What’s on Pandora: Put Your Records On by Corinne Bailey Rae
Yesterday was another day of loads of work and loads of prioritizing. I framed in the next article, conducted two interviews, worked on client communications plans, collaborated on another client project, researched client blog ideas, and signed a NDA for another client project. Yet I didn’t feel rushed, so I’m guessing I’m catching up with the workload.
And the poison ivy is clearing up. It looks awful, but that gawd-awful itch is dissipating. I’ve come to find that despite the myriad of products promising to dry it up, heal it, or make it stop itching, the best you can do is just let it alone. I used Zanfel on the wrists for just two days (they did clear up much faster than the rest), but when it started appearing on the arms and legs, I just took Claritin for the itch (it worked, oddly), and tried my best to ignore it.
I was watching The Family Man (Nicholas Cage, Tea Leoni) with my husband the other night (his choice), and I noticed a pretty large hole in the story. The character wakes up one morning — Christmas morning — to find himself no longer single, but married to his college sweetheart and the father of two children. As the plot progresses, there’s mention of an unplanned pregnancy that prompted their union. They mention the daughter by name, a girl of about five years old. That worked until the couple went out to celebrate their 13th wedding anniversary.
Huh?
Obviously the editors were busy doing something else that day.
But mistakes have lessons built in. This one is obvious — make sure to check that timeline for accuracy.
Here’s what else I’ve learned:
Time travel must erase memories. Sure, Michael J. Fox went back in time to save his parents from not going on a date (which seems odd since hey, they were married and had kids already), but isn’t it ironic that no one in the present remembered him, that Calvin Klein did eventually make underwear, that Chuck Berry was someone he predicted, and that they had a son who looked just like that Calvin Klein kid, whose name they conveniently forgot? Insert reality and for gawd’s sake, check your story for holes before you commit to it.
Sometimes the idea is just wrong from the start. Take Jurassic Park, for example. The entire series of movies was based on the premise that one can extract DNA from from the blood of a mosquito dating to dinosaur days. If only you could get DNA from blood…. then there’s that little problem of knowing which DNA is from a dinosaur. Test your idea against known elements.
Actions speak louder than words –words that could save your hide. In The Hangover, the missing groom, later found on top of a hotel roof, sat for two days in the blazing sun nursing a hangover. At no point did he attempt to shout for help, signal anyone, or do anything to save himself. Apparently, his friends weren’t as stupid as their missing buddy. Keep true to your clients’ words and actions.
It’s a wonderful life — for crooks. Sure, George Bailey is saved by an angel and bailed out of certain ruin by the entire town of Bedford Falls, but what about Mr. Potter? He stole George’s money and no one seemed to care. Clear up all the details before declaring any project done.
What have mistakes taught you?
6 responses to “Things I Learned from Movie Mistakes”
I always felt Mr. Potter's ultimate punishment was living out a miserably lonely existence. (I always chose to think he was so nasty because he secretly envied the George Baileys of the world.)
Mistakes are what we make of them. I try to admit my mistakes – correct the ones I can and try to find a lesson in the ones I can't. A good friend of mine prefers to ignore her mistakes or shift the blame. I've known her since high school and can only think of one time she ever admitted to making a mistake. When will she realize that making excuses or lying to cover up her mistakes only digs her in deeper?
The biggest lesson anyone should take away from a mistake (yours or someone else's): We're all human.
To me that means the biggest mistake anyone can make is holding grudges over mistake other people make – unless they're superhuman, they're allowed to make mistakes, too. Let's just hope they learn something.
Speaking of mistakes…anyone catch my amusing typo – the one my friend would claim was intentional?
I see no typo. 🙂
Gonna have to call you out regarding Back to the Future, I'm afraid. The first two movies are some of my all time favorites, so I'm pretty familiar with the plots.
I think you're mixing up the details between Back to the Future and part 2. Marty McFly went back in time during the first movie by accident. He was trying to flee the terrorists when they showed up to shoot Doc Brown after Doc used the plutonium they gave him to build the time machine instead of a bomb. Doc had set the time machine to the date he thought of the flux capacitor, which happened to be around the time Marty's parents met when his grandfather hit his dad with a car. Marty prevented the meeting by pushing his dad out of the way by reflex. The plot then revolves around how he's going to get his parents back together when they have nothing in common.
In part 2 he goes forward in time to prevent his kid from going to jail.
As for not remembering Calvin Kline, they only saw him for like a week and never took any pictures. They probably forgot what he looked like. Someone having the same name as a famous person isn't that uncommon. I went to school with a Kevin Costner, who I know isn't the same guy since this Kevin was black.
Considering the series is about time travel and the first movie was written as a one shot, the series is remarkably free of plot holes. There's an extensive explaination of all the connections on the Blu-ray collection.
Mistakes? I never make mistakes.
And I sure didn't totally blow a deadline last Friday thinking it was this coming Friday. Nuh uh. Wasn't me.
What I learned: Double-check deadlines and assignments.
What I did: Apologized profusely. Several times. And worked my butt off yesterday and today to write the two features and edit the three columns I was supposed to have finished last week.
Ah, you're right, Stacy! Thank you for the clarification. I was parroting something I'd read –maybe on some movie site even — and I believed it without checking. Good catch!
I don't make them either, Gabriella. Just don't read what I just wrote to Stacy… 😉