Miscellaneous Soundbites

I am a music lover and cinephile who obsesses over the connection of the two art forms. I am also a major Harry Potter and Disney fan, and I love to delve into even the simplest of stories to analyze their meaning and leitmotifs. I adore God and my...

[filmscoreaficionado]

Good triumphs over evil, always

Here is a reflection for my scripture class inspired by the discussion of evil in the garden of Eden:

Friday’s class focused on the presence of evil in the garden of Eden and in our lives today. As a Catholic Christian, I certainly believe evil exists and that the devil also exists. I sometimes prefer to not believe in evil to reassure myself. But I think that in believing evil, we are truly recognizing the might of God. To understand that evil is present is to understand that He is the all powerful being who triumphs over all the workings of the devil. And that realization is powerful. I consider myself as an optimist, always trying to see the good in everything. But there are times when it is important to recognize the darkness of the world in order that we may find the light. This brings me to the question of how evil is portrayed in stories. I am a huge fan of books and movies and my absolutely favorite symbolism is light and dark. The most powerful stories are the ones that have both, and light overcomes. In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, for example, Dumbledore states that “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times if one only remembers to turn on the light.” This may seem like a simple phrase, but it really is quite powerful and one of my favorite quotes. Evil is actually manifested in this book as a dark creature called a dementor. It does not speak or act; it is simply a dark presence that sucks out all that is good from a place and from a person. The only way to cast out the dementor is by repeating the spell, “Expecto Patronum” – this emits a powerful light in the shape of an animal which represents the wizard or witch casting it. However, these words only work if the person casting it can keep the most joyous memory in their mind. Happiness defeats fear; love defeats evil. This symbolism is constantly repeated throughout these seven books. The greatest, most powerful villain of all is defeated with love. To acknowledge evil is to acknowledge the power of love. We have no cause to fear when we have God. Another example of evil in literature is found in the one ring in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. Tolkien does not specifically state what the ring represents, but evil is certainly manifested in its use. The story of the Lord of the Rings does not have a very active villain; however, the villain is ever present. When one encounters the ring, he is slowly consumed by it and the ring begins to control his actions. The power of the ring is unique because it affects each person in a different way. It can cause one to succumb to fear and in others, it sparks pridefulness. One of the characters, Gollum, was possessed by the ring for over a century and he is nearly destroyed by it. If evil remains in our lives and we do not seek to rid ourselves of it, we enable it to seep into our souls and corrupt us. But Tolkien does not let the darkness win; once again, light overcomes and good triumphs. There are occurrences of this in a literal sense i.e. when Sam uses the light of Galadriel to escape the spider, Shelob, or when Gandalf appears in the midst of a battle at dawn shining a light in all of the orcs’ (the minions of the Sauron, the main villain) eyes. Tolkien also proves the importance of fellowship in conquering evil. Frodo, one of the key figures, is only able to overcome the growing power of the ring because of his friends who hold onto the goodness in the world, namely Sam. The characters are strengthened by their friends faith in goodness, which we can take to represent Goodness Himself: God. While I am not witch able to cast a patronus to ward off evil, I have the power of prayer and my guardian angel beside me. Although I do not have the light of Galadriel to guide me in the darkness, I have my Mother Mary to guide me. I may not be able to literally defeat a powerful villain with love, but evil has already been conquered by Love Himself. Evil exists in the world and manifests itself in many ways but I need not fear because all I have to do to cast it out is by uttering the most powerful word: the name of my savior, Jesus Christ.

[ohmydisney]

[filmscoreaficionado]

What’s trending?

There comes a time in the week or month when suddenly everyone on social media is discussing or simply sharing the same subject. Often, they are polar opposites and very vocal about it or they are all coming together under the same cause. This can be anything from really stupid to a serious problem in the world. Both of these can be shared at the same volume and with the same passion. To know what is most popular, you just look at what’s “trending.” “Trend” is a word that often regards a temporary fashion, a common phrase or popular activity, etc. Now issues of the world and a majority opinion are considered trends along with petty subjects such as the most popular shoes this Fall. On occasion, a trending topic can actually be meaningful and I will not doubt the seriousness of the situation or the sincerity of those who share about it. Most of the time, however, I question, “Why are you posting this?”, “Do you even know what you're behind?”, “Does this mean anything to you or this just another trend?” As for the pointless trends, i.e. the Starbucks Christmas cup, that tend to bother most everyone, I wonder, why are you posting about it then? The less you post about how a trending topic bothers you, the quicker it will dissipate. And then for more hot button issues, there are a group of people who hop on the headline bandwagon, those who suddenly have a strong opinion (more often than not with the majority) after simply seeing a headline, a few posts, or a short statement in regard to a situation. 

Others are a little more formed but they let their emotions get the best of them or they get obsessed over the lack of political correctness. At this rate, if one person spread a convincing rumor with enough emotion behind it and a memorable hashtag, the whole world could soon get behind it without realizing it’s a total hoax. Our culture is saturated with people’s ever shifting opinions on subjects about which they really don’t know anything. The truth often gets lost amidst the masses. A small unfortunate event can suddenly become the catalyst for a new cause with yet another hashtag which then lead to unnecessary protests. It unnerves me that twitter posts have become part of the news. Social media makes it seem like we’re on the brink of the next civil war or world war. Not to say that there aren’t serious issues; social media tends to exacerbate the problem. 

I am not one to simply blame a tool for a problem in society. Yes, the iPhone has given people an excuse for people to be antisocial; the internet can be a cause of cloaking the truth; social media gives people a tool to spread falsehoods and hate, etc. But it isn’t the iPhone, internet, or social media’s fault. People simply need to think. The temptation surely exists to abuse the purpose of modern technology and to rely heavily upon it. But really, all of us, when we see a headline or a post, need to think for a moment. Consider who wrote the article, who posted it, what are the biases we can detect, is it really worth the time, is there another perspective to consider? We all need to have well-formed opinions and also be willing to learn and consider what others think. We can be accepting of all people and also share a differing opinion. There is wrong and right and there is also a wrong way and a right way to discuss them. The solution to the information and opinions bombarding us left and right is to stop and reflect before we jump on the next bandwagon.

[levvmusic]

image © Troy Wise. http://attheloft.typepad.com/.a/6a00e54ecca8b988330120a59bc36c970b-500wi

Drifting on a midnight breeze over the ruins Watching all the colors bleed into the ocean Is this a waking sleep, a happy illusion Is this a living dream, a vivid delusion Falling faster up the full vanilla sky Running over mountains, breaking up the night Fields and forests, sleeping spectres in the sun Beauty shooting through me til I come undone Walking on an angry sea, my hands on the water My mind full of old debris, my heart all aflutter Maybe if I close my eyes I’ll see where I’m going Maybe if I quiet my mind there’s something worth knowing Falling faster up the full vanilla sky Running over mountains, breaking up the night Fields and forests, sleeping spectres in the sun Beauty shooting through me til I come undone

[audreyassad]

new lyrics from my band LEVV, and one of my favorite pictures.

[filmscoreaficionado]

Pure beauty. I can’t wait to hear the music that will accompany these lyrics <3

[ascoopatalamode]

Visit Original Link

Soliloquy, sung by Steven Pasquale in the Lyric Opera’s production of Carousel from April 10th, 2015. *Includes the well deserved thirty seconds of applause he got.

Sorry about the shuffling around at some points. Also, it’s kind of quiet!

[filmscoreaficionado]

His voice. That’s all. I’m in love.

[filmscoreaficionado]

I am totally diggin this group right now. You can’t really put a genre to them, they have such a unique sound. They have impressive musicianship and intricate rhythms and instrumentation. As I am seeking to gain an appreciation for a wider range of music and develop my aural palette, Grizzly Bear is an ideal entryway to the musical world outside of the mainstream.

[filmscoreaficionado]

Regarding Mumford & Sons, Folk, and Genres

I have spent quite a lot of time pondering Mumford & Sons’ new album, Wilder Mind. My initial reaction to announcements and new information gained about a certain subject are always much harsher than what I later come to believe. Of course, most people are probably this way. A few months ago, I saw that their new album was going to be electric and they were losing their folk sound. I was quite concerned when I heard of this sudden change for this band known for their gradual builds, heavy bass drum and strumming, and distinct twang of the banjo. That unique and distinct sound of theirs is what I loved the most about this band and now they are abandoning what made them... well, them. I had a hard time accepting this change. How can this folk group not simply just play folk? I mean, that’s what they’re good at. That’s what they’re known for.

But then I began to think not simply as a listener craving more from this seemingly perfect group and instead I considered the artist. I, the listener, may be thrilled with more songs that sound like all of the tracks in Sigh No More or Babel; however, as an artist, writing and recording the same sounding music is probably a bit exhausting. I have never actually had the guts to write a song so I know very little about what it takes, but I do know it takes creativity, incentive, inspiration, motivation, etc. Quality music takes work. Sometimes, you have to look at it from a new angle to be able to create again. If abandoning their established sound is what it takes for Marcus Mumford and his fellow band members to come back together and create again, then I support the decision. As an artist, I would hate to be boxed into a certain genre. It completely limits your abilities. If band members have always felt drawn to the approach of classic and modern rockers, they should be able to try out something new, something different. I personally hope they intend to record more acoustic, folk-like songs in the future, but I’ll accept them taking a different approach for their latest album.

The change in and pretty much secularization of lyrics are a little harder for me to accept. The poetic and incredibly deep words of Sigh No More, Winter Winds, or White Blank Page are not to be found in this new release.Thinking about it, the electric rock band sound does not necessarily lend itself to lyrics such as these. I hope the lack of God or Christian lyrics (by this, I mean lyrics that remind one of God’s word, not necessarily directly referring to or quoting the bible) is because of the style of music in this album and not a sign of a complete change from what they were. I did also read that all of the band members contributed to songwriting which means that there is less of Marcus Mumford’s writing in this album. 

With all of this said, I do wonder: can a band continue to write and perform humble songs when they have made it big? Is this sudden turn over to rock a result of rising popularity and the sense that folk is too simple? I truly believe what I wrote (or typed if I’m being literal) above, but these are just some other thoughts of mine regarding this bold new move.

[filmscoreaficionado]

Neal Cassidy, a true hero

I’m sorry, but this is another Once Upon A Time post. I promise I will write about more. This is just on my mind. And I tend to ramble in chronological order so some of this is slight recap. 

Given that it has been a year since a wonderful character was killed off of a show for no justifiable reason, I decided I would write a post…or two…about why Neal Cassidy aka Baelfire was one of the best, most awesome and significant characters in the show. His character had so much depth and his story had so much potential, his having connections with most main characters. The show pretty much fell apart when he was killed off, and it hasn’t made it up since. So here is my way of honoring a beautifully written character and the Once that was. Why do I love Neal Cassidy? Starting when he went by Baelfire, he was the only light in Rumplestiltskin’s lonely and sad life. His story gave Rumplestiltskin depth that I never expected. Episode 1x08: Desperate Souls changed his character completely from an evil imp with a twisted plan to a desperate soul just trying to gain back the only light in his life and a father who just wanted a second chance to make it up to his son. Baelfire, though young, was brave and he defended his papa against a cruel soldier. Later, after his papa had succumbed to the power of the dagger and dark one, he selflessly stood by his papa and believed he  was still a good man deep down. Even when Rumple sends him home after dancing among Pan and a group of boys, Baelfire tells him that despite everything, he still would have chosen Rumple. His sole desire was to be with his papa again that he would do anything, even travel to a new realm, to be with him once more. He trusts so much that Rumple would go with him that he goes first and is met with the worst betrayal of all: that he doesn’t mean more that magic and power. This is the second time a parent had abandoned him. Upon arriving in London, he tries to get by on the streets and is soon lovingly accepted into a family–the Darlings. Bae finally, after a few years with the Dark One for his father, feels at home again. And what does he do when danger threatens this family? He gives himself to the darkness so that their family can stay safely together. This time, he has to leave them. He is brought to Neverland and is smart enough to light a fire to escape the Shadow. Captain Hook rescues him from drowning and becomes a sort of father figure to him. After maybe a year or so of sailing (I don’t know if time is different in Neverland), he finds out this new father figure was the reason his mother abandoned him. Once again, another relationship corrupted. Hook, in response, sells him out to Pan. Neal really shouldn’t have had any reason to hope after all these traumatic events in his life, but he did. Despite everything, he remained hopeful. Neal, after Neverland, arrives in America as a teenager with absolutely nothing… There could have been so many awesome flashbacks of this time… So, out of necessity, he turns to stealing for survival. He finds a car that will be his only home not expecting this car to change his life, when he meets Emma Swan. He asks her if she’ll let him buy her a drink. Later, we find out that this drink actually meant coffee in the rain on an abandoned carousel. (How did young Baelfire learn to be so romantic?) In this scene, it is clear that Neal still loves his papa despite everything and he hopes to one day find a home. This clearly resonates with Emma who only really wanted a home. After this moment of connection, these kindred spirits work together. I’m not condoning their thievery. It’s just part of their story. They like keep sakes. Neal, seeing a swan keychain, thinks immediately of Emma and he is so excited to give her a gift (even if he did steal it–he has no money). This is probably the first gift he’s given and it was probably the first thoughtful gift Emma had received. It is so small, but she accepts it so graciously. They soon after admit that they want to try to get real jobs so they can find a real home. And they remain hopeful in their ideal of Tallahassee, that is until the watches… and Mr. Booth comes to town. (There also could be some more awesome flashbacks in this part of the timeline). This was not a shining moment for him and I never said this character was perfect. But in seeing the wanted poster, Neal’s immediate thought is of Emma. The last thing he wants is for her to be on the run with a fugitive. He may not have done the right thing with the watches but he clearly cares for Emma. It isn’t until Emma convinces him that they she can succeed in obtaining the watches. He trusts her. She’s the first person in a long time who he can actually trust. And she trusts him. Neal never ever planned on leaving her... until August. August shows up as Neal is going to fence the watches (again, I know this isn’t right. He did plan on going clean after this) and he tells Neal that he knows he is Baelfire (I would still REALLY like to know how in the world he knew this) and about a magical town from the Enchanted Forest. So Neal at point would be terrified to know that magic is still following him and worst of all there was a curse that Emma, the love of his life, was destined to break. . August also puts him down by responding to his ”We promised to take care of each other with “You love her? Good… That means you have to do right by her?” “That’s all I’m trying to do.” "Then leave her.” If you put this into perspective, he had never been truly loved because anyone he ever had a relationship abandoned or betrayed him, beside the time when it was he who left the Darlings so that they could remain a family. When August points out all the ways that Neal is not doing right by Emma, what else could he do? He knows that he is not giving Emma the best life and that she deserves more. At the end of August’s little speech about the curse and Emma’s destiny, he asks him, “Will you do the right thing?” Neal knows the price of magic and August has him backed into a corner. Leaving her wasn’t right but this man who knew far more about a powerful curse–which most likely brought back nightmarish memories for Neal– seemed to think so. We will never know who called the cops, because it was never shown. But given the way the scene plays out. It is likely that it was August. This honestly is the worst thing Neal did, and he still was doing it for selfless reasons. Neal wanted more than anything to be with Emma because with her he finally found home, but in leaving her, he’d never get to Tallahassee. People could blame for actually selling Emma out for money. But the scene when he meets August changes everything. He is pained when he hears that Emma has eleven months and is angry that it’s her instead of him. This to me makes it seem that he didn’t call, but that’s just what I think. What does follow, however, is part of the show and an important moment. Neal tells August to be there for Emma if he can’t be, and then proceeds to give up all the money from the watches. He clearly didn’t let her take the fall for his wrongdoing to get money–he gives it all to her, and the car, his only home. Well, this is turning out to be way longer than intended. I will continue this post later... Too much awesomeness to write about Neal

[pixar]

No more toying with your emotions. The new Inside Out poster is here!

[filmscoreaficionado]

SO EXCITED!!! I love this creative team! And another score by Michael Giacchino?! I think YES! :)

[filmscoreaficionado]

Where Once Upon A Time went wrong: part 2

There can be darkness without the characters losing their light. I personally find a story has more depth as its world and circumstances grow darker. Darkness can even be attractive to the characters at some point. But romanticizing every villain, destroying redemption, and darkening the heroes does not enable the story to grow. Where is the good in trying to add drama by twisting the beloved heroes? These heroes can be flawed, yes. But to make them first boring and then self-righteous and willing to lie to their only daughter? That is not beautiful storytelling. This right here is saying, “start a hero, and you won’t stay good for long or if you remain good, you’ll be sacrificed for no reason.” 

They destroyed one hero by killing Neal. He was a beautifully flawed hero whose story was centered around sacrifice and forgiveness. His arc was layered and intertwined with several characters. Rumplestiltskin was already a deep character, and the chance to see his relationship grow with his son would have been beautiful. Here are two struggling souls who are trying to do the right thing, one succeeding more than the other. They could have come to an understanding amidst their years of separation and hurt. Neal could have learned that if he ever wanted Emma to understand and forgive him, he would have to be able to forgive his father. And not just in one hug after almost losing the other. There was plenty of room to grow in these relationships. Rumple was so close to leaving his darkness behind. Although he came close to giving into the temptation regarding Henry as his undoing, he instead faced his worst fear to save his grandson. He was opening up to focusing on those he loved. I mean, he literally gave his life to save his son, Belle, and everyone else. That’s a pretty powerful moment in his redemption arc. So here is an antihero figure and a hero figure ruined.

But why stop there? Because villains need happy endings, heroes cannot stay heroes, the writers seem to convey. Snow and Charming had their fair share of troubles in season one, and it showed that they were not perfect. David, wanting to be with the woman to whom he gave his heart and promised to be with for the rest of his life (his cursed self just didn’t know it) made some pretty major mistakes. And in trying to do what he thought was right, he ended up hurting both Snow and Katherine. Later, he keeps that he's poisoned from Snow, out of desire to protect his family. In the Enchanted Forest, he was mostly a classic hero-type although he does get prideful and vengeful. In the Enchanted Forest, Snow at a point considered killing. Later, in Storybrooke, she did kill out of defense. The certain situation was quite shady, but it was done in defense. Amidst these troubles and temptations, Snow and Charming maintained a very strong, trusting, and beautiful relationship. They often come clean when they are wrong and they are most concerned about their family and their people. They constantly encourage people to have hope and faith. Though sometimes doubtful, they want to give people a second chance. Regarding this, they were majorly kind to Regina, who had tried to kill them and their family on numerous accounts. 

Emma certainly wasn’t perfect. She begins the first season with walls up, and it takes Henry and Mary Margaret/Snow to break them down. She was hurt from her rough past, especially because she thought the one person she loved had lied the whole time and that their relationship was a scam. She had major trust issues but she was slowly learning to open up to her son and her parents. She made some rash decisions but her heart was always in the right place. She yelled at Regina and was sometimes a bit out of hand, regarding the Henry issue. But never has Emma been dark. She was emotionally traumatized in Neverland during which her son was captured and she thought Neal, who she had just confessed she loved, was dead. In this time, she had a lot of self doubt and she uttered some harsh words to her loved ones. She has been amidst darkness and has even lost hope sometimes, but she never lost the light. There was goodness in her and she just wanted to protect and be with those she loved. She was true hero, as were her parents and Neal, and they earned this status. They remained good despite struggles and hurt.

This is why I loved this show. The characters were flawed and relatable, and they had complex relationships. They were also good and pure. They overcame struggles, and there was so much symbolism of light and dark. One of my favorite moments is “Love is weakness. No, it’s strength.” This here is what the show was about. “The Miller’s Daughter” was a great episode that showed two very different relationships of Rumple’s, a twisted one with Cora, and a beautiful one with Belle. Also in this episode there is a scene with Neal and Rumple in which Rumple finally confesses to him his deep regret and desire to say "I’m sorry and I love you.” This is not a villain. He is working towards becoming a better man. That said, he still has work to do to earn others’ complete trust. Where Once Upon A Time really went wrong was in ruining Rumple and Belle’s wedding. This was supposed to be a pivotal moment in his redemption arc, because in marrying Belle that means he was able to forgive and love himself. He was being entirely selfless, putting Belle first. But the writers decided to add drama by having him deceive Belle and then marry her on a lie. How terrible of a decision this was. His character really has not been good since 3x11 when he sacrificed himself.

I love when villains redeem themselves, but I hate when they are falsely elevated to the title of hero. We cannot just celebrate one good deed of a villain. When he is the only one who knows there is a cure for poison on a dark and unknown island, saving someone is the right thing to do. Expecting praise or a reward in a kiss from a woman you had recently harmed is not a hero’s attribute. Or if said pirate was told an old friend (who he completely betrayed for entirely selfish reasons) was alive, it is his duty to inform those he loves. And when this pirate relentlessly pursues a woman, who is emotionally traumatized at first and then later dealing with conflicting feelings, and she tells him NO several times, he is certainly not a hero. He does not apologize to those he has tried to kill more than once: Belle. Or show any remorse for recent foul actions. And then after losing the woman he (suddenly) was in love with, he returns to villainy when arriving back in the enchanted forest. He should not be applauded as man of the year for turning in his ship (a good deed, yes) to go back to the person of his desires...once again, purely selfish. This pirate can still become a hero but he has not proved himself one, so he should not be considered one.

As the show stands now, relationships are tainted. Snow and Charming are written to be bumbling self-righteous fools, Emma is an emotional wreck who (despite having trust issues) is an a relationship with an untrustworthy and incredibly forceful person, Rumbelle has been obliterated. The potential for Regina and Robin Hood was destroyed when they brought Marian back, followed by Robin being an unfaithful husband sleeping with another woman while his wife was frozen. Dark and light are now mixed as heroes seem stupid and villains are attractive and pitied. If they want their happy ending, they will do the right thing and not give up when things are rough. That is what the heroes do and it is what earns them their happy ending. So these are the many reasons why I am not a current Oncer. I am an avid fan of the first 55 episodes. And I will love my characters for who they are up to that point.

[filmscoreaficionado]

Discernment Process

This is a fantastic interview. I look forward to watching this short film just based on his answers. Every time I read something of his, I feel a pull to join in this radical movement of art renewal. I want to work as an sound designer and editor behind the scenes but maybe I'm called to have more influence. What I do know is that I need to stop contemplating the idea and just try to create something. Good, true, and beautiful art will only be made if those called to it are brave enough to get it out there.

[filmscoreaficionado]

Where Once Upon A Time went wrong: part 1

This Sunday, March 1, I will not be joining the rest of the fandom of which I once was a member for the return of Once Upon A Time. A year ago, I never would have considered this decision. But ever since that first episode of the third season's second half, this show I loved once upon a time was twisted and corrupted. What made it unique and a breath of fresh air in the midst of all the immoral garbage that clouds TV screens these days no longer exists. I may be a bit dramatic, but I am incredibly disappointed in the outcome of this modern fairytale twist. Why? I’ll just start with one of the many things that irk me about the direction of this show.

I'll start with the an in depth study of where the writers went wrong in regards to the character of the pirate, Hook, Killian Jones. Everything that has occurred in regards to Hook since the beginning of season 3 is enough to drive me up the wall. Hook's storyline, like most characters in the show, had a lot of potential. And his story could have included redemption. I'm not against that. What I am strongly opposed to is romanticizing the actions, words, and motivations of his villainous character. His lack of character coherency is mind boggling. Where the audience was left off in his story at the end of season 2 was centered about Baelfire and his guilt. And everything about Baelfire/Neal makes me mad, but I'll get to that later. His character was given depth when we saw true regret and sorrow on his face when he heard of Baelfire's passing and in the flashbacks, his slight reserve when he betrays him. It was an interesting thought, him mentoring the son of his lost love and his enemy. With this said, it is clear that Hook and Baelfire parted on bad terms, all of which was HOOK'S fault. His motives for this sad departure were purely selfish. So returning back to the present, being the only one carrying this heavy and painful knowledge, he is understandably upset about Neal. NONE of this has to do with Emma... except for when he later joins the crew to save Henry, who is NEAL'S son. When Hook is out at sea about to leave everyone in the town to die, he looks down and sees the markings he drew when teaching Baelfire to sail. It is in this moment that he decides to turn back, to honor Baelfire's memory. When hearing of Henry's abduction, he guides the crew to Neverland to find BAELFIRE'S boy. Had this story continued consistently, Hook would help Henry motivated in part by guilt about Neal and the other part hopefully to be a good person. He also would learn to be understanding of Emma's traumatic emotional state and let. her. be. He would be kind to Neal when he finds him and he would apologize for his terrible past betrayal. His story would continue on from there in this fashion and he could or could not end up with Emma.

The other option following his storyline in Neverland and forever after is that he acts in the exact same way as he has the last season and a half, but he is FRAMED as the villain that he is. His possessive desires and intentions would would be condemned rather than condoned and Emma would see right through him, as that would actually be in character. The fact that a woman who has major trust issues trusts him in season 4 is incredibly out of character. And she is trusting a liar who keeps half of the truth to himself. I'm not saying he has to be purely good or purely evil. I like characters who make mistakes, obviously, because I love Neal so much. What I want is for his consistently wrong and immoral actions to be seen as such and that he'll be considered a hero only if he actually does a good thing without getting anything out of it for himself. He needs to do something selflessly. If I wrote down everything wrong about Hook and all the inconsistencies of his storyline, it would result in the length of a book, so I'll leave this here.

I will continue soon the rest of my many thoughts on this subject 

[filmscoreaficionado]

My thoughts on 2015 Oscars

So I have never actually watched the Academy Awards, but I do like to see who the entertainment industry honors at this big shindig. I will admit I'm a little disappointed in some of the choices, namely How To Train Your Dragon 2 and "Lost Stars." And although John Powell should have won for best score this year, I am happy that Alexandre Desplat finally won because he is an amazing composer who totally deserves it. And Birdman definitely earned the awards it received. Alejandro Iñárritu did a fantastic job along with the cinematographer and the entire cast.

Regarding the shocking Gaga performance, what does this say about the entertainment industry and its fans? Is it a good thing that her actually having talent is a shock? And it seems that people are deeply moved by a wholesome classic performance. I have seen a few headlines and posts with comments like "haters gonna hate" or "point haters to this performance." What's their point?These comments are clearly directed toward me and others like me. I disdain Lady Gaga as a pop artist, not because I don't like her as a person or think that she isn't talented. The fact of the matter is that she clearly has immense talent that does not come forth in her music. Her music and performances sadden me BECAUSE she can give so much more. She is over-autotuned like every other pop artist that her fans are surprised she actually has talent. What kind of an artist is this? Wouldn't you want to give your best performances rather than over mixed and produced cookie cutter pop songs? Hopefully, this performance and its positive response will inspire her to showcase her true God-given and NYU-chiseled gifts and produce what actually constitutes as music.  

Sorry this is late. I started it writing the day after, but I was planning on giving all the reasons why awesome How To Train Your Dragon 2 is so awesome. I guess I'll just save that for another time.

[filmscoreaficionado]

Christian films should be anything but mediocre

I just read an on-point article regarding Christian films which specifically references the latest mediocre film Old Fashioned. Yes, Hollywood has put out countless films which are immoral and are actually harmful to those who watch them. It truly saddens me to hear some of the horrifying content in the latest films. But just because movie viewers who hold to their morals refuse to support big-budget produced obscenity does mean they should also support wholesome movies with a strong message that also happen to be incredibly low-quality. The latter can certainly not be the alternative for the former. Christian art should not be a thing but rather art created for God. Mediocre art with an in-your-face message will not draw you closer to God, but BEAUTY will. 

Think about it. For centuries, the most spectacular art (not the best Christian art) was created by the Catholic Church. When did it become that regarding art, we look for, to reference the article, what is "Christian enough"? We do not strive for mediocrity or even decency. All artists should aspire to greatness, to create something extraordinary. A beautiful and powerful movie that inspires viewers also does not have to talk about God or the Christian faith explicitly. The best stories are thought provoking, those that make us think about their meaning, that draw out meaningful conversation about their themes. A movie can have a strong message that is not directly told to the audience. The best themes and messages are implied. A quote from scripture or a Christian song in the soundtrack should not be what constitutes a Christian film. 

At the same time, a movie about a Christian or one that does reference the faith also does not have to be cheesy and low quality and most certainly should not be. Because, clearly, the life of Christ and the life of His followers over the past two thousand years is anything but cheesy. Ignatius Press should not be the only place we look for a film about a saint. That story could possibly be mainstream if it had a quality script, talented actors who actually knew how to convey emotion, a moving score, a skilled cinematographer, etc. There can also be a solid love story about characters who follow Christ, whether initially or at the end of the story. A drama can be told about Christ's followers. I mean, Christians are just people, just as any other character. There are also numerous true stories that can be conveyed through film. And a quality movie does not have to have a ton of special effects; it can be incredibly simple.

I support quality movies. The characters don't have to be perfect and really, it's better if they're not. I care the most about a character's or a story's arc. It can begin rough and the character's can make terrible mistakes, but it is how good and evil are portrayed that i the most important. It's in the framing of morals that makes a story Christian or not. It's in the beauty of the art itself which is conveying that Christian message. 

[disney]

[filmscoreaficionado]

Be inspired! Listen to Ralph Vaughn Williams! He is amazing. I seriously cannot get over how beautiful his music is. 

And please listen to the masterpiece in its entirety

[filmscoreaficionado]

Inspired by music to create music

Music is a wondrous mystery. I am always especially inspired on Wednesdays. One, the night preceding is choir practice and also because it is the day I have my Applied Music Performance Lab. My job as a student from 11:45-1 is this: relax and listen to beautiful music performed by the amazing music students at AU. Pretty great, right? And occasionally, a passionate expert in some music field comes in and shares their wisdom. It definitely makes for an awesome day.

The only problem on these days is that homework seems so dull because I want to accomplish something incredible… a task which I have yet to achieve… or try. The problem with me saying that I can’t compose is that I never have. So really, there is no point in this statement. I surely am able to compose. I have all the tools to do it, but what is it that makes music music? Not all complex move you, and not all simple songs are pathetic. Some of the most amazing melodies are simple and can be broken up into chords and step-wise motion. So why does that one interval give one chills?

I guess where musicality comes in is when a performer transforms these notes into something extraordinary filled with meaning. Whether the melody occurs due to a vibrating string or air through a metal tube, it is the heart of the performance that gives the music’s shape. The guest musician we had in class today really made me think when giving a sort of open master class to the five students who performed. She acknowledged the skill and talent of all the performers but on what she was constantly commenting regarded performance and meaning. She is highly successful and talented as a musician but it was clear that what mattered the most to her was sharing its universal language with as many people as possible.

When thinking about it. even compositions of the greatest composers are notes on a page. And they are only highly regarded due to one individual pouring their heart and soul their art. Maybe if I just have the confidence in the collection of intervals and chords, and gave music life, I could have at least one creation to be proud of…

I don’t know if my random thoughts are entirely coherent, but I just decided to share what is currently in my head. I didn’t include miscellaneous in my title for no reason.