"You is kind, you is smart, you is important" That is my favorite part of The Help (2011). I loved how Aibileen talks about taking care of her first baby and how much she loved him. It was then that she learned that she could have a positive influence on a child. She loved each one of those babies she raised. Sometimes more than their own mothers loved them. And she made it a point to tell each child how kind, smart and important they are.
The Help is an interesting view of life in Mississippi in the 1960's. Emma Stone (Easy A, Zombieland, Superbad) plays Skeeter. Skeeter is a very ambitious young girl, fresh from college. She wants to be an author and was told to write about something that bothers her but doesn't seem to bother any one else around her. That is when she decides to start interviewing maids, or "the help", about their lives. This movie has become so hugely popular that I really don't need to let you know all of that. It was nominated, and won, many awards. Justly so, I understand why it has made such a huge impact.
Movies, such as The Help, that deal with racial issues are a fascinating study of human behavior. I find relationships so interesting, the way we as human beings will treat others, for good or bad. Be it a mother/daughter relationship, a relationship with neighbors or a boss to an employee. This movie covers all of these relationships. I was really disturbed by the way Hilly and her "followers" treated Celia Foote. I know the movie was making a statement about the treatment of the help and I don't want to make light of that at all. It was awful and wrong. However, someone that is belittling to anyone, will be belittling to everyone no matter race. Celia's story really stuck with me. It broke my heart to watch her story unfold. All she needed was someone to tell her, "you is kind, you is smart, you is important". Each of us as human beings, no matter our race, gender, social standing, etc. should have someone in our lives to remind us of how special we are for just being us.
Everyone talks about the end. The ending is very powerful and not what one might call happy. The movie in general isn't really a feel good, happy movie. It has some very funny moments and some wonderful characters who are very lovable. That isn't really the point though. The point is to make us stop and think and maybe take a self evaluation about the way we treat our fellow man.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
In Time
Another wonderful glimpse into the very interesting mind of writer/director Andrew Niccol (Lord of War, S1m0ne, Gattaca). There are so few original scripts out there. Everything is a remake, a book, a sequel etc. etc. It is so nice when someone writes a script just for a movie. Don't get me wrong, if you have read my past posts you know I love all of these, and don't have much of a preference when it comes to movies. I am just saying it is refreshing when it's an original script. I also really like it when the writer is the director. You really get to see his entire vision. He not only wrote it, but then gets to bring it to life just how he imagined it.
Gattaca (1997) was an intriguing look at genetic manipulation. What if man kind could genetically choose the perfect child? I mean, from conception you can choose eye color, hair color, sex, IQ even? It was a very interesting movie. In Time (2011) is another sci-fi, futuristic what if movie. People have evolved to the point that they have stopped aging at 25, "but are engineered to live only one more year". At the age of 25 your "clock" kicks on. The clock is a series of glowing, green numbers on your forearm. There is no more money exchanged, everything is dealt with by means of time. You are given one year when the clock first starts, after that you work to earn more time, you pay for everything with time. This translates to millionaires being immortal and on the opposite side, living pay check to check literally is living day to day.
Justin Timberlake (Love Actually, Get Smart, Bad Boys II) plays Will Salas. He is one of those young men living day to day. He goes to work and gets paid that day, his payment is 18 hours. That's it! He and his mom are always down to minutes. I should explain that when your time runs out, the clock shows nothing but zeros, your last seconds are gone, you just drop dead.
I will never think of time the same after watching this movie. All of the little sayings we have, "clean your clock", "I don't have the time", "just give me a minute" will always make me stop and think now. Sadly time management is such a huge part of our lives, we are bombarded constantly. Everyone "needing some of our time". Some of us feeling like we have more than enough to share but don't really want to, some of us feeling like we can't spare any and those who have the time to share and do. These are the thoughts that ran through my head while watching Salas battle with this exact thing in a very literal way.
I was surprised by all of the familiar faces in this movie, it was kind of fun. Cillian Murphy (Inception, The Dark Knight, 28 Days Later ....., Girl with a Peal Earring) completely freaks me out after playing such a believable Scarecrow. However, the more roles I see him in I can't help but like him and I really liked his Neo look as Raymond Leon, the Timekeeper. Johnny Galecki (Hancock, Roseanne, Big Bang Theory) is Will's best friend, Borel. The biggest surprise was seeing Connor. That would be Vincent Kartheiser (Mad Men, Alpha Dog, Rango, Angel). Joss Whedon fans will know him as Angel's son, Connor.
Anyway, I really enjoyed this movie. Fascinating story line, good sci-fi flick, and I almost forgot I was watching Justin Timberlake. (wink, wink, just kidding)
Gattaca (1997) was an intriguing look at genetic manipulation. What if man kind could genetically choose the perfect child? I mean, from conception you can choose eye color, hair color, sex, IQ even? It was a very interesting movie. In Time (2011) is another sci-fi, futuristic what if movie. People have evolved to the point that they have stopped aging at 25, "but are engineered to live only one more year". At the age of 25 your "clock" kicks on. The clock is a series of glowing, green numbers on your forearm. There is no more money exchanged, everything is dealt with by means of time. You are given one year when the clock first starts, after that you work to earn more time, you pay for everything with time. This translates to millionaires being immortal and on the opposite side, living pay check to check literally is living day to day.
Justin Timberlake (Love Actually, Get Smart, Bad Boys II) plays Will Salas. He is one of those young men living day to day. He goes to work and gets paid that day, his payment is 18 hours. That's it! He and his mom are always down to minutes. I should explain that when your time runs out, the clock shows nothing but zeros, your last seconds are gone, you just drop dead.
I will never think of time the same after watching this movie. All of the little sayings we have, "clean your clock", "I don't have the time", "just give me a minute" will always make me stop and think now. Sadly time management is such a huge part of our lives, we are bombarded constantly. Everyone "needing some of our time". Some of us feeling like we have more than enough to share but don't really want to, some of us feeling like we can't spare any and those who have the time to share and do. These are the thoughts that ran through my head while watching Salas battle with this exact thing in a very literal way.
I was surprised by all of the familiar faces in this movie, it was kind of fun. Cillian Murphy (Inception, The Dark Knight, 28 Days Later ....., Girl with a Peal Earring) completely freaks me out after playing such a believable Scarecrow. However, the more roles I see him in I can't help but like him and I really liked his Neo look as Raymond Leon, the Timekeeper. Johnny Galecki (Hancock, Roseanne, Big Bang Theory) is Will's best friend, Borel. The biggest surprise was seeing Connor. That would be Vincent Kartheiser (Mad Men, Alpha Dog, Rango, Angel). Joss Whedon fans will know him as Angel's son, Connor.
Anyway, I really enjoyed this movie. Fascinating story line, good sci-fi flick, and I almost forgot I was watching Justin Timberlake. (wink, wink, just kidding)
Friday, April 13, 2012
Hugo
My first thoughts about Hugo (2011) was, "This is a children's book?" It seemed so deep and way to involved to be a children's picture book. Obviously I have never read the book, but I am now very interested in getting my hands on a copy. I watched a behind the scenes/making of segment about Hugo and the book it is based on. There are certain shots in the movie that are right out of the book. There are many reasons I was curious to see this movie. First and foremost it is a Martin Scorsese (Goodfellas, The Departed, Shutter Island, Taxi Driver) and it isn't bloody! There are no gruesome deaths, no gangsters or mobsters, no shootouts. I think it would be safe to say that Hugo is his only "family friendly" movie. I just had to check out this whole new side to Scorsese!
Hugo probably isn't for everyone. I know it was nominated for best picture at the Oscars and won a great deal of other awards. That being said it is a very "artsy" film. I found it very interesting and visualy stunning. The cinematography is just beautiful. The acting is wonderful and of course the directing is magnificent. Can I say any less for Scorsese? (I would be scared to say otherwise) Ben Kingsley (Schindler's List, Gandhi, Sneakers, House of Sand and Fog) is simply amazing. Asa Butterfield (The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, The Wolfman, Nanny McPhee Returns) is very talented. I am anxiously waiting to see him as Ender Wiggin in next years Ender's Game (2013). I could see a bit of Ender in Hugo and I think he is going to be great in that one as well. Hugo really has a great cast and if you can watch it for the artistic feel and appreciate the beauty that it is you may enjoy it. Not to mention the wonderful Automaton and the steampunk look and feel the movie has. It has a fascinating story line as well. There is way to much going on to explain. Lets just say it is more than a boy living in a train station and it touches on the beginning origins of moving pictures.
Hugo probably isn't for everyone. I know it was nominated for best picture at the Oscars and won a great deal of other awards. That being said it is a very "artsy" film. I found it very interesting and visualy stunning. The cinematography is just beautiful. The acting is wonderful and of course the directing is magnificent. Can I say any less for Scorsese? (I would be scared to say otherwise) Ben Kingsley (Schindler's List, Gandhi, Sneakers, House of Sand and Fog) is simply amazing. Asa Butterfield (The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, The Wolfman, Nanny McPhee Returns) is very talented. I am anxiously waiting to see him as Ender Wiggin in next years Ender's Game (2013). I could see a bit of Ender in Hugo and I think he is going to be great in that one as well. Hugo really has a great cast and if you can watch it for the artistic feel and appreciate the beauty that it is you may enjoy it. Not to mention the wonderful Automaton and the steampunk look and feel the movie has. It has a fascinating story line as well. There is way to much going on to explain. Lets just say it is more than a boy living in a train station and it touches on the beginning origins of moving pictures.
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