Being woefully behind in watching Oscar-nominated movies, I went to Redbox and got the only qualifying one in there. Blue Jasmine, if you haven't seen it, is about a posh woman who falls from greatness and has to move in with her not-posh sister. Cate Blanchett plays Jasmine and spends the movie in varying degrees of nervous breakdown. (She never talks to Frodo, not once!)
Her character is isolated from everybody else in the movie. I don't sympathize with her character. The audience is not, generally, going to feel sorry that she cannot be very very rich anymore. Her loss is only vaguely understandable. We watch her in her isolation.
But there's one part in the movie where I felt like she got all of us. She's sitting down across a booth from her sister's two kids. They've heard some things about her; she got picked up in the street, talking to herself. She admits to it, over her Stoli martini, drunk like in the rest of the movie. She tells them she had to have electro-shock therapy to set her brain right. Why? They ask her.
Jasmine: There's only so many traumas a person can withstand until they take to the streets and start screaming.
She speaks for us exactly once, and it's awesome.
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
3.02.2014
2.23.2014
A Quick Recovery
This spring I get to go visit Lindsay in Botswana, which is very exciting. I'm traveling alone, though, and I can't help but think of the movie Taken. What if I am captured by human traffickers on my international travels? According to the movie, I would need an interested party with a particular set of skills to come rescue me. And although I'm drugged, beaten up, and prostituted, in the end it will be fine because I will be rescued and, like, all better immediately.
I don't like that movie. The daughter, the one that's taken, goes through a horrible ordeal and comes out on the other side completely unchanged. She's like the ark in Raiders, been in a pit of snakes but no worse for wear.
Many movies, TV episodes, and video games use the damsel in distress as an easy plot device to motivate a central male character. Stories revolving around a rescue have a couple advantages. The central character's motivation tends to be clearcut. The high stakes are built-in as are the obstacles. The whole story structure can fall pretty quickly easily into place, leaving the author room to get on with the action. Rescue and even damsel stories are not bad in and of themselves, but they commonly make the mistake of treating the rescuee - the object of the story - like just an object.
Where this mistake bothers me the most is in the "return" part of the story. The object of rescue, having endured enough terrors - because, remember, the captured person needs to be in serious danger in order to motivate the protagonist and raise the stakes - is rescued, and we see them return to normal in the matter of a few closing minutes.
I was disappointed by an instance of this in a recent (for me) episode of Angel. (Now, the writers on Angel go to the damsel well all the time - Cordelia, as far as we can tell, exists in order to be captured and rescued.) "Billy", season 3 episode 6, is about a man (Billy) who imparts violent misogynist rage upon other men by touching them. The central moral question to the episode is whether Billy is infecting these men or rather just uninhibiting them - the violence and the rage against women being already inside them, innate.
It's one of the first episodes of that show where I've seen some promise of it reaching the heights of Buffy in its ability to blow up real evils and explore them through fantasy. It's an exciting episode.
Wesley comes into contact with Billy, and later, when Fred is stuck alone with him, he starts to attack her. He pursues her in hopes of killing her, his friend, potential love interest, and colleague. It's Amy Acker and she's just a little thing.
When the impact of Billy wears off of Wesley, Wesley is horrified, embarrassed, and devastated (as it goes) by what he's put Fred through. He quits the team. He won't leave his apartment. He's returned (see wheel) and changed. Fred, on the other hand, doesn't get a scene like that. She doesn't get to change. We see her, after the ordeal, showing up at Wesley's door, forgiving him and asking him to come back to work. She's been attacked, verbally and physically, by a best friend, and she doesn't miss a beat.
I want a scene where she can't sleep, where she cries at night, where she wakes up with night terrors. Then have her go and forgive Wesley. Make it hard for her because it would be (hard) if she were a person. Give her real pain and real courage. Make it her story, too.
Beyond not giving female characters real shakes at personhood, I dislike the quick recovery of formerly damseled characters because I worry it impacts our idea of how long it takes real people to heal after traumatic events. It's difficult to support someone through that process, and with our society's general discomfort around victims, I'm afraid it's easy to think, "Can't you be like what's-her-name? Get over it, already."
I don't like that movie. The daughter, the one that's taken, goes through a horrible ordeal and comes out on the other side completely unchanged. She's like the ark in Raiders, been in a pit of snakes but no worse for wear.
Many movies, TV episodes, and video games use the damsel in distress as an easy plot device to motivate a central male character. Stories revolving around a rescue have a couple advantages. The central character's motivation tends to be clearcut. The high stakes are built-in as are the obstacles. The whole story structure can fall pretty quickly easily into place, leaving the author room to get on with the action. Rescue and even damsel stories are not bad in and of themselves, but they commonly make the mistake of treating the rescuee - the object of the story - like just an object.
Where this mistake bothers me the most is in the "return" part of the story. The object of rescue, having endured enough terrors - because, remember, the captured person needs to be in serious danger in order to motivate the protagonist and raise the stakes - is rescued, and we see them return to normal in the matter of a few closing minutes.
 |
| Narrative Wheel |
It's one of the first episodes of that show where I've seen some promise of it reaching the heights of Buffy in its ability to blow up real evils and explore them through fantasy. It's an exciting episode.
Wesley comes into contact with Billy, and later, when Fred is stuck alone with him, he starts to attack her. He pursues her in hopes of killing her, his friend, potential love interest, and colleague. It's Amy Acker and she's just a little thing.
When the impact of Billy wears off of Wesley, Wesley is horrified, embarrassed, and devastated (as it goes) by what he's put Fred through. He quits the team. He won't leave his apartment. He's returned (see wheel) and changed. Fred, on the other hand, doesn't get a scene like that. She doesn't get to change. We see her, after the ordeal, showing up at Wesley's door, forgiving him and asking him to come back to work. She's been attacked, verbally and physically, by a best friend, and she doesn't miss a beat.
I want a scene where she can't sleep, where she cries at night, where she wakes up with night terrors. Then have her go and forgive Wesley. Make it hard for her because it would be (hard) if she were a person. Give her real pain and real courage. Make it her story, too.
Beyond not giving female characters real shakes at personhood, I dislike the quick recovery of formerly damseled characters because I worry it impacts our idea of how long it takes real people to heal after traumatic events. It's difficult to support someone through that process, and with our society's general discomfort around victims, I'm afraid it's easy to think, "Can't you be like what's-her-name? Get over it, already."
12.31.2013
Movies of 2013
The Bling Ring:
This happens to be the only movie the three of us have seen and all liked. This
does not mean it’s the best film of the year, but it’s definitely got some
bite. Sofia Coppola brilliantly captures the goals and desires of teenage youngsters
these days. Trust me, I spend all of my time with the lil monsters. If you’re
looking for a good workout mix or party mix, the soundtrack features Sleigh
bells, Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, Phoenix, Frank Ocean, and many more. -Annie
Gravity: This movie... It was actually
filmed in a zero gravity environment and you can tell. Apart from being f---ing
gorgeous with views of space and earth, it's so smart. There are only two
characters/ one character for most of the film... this makes my writer brain
hurt thinking about how to craft that, without boring your audience. -Rachel
Inside Llewyn Davis: The
only thing you may know about this movie is that there is a man with a cat.
That’s okay, because that’s partially true. The movie tells a sorrowful yet
beautiful tale of what it means to exist in the world. (That may seem vague and
fluffy, but if you see it you’ll know what I mean.) Also, the soundtrack is
bomb. -Annie
Behind the
Candelabra: This
came out straight to HBO, starring Matt Damon and Michael Douglas, about the
life and love of Liberace. He (Douglas) uses his wealth, fame, and talent to
court young Scott Thorson (Damon). Liberace claims Thorson as both son and
lover at which point things get weird. It ends, though, in one of the sweetest
scenes ever. - Amy
The Heat: Also a Sandra Bullock film, with
her real life friend Melissa McCarthy. You can tell they're actually friends
because the chemistry is spot on. It's smart, funny, and unexpected. Plus let's
face it: a buddy cop film starring two chicks is pretty bad ass. -Rachel
Blackfish: whatever
you’ve heard about the documentary (good or bad) it’s worth watching. If a
movie about whales and Sea World seems boring, it’s not. It kept a group of
high school seniors quite and attentive the day before winter break, if that
tells you anything. -Annie
Much Ado About
Nothing: A
modernization from the Shakespeare by Joss Whedon (our favorite). It’s black
and white, with the original language, and was filmed entirely at Whedon’s
house during the time he was working on Avengers. I have some trouble with the
story itself – a father wishing his daughter’s death because she’s been accused
of being unfaithful – but the cast is amazing and the film as a whole is
completely charming. - Amy
Frances Ha: The
dialogue in this movie feels so real it’s almost creepy watching it. I felt as
if I was intruding on their lives. (What a funny and awesome place to be as a
spectator!) The whole story is truly lovely. Essentially, if you like the show Girls, you should watch this. -Annie
Other notable mentions:
American Hustle: Whether
or not you find the story compelling, the acting is impressive. All of the main
characters gave beautiful performances (Christian Bale, Amy Adams, J-Law,
Bradley Cooper). It’s definitely worth seeing, but I’d wait until it comes out
on DVD. -Annie
The Way Way Back: Watching
Sam Rockwell act is always a pleasure. -Annie
Coffee Town: Who
knew Josh Groban could act? It’s funny and somewhat ridiculous. Watch it.
-Annie
Rachel’s
additional list!
So...
I go to NYU and I am exposed to a lot of films I wouldn't otherwise see. This
is my weird/ unreleased film list of things Amy and Annie had yet to see...
because they are grownups with jobs and husbands, whereas I am ridiculous.
1.
Don Jon- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6615kYTpOSU Joesph Gordon Levitt's
debut directing
2.
12 Years a Slave- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUQNjfhlREk Gah. Emotions.
3.
Dallas Buyers Club- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvMPU0WaPcc The kind of
movie actors dream about being in.
4.
Short Term 12- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8QxAYxNRgs Based on a short
film. Great. Touching.
5.
The Wolf of Wall Street- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iszwuX1AK6A
Leo, doing
A Catch Me If You Can-esque part. Let's keep not giving him Oscars because he
will keep making GREAT films anyhow.
6.
The Butler- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUA7rr0bOcc
Written by Danny Strong
(from Buffy) He's writing both Mockingjay films.
7.
The Book Thief- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92EBSmxinus Great book. Love
Geoffrey Rush.
8.
Saving Mr. Banks- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5kYmrjongg Emma Thompson
steals the show.
9.
Captain Phillips- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3ASoBrFGlc Tom Hanks at his
best.
10.
Frozen- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moSFlvxnbgk
Not a trailer, but one of
the best parts. This is classic Disney, with a new self awareness.
10.11.2013
Church of Gravity
Mitch and I just saw the movie Gravity in 3D. It opens with a gorgeous shot of Earth from orbit. No people or ships are in frame for a minute or so.
It's hard to describe how gorgeous this depiction of Earth is. High definintion. 3D. Big Screen. Instead of just oceans, clouds, and the glow of the atmosphere, we see land masses, deserts, and major rivers. Then the, like, little shuttle shows up and the rest of the movie gets on with itself.
What I think would be really cool is if there was an extension of that opening sequence available for people whenever. If they played, in theatres, a long sequence of a view from space with the Earth slowly turning. You could walk in whenever, into the dark. Put on your 3D glasses and sit in the quiet. It would be like church, the beauty and magnitude of the planet that offers perspective.
Sometimes I think about Earth, how unusual it is that we live on a place that sustains life. The distance between us and anything remotely like us is astronomical (hah). I just feel like I should be happy since it's so unlikely for me to be alive and breathing oxygen and drinking water.
Even that doesn't always do the trick. If I could see the Earth on big screen once in a while, it would be therapeutic.
It's hard to describe how gorgeous this depiction of Earth is. High definintion. 3D. Big Screen. Instead of just oceans, clouds, and the glow of the atmosphere, we see land masses, deserts, and major rivers. Then the, like, little shuttle shows up and the rest of the movie gets on with itself.
What I think would be really cool is if there was an extension of that opening sequence available for people whenever. If they played, in theatres, a long sequence of a view from space with the Earth slowly turning. You could walk in whenever, into the dark. Put on your 3D glasses and sit in the quiet. It would be like church, the beauty and magnitude of the planet that offers perspective.
Sometimes I think about Earth, how unusual it is that we live on a place that sustains life. The distance between us and anything remotely like us is astronomical (hah). I just feel like I should be happy since it's so unlikely for me to be alive and breathing oxygen and drinking water.
Even that doesn't always do the trick. If I could see the Earth on big screen once in a while, it would be therapeutic.
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