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Movie 43 (2013)
Grotesque, Excruciating Experience, Actually ran out the theater...
Awful Awful Awful. I couldn't watch past 20 minutes. I threw up afterward and left with my date. You are going to see A-List stars do horrible things in this film. You have incest, scrotum, defecation, turkey baster vaginal insertion, and more, occur right before your eyes. This is NOT comedy. This is an example of how you don't need to have a conscience to produce or star in a film. Money can buy anything; it can pay for the appalling acts that happens in Movie 43.
Some of the reviews I read, stated there's speculation that the actors/actresses starring in Movie 43, could have been 'blackmailed' into acting in it. Well, I can't understand anyone who would willingly agree to participating in this film. This has to be the worst movie these actors have ever starred in. I feel bad for Halley Berry. I haven't seen her in a grade A film in awhile (including that forgettable-but-big-budget one she did in 2012)... and what she does in this film.... Out of respect for her, just don't watch it. Don't watch Movie 43, even if you are curious. The actors/actresses you respect...You won't see them the same way after this. It's not funny. It's upsetting/disgusting. I can't do justice to just how sick the film made me feel.
The skit were these parents are home schooling their son and they tell their new neighbors how they want to 'give their son a real high school experience', is were I lost it. This is insulting to those who choose to home school and degrades the parents role of protecting their children from harm. What happens in the skit is two adults abusing their biological son. They humiliate him on a American flag pole and write dung on his body. They sexually abuse him by forcing him to kiss his mother and sex is hinted to happen next('Do you want to go all the way?' 'Do you have a condom?'). They son becomes so disturbed, he tearfully introduces to the new neighbors his mop girlfriend that has a picture of his mother, as her face, at the end of the skit. They green-lit this scenario? Naomi Wyatt, who plays the mother, should be ashamed of herself. The directors and the people who supported this film (financially or otherwise) should be ashamed too.
It's also misogynist! People should understand that the film's so called humor isn't 'boy humor'. That term blankets the problem that ensues with the production of Movie 43. Put blame where blame belongs--- > Screen writers: Greg Pritikin, Patrik Forsberg, Will Carlough, Matt Portenoy, Jeremy Sosenko, Rocky Russo, Steve Baker. Directors: Steve Carr, Elizabeth Banks, James Duffy, Peter Farrelly, James Gunn, Patrik Forsberg, Brett Ratner, Steven Brill, Bob Odenkirk, Griffin Dunne, Rusty Cundieff. These are the people who are responsible for the despicable story-lines. It's what they think is 'funny' ( and ergo profitable to make) not necessarily what we, the audience, think is funny (and should pay to see). This film does not define good humor. Abuse is never funny. Don't let any of them earn a cent of your hard-earned salary, for what they've done.
Descent (2007)
A Brave Film that touches on subjects rarely popularized in this manner...
I think to appreciate this film you have to also consider the time frame of which the film was released and the unique qualities it brought to attention at that time. For one thing there are not a lot of films out there that star African-American lead actor/actress between the year of 2000-13. In 2007, 19 (big-box office) films came out, that I can recall. *3 out the 19 films starred an African-American main character (besides Descent). They where Bucket List (with Morgan Freeman), I Am Legend (Will Smith), & 1408 (Samuel Jackson). Descent featured a female African American lead; Rosario Dawnson. While most films focused on male driven story-lines, Descent focused on a women's perspective, focusing on her unfolding after trauma.
Descent focuses on Maya's day to day life, never explaining or commenting on the events, rather instead, letting the viewer feel it's passing scene for what it is. You find out that Maya is a shy college girl. A telling moment is given right off the bat in the first scene. Maya is shopping for some groceries and you hear girls chit-chatting about 'boy drama'. One of the girls ask her what she thinks and her subtle response says so much about herself. (Note: Rosario is a terrific actress, she knows how to emote and express herself without words. Through her body language you can really sense who her character is.) Unlike the the leader of the girl pack openly express herself verbally with attitude about her drama, whilst Maya is wordless and reserved. Fast forward to Maya interactions with Jared. Maya holds her own on their date together, whilst Jared is doing his best to be charming to win her over. You can totally sense the momentum of both actors playing off of each other. For me, I could already sense the mismatch and chaotic rhythm coming from (Chad Faud character) Jared. Because its been a long time since Maya has been on a date and her mother wants her to date again, for her part she wants to see this date through & go smoothly, asking engaging questions. If having not seen the previews you'd think this was a typical self-reflective Rom-drama, you'd see in the 90's. But as the date moves forward to Jared's apartment, that's when things turn sour. Maya is lured into Jared's apartment basement and is forced to the ground by Jared. As he rapes her, he whispers racial and sexist slurs into her ear. The aftermath leaves Maya quietly shaken, spiraling into depression. As the healing process begins, Maya through her actions shows us how she re-identifies with who she is as a human being, a woman, and a person of color who survived rape. In the process, she doesn't become her prior shy self, instead in reclaiming her womanhood, sexuality, confidence, you get the sense that she embodies her presence of self more strongly. She starts a relationship with a DJ name Adrian and through their romance/friendship, Maya learns the thrills of social dominance/assertiveness. Becoming this alter self as a means of strength, like the rape/revenge classics of the 70's, you get the same mechanics in Descent. It's builds into Maya seeking revenge on Jared for what he has done to her in an unexpected, bone-chilling, finale that involves Maya luring Jared to her apartment, with a surprised guest (Adrian). As the moral goes, "An eye for an eye...", a rape for a rape, Maya succeeds on her revenge. This is suppose to absolve her of her pain, shame, guilt, losing her sense of self... but you can see through Rosario's performance, Maya will never fully undo the harm caused by Jared. And by Maya exacting the same act unto Jared, unlike him, the action doesn't make her feel more powerful or necessarily more in control, instead there is remorse.
It was refreshing for me as a viewer to see this story told by dark skin toned woman. The media is saturated with one type of woman, Caucasian woman, to be the portrayal of all woman kind and we need more diverse representations for all of us. Having this story told in the perspective of African-American woman, brought topics of race on top of sexism. Having your attacker dominate and degrade you for not just your sex, but also the color of your skin, is an added layer of assault. The scenes following the rape, you can really feel for Maya and see yourself in her position. "Who am I?" "What about me, made him seek me out?" You can see yourself painstakingly examining every aspect of yourself, your skin, body, mind, and spirit. You feel sick and doubt your self worth/power. The lost of identity/self value and the steps one takes to reclaim it, is what this film is about. Talia Lugacy, the director, executes it superbly. The unfolding of the film is realistic, plausible, and disheartening.
In reference to the time the film was released: This was before Scandal and Deception was on ABC. There wasn't many opportunities to see a strong female lead character performed by an ethnic woman television or in films that wasn't stereotyped or a parodied.
In conclusion, I like how this film brings a wide range of topics up for discussion between friends, family, academic/work colleagues, anyone really, about rape. Who does it happen to? We are given the opportunity to not JUST theoretically understand rape can happen to anyone, BUT also SEE, that there ARE many different faces of a rape victims... What is the morally right thing to do after being rape? Can we judge what it is and impose that decision to others?
*Films were: No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood,Bucket List, Knocked Up, The Assassination of Jesse James, 28 Weeks, Transformers, The Bourne Ultimatum, Eastern Promises, Lars and the Real Girl, Ratatouille, Super Bad, Gone Baby Gone, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End...