Snapshots 2

Quiet Man (1952)
Nominee
This film is 50% Irish charm, and 50% dated misogyny that manifests in domestic violence. The nostalgia for pastoral Ireland I appreciate, the emotional and physical abuse Maureen O'Hara experiences not so much. It was extremely uncomfortable to watch at times. Sorry John Wayne, no dice.
1/5 Stars

Witness for the Prosecution (1957)
Nominee
A really well done trial film! Charles Laughton carries the story as the sharp-witted heavily viced defense attorney. I will say the pacing is rather bizarre with a majority of plot taking place at the very end. However, It made for a good mystery overall.
3/5 Stars

Twelve O'Clock High (1949)
Nominee
The plot is mostly slow air force bureaucracy discussions. Gregory Peck's character arc was just not there cheapening his breakdown. However, the one battle scene with actual war footage was quite good.
2/5 Stars

Elizabeth (1998)
Nominee
Cate Blanchett for the win! Her Elizabeth goes from delicate youth to empowered Queen seamlessly. While the film could be stronger in some plot details, and is at times heavy handed in its religious allegories it was overall a good watch.
3.5/5 Stars 

I am standing on my desk...

I am standing on my desk because I was compelled to by the beauty and joy that Robin Williams saw in this world, and in turn shared with us. A man of rapid fire humor, and incredible emotional access. He felt like a friend because he was one. And he shared every corner of himself with us.

I am standing on my desk because the rhetoric on mental illness needs to change. No one should feel so lost that they suffer in silence. No one should feel so ashamed that they leave us before their time. No one should feel so alone that they are suffocated by the guilt they feel because they can't bring themselves to be happy.

I am standing on my desk, because I know there is enough love in this world to end suicide. We just need to access it. Carpe Diem. 

Thin Red Line (1998)

Nominee

When I first became aware that Terrence Malick had made a war film I was certain that the message would be clear: the ever enduring Man vs. Nature. The viewer was going to be led along through a visually stunning three hour escapade of how war is destroying our humanity, intercut with vibrant images of animal life and landscapes. And besides the visual presence of a number of birds and mountainsides, I could not have been more egregiously mistaken.

I want to make clear that I do not mean that Malick celebrates war, for that would also be a misrepresentation of the film's core. What he achieves instead is the visual implication that war in and of itself is part of our nature, but that is precisely what makes it all the more grotesque. For as one solider states in a very Malickian (I can make up words right? My blog, my rules.) manner: "What's this war in the heart of nature? Why does nature vie with itself? The land contend with the sea? Is there an avenging power in nature? Not one power, but two?" Nature is constantly at war, and it can be both beautiful and savage. 

This violence is at the heart of nature itself, but that does not mean that that truth identically manifests itself in every individual. This is expertly written as well as performed by a truly impressive ensemble cast. Sean Penn, Adrien Brody, John Cusack, Woody Harrelson, and Nick Nolte just to name a few present to us the many faces innate violence forms. Whether it the previously AWOL soldier who is able to suppress this instinct, or the high ranking General who's self worth is tied to it, these actors portray every nuanance in this spectrum. 

Almost needless to say that this film successfully couples the brutality of war with the visually intoxicating syntax that Malick has mastered. Full of light, and animal life he is able to establish an awe inspiring, almost dreamlike state. I will mention that some find Malick's existential musings sometimes repetitive throughout his work, but I find it rather intriguing that he has dedicated his craft to the questioning of humanity, and his skill with a camera wins him that right. For after all, he will keep trying to find an answer, and may never be satisfied.

Overall: A war film unlike any other. Malick dares to question the existence of war with heightened grace, and vitality. His films ebb and flow with their own pulse. You just need to be willing to go for the expressive ride. Happy Watching!