Bläeckfisk is the Swedish translation for the word octopus. I am not Swedish, but I do own a lot of furniture from Sweden and I like octopuses while admiring their multi-tasking ability. I would like to travel to Sweden at some point, plus I think it is a pretty cool looking word. Anyhow, speaking of words, I guess you could say that is why we are here. Words are the foundation for way we try to wrap our thoughts around everything in the galaxy. The tendrils that lead to emotions and curiosity. I am not here to solve the mysteries of the universe, just to discuss words in general. Specifically words written by other people and have been printed off and slapped between two slices of thin card stock. Many of these sandwiches go on to bigger and better things, some bigger and better than others. So, I guess we will be talking about those as well. If you share an interest in words or enjoi seeing what they can look like in action....välkommen! (Swedish for welcome.)

Monday, January 5, 2015

F38: Exodus: God and Kings-Directed by Ridley Scott

"You sleep so well boy, because you are so loved."

The story of the Exodus is one of the greatest stories ever told and Ridley Scott does a handsome job of bringing it to life with a modern slant that I am sure angered many. While the actual story of Moses and Ramses is well trodden and steeped in Biblical lore, Ridley develops the plot around the combustibly enduring relationship between the two brothers. We know the outcome, but this movie takes us all for a ride that we have not been on before, and it starts with Moses.

Gone is the staff. The bushy beard. The archaic preaching and striped robes. In their wake is a much more military minded Moses that we soon discover is devoid of any faith, Hebrew or Egyptian. While exiled, Moses suffers a head injury tending to his flock and begins to see God, who appears to him in the shape of a 10 year old boy. The kid is a curious approach by Scott, but ultimately I feel a very successful one. Israel literally translates into "he who wrestles with God" and Moses could be the poster child for this concept, constantly questioning what he is instructed to do. Even as the movie is drawing to a close we can feel this inner struggle with Moses over not just his life's purpose, but the legacy that he is leaving behind. I liked how this version focused more on how a single man can spark a revolution with his people and carry out arguably the largest migration of people in human history, rather than centering the plot around the mysticism of the plagues. Which, interestingly enough, were presented in an a logical order, pressing the issue of scientific possibility onto the screen.

Overall, I really enjoyed this film and recommend it to anyone who loves ancient history. I simply found the scope of what Egypt could have been like 4,000 years ago to be intoxicating and Ridley Scott did an incredible job of bringing the pages of history to life. Staying historical, this movie did have its shortcomings but breathes new life into an old epic tale and I feel is worth seeing.

Trailer: http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/fox/exodusgodsandkings/
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