Seven Pounds

Only occasionally do I review a film on this blog. I aim to do it more - talk about the films that intersect with my life and shape me (as well as the inevitable film biz news from time to time). But Seven Pounds is certainly a film worthy of my time. (No spoilers here, don't worry!)

My delightful roommate, Amanda, wrote a blog post about this, she told me. However, I have not read it yet. You may read it though, if you like, here. I have a tendency to write in reaction to other people's ideas instead of creating my own and expressing them fully uncensored by others' thoughts. So I shall attempt that here and then compare notes with my brilliant and artistic roomie. (:

Seven Pounds was ideal.

From a business perspective, it has held its own, while not becoming a huge hit. Makes sense given its subject matter and positioning in the market. People aren't as into dreary movies with the economy, war, general state of the world.

I wouldn't call Seven Pounds "dreary" per se. More like thoughtful, heart-wrenching, satisfied, sacrificial, beautiful and tortured.

It was one of those films where you leave and you feel cleansed. Like you know the way the world is supposed to be. Or you come in contact with Truth, in its many forms, and you feel like you've sat in its presence. These are the reasons I make movies. To watch a film and get lost in the story of redemption that tells a compelling story of the way we should interact with each other.

I shan't give away too much of the plot, because that is the full experience - to enter into the film with limited knowledge and to see the story unravel and unfold before you. I loved piecing together what Will Smith's character, Ben, was doing.

His interactions with characters were exquisite as he helps an elderly woman in a nursing home, reaches out to a Latino family (speaking fluent Spanish!! yay), goes through so much to help a dying woman and child. But in the film it is obvious that he is driven by grief. Perhaps this intrigues me as well, what a man's soul will do in penance for guilt and out of desire to do something good with his remaining time on Earth.

The shots were beautiful and thoughtful - the kind of cinematography that I appreciate. The score was equally haunting and perfect, the music like a off-beat heart, rhythmic and pacing. The pace was appropriate, and the story revealed piece by piece.

It made me think of this - what would I give up in my life to truly affect someone so much? Would I let someone into my house to live? Give them the clothes off my back? "Bleed myself dry" as the Coldplay song goes. How does that kind of radical love and sacrifice look for me? For you? As Rob Bell mentions in his latest book Jesus Wants to Save Christians, redemption and love for people looks different for every person/gathering.

I want to explore this more in the coming weeks.

As for Seven Pounds, go see it! You may not like it as much as I did (I always caution people against expecting too much out of things), but I hope you will also see how brilliantly everything comes together to tell a story about tortured love.

My filmmaker self of course also loves to think about how much development the story underwent to make it so watertight, how they attached the actors, the collaboration between the different production companies that brought the financing together, etc. Such a producer! (;

Happy 2009, my friends! Here is to living and loving in our communities with commitment and strength! May you understand what that means for you and your friends.

With love.

Five Things

1) I just saw a spider crawl up my bedroom wall and stop on the "W" of the Hollywood sign poster I have. Then I thought about how creepy it would be to see giant spiders on the actual Hollywood sign. I think that's actually a terrible horror film already....

2) This Christmas I am re-discovering my affinity for playing the piano and baking lemon squares.

3) I got to hold two newborn babies in the past week.

4) Leaving home is going to be harder than I thought. Emotionally and financially.

5) Here are the 6 major films opening nationwide on Christmas day, in order that I am most excited about them:

1. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2. The Spirit
3. Valkyrie
4. Frost|Nixon
5. Marley & Me
6. Bedtime Stories

More thoughtful posts coming soon to a computer near you.

Secret Millionaire?

What do you think of this new show??

Late Night in Swain

Far better than any of the late night television shows, there is "Late Night in Swain." This is what I have dubbed the small community of filmmakers that squirrel themselves away in the tech-laced building at all hours of the night perfecting our small, but meaningful (to us) creations.

Overheard recently:

"It's 1 am - I may start gesticulating wildly for no reason." -Zac

"....that's what she said." -Everyone

"I will render all. All to thee I freely render" -Me

"I will show you fear in a handful of dust." -T.S. Eliot

"It's business time." -Kris

"I like girls. They smell nice." -Zac

"Some parts are really really fun to get into and some parts aren't. Didn't you think that last part was fun, Tim?" -Kris

"I was poking around and I was like, 'Man! That is exactly what I want!'" -Zac

"No! No! No! I lost these files!" -Everyone

"Until recently I used to mispronounce 'cacophony' and 'mogul.'" -Me

"I hate audio." -Everyone

"I like hot keys. They're hot." -Kris


End scene.

Fidelity

Mmmm. This is my heart right now. (Click on it to watch.)



And for those of you who don't like country music, unfortunately, this song by Gary Allan is also quality:

i'm still learning how to pray
trying hard not to stray
try to see things your way
i'm still learning how to pray
i'm still learning how to trust
it's so hard to open up
and i'd do anything for us
i'm still learning how to trust

i'm still learning how to bend
how to let you in
in a world full of tears
we'll conquer all our fears
i'm still learning how to fly
i wanna take you higher
i'll be there till the end
i'll be your lover and your friend
i'm still learning how to bend


Mmmm. Lessons.

For Your Consideration

No, this is not a post about the Oscars. (Though one is soon to come, I assure you.)

This is to spark dialogue about a piece of unhealthy propaganda and its consequences. What say you?

The Evidence
The original letter - James Dobson writes a heinous 'Letter from 2012 in Obama's America"
The response - Jim Wallis writes a well-articulated response, in my humble opinion.


What's your stance?
5 words or 5 paragraphs...whatever. Just chime in!

Elections + Links

Elect the President.
Interesting link to a Sojourner's article by Shane Claiborne about the elections and endorsing.


"Elect" religious leaders.
I want to read this book (linked above). Generally, Rob Bell says some pretty dead-on stuff about life, love & freedom. And, of course, I like things that call us to a new way of doing this thing we call "church."

Consider this paradox that prefaces this latest book: "There is a church not too far from us that recently added a $25 million addition to their building. Our local newspaper ran a front-page story not too long ago about a study revealing that one in five people in our city lives in poverty. This is a book about those two numbers."


"Elect" a career path.
I'm interviewing on Thursday for an internship in Hollywood through UNC (linked above). I really would like to do this (fingers crossed) and live in the City of Angels making movies and loving the community around me. Patience.


What are you electing?