Since I was a young boy the movie theatre has always been a sacred place to me. Almost every other weekend as a kid the movie theatre was always a place to escape. In an odd way going to see a film with my family was a time to bond. And I say it's odd because going to see a movie with other people doesn't give you much time to talk to the other person. But it's the time before and after the movie that starts up a conversation and creates this bond between people. And I believe that all starts with the movie theatre.
From the moment you step into a theatre you are hit with the that buttery aroma, and the bright lights illuminate the concession stand. Even before the film starts you are already enthralled into a different world where candy and soda are overpriced beyond one's imagination. And as you walk into the theatre and up the stairs the little lights guide you like plane on it's take off. You sit through the previews as you get excited by another reason to come back and you can't wait until the film actually starts. And it finally does.
One of the most magical moments about going to the movies is not knowing. Not knowing what the film will do to you and how you may remember this moment is something truly special. There are moments sitting in different theaters that I will always remember. Laughing with my best friends, crying alone in a theatre, or the awkward dates I've had all while watching a movie. Some have been pretty bad movies now that I'm looking back but it's what the films remind me of and that's all that matters. Sometimes a film is more than just individual frames trying to tell a story and it becomes more about the moment of time your life is in. Movies and the experiences I've had at the theatre have changed me into who I am today, and I hope to one day make someone feel the same.
On Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, the newest Disney animated film Frozen will be released in theaters. It will be the third movie I see in theaters this break, after Catching Fire (which was amazing) and Thor: The Dark World (which I hope will be amazing). But still, I have decided it is worth becoming broke over. And here is why.
For the first time in history, a woman is directing an animated Disney feature. Screenwriter Jennifer Lee is doing the honors and I must say, it sounds like she did a killer job. Animation has a male-dominated industry for decades and this is the start of an era of female creative leadership. However, animation does not differ that much from the overall Hollywood breakdown of directors by gender.
One of the major perks of a female director is the perspective that she can add to the story and animation. Frozen is a Disney rendition of Hans Christian Andersen's fairytale The Snow Queen. The story revolves around the struggles between two princess sister, Anna (voiced by Kristen Bell) and Elsa (voice by Idena Menzel) in a fictional Nordic kingdom. With Lee's perspective impacting the sister conflict, reviews claim the sister relationship is relatable. Lee's goal was to humanize Anna and I'm excited to find out how she tried to do it.
Last Saturday, my brother called and asked if my parents, my other brother, and I wanted to go see the recently released movie entitled Lincoln directed by Steven Spielberg. The rest of my family seemed very excited to go see it, and I never turn down the opportunity to go see a movie, especially one directed by such an accomplished and talented director. Besides that, I love history so I was already intrigued. So, following our usual routine we show up to the movie theater five minutes before the 6:40pm showing... and almost crash into a tall man in a heavy winter coat. The line to the ticket booth was incredibly long. As we slowly approached the counter, I realized that more and more people were buying tickets for Lincoln. Long story short, we ended up changing our tickets to the 10pm showing in order to spare our necks from the pain of having to stare up at a huge screen for about 2 and a half hours.
The theater was absolutely packed. I could only stand there in wonder. This movie has really gotten people excited, and after watching it myself I can see why. From the intricacies of Congress to his personal life, this portrayal of Lincoln and the brief span that is covered in the film was filled with rich detail. It was hard to catch it all in just one viewing. I was so impressed with the sets as well as the truly amazing talent of Daniel Day-Lewis who played Abraham Lincoln. Not to discount the rest of the cast and crew who, with all of their skill and hard work, truly made the story come alive. It was just his performance was done in such a way that captured what I would consider the essence of Lincoln. From the funny stories to the distraught husband and father, he really encompassed a complete character, right down to the walk. The cinematography was truly a work of art as well. The cuts and the camera movements themselves drew you into what was happening on the screen.
The effect of the movie was probably the best part though. I was waiting by the exit for my dad, when I overheard one woman who said she was going to go home and look up some more information on Lincoln and his family. All I could think was that this was part of the reason I wanted to go into this industry. The ability to create such a spark in people so that they leave the theater still thinking, still wondering, and better yet, actually act on that curiosity and learn something they may have never thought of before. Even my U.S. history teacher in high school, agreed that it was a great film and was pretty accurate historically (and mind you, this is no easy feat).
Needless to say, I enjoyed this film very much, and whether or not you are a history lover like myself, you should definitely go experience this wonderfully produced story. It may seem like an old one that we hear about all the time in history class, but to see it in such detail and with such strength, you may be surprised that you learned something new. I certainly was. Here is the trailer:
~Amber Capogrossi
I went to the movies the other night with a friend. My friend was like "Hey, lets go see Looper!" and I responded with "I've never heard of that before, is it any good?" to which he responded "I hope so."
Don't worry, folks. It was a really good movie. In the beginning not only do they acknowledge and make fun of "blockbuster" movies with a comment about how there's no original stories anymore, they also comment on modern society. I strongly suggest you all go see it, because it was really good.
What I really want to talk about is how media, like movies and television, can criticize our current state and they won't necessarily be punished for it. Most people probably wont even know that they are criticizing our society. I have a few opinions formed on why this is so, but I'm curious- why do you all think that film and television can comment on society and 'get away with it'?
