I have got to admit that I adore The Book of Eli more each time I see it. I wasn’t planning on seeing it again in the theatre, but some friends wanted to go so I went along for the ride.
With every viewing I become a bigger and bigger fan of Mila Kunis’s character Solara. Even though Eli is the title character the point of the film is truly Solara. This film is nearly a modern Pilgrim’s Progress and Solara is the individual so intrigued that she tags along on the journey, slowly coming to adopt Eli’s faith as her own until the climax of the film when the tables really turn.
What I do love about The Book of Eli is that the treat the faith of Eli and later Solara with subtlety. Eli lets us know early on that God literally speaks to him and they never treat Eli as a freak or a person a few bananas short of a bunch; it’s taken as a serious point in the film and if you really watch you can pick up signs of Eli and Solara hearing from God as the film progresses. If you’ve seen the film and you’re not sure what I mean there is one crucial visual cue I can give you. Before Eli does any major action in the film (choosing which fork of the road to take, how to respond to a threat, etc.) he always takes a beat to pause and looks upward to the heavens…something Solara also starts later in the film. For lack of a better phrase they are receiving directions.
I hope The Book of Eli is released on DVD with a long rambling commentary. I want to know The Hughes Brothers and everyone else’s inspiration and motivation behind making this film.
Showing posts with label denzel washington. Show all posts
Showing posts with label denzel washington. Show all posts
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
The Book of Eli
I know it’s only February, but The Book of Eli may become one of my favorite films of the year. I love this movie and I encourage all of you to see it.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen another film by the Hughes Brothers, but after The Book of Eli I just might be a new fan. I am going to have to watch a few of their films to see how the men that did Menace II Society, Dead Presidents & From Hell ended up in the post-apocalyptic, religious future.
Denzel Washington was never really an actor I considered myself a fan of, and thinking of that now I’m a bit confused as to why I don’t follow him more. Every movie I can think of that he has been a part of I’ve enjoyed – with the exception of Training Day, that’s one movie I detested but it had nothing to do with Washington. Not only is Washington a great actor that make movies that I enjoy watching, but his off-screen persona is almost that of the boy next door; he seems like a down to Earth guy anyone could know.
But enough of my Denzel love.
Go see The Book of Eli. I repeat what I said last time, if you want to see how a movie about God & faith can be relevant on the big screen this is the movie you should see.
Eli: People had more than they needed. We had no idea what was precious and what wasn't. We through away things people kill each other now.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen another film by the Hughes Brothers, but after The Book of Eli I just might be a new fan. I am going to have to watch a few of their films to see how the men that did Menace II Society, Dead Presidents & From Hell ended up in the post-apocalyptic, religious future.
Denzel Washington was never really an actor I considered myself a fan of, and thinking of that now I’m a bit confused as to why I don’t follow him more. Every movie I can think of that he has been a part of I’ve enjoyed – with the exception of Training Day, that’s one movie I detested but it had nothing to do with Washington. Not only is Washington a great actor that make movies that I enjoy watching, but his off-screen persona is almost that of the boy next door; he seems like a down to Earth guy anyone could know.
But enough of my Denzel love.
Go see The Book of Eli. I repeat what I said last time, if you want to see how a movie about God & faith can be relevant on the big screen this is the movie you should see.
Eli: People had more than they needed. We had no idea what was precious and what wasn't. We through away things people kill each other now.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
The Book of Eli
If you plan on seeing The Book of Eli don’t read this yet. If you don’t think you want to see it and need details to convince you – keep reading. There are spoilers in this, but it’s mainly a through look at the story, not the twists and turns.
I’m blogging out of order because I have to tell you about The Book of Eli during opening weekend; I have to tell you during opening weekend because I don’t know how many big screens this film will stay on after the box office nose dives next weekend. The box office will nose dive next weekend because The Book of Eli isn’t a typical Hollywood action film, post-apocalyptic film, or anything of the sort. The Book of Eli is about God.
Roughly 30 years after the flash destroyed the world Eli is walking across the ravaged United States to get to the west avoiding marauders and hijackers that want to steal his few belongings and more than anything trying to survive the harsh landscape that surrounds him. On his way west Eli passes through one of the ragged towns that has popped up, headed by Carnegie a despot enjoying his power. Carnegie sends out marauders day after day looking for a book, a book that only he knows and he won’t rest until he finds it.
When Eli comes through town he causes trouble and comes to Carnegie’s attention because of his expertise in defending himself and the fact that there are very few people left that are as old as he and Eli. Eli refuses the position that Carnegie offers him and flees town, intent on continuing west. But his plans are foiled as Carnegie realizes Eli is in possession of the book he desperately seeks and pursues. As if that weren’t enough young Solara has become fascinated with Eli and follows him out of town. Together the two flee Carnegie while Solara tries to understand the purpose behind Eli’s journey and conviction and Eli tries to keep the book safe so he can complete his task.
The Book of Eli has one of the most unique takes on a post-apocalyptic world that I have ever seen. What makes this movie entirely different is that it explores how religion would influence society in this wasteland. You see after “the flash” people began to speculate that religion, specifically Christianity and The Bible, was the cause for wars and violence and The Bible was burned world wide. Christianity was eradicated and The Bible disappeared.
Except Eli managed to find the last copy. He found this copy because after “the flash” a voice told him where to find it and set him on his path to protect it. He’s been protecting it ever since and following his path.
Where most films have religious sub-text there is noting “sub” about The Book of Eli - this is all text. Eli is the last follower of Jesus, a prophet of God set on a path. Just like Moses and the prophets before him he is flawed, makes mistakes and learns as he goes along, but knows more than anything else that God is real and has a purpose. The Book of Eli is not subtle. Eli is an amazing character and an extreme example of faith.
As powerful a character as Eli is he is matched by Solara. A young slave in Carnegie’s city she begins to get to know Eli when Carnegie tries to get her to proposition Eli. Instead of taking advantage of Solara, Eli takes the time to get to know her, shares a meal with her and even prays with her for the first time. Eli’s life and actions intrigue her so much that when Eli flees Solara follows him, trying to discover what it is about him that is so different and all the way he has to explain to her what faith means in a literal and religious sense. Her arch is natural and astounding.
I still can’t believe that Hollywood allowed The Book of Eli to be made. This film has Jesus all over it. I know it can’t be a hit in theatres for very long because as the movie went along the audience got more and more uncomfortable. As Eli and his path were revealed the audience clued into the message and did not want to admit that the film was about Christianity; in fact at one point during the credits an audience member actually got mad that it turned out to be a “Christian movie”.
Not everyone will like this movie, but those that believe in the message will absolutely love it.
Directors: Albert & Allen Hughes
Writer: Gary Whitta
Eli: Denzel Washington
Garnegie: Gary Oldman
Solara: Mila Kunis
Redridge: Ray Stevenson
Claudia: Jennifer Beals
George: Michael Gambon
I’m blogging out of order because I have to tell you about The Book of Eli during opening weekend; I have to tell you during opening weekend because I don’t know how many big screens this film will stay on after the box office nose dives next weekend. The box office will nose dive next weekend because The Book of Eli isn’t a typical Hollywood action film, post-apocalyptic film, or anything of the sort. The Book of Eli is about God.
Roughly 30 years after the flash destroyed the world Eli is walking across the ravaged United States to get to the west avoiding marauders and hijackers that want to steal his few belongings and more than anything trying to survive the harsh landscape that surrounds him. On his way west Eli passes through one of the ragged towns that has popped up, headed by Carnegie a despot enjoying his power. Carnegie sends out marauders day after day looking for a book, a book that only he knows and he won’t rest until he finds it.
When Eli comes through town he causes trouble and comes to Carnegie’s attention because of his expertise in defending himself and the fact that there are very few people left that are as old as he and Eli. Eli refuses the position that Carnegie offers him and flees town, intent on continuing west. But his plans are foiled as Carnegie realizes Eli is in possession of the book he desperately seeks and pursues. As if that weren’t enough young Solara has become fascinated with Eli and follows him out of town. Together the two flee Carnegie while Solara tries to understand the purpose behind Eli’s journey and conviction and Eli tries to keep the book safe so he can complete his task.
The Book of Eli has one of the most unique takes on a post-apocalyptic world that I have ever seen. What makes this movie entirely different is that it explores how religion would influence society in this wasteland. You see after “the flash” people began to speculate that religion, specifically Christianity and The Bible, was the cause for wars and violence and The Bible was burned world wide. Christianity was eradicated and The Bible disappeared.
Except Eli managed to find the last copy. He found this copy because after “the flash” a voice told him where to find it and set him on his path to protect it. He’s been protecting it ever since and following his path.
Where most films have religious sub-text there is noting “sub” about The Book of Eli - this is all text. Eli is the last follower of Jesus, a prophet of God set on a path. Just like Moses and the prophets before him he is flawed, makes mistakes and learns as he goes along, but knows more than anything else that God is real and has a purpose. The Book of Eli is not subtle. Eli is an amazing character and an extreme example of faith.
As powerful a character as Eli is he is matched by Solara. A young slave in Carnegie’s city she begins to get to know Eli when Carnegie tries to get her to proposition Eli. Instead of taking advantage of Solara, Eli takes the time to get to know her, shares a meal with her and even prays with her for the first time. Eli’s life and actions intrigue her so much that when Eli flees Solara follows him, trying to discover what it is about him that is so different and all the way he has to explain to her what faith means in a literal and religious sense. Her arch is natural and astounding.
I still can’t believe that Hollywood allowed The Book of Eli to be made. This film has Jesus all over it. I know it can’t be a hit in theatres for very long because as the movie went along the audience got more and more uncomfortable. As Eli and his path were revealed the audience clued into the message and did not want to admit that the film was about Christianity; in fact at one point during the credits an audience member actually got mad that it turned out to be a “Christian movie”.
Not everyone will like this movie, but those that believe in the message will absolutely love it.
Directors: Albert & Allen Hughes
Writer: Gary Whitta
Eli: Denzel Washington
Garnegie: Gary Oldman
Solara: Mila Kunis
Redridge: Ray Stevenson
Claudia: Jennifer Beals
George: Michael Gambon
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Much Ado About Nothing
Much Ado About Nothing is on my list of guilty pleasure movies; I’m not quite too sure why it’s a guilty please but it just feels like one of those movies I shouldn’t love as much as I do. The film is yet another of Kenneth Branagh’s Shakespeare adaptations and while I haven’t seen all of his Shakespeare adaptations, I think this one might stand as one of my favorite adaptations right up there with Baz’s Romeo & Juliet.
Like most of Shakespeare’s comedies Much Ado About Nothing is pretty silly, and pretty complex. Beatrice & Benedick have a love hate relationship leaving heavily towards the hate but neither can stop trading witty barbs. When Don Pedro brings Benedick and the rest of his men to rest at Leonato’s house merriment ensues that includes the banter between Beatrice & Benedick and Benedick’s friend Claudio meets Leonato’s daughter Hero and falls madly in love. Claudio & Hero become engaged & Don Pedro decides to see if he can trick Beatrice & Benedick into falling in love. All would be good and merry except for Don John (Don Pedro’s brother) who meddles and tries to ruin everything his brother and men are doing.
I have said before that there is usually one thing with every Shakespeare adaptation that drives me mad; this entire film used to drive me mad. I didn’t understand the casting of all things. Now I realize that the casting is part of what makes this movie work so well as a comedy. It’s unexpected in some cases and absolutely perfect in others.
What I liked from the start wast young Kate Beckinsale as Hero opposite House’s Robert Sean Leonard as Claudio & Kenneth Branagh as Benedick opposite Emma Thompson as Beatrice. The chemistry between these couples is fabulous. The roles that used to throw me for a loop were Michael Keaton as the a local and annoying member of the law enforcement, Denzel Washtington as the jovial Don Pedro and Keanu Reeves as Don John.
The character of Dogberry (Michael Keaton) used to annoy me because I just thought he was horrible - I thought he was more Monty Python than Shakespeare. The more I have watched this film the more that has changed and Dogberry has simply become a wonderfully funny character and Michael Keaton is fabulous at it.
I never had anything against Denzel Washington as Don Pedro, but it threw me that he was a black character in an otherwise ethnically undiverse cast. Washington was great, but I had to get over my ideas that Shakespeare is a bunch of white Englishmen. He was really cast because he was perfect for the role.
This brings us to what used to be my biggest problem with the movie and what is now one of my greatest joys with this version of the play – Keanu Reeves as Don John. So much used to grate on me about his portrayal of the character. Let’s start with the obvious – he’s white. Don John is Don Pedro’s brother. Pedro is black, John is white…there is no logic outside of adoption that makes that make sense. Then we have the highly evolved acting skills of Keanu (please sense the sarcasm). I like Keanu, but I think he needs a very strong director’s hand to deliver a good performance and try as he might Keanu is one of the people that cannot deliver Shakespeare’s language in the slightest. In Much Ado About Nothing he gives one of the worst Shakespearian performances that I have ever seen. I did not understand why on earth he was cast as the villain of the piece.
Then one day the light bulb came on for me. I watched the movie again and realized that because of Keanu’s lack of Shakespeare skills the movie became funnier, his character became funnier. Don John is now one of my favorite characters in the film and I think Keanu’s casting was a feat of underhanded brilliance.
I don’t think enough people have seen this version of the Shakespeare classic and I highly encourage you to do so. I love it and I really want others to experience it.
Director: Kenneth BranaghWriter: Wiliam Shakespeare & Kenneth Branagh
Beatrice: Emma Thompson
Benedick: Kenneth Branagh
Hero: Kate Beckinsdale
Claudio: Robert Sean Leonard
Don Pedro: Denzel Washington
Don John: Keanu Reeves
Leonato: Richard Briers
Dogberry: Michael Keaton
Beatrice: Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more. Men were deceivers ever. One foot in sea and one on shore, to one thing constant never. Then sigh not so but let them go and be you blithe and bonny, converting all your sounds of woe into hey nonny nonny.
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