The Great Gatsby + Two
Sunday's festivities were fantastic, after my graduation party/gathering (where I had about 10 people come through the revolving door to have some fun and share some food and conversation). I had an excellent playlist of music that played as the soundtrack to the gathering with everything from some punk bands covering 80s tunes to some classic rock n roll and indie favorites (re: Neutral Milk Hotel). Several friends, new and old, stopped by to congratulate me on finishing my Master's Degree. I think I had grand(er) illusions in my head of what I wanted the party to look like, but overall I was satisfied with the turnout. I hope I can invite/have people over again, because I'm really enjoying the new arrangement of my apartment (which I did specifically for this party). After 7 months, it's finally feeling more like home. It helped to separate a bedroom from the living room.
Anyway, Sunday, my good friend Deanna (aka Mother of Five) was having a "surprise" get-together at Flatbread on Commercial St. which her oldest daughters were putting on for her. I got an invite because thanks to circumstances over the past year and a half, I've sort of been unofficially adopted into the family. Funny story: Deanna and I were supposed to hang out one day a couple of years ago and I missed her message of cancellation, so I showed up at her house on the designated day, only to find out that I was crashing her youngest son's birthday party. I ended up staying and having a blast, meeting the entire extended family, and a bond was formed rather quickly. I started going over regularly, on Sundays, to the point where her kids dubbed it "SeanDay." Then, I started dating my now ex-girlfriend and we didn't hang out as regularly, aside from the fact that life, too, got in the way. We've picked up steam again, though, and thankfully I was invited to this graduation gathering. Flatbread has to be one of my favorite places to eat. Their pizza is amazing, and organically made (in a large wood stove). I definitely count her (and her family) as one of my closest and dearest friends. Yes, sometimes she can be like a mother to me, but we've definitely had some conversations that push past the boundary and she's not afraid to tell it like it is. Our conversations seem to go all over the place and can last for an hour or two (thanks in large part to her ability to take it in several directions and her ADD). She likes to mention a specific conversation we apparently had one night when I was driving up to my ex-girlfriend's to spend the night (for the first time) in which we had a conversation about sex. I have absolutely no recollection of this conversation and what was said, but apparently the conversation pushed past the comfort zone and pushed us into a new level of friendship. Since then, we've definitely had other conversations around the topic and she's helped me realize a lot about myself on several levels, but especially around girls and relationships. It's kind of funny to me that I've never really been able to talk to my own family about such issues/concerns, but I can be rather open in discussions with friends about it all. Deanna is a friend I'm glad I can count as a close friend. And it's bizarre to think about if we'd never had met (thanks in large part to my other dear, close friend Vanessa, who knew her first, of course). I remember when I first met Deanna. The three of us were having lunch in the cafe at USM-L/A and when Deanna left, I remember telling Vanessa that I thought Deanna was gorgeous and funny. I also found it hard to believe that she had 5 kids. She simply didn't look old enough (since her oldest daughter is now in her mid-twenties and this was about 6 years ago, I believe). Anyway, Vanessa most assuredly told Deanna that I thought she was a "hot mom" and informed her of my "crush on her," and I find it amazing that this information and knowledge has never made things awkward between Deanna and I, because although yes, I still believe in my crush, I think our friendship is something to be cherished. I have an absolute blast every time we hang out (usually with her family in tow, which is great because it makes me feel like part of the family, another issue I seem to need to hash out- the fact that I attach myself and bond with other families better than I do my own family). Great friendships are defined by the struggles you go through with each other and the fact that time away/apart doesn't affect the bond, as well as the time and memories you create with each other. Deanna and I have already had some great stories and I look forward to adding more.
Deanna and I actually have a history/tie to Flatbread, because back in October we went there for dinner after walking around town for First Friday. I'd just moved back to Portland, after a disastrous stint in Freeport with my ex-girlfriend. I was looking to have some fun again, breathe new life into my existence and Portland was definitely the cure. I absolutely love Portland and the Art Walk on First Fridays (when it's nice out) is a significant reason why I do. I just feel at home. So, anyway, we were eating dinner at the bar, with another friend of ours, Michelle, and striking up an odd sort of conversation with the bartender about his life and struggles (it was interesting because usually YOU tell the bartender about your troubles, but on this night it was the complete opposite, he let loose on his depression and his wife's death and his career in music and his move to Portland, in fact, I'm not sure if he forgot to tell us anything about himself).
So, Sunday we gathered in her honor and had some pizza. I got to meet some more interesting people that have come into her life, like an ex-journalist for Channel 8 News, with whom I shared this self-imposed film project with and talked for about 20 minutes just about movies. Vanessa and I got to hang out some more (we went to see "The Great Gatsby" together before the party, the review for which you will find below), and I got to see Deanna's kids and her adorable three year old niece. She ended up drawing quite a bit of attention from me, for about 30 minutes, talking to me, using me as a human-wall. I know I've already concluded years ago that I've always been great with children and that I have a quality and/or personality that just draws children to be in my presence, but I guess I have to reiterate it, here. It seems every opportunity that presents itself to me, where I am around children, they gravitate to me. Maybe because I don't really act my age and they can tell I'm just as interested in playing as they are. I've also been told that I have an infectious smile, perhaps that makes me endearing to them. I've always been sort of a "buddy" at school, to my students and to all the students in the school (they do take me seriously when they have to). Part of me is dying with anticipation for the day that I am graced with the gift of a child. The other part of me is terrified that I will ultimately be in charge of raising and instilling values in someone. I've been getting practice as a teacher though, which has solidified my comfort in my ability to do it, though, even though I may present myself differently to others, I think when faced with the challenge and responsibility, I can absolutely do it and knock it out of the park. Will I get the chance to, though, is a different story. I've yet to find the girl I will attempt the challenge with, even though I've now thought I'd found her (twice). I'll be thirty-two this summer, but I won't be thinking about how different my life could be, instead I'll be thinking about how much fun I've been having on my own, and testing myself, and searching for the girl I will be with (I hate to say "the girl I'm meant to be with" because I think it takes away from the fun of being in charge of what works and what doesn't work, and let me tell you, I've certainly discovered what does not work and what I don't want). I'm waiting for love to smack me in the face, I suppose; and that's yet to happen. I think back about my relationships, and I can definitely ascertain that up to this point I've "been in love with the idea of being in love" and that I've "wanted it so badly that I've manifested love for myself" and haven't let it "simply develop" through a natural process. I've forced love on myself because I've wanted it and I've done a lot of projecting. That just doesn't work.
Monday, I went on my first date in 5 months and I think it went well. I met her online, after I vowed not to get back online given my track record and that my last girlfriend, whom I lived with for about 5 months, turned out to be quite a disaster, the kind of disaster I want to avoid ever having to experience or go through again...although, it was definitely also one of the greatest learning experiences of my life.
Anyway, I'm pretty sure it went well. I mean, it's a good sign if she not only says we should get together again soon (I mean, don't you usually say that as a courtesy at the end of a date, I know I've said it and not exactly meant it), but she messaged me the next first to tell me the same thing. And I do want to see her again. I hope to soon.
I consider myself a rather great first-dater. Every bit the gentleman I portray. I talk. I ask questions. I talk some more. In fact, when I self-reflect, I may end up talking a lot, but I still get to know the girl across from me. And I don't think I've ever gone in for a first kiss on the first date. I'm a hugger. Always have been. I'm not too good at picking up signs otherwise, unless the girl dives right into my lips. Besides, I like to leave her with a little bit of a mystery, like "why didn't he kiss me?" and "I have to see him again to see if he'll try it next time."
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Film 136
"The Great Gatsby"
starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Tobey Maguire
Directed By: Baz Luhrmann
"The Great Gatsby" has always been my all-time favorite book. I read it in high school and nothing I've read since has captured me like it could. I loved studying it for its symbolism, its metaphors, its total encapsulation of an era (Great Depression) and all the glitz and glamour. For me, the book is the pinnacle and the penultimate piece of literature for America.
That being said, I was very nervous and completely excited when I heard about the remake and attempt at bringing it to the big screen again. Robert Redford did the last one and that was 1974. I was nervous and excited because the director is Baz Luhrmann (whom I love). Look at his version of "Romeo and Juliet" which starred Leo D. and Claire Danes (the absolute quintessential actors of the 90s, perfect to bring the tragic tale of star-crossed lovers to the screen). His modernization of the classic Shakespeare was great and very well done. And he also did "Moulin Rouge" which was excellent and starred Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor, as a different yet similar pair of star-crossed and doomed lovers. I'm sensing a theme here Baz Luhrmann! As we come up on "The Great Gatsby" it is about Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan, lovers from the past, one of which is doomed to the tragic ending.
I've told several people that I am adamantly opposed to Tobey Maguire being allowed to work as an actor. I think he severely screwed up Peter Parker/Spiderman. I did not want him in the role of Nick Carraway, the quintessential outsider-allowed-to-look-in/best pal and sympathizer to Jay Gatsby's dilemma. So, I was nervous to see his portrayal. Nick is the narrator of the novel, which sort of plays out like his memoir of his experiences with and around Gatsby in the summer of 1922. My other reservation was in having such a high profile actor like Leonardo DiCaprio in the title role. That being said, I've been wracking my brain for other choices of actors and I can't come up with any, because both guys do a fantastic job. Oh, and Carey Mulligan personifies Daisy Buchanan perfectly, in my opinion.
The ultimate challenge that Luhrmann faced was staying loyal to an era while keeping the rawness of the novel in tact on the screen (and this is done well mostly with the dialogue). Luhrmann also wanted to modernize the film so that it still seemed relevant to us and the younger audiences (who will most likely see the film) today. Yes, Fitzgerald was a major player during the Jazz Age (those roaring 1920s), but the music chosen for the film is both modern and speaks well for the text's material. Perhaps this is because the Executive Producer is Jay-Z (Hova, Himself).
Stand out tracks for me:
Lana Del Ray- Young and Beautiful
Jay-Z and Kanye West- No Church in the Wild
Jack White- Love is Blindness
The xx- Together
Sia- Kill and Run
I great soundtrack, for me, speaks to the heart of the film and allows you to imagine the scenes when you hear the songs again. I can absolutely play the film/book out in my mind when I hear these songs (and the others that accompany them on the soundtrack).
I think Luhrmann was just the guy to bring that contrast of the glitz and the glamour of Long Island parties at the self-made millionaire Gatsby's house and the depression and desolation that awaited across the bridge. I have always loved the director's use of color and graphics (not to mention his camera work, going all over the place and in your face, then drifting out and spinning you around). Gatsby's parties spoke to the excess of the era. "The Great Gatsby" is about a time and a place, that certainly cannot be denied and I think Luhrmann does an excellent job re-energizing those roaring 1920s for us in his modern take here. He needed to breathe a new life into a classic book with his vision and direction and he is more than successful at it.
When it is revealed to us the Gatsby has done everything in his recent years as an effort to woo back the love of his past-life, Daisy Buchanan, we as an audience can lose sympathy for him, slightly. Why try to get back the past? Why can't he just see that she is "happy" and move on? Why can't he just be happy with the life he has made for himself? Why is his happiness defined solely on getting Daisy and that feeling of love back in his life? How empty is his soul, for real? How obsessed can one guy be? Gatsby is a bit of a liar and a fake. A fraud. And it's all for love. He wants Daisy back, but he also wants her to admit to her husband, Tom Buchanan, that she never loved him, that she has only ever loved Gatsby. Self-involved much? What is he, still a teenager? Gatsby, as a character, is a bit more of a 16 year old boy than anything else, to his core. Not only does he want to win her back (after virtually disappearing for 5 years), but he wants to control her affections. Daisy is a bit too strong for that. I can see a lot of Fitzgerald in Gatsby and a lot of Zelda (his wife) in Daisy, because they had their own volatile relationship in real life (thanks to alcohol).
The one thing I didn't appreciate was the fact that Nick Carraway is retelling this story behind the walls of a sanitorium and his writing is therapeutic, which leads us to believe that their friendship was far greater and more meaningful than anyone's friendship. They supposedly only knew each other for a brief period of time, right? So, how close could they have actually gotten? I know that I've had some friends in my past that I've only known for a brief, defined period in my life, and I've needed to do some therapeutic writing to get over the bond we shared, so I guess I understand why Nick is the way he is. Is Gatsby every bit of the man that Nick wants to be, but can't be? Is Nick in awe of how much Gatsby obviously loves a woman (who happens to be Nick's cousin)? Or, was Nick in love with Gatsby and that's why he felt so deeply for him?
Overall, the film that Luhrmann presents in 2013 is somewhat of a masterpiece, with everything falling together beautifully and perfectly. I love the film and will definitely see it again. It all works. I felt things while watching the story unfold (even though I knew the end result). I was transported back to the important era of America's history. I was completely engaged and never lost.
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Film 137
"The House at the End of the Street"
starring: Jennifer Lawrence and Elisabeth Shue
Surprise. Surprise. I honestly thought this was a remake of a 1970s or 1980s horror film, but it's actually an original script. Perhaps that's where the problem lies. It's an original story that is rather dull and dry, not to mention follows a typical formula for horror/psychological films these days (and at least these recent films can blame the fact that they are remakes for following formulas already laid out for them).
It starts with the obligatory prologue to set the stage with a little bit of history. There's a house (at the end of the street) where a girl lived with her family. One night she goes crazy (although she seems to always have been crazy from the looks of her) and kills her mother and father. I almost wanted "The End" by the Doors to be playing as the soundtrack to this murder scene, but it wasn't. The girl apparently suffered brain damage from a childhood accident, which we see later on when her brother is introduced to the plot.
Cut to three months later, 17 year old baby-faced (and beautiful, as always) Elissa (played by Jennifer Lawrence as best as she can given the material in the script which just solidifies my point that she is poised to be a great actress through her adult years) and Elissa's mother, Sarah (played by Elisabeth Shue- where have you been?) are living in the house next door to the house at the end of the street. They were told they would have no neighbors. Then, one night the house next door's lights go on. The next day, Elissa meets Ryan (Max Thieriot, looking like a young version of Ryan Phillippe). A tentative romance develops between Elissa and Ryan, because according to Sarah, Elissa always needs a project, someone she can fix. Ryan is definitely more screwed up than he has let on.
The film then turns into a bit of a psychological thriller/horror and borrows some plot-points from old school films like "Psycho." The only trouble is "Psycho" is the pinnacle of these types of movies and anything attempting it simply comes off as a blatant rip-off and badly. Gus Van Sant even knew better when he remade the original "Psycho" because all he did was shoot it in color, with new, updated actors and actresses, and then just remade the film shoot by shoot.
"The House at the End of the Street" fails miserably to be enticing or entertaining, because it is simply too predictable, even when the big reveal is done with Ryan traveling to the closed and locked off basement of the house to feed a "captive" passed off to the audience to believe is his long thought to be dead sister.
Jennifer Lawrence had me convinced that she was scared through the whole ordeal, which just makes her a good actress because the script certainly doesn't do it for me.
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Film 138
"Ironman 3"
starring: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Rebecca Hall, Guy Pearce, Don Cheadle and a special appearance by Sir Ben Kingsley (!)
Directed by: Shane Black (only his second film)
The ultimate question when seeing a third film in a franchise is: Is a third film necessary and worth the risk? With Ironman and Robert Downey Jr. in the title role the answer is undoubtedly, YES! Each film has been full of sharp wit, laugh out loud jokes, ingenious ideas and technology, and some twists and turns, as well as some definite relevance to the times we live in. "Ironman 3" does not disappoint on any of these fronts.
The plot here takes place after the events that unfolded in the film "The Avengers" (also a must-see for even non-comic book nerds). Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) has been unable to sleep and he's been expanding his armory of weapons and shields (Ironman suits).
We go back to 1999 to set the stage for the big bad villain in this story- who turns out to be Guy Pearce, playing Aldrich Killian, a scientist looking for Starks's support and assistance in a new project called AIM, which has developed a new program called Extremis.
A terrorist mastermind is presented as the evil here, played brilliantly by Ben Kingsley, as the Mandarin- a sort of comic book/film take on Osama Bin Laden, because he videotapes threats and killings.
All of this is happening while Tony Stark is suffering from completely normal, human anxiety attacks (thanks to PTSD, perhaps), mostly brought on during excellent scenes with a child that I was convinced he would end up adopting by the end of the film. Scenes with this little boy are great and really drive home the point that Stark is human, underneath the Ironman suit, even though he plays the tough guy. He is more human than ever when he is struggling to also protect the love of his life (as much as he can have one, I suppose) in Pepper Potts, again played by Gwyneth Paltrow. Their chemistry on screen is perfect as they play against each other.
Yes, it's a comic book film, but it's also an action film, to its core and it does not disappoint. It's all big or go home here, in the third film. Tony's house gets blown to bits and a great scene. And the last act does not disappoint either. This is definitely a film you have to see on the big screen.
Shane Black proves to be a brilliant replacement for Jon Favreau, who makes an appearance in the film as Tony Stark's head of security, who is put in a coma after one of the Mandarin's terrorist attacks.
I don't want to give away any of the high jinx or plot points because the film is enjoyable enough without me ruining it. Go see it. And then go see "The Great Gatsby."
Anyway, Sunday, my good friend Deanna (aka Mother of Five) was having a "surprise" get-together at Flatbread on Commercial St. which her oldest daughters were putting on for her. I got an invite because thanks to circumstances over the past year and a half, I've sort of been unofficially adopted into the family. Funny story: Deanna and I were supposed to hang out one day a couple of years ago and I missed her message of cancellation, so I showed up at her house on the designated day, only to find out that I was crashing her youngest son's birthday party. I ended up staying and having a blast, meeting the entire extended family, and a bond was formed rather quickly. I started going over regularly, on Sundays, to the point where her kids dubbed it "SeanDay." Then, I started dating my now ex-girlfriend and we didn't hang out as regularly, aside from the fact that life, too, got in the way. We've picked up steam again, though, and thankfully I was invited to this graduation gathering. Flatbread has to be one of my favorite places to eat. Their pizza is amazing, and organically made (in a large wood stove). I definitely count her (and her family) as one of my closest and dearest friends. Yes, sometimes she can be like a mother to me, but we've definitely had some conversations that push past the boundary and she's not afraid to tell it like it is. Our conversations seem to go all over the place and can last for an hour or two (thanks in large part to her ability to take it in several directions and her ADD). She likes to mention a specific conversation we apparently had one night when I was driving up to my ex-girlfriend's to spend the night (for the first time) in which we had a conversation about sex. I have absolutely no recollection of this conversation and what was said, but apparently the conversation pushed past the comfort zone and pushed us into a new level of friendship. Since then, we've definitely had other conversations around the topic and she's helped me realize a lot about myself on several levels, but especially around girls and relationships. It's kind of funny to me that I've never really been able to talk to my own family about such issues/concerns, but I can be rather open in discussions with friends about it all. Deanna is a friend I'm glad I can count as a close friend. And it's bizarre to think about if we'd never had met (thanks in large part to my other dear, close friend Vanessa, who knew her first, of course). I remember when I first met Deanna. The three of us were having lunch in the cafe at USM-L/A and when Deanna left, I remember telling Vanessa that I thought Deanna was gorgeous and funny. I also found it hard to believe that she had 5 kids. She simply didn't look old enough (since her oldest daughter is now in her mid-twenties and this was about 6 years ago, I believe). Anyway, Vanessa most assuredly told Deanna that I thought she was a "hot mom" and informed her of my "crush on her," and I find it amazing that this information and knowledge has never made things awkward between Deanna and I, because although yes, I still believe in my crush, I think our friendship is something to be cherished. I have an absolute blast every time we hang out (usually with her family in tow, which is great because it makes me feel like part of the family, another issue I seem to need to hash out- the fact that I attach myself and bond with other families better than I do my own family). Great friendships are defined by the struggles you go through with each other and the fact that time away/apart doesn't affect the bond, as well as the time and memories you create with each other. Deanna and I have already had some great stories and I look forward to adding more.
Deanna and I actually have a history/tie to Flatbread, because back in October we went there for dinner after walking around town for First Friday. I'd just moved back to Portland, after a disastrous stint in Freeport with my ex-girlfriend. I was looking to have some fun again, breathe new life into my existence and Portland was definitely the cure. I absolutely love Portland and the Art Walk on First Fridays (when it's nice out) is a significant reason why I do. I just feel at home. So, anyway, we were eating dinner at the bar, with another friend of ours, Michelle, and striking up an odd sort of conversation with the bartender about his life and struggles (it was interesting because usually YOU tell the bartender about your troubles, but on this night it was the complete opposite, he let loose on his depression and his wife's death and his career in music and his move to Portland, in fact, I'm not sure if he forgot to tell us anything about himself).
So, Sunday we gathered in her honor and had some pizza. I got to meet some more interesting people that have come into her life, like an ex-journalist for Channel 8 News, with whom I shared this self-imposed film project with and talked for about 20 minutes just about movies. Vanessa and I got to hang out some more (we went to see "The Great Gatsby" together before the party, the review for which you will find below), and I got to see Deanna's kids and her adorable three year old niece. She ended up drawing quite a bit of attention from me, for about 30 minutes, talking to me, using me as a human-wall. I know I've already concluded years ago that I've always been great with children and that I have a quality and/or personality that just draws children to be in my presence, but I guess I have to reiterate it, here. It seems every opportunity that presents itself to me, where I am around children, they gravitate to me. Maybe because I don't really act my age and they can tell I'm just as interested in playing as they are. I've also been told that I have an infectious smile, perhaps that makes me endearing to them. I've always been sort of a "buddy" at school, to my students and to all the students in the school (they do take me seriously when they have to). Part of me is dying with anticipation for the day that I am graced with the gift of a child. The other part of me is terrified that I will ultimately be in charge of raising and instilling values in someone. I've been getting practice as a teacher though, which has solidified my comfort in my ability to do it, though, even though I may present myself differently to others, I think when faced with the challenge and responsibility, I can absolutely do it and knock it out of the park. Will I get the chance to, though, is a different story. I've yet to find the girl I will attempt the challenge with, even though I've now thought I'd found her (twice). I'll be thirty-two this summer, but I won't be thinking about how different my life could be, instead I'll be thinking about how much fun I've been having on my own, and testing myself, and searching for the girl I will be with (I hate to say "the girl I'm meant to be with" because I think it takes away from the fun of being in charge of what works and what doesn't work, and let me tell you, I've certainly discovered what does not work and what I don't want). I'm waiting for love to smack me in the face, I suppose; and that's yet to happen. I think back about my relationships, and I can definitely ascertain that up to this point I've "been in love with the idea of being in love" and that I've "wanted it so badly that I've manifested love for myself" and haven't let it "simply develop" through a natural process. I've forced love on myself because I've wanted it and I've done a lot of projecting. That just doesn't work.
Monday, I went on my first date in 5 months and I think it went well. I met her online, after I vowed not to get back online given my track record and that my last girlfriend, whom I lived with for about 5 months, turned out to be quite a disaster, the kind of disaster I want to avoid ever having to experience or go through again...although, it was definitely also one of the greatest learning experiences of my life.
Anyway, I'm pretty sure it went well. I mean, it's a good sign if she not only says we should get together again soon (I mean, don't you usually say that as a courtesy at the end of a date, I know I've said it and not exactly meant it), but she messaged me the next first to tell me the same thing. And I do want to see her again. I hope to soon.
I consider myself a rather great first-dater. Every bit the gentleman I portray. I talk. I ask questions. I talk some more. In fact, when I self-reflect, I may end up talking a lot, but I still get to know the girl across from me. And I don't think I've ever gone in for a first kiss on the first date. I'm a hugger. Always have been. I'm not too good at picking up signs otherwise, unless the girl dives right into my lips. Besides, I like to leave her with a little bit of a mystery, like "why didn't he kiss me?" and "I have to see him again to see if he'll try it next time."
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Film 136
"The Great Gatsby"
starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Tobey Maguire
Directed By: Baz Luhrmann
"The Great Gatsby" has always been my all-time favorite book. I read it in high school and nothing I've read since has captured me like it could. I loved studying it for its symbolism, its metaphors, its total encapsulation of an era (Great Depression) and all the glitz and glamour. For me, the book is the pinnacle and the penultimate piece of literature for America.
That being said, I was very nervous and completely excited when I heard about the remake and attempt at bringing it to the big screen again. Robert Redford did the last one and that was 1974. I was nervous and excited because the director is Baz Luhrmann (whom I love). Look at his version of "Romeo and Juliet" which starred Leo D. and Claire Danes (the absolute quintessential actors of the 90s, perfect to bring the tragic tale of star-crossed lovers to the screen). His modernization of the classic Shakespeare was great and very well done. And he also did "Moulin Rouge" which was excellent and starred Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor, as a different yet similar pair of star-crossed and doomed lovers. I'm sensing a theme here Baz Luhrmann! As we come up on "The Great Gatsby" it is about Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan, lovers from the past, one of which is doomed to the tragic ending.
I've told several people that I am adamantly opposed to Tobey Maguire being allowed to work as an actor. I think he severely screwed up Peter Parker/Spiderman. I did not want him in the role of Nick Carraway, the quintessential outsider-allowed-to-look-in/best pal and sympathizer to Jay Gatsby's dilemma. So, I was nervous to see his portrayal. Nick is the narrator of the novel, which sort of plays out like his memoir of his experiences with and around Gatsby in the summer of 1922. My other reservation was in having such a high profile actor like Leonardo DiCaprio in the title role. That being said, I've been wracking my brain for other choices of actors and I can't come up with any, because both guys do a fantastic job. Oh, and Carey Mulligan personifies Daisy Buchanan perfectly, in my opinion.
The ultimate challenge that Luhrmann faced was staying loyal to an era while keeping the rawness of the novel in tact on the screen (and this is done well mostly with the dialogue). Luhrmann also wanted to modernize the film so that it still seemed relevant to us and the younger audiences (who will most likely see the film) today. Yes, Fitzgerald was a major player during the Jazz Age (those roaring 1920s), but the music chosen for the film is both modern and speaks well for the text's material. Perhaps this is because the Executive Producer is Jay-Z (Hova, Himself).
Stand out tracks for me:
Lana Del Ray- Young and Beautiful
Jay-Z and Kanye West- No Church in the Wild
Jack White- Love is Blindness
The xx- Together
Sia- Kill and Run
I great soundtrack, for me, speaks to the heart of the film and allows you to imagine the scenes when you hear the songs again. I can absolutely play the film/book out in my mind when I hear these songs (and the others that accompany them on the soundtrack).
I think Luhrmann was just the guy to bring that contrast of the glitz and the glamour of Long Island parties at the self-made millionaire Gatsby's house and the depression and desolation that awaited across the bridge. I have always loved the director's use of color and graphics (not to mention his camera work, going all over the place and in your face, then drifting out and spinning you around). Gatsby's parties spoke to the excess of the era. "The Great Gatsby" is about a time and a place, that certainly cannot be denied and I think Luhrmann does an excellent job re-energizing those roaring 1920s for us in his modern take here. He needed to breathe a new life into a classic book with his vision and direction and he is more than successful at it.
When it is revealed to us the Gatsby has done everything in his recent years as an effort to woo back the love of his past-life, Daisy Buchanan, we as an audience can lose sympathy for him, slightly. Why try to get back the past? Why can't he just see that she is "happy" and move on? Why can't he just be happy with the life he has made for himself? Why is his happiness defined solely on getting Daisy and that feeling of love back in his life? How empty is his soul, for real? How obsessed can one guy be? Gatsby is a bit of a liar and a fake. A fraud. And it's all for love. He wants Daisy back, but he also wants her to admit to her husband, Tom Buchanan, that she never loved him, that she has only ever loved Gatsby. Self-involved much? What is he, still a teenager? Gatsby, as a character, is a bit more of a 16 year old boy than anything else, to his core. Not only does he want to win her back (after virtually disappearing for 5 years), but he wants to control her affections. Daisy is a bit too strong for that. I can see a lot of Fitzgerald in Gatsby and a lot of Zelda (his wife) in Daisy, because they had their own volatile relationship in real life (thanks to alcohol).
The one thing I didn't appreciate was the fact that Nick Carraway is retelling this story behind the walls of a sanitorium and his writing is therapeutic, which leads us to believe that their friendship was far greater and more meaningful than anyone's friendship. They supposedly only knew each other for a brief period of time, right? So, how close could they have actually gotten? I know that I've had some friends in my past that I've only known for a brief, defined period in my life, and I've needed to do some therapeutic writing to get over the bond we shared, so I guess I understand why Nick is the way he is. Is Gatsby every bit of the man that Nick wants to be, but can't be? Is Nick in awe of how much Gatsby obviously loves a woman (who happens to be Nick's cousin)? Or, was Nick in love with Gatsby and that's why he felt so deeply for him?
Overall, the film that Luhrmann presents in 2013 is somewhat of a masterpiece, with everything falling together beautifully and perfectly. I love the film and will definitely see it again. It all works. I felt things while watching the story unfold (even though I knew the end result). I was transported back to the important era of America's history. I was completely engaged and never lost.
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Film 137
"The House at the End of the Street"
starring: Jennifer Lawrence and Elisabeth Shue
Surprise. Surprise. I honestly thought this was a remake of a 1970s or 1980s horror film, but it's actually an original script. Perhaps that's where the problem lies. It's an original story that is rather dull and dry, not to mention follows a typical formula for horror/psychological films these days (and at least these recent films can blame the fact that they are remakes for following formulas already laid out for them).
It starts with the obligatory prologue to set the stage with a little bit of history. There's a house (at the end of the street) where a girl lived with her family. One night she goes crazy (although she seems to always have been crazy from the looks of her) and kills her mother and father. I almost wanted "The End" by the Doors to be playing as the soundtrack to this murder scene, but it wasn't. The girl apparently suffered brain damage from a childhood accident, which we see later on when her brother is introduced to the plot.
Cut to three months later, 17 year old baby-faced (and beautiful, as always) Elissa (played by Jennifer Lawrence as best as she can given the material in the script which just solidifies my point that she is poised to be a great actress through her adult years) and Elissa's mother, Sarah (played by Elisabeth Shue- where have you been?) are living in the house next door to the house at the end of the street. They were told they would have no neighbors. Then, one night the house next door's lights go on. The next day, Elissa meets Ryan (Max Thieriot, looking like a young version of Ryan Phillippe). A tentative romance develops between Elissa and Ryan, because according to Sarah, Elissa always needs a project, someone she can fix. Ryan is definitely more screwed up than he has let on.
The film then turns into a bit of a psychological thriller/horror and borrows some plot-points from old school films like "Psycho." The only trouble is "Psycho" is the pinnacle of these types of movies and anything attempting it simply comes off as a blatant rip-off and badly. Gus Van Sant even knew better when he remade the original "Psycho" because all he did was shoot it in color, with new, updated actors and actresses, and then just remade the film shoot by shoot.
"The House at the End of the Street" fails miserably to be enticing or entertaining, because it is simply too predictable, even when the big reveal is done with Ryan traveling to the closed and locked off basement of the house to feed a "captive" passed off to the audience to believe is his long thought to be dead sister.
Jennifer Lawrence had me convinced that she was scared through the whole ordeal, which just makes her a good actress because the script certainly doesn't do it for me.
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Film 138
"Ironman 3"
starring: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Rebecca Hall, Guy Pearce, Don Cheadle and a special appearance by Sir Ben Kingsley (!)
Directed by: Shane Black (only his second film)
The ultimate question when seeing a third film in a franchise is: Is a third film necessary and worth the risk? With Ironman and Robert Downey Jr. in the title role the answer is undoubtedly, YES! Each film has been full of sharp wit, laugh out loud jokes, ingenious ideas and technology, and some twists and turns, as well as some definite relevance to the times we live in. "Ironman 3" does not disappoint on any of these fronts.
The plot here takes place after the events that unfolded in the film "The Avengers" (also a must-see for even non-comic book nerds). Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) has been unable to sleep and he's been expanding his armory of weapons and shields (Ironman suits).
We go back to 1999 to set the stage for the big bad villain in this story- who turns out to be Guy Pearce, playing Aldrich Killian, a scientist looking for Starks's support and assistance in a new project called AIM, which has developed a new program called Extremis.
A terrorist mastermind is presented as the evil here, played brilliantly by Ben Kingsley, as the Mandarin- a sort of comic book/film take on Osama Bin Laden, because he videotapes threats and killings.
All of this is happening while Tony Stark is suffering from completely normal, human anxiety attacks (thanks to PTSD, perhaps), mostly brought on during excellent scenes with a child that I was convinced he would end up adopting by the end of the film. Scenes with this little boy are great and really drive home the point that Stark is human, underneath the Ironman suit, even though he plays the tough guy. He is more human than ever when he is struggling to also protect the love of his life (as much as he can have one, I suppose) in Pepper Potts, again played by Gwyneth Paltrow. Their chemistry on screen is perfect as they play against each other.
Yes, it's a comic book film, but it's also an action film, to its core and it does not disappoint. It's all big or go home here, in the third film. Tony's house gets blown to bits and a great scene. And the last act does not disappoint either. This is definitely a film you have to see on the big screen.
Shane Black proves to be a brilliant replacement for Jon Favreau, who makes an appearance in the film as Tony Stark's head of security, who is put in a coma after one of the Mandarin's terrorist attacks.
I don't want to give away any of the high jinx or plot points because the film is enjoyable enough without me ruining it. Go see it. And then go see "The Great Gatsby."
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