It Happened alright.

Well, It Happened.

Last night I went to see the movie "The Happening". I wasn't too sure how it would turn out and the only thing that I read about it was something close to "Nature Strikes Back". But, as it was an M. Night Shyamala(h)-ding-dong movie I was hoping that there would be his usual plot twist at the end like he's done with Sixth Sense, Unbreakable and The Village.

However, what I got was a whole lot of wasted time. The movie's plot was so completely out in left field that I was reeling from it within the first ten minutes. I tried to find some redeemable quality in the concept, but all I could see was a bunch of shock-based scenes intended to give the audience a scare in between their moments of confusion.

The filming of the movie was so terrible that you ACTUALLY see the boom mike coming down from the top of the screen to follow the various actors who are on camera. Now normally I would have chalked it up to a single mistake that they didn't catch in editing but this happens over and over again. It's so noticeable because the microphone has a big red line around the end so you can see it switching direction from one actor and then to the other.

Normally, in disaster movies such as this, the audience can become involved in the movie by watching the characters figure out the 'rules' to the disaster. Either it's something as simple as: "Get out of the city" or "Stay in the light." But this movie's plot is so far out there that there isn't really a 'rule' that you can hold onto. Anything and everything that is green wants to kill you. The end.

So, there's about two hours of my life that I will not be getting back.

Grade: F

Flying a Kite

On June 15, 1752, Franklin successfully drew an electric charge from a rain cloud using a key tied to a kite.

Franklin a truly interesting person. His inventions and ideas on politics and technology were, in some ways, revolutionary; literally.

I wanted to blog about something this morning and found that I was more interested in a kite than the actual holiday celebrated today. The accomplishments of a man flying a kite with a brass key during a storm is more interesting, to me, than a holiday celebrating a figure that I've never known.

Similar to discussions about mysteriously ephemeral figures and prophets, I have heard my friends relate their thoughts on the matter and regail me with all of the stories associated with their childhood, but in the end I am left ignorant.

Perhaps my lack of faith in the figure celebrated today is connected to the lack of faith in the figure celebrated in late December and again with the first days of spring.

So, today, as families gather and phone calls are made back and forth - I will think of a man on a hill with a kite and a key.

At least -he- kept a notebook. :)

-Me