Black Swan - a movie review

one of my favourite things to observe in a film or novel is a character's descent into madness. i find it fascinating. it is not simply macabre entertainment for me; i am truly interested in the topic of mental illness and would love a position working with people who suffer from such disabilities.

Black Swan was a descent into madness that was simultaneously intense, horrifying and beautiful. at times, it was difficult to watch. the film itself was immersed in contrast after contrast: Black Swan/White Swan; pink bedroom/dark metropolis; childishness/lust. the line between reality and madness was not so much blurred as completely obliterated. many of the gorgeous visuals i originally interpreted to be symbolic: black feathers growing from Nina's slim arms, joints breaking to resemble the legs of a bird, painted icons that taunted and yelled. but after some thought, i believe these images were not symbolic at all. Nina's psychosis was indeed her reality. in the same way that a healthy mind works, the character's senses received information - as false it was - and her brain interpreted it. one may wonder if this or that scene actually happened, but truly, to the person with a severe and persistent mental illness, they are genuine experiences.

it was not the Black swan role that caused Nina's psychosis. prior to the audition, we are shown glimpses of her illness (although it did indeed come on full bore with the increased stress of her lead role). but unlike the majority of those with such mental difficulties, Nina achieved perfection and genius, the likes of which she may never have accomplished had she not descended into the Black.

i had a clinical placement in forensic psychiatry, providing therapy for people with severe and persistent mental illnesses who had committed crimes. one client's psychosis was successfully treated with medication but she told us she missed the voices - that they kept her company. if you asked the ghost of Nina: if you could choose to do it again, would you? knowing what would ultimately happen? i believe she would say yes. every time.

A Fresh New Take on Zombies: The Walking Dead

vampires are the trendy pop phenomenon that have sunk their teeth into mainstream culture. but nerdy counter-culture has elected to follow a different movie monster: the zombie. movie remakes, graphic novels and survival guides have nerd boners tenting sweat pants and skinny jeans worldwide.

The Walking Dead mini-series premiered on the AMC network this Fall. as a fan of horror - both in printed and movie form - i was pleased with the unique and thoughtful take on the old zombie tale. the basic story remained the same: a mysterious patient zero comes down with a sickness. a few bites later, and whole cities are infected. gory feasting ensues. healthy survivors then track each other down, put together some semblance of society, and try to figure out how to save themselves and the world - in that order.

i am a fan of 28 Days/Weeks Later. the premise was adjusted slightly in that the virus was simply rage - one of the seven deadly sins. how appropriate. i enjoyed that neat little change in the zombie story, as well as the speed with which it devoured its human hosts. not to mention the fact that these zombies did not shamble - they RAN, full-out, Donovan Bailey styles. fabulously scary.

what i enjoyed so much about The Walking Dead was its focus on the humanity of the situation, not just that of the survivors but also that of the monster antagonists. in the event of a global cataclysm, i believe it is that - remembering the humanity - that will set apart the greedy, rioting masses from the true human survivors. despite its share of gory scenes, The Walking Dead was not about torture porn - that cheap and disgusting new genre that tries to pass itself off as horror. no, this show was a realistic view of our world if everything had been erased by an uncontrollable plague and we, as a people, were forced to reconstruct our priorities. which of us would lead with human survival in mind? who from our group would become bloated and unstable from opportunities of power?

the hero of The Walking Dead was a sherriff looking for his family. *spoiler alert* in one scene, the group tried to assimilate with the 'Walkers' in order to make an escape. before covering themselves in the ichor and dead flesh of a finished Walker, the sherriff removed a wallet from the body and read out the person's name. he described the loving inscription on the back of a girl's picture holding a place of honour in this leather fold. and with the group humbled into silence, the axe fell. and fell. dead parts scattered but humanity remained.

Unstoppable - a movie review

i have to admit my bias: i do love denzel. not in that drooly way that most in my gender love him (although that smile is a heart-flutterer).i just love his on-screen presence and the easy way he's absorbed into a role. if you're familiar with his work, you know his characters and scripts are often very denzel-y and 'Unstoppable' certainly followed suit. unfortunately, it seems this dramatic, semi-action flick flew under the box office radar. i actually didn't plan on watching it myself but the glowing reviews pushed me into the theatre - and i was not disappointed. who knew, Hollywood? you don't need complex plot twists or a convoluted storyline to make a good movie. you don't even need sex, violence or over-the-top CGI. 'Unstoppable' used a simple formula: everyday characters, a natural dialogue and a straightforward plot, and they told their story in under two hours - another rare feat in today's movie theatres.

while watching 'Unstoppable', i was immediately drawn to the antagonist of the movie which in this case was Triple 7 - the freight train. a perfect storm of human error, bad luck and poor decisions created this seemingly indestructible villain. no supernatural causes, no insane person in the conductor seat. just an empty train with its throttle down and physics pushing it ever-forward.

but like a classic movie villain, Triple 7 is emotionless, unrelenting, and driven by a single, destructive purpose. stopping the unstoppable train unites a group of strangers in an effort to save the towns it's bearing down upon. and these regular-joe heroes are nothing super-special either - they're just unselfish people who are good at their jobs and perhaps have an extra ounce of bravery within.

its easy to get lost in a movie when there's little need to suspend your disbelief. 'Unstoppable' is a simple but strong film that has you muttering encouragement to the heroes throughout the whole edge-of-your-seat experience. two throttles up for this movie.

Brain Injuries Inside the Ring

the sport of boxing is ancient. its history encompasses a variety of cultures and eras. but it is in boxing's recent years that disturbing issues have come to light.

doping.
greed.
blatant cheating.
and the long-term effects of a brutal combat sport.

Muhammad Ali and Freddie Roach are two of boxing's finest both in the ring and at its corner. they suffer from either Parkinson's Disease (PD) or a Parkinsonian syndrome that is arguably a result of their participation in a sport they love. the disease itself is relentless. it attacks the person's motor skills causing tremors, instability and rigid movements. the senses can be affected and dementia may occur in the later stages. thus boxers who are world-renowned for their strength, agility and grace in the ring become trembling shadows of their physical selves. many of us remember Ali lighting the torch at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. and many of us, i'm sure, still feel the tears well up when we recall that historic moment.

to combat the effects of PD, Freddie Roach - the outspoken boxing trainer of champ Manny Pacquiao - is reportedly on a regimen that includes medication and injections. but there's another part of his treatment that other sufferers are unlikely to have: daily hardcore training of the athletes at his Wildcard Boxing Club. Roach believes, as do his health professionals, that it is his elite-level participation in boxing that is holding off his PD. it seems then, that the sport that caused his disease is also the sport that is keeping his incurable PD at bay.

boxing can be a tough sport to watch. acquiring a brain injury is a virtually inescapable outcome but the sport itself will endure for years to come. so what can be done to maintain the health of the fighters? how might we balance the combative nature of boxing with the risks of head injuries? i offer that much of the responsibility lies with the corner: the team that surrounds the boxer and has the authority to stop the fight when it appears there is no hope for a victory.

i understand pride in battle and the 'never say die' attitude of most alpha-dog elite athletes. but causing undue harm to someone you care about seems outrageous to me. the fighters will likely not say the words themselves, so it is up to their corner to understand and love this person. when is it a good and balanced fight? and when is it unfair target practice? when there is clearly no chance for victory, and the person is being irreparably damaged for no reason, it is time to stop the fight. the stigma against throwing in the towel must be removed for the good of the fighters.

live well to fight another day.

End of the Hiatus

my attention wanders very easily. i get bursts of creativity that need outlets and thus my blog was born. or there is a new canvas of acrylic paint in my house. or i learn a different song on guitar. the thing is, i never stay on any one activity for very long. can anyone say "attention deficit disorder"?

but anyway, after some encouraging statements by friends and family, i've decided to blow the dust off this blog and open it up again. a friend asked for stories on a daily basis but that might be a little ambitious. we'll start small and see how it goes.

stay tuned for the resurrection of Hit & Miss Thoughts from EmJay...