Friday: Danearys Endorses ATONEMENT
Friday night I was feeling like I should be doing something, but didn't want to go out to a bar for happy hour. So I figured that I hadn't seen a movie in a while and I might as well go see what all the fuss was about when people mentioned the movie atonement. I did not regret it. I'm normally a person that has mixed feelings about books turned into movies. Many times I am disappointed. This was not the case with Atonement.
How do I start? Well here goes:
Atonement is a novel written by Ian McEwan. It’s a pretty complex novel, taken from several points for view, and divided into four different parts. Mostly it is based off the perception of Briony Tallis, a naïve, precocious 13 year old. She has just written a play in celebration of the return of her older brother. Her sister Cecilia Tallis has also just returned from University at roughly the same time as the Housekeeper’s son: Robbie Turner, who also studied literature at Cambridge University. It is clear that Cecilia Tallis is disturbed and confused by her feelings for Robbie.
One day while trying to water some plants, Robbie and Cecilia break a valuable vase and pieces fall into a fountain. Cecilia strips down to her underwear and jumps into the fountain to retrieve the fragments in front of a startled Robbie. Briony Witnesses the scene of sexual tension as Cecilia comes out of the fountain and confronts Robbie, and is confused as to its meaning.
Meanwhile the older brother Leon arrives with a friend, and the assemble of characters (including Robbie) sit down to eat. Through a series of events, children runaway, a girl is raped, a scandalous letter is written, and an innocent man incarcerated.
Part Two follows a character marching through the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940. The character is Robbie, who has been in contact with Cecilia and has promised that she’ll wait for him until his return to England. This part is one of the shortest parts, but one of the most compelling, as it shows the mentality of war and the effects of an action taken long ago.
Part three follows Briony again, only this time as a young woman in the hospital wards during the height of WWII for Britain. Having chosen a hard life over a cushioned student life, the reader sees the daily horrors from war, and how no matter how hard one works, one can never escape the past.
Part Four is the last part, and is taken from Briony’s view as a 77 year old in 1999. She has become a world-famous author and is on the cusp of death, having just finished her “last” novel. This part of the book really changes the reader’s perspective, and is actually some what philosophical. It questions reality and its perceptions.
I’m sorry if this seems really rushed, but I don’t want to spoil either the movie or the book. I tried to sum up enough of the story without having to give it away. Let me tell you, both are amazing pieces. But you have to have patience to read atonement. There are times where the chapters seem to carry on forever, for no real reason. How many descriptions of a flower petal can you have? But once you push through it, you’re well rewarded with a satisfying and though provoking read.
The movie, I think, has done an excellent job in capturing the feelings of the book. Not to mention the cinematography in the movie is just astounding. I also have to say that the design for the characters and the recreation of England during WWII is really just…superb. I love it.
I’ll warn you though; this is not an easy movie. It leaves you feeling somewhat empty and bitter. If you’re a hopeful romantic, it destroys your candy-flavored view of life, and if you’re a cynic, it goes to show that human emotion is often stronger than many give it credit. Go see it now! Plus, Keira Knightley is stunning in this movie, and James McAvoy (boys will remember him from Band of Brothers) is such an amazing actor with tremendous sex appeal (in my opinion), I cannot recommend this film enough.
Saturday: Celebration of early Sinful Tuesday
Saturday was full of movement for me. I woke up pretty early for a weekend, and walked along the parks that snake around my building, before heading into the city to see the Play “argonautika”. It’s a play written by Mary Zimmerman, and is an amazing rendition of “Jason and the Argonauts”. Generally Zimmerman is tied to an element in a play, such as lots of lights or a particular tune. But this time she was more into the ephemeral things in life; the tragedies of man in the cosmos, chance, prophecy and manipulation by Gods. She could have left the tale ending with Jason’s Triumph at Colchis, taking the fleece and the mortal enchantress Medea, but “argonautika” rather reminds us of the hollowness of Jason’s victory, how short-term gains inevitably yield long term follies, and how generally the product of human endeavor is almost always heartbreak of some sort.
The play itself however is pretty witty if you think about. She plays with words and modern phrases. For example, when Jason tries to rationalize his sexual betrayal to Medea, he tells her “It’s not about you, it’s me”, or when the goddess Athena eavesdrops on a moment of heated "wrestling" between Jason and Medea with the urban inflection “oh yes they DI id”. This of course doesn’t mention the use of the words “Fuck”, “Shit”, “Asshole”. They bring a more modern light to the play that could have otherwise been just another classical play. Mind you I don’t mind the classics, but I can see why Zimmerman would want to have everyone interested.
( It was a pretty hot Water Nymph too)
Anyway, I am one of those people that like to look at the surroundings, and the sets for this play are amazing. There’s a tinsel-covered water nymph, a hooded Fury, a gaggle of Harpies that actually vomit, a jester-like Eros, and a giant arrow sticking out of a heart sick maiden. There are even stripper shoes! If you ever get a chance to go see it, please do. You’ll be impressed by its wit and humor, and you’ll see the story with a whole pair of eyes, which make you realize things you never noticed before. For example, I didn’t realize what a tool Jason really was.
Saturday Night: Samba, Dance, Indie, 60’s, Pool, disco fever.
After an eventful afternoon with unrequited love and a hero’s conquest. I went out! Think of it this way. Sinful Tuesday is this week, and then it’s Ash Wednesday. It’s time to get as much done NOW before an entire month of fasting (I’m not really looking forward to that, I love food). And since it’s always that Mardi Gras (aka Fat Tuesday, aka Sinful Tuesday) falls on a Tuesday, people celebrate the weekend before. Ultrabar in dc had a samba band come and play. The doors opened at 930 and it was free admission for anyone 21 and up. Not to mention open bar till 1030, and then half off everything. However, it tends to get crowded really quick and before I knew it, I was pressed into the corner doing the stand-still dance, because there was no where for me to move. I promptly left and went to Club Lima. It was less crowded for a while and I actually could drink my drinks at a table without feeling like I was going to be pushed out of the way for a bigger crowd. The DJ was pretty good, and it wasn’t a bad place to be until all the people that couldn’t fit into Ultrabar came into Lima instead.
I decided to switch from the orange line to the red line, and headed over to U Street. Here is where all the eclectics hang out. We went to Saint Ex, where everyone seemed to be suffering from their latest break up, and I ran into a million people that I had never thought (or hoped) I would run into for the rest of my life. After a quick game of fake catch up and listening to how the world revolved around someone’s broken heart, I went to the Black Cat’s 60’s dance party. I had stepped out of the world of the Emo, and into the world of the 60’s. I swear everyone in that place looked like either John Lennon or Paul McCartney, and every girl either looked like Cher or Twiggy. I stuck out like a sore thumb. I had a pony tail, boot jeans and a black halter-top. Some girls treated me with disdain, but that’s ok…because I didn’t look like I was starving and could actually do the locomotion.
The play itself however is pretty witty if you think about. She plays with words and modern phrases. For example, when Jason tries to rationalize his sexual betrayal to Medea, he tells her “It’s not about you, it’s me”, or when the goddess Athena eavesdrops on a moment of heated "wrestling" between Jason and Medea with the urban inflection “oh yes they DI id”. This of course doesn’t mention the use of the words “Fuck”, “Shit”, “Asshole”. They bring a more modern light to the play that could have otherwise been just another classical play. Mind you I don’t mind the classics, but I can see why Zimmerman would want to have everyone interested.
( It was a pretty hot Water Nymph too)
Anyway, I am one of those people that like to look at the surroundings, and the sets for this play are amazing. There’s a tinsel-covered water nymph, a hooded Fury, a gaggle of Harpies that actually vomit, a jester-like Eros, and a giant arrow sticking out of a heart sick maiden. There are even stripper shoes! If you ever get a chance to go see it, please do. You’ll be impressed by its wit and humor, and you’ll see the story with a whole pair of eyes, which make you realize things you never noticed before. For example, I didn’t realize what a tool Jason really was.
Saturday Night: Samba, Dance, Indie, 60’s, Pool, disco fever.
After an eventful afternoon with unrequited love and a hero’s conquest. I went out! Think of it this way. Sinful Tuesday is this week, and then it’s Ash Wednesday. It’s time to get as much done NOW before an entire month of fasting (I’m not really looking forward to that, I love food). And since it’s always that Mardi Gras (aka Fat Tuesday, aka Sinful Tuesday) falls on a Tuesday, people celebrate the weekend before. Ultrabar in dc had a samba band come and play. The doors opened at 930 and it was free admission for anyone 21 and up. Not to mention open bar till 1030, and then half off everything. However, it tends to get crowded really quick and before I knew it, I was pressed into the corner doing the stand-still dance, because there was no where for me to move. I promptly left and went to Club Lima. It was less crowded for a while and I actually could drink my drinks at a table without feeling like I was going to be pushed out of the way for a bigger crowd. The DJ was pretty good, and it wasn’t a bad place to be until all the people that couldn’t fit into Ultrabar came into Lima instead.
I decided to switch from the orange line to the red line, and headed over to U Street. Here is where all the eclectics hang out. We went to Saint Ex, where everyone seemed to be suffering from their latest break up, and I ran into a million people that I had never thought (or hoped) I would run into for the rest of my life. After a quick game of fake catch up and listening to how the world revolved around someone’s broken heart, I went to the Black Cat’s 60’s dance party. I had stepped out of the world of the Emo, and into the world of the 60’s. I swear everyone in that place looked like either John Lennon or Paul McCartney, and every girl either looked like Cher or Twiggy. I stuck out like a sore thumb. I had a pony tail, boot jeans and a black halter-top. Some girls treated me with disdain, but that’s ok…because I didn’t look like I was starving and could actually do the locomotion.
(Twiggy in all her 60's splendor, she was pretty cool)
Sunday: Day o’ football
I’m a world cup girl. I grew up with soccer, I played soccer, and I enjoy soccer. I had never really had much interest in football. However, a lot of my friends do. And they take it very seriously. So I decided to try out my first super bowl: Patriots vs. Giants. Of course, I have no idea about anything in football. I’m still learning…alongside all the other toddlers in the country. But, I decided to take a bet and go against all odds. I bet on the Giants. Everyone thought I was crazy, they told me that the Patriots had not lost a game yet, and the Giants were a “wildcard” team…which I think means something along the lines of they were lucky to get in, because they aren’t really that good in comparison to other teams. But I have a closer tie to the Giants than I do the Patriots….and even though I don’t know anything about football…I know that I dislike Tom Brady. So I bet on the Giants 20 bucks. I don’t need to get into the description of the entire game (since most of you already know it), so I’ll just say that I’m looking forward to spending my 20 bucks.
Go Giants!
(A pretty upset Patriot)
Well my friends, I’m sure that you don’t want to read anymore (and I can only go into sooo many descriptions). But I hope you enjoyed it, and if you hate me right now because I happen to have won 20 bucks from you, I’m sorry…I guess I’m just lucky. :)
Well my friends, I’m sure that you don’t want to read anymore (and I can only go into sooo many descriptions). But I hope you enjoyed it, and if you hate me right now because I happen to have won 20 bucks from you, I’m sorry…I guess I’m just lucky. :)
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