Emmy Reactions

I was pleased overall with the Emmys this year. (The winners, that is. The writing and hosting was. . . pretty much terrible. Sorry Jimmy Fallon.) Let's go over the winners.

Best Actress, Drama
Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"
I was surprisingly OK with her win. She has been nominated in this category for so long without a win. It seemed like a foregone conclusion that Julianna Margulies would win (and that is what I predicted). Even though I have never and will never watch an episode of "The Closer" I am ok.

Best Actor, Drama
Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad" (1 point for me!)
Like I said. . . his character is super complex. The writing deserves this award just as much as the actor.

Best Supporting Actress, Drama
Archie Panjabi, "The Good Wife"
I haven't seen this show, yet. I am sure she is wonderful. I would have liked to see Elisabeth Moss win, though.

Best Supporting Actor, Drama
Aaron Paul, "Breaking Bad" (2 points!)
Emmy went back and corrected her mistake from last year.

Best Actor, Comedy
Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory"
Honestly, this category was a little weak. Alec Baldwin probably deserved it, but it does get a bit repetitive when you give an award to the same actor over and over. (See: Bryan Cranston, David Hyde Pierce . . .)

Best Actress, Comedy
Edie Falco, "Nurse Jackie"
I have to agree with Edie here. She isn't funny. Her winning this award is kind of mean. . . it is like the Dramadies have teamed up to oust the funny shows from the awards altogether.

Best Supporting Actor, Comedy
Eric Stonestreet, "Modern Family"
I listed that this was one of my wishes. I thought the academy would go back and give NPH a retroactive award. . . but nope. They settled for awarding him two Emmys last week (for "Glee" and hosting the Tonys). Eric Stonestreet deserved this award. Hopefully the writing on "Modern Family" continues to impress and Ty Burrell and Jesse Tyler Ferguson (and Ed O'Neill, Julie Bowen, and Sofia Vergara) all end up with a statue. Seriously.

Best Supporting Actress, Comedy
Jane Lynch, "Glee" (3 points!)
I had a Facebook status a year ago that said they should just go ahead and give her the trophy. Brilliant. I was a little disappointed with her speech. Could have been hilarious.

Best Comedy Series
"Modern Family" (4 points!)
It deserved it. And I am thrilled that it won. I hope it keeps bringing the funny and doesn't lose in the future to shows that really belong in the drama category ("Nurse Jackie" and the like!).

Best Drama Series
"Mad Men" (5 Points!)
It is a brilliant show. But I still think "Lost" was just better. I was really hoping for "Lost" to win, honestly. When the montage of drama for the year was showing, I teared up when they showed Jack laying down with Vincent. And the montage ended with Jack's eye closing. "Lost" really was the final word in drama this year.


So that means I got exactly half of the awards right. Honestly, I don't feel too bad about that. The Emmys are notoriously difficult to predict, especially in the supporting categories. The thing is: TV is on 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. That is a LOT of TV. And these people represent the best of the best. Pretty amazing.

Other notes: "Top Chef" beat "The Amazing Race"!!! What?! That was surprising.

Emmy Predictions / Wishes

Ok. . . I have thought tirelessly about the Emmys for a few weeks now. (Just ask my girlfriend. I am sure she is tired of me stating random Emmy facts in the middle of a non-television-related conversation.)
So here are my Emmy win wishes and predictions. You'll notice that I have a lot less experience with the Drama categories because I prefer comedies. So take my predictions with a grain of salt... but adhere to my wishes or die.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series :

Wish: Elisabeth Moss for "Mad Men" - I love a good "The West Wing" connection. Moss has held her own on two of the greatest drama series in recent memory. I want to see her be honored for it.

Prediction: The Emmys are usually extremely unpredictable in the supporting categories, but I will say Christina Hendricks for "Mad Men". She's been lauded for her performance for a few years now and she finally reaped a nomination. With the new season of the show starting up while the Emmy voting is taking place, I'd say Moss and Hendricks are at the forefront of voters' minds just about now.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Wish: Terry O'Quinn for "Lost" - He was amazing all season as the Man in Black, but the reason I loved his performance was because of that scene in the finale where the real Locke is finally back - NOT sideways substitute teacher Locker. NOT Man in Black Locke. But the John Locke from the first few seasons. It wasn't until he appeared on the screen again that I realized how much I missed him.

Prediction: (Once again, I have very little idea of who will actually win. . . ) I'll go with Aaron Paul from "Breaking Bad." A lot of people thought he should win last year. . . and sometimes Emmy is a little slow on the uptake (see: "Friday Night Lights").

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Wish and Prediction: Jane Lynch in "Glee" The trophy basically already has her name on it. She is a long time industry veteran who has finally scored a career-defining role. She is abundantly funny and heinous as Sue Sylvester. I do love the ladies from "Modern Family" - but everyone in the category seems like small potatoes compared to Lynch.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Wish: Here, I am torn between Eric Stonestreet and Ty Burrell for "Modern Family." I love them both and they both make me laugh out loud more than any other character on television. I guess if I had to pick, I'd lean a little more toward Ty Burrell because I figure his character is what future Brent most likely looks like.

Prediction: Remember what I said about Emmy being a year behind? Well, I think they will go back and make up for the mistake of choosing Jon Cryer last year over Neil Patrick Harris in "How I Met Your Mother."


Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Wish: Alec Baldwin in "30 Rock" - He delivered another amazing year. You can't argue with performance. I don't think anyone would say he doesn't deserve it.

Prediction: Apparently, Tony Shaloub from "Monk" submitted an amazing episode with real humor and drama. I don't know that Emmy voters will be able to ignore it and they'll award him his fourth Emmy for portraying the obsessive compulsive detective.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Wish: This category gets interesting. 4 out of the 5 women have won an Emmy before. 5 out of six have been nominated. But I really just wish Amy Poehler from "Parks and Recreation" would win because I really want to hear her acceptance speech. Funny lady.

Prediction: In the race between Carmela Soprano and the multiple personalities of Tara . . . I have to give an edge to Toni Collette in "United States of Tara." Mainly because I just watched the first season of that show. . . and Collette was amazing. She made even the most ridiculous characters seem plausible. She WAS four or five different people. Plus, people are still referring to Edie Falco as Carmela Soprano. . . so that probably isn't a great sign.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series


Wish: It'll never happen in a thousand years. But Matthew Fox from "Lost" was downright amazing this season. In six seasons we saw Fox grow from the reluctant leader with severe emotional problems to a mature, self-sacrificing man who was open to dealing with his severe emotional problems. I admire the slow sizzling change that Fox brought to the role.

Prediction: Bryan Cranston from "Breaking Bad" will three-peat. He is a drug dealer and a cancer patient. If he were a woman stuck in a man's body, they would have to name the award after him.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series


Wish: Connie Britton from "Friday Night Lights."
I lavished praise on her in my last post; so, I will keep it brief here. I love her. (Bonus Jonas: "The West Wing" connection!)

Prediction: Julianna Margulies in "The Good Wife." The last two years, the trophy went to Glenn Close, but I think this year the combination of Margulies' Emmy Darling status (see: "ER") and the fact that "The Good Wife" is nominated for Outstanding Drama Series (meaning the voters will watch at least six episodes of her work) will help her pull out the win.

Outstanding Drama Series

Wish: "Lost" - The show was all anyone in television talked about from January to May. It was a good story that was well told. It was as fearless as a Taylor Swift album. To bring a story of that size and scope to a satisfying conclusion is an amazing feat. "Lost" deserves to get bookend awards. One for the first season, one for the last.

Prediction: "Mad Men" will three-peat. I just don't think anything has the kind of momentum needed to dethrone them. Plus, new episodes are airing right now, as the academy members are voting (though they are supposed to be voting based on LAST season). Still, voters will have Don Draper in their living rooms while "The Good Wife," "Lost," and "Breaking Bad" are all tucked neatly away on hiatus (or forever). The only other nominated drama airing at the moment is "True Blood" - and they are probably just ecstatic to get a nomination, overcoming the vampire theme curse (see: "Buffy the Vampire Slayer").

Outstanding Comedy Series

Wish and Prediction: "Modern Family" - This show is so funny! It is smart, yet, it has broad appeal. I hope the voters don't give the statue to "30 Rock" again (although in my opinion, they are a close second. . .) because it will just be another case of the industry rewarding itself. A show about TV production isn't inherently funnier than a show about family. When it comes right down to it, I think Emmy will want to shake things up. . . and without a real contender to dethrone "Mad Men" in the Drama race, they will decide "30 Rock" needs to stay in their seats this year.


Ok. . . I've spent the better part of an hour writing and researching this; so, I'll just go. Hopefully I'll look back at this in August and see what a genius I am. (Didn't happen so much last year. . .)

Emmy Nominations Assessment

Just about every year I assess the Emmy nominations. I am still hoping that someday someone from Entertainment Weekly will run across my blog and offer me a job that includes a lot of watching and judging TV. Here, I break down the nominations I don't like versus the nominations I do like. Later on, I will probably post my predictions.

Disclaimer: I don't care about the made-for-tv-movie and mini-series categories. They are a waste of space in my opinion and only serve to balloon HBO's overall nomination count (101).

Nominations I Wish Didn't Happen:

Matthew Morrison as Will Schuester in "Glee" (Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series) - I've got to be honest. . . I watch "Glee" and I enjoy it; however, Matthew Morrison is not very good. His story lines are overdone. His character isn't very well defined. And if I have to look at him do that stupid goofy grin while he watches the kids perform again. . . I'll probably stop telling people I watch "Glee." I'll still watch. . . but I won't admit it. Like "True Blood."

Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson in "The Closer" (Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series) - After all this time, I still haven't seen an episode of "Cable TV's most-watched drama." I don't even know anyone who has. Her presence is just kind of . . . expected. I think this show is going off the air soon, so thank goodness.

Jon Cryer as Alan Harper in "Two and A Half Men" (Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series) - The show is pretty much lowest common denominator. Face it: you can only make so many sex jokes before they all start to sound the same. Don't reward Jon Cryer for being the least sleazy guy on the most mediocre sitcom on television. This spot should have gone to Tracy Morgan or Jack McBrayer.

"The Office" (Outstanding Comedy Series) - The show has definitely stayed beyond its welcome. I will admit, I watched Jim and Pam's wedding. . . and it was very, very good. I am not sure what comedy series I would have put in here in its place. (Maybe "Parks and Recreation"?)

Nominations I am Excited About:

H. Jon Benjamin as Sterling Archer (Outstanding Voice-Over Performance) - I think "Archer" is hilarious. I wish it had been nominated in the Animated Program category instead of "South Park" or "The Simpsons" (both of which are past their prime. . . one by decades).

Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy in "30 Rock" (Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series) - I know he has won twice in a row, now, but I honestly don't think there are any better actors/characters on TV. He may not nab a third Emmy. . . but in this case, the academy is finally sticking with a nominee that really deserves it.

Kyle Chandler as Eric Taylor in "Friday Night Lights" (Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series) - I didn't get on board with "Friday Night Lights" until very recently. (Thank you, Netflix Instant View.) But now that I have seen the first half of the first season, I can understand what all the fuss is about. What I cannot understand is why this is Chandler's first nomination. The acting on "Friday Night Lights" is some of the best acting on television today.

Matthew Fox as Jack Shephard in "Lost" (Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series) - In the past, Fox hasn't earned this nomination (and he hasn't been granted one, either). But this season, Fox was the cornerstone of the show. He held his own with Terry O'Quinn and Michael Emerson. Instead of being the reluctant, distant leader. . . Jack finally stepped up and became the father and leader we always wanted him to be. And he was just as good as we thought he would be. The final scene, in which he returns to the place where he first woke up on the island, was amazing. Good thing he submitted "The End" as his episode.

Lea Michele as Rachel Berry in "Glee" (Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series) - I love Lea Michele as Rachel. I have loved her ever since she yelled, "There is nothing ironic about show choir!" in the pilot episode. She is the perfect blend of neurotic and pathetic.

Tina Fey as Liz Lemon in "30 Rock" (Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series) - Neither Lea Michele nor Tina Fey has much of a chance to win (see: Toni Collette or Edie Falco), but that doesn't mean that I don't love Liz Lemon. Like Lea Michele, she blends neurotic and pathetic. . . but add intelligent and funny to the mix.

Connie Britton as Tami Taylor in "Friday Night Lights" (Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series) - See above to understand my excitement. The Taylors are such a realistic married couple. They fight, but at the end of the day they love one another. It is refreshing to see a couple on TV that supports one another the way the Taylors do. . . instead of the more common bicker, fight, blow up, wonder-if-they-should-be-together drama. I've never doubted that the Taylors loved each other. And that is thanks, in large part, to Britton's portrayal of the wife who sometimes takes a back seat to football.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell / Eric Stonestreet as Cameron Tucker / Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy / Julie Bowen as Claire Dunphy / Sofia Vergara as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett in "Modern Family" (Outstanding Supporting Actor/Actress in a Comedy Series) - Yes, the show is 5 acting nominations funny. The supporting actor race is tight. . . but both Stonestreet and Burrell have a shot at it, I think. Slight edge to Stonestreet, who is hilarious in the episode he submitted: "Fizbo." Neither of the women really have much of a chance against "Glee" and Jane Lynch. I am glad, however, to see that Emmy has decided to recognize actors who don't play the over-the-top ridiculous characters. Bowen and Ferguson both play rather straight-laced, uptight characters. . . but they don't go too far with it. Emmy loved David Hyde Pierce for taking it too far, but hated Courtney Cox for being more realistic. Bowen and Ferguson lean toward the Courtney Cox school of very, very real and very, very funny.

Elizabeth Mitchell as Juliet Burke in "Lost" (Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series) - I think Mitchell's previous work on "Lost" was amazing. She should have gotten some Emmy love for that. Honestly, with the depth of her character background, she has a shot at taking home the trophy. Her scene at the vending machine with Josh Holloway (Sawyer) was a high point in the finale.

"Modern Family" (Outstanding Comedy Series) - It is the funniest show on TV. It is as smart as "30 Rock" and it has the heart of "How I Met Your Mother." The cast is amazing. I think it will win.

"Glee" (Outstanding Comedy Series) - "Glee" got more nominations than any other show. (Forget about those mini-series.) Although I do not think it really deserves all of them. . . it is definitely one of the best comedy series out there. It walks a fine line between comedy and melodrama. . . sometimes erring a little toward melodrama. But it has done something no other show has ever been able to do: a musical television show that people actually want to watch. That's worth something.

"Lost" (Outstanding Drama Series) - It was an amazing ending to an amazing show. I honestly hope the voters agree and give "
Lost" another statue. I doubt it will happen. . . but I can dream. "Lost" was a dazzling display of fearless storytelling. That is what TV should be. Stop worrying about all the ratings and money. . . and tell a damn good story.

Snubs I am Upset About:

No "Friday Night Lights" for Outstanding Drama Series - This show is better than "True Blood" at the very least. Trust me. I watch both (Don't tell anyone.)

In that vein, Deborah Ann Woll as Jessica Hamby in "True Blood" didn't get a nomination for Supporting Actress, which was disappointing. She is very, very funny and sad as the new vampire dealing with her own death. The scene in which she realized that since she was a virgin when she died, she would . . . heal after every sexual encounter and be a virgin forever. . . that was priceless.

Ed O'Neil from "Modern Family" deserved a nomination. Forgive him for "Married. . . with Children."

Courtney Cox in "Cougar Town" can't get any love, either. She was the best thing about "Friends" and she never got nominated. What a shame. Maybe if her show didn't have such a stupid name. . .

Other Notable Things That I Don't Want to Write an Entire Paragraph About

"Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List" was nominated for Reality.

"Wizards of Waverly Place" (a favorite of mine) nabbed two nominations for Children's Programming

Betty White was nominated for Guest Actress for hosting SNL.

"The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien" was nominated. . . "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" was not. (Not that it matters. "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" will win again.)

Hiatus - Top 10 Glee McFavorites

Well, it has been a very long time since I wrote a post. Some of you may remember a time when I said I was going to post every week. Past Brent was naive. Please forgive Past Brent his naivety, as I have done, and let's move on.

For my first post back (in what will surely be a sporadic schedule of posts to come), I decided to go ahead and talk about "Glee" (the TV show). The season one finale aired last night and the final album of the season was released yesterday. That means I now have everything I need to make a list of my top 10 songs/performances of the season. I shall call it:

Top 10 "Glee" McFavorites
10. "Bust Your Windows" - This is the only reason why anyone should ever rewatch the episode titled "Acafellas." This was the first time "Glee" really came out and declared that it was a musical. I loved how the performance took place in Mercedes' mind (much like the movie Chicago.

9. "Alone" - The set-up for this song was a little cheesy. Will and April singing karaoke in a bowling alley. But I liked the song despite the lackluster performance.

8. "Keep Holding On" - This song really just exemplifies to me what the show is about. The glee club doesn't really believe that they can make the world better by singing and dancing through life. The world is better because they are experiencing it together. The singing and dancing. . . that is just icing on the cake.

7. "Somebody to Love" - This song is one of my absolute favorites. I frankly can't believe it is this low on the list. The singing is amazing and it was really great to see the glee club actually perform for an audience.

6. The Mash-ups "Halo/Walking on Sunshine" and "It's My Life/Confessions" - I decided I couldn't separate these two songs. For one, they are both extremely short. But the performances were so good/laugh out loud funny. Having everyone hyped up on "vitamin D" was genius.

5. "Don't Rain on my Parade" - Lea Michele is amazing. And this was the perfect song for Rachel. Not only did she get to imitate Barbara Streisand, but she did it perfectly. And the song basically tells Rachel's side of the story concerning glee. She works hard and gets what she wants. . . don't get in her way.

4. "Poker Face" - First off, I am ignoring the part where a mom sings to her daughter about "bluffin'" with her "muffin." I liked the arrangement of the song. "Glee" is much better when they change the songs. I don't particularly like to hear the song exactly how it was originally recorded (See: "No Air" and "Bad Romance"). But the best part of this song was the range of emotions of Shelby and Rachel. They started off the song singing with each other for the first time. They were excited and happy. But by the end they realized it was ending. . . and they weren't going to be a part of each others' lives.

3. "Like a Prayer" - This performance wasn't all that great. Nothing special really happened during the on-screen time. So why is this number 3? Because I've listened to this song repeatedly since it aired. It just feels epic to me.

2. "I Dreamed a Dream" - Confession: I love Les Miserables. So any song from that show gets bonus points. But this song was even better because it was the first time we were able to hear Lea Michele and Idina Menzel sing together. The song is so full of emotion. . . and seeing them both on that stage, imagining the presence of the other. . . was great.

1. "Don't Stop Believing (Regionals Version)" / "Don't Stop Believing (Original)" - Of course this has to be number one. I included both versions because I think they are both phenomenal and important. The original was sung by just the first 6 members of the club and it was amazing. The performance was good and it inspired everyone. But the regionals version of the song is just as important because it shows how far the other characters outside of the original six have come. Everyone else gets to take bigger parts of the solos. . . it really shows how they've come together as a group. Plus, it makes me smile.

Ok. There you have it: my season one Top 10 Glee McFavorites. (The playlist on my iPhone has a full top 25, FYI.)

Fox News Compilation

The following is a compilation of Fox News headlines collected by Daniel Burgner and myself. A lot of them make no sense. Some are ludicrous. All of them are barely news. Please enjoy.

"528-Pound Woman Gives Birth to First Child"

"The War on Christmas: Can Jews Celebrate Too?"

"Will Nuclear Robot Ship Sail Saturn's Moon?"

"Muslim Spies on Capitol Hill?"

"NASA to Moon: Get Ready Because Here We Come." (Every other headline was about Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize.)

"Houston Woman Fries and Eats Pet Goldfish After Fight With Husband"

"ACORN Officials Told 'Pimp,' 'Prostitute' How to Lie to IRS"

"ACORN Brothel Advice Full of Holes, Analysts Say"

"Man's Finger Bitten Off at Health Care Rally"

"Flying Deer Kills 6-Year-Old Boy in Bizarre Car Crash"

"Microsoft Edits Black Man Out of Photo, Apologizes"

"Controller Talked About Dead Cat Before Midair Crash"

"Vietnam Veteran Keeps Vow, Eats 40-Year-Old Cake"

"Indian Business Students Look to Hitler for Inspiration"

"Marines Prepare for War in Afghan Village in N. Carolina"

"Ga. Prof Suspected of Killing 3 'A Little Off'"

"Trolls Frustrate Obama"

"NASA's Secret Rebels Want Obama on Their Side"

"Japanese Man Certified as Double A-Bomb Victim"

"Coast Guard Finds Boat, One Survivor, Uncertain If It's Boat"

"Middle School Teaches AP Spanish to Kids Who Speak Spanish" (The nerve!)

"911 Call Released in Horrific Chimpanzee Attack"

"Millions Will Suffer" - I still don't know what this story was about, but I don't think it was relevant to me.

"Study: Romantic Comedies can ruin your life."

". . . helps put the 'F' in First Lady" - I did not delete anything. This headline starts with an ellipses.

"Possum May Be Extinct Due to Global Warming"

"'Oh Great': Astronaut Loses Tool Bag During Spacewalk"

"U.S. Pilot Ordered to Shoot Down UFO Over England"

"Vermont Farmer's 'Hail Cannon' Waking Up Neighbors"

"Strange 'Ant From Mars' Discovered in Amazon Rainforest"

"Michael Lohan wants to fight Kevin Federline for charity."

"Yoda the Cat Astounds with Four Ears"

"Bigfoot Body Revealed to be Halloween Costume"


Here is are some collections of headlines, highlighting what Fox News counts as news compared to what other organizations think:

CNN: Patraeus: "Afghan violence will rise as troops arrive"
NYTimes: "News Analysis: Public Option Keeps Toehold in Senate Deal on Health Bill"
Time: "CLASS Act and Long-Term Care Considered in Health Reform"
Reuters: "Obama Praises Senate Healthcare Deal"
and
FOXNews: "Family Dog Survives 98 Days on Deserted N.J. Island"


CNN: "Obama: It's time to remake America"
NY Times: "Obama Is Sworn In as the 44th President"
TIME: "Live-Blogging the Inauguration: Watching History Happen"
REUTERS: "Obama becomes first black U.S. president"
and concentrating on the positive -
FOX News: "Inauguration Crowd May Crash Cell-Phone Networks"


CNN: "Clinton will win W.Va. primary, CNN projects."
The New York Times: "Clinton Wins West Virginia, Networks say."
Time: "Clinton rolls to West Virginia win"
Reuters: "Clinton scores big West Virginia win"
and upholding its policy about never reporting any story that mentions a Clinton without the words "affair" and "perjury" -
FOXNews: "Britain Opens Up Secret UFO Files"


CNN: "Obama - New Campaign Starts after Tuesday"
The New York Times: "The Long Run - Senate's Power and Allure Drew McCain from Military"
Time Magazine: "The Dem's Endgame - Michigan and Florida"
Reuters: "GM says 19,000 U.S. factory workers take buyouts"
and possibly the best Fox News headline of all time -
FOXNews: "Huge Flying Reptiles May Have Eaten Baby Dinosaurs"

Life is Beautiful

If you have never watched the movie Life is Beautiful, please stop reading this note. Go find a copy (If you want to borrow it from me, I recently acquired it as a gift from my beautiful girlfriend, Emily), watch it, and come back to read this blog. (I'm sorry that this suddenly became a huge time commitment.)

The movie is a brilliant story of a man who meets a schoolteacher who is unwillingly engaged to an uptight banker. He is full of surprises and his zest for life sweeps the woman off her feet. He rides in to her engagement party on a green horse and invites her to go along with him. She does. The first half of the movie is so much fun to watch because this man has a way of turning every situation into a playful and carefree time. He is always looking on the bright side of life - even when his bookstore is vandalized with the words "Jewish Store."

You see, the movie takes place in the years leading up to and during World War II in Italy. The main character, Guido, is an Italian Jew. He and his non-Jewish wife, Dora, have a son. When the child is about 5 years old, the Germans come and arrest both the father and child. They force them to get on a train bound for a concentration camp. In an act of desperate love and loyalty, Dora insists on boarding the train with them.

Facing the grim circumstances of a concentration camp, it would have been easy for Guido to let his playful and carefree spirit be trampled. Instead, he devotes all his energy to protecting his son from the horrors occurring all around him. He tells his son that he has signed them both up for a game - and the winner gets a prize. The first child to reach 1000 points wins a real army tank! Guido acts excited and makes up lots of rules for his 5-year-old son to follow so the Nazis will not discover him and kill him. Every day, Guido tells his son that they are in the lead and they are so lucky to have been chosen to play the game.

It makes me think of a certain verse in the Bible: "Do everything without arguing or complaining, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe" - Philippians 2:14-15 Normally, I think about this verse in the context of sayings like: "No one likes to be around someone who complains all the time." Or after someone says "I hate doing laundry" and someone else points out that we're lucky to even have water to wash our clothes. But this movie changed that for me. The verse doesn't say, "Do everything without arguing or complaining, so that you may become super popular and everyone, including God, will appreciate your good and grateful attitude." In fact, if it points to any reaction by other people, it would be along the lines of the "crooked and depraved."

Guido personifies this verse. When people vandalized his bookstore, he merely smiled and said "It is about time." When the Nazis captured his entire family, he put on a smile so that his son wouldn't be afraid. He played a game and did not complain or try to escape. He didn't confront the guards or question why they were committing these crimes against humanity. He was in the worst possible situation. And he put all those things behind him and thought of others before he thought of himself. Everything he did was to protect the ones he loved.

When it became clear to the Nazis that the Allied Forces would take control of the camp, things got a little hectic. Guido realizes he has a chance to escape if he can find his wife, so he hides his son in a small box-like thing with a slit so he can see out. He tells him to never come out until it is all quiet and no one is around. Then he steals away to find Dora. While he is trying to find her, he is caught. It is clear that the Nazis are going to kill him. As the Nazi marches him to his death, he passes by the box where he know his son can see him. He looks over his shoulder at the box and starts to march in a funny way that always made his son laugh. Inside the box, we hear a little giggle and the boy is smiling. He never sees his father again, but he never knows the terror he should have experienced at that young age. All because his father decided to not let the situation take away his playfulness and positivity.

Refraining from complaining or arguing might be doing more good than you realize. All it takes is making the decision that life is beautiful.

Avatar vs. The Hurt Locker and what it means to me. . . you know, spiritually.

First off, things got busy, OK? I haven't posted anything in a few weeks because I haven't really thought of anything worth posting. But I finally decided to sit down and try to work something out. . . and my Entertainment Weekly was staring at me. So I started thinking about the two Best Picture frontrunners for the Oscars: Avatar and The Hurt Locker.

It is easy to see the spiritual implications of a film like Hurt Locker. SFC William James is part of a bomb squad in Iraq. He slowly becomes addicted to the adrenaline rush he gets when he is close to a death. Each time he is faced with an imminent explosion, he makes irrational decisions that jeopardize not only himself, but his teammates as well (not to mention the life of his wife back home in the US). I've lived the life of William James. I've been addicted to things that caused me to make irrational decisions and have broad implications to my friends and family. [Spoiler Alert] And yet at the end of the movie, the audience grieves the decision of James to return to Iraq for another tour of duty when he has the option of staying home.

But what about Avatar? I am not sure I know, exactly. Well, there is the whole acquisition of new bodies through a connection to a life-giving deity thing, if you want to drag it out of me. If you wanted to turn the movie into a debate about science vs. religion, I'm sure you could. . . but I have no interest in such things. And if you wanted to watch it in a political science class and talk about realism vs. idealism, you definitely could. Or you could just watch the movie and believe what it has to say about the US government, greed, and oil.

What interests me most, however, is the conflict building between the two films as they approach Oscar weekend. Avatar is the highest grossing film in history; whereas, The Hurt Locker would literally be the lowest grossing Best Picture winner in history. Prognosticators are already bubbling over with Biblical allusions to David vs. Goliath, but I want to say these movies represent more than just a dollar amount. (The next part of the post was inspired by an article I read but can not longer find on EW.com.) What will Hollywood deem the best movie of the year? The billion-dollar spending spree of fantasy sprawled across a distant galaxy or the gritty conflict that is tucked away in a desert inside the head of a soldier? Taking a step in either direction has implications that will spread beyond which producer has a gold statue on his or her mantle.

For me, I prefer The Hurt Locker. It is a concise declaration of the horrors of the war in Iraq coupled with a message that has power beyond the battlefields. It isn't a billion dollar orgy of special effects. It is a solid story with solid characters. Avatar is too detached and otherworldly to open the eyes of the audience to which it so earnestly declares "I see you." I like a movie that causes some introspection.

And now I feel like I have been rambling for a while. . . and I don't think I organized this writing very well or supported my thesis. . . did I even have a thesis? Hmm. I want to be an English professor? Going to bed now.

Living a Good Story

I feel like I spend most of my time summarizing something Donald Miller already said. I also feel like this is a pretty good use of my time. In his book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, Miller contemplates the structure of a story and how it relates to real life. I love thinking of life as a story for a few reasons:
1. I'm an English major. . . I pay (ok, fine. . . my parents pay) a lot of money to study stories and how they work. If you start to see life as a story, the ability to understand story structure suddenly becomes a lot more important. Understanding character motivation becomes a lot more useful. And paying for a piece of paper to hang in a frame on the wall that says "Bachelor of Arts in English" seems a lot less pointless.
2. If I live in a story, that means there is an author. Someone is carefully crafting the story in and around me. Someone who can see how the story is going to end up. Someone with some control. Now I realize (as Miller points out) that characters in a story don't always do what the author wants. I've written some fiction and sometimes I am completely surprised by what my own characters decide to get themselves into. But that leads me to my next point:
3. There is an audience. Stories don't exist in a vacuum. Someone has to watch that movie, read that book, or act that play. Someone out there is enjoying what I do. Someone out there cares. Now, I also keep a personal journal. (You know, for the things that just shouldn't be posted on the Internet. . . ) And I have realized that when I write in that journal, I suffer from an affliction I am going to call "Anne Frank Syndrome." For some reason, I think that sometime in the future. . . someone is going to read my journal and decide it must be published. And millions of people will read it. And I will be famous. (I guess I probably write this blog for the same reason.) The point is: I love the idea of an audience. God takes delight in watching me.

Well, if life is a story, then right now, I am living a really good story. The biggest problem I have (besides the fact that if I don't do laundry tomorrow, I will be wearing dirty clothes to class on Monday) is remembering to thank the Author for writing me such a great part to play. God has been working in my life. Putting together pieces of plans and making me meet the right people and be in the right place at the right time. And when everything works out, I just smile and take credit. But I cannot take any credit for the good in my life. It is all Him. But the best part is knowing. . . no matter where things go from here, this story ends with me meeting my Author.

New Year's Resolutions 2010

I know what you are thinking: we are already ten days into 2010. Why have I waited this long to finalize and verbalize my resolutions? Honestly, I like to shop around and see what other people I know are doing. It might seem unoriginal to copy from others, but my friends happen to be extremely intelligent, insightful individuals. So I copy them.

My first resolution concerns this blog. I want to shift the focus away from entertainment news and actually post personal things on here. It is easy to write a blog judging the Oscar nominees, but it is a lot more meaningful to write a blog discussing what is going on in my spiritual life. In addition to that, I was not very consistent in updating this blog last semester. I want to make an effort to post weekly about something I have been thinking about or something going on in my life, including what I have been reading in the Bible during the past week. This is one way that I hope to achieve the goal of being more introspective and contemplative throughout 2010.

My next resolution has to do with school. For my last semester, I honestly want to read all my assignments! I know it sounds like I should have been doing that all along, but . . . I haven't. School starts tomorrow, so this resolution also starts tomorrow.

Finally, my last resolution is the one I (blatantly) stole from a friend. I want 2010 to be a year of honesty. That has a lot of applications in my life. From honest accountability to not being deceptive or manipulative. I haven't decided the exact form this resolution will take, yet. But I believe it is incredibly important. When I lie or cheat, it definitely doesn't glorify God. It makes me think of 2 Corinthians 3:16-18.
"But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory are being transformed into his likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."
Living with an unveiled face (at least to me) means taking away the things that hide what is true. If I am honest and show people the truth, I reflect God's glory (no matter how ugly the truth may be).

So these are some pretty lofty goals, I guess. But I am going to try to remember:
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen!"
- John 12:43

The Importance of Agreeing to Disagree

I haven't updated in a while, I realize. But I finally found something I actually want to talk about. Now: I don't want anyone to think I am presenting original ideas. (I don't plagiarize.) This subject has come up with me and a few of my friends lately. (Namely, Brent Bailey and Katelyn Reed) And I really started thinking about this when I was reading Donald Miller's Searching for God Knows What. I am just finally combining all these different viewpoints and explaining how they have all shaped my own.

I am going to write about agreeing to disagree. But first, I need to address something Donald Miller calls "lifeboat games." I'll try to explain the concept as succinctly as possible. Imagine you are in a lifeboat that will safely hold eight people. There are nine people on board. Who gets thrown off? Immediately, the people on the lifeboat would start trying to prove to everyone else that they were worth keeping. Everyone would start ranking the other passengers and try to avoid being stuck in ninth place. Well, Miller suggests that we (humans) believe we are in that situation. We are constantly trying to prove our worth to the people around us (by wearing the right clothes, making fun of the right people, or even supporting the winning football team). Somehow, we believe these things can place us higher in the pecking order and save us from drowning.

I never realized how caught up I was in lifeboat games until I read Miller's explanation. But I find that I subscribe to one lifeboat game more than any other: I love to be right. I love to prove other people wrong. I love to know more than you and if I can prove I am more intelligent than you are, I believe I will move up in the lifeboat. I even get angry when other people do not follow my criteria for lifeboat rankings. (I have made long arguments about the ridiculousness of the university system rewarding people who can shoot a basketball or carry a football because for some reason this is seen as more valuable than academics.) All this to say: I hate being wrong.

Well, during the conversations I had with my friends, I came across a lot of agreeing to disagree. For Brent, agreeing to disagree is something of a New Year's resolution. And when I encountered this, I was somewhat annoyed. (The "argument" was that I thought Avatar deserved to be nominated for Best Picture. He did not.) So I went about trying to force Brent to play my lifeboat game. I challenged him to name ten movies he thought deserved the nomination more. And when he pretty much refused to get involved in my lifeboat game, I had to give up. I didn't get to be right.

With Katelyn, the situation was a little different. We were watching Magnolia and I was that guy in the room criticizing everything about the movie. (A movie Katelyn really likes and has seen three times.) Now, I hate watching movies with THAT guy. So I am glad Katelyn finally asked me to stop. (And for anyone wondering, I would not recommend watching Magnolia.) But the important thing I got from this was: Katelyn's opinion was just as valid and important as mine. Even though I could come up with five or six concrete reasons why I disliked the movie, that didn't make me "right." Katelyn still liked the movie, even if she couldn't explain exactly why. (She did explain. I am just using this as an example.)

I guess what I am trying to say is: it isn't important that anyone likes what I like or dislikes what I dislike. And here is why: God doesn't care how many times I was right. He doesn't care whether Alabama or Texas won the national championship. That trophy doesn't make the Alabama football team more valuable in God's eyes. There is no lifeboat. Or better yet: there is an ocean liner with enough room for everyone. No one is getting kicked off the ship. And suddenly, agreeing to disagree is actually pretty awesome.