An Education? Feels More Like a Learning Process

An Education tells the story of a bright young woman, Jenny played by Carey Mulligan, who is led astray by an older gentleman in 1960s London. The film focuses on Jenny as she goes from a young hopeful as she strives for Oxford to a distraught young woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown. The events in the film as they unfold onscreen are mesmerizing. Everything is filmed so tastefully and with a touch of elegance that is difficult to find in movie making anymore. Perhaps it's the setting of the movie that lends itself to this style of film making. Regardless, the camera seems so in tune with the script that it communicates with a clearly defined voice, in a way that many cinematographers are struggling to do. However, what the camera captures is just as engaging. While I had difficulty with some of the characters, more on that later, the acting in this film is absolutely phenomenal. Carey Mulligan captures Jenny's fall from innocence with heartbreaking honesty and confusion, as I imagine any girl in her situation would feel. Her transformation from the naive schoolgirl to the talented young woman she becomes is an incredible story, largely due to what she brings to the role. There's a reason she's favored in so many Golden Globes pools for her performance. A surprising performance from Rosamund Pike in a supporting role was also amazing, particularly the dynamic between Rosamund Pike's Helen and the character of Jenny. The two women are completely different in their approaches to life, but their ability to play off one another serves to create another interesting relationship in the film.
However, An Education is not without its faults. The acting is spectacular, but in some cases, acting just isn't enough. There wasn't enough of a believable character in Alfred Molina's overprotective father role, Jack. In his defense, Molina does what he can with the character but the character is so unpredictably written. When the film starts we see Jack as a man obsessed with providing the best for his daughter, ensuring that he does whatever he can and whatever it takes to get his daughter into Oxford. Along the course of the film, he falls by the wayside. He's just easily beguiled by David's antics, Peter Saarsgard in the slimy role of his lifetime, as his 16 year old daughter is. It completely flips the overprotective father role into a man who is more than willing to give his daughter away to a middle-aged man. Perhaps it's the times that we live in and all of the "To Catch a Predator" I've been watching, but as I watched the movie, I found myself asking "Okay, this guy is middle-aged, single, and hitting on a teenager. What the hell is wrong with him?" Jack, who is immediately suspicious of the age-appropriate suitor that Jenny first brings him, does not seem to be troubled by David. This kind of drastic character change could be talked about or at least something, but instead just comes off as bad storytelling. Sadly, Jack is not the only extremist male character. My main concern with most of the male characters was that the women were written beautifully and complex, but the men, even though Nick Hornby who penned the screenplay is male himself, were not afforded the same dignity. Although this is disappointing as a whole, it is refreshing to see women in film afforded a little more complexity.
At the heart of An Education, the intentions are good. Even the presentation of the film is worth applauding. The cinematography is tasteful and breathtaking at the same time, so completely heartfelt and in tune with the feelings of the characters. Also, Carey Mulligan's performance is praise-worthy indeed and Rosamund Pike shines as I've never seen her before. The only downfall of the film is, surprisingly enough, the men in the film. They play as such extreme caricatures in an otherwise serious movie that it is sometimes distracting. Still, every movie has its faults and to criticize An Education for that would be unfair and a discredit to Carey Mulligan's beautiful performance. Overall, An Education feels a little bit like a learning process.

Saved

Nostalgia can either help or harm a film. It tends to be one or the other. Most of us have those kinds of movies that we saw when we were little and hold a special place in our heart and those tend to fall in to one of two categories. Category A is the type of movie that has that nostalgia, but you don't usually watch again for fear of shattering the allusion. I group movies like Far Away Home and Air Bud into this category. They had their time in the sun, but in order to remember them fondly, I spare myself re-watching. The second category is the movie that relies on nostalgia to carry it. I reserve this category for movies such as Harriet the Spy, which I saw with friends for my 10th birthday party (yes, I was that cool and yes, it was that long ago). The point being that most films that have a special place in our hearts are a hindrance. We can't see them for what they are, but rather, we see them for what they mean to us.
That being said, Saved is one of those movies, I've never been able to figure out which category it fell into. It definitely had a special place in my heart when the film first came out. It was relatable. I mean, not in the most common sense of the word (seeing as I have little to no experience being a knocked-up teenage girl) but through the array of characters I was able to see myself. Not a fully formed self, but a sense of identity that as a young boy in suburban Ohio I couldn't find in my surroundings. As I write this, I feel that I can't properly communicate this as it just sounds like "poor, rich white boy syndrome". I didn't have it bad, but I didn't have it all. I was stifled. Anyway, this isn't a matter of self-pity, it's a matter of the power of film.
However, when re-watching the movie the other day with some buddies, I realized something more about this movie, something that had changed since the last time I saw it way back in Ohio. This was the movie that I had wanted Juno to be. Saved definitely has its funny parts, but it also has its heartfelt parts. Most importantly, Saved has consequences. Things don't just happen randomly in the universe all for the purpose of giving the main character an easy out. Saved tackled some heavy issues and dealt with the whole issue of teen pregnancy with an actual sense of purpose. Juno got too lost in being "quirky" and "indie" for me to actually take anything from it. By the time of that film's end, I just found myself exhausted. By the end of Saved, I felt a better understanding of the characters and more importantly, the experience of the protagonist. True, she didn't face "unbearable hardships" but the events that take place in the movie were obviously profound enough to have changed the character in a noticeable way.
This isn't to say that Saved is a perfect movie, because it certainly has its faults. For instance, her mother coming around to the idea of her pregnancy is a little quick for my taste, but it's understandable. Regardless, my nostalgia for the film definitely colors my attitudes towards it and I'll be the first to admit it. However, Saved is one of those rare examples of a movie that I admittedly have a personal relationship with, but doesn't truly suffer for it. I may enjoy it more than some, but I'm also able to see that it's not the perfect movie. It's enjoyable for what it is and what it means to me and I'm fine with that.

Veronika Decides to Die

Every so often, a movie will be described as having a "career making performance" from its star. Unfortunately for Sarah Michelle Gellar, of Buffy fame, it's just been reported that her career making performance will be making its debut in a straight-to-DVD release of the movie Veronika Decides to Die. The movie, which is based on a Paulo Coelho novel of the same, will be released April 27. AT the core of this movie, the story focuses on a beautiful young woman who tries to kill herself, but is unsuccessful. When she awakens, she is in a mental hospital being told that she only has days to live. It is there that she finds the will to live. While it may sound melodramatic, and I'm admittedly not doing the story justice, the thing that I think it has going for it is that it refuses to be a passive film. So much movie watching has been reduced to a spectator sport, but this movies questions and engages its audience on matters of life and death or of sanity and insanity.
The director, Emily Young, does a beautiful job of bringing the novel to life. While there is more introspection in the novel, Young handles the matter delicately. She uses the camera to do her dirty work for her, not relying on relentless voiceover, but instead using the camera as a character itself. The camerawork does an excellent job of evoking emotion and giving the viewer insight into the emotional state of the characters.
However, the success of the movie is owed just as much to its star, Sarah Michelle Gellar. While this may be mainly due to what I've seen her in before, although I enjoyed Buffy and The Grudge, it's refreshing to see her break away from the PG-13 horror crowd. Don't get me wrong, she's good at it and it's a steady paycheck, but when you get a chance to see so much more to her acting, it's incredibly gratifying. This role was a definite risk for her, sadly one which doesn't seem to have paid off, but although the film may not get a theatrical run in the US this role should not be ignored. At the heart of Veronika, is a young girl scared to be alone and even more afraid of honestly connecting with someone. Few actors and actresses could convincingly portray that, but Sarah Michelle Gellar does so effectively. Throughout the movie we watch her act with a mix of fear and empowerment. We watch the fear of loneliness and disconnect as it overwhelms her and we see her derive strength as she finds the will to live. Although the two emotions don't seemingly go together, the relationship between the two feels so natural and the character, the actress, and the film itself make me believe her struggle.
Veronika Decides to Die may be making its US debut on DVD, but that should not deter people. Most movies that are straight to DVD releases are thought of as junkers, and realistically a good deal of them are, but Veronika Decides to Die is one of the more daring DVD releases I expect you'll find. It may not have enough commercial appeal to guarantee it a nationwide theatrical release, but it's got one thing most movies don't these days, and that's a soul. Unapologetic and unafraid, Veronika decides to Die showcases an unforgettable performance from Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Politics of the Academy Awards

As Oscar season approaches, I thought I'd give my readers a little insight into the politics of the Academy. It should come as no surprise that the award season has always been political, but never fear struggling actors, I have three simple ideas that tend to at least guarantee a nod if not the award itself. Now we all know the Academy shells out for Holocaust flicks, thank you very much Mr. Ricky Gervais, so I'm gonna skip the movie categories and dive right into the acting accolades. First and foremost...
1) Play ugly. It sounds simple enough, but in a world of superficiality and a world where Jessica Alba is still getting work, we all know that looks matter. That's why when people use advanced make-up crews and prosthetics to look like the rest of us average folks or, dare I say even ugly, the Academy pays attention. Prime examples; Nicole Kidman in The Hours and Charlize Theron in Monster. These performances both had merits of their own, but let's be real, to see Charlize Theron anything less than hot was pretty much mind-blowing. Sure, there was character development but there was also about an extra 30 pounds there we'd never seen before.
2) Play mentally retarded. The Academy goes nuts for that kinda stuff. Ben Stiller joked about the topic in his film Tropic Thunder which sent some overly-PC groups, that hadn't even seen the movie, into a frenzy. This is one of those things that people don't really like to admit to themselves, but still holds true. When watching a movie about the trials and hardships of being mentally handicapped, and let's face it, they rarely end well, don't most of us feel a little better that we don't face those challenges? Prime examples; Leonardo DiCaprio in What's Eating Gilbert Grape and Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man. DiCaprio received his first nomination, while Hoffman was in it to win it. What's ironic is that Rain Man scolds Charlie for taking advantage of his brother's disability, but at heart, this film essentially does the same thing.
3) Play gay. This is one of the more recent trends in Oscar history that homosexuality has fallen into favor and that's primarily due to the visibility of issues of gay rights in the media and politics. For a long time it would have been considered career suicide to accept the role, but over the years, attitudes have softened. There still remains an element of stigma to these roles though. Homosexuality is popular with the Academy when it is a recognizable character trait, but essentially reduces them to a caricature. When complexity is introduced, such as issues of gender identity, you can almost be sure that it'll go to someone else. Prime examples; Felicity Huffman in Transamerica and Sean Penn in Milk. Say what you will about the movie itself, Felicity Huffman's performance in Transamerica was powerful and complex, but evidently the whole prosthetic penis thing spooked the Academy into handing the Oscar over to Reese Witherspoon that year. Sean Penn's Harvey Milk was impressive acting, but it felt more like watching hero worship than a fully formed character. Color me biased, but I'd rather hear about the man with all his successes and all his failures.
These are some of the tried and true methods of winning an Oscar or at least receiving a nomination. Doesn't make it right and nobody said it was fair, but that's the way it is. Stick to at least one of these three rules and you should be golden. After all, Nicole Kidman and Charlize Theron stuck to rules 1 and 3 and they're both Oscar winners. Coincidence? I think not. Just remember to thank me in your acceptance speech.

Jennifer's Body's Got the Look... But Little Else

It's a rare thing in Hollywood that the screenwriter receives more attention than the director, but such is the case with runaway hit screenwriter Diablo Cody. Though not exactly the same fare as her 2007 hit Juno, Jennifer's Body features the same obnoxiously indie quips that made Juno so popular. The main thing to note here is that the character of Juno was written as such. She is a bit of an outsider, but when Jennifer, one of the most popular girls at school, starts spouting lines like "You're lime green jello", the audience (or at least this audience member) won't fall for it. Of course Juno had similar lines (after all they were written in the same year) it was more characteristic of the people that inhabited that specific universe. Furthermore, Juno has an advantage that Jennifer's Body does not and that is the level of acting. Don't get me wrong, Megan Fox is phenomenal in this role, arguably her best role to date. Then again, there are few other contenders unless someone really wants to try and make a case for Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, but even then. However, the real problem with Jennifer's Body is there's little that can be done with this script.
More importantly, although the Christian Right will have you believe that America has too much sex and violence, horror movies suffer when there isn't enough. Well, not all horror movies, but for campy fare like Jennifer's Body it certainly helps. It's a very specific type of horror movie that needs the sex and the blood to move it forth, but for a movie so suggestively titled Jennifer's Body, there's little to write home about. I mean, we're supposed to believe that this girl is using her body to seduce guys and kill them, but very little of either of these activities is seen. There's always that strategic cut right before you get to the good stuff, but even with these cuts, Jennifer's victim count is surprisingly low.
All in all, Jennifer's Body mainly suffers from the script. The actors try to do all that they can with it, and I have to give credit for that. The movie is fun to watch, but ultimately a letdown. There's either not enough laughs or not enough guts for my personal taste.

Facebook Ads Keep Taunting Me!

Dear Facebook,
I understand the basic principles of economics, don't get me wrong. I get where you have to sell things on the margins of Facebook in order to stay afloat, but can we just take a minute to look at some of the stuff that's being peddled? In a world that has young clear-skinned starlets selling a thousand and one solutions to all your blemish problems, it's sort of hard to feel good about one's self. Now, just for a moment, imagine you're on your Facebook writing to a friend that you haven't seen a while and out of the corner of your eye, you see an ad. Not just any old ad, but an ad entitled "Free Chicago Area STD Testing". Sure, the young man in the ad is handsome and smiling, but let's be real, no one's smiling back at syphilis guy. That's just the facts. That man will forever be known as "STD guy". Now, I understand no harm was meant by the ad, but we all know that these ads are tailored to specific areas of interests... so what did I do or say to indicate I was interested in STDs or STD testing? I'm not being accusatory, it's just, is that what people think of when they look at me? Man, I hope not. I mean, committed relationship comin' up on 8 months now and I'm still getting skank junk mail? Something has got to change. Can't we go back to the days when my ads were more along the lines of "Ran a marathon? Share you story!" Those were the days, I was at the top of my game, but now, evidently, I'm slummin' it down here in the internet equivalent of an AIDS clinic. Oh well... at least I tried.
Sincerely,
Calhoun

Ford's Character Study of A Single Man

At the heart of A Single Man, fashion designer Tom Ford's directorial debut, is a celebration. It is a celebration of life and unabashed sexuality. While most reviews of this film categorize the film as "a day in the life of a man after his partner dies", they neglect to tell viewers that the story takes place roughly 8 months after his "partner's" death. While there is a fair amount of heavy material presented in the film, it does not lose sight of its celebration of the life that these two men had together as George, played by a devastatingly beautiful Colin Firth, tries to find a reason to continue living.
Another issue that I took with people's descriptions of the film is the use of the word "partner". I know, I know, it makes Middle America uncomfortable when you start talking about the homos, but it does such a disservice to the story to refer to Jim, George's lover, as his partner. It's true that they are also partners having been in a monogamous relationship for 16 years, but the movie focuses just as much on their relationship as it does their love. Unfortunately, there's little I can do about that as that's an American neurosis projected on to the film, but let me do what any responsible writer would do and clear it up for readers. George and Jim are lovers first and foremost. Tom Ford does an incredible job of showing his audience that without any hardcore, in-your-face content. All the audience needs is right there in tender displays of affection, like the gentle kiss on the forehead.
However, Tom Ford has the advantage that most Hollywood directors do not in this situation and that is, his relationship with Hollywood. He will always be a fashion designer first and foremost and so when watching A Single Man, you can't help but feel that Tom Ford is unapologetic. He isn't caught up in the fear that he'll never work in Hollywood again for doing his take on a celebration of life, love, and the male form. As a fan of A Single Man, I can safely say that I hope he does work in Hollywood again, but who knows as to that? When thinking of this one can't help but think of 2005's Brokeback Mountain which, thanks to its stars, got people noticing homosexuality in the movies. However, what never took with Brokeback Mountain is the fear of admitting these characters were gay. they spent the whole movie fighting it. A Single Man never has a moment's doubt. It presents its audience with a lover's kiss between two men in the first shot. This is the celebration of sexuality so many gay men had hoped Brokeback Mountain would be. Although it arrived about 4 years later, it is a welcome change of pace.
In closing, it is Ford's frank displays combined with brilliant performances from most of the cast that make this film so notable as a celebration of life rather than the bleak portrayal of loss it is frequently seen as. While it does deal with themes of loss and regret, ultimately, it celebrates the life that these two men shared together.