Ted Kooser, US Poet Laureate from 2004 to 2006. Photo by UNL Publications and Photography.

Anne Coray is an Alaskan, and in this beautiful meditation on the stillness of nature she shows us how closely she’s studied something that others might simply step over.

The Art of Being

The fern in the rain breathes the silver message.

Stay, lie low. Play your dark reeds

and relearn the beauty of absorption.

There is nothing beyond the rotten log

covered with leaves and needles.

Forget the light emerging with its golden wick.

Raise your face to the water-laden frond.

A thousand blossoms will fall into your arms.

American Life in Poetry is made possible by The Poetry Foundation (www.poetryfoundation.org), publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Poem copyright ©2011 by Anne Coray from her most recent book of poetry, A Measure’s Hush, Boreal Books, 2011. Poem reprinted by permission of Anne Coray and the publisher. Introduction copyright © 2011 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction's author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006. They do not accept unsolicited manuscripts.

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO (Rated R)

The flipside of family friendly entertainment during the holiday season is expertly realized in director David Fincher’s adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo,” a popular Swedish crime novel from the author’s Millennium Trilogy.

Not to be confused with the Swedish film of the same name, Fincher’s “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” still touches upon the story’s caustic themes of corruption, murder and dark family secrets.

The film’s mood is as gray and gloomy as a Scandinavian winter, which is appropriate enough considering the main action occurs on a remote Swedish island with a bleak landscape.

At the beginning, Daniel Craig’s Mikael Blomkvist becomes a disgraced journalist when he is convicted of libel for his reporting on the activities of a Swedish Daddy Warbucks named Wennerstrom.

One has to question Mikael’s ethics or common sense for publishing an expose of a corporate titan based upon a single anonymous source that he can’t even personally identify.

The journalist’s reckless behavior threatens the future of his periodical, as well as the illicit relationship he has carried on with his editor and occasional lover, Erika Berger (Robin Wright).

To seek redemption, Mikael takes on an assignment to chronicle the family history of Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer), Sweden’s wealthiest and most prominent industrialist.

But Henrik Vanger also has his own agenda, namely for Mikael to get to the bottom of the long-ago disappearance of his beloved niece, Harriet, who was believed to have been murdered by a member of the large family.

At the same time, Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara), the film’s titular character, a computer hacker and unorthodox investigator, is hired to do a background check on Mikael. The Vanger patriarch takes plenty of precautions.

Rooney Mara steals the picture. Her Lisbeth is a waifish, goth-punk loner who has been in and out of trouble most of her life. Her multiple body piercings and tattoos, to say nothing of tight leather clothes, convey her intensity and alienation.

A ward of the state, Lisbeth must report to a sadistic appointed guardian who abuses her sexually in return for the welfare money she needs to pay for rent and food.

Lisbeth’s guardian grows increasingly abusive, resulting in a horrifically violent rape scene that makes one wonder how the film skated by on an R rating.

But then, when Lisbeth devises a unique but fierce plan for revenge, the tables are turned so dramatically that she boldly proves to be one not to be trifled with.

Meanwhile, as Mikael plods through old documents and photos inside a cold cabin on the Vanger estate, Lisbeth is hired by Mikael as a researcher.

Her no-nonsense dedication is commendable, but then she inexplicably seduces her employer by stripping naked and practically tearing off his clothes. Lisbeth takes on no task without a sense of urgency.

Their investigative efforts turn up a series of odd coincidences and personal quirks of the Vanger clan. Many of the family members are so reclusive that they no longer talk to each other.

The lack of communication is often for good reason. A few of the older generation were former Nazi sympathizers during the war.

Outside of Henrik, the most accessible member is Henrik’s nephew Martin (Stellan Skarsgard), the missing Harriet’s brother. Given the responsibility of running the Vanger corporate interests, Martin also proves guarded.

Mikael and Lisbeth discover clues in a series of photographs that serve like a frame-by-frame replay of the events on the day Harriet disappeared in 1966. All that is missing from these photos is a grassy knoll.

But there’s more to their sleuthing efforts than just a focus on Harriet. They stumble upon the trail of an apparent serial killer of women, which adds yet another layer of foreboding events to this thriller.

Like the vast majority of the American moviegoers, I have not seen the Swedish film, so I am not compelled to make the inevitable comparisons otherwise required to render a judgment.

Standing on its own merits, David Fincher’s vision in “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” is unsettling enough to render a taut, moody thriller made all the more fascinating by Rooney Mara’s superb performance.

DVD RELEASE UPDATE

It may no longer be necessary for you to sign up for premium cable TV service as long as you have the patience to wait for the DVD release of favorite series.

Of course, this assumes that you are only interested in one or two programs, so the wait is worth the presumed savings on the cable bill.

Any series involving sex, power, murder and other intrigues is likely not provocative enough unless it shows up on Showtime or HBO.

“The Borgias,” an unvarnished portrait of one of history’s most captivating families, was the perfect sinful period drama for Showtime.

Now “The Borgias: The First Season” is available on DVD, allowing for complete enjoyment of the reign of power and flamboyant cruelty orchestrated by the Borgia family in the Renaissance-era Rome.

Jeremy Irons proved to be powerfully effective as the cunning, manipulative patriarch of the Borgia family who rose to power and position as Pope Alexander VI.

The DVD features all nine one-hour episodes, along with special features that include full episodes of other Showtime programs, including “Californication” and “Dexter.”

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.

Its January film will be “Crash Course” by Dr. Chris Martenson.

“Crash Course” is a three-disk educational documentary that focuses on explaining the convergence of four “E's”: Energy, the Environment and the Economy – all in the context of Exponential growth.

The movie will be shown on three consecutive Sundays – Jan. 8, 15 and 22 – at Clearlake United Methodist Church, 14521 Pearl Ave., Clearlake.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m.; the movie starts at 6 p.m.

Martenson is a scientist, holds a master's degree from Cornell and is a fellow at the Post Carbon Institute. He's been researching the not-far-off future for at least the last nine years.

“It's very important to distinguish between facts, opinions and beliefs,” said Martenson. “So let me be right upfront about this. I hold three beliefs, which I'm going to share with you and then spend the rest of our time showing you how I got to these beliefs.

“The first is that the next 20 years are going to be completely unlike the last 20 years. Second, I believe that it's possible that the pace and/or scope of change could overwhelm the ability of our key social and support institutions to adapt. Third, I believe we do not lack any technology or understanding necessary to build ourselves a better future,” Martenson said.

Martenson, a likable and down-to-earth guy and father of three young children, says the changes he saw looming just five years ago are already happening all over the globe.

As a research scientist, Martenson is an expert at gathering and putting in order and in relationship, reams of data and then making the results understandable by ordinary people like ourselves. This information will help us prepare for what's coming down the pike. It's fascinating and mobilizing.

Discussion follows the screenings.

For more information call Shannon Tolson, 707-889-7355.

After Disappointment

To lie in your child’s bed when she is gone

Is calming as anything I know. To fall

Asleep, her books arranged above your head,

Is to admit that you have never been

So tired, so enchanted by the spell

Of your grown body. To feel small instead

Of blocking out the light, to feel alone,

Not knowing what you should or shouldn’t feel,

Is to find out, no matter what you’ve said

About the cramped escapes and obstacles

You plan and face and have to call the world,

That there remain these places, occupied

By children, yours if lucky, like the girl

Who finds you here and lies down by your side.

American Life in Poetry is made possible by The Poetry Foundation (www.poetryfoundation.org), publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Poem copyright ©1997 by Mark Jarman and reprinted from Bone Fires: New and Selected Poems, Sarabande Books, 2011, by permission of Mark Jarman and the publisher. Introduction copyright © 2011 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction's author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006. They do not accept unsolicited manuscripts.

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL (Rated PG-13)

As a purist, I held the view that the “Mission: Impossible” film series was an unworthy subversion of the excellent original TV series starring Peter Graves.

It just seemed that Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt was no match, either in style or intellect, to Graves’ Jim Phelps, the urbane leader of the Impossible Missions Force.

The first “Mission: Impossible” film was heresy insofar as Jim Phelps was rendered one of the bad guys. The abrupt departure from the TV series took the film in a foolhardy direction.

Now along comes the fourth installment in the film series, “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol,” the best of the entire lot. Moreover, it’s such a top notch action thriller that I no longer have misgivings.

For one thing, Tom Cruise has never looked better in the role of the IMF undercover agent. Not only has he matured into the part, he’s very convincing as an unflappable tough guy adept at handling the physical and mental strains of the job.

As for the action, the adrenaline rush begins with Ethan’s daring breakout from a Russian prison, assisted by IMF team member Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), the computer wizard who simultaneously manages to unlock prison doors while blasting a classic Dean Martin song on the loudspeakers.

Once on the outside, Ethan, with the help of his colleagues, is dispatched to infiltrate the Kremlin’s hidden vault so as to locate the identity of a villain with a plan to steal Russian nuclear codes.

Unfortunately, the mission goes haywire when the Kremlin is blown up and the IMF team is falsely blamed for masterminding the explosion. Even worse, the IMF secretary is killed during an assault by Russian forces, further compromising the mission.

As a result, Ethan’s team is forced to go underground, as the U.S. government invokes the “ghost protocol” that cuts the IMF loose with no official portfolio or financial resources.

To clear their names, the IMF team, including the beautiful but deadly Jane Carter (Paula Patton) and the mysterious “analyst” William Brandt (Jeremy Renner), initiates a globe-trotting adventure to chase a shadowy target named Hendricks (Michael Nyqvist).

Forced to become rogue agents, the IMF team heads off to Dubai on the trail of Hendricks as the terrorist seeks nuclear warheads he can launch merely for the purpose of a blowing up the planet for senseless pleasure.

Though loaded with great action scenes, the best one in “Ghost Protocol” requires Ethan to climb the glass window exterior of Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest skyscraper.

This act requires him, like Spider-Man, to scale the high-rise more than 100 floors above the ground with nothing more elaborate than a pair of adhesive gloves, one of which malfunctions at an inopportune time. Meanwhile, the audience suffers a severe case of vertigo.

Actually, “Ghost Protocol” is filled with breathtaking moments of great danger. Brandt, levitated by a magnetic device, hangs precariously over a giant turbine as he breaks into a building’s computer command center.

A climactic battle between Ethan and Hendricks takes place in a high-tech parking garage in Mumbai, where the two fighters leap from one moving platform to another in a dazzling acrobatic display of vicious hand-to-hand combat.

Complicating the mission is the fact that a Russian agent (Vladimir Mashkov), mistakenly believing the IMF team is responsible for the Kremlin bombing, is trying desperately to kill Ethan and his gang.

One of the fascinating tidbits about this film is that director Brad Bird (“The Incredibles”) is known for his work in animation. Here, he demonstrates tremendous skill and flair for staging very impressive action scenes.

Another revelation is that Tom Cruise is really at the top of his game. He’s never been more imposing than he is now as the consummate action figure possessed of athletic poise and mature elegance.

“Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” is truly one of the best action pictures of the year, and even better still if you catch it in IMAX.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.

This New Year's Eve at Redwood City's Club Fox, you'll be able to catch a sneak preview of Satisfaction Five-O, A Celebration of 50 Years of The World's Greatest Rock 'N' Roll Band and dance the year out with the "Mick Jagger" of the tour and his San Francisco based band, The Unauthorized Rolling Stones.

Satisfaction Five-O features contributions from genuine members of the 60's Classic Rock scene and a band assembled from the premier tribute artists in the business.

Rudy Colombini of The Unauthorized Rolling Stones is portraying Mick Jagger, as Satisfaction Five-O tours showrooms in 2012.

Setting the stage for the climactic concert is a gallery of seminal images from famed Rolling Stone Magazine photographer Robert Altman, a multimedia show of previously unpublished photos of the Stones and other Classic Rock Icons by Bay Area photographer Chris Brorsen, and a set honoring the Delta Blues that inspired the Jagger-Richards team by guitarist Michael Ray Wilhelm of Charlatans and Flamin' Groovies fame, who lives in Lake County.

Both Altman and Wilhelm will be at the Fox for this event to promote the national tour.

A limited number of tickets are available to the public for the New Years Eve Sneak Preview, which offers a most unique alternative to the abundance of other year-end events.

“A Celebration of 50 Years of the Rolling Stones” takes place Saturday, Dec. 31, at 2209 Broadway St. in Redwood City, telephone 650-FOX-7770. Ages 21 and over only. Doors open at 8 a.m., with the show beginning at 9 p.m.

Tickets cost $39.50, which includes appetizers and champagne at midnight.