Precious finally made her way to the Vancouver International Film Festival last night as did one Mr. Lee Daniels.
Overall I am left with a feeling of a movie that at it's heart is simply pandering to give a typical film festival audience what the script writer / director thinks it wants. After last night's presentation a standing ovation followed and the director applied his impressive charm on the audience to gain, what I am certain will be, another award for the trophy case.
It was observed that the usual Exit signs to the theatre to street were turned OFF (though they are left ON for other showings at the film festival) as the sold-out theatre was encouraged to pass by voting boxes.
This movie adaptation touches on various dark elements but rather than exploring them takes the mass-appeal route and simply dances around them with fantastical scenes in the manner of an African-American version of Pan's Labyrinth with a side of rape and AIDS. Personally I find the stereotypes reinforced within this movie somewhat insulting rather than endearing and found the majority of characters were presented as quite shallow and lacking any true depth.
Though a good movie this should never be mistaken for a great one.
Overall I am left with a feeling of a movie that at it's heart is simply pandering to give a typical film festival audience what the script writer / director thinks it wants. After last night's presentation a standing ovation followed and the director applied his impressive charm on the audience to gain, what I am certain will be, another award for the trophy case.
It was observed that the usual Exit signs to the theatre to street were turned OFF (though they are left ON for other showings at the film festival) as the sold-out theatre was encouraged to pass by voting boxes.
This movie adaptation touches on various dark elements but rather than exploring them takes the mass-appeal route and simply dances around them with fantastical scenes in the manner of an African-American version of Pan's Labyrinth with a side of rape and AIDS. Personally I find the stereotypes reinforced within this movie somewhat insulting rather than endearing and found the majority of characters were presented as quite shallow and lacking any true depth.
Though a good movie this should never be mistaken for a great one.