Despite poor reviews for this third sequel of the innovative and hilarious Men in Black franchise, my husband and I were pleasantly surprised by the ingenuity, humor, and coherence of its convoluted story. First of all, you have to like science fiction; you might do well to be a Fortean (because that's where the entire concept of men in black comes from, which I'll discuss later); and you have to be agreeable to whimsy and oddball absurdity... all of which, I guess I am.

Written by Etan Cohen, this movie tackled an amazing number of themes including time-travel, extraterrestrials, future technology, the moon launch, Coney Island freak shows, ethnic and racial stereotyping, asteroids hurtling to Earth, Andy Warhol's heyday, the Sixties, and last but certainly not least, the concept of multiple universes (multiverses) that is now being kicked around on the cutting edge of quantum physics. All of this is done seamlessly, and within its own absurdist universe, totally logically. The writer managed to blend an extremely complicated plot featuring characters straight out of an alternate universe who all behave completely consistently within their peculiar reality.

Critics complained that this movie did not reach the heights of hilarity that the previous two had. However, I thought it was brilliantly executed. If you're going to journey through Alice in Wonderland, so to speak, the rules of this realm must be upheld for the viewer to feel comfortable when being asked to suspend disbelief. Yes, there were minor flaws in the storyline, but all in all, very entertaining and thoroughly mind-expanding with great special effects and even some poignancy in the stoic characters.

As most people know, Tommy Lee Jones, one of the original Men in Black, makes brief appearances at two times in the movie while Josh Brolin plays him as his earlier self in the key era that must be visited in order to save planet Earth... what else?! And Will Smith is his usual wry, fabulously glib, and satisfyingly comical sidekick.  The plot is simply that Agent J travels in time to MIB's early years in the 1960s, to stop an alien from assassinating his friend Agent K and changing history.

 
For those who are not familiar with Fortean Times magazine (which I've reviewed in an earlier issue of this newsletter), the term "men in black" originates with reports over the decades of anonymous men in black suits who show up on the scenes of anomalous occurrences such as purported UFO crashes, or sightings of ABCs (alien big cats), or other funky and threatening events. Reports usually state that these men show up in plain black sedans, dressed conservatively, act efficiently, often don't identify themselves, and then when their business is done leave with no traces left behind. Are they FBI? Are they some secret investigative organization? The fact that many average citizens have over the years seen them means that this is not in itself a fantasy but something that actually has and does occur, but no one quite knows who they are, what their mission is, or where they go with the information they gather. Therefore, a mythology has sprung up around these sightings that has been used successfully by Hollywood, not only in the Men in Black franchise but also in The Matrix.

It's always fun and pretty cool when such peculiarities merge with true science and excellent fiction. I can comfortably recommend this movie to viewers, especially if you have a little pixie dust in your makeup.

***

 

In the ending of something, there is the sense of conclusion or achievement or of finality. But in the beginning is always the sense of possibility. The main difference between beginning and ending can be said to be the difference between infinity and specificity, or between choice and creation versus results and form (also known as limitation).

We speak now of working with energies, approaching your next effort wherein you face an indeterminate future in which you would like to imbue some qualities, or chance some experience. In the beginning, things remain open, and depending upon the assortment of energetic possibilities before you, you can play, you can pick, you can shape; perhaps you may follow but always there remains an open end, a never-before induced possibility. This statement applies to a product you may wish to build, a life choice you may wish to engage in, or a piece of truth you may hunger to discover. In other words, beginnings offer possibilities through the tangible and the intangible.

It may seem obvious but still can and should be stated that endings are quintessentially different from beginnings in that a destination is reached. This destination is the outcome of the path of creative discovery. The destination can be something bitter or something sweet, but it has, by definition, its determined qualities. And so endings can be defined as the cessation of energetic pathways.

An ending feels very different from a beginning because in new beginnings rest excitement, curiosity, perhaps trepidation, and light whereas in endings rests form, quietude, and usually the removal of energetic movement. Since our definitions are broad, it is possible to achieve an ending in which a sort of movement continues, such as the production of a motor vehicle... but the movement that continues is not the inner life, the vital spark of newness that is inherent in all fresh starts.

One thing the ending contains that the beginning does not is knowledge, for whether one has been successful in the quest to produce, follow, create, explore and so forth that was part of the motivating initial energy, the results always give knowledge. This knowledge becomes part of the body of wisdom gained from being alive. Such wisdom is the real treasure. Better by far than the obvious results of the effort.

After the ending, a new cycle will of course begin, for nothing is static in the realm of energy, and must keep going even if it goes around and around in a habit loop. All is in motion at all times in the universe. To dwell mostly in the polarity of fresh starts and unbridled potential is to be a person in love with possibility whereas to prefer dwelling in the realm of completed effort is less adventurous and often less turbulent. Not everyone is cut out for the continuous exploration of possibilities; most fall midway, finding themselves in a new adventure willy-nilly by virtue of being alive. There is no good/bad or right/wrong with this, but it is always well to look from afar and see the mysterious nature of life under a transformed gaze.