reflection

Before Sunrise and One Scene That Changed My Life

I’ve had the idea for awhile to start a li’l series where I explore not a film in its entirety but a single scene within a film which had a profound effect on me. While I wasn’t sure when I was going to start this series (I’m ever the “mood writer”), I always knew with which film it would begin. The only place I could start is Before Sunrise. Written by Richard Linklater and Kim Krizan and directed by Linklater, Before Sunrise was released in 1995 and starred Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy as Jesse and Céline, two twenty-three-year-olds who meet on a train in Europe. Céline is heading home to Paris but, when their train stops in Vienna, Jesse convinces her to get off with him and wander the city until his flight back to America leaves in the morning. It is one of the most profoundly beautiful films I’ve ever seen. Few films mean as much to me as Before Sunrise. So let’s look at one scene (of many!) in this film which changed my life.

Note, no major/ending spoilers will be discussed ;D.

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U2 & Me: Sex, Rock ‘n’ Roll, and the Religious Art of Activism

When I first listened to All That You Can’t Leave Behind, I had never heard anything like U2 before.  I grant that’s a common sentiment when discussing the music we love.  But it’s such an oft repeated line because it’s true.  There are certain moments, certain bands / artists, certain albums, certain songs which forever alter the way you live and move and be in the world.  U2 did that for me.  Last Sunday, Lauren sent me an essay Bono wrote for The Atlantic on the occasion of his being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Biden.  The piece was titled “The Gorgeous, Unglamorous Work of Freedom” and I loved it.  It got me thinking about U2 and helped reground me in all the band means to me.  So, lost in those beautiful memories while listening to all their albums, I wanted to write a little about that relationship and how their music helped make me who I am.

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So…What Now?: A 2024 Election Reflection

“Yes, and how many years must a mountain exist / Before it is washed to the sea? / And how many years can some people exist / Before they’re allowed to be free? / Yes, and how many times can a man turn his head / And pretend that he just doesn’t see? / The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind / The answer is blowin’ in the wind” – Bob Dylan, “Blowin’ in the Wind”

It’s been a day.  I was trying to write a post for social media but there’s too much moving in my heart and mind so I turned to the blog.  This is very much a me processing sort of thing.  At the time of this writing, Kamala Harris has received 67,208,060 votes to Donald Trump’s 72,018,533 votes with the Electoral College being 224 to 292.  Donald Trump will become the President of the United States once more.  I finally went to bed a little after 2:00 am last night and was up again a little after 6:00 am.  The title of this piece is a question I’ve been asking myself all day.  What do I do with this?  And who am I within it?

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Ghost Rider – A Vision of the Spirit of Vengeance in 2020

As a character, the Ghost Rider fascinates me.�� But, with the exception of the ‘90s Spirits of Vengeance title that teamed the Dan Ketch-possessed-Ghost Rider with his (then) demon-free first host Johnny Blaze, I’ve read very few of his comics.  Looking back, outside of movies like Ghostbusters 2 (which scared the $#!T out of me), Spirits of Vengeance was really my first foray into horror.  Well, horror-lite.  Well, horror-lite for a comic book.  Well, after I’ve come to enjoy things like Penny Dreadful, It Follows, and The Shining and have had to endure horrors like Hereditary (WORST THING EVER), I wouldn’t really call Spirits of Vengeance “horror” anymore.  It’s more a supernatural thriller.  But for young me, it was the first time I willingly and intentionally entered the (Ghostbusters-free) world of demons, possessions, and fiery hellscapes.  Lately, I’ve found myself thinking of the Ghost Rider.  A lot.  I can’t stop imagining what shape this Spirit of Vengeance would take if it flamed into being in 2020. Continue reading →

Celebrating a Hero Like The Doctor – A Birthday Reflection

I wasn’t planning on writing today.  It’s my birthday after all!  Why go out of my way to make work for myself on my birthday?  But then an idea for a post struck and, when a new idea is unfolding, writing isn’t work.  It’s fun!  So with that in mind, you know I love Doctor Who.  And I thought, what with it being my birthday and all, it might be kind of fun to reflect a little on what leads me to love certain characters or fictional worlds.  Out of all the stories – novels, comics, movies, or TV shows – I’ve consumed in my life, what makes one stay with me?  What makes me want to return to that world and visit those characters again and again and again?  What captures my heart and mind? Continue reading →

Stan Lee: A Reflection

There have been plenty of memorials and obituaries written to honor Stan Lee since his passing yesterday.  There’s nothing I can say about his life that isn’t being said/hasn’t already been said.  Yet, at the same time, I can’t not say anything.  I was talking to Jeff when the news broke.  He told me.  David called soon after.  Texts began coming not long after that.  As with many pop culture deaths, I find myself mourning someone who was a major part of my life despite our never having met.  Unlike most pop culture deaths however, few have influenced my life to the degree Stan Lee did.  His worlds and characters have shaped me since Mom bought me my first comic book – Web Of Spider-Man #12 – when I was four years old.  When I heard he’d died I was at a loss.  All I could do was read.  I had exams that needed to be graded (exams I got back to later that night) but for that moment in time, as I sat with the reality of his passing, the only place I could go to find comfort was back into the worlds he created. Continue reading →

Growing Up with the MCU: Further Reflections on Avengers: Infinity War

When David and I saw Avengers: Infinity War for the first time opening night, a lot of thoughts ran through my mind.  I wrote about many of them that weekend.  While I grant it was an ambitious event and it certainly stayed true to how a large comic book crossover works in comic books, I wasn’t impressed with how it worked as a film.  I said then and still believe now it’s one of the weakest entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe thus far.  My initial/lasting disappointments aside, I was struck by something I saw in the theatre as the climax of the film was unfolding.  I noticed an inherent power in the film, even if it was a power unable to affect me.

As should be obvious, THIS WILL BE FILLED WITH ALL SORTS OF SPOILERS SO DON’T READ THIS IF YOU HAVEN’T SEE AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR YET.  OKAY?!? Continue reading →

Doctor Who: Becoming a Fan Without the Fandom

I watch Doctor Who now.  If I’m being honest, I watch Doctor Who a lot.  If I’m being really honest, I am absolutely in love with this show (and I may have developed a bit of a binge-watching problem).  I began watching it at the start of the school year and fell in love immediately.  Soon words like “TARDIS,” “Time Lord,” “sonic screwdriver,” “psychic paper,” “Daleks,” and “Cybermen” had become a regular part of my vocabulary.  However, this isn’t a piece about Doctor Who so much as it’s a reflection on falling in love with a show in isolation, completely removed from whatever fandom exists for the brilliant, beautiful world of the Doctor. Continue reading →

Tom Petty: A Reflection

This isn’t a memorial piece.  I don’t feel there’s anything I can really say to memorialize Tom Petty.  His music will forever speak for him and they way it makes us feel will forever speak to what he meant to those who loved him.  Nor is this a piece that explores his place in music history or his contribution to the world of music.  I’m certainly not qualified to write a post like that.  Rather, this is just a thought, that’s been going around and around in my head since I heard of his passing.  Well, that and a few of my favorite songs of his too. Continue reading →