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| 20 Year Anniversary of "Philadelphia" that broke barriers |
When I watch a film, I try to be objective. That doesn’t happen all the time.
Sometimes my judgment gets clouded when I hear what others think. I admit that I listen to other peoples’ opinions and biases. “This person loved it so I have to love it.” Contrary to what others think, I usually go by my gut in what I want to see. For example, I didn’t go by my gut and listened to others positive remarks about the current film, “Dallas Buyers Club.” Perhaps I had a preconceived notion that I wasn’t going to like it because I am not a huge Matthew McConaughey fan. Objectively, the actors performances were stellar even McConaughey but I have to admit I got tired of seeing his emaciated body – I heard he lost a considerable amount of weight for his role. It was around two hours and it seemed incredibly long to me. It didn’t keep my interest past one hour and a half.
A friend quickly said, “If you think this movie is long, ‘American Hustle’ is so much longer.” She didn’t fully understand what I was trying to say. If a film seems long that means that the editor or filmmaker didn’t peak my interest enough to keep me engaged until the bitter end. My mind wandered and I got antsy waiting for the ending. Again, the film was so hyped up that truthfully it was a disappointment.
In my opinion, “Dallas Buyer’s Club” was no “Philadelphia” when Tom Hanks, a lawyer that got HIV-AIDS and got fired. He won the Oscar. It was a better riveting performance where I cared about the character where McConaughey performance was first-rate (raw and in your face); I just didn’t care enough about the character to keep me interested. Bottom line, I couldn’t wait until it was over.
The other reason I don’t listen to reviewers is their picky negativity on most films. I understand that’s their job but most times I don’t agree. For example, I had an opportunity to see a “free” film a few years ago for “127 Hours” when a hiker was pinned between two boulders where his only option to free himself was by cutting his own arm off. It sounded interesting to me then I heard a negative review. My knee jerk reaction and I decided not to see the film. Bad mistake. Later, I heard that it was very good. I ended up getting the DVD and James Franco’s performance was wonderful. He had to keep the audience engaged while he acted alone in the wilderness. After that, I won’t bother listening to reviews.
Other people I know scour the reviews and won’t see a film unless it scores high. Who cares what reviewers say anyway? It is a subjective opinion anyway. Sometimes I love a film and someone else leaves without giving it a chance. For example, the newly released film, “Her” I thought was brilliantly written with strong performances by Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson. It was an unusual premise and it could have easily been done badly but it wasn’t. I enjoyed it for its risk taking ability and dialogue that hasn’t been delivered before. It was quiet focusing on the two main characters’ contending with life’s complexities. Phoenix’s character is struggling with separation then he becomes infatuated with his OS (It’s set in the future). My take on it – the main character is coming to terms with his internal struggles – rejection; how both characters grow as a result of these battles.
For the same reason, I enjoyed “Nebraska” because it was quiet and the relationship between father and son. You instantly saw the pain in the Bruce Dern’s character as he tries to defy all the odds and walk to Nebraska. Dern’s character also has struggles and demons that he needs to address. It kept me thinking about it long after the credits rolled. As a person who over analyzes things, I try to find meaning in these “off-the-beaten-path” indie films. It’s not for everyone but it struck a cord with me.
Lastly, I just saw the three-hour long film, “The Wolf of Wall Street” and I enjoyed it very much. Contrary to the length, it didn’t seem long because director Martin Scorsese kept me engrossed in Leonardo DiCaprio’s character. Just like everyone said, there were a lot of “f” bombs and nudity but that’s what the character of Jordan Belfort was all about. There was a scene where DiCaprio was extremely high and his debilitating performance was hilarious. I had tears in my eyes because I was laughing so hard. Amazing how wonderful and believable he was. I was so annoyed last year that DiCaprio didn’t get an Oscar nomination for his performance in “Django Unchained.” So I almost wanted to see this film to support his interchangeable acting ability; plus, I did hear about the film on NPR from DiCaprio himself how much research he did for the role and how he met with the real Jordan Belfort.
I will leave you with this, if you want to see a film because it sounds interesting then just go see it. I remember picking “Once,” a little, low budget film for my movie group way before it was a play and Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová won the Oscar for Best Original Song. Everyone has a different opinion when it comes to: film, art or books. You grow as a person if you just take a risk and move away your comfort zone. What’s the worse that can happen, you wasted a few bucks?
Film “Philadelphia”
http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/the-pulse/62963-20th-anniversary-of-philadelphia-
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