More Movie Suggestions

For the most part, here in the land of the Rockies, Spring has arrived. Right now, as I write, I have the front door open and the sliding glass door leading to the balcony for a perfect cross breeze. The trees are in full bloom, green upon green, bursting colors and a deep, cerulean blue sky. You could take a bite out of it. Feist is on at the moment, that soulful songwriter, so I thought to myself, "It must be time for another blog." Things have been good lately. I think spring is making its optimistic mark on my psyche. Something about that beautiful blue sky, warm air, and people about. I'm lucky to live here, because the creek is not far and the path, if you take it west for long enough, goes all the way into the mountains. In Boulder, it is not a long trek. I did this on Monday, taking a huge loop up and around town, and back down through Pearl Street Mall, which is always good for some entertainment and new sights to see. My goal this year is to get out of the house more and take in nature's splendor, pen more in the journal, I think. Something nice about those personal reflections and how good they are for the mind and soul.

Still, despite not reading much horror as I have been, I'm still watching some great movies. After some time, reading fiction enough can be fine, but I've been craving facts. I have a few years of college, but it's amazing how uniformed a person can feel. I started with Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything. I'm still catching up because the book is a few years old now, but it's a great history lesson from the beginning of the universe until the present. I forgot about the joy of learning for a while because I get so wrapped up in the beauty of language and fiction. Not that this doesn't teach, but I think you know what I mean. I'm hoping I'll be in this mood for a while, and we'll see how things go. Plus, I'm hungry for ideas. My writing has changed over the years, as it does, I'm sure, with every writer. I'm ready for a branch in yet another direction.

Aside from the facts, on the movie front, I have some recommendations. May, is among the first. One thing I've always loved is a demented love story. They might be my favorite. Madness has always been a fascinating theme for me for many reasons, and I use it a lot. Love, of course, we can all relate to, and obsession, is not a far cry from madness. It's a thin line between madness and love, but the combination works beautifully when done right. May is just such a film. Comical enough to make you laugh with that sick sense of humor, but demented enough to make you cock your eyebrow in disbelief. Another great example is The Isle, which has had some mixed reviews, but I highly recommend it, as well. Korean horror, my friends, is great stuff. A doorway has opened for me I never thought much about until now. Also, I recommend A Tale of Two Sisters, if I haven't mentioned it already. Ginger Snaps is another I recently came across. I thought it was one of the better werewolf movies since An American Werwolf in London. What is it with werewolf movies I find hilarious? Beats me. From Within, one of the HorrorFest III movies, wasn't too bad either, though I also watched Autopsy and was extremely disappointed. I have this theory in horror literature and movies. If you have characters who are that naive and stupid, then they deserve to die. Come on, people, don't insult us viewers! We've seen it a million times. Time to move on. If you run out of gas in your brand new SUV in the middle of nowhere with no around for miles and your cell phone is dead, then you pretty much deserve to get axed into little bits and pieces. The directors are no better for creating it. Literary and serious horror, I think, is on the rise. At least I hope so. It is time to build and create, so it becomes a beautiful art form. Also, rent the French film They Came Back. This is a thoughtful, tense movie that will get your mental wheels churning. Some people didn't like it. You'll find out why, but I can't say.

Other than that, I hope all is well with you and yours. And here's to you tapping into the best of your creativity, open mindedness, and originality.
Cheers, my friends!
Brandon