One in the same

Netflix will be the end of me. Here I am, 3:00 am... Just finished watching a movie... So stupid.

So, lately, I have been watching a lot of Al Pacino. He is pretty much the same character over and over; Gritty, no nonsense, terrible at keeping his life in order, the kind of a guy that makes your hair stand on end when he stares at you. He is intense. Whether he is playing a criminal, cop, or coach, I wouldn't mess with him. He has become a master at that role. Just like Will Ferrel at comedy, Oprah at TV, Keanue Reeves at... Sucking.. As well as Nicolas Cage and Brendan Fraiser....

As you watch Al, throughout his movie career, he seems to just get more tired, heavier bags appear under his eyes, and less patience. I've learned a few things from Al, as I've seen his aging. I do not think Al is a role model. I bet he is a piece of garbage, even the characters he portrays aren't that great, but nonetheless, they have some redeeming qualities that make you root for Pacino. He is loyal. That is super important; to stay loyal to family and friends. His Trust was gained, earned, over a lifetime, and could disappear in instant. He's got a good heart, somewhere, underneath all of the blood he just shed. One thing that has really struck me is that in the end, the previous choices PAC made, were his ultimate demise.

Fate is determined by us. We become exactly who we want to be. It's not easy to be our better self, to be honest, to be good. In reality, I think Pacino keeps playing these roles because that is who he really is, a man full of guilt. He doesn't appear happy, and the only peace he attained is when he was succumbed to sleep, via death. What a sad life to replay over and over.

We are the product of our choices. That is the common theme here. That is what the cowboy of the dusty plain was saying. External influences can affect you in some way, but it is adhering to those externalities that change your life. We can be like Al, always running from the past, our future determined already with disaster because he waited too long to fix his problems. It's all up to us.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

I enjoy your insights into movie watching. People think i'm weird because I take meanings from movies. Keep it up.

Unknown said...

Hammy, I enjoy you commenting on this blog.

I agree, we should search for the deeper meaning behind the movie. Those are some of the best ones.

I judge a movie by: a) did it inspire me to do something. B) would I watch it again. C) was it entertaining, meaning, did I leave this world for the duration of the movie. D) did it make me think.

If it can pass just one of the criteria, it's a good flick.

Unknown said...

Thanks. I enjoy reading the blog. A and C are really good. A) is good because if the movie didn't cause you to change at all, it was a waste of your time. C) is the one of the biggest reasons I really go to movies. If the movie didn't make me leave this world, I would have been better off sitting on the curb watching the construction people pour cement. Sadly, I have not seen one of these movies in a while. Recommendations?

Unknown said...

My biggest issue with making recommendations like this, is that you'll make major expectations. no matter what, it will be a let down...

Unknown said...

Sound advice. Plus, one mans trash is anothers treasure. We could watch the same movie and one of us could love it and the other hate it.
Another part of addiction is to tell someone about it so... I'm addicted to cheese.