Carrie And Cream

In 1974, Stephen King published his first ever novel, Carrie. It told the story of a bullied girl with an abusive mother, a girl who gets one good night at prom, only to be horrifically humiliated as she stands on the podium. At that moment, her growing telekinetic abilities ignites a bloody revenge against her bullying classmates.

It's a pretty sad tragedy if you think about it; mainly because of all the stories we hear now of bullied students bringing deadly revenge to their school doors. Carrie, written in 1974, is a story that can be told thousand times and never get old because it's a story that real life keeps telling. The difference between Carrie and real life is that Carrie's addition of unbridled, unchecked telekinesis makes that breaking point horrifyingly gorey for the watchers. This story has been brought to the screen three times. One in 1976 (it had a more horror-story spin to it), one in 2002 (similar), and most recently, one in 2013, which I went to see in theaters.

I want to first point out how well the actors were in this movie. Julianne Moore takes the cake as Religious Nut Mother. Every time she opened her mouth, I could believe that she actually meant what came out of it. Every time she grabbed Carrie to throw her in the prayer closet, I didn't actually think she did it out of spite as much as a genuine belief in what she was doing. LIke she actually thought that everything was a sin and that she had to save her daughter from it, even if it meant locking her in a closet. That being said, I wasn't sympathetic to her plight when she took her condemnation of her own daughter to the extreme, and I definitely felt my heart go out to Carrie for what her mother put her through.

Additionally, the supporting acts all played their roles well. Gabriella Wilde (who plays Sue) is the bully-turned changed woman, who sets up her own boyfriend with Carrie as a peace offering (after the horrific bout of bullying she pulled), and her evolving sincerity feels real to me. Portia Doubleday, who plays the main bully Chris (you know, the one who sets up the prank that ruins the prom), is almost too evil--her glee at posting the video of Carrie's torment on youtube, her defiance in the face of the consequences, and the pleasure she takes in setting her prank into action is...unsettling, to say the least.

But Chloe Moretz's depiction of the lonely girl turned vengeful horror heroine (the word "heroine" not being genuine) is so well crafted. She spends most of the movie withdrawn and frightened, save for the inexplicable moments where she causes things to happen that she cannot explain, and the moments she learns to harness her powers in a way that changes the face of her little town forever.

Oh yeah, and this is gonna haunt me forever. Eek.

All this is to say that the movie was definitely what I was hoping for, and I certainly recommend it to anyone whose seen the other two versions (like I have) and want to compare. Although  have to say, each version has its own charm to it. This version in particular emphasizes the pain of the whole tale, with the climax serving as bloody afterthought. As one reviewer put it "[other versions of] Carrie was horror. This Carrie is tragedy."

- CDM

3 Book Beverage

Finally! I reinstated my library card, and am able to enjoy the world of reading without draining my wallet or driving to a bookstore (cause, you know, I don't have a bookstore in my area anymore...sniffle). And I came to a conclusion.

The Library is heaven.

Why? Because it holds books.

And books are the key to a whole 'bother world of imagination and information and possibility.

And I get to enjoy that....for free.

Too many of us take it for granted that we have this wealth of information and knowledge and creativity just AVAILABLE to us, while girls like Malala Yousafzai have to fight every day for the right to an education, to books, to knowledge! The idea that books and novels could become the stuff of urban legend is frightening. People, we can't forget just how amazing books are!

Forgive me. This is not a lecture.

I'll admit, I've slacked in the book area, which is only hurting me...so this surge of reading I've been going through is to make up for lost time.....and I was dearly rewarded.

- Micro by Michael Crichton

A company called Nanigen Microtechnologies has created a groundbreaking invention of microscopic robots...with blades. They have also found that research in the Oahu forest in Hawaii have uncovered millions of new bacteria species and organisms that could hold vital properties for the human body. Seven graduates are picked from Cambridge to explore this forest and all it has to offer. But one of the graduates has detected foulplay from this billion-dollar company, and once caught, the head of the company forces the graduates into the forest--after shrinking them down to a size smaller than a wasp. Now, the graduates must find a way to survive the suddenly fearful environment, using their own knowledge in their own fields.

This is one of the most disturbing concepts I've read, and that's with Prey in existence. Crichton pulls no punches when describing the most graphic violence between an army of ants and an unsuspecting victim, or the sadistic company owner and his second-in-command. But it illuminates a sad truth--everything, humanity and otherwise, has these abilities and these tendencies. It's a horrific scene, the centipede charging at the graduates, but it is just as horrible when the President of Nanigen sends hit men to kill one of the graduates. There is one glaring difference--for Nature, there is no moral awareness; it is how it is. For humanity, we know the morals and ethics. Those who choose to go the barbaric route have no excuse.

This is definitely a must-read for Crichton fans. A well-done sendoff for the man. RIP.

- No One In The World by E. Lynn Harris

It's kind of ironic that the two books on this list are by exceptional authors who have both died. This author, E. Lynn Harris, was an openly gay male whose books generally covered the topic on down-low, in the closet males. I've read a few of his books before and have always found myself sucked into the plot twists and turns. In this posthumous release, Harris writes about two twin brothers who were separated at birth, wen down very different paths, and meet up again in the strangest of circumstance.
Cobi Winslow was the lucky brother, picked out by rich parents and raised to be an intelligent and powerful attorney, who relished putting away "thugs" and "low-lifes." Eric was the boy who stayed in the foster system, and ended up in jail for stealing a car, while his fiancé left him and tried to take his daughter away. When Cobi's parents admit to him that he has a brother, Cobi instantly tracks him down, and Eric is not the man Cobi had hoped (aka he is the kind of man Cobi and his sister look down on) but blood is thicker than prejudice, and eventually Cobi and Eric learn that they are two sides of the same coin.
There is SO MUCH MORE to this plot than I'm telling, but I don't want to ramble, and I'm scared of spoiling the story. Just know that it was all the right amounts of drama and emotion and sexiness you would hope for from Harris. Everybody's got a secret. You think Scandal is scandalous? It's so intense, I can follow every high and low in each of the characters' lives as if I'm actually in there with them, like in that moment when--NOPE! NOP! NOT SPOILING!

- The Darkest Child by Delores Phillips

This book was in fact finished today. It's the only novel that Philips has written to date, and it hit home for me in more ways than I can explain.
Its set around the time of Brown v. Board Of Education, in rural Parkersfield, where the light-skinned Rozelle Quinn lives with her TEN children, all with different, and absent, fathers. The darkest child, Tangy Mae, serves as the narrator, as she describes life at the bottom of her mother's list, and yet the one her mother holds to the tightest. At fourteen, Tangy Mae is forced to clean white people's homes in the daytime and "service men, white and black, at the 'Farmhouse.'" While her other siblings have found marriage as an escape route from their abusive and possessive mother, Tangy Mae has school, working hard to achieve the education that will send her on a better path, far away from the woman she loves and hates at the same time.
It's a touchy subject, even to this day, and those who have dealt with the issue of mental illness, family dysfunction, and colorism, will find this book to hit home in many ways. But it handles the issues in a realistic and eloquent manner; Tangy Mae weaves through her conflicting emotions with a finesse beyond her years, indicating that she's had to grow up in a short amount of time, at too young an age. The dynamic between her and siblings rises and falls with their mother's moods, ranging from bright and cheery to downright frightening. And it all comes together in a climax I didn't see coming.
It's not a hunky dory kind of book, but I think if you gave fit to a group of people, the discussion it sparks could be thought-provoking and impactive.


So there's my three-book beverage. What are some books you're reading this fall?

- CDM

Red Leaf Latte Part 2 (The Love Theme)

First off, Happy Sunday. It's been a little rainy and cloudy, and the breeze is slowly getting back to the way it should be (at least for now.) And I hope you photographers and filmmakers out there will take advantage of the beautiful transitions the weather is making.

Secondly, for this Part 2 to the Red Leaf Latte series (which by now you understand is a batch of autumn songs), I've come up with a particular theme, which is romantic love songs. This would be known as the happier side of love, or what is known to most as the "honeymoon phase." Breakup songs are for another, more gloomy time.

All that being said, let's get to it!

"Heartbeats" by Jose Gonzalez

I've been listening to Jose for years now, and there are plenty songs of his to choose from that would accurately fit the "love" theme, but I chose this one because it was the first of his that I remember hearing. It's a cover of the original song by The Knife, but it's one of those covers that put an impactive spin on the original...with just a guitar and soft voice. (sigh)

"Lover's Carvings" by Bibio

Again, the guitar. Hope you're not getting annoyed with me, because when Autumn comes, guitar is that key element for me. And this is electric guitar. YES. It starts off as a sweet waltz for the first minute, and then switches up into an upbeat 4-count with cowbells, shakers, and triangles. Bibio's soft voice follows the melody, and you don't have to understand the lyrics to del the love.

"Kiss Me" by Sixpence None The Richer

Everyone knows this song, but I'm posting it anyway. It's one of those songs I can't remember the first time hearing it because it was always playing. The likable guitar strumming, the easy-to-learn lyrics, the catchy melody, that lead singer's sweet lilting voice...It's just a classic romantic song that everyone can sing.

"Chance" by Meshell Ndegeocello

Meshell is this smooth voiced bass player whose been in music business since the nineties with dope singles like "If That's Your Boyfriend(He Wasn't Last Night)" (heehee). This particular song is off her 2011 album Weather , and though it's not really about romantic love, something about it resonates with me in that way. Listen to it, and make your own decisions.

"You Know That I Love You" by Donell Jones

There are in fact plenty of songs Donell has that could be in this category--"Where I wanna be," "I'm Gonna Be," "U Know what's up," etc. But this song in particular captures a sunny autumn day. It's a beautifully simple melody that lifts your mood, set at a tempo you can strut to without drawing too much attention to yourself....(cough) I've had that problem (cough).

"Come Away" by Nini Camps

Hehe, well, I actually first heard this song when I was sick on the couch and watching TV. I was channel surfing when I stopped on Degrassi. And it was a Valentine's day based episode where some girl was publicly declaring her love for her boyfriend, and when she met him in the middle of the dance floor....THIS SONG STARTED PLAYING and I remember nothing else of that episode. After some detective work (internet surfing) I found the Title and Name of this folk-rock song that wasn't even real eased as a single. I have to give props to Degrassi for always picking little known songs, because after that episode, there was a marathon, and I found a couple more awesome songs. So yeah. Canadian teen dramas FTW.

"Obsession" by Omarion

Pharrell + Omarion = kickassness. As proven by their previous collaboration, 'Touch" from Omarion's debut album in 2005. Two years later, They came back together to do it again with "Obsession," an ode to anyone who has ever felt the kind of infatuation for that one person who causes them to lose all function. Over the futuristic sounds we know and love, Omarion's voice is the perfect compliment--without having to embellish with runs, he commands my ear's attention. If this was in a club, I'd be dancing my heart out.

"You" by Raheem Davaughn

There's something so....fascinating about the chorus to this song. Don't get me wrong, the whole song is wonderful; it's a smooth laid back beat you can slow dance to, with the air of a daytime stroll through the city, it's equipped with heartfelt lyrics praising the inner and outer beauty of his lover, it's the melodic progression....but the CHORUS. About four to five different harmonies repeating the same phrase--"Girl, every word in this song's gonna be about you." It's a straightforward phrase that everyone knows to be true of love songs, but the way he sings it...breathtaking. 

Any love songs off YOUR autumn playlist to share?

- CDM

Friday Fondue (Don, Lorde and Simone)

Can someone explain to me why the first four days of October were 82 degrees? 

Is this even normal? 

I don't understand! I did all this closet transferring from summer to fall/winter and now I gotta dig in these just-packed boxes for something I won't sweat to death in! This isn't what I planned. 

Getting tired of your crap, Global Warming. 

But I digress. It's Friday Fondue time--one pick from the movie, music, and book category.

Let's get right into it: 

"Don Jon"  

This is that Justin Gordon-Levitt written and directed movie about Porn Addiction that everyone's been making these kinds of memes about.

Yeah, when I read the summary--A porn addict who goes out of his way to impress a romantic-movie addict but still watches porn--I assumed I understood the main idea. 

Wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

It is a lot more than just a funny porn addict movie. Justin plays the Don Jon, whose life is a routine of gym, clubbing, church, family dinners,sex with hot girls, and porn. Lots of porn. Even after the sex with hot girls. His defense for the constant pornhub visits--"real sex just isn't as good as porn." Not even real sex with Barbara Sugarman (Johansson) who he's been carefully playing the "boyfriend" role just to get into bed with, can measure up to his beloved porn. And since Barbara has told him not to watch porn(he still does), Jon will eventually have to be caught in his own lies.

It's funny as heck, yes, but it's also serious. Both Jon and Barbara are victims of their own delusions. Jon is playing into Barbara's fantasy so she can fulfill his own--Jon's porn-star like sex and Barbara's movie-like happy ending. But both paths collide because neither side is honest about their true intentions. This movie does more than make you laugh and/or cringe. It effectively conveys the reality that both the hyper-sexual and the hyper-romantic are two extremes, two side of the same coin. Porn is not a reality of sex anymore than most rom-com's are a reality of love. The character that helps Jon realize this is Esther(Julianne Moore), the Jon's older classmate from night school with enough problems to deal with without him, but eager to have someone to talk to anyway. There's a point when she explains to him why he feels he can't lose himself during sex--because it's one-sided for him. "You have to lose yourself in her, and she has to lose herself in you. It goes both ways."

And this, my friends, is the reason why everyone age 18 and over (it's Rated R) should go see this movie. Reflect a bit on their own delusions when it comes to love and sex. Couldn't hurt to try, eh?

"Ribs" by Lorde

She's as new as a newborn baby, but this 16 year old New Zealand native is already getting some attention due to her single "Royals" and her EP, The Love Club. Oh, and her debut, Pure Heroine. 

What brought her to this week's Friday Fondue is this little gem I found on iTunes, that is free for a limited time. It's called "Ribs."

I think we've all experienced these points in our lives, whether at 16, younger, or older, when we've realized that life is passing us faster than we thought. In Lorde's case, she's realizing the privileges of growing up (like her parents leaving her at home alone) is matched by the fear of getting older and leaving that safe place we call childhood. She's also conveying the hard-hitting emotions we have all felt as we discover that growing up isn't the free-ride we used to think it was. "This dream isn't feeling sweet, we're reeling through the midnight streets...It feels so scary, getting old."

Definitely a must hear for anyone who has felt, or is feeling, the fear of "getting old."

"Blonde Faith" by Walter Mosley

If I haven't yet made a post about the Easy Rawlins series...I'm sorry. It's an amazing detective series set in the early to mid-1900's, and revolves around the African American detective who has to juggle crime-solving along with his own personal demons. Have I really not posted about this? Not even about the fact that one of the books, Devil In A Blue Dress, was made into a movie with DENZEL WASHINGTON?? Gee, well I'll make up for that failure now!

Anyway, I'm still reading the book, and so far, it's as good as the previous ones, although much sadder in content. It starts off with Easy reuniting a father and daughter, but internally lamenting the loss of his longtime lover, Bonnie. In the last book, she had cheated on him with Prince Joguye, who was paying for her daughter's medical bills, and Easy had kicked her out for it (as he should.) But ever since, Easy has been dying inside without the woman he loves, and is desperate for her back. But then she tells him she is set to marry Prince Joguye, and the chances of wining her back are very slim. Love stinks, doesn't it?

ON top of that, Easy is tasked with clearing the name of his best friend Mouse, who is accused of a murder he didn't commit; with his past of dealing with the police, Easy seems to be the only one in his corner. Additionally, Easy has to figure out what to do with the daughter of Christmas Black (yes, that's his name), a veteran who left her at Easy's doorstep without any explanation as to why. 

And where, in all of this, does the blonde-haired Faith fit in? 

I won't spoil it. Mainly because I don't fully know yet myself. But the way it's going so far, I expect an amazing unraveling of events, and a powerful conclusion, as only Mosley can do it. 


Who's seen, listened to, or read one of these picks? What did you think of it?

- CDM