Kevin's Watch

These two films have both featured in the 'Oscars' best film catagory in the last couple of years and both depict communitys living virtually beyond the reach of the Law (in the broader sense) in conditions of backward poverty (not I hasten to add that there is not goodness and value here as well but you have to call a spade a spade).

it seems to be a feature of films portraying the America beyond the affulent (or poverty riden) cities of the West and East coast that there is always something weird or akilter about how the community functions or is run. Surely there must be a bog standard middle ground America that functions as normal, where a comunity of hicks do not opperate a 'gun law', where a sherriff does not rule a town like his own to his own particular liking, where religious bigotry and intolerence do not force their way into the lives of people who do not share their rigid views......but somehow we never get to see it!

Why would you want to watch a film about "normalsville?"

RaceFinisher wrote:Why would you want to watch a film about "normalsville?"

Well - normal places/people have stories too.

I posted my original post having seen both films in close proximity (even though a year [2 possibly?] had sepparated them re the 'oscar' nominations they featured in. I was struck [and a little depressed] by the similarity of the films in their dark portrayal of the lives of their inhabitants - dark in the main because of the stark poverty and ignorance of the communities they lived in. Yes - both films tried to draw hope from the ashes of their key actors predicaments, and perhaps even suceeded to a degree, but it was pretty cold comfort. There are, on reflection films that depict 'normal' america, and some are pretty damn good - but they are in the main comedies (think Superbad and the first Hangover) [American Beauty is a 'must see' (hate that expression) by the way - ice cold Spacey at his best in yes, normalsville America].

Sometimes I see films in a different way to other people - The Pursuit of Happyness being a case in point. Most saw it as an uplifting story of a man, down on his luck, who by perceverence and industry raises himself up to the lofty heights where great fortunes can be made (the pursuit of happyness?). I saw it as a thoroughly depressing tale of how, by no fault of your own, fate - if it chooses to - can crush you like a nut kernal underfoot and nothing short of a miracle will raise you back up.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_gothic

That makes me think of American Gothic.

--A

peter - have you seen Seeking A Friend for the End of the World.

I know of the film Sarge, but haven't seen it as yet. It's a film that I would see when it appears on Sky or wherever, but had not planned to specifically seek out. Reading a quick summary of the plot makes me think that maybe I should give it a look - I like the idea of a man who continues to sell life insurance even in the face of the unquestionable and imminent end of the world. I'm reminded of the Dylan lyrics "Finally when the lights went out I became withdrawn/ All I ever knew how to do was to keep on keeping on."

sgt.null wrote:peter - have you seen Seeking A Friend for the End of the World.

Or do you mean Last Night?

Yes, I like Steve Carrell and it is a shame I missed this movie; I need to get it at some point. It took me forever to find Last Night and even then it was on VHS--not available on DVD? srsly?