As I come to the end of the first week of trying to blog more often, I have one other feature I want to share. I would like to blog once a week on some of my favorite movies from other countries, as well as new discoveries that I have made. I am also going to take the advice of one of my readers and begin to include trailers for the movies upon which I am writing an entry. The first movie I for this feature is one that I have already shared. It gave me the name of this blog, and it is my favorite movie of the last 10 years. I hope you enjoy my thoughts on it...if you have already read this entry, new ones are coming:
I could not think of a better title to borrow for the name of my blog than the title of this 2006 film from Germany. This is the best movie I have seen in the last ten years. I do not make it a practice to speak in absolutes when it comes to the arts, but it has meant more to me than any other film of which I can think. It won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film, and it is easy to see why it had such a powerful effect.
To sum it up, the film is set in East Germany in 1984. A loyal Socialist playwright (Georg) has begun to question some of the elements of the East German regime. At the same time, his girlfriend finds favor with the head of the East German police (The Stasi). The head of police decides to bug the playwright's house so he can pursue his girlfriend. They put their best surveillance man on the job (Wiesler). The movie could have become a silly voyeuristic romp. Instead, it takes a profound turn. The man listens into the life of this playwright, and realizes what he is missing in his own life. What he decides to do about it is what the film is about.
Georg's girlfriend is Christa Marie, one of the most popular stage actresses in East Germany. She is played by Martina Gedeck with such soul and sadness that one cannot help but feel her pain as we watch the movie. In the end, the socialists are crushing the creative lives in the country, including hers. She cannot bear it. As Georg plays a piece of music on the piano, he quotes a memorable quote from Lenin. Georg says that Lenin had to stop listening to Beethoven's Appasionata Sonata, because if he continued, the revolution wouldn't happen. Georg finally decides to stray from his loyalty when one of his favorite play directors commits suicide.
There are so many scenes to cherish: As Wiesler listens in on Georg's life, he observes the richness of beauty of his life, as opposed to his subject. While Georg enjoys a life of fulfilling love, Wiesler can only ask a prostitute if she can stay a while longer to keep him company. As Wiesler begins to change, he stops himself from pursuing the name of a child's father who has cast aspersions on the Stasi. The boy is innocent and is only quoting his father, and one can watch Wiesler's eyes as he hears the words of treason from the small boy, and then decides to go in a different direction. And finally, the lengths the people in this film have to pursue to simply have an honest conversation is striking.
The end of the film is sublime. It is so moving and true. I will not reveal it here of course, because it is too great a surprise to do so. For those of us old enough to remember watching the Berlin Wall fall, this film is extra poignant. It wasn't so long ago, but it seems distant. Watching the power of art, freedom and beauty change the heart of a man is a lovely sight. That is why I love this movie.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Friday, February 24, 2012
FAMILY FILM FRIDAY: Yellow Submarine
Why is it that some things that seem so obvious are so hard to see? Why it took me so many years to introduce this movie to my kids is beyond me. It has everything they could want in a movie: it is colorful, funny, has great music, and is an overall joy to watch.
Even the characters have fanciful names. The citizens of Pepperland are under attack from the Blue Meanies. The Blue Meanies have rendered the town band (Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band) mute, and one solitary resident escapes on a Yellow Submarine to find another band of musicians to break the spell the Blue Meanies have cast. The captain of the Yellow Submarine makes his way to Liverpool, where upon he enlists the help of Beatles John, Paul, George and Ringo to come back to Pepperland with him and break the spell of the Blue Meanies. This rather basic plot is interspersed with Beatles' songs which are woven into the plot. There are also numerous amusing puns which will appeal to adults. These puns will fly over the kids' heads, but not enough that they will be derailed from the story. It is a wonderful film which does include a brief cameo from the Fab Four themselves, and gives us a wonderfully hummable soundtrack.
The movie feels unique to the 60's. It has a look that reminds us of the era, and the music and characters of the Beatles very much transport the viewer to the late 1960's. But more than that, I have been amazed by how much the music and story have resonated with my kids. I want to use this film as a springboard for what I hope will be a regular feature of this blog: talking to my children about the movies we watch together. I have three kids...a daughter (Corrie, 8) and two sons (Jack, 6 and Wes, 4). They actually have watched this movie more than I have! Here are some of their thoughts:
Joel: "What do you like most about this movie?"
Corrie: "The people in it have all sorts of adventures!"
Jack: "How the music comes and how all the Blue Meanies run away at the end!"
Wes: "I like how the Blue Meanies run away with the music!"
Joel: "What is your favorite song in the movie? Why?
Corrie: "(Laughs)...That's tricky...'When I'm 64'. I just like it. I don't know why...it's catchy."
Jack: "When I'm 64"
Joel: That's what Corrie said! Why do you like it so much?"
Jack "In the movie it counts to the 1, 2, 3, 4 until it gets to 64!!!"
Joel: "So you like the counting in the movie...Wes, what about you? You don't have a favorite song in the movie?"
Wes: (Blank stare) "The same song that Jackie likes...because it counts and it gets to 64!!"
Joel: "What happens to the Beatles during the song that's funny?"
Wes: "They grow..."
Jack: "They grow really long one of those...(points to my beard)"
Joel: "What makes this movie different from other movies that you like?"
Joel: "What do you like about it that's different from other movies."
Jack: "I don't know. They sing lots of songs."
Corrie: "That's what I like about it"
Joel: "What about you Wes?"
Wes: "Lots of songs!!"
Joel: "What else? Think about Cinderella...what is so different about the drawing?"
Jack: "It has a lot of different things...the Beatles aren't in Cinderella!"
Joel: "Who is your favorite character in the movie?"
Jack: "John...I don't know why."
Wes: "I like Paul...he sings a lot of the songs that I like (helped by Corrie)...he grows a black beard!!"
Corrie: "This is my favorite Beatle as well...Ringo..."
Wes "I like Ringo too."
Jack: "Because he's a talking door..."
Wes: "He makes himself a talking door?"
Corrie: "He helps what's his name..."
Joel: "The captain?"
Corries: "No. I don't know wat his name is. The wierd guy."
Joel: "The Nowhere Man?"
Corrie: "Yeah..because he's sad."
Joel: "How does this movie make you feel?"
Jack: "It makes me feel really good and I like watching it a lot."
Corrie: "It makes me feel adventurous."
Jack: "Yeah..that's what I meant."
Wes: "I like it too...it makes me feel good...."
Joel: "What else about the movie?"
Corrie: "It's kind of unique."
Jack: "It's like...it has a lot of action in it..."
Corrie: "It kind of reminds me of Alice in Wonderland-but I like it more.
Joel: "What reminds you of Alice in Wonderland about it?"
Corrie: "It just seems really wierd. "
Joel: "You know what really reminds me of Alice, is the Nowhere Man...remember how he says all those things...'quid pro quo, so much to know...'
Corrie: "Yeah that's what I mean."
Wes: Quid pro quo, so much to know (over and over and over)
Joel: "If you were telling another kid why you liked this movie and why they should watch it, what would you say?"
Jack: "I would tell them that it makes you feel adventurous and that it's fun."
Corrie: "It's kind of funny. Kind of funny and a lot of times I like singing along."
Jack: Sings "When I'm 64".
Wes: I like it becaue its funneee!!!
Joel: "All right guys...thanks a lot."
Even the characters have fanciful names. The citizens of Pepperland are under attack from the Blue Meanies. The Blue Meanies have rendered the town band (Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band) mute, and one solitary resident escapes on a Yellow Submarine to find another band of musicians to break the spell the Blue Meanies have cast. The captain of the Yellow Submarine makes his way to Liverpool, where upon he enlists the help of Beatles John, Paul, George and Ringo to come back to Pepperland with him and break the spell of the Blue Meanies. This rather basic plot is interspersed with Beatles' songs which are woven into the plot. There are also numerous amusing puns which will appeal to adults. These puns will fly over the kids' heads, but not enough that they will be derailed from the story. It is a wonderful film which does include a brief cameo from the Fab Four themselves, and gives us a wonderfully hummable soundtrack.
The movie feels unique to the 60's. It has a look that reminds us of the era, and the music and characters of the Beatles very much transport the viewer to the late 1960's. But more than that, I have been amazed by how much the music and story have resonated with my kids. I want to use this film as a springboard for what I hope will be a regular feature of this blog: talking to my children about the movies we watch together. I have three kids...a daughter (Corrie, 8) and two sons (Jack, 6 and Wes, 4). They actually have watched this movie more than I have! Here are some of their thoughts:
Joel: "What do you like most about this movie?"
Corrie: "The people in it have all sorts of adventures!"
Jack: "How the music comes and how all the Blue Meanies run away at the end!"
Wes: "I like how the Blue Meanies run away with the music!"
Joel: "What is your favorite song in the movie? Why?
Corrie: "(Laughs)...That's tricky...'When I'm 64'. I just like it. I don't know why...it's catchy."
Jack: "When I'm 64"
Joel: That's what Corrie said! Why do you like it so much?"
Jack "In the movie it counts to the 1, 2, 3, 4 until it gets to 64!!!"
Joel: "So you like the counting in the movie...Wes, what about you? You don't have a favorite song in the movie?"
Wes: (Blank stare) "The same song that Jackie likes...because it counts and it gets to 64!!"
Joel: "What happens to the Beatles during the song that's funny?"
Wes: "They grow..."
Jack: "They grow really long one of those...(points to my beard)"
Joel: "What makes this movie different from other movies that you like?"
Joel: "What do you like about it that's different from other movies."
Jack: "I don't know. They sing lots of songs."
Corrie: "That's what I like about it"
Joel: "What about you Wes?"
Wes: "Lots of songs!!"
Joel: "What else? Think about Cinderella...what is so different about the drawing?"
Jack: "It has a lot of different things...the Beatles aren't in Cinderella!"
Joel: "Who is your favorite character in the movie?"
Jack: "John...I don't know why."
Wes: "I like Paul...he sings a lot of the songs that I like (helped by Corrie)...he grows a black beard!!"
Corrie: "This is my favorite Beatle as well...Ringo..."
Wes "I like Ringo too."
Jack: "Because he's a talking door..."
Wes: "He makes himself a talking door?"
Corrie: "He helps what's his name..."
Joel: "The captain?"
Corries: "No. I don't know wat his name is. The wierd guy."
Joel: "The Nowhere Man?"
Corrie: "Yeah..because he's sad."
Joel: "How does this movie make you feel?"
Jack: "It makes me feel really good and I like watching it a lot."
Corrie: "It makes me feel adventurous."
Jack: "Yeah..that's what I meant."
Wes: "I like it too...it makes me feel good...."
Joel: "What else about the movie?"
Corrie: "It's kind of unique."
Jack: "It's like...it has a lot of action in it..."
Corrie: "It kind of reminds me of Alice in Wonderland-but I like it more.
Joel: "What reminds you of Alice in Wonderland about it?"
Corrie: "It just seems really wierd. "
Joel: "You know what really reminds me of Alice, is the Nowhere Man...remember how he says all those things...'quid pro quo, so much to know...'
Corrie: "Yeah that's what I mean."
Wes: Quid pro quo, so much to know (over and over and over)
Joel: "If you were telling another kid why you liked this movie and why they should watch it, what would you say?"
Jack: "I would tell them that it makes you feel adventurous and that it's fun."
Corrie: "It's kind of funny. Kind of funny and a lot of times I like singing along."
Jack: Sings "When I'm 64".
Wes: I like it becaue its funneee!!!
Joel: "All right guys...thanks a lot."
Thursday, February 23, 2012
The Cost of the Death Star
Funny stuff. The Empire had way too big of a defense budget-maybe the Death Star was the beginning of the end:
http://www.centives.net/S/2012/how-much-would-it-cost-to-build-the-death-star/
http://www.centives.net/S/2012/how-much-would-it-cost-to-build-the-death-star/
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
NEW FEATURE!!!: TRAILER TUESDAY
I wanted to begin this weekly feature by sharing a trailer for Wes Anderson's new film, "Moonrise Kingdom":
Monday, February 20, 2012
Great Character Actors
A great article in Vanity Fair on character actors...you'll recognize most of them:
http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2012/03/hollywoods-best-character-actors
http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2012/03/hollywoods-best-character-actors
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Raison d'etre
The French saying from which this entry takes its title is literally translated "reason for being." I wonder sometimes, why do I write this blog? I enjoy writing on the films, but many in the blogosphere and in newspapers do that. I am a small voice in an internet world that is vast. So, why do I do it? Furthermore, why do I write about movies, of all things?
First of all, I write my blog because I have a longing to express myself to others. Movies are important to me, and so I feel that this is one way that I can interact with other people, whatever their background. But, again, why movies? I write about movies because I believe that they are an important common language of our time. Sure, we still have the written word, the sung word, and other forms of communication. In spite of that, I really do believe that this art form is the theater for our age. It reaches nearly everyone. It combines almost every other art form into one art form (music, written word, drama and visual artistry). And, as a simple observation, it starts more discussions than any other art form. I am much more likely to have someone ask me, "Have you seen any good movies lately?", than what kind of music I am listening to.
That is why I write this blog. It is not because I think my opinion holds great weight. The appeal of a blog is that even if very few read it, it still can be one's own. I like to think that I bring a unique perspective. I am a disciple of Jesus, and yet I watch things which clearly depict people and actions that are outside of my beliefs. Why do I do this? This goes back to my title for this entry. The raison d'etre for this blog is to attempt, in a small way, to talk about something that I have in common with other people, whatever their background may be. As such, I want to expand it. I want it to be a place where not only do I talk about movies, but I share some things that have helped me find more great movie experiences. I want to be able to share resources, share laughs, do more quizzes/trivia contests, and share more of how I interact with these movies as a person of faith in Jesus Christ. I do not want to change very much...but I do want to expand this place and try to post more frequently. I want it to be a place where I can embrace and celebrate this art form myself, but also with others. I hope you enjoy what is to come!
First of all, I write my blog because I have a longing to express myself to others. Movies are important to me, and so I feel that this is one way that I can interact with other people, whatever their background. But, again, why movies? I write about movies because I believe that they are an important common language of our time. Sure, we still have the written word, the sung word, and other forms of communication. In spite of that, I really do believe that this art form is the theater for our age. It reaches nearly everyone. It combines almost every other art form into one art form (music, written word, drama and visual artistry). And, as a simple observation, it starts more discussions than any other art form. I am much more likely to have someone ask me, "Have you seen any good movies lately?", than what kind of music I am listening to.
That is why I write this blog. It is not because I think my opinion holds great weight. The appeal of a blog is that even if very few read it, it still can be one's own. I like to think that I bring a unique perspective. I am a disciple of Jesus, and yet I watch things which clearly depict people and actions that are outside of my beliefs. Why do I do this? This goes back to my title for this entry. The raison d'etre for this blog is to attempt, in a small way, to talk about something that I have in common with other people, whatever their background may be. As such, I want to expand it. I want it to be a place where not only do I talk about movies, but I share some things that have helped me find more great movie experiences. I want to be able to share resources, share laughs, do more quizzes/trivia contests, and share more of how I interact with these movies as a person of faith in Jesus Christ. I do not want to change very much...but I do want to expand this place and try to post more frequently. I want it to be a place where I can embrace and celebrate this art form myself, but also with others. I hope you enjoy what is to come!
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