Avatar - 3D

Much has been said about this film, good and bad so I'm keeping this short.

3D - hmmm...I struggled at the beginning (a) I already wear glasses so was a little uncomfortable wearing two pairs (b) I was a tad too close to the screen and (c) I was watching jarheads and computer screens.  My eyes watered profusely at first and I felt a little sick, motion sick.  How was I going to survive three hours of this?  I experimented with glasses, without glasses, 3D glasses, without 3D glasses and nothing helped - grrr....until...

...we arrived in Pandora where I entered into a visual feast.  3D suddenly made sense. The foliage within a fingertips reach, the gorgeous and I mean stunningly gorgeous landscape, not to mention the Avatar's themselves.  Rich and beautiful perhaps even sexy? It was mind blowing and all the struggling at the beginning was worth what I was now experiencing.

The graphics and CGI were incredible and while James Cameron could be considered brilliant I think Weta digital are gobsmackingly brilliant!  They are the brain child behind films such as Lord of the Rings, King Kong, Heavenly Creatures, Jumper, I Robot, X-Men - The last stand and more recently The lovely Bones. 
I don't remember Wellington (at least when I lived there) as having world leaders in creativity - who knew?
And lo and behold - the movie was filmed on location in Hawaii and New Zealand - no surprise there!

A great cast with Aussie's own Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez and the hugely talented Giovanni Ribisi.

Yep, the storyline is nothing new - but then what story is...I didn't feel hit over the head with its message.  It did have one even though some critics say there was no sub text!!!   Hell it even made me cry in one scene, Zoe Saldana is brilliant at stirring the emotions.  I think James Cameron took the beauty of our world and mans destruction of it along with totalitarianism, segregation, and genocide and placed it in a landscape so extraordinary that unlike watching a hard hitting doco we still get the message - put simply: It's about opening your eyes and seeing things clearly.  The importance of how we see things. Living as one with nature, its animals and its people and being respectful of all three.  Ah, if only man would stop fucking it up!!

Midnight Rambler gives this gem: *****

1 Giant Leap - What About Me? TV Trailer Video by 1 Giant Leap - What About Me? - MySpace Video

I have to blog about this because I'm so passionate about this project... Jamie Catto the brainchild behind this amazing film - also part of one of the most brilliant bands/collaboration ever Faithless not only put together a brilliant album 3 or so years ago '1 Giant Leap'.  Duncan Bridgeman and Jamie Catto have done it again and made an audio-visually stunning masterpiece 'What about me?' Click the link below to view the trailer and if you can get your hands on the film you won't regret it. It is available at One World Music


1 Giant Leap - What About Me? TV Trailer Video by 1 Giant Leap - What About Me? - MySpace Video

I made a video...

Well after being so disappointed at not being able to find the song Shine online anywhere I decided to make a film and add it from my own CD collection.  I made it from old stills scanned and of not the greatest quality but the thought was there. Now I feel much happier...

I would've liked more recent photos but they're all still in boxes somewhere or they're too heavy to pull down from high places - so I went through the photos I had in albums and this is what I came up with.

This is my little tribute to my mum and my debut in film making :-)

And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance...

Listening to: Wendy Rule - Shine

It's my Mum's anniversary today (11 years).  I miss her still. 

The picture to the left (Mum dancing, Grandma clapping) epitmosises my wonderful memories of my Mum, her laughter, love of music and dance.

I really wanted to play you a song Shine by Wendy Rule, a song I dedicated at Mum's funeral service, a song that I adore and always, always makes me think of her.  But...I cannot find it anywhere on the net for you to listen - so the best I can do is include the lyrics below:  
For you Mum because you shine

You were bound you were lost you were captured

With your infinite soul counting hours

In a web where each thread held a future

And the future holds infinite powers.

You are braver than mythical heroes

You have rescued the child of the dreamland

You have conquered the beast of the shadow

The universe is centred on where you stand.   

Feel the world at your feet

Freedom calls you from time
And all because you shine

You are drinking the nectar divine.

You have broken the rings that hold Saturn

You are shedding the clothes of your sorrow

And the summer is singing its passion

And the universe calls you to follow

Feel the world at your feet

Freedom calls you from time

And all because you shine

You are drinking the nectar divine

~ Wendy Rule ~

My mother, my friend - I will love you until the stars fall from the sky!!

Midnight Rambler signing off...

Missing England and snow

This post is for all my English buddies and for those who have been touched by the magick of England.  And for those who just like a damn good song...Listen here 

Midnight ramblings and tinsel...

Listening to Muse: Uprising

It's that time of year - we're approaching Christmas at a rapid rate that is scaring the shit out of me!  I was going to have a bit of a rant because I have a million mixed feelings about Christmas (well maybe not a million) but you know what I mean...

I'm probably not going to say too much about it all anymore.  I had a wonderful day with my writing group Authoria (website coming) but here's a link to Kat's blog who describes who we are really well...

We had a fabulous pre-Xmas share lunch courtesy of Sharon in her lovely, ambient and energetically peaceful home.  We gathered over yummy food, champagne and hearty laughs and some of us tears...we talked writing, movies, books, publishing, diving, basically everything that ignites our souls collectively and individually.  We read excerpts of our novels and short stories out loud with passion even if it was tinged with a little bit of uncertainty.  Uncertainty because we're still all new at this - new at promoting ourselves but vowing to be brave and let our voices be heard.  And heard we are - hoorah!!  And it's wonderful and exciting to be part of such a special group of women, who are also writers, bloody good writers too.  I'm honoured and stoked to be a part of our journey as Authoria, as women, writing in different genres with different backgrounds yet united.  I can't quite think of a better word - all I know is that none of what we do or have done divides us. There is no prejudices. Our friendships are honest and authentic and formed from our collective love of writing and respect for each other. How special is that?

So my rant about why I don't like and at times hate Christmas no longer seems important.  I've always loved the essence of Christmas, being with people you love, sharing food and wine, perhaps exchanging a small gift, a special gift bought or made with love.  Acknowledging the birth of Jesus and not pandering to a jolly fat man in a red suit and making Westfield's richer, celebrating through friendships and appreciating what we have and not what we don't have. 

Just like the novels we read, December really is the beginning of the end with Christmas the great finale and boxing day the epilogue...The year ended, the book closed and finished and time to begin a new one.  A new chapter, a new beginning, middle and end for 2010 and because it's your story - your journey, you can write into the pages of your life whatever you want it to be.  And even if you don't have control in some of your story because characters turn up unannounced and perhaps even unwanted.  Characters that may bring joy or sadness, ulitmately you are still in control - you are the master of your own story and you can choose your outcome.  Remember, you are the author of your own life - so make 2010 count. 

So in the spirit of Christmas and creating my own ending to this year - I choose friendship, love and laughter, good food and wine, celebration and song.  When you sit down to do your new year's resolution think about them as you would when you plan a novel.  Plot out your year - how do you want 2010 to be?  You can call it a dream board if you wish - it's all the same really.  It about intention and law of attraction and getting back what you put out.  So be discerning and passionate and believe in the power of words and imagery and you will get what you wish for...

Happy holidays!!

SONG OF THE MONTH....

Okay in the spirit of Christmas, thought I should post a song appropriate for this time of year.  Hmmm...I have mixed feelings about Xmas but some of my fond memories have been through great songs. 

My most favourite is probably 'Please come home for Christmas' by The Eagles.  I decided this song wasn't going to be the song of the month though, because while it's my favourite, it makes me cry. 

So hurtling backwards to 1961 here's a fabulous song that was played year after year in our house not to mention all the other Chubby Checker records that followed and lots of 'Twisting' in the lounge room.  For those of you who don't know 'The Twist' is a dance :-)

Play and have some fun.  If you'd like a wackier version have a listen to Billy Idol's rendition...

Peace, joy and Christmas cheer...

End of an era...

Listening to: Groove Amada - SuperStylin'

What a great night I had on Thursday at the QWC (Queensland Writing Centre).  It was their last ever Xmas gig  at Edward Street, Brisbane.  It's exciting times as they move to their new home at the State Library, South Bank, early 2010.   Their new programme for workshops and seminars has been launched - details here

Congratulations to Jenny Stubbs for winning this years Johnno Award.

It is with some sadness that I write this. It was a nostaligic night as we moved from laughter, awards and speeches and into the workshop areas of the QWC to write on the wall for the last time.  But with that sadness comes new beginnings, fresh starts and whole new adventures, opening new doors and embracing change.

It was wonderful to catch up with friends, writing peers and industry professionals, some I see often and others not so often.  And of course meeting new faces.  Either way it all felt like yesterday in a good way.  The energy that filled the room with a bunch of passionate and dedicated writers is a force to be reckoned with.  Any lagging energy I had upon arrival had dissipated within minutes.

I just adore industry nights, workshops, crit groups and the like because I always come away feeling like Wonder Woman, no not in the way that I wear super hero outfits and save the world but in a way that makes me believe anything and everything is achievable.  It doesn't matter that I've complained all week about the lack of time, or sleep, or too much energy spent on things that don't fuel the passion.  Feeling like Wonder Woman makes everything possible. 

I want to write and write and write even though come mid week I will want to sleep and sleep but in between times before I hit the slump I've already put heaps of words on the page and I'm being true to myself again. 

I'm a writer and I need to write.  Write every day.  It's like a drug I can't possibly do without and events like these fuel the passion to keep going for longer each time.  It's exciting, wonderful and I don't ever want to come down!

Thanks to QWC, a wonderful writing community, and wonderful friends, I Love and treasure you all...

Peace...

Midnight rambler signing off.