Cinemawhatty?

If you don't know me and you're reading this, I am somewhat of a film buff. I talk about cinematography, and director's bodies of work, I analyze subtext, and I view storytelling on both an intentional and sublime plain, and I look at most movies, even bad movies, as artwork, as pieces of art to be understood and affected.

But something I just realized about 5 minutes ago is that one of the reasons I watch movies and like them so much, is because not only do I enjoy them, consider them philosophical platforms, and engage my mind in creative ways when I watch them. It's because in a way, watching movies makes me a more interesting person.

In the last 48 hours, I've actually become more aware of how I interact with the medium, and how I talk, act, etc. It's not informed by movies, persay, but it's definitely influenced. You'd have to be an idiot to claim that media doesn't affect you. I embrace that fact, but I also use discernment.

I was having a conversation last night, and I turned a scene from a movie into a conversation piece, without referencing the movie at all. I think a number of my "witty remarks" are allusions or direct quotes to some of my favorite movies, however obscure or immemorable to my audience. It's not even an act of mimicry, or even intentional; I have always been drawn to movies where the characters and dialogue reminded me of me in the first place. When I discover a movie that is one of my favorites, it's often because I feel that lines, sometimes pages of dialogue, character attributes and even minor plot points were taken out of my journal/inner monologue.

That is all, just an observation. Let me know if you catch me doing it :)

Also, if you didn't catch it, the title of this post is an allusion to a movie line from a really really really ridiculously funny movie.

Do you deserve your weekend?

I had a great weekend. I refereed some little kids playing football which I actually enjoy despite the vitriolic ranting of parents and coaches alike. I read a great book, I spent some time with friends, I went to church, I had some of the best food that one can buy in my city and I saw a summer blockbuster movie which wasn't too disappointing. I met a really cool person, and had more than one very good conversation.

But I didn't deserve any of it. And that's what's so mindblowing about living in this country, what is so upsetting to me when people take it for granted.

I think if you asked most any american, they would tell you of course they deserve their weekend, their vacation, their long lunch, their quality time with their boy or girl friend, their family, their free evenings to go carousing, their ability to choose their field of work.
last week, someone pointed out to me the logical error in that way of thinking. No matter how hard you work, you don't deserve any of those things; you inherited them. So claim that you deserve those things is to claim that those who do not have those things, ie impoverished people in 3rd world countries, do not deserve them. Which, to make that claim is pretty much b.s. so, don't even try it.

The idea of inheritance is pretty significant in this society as well as in the bible. And what's crazy, is that that's exactly how they describe heaven. It's an inheritance that we couldn't possibly deserve, but we get to inherit because of grace, and through which we are meant to help others.

So, if you think about it, being an average american is basically like being a prince or a princess. Do you want to live up in your castle, or do you want to share it with the world?