Rhythm is it!
A few weeks ago, we watched “Rhythm is it!”, a documentary about a project in Berlin where a renowned choreographer rehearses a dance show for a classical piece with a group of over 200 pupils (Wikipedia has a few more details).
It was the second time I saw the film. The first time, a few years ago, I had been fascinated by how the choreographer dealt with the difficult kids, his energy and his courage to tell them what they probably would never have heard otherwise. Quote (approx.): “Are you afraid your friends will laugh at you because you are dancing on a stage? Then maybe you should think about whether they really are your friends. Friends don’t laugh at you, they help you advance.” – Wow! In addition, the performance at the end of the film on a giant stage was simply overwhelming.
Today, I noticed primarily how well the choreographer and his team were able to read the body language of the kids (something I find equally fascinating in Aikido). Or when he said “When we talk and laugh and don’t concentrate, those are things that will distract our body. Only when we are silent are we able to speak with our body.”
This would apply well to the Musical dance group I’m training and creating choreographies for. Maybe we should all watch the film together, maybe then we would be willing to concentrate a little more and talk a little less (sometimes it’s a real bother to make myself heard in training these days).
During the end credits, the dancers are shown after the end of the show, standing in front of the cheering audience giving standing ovations. These expressions on their faces – incredible. You can almost feel their amazement at what they have accomplished, the joy, the exaltation. At that moment I found the caption of the film, “You can change your life in a dance class”, to be completely correct.
Conclusion: Highly recommended. For everybody believing we are able to rise above ourselves, or for those who have lost belief in themselves and would like to find it again!
… Oh my, that was a little too sentimental, wasn’t it? Well, but it’s true… 
Jumper
After several unsuccessful attempts, I finally managed to go see “Jumper” a few weeks ago. I wanted to see the film ever since I first stumbled upon the first trailer – one of my favourite books ever gets made into a movie, this I have to see! =) Because of the trailers and a few interviews with the author of the book, Steven Gould, I knew the film omitted parts of the story completely while including new ones as well (e.g. the paladins and Griffin). So I knew what to expect, and I liked it! =) I am feeling relieved, as I hate nothing more than being disappointed by a movie I’ve been looking forward to. But, no, luckily everything’s fine.
In one review I had read beforehand that Hayden Christensen acts stiff – I don’t agree with that. I think he has performed well, I was able to understand Davy’s feelings, thoughts and actions, and I also liked the way he portrayed Davy. Jamie Bell was great as well in playing Griffin – completely believable, a little crazy (understandable when you know his history from “Griffin’s Story”), yet still likable.
The weakness of the movie, for me, is its story. The producers should have kept to the story of the book – when Davy watches a report on a flood disaster where he would be able to help lots of people due to his abilities, ignores this completely and instead spends a nice evening with a girl he picks up for this purpose – sorry, that’s just not the Davy I’ve come to like in the books. And in contrast to the books, this Davy has no goal, he just lives from day to day after accumulating the necessary wealth through robbing a bank. Well, it is comprehensible, but not an acceptable behavior of a leading character (i.e. “hero”). And then he doesn’t understand why he is being pursued. Well.
Anyway, apart from that the movie is good. Nice effects, good actors, great idea for the end fight (could have been from Steven Gould ^^). The end is ok – open enough to produce a sequel (but hopefully with a Davy who has regained his conscience) but otherwise resolved well. The one big questionmark for me was – does Griffin get down from the power pole somehow? Or does he stay up there until he starves? Or maybe he is electrocuted some time? Hey, wait a moment, those cables were already grounded, weren’t they? Well, maybe I just have no understanding of phyiscs.
Conclusion: if you like fast-paced action films full of special effects and it’s ok for you if some points are not explained logically, I think you will like the film. Everybody else maybe should be a little cautious with “Jumper”.
No matter which group you belong to, however, the BOOK “Jumper” is definitely worth your time! =)
