Posts Tagged ‘kevin smith’

I am inspired by many things.

I get inspired by watching the sun rise on occasion. Those occasions being when I am not having to get up with the sun, mostly… Those mornings I am more inspired by my coffee than by the sunrise.

But I digress.

Inspiration comes in many forms, and one of my favourites is when it comes from what might be an unexpected source. Over the past number of years, I have been inspired by a man that maybe most people would consider to be a source of comedy, rather than inspiration.

However, I remain inspired, as well as entertained.

The man is Kevin Smith.

You should recognize the name, if you know me. Or if you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time. One might say that I am a fan. I own all the movies (except Red State, and that will come) and I have been a fan of his Evening With series, his books and Smodcasts for as long as they have been around.

I was a late bloomer. I didn’t really know who Silent Bob was until I was well into my thirties. Since then, I have grown older with him. I have been moved to far more than just laughter by the man, and by his sharing of the trials of his life. I have truly been inspired.

Today, I was listening to a Smodcast episode titled, “Hall Rats“. It was recorded at the San Diego Comicon. As is his way, he spent time answering questions from the audience that had gathered not only to see a clip of Red State, but to hear a truly great writer speak.

Kevin Smith is one of the best story-tellers on the planet. He is funny, poignant, relatable, intelligent and raunchy. His stories are great writing come to life. He is one of the few people that I could listen to talk for hours on end, and never grow bored.

Or feel the overwhelming need to punch them in the face.
But that’s just me.

During the course of this Smod, Kevin spoke about many things. But one little bit of wisdom almost knocked the wind out of me.

“Surround yourself with WHY NOT.”

He goes on to explain that a lot of the time, we have people around us that continually reply to every idea that you might have with a “Why?” rather than a “Why not?”.

Interesting thought, isn’t it?

Maybe those flights of fancy wouldn’t seem so flighty if you had someone that was saying, “why not?” rather than an eye-rolling “why?”. I thought about the times in my life where all it would have taken to give me the right push in the right direction would have been for someone to ask me why not – rather than why.

Creativity – another thing that Kevin touched on during this Smod – is something that requires WHY NOT. ‘Why not’ encourages thinking, ‘why not’ frees the mind to open up new avenues of action. ‘Why’ closes doors and shuts down passion.

I’ve decided that I want to be surrounded by WHY NOT.

Seems like a much more friendly environment to be in.

So thank you, Kevin Smith.

Once again you have inspired me, Sir.

Smod-on, Sir.

I, for one, love it when Silent Bob breaks the silence.

PS… I also love the dick and fart jokes.  Just sayin’.

I was tagged by the amazing Karen Quah over at Modern Day Storyteller to participate in this meme, and since I am such a huge fan of movies – and also of Karen’s – I am most happy to do it.

And we’re off!

You like me because I'm a scoundrel. There aren't enough scoundrels in your life.

1.  My first real kiss happened during a summer screening of Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back.  I have also attended more screenings of Empire than I’ve any other movie in the theater.  All during that same summer, with that same boy.  You can take whatever you want from the fact that I specifically said “attended” rather than “watched”.  Sure, it sounds slutty now, but back then it was totally adorable.

2.  I am a huge fan of the late John Hughes.  I saw every movie he made in the theater, and currently own them all.  The kiss between Watts and Keith in the garage in Some Kind of Wonderful still ranks as one of my all time favourite movie kisses.

If only life could be a little more tender and art a little more robust.

3.  Alan Rickman probably my favourite actor.  I’ve seen everything that he’s been in.  Including a movie that practically nobody saw called Blow Dry in which he played a hair stylist in a styling competition.  He had sparkles in his hair at the end, and a pair of shiny scissors tattooed on the bottom of his foot.  Yes.  I may have seen the movie more than once.  It’s the voice.  It… does things to me.

4.  I love Kevin Smith movies.  All of them.  Yes, including Jersey Girl.  Snoogans.

5.  I saw Titanic and started crying when they show the old couple in the bed, accepting their fate, and just lying there holding each other.  I cried from that point until twenty minutes after the movie ended.  I cried all the way home.  I have never seen it since.

Are you sure it isn't time for a colourful metaphor?

6.  I own every Star Trek movie there is, in every format there is, including having them all on iTunes.  This means that I have some of them on VHS, DVD, Blu-ray and iTunes.  I don’t watch the VHS versions any more, but they still hold a special place in my heart.  Spock is still my favourite character in any of the movies.

7.  My Mom and I were once asked to leave the theater during a screening of Kramer vs. Kramer.  We were laughing so hard that we were disturbing the other movie goers.  We weren’t laughing at the movie, because it’s let’s face it, it’s not exactly a comedy.  Which is probably why our laughter caused us to be booted out.

8.  The only thing that outnumbers my collection of movies is my collection of books.

9.  The book that I would most like – and least like – to be made into a movie would be Life of Pi, by Yann Martel.  I understand that they are making an attempt for release in 2011.  I’m torn…  I don’t believe that any film-maker with any amount of technology could possibly get it right.

This is true love... you think this happens every day?

10.  Even though it came out in 1987, I never saw The Princess Bride until very recently.  I’ve seen it enough since then to make up for all of the times that I never watched it over the years.  I fell in love with this movie in the first ten minutes.  I will be in love with this movie for a very, very long time to come.

There you have it.

And now, as with every meme, it’s my turn to do some tagging.

So, I would ask the following people to blog their very own 10 Movie facts list.

And you gotta do it, because I said please.

@Chrissarella, at the fabulous A Little Wicked

@MadMan459, at the awesome What The Hell Is This Mess?

@Jennyablue, at the lovely Lovers and Wreckers

@TenaciousTanaka, at the captivating  Hydroponic Nirvana

If you’d also like to be tagged, leave me a comment and I’d be happy to add you to the list!

It’s that time of year again.

Best Actress: Oprah Winfrey, as herself. That bitch has managed to look like she cares about every single thing she’s ever talked about, and every single person she’s ever talked to, five days a week for decades. And there is no way in hell that she did actually care. No one cares that much. About anything. That’s acting. Give her the award, and be done with it. She’s bloody earned it.

Best Actor: Morgan Freeman. In anything. The man has a Facebook page dedicated to him called, “If I die and go to heaven and Morgan Freeman isn’t god, I’m going to be pissed off.” Give him the award. Not for the movie he’s actually nominated for (because I haven’t seen it, and thus do not care about it) but because he’s Morgan Effing Freeman.  If anyone deserves an Oscar just for being Morgan Freeman, it is Morgan Freeman.

Best Supporting Actor: Kevin Smith, as Silent Bob. Smith has managed to convey more emotion, humour and sarcasm without speaking than most actors will ever express with the best dialogue written by the best writers in the world. When Brad Pitt speaks, do you even listen anymore? Oh, hell no! But when Silent Bob speaks, you know you’re gonna hear some deep, deep shit.  For being the only actor that sounds that good when he shuts the fuck up?  Give him the award, sirs.

Best Supporting Actress: Really? Does anyone care? Can you actually name any of them? So how about we give the award to the actress that we can never name, but who’s in like, everything, and who we all like because she’s never given you a reason not to like her.  Plus?  She’s tiny and adorable.  Give Linda Hunt the award. Yes, I had to look her name up. But take one look at her and you’ll know who she is. She already won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, but no one remembers that. Give her the award, because it’s as big as she is.

Finally, for Best Picture:  I always liked this one…