So I decided to finally go see "Kick-Ass" yesterday and I have to say that overall it was a pretty good movie. In light of it often being associated as being a RLSH movie I figured I'd offer my thoughts about the movie. Just some random observations.
1) The opening scene where it shows the guy in the red bird suit falling down the side of the building was rather ironic. When Kick Ass mentioned that he was mentally ill I smiled. Everyone is entitled to their opinion but I think one of the messages here was "A person with a mental illness can be inspired by anything but that source of inspiration should not necessarily be held responsible for these the ill persons action."
2) Hit Girl stole the show... bottom line.
3) Kick Ass got off way to easy in the end. If I am not mistaken the comic book does not go as soft on him and I really think the consequences of what Kick Ass did should have been a bit tougher.
4) This movie is not a RLSH doctrine or a guide to the functions of the RLSH community. It was an entertaining and at times way over the top movie that just HAPPENED to have some elements of the RLSH workings in it. People who think otherwise are IMHO grasping at straws for the wrong reasons.
5) Alot of people have been saying that "Kick Ass" will inspire people to do stupid and dangerous things. Along the lines of point #1, it's not a movies job to instill a set of morals or ethics in your kids or in anyone for that matter. That job belongs in the hands of a parent or responsible guardian. Believe me if the only source of a kid learning what is right and wrong is taught to him/her by a television set and the parents choose to exist in a state of blissful perpetual ignorance then do not be surprised if the kid ends up doing something dumb or reckless.So to all of those people out there that are ready to blame "Kick Ass" when something bad happens blame yourselves for being stupid enough to make Hollywood the crux of your moral and ethical compass.
6) It was good to see Kick Ass overwhelmed, acknowledging that he was way in over his head. It was very refreshing and honest. His vulnerability, both physical and emotional only made the courage of his actions at the end all the more relevant.
7) Big Daddy and Hit Girl were hardcore vigilantes. It's hard to say "Well I would not have done what he did or made the choice to become what he did" without actually being placed in that situation. I would lik to think that I myself would take the high road but losing ones wife, having your reputation destroyed, being kept apart from ones daughter, ect. That is a lot to lose. So not being in his shoes I'd say they duo definitely went too far. There extremely violent nature is a sharp contrast to alot of costumed RLSH today who patrol. Alot of them get mislabeled as vigilantes but alot of these RLSH are unarmed or armed with non-lethal and legal weaponry like tazers, tonfas, or pepper spray.Alot of RLSVs might disagree with me just to further their hate-ridden agenda but at this point in time their rhetoric, aside from a couple of them, means very little to me.
8) I liked what happened to Kick Ass when he started getting really popular. He was overwhelmed with attention seekers and became a gloryhound... and in the process paid a very heavy price in pain for it. When he saw that he had gotten in way over his head he tried to retreat to the shadows of anonymity and go back to being the same humble barely noticed teenager he had been before. That speaks to the accusations of RLSH being gloryhounds. Those that do what they do for attention and prominence first and THEN to help people have it all wrong. Those who help people first and use prominence or attention from outside sources to FURTHER help people have it all right. Kick Ass showed that sometimes we can get so wrapped up in the moment that we stray from who we are or what we need to be. A RLSH should always stay for the most part humble.
9) The Red Mist was an interesting character and in some ways alot like some of the more unsavory RLSVs I've tangled with. He knew what he was doing, knew that their would be dire consequences for other people in the form of physical and mental trauma...and did it anyways. That moment when he pleaded with his father to spare Kick Ass was also very relevant. It showed that he was naive enough to think that he could calculate the full consequences of his betrayal. It showed that he did not properly understand that in his misguided desire to prove himself that he has underestimated the negativity that followed. I think alot of RLSV's out there say and do things and think, in their arrogance or warped way of thinking, that they will always be able to control the outcome. If history has proven anything it is that this is not the case at all. In the end the Red Mist had a choice to walk away from his fathers dark shadow or embrace it completely. He chose the darkness...and that's too bad.
10) I enjoyed seeing Hit Girl and Kick Ass return to a more ordinary life at the end of the movie. I have never liked the idea of very young kids or teenagers becoming RLSH and i know there are some out there. I don't think that being a RLSH a calling that everyone answers. I think that within all of us there is the same spirit burning in us that inspired Kick Ass to become a superhero. However, the movie showed that when you answer the call before your time or are not as prepared as you should be that things can end badly. I think that some people out there have what it takes to be a true RLSH. There are plenty of examples in the community of this today. Yet whether some embrace the chance to be a RLSH and fail or others succeed, one thing is certain; the RLSH will endure in one form or another. I truly believe there is a place for it in our world. Kick Ass did a good job in demonstrating alot of points that both sides of the coin, the RLSH and the RLSV bicker about all the time. I just hope that regardless of which side you are one that you take the time to see beneath the surface of the violence and over the top action.
And did I mention that Hit Girl stole the friggin show?
"When good people in any country cease their vigilance and struggle, then evil men prevail." - Pearl S. Buck
"The moment we break faith with one another, the sea engulfs us and the light goes out." - James Baldwin
About me.....
- Dragonheart
- I'm a dreamer and perhaps too much of an eternal optimist. I always try to look at the glass as half full. Defiant and ferocious towards those who would seek to unjustly harm others, I speak my mind...for better or worse. Where as some view compassion as a weakness I view it as a strength. I try not to live in the shadows of my regrets because doing so dims the light and the promise of a new day. I do not strive for perfection for this is the quest of fools and denies a man the blessings of humility. The bonds of true friendship and family are to be protected...sometimes by the cunning, stealth, and tenaciousness of a mouse but other times by the wrath and fury of the dragon. I am one and yet I am both. This is my truth.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Because this bears repeating....
I was reading Tea Krulos blog about the upcoming photo presentation project involving of the RLSH and when I read it I was compelled to repost it here in my blog because IMHO it bears repeating. In many ways Peter Tangen's words captured the spirit of what I have been trying to say for so long about the power and symbolism behind a RLSH's alternative persona and their uniform/costume. Virus was right - he expressed it better than alot of RLSH have in the past. It would be nice if people took some serious time to see beyond the costume and peer into the heart of Peter's words. Some do, some don't, and some do so to certain degrees but we can't expect everyone to see things our way and I understand that. With that being said here is what Peter wrote about the project.
<< Start>>
I’ve been reading these comments with great interest and thought it was about time I added my own thoughts. I’d first like to say that I appreciate all points of view, those posted by heroes and villains alike. I’m not here to defend RLSH or argue with those who oppose them. Instead I’d like to say a few things about this project.
This is a project that tells a story and this is what I believe…
A story that inspires people is worth telling.
I’ve shown the project to about 40 people and each one of them has been inspired to look for opportunities in their own lives to make the world around them a better place. The thirty people who worked on the photo shoot were inspired to volunteer because of the story I told, the owners of companies that provided studio space, equipment and other things did so for the same reason, as have the many people who have contributed to the project since the shoot. The story this project tells hopes to spread this message to a larger audience.
Each of us wants power.
The power to have our voices heard and to inspire others to understand our point of view and hopefully adopt it. As a photographer I use imagery to express what I believe. Many RLSH & RLSV do the same.
The RLSH are in the business of marketing good deeds.
A child battling cancer who met DC’s Guardian has a memory that will last and a hero to look up to. An eighty year old homeless woman meets and dances a waltz with Thanatos, dancing with “death” just weeks before her own passing. A witness to Life helping a homeless person describes her own realization that simple acts can make an important difference in someone’s day, without the mask it would just be another anonymous handout to an anonymous homeless man.
I believe RLSH do make the world a better place.
I’ve witnessed the effect heroes have on the people they help and I’ve seen firsthand the effect their story has on people who hear it. I’ve learned that the power to be heard is not the only power I aspire to as I’ve recognized my own power to help the less fortunate I meet in my day to day life.
As The Crimson Fist says “I’m one guy, I can’t save the world, but I’d like to inspire the world to save itself”. With this collection of photographs I hope to reach people and inspire them. RLSH are the vehicle I’ve chosen to accomplish this goal and I’m proud to know many of them and to call them my friends.
<>
It bears repeating. The RLSH are in the business of marketing good deeds and within these boundaries there will probably be a little self-promotion. However, the desired end result does not change - the RLSH exist to help people on various different levels and way. Sometimes they fail; other times they succeed but the effort is always there.
<< Start>>
I’ve been reading these comments with great interest and thought it was about time I added my own thoughts. I’d first like to say that I appreciate all points of view, those posted by heroes and villains alike. I’m not here to defend RLSH or argue with those who oppose them. Instead I’d like to say a few things about this project.
This is a project that tells a story and this is what I believe…
A story that inspires people is worth telling.
I’ve shown the project to about 40 people and each one of them has been inspired to look for opportunities in their own lives to make the world around them a better place. The thirty people who worked on the photo shoot were inspired to volunteer because of the story I told, the owners of companies that provided studio space, equipment and other things did so for the same reason, as have the many people who have contributed to the project since the shoot. The story this project tells hopes to spread this message to a larger audience.
Each of us wants power.
The power to have our voices heard and to inspire others to understand our point of view and hopefully adopt it. As a photographer I use imagery to express what I believe. Many RLSH & RLSV do the same.
The RLSH are in the business of marketing good deeds.
A child battling cancer who met DC’s Guardian has a memory that will last and a hero to look up to. An eighty year old homeless woman meets and dances a waltz with Thanatos, dancing with “death” just weeks before her own passing. A witness to Life helping a homeless person describes her own realization that simple acts can make an important difference in someone’s day, without the mask it would just be another anonymous handout to an anonymous homeless man.
I believe RLSH do make the world a better place.
I’ve witnessed the effect heroes have on the people they help and I’ve seen firsthand the effect their story has on people who hear it. I’ve learned that the power to be heard is not the only power I aspire to as I’ve recognized my own power to help the less fortunate I meet in my day to day life.
As The Crimson Fist says “I’m one guy, I can’t save the world, but I’d like to inspire the world to save itself”. With this collection of photographs I hope to reach people and inspire them. RLSH are the vehicle I’ve chosen to accomplish this goal and I’m proud to know many of them and to call them my friends.
<
It bears repeating. The RLSH are in the business of marketing good deeds and within these boundaries there will probably be a little self-promotion. However, the desired end result does not change - the RLSH exist to help people on various different levels and way. Sometimes they fail; other times they succeed but the effort is always there.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
More Cool writings from my friend Captain Black
As always an excellent read from my friend Captain Black. He honors the RLSH movement/community with his words of wisdom.
<>
"How to Save the World While Broke."
Crusading millionaires are usually the stuff of heroic fiction. Better financial times saw me donating to local and national non profits as well as paying mortgages; tuition and other major bills for folks. This was in my pre-RLSH days but it always made me feel like one, especially when I paid the rent for a mother on behalf of a charity I actively supported. Another stealth RLSH episode was when I turned the water back on for a young woman in tears sitting on a bench downtown. This was an economic millenia ago but I'm still at it, just on different levels.
Real life superhero ( RLSH ) movement members are usually working-to-middle class folks who often have to save up for good deed purchases. Therefore one of our " super " tricks is " saving " the world while broke. Said another way, we help mankind on an installment plan. I've read about a wealthy RLSH named Peace Man but otherwise most members operate cash strapped as a norm.
Hats off to Florida's Team Justice for becoming a 501 (c) 3 non-profit which allows them to offer tax deductions to donors and pursue grant funds. Other RLSH groups are rumored to be following suit which makes sense when trying to " save " the world while broke.
" Saving " the world while broke involves real sacrifice. Members who distribute food; clothing and other necessities do so out of their own pockets. Last year I took in a neighbor who'd lost his job and apartment in short order. We shared my meager food ( security consulting dried up like everything else in our dollar dry hometown ) and one memorable night I shared an ambulance ride with him after a ( thankfully ) failed suicide attempt. This particular close range episode of "saving " one person's world reached into very tight resources. More importantly, the situation reached deep and touched my heart when we ate because it was an honor to offer him food and shelter.
Most of my RLSH activity focuses on providing motivation and promoting crime prevention. Riding along with a local legend I call The Food Lady gave me another thrill: handing out restaurant quality meals from her job. I've also helped load and unload her van after making distribution runs.
I applaud real life superhero members using bill money and buy folks in major trouble some necessities. I've given away thousands to people in need. " Saving " the world while broke introduces a challenging element to RLSH and other hunger activists. It's a real sacrifice to pay for items others need while your pockets are increasingly thin. Shouldering this sacrifice is as heroic as stopping crimes in progress or visiting school children. As a largely working and middle class movement, regularly sacrificing to help others shows our hearts are in the right place. It's too easy to just spend on ourselves without helping the needy. I do what I can. Capt. Black is known as someone who'll give you something to tide you over. Again, I do what I can.
" Saving the world " while broke explains why some RLSH uniforms are a bit threadbare. "Saving " the world while broke increases what sincerity accomplishes.
Being broke while trying to save our portions of the world is a constant reminder about how we sometimes give until it hurts. It's always easier in the comic books. The rewards in the real world aren't bad either.
"Living the Difference Between Fantasies and the Fantastic"
I've wanted to be a superhero all my life. It's the ONLY "job" I ever wanted. Imagine what a blessing the real life superhero movement is upon discovering others who feel the same? There's a big difference between living fantasies and living the fantastic.
Fantasy is walking into police HQ in full regalia offering your crime fighting services to the chief. Living the fantastic is when, in-your-face activist rep aside, I contacted both the local PD and regional FBI community relations contact. Results? No, I wasn't arrested ( lol ). I did several ridealogs with a public housing enforcement officer and separately with his supervisor- a lieutenant. The regional FBI community relations person; her coworkers and I compiled what became the first FBI Citizens Academy to graduate there. I may be the first RLSH in history with an FBI Citizens Academy diploma, even though they left the " aka Capt. Black " title off my name.
I live the fantastic by carefully stretching reality so it resembles my dreams. The trick is not verging over into delusion. That's how I became a writer; activist and bounty hunter. Fiction served as the motivator for cautious realization of dreams. Fantasy is fine so long as it's kept in perspective. This Movement challenges conventional thinking and can invite harmful flights of fancy if one isn't careful. I carefully live the fantastic and advise others to do the same. The day people lose the will to live their dreams is when they and society die inside. Real life superheroes and other high concept activists keep dreams from flat lining. That's yet another role we serve, playing referee between living fantasies and living the fantastic.
The difference between the two is actually accomplishing things inspired by fiction compared to only doing the same in your imagination. Or worse, letting imagination run wild and becoming a bigger menace than the evils you oppose.
I recommend everyone live the fantastic and demonstrate how dreams become real with open mindedness; effort and balance.
That's my definition of living the difference between fantasies and the fantastic.
<>
NADRA ENZI AKA CAPT. BLACK promotes crime prevention and self-development.
(912) 272-2898. http://www.captblack.info and http://www.blogtalkradio.com/nadraenzi.
"How to Save the World While Broke."
Crusading millionaires are usually the stuff of heroic fiction. Better financial times saw me donating to local and national non profits as well as paying mortgages; tuition and other major bills for folks. This was in my pre-RLSH days but it always made me feel like one, especially when I paid the rent for a mother on behalf of a charity I actively supported. Another stealth RLSH episode was when I turned the water back on for a young woman in tears sitting on a bench downtown. This was an economic millenia ago but I'm still at it, just on different levels.
Real life superhero ( RLSH ) movement members are usually working-to-middle class folks who often have to save up for good deed purchases. Therefore one of our " super " tricks is " saving " the world while broke. Said another way, we help mankind on an installment plan. I've read about a wealthy RLSH named Peace Man but otherwise most members operate cash strapped as a norm.
Hats off to Florida's Team Justice for becoming a 501 (c) 3 non-profit which allows them to offer tax deductions to donors and pursue grant funds. Other RLSH groups are rumored to be following suit which makes sense when trying to " save " the world while broke.
" Saving " the world while broke involves real sacrifice. Members who distribute food; clothing and other necessities do so out of their own pockets. Last year I took in a neighbor who'd lost his job and apartment in short order. We shared my meager food ( security consulting dried up like everything else in our dollar dry hometown ) and one memorable night I shared an ambulance ride with him after a ( thankfully ) failed suicide attempt. This particular close range episode of "saving " one person's world reached into very tight resources. More importantly, the situation reached deep and touched my heart when we ate because it was an honor to offer him food and shelter.
Most of my RLSH activity focuses on providing motivation and promoting crime prevention. Riding along with a local legend I call The Food Lady gave me another thrill: handing out restaurant quality meals from her job. I've also helped load and unload her van after making distribution runs.
I applaud real life superhero members using bill money and buy folks in major trouble some necessities. I've given away thousands to people in need. " Saving " the world while broke introduces a challenging element to RLSH and other hunger activists. It's a real sacrifice to pay for items others need while your pockets are increasingly thin. Shouldering this sacrifice is as heroic as stopping crimes in progress or visiting school children. As a largely working and middle class movement, regularly sacrificing to help others shows our hearts are in the right place. It's too easy to just spend on ourselves without helping the needy. I do what I can. Capt. Black is known as someone who'll give you something to tide you over. Again, I do what I can.
" Saving the world " while broke explains why some RLSH uniforms are a bit threadbare. "Saving " the world while broke increases what sincerity accomplishes.
Being broke while trying to save our portions of the world is a constant reminder about how we sometimes give until it hurts. It's always easier in the comic books. The rewards in the real world aren't bad either.
"Living the Difference Between Fantasies and the Fantastic"
I've wanted to be a superhero all my life. It's the ONLY "job" I ever wanted. Imagine what a blessing the real life superhero movement is upon discovering others who feel the same? There's a big difference between living fantasies and living the fantastic.
Fantasy is walking into police HQ in full regalia offering your crime fighting services to the chief. Living the fantastic is when, in-your-face activist rep aside, I contacted both the local PD and regional FBI community relations contact. Results? No, I wasn't arrested ( lol ). I did several ridealogs with a public housing enforcement officer and separately with his supervisor- a lieutenant. The regional FBI community relations person; her coworkers and I compiled what became the first FBI Citizens Academy to graduate there. I may be the first RLSH in history with an FBI Citizens Academy diploma, even though they left the " aka Capt. Black " title off my name.
I live the fantastic by carefully stretching reality so it resembles my dreams. The trick is not verging over into delusion. That's how I became a writer; activist and bounty hunter. Fiction served as the motivator for cautious realization of dreams. Fantasy is fine so long as it's kept in perspective. This Movement challenges conventional thinking and can invite harmful flights of fancy if one isn't careful. I carefully live the fantastic and advise others to do the same. The day people lose the will to live their dreams is when they and society die inside. Real life superheroes and other high concept activists keep dreams from flat lining. That's yet another role we serve, playing referee between living fantasies and living the fantastic.
The difference between the two is actually accomplishing things inspired by fiction compared to only doing the same in your imagination. Or worse, letting imagination run wild and becoming a bigger menace than the evils you oppose.
I recommend everyone live the fantastic and demonstrate how dreams become real with open mindedness; effort and balance.
That's my definition of living the difference between fantasies and the fantastic.
NADRA ENZI AKA CAPT. BLACK promotes crime prevention and self-development.
(912) 272-2898. http://www.captblack.info and http://www.blogtalkradio.com/nadraenzi.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)