Watch for this Movie #1

Periodically, I will post about an upcoming movie or album or something that is coming out that I think is worth getting pumped about.

The first one is Pixar's WALL-E.

Pretty much everything Pixar puts together is WELL worth it! CLICK HERE FOR THE TRAILER

Here is the final poster for WALL-E and also another poster for kicks.

Lil' Star Wars

Saw this on two blogs today (my buddy Adam's blog, and Jeffrey Overstreet's blog)

This is the type of education we need in our pre-schools.

Leave it to the symphony!

WAY TO BE DIPLOMATS, New York Philharmonic!

READ THIS ARTICLE

The Haeger Awards

No Oscar Predictions Here:
Only the "Haeger Awards"...because my own opinion is all I got.
Some awards are Oscar Equivalents with a few of my own made up awards in the mix.

Best Actor:
Daniel Day Lewis (There Will Be Blood): No Question about it. This performance has to be seen to be believed

Best Supporting Actor:
Javier Bardem (No Country): This was one of the most unsettling acting jobs I have seen in a long time. 100% believable. And if his creepiness wasn't enough, I was blown away by my growing empathy for him, by the time of his last monologue.

Best Actress and Supporting Actress:
Still working on these...
But, Ellen Page's performance was very good, and enjoyable.

Best Original Screenplay:
Michael Clayton
The way that this story unfolded in it's own delicate and deliberate pace was...well, I just wouldn't want it any other way.
Not to mention, the film made some super-insightful comments on integrity and how it impacts individuals and their families.


Best Atmosphere created in a film:
Sweeney Todd
Good ol Tim Burton knows how to transport people into another world just about as good as anybody.

Best multiple minute monologue:
Obvious Choices: Final scenes in "There Will be Blood" and "No Country"
My personal favorite: The final restaurant review read by Peter O'Toole
in Ratatouille

Best Animated Film:
Ratatouille: Not a dull moment in this hour and 45 minutes of pure Pixar goodness.
Pixar is preserving the great legacy of Disney storytelling like no other! I could go on for hours.

Best Song:
Falling Slowly (Once)
This scene with this song in this film is 100% engaging from beginning to end. And their performance was so raw and totally unpretentious!

Cinemetography:
Robert Elswitt: There Will Be Blood
Every moment is shot with such intentionality!


Best Picture: TIE: There Will Be Blood/No Country for Old Men

Blood: From the opening scene till "I'm finished", I was hooked.
The music was incredible and incredibly unsettling
The acting was dynamic
The natural metaphors oozed throughout this movie, giving us an incredible meditation on greed and how it can completely and horrifically consume one's life.

No Country:
This story was a powerful kick in the stomach. The final monologue left us with such an incredible question, and gives a great opportunity for viewers to discuss if they do believe in something or someone to find hope in. As a Christ follower, this was a great film that challenged me and fortified my faith.

In addition to this we had one of the creepiest villains in years in film.

And to top it all off, we still were able to enjoy those wonderful "Coenized" moments. (i.e. The Josh Brolin scene with the mariachi band!!)

---I do kinda have a weak stomach for blood...so I did have to shield the eyes several times...but, it's all good.

Other Cool Mentionables:
Juno: Great performance from Ellen Page, and a non-stop "fest" of witty snide remarks.
The Assassination of Jesse James: Very unique, and some great acting
Zodiac: Very engaging (but I did have to shield my eyes from thi sone a little bit also)

And one more worth taking a look at some time.
Enchanted: The innocent and cynical can enjoy this movie. The "innocents" will like the homage to the fairy tale. The cynics will like the satire of the fairy tale. And, there's no doubt that Amy Adams has some great acting chops.
It's one of three movies this year (Ratatouille and Bridge to Terabithia) that Lindsey and I will definitely share with our kids someday.

What is Transported?

THIS BLOG is called Transported because I believe that a truly great film or book or piece of music will transport the person who is absorbing the art form.

My love for the arts is rooted in my love for story. Each time we listen to a song or watch a movie or read a book and are engrossed in a story, we are tapping into what God has instilled in every human which is a deep desire to be a part of something bigger. He created us to hunger to be a part of His story.

My creation of this blog is an exercise for me to reflect on the movies, music, and film that I absorb so that I am not merely absorbing the art form, but I am intentionally processing them.

These art mediums allow me to do the following:

• 1) To enjoy the power of story and connect other stories to my own.
• 2) To better understand the perspectives and worldviews of others through art.
• 3) To find Biblical-spiritual truths that are threaded in stories.
• 4) To critically analyze the art that is created, makign my own assessments of its artistic merit.
• 5) To enjoy
  

If somehow you happen to grace across this blog, leave a comment. Agree or disagree with me, you are welcome to join in on this dialogue that I am having with myself!