I thought I would post Winter's Bone just in case anyone wanted to comment on it exclusively. I really enjoyed our kickoff. Can't wait to hear what everyone has to say about Ordinary People. Hopefully, I'll get to the movie store and see it soon.
Winter’s Bone begins with the bare audio track of a woman singing a lullaby about a purer time when “the old folks where hummin’ and the banjo’s were strumin’ so sweet and low…” we see the beautiful Ozark mountains and trees swallowing up a little trailer and then the camera cuts to two children playing on a trampoline in front of a house surrounded by decaying toys and tires. The children are the siblings of a girl named Ree who must search for her father who put the family house up for bail and has presumably dodged bail. The search for Jessup Dolly comprises the plot of the story but the Ozarks and the people who live there make the film so compelling. We find out within the first few scenes that secrecy is of utmost importance. Silence is enforced with brutality. So for Ree to go from house to house asking questions about her Father’s whereabouts is a breach of order that gets her into trouble. Violence is always lurking beneath the surface of the film. In a community that values it’s privacy above all the police are not called in to keep order. Justice is distributed by prominent individuals but with no less sense of legality. The violence isn’t graphically portrayed in the film but its presence is constantly felt like an element in which these characters live and move and have their being. Despite the constant threat of violence there are no villains in the film. Ree never condemns the culture around her but rather appeals to it using their own moral sense. She does not seek help outside community but as a member of it, she tells them that she’s “Dolly bread and buttered.” With so much going on in the film socio-emotionally, having this ecological undercurrent was surprising. The film takes on the ethical sensibility and stark violence found in the writing of Flannery O’Connor, I’m thinking particularly of the short story A View of the Woods. Perhaps we too could use a return to the perspective a simpler world, one that good banjo music brings us back to and insists upon. The characters in the film embody many stereo types but are also iconoclastic. As much as they reinforce stereotypes they break them and ultimately, many of these characters show a neighborly affection that we could learn something from.
I think your right about learning from their sense of hospitality. Although, our lives may not be as visibly violent, We do retreat into silence and isolation so as not to be burdened with the needs of others. One thing I love about watching films based on cultures that are different from my own, is that almost always, it causes me to reflect on the fact that we're not that different.
Yeah, I think for the most part our culture resembles the emotional flights and play acting found in Ordinary People more than the secretive world of the Ozarks. The violence of Ordinary People is far less in your face but equally harrowing.
Movie Club=Home work Ordinary People: Wow, great movie, but hard to watch. I can identify with the main character in so many ways, but cannot relate to his surroundings. -I may not be E.D. per se, but share many of the experiences of a tortured soul. -pressure of friends -view counseling the same way I look at religion. Beneficial for many people, but not for me. -Audio made faint, then audible -Dreams of my brother, people chasing me, flying away. -“I’d like to be more in control, so that people will keep from worrying about me”. (control and the lack of feelings). -Friend from hospital, inevitable demise (the only one who can help me is myself, at least that’s what my dad said”. Unable to deal with the “Real World”. - “What are you thinking”…. That I jack off a lot” -“Doctor, Jewish Doctor???”. -“I kept thinking about what John Boy would have said in the end” -“I cant help it, it hurts too much to be around you” -Missing the hospital -Deterioration of a relationship (mother and father) -God: Punishment by God. Main character does not believe in God. Girl from hospital does because she is ashamed to past actions. -Losing friend to suicide makes him thing of suicide and guilt of losing brother. Feels responsible. -Could not save his brother from the inevitable. -Psychologist is an emotional outlet for expressing clients guilt. - Psy, Guilt, and identity play to relive the event
I can’t identify with Wealth, family disconnection, On the verge of insanity (managed) -I’ve always felt like I was surrounded by people, but still somehow always felt alone. Outside of the norm. -Psychologist, unconventional, dedicated, Does what he thing the client needs. Allows client to express themselves. -Idea of being -Putting on a show for the public -Coach, typical, intrusive, judgmental, crossing boundaries, -It should have been you mentality -Unable to communicate and deal with present situation - I can identify with -Is afraid of disappointing his mother (mommy hates me). -Discourse on the son -surrounded by people, but always alone.
Father Loves son, sympathetic, understanding, Enables situation Does not stand up when needed. In the middle, mediator, Although does not believe in counseling, commits himself to the process. Needs to understand Why wife told him to change during sons funeral. “What it mattered” ( Does not believe in counseling, but is will to try anything “I used to think I was lucky, until the accident” Father brings it together when he contemplates attire at funeral. Father’s search for truth, and understanding (son) Father and Mother’s Inability to mend The end, loss and change Mother Concerned with her status, image, privacy, and reputation. Ignores situation, cannot face reality Blames son for 1st sons death Cold Inability to show compassion When an issue arises, she finds a way to distract from conversation/issue. (changes subject, leaves), pretends not to hear, does not acknowledge, jumps subjects. Talking over each other, to show the communication problems in the family. Mother does not show affection to younger child, but did for older 1st born child Mother’s secretes, embarrassment, Emotionless, acts like nothing is happening (ignores) Inability to celebrate (holidays) because of loss of a family member. Feels her husband submits to their sons wishes.
I thought I would post Winter's Bone just in case anyone wanted to comment on it exclusively. I really enjoyed our kickoff. Can't wait to hear what everyone has to say about Ordinary People. Hopefully, I'll get to the movie store and see it soon.
ReplyDeleteWinter’s Bone
ReplyDeleteWinter’s Bone begins with the bare audio track of a woman singing a lullaby about a purer time when “the old folks where hummin’ and the banjo’s were strumin’ so sweet and low…” we see the beautiful Ozark mountains and trees swallowing up a little trailer and then the camera cuts to two children playing on a trampoline in front of a house surrounded by decaying toys and tires. The children are the siblings of a girl named Ree who must search for her father who put the family house up for bail and has presumably dodged bail.
The search for Jessup Dolly comprises the plot of the story but the Ozarks and the people who live there make the film so compelling. We find out within the first few scenes that secrecy is of utmost importance. Silence is enforced with brutality. So for Ree to go from house to house asking questions about her Father’s whereabouts is a breach of order that gets her into trouble.
Violence is always lurking beneath the surface of the film. In a community that values it’s privacy above all the police are not called in to keep order. Justice is distributed by prominent individuals but with no less sense of legality. The violence isn’t graphically portrayed in the film but its presence is constantly felt like an element in which these characters live and move and have their being.
Despite the constant threat of violence there are no villains in the film. Ree never condemns the culture around her but rather appeals to it using their own moral sense. She does not seek help outside community but as a member of it, she tells them that she’s “Dolly bread and buttered.”
With so much going on in the film socio-emotionally, having this ecological undercurrent was surprising. The film takes on the ethical sensibility and stark violence found in the writing of Flannery O’Connor, I’m thinking particularly of the short story A View of the Woods.
Perhaps we too could use a return to the perspective a simpler world, one that good banjo music brings us back to and insists upon. The characters in the film embody many stereo types but are also iconoclastic. As much as they reinforce stereotypes they break them and ultimately, many of these characters show a neighborly affection that we could learn something from.
I think your right about learning from their sense of hospitality. Although, our lives may not be as visibly violent, We do retreat into silence and isolation so as not to be burdened with the needs of others. One thing I love about watching films based on cultures that are different from my own, is that almost always, it causes me to reflect on the fact that we're not that different.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I think for the most part our culture resembles the emotional flights and play acting found in Ordinary People more than the secretive world of the Ozarks. The violence of Ordinary People is far less in your face but equally harrowing.
ReplyDeleteMovie Club=Home work
ReplyDeleteOrdinary People:
Wow, great movie, but hard to watch. I can identify with the main character in so many ways, but cannot relate to his surroundings.
-I may not be E.D. per se, but share many of the experiences of a tortured soul.
-pressure of friends
-view counseling the same way I look at religion. Beneficial for many people, but not for me.
-Audio made faint, then audible
-Dreams of my brother, people chasing me, flying away.
-“I’d like to be more in control, so that people will keep from worrying about me”. (control and the lack of feelings).
-Friend from hospital, inevitable demise (the only one who can help me is myself, at least that’s what my dad said”. Unable to deal with the “Real World”.
- “What are you thinking”…. That I jack off a lot”
-“Doctor, Jewish Doctor???”.
-“I kept thinking about what John Boy would have said in the end”
-“I cant help it, it hurts too much to be around you”
-Missing the hospital
-Deterioration of a relationship (mother and father)
-God: Punishment by God. Main character does not believe in God. Girl from hospital does because she is ashamed to past actions.
-Losing friend to suicide makes him thing of suicide and guilt of losing brother. Feels responsible.
-Could not save his brother from the inevitable.
-Psychologist is an emotional outlet for expressing clients guilt.
- Psy, Guilt, and identity play to relive the event
I can’t identify with
Wealth, family disconnection,
On the verge of insanity (managed)
-I’ve always felt like I was surrounded by people, but still somehow always felt alone. Outside of the norm.
-Psychologist, unconventional, dedicated, Does what he thing the client needs. Allows client to express themselves.
-Idea of being
-Putting on a show for the public
-Coach, typical, intrusive, judgmental, crossing boundaries,
-It should have been you mentality
-Unable to communicate and deal with present situation
-
I can identify with
-Is afraid of disappointing his mother (mommy hates me).
-Discourse on the son
-surrounded by people, but always alone.
Father
Loves son, sympathetic, understanding,
Enables situation
Does not stand up when needed.
In the middle, mediator,
Although does not believe in counseling, commits himself to the process.
Needs to understand Why wife told him to change during sons funeral. “What it mattered” (
Does not believe in counseling, but is will to try anything
“I used to think I was lucky, until the accident”
Father brings it together when he contemplates attire at funeral.
Father’s search for truth, and understanding (son)
Father and Mother’s Inability to mend
The end, loss and change
Mother
Concerned with her status, image, privacy, and reputation.
Ignores situation, cannot face reality
Blames son for 1st sons death
Cold
Inability to show compassion
When an issue arises, she finds a way to distract from conversation/issue. (changes subject, leaves), pretends not to hear, does not acknowledge, jumps subjects.
Talking over each other, to show the communication problems in the family.
Mother does not show affection to younger child, but did for older 1st born child
Mother’s secretes, embarrassment,
Emotionless, acts like nothing is happening (ignores)
Inability to celebrate (holidays) because of loss of a family member.
Feels her husband submits to their sons wishes.