Expectations of Pi

            Most potterheads would tell you that if you are a true Harry Potter fan, you will always argue that the books are better than the movies. To be considered a true “potterhead”, you should feel that every tiny detail left out of the Warner Brothers movies is an insult to J.K. Rowling herself. While I loved reading the Harry Potter series, and believe that J.K. Rowling made me a reader from a very young age, I don’t consider myself a true Harry Potter fan by these standards.

            The art of taking a book and bringing it to the big screen is a lot harder than I think people realize. Although you do get the advantage of having the plot already decided for you, the balance between keeping the fan base happy and making it an interesting movie that isn’t over 3 hours is a hard balance to maintain.

            With the book, The Life of Pi, you certainly don’t have the same number of crazed fans demanding you stay true to every word written by author Yann Martel. However, every time a screenwriter kidnaps a novel, they have to make sure that the storyline is interesting enough to watch on a Friday night.

            In a story about a boy who is stranded on a boat with a tiger, the issue of keeping an audience engaged is definitely a question that I’m sure came up in the preliminary stages of the movie. If this boy has no one to talk to, how are we going to keep the viewer’s attention?

            I think screenwriter David Magee did an excellent job tackling this problem. The summer going into my sophomore year of high school, I read Yann Martel’s novel for summer reading. It could have been because it was homework over the summer, or because I was an immature, short-attention-spanned 14-year-old, but I remember hating this book. The 200-something pages of this boy’s survival in the ocean seemed much less interesting to me than my trampoline outside. I read it as quickly as I could, highlighted good quotes as proof that I read it, and didn’t touch the book again until the first day of school.

            Two and a half years later, my mom begs me to see the movie in theaters. Well, “begs” probably isn’t the right word. It isn’t all that hard for anyone to convince me to watch a movie. So, despite my distaste for the novel, I got my ticket, bought my popcorn, and sat in the black, musky theater.

            It was good. Really good. Sitting in the theater, I remember being surprised by how good it actually was. Maybe it was because of my low expectations, but I walked out of that movie theater, unable to stop telling my mom how good it was (even, to her dismay, while we were waiting in the line for the bathroom and then sitting in the stalls). But I couldn’t help it. This movie completely surprised me.

            To be honest, I don’t know what I expected. Maybe I expected to be as bored watching it as I did reading it. But everything from the special effects to the acting to the set grabbed me and pulled me into Pi’s tragic story. It’s hard to point to one specific moment where Magee made this story interesting to watch. But if I had to, I would really commend the actors, but particularly Suraj Sharma and Irrfan Khan, on making an unbelievable story a little more believable.

            To some of you, I probably sound like a 12-year-old twihard raving about Stephenie Meyer’s latest vampire book (although I hope I don’t sound like that). I know that pretending to be a movie critic means that I should be CRITICAL, but I was simply swept away by this whole cinematic experience. Could I work for Rotten Tomatoes? Probably not. But should you still go see this movie? Definitely.

            MOVIES WATCHED: 19

            SCREENPLAY PAGES WRITTEN: 44

            NOVEL PAGES WRITTEN: 73 

The Voice Behind the Words

            Despite what you might assume, MLK Day means more to me than just a day off of school. The Friday before our annual three-day weekend, my high school principal talked to us about why Martin Luther King Jr. is such an important figure in our country’s history. She talked about how MLK paved the way for freedom fighters to come, relating his work with the Civil Rights Movement to the present-day Gay Rights Movement. While I respected my principal for getting up to the podium and bringing up this relevant point, I hoped that MLK Day was not exclusively a holiday for the oppressed. In a sense, MLK fought for his right to be a role model for everyone, and not just for the people who share his skin color. I think Dr. King would be happy to know that in 2013, a black man could be my hero too.

            There are many reasons why MLK can be a hero to everyone. He proves to me that one individual can change the world around them. Without the use of violence, MLK was able to get his point across with such power and force that the world around him had to listen. And Dr. King did this through words. Not only his distinct choice of words, but also the way in which he said them created a legacy that is still around today.

This idea that words can be spoken out loud, and then generate a lasting impression is one of the reasons why I love screenwriting. While the motives behind MLK’s speeches and a good chick flick are very different, the words that make them are similarly used to create a desired effect.

However, the way in which you say a particular word alters the effect that it creates. Inflection alone can change a pleasantry into a snarky remark. So, in honor of MLK Day, I am going to do something that I have never done on this blog before. Below is a video of me reading a poem I wrote. This poem was inspired by one of my favorite poets, Matthew Rohrer. Although I don’t have the deep, soulful voice that carried MLK’s beautiful speeches, I hope you like it!

            MOVIES WATCHED: 19

            SCREENPLAY PAGES WRITTEN: 44

            NOVEL PAGES WRITTEN: 73

Run-Ins at the Grocery Store

            So, it’s been awhile! As I’m staring at a blank white page on Microsoft Word, I feel like I’m looking into the face of an old friend I’ve run into at the grocery store. Only less awkward. Since my last blog post, a lot has changed. And by a lot, I mean that I have managed to see pretty much every movie that is currently in theaters. In the spirit of extended metaphors, I came up with a new game to try out that I called “The Ice cream in my Grocery Cart is Melting so I Have to Make this Quick”. (Yes, I also need to work on how to make titles concise.) As I hope this obscenely long title predicts, I am going to attempt to give you my thoughts on each of these movies as if we were talking in the soup aisle and your Cherry Garcia ice cream bars were slowly turning into chocolate glop (which would probably still taste good, but that’s beside the point). I’m making up the rules as I go, so bear with me.

            “Hey so I saw this movie called Les Miserables the other day…”

            While many critics have been well, critical of Les Mis, I really thought Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe carried the movie with both their singing and acting. I liked how they filmed the singing live instead of recording each track beforehand because it made the movie seem more musical-esque and gave me a new appreciation for actors and actresses. For such a big project, I thought director Tom Hooper did I great job of making it his own, and kept my interest despite the film’s 157-minute length.

            “Have you seen The Hobbit? Because I thought…”

            Even though I have never read any of J.R.R. Tolkien’s books (I know I know, the horror!), I still was able to keep up with everything that was going on, which was a plus. Bilbo Baggins, played by British actor Martin Freeman who is also in one of my favorite shows, Sherlock, was a loveable leading hero that made the long journey seem worth following. And by long, I mean light years long. While I thought the storyline was entertaining, it scares me that this movie was 169 minutes long and Bilbo Baggins and crew are only one-third of the way done with their epic journey.

            “Jennifer Lawrence totally deserves all the hype for The Silver Linings Playbook…”

            Although I have to say that I am still more attached to Katniss Evergreen, Jennifer Lawrence’s portrayal of Tiffany in this movie is definitely worth all of the Oscar-buzz that it’s getting. You would think that in the world of Rom Coms, there would be a limit on the number of movies that could be produced and still have unique story lines. However, The Silver Linings Playbook convinced me that new movie ideas are an unlimited resource fueling the movie industry. Silver Linings made the recurring love story unique once again, with just the right combination of sour and sweet, drama and comedy.

            “Zero Dark Thirty was so intense…”

            Now become typical of a Kathryn Bigelow production, Zero Dark Thirty had you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. The explosions were loud, the suspense was high, and even though everyone knows how it ends, the ending was phenomenally complex. While I wished I were given more reason to become attached to our leading lady, Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty lacked the backstory that normally keeps non-action-movie people like me sitting through an action movie. However, Bigelow’s approach to the capture of Osama Bin Laden was brilliant in that it left me wondering whether or not CIA Agent Maya was satisfied at the end of her twelve-year manhunt, and indirectly whether or not we should be satisfied as well.

            “I definitely cried in The Impossible…”

            Out of all the movies I saw over break, I have to say that The Impossible moved me the most. Of course, how could you not with a story about a family in the wake of the 2004 Indonesian Tsunami triumphing over horrific circumstances? Although Naomi Watts is up for the Oscar’s Best Actress award, I thought her co-star, sixteen-year-old Tom Holland, was the reason that I would recommend the film to any true movie lover. Even though I was sitting in the comfort of the pitch-black movie theater, Holland and his big brown eyes made me feel exactly what he was feeling. Never have I so fervently rooted for a character to find resolution. However, when I recommend this movie, I also have to caution those who have weak stomachs (but nonetheless are still true movie lovers), to eat light before this film. Part of The Impossible’s charm is how un-charming the aftermath of this tragedy really was.

            MOVIES WATCHED: 19

            SCREENPLAY PAGES WRITTEN: 44

            NOVEL PAGES WRITTEN: 73

What Wows

            Beasts of the Southern Wild is one of those movies that makes you feel cooler just for watching it. First appearing at the Sundance Film Festival, this movie definitely deserved all the praise that it’s been getting. Once again, I’m happy to discover that People Magazine can be an academic source as well as something fun to read. In an article about the must-see movies of 2012, journalist Alynda Wheat lists Beasts of the Southern Wild at number four in her list of top ten movies to watch before the world ends (the article is a little old). I’m glad the Mayans were wrong and the world did not cease to exist after December 21 because what would I do if I had missed the opening of Les Miserables?? However, if the Mayans had been correct, at least director slash writer Benh Zeitlin gave us Beasts of the Southern Wild before our inevitable doom.

            There’s no other way to put it. This movie is just cool, in every sense possible. Told from the perspective of a six-year-old, Beasts of the Southern Wild is a story about a different end to the world where global warming on fast forward threatens the lives of a scrappy group of survivors living on the outskirts of society. You would think that this story screams political persuasion, posing as a cautionary tale to all of those who believe that global warming is a fairy tale constructed by “crazy environmentalists”. However, I could tell that Zeitlin’s true purpose in making this film was to simply tell a story about survival from a unique perspective. For the people watching Beasts of the Southern Wild with a background in environmental studies, I could imagine that their minds might wander during the film to the controversial problems relating to global warming. However, if I could speak for the rest of us, I found the story so enthralling that my mind didn’t have time to wander.

            Speaking of time, Beasts of the Southern Wild showed me how time could be used to further the plot without intense action or dialogue. In more ways than one, this movie definitely marches the beat of its own drum. With a flow of faster scenes and slower scenes, the pace of this movie matched the ebbing water that was its focus: building up and crashing and building up and crashing like waves of the shore. The constant change of pace kept my attention from scene to scene. When there was a lack of dialogue, my nose would be pressed up flat against my computer screen while intently soaking up all the details. And due to this infrequent dialogue, I appreciated the conversational scenes so much more.

            Another thing that I have touched much on in my blog so far is the importance of a name in a film. Blake Snyder stressed the importance of a name in the beginning of his book Save the Cat!. In the fictional world of film, a name gives a character certain expectations that they have to meet. Knowing this, many writers address the naming process with the same level of seriousness that they would use if they were actually birthing a child. Because in a way, without all the hee-hee-hoos, that’s exactly what they’re doing. There’s a reason that the super hero is rarely named Eugene and the mean girl is never called Gertrude. It just wouldn’t work.

            Hushpuppy. Benh Zeitlin’s choice of name for her main character immediately assured me that this movie was going to be rich with character. When I first heard the six-year-old actress Quvenzhane Wallis introduce herself with that name, I was insanely jealous that I hadn’t thought of it first. It also helped that Quvenzhane’s crazy afro, adorably high-pitched voice, and spunky personality made me fall in love with this main character right away. Her sweet and innocent, yet impeccably true commentary on life outside of society grabbed the audience by the shoulders and shook them awake. This was the kind of movie that grabbed my attention. And how easy is it to fall in love with a little girl named Hushpuppy?

            Not only did Zeitlin get the names of her characters spot on, but the language she uses to paint Hushpuppy’s world also made this fantastical film seem like reality. When referring to her home on the outside of the levees protecting America from the melting icecaps, Hushpuppy tells the audience that she and her daddy lived in “the bathtub”. This term stuck out to me because it’s able to seem completely unique, but at the same time, totally logical. I can imagine Zeitlin in a meeting with Hollywood executives pitching this idea, saying, “It’s a story about a girl named Hushpuppy who lives in the bathtub with her existentialist daddy.” Zeitlin’s logline must have had such a great POW!; it’s the kind of idea that I imagine a Hollywood executive would remember.

            Watching this film, I think I felt cooler because I witnessed originality at its peak. In a world where girls are named Hushpuppy and truck beds are made into boats and levees are broke with alligator-bombs, how could I not feel cooler by being a part of it? Even if only for ninety-three minutes. This is the kind of movie where I’m at the end of a lengthy blog post, yet I still have so much more that I could’ve said. Seeing her world unfold before her eyes, I wish I could see everything from Hushpuppy’s perspective.

            MOVIES WATCHED: 14

            SCREENPLAY PAGES WRITTEN: 44

            NOVEL PAGES WRITTEN: 70