TAR

Based on C.K. Williams and his Pulitzer Prize winning poems, his beautiful words have paved way of an incredible story, and now an incredible film.  However, it wasn’t the topic of the story, or the meaning of the story itself that amazed me when I found out about the creation of this movie.  It was actually the story behind the making of story that still has me in awe.

With a big name cast including James Franco from 127 Hours, Oz: The Great and Powerful, and This Is The End, Mila Kunis  known for Friends With Benefits, Black Swan, and That 70’s Show, and Jessica Chastain  known for her work in The Help, Zero Dark Thrity, and Mama, you would have been waiting  for the mention of a well known director and writer as well,  and the fact that there isn’t is the craziest part to me. 

Written and directed by 12 New York University film students—yes 12, and yes students—I am flabbergasted, not only by the fact that they were able to book a cast of actors with such prestigious credentials, but the fact that it is looks so professional you never would have known it was made by a small group of students who many would deem as inexperienced. As an aspiring filmmaker, and one with great appreciation of film itself, I am both envious and determined.  I am envious that I was not a part of that team of twelve, and even more determined to reach the quality and ability that they were able to do and gain the knowledge I need to become in a position like that.  They have raised the bar for young filmmakers and have made a beautiful piece worthy of recognition.

The story takes us back to 1940’s Detroit where we meet William’s mother (Chastain), then through his tough years as a teenager, to the time where his writing career began on its journey to its peak in the 1990’s.

I cant wait to see it!

Zero Dark Thirty: The final scene

Kathryn Bigelow’s latest film, Zero Dark Thirty, is the story of the courageous CIA agent Maya, played by Jessica Chastain, who is pushed to her limit over ten years attempting to find Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden. Throughout the movie, Maya drives herself into the ground interrogating terrorists, travelling through the Middle East, and finishing paper work while trying to stay out of the line of fire. She loses friends, colleagues, and almost her own life in her struggles to stop the man responsible for plotting the September 11 attacks.

While the climax of the movie is one of the final scenes where Navy S.E.A.L. Team 6 enters Bin Laden’s compound, the final scene of the film shows true emotion of those that were part of the real event. In the final scene, Maya walks onto the empty plane, sits down in her seat, and as they close the door, she begins to cry. Throughout the entire movie, Maya is perceived as the tough, dedicated agent who does not care about anyone else’s opinion of her. In her eyes, her job is to find Bin Laden, which she dedicated her first twelve years in the CIA to doing. But, after finally catching him, she is so overcome with relief that she cannot help but to cry. Her experiences during her time in the Middle East could be contributing factors, but from my perspective, the pure relief of finding that one thing she was looking for takes over.

It is the last scene of the movie, but I think it was one of the most revealing scenes of the film. This is the first time we see the true emotion and damage that this impossible search put on her life. It is also the first time she lets down her tough façade and we see an emotion that is not anger or determination. It revealed what was building up inside of the mind of each person on the task force in Pakistan. While I believe the acting was phenomenal throughout the entire movie, this scene in particular stood out to me because it reflected the feeling of the actual agents in their position.  

This entire film was amazing, and I highly recommend it.