July 23, 2011 | 8:33 pm

Amy Winehouse’s Last Goodbye

Posted by Misha Henckel

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According to Britain’s Daily Mail, Amy Winehouse died from a suspected drug overdose. Police say that these reports cannot be corroborated until the autopsy takes place tomorrow. Sources say that Amy was inconsolable after the recent split from Reg Traviss, her film director boy friend. Amy’s mom, Janis has reportedly said that the two spent an enjoyable Friday together, and when they kissed goodbye, Amy said, “I love you, Mum.” Amy’s Dad, Mitch, a musician himself, who was on tour in New York, returned home immediately upon hearing the news.

July 23, 2011 | 5:26 pm

Why Amy Winehouse was Special

Posted by Misha Henckel

      As we await a statement from the singer’s family at this deeply sad moment, it may be appropriate to ponder why someone so gifted could not find peace as she lived. Often it is those who are truly talented who are the most fragile, unable to adjust to the order, the structure, the rigors of life. Drugs and alcohol become a means of dealing with a world which we all know to be pretty messed up. Our lives continually proffer events that are challenging, with which we struggle to cope. Some of us are just better at this than others. Amy wasn’t.

      We are all saddened, I’m sure, by the loss of this young life, and of such a creative being. She had so much to offer. We had hoped for more from Amy… Perhaps a recovery from addiction, more great music, a life filled with love and happiness. Rest in peace Amy!

This photo of Amy which I previously used in a blogpost some weeks ago tells us so much about the singer - the beautiful, insightful, gentle soul she really is…

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July 18, 2011 | 11:27 am

HARRY POTTER: The Deathly Hallows 2 Does Not Disappoint

Posted by Misha Henckel

If you haven’t yet seen the last of the Harry Potter franchise, you should. It’s a superb adaptation of the book, and the viewer will find that the saga comes to a most satisfying conclusion. My 14 year old daughter, an obsessive Potter fan, turned to me as the credits rolled and said that she was sad.

“Why? The movie was great!”

“Yes, but it’s over now. There are no more Harry Potter films to come.” 

Well we will simply have to resort to watching the eight films, over and over, and over. 

While I loved every single one of them, The Deathly Hallows 2 has the best performances yet from Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. As it should, they began this journey as children who had never acted, and now they have undoubtedly come into their own as thespians. Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange), Alan Rickman (Severus Snape), and Ralph Fiennes (Lord Voldemort) again deliver brilliant performances. I think that Alan Rickman is a genius and he has not gotten enough recognition for his work in this franchise. Fiennes too, had the impossible job of playing the pinnacle of all evil, and he did a remarkable job for which he has received insufficient credit.

Truth is the entire cast delivered, as did the writers, director and producers.

This is a story that ends with the triumph of good over evil.  Little Harry Potter, who has the seemingly insurmountable task of bringing down Lord Voldemort, makes the ultimate sacrifice and is victorious. But Harry is not the only one who shows great courage and bravery, dedication and commitment. Defeating evil cannot be accomplished by only one person. Many, many people must stand up and fight for what they know in their souls is right, even when it is so much easier to give in. In the final Harry Potter film, we see many characters show up in their truth:

Harry faces death, and in surrendering to his fate, finds his true power.

Hermione, the true genius for the entire series, finally allows herself to fall in love.

Ron finds his brilliance and takes the lead at critical moments.

Neville Longbottom emerges a true hero.

Draco Malfoy finds that he is not as evil as he has long pretended.

And Severus Snape is revealed as the most loyal, truest and bravest of them all.

For me, Snape is undoubtedly the most intriguing character. He is the silent strength, Dumbledore’s true ally and confidante and ultimately, the backbone on which the entire plot hangs. Snape’s willingness to sacrifice himself for true love proves him to be perhaps the greatest hero of a series filled with heroes.

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2 is the poignant conclusion to a journey filled with challenges, suffering, loss, and the battle against greed, power and darkness. What our heroes find in the end is that humility, honesty and the simple joys are what makes life truly fulfilling.

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July 7, 2011 | 9:41 am

CASEY ANTHONY: A Great Family Tragedy

Posted by Misha Henckel

I know a lot of people are deeply outraged by the verdict in the Casey Anthony trial. They believe her acquittal is an overwhelming failure of the justice system. She murdered her little daughter and should have been incarcerated for life or received the death penalty. We may never know how little Caylee Anthony died or to what degree, if any, her mother or her grandparents, for that matter, were involved in a cover up. But as I watched the trial, what I saw was the great family tragedy that this really is. I found myself in the shoes of Casey’s parents. What must they have really been living through these past few years? This was literally hell on earth. The greatest kind of pain. They raised a daughter who then had a little girl, and instead of the joy of family gatherings, seeing their daughter grow into a wonderful woman and mother, and their granddaughter delight them as she too grew up, this was the outcome. Death of a little child and so much uncertainty as to what role her own mother played in it. And then to have it all unravel in front of the world. Yes, hell on earth indeed!

I don’t believe the Anthonys were truly bad parents, and I don’t believe that Casey Anthony killed her daughter. I believe the Anthonys’ failure as parents was that they put image, appearances, and the façade of life before truth and honesty. And Casey did not have the inner strength to speak the truth.So when faced with having to reveal that a horrible accident had happened to her baby, Casey Anthony just couldn’t handle it. As mothers we always feel responsible if something happens to our kids, doesn’t matter if we had nothing to do with it. Right, moms? So Casey created a massive web of lies rather than face the fact of the death of her daughter. She proceeded to engage in bizarre and peverse behavior. These were unambiguous symtoms of being in absolute denial. The idea that she was responsible for her little girl’s death, however indirectly, was and is not something that she is capable of bearing. And for her, these last three years must have been nothing but a desperate clinging to some belief that she is still a good person. I don’t think she has even begun to truly acknowledge the death of her child.

This is a terrible, terrible family tragedy! One that we all hope would never befall our families. The Anthonys, all of them, deserve our compassion, our commiseration, and our prayers. Now that Casey is free, what she and her parents need is massive amounts of psychological support. They have lost their little Caylee, their family has been decimated, and it will in all likelihood not recover. But as individuals they can begin to heal, and maybe one day find some small degree of peace. This is what we should want for them.

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