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Alpha (2018)
Best of 2018! Watch With Your E/P Service Animal
Don't listen to the haters. One of the good reviewes said 'go as a moviegoer, not an archaeologist' (I think they meant Anthropologist, but either way) and I wholeheartedly agree with that sntiment. If you are going to be unable to focus on anything other than the historical accuracy of the film, don't bother. (Its actually NOT BAD when it comes to what may have been "life" back then, this story absolutely *could have* happened in real life, and that is saying something. But yes, there's a bathing scene where the young man wears a loincloth kind of thing so that there's no nudity, and people are bitching about him wearing 'underwear' - personally, I was glad, I didn't NEED to see the kid's junk in order to feel something emotionally from the film - I don't know why, but I always see similar incongruencies as if the director leaned over to me and whispered in my ear "well, you're a grown-up and you know he'd probably be naked, but I figured it didn't do anything to the plot and I figured you'd understand." and I nod, and the film continues. If the nudity served to illustrate the kid's feeling exposed, or vulnerable, or free, or showed some plot point, like the kid's having gotten past something, then its useful and fine. If its pointless, then why show it?)
The film really is about the difficulties that surround 'belonging' in a tribe of people when who we are is sligtly 'off' from what our parents expected, or wanted, and when that difference ends up getting us pummeled by our own circumstances, further alienating us from our tribe. Its about finding our way to ourselves with the support of an animal who subjugates their needs for ours - even when their need may have actually been the greater of the two. Its extremely special, and will forever hold a special place in my relationship with my psychological support animal. We watched it together, and are just now sitting down for our second time through. This time its The Director's cut, so if you buy it on iTunes, you get The Director's cut as an option for free.
Lars and the Real Girl (2007)
Lars and The Real Girl: Real Hope, Real Coping, Real Healing
This is my 'Go-To Movie' for finding the courage I need to get through embarrassment, or those times when I have needs that aren't being met by my self, that I cannot yet find the words or the courage (maybe both) to express so that I can get the help I need.
That is what happens to Lars. Due to a traumatic loss of his parents at a young age, he cannot trust that anyone will stay, that he's safe to be a grown up now, that he has become a man. A mind-numbing routine has set in, and he isn't any closer to solving anything for himself. What he is feeling and how his mind must come to terms with what is true and real in the world are the subject of Ryan Gosling's tour-de-force performance in this courageous, life-affirming, brilliantly pitch-perfect film.
A must-see for any man struggling with what it means to be a man, or to become one if you're not sure yet.
Viktor und Viktoria (1933)
Great Lost Original Work
I think this is a fantastically fun film, particularly as source material for "First a girl" and "Victor/Victoria" later. I disagree with another reviewer who said that the UK version doesn't have any hint of homosexuality in it. One of the characters says to Jessie Mathews (Victor (as a man)) "At first you didn't strike me as the type of man who'd be interested in that sort of thing (meaning marriage) you know, in girls." to which Jessie (Victor) replies "Oh! But I am!" The premise of all three of these films is quite complex and truly funny. A (real) woman falls on hard times and meets a (some-films gay, some-films not) man who shows her how to "work the circuit" and get a meal or two for free, etc.
Then, the man, who is by day a gentleman an by night a female impersonator, gets sick and his new friend has to go on in his stead. She does a smashing job, and they are quickly offered a contract they cannot refuse -- now all they have to do is convince the world that out of that dress and that wig, SHE'S really a HE... and calamity ensues.
I hope you enjoy! -Rob
Man on Wire (2008)
A beautiful kiss to the WTC
What would you do if you were drawn or literally compelled to do something -- something so crazy and fantastic that to succeed would be a gift to the world and to fail would mean certain death? That question is put to the test in the film "Man on Wire" which I went to see last night. It is a film of beautiful poetry, catharsis, humor, breathtaking moments, grief and strength -- in an incredibly quiet and peaceful way that makes it seem as if the film itself doesn't even know how moving it is.
The thing that struck me most about this film is what it didn't say. September 11th is never even mentioned, and we do not have to endure yet another scene of those two towers coming down. Quite the contrary, about 25% of the film is dedicated to the construction of the towers.
You see, part of me was saying "Oh, what a shame. All that work and those buildings are just going to come down in about 30 years." But the flower that was being watered was saying "That's right. Keep Building. Make them REALLY big. Make them look STRONG. Make them big enough so that they become a symbol of what mankind can achieve. Don't stop until they're THAT big." Because those buildings simply must be THAT big, they have a very important duty to fulfill in about 30 years.
I think we as a country are just starting to come OUT of the grieving process and see what happened to us while we were there. I think we're just starting to get stronger too. We're seeing how the rest of the world sees us -- and like true Americans, we're not falling all over ourselves apologizing and suddenly trying to become Ireland or some dream country where the fields are always green and the folks are always helpful and friendly and man and beast live together in Ecological and Spiritual harmony regardless of race, creed, religion or sexual orientation. Though I think I might like it if we WERE that country one day, we aren't right now, and its gonna be a while.
We are who we are, for better or for worse. Right now we've got a lot of "worse" but that's our problem, not theirs, thank you very much. And just because we're really screwed up ourselves doesn't mean that we suddenly have no right to tell Russia to stop attacking Georgia or that China needs to take a serious look at some of its government's policies and its record on Human Rights.
We're still the world's greatest Super Power. We have a duty to fulfill that comes along with that title whether we like that or not. Uncle Ben (no, not the one on the rice box.) said it best "With great power comes great responsibility." And sometimes, when you're responsible for bringing the potato salad to the picnic and you're running a little behind schedule, you leave your own kitchen dirty till you get home.
Don't get me wrong. in my mind our Government doesn't get to say "Sorry the dishes are still dirty, we were out playing war." We've got to strike more of a balance. Chores first, imaginary weapons of mass destruction wars later. And I'm also not saying that we don't have a LOT of problems to fix in our country. We all have a list of what they are. There's some things on your list I don't agree with and some things on my list you wouldn't agree with, but that's OK -- I'll bet you 90% or greater of our lists are identical. I'm sure as heck not a Republican, but I'm not even really sure if I'm truly a Democrat anymore.
This movie made me think about all of those things -- and it did so without mentioning a single one of them. Really, this film shows us the beauty of the towers being built, the simple fact that they were THERE caused this man to want to do this crazy high-wire walk between them that even HE couldn't explain -- and he did two extraordinary things during his walk that I won't spoil for you that made the walk all the more reckless, and 30-some-odd years later, that high wire walk became a beautiful kiss, an embrace between a man and the towers that in some way brings some closure for me. Because now I know like I know like I know down deep in my heart that for at least one day, those towers felt loved, and Philippe blew them a kiss for all of us.
Merci, Philippe. Thank you, Phillippe. Your dance kissed my friend and said goodbye for me. For that you have my gratitude. This is a copy of my post on my site at http://www.havenofearunderblogishere.com/2008/08/man-on-wire-a-m.html