The infamous axe murders of 1892, which became tabloid fodder and spurned a fun little rhyme, are depicted in the film Lizzie. Lizzie Borden and her sister Emma were adult women living in a very strict home with their father, step-mother, and a housemaid, Bridget. After enough backstory is developed, the murder of the parents goes down, and Lizzie is tried for their murder. The film does a good job of showing all the flaws of the father, his molestation of Bridget and metal abuse of his daughters, providing motive of the killing for several people. The acting is superb, especially from Chloe Sevigny as Lizzie and Kristen Stewart as Bridget. I don’t know how historically accurate the film is, but I enjoyed it; it is a good character-driven film perfect for lovers of period dramas, with a bit of quiet suspense thrown in.
Sometimes fantastic acting makes the film, and sometimes it just isn’t enough. For some odd reason I couldn’t connect with Journey’s End, which is lauded by critics but did little for me. It follows a company of British soldiers as they take their place in a trench, right on the front lines in World War I. They must spend 6 days here before they are swapped out again, and all know that a German attack is imminent. They also know that no reinforcements are coming, and they are supremely outnumbered at this front. The movie is mostly about the comradery of the soldiers, faced with certain death in an impossible situation. Their fear is palpable through the screen, but honestly I was bored for much of the film. Maybe I just wasn’t in the mindset today, but for a war film, I expect more than 20 or so minutes of real action.
A Bag of Marbles is a French film following a Jewish family in Paris during the Nazi occupation of World War II, and specifically, the two youngest boys, Jojo and Maurice. When the father sees the writing on the wall that German forces will start rounding up the Jews, he separates the family and tells everyone to meet up in southern France, which is occupied by Italy and thus less antagonistic to Jews. Jojo and Maurice go on quite the adventure but do arrive their safely. Unfortunately the peace is short lived before they must separate again and continue to hide. Over the following years, the two rely on each other while always seeming to be one day away from being caught, and constantly hoping for news from their parents or older brothers. Amazingly, I found out during the end credits that it was based on a true story, though I’m sure it was a similar story for many who survived that terrible moment in our history. Fantastic film about an incredible story.
Another tremendous film is Beautiful Boy, and also based on a true story. This one features tour de force performances by Steve Carrell and Timothee Chalamet as a father and son. David Sheff seems powerless to help his son Nick overcome his drug problems. The movie is nearly non-linear, with frequent jumps back in time, both short and long, to show Nick’s gradual descent into full-on addiction. David reminisces about the care-free, loving little boy Nick used to be, and can’t wrap his head around how Nick came to be in this predicament. In and out of rehabs, nothing seems to work. Even surviving an overdose doesn’t turn Nick’s life around. As a viewer, we see all of the pain this is causing David, and I kept rooting for Nick to find peace. Unfortunately as the movie goes along, we aren’t sure if we’ll get the Hollywood ending or not. More heart-breaking than heart-warming, it is one of the powerful films I’ve seen in awhile.
Final film today is mid90s, a coming-of-age film taking place in the era it advertises, which so happens to be my own. However, as a goody two shoes, I didn’t participate in most of the activities portrayed in this film. Written and directed by Jonah Hill, this movie has plenty of humor, but none of which detracts from the unabashed look at the want, or need, for acceptance among others at one of the most critical points in a person’s development. Stevie is a 13 year old, small for his age, who has no power in his personal life and no friends in his circle. He is bullied by his much older brother and suffocated by a single mother. Stevie finds friends in a local group of skaters, and is introduced to the world of drinking, marijuana, and sex. A very raw film, I was uncomfortable with the portrayal of Stevie, mostly because he looks so young, but the movie does (I think) accurately show the experiences of many that grew up in the 90s, even if it differed from my own. I totally understand the human need for a sense of belonging, and I couldn’t help but be reminded of a scene in Good Will Hunting, where Robin Williams’ character says, “Why does he hang out with those retarded gorillas as you called them? Because any one of them, if he asked them to, would take a bat to your head. That’s called loyalty.”
Jons Movie Takes 