They're Right - America (and the rest of the world) Has Talent

Recently I came across this gem - a video of a couple in a car synching the lyrics to, "You're the One That I Want" from Grease. The catch - they don't sing it, they sign it. Uber clever and fun and impossible to be in a bad mood while watching. Go ahead, try. I'll wait.

There are tons of these kinds of videos out there, most on YouTube, most by amateurs, all terribly clever and creative and talented and brave. Following are some of my favorite - the ones I can, and do, watch over and over. Hopefully they'll make you smile, laugh, get goosebumps, all of the above, whatever.

I Got a Feeling Lip Dub - a true team effort from a group of students at a university in Quebec. I have no idea how many times they tried this before they got it right - but just that so many people were involved, and the fact that it was done in one, continuous shot is simply amazing. Watch for the clever use of props matching the lyrics. Impossible to catch them all in one viewing.

Grand Rapids Lip Dub - this record-setting effort, which Roger Ebert called, 'the greatest music video ever made' was the town's response when Newsweek magazine included them on their list of America's Dying Cities. Again, the sheer scale alone makes this worth watching.

Hey Teach, a Lecture Musical - a slightly different setup where hidden cameras are set up and someone does something in front of a group.  Some are done by a few people, some by flash mobs. There are a ton out there (see Frozen Grand Central or Christmas Food Court Hallelujah), but this is one of my favorite. Kudos to the teacher for playing along.

Som Sabadell Flashmob - same concept, for fans of classical music.

We No Speak Americano - technically these guys aren't amateurs I guess, after using this video to vault them into paying gigs (at least one in the form of a McDonalds commercial.) But before they reached the heights of fast food fame, they put this together. 'Be Amazing' is written on the wall behind them. Check.  Not allowed to show the video window for this one; hopefully the link will work:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iANRO3I30nM 


Ultimate Dog Tease - with 159 million views you've probably seen this, but it's short and it's clever and it deserves a spot on this list.

There are many, many more out there that I'm not remembering. As I do I'll update this post. But if you can't wait, check this out.

Happy viewing.

Making an Impact

Recently I attended a memorial service for a friend. We weren’t really close. In fact, he was more of a best friend of a friend. But that’s all semantics, really. The man - Steve - led an amazing life. Musician, environmentalist, writer, father, lawyer, and more. I didn’t know all he did until after his death, and it turns out he did a lot. And meant a lot. To a whole lot of people.

The memorial was held at the Irish Cultural Center in downtown Phoenix - a beautiful facility that looks as if it was uprooted from the Emerald Isle and flown, brick by brick, to the desert. The main hall where the celebration was held is no small place. I’d been there once before, for a concert. A band from Ireland, of course. They had filled maybe half of the hall. For this memorial the hall was packed. Standing room only with people waiting outside. And wait they did, even though it was a toasty 110 degrees which, even by a Phoenician’s standards, is a tad uncomfortable.

By my count, there were more than 200 people inside, and who knows how many out. Another 20-30 maybe. There were no doubt a good number of people who wanted to attend but couldn’t. Many locals leave town for the weekends in the summer. They head north, or south, or east - anywhere cooler, which is pretty much everywhere. Had the memorial been held in February who knows how many more there would have been.

Later that evening, after the music and poetry and loving tributes, I couldn’t help but think about my own mortality. When I die, will there be a need for an event like this, and if so, how many people would show up? 200? 100? 10?

People don’t generally like to think about their own demise. It’s scary shit, the unknown. But in this case maybe we should. Ask yourself this - if you lived your life trying to get as many people to your memorial as possible, what would you do differently? I’m guessing whatever the answer is, it’s not going to make you a worse person. Probably the opposite.

According to the program, Steve was a big fan of The Dalai Lama. One of his favorite quotes follows, and might explain why 200+ people showed up on a hot, Phoenix-summer day to say goodbye to an old friend.

"I try to treat whoever I meet as an old friend. This gives me a genuine feeling of happiness. It is the practice of compassion."

One final thought - if you are reasonably young and agile and can stand for an hour or two without being severely strained, and you find yourself at an event like this, or any event, and have arrived early enough to get a seat, look around. If you see someone who isn’t as healthy, or young, as you, offer them your seat. Thanks.

Dallas, Her, Wolf - What a Year for Movies

Four months ago the 86th Academy Awards took place.

Four days ago I watched the last of the nine Best Picture nominees.

Four hours ago I decided which one I liked best.

And four minutes ago I changed my mind.  Again.

Having trouble picking this year.  But unlike recent years it’s not because none of the films really stood out - it’s that there were more than a few that did.  In fact, this was the best year for movies since 2011 (Winter’s Bone, The King’s Speech, The Social Network, Inception, The Fighter and True Grit.)  Not bad.

So without further ado (I'm all out of ado, actually) here's the list:

Dallas Buyers Club

What it’s about:  The struggle of a Ron Woodroof, a homophobic cowboy who gets AIDS in 1985 and has to fight friends, doctors, big pharma and the government in order to survive this dangerous, new disease.

Loved this movie, and not just because Scott Takeda appears within. The story tugs at your heart, but not in a sappy, Steven-Spielberg way.  McConaughey’s transition from healthy homophobe to terminally ill champion of those he hated is sincere and believable.  Leto seems not so much acting as letting out another person who’s been living inside him.  And Jennifer Garner proves again it’s just a matter of time until she wins an Oscar of her own.
 
Review-ku:

Early days of AIDS.
Rodeo cowboy did al-
right alright alright.

Her

What it’s about:  The futuristic tale of a recently-divorced introvert who falls in love with his computer’s operating system.

This movie gets huge points on creativity alone. Spike Jonze’s love story set in futuristic Los Angeles paints a picture of a world where artificial intelligence has advanced to the point where a fulfilling relationship doesn’t really require another person.

Again, Joaquin Phoenix morphs into his character to the point of being unrecognizable. His co-star, the voice of Scarlett Johansson, received calls for a Best Actress nomination. While I could listen to SJ read old issues of the American Journal of Psychiatry for 12 hours straight, there are other, more compelling reasons to check out this gem.

Review-ku:

Scarlett Johansson
Living in my mobile phone?
Where do I sign up?

The Wolf of Wall Street

What it’s about:  The ‘true’ story of a slimy stock broker in the 90’s. Sex, drugs, stocks, strippers, cars, yachts, drugs, egos, FBI agents, drugs, midgets, drugs. Did I mention drugs?

People either loved or hated this movie. Count me in the loved camp. One of Martin Scorsese’s finest efforts, great thought was put into every shot. No fillers to get from one scene to the next (hello American Hustle) - even the simplest transitions are with care.  Think Amélie, The King’s Speech, The Assassination of Jesse James…  Wolf is one of those films.

Jonah Hill excels as the slimiest of a truly slimy crew, Rob Reiner is foul-mouthed and funny, and Australian newcomer Margot Robbie is maybe the guiltiest pleasure in a movie bursting with them. DiCaprio is fun to watch even though at no point do you forget it’s him you’re watching.

Home of one of my favorite scenes of the year.

Review-ku:

Entertaining flick
Though by the end it makes you
Want to take a bath

Gravity

What it’s about: Astronaut Sandra Bullock faces near-insurmountable obstacles after a freak accident destroys her shuttle and kills her crew.

Visually stunning, Gravity was not meant to watch at home unless you have a very, very large TV.  All the hallmarks of a great drama are here - likable characters (Bullock as the newbie astronaut, George Clooney as the warm and wise mentor), near impossible odds with death always an eyelash away, time running out, and a touching B-story brought up just often enough.

At times it’s a bit predictable, other times a bit cheesy, but the imagery alone makes the time fly by - a trait not always seen in 2+ hour movies.

Review-ku:

Two hours about
Sandra Bullock’s well-shaped as-
tronaut character.

American Hustle

What it’s about: Hollywood producers dress popular actors in 70’s clothing, give one a perm and one a comb-over and how in the world could hilarity not ensue?

A virtual Hollywood all-star team combines to make a recent period piece about scam artists and nutty FBI agents in bed together. Cooper and Bale are solid, but Lawrence was the high mark for me as she can play a great crazy. Amy Adams joins the fun as she is contractually obligated to appear in every single movie until 2024.  Bonus: excellent soundtrack.

Review-ku:

Adams and Bale,
Scammers in the seventies.
Cooper gets a perm.

Philomena

What it’s about: An elderly woman enlists the help of a past-his-prime reporter to track down the child she was forced to give up many years ago.

Judi Dench. Really that’s reason enough to watch Philomena. But, if you’re some kind of doofus who needs more than that there’s Steve Coogan, who helped adapt the book. Both are relatable and fun to watch. This is a comfortable movie, a drama with just the right amount of comedy sprinkled in. Good viewing for a rainy day. I’m assuming. I live where it doesn’t rain.

Review-ku:

Enjoyable film,
Though 'Philomena' sounds like
a rare STD.

Captain Philips

What it’s about: A cargo ship captain tossed into a volatile situation after Nigerian pirates board his vessel.

Another movie based on a book, staring Tom Hanks. Enjoyable for the most part but about 30 minutes longer than needed. Director Paul Greengrass does a great job of building tension in the first half but even America’s favorite actor can’t overcome a script that rambles on and on in the second. Proof that longer isn’t always better.

Review-ku:

Hey look it’s pirates
But not the Johnny Depp kind
Forrest Gump kicks ass!

12 Years a Slave

What it’s about: A documentary on the first ice cream stand at Coney Island. No, of course not. Just look at the title. Duh.

From the title, buzz and reviews, I wasn’t looking forward to seeing this one.  I put it off until I’d seen all of the others, expecting it to be a gut-wrenching ordeal like Schindler’s List or Roots, one of those movies you wish you could un-see. But, outside of one incredibly-uncomfortable, well-shot scene, it didn’t meet expectations. A good film, for sure. Interesting, definitely. Well-made, you bet. Socially important, of course. Best Picture? Meh. 

Review-ku:

Oh Hollywood, you
Like nothing more than patting
Yourself on the back.

Nebraska

What it’s about: An old man believes he’s won the lottery after receiving one of those Publishers Clearinghouse letters. His son drives him to the claim center a couple states away to shut him up. Road trip!

Towards the end of this movie one thought kept running through my mind: “Who did what, and to whom, to get this movie nominated?”

Best pic nominees should be strong in all areas. Story/writing, acting, direction, virtually all of the other categories combined. Nebraska, not so much. Not even close. But it was in black and white - that’s artistic! Yes, it sure was a pretty movie.

Review-ku:

Not sure how it got
A nod, then again it was
Shot in black and white.