A Study in Character: Are you a Miranda, Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte or like Most People All of the Above?

So I recently re-watched the television seasons of Sex and the City and then re-watched the first and second films.  After watching just the television show I remembered just how great this show was, the was great wit, wonderful dramatic writing, deep characters, and classic moments (Carrie falling on the runway).  Then I watched the movies again, and while the films kept up the general spirit of the show, there was just something missing.  The second film is actually one of the worst films i have ever seen.  Some films do not transcend the different mediums, and apparently this was one of those shows.  I think the new trend of continuing television shows that have ended with films is flawed (That topic is for another day!)

While I was finishing up the Sex and the City series I thought about how while people watch television shows or films and compare themselves to one character in the show or film.  Girls (and some men) will often state that the the sluts are Samantha, the ones who want marriage and babies are Charlotte, the fashionista is Carrie, and the sarcastic smart person is Miranda.  This show was a show that was concerned with labels, but those labels most often were in regard to Prada, Louis Vuitton, Dolce and Gabanna etc.  When you think about character development within the television series each of these women grew to be more than what they started.  When a person states I am (fill in random character) they are only defining themselves through one aspect or venue of their lives.

Charlotte learned more and yes her life revolved around her family but through two marriages learned that the man of your dreams doesn't need to look like prince charming, and that that "fairytale ending" can have many different stories.  Miranda learned that you can still be cynical and have it all.  Samantha learned that love is possible (including monogamy) but the most important thing is that knowing your self and not losing yourself is also important.  The one person who never changed much was Carrie; she still clung to Big (John) and to me is the most one dimensional character.  Carrie was the one character we learned from, the one who was navigating life but she never found herself on her own or through the help of her relationships (my opinion of course).

When I thought about this question for myself, the answer hit me, I have a piece of everyone of these characters.  I am sassy sarcastic and witty (Miranda), like some i have my "Samantha moments", I am a hopeless romantic (Charlotte), and sometimes I am stubborn, selfish, and get hooked on one man (Carrie).  These are all traits to do not define me nor are they permanent characteristics.  As people we are fluid in our identities, and I think remembering that as we get older we grow and develop.  We can not define ourselves by one character or characteristic.  So I ask you all why get carried away with labels?

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Tree of Life Branches Out with New Styles of Filmmaking

The Tree of Life (4 1/2 out of 5 stars)

Directed and Written by: Terrence Malick

Starring: Brad Pitt, Jessica Chastain, Sean Penn, and introducing Hunter McCracken

The Tree of Life takes the simple premise of its film and makes so much more.  The story follows Jack O'Brien an his relationship with his family in the 1950s in Texas.  We see this story through Jack's eyes as a young child (Hunter McCracken) and as adult (Sean Penn).  As a young child Jack's we the disillusionment Jack faces while he grows up and deals with his demanding father Mr. O'Brien (Brad Pitt).  There are two different messages Jack receives throughout his young life; he is told by his father that he must not be naive, fight, and not let anyone walk all over him.  On the other hand his mother preaches love and represents innocence.

Malick's journey with this film is a true work of art, and does not use his screenplay as the sole way to tell his story like most films.  Malick uses imagery, and the impressionistic viewpoint of Jack to tell his story.  Using biblical references and imagery Malick creates a work of authorship that takes the the viewer on a journey where light and sound matter more than speech.  While watching this film I was not prepared for the journey I was undertaking.  There is so much to this film that when it is viewed the viewer must be in a state of calm with nothing but the visuals on their mind.  

The main star of this film is not Brad Pitt (although this is one of his best performances I have seen him give), not is it the brilliant newcomers Jessica Chastain (Mrs. O'Brien) or Hunter McCracken who exude subtlety in their looks.  The star of this film is cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezski.  Lubezski conveys so much with his work throughout the film.  Lubezski uses imagery and different lenses to capture the the essence of this film, and it is some of the best cinematography I have ever seen.  Alexandre Desplat does a great job blending different classical works with his score that sets the musical mood for the film.

The flaw in the film is that there are moments where Malick gets self indulgent.  There is a sequence in the film where for about ten to fifteen minutes there is a highlight of the creation of the universe.  Though I see the direction he was going with his piece of art, I think this makes the film seem disjointed.  I also thought that the length of the film was something that prevented me from finding Malick's passion which allowed to become self indulgent in unnecessary aspects of the story.

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Jessica Chastain's Career Branches Out

Yesterday I went to my favorite movie theatre in Albany the Spectrum.  I love the Spectrum for a two
reasons 1) Spectrum is the only theatre in Albany that will play foreign films and documentaries or small independent films 2) The have best popcorn with REAL butter.  I saw the film The Tree of Life directed by Terrence Malick (review to come).  One of the stars of the film was someone I had never seen in a film before, and her name is Jessica Chastain.  Not only is Jessica a beautiful woman, but she is also a talented actress on the rise.

With having only seen her in one film it may be hard to judge her potential, but her sheer presence in the film Tree of Life, made me want to see her in more.  The film is not completely about the script so with few words Jessica was able to convey so many different emotions.

This upcoming summer Jessica has a bigger supporting role in the film The Help, which is based off the best-selling book about a woman who tells the story of a girl writing a book from the point of the help in Jackson, Mississippi.  Jessica will Celia Foote a woman trying to break into society, but she is married to the man the antagonist (Hilly) was in love with; she is also trying to get pregnant.  Done well, this could be another great role for her.

Chastain will also be playing Salome in the film Wilde Salome (written and directed by Al Pacino, and adapted from the once banned Oscar Wilde film).  Chastain will also be acting opposite Pacino in this film, and I think that when it comes to the classics, Pacino doe it so well, and will help Chastain gain further critical acclaim.

I think Chastain has potential to blossom into a very promising actress.

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Living at Home in Your Late Twenties the Concluding Chapter (I hope): Great Film Endings

My room is packed, and tomorrow I will be moving out of my house and driving with my dad and headed to my new apartment in Boston.  Living at home in your late twenties is interesting.  You learn what you you love and miss about your family, and you also learn how different you become.  My family has not changed, my parents and my sister are all the same (my sister is still young and that may change, more as she gets older).  I think I have changed a lot since I graduated from high school went to college worked full time went back to graduate school, and now will be living on my own in a new city.  I am the eternal adventurer, I think I always wanted to be but this took some risks and time to grow.  Many people asked me what I was going to do on my last day, and well I have been packed for a while, my answer has been "run some errands, relax, and hang out with my family" (that may end when my mom comes home).  With that statement it proves that sometimes we revert back to child like roles, and while on my own I take charge as my own person.  Living at home has been interesting, but like all movies it must come to an end.

Finding a great ending that everyone agrees with is difficult, but there are some films that just defy the odds, end perfectly.  Here are the films I think have perfect endings.  As I left graduate school I talked about sad movie endings this will focus on the overall ending to films.

Casablanca (1942) My go to film for many things perfect.  This movie just does it all right and it doesn't pretend that life ends happily or that they guy will always get the girl.  Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman show us that sometimes in the roller coaster of life time must go by, and we have to let go of the past.

Some Like it Hot (1959)  One of, if not the funniest ending to a movie ever!  Jack Lemmon finally reveals he is a man to his suitor, to which he replies "Well nobody's perfect."  The first time I saw this ending I laughed my ass off.

The Graduate (1967) As Benjamin takes away from her wedding and they run to catch the bus they are so energized and elated, then the look of their faces changes to fear and they are silent as they realize there may be no where for them to go.

Chinatown (1974) - "She's my daughter and my sister!" As Evelyn Mulrey drives down the street and  is killed we find out that greed and corruption still will win out and that our main character Jake has to forget about it because it's Chinatown.

The Silence of the Lambs (1991) As Hannibal Lector calls Clarice Starling and states "I am having an old friend for dinner", chills went down my spine and the film ended!

The Usual Suspects (1995) This film is narrated for two hours by Kevin Spacey, and in the end we find out that he is the villain the whole time?! The first time I saw I nearly fell off my chair, great ending!

These are only a few of my favorite endings there are many more, but I think the thing I learned from this ending is that things are more bittersweet.  Endings can be filled with laughs, tears, violence, pain, regret, but you have to remember with every door closed there is an opportunity to do more!

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Jumping the Shark: Television Shows that Should Not Still be on the Air

Two things to start: First, I know my blog has been all about movies for the first three months, but sometimes a blogger  just has to change gears in order to keep me writing, second I am tired of television shows lasting past their prime!!!  I was driving home and I heard an ad that had the them song The Office (USA version), and thought "That is one show I am giving up on!"  There is a term for television shows that have gone on too long, and that term is "Jumping the Shark."  The term comes from an episode of Happy Days (1974-1984) when the Fonzie actually jumped over a shark with his motorcycle.  I think the phrase is overused by people, and they try and pinpoint the time when shows "jump the shark" but there are just several shows on the air that need to call it quits.

The Office (2005-Present)  I loved watching Michael make a fool of himself, and Jim and Pam make eyes at each other, date, fall in love, get married and have a baby. Then there was Dwight's beet farm, Angela's disapproval, Phyllis and her big jugs, Stanley ornery nature, Kelly being a ditz, Ryan lazy, and of course Andy just being Andy.  The show has a great ensemble with new characters, and now a new boss on the way, but without Steve Carell as Michael Scott, the heart of this show is gone!  I think once Jim and Pam had the baby this show "jumped the shark." Two characters who we all know and love had their happy ending, that's all we needed.  I did love this past season, and seeing Holly and Michael together again, and Michael's last episode was great.  I think the show should have ended, Mary Tyler Moore style with Sabre closing everyone finding new funny jobs, and walking out hugging each other (with Michael).


Desperate Housewives (2004-Present)  I remember Marc Cherry saying "I am going to end this show after year 7" and that did not happen we are entering year 8 of this show.  The novelty of this show show wore off after year one, and season two atrocious.  Season 3 was a little better, but this show never found its grove again.  I understand that having a show that is a success is hard to walk away from but the jump in time is where most would say this show "jumped the shark."  I think this show was a one season wonder.  Like Glee the novelty wore off, and the shows quality faded and dipped quickly.  I stopped watching this show the season before the time change and could not happier to have Sunday nights for better shows.

How I Met Your Mother (CBS, 2005-Present)  I am going to paraphrase Jerry Maguire for a second, show me the mother!!! I loved this show in the beginning, it almost realistically describes living in Manhattan (much better than Friends at that) and was just a cute show with a great premise.  Somewhere 6 seasons later we are lost in a tangled mess, and we are no closer to finding the mother of Ted's children.  This show is renewed for two more years, really?! I love Barney and his portrayer Neil Patrick Harris as much as the next as the next person, but even Barney would be telling a fake story to ditch this show.  I don't know if there is a specific moment when this show "jumped the shark" but I am ready to jump ship if they don't do better storytelling.

Grey's Anatomy (ABC-2005-Present)  Cut to Meredith falling in the water drowning, dying, talking to Denny (ugh) and coming back to life, "JUMPING THE SHARK!" I kept watching.  Cut to Izzy having sex in the hospital to a hallucination of Denny because she had a brain tumor "JUMPING THE SHARK!" I kept watching.  I can handle the back and forth romances but this show has been sloppy with that. Lexie to George to Alex to Mark, George with Meredith then Callie then Izzie then on his own.  I gave up this show when they killed off George.  I remember watching the season premiere after that, and stating.  I can't keep going!  The only person I would watch this show for is Sandra Oh, even Chandra Wilson's character lost her spunk.

Law & Order: Special Victim's Unit (NBC, 1999-Present) This show without Stabler and Benson is not SVU!  I think this should have ended a few years ago because the procedural sheen wore off.  Throwing in new characters will not make this show worth watching again.  I think this show jumped the shark when they got rid of Diane Neal. In the beginning this show was about the crime and the character development of the shows actual full time characters.  Today SVU is revolving door for guest stars to score an Emmy nomination.  People like Sharon Stone, Robin Williams, made the show campy rather than something to applaud.  I recently watched the episode with John Stamos and fell as though the show had just lost its emotional heft, and the the guest appearances are a novelty.

Weeds (Showtime, 2005-Present) The premise is great, a suburban mom turns to dealing drugs when her husband dies and leave her with no money.  The first two years of this show was genius, but the plot got tired as they tried to invent even crazier places for Nancy Botwin.  This past season where she and her family were fugitives was terrible, and the season before that was even worse.  Usually Showtime knows when to shut it down, but this show has been a big success for them.  I believe this is the last season, but Nancy and company jumped the shark somewhere around the time when Nancy burns down her whole housing development at the end of season 3.


Ironically most of these shows got their start in 2005, maybe it was something about the year or maybe the shows networks don't know when to give up!  I hope that these shows end soon or that fans revolt and stop watching.

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Witches Start to Fly High, as Fangers Start to Cover their Ass: True Blood Edition

So I have been sick in bed this past weekend, and let me tell you, I was BORED OUT OF MY MIND!!!  I watched my friends have fun at NYC or Chicago Pride over face book, and was just laying around watching television.  I was most bored yesterday, but the day Sunday ended with one great thing, the premiere of True Blood.  For those who who have never heard of this show (or have been living under a rock) the shows basic premise follows Sookie Stackhouse and her interactions with mythical creatures like Vampires, shape shifters, and werewolves...Oh my!  The story centers around the town of Bon Temps in Louisiana.

The first two seasons of this show were especially strong, and creatively were their best.  As the second season came to an end, the quality started to dip as the show saw the conclusion to the Marry Ann storyline.  Season three added a whole bunch of new characters to the world of Sookie Stackhouse, some people that she never even really interacted with.  At the center of this show is Sookie's love life, and most of the first three seasons have focused on her relationship with the vampire Bill Compton.  Bill is a "different" vampire from the rest of his counterparts more apt to try and protect Sookie because he loves her.  Many people will compare this to the connection between Bella and Edward in the Twilight series, but this relationship is far more complicated.  There have been other potential suitors, like Eric Northman the owner of the local Vampire Bar, and Alcide the werewolf who come to her rescue.  I think this season we will be seeing Sookie get it on with someone other than Bill!

Two of the other main characters Jason and Sam had their own story lines that often isolated them from the main focus of the entire story (Same specifically-although I liked the exploration of his history.)  Jason is Sookie's brother who dated a girl named Crystal whose family sold V (Vampire Blood, which is illegal) and they also had their own mythical identity.  Sam is the owner of the local bar/restaurant Merlotte's and he met his birth parents and brother Tommy.  Tommy was a stupid character and they should have gotten rid of him this season. There are of course other characters like Sookie's best friend Tara, Jessica the young girl vampire that Bill turned, Arlene the waitress who fears all vampires, Terry Bellflour another chef at Merlottes, Andy Bellflour the cop and eventual sheriff of Bon Temps and so on.  This show is colored by great characters, but it needs to find the balance in order to create that perfect harmony.

The big mystery throughout the show has been, what is Sookie?  She is clearly not human because she can read people's minds and has "sparks" fly out of her hands.  Everyone is obsessed with her, and the reason is because she she is a Faerie.  Faerie blood is most sought after blood by vampires because there is potential for day walking.

Season four picks up with Sookie in the Faerie world, but she find out that it is not as beautiful and wonderful as it appears to be.  I think season four started well, but I am worried that the show is going to spread the stories too thin again.  This season has been dubbed the season of the with, with witches being "big bad."  The witch parts of the first episode were my least favorite part of the story, except for the fact that they included Lafayette (one of the main characters) who cooks at the Merlotte's Restaurant in Bon Temps, and his partner Jesus.  True Blood needs to remember its core characters and stop diverting attention from them.  I think if the season focuses on the main cast more and stops just introducing more and more characters (with no connection to their audience) the show will improve.  With that said I will be tuning in every week because well True Blood has put its fangs in me, and I am a V high for this show.

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Living at Home in Your Late Twenties Part Eight: I Want to be a Hoosier!

So while at home in the Dillon house hold we tend to talk about basketball, A LOT!  We used to talk about it more last year and the years before because my sister was a very talented basketball player.  My father
 also referees women's basketball, so we would talk about that as well.  My sister was the athlete of the family, I played lacrosse for a little while, ran cross country, and did track during high school, but was never an athlete.  I never hated talking about basketball, but its funny to see how much it is still talked about even after my sister has finished playing.

There are numerous basketball films out there, but the only one I really enjoy is the film Hoosiers (1986).   Hoosiers  stars Gene Hackman, Barbara Hershey, Dennis Hopper.  Norman Dale (Hackman) coaches an  Indiana high school team in the 1950s.  Shooter (Dennis Hopper) plays a recovering alcoholic who attempts to help  Dale coach the boys to victory. The film represents the time of the film, but it also represents the sport of basketball incredibly well.  I have never seen another films about basketball where I have been on the edge of my seat or cheered for this underdog team.  Within sports films, rooting for the underdog is common theme.   The director David Anspaugh and the writer Angelo Pizzo have created an iconic film that is the best basketball movie ever made. 


I have to admit I have not watched this film recently,  my copy of this film is in storage.  I own very few sports films this and Remember the Titans (no not Rudy-I don't have an obsession with Notre Dame like everyone out there).  I think sports films are formulaic, but this one breaks the mold!  So while I live at home I will drink the kool-aid, and talk about basketball as much as I need to.

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