Tag: movie musings

movie musings

since this is a blog, I guess I should post, right?

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Not much is going on with me at the moment, so there isn’t much to post about; well, nothing that I would want to commit to typed words going off into the infinite reaches of the internets anyway.

This weekend had it’s nice points. I saw two movies, both of which I liked, District 9 and Ponyo.

I liked the idea and the attempt at paralleling apartheid that came with District 9, but it had a little too much going on for me to really focus (as my friend John stated, this must be Peter Jackson’s Cloverfield — even though he didn’t direct it). However, I will say, that we saw it at the drive in, so perhaps I just need to see it again, in an environment when I can really focus on it. I will have to rent it when it comes out. It was enjoyable, though.

As for Ponyo, I posted about it last week, and my excitement had me really revved up to see it. I detest going to the theater, and this was no exception; all of the talking and whatnot around me made it hard to really let go and enjoy the film. However, I really did love the story, and the animation was incredible. I can’t wait to see it again, because I think that most of Miyazaki’s films require at least two viewings before a true opinion can be formed. The more I reflect on my feelings about Ponyo, the more I love it. I hope that Ponyo’s eventual release on Blu Ray will cause the powers that be to go back and commit Miyazaki’s other films to the format; they are truly deserving of the treatment, and I know that I would be one of the first to rush out and buy them!

Other than that… not much else. How about you?

movie musings, well?

what would you do in that situation?

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Fair warning: I will be talking about a movie (The Reader), and discussing the plot, so if you want to avoid spoilers, do not keep reading after this sentence.

Last night, James and I watched the Reader. After the shock of the sheer amount of nudity there was in the film, I have to say, that I was struck by the way Michael handled his relationship with Hanna. It was made clear that he definitely loved her, but he was truly the only one that could have saved her from a lifetime in prison, and yet, he said nothing. Yes, she deserves a LOT of the blame; she committed herself to the SS and 20 years in prison because she was ashamed of the fact that she couldn’t read or write, but I couldn’t help find fault with Michael as well.

I can’t tell you what I would do in those circumstances; I didn’t live through the Holocaust. Do I grasp the enormity of the events that occurred during that incredibly dark time? Not by a long shot. When I try to wrap my head around the fact that the majority of a country stood by and assisted in the murders of MILLIONS of people, just because of who they were, my stomach turns. It is disgusting. With that being said, I felt it was clear that Hanna, while she was a part of the whole machine, shouldn’t have taken all of the blame; she was the only one who had the long sentence handed down to them.

If I were Michael, I think that I would have spoken up for her. Also, if I hadn’t of had the courage to do it when she was on trial (or if it was because he was too angry at her for being at part of the Holocaust), I don’t think I could have ignored her all of those years, and just “went on with my life”. Maybe I just have a big heart, but it would be hard for me to love anyone and let them rot in jail; even if they committed a heinous crime. I would at least visit. I thought that by sending those tapes to her, he was fully admitting the amount of guilt that he had; so why not visit? Yet, again, I can’t say what I would do in that situation for sure, because I wasn’t there, but I just couldn’t help but feel angry at him for not doing anything. I guess that was the point of the movie, so I guess that’s what I took from it.

What would you do under the same circumstances?