Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (& Sweeney Todd)
Although well directed and a great story, in the end i found this less than overwhelming, which it really demanded to be. Considering the subject matter, it left me largely cold, the reason being, i think, that none of the characters was especially well drawn; they seemed two-dimensional, perhaps not by thriller standards, but by the standards it aspired to, which were those of tragedy. Since we were never given a sense of why we should care about any of them, besides feeling a certain amount of pity for the Ethan Hawke character, there was never much at stake to my mind. It was just a bunch of rather sordid people making a mess of their lives. Had it worked better as a thriller, this wouldn't have mattered, but it wasn't exciting enough to be a thriller. And what was that opening graphic sex scene all about? Sure, Marisa Tomei looks great for her age (43), and she doesn't mind showing her assets, bless her. But it really had no reason whatsoever to be there. I couldn't help wondering: is this how an 83-year-old film director gets his jollies?
Sweeney Todd gets better the more i think back on it, stays in the memory like a magikal dream. i confess not to respond to the music especially, more to the lyrics, so i doubt i would have enjoyed it much on stage. But Burton's staging and the pairing of HBC and JD are wondrous to behold.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Heath Ledger, Hollywood Martyr, Sacrificed to Pluto
tomorrow, Jan 25th, the planet Pluto, Lord of the Underworld, enters the sign of Capricorn, where He will be for the next 16 years, until 2024. Among other things, Sagittarius relates to media and celebrity, while Capricorn to ambition and material success (and physical livelihood!). Heath Ledger's tragic ending has been a timely one indeed: an early sacrifice to the Lord of Hades, and a warning of things to come.
May his death be not wholly in vain.
I have culled some comments about this big shift off the Net, in case you are interested in prepping for the years ahead.
Pluto has been traveling through Sagittarius since 1995, bringing with it wars (Pluto) over religion and ideology (Sagittarius), as well as "culture wars" and the growing divide between groups that think differently, all Sagittarius archetypes. Sagittarius rules the media and entertainment, and the rise of a new compulsivity in celebrity journalism has grown up since Pluto entered Sagittarius, with the internet spawning a huge new gossip market. Sagittarius carries with it a nearly relentless optimism.
When Pluto goes through Capricorn we can expect the transformation of all things ruled by that sign - such as our religious institutions, halls of government and political structures. Pluto will be in Capricorn until 2024, a time when our Capricornian structures are ripe for transformation. Industry (Capricorn) in developed and developing countries as become a major source of carbon emissions which threaten the survival of life on earth. The Catholic Church (Capricorn), rocked by sex scandals, is struggling for survival. The very way we do business (Capricorn) is being forever changed by the globalization of politics and the economy.
In Sagittarius, Pluto has been compulsively expansive and optimistic, intensifying religious fervor. In Capricorn, Pluto seeks to contract and solidify and build solid structures for society. In the process, the structures that already exist are broken down and irrevocably transformed. Once Pluto is firmly entrenched in Capricorn, beginning in December 2008, we will begin to really see it at work. (US presidential election in November 2008.) Pluto seeks to focus and intensify as well as break down and regenerate. The structures of our world keep societies in order and functioning: churches, governments, buildings - all of these are ruled by Capricorn. But so are bridges and tunnels, and the entire infrastructure upon which we live, particularly in urban areas, are likely to experience a severe breakdown while Pluto travels through Capricorn. Underground transportation, under the domain of the god of the underworld, could become a battleground as Pluto often brings warfare or death in the areas of the sign through which it passes (such as September 11th during Pluto in Sagittarius, where air travel became a conveyance of death and total world transformation).
During the passage of Pluto, we see extremes and compulsions in the area of life associated with the sign through which Pluto travels, and with the Capricornian association with governments and government buildings, expect a worldwide attempt to solidify a global government and minimize individual liberties. Pluto's reach will extend beyond governments, however. Capricorn also rules the elderly and end of life issues, and Pluto's passage through Capricorn could transform the way we view the entire process of death and dying.
Pluto in Capricorn will also bring out secrets (Pluto) of governments and other political entities (Cap).
Also:
a massive amount of scandals become visible as Pluto begins to rumble and spew forth the hidden motives, ethics and values used while Pluto has been in Sagittarius. This rumbling started March 30, 2007 as Pluto turned retrograde, and around September 8, 2007, this rumbling again began. This long, extended stay of Pluto in Capricorn (2008 - 2023) will completely revise the power issues and issues of authority. The last time Pluto was in Capricorn was from 1762 to 1779, which included the founding of the US to gain the freedom against the oppression from the King of England. We will find ourselves in the same boat of addressing the oppressive and corrupt power issues that have been used against people. Whatever we have created during Pluto's time in Sagittarius will become the road that we find as Pluto moves into Capricorn. For many who have misused their power, their road will end. For many who have fought valiantly against such mis-use of power by growing inner qualities, the ground will swell with heightening values to find a different advantage.
tomorrow, Jan 25th, the planet Pluto, Lord of the Underworld, enters the sign of Capricorn, where He will be for the next 16 years, until 2024. Among other things, Sagittarius relates to media and celebrity, while Capricorn to ambition and material success (and physical livelihood!). Heath Ledger's tragic ending has been a timely one indeed: an early sacrifice to the Lord of Hades, and a warning of things to come.
May his death be not wholly in vain.
I have culled some comments about this big shift off the Net, in case you are interested in prepping for the years ahead.
Pluto has been traveling through Sagittarius since 1995, bringing with it wars (Pluto) over religion and ideology (Sagittarius), as well as "culture wars" and the growing divide between groups that think differently, all Sagittarius archetypes. Sagittarius rules the media and entertainment, and the rise of a new compulsivity in celebrity journalism has grown up since Pluto entered Sagittarius, with the internet spawning a huge new gossip market. Sagittarius carries with it a nearly relentless optimism.
When Pluto goes through Capricorn we can expect the transformation of all things ruled by that sign - such as our religious institutions, halls of government and political structures. Pluto will be in Capricorn until 2024, a time when our Capricornian structures are ripe for transformation. Industry (Capricorn) in developed and developing countries as become a major source of carbon emissions which threaten the survival of life on earth. The Catholic Church (Capricorn), rocked by sex scandals, is struggling for survival. The very way we do business (Capricorn) is being forever changed by the globalization of politics and the economy.
In Sagittarius, Pluto has been compulsively expansive and optimistic, intensifying religious fervor. In Capricorn, Pluto seeks to contract and solidify and build solid structures for society. In the process, the structures that already exist are broken down and irrevocably transformed. Once Pluto is firmly entrenched in Capricorn, beginning in December 2008, we will begin to really see it at work. (US presidential election in November 2008.) Pluto seeks to focus and intensify as well as break down and regenerate. The structures of our world keep societies in order and functioning: churches, governments, buildings - all of these are ruled by Capricorn. But so are bridges and tunnels, and the entire infrastructure upon which we live, particularly in urban areas, are likely to experience a severe breakdown while Pluto travels through Capricorn. Underground transportation, under the domain of the god of the underworld, could become a battleground as Pluto often brings warfare or death in the areas of the sign through which it passes (such as September 11th during Pluto in Sagittarius, where air travel became a conveyance of death and total world transformation).
During the passage of Pluto, we see extremes and compulsions in the area of life associated with the sign through which Pluto travels, and with the Capricornian association with governments and government buildings, expect a worldwide attempt to solidify a global government and minimize individual liberties. Pluto's reach will extend beyond governments, however. Capricorn also rules the elderly and end of life issues, and Pluto's passage through Capricorn could transform the way we view the entire process of death and dying.
Pluto in Capricorn will also bring out secrets (Pluto) of governments and other political entities (Cap).
Also:
a massive amount of scandals become visible as Pluto begins to rumble and spew forth the hidden motives, ethics and values used while Pluto has been in Sagittarius. This rumbling started March 30, 2007 as Pluto turned retrograde, and around September 8, 2007, this rumbling again began. This long, extended stay of Pluto in Capricorn (2008 - 2023) will completely revise the power issues and issues of authority. The last time Pluto was in Capricorn was from 1762 to 1779, which included the founding of the US to gain the freedom against the oppression from the King of England. We will find ourselves in the same boat of addressing the oppressive and corrupt power issues that have been used against people. Whatever we have created during Pluto's time in Sagittarius will become the road that we find as Pluto moves into Capricorn. For many who have misused their power, their road will end. For many who have fought valiantly against such mis-use of power by growing inner qualities, the ground will swell with heightening values to find a different advantage.
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