Abrams, acting and a little bit of nostalgia

Hello again!!

Theatrical poster for Cloverfield

Recently, I got around to watching Cloverfield, a film which I’ve been aching to watch for years but never actually got around to seeing.  But I have rectified that mistake and all is right with the world!  Well ok, there’s still a lot of things wrong with the world but this at least made my world a little brighter.  I must say, I had been very excited to see the film.  It was produced by JJ Abrams, who, alongside Spielberg, is my Super 8 is a favourite film of mine and since it is in the same ilk as Colverfield, I was very excited.  After, Cloverfield is basically the big brother of Super 8, so it seemed only natural that I would enjoy it.  And I did.  The film is dramatic and fast paced, and the hand-held camera technique – which I personally believe is often overdone – is very effective in conveying the fear and confusion the characters are feeling and thus is the right choice for the film.  Outside of the plot of the film, which was what one would expect of a found-footage monster/alien film, I loved all of the hidden messages within the film.  At various points throughout the film, stills from classic films flash for a matter of seconds before vanishing again.  Whilst this may seem pointless to some, seeing as it is so hard to see (I wouldn’t have realised they were there without my sister’s boyfriend telling me) I love this detail.  Its little things like this that make me love JJ Abrams’ work so much.  And whilst I don’t think Cloverfield will ever surpass my love for Super 8, it’s a very good film that I definitely need to watch a few more times to enjoy all the little details.

favourite director/producer; I LOVE his work and did in fact focus on his viral marketing campaigns as part of my lower sixth media studies exam.  In particular,

Of course, my enjoyment of the film could also have been increased due to the fact that it’s a scifi film I actually managed to get my sister to sit through and enjoy but that’s a story for another time!

JJ Abrams - how can you not love the nerdiness
of this fluffy haired genius?

On a sadder note, I feel I have to touch upon the many legends of the movie industry the world has lost over the past couple of weeks.  Robin Williams, Lauren Bacall and Richard Attenborough were all incredibly talented, incredibly influential members of this industry who will be sadly missed.  I do, of course, plan on writing a longer post about these great people but I head off on holiday tomorrow and will be without internet, so won’t be able to upload that until I’m home.  So for now, I leave you with my love and the wise words of Robin Williams’ character in Dead Poets Society: “Carpe diem.  Seize the day, boys.  Make your lives extraordinary.”  In light of these losses and the fleetingness of the present, this seems as good a motto as any.

Stay safe chickens and wish on a star tonight.  Because I’m sure they’re shining a little brighter now that Robin Williams, Lauren Bacall and Richard Attenborough are amongst their ranks.

This has always been one of my favourte Pan related
quotes.  Seems more apt than usual at the moment...

Movies and Musings

So, a few weeks ago here in Belfast we were having a heat wave.  Which was great, don’t get me wrong, but it did mean that tasks I usually love became somewhat of a chore because I didn’t want to miss out on the good weather.  So when a scorching Thursday afternoon rolled around and with it my plans of heading to the cinema with a friend, I was less than enthused to say the least.  But I had made arrangements, so I dragged myself out to the cinema and I’m so glad I did.

Kiera Knightley and Mark Ruffalo in Begin Again

We went to see Begin Again, a quirky, romantic film with equal amounts of comedic and moving moments and a great soundtrack to boot.  I know I’m going against what most reviews have said but personally I absolutely loved it.  Kiera Knightley is definitely the star of the show as Gretta, the feisty singer-songwriter searching for her place in New York City.  The actress learned to play guitar for the role and sang all of the songs herself.  I must admit, when I first heard this I was quite apprehensive.  After all, previous films which feature A-list stars singing have turned out… interesting to say the least (Les Miserables, anyone?)  But Ms Knightley definitely impressed. Her voice is soft and sweet, with an almost vulnerable quality that perfectly encapsulates the emotions needed to make the songs so poignant.  Coupled with her acting skills and the delightful script, she captivates the audience in a way I’ve rarely seen in her films.

The other actors were also great.  Mark Ruffalo - unsurprisingly it could be argued – plays a down on his luck record producer juggling a failing career, an estranged wife and a not insignificant drinking habit.  Despite this, Ruffalo is as lovable as ever and throughout the film you really find yourself rooting for him.  James Corden provides comic relief as Gretta’s best friend, Hailee Steinfeld is youthful and talented as ever and Maroon 5’s Adam Levine impresses in his film acting debut.

All in all, it’s a really enjoyable, happy Summer film, guaranteed to put a smile on your face.  Or, as Knightley herself describes it, “a proper, feel good film”.  Unfortunately, that heat wave has ended now and we are, in fact, now enduring the end of Hurricane Bertha.  Oh well, such is the Northern Irish weather, I suppose.  Still, here’s hoping some of that happy summery spirit can stay with us through this gloomy weather.

In other news, I was recently asked a pretty interesting question – at the age of ninety, would you rather have the mind or the body of a thirty year old.  After considering this for only a moment, I answered definitively that I would rather have the body of a thirty year old, maintaining the mind of a ninety year old.  My thinking behind this was that over the years, as the body ages, the mind stays bright, learning more and more and becoming wiser as life goes on.  My sister’s boyfriend, on the other hand, said that he would want the mind of a thirty year old because he would hate to have to endure suffering through dementia etc.

The mind-body connection is widely discussed 
both psychological and paranormal circles

This got me to wondering about the oft questioned mind-body connection.  It strikes me that the difference between the physical body, including the brain and the spiritual thing that is the mind is similar to that of the difference between time and the passage of time.  By that, I mean that whilst time exists as a concept created by humanity, and the passage of time definitely exists, time itself as a tangible object does not.  As the saying goes, “Time doesn’t exist – clocks do.”  In this vein of thought, the brain exists as a tangible object but the mind does not.  Thus, I have to question whether conditions such as Alzheimer’s affect the mind  or the brain and which of these need to be examined further to work towards finding a cure for these conditions.  Perhaps this is something to look into when I start studying Psychology in September. After all, one of the professors specialises in Alzheimer’s research…

Either way, it’s definitely an interesting question and I would love to hear and of your thoughts on this matter.