Celebrity Succumb

It's the big celebrity story of the week. The passing of Heath Ledger. We all know he died. We all know he was found naked. We all know which pills he had in his apartment. We all know about the Mary Kate phone call. Yes it seems we are learning every trivial detail about the circumstances of Heath's passing, but why do we care?

Before I go any further I must disclose the fact that I work in the news biz, and have for a decade. Whenever a star makes headlines we have the "Big J" debate. Is covering this story respectable journalism, and why does the Average Joe care? Well I won't answer the respectable journalism part, because I honestly believe that question is extremely subjective, but I really want to tackle why the Average Joe cares.

Soldiers, Firefighters, and starving children are dying everyday. It may not always make the news, but we know it's happening. Are these deaths any more or less important than Heath's? I hate this type of question, and feel it shouldn't matter. Obviously the widow of 'Frank Firefighter", and the community where 'Frank' served will feel more of an impact from his loss than Heath Ledger's, but that's no reason to assume the Average Joe doesn't care about the latest fallen star. If you care, don't feel guilty, you aren't alone, and shouldn't be embarrassed.

We turn to movies, music, sports, and all sorts of entertainment, because it allows us to escape from our everyday lives. While taking breaks from the real world we form bonds with people we don't "really" know. Regardless of our interests, we all take part in these one sided relationships. We have our favorite actors, bands, and authors. We crave information about them, study them, and often seek to emulate them. The more we learn, the more we connect. For me it's all about these connections, and how our celebrity affinities make us feel about our own lives, and our world. If you think about it from this perspective, it becomes very clear why so many people are moved by the passing of stars.

Heath Ledger was popular. His appeal was universal. His work was admirable. I respected him as an actor. He started off as a teen heartthrob, but slowly started picking deeper movies, films where he could make statements, and be part of a bigger picture. Those choices made me notice him. I was touched by several of his performances, most recently his work in "I'm Not There". I loved this movie, and my fondness for the film made me feel more connected to Mr. Ledger. Whether you became a fan from his days in "10 things I hate About You" ,"Brokeback Mountain" , or any of his other films... it really doesn't matter. If you're a fan, you've established a connection. Now Heath's gone, and that connection feels fractured. It's ok to be upset about Heath Ledger's death. I am too, and I'm proud to admit it.

I'M SAFE INSIDE THIS CONTAINER CALLED ME

"It's like my identity's an orbit that I've strayed far away from, and that really hurts. But more than that it scares me. Just thinking about it makes me flinch."

Chilling... isn't it? Just one little example of the piercing prose of Haruki Murakami's "Kafka On The Shore". An intellectually profound novel of epic proportions. Truly one of the best books I've ever read. Reading this metaphysical masterpiece is like taking a dive deep into your soul. It's an exhilarating odyssey through our conscious thoughts, and the dark desires hidden in our dreams and nightmares.

The book introduces us to two unlikely heroes: Kafka, a fifteen year old runaway plagued by an oedipal prophecy; and Mr. Nakata, an older, mentally impaired gentlemen who can speak with cats. These two lives are amazingly intertwined in a fantastical storyline where the reader learns stunning details of the two protagonists, all the while discovering an incompleteness that lies in us all.

"I forget my name the cat said... I had one, I know I did, but some where along the line I didn't need it anymore. So it slipped my mind." Black Cat/Otsuka

Two way verbal communication with cats seems absurd, but not for Mr. Nakata. The understanding of cats give him a reason to live. A purpose in his world. Purpose, so simple, and so universal. We all crave it. It's human instinct. And by way of this purpose, Murakami gives the readers clues about the story, and clues to understanding ourselves. While conversing with the felines, Nakata unravels mysteries beyond his own basic existence. The cats share so much more than what's on the surface.

"I feel a little bit bad about lying, but there's not much I can do about it. I've got to bend some rules myself if I want to survive." Kafka Tamura

Kafka. Fifteen, and wise beyond his years. This teen is both hiding, and seeking at the very same time. He's running from his past, and chasing his destiny. He's confused, and he's complex, but more than anything he's the sum of his relationships and lack there of. His family, his friendships, and his love are his motivations for everything. Again more simple, universal themes, but the artistry thrives in the abstract ways these general elements are revealed. Getting to know Kafka is like interpreting your favorite song, painting, or photograph. There's always something clandestine, always something forthright, and so much more in between.

Along side Kafka, and Mr. Nakata exists other brilliantly crafted characters. The story has countless unique secondary, and tertiary characters. There's Oshima, the gender bending librarian. Johnnie Walker, a man whom no description could do him justice. And Colonel Sanders, not a real person but a concept! Yes one of the books most memorable characters is nothing more than a concept!

I could talk about, and dissect this book for the rest of my life. I'll spare you any more details, but I do urge you to read it. Suspend your disbelief, and prepare to be thrilled beyond your wildest imagination.

JUNO... The Movie... The soundtrack... The orange tic-tacs!

I'm a sucker for an indie protagonist . Last year it was Little Miss Sunshine, in '04 it was Zach Braff's character in Garden State, and this year it's Juno.

Not sure if it's her sarcastic charm, nonchalant coolness, or both... but I fell for her almost instantly!

The movie is good, but it's the character that you'll gravitate to. What a wildly emotional ride watching this forthright sixteen year old navigate through a nine month adventure into adulthood. You'll laugh with her, you'll cry with her, you'll feel her pain, then cheer her on.

Ellen Page delivers a stunning performance. No surprise she's nabbed a golden globe nomination for this role. I don't recall ever seeing any of her work, and after IMDB-ing her ,I am fairly confident this film was my first encounter with her luminance. No doubt she will be around for years to come.

Clearly I walked away from this movie with two new obsessions. The character of Juno MacGuff, and the actress Ellen Page, but this film is filled with all sorts of other goodies.

There's a splash of Arrested Development greatness. Jason Bateman and Michael Cera are part of the cast. Two fine actors, just as terrific as we knew them to be while playing Michael, and George Michael Bluth. It's wonderful seeing these two in a movie together. Both characters eloquently define very specific periods of life. Cera nails teenage awkwardness, as
he ALWAYS does! One of my favorite quirks about this particular character is his fondness and fixation with orange tic-tacs. I too love orange tic-tacs! As for Bateman, he perfectly portrays a generation x-er on the verge of a mid life crisis. He's stuck on grunge music, and ninety's flicks. More things I personally relate to.

Then there's the music! A truly spectacular soundtrack was spawned here. A marvelous mix of indie rock, classic hits, and cool covers. Standout tracks.... The Moldy peaches' "anyone else but you" Kimya Dawson's "loose lips", and one of my all time favorite covers Sonic Youth's "superstar". The music is impeccably intertwined with the story, setting the mood and always striking the perfect emotional chord.

As much as I enjoyed this movie, I must point out a few flaws. The biggest one is Jennifer Garner! I loathe her! How she's managed to have steady work in Hollywood is incomprehensible, but how she was cast amongst such a brilliant ensemble is beyond baffling. Her acting sucks, and she didn't do her character justice. She comes across as an empty vessel bringing absolutely nothing to the scenes she's in. Another peeve, really just a minor annoyance is the film's beginning. It starts off slow, and some of the humor feels forced. Thankfully this dissipates after about ten minutes.

Bottom line... go check it out. Juno is a master of the wisecrack, a total cynic cutie. If you love indie anti-hero's as much as I do you won't be disappointed.

beautiful bird

I can't stop listening to Andrew Bird's Armchair Apocrypha. The poignant prose, the chilling lyrics, the vibrant violin. I'm totally smitten. Give this album one little listen, and you will be too!

I think I stumbled upon this musical gem in the 'listeners also bought' section of the i-tunes store. For whatever reason I decided to do a little sampling and instantly fell in love. This is Bird's twelfth album. Yes, twelfth album! How I haven't heard of him till now is completely baffling. Now that I'm familiar with his brilliance, I am sure I'll be listening to him for years to come.

The first track is titled "fiery crash". Critics have compared this tune to Wilco's "war on war". I couldn't agree more. The similarities are remarkable. There's the obvious guitar resemblance, but for me the likeness in philosophy is the true parallel. Anyone familiar with the Wilco hit knows the haunting line "you have to learn how to die... if you want to be alive". Equally haunting is Bird's "to save our lives you’ve got to envision... the fiery crash". Both chilling rants of society questioning human existence, and predestinarianism in this post 9-11 world. The beauty of both songs lies in this juxtaposition between the messages of anxiety and the poppy, upbeat cheerful rhythm. This concept is certainly not a breakthrough technique, but often it's achieved in a cheap and meaningless manner. This was not the case with "war on war", and is undoubtedly not the case with "fiery crash".

The songs that follow are an array of consistently sweeping and splendid indie pop goodness. Without skipping a philosophical beat, Bird takes on mortality, office stress, obsessive compulsive behavior, awkward moments, imitation, and so much more.

I love quoting music, and this album is chock full of quotables. Here's a few I MUST share...

"Grab hold of your bootstraps... and pull like hell... ‘till gravity feels sorry for you and lets you go... as if you lack the proper chemicals to know the way it felt the last time you let yourself... fall this low" - Armchairs

"When I was just a little boy... I threw away all of my action toys ...While I became obsessed with Operation... With hearts and minds and certain glands... You gotta learn to keep a steady hand... And thus began my morbid fascination" - Dark Matter

"Oh don't tell me that it just isn't fair... don't speak about the cycles of life'... cause your thoughts are so soft I could cut 'em with a spork or a bride's... knife" - Spare-Ohs

There you have it... I've given you a taste of this treasure. Now go get it, and enjoy it!