A couple weeks ago I was nearly in tears (gag) watching the trailer for The Stone Angel. It’s one of those Notebook-type look back at the life you’ve lived. Basically, (I think) the lead character re-lives her life in her head and tries to make amends for the chaos she caused her whole life by living on her own terms.
The Stone Angel
This is supposed to be a preview of The Stone Angel, but it went a bit sideways. You’ll see.
, but it went a bit sideways. You’ll see.My mind goes to interesting places daily.
It’s generally media-centered—probably due to my university training in media, communications and journalism.
Or maybe it’s because media absolutely saturates our lives and I would rather actually think about what I see and be plagued with annoying thoughts all day and night than ignore its influence and suggestion in my life.
But I digress.
It’s weird what stuff you notice and what floats on by without question. I suppose it’s all relative to what you’re personally dealing with and where you’re at, but it’s still neat to think about. I suspect where I’m at right now is specifically why I’m so intrigued by the upcoming Canadian film, The Stone Angel.
The first time I saw the trailer for The Stone Angel it made no impression on me.
A couple weeks later, however, I was nearly in tears (gag) watching the same trailer.
What changed!?
This is not a tough question. Obviously it was my state of mind, emotional stability and coffee intake.
So, I don’t even know exactly what the film is about, save it’s one of those Notebook-type look back at the life you’ve lived, but there is a passion or energy about it (sorry, I work with rocks now) I am attracted to.
Basically, (I think) the lead character re-lives her life in her head and tries to make amends for the chaos she caused her whole life by living on her own terms.
Something else I’m thinking about is a book I received for my birthday from a friend in London. It’s called Cloud Atlas: A Novel
But I cannot get into it. At all. Not even a tiny big. Well, maybe a little bit. I suspect it’s really, really funny on an Englishy-level I only wish I could get.
The reason I’m still attempting (and I use “attempting,” in its widest possible usage) to read it is because it was from a good friend and it’s his favourite book.
It’s a respect, more than a pleasure, thing.
I’m wondering why I can’t get into it. I’ve pondered this a few times (OK, a couple) and today the answer came to me:
I can’t get into the book because I cannot, for the life of me, figure out what it’s about.
Basically I try to read a page or two at a time, lose interest and put it down. Sometimes I pack it in my bag as a, “maybe the bus I don’t take will be late and I’ll have time to read,” gesture.
Today I discovered I have been re-reading the same three pages for goodness-knows-how-long.
This discovery set me on a quest: Figure out what the heck this book is about.
So, I Googled it.
Basically, Cloud Atlas tells six different narratives, told partially and out of order, tied together by intersections and coincidences. Then the stories are completed in backwards order.
The characters:
- An American notary during a South Seas voyage
- An English cad in 1931 working as an amanuensis for a blind, syphilitic composer
- An investigative reporter in the 1970s
- A futuristic fast food robot struggling to achieve sentience
- A Hawaiian ruminating on a post-apocalyptic life
Now that the plot is crystal clear, I think I’ll get reading and then go to a movie.
If people praise you, you’re not walking your own path.
Page 55 Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
Other Movie Reviews
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5 Responses
I had to read the book for correspondance – it’s really good. I could have had a free movie pass for a screening tonight of the movie but I chose Made of Honour instead. Not sure why since I’m not going to see it anyway. It’s funny how just because a crap movie (Made of Honour) is free, you still won’t go – that’s 90 mins you’ll never get back!
A proper pondering post if ever there was one.
Your take on that book, prior to Google, makes it sound like Crash. Ever seen that? It’s not too bad.
And I’m liking the new additional features on your blog. That blog list is quite clever…how’d you do that? I might like to steal it!
Hey Robyn!
‘The Stone Angel’ is a phenom. BOOK. I read it for my senior Canadian Lit class @ UVic this past year.I would recommend reading the novel before watching the film — as I am assuming it is based on the book. Margaret Laurence is one of my fav. Canadian authors, so if you haven’t read it, here is my full recommendation!
(Unless you’ve already watched it and/or read it, this is unnecessary!)