All of us felt a little awkward growing up. Some more than others. That little inside voice said that something about us was wrong, broken, gross. When we talked to the dead, even our families were all "get a hobby, weirdo." What I'm saying is I finally found a movie I can connect with in ParaNorman.
What if we had little people running around in our heads directing the action? Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear all pushing buttons. Forcing issues. At least you'd then have someone to blame, right?
Inside a little girl named Riley are the personifications of the five base emotions. They've grown up with her, formed her personality, and helped her maintain her composure. First among them is Joy. Joy dominates to a degree far above the others, making the best of every situation to the detriment of Sadness.
Riley's family moves from wintery land (I forget where but there was hockey) to San Francisco. With all the changes, Joy begins to lose control. Forcing the issue, her and Sadness are cast into the mind out of the control room. They must fight their way to get back, finding old imaginary friends and riding trains of thought. The movie's real clever.
The central theme of the movie is embracing sadness. It sounds like a bad theme, but it works. Throughout the film, Joy forces the issue. Hides behind platitudes and tries to protect old happy memories from turning sad. But then we learn without the sadness, how do we know about the joy? We learn depression is not the absense of happiness or overwhelming sadness, but a shutdown of all emotions. That the most dangerous thing the human mind has to fear is itself.
Also, it made me care about a goddamn thing monster called Bing Bong. So it's got that going for it.
It's hard to face sometimes a long ago childhood innocence. Saturday morning cartoons that looked so bright and shiny, staying that way in memory. Don't look back if you want that shine to last. Of course, others can look back and deconstruct and make you remember the best parts.
Very rarely does a book retain the ability to be interesting way before it wears out its welcome. The Nix keeps on going well into the night much like a library patron with just one last question ten minutes after you close. You want it to go, need it to be done, but okay, why not?
The image of standing in a square, a tall bride all in white, money piling up around her feet. The image of a woman at a piano, half naked, fans voices and her voice mixing in a chaotic chorus. The image of someone driving at night, listening to the story of an artist, throwing a newspaper at a deer because fuck that deer. Life is weird.
It's kinda breathtaking to realize that you are not smart enough to get something. Kinda takes the weight off. Just right off the bat, confronted with a title, I must admit defeat because I can't even spell Synecdoche, New York even though I just did.
Why did I think this movie was directed by Robert Rodriguez? Did he have something to do with it and I'm blanking out. I seriously thought this was the missing piece of the Rodriguez oeuvre that would tie everything together for me. As it stands, it did not tie anything together.
Man, where do loyalties lie, amiright? I mean, who can you trust when people have been stabbed in the streets and kidnapped in hotels? Maybe you stick with your baby daddy when he takes you for the home visit? This episode of Westeros Party Ponies shows everyone where they lie while the secrets keep coming.
How many movies are there about good police officers? Just regular people that just so happen to get involved in a story. I can think of just one: Only the Lonely starring John Candy that's a romantic comedy wherein Candy happens to be a Chicago police officer, a regular beat cop. Every other movie is about a crazy cop that doesn't play by the rules. Bad Lieutenant is the concentrate version of that police officer.
King's are made and broken and we learn that power is super fluid.
The bad ladies of accapella are back and we all understand how it is to be embarrassed, right?
You know if you like this or not so just go watch it.
When you can't get Jack the Ripper, get this guy.
The ballet ain't never been more crazy. But as long as you're talented, it's a thell of a good time.
Ned's bumbles, Jon meets Sam, Dany beats some asshole, and Catelyn and Tyrion meet up!
RIP Jerry, Johnny, and Francis.
Walking in the woods has never been so no. But yes, see it.
When you want to retell a classic story, make the villain the good guy and prove the hero was always a jerk.
Because Marvel! But it's also a super good movie with a complex bit of messages that snore Shit blows up real good.
When you can live forever by switching bodies, just sex and kill everything as much as you can. I think that's the point.