I realized after I watched this movie that I should have watched its companion film ("My Father's Glory") first...oh well. I look forward to watching the other film, because this movie was very enjoyable. It's one of those kinds of movies that truly evokes a certain feeling. It doesn't tell a profound story, and it doesn't have a grand message. Instead, it tells a simple story, tells it well, and elicits great nostalgia for the viewer.
The story gives us that emotion by depicting a family's longing. The family yearns for simplicity and rest in its holiday home. It tells the story of a boy named Marcel and his family. They live the French city of Marseilles, but they pine for more time at their country home in the hills of Provence. The movie takes great care to show us why the family loves their holiday home so much. There are wonderful encounters with gregarious family members depicted. There are days in which Marcel simply live to wander "his hills", exploring his holiday home, and taking great joy in having new adventures and making friends at his holiday home. There is also a traditional French Christmas feast depicted which evokes a lot. It made me hungry as I watched.
As with most stories, there is an eventual crisis. The family finds a way to spend every weekend at their holiday home, but the walk to their home is a long and winding road. They are offered a short cut by a public official, but it involves trespassing on private properties. The family loves their country home so much, but they have to decide whether they should risk breaking the law so that a 2 hour trip could turn into a mere 30 minute stroll. The decision takes on a different tone when it is revealed that Marcel's mother is of weak constitution.
Once again, the plot of the movie is not as much the point as the feelings the movie evokes. As I watched, I thought about how much my kids have grown to love our family escapes to Northern Minnesota. The last couple of years, we have been able to have multi day escapes to Brainerd, Minnesota. The kids love swimming in the lake, and Steph and I can revel in watching them and in enjoying utter peace. I thought of those times while I watched this movie. All of us have an idyllic place that feels like a paradise on earth. The place is often difficult to get to, and usually, the time spent there is short. But we all feel rejuvenated by the experience of going to our special place of rest. For the characters in this movie, that place is the hills of Provence. What is special about this movie is its ability to evoke the longing for our own place. It certainly makes Provence look idyllic, but I think even more, it makes us long for our place.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Family Film Friday: Hugo
As the closing frames of this film danced across our little home movie theater, my daughter jumped to her feet and burst into applause. This movie had excited her, entertained her, and moved her. My son was so interested in every part of the film that he asked us questions throughout the film. I had to try to both encourage and discourage him. I had to encourage him because he was asking great questions. I had to discourage him because I was missing the dialogue on the screen. What a wonderful gift Martin Scorsese has given to children and to families with this movie. He has already given us so many memorable films, but to be able to sit with my family and see his cinematic wizardry on display is something I will never forget.
The movie follows the adventures of Hugo Cabret. He is a young boy who lives in a clock above a Parisian train station. He has fallen into the duty of operating the clocks in the station, but regularly has to steal from the business owners in the train station in order to eat. He also is enamored with machines. He is an orphan, and his late father was a clock maker. His father finds an old automaton in a museum and takes it home. He and his son make it a hobby to fix it. The automaton is so complex that when it works it actually will be able to write a message. After the death of Hugo's father, Hugo becomes obsessed with fixing the automaton, thinking that the writing may be some kind of "message" from his father. While Hugo is working on this automaton in his perch above the train station, Hugo comes under fire from Georges, a shopkeeper from whom Hugo has stolen. Georges' daughter Isabelle befriends Hugo. As to where the plot goes after that, there is simply too much wonder to give it away. You must watch the movie and see for yourself.
The opening 10 minutes of the film is classic Scorsese work. The camera is active and moves with utter grace through beautiful sights and sounds. The visual impact of the first 10 minutes is enormous. It shows us so much, and yet we know the story is only beginning. As I watched, I explained some of these artistic devices to my daughter, and she was fascinated by it. This movie can be a starting point for serious film watching for two reasons. First, on its own it is wonderful film making. But second, it has so many homages to silent era movies that one could start watching the films to which this movie refers and have quite an education in film history.
Any of you who have read my entries on this blog know I love movies. As I watched "Hugo", I thought of other movies. I couldn't help but think of Hitchcock's "Rear Window" in the first moments, as Hugo watches the lives of others from his vantage point in the clock. My daughter observed that the music reminded her of the tone of the music in the Pixar film "Ratatoullie." The flower girl played by Emily Mortimer reminded me of the heroine in Chaplin's "City Lights." This movie is made not only by a movie making expert, but by a movie lover. Scorsese is both of those things, and his ability to capture his love on film is what gives this movie its soul. He believes in the power of movies to change people's lives. He is enchanted by the possibilities of the art form. How magnificent to have such a wonderful film in its own right be able to be about the love, and to give the audience a taste of that.
The movie was great for all 3 of my kids. My little guy Wes (4) strayed off to his room at one point, but watched at least 3/4 of the movie. My other two kids loved it. This is a movie with enough hints of danger and adventure to make it exciting for children, all the while being muted enough in its content to make it watchable for them. This is a movie to watch with your kids, but is such a great story that anyone would enjoy it. For those of you with children, I would recommend it. It is imaginative and touching. For everyone else, it is a wonder of cinema and simply shouldn't be missed.
The movie follows the adventures of Hugo Cabret. He is a young boy who lives in a clock above a Parisian train station. He has fallen into the duty of operating the clocks in the station, but regularly has to steal from the business owners in the train station in order to eat. He also is enamored with machines. He is an orphan, and his late father was a clock maker. His father finds an old automaton in a museum and takes it home. He and his son make it a hobby to fix it. The automaton is so complex that when it works it actually will be able to write a message. After the death of Hugo's father, Hugo becomes obsessed with fixing the automaton, thinking that the writing may be some kind of "message" from his father. While Hugo is working on this automaton in his perch above the train station, Hugo comes under fire from Georges, a shopkeeper from whom Hugo has stolen. Georges' daughter Isabelle befriends Hugo. As to where the plot goes after that, there is simply too much wonder to give it away. You must watch the movie and see for yourself.
The opening 10 minutes of the film is classic Scorsese work. The camera is active and moves with utter grace through beautiful sights and sounds. The visual impact of the first 10 minutes is enormous. It shows us so much, and yet we know the story is only beginning. As I watched, I explained some of these artistic devices to my daughter, and she was fascinated by it. This movie can be a starting point for serious film watching for two reasons. First, on its own it is wonderful film making. But second, it has so many homages to silent era movies that one could start watching the films to which this movie refers and have quite an education in film history.
Any of you who have read my entries on this blog know I love movies. As I watched "Hugo", I thought of other movies. I couldn't help but think of Hitchcock's "Rear Window" in the first moments, as Hugo watches the lives of others from his vantage point in the clock. My daughter observed that the music reminded her of the tone of the music in the Pixar film "Ratatoullie." The flower girl played by Emily Mortimer reminded me of the heroine in Chaplin's "City Lights." This movie is made not only by a movie making expert, but by a movie lover. Scorsese is both of those things, and his ability to capture his love on film is what gives this movie its soul. He believes in the power of movies to change people's lives. He is enchanted by the possibilities of the art form. How magnificent to have such a wonderful film in its own right be able to be about the love, and to give the audience a taste of that.
The movie was great for all 3 of my kids. My little guy Wes (4) strayed off to his room at one point, but watched at least 3/4 of the movie. My other two kids loved it. This is a movie with enough hints of danger and adventure to make it exciting for children, all the while being muted enough in its content to make it watchable for them. This is a movie to watch with your kids, but is such a great story that anyone would enjoy it. For those of you with children, I would recommend it. It is imaginative and touching. For everyone else, it is a wonder of cinema and simply shouldn't be missed.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
12 Angry Men
Since my stint in the Hennepin County Courthouse this month as a jury member, I have been thinking about this movie. I first saw it back in high school. We had read the play in English class, and our teacher decided to let us watch the movie. The movie is a wonderful piece of inspirational manipulation. It makes the viewer proud of the American justice system, but alarmed by the notion that a guilty man could get off without the right kind of evidence.
The story focuses on 12 men who are deliberating on a murder trial. As the jury moves into the deliberation room, 11 of the men on the jury believe the defendant to be guilty, while one man questions that: juror number 8 (Henry Fonda). Henry Fonda's character is costumed to look like an angelic beacon of equal justice under the law. He is dressed in white, and while many of the other jurors are hardened and bitter, he is calm and reasoned. The film takes on a great deal of substance as the deliberation goes on. As juror number 8 makes his case to the other 11 jurors, he slowly begins to turn the tide in the room. A few of the jurors jump to his side very quickly. As his argument makes more sense, other jurors follow suit. When the count stands at 9-3, it is fascinating to watch what motivates the final 3 jurors to still feel that a guilty verdict is in order. One of them is motivated almost totally by racism. One of them is motivated by the cold facts of the case. He even admits that juror number 8 has made some great points. However, since one of the pieces of evidence is an eye witness of the murder, he remains convinced of the young man's guilt. The third man is the most complex. He is motivated by anger, and the more the plot goes on, the more sympathetic and the more sad he becomes.
The movie is a masterful work of dialogue. It basically only has one setting, so the strength of the dialogue and the acting has to carry the film. It does. Every actor in the film is stunning, the way the director builds the tension is very effective. It does get a tad didactic, but I would imagine that when the movie came out, it was probably somewhat avant garde. This is not a cookie cutter movie with a Hollywood ending, but a movie mean to challenge the viewer and to make them think a second time. It is a classic, and for good reason.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Princess Bride Stuff...
The "Princess Bride" has graduated to being another language in our culture. Here's a great example:
http://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/lines-from-the-princess-bride-that-double-as-comments-on-freshman-composition-papers
http://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/lines-from-the-princess-bride-that-double-as-comments-on-freshman-composition-papers
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