Requiem for a Dream

I was a little hesitant to rent and watch Requiem for a Dream because of its very intense and depressing reputation. However, I am writing my final paper about drug addiction and felt that along with the film Trainspotting, Requiem for a Dream would be an excellent film to help broaden my knowledge on the subject and hopefully assist in some inspiration to write a better and more passionate paper. Well, I was right…and I am really glad that I rented the film.  Although Requiem for a Dream is a very sad film, I love how it is able to bring such a realistic aspect of drug addiction through this story as we observe the lives of four people crumble and face consequences they never even imagined.

The character I found most unlikely to suffer from an addiction is Sarah, an older woman that seems to be widowed. I could tell that Sarah is pretty lonely, which is understandable because she lives by herself and spends most of her time watching a game show on television. The game show is her source of excitement from day to day.

Sarah has a son named Harry, and she completely ignores the fact that Harry is a drug addict. We see how the lives of addicts also affect the people around them by Harry’s obviously repetitive stealing and selling of his own mother's belongings to a pawn shop in order to get money for drugs.  At the beginning of the film Harry steals a television, and Sarah merely walks down to the pawn shop and buys it back. She feels that Harry is the only thing she has left and basically supports his bad habit rather than risking his rejection towards her and making him get help.

Tyrone is a friend of Harry, but most significantly his partner in crime. Tyrone and Harry fall into a trap that is just as bad as doing drugs, they begin selling them. Although Tyrone also takes drugs, he is not a junkie like Harry is.

Marion is a part of this triangle of friends as well. She is actually Harry’s girlfriend, and also a junkie. Apparently she comes from a family of money, but has lost all connections because of her drug habit.

It is not long before things spiral out of control for these four addicts.

Sarah wins a chance to be a contestant on her favorite game show and becomes obsessed with the whole fantasy and is determined to lose weight. She visits her doctor and is prescribed diet pills. (I love how RFAD portrayed how some doctors treat their patients and ironically definitely don’t seem to be very concerned with their patients’ health.) The doctor prescribed Sarah, an older woman, basically a drug that can be compared to speed. Sarah becomes totally infatuated with how great the pills make her feel, but when she becomes immune to them she becomes depressed, confused, and paranoid. Sarah loses her mind and ends up in a psychiatric hospital. She just wanted to be on the show…

Meanwhile, Harry and Tyrone lose their connect to the drugs they sell and not only go broke, but end up in prison. Harry ends up with an unbearable looking infection on his arm from shooting up with dirty needles. Ultimately, because he put off getting the infection treated for so long, the infection became so bad that he had to have surgery and woke up to find his arm had been amputated from the infection down.

Harry’s once beautiful relationship with Marion deteriorates when he isn’t able to supply her with the drugs she needs. Marion wound up having to sell her body to get money for drugs. Prostitution became her source for funding her bad habit. One bad thing leads to another…

Once you’re hooked on a drug, you become so dependent on that substance…mind, body, and soul. Despite all the potential these four people had to be successful in life, they all surrender to their addictions and fail miserably.

Little Children

Little Children is a film I chose to watch outside of class because of a recommendation. The main theme of this film is about the thirst for something more exciting than the repetitive routines of our lives that become what we feel is just merely plain comfortable and nothing extra. Little Children is about the fear of being stuck at a point in our lives with nowhere left to go. Yes, we are all alive, but are we actually LIVING? Although it didn’t leave me quite as stunned as some of the reviews I read stated I would feel, I thought it was really good because of the realities it explored among 2 of the main adult characters; Sarah and Brad.

Sarah is a wife to a man who is addicted to pornography, and a mother to a 4 year old little girl named Lucy. Sarah has a master’s degree in English, but quit school before actually receiving her PhD. She lives in a huge very nice house and is a stay at home mom. She spends her summer days at the park and the pool with Lucy, other children, and judgmental women of which she really doesn’t care to call her friends. Sarah is bored and unhappy with her life until one day when she meets Brad.

Brad is a very good looking man who is a stay at home dad because of his failed attempts to pass the bar exam and become a lawyer. He is married to a beautiful woman who works as a filmmaker, and they have a son the same age as Lucy. Brad’s wife is so consumed in her job and their son that she has forgotten about keeping her marriage exciting and rarely has sex with her husband.

Even though so far in my response it seems like I am describing a chick flick, Little Children soon becomes something much more than 2 unhappy people.

When Sarah and Brad meet at the park, she talks him into sharing a kiss with her to get a good kick out of the other mothers appalled reactions, but it set off a sense of thrill and curiosity of something different that they both continued to think about days after.

Sarah and Brad’s relationship starts off and stays pretty steadily as only strictly friendship at first, but it brings them close on an emotional level which only makes their future affair much more stimulating. Eventually, their friendship turns sexual, and before they know it they are both living a life separate from their regular routines, sneaking around, avoiding responsibilities, becoming selfish, and basically acting like *little children.*

The question is, is it wrong to want more? Is it wrong to want to feel alive? The answer to those questions is no. However, should we pick and choose what is appropriate to bring us bliss? Yes, we should. Sarah and Brad get so enthralled in their affair but soon realize what they are doing is not real. They each have priorities in their lives, and unfortunately none of us get to be young and care free forever.

At the end of the film, Sarah and Brad have plans to meet up one night and run away together, (really? obviously at the peak of acting like little children). I think Sarah and Brad were just trying to run away from reality in general. Sarah leaves her daughter in a swing at the park for a few minutes and Lucy walks off without Sarah even noticing. Brad gets distracted by a bunch of teenage boys skateboarding and stops to join the fun, but ends up crashing which results in unconsciousness. In those very moments, Sarah and Brad begin thinking like adults again and realize what is really important. Sarah finds Lucy and recognizes how she has been neglecting her daughter. Brad recognizes that at a time when he needs comfort, his wife is the first person to come to mind. They both knew that what they had was over, and luckily didn’t have to suffer the dangerous consequences that their affair could have resulted in.

Shortbus

For me, Shortbus is a film that I had to let sink into my mind in order for me to write a response. I think that the whole idea, process, and film itself is definitely different, but I also have a lot of respect for everyone involved and admire all the work that was put into Shortbus. Most of all however, the message it brings to the audience; the whole concept of insecurities, the lack of acceptance from others, and then finally the ability to find happiness, with the help from your own self and people who love you is what I adore about the film. Even though some moments were a little tense, I enjoyed the ride of emotions Shortbus took me on.

At first I felt shocked and a little bit awkward watching a man attempting to give himself head. Also, Sophia and Rob’s beginning sex scenes kind of had me thinking we were about to watch a porn in film class. To be honest, even though I fully support gay rights, I could have done without watching the man on man…on man action. I didn’t really know what to think at first. When the film first exposes Shortbus, which is basically like an underground sex club, I noticed it is definitely a place where there are no boundaries whatsoever when it comes to sexual activity and expression. Shortbus is kind of like a utopia. The film makes sex look like a form of art. Porn however, makes sex look raunchy. Although Shortbus is extremely graphic and full of sex and nudity, I don’t think Shortbus should be considered pornography. Shortbus brings real life troubles to the table, not fantasies and close-ups.

A certain scene in the film that impacted me the most is set in the first visit to Shortbus. In a huge crowd full of totally unique people, the camera focuses on a very elderly man in a business suit sitting alone. Ceth, a young, good looking guy approaches the elderly man because they were matched on some sort of Shortbus social network. The man tells Ceth he is the former New York Mayor and begins to explain how his sexuality has made him feel so unaccepted, unwanted, and judged for his whole life. It made me sad to think some people never get to experience all the love they deserve because they are ashamed of feeling something other than what is considered to be normal, and because they are scared of how society, family, or friends might view or treat them.

One of my favorite characters is James. When talking about love he states, “I see it... all around me... but it stops at my skin. I can't let it inside. It's always been like that. It's always gonna be like that.” Before he met his partner, Jamie, James was a male prostitute. Sex turned into a job for him, he had a distorted image of himself, and he couldn’t let any intimacy into his life. James attempted suicide, but Caleb (a stalker of his) saved his life and convinced James that it is worth living. It goes to show that sometimes people are so numb that they would rather just end their life all together, and that is unfortunate.

Another one of my favorite characters from the film is Sophia. She is a sex/relationship therapist, yet she has been pre-orgasmic her whole life. She spends most of her time helping others but can’t seem to satisfy herself, and neither can her husband. Obviously, she is bound to snap at some point, and when she does she finds her way to Shortbus through 2 of her clients, a gay couple, James and Jamie. Shortbus opens her sexual world up to so many possibilities, but before she finally gets what she needs, all of her other irritated attempts to “pleasure” herself actually bring some comic relief to the film.

Some people were upset that the movie ended happily, but the movie is about overcoming struggles. I was glad that everyone ended up all together at Shortbus and “lived happily ever after”!

Moolaade

 Moolaade is the best film I have ever watched in regards to expressing different cultures’ gender roles. I have always known that in some areas of the world men are still very dominant. The men that belong to the specific culture filmed in Moolaade are so set and firm with the belief that they hold all the power. The culture itself is extremely strict and close-minded. The men treat all women as if God placed us on Earth just merely to be of service to them. They act as if they hold no value for women, and I definitely did not notice any feeling of love or affection displayed.

Each woman has one husband; however, each man has 3 wives. I don’t even know if that is the appropriate word for these ladies because they are treated more like slaves. In America, a man has one wife, and if there has ever been an instance of a man having more than one woman in his life, it is likely to be kept secret! Why? Having more than one significant other is inappropriate in our culture, and even though it is pretty unfortunately common these days, cheating is also very looked down upon in society. Granted, we all have the right to our own beliefs and values, and some people are less concerned for their respect and appreciation towards women, but it isn’t even legal and never has been legal to have more than one spouse.

Another factor that contributes to the harsh culture in Moolaade is the fact that marriages are pre-arranged, men don’t even get to choose their wives. So, in possible but still very little defense for these men, how is a man supposed to value a woman when he doesn’t have to work for her? Women are presented like an object for them to have. It’s nothing like the dating scene we’re used to. People who share such a strict culture don’t have to the chance to get to experience different personalities that would normally teach them to appreciate different traits people possess. However, why would these men need to? The culture is so demanding that it doesn’t even allow anyone to be their own person. But, Moolaade has a special character, Colle, and she brings a lot of hope to her people.

In Senegal, Africa, the culture requires all young girls to go through a process called purification. It is highly desired by all men, and they will not marry a bilakord. A bilakord is a girl who has not been purified. So what exactly does it mean to “purify” someone? It is genital mutilation. A knife is used to completely cut off the clitoris, also to cut off the lips of the vagina and then basically sew the female genital area into nothing but a tight hole. It is very clear that this culture does not approve of women feeling any type of pleasure from a man, which just adds to my statement about women being treated like slaves. Obviously these men are selfish, and insecure. When you cut off the major source of pleasure, the clitoris, and sew the vagina into a small hole, you can be sure that intercourse is nothing but pure rape every time. Purification itself is extremely painful and sometimes results in death. In the film, Moolaade, 2 young girls kill themselves to escape purification.

Colle, a very lovable character, goes against the norm when she expresses her belief against purification. She keeps 4 girls with her in her home to defend them from purification. Moolaade means protection. Colle ties a string of yarn across her doorstep, and the law says that as long as the girls stay inside, no one can enter after them. Of course, her husband is extremely embarrassed of his wife and the fact that he cannot control her, and Colle endures a brutal public beating for these girls and the belief. At the end of the movie though, the women succeed in ending purification, and it is a really powerful and proud moment to watch.

Trainspotting

The first word that comes to my mind when I think about the film Trainspotting is “graphic.” The film was directed by Danny Boyle, and he brought out a lot of harsh truth behind the reality of drug-addicts for the world to see. On a personal note, I had a very short relationship with someone whom I later found out to be addicted to many drugs, including heroine (lucky me!), and this film really gave me a deeper understanding of his struggles that I could never relate to.

I found this film, in many instances, to be very dark. Even at the very beginning of the film, the main character and narrator, Renton, shoplifts so that he may be able to get some cash for his next hit. Heroin consumes addicts lives so much that obviously even a job seems out of the question. Trainspotting is set in Scotland, and the weather was pretty rainy and dreary most of the film. There is a very intense scene of shooting up in this film that I really wasn’t quite prepared for. The apartment that Renton and his friends go to do heroine is shady and dirty. It is also disturbing to notice a baby crawling around crying and unattended around all the drug use (clearly another reminder of how addicts put drugs before anything else in life). When I saw the needle and the actual act of shooting heroin, the actors did a great job of portraying the sincere eagerness for the drug and complete ultimate satisfaction it gave them once it entered their body that I actually felt bad for anyone who has any type of problem with addiction. However, Renton states, "People associate it with misery, desperation and death, which is not to be ignored. But what they forget is the pleasure of it, otherwise we wouldn't do it."

Trainspotting begins to lighten up a little as the film progresses. Renton’s friend Spud goes to an interview extremely high off speed and that gave everyone in the class a good laugh. There is also a scene where Renton and Spud go out clubbing, only to notice how long they have made heroin the center of their lives because they don’t even recognize hardly any new songs. At the end of the night both of the boys go home with a different girl and needless to say without going into any detail, the scenes did absolutely nothing for either of the characters’ sex appeal.

Renton is unsuccessful in his few attempts to quit his bad habit, and unfortunately, when Renton was on methadone he took his last hit and overdosed. The scene is very on point with illustrating what it may feel like to overdose. Renton begins to sink into the floor creating a unique illusion for the audience to watch, yet making it clear that he is beginning to drift and becoming completely out of touch with reality.

Renton survives his overdose and actually overcomes his addiction to heroine. He starts a new life in London but his old circle of friends persuade him to become involved in a huge drug deal. He ends up betraying all of them and taking the money for himself.

Renton stated early in the film, “Choose Life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a fucking big television, choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players and electrical tin openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol, and dental insurance. Choose fixed interest mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. Choose leisurewear and matching luggage. Choose a three-piece suite on hire purchase in a range of fucking fabrics. Choose DIY and wondering who the fuck you are on Sunday night. Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing, spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fucking junk food into your mouth. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pissing your last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fucked up brats you spawned to replace yourselves. Choose your future. Choose life... But why would I want to do a thing like that? I chose not to choose life. I chose somethin' else. And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you've got heroin?” Even so, in his own kind of messed up way, I think Renton eventually chose life.

The Return

The Return is a film that can definitely be openly interpreted, and after watching this film I have come up with my own presumption. In the first scene of the movie, it is very obvious that even at a young age, masculinity is important. The movie opens up with a group of boys that are jumping into the ocean from a high tower. One of the boys, Ivan, is scared of heights and will not jump from the tower. The next day all of his friends, including his own older brother, Andre, make fun of him. They call Ivan mean names like coward and pig. Ivan and Andre get into a fight and race home.

The next thing we learn in the film is that the boys have been without a father most of their lives, but their mother tells them that he has randomly come home and their father is inside. We don’t really know why Andre and Ivan’s father has been gone for 12 years. Their mother tells them he is a pilot, but a more mature audience can tell that she may be using that explanation just merely as an excuse to hide the real truth.

When the family sits down to have dinner, my impression of the father was that he seemed to be pretty rough around the edges. After he encourages his 2 young sons to drink a glass of wine, he then tells them that he will take them on a trip with him. Andre is very welcoming of this new man showing up in his life, however, Ivan is quite hesitant and distrusting. The boys pack their things for a trip to go fishing with their father and set out the next day.

The 3 of them encounter several conflicts along the way. In every situation, the boys’ father’s solution is always very bold. It is obvious that Andre and Ivan have been raised by their mother, and maybe a little spoiled. When the car gets stuck in the mud, they all have to get out and push the car out. The father acts as if the boys should just automatically know what to do in such a situation. His temper rises when the boys don’t exactly know how to do their part. Also, when Andre and Ivan are waiting for their father outside of a restaurant with his wallet that he gave to them to hold onto, which we note has a lot of money in it, they get robbed. The father chases down the thief and seems disappointed that neither of his sons want to punch him.

It is also very easy to tell that the Russian culture is especially strict. Ivan is very rebellious towards his father, and when he continuously complains about wanting to stay in a certain area to fish, his father kicks him out of the car and leaves him there alone in the rain. Thankfully, he later picks him back up.

When they finally arrive at their destination, an island, it seems as though the boy’s father did not take this trip only to bond with his sons. The father goes off into a forest by himself and digs up some boxes. We never find out what exactly he is retrieving.

At the end of the film Andre and Ivan get in trouble with their father for being several hours late returning from fishing. Andre is to blame because he had the watch and it was his responsibility. The boy’s father begins to get physical with Andre and it upsets Ivan. He runs off through the forest and climbs up a tower while his father chases after him and Andre follows. Ivan accidently pushes his father and he falls off a high ladder and dies.

In my opinion, at the very last of the film, I saw that the boy’s father really did care about them. I don’t know why he was gone for 12 years, but if I had to guess I would say that he was a criminal. He was obviously an alcoholic because he carried a flask with him everywhere, he made a stop along the trip to meet with a man which seemed to be very shady, and like I stated before, he carried a lot of money with him in his wallet. Also, The boy’s mother did not seem happy to see their father at the beginning of the film. I think he was gone because he was in prison, but when he was released he wanted to try and be a part of the family again. The father would have taken this trip to the island with or without his sons, but he chose to bring them along to possibly bond with them. I think that money was in those dug up boxes that he buried before he went away, and he wanted to bring it back home.

Hero

My favorite part of the plot was the clever story that Nameless came up with to try and deceive the King of Qin. The film is pretty clear and easy to follow. We know that there are a group of assassins that have sworn to kill the King of Qin. It scares him so much that the King offers a great reward for their defeat so that he can be at peace again. The King is very impressed when Nameless displays the weapons of the assassins and claims to have killed each of them. The film begins to go into scenes of flashbacks as Nameless tells his story.

The first assassin killed went by the name of Long Sky. Nameless challenges Sky to a duel and wins. He takes his spear and then travels to Zhao, which is considered to be the enemy city. He walks into a calligraphy school intending to find Flying Snow and Broken Sword. These two were assassins, and lovers. This is where I became really interested in the film. I like action, but the type of film that can really draw my attention is a good drama. Nameless proceeds to inform Snow and Sword of Sky’s death. Nameless also claims that Sky had a dying wish for Snow, which was to avenge him. Sky and Snow had a one night affair that deeply hurt Sword. In attempt to gain revenge on Snow, Sword purposely has sexual affairs with one of his students, Moon, in front of Snow for her to see. I think this is pretty classic in movies, yet always seems to hook the audience. Nameless tells the King that Snow was so angered that she killed Sword. At this point he has 2 assassins down, 1 to go. Nameless had Snow exactly where he wanted her because when they battled, she was so emotional and shook up, just as he suspected, he won. Snow was the last and final assassin to die.

I appreciated the lack of blood and intense fighting scenes that a lot of martial arts films have. I liked there was a romance involved and I liked Nameless’s tale of an affair brought out of secret, revenge, pain, and death. It really proved to me that not only are these actors and this actress extremely physically fit and masters of martial arts, they are also very capable of expressing and portraying great emotion, which was really nice to watch in the film.

I also think that the producer did a really good job with all the special effects, imagery, and music. The battle scenes in Hero are different from many other films. Not only does the film focus on the fight, it focuses deeply on the surroundings. For example; a drop of rain, or vividly colored autumn leaves blowing in the wind. I love how we are able to see the pure technique of the actors when the battle is in slow motion. The music chosen for the film put a really good touch on it. Drums are used to really make us build up anticipation and the nice smooth sound of violins being played really made me feel the characters different times of sorrow.