Friday January 12, 2007 SGN.org |
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Volume 35 Issue 02 |
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Saturday, Aug 30, 2008
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Two noble films that challenge us and make us think |
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| Two noble films that challenge us and make us think | ||
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by Rajkhet Dirzhud-Rashid -
SGN A&E Writer Happily N'Ever After Animated, with voices by Sigourney Weaver, Andy Dick, Freddie Prinze, Jr.,. George Carlin, Wallace Shawn, Sarah Michelle Gellar Now playing Children of Men Directed by Alfonso Cuaron Starring Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Chiewetel Ejiofor, Michael Caine, Claire-Hope Ashitey Opened January 4th Okay, I know I'm not the only one in the world who ever wanted Dracula to win the girl, the Wolfman to get away, and The Wolf to eat Little Red Riding Hood. I guess it's because the villains -- to me anyway -- always had the cooler costumes and more interesting lines. Well, obviously, someone other than myself had the same idea and in the animated film Happily N'Ever After, the 'evildoers' are in charge -- at least for a bit. Taking off from Disney's Sorcerer's Apprentice (remember when the wizard left Mickey in charge and the chaos he caused with the wizard's brrom?), and a few other classics, Happily turns our most beloved fairy tales on their heads. And, then, gives us two likeable characters to love in a talking pig and his sidekick, who wants to 'shake things up a bit', and does. With very bad results for everyone, that is, except 'the evil stepmother' from Cinderella. But, as with all fairy tales, this one does have a happy, and a rather feminist ending. Cinderella gets some spunk, and working with a plucky dishwasher named 'Rick' saves the kingdom of 'Fairyland' and puts everything right before the wizard returns from an otherworldly golf trip. Yes, Virginia, wizards do don kilts and go golfing. A fun treat for the entire family, this one is funny. Once again the producers of 'Shrek' have given the world something to distract us from the overwhelming violence all around us. Now, if you want a more cautionary tale, one that takes what's going on today with global warming, the demonization of immigrants and how less and less people are finding themselves able to become parents without some form of medical help, Children of Men is your film. With stars Clive Owen, Julianne Moore and the indomitable Michael Caine, how can you go wrong? The film is set in England in the latter half of the 21st Century, after just about everywhere else has fallen apart, due to war and civil strife. And society's 'youngest citizen', a person we never see, but hear a lot about, 'Baby Diego' has just died. He was eighteen. So things look pretty danged bad for the human race, until Owen's hero is contacted by a group of radical 'humanists' who are trying to save the day, and he finds out that there is one woman who has gotten pregnant (Claire-Hope Ashitey). So, it becomes his task to get her to safety, so she can have her baby and possibly renew mankind's seed and save the human race. Futuristic looking, but very down to earth in the way that Bladerunner and the television series 'Dark Angel' were, Children of Men is perhaps the best vision of the future I've seen on screen since 'Tank Girl'. This is believable filmmaking because the characters are people you feel you know and - unfortunately - they live in a future that is just too close for comfort. Brutally urgent and, yet, almost divine in its message, this film left me with a lump in my throat, especially the scene where Owen and Ashitey are walking past a group of silenced soldiers, who -- having heard the cry of the first child born in years -- cross themselves. Go see this film and be amazed that there are still films coming out of Hollywood that can be this good. |
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