Movie Review: Hachi; A Dog's Tale

Tonight, I watched a movie and cried harder than I have in months. It was called Hachi. It was so tragic and sweet and heartwarming and saddening and amazing.

There are those who say animals cannot feel love. Any person who says that clearly has never had a pet, and clearly has not seen the move Hachi: A Dog's Tale, which tells the remarkably true story of a dog's complete, unconditional, and unending devotion to his owner.

One day, as Professor Parker (Richard Gere) gets off the train he takes every day to get to and from work, an Akita puppy finds him. Not wanting to leave the poor thing out in the cold all night, he takes it home, intending to find it's rightful owner. But when no owner shows up for a few days, he can't help but fall in love. As the dog grows, so does the bond between them, and soon enough, Hachi and Parker form a daily routine that even death and a new home cannot break.

I think most of you can guess what happens. This is a true story. While in the movie, it happened in America, it really happened in the early 1900s in Japan, where (at some train station) there is a bronze statue of Hachiko (Hachi) stands still waiting for it's master to come home. While alive, the dog waited every day for nine years for the professor to come home from work on the train before dying.

I loved this movie far too much to critique the acting or the plot. Just know that it was wonderful, and that if you dislike animals or are heartless, mean, and cruel, you will not like it. The last scene in the movie, where the dog is dying, is what really made me sob. I suggest this movie to EVERYONE, but make sure you have a box of Kleenex on hand before you watch it.

Unconstitutional Laws

I was reading my We the People government textbook because that's part of my summer homework, and I came across a point they made. The author was trying to explain fundamental rights by giving examples of rights the courts have deemed "fundamental." Get this. Their first example of a "fundamental right" was the right to marry and have children.

Is it ironic that this textbook claims that marriage is a fundamental right (which means that all people enjoy it, no if's, and's, or but's) in a country where, federally, it is only legal for certain people to marry? Or is it just disgusting bullshit fed to students by the government? Are they trying to tell us that gay marriage isn't really marriage?

And while we're on the subject of gay marriage, the Protection of Marriage Act states that in states that have not legalized gay marriage, a marriage between two people of the same gender performed in another state that has legalized it is not official anymore. So, if I get married to a woman in Vermont and then move to California, we're not married anymore.

THIS DIRECTLY VIOLATES THE CONSTITUTION! The "full faith and credit clause" is what enables people who obtain a license in one state to still drive legally in another. It states that "full faith and credit shall be given in each state to the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state." This means that a marriage, which is a public act and it is kept on record, should be valid in every state. This is true of heterosexual marriages, but not gay ones. It is not only morally wrong, but it directly violates the Constitution.

Movie Review: Sorcerer's Apprentice

I was considerably disappointed by this movie. I went expecting it to be over-the-top fantasy action and sorcery with a lot of humor thrown in. I got the humor, but that was all I got.

The humor was good. It was understated and Dave Stutler, played by She's Out of Your League star Jay Baruchel, delivers self-deprecating jokes and Fantasia-style cleaning mishaps charmingly, in my opinion. Balthazar, played by Nicholas Cage, was also amusing, although I am far from his greatest fan. And the main villain, Horvath's (Alfred Molina), apprentice Drake Stone (Toby Kebbell) was also ridiculously amusing, although he got little screen time. There are jokes, and those jokes at least kept me entertained throughout the movie. But a move can't ride on just humor alone.

My biggest problem with this movie was that nothing was really all that developed. The final battle was lame and week, and the parts of it that were supposed to be suspenseful left me completely underwhelmed. They could have had something much more powerful, but instead everyone was saved because Becky Barnes, played by Teresa Palmer, kicked a satellite. Not very climactic.

There was one part in the movie where Dave Stutler decides he is not the Prime Merlinean, gives his "old man shoes" back to Balthazar, and gives up. I think that, had that subplot been given enough time, it could have made for something much more interesting. I also think they could have let us know a little more about what happened to Dave in the decade Balthazar was locked in the urn. There were little details that teased the audience with a good plot, but they were overlooked for cliched training with fire balls.

All in all, I think this movie would have made a much better book than a movie. And, failing that, at least another half hour for the plot and characters to truly develop.

Movie Review: Salt

I saw Salt, featuring Angelina Jolie, Liev Schrieber and Chiwetel Ejiofer, last night. So, because I'm a movie and book junkie, I thought I'd do an informal review.

Salt was very entertaining, I will give it that. It kept me watching, kept me entertained, and kept me on my seat. I was kept in suspense, wondering how Evelyn Salt (Angelina Jolie), who was recently accused of being a Russian spy, would escape from those who were chasing her, Ted Winters (Liev Schrieber) and Peabody (Chiwetel Ejiofer). And boy, did she escape. I was left in suspense about who Salt really was as well. The whole thing was a great, mindless, classic action flick. We haven't had one of those yet this summer, so it was due.

Salt's portrayal of a CIA agent on the run was spot on, even if some of the escape scenes were fairly unrealistic. The feeling that her husband wasn't safe as her husband, and how she portrayed the fear that those going after her would go after him was really emotional and lovely. And she also portrayed the tough-as-nails, I'll-kick-your-ass-faster-than-you-can-blink attitude extremely well but still appeared to be human. A superhuman, but still a human. In my opinion, that would be very difficult to do.

In fact, Salt's portrayal of her character is even better when it is considered that the writer of the script had Tom Cruise in mind to play it. And she delivers a powerful performances that punches you in the gut harder than any performance by Cruise would have. Why? She adds layers to the character that Cruise couldn't have done, such as woman-scorned vengeance and an aura of feminine mystery. It makes her performance much more real. There should be many more action flicks with a girl as a lead.

As stated above, some of the escape scenes were pretty unrealistic. For example, if anyone else jumped from car to car, they would be severely hurt. And no one can walk through an explosion and not get burned. It's simply impossible.

Also, it didn't really have much of a plot beyond badass escape tactics. It was just what it appeared to be, a good ol' action flick. There's not harm in those. And this one was definitely one of the best.

Pot

Seriously? Apparently (http://music-mix.ew.com/2010/07/23/bret-michaels-drugs/ Bret Michaels from Poison was found with pot on BOTH of his tourbuses. How terrible?

I know plenty of people who smoke pot. Some of them, admittedly, do suffer from amotivational syndrome, but for the most part, pot is harmless. And I have no idea why people make such a big deal when a rock star and infamous partier is caught with it. Have you seen his shows on VH1?

Besides, there are other things that should be paid more attention to. Even in the music industry. Instead of whining about drugs, why don't we instead talk about how separated all of them are from reality. Or how so few of them use their social standing to actually do something meaningful. Or how love has been rendered obsolete in today's music. We have such bigger issues.

Christmas Albums

I could talk about how furious I am with my dog and my family and how I don't think the two fit together all that well, but I think I'm going to talk about something a little more cheerful today. Christmas.

It was just released that Susan Boyle may be working on a Christmas album, and I was thinking. Here is the link to the article: http://music-mix.ew.com/2010/07/22/susan-boyle-christmas-album/ She's probably one of the few people I would actually consider buying a Christmas album from, because her's would be traditionally sung. I can't stand those Christmas songs that rocked up or popped up or something equally horrible. Susan Boyle would sing traditional Christmas songs the way they should be sung. Traditionally.

To me, it compares to the national anthem. So many people sing it or play it much flashier than it is written, and it's not right. I'm all for redoing songs and making remakes, but some things are simply sacred.

How To: Be a Parent

Step one is the most important step, MATURITY! How can you call yourself an adult, let alone a parent, without maturity? They are the kids, not you. Act your age. The child is allowed to be immature because he/she has not had the life experience required to learn how not to be childish, but you have. So it is not okay when your children act more like parents than you do.

"You fucking ingrate! I'll take a can of paint and throw it all over that fucking room! Including the bed!"

Gee, thanks dad. Great to know that not only do you appreciate how much work and money you put into that room, but you also know how to contain your temper and act rationally. There are other quotes, ones that hurt worse. Blaming a child for everything, always having to have the last word (a distinct sign of immaturity), and refusing to ever own up to your mistakes are all things a parent should never do. Because they are immature and petty. As is stomping off in a sulk and slamming the door so hard it breaks. Extract yourself from the situation if you feel yourself getting furious before you do something you regret. Like make your children cry. Or make them hate you.

The second step is tact. Yes, know what to say and when to say it. But most of all, learn what not to say. Sometimes, jokes are stupid and they hurt. For example, calling your children fat, even when meant in jest, really hurts. And with all the times you casually insult them, let them know just how disappointed you are with them and your life, and tell them any of the mean jokes that you think are funny, you wonder why they hate having to listen. You wonder why they give the impression of hating you.

Can I let you in on a little secret? THEY DO. Bit of a newsflash for you? You want to know why?

"You weigh a hundred and fifty pounds?! Wow, that's a lot!" he says, with his mouth hanging out open in shock as his daughter runs to hug her mother, close to tears.

"You know, sometimes I wish you girls could do something right for a change," he says in the middle of a fight, and his daughters' sobs become louder and more filled with pain.

"Are you happy now, you stupid girl?!" he says after upending the dining room table. It is directed a young teenaged girl, his daughter, who is crouched and sobbing.

These are most definitely not the only ones, nor are they the worst. And you wonder why your children have no self esteem.

The third step is patience. Children are impatient, but that's okay. Because they are children. Because they haven't had the time to grow as people. Patience is a part of maturity. And it a crucial thing to have when raising children.

They will take a long time, they will demand your attention, they will spill things, they will repeatedly misbehave or misunderstand, they will refuse to listen, they will throw temper tantrums, they will interrupt, they will whine, they will yell, they will scream, they will beg, they will slam, they will have attitudes, and they will do any number of other things to upset you. Get used to it. Get over it. Have patience with them, or they will resent you in the long run. Believe me. Especially when you are already in a bad mood, and therefore get impatient with them three times as quickly. Kids of any age require patience. Even at the ripe old age of 17.

The third step is self-control. This, also, is one the most important steps. Being unable to control your temper leads to lack of tact, which leads to children who are emotionally scarred and have a complex because you told them you don't love them in a fit of rage. See above step regarding why tact is important. But that's not the only thing a short temper results in. It also results in violence and a family and friends who think you are dangerous. It results in broken doors, upended furniture, and a dog cowering in his kennel in fear. This type of self-control is one of the most important kinds, but it's not the only one.

Another type of self-control is control of your vices. Specifically, things like smoking, drinking, and doing drugs of any kind. They are a bad influence on your children. Either the child will want to be just like daddy and steal a beer or two or five or will grow to so hate the substance that they make sweeping assumptions about anyone who drinks or smokes anything, even when it really is harmless fun.

The worst of these, in my experience, unless the drug is something like heroin, is alcohol. Alcohol changes people. When a parent drinks, they are immature, angry, they have no tact, no patience, no ambition, and they are lazy and will do nothing for their children. If you are to have children, control yourself when it comes to these things. Or you will be sorry. Because no child likes to have a drunk embarrassment of a father.

And if you are the spouse of a parent with a vice he cannot control, do not make excuses. Because then your children will resent you too. A drunk is always inexcusable.

Lastly, support your children. Your kids will be extremely hurt to learn that you have no desire to see their school play, go to their chorus concert, or see their game. They will be extremely upset to know that you have no interest in how good their test grade is, what their teachers will say about them, or what their dreams are. And even if those dreams are completely ridiculous, or even just unlikely, you must support them. And you must believe in them, or at least pretend to. Because if you don't, they won't believe in themselves.

You do not have to follow these steps. But just know that if you do not, you should not expect much love, affection, or respect from your children. Because these things are privileges, not rights. And you haven't earned them.

Just as an aside to the parent this is directed to, I'm very glad you saw that letter. I hope you read all of it. I wish it had opened your eyes a little. I only wish you cared enough to read this. But then again, you are so delusional, you probably wouldn't even know it's about you.

Quotable Quotes

Let me let you in on a little secret that everyone knows. I am who I am and nothing you do is going to change that. My three favorite quotes?

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Suess.

"I'd rather be hated for who I am than loved for who I am not" - Kurt Cobain

"You have enemies? Good. That means you stood up for something, sometime in your life." - Winston Churchill

So, as you can see, I find it incredibly important that each and every person be who they are and no one else. I have many other favorite quotes that pretty much say the same thing, but these are the most important. There is a particular Judy Garland quote that is quite lovely. But I haven't memorized that one yet.

That's what makes me sick about where I live. There's no variety. Everyone's the same, and I always find it so hard to find people I fit in with. And when I do, I trim myself down to fit them because I'm afraid of what people will think if they know all of me.

And let's not even get started on what I think of my body. So whenever I find the need to tailor my personality so that someone else will like me, or so I can have a conversation with them, I'll remember the times I was furious at what someone said and just let it pass. World, you will know who I am before I'm done. I promise.

Introductions

Usually, I would write this really long post about all the things I like and don't like. Not this time. This time, I'm just going to say a few things.

First of all, don't expect predictability from this blog. I will post a lot of random things, such as youtube videos, book and movie recommendations, rants, political rants, personal writings, and probably more. Just know that I will try and post every single day.

Now, to start, I will just say one thing. GET EDUCATED EDUCATORS! Wow, let's just jump right into a rant. Right now, I am going to a public high school that's the best in my state and probably one of the best in the nation. So why have they decided to dumb us down? Let's get rid of the many different levels of math and English classes that ensure that students can succeed no matter what their level of knowledge is.

THIS ISN'T GOING TO MAKE US SMARTER! My school got below proficiency in the NECAPS overall last year. You know why? Because when our percentage is in the high-to-mid-nineties, there isn't much improvement we can possibly achieve. We're so good, we can't get better.

They tried to cancel Honors English classes, but brought them back when too many parents complained. The same thing happened with the Latin program, and now they are looking for a teacher. My AP Government teacher has had the principal tell him more of his students need to get a score of three on the exam. The majority of his students get a score of four or five. There are so many other examples of my school trying to dumb down its student body. Is it to improve NECAP scores? Or just because they feel like switching things up? Who knows.

America wonders why its level of education is so low compared to the rest of the world. Now, I could rant about the price of education in America compared to the socialized version in the rest of the world, but I won't. Let me just say this. Throwing a student who can barely add or read into a regular, college-prep level of English or Math is not going to help them succeed. And throwing a student capable of doing Calculus into a Algebra 1 class because that's the level they are supposed to be at for their grade level is just going to pull them down, not make the class smarter. Teach people according to their own abilities, not the abilities you wish everyone had.