Here Comes the Black Parade

A new generation is inheriting the culture and country that we live and breathe in today. This new generation has more power than it may realize. And the one thing to dismantle it all is apathy, apathy towards those currently reigning. It’s a plague preparing to wipe us all out. But what’s unique about this new generation is it’s the first to have the strength and purpose to rise up out of cookie cutter muck created by the current unimaginative crooks of Hollywood and the “American Dream.”

I am part of this next generation. And chances are, if you’re reading this, you are too. And we need to remember what we’ve been told by our peers: live without fear, without scorn, without anyone putting you down for whatever bullsh*t they want to speak. This generation of misfits will inherit the culture. But are we ready for it?

It’s argued about the influence My Chemical Romance has had on this generation starting back in 2004 (I’m just now falling in love with them and realizing their music has already left it’s mark here in 2014). They told us we’re not okay but that’s fine. They said to screw those who put you down because you’re worth it, honey. It took the tragic event of 9/11 to wake them up to change the culture and influence the generation they saw beginning to rise up. And they want us to do something proper with it. We need to wake up and change the world for the better. They have an inspiring song called “Famous Last Words.” Gerard Way sings, “A life that’s so demanding/I get so weak/A love that’s so demanding/I can’t speak//I am not afraid to keep on living/I am not afraid to walk this world alone/Honey if you stay, I’ll be forgiven/Nothing you can say can stop me going home.”

Life is hard and we are the greatest shackle around our own necks. But be encouraged: you’re incredible and powerful, and you will inherit this world in time. Join in the glorious parade in our honor. Be courageous, be strong, and above all, be bold.

#liveboldly

JM

Vacancy at the Grand Budapest

Our culture’s artistic endeavors are disparate to say the least. A multitude of aspiring artists try out different ideas (more like experiments) and pawn them off as “unique” art. Everyone wants to be an auteur because everyone thinks they are genuinely valid and different. Unique is not a real qualification of an auteur or true artist; it’s an inevitable characteristic of one. Show the world how you see life, and more importantly let them know why.

One of the obvious auteurs today that, regardless how you feel about him, truly cultivates a unique vision is the idiosyncratic Wes Anderson. All I have to do is mention his name and you know what unusual vision I’m talking about. Maybe animated foxes come to mind, awkwardly close family members who don’t get along, or perhaps children who act so much older than they really are; you are aware of the wacky world of Wes Anderson’s films.

“It is an extremely common mistake: people think the writer’s imagination is always at work, that he is constantly inventing an endless supply of incidents and episodes, that he simply dreams up his stories out of thin air. In point of fact, the opposite is true. Once the public knows you are a writer, they bring the characters and events to you…” The opening lines in Anderson’s latest film “The Grand Budapest Hotel” sum up the reality of all his movies: most creativity comes from the absurd diversity of other people, all processed and packaged together by writers, storytellers. Perhaps this reveals his ability to create so many strange and beloved characters: he doesn’t. “The Grand Budapest Hotel” is no exception with its wide array of interesting persons.

The film follows the story of an experienced, yet fastidious hotel concierge, Monsieur Gustave (hilariously portrayed by Ralph Fiennes), and his newly found relationship with an immigrant lobby boy, Zero (up-and-coming actor, Tony Revolori). The first act focuses on M. Gustave’s occupation at the Grand Budapest Hotel in the Republic of Zubrowka as well as the newly found relationship with his recently hired lobby boy. M. Gustave and Zero meet and their relationship carries through the rest of the film. The plot is apparent 30 or so minutes into the film: an elderly woman close to Gustave passes away, her distant family comes together to take her wealth which now passes to Gustave according to her final will, and Gustave and Zero run and hide from an evil family who want them seized, or worse, killed. I’ll let you explore the rest of the delightful (and ridiculously hilarious) tale yourself. Part of the joy of this film is unknowingly letting its absurdity unfold.

“The Grand Budapest Hotel” is some of the most fun I’ve had in a long time and will continue to be fun the more it’s seen. It’s certainly Wes Anderson’s most entertaining film to date. The art direction is “Wes Anderson,” so you know what that means: bright pastellic colors that compliment or contrast very boldly at the most ridiculous times, and grandiose sets and props that are equally ridiculous in correlation to the characters that inhabit them. The cinematography is “Wes Anderson,” so most shots are either wide-angle or fish-eye and directly facing the actors like a stage play (except this time the film is mostly 4:3 aspect ratio, aka “Fullscreen”). The music is “Wes Anderson” (well, literally it’s Alexandre Desplat); in other words, very silly and spontaneous overall, yet endearing and touching during the times when mentally unstable characters learn what real community is with one another. The humor and writing is “Wes Anderson:” truly his funniest film yet. Overall, this pretentious review could have been summed in a single phrase: it’s a “Wes Anderson” film.

Go see this movie, especially go see it with friends. You will enjoy yourself, your friends will enjoy themselves. The thing about Wes Anderson and his films is that he is able to cultivate stories about bizarre people and their strange ability to build friendships and community with one another, despite their imperfections and brokenness. Gustave and Zero’s relationship is seriously a memorable one; though ridiculous at times, truly genuine and pleasant. “There are still faint glimmers of civilization left in this barbaric slaughterhouse that was once known as humanity.” I think Anderson’s latest adventure is quite the glimmer indeed.

“Boy With Apple” by Johannes van Hoytl

See Her, Feel Her

Our lives are rapidly evolving, changing, transforming, succumbing to the speed of the technological leviathan we created. Our worlds are also dissolving into a numb, lonely, and hungry life for “the latest and greatest” as well as deep human connection. The truth is we’re getting lonelier. We’re growing apart. Technology is too easy to blame for this divide. It’s our own fault. We hide behind technology because it’s easier than dealing with the pain of broken relationships.

In an interview with Conan O’Brien, Louis C. K., a stand-up comedian, talks about the growing popularity of cellphones with young kids. He mentions the need for kids to experiment being mean to one another. When a kid calls another kid “fat” to their face, they realize that doesn’t feel good; it hurts themselves as well as others. Cellphones, he believes, destroys this empathy. When a kid texts “You’re fat!” to another kid, they don’t have to deal with the consequences in person; they hide behind their digital persona. Louis is being funny, but true.

There is a growing disconnect between us and reality. In a study on depression and social media, more people have become depressed in the last 10 years since the introduction of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram than ever before. The question is: is technology to blame for our disconnect from each other or for our improper use of what was intended to connect us deeper? And if it is our fault, how can it be remedied?

Spike Jonze’s newest project, “Her,” is one of the only films brave enough to enter into our intimate relationship with technology. The film peers into the life of Theodore, portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix, who is going through a prolonged period of divorce (prolonged because he feels emotionally incapable of signing the divorce papers). His life feels empty. He is seemingly technologically savvy and curious about the “latest and greatest.” He plays holographic Kinect-motion-inspired video games alone in his studio loft located in the middle of future Los Angeles. His day-time job consists of him sitting at a desk, dictating to his computer the love letters other people aren’t capable of sending themselves to the ones that they love (another look at how distant everyone is from each other here).

One day in Theodore’s futuristic world, an advertisement for a new operating system called OS1 is released; it’s biggest feature being that it has Artificial Intelligence. Theodore goes home to install it into his phone. After answering a silly and meaningless personality quiz, a voice named Samantha is born (voiced by the enticing Scarlett Johansson). Slowly she begins to fill the emotional void in his heart left behind by his almost ex-wife, Catherine (played beautifully by Rooney Mara). And it’s through Theodore and Samantha’s relationship that we begin to question what the purpose of human relationships are, what to do with our depressive state of being, and ultimately what to do in living with ourselves.

The movie explores the joys of relationships, the sexual nature of human intimacy, and the trials that exist in any relationship involving more than just ourselves. How is a person supposed to feel in an increasingly disconnected culture? Are relationships intended for our own happiness, or is there something crucial that we’re missing? “Her” not only asks purposeful questions like these; it explores possible solutions to them, something most films aren’t brave enough to do.

I’ll let you sit with the film’s “solutions” yourself, but what I do want to mention is that Theodore needed his experience with Samantha. He learns that technology cannot fill the hole in our hearts, no matter how deeply we allow it to fill us. He learns through her what he needs to remain human, to be human. The cinematography is stunning and completely appropriate to the film. The art direction is incredible, retro, recycled from old styles, yet believably near-distant future. Arcade Fire composed the music for the film and it’s captivating. Possibly the best score I’ve heard since the last time a major band scored a film (see Tron: Legacy from Daft Punk).

See this film. Recognize that we are becoming increasingly disconnected from the real world as technology continues to make us question our self worth. Though it does have its moments of sexual encounters that can feel a bit awkward at times, they’re purposeful and explorative of the emotional human core as well as our deep need for human connection. “WALL-E” was the sci-fi cautionary tale of 2008, but “Her” is an honest look at what’s coming and how to brace for it.

Maybe there’s still hope for our disconnected future, but it isn’t from technology. “Her” let’s us learn from an atypical relationship what it means to find yourself again, what we need to survive in this lonely climate, and that technology isn’t meant to be more than a way to connect humans together with one another.