Monday, February 16, 2009

The Purity of seeing the world through a child and Look Out! Here comes Jimmy Justice

I'm reminded of the great poetic works of William Wordsworth. His writings focused on how life comes at us full circle. Naturally, we're born with a blank slate. We learn through the innocence of not knowing what is good and bad and safety versus danger. Eventually, our experiences corrupt who we were at that stage of childhood purity. Wordsworth emphasized how we should look at the child to learn through our experiences. Based on a short story by F. Scott Fitgerald and adapted for a screenplay, this is essentially how I perceived the theme of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

There have been few films in my lifetime that have made me cry and this was one of them. It's an epic emotional tale seen and told through one man's experiences. The audience might be immersed with the man's unnatural phenomenon, but one should observe how he approaches everything with no pretentions. He absorbs what is presented to him with a blank slate. So, I think this song by VNV Nation is symbolic on the rest of us and the rest of the characters in this film:

Secluded Spaces

It seems so long ago now
That I was sitting here
Taking in everything
Taking in everything
I stopped to look around me
As far as I could see
Across this precious land
Shadows painted by the sun

I don't think I remember
How long I waited here
Watching everything
Watching everything
My thoughts began to wander
Then I realized
Every moment I had lived
Everything that I had seen
Pass like this moment now
Pass like this moment now

Its clear to me as now
Is the moment when I knew
That I can let go
Its time to let it go
With it came the feeling
Strange I'd waited for it
I think all my life

A thousand words brace for it
From my very soul
I didn't feel alone
I didn't feel alone
I didn't feel alone
I didn't feel alone

Here comes Jimmy Justice

MSNBC did a profile series on "Video Vigilantes." One videotaped public safety officials' abuses and another on prostitution. Jimmy Justice cracked me up. His no-nonsense, combative approach had me hysterically laughing. Here are some of his encounters on display:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyACkTTn8Ho&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=052S1yg-zR0&feature=channel_page

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jf-tcjc87hw&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJMITfyd3I8&feature=channel
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3 comments:

Thomas said...

Quite right. "Button" is a very good movie. I liked "Slumdog" better myself. We'll see who wins Best Pic on Sunday.

That Jimmy Justice has got balls, man. Damn...

February 20, 2009 at 4:09 PM
Steve sculpts critters said...

What would Jimmy Justice think of this?

http://www.cafepress.com/GoldParachute

February 21, 2009 at 2:12 PM
Unknown said...

Thomas,

Although my sentimental favorite was "Curious," I went with Nate Silver's picks for the Oscars. This was the first year I really participated. I wait for the films to come out on DVD. With a few weeks laid off from work, I decided to take full advantage and view these films. I was disappointed Mickey Rourke didn't win Best Actor. Personally, I thought it was much more of a transformational character and more difficult to pull off.

Steve,

Great promotion. I feel the same way about the fat cats on Wall Street who are the blind leading the blind to incompetence and greed. Jimmy's forte seems to be set with confronting traffic cops. He doesn't strike me as someone who has the mental capacity to confront top executives at bank, investment, and mortgage firms. Then again, I don't either, but I have to work for a living. I absorb what needed to be done and how it needs to be done in the future by those who teach economics and understand how the game is played from their private sector experiences.

February 23, 2009 at 9:19 AM

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