Movie Views and Thoughts on Love

Movies, movies, movies. I have been renting a lot of movies from Redbox lately. And I still have that lovely set of Fred and Ginger Films lent to me by Kim. Yippee!

From Redbox: A-Team - This had it's moments. Liam Neeson is no George Peppard no matter how hard he tries. Other than that, it was an enjoyable movie. Like the latest Robinhood, it was a giant prequel, which was a good thing in the former instance. And in the latter, well, I think I am one of the few who actually liked Russell Crowe's Robinhood. Not a lot, but a little.

Jonah Hex - this is not a comicbook character with which I was familiar, so I had no preconceptions to contend with. I like things Western. I like Steam Punk. I like vaguely occult thoughts - like the whole Crow healing scene. John Malkovich always seems evil to me, so that worked. And Megan Fox isn't hard to look at. Overall, fun, not great.

The Social Network - recently, I found out that Aaron Sorkin had written the screenplay. That immediately made me more interested in watching the film. I heart Aaron Sorkin's writing! I was a latecomer to Sports Night, saw most all of the West Wings that he participated in, really enjoyed Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, and liked The Social Network a lot. I did get a little weirded out by Jason Eisenberg's glower every once in a while. But overall I really enjoyed it. I bet Mark Zuckerberg gave his ex-friend a buttload (maybe even a third of 25 Billion). On a side note, how did they get one actor to play twins in all of those shots where they both appeared? Eeek! CGI? Why not just hire twins?

So far, I have watched three F&G movies from the collection. Follow the Fleet was last night’s movie. I still say there is no chemistry between F&G romantically - comically and terpsichorically yes, but romantically, no. Still, this was a fun outing. Not my favorite, nor does it have any number that stands out particularly, though the last one is decent. And the shipboard tap number is really good.

Ah, love. Or love. Or do you mean love? English doesn't have a great way of distinguishing between types of love. We use the one word and because of the ambiguity inherent, it is difficult to know exactly what someone means when they use the "L" word. I have been thinking about the vagaries of love for a long time. Two of my philosophies from ages ago, have to do with love. "Love is a choice." "Just because you "love" someone doesn't mean you have to be in a relationship with them." gusssr Also in my book on Relationships and such, there is a lot about love and its varied meanings.

What prompts this particular diatribe is that a friend, Jeanie, posted this quote "Love of our neighbor consists of three things: to desire the greater good of everyone, to do what good we can when we can, and to bear, excuse and hide others’ faults." -- St. John Vianney. After reading it a second time, I realized that he was referring to Christian or neighborly love. Or as she put it later, agape/philia type love. She liked the first - I have an issue with the third.

In doing a smidge of research (gotta love the internet) (tee hee) I found that there was a fourth called Storge. I am sure some of you knew that. I didn't. I really only had heard of the big three - Agape, Philia and Eros.

Of the big three, the one that is most, hmm, finding the right word here is a challenge, provocative, appealing, motivating, um, intense, seems to be Eros. It is also the one over which the least mental power exists, at least in my experience. I have been under its spell for a while now, again. Which isn't that unusual for me. I sometimes think that Robert Palmer was singing about me...Since this particular love doesn't seem requitable, I can, luckily, sublimate that feeling and not let it totally wreak havoc in my life. I have been feeling poemy lately, but so far, thankfully, nothing has leaked out onto the page. I can mostly sleep, I am not off my food, I am taking care of basic cleanliness, all good things. This too shall pass.

Anyway, back to love. As in all communication, it helps if one is clear in one’s own mind at least what one is talking about. Especially where the “L” word is concerned.

Pictures later!