I love love love love LOVE summer. It is magical and amazing. It's full of late nights and good memories. It has so many fun things. Summer....when I hear this word, it only connotes good and wonderful things.
One of my favorite things to do near the end of the school year is get pumped for the summer by listening to some classic summer songs. These are classic songs for MY summers, not necessarily everyone's. But there are a few that are simply summery. First off, pretty much any of the songs by The Ataris have something to do with summer. But my very favorite summer song by them is "In This Diary". Here are the lyrics, and it'll be pretty obvious why it gets me READY for summer.
Here in this diary,
I write you visions of my summer.
It was the best I ever had.
There were choruses and sing-alongs,and that unspoken feeling of knowing that right now is all that matters.
All the nights we stayed up talking
listening to 80's songs;and quoting lines from all those movies that we love.
It still brings a smile to my face.I guess when it comes down to it...
Being grown up isn't half as fun as growing up:
These are the best days of our lives.
The only thing that matters is just following your heart
and eventually you'll finally get it right.
Breaking into hotel swimming pools,
and wreaking havoc on our world.
Hanging out at truck stops just to pass the time.
The black top's singing me to sleep.
Lighting fireworks in parking lots,
illuminate the blackest nights.
Cherry cokes under this moonlit summer sky.
2015 Riverside, it's time to say goodbye...
Get on the bus, it's time to go.
Being grown up isn't half as fun as growing up:
These are the best days of our lives.
The only thing that matters is just following your heart
and eventually you'll finally get it right.
This song just gets me pumped for summer...a few more summery songs are:
1. The Boys of Summer- The Ataris
2. Dani California- Red Hot Chili Peppers
3. Fun, Fun, Fun- The Beach Boys
4. First Day Of My Life- Bright Eyes
5. Melt The Sugar- The Summer Obsession
I also love that everything gets prettier. Green grass, leaves, flowers, warmer temperatures, and more! I love the feeling of grass between my toes, and I take any opportunity to kick of my shoes. I love the warm sun and a cool breeze, and that breathtaking, endless blue sky that makes you feel infinitely small and yet totally content at the same time. I love being able to wake up leisurely and saunter out into the warm air, unsure of where the day is going to take you.
Summer...summer. Oh, dear summer. I love it. I must write more on this later.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Timshel
My sister keeps making fun of me. She says that Timshel sounds like the name of a dragon. I then tell her she shouldn't make fun of me about stuff like that when she's an avid fan of both of the Eragon books.
Anyway, I thought I should explain why I chose this dragonesque. Anyone who has read East of Eden by John Steinbeck knows why. Basically, a character, Lee, tried to get to the literal translation of Genesis chapter 24 of the Bible; the Cain and Abel story. He did many months and years of research to come to this:
“Don’t you see? . . . The American Standard translation orders men to triumph over sin, and you call sin ignorance. The King James translation makes a promise in ‘Thou shalt,’ meaning that men will surely triumph over sin. But the Hebrew word, the word timshel—‘Thou mayest’—that gives a choice. It might be the most important word in the world. That says the way is open.” (Sparknotes.com)
He found the Hebrew translation and saw that it wasn't an order or a promise, it was permission. It meant that men have a choice to triumph over the sin and temptations in their lives, and this is what the book is really about.
In the book, Cal's family has a history of evil, and Cal struggles with overcoming this legacy. Lee's discovery that God didn't promise or command Cain to overcome sin, but told him he had the ability to overcome sin was hope. This was hope for all the people who have something haunting them, who have temptations, who have sins they feel they can't escape.
Ultimately, Lee's timshel helps Cal see the truth in this and overcome his family's dark past.
I really liked this because of the hope it gave me while I was reading it. The thought that I have the ability to overcome my sin or my past or anything else that may be hindering me is encouraging, and it was presented in such an awesome way.
Not only is this one of my favorite books, timshel has become one of my favorite words, even if it does sound a little bit like a dragon.
Anyway, I thought I should explain why I chose this dragonesque. Anyone who has read East of Eden by John Steinbeck knows why. Basically, a character, Lee, tried to get to the literal translation of Genesis chapter 24 of the Bible; the Cain and Abel story. He did many months and years of research to come to this:
“Don’t you see? . . . The American Standard translation orders men to triumph over sin, and you call sin ignorance. The King James translation makes a promise in ‘Thou shalt,’ meaning that men will surely triumph over sin. But the Hebrew word, the word timshel—‘Thou mayest’—that gives a choice. It might be the most important word in the world. That says the way is open.” (Sparknotes.com)
He found the Hebrew translation and saw that it wasn't an order or a promise, it was permission. It meant that men have a choice to triumph over the sin and temptations in their lives, and this is what the book is really about.
In the book, Cal's family has a history of evil, and Cal struggles with overcoming this legacy. Lee's discovery that God didn't promise or command Cain to overcome sin, but told him he had the ability to overcome sin was hope. This was hope for all the people who have something haunting them, who have temptations, who have sins they feel they can't escape.
Ultimately, Lee's timshel helps Cal see the truth in this and overcome his family's dark past.
I really liked this because of the hope it gave me while I was reading it. The thought that I have the ability to overcome my sin or my past or anything else that may be hindering me is encouraging, and it was presented in such an awesome way.
Not only is this one of my favorite books, timshel has become one of my favorite words, even if it does sound a little bit like a dragon.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
No Country For Old Men
A few months ago, my sisters and I went to see a movie. We decided that we should see No Country For Old Men because it had gotten such awesome reviews. We had no idea what it was about. Had my sisters known, they would have refused. I probably still would have gone to see it.
This movie isn't like most movies. (Uh oh...sounds just as promising as "she has a good personality") It doesn't have much music, and it doesn't have much dialogue either. It starts out with Tommy Lee Jones talking about how he doesn't know how the older men who used to be sherriffs around where he lives would handle the kind of stuff that goes on these days. ("These days" being in 1980-something.)
The movie is basically about Llewelyn Moss, a man who finds about a billion dollars in a bag at the scene of a drug deal gone wrong, and takes off with it. Little does he know that the psychotic Anton Chigurh is following him, dead-set on getting the money. Not only does he want that money, he's going to kill Llewelyn no matter what, even if he gives Chigurh the money straight up.
Chigurh is what kept me watching. I wasn't terribly attached to Llewelyn, though I did want him to die because I liked his cute little wife, Carla Jean. But Chigurh is this psycopathic, horrible person. He barely seems like a person. He shows absolutely no emotion as he kills seven, eight, nine people onscreen. He needs a car, so he simply pulls someone over and kills him. He couldn't just take the car, he had to kill the guy. So goes the rest of the movie.
The acting in this movie, the filming, the lack of music, all these things made this movie chilling and extremely creepy. I liked the way a look from Chigurh could send shivers down my spine.
This movie's no feel-good family film, however. With ample blood and gore, and just enough plain suspense, this movie scared me a lot. But it is interesting and stuff.
I dunno, I've lost interest in this review....unlike the movie, which held my attention until the very unexpected rolling of the credits.
This movie isn't like most movies. (Uh oh...sounds just as promising as "she has a good personality") It doesn't have much music, and it doesn't have much dialogue either. It starts out with Tommy Lee Jones talking about how he doesn't know how the older men who used to be sherriffs around where he lives would handle the kind of stuff that goes on these days. ("These days" being in 1980-something.)
The movie is basically about Llewelyn Moss, a man who finds about a billion dollars in a bag at the scene of a drug deal gone wrong, and takes off with it. Little does he know that the psychotic Anton Chigurh is following him, dead-set on getting the money. Not only does he want that money, he's going to kill Llewelyn no matter what, even if he gives Chigurh the money straight up.
Chigurh is what kept me watching. I wasn't terribly attached to Llewelyn, though I did want him to die because I liked his cute little wife, Carla Jean. But Chigurh is this psycopathic, horrible person. He barely seems like a person. He shows absolutely no emotion as he kills seven, eight, nine people onscreen. He needs a car, so he simply pulls someone over and kills him. He couldn't just take the car, he had to kill the guy. So goes the rest of the movie.
The acting in this movie, the filming, the lack of music, all these things made this movie chilling and extremely creepy. I liked the way a look from Chigurh could send shivers down my spine.
This movie's no feel-good family film, however. With ample blood and gore, and just enough plain suspense, this movie scared me a lot. But it is interesting and stuff.
I dunno, I've lost interest in this review....unlike the movie, which held my attention until the very unexpected rolling of the credits.
I Got This Guitar And I Learned How To Make It Talk
I realized the other day that I'd been taking guitar lessons for over a year. It was kind of a shocking realization, because I remember being very frustrated the first few months, thinking that I'd never be able to play more than a convoluted rendition of "Boulevard of Broken Dreams".
This, however, is not the case. I have to admit, I haven't always been completely faithful in my practicing. Especially for the first few months, when I couldn't play anything but Green Day and some very watered down Beatles songs, I was frustrated. I decided I'd rather just learn the piano or something, because this wasn't worth it.
But somehow I stuck with it. I got more into it when I learned how to slowly play songs I like, or at least songs I liked then. I learned "Swing Life Away", "One Year, Six Months", and "We Are Going To Be Friends". These songs I knew and made it fun to play.
But then over the Christmas vacation I sort of fell off the wagon. I stopped practicing for at least a month, maybe two. This wasn't good, and I'd stare at my dusty guitar case and think, "Hmph, I should probably practice soon...."
Over the past few months, I've gotten back into practicing. I recently learned how to play my favorite song in the world, "A Minor Incident" by Badly Drawn Boy. Also, I learned "Wonderwall", which is a classic song for learners, but I'd never learned. I realize why everyone learns it; it's pretty easy but it still sounds really good.
So while my journey hasn't always been easy or fun, I feel as though I've weathered the worst of the storm, and now I know at least that I can make a few songs come out of my good ol' guitar.
This, however, is not the case. I have to admit, I haven't always been completely faithful in my practicing. Especially for the first few months, when I couldn't play anything but Green Day and some very watered down Beatles songs, I was frustrated. I decided I'd rather just learn the piano or something, because this wasn't worth it.
But somehow I stuck with it. I got more into it when I learned how to slowly play songs I like, or at least songs I liked then. I learned "Swing Life Away", "One Year, Six Months", and "We Are Going To Be Friends". These songs I knew and made it fun to play.
But then over the Christmas vacation I sort of fell off the wagon. I stopped practicing for at least a month, maybe two. This wasn't good, and I'd stare at my dusty guitar case and think, "Hmph, I should probably practice soon...."
Over the past few months, I've gotten back into practicing. I recently learned how to play my favorite song in the world, "A Minor Incident" by Badly Drawn Boy. Also, I learned "Wonderwall", which is a classic song for learners, but I'd never learned. I realize why everyone learns it; it's pretty easy but it still sounds really good.
So while my journey hasn't always been easy or fun, I feel as though I've weathered the worst of the storm, and now I know at least that I can make a few songs come out of my good ol' guitar.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Fifty Questions...(borrowed from Marissa)
1. Where were you 3 hours ago?
Sleeping
2. Who are you in love with?
Celebrity-wise: Shia LaBeouf, Ryan Philippe, and Channing Tatum. In real life?.....no comment.
3. Have you ever eaten a crayon?
I work at a daycare. I see the effects of it once in a while, during potty time, and I'd rather not.
4. Is there anything pink within 10 feet of you?
The polka dots on my ipod case.
5. When is the last time you went to the mall?
Today! Glace at Sertino's..mmmm.
6. Are you wearing socks right now?
Yes.
7. Do you have a car worth over $2,000?
I DRIVE..I DRIVE...I DRIVE A DODGE STRATUS!
8. When was the last time you drove out of town?
Last weekend.
9. Have you been to the movies in the last 5 days?
Noooooo.
10. Are you hot?
I have a great personality ;-}
11. What was the last thing you had to drink?
Diet White Peach Papaya Tea
12. What are you wearing right now?
Jeans, Backstreet Boy t-shirt.
13. Do you wash your car or let the car wash do it?
Depends on my cash supply.
14. Last food that you ate?
A pita thingy.
15. Where were you last week at this time?
Outta town.
16. Have you bought any clothing items in the last week?
No.
17. When is the last time you ran?
Today!
18. What's the last sporting event you watched?
White Sox game whenever they're on.
19. What is your favorite animal?
Cow
20. Your dream vacation?
Greece.
21. Last person's house you were in?
Mine....?
22. Worst injury you've ever had?
Broken wrist
23. Have you been in love?
No
24. Do you miss anyone right now?
No
25. Last play you saw?
The Reluctant Dragon
26. What is your secret weapon to lure in the opposite sex?
Don't have one.
27. What are your plans for tonight?
Maybe a bike ride.
28. Who is the last person you sent a MySpace message or comment?
I have no MySpace.
29. Next trip you are going to take?
Jamaica
30. Ever go to camp?
Every summer.
31. Were you an honor roll student in school?
Yeah
32. What do you want to know about the future?
If what I want to happen in my life WILL happen
33. Are you wearing any perfume or cologne?
Happy by Clinique, my favie
34. Are you due sometime this year for a doctor's visit?
No
35. Where is your best friend?
Doing a massive paper
36. How is your best friend?
Pretty okay I think
37. Do you have a tan?
No, I'm pasty.
38. What are you listening to right now?
My sister watching "Sydney White"
39. Do you collect anything?
Cow Statues, Vogue magazine
40. Who is the biggest gossiper you know?
I think I'd qualify if I said their name in a blog entry.
41. Last time you got stopped by a cop or pulled over?
Never. Well, once my sisters and I were WALKING and a cop told us to walk on the other side of the road. But not in a car.
42. Have you ever drank your soda from a straw?
Yes, and I've also cringed at bad grammer such as "have you drank".
43. What does your last text message say?
Probably some demeaning name, love my sister.
44. Do you like hot sauce?
No.
45. Last time you took a shower?
Hmmmm...just kidding. This morning.
46. Do you need to do laundry?
No, my mom does my laundry
47. What is your heritage?
German and British
48. Are you someone's best friend?
Two BFFs.
49. Are you rich?
Filthy stinkin'. What kind of a question is that?
50. What were you doing at 12AM last night?
Listening to Israel Kamakawiwo'ole singing me to sleep.
Sleeping
2. Who are you in love with?
Celebrity-wise: Shia LaBeouf, Ryan Philippe, and Channing Tatum. In real life?.....no comment.
3. Have you ever eaten a crayon?
I work at a daycare. I see the effects of it once in a while, during potty time, and I'd rather not.
4. Is there anything pink within 10 feet of you?
The polka dots on my ipod case.
5. When is the last time you went to the mall?
Today! Glace at Sertino's..mmmm.
6. Are you wearing socks right now?
Yes.
7. Do you have a car worth over $2,000?
I DRIVE..I DRIVE...I DRIVE A DODGE STRATUS!
8. When was the last time you drove out of town?
Last weekend.
9. Have you been to the movies in the last 5 days?
Noooooo.
10. Are you hot?
I have a great personality ;-}
11. What was the last thing you had to drink?
Diet White Peach Papaya Tea
12. What are you wearing right now?
Jeans, Backstreet Boy t-shirt.
13. Do you wash your car or let the car wash do it?
Depends on my cash supply.
14. Last food that you ate?
A pita thingy.
15. Where were you last week at this time?
Outta town.
16. Have you bought any clothing items in the last week?
No.
17. When is the last time you ran?
Today!
18. What's the last sporting event you watched?
White Sox game whenever they're on.
19. What is your favorite animal?
Cow
20. Your dream vacation?
Greece.
21. Last person's house you were in?
Mine....?
22. Worst injury you've ever had?
Broken wrist
23. Have you been in love?
No
24. Do you miss anyone right now?
No
25. Last play you saw?
The Reluctant Dragon
26. What is your secret weapon to lure in the opposite sex?
Don't have one.
27. What are your plans for tonight?
Maybe a bike ride.
28. Who is the last person you sent a MySpace message or comment?
I have no MySpace.
29. Next trip you are going to take?
Jamaica
30. Ever go to camp?
Every summer.
31. Were you an honor roll student in school?
Yeah
32. What do you want to know about the future?
If what I want to happen in my life WILL happen
33. Are you wearing any perfume or cologne?
Happy by Clinique, my favie
34. Are you due sometime this year for a doctor's visit?
No
35. Where is your best friend?
Doing a massive paper
36. How is your best friend?
Pretty okay I think
37. Do you have a tan?
No, I'm pasty.
38. What are you listening to right now?
My sister watching "Sydney White"
39. Do you collect anything?
Cow Statues, Vogue magazine
40. Who is the biggest gossiper you know?
I think I'd qualify if I said their name in a blog entry.
41. Last time you got stopped by a cop or pulled over?
Never. Well, once my sisters and I were WALKING and a cop told us to walk on the other side of the road. But not in a car.
42. Have you ever drank your soda from a straw?
Yes, and I've also cringed at bad grammer such as "have you drank".
43. What does your last text message say?
Probably some demeaning name, love my sister.
44. Do you like hot sauce?
No.
45. Last time you took a shower?
Hmmmm...just kidding. This morning.
46. Do you need to do laundry?
No, my mom does my laundry
47. What is your heritage?
German and British
48. Are you someone's best friend?
Two BFFs.
49. Are you rich?
Filthy stinkin'. What kind of a question is that?
50. What were you doing at 12AM last night?
Listening to Israel Kamakawiwo'ole singing me to sleep.
My Predicament
I used to be the first one in my family to wake up. I'd hop out of bed, refreshed and excited for the day to begin. That was, however, about ten years ago. These days I'm not as excited. In fact, I rather loathe getting up, which is why I almost always wake up at least fifteen minutes later than I should, usually half an hour later.
To solve this problem, I have four alarms. I have my normal alarm clock, and my phone. My alarm clock goes off at five. This is the ideal time I'd like to wake up. In theory, my sister and I should leave our house at 6:25 to get to school at a comfortable time. However, this, like my waking up on time, rarely happens. My phone alarm goes off at 5:15, 5:30, and 5:45, so as to ensure that I will get up eventually.
There is another problem I have with waking up. My sister does not wake up on her own. I think she has two alarms. Even with those two alarms, I wake her up every morning. Around 5:45, I open her door. Our rooms are connected with our bathroom, so she usually wakes up to a combination of the light from the bathroom, my music drifting over to her side, and the sounds of my drawers closing and opening. This is probably a perfect situation for her; she gets to sleep much later than me and doesn't have to worry about getting up for her alarm. This situation is not perfect for me, though, because I cannot choose to sleep late.
This is what happened yesterday. I responded to my first alarm like I always do. Shaken out of my precious five a.m. sleep, I stumbled over to my alarm clock and turned it off. Fifteen minutes later (which feels more like fifteen seconds), another alarm went off. I turned it off. Another alarm went off fifteen minutes later. It too was turned off. My last alarm went off, and this time was different. I was lying on my stomach, and raised my head off my pillow to squint at the time. 5:45. This is not a very good time for me to wake up; it always leaves me feeling rushed. I felt so exhausted, and I knew that my sister would not wake me up- she depended on me to wake her up. I turned off the final alarm, sighed, and put my head back on my pillow. Today I wasn't going to wake up.
Of course, almost any idea seems better at 5:45 in the morning when you've only just woken up and are a bit disoriented and very tired. When my mom woke me up at 6:30, I realized that making a conscious decision to skip my early bird class was probably not such a good idea.
My predicament is this: I have to wake up on time to get to my early bird class, but I don't like to, and sometimes I can barely bring myself to. My sister depends on me to get her up as well, so if I shirk my responsibility, I'm putting two people's grades on the line. It's a catch-22 of sorts, and I'm a bit (no pun intended) tired of it.
Ah well, it's near the end of the year, and as long as I can keep reminding myself to get out of bed, and as long as I don't decide to miss class in my half-conscious states, I think I can handle it for a few more months.
To solve this problem, I have four alarms. I have my normal alarm clock, and my phone. My alarm clock goes off at five. This is the ideal time I'd like to wake up. In theory, my sister and I should leave our house at 6:25 to get to school at a comfortable time. However, this, like my waking up on time, rarely happens. My phone alarm goes off at 5:15, 5:30, and 5:45, so as to ensure that I will get up eventually.
There is another problem I have with waking up. My sister does not wake up on her own. I think she has two alarms. Even with those two alarms, I wake her up every morning. Around 5:45, I open her door. Our rooms are connected with our bathroom, so she usually wakes up to a combination of the light from the bathroom, my music drifting over to her side, and the sounds of my drawers closing and opening. This is probably a perfect situation for her; she gets to sleep much later than me and doesn't have to worry about getting up for her alarm. This situation is not perfect for me, though, because I cannot choose to sleep late.
This is what happened yesterday. I responded to my first alarm like I always do. Shaken out of my precious five a.m. sleep, I stumbled over to my alarm clock and turned it off. Fifteen minutes later (which feels more like fifteen seconds), another alarm went off. I turned it off. Another alarm went off fifteen minutes later. It too was turned off. My last alarm went off, and this time was different. I was lying on my stomach, and raised my head off my pillow to squint at the time. 5:45. This is not a very good time for me to wake up; it always leaves me feeling rushed. I felt so exhausted, and I knew that my sister would not wake me up- she depended on me to wake her up. I turned off the final alarm, sighed, and put my head back on my pillow. Today I wasn't going to wake up.
Of course, almost any idea seems better at 5:45 in the morning when you've only just woken up and are a bit disoriented and very tired. When my mom woke me up at 6:30, I realized that making a conscious decision to skip my early bird class was probably not such a good idea.
My predicament is this: I have to wake up on time to get to my early bird class, but I don't like to, and sometimes I can barely bring myself to. My sister depends on me to get her up as well, so if I shirk my responsibility, I'm putting two people's grades on the line. It's a catch-22 of sorts, and I'm a bit (no pun intended) tired of it.
Ah well, it's near the end of the year, and as long as I can keep reminding myself to get out of bed, and as long as I don't decide to miss class in my half-conscious states, I think I can handle it for a few more months.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Stop-Loss Review
I wanted to see this movie because of the actors in it at first, but soon the storyline interested me as well.
I was a little afraid that this movie would be a Bush-bashing, anti-war, Liberal fest, and I wasn't sure if I could handle that. I don't like going to the theater to see a bunch of propaganda telling me our country's going to the dogs and our president's a moron and all of that, because I don't believe it.
The story is very interesting, and I was immediately drawn to the two main characters, Steve and Brandon. I liked that they'd been friends since childhood and that they were loyal and brave.
I thought this movie was very realistic. Many movies portray people as much too brave or honorable or nice, and you're left with a sense of, "Could anyone really be that great?"
This movie had flawed characters. Brandon (Ryan Phillippe) gets angry that he's been stop-lossed, so he beats two men up and runs away. He battles with doing the right thing and doing what he wants the whole movie. I thought this was realistic. Though I wasn't very happy with his character for doing it, I thought it was probably how a lot of soldiers would react when they found out they'd have to go back.
I also thought Tommy (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) was a realistic character. He gets into a lot of trouble getting drunk, and on top of that his wife kicks him out. In his despair, his absolute low point, he throws a beer bottle through a jewelry store window. This is after he's been warned to clean up his act. A few days after being kicked out of the army, he commits suicide. The army and his wife were his two reasons to live, and he had neither. I thought that this was pretty realistic. He's very perturbed by what he did and saw in Iraq, so he acts out. Then he realizes he's lost everything he lived for, and sees no point in living.
Though the movie did have a little bit of anti-current administration stuff, it was subtle, and not necessarily propaganda as much as only one side of the story. The screen read that some 88,000 soldiers were stop-lossed in 2007, but it didn't say how many willingly reenlisted. This would have been helpful to give a clearer picture on the whole situation.
All in all, however, I thought that this movie had a good cast who played realistic characters, I thought it was very well made, and I thought it left an impact.
I was a little afraid that this movie would be a Bush-bashing, anti-war, Liberal fest, and I wasn't sure if I could handle that. I don't like going to the theater to see a bunch of propaganda telling me our country's going to the dogs and our president's a moron and all of that, because I don't believe it.
The story is very interesting, and I was immediately drawn to the two main characters, Steve and Brandon. I liked that they'd been friends since childhood and that they were loyal and brave.
I thought this movie was very realistic. Many movies portray people as much too brave or honorable or nice, and you're left with a sense of, "Could anyone really be that great?"
This movie had flawed characters. Brandon (Ryan Phillippe) gets angry that he's been stop-lossed, so he beats two men up and runs away. He battles with doing the right thing and doing what he wants the whole movie. I thought this was realistic. Though I wasn't very happy with his character for doing it, I thought it was probably how a lot of soldiers would react when they found out they'd have to go back.
I also thought Tommy (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) was a realistic character. He gets into a lot of trouble getting drunk, and on top of that his wife kicks him out. In his despair, his absolute low point, he throws a beer bottle through a jewelry store window. This is after he's been warned to clean up his act. A few days after being kicked out of the army, he commits suicide. The army and his wife were his two reasons to live, and he had neither. I thought that this was pretty realistic. He's very perturbed by what he did and saw in Iraq, so he acts out. Then he realizes he's lost everything he lived for, and sees no point in living.
Though the movie did have a little bit of anti-current administration stuff, it was subtle, and not necessarily propaganda as much as only one side of the story. The screen read that some 88,000 soldiers were stop-lossed in 2007, but it didn't say how many willingly reenlisted. This would have been helpful to give a clearer picture on the whole situation.
All in all, however, I thought that this movie had a good cast who played realistic characters, I thought it was very well made, and I thought it left an impact.
Stop-Loss
Over Spring Break, I was very excited to get to see a movie I'd been waiting for, "Stop-Loss".
I initially wanted to see it, yes, because Channing Tatum is in it, along with Ryan Phillippe, and I find both of these actors rather easy on the eyes.
The basic storyline is this: Brandon (Phillippe), is a soldier who just came home from his tour of Iraq, where he witnessed his good friends injured brutally and killed. He's very glad to be back and start his life over. Steve, (Tatum) is his best friend since childhood, who was by his side every step of the way in Iraq. There are also two others that are good friends and fellow soldiers, Tommy (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Isaac (played by Rob Brown). These four soldiers return home to Texas, and all of them are eager to see their families and loved ones.
The soldiers did get out of Iraq with their lives, but that did not stop them from being affected. They get drunk and behave in unacceptable ways, including Steve hitting his girlfriend and thinking he was back in Iraq; he digs a grave in his front yard. Tommy is the most deeply affected, however, and he blames himself for a lot of what went wrong the day many of their friends were killed. He drinks too much and his wife kicks him out. The four decide to go out to a ranch that Brandon's family has and spend a few days taking it easy, away from reality.
The next day or so, the four have to go turn in all their effects and take care of their last business before being officially done with their tour. However, Brandon is informed that he's shipping out at the end of the month. After arguing back that he's done with his fighting, he's told he was stop-lossed, and that the president can override his contract. He even goes to his Lieutenant Colonel to get it reversed, but he says the same thing; he has to do what he's ordered.
Brandon reacts badly, beating up two soldiers escorting him out and taking Steve's car to run away. He ends up driving with Steve's girlfriend, Michelle (with no romantic undertones- she has a car and he needs one) to Washington DC to talk to a senator who told him to tell him if he had any trouble. Steve catches up with them to bring Brandon home, but Brandon refuses. When Michelle finds out that Steve signed up to be a sniper, she breaks it off with him, saying she waited five years for him and she can tell he'll never be done. Steve leaves completely unsettled. His best friend is a fugitive and his girlfriend, the girl he loves more than anyone, just broke up with him.
Along the way, Brandon realizes that no senator is going to help a runaway soldier who is defying an order from the president. He then looks at his other option: fleeing the country. He gets in touch with a man who can help him run away to Canada, but finds out that Tommy has killed himself, so rushes back home to go to the funeral after everyone else but Steve is gone.
Steve sees Brandon, and they talk about what's been happening. Steve has a crying moment, and they have a fist fighting moment, and they do not part well. Brandon goes to the ranch and says goodbye to everyone- he's decided to flee to Mexico.
Standing on the border, Brandon comments how when he crosses the border, all his friends and family and past will be gone, but he'll still remember what he did and there's nothing that can change that. (You find out in a flashback that when Brandon was saving Steve's life he killed a man with a weapon who was holding his very young son in his arms).
The movie ends with Brandon and Steve sitting side by side on a bus to ship out once again. Brandon's mom is terror-stricken and his dad is stone-faced. Michelle stands in the crowd, though you're not sure if it's for Steve, or Brandon, who she's known since childhood as well.
It's not necessarily a happy story, but it is a very moving one.
I initially wanted to see it, yes, because Channing Tatum is in it, along with Ryan Phillippe, and I find both of these actors rather easy on the eyes.
The basic storyline is this: Brandon (Phillippe), is a soldier who just came home from his tour of Iraq, where he witnessed his good friends injured brutally and killed. He's very glad to be back and start his life over. Steve, (Tatum) is his best friend since childhood, who was by his side every step of the way in Iraq. There are also two others that are good friends and fellow soldiers, Tommy (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Isaac (played by Rob Brown). These four soldiers return home to Texas, and all of them are eager to see their families and loved ones.
The soldiers did get out of Iraq with their lives, but that did not stop them from being affected. They get drunk and behave in unacceptable ways, including Steve hitting his girlfriend and thinking he was back in Iraq; he digs a grave in his front yard. Tommy is the most deeply affected, however, and he blames himself for a lot of what went wrong the day many of their friends were killed. He drinks too much and his wife kicks him out. The four decide to go out to a ranch that Brandon's family has and spend a few days taking it easy, away from reality.
The next day or so, the four have to go turn in all their effects and take care of their last business before being officially done with their tour. However, Brandon is informed that he's shipping out at the end of the month. After arguing back that he's done with his fighting, he's told he was stop-lossed, and that the president can override his contract. He even goes to his Lieutenant Colonel to get it reversed, but he says the same thing; he has to do what he's ordered.
Brandon reacts badly, beating up two soldiers escorting him out and taking Steve's car to run away. He ends up driving with Steve's girlfriend, Michelle (with no romantic undertones- she has a car and he needs one) to Washington DC to talk to a senator who told him to tell him if he had any trouble. Steve catches up with them to bring Brandon home, but Brandon refuses. When Michelle finds out that Steve signed up to be a sniper, she breaks it off with him, saying she waited five years for him and she can tell he'll never be done. Steve leaves completely unsettled. His best friend is a fugitive and his girlfriend, the girl he loves more than anyone, just broke up with him.
Along the way, Brandon realizes that no senator is going to help a runaway soldier who is defying an order from the president. He then looks at his other option: fleeing the country. He gets in touch with a man who can help him run away to Canada, but finds out that Tommy has killed himself, so rushes back home to go to the funeral after everyone else but Steve is gone.
Steve sees Brandon, and they talk about what's been happening. Steve has a crying moment, and they have a fist fighting moment, and they do not part well. Brandon goes to the ranch and says goodbye to everyone- he's decided to flee to Mexico.
Standing on the border, Brandon comments how when he crosses the border, all his friends and family and past will be gone, but he'll still remember what he did and there's nothing that can change that. (You find out in a flashback that when Brandon was saving Steve's life he killed a man with a weapon who was holding his very young son in his arms).
The movie ends with Brandon and Steve sitting side by side on a bus to ship out once again. Brandon's mom is terror-stricken and his dad is stone-faced. Michelle stands in the crowd, though you're not sure if it's for Steve, or Brandon, who she's known since childhood as well.
It's not necessarily a happy story, but it is a very moving one.
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