Into the Wild

As I've said before, I've always been a fan of adventure movies. So watching "Into the Wild" - a story about a young man rebelling against the status quo by giving his life savings to charity and trekking to Alaska to live in the wilderness alone - was quite a pleasure. Stunning cinematography, a touching story, great acting and commentary on themes such as freedom, forgiveness and materialism made this one of my top films of the year.

"When you forgive, you love. And when you love, God's light shines upon you."

"Rather than love, than money, than faith, than fame, than fairness... give me truth."

Once (again) / Lies

This is one of my favorite songs from the movie "Once." The verse chords and melody are simple, the pre-chorus is a little quirky, and then the chorus is flat out amazing. Great songwriting, great choice of lyrics. Enjoy.



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Now playing on Trev's iTunes: Glen Hansard - Lies
via FoxyTunes

Adventure and the Hero's Quest

Last year while watching Peter Jackson's retelling of KING KONG (starring Naomi Watts, Jack Black, etc.) I had a revelation: I love adventure movies.

In fact, if you recall, King Kong is broken into 2 main parts: the traveling to the island and discovery of all that lived there and then, later, the taking of King Kong back to the States. I found myself entranced with the first half and bored with the second. Star Wars, Indiana Jones, The Goonies, The Lord of the Rings, The Fisher King, 2001 - all stories that steal us away on an adventure.

There's something about discovery, magical lands, long journeys, and the process of uncovering the veiled that I find both primal and fascinating. Alan Watts talks about the zen concept of Yugen: "To watch the sun sink behind a flower-clad hill, to wander on and on in a huge forest without thought of return, to stand upon the shore and gaze after a boat that disappears behind distant islands, to contemplate the flight of wild geese seen and lost among the clouds."

And though I'm not always in this mindset, I've had fun in the past "playing" my day as though it were an adventure story: seeing each person I came in contact with as a fascinating character that would change the course of the story, looking on my environment as a magical place, taking on apathy, temptation or other distractions as dragons to be slain, and treating goals as if they were grails to attain.

It is for this reason that I've finally picked up Joseph Campbell's "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" (though I've read plenty of other of Campbell's work) and have begun making my way through it.

"A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man." (Joseph Campbell)

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Now playing on Trev's iTunes: Sting - I Was Brought To My Senses
via FoxyTunes

The Meatman Cometh ("Delicatessen")

One of the great things about Netflix is my ability to see films that I normally wouldn't go into a store and rent. Though this French Film (from the director of Amelie) is over 15 years old, I had never heard of it. Check this vid for the trailer to DELICATESSEN:



What a fun, delightful, atmospheric dark comedy. If you like Terry Gilliam movies such as Brazil, this is right up that same alley. The characters are outrageous, the sequences are fun and the comedy is creepy and fantastic. Though the entire movie is not this choreographed and goofy, here's one clip to give you a taste (pun intended):

Peaceful Warrior

My Netflix queue finally sent me a copy of Peaceful Warrior over the weekend. While admittedly I can see how casual viewers might dismiss some of it as cheesy fluff, if you remain open to it, there's some really good stuff in here. As Jon puts it "there is no movie I am aware of that more honestly and movingly shows what learning with an authentic spiritual teacher is like, capturing the traps, lessons, pains, and joys experienced upon the way." Though not perfect, Peaceful Warrior is a definite "see" for anyone interested in stories of spiritual awakening.

Dan Millman: Life has just three rules?
Socrates: And you already know them...
Dan Millman: Paradox, humor, and change.
Socrates: Paradox...
Dan Millman: Life is a mystery. Don't waste time trying to figure it out.
Socrates: Humor...
Dan Millman: Keep a sense of humor, especially about yourself. It is a strength beyond all measure.
Socrates: Change...
Dan Millman: Know that nothing stays the same.

In Select Theaters This Fall: AWESOMENESS

Ok, let me get this straight: a Wes Anderson film starring Jason Schwartzman about a spiritual quest in India? I can't think of three cooler things in one sentence.

Click here for the trailer to The Darjeeling Limited

Pan's Labyrinth

I finally saw Pan's Labyrinth (or more appropriately translated, The Labyrinth of the Faun) this weekend. A fantastic, yet grim and gruesome fairy tale for adults. If you're squeamish at all about violence, don't see this. But if you can stand it, this is a enchanted magical tale. For really well written reviews from fellow bloggers...

LOVED IT (by Jon)-or- HATED IT (by Darrell)

Fear and Hope

Saw the movie "Children of Men" the other night.

There are an awful lot of sources - from movies such as this to headlines about resetting the Doomsday Clock - that are pointing to a dim future and attempting to cripple us with fear.

Where are the light-bringers? Where are the stories of hope? Where are the encouraging voices?

Certainly issues need to be addressed. But as the old adage goes, "Where attention goes, energy follows." Let's start pointing our attention toward a positive future, shall we?

300

Here' ONE MORE movie trailer for you. Yesterday, I shared about the exciting new film "Pan's Labyrinth."

Then my brother-in-law clued me into this trailer: another visually-stunning work, although with this one, I would guess they'll earn their R-rating with some mega-violence. At any rate, it looks beautiful, whether the story will be or not. If movies keep being this aesthetically stunning, we're in for a very cool future in the world of film.

Pan's Labyrinth

How did I miss this? Where was the publicity? Is it because it's a "foreign film" with subtitles?

My buddy David tipped me off to a new movie, released in December, called Pan's Labyrinth. Rotten Tomatoes says: "Pan's Labyrinth is Alice in Wonderland for grown-ups, with the horrors of both reality and fantasy blended together into an extraordinary, spellbinding fable. Told through the eyes of a little girl whose imaginary world is inhabited by nightmarish creatures, Pan's Labyrinth is a visually imaginative and allegorical take on the fears she faced in Spain during WWII."

The reviews are GLOWING.

Do yourself a favor and log onto the movie's site (www.panslabyrinth.com) and then choose "VIDEO" and watch the "TRAILER."

As the trailer says, "In darkness, there can be light. In misery, there can be beauty. In death, there can be life."

Smattering of Art

Over the past few weeks, I have thoroughly enjoyed the following CDs/films:

MUSIC

1.) Give by The Bad Plus - I've had my eye on this disc for a few years, but just purchased it a few days ago. This acoustic jazz trio (piano/bass/drums) creates an interesting jazz/rock fusion that causes neither the jazz nor the funky rock to suffer. Equally avant garde, beautiful, humorous - you've gotta check out these "bad boys of jazz." I love it - my favorite new disc in a long time. (You won't believe their cover of Black Sabbath's Iron Man)

2.) Life Short Call Now by Bruce Cockburn - Off a recommendation by Hamza Darrell, I picked up this album on Sunday. Heartfelt and meaningful songs about everything from our culture's obsession with instant gratification to heartbreaking portrayals of the current state of Baghdad. I particularly appreciate the honesty and emotion of "Beautiful Creatures" which laments the loss of nature.

3.) The Ditty Bops by The Ditty Bops - Amanda and Abbey present an ecclectic collection of songs with beautifully harmonized voices, guitar, mandolin, hammer dulcimer and more. Amazon.com's review is pretty spot on: "They draw liberally on genres of yore, hopping from western swing to vaudevillian theatrics, jazz, and folk music." Such fun music, you can't help but being swept up!

FILMS

1.) Harold and Maude - Speaking of Hamza, it's funny that you would mention this movie recently, as I just saw it on Sunday night for the first time. A classic 70's movie that I finally got a chance to sit down and watch. What can I say? They just don't make movies like this anymore. Poignant, charming, beautifully shot, and as funny as anything I've seen. Instantly added to my top favorite movies list.

2.) Little Miss Sunshine - Speaking of quirky movies.... you really need to check out this newly released gem. It is almost exactly like I just described Harold and Maude: "Poignant, charming, beautifully shot, funny..." This road trip movie is not without its flaws and is rather predictable, but is quite the entertaining (and moving) ride along the way.

Dialogue from "I (Heart) Huckabees"

Did you get it?

Yeah, you stop thinking

Yes. It's fantastic.

It's like I'm here, but I'm not...

So, I'm not here. It-It's just...

I... I... I don't know. Do it one more time.

It's like I'm a rock or a dish of mold.

I'm whatever else is around. So I'm free to just exist.

This is the answer. We just have to be this all day, every day.

That's the answer.

Yes.

Do it again. Do it again.

Now.

Careful, my young students... you cannot stay in this state all day.

Why not?
- Yeah, why not?

It is inevitable that you are drawn back into human drama.

Desire, suffering... everything that exists in this imperfect world.

- Shit.
- So we get drawn back into human drama...

and how important we think that is.

Then we do crazy stuff. We have to go back to the ball...

so we can get the freedom of being like a... like a dish of mold.

Yes. And then back to the drama, the suffering.

- It's kind of a crappy deal.
- C'est exactement Ca.

An absurd theatrical we must play out, back and forth... from pure being to human suffering.

But isn't the drama and suffering less if we do the ball thing every day?

Don't call it "the ball thing." Call it "pure being."

Doesn't the pure being, ball thing make the day-to-day suffering easier?

- Yeah.
- Or, it doesn't.

You're wrong. We're gonna do this every day.

-We'll show you. It'll make it easier.
- I'll prove it to you

Human drama is inevitable. Suffering cannot be diminished. You cannot escape, Tommy.

You'll see. Existence is a cruel joke.. that entices in a form of desire.

- Absurd theater of desire.
- I know, buddy, it hurts. It's painful.

- Wait here.
- Where you goin'

To meditate on desire and suffering.

Can I come?

Okay.

"I'll be there."

I have never actually watched the classic movie "Grapes of Wrath," but our Pastor showed this clip at church on Sunday morning and the mystical dialog is just amazing.

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Ma: How am I gonna know about ya, Tommy? They could kill ya and I'd never know. They could hurt ya. How am I gonna know?

Tom: Maybe it's like Casey says: A fellow ain't got a soul of his own, just little piece of a big soul, the one big soul that belongs to everybody, then -

Ma: Then what, Tom?

Tom: Then it don't matter. I'll be all around in the dark. I'll be everywhere, wherever you can look. Wherever there's a fight so hungry people can eat, I'll be there. Wherever there's a cop beatin' up a guy, I'll be there. I'll be in the way guys yell when they're mad. I'll be in the way kids laugh when they're hungry and they know supper's ready and where people are eatin' the stuff they raise and livin' in the houses they build. I'll be there, too.

Jumbled Etceteras from the Life of a Diesel

1.) Check out this post on my wife's blog. Sweet!

2.) I saw-a the Borat movie on Mondays. Is varry nice! High fiive!

3.) I'm halfway through Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth.

4.) The Indianapolis Colts are kicking ass this year.

5.) My meditation practice has bit the dust for the time being. I'm staying up too late and enjoying sleeping in.

6.) (In slightly older news) The city that I live in put out a local artists Sampler CD and featured one of my tracks.

7.) My kid is way cute.