It's Kind of a Funny Story

Some movies are on another level; I leap forward and clutch the footrest-pouf with my knees and elbows, shaking in the tense ecstasy of wise human insanity.  This is one of those.  I won't review it with words.  Just see it.

Here's the trailer (or in Australian English, preview).  But maybe you want to go in with an open mind, as I did.

For the Bards

Exquisite.  Great to see another side of Tripod, and loving their collaboration with Elana Stone.  For all of the kids introspecting, the walkers scat noodling, the students thigh-drumming, the cosmological teenage reveries.

Quote of the Day

" ... uncertainty is wondrous, and ... certainty, were it to be real, would be moral death.  If we were certain of the future, there would be no moral compulsion to do anything.  We would be free to indulge every passion and pursue every egoism, since all actions fall within the certainty that has been ordained.  If everything is uncertain, then the future is open to creativity, not merely human creativity but the creativity of all nature.  It is open to possibility and, therefore, a better world.  But we can only get there as we are ready to invest our moral energies in its achievement, and as we are ready to struggle with those who, under whatever guise and for whatever excuse, prefer an inegalitarian and undemocratic world."

 Sorry, for some reason I have no idea where this is from now.  If I find out I'll let y'all know.

Tim Minchin and The Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

He is idea-spilling, heart-rubbing and quick, self-deprecating and in the sound.  The show was an excellent achievement.  Lyrics had me grinning, peace-sign stabbing in a weird 'yes!', thank God someone is saying this.  Singing it, orchestrated, with great musicians and a great fairness of thought.  Human in that honest putting-it-all-on the stage kind of way which actually wasn't indulgent or neurotic.  And his look is just him after a while.  It is the commentary when 'consuming news' that would make life sane: so having it in one musical, funny package is a relief washing through.  A really fantastic height: I imagine it would feel great to reach the point of being able to do a show like this.  He balanced his atheist, intelligent perspective with a respect for belief that resulted in this overriding human quality.  By contrast, for example, Baba Brinkman's show seemed like an example of clever rhetoric in musical/theatre form that is to win an argument, whereas Tim sang in defence of 'sitting on the fence'.  

I'm really glad he exists and that he did this.  And that all the people that helped him did it also.