Our Deepest Fear...

One of my favourite quotes is by author and lecturer Maryanne Williamson. It is one of those quotes that strikes deeply and resonates to the core of my spiritual self.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

I am sure many of you have heard of, or even read this quote in her book "A Return to Love" ---another book on my reading list. The reason I think this quote gets to me so much is because we so often stop ourselves from saying or doing what we truly feel in order to spare other people. I have worked hard over the years against this. I believe in diplomacy and politeness but I don't believe in walking on eggshells.

Those who know me, know where I stand on animal issues. I am an advocate of animal rights and do not use animals as a means to my own ends. I have spent many years reading and researching the works of animal rights activists, the politics of animal-human issues and have come to realize that this is the most important cause in my life. But being vegan in a non-vegan world is very challenging. Not because I have to prepare my food and read labels and pass up pizza but because I have to deal with the ignorance of people who just don't get it. Not everyone is open to hearing the brutal truth of the injustices inflicted on animals in every aspect of society; from food to entertainment, to clothes and recreational sports, animals are constantly used to provide for humans. With the advent of media tools such as the net, this information is more common but somehow it doesn't seem to compute for some--hence the reason for this post and this quote. "Your playing small does not serve the world"-- .

Movie Review: Dark Country

I just finished watching the film "Dark Country" made in 2009, directed by and starring Thomas Jane as well as Lauren German and Ron Perlman. Being the horror movie fan that I am, I figured other amateurs of 1960's genre horror film would appreciate knowing about it. Without giving too much away, I will concentrate on the formal qualities of film technique and plot development. No worries, no spoilers ahead.

It is the classic horror newlywed/honeymoon story line: a young woman and seemingly older man have just been married in Vegas and drive across the desert to start a new life. The whole story unfolds over one night. The plot of the story begins when the couple find that they are lost and come across a car accident and a badly hurt man who they evidently pick up. The man's face is badly mangled and covered in blood, obviously setting up the audience for the horror that is about to ensue. Being that there is not much action, the movie relies heavily on the classic 60's horror genre film technique of "contre-plonger" camera angles that create the psychology of terror. Think Alfred Hitchcock meets George Romero with Bruce Campbell. While in the car the filming is done from the front of the car much like the 60's genre. The mood is dark but contemporary. The colours of the images benefit from modern technology as you don't feel frustrated by the quality of light. You can actually see the characters and the background desert while they are driving.

But we eventually see that all is not perfect with this couple. It is not the virtuous couple of the typical 50's movie marriage. By the meager conversation that develops between the half-dead man in the backseat and the wife, Gina, we find out that she was a stripper and that she and the strange man may known each other-- which she denies. The latter, coupled with a wedding in Vegas tells us Dick knows little about Gina's past. There is then arguing, accusations and a tinge of madness that develops in each of the characters that gives us clues to what will eventually unfold.

If all this setting doesn't convince you that the movie is borrowing from the genre and influences I've described, the car the director chose for his protagonist is a 1961 Dodge Dart Phoenix should be an obvious clue. At one point, Dick, the husband, now without Gina and the stranger (no spoilers!) comes across a rest station with a handful of abandoned and cobweb-filled 60's style cars. Trying to figure out where he is, he approaches an information/map sign which to his horror, is blank where the only thing written is a dot with "you are here." Ok, yes, we have seen this before but taking into consideration the genre, it is quite fitting and acceptable in this influence. He panics and drives madly down the highway and is stopped by Deputy Thompson (Ron Perlman-- of course!). The deputy is also a key element in this genre of film. He is the voice of reason within madness and is in the end the person who brings all the confusion to light. The story ends with a twilight-zone-style twist.

If you enjoy classic 50's and 60's horror/thriller type films, you will definitely enjoy "Dark Country." It has all the elements that made those films classics without being cheesy.