FILM FRIDAY APOLLO 13

houston, we have a problem.

we watched this movie again over the weekend in the waiting room of our car dealership. jeez it's good. we actually waited an extra 1/2 hour in the waiting room to watch the whole thing.

here is another space movie that's coming out, a thriller, with george clooney and sandra bullock. too much grunting in the trailer for me but it looks scary and alfonso cuaron is a fantastic director.

so what is it about space movies that makes them perfect for great storytelling? uncharted territories? hero's journey? unknown antagonists? danger? man vs. nature? life/death stakes? all of the above?
and how do we incorporate these storytelling elements inherent in space exploration films into other genres? xoxoxo

FILM FRIDAY THE MOTH - ALAN RABINOWITZ

storytelling takes many forms and though i'm a fan of the visual medium, the written word and spoken word are equally amazing and powerful.

here's one of the best audio story pieces i've ever heard. it's from the spoken word series, 'the moth' which is a series that originated in nyc and is now performed all over the world.

it's a true story by the late dr. alan rabinowitz, founder & CEO of panthera, a non-profit that protects large wild cats, and it is unforgettable, inspiring and beautiful.

do yourself a favor...settle into a comfy chair, turn off your cell phone and be transported to the magical jungles of the amazon, you'll never forget this experience, i promise!

xoxo, blessings annette

FILM FRIDAY 12 YEARS A SLAVE

i am looking forward to seeing steve mcqueen's newest film '12 years a slave'.

mcqueen's movies('shame' and 'hunger') are brutal and i'm sure mcqueen doesn't hold back depicting the horrors of slavery. but he's also the perfect director to bring depth, beauty and honesty to a subject as complicated as human trafficking. some of the scenes might be a bit much for my tender eyes and heart, i hate to see people hurt and victimized, but slavery is also a reality of our country's history. we stole people from their homes and enslaved them. we brutalized them. we sold them and displaced them. this is a truth of our nation. and as uncomfortable as it is to know and watch this, the truth is always better exposed.

'12 years a slave' comes out this fall. keep your eyes open for it. blessings xoxo, annette