As a disclaimer, it's worth noting that I'm going to be completely honest about my impressions of religion here. I am mostly neutral when it comes to any sort of religious topic or debate but I have strong views when it comes down to particulars so if you are even remotely sensitive about the topic of religion you have been warned, I'm not holding back.
Spoiler Warning: This article contains Spoilers for the movie Se7en and references to non-spoiler themes from the movie Easy A.
I'm fairly open when it comes to religion. Different cultures fascinate me and with just about any widespread or mainstream culture the most defining influence is religion. I was the class geek in Religious Education at school, not because I was ever intent on passing with flying colours but because the ethical and existential opportunities for intelligent and provocative discussion really appealed to me. Other than media studies and perhaps English Literature it was the only subject that didn't involve hard facts, that opened up a thought and invited everybody to dissect until they had found their own preference or, for some people, their own answers.
An example of my open-nature: when I was still living with my family, some Jehova's Witnesses knocked on our door and asked if we were interested in their religion. Initially, I said no and they left at which point my sister expressed some confusion about their practices. As an atheist who is merely curious about religion, I didn't have all the answers, so I decided to take my sister down the street to meet them after they had finished at the next house. We made clear that we weren't looking to convert, but were interested in what being a Jehova's Witness is all about and made casual, interesting conversation for about a half an hour. Every few weeks they would stop by to chat, sometimes about religion, sometimes just to say "Hi" and admirably, never put us under any pressure to consider converting. I have no problem saying that they were remarkably nice people and I have no regrets about the time I spent with them.
Despite all this, I am a very cynical individual who struggles to trust any organisation that is too large. I couldn't tell you how large is too large but let's just sum it up as the Government, the corporate enterprises of Rupert Murdoch and any form of Organised Religion. Naturally, Christianity is the most portrayed religion in contemporary media and I think I need to get this article back on topic so let's dive straight in. I recently caught two films that featured, how can I put this sensitively, Chrisitan enthusiasts of an extreme nature. The first is Se7en: now, it's not much of a spoiler to point out that religion plays heavily in the plot of Se7en and if you don't know how the Seven Deadly Sins feed into Christianity, I recommend you take a gander at Wikipedia for a few minutes. Anybody who has seen Se7en will know that the killer, John Doe, is an obsessive Christian who believes that he is helping the world by making an example of sinners, kind of like a biblical Jigsaw, really. John Doe is a portrait of a man who may be labelled as insane a million times over, but his thought process and awareness of his actions make it clear that this is simply not the case. If murder is a moral imperative then the nature of Doe's crimes make him something worse than evil. He really is something of a monster. We'll come back to him soon.
Easy A makes fun of Christians in a much more light-hearted manner: they're much more in line with the traditional Jesus Freak archetype that most modern day comedies or suburban dramas will make use of, the spin here being that they're teenage Jesus Freaks looking to get rid of a girl they believe to be a harlot. There was one moment in the movie Easy A that caught my attention and that was when a group of these obsessed Christian kids began singing a song about Moses and his oppressed people. I can only assume the point behind this particular...hymn was that the film-makers wanted to suggest an irony behind the notion that these kids are actively attempting to oppress the main character and are mindlessly asinging a song drilled into them by their parents from birth. What stuck in my mind however was the irony that a film actively mocking an entire faith is giving that faith their own argument of oppression. If any Christian was to take offence at the way Easy A caricatures the Organised Religion Christianity they could cite fascism and as I'm sure we know from every religion based war of all time, there's little more dangerous than an angry religion.
Naturally, Se7en walks a similar if not much more dangerous tightrope. Although it doesn't mock religion it certainly raises the point that Doe is using his religion as an excuse for his slaying. Even more disturbing is the concept that Christianity in fact inspired him to kill which is his own argument, that God does not talk to him but nonetheless he is doing God's work.
Referring back to my mistrust of religion, the examples above pretty much encompass everything I've come to loathe about Organised Faith. I'm more than happy to acknowledge that different people believe different things to get through the day but there are certain minorities that stand out and set a bad precedent for the millions of people just getting on with their lives. The overtly vocal, who attempt to force their way of living onto people who are comfortable and well adjusted with something entirely different, whether they are street preachers, snobby elitists or those who will tell you that you're going to burn unless you convert are one of these minorities and characterised in Easy A. The benefit is that these people are at least trying to help you The other minority, is the far more terrifying prospect of an individual looking not to change your life but to end it because you're not worth the air you breathe. Clearly, killing you is not going to help you in any sense and that is not something that these people care about. I'm more than happy to accept that some atheists are just as bigoted as those who subscribe to religious beliefs but I have never heard of an atheist killing a Christian because he is a Christian.
So, if media representations of Christianity can be construed as oppression, why have we not heard more thunder about it? I think that mostly it's because both sides, media and religion, are currently in a place where each is sensible enough to just let it go. The media is diverse enough to have a God channel, and it's only free speech to crack the occasional joke about every faith, Christianity is merely the most accessible in this day and age. And Christianity is, as I have already mentioned, mostly made up of down-to-earth people who simply have different beliefs than atheists. The minorities will still come out in full force whenever they smell a hint of persecution (take for example the 'furore' over Kevin Smith's Dogma) but after a day or two of headlines, the whole thing just begins to blow over. It's an interesting position to consider but fortunately adults seem to be running both the Vatican and the film-studios and as long as they're capable of tolerating each other I doubt we have any real media war to worry about any time soon.
Originally posted on Screened.com on March 4th, 2011
Friday, 4 March 2011
Film Review: Se7en (1995)
Se7en is set in a terrible city, one teeming with drugs, murder, corruption and spite, one in which a man stained with blood could not only walk the streets but wander into a police station and no-one would pay him a second glance because they've yet to look at him at all. The scariest thing about David Fincher's horrific thriller is not that this city is so distant from our own world, more that it is difficult to convince ourselves that this cannot be the world we live in. It most certainly could be.
Making use of any number of tropes, Se7en begins as a seemingly predictable, albeit bleak, police drama. As the young new homocide cop in town, David Mills (Brad Pitt), is assigned to work with the weary old soon-to-be retired lieutenant, William Somerset (Morgan Freeman), a series of murders begin to take place, each utilising a deadly sin in its execution. It's a very excitable premise for a procedural but as the two leads begin to realise the severity of the crimes under investigation it becomes quickly apparent that as a film, Se7en is well restrained and paradoxical all at once.
Consider the handling of the first murder, for instance: an obese corpse is found in a pitch black apartment tied to a chair, swimming in his own excrement face down in a bowl of spaghetti sauce. The scene that is set is as disgusting as that description, if not more so, but the (lack of) lighting for the scene allows for brief shots of disturbing imagery to overwhelm your mind without necessarily showing the worst aspects of the scene. In an unsettling way, this technique is tasteful and the rest of the film is very smart about finding the rope on a tightwalk between torture porn and intelligent, if grotesque, drama.
To describe any more of the murders would be to delve too far into spoilers. The thought that has gone into each of the sins practical killing methods is evident and there is no denying the twisted nature of any death in the film but between the discoveries of corpses are some great moments between the characters of the film. Mills is brash and charged but a genuinely caring individual who puts his all into his work, even if he doesn't necessarily think things through immediately, whilst Somerset is a thoughtful and at times hypocritical product of a city living in squalor. The two ponder philosophy and morality in an entirely accessible fashion but the circumstances of their discussion drives home the conundrum of the questions they ask. The film offers answers on both sides of the argument, but wisely never attempts to give a conclusive resolve.
Secondary characters add a great deal of colour to the movie that is easy to miss: R. Lee Ermey plays a police captain who in the midst of a conversation with Mills and Somerset notices a phone ringing only to pick it up and spit out "This ain't even my desk." before slamming the receiver back down, John C. McGinley appears as a SWAT team captain who commands his unit with such remarkable machismo and seems to refer to the leads only with the word "Dicks!". If there is one thing I imagine Se7en will never get enough credit for, it is its sense of humour.
Technically the film is entirely competent. The camera work is of good standard for a film of this calibre and the lighting is consistently dynamic. The most notable aspect of the film is probably it's consistently overcast dreary colour palette which helps ease in a sense of foreboding throughout the running time. There is also some really clever split-second editing in use here but it is far more engaging if you spot it for yourself.
The music is fantastic throughout the film, with the opening credits making use of a remix of the Nine Inch Nails track 'Closer', not only a punchy raw track but entirely relevant to many of the central themes on display here. The score is suitably epic and drawn out making fitting use of horns for that real noir ambience. If you're a fan of this particular genre of soundtracks it'll likely stay with you, but if you're not as appreciative the music is still entirely serviceable.
Although Se7en doesn't ask too many questions you've never heard before, it certainly puts them in a context that deepens the meaning behind them. That much, along with a competently made film would have been great but due to the mastery behind almost every element of this picture Se7en achieves more than greatness and proves to be one of the single most engaging and disturbing thrillers of all time.
5/5
Originally posted on Screened.com on March 1st, 2011
Making use of any number of tropes, Se7en begins as a seemingly predictable, albeit bleak, police drama. As the young new homocide cop in town, David Mills (Brad Pitt), is assigned to work with the weary old soon-to-be retired lieutenant, William Somerset (Morgan Freeman), a series of murders begin to take place, each utilising a deadly sin in its execution. It's a very excitable premise for a procedural but as the two leads begin to realise the severity of the crimes under investigation it becomes quickly apparent that as a film, Se7en is well restrained and paradoxical all at once.
Consider the handling of the first murder, for instance: an obese corpse is found in a pitch black apartment tied to a chair, swimming in his own excrement face down in a bowl of spaghetti sauce. The scene that is set is as disgusting as that description, if not more so, but the (lack of) lighting for the scene allows for brief shots of disturbing imagery to overwhelm your mind without necessarily showing the worst aspects of the scene. In an unsettling way, this technique is tasteful and the rest of the film is very smart about finding the rope on a tightwalk between torture porn and intelligent, if grotesque, drama.
To describe any more of the murders would be to delve too far into spoilers. The thought that has gone into each of the sins practical killing methods is evident and there is no denying the twisted nature of any death in the film but between the discoveries of corpses are some great moments between the characters of the film. Mills is brash and charged but a genuinely caring individual who puts his all into his work, even if he doesn't necessarily think things through immediately, whilst Somerset is a thoughtful and at times hypocritical product of a city living in squalor. The two ponder philosophy and morality in an entirely accessible fashion but the circumstances of their discussion drives home the conundrum of the questions they ask. The film offers answers on both sides of the argument, but wisely never attempts to give a conclusive resolve.
Secondary characters add a great deal of colour to the movie that is easy to miss: R. Lee Ermey plays a police captain who in the midst of a conversation with Mills and Somerset notices a phone ringing only to pick it up and spit out "This ain't even my desk." before slamming the receiver back down, John C. McGinley appears as a SWAT team captain who commands his unit with such remarkable machismo and seems to refer to the leads only with the word "Dicks!". If there is one thing I imagine Se7en will never get enough credit for, it is its sense of humour.
Technically the film is entirely competent. The camera work is of good standard for a film of this calibre and the lighting is consistently dynamic. The most notable aspect of the film is probably it's consistently overcast dreary colour palette which helps ease in a sense of foreboding throughout the running time. There is also some really clever split-second editing in use here but it is far more engaging if you spot it for yourself.
The music is fantastic throughout the film, with the opening credits making use of a remix of the Nine Inch Nails track 'Closer', not only a punchy raw track but entirely relevant to many of the central themes on display here. The score is suitably epic and drawn out making fitting use of horns for that real noir ambience. If you're a fan of this particular genre of soundtracks it'll likely stay with you, but if you're not as appreciative the music is still entirely serviceable.
Although Se7en doesn't ask too many questions you've never heard before, it certainly puts them in a context that deepens the meaning behind them. That much, along with a competently made film would have been great but due to the mastery behind almost every element of this picture Se7en achieves more than greatness and proves to be one of the single most engaging and disturbing thrillers of all time.
5/5
Originally posted on Screened.com on March 1st, 2011
Film Review: Unbreakable (2000)
Unbreakable is such a remarkably powerful film both as far as both production and content are concerned. The story is an ambitious one to sell and it is only after the overwhelming success of Shyamalan's first film that a studio would be willing to greenlight it. It's very slow, more so than The Sixth Sense, and although both leads are superbly underplayed that subtlety is entirely necessary to hold our attention as the plot meticulously unravels.
As Unbreakable opens, we're treated to a quiet moment just following the birth of Elijah (Samuel L. Jackson). Elijah won't stop crying and once a doctor arrives on the scene he examines the newborn to determine that all of his limbs are broken. Post opening credits we're transported approximately 40 years into the future to find David Dunn (Bruce Willis) awaking in a hospital following a train crash. Out of 130 passengers, he is the sole survivor. He doesn't possess a single injury.
The rest of the film is about these two characters finding each other and themselves. Elijah explains that he has a disorder which restricts protein production in his body and as a result his bones break and that he believes there exists a polar opposite in the world: a man who does not break. Given the circumstances it's somewhat reasonable to see why Elijah takes such an interest in David.
Although the core plot is undeniably that of a super-hero movie the focus on display is unlike any other you'll find in a multiplex. Unbreakble has distinct themes of character specific existentialism as both David and Elijah begin to discover their own places in the universe and realise what is expected of them. As with all existential movies Unbreakable is remarkably dialogue heavy and makes extensive use of drawn out conversations to relay necessary information. There are brief examples of flashbacks but they are only utilised sparsely and solely to provide information which could clutter the flow of conversation or feel awkwardly scripted otherwise.
The plot itself isn't anywhere near as 'twisty' as Shyamalan's other efforts. The most odd premise, David's surviving a train wreck whilst suffering zero damage at all, is laid out quite early in the film and for the most part the movie follows the characters progressions trying to determine a truth for the characters to live by. For maybe a half of the film the plot is on stand-still but everything shown has an impact eventually.
This is also a very dynamic film from a technical perspective as well. Certain unconventional shots, such as moving a camera in order to see through the gap between two train seats for instance, are used exceptionally well. Filming a reflection rather than the actual scene is used a few times throughout the running time and creates an feeling of distance from the characters as if you, the audience, are intruding amidst a genuine unscripted moment. On top of such genuine visual treats James Newton Howard's score is as thrilling as any conventional superhero soundtrack and gives an aura of power to scenes that need that extra punch of dynamism to really stir up the emotions that are required.
It's a wonder M. Night Shyamalan only gets recognised for his twists when he can write such great material and translate it to the screen so well. Unbreakable certainly lacks action and urgency but for a genuinely innovative take on the super-hero genre, Unbreakable has absolutely raised the bar.
5/5
Originally posted on Screened.com on March 1st, 2011
As Unbreakable opens, we're treated to a quiet moment just following the birth of Elijah (Samuel L. Jackson). Elijah won't stop crying and once a doctor arrives on the scene he examines the newborn to determine that all of his limbs are broken. Post opening credits we're transported approximately 40 years into the future to find David Dunn (Bruce Willis) awaking in a hospital following a train crash. Out of 130 passengers, he is the sole survivor. He doesn't possess a single injury.
The rest of the film is about these two characters finding each other and themselves. Elijah explains that he has a disorder which restricts protein production in his body and as a result his bones break and that he believes there exists a polar opposite in the world: a man who does not break. Given the circumstances it's somewhat reasonable to see why Elijah takes such an interest in David.
Although the core plot is undeniably that of a super-hero movie the focus on display is unlike any other you'll find in a multiplex. Unbreakble has distinct themes of character specific existentialism as both David and Elijah begin to discover their own places in the universe and realise what is expected of them. As with all existential movies Unbreakable is remarkably dialogue heavy and makes extensive use of drawn out conversations to relay necessary information. There are brief examples of flashbacks but they are only utilised sparsely and solely to provide information which could clutter the flow of conversation or feel awkwardly scripted otherwise.
The plot itself isn't anywhere near as 'twisty' as Shyamalan's other efforts. The most odd premise, David's surviving a train wreck whilst suffering zero damage at all, is laid out quite early in the film and for the most part the movie follows the characters progressions trying to determine a truth for the characters to live by. For maybe a half of the film the plot is on stand-still but everything shown has an impact eventually.
This is also a very dynamic film from a technical perspective as well. Certain unconventional shots, such as moving a camera in order to see through the gap between two train seats for instance, are used exceptionally well. Filming a reflection rather than the actual scene is used a few times throughout the running time and creates an feeling of distance from the characters as if you, the audience, are intruding amidst a genuine unscripted moment. On top of such genuine visual treats James Newton Howard's score is as thrilling as any conventional superhero soundtrack and gives an aura of power to scenes that need that extra punch of dynamism to really stir up the emotions that are required.
It's a wonder M. Night Shyamalan only gets recognised for his twists when he can write such great material and translate it to the screen so well. Unbreakable certainly lacks action and urgency but for a genuinely innovative take on the super-hero genre, Unbreakable has absolutely raised the bar.
5/5
Originally posted on Screened.com on March 1st, 2011
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