Thoughts on the Crave series “So Long, Marianne”

 “So Long, Marianne” is a new series on Crave that tells the story of Leonard Cohen’s relationship with a woman named Marianne who he met when living on the island of Hydra, in Greece in the early 1960s.  

The kid from Hereditary plays Cohen and he does a good job of embodying Cohen.  I was impressed at how he could actually play many of Cohen’s early songs and does a decent rendition of his voice and guitar playing.  The actress who plays Marianne is very appealing and beautiful.  

The series captures well the time period, right on the cusp of free love and Cohen was obviously an early adopter of that philosophy and lifestyle.  The relationship that develops between Leonard and Marianne is deep and intense.  There is good chemistry between to the two lead actors to make the relationship seem palpable and believable.  

The personality that is portrayed on the part of Cohen is very dark and melancholic.  There are times when you think he is very mentally unstable with intense highs and deep lows.  Sometimes it is fuelled by substances, sometimes it is the result of an obvious inborn personality tendency that comes from previous experiences, whether upbringing or other.  

Being a huge fan of Cohen’s work, both written and in song, I found this series to be very compelling and enjoyable.  

Walking for Increased Concentration, Focus, and Will-Power*

* Please note that this post is based on my own experience and observations and is not based on scientific research or data.

I spend long hours of certain days reading and studying. After some amount of time, there is a waning of certain mental resources.  Going for a walk can really revitalize your focus, concentration and will-power.  

The trick is to really give your mind a break on these walks.  Don't focus on anything in particular.  Simply relax your mind and enjoy your surroundings.  It is best not to listen to music to maximize the effect of this and restore your mental faculties.  Music can be enjoyable, but it is a distraction and doesn't help in the process as much.  You want to be free of all sensory input with the exception of the surrounding environment.  

It is also best to be surrounded by nature, with many trees and plants.  The oxygen emitting from them is a big help and promotes a purifying of the mind.  

You will find that many insights and thoughts will go through your mind.  Just observe them and allow them to flow on.  This is the process of emptying your mind and processing all that you have previously taken in through reading and studying.  Your brain is making sense of all this data and also recharging and recalibrating itself.  

After a half hour walk, I find that I am able to settle back into my reading and studying for another lengthy period of time.  This wouldn't be possible without these restorative walks.  

It should be noted that reading and studying for long periods of time also takes practice.  Focus and concentration is a mental muscle that must be developed over time through ever-lengthening sessions of practice.  It is a very rewarding power to harness.  The feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment one receives after a day of many hours of reading and studying is powerful.  However, to really boost these periods of immersion, you need to take breaks to restore your mind.  Walking in nature is a great way to accomplish this.  

Cinephile Journal - October 19th, 2021

After many years of starting and stopping, I've finally completed what exists of the series,
The Walking Dead on Netflix.  This completion felt like a real accomplishment.  It really is a remarkable series too.  The show takes the roots of its George Romero ancestry into the 21st Century.  It has a vast array of characters and storylines, almost in a Robert Altman-like style.  What the creators are doing with the character of Negan and his trajectory is really compelling and groundbreaking.  To make his character, after some of his atrocious, unspeakable acts in previous seasons, into an actually admirable and redeemable figure is quite extraordinary and daring.  There has never been a show where so many major characters die either.  The show constantly thwarts expectations and breaks new ground in narrative content and character development.  I look forward to the final, 11th season when it is released on Netflix next year.

I also just completed Ken Burns' 2-part documentary on Thomas Jefferson.  He was a very conflicted, complex and multi-faceted man.  I didn't find this 2-parter as fascinating as Jazz, which I also recently completed, but there is something about Ken Burns documentaries that I love.  It may be the enthusiasm of his interview subjects or the poetic narration.  Still, I look forward to diving deeper into Burns' body of work on Hoopla and Kanopy.

I'm almost finished Netflix's Maid and I can predict that this limited series will get a lot of awards consideration when the time comes.  It has great acting, charismatic, endearing characters, engaging writing and sparkling dialogue.  this is the best Netflix series I have seen since The Queen's Gambit.  

I'm also nearing the end of an HBO series from nearly a decade ago, Enlightened.  After seeing Mike White's more recent series, The White Lotus, I felt compelled to investigate some of this earlier efforts.  This one isn't as good, but it has its moments. As I'm nearing the end of its 2nd and final season, it seems to be catching some wind in its sails.  

So much to watch and enjoy.  The life of a cinephile is a rich and rewarding one.  

Dark - Season 1, Episode 3 "Past and Present"

I have been initiated into the world of Netflix's Dark, having now watched the first 3 episodes and I'm starting to get hooked.  It is a German thriller, recently made and it has a Stranger Things vibe in its supernatural, ominous tones and 1980s nostalgia.  

In episode 3 of season 1, after an initial 2 episodes taking place in modern times where children are disappearing inexplicably, we are thrown into 1986, where one of the disappearances, young Mikkel, suddenly finds himself.  Upon entering a foreboding cave, he has been mysteriously sucked into this previous time period and there is no explanation given yet for how this happened.  Like a deer caught in the headlights, Mikkel staggers zombie-like around trying to get his bearings in an unknown, unwelcoming, and unfamiliar new time period.    

Like the modern day of previous episodes, there are rain-storms of birds falling from the sky, dying in droves.  Perhaps it has something to do with the nuclear power plant, where a local woman has recently been put in charge.  A teenage girl takes an interest in the dead birds and appears to be collecting, studying and drawing them.  A large population of sheep (33 sheep to be exact) have also been discovered, totally wiped out, lying dead in a field.  When one of the sheep is autopsied, it is discovered that they all died from cardiac arrest. Why? the viewers are forced to ask themselves.

Mikkel looks for his parents and family and discovers that they are existing in unfamiliar 1986.  His father, Ulrich, is still a teenager here, and the local police officer suspects that he is responsible for the rough condition Mikkel finds himself in upon arrival. 

There is a really cool sequence late in this episode that makes use of split-screens to convey the two different time periods.  The characters older and younger selves are juxtaposed beside each other to emphasize the difference and provide dramatic counterpoint.

Like Peter Weir's Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975), the jagged, devouring, cavernous rock formation deep in the forest can be seen as a threatening, unknowable living presence.  This mysterious force of nature cannot be fathomed and to venture into it is to enter a truly dangerous place with the possibility of not returning. 

If this and the previous two episodes are any indication, this appears to be an engaging and atmospheric series and shows a lot of promise after three episodes. 

Discovering Jack Nicholson

The streaming platform Kanopy has a series of short documentaries on various actors and they are well-made and provide a good overview of the specific actor's film career.  It highlights the the films that are of most importance to a given actor's body of work in chronological order.  My first viewing was Discovering Al Pacino, which was fun and enlightening to watch.  Tonight I watched Discovering Jack Nicholson.  He is one of my all-time favourite actors and I had seen the majority of the films highlighted.  This is a pleasant trip down memory lane and also offers new information on Nicholson's early life and film career.  I was unaware that he was a skilled writer, especially in the 60s.  His writing would lead to a partnership with Bob Rafelson, who would direct him in Five Easy Pieces (1970).  With Rafelson, he wrote the screenplay for the Monkees experimental vehicle, Head (1968).  

Early in his film career, he came under the tutelage of Roger Corman with whom he cut his teeth in the movies, and as the documentary iterates, learned a lot about the craft of filmmaking.  This education, along with his early films with Monte Hellman, would pave the way for occasional directing jobs in the future, including one in the early 70s called Drive, He Said (1971).  

Nicholson's breakthrough role was his supporting act in Dennis Hopper's Easy Rider (1969).  Here, he exploded onto the cultural landscape in a role that was originally intended for Rip Torn.  Easy Rider would be a huge success all over the world and Nicholson really lights up the screen, as the talking heads in the documentary express.  It would also be the film that would garner his first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.  

The 1970s demonstrated an unprecedented string of starring roles for Nicholson including the aforementioned Five Easy Pieces, The Last Detail (1972), Chinatown (1974), One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) and The Passenger (1975).  Of these, Five Easy Pieces is my favourite.   I loved its story of a rebellious former musical prodigy who rejects the lifestyle and lineage of his family of musical genius piano players.  The film had an electrifying affect on me when I first saw it and it shaped my early film-watching sensibility.  I was in awe of Nicholson's performance in Five Easy Pieces and the way he juggles volatility with laid-back standoffishness. 

In the 1980s, Nicholson would continue his critical and artistic success with The Shining (1980), Reds (1981), and Terms of Endearment (1983).  It always seemed that no two roles were ever the same for Nicholson.  He was a very daring and explorative actor who wasn't afraid to test the limits of his talent and range. 

It was during the 80s that experts in this documentary claim that the branding of "Jack" really started to be initiated.  He became associated with a certain personality as an actor that may or may not necessarily be accurate or true-to-life:  brash, energetic, free-wheeling, and rambunctious.  This was emphasized in his casting as the Joker in Tim Burton's Batman (1989).  I remember seeing Batman in theatres when I was at an impressionable age and was frightened and at the same time intrigued by the dark, noirish atmosphere of the film as well as Nicholson's captivating performance.  

Into the 1990s and 21st century, Jack would continue to strike gold with a series of performances that fit well with his aging persona.  A Few Good Men (1992), As Good as It Gets (1997), About Schmidt (2001), and The Departed (2006), all demonstrate the familiar persona of "Jack", but at the same time breathes new life into his ever-expanding body of work and personal expression on the screen.  

Nicholson has been nominated for Oscars 12 times and has won 3 of those times.  He is one of my, and millions of others people's favourite actors.  It is easy to identify with him and he always takes the viewer on an exciting journey.  

I loved this documentary entry in this "Discovering" series on Kanopy.  I look forward to finding out more about other actors in the future.  I highly recommend this series if you want to explore your favourite actors' careers and filmographies.  

The Culture Diaries: Frederick Douglass, Mindhunter, The Press Gang - August 17th, 2021

It's been a while since I've made a Cultural Diaries entry and over the past few months I've read and screened a lot, some great, some good, and some less so.  

I'm currently reading a biography on Frederick Douglass by David W. Blight.  Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, it is not light reading, especially at nearly 800 pages.  Still, I'm finding its depiction of an 19th century black man, who's journey from slavery to revolutionary orator, writer and leader very inspiring.  That's why I read biographies:  they give me an idea of how I can better live my own life.  Douglass's struggles and the advancements he made towards the abolition of slavery can be applicable to anyone who has ever had their own struggles and tribulations in life, and I fit into that category.    

I'm currently watching a Netflix series called Mindhunter.  It is produced and some episodes are directed by David Fincher.  The stylistics and motifs of the director of Seven, Fight Club and Zodiac is evident in the series' dark tone and visual style.  The series depicts of a group of FBI agents who interview incarcerated perpetrators of violent crimes and horrible murders o get a better sense of current cases and the psychologies of similar criminals.  It takes place in the late 70s with a very nice attention to period detail.  I just completed the first season and look forward to the next and so far only other one available.

I tend to read more than one thing at a time and besides the Douglass bio, I'm also reading an anthology of film criticism originally published in The New York Press called The Press Gang.  It covers the reviews and essays of Godfrey Cheshire, Matt Zoller Seitz and Armond White from the early 90's to 2011.  The entries are awesome to read, informative, and always engaging.  It is comprehensive and long, but I find myself flying through the book and coming away better informed about cinema in many different aspects.  The critics also draw on films and directors from before the time they write, such as pieces on Rainer Werner Fassbinder and 70's American independent films.

In the coming month, I'll be embarking on a new educational journey, starting an online Masters degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on Writing and New Media.  I'm hoping I can see it through, though I'm often feeling hesitant about the time and money I need to commit towards this venture.  I also hope that I can learn a lot about culture, writing and myself in a little more depth.

The Culture Diaries: Sidney Lumet, Sea of Love, Ryan's Daughter - April 1st, 2021

I'm nearing the end of a bio on film director Sidney Lumet (1924-2011) by Maura Spiegel.  I'm really learning a lot about this phenomenal director.  He can be described as an "Actor's Director," definitely.  This skill with working with actors was cultivated by his childhood experience as an actor in Broadway plays and briefly on the screen.  He directed some of the finest films of his era:  Twelve Angry Men, Serpico, and Network to name a few.  The bio is called Sidney Lumet: A Life and I highly recommend it.

I watched an Al Pacino vehicle last night called Sea of Love (1989).  Fairly mediocre and forgettable, but I really liked the repartee and comedic asides involving cop buddies Pacino and John Goodman's character. The film starts off really well, but soon takes a turn into a formulaic, standard whodunit.  

I also watched David Lean's epic Ryan's Daughter (1970) today, a 3 hour and 15 minute tale of a teacher's wife who has an affair with an officer in 1916 Northern Ireland.  There are some breathtaking shots of the beautiful landscape and while there were some memorable moments, it doesn't really stand up to some of Lean's better material such as Lawrence of Arabia or Brief Encounter.  The latter film's Trevor Howard turns up in Ryan's Daughter in a late-career performance as a priest.  The performances are good, but the character development isn't really substantial to the point where you don't really get heavily invested in the characters.

I did an hour of power yoga this morning.  As someone who has a desire to maximize my concentration on, absorption in, and enjoyment of movies, I found that exercise such as this will do a lot to promote these areas of the viewing experience.  I need to make this a habit!  I feel so much more content and present.  

The Culture Diaries: Insights into Note-Taking - March 31st, 2021

I made a discovery these past couple days that has really made a difference in my film watching:  taking notes during a film.  I first tried this out a couple nights ago while watching an Al Pacino movie called Sea of Love (1989) and I noticed that it really made a difference in my comprehension and enjoyment. 

I took notes on plot details and various observations I made throughout the screening.  This really helped in paying attention to the details of the story and made me hyper-aware and more mindful of everything that was happening on screen.  

I applied this once again to my screening today of Odd Man Out (1947) and the same results were found.  More understanding, better insights, an overall more-observant viewing experience.  This is not surprising given that memories tend to fade of little details and it is definitely helpful in writing a review afterwards when you have these notes in your hand.  

Pauline Kael, as I read in her biography, was also a user of notes during screenings.  This is probably why she is known as one of the most eloquent, focussed movie critics in her time.  Note-taking really heightens your overall awareness of everything going on in the film, but it also allows you to notate insights that may arise as the result of what you are watching. 

This could be a real breakthrough for me and it can apply to other areas of life as well.  Taking notes on everything from things you read to general life insights would be amazingly beneficial.  I look forward to continuing to employ this strategy going forward.  

Mindfully Watching

As an avid movie-watcher and occasional reviewer, I find it frustrating at times just how difficult it can be to fully absorb and concentrate on a movie or television show from beginning to end.  My mind frequently gets caught up in passing thoughts that disrupt my comprehension of and concentration on a given film or show.  This is especially prevalent with more complex, dialogue-laden films that require your undivided attention.  

In our hyper-connected world there is also an abundance of distractions.  Having your phone dinging away or the noises of people in other rooms taxes your level of concentration.  As someone who places great value on understanding the history, theory and instances of films, I have done my best to find ways to alleviate this problem of thwarted attention in movie-watching.  

One way to help you concentrate is to put your phone way, in another room perhaps.  This eliminates the need to pull your phone out during a film to look up something associated with it or even something not even pertaining to what you’re currently doing.  This will increase your focus and attention considerably. 

I like to make it my mission when watching films to limit my movement.  Even checking your watch to see how much progress you’ve made on what you’re watching can divide your attention.  In fact, you may want to take your watch off or not check it at all.  Try to invest completely in resisting to look away from the screen and hold your gaze on it through the entire film’s duration.  Not only will your concentration increase, but I have found that my enjoyment of the film increases considerably as well.  

One thing I have experimented with in watching films is to sit in a meditative, lotus position while watching, maybe on a meditation cushion.  By doing this, you will be forced to pour your whole being into what you’re watching, a very effective technique for comprehension, enjoyment, and absorption.  

One of the aims of meditation, if you could call it that, is to be fully present in the now.  By applying this aim to film-watching, one can drastically improve the quality of the watching experience.  

In Praise of The Queen's Gambit

A couple months ago, I had the pleasure of screening a Netflix series you may have heard of called The Queen’s Gambit.  It was a great experience to see this series.  I enjoyed it so much, in fact, that I believe it is one of the best series I have ever seen.

It stars Anya Taylor-Joy as Elizabeth (Beth), a chess grandmaster.  It traces her early orphan childhood, tells us how she came into the game and leads us through her young adult life up to and including her rise to the top of the chess world.  All the while, Beth battles her own inner demons and struggles with chemical dependencies of various sorts.  The story takes place from the 1950’s up through the 60’s and it is a masterful coming-of-age drama.

Taylor-Joy is fantastic in the lead and there are other great supporting cast members such as Bill Camp as Mr. Shaibel, the custodian at Girls Home who teaches Beth the fundamentals of the game, and Thomas Brodie-Sangster as a challenging competitor, mentor and friend to Beth.

There are many exciting sequences that turn the game of chess into a riveting, action-packed spectacle.  The period detail, as well, brings a lot of enjoyment to the viewing experience.

At the core of the series is Beth’s battle with drug and alcohol dependence.  Early in her orphanage days, she is given a daily regimen of drugs to help her sleep and lull her into a controllable state.  This sets the stage for a personal struggle with chemicals that will overtake her life.  Substances, for Beth, become a crutch, a way in which she can get into a state of focus in which she is better able to analyze the chessboard and all its potential moves and strategies.  I’m sure many people can relate to this predicament.  Whether it is someone who drinks a bit of alcohol to become more “social”, someone who does a line of coke to stay up and do more work, or an individual who must smoke a joint to enhance life, there are no doubt countless viewers who can relate to the idea of a “mother’s little helper” to get them through their dying day.  The real triumph of The Queen’s Gambit is in it’s depiction of a young woman who is able to forsake these crutches in the heat of the moment and find a way to plumb her own inner resources to find success.  This is the inspiring aspect of the series and offers a glimmer of hope for anyone who has had trouble facing up to bare-naked reality.  

There are moments of pure joy and kinetic excitement, musical montages that are so compelling that they push the series beyond the ordinary in to the realm of cultural phenomenon.  I especially liked the sequence in a later episode set to Mason Williams’ “Classical Gas”.  

The Queen’s Gambit is the Beatles of mini-series in that it combines artistic clout with popularity.  The Beatles were arguably both the best band musically and artistically,  and also the most popular band of their time, a rare combination.  The Queen’s Gambit, in its millions of views, influence, success, and creative power are similar to the Beatles in its reach, intelligence and artistry.  I’ll say it again:  it is one of the greatest series ever made and it is the best thing on Netflix right now.  

A Powerful Method for Tracking Your Habits

A few months ago, I downloaded an app called “Way of Life” - a habit tracker.  This app allows you to track any number of habits you wish by entering them in your daily to-do list and checking them off one by one as you accomplish them each day.  You can track good and bad habits.  

What I have found from tracking my habits through the Way of Life app is that when I track good habits, I feel more compelled to do them.  There is a real sense of accomplishment you get when you check off each habit every day, and they start to build up into a long chain.  This sense of accomplishment I think, is the driver to the desire to repeat the habits.  By tracking them through this app, you get a visual representation of your ongoing accomplishments.  Also, you don’t want to break the chain, once it starts to build up.  

Some of the habits I’ve been tracking are meditating, walking, reading, and, since I’m a film scholar, watching a good movie.  I find that I’m eager to tackle these kinds of habits each day and try to get them out of the way quickly.  Hence, my sense of accomplishment.  

The key to the tracking of habits is to make them relatively simple and easy to accomplish, but at the same time, positive and growth-oriented.  This act of habit-tracking has been instrumental in my current existence of being at home as a result of a pandemic lay-off at my job.  It has given me a sense of direction and daily goal-focus.  

The free version of the Way of Life app allows you to track a total of three habits.  With a small one time fee, you can track an unlimited number.  I’m not sure why tracking my habits has made them so much more important; it is not an actual law or demand that I must do each of them.  But somehow, it sets up an internal mechanism that compels you to return to it over and over again.  Perhaps not everyone can benefit from this, but I have found tremendous value from this app.  What is measured gets repeated.   

Combining Movie-Watching and Meditation

One thing that I’ve struggled with for a long time is my attention span.  My mind wanders a lot and I frequently lose concentration on things like reading and movie-watching.  I have trouble being in the present moment with mindfulness.  This is problematic for me because I place a lot of value on film studies and the absorption of a movie’s story-line and dialogue.  

Meditation is one way of combatting a short-attention span and loss of presence in the current moment.  Being present and mindful is the essence of a meditation practice.  I have been practicing meditation consistently for about four years now and have gotten tremendous value out of it.  I frequently use the technique of focusing on my breath or just trying to remain present.  I wondered if the practice of meditation could be combined with movie-watching for a more concentrated, mindful viewing experience.  I put this question to the test with a little experiment.  It should be noted that this is usually more appropriate for home movie-viewing as opposed to the theatre.  

Somewhat frustrated by my frequent mind-wandering during movies, I tried placing my meditation cushion in front of the television screen so I could sit upright in a lotus, cross-legged position for the course of the entire movie.  The results were great:  I was able to hold my attention for most of the movie’s running time and absorb a lot more information, story-line, and dialogue.  I sat there and tried to remain perfectly still throughout the whole process, bringing my full attention to all the events as they unfolded on screen.   It was very effective.   

There may be problems in this practice with discomfort.  My one leg frequently falls asleep when I remain motionless in this position for a long time.  I also find it hard to keep my back straight, but this is important to being more alert and concentrated.  The discomfort, with practice and time, will start to dissipate and you will get used to holding this position, as you would with normal meditation.  

I found that my enjoyment of films was also compounded.  By being fully mindful and absorbing so much, you get to appreciate films more and more.  This is especially relevant to films made in Hollywood’s Golden Age or art films, where dialogue is a lot more pronounced and there is less emphasis on action.  

So, if you’re like me and struggle holding your attention while watching movies, you might consider bringing the practice of meditation into your viewing experience.  You will absorb more information, comprehend complex plots, and more fully enjoy the movie.  

The Greatest Modern Rock Band

The Black Angels, from Austin, Texas, are probably my favourite modern rock band.  Their music has been described as a mixture of throw-back, psychedelic rock and the buzzing wall-of-sound that characterizes shoegazer rock music.  To date, they have released five studio albums and a number of EPs, all in my opinion of excellent quality.

The music of the Black Angels came into my life at a time of extreme turbulence and angst for me in the year 2006.  One of my favourite rock bands at the time, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, released a year-end list of their favourite albums of that year on their website.  Included in that list was “Passover”, the debut album from a band called the Black Angels.  With that title in mind (possibly scrawled on paper), I went to a local record store and was able to find a copy of the album in CD format.  With such track titles as “The Prodigal Sun” and “Sniper at the Gates of Heaven”, I was immediately intrigued and drawn into this dark world.  I would be transfixed upon listening and continuously played the album for a long time after that.

Dealing with themes such as insanity, warfare, and paranoia, the music and lyrical content seemed to gel with my troubled mindset at the time.  The music itself embodied everything I had come to appreciate about rock music from my earliest experiences of listening:  1960s psychedelic rock, bluesy, catchy guitar riffs, and melodic hooks that were extremely pleasing to the ear.

My favourite track on Passover is “Black Grease”.  Its opening guitar riff is intensely rhythmic with the ability to induce a shamanic trance.  It recalls the guitar chops of Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix.  The lyrical content of this song is craftily deceptive, trading the words “give” and “kill” to surprising variation of intent and tone.  The “grease” in the title perhaps reflects the greasy distortion of the incessant, driving guitar riff.  

Passover had a profound effect on my psyche and personal growth at the time.  It is one of the most jarring, electrifying, and shocking rock albums I have ever heard.

The band would go on to release four more studio albums up to the time of this writing.  Their most recent, Death Song, is every bit as powerful as their initial release.  The band is no stranger to consistency.  

I have seen the band several times live and their shows are spectacular and exciting.  As a person who can be introverted and paranoid at times, their music has always spoken to me in a profound way.  The fact that the band is relatively unknown is a crime.  Not only are they intense and heavy musically, but they combine that intensity and heaviness with a keen knowledge of song-craft and the ability to come up with extremely catchy melodies.

If you’re looking for a refreshment from the bland, cookie-cutter nature of current commercial music, dive into the musical career of the Black Angels and be prepared to go on a journey that shatters the boundaries of the light and dark side of your soul.  Warning:  it may change you forever.  

Your Mental Struggle is a Healing Process

Mental struggle is a universal ordeal for humanity.  If we don't personally struggle with an illness or problem, we probably know someone who does.  Culture paints the portrait of such struggles as debilitating, life-lasting conditions, permanent facts of existence.

What if, however, these very problems/illnesses/struggles can be the source of kindling for a profound mental transformation towards greater wholeness and health?

If we look at an illness such as psychosis or schizophrenia for example, these phenomena are non-existent in aboriginal or what some might call "primitive" cultures.  On the contrary, individuals experiencing such states are thought to be undergoing a process of initiation into becoming a shaman or healer.  Such members of society are taught by an experienced member of the culture how to negotiate the extreme psychological terrain that they are going through and to navigate the turbulent mental landscapes of their visions and hallucinations.  Consequently, these shamans-to-be become very important members fo the societies:  they are healers.

If we take these aboriginal ideas surrounding mental health into consideration from a Western perspective, it could transform how we treat mentally ill individuals and our opinions and prejudices against them.

The idea of mental illness as a healing process is not a new or original idea.  Such thinkers, writers, and psychiatrists as R.D. Laing and John Weir Perry have expressed the idea in similar terms more than 40 years ago.  Furhermore, it doesn't have to just be applied to specific mental conditions such as psychosis, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder.  Any mental struggle should be considered as a healing process:  an addiction that is faced head-on may lead to greater mental strength and self-knowledge; depression that is confronted and healed could lead to an overall greater sense of well-being and happiness.

The healing process however, does require work.  You have to work on yourself, develop greater self-awareness, and learn all you can about your struggle by any means necessary.  This could mean reading, cultivating a meditation practice, or pursuing a new hobby or vocation.  Action is the key, not sitting around feeling sorry for yourself.  

You can use your experience with the struggle to help and guide other, much like a shaman.  You can be a healer.  Too often, those with a diagnosis of a mental issue resign themselves to a life of mediocrity, thinking they can never be a productive member of society or make a meaningful, creative contribution.  This is a falsehood.  We need such individuals more than ever to steer us through the wilderness of mental strife and guide the world to greater wholeness and harmony.  These individuals' experiences can be a guiding light to others especially in terms of how they are able to face and overcome their troubles. 

Patience in these struggles is crucial.  The journey to health and healing can be a long, laborious process.  Some face greater challenges than others on the path.  One important factor in the journey is having a safe, supportive network of family and healthcare providers, and a stable environment.  Unfortunately, this is not the reality for many people going through theses struggles.  If everyone had the opportunity and peace available to a lucky few, there would be far more healers around who could offer their knowledge and assistance.  

The Rat Park study from a few decades ago comes to mind here.  Laboratory rats who were given a stimulating environment were less likely to become addicted to drugs than rats that were kept in a confined, boring, or highly stressful environment.  This study, when applied to humanity shows that having an interesting, engaging, and enriching environment is crucial in whether a person is more or less likely to struggle with addiction and other mental health issues.  

Everyone has the spark of greatness and genius within.  If you are struggling with a mental problem, don't think your current reality is permanent.  Change is the only constant of life.  Face your demons head-on.  Embrace the pain.  By doing so, you are on the road to wholeness and health.  What currently is, doesn't always have to be the case.  Maybe you are a healer - you can help others.  Your struggles are a great teacher, not only to yourself, but others.  Embrace your pain and illness and struggle and emerge as a guiding light.

Quentin Does It Again

This is a wonderful film and firmly establishes its director, Quentin Tarantino, as the most consistently provocative of all filmmakers.  Like in Inglourious Basterds before it, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood rewrites history with a steely vengeance, this time eviscerating the collective consciousness’s memory of the atrocities of the Manson family in 1969. 

This is just part of the story though. 

What we are presented with overall is a sprawling, magnetic orchestration that weaves and snakes among a plethora of stories, sometimes going off on dizzying, wonderous tangents that seem to be totally inconsequential at the time, but are still thoroughly enjoyable to behold.   Some scenes seem to linger and just playfully meander to develop character and add an idiosyncratic element to the film as a whole. 

All of the signature Tarantino elements are there:  eccentric, pop culture-infused dialogue; postmodern riffs and references to many aspects of cinema and culture; wrenching violence; odd and dark but effective humour; a pulsating, invigorating soundtrack.   And revenge is a theme present in many of Tarantino films.  You have to wait for the final minutes of this nearly 3 hour film to see the revenge come to full fruition, but it is worth the wait and it is done in a revolutionary, unconventional way. 

The acting is phenomenal, particularly from DiCaprio and Pitt, but Margot Robbie as Sharon Tate brings life to this picture.  Tarantino is paying tribute to the late actor, and in a few scenes her character is given breadth and depth thanks to Robbie’s performance and allowing her to inhabit Tate and the mise-en-scene.  One scene in particular portrays her attending a screening of one of her own films from the time, The Wrecking Crew.  The camera lingers on Robbie’s face as she absorbs her own film and takes-in the reactions of the surrounding spectators - great acting and great filmmaking combined. 

There is a sense, thanks to QT’s skill, that the screen is alive and that one’s own viewing of the film is, in essence, establishing the film for the first time on the retina of the present.  It is an active viewing experience which challenges the spectator to work with the material, engaging with the story and characters to create meaning both intrinsically within the viewer’s head and collectively with society and the past. 

Few films recently have so moved me and made me feel breathless with its creativity and boldness.  

Ozu's "I Was Born, But..." (1932) is a silent marvel

I Was Born, But... may be added to my personal list of favourite silent films of all time.  It's definitely my favourite Japanese silent film (it's the only one I've seen).  Though it is Japanese and was released in 1932, Ozu's film seems universal and timeless, still fresh after all these years.  I'm not sure if Truffaut saw it, but I can see antecedents to The 400 Blows in its treatment of youth and the school system.

It portrays two young brothers whose family moves to a new city, where they experience bullying at the hands of a local gang of children.  The film deals with how they overcome the rivalries and difficulties on the streets and at school, as well as the friction that occurs at home between the boys and their parents.

There are many idiosyncratic motifs throughout that keep reappearing.  For example, Ozu will frequently portray a passing train in the background of his shots.  I'm not sure of the significance, but they add a pleasing flourish to the mise-en-scene.  There is a frequent return to a focus on a wire ring puzzle and a humorous game which the children play on one another which signifies a death and resurrection.

I watched the film on Turner Classic Movies and in the introduction to the film, Ben Manckiewicz alludes to the tonal shift halfway through from light comedy to dour seriousness.  He also iterates the fact that despite being made in 1932, Ozu and not yet embraced the coming of sound, much like Charlie Chaplin at the time.

The performances by all the players, especially the children, add an element of realism and naturalness to the proceedings, creating a film of poignant impact.  Any viewer can find something to identify with.  Ozu seemed to be a master of holding a mirror up to society.

This is silent cinema at its best, an example of its art form being carried to its absolute height just prior to its disappearance.

Revisiting Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

After the huge success of Jaws in 1975, Steven Spielberg would direct the special effects marvel
Close Encounters of the Third Kind in 1977.  It is about the experiences of a few individuals and their connection to extraterrestrial life in a small American town in the present.  It stars Richard Dreyfuss, Melinda Dillon, Terri Garr, and Francois Truffaut, among others.  

Dreyfuss does a great job of conveying a sense of madness and obsession with his seemingly extrasensory relationship to the alien life forms.  There is however a line that is crossed at some points in the film into the realm of the preposterous as his character goes to great lengths to reconstruct the mountainous structure he has telepathically received in his mind's eye with a) a pile of mashed potatoes, b) clay, and c) the entire earthly elements of his backyard within the confines of his living room.  

There is a lot of sci-fi hogwash going on all at once at times, almost to the point of causing dumbfounded awe and confusion in the eyes of the viewer.  The film also drags bit in the last quarter before the highly anticipated entrance of the mothership and its inhabitants.  Overall, however, this is a landmark film for its time, perhaps to be overshadowed by the success of Star Wars that same year.

There are good performances, amazing special effects, and a mystical, spiritual quality that is infused to elevate it above the ranks of your average science fiction film.  

The Benefit of Having Patience

In a world that demands constant movement and progress, it can be difficult to sit back and just let things happen.  There is a great benefit to having patience as much as there is in taking action.  How many times in your life have you found that simply waiting, relaxing, and allowing life to happen has been of great benefit?  Probably everyone has had a situation in which such patience has been beneficial.  We often rush into things and feel the need to do something immediately when in fact, all we really need to do is have a little patience. 

Time heals. We are living in a quick-fix, immediate gratification society where we seldom take into consideration the benefit of long-term fulfillment as opposed to short-term pleasures. 

Say you run into a situation where you seriously offend someone or make a mistake and do someone wrong.  We sometimes will get caught up in wanting to make amends and doing everything we can right now to make the situation better.  However, often all we need to do is have patience and allow the passing of time to heal the wounds and solve the problem.  New situations will arise and unforeseen opportunities will come up that will lead the way to a solution to any previous problem.   

There is no doubt that taking action is important, but we need to balance this imperative with a recognition of the value of patience.  A truly dreadful situation one day can be alleviated by the coming of the next morning’s sunlight.  It is wonderful how much things change from day to day, including our outlook on life and life’s difficulties.  

I recently had an unfortunate situation arise at work that caused me a great deal of stress and anxiety.  There was nothing really I could do about it, but wait for the situation to resolve itself over time.  There was no real action I could take.  After the passing of some time, the situation became more bearable until the reality of my work environment returned to a semblance of normalcy, calm and balance. 

The same goes for personal growth.  It requires some action and direction, but there are numerous cases where our growth and wisdom comes from simply living and existing on a day-to-day basis.  

Three years ago, I took up a meditation habit.  At first, I was bad at it.  I couldn’t relax into it without feeling a restlessness that would not abate.  With time, now three years later, I can genuinely see the benefit of the practice and I am quite a bit better at it now.  I can be more present and patient.  Meditation requires patience and it will in turn, through the practice of it, make you more patient.  

The same goes for exercise.  I have been consistently lifting weights for about a year now.  At first, I didn’t see a difference in my appearance.  Now, I definitely do and I feel more confident and happy as a result.  This and the meditation are examples of the balance that must be forged between taking action and having patience.  

Patience is a remarkable quality to possess.  It helps you enjoy life more and appreciate each passing moment.  You don’t get caught up in the endless need to acquire more and constantly be busy to achieve something.  Striking the delicate balance between taking action and having patience is one of the best skills anyone can have.

Life's Problems Are Gifts From The Universe

“The greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it.”  - Epicurus

Everyone who has ever lived has had obstacles to overcome, problems to solve, and difficulties to endure.  This is part of life, an ever-present, constant fact of it.  Some people choose to avoid problems in life, not deal with them directly and thus, the difficulties may begin to fester, to bubble up from the depths to overwhelm an individual no matter how resilient and strong.  The truth is, the problems that life presents to us are actually the source of our own self-discovery and personal triumph.  You have to examine the problems as they arise and inquire into what it means for your life, how it applies to your own unique situation.  It can teach you a lot about yourself.  It can instruct you on where you need to improve and help to build your character and personality up.  Every person’s life is unique, like a snowflake or fingerprint, and thus the problems that life presents to us will also depend on the individual.  Some people seem to be born with a silver spoon in their mouth and have great advantages, but even they will have their own unique problems to overcome.  

People living in First World nations such as North America, generally have it pretty well off compared to some places in the world.  We should take that into account when considering our own individual problems.  We are pretty lucky from that perspective.  We have freedom:  economic, political, social and personal.  We don’t have to worry about a fascist government invading our homes and killing us and our family members.  We don’t have to worry about being shipped off to a concentration camp because of our religious background as millions did in the past century.  Still, problems will arise in our lives as a given rule of the universe.  

I was lucky to be born into a loving family, free of any kind of abuse and lack of want growing up.  Still, I had my share of problems.  At one time in my life I was extremely shy and socially anxious.  This personality trait I considered a problem because it effected my day-to-day interactions and happiness.  But, as I said, this problem was actually a gift because it presented me with an area of my life where I needed to improve and work on.  For many years, I didn’t face it and ignored this weakness.  Gradually, I started to attain a level of mastery over myself and my flaws by a method of facing them head-on.  This was done through reading, social exposure and simply growing up.  It’s also helpful to have a supportive family and social network, but not everyone has this.  Through self-inquiry and working hard on myself, I became less shy, less socially-anxious and more outgoing and personable.  

When thinking about life’s challenges and problems it is useful to remember the serenity prayer.  It is as follows:

“God, grant me the serenity

To accept the things I cannot change

The courage to change the things I can

And the wisdom to know the difference.”

Whether you believe in God or not is irrelevant. This prayer is useful no matter what.

We need to accept things we cannot change because without this acceptance we will be constantly frustrated. 

We need to change what is necessary to change, because with that change stems happiness and fulfillment.  

Finally, we need to know the difference between what can be changed and what cannot.  This requires wisdom.  Wisdom comes from working on ourselves, constantly improving, and gaining life experience via simply living our lives with conviction and bravery.  

We cannot change things like who are parents are, the situation we are born into, the country we are born in or our DNA.  We can however attempt to change things like our careers, education level, relationships, and economic situations to name a few.

We are living in one of the most exciting times in all of history.  Our possibilities are endless.  We have the world at our fingertips.  The internet gives us access to information at an unprecedented level.  We can learn new languages, read empowering material, and truly revolutionize our lives.  

Our problems are our gifts.  They are the source of self-discovery and empowerment.  Delve deeply into your personal difficulties.  You will unleash a torrent of excellence and greatness.  You have to face your problems head-on, but it is not easy, especially at first.  You will meet with resistance as you establish new habits and put an end to old, disempowering ones.  

Suffering leads to glory.  

You will never reach perfection in life, that is impossible, or at least fleeting when it is attained.  What is certain is that, as you strive to improve and overcome your problems, life will get more enjoyable and satisfying.  You will reach an entirely new level of freedom. 

The Gallagher Bros: Post-Oasis Music

Since Oasis disbanded about a decade ago, Noel and Liam Gallagher have been releasing music of varying quality and impact.   I'd like to give an assessment of the two siblings' musical output since the popular British band split up.  


Noel

Noel Gallagher formed Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds which has released three studio albums since its inception.  The common trend among these three albums is the tendency to have a fair number of really solid tracks with some lesser filler.  The self titled debut (2011) had two great tracks that really stand out:  "Everybody's On the Run", the album opener, and "If I Had A Gun."  Melodically, these two tracks are superb and lyrically very strong.   Unfortunately, much of the rest of this debut is forgettable.  The same can be said of Noel's next two albums.  Chasing Yesterday (2015) contains "River Man" and "In the Heat of the Moment", possibly examples of the pinnacle of Noel's songwriting career.  The production also is a great leap forward from the debut album of the band.  In 2017, Noel released Who Built the Moon?  It was quite a diversion from his previous material and harkened back to his experimentation with the Chemical Brothers, especially the opening track, "Fort Knox".  It contains three phenomenal tracks:  "Holy Mountain", "It's A Beautiful World", and "She Taught Me How to Fly."  These tracks alone make the album worthwhile to listen to, but the rest is pretty unspectacular.  


Liam

Liam Gallagher formed Beady Eye after Oasis split up.  They released two albums.  The first one was excellent, Different Gear, Still Speeding (2011).  It had a lot of catchy, melodic material.  My personal favourite was "Millionaire", which is a Beatles-esque beauty.  Their follow-up BE (2013), had two excellent tracks, the opener, "Flick of the Finger" and "Second Bite of the Apple."  The production here is excellent and sounds like an improvement over the first, which is already a good album, but there is a lot of dismal filler on it.

Beady Eye disbanded soon after the release of BE, and Liam went on to solo work.  His 2017 release As You Were is, in my opinion, the best of all post-Oasis Gallagher brother material.  It is consistent throughout and very melodically pleasing.  The best tracks, "Wall of Glass" and "Paper Crown" are absolute dynamite songs.


*****************

Only time will tell whether the Gallagher brothers will match the popularity of their Oasis days.  They are on the right track, especially Liam.  With more consistency in their albums, they can definitely achieve greatness.  I look forward to seeing Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds in concert in August 2019.  They are interesting characters, not to everyone's taste or patience.  They have been great at channeling the melodies and lyrical themes of 60's era rock, especially the Beatles.  They have both continued to grow as song-writers and it will be interesting to see what directions they take in the future.