Welp, my Oscar-nominated Best Picture film viewing is still going strong 24 hours later. I would much rather be occupying the hours in the day by watching films than have my forearm stuck between a canyon wall and a boulder, which, funnily enough, is exactly how the majority of the action of 127 Hours unravels. Danny Boyle is another director whose work I greatly admire. His films seem to always deal with some sort of human struggle. From highlighting the verrrrry dark side of drug addiction in Trainspotting (the scene with the baby still gives me the willies), to expounding on the true nature of humans (i.e. they are worse than any fictitious monster imaginable) in 28 Days Later, to putting a contemporary spin on the rags-to-riches story in Slumdog Millionaire, Danny Boyle knows how to tell a damn good story. 127 Hours, the film based on events in Aron Ralston's life, is no exception.
In 2003, Aron Ralston was an overly confident and intelligent 28 year-old engineer from Colorado. It was his goal to hike all of the "fourteneers", all of the peaks in Colorado over 14,000 feet in altitude. He lived for the outdoors and spent little time caring about the well-being of others. As we all know, karma eventually catches up and in April of 2003, Aron left to spend a weekend outdoors in Blue John Canyon in Utah. In typical fashion, he didn't tell a soul where he was going and forgot his cell phone at home, to boot. Real smart, right? While canyoneer-ing in Blue John Canyon, he lost his footing on a loose boulder and fell into a crevasse of sorts. The culprit, the loose boulder, fell right on top of his right forearm pinning it to the canyon wall. This all happens within the first 20 minutes of the film. There are another 73 to go.
From the title, I'm sure you inferred that he is stuck for 127 Hours (Saturday afternoon-Wednesday afternoon). Over the course of the 5-odd days Ralston attempts futilely to free his arm. With dwindling supplies, he becomes dehydrated and delusional. You begin to see Aron come to terms with what a selfish man he has become. Memories of coldly breaking up with the woman he loved and other thoughts are tossed in with the reality of his predicament: of barely returning his loving mother's phone calls, realizing that he will be missing his sister's wedding. These moments, memories, and flashbacks are what make the film so touching. The most heartwarming memory, however, is one in which Aron remembers the first time he saw the sunrise with his father. The memory of two of them, bleary-eyed, wrapped in blankets and wearing some awesome 80s glasses watching the sunrise while sitting on the edge of a cliff together leads one to believe that this is where Aron's love of the outdoors originated. But look at him now, selfish, too independent, barely speaking to his parents who instilled the love of the great outdoors in him. He's stuck between a rock and a hard place (Also the name of Ralston's book about the event).
"You know, I've been thinking. Everything is... just comes together. It's me. I chose this. I chose all this. This rock... this rock has been waiting for me my entire life. It's entire life, ever since it was a bit of meteorite a million, billion years ago. In space. It's been waiting, to come here. Right, right here. I've been moving towards it my entire life. The minute I was born, every breath that I've taken, every action has been leading me to this crack on the out surface."
It's just an incredible story about a man who refuses to give up. Most of us when the going gets tough (like I got a bad grade tough, my boyfriend broke up with me tough, I have no money tough) we give up. Aron Ralston, hours from DEATH due to dehydration and lack of food, didn't allow himself to give up. He would rather bear the unimaginable agony of cutting off his own arm than die. Acted extremely well by James Franco. "The scene", you know the one in which he refuses to give up and die so cuts off his arm below the elbow using a DULL knife, is difficult to watch. The sound of the bones cracking is horrendous, the shrill music used to emphasize the splitting pain of cutting through nerves and muscles made me sick to my stomach, and it's not until the moment he frees himself that you realize your heart is pounding, you're squeezing the life out of a pillow and you're sweating. Yeah, it's pretty gruesome and amazing and incredible.
Updated Ranking
1. Black Swan
2. Inception
3. The King's Speech
4. True Grit
5. 127 Hours
6. Toy Story 3
7. The Social Network
Saturday, January 29, 2011
The King's Speech
Unfortunately, being a poor graduate student saving almost every penny of her money for summer in Europe can make day-to-day life beforehand a real drag, particularly when you love going to the movies as much as myself. Thankfully, it's the 21st century, meaning that just because I don't have the money to spare to go to the cinema doesn't mean I don't get the opportunity to watch great films. Thank the Social Construct for internet and probably-not-so-legal methods of watching awesome films fo freeeeee. Lucky for Oscar, there were a plethora of oot-bay eg-lay Oscar-nominated films online and I was feeling too lazy tonight to do any work other than to grade my students' French exams so I decided after watching True Grit to watch the King's Speech. Flavia, extreme anglophile living under the delusion that she's actually Irish and not, in fact, Spanish, recommended the King's Speech over and over and over again over the course of the past few weeks so maybe now she'll shut her face that I've seen the film and ADORED it.
So, The King's Speech. Excuse me while I soak up my tears. I had been wanting to see this film for quite some time. Let's face it ladies and gentlemen, Colin Firth is one of the most attractive men alive. Although I haven't seen the BBC Version of Pride and Prejudice YET (I know, I know, quelle horreur!), he's good in everything he does (A Single Man, Bridget Jones's Diary, Love Actually *siiiigh*) and I cannot stop myself from melting at the sound of his adorable English accent.
Many times throughout The King's Speech I couldn't stop myself from tearing up due in part to the great cast, story, musical score, but mostly to the never-ending internal struggle that Firth demonstrated flawlessly in the form of Prince Albert/King George VI. Throughout the film I found myself getting angry at Bertie for acting like such a petulant child towards those trying to help him, then feeling sorry for him because he himself felt like he was still that young boy ceaselessly mocked for his speech impediment, then being overwhelmingly proud of him when he made progress, then angry at him for shutting down, then being proud of him, etc. Following Bertie's journey was an emotional roller coaster to say the least. To me, that's one of the marks of a talented actor, if you're capable of inciting love, anger, pity, and pride in the viewer in the span of 117 minutes.
Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter were both excellent as well in the film. The moment we find out the true identity of Rush's Logue is astounding and amazing. It truly demonstrates that degrees and certificates sometimes serve only as a smokescreen, and that it is true human connection that leads to mutual understanding. It was nice to see Helena in a non-Tim Burton/Chuck Palahniuk role. She nailed normalcy. Who knew she had it in her?
If Eisenberg wins over Colin for best actor, I will be sad. Although, I've heard that the cast of the Fighter is even better. Maybe I'll watch that one next.
Updated Ranking!
1. Black Swan
2. Inception
3. The King's Speech
4. True Grit
5. Toy Story 3
6. The Social Network
So, The King's Speech. Excuse me while I soak up my tears. I had been wanting to see this film for quite some time. Let's face it ladies and gentlemen, Colin Firth is one of the most attractive men alive. Although I haven't seen the BBC Version of Pride and Prejudice YET (I know, I know, quelle horreur!), he's good in everything he does (A Single Man, Bridget Jones's Diary, Love Actually *siiiigh*) and I cannot stop myself from melting at the sound of his adorable English accent.
Many times throughout The King's Speech I couldn't stop myself from tearing up due in part to the great cast, story, musical score, but mostly to the never-ending internal struggle that Firth demonstrated flawlessly in the form of Prince Albert/King George VI. Throughout the film I found myself getting angry at Bertie for acting like such a petulant child towards those trying to help him, then feeling sorry for him because he himself felt like he was still that young boy ceaselessly mocked for his speech impediment, then being overwhelmingly proud of him when he made progress, then angry at him for shutting down, then being proud of him, etc. Following Bertie's journey was an emotional roller coaster to say the least. To me, that's one of the marks of a talented actor, if you're capable of inciting love, anger, pity, and pride in the viewer in the span of 117 minutes.
Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter were both excellent as well in the film. The moment we find out the true identity of Rush's Logue is astounding and amazing. It truly demonstrates that degrees and certificates sometimes serve only as a smokescreen, and that it is true human connection that leads to mutual understanding. It was nice to see Helena in a non-Tim Burton/Chuck Palahniuk role. She nailed normalcy. Who knew she had it in her?
If Eisenberg wins over Colin for best actor, I will be sad. Although, I've heard that the cast of the Fighter is even better. Maybe I'll watch that one next.
Updated Ranking!
1. Black Swan
2. Inception
3. The King's Speech
4. True Grit
5. Toy Story 3
6. The Social Network
Friday, January 28, 2011
True Grit
So this weekend I gave myself the little project of seeing all of the films nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. Before this weekend I had seen Black Swan, Inception, The Social Network, and Toy Story 3. Left for me to watch: The Fighter, The Kids Are All Right, The King's Speech, 127 Hours, True Grit and Winter's Bone. Luckily, I immediately found a nicely working link for True Grit online. People had been raving about the film, particularly about Hailee Steinfeld's acting. Needless to say, I was skeptical. I had never heard of this girl. She hadn't been in anything of note before True Grit. Second of all, the girl is 14-years old. Yeah. 14. How good can any 14-year old really be? However, being a fan of everything ever being connected to the Coen Brothers (e.g. The Big Lebowski, No Country for Old Men, Fargo -- he's fleeyun' the interview! --, Burn After Reading -- you're Mormon, next to you everyone's an alcoholic -- etc) , I thought I should give Hailee and True Grit a chance.
To start, Hailee Steinfeld was bloody effing brilliant. Like, AMAZEBALLS brilliant. A sample of the words that came out of my mouth at age 14: Dude sweeeet, that's hella awesome, YOUR MOM, like like like like LIKE, make me look like a huge California tool compared to the lines that Hailee's Mattie Ross was spitting out: "You must pay for everything in this world, one way or another. There is nothing free except the grace of God." Although the words spoken were those of Mattie Ross, the candor, eloquence, and grit (natch) was all Hailee. She just absolutely stole the film.
Although fantastic per usual, Jeff Bridge's Rooster Cogburn and Matt Damon's LaBoeuf couldn't hold a candle to Steinfeld's Mattie Ross. There were a number of scenes that left me short of breath. The scene in which Mattie refuses to be treated like an infant and instead of remaining behind to let Rooster and LaBoeuf go and catch Tom Cheney (Josh Brolin in a brief and totally ordinary appearance), the man who killed Mattie's father for 2 California gold coins and a mare when he had been nothing but cordial to him, she wades stubbornly yet successfully across a deep river that would surely have led to a wet demise were she a less headstrong young woman left me with my mouth agape. Without a word she rides up behind the bewildered Rooster and LaBoeuf as if to say "Nuh uh, boys you ain't gettin' rid of this bad ass teenager that easily *snap snap snap*" (She, of course, would have of course put it much more eloquently).
As the phrase is often perpetuated in dime store philosophy, the journey is more important than the destination in True Grit. The relationships that grow between Mattie and Rooster, then Mattie and LaBoeuf, and lastly, Rooster and LaBoeuf are much more significant than the gang actually catching up to Cheney and subsequently killing him. Mattie finally finds the peace she's been seeking by avenging her father's wrongful death but not until the last 15 minutes of the film or so.
All in all, I highly enjoyed True Grit. Many people were prematurely upset by the Joel and Ethan straying from their typical quirky film style to remake a John Wayne western from the 1960s. I have to say that, yes, it's an adjustment, but a positive one. It was nice to see that the brothers are more than capable of successfully creating something so out of the norm for them.
At this point in my Oscar Best Pic nom viewing here is my ranking of the films in order of personal preference. (1 --> 5, favorite --> least favorite)
1. Black Swan
2. Inception
3. True Grit
4. Toy Story 3
5. The Social Network
Sometimes I feel as though I'm the only person on the planet who didn't find the Social Network as being the film representation of the Second Coming. Please, tell me I'm not alone! I love Jesse Eisenberg, don't get me wrong, I've loved him since The Squid and the Whale, but man, how can you put him in the Best Actor category when he hardly speaks during the film?! It also upsets me that Hailee was lumped in the Best SUPPORTING Actress category when she is the LEADING actress in True Grit. She's the only one! What other actress in the film is she to be supporting, pray tell? Oh well, I suppose the fact that she's nominated at all at the age of 14 is nothing to snub one's nose at. Team Hailee!
To start, Hailee Steinfeld was bloody effing brilliant. Like, AMAZEBALLS brilliant. A sample of the words that came out of my mouth at age 14: Dude sweeeet, that's hella awesome, YOUR MOM, like like like like LIKE, make me look like a huge California tool compared to the lines that Hailee's Mattie Ross was spitting out: "You must pay for everything in this world, one way or another. There is nothing free except the grace of God." Although the words spoken were those of Mattie Ross, the candor, eloquence, and grit (natch) was all Hailee. She just absolutely stole the film.
Although fantastic per usual, Jeff Bridge's Rooster Cogburn and Matt Damon's LaBoeuf couldn't hold a candle to Steinfeld's Mattie Ross. There were a number of scenes that left me short of breath. The scene in which Mattie refuses to be treated like an infant and instead of remaining behind to let Rooster and LaBoeuf go and catch Tom Cheney (Josh Brolin in a brief and totally ordinary appearance), the man who killed Mattie's father for 2 California gold coins and a mare when he had been nothing but cordial to him, she wades stubbornly yet successfully across a deep river that would surely have led to a wet demise were she a less headstrong young woman left me with my mouth agape. Without a word she rides up behind the bewildered Rooster and LaBoeuf as if to say "Nuh uh, boys you ain't gettin' rid of this bad ass teenager that easily *snap snap snap*" (She, of course, would have of course put it much more eloquently).
As the phrase is often perpetuated in dime store philosophy, the journey is more important than the destination in True Grit. The relationships that grow between Mattie and Rooster, then Mattie and LaBoeuf, and lastly, Rooster and LaBoeuf are much more significant than the gang actually catching up to Cheney and subsequently killing him. Mattie finally finds the peace she's been seeking by avenging her father's wrongful death but not until the last 15 minutes of the film or so.
All in all, I highly enjoyed True Grit. Many people were prematurely upset by the Joel and Ethan straying from their typical quirky film style to remake a John Wayne western from the 1960s. I have to say that, yes, it's an adjustment, but a positive one. It was nice to see that the brothers are more than capable of successfully creating something so out of the norm for them.
At this point in my Oscar Best Pic nom viewing here is my ranking of the films in order of personal preference. (1 --> 5, favorite --> least favorite)
1. Black Swan
2. Inception
3. True Grit
4. Toy Story 3
5. The Social Network
Sometimes I feel as though I'm the only person on the planet who didn't find the Social Network as being the film representation of the Second Coming. Please, tell me I'm not alone! I love Jesse Eisenberg, don't get me wrong, I've loved him since The Squid and the Whale, but man, how can you put him in the Best Actor category when he hardly speaks during the film?! It also upsets me that Hailee was lumped in the Best SUPPORTING Actress category when she is the LEADING actress in True Grit. She's the only one! What other actress in the film is she to be supporting, pray tell? Oh well, I suppose the fact that she's nominated at all at the age of 14 is nothing to snub one's nose at. Team Hailee!
Monday, January 24, 2011
Waiting for Guffman or I am even more madly in love with Christopher Guest than before
First of all, those who know me know that I have a penchant for dry humor. That should have been the first clue that I was going to love "Waiting for Guffman". I don't know why it took me so long to see the film since I had seen many other of Christopher Guest's films (Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, For Your Consideration). Many people hail Waiting for Guffman as being the best Christopher Guest mockumentary-style film. The thing I like about Guest's (You may also know him as the Six Fingered Man in the "Princess Bride") film is that when you watch one of his films, you are going to see many familiar faces. Guest, along with Eugene Levy and many other actors form somewhat of an ensemble. If you're watching one of Guest's films, you're probably going to also see Parker Posey, Fred Willard, Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy, Michael Hitchcock, Bob Balaban, Michael McKean and John Michael Higgins.
Films starring Christopher Guest et al. are mockumentary-type films to a fault. The group will find some sub-section of American society and make fun of it without ever directly mocking it. Whether it be poking fun at people who are way too obsessed with their dogs (Best in Show - my favorite), mocking folk music artists (A Mighty Wind) or, in Waiting for Guffman, mocking the people of a small Midwestern town putting on a musical about their podunk town in the hopes of impressing a Broadway talent critic, Guest knows exactly how to shine a light on the ridiculousness of certain people without ever being mean.
From the very beginning of the film, I was laughing. Blaine, Missouri is a tiny town that was founded by settlers on their way West. They pride themselves on being the site of the first UFO landing (Roswell? No way!) and on being the (foot)stool capital of the world. The town is full of the type of people you'd expect to find in a small Midwestern town: fiercely proud not only of their town but also of America. On that note, Blaine is getting ready to celebrate its 150th anniversary and they want to put on a musical to celebrate. Enter, Corky St. Clair (Guest), flamboyant "bigwig" from the Big Apple who has put on such off-off-off-off Broadway shows as "My Dinner With Andre". In the eyes of starstruck Blainians who have never been this side West or East of the Mississippi, he is a veritable playwright god! It's up to the experienced Corky to write, direct, and choreograph "Red, White, and Blaine", a musical homage to the great town of Blaine.
A rag tag group of townies chosen to act in the musical is assembled, practice begins, and Alexandra, having lived in both Ohio and Illinois, is on the floor laughing at how perfectly Midwestern the cast is. Parker Posey is a girl who works at the local DQ, Catherine O'Hara and Fred Willard are humble travel agents who have barely traveled but who sport some fierce polyester track suits among other spot on characters. Through a number of trials and tribulations, "Red, White, and Blaine" goes off without a hitch, it's met even with a standing ovation by the audience (i.e. Blaine residents). But where is the titular Guffman? Mort Guffman, the Broadway critic whose thumbs up or down means success or failure for the troupe. Although the movie doesn't have much to do with Beckett's Waiting for Godot, I figured that Guffman wouldn't show. I was right. The troupe is heartbroken and can't believe it.
3 months later, we catch up with the cast of "Red, White, and Blaine" who have all been bit by the acting bug and pursue an acting career outside of Blaine. However, only Fred Willard and Catherine O'Hare make it big (they get a gig as extras in an advertisment).
Waiting for Guffman is another great Christopher Guest film and I can't believe it took me so long to see it. Best in Show is still my favorite of his films, but Corky St. Clair and the Blainians earn a close spot at the top.
Films starring Christopher Guest et al. are mockumentary-type films to a fault. The group will find some sub-section of American society and make fun of it without ever directly mocking it. Whether it be poking fun at people who are way too obsessed with their dogs (Best in Show - my favorite), mocking folk music artists (A Mighty Wind) or, in Waiting for Guffman, mocking the people of a small Midwestern town putting on a musical about their podunk town in the hopes of impressing a Broadway talent critic, Guest knows exactly how to shine a light on the ridiculousness of certain people without ever being mean.
From the very beginning of the film, I was laughing. Blaine, Missouri is a tiny town that was founded by settlers on their way West. They pride themselves on being the site of the first UFO landing (Roswell? No way!) and on being the (foot)stool capital of the world. The town is full of the type of people you'd expect to find in a small Midwestern town: fiercely proud not only of their town but also of America. On that note, Blaine is getting ready to celebrate its 150th anniversary and they want to put on a musical to celebrate. Enter, Corky St. Clair (Guest), flamboyant "bigwig" from the Big Apple who has put on such off-off-off-off Broadway shows as "My Dinner With Andre". In the eyes of starstruck Blainians who have never been this side West or East of the Mississippi, he is a veritable playwright god! It's up to the experienced Corky to write, direct, and choreograph "Red, White, and Blaine", a musical homage to the great town of Blaine.
A rag tag group of townies chosen to act in the musical is assembled, practice begins, and Alexandra, having lived in both Ohio and Illinois, is on the floor laughing at how perfectly Midwestern the cast is. Parker Posey is a girl who works at the local DQ, Catherine O'Hara and Fred Willard are humble travel agents who have barely traveled but who sport some fierce polyester track suits among other spot on characters. Through a number of trials and tribulations, "Red, White, and Blaine" goes off without a hitch, it's met even with a standing ovation by the audience (i.e. Blaine residents). But where is the titular Guffman? Mort Guffman, the Broadway critic whose thumbs up or down means success or failure for the troupe. Although the movie doesn't have much to do with Beckett's Waiting for Godot, I figured that Guffman wouldn't show. I was right. The troupe is heartbroken and can't believe it.
3 months later, we catch up with the cast of "Red, White, and Blaine" who have all been bit by the acting bug and pursue an acting career outside of Blaine. However, only Fred Willard and Catherine O'Hare make it big (they get a gig as extras in an advertisment).
Waiting for Guffman is another great Christopher Guest film and I can't believe it took me so long to see it. Best in Show is still my favorite of his films, but Corky St. Clair and the Blainians earn a close spot at the top.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
New beginnings
I was coaxed, albeit aggressively, by my alien friend, Flavia, into starting a blog in which I review the films that I watch on Netflix. Being that I am almost always watching a film (while doing homework, while cooking, to help me fall asleep at night), I figured I'd give it a go (at least to appease my Spanish friend while she is living in my country). So away we go! Most of the films I review will be ones that I watch streaming online. The Construct bless Netflix!
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