Avatar is Amazing

I am always moved by inspirational and life changing stories told through a creative medium; whether told through song ("True Believer," by E-Type, "Imagine," by John Lennon), written word ("Ishmael," by Daniel Quinn, "The Way to God," a collection of Gandhi's writings, "Tao Te Ching," by Lao Tzu), theatre ("Rent," by Jonathan Larson, "La Boheme," by Giacomo Puccini) or through cinematic adventures ("Moulin Rouge," "Interstella 5555," "Koyaanisqatsi"), I am moved.. Tonight, I was moved because I experienced an inspirational and life changing movie: Avatar.

Avatar moved me.  Avatar inspired me.  Avatar changed my life.  And Avatar entertained me.  I was so invested in this movie that I literally forgot I was in a movie theater at all!  I smiled.  I cried.  I stared at the screen without blinking for long stretches, and I was in it.  I was there. In a moment of intense destruction and devastation during the course of the story, as the tears welled up in my eyes, all I could think was "How could you do this horrific thing to these beautiful people?"  I felt their pain.  I suffered with them.

And I know that these people are fictitious.  I know that Avatar is a movie, and Pandora, the planet in it, doesn't really exist.  But there are people in this world, on this Earth, who resemble in my heart and mind the people I so connected with in Avatar.  There are events in our history that Avatar mirrors during the course of the film, that I fear we will repeat again someday.  There are feelings brought out in me because of the deep, moving story of this movie that cannot be denied as feelings I have for the Earth and its creatures and other life.  So even though Avatar isn't real... it's a movie that "talks" about very real things.  It's a unique movie; different than anything else out there... and it offers more wisdom, inspiration, and enlightenment than one would think a movie could.

Avatar does have similarities to movies of the past (I thought Pocahontas and Fern Gully right away...) but that doesn't mean that it isn't special.  It is special.  It's magic.  It's very well made.  And it is a movie that has enough originality to stand out amongst all the movies I have ever seen in my 25 years of life thus far.






It can't beat out Moulin Rouge as my favorite movie ever, but I will say this: It is an important movie.  I think everyone should see it, with open mind and open heart.


I'm not the only one.  Check out this enthusiastic gush, I mean... review of Avatar.

Believe me, I am sure that he and I are not the only two so inspired by this amazing movie.  Even if not everyone is moved as I was, I am sure that most everyone who sees Avatar can at least be impressed by the special effects and the acting.  My favorite?  Zoe Saldana, who has been on my radar since I first saw her in Center Stage.  She plays Neytiri, one of the Na'vi on Pandora where the movie takes place, so basically, she never looks like Zoe Saldana, human being, during any of this movie.  So her job, in my opinion, was much harder than some others in the film, because she had to express every tiny emotion through her voice.  And she did.  It was incredible.

What more can I say about this movie?  I guess... just watch it.  Watch it, with an open mind and an open heart and with open eyes and ears.  See if you agree with me or not.  But no matter what anyone else thinks, this movie was magical and moving to me and it stirred feelings inside me that I feel are going to bring a change into my life.  And I am so grateful that James Cameron made this movie. It is amazing.

Be Grateful

"Live like you were dying." -Tim McGraw

"No day but today." -Jonathan Larson

"Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today." -James Dean

We hear these things all the time. "Live for today..." "Make the most of every day..." But... do we all do this? Do we appreciate each day as if it is a golden gift? Because it is. Every day we breathe the air we breathe, see the sights we see, hear the sounds we hear, love the people we love... but how much do we really appreciate it?

I watched "Last Holiday" again. Now, say what you will about that movie: It's predictable... maybe. It's a chick flick... probably. But that movie touches me. Why? Because it is another one of those reminders that we should appreciate our life. Not put everything off until tomorrow. What if tomorrow never comes?

Maybe I get too thoughtful over movies or songs or famous quotes or poetry or theatre or whatever... but my sensitive soul is moved by these things, especially the ones that remind me of all there is to be grateful for.

The world is beautiful. Yes, there is pain. Yes, there is hardship. But the world is beautiful. And I am so grateful to be in it. I need to remember this. We all need to remember this.

So often we live day to day not thinking of these things. We get up, go to work, pay the bills, sleep... get up, go to work, pay the bills, sleep... get up.......... okay, you get the picture.

But why?

Now don't get me wrong. I understand the importance of work and money in the world we live in now; in fact, I feel pretty darn good after a hard day's work. But I just know that there's more. There's more to life than working to get by... clipping coupons, working overtime... there's so much more.

I have to believe that I can have it all. I have to believe that I don't just have to get by. Why? Well, I guess it's because I believe that I wasn't meant to be on this Earth just to slave away and pay taxes along the way.

So as I continue on my journey to discover just what my reason for being here is, I will remember to be grateful. To look at each day as a gift, and not get caught up in the daily struggle. But instead, wake up each day and take a deep breath of air, and enjoy my life. Live my life to the fullest.

Live like I was dying I suppose. ;)

"There's only us, there's only this.

Forget regret, or life is yours to miss.

No other road, no other way...

NO DAY BUT TODAY!"

-RENT