Dew Lists 2003 Movies

Movies

1. Anything Else - The movie was pretentious and honest, would you expect anything else from Woody Allen. It's a story of two New York Love Birds, one in love with being in love, the other in love with the thrill of having men love her. It's a must see that most did not.

2. Matrix III - Most will not agree but this movie was simply excellent. It had all the elements; drama, action, contempt, sacrifice and unconditional love. How could you not love it. It was far more simplistic than Reloaded and it left you fulfilled, even if the fulfillment was resentment.

3. Mona Lisa Smile - This movie pissed me off! For that alone it deserves it's spot on the list. I sat in the theatre lost in the characters and their choices (or lack there of). Julia Roberts played her character well but it was Kirsten Dunst that you kept your eye on waiting for her character to evolve. This story showcased the '50s woman, placing her in one of two threshholds conformed or confronted, sinner or saint. You hated to love it but it was all worthwhile.

4. X Men United - This movie was sick for lack of a better term. It set up what was dawned the Action packed summer. When Nightcrawler burst thru 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue as nothing more than a blue puff of smoke, you sat up in your seat and took notice. There was less character development and more action which is what you want from a comic remake; X-Men 2 more than delivered.

5. LOTR Return of the King - You knew it was here, you were looking for it. This movie capped off what will go down in history as one of the biggest epics to hit film - ever. Although not many movies will ever accomplish the task of dominating the book, this series definitely gives the adage a run for its money. I have not and more than likely will not read the books for LOTR but I will own and cherish the story for a long time. This movie picks up as Frodo and Sam get closer to Mordor, Smeagol has allowed his alter ego Gullom to overcome him once more and all mankind is still threatened by the all seeing eye.

When you actually witness the rise and return of the king you are filled with emotion. It touches you to see him reunited with his love especially after denying a well deserved suitress. The movie like Matrix III embodies all the necessities to wrap you in and not let go until the closing credits. The movie is long but the way the story is being told, to attempt to put you in the place of the character, the close-ups and monologues become necessary. I enjoyed the Trilogy, I will own them all on DVD and I will actually watch them over and over.

When a story leaves you wanting more, wanting to know the characters even after the story is over that is the mark of a well made film. Ladies and gentlemen you have my Top 5 of 2003.



Honorable Mention: Finding Nemo;Kill Bill

what music?

I know this may be an absolute shot in the dark but I am curious as to what you, yes you, consider 'good music? What elements of music make it good to you. I say this having read countless posts and news articles about good and bad music. Seeming as though something so abstract and so personal can not have a definitive formula, how can we say or dictate what good music is?

Right now I have in my travel case Jay-Z's the Black Album sitting literally on top of the Nancy Sinatra and Maroon 5. Neither of which complement the other but all of which says a lot about me.

Each record encompasses a different part of my spirit and attitude. Each touches me in a far different way. I love the sketchiness of Nancy Sinatra's Bang Bang. It reminds me of Nina Simone all over again. It's the words and the melodrama of her harmony that entices my earlobes almost bringing me to tears as if I'm a secret I can not let out.

Raw emotion, you have to love it.

I can listen to Jay-Z 'what more can I say' over and over and over because it epitomizes Hip Hop and lyricism. Its all about the attitude and that song embodies it:

And no I ain't get shot up a whole bunch of times
Or make up shit in a whole bunch of lines
And I ain't animated, like say a, Busta Rhymes
But the real shit you get when you bust down my lines
Add that to the fact I went plat a bunch of times
Times that by my influence
On pop culture
I supposed to be number one on everybody's list
We'll see what happens when I no longer exist
Fuck this

(What more can I say?)

It's the finest poetry. How you ask? Think of Emily Dickinson writing about poetry in a poem. This exactly what Jay is doing its all the same format just a different frame of mind. Its not so much what he's saying ( although it is) as how he's saying it. Think about being fed up. Think about proving a point to someone so obstinate that you step out of calm self and get down to the bare essentials. I've been there! I've done it! I have been placed in the position where I had to show I was a stepping mat and when I am forced t prove myself it doesn't come out squeaky clean, it comes out raw, so that there are no more misconceptions. Feel me?

Then there's someone like Maroon 5 who has Harder to Breathe and Tangled. And they give you edgy and gritty:

How dare you say that my behavior is unacceptable
So condescending unnecessarily critical
I have the tendency of getting very physical
So watch your step cause if I do you'll need a miracle

You drain me dry and make me wonder why I'm even here
This Double Vision I was seeing is finally clear
You want to stay but you know very well I want you gone
Not fit to fuckin' tread the ground that I'm walking on

Why do I like this? If you haven't noticed by now it's identity. I have been in a position where I have felt exactly like this, so in this case before anything else the lyrics remind me and then the music controls me.

In any case whether its because I identify, exemplify or just feel the beats on some level all three have to be possible in order for me to take a record in and nurture it as apart of my beloved collection.

There are always bigger and more profound questions. Why do you listen to music? Is it too dance? Is it to escape? Is it to enjoy? Art? Creativity? Are listening to melodies or lyrics? Are you passing time or capturing life? Or is all of the above?

I live music, it helps me write, it helps me think, it helps me live. I see every side and each point of view. I feel as though every new song is a new experience and I appreciate that almost like a mini story. I revel being witness to it. I take what I can from each song and move on or stay and stay and stay and stay until I have worn out my welcome or the record whichever comes first. Because I am a music lover, it does become an extension of me. I feel the pings and stabs when people blast Eminem because I identify with him. I understand why he is presented the way he is (because I don't know him I can only assume a presentation). So when they down him they down that part of me that understands him. Maybe for some it's not that serious and for others this is only scratching the surface but I can only dictate what music is to me. What about you?

Rap this up

I was mildly doing my daily search for interesting posts over at my home Blogcritics when I came across a post I had commented on previously. The post in general is about Eminem's Hate-Rap which most would say is redundant, I say it is cliche. At any rate, the comment below sparked my anti-bullshit radar so let's just skip the preludes and roll camera:

eminem is a commercialised piece of sh*t. if you believe that his lyrics have deep sentimental value then u r blind, fooled by the music industry promotion machine. CONTROVESY = CASH. eminem is ruled by the almighty $. if eminem is as 'real' as he says he is then why the f*ck is he faking popping pills on stage? if he is so 'real' then pop pills 4 real dont promote it cuz its not big and its not clever. mr.mathers sir, to put it nicely, YOU SUCK!

#39 It has always amazed me how success equals selling out. It amazes me when people say 'oh now he got a little money and he's moving out of the hood.' Isn't that the point? If I didn't want to stay there when I was broke why would I want to stay when I am rich? The issue isn't me the rapper changing its the stationary position of the person who is 'hatin'.

We should revel in the fact that controversy equals money when it stops being controversy that means I, as the rapper, have lost my edge and I have started to blend in.

Eminem specifically had trouble with his mother before he had the spotlight. He also was a rampant drug user before stepping into the spotlight as well. Your problems don't change because your records start selling. They increase and become exposed to millions of people instead of immediate family. Your life becomes public property and if you were an asshole in private enter publicity and you have an asshole in public. So how would you chose to handle the pressure? You can lie about it but what's done in the dark most certainly comes to the light. In Eminem's case he chose to exploit his fault instead of denying them. Hell his faults are what fuel his creativity. But people on the outside see money first, so everything becomes a factor of finance.

I am not naive in thinking all entertainers are innocent. But what does it say about the opposing audience that blames everything on money? Money isn't the focus of every artist but if that's all you (the audience) take from them then it's your focus. Get a life!


*******DISCLAIMER: I have every intention of one day becoming one of these sell-outs haters rant over and I want it properly documented that I was a shallow asshole far before I made my first million. "I'm ready for my closeup Mr. Demille"**************************

The way of the world

I have been bogged down with the process of being me (not to mention school and work). Currently I am helping my mom work on a project... ok screw that I have more important things in mind. There are two people not in my life that I miss but I am absolutely to hard headed to approach tham about it. Let me clear this up first. 1) I dont have many people in my life for a reason 2) I am tad bit anti social and generally, stupidity and miscommunication upsets pisses me off 3)I enjoy solitude and people who understand me and understand that when I care for them my anti social ways take a back seat to quality time with them.

Having cleared that up. I haven't spoken to two friends (and no I do not use the term loosely) in almost two months. The fact that it has been two months for both of them is strictly coincidental. One, the guy, I do not expect to hear from and though I miss him, it is best that we do not ever speak again. Its one of those situations where we crossed boundaries and it did not work out for the best. Therefore the space is necessary in order for us not to be continuous distractions to each others' lives. The fact that he has moved to another state aids our issue tremendously.

The girl, on the other hand, is a different story. I bought her a Christmas gift already. One I can't return. *****Below is a revealing account of how shallow I can be. If superficiality, stubborness and obsessive compulsive behavior erodes your every nerve than you should stop reading here*********************** Now my problem begins that I have every intention of giving her these gifts. But I physically can not give them to her. How shoddy would it be for me to mail them or send them thru her bestfriend (an issue we will address later). I do not know what is going on where she is (in life) or what she has gone thru. I remain concerned for her and her well being as well as her family although she would more than likely beg to differ.

***Sidenote: I am a very objective person that does not mean I do not recognize fault I just dont think fault and judgement go well together. For example, I may think of you as an ass and in most cases I will find a very polite non-threatening way to in fact let you know: you are an ass. That does not mean I am judging you in the sense of saying you are an ass and I am not, quite the opposite. Most things I spot in other people only because I have witnessed them first in myself. Hopefully you are keeping up because this rides makes no stops for pick ups, jump on where you can and jump off when you can no longer keep up. Ironically, thats my life as well. ***********

I can only explain my end of the story as I understand it since she will not allow me to understand hers. But I pissed hurt her with a post about her religion here on my blog. Reminder: My Blog - where I release, almost a diary of sorts. A place where I can come and share these thoughts with myself if noone else. Mind you we have had similar issues with an online diary but I digress. Now what gets me is that she is hella (yes hella) passive-aggressive. Meaning instead of actually admitting that what she read hurt her she simply avoided the situation altogether. You know what I do not feel like kicking a dead horse just understand: there were issues.

At any rate the way things goes is that she gets hyper withdrawn and normally I would take the high road and not let her have it (slanguage: coddle her out of withdrawal). Sidenote 2: Mind you as I type this my mind asks what if she reads this? I take another chance of further pissing hurting her and by my continuance of explanation does it imply I do not care? No, but I feel the need to release these feelings, that is the purpose of expression. I safeguarded as much as I could in this friendship I can give no more than you ask for. You asked for nothing. I, on the other hand, asked for plenty: respect, understanding, honesty, truthfulness and inclusion to name a few. All these I assumed were a silently stated part of friendship.

Which leads me to question why do I invest so much effort in salvaging this friendship? Because I care and that is enough for me. All it takes is caring. I believe (strongly I mightly add) that when you care for someone there is no such thing as abandoning them. On the downside of that it takes an act of congress for me to care. I mean care, not like you, not adore you, not concern myself with you, not think you are nice, not think you are smart, not think you are okay, I mean care for you in the genuine since of family and friendship.
********* If you have made it this far you deserve a cookie************


What is the point of all this incoherent dribble? I miss my friends both of them. And such is life when the opportunities and instances get in the way of enjoying this existence and sharing it with people you are bonded to, despite the reason you are bonded to them. We only have purpose here when we create purpose so there is no reason to sit dormant and not grab every chance to live and love.

Funny I can see that and yet I still have not made any attempt to rectify my situations which leaves me conflicted, convicted and utterly hypocritical.