“Precious”: not a precious story at all

• Release year: 2009
• Director: Lee Daniels
• Writer: Geoffrey Fletcher (screenplay) / Sapphire (novel)
• Awards: Won 2 Oscars
• Cast: Gabourey Sibide, Mo’nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey

When I first saw this movie I thought it was based on an actual true story, however, I found out later that was based on a novel written by Saphire (the lady who plays the day care woman at “Each one teach one” center), and that it was in fact inspired by many different stories known by her after having worked with young girls like “Precious” in Harlem back in the 80′s.

However, the story is not fiction at all, in fact, when me and my family were watching it my mom constantly told me “hey, just like that girl I told you about”, for in fact she has been sharing with me all kinds of sad stories from young girls who study at the school where she’s working now as a physician.

The movie, which didn’t find any distributor at first, was blessed by Oprah and her aid in promotioning the picture, and through Lions Gate Entertainment the movie made it to release and also to being recognized by critics around the world.

Although I found the pace to be really really slow, getting almost to the point of tediousness in some parts, the movie achieves to portray the sad but real story of many young girls who are born into disfunctional families and become a part of a vicious circle.

I think the movie leaves room for hope at the end when we see Precious carrying her two childs with her and walking away from her obnoxious mom, although we know that she’s facing a huge problem with her disease in the years to come.

I understand that this is not a popular subject in movies, that some people may get “disturbed” by it but is something worth to be told, is something that the world needs to be aware of and communities gotta do whatever it takes to be sure that this saddistic behaviour within families should be prosecuted.

As for the performances, I thought both, Mo’nique and Gabourey Sibide were spectacular in their roles.

The Blind Side

• Release year: 2009
• Director: John Lee Hancock
• Writers: John Lee Hancock, Michael Lewis (based on a true story)
• Genre: Drama, Biography
• Awards: Won Oscar, Golden Globe  and Critics Choice Award, Nominated for Oscar, WAFCA, among others.
• Cast: Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quinton Aaron

Every time a new “based on a true story” comes up, specially with famous cast, I get interested in watching it just because it happened sometime. I understand one of the basic purpouses of movies is to entertain, but also, to share a story, specially in cases like this: life changing stories. Therefore, in cases like this I forget about artistic features like how great the cinematography was or what could I read between lines about the plot… What you see is what you get, however, what’s to be appreciated in biographical movies is the story per se… And in some cases, great performances.

So, this movie accomplished its purpouse of sharing with us the interesting and touching life of Michael Oher, which gives us a little bit more of 2 hours to feel inspired about helping other less fortunate around us. That’s the main message to end up with, a better one than just to sit and watch how someone kill people around (Law Abiding Citizen)…

I just gotta say that, even though I love Sandra Bullock, I didn’t see that great performance that made her beat Meryl Streep in the Oscars  for example. Is not that she messed it up, in fact, I can appreciate how she’s improved from her earlier days and now she’s acting in a drama doing it believable and good, but in my opinion wasn’t better than Meryl’s performance.

Law Abiding Citizen: just how much is too much?

• Release year: 2009
• Director: F. Gary Gray
• Writer: Kurt Wimmer
• Genre: Thriller, Crime, Drama
• Cast: Gerard Butler, Jamie Foxx, Bruce McGill, Leslie Bibb

I wasn’t that interested in watching this movie for I’ve seen the trailer and honestly I wasn’t in the mood of watching how someone starts to kill out of revenge.

However, I went visiting my grandfather and I offered him to choose which movie he wanted to see, and of course, he chose this one as soon as I said the words: “action”. So, we watched it and all I can say is that our “date” was a success, he loved it… lol

Me, on the other hand, didn’t like it that much, for many reasons. First, I thought at the beginning that maybe it was going to be one of those fast-paced thrillers that leave no room for getting bored, but after the first 20-25 minutes I remember thinking “so, what comes now? the ending?” because the plot appeared to have reached the end of the story… Wrong, you get to see how a believable story turns into something far from believable.

Although I always say that if something happens to one member of my family, God help me because I wouldn’t know how I would react and I can relate to some of the initial feelings of Clyde’s, it’s disgusting how he handles his “justice”. Of course, I get the frustration of receiving a so-called justice from a rotten system, specially someone like me who lives in a country with the worst justice system.. But from that to becoming a worst person than a “regular” murderer is another thing.  Plus, having to display how saddistic someone could be is just something I didn’t expect in this kind of movie.

Besides, the plot ends up being weak and poor, like there wasn’t anything else to do but simple get rid of Clyde, something that they should’ve done from the beginning and not wait around for him to kill civilians like that.. we don’t even get to see how all that bloody lesson from Clyde really made a difference at all, at least, in Nick..

Did I enjoy something in this movie? Yes, Gerry with no shirt..

Gran Torino: the latest of Eastwood’s performances..

• Release year: 2009
• Director: Clint Eastwood
• Writers: Nick Schenk, Dave Johannson
• Genre: Drama
• Awards: Blue Ribbon Awards, CEC Award, Hochi Film Awards, Nominated for Golden Globe, among others.
• Cast: Clint Eastwood, Bee Vang, Ahney Her, Christopher Carley.

Clint Eastwood went back to being  in front of the cameras after his last performance in “Million Dollar Baby”, 2004, and boy, did it worth it! As usual, he plays a tough guy, this time, an elderly man who finds himself  living alone after his beloved wife passed away… But Eastwood performs the Kowalsky character in such way that only he could’ve done it.

The beauty of this movie is not precisely the acting, which, aside from Eastwood’s, is not that good… Even though I don’t really agree with some reviews where they say the acting is extremely bad, for example, from the young actor playing Thao. I think he really acts like an asian boy would, he portrays  that silence and abyss that you could find between two people from completely different backgrounds like a Hmong boy and a polish american man when they’re first faced to each other. However, as the movie develops, you get to see Thao’s character more secure and open to express himself to Walt..

Ok, going back to what I wanted to say, the beauty of this film relies on the relationship that blossom between two generations from different cultures and customs, how the main characters are forced by each other to defeat their own weaknesses and to grow into better men.

The ultimate gift from Walt to Thao is not “his life” per se, but the lesson that justice can be found after all if you take a couple of steps back to be calm and think as a man that prefers righteousness over mere revenge. It would’ve been different if Walt had taken justice in his own hands by killing one or two of those jerks, instead, he teaches Thao that killing  other man is not something nice to have in your memories for life.

Definitely a well – done movie.

His girl friday

• Release year: 1940
• Director: Howard Hawks
• Writer: Charles Lederer (adapted from the play “The Front Page”
• Genre: Romantic comedy
• Cast:  Cary Grant, Rosalind Russel, Ralph Bellamy

This beautiful romcom from the 40′s is considered by many as a hollywood’s gem…

I haven’t had the chance of watching it before, until a couple of days ago, and I gotta say that I really enjoyed it, specially the fast-pace and hilarious dialogues, two of the many reasons why this is so appreciated, without mentioning of course Grant’s and Russell’s great performances, plus, the good job from the supporting cast.

A great example of what a screwball comedy is, this Hawks film has also beautiful cinematographic elements, which are not the main purpouse of this post.

As usual, let’s compare if there’s any link between life and the movie,… For those who can’t remember the plot of this movie: is about a newspaper editor (Cary Grant) who’s trying to win back  his best reporter AND wife (Roz Russell) who’s about marrying some other guy.

First, I was impressed how the female character was portrayed: a strong, independent and professional woman, something great to see in a movie considering the time when it was made.  However,  Hildy (Russell) mentions a couple of time that what she really wants is to have a good and normal life (by marrying and having babies) suggesting that the kind of life she has had up to that moment hasn’t been “proper” for a woman…  So, it’s always interesting to notice the changes our society has gone through about how a career woman is perceived nowadays.

Maybe the link between real life and this movie is that we get to see how overworking can damage a relationship, although in this case, being a comedy, everything works out just fine regardless that Walter (Grant)  will continue to be the same selfish man that he is. 

Definitely worth seeing.

It’s complicated..

• Release year:  2009
• Director:  Nancy Meyers
• Writer:  Nancy Meyers
• Genre: Romantic Comedy
• Cast: Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin.

Yesterday I got to see this movie on DVD and I gotta say that it surprised me… I had some time of not laughing so “freshly” (if I can say that) like I did with this movie. Definitely way more than what I was expecting…

Of couse, I enjoy most of Meyer’s work (both as a director and writer) and there’s a reason for it: the wonderful optimistic world that she creates. That’s why some people critizes her saying that she tends to exagerate in how succesful, wonderful, happy or optimistic her characters are, specially, women. However, for me that’s what makes her job so fresh..

Being a big fan of Italian Neo-realism and french Nouvelle Vague, I could understand some of those kind of  comments, but we have to remember something before arguing about it:  it’s a romantic comedy, which usually leaves no much room for changes. What’s worst, many of them seem to be just another copy of the same pattern, different names, different situations but same result (that’s why I’m not a big romcom fan).  However, this movie is enjoyable, funny, romantic and still is close to what’s real for most of the divorced / separated couples: it’s complicated. That’s why at the end of the movie we don’t see Meryl’s character happily reunited with Alec’s character, as if all the past issues could disappear just like that.. We get what’s more believable: time to move on.

Never mind if most of us don’t live that kind of lifesyle (success, big beautiful houses, money, etc.),  we still have plenty of background to relate at some point with any of the situations on the film, not to say, all of them (my parents are divorced and I could relate incredibly to those characters).  Even if we don’t go so  far to say that this movie reflects exactly reality, we definitely gotta recognize that Meyers did a wonderful job describing how so many women struggle as they find themselves aging alone and facing the fact that they’re still alive, they can still have a 2nd chance, even in their 50′s.

ps.1 I just wish my mom could find herself an architect

ps.2 Love the music in most of her films..

Waiting your comments…

“Les quatre cents coups” and the New Wave..

• Release year: 1959
• Director: François Truffaut
• Writer:  François Truffaut
• Awards:  Cannes, Bodil, NYFCC Award, Nominated for Oscars and Bafta.
• Genre:  Drama
• Cast: Jean-Pierre Léaud,  Claire Maurier, Albert Rémy.

To talk about Les quatre cents coups is to talk about to the French New Wave movement (Nouvelle Vague) and all of the influences that made of this movement what it is until today: an inspiration tofilmmakers looking for novelty, originality, reality and existencial issues exploring.

Since I’ve wanted to link the influence of life in films and viceversa, this movie is a great example of how both are linked more than we may know. Let’s remember that the New Wave followers (Truffaut, Godard, Chabrol, Rohmer..) were living at a special moment in France: the post-war time. Films during the war were controled by the nazies (U.S. movies were banned, for example) and french people could have access to a limited variety of films. After the war ended, much of the youth got interested in several intelectual discussions, including films, which took another relevance as they were seeing it as an art rather than just entertainment.

Many of the New Wave directors grew up joining cinema clubs and discussing how filmmaking is a way of expression. They ideas were mainly  influenced by the Italian Neo-rrealism. They were looking to tell stories in a completely different way… Which one can appreciate when watching their films: long traking shots, changes of scenes (sometimes not using unity between scenes), all in the efforts of keeping it realistic.

400 blows (its english name) was one of Truffaut’s most popular films, being in a big part, an autobiographic movie. However, Truffaut succeded in how he wanted to tell the story: the most realistic way, as if we knew Antoine and got to appreciate him, even though his faults and flaws were clear. The plot is about Antoine’s childhood and his journey into adulthood, and all of the “growing pains” that comes with it, however, it was told in such a new way that both critics and viewers were amazed by it, recognizing the birth of a new movement and technique.

Of course, we should probably mention many other names who were an important part of this movement, like André Bazin and his Cahiers du Cinema, but maybe we’ll do it in some other post. For now, let’s summarize this post in two things: as a result of something as cruel and real as the war, a group of filmmakers  decided that it was about time to change the way they express themselves through films, and to analyze if a movie should be just for entertain or if it could have other purpouses like debating and argue about existencial and realistic issues like freedom, love, family, moral, etc.

Also, could somebody as real as Antoine be forgiven or at least, understood, affter seeing the reasons that led him to be what he was? In this movie, we can feel with Antoine his pain, his desire of understanding and love that his doesn’t have, or at least, not of the quality he wants.  And maybe we could learn something from it: we should digg more into somebody’s life before making a judgement in cold…

Once again, let’s talk about movies… comment!

“8 1/2″: Intimidating?

 

• Release year: 1963
• Director:  Federico Fellini
• Writer:   Federico Fellini & Ennio Flaiano
• Genre:  Drama / Fantasy
• Awards:  Academy Awards, Bafta, DGA Awards, among others
• Cast:  Marcello Mastroianni, Claudia Cardinale, Anouk Aimée, Sandra Milo.

Well, I’ve chosen today one of my favorite films ever: 8 1/2, which for me is a masterpiece. Just like that.

I know that there’s no way one could review this film in a couple of paragraphs, not even from just one or two perspectives for this movie has so many layers that watching it once doesn’t do.

Even though the plot is pretty simple (a movie director who finds himself facing middle age issues and lack of creativity) the way this story is told has produced so many effects and opinions ever since its release… It’s like being half-awake and half-asleep, when you are not sure what’s real and what’s part of your own dream.

Guido (the director) finds himself constantly going back to his childhood (whether is remembering or dreaming) at the same time that he’s dealing with other issues like middle age, passionless marriage and responsibilities from his job.  The whole story is an introspection of this man’s conscience, like a turning point where he is forced to look back to be able to continue with his life.

I’ve read that sometimes people have described this film as intimidating.. And I can understand it completely. However, aside of all the fantasy and incoherence, a good percentage of viewers could relate to the process Guido is going through. After all, at turning points of our lives, haven’t we experienced how reality, memories and dreams get mixed up all together? That we’re not able to distinguish what’s real and what’s just a product of our imagination?

Hey, don’t get me wrong, I’m not talking like a skizofrenic… What I mean is that sometimes our memories and dreams play such an important role in our reality that we may see a blurry line between them… After all, much of our own reality is a result of the past, of our own childhood…

At the end, I’m not sure I could express what I wanted about this film… As I said, to review this completely would take pages and pages… But since this blog relates life with cinema let’s just say that most of us have to go through a journey just like Guido’s in the film, and face again with unsolved issues, images, characters, ghosts  and dreams… That’s life. The questions is how do we face the moment? A fellinesque point of view might help us to get it through in a better way.. If only we could solve our issues like Guido does at the last scene…

ps. I’m waiting your commnents guys… Anything, good, bad, whatever..Let’s talk.

Left Luggage

• Release year: 1998
• Director: Jeroen Krabbé
• Genre: Drama
• Awards:  Berlin International Film Festival, British Independent Film Awards, Emden International Film Festival, Nederlands Film Festival.
• Cast: Laura Fraser, Adam Monty, Isabella Rossellini, Jeroen Krabbé, Topol.

 It’s been a while since I first started the site, but now that I’m back I decided to continue with a rather interesting and dramatic story about a very liberal jewish girl in the 70′s, who after failing in keeping several jobs, by chances of destiny becomes the nanny of a special boy who happens to be in a hassidic family, just as opposite to Chaya in terms of lifestyle as day and night.

This film, based on a novel by Carl Friedman, was one of the films selected this year in Eurocine, a festival sponsored by FOGUAMI, in Guatemala city, and after 10 years is one of the cultural activities that I attend to every time I can…

I was moved by this particular film because, even though I’m not jewish, I have a deep feeling and simpathy for jewish people, their history and customs, and this story shows a really interesting group of people (hassidic) with such conviction that you seldom see in our western world.

Plus, the plot itself is attracting from the beginning: a girl who’s confronted with her own identity and past in a way that surprised her so much: the life of a young, smart and innocent boy.

And, how can one identify with this story? In my case I loved the metaphor of the buried luggage that the father couldn’t remember where it was… I mean, who hasn’t dealt with “luggage” from our own ancestors? Those issues that in some way or another affects us… And as much as we try to turn our heads and not paying attention to it, the time will come when we’re forced to look back in order to look into the future…

I guess what I liked the best was the idea of finding ourselves, find the right place in the world for each one of us… Doing what we’re suppoused to do. (I noticed at the end that Chaya is wearing a kind of wig..Did she convert after all?).

Leave your comments..

Ben-Hur:A classic epic

• Release Year:  1959
• Director: William Wyler
• Genre: Drama, Adventure, Romance, Action
• Awards: 11 Academy Awards
• Cast:  Charlton Heston, Stephen Boyd, Jack Hawkin, Haya Harareet

Ok, I wasn’t planning on start these series of posts about films with Ben-Hur… However, I was zapping while ending my lunch and a very familiar soundtrack made me stop at TCM. And now, I’m here, giving my opinion about this wonderful film.

This novel-based movie (written by Lew Wallace), directed by William Wyler, won 11 Academy Awards, including Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture, has found its own place in cinema history as a classic, one of those movies that you can’t just re-make or copy.  We get to see an attractive and manly Charlton Heston performing a great character, for which he won as well an Oscar. I can’t imagine Brando as Judah Ben-Hur (there’s a funny story about Marlon Brando asking his manager to get that role for him… two years later! Apparently he didn’t go much to the red carpets..).

Although there are so many things we can admire and discuss about the movie (effects, cinematography, performing), I’ll focus on the story, so moving, so sad and so ironically life-like.  How many of us have been betrayed at some point of our lives? Maybe our ex-friend didn’t send us to prision, but still, a betrayal is one of the worst experiences in life. There was that person you trust so much (a friend, a relative, a spouse) and suddenly you discovered that you’ve been stabbed in the back, figuratively talking. That gotta hurt… How you go over that?

Of course, in our hero’s life, after he’d been through hell, he receives divine justice by finally reuniting with his love ones, and most important (one of my favorite parts) he finds peace in his devastated heart when at last he understands JesusChrist’s message.  This story can totally be related to anyone’s life. The classic and everlasting story of redemption, love and forgiveness over betrayal and hate.