talking heads

All films should be absent of those 'cue the violins' moments. You know which ones I'm talking about, where the protagonist tells his love how much she means to him, and she leaps into his arms as the camera pans out to the two of them embracing each other. Or when the father tells his son just how much he's made him proud, and they shake hands and become men. Gag. I like indie films for a few reasons, one of them being that they're as realistic as possible when it comes to background noise. Sure, action flicks wouldn't be as great without the orchestra behind it, I understand that it enhances the film. It's just not required in every single scene, and that's saying a lot coming from me. I'll cry in almost every cinematic adventure I sit through, violins or not. Indie films are somewhat refreshing though, as they don't rely on the Hollywood ending, or a big budget to get their point across. How can you not love a movie like that?! Pure, pristine, simple. Take for example, Lars and the Real Girl. Once the credits started rolling, I realized I have streaked and lightly salted cheeks and a full heart as proof. The soundtrack for the movie was as effortless as they come: a collection of melodies and rhythms, and that's IT. It was filmed in Ontario, which gives me at least one reason to have pride in my country lately (still no medals, after ten days!). And it was just such a glimmer of hope that there's some decency left in the world, a few people who truly want to understand and enjoy every second of life that they've been given. I had high expectations for the film and I can definitely say I wasn't disappointed, just for a different reason. I thought it would be comedic and light because the plot seems so ridiculous, but I came away from it uplifted. It's hard not to, witnessing an individual overcoming true human tragedy through a microscope like that. I recommend renting this movie if you want to bawl your eyes out, or even just see the way a small town works in the time of need (I couldn't believe it). One thing's for sure though, Ryan Gosling knows his way around a troubled mind. It's terrifyingly convincing.

I noticed today that I seek refuge in playing the part of a makeshift daughter to the parents of my close friends. I can count at least eight family households that I've nestled into and felt more at home in than my own house. It's also becoming painfully clear to me that I avoid plenty of things I would rather not deal with. Here's my question: how do I recognize when to confront something when I've been playing mind games with myself to do the opposite?