After weeks of waiting patiently for new episodes of Supernatural to start airing again, I learned yesterday on io9 that the CW (damn them! Damn them all to Hell!) decided to postpone the mid-season premiere for another week to give shallow, worthless teenagers the opportunity to catch up on Vampire Diaries, a show that stars shallow, worthless teenage vampires. So, instead of the recap I was hoping to be writing today, which would have been rife with speculation about this season's Big Bad and whether things will start to return to normal now that Sam's been re-souled like an old pair of shoes, I'll instead set aside my anger and write about something that makes me happy. Enter the Muppets.
Recently I've been buying and watching the first three seasons of The Muppet Show, which is truly a wonderful blast from the past. I didn't grow up with The Muppet Show - it was a little before my time, but I did love the Muppet movies, particularly The Great Muppet Caper. I also grew up watching Sesame Street, which is Muppet-adjacent, and was completely awesome before Elmo completely took it over, like a little fuzzy red dictator. Watching The Muppet Show has given me the opportunity to watch the evolution and development of characters that I've loved my entire life, and the guest stars that they had have helped me to really understand the cultural climate of the time period. The show in which Harry Belafonte was the guest star was particularly striking, because it was the first time "The Banana Boat Song" had appeared on television - as song that I knew and loved from the film Beetlejuice. He also debuted "Turn the World Around", which he performed again at Jim Henson's memorial service (which is enough to reduce any person to tears. RIP, Jim). Jim Henson gave Harry Belafonte a venue that not many TV shows were willing to provide in the late 1970s.
I also saw a few familiar faces among The Muppet Show's guest stars: Danny Kaye, Madeline Kahn, Steve Martin, John Cleese, etc. The recurring bits on the show tickle me greatly, especially when the guest stars get in on the fun. I'd have to say that cooking with the Swedish Chef is my favorite act, though. I love Statler and Waldorf, too. Also, Sam the Eagle, Rolf the Dog, and - well, all of them. I also love the acts that really showcased the skill of the Muppeteers, and make me wish that I could do that, too. I'm always appreciative of seeing someone truly talented do what they do best, and I completely geek out over the craft that goes into the construction of the puppets as well (I've watched the "making of" special features of The Dark Crystal more times than I care to admit).
Okay, I'm feeling happier now. And just make you feel happy, too, I'll leave you with my absolutely favorite musical act from the first season of The Muppet Show.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
In Which I Declare My Love for Stephen Colbert
This post is more of an official declaration than a surprise announcement. I've always loved Stephen Colbert. I loved him on The Daily Show, especially when he did the segment "Even Stephven" with Steve Carell. I've watched his show, The Colbert Report, since it debuted back in 2005. I love him because of his shameless nerdiness and apparently genuine desire to use any influence he has for good causes. I know that it's not all due to Stephen Colbert the individual, and that equal credit must go to the show's writers and crew for making it a much-needed thirty-minute respite from real news. But this week, Stephen was on fire - delivering his faux-conservative commentary with such caustic wit that I was helpless against it. And this particular gem - the one that inspired this post - left me in tears of hysterical laughter on my living room floor. This is what Stephen had to say about Mika Brzezinski's reluctance to treat Sarah Palin's appearance on Hannity as news. The video can be viewed here, because I can't figure out how or if I can post it.
(Update: No worries, I figured it out! I win again, Google Blogger!)
And here is the transcript of the relevant monologue, because it's absolutely worth typing out:
(Update: No worries, I figured it out! I win again, Google Blogger!)
| The Colbert Report | Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
| Mika Brzezinski Experiences Palin Fatigue | ||||
| ||||
And here is the transcript of the relevant monologue, because it's absolutely worth typing out:
"(Whistles, after viewing the clip) Tough to watch, even more than usual. Clearly, Mika is experiencing what journo-psychologists call 'Palin fatigue'. Looks like her cup of 'Morning Joe' needs an extra shot of 'Midnight Me-spresso'. Over here (pointing to another camera angle)."
"Mika, you need to buck up. I know you think this story has no purpose other than keeping Sarah Palin's name in the headlines for another news cycle. I know you think she has nothing to offer the national dialogue and that her speeches are just coded talking points mixed in with words picked at random from a thesaurus. I know you think Sarah Palin is at best a self-promoting ignoramus, and at worst a shameless media troll who'll abuse any platform to deliver dog-whistle encouragement to a far-right base that may include possible insurrectionists. I know you think her reality show was pathetically un-statesmanlike and at the same time I know you believe it also represents the pinnacle of her potential. And that her transparent desperation to be a celebrity so completely eclipsed her interest in public service so long ago that there would be more journalistic integrity in reporting on one of the lesser Kardashian's ass implants."
"Now, I know, I know that when you arrive at the office each day you say a silent prayer that maybe, just maybe, Sarah Palin will at long last shut up for ten fucking minutes. I know because I can see it in your eyes. Well, guess what, Mika - that's the gig. And it's only January of 2011, kiddo, and you have a minimum of two more years of this ahead of you. You want to stay in this game? You dig deep! You find another gear! You show up to work every day, get your hair and make-up done, you slap on a smile, get out there on TV and repeat what Sarah Palin said on 'Hannity' last night right into the lens! You know, 'news'. I have faith in you, kid. You can do it. I'll see you in New Hampshire - I'll buy. (Thunderous applause) Folks, she has got to grow a pair."
Nothing could more accurately sum up my own personal feelings of loathing and disgust for Sarah Palin's tiresome efforts to make herself the victim of persecution in the wake of a national tragedy that produced plenty of real victims. Whether or not you believe the criticism of the nature and quality of Sarah Palin's rhetoric (or "pandering", as I like to call it) is justified, I hope that we can all agree that the people most deserving of our care and sympathy at this time are the victims of the shooting in Arizona, and their families. Sarah Palin was not one of them (thankfully - as much as I dislike her, I've never wished her dead, and absolutely no one deserved to die at the SafeWay that day), and yet she's still attempting to make it all about her. So what if she's responding to criticism that connected her with the tragic event in the first place? Suck it up, Sarah - that's life. People say things that are unfair. That's the nature of "freedom of speech" - you are free to say whatever the hell you want, people are free to criticize you for it, and vice versa. In this case, however, I think you should display a little self-awareness and poise out of respect for those who were wounded or killed, and bow out of this "controversy" with whatever grace you may possess. Let's face it - if this experience is the worst thing that ever happens to you in your entire life, you'd still be better off than many, many other people in this world.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Defining Reality
Yesterday, I caught up with the rest of nerd-dom (and everyone else) and watched Inception for the first time. I know, I know - but when you live so far away from people who would actually like these kinds of movies and would see them with you, it's hard to stay current. My burden is heavy, I know, but I'm caught up now, okay? Now that I've got the shameful admission out of the way, down to business:
I loved it!
It was a fascinating and clever concept wrapped up in fantastic characters/actors, directing, special effects, and of course BRAAAAHM! I was very impressed with the editing as well - it must have been extremely difficult to make the three-level dream cohesive and understandable to the audience. And that fight scene on the second-level dream with Arthur and the Projection dude while the van in the first-level dream was rolling down the hill was kick-ass! Special features on the DVD, please! Also, major kudos must be given to Christopher Nolan, who, whatever you might think about his films, is clearly not afraid to challenge his audience, nor does he underestimate them. That alone is extremely refreshing, especially as we live in a time when Yogi Bear in 3D is the top movie at the box office for any length of time.
I really love films that force me to think about them - and this one ended on a doozy of a question: did Cobb's top keep spinning, or fall over? I have a friend who insists that it did indeed topple over, because for her to believe otherwise means that there was not the happy ending she wanted. I'm not so sure, though. It seemed a little too easy, and we didn't see any of the others use their totems - that would have been more convincing for me, but I liked how it ended anyway.
So what is reality, anyway? We learned in the film that Cobb planted the idea in Moll's mind that her reality (the world they had built together in subconscious limbo) was not, in fact, real. Unfortunately, Moll kept believing that, even after they'd waken up. This led her to question what was real and what wasn't, which ended with her ending her life the way she would have ended a dream. Cobb's guilt about incepting (is that the term? I'm fuzzy on the vernacular of dream-building and subconscious manipulation) Moll led him to re-create her in his own subconsciousness. She gains frightening power over his mind there, and by extension any dream he happens to be in. She was only stopped once he admitted that the Moll in his mind was not the Moll he loved - just his imperfect memories of her coalesced into an archetype.
What really struck me as I was watching the film (other than wishing I could try that dream thing - knowing what I feed my conscious mind, my subconscious must be the wackiest place ever!) is that the film itself is a dream. It is a creation borne of collaboration, just like the dream-builders in the film. It made me wonder why we, as a species, have always constructed alternate realities, for as long as our historical memory can confirm. We know these alternate realities as fiction, myth or religion. Why have we done this? It cannot have been just for amusement, judging from the impact some of the current incarnations of these alternate realities have affected our entire planet. What do we gain from these?
The best answer I can think of is that we need them. We need these fictions, myths and religions so that we can tell what our reality is. These stories take on the function of the totem objects that the dream-builders used in Inception, only in reverse: to observe a fictional construct, like a film, book or TV show is to draw a concrete line. This is real, and that is not real. This of course, is not their only function - in many cases, they tell us what we ought to aspire to. They teach us about how the world should be, instead of what it actually is. If the injustice of our reality becomes too much for us, we can access a story that has justice built in. If humanity's capacity for great, wide-spread cruelty becomes unbearable, we can find a story of love and compassion to help heal our souls.
Now, leaving that aside for a moment: if dream-building were real, and the possibility to allow our conscious minds delve deep into our subconscious, would you do it? Would you be brave enough to confront what you found? Would you allow anyone else inside? I joked earlier that my subconscious must be incredibly wacky, judging by what I knowingly allow my conscious mind to consume. But really - could you do it? Anything and everything that you find in your subconscious would be yours, and yours alone. That means all of the good, and all of the bad. You would be forced, in a way rarely encountered in our current existence, to confront every observable part of you - and you would have to accept it, or go insane. And if you were able to accept yourself, would you be able to let go? Christopher Nolan did an amazing job convincing the audience that dream-building was possible within the world of the film, though relatively unknown. I wish he would have had time to explore the potential impact that dream-building would have on people. Ariadne was unable to give it up, even though Cobb's subconscious frightened her. She'd gotten a taste of godlike power, and had to continue. When we met Yusuf, we also found people that were addicted to the dream-state, because it had become their reality.
Inception is one of those movies that spark very interesting ideas (which, as we learn in the film, are most infectious). There were very dark places and concepts explored, and also some extremely touching moments. The one that comes to mind is when Fischer met his dying father in the third-level dream, and discovered his hand-made pinwheel in the safe. This was moving, even though Fischer is played by Creepy Face Cillian Murphy. And again, we must give another shout-out to Arthur and his badass topsy turvy fighting skills on the second-level dream - that scene was almost face-meltingly awesome.
I'll try to keep up on amazing films this year, though I'm not sure we can expect anything rising to the level of Inception. But until next time, dear readers, I leave you with BRAAAAHM!
I loved it!
It was a fascinating and clever concept wrapped up in fantastic characters/actors, directing, special effects, and of course BRAAAAHM! I was very impressed with the editing as well - it must have been extremely difficult to make the three-level dream cohesive and understandable to the audience. And that fight scene on the second-level dream with Arthur and the Projection dude while the van in the first-level dream was rolling down the hill was kick-ass! Special features on the DVD, please! Also, major kudos must be given to Christopher Nolan, who, whatever you might think about his films, is clearly not afraid to challenge his audience, nor does he underestimate them. That alone is extremely refreshing, especially as we live in a time when Yogi Bear in 3D is the top movie at the box office for any length of time.
I really love films that force me to think about them - and this one ended on a doozy of a question: did Cobb's top keep spinning, or fall over? I have a friend who insists that it did indeed topple over, because for her to believe otherwise means that there was not the happy ending she wanted. I'm not so sure, though. It seemed a little too easy, and we didn't see any of the others use their totems - that would have been more convincing for me, but I liked how it ended anyway.
So what is reality, anyway? We learned in the film that Cobb planted the idea in Moll's mind that her reality (the world they had built together in subconscious limbo) was not, in fact, real. Unfortunately, Moll kept believing that, even after they'd waken up. This led her to question what was real and what wasn't, which ended with her ending her life the way she would have ended a dream. Cobb's guilt about incepting (is that the term? I'm fuzzy on the vernacular of dream-building and subconscious manipulation) Moll led him to re-create her in his own subconsciousness. She gains frightening power over his mind there, and by extension any dream he happens to be in. She was only stopped once he admitted that the Moll in his mind was not the Moll he loved - just his imperfect memories of her coalesced into an archetype.
What really struck me as I was watching the film (other than wishing I could try that dream thing - knowing what I feed my conscious mind, my subconscious must be the wackiest place ever!) is that the film itself is a dream. It is a creation borne of collaboration, just like the dream-builders in the film. It made me wonder why we, as a species, have always constructed alternate realities, for as long as our historical memory can confirm. We know these alternate realities as fiction, myth or religion. Why have we done this? It cannot have been just for amusement, judging from the impact some of the current incarnations of these alternate realities have affected our entire planet. What do we gain from these?
The best answer I can think of is that we need them. We need these fictions, myths and religions so that we can tell what our reality is. These stories take on the function of the totem objects that the dream-builders used in Inception, only in reverse: to observe a fictional construct, like a film, book or TV show is to draw a concrete line. This is real, and that is not real. This of course, is not their only function - in many cases, they tell us what we ought to aspire to. They teach us about how the world should be, instead of what it actually is. If the injustice of our reality becomes too much for us, we can access a story that has justice built in. If humanity's capacity for great, wide-spread cruelty becomes unbearable, we can find a story of love and compassion to help heal our souls.
Now, leaving that aside for a moment: if dream-building were real, and the possibility to allow our conscious minds delve deep into our subconscious, would you do it? Would you be brave enough to confront what you found? Would you allow anyone else inside? I joked earlier that my subconscious must be incredibly wacky, judging by what I knowingly allow my conscious mind to consume. But really - could you do it? Anything and everything that you find in your subconscious would be yours, and yours alone. That means all of the good, and all of the bad. You would be forced, in a way rarely encountered in our current existence, to confront every observable part of you - and you would have to accept it, or go insane. And if you were able to accept yourself, would you be able to let go? Christopher Nolan did an amazing job convincing the audience that dream-building was possible within the world of the film, though relatively unknown. I wish he would have had time to explore the potential impact that dream-building would have on people. Ariadne was unable to give it up, even though Cobb's subconscious frightened her. She'd gotten a taste of godlike power, and had to continue. When we met Yusuf, we also found people that were addicted to the dream-state, because it had become their reality.
Inception is one of those movies that spark very interesting ideas (which, as we learn in the film, are most infectious). There were very dark places and concepts explored, and also some extremely touching moments. The one that comes to mind is when Fischer met his dying father in the third-level dream, and discovered his hand-made pinwheel in the safe. This was moving, even though Fischer is played by Creepy Face Cillian Murphy. And again, we must give another shout-out to Arthur and his badass topsy turvy fighting skills on the second-level dream - that scene was almost face-meltingly awesome.
I'll try to keep up on amazing films this year, though I'm not sure we can expect anything rising to the level of Inception. But until next time, dear readers, I leave you with BRAAAAHM!
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