Two things have happened recently that have made me reevaluate what I want to do with my life.
1. The Oscars. Lame, I know. Seriously.
2. I was introduced to the website Etsy.com, where artists, crafters, and artisans sell their creations. Pretty awesome. Check it out.
Anyway, both made me wish that I was a more creative person. At least since college (I don't know when it started. Middle school?), I can trace my focus as being more observative rather than visionary. I've discovered that I was good at analytical writing, for example. I have a good memory, and can notice detail easily. These are my natural strengths, which suit me well for some professional, bookish career. Oh, I can sing well, too, but I guess I don't consider musicianship to be innately creative so much as being artistically sensitive.
What I'm wondering is, what drives creative people? Do they feel a need to create, or are they just good at it? Is there any hope that if I want to develop some muse, I could? Is it possible that I'm too lazy to pursue any of my ideas because I think they're all pipe dreams?
Probably what's at the root of all of my anxieties is that I don't know myself well enough.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Saturday, February 9, 2008
I'm no film buff, but . . .
Last night, the sudden and unfortunate ailment of my friend Derek made my friends and me change our plans for the evening. He was our supplier for the promisingly heinous cinematic offerings Zardoz (seen it) and Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight (haven't seen it). We decided to watch The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou instead.
I hadn't seen this movie before, and I'll admit I was actually against it at the start. I hadn't heard great things about it, and it looked to me like proof that Wes Anderson was in a rut of his own quirkiness. But I went into it without much protest.
It wasn't as annoying as I thought it would be. In fact, I found it pretty enjoyable. True, the film's quirkiness seemed to be only for quirkiness's sake, and sometimes it got to eye-rolling levels. However, I think that I laughed out loud more than I had at any other Wes Anderson film, and it seemed that those bits of humor were slightly more conventional than just weird. Weird humor is hit and miss with me. Furthermore, Wes Anderson always picks a soundtrack that agrees with me, but The Life Aquatic made me realize that I have to commit to David Bowie as my favorite artist.
I didn't think that The Life Aquatic was a great film. It was ambitious, though, in trying what it tried to cover with an attitude so blase. As MaryLynn said, Wed Anderson films always seem to be bored about everything that happens in them. In this way, I can see how he was influenced by French New Wave cinema. Admittedly, I've only seen The 400 Blows, but the pacing of each scene is rather lifelike and plaintive, which is what I see Anderson trying to achieve as well. I prefer Anderson's approach, because he goes for more of a fantastic plot than a true "slice of life" one. Because honestly, if I'm going to watch some people trying to act out situations with realtime pacing, I'd rather see them do it in a yellow submarine.
I hadn't seen this movie before, and I'll admit I was actually against it at the start. I hadn't heard great things about it, and it looked to me like proof that Wes Anderson was in a rut of his own quirkiness. But I went into it without much protest.
It wasn't as annoying as I thought it would be. In fact, I found it pretty enjoyable. True, the film's quirkiness seemed to be only for quirkiness's sake, and sometimes it got to eye-rolling levels. However, I think that I laughed out loud more than I had at any other Wes Anderson film, and it seemed that those bits of humor were slightly more conventional than just weird. Weird humor is hit and miss with me. Furthermore, Wes Anderson always picks a soundtrack that agrees with me, but The Life Aquatic made me realize that I have to commit to David Bowie as my favorite artist.
I didn't think that The Life Aquatic was a great film. It was ambitious, though, in trying what it tried to cover with an attitude so blase. As MaryLynn said, Wed Anderson films always seem to be bored about everything that happens in them. In this way, I can see how he was influenced by French New Wave cinema. Admittedly, I've only seen The 400 Blows, but the pacing of each scene is rather lifelike and plaintive, which is what I see Anderson trying to achieve as well. I prefer Anderson's approach, because he goes for more of a fantastic plot than a true "slice of life" one. Because honestly, if I'm going to watch some people trying to act out situations with realtime pacing, I'd rather see them do it in a yellow submarine.
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