Rashomon (1950) - M9.7/E7

I'm sure I had read the name of this movie before, with it being part of the Criterion Collection, on the IMDb top 250, and other top movie lists, but for some reason it seems the first time I had paid any attention to it was when it showed up on my Leonard Maltin day-to-day calendar sometime this past year. My brother-in-law mentioned he had seen it and enjoyed it, so I put it on reserve at the library. After sitting by the TV for almost 6 weeks, we finally sat down to watch Rashomon so that we could turn it back in without being fined. I'm glad we did.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was the first Asian foreign film I had seen and loved it along with Hero, Curse of the Golden Flower, and others. This film will be added to that list of enjoyed movies. While a simple storyline (basically an event and then witnesses reporting what was seen), the way that the story unfolds from the various witnesses is very thought provoking. In addition to a good story, the filming was very impressive (even to someone who doesn't know a whole lot about filming)! It was helpful to watch an intro to the film after having watched it, where the speaker talks about the talent of Kurosawa's filming direction.

I was particularly moved by one of the end scenes where the woodcutter and commoner are arguing over stealing from a baby that has oddly appeared out of nowhere. The woodcutter reprimands the commoner for taking the amulet and kimono from the baby, but is in turn chastised for stealing the dagger from the scene of the crime that he was a witness for, "a bandit calling another a bandit." It's very enlightening to realize that many times what we despise in others is nothing more than traits we have ourselves and resent ourselves for having.

This scene brings up another interesting question with regards to when stealing might be considered OK. It might be considered OK (though not lawful) to steal when your family is starving and you find a valuable dagger to sell to obtain food. The thief should not be excused from the demands of the law, justice must be satisfied (to keep order in society). Stealing from a baby, just because it won’t miss what is taken or know any better, is wrong if it’s only for greed. There are a million different circumstances where this logic is probably flawed or doesn’t work. Laws exist to protect society, and imperfect as they maybe, there may be appropriate times to break the law, so long as you are not putting your soul in danger. This is far from a lesson in ethics, any additional discussion is welcome in the comments.

Wikipedia does a decent job summarizing the last scene of the movie that was equally poignant and more hopeful:

"These deceptions and lies shake the priest's faith in humanity. He is brought back to his senses when the woodcutter reaches for the baby in the priest's arms. The priest is suspicious at first, but the woodcutter explains that he intends to take care of the baby along with his own children, of whom he already has six. This simple revelation recasts the woodcutter's story and the subsequent theft of the dagger in a new light. The priest gives the baby to the woodcutter, saying that the woodcutter has given him reason to continue having hope in humanity. The film closes on the woodcutter, walking home with the baby. The rain has stopped and the clouds have opened revealing the sun in contrast to the beginning where it was overcast."

If you're not biased against black and white films or films that have subtitles (unless you speak Japanese), this is a good movie to watch if you're not in the mood to be solely entertained.

The Beaver (2011) - M4.6/E4

This seemed like it would be a movie with a positive message to it. The previews made it seem like there was a husband/father who had fallen out of step with his family who went to drastic/silly means to bridge the barrier that was created. I like feel-good movies that promote the importance of family. This was not a feel good movie and was not a strong proponent of positive family life.

Walter is a depressed individual who is basically asleep for 2+ years, becoming a horrible burden on his family and company that he runs. He hits rock bottom and through several attempts on his own life a part of his inner being (that really wants to change) makes itself manifest through a hand puppet Walter places on his hand in a drunken stupor. Remarkably this puppet (a beaver) allows him to break the psychological barrier between his depressed self and the part of him that really wants to change. As Walter seems to improve, we see him struggle most with his family. A puppet can be something that can be lived with/accepted more easily in the workplace where emotional intimacy isn’t needed, but at home, children need a father and a wife needs a husband. Walter shouldn't have expected to be able to hide behind his hand puppet for as long as he did.

This struggle in the family made perfect sense to me. Walter was broken and was in the process of fixing himself. While his family situation wasn’t the greatest, they needed to support him in his quest to repair himself and get out of the rut he’d been stuck in for such a long time. While most of the family members tried to exhibit patience, we see that Walter’s improvement becomes more about himself than about being the father and husband he should be (evident when the Beaver seems to be in control).

I loved the underlying story between Porter and Norah. This was perhaps the one redeeming part of the story that didn’t leave us depressed. Porter helps the seemingly perfect Norah (cheerleader, valedictorian, etc.) come to the realization that we shouldn’t hide from the truth. As part of the graduation speech Porter inspired Norah to write, she says,

“I'm not okay, not at all, the truth is, I'm missing something. The thing I loved the most, the face I wish were in the front row right now, the brother I'll never get back. So what do I do with that? What do any of us do? Besides lie. This is what I believe, right now, in this auditorium, there is someone who is with you, someone who is willing to pick you up, dust you off, kiss you, forgive you, put up with you, wait for you, carry you, love you. So while everything may not be okay, one thing I know is true, you do not have to be alone.”

In the last few minutes we do see Walter get his family back. His estranged son accepts him, and life is happy, but this is only in the last few minutes of the movie. The underlying symbol of a roller coaster suggests that life is full of ups and downs, and while we may not know how long the downs will last, better times are bound to occur. We had to wade through close to 85 minutes of oppressive turmoil to get to this semi-inspirational message, and it wasn’t worth the wait.

The Challenge of Art

I came across a great article that falls right in line with our purpose of seeking out good art.  The whole article is worth your attention, here's a small excerpt:

"The challenge of art is beauty. And the challenge of beauty is truth. Truth is challenging. But it is also inviting. It is also glorious and liberating. Truth is wondrous, not scandalous....

Doubt (2008)

Entertainment Rating: A

This was a pretty good movie. One solely based on the performance of the actors, not on any special effects, and the cinematography was well done (though, I don't have the education to elaborate on it).

Moral Rating: 3

The themes in the movie are quite heavy: homosexuality, pedophilia, slander, etc. all of which involve the potential destruction of a man's reputation. Doubt is a theme that runs through the movie from start to finish. You're not really sure who to believe and what is the truth. There are evidences supporting both sides of the story. I couldn’t give a higher moral rating because the truth is so ambiguous.

[Spoiler Alert]

One particular take is that Father Flynn was guilty of inappropriate relations with young boys in the past, but has since confessed, and hopefully changed. Sister Aloysius refuses to let the man put his past behind him and insists on making him feel as if he's doomed forever and that there is no repentance possible, no opportunity for him to change. Sister Aloysius has good grounds to fear for the children of her school, she's not completely capricious in her actions, and ultimately has everyone's best interest at heart (with exception to Father Flynn).

Most people might come away from this show on Sister Aloysius's side - which doesn’t leave you feeling very good knowing that Father Flynn changes schools, gets a promotion, and can continue his lifestyle. I like to think that the synopsis I presented in the preceding paragraph is a good compromise by saying that either person (Aloysius or Flynn) isn't completely right or wrong - which is the type of situation we encounter in real life, things are rarely easily definable as black or white.

I particularly liked the scene with Father Flynn and Sister James sitting outside during winter. Regarding Sister Aloysius's taking advantage of Sister James's naiveté, Father Flynn says,
"There are people who go after your humanity, sister. They tell you that the light in your heart is a weakness. Don't believe it. It's an old tactic of cruel people to kill kindness in the name of virtue. There's nothing wrong with love." (I took this as a comment on Sis. James’s love, but it could be construed that he was talking about his own love for the altar boys.)

Elder Christofferson, an Apostle in the LDS church, related something similar at a conference held a few weeks ago regarding two business partners who were also brothers in the same church. One took financial advantage of the other. The other's family pleaded with the first partner, "You know this is not right. How could you take advantage of someone this way, especially a brother in the same church?" This plea was met with a response by the first partner's lawyer, "Oh, grow up! How can you be so naive?" This condescending epithet of naivete reminded me of the above statement by Father Flynn to Sister James. Sister James did seem a little naive (e.g., her lack of suspicion of her students, being surprised when Sister Aloysius has her place a picture on the chalkboard to keep her eyes on the students), and it seemed that Sister Aloysius used this innocence to pull Sister James over to her side.

What did you think about the show?

State of Play

Synopsis

An old-school newspaper reporter (Russell Crowe) investigates the murder of a young woman who was involved in an affair with a U.S. Senator (Ben Affleck), who is also his friend.

Entertainment Value - B

Like the Informant! I had a hard time getting drawn into this film. Russell Crowe does a good job as a journalist, but he's kind of an unbelievable character in that he's up against all kinds of trained people trying to keep the Senator from falling, and his only weapon he wields is a pen. Maybe this is symbolic because a sub theme of the movie is the difficulty the newspaper industry is having with online news sources, and the juxtaposition of Crowe and these renegades underscores it.

Moral Value - Failure to Communicate? - 3

[Spoiler]

Very similar message as The Informant! A senator's (Ben Affleck) problems start with an extramarital affair, worse things happen, and he can't get out of it. The more the senator tries to cover up what happened the deeper entwined he becomes in his web of deceit.

A lot of ethical issues come up in the newspaper's investigation of the murder and evidence they gain and withhold from the authorities in order to make some big headlines.  Is it OK to skirt the law in this case, to help the truth get out faster?  Or to make sure you get recognized for the reporting of it?

The Informant!

Synopsis

Based on the true story of Mark Whitacre, a bio-engineer who stumbles across an international price-fixing scheme involving the company he works for, ADM. Mark secretly reports this information to the FBI and as time goes on, more crimes than just price-fixing surface.

Entertainment Value - B

Good show. Probably only rated-R to target the appropriate audience. This would be a bore for anyone under the age of 18 (and even a little slow for those older, including myself). The movie reminded of Catch Me If You Can, both told pretty crazy criminal stories about two different individuals and how they flew under the radar for so long. The music and acting were great, but didn't make up for a weak plot.

Moral Value - Failure to Communicate? - 3

The Informant! did a good job of showing the consequences of lying and trying to cover up the lies as they become discovered. If you try to cover things up, things don't get better or disappear. A right action doesn't always make-up for a wrong action, especially if that right action is by no means a restitution of the wrong doing.

Everybody's Fine

Synopsis

Frank Goode (Robert De Niro) has just lost his wife and it seems that the relationships he had with his kids have passed away too. After all his kids cancel their visit home at the last minute, he decides to go out and visit each of them in a series of successive stops on a long road trip. They are very much surprised at his visits, though not terribly happy to see him as they end up trying to cover up anything he would not be proud of and hurry him off to see the next sibling (sometimes not even letting him stay the night). Frank catches on and realizes something needs to change.

Entertainment Value - A

This was a nice easy-going movie, though a real tearjerker at the same time. Being a star-studded film, I didn't expect a whole lot out of this, but ClearPlay convinced me it might be worth checking out, and it was. It came out at Christmas time, but the end scene is the only thing that happens at Christmas (though the beginning might be too, it wasn't very explicit). The way the story was told was pretty cool; it wove in and out of Frank's childrens' past and present depicting them as he sees them (primarily still as kids who need direction and counsel, not necessarily as adults needing a listening ear).

Moral Value - Failure to Communicate? - 4

Great message on family relationships, particularly those between parent and child. Frank is portrayed from the start as being very interested in his family; you can see that he loves them as he prepares for their visit. As the story moves along you find out that Frank made his own reality out of what he wanted his kids to become, and that the kids didn't really see him as someone willing to listen to them. In short, everything isn't fine.

Communication is the central theme of the movie. Frank's profession of installing insulation around power lines, as well as the constant display of telephone wires and the conversations that take place over them are constantly brought up. The effects of poor communication are foreshadowed in the first part of the show when Frank doesn't listen to the Dr.'s advice to stay home but leaves on a cross-country trip anyways, which doesn't turn out to be a walk in the park.

Frank knew he didn't have the most exciting professional life and hoped and "knew" that each of his kids could be whatever they (he) wanted them to be. Because of this attitude, his kids (and wife) only told him what he was willing to listen to (never any bad news, everybody was always fine). The visit he makes to each child is very eye-opening and you learn right along side him how his link to his family is starting to fall apart. The trip turned out to be more for him than for his children, though ultimately it did bring them all together again.

We did watch this on our ClearPlay player, so there may be some strong language, but the PG-13 is also for some stronger thematic elements meant more for adults.

Chicago

Synopsis

Two ladies on death row must compete for the hearts of the corrupt Chicago people in order to gain their freedom.

Entertainment Value - A

Great music that was more than just song and dance, it cleverly moved the story forward. All the performances were well done, the plot was great.

Moral Value - Failure to Communicate? - 4

At first glance I was rather leery of what this movie would portray. I had already walked out of Moulin Rouge, and this didn't seem like it would be terribly different. What changed my mind about seeing this was Orson Scott Card's short reviews of the movie. The reasons for this not getting a higher moral rating from us is that it is not a show for young kids; the themes presented are for a more mature audience. Be aware that there is some language, sexuality, and a lot of revealing clothing presented in the movie (and no ClearPlay filter available at the date of this posting, and I'm not sure how they could create one without mutilating the musical numbers in the film). This content, however, adds to the overall message of the movie; and by the end it is quite clear that this film is a commentary on our social and legal system, not a promotion of murder, sex, and greed.

One of the biggest ironies in the film is seen in the character of Roxie's husband, Amos. He seems to be the only moral character in the film, portrayed as being both an innocent and a faithful husband, but gets trampled on as if honesty is going out of style. In addition to his goodness not being accepted/noticed, he's portrayed as a rather dim-witted person, clueless to how the "real-world" works. This juxtaposition strengthened the satire of the film through the mockery of moral values.

The scene I enjoyed most was the puppeteer number. It displayed how easily the media can be swayed one way or another if the facts are manipulated just right. All of a sudden a criminal becomes a hero because of the background he or she came from (always blaming the current conditions of the person on someone else other than him/herself.)

The movie makes you wonder if truth really matters to some people, or if the world is only always looking for fame and fortune. Nothing in this world comes easy. Those who rely on the world for their emotional support will never be happy. The press loved Velma one day, then Roxie the next, and then someone else, and then back to Roxie, and on and on. The world cannot ever provide the emotional stability needed to live a genuinely happy life, it gives you a false sense of worth and then drops you flat on your face (sounds similar to a scripture in the Book of Mormon.

Does the fact that these two murderesses got off Scott-free make this a less moral movie ("You can like the life you live and live the life you like.")? I don't think so, partially because the way the trial at the end was portrayed (like a circus, with a tap dance able to pull off the unthinkable) I found myself laughing at the absurdness of it all.

All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

This movie could be summed up quite well in one statement: "War is Hell".  I haven't seen too many anti-war films, and though I believe war is necessary in some instances (almost never in provoking, but primarily in defending) this film did a very good job of portraying the terrors of war.  Having never been in the military, I can't imagine how terrifying and desensitizing it can be on the war front, but can relate to the false concepts of power that seem to spread amongst those not directly involved.

The movie is set in Germany during WWI.  When Paul, a young German soldier, is allowed leave to visit his family he visits with his father and some of his father's friends who seem to have the war all worked out to be won by Germany.  They assumed that everyone fighting had a deep passion for the success of Germany and desire to dominate its enemies.  The reality was that a lot of the young kids that got fired up about the war really had no clue what they were fighting for or who they were fighting against and ended up regretting even being there.  They even began to see their enemies as human beings, not just political rivals.

One of the things I gleaned from the film is that we can't afford to be afraid of the truth.  We need to be willing to search out and listen to the whole truth from the mouth of those who have first-hand experience.  For instance, there are positive first-hand stories from the U.S. presence in Iraq and other places in the middle east that the mainstream media tends to ignore and instead panders to the political left by publishing nothing but horror stories of the over seas wars we are waging distorting the truth.

I also appreciated the depiction of the need for God in such dire circumstances.  Faith in God is what can ultimately bring us out of the darkest trenches of our lives and give us hope in Christ and courage to live righteously in this immoral and amoral world.

Friendly Persuasion

Rating: 5

Luke

This is a very nice, easy-going movie. To some it might be a little slow, but I enjoyed the time I was given to enjoy each scene completely without being jerked from one place to the next as some frenzied directors like to do. I felt very good after watching this movie. It provoked a very good conversation between Carr and me as to what truth is and when or whether or not it's relative.

Jess Birdwell and his neighbor, Mr. Jordan, were of different religions that were quite opposite of each other, but both men were able to not let those views get in the way of their friendship. It's often too easy to judge someone based the values we're taught in our own church and look past the simple truth that we are all children of God trying to return back to his presence.

I think Eliza tried too hard to play her role as preacher and had a hard time balancing her authority in the church with that of the home. Jess portrayed a very loving and understanding husband and complemented (not complimented) his wife very well. Jess displayed the best way to use authority: sharp when necessary, but always showing love afterward (this is evidenced in the scene where Jess goes out to check on his son after a battle and confronts a confederate soldier).

The most contemplative question I came out with was, when is killing someone O.K.? Several characters reacted out of anger, others out of fear, others out of love. Josh realized how hard it is to kill another man. Jess went out prepared to fight if he needed to, but if he could avoid it, he did. Jess's mercy on the life of the Confederate soldier who had shot at him was very Christ-like and has inspired me to try to learn to be as merciful.

Carr

Friendly Persuasion was laid-back, easy-going entertainment with a good balance of humor and seriousness. It may have been a little slow, but it was totally clean and really made me re-think some things. So often we have in our minds definite rights and wrongs, yet it made me wonder what really exists as absolute truths. There were simple issues related to the family's particular religion (whether or not to allow an organ into the home) and more complex issues (if and when killing is ok). Each character made different decisions concerning fighting in the war and for different reasons. All instances appeared to work out in their own way with the only negative portrayal being the judgmental hypocrite.

The hypocritical character was firmly anti-war and vowed he wouldn't lift a finger even to protect his own family. The Lord said "Thou shall not kill" and he wouldn't do it. In the end, his farm was burned and his family attacked and he turned angry and vengeful. He went to war for revenge and got upset with others who wouldn't. He was judging others decisions based on his own circumstances and experiences. This was obviously frowned upon and it left a very bad taste in my mouth. Yet, I wondered if his character didn't represent most people, in particular myself. Why do we sometimes stand so firmly on one side of the line? If it's because our own trials and experiences have converted us there then we are honest in that stance. Yet when it's simply because we've never been tried in that area, how firm can we stand in our place when the trial does hit? More importantly, are we too quick to judge the actions of others based solely on our own experiences and understandings?

In stark contrast is the father. His interpretation of the war dilemma is portrayed to be the most correct. He is also honest about his beliefs and even defies his wife's strictness to fulfill his own harmless desires (like wanting an organ in the home). Luckily they are able to peacefully mediate their difference of opinion through love and compromise. I really like when the father says that a person has to do what his conscience is telling him, regardless of whether or not someone else thinks it's wrong. I believe that is the whole message of the movie. Our personal experiences shape our thinking and our beliefs and no one else can tell us what we should do or think because ultimately right and wrong is created in our own mind. Even God has decreed that there are times for war and for killing, He himself giving that command on various occasions. But there is also a time for peace and love. Circumstances and our own feelings determine what we choose, thus no one else can make the choice for us and no one else can accurately judge whether our choice was right or wrong.

Adding God to the equation can make things even more complicated. The mother is actually one of the preachers in their congregation and could be considered a zealot. The conflict that stands most prominently in my mind is when her son felt he needed to fight in the war. The boy's conscience would not let him stand by doing nothing while innocent people were dying. The mother advised him to pray about it, certain about the answer he would receive. She was totally taken by surprise when her son was packed up and off to war the next morning. "You said you'd pray about it" she challenged him, sure he couldn't have prayed or else he wouldn't be going. "I did" was his short reply. By the look on her face you could tell that she had quite the internal conflict. She loved and trusted her son, yet she also knew killing was wrong. How could he be so sure that he was doing the right thing and she was sure it was wrong? Right and wrong are not subjective...or are they? As portrayed in this movie, what is right is entirely dependent on the individual. In reference to Moroni 7, perhaps what leads one person to believe in Christ is not the same for another and thus right and wrong do depend heavily on personal interpretation.

Overall it's a great movie that incites a lot of serious thinking and personal evaluation.