Peektures

I've recently been suffering from a bit of a writers block, and what I have been writing are pieces that I don't feel like sharing with the whole world. I have, however, been exploring the visual possibilities with my new Flip Camera and Fujifilm. Please enjoy a few of my most recent pictures (no videos today, sorry kids.):

Black Swan and other randomness.....

So many levels to this bad boy. One could, of course, argue that the primary goal of the film was to illustrate the pain behind ballet in an exaggerated and haunting way. However there were so many levels, the most prevalent and evasively effective in my opinion was the whole concept of “reflection”. Black Swan touched on this theme both visually and conceptually. A portion of the film was viewed through reflections, when Nina (Natalie Portman) danced the audience often viewed her via a reflection in a mirror or window, while the camera was focused on the ballet director, Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) as he watched Nina. Then of course were the reflections interwoven into the story; first, Nina’s life was reflective of the ballet Swan Lake, a component foreshadowed within the first 20 minutes of the film -beginning with her dream that opens the film and Thomas Leroy’s very clear synopsis of the ballet. The rest of the film is guided by Nina’s subconscious and conscious fears reflected and exaggerated by her surroundings and the people that dictate her life. You often see Nina's fears reflected by the actions of her peers. I don't want to say too much because to spoil this plot would be very wrong.

I wouldn't be surprised or disappointed if Portman or Cassel earned some serious recognition from the academy on this one.



I'm gonna end this with a cute picture of a puppy that I took:

Teaser

I just saw Black Swan and really enjoyed it! I'll post a full-fledged review in the next few days or so, until then, enjoy this poem:

Toolbox of Nothing

Society expects us to balance

They want us to humbly walk the line between self-loathing and self-righteousness

Society is giving us signs, pointing us in directions and muddling the ideas that compromise our minds

For years I followed strict moral codes, believing in my gut and following my faith

For years I followed in the footsteps of civilization

Never question, rarely realizing, hardly living

I don’t know what you would call me now

Sometimes I still wake up groggy and out of breath

Trapped by blankets, haunted by my dreams, annoyed with reality

I’m fed up with my lab grown expectations

And my myth defined definitions

Sometimes I wish I could just build a new world from scratch

But I can’t

I lost my hammer, and am out of nails

My tool box is empty

And whose fault is that?

DOS.

Hey Kids,

There's a few things to cover today!

1st: Olivia Wilde at the premiere of Tron:






















Dynamite!





2nd: My new camera! I have named her Penelope! Penelope is a Fujifilm FinePix S1800 and she's awesome! Admittedly I haven't exactly figured out how to take GREAT photographs yet, but I'm working on it.

The Limbo Tango

Home has welcomed me back with a torrential down pour,

My alternate reality infused with out-dating memories, old friends stitched with awkward silences

Comfort and unfamiliarity are linked together here

Exploration and history meet at the head, daring one to surpass the other

At a standstill I scramble around reality, trying to choose a side

Infusing my life with culture; seeing plays, participating in discussions, reaching out to old friends, while keeping the new ones close by

I’m in an awkward kind of limbo, content with now, calm about the near future, grateful for the past few months

Just a little...

How about a little bit of poetry to get Winter Break started off with a bang. It's not an original work of Maddie, it's even better. I've been really enjoying writing by the Persian poet Hafiz, here are some of my favorites:

The Subject Tonight is Love


The subject tonight is Love

And for tomorrow night as well,

As a matter of fact

I know of no better topic

For us to discuss

Until we all

Die!

At This Party


I don't want to be the only one here

Telling all the secrets -


Filling up all the bowls at this party,

Taking all the laughs.


I would like you

To start putting things on the table

That can also feed the soul

The way I do.


That way

We can invite


A hell of a lot more

Friends.

A Great Need


Out

Of a great need

We are all holding hands

And climbing.

Not loving is a letting go.

Listen,

The terrain around here

Is

Far too

Dangerous

For

That.

And my favorite:

You're welcome.

Hey Kids,

So my dad was kind enough to send me an online article listing 35 movies coming out this holiday season, after a bit of examination, here's what I think is worth that $9.50:

The Tourist
Starring: Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie
Directed by: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Release Date: December 10th
I gotta be honest with you, I'm slightly skeptical about this one. I've recently been finding myself irritated with Angelina Jolie, her big lips, and her cookie cutter action hero/secret agent/spy roles, but I am a big supporter of the fact that Johnny Depp can rarely do wrong. I'm also usually down for action/adventure movies set in European countries just because they are so aesthetically pleasing. So if you're looking for a fun action spy movie with some SERIOUS eye candy (for both boys and girls) you could give The Tourist a shot.


Black Swan
Starring: Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis
Directed by: Darren Aronofsky
Release Date: December 10th
This is a film I want...no, NEED to see. Why you may ask, well I'm gonna have to drop the big name card on this one...Natalie Portman is awesome (that's a given), Mila Kunis is awesome(another given) and Darren Aronofsky is INCREDIBLE. For those of you who are recognizing the name and kicking yourself because you can't place it, stop kicking yourself, he directed The Wrestler and Requiem for a Dream. This guy has CRAZY mind, have you seen Requiem for a Dream? Amazing, an editing masterpiece with a story that will literally leaving you sick with emotion. I'll admit, I have not yet seen The Wrestler, but any movie that generates that much Oscar buzz is worth watching (one of my personal rules to live by). Speaking of Oscar buzz, Black Swan is swooping up truckloads of it, and why wouldn't it? Natalie Portman has already been nominated once. If my big name drop, or personal rule have not convinced you yet, let me throw some other words and phrases out into the mix:
Ballerinas, dark mysterious injuries, girl-on-girl action? I'm not describing this right...here's a trailer:



All Good Things
Starring: Ryan Gosling and Kirsten Dunst
Directed By: Andrew Jarecki
Release Date: December 17th
Let me begin by saying, Ryan Gosling= YUM. In all seriousness, I'm really looking forward to this movie. I've been following it for awhile now and I think it has real potential. Andrew Jarecki is a somewhat new director so there's not a lot of his work to compare this too so it's hard to get a great read on this, but regardless...I think it will be good. "Why do you think that?" you may be asking...well, let me tell ya; I am a Ryan Gosling fan, he has a charming goofball style to his acting which is fun to watch, and I think he could do good things in a role like this (I'll include a trailer so you can see what I mean) and I really liked the trailer, I know, I know that probably sounds stupid but a lot of times the quality of a trailer can end up predicting the quality of a film. Example: Funny People, horrible trailer, horrible movie.
Warning: This looks like it might have a bit of a slower pace to it, so if you're into the faster pace kind of shtuff, I'd wait till it comes on dvd.


The Fighter
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale and Amy Adams
Directed By: David O. Russell
While I don't see the appeal of Christian Bale (sorry ladies) I do see the appeal of this movie. Let me just lay this down for you cut and dry, we all know Mark Wahlberg has some serious potential (as was demonstrated in The Departed). He is just one of those actors who throws themselves into parts, Christian Bale is another one of those (I mean come on, did you see him in The Machinist?). Further proof of commitment in this film, all the fight scenes are real. Marky Mark actually got up there in the ring with all those opponents and fought them for the filming of this movie. I mean the outcome of the fights were controlled but the punches were real. Talk about authenticity.


I Love You Philip Morris
Starring: Jim Carrey and Ewen McGregor
Directed By: Glenn Ficarra and John Requa
Release Date: December 17th
All I really have to say here is Jim Carrey and Ewen McGregor playing a gay couple. I mean, it's worth a shot right?


True Grit
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin
Directed By: Ethan and Joel Coen
Release Date: December 22th
Ok, sorry, I'm going to do it again...I absolutely HAVE to do the name dropping thing on this one. Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, and Jeff Bridges all in a remake of a classic being directed by the Coen Brothers?!? If you don't see all the beauty and potential enjoyment in that you need to seriously reexamine your life choices.
AND the girl ALMOST has the same name as me, and if that isn't enough....



And last but not least...
this list's Oscar front runner...


The King's Speech
Starring: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter
Directed By: Tom Hooper
Release Date: Christmas!
I can't even explain, I just have to show you the trailer:

p.s. did you notice wormtail in that one?

An ode to winter break....

The natives are restless.
I’ve been confined to the cell for too long,
Drinking nothing but tepid tap water and snacking on stale potatoes chips.
My fair skin has grown paler
Dark circles have made their way underneath my eyes
And my fingers and toes twitch with the anticipation of adventure.





(p.s. post #90 wahoooo!)

Beautiful

time, time, timeless.

10 days until my birthday
8 days until my first final
3 days until dead day
1 day until my super fun birthday bash
10 hours until morning
night!