Category: Quotes

Sydney Quotes the Movies – Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle2 Comments

I really enjoy movies about people who are searching for something, both figuratively and literally.  This movie contains both.  Young Oskar lost his father in 9/11.  In search of a way to stay connected to his father, he goes on a systematic quest for the lock that fits a key he found in his father’s belongings.  As you can imagine, the quotes that stood out to me, perfectly convey the emotion of someone desperate to find sense in a situation that didn’t make sense.   Tom Hanks (Thomas) as the father, Sandra Bullock as the mother (Linda) and introducing Thomas Horn (Oskar) elevate the words to another level of emotion that you feel throughout the movie.

The flash backs of his father instilling in Oskar the need to find answers and solutions was his way of getting Oskar to interact with people, something that early on you see is very difficult for young Oskar.
“If things were easy to find, the wouldn’t be worth finding.” – Thomas
And encouraging Oskar not to get discouraged when it gets difficult.
“Another way of looking at it is, how can you ever be wrong?” – Thomas
Gives Oskar all the tools he needs to for the journey is about to embark on.
Many people encourage Oskar along the way:
“You never know what a key is going to fit. There are a million possibilities. That’s what I like about keys.  They all open something.” – Lock Smith
No one is going to get in his way.
“Nothing was going to stop me.  Not even me.” – Oskar
Some, appear to discourage him:
“It’s never going to make scene because it doesn’t.” – Linda
You get glimpse of just how difficult this journey is for Oskar by several rants throughout the movie. This was the most compelling and showed what he had to do to find the answer to this question:
“I count there are 472 people with the last name Black. There are 216 addresses. Some of the blacks live together, obviously. I calculated that if I go to 2 every Saturday plus holidays, minus my hamlet school plays, my minerals, coins, and comic convention, it’s going to take me 3 years to go through all of them. But that’s what I’m going to do! Go to every single person named black and find out what the key fits and see what dad needed me to find. I made the very best possible plan but using the last four digits of each phone number, I divide the people by zones. I had to tell my mother another lie, because she wouldn’t understand how I need to go out and find what the key fits and help me make sense of things that don’t even make sense like him being killed in the building by people that didn’t even know him at all! And I see some people who don’t speak English, who are hiding, one black said that she spoke to God. If she spoke to god how come she didn’t tell him not to kill her son or not to let people fly planes into buildings and maybe she spoke to a different god than them! And I met a man who was a woman who a man who was a woman all at the same time and he didn’t want to get hurt because he/she was scared that she/he was so different. And I still wonder if she/he ever beat up himself, but what does it matter?” – Oskar
Others along Oskar’s journey learned some valuable lessons as well and father son relationships are central to the plots in the movie for several characters:
“He wrote about all the things he wanted to do but didn’t and all the things he did do but, didn’t want to.” – William Black
In the end, whether he finds what he is looking for or not, Oskar and his mother become closer and realize that they can help each other remember what they lost.
“I miss his voice telling me he loves me.” – Linda “Me, too.” – Oskar

I really enjoyed the complexity of this movie, from the sub-plots, to the conflicting journey’s for the different characters and at the center is this little boy who desperately wants to stay connected to his father. It is a 9/11 movie, but the events that take place after “the worst day” are relatable to anyone who has lost someone.

Based on a novel by Jonathan Safran Foer
Screenplay by Eric Roth

The Greatness of Peter Berg and Battleship The Movie

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle14 Comments
Cute Peter Berg
Look what cute and crazy get you! Brilliant
Crazy Peter Berg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first time I saw Peter Berg, he was playing cocky bad boy Dr. Billy Kronk on the medical drama Chicago Hope.  The show that featured the amazing Mandy Patinkin as well.    Little did I know that just a few years later, he would become one of the most innovative and entertaining writers and directors in Hollywood.

In fact, his greatness is best exhibited by what he does behind the camera and with a pen (I am sure he uses a computer, but I am going for a visual here).

First, I must admit that Peter Berg is a weird guy. He looks weird, he sounds weird. He always puts himself in bit parts in the movies he is involved in.  He is as eccentric as they come.  But, aren’t most brilliant people a little weird.  But, like I always say, “All things amazing start with a little crazy!”  (I am not sure if I actually said that or if I heard it.  If I stoled it, I am sorry, I can’t remember where I heard it from).

In 1998, he wrote and director a movie called Very Bad Things staring Jon Favreau, Christian Slater and Cameron Diaz.  I can only describe this movie as what Hangover, Hangover II and Bridesmads could only hope to be.  The movie follows a group of friends at a bachlor party in Vegas and as the title says, Very Bad Things happen to them.  There is even a dead hooker in the movie.  Check it out if you haven’t seen it.

He directed the critically acclaimed Friday Night Lights and spear headed the hit TV show as well.  Friday Night Lights is a movie that is bitter sweet for me as well as being close to my heart.  I was raised in Texas and my brother played high school football.  His team lost to the team portrayed in the movie during my brother’s senior year.  I hate Odessa Permien and that damn MOJO stuff.  Peter Berg one hundred percent accurately depicted the insanity of  Texas high school football.  Great job for a guy from New York.

He also directed Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Garner in The Kingdom.  The Kingdom is about a FBI teams investigation of a bombing in Saudi Arabia.  It is one of those movies that get’s better every time I see it.  And, it is such a intelligent movie.  Again, if you haven’t, go see.

He also wrote the movie The Losers which has one of the greatest assembly cast of little to no name actors; Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Zoe Saldana, Chris Evans (Captain America), Idris Elba and Columbus Short.  Not all well known, but very talented group.  That movie has some great lines such as, “Oh my God.  I’m the black MacGyver.” 

He returned to his acting roots in two great Tom Cruise movies:  Collateral and Lions for Lambs.  But, his biggest project was recently released.

His latest offering is a little low budget flick known as Battleship.  I saw Battleship this weekend and was not disappointed.  The drool worthy, but bad acting of  Taylor Kitsch couldn’t distract me from what is visually an amazing movie.  The alien ships were very unique and utterly terrifying.  I really showcased the power of the US Navy in the present and the past.  I loved the idea of the old World War II guys coming back to commission the original battleship – US Missouri to save the world.  The movie had great pace and was big budget action with a heart and you liked the characters.

From drunken escapades, to intellectual suspense; low budget films with heart to futuristic big budget blockbusters.  Peter Berg can do it all.

Can’t wait to see what he comes up with next.

What is your favorite Peter Berg movie?  What do you think about board games being made into movies?*

*I have a great post coming up about the movie Clue next month.

The Avengers Movie Quotes

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle22 Comments

Let me get my gushing out of the way and say that I loved this movie.  It was the great all American action movie.  With the right amount of witty clever dialogue, action sequences, robots, aliens, superheros and realism all wrapped up in a nice pretty CGI fueled package.

It has been awhile since a movie has pulled me in like this one did and that it is my favorite way to watch a movie.

I also have to take a moment to extol the greatness of Tony Stark.  I liked the first Ironman Movie. I loved the second Ironman Movie.  I am now ready to declare that Tony Stark as played by Robert Downey, Jr. is one of my top 5 favorite movie characters of all time.

He creates a suit that makes him into a super hero.  Out of the suit, he describes himself as  “Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist.”  Brilliant!

The movie was amazing, the people where oh so pretty, but the diaglogue.  The dialogue made the movie.

First, let Tony Stark tell you who the Avengers are:

“Let’s do the head count here.  Your brother, the demigod; the super soldier, living legend who kind of lives up to the legend; a man with breathtaking anger management issues; a couple of master assassins and you, big fellow, you’ve manage to piss off every single one of them.” 

Some of the funniest lines he delivered was in putting down his fellow Avengers while reference other movies.

[to Thor] “No hard feelings Point Break, you’ve got a mean swing.”

(Thor does kind of looks like Patrick Swayze in the surfer bank robber movie)
 

[to Hawkeye] “Right. Better clench up, Legolas.”

(Referencing the gorgeous arrow slinging elf played by Orlando Bloom from the Lord of the Rings movies.)
 

Typically, I pin point single lines, but some much of what made this movie great is the interaction between the larger then life characters.

Like this conversation between Steve Rogers a.k.a Captain America (Chris Evans) and Tony Stark:

Steve Rogers:  “Stark, we need a plan of attack!”

Tony Stark:  “I have a plan. Attack!”

Or between Natasha Ramanoff a.k.a Black Widow (Scarlett Johansen) and Thor (Chris Heimsworth):

Thor:  “He’s my brother.”

Natasha Ramanoff: “He killed 80 people in 2 days.”

Thor:  “He’s adopted.”

And, how about this exchange between Steve Rogers and Clint Barton a.k.a Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner):

Steve Rogers: “You think you can hold them off?”

Clint Barton: “Captain, it would be my genuine pleasure.”

But, there was some really great one liners as well:

“You people are so petty, and tiny.” Thor

[to Loki] “Your gonna loose.  It’s in your nature.” Agent Coulsen

“You were made to be ruled.” Loki

“Where not a team. Where a time-bomb.” Bruce Banner a.k.a The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo)

“Love is for children. I owe him a debt.” Black Widow

[to Tony Stark] “Your not the man to make the sacrifice

play.” Captain America

We must recognize that this little band of heros was put together by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson).  “There was an idea to bring together a group of remarkable people, so when we need them, they could fight the battles that we never could.”

Not everyone was in favor of this idea, Nick Fury is going to stand up for what he believes in.

Delivered in true Samuel L. Jackson fashion, “I recognize the council has made a decision, but given that it’s a stupid ass decision, I’ve elected to ignore it.”

If you have seen it, tell me what you think?  If you haven’t seen it, go see it, and tell me what you think? Who was your favorite Avenger?  What are some of your favorite movie lines?  

I would like to recognize Marvel.com for the photos and IMDb for helpings me remember some of these great quotes.  I typically will type the quotes in my iPhone as I watch a movie, but I was way to end into this movie to take my eyes off the screen.    

“Be Connected, Isolation is Sickness” – Russell Simmons

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle2 Comments

Do you ever read someones tweet and wish they would explain it?  Why did they write it and where were they coming from and what are they trying to tell me?  With me, leaving the misunderstood to my own interpretation could be a bit dangerous.  I tend to trust the writers perspective to quickly.  That is why I immediatedly retweeted this.  But, days later I am looking at this quote again and then start wondered why it made me stop and pause in the first place.  I shoot first, then looked later.  Now, that I have had a chance look, I don’t necessary agree with what Mr. Simmons was saying.  

Being connected is great.  Being connected to friends, family, the world in general is wonderful.  It make us feel alive and part of something greater.  Makes us feel like we belong and that others are going through the same thing we are going through and that is great, I agree.  But, I don’t necessarily agree that isolation is sickness.  Connected (good) versus isolation (bad).  You can live in a world connected with others or you can be by your self.  Those are the only two options.  I don’t believe that. There has to be more to life then just that.  Life is not that simple and you don’t just have those two choices and at times there isn’t a choice at all.  Life puts you in situations and circumstances and it is up to you do deal with them the best way you know how. 

Like, at this moment, I am isolated.  I am alone in my room, writing this post. I am in my own head and putting out my own thoughts just to get them out of my head.  I am not doing this to share with an audience or to be “connected.”  I do it because, this is what I always do.  I have stuff to say and I have to speak, but I speak to no one.  I don’t have anyone in my life that I can share this stuff with.  I am isolated.  

But, in my isolation, I am creative.  My creativity is energizing.   My isolation is granting me permission to indulge in my passion.  Indulge without consequence or explanation.  My isolation is affording me the opportunity to get somewhere better in my mind, do something better with my heart and spirit, and be something better then what I am.  It is not bad, it is not good, it is just the way it is right now and how it has to be in order for me to change and grow.  

Now, you could argue that I am not isolated because I am writing to potentially billions of people on the internet.  And, someone is readying it and identifying with me, so in that sense, I am not isolated.  I am very much connected.  (Come on now, no one is readying my blog. But, yet, here I am. Putting it out there anyway.)  People are readying it and yes, I hope they can related and hope that they get something out of what I say and it makes them feel better and feel more connected.    

But, really what I am trying to say is that in life you are going to go through things.  You have to. That is what life is. Experiencing things.  Good things and bad things and things that have to identifying characteristics at all.   Some times you are going to be connected to people, ideas, places and you are going to belong.  And, some times you are not.  

But, in those time that you are not and you are able to turn those times into periods of growth in your life, then you are living during those times too.  So, don’t look down on those moments, embrace them and see what comes out of them.  You might be surprise.