The Marvalus View » 2008 » July

Hey! A day late, yeah…but on time…

10 - MovieWatcher: The Dark Knight

Dark and sinister, with a touch of madness and an underlying current of who’s good, really…this movie was right up my alley. The Dark Knight was 2 and 1/2 hours of pure movie magic, and I loved it! I could have watched it again immediately. I think Christian Bale is my favorite Batman (with Michael Keaton as a close second), although that voice when he’s in the Batman getup is kinda annoying. I know its all for effect, but it kinda grates on your nerves after awhile. But Christian is the perfect Bruce Wayne: playboy pretty, rich and spoiled, but who has a little care in his soul that makes him want to make things better. And as Batman, he is strong and intimidating (sans the voice). I even dug the storyline with this one; and the performances were phenomenal.

Which leads me to Heath Ledger as the Joker. You know you are watching someone who is giving their everything to the role when you look at them and say: I don’t think he’s really trying that hard to be this crazy. It seemed that he was born to play this role; I know you have probably heard that before, but after watching him, it seemed the only correct thing to say. Heath’s portrayal of the Joker was all at once maniacal and brilliant, and it seemed to take him to a place where he would have a hard time coming back from. Maybe he did.

I give this movie a 9.5. It is that good.

9 - Andrea Curry-Demus

Have you read this story? Andrea Curry-Demus of Pittsburgh, Pa. is charged with cutting open another woman’s womb and stealing her baby and then attempting to pass the child off as her own. The mutilated woman’s body was found in Ms. Curry-Demus’s apartment.

This seems to be a regular occurrence, crimes like this. I know insanity is ultimately to blame for this kind of decision, but how do we fix what has gone wrong with our world that causes things like this to happen?

8 - The N-word (Again)

On The View, Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Whoopi Goldberg got into a heated discussion about the use of the N-word. Whoopi used the word several times during the show, and Elisabeth ended up crying because she felt that she couldn’t teach her children not to use the word if society is putting out that it is okay for the word to be used. She also said that we live in one world. Whoopi countered with the fact that we do, in fact, live in separate worlds. It went on, but that is the gist.

Here’s my take: being a lover of words, I am quick to say that I don’t condone banning any word. But let’s be real here: there is a lot of pain and hurt behind the n-word that has carried on throughout the years. It is like a stab wound to some, and I certainly don’t condone that. But it is people that give words power. If you take away the power of the word, then it can no longer hurt or demean. But how do you do that? By discontinuing it’s use? Or by using it in a different way? The word is just at the foundation of the problems that we face here…if we can figure out how to win this one, then we can move on to bigger and better things. I will finish with this: I don’t think we can solve our problems by eliminating the n-word. It may be a start, but it will only be a small scratch on the surface.

7 - Let’s Lighten Up A Bit

Some fun on Sunday…

Fonzworth Bentley feat. Andre 3000 & Kanye West - Everybody
video credit: originally uploaded to YouTube on July 16, 2008 by Diogo4Joao

6 - TVWatcher: Project Runway

I love cute clothes…and this show gives me an opportunity to see them from the very concept of origination to final product. Project Runway has been on my radar since Season 1 and I absolutely love it. Season 5 has begun and boy are there some…unique folks on there! Tim Gunn, who is considered the Guru and Project Manager, is one of my favorite people and knows how to whip the designers into shape. It’s too early for me to have a favorite, but there are a couple that have shown some real talent, in just the first competition. You can catch it on Bravo. If you love fashion, and could use a laugh or two, this show is good for the soul. Or good at least for an hour of getting your mind off of whatever.

5 - An Added Bonus

You all know that I am going to see Jill Scott on August 7th…well, I was at lunch last week, in my car, when I heard on the radio who her opening act is. There had been no mention until now, and my ticket just has Ms. Jill’s name on it…so I assumed she was coming by her lonesome or with someone who was not so entertaining. But…her opening act is: BILAL!!!

I was so excited I had to pull my car over and start screaming! I’M GOING TO SEE JILL AND BILAL!!! Life is good!

4 - Quote

“If we lose love and self respect for each other, this is how we finally die.” ~ Maya Angelou

3 - Taking Your Soul To The Laundromat

Lyfe Jennings…that is all.

Lyfe Jennings - Cry
video credit: originally uploaded to YouTube on February 24, 2007 by shan2001

2 - Un-Supersize Me

New Yorkers can now see the calories they are ingesting when they order those Quarter Pounders at McDonald’s…a new rule has gone into effect that requires the fast food restaurants (all of them) to post the nutritional information for their foods. That should be a blow to some; having that information staring you in the face should wake you up to what you are doing to your body.

Speaking of which, I have had my eyes opened this past week. I have not been good to my own body, and the effects of it have begun to show up. But thank God, I am willing and able to change the way I look at food and what it does to me. I’m ready to make the change and have started to…what about you?

1 - I Wonder?

Have you ever run into someone that you used to crush on? That happened to me this weekend, and it brought back all kinds of memories. I mean, this dude was prime goods for me, if only I wasn’t at the end of my marriage, and he wasn’t at the beginning of a relationship, and other tangibles…but you know how someone looks at you and you just know? That look was exchanged many a days between this dude and me, and the what ifs and I wonders just came flooding back to me…oh well…

That’s all, everyone…have a great week!