Hell No, We Won't Go... To the Ghettos, or to Crappy Chick Flicks

I went to see Defiance today with my family, which is the second WWII movie I've seen since I've been home. I was totally into the concept of the film-- I'm very interested in both the Holocaust and Daniel Craig (in different ways, of course) so it sounded like it was going to be pretty good

The only problem: it was also a film that involved a lot of traipsing around in the forest. And films that involve a lot of meandering through the forest inevitably have meandering plots as well. Telling the story of a group of nearly 1200 people is not without difficulties, and Defiance had a hard time creating a cohesive storyline with fleshed-out, multi faceted characters. Issues that should have been present throughout the entire film -- the meaning of resistance, the humanity of the enemy, diaspora -- popped up briefly, only to disappear again. Also, deus ex machina should just not be allowed in films about the Holocaust.

Defiance wasn't bad by any means; the performances were heartfelt, if not outstanding, and it treated its subject in a very sensitive manner. But with so many other outstanding, tightly written Holocaust films in existence, its weaknesses made it almost seem like an artistic lightweight in comparison. It certainly opened my eyes to a part of the Holocaust I haven't studied in much depth, and I'll definitely be picking up the monograph the film is based on -- I feel like the compelling story of the Bielski Otriad would be better told in book form.

More staggering than the filmmakers' decision not to use more Jewish actors (Craig acted well, but looked more like a rugby player alongside many of the Eastern European Jewish supporting actors) was the movie theater's decision to show the trailer for He's Just Not That Into You -- a bona fide boneheaded chick flick, before Defiance.

I'm usually only mildly incensed by most chick flicks, but HJNTIY took my anger to new levels. The portrayals of both men and women seemed grossly inaccurate, and, quite frankly, wildly offensive. Watch the trailer for yourself.

But wait! Maybe they only seemed inaccurate because I'm not in my late twenties/early thirties yet. Once the biological alarm clock goes off and starts demanding that I get to babymakin', maybe I'll be just as pathetic as the women of HJNTIY, who stare at their cell phones through yoga class, waiting for the confused, dim male stars of the movie to call them. I can't wait until I am consumed by the quiet panic of the genetically ingrained need to marry and everything else in my life seems meaningless. Woo hoo!

Also, they used the Cure's "Friday I'm in Love" in the preview. Not OK. The Cure are all about moping unapologetically in the abstract sense. One cannot fully appreciate the genius of "Bloodflowers" or "Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me" while waiting by the phone for the latest mediocre barfly to call. One should be between the ages of 14 and 21 and preferably wearing a Smiths T-Shirt. Zing.

It is Written

I'm going to join the thunderous chorus of approval ricocheting around the world for Slumdog Millionaire, which has thankfully been echoed by the Golden Globe voters. Drop everything and see this beautifully filmed and expertly crafted Dickensian tale-- I've never seen a crowd more riveted in the movie theatre than when I went to see the film on Saturday night.

The cast is phenomenal, especially the young children. The movie has received some criticism for what some consider to be a cavalier portrayal of poverty in India, but I thought the actors displayed an acute sensitivity towards a difficult subject. Dev Patel's flickering-eyed Jamal effectively captures the lingering effects of his character's childhood trauma. Watching him sweat as each question brings back intense and sometimes violent memories, you wonder just what goes on in the heads of other game show contestants you see while flipping channels idly.


Also, I am so excited for Waltz with Bashir- an animated documentary about one man's attempt to remember his experiences during the 1982 Lebanon war. The preview that ran before the film was breathtaking, and from what I've read, it sounds like the film takes a multifaceted approach to what is a very difficult and controversial subject.

I could say that I prefer Oscar season to the summer movie season because the films are artistically superior and more interesting and whatnot, and that would be true. But the other reason I love shelling out 10 bucks nearly every weekend from January to March is that the subjects of the films tend to be difficult, dark, and depressing. I inherently prefer 'depressing' to 'action' or 'fluff' because (a) I am a masochist, and (b) I am the originator of the greatest fake concentration ever, Depressing Studies.

Column. Opinions Column.

"What we can learn from James Bond." Opinions Column, The Brown Daily Herald, 18 November 2008.

This column was, by far, the most enjoyable to write of anything I did this semester. As some may know, I'm an unabashed fan of the James Bond films, and I was looking for a way to exercise my comprehensive knowledge of the series. People seemed to enjoy it, so I don't think it was too masturbatory. This column really made me want to do more arts-based opinion writing-- I think art is something that really needs to be more common in American editorial pages.

One life lesson -- about relationships-- didn't make it into the final piece. While it would have been nice to include something that at least attempted to talk about James Bond's portrayal of women and relationships, it didn't ring true, and I was out of space anyway. I suppose that could be a whole other thing in itself...