I’m in love … with Begin Again

I will try to describe my love for this movie. Have you ever read a book, seen a movie or heard a song that found the right place in your heart? This is what this movie has been for me. I saw this movie recently on Blu-ray. I know what you might be asking, Melissa if this movie is so wonderful why are you just seeing it? Well most movies like this only play at one theater where I live for a limited time. And if you happen to be working the release weekend it will be a bit too late because it will have only shown once. Sorry for the side rant, where was I …

Begin Again is written and directed by James Carney, and stars Mark Ruffalo, Keira Knightley, James Corden, Hailee Steinfeld, Adam Levine, Catherine Keener and CeeLo Green. When I first saw the preview I wanted to see it because I think Mark Ruffalo is a wonderful, authentic actor. And I also love James Corden who is a brilliant and funny actor. In all honesty, the entire cast is amazing. I could not see any one else playing these characters. Keira Knightley plays Gretta James a singer song writer who is discovered by Dan Mullihan (Mark Ruffalo).

PS: Knightley does her own signing in the movie. Speaking of singing, there is a song in the movie that I am in love with, Lost Stars written by Gregg Alexander, Daniel Brisebois, Nick Lashley and Nick Southwood. I love the Knightly and Levine version of this song. So I feel in love twice once with the movie and the second with this song. The lyrics are amazing. It’s like a poem. Just the beginning of the song fills a space in my heart, the space I was talking about earlier.

“Please, don’t see

Just a girl caught up in dream

And fantasies

Please, see me

Reaching out for someone

I can’t see”

Dan (Ruffalo) has sold most of his shares of his record label. So he has been forced out by his partner (Mos Def). So even though Dan is not able to sign anyone, Gretta decides she wants him to produce her album. One of the things I love about their decision is to record it all over New York. So no matter what happens, background noise mainly they will keep recording.

If you think the movie is going to have a cliché like Dan and Gretta ending up together, you are wrong. While they are making this album together they are helping each other. She helps him build a stronger relationship with his daughter (Steinfeld) which essentially helps him reunite with estranged wife (Catherine Keener).

So there is one small cliché (tiny, minor thing that does not ruin the movie at all) in the movie where Dave Kohl (Levine) who plays Gretta’s boyfriend meets someone else. She discovers this when he plays a song for her he write while in LA. Gretta knows him that well, that as soon as she hears the lyrics she knows he is singing about someone else. Dave tries to get Gretta back after she leaves a song for him on his voice mail. 

Yes, this movie is about how music can save you. But also about how two people can save each other and it does not have to be in a romantic setting. There are no words to describe how beautiful, wonderful, lovely this movie is. Okay those were some words but it truly is like one of books you read, or movies you see that you want to keep to yourself because it has filled you with so much joy you want to keep it to yourself and share it at the same time.

Random thoughts on things I’ve watched recently

Okay, so this is my second or so random thoughts blog. Today I thought I would share some stuff that has been on my mind. Just things that I’ve seen lately.

Did anyone see Book of Life? If you have not seen this, then you should. This animated movie was a breath of fresh air. When I first saw the previews I said aloud I have to see that. For one it is a Guillermo Del Toro production. And two it looks funny. Spoiler alert, it was funny. Whoever thought of using the song Just a Friend to help Joaquin serenade Maria was a genius. Well at least the people my age thought it was funny. All the song selections for Book of Life were great. I never thought I would hear Creep as a let me sing this song while no one is looking to express how I feel about us and my life song. Oh, third reason to see it the cast. Diego Luna, Zoe Saldana, Channing Tatum, Ron Perlman, Christina Applegate, Ice Cube, and Kate del Castillo.

Oh, another reason to see it is a brilliantly colorful story. Seriously when you look at the movie you have to view the screen from top from bottom because every scene is filled with beautiful art work. Oh, and the most important reason it shares the culture of Dia de los Muertos, and it does not talk down to the audience when it does. Anyone who loves learning about other cultures, or loves the creativity that goes into animated movies needs to see this movie.

There are a lot of great lines in the Book of Life. Like when the kids at the museum are listening to the story, and one of them says what are you doing to us we are just kids? Or when Candle Maker (Ice Cube) says today was a good day. I also like saying, Joaquin! whenever I’m about to do something awesome. Okay well more like I am about to read this book. Or, see a favorite movie, Joaquin!

Speaking of things you watch I have been binge watching Arrow Season 2 today. Can I say something if I can say something, when I saw Sara Lance I was like finally! Finally another girl who can kick butt. And is not like aw you have family problems, well let me make this moment about me girl. I say another girl, because the first being Felicity, who kicks IT butt. Although I don’t appreciate (and this is only my opinion) that brains does not equal beautiful thing or whatever I can’t be with someone who I might care about excuse. Then he says I love you in the season finale. That was confusing considering he has been with Sara the whole time. Don’t get me wrong, you’re my girl Sara, but if Oliver loves Felicity why not just not be with anyone? BUT then it turns out he was just doing that to trick Slade.

So my review of season 2: all this for a girl? Gee wiz. (And if you are wondering what girl, take your pick.) My apologies that sounded a bit snippy, but sometimes it’s all a little too much, I don’t know, brooding. Now that I think of it, I keep saying things like this happened and he did this. So I can’t I will not, not watch the show. What? This is a judge free zone. See that right there judge free. 

Hunger Games! Mockingjay Part I! Every preview that has come out I’ve been like don’t talk to me right now there’s a Hunger Games trailer on. There are a lot of moments in different previews where I have been gasping and saying that’s in the book! Well I yell that in my head because I am too excited about what I am seeing to verbalizing. I am looking forward to it because Catching Fire really captured the essence of the book and I think this movie will too. Speaking of the book I need to get started on my tradition of reading the book again before I see the movie. Two more weeks! Hunger Games!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Where do I go from here?

Okay, that was a bit dramatic. I have not written a blog, or done much online because of Ready Player One. This book. I’ve been reading this book for about two weeks. I finished it a couple of days ago. I know what you’re thinking … if it’s such a great book Melissa, why did it take you two weeks? I have reasons. Alright I admit it, it’s because when the book got dark, I was too depressed to keep reading it. (Hey! If people can feel that way about a tv show, I can feel that way about a book.)

My husband first read Ready Player One, then he told me about the book. We actually started listening to the audiobook before I started reading the book. The audiobook is read by one Mr. Wil Wheaton. Then I could not help it I had to read it. Darn you Wheaton’s voice, making me want to read things. Who am I kidding, I was going to read it anyway. But seriously Wil Wheaton does an amazing job.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline has been out since 2011, so I don’t think there will be any spoilers here. Before I forget to say, if you are looking for a book that will ruin your life, in a good way, this is the book for you. And if you like 80s references you’ll like Ready Player One. And if you like witty banter, you’ll like this book. And if you like gaming you’ll like this book.

WARNING: Okay there’s a lot of spoilers in this. Usually when I say sorry about the spoilers guys, they are vague spoilers. But these spoilers you are about to read have a lot of details. So if you have not read Ready Player One, and/or you don’t like spoilers you may not want to keep reading.

With that last note, if you have read my blogs you know that I am not as the kids say, a gamer. But you don’t have to be to appreciate the other themes in this book. The main theme, well for me anyway, was how scarily addictive the internet can be. (Trust me there is no irony here. At least I don’t think there is. I mean just because I am using the internet to tell people about this book. Right?) Anyway. After I read Ready Player One I went through a lot of emotions. One was being freaked out. It was kind of scary to see how even though that the world was a total mess, people could not log off the OASIS. Even if the world was a bad place in 2044, it would still be scary to see how addicted everyone is to the OASIS. (I know it was not medically proven that the OASIS is addictive.)

One of my favorite scenes is when Parzival and Art3mis meet for the first time at the First Gate. (And yes Wil does capture her attitude and hard core gunterness perfectly.) I like how Parzival totally crushes on her in person. Well as in person as they can get online. Although I still would like to know who this Chuck guy is. Every time he tries to convince himself Art3mis may not be a girl, it’s always a guy named Chuck.

I was in love with another scene in the book. Well two scenes. (Side note: I will be skipping around all over the place after this.) The first was when Aech and Pazival meet IRL. That’s when Wade realizes Aech is really Helen. You can feel the nervousness in the scene as Helen and Wade want to, but they don’t want to look at each other. Then when Helen smiles her smile Wade knows without a doubt this is his best friend. In the first part of the book, I knew Wade was a genuine nice guy, but this scene sealed it for me. That Wade was an amazing person. In the end Wade did not care that Helen was a girl because he loved her for who she is, not for what she looked like. And I mean love as a friend because you can tell as Wade and her talk that he respects and values their friendship.

The other scene I was in love with is of course the end when Art3mis and Parzival meet IRL. Of course Samantha (Art3mis) would not be Samantha without telling Wade “Well, what do you know? You look just like I always thought you would too,” she said. “Butt ugly.” Okay maybe the fact that he was in love with her before he meet her at the first gate made it an aww moment. (Side note: if you know me I am not the type of gal that says awww.)

I guess I can forgive Art3mis even though I feel like a part of why the book got dark is because Wade was so depressed after she decided to be a “girl” and not want to keep talking to him. Wade, I keep shaking my head because even though he threw those items away, I was a little disappointed he was looking for love in all the wrong places. I know, I know he was upset. But still.

I also liked that it was a happy ending. The bad guy was arrested, and the good guys were all really good guys. None of them were playing both sides. They all genuinely wanted to make sure the Sixers did not control the OASIS. It was such a happy ending it made me feel like a cross between John Bender at the end of The Breakfast Club where he throws his arm in the air, and The NeverEnding Story when Falkor flies over Bastian’s bullies.

There were a couple of “WHAT?” moments for me as well. Okay when Wade lets himself get caught by IOI. I almost threw the book across the room. Only because I thought it would knock some send into Wade. I mentioned earlier my husband read this book before me, so he gave me the “breathe, he has a plan” speech. Which he did and it was canon! Talk about tense, I thought I was going to pass out after you realize Wade bought a maintenance tech ID and access password to be able defeat the Sixers from opening the third gate. And then he had to leave earlier than planned because he saw the file folders on all of his friends. And then when the lady in the lobby was like sir you’re bleeding. And that was after he realized he was still walking in the plastic slippers. And then he changed back to his identity. (PS: Really Art3mis you had to be a girl because Wade looked at your picture. I know I can’t really say that because I would be the same way. But still. Wade is a super nice person. And he was trying to save your life.)

The other “WHAT!” moment is when Aech, Parzival, and Art3mis get through the third gate and everyone dies. O, my G-O-S-H! But then you realize what that quarter was for that Parzival won playing Pac-Man. (Did you know the original word for Pac-Man was Puck-Man? You would think it was because he looks like a hockey puck, but it actually comes from the Japanese phrase “Paku-Paku” which means to flap one’s mouth open and closed. They changed it because they thought Puck-Man would be too easy to vandalize, you know, like people would just scratch off the P and turn it into an F or whatever. –Scott Pilgrim)

I said this before about when you, well when I felt like I learned Wade was an amazing person because of the scene with Helen (Aech). Then right before he gets into the Third Gate and tells everyone that he is going to split the winnings with them. I could not help but smile because he really is a genuine, trusting person with no motives. And IRL we could use more of that.

Thank you Ernest Cline for writing a book that is, well … canon.