A Single Man

I spent the entire movie not knowing how I was supposed to feel. Most movies will tell you what you're feeling with music or camera angles or uncomfortable glances. Then you can choose whether you agree with that feeling or perception or part of the movie.

During "A Single Man," I sat cringing in my chair, not knowing what was happening emotionally.

The lack of emotional guidance, however, perhaps made the movie that much more wonderful. It's about a gay man who has lost the love of his life and decides to attempt suicide. The story is both heartbreaking and glorious, cliche and newly amazing.

All in all, I'd recommend seeing "A Single Man." Definite thumbs up.

P.S. I've seen so many good movies, lately. I'm starting to bore myself by saying every movie is good or wonderful. But, it's true. There are so many excellent movies out there, and I'm trying to see them all.

Daniel Schwarz

"Rather than being divorced from life, our reading experience -- if we read actively and with intelligence -- is central to life and contributes to the development of the mature personality. Literature provides surrogate experiences for the reader, experiences that, because they are embodied within artistically shaped ontologies, heighten our awareness of moral discriminations. Yet, I suggest, what distinguishes moral philophy from literature is its specificity, its nominalism, and its dramatized particularity."

"Literature calls upon us to respond fully, viscerally, with every dimension of our psychological and moral being."

From "A Humanistic Ethics of Reading" by Daniel R. Schwarz, included in the book Mapping the Ethical Turn

The Last Station

Helen Mirren gave an amazing performance in this movie.

I nearly cried by the end.

An awesome cast: James McAvoy, Anne-Marie Duff, Paul Giamatti, and, of course, Christopher Plummer

The movie itself is about the last part of Tolstoy's life: when he created his own sect, Tolstoyan. The film starts out with a series of bold claims about how amazing Tolstoy is, but the movie is good enough to make up for a few flaws.

"The Last Station" fails to mention to the audience, however, that Tolstoyan is actually a sect of Christianity, and that Tolstoy based his teachings largely on the Sermon on the Mount and the Gospel in general. Perhaps we're meant to infer this from the specific references to Christ and the basis of the religion in "freedom and love," but I felt vaguely as if the entire audience had been mislead. Tolstoy didn't create his own new religion, he took the principles he found in the Sermon on the Mount and founded a new way of living to glorify God in the best way he knew how. Whyever would director Michael Hoffman leave this out?

Either way, love that hat.

Burns' Day!

I do believe I did a post one year ago on the proper ways to celebrate when in Scotland.

Unfortunately, I am not located there at this present moment. And, apparently, in this country we celebrate by studying. Highly disappointing.

This month I am repeatedly wishing I were travelling again. Every few months like clockwork.

On that cheerful note,

Happy Burns' Day!

Eat some haggis, wear a kilt, and procure some scotch.

Upright Citizens Brigade Theater

You should go.

Turner (but not classic movies)

This weekend I went to NYC. Obviously, a few museum trips were included.

We did make the rounds at the MET, the necessary visit, but also included was a visit to The Frick, which only one in our small band of four had ever experienced.

While there, I fell in love with a new artist.

His name is Turner.

The Young Victoria

Emily Blunt never fails to amaze me. I love her more and more every time I see her in something. She has a fantastic accent, looks good in everything, and acted so well I was near tears at the end. All around win, I'd say.

This movie was directed specifically at a female audience, but, to be honest, it didn't bother me. It's still an excellent movie.

Oh, and the period castles and grounds and costumes are GORGEOUS.

Worst Dressed

At the Golden Globes last night, very few actors disappointed in their choice of clothing. My least favorite dress, however, had to be Kate Hudson's. Take a look for yourself:







The dress looks like fondant (that sugar thing they use on top of cakes to make fancy designs) with feathers poking out the top.



The structured look doesn't seem to work for Kate. At least, not in this form.



Not a fan.

Haiti

My very first year at college, my school sent me a copy of a book. Anxious to get to school, I read the book, trying to dissipate some of my nervousness of going away to a foreign land.


The book, shown below, was Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder.





This particular book happens to be extremely relevant this week. It's about Haiti. I'm sure everyone out there has heard about the tragic earthquake Haiti experienced.



In the book, Kidder details the plight of Paul Farmer as he attempts to bring medicine, water, and liveable conditions to poor towns. The stories are true, tragic, and hopeful. Recommended.

The Book Thief

I decided the best way to begin a morning is to sleep an extra couple of hours, wake up slowly, open the shades to sunshine, and finish a book. The book of choice this morning was The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

It's a painful and beautiful story about a girl living in Germany during World War Two, narrated by Death.




"Sentences were strewn everywhere. Words fooled her."

Gidget

Favorite movie of the week: Gidget.

The TV show is great and all, but the movie is sublime. And just the one with Sandra Dee. Not the second and third movies with other girls.

Just the first movie. "It's the absolute ULTIMATE!"