Movies. Where are the good ones?

Is it me or are the movies that are being made these days, becoming more and more pathetic?

One of my favourite R & R activities is sitting down for a couple of hours, feet up, drink in hand in front of a screen to take in and absorb, what I hope to be a good movie. Preferably one that leaves an impression on me and keeps me thinking about how good it was for days after it’s viewing.

Unfortunately, I’m finding that good quality story-lines are a rarity these days. Out of every ten that I watch, I’m lucky to come across one that is decent enough to recommend. Even when titles have been advertised as ‘brilliant’ ‘wonderful’ ‘inspiring’ impressively executed’ etc, they turn out to be nothing but big disappointments. What we’re shown in the previews are snippets of the best scenes and most of the time, the ONLY good scenes. The rest of the movie is pitiful and stale. I hate it when movies lack dramatics and intellectual stimulation and since I’m big on romance, if there is none, then I walk away disappointed. There’s got to be at least a little ROMANCE!

Obviously, movie makers are ignorant of our needs. I understand that they need to make a buck just like the rest of us, but supplying crap after deceiving us is the same as robbery. They really do need to find themselves some good screen writers who can deliver what we’re expecting.

In the last week I have watched movies which include a man and a woman meeting up in random hotel rooms on business trips. The entire movie was based on scene after scene of sex in 28 different rooms spanning over a number of years. WTF! And stupid me sat through it from beginning to end waiting for something dramatic to happen, but nope, no such luck. Luckily the movie was slightly shorter than most, however, 82 minutes still seemed like an eternity.

Another one was about a peculiar couple caravanning . Their road trip somehow turned into a bizarre murdering adventure. It was supposed to be a comedy but instead it turned out to be 88 minutes of ridiculous and twisted twaddle with gruesome scenes which turned my stomach (I detest movies with gory content!) and the romance side of it was just as sickening.

And let’s not forget to mention the ‘could have been wonderful movies’ which have terrific story-lines but the acting is appalling. These movies with potential, seem to star at least one well-known actor/actress (obviously to suck us in) who are foolishly  coupled with one or more dreadful fellow actors. It does nothing but bring the movie down. Instead of enjoying the storyline, we’re too busy scorning the casting crew for their harebrained choice of cast. It’s a crime to partner great actors with incompetent ones who lack the ability, and clearly, the personality to act. Great plots are ruined beyond repair when idiotic producers and casting directors have no idea of how to do their job properly.

What a waste of the movie-goers money.

Have you noticed that these days, cinemas are nowhere near as crowded as they were years ago? If we’re expected to fork out almost $20 to watch a movie, we expect that it’s going to be better than mediocre. It’s no wonder that most of us wait until movies are released onto DVD before watching them. If Hollywood would like us to spend precious relaxation time and money watching their shows, they’d better lift their game and start spitting out quality flicks instead of garbage.

Until next time...

Ciao’ for now.

M.C.

Homophobic much?

Now that I have your attention...  

Studies show that 10% of the population is homosexual. Surprised?

Often at group gatherings or social functions the subject of same sex relationships comes up. Sometimes only a few general comments are made, but other times those comments turn into heated debates with differences of opinions being argued and participants generally standing their ground on the subject. Each person refuses to see the others’ point of view. I call it...  ‘Tunnel vision’ or ‘hypocrisy’.

What I’m noticing is that if you’re anti gay there’s no swaying you to accept that some people have different sexual wants and needs to your own. (No point in forcing broccoli down a kids throat if they absolutely abhor the vegetable, you know what’s going to happen if you do.) It’s the same when you try to force an anti-gay person to see a homosexual’s point of view.

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say out loud what I think...

I believe that every person who is a true homophobic has created in their own mind a certain fear, a fear of being attracted to a member of the same sex themselves. Homophobic men are afraid that every gay man is going to hit on them.

Um...helloooo. By thinking this way wouldn’t it be the same as believing that every straight person out there, be it man or woman, would try to hit on EVERY person of the opposite sex? Can you see what’s wrong with that statement? What happened to the law of attraction?

The Law of Attraction states that you attract into your life whatever you think about. 

Hmmm! Would this mean that those who are afraid of gays and lesbians are actually secretly afraid of letting others know that they’d like to swing that way themselves? By being openly anti-gay, do they really believe that their secret is safe?

Gays attract gays. Lesbians attract lesbians. They have some sort of inbuilt radar that lets them sense and detect other gays and lesbians. If you’re not that way inclined, then you have nothing to worry about, but if you are, then chances are that sooner or later, someone will come along and help you out of that dark closet that you have so desperately tried to bury yourself in. They will take you by the hand and stand by your side, support you and love you no matter what, just like in a ‘straight’ relationship. (Notice how I didn’t say ‘normal’ relationship?)

“But I’m married and I have kids.” I hear you say. Yes. But have you built your life on a lie? Have you done everything that has been expected of you because that’s what society has drummed into you? Have you done it because it’s what your parents expected you to do? Or have you committed to a life of unhappiness because you’re afraid of what might happen to you if you shock everyone with the truth?

If you’re gay, 9 times out of 10 your family and friends already know it. Unbeknownst to you, there are quite a few telltale signs that you may not be aware of, but those closest to you have seen the signs. They just haven’t said anything, because they’re waiting for you to say something first.

I guess there are a few people out there that are still struggling to come to terms with the fact that they might actually be gay. So why is it, that even in today’s open society, those that would like to ‘come out’ are afraid.  Afraid that they will be discriminated against, rejected, harassed or even attacked-physically as well as verbally? Why is it that they are treated differently to someone who’s straight?

Because we’re in that transition phase.

At the moment kids in school are being taught that there are families who have two mothers or two fathers instead of the traditional mother and father set up. It’s going to take a few years yet before it gets easier, before gay and lesbian partnerships are accepted totally, but that day IS coming. Unfortunately for some, not soon enough.

Homophobia is more pronounced in individuals who have grown up with domineering, openly, anti-gay parents. I feel that those who insist that they are straight, but are actually closet gays, are openly hostile towards other gays because they are threatened by them. Homosexuals remind them of similar tendencies within themselves, but because of their upbringing and their mixed up emotions, they turn their own internal conflict outwards and lash out publicly.

So, as long as we don’t install our negative beliefs into our children, as long as we don’t raise them to believe that same sex relationships are wrong and as long as we’re willing to accept that relationships are not just made up of male-female members, then there’s hope.

I’m not promoting homosexuality, I’m simply saying that we should be more tolerant and accepting when it comes to people who choose a different lifestyle to our own. I have to admit that I’m not too keen on the airy-fairy gays who prance around and flaunt their sexuality openly in public, but then again I’m not too keen on straight couples who just about dry hump each other out in public either.

Regardless of whether we are gay or straight, we should act with maturity and discretion and take note of our surroundings before engaging in any form of sexual fondling. Why make those around us feel uncomfortable? There’s no need for it.

Until next time...

Stay safe...and protected!

Bye for now.

M.C.

THINK LOVE NOTES ARE A BIT CORNY? THINK AGAIN.

If you’ve ever received a love letter-long or short, hand-written or typed, text or email and packed with sweet words, then you’ll know the impact that it can have in your life. Words are powerful, they have the ability to make or destroy a person’s day.

A short note saying “I miss you, wish you were here.” Or a longer version where you risk putting your heart on the line and saying exactly how you feel, has the ability to perform miracles.

Songs are love letters put to music and when we’re in love we understand the lyrics as they touch our heart and warm our soul. Love letters are the same, they hit the spot that makes us melt. Many, many, many years ago, hand-written love letters were common. Sadly however, they are rarely seen or heard of these days, you could say that they have ALMOST become extinct.

I’d like to share a little bit of my personal life with you. My marriage was in trouble, seriously in trouble, and I needed to get away to think things through. My husband and I have been together for twenty years and I’ll be the first one to admit that for quite a while, things were looking pretty, damn bleak. When I told him that I was going away – alone, he panicked. Now for those who know my husband, they’ll back me up 100% when I say that for him to write a mushy love letter is more than out-of-character for him - it is right off the wall, well actually, it’s right off the planet. But nevertheless, that’s exactly what he did. His emailed words to me, pulled at my heart strings and made me think that perhaps there was hope. Our marriage was not over. I have to admit that the roses were a nice touch and because it was so uncharacteristic for him to write to me, I even forgave him for buying me chocolates when I was on a diet. (Of course it helped that they were Lindt-my favourite.)

So...NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF THE WRITTEN WORD!

If you want to leave an impression on a loved one, then write them a sweet note. You’ll be the reason why they walk around for the rest of the day with a smile on their face.

Now, wouldn’t that be something?

Until next time, take care.

Ciao’ for now...

M.C.

xx