"Contact": Can You Hear Me God? It's Me, Chick-Fil-A.

In the summer of 1997, a film was released to mixed reviews. This film starred a top-of-her-game Jodie Foster and future-stripper  Matthew McConaughey both playing complete polar opposites on the topic of faith vs. science. Ms. Foster plays Dr. Eleanor "Ellie" Arroway,  a woman who studies radio transmissions from space in the hopes of listening to extraterrestrial life and McConaughey does fine work as a spiritual philosopher who happens to be of the christian faith. The film's catalyst is when Ms. Arroway begins to recieve strange noises coming from a distant little star called 'Vega'. This begins a large race to discover the origins of these foreign noises. Where does it come from? Do they come in peace? A dozen or so profound questions arise but still no answer.

This sounds very familiar.

For years, humanity has done everything within it's power to understand why we are here. We have created beautiful works of art, great marvels of science, and established thousands of religions, all with the purpose to answer this one question. We have also harmed and killed billions in that same pursuit. What does that say in our pursuit for the ultimate truth? Are we worthy of an answer? Everyone has an opinion, but as I've heard so many times before: opinions are like assholes, everyone has one.

There's an interesting principle that is mentioned in this film, 'Occam's razor'. It basically surmises that the simplest answer is the correct one. Let's rewind back a couple millenia ago, when all that was on this planet was nature, vast and pure without idealogy, and a few troglodytes. To them, it didn't matter where they 'came' from. What mattered was that they were hungry, they needed water, and a place to sleep. Fast-forward a few more years to a small region in the planet, barren and coated with sand. The desire to create became more prominent. It's at this point in the story that I'd like to remind the audience of an adage I hold to be self-evident: Ignorance is bliss. Somewhere in this desert some human being felt something different, a desire to explain the phenomena of pain, of attraction, of everything. He had to find an answer and he did. There had to be some entity in the clouds making it rain, causing the heat, providing the food. And our little desert man wasn't the only one. Thousands of people throughout time, created their version of god. There's an interesting fact in the development of story telling. Did you ever wonder why animals talk and have human features in our films and myths? Because humans have an inadvertent desire to put a face on concepts they don't understand. Humans needed a human face to place on this metaphysical calamity in order to make the concept of the unknown easier to understand. At the time, this was only logical. We needed this answer to move on any further from our cavemen-dwellings. This one philosophy created a domino-effect throughout time that made it possible for all humans on Earth to live the way they do now, regardless of whether it was christianity or islam. It didn't matter, there had to be a reason why we were here on this Earth.

 And is that wrong? Is that so much of a problem? Why do you believe this?

The movie 'Contact' delivers a great amount of suspense, of reasoning, why is it hard for some to believe and others so simple? Critics gave this film mixed-reviews. Uncalled for. They said the film didn't deliver and that the ending was a cheat. Ok, yeah the movie ends kind of sappy (it was the 90s!) but didn't deliver? It forces you to ask questions some may have never asked before.

Now before I drown you in anymore Carl Sagan/Terrence Malick-esque exposition, I'll unveil the reasoning behind this little philosophical ditty. I want to really ask you is why are you atheist? Why are you Christian or Buddhist or Muslim? Or simply why do you not care?

The uproar with Chick-Fil-A is basically our modern American version of a holy war. I hate to get all Westboro Baptist up in this place but it's true. Modern Americans don't fight in the streets like biblical times, we get angry on facebook over fast-food. Not exactly an Israeli-Palestinian conflict but our war gets a toy with every meal, so you know we're serious.

We know all about the far-right, who picket funerals and start fights with victims of a massacre. But what about the far-left, who yell at an employee of Chick-Fil-A over their organizations political leaning?

Former Lecturer/Corporate CFO Bullies Chick-fil-A Clerk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg-jzlWcc0E&feature=player_embedded

Seriously...seriously!?

The reason why people do this is because this, to them represents their futile attempt at an answer. Fighting over a celebrity or fast-food employee is their attempt to answering a simple, stupid question: why are we here?

A lot is being determined by this simple question, our right to marry who we want, our right to say whatever we so desire, our right to do what we want with our bodies. This is clearly a mistake. The way we 'believe' in something shouldn't be indicitative of how we should conduct ourselves on Earth. Of course, I understand the irony of saying this considering the fabric of our moral culture is based on spirituality but understand that this was developed a long time ago...in huts...with camels. When we grew to be more intelligent and fully-realized, we were so busy trying to develop theories and predictions when the truth is, it was all for a waste of time. Trying to find an answer in this universe is a waste of time. This goes out to all believers of faith and also non-believers, who are almost as elitist as a lot of the religious extremists. There is no reason or logic for you to raise a flag and declare your opinion the right one because we simply don't know. I say that 'trying' to find an answer is ridiculous because the answers were in front of us all along.

Fact #1: You will die. It used to be that you would live until your 30s but that's not the case anymore so be grateful that one day you'll be depressed you turned 40.

Fact #2: You don't know if there's a God or not, so why bother? Dude/Dudette, you think you have the right answer? You don't. I will simply call bullshit on this 'belief'. To say there is a God is ridiculous, and to say there isn't...is ridiculous. All you know is that one day you came out of a vagina that resembled a butcher's shop and now you're parked in front of a computer/phone reading me write out my opinions. Depressing, isn't it?

Fact #3: The earth has been around for a long, long time ago. Like imagine a number, any number, and then multiply by a number you have never heard of, that's how old the universe is, and the earth? It was a long ass time ago. Don't worry about it! You'll be ok! I don't know about your great-great-great-great (you get the picture?) grand children, but I know if things are ok, you quit smoking, maybe take the stairs once in a while, you'll turn out ok...or not. Either way, your life should feel like a final exam. Your timed and you don't get a long with some of the people in your class.

Fact #4: Humans are stupid. Sure, there's the odd one guy or girl, but overall people are stupid. Deal with it. It's never going to change. Ever.

Fact #5: People will believe in something. They have to. Yeah, I know what I said before. Why bother, right? Well, people bother because they care...a lot. Sometimes they care so much, they forget why they bothered in the first place. But there are those who need this for their lives and who are you to deny them that right?! Faith is probably the only thing they have left, and why is it so harmful? It's helped people through wars, through famine, through times of distress. So you took a philosophy class in community college and now you're going to Africa to tell a 5 year old in a missionary school that God is not real? Who cares? Leave people alone about your stupid philosophy class! Nobody cares that you think your opinion smells like roses :b
Fact #6: Ok, you know that first time you went to the amusement park and there was a crap-load of things to do and not enough time to do it? Yeah, your life is the amusement park. And the truth is your never going to do all the things you really want. That's why it's important that you stop reading...and do what you want. Because you will die, it could be now!!! Did you die? Ok, you survived...good. Don't scare me like that. Now go and stop wasting your time with fast-food, if it's so important to you eat somewhere else and fight for whatever you want. You don't need the calories, trust me.**

**Also you should watch the movie 'Contact'

Dear Hollywood #1

An open letter to Hollywood,

                This is an angry letter. So for those interested in a review for an interesting foreign film coming to a Redbox near you, please heed this warning! I am angry because as I grow older. Quality films are few and far between. Hollywood, that once divine land of cinematic milk and honey, has for the last few decades (I repeat, decades!) dumbed down our mass culture with sequels, prequels, remakes, and 3D orgies. That’s not to say that the 3D orgies are a bad thing, but let’s be real! How can one possibly excuse the latest Chipmunk sequel?? How many times can we possibly remake a movie before we forget what the original was ever about?! That’s why I’ve decided to take it upon myself to use this forum as a meditative tool to release my anger at the system that has taken and given me ever so much…

1.       NO MORE HOBBITS! Earlier this week, Peter Jackson announced that he was interested in turning the film adaptation of “The Hobbit” into a trilogy. Originally, the film was slated to be just one coherent unit. Once Harry Potter decided to split its last chapter into two films (a decision that makes reasonable sense considering the intimidating girth of the book), movie studios followed suit turning simple films and dividing them in half (e.g., Twilight, Hunger Games). I read “The Hobbit” when I was in middle school, I even saw the disturbing animated version (nightmares of the grotesque looking characters still haunt my dreams alongside the velociraptors from “Jurassic Park”). I always felt that the movie would serve its purpose well as one solitary movie. By splitting it into three parts, Peter Jackson and the money-hungry accountants he’s working with are making it plain that they are sacrificing their own artistic integrity into a cash-cow. Let’s be honest! Peter Jackson hasn’t made a good movie since “Lord of the Rings” (“King Kong” was all right but “The Lovely Bones”? “Tintin”? You’re kidding!). I can only hope that this gamble pays off. I wouldn’t be upset at an attempt to make lots of money if the product they were selling was good enough, I feel that dividing the films into three parts is just spreading the story too thin.

2.       UMMM THEY ALREADY FOUND ‘NEMO’!? Pixar announced that they were going ahead and developing a sequel to “Finding Nemo”. You hear that noise? It’s your childhood getting washed down the drain! Pixar, you’ve been scaring me lately. First you went sequel and made that horrible film “Cars 2”, then you went lifeless when you made “Brave” (It was a good movie, it just wasn’t a good “Pixar” movie). Now you got another sequel for “Monsters Inc.” coming next year and then another “Toy Story” film (You don’t know how many nights I stayed up worried that you would jump the shark on Woody and Buzz). Pixar!?! You used to be the mecca for animated films! “The Incredibles”, “Wall-E”, and “Up” are classic! What happened? Oh…right…you went corporate and now your adopted mother company, Disney, looks like it’s making more interesting films (see “Wreck-It-Ralph”). I know why this is! Andrew Stanton flopped with his film “John Carter” (slightly underrated, this is not your fault, Andrew!) and now he’s being pushed against a brick wall to save his career. Don’t do it! Really! You’re better than this! I just need to stop crying and relax…Just Keep Swimming, Just Keep Swimming, Just Keep…uh…aaaaaaargh!

3.       I’M DIZZY! PLEASE NO MORE SPIN-OFFS! Dreamwork Films is interested in creating a spin-off to the film “Despicable Me”. Remember the lovable minions? The ones that speak complete and utter gibberish?! Yeah, those morons are getting a movie. Ok, you know why certain characters work? It’s because we’re not drowning in their stories. Captain Jack Sparrow was a great character because he was not in every scene of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies but when he was the main character of the last film “On Stranger Tides”, he seemed absolutely boring! That’s because sidekicks, comic reliefs, and other interesting minor characters work well in small doses (that’s why the main character of movies are usually the least interesting thing in the movie!). Remember, “Puss in Boots”? Horribly done. How about “The Scorpion King”? Ugh! Ok, “Get Him to the Greek”, “Evan Almighty”, “Elektra”, “Wolverine”, the list goes on and on! I also hear rumors that Anne Hathaway’s character in “The Dark Knight Rises” might get her on spin-off! Umm, do you not remember? We did that already with Halle Berry, it was called “Catwoman”! That movie was also horrible!

Ok, Hollywood! Now you hear what I have to say, you can either take it or leave it. It’s really up to you. I hope you remember my words when your movie bombs at the box-office and you wonder why!

Sincerely,

A Fan of Movies

"The Dark Knight Rises" and the Aurora Theater

                As with most Christopher Nolan films, “The Dark Knight Rises” begins with an intricate and well-executed action sequence that rivals anything we’ve seen prior in films. This may seem like an overstatement but I can assure you it’s not. I can also assure you that “TDKR” is a riveting critique on mortality, social upheaval, and the demands of being a Hero. In the film, Bruce Wayne, Gotham’s answer to Howard Hughes, is slowly drawn out of retirement to help defeat a villain brilliantly played by a wholly-unrecognizable Tom Hardy. As Bruce Wayne prepares for battle, he quickly dawns upon new realizations that the game has changed and that he needs to quickly answer a question that he has dogged for some time: Why am I the one to carry Gotham’s burden? The film answers some very heavy questions and at a breezy three hour running time, Nolan has managed to conclude his Magnum Opus with aplomb. Batman die-hards will want to know whether this film rivals the previous Batman effort “The Dark Knight” and to this I answer “No but it’s still a great film”. The difference between “The Dark Knight” and “The Dark Knight Rises” is too many. For one thing, “The Dark Knight” deals with society in the face of anarchy and unrelenting terrorism as well as testing Bruce Wayne’s dedication to the limits, whereas “The Dark Knight Rises” deals more with Bruce Wayne proving his worth and re-establishing himself as the hero we wants to be for others and for himself. Christian Bale provides a simmering tone that plays to Batman’s mysterious nature. Kudos must be given to Anne Hathaway who manages to create a three-dimensional character with pathos and enough tenacity to make a pussy purr. Tom Hardy excels as one of the most sinister and eloquent villains since Hannibal Lector. The film is a satisfying book-end to one of the most popular trilogies of all time and it leaves you wanting more (that ending!) but you have to respect Nolan for wrapping it up in the way he did, before Hollywood goes and ruins it.

                During a midnight screening of “The Dark Knight Rises”, a small movie theater in Aurora, Colorado was attacked by a lone madman and several people were shot and killed. News crews rushed to the scene and the attacker was quickly imprisoned (as of this time, the attacker has yet to make any specific statements as to why he did what he did). Only one or two days later, Lobbyists for both Gun and Anti-Gun Control raised their voices and a swarm of opinions inundated every radio, newspaper, and website. Critics blamed the filmmakers of the “The Dark Knight Rises” for creating such realistic and violent material. If all this sounds familiar, the city of Aurora is located a few miles from another small town you may have heard of…Columbine. Only a few days after the massacre, The Westboro Baptist Church, that of picketing the funerals of soldiers fame, declared a “mega”-picket around the prayer vigil for the fallen who passed away that awful night (the church also praised the attacker for killing those “unworthy of God’s love”). Now with all this said and done, I have only to say that opinions are like assholes, everyone has one. No matter how many theorists believe that the attacker was “brainwashed” by the violence of the Batman films, the fact remains that the attacker was alone in his doing. He knew that he would be the only to carry out this task and that’s only because the fabric of our society is so strong to not allow what happened to happen. This boy was not part of our society, he was someone who didn’t have the fortitude and knowledge to realize that he had a problem. Instead, he watched a movie that resonated with him because he identified with a character that was also not part of society. To those critics who say that the movie’s violence influenced the killer, I can only point to the Bible and even other cases of massacre that can, in theory, influence someone else to murder if they so wanted. To those who say that there is no need for more Gun control, I can only say that guns come in all shapes and sizes, some for hunt and some to not only kill a person but to wreck every other working part of that body. In America, you are not allowed to kill anyone but instead you are allowed a large array of weapons that can determine how horribly you could kill an individual. In essence, everyone has a valid point but not the answer. This attacker did what he did because he was not included, he did not feel responsible to other individuals. Whether we like it or not, We are responsible for the lives of our neighbors. When we drive, when we wait in line, when we go shopping, we are always responsible for the lives of others. That is why when the attack happened, three boyfriends saved their respecting girlfriends. The Batman films deal with becoming Heroes and perhaps the saddest irony of all was that the greatest hero wasn’t in the movie but in the theater.

"Catfish"

There are very films that talk about the issues that the "Millenial" Generation (Those who are born or grew up after the year 200) have had to deal with. The only film that truly comes to mind is "The Social Network", a film about the origins of Facebook. In that film, and this one, our protagonist is consumed by social networking and the way they deal with how their online profile should reflect their actual lifestyles. In "The Social Network", Mark Zuckerberg wanted to be portrayed as the Citizen Kane of Social Networking, when in fact he was just a young, nebbish college drop-out. In the pseudo-documentary "Catfish", Yaniv Schulman is a twenty-something living in New York who develops an online relationship with a woman living in Michigan. As the romance blossoms, questions begin to arise. Where does she live? Why does she lie about pawn off other people's music and takes the credit for it? Who is this girl really? As you watch this film, you will undoubtedly pose many hypothesis' and come to your own judgement. The true charm of the film lies in the amount of surrealist suspense developed by first-time directors, Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, who make you question reality as much as cyber-reality. The film's surprising and fascinating final act will leave you reeling but, in a way, also a bit disappointed as the pacing of the film changes like the drop of a hat into a saccharine expose on repressed American existance. This film is an interesing critique on how the new generation of facebook-junkies are developing another reality far from their own to horrifying effect but I could only wonder (SPOILER ALERT) if the relationship developed between the two main characters could have been at some level true? Even though the characters were a victim of false reality, they must've shared some intimate moments. Even though the follies of social networking brought them apart, It was the only way to bring these two people together.