All Good Things Must Come To An End...

Hello, faithful readers. I believe this is goodbye.

But not forever, of course. I'm simply making a change. I've learned that a blog is not just a journal shared with the world. A blog is a place for talking about specific things more than twice a month. Therefore, The Garbage Quilt is becoming Specs on Sideways.

As many of you know, I love three things: Jesus, music, and movies. Specs On Sideways is a site that reviews indie short films and music from a Christian Perspective. It shouldn't be all that different from what you read on The Garbage Quilt, and this site will still stay available if you're interested in reading the older stuff.

Thanks for being a part of this blog, and I hope you like the new site! Our new Twitter is @specsonsideways, and you can find us on Facebook too.

I love you all!

Caress

Hello, World. I'm the Newest Classical Music Junkie.

 (Courtesy of Near Emmaus)

I attended one of my friend's orchestral performances about a month ago, and I can't get it out of my head. Originally, I didn't even want to go, but I wiped away the lazy notions and went anyway. I'm so glad I did.

At first I thought it might have been the strength of the perfume on the woman in front of me, but I changed my mind. This concert was mind-blowingly awesome. Better than being on a roller coaster, eating ice cream, and receiving a million dollar check at the end of the day. The crazy part is I don't feel like I'm exaggerating.

The orchestra has to be the cure for America's short attention span. I was worried that I was gonna get bored, and kept telling myself that I should be grateful for the free ticket in case I did. I charged my phone ahead of time, just in case.

(Courtesy of Georgia Public Television)

From the first note, I forgot about my phone. There was a jazz band that did a tribute to Miles Davis (who was, by the way, a genius!) an they were SO GOOD! My heart started beating so fast and images started flashing before my eyes. Okay, maybe that was a bit of exaggeration, but there's such a romantic quality to the sound of the saxophone. It was mesmerizing. I didn't know whether to laugh or to cry. I think I was doing a mixture of both.

This is officially my favorite kind of music. Although, I have to say, there's a difference between hearing it live and hearing a recording. Unlike with pop music, this kind is better live.

It's so beautiful. Suddenly, life didn't seem so serious. Finals didn't seem so deadly. I really want learn to play some stringed instrument. I bet it would be so soothing to play. I want to be part of an orchestra before I die!

(Courtesy of Music at Vassar)

(courtesy of Music at Vassar)

I've never been a die-hard pop or hip-hop fan, but after this, those genres are ruined forever. You can't call this boring. The orchestra embodies true talent. I think this explains my obsession with movie scores. I never thought about it, but someone (most of the time, Hans Zimmer) has to take the time out to write these lovely scores, and dozens of people have to practice them so that they go off without a hitch during recording. And they have to be memorable. Hats off to Zimmer for being so original and keeping it fresh from The Lion King to The Prince of Egypt to Inception.

I must have been a closet orchestra fan all my life. Thinking back on it, my favorite episode of Tom and Jerry was the one where Tom was a conductor and Jerry was trying to sabotage him. I loved it because of the music. Orchestras are supernatural.
 
I never wanted the performance to end. There has to be music like that in heaven. I'm so excited about this inspiring new discovery!

I want to write a symphony now.

If I ever get married me and my husband are going to frequent the orchestra.

This was beyond music. It was insane amazingness. I felt so calm. Like I was floating, literally. I think I excited myself so much to the point where I got lightheaded, but I was too intrigued to care. Words meant so little. There's no need for them in this situation (although the soloist did a great job during her performance!)

I'm not exaggerating at all. This was so worth missing Two and A Half Men. Then another thought came to me...

These were students. 


Sure, some may have been 20-something graduate students, but the fact that they weren't professionals made me feel like I was a parent or something. I was so proud of them, especially the pianist who led the whole orchestra (her dress was incredible! I wish I'd sat closer so I could get better pictures!)

You could hear a pin drop in the moments between scores. Everyone in the audience was so quiet. So attentive. So expectant.

I felt like writing poetry. I swear, it activates the right side of your brain.  

(Courtesy of University of California)

All other music seems like junk now. At the same time, I have a renewed love for it. Let's just say I love music, but there's not enough good stuff out there.

Contrary to what I expected, this was not at all repetitive. Each score felt like an individual story. I could almost picture characters!!!

I was intoxicated. What had I been doing my whole life??? This was beyond music.

The students still did an amazing job. The show was tender, sweet, powerful, and bold. The piano and the violins created a water-like tone unlike the percussionists, who brought forth a strong, pounding beat for every song.

The amount of expression the conductor showed and the changes in speed were awesome. Just when you thought you'd seen it all, another instrument would appear!

The crowd went wild at the end of the show, giving the musicians a well-deserved standing ovation.

Amazing.
Beautiful. 

(Courtesy of Bishko)

America is getting dumber...

Sometimes, you just gotta find a niche to be successful. You don't necessarily have to be good at what you do, just be good at finding that niche and pleasing the people that fall into that category.
 
Tyler Perry is a prime example. His movies are not great, yet I've seen almost every one. They're entertaining, if flawed, and he's built up a fan base and is making millions of dollars.

Name any Disney "star". Niche. Not talent.

I don't think this is a good thing. Sure, people like different things, but it's hard to find true talent these days. We have a few good people like Adele and David Fincher (The director of The Social Network) in our mainstream society, but I fear people in the next generation won't know what true talent is. It's dwindling, or so it seems from the lack of it we see today.

Soulja Boy would have NEVER become famous 20 years ago. He would have been the 50 Tyson of today. And you know what's even scarier! People are actually starting to incorporate 50 Tyson's so-called "music" into their music libraries. And Rebecca Black? I heard "Friday" playing at the nail salon! Where do we draw the line? Should we ban artists from using the internet unless they're approved first? *shivers*

I wish we could go back to the 60s, 70s, 80s, or even 90s sometimes. I think with the new millennium people got really excited about the "future" coming and tried to become futuristic. As a result, media has suffered. Even the Black Eyed Peas used to be good! I thought their album The E.N.D. was bad, until I heard their singles "The Time" (NOT EVEN THEIRS!!) and "Just Can't Get Enough." I'm scared for the music of the future.

I'm ashamed to admit that I was ever a rock fan when I hear some of the new trash today. And hip hop? What happened to the days of CLEVER lyrics. And I almost die when I hear this this song.

So that's my two cents on the subject. I don't think the media world is changing. I think people are lowering their standards.

It All Started With A Silly Soundtrack...

That was one of the only things wrong in this near-perfect movie.

Source Code is the first movie to hold my absolute attention for so long since Shutter Island. It felt long, but I didn’t care. (Actually, it turns out the movie was only an hour and a half long, and I missed the previews. Probably an effect of our “give-it-to-me-quick-fast-and-in-a-hurry” generation).

Anyway, the movie starred Jake Gyllenhaal as Captain Colter Stevens, a soldier who has been assigned to find a bomb and a bomber aboard a train. The catch is, he only has eight minutes to find it. Every time he fails the assignment, he is sent back in time until he completes the job. Gyllenhaal gives an excellent performance.

The film captures some beautiful, unconventional shots of Chicago, both downtown and outside of the city. The filmmakers also did some creative upside down and sideways shots that captured the dizziness and confusion Stevens was experiencing between his time aboard the train and in the mysterious vestibule he repeatedly transports back to every eight minutes.

Though slow at times, the kind of slow that occurs when filmmakers want to avoid giving away too much information at once, the movie picks up and continues to stay intriguing for the most part. There is one part where the audience is blatantly told what’s going on, and I thought the creators could have put a little more thought into letting the viewers find out for themselves.

I felt slightly detached from all the characters except Stevens, which I felt was appropriate and well done for this type of movie, as Stevens also experienced detachment. The lack of development of the flatter characters allowed me to better relate to Stevens and to better understand the desperation he felt. I felt sorry for him, almost wanting to cry at a few points, I admit. Again, Gyllenhaal gave a great performance.

Of course, Stevens meets a woman that he falls for aboard the train, and her name is Christine Warren. I thought they made an adorable couple, but there is a mysterious aspect of the relationship that makes me a little bit uncomfortable. I’m really not sure what to think about it, but probably because I’m a journalism student and ethics is a big part of the way I handle situations.

Whoever wrote this film was a genius. There were cool effects, it was intriguing and suspenseful and mysterious. You feel the pressure whenever Stevens is sent back into the past. There are cool twists and turns, and overall, it was satisfying. Kind of like a mix of Déjà Vu and Inception, I guess. I don’t know, that’s what it reminded me of. But better. 

Sorry this is so vague. It’s one of those movies where, if I talk too much, I’ll give too much of the movie away. Go see it, and then we can chat about it through email (thegarbagequilt@gmail.com), on my Facebook page, or on Twitter (@garbagequilt). Let me know how you felt about it! <3

Limitless... Winning?

I think Charlie Sheen could learn a lot from Limitless. Actually, I take that back. Charlie Sheen couldn’t learn from anybody. He’s not at a point where he’s really listening to anyone yet. He’s trying to teach everyone a lesson. What lesson is that? You got me. One thing is for sure, it certainly ain’t winning.

Let’s just say someone in a predicament like Charlie Sheen’s who is willing to listen and is trying to learn from their mistakes could learn a lot from Limitless. The movie is about a starving author named Edward Morra who, through a series of …well basically, fate leads him to discover a drug called “NZT.” From there, it’s a roller coaster ride throughout the course of a year.

Limitless makes more real the dangers of being an addict, a lesson I feel America needs to hear. Most addicts don’t realize they’re addicts until they try to abandon the normal that they’ve known for so long. There’s desperation, craziness, even a sense of hopelessness. And you definitely feel it in the movie.

Bradley Cooper gives a great performance, and shows us that he can definitely clean up nicely, as he goes from looking haggard and unshaven to professional and attractive (and back again. And then professional and attractive again. It’s a long story, just go see the movie.) He does a good job of expressing his different emotions without speaking. He giggles like a little kid when something goes well, which is adorable. And when he’s upset he gets these puppy dog eyes…

Anyway, the creators definitely had some fun with the lighting and camera angles. Unfortunately, most of the time this “creativity” came off as a bunch of new film students that wanted to create this revolutionary visionary spectacular. It was cool sometimes, but it often came off as dizzying and hard to look at. Less is more.

The quality of the movie? I feel like the creators tried to do something good, but fell a little flat. There were definitely some clichés, predictable twists, gross scenes, and boring patches. It fell slightly flat, but other than that, it was pretty good.

 I can’t decide if it was really realistic or unrealistic. We’ll have to see when this product or something similar to it becomes available, which, after seeing this movie, I’m not sure if I want to happen or not.

Limitless definitely left some questions unanswered, but I doubt there will be a second installment. Actually, now that I think about it…nah.

This movie reminds moviegoers that life doesn’t have to be perfect for you to be happy. In a way, it reminds me of the reverse of The Adjustment Bureau. But I won’t ruin that one for you. (P.S. If you haven’t, go see the Adjustment Bureau, it’s better!)

Facebook is not for posting pictures of amputations or videos of sick monkeys...is it?

Warning: this post is not for the faint of heart...or weak stomachs.

Fortunately for me, I have a very strong heart and stomach, and that's what's been holding me together throughout this week of unusually gross posts in my Facebook timeline.

You could care less, but I was forced o hit the 'hide' button on my page this week more than once. A few of my guy friends seem to have some sort of fascination with the gross and the gruesome. I was exposed to more than one post I could have lived my whole life without seeing, and I guess this is the best place to share them. Like I said, this next part is not for the faint of heart/stomach.

Post #1: one of my Facebook friends got a picture of a hand missing a finger. That's not a big deal, right? Well it is, if it looks like that finger got chopped off with something rusty thirty seconds before the picture was taken! I don't know whose hand it was, and I don't know how his finger got cut off, all I know is that I was stupid, and human nature inclined me not to turn away, but to enlarge the photo!! (By the way, I hope that whoever's finger it was is okay.)

Post #2: Darn man's inquisitive nature!! Had it not been for my curiosity, I would never have had the displeasure of viewing (the first thirty seconds of) a really gross video featuring a sick monkey who kept on eating whatever it was throwing up.

Why, people? Why do we have such an obsession with the disgusting and crude side of life? I mean, look at the news! What kind if stories are highlighted? Why are shows like Law and Order: SVU and Bones so popular? Why do millions of people go to see bloody, gory movies and classify them as entertainment? Why is there such a plethora of gross humor? This must be why shrinks, philosophers and psychologists keep coming up with new discoveries and ideas.

I'm not gonna say these things shouldn't be posted on Facebook. It's a place for sharing, and as Americans we live in a free country! At the same time, maybe you should take into consideration those who won't be so thrilled to hear about (or see!) your dog's favorite place to take a dump.

What's the grossest thing you've ever seen online? Share here, on Twitter (@garbagequilt), on our Facebook page, or email (thegarbagequilt@gmail.com). Thanks for reading!

Just Another Currently Non-Newsworthy and Super Late Movie Review...

Okay, I'm not a racist, but I think Blood Diamond was a way too "white-dependent." Don't get me wrong, its portrayal of the African peoples' strength mixed with their peaceful spirits was well-represented, and both the evil and the good sides of Africa were shown. I was just upset to see a lack of white bad guys in a land where the white guys are the problem! I suppose they're not out there putting themselves in danger; they're staying in safe places letting the slaves do all the work, causing division amongst the African tribes for things that aren't 
worth nearly as much as they're made out to be worth. It's no question that race plays a large role in the diamond industry. I suppose the glimpses of high up executives trading diamonds was enough to make viewers see their selfishness.

 I'd like to see how many Africans and/or African Americans helped to create this movie. My guess is there weren’t too many. Way too often (and this is the case in many movies) it seemed like the white guys always had to save the day. The fact that the African white guy was in the movie might have been an attempt to soften the racial lines, but in my opinion it didn't help. DiCaprio did an amazing job either way, but just think about it: Solomon would have been shot if Marsha (Jennifer Connelly) hadn't offered to take pictures of the African tribe. Solomon would have been shot if Arthur (Leonardo DiCaprio) hadn't dragged him away from authorities on numerous occassions. See what I mean? I’m not saying it wasn’t believable, I just didn't like it.

At least the ending was pretty good. Maybe a cover up or an attempt to balance the seemingly blatant racism? Either way, I'm glad someone made this movie so we could see what was really going on in Sierra Leone. At least the main black character wasn’t killed.

Remind me to request conflict-free diamonds next time I decide to go shopping for them.