The Graduate

The Graduate is one of those movies that if you tell someone youv'e have never seen it, they will
undoubtedly freak out and ask what is wrong with you. I had never seen it until recently, which I actually think worked out for the best. I think I was able to get more out of it than I probably would have had I been younger. This is a serious film, although its message is undercut by situations universal to anyone who had ever been stuck between the two worlds of child and adulthood.

What makes the Graduate timeless is its applicability. Like Ben, everyone goes through a period of anomie following some big change in their life. It is during this period of normlessness that an individual must reasess themselves on an existential level. The Graduate documents this very poignantly. When asked what he is going to do after college, Ben's answer is never definititive. He has no idea what he wants, that is until the end.

It is strange how quickly he seems to fall in love with Elaine. In a matter of a few scene changes, Elaine becomes his means to an end to his existential dilemma. He becomes driven once again, perhaps driven in the way we could imagine he was in College. Elaine becomes his new goal. After he wins her in the end, there is a sense of impending anomie because of the achievement of his goal. Perhaps the narrative has come full circle, perhaps not.

This movie is actually very similar to another one of my favorites, Garden State. It, too, is a coming of age story in which the twenty-something year old protagonist is emotionally resurrected by a woman. If you liked the Graduate, I would suggest it.

Little Miss Sunshine

Little Miss Sunshine is a modern, darker comedy that tells the story of a family's trip to the Little Miss Sunshine pageant in California. The film's characterization is archetypal by today's standards, including all of the dysfunctional characters typical to the disenchanted middle-class.

A good portion of the film was filmed with a hand-held camera. In times of conflict, this aspect of cinematography became more apparent, such as when Dwayne finds out that he is color-blind. In this scene, the camera is jostles back and forth a great deal, signifying and reflecting the tumult portrayed in the scene.

Though the Hoovers seem like atypical odd balls, in their own right, they actually reflect normal family by the standards of today. There is the disenchanted teen, the idealistic 7-year old, the over-stressed mother, the manic and overly optimistic father, the emotionally disturbed uncle, and the loud, arrogant, and alcoholic grandfather. Everyone could find something to relate to in this family dynamic. They are the modern archetypes of today.

And thats what makes this movie funny. The universality of the characters in all their endearing flaws and shortcomings, could resonate with everyone on some level. We , as a society, have come a long way since the Cleavers . The Hoovers are the real american family, and leave us all a little less self-conscious about our own "weird families."

Thats all ive got

Babel

The interwoven and seemingly unrelated plot lines of Babel made for an interesting and engaging experience. The notion of the "Butterfly Effect," was a prevailing theme throughout the course of the film. The fact that the four stories took place on 3 separate continents is suggestive that the film was trying to affirm a sense of globalization and unity that has become prevalent in out society.
That being said, the film portrays strong anti-american sentiment. The story of Maria's crossing of the border to Mexico with the two children, and her detainment and deportation when she tried to cross back, paints U.S. authority in a negative light. Also, the U.S.'s over-reaction to what they claim to be a "terrorist attack" in Morroco when put in juxtaposition with the story of the two Morrocan boys, makes the U.S. seem entirely ignorant and self-serving.
I think a major point that this film touches on is global unity, and the resistance of the U.S.
to accept this unity. The U.S. serves as an unwieldy and uncompassionate entity that hinders the flow of ideas into U.S. culture. The refusal to accept this notion of sameness and unity leaves the united states cut-off, as opposed to understanding of the connectedness of us all in this society of communication.