This summer is going to be one of introspection, relationship, challenge, and travel. In an effort to keep track of my thoughts and wanderings, I'm going to be making better use of this dusty ol' blog! This summer I'm going to be taking part in three weeks of military training in and around West Point, spending three weeks in Ft. Polk, Louisiana, buying a car in Texas, driving the car back to West Point, spending time with my parents on Catalina Island in California, and finally hanging out back in Boise with friends and family.
Technically it's not summer for me right now. Finals are over, and it's that purgatorial period between Term End Exams at West Point and the graduation for the class of 2013. I'm on "TEE Leave" right now, taking advantage of the extra time I have. Luckily I have a great excuse: my amazing cousin Mercedes is getting married and decided to turn her and her husband's honeymoon into a family reunion on a Caribbean cruise! Right now I'm in Tampa, Florida waiting for my sister, Caleb, and the kiddos to arrive. We're spending tonight and tomorrow hanging out in the area, then the wedding is on Saturday. I couldn't ask for a better start to my summer.
Feel free to follow along, comment, and challenge my thoughts. I love a good dialogue.
I walked out of District 9 after watching the credits roll and I could only say one thing about it. "That movie was CRAZY." If you've seen the trailer, you'll know that it was a little ambiguous. Aliens, guns, and explosions were the main points. The movie, surprisingly, wasn't much different. That being said, it was so unique, and so well made that there was no way I couldn't write a blog on why I hated it, but can't help but love it.
No spoilers are ahead, so feel free to read at ease.
They all die at the end and get their heads cut off. Just kidding...lol
The movie starts off as a documentary. Using interviews and a camera man, I was heavily intrigued at where this would lead. Think Cloverfield. It's set 20 years from when human's were surprised to find a UFO sitting in their backyard (Africa- is that racist?). At first we tried treating the Aliens (Prawns, as they're called in the movie due to their shrimp/crustacean like bodies) like members of society. Once it became apparent that their culture was far different then ours (throwing cars is fun) we fenced them in to what slowly became a concentration camp-like area called District 9. The movie follows happenings in District 9, and let's just say it's gruesome. The documentary feel kept up through about the first half, then all of a sudden it switches to a full fledged movie. I'm not sure if this was due to laziness on the Director's side, or if they simply wanted the transition as an integral part of the movie. Either way, it threw me off. Graphics, CGI, and makeup were seamless, though. The Aliens were really there, as were the heads that got blown off and the bodies that got disintegrated by alien lightning-guns. Like I said, crazy.
I believe the movie was supposed to get me to think. I suppose it did, but more in a confused manner. Perhaps they're trying to say our race is going down the tubes. Perhaps they're trying to make a political statement about the treatment of prisoners or privileged members of society. Or, perhaps the makers of District 9 are simply warning us of what the human race may do if Aliens ever come down.
The movie disappointed me. But with so many fantastic graphics, character development up the shizzang, and Aliens that I felt connected with, how could I not love it?
If you don't mind a plethora of f-bombs, people being blown to smithereens, and scary alien-shrimp people ripping off human arms, I suggest this movie to you. If you prefer great story, interesting plot, and fantastic conclusion, go see 500 Days of Summer.
Beauty has a way of grabbing my attention. A recent memory that sticks out in my mind happened just a few weeks ago. I was driving home to Idaho from California. My dad was asleep in the back (he had been the main pilot all morning) and I had taken over the wheel in his stead. In the passenger seat sat my girlfriend, Kona. We kept each other entertained by playing various types of music and having even more various conversations. At one point in our discussions I looked over to my left for a split second. What I saw completely and utterly consumed me. A small mountain stood about 4 football fields away, and above this mountain were broken clouds; like shattered glass the sun peaked through and was reflected off of the clouds onto the face of the mountain resulting in one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen. My attention was completely taken over by this magnificent light show. Coupled with the most amazing girl in the world sitting by me and talking, this memory sticks out in my brain as being one of sheer beauty. Beauty has a way of grabbing my attention.
So does music. My favorite songs are ones which can only be described as epic. Two bands which write epics extremely well, in my opinion, are Anberlin and Mae. I'm gonna talk about Mae, but please do look up Fin and Miserable Visu by Anberlin. One of my favorite songs by Mae is called "The Fisherman's Song". To me it so accurately portrays the heart of the writer, and I love the message. On top of that, the lyrics are written in story form which help me connect immensely. Listen here. I am an incredibly visual person, and yet I couldn't imagine life without music. As I write this I'm listening to my "Sit Down and Relax" playlist on Pandora. I've found it a great way to connect with myself today.
I was apprehensive about going to see "500 Days of Summer" with my parents and our close friends tonight. I didn't really know what to expect, but I figured a free movie is always worth it. I suppose I was right. That being said, I would gladly pay extra to see this masterpiece. It really connected with where my mind has been the last few weeks; connections.
People. Music. Situations. Friends. Jobs. Movies. Life.
Thinking about all the connections baffles me. It's not really a matter of fate or predestination to me (the way I figure it, God knows everything no matter what I believe.) Really, to me what it comes down to is whether or not I want to acknowledge the connections. Fate? Chance? Phooey. If life were a slot machine I would hate to pull that lever. It's like people are totally willing to acknowledge all the Cherries or BARS lining up perfectly but refuse to instead see the beautiful constelation of life that all our intercrossing lines make. Life is actually a whole lot safer to look at as a slot machine. Pull the lever; you win some, you lose some. Often it's a whole lot harder to take those losses as building blocks, or at the very least see that they've made me who I am today.
500 Days of Summer emphasized this point for me. No matter what I tell myself, life really holds no accidents. The movie is artsy, beautiful, saddening, vulgar (at times), and flat-out well written. Unlike many chick flicks, this story follows the guy. Also unlike many chick flicks, it holds no happy Hollywood ending. The trailer boasts "this is a story of boy meets girl," and also includes "you should know upfront, that this is not a love story." That's why I don't believe 500 Days of Summer is a chick flick at all. It's too big for that label. It's an epic.
But don't take my word for it. Watch the trailer. Then, go watch the movie.
I don't have much time, as I need to hit the sack ASAP (6am flight, 4am wake up). These last two weeks have produced amazing friends, renewed relationships with family, and awesome experiences! It has been a trip to remember.
That being said, below are some pics from today: my last day in NY!
Feel free to follow my journey tomorrow at http://twitter.com/ColinMansfid
