The Spark

Spark... It can be from a plug that creates an engulfing flame. It can be a snap of a finger from the most brilliant of ideas. Sometimes its a simple word that can create a heated argument, or an adoring tale over a smooth glass of red wine. Chances are, if you look out your window, you may see something that sparks your imagination, or something that sparks a rather fond memory. You may even quite literally see a spark from a downed wire caused somehow by Man or Mother Nature herself... Dangerous!

Then we come witness to another kind of spark. It comes from deep within and sometimes doesn't even show up for years. It stays hidden slowly creeping to makes its way out. You can go on with your everyday life without it and not feel a thing. Sometimes you refuse to have something even minutely resemble anything like it. Don't fool yourselves because no matter how much you may deny it, it's there. But what can this mysterious spark possibly be? What's so important about it? Well, stand tall and take note because that spark is YOU, and you've created that strange, yet so sweet, of an emotion called love.

A Strange Feeling We Call the Present

You sat. You waited. You wanted something. You observed. But you knew you couldn’t have it. You tried not to give up. You wanted to hold on. But you realized it was all gone. One instant. One millisecond. One second. One minute. An hour. A day. A week. Months. Years. You waited, as you patiently sat. You finally made sense of things as you realized it was never meant to be. But you always held onto hope. 

And then something else. Something new. Something different. It felt right. This had to be the one. You sat. You waited. You observed. You thought long and hard of the future and the possibilities. You mapped out and planned everything, losing control of your present state of mind. Your emotions were going haywire as the past was mixing with the future. But what about now?

The cycle continued as, once again, you sat and waited. You wanted something and you observed. And then a strange feeling came over you as you noticed a beautiful butterfly floating by. You noticed the lush green grass, and the gentle sway of a tree. You checked your surroundings and focused on a fat man eating a donut. A business man furiously yelling “buy” and “sell” on on his cell phone. A young couple making out. A kid accusing the other of having cooties. A homeless man looking inside a trash can. An argument over a parking space. Then the butterfly landed on your shoulder as you shut your eyes and took a deep breath. Life was right there, before your very eyes. For once you realized you were living in the present... Yes, the present. What a strange feeling that can be. So instead of reflecting on the horrible past and the possible false future, try to find that fat man eating a donut, grab a seat, kick back, and enjoy the wonders of life. Butterflies may or may not be included.

Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero – "Seize the day, trusting as little as possible in the future" 

And this has been a random thought...

Film of the Week: Joon-ho Bong's MOTHER

If you're in the mood for a thriller, then I highly recommend the Korean film Mother (2009) from director Joon-ho Bong, the director of his well known film, The Host (2006). I haven't seen a Korean film in a while, and I heard about this one a while back because I am a fan of his previous works (Memories of Murder (2003) and of course The Host). When I heard that Joon-ho Bong was back with a new film, I couldn't wait to see it. 

This director/writer doesn't disappoint when it comes to good and unique storytelling with twists and turns that would give you a good shock. The story is about a murder that shakes a small South Korean town, and the person that gets framed is a mentally unstable young man. The mother, in turn, does all she could to find out who the real killer is. It's great how this film starts off. It's calm and simple. The camera slowly and smoothly moves towards this old woman walking across an open field. The camera ever so gently tilts left and right and slowly cranes down towards the woman. The tilting, perhaps, a subtle hint that something's unstable and not quite right. And then, out of nowhere, this woman starts to dance. A little comedic element thrown in the beginning? Yes, and it sure made me laugh, but it all makes sense and comes together towards the end of the film.

Besides the storytelling that the Korean's are so well at, it's cinematography that equally stands out as well. They use the screen as a canvas as they lusciously paint it with breathtaking extreme wide shots, close-ups, etc. Mother is certainly a good example of this. There's not much harsh lighting and the color is slightly desaturated with a hint of a blue-ish hue which fits well with the mood of the film.

The acting by Hye-ja Kim (Mother) and Bin Won (Yoon Do-joon) is also very true and believable. The emotions seem so natural and nothing looks forced. This stands true for practically every Korean film that I have viewed in the past. The emotion they put into their characters are so amazing and real that sometimes it's hard to believe that they're just playing a role.

If you haven't seen any Korean films at all, do yourselves a big favor and rent something. Hell, rent Mother. It's a very good introduction to Korean cinema. And once you've seen a Korean film, you'll want to see more. Trust me. It's like crack.  

FIN

Maurizio Cattelan Gives Us the Finger with L.O.V.E.

Photo by Latigi, courtesy Flickr

Maurizio Cattelan's "L.O.V.E."

I'm sorry if I offend anyone with this masterful piece of artwork that I happened to come across a couple of days ago. I just had to express my sincere L.O.V.E. (official title of the sculpture, aka The Finger) for this wonderful display which sits outside Milan's stock exchange. It's artist Maurizio Cattelan's kind gesture, the old salute, to how he feels about where our economy has gone.

Okay, it's a middle finger flipping everybody off. Yadda Yadda... Big whoop. What I see is a 30-foot-high marble sculpture standing tall and free with great detail on the veins and wrinkles. It's just... Just.... Breathtaking... All right. Fine. It's a middle finger. But I must say, if I had to steal any piece of artwork, this certainly would be the one. And it wouldn't be for the money either. Just think of the statement you could make with this thing. If society and it's people just so happened to piss me off and I got annoyed at their stupidity, I could just put on four wheels on the bottom of this gigantic sculpture and haul it to the nearest idiot and leave it right in front of them while I kindly smile and walk away. I mean, it's perfect. No violence involved. No arguing. It's just a silent way of showing my sincere "love."

As I sign off with today's piece of artwork, I tell you to take in what you see. Sit and examine the complexity of the middle finger. The mere power of the middle finger. I was waiting for this moment to come, and Maurizio Cattelan had the balls to actually pull this stunt off. I already browsed through some of his other works, and boy is he one controversial fellow. Let's see what he has in store next.

Until next week...     

This Home's Nice and Toasty... But Who Cut the Cheese?

I came across a rather interesting article yesterday at BBC News about a new method of heating up homes in the United Kingdom. This may seem a bit strange, but bear with me. The town of Oxfordshire are the first in the UK to use gas made out of their own human waste to heat up their homes. You can read the article by clicking here.

How unusually amazing is that? Think about it. We all go to the bathroom, so why shouldn't we put some good use into those little pieces of you know what? All this time we were destroying our earth while we were sitting on our asses producing gold. Think about how many homes can be heated up this way for a very valuable price. Also think about a family gathering where you're hosting a dinner party. It gets a little cold so you crank up the heat. A few seconds later a pungent smell starts spreading across the room. Five year old little Tommy looks over at his grandpa who's in deep sleep, snoring away, and makes a disgusted face as he covers his nose. Dad notices the smell and looks over at the disgusted little Tommy and starts to smile and shake his head. He knows, for once, that it's not grandpa that cut the cheese, but the good ol' heating system that is being put to good use. Okay, this whole scenario wouldn't really happen because there is no smell involved with this new system, but it does make for a great conversation over dinner.

So, ladies and gentlemen, the next time you're in the bathroom doing your business, think about how many innocent people are stuck in their homes with no heat. Think about the good you can do by helping out the needy. But no. Instead you selfishly just flush away, wash your hands (I hope), and spray a can of Lysol.

This Week's Music Choice: Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeros' "Up From Below"

The first time I heard Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeros' song "Home" on the radio a smile came to me. I heard something heartwarming and strong. The tune was catchy. The singer's voices were hypnotic and it had a nostalgic feel to it. For a moment I felt disconnected with reality. I closed my eyes and felt the bright rays of the sun hitting against my skin. I was bopping my head to the rhythm and whistling along. As the song's title suggested, it certainly made me feel close to "home." I knew I had to listen to more songs from these guys, so I previewed the album, and boy did those 30 second previews sound great. And that's when I decided to purchase the album. 

Up From Below is an album that cheers you up in the strangest of ways. All of their songs are unique musically, and almost all have this faded, retro 60's sound to it. If a Spaghetti Western film needed a soundtrack, I may pick this album, or at least just a handful of songs because it certainly has that feel. It's alternative rock with a tinge of folk, rock, and even a dash of Spanish influence ("Kisses Over Babylon" is sung in Spanish with a bangin' sound). 

If you've heard of this band before but never bothered checking them out, or if you haven't heard of them at all, I suggest looking them up and giving them a chance. Overall, a great debut album from a rising artist. They better be working on some new songs because I can't wait.

Now enjoy this epic music video. I suggest watching the whole thing. Trust me, it's good.

What's with the No Lens?

Due to my computer's sudden death yesterday night, things are sort of on a late schedule for today. It's okay though, my poor Mac will pull in there as it's being treated for a hardware malfunction and should be back by Friday. That being said, it's time for another Random Thought Monday. 

As I sit and reflect on mankind's unique ways of living, I question this one thing that I have been pondering for quite some time now. Why is there a craze for young women wearing glasses with just the frame and no lens? Sorry to point out just the women, but I haven't seen men do this... Yet. And these aren't just any old glasses either. These are those big rectangular thick framed glasses. This goes to show how times have changed when it comes to appearance. Years ago, when I was growing up, wearing glasses were like this one big sin. They were ugly. They made you look nerdy. And kids used to get mocked at by being called "four eyes." Looking at our time now, wearing glasses has become a big trend. It's become so much of an accessory that people who don't need them are just wearing the frame with no lens whatsoever. 

I'm sorry, but if you're going to do this, why not just put a non-prescripted lens? Or, just sit very close to the television and/or computer screen so you could potentially weaken your eyesight. I mean, you want to wear glasses anyway, don't you? Why not have a reason to wear one instead of making yourself look silly. And yes, you do look silly. It's like wearing those fake glasses with the very large nose attached to it. Oh, and to the people who don't know me, I happen to wear glasses myself. And they're prescription. Call me "four eyes", call me what you will... I could proudly say that I have a reason to wear my glasses, AND it's an accessory.

And this has been a random thought...