Frozen

   Everyone is raving about this new Disney movie. For me, it has some good positives, but it also has some things that just don't work for me. Overall, I'd give it about a 3 out of 5.
   First of all, I should mention that the first time I saw it (I have seen it twice now), I was really not that excited to go. While it was not the best movie I have ever seen (that spot still being held by Inception), I was glad that I did see it. The music overall was pretty good, a couple of the songs being some of my now favorite Disney songs. The plot was about as good as Disney can do with a complex plot. The best thing about this movie though, is that all the characters are very relatable. Anyone that you talk to, that has seen the movie, can immediately point out at least one character that they relate at least a little bit.
   Another thing that I can appreciate is that, in animating the snow, they made a whole new program to make it look more real. It is the most realistic animated snow that has ever made the big screen. The ice on the other hand... well I've seen better.
  All that being said there were some things that just don't fit. Like, the fact that Elsa makes it up the mountain in less than a night. In fact, it really only takes a couple conversations and a song for her to make it. However, then Anna, after stumbling around for a bit and meeting Kristoff, takes a couple days to reach the peak. Either Kristoff is really bad at finding his way around the mountain that he has lived for close to his whole life, or those wolves really set them off track. Then later in the movie, Hans makes it to the ice palace fairly quickly and beats Anna back to the castle. That is the biggest issue that I had with this movie (besides so...much...singing...). Besides that, a few other small plot holes, and the fact that the two "big surprises" at the end I saw coming a mile away, the movie was pretty good.

The Irony of Enterprise

In the series Star Trek: Enterprise, they give us hope that we may live on a world free of war... or do they?

The irony of Enterprise is that they are constantly talking of being above war and violence, but they go and get into trouble because of the same mindset that got us into wars. They meet new civilizations; they act as though they are better in some way, forcing their beliefs onto the aliens. They then make enemies with the alien races that they encounter, and by the middle of the series they successfully have three different alien races actively going against them the most recent building a mass weapon to destroy all humanity from the planet. This doesn't seem like they have learned to do things different at all, but maybe, just maybe, that was the intent of the writers.

Garfield Minus Garfield

I love the idea behind "Garfield Minus Garfield." What is it? The site's description says it better than I can: "Garfield Minus Garfield is a site dedicated to removing Garfield from the Garfield comic strips in order to reveal the existential angst of a certain young Mr. Jon Arbuckle. It is a journey deep into the mind of an isolated young everyman as he fights a losing battle against loneliness and depression in a quiet American suburb."

Because, really, Jon spends his time talking to a cat. Imagine now that that was an ordinary cat that didn't respond...yeah. You start to see the reality portrayed behind the strip. Each situation changes when you just look at Jon, living alone... 

It's sometimes funny:

 

 

 Sometimes sad:

 Sometimes bewildering: 

 And sometimes just make you wonder about his sanity:

 

 

So check it out: www.garfieldminusgarfield.net

Hope?

 I saw this commercial the other day and had to find it again...and then I thought I'd share it. All you ever hear about is how the world is going down the tubes, but maybe, just maybe, if people share enough Cokes it will offset all the evil in the world and we'll finally have world peace.

Yeah, kidding about the Cokes, but it's nice to see some stats reporting good stuff for once. They had to go digging for it, yeah, but that's probably because the bad stuff they juxtapose with the good is a bit more catastrophic...stock market crashes vs. number of versions of "What a Wonderful World," etc. The message there, I believe, is that good acts may be less newsworthy in society's eyes because it's quieter, but there is more of it and often it affects each of us more personally.

So, maybe there's hope for us yet, if moms keep making chocolate cake and factories churn out more teddy bears. Here's hoping.

Upside Down

Unfortunately, Upside Down was a limited release movie that didn't get a lot of attention. Fortunately, Thanksgiving Point thought it was worth a try. Unfortunately, Thursday was the last day it showed, but fortunately I went to see its last showing with my cousin.

It was a good movie, surprisingly clean with almost no swearing and absolutely no nudity. Violence was kept to a minimal as well, and they still managed to deliver a good movie. Crazy, huh? Anyway, if you remember back to my post on suspended disbelief, this is one movie that absolutely requires it. The movie starts with an explanation of the break they've made from normal physics....namely, that there are two worlds almost touching that have opposite gravities, so when you look up you see the other world instead of the sky. Even if you make it to the other side, your world's gravity still applies so you'll just fall up to your world again.

The story goes that one person from Up Top and one from Down Below meet where mountains from each world converge, thusly:

 

Of course, they fall in love, but it's forbidden, yada yada yada. Eventually they're discovered and they get in huge trouble because the worlds aren't supposed to mix. The guy, Adam, goes on a quest to make it to the other side and find his love, Eden.

Plot-wise, it's pretty much what you expect, but the idea behind the parallel worlds is so refreshing because you're working with new concepts of how science would work in that situation and there are so many directions you could take it and...it's fun. Who doesn't love a good excuse to blatantly disregard the laws of the universe and play around with new physics? Plus, you get some great graphics. Loved that part of it.

If you look, you can find some minor errors with combining the worlds, etc, but it's a movie I'd definitely recommend, though now you'll have to wait until it comes out on DVD.

Rowling

Here's a letter I just wrote to J. K. Rowling, letting her know that the collective we I identify myself with in the Harry Potter generation wants more Harry and less Barry. Having written opposite poles with Harry Potter on one side and Casual Vacancy on the other, I wanted to cast my vote with Harry for her future works.

Dear Mrs. Rowling,

I am a proud member of the Harry Potter generation. I read the books, I watch the movies, I philosophize over their content and meaning, I buy the merchandise, and I've visited the theme park. I believed in Harry Potter, and I believed in J. K. Rowling.

So, when I learned that a new J. K. Rowling book was coming out, I already had my plans booked. Obviously, I was going to be the first one in line to get that book, whatever it was. After seven books, it was obvious what to expect. No, not necessarily wizards and magic, but top-of-the-line, inspiring storytelling.

Months later, my wish came true, and I stood at the front of the line. Okay, well, I was the line, but there I was, way more awake than any of the store associates at the counter. They had to ring up my copy of The Casual Vacancy a couple of times because we hadn't actually hit the release time yet, but then I was happily on my way. Apologizing to my homework, I knew the book would be done before the end of the day, If I had anything to do with it.

The first lesson we learned is that muggles are pitiful. Barry gets one head-splitting headache, gives up, and dies. How embarrassing. Harry's head split open every other chapter and you didn't see him putting up such a big fuss.

Unfortunately, that's the only lesson we learn. We learn that while stories about wizards are full of courage, daring, moral strength, sacrifice, friendship, and love, stories about muggles are filled with vulgarity, immorality, and abuse. Indeed, I was done with the book before the end of the day, but not because I had finished reading it.

Surely, I thought, there are two J. K. Rowling's. There is no way such opposite works could be penned by the same hand. On one side, one of the greatest masterpieces to grace a bookshelf in our age, and on the other a handful of pages containing such trash as I would never touch, much less willingly invite into my library. Not even the name 'Rowling' could get me to read more profanity, sex, and disrespect for all Harry taught us to live by. I sadly made my way to the store and returned what I had expected to be the book of the year.

I thought I believed in Harry Potter and J. K. Rowling. The Casual Vacancy corrected me. I still believe in Harry Potter; that has not changed. It's just that I must now consider it distinct and separate from the author's name on the cover.

I would very much like to believe in J. K. Rowling again. If that means waiting for more "children's books," so be it. We have read quality, legendary literature from you before; we know it is possible. We are the Harry Potter generation, and we expect Harry Potter values. If you abandon them, we will not follow. If you  have more stories worth telling, we ask to hear them and will accept and love them. If you only have more Casual Vacancy in you, we will be grateful for what we have received in Harry Potter but mourn that it was the end of Rowling.

Hoping for the best,

Joseph Simonson

Media in a Prosocial Alternate Reality

I just discovered a fascinating site called Thumbs and Ammo. Their motto is "Real tough guys don't need guns; they just need a positive, can-do attitude." What they do is take popular media images from action movies and photoshop out the guns. In their place...well, I'll let you see for yourself.

 

 

 For some movies, the titles had to change to reflect their new, prosocial message, so the movie Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot! (yeah, I've never heard of it, either) becomes Stop! Or My Mom Will Be Encouraging! From the Judge Dredd catchphrase "In the future...one man is judge, jury, and executioner," 'executioner' becomes 'positive reinforcer.'

What do you think? How does this change our perspective on our favorite action heroes? I think they still look pretty awesome like this...but then some plot lines would need to change, and things could get complicated. It would definitely put an interesting twist on things, and could be an interesting experiment to try with one movie or episode, cutting out the weapons and replacing them with a thumbs up. I would approve of such an endeavor, and it looks like Rick Grimes would, too.