R-4
Over this past weekend, I watched a few films, many of them dealing with the world’s end. I couldn’t tell you why that was my fascination this weekend – perhaps it had to do with the transitional nature of graduations and cataclysms; perhaps these were merely films presented to me that I found interesting enough to give into watching.
I’ll start with Snowpiercer, which was probably my favourite to watch as a writer. The story was wonderful – climate cataclysm leads to humanity being kept in a train which must always move or else the remainder of humanity will freeze to death; questions abound regarding what makes one human, what can humanity as a trait endure, whether hierarchies are necessary to retain a semblance of civility, et cetera. Directed by the brilliant Bong Joon Ho. I have a rule about stories in general: I can only determine their value once I’ve reached their end. If I can reach the ending, then it’s a good story. Whether that ending reflects or rounds out the story as a whole determines whether I can find that story to be great. I enjoyed the film thoroughly, and the story; the ending made the film valuable to me. We put our hopes in the future, whether we ourselves live to see it or not. The world belongs to our successive generations. Shouldn’t we teach them everything we can, everything we know, so they might be better equipped to survive, to thrive? Shouldn’t we give our children everything? We shan’t hold onto anything once we die anyway. I think often on the fact wealth means nothing to the dead. That by which we divide ourselves is temporary. Only those who regard themselves as superior benefit from animosity and hierarchy; only those who regard themselves as superior benefit from vertical organisation.
The 5th Wave was frustrating to me. I haven’t read the book I believe that film was based on, but I felt like the writing was pretty weak, and though the ending was decent, it didn’t make up for the plotlines that could have been sharper and more honed. The connections between characters were flimsy – the strongest being between the protagonist and her younger brother. But the film... did not focus on that relationship... it focused instead on possible love interests. Can humans find love during a cataclysm? Absolutely. Humans can bond in almost every circumstance. The story would have been served better, however, by trimming those unnecessary romantic side-plots and honing in on how the protagonist was driven by her sisterly love to persist despite the odds. That a character was able to overcome their... hypnosis, I’ll call it... because they were overcome by love (attraction to the protagonist) was not as moving as was likely intended. It would have been more impressive if that character had been overcome by the human urge to help another, thus throwing the shackles placed upon them (within them?) by their alien overlords.
Hackers is probably one of the best films ever made. I don’t mean that in a “it should be critically acclaimed” way; I mean that in a “this film is iconic in the ways that matter, it should have no awards except those which come from the viewer’s heart.” It’s my favourite bad movie, surpassing Rumble In The Bronx and Daredevil (the Ben Affleck one). Costume design? Iconic. Characterisations? Iconic. Hackers spin when they’re hacking. Wet dreams become underwater make out sessions. Queer? Queer. You cannot convince me any hacker in the film was straight. Only queer. Spin, hackers, spin! Rotation!!!! Battle Network Blue players will, upon seeing the film, understand why Lan has roller blades. Hackers blade, hackers spin. Rotate, hacker!!! No notes on this film. It is perfect.
Mayhem hits differently having read Murder Your Employer. If any university wants to, I’ll gladly teach them in tandem. In fact, I think one should be required reading alongside the other. The rules outlined in the latter can be found in practice in the former. While violence is not something to be condoned in most instances, its execution in this horror comedy is hardly gratuitous and borders on educational. And though the film itself was released 2017, it feels very topical from 2019 onwards... if it had been released a year or two later, it might seem insensitive. Luck does require a precise timing, to be sure!
I feel as if I am forgetting one of the films, but that might speak to its relevance and value to me. Perhaps it was as disappointing to me as Arcade Fire’s new album, a nothingness through which I won’t be putting myself a third time. In anticipation of my next novel(s) project, I am taking in as many genres of film, music, art as possible, all to make sure I have a well from which to draw all those I shall need when writing them. There is something immensely joyful in watching, engaging, partaking in art for the experience. There is much life to be found in learning!
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