Gmork is also a product of Fantasia and must be bound to it's fate.

Gmork: "Because people who have no hopes are easy to control, and whoever has the control, has the power."

I love what happens next, because it isn't what you'd expect. Atreyu looks at Gmork with a face implying he doesn't buy Gmork's words at all. He asks, "Who are you really?"

Gmork: "I am the servant of the power behind The Nothing. I was sent to kill the only one, who could have stopped The Nothing. I lost him in the Swamps of Sadness. His name was Atreyu!"

During this conversation, The Nothing is breaking down the world around them. Atreyu falls backward and grabs a sharp rock.

Atreyu: "If we're about to die anyway, then I'd rather die fighting! Come for me, Gmork! I AM ATREYU!"

And that's how it's done. I really wish they could have had an epic battle, it feels like Atreyu kills him too easily. However, I do know that an epic battle with an animatronic in those days would have looked awful, so I am really glad they didn't.

The idea that mankind is losing their hopes and dreams is something that I've noticed since those days as a little girl sitting wide-eyed in front of my VCR. I felt a stirring in my soul to do something about it, and I realized that by promoting hopes, dreams, truth, love and grace in my films and writing was my way of battling "The Nothing" and evading our own Gmork, the enemy, who daily prowls around seeking those to devour.

I saw someone on YouTube say that The Neverending Story is "a delicious metaphor thinly disguised as a kid's movie." I completely agree. It's not an amazing movie by technical standards, but if you watch the film, especially as a child, simply to get the golden nuggets of wisdom and provocative thoughts, you will enjoy it far more. Since the whole film is about reading books and using your imagination, pick up the original book by German author Michael Ende while you're at it. German's definitely know their stuff when it comes to fairy tales.

Until next time!

"They will join you in the sun." - Man of Steel

I have to laugh a little first, I think the reactions to this film are hilarious. So many people do not like it, and seem kind of outraged or something. I’m completely aghast, because it’s the first (and only) good Superman film out there in the world, but people just aren’t having it. I thought we wanted less cheese, more grit… and this film gives that, but now people are whining that there’s too much grit and not enough cheese! I guess filmmakers just can’t win!

Anyway, I’m choosing to write about this film because I personally loved it, even moreso on a second viewing. It is very different and a little weird to digest, it’s true. The pacing is odd, but I kind of liked that about it. It’s definitely not formulaic at all and the story isn’t told chronologically at times. I loved that they did this because even for those who know the story, it didn’t feel stale at all, you weren’t sure what to expect.

I also just have to give a shout out to Hans Zimmer for his AMAZING score. This is one of the best scores I’ve heard in a good while. It’s dramatic when it needs to be, and soft and subtle everywhere else. It’s perfect for the atmosphere and telling of the story. (I’m actually listening to it as I write this) and it chokes me up a little because it’s so filled with purpose and emotion. Thank you, Mr. Zimmer.

Superman is a very unique superhero, believe it or not. Many people I’ve talked to say they don’t like him because he’s “too perfect.” My question is, why is that a bad thing? When so many heroes in comics or otherwise are very flawed, but interesting, doesn’t it kind of jazz things up a bit to have a hero that is, indeed, greater than those he’s saving? If Kal-El (Superman’s real name) was a tyrant, and abuser of his gifts and powers, then indeed he would be a loathsome hero, but he is not. Kal-El is humble, selfless, and ever willing to surrender and lay down his life for others. He is a Christ-like figure and, I dare say, that is what makes many people’s skin prickle. As humans, and especially in the Western world, we don’t like seeing someone of ultimate power humble himself before others. That isn’t our human nature. We are always striving to be the best, to be on top. Therefore, when we see someone who actually can boast being on top and not using that to control or belittle others, we just cannot understand it. We are baffled by such love that lays low so that others may rise up.

I personally love Superman for these reasons. I didn’t always love him. I, too, initially found him too perfect and boring, but when you really think about him and his story, it’s fascinating and unique to the comic book mythology. I can pinpoint to the moment I changed my mind about him, it was when I watched Kill Bill Volume 2. In the film, Bill gives a speech to “The Bride” about Superman, and he puts it in quite a provocative way it made me rethink Superman entirely. (You can listen to the monologue HERE, it's short).

Superman is so obviously a messianic hero that I don’t feel it necessary to point that out too much. So many superheroes struggle with themselves. They are either insecure and it shows, or they are insecure and they cover it up with an overcompensating confidence. Kal-El never does this. He seems to rarely think of himself, except perhaps when he was a child and not fully matured into the man he was supposed to be. It is natural for a child to be confused about identity and discovery. Kal-El, unlike the others, has a confidence in his purpose, and this confidence comes from his fathers.  

I read a fantastic POST on Cinemagogue about Man of Steel and Kal’s submission to the will of his fathers. I’d also like to expound upon the subject myself here as it was one of the most emotional aspects for me in the film.

Jor-El and Lara, his birth parents, planned Kal. On their planet, Krypton, people aren’t born naturally anymore, they are designed, bred, to become whatever society needs. There is little choice, and little hope for the people of Krypton. Jor-El and his wife share a vision for a brighter future and decide to conceive Kal and give birth to him naturally. He is the first natural birth in centuries. His parents gave him purpose, he was intentional right from the start, but they also wanted him to be free from their society to label him with a purpose and have him find his own. Their world is dying, both literally and figuratively, so while they love him deeply, they know the best thing is to give him up to a better destiny. The “S” symbol, is the symbol of the house of El, which means hope. Like the people of earth who have crests and heraldry to honor their families, those of Krypton have family house symbols. I love the Krypton mythology. I could watch a whole movie just about that.

So when Kal comes crashing in his little pod down to Earth, he is most fortunately found by a barren couple in the security of a farm in Smallville, Kansas. Like Christ coming to Bethlehem, it is the humblest of places for this mighty child to rest his head, yet that is what makes it so perfect for him. His Earthly father, Jonathan Kent, also saw immediately that he was special and meant for a greater destiny. Jonathan’s presence in Kal’s life was always wisdom. He taught his son to control his power and his feelings, and above all taught him patience. He knew that the world would need a very specific time for Kal to make his presence known, and also that he would have to mature first before this could happen. It may have seemed to Kal at first that his father was being over-protective, but in reality he was preparing him for his destiny by teaching him to wait.

A deleted scene! Aw!!! 

One scene that just tears me up is the scene of Jonathan’s death. They are driving along a highway and a tornado is in the distance. Jonathan helps people, including Clark (the Kent’s name for him) and his mother Martha, to get to safety under and overpass. They realize they’ve left their dog inside their car, and Jonathan tells Clark to stay behind, and he’ll get the dog. The tornado comes in too strongly though, and after an injury it is obvious that Jonathan will not make it to safety in time. Clark moves to rush toward him, he could have saved him in a split second, but Jonathan holds his hand up, and peacefully shakes his head. Though torn, Clark obeys him, and Jonathan is carried away with the wind. It was heartbreaking because Clark trusted his father and knew that the time was not right for him to show the world his full power, even to save his own father. This showed a father's sacrificial love for his son, and his awe and humility knowing what and who Kal is, and also it showed the deep trust and respect Clark had for his father.

Though both Russel Crowe and Kevin Kostner are not in the film for very long, their presence as his fathers is so strong and moving. From Jonathan’s subtle look as he holds hand up to Kal telling him to wait, or the way Jor-El first looks at his son with complete wonder and awe as he is breathes his first breath. Both of these performances (well, all the performances in my opinion) were so beautiful and I think they picked the perfect actors to show what these characters needed to represent. Superman was always strong with Father/Son themes and they nailed it in this film.

The star performance, I feel, goes to Michael Shannon as General Zod. He is a growing favorite of mine and always impresses me with his ability to spring from one colorful character to the next. I actually felt sympathy for Zod, as Shannon seems to be able to show Zod’s regrets and intentions with mere looks. Zod was a victim of Krypton’s breeding for purpose. Without his purpose, he loses his soul and his identity. It’s quite sad, and an interesting look at the effects of pouring one’s self into what one does, rather than having identity be given from a higher call.

I adore the cinematography in this film, led by Amir Mokri. It’s gritty and authentic, but not without being beautiful and full of interesting color composition to make it still fantastical. The way things are shot adds so much emotion and relativity to the scenes. When paired with the film’s exceptional score, the visuals alone can get the job done.

Adorable magazine shoot! 

I hope they will make another film soon and continue the story. They've only scratched the surface and there’s so much that can be done. While America seemed to struggle accepting this darker version of Superman, I embrace it entirely and say bring it on!

Update! The Sting Chronicles

Hello to my amazing readers! First off, I want to thank all the people around the globe who have read my blogs. It's so exciting and very humbling to be able to reach people across the world. Thanks for taking the time to read them and let me share my heart for film arts with you!

I am planning on blogs for Star Trek: Into Darkness, The Great Gatsby, and 99.9% most likely Man of Steel, and also one about Fantasia, so please don't think I've abandoned my post! (no pun intended) I have just been very busy starting my new webseries. So far it's going really well!

I am  producing, writing, and acting in a webseries. It's a lot of work, but I definitely won't be alone, I am surrounded by a cast and crew who are dedicated and amazing!

We want to tell a satirical yet human story. The Sting Chronicles is the video archive documentation of real-life "superhero," The Sting. It's a satire on comic book stories and also regales the humor of life in Arizona. The story is told in a vlog/documentary style showing the audience the every day life of our hero.

The story revolves around a young man, Ethan Harper, who has come to Arizona to live with his half-sister and her husband after the tragic death of his parents. Ethan is in his last year of high school and soon finds himself coming home from a school trip having been stung by a scorpion. He believes this scorpion has given him super powers and he now has a responsibility to rise up and become a hero. He tells his story through video records that he intends to show people the truth of who he is when the time is right.

It’s a coming-of-age tale that definitely pokes fun at the superhero genre, as well as our current pop culture, but it also has a lot of heart in that it delves into the changes and heartaches of young men finding themselves and their identity. The heart of the story is found in Ethan’s desire to become something greater than he is as well as a way for him to evade his emotions and escape the pain of what he’s been through.

My team and I will be telling this story over 2 seasons of 14 episodes each. Each episode will air on Fridays and be around 5-10 minutes long. Our first episode aired last Friday June 7th and our second one is coming up this week! Here is the first episode on our youtube channel: 

There is so little to offer those in the film and television industry in Arizona. Our state is still facing the challenges regarding tax incentives for multimedia productions. Ironically we have one of the best film schools in the country (SCC for the win!), yet no jobs to provide after school. This would draw positive attention to our state and maybe even further the efforts of the Arizona Film and Media Coalition to see these tax incentives passed. There are so many creative people in Arizona and it's time that we all showed the world how we shine.

Please support our series by viewing our videos, subscribing to our channel, liking us on facebook and following us on twitter!

The Sting Chronicles youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheStingChronicles
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheStingChronicles
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheStingAZ

Thank you all so much for letting me share this with you! I appreciate everyone who has stopped by my blog and taken a gander and me talking about my favorite subject. Thank you SO much from the bottom of my heart!

Until my next blogs!!!

Alexis xoxo

"Don't waste your life." ~ The Metamorphosis of Tony Stark

I am so excited to finally be able to share this post about one of the most memorable, quotable, and hate/love inducing characters of all time--Tony Stark, aka: Iron Man. For me, he is so much more than a superhero, he’s a fantastic, fictional example of so many themes I adore: salvation, sanctification, redemption, and legacy.

When we meet Tony Stark in the first film, his flaws are immediately laid bare for all to see. On the one hand, he is a genius and a brilliant innovator. On the other hand, he is a self-concerned, prideful, playboy whose interest has always been in one thing: himself. This stems from a long history of daddy issues and a corrupted, conceited independence.

Tony gets attacked during a routine test of his latest weapon inventions whereby pieces of shrapnel from a blast are lodged into his chest. With each passing day, the pieces become more of a threat as they inch closer to his heart. He is captured by a terrorist group, but he’s not the only one. With them is another brilliant man, a doctor named Yinsen. He saves Tony’s life and makes him a “new heart,” a device that will keep the shrapnel from killing him.

Yinsen right away is Tony’s antithesis. He is humble, and gentle spirited. He agrees to help Tony with an escape plan and ultimately lays down his life for Mr. Stark. The two form a friendship in their captivity, but it sadly does not last long. As Yinsen lies dying, he whispers a significant line, “Don’t waste it… don’t waste your life.”

This entire portion with Yinsen was Tony’s salvation chapter. His life, heart, and future were saved by Yinsen’s talent as a surgeon and by his selfless sacrifice. Throughout the whole first film, we follow Tony on his quest to become something new, and this begins with the first challenge of cleansing his company of immoral and unethical ways.

What I love about Tony, and what makes him a hero, is that he owns his mistakes. After he returns from witnessing the wickedness his company has become a part of, he doesn't sit around and cry about it. He gets his butt to work and does something. Tony sees a problem and executes a solution. I personally relate to Tony's motivation and quick action, and I also relate to the downsides too. Sometimes, the quick action can simply be personal rashness and majorly backfire, but initially, Tony's ambition is the fuel that fires his heroism. 

In Iron Man 2, Tony faces a common problem that occurs when most people are born again with a new life to live--the stumbling blocks arise. Tony has been given a new chance but he still has to live life in a fallen world where all his past problems and current threats can take him down, if he lets them. This chapter is his sanctification. The part where the rubber meets the road, when we have to put our money where our mouth is, and other irksome colloquialisms. It’s always a life-altering event that changes us, but staying changed for the better takes daily effort and struggle.

What aids this is Tony coming to terms with the truth about his father and accepting the family legacy. Legacy asks us to not only look to ourselves but look to the entire world. Tony’s family had immense wealth of gifts and knowledge to share that he so often took for granted. For him to truly transform, he needs to begin to think outside of himself.

In The Avengers, we see Tony still in the midst of that struggle, and this time faced with something new… sharing the glory with a team and having to lay himself down for the team. It was a great thing to see Joss Whedon engage in the character conflict between Steve (Captain America) and Tony. These two couldn’t be more polar opposite and their views clash tremendously. Steve is a naturally selfless man, he gives wholly of himself whether it’s giving his body to science experimentation or throwing himself upon a grenade to save those around him.

Steve sees everything as a team effort and when he meets Tony he is instantly rubbed the wrong way. However, by having to rely on each other, the two are faced with their own faults. Tony is faced with Steve’s accusations of his selfishness and “Lone Ranger” mentality, and Tony points out to Steve his tendency for blind patriotism and his own self-righteousness in regard to his values. In the end of Avengers, Tony shows that he was indeed listening to the Cap and puts others before himself. Likewise, halfway through the movie, Steve stops blindly trusting his superiors and goes on his own side quest to discover what Nick Fury is really up to. The two provide each other with a splendid and necessary balance. 

Now we get to Iron Man 3... Here Tony is pushed to his limit toward a climactic event. 

A favorite scene for me is the attack on Tony Stark’s home. This is a defining symbolic moment as Tony’s Malibu Barbie dream home and all his toys fall into the sea, portraying the end of his life as an object of materialism and the collapse of his comfort zone. He is stripped down to nothing--from the loss of his home, to his surprise crash landing in Tennessee far, far away. Jarvis malfunctions and he, too, is gone temporarily, leaving Tony without his trusty computer to guide him through turmoil. Tony has nothing to rely on but himself and the clothes on his back. As he tells Pepper, “I just stole a poncho from a wooden Indian.” It gets that bad.

He develops a relationship with a smart, manipulative little boy not unlike himself in the town of Rose Hill, TN. This boy helps him through his quest for answers and also his struggle with anxiety attacks. As children do, he gives him a very innocent, wide-eyed piece of advice… “Why don’t you just build something?” The kid reminds him that he is Tony Stark, and he doesn’t need all that junk, and all those toys or even his suits to do great things. This brings him to that realization of what’s inside of him being more important than the things and materials he has. Tony does just as the boy suggests and, using items from the hardware store and his innovative imagination, he takes down the security of the Mandarin's lair without once stepping into a suit. 

At the end of Iron Man 3, Tony comes to terms with the truth about his time thus far in the suit. It was in part a distraction, in other ways it was a way to control his fear by making bigger and better toys with the notion that they will help keep Pepper, and the rest of the world, safe. Yet, he ends with saying that his suits were a “cocoon” and my heart lifted in that moment because that line absolutely nails it. A cocoon is the net of new life, but you cannot come out of it without a great struggle beforehand, and nothing can assist you, or you will die quickly. The struggle of the birth, is how you are transformed.  

The heart of all the Iron Man films is Pepperony (Sorry, I couldn’t resist!) Tony’s relationship with his steady, loyal companion Pepper Potts. These two are one of my favorite couples in all fictiondom. From the very beginning, they have a chemistry and love that doesn’t always need to be spelled out--it’s obvious in all its subtleties. What I love so much about Pepper is that she is a determined woman who works hard, but she doesn’t sacrifice her femininity to do so. She has a nurturing, sweet spirit, but she is also a competent and inspiring leader. The two are match-made-in-heaven compliments of each other and balance each other's strengths and weaknesses.

For years Pepper has fought for Tony and with him. My favorite moment of all the Iron Man films is the amazing ending scene in Iron Man 3 when Tony has Jarvis initiate the “Clean Slate Protocol." AKA: He blows up all his suits. It's all for Pepper, and to start fresh with her. He doesn’t choose his need for material things, or his fear that leads him to believe he needs those things. He chooses her. Like Fourth of July, all the suits shoot light across the sky as Tony pulls her close and kisses her. Perfect.

The Iron Man films are by no means flawless or groundbreaking, but they aren’t supposed to be. They are there to tell the story of  Tony Stark, and at that they fully succeed. From his cocoon he emerges imperfect, but victorious none the less. All hail the man in the can! 

"Life finds a way..." ~ Jurassic Park 20 Years Later

I still cannot believe it's been TWENTY years since Jurassic Park was first released in theaters. I still remember when I saw it (age 8). I remember all the emotions and thrills I felt in every scene. I watched this movie whenever I visited my grandparents too, since they had it on VHS.

I'll be seeing it again with my husband soon, but I had to take my best friend to see it yesterday. We became friends the year before this movie came out so we go about as far back as these dinosaurs, so for us it was supremely nostalgic. It was also an absolute delight to watch this on the big screen again with an audience made up of nerds who love it, and new kids who have never seen the film. Listening to the screams and excitement throughout was so fun, it's so rare to have that experience anymore when going to the movies. One of my favorite moments was the woman next to me screamed bloody murder at the part where the raptor jumps out when they get the power back on again. It was so funny, but even funnier was her young son saying, "Mommy, close your eyes!" It was so cute! There were some annoying people in there too, but the energy of the audience was amazing and added to the experience of watching this timeless film again.

I always liked this film as a kid, but now as an adult knowing what I know about film and seeing what I've seen I can say confidently it's one of the best movies ever made. Not that it's perfect, there are certainly some moments that need help, (like why on EARTH does Lex grab the flashlight for no reason when the T-Rex shows up, other than to make him see them, seriously...) but it's a film that stands the test of time, and tells and effective, provocative story. It amazes me how all the thrills still thrill, the visuals still wow and look amazing, and the score and scenes still give chills. To me that's the mark of great craftsmanship, even with imperfections, which are unavoidable anyway.

The scene that always burned in my mind, and probably most people's too, was the kitchen scene. I think it's because I often watched this with my little brother, and we were near the ages of those two kids. Also my brother and father call me Lex, which is the girl's name, so it hit close to home. I always thought about what Adrian and I would do if we were in Jurassic Park, and we often acted out the scenario during our play times because we loved the movie. The raptors terrifying pursuit of the kids and their childlike cleverness to evade them, gave the scene ultra intensity. It's funny when I was younger those kids kind of annoyed me, but now as an adult I found their performances very true to life and sweet. I mean they had to do a lot of physical and emotional acting, and that's something many adults struggle to do convincingly.

I get very different feelings and conclusions from this movie than most people would, mainly because of the beliefs I hold, so don't get your feather's ruffled if you disagree, take what you want to take from it.

My favorite aspect is the illusion of control. Man is always building it's towers of Babel, trying to control nature and bend things to our will, "playing God," as it's called. This film is all about that and how it's a weakness of man and not a strength. The character Dr. Ian Malcolm is on the surface goofy, funny, and strange, but oddly enough he's the voice of reason in the entire thing. One of my favorite lines of his, and there are many, is: "The complete lack of humility before nature that's being displayed here is staggering." and then later, "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could they didn't stop to think if they should."

This film revolves primarily around science, but there's also involved the illusion of control which nods to a higher power. Malcolm has that respect, he's not blinded by curiosity or the urge for discovery, he looks objectively at the matter asking them if it's really wise to treat these creatures like toys, resurrecting them after natural extinction just so we can study them and play with them, make attractions out of them. On the surface yes, who wouldn't want to see what dinosaurs were really like, but they aren't from the world we know. As Dr. Grant implies, we are separated from them by so much time, how could we possibly know what to expect, or how to handle them?

This film also has incredible uses of foreshadowing in story. In the beginning Dr. Grant scares some smart-ass kid with a story about how velociraptors hunt their prey, with one distracting in the front while two come at them from the sides. Then the Australian hunter Muldoon warns Jurassic Park's owner, John Hammond, saying the raptors should all be killed because they are dangerous, unpredictable and calculating. This theme runs throughout with raptors inciting that fear and unpredictability via their speed and cleverness. Finally it comes full circle with Muldoon as he finds himself with an aim on a raptor before him, but suddenly trapped by a second raptor at his side. "Clever girl."

Additionally, this movie keeps gore to a minimum, implying more than showing. This Hitchcockian method works wonderfully, ultimately making the content more terrifying.

Another positive note is that this film has a completely satisfying ending. Watching it with an engaged and excited audience made it all the better. I remember when I was younger being completely blown away as all hope is lost and our heroes are surrounded by raptors, doomed to die. Then suddenly T-Rex comes in proving himself king of the dinosaurs. It's just ironic that they couldn't save themselves because they were not in control, but instead escaped only because of the higher natural order of things. The big guy wins. They escape, T-Rex destroys the raptors and gives and unforgettable, thundering roar as the park's banner that reads: "When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth," comes falling down from the ceiling. I always got chills at that part, and apparently everyone else did too because they were applauding. You can't help but feel small and powerless in that moment, knowing man really doesn't have control and never will. For me personally, I am comforted by this, but others might find it an unnerving reality.

I would like to conclude by saying everyone should go out and see this movie... again! The 3D is incredibly subtle, it's more of an immersion effect, not a "popping" effect. I forgot I even had glasses on at one point and almost left the theater with them. Also, most theaters have one show a day that's not in 3D during the first weeks. Spielberg, you certainly were the T-Rex of film in the 90s.

I leave you all with one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written, not gonna lie I get really moved when I hear it. Thank you John Williams!

"My name is Lizzie Bennet and..." ~ The Lizzie Bennet Diaries

I love that as an aspiring filmmaker we live in a world where the internet can promote just about anything and cameras and editing software are available to all. This must have been the opportunity Luther felt when he jumped all over the Gutenberg printing press. Anyway… I’ve only recently seen youtube as a medium for promoting true art. Usually people just get distracted by how-to videos and kittens and puppies, but what amazes me is the amount of creative webseries that are finally on the rise, and my personal favorite, so far, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries.

I’ve been a Jane Austen fan since I was 18 and first read Pride and Prejudice, actually maybe earlier because I saw the Sense and Sensibility film as a young girl and loved it. At any rate, I have always adored her work. I could write an entire blog post about that, but for the sake of focus I will stick to the topic. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, or LBD for short, is a modern retelling of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice told in a webisode, diary format. Lizzie tells the story of her life, which follows the plot structure of the book, in a vlog form including many of the other characters face to face and definitely in her hysterical impersonations.

This is without a doubt one of the cleverest things I have ever seen. It starts out good it becomes truly great the further it goes along. As of today there are 96 episodes, I am assuming there will be 100, but we’ll find out soon. They are usually around 5 minutes long, though some have been as long as 8. It's typically shot at just one camera angle but it does not feel stagnant, the quick and superb editing make you feel as though you are watching a television show and not just some random person’s vlog.

What makes the show clever is how it connects the events in Austen’s books with believable events of today. Lizzie is an aspiring media student with an emphasis in online video technologies (from what I gather). She goes to vidcon and tours around a couple of companies throughout the series. I thought it was genius using the internet and modern technologies to push the events of the plot forward; it really made this fun and charismatic series believable.

I think this was most proficiently portrayed with the situation revolving around Lydia and Wickam. In the book, Wickam is a cad who lures Lydia to sleep with him and run away. This alone was scandalous in Austen’s day, but not so much in our own. In this series, Wickam forces the girl to make a sex video, and then unbeknownst to her creates a scandal by putting it online for all to see, breaking her heart and ruining her forever. Of course Darcy in the book is a man of money and influence and is able to fix the situation and repair things for the family by his means. In this series, Darcy owns a media company and through his power of not only his financial means but his power over internet and media he is able to stop this from happening and save Lydia from even more heartbreak and sure ruin.

I really loved the characters in this series and how even though they are based on the books, the creators truly made this story their own and set it apart from any other Austen remakes I’ve seen. What struck me the most was how they placed a huge importance on family, especially during the whole Lydia debacle. It was really moving and emotional to watch the sisters go through this and in the process develop their own relationships to each other. In episode 87, I actually got really teary-eyed. They made me love Lydia, whereas in Austen’s novel she’s quite deplorable a good percentage of the time. Lydia starts out as a text-talking party girl, seemingly ditzy, but they truly develop her and give her a full character arc. Even the "good girl" Jane has a character arc, and they even made Mr. Collins adorable which I thought was impossible! Whoever wrote this really understands the power and presence of character development and how that shapes the plot and transforms the story.

"Everyone deserves tea." ~ Jane Bennet

Though there are definitely huge changes and modern sensibilities, I liked that characters like Jane still carry the more “old-fashioned” way of dating and relationships. They don’t deny that this is a sex-before-marriage world we live in, but they also show that there are people out there who make different choices. Lydia represents one way the modern world thinks, and Jane represents another. I really appreciated the care they took to include both Austen’s way of living and our own modern world making them coincide splendidly. It was unexpected and refreshing.  

Of course Darcy is amazing and seriously adorable. Naturally, he's a good-looking chap, but they really captured Darcy's socially awkward persona and showed his vulnerability as a character.  It's a common misconception that Jane Austen's men are perfect swashbucklers, but that couldn't be further from the truth. They are quite realistic men with issues that they have to confront. They make mistakes, often say the wrong thing, and have to learn a lot before they story ends. I think if some men actually sat down and watched/read Austen material they would find they can really relate to her heroes and the challenges they face. 

This series actually inspired me to start my own webseries this summer, so everyone stay tuned! I won’t be the star of course, but I will be a side character and I couldn’t be more excited. Thank you, LBD, your series rocks and it has opened the floodgates for creative, well-written, and lovable online shows! Check them out: http://www.lizziebennet.com/