eyes wide open

I really liked reading and discussing Eyes Wide Open. I wish that we could have spent more time on it. I feel like there are so many things that could be discuessed still.

For example...

In chapter four Romanonski says that "under normal circumstances people go to the movies FULLY aware that they are allowing themselves to be drawn into the world of film."

I think it's so funny how people desire to be a part of the film world, yet are content with only watching it instead than taking part of it. The movie screen provides a kind of barrier that separates us from the film world and makes us invisible.

But I think that's how we would prefer it. I saw Obsessed this weekend, and although the drama was entertaining to watch, I can't say that I would want that to be my life. There was no point at which I thought, "Man, I wish that was me." The entirety of that particular film was all based on lust and lies. Sin is always intriguing and fun for a little while, but it always ends badly.

In the book it is said that the theater has an important role in shaping society. Some people do take this principles of deceit, lying, and pretence into action in their own lives. I have a friend who feels the need to live her life like a soap opera. The more her life is like a movie or a magazine article the happier she is. This is a lot of the reason why church leaders have distain for the theater.

just sit back and enjoy the ride

We covered a lot of ground in our last discussion. Bruce Springsteen was the main focus as we talked about chapter eight, but I still feel like there was a lot more to be seen in that chapter.

One concept in particular that stuck out to me was that "most films depict a world in which God is absent or non-existent."

I never realized that before. I think one of the reasons the idea of God irritates society so much is that, if there IS a God, then there is a being that is not limited by human merit. Our thoughts and ways are not God’s thoughts and ways, and bo human being can foretell consequences like God can.

Not being in control, and being left out of the loop really drives people crazy. People of all ages for that matter. I remember riding in the car as a kid and my mom would turn a different way than we normally would go to go home. I would always ask her, "now where are we going?" But she would just say, "Can't you just sit back and enjoy the ride?"

I couldn't just sit back and enjoy the ride, I had no idea where we were going! She wasn't giving me all the information, and I couldn't stand it. Movie-goers are the same way. I hate going to the movie theater with the kinds of people that like to verbalize what they think is going to happen next in a suspenseful film. They can't wait to find out if they were right or not. The murderer was in fact the next door neighbor!

Just "sitting back to enjoy the ride" is not a part of human nature. We are always trying to tie up loose ends, answer unanswered questions, and resolve unresolved mysteries.

time changes everything

In Dr. Miller's class we're learning about World War I, and he showed a clip from the movie Gallipoli. It was the ending scene where Mel Gibson's character was running from the camp to the trenches with an urgent message to saying not to have his troops attack, because they were so outnumbered. Before he returned his commanding officer was on the wire with another higher powered official telling him to continue with the attack.

This is one of the many climaxes throughout the movie, but at this particular moment I found myself laughing a little because of one of the lines. The commanding officer couldn't hear the order and kept saying, "Hello? Hello? Hello?!" My friend turned to me and said, "Can you hear me now?"

It was so inappropriate to be laughing at this moment, but the correlation between that particular line and the Verizon commercial made it funny. Peter Weir, the director, probably never imagined back in 1981 that he would have to worry about a cell phone commercial destroying the intensity of his scene.

Time changes everything, including media. Interpretations, symbols, signs, and meanings in culture and society can all be changed due to the time period.

Media repeats itself

In 1992 Sir Mix-a-Lot's single "Baby Got Back" was a number-one hit that went double platinum and won the 1993 Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. MTV aired the video for "Baby Got Back," but only during the evening hours because of its supposed sexual nature.

Within the past couple weeks this Burger King commercial aired during day-time T.V. featuring a different version of the same song.



Friday morning the Today show discussed the controversy behind this commercial. What was once only allowed to be shown in the late evening is now featured in the middle of the day with the popular Nickelodeon cartoon character, SpongeBob.

"Baby Got Back" was such a popular song in it's time, and it still is very well-known. It has been 17 years since it was originally written, and there are continually remakes being made.

Media always continues to reinvent itself.

Hannah Montana.... not normal.

While I was cleaning I had the T.V. turned on, and being a Saturday afternoon there wasn’t much on. I had E!’s True Hollywood Story on. For whatever reason, I’ve seen about every THS they’ve aired. Today it just happened to feature Miley Cyrus.

Now, Hannah Montana’s fan base is huge, and most of them are pretty intense fans. I would consider the typical Hannah Montana fan to be a bit obsessive. On this THS they showed clips of different people performing ridiculous acts in contests trying to win tickets to her sold-out show. One guy kept his hand on a 13-foot statue of Miley for six days in order to win a pair of tickets. Some dads dressed in drag and raced their little stiletto-wearing selves down a track to the finish line. Moms and Dads alike camped outside radio stations for days in hopes they would win tickets for their kids. This is my definition of “obsessive.”

I’ve never been one to freak out about any celebrity. If I like a musician, I’ll buy all of their CDs, go to some concerts, and add them on facebook or something. There are a couple T.V. shows that I absolutely love, and every week I am sure to tune in. I don’t see myself as being obsessive in my fandom…. Just normal.

Slumdog Millionaire

I had a friend tell me once that you know you saw a good movie when all you want to do is talk about it the next day.

Last night I saw Slumdog Millionaire, and it was a powerful movie. I went with a group of friends, two of which who were Indian. They’ve spent their entire lives here, but their dad didn’t come to America until he was an adult. A lot of the early scenes of the movie seemed to be dated further back than just within the last decade because of the amount of poverty. It was amazing to see the slums that families and children lived in. My two friends have been to India multiple times to visit relatives and they both said that India was just like that.

People go on mission trips all the time to third world countries and visit impoverished people. After watching the film I felt like I had experienced a mini mission trip. Some of the actors weren’t actually acting. The three young children in the have actually lost their parents due to anti-Muslim violence. I would adopt all of them right now if I could.

xanga.. what?

Back in the day I had a Xanga.

Wow. I remember how in 2006 Xanga was the thing to have. My friends and I would write blogs and leave comments back and forth on practically a daily basis, that is.. until Myspace became popular.

Then Tom created Myspace.

I didn't understand the thing. You could add pictures, and have friends, but what is so cool about that? Never did I imagine that the Xanga, which I loved, would be pushed aside to let in this new form of media based interaction.

But Facebook emerged!

I became thoroughly addicted to Myspace. Xanga what? It was about having the most friends and getting the most comments. If I didn't have a comment or message every day I was disappointed. I worked on Myspace like it was my job. Never did I imagine Facebook would become my new addiction. I had a facebook account for the longest time, but it was too comfusing, and technically I wasn't even in college yet (I was just doing post-secondary) so none of my really good friends were on it. But then one day, I decided to make the big switch and now Facebook is my life. I honestly love seeing those little red notification bubbles when I get on Facebook. It's like someone's telling me they love me. :) ahh.. But now.. I hear there's something new.

The Age of Twitter!

I don't even know what it is!? But Ellen DeGeneres, Tom Cruise, and MC Hammer have one, so it must be a big deal.

I say all that, to say this. Will there always be some form of media that aims to be bigger and better than the previous thing? Will it ever stop?

I seriously doubt it.