July 2011 Greatest Hits

Introduction

At the end of each month I like to take some time and write about what was great about it. You can call this action what you want — stopping to smell the roses, appreciating the simple things in life, taking stock of the present time — regardless of what you want to call it, I’ve enjoyed doing it because it forces me to look at some of the positive things in day to day life potentially could be easily overlooked. With that as the background, here are last months Greatest Hits. (In chronological order)

Learning About The “50/50″ Movie

I actually meant to post this last month, but I’m sure you don’t care.

I watched this trailer over and over again. As someone who has had to wrestle with the prospect of battling Cancer, this film appears like it might be dead on in terms of communicating the emotion behind your entire life being kicked on it’s side. I can’t wan’t wait to see it.

50/50 opens September 30th. I’ll see you there.

Campfires With My Guys!

My little dudes, especially Logan, have a new found love of campfires. It seems every time Logan and I are outside, he’s asking me to make one. I’m only too happy to oblidge.

Logan and Chase watching a campfire

With Theme frequency of his requests, I thought for sure I would tire of making campfires, but I learned something about myself: it turns out I just really enjoyed setting stuff on fire. And to think of all the time I wasted camping just to start fires. Tisk tisk.

100%-ing Spiderman:Shattered Dimensions

You can read my 1000 Character Review Here.

Ollie Klublershturf vs. The Nazis!!!

You should watch this whole thing. It’s funny. Real life LOL funny.

Ollie Klublershturf vs. The Nazis is directed by Skot Bright and written by Damon Lindelof (Lost). The film stars Chris Hemsworth, George Segal, Lainie Kazan, Norman Reedus, Rachel Nichols, Samm Levine, and Zach Mills and is an off-the-wall comedy set around the dinner table. What at first glance seems like an awkward ‘meet the parents’ situation for Dade Klublershturf quickly turns into a game of cat and mouse between Nazis, his boy genius younger brother, Ollie, and a time machine (disguised as an Atari joy stick) the Nazis are trying to capture from him…

The Mystery of the Hat-box Ghost

When you consume as much Disney culture as I do, the information that really impresses start to show up few and far between. This month I came across a fantastic video, created by the Disney History Institute which documents and “tracks down” the illusive Hat Box ghost — a Grim Grinning Ghost which has been used in several of The Haunted Mansion’s promotional material, but some have doubted ever appeared in the ride itself. This is a must watch for any Haunted Mansion fan.

The Sunset Limited

Tommy Lee Jones and Samuel L Jackson in The Sunset Limited

HBO’s movie adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s Sunset Limited blew me away; in every sense possible. Tommy Lee Jones and Samuel L Jackson, who were cast perfectly as White and Black, deliver the familiar script in such a way it creates a new impact.

The movie is an ultimate story of the ever presences of light and darkness in the word, tackles the question, “Is life even worth living?”, and presents, beautifully, both sides of the ancient argument of belief vs. non-belief.

I can’t stop watching this. I’ve seen it seven times already and even just jotting down a couple of thoughts about it is making me want to watch it again.

For anyone even remotely interested in life, The Sunset Limited is a masterpiece.

Thanks July. See you next year.