'Hugo' A Review

'Hugo' is film about an orphan boy, Hugo, who lives in a train station. Past that it's unclear what the movie is trying to be about. Is it about being alone, is it about toys/clock work, is it about growing up, is it about dreams, is it about movies? The movie is incredibly vague and meandering with respect to it's subject matter. Reviewers have said it's Scorsese's homage to silent films, it's unfortunate silent films aren't actually mentioned or referred to until 100 minutes in. And the silent movie content was unrolled in a 15 minute montage.

The acting is wooden, especially Ben Kingsly's as 'surly' shop owner. All the characters go through no change, no emotional arc, and it's not apparent that they are even real people. Certainly there are plot devises that 'change' the characters, but by the acting you would be unable to tell.

The film is frustratingly long and gives little to no context who the main character is or what his motivations are. We see, in a flashback, Jude Law as Hugo's dad for maybe two minutes. In this flashback Hugo and his dad are repairing a mechanical toy man who writes. The first part of the movie is all about repairing this toy man because Hugo believes whatever it writes will be some kind of message or closure from his father. Once repaired the story abandons Hugo and his dad and shifts to Ben Kingsly's character. It's nonsensical poor-storytelling.

There is also some terrible comedic relief by Sacha Baron Cohen as the station security that seems as if it's in the wrong movie.

The film is unclear, unstructured, and unsatisfying.

Don't See It.

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Outside the Landmark. If there's a reference I'm missing it.

Steve's Guide To Family

For my sister Marta

1. Stay Connected- Keep in touch with your family. You don't have to be in contact all the time: not once a day, not once a week, but stay in contact. Let your loved ones know how you're doing and what you're up to. Email, text, call. Don't let there be a gap.

2. Talk And Listen- Talk to your family. Tell them what's going on in your life: how your job is, what you're into, and if you're in love. Share your pain with them too, they're the only people in the world you can unload on and not feel bad about it. Tell them as much as you can and listen even more. Be interested and engaged in your family members lives. Listen to the little stupid things that no one else will listen to because sometimes those small things are big things.

3. Argue- You only have to worry about a certain amount of politeness when it comes to your family. If they are doing something you don't agree with or don't like, tell them. Feel free to call bullshit on them or fight back if they are making you feel mad, sad, or embarrassed. Keep in mind they are your family and you love them. Don't be mean, be constructive. Don't be biting, be logical. But make your point. Stand up.

3a. Check Yourself- Your family are people too. You know them the best so you know how to cut deep if you want to. Don't. Don't hit below the belt. Make your point but don't hit the nerve even though you know exactly where it is.

4. Eat Together- Share meals together. You don't have to talk. But break bread together. You're a family. A unit. It's something you don't share with anyone else. Sometimes they're the only ones you can count on. Sometimes it's you against the world.

5. Sit Together- You don't need a reason or an activity to be together. Watch a movie or TV and simply sit together. Read or check your email or write. Simply sit in the same room. Share the space. Sometimes doing that brings you closer than chatting. Exist together.

"There's nothing like family you know." -Al Pacino Scent Of A Woman

Music

A poem about music for the Beanpole

walking alone
through the bleak unknown
with strings that shriek
and horns that moan

listen careful
to life's faint tone
when you feel meek
which we all are prone

take strength
you are always home
when music swells
which is your own

'The Skin I Live In' A Review

The second worst movie I've ever seen. The worst being 'Blindness'. The film is about a mad scientist- his tragic past and his questionable experiments. The film has no redeeming qualities, no plot that can be followed, and no reason for its graphic grotesqueries. I asked myself many times while watching 'why was this made?' I'm yet to find an answer.

The characters have no motivation. The perverse sexuality has no purpose. The plot makes no sense.

Avoid At All Cost.

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Signs from the universe.

"Hope" is the thing with feathers—
That perches in the soul—
And sings the tune without the words—
And never stops—at all—

And sweetest—in the Gale—is heard—
And sore must be the storm—
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm—

I've heard it in the chillest land—
And on the strangest Sea—
Yet, never, in Extremity,
It asked a crumb—of Me.
-Emily Dickinson

"Man needs, for his happiness, not only the enjoyment of this or that, but hope and enterprise and change." -Bertrand Russell

The Devins: Revenge...?

Salute Jive has our last iO show tonight, 10pm. Come check us out!

Years later, the Devins get revenge. Or do they?