Narniatonto

The Guest (2014)

The debilitating effects of war on veterans and their families

Adam Wingard's The Guest is an entertaining thriller, but if there ever was a film about the debilitating effects of war, here it is. The action sequences here are no different from any other action movie of recent years, but the underlying themes add an extra layer of meaning.

The movie follows a soldier who appears at a family's doorsteps claiming to have fought alongside their deceased son in the army. The soldier, played suave, if not charming (and appropriately unhinged later in the film), by Dan Stevens, is welcomed into the family and allowed to sleep in his comrade's childhood bedroom. Soon, the family's daughter begins to suspect his involvement in a series of deaths that hit close to home.

The soldier, a man by the name of David Collins, insinuates himself in the family's lives. David makes it his mission to ascertain that they feel loved by the lost son, and improve their lives to the best of his abilities. The father - after multiple beers - confides in David and confesses to him his insecurities at work. The son, Luke, is insecure and bullied, and the daughter, Anna, is stuck in a plodding relationship. The dad's superior is found inexplicably dead, the bullies are hospitalized, and the boyfriend is being penned for a murder he did not commit, with evidence heavily suggesting otherwise. Anna has her suspicions.

There's a fine line being drawn between a hero and villain. Like a hero, David's actions are intended for the betterment of the family, but like a villain, the means are increasingly macabre. The fight scenes in the first act look on the surface to be badass, but the violence is not to be gawked at. For example, in an early scene set in a bar, David attacks a group of high school students. Many will invariably deem the fight "cool," but what we have here is a grown man bullying kids. The morality of the students is questionable, but the course of action is gratuitous, nonetheless.

There's the usual stuff like the convoluted and over-the-top reveal that David underwent a special intelligence experiment (technically a spoiler but I won't divulge the specifics). There's the obligatory scene where the daughter overhears the guest calling a hit. And there are some equally clichéd scenes sprinkled throughout.

But protruding past the frankly familiar facade, the film offers a scathing look at not just what war does to soldiers and their families, but the damage the military itself does to people.

David is a man made into a weapon by the military. This disregard for the sanctity of life is prominent throughout the film. A teacher is brutally stabbed by David and the camera pans to the corpse - lingering - to suggest that the bloody death is not a product of mental illness or substance abuse, but military intervention.

• SPOILERS -

Cloud Atlas (2012)

"Everything is connected."

An "atlas" is a book - one containing maps, pictures, diagrams...a "cloud" is an ill-defined shape of visible water vapor.

I haven't read the book, so I cannot say that the concept of it all works well as a novel. Having seen the film, though, I must say that it is a great film - not in a traditional sense, but rather for how the movie successfully makes the best out of itself.

Various notions simply cannot be crammed together to be put into the form of a story. A "Cloud Atlas" is not much more than the interaction of humans with one another, and their correspondence and importance to upcoming and previous humans. But just like that, it's not that simple.

The film offers false hope, that once we die, a door will open; one side to represent the death, but the other to represent - well - our connection to other generations.

The fact of the matter is, the film could represent a well worthwhile experience if it were hypothetical. Unfortunately, it's not. It is somehow unpretentiously commanding, more or less, its audience.

Through all of its flaws, the film makes no mistake to convey its most main message; at times, it is made difficult to determine who all plays who. This is obviously not accidental.

"What is an ocean, but a multitude of drops?" This line signifies how our single contributions, together, have a mighty effect.

This review is a collection of various notions crammed together; no, it's not of the same quality or tier of the film - but this took 10 minutes to write - not 172 to tell.

Her (2013)

Smart, sad, and slightly depressing--these words describe the main character as well as the film, overall.

The worst part about 'Her' is that it explores so many concepts and ideas. All the while, the best part about the movie is how they explore those notions.

'Her' is a brilliant drama about a depressed, hapless man undergoing a divorce. He, Theodore, eventually forms a friendship with an operating system. As odd as it sounds, the OS symbolizes and simulates a person's perfect partner. This is the same for Theodore and is why Samantha, his OS, is a female. In time, their relationship becomes much more personal and they really feel a connection to each other. And while Theodore still mourns over his ex leaving him, he's happy--the first time since he and his wife split up--because he realizes that she's not the only one who can bring joy and meaning to his life.

Director Spike Jonze makes a movie about inner-beauty, and this idea is expressed and represented by the love Theodore shares with Samantha. In a way, Theodore and Samantha have sex; she doesn't have body, but it provokes no limitation to their love, sexual or not. Theodore loves her immensely--unlike he's loved anybody else before. She's real; even though Theodore can't see her, he can feel her--and that right there is love--true love, if you will.

"I'm not tethered to time and space in the way that I would be if I was stuck inside a body that's inevitably going to die," she says. This particular quote makes you realize, if not question, how we all are stuck within ourselves--hurt, loved, hurt more . . . and finally taken away--along with everything we love.

And so the film embarks, giving a message, once again--this time about technology-- improving, advancing technology--that takes over our lives and current states of mind. Of how we become ever so dependent on what we don't need, but want--of how pure guilt takes over innocence . . . like 'WALL-E'-- but more beautiful.

American Beauty (1999)

A hilarious yet relatable drama about inner-beauty.

To start this off, I truly believe it is a 10/10 movie--it's my favorite movie of 1999 (the year it was made) and my favorite movie of all time. My review will not be biased, so please continue reading.

The plot: a man in his early 40s (played by the amazing Kevin Spacey) is possibly the most average man of his age that you could think of; he lives in a suburban house with his wife and teenage daughter, to whom, do not care much for him nearly as much as they used to. Lester Burnham, the 42-year-old main character, works as a sales agent, where he has worked for the past 15 years. Lester is simply tired and bored of his life, and wants more--he wants a wife who is willing to please him sexually, a daughter that loves him, and a job that's flourishing with excitement and overall, much different from the one he has now. His wife is a real-estate agent who seems to care more for her competitor, the Real Estate King, more than him. After going to his daughter Janie's cheerleading event, he spots her friend--Angela Hayes- -the girl who is exactly what Lester needs in his life; he falls in love once again, this time to a teenage girl who claims to be a sex-crazed person with aspirations of being a model. In hopes of revving his inner-self, he develops an obsession for the girl.

Okay...so why is this so good? Well, first of all, Lester Burnham's words are like poetry--his monologues emphasize how you must get the best of life before it's over--after all, it could abruptly end tomorrow--it doesn't matter when you read this, the sad truth is that you could die whenever. The atmosphere in the film is marvelous; it shows how everyone has their strengths and their inner-weaknesses; it also depicted just what makes a person happy, and how that affects everyone else around them. It really is a gem of a film, both inspiring the audience whenever possible, and allowing them to laugh at the relatable truth about life and human-beings.

I'm not telling you to go watch it--but you should. Even if it doesn't change your life forever, you'd honestly be entertained for the entire 2-hour movie.