movie review: the kite runner

I watched The Kite Runner Friday night, not knowing anything about it except that it is critically-acclaimed. I would have to agree with them - it was A+. I love movies that give me global perspective, even though that renewed perspective is often accompanied by recognition of my own ignorance. For instance, I didn't know that the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in the late 1970s. In fact, I know hardly anything about Afghanistan.

The Kite Runner is the story of two young Afghan boys growing up in the late 1970s, one very wealthy and one very poor, who are first separated emotionally by a horrible injustice and then physically due to political events. After living in the United States for over a decade, privileged Amir is called to go back to his homeland, and once there, finds an amazing chance to help his childhood friend. It is both heartbreaking and joyful, disturbing and beautiful. The acting, music, cinematography, dialogue, everything, was exactly as it needed to be for this story. Each element breathed the film's message, summed best in it's tagline: "There is a way to be good again."

I couldn't help but become attached to these characters and their struggles, unimaginable struggles. It made me angry, and I love to feel angry sometimes, when it's about the right things. And these things really happen. They are the result of the twisted mind of man, hungry for power, fueled with pride, serving self. But with hate comes the opportunity for righteousness to appear, to make things the way they're supposed to be, the way they will one day be, the way God intended them to be. This movie, to me, is a small celebration of that truth!

I would like to read the book one day, but now that I know the story, I am hungry for another by author Khaled Hosseini. So I'm going to check out A Thousand Splendid Suns, his second novel, which tells the story of two Afghan women and how their lives intertwine. It sounds kind of like the "girl" version of The Kite Runner, so that's exciting.

Oh, and I kind of want to fly a kite now. When was the last time any of us did that?

the autumnal equinox

Today is the first official day of fall. Hooray! I celebrated by going to Michael's. Didn't really buy anything especially festive, only a scrapbook to record my adventures in Italy from over a year ago and other small things, but just being in there was enough of a treat. The store is just so celebratory of the seasons, wouldn't you agree?

I did not know that the first day of fall was called the autumnal equinox until this very year. Where have I been? Maybe I'm a dummy. I find this kind of funny because I probably wouldn't have even noticed this year if I had not listened to a new (I think it's new) song by Death Cab for Cutie called "Meet Me On The Equinox" last night, which will be featured in the much-anticipated New Moon, and thought, "What's an equinox?" They mentioned it on the Today Show this morning. There was that same funny word again, obviously having something to do with "equality" and the beginning of fall, so I looked up the term. Here's a portion of the def (from Wikipedia, my new best friend):

An equinox occurs twice a year, when the tilt of the Earth's axis is inclined neither away from nor towards the Sun, the Sun being vertically above a point on the Equator. The term equinox can also be used in a broader sense, meaning the date when such a passage happens.

Many people think we will see 12 hours of sunlight and 12 hours of night over this day and the next, but I did some research and the people who know say that doesn't really happen except for people actually on the equator (my sources could be faulty...I don't really know what I'm talking about) but this slice of information is kind of neat to think about:

On the Northern Hemisphere's autumnal equinox day, a person at the North Pole would see the sun skimming across the horizon, signaling the start of six months of darkness.

On the same day, a person at the South Pole would also see the sun skim the horizon, beginning six months of uninterrupted daylight.

Gives me the creeps. I'm glad I'm not on the North Pole. Anyway, yay for sweet autumn days.

and the search continues

I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you. - Psalm 32:8

I can't believe it is mid-September already. I had a silent goal to be employed by the end of the month, and I think I have to let that go. Not because it's already the 17th and I still don't have a job and there aren't any shimmering prospects, but because I'm putting unneeded pressure on myself. I am walking with the Lord, seeking His will, applying for jobs, sending out resumes and cover letters, and talking to people. In short, I am trying. I could be a bit more bold, though, as is usually the case with me, so I am working on that. In the meantime, I am enjoying the rest God is giving me! Right now, for His own reasons, He is calling me to a time of quiet with my family. As much as I want to already be in the workforce and have a routine, I can't pick the date as to when that happens. I'm thankful that I have a family that loves me and is supporting me as I try to pursue the things that actually interest me. To get to those things, of course, I must. have. experience. Isn't that always the case? And to be honest, I really haven't even had enough experience to know what those things are that "actually interest me", as I said before. I think I have some hints, and I think I know what my interests are not. So, my goal for the coming weeks, month, whatever, is to be employed somewhere - to get experience.

I had an interview with a company last week, for a position I knew I didn't really want, in the area of accounting. I interviewed for the aforementioned reason - to get experience. Not only general job experience, but job experience relating to my actual degree (wild, right?) And that has been my logic up until really this week. Get a job that relates to finance or accounting - even though you were never really energized by the work in your classes and you never seemed as interested in the work as your peers and your favorite classes were your English, Writing, and Art History classes - so you can attach some meat and some value to that degree you got. Before the interview, I was a little worried that my true interests would come out based on the questions my interviewers would ask and the fact that I do not want to be an accountant and that I do not really like accounting at all might be discovered. And that was exactly what happened. I was found out. I was honest. I cannot "fake it 'til I make it". I couldn't lie to them and tell them I wanted to be an accountant with them for the next five, ten years. The interview confirmed what I already knew about myself. If I have to lie about myself to get a job, I do not want that job. So now, I am on the edge of abandoning the business side of me once and for all....but you should know I tend to weeble wobble on that issue.

Am I a bore with all this "job" talk? Being human, that's the job we all have. And it's a good job. Quite challenging, though!

ba de yah, dancing in september...

Ba de yah, never was a cloudy day... - Earth Wind and Fire

Sadly, it is a bit cloudy on this first day of September. But no matter, September has finally arrived! I have been pretending it is fall since mid-August, but now I am considering Fall 2009 to be officially here. The beginning of fall just makes me want to go out to Michael's and buy a bunch of art and craft supplies and fake flowers and pumpkins and all sorts of festive decor that I don't need. There is a freshness about fall that I never really appreciated until college, and I am excited to spend my first fall in my hometown since then. Have I said "fall" too much?

With the beginning of autumn comes the end of summer. The summer could not have closed in a better way for me than spending a blessed weekend in Fairhope, AL with some friends, relaxing by the bay, plus a little celebration of a friend's birth : ) Michelle's grandparents live in an absolute oasis in my opinion, a beautiful lot right on the bay, complete with a fantastic wharf. And oooh the food we were spoiled with...it was wonderful.

Two things I have become a big fan of as of late/at summer's end: Anne of Green Gables and (500) Days of Summer.

Let's start with Anne. I have always loved the movie, but had never read the book until now, prompted by my book club. I finished it this Saturday on the wharf in the late afternoon sunlight. It was such an "Anne moment" for me, surrounded by nature and all its vastness, beautiful friends, and quiet peace. I guess I call it an "Anne moment" because the heroine of this story makes one appreciate things, everyday things, that are actually of infinitely more importance than the things which often seem so important. For example, Anne, while in uncomfortable anticipation of year-end exams, "Girls, sometimes I feel as if those exams meant everything, but when I look at the big buds swelling on those chestnut trees and the misty blue air at the end of the streets they don't seem half so important." Anne Shirley is full of universal truths and inadvertent comments on society, and she is just plum funny. Lucy Maud Montgomery's style of writing is so whimsical and it matches perfectly with her title character's personality. And that is why I love this story, and plan to read the rest in the series.

I saw (500) Days of Summer about a week ago and wish I had written about it right after when it was fresh on my mind. But I do remember that I loved it. From opening (especially opening!) to ending credits, the experience was everything a "romantic comedy" cinema experience should be. As in, this movie proves that romantic comedies can be unpredictable, and they are usually better that way. (I do believe that there are many good romantic comedies that are predictable, also). I was very impressed with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who is not new to acting but is definitely new to leading roles, I think. He was surprisingly funny, too. Zooey Deschanel is one of my favorites and did not disappoint. She's so "spacey", and I love her for it. The style of the movie was brilliant. Very artistic! I don't have the proper words to describe why it was so brilliant, but it was. And we all know the soundtrack kicks. Just go see it, and don't watch the trailer first. I've found that movies, for me, anyway, are better when you don't know much about them first.

So goodbye summer, and hello fall. I am hoping it will be an adventurous one.

monday

Feeling weak and powerless? It's probably because we are. You should read 2 Chronicles 20.

the summer "hot list"...and the "not list"

I want to share the new things I have enjoyed or have become a fan of this summer in the form of music, movies, books, and many miscellaneous items. And here they are, in no particular order:

1. Brooke Fraser

A friend introduced me to Brooke's song"Albertine" a few months ago and I absolutely loved it. After receiving an Itunes gift card for my birthday in May, I bought her latest album, also titled "Albertine". Her voice is rich, her lyrics are insightful, and her music aesthetically pleasing. Other favorites include "Deciphering Me" and "The Thief". Check her out, yo!

2. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Dur. I don't think I need to elaborate here. I'm a big Potter fan, so yeah, this is on the hot list. I don't know if it exceeded my expectations, but it definitely met them and very much pumped me up for some re-reading of the books and the seventh movie (due out in a year...).

3. Weddings

This was the "summer of weddings" for me. Four of my friends got married, two for which I was a bridesmaid. They are beautiful couples and I was blessed by attending each of the ceremonies. And since all of my Auburn friends are now parting ways, the weddings were great excuses to see each other : )

4. Zachary Quinto as "Spock" in Star Trek

What can I say, I developed a bit of a crush. And a rather odd one, at that.

5. Calm My Anxious Heart, by Linda Dillow

I bought this book at the beginning of the summer. I'd heard so much about this book over the past year, and, since the uncertainty of my future was and still is sadly causing me much anxiety, I thought it was the perfect time to buy it. It includes a twelve-week individual study in the back, which has been wonderful. One of my favorite quotes, actually not even of Linda's, but something she included in the chapter, "Content to Be Me": "He thought to gain a thing by doing, when the very thing desired was a being." - George MacDonald

6. Memphis, TN

My first visit to the city, and I approve. I was visiting friends, which was good in itself, and I just generally liked what I saw and where I went. This included a thorough tour of the Service Over Self (SOS) building and introduction to the organization (thanks, Colbs!), a Memphis Redbirds game, my first Memphis barbecue at Central BBQ, and a walk through downtown. On our walk, we stopped in the famous Peabody Hotel, which is "the hotel with the ducks", as Danielle calls it : ) We didn't get to see the ducks, but it was definitely a hoppin' and beautiful hotel.

7. "Arrested Development"

Ohhh wow. This might be the third funniest TV show of all time in my book, or tie with the other two ("The Office" and "Freaks and Geeks", of course). Buster's probably my fave.

8. A myriad of songs, namely, "Wake Up" by Arcade Fire, "A Last Reading" by Adrian Johnston, "Us" by Regina Spektor, "In a Sweater Poorly Knit" by Mewithoutyou, "Sex on Fire" by Kings of Leon, "Can't Take it in" by Imogen Heap, "Ageless Beauty" by Stars....

So some of these aren't exactly new, but they are new to me! And yes, I heard about most of them from movie soundtracks.

9. Shane and Shane

I am really, really late. They are great.

10. Job Searching/"Next Step" Seeking

It's exciting!

What "hot list" would be complete without a "not list"? Here are some things that did not impress me so much and kind of disappointed me this summer:

1. My Sister's Keeper

Yep, the book and the movie, which are completely and totally different. I wanted to be into it, but I'm just not.

2. Driving. Alot.

Normally, I love driving. You ask, "Who wants to drive?" and I will most likely raise my hand. But...I was on the road many, many an hour this summer, driving to weddings, showers, my Memphis trip, back and forth to and from the beach, Dothan, and Auburn....and it just. got. old. And what's worse, my music got old too : (

3. Construction in Auburn

Enough is enough. The alternate route meant I had to step over a fence every day in order to get to my classes in Lowder. Which means I couldn't wear my casual skirts to class. Which I was not happy about.

4. A lack of reading for pleasure

I'm not sure how this happened, but I probably read only 3 or 4 books this summer. I even failed to read Anne of Green Gables for my book club! I love reading in the summer and I simply didn't get to many of the books I planned on reading. Maybe it was all that driving/traveling.

5. The Hangover Hype

It was funny, but it wasn't that funny. IMDB users will understand this.

6. Limited Release Movies

Movie fans living in Alabama tend to get the shaft. How was Away We Go? Anybody see it?

7. Not catching the bouquet at any of the weddings.

... Just kidding. Kind of.

8. Mini-mester Classes

Don't let "mini" fool you. They are mini devils!

9. Jon and Kate Plus 8

A sad situation, and I think it would be better for them and for us if we all weren't so obsessed. Of course I don't really think anyone's obsessed anymore...

10. Job Searching/"Next Step" Seeking

It's terrifying!

A great summer, all in all. Oh yeah, one other thing I should add to the hot list: Graduating from college. Tomorrow!!!

John Hughes, 1950-2009

John Hughes passed away yesterday. Because he is the writer/director of three of my first favorite movies ever and many other greats, I feel I need to make a little tribute to him.

Around the time of my sixth grade year, I was introduced to Sixteen Candles. And I became obsessed. It was just perfect. I'd never seen this kind of comedy before. And of course, I fell in love with the story. I wanted to be Samantha Baker, a shy but kind, independent and stylish girl who longs for beautiful senior Jake Ryan, and actually gets his attention, totally unintentionally! Believable? I'm still not sure. Nevertheless, I couldn't and still can't get enough. Plus, every character is witty and unique in their own way. Long Duk Dong, Grandpa Fred, and even mean girl Caroline, all have priceless lines. In a word, the man's a genius when it comes to teen comedy.

The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink also quickly became favorites (I guess Molly Ringwald is kind of my gur). The Breakfast Club is probably the most amazing character study of high schoolers ever (though this could be argued, since they are very stereotypical characters...) and I will never stop quoting it. Another beautiful story of unnoticed Molly Ringwald heroine pursued by popular dude is told in Pretty in Pink. It's pretty much ideal. You can't beat the last scene at the prom highlighted by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's "If You Leave".

What I'm trying to say is this: John Hughes was a huge part of my junior high and high school years. He might have set unrealistic standards for what I wanted my experience to be like, but I couldn't help but enjoy the sweetness and humor of it all. Ferris Bueller's Day Off and the Vacation movies I also love, but nothing comes close to the Ringwald trio.

One Hughes movie that I have overlooked for far too long: Some Kind of Wonderful. I must watch soon.

"We're all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it, that's all." - Andrew, The Breakfast Club

Thank you, Mr. Hughes.