Reeve Foundation Paralysis Community

Good Morning,

It is Valentine’s Day week so here's a little Valentine's lore...

Some people said that if a woman saw a robin flying overhead on Valentine's Day, it meant she would marry a sailor. If she saw a sparrow, she would marry a poor man and be very happy. If she saw a goldfinch, she would marry a millionaire.

alternatively...

if she saw a berry munching chickadee, she knew her car was going to get pooped on...

Some people said if you found a glove on the road on Valentine's Day, your future beloved will have the other missing glove...

OR

your beloved will be squished somewhere underneath the tires

Some people said the first man's name you read in the paper or hear will be the name of the man you will marry.

I say there are going to be a lot of women waiting around for a guy named Barack.

Somewhere in this mental mush is the nugget of motivation that lead me to select today's film pick--Paper Heart!!!

It is a date movie which might be coming to an art theater near you.

Synopsis:

Charlyne Yi, a young LA-based comedian/performer says she doesn’t believe in love. So, she sets out to make a documentary with a director (who is also her friend) to ask the question- does love really exist?

Specifically, does romantic love really exist? If so, is she fundamentally incapable of being in love because she’s never experienced it? The journey takes her to talk with scientific experts, a rural psychic...to seek advice from an Elvis impersonator in Vegas and other gems of wisdom from everyday couples scattered throughout the heartland. For example, the Texas woman who was mysteriously wooed (read not embarrassed?) when her white knight drove his BIG ruck, UP the courthouse steps to keep her fancy boots from getting wet in the pouring rain. In Texas, I guess this is door-to-door service.

The astute film goer will notice as the creative process begins to unfold, the real life filmmaker also wrote in a storyline to keep the "documentary" footage interesting and compelling. Scribbled on a paper napkin it must have read--Charlyne meets Michael Cera (an A-list actor seen in Juno, Superbad) at a party and the audience watches these two beautifully awkward people date. The message hinted at but never really stated: Charlyne is biologically capable of falling in love and experiencing the full delicacy of its permutation.

In what comes across a bit like a deleted scene added at the end ultimately, we are left to conclude whether Charlyne has found the answer to the age-old question--has she found love for real?

My Reactions

Confusion:

I am always one secretly hoping each on screen kiss is real and disappointed to realize my favorite TV couple is NOT really married. In this manner, when the lights came up for the Q & A, i too wanted to bolt for the door rather than let the quirky-hip director dispel my fantasy. The director tried to be loose and evasive when pointedly asked were/are Charlyne and Michael Cera really dating? He gave the infuriating "Well what do you think?" answer which for the rest of us obviously meant no...

Critique:

This showing of Paper Heart was one of the balloted sessions. Each audience member is given a paper ballot upon entering the theater and asked to mark their "star" rating after the viewing. Out of 4 stars I gave it a 3.

The filmmakers had a very interesting question to ask. In the documentary segments I wanted straight answers from entertaining REAL characters. However, it seemed the characters were not funny enough to carry a scene without a script. It seemed obvious at times that they were responding as actors to fit a scene. From the cushy comfort of my theater seat this left me in limbo feeling like I was watching a parody of "Best in Show" (a dog show spoof).

The STRONG exception to this general rule was a playground scene. When asked questions about love, it's ever so clear children are only in the moment and will say anything.

Recommendation

Paper Heart was a Sundance Screenwriting Award Winner for the writer/director Nicholas Jasenovec. There is no doubt this film serves as innovative and creative storytelling-"a wonderfully imagined journey of one girl's search for love."

I am left with an appreciation of a poignant, funny, and intelligent film with one remaining tear in the paper heart.

Charlyne and Michael's charismatic personalities were so strong they often overshadowed the engaging interviews. Upon their meeting, I wanted to see a whole movie with these two interacting as a couple with the rest of the world...with friends, family...in exclusion of the filmmaker's quest. In this sense it seems documentary and dramatic cinema now have a marriage out there but in Hollywood it's still going to be a hard balance act to sell.

okay, now i'm giving Ebert (& dead Siskel) his job back.

Amanda

hello,

i'm back to share some of the fun and happenings of my trip to the Sundance Film Festival.

to start, i thought i'd share my thoughts on the film Carmo, Hit the Road. As i've mentioned with some concern, this was the only show i could find (from a list of over 200 offerings) that included direct representation of a person with a physical disability.

Synopsis:

Carmo, a sassy young woman who is tired of a small town spends her nights running from reality and into the gritty embrace of alcohol and uncouth men in hot sweaty bars. One night she is cornered by a drunk who is trying to take advantage of her...THIS is when Marco comes to her rescue. Marco is an unlikely hero taking on all challengers from the seat of his wheelchair. Marco is no saint. Carmo is more than any man's handful. Lives change and hearts desperately smolder as they wind their way (much of the time in Marco's dilapidated truck) across the beautiful South American countryside in a daring and dangerous run for freedom.

Thoughts/Reactions

My reactions to this film come after having had the benefit of a Q&A with the films writer/director, and principle actors after the showing.

With this in mind, it was obvious the filmmaker had a friend with paraplegia as a consultant in writing the script. I think this can be seen in the accuracy of the story details.

There were no miracle cures, no Marco spinning out into depression or angry rants at God over his misfortune. Marco just lived. (emphasis period).

Others hardly seemed to notice Marco's chair. People did not extend to him any handouts or acts of Good Samaritanism. If in fact I hadn’t heard the story conceptualization from the screenwriter and director, I would have argued that the opposite were true. They were trying to mistreat him in all the ways a protagonist can be physically challenged: shot at, chased, beat up and left for dead, the object of an attempted rape...

Also interesting in this film, the actor who played Marco was not disabled but clear he had taken the time to research his character and learn about life in a chair. Specifically, he said he spent a great deal of time learning how to balance back on two wheels (pop wheelies) and make believable looking transfers. As an audience member, the only problem I had here was that as a complete para he had overdeveloped muscles in his legs. Hardly something anyone could change though. No way even the most devout or serious thespian could arrive at the characteristic muscle wasting. I also found it a bit unrealistic that he was transferring without any assistance into the cab of a standard sized pick-up truck.

Random Thoughts:

Other thoughts I had about this film I'd like to leave open for discussion at another time. perhaps when others on this site have had a chance to catch it on Netflix or some other distribution (e.g. maybe it will show in small art theaters?)

Marco was his truck. that is his truck serves as a symbol of who he was as a person. it was a "disabled" vehicle. it was rough and ready to rumble at a moments notice but...when pushed to the limit it broke down.

Marco- paraplegia. Marco was a multi-dimensional character. Although I still envision him as primarily an angry character he was also vulnerable to Carmo. This could be seen most easily about 1/3 of the way through the film when the love story really began to develop. (e.g., he allows Carmo to take him into the river for a roadside bath and she holds him gently playing in the water).

In summary:

I would recommend you see this film. I found the emotions raw, accurate and real. I hope you too will notice the frustration and anger...Marco gets tired of always having to get the chair, of always needing Carmo to do that extra little thing for him when he just want to get up and GO!!!

...or i just need to chill a little? : )

On the down side this film is still rough and VERY gritty at times. Be prepared for an African American gay character who is represented as a homosexual pervert who wants to sleep with (rape) all straight men. As a general rule?...throughout the film there is a lot of unflattering, violent sex.

oh yes, and last thing. for reason to encourage you too watch this film...

Carmo & Marco- finally do have a sex scene!

wohoo!

Greetings,

Time to get out my Cuddle Duds! I'm gettin' ready to rub elbows with the stars!!! I've been lucky enough to get invited to the 2009 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. From January 20 thru the 26th, I will be hanging out with a class of college students studying documentary film-making and serving as a "special consultant" on their group project. In theory, the students will be making a 60 min. film on some aspect of disability and culture.

While I'm excited to have this important opportunity to help mold young minds, I'm perhaps a little more excited to be working on my own project while I'm there. I'm planning to do some video blogging for my Monday Morning News & this blog.

In preparation, I've been doing a little research. I thought you might enjoy some of these interesting facts.

1. avg. temp in Park City for January- 18F (...what?)
2. avg. snow in Park City for January- 73 in. (huh?!?)
3. base depth "snow already on the mountain..."- 53'in.

(oh no no no...)

4. "Each year more than 50,000 people attend screenings...in addition to discovering filmmaking's newest talent...Festivalgoers experience..."

(frostbite? maaaan that's cold)

5. the Sundance Film Guide can be found at

http://festival.sundance.org/2009/

it is frustrating to me that of the over 200 films offered i could only find 1 that seems to include a character or protagonist with a physical disability...

Amanda

p.s. ...Walking Times Egyptian Theater to Eccles Theater. 2.5 miles 50min...

BRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

So, with all the troubles going on in the world these days Mitty (the kitty) and I decided to do out part to raise happiness awareness. We held a "Saturday Night Dance Party!"...with two attendees. : )

If you follow this link, you will experience some meeeean chair-dancing : ).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sj1IFyQ0P64

feel free to cop my moves : ).

Keep on Keepin' on.

Amanda "A-lo" & Mitty "Mix-a-lot"

p.s. *warning FloRida's lyrics are EXPLICIT. you may need to cover your ears.

Tonight was a difficult night for me. I just returned from visiting a friend who is very sick and in the hospital. My friend Bill (aka my "Fishing Buddy" Bill) has stage four prostate cancer that has metastasized to different parts of his body. There is cancer in his stomach, his skull and the swelling of lymph nodes suggest "the cancer cells are coming!" to more precious organs. The wearied doctor might say it's only a matter of time now there's nothing more we can do...

i watched tonight as the well patienced nurse went about her nightly duties- drawing another vile of blood, checking Bill's menses?...can a 61 year old man ovulate? what ever the term, i asked and it meant basic life signs and mental clarity.

as sometimes happens in hospitals i began to relax and feel at home. an ICU unit is a place my body has been. it is a place through my work my mind knows.

as the nurse straightened Bill's arm to keep the IV machine from beeping and labeled each tube with the surgical tape my own skin began to crawl and itch with each desperate attempt at a scratch...

i was relieved when the nurse offered lotion to sooth away the burn. i knew the aloe isn't the medicinal cure promised. it's simply the attention to the need that cures.

later, as bill struggled to free himself from bondage...i remembered that too...what it feels like to have a will to freedom but no boat to carry it (sorry for the bad metaphor).

my spiritual strength was called upon and thankfully i could rest here. sorry this is so jumpy but watching bill's physical struggle my mind came to one conclusion. there is no bill here. is he the body i see before me? no. is he the mind of wandering thoughts i can no longer follow? no. where is Bill in these moments? he's simply in me.

Good Morning,

This time next week I will be slathered in Icy Hot! Next Saturday, the 18th, I will be running my Team Reeve Marathon. I will be running for four hours* (hopefully straight) on an elliptical machine in support of SCI research.

I've got my iPod loaded, my magazines, and my six screens of football watching to do...

While I'm running,there will also be many other things I will be thinking about. Here are a few that I've chosen to focus on:

The CDRF (Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation) estimates that 400,000 people are living with SCI. The major authority on SCI research estimates 250,000...hopefully, some of the money raised will help develop more reliable statistics.

(*regardless, this is at least 3 "Horseshoes" or "Big House" stadiums full of people)

"87.9% of all SCI patients are discharged from hospitals to private homes...5.6% are discharged to nursing homes." I will be thinking about those 5.6%.

The Estimated Life Costs of someone with my level of injury (but complete) is $1,729,754. The average yearly expenses is $56,905.

This is like having the stock market plummet and then neeeeeever recovering. No matter what Wall Street does.

77.8% of new SCI patients are male. I will especially be thinking of my newly injured sisters.

Thank you to everyone who has donated so far. It humbles me to see your generosity. If you would like to make a donation, you can do so at:

https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=59078&supid=222859771

Amanda


*why 4 hrs.? I checked out the Average Finish Time for all participants in last year's Columbus Marathon-4:19:24. I have never liked to think of myself as "average" (rrrrg) so I rounded down to 4:00:00.