Thursday, April 28, 2016

Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing



**So you've fallen, and you scraped your knee...don't worry...you're gonna' heal just fine! Trust the experience...trust the journey...everything's gonna' be alright :) Enjoy the words of Stevie Wonder xx

A Thousand Words



It was really interesting to see Eddie Murphy stretch and evolve in his acting in 2012’s ’A Thousand Words’. Audiences around the world are accustomed to ‘Eddie Murphy’ comedy which is fast-paced and witty, but for this film even though less was said, he still delivered the laughs. The extension of hhis dramatic muscles though were quite evident and it left the heavy comedy to his co-stars. I was really impressed with the versatility of actor Clark Duke who played Murphy’s assistant, I felt that he stood out a lot in this film. I also enjoyed Kiwi Cliff Curtis whom you may remember from ‘Training Day’, ‘Three Kings’ and ‘The Fountain’ who played the perfect ‘Dr. Sinja’ (Deepak Chopra). Award-winning sweet-heart Kerry Washington also displays good range (not in this film) but in comparison to her heavier dramatic characters.  

Written by Steve Koren and directed by Brian Robbins the estimated budget of $40 million USD, sadly the film did not gross nearly as much in the box-office. I think more viewers were expecting the ‘usual’ Eddie Murphy comedy and not such a dramatic movie. In my opinion this film’s message was a lot more powerful than the numbers portray and despite it’s poor release, it was a valuable story that needed to come to life (no pun intended). Reminiscent of 1997’s ’Liar-Liar’ the story sheds light on the negativity and loudness in life that many of us need silenced in order to know our true selves and pay attention to what’s important around us.

This movie was heart-warming with a solid directive and I felt all actors portrayed their roles well.




Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Standing Ovation





“Life plays funny tricks, no man can ever tell.”

A quote my mother used to say to me when I was younger. It didn’t make much sense to me then, but it reminds us that in this life there will always be twists, turns, ups and downs very much like our beloved adventure films. In essence, life is an adventure! The delightful thing is though, is that we get to star in the film of our lives! How exciting is that?!

Some people speak of destiny and I agree our experiences here are written by the best of story-tellers to help us remember, learn, and love. However as the actors and human beings in life, we have a right, an opportunity and the free-will to alter our routes to gain more insight, strength and skills along the way. I believe we are ALL destined for great things. We ALL have great stories to share. And when we place Faith as our compass in life, we can trust that whatever direction we take on our journey, we will ultimately end up exactly where we are meant to be.

Our stories can be unforgettable, unimaginable, and extraordinary should we just allow our stories to play out and unfold as they should. Move with the flow and trust and be with your experience. We didn’t get that call we were waiting on, or we missed that opportunity, or we just heard our 100th “No!” There will be other calls, opportunities and one 'Yes!". Who said anything good came easy!? Well, perhaps for some it may seem that way, but darlings never compare yourself to the other. Each person’s path and story is uniquely and wonderfully different. We all have our challenges in life, so just be happy with your experience, and “bumps” and “thumps” we have to deal with. The good news is…

They don’t last.

And more importantly those miserly and cruel people won’t last forever either. Let ‘them’ have the last word. Let them ‘laugh’ and believe they’ve won. Perhaps they have … for now. But I guarantee your luck will change. And so will theirs. We are constantly creating and re-creating our Karma. And Karma my darlings, is very, very, real. Sometimes it may be difficult to hold on to the un-seen, the mysterious, and to Faith, but it becomes a wonderfully soothing balm to rest your minds in while you climb that giant hill. 

Be gentle with yourself. You are not a failure. You did the best you could. And your story isn’t over. Every good story tells of the underdog having their day in the sun. That’s why the phrase my mother used is funny. Because, ‘Life is funny…just wait…and keep moving to see what the story-teller reveals to his audience next. We are always kept on the edge of our seats!

And then after the thunderous ovation, you can finally take your magnificent bow.

Bless-up! 


Jair

Friday, April 15, 2016