August 2014 Issue #24
New Opportunities with the Venus Star Point:
* Program in Santa Fe, NM: August 23, September 20, October 18, November 15
* Special Event: Sag Harbor, NY: October 10-13
* New e-book: The Venus Star Point for $9.99
* Print copy of Venus Star Rising at Amazon on special for $17.95
Feature Article: Venus at the Summer Movies
What to do on a hot afternoon when the closest beach is 1,000 miles away? Try sitting in an air-conditioned movie theater. Lucky for me, the small town I live in has several great movie theaters, three of which show cutting-edge indie films and documentaries, the kind that are nominated for and win Oscars. Example: 2012's
Searching for Sugarman and 2013's
"Twenty Feet from Stardom. Films such as these both entertain and inspire us. A good film doesn’t change the world, but a good film often lets us know what people are doing to effect those changes.
Our recently renovated Jean Cocteau Theater is owned by George R. R. Martin, author of
Game of Thrones. Martin often is on hand to meet and greet the audience. As a Cancer VSP, he made bringing back the great popcorn of yesteryear a high priority when re-opening that theater (yes, Cancer, we know we have an obsession with food)!
Here's a sampling of 2014’s summer fare:
Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia
This is a great documentary film on the life of Gore Vidal (1925-2012), a prolific writer of novels and plays and a journalist for several publications. Some of us might remember his novels, among which is
Myra Breckinridge. Some of us might remember that he ran, unsuccessfully, for the Senate. But what I remember most about him was his razor-sharp, acerbic wit in cut-throat debates with William F. Buckley Jr., televised live and un-cut. Boy, do I miss him these days—what he could do with Congress! Don't let his sharpness with words fool you, however. Vidal has a strong dose of Venus in his chart. Born October 3, 1925, he is a Libra Sun with his Venus Star Point in Taurus, both Venus ruled signs. There was a sophisticated, classy, and elegant mannerism accompanying this strongly opinionated gentleman, attributable to a Mercury-Mars conjunction in Libra closely aligned with his Libra Sun. His adversarial debating partner, Buckley (1925-2008), was born less than two months later on November 24, 1925, with the same Venus Star Point, Taurus, also ruled by Venus. There was also some sophistication to this man as well, and both men carried an air of intellectual arrogance and superiority that conveyed the status of the wealthy power elite from whence they emerged. The difference was that Vidal shunned and criticized it, while Buckley fought hard to support it. They both carry the Jupiter-Pluto opposition, with their Plutos exactly on the U.S. Sun—one standing on the right, the other on the left. In addition, Buckley's South Node is on the U.S. Pluto. Two fixed-sign Taurus VSPs:
fixed is the operative principle here. Neither one would budge. But isn't that what we loved about watching them?
Vidal: Taurus VSP – Evening Star
Buckley: Taurus VSP – Evening Star
Life Itself
Once upon a time, not so long ago, nobody went to a movie without watching
At the Movies with Siskel & Ebert. Their signature "two-thumbs-up" review is what every filmmaker ever hoped for. While "two thumbs down" didn't always insure a box-office disaster for a film, a thumbs up would almost always give it a longer and wider distribution and more profitable output. I give this documentary about the life of Roger Ebert, a two thumbs up.
Born four years apart, the elder Ebert (1942-2013) is a Gemini Sun, Aquarius VSP (double air). Gene Siskel (1946-1999) was a double Aquarius with both the Sun and the VSP in that air sign. Aquarius is a sign that is well known for its ability with ideas and words. Its people have a voice that influences others. Depending upon how wide their net reaches, the voice of the Aquarius VSP can shape the minds of a few or the masses. Another significance of the Aquarius VSP is that when you have two of them together, you have a fixed point of view that is unlikely to ever concede to the other side. Roger Ebert cared more about influencing the opinion of Siskel than he did about the masses. Always wanting the last word, each of them rammed those words down each other's throats, never yielding their position. Even when they agreed, it would appear to be one of those uneasy, momentary truces. And isn't that what we loved about watching them, too?
Ebert: Aquarius VSP – Morning Star
Siskel: Aquarius VSP – Evening Star
Begin Again
Want an insider's look at the pop music industry? This appears to be the real thing. Starring Adam Levine (the man can act as well as sing!) with supporting actress Cee-Lo Green, both of
The Voice (of which I must confess I am a BIG FAN), this movie had my attention from the get-go. But the juicier parts in this film are played by Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo, both actors of tremendous ability. Not to give the story away, I’ll simply say:
just go see it.
Levine and Green are Scorpio VSPs and you can sense it with how they judge on
The Voice. The depth and feeling of the Scorpio VSP comes through, as juxtaposed by the two other judges (Blake Shelton and Christina Aguilara) who are both Gemini VSPs and have a wordier, lighter, and more casual air about them. Knightley is an Aries VSP and Ruffalo a Virgo VSP. At first, an awkward partnership ensued, but the chemistry of these two VSPs (Virgo/Aries link on the Karmic Star) helped turn them into a winning team, cinematically. Acting from all of the main cast was topnotch.
Mark Ruffalo: Virgo VSP – Morning Star
Keira Knightley: Aries VSP – born near the Star Date of Aries
Adam Levine: Scorpio VSP
CeeLo Green: Scorpio VSP
The Grand Budapest Hotel
If Ralph Fiennes doesn't get an Oscar for this role, then the whole thing is rigged. We know him for his serious, deep, and heavy parts (geez, remember
The English Patient and
Schindler's List?), but this comedic, screwball role really shows us his mastery with his craft. A Scorpio VSP (joined by no less than Moon, Venus, and Neptune), amplifying his VSP, he does have the depth of character to play the most complex and challenging roles of any actor alive today. But to watch him masterfully execute the character he played in this film, with both comedy and tragedy wrapped into this part, and changing each moment, was a pleasure. He is supported by many fine actors in this film, particularly the young lobby boy. You’re likely to know many of the supporting cast when you see them. But when time passes, you won’t remember any of them by name. All you will recall is Ralph Fiennes in a role worth watching again and again.
Ralph Fiennes as
concierge: Scorpio VSP – Morning Star
Tony Revolori as
lobby boy: Leo VSP – Evening Star
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