Dr. Strangefilm OR How I Stopped Worrying And Tried To Figure Out Prometheus

Prometheus was one of my most anticipated films this year, along with The Dark Knight Rises. I love the Alien franchise dearly. It scared the living hell out of me as a kid, so much as to where I could barely be in the same room when it was on the television. Yet, I loved it. My Dad would buy me the action figures of xenomorphs and sit half-listening (or perhaps not really listening at all) as I asked about all the film universe. I asked him questions that he didn’t know the answers to, yet he gave them a shot. I was in love. Terrified, awe-struck love.

As I grew older I came to view the first film as a masterpiece. One of the few almost perfect films. So when I found out that not only was there going to be a pseudo-prequel to Alien I was ecstatic, and to top it off Ridley Scott would be directing. There was no way it wasn’t going to be anything more than awesome. Right?

Well here I am, two days after seeing the film and I just don’t really know how to put into words my reactions to the film. And I don’t mean that as “too good for words” or “two crappy for words” I mean that I literally don’t know that I can categorize it as a film that I “like” or “dis-like.” At least not yet.

Yes, the movie had flaws galore. Underdeveloped characters that made stupid decisions (even thought they were “intelligent scientists”) that served only to move the plot forward. I mean really, if an alien snake that came from a mysterious black goo is hissing at you, I cant imagine anyone would think it’d be a good idea to pet it. Characters, who I felt were intended by the filmmakers to be villainous or amoral, seemed to be the only characters making rational decisions. For instance Charlize Theron’s character seems as though she is supposed to be the Weyland Corp ambassador with ulterior motives, that takes place in every Alien movie—in fact she basically admits it in the beginning. Yet, she seemed to be the only person on board the ship that was thinking clearly. There is even the parallel scene with Alien where she refused to allow an infected human on board the ship—just like our beloved Ripley did in Alien.

But enough of these issues, enough has been written about how almost all of the characters in Prometheus are underdeveloped, strangely written, and exist only to move the plot forward.

It’s safe to say that for each film in the Alien franchise there is an underlying theme(s). For example: Alien-The Female Voice in a Male World, Aliens-The Mechanics of Family, Alien3-Religious/Cultish Group-think, Alien: Resurrection-Science and Ethics. Following the trend, Prometheus had its own theme, a big broad vague one: Creation. Why are we here? Why were we created? What purpose do we serve.

Now I’m not going to turn this into a religious/philosophical blog so I’m going to keep to what is addressed in the film, and try to keep it focused on the film’s reality and that of it’s characters.

Prometheus’ biggest problem it had going in was the fact that it was being touted as a non-prequel to Alien, which of course, doesn’t really make sense. But also, saying that something is the “not really a prequel” is like asking people not to think about pink elephants. The entire time I was in the film I was inadvertently making “connections” to Alien, which of course was my first big mistake. When I came out of the film I was a bit angered at how sloppily Mr Scott had connected his franchise. At the end of the film we see the birth of a xenomorph, thus starting the chain of events that would lead to our characters on the Nostromo, right? But that doesn’t make sense because the Space Jockey that the crew in Alien found was in his pilots seat, with a bursted chest—NOT in a human ship. Well, see this is where my assumptions got the best of me. See after chatting with a friend I realized, this is a different space jockey. In fact, this is a different planet altogether. Why did I assume it was the same planet when it didn’t even look the same—well it’s the “don’t think about pink elephants” paradox, unfortunately.

It all made, well, some sort of sense to me after I had this revelation. After chatting with my fellow film cohort we came to a few conclusions (assumptions) which led us to a couple of possible theories. After seeing the mural on the wall inside the Space Jockey’s vessel, it’s safe to say that they held the xenomorphs in rather high regard—perhaps as the ultimate harbingers of death (the ultimate biological weapon of mass destruction) or, perhaps they worshipped them as deity figures. Now, it is safe to say that the mysterious black goo is the secret to the space jockey’s bio-technology. It seems to be able to make their ship work—and even create life.

Now here are my two theories:

1) The space jockeys were trying to harness the ultimate weapon to become ultimate rulers of the universe. They engineered humans to basically produce the xenomorphs in order to take over the world. Now of course we know that probably wont work out well—considering we know the xenomorphs are the ultimate death dealers. The xenomorphs got out of control, hilarity ensues, and the Space Jockeys abandon their plans. Once our crew on Prometheus goes to find our creators, the Jockeys decide, in order to fully prevent the xenomorph DNA strand from ever reproducing again—they need to destroy their creation, us.

2) The Space Jockeys were on the same mission the Prometheus was on, to find their creators or Gods, the xenomorphs. The only way they thought they could do this was to actually try to create their God. Obviously this was a big mistake.

To me one of the most interesting exchanges in the film was between David and Charlie (or as my buddy, and I like to refer to him, B-Grade Tom Hardy). Charlie taunts David, telling him that he was created just “because we could.” David responds by asking Charlie how he would feel if he met his maker only to hear “Because I could.”

Its an interesting premise, to assume that our engineers are not benevolent, and perhaps not even malevolent—but indifferent. How would that affect the human psyche? Do we actually need a physical purpose to feel important? Would it make our actions insignificant to all of the sudden find out that we were basically a science project?

Prometheus does not attempt to answer these questions. In my opinion, it doesn’t really even directly ask them. It hints at the possibility that perhaps these questions are worth a ponder.

Prometheus is not a perfect film. Far from it really. But it got me thinking, and it got me talking. And really isn’t that what we want from movies in a film-era full of Transformer films and lovelorn vampires?

Obligatory Favorite Films of the Year Post

You all knew it was coming up. Here is a list of some of my favorite films of the year:

Note: I really hate ranking films, so please don't give too much weight to the rankings. These films are all worth seeing.


Almost Got In There But Not Quite:

-The Help
-Bridesmaids
-The Ides of March

Top 10 (11):

10. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo- While I consider this flick to be a lesser addition to David Fincher’s body of work—I still thought it was pretty damn solid. Rooney Mara deserves to be in the best actress race come award season, hell she might even deserve to win. The story is what it is, whether you like it or not, but I don’t think anyone can argue that Fincher nails the dark murky tone required to make this film worth seeing.

9. Win Win- The thing I loved the most about this movie was that it was about...wait for it...normal people. Flaws and all. As deep a hole as Paul Giamatti has digs for himself in this movie, he never ceases to feel like the hero of the story. In real life people make mistakes, act mean and harsh, and sometimes things get better and sometimes they don’t. This movie portrays that sentiment perfectly.

8. Super 8- From the moment I heard the first few notes of Giacchino’s score I knew that I was going to be in for a treat. I was really surprised that a lot of critics stated that the movie was not able to stand on its own, and that the Spielberg fingerprints were too distracting. I was sucked into the story from the very beginning. If I had seen the movie when I was 9 or 10 it would have been my favorite movie ever—and I mean that in the best possible way.

7. Beginners- A lovely study on how loneliness and sadness can be passed on through family members, both intentionally and unintentionally. Matched with loads of heart and pathos, this film has just enough quirk to make it different, but not too much to where it becomes annoying. Christopher Plummer delivers a heartbreaking, yet hysterical performance.

6. Tree of Life- I think it is safe to say that this was the most divisive film of the year. There were people who hated it with a passion, people who thought it was just alright, and people who loved it. I loved it. I had never seen the emotions presented here caught on film before. I loved the scene where young Jack (who was brilliantly acted by Hunter McCracken) is coming back from breaking into that house and taking out the woman’s slip. Innocence has been lost and it shows in Jack’s face as he walks home on a muggy afternoon. Brilliant stuff.

(Tie) 5. The Artist- I saw this one post hype and of course I went in thinking, this one couldn’t be as good as everyone says it is, but dammit, I really loved it. It was sweet, moving, witty, and charming to boot. The acting was perfect, I felt as though I was watching genuine actors from the silent film era. It is so refreshing to see such a charming feel-good movie be praised up and down--and actually deserve it.

(Tie) 5. Hugo- I mean, how can you go wrong with Scorsese directing a love letter to the history of cinema? When I first saw the trailer for this movie I had my doubts, but in the back of my mind I kept thinking, “it’s Scorsese, even his misses have value.” Well my doubts were squelched completely. Martin Scorsese is dubbed a master for a reason, and I thought Hugo was one of his best efforts.

4. Moneyball- I read this book over a vacation in like two days and thought it was one of the most fascinating non-fiction books I had ever read, and it translated perfectly to screen. Pitt disappeared into Billy Beane’s persona. I loved how it was almost the anti-sports movie. A look into the behind-the-scenes of baseball, warts and all. Wally Pfister's shots were really and inventive aided to the story beautifully. I’d have to say this film takes the cake when it comes to best acting from an ensemble cast. Everyone was fantastic.

3. Midnight in Paris- For me, this is Allen’s best work since Crimes and Misdemeanors. I loved how light-hearted, yet meaningful it was. Owen Wilson took the “Woody Allen Persona” and made it into his own thing—which worked wonderfully. I also really appreciated how un-sci-fi the time travel elements were. It basically worked like a dream, you get into a car and then poof—you’re in a different era. Simple and effective.

2. Warrior- On paper this film should be a clichéd mess of macho-stereotypes, obligatory dialogue, and manipulated emotions—but it isn’t. It’s a study of a broken family learning what the idea of forgiveness is. Tom Hardy is awesome and Nick Nolte gives perhaps the best performance of his career, but it’s the writing that elevates the film. It is just so perfect. Not in the Aaron Sorkin sense where it is poetry on screen, but in a brutal, bruised honesty type of way. The words are so delicately chosen and heartbreaking. I missed the film in the theater, but I ended up redboxing it one night. I went out and bought it the next day.

1. Drive- Cool, capital “C.” This film is so drenched in style that it at times reaches absurd levels and I couldn’t have loved it more. But what keeps Drive from being "style over substance" is its beating heart. Underneath the blood and oil there is a classic love story being told. Gosling gave a stunning, subtle (apparently too subtle for a lot of people) performance as the classic silent hero. And Albert Brooks shocked the hell out of me by playing the most convincing and unnerving villain I've seen since Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds. His performance really gives new meaning to the phrase "playing against type." The brilliant soundtrack only added to the gleaming neo-noir style.  Slick yet gritty, tender yet violent, Drive was my favorite film of the year.

What I've Been Up To Lately...

It's been forever since I've added to this thing--I promise I'll try to write more, but today I just felt like I should jot a few things down to fill the time.

What has been going on in David Dangelico's life?  Well...Lia and I were planning to move to another city. And when I mean another city I don't mean Alexandria or Arlington. I mean that we were looking at places as far South as Panama City, and as far West as San Diego. BUT, we have decided to give NOVA/DC another year to see if we can get anywhere in our careers.

So where does that leave us? Well, basically just doing a job search. Which can be fun and exciting. We'll see.

In other news, I've been bitten by the comic book bug again. DC's recent total reboot got me hooked. I loved reading comics when I was in middle-school and high school, but as the trials of college became more and more daunting  I began to slowly put them aside. I still would crack a graphic novel or three every once and a while. But since then, the only comic that I had been reading regularly is Kirkman's The Walking Dead (which is still fantastic BTW). ANYWAYS, what DC did (for all of you non-comic geeks out there) is completely reboot 52 of its titles. In other words 52 different comics would start over again starting with issue number 1.

I mentioned this to Lia. I told her about how interesting (and risky) a move it is, and how I wouldn't mind picking up a couple #1's just to see what they are doing and how they are doing it.

"What does she do?" you ask?

Well, on a trip to visit her sister in Philadelphia she picks up Batman #1 AND Ultimate Comics: Ultimate Spider-Man #1 The reason she picked up the Spider-man comic is because I had told her about how in Marvel's Ultimate Comics Universe, Peter Parker dies a hero's death, and is replaced with a new Spider-Man (hence the #1) a half Latino, half African-American teenager named Miles Morales. Almost as risky a move as rebooting all of your characters!! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Lia is indeed the BEST WIFE EVER!

*Fun fact: Glen Beck went into a tizzy about how a minority is the new Spider-Man. Beck blamed Michelle Obama, of course.

Needless to say, I thought both issues were fantastic. Now I'm knee deep in Batman, Spider-Man, Action Comics (Superman), Green Lantern, Animal Man, The Ultimates, and Swamp Thing. Whew!

It's been a blast, lots of great stuff is being written about some of my favorite heroes, and I'm even becoming a fan of a new one: Animal Man. I knew next to nothing about this character, but friends told me I should at least pick up the first issue because there is a lot to like. Now, Animal Man is one of my absolute favorites!

Everyone who knows me knows that I love superheroes and that I have a deep, immense, love for these characters and their stories. It's been with me since I was a little tyke. Comics and superheroes really had an impact on my life when I was growing up, and honestly shaped me as a person. It's a passion that is difficult to explain to people who aren't also as in love as you are. To outsiders, comics and superheroes (which don't always go hand in hand in fact, there are several brilliant comics written about anything but superheroes like American Splendor, Maus, Blankets, and Persepolis) are "for kids," or a "waste of time." (Unless of course their favorite heartthrob is fantastic in the latest Summer blockbuster, in which case they are all for them.)

To those people I say: Whatever man, I love comics, and my wife is smoking hot, so take that! POW!!

But seriously, it's difficult to put into words what the allure of comics actually is. Of course, the artistry and storytelling is there for anyone who is not to snobbish to notice. In fact some of the best stories being told today are being told in comic form. But what is it about comic books that makes us fans so giddy?

Well, I think Aunt May said it best in one of my favorite movies of all time, Spider-Man 2:

I'll try my best to blog more (for real this time), and you can bet they will be a bit more comics-infused!

Favorite Music of 2011

Its that time of year again so you all know the drill...

Here's a little list of what I've been listening to and what I deem as my favorite records of the year.

Overall it was a pretty solid year for music, with a bunch of artists finally having their breakout records, and some old favorites remind us again why we loved them in the first place. Also, there was a new Tom Waits record, which...you know, is always good.

The records are in no real order unless noted otherwise.

Top Ten
Bon Iver, Bon Iver (Favorite record of the year)
Wye Oak- Civilian
Yuck- Yuck
Tom Waits- Bad as Me
m83- Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
The War on Drugs- Slave Ambient
Childish Gambino- Camp
Future Islands- On the Water
Wild Beasts- Smother
Kurt Vile- Smoke Ring for My Halo

11-20
Wild Flag- Wild Flag
Iron & Wine- Kiss Each Other Clean
Beirut- The Riptide
James Blake- James Blake
The Antlers- Burst Apart
Kanye West & Jay-Z- Watch the Throne
Girls- Father, Son, Holy Ghost
TV on the Radio- Nine Types of Light
Feist- Metals
Fleet Foxes- Helplessness Blues

Favorite Song of the Year: Civilian by Wye Oak
Favorite Non-albums: Pearl Jam 20 Soundtrack, Drive Soundtrack

Lots of great music came out this year, if you have a moment and need some new tunes--any of the above should do the trick!

What We Feel When We Go To The Movies...

Last night I was involved in a conversation with family about how we all look at movies and then, in turn, how they affect us. The typical inaccurate stereotypes were thrown around "Men can't understand this...","Women aren't entertained by that..." and of course "You'll understand when you're older." All of which, of course, are wildly inaccurate blanket statements that simply are not true. Not about men, not about women, not about young people, and not about older people. But perhaps the more interesting part came when my mother-in-law said (and I'm paraphrasing a bit) "David looks at things from an artistic standpoint, direction, writing, angles...at least from what I have read on facebook."

At the moment the comment didnt really bother me. In the context of the conversation, she was saying that the way I percieve violence and language in film is from an artistic standpoint and not a parental one--which is certainly true. I am not a parent therefore I watch films for my own enjoyment and entertainment--not to screen them for children (although I do think I could do it if you asked me to). And while I may be more careful about what I bring into the house when a young David or a young Lia is in the house, I would like to think that my fundamental beliefs on movies and music will not be changed when that day (far off as it is) may come.

But it got me to thinking about how I, and in turn we as a people, look at movies. Do I look at films differently than other people? My first instinct was to say Yes, of course, I've taken film classes, I know more about the way a film is made than the average person on the street. But what exactly does that mean? Just because I know a little bit more about how a film is made than the average person doesn't mean that my film-going experience is different than other people (also, that was quite the conceited thought you just had there, self, cool your jets). Are cinephiles so caught up in the technical aspects of films that we can't look at films in any other way? Of course not. In fact, I think it is impossible for anyone to step foot in a theater and not watch a film from a personal, emotional, or cultural standpoint. It is impossible not to take a film and look at how aspects relate to us or affect us. Movies do this to us without us even knowing (at least good movies do this to us without even knowing).The basic question, and the reason why we as a people love going to movies is because in some way or another we have an emotional or cognitive response to what is happening on screen. We all feel movies.

For instance, last year Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan was released. It was a wonderfully made film, superbly acted, and impeccably written. However, and this is not necessarily a knock on the film as I think it was intentional by the filmmakers, it left me emotionally cold. I understood and could see why it was a well made movie based on what was happening on the screen, and I certainly went home and had long conversations about it with my wife and my friends--yet I cannot say that the film affected me emotionally. Black Swan was a much more cognitive film. It was a thinking film and really is meant to be a head-trip rather than an emotional journey--which it succeeds wildly in being.

Now, on the other end of the spectrum, Aronofky's film The Wrestler (an equally well made film) does not have the trippy psychological plot that Black Swan has. However, it is very similar. It is about a physical performer, who loves his craft so much he is willing to give anything to it. A rather basic premise, yet it is one that The Wrestler and Black Swan share, perhaps on purpose. What makes the films different is how we relate to what is on screen. The Wrestler is much more of an emotional journey than Black Swan is. Perhaps because while Black Swan was very much a journey into the head of it's main character, The Wrestler is very much a journey into the heart of it's protagonist.

We all bring our own baggage with us into the movie theater. However our baggage does not necessarily mean that we are able to comprehend a film more-so or less-so than others. Say a person does not come from a broken home and watches the film Kramer vs. Kramer. Is he or she still able to understand the emotional complications of the film? Of course they are. Of course they can see the hardships and feel the heartache. Why? Because it is a well-made effective movie. The only difference between a person watching the film who has come from a broken home and a person who hasn't is one will be able to say: yes, that is an accurate portrayal and that is how it feels. They both feel what is on the screen, one just might be able to say whether or not it was they way it was for them.

Movies are a part of our culture for good reason.They connect us. They bridge the gaps that are created by life and help us to understand each other better. This is not only true about film, but any kind of craft.So, I guess in a way, we all look at film from a technical and artistic standpoint--we just don't necessarily realize it.

Paris, Texas: A Love Affair Between A Boy And A Movie...And A Boy And A Girl

When I was a sophomore in college I saw the film Paris, Texas (1984). It quickly became my favorite film (tied with Blade Runner (1982)) of all time.The movie is directed by German New Wave pioneer, Wim Wenders and stars Harry Dean Stanton, Dean Stockwell, and Nastassja Kinski. The film opens with a wandering wide-shot of the vast, craggy landscape. The camera wanders along until it finds our main character, Travis (Stanton). Travis' clothes are raggedy, his face sunburned and wrinkled. Travis is walking towards, or away from, something--we just don't know what. Soon after, Travis passes out near a doctors office and his brother Walt (Stockwell) is called to pick him up. It's been four years since the brothers have seen each other. From that point on the film follows Travis as he pieces back together his life.

I stumbled upon Paris, Texas in a bit of a peculiar way. I was bored one night and I was watching interviews with my favorite musicians, in this case The Hold Steady. The bassist listed his favorite films, two of which I loved (A History of Violence (2005) and Videodrome (1983)). Then he mentioned that his favorite film was Paris, Texas, so I casually put it at the top of my netflix queue. When it came in the mail, I invited this girl, Lia (you all know the one) over to my apartment to watch it. We had planned to watch the movie in my living room, but alas, my roommate Quinn was watching Alien 3 (1992), so Lia and I had to change to my bedroom. If this sounds like a sly trick, you would be wrong.

Let me take the time to explain what consisted of my apartment bedroom. There was a mattress on the floor in the corner, a dog house with a two year-old Dalmatian-Lab mix inside, a desk with a crappy laptop, and a crappy TV sitting on a barely standing crappy table, oh and a beach chair. Not exactly ideal conditions for wooing. We started the film, regardless the conditions, as well as my dog's insistence that she lay on the bed and watch as well.

We were transfixed, something in the film clicked in both me and Lia's brains. We both got it and talked all night (after she went home of course) about what we loved about it.

Fast forward a year. Lia and I are dating, she is studying in France and I am juggling a few summer jobs. Because of the time difference we only get to talk on the phone at really odd hours--so of course communication was limited. She did however tell me that she had a surprise for me when she gets home and that I wasn't going to believe it. She had found, at a random used record store in Athens, Greece, the Paris, Texas soundtrack. What are the odds? (By the way, I consider the score to Paris, Texas to be the ABSOLUTE best score to a movie ever--this is including all of John Williams' stuff)

Today, Lia and I are married, and we have two copies of Paris, Texas, one on DVD and one on Blu-Ray. It truly has become a part of our lives. I've always felt that art can change you. And I mean this in the most literal sense. What if we had watched the film in the living room, perhaps a better, but certainly less intimate location? What if I had never caught the interview with the bassist from The Hold Steady? Would our lives be the same? Maybe, but who knows. I always thought the connections we make through movies are important, I just never thought (though maybe I should have) that they would lead me to the most beautiful and important person in my life.

Favorite Flicks of 2010

I'm a little late on posting this one--mainly because of the late surge of really great movies. It really turned out to be a great year for cinema. Things were looking rather dismal mid-year, but then awards season kicked in and we got a flurry of really great stuff. Here are my favorites (in no real order as usual):

The Social Network
127 Hours
The Fighter
Toy Story 3
Black Swan
The King's Speech
Inception
The Town
Never Let Me Go
Shutter Island

Best Direction: David Fincher for The Social Network

Best Writing: Aaron Sorkin for The Social Network

Most Underrated Movie: Tie, Never Let Me Go and Shutter Island

Most Overrated Movie: The Kids Are All Right (I thought it was a good movie, just didnt understand the hype)

Worst Movie: Sex and the City 2 (only because I was too scared to see The Last Airbender)

Best Cinematography: True Grit

Best Original Score: The Social Network

Best Documentary: Restrepo



If you havent seen these films, all of them are worth checking out (except, of course, the worst movie of the year). Here's to another great year of cinema!!

My Favorite Records of 2010

If you haven't gotten a chance to listen to any one of the albums off this list I suggest you get to the nearest record store pronto. 2010 has been one of the best years in music in a looooong time.

1) Kanye West- My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

2) Arcade Fire- The Suburbs

3) Janelle Monae- The ArchAndroid

4) The National- High Violet

5) The Tallest Man on Earth- The Wild Hunt

6) Beach House- Teen Dream

7) Local Natives- Gorilla Manor

8) Max Richter- Infra

9) The Walkmen- Lisbon

10) Best Coast- Crazy For You

11) Sleigh Bells- Treats

12) Big Boi- Sir Luscious Leftfoot: The Son of Chico Dusty

13) Deerhunter- Halcyon Digest

14) Wild Nothing- Gemini

15) Joanna Newsome- Have One On Me

16) Cee Lo Green- The Lady Killer

17) LCD Soundsystem- This Is Happening

18) The Roots- How I Got Over

19) Sufjan Stevens- The Age of Adz

20) Spoon- Transference

21) No Age- Everything In Between

22) Broken Social Scene- Forgiveness Rock Record

23) Sun Kil Moon- Admiral Fell Promises

24) Four Tet- There Is Love In You

25) Band of Horses- Infinite Arms

5-10-15-20

One of my favorite articles on the ever-pretentious Pitchforkmedia.com is th "5-10-15-20" features where they have artists write a little blurb about music that they were into when they were ages 5, 10, 15, and 20. I always think it's interesting and I try to find out whether the person is lying or not. If there are no embarrassing album choices--then the person is obviously lying. Anyways, I thought it would be fun to do it for myself so here we go...

Age 5: The Beach Boys- Greatest Hits

Probably the first CD I was ever given as a kid. I'm not really sure why my parents gave the record to me as I realized when I got older that neither of them were that into the beach boys. I guess they just figured that because I lived at the beach it would be a good thing to bring me up on the Beach Boys. Who knows? Regardless it was a pretty good choice. Also, I may be lying about my age on this one, it's simply the first CD I remember actually having. But it's my blog, So I make up the rules so I say it counts. Also, when I have a five-year-old I'm gonna make sure he or she's able to sing both Beach Boys and The Clash--or I'm not letting him or her go to kindergarten.

Age 10: David Bowie- Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

This is on here for one specific reason. We used to take yearly trips to visit my Dad's family in Pittsburgh, PA. From Wilmington, NC that's about a 8 hour trip. My Dad used to have this zip-locked box of CDs that he would bring to listen to on the trip. We would listen to this CD at LEAST three or four times each way. Also, an honorable mention goes to Welcome to My Nightmare by Alice Cooper for the same reason. My Dad never really sheltered me from music--I owe him a lot for that.

Age 15: Dashboard Confessional- The Places You Have Come To Fear The Most

What, you thought I was going to lie about an actual album on here? Everyone has that guilty pleasure album, the one that "got you through those painful blah blah blah." I'm not gonna lie, I jammed to this CD. My parents and siblings cringed, I just turned up the dial. Now I look back and laugh (and shake my head). Good (hilarious) times. But I will admit, these tunes were MILES ahead of what is spewing out of speakers these days. I mean Owl City? Please. At least Dashboard was honest. Even if it was embarrassingly so.

Age 20: The Hold Steady- Boys and Girls In America

Lots of great stuff came out in 2006, TV on the Radio, Band of Horses, Yo La Tengo etc. But this cd was the one that was on constant rotation in my car. What can I say? I was in the throws of college, having a blast, finding out who I was going to be, and of course, meeting the woman I would spend the rest of my life with. Boys and Girls in America always reminds me of my wife and those early days when we were getting to know each other. We would go to rock concerts 3 hours away on weeknights, make eachother mix CDs, and stay up way to late watching movies. Little did we know four years later we would be here.

*Also, I'd like to note that this was the CD I listened to on the way to my wedding. I told my best-friend Kyle to pick whatever he wanted and this was what he chose. Coincidence?

Next year I'll be turning 25 (!!!) which is crazy for me to even think, let alone type. Music has and will always have a pretty big impact on my life. I can't wait to see what kind of impact it has on me in the future. I can only imagine it will be comparable to my past.

I can only hope.

America's Better Angels.

Today in this country I see newsreels about people throwing rocks at teenage girls who walk into abortion clinics, bullies videotaping closeted teens having sex to humiliate them, and bigots advocating Iranian planes to fly into muslim community centers. I get called un-American because I support more federal funding for the education system and because I don't think it should be ok for someone to have to wait only 5 minutes to buy an assault rifle. It angers me that in a country where we've made so much progress that there are people who are literally trying to make "progressive" a dirty word. All in the name of protecting the constitution of course. Which leads me to todays news about Byron Williams who, inspired by Glenn Beck, took to the streets armed with a 9mm handgun, a shotgun and a .380 caliber rifle, to start a revolution by shooting up the ACLU (yes the American Civil Liberties Union, the "evil" organization designed to make sure that people's constitutional rights are protected). Apparently there are people in this country who love our constitution so much, that they would hunt down and kill the people who actually make a profession out of protecting it. So glad you can contribute to our political landscape Beck, really, I am.

The thing that baffles me about right-wing politics today is how backwards their views are. "We want small government, but we'll allow you to wiretap our phones in the name of security. We want government out of our financial lives, but we want it throughout our personal ones." Sometime you just can't help but shake your head.

But I can look into their faces with clear eyes and a full heart and say "I've beaten you."

I disagree whole-heartedly with everything that the Tea-Party and the extreme-right stand for, but I've beaten them and they don't even know it. I believe in the freedom of speech. I have the right to disagree with everything they say, but I will fight to the death for their right to say what they think. That is what people on the right can never understand. It's what America is all about, what it's always been about. To quote Aaron Sorkin: "America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship. You gotta want it bad, 'cause it's gonna put up a fight. It's gonna say 'You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours. You want to claim this land as the land of the free? Then the symbol of your country can't just be a flag; the symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest. Show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms. Then, you can stand up and sing about the 'land of the free'."

There are millions of people around the world who disagree with everything that I think and that I say, but as long as we have the ability to say them, as long as we have the ability to think them, we can call ourselves Americans. America was founded on stories of greatness, of people who faced overwhelming odds and overcame them, not just for the good of the country but for the good of the people. America was shaped by people like Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jr., and John F Kennedy. These people gave us hope for tomorrow, they believed in our better angels during times when it looked as though we would break.

I believe in America's better angels.

To quote Sorkin again: "Every time we think we have measured our capacity to meet a challenge, we look up and we're reminded that that capacity may well be limitless. This is a time for American heroes. We will do what is hard. We will achieve what is great. This is a time for American heroes and we reach for the stars."

Film Review: The Social Network

The Social Network is the type of movie that needs to be seen twice to fully comprehend the beauty in it's intricacy. The movie moves at such a break-neck pace that it grabs you by the neck from the excellent opening sequence and doesn't let go until the credits role. People are calling it the movie that defines our generation. I have a hard time arguing with that statement, because it is half a good thing and half a bad thing.

Let's face it. We are pretty clever. In a world where information is spewed into our brains at a seemingly infinite rate, people "our age" have kept up with it pretty well. Those at the forefront of innovation are getting younger every day. One of Obama's head speechwriters during the campaign was in his early twenties. Matt Mullenweig created the website known as Wordpress which has capitalized on the blogging craze (which if you ask me has only enhanced the potency of the "written" word). And of course there is the central character in "The Social Network," Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of facebook.

The film doesn't paint Zuckerberg in a positive light. It doesn't paint him in a negative light either. He's simply smug and narcissistic (we get this from the fantastic opening scene), which I feel are attributes one could attribute to most young people. The Social Network shows what it takes these days, warts and all, to become the youngest billionaire in the world. Sure the movie is a fictionalization of the real events, but the meat is still there. The law suits, the backstabbing, the excitement, the disappointment. It's just written in a more allegorical way that makes the story about more than just the creation of facebook.

Which brings me to what is one of the strongest aspects of the film, its script. The film is written so tightly, so intelligently, that the next thing Aaron Sorkin will be writing is his Oscar speech. It has Sorkin's signature style, blazing fast and impossibly witty, framed in a story that only Shakespeare could have made up. The writing never talks down to the viewer, expecting the audience to keep up as Zuckerberg spits all kinds of computer lingo in the opening 20 minutes. It all goes over our heads--and it's supposed to. Sorkin wants us to understand how smart Zuckerberg is. To take the time to explain in arduous detail what Zuckerberg was doing would only have taken us out of the moment, not to mention bored our eyes out (though i suspect that if there is one writer who could have pulled it off it may indeed be Aaron Sorkin).

The acting is flawless, with both Jesse Eisenberg (who plays Zuckerberg) and Andrew Garfield (who plays his best friend Eduardo Saverin) turning in Oscar-worthy performances. The chemistry between these two is fantastic, you see their friendship in their eyes and their body language, which only makes the film's events that much more powerful. Justin Timberlake is perfectly cast as the devilish Sean Parker, who gives a similar performance to that of Peter Saarsgard in An Education. He plays someone so slick, so charming, that it is tough not realize his real motives.

And lastly we have the masterful direction of David Fincher. What I loved most about Fincher's direction is that the director seemed to play it cool. Known for his innovative special effects and flashy sequences, the stylish director only uses the special effects when necessary, and usually they are so seamless that the audience has no idea that it's even happening (which of course is the best kind). For instance the Winklevoss twins are played by one person, Armie Hammer (another stand-out performance), and through the use of camera tricks and special effects goes completely unnoticed. Fincher pulls fantastic performances out of the young actors, let's the writing do the talking, and paces the film perfectly. That is what a director is supposed to do. Bring everything together and make sure it is all working toward his overall vision. With a resume that includes films like Se7en, The Curious Case of Benjiman Button, Zodiac, and Fight Club, to say his latest film is his best may come with some speculation. But nonetheless, The Social Network is Fincher's most focused, most concise, and overall best movie yet.

The Social Network defines a generation. It show how we are different from any other generation before us. But perhaps the real crux of the movie is the revelation that as much as the world changes, and as much as we change with it, human ambition is and will always be an amazing, beautiful, dangerous, and at times dirty thing.

Don't hesitate to stand in line for this one.

5 out of 5 stars.

Married Life Is So...

Awesome, actually.

People told me things would be different. That ring changes a lot. Even though you guys lived with each other, you will notice some changes. It's a lot of responsibility. All of these phrases were spoken to me in one form or another, a majority of which were said within a week of the big day. I knew most of what everybody was talking about, but I gotta admit, It kinda freaked me out a bit. I love Lia with my whole heart, and I knew that I was able to handle marriage--because to me it meant being able to spend the rest of my life with my best friend. But because I had no doubt in my mind that I wanted to get married, when all of these statements started surfacing, I suddenly wondered Do these people know something that I don't?

Well the answer is yes and no. Yes it feels different, but only in good ways. There is more of a sense of respect in the house. Things seem lighter and easier. Perhaps it's because for the first time in a few months we are able to shut off the planning mode and be a real-life couple again. We can go on dates (we just recently saw The Town and loved it by the way), we can cook nice dinners, we can plan which TV shows we will get addicted to this season. I sense it lasting this way forever. When I look at Lia I see myself 50 years from now, probably still crudely hitting on her like I usually do. I know things will change, there will be babies, new houses, new cities, and new jobs. But I can't help but think that throughout all of those changes, it will still be Lia and me--the two kids who met in college and fell in love.

Over %50 of marriages end in divorce these days. I'm no psychologist, I haven't even been married a month. But if you ask me why, I'd have to say that a lot are because of a lack of respect. People get so wrapped up in themselves these days that it doesn't surprise me their are so many unhappily married couples. One of the best bits of advice I ever got about marriage was from my Dad. He said "In a marriage its not you give 50% and she gives 50%. You both give 100%. Your life is over when you get married, you're about to start your lives." I think that if people really truly dedicated themselves to each other, instead of just being with each other, you'd have more happily married couples.

Also, you have to laugh. Life is always better when your laughing. I can't imagine married life being any different. Lia and I laugh a lot. And I have no doubt in my mind that we will be laughing together forever.

(And nothing makes me more excited.)

I'm Back

So it has been a while since I've posted. Probably due to the fact that the most important (read: best) day of my life occured on September 4th, 2010. I married my best friend, Lia Kerner (who now goes by Lia Dangelico--it has such a nice ring to it)!

The countless days of planning (mostly done by her) paid off and we had the most beautiful ceremony a couple could ask for. We had friends come from all over (even one flying in from London) to share our moment with us. We couldn't have been happier (even though we felt as though we could sleep for days after it was over).

To all three of you who read my blog, I'm gonna start it up again in the very near future (Oscar season is right around the corner). I know the anticipation is killing you (or at least that's what I tell myself)--but the next blog entry will be coming in the next few days.

In other great news I finally buried my worthless piece of crap known as a blackberry, and got a beautiful, sexy iPhone.

So thats a beautiful, sexy wife, and a beautiful, sexy phone in the same month--I'd say I did pretty damn good.

See you all in the next couple of days...

Why It Sucks To Be A Star Wars Fan...Sometimes

So news just broke that George Lucas will be releasing the Star Wars films on Blu-Ray. 'Bout damn time. Also he noted that they would be the Special Edition versions and not the orignial theatrical versions that we all grew up with. Why wont he just remaster the theatrical version for us? It's too expensive, he says.

Yeah, I'm sure it's too expensive George. Maybe if you werent investing so much time and money bastardizing your own creation then it wouldnt be so bad. Also, there is no way in hell it is too expensive. Look at Blade Runner. Ridley Scott gave us 5 versions of 1 film that looked absolutely beautiful. Sure on the workprint version there were some specks and other signs of aging. But it was still sweet to see. And you want to know the funny part? Nobody prefers the workprint version of Blade Runner. Millions and millions of fans (I'd go as far as to say everyone) prefers the original theatrical version of Star Wars. I mean why in the hell does Greedo need to shoot first--other than to make Han less of a bad ass? I will never, in a million years, understand why that change was even thought up, let alone made.

So George, let's face it. Youd be nowhere if it weren't for us. When I was three years old I watched my first Star Wars film and the rest is history. I know every line by heart. I bought the toys (just as Lucas wanted) I grew up with Star Wars on my mind, bringing along it's philosophy in the way I think and live. It becae a part of who I am. The same is said for millions and millions of people around the world. If it werent for us George, you wouldnt be anywhere near where you are today.

How about you give us what we want?

Thanks.

Reflecting on The Suburbs by The Arcade Fire

The Arcade Fire has been my favorite band since I first listened to them. They have that power over me where when I hear their sound I simply say "yes, that is music". Their debut album Funeral is, and will always be, my favorite album of all time. I bought it at a used record store in Raleigh, North Carolina, not having any idea the impact my purchase would have on me. They were epic, yet personal. Majestic, yet refined. Then in 2007 they released Neon Bible, and showed the world that Funeral was no fluke and that the Arcade Fire was a band that was not only here to stay, but that they were an important force in our muscial landscape. Now in 2010, they bring us The Suburbs, a sprawling double LP of epic proportions. And yes, they knocked it out of the park for the third time in a row.

This is a long Arcade Fire album. With 16 tracks (not one being filler), the album clocks in at just over an hour. It is classic Arcade Fire, with epic choruses, pulsing melodys, and existential lyrics. Yet, The Suburubs is Arcade Fire's most ambitious album yet, including influences from Springsteen ("Modern Man") to even Depeche Mode or New Order ("Half Light II"). Influences aside, this is still, without a doubt, an Arcade Fire album.

The Suburubs is about just what it's title entails. Life growing up in cookie cutter houses, and the hopelessness of living the way you are "supposed to." It maps all of the hopes and dreams that can deteriorate as life in the suburbs of America locks you in. The lyrics are the Arcade Fire's most personal yet, as Win sings on the title track "I want a daughter while I'm still young, want to hold her hand and show her some beauty before the damage is done." It's as if he knows that with age he will become jaded and tired. He wants to be able to pass on his views while he still has them. While they are still hopeful.

One of the best parts of The Suburbs is the fact that it really highlights Win Butler's songwriting. "Suburban War" may be one of the strongest songs they have ever written. It's a love song, detailing a relationship that exists as the world around them changes. They realize, as life takes them seperate ways, that the place they grew up in has morphed into something unrecognizable. But towards the end, the realization hits that perhaps it wasnt the town that changed, but themselves. "All my old friends, they don't know me now," Win chants at the end. It's aching, bittersweet, yet somehow still hopeful. As the girl in the beginning tells Win "the past won't rest until we jump the fence and leave it all behind." She could be talking about eachother, about the town, or just the fact that the only way to grow is to do so facing forward.

It may sound bleak, just as the idea for Arcade Fire's debut Funeral did. But what has always been prevelant in Arcade Fire's songs is that the ablilty to resist is within ourselves. We all have the ability to make up our own minds about how we view things and how we handle them. We can see the death of family member as a terrible thing, which it is, but we can also choose to celebrate their life. We can let the suburbs of America turn us into zombies, or we can fight it. We can think for ourselves and maintain ourselves. Though things may seem hopeless, they only seem that way. We cant control how things shape us, but we don't have to lose who we are to the world around us.

This album is a classic, just as Funeral and Neon Bible are. In a world where most people have forgotten what it means to sit and listen to an album, where singles sell on iTunes at a more exponential rate than albums do, the Arcade Fire grabs us by the shoulders, sits us down, and makes us listen. They make us realize that craft, emotion, and honesty are the only key ingredients in making music.

The Suburbs is music in it's rawest, most beautiful form. It is absolutely perfect.

Film Review: Inception

Spoiler Warning: If you have not seen the film do not read what I'm about to write unless you dont care about having the ending spoiled. And trust me, you do care.



Inception is Christopher Nolan's masterpiece. What exactly does that mean? People have been saying it, and I certainly agree, but what does it mean? First off, the film has to fire on all levels, score, acting, directing, writing, originality. Inception gets a check in every box. For a film to be considered an artist's masterpiece though, it must basically be the director's brain on a platter. It has to be personal without alienating the audience. It must have themes that transcend time. It must age well. While we won't know whether Inception will age well for a few years, my bet is on yes.

I think the brilliance of what Nolan has done, and the reason the film will stand the test of time, is that he has made a truly subjective film. Theories have been flooding the internet about whether or not Cobb's spinner fell at the end. People have said that the whole thing was a dream, that half of it was a dream, that Cobb was actually having a Mr. Charlie pulled on him by Saito. They have been all over the place. And they have all, in one way or another been correct. But how can that be? How can all theories be correct? Well because no definitive answer is given, so any guess, as long as it makes sense, could be true.

But here is the thing. Cobb himself didn't turn around to see if his spinner fell. It didn't matter to him. He got to see his kids and be with his kids again. To him his mission was accomplished, his wish fulfilled, whether it was a dream or in real life. Does happiness, or contentment, only exist if other people can see it or experience it? I dont think so. It's all a state of mind. So if he saw his kids in a dream (especially a lucid dream), to him that's just as good as seeing them in real life.

Inception is a film that you have to see to believe. I've never seen anything like it before, and I can't wait to revisit the film. Nolan uses special effects, rather than having the special effects use him. He never let's his visuals overtake the story (which believe me, with these visuals is a feat in it's self). Hans Zimmer creates his best score to date, taking nods from everything from The Dark Knight to Blade Runner. Leonardo DiCaprio is fantastic as usual. It's amazing to me the empathy he can draw from his audience. The supporting cast gets just enough character development to move the story forward (which is enough because it's not their story anyways it's Leo's). The structure of the film seems confusing at first, but when you see the characters act out what they were talking about it all makes sense.

I can't say enough about Inception. It's a blast. To me, Inception is perfect. It has everything I look for in a movie.

Also, for all of you who are wondering: I think Cobb was with his kids in real life at the end, I dont think it's a dream. Why? Because it's what I want for his character.

List of the Week: Favorite Head-Scratcher Movies

Word on the street is that Inception is complex as hell. Word also is that it's a masterpiece. I love a meticulously plotted film. One that will engage me and keep me glued to the screen. If it's made well enough, it will warrant a "I'm gonna have to see that again." Sometimes films can be too complicated, during which they become a bit of a mess...but when a well-told complex story comes along, they can be great fun. Here are a few of my favorite movies that get better (or at least more understood) after seeing it more than once. These movies are either complicated in structure or meaning. Either/or they are much fun to pontificate over.

In no order...

1. Memento
2. The Matrix
3. 21 Grams
4. Solaris (1972)
5. Eternal Sunshine fo the Spotless Mind
6. La Jetee
7. Adaptation
8. Mulholland Drive
9. Barton Fink (Some may disagree but I had to watch it twice before I got it.)
10. Primer

Bummer Summer for Movies

Ok so what have we seen this summer that blew us away? Toy Story 3, definitely. Iron Man 2, umm it was great, not as good as the first though. What else? Knight and Day, hell no. The Last Airbender, HEEEELLL no. Sex and the City 2, someone shoot me. But what else has there been? Really nothing.

Yes we have Predators which looks like fun, and we also have Inception, which may save our Summer (early reviews say it is a masterpiece and possible Best Picture front-runner). Scott Pilgrim vs. The World looks hilarious and fun. Dispicable Me looks pretty funny too. But if you think about it this Summer has really sucked for movies.

I will say though, last Summer may have spoiled us. I mean we had Star Trek, District 9, Up, (500) Days of Summer, Julie & Julia, Inglourious Basterds, and The Hurt Locker. All fantastic films in their own right, and those are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

Maybe studios are just prepping themselves for next summer's onslaught of Superhero films (both Captain America and Thor are coming out), but who knows.

Oh well, you can't win em all, Cinema. Don't worry, I still love you.

Existentialism, Age 10

The radio broke in my car. This wouldnt be that big of a deal considering it was just a blown fuse, but considering all the autoshops were closed due to the holiday I was going to have to wait until Lia and I got back from our vacation in Wilmington to get it fixed. Basically it meant 9+ hours on the road with nothing to zone out to.

In order to pass the time, Lia pulled out one of my books of short stories and decided to read some of them aloud. She began to read a story that was written by a professor who taught at our school, David Gessner. It detailed an existential crisis he had when he was around 10, during which the thought of "nothingness" terrified him so much that he suffered from anxiety.

The story really spoke to me in more ways than one. While I didn't share some of the same views as the author, I too had an existential crisis at around the same age. I never spoke of it, I never had any extreme anxiety over it, but it certainly caused me to stay awake at night. I would lay in bed thinking about why there is so much detail in the world, why was it created as such. What was the point in making the colors a certain way, and does it even really matter. What was the point in creating air, if the absence of it only leads to death? These questions racked my brain as I laid in my Jurassic Park themed bed, staring at my ceiling.

To an adult, thoughts such as these may seem trivial, but to a child they can keep you up at night. Not being able to understand things, knowing that you don't understand them can be maddening, especially to a child with an imagination as vivid as mine was.

The story made me wonder how many other kids went through these sorts of thoughts. Pondering the universe. I wondered why when adults think these things are they deemed strange or even crazy. Such thoughts seem to me to only be human. Questioning the purpose of things has always been an important, if terrifying/controversial activity. However scary it may be to have these thoughts or questions, I always find it to be enlightening. It's through asking these questions that we begin to discover what we believe in. It certainly led me to my own personal faith.

I think that when you are a child your mind functions at its most freeing. You are not strapped down by the conventions of the world and other people. You are able to think and process things without the filter of a 24 hour news cycle, reality tv, and billboard advertisements.

Things just are, when you're a kid.

List of the Week: Best Things About Going Home (Wilmington, NC To Be Specific)

Tomorrow at around 2:00 I'll be heading to my hometown of Wilmington, NC. At times, Wilmington was my favorite place on earth. At other times I'd rather spend a day in Hell (which actually would be comparable if you visited Wilmington in the summertime). But I guess that is to be expected of your hometown. We never realize how much where we come from has had an effect on us until we leave. Or at least I didnt. After I left I realized I missed a lot of things about my home (both big and small). Here are some of my favorite things about the sleepy little beachtown I call home.

1. My Friends- While some have moved on to other towns, you can always count on holidays to bring everyone together.
2. Indochine- The best Thai food on our hemisphere
3. Gravity Records- One of the few independent record stores still left standing in America (at least it seems).
4. Blue Post- The best bar in Wilmington. Back in the 1800s it was a pirate hangout. I mean c'mon, it doesnt get cooler than that.
5. The Beach- I didn't take advantage of it nearly enough when I lived there. And I went quite a bit.
6. Downtown ILM- Enough hangouts to fill any number of nights, all snuggled up to the Cape Fear River.
7. The Soapbox- The perfect upclose venue to see your favorite local band.
8. Trolly Stop- Probably the best hot dogs that you can buy outside of a baseball park.
9. Pita-Delight- My favorite lunch spot.
10. The Heat- I know I'm in the vast minority here, but I cant get enough of the southern heat. Especially because Wilmington has a nice salty seabreeze to go along with it.

Yeah, I'm excited about this weekend...