Literary Quotation No. 2

“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” 

-- Stephen King

Spoken Word Poetry: Winning

Where do I begin?

On the same quest, but tired of the mess

People don’t understand the lies they create

Or the second-hand hate that they constantly equate with being too kind

High school, middle school, office cubicles

Not understanding the notion or emotions

Of the potion that is love

Fuel for our souls, goals for our next moves

But the mirror is your critic

The critic that never lies, never shows you the right light

So you spend days and days

Discovering an identity

Bracing for change

Bracing yourself for love

Oh, I wanted love

But I’m here to say that I don’t believe in failure

Because it all starts over, starts where it begins

With the bullies and the athletes

The gym class winners and the marathon sprinters

The irrational coach, the random stranger on the street

The one who would approach, but laugh and leave

Trying to deceive

I knew they could fight, but I would never believe

That nice guys finished last

So I gave it my all

No matter if I was right or wrong

Forget the rules and stop holding doors

And stay away from being eager

Quit now, you haven’t even seen her

But do I want to conform?

Keep your head up and your eyes wide

Standing side by side, never even try to hide

Until you’re holding her hand

And maybe you can’t understand it now

But I have just won

Favorite Spoken Word Piece

Phil Kaye - "She Asks Me"

Original Film Review: Four Brothers

There are few things in life stronger than the love between a mother and her children. In director John Singleton’s action thriller Four Brothers, that bond is prematurely ended when Evelyn Mercer is killed in a convenience store robbery. Upon hearing of her death, her four children return to Detroit to search for answers.

Without having any significant clues about the murder, Bobby (Mark Wahlberg), Angel (Tyrese Gibson), Jeremiah (Andre Benjamin), and Jack (Garrett Hedlund) take the search for justice into their own hands. Sometimes overly aggressive and careless in their actions, the brothers stop at nothing to question the people that they think were behind the hit put out for their mother. This even stretches so far as to witness Bobby hold up a gymnasium full of people at gunpoint, just so he can ask everyone a few questions about the crime.

Singleton (who also directed the well-known films Boyz n the Hood and 2 Fast 2 Furious) had a vision for a film full of both conflict and a rash of violence, and that vision is captured during a number of scenes in Four Brothers. Whether taking an interrogation to the extreme or being ambushed at their home, the weapon-yielding brothers do not back down from bloodshed. Through it all, their brotherhood remains in tact and nearly immortal, until an attack from antagonist Victor Sweet’s gang changes everything.

Despite the beatings the men take, nothing ever separates them from the path to finding out who was behind Evelyn’s murder. Not even related by birth, their brotherhood is a real one, and it’s a direct result of the lives that Evelyn granted them. With violence often comes tragedy, but with the brothers, violence only allows them to see clearer into the frazzled minds of those that they hunt.

As one progresses through the movie, it is evident that Four Brothers has more to share than just fistfights. It is a film that takes away innocence from so many, yet it is also one that manages to put the guilty in their rightful place. One could argue that the brothers themselves are true criminals, but others could provide insight into the fact that they are actually avengers – they’re the guys you want to root for.

Singleton’s cast of characters is often reckless, but they are always acting out to defend the honor of Evelyn Mercer. Just like the bond between Evelyn and her sons, brotherhood can never be taken away.

Literary Quotation No. 1

"Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irigates the deserts that our lives have already become."

-- C.S. Lewis

Film Review: Skyfall

In her review of Skyfall, Washington Post film critic Ann Hornaday succeeds in writing a review that is both captivating and full of detail. After beginning with a view into the mind of director Sam Mendes, Hornaday breaks down the elements that are necessary for a successful James Bond movie.

The review succeeds in giving readers information about the film's plot and visual language. The writing, such as the excerpt below, is carefully crafted and full of strong descriptive words.

"To succeed, of course, a James Bond movie must traffic in equal parts sophistication and pure preposterousness, a winking willingness not to take itself so very seriously, but with writing, acting and production values of the highest order."

The full review can be found here.

Film Review: Django Unchained

When searching for a film review, I found that newspapers like The New York Times and The Washington Post provided a number of detailed and in-depth reviews of recent films.

One of the most compelling reviews I found was for the recently released film Django Unchained. Written by critic Ann Hornaday, the review featured an extensive history on Quentin Tarantino's background as a director as well as a brief plot summary and key information about the movie's main characters.

The full review can be found here.