it's not life that matters but the journey...

Happy Memorial Day weekend for my friends in the U.S. Someone asked me if I was barbecuing today and I said no - I don't own a bbq. Why not? Just never bought one. I don't feel the need to barbeque. that's all.

besides, it's only fun if you have a big group.

oh and Happy Birthday to one of my favorite actors, Cillian Murphy, who turned 32 today. The boy is breathtakingly gorgeous!









It's been a dull weekend, for the most part. not that I'm complaining. I like dull sometimes.
I went swimming Saturday morning, did five loads of laundry (no kidding) at the laundromat on Saturday afternoon, went shopping at the japanese market Saturday night, bought a new set of the Chronicles of Narnia today at Border's, and shopped for a cell phones for me and my husband (which I will probably buy tomorrow). Yesterday I watched part of The Outsiders, a movie that I probably watched six times as a teenager, but haven't seen for over 20 years! that brought back some memories of my friend Lisa Renter and I going to the theater over and over when we were 14, drooling over C. Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon, Patrick Swayze and Rob Lowe. Tom Cruise, Emilio Estevez, Ralph Macchio and Leif Garrett are also in that film. Wow that movie is full of cute guys, a virtual feast of eye candy for a teenage girl!

Tonight I watched a film that will probably stick in my mind for a long long time - in fact, now I really want to read the book. I watched Sean Penn's movie Into the Wild , the adaptation of the non-fiction book by Jon Krakauer about Christopher McCandless, who left the middle-class, suburban, post-college society and hitchhiked his way across the U.S. to the wilds of Alaska.

The movie explores the many possible reasons for his leaving society, and abandoning his family, as well as his own identity, for a new life, or "rebirth": a sense of anger, frustration, and rebellion towards his parents; a yearning for freedom from material and societal restraints (he had never even had a phone prior to his excursion); a desire to live on the edge, or as a book reviewer puts it, to "look over the edge"; a need to really expand his mind, and I think have a reason to live. The following link gives a great synopsis of the book, which pretty much sums up the movie: http://www.bookbrowse.com/reviews/index.cfm?book_number=191

the movie is visually breathtaking, emotionally draining, and spiritually and mentally awakening. It's interesting that I found myself torn between two radically different feelings towards this incredible young man, this "hero": on the one hand, a sense of awe and admiration for what Christopher did, especially a sense of "I wish I could do that", the sheer bravery and carefree nature needed to break free from the chains of money, society, and even family; but on the other hand, a sense of anger and frustration at his selfish senselessness, in leaving behind a family who obviously would sense his absence, and who would suffer from the loss of a son and a brother. Even someone as resourceful, strong and mentally prepared as he was, still wasn't strong enough to conquer the extreme wild of the untamed frontier, Alaska.

I really think that Christopher McCandless did this not out of a desire to die, or even to be alone. He did it as a way of telling a story, of proving something to himself, of learning the sheer limits of the human spirit. I just love this quote from the book review: "When McCandless's innocent mistakes turn out to be irreversible and fatal, he becomes the stuff of tabloid headlines and is dismissed for his naiveté, pretensions, and hubris. He is said to have had a death wish but wanting to die is a very different thing from being compelled to look over the edge."

Finally, some notes about the acting and directing. The movie stars Emile Hirsch (who is currently in Speed Racer), who is an uncanny mix between Ewan McGregor and Leonardo DiCaprio, and whose acting is superb. Also, Catherine Keener is fantastic as usual as a fellow traveler he meets, as well as Jenna Malone, as Christopher's sister. In fact, Jenna does much of the voiceover narrative, and it's through her narratives that we learn a lot about the main character's motivation. Sean Penn's directing artistically weaves the viewer between Christopher's last few weeks in Alasa, and the weeks leading up to his final Alaska adventure. The characters that Christopher meets along the way are equally fascinating, including an oscar-nominated performance by Hal Holbrook, whose one scene is enough to bring tears. If you're in the mood for something deeply reflective, and aesthetically beautiful, with amazing acting, and a strong message, watch this movie. It will really open your eyes.



I meant to post a picspam of my cat, as I just uploaded a bunch of adorable pictures to my computer. But I think I'll do it tomorrow night. It's almost midnight and I need to go and read some Prince Caspian and get this movie out of my mind... for now.