"The Prestige" – Modern Day Shakespeare?

Right, so perhaps I am on a Christopher Nolan kick here. I think I have found my new favourite director/writer.

I watched this again on the weekend as well, and realized almost instantly, that I would also like to comment on it. What a moral mind bend this one is. I feel it should’ve gotten SO much more attention, but was buried because it came out at the same time as The Illusionist with Edward Norton. Just to clarify, The Prestige has a much more well-known cast comprised of Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Scarlett Johanson, Rachel McAdams, Michael Caine, and yes, even David Bowie. REALLY great movie. If you haven’t seen it – I would recommend it.

One thing though – it’s VERY dark. The movie itself visually is quite dark, but the moods, motifs, morals, messages… very dark. But again, a movie I would call a thinker. Yes, it has the trademark Nolan twist at the end… but for goodness sake, it’s a movie about Magicians!!! You can’t very well expect a straight forward ending right?

The movie makes you think, though, about what people are willing to sacrifice. And how easy it is as an audience to be fooled.  Not just in the case of a magic trick. But also, when it comes to us as the audience watching the movie, with regards to which character we are supposed to empathize with. The first time I watched this movie, I felt bad for Hugh Jackman’s character. He was the one who lost his wife in the first place. And he was the one who fought so hard to beat the other man at his own game. Be the better magician. And he loses his life in the process. Poor him. And yet, Christian Bale’s character also loses his wife. And in his case, his wife chose to die – chose to leave him whereas for Hugh, his wife died through accidental causes. So perhaps, in the end, it is Christian’s character who deserves our sympathy. Besides, Hugh’s character almost bring on his own demise when you think about it – he was so obsessed with revenge. So consumed with making Christian pay for the death of his wife that he couldn’t see beyond that. Couldn’t even open himself to being happy with Scarlett Johanson. And yet. Christian was even more obsessed. To the point that he was willing to live only half of his actual life. Looking at it that way, they are both equally damnable. And equally wretched.

These two men remind me of Shakespeare’s tragic heros. They are good men, but with one large flaw that gets exploited. And what, most often than not, is this mortal flaw? Why, ego of course. The desire to be the best of the best. That, and revenge. The desire to destroy all those who have trifled you in the past. Those two almost always show up in Shakespeare’s plays as the ultimate element causing the hero’s demise. No different in Nolan’s movie.

I really did enjoy this movie – the twists, the turns, and the fact that, the second time around, you again get more from it.

Whereas with Inception, you are merely gleaning information to fill in gaps on the second time around, with The Prestige, knowing the twist at the end, you catch more phrases, and the scenes play out differently once you have that information on the second viewing.

One of my favorite things, besides writing about these movies, is watching them with people that haven’t seen them before. If you have not had the pleasure, let me know! I’d be happy to watch it with you. But even happier to discuss it with you afterwards. 

Thanks for reading!!!

Inception = The Matrix Cubed

I watched Christopher Nolan’s masterpiece again on the weekend as I had had every intention of commenting on this movie on my blog, and wanted more inspiration. Yes, I said masterpiece. No, you don’t have to agree with me. I respect that everyone is different. I just ask you respect my right to love the movie ;D

This coming from the girl who had a, some would say, unhealthy obsession with The Matrix trilogy.

I believe the title of this blog post represents it the best. I honestly believe the best way to put it is that Inception is The Matrix cubed. In other words, it’s the same premise of the movie, but taken to the third power. Three levels further in/down. I loved it.

I found myself wanting to take notes. Seriously. As though I would be writing a paper on it. This is one of those movies I want to dissect at school. Yes, I am that geek. I only wish it had come out early enough for Dad to see. He would’ve loved it too. :D

I won’t go into detail about the plots etc. I’m happy to answer questions people have if they come up. I’d like to think after watching it 4 times that I’m pretty well versed on the ins and outs of the plot. It’s more about the theme that I’m interested in discussing. The concept that you can go deep into someone else’s mind. The fact that if you aren’t stable, that can show up by materializing into a locomotive crashing through the middle of an intersection. Cobb was so wrecked by guilt, he would sabotage himself over and over again. Yet, I don’t believe he was as responsible as he claimed to be. Yes he planted that idea in his late wife’s mind. But he was sort of forced to do something right? And he didn’t know what the result would be. He didn’t do it on purpose. It was no more his fault than getting into a car with his wife that then crashes and he survives.

But I think, really, the biggest question people have is about the ending. (Isn’t it always?). The top continues to spin, and the screen goes black before we know if it falls or not. It wobbles, so there is doubt. But we as the audience don’t know for sure whether Cobb has actually returned to reality, or if he is still dreaming.

What I took from that scene wasn’t whether the top fell or not. The point of that scene is that it doesn’t matter. There is that one scene near the beginning where Cobb is alone in his hotel, he spins the top and while watching, arms his gun, and brings it to his head. When the top falls, he breaths in relief and drops the gun. He is obsessed throughout the film as to what is reality and what isn’t. Whether he is sharing a dream or not. The point at the end is that he no longer cares either way. He has, by then, made peace with Mol, and is back to his children which is what really matters to him, and all that he ever wanted anyways. Is he still dreaming? Who cares?

I found this interesting. I remember thinking in The Matrix that wouldn’t it just be easier to not know? I mean, why fight these machines, and live in that dirty, scorched-sky existence when we could all just be as we are? The character Cypher follows this through, and actually devises a way to get back into the Matrix. Of course, he’s considered the bad guy. But really, why is that so wrong?

I know, I know, I’m really shaming myself now. Basically opening up to all of you and saying I’d rather have rosy coloured glasses than know the truth and be free. Maybe that makes me lazy. Let others fight the robots. I’m gonna go have an ice cream.

But I don’t think so. I think this could even be linked back to “Life of Pi”. What makes the better story? Cobb has faith there that he is with his children, and that he is where he is supposed to be. And why question that? And again, it’s not about believing in things that we know don’t exist just because it’s easier. It’s believing in them because we cannot disprove them. Cobb wanted to get back to his children. And he does. End of story.

Virtual Book Club Post #1 - "Life of Pi"

Here is the posting I had initially decided to use as my second entry:

To kick things off, I have three posts in mind: One regarding the movie Inception, one a copy and paste version of the PRK surgery experience from my Facebook note, and one on the book “Life of Pi”. I received Inception in December for Christmas, had the PRK surgery January 18^th  2011, and ‘read’ Life of Pi while recovering from said surgery. However, as I am most passionately engrossed with Life of Pi right now, I will begin with it.

As mentioned above, I experienced Life of Pi while recovering from my laser eye surgery earlier this year. I say experienced, because, though it is a book, I was unable to read it due to very reason I needed to. So, I bought the audiobook, and listened to it as often as I could. I have bittersweet memories of the book – it was a fascinating story, but there were parts of it that I listened through a sort of delirium from the pain from the surgery, and a drug induced fog.

As with most pieces of art, at least for me, Life of Pi left me thinking, and thinking and thinking some more. I craved the chance to discuss it with others, find out what they thought of it, what their interpretation of it was, and debate the many themes and motifs in the book. Of course, this sort of thing is well suited to a book club. However, there are quite a few problems with book clubs. The largest being the fact that it requires a major time commitment by all involved. Which just isn’t realistic. And so, the idea of this blog began to form in my mind. I could have a sort of bookclub myself – just have it online! I will post my own thoughts from the book, and perhaps be lucky enough to have others read both the comments and the book itself, and maybe even offer thoughts of their own! Additionally, as I often find trips to the library, bookstore, or even my virtual bookstore through my KoBo overwhelming, perhaps I will receive suggestions for other books to read and/or comment on!

With this came the onslaught of other things I could post on – movies, plays, other books, newsworthy stories… the list goes on… Obviously, I am not the only one who has thought about this, thus the existence of blogs in general, but was sure excited to come across it!

Anyhow, onwards. I wanted to address Life of Pi. If you have NOT read it, I would really strongly recommend not reading to the end of this post. I will be commenting on the book as though you have, and may both spoil the book, and confuse things, so it would probably be best for you to read it first.

After I ‘read’ the book, I went online and did some research on the internet to find out what others thought. I was thrilled to find essay after essay, forum after forum, blog post after blog post just riddled with comments. Brilliant!!! I wanted to post on every single one of them! Call everyone and discuss the book at length! 

What did YOU think?

Of course, one of the major issues that came up over and over (at least for me because I did narrow the search to the subject of the ending) was which story is the true one? Pi tells his Japanese interviewers two stories about his time on the Pacific. One is the story we readers spend 100+ pages living with him through every moment. The second only takes (I am told) approximately 7 pages, and a few minutes to tell. In the end, one is fantasmical, with animals, carnivorous islands, and another blind survivor on the Pacific Ocean. The other is brutal, gruesome, and involves only people – 4 survivors of the shipwreck which all die off save for Pi himself. The interviewers are only actually interested in how/why the boat sank, so it doesn’t make much difference to them what happened to Pi. When Pi realizes this, he asks the all important question at the climax of the book, defining the ultimate theme of the story: “If it makes no difference which story is true, then tell me, which one did you prefer?”

Throughout the blogs, forums, and essays, everyone was willing to agree that the point of the book was really to present the idea of faith – that a story with faith is better than one without. I read so many comments, but it was only when I hit the forum on Amazon.com that I became feverish with the idea of actually participating. This is the comment I wanted to post:

There are few things I would like to add to this forum.

First, thank you all for your comments. I love that not only was the book thought provoking, but there are others out there who wish to discuss these thoughts and provide different points of view thus enabling more depth to the story.

I would then  like to say that, being a very logical, and reason-loving person, I deduced that the second (more gruesome) story is the one that actually happened merely due to the following facts:

- the second story happened in a total time span of approximately 2 weeks to maybe a month. Which left Pi 6 months to come up with the second story and create the parallels to all the animals.

- the second story is told to the interviewers mere minutes after the first, which does not allow Pi to come up with such intricate animal parallels that quickly.

- and finally, why would Pi, given the chance to make up a story that is more plausible than the one with the animals, make it THAT gruesome? Would a 16 year old who just endured that journey with the tiger for 221 days really turn around afterwards and talk about the beheading of his own mother? Why???

For those reasons, I fully understand that the second story is the “true” fictional story. Haha! However, I am not without faith, and I understand the weight behind Pi's question "which is the better story?"

Finally, I would also like to comment on Doug's post where he was concerned that the message was a negative one. I think it was less about believing things we know cannot be true, and more having faith in things we haven't and can't DISprove because it makes the better story. Wouldn't it be nicer to live life with the faith there is something more, than to live in the stark existence of only what you see, hear, smell and feel?... After all, wasn't that the point of the Meerkats??? While I explained the plausibility of the second story, there was the banter where Pi insisted that there were meerkat bones on the boat which adds credence to the FIRST story... Again, I come back to the fact that there were 6 months NOT accounted for in his second story which could allow time for Pi to find meerkats somewhere... possibly even on a carnivorous island :D

I know I am contradicting myself, but I truly believe that is the point. We want to believe the first story. I truly did all the way through. I believed the french cast away. I believed the island. I believed it all even after he had told the second story. I had fully expected the second story to have parallels and was therefore still willing to believe the first story. But when the parallels were so detailed, and the story so gruesome, I fell back to my logic and figured it out. But the meerkats bugged me. And I love that they do. That little bit of faith is all that is needed.

Again, I really appreciate all of these posts, and only wish to discuss it more with people who care enough to discuss it ;D Thanks everyone!!!

Apparently, you have to have bought something on Amazon.com to post on their forum. Go figure. Anyhow, it has worked out because now, I can post for you!!!

I would truly love to hear any thoughts from people who have read Life of Pi, and would welcome other recommendations for other books that offer as much, if not more, thought provocation. Thanks for reading!!!

A Commemoration on this very Special Day.

I had other ideas for my second posting, but due to the date, I will push it back. Because today is special. Today is to commemorate my father, Douglas Robert Charman – and his passing 5 years ago.

During the time that he was sick, I kept my phone near me all the time. I left it on in class (on vibrate) and would leave class to check any voicemails I had. Dreading the ringing of the phone. Dreading the messages I might get. On the morning of Friday, February 10^th, 2006, I received THE message. My father had passed away at around 3 in the morning. No rush to get to the hospice – but the rest of the family would be there when I arrived. I took a shower, and cried out loud, letting the water fall over me and take the tears with it.  

Once at the hospice, I was greeted by my grandfather, who directed me to the family lounge. Both my grandparents told me I was more than welcome to go in and sit with him. The hospice staff had left him in the room for us to pay respects. I could tell, even though she encouraged it, my grandmother didn’t want me to go in. She said he was no longer warm – that he was truly gone, and that it was simply an empty shell. I agreed. I preferred to remember him as he had been the last time I saw him.

Our pastor arrived shortly thereafter. He encouraged us to hold the funeral as soon as possible. Both Bonnie and I were adamant that it would be 8 days later – the following Saturday. He discouraged this, but we held our ground. She wanted it to be perfect. I wanted to prepare a speech. And partly, as I admitted later, I was afraid as soon as the funeral was over, people would forget. So I figured the longer we could delay that, the better.

I did speak at the funeral. I remember getting through it fairly well, as long as I didn’t look at my family. Two of my very dear friends attended. They had told me to look for them – that I could use them as my rocks while speaking. I wasn’t able to find them while at the podium. Just as well – they told me afterwards they bawled their eyes out as soon as the family started coming in.

While most of this posting is sad, I now think of this day as a day to celebrate. Whatever ones religious beliefs, today can always in someway be considered a rebirth. A time to be thankful for the years I did have with my father, what he taught me both in life and in death. The closeness I now share with my grandparents. The deep gratitude for the existence of my brother – him being the only other that lost a father when Doug Charman passed away.

When it comes to Dad, I always feel like I can never say enough. I want to fill these pages with stories and commemorations. I want to copy and paste my speech from the funeral. I want to copy and paste the lovely email I received from one of Dad’s high school friends this morning (showing that even now, 5 years AFTER the funeral, people still remember). But I know that his essence, his memory, cannot be captured in words.  All I can really say is that his memory is alive in me, in my brother Adam, in my stepmother Bonnie, in my mother Deborah, in my grandparents Helen and Robert Charman, in my aunt and uncle Lori and Glenn Charman, my cousins, Jesse and Cody Briggs, and Carly and Troy Charman and all those spouses, extended family, friends, colleagues and everyone we touch as a result of us having our beings shaped by the man my father was.

Thank you all for your love and thoughts on this very special day!

Hello, and Welcome!!

I am very excited to be starting this blog. The idea has been churning in my mind for a little while now – ever since a good friend of mine started one that I’ve been trying to follow diligently. I struggled with the theme of my blog. I’ve seen people who use the blog to review plays and shows within the city. I’ve seen others keep it kind of like a diary. I considered basing the blog around my housesitting experiences.  But I think I would find that too limiting. I have every intention of having various posts regarding housesitting experiences, but the blog itself won’t be solely surrounding them.

I think the main goal of this blog is to indulge a little bit in my passionate side. As the title of it suggests, my logic side has taken over since, well, I would say 2^nd year in college when I switched my degree from an Arts major to an International Business major. The passing of my father sealed the deal, and most of my passionate, and creative side went with him. I have spent many a time musing why this would be, and even mourned it awhile. But I have since made peace with it, and am now taking steps to slowly bring back that passion, creativity, and love of the arts.

My entrepreneurial side fought me a little when I decided to create this blog. That mind wanted me to use my gifts of analysis, and deeper thought to make money. Write a book. Become a counselor. My passionate side, though quietly, said instead to enjoy it, revel in it, and share it. And so, I bring you my blog – Logically Educated; Passionately Inclined.