Revisiting the Movies of 1952: Singin' in the Rain

With the end of the silent film era came the end of many careers, and although recent Best Picture winner The Artist depicts this change in medium as well, it was not the first to do so. Gene Kelly directed and starred in this timeless musical that follows a famous silent film star, Don Lockwood, as he works with his best friend, Cosmo Brown (played hilariously by Donald O'Connor), to remain relevant as sound is added alongside films.

First of all, O'Connor is a comedic genius in this film. His slapstick antics during his song "Make Them Laugh" are memorable and his chemistry with Kelly is on pace, especially during their duets such as "Moses Supposes". Kelly's actor has a false relationship with his constant costar, a diva with a horrid voice (which produces gutbusting results when they do their first "talkie"), which caricatures both old and modern Hollywood relationships, but when a woman with a great voice begins dubbing over for the diva, Kelly begins falling in love with her (played perfectly by Debbie Reynolds) and the best romantic parts of the movie happen between them.

In the end, Singin' in the Rain isn't incredibly deep or moving, but it's 100 minutes of classic fun, music, romance, and one incredibly soaked song. Enjoy!

P.S - If it's not already available at your local library, check out Singin' in the Rain on Amazon to:

1) Rent digitally for $2.99.

2) Buy on Blu-ray for $13.36.

3) Buy on DVD for $7.42.

4) Buy digitally for $9.99.

P.P.S. - Sadly, I have not yet seen High Noon, The Greatest Show on Earth, Ikiru, or The Life of Oharu, so they did not make the cut for best film of 1952.

In Memorial

A nation begun from war.
Revere the messenger who brought the word;
His purpose fulfilled to they
Who relied on his diligence and heard.

We remember the men who,
Amidst bombs bursting and rockets' red glare,
Raised a tattered flag to show
Freedom of a country would still be theirs.

Men who braved the wilderness
In search of many lands and oceans wide.
Who gave their lives for a fort,
Whose name would rally a land to great pride.

But do not forget those who
Were first warred upon and destroyed wholly;
Those who gave their loves and lost,
Lost their homelands to wars numbered forty.

We honor fallen brothers
Killing and shooting their own countrymen
For freedom of truly all
And a chance for us to begin again.

Do not forget those who died
For the conquest of rocks and leaves in seas.
The islands that became foes
And joined those whom we name our enemies.

Remember French countrysides
Bathed in bloody metal, trenches and fears
Where nine million fallen
Shout: "Don't let our warning fall on dead ears!"

But the world did not listen,
And let hatred fester in their hearts yet.
Remember the slaughtered ones
Torn asunder, shredding a continent.

Beaches of ash, soot and smoke;
Soldiers slain even before they left seas.
Honor their great bravery,
Dying for liberty of all countries.

Commemorate those who fought
To free the south of another nation,
And the many later lost
To jungles of insanity and sin.

Remember deserts and forests
Far away but still in chaos and screams.
Honor those who return home
And those who come beneath a flag of dreams.

Embrace those left here with us;
The parents and children, husbands and wives.
Whether longing or mourning,
Love them in the lonely time of their lives.

Respect the long since finished
Among us every day and everywhere.
Remember what they've endured;
Listen to them when they decide to share.

Regardless of politics,
Or religion, gender, race or belief,
Remember those who gave all
To lands of the brave and homes of the free.

Ginseng for the Soul #10

Be happy. Buy cars. Go to church. Play games. See movies. Enjoy you–BUY OUR PRODUCT–rself. Take a trip–WITH OUR NEW– Be happy. c) RDB #twisp

— Robert D Beltran (@Pathos103) April 28, 2013

Groaners (Braaaaaiiinssss)

Q: When do zombies go to sleep?
A: When they are dead tired.

Q: Why did the zombie ignore all his Facebook friends?
A: He was still digesting all of his followers on Twitter.

Q: Where do zombies eat dinner?
A: The living room.

Q: Why do zombies make good ringtones?
A: They produce lots of sound bites.

Q: How does a zombie introduce himself?
A: Pleased to eat you.

Q: What's a zombie's favorite dessert?
A: I scream.

Q: Why does a cemetery have to keep a fence around it?
A: Because people are dying to get in.

Q: What kind of candy do zombies hate?
A: Lifesavers.

Q: What do zombies say before a fight?
A: Do you want a piece of me?

Retrospection 5/18-5/23/15

Here we are, at the edge of summer. Can you make it one more week? Perhaps more? I'm ready for it to stop raining....



5/18: Ginseng for the Soul
A poem reflects on the redness of nature while a man decides he doesn't want to work for 7-UP anymore.

5/19: 451 Kindlings
Let's see just how good Robert Galbraith's first novel, The Cuckoo's Calling, really is. Oh, wait, Galbraith is J.K. Rowling?!

5/20: Nada

5/21: Throwback Thursdays
Let's continue Revisiting the Movies of 1951 with the sci fi classic The Day the Earth Stood Still.

5/22: The Should, the Could and the Empty
Oscar Isaac and company dominate the screen in Ex Machina, the newest AI sci fi thriller.

5/23: Nada (went to see a man about a monkey)



So much science fiction this week! That's fine, and that's all she wrote, if what she wrote was murder....

Ex Machina: The Should, the Could and the Empty

Expecting Tomorrowland here? Me too, but it has bombed so hard in reviews that I decided to turn my attention to a different science fiction film released earlier this year.


Almost all movies about artificial intelligence use the simulated sentience as a platform with which to debate what it means to be human. 2001: A Space Odyssey used HAL to postulate that the survival instinct transforms a machine into a living thing. Her used Samantha to show that love is what makes us human, and it's a very strong force (Interstellar said something similar without using AI). But in Ex Machina, we look into how a human thinks, not what they think. So, what does it mean to be human?

First-time director Alex Garland does an outstanding job in setting up a very personal and claustrophobic film that focuses essentially on only three people: Caleb, a smart coder who is brought to an isolated facility to perform a Turing test on an AI; Ava, said AI who shows interest in Caleb beyond their small talk during the tests; and Nathan, a genius who designed the world's biggest search engine (called Bluebook, obviously referring to Google) and Ava. All three actors performed brilliantly in this film, each bringing many layers to the subtle surface of their characters. Oscar Isaac in particular (playing Nathan) blew me away with his mixture of social ineptness, alcoholism, intelligence, and a chilling sinister feel that made me debate whether he was bad or good. Domhnall Gleeson also did very well as Caleb, a man caught between two warring factions: the creator and the created. Then Alicia Vikander plays Ava perfectly: an innocent AI who is discovering her love and sexuality while Caleb must struggle with his own desires and Nathan just watches. Much like Foxcatcher last year, the three leading actors bring their A-games to this film.

Because this story takes place within a remote facility, it can be a bit slow at times, but the music keeps the suspense driving. If I could only use one word to describe this film, it'd be Atmospheric. The environment is haunting in a too-clean experiment kind of way (like the video game Portal), the characters all seem to have ulterior motives, and suspicion and paranoia dominate much of the film. I loved the screenplay, which included a few twists and turns but also had great dialogue about the human condition (a scene where Caleb describes Mary in a Gray Box was especially well done). The cinematography is very relaxed, taking its time, which I enjoyed but might turn others off. I will say there are several scenes of graphic nudity (although nothing is happening, much like people posing for an art piece) and Ava's sexual design plays a role in the story. But that should not turn anyone looking for a cerebral film, or just a great old-school sci fi. This is my second favorite film of 2015 (very close behind '71, which I will review once it becomes available to see again).

Verdict: Anyone old enough SHOULD see this film as soon as possible. Oscar Isaac is my pick for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar (ha!) this year so far.

Revisiting the Movies of 1951: The Day the Earth Stood Still

I could take the easy route and put The African Queen, An American in Paris, or A Streetcar Named Desire, but I have not yet been able to see those (though they are all on my list!). Next up would be Alice in Wonderland, but I honestly don't care for it. So we are left with a classic science fiction film, The Day the Earth Stood Still.

Robert Wise directed this classic about an extraterrestrial visit from a flying saucer, from which a humanoid alien named Klaatu begins to walk among us and learn about us. His first interaction with us results in a gift from him to us being destroyed when a soldier shoots him, causing his ominous (and iconic) robotic companion, Gort, to destroy all guns nearby. In an equally ominous ending, a temporarily resurrected Klaatu (after being murdered by military) warns the human race that they can either join other planets in peaceful conversation, or be reduced to ash if they continue their violence.

The film acts as a recognition of humanity's violent nature, and a warning that our brutal reactions to the unknown will eventually be our undoing. It shows how animal-like and feral we can become when we let our fear control us. Sadly, it also depicts a government that seeks to control information by force. The Day the Earth Stood Still brings us a classic science fiction with androids, flying saucers and disintegrating beams, but it also reminds us of where we were over 60 years ago during the Cold War, and sadly how little progress we have truly made.



P.S. - Time to re/discover this classic? Amazon (or check another provider) has it available to:

1) Rent digitally for $2.99.
2) Buy on Blu-ray for $13.37.
3) Buy on DVD for $6.53.
4) Buy digitally for $12.99.


P.P.S - Remember your local library has films as well!

The Cuckoo's Calling: 451 Kindlings

For a first-time novelist, Robert Galbraith really surprised me with The Cuckoo's Calling. This thick and convoluted crime fiction mystery follows Cormoran Strike, an Afghanistan veteran living in London....

Okay, I can't do this review seriously without first acknowledging the elephantitis in the room. Robert Galbraith is simply a pseudonym for J.K. Rowling, who wanted to see if her writing was still considered great when her fame was removed from the title. I grew up reading Harry Potter, so that bias should be considered when reading this review. If you did not like the Harry Potter series or her style of writing, then this book will not be for you. What made Harry Potter so great was not only the story and wonder-filled world; it was the characters and their interactions with each other. The conversations, small little side ventures together, and many, many interesting and fleshed out characters are what makes Rowling's prose so fun to read, and she removes herself from the story completely, allowing the reader to immerse themselves in the story (unlike other great writers, like Cormac McCarthy, who use their prose for beauty). That being said, The Cuckoo's Calling is a very good novel in its own right.

Continuing a brief synopsis, Strike is a Londonian veteran who is missing a leg but never lets it interfere with his life. He is a private investigator who is assigned a receptionist, Robin, from London's job placement, and she quickly adapts to his work and shows genuine interest in what he does. A wealthy man, John Bristow, hires Strike to investigate the murder of his adopted sister, a famous supermodel named Lula Landry. Her death was ruled a suicide, but Bristow wants Strike to investigate nonetheless, suspecting something more sinister going on. The story then quickly becomes a lot of dead ends and red herrings, with seemingly nothing connecting together. As the story progresses however (very much like Harry Potter), small details and disconnected events begin to come together and finally result in a big reveal that honestly surprised me. If for nothing more than the mystery, this novel would be worth a read.

But what captivated me was not so much the mystery as the characters. Strike is a very complex man, hiding his prosthetic leg and doing his best to appear normal while also trying to live on an extremely tight budget. He and Robin also develop a mentorship that definitely hints at signs of attraction, resulting in some tense situations, but it doesn't progress very far because of Robin's engagement (for which she moved to London) and Strike's recent breakup. Robin goes through relationship strife with her fiancé due to working for Strike and placing herself in danger, and not settling down into a traditional role where she is submissive to him. Meanwhile, Strike has had essentially a lifelong on-off relationship with his ex-fiancée where she repeatedly cheated on him, and after the most recent episode, he finally left her. These very different relationship issues further cloud Strike and Robin's relationship with each other, and I honestly look forward to how it progresses in the future (I will post a review of The Silkworm, the next Strike novel, within a few months).

In summary, I highly recommend this more mature novel to all grownup Harry Potter fans and crime mystery fans. Rowling is at the top of her game with her characters, and although the story has some clichés, it was still an absorbing read (much like Harry Potter where it is incredibly difficult to put the book down because you're too interested).

Best Print Edition: Amazon, Paperback, $13.75

Best Electronic Edition: Amazon, Kindle, $10.99