„I'm going to Alaska“ - I remember the moment I first heard that line a few years ago very clearly. I also remember the longing it inspired in me and that has since caught me every time anyone mentioned Alaska, whatever the connection. It's not that I'm brave (or stupid? - it's a fine line) enough to burn all my money and leave civilisation, nor do I have the guts or the money to go on some sort of literal walkabout for a whole year. I'm simply going to Alaska as an au pair, to take care of kids, become a member of my new Alaskan family and spend the money I earn on trips around Alaska or maybe even farther, skiing and visits to the IMAX theater. But even though I'm not really going full on 'into the wild', I think that it will be almost as adventurous - or perhaps even more so - than doing work and travel in Australia like everyone else. It might be a stupid prejudice, but I always connect Alaska with a certain sense of freedom that you can't find anywhere else in the world. It seems like one of the 'rawest' places in the world and I know that this is a hazy explanation but I always say this about things that I love the most in the world. Like my favorite film Dil Se.., which I think is one of the rawest films out there. It means as much as unpolished, uneven, rough - which I hope isn't just a romanticized view of nature. Although who knows, it might be, after all I often find myself romanticizing things like danger and melancholia.
However my year in Alaska will turn out to be - and only the future can tell - I am most definitely excited to go. I know that some people think being an au pair is boring and conservative, but I am determined to prove them wrong and have the most adventurous, enlightening, philosophically satisfying gap year of them all. Due to the big change that moving up north and actually working instead of lazying through high school classes, this blog will probably be on a light hiatus between August 2014 and 2015 (with exceptions like the Blind Spot series). I won't be completely gone and will write an official post on the future of Reviews and Confessions before I leave, but my internet activity is sure to drop for a year. That and my intense excitement to finally go to Alaska, is the reason why I'm hosting a blogathon for the following months, that is June and July.
During the ALASKAthon, I will watch seven new-to-me movies set in (and, for the most part, filmed in) Alaska, and then re-watch Into the Wild as a cherry on top. You will find posts about these eight films each Sunday and if I have time, I will pop in some other Alaska-related posts about music, art and what-not. Be free to send me any existing posts on Alaska-related movies or other themes or write something completely new. I will include posts in my reviews each Sunday, so if you review or write about a film I'm also writing about, I will include your post in my own post about that film. You can see the schedule I have set up below. Send me your links on twitter (@mettekowalski), via email (limereviews@googlemail.com) or in the comment section. Please link to this post in any new post you write for the blogathon and include one of the banners. If you could include a banner in your sidebar, that would be awesome as well!
Schedule
08. June: Grizzly Man (2005)
15. June: Wendy and Lucy (2008)
22. June: Insomnia (2002)
29. June: 30 Days of Night (2007)
06. July: Mystery, Alaska (1999)
13. July: Alone in the Wilderness (2004)
20. July: The Gold Rush (1925)
27. July: Into the Wild (2007)
Banners
Have fun, Cheechakos!
I take it you've already seen the 1996 Thora Birch family film "Alaska"?
ReplyDeleteNever heard of it. It was hard finding films about Alaska, actually!
DeleteWas The Gold Rush set in Alaska? That was a fun movie, with Charlie Chaplin eating his boot and getting trapped in the cabin on the edge of the cliff.
ReplyDeleteIt was mentioned on a lot of lists and I looked it up; yes, it is supposed to be set in Alaska. I've already seen bits and pieces so I'm excited.
DeleteCool idea (pun intended). Look forward to your thoughts on those films! Right now, I don't have any Alaska related reviews on my site, if there's time, I'll post a new review. I've added the banner to my sidebar.
ReplyDeleteThank you Chris!! It's okay, if you don't have the time I'm happy you added the banner :D
DeleteOooh I've seen Insomnia, but I need to refresh my memory! I'll have a banner on the sidebar, and share Alaska stuff if I can remember something other than the show Men in Trees and the book/film Northern Lights. :P If not, that's all I got!
ReplyDeleteAlmost anyone has seen it, haha. It's one of the movies I'm most excited to see. Men in Trees is a lot of fun, I watched a couple of episodes with a friend once. Thanks for adding the banner, I'm looking forward to anything you share :)
DeleteThis sounds like a fun blogathon to go along with quite the adventure. You've got some interesting films on that list!
ReplyDeleteYep, I sure hope it'll be fun. I think some of the movies will be a little bleak but that's okay.
DeleteAlaska looks so beautiful! If you're into outdoorsy stuff it seems like a great pick. Too bad it's not closer to Baltimore though or you could've visited the FTS crew ;)
ReplyDeleteIt does! I used to be not at all interested in outdoorsy stuff because I pretty much grew up outside (it's weird) but in the past few years, I've really become interested in it. Well, who knows if I plan a trip to New England some time during the year. Although I think my first priority is Canada.
DeleteEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!
ReplyDeleteI read a book by an Estonian girl who had been to Alaska for a summer in university. She was studying law, so what she did was completely unintelligible to everyone around her -- she was going to be training sledge dogs. I must have read that book ten times more, and I fall in love with it and Alaska more and more with each time. Alaska is a dream of mine, too, and I'm really happy (and a tad jealous) that you get to go there! I hope you'll share that year with us as much as you can, I'd love to hear about it, anyway, even if it isn't remotely about films. ;)
Actually, I'm so excited for you that I'm absolutely participating in the blogathon. Not sure yet on how many films I'll see, but I'll definitely catch some. I saw The Gold Rush a few days ago and I really-really liked it, I hope you will too!
Oooooooh that's so cool! I can't believe you're that much into Alaska too! Well, if there is just one person who wants me to share my year there, I will :D
DeleteAnd thank you so much for wanting to participate, I'm thankful for anything anyone writes. The Gold Rush is very different from the other films here so I'm definitely looking forward to it a lot!
Very Awesome journeys you have ahead of you. Cant wait to read about your adventures as an aupair as well as your Alaskan themed reviews.
ReplyDeleteAnd I can't wait to write them! Glad to have you on board for this journey, Vern.
DeleteNice blogathon, Mette! I don't know much movies set in Alaska aside from Into The Wild, but it's a great theme to write. Hope you have fun!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Andina! I haven't had time to write last week but I hope things will work out after my graduation!
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