Daybreakers!

More vampires? Really? Don’t get me wrong I am an avid fan of immortal blood thirsty monsters but does Hollywood really need anotherTwilght? Let’s hope not. However, I was pleasantly surprised upon watching Daybreakers last week at the Student Life Cinema (http://movies.fsu.edu/). They took a refreshing perspective on vampires by making them the dominant race. I appreciate the film’s original plot as well as the attention to details. Daybreakers uses specific details to enhance the plot which also touches on some social issues of today. To further the idea of the film, they came up with a number of great details that a vampire world would contain. For example, a few scenes showed advertisements for tooth whitening ads. Also, in scenes where a television would be turned on, the news would be discussing the growing problem of forest fires. These fires where a result of vampires going out in the sunlight and bursting into flames, and of course none of the other vampires could put the fires out. This attention to details allowed the film to further develop and enhanced the plot of the film. Also, these subtle details made the plot more believable for the audience. In addition to the originality and details, the film touched on some social issues of today, such as world hunger and a trigger happy military. For example, the third world is left in peril and destroyed when the food source begins to disappear, and they receive no help. This speaks to the audience about world hunger and the oppression of the third world countries. Also, when the vampire population begins to get out of hand, the military begins killing them off and murdering them in masses. This is symbolic of trigger happy governments as well as the global issue of genocide. Although these issues portrayed did not reach full potential, I still commend the effort. Overall, despite some weak dialogue and cheap affects, I thoroughly enjoyed the original plot and attention to details this movie provided to the audience, the scary scenes and occasional car chase didn’t hurt either.

Slumdog Reality

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIzbwV7on6Q

Slumdog Millionaire is a favorite movie of mine. Not only is the film a beautiful piece of work with its colors and unique style, but it sends a very real message to the audience. A message that opens the eyes of the audience to severe poverty in India. The director does not slap you in the face with this message, instead it is done very subtly and beautifully. Boyle carefully chooses certain shots to show the poverty and desperation of the people of India. He depicts these people in a totally visual context, leaving out dialogue. Hopefully, as a result, this film has raised awareness about poverty around the world. An example of this deliberate scene selection would include an early portrayal of the Indian slums. The main characters, Salim and Jamal, are seen being chased away by the authorities. The film follows the lives of these two men, and in these early scenes they are young boys. As they are being chased by authorities the camera shoots from angles that subtly show the poverty. For example, they are running down a narrow street, and the camera angle shows not only the boys running, but a starving dog with flies surrounding it. The poverty of the slums are never the main focus of the scene, instead it is always apparent in the background, subtly exposing the extreme conditions to the audience. Another eye opening example of the carefully chosen scenes would be showing the young boys playing in a local water source. The scene has a light hearted feeling to it for character development, but at the same time it is showing the lifestyle and lack of cleanliness of the slums. All the mothers are washing clothes and bathing their children in mucky, dark water, which is held in a small pond-like area. Again, this shows the severe poverty, and the filth as a result, of the slums. Despite the film's feel good ending, I hope people take away with them the seriousness of the poverty that looms over India and fills the streets, and not only India, but other third world countires as well. Perhaps, they will be inspired by Boyle’s work and become more active in the global community.

A Thousand "Unsplendid" Suns

I recently read a novel that drastically opened my eyes to the gender inequality still relevant in many societies today. The novel is beautifully written and draws the reader into directly into the lives of two Afghan women. This is accomplished by telling the story through the eyes of two indomitable women. The most profound aspect of this book is that the lives of these two women reflect the lives of thousands of Afghan women how have endured the similar devastating odds. Hosseini, the author, said, "I would like readers to walk away with a sense of empathy for Afghans, and more specifically for Afghan women, on whom the effects of war and extremism have been devastating." One of the women, Nana, says “Like a compass needle that points north, a man’s accusing finger always finds a woman. Always.” This simple statement screams out to the audience the plague of gender inequality in Afghanistan. Despite main goal of evoking sympathy for the woman of Afghanistan, Hosseini does not display all men as devils. He is sure to place some in a kind light. For example, the father of the younger female character, Mariam, is a gentle man, who teaches at the university. He encourages Mariam’s education above all things and tells her that the key to Afghan’s success is through educating their women. Also, beautiful love runs between Mariam and her childhood friend Tariq. This balance Hosseini creates is so beautiful. This story left me deeply saddened and upset, and I would not recommend it for anyone depressed or going through a dark time, but it is definitely a must read! These two woman’s stories of oppression, endurance, and love in all forms, is truly splendid and touching. This novel was not only deeply entertaining but it opened my eyes to a world so different from my own. A world I hope to one day help better for women like Nana and Mariam.

An Education... beyond the books

*Spoiler Alert*
I recently encountered a truly unique film that captured the story a young girl’s hard lesson learned. The refreshing twist around her tragedy was that it became a story of empowerment. The film, An Education, takes place during the sixties. This was a time when a woman’s schooling was not of utmost importance. A woman’s education was irrelevant in the larger social order. Where would a woman go after she obtained her degree? A schoolmarm or other neglected female intellect of the time? This was the internal conflict of main character, Jenny. She was a sixteen year old school with a bright future of possibly attending Oxford university. However, in her final year of schooling she met an older gentleman that showed her a side of life she had never seen before. He drove an expensive sports car and traveled to Paris on the weekends. In this entirely different world the food tasted better and the colors were brighter to young Jenny. I watched Jenny go from being a modest school girl to a sexual, worldly young woman. This transformation was not without many social taboos. For example, she left to spend a weekend in Paris with her boyfriend, David, despite being looked down upon and advised very differently by her schoolmarm and teacher. Her internal conflict was brought to a boil when David proposed. She could leave her life of latin and english for a life of love and excitement. Because of the gender inequalities during the 60s she was unsure of her place as an educated female in the future. If she were to marry him she would be taken care always by a successful man. This was very common and sexist notion of her time. Faced with the difficult decision Jenny chose a life with David. Soon after this she discovered the tragedy of her decision. He was married, had a young son, and this was not his first time courting a young girl. Now she had no future. Her schoolmarm would not take her back because of the social taboos she had committed. She had been deflowered and was a high school drop out. However, there is no knowledge without sacrifice. She learned a very humbling lesson, in a very unjust time for women. When all seemed lost, Jenny worked hard, and was able to be accepted into Oxford university and start her life anew. I feel this was a story of empowerment, not failure. It was so beautifully directed. The human aspect was wonderfully conveyed to the audience, and I left the movie with a little more knowledge from Jenny and with gratitude that I was born into a much different society with regards to a woman and her education. However, the issue of gender inequality is still very relevant in the world today, especially in foreign countries like Iran. I will be discussing this in my next blog on A Thousand Splendid Suns.
An Education was not just a story of a young girl trying to find her way in the 60s, but one of changing perceptions and gender roles. Housewives began to leave their homes and school girls began to take control of their own sexuality. Jenny, despite a detrimental mishap, became wise beyond her years.