Review: Martha Marcy May Marlene

I love independent films and have found a DC theater that runs just that!  May be it's the story lines that get me; the alternative renditions of emotion; the artistry built into this particular mode of expression.  Or may be I have a different scale of rating; an altered barometer of taste due to my childhood spent watching the classic movies where the era of censorship required imagination of the audience and creativity of the writers and directors to produce the overall message.  Who knows.  The point being -- I enjoy independent films.Will this explanation quell any discomfort on part of the reader in trusting my judgment?  Probably not.  But at least you know where I'm coming from.

My take:
Martha Marcy May Marlene plays like a case study of a college aged girl (though never enrolled) re-entering the everyday routine of WASP society after leaving a cult.  You won't cry -- there is no emotional attachment to the characters.  Instead, you just sit back and watch.  You observe the characters functioning in their individual spheres of living that, from time to time, collide and -- like floating bubbles -- push back on one another, failing to understand the other's trajectory.

The movie has a "past - present" setting with current events running into past events marking Martha's initial entry and emotional shapings within the cult.  It is best to view the past as snapshots.  There is a piece of her first introduction, then initiation, and pinpointed events that stick out in her memory as she moves in the present.  The viewer is left to connect the dots and, overall, the effect is done very well.  You, the viewer, can sew together the pieces and imagination fills in the gaps.  Each snapshot bleeds into the other, creating the sense of what happened to Martha.

Failures: 
One: I still don't understand why she left the cult.  Yes -- we know how she left (initial scene).  Yes -- we see the event that shakes Martha out of the haze of cult-mentality.  But the gap between these two scenes is too wide.  There isn't enough of a stepping stone for the viewer to achieve full understanding, just a dim comprehension. 
Two: The ending.  I'm not going to elaborate (to avoid spoilers) but I'll just let you know that I thought the "artistry" move absolutely failed.  It's not just me saying this -- the whole theater held their breathe for the subsequent scene to begin and, when the credits flashed on screen, I could almost sense the general exhale of "WTF." A collective WTF = director's artistry fail.

Favorite:
There is one scene (towards the end) where the two sisters stand looking at one another.  Martha's on the way to the lake and her sister is raking the yard.  Hardly any dialogue.  One shot--yet you get the sense of two worlds.  They exist in the same movie frame and yet you get the sense of two separate existences.  Amazing.


Final Thought: The Olsen Sister
I walked out of the movie theater thinking -- Ashley or Mary Kate probably could have played the role just as well (although -- I've never seen them ever truly act).  Olsen pulled off the character beautifully because her face is a canvas.  She has this clean slated look with clear yet projecting eyes befitting the character.  Yet -- so do the Olsen twins.  Add the ability to speak without looking as if you're reading off of a teleprompter and you've basically nailed the role of Martha.  Thus hangs the unanswered question:  Could this have been the serious acting debut of Ashley (or Mary Kate) that was passed up?  Eh.  They still have their millions.  Just not artistic (cinema) respect.

For the love of your South

Check it.

I actually haven't read this. But it's about the South. And manners. You <3

Words of Encouragement

For my INTL midterm, our whole class decided to share a googledoc and post useful information that our professor might test us on. It's been extremely helpful these past couple of days. If there's ever a quick question or any confusion, someone will send a chat message and the rest of us will put include our input. And because the settings have us all listed as "anonymous users", we have no idea who each user is.

As it gets closer to the test, the conversation shifts from academic advice to "You'll do fine" and "don't worry man". My favorite I've seen so far: "Dude, you'll be fine. Just put the entire alphabet at the top of your paper and say 'This is intell. Read it, love it, live it.'"

Technological Memory Clip: Remembering Steve Jobs

I like how the technology world paid their respect to the death of one of its gurus -- the way that Google included a reminder on its search page, Wired.com, and others turned and gave a nod of thanks and remembrance.  Ironically, the fluidity of technology means that you won't be able to go back to the page of such websites to document how they reacted to Jobs's death.

So here's a snapshot provided by the Washington Post

This way, when I want to go back (like in a book -- you turn back to a certain page or a photo album for purposes of memory and memorabilia) I can click on this link and remember how it was that the tech industry paid tribute today. 

Tweeting Wars: It's not Just Halo anymore...

Just wanted to put this out there...because I have no words. Seriously, if taken out of context, you would think this was a couple of teenage boys playing HALO. 


Tweeting Wars: NATO and the Taliban

Also, the Taliban's 90's text speech is annoying.  I find myself having to translate in my head.  

Bald Man Psyches Out Woman

(In an elevator)

Bald Man:  Can you push the button for ten?
Woman: Ok (turns to search for the number).

Confusion sets in.  The building only has nine floors.  The man bursts out laughing.

Well played, bald man.  Well played. 

The Republican Party should want to date me

The Republican Party should want to date me.

I don't mean that I am the compatible voter with the perfectly - matched ideology.  The statement above implies that I am the independent voter who the parties should fight over.  I am not the base which is married to the Party and (perhaps grumbling) will nonetheless arrive at the polls. I am the undecided voter who seriously considered McCain in the last election.  I am from the generation that fails to see the ideological warfare.  We tote a liberal mentality with room for social conservatism so long as it doesn't suffocate the individual.   

I am the uncommitted voter who the Republican Party should want to date.  Where are my flowers and candy? Instead, all I get are statements that turn me off on an ever lengthy list.  

I understand that right now is the time for energizing the base.  At this point, the primary election is a secondary thought.  The candidates must first woo and gain the support (and financial supply) from home before setting out on the journey abroad. The question remains, though:  Will I forget everything that was said from before?

Let's look at this from the dating perspective:  Boy starts to acknowledge you.  He always knew you existed but now he wants to date you.  You are the focus of his day.  He smiles and provides the niceties of courtship.  The girl smiles back in his direction but sends out the social network feelers:  Do you know him?  What happened last time?  He said that?  He pulled that kind of a shitty move?  Really?  What a (fill in blank with generation - specific negative term)!  Agh.  Gossip seeps into her mind and, even if she consents to date him, these thoughts remain in her subconscience ready to blossom at any reminder.  

Lesson: The candidates should prepare today's base-ladled statements for the future audience of independent voters because, eventually, you will want to date me.