Doriano Carta

I finally watched “SECOND SKIN” which was enjoyable and sometimes disturbing. I fully expected all the stuff about how addictive video games were and how they can totally screw up your life because I was hooked on gaming at one point in my life. It was a virtual 3D game called WORLDS which was out long before SecondLife. It let you create avatars and change your look and clothes and visit other strange worlds but most of all meet people from all over the world. It was also before twitter and facebook hit it big too. Anyway, I eventually stopped playing after I saw all the damage it was doing to other “friends” who spent way too much time in that realm. They lost their jobs, marriages and all semblance of a normal life.

Anyway, Second Skin didn’t surprise me in that sense but it did throw me for a loop when it covered the Gold Farmer market in China! I had no idea that this kind of thing was going on. In short, gold farmers are these sweat shops full of young kids that play up to 18 hours a day just earning points and credits in virtual games which get exchanged for money from American gamers that don’t want to spent that much time to gain those points or objects (such as a bigger sword in World of Warcraft)! It’s truly a sad existence for these Chinese gamers.

There were some nice moments in the movie though such as the love stories of gamers that met their soulmates online. Some of them didn’t last but some did. The funniest part was when a group of male friends had to let one of their buddies go so he could get married and move into a new house.

I think Second Skin is worth a look. It’s certainly an eye-opening for parents whose kids are into playing video games. Sadly, most children are gamers these days thanks to amazing toys like Wii, Playstation, Nintendo, XBox, etc. I know that I am now more concerned than ever because my kids are becoming hooked on virtual games like ClubPenguin, ToonTown and PiratesOnline (All crafted diabolically by Disney!). I will do my best to make sure they don’t spend too much time lost in those synthetic worlds.

The gamers made a good point in the movie. They said we all have our addictions. For them, it’s playing in their virtual worlds but for others it’s gambling, watching football, shopping, drugs, alcohol, and so on. The answer then resides in moderation. Too much of anything can be bad for you, no matter how good it feels.

Second Skin is streaming right now on NetFlix

James Cameron’s “Avatar” is well on its way to breaking the box office record for highest grossing film of all-time, sinking his own ship, Titanic (1997) which currently sits on top on the icerberg with $600 Million. Well, even after Avatar topples Titanic’s massive total, I still won’t consider it the true box office champion. I don’t even consider Titanic the real box office champion. Neither of these movies come even close to the popularity of the true number one box office blockbuster of all-time which is ….drumroll please….

Gone with the Wind!

Yes, frankly my dear, when it comes to box office success I don’t give a damn about dollar totals unless they’ve been adjusted for inflation of ticket prices. Otherwise, the current method is totally useless. For example, the music industry does not crown their best selling album according to the most amount of money made but by the actual number of albums sold. Wow, what a concept. The motion picture industry and all those covering it should abandon this idiotic and unfair method of tracking box office champs by the money totals and start using the total tickets sold. It’s the only true and fair way to compare movies from different eras.

Here’s a perfect example. Compare the top 10 domestic movies according to box office dollars unadjusted for inflation vs the top 10 that was adjusted for inflation. Here’s a good explanation about adjusting for inflation.

Note: Titanic sinks (pun intended) from #1 to #6 and Avatar tumbles to number 26 in the adjusted for inflation chart, the true list of box office champs. Also worth mentioning, some movies have benefited from multiple releases such as Star Wars, E.T. and Snow White.

Top international box office (Unadjusted for inflation)

Titanic $1,842.9 $600.8
Avatar $1,836.1  $552.8
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King $1,119.1 $377.0
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest  $1,066.2      $423.3
The Dark Knight $1,001.9  $533.3
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone  $974.7  $317.6
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End  $961.0  $309.4
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix  $938.2  $292.0
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince  $934.0  $302.0
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers $925.3  $341.8

Note: I haven’t been able to find a chat for international box office with adjusted for inflation totals but there’s no doubt that the list would be radically different much like the domestic list.

I’m such a big fan of The Script, an Irish band that I first experienced thanks to the movie “P.S. I Love You”and their wonderful “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved”  Here’s another touching song called “Breakeven” where lead singer Danny O’Donoghue pours out his emotions in a beautiful music video. I love the scene where we see the audience from his point of view and within the blinding spotlights he still sees his ex-girlfriend and remembers a better time.

What I like best about The Script is the cleverness of their lyrics that go so well with the catchy melodies and sweet harmonies. Here’s a sample:

They say bad things happen for a reason
But no wise words gonna stop the bleeding
‘Coz she’s moved on while I’m still grieving

BREAKEVEN

I’m still alive but I’m barely breathing,
Just prayed to a god that I don’t believe in,
‘Coz I got time while she got freedom,
‘Coz when a heart breaks
no it don’t break even.
Her best days will be some of my worst,
She finally met a man that’s gonna put her first,
While I’m wide awake, she’s no trouble sleeping,
‘Coz when a heart breaks
no it don’t break even, even no.
What am I supposed to do when the best part of me was always you
What am I supposed to say when I’m all choked up and you’re ok
I’m falling to pieces
I’m falling to pieces
They say bad things happen for a reason
But no wise words gonna stop the bleeding
‘Coz she’s moved on while I’m still grieving
And when a heart breaks
no it don’t break even, even no.
What am I gonna do when the best part of me was always you
What am I supposed to say when I’m all choked up and you’re ok
I’m falling to pieces, yeah
I’m falling to pieces, yeah
I’m falling to pieces
(One still in love
while the other one’s leaving)
I’m falling to pieces,
(Cuz when a heart breaks
no it don’t break even)
You got his heart and my heart and none of the pain,
You took your suitcase, I took the blame.
Now I’m try and make sense of what little remains, oh.
‘Coz you left me with no love, with no love to my name.
I’m still alive but I’m barely breathing,
Just prayed to a god that I don’t believe in,
‘Coz I got time while she got freedom,
‘Coz when a heart breaks
no it don’t break, no it don’t
break, no it don’t break even no.
What am I gonna do when the best part of me was always you
What am I supposed to say when I’m all choked up and you’re ok
I’m falling to pieces, yeah
I’m falling to pieces, yeah
I’m falling to pieces,
(One still in love
while the other one’s leaving)
I’m falling to pieces,
(Cuz when a heart breaks
no it don’t break even)
Oh, it don’t break even, no
Oh, it don’t break even, no
Oh, It don’t break even, no

I love this news item about CES in 1979!

Some of the gems of future technology:

• Televisions that can watch stations from other cities! GASP!
• $75 video cassettes of movies! (Love how the announcer says “Porno costs more”)
• $15 laserdiscs on $600 players
• Televisions that print what you see
• The small portable video camera is hilarious.
• Televisions that let you draw on the screen with a stylus

Here’s the video

http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=9510723

It’s good to look back and reminisce about the good old days from time to time but it’s not wise to linger too long in the past. We all have a habit of painting our memories a shade or two rosier than they actually were. We tend to block out and conveniently forget the negative aspects of our memories and focus on only the good memories which doesn’t present the total truth of those experiences. This is especially true when it comes to memories of a past relationship. Everyone thinks about the one that got away and what might’ve been. While it’s fine to think about some of these memories, we really shouldn’t go there that often or stay there too long.

What Might’ve Been by Little Texas is one of my favorite songs and the music video is wonderfully done, especially the ending. What a sweet message and story. The song captures the aguish of what might’ve been and the pain of not achieving closure with old wounds. We must find peace by accepting the truth, embrace the experience but move on. Find forgiveness, even if no one apologizes and heal your heart. After all, all of your experiences, the good and the bad, lead you to where you are today. Changing any of it would change your entire life. So be thankful and enjoy the life you have today.

What Might’ve Been

Sure I think about you now and then
But it’s been a long long time
I’ve got a good life now I’ve moved on
So when you cross my mind
I try not to think about
What might have been
‘Cause that was then
And we have taken different roads
We can’t go back again
There’s no use giving in
And there’s no way to know
What might have been
We could sit and talk about this all night long
And wonder why we didn’t last
Yes they might be the best days
We will ever know
But we’ll have to leave them in the past
So try not to think about
What might have been
‘Cause that was then
And we have taken different roads
We can’t go back again
There’s no use giving in
And there’s no way to know
What might have been
That same old look in your eyes
It’s a beautiful night
I’m so tempted to stay
But too much time has gone by
We should just say goodbye
And turn and walk away
And try not to think about
What might have been
‘Cause that was then
And we have taken different roads
We can’t go back again
There’s no use giving in
And there’s no way to know
What might have been
No we’ll never know
What might have been

Sometimes it takes something bad to shine the good in us all. For example, the events of 9/11 showed the world how loving and compassionate New Yorkers and all Americans really were deep down as it galvanized us all and made us realize how connected we really are.

The same thing happens when natural disasters wreak havoc on areas such as New Orleans and currently with the earthquake in Haiti. So many people from all over the world are joining together to help the survivors recover and rebuild. It’s an amazing miracle to beyond. I only wish that it didn’t have to take such painful events to remind us that we are one family in this thing called life.

I’ve always loved this song by the Hollies “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” which was the motto for Boys Town, a community formed in 1917 by a Catholic priest named Father Edward Flanagan. It was a safe haven for troubled or homeless boys. In 1941, Father Flanagan was looking at a magazine called The Messenger when he came across a drawing of a boy carrying a younger boy on his back, with the caption, "He ain’t heavy Mr., he’s my brother." Father Flanagan thought the image and phrase captured the spirit of Boys Town, so he got permission and commissioned a statue of the drawing with the inscription, "He ain’t heavy Father, he’s my brother." The statue and phrase became the logo for Boys Town. They later did the same with a statue of girls.

Father Flanagan and Boys Town were the inspirations for a couple of Spencer Tracy movies called Boys Town and Men of Boys Town.

The whole Google in China situation made me think of what happened 20 years ago in tiananmen square. Only this time it’s in the digital age online. I took the famous photo of the lone man vs the tanks and replaced him with Google’s Android logo.

Thief of Hearts (1984) is one of my favorite guilty pleasures. People always smirk or laugh out loud whenever I tell them how much I enjoy this movie and its music. They usually stop when they realize that I’m not pulling their leg or they start laughing even harder…but that’s all right. I don’t care really because I like what I like. I feel the same way about another 80s classic, FlashDance and its wonderful soundtrack.

I really liked Steven Bauer in the lead. I was certain he would become a big star but despite a steady working career (mostly on TV), he never did become a major leading man like many of his contemporaries. He was in Scarface with Al Pacino and was married to Melanie Griffith for several years. I also enjoyed his co-star, Barbara Williams who was believable as the lonely wife who shared her deepest secrets in her diary that the thief stole and used as a map to her heart.

A young David Caruso also starred in this movie as Bauer’s law-breaking partner in crime. As you know, he went on to do quite well with a couple of TV shows.

Interesting note about the writer-director, Douglas Day-Stewart. When I looked at his resume I was pleasantly surprised to see that he also wrote some of my other favorite movies from my youth. Besides Thief of Hearts (1984) he also did:

The Music

Here are several selections from the original motion picture soundtrack that I really like.
It strongly features Harold Faltermeyer who’s done many excellent soundtracks and experienced major pop success with hits such as Axel F from Beverly Hills Cop and the Top Gun theme. I think I really like his music because it reminds me a lot of Giorgio Moroder’s style. It makes sense because he actually worked with Giorgio on a few projects such as the soundtracks for Midnight Express, American Gigolo and Foxes).