During yesterday's screening of The Book Thief, they previewed this trailer for The Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson's latest film due for release in March of next year. The film seems to capture all the quirky, clever and slightly off-kilter absurdist humor found in most Anderson creations, such as Moonrise Kingdom, Fantastic Mr. Fox and The Royal Tenenbaums to name a few, and features some of his usual cast of regulars including Bill Murray and Adrien Brody. While I can't say I'm a huge fan of all Wes Anderson films, I find them kind of hit or miss, this particular trailer definitely struck my funny bone and I can honestly say I'll be eagerly looking out for this film when it hits my local theater. Check it out and see what you think.
Sunday, December 1, 2013
The Book Thief
Set in Nazi Germany leading up to and during World War II, we first meet Liesel in 1938 while she's en route with her mother and young brother to the foster parents which will care for the two children. Her sickly brother passes away on the train and never makes it to his destination, so Liesel arrives alone to meet Rosa (Watson) and Hans (Rush) Hubermann. Rosa is a brusque hard woman whom Liesel later describes as constantly rumbling like thunder, while Hans is a sweet and charming man who gently befriends the skittish girl. Sent off to school, Liesel is quickly befriended by Rudy, a sweet boy instantly enamored with his new neighbor, and mocked by the school bully Franz when its revealed in class that she is illiterate. When Hans questions Liesel's ownership of a book that she's holding in bed, "The Gravedigger's Handbook," she confesses that the book wasn't always hers and that she in fact can't read. Kindhearted Hans graciously offers to teach her to read, going so far as to create a blackboard dictionary on his basement walls so that young Liesel can write all the new words read and learned.
As the war draws near, Liesel is adjusting to her new home and parents, when while attending a Nazi rally she witnesses a book burning and at its end, when the streets are seemingly deserted, she rescues a burning book; an act witnessed by Frau Hermann, the Bürgermeister's (equivalent of a mayor) wife, who employs Rosa for laundry service and whom Liesel later befriends during a laundry delivery when the grieving mother lets her read books from the personal library of the son which she lost during World War I. By the war's onset, provisions for the Hubermann family are scarce and the situation becomes even more dire and dangerous when Rosa and Hans begin hiding Max, a Jewish refugee and the son of the war comrade that saved Hans' life during the war and whom he swore help to if it was ever needed. A witness to her parents act of honor, Liesel is sworn to secrecy, even from her best friend Rudy. Enchanted by the newcomer, Liesel befriends Max even caring for him during an illness and stealing books from Frau Hermann's library to read (hence the book thief title) in hopes of reaching him through the healing power of words. Living through the horrors and deprivations of war, Liesel and the Hubermanns bravely face the dangers wrought by a simple act of humanity which will change their lives forever.
I loved this movie; it was equal parts sweet, poignant and heartbreaking. I will readily admit that I was a hot mess by the time I walked out of that theater, and to make matters worse I didn't have even one lousy sheet of Kleenex. The movie doesn't break any new ground in its depiction of the injustices of war and in particular the Holocaust, but it does offer a different viewpoint as the events are seen through the innocent eyes of a child, and in this case, a German child. Another interesting aspect of the movie, which was also part of the novel, is the fact that the tale is narrated by Death; scattered throughout the film, the narrator's insightful words of wisdom on our human frailties strikes a chord of truth and makes the story of this courageous girl and her adoptive family even more compelling.
Not having read the book, I can't speak to how true the film was to the book's narrative and its characters, but to my estimation the film had perfect casting. Geoffrey Rush was kindness and gentleness personified in his portrayal of the honorable Hans Hubermann. He speaks his lines softly, almost meekly, but you are never left in doubt as to the strength of his character's convictions. Emily Watson was brilliant as Rosa, for while she could've easily become a caricature of an evil stepmother or in this case a foster mother, she tempers her harsh words with a small, almost shy smile and in that simple gesture you see that while kind words don't come as easily to her, the love is still there just hiding behind a gruff exterior. While Sophie Nélisse does a wonderful job in her portrayal of Liesel, I thought Nico Liersch as the lovelorn Rudy was the true standout of the child stars.
This film was a truly moving story of life, love and loss, which will both haunt and inspire you. It earnestly and simply reminds us of the fragility of life, the futility of war, and the power of one small act of kindness, and through Liesel and the Hubermanns helps us to also see that there are innocents on both sides of war.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Catching Fire picks up where The Hunger Games left off, with Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) returning home as the reigning District 12 victors after having one upped the Capitol and President Snow by forcing his hand into having two victors instead of letting them commit suicide via poisoned berry ingestion. Now living in a beautiful home in the Victor’s Village, Katniss is once again hunting the District 12 woods and sparking some sexual tension with Gale (Liam Hemsworth) when President Snow pays her a none too friendly visit to warn her on maintaining the conjured up love story between her and Peeta and to demand her assistance in tamping down a possible revolution caused by their act of defiance. Katniss and Peeta have given the masses hope, and that is the last thing Snow and the Capitol can afford. With Snow’s ominous threats hanging over their heads, Katniss and Peeta set off on a tour of the districts, only to be first-hand witnesses of the growing civil unrest and the Capitol’s heavy handed and brutal ways of dealing with it.
In a desperate bid to appease Snow after inadvertently setting off a tragic series of events while visiting Rue’s old district, Katniss and Peeta announce their engagement. But Snow is not appeased and in hopes of finally dealing with the headache posed by the rebellious Katniss, he announces the celebration of the third Quarter Quell which will bring about a new “all-star” edition of the games featuring a previous male and female victor from each district. Of course, that means Katniss will be facing either her previous mentor Haymitch (Woody Harrelson) or Peeta, and of course, Peeta is nothing if not valiant so he volunteers. Off to face their destiny yet again, the two are reunited with Effie and style-guru Cinna, as they begin the arduous process of training, preening for potential Capitol sponsors, and forming necessary alliances with other victors in hopes of once again coming home alive. Like Haymitch warned them, the last games truly were like “child’s play,” for this time around they are not just matching wits with their competitors, but instead facing a gauntlet of manufactured dangers including invisible force fields, poisonous fog, and some nightmarish monkeys. With Katniss in usual kick-ass form and new allies in the form of Finnick (Sam Claflin), Johanna (Jena Malone), and Beetee (Jeffrey Wright), the fake lovers but true friends have every hope in making each other this year’s victor.
While I wasn’t wowed by this film, I thought it was nonetheless a great film adaptation of the book, filled with gasp-inducing action sequences and believable special effects. Lawrence offers a spot on performance once again; delivering not only on the action front but also on an emotional level as she conveys this young woman’s torn allegiances between remaining true to herself and her convictions while protecting those she loves. I am Team Peeta all the way, so I loved Hutcherson; I feel like he brings this wholesome, idealistic innocence to his portrayal that I can’t help but love. Peeta is my favorite character from the books for I feel his pure and sacrificing love for Katniss inspires the best from her. There is a saying that "behind every great man there is a great woman," well I think this time the opposite is true. As for the rest of the cast, Claflin was a great addition to the film as the egotistical yet witty Finnick, but the scene-stealer of this film was Jena Malone all the way. Malone was brilliant as the fearless, outspoken and acerbic Johanna. You sense both her strength and vulnerability, when she boldly rants against the Capitol, confessing she’s got no one left she loves to fear for.
In spite of being nearly two and a half hours in length, the movie never drags or slows in action and the last shots in the film will definitely leave fans salivating for the next in the series, Mockingjay, which unfortunately is being split into two films. Though I totally understand their need to squeeze every last cent out of this series, I just don’t get how they can split what I felt was the weakest of the three books into two substantial films. Despite the gripe, I will definitely be in line next November with $7.50 movie ticket in hand (I’ll go on cheapo night) to revisit Katniss, Peeta and the whole gang.
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Dear Life
From the publisher:
“With her peerless ability to give us the essence of a life in often brief but spacious and timeless stories, Alice Munro illumines the moment a life is shaped -- the moment a dream, or sex, or perhaps a simple twist of fate turns a person out of his or her accustomed path and into another way of being. Suffused with Munro's clarity of vision and her unparalleled gift for storytelling, these stories (set in the world Munro has made her own: the countryside and towns around Lake Huron) about departures and beginnings, accidents, dangers, and homecomings both virtual and real, paint a vivid and lasting portrait of how strange, dangerous, and extraordinary the ordinary life can be.”I rarely read short stories; the last collection of short stories that I read (and loved) was Elizabeth Strout’s Pulitzer Prize winning “Olive Kitteridge,” which featured a number of tales all linked by the titular character, retired schoolteacher Olive Kitteridge. While I enjoyed “Dear Life”, both its format which allowed me to delve into the lives of these diverse characters in a short amount of time (each story is 30 pages or less) and the compelling stories, I found the book as a whole a depressing read. The individual stories speak to the worst human traits in each of us; selfishness, greed, pride, indifference.
“To Reach Japan” tells the story of a young poetess traveling via train with her young daughter, whom she leaves alone in her sleeping compartment in order to have a rendezvous with a performer she’s just met and then returns to find her daughter missing. “Amundsen” features Vivien a young teacher who’s been hired to teach at a sanatorium for children with tuberculosis, and the older surgeon working there that ultimately breaks her heart. “Corrie” tells the story of a wealthy young woman with a limp that starts an affair with a married man, and the purported blackmail by a former employee of hers that is threatening to rat them out to his wife. In “Train” we are introduced to Jackson, a young soldier on his way home to his fiancée after serving in the war, who gets off at an earlier stop, and comes across Belle and her dilapidated old farmhouse, and leaving his past behind starts life anew. My two favorite stories from the compilation were “Leaving Maverley” and “In Sight of the Lake”; the latter being a truly unforgettably poignant and haunting tale which will stay with me always.
There are a total of 14 stories in “Dear Life," the last four which Munro calls semi-autobiographical, and although each offers a captivating tale, most also highlight someone selfishly cheating, using, abandoning, or hurting someone else, whether intentionally or inadvertently. I know that “every” story can’t be wrapped up neatly with a bow and a happily ever after ending, life isn’t usually so sweet or neat, but I felt there was no sense of light or hope or even redemption in “any” of the tales. Life isn’t fair and rosy for everyone, I get that, but at the same time it isn’t all doom and gloom for everyone either. I guess what I missed was a sense of balance; joy and sadness, good and evil, dark and light.
Despite the book’s solemnity, I’m glad that I read it, for even in its darkness I was awed by the talent obviously necessary for an author to offer an insightful tale with depth and memorable characters (whether likable or not) in less pages than another author’s typical book chapter.
The Bishop's Wife
In The Bishop’s Wife, Henry Brougham (Niven) is a new and ambitious bishop trying to raise funds for building a new cathedral, whose prayers for guidance are answered by an at times mischievous and frustrating angel by the name of Dudley (Grant). Henry is a lamb who has lost his way; he’s focused all his energies on a new cathedral instead of the many people in need, all to the detriment of his own family, including his beautiful wife Julia (Young) and young daughter Debby, who are feeling very neglected. Skeptical of Dudley’s revealed identify (only revealed to him), Henry is nonetheless eager to get his help in building a glorious cathedral on a hill for all his new (and wealthy) parishioners, but Dudley quickly corrects him, informing Henry he’s there to offer guidance not a cathedral. Henry is so obsessed with the cathedral, he’s oblivious to both Julia’s unhappiness and the true need behind Dudley’s appearance, but when the entire household, including Julia and Debby, begin to fall under the spell of the charming angel, Henry finally opens his eyes and realizes a man’s got to do, what a man’s got to do, even if it means fighting an angel for the love of his wife.
This was such a great find. I had never seen this classic, and I absolutely loved it. The movie offers each of us a reminder of the true priorities (love and family) in both life and during this holiday season. It is a sweet and sentimental tale that offers all of the wholesome innocence and charm you’d find in most of the movies of that time. An oldie but goodie about which you can honestly say, they don’t make ‘em like that anymore.
Grant oozes charm in his role as the helpful angel that begins to be tempted by the all too human feelings of love, and to envy the human he’s been charged to help. There was such a devilish glint in his eyes in his every scene with Young, as well as all other ladies (young and old) in the film, that you couldn’t help but be held equally spellbound by his charm. Niven was perfect as Henry; portraying a lost but sweet man who only needed to be reminded about the true priorities in his life. Niven played the perfect straight man to Grant’s wit, and even brought a few laughs of his own with some slapstick humor involving a newly finished chair. Young was equal to both lead actors, and quite believable in her role as the neglected wife finding new joy and life in the attentions of this very attractive and captivating angel. In addition to the main leads, you’ll also recognize a couple of the young stars, who also appeared in “It’s a Wonderful Life”, including Karoline Grimes, who portrays Henry’s daughter Debby and was little Zuzu Bailey, and Bobbie Anderson who appears in this film’s snowball fight scene with Debby and previously portrayed young George Bailey.
As I said, I loved this film, and in particular the closing scene when Henry, with no recollection of Dudley’s previous presence, reads a sermon which he thinks he wrote. The simple words are a perfect reminder of what is truly important during this holiday season.
“Tonight I want to tell you the story of an empty stocking. Once upon a midnight clear, there was a child's cry. A blazing star hung over a stable and wise men came with birthday gifts. We haven't forgotten that night down the centuries; we celebrate it with stars on Christmas trees, the sound of bells and with gifts. But especially with gifts. You give me a book; I give you a tie. Aunt Martha has always wanted an orange squeezer and Uncle Henry could do with a new pipe. We forget nobody, adult or child. All the stockings are filled... all that is, except one. And we have even forgotten to hang it up. The stocking for the child born in a manger. It's his birthday we are celebrating. Don't ever let us forget that. Let us ask ourselves what he would wish for most... and then let each put in his share. Loving kindness, warm hearts and the stretched out hand of tolerance. All the shining gifts that make peace on earth.”
Friday, November 22, 2013
JFK and Profiles in Courage
While he was only in office 1000+ days, it was enough time to help create an incredible legacy. President Kennedy created the Peace Corps; he inspired a nation to get involved and make a difference with his memorable quote on his Inauguration Day, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country" as well as bringing the world together with his call to other the nations to join together to fight what he called the "common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself"; he lead the way for our country’s first steps toward space exploration, becoming “the first President to ask Congress to approve more than 22 billion dollars for Project Apollo, which had the goal of landing an American man on the moon before the end of the decade”; and with his introduction into Congress of a new Civil Rights bill to help end racism, took the first steps towards righting a nation’s wrong; with that amended proposal ultimately becoming the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which is “the nation's benchmark civil rights legislation, and it continues to resonate in America. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin.” While the President didn’t live to see the fruits of his efforts, his legacy nonetheless lives on in the generations whose lives were changed for the better by his action.
Senator Kennedy identified what he felt were the three major pressures playing a role in discouraging political courage: pressure to be liked, pressure to be re-elected, and pressure from constituents and interest groups. Robert F. Kennedy wrote the foreword to the edition of the book which I read, and in it he states that his brother was fond of Dante’s quote "the hottest places in Hell are reserved for those who, in a time of crisis, maintain their neutrality." Whether you agreed with their decisions, like Daniel Webster, the Senator from Massachusetts, who in an effort to avert secession and a civil war sided with the Clay Compromise which said slaveholders were entitled to property rights, fugitive slave laws should be strengthened and the issue of slavery put aside for the good of the union; Webster and others like him did not remain neutral in a time of crisis and you had to admire their grace under pressure in making difficult decisions for the nation’s greater good, sometimes to their own detriment. As a young nation struggling to just stay together, hard decisions and sacrifices needed to be made; Henry Clay is quoted as saying "compromise was the cement that held the Union together."
Senator Kennedy goes on to explain how many Senators are focused on their local interests, but in Washington they serve as “United States Senators” and in doing so should focus on the national good. Senators should not "serve merely as a seismograph to record shifts in popular opinion.” Inherent in their constituent’s vote is the trust in their ability and judgments, and as such sometimes that means the need to "lead, inform, correct, and sometimes even ignore constituent opinion." He goes on to say "Today the challenge of political courage looms larger than ever before. For our everyday life is becoming so saturated with the tremendous power of mass communications that any unpopular or unorthodox course arouses a storm of protests...and thus, in the days ahead, only the very courageous will be able to take the hard and unpopular decisions necessary for our survival…and only the very courageous will be able to keep alive the spirit of individualism and dissent which gave birth to this nation." A startling and foreshadowing statement when you take into account our current political landscape and the pressures faced by politicians dealing with a 24-hour news cycle through print, online, and television media.
In addition to Daniel Webster’s act of compromise, the book highlights other acts of courage and compromise made by John Quincy Adams, Senator from Massachusetts, who sided with Thomas Jefferson in 1807 in enacting an embargo against Great Britain to shut off international trade to retaliate against British aggression to American merchant ships, in direct opposition to his Federalist party and despite the severe impact it would have on his home state’s economy as the leading commercial state in the nation; a decision which prompted Adams to resign his Senate seat in 1808. Robert A. Taft, son of William Howard Taft opposed the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials. Taft felt “defendants had been tried under ex post facto laws (laws that apply retroactively, especially those that criminalize an action that was legal when it was committed), these laws are expressly forbidden in the U.S. constitution.” Despite being vilified in the press and by colleagues on both sides of the aisle, Taft believed so strongly in the wisdom of the constitution, it was worth speaking out even at the expense of his political career.
While the why’s behind each individual’s selection for the book were interesting, if a little (alright a lot) dense, I found the simpler human stories shared about each man even more fascinating; such as the fact that despite distinguishing himself with a brilliant career as Secretary of State, President, and Member of Congress, John Quincy Adams faced feelings of inadequacy, somberly writing that his "whole life has been a succession of disappointments. I can scarcely recollect a single instance of success in anything that I ever undertook." Or the fact that Sam Houston, Senator from Texas, had actually first served as Governor of Tennessee, and that as a child he ran away from his Tennessee frontier home and was adopted by the Cherokee Indians. Or Senator Benton’s softer side, who it is told on one occasion while entertaining a French prince and other distinguished guests, his wife, who suffered with both physical and mental illness, rambled into the room while not fully dressed “and stared adoringly at her husband. Interrupting the embarrassed silence that followed, Senator Benton with dignity and majesty introduced his wife to the prince and others, seated her by his side, and resumed conversation.” These random tidbits of information and many others liked them helped to humanize each man and make the book more than just a compilation of facts.
As we mark this anniversary and face the ones to come, we should celebrate and honor President Kennedy’s memory and commitment to public service by giving back to our community and in turn our nation. As another great man once said:
“Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.
You don't have to have a college degree to serve.
You don't have to have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve.
You don't have to know about Plato and Aristotle to serve.
You don't have to know Einstein's "Theory of Relativity" to serve.
You don't have to know the Second Theory of Thermal Dynamics in Physics to serve.
You only need a heart full of grace,
a soul generated by love,
and you can be that servant.”
Excerpted from The Drum Major Instinct, 1968
a sermon by Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
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