A Dose of Reality, Compliments of Hollywood

I have to be in the mood to watch a movie.  Once this mood hits, I will sit and watch movie after movie until it passes.  I have been lax in my movie watching lately, just not having the concentration to sit down and watch.  Over the weekend, the mood struck, so I rented "The Lovely Bones", "An Education", and "Up In The Air".  All movies that I had wanted to see when they came out, but alas, just wasn't in the mood.  All three movies were excellent.  I pulled for "Precious" to win the Oscar, but only because I had not yet seen "Up In The Air", which was the better movie.  Like most people, I see movies as a form of entertainment.  My opinion of what is entertaining; however, is quite different than most people.

My best friend is an avid movie watcher.  She has seen every movie released in the last decade, with the exception of most of the movies I have seen.  We just don't have the same taste.  I would rather claw my eyes out than see "Have You Heard About the Morgans", my friend would rather drink clorox than see "Precious".  She prefers her entertainment to be uplifting and light.  I find dark and real to be entertaining.  It is a matter of personal drama, she says.  She argues that she has enough personal drama in her life and wants to watch a movie to escape.  I say, you ain't got no personal drama like Precious. 

I feel that taking a glimpse inside dark and gritty reality makes us well rounded individuals.  Hey, it would be great if fat little bluebirds lit on my shoulders as I stroll down Main Street with my cookie cutter handsome fiance, Ryan Reynolds.  But, the harsh (harsher) reality of that is, it ain't gonna happen.  What a letdown.  Life seems so easy for Kate Hudson for two hours, and then the movie is over and guess what...my life still sucks!  Conversely, Jennifer Connelly sure had it rough in "Requiem For A Dream", but after the lights come up, my life is still okay!  Same life, different perspective.

In my day to day life, I rarely encounter drug dealers with hearts of gold.  I have yet to meet a drab sixteen year old girl who gets an updo and a new life that dumps her right on her ass.  I haven't yet crossed paths with an alcoholic on his last bender in Las Vegas.  But, now I don't have to!  I can encounter these characters without investing more than a couple of dollars and a couple of hours.  And, the memory of their plights stays with me, forever.  If someone says, "Harry Goldfarb", I am looking around for the skinny pale dude with nervous tics.  Quick, if I say "Jenny Perotti", who are you looking around to find?  How about "Noah Calhoun"?  Who's Oliver Martin?  WHO CARES?  These characters run together, until finally you can't tell the movies apart.  Something like "Save The Last Song in The Notebook because The Ugly Truth is Complicated without a Back-up Plan"

I wish I could kidnap my friend and force her to watch the following movies:

Precious, Heartburn, Sophie's Choice, The Kite Runner, Apocalypse Now, Leaving Las Vegas, The Reader, Grizzly Man, and Permanent Midnight (Before Ben Stiller sold his sense of humor).

The list could go on, but she has kids and stuff, so she would probably only have time for these.  However, after viewing these, I guarantee that she would go back to her life and see things in a different light.  I didn't just choose sad movies, I chose movies that particularly illustrate that things don't always work out.  One might argue that reality is just that.  True, in reality, things don't always work out but the alternative is usually tolerable.  The plots of these movies not only show that things don't always work out, but also that things can go horribly wrong and the process could suck.  Or not.  As in "Heartburn", there doesn't have to be a warm fuzzy marriage reconciliation at the end for the movie to be satisfying.  And one wouldn't normally think of Nazi Germany and satisfying together, but spending a couple of hours with Sophie and Stingo will make the sun shine brighter, I swear! 

I was disappointed in the Academy for Motion Picture's decision this year to broaden the field to include movies that the masses have seen.  I feel that by including blockbusters, the Academy lowered the standards.  I come off as a huge movie snob here, I realize that.  However, I AM a movie snob.  I will buy generic ketchup and wear Wet-N-Wild eyeliner all day long, but keep Miley Cyrus and Adam Sandler out of my dvd player.  The day I pay $9 to see Jim Carrey in a movie theater is the day I need my ass kicked.  In my opinion, the only reason "Date Night" should be in theaters is so that the morons can gather in there and allow me to enjoy "Casino Jack and The United States of Money" without a bunch of stupid questions.  Providing a movie as a diversion should not be rewarded.  My best friend is not a moron, by any stretch.  She is very smart and extremely creative, both qualities that are wasted on "The Last Song".   She is simply in the wrong line!!! 

So, friend, I'm talking directly to you here.  Remember when I brought "Requiem For a Dream" over and hounded you until you watched it?  'Member????  I wasn't punishing you, dear friend.  I was only trying to expand your repetoire.  You were horrified.  When's the last time you were horrified and then able to pop the dvd out and go on with your now sunny life?  A small dose of seriousness or disturbing never hurt anyone, so get with the program.  Ok Ok, I admit it.  I actually did like "Bridget Jones Diary".  Ok, I loved it.  But girl, you were wrong for "Shallow Hal". 

So, get yourself down to the nearest Redbox and take "Precious" home.  She has a lot to offer you, and you will stop crying...eventually.  I'm saving you a place in line, get over here and leave "Twilight" alone.  Dark can be done sooooo much better.