Inception

I love this movie! I have already seen it twice--once with my family and again with Kevin and my love for it only grew the second time around. Now, it should be obvious that there are going to be major spoilers throughout this blog post, so please don't read the rest unless you've seen the film. In order to explain why I think it is so great, I have to spoil the movie. So, here is your last warning: SPOILER ALERT!!!

Inception basically explores people's dreams. At the beginning of the film, we see the main character, Cobb, lead a team into the dream of a man named Saito. In this dream, Cobb's goal is Extraction, to grab some top secret piece of information out of Saito's head. What is so great about this first scene though, is that you don't realize that they are not only in a dream, but a dream within a dream. This sets up the crazy dream within a dream heist that they pull off later in the film, and gets your mind ready to look for things not appearing as they really are throughout the film.

This initial job ends up being an audition by Saito to get Cobb to perform something called Inception on a rival businessman. Inception is basically the opposite of Extraction, instead of taking information from someone's mind through their dreams, you plant an idea in their head so that they believe it is their idea. From here, Cobb assembles a team of people with various jobs and they start their mission of planting an idea inside the mind of Fisher. This job they do involves three different levels of dreams and an even deeper state that they refer to as limbo.

Well, the main storyline I liked in this film was Cobb's. Him and his wife, Mal, explored dreams in the past, and found themselves in this limbo state where they were able to basically become Gods and create a dream world of their own to live in until they became old. Well, Mal convinces herself that this dream state is actually reality, so Cobb has to perform Inception on her to convince her that it is all a dream and that they need to wake up. So, they kill themselves in this dream state by lying on train tracks and waiting for the approaching train. But, once they woke up, Mal still had the idea Cobb had planted in her mind and continued to question reality and think she was in a dream. So, on their anniversary, she got on the ledge of a tall building and tried to convince Cobb to jump with her so they could wake up and greet their real kids. Mal jumped, and Cobb had to watch his wife die. Then, he was forced to leave the US because he was believed to be her murderer. This meant that he had to leave his kids, and he has been trying to get back to them. Well, Saito promises that with the completion of this job, he can return to his kids.

Basically at the end of the film, Cobb ends up back in limbo, which was where he and Mal built a world for themselves. He finds Mal there (not the real Mal, a representation of her in his dream) and she tries to get him to stay there with her. But, most interesting to me, is that she brings question to whether the whole movie has been reality of if Cobb has been in a dream the whole time. She brings up the faceless corporation that is chasing him and how unrealistic the events that have happened are. Cobb is able to ignore Mal, and he ends up stabbing her and apparently returning back to reality where their mission was a success and Cobb is able to return to his kids and finally see their faces. But, there is a question of if he is really in reality or still in a dream as his totem (a device that allows you to tell if you are in a dream or not) continues spinning (it would fall if it is indeed reality).

What I love so much about this film is how it begs the audience to question their own reality. At the end, it is put into question if Cobb has really returned to reality or if he is simply still in a dream. What seems important to me though, is that he doesn't really seem to care anymore. He spins his totem, but seems to ignore the outcome as he hugs his children. Seeing his children and getting to be with them is reality enough for Cobb--he is tired of constantly questioning his reality. Maybe "reality" is only what we perceive as reality and there is no objective reality. If the kids seem real to him, that is his reality and nothing else really matters to him. But, that is a difficult conclusion because we viewers really want there to be a real world and for Cobb to return to his real kids. It would be sad if he stayed in a dream state, content to be with his dream kids, while his real kids (and possibly wife) suffer in the real world.

This is why I enjoy the movie so much. There is no clear cut interpretation of the movie, everyone comes away with their own conclusion. And this conclusion to you is your own reality, even if it isn't shared by others. There are many points in the film that feel particularly dream-like even when they aren't explicitly in a dream. Is this indication that the whole movie is an elaborate dream of Cobbs? Perhaps, but there is no way of knowing. And, not knowing for sure, is the most fun part and makes the movie stick in my mind and allows me to keep thinking about it even days after I've seen it. It is definitely my favorite movie of the year so far, and might even be in my top movies of all time.

Pretzel M&Ms

These are good and tasty. I enjoy them very much. :D

Kaipa- In The Wake Of Evolution (the song)

Kaipa was a classic '70s prog band that reunited triumphantly in the early 2000s with an incredible album called "Notes From The Past." The two main men of Kaipa were Hans Lundin and prog superstar Roine Stolt. Unfortunately, Roine Stolt left the band after the great MindRevolutions, but Hans Lundin decided to keep the band going and it led to two incredible albums-- Angling Feelings and now In The Wake of Evolution. This new album sparked a small obsession with this band for a few weeks. I'll admit that I wasn't a huge Kaipa fan, but after hearing the brilliance of In The Wake of Evolution, I decided to dig into their back catalogue (most of which I already owned) and was blown away but what I heard. I love this album mainly for the fact that it (re)introduced me to one of my favorite bands. This is full on happy, uplifting prog and I love it.

The album opens with one of my favorite openers of any album, the title track, In The Wake of Evolution. This track contains all I love about this band in a little over 10 minutes. It starts with Lundin's unique keyboard sounds before the band kicks in for a prog powerhouse of an opening. The music stops as the beautiful voice of Aleena Gibson comes in. What progresses is a beautiful track that is a perfect blend of both lead singers (Patrik Lundstrom comes in for the second verse) and of instruments. There are super fun keyboard sections and some out of this world drumming. It is all really fun and exactly how I like my prog. Listening to this song today made me remember how much I love it and how happy I am to have such incredible music to uplift me.

Birthdays

My birthday was today and it was so much fun! The best thing about a birthday in my opinion isn't the presents, the cake or the activities. It is getting an opportunity to see how much my friends and family care for me and are willing to go out of their way to wish me a happy birthday, or to call and talk to me, or to take me out to lunch. I'm so grateful for all of the people in my life, and my life would not be worth celebrating if not for them. I thank everyone sincerely who helped make this a great birthday.

Thunderstorms

There were thunderstorms today here in Utah. I really think they are awesome. The flashes of lightning accompanied by loud booms of thunder. Early this morning I saw flashing lights and was confused what it was until I heard the thunder following it. Nature is a wonderful thing, and I enjoy this display. I also like the sound of rain outside that is usually part of the storm. I can't really explain why, just that it is a beautiful display of nature. Of course, I enjoy it best from the comfort of the inside- I don't typically like being stuck outside in it for extended periods.

The First Seven Minutes of The Whirlwind

If I was asked to show someone what I loved about music in seven minutes, I would show them the first seven minutes of The Whirlwind (basically the entire Overture). It is absolute musical perfection for me.

(Don't worry, I'm sure I'll have an entry about the whole album, since it is my favorite of all time, but I only have time for a short entry tonight)

The Twilight Zone

Every Sunday night/Monday morning at 3AM, the sci-fi channel here in Utah shows two episodes of The Twilight Zone. I can't help but stay up and watch because I find the show completely fascinating, even though I've probably already seen most of them. I believe The Twilight Zone was the first truly great sci-fi show on television. Each episode is its own story which often has a twist ending that is entertaining and satisfying.

One of the episodes last night was one that I don't think I've seen before, but my dad has told me the story. (SPOILER ALERT!) It is a great cautionary tale against drunk driving. A couple, driving home from a party and having had a few drinks at said party, find themselves in an odd bedroom that is unfamiliar to them. As they try to figure out what happened the night before, they find that everything in the town they are in is fake and there are no people. All the wife remembers about the night before is that a large shadow came over them as they were driving and then she blacked out. It turns out that a girl from another planet came and took them and placed them in her play town as pets. It is a great little twist and I loved watching it as I do every week.

My Sister, Alex

I had a pretty scary dream last night where my parents told me that my sister, Alex, died. It was a really sad moment and I remember looking at my other sister, Lauren, and seeing the tears in her eyes as we realized what it meant for our sister to be dead. When I woke up, it took me a little while to realize that she was really still alive. She even texted me today about a funny moment in The Office that we both enjoy and it was really nice to talk to her. It made me realize how special she is to me and how much I love her. I am really grateful for each member of my family, they are all unique and wonderful in their own way.

What I love about Alex is her endlessly happy spirit. She is always able to cheer me up with a joke or a funny story. She is extremely creative and has really excelled in her field of baking. I'm very proud of what she is accomplishing in her schooling in the culinary arts including the internship she currently has. Tonight when I was talking to my dad she was making a cake for her friends wedding. That impresses me so much, and I'm always blown away with what she creates. We share many things that we are able to talk and joke about. And, what I love most of all is her sweetness. She really cares about people and shows it to them regularly, including both family and friends. I can't express how grateful I am to have not one, but two incredible, caring, determined, beautiful sisters.

The Body- Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Buffy The Vampire Slayer is probably my second favorite TV show of all time (after Lost) and "The Body" is definitely one of the top three episodes. I watched it last night as I'm re-watching Buffy, and was blown away by it all over again. It is such an emotional episode, that I can't help but cry during it. What is remarkable to me about this episode is that it portrays death as very real and physical. Buffy finds her mom's body and the episode takes us through what the moments when you discover someone is dead are like, as well as the moments after. There is no music and the camera mostly follows Buffy in just one shot as she slowly realizes that her Mom is dead.

I haven't personally experienced a death of this magnitude, but I imagine that the experience shown in the episode is about as realistic as it gets. Most other shows would dramatize a death by adding emotional music and giving the death some kind of profound meaning. Here there is no meaning. It is just what it is. And that realism is what makes it such a profound view of what death really is like. Each character in the show deals with the death in a different way, much like in real life. The emphasis is placed on the sometimes too realistic physicality of the body itself--multiple shots are shown of the mother's body that are not particularly attractive, but that is how it is in real life.

Perhaps my favorite part of the whole episode is a speech the character Anya gives. It is hard to understand the poignancy of her words without knowing the character. Anya used to be a demon, and is just now learning what it is like to be human, so her experience is like that of a child. She can oftentimes be blunt about things, almost sounding insensitive, but it is simply her childlike nature and not understanding how to be tactful or even why one needs to be tactful. So, her innocent view of the death of Buffy's mom is quite profound to me and makes me tear up everytime I hear it. Here are the words she says:

"I don't understand. I don't understand how this all happens. How we go through this. I mean I knew her, and then she's, there's just a body, and I don't understand why she can't just get back in it and not be dead anymore. It's stupid. It's mortal
and stupid, and, and Xander crying and not talking, and I was having fruit punch and I thought, well, Joyce will never have any more fruit punch, ever. And she'll never have eggs, or yawn, or brush her hair, not ever and no one will explain to me why."

The beauty of this quote is lost through just the writing of it because it is all about the actress' delivery. It is such an incredible moment, and this episode is indeed one of the best episodes in all of television.

Nightmare- Avenged Sevenfold

Avenged Sevenfold, a rock band based out of California, released their fifth album this past Tuesday. I picked it up yesterday on my way back from a vacation in St. George. The main reason I decided to buy this album is due to the involvement of one of my musical heroes- Mike Portnoy. Their previous drummer, James "The Rev" Sullivan, died of a drug overdose last year, and he was a big fan of Mike Portnoy. So, the band decided the best way to honor his memory would be to use the songs they had worked on together, and to have his favorite drummer play drums on the record just like "The Rev" would. So, they created an album that is somewhat a dedication to their fellow bandmate and brother, and called it "Nightmare".

Now, I don't own any other Avenged Sevenfold records, I am only familiar with a few of their previous hits. So, I took a big risk getting this album, but the risk most definitely paid off! My type of music is typically Progressive Rock, so it is quite a change of pace for me to listen to a more straightforward rock album. But, I can't help but have a huge smile on my face as I listen to this album. It has everything you could want- heavy, intense rockers, softer emotional ballads and even some surprises. The band even ventures into progressive metal territory with their closing 11 minute song, "Save Me". It is quite a musical journey and is very exciting to listen to.

Also notable to me is the great opener, "Nightmare" that just knocks your socks off right from the start. I love "Buried Alive" which features a softer beginning before building into a powerhouse of a song. One of the most meaningful songs is "Fiction" which "The Rev" wrote for the album days before his death. The song even features his voice as he sang on the demo of the song. It is chilling because the lyrics seem to almost predict his own death. It creates a haunting, but beautiful song that is dripping with emotion. It is truly something special. The other songs range from explosively heavy to emotionally poignant. It is the perfect balance for me.

I was surprised that I enjoyed this record so much. It may even make its way into my top ten albums of the year, which is shocking because generally the top ten is reserved for progressive albums. But, sometimes it is refreshing to just hear well-done rock. It may not be as complex as what I'm used to and it may even verge on cheesy at moments, but it is just so massively enjoyable to listen to. What I really love about it is how it manages to respect the memory of "The Rev" and even at times seem to be about him and his death lyrically. Mike Portnoy manages to match the sound of "The Rev" so as not to draw any attention to him and to honor the drum parts how "The Rev" would have played them. I am very happy I purchased this album and can't wait to continue getting into the album over time. Great stuff!

Purpose Of This Blog

I have created this blog so that I can write daily entries about the things in life that make me happy. There is so much joy to be found in life and I want to write about one of those things each day to remind me how great it is to be alive. I'm hoping that at the end of every day there will be a new blog post discussing something from that day that makes me particularly happy or excited.

This will be a way to remind myself: "At the end of the day, you'll be fine." -from the song "At The End Of The Day" by Spock's Beard.