Ellipsis Movie Of The Week... Leave The World Behind

 

"We fuck each other all the time, without even realizing it. We fuck every living thing on the planet over and over and think it will be fine because we use paper straws and order free-range chicken. And the sick thing is, I think deep down we know we're not fooling anyone."

~Amanda Sanford ( Julia Roberts )

Leave The World Behind

From the book, Leave The World Behind

By Rumaan Alam

"Well, when I couldn't fall back asleep thus morning, I came over here. To watch thr sunrise. And I saw all these people starting their day with such tenacity. Such verve. All in an effort... make something of themselves. Make something of the world. I felt so lucky to be a part of that. But then I remembered... what the world is really like. And I came to a more accurate realization. I fucking hate people."

~Amanda Sandford ( Julia Roberts )

Leave The World Behind

Do you ever wake up one day, and think to yourself, I can't take one more day of humanity? I know I do, often. Like the character of Amanda, I have, at times, become weary of of being around people in 2026! Things are so selfish and scary. The glee and glow, for some Americans, comes not from living the American dream, but rather the thought that we would all be better off if a nice little civil war would take place, to save America from... us. This movie addresses one such path towards the end of the world, through frightening means. 

Strange happenings. Coincidences. Conspiracy theories and a sudden lack of connection to the outside world, and it's affect on an America used to being plugged in all the time! It all leads to the feeling of being on the outside looking in, all while feeling all to aware that life has gotten very, very, real when you weren't looking. The collection of eerie moments in this film are terrific, one such involved the arrival of an large container ship, on the shore of a pristine beach! Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawk are perfect as a couple who are almost polar opposites, but who used those differences to apply critical thinking to their new circumstances. Two different perspectives is a good thing!

But soon, it turns out to be about more then just them trying to figure it all out! Is it danger calling, help calling, or is it something eerily different?

I don't want to give it all away, so go watch the movie! There is a cool tie-in to the television show, Friends, so here is a little music that fits very well with the movie! 

"I'll Be There For You"

The Rembrandts

The Mouse Who Found It's Balls

 

Visit the ABC website to learn more, and scan the QR code.

"Censorship it the child of fear, and the father of ignorance."

~Laurie Halse Anderson

Speak

On May 23rd, 2007, Rosie O'Donnell, and Elizabeth Hasselbeck, engaged in an argument so profound, that it ended up being Rosie's last day as moderator of ABC'S, The View. It was tough, and embarrassing to watch as the viewer, but it was hard to look away from. It was about more than politics, it was about respect in the workplace, friendship, and yes, changing political behaviors, beginning, in my opinion, with the Bush administration, when right-wing media reveled in the brutalities of opinion, and the ignorance of the voter/viewer. Back when politics encouraged division at all cost, and that is what has gotten us to this point. I have often said that you can lay the blame on Sarah Palin, and her ridiculous Tea Party Patriots, for the state of our nation, but in looking back at this old clip, I see a lot more was involved. And thank goodness we had that show that day, and thank god we have it now to refer back to, because at the time, we had no idea how lucky we were in that moment. We got to watch the argument happen, and decide for ourselves what was at the core.

Fast forward, and it's suddenly, June 16th, 2015, and Donald Trump, seizing on the dangerous political rise of fuck you politics, rides down a fake golden escalator, and into American political history, as the first gameshow host in history to become president, in his first term, and the first convicted felon, to be elected to a second term. America, it seems, has quite the sense of humor! All joking aside, Donald Trump has been sticking his big nose into just about every area of our lives, including popular culture. He's sued the networks, accepted bribes in order to insure the successful merging of Paramount with Warner Bros/Discovery. David Ellison's wet dream is to  have eventual control of, Paramount, CNN, HBO, Warner Brother's, Discovery, and CBS. To that end, CBS has been kissing Donald Trump's ample butt! He waves a wand and David Ellison, and his minions, such as Bari Weiss, give him whatever he wants within the network, including the firings of Steven Colbert and Scott Pelley. It's embarrassing for them, and depressing for us. Gone are two important and powerful voices who spoke truth to power! CBS is dying, they just haven't pulled the plug yet.

ABC, who is also under constant threat from Donald Trump, hasn't been so easy to be kicked around. Jimmy Kimmel was yanked off the air last year, for one night, as the weak willed network caved to Trump's demands, not only with Kimmel, but with settling a multi-million dollar lawsuit, which most legal experts said the network could have won easily due to a lack of merit. They capitulated to him as they would a school yard bully, and in true bully fashion he keeps coming back for more. But wait... not so fast! ABC, which is owned by Disney, is now saying, ENOUGH! And what did it take? It took the insistence that, The View, change it's content to suit his liking, or face investigations by Trump's FCC, putting licensing of company owned stations on the line. Well, the network, and The View, is having none of it! They are fighting back, and it will more than likely play out over the summer. 

I suppose that saying the mouse has found his balls is a bit harsh. After all, the mouse found himself in uncharted waters, just like the rest of us, and they seem to be taking a stand now... finally... I just hope when all is said and done, they will never cave to the bully again. I don't know, maybe they see that everything has been failing for Trump, hard. In the last few weeks, his vanity projects. His hillbilly smackdown on the east lawn of the White House, and to a devastating effect, the war by choice in Iran. 13 lives... gone. A girls school in Iran bombed, and yes, he is trying to not take responsibility for, and last year the illegal tariffs, that threatened to bring down the world economy. Did I mention the reflecting pond? If the Democrats manage to take both the senate and the congress, impeachment and possibly removal, will be in his future. Please, God, Please. Of course that's assuming he won't try another coup on November 3rd.

Be brave Micky, be brave!

Soap, Bleach, Softeners

"Do more than belong: participate.

 Do more than care: help.

 Do more than believe: practice.

 Do more than be fair: be kind. 

Do more than forgive: forget.

 Do more than dream: work."

~William Arthur Ward

 Former Congressman, Eric Swalwell 

Yet another woman came forward yesterday, this time in Beverly Hills, to accuse Eric Swalwell of rape. That brings the total to five. So, criminal investigations have been opened in 3 counties, New York, Alameda County, and Los Angeles. He's done with his political career. He killed it! He's going to have a miserable few years coming up, and of course all of it will play out through the media, so that means we get to share the misery with him. Or not. For the most part, I have moved on, but what remains is the frustration of watching yet another person with all the talent in the world, fall from grace so hard that they can't or probably won't come back from it. It's such a waste. I will let go completely... in time. In the mean time I have hope for the midterms, when if we can just flip the congress and the senate, we can begin to do some cleaning of the dirty laundry that's been piling up! We have a real chance of being able to impeach Donald Trump, and begin making him pay for his years of pedophilia and raping of women. If we are going to expect Eric Swalwell to face his demons, then Trump had better face his too. At least that's what should happen, if it will, well, that's another story! I guess cynical is my current emotion.

Big Mouth Blues

 “Right is right, even if everyone is against it,

 and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it.” 

~William Penn 

 

 

 

The Big Fat Baby Endures...

 

And it's terrifying.

Autumn In New York

"Don't you just love New York in fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils, if I knew your name and address."

~Nora Ephron

You've Got Mail

One day, while on his way home from work, Alan spotted this cool sign. Two of my favorite things in one place! New York and Coca-Cola! The sign is not in New York, obviously, it is downtown Stockton, but it's kinda cool, and it was fun to photograph it! I took it last June, as I was getting myself prepared to take on autumn, 2018! I have been struggling with inspiration this year, like no other since I began blogging in 2003, but things feel like they are looking up. I am trying to feel more upbeat, unfortunately, upbeat isn't something one can force, either you feel it or you don't. 

Anyway, it's a daydream of mine to do my Autumn Leaf Of The Day series, with autumn leaves I find in Central Park. From all the pictures I have seen of New York, in autumn, I think I would be still smiling the following august, from the joy of one autumn season, in the Big Apple! Even if the snow came early, I would continue to search for them, you know me, I would hate to think I missed a single one! I have the whole romantic adventure plotted out in my imagination. Alan, me, my camera, and lots of leaves.

One Day. Some Day. 

#75 Leaf Of The Day

December 5th 2018

Photographed October 14th 2018

Sacramento, California

Samsung

~Mood: Happy
~Me :)