Unlike my look at the first Amazing Spider-Man movie, this one is going to examine the story, so I will put in some spoiler space. If you have not seen the movie and do not want to be spoiled, please do not read any further. Otherwise, please continue....
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Ok, that should be enough space. To put it simply, I was disappointed in this movie. The first one was so awesome that I had high hopes for this movie. Also, from the previews, I had certain expectations which were not really met at all. Don't get me wrong, I did not hate the movie, but it did leave me feeling like I was missing something or like the movie was incomplete.
First, what I liked. Andrew Garfield did another amazing job as Spider-Man. He has obviously been working out because he has lost some of the skinny twinkishness that he had in the last film in favor of a little more buff body. And, just like last time, his chemistry with Emma Stone (and with Dane DeHaan) is incredible. Everything seemed so effortless where he was concerned. Emma Stone played a bit more of a secondary role this time, but did a great job with what she had. Dane DeHaan did a wonderful job as Harry Osborn, very different from James Franco who had more idealism and innocence to his character, whereas DeHaan played him as more bitter at his father and life.
My main problem with the movie is that it lacked focus. There were 3 villains (Electro, Green Goblin, and Rhino) any of whom could have made wonderful villains on their own, but who suffered because there was too much going on to really develop any of them. In fact, they were almost incidental to showing how bad Oscorp was and how they were responsible for Parker's parents death. There seemed to be a lot of dangling plot threads that were just left hanging. Also, in most of the previews, there was a scene where Harry told Peter that Oscorp had a file on him. That was never in the movie. If it had been there, I think it would have really added to the main story.
I really think the movie should have focused on one, maybe two, villains and that would have made it much better. I did love both Jamie Foxx as Electro and Dane DeHaan as the Green Goblin, but the Green Goblin was only in a very small portion of the movie and seemed to mainly serve to kill Gwen Stacy. Then there was the ending which ended in the middle of a fight. That was just a weird choice. Not awful, but definitely weird.
I suspect that they are setting things up for the next movie, and if that is so, I may change my mind about this one. But as the movie stands now, I can only give it 3 stars at best. Worth watching and fun, but definitely not making the most of the potential that they had. I really hope that the third movie (assuming they make one) is better, because this one was a disappointment.
Saturday, May 3, 2014
Friday, November 29, 2013
My top 5 favorite movies of all time....
At work the other day, we were talking about favorite movies and that got me thinking about my favorite movies of all time. So, I decided to name my 5 favorite movies and explain why I love them each so much in order:
[1] Latter Days- My favorite movie is Latter Days, which is a movie written because the director (C. Jay Cox) was wondering what would happen if the person he is now could meet the person he was when he was younger. The movie is about a Mormon missionary, Aaron (played by Steve Sandvoss), on a mission in California who meets Christian (played by Wes Ramsey), a young, gay party animal. The two of them meet and fall in love, only to be caught hand have Aaron sent home in disgrace. See, at first Christian has a bet that he can't fool around with one of the Mormon missionaries, but thanks to Aaron, Christian realizes that there is more to life than the next trick. Aaron attempts suicide and is sent to be "rehabilitated" when he realizes (thanks to a music video) that Christian does love him. So, he goes back to LA and reconnects with Aaron. I know it sounds very after school specialish, but the movie is really one with heart and soul. After I saw this movie, I knew how incredibly lucky I was to have family and friends who accepted me for who I am. My favorite line is the last line of the movie, as the whole gang in LA sits down as a family and Aaron says: "Sometimes it all still feels like a mass of dots. But more and more these days, I feel like we're all connected. And it's beautiful... and funny... and good."
[2] To Save a Life- This is a movie about a popular guy in high school, Jake (played by Randy Wayne) who sees a former friend from middle school bring a gun to school and commit suicide. This event sends him on a quest to find meaning to life. He ends up in a church and connects with the youth pastor and other people there. Gradually, he opens his circle to other kids who are unpopular until he discovers that his ex is pregnant and he has a major crisis of faith. One of the unpopular kids is accused of a crime and Jake helps to vindicate him and then sets up a website in honor of his friend who committed suicide. In the end, the guy tells Jake that he had been contemplating suicide until the day when Jake talked to him and made him a part of the group. Again, maybe a little after school specialish, but the message is wonderful. While you may never make a huge difference, as you go through life, you touch the lives of others in ways you may never know. I also talk about the movie here.
[3] The Perks of Being a Wallflower- This movie is based off of a book by Steven Chbosky. Logan Lerman plays Charlie, a troubled and introverted high school freshman who is befriended by Sam (Emma Watson) and Patrick (Ezra Miller), two seniors who make him a part of their group. The movie shows how Charlie grows, lives, learns, and loves over the course of his freshman year. The book is wonderful and since Steven Chbosky also wrote and directed the film, the big thumping heart of this awesome book really comes through.
[4] Defying Gravity- This was actually the first "gay" movie I ever saw and as such, it occupies a special spot in my heart. The movie is about Griff (Daniel Chilson), a frat boy in a secret relationship with Pete (Don Handfield) who is attacked by some men shortly after he and Griff have a fight about whether or not they should reveal their relationship. Griff is forced to grapple with his secret and eventually reveals his secret to his best friend. He eventually discovers that the attackers were members of his own frat and after they are arrested, he moves into Pete's room. This movie really helped me to discover who I was and made me think about what I wanted out of my life.
[5] The Amazing Spider-Man- This movie shouldn't need much explanation. I know this is radically different from the other movies, but I do love superhero movies and I think this was, by far, the best Spider-Man movie I have seen. I wrote about this already here, so I really won't say much in this post.
Some of my other favorite movies are (in no particular order): X-Men: First Class, A Walk to Remember, Shelter, and Rock Haven (talked about here).
[1] Latter Days- My favorite movie is Latter Days, which is a movie written because the director (C. Jay Cox) was wondering what would happen if the person he is now could meet the person he was when he was younger. The movie is about a Mormon missionary, Aaron (played by Steve Sandvoss), on a mission in California who meets Christian (played by Wes Ramsey), a young, gay party animal. The two of them meet and fall in love, only to be caught hand have Aaron sent home in disgrace. See, at first Christian has a bet that he can't fool around with one of the Mormon missionaries, but thanks to Aaron, Christian realizes that there is more to life than the next trick. Aaron attempts suicide and is sent to be "rehabilitated" when he realizes (thanks to a music video) that Christian does love him. So, he goes back to LA and reconnects with Aaron. I know it sounds very after school specialish, but the movie is really one with heart and soul. After I saw this movie, I knew how incredibly lucky I was to have family and friends who accepted me for who I am. My favorite line is the last line of the movie, as the whole gang in LA sits down as a family and Aaron says: "Sometimes it all still feels like a mass of dots. But more and more these days, I feel like we're all connected. And it's beautiful... and funny... and good."
[2] To Save a Life- This is a movie about a popular guy in high school, Jake (played by Randy Wayne) who sees a former friend from middle school bring a gun to school and commit suicide. This event sends him on a quest to find meaning to life. He ends up in a church and connects with the youth pastor and other people there. Gradually, he opens his circle to other kids who are unpopular until he discovers that his ex is pregnant and he has a major crisis of faith. One of the unpopular kids is accused of a crime and Jake helps to vindicate him and then sets up a website in honor of his friend who committed suicide. In the end, the guy tells Jake that he had been contemplating suicide until the day when Jake talked to him and made him a part of the group. Again, maybe a little after school specialish, but the message is wonderful. While you may never make a huge difference, as you go through life, you touch the lives of others in ways you may never know. I also talk about the movie here.
[3] The Perks of Being a Wallflower- This movie is based off of a book by Steven Chbosky. Logan Lerman plays Charlie, a troubled and introverted high school freshman who is befriended by Sam (Emma Watson) and Patrick (Ezra Miller), two seniors who make him a part of their group. The movie shows how Charlie grows, lives, learns, and loves over the course of his freshman year. The book is wonderful and since Steven Chbosky also wrote and directed the film, the big thumping heart of this awesome book really comes through.
[4] Defying Gravity- This was actually the first "gay" movie I ever saw and as such, it occupies a special spot in my heart. The movie is about Griff (Daniel Chilson), a frat boy in a secret relationship with Pete (Don Handfield) who is attacked by some men shortly after he and Griff have a fight about whether or not they should reveal their relationship. Griff is forced to grapple with his secret and eventually reveals his secret to his best friend. He eventually discovers that the attackers were members of his own frat and after they are arrested, he moves into Pete's room. This movie really helped me to discover who I was and made me think about what I wanted out of my life.
[5] The Amazing Spider-Man- This movie shouldn't need much explanation. I know this is radically different from the other movies, but I do love superhero movies and I think this was, by far, the best Spider-Man movie I have seen. I wrote about this already here, so I really won't say much in this post.
Some of my other favorite movies are (in no particular order): X-Men: First Class, A Walk to Remember, Shelter, and Rock Haven (talked about here).
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
On Looper *POTENTIAL SPOILERS*
My brother and I watched Looper on Sunday and loved it. However, after I watched it, I was thinking about it (as is my wont) and it occurred to me that during the climax/resolution of the movie, there was a major logical plot hole that throws the whole ending into a state of doubt. Of necessity, I am going to talk about the plot of the film and especially the climax/twist, so if you haven't seen it and don't want to be spoiled, turn back now.
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The movie is about a "looper" named Joe. A "looper" is someone living in 2044 who acts as an assassin for the mob from 2076 (I think). Basically, the mob sends back people who are to be killed and the loopers kill them. At some point, the future self of the looper is sent back to be killed as a part of what is called "closing the loop". Joe fails to kill his future self (reasons to be explained later) and spends a good portion of the movie trying to rectify that failure.
Turns out that in the original timeline, Joe killed his future self and then years later met a woman and fell in love. A mobster named the Rainmaker came into power and decided to close all of the loops. His men captured Joe who was going to go quietly His wife startled the henchmen and was accidentally shot and killed. Once he got to the time travel facility, Joe freed himself, killed all of the men and went back in time in order to kill the Rainmaker as a kid to prevent his rise to power and thereby save his wife's life.
When old Joe came back, he initiated a new timeline by his actions. Young Joe was injured and taken by a woman to a farm where she took care of him. Young Joe met her son, a young boy named Cid. Old Joe, meanwhile, went around killing 2 possible Rainmakers. Turns out that Cid was the third possibility.
During the climax of the film, old Joe has Cid in his gunsights when Cid's mom steps in the way to allow Cid to escape. Young Joe realizes that what old Joe is doing would cause Cid to become the Rainmaker and thereby cause the very event old Joe was trying to prevent. So, young Joe killed himself to erase old Joe from the timeline and cause Cid to not become the Rainmaker.
Ok, that all makes sense on the surface. However, there is a gaping hole in this logic. In the first timeline, another event had to have occurred to cause Cid to become the Rainmaker. We know this because at that point young Joe closed the loop. Therefore, we can conclude that since the Rainmaker still came about, something else happened that led him to become the Rainmaker. Therefore, Joe killing himself would not *NECESSARILY* prevent the rise of the Rainmaker.
I will grant that there are potential answers to the problem, however they are never addressed. In fact, this plot hole is never mentioned. Instead, the filmmakers seem to assume that the viewers will not notice the plot hole or think about it. I think this bugs me mainly because of the fact that the rest of the story fills in major plot holes, but having this huge one at the climatic moment is enough to cause me to doubt the efficaciousness of Joe's sacrifice.
If anyone can show me that I am wrong, I would appreciate it. My brother and I discussed this for about 30 minutes last night and couldn't see anyway to avoid this plot hole. We could come up with possible solutions, but they all seemed to be a bit of a leap in logic, so we couldn't resolve the issue.
Thoughts?
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The movie is about a "looper" named Joe. A "looper" is someone living in 2044 who acts as an assassin for the mob from 2076 (I think). Basically, the mob sends back people who are to be killed and the loopers kill them. At some point, the future self of the looper is sent back to be killed as a part of what is called "closing the loop". Joe fails to kill his future self (reasons to be explained later) and spends a good portion of the movie trying to rectify that failure.
Turns out that in the original timeline, Joe killed his future self and then years later met a woman and fell in love. A mobster named the Rainmaker came into power and decided to close all of the loops. His men captured Joe who was going to go quietly His wife startled the henchmen and was accidentally shot and killed. Once he got to the time travel facility, Joe freed himself, killed all of the men and went back in time in order to kill the Rainmaker as a kid to prevent his rise to power and thereby save his wife's life.
When old Joe came back, he initiated a new timeline by his actions. Young Joe was injured and taken by a woman to a farm where she took care of him. Young Joe met her son, a young boy named Cid. Old Joe, meanwhile, went around killing 2 possible Rainmakers. Turns out that Cid was the third possibility.
During the climax of the film, old Joe has Cid in his gunsights when Cid's mom steps in the way to allow Cid to escape. Young Joe realizes that what old Joe is doing would cause Cid to become the Rainmaker and thereby cause the very event old Joe was trying to prevent. So, young Joe killed himself to erase old Joe from the timeline and cause Cid to not become the Rainmaker.
Ok, that all makes sense on the surface. However, there is a gaping hole in this logic. In the first timeline, another event had to have occurred to cause Cid to become the Rainmaker. We know this because at that point young Joe closed the loop. Therefore, we can conclude that since the Rainmaker still came about, something else happened that led him to become the Rainmaker. Therefore, Joe killing himself would not *NECESSARILY* prevent the rise of the Rainmaker.
I will grant that there are potential answers to the problem, however they are never addressed. In fact, this plot hole is never mentioned. Instead, the filmmakers seem to assume that the viewers will not notice the plot hole or think about it. I think this bugs me mainly because of the fact that the rest of the story fills in major plot holes, but having this huge one at the climatic moment is enough to cause me to doubt the efficaciousness of Joe's sacrifice.
If anyone can show me that I am wrong, I would appreciate it. My brother and I discussed this for about 30 minutes last night and couldn't see anyway to avoid this plot hole. We could come up with possible solutions, but they all seemed to be a bit of a leap in logic, so we couldn't resolve the issue.
Thoughts?
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Some thoughts about Rock Haven
I watched the movie Rock Haven last night. As with a lot of movies, it provoked many thoughts that I wanted to share. So first, a plot summary.
Brady is a devout Christian who has moved with his mother from Kansas to Rock Haven, California. Soon after arriving, he sees a boy and is instantly attracted to him. He later discovers that the boy is Clifford, the son of his next door neighbor. Clifford and Brady quickly become friends and hang out together. Brady is obviously uncomfortable around girls, so Clifford teaches him some moves that may help him out. During one such session, Clifford feels Brady's crotch and Brady jumps away and Clifford tease him that he is aroused. Brady avoids Clifford for a while, but then starts hanging out with him again. A little while later, Clifford kisses him and Brady flees. He later confronts Clifford about the fact that he is gay and the two of them avoid each other.
In the meantime, Brady is being set up by his mother with Peggy, a Christian girl who realizes that Brady is gay. When Brady and Clifford are on the outs, Peggy asks him if he has boy troubles which Brady angrily denies. Eventually, Brady goes back to see Clifford and the two of them start kissing. Brady flees, confused by what is happening to him and torn between his religious beliefs and his strong feelings. He decides to go with his feelings and eventually sleeps with Clifford.
Brady's mom know something is wrong, but can't figure out what it is. The night that Clifford and Brady sleep together, Brady had told her that he was being driven to a church sleepover by Peggy. When he gets back the next day, she tells him that Peggy was in a car accident and confront him about what is happening. He tells her that he is gay and she flips out and pressures him into breaking up with Clifford. She also gets Brady to go to a camp to "fix" him. Clifford is heartbroken and goes to join his dad in Barcelona, but not before before asking Brady to reconsider. Brady says he can't, but then goes home to his mother and tells her that he won't go to the camp. She insists that he is making the biggest mistake of his life and he says that he already did. He tells her that he knows she won't agree with him, but asks for her love to which she responds that he is always her son. He forgives her for what has happened that then hugs her as she weeps in her arms. The movie ends with him saying that the pain never ended, but he has never been closer to God.
Ok, so now for my thoughts. As a faithful reader of my blogs, you should know that this is a struggle I have lived with for a long time. Even though I have more or less come to terms with everything, it is not a struggle that goes away. But, eventually, it becomes much the same as losing a parent, something that is always there, but not as much of an issue.
What I mainly want to talk about are Christians and how they treat others. In the movie, Brady quotes the normal verse from Leviticus about not lying with men as you lie with women, which is pretty much the standard Bible verse any conservative Christian is going to bring up when the topic of homosexuality comes up. What I always find amazing is how few conservative Christians seem to look at the rest of the Bible.
For a long time now (since I was in college), whenever I read the Bible, I am struck at how it is infused with the notion of God's Love. Read I Corinthians Chapter 13 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians+13&version=NIV) and see what St. Paul says about love. Read the various parables that Jesus tells about loving neighbors (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2010:25-37&version=NIV as one example). Look at the Gospel of John Chapter 3 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%203:1-21&version=NIV). Read what Jesus said about the Greatest Commandments (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2022:36-40&version=NIV). Or look up one of the many other examples of the Bible talking about God's overwhelming love for us. The Bible is a love story between us and God. It is about His Love for us and how we should love one another.
What I find sad is that so many people who call themselves Christians ignore this basic duty. Now, I do want to say that loving someone does not mean that you agree with everything they do and/or say. I can disagree with you and still love you. Many people confuse the two and think that disagreeing with something means you do not love them, therefore equating love with support of particular issues. Sometimes, love is disagreeing when someone is doing something wrong. However, how you express yourself shows your love (or lack thereof). Talking about how "God hates fags!" or about how all homosexuals are condemned to Hell because they are homosexual is not love.
Which leads me to another point that Rock Haven illustrated beautifully. Being homosexual is not a choice. God created each and every one of us. Being homosexual or heterosexual is a part of who each one of us is. Therefore, your orientation is not sinful and is also beautiful. God does not create mistakes. He loves each of us and would not condemn us to Hell for something that is a part of how He made us. Now, there is the issue of acting on those feelings, which is entirely different and within our control. Everyone must choose how to live their own lives and then answer for those choices, one way or another.
As Christians, we are called to be love and to show that love to the world. In doing so, we help others to see God as He is, Love incarnate. So, go out and show love. Be love. Radiate love.
Brady is a devout Christian who has moved with his mother from Kansas to Rock Haven, California. Soon after arriving, he sees a boy and is instantly attracted to him. He later discovers that the boy is Clifford, the son of his next door neighbor. Clifford and Brady quickly become friends and hang out together. Brady is obviously uncomfortable around girls, so Clifford teaches him some moves that may help him out. During one such session, Clifford feels Brady's crotch and Brady jumps away and Clifford tease him that he is aroused. Brady avoids Clifford for a while, but then starts hanging out with him again. A little while later, Clifford kisses him and Brady flees. He later confronts Clifford about the fact that he is gay and the two of them avoid each other.
In the meantime, Brady is being set up by his mother with Peggy, a Christian girl who realizes that Brady is gay. When Brady and Clifford are on the outs, Peggy asks him if he has boy troubles which Brady angrily denies. Eventually, Brady goes back to see Clifford and the two of them start kissing. Brady flees, confused by what is happening to him and torn between his religious beliefs and his strong feelings. He decides to go with his feelings and eventually sleeps with Clifford.
Brady's mom know something is wrong, but can't figure out what it is. The night that Clifford and Brady sleep together, Brady had told her that he was being driven to a church sleepover by Peggy. When he gets back the next day, she tells him that Peggy was in a car accident and confront him about what is happening. He tells her that he is gay and she flips out and pressures him into breaking up with Clifford. She also gets Brady to go to a camp to "fix" him. Clifford is heartbroken and goes to join his dad in Barcelona, but not before before asking Brady to reconsider. Brady says he can't, but then goes home to his mother and tells her that he won't go to the camp. She insists that he is making the biggest mistake of his life and he says that he already did. He tells her that he knows she won't agree with him, but asks for her love to which she responds that he is always her son. He forgives her for what has happened that then hugs her as she weeps in her arms. The movie ends with him saying that the pain never ended, but he has never been closer to God.
Ok, so now for my thoughts. As a faithful reader of my blogs, you should know that this is a struggle I have lived with for a long time. Even though I have more or less come to terms with everything, it is not a struggle that goes away. But, eventually, it becomes much the same as losing a parent, something that is always there, but not as much of an issue.
What I mainly want to talk about are Christians and how they treat others. In the movie, Brady quotes the normal verse from Leviticus about not lying with men as you lie with women, which is pretty much the standard Bible verse any conservative Christian is going to bring up when the topic of homosexuality comes up. What I always find amazing is how few conservative Christians seem to look at the rest of the Bible.
For a long time now (since I was in college), whenever I read the Bible, I am struck at how it is infused with the notion of God's Love. Read I Corinthians Chapter 13 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians+13&version=NIV) and see what St. Paul says about love. Read the various parables that Jesus tells about loving neighbors (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2010:25-37&version=NIV as one example). Look at the Gospel of John Chapter 3 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%203:1-21&version=NIV). Read what Jesus said about the Greatest Commandments (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2022:36-40&version=NIV). Or look up one of the many other examples of the Bible talking about God's overwhelming love for us. The Bible is a love story between us and God. It is about His Love for us and how we should love one another.
What I find sad is that so many people who call themselves Christians ignore this basic duty. Now, I do want to say that loving someone does not mean that you agree with everything they do and/or say. I can disagree with you and still love you. Many people confuse the two and think that disagreeing with something means you do not love them, therefore equating love with support of particular issues. Sometimes, love is disagreeing when someone is doing something wrong. However, how you express yourself shows your love (or lack thereof). Talking about how "God hates fags!" or about how all homosexuals are condemned to Hell because they are homosexual is not love.
Which leads me to another point that Rock Haven illustrated beautifully. Being homosexual is not a choice. God created each and every one of us. Being homosexual or heterosexual is a part of who each one of us is. Therefore, your orientation is not sinful and is also beautiful. God does not create mistakes. He loves each of us and would not condemn us to Hell for something that is a part of how He made us. Now, there is the issue of acting on those feelings, which is entirely different and within our control. Everyone must choose how to live their own lives and then answer for those choices, one way or another.
As Christians, we are called to be love and to show that love to the world. In doing so, we help others to see God as He is, Love incarnate. So, go out and show love. Be love. Radiate love.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
On why I like certain movies....
If you look at my DVD/Blu-Ray collection or the movies I watch, you'll notice that there are many romances or teen movies. Alot of people wonder why I like movies like these. After all, aren't they "formulaic", "boring", "predictable", or "not acted well"? Watching a couple of movies like this yesterday, I felt moved (maybe inspired is a better term!) to explain why, so here it is.
I first want to acknowledge that these sorts of movies are formulaic and therefore predictable. And I am totally cool with that. The main reason I watch movies or TV is because I want to experience someone else's life (i.e. escapism [well, sort of]). Consequently, I honestly don't care about watching all original stories. Sure, I like some movies like Inception that require immense amounts of thinking and interpreting, but for the most part, I want a movie that I can just relax and watch. Teen movies and romances fill this little niche perfectly.
Also, I love that these movies aspire to bring forth the innocence in the watcher. When we were children, we believed that true love existed if you looked, that good always triumphed over evil, and that things would turn out right if you worked and believed. As adults, we lose this sense of innocence and wonder. It can be a good thing to lose, but sometimes I know that I just want it back. I still believe in true love, that there is one person out there somewhere for each of us. But sometimes when the world is pressing down on you and everything looks like crap, I just need to be reminded of these feelings. I need to be reminded that hope does exist, that love is out there, and that things can and do get better (somehow).
As I have mentioned before, I am a romantic (see above!). I like sentimentality, I like watching someone fall in love, and I like watching people transform themselves into a better person because of love. Most of my favorite romances are the romances where a bad boy (or girl) transforms themselves into a good person for the sake of love. Pacey from Dawson's Creek, Nathan from One Tree Hill, and Landon from A Walk to Remember are three of my favorites, although I could mention several more. There is a something special about believing the transformative power of love. While I can't define it, I just know that believing in how love can transform you makes me feel better about myself and life.
So, I enjoy these movies. Whether it is trying to escape my life into a movie about someone else, the uplifting transformative power of love, or just a sense of romance, I really enjoy them.
So there you have it. :-)
I first want to acknowledge that these sorts of movies are formulaic and therefore predictable. And I am totally cool with that. The main reason I watch movies or TV is because I want to experience someone else's life (i.e. escapism [well, sort of]). Consequently, I honestly don't care about watching all original stories. Sure, I like some movies like Inception that require immense amounts of thinking and interpreting, but for the most part, I want a movie that I can just relax and watch. Teen movies and romances fill this little niche perfectly.
Also, I love that these movies aspire to bring forth the innocence in the watcher. When we were children, we believed that true love existed if you looked, that good always triumphed over evil, and that things would turn out right if you worked and believed. As adults, we lose this sense of innocence and wonder. It can be a good thing to lose, but sometimes I know that I just want it back. I still believe in true love, that there is one person out there somewhere for each of us. But sometimes when the world is pressing down on you and everything looks like crap, I just need to be reminded of these feelings. I need to be reminded that hope does exist, that love is out there, and that things can and do get better (somehow).
As I have mentioned before, I am a romantic (see above!). I like sentimentality, I like watching someone fall in love, and I like watching people transform themselves into a better person because of love. Most of my favorite romances are the romances where a bad boy (or girl) transforms themselves into a good person for the sake of love. Pacey from Dawson's Creek, Nathan from One Tree Hill, and Landon from A Walk to Remember are three of my favorites, although I could mention several more. There is a something special about believing the transformative power of love. While I can't define it, I just know that believing in how love can transform you makes me feel better about myself and life.
So, I enjoy these movies. Whether it is trying to escape my life into a movie about someone else, the uplifting transformative power of love, or just a sense of romance, I really enjoy them.
So there you have it. :-)
Monday, August 27, 2012
Further Thoughts on Prayers for Bobby
After I wrote my post yesterday, I had some more thoughts related to the movie that I wanted to share. You see, as I said yesterday, the movie is all about acceptance. Both acceptance of yourself and acceptance by others. If either one is missing, then problems can definitely commence. In the movie, Bobby felt that he had no one he could talk to about his problems. He saw the guy he liked with another guy and his mom wouldn't talk to him. He felt that his immediate family didn't love him anymore and I am not sure why he didn't think about his cousin. So he got trapped in a spiral of despair.
For some kids today, this is still the case. People make fun of those who are different. For many, if you do not fit into the gender roles dictated for you by society, you are a "fag", "dyke", "queer", etc. Some families refuse to accept those who don't follow the dictates of their religion or ideas. Couple this with the increasing personal isolation of the Internet age, and you have people who have trouble coping and finding their place, even as the world as a whole, grows increasingly accepting of those who are LGBT.
Now, I know this sounds like a PSA, and in a manner of speaking it is. The thing about PSAs is that they are needed for a reason. Right now, there are probably people who are contemplating suicide because of how they are treated by others. I also know that my blog is not exactly wide read, but if I can help even one person, that is good. I just wanted to call attention to the Trevor Hotline.
The Trevor Hotline is a hotline set up for LGBT youth and teens who feel like they have no one, kids like Bobby. If you happen to be reading this and know of a teen who needs help, point them to the Project please. No one should kill themselves because of who they are or because they feel unloved. There is always someone out there for you, you just have to find them.
Go to: http://www.trevorproject.org or call 866-488-7386. Please. Pass this message along. Save a life. Because all life is sacred and all life deserves to be lived.
Thank you.
For some kids today, this is still the case. People make fun of those who are different. For many, if you do not fit into the gender roles dictated for you by society, you are a "fag", "dyke", "queer", etc. Some families refuse to accept those who don't follow the dictates of their religion or ideas. Couple this with the increasing personal isolation of the Internet age, and you have people who have trouble coping and finding their place, even as the world as a whole, grows increasingly accepting of those who are LGBT.
Now, I know this sounds like a PSA, and in a manner of speaking it is. The thing about PSAs is that they are needed for a reason. Right now, there are probably people who are contemplating suicide because of how they are treated by others. I also know that my blog is not exactly wide read, but if I can help even one person, that is good. I just wanted to call attention to the Trevor Hotline.
The Trevor Hotline is a hotline set up for LGBT youth and teens who feel like they have no one, kids like Bobby. If you happen to be reading this and know of a teen who needs help, point them to the Project please. No one should kill themselves because of who they are or because they feel unloved. There is always someone out there for you, you just have to find them.
Go to: http://www.trevorproject.org or call 866-488-7386. Please. Pass this message along. Save a life. Because all life is sacred and all life deserves to be lived.
Thank you.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Prayers for Bobby
I know that alot of my movie reviews have to do with movies about gays and lesbians and I know that sometime I might seem obsessed with the subject, but I also know that I can only write about that which touches me deeply and this topic always does. Before I get to the part about me (because that is always part of any review), let's talk about the movie.
Prayers for Bobby is a movie about a mother's journey of acceptance in the early 1980s. Sigourney Weaver plays Mary Griffith whose son Bobby (Ryan Kelley) is the perfect son. Everyone loves him and he can seemingly do no wrong. Then one day, he contemplates committing suicide because he knows he is gay and thinks his family won't accept him. He tells his brother (Austin Nichols) who promises to say nothing, only to tell their mom and dad (Henry Czerny). Mary is a fundamentalist Christian and tries to cure Bobby and pushes him to go out with girls. Over time, their relationship becomes strained because Bobby realizes that he cannot change but lies to his mom because he craves her approval. During a visit to his cousin in Portland, he meets a guy, David. When he goes home, he tells his parents about him only to have his mom tell him that she has no gay son. He leaves for Portland with his mother's condemnation ringing in his ears. He ultimately commits suicide after seeing David hanging out with another man. Mary struggles greatly with Bobby's suicide and after finding a bookmark for a church in Bobby's journal, she meets with the pastor of the inclusive church. They have a couple of confrontations as she seeks answers and he encourages her to go to a PFLAG meeting. She does, and while there, realizes that she always knew Bobby was gay. When a proposition comes before her city council to recognize Gay Day and people are jeering at those who support the proposition, she tells her story. The proposition loses, but this event helps her to reconnect with her family by pulling her out of her grief. The film ends with the family going to a gay pride march and Mary finding a young man much like Bobby and hugging him to let him know that he is loved.
I know, it really is pretty much a boiler plate and formulaic drama. But, that's ok. I have read reviews of people who say that the movie was pretty much a waste and it should have explored the inner struggles more; but if you are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered, then you don't need the inner struggles explored. While not everyone goes through the struggle to the degree that Bobby did, everyone I have ever met who is LGBT has gone through it. The fear of not being loved. The wondering if you will be accepted. The times when you just want it all to end because it seems like too much.
Another complaint I have read was that the mother's questioning seems too simplistic. But again, this questioning seemed very realistic to me. When I came out to my mom, she asked me all the same questions. She asked if I was sure, if she did something wrong, and if I wanted to be cured. Ultimately, I knew that my mom loved and accepted me for who I am. I am not saying that she would agree with all the choices I have made in my life, but she would still love me. That I am sure of.
For me, I know that my struggle lies in wondering if I will ever find someone else to share my life with. Regardless of how I may appear sometimes, I am a very, very shy person. I do not like going out and that makes it very hard to meet people. Also, I am fat and in much of the gay community, that is a sin of the highest degree. A few years ago, I found a guy I really, really liked. It took me almost 3 years to get myself to the point where I could ask him out. By the time I did, I found out that he was moving to Florida because he met someone down there. So once again, I find myself alone. I want to meet someone. I want to find a husband. I want to have kids and a family. I want to not be alone and pathetic. But I always wonder and worry that I will be.
My other struggle lies in knowing who to tell. You see, I work with kids as a tutor. And while I know that I would never, ever hurt a kid, not everyone would think that. There are people out there who would want me to not work with kids because I am gay and might molest them. Never mind the idea that molesting or hurting a child in any way is so incredibly repugnant to me. Children are meant to be loved and protected, not hurt or damaged. One of my missions as a tutor is to show children that they are loved and accepted regardless of any mistakes they may make.
Anyways, I know I've said alot and I hope it was all comprehensible. Seeing as this is a review, I want to end by saying that I think that everyone should see this movie. Sentimental? Yes. But truthful and powerful all the same.
Love to all.
Prayers for Bobby is a movie about a mother's journey of acceptance in the early 1980s. Sigourney Weaver plays Mary Griffith whose son Bobby (Ryan Kelley) is the perfect son. Everyone loves him and he can seemingly do no wrong. Then one day, he contemplates committing suicide because he knows he is gay and thinks his family won't accept him. He tells his brother (Austin Nichols) who promises to say nothing, only to tell their mom and dad (Henry Czerny). Mary is a fundamentalist Christian and tries to cure Bobby and pushes him to go out with girls. Over time, their relationship becomes strained because Bobby realizes that he cannot change but lies to his mom because he craves her approval. During a visit to his cousin in Portland, he meets a guy, David. When he goes home, he tells his parents about him only to have his mom tell him that she has no gay son. He leaves for Portland with his mother's condemnation ringing in his ears. He ultimately commits suicide after seeing David hanging out with another man. Mary struggles greatly with Bobby's suicide and after finding a bookmark for a church in Bobby's journal, she meets with the pastor of the inclusive church. They have a couple of confrontations as she seeks answers and he encourages her to go to a PFLAG meeting. She does, and while there, realizes that she always knew Bobby was gay. When a proposition comes before her city council to recognize Gay Day and people are jeering at those who support the proposition, she tells her story. The proposition loses, but this event helps her to reconnect with her family by pulling her out of her grief. The film ends with the family going to a gay pride march and Mary finding a young man much like Bobby and hugging him to let him know that he is loved.
I know, it really is pretty much a boiler plate and formulaic drama. But, that's ok. I have read reviews of people who say that the movie was pretty much a waste and it should have explored the inner struggles more; but if you are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered, then you don't need the inner struggles explored. While not everyone goes through the struggle to the degree that Bobby did, everyone I have ever met who is LGBT has gone through it. The fear of not being loved. The wondering if you will be accepted. The times when you just want it all to end because it seems like too much.
Another complaint I have read was that the mother's questioning seems too simplistic. But again, this questioning seemed very realistic to me. When I came out to my mom, she asked me all the same questions. She asked if I was sure, if she did something wrong, and if I wanted to be cured. Ultimately, I knew that my mom loved and accepted me for who I am. I am not saying that she would agree with all the choices I have made in my life, but she would still love me. That I am sure of.
For me, I know that my struggle lies in wondering if I will ever find someone else to share my life with. Regardless of how I may appear sometimes, I am a very, very shy person. I do not like going out and that makes it very hard to meet people. Also, I am fat and in much of the gay community, that is a sin of the highest degree. A few years ago, I found a guy I really, really liked. It took me almost 3 years to get myself to the point where I could ask him out. By the time I did, I found out that he was moving to Florida because he met someone down there. So once again, I find myself alone. I want to meet someone. I want to find a husband. I want to have kids and a family. I want to not be alone and pathetic. But I always wonder and worry that I will be.
My other struggle lies in knowing who to tell. You see, I work with kids as a tutor. And while I know that I would never, ever hurt a kid, not everyone would think that. There are people out there who would want me to not work with kids because I am gay and might molest them. Never mind the idea that molesting or hurting a child in any way is so incredibly repugnant to me. Children are meant to be loved and protected, not hurt or damaged. One of my missions as a tutor is to show children that they are loved and accepted regardless of any mistakes they may make.
Anyways, I know I've said alot and I hope it was all comprehensible. Seeing as this is a review, I want to end by saying that I think that everyone should see this movie. Sentimental? Yes. But truthful and powerful all the same.
Love to all.
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