Last Saturday I went to see the much talked about drama The King's Speech. Today it was nominated for 12 Academy Awards and I must say, I think they are well deserved. I'm not one to get excited about just any historical movie about the House of Windsor, but I found the film to be very entertaining and quite a compelling story. So often we think of the powerful people of history in terms of their strengths, but The King's Speech illustrates the fact that as hard as it is for us to believe, these figures are human.
The best, most surprising thing about the film was how funny it was. We laughed through the whole thing. It also walked that very fine line between sentiment and schmaltz very successfully. Being a long time Colin Firth fan I thought this was a great role for him and was very happy to see him nominated for an Oscar for the performance. Last, but not least, it was great to see Helena Bonham Carter in a role that did not rely heavily on scary makeup (i.e. Fight Club, Planet of the Apes, Harry Potter, Sweeney Todd, Alice in Wonderland...).
Check it out if you haven't already!
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Fanfare: Gwyneth Paltrow
In case you missed her episode of Glee last night, here she is performing Cee Lo's "Forget You" to the New Directions.
I'll definitely be looking forward to seeing her new movie, Country Strong, which comes out in January and in which she sings. Here's to taking risks, and new directions! (pun intended)
The Social Network
Last weekend I went to see the Facebook movie, otherwise known as The Social Network. As I generally do with most overly-hyped movies, I didn't read any reviews first. The combination of Aaron Sorkin's screenwriting and David Fincher's directing was enough to draw my interest.
I am almost exactly the same age as Mark Zuckerberg and remember when Facebook first swept my own college campus. Membership spread like the bubonic plague. There was no trend to rival it and I doubt there will be for generations. The impact of the emergence of Facebook on our generation and now everyone in the world with internet access can hardly be over stated. What began as crazy fun in college has now infiltrated our lives to the point that some companies direct you to facebook.com/companyname instead of their own corporate website, but the profitization and deeper social implications of Facebook should be saved for another post.
One thing I've heard fairly consistently from people around me is "I don't want to watch a movie about a website." The thing is, The Social Network isn't a movie about a website, it's a movie about the formation of a corporation and intellectual property rights, and above all human nature. We already know that Sorkin took plenty of liberties when creating the fictional Mark Zuckerberg and the supporting cast of money/status hungry youth. What's not so important is whether or not the conversations we saw on screen actually happened as portrayed. After all, I doubt most of us speak as cleverly as Sorkin writes. What's important about the movie is the questions it forces us to ask about the role of technology in our lives, the role of venture capital in realizing dreams and loyalty.
The film opens with a less than flattering portrayal of Mark in the midst of a breakup with girlfriend. He is condescending and glib, discussing his desire to gain membership to one of Harvard's eight Final Clubs. What's remarkable about the portrayal of Zuckerberg in this scene is not that he looks like a jerk, after all, don't people generally show the worst sides of themselves during breakups? What's remarkable is the way that he articulates his goals and the reasoning behind them. He wants to be in the Clubs to gain status and because this acceptance will "lead to a better life." Zuckerberg is so analytical about it, almost as if he realizes that it is normal as a human being to want to gain social acceptance and even though he wants to be in the club strictly for status, he should want to be in it for other reasons also.
After being dumped by his girlfriend, we see Zuckerberg spiral into a minor meltdown. Dealing with his emotions the only way he can: on the internet. This is where it becomes clear that it is not ambition that is the driving personality trait in this character, but hubris. Over the following months his interactions with the Winkelvoss twins and Eduardo Saverin lead to the establishment of what was then The Facebook. Saverin is portrayed in a favorable light, which one assumes might have something to do with his willingness to cooperate with the writers of both the book The Accidental Billionaires and the screenplay. He is certainly prominent, but it does not seem to be overkill. I would argue that without Saverin's early infusion of capital, the Facebook may never have come to fruition at all.
This is where one of the great quandaries of entrepreneurship comes in. Who is the rightful inventor of something: the person who has the idea or the one with the wherewithal to realize it? This is where the invention of Facebook gets messy. It is a well-loved American myth to credit a single person with the invention of such a now-established part of life, but it is an undeniable fact that without adequate funding, even the greatest idea can fall by the wayside. Without Eduardo Saverin's early infusion of funding the website may have never gotten off the ground. That said, capital is relatively common when compared to the scarcity of original ideas. Who is to say that if Saverin hadn't backed the site there wouldn't have been another Harvard undergrad with access to funding that would?
Mark Zuckerberg is the youngest billionaire in the world. Regardless of the merits of his invention it is undeniable that Facebook has changed the way we interact with one another and our communities, both tangible and virtual. Sorkin and Fincher have fictionalized this true story into a movie that is smarter than smart and incredibly entertaining. Let the well-deserved Oscar buzz begin!
One thing I've heard fairly consistently from people around me is "I don't want to watch a movie about a website." The thing is, The Social Network isn't a movie about a website, it's a movie about the formation of a corporation and intellectual property rights, and above all human nature. We already know that Sorkin took plenty of liberties when creating the fictional Mark Zuckerberg and the supporting cast of money/status hungry youth. What's not so important is whether or not the conversations we saw on screen actually happened as portrayed. After all, I doubt most of us speak as cleverly as Sorkin writes. What's important about the movie is the questions it forces us to ask about the role of technology in our lives, the role of venture capital in realizing dreams and loyalty.
The film opens with a less than flattering portrayal of Mark in the midst of a breakup with girlfriend. He is condescending and glib, discussing his desire to gain membership to one of Harvard's eight Final Clubs. What's remarkable about the portrayal of Zuckerberg in this scene is not that he looks like a jerk, after all, don't people generally show the worst sides of themselves during breakups? What's remarkable is the way that he articulates his goals and the reasoning behind them. He wants to be in the Clubs to gain status and because this acceptance will "lead to a better life." Zuckerberg is so analytical about it, almost as if he realizes that it is normal as a human being to want to gain social acceptance and even though he wants to be in the club strictly for status, he should want to be in it for other reasons also.
After being dumped by his girlfriend, we see Zuckerberg spiral into a minor meltdown. Dealing with his emotions the only way he can: on the internet. This is where it becomes clear that it is not ambition that is the driving personality trait in this character, but hubris. Over the following months his interactions with the Winkelvoss twins and Eduardo Saverin lead to the establishment of what was then The Facebook. Saverin is portrayed in a favorable light, which one assumes might have something to do with his willingness to cooperate with the writers of both the book The Accidental Billionaires and the screenplay. He is certainly prominent, but it does not seem to be overkill. I would argue that without Saverin's early infusion of capital, the Facebook may never have come to fruition at all.
This is where one of the great quandaries of entrepreneurship comes in. Who is the rightful inventor of something: the person who has the idea or the one with the wherewithal to realize it? This is where the invention of Facebook gets messy. It is a well-loved American myth to credit a single person with the invention of such a now-established part of life, but it is an undeniable fact that without adequate funding, even the greatest idea can fall by the wayside. Without Eduardo Saverin's early infusion of funding the website may have never gotten off the ground. That said, capital is relatively common when compared to the scarcity of original ideas. Who is to say that if Saverin hadn't backed the site there wouldn't have been another Harvard undergrad with access to funding that would?
Mark Zuckerberg is the youngest billionaire in the world. Regardless of the merits of his invention it is undeniable that Facebook has changed the way we interact with one another and our communities, both tangible and virtual. Sorkin and Fincher have fictionalized this true story into a movie that is smarter than smart and incredibly entertaining. Let the well-deserved Oscar buzz begin!
Insomnia and la vie en rose
Last night I found myself tossing and turning, unable to sleep. After a weekend trip to Seattle I was unable to shut my mind off after so much socializing, eating & drinking, and of course hours in the car. My go to for nights like this is generally a glass of water and a predictable, familiar movie. Last night's selection was Sabrina, the 1995 Sydney Pollack remake of the 1954 Audrey Hepburn classic.
The movie's montage of Paris always makes me a little bit heartsick for the summer I spent in France several years ago. As the camera pans cafes with outdoor seating, Notre Dame de Paris and Ile St. Louis, I can almost smell the boulangeries and rich espresso. I think of how nice it would be to just spend time inconspicuously writing with pen and paper while drinking cafe au lait as I did many an afternoon that summer.
In the movie, Sabrina quotes Gertrude Stein, saying "America is my country, Paris is my hometown." Anyone who has ever been fortunate enough to visit and fall in love with the French way of life understands this sentiment perfectly. I never understood before that fateful trip, how you could feel so at home, all by yourself in a foreign country. I'll leave you with a favorite line from Sabrina that I feel adequately sums up the French philosophy on stuff:
On one of the bridges crossing the Seine as the sun set
What helps you sleep well?
The movie's montage of Paris always makes me a little bit heartsick for the summer I spent in France several years ago. As the camera pans cafes with outdoor seating, Notre Dame de Paris and Ile St. Louis, I can almost smell the boulangeries and rich espresso. I think of how nice it would be to just spend time inconspicuously writing with pen and paper while drinking cafe au lait as I did many an afternoon that summer.
In the movie, Sabrina quotes Gertrude Stein, saying "America is my country, Paris is my hometown." Anyone who has ever been fortunate enough to visit and fall in love with the French way of life understands this sentiment perfectly. I never understood before that fateful trip, how you could feel so at home, all by yourself in a foreign country. I'll leave you with a favorite line from Sabrina that I feel adequately sums up the French philosophy on stuff:
"More isn't always better, Linus, sometimes it's just more"
On one of the bridges crossing the Seine as the sun set
What helps you sleep well?
Beverly Cleary
Growing up in Portland, Beverly Cleary's books were required reading. The fictitious world of Ramona Quimby, Beezus, Henry Huggins, Ribsy, and Aunt Bea were a beloved place that happened to exist in my very own hometown. One year in grade school my class took a field trip across town to walk down the real Klickitat Street and other places immortalized in Cleary's series. One day not too long ago I found myself walking down Quimby street in Northwest Portland and thought of the young freckled heroine of those books I hadn't thought of for so long. Until now, Ramona's legacy has been restricted to the original books and a 1988 Canadian mini-series starring a young Sarah Polley which I watched on PBS many, many times. On July 23rd the full-length feature version starring Selena Gomez and Joey King will hit theaters.
Gomez is of Disney fame and I after checking out Joey King's IMDB page I'm fairly certain the only thing I have seen her in is an episode of Entourage where she played "Chuck Liddell's daughter." Ramona's parents are played by Bridget Moynihan and John Corbett (wholesome twist for two actors known for their roles on Sex and the City) and the beloved Aunt Bea and Uncle Hobart are played by Ginnifer Goodwin and Josh Duhamel, respectively. I'm thrilled by the casting of Goodwin as Aunt Bea, who exemplifies the ultimate in idealized role models: the cool aunt.
It's always a risk converting a literary classic into a film. I'll admit I was and to a certain extent still remain highly skeptical that a current children's movie could do justice to the books I loved all those years ago, but after watching the trailer I feel rather optimistic. It was filmed in British Columbia, which is passable as Portland, Oregon and they seem to have captured at least some of the charm of the novel upon which it is based. It's a refreshing departure from the hyper-merchandised, trendy movies that have become the standard in the age of product placement and manufactured stardom. In fact, I believe I didn't see a single product placement in the entire promo. I plan on seeing it upon its release (likely on DVD some months down the road). Check on the trailer for now:
Gomez is of Disney fame and I after checking out Joey King's IMDB page I'm fairly certain the only thing I have seen her in is an episode of Entourage where she played "Chuck Liddell's daughter." Ramona's parents are played by Bridget Moynihan and John Corbett (wholesome twist for two actors known for their roles on Sex and the City) and the beloved Aunt Bea and Uncle Hobart are played by Ginnifer Goodwin and Josh Duhamel, respectively. I'm thrilled by the casting of Goodwin as Aunt Bea, who exemplifies the ultimate in idealized role models: the cool aunt.
It's always a risk converting a literary classic into a film. I'll admit I was and to a certain extent still remain highly skeptical that a current children's movie could do justice to the books I loved all those years ago, but after watching the trailer I feel rather optimistic. It was filmed in British Columbia, which is passable as Portland, Oregon and they seem to have captured at least some of the charm of the novel upon which it is based. It's a refreshing departure from the hyper-merchandised, trendy movies that have become the standard in the age of product placement and manufactured stardom. In fact, I believe I didn't see a single product placement in the entire promo. I plan on seeing it upon its release (likely on DVD some months down the road). Check on the trailer for now:
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