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I guess romanticizing may have been a wrong word. My idea was that the kitchen sink is about showing something as broken and in need of a change while The Whisperers appear to be the opposite; the change is bad, and it brings harm to either you or others or both. The status quo is moral, and moving up in society is wrong.

Also, if you focus only on Mrs. Ross's story arc it is actually romanticizing. And I don't know why you wouldn't do that. Everyone else in the film can be seen as a plot device to pave her way. If her finding out the happiness in her poor little life and forgetting the money and the mansion isn't romanticizing then what is? Or then I understand the word somehow wrong.
I think that there is a difference between someone's way of life being comforting and someone's way of life being endorsed or romanticized by the film.

Mrs. Ross has, over the years, built up her routines and physical space on her own and has even extended this to include voices that only she hears. All of this---absent the voices--is really common with people who live on their own for a long period of time. You become your own world.

I agree that conflict happens when she ventures out of her flat, but the stuff outside her flat is also her impoverished environment. I don't see how her life is romanticized when she can't walk down her hallway without hearing an argument through the ceiling (and an argument that seems to trigger some of her own memories of abuse), she can't attend church without being mocked for her genuine belief, and she can't have a conversation with a stranger without being taken advantage of.

To me, this is as if a film began with someone drunk or using drugs and ended with them in the same state. Yes, it is what might make them comfortable. It is what they know. But is it really romantic? Is it what we want for the character? Is it what is best for the character?

I can see how you could say that her problems are connected to the money. And when the money is gone she goes back to where she was. But while the money might be a catalyst for her experiences with the horrible family or her estranged husband, the problem is not that the money brings issues on its own. Mrs. Ross doesn't know how to interact socially. She doesn't have children or nieces/nephews or younger people around to help her as she becomes more physically and mentally frail.

Also, I think it is significant that she isn't really happy before the money. Her neighbors are awful, she is mocked at church, her husband is gone.

Do you see the ending as being happy? To me it is tragic, even if Mrs. Ross is back in her comfort zone. I see a woman who is only going to become more isolated and more delusional. There is exactly one person in the world who seems to care about her well-being, and that's her social worker, and even he is not totally on the ball.



All of that makes sense, especially the song lyrics. Good catch.

Oh well, good or not, the movie has generated some worthwhile discussion. In the end, isn't that the real truth?
Definitely. It's weird because there are films that "disappoint" me, and that may sound harsh but I can't think of another word, but anyway... they "disappoint" me because I acknowledge that there's material for something great there, but it just doesn't click the way I was expecting, or it's just not executed in the best way. This film is an example of that... an Irish horror drama I saw last year called The Cured was another example. Films that you feel a couple of tweaks in the script or whatnot might've turned them into a great film, but it just didn't happen. And don't get me wrong, I still think the film is solid (I gave it 3/5 I think), but if they had made some fixes, this could've easily been a 4, or maybe even higher.
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Just finished Antwone Fisher a couple of minutes ago, and I have thoughts. Maybe tomorrow as I let it stew a bit.



Definitely. It's weird because there are films that "disappoint" me, and that may sound harsh but I can't think of another word, but anyway... they "disappoint" me because I acknowledge that there's material for something great there, but it just doesn't click the way I was expecting, or it's just not executed in the best way. This film is an example of that... an Irish horror drama I saw last year called The Cured was another example. Films that you feel a couple of tweaks in the script or whatnot might've turned them into a great film, but it just didn't happen. And don't get me wrong, I still think the film is solid (I gave it 3/5 I think), but if they had made some fixes, this could've easily been a 4, or maybe even higher.
Although both words might apply, "frustrating" would've been a more appropriate word, instead of "disappointing".



Although both words might apply, "frustrating" would've been a more appropriate word, instead of "disappointing".
I get what you mean. All the same, if I was forced to choose between a movie that's considered frustrating and one that has universal acclaim, I'd choose the former. Movies labeled "frustrating" tend to have more of a human touch, leave more questions up to the audience and are more likely to have grit, be rough around the edges, etc. in a way that give it that human touch and, as this thread indicates, provide a good excuse to discuss and debate those flaws. No offense to whoever nominated Shame, which I'll review later, but it doesn't really have any flaws, and as you can see, not that many people are debating it. I did enjoy the movie, and while I rate it higher than Rudderless, I don't feel compelled to debate it and I doubt that my review will receive many replies.

This Nostalgia Critic video essay probably says what I'm trying to say better than I did:




Just finished Antwone Fisher a couple of minutes ago, and I have thoughts. Maybe tomorrow as I let it stew a bit.
I don't wanna get too personal, but I guess I'll get personal as a relatively rookie parent of two adopted children, this was a somewhat tough watch for me. Most of my fellow RT/Corrie refugees know that my wife and I adopted two kids a couple of years ago, so knowing first-hand where they come from and the scars that they still carry, well, there came a point in the film where it got... rough for me. To make it more complicated, I saw the film a few hours after what was a particularly heated exchange with our older kid because, well, much like Antwone, he's prone to violent outbursts when things aren't done the way he wants.

So films like this become a double-edged sword in that it helps one to put things in perspective, while also adding to the constant questioning that I think every parent has: Am I messing things up? How are my actions AND reactions affecting this kid short-term AND long-term? I've always compared the adoption process to coming off the bench in the middle of a game, not necessarily knowing the score. You're never really sure where you're standing or how things are going. You have to figure out the path, and touch and feel your way through. But that questioning is always there...

And finally, to add up, there's that dread of what will happen in the future when these two kids start asking the same questions... where did I come from? why did my parents left me? and of course, the unavoidable quest to search and meet their real parents, which we know will come at one point. My wife and I have talked about it, but when added to the above questions, it just makes me wonder more and more "Am I doing things right? What will my sons think of me 5, 10, 20 years from now?"

I don't know. Like I said, it just hit me hard at one point.



I don't wanna get too personal, but I guess I'll get personal as a relatively rookie parent of two adopted children, this was a somewhat tough watch for me. Most of my fellow RT/Corrie refugees know that my wife and I adopted two kids a couple of years ago, so knowing first-hand where they come from and the scars that they still carry, well, there came a point in the film where it got... rough for me.
Exactly. This is why this film was just as hard for me, if not harder, than In a Glass Cage. Because while I have never known anyone who fell victim to a sociopath seeking revenge on his ex-Nazi abuser, I have known many children like Antwone. And what is especially tragic is that many of them do not receive intervention in time and they end up on a path straight to prison.

Thinking about your questions, something I wish had been a little different in the film was the way that it offered a sense of closure at the end. The reality for most people who have endured childhood abuse is not that they confront it/deal with it and then are fine. Knowing why you behave a certain way, or even having a cathartic moment with the person who caused you pain does not magically erase the emotional and psychological damage. It is something many people continue to have to process and work through.



The Secret In Their Eyes: Really good thriller. Quite a few standout scenes. I like the aesthetic. I thought the dialogue was sharp, and often fun.

I wasn't in love with the romantic plot, and it becomes a big part of the second half of the film. I definitely would have traded that aspect in for more scenes with the judges and Pablo.

Good movie, just not great for me. Glad I finally saw it.
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I just watched The Man from Nowhere. Like Hard Times, it was a quite atypical HoF film, but I think films like this are a welcome change. Definitely above average Asian action film, but more about why in the forthcoming review.
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Heading over to the local rental. Plan to pick up La Dolce Vita and either Beasts of the Southern Wild or The Secrets in their Eyes.
Long weekend gives me plenty of time to hit a few here and start finishing up the personal recommendations HOF.



Shame: Realized not long into my second watch that I had no idea what war this movie takes place during. I assumed WWII, but I actually had no idea. That's because Bergman does what no director, in my opinion, does better. He makes the central aspect of the film a relationship that happens to take place during a war. Instead of the focus being on the war, where some peripheral relationships take place. Because of that the tension and the horror are even more impact full. Almost every Bergman I watch makes me feel like I really don't need to watch other directors. He so perfectly understands and conveys what makes us tick. Because that's where his movies start and end it doesn't matter the time, place, or circumstances. His themes resonate over them all.

In short, I thought this was okay.



Shame: Realized not long into my second watch that I had no idea what war this movie takes place during. I assumed WWII, but I actually had no idea. That's because Bergman does what no director, in my opinion, does better. He makes the central aspect of the film a relationship that happens to take place during a war. Instead of the focus being on the war, where some peripheral relationships take place. Because of that the tension and the horror are even more impact full. Almost every Bergman I watch makes me feel like I really don't need to watch other directors. He so perfectly understands and conveys what makes us tick. Because that's where his movies start and end it doesn't matter the time, place, or circumstances. His themes resonate over them all.

In short, I thought this was okay.

Bergman was clearly influenced by civil wars in places like Vietnam and Cambodia



Bergman was clearly influenced by civil wars in places like Vietnam and Cambodia
I'm sure. That's probably why he kept it ambiguous here. The themes could work anywhere, don't you think?



Yeah, the intention was clearly to keep the war ambiguous, while also highlighting how both sides are responsible of reprehensible acts.



One of the aspects I most appreciated in Shame was that the war was non-defined. At first I wondered if there had been some such war. Then I realized from the tone of the movie that the story was about the couple and also the people who are caught up in such a war. I thought it was a good way to go having that war being 'any civil war'.



Antwone Fisher



It was interesting reading some of the comments here after I watched this. I didn't find it to be sad or disturbing at all, but rather inspirational and uplifting. Of course it's sad to see children enduring abuse, but unfortunately it's so damn common. What makes this story special is the conquering of the demons that comes with those experiences.

It's no surprise that Denzel directed this. He's a man who has been outspoken as to the problems in the black community. It's not any type of racism or oppression that's the driving force behind these poor people's struggles, but rather broken homes. Of course, it's a lot more complicated than that. It is interesting in the beginning that Antwone seems to believe he's a victim of racism from whites, and maybe he was, but it's never explored. Now, this poor kid got the double whammy; a broken home and abuse. If you look at his trajectory, the fact that he suddenly decided to join the Navy and then made something of himself is a minor miracle. And that is why the story is so uplifting.

This movie is quite standard in a lot of ways. There's nothing that's pleasing to the eyes or ears, there's no surprises, and it's cliched. But sometimes life is cliched, and what we have is a very human story. All you really need is strong lead performances and we get that. You know I'm not even sure how good of an actor Denzel really is. He doesn't show a lot of range. He seems like a charismatic and likable guy who plays himself. If that's true then that's enough for me because I love him in everything. The big key here is Derek Luke, an actor I'm not familiar with. He's the lead and there's plenty of times that he has to carry the movie by himself and he pulls it off. I thought everyone else was good too. I was surprised to see Viola Davis towards the end. She's one of my favorite actresses. She didn't get to do much but the important part for this story was how Antwone Fisher reacted to her, not the other way around. The only part of the movie that didn't interest me was the bits about the doctor and his wife. Maybe they threw it in there because it's part of the true story? Idk but it really didn't work for me. What interested me more was the backstory of the mother and the abusers, and why they did what they did. A lot of this is a cycle and they were most likely victims too. That's ok though because this movie's focus was on Antwone. Glad it was nominated because it wasn't on my radar.




And that's it for me. I've been thinking about it and I can't figure out how to rank 2-5. Those 4 movies are so different but I feel that I like them all the same. I might have to do some coin flipping.



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And that's it for me. I've been thinking about it and I can't figure out how to rank 2-5. Those 4 movies are so different but I feel that I like them all the same. I might have to do some coin flipping.
Either way it's going to be interesting seeing these lists trickle in.