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In my social circles, I tend to be the “movie guy” that offer suggestions on what to see, both new and old, when it comes to movies. It’s a fun rarity when I get to do that with a fellow movie critic. With the arrival of the new Rebecca starring Lily James and Armie Hammer, it created an opportunity for friend Ian Simmons of the Kicking the Seat podcast to watch both Netflix’s remake and the revered Alfred Hitchcock classic. I nudged him into this one and it made for a good conversation. We cover a bit of both of them here on his podcast and YouTube channel. Enjoy!
As busy I get from time to time, I find that I can't see every movie under the sun, leaving my friends and colleagues to fill in the blanks for me. As poetically as I think I wax about movies on this website as a wannabe critic, there are other experts out there. Sometimes, it inspires me to see the movie too and get back to being my circle's go-to movie guy. Sometimes, they save me $9 and you 800+ words of blathering. In a new review series, I'm opening my site to friend submissions for guest movie reviews.
TODAY’S CRITIC: Lafronda Stumn
Lafronda Stumn is a student at Madisonville Community College and intends to graduate with an Associate's degree in Associate of the Arts. She plans on earning a Bachelors Degree in Motion Picture Studies and English at Wright State University. Her favorite Directors are Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and Spike Lee, and her favorite actors are Al Pacino, Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep, and Halle Berry. Lafronda contacted this page looking for a place to get published and I enjoy giving people that very kind of opportunity. This is her big tenth guest review for Every Movie Has a Lesson. Welcome back, Lafronda!
HER REVIEW: The Post
It is a dream come true when two of America’s greatest actors of our generation Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep, team up for the first time—being directed by one of our greatest living directors, Steven Spielberg. This trinity of great talent is a sure-fire way of being high-quality entertainment, and it is.
The film first takes place in 1965, where soldier Daniel Ellsberg (Matthew Rhys) is at work in Saigon, Vietnam, with his troops struck by Vietnam soldiers. Ellsburg comes home and tells the Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara (Bruce Greenwood) the bad news. However, McNamara tells the press the war is going fine. No problems. No Complications. Hearing this, Ellburg takes matters into his own hands and sneaks a ton of papers, over 1,000, out of Pentagon unscathed, and takes them home back to D.C.
The movie shifts to Washington D.C. in 1971, where Publisher Kay Graham (Meryl Streep) has is now the owner of The Washington Post after her husband's death of suicide. She is trying to publish a frivolous front-page story about President Nixon's Daughter's upcoming wedding to Eisenhower. Graham discusses this with Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks), the Editor-in-Chief of The Washington Post. Graham argues that it will sell many papers and that the wedding's added publicity would make more readers, female readers become more interested in reading The Post.
The Post is also meeting with board members in allowing The Washington Post to go public. The members discuss how much money to obtain if they go public. How much money can they acquire as a result? Graham feels self-conscious when she is the only women, albeit the owner of the newspaper, to have to deal with the sexism with some of her colleagues, Arthur Parsons (Bradley Whitford), in particular.
Graham is also good friends with Abe Rosenthal (Michael Stuhlbarg), The New York Times editor and his wife, and after a dinner party at her home. Rosenthal reveals information about Macamara, and his cronies in the government are going to disclose the report by The New York Times. The bombshell article is being blackballed by the President, even though the constitution protects the press's freedom.
Ellsberg then goes to one of The Post's most influential reporters, Bob Bagdikian (Bob Odenkirk). After a long, drawn-out process, they meet. They meet in a motel room, and Bagdikian presents with over a thousand documents of info. They were dating back to Eisenhower to then-current President Nixon. Not only are they losing the war badly. Their reason for staying gives a reason to question our democracy and call out bad behavior within our government. The press is supposed to call out hypocrisy and injustice that goes on. The movie is Graham releasing the story and suffering the possibility of losing The Post with workers losing their jobs in dealing with a bully of the presidency.
There are great scenes in this movie. Streep's character faces facial expressions when she deals with the sexism of being the only woman in a room filled with men. The scenes of Streep and her daughter discussing her job and the stress of it were amazing. The unique look on Streep's character's face when she decides whether to publish this story. Streep's gaze on her face is what great non-verbal acting is all about.
The cinematography by Janusz Kaminski camerawork lit in the color hues of gray, green, and dark blue. The camerawork is gritty and intense, and the film does feel we're living in early 1970 of the art direction and costumes as well. The screenplay by Liz Hannah and Josh Singer is taunted and lean with little nuggets of info on how the actors use the dialogue as a text of earnestness and conviction of emotion and thought. Hanks is the stable salt-of-the-earth. Hanks's characters have loyalty issues when he developed a close friendship with Kennedy and kept some secrets involving his death by his wife, Jackie.
The film is very relevant to today's headlines with the current Washington Administration running amuck and how the New York Times and Washington Post became poster children of not holding our public officials accountable for questionable actions. But standing up for the underdog against all odds is what makes us great Americans and how standing up for your principles and being self-aware of the world around us is what makes yourself a better human being and making this country more remarkable and more prosperous.
Rating: ****
CONCLUSION
Thank you again, Lafronda! You are welcome anytime. Friends, if you see a movie that I don't see and want to be featured on my website, hit up my website's Facebook page and you can be my next GUEST CRITIC!
10 Films to Motivate You to Study and Improve Yourself
by Esther Crowder
Good results in studies are the result of constant effort and dedication. The bad thing is that despite all the work you put into your duties, it may happen that the results are not what you expected. In those moments, you may have feelings of despair or frustration, which, although natural, may make you think that maybe you will not achieve your dreams. But it is not so! You have to understand that life is made up of victories and defeats. Something that also teaches us that is the cinema. Through its stories, many films have shown us that constant struggle can lead to triumph. For the same reason, and so that you can rejoice in your academic goals, we will leave you with this list of 10 films that will help you get ahead and surpass yourself.
1. A Beautiful Mind
Based on real events, this film tells the story of the mathematical genius and eccentric John Forbes Nash Jr. (Russell Crowe), who made a fantastic discovery at the beginning of his career and became famous all over the world. Unfortunately, his rise into the intellectual stratosphere underwent a radical change when he discovered that he had schizophrenia, faced with a challenge that would destroy any other. Nash struggled to recover in the company of his devoted wife, Alicia. After several decades of hardship, he overcame his tragedy and received the Nobel Prize in 1994.
2. Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story
Also known as A Homeless Person at Harvard (2003), the film tells the story of Elizabeth Murray, an American writer, psychologist, and lecturer born in a humble home. From drug-addicted and HIV-positive parents, the story tells of how Liz turns 15 and her mother dies and becomes homeless. At the age of seventeen and after living in several orphanages, she decided to resume her studies and entered Harvard University, where she graduated thanks to her effort and dedication.
3. Steve Jobs
There are several biographies about the genius behind Apple. However, two films are worth mentioning because they focus more on the person than on their achievements; we refer to Jobs (2013) starring Ashton Kutcher and Steve Jobs (2015), directed by Dany Boyle (Trainspotting) and starring Michael Fassbender. Both films stand out for what they describe Steve Jobs as a man who never allowed himself to be defeated by anything or anyone. These films also show that Steve Jobs has lost much of his humanity to achieve his goals.
4. The Theory of Everything
The film tells the life of Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne), the critical theorist and scientist who changed the history of science and modern technology forever. The script focuses on the relationship he had with Jane Wilde (Felicity Jones), his first wife, whom he married after being diagnosed with lateral sclerosis, a disease for which he was given no more than two years to live. Beyond giving up, Hawking continued his studies and became one of the most brilliant minds in humankind's history of humanity.
5. The Social Network
The year 2003 was a year that changed the world. The Social Network (2010) tells the story of a young Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg), Harvard student and programming genius, who would begin to develop a revolutionary idea that is now known as Facebook. With effort, he started programming in his university faculty and became the most famous global social network globally, transforming it into a billionaire and a reference for this generation. In my essay samples based on this film, I describe how creating one software product can change the lives of millions of people.
6. Dead Poets Society
Starring Robin Williams, the film was set in 1959, and its story takes place mostly in one of the most prestigious academies in the U.S. The place has prestige, but many of its students suffer from not choosing their future. Fortunately, that year, a new professor is welcomed who belonged to the same establishment where he was part of the “Dead Poets Society" in his time as a student.
In his classes, the teacher will teach the students about the existence of this society that promotes the study and social criticism, generating interest and curiosity. Thus, he leads them to dream and believe in themselves again. In particular, the student Nell Perry, characterized by the actor Robert Sean Leonard, since he is the one who suffers more throughout the film due to the pressure of his father who forces him to follow a career that he does not want. Excellent film.
7. Good Will Hunting
The story starring Matt Damon tells the story of Will, a rebellious and charismatic young man who possesses an uncommon intellectual capacity. Like his friends, he holds low-paying jobs and spends his free time in a bar where he sometimes gets into trouble with the law. After a fight, Will is forced to go to jail. Everything goes wrong until Sean McGuire, a teacher, and therapist, is amazed at his abilities, and emotional problems appear in his life. A strange and conflictive student-teacher relationship begins between them. The film is from 1997 and also starred Robin Williams.
8. The Pursuit of Happyness
Based on a true story, it tells the adventures of Chris Gardner, a father who struggles to survive after losing all his life's savings in a lousy business and being abandoned by his wife. Chris, now a single father, decides to continue looking for a better paying job using all possible business tactics. Among all this misfortune, one day, he gets an internship in a prestigious brokerage firm. He agrees to work without payment, hoping that he will get a job in this company if he passes some of the company's goals and complex final exams. Without any financial cushion, Chris and his son end up living on the streets, in shelters, subway stations, bathrooms, or wherever they find refuge. Despite this, the protagonist (Will Smith) is getting around the problems, using the little free time to study and prepare for the final test. Another great film about self-improvement.
9. Monster University
Since he was a child and before entering university, the monster Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal's voice) dreamed of becoming a scary man and so he decides to enroll in Monster University (M.U.). Dangerous Minds: Due to their competitive spirit, both are expelled from the university, and from there, things get worse. Only teamwork will get both of them back into Monster University and prove that they are talented creatures. The film shows that in addition to being a good student, one must appreciate good classmates who support us at all times.
10. Dangerous Minds
Starring Michelle Pfeiffer, the film tells how Louanne Johnson (former U.S. Marine) accepts a job as a full-time teacher at a school in Los Angeles, California, where she must teach a group of young people with severe social problems who have grown up in a hostile and violent environment. At the beginning of her teaching duties, the indiscipline of her students makes her uneasy. Still, she detects that there are specific skills and superior intelligence in her group of students, so instead of quitting, she decides to face the challenge of learning to capture their attention and get them interested in learning. On the one hand, the film teaches us to appreciate family support and economic resources that make this burden much less burdensome when it comes to studying. On the other hand, it shows that we are all people, both students, and teachers.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Esther Crowder is a chief content writer, enthusiastic blogger and editor. He used to write for various online blogs to sharpen his writing skills. He practices writing articles in fields such as education, marketing, and management.
Director: Ricky Staub Starring: Idris Elba, Caleb McLaughlin, Jharrel Jerome, Byron Bowers, Lorraine Toussaint, Clifford “Method Man” Smith Released: Toronto International Film Festival Concrete Cowboy tells a tale that is not often represented on the big screen as it depicts the world of black urban cowboys. On the surface, the film stars Idris Elba and […]
These days, a lot of people are stuck at home due to social distancing. While it might be a dream for some of us, it's clearly not for everyone. If you are a typical stoner who's looking for ways to keep yourself entertained and ease anxiety, a good stoner movie won't disappoint. To help you narrow down your list, here are the best pot-themed movies recommended by American Marijuana you might want to check out:
1. Pineapple Express
This one's a classic stoner movie. Starring James Franco and Seth Rogen, it follows the story of two lazy stoners who found themselves in trouble after witnessing a murder while high on Pineapple Express, a new strain of weed. The movie is quite relatable. You'll find the chaotic energy of the duo entertaining and enjoyable.
2. Ted
Despite involving a teddy bear coming to life, this movie isn’t a children's Christmas film. It's about the adventures of John (played by Mark Wahlberg) and his friend Ted (voiced by Seth MacFarlane). The movie is ridiculously funny. Despite that, its consistent storyline is impressive. The writer did an excellent job of defying the classic stoner genre.
3. Dude, Where's My Car?
Directed by Danny Leiner, this 2000 American stoner movie follows the story of two best friends who couldn't remember where they parked their car after a night of drugs and heavy drinking. Despite reviewers claiming that the movie isn't funny and that it feels more like a TV sitcom, it still had a pretty solid opening. In fact, it was able to hit $13.8 million on its opening weekend.
4. The Legend of 420
This film is a highly informational documentary that takes a lighter look at something people take too seriously. It shows the many wonderful benefits and uses of cannabis while sharing an in-depth look at the current landscape of cannabis.
5. Disjointed
If you’re not into movies, there are sites that allow you to download series like Disjointed. This original Netflix film about stoners is truly for stoners. It's a comedy series that puts the spotlight on a Californian weed dispensary and the people who work in it. Apart from the trippy graphics, it also has endless pot jokes. This is definitely something you should watch while high.
6. Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay
If you've seen Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, you'd find this second installment enjoyable. It continues where the duo left off in the first movie.
After flying off to Amsterdam, the two were mistaken for terrorists and imprisoned. They ended up finding themselves caught in a series of funny misadventures as they try to escape from the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. This 2008 stoner film features Kal Penn and Harold Lee.
Final Thoughts
Quarantine and the pandemic have made this year a bit harder for most of us. Fortunately, with these movies, you can keep yourself entertained for hours. There's nothing wrong with taking the time to relax and enjoy a good movie, particularly with how stressful things are these days.
As everyone knows, in the cinema all films have music that plays throughout the scenes that link the sequences of images and that help you understand and interpret how a character can feel at a specific moment or recognize a moment of suspense, terror or love. Most of the movies you can remember by a very characteristic melody of them and that when listening to them they evoke an image or scene from the movie that you liked or that you have seen. That is the effect of a job well done at all levels, since it usually gives you a good feeling.
It is not easy to find a good soundtrack, so much so that if you investigate in search of something original you find those that already exist. There are many movies that their OST is an incredible and memorable subject, since it is 100% identifiable and fits perfectly with the time and the scenes. You can say that this soundtrack is an inseparable part of the film, since it gives it a more than necessary essence.
From a non-professional point of view in the field, you could say that it is very pleasant to find a movie with a good soundtrack, since the images are complemented by an additional auditory stimulus that accompanies you throughout the scenes, making you think and enjoy the moment. Music is an aid to narration, it is a way of characterizing characters, a way of accentuating the rhythm of the scene; Used wisely, it makes a magnificent film somewhat superior.
If there is one thing that is assured, it is that cinema owes a lot to music and vice versa. Music is a great medium to convey emotions and great composers and directors know this and take movies to a higher level than they were.
It cannot be highlighted as better or worse OSTs since each one has their own tastes but to recognize one you only need to think if you remember it, what it has made you feel and if you would see that movie again.
How to achieve a good soundtrack for a movie?
There have been so few songs or films that marked a milestone in history that achieving a pleasant soundtrack in it is complicated first of all because it is very difficult to find something original and second because, in case of putting a unique theme. You can check all these at Soundhalo.com.
This must fit perfectly with the time, with the type of film, with the scene and with the sequence, giving the best additional auditory stimulus that attracts the receiver even more and allows him to enjoy what he is watching. Music is specifically an aid to narration, a way of characterizing characters, marking and accentuating rhythms and greatly enhancing a minimal scene or detail that, without it, would go unnoticed.
Obviously, this is not why you have to think only about music or sound effects. For these to develop them and make the desired success come true, you must meet other requirements that allow you to make a great film that tells stories and leaves morals to the public.
As busy I get from time to time, I find that I can't see every movie under the sun, leaving my friends and colleagues to fill in the blanks for me. As poetically as I think I wax about movies on this website as a wannabe critic, there are other experts out there. Sometimes, it inspires me to see the movie too and get back to being my circle's go-to movie guy. Sometimes, they save me $9 and you 800+ words of blathering. In a new review series, I'm opening my site to friend submissions for guest movie reviews.
TODAY’S CRITIC: Lafronda Stumn
Lafronda Stumn is a student at Madisonville Community College and intends to graduate with an Associate's degree in Associate of the Arts. She plans on earning a Bachelors Degree in Motion Picture Studies and English at Wright State University. Her favorite Directors are Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and Spike Lee, and her favorite actors are Al Pacino, Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep, and Halle Berry. Lafronda contacted this page looking for a place to get published and I enjoy giving people that very kind of opportunity. This is her ninth guest review for Every Movie Has a Lesson. Welcome back, Lafronda!
HER REVIEW: Righteous Kill
Righteous Kill stars two of the best actors of all time with Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. With this stellar cast, it couldn't possibly go wrong? Well, it does. You expect something great in-store in the film with these two stars like when you saw them in Michael Mann movie Heat.
The film starts subtly enough with two veteran detectives, David and Rooster (DeNiro and Pacino). They are the very best of friends. They are disgusted, especially David, about a child killer, Charles Randall, being acquitted by a jury. David's character seeks vigilante justice by killing all of Randall's associates. Rooster, his partner, is supportive but has gone numb to so many killings over the years. Their superior officer puts them on leave after the ruined case and they’re ordered to be analyzed by the police to psychiatrists. This is when David takes matters into his own hands in dealing with Randall. David has a girlfriend and officer named Karen, who loves to have angry and rough sex with David.
There are two officers from a rival police station, Perez and Riley (John Leguizamo and Donnie Wahlberg), investigating Randall associates' serial killer. Despite being put on leave at work, David and Rooster secretly worked to solve the case. There are many clues where it could be one of those four cops being guilty of the crime. The movie has another character in the name of Spider (Curtis Jackson, "aka" 50 Cent) who knew Randall, and the cops try to set him up to reveal more info on who could be the real killer.
There are many problems with this film—the biggest one being that the twist toward the end is what you expect. There is little in this film that does surprise you. Another big problem is we don't care about either DeNiro and Pacino's characters, two people with no substantial character arcs. They’re one dimensional, so you would care what happens to the fate of these two- characters.
Carla Gugino plays a sex object, not a police officer. The characters of Perez and Riley are like the keystone cops. They don't seem competent to be police officers. Curtis Jackson is good, but I wish he had more screen time. The screenplay needed a great writer along the lines of Richard Price, David Mamet, or Quentin Tarantino for this film to be compelling to watch. The main actors and especially the audience deserve better.
Rating: **
CONCLUSION
Thank you again, Lafronda! You are welcome anytime. Friends, if you see a movie that I don't see and want to be featured on my website, hit up my website's Facebook page and you can be my next GUEST CRITIC!
Director: Brandon Cronenberg Starring: Andrea Riseborough, Christopher Abbott, Rossif Sutherland, Jennifer Jason Leigh Released: November 27th 2020 (UK) In Possessor, Brandon Cronenberg’s stunningly perverse sophomore effort, the feeling of emotional and physical detachment takes the form of parasitic dystopian tech – an actual “harvester of souls”, if you will – used for the sole purpose […]
*warning spoilers below* In 1996 the horror genre was on its knees with nowhere else to go. Slasher films had reached the bottom of the barrel, and all new ideas were dry and everything was rehashed. Enter a young screenwriter Kevin Williamson who would change all of that. Horror master Wes Craven was on the […]
Director: Jason Woliner Stars: Sacha Baron Cohen, Maria Bakalova Released: 23rd October 2020 (Amazon Prime) 14 years after Sacha Baron Cohen’s most incendiary character Borat wrote himself into pop-culture history, the fictional journalist has returned, with America the target once more. Shamed by his original documentary, Journalist Borat is given a chance to redeem himself […]
LESSON #1: LIES EXPOSE TRUTHS-- The initial lesson is simply stated. Mistakes trigger calls for answers. The size of the inaccuracy tends to correlate with the amount of revealed embarrassment. Untruths of the little white variety bring out blushes and shushed dismissals. The real whoppers drop jaws and burn things to the ground. Until they are corrected, lies hang there festering their growing decay.
In real life, that decay is damaging. In a farcical setting, the shame is played for laughs. Just like the first yuck fest, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm smashes reality and fiction together with splattered eggs on all the faces involved. All the chuckles and all the cringes are back to entertain or revolt with equal power.
Sacha Baron Cohen, and a team of nine (yes, 9) other writers, resurrected his most successful and audacious disguise and snuck a production through the COVID-19 pandemic just in time for Election Day. His mocking aim matches Lesson #1. Through his hedonistic character once again gracing the U.S. of A., Cohen and company expose the problematic silliness of lies being lived to their fullest by fine people on both sides.
LESSON #2: THE FALLOUT OF STARDOM-- It’s been a meta fourteen years since the Kazakhstani journalist Borat Sagdiyev (and Cohen himself) burst onto the American scene to become a household name and instant caricature. Once his (and Cohen’s again) fifteen seconds of fame ran out, the reporter returned to his homeland failing his intended mission. Another man took away his home and the government locked him up in a gruelling work camp prison. Released on a new quest, Borat is jeered rather than cheered by his countrymen and his recognizable celebrity status makes inconspicuousness impossible.
LESSON #3: CULTURES LIE-- The leaders of Kazakhstan see an America that has become great again. They think now is the time to correct national glory with an offering (known grander in the movie’s original subtitle as a “prodigious bribe to American regime”) to United States Vice President Michael Pence (and if he’s not around former New York City mayor and conservative blowhard Rudy Gulianni will do).. The bartered prize is Johnny, the national treasure chimpanzee of the Central Asian nation. Spoof or otherwise, that’s one viewpoint of the American image being projected overseas. Different cultures with different lenses aren’t always going to interpret such examples correctly as they squint to make a foreign image out. They will run with it without full understanding because it’s shiny and new.
LESSON #4: MEN LIE-- Stowing away and taking the primate’s place on this adventure is Borat’s daughter Sarah Jessica Parker Sagdiyev (up-and-coming Bulgarian actress Maria Bakalova of Transgression). With no monkey for the powerful politician who cannot be left in a room with women, Plan B becomes the beautification of his girl as a replacement gift. Luckily, thanks to intentionally ridiculous customs, Sarah is treated like bad cattle with no education of her worth other than a provided manual of false fears written and perpetuated by insecure men. Like Lesson #3, the question at the human level becomes where does one learn the world.
Future execution is the price of failure this time around. That urgency of survival sends the father-and-daughter schemers on a road trip odyssey through the American South playing up the culture shock antics. TV director Jason Woliner (The Last Man on Earth) and sneaky documentary cinematographer Luke Geissbuhler (Fahrenheit 11/9) orchestrate and capture their dressed-up actors dawdling with new technology and pulling the wool over the eyes of yokels. The ongoing collection of skits have the loud personalities crashing debutante balls, Christian health clinics, women’s club meetings, union dinners, political rallies, and the like.
LESSON #5: THE BOND OF FATHER-DAUGHTER HEART-- This wondrous jaunt becomes a miniature women’s liberation explosion for the ethnic SJP. It is also an overdue maturation for Borat. Still far short of older and wiser, he indeed is a dad who comes to care for his daughter more as a person than an antiquated dowry or hindrance. That’s a tough sell for a Borat movie but it plays with a fair bit of spirit.
Circle back to chuckles and cringes. Not unlike the impending punishment coming to the main character, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm lives and dies by the sizes of its lies. Some of these encounters, more the smaller jabs than the bigger haymakers, are genuinely clever with the tongue-in-cheek potential to leave you in stitches. Too many of them, however, get too convoluted and feel as flimsy as the patchwork quilts of cocktail napkins the ideas likely came from. Either way, you still marvel at the deviant length Cohen will go prey on the gullible and make a joke. In the end, it’s all about brandishing the deplorable impurity found in the non-actor public on camera that live among us all. They earn plenty of the humiliation coming to them.
As busy I get from time to time, I find that I can't see every movie under the sun, leaving my friends and colleagues to fill in the blanks for me. As poetically as I think I wax about movies on this website as a wannabe critic, there are other experts out there. Sometimes, it inspires me to see the movie too and get back to being my circle's go-to movie guy. Sometimes, they save me $9 and you 800+ words of blathering. In a new review series, I'm opening my site to friend submissions for guest movie reviews.
TODAY’S CRITIC: Lafronda Stumn
Lafronda Stumn is a student at Madisonville Community College and intends to graduate with an Associate's degree in Associate of the Arts. She plans on earning a Bachelors Degree in Motion Picture Studies and English at Wright State University. Her favorite Directors are Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and Spike Lee, and her favorite actors are Al Pacino, Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep, and Halle Berry. Lafronda contacted this page looking for a place to get published and I enjoy giving people that very kind of opportunity. This is her, coincidentally, eighth guest review for Every Movie Has a Lesson. Welcome back, Lafronda!
HER REVIEW: Eighth Grade
Being the shy, silent type is what some kids are because they are self-conscious, may have a stutter, was bullied in the past, are several reasons for being to themselves. There is a character of Kayla Day (Elsie Fisher) is that type of child. She is a middle schooler who is 13 years old. Kayla is having her last week of middle school before being sent to high school in the fall. She lives with her father Mark (Josh Hamilton) where her mother is never seen or mentioned.
Kayla makes YouTube videos and advises on the struggles of being a teenager. Early in the film, she has no friends and justifies not having friends because she doesn’t like to talk. In truth, the girl is anxious and very shy. Kayla get panic attacks when she gets into a social situations. She had a crush on a boy named Aiden (Luke Prael) from afar and tries to find ways for him to like her. It turns out that Aiden likes to take selfies of his classmates and wants to perform some sexual acts.
Kayla is invited to a classmate’s birthday. The girl named Kennedy ignores Kayla and doesn’t want her there. Nonetheless, Kayla tries to have a good time at the pool birthday party. While in the swimming pool, she meets Kennedy's cousin Gabe. They get along great but back at home Kayla is thinking about Aiden and tries to use a banana to simulate a sex act.
Later in the film, Kayla goes to the high school she will be attending in the fall and meets Olivia (Emily Robinson), a senior. They hit it off, and Olivia invites her to spend the day at the mall with her friends. She does spend the day and has a good time. However, later on in the film. Kayla gets involved in a "situation" with one of Olivia's friends. The incident is a turning point in Kayla's personality which leads to decisions that will alter her future with herself as a teenager moving forward.
Several scenes that seem authentic are when Kayla gives Kennedy a birthday gift at the birthday party. Kennedy’s reaction is something that Kayla doesn’t expect. Another location is when Kayla tries to perform a sex act on a banana, and her father questioning what she's doing with it.
There's a school shooting drill in the school hallway, and Kayla gazes at Aiden from afar. Likewise, when one of the older high school kids she’s with at the mall sees someone watching them from above it gets a reaction from Kayla. There is also a heartwarming scene between Kayla and her father Mark with Kayla talking about being a mom when she's older.
The script does a great job describing kids communicating at that age with all the little quirks and insecurities of fitting in a world that, according to Kayla, can be intimidating to her. Elsie Fisher is perfect as Kayla. She seems very down to earth and is comfortable playing a role that a lot of teenage girls can relate to. You emphasize her plight and root for her to become more of a social butterfly and gain more confidence with kids around her age and older. Josh Hamilton is likable and wants her daughter to trust more people and have a few friends. Emily Robinson is just right as the more senior student who sees Kayla as fun to be with and sees Kayla is older in demeanor than her grade suggests.
The one thing that is missing in this film is the mother figure. There is no mention of her. We don’t know if she died or ran away from the family. I would’ve liked a scene Kayla talked about her mother to her dad about their lack of a relationship. I believe those scenes are needed, and I think the writer/director Bo Burnham should added at least one angle about the mother's lack of presence.
Overall, the film does a great job dealing with the angst of teenage life and the trials and tribulations of coming to terms with being different and the possibility of small changes here and there are at the heart of the movie.
Rating: ***1/2 out of four
CONCLUSION
Thank you again, Lafronda! You are welcome anytime. Friends, if you see a movie that I don't see and want to be featured on my website, hit up my website's Facebook page and you can be my next GUEST CRITIC!
If you're an avid movie-goer, you don't go to see action flicks expecting your worldviews to be changed in their foundations. Action movies are there to give us an hour or two of a good time, to get our blood racing, and to make us talk to about them a couple of days. However, apart from a select number of titles, not many action movies end up being evergreen and worthy of numerous rewatches. With that being said, Gemini Man is a pleasant watch if you go to see it for what it is: a thrilling and captivating action film that offers a bit more than you're used to with these types of media, but not enough for your jaw to drop on the floor.
Just like with JerkDolls porn games, it's all about first impressions that will decide whether you'll go on with enthusiasm or give up and look for something different. With Gemini Man, the first impression was that it stars Will Smith in not one but two main roles. The title of the movie is pretty much spoiling it and, even if you haven't watched the trailer, you'll quickly figure out that the main character is set up against a younger, cloned version of himself. The good thing about it is that we get to see an amazing actor in two different editions knocking it out of the park. After all, it's rarely a dull moment when Will Smith gets to do anything in front of the camera.
On the other hand, there are a couple of issues regarding the same thing. For starters, we live in an era when trailers are used to get the majority of people to watch a movie. And with Gemini Man, the trailers immediately spoiled the big reveal about a "young Will Smith" that actually happened way later in the movie. There was no excitement whatsoever seeing the characters figuring things out that we knew from the very beginning. Then, there's the question of CGI. Something simply seemed off in plenty of scenes where we got to see the clone of the main character. The uncanny valley effect was too strong, which was particularly odd considering the technology exists and making a character appear younger, if not completely CGI, should not be a problem. There are interactive sex games that had a better and more realistic approach to animation.
In the end, Gemini Man is an entertaining movie. It grabs you from the start and doesn't let go. Action sequences are fast-paced and borderline unrealistic, yet there's not a ton of shaky cam, you can feel the weight of every punch, and the gunplay is more than satisfying. The movie playfully jumps between being a spy-like thriller to John Wick-esque shooting and you definitely won't find yourself staring at the clock, waiting for everything to end. And, who knows, maybe down the line someone discovers a deeper meaning to it and we get to watch again.
For years, magnificent movie speeches stand-and-delivered by top actors have been making their way from the movie screen right to the hearts of the viewers, inspiring people for real changes, accomplishments, and acts of bravery. Indeed, they have gained a legacy status and have been carved in human minds for many years to come. Many movie speeches are worth mentioning, but these five are the most memorable and affecting ones.
Charlie Chaplin in The Great Dictator
Charlie Chaplin is famous for his comedy roles in silent movies. However, the only nomination for acting that he received from the Academy Awards was for his role as the Jewish barber pretending to be the dictator Hynkel. The movie was devised as a satire of the fascist German leader. And by the toothbrush mustache, it is hard to leave unnoticed the staggering resemblance of Chaplin’s character with Hitler. Charlie Chaplin himself, however, admitted that he would have never been able to make the comedy movie if he had known about the atrocities committed by Nazi Germany.
His comedy talent inspired many. However, the most touching and valuable moment of the film is the final speech given by the imposter Hynkel. With the voice and the tone of a true dictator, he judges dictatorship and extols human rights and freedoms.
“More than machinery, we need humanity”, claims he. Eighty years ago the humankind saw the movie for the first time; however, it didn’t lose its relevance even a little.
Mel Gibson in Braveheart
Presently, the fate of Scotland may have been decided by a country-wide referendum. However, the Scots of the 13th century addressed the issues with swords, spears, kilts, and, most probably, with incredibly powerful speeches. Like Mel Gibbson aka William Wallace did in the movie version of the Battle of Stirling Bridge.
In the face of the enemy English army, better equipped and outweighing in numbers, even the old-timer Scots are ready to flee. Until the character of Mel Gibson shows up.
With a bit of sarcasm, he debunks the stories that “he kills men by the hundreds” and can defeat the Englishmen “with fireballs from his eyes”.
It takes a lot of talent to be able to inspire the whole army by mocking himself, and Mel Gibson’s Wallace has a knack for it. However, it’s his call to fight for their freedom is what drives men into battle.
Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting
You will hardly find anyone who didn’t shed a tear when Sean Maguire (by Robin Williams) after telling Will Hunting (performed by Matt Damon) “It’s not your fault” over and over again, eventually broke the guards of a badass Will and made him cry on the therapist’s shoulder.
During the whole movie, the viewer is forced to sympathize with the characters and live through their complicated situations and psychological problems, as well as to see them win and grow. Every word of the movie is powerful. However, if we were to choose the most impactful speech of the film, it would be Robin Williams’s dialogue at the swan lake. Speaking about love for his long-gone wife, who was his best friend, his angel, “who could rescue him from the depths of hell” he makes his point that Will knows nothing about love or loss because he never experienced anything like this. “I can’t learn from you anything I can’t read from the book unless you want to talk about who you are”, says he. These words made a start for a strong friendship and helped Will to open his heart.
What did it mean for the rest of us? Don’t judge the book by its cover is the first thing that comes to our minds. After all, humans are far more complicated creatures than we often think.
Russel Crowe in Gladiator
Awe-inspiring Enya’s music, fantastic costumes, and the surroundings of the ancient Roman Empire. Who doesn’t like the movie Gladiator has simply never watched it.
Impossible to forget this epic scene “My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the armies of the north, general of Felix Legions….” (Maybe, even Daenerys Targaryen herself stole this perk from Russel Crowe.) Bold and confident, he reveals his true identity before his worst enemy, the man he hates and despises the most, throwing himself at the public’s mercy. Yes, for 20 years this speech has been moving hearts of the fans all over the world.
However, it’s his words “If we stay together, we survive” before the first battle as a team that made the biggest impact. With this concise speech, he managed to raise the morale of his peers and lift himself to the role of their leader, without even intending to do so. And the words are forever carved in our minds – we are strong when we are united.
Brad Pitt in Fight Club
Even if you’ve never watched Fight Club you, probably, know the quote “We work at the jobs we hate so we can buy things we don’t need”. Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) wasn’t that polite though. Speaking in front of misfits, he brings up a complex problem of the present time. The world forces people to fit in the commonly accepted picture and disregard their desires and personal happiness. Blend in and become part of the masses. Don’t think differently. Just buy junk.
Confident and sincere, he turns a bunch of losers into a huge organization that managed to bring the whole credit system down. Isn’t it the power of the word?
“I wish I was that eloquent and persuasive like Tyler Durden. I wouldn’t have to ask someone to write my speech for me. You know, I am speaking about my minimalistic life tomorrow. The movie largely defined my choice,” shared with us Alexander Bauman, a former lawyer and now a nomad graphic designer.
Well, Tyler, could be proud of himself, couldn’t he?
17 Best Relationship Lessons We Learned From Retro Movies
by Bethany Langston
Sitting on the couch covered with a favorite blanket on a cozy evening, most people usually wonder which film to choose for the current mood. And, in case if you are tired of the modern fantasy, sci-fi, and horror genres, you should try to fall back on retro movies. Nowadays due to the changes in personal preferences, people have become more and more interested in old-fashioned films. In those good classic stories with a vintage atmosphere, each person often notes for herself some piece of inspiration, the basis for inheritance, and even the solution to the challenges they have already encountered.
The point of view mentioned above is also shown in the column “Student Opinion” of the New York Times article by Tucker G. Oakley: “Naturally, I depict what lessons and meanings are hidden in movies about love, freedom, friendship, responsibility, and chaos… Some of the best lessons I've learned from movies come from lesser-known movies or secretly popular. I've learned that love can come right from behind you by staying true to yourself, whether a lovely girl or a hunched zombie from Warm Bodies and Sixteen Candles. I've seen that friendship lasts from the highs and lows, even if you are a lobby-boy in a deathly chase for a dead woman's will for The Grand Budapest Hotel.”
Every film can provide us with some food for thoughts, especially those classic films with a simple plot and a natural range of emotions. Owing to the film plot, which represents any aspect of the relationship between people, we might not only get invaluable experience of acting in a certain situation but also collect plenty of powerful life lessons. So, let’s discover what are those relationship lessons we learned through watching old-fashioned films of the last century.
The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
Lesson #1: Sometimes It Is Hard To Overcome All the Challenges of Life, but It Is Worth Fighting While Having the Right Person by Your Side
William Wyler’s World War II film has become the gold standard for films about soldiers who return home from the front and face the difficulties in their everyday life. The film even co-stars real war vet Harold Russell, who lost his hands, and won an Honorary Oscar for his performance.
Lesson #2: While Chasing the Ideal Love, Do Not Miss the True One
Lesson #3: There Is Always a Little Hope To Make the Relationship for the Better
There is always a little hope to make the relationship for the better. For most of us, it is vitally important to love and to be loved. That is why we are trying to find the best soul mate to reach that so-called happily-ever-after dream. By showing her way of life, Scarlett gives us the best advice - to cherish true love, do all your best not to lose it. That’s the only way for true love which will last forever.
Lesson #4: Be Faithful Unto Death To Those, Who You Love
Lesson #5: Take Care of Each Other Despite Everything
That’s all about the film Leon (1994). Scared after the murder of her family, Mathilda, a 12-year-old girl, is reluctantly taken in by Léon, a professional assassin. Léon and Mathilda form an unusual relationship, as she becomes his protégée and learns the hitman's trade. Instead, the girl runs his errands, cleans his apartment, and also teaches “the cleaner” how to read.
Lesson #6: The Best Romantic Gestures Are Unexpected
After being dumped by the love of his life, John Cusack’s Llyod is a heartbroken man, but despite that, he isn’t going to give up that easily. Instead, the man does all he can to win her back, equipped with only his determination… and a boom box.
You know, the modern illustration of standing outside your beloved's house holding up an iPhone doesn’t have quite the same gravitas, but the message remains the same. Being romantic in an unexpected way is the best way to keep the love inside your heart.
Lesson #7: Do Not Judge Someone Before You Know Them
Lesson #8: Spend a Little More Time Trying To Do Something With Yourself and a Little Less Time Trying To Impress People
Now it is clear as a day, that none of us is perfect, we oughtn’t to reckon people due to their appearance, special traits of character and temperament, needs and interests. But in the Breakfast Club movie filmed in 1985, that was an important message for society. The key idea of the plot is described with the main characters at the beginning and end of the film: “You see us as you want to see us... In the simplest terms and the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain... ...and an athlete... ...and a basket case... ...a princess... ...and a criminal.”
Lesson #10: There Are Many Difficulties in a Couple’s Relationship, but Only the Efforts of Both Lovers Will Make Sense
A favorite of dorm-room posters and Halloween costumes, Blake Edwards’s comedy about girl-about-town Holly Golightly helped turn Audrey Hepburn into a fashion icon, thanks to her long black gown, elegant up-do, and signature black sunglasses. Holly was to choose between love and money. Watch the story till the end to find out what’s her choice!
Lesson #11: Keep Your Friends Close and Your Enemies Closer
The early life and career of Vito Corleone in 1920s New York City is portrayed, while his son, Michael, expands and tightens his grip on the family crime syndicate. These film series have a deep philosophy of human life, so that’s a must seen in your list!
Lesson #12: If You Do Love Someone, You Will Forgive That Person for Everything, Even the Murder
Lesson #13: Trust Your Heart, It Knows What’s Better
This musical about New York City gangs was directed by choreographer Jerome Robbins and describes a modernized love story of Romeo and Juliet. Despite the tragic ending, the film represents the deep and true feelings of two, who fight to the end for their happiness.
Lesson #14: Family Is One of Those Precious Things, Which Oughtn’t To Be Neglected
Lesson #15: You Never Get Far on Your Own
An eight-year-old troublemaker must protect his house from a pair of burglars when he is accidentally left home alone by his family during Christmas vacation. To tell you the truth, the story describes the typical issues of the family relationships, where the art to listen and to be heard is the basis of a strong and happy family.
Lesson #17: Live the Moment With Those You Want To Spend Your Life With
A bored and sheltered princess escapes her guardians and falls in love with an American newsman in Rome. Such an ordinary meeting transforms into a fairy story of love, it definitely won’t leave you indifferent.
All in all, though each film has its message for the audience, those retro and old-fashioned films, due to their unique atmosphere and exciting plot, are used not only for the entertainment but also provide us with a piece of profound wisdom through characters’ actions, their mindsets and thoughts. It is extremely important for the person to learn something from other people’s lives as well as develop her frame of mind. That is why the very first ideas developed in the retro movies couldn’t have been more relevant for easy spreading all the wisdom they have.
Are you inspired by watching some of the mentioned in this list? Come on, let’s watch a masterpiece of a film together.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bethany Langston is a blogger, a journalist at 99brides.com, and just an ambitious writer. She always enjoyed covering numerous topics from politics to relationships, so she decided to make writing her career.
Director: Chloé Zhao Starring: Frances McDormand, David Strathairn Released: BFI London Film Festival Nomadland, Chloe Zhao’s achingly beautiful dedication to the wanderers, muses on grief, resilience and the meaning of life; while giving Frances McDormand yet another chance to showcase her strengths as one of the greatest performers of her generation. Fern isn’t homeless, she’s […]
Director: Benjamin Ree Released: BFI London Film Festival With a story that seems cut straight from one of Hollywood’s finest fictions and an underlying honesty and humility that can only come from real life, Benjamin Ree’s LFF Best Documentary award-winning The Painter and the Thief is an often quite extraordinary documentary feature. In April 2015, […]
Director: SteveMcQueen Starring: Amarah-Jae St Aubyn, Michael Ward, Shaniqua Okwok, Kedar Williams-Stirling Released: BFI London Film Festival Steve McQueen, director of 12 Years a Slave and Widows, certainly seems to have struck gold again with Lovers Rock which is an infectious, love letter to that musical genre and 1980s Ladbroke Grove. It is another standout film […]
Director: Francis Lee Starring: Kate Winslet, Saoirse Ronan, Gemma Jones, James McArdle Released: BFI London Film Festival Attempting to challenge the rigid system of a patriarchal society, where the perception of women is frightfully reductive. You can only imagine it leaving you world-weary, as you fend for yourself to unearth the hidden talent that lurks […]
Director: Thomas Vinterberg Starring: Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Magnus Millang, Lars Ranthe Released: BFI London Film Festival Thomas Vinterberg found great success when he worked with Mads Mikkelsen with The Hunt in 2012. Applauded by many and unforgettable but Vinterberg hasn’t hit a high note for quite some time. Another Round is a Cannes […]
Director: Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart Released: BFI London Film Festival Seemingly from out of nowhere, Wolfwalkers has emerged as a serious contender for 2020’s film of the year. I say seemingly out of nowhere, but when the folks over at Cartoon Saloon (Song of the Sea, Secret of Kells, The Breadwinner) are the masterminds behind […]
Director: Ben Sharrock Starring: Amir El-Masry, Vikash Bhai, Sidse Babett Knudsen Released: BFI London Film Festival Screened as part of the ‘Journey’ strand at the BFI London Film Festival, Limbo follows a group of refugees awaiting British asylum on a ragged, weather-beaten Scottish Island in the Hebrides. Scottish filmmaker Ben Sharrock wrote and directed the […]
Director: Christian Petzold Starring: Paula Beer, Franz Rogowski, Maryam Zaree Released: BFI London Film Festival For the better half of the century, the work of Christian Petzold has emerged as somewhat of a phenomenon overseas. His quiet, soulful stories found their niche among the varied market of European cinema, contrasting understated romance and vibrant humanity […]
Director: Aleem Khan Starring: Joanna Scanlan, Nathalie Richard, Talid Ariss Released: BFI London Film Festival A film starring Joanna Scanlan is always worth watching as it will usually contain a powerful performance that will render its audience speechless. The emotional After Love did not disappoint on this basis and features Scanlan, of Notes on a […]
Directors: Lena Dunham, Tinge Krishnan, Ed Lilly Released: BFI London Film Festival ‘Greed is Good’ were the words immortalised from the iconic 1980s film Wall Street, starring Michael Douglas, and this new series Industry captures this essence perfectly with its exciting tales of the outrageous antics of graduate investment bankers vying for a permanent role. […]
Starring Kate Winslet and Saorise Ronan and directed by Francis Lee (God’s Own Country) the latest trailer for Ammonite has been released. Check it out now and let us know what you think @MovieMarker on Twitter In the 1840s, acclaimed self-taught palaeontologist Mary Anning works alone on the wild and brutal Southern English coastline of […]
Directed: Spike Lee Released: BFI London Film Festival A silver-haired musical supremo clutching a model of the human brain waxing lyrical about the multitude of neural connections a baby has, with an adult’s slowly dwindling as the precious years pass by, doesn’t immediately scream a killer opening salvo for a stage show. But at the […]
Director: Pedro Almodóvar Starring: Tilda Swinton Released: BFI London Film Festival The carnival of colour that assails your eyes from the opening shot of this 30-minute offering from Spanish maestro Pedro Almodóvar is in sharp contrast to the subject matter of the film. Bold, striking, luminous colours – from Tilda Swinton’s elegantly tailored outfits to […]
Director: Tsai Ming-liang Starring: Lee Kang-Sheng, Anong Houngheuangsy Released: BFI London Film Festival Tsai Ming-liang is an auteur that needs no introduction but today is an exception. The Taiwanese director has captivated and inspired the art house scene for a few decades. His films include Goodbye Dragon Inn, Rebel of a Neon God and a […]
Anyone who loves cinema knows that magic moment; the lights go down, the message from the British board of film censors tells you the name of the film and how old you need to be to see it. The theme of one of the big Hollywood studios, sounding like it should be the national anthem […]
The expression “hard act to follow” rings like a peal of bells both centrally and superficially when it comes to the new adaptation of Rebecca premiering on Netflix. Boy, that’s the movie and its new bride protagonist to a T. Matching the saying’s highest definition and less the vaudevillian one, Ben Wheatley’s film has to follow “something so exemplary that it overshadows anything that follows.” Even after 80 years, how does one follow the success and legacy of Alfred Hitchcock’s only Best Picture-winning film? The answer is easy. You can’t and you don’t. You stick to the source material and make your film your way.
With his own edgy flourishes, Wheatley has done that with Daphne du Maurier’s scandalous 1938 novel. He and his film cannot match the signature black-and-white gothic atmosphere that makes the 1940 version a revered classic. All the High-Rise and Free Fire filmmaker could do was gather his own paintbrushes. Free from the Hays Code that squelched Hitch, there was ripe room to expand stagey boundaries. This Rebecca, even with all the idiomatic bell ringing, colors an engrossing mood all its own that is more than suitable to recognize and appreciate.
For those new to the intrigue of du Maurier, the Rebecca narrative is all about the next lover of a tough act to follow. A blond young woman (the enchanting Cinderella herself Lily James) is traveling on holiday as a lowly ward and lady’s companion to the haughty Mrs. Van Hopper (the stellar Ann Dowd) in lavish 1930s Monte Carlo. Her hotel sewing circle is a-buzz with the presence of the well-to-do Maxim de Winter (Armie Hammer, proving impossible handsomeness can cover terrible accent work). The spruce man of generational wealth has been widowed by the death of his first wife. Society gossip and hearsay fill in the background of the mournful circumstances he refuses to speak of.
Our young lady is someone so undistinguished and infinitesimal that she, matching the narrated book, does not have a character name until she becomes the second Mrs. de Winter a half-hour into the film. Their whirlwind courtship rescues the commoner from Mrs. Van Hopper and changes her stars into a woman of title and potential power. Soaring to be more than a temporary squeeze, she is the devoted ray of sunshine that longs to recede his grief and distrust.
LESSON #1: GET TO KNOW SOMEONE BEFORE YOU MARRY THEM-- Let’s hold up for a second to present the stone-cold obvious. Head over heels or not, do not marry a man after a week-long vacation tryst. Sure, he may have money and means and look like Armie Hammer, but Maxim de Winter is little more than the Brazilian helicopter pilot fantasy from Inside Out. That amount of shared time not an audition for married life and its responsibilities. Even The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and most of the other cockamamie marriage reality shows stretch things out longer than two handfuls of days. Shit, girl, get to know someone and have some red flags checked.
LESSON #2: GHOSTS ARE COMPRISED OF MORE THAN PEOPLE-- Jokes aside, everywhere the new Mrs. de Winter ventures and in every emotion she attempts to sway, the spectre of Maxim’s titular first wife is inescapable. The loneliness is ominously strong. When Maxim brings his bride home to his vast coastal Manderlay estate, she is confronted with Rebecca’s lasting imprint. Oft-spoken comments of her gorgeous existence from everyone who knew her and her remaining monogrammed belongings all over the mansion, right down to strands of her striking brunette hair, linger and beleaguer the newlyweds. Even when a person is dead and gone, cherished objects and unshakable memories can often haunt better than spirits wearing sheets walking corridors and catwalks.
The topmost curator of that prim and proper torment is the head housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers, played with dry astuteness by Kristin Scott Thomas. Even while occupying what is supposed to be a subordinate position to the lady of the house, her stature and high standards feel insurmountable to Mrs. de Winter. Every facial tick and manicured oral reply from the former Oscar nominee spin duplicitously like her thaumatrope toy between grimaced pleasantry and stern intimidation. It’s a brilliant and award-worthy performance from Thomas.
LESSON #3: SABOTAGING HAPPINESS-- Just when Mrs. de Winter gets close to making a breakthrough, old secrets morph into unresolved jealousy. All Mrs. de Winter longs for is Maxim’s love. She has chosen the side to stand by her man, even if he’s unreachable. Her efforts are being undermined constantly by Mrs. Danvers with terse damnations like “you’re not her” and “he can’t love you.” Breaking points and shocking truths threaten to ruin hearts and psyches even more.
Where Ben Wheatley distills Daphne du Maurier’s preeminent gothic themes is with beguilement through beautification. Costume designer Julian Day, pivoting from recent successes on Rocketman and Bohemian Rhapsody, drapes all with period finery. The moment he puts Hammer’s 6’5” tall-drink-of-water frame into that mustard suit, any telegraphed doom and gloom disappears. James is a picturesque belle as well. The same can be said of the impeccable production design by regular Joe Wright collaborator Sarah Greenwood using the Cranborne Manor in Dorset and the rugged Hartland Quay coastline to fill internal and external vistas soaked up by cinematographer Laurie Rose’s lenses and filters.
All of that purposeful elegant production value for Rebecca attempts to create a steeper contrast with the underlying wicked elements that darken the true core. The width is there with a screenplay that extends and brightens the initial passion of the first act and amps up the criminal twists of the final one. Unfortunately, what is richly hidden is not quite intense enough to race those blood vessels when necessary.
Rebecca tries unsuccessfully at times to sip a little bit of that poisonous mother! Lite brew mixed into Clint Mansell’s inconsistent musical score. Vibrant color doesn’t match a traditional gothic atmosphere, but it doesn’t lessen the aura entirely. It merely paints a new one that is harder to smear than one that is monochromatic. This might be a place, however, where one roots for more spoiling dirt to madden that potential messiness.
