Watching from the Minds Eye.

The stories we choose to identify with can show how our minds work as individuals. Stories can aide in changing a daily perspective. Over time, sometimes not much time. The story will write you. Stories can change the truth you know to another type of truth, for better or worse is yet to be seen. I tend to be title driven, if an author can not get their tease on and, tantalize me with a titillating title, why would I gander a look? Accidents Happen..

Well we have all had bad dates, for that matter, most of us have been on, or personally been a 'bad date' at one point or another. We all know what its like to lead off with the wrong foot. Titles are much the same way. Hopefully we can remain friends, you're still a good story, I wont judge by your cover, but, they might..

Looking at the history of the word 'title', it is indeed a distracting term. What would an 'i' be without a tittle.. Oh.. But what would I be without my title. Uh anyway.. Onward!

Looper:

I am drawn to movies that at first might be confusing, a certain texture of duality. The titles involving time, or suggest there might be a future self and past self meeting. Like the movie Bruce Willis was in called Looper. What would you say to your past self? Would you actually take a hit on yourself or one of your friends? What could be done if you changed your mind? Of course these are all just random flights of fancy fantasy. I think one of my favorite scenes in this movie is not even a possibility in time travel; a major paradox will happen. The looper that came to Joe after he didn't kill his future self. Talk about running from yourself. Your past self eliminating your future self without knowing it was even you. Even if you knew it was you at all...

The whole concept makes me quiver all over, makes me wonder what I am actually doing at times. Makes me shake inside.

Shutter Island, Has somewhat of a similar theme, if you stretch it a bit. The main difference is its in his head. What was the case he was on, who is out there? The trappings of the mind controlling the thoughts. The end of this movie really pulls at the torment. Through the whole story his identity is real, his cover is perfect to the point the movie helps you question your own identity. I don't really want to spoil this one for you. I don't like saying 'just trust me'. Never mind, this movie is probably too good for you anyway. You wont like it! Well OK. Try it you might like it, just like the kid on the cereal commercial.

What if your identity was only known to your future self?

Predestination, is an awesome ride. It gets so warped in on itself you find out the main character never really knew themselves, closer than one person ever will be. Imagine, you come to the end of your existence, just to find out you were the only person you ever knew, and you love and fear yourself more than you can understand. One could say its a Buddhists dream. Be awesome to everyone around you they might be your future self.

Even if the best plot twists had no resolution. For the sake of argument the story ended kind of Meh.., its all good. The movies that twist your mind a little, open your mind to a view less known or retell ancient wisdom propagated through the ages. Those are the stories that are worth taking in to ones self.

There are some stories, when read for the first time that the reader is so anxious with the plot, that the interactions of the individuals are lost on them in the moment. Upon a second visit to the same story, the meaning is completely different; Possibly due to personal life events, lack of experience to understand the nuance of the entire story at the time they read it, or, like me at times thinking it is going to be boring, or dumb, so I fall asleep. Somehow the story stays with me.

When I get another aspect of the interactions. Maybe an object, or a reference seemingly thrown in for flavor. There is something else to be found just to be lost on our modern culture. At times lost on our heady brains, for pursuit of attention, in trade for depth of character. Yeah, me too... Makes me ponder the thought of how many wonderful things I have missed, only because of a small distraction.

Inception:

Awesome concept, especially for those that have dreamed a dream within a dream, or practiced lucid dreaming. Lucid dreaming itself is quite a movie to watch, I highly recommend keeping a notepad, or recording device close at night for that reason.

Leonardo DiCaprio is pretty good in this role. The mazes in the minds of several of the main characters played well against, and into each other in my opinion. Stunning effects for sure, that is such a small part of the story that tells the character the timing. The feature as a whole speaks about the number of ways in which we lie to ourselves, to motivate others, or just survive. The end of the Movie leaves a stillness of anticipation. You don't really know if it is base reality anymore.

And.. SLEEP!! You are now asleep with some friends to have a party in your head, without you knowing it. Wait those aren't my friends. Let me out!! Sorry bud you're in a coma.

Coma 2018 Totally Russian, and still totally awesome. Almost the whole movie is a Monkeybone extravaganza where the stakes feel real. as long as everyone agrees on the reality, that is their reality. as long as you stay in a coma.. But there are sinister works afoot, watch out for the monster of your dreams, and everyone else dreams as well. I watched this movie with the subtitles. The script was good from the translated perspective, there may have been a few things lost in translation though. This film featured many stunningly crafted scenes, like; The broke down bus that people enter on one side of Coma land, exits on another asteroid like mass, put together in an "Escheresque" gravity confusion. The editing made it seamless and believable.

If an unintentional coma gets you in, how about jacking yourself in. You can play any type of game and it will seem totally real with...

eXistenZ The greatest game designer, ever.. and I mean ever!! (I even took the time to underline EVER twice.) She has the hottest biotech gaming system is about to launch her latest fully immersive game. Then a freedom fighter/terrorist attacks. The video game system is a biological organism, bred for technological applications. They don't have the right to vote, but, then again they are programmed, but then again.... We have all heard the stories of different people doing strange things to rodents for cheap thrills. What happens when you technology has its own biological needs. What happens when your audience succumbs to them.

So confused now.. which reality is mine again? Could we get at least a laugh, some comic relief? How about some super hero comedic recommendations to add a reality to the insanity of not knowing what your buddies: Whiskey, Tango, and Foxtrot are drinking. I can tell you you will need it too, buddy!

Boss Level I just recently viewed this gem. This one, is like a microcosm of personal development. Finding the limits of your humanity, Explaining through example there is always a way through, if you look hard enough.. The only catch is, there has to be a reason, and that reason must be one from the heart. There are, of course a lot of big BOOMs!! (Boss Level Duh) and fun acrobatics.

How many times have we all just hit that alarm in the morning, yawn.. roll over. cut down the Blue ridge butte desert..

No? well its a desert now.. Mountains.. Huh, You sure? Damn squirrels!!

How about a Machete alarm, with your own personal attendant, to make sure you heard it the first time, no charge to you. If that didn't get you up, well how about a cup of coffee, while the local Mercs shoot you in your own home from a helicopter.

If you prefer something a little more light and not such a family movie.

Scott Pilgrim vs The World The one where the geek gets the girl, loses the girl, girl is a video game girl, something like that. Anyway you have powers and you have extra lives.

To the 80's movie fans its like Revenge of the Nerds meets Tron on steroids. Michael Cera is the main character, totally fun, flight of fantasy. I could watch this one at least once a week, or maybe more than what I think I should admit. This is a goldmine of Zelda proportions, from Power ups to Boss level Boyfriends. Scott Pilgrim proves chivalry is not dead.

There are so many more titles ( I'm over acting this as i am writing, please take that into account) Like Ready Player one, Gamer, Labyrinth. all with their own merits, yet all striving to describe this condition we are in.. You know the one, The Human condition. Don't leave yet though, its not over till the Barron Harkonnen sings.

This is the part where I need to add my two cents to what I call a master piece. I could not as a living and breathing emotional creature not give homage to one of the most influential stories in my life. I was going to avoid it as over reviewed as it is. It is to every dreamer that walked the earth, the water of life that fuels their dreams.

Awaken Dreamer, Drink the water of life.

Frank Herberts Dune is still best interpreted by David Lynch in the 1984 classic, I read all of the books in the series. If you miss this in your life you are missing out! The depth and breadth of the story is incredible. I will admit, the flavor changes with the change in writers. The biggest issue the critics had with the movie in the day (as I remember) was the actors were mainly talking in their head. In the case of Dune, for the story to remain 'available' to the audience and not insult their intelligence, nor overload the script with useless dialogue.... blah, blah, blah. For the cohesiveness of the story, it was a beautiful arrangement This has been one of those kind of movies. Dune 1984 has always been one of my all-time favorites.

As for the rest of the versions of Dune, They were very pretty, at points stunning in appearance. They followed the book better, but lost the audience, they lost me and I love the story. There was not the same depth of soul as the David Lynch version. I am, looking forward to Dune 2021 the 2021 version of Dune directed by Denis Villeneuve. If there were another book series in the same spirit as Dune. I would like to see Isaac Asimov's Foundation Trilogy come to the screen. Anyone who remotely likes the Dune story, will surely like the Foundation Trilogy.

In my opinion it is long overdue.

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