What A Marvel-ous Surprise!

If you’d asked me a year ago, I would have scoffed at the idea. Or worse, said something along the lines of: “Aren’t those targeted for chauvinistic men?” I thought I just didn’t get it, or maybe I (quite pretentiously) reasoned that my taste was somehow more refined than the general masses. Now I realize the dangers of speaking before giving something a true chance, and I’m ready to declare that my prejudices couldn’t have been more wrong. I’m ready to sing this truth from the rooftops of the Internet, because…

I love Marvel movies.

If you’re a bit reluctant to embrace Marvel Comics' film universe, my best advice would be to try watching at least one before making any firm resolutions. I’m far from being an expert on the subject, but I’ve decided to outline my reasons for falling in love with these films. (Oh, and just in case you don’t want to take my word for it, a certain Robert Redford just signed up for a role in Captain America 2 and has all kinds of good things to say.)

Reason #1: Character Arcs to Write Home About -- Iron Man If you're a fan of characters learning life  lessons, I think I have the Marvel superhero for you.  In Iron Man, billionaire-playboy Tony Stark gains a new worldview after a traumatizing experience and decides to use his savvy to "privatize world peace."  With a strong dose of sarcasm that could only be delivered by the multi-talented Robert Downey Jr., Iron Man is funny, action-packed, and surprisingly romantic.  (We'll forgive you your regression in Iron Man 2, Tony.)
   
Reason #2: Women Who Kick Some Serious Ass -- Black Widow in Iron Man 2 and The Avengers Remember how I wondered if comic book movies were just for chauvinistic men? If you like movies where female characters take care of matters themselves, I'd suggest seeing any Marvel film featuring Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow. Just watch what happens when people underestimate her abilities. No really, just watch. Here's to hoping Marvel gives "Natasha" her own origins movie.


Reason #3: Love...Trapezoids? -- The X-Men films in general Who knew comic book movies could rival most daytime soap operas? If you're like me and you enjoy rooting for various romantic pairings of characters (or as we call it on the Internet, "shipping"), then you must watch the X-Men films. Or maybe you should avoid them, because the confusion and heartache that you will endure can sometimes be too much to handle. In my opinion, they should market the trilogy with boxes of tissues. I've given up and decided to root for myself getting together with Hugh Jackman's Wolverine, but we'll see how that goes. (I'm a cat owner so I'm not worried about the claws.)


Reason #4: History AND Mythology Tie-Ins -- Captain America and Thor Marvel films can be somewhat educational! Steve Rogers didn't actually aid in the resolution of World War II, but Captain America does illustrate the 1940s in an accessible way that captures attention differently from history textbooks. Lovers of mythology should enjoy the colorful parallel universe brought to life in Thor. I'll happily admit to being more than a little in love with Tom Hiddleston's god of mischief, Loki. (If it doesn't work out between Wolverine and myself, I might just go for the villain.)

What do you think about comic book movies? Feel free to share in the comments!

Climb Ev'ry Mountain

My first copy of The Sound of Music was a self-recorded NBC broadcast on VHS tape, complete with commercials that required fast-forwarding.  (My parents’ house still has several of these ancient relics tucked in a dusty corner of the entertainment center, their murky footage having outlived all but one of our VCRs.)  I’m not entirely sure what happened to that trimmed-for-television version, but I do remember watching it so many times that the audio started to blend together, Maria’s list of favorite things indecipherable to anyone who wasn’t a true fan.   When I was about four or five, my parents finally replaced that tape with a purchased version of the film, still VHS but miraculously complete.  Today, I have the anniversary edition DVD at school, nestled amongst several other Rogers and Hammerstein’s classics.

When I think of films that have always been a part of my life, I think The Sound of Music.  Maybe that’s a clichéd answer, but I don’t remember my introduction to the von Trapp family singers, and I can’t imagine ever tiring of “Edelweiss.”  My mother must have been the architect behind the obsession: she can recite the dialogue in the abbey scenes word-for-word and quotes the Captain von Trapp whenever it’s socially appropriate.  When I was six, she put faith in my ability to sit still and brought me to our local high school’s production of the musical.  It was pure magic.  My mother doesn’t typically re-watch movies as often as I do, but she’ll always get distracted if The Sound of Music is on cable.  If appreciation for Julie Andrews is an inherited trait, I’ve inherited it from her.

As I grew up, my understanding of The Sound of Music grew with me.  In my youngest years the film was my first and foremost rainy day option, a fantasy for a child who dreamed of having a multitude of older siblings.  I was captivated by the balconies and the ballrooms and the sprawling lawns, and disappointed by the fact that our house didn’t have a glass gazebo in the backyard, nor a river to fall into.
  

In my teenage years I questioned whether I related more to boy-crazy Liesl or bookish Brigitta, finally concluding that I was a bit of both.  While fascist takeovers were thankfully absent from my adolescence, I found myself understanding too well the betrayals of crushes gone wrong.  Like Brigitta, I was constantly reading to escape the torments of cliques and gym class, fashionably arriving to my math courses with my nose in a novel.  I understood the girls’ rebellion from the Captain and Maria, but ran to my parents in the event of an emotional thunderstorm. 

Today, I love The Sound of Music for its heartbreaking optimism at the threshold of tragedy.  I love the slowly-evolving love story, the gorgeous costumes, the setting of Salzburg.  I have a bit of a crush on ‘60s era Christopher Plummer.  I can relate to Maria’s apprehensions about the future, but I know to take the advice of the Reverend Mother and “Climb Ev’ry Mountain.”  And to all my fellow graduating seniors, here’s a pep talk that evokes the splendor of the Austrian Alps: 

So long, farewell, auf weidersehen, good night!

Bonjour, Paris!

You can blame it on my French heritage, perhaps.  Or maybe it’s the way the Eiffel Tower is lit up at night, its reflection shining in the Seine.  I’ve always loved outdoor cafes, artsy neighborhoods, Gothic architecture, crepes and croque monsieurs.  Maybe that’s why I fell for Paris long before I’d ever been, and why my passion was confirmed before I made it through customs at Charles De Gaulle.

Or maybe it was all the movies.

Paris occupies a special place in the cinematic universe.  There’s a beautiful contrast between the wide boulevards and the cobblestone neighborhoods, the heavy Arc du Triumph and the airy landscapes of impressionist art.  The city is ancient but forward-thinking, its occupants both romantic and fashionably aloof.  Paris almost begs to be immortalized in film, and it has.

On my trip to Paris in the spring of 2009, I was lucky enough to see many of the settings used in my favorite “France movies.”  Almost everything in the City of Light seems iconic in some context, but for me these were the most memorable.

 
'Art Nouveau' metro signs, The Aristocats (1970) - While conniving butlers seem oblivious to their warnings, my childhood self was strangely captivated by the dreamlike signs seen in the Disney classic.  I'd always assumed they were a stylistic touch thrown in by the animators, but many of  the original pieces still adorn the public transportation system.  On a walking tour of the city, our group stopped to watch street performers beside this otherworldly form.


Strolling along the Seine, An American in Paris (1951) - It might be difficult to master the graceful ballet of Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron, but you can at least walk alongside the river that flows through the heart of Paris.  Plenty of couples and groups of friends still have the same idea, and it was quite common to see people sharing bottles of wine on the stone embankments.  And because dance shouldn't be limited to photographs, you simply must watch "Our Love Is Here To Stay."


Paris Opera House, The Phantom of the Opera (2004) - The setting behind the internationally acclaimed musical and the 2004 movie adaptation is open to visitors when performances aren't scheduled.  You'll immediately recognize the ornate lobby and the rich interior of the seating area.  I didn't see the Phantom himself on my trip, but one of my friends did get locked in the bathroom quite mysteriously.  You can almost hear the organ music, can't you?  And for the pure spectacle of it all, treat yourself to "Masquerade."



Shakespeare and Company, Midnight in Paris (2011) - I saw this whimsical Woody Allen film long after my trip to France, but it's enough to inspire at least a dozen new Paris adventures.  Any writer or reader should remember to check out Shakespeare and Company, an English language bookstore on the Left Bank.  While not all of us have the opportunity to get individualized writing tips from F. Scott Fitzgerald and Gertrude Stein, we can trace the path of Owen Wilson and Marion Cotillard with a paperback as traveling companion.

I'll let Audrey Hepburn, Fred Astaire, and Kay Thompson wrap up my post with one of the best odes to Paris, found in Funny Face (1956):

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Au revior!