Posts Tagged ‘abuse

06
Oct
22

Letter to Constance Wu, October 2022

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*****

Dear, dear Constance (Wu),

I just saw you on the morning TV circuit. [How does an emotional person with a heavy book of past triumphs and trials go from one studio to the next, pitching that book?]

First, let me say you looked fabulous with the even-cut bangs and long hair…even more lovely in the video clip of you opening the box of books, with eyeglasses on your adorable face. The hoop earrings didn’t suit you, though. Other than that, ‘looking good.

I am also considering getting a copy of your book, though that feels slightly wrong to say…getting excited about a book filled with pains from the past.

What you said about being raised to avoid making scenes, avoid being visibly emotional…and how your parents couldn’t express love the way you wanted. I can completely relate, as I am sure many can. I think that’s one part that touched me.

Then you mentioned how teachers fussed about you not being good enough to write what you wrote, accusing you of copying. My experience wasn’t identical, but similar. So, another point that touched my tender heart.

When you started to tear up over your history with abuse and being pushed toward suicide by your own community, I just wanted to hold you in my arms and absorb your tears…. [Although, if you’re smart, you won’t retell the suicide story, over and over. I don’t think that helps you get over it; instead, I think it just keeps the fear and wound fresh.]

On that note, dear Aries Water Dog year, Constance, I am here to support you and say you just need to remember what a good, talented dog you are. I know, in some circles, “dog” is not what a woman wants to be called. In other male circles, dog is a term for a (good) friend. I’d like you to be a good friend, at least.

As far as I know, you haven’t made a mistake other than, maybe, being too quiet about who and what has been hounding you. Your concern for the jobs and reputation of a show and other actors was, perhaps, noble but foolish. You went down with the ship like a good captain…but a captain who was mistreated, not heralded.

As a kid, you favored Rajah, Jasmine’s tiger in Disney’s Aladdin? Well, find your bark, find your roar, and defend yourself, when needed. It may not be the most lady-like. And, it’s not often respected. But, you don’t need to fall and/or suffer to be respectful, polite.

Anyway…whatever you get yourself into…please…don’t be afraid to speak up…reach out…and, maybe, contact me, if that’s possible.

Question. How did you become a mother? I had no idea… Who…is the father? I presume you’re not married…so… W-Was this a child born out of the abuse? How much time has passed since I saw you on TV? Who is supporting you and your child, now? Have members of your family stepped up to help you?

I don’t often like making scenes. And, if you made a scene with me, I might be devastated, if it’s not a pleasant one. But, part of me would like to say…I’m okay with you making scenes…and I look forward to making scenes with you, if you’ll let me. [Smile.]

HUGS HUGS HUGS and more HUGS

You still have me in your corner.

Sincerely,

Writingbolt

17
Aug
22

The Wong Place and Time for Me to Care

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****

So, I’m interested in the new (The) She-Hulk: Attorney at Law TV series. Suffice to say, the character is a bit of an obsession for me, even though certain artists have cast her as a rather…casually sexual explorer. But, I don’t expect much from what’s already a Disney disaster in the making.

[I mean…the lead actress had to alter her hair to match Mark’s (Bruce Banner/Hulk), when I just saw her with blonde hair, looking, actually, fit to play a blonde Jen Walters. She had the perfect ponytail to match the look of brown-haired Jen on some of the covers I’ve seen. Is it so wrong for a guy’s COUSIN to have different hair or even ethnicity? I have cousins with every color hair in the book; why can’t Jen have straight blonde hair even if Bruce has curly salt-and-pepper hair? The original “Savage” Jen had blonde hair (while Bruce had brown hair). That’s not a racial issue or even a question of family ties.]

[And, you know what Disney is likely to do to retain the interest of disenchanted fans? ‘Probably put out a ton of merchandising and ads for products like Tide detergent, featuring She-Hulk, just because they can afford to pump the masses and feed the landfills of the what’s-next, instant-gratification, never-satisfied-with-the-current-speed-only-because-advertising-says-so generation that’s taking control. And, if I crumble just to grab a She-Hulk T-shirt, coffee mug or figurine from the latest cattle trough, I deserve to die, not when I’m used up and a spotted prune but right here and now. Just get it over with, already. Hit me. If I see another “Funko Pop” with eerie, death-like button eyes, I’ll…well, I just won’t wasted my energy on a reaction. But, I’ll tear the place apart when I find them in the landfills…because that’s where all the “merch” is headed, until the planet can’t house or recycle anymore, and everyone who’s rich and privileged gets a one-way ticket to Mars.]

Let’s look at past “hits” from the latest Marvel-Disney releases.

Moon Knight? I watched a good chunk of it. It was more mad than good, overall. But, sure, good on Oscar Isaac for playing a crazy man so well. The villain role is well played, as well; actually the villain outshines the hero…or, heroes, considering we have to add an ethnic-representative and female hero (heroine) to the cast, these days. And, special effects?…spare no expense, par for the Disney Empire.

Wanda Vision? I enjoyed the timely TV settings and humorous touches. But, the story sort of turned into a bad cup of tea with a dark finish, supposedly prodding viewers to watch for a movie…which just happens to involve Dr. Strange and his persistent assistant, Wong. [Also, I am not a big fan of the casting for Wanda/the Scarlet Witch, nor the let’s-try-to-stay-original new costume design, when the 1980s comic-book version, which made an appearance in the mini-series as a “gag costume,” looked great.]

Loki? I liked the female Loki. I liked some of the other Loki variants, for as long as they lasted, just to appear as brief jokes or inspirations. The original Loki was…well, the same sort of guy he has been in all of his appearances, just handed a job and a shirt and too depressed to be wicked. I liked the suggestive secretiveness of the mini-series, the hints of things to come…yet, by the end of the first “season,” I felt more lost than entertained. I felt like I’d wasted my time.

I’m initially uneasy about casting for the new She-Hulk series. I heard one name I knew that I thought would be interesting to see…haven’t seen her in any of the ads run, so far. So, what happened there?

And, just recently, I see Wong, that ever-present sidekick of Dr. Strange, opening a portal to the series. Pardon my cursing (expletive…expletive…major, scorching, Mount-Olympus-sent expletive), but why does a show about Hulk’s cousin need to be linked to the “madness” of Dr. Strange? And, why do I get the feeling this is all building to some team-up movie with Dr. Sherlock Strange…or maybe just Wong…as the leading role? Heaven forbid Jen Walters/She-Hulk is reduced to a minor role in her first film appearance, like a Mantis or Nebula.

I know from recent comics (well, recent if we go back to 2008) that She-Hulk was doing more legal work than she’s ever done in her pre-2000 history (so many years being listed as a lawyer, rarely if ever appearing in a courtroom). I know she was handling cases for a wide variety of bizarre clients. But, there ARE other ways to get those clients than having some wizard-monk play special-delivery guy. Ya know, spaceships DO travel to Earth. Aliens DO open their own portals, as they did in the first Avengers film. And, gosh darn it, there are plenty of mad folks on She-Hulk’s home planet who provide clients from mad experiments gone wrong. She could use her powerful legs to get around, once in a while. Or, here’s a novel idea, hire a cab…board a plane.

Wong signed on with Tide detergent, and suddenly he’s a household name like Mr. Clean? I don’t wash my clothes with P and G. And, I don’t mix my laundry with Wong’s.

Clearly, I’m already tired of Wong. And, I haven’t even been bombarded with ads for his own feature movie/series, yet. I’m sure that’s on the way, along with more from the “Ten Rings” franchise (which didn’t impress me, much, either). [I can just see the writers clawing at their foreheads, right now, trying to develop a script that won’t be utter crap, pandering to the racial circus that’s still assembling.] It’s not a racial matter for me…though it’s clearly a racial matter for those who make movies in the Disney Empire. It’s a lacking interest in a particular character who’s being milked for his ethnic roots (meaning his physical appearance, not where he was born, necessarily). Heck, they turn the male mystical master into a pasty woman with an accent, and I’d rather watch more of her than Wong, and that’s just wrong.

So, if I see more of Wong, I’m going to tune out. I just am. Because I’m tired. I’m sure he’s a really nice guy and a loyal sidekick, for what that’s worth before some evil presence or broken promise turns another hero into a villain. But, I just don’t care about him that much; and you cannot make me.

Actually, you COULD have made me interested…if he had his own story/show WITHOUT invading the homes of every other character in the Marvel Universe. You might as well reboot Seinfeld and stick him and Cumberpatch in that. [You could do that, right, Disney? You have the resources. Just buy Jerry Seinfeld, like Baltic Avenue in Monopoly, and turn a DC/Superman fan into a Marvel-Disney minion. While you’re at it, buy Hulu; then you could bump off the second “U” to add or insert a “K” and call it the Hulk or Hulku channel, just to further promote your Hulk/She-Hulk programs. I mean, Hulu has a green logo; how perfect would that be for a Hulk channel?]

If you stuck She-Hulk in other Marvel series, I would complain less…much less if the appearance made sense and if I genuinely liked the actress playing her. But, she’s a character I’ve grown to like…like…a lot. It’s a fairly easy win (which I would not be surprised to see tossed in the dumpster by poor writing).

Instead, you slap Wong on everything as if he was (baby) Yoda or Harry Potter, and even they don’t cross over into anything else; they just gain popularity from their original, singular source. It reminds me of some old comic books in/on which ads would appear for other comics or toys I had little to no interest in owning. I sort of dismissed all of that as a kid, focusing on the pages that featured characters and artwork that meant something to me, as a budding artist. But, thinking back, it was just another phase of what’s happening now.

Comic books might have been magazines for kids, heaps of advertising injected with small stories about beloved (and some dreaded) characters, celebrities for those who don’t look at or care much about real, living people who somehow acquire fame and riches. All I cared about was the artwork, seeing characters I liked looking good and performing deeds I could respect, occasionally being witty. I didn’t need a cardboard airplane stamped with the face of Captain America, weight-lifting hoop dreams or a joy buzzer from some dial-up service offering novelty madness.

If I want to read a comic book about another character or group of characters, I’ll be drawn to its cover at the comic-book store. I’ll be seduced or excited by an artist’s creation and give it a try. I don’t need it thrown in my face while I’m currently interested in the story I just cradled in my delicate hands. That’s like pop-up ads on commonly viewed online “entertainment.” Except, the ads were on paper.

It’s one thing to insert an asterisk and a hint about a “crossover event” regarding another series (as the comics of my youth would often do to let me know the current story extends into another character’s series). It’s one thing to include something (new) of equal interest. But, when there is no relevant connection to the feature, or when the advertised content is stomach-turning, it’s just a senseless waste of space and my money…and time. You might gain a few new fans, but you might upset far more people who have no interest and don’t want that mess in their investments.

[Imagine picking up a Harry Potter book and finding three pages dedicated to cigarettes and/or a movie about a scary clown. Do you want that sitting on your library shelf? Do you want to pick up that old friend and revisit those horrors? Oh, it’s a wonderful story…and just ignore the dated ads in the middle.]

As soon as you tell me the story gets a mad, mind-bending twist and/or a “representing” character (or a “diverse” cast for the sake of being diverse, even when the original concept had no such diversity, not because the artist was racist but because those were the people they knew), I zone out like I did with Inception. Now and then, I just like a nice, straight-forward story to unfold; it begins, it ends…it sparks a sequel, a next chapter. It’s entertaining and makes me want to cherish the story (whether that is an original story or one that respectfully represents a previous work of art), not look online or at some salivating YouTube-er, who babbles on and on about what every little detail means and what I missed, for clarity.

My sister will likely sigh and say, “That’s just how things are, these days.” As if I’m supposed to just accept whatever is dumped on some “feed” for the masses to feed like mindless vegetables; get real (and not reality TV). Just suck it up, accept it and keep swallowing senseless crap. So what if every female character I grew up liking and every new one to spark my interest gets turned into a lesbian. Moo.

I will not be so naive or blind. Whether it’s a racial/LGBT drought or a racial/LGBT flood, it’s no good. And, not every ethnic actor needs to come with a damn British accent! Can’t you even get actors and actresses from the native lands you attempt to represent?…not southern California or South Africa or Wales or the British-dominated hunk of India.

‘You mess with the She-Hulk, you mess with me. But, then again, why bother getting upset? Maybe Sis is half-right. It’s just how things are going, after Stan Lee handed the keys of his bankrupted Porsche to Disney. He might as well have handed them to Google or Musk or Starbucks.

Fun-size everything and just about every glimmer of joy in the world is being downsized into oblivion and despair. You can’t even enjoy a popsicle from your youth, anymore, without being subject to shrinkage. It’s a depressing world, all around. Local news has boiled down to futile political disagreements over wealth and violent, death-dealing crimes. Reruns of shows long-ago departed quickly lose their charm…when you think about how much time you already spent watching them when they previously were reruns and before you invested in DVD collections.

So, why expect any genuine joy from a new TV series? Heck, when’s the last time I enjoyed a commercial break? I cannot even remember. Ads have gone to heck in a handbasket, too.

‘Sucks. Sorry, Jen. Maybe I just won’t look…then I won’t get disappointed. I’d rather forget you than watch you be mistreated. It was a good run, back in the Savage days, when your costume made itself iconic; though it made little sense, just like Bruce’s shorts…purple pants.

But, this…crisis…is bigger than Wong. And, he’s smaller than She-Hulk.

Whoever said all good things must come to an end is a jinx, a pox, a virus to us all, the ultimate Debbie Downer. There’s a prevailing evil force growing around the world, and there aren’t enough real heroes and heroines, it seems, to repel it. The evil isn’t racial/gender deprivation. It’s the twisting of truth (to get your own way) and what is sacred to artists, their original work and creativity. Books don’t translate into movies. Books get pushed to the publishers like cattle to the slaughter before they’re warped into movies that don’t match the text. And, I’ve already seen more books in the past decade than I’ve read in the rest of my lifetime; just about every single one contained some typo. How does that happen? How does a book that’s intended to be cherished and added to some bookworm’s favorites list permitted to slip by without proper editing and get stamped with that damn New-York-Times-bestseller label?

Joys of the past are being twisted and depleted. This affects everyone, not just a particular race or gender. That’s a major villain, people; though he doesn’t come with a particularly apparent costume.

We need more heroes and heroines, and I don’t mean costumed wanderers at some comic-book convention. Who’s with me? Avengers, assemble. [Why do I hear crickets?]

[I say that when I’m a total Tony Stark (minus the alcoholism, though I may have other budding addictions), who is not the best at joining/leading causes/teams, feeling more comfortable working solo though it sucks to be alone, after a while.]

09
Nov
16

The U.S.A. Must be Full of Masochists…

By writingbolt Leave a Comment
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*****

…Because on Nov. 8, 2016, they showed fifty shades of gray. 

Who knew Americans (who voted) liked being abused verbally, sexually and any other way you care or care not to imagine.

But, why should we be surprised?  This happens every 8 (used to be 4) years.  Just when you think someone’s building something–one group says it’s good, the other says it’s bad–the tide turns, and the skyscrapers fall only to see new towers be built on the burial sites.  Talk about Poltergeist.  It’s the ghost of elections past.

36 years ago, the USA elected Ronald Reagan, an actor who some questioned for his knowledge/experience.  Chinese astrology says a lot about things happening in cycles of 12.  Could there be some pattern to all of this?

Is this the USA getting its Trump-up-Pence?

Stay tuned, cave dwellers.  Same bad time.  Same bad channel.

14
Jul
14

Whatever god created sexual intercourse…

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…probably didn’t intend on it being bought and sold like chicken feed.

 

 

Tweet!

14
Jul
14

Peter Parker Might Be the Poster Boy for Using Power with Responsibility…

By writingbolt 12 Comments
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…but even he can succumb to the temptation of ego.

 

 

A common theme in superhero movies these days is the “weaponizing”

of invention. Someone designs a suit of armor, a replacement body part

or an energy potion, and someone else strives to snatch every trace or

copy the blueprints to wage war on some group, company or nation

with new ammo/power. It’s not just fiction. That fiction came from the

same species capable of creating the madness and/or destruction. When

do we reign in our potential and use our power wisely?

 

 

We can do better.

14
Jul
14

Creation Is Like a Bowl of Cherries

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The beauty and sweetness of the fruit lasts only so long before the rotting begins. With good intentions often–if not always–come(s) horrible misuse and/or abuse.

After going on some great trip or winning some contest, have you ever met someone who wanted you to share the rewards (photos, souvenirs, a sample/taste if food is involved, etc.) sooner than you felt comfortable/willing? You might tell them to wait or–if you have no qualms about your friends/family turning on you–deny them their desired share until you decide how much you want to give and when. Now, you have the “freedom” to put it all out there for all to see (including some you don’t want to see). You tell yourself this will relieve the pressure of nagging hands/eyes and keep those you care about connected. But, what is everyone you don’t personally know doing with the same bounty of information? While you think the farm is free, you don’t own the land. And, any fence you might put up is only as good as its designer. Only the designer can put up a fence no one else can bypass (until someone figures out how to do just that).

If I’ve learned one thing about life from my exposure to the age of the internet (and all of its minions), it’s that just about anything (or everything?) that starts out as a good thing gets abused/misused until tabloids and TV anchors can’t get enough bad news out to the masses. [Whether the bad news is genuine or just hype to stir paranoia in the interest of consumption…is always a good question.]

The second thing I’ve learned is that no story or truth is as valid and worth hearing as the one from the source itself. Anything else is likely tainted with suspicion and/or foul intent. Yet, it’s difficult to reach/hear/see the truth when there are so many riled voices clamoring at once.

And, before there ever was an internet, I learned advertised reputations and all of the lovely things people stamp on the backs of covers (for example) in favor of the creator(s) are often wrong.

But, let’s get back to the matter of misusing what is intended to be an improvement. It’s like indulging in some form of food or drink–which initially tastes good–and then vomiting the inevitably foul bi-product or result of such action. [If you’ve ever had a hangover or found yourself with your face in a toilet bowl after consuming more alcohol than your weak stomach could handle, you get the drift.] If word gets out, if something becomes a fad/trend, it seems there’s almost always a chance it will carry trouble in its wake.

So, while the internet gives seemingly boundless freedom and inspiration to the billions on this planet (those who have access, anyway) to create to their heart’s content with the hopes of becoming a wealthy star (pending management by some foreign agent who will gladly take a cut of the profits for sitting within some proximity of you), this is reckless action bound to benefit a greedy, manipulative few rather than satisfy and improve the world. The “farmers” just made it easier for the “crops” to come to them with less labor. And, in the process, the masses risk losing their health, wealth and dignity/privacy…basically, their freedom (of life as it is granted either naturally or by a higher power). The old ways of abusing power simply have found a new mask to wear.

14
Jul
14

You Need to Get Lathed!

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Categories: Concerns and Alerts, Creations and Uncategorized
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Have I told you the intense thrill I get from working with wood? I’m not talking about some run-of-the-mill joy you get from completing that dusty spice rack or bookshelf for your friend or family member. This thrill goes deeper than any man’s “lower appendage” can reach in the deepest of “woman wells.”

Yes. That’s right. If you know anything of sexual intercourse, you know the language I am speaking. You also know some version of the feeling. But, if I am not using the infamous tool of innuendo, am I seriously comparing “hot sex” to carpentry?

I am. There’s just one problem. Well, there’s more than one. But, I’m only focusing on one at the moment because more would probably blow both our “computer laundered” minds. [You know, how some articles of clothing get shrunk in the wash. There ya go. You got it. Right?] If I am not careful, my crafting could result in the creation of a birdhouse. I know it might sound crazy, but it’s true. I put myself to work for the thrill of it, and, suddenly, I’m staring at a birdhouse. But, I don’t want this.

If you ask me, there are already way too many birdhouses out there in the world. Heck. Birds are quite capable themselves of making nests in all sorts of places. Why do we need more?

So, to prevent this, I must wear special protection. And, if I share my skills with any women in this world, it seems vital that they too use protection lest they end up with a birdhouse they cannot fully enjoy. Unfortunately, the female version risks the function of internal organs with the potential for side effects spanning a lifetime. Luckily, more women than men seem content with finding a place in their lives for my unwanted sparrow shacks. I guess the risk of their lives seems less threatening than the loss/destruction of a birdhouse.

Knowing that protection was created by someone no more capable of invention than myself, it’s flawed at best. And, when the flaw reveals itself, guess what? You got it. I’m staring at yet another unwanted, unintended pigeon poop coop. These things are eating up my resources, including living space, and they’re starting to get on my nerves. But, I can’t give up the pursuit of that singular thrill. Can I?

If you’re tuning out or thinking I’m some sex-starved fool, dude (or dudette), you need to get lathed. Or, in other words, go file, drill, wrench, plumb, jack, plunger, pump, punch and/or hammer yourself. All it takes is for the fire of trending to spark a revolution.

If you’re going to get your hands dirty, do it without affecting the lives of others or be prepared for a surplus (or shortage) of robin roosts. Give a hoot; don’t contribute to the plagues of all mankind. Labor responsibly.

[In all seriousness as an artist, I prefer to work with pencil/pen and paper or clay, myself. But, to each their own.]

11
Feb
14

Dragon Inn Theater and Dragon Tattoo, Too–My Recent DVD Views Review

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Among the lot from my most recent stop to rent DVDs, I just finished watching “G.I. Joe:  Retaliation”, “Goodbye, Dragon Inn” and “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” (the original Swedish version).  Here are my thoughts:

G.I. Joe:  Retaliation

Synopsis:  The Joe team gets ambushed after locking away Cobra Commander and Destro, and the remaining members of both teams duke it out over a nuclear weapons scare.  New faces abound with some new nifty technology tricks (namely Firefly’s homing explosives which look like…wait for it…fireflies).

The gritty combat action and Cobra plots were better than in the first film.  [However, the fight scenes with Snake Eyes were not any better.]  Though relieved not to see so much goofy computer animation, cinematography didn’t impress me as much this time.  I still don’t quite understand the need to wipe out the G.I. Joe team, change CC and oust Destro (supposedly the original cast who apparently did not care to do another film in the series?).  But then, film makers did the same thing with Mortal Kombat, and we all know how that went.  No third movie was made.

Bruce Willis (Joe) was amusing.  Adrianne P. (Lady Jaye) and Elodie Y. (Jinx) were beautiful.  And, Firefly was brilliant (aside from the corny boat chase near the end).  But, considering the cast changes and the sad end? to Zartan, the poo quickly piled up on this one.  I can only hope–if there is a third movie–it’s a major improvement with some of the original cast.  [I’m looking at you, Joseph Gordon-Levitt (the original CC) and Sienna Miller (a great Baroness minus the earrings).]

TGI a rental.

Goodbye, Dragon Inn

Synopsis:  In case you’re completely clueless (as I was until I stumbled upon it), this looks like an independent/film festival (small screen) film about a small movie theater running a martial arts film on its closing night (before demolition or reconstruction due to its crumbling condition and lack of staff).  Only a limping female ticket clerk and a young male projectionist (who doesn’t appear until the last third of the 80 minute movie) manage the theater.  A tourist escapes the rain outside and discovers an assortment of fellow wanderers who seem less interested in the movie and lost in themselves.  In the end, there is a hint of unfulfilled romance and a fitting song.

I get the feeling the creator/s of this film wanted to capture a favorite theater the way they experienced it before the place was shut down and took advantage of permitted access to film the various corridors and mysterious storage areas (which are never explained).  I did a similar take on the closing of a place I previously worked.  My camera wasn’t of the same quality, but my footage amounted to as much without the cast of characters supplied quietly into this film.  And, when I composed a montage/music video with my footage, I did some editing to make it more interesting.  This, on the other hand, is more like raw footage on quality film and a virtual movie theater experience.  You can sit behind someone for a few minutes and see what that feels like.  And, the moments are quite random (without much continuity).

There is very little dialogue.  In fact, the majority of talk is handled by the film within the film which provides subtitles.  And, while the camera shots and angles are decent, there are long, lagging clips that could easily put some to sleep.  This is beyond a “sleeper” yet it inspired me to write something and think about working with the crew to re-create the film with more content.  It’s a good concept.  But, unless my DVD player was missing some special features, the overall product was significantly lacking.

Definitely a late night rental you watch with that special someone when you can’t get to the theater and want to drift asleep together.

 

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009 Swedish original film)

Synopsis:  A reporter loses his job and gets a minor prison sentence after digging up dirt on a corrupt wealthy businessman.  In his hiatus from work, he is hired by another wealthy man to solve the mystery of his missing “daughter” (Harriet)…but not solve the mystery (as Mr. Vanger says).  Meanwhile, a 24 year-old, unorthodox (punk) computer hacker working for another publication digs into the reporter’s case and ends up working with him (in more ways than one) to resolve Harriet’s disappearance.  Rated R for good reason.

In short, the story is decent–but not very unique–with its share of dramatic cuts and music.  The characters are abundant and fairly interesting…but their development is lacking.  [This may just be another “You need to read the book” thing about another one of these book-to-film projects.]  The key moment that triggered this negative thought is when the reporter and his young hacker assistant decide to have a spontaneous sex scene.  Like other “murder” mysteries I’ve been reading as of late, these sex scenes are the worst kind of surprises completely misplaced (unless you consider the young woman’s actions from a therapist’s point-of-view).  Other than the intimate exchanges, the hacker and reporter DO make a somewhat refreshing team.  But, their lack of depth makes them less valued than the average RPG  video game characters.

Also, the usual suspects–a large enough family seeking money from their elders–are almost glazed over and diminished by a few graphic (though not quite graphic enough for the next letter rating, X) scenes which seem included purely for “realistic” shock value.  Justice is not exactly served.  [Even jail seems…WiFi pleasant?]  And, we are left wondering what the sequels could possibly entail (while I think leaving Harriet missing until the next “chapter” would have been a smarter ending).  [I fast forwarded through most of the violent sex which would have been discomforting to watch in the theater.  And, in my personal opinion, the girl should have stopped when she played the video for the cops to find.]

Is it poor writing if I figure out who the killer within the first few minutes he/she is mentioned?  Or, am I just a great detective/guesser?

I will likewise view the sequels and skim through/over the American version of the first film in time.  But, save the ticket price and rent/borrow these for popcorn thrillers with someone you trust to sit next to you.

 

The Girl Who Played with Fire (TGWTDT part 2)

Synopsis:  After solving a missing person’s case as a dynamic, intimate and yet distanced personally duo, Lisbeth and Mikael must work together to clear her name from a murder charge tied to her former guardian (who she cannot leave alone after he assaulted her).  The murder leads to ghosts from Lisbeth’s past which drag her friends into the fire before the girl (technically a woman in her twenties) gets some (more) revenge.

The second installment of the story is slightly less disturbing than the first.  In this one, the sex is purely consensual.  Yet, is it necessary?  Not really.  Even if Miriam Wu (Yasmine) is an attractive nude, the nudity is not key to the story.  Thus I think it could be veiled.  The fire comes into play as we learn a bit of Lisbeth’s personal history and uncover some faces from the past who surprisingly reappear.

In the first movie, there was extensive PC hacking and (internet) research as well as active interaction between (main) characters (even if they were far apart).  There was also a large family that briefly appeared as suspects.  The sequel lacks some of the active “enjoyment” of the research/investigation and involves friends of Lisbeth in perils that remind me of a cheesy 80’s martial arts film.  It didn’t really grab me until the last twenty or thirty minutes when Lisbeth’s family came into the picture.  Her friend, the reporter from Millenium, seemed of less significance until the end, too.

In short, you could see this one and skip the first if you want to avoid the most graphic violence/sex (though the DVD Lisbeth makes reappears in every segment/film).  But, you might miss a few small details and introductions.

 

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest (TGWTDT part 3)

Synopsis:  Lisbeth’s past leaves her battered in a hospital with her father not far away and looking to rub her out.  Instead, someone from his secret organization kills him and misses a shot at Lisbeth before a major investigation into that organization and the crimes committed with/against Lisbeth unfolds.  Mikael must make some “tough” choices to protect those he values.  And, Lisbeth must decide, once more, how far she will take her thirst for vengeance while clearing her name in court.

I’d almost give the same advice for the third film that I gave for the second if not for the key details about Lisbeth’s father and family in that previous sequel.  The last quarter of that film sets us up for this film.  [The part played by Lisbeth’s friends in part two seems to have no impact whatsoever on this third chapter.]  And, here we have a hospital scene that turns into a lengthy court trial injected with Mikael action until Lisbeth is free to do as she pleases in the final minutes.  As with the first film, the “rap up” disappoints me a bit.  This sequel was meatier (had more content/research) than the last but wasn’t much more entertaining.  At least, it was void of sexual abuse/content (aside from the brief reappearance of the rape DVD) and thus could have dropped the R rating if not for a few other odd bits of violence (one of which was a bit silly/unbelievable near the end).

As a whole, the trilogy feels more “episodic” and could be seen on TV as part of a larger series.  It’s refreshing to see such different characters working together with modern technology.  But, the “cases” needing resolution were nothing new, and the R-rated tidbits were pointless other than to justify Lisbeth’s abuse and sexual nature/comfort.  I’d be tempted to work with someone (since the author is technically deceased) on sequels/further adventures of Lisbeth/Mikael.  But, before I judge too much, I am going to suggest reading the books (which I have not yet) to compare stories.  As I said with my review of the first film, these movies might just be “cliff notes” of a more detailed story we should be reading first.

 

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone

Synopsis:  Steve Carell plays a troubled, aging magician who was once a bullied boy before he became an outdated spectacle of an ever-changing craft.  He works with his long-time friend Anton (Steve Buscemi) and female assistant Jane (the lovely Olivia Wilde) who replaces countless other blonde bimbos the inconsiderate and highly waxed magician hires (and sleeps with).  And, he repeatedly clashes with a self-torture artist named Steve Gray (played by Jim Carrey).  The late James Gandolfini plays a hotel “big cheese” who seems to hold the fate of these magicians in his wealthy hands.  Down on his luck, Burt must remember why he became a magician with the help of his mentor Rance (Alan Arkin) and the reappearing Jane (Wilde) before he loses his friend (Buscemi) forever.  Meanwhile, Steve Gray (Carrey) attempts to humiliate Burt at every turn as he seeks the hotel magician throne.

Carell is a lucky man to work so closely with such lovely women (considering he’s married).  As he did with Anne Hathaway in “Get Smart”, he has some amusing intimacy with Jane (Wilde) which could have gone far worse (raunchy) than it did.  My guess is Olivia took this job to expand her unusual range of characters/roles.

In short, I laughed sufficiently and would have enjoyed this in a theater with the right company.  There are a few disturbing moments (including the ending which has that “so wrong” feeling though it strikes me as still slightly funny) and cheesy tidbits which get washed over by the sheer unsettling demeanor of Carell in character (who has never looked scarier).  Wonderstone rivals Carell’s Evan character from “Bruce Almighty” who was a stiff jerk of a news anchor, climbing the corporate ladder while stealing Bruce’s (Carrey’s) thunder.

 

Cloud Atlas

Synopsis:  A number of famous (and some not so famous) faces question the possibility of deja vu as they cross paths in past, present and futuristic lives which repeatedly test love and truth.  In each time period featured, two characters (not always who you’d expect) are soul mates, at least one person helps the soul mates and another one or more create obstacles for those soul mates to conquer.  Each loving pair tries to achieve some grand revelation of truth to satisfy their souls against all odds.  And, each achieves some measure of success as well as hardship/failure.  Throughout the series of lives and events, a piece of music–written (as we see it) by a young bisexual man–acts like a cosmic string that binds these people together.

It’s a bit difficult to grasp from the start.  The worst aspect might be how the time periods shift so often and at random.  You just about figure out what’s happening in one place and get jetted off to another with the same actors in different roles.  Certain time periods have languages that require some thought to process (particularly the far future time period).  But, after the first thirty minutes or so, you (hopefully) start to see where events are going and how these lives connect and intersect.  One connection I found particularly interesting involves Jim Broadbent playing the naive “victim” chasing an old flame in one story while playing the cunning “thief”/”villain” in another.  In the latter, we find the young pianist who writes the “Cloud Atlas Sextet” and becomes Broadbent’s victim, and, in the former, the same young man plays the wife of Broadbent’s (character’s) brother who (spoiler) foolishly slept with the other brother.  If you made sense of that much, you’re off to a good start.

Since it required watching twice to better understand some of what was being said and happening, I’d recommend this as a rental with plenty of brain food (snacks) and, ideally, some company of the opposite sex.

 

28
Sep
13

I Just Can’t Get “Stupid”

By writingbolt 8 Comments
Categories: Concerns and Alerts and Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Watching people do foolish things in the same movie I’ve seen almost a half-dozen times now, I am struck with a notion about my own life and the world around me. I think of countless lives going through the same paces: lame conversations, political and religious squabbles, lousy excuses for entertaining oneself with what’s considered popular or current entertainment, pathetic pick-up lines, drunken mishaps, online dating, blind dates, arranged dates, hours upon hours of casual sex, friends with benefits, one night stands, more lame conversations injected with comparisons of body parts and intimate activities taken way too leisurely (instead of seriously), drug use and abuse, dares and contests demanding impressive results, mistaken tattoos and painful piercings, bad relationships ended in all sorts of unpleasant ways, divorce, abortion, multiple marriages, single parenthood, forsaking one’s religion/faith from any number of the previous weighing too heavily on the conscience and essentially declaring oneself a lazy “spiritual” person or atheist, alimony, child support, “pre-nups”, “post-nups”, jobs that don’t pay emotionally and financially, unpredictable insurance and retirement plans, etc. etc.

All of the above are things “most” people do as part of “the norm”. Not one of them can I commit so casually without a heap of discomfort amassing in my gut. And, upon once more realizing this boundary that separates me from “most” people, I am–yet again–discouraged from “entering the game”.

If someone explained the rules of chess to you, and you decided they were too complicated; how would you feel if everyone you saw around you was suddenly playing that very game? Imagine being the only deaf or blind person in your city, state or country, not knowing how to convey the full nature of your life experience to another living soul without fear of misunderstanding, isolation/segregation or something far worse.

How many cases in history were resolved horribly or violently/lethally from misunderstanding? Do I really want to be one of those cases simply because I don’t “go with the flow”? Can you begin to–if not already–understand how difficult it can be to wake up every day with little to no interest in doing any of those things previously listed while the rest of the world around me expects me to do just that if I want to “belong”?

I imagine myself driving a stick-shift car and not being able to downshift to that lower gear everyone else on the road around me uses to “get by”. I see them all pass me by either hastily or leisurely. And, there I sit in the middle of traffic, being honked at and unable to get my vehicle moving. I am a heartbeat away from a horrible accident. And, it has me on edge to the Nth degree. If I lose another minute, I could be dead. I need to get myself in gear and merge with traffic. Wait. I just need another–

I’m more content being of service to people as I find them and utilizing my creativity to its fullest. But, presently, that’s not filling in all the necessary boxes of a “normal” life. It’s not “financially sound” or “relationship savvy”. And, that worries me.

If you see someone stuck on the side of the road with his “blinkers” on, it’s probably me, not going anywhere. I just can’t get “stupid”.

 

[Disclaimer:  I use the word “stupid” as a substitute for mistaken and/or erroneous.  No one wants to be called stupid.  But, we all should know when we’ve made a mistake. And, I am a stubborn perfectionist.]

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