the messenger is a 2009 war drama film starring ben foster , woody harrelson , samantha morton , steve buscemi , and jena malone .

it is the directorial debut of oren moverman , who also wrote the screenplay with alessandro camon .

the film premiered at the 2009 sundance film festival and was in competition at the 59th berlin international film festival where it won the silver bear for best screenplay and the berlinale peace film award ' 09 .

the film received first prize for the 2009 deauville american film festival .

the film has also received four independent spirit award nominations ( including one win ) , a golden globe nomination , and two academy award nominations .

the messenger ( 2009 film )

the messenger ( 2009 ) …review and / or viewer comments • christian spotlight on the movies • christiananswers . net
(
sõnumitooja
, 2009 ) and meeting the film director leeni linna . she was also the author of the film
looking for movie tickets ? enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing the messenger ( 2009 ) near you .
omnilab media co - financed the production and release of this compelling 2009 war - drama feature film .
the messenger was a good film that went ignored for the most part except for original screenplay .
april 29 - may 2 a single man ( 2009 , usa , 99 m . ) ; the messenger ( 2009 , usa , 105 m . ) ; the imaginarium of dr . parnassus ( 2009 , uk / canada / france , 122 m . ) ; the last station ( 2009 , germany / russia / uk , 112 m . ) ; the cove ( 2009 , usa , 92 min . ) , sponsored by mission savvy and emily jones yoga ; the maid ( 2009 , chile / mexico , 95m . ) ; broken embraces ( 2009 , spain 127 min . ) , a serious man ( 2009 , usa , 105 m . ) , an education ( 2009 , uk , 105 min . )
featured in zombieland / a serious man / whip it ( 2009 ) . see more »
district 9 ( 2009 , us / nz / can . / s . afr . )
omnilab media co - financed the production and release on this compelling 2009 war - drama feature film starring 2010 academy award nominated for best supporting actor , woody harrelson .
sherazade film development ( in association with ) ( as sherazade film development co . ltd . )
certicable 200 ' cat - 6 shielded outdoor aerial self supporting with messenger cable . . .
2009 marked the year of the hurt locker . kathryn bigelow’s film topped over 60 % of critics’ top 10 lists , which was 10 % more than any other film . it also went on to win the best picture oscar at the academy awards .
as many of you know , i am a huge fan of death metal . as many of you don’t know , i also have a passion for film and i just saw what i believe to be the best film of 2009 :
an extraordinary anti - war film that does not engage in polemics . the messenger ' s extreme effectiveness is due to the brilliant acting of ben foster and woody harrelson .
- the ghosts of his former girlfriends . of the two films released in 2009 based on dickens ' beloved story - this , and disney ' s
woody harrelson , left , and ben foster play army visitors no family wants to meet in
the messenger .
yesterday , we brought you quentin tarantino’s top 8 films of 2009 and today we have john waters , another film buff / director , listing his best of the year . i always find anything that waters writes or says to be entertaining and his thoughts on these ten films are no different . here’s what he thought were the top 10 films of 2009 :
the first director they approached about “the messenger” was sydney pollack , whom mr . moverman had once chatted up in a starbucks .
( los angeles ) september 29 , 2009 – screen gems and constantin film announced today that “resident evil : afterlife , ” the next installment in the widely successful “resident evil” film franchise has begun production in toronto , canada . the fourth film , which will be shot and released in 3 - d , is a first in the “resident evil” film franchise . most of the key creative players , who turned the “resident evil” film franchise into a global phenomenon , will be reprising their roles in “afterlife” .
virine grey shoulder bag , cross body bag , messenger bag , everyday bag , handbag , tra . . .
mosiso canvas messenger bag ( up to 15 . 6 inch ) with handle and various pockets for l . . .
an article last sunday about the film “the messenger” misstated , at one point , the rank of the character played by woody harrelson . as the article noted elsewhere , he portrays a captain named tony stone , not a sergeant .
the messenger is a grim and crushing film . it packs such a punch that it will leave you staring blankly at the screen until the credits finish rolling . the messenger is one of the most powerful anti - war films i have ever seen , made all the more impressive by the fact that it doesn’t take sides and it doesn’t have to preach . it simply examines the cost of war through the tragedy of a human death — and the messenger shows that even one death is a price too high .
“the messenger” is rated r ( under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian ) . it has sex , nudity and strong language .
“first shown at the berlin film festival four years ago , the sun is finally receiving its welcome american theatrical release , which means that one of the best movies of 2005 is now also one of the best of 2009 . ” — manohla dargis , new york times
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the messenger is a haunting yet powerful film from oren moverman featuring an outstanding leading performance from ben foster . audiences who want to see a war film without any political message or heavy - handed ideas about war will definitely see this as something more refreshing . while it’s not an easy film to watch due to its approach , it is a film that doesn’t go for conventions . featuring incredible supporting performances and appearances from woody harrelson , samantha morton , jena malone , and steve buscemi . it’s a film that is very real but also has poignant ideas about what families and soldiers go through with loss . in the end , the messenger is a brilliant yet chilling film from oren moverman . oren moverman films : rampart - ( time out of mind ) - ( the dinner ( 2017 film ) )
unveiling his horror film antichrist , the film - maker had provocative statements aplenty to distribute to the world ' s press . just how seriously can we take them ?
this article explores the relationship between film and international law by reference to the feature film zero dark thirty ( 2012 ) . the authors examine this film in the context of international law , while also considering related questions of genre , torture , gender and targeted killing .
with the insight and sensitivity of an insider , the messenger illuminates the sometimes invisible victims of war - - the survivors - - and a pain that is tolerated but never quite healed .
informing people that their children have died in a war is an unfortunate reality and the messenger tackles this subject . the premise of the film and the plot is quite fascinating , but i can ' t help the feeling more could ' ve been done with it . there are moments of brilliance in this film that highligh the talents of ben foster ( this guy is so underused in hollywood ) and woody harrelson . both turn in great performances , but it does not totally make up for the somewhat lacklustre or underwhelming narrative of the messenger .
in addition , disney ' s / pixar ' s animated film up , the second animated film ever nominated for best picture ( and the first computer - animated film ever nominated for best picture ) , won two oscar awards : best animated feature film and best original score , and was one of the top moneymakers of the year ( at $ 293 million to date ) .
the acquisition was made between madman’s paul wiegard and nick batzias , and omnilab media ' s executive producers on the film , christopher mapp , david whealy and matthew street at the 2010 sundance film festival .
raising eyebrows . . . lars von trier ( centre ) unveils antichrist at the 62nd cannes film festival with the film ' s stars willem dafoe and charlotte gainsbourg . photograph : regis duvignau / reuters
the script for “the messenger , ” which mr . moverman wrote with alessandro camon , has been purged of melodrama , and also of the glum indie - film conventions that weigh down so many forays into local realism . though there are a few scenes that seem more written than lived , the film as a whole is remarkably textured , with room for humor as well as anguish .
june 24 , west virginia premiere of still bill ( 2009 , usa 78 min ) at capitol center theater in conjunction with festivall , featuring an introduction by and q & a with director damani baker .
“some jobs are dirtier than others , and after seeing director and co - writer oren moverman’s beautifully acted new film the messenger , you’ll be better acquainted with some of the most grueling work a human being can be called upon to perform . ” — michael phillips , chicago tribune
55 year - old james cameron ( his second nomination ) for avatar . [ note : cameron previously won three oscars , all for titanic ( 1997 ) ( best picture ( producer ) , best director , and best film editing ) . he was personally up for the same three oscars in 2009 . ]
oren moverman’s directorial debut attempts to differentiate itself from the recent glut of war movies by focusing on the emotional fallout when soldiers don’t come home . the film follows two officers assigned to deliver the bad news to the families of deceased soldiers . whilst the hook maybe different , the messenger still ends up covering familiar ground because the film is as much about the emotional trauma and social dislocation of the messengers as it is about the news they are delivering to the unsuspecting parents and wives of their dead colleagues .
every film that has ever been nominated for an academy award in any category . enjoy !
“the messenger” will probably leave you sad and pensive , but it’s ultimately a film about love and hope . it’s a dark , tough road that ultimately showcases the change in the lives of two men . while clearly a movie only for discerning adults , it’s a movie that will make you think .
that the director spent four years in the israel defense forces , absorbing viscerally what he calls the “emotional landscape” of war , distinguishes the film too .
while 2009 in many ways was a weak year for movies , at least in the mainstream , if you looked into international cinema , there were lots of films to be admired . here’s my personal top 20 films of 2009 —they’re the ones that were the most emotionally affecting and psychologically haunting . the tried and true formula : the experience + the resonance = great movie . it has to be great in that moment and months later , unlike say , “ avatar ” which was fun but forgotten about an hour later .
unlike our 2008 picks , we stuck explicitly to 2009 films , not including pictures that are set for a 2010 release that we saw earlier this year at cannes and the toronto international film festival ( nicolas winding refn ‘s spiritual horror viking film , “ valhalla rising ” and bong joon - ho ‘s oedipal murder mystery drama , “ mother ” being the two that would easily penetrate this list if they were technically not 2010 films ) .
the film is premised on the verbal communication of urgent information , yet its many non - verbal moments provide the greatest strength and clarity .
one day early last year oren moverman , an israeli - american screenwriter directing his first film , “the messenger , ” met his two lead actors , woody harrelson and ben foster , outside t . g . i . friday’s at penn station in new york for a field trip to washington .
i ' m a film buff and music critic who is more interested in the daring yet provocative pieces of art .
dramas aren ' t drawing audiences ( unless they ' re dramas loaded with action ) , but comedies continue to do well at the box office . that said , there were a lot of disappointing laffers released in 2009 ( year one , land of the lost , observe and report , etc ) . thankfully , there were enough decent comedies to make up for the ones that just didn ' t work . here are my picks for the funniest movies of 2009 . remember , these are my personal favorites - feel free to disagree .
the tomatometer score — based on the opinions of hundreds of film and television critics — is a trusted measurement of critical recommendation for millions of fans . it represents the percentage of professional critic reviews that are positive for a given film or television show .
much of the critical attention has been concentrated on the performances and it is easy to see why because it is the one genuine standout element in the film . …
directed by oren moverman with a script co - written with alessandro camon , the messenger tells the story of a young u . s . army staff sergeant who accompanies a captain to give notice to families of fallen soldiers . during one trip , the young soldier falls for a widow as he deals with his own ethics issues while befriending his superior . a war drama that plays to the iraqi war of the 2000s , it is a film that explores what families and soldiers go through when they have to deliver the news of death to families . starring ben foster , woody harrelson , samantha morton , jena malone , and steve buscemi . the messenger is a harrowing yet mesmerizing film from oren moverman .
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ok , i haven’t seen everything . i didn’t see “ paris ” starring juliette binoche , but most people seemed to think it was mediocre ( i love binoche , so i will see this eventually ) . the cannes 2009 runner - up “ un prophete ” has been seen by many ( including several other playlist members ) , but technically does not come out in the u . s . until february , 2010 , so it wouldn’t be included here . many critics , including roger ebert are including “ silent light ” in their 2009 picks , but it came out for a week in new york during christmas of 2008 , so i included it in those picks . i suppose if i included it here , it would crack the top 5 , but again , for my specific purposes , we’re going to consider it a 2009 film . go see it , as it is a radiant picture .
tall and bald , with a loose - limbed , cargo pants - wearing , backpack - on - one - shoulder casualness , mr . moverman spoke in his film distributor’s loftlike office in downtown manhattan about the odyssey of making “the messenger , ” which , with a budget under $ 10 million , he portrayed as the little war movie that could .
wasn’t zombieland at number 41 on this list ? if so , can you please put it back ? it was one of 2009’s most acclaimed pictures and on a lot of lists , and it needs some recongition from the amount of top 10s it was placed on .
“the messenger , ” though , directly appealed to colonel sinor , who had been in charge of what he called the army’s “killed - in - action branch” in 2005 . “i knocked on those doors myself , ” he said .
an interesting story , some very strong performances , and a somewhat weak , melodramatic and romantic sub - plot pretty much sums up my thoughts about the messenger . a recommendable effort by first - time director oren moverman .
screengems will distribute “resident evil : afterlife” in the u . s . and sony pictures will distribute in certain select foreign territories . screengems previously handled u . s . distribution of “resident evil” , “apocalypse” and “extinction” . constantin film will retain all german - language rights . metropolitan film export , headed by samuel hadida and victor hadida , will distribute the film in france .
this admittedly did not go down too well with some journalists who had clearly been left bewildered and angry after watching his new horror movie antichrist at the cannes film festival . here is a film that wants to be watched behind splayed fingers .
this list collects every film from the starting list that became they shoot pictures don ' t they ' s 1000 greatest films . this…
but the messenger is nevertheless an interesting , often powerful and moving , soldier drama with some amazing performances which is enhanced by some decent handheld camerawork . the camera more or less works as a passive observer in the most emotional parts , and
stays in the background
so that the focus stays on the performances of the actors .
oren moverman co - wrote and directed this great film focusing on the impact the war of iraq has on its soldiers and their families . the hurt locker got a lot more critical attention , but in my opinion the messenger is also a great movie with a lot of psychological depth and great performances from the entire cast . it is a movie you won ` t want to miss if you are interested in good acting and character driven films . it is not a popcorn action film and some may find it slow , but it is a…
this is a well acted film telling a story rarely heard about the people who report military deaths to survivors and the prices they pay to do so .
tickets for movies that matter : rbg in charleston from showclix . join us at the underground cinema by wviff for june ' s movie that matter mondays film : rbg about the film : an intimate portrait of an unlikely rock star : justice ruth bader ginsburg . with unprecedented access , the filmmakers
with 2015 upon us , we figured it was a good time to look back on the movies the millennium has brought us . we’ve dug into the archives and are re - running our best of the 2000s pieces , from way back in 2009 when the playlist was a little blogspot site held together with tape and string . each list runs down the top 10 films of each year ( it’s possible that , half - a - decade on , we’d put them in a different order and even change some of the movies , but we wanted to preserve the original pieces untouched as far as possible ) . check out 2000 , 2001 , 2002 , 2003 , 2004 , 2005 , 2006 , 2007 and 2008 if you missed them , and today we continue with 2009 . fyi , unlike the other pieces , which were compiled by group , 2009 were the picks of editor - in - chief rodrigo perez only , and also went to twenty picks . if he were to do them again , they’d probably look very different , too…
the messenger
is the first film directed by oren moverman , a combat veteran of the israeli army , whose earlier screenplays included the bob dylan biopic
i ' m not there
( 2007 ) and the extraordinary
jesus ' son
( 1999 ) . this is a writer ' s picture , no less than a visual experience that approaches its subject as tactfully as the messengers do . no fancy camerawork . it happens , we absorb it .
the messenger stars woody harrelson and ben foster – two us army officers who return home from a tour in iraq and are assigned to the army ' s casuality notification service , tasked with delivering the tragic news to the families of fallen soldiers . one solider finds himself drawn to a woman , whom he has just delivered the news of her husband’s death . the film reveals itself as a surprising , humourous and very human portrait of grief , friendship and survival .
[ foster and harrelson ' s ] interplay , on the job ( ruining the day of one unfortunate person after the next ) and off . . . provides the backbone of this erratically paced film .
the soldiers in the film wear a unit patch with a large
22
on it . this is a fictional unit . the actual 22nd infantry division was a
phantom division
that never actually existed . it was created in world war ii to fool german intelligence . the patch created is different from the one in the film , though . see more »
eople shoot the messenger because it feels good , and also because the messenger is not neutral . the messenger is complicit with the bad news ; he has agreed to convey it and tacitly endorses the system of which it is a byproduct . emotionally , the messengers in this interesting american indie by oren moverman get shot at point - blank range every day . but they shoot first . ben foster plays staff sergeant will montgomery , a decorated soldier recovering from injuries sustained in iraq . with three months to go before his enlistment period ends and he returns to civilian life , montgomery is redeployed to the casualty notification team under the formidable command of captain tony stone , played by woody harrelson : they will be a two - man outfit whose job is to show up in uniform at the houses of next of kin and inform them that their sons and husbands and wives and daughters have been killed on active service .
the messenger is packed chock - full of dramatic moments , all handled exquisitely by moverman , but one scene in particular toward the end of the film will grip you like nothing you’ve seen before , and it’s worth the price of admission alone . it is a scene in which montgomery shares his experiences in iraq with stone , who eventually breaks down in tears . foster is astonishing here and in my opinion , this scene alone should net him an oscar .
48 year - old woody harrelson ( his second nomination ) , for his performance as captain tony stone , an alcoholic military officer struggling with his job to bring casualty
messages
( from the casualty notification office ) to the families of slain soldiers , in director oren moverman ' s debut feature film the messenger ( two nominations and no wins ) ( harrelson was previously nominated for his lead role in the people vs . larry flynt ( 1996 ) )
the ballad of narayama
is a japanese film of great beauty and elegant artifice , telling a story of startling cruelty . what a space it opens…
november 6 - 15 , fall film festival at capitol center theater american violet ( 2008 , usa 108 min ) ; goodbye solo ( 2008 , usa 91 min ) ; coal country ( 2009 , usa 84 min ) ; 2009 oscar - nominated live action shorts ; o’horten ( 2007 , norway 90 min ) , food , inc . ( 2008 , usa 94 min ) , the hurt locker ( 2008 , usa 131 min ) , dead snow ( 2009 , norway 91 min ) , harvard beats yale 29 - 29 ( 2008 , usa 105 min ) , lemon tree ( 2008 , israel106 min ) , the class ( entre les murs ) ( 2008 , france 128 min ) , the secret of the grain ( 2007 , france 151 min ) , pray the devil back to hell ( 2008 , usa 72 min ) , rudo y cursi ( 2008 , mexico / usa 103 min ) , departures ( 2008 , japan 130 min ) , summer hours ( 2008 , france 103 min ) , anvil : the story of anvil ( 2008 , canada 80 min ) , little ashes ( 2008 , uk / spain 112 min ) , waltz with bashir ( 2008 , israel 90 min )
while the movie as a whole is thoroughly engrossing and all the movie references and subplots involving the cinema world undoubtedly enrich his story , this is a pretty minor film from the filmmaker . — kirk honeycutt , hollywood reporter
early in 2009 , 27 years after that initial blast of opprobrium , the thing ' s reputation has recovered sufficiently for its producing studio , universal , to deem it worthwhile to announce the monster ' s return in a prequel . matthijs van heijningen , whose cv consists largely of drinks commercials , is set to direct a screenplay by ronald d moore , erstwhile executive producer and writer of star trek , roswell high and battlestar galactica . the prequel will be set in the norwegian camp , which , as we already know from carpenter ' s film , is doomed .
this is a powerful drama focusing on what war does to the mind , ethical dilemmas and how people cope with loss . yet all i ' ll ever remember about the messenger is woody harrelson saying :
i ' d like to strap her on and wear her like a government issued gas mask .
unfortunately , the hysterical reaction to the film has confirmed that able - bodied society , or at least its representatives on festival committees and funding boards , would prefer stories about disabled people to be consoling or uplifting . bafta made the headlines last year when it cancelled a screening of freak show .
it said my film showed an inappropriate representation of disability and raised too many questions ,
scoffs butchins .
one funding organisation said it felt the film wasn ' t ' disability - empowering ' .
and while freak show will play next week in the london international documentary festival , it is perhaps more typical of the general response that butchins was recently invited to screen it in a canadian horror film festival .
we ' ve seen countless war films about the battlefield , filled with graphic and shocking images that depict war as the ultimate hell on earth . some of those films ( saving private ryan , platoon ) are incredible while others ( windtalkers , pearl harbor ) are not . the messenger is a film that doesn ' t concern itself with the battlefield . it is about the aftermath , when soldiers are employed to visit the families of those killed in action and give them the horrible news . it is an undoubtedly gripping picture , filled with moments of mourning , sadness , and insanity . the story is ultimately about grief that never goes away but has to nonetheless be overcome . ben foster , woody harrelson , and samantha morton give career defining performances . this film is an absolute masterpiece that portrays the
war is hell
theme in a way that truly has never been seen before in film .
rbg by andy white | may 18 , 2018 | front page slider , underground cinema | 0 comments join us at the underground cinema by wviff for june ' s movie that matter mondays film : rbg about the film : an intimate portrait of an unlikely rock star : justice ruth bader ginsburg . with unprecedented access , . . .
meryl streep had a busy 2009 , lending her voice to fantastic mr fox , playing the attractive older woman at the center of love triangle in it ' s complicated , and tackling the role of legendary chef julia child in julie & julia . streep is good in all three of her 2009 films , but her incredibly engaging take on julia child , going over - the - top and seeming to love every minute of it , stands out amy adams also shines as an office worker who sets out to conquer julia ' s entire mastering the art of french cooking cookbook while blogging about her experiences . i can ' t cook , but this movie made me want to whip up a soufflé . it ' s a delicious treat you should not watching when you ' re hungry . more »
in 2009 , the academy decided to return to featuring an expanded field of nominees for best picture . from now on , there would be ten films nominated for best picture instead of five - the last time this happened was 1943 ( 66 years ago ) . [ note : from 1931 to 1943 , the oscars had between eight and 12 best picture nominees . ] this change was expected to result in :
“how exactly do i know you again ? ” mr . pollack responded when mr . moverman contacted him about “the messenger . ” soon the veteran director was deep inside the script , with the two screenwriters sitting “literally at his feet” in his new york apartment , mr . moverman said . but mr . pollack wanted them to refocus the film on the romantic attraction between the iraq veteran and the war widow : “i make movies about love stories that can’t happen , ” he said , according to mr . moverman . it did not work out . ( mr . pollack died in 2008 . )
hey man , thanks for writing . the guy who wrote the review of the messenger for our site ( “intothedarkness” ) doesn’t write for us much any more . i’ve e - mailed him to see if he knows what song it is . it’s been a long time since i saw the movie , and i don’t remember the music during that scene . i did find this listing of all the songs in the movie’s soundtrack :
6 . “the hurt locker” kathryn bigelow ‘s ‘hurt locker’ is a kind of reverse action film . while heart - pounding detonations go off and shots are fired , this film , set during the conflict in iraq , is actually more powerful for the action that doesn’t happen . defusing bombs is the name of the game for enlisted adrenaline junkies who get off on handling live wires — damn if there has been an “action film” this tense , riveting and intelligent in years . bigelow excels in setting pulses racing when seemingly nothing is happening . case in point ? jeremy renner ‘s paralysis in a grocery store , overwhelmed by the choice of cereals in the real world , is one of the most breathtaking scenes in the film . living with a job where every day might be his last , he’ll never be the same .
every year i try to see as many of the oscar nominated films as possible . i deliberately left the messenger for near the end because the subject matter seemed so damned depressing i wasn ' t expecting much from it . turns out i actually liked it more than i thought i would and the things i didn ' t like about it had nothing to do with its subject .
is one of the most intelligent of rom - coms to come out this decade . the narrator begins the film by saying it ' s not a love story , yet there ' s a whole lot to love about
in the best animated feature film category , hayao miyazaki ' s critically - acclaimed ponyo was left out , as was the heavily - marketed animation cloudy with a chance of meatballs . also ignored was shane acker ' s 9 , a frightening , awe - inspiring pg - 13 cgi - animated , post - apocalyptic film about small burlap
stitchpunk
robots who attempt to survive in a dark world full of terrifying machines ; the film itself was an expansion of acker ' s oscar - nominated short 9 ( 2004 ) .
the best picture winner the hurt locker , a low - budget film from summit entertainment with a production budget of $ 15 million , turned out to be the lowest - grossing winner of all - time , at $ 14 . 7 million at the time of its win . it was also the fifth consecutive r - rated best picture winner , and the second of only two best picture winners to be a film festival acquisition ( the first was in 2005 ) .
“the messenger” was filmed over 28 days last year . the six casualty - notification scenes were each shot with a hand - held camera in one long take . mr . moverman separated mr . harrelson and mr . foster from the actors playing the next of kin until the shooting began : “ben and woody didn’t know who would open the door to them , ” he said . “it was very , very intense . ”
“the real star of this show is director lee daniels . he’s the one who conjures the film’s eerie mix of kitchen - sink realism and gothic symbolism , its deft back - and - forth between the horrific and the sublime . ” — chad vognar , dallas morning news
in 12 min in the movie the messenger , what is that song called they also play the song when ben foster punches the wall because he up set that his love is get married to another guy . im a solder and i can relate to his anger when that happens . i have to know who sings it . please let me know , howyadoin535 @ urltoken thank you
is tough . i can only imagine how tough it must be then to be a soldier whose job it is to go around to other soldiers’ families to tell them of their loss . such is the subject matter for “the messenger , ” a sad , but deeply moving , picture that details the mindset of soldiers carrying the weight of delivering such terrible news to loved ones .
disney / pixar ' s up ( five nominations , with two wins for best animated feature film and best original score ) , the second animated film to be nominated for best picture , following beauty and the beast ( 1991 ) , the first cg - animated best picture nominee , and the first to receive a best picture nomination since animated films received their own category in 2001 ( see below ) .
5 . “the headless woman” an eerie and intentionally disorienting experience about the after affects of a woman undergoing a random car accident , lucrecia martel ’ s film enigmatically places you in a claustrophobic mental crawlspace that blurs the lines between reality and depth perception autism . it might be the first film that frighteningly ( and subtly ) makes you feel like you’re taking on the first symptoms of schizophrenia . a disembodying and haunting piece of cinema .
there was also some debate - among contributors and here at the observer - about how to define a british film . did it need to be shot here ? funded here ? feature predominantly british talent , in front and behind the camera ? sort of . . . in truth we resisted hard - and - fast criteria ( we ' re in good company ; check out the website of the uk film council , which explains how films can be arranged according to different degrees of britishness ) . instead we followed a loose cultural test - did the film feel british ? these 25 do .
“in the end , moon raises disturbing ethical questions about science and bioengineering , but it’s the emotional questions the film poses — about memory , about family , about identity — that really resonate . ” — steven rea , philadelphia inquirer
the cast is good and the entire movie played very low key . foster does a decent job as montgomery and samantha morton is fine as the widow . harrelson does standout though and you can see why he was nominated . although he gets a couple of emotional moments he ' s at his best at the beginning of the film when he ' s showing montgomery the ropes . he ' s tough and no - nonsense and yet he delivers the news of death with dignity . he ' s easily the best part of the film .
but that’s it . if it weren’t for that weekend getaway with woody and ben , this would have been an easy 8 , but the messenger is nonetheless a very easy movie to recommend . great performances , a choice script and a powerhouse concept to work off of make for one of the more affecting war dramas i’ve seen in recent memory .
i really did like this film . it was just advertised as a film about this lonely war mother falling in love with this soldier , when that was only like the side story . woody harrelson ( who i met ) , is just so good here , adding comedy to a role that could have been so seriously cheesy . nice review brah !
many reviewers compared carpenter ' s film unfavourably to christian nyby ' s the thing from another world ( produced by howard hawks , often credited as the film ' s auteur ) , which had been based on the same source material , john w campbell ' s 1938 novella who goes there ? variety wrote :
what the old picture delivered – and what carpenter has missed – was a sense of intense dread .
which is funny , because in 1951 , the same paper had said of nyby ' s film :
the resourcefulness shown in building the plot groundwork is lacking as the yarn gets into full swing . cast members . . . fail to communicate any real terror .
“the messenger” is a tough movie to watch . tougher than seeing soldiers die through brutal violence is watching the reaction of their loved ones , knowing they can do nothing about it . it’s a painstaking job and one that takes its toll on the viewer , as well as the two main characters . it also has a strong message about the connections people have and the ones they make . it shows how much people need help , support , and encouragement .
“the messenger , ” which opens on friday in new york and washington , reflects this fierce intimacy . it is a war movie , but the war , unlike in most films about iraq and afghanistan , is completely off screen ; nothing explodes , and flashbacks to baghdad or tikrit do not occur . the film instead focuses on the relationship between two casualty - notification officers — a crusty career sergeant ( mr . harrelson ) and a wounded soldier just back from iraq ( mr . foster ) — whose mission is to knock on doors and deliver news of death to next of kin .
“the messenger” is about as realistic a movie as you’ll find , and because of that the depiction of two soldiers struggling with their own personal demons leaves the viewer with several content issues . the language and sexual dialogue is explicit , and there are a couple of scenes with gratuitous sexual content . director oren moverman does not shy away from any aspect of these soldiers’ lives , even when it may have been the better choice to do so .
16 . “the limits of control” perhaps the most misunderstood film of 2009 . a swirling , mantra - like dream and a deceptively funny piece of minimalist art , jim jarmusch ‘s “the limits of control” stars a stoic isaach de bankolé in a performance sorely undervalued this year by impatient , short - sighted critics . mark my words , like mind - benders such as david lynch ‘s “ mulholland drive , ” alain renais’ “ last year at marienbad , ” or even jarmusch’s own “ dead man” ( which also received poor reviews and now is a cult classic ) , this psychedelic masterpiece will one day get its proper due . in some circles , it already has .
hen larry and andy wachowski were pitching the matrix to their producers , they played them a dvd of an 82 - minute japanese cartoon and said :
we wanna do that for real .
the film was 1995 ' s
anderson offered a small glimpse of what can be expected in the new film : “alice’s battle with the umbrella corporation isn’t finished . last time we saw alice , she let them know she was coming after them . it’s time to settle the score . ”
cinematographer bobby bukowski does a great job with the film‘s photography that is mostly straightforward with a heightened brightness for its daytime exterior scenes . even as the nighttime exterior and interior scenes are shot with dark lights to complement the troubled moods some of the characters are going through as bukowski’s work is worth noting . editor alexander hall does a superb job with the editing in creating cuts that plays to the sense of longing and emotion in will’s journey . even as there’s some rhythmic cuts to play up to reactions while creating a leisured pace throughout the entirety of the film .
at one point in “the messenger” a soldier , just back from an overseas tour of duty , is telling a story during a welcome - home party with some friends . it starts out as a funny reminiscence of a local character he knew in iraq , but when the anecdote takes a gruesome turn , the laughter is replaced by uncomfortable silence . nobody gets the point of what he’s saying , or maybe nobody wants to hear it , and the happy mood of the reunion fractures .
19 - year - old billy lynn is brought home for a victory tour after a harrowing iraq battle . through flashbacks the film shows what really happened to his squad - - contrasting the realities of war with america ' s perceptions .
the film is about a soldier becoming a messenger to give notices to families of fallen soldier with a hard - ass captain while falling for a woman . that’s essentially the film’s plot as it’s mostly told through a loose form of storytelling . in reality , the film is a character study about a young man trying to deal with his new assignment along with his own issues from the war and at home . for will montgomery , he’s leading a complicated life where has to go see doctors about his left eye and at one point , he meets a returning soldier ( jeremy strong ) as that soldier tries to live a life in denial . stabilizing his life is his assignment to give notices to families though it isn’t easy where at one point , he gives notice an angry father ( steve buscemi ) . it’s in this widow named olivia where will finds not just comfort but a life outside of duty though he realizes that she is having a hard time with her own issues .
critics fell over themselves praising this dynamite film about the casualties of war . audiences stayed hands off . wake up , people . kathryn bigelow , in the directing tour de force of the year , uses a strong script by embedded journalist and rs contributor mark boal to take us deep into an elite u . s . bomb - disposal squad in baghdad . jeremy renner excels as the unit leader , showing how war becomes a drug . a stunning film on every level .
quentin tarantino ' s and the weinstein company ' s inglourious basterds ( eight nominations , with one win for best supporting actor ) , a world war ii fantasy / comedy about flamboyant american lt . aldo raine and his troupe of jewish soldiers who sabotage nazi installations behind enemy lines . the film was nominated for best original screenplay despite sharing the same english title as quel maledetto treno blindato ( 1978 ) , another film about american gis wreaking havoc behind enemy lines
the animated feature film winner was the heavily - favored , best picture - nominated disney / pixar film up ( with five nominations and two wins including best original score ) , a cgi - animated film about cantankerous , bitter 70 year - old widower carl fredricksen ( voice of edward asner ) who launched his house into the air using hundreds of helium balloons to travel to south america , while slowly befriending an accidental 8 year - old stowaway boy scout named russell . it was the third consecutive oscar in this category for disney / pixar , following ratatouille ( 2007 ) and wall - e ( 2008 ) , that has now won 5 / 9 awards since the new category was established in 2001 .
broke box office records following a tidal wave of positive word - of - mouth online , tweets proclaiming its hilarity , and great reviews . the ballsy buddy film set a new record for an r - rated comedy , smashing the record set by
what stands out from a filmmaking standpoint are the performances , particularly that of woody harrelson and ben foster . these two are perfect for their roles and bring the most to every scene . the film has an understated feel that lets whatever is happening on screen speak for itself .
“the film glides to a perfect landing , leaving several characters changed , one coldly untouched and nothing up in the air at all — except , perhaps , the question of what this very talented crew is going to do next . ” — stephen whitty , newark star - ledger
a decent character study whose main strength lies in two great performances by foster and harrelson , who shine in a sad story that deals with the psychological consequences of a terrible job , but the film also suffers from some tiresome pacing and unnecessary scenes .
it could have easily been a formula film , and the trailer shamelessly tries to misrepresent it as one , but george simmons learns and changes during his ordeal , and we empathize . — roger ebert , chicago sun - times
one of the loudest laughs during the first screening was at von trier ' s dedication of the film to andrei tarkovsky . von trier today called tarkovsky
a real god
with whom he had a religious relationship .
i know he saw my very first film and hated it very much , which is fine . he ' s the generation before me and i feel related to him . i feel related to bergman as well , [ but ] he didn ' t feel related to me .
eastwood , tackling a sports movie very different from million dollar baby , paces the action beautifully , right up to one white - knuckle moment late in the film ( involving a plane ) when you suddenly realized how invested in the story you’ve become . — moira macdonald , seattle times
this divide is perhaps most painful when it splits lovers , friends and close family members . but as “the messenger” demonstrates with sensitive acuity , it is not necessarily a clear and simple line , and people who seem to live on the same side — servicemen on duty together , a veteran and a widow , a husband and a wife — can find themselves estranged and unable to communicate what they have in common .
notification
: a documentary about u . s . army casualty notification officers and the families of fallen soldiers by joe kelly and john vernon audio commentary with oren moverman , lawrence inglee , ben foster , and woody harrelson
going home
: reflections from the set
variety
screening series q & a with oren moverman , woody harrelson , alessandro camon , lawrence inglee , ben foster , and bobby bukowski
the messenger
shooting script
surprisingly , the film was co - financed by a british company , manga films , an offshoot of island records . andy frain , the movie ' s executive producer , says :
i wanted to do a blend of east and west : western storytelling combined with japanese artistry and a great soundtrack – we were talking to massive attack at one point .
but his suggestions were largely ignored , he says . the critics were lukewarm , and the film only reached a sizeable audience on video and dvd .
i have to say that these lowbrow picks rather undermine my confidence in the rest of the list – or they would do , were it not for the fact that brody has some great and in fact inspiring choices . he ' s right about manoel de oliveira ' s a talking movie . it is a brilliant if eccentric film , a cult classic . it deserves wider currency . and i was thrilled to see his choice of alexander payne ' s sublime short film 14th arrondissement .
the scenes where stone and montgomery reveal the news of a soldier ' s death to their family are the strongest moments in the film . they are handled and filmed well and really carry an emotional impact . each family that is told is different from the others and each one reacts a little bit differently and yet remarkably the same . as individual scenes they ' re great .
everyone takes it differently , and the film develops the two characters as they meet survivors , notably samantha morton as a new widow , and steve buscemi as an angry father . following the army way , they would never see these people again . it doesn ' t work out that way .
the seasoned list - maker will know how to combine the obscure choices with the mainstream ones , and this latter consideration is important . the seasoned lister knows that the more mor candidates provide the resonant c - major chords which give solidity and plausibility to the list . but having got those locked down , you can pick the difficult , recondite films – the ones that many people might not have seen yet and the picking of which may possibly , just possibly , amaze and disconcert your fellow film scribes .


answers to nothing is a 2011 drama mystery film written and directed by matthew leutwyler .

the film stars elizabeth mitchell , dane cook , julie benz , and barbara hershey .

answers to nothing was released in theaters by lionsgate and roadside attractions on december 2 , 2011 .

answers to nothing ( film )

any movie that calls itself answers to nothing ought to be 100 percent sure it ' s about something .
looking for movie tickets ? enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing answers to nothing near you .
with his latest effort ' answers to nothing , ' co - writer - director matthew leutwyler appears to have confused glum with profound .
i just seen answers to nothing today on my dvr after i recorded it on hbo yesterday night and i was pleasantly surprised .
“answers to nothing” is rated r ( under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian ) . it has strong language and blunt sexual situations .
now available to the public is not the original film which micheaux screened for film audiences in january 1920 .
answers to nothing is so many things in one but most of all it is a roller coaster of emotions . as a vignette film it spends just enough time on each character so that you still . . .
some fine performances and an embrace of understatement make matthew leutwyler ' s oddly titled
answers to nothing
a respectable entry in the multiple - stories - that - interlock genre .
when the film begins everything seems to be typical when it comes to agency .
from the setup of interconnected story lines , i was expecting something more along the lines of crash , where everything feeds into one final outcome , but answers to nothing didn ' t . . .
most black - owned film companies of the post - world war i era—including the frederick douglas film corporation , the unique film company , and the rosebud film corporation—presented african american men as embodiments of good and evil , either as epitomes of virtue or dastardly ogres .
” challenges what we deem as a stereotypical normal children’s film and proves to be progressive .
i think that the film wants the audience to walk away with a feeling of possibility .
in closing , peter pan is a complicated film that displays agency and interpellation .
some fine performances and an embrace of understatement make matthew leutwyler’s oddly titled “answers to nothing” a respectable entry in the multiple - stories - that - interlock genre . it’s a bit jarring that the event around which these delicately told vignettes coalesce — the kidnapping of a girl — seems borrowed from a cheesy police thriller , but the film has its satisfactions nonetheless .
there ' s a lack of real conclusiveness to many of the film ' s characters and situations .
when an 11 - year - old girl goes missing in los angeles , a chain of events is unleashed that will affect several strangers all struggling to find their own paths to redemption . dane cook , barbara hershey and julie benz , star in this tale of lost souls who will together find the answers to nothing .
dane cook leads a stellar cast , including elizabeth mitchell ( “lost” ) , julie benz ( “dexter” ) , zach gilford ( “friday night lights” ) , and barbara hershey ( black swan ) , as a man struggling with his own infidelity in answers to nothing . set against the backdrop of a missing girl case , the film tells interweaving stories of several los angelenos trying to do the right thing .
david denby has been a staff writer and film critic at the new yorker since 1998 .
while it is odd to think of a film having both interpellation and agency , i am suggesting just that .
this statement reaffirms the idea of interpellation of typical male and female roles in this film . ”
dane cook leads a stellar cast , including elizabeth mitchell ( “lost” ) , julie benz ( “dexter” ) , zach gilford ( “friday night lights” ) , and barbara hershey ( black swan ) , as a man struggling with his own infidelity in answers to nothing . set against the backdrop of a missing girl case , the film tells interweaving stories of several los angelenos trying to do the right thing . . . . full synopsis »
this leaves the tree as nothing more but a stump , which is what is left of a tree after it was chopped down and killed .
after all , a young lady should not think of adventure , but marriage according to the interpellation in this film .
exclusive royalty - free music library for video and film projects . find your music track in seconds !
a journal for multimedia history article on oscar micheaux ' s film , within our gates
) .
the power that wendy felt at the beginning of the film seemed repressive to her ; however , it has become ideological .
4 . the film spins an entirely fictitious account of dawn brancheau’s death in order to advance its anti - captivity narrative .
while there are several indications in the film that boys are better rescuers , and that women are just emotional and have to have the assistance of a male , i don’t feel that this is the main message of the film .
interpellation clearly occurs in the beginning of the film while the children are with their parents and aunt millicent .
the eight - reel film was produced in 1919 and released in chicago and detroit in january , 1920 .
the storyline to this film is similar to that of pulp fiction , magnolia , crash , etc . thematically speaking , it is more like crash .
6 . the film falsely suggests that important facts about tilikum were concealed from his trainers and that seaworld is indifferent to trainer safety .
imagery . the entire film is centered on a movie the children go see , called “asses of fire . ”
in fact , the pictures include almost no object in that is not directly involved in the story , meaning there is nothing used in the background of the pictures to fill the space .
also , i will explain how the film is adult - centered in spite of the agency the child characters possess .
however , i am also suggesting that there are two separate worlds in this film in which the two issues occur .
decides to travel to the “city” to find “warrior” bugs to help fight off the grasshoppers .
helps establish micheaux ' s significant contributions to american cinema , african american cinema , and our understanding of changing portrayals of black manhood in film .
there comes a moment in many a comedy star’s life when he decides it’s time to try his luck with dramatic acting . apparently , that point is now for comedian / actor dane cook . though he’s made his name with mediocre comedies like good luck chuck and employee of the month , cook took on a more dramatic part in 2007’s dan in real life , and now he’s doing his darkest turn yet in answers to nothing .
8 . in addition to those directly involved , many others both inside and outside germany knew that terrible crimes were being committed against jews , yet did nothing to stop them . did these people have a responsibility to act ? if not , why not ?
to make these ultimately false and misleading points , the film conveys falsehoods , manipulates viewers emotionally and relies on questionable filmmaking techniques to create “facts” that support its point of view .
ethics on film : discussion of
the act of killing
alex woodson , carnegie council it is not hyperbole to call this documentary an epochal film . it brings viewers into the minds of mass murderers , illuminates a horrific piece of recent history that few know anything about , and could end up ushering in a new era in indonesian politics and identity . ( ethics on film , august 2013 . article )
when watching the film and trying to figure out who has agency over whom it seemed difficult because of the fact that there are several characters that are involved .
aunt millicent clearly indicates what role she believes wendy should possess in society with her reply , “but child , novelists are not highly thought of in good society , and there is nothing so difficult to marry as a novelist . ”
the film misrepresents , through the use of footage four decades old , that seaworld takes a cavalier approach to safety and qualifications of its trainers . this is completely untrue . the path to becoming a killer whale trainer is rigorous and lengthy : it takes years to be qualified to work with killer whales . the film ignores all the steps and protocols trainers must take in order to be promoted through the ranks .
however , her desire to fly could also be attributed to interpellation—she wants to be able to do what everyone else is able to .
to take the pig to a cottage in the forest to keep her safe .
unfortunately , those alternative positions are never fully articulated in the film , nor , for that matter , are any specific problems with the revised chronology . by short handing particular perspectives , the film becomes biased towards rohl’s revised chronological solution , when other solutions could have been discussed . when i asked mahoney media why that was the case , steve law , the film’s co - writer , indicated that test audiences wound up becoming fatigued by “to much information . ” ultimately he indicated that “to us , the emphasis given in the film to the general idea of chronological revision not only was more cinematically engaging , but also has the most explanatory potency . ”
anya is a strong willed , brave , and intelligent girl . through out the film she is learning to become russian royalty , all the character surrounding her expect her to become the princess anastasia .
5 . to advance both its anti - captivity narrative and its false theories surrounding ms . brancheau’s death , the film falsely suggests that tilikum had become psychotic and aggressive .
5 . to advance both its anti - captivity narrative and its false theories surrounding ms . brancheau’s death , the film falsely suggests that tilikum had become psychotic and aggressive :
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4 . the film spins an entirely fictitious account of dawn brancheau’s death in order to advance its anti - captivity narrative . to support this bias slant , and specifically the idea that tilikum was a psychotic and violent animal because of captivity , the film engages in a series of false and misleading statements about the circumstances of ms . brancheau’s death :
home alone does a great deal of displaying typical child case prototypes throughout the film . adult perceptions of children are especially construed through the two burglars ,
it’s no surprise that the film is billed as “provocative” and “game - changing , ”mahoney opts to change everything we think we know about egyptian history in order to get it to match more closely with the biblical chronology . but , contrary to what the filmmakers would have you believe , there is nothing new here , just a dejected theory . indeed , most of the scholars interviewed in the film , even those who believe in a traditional biblical dating of the exodus , reject this revised chronology and opt for less - sensational , less provocative , less game changing , more accurate and more nuanced descriptions of the archaeological evidence of the exodus .
family is portrayed as poor and unhappy . nothing seems to go right for them , mainly because of the fact that they don’t have any material wealth . the rich family holds the happiness of the poor family in its hands . the rich family has
the ballad of narayama
is a japanese film of great beauty and elegant artifice , telling a story of startling cruelty . what a space it opens…
though there may be some sarcasm meant by the writers of the film it still says to society that it is okay to have your own opinions as a women but when it comes to her husband she better be obedient and believe what he says .
like far too many comedians - turned - actors , cook mistakes a dour expression and permanent frown for a dramatic performance . cook is miscast and unconvincing as a husband , therapist , and inveterate brooder , but his incongruous presence is all that sets this film apart from the never - ending flood of everything - is - connected crash / magnolia / amores perros knock - offs littering undiscriminating film festivals . answers to nothing ’s thinly drawn characters orbit one another like fading satellites until their stories intersect and overlap in arbitrary ways . it doesn’t build to a climax so much as it winds down with a halfhearted shrug and a few feeble false shots of hope . ( maybe we aren’t so different after all ! ) films like these have taught us that suffering is the incontrovertible existential fate of attractive los angeles residents . must these dour exercises in alienation make audiences suffer as well ?
it is something used to make the readers rethink how they are conditioned to react to books .
in the 2003 universal pictures version of “peter pan , ” the children are depicted as strong , independent individuals with their own agency throughout a great portion of the film .
2 . the film relies on former seaworld employees , most of whom have little experience with killer whales , and others who haven’t worked at seaworld in nearly 20 years .
and what’s it all about ? oh , you know : a bunch of depressed and sinful people are seeking redemption in the big city , occasionally affecting others while learning lessons they probably don’t deserve . built around lackluster “a - ha ! ” moments that are sprinkled throughout a laborious 123 - minute running time , the movie skips from scene to scene , intro to intro , dropping breadcrumbs with the nagging promise that all will come together . but rarely have the ends of such a structure felt so daft and unrewarding , and it’s anyone’s guess what one asinine moral or random affirmation has to do with the other . why does ryan observe that , “intellectually [ he ] knows what love is , but emotionally [ he ] forgot” ? why is his estranged , overseas father stringing his lonely mother along ? why is the nerdy gamer prone to kumbaya vigilantism ? speculation is futile , as plausible , worthwhile answers are the last things answers to nothing is prepared to give . not that you really cared anyway .
as the story the progresses the boy’s age drastically changes from child to teenager to adult to elder to a frail dying old man .
is significant because it remains the oldest surviving example of african american feature filmmaking . it is also critical to understanding micheaux ' s oeuvre because of the many ways he reworked the film after its original release .
the film similarly trades in fictional theories about the circumstances surrounding the death of daniel dukes , an intruder who broke into the back area of shamu stadium after hours and jumped into tilikum’s pool . the film claims there was a “public relations version” of the death and that mr . dukes’ death was somehow caused by an act of aggression by tilikum . a review of the official sheriff’s report reveals that virtually nothing said in the film about our conduct that day is true . in fact , naomi rose , ph . d . , an outspoken critic of seaworld who actually appears in the credits to blackfish , was quoted after the incident as saying “ since the body was found on tilikum’s back , it’s unlikely the whale was behaving aggressively…… . the whale was probably playing with the man and continued to play with the body after the man died . ”
the film falsely suggests that seaworld “blamed” ms . brancheau for her death . we have never done that . she was our colleague and we mourn her loss to this day . the film , however , does blame ms . brancheau , and it accomplishes this through former trainers with little or no relevant experience . these trainers were not present on the day she died , and callously presume to critique her interaction with tilikum .
after twelve years of work , filmmaker tim mahoney is finally releasing , for one night only ( tonight ) his documentary , “patterns of evidence , ” about the archaeological and historical evidence for the biblical exodus . i had the opportunity to view a pre - released version of the film back in november and can attest to the production value that twelve years of work creates . the film has already won awards for its craftsmanship .
eventually attracted the attention of george p . johnson , booking manager of the lincoln motion picture company , a successful black film production company . the lincoln company expressed interest in filming the novel but during negotiations micheaux decided he should supervise the motion picture production in los angeles . this was not acceptable to the lincoln management and ultimately led to the formation of the author ' s own firm , the micheaux film and book company .
on the plus side , it doesn’t seem like cook is the problem . it’s impossible to judge his performance from these brief clips , but from here he looks no better or worse than any of the other actors in the movie — all of whom have much more dramatic acting experience than cook does . answers to nothing may not be the ideal start for this new period in cook’s career , but if he does well here , who knows ? he probably won’t become the next tom hanks , but maybe he could be the next dax shepard . that guy used to star in things like let’s go to prison , and now critics are always going on about how surprisingly good he is in parenthood .
, however , decides to go off on his own to try ( again ) to help his colony .
the readers have to be conscious to how they respond to such material , as opposed to a conservative book that reinforces old ideas or beliefs .
seaworld was aware of keltie byrne’s death when it acquired tilikum . we adopted special precautionary protocols regarding work with tilikum , including prohibition of performance in - water work . these protocols were impressed upon all trainers who worked with tilikum , yet the film falsely implies that important safety information about tilikum and his background were withheld . this is untrue . nothing was ever concealed from tilikum’s trainers . during the osha trial surrounding ms . brancheau’s accident , seaworld provided more than 35 hours of testimony concerning our killer whale program and topics such as our detailed safety protocols and how they are communicated to our trainers . all of this testimony was in the possession of the filmmakers , but ignored by the film .
gerald butters ,
portrayals of black masculinity in american silent film , 1896 - 1929
( ph . d . diss . , university of kansas , 1999 ) , 185 - 229 .
it is true that the valuable lesson in this book could be interpreted as to never take advantage of a mothers love , but there is nothing funny about the mother figure in the book being used up at the end and the so called “boy” as an old man near death . it could be seen that the old man came to the tree to die ; he says that he needs “just a quiet place to sit and rest .
this is the problem with the documentary format . it is not the best format to put forth and test supposed “new” ideas and solutions no matter how much they are qualified by “perhaps’s” and “could’s . ” time constraints mean that creditable opposition is never addressed . in “patterns , ” all scholarship becomes flattened in a “them” vs . the revised chronology paradigm . the film lumps together traditional biblical maximilists and secular minimalists in a gang of “archaeological giants” that the revised chronology will take down with nothing but a sling and a prayer .
separation : the film highlights two separations . in one instance , involving a whale named takara , the film leaves you with the impression she was a calf when separated . in fact , takara was 12 years old when she was moved . in the second , involving a whale named kalina , the film misleadingly shows footage of a calf that is only days old . kalina was moved when she was 4 ½ years old because she was disruptive to her mother and other whales . we do not separate killer whale moms and calves , and in the rare occurrences that we do move whales among our parks , we do so only in order to maintain a healthy social structure .
one of his most provocative and scandalous . released shortly after a summer of race riots in 1919 and criticized by segments of both the black and white communities , the film had numerous problems with the censors .
to continue on , this book has a very similar layout to that series .
much more responsibility and has to learn to believe in himself before others will .
while i think the film will be popular among many church - goers as a new arrow in the quiver of apologetics , i doubt many serious biblical scholars will agree with its conclusions . indeed , those conclusions are widely connected to a historical theory which has been carefully negated in scholarship ( even among otherwise orthodox biblical scholars ) . because of this , i fear that the film’s popularity with churches will wind up leaving the church ridiculed for trying to fire another broken arrow at the “white tower establishment” .
after viewing product detail pages , look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in .
lucas also starred in micheaux ' s first film , the homesteader . a very light - skinned , handsome leading man with
good
hair and a strong physique , he was the classic micheaux hero figure .
, captain hook and maleficent , all of which are most likely already infamous to the player for their deeds in their respective films . the game presents them as completely irredeemable - they are evil , corrupt , and will stop at nothing to achieve their goals , even if it means dealing with the mysterious heartless . of course , one by one their plans backfire and they are either defeated by
hroughout the silent era , micheaux created cinematic portrayals of african american manhood that stood in sharp contrast to hollywood ' s depictions . mainstream film companies portrayed black men largely as humorous objectsdim witted , slow moving , shiftless caricatures who would not threaten mainstream audiences .
prove themselves to be remarkably self - sufficient . the children are intelligent , eager to learn , and able to think about and react to the situation at hand .
the film blatantly mischaracterizes the events that led to the death of trainer keltie byrne at sealand of the pacific , a park that was never owned or operated by seaworld . tilikum was one of three whales in the sea pen at the time ms . byrne drowned , and the jury in the coroner’s inquest ( the canadian investigation of the incident ) , which considered the testimony of 19 witnesses , did not identify any one of the three whales as the leader in the incident . nevertheless , the film claims that tilikum was the instigator , relying upon an interview given by two local residents . another key fact never disclosed in the film : david duffus , who is featured in the film numerous times as an “expert” , was the foreman of this very same coroner’s jury that investigated the sealand incident . mr . duffus testified that it was inconclusive that tilikum was primarily responsible for the death of ms . byrne .
1 . blackfish employs false and emotionally manipulative sequences concerning the collection and separation of killer whales : through stock footage and video mismatched to the narrative , the film implies that seaworld collects killer whales from the wild and separates mothers and calves . neither is true .
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i continue to add to this collection as i find new examples of strong writing .
however , soon wendy realizes that she truly does wish to grow up and decides to return to her home with her parents .
, in that the other ants try to force him to act like everyone else .
causes us to challenge all that we have known to be true about educational books .
she is introduced in the film as a women’s rights activist and how she protests all the time and is incredibly active in things that could easily get her arrested ; when mr . banks is home she is extremely submissive .
we object to blackfish because its two central premises are wrong : ( 1 ) that life at seaworld is harmful for killer whales and for trainers working with these animals , and ( 2 ) that seaworld has attempted to cover up the facts surrounding the tragic death of trainer dawn brancheau in 2010 , as well the history of tilikum , the killer whale involved in that accident . nothing could be further from the truth .
purely for shock value , the film includes a recording of an emt technician , subsequently proved to be mistaken , suggesting that tilikum swallowed ms . brancheau’s arm during the incident . this is false . this fact was readily available to the filmmaker in the documentation she obtained from the secretary of labor , yet was not included .
lisa , a little girl , has to explain an extremely important concept to her father .
this factor does make the book more appealing to children by appealing to the imagination but uses this to bring about more serious themes which many wouldn’t assume to be in a children’s book .
in children’s film anastasia ( which is not a disney movie ) there are a lot of forms of interpellation , which i have never noticed before . interpellation is when a film or book works to make certain social values more important . these can be values of race , gender , class , or any other values society thinks are important . in the video “mickey mouse monopoly” they look at how disney tries to portray values within their films . some watch this and can’t believe they did not see it before but that is why interpellation is so important , it is mostly done unconsciously .
in six hundred theaters tonight , viewers will come away from the film with no idea that they have just picked up a broken arrow . they won’t know that the revised egyptian chronology is not a new theory and has been shown to create as many problems for biblical chronology as it solves .
is a controversial character because of her ability to do as she pleases even around men but she still plays right into the stereotype that the male should be in the dominant seat . the film does seem to have a hint of sarcasm about the role of the women as stated earlier but in the end it seems to be just a bit of humor that does not disprove the interpellation .
rather , they wait in ambush for peter pan and wendy to attempt to rescue the boys .
they show kindness to the dwarf throughout the story even though he was not nice to them .
is forced to show him where the cauldron is to save both his life and the pig’s .
tries to defend herself and fight back , but eventually gives in to her emotions and cries .
, but she never asks him to , or orders him to , or even suggests it .
basically the story of a man forced to finally see the injustice around him . riley’s movie is designed to do the same thing to you . …
the text does not wish for children to challenge the things that their mother tells them to do .
she allowed agency to be taken when there was a lesson to be taught in letting them go .
to bring him back and help the rest of the colony—and this time she is able to fly .
the morrow of his wedding would mean death to her to foam on the sea” ( 69 ) .
book series used to be my absolute favorite book to read for the very same reasons listed above .
2 . the film relies on former seaworld employees , most of whom have little experience with killer whales , and others who haven’t worked at seaworld in nearly 20 years : these individuals , who speak with apparent authority , have little or no firsthand knowledge of the incidents they describe . most of them had no experience with tilikum , and several never even performed with killer whales in the water . the film’s “cast” is completely unfamiliar with current conditions and techniques at seaworld , and are certainly in no position to critique a trainer of dawn brancheau’s caliber or her last interaction with tilikum .
this would allow the archaeological remains associated with earlier egyptian dynasties to coincide with a 1450 date for the exodus . fantastically depicted in the film’s best feature , an imaginary expanding “wall of time” shows how the different levels ( biblical chronology , egyptian chronology etc . ) are aligned by rohl , bimson and mahoney’s chronological shift .
before finally admitting to his parents that he found the answers to the iq test , cory takes a second intelligence test . this test reveals that he has the iq of an average sixth grader . cory proudly says , “yep , that’s me . the lights are on but nobody’s home . ” by saying “nobody’s home , ” the writer indicates that someone of sixth grade intelligence is brainless . it is this common assumption that adds to the adult - centeredness of the episode because adults like mr . feeney are portrayed with high intelligence , while the child is not corrected when calling himself a moron .
when wendy begins to talk of her dreams of adventure , her aunt millicent puts a stop to it .
by , having the ability to outsmart the adults , hansel proved to have a great amount of agency .
after mary has accomplished what she came to do , which would be to show the family how to be a family and how to have fun and take the time they have and cherish it , she allowed the agency to be taken back by mr . banks .
all of the falsehoods and misleading techniques in blackfish are employed in the service of the film’s obvious bias , one that is best revealed near the end of blackfish by a neuroscientist with no known expertise in killer whales . she claims that all killer whales in captivity are “emotionally destroyed , ” and “ticking time bombs . ” these are not the words of science , and indeed , there is not a shred of scientific support for them . rather , they are the words of animal rights activists whose agenda the film’s many falsehoods were designed to advance . they reveal “blackfish” not as an objective documentary , but as propaganda .
the scene then changes to cory’s home . his mom and younger sister , morgan , are discussing when morgan can get a halloween costume . the mom tells morgan that she is very busy with work but that eric , the oldest son , will take her shopping . eric enters the room and asks morgan , “want to learn how to be a big girl ? ” morgan with great excitement answers , “yeah ! ” this sends the message to the children viewing the show that being a “big girl” or grown - up is more desirable than being a child . eric responds to her excitement by saying , “because big girls know how to take out the trash so their brothers don’t have to . ” morgan knows better than to fall for this , but the scene exemplifies interpellation in the sense that eric has been given a typical male job . morgan becomes impatient and again announces her desire for a halloween costume . eric agrees to help but can not do it unassisted . he still needs his mom to take them to the store and his dad , when he gets off from work , to then pick them up .
by dr . and mr . doris haggis - on - whey to assess how it relates to other books .
the mere appearance of the book is shockingly similar to those i have read as a tool to induce learning .
the book is just too progressive and turns how we would normally react to a story from natural to unnatural .
there are many possible reasons why the mbti is so entrenched in workplaces and promoted so enthusiastically . there ' s the expense and training involved , mentioned above . it may be because everyone uses it , so people conclude it must be reliable , and thus its success becomes self perpetuating . also , any personality type you get assigned is invariably positive . there is no combination of answers you could give on the mbti which says ' you ' re an arsehole ' .
in that kind of book , the author usually wants to the reader to think for her or himself , to understand that some things are difficult , even for adults .
dot is very rebellious and attempts to gain agency in a few ways , the first of which is trying to use her wings to fly before they were fully grown .
3 . the film also relies on animal rights activists masquerading as scientists : the film relies heavily on the dubious reflections of scientists who have aggressively campaigned against marine mammal display for decades , and have no expertise with killer whale behavior in captivity . these scientists include howard garrett , lori marino and ken balcomb . mr . garrett , along with cast members samantha berg and carol ray , joined with peta in a previously filed lawsuit against seaworld . in this lawsuit , they equated seaworld’s work with killer whales as slavery under the 13th amendment . although their case was promptly dismissed by the court , their anti - captivity bias is obvious . likewise , the film relies on the statements of david duffus , a professor of geography and purported expert in the area of killer whale behavior , whom occupational safety and health administration’s ( osha ) judge kenneth welsch found “ has no expertise in the training of captive killer whales . ”
is free to say and do what he pleases , to whomever . this scene depicts the role reversal of authority .
it seems as if in this case interpellation coincides with agency which seems to put the happy ending to the movie .
she seems very rule - oriented and unable to function unless she knows what it is she is expected to do .
she seems to be unable to simply observe a situation and come up with an answer—she has to know what was done in the past , what her mother did , etc .
this is a way for authors to pass on their ideals without observably stating the idea they wish to pass on .
, the big he tends to , is an oracular pig , he is pushed to take on a new role .
the film includes a seaworld video of a female trainer riding a killer whale , while one of the cast members , samantha berg , talks about her “experience” at shamu stadium . this segment misleadingly implies that ms . berg had relevant experience when , in fact , the video used in the film was shot 10 years after ms . berg had left seaworld . the trainer depicted in the video is not ms . berg but rather is a current seaworld employee . of just the 3 years ms . berg spent working at seaworld , she spent only one year working with killer whales and she never conducted direct training with tilikum .
the original english intertitles were lost , except in four cases . the film has since been restored by the library of congress but the intertitles on the restoration only approximate micheaux ' s originals . translated back into english from the spanish translations , the original african american syntax and slang were lost in the new version .
that said , epstein ' s concerns about spielberg ' s emphasis should not be dismissed entirely . the danger that schindler ' s list will be interpreted as a story of triumph and exceptionalism is absolutely real . at the same time , it is hard to imagine a film about the holocaust reaching an audience of this size without giving the viewer some cause for hope and optimism .
for a while , wendy realizes that she does not belong there and chooses to return to the safety of her family .
he uses the spaceship ( which shrinks to a microscopic level ) to go in peter’s body and terminate all his sperm .
parents are usually the ones to teach these lessons to children ; however , lisa is the true “parent” in this scene .
us to think that the men are supposed to be the ones acting on their feelings and saving people and even thinking .
he acts as a free agent in that sense—it was his idea to leave , although he did have to get permission .
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he first half of the film centers on piney woods ,
far from all civilizations and in the depth of the forests of the south where ignorance and the lynch law reign supreme .
micheaux clearly points out the geographic distinctions in racial prejudice in the united states . while micheaux encouraged african americans to migrate west rather than north , he clearly illustrated the racial hostility blacks faced in the south .
gains total agency in this film . he no longer has any parents to tell him what and what not to do . before his family left , kevin was punished because he was fighting with his older brother and was getting in everyone’s way . now , kevin can run around the house and jump on beds , while having no one to tell him to stop . he also takes his brother buzz’s toy rifle from his room and plays with it , something that would have been totally forbidden if buzz were there . a perfect example of kevin displaying agency is when he makes a total mess in the
in its opening sequence , the film misleadingly cobbles together separate pieces of innocuous training and performance footage , synched with the actual 911 calls , to mislead the audience into believing it is viewing the actual footage of ms . brancheau swimming with tilikum prior to the fatal incident . in fact , the opening sequence does not depict either ms . brancheau or tilikum , or an attack of any kind . from the date tilikum arrived at seaworld , no one was allowed to swim in the water with tilikum , and ms . brancheau never did so .
role . in the film , this role is played by the elderly neighbor , who kevin is afraid of for the majority of the movie . however , after talking and the old man admits that he has become a different person because of lost relationships in his life , kevin provides him with advice as well as takes it himself . kevin becomes aware that he needs his family and does not want to lose them like the old man lost his . so the two agree to change and do something about their unfortunate situations . after this conversation , kevin returns home but once he has used up all of his traps to mislead the two burglars , he runs next door to call the police . the men are aware of his game this time and catch him before he is able to . then , when it looks like there is no escape for kevin , the old neighbor hits both burglars and saves kevin , taking him out of the house and away from danger . the adult character coming in at the end to save the child is typical of many children’s texts and also relates to the child and adult centered notion also featured in this film .
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they ] kept their mother’s cottage so beautifully clean and neat that it was a pleasure to go into it…the mother sent the children into the wood to collect fagots…the mother sent the two girls to the town to buy needles , thread , laces , and ribbons . ”
she would rather her children be torn to pieces by “wild animals” than have to share her food , and sacrifice her own hunger .
things seem to all fall into the stereotypical place that society likes for them to be in both in terms of agency and interpellation .
new students are turned away every day because of the lack of funds . sylvia decides that she must raise money for the school . with her bags packed , she tells wilson ,
it is my duty and the duty of each member of our race to destroy ignorance and superstition .
the film then introduces dr . v . vivian ( charles du lucas ) , a man
passionately engaged in social questions ,
who is about to meet sylvia while rescuing her from a thief .
the pictures tell the story of everything that is going on , which makes it more or less unnecessary for a child to be able to read in order to understand what is going on in the story .
the wife was clearly selfish and evil , as she wanted to “be rid” of her children so she could have more food to eat .
they end up staying however , and the ants come up with a plan to keep away the grasshoppers—they make a bird to scare them .
in some ways he gets his wish , but he has to prove to himself that he is capable before he can fulfill his role .
novels as well as his films , micheaux attempted to demonstrate the qualities needed to be a successful black man . he had written , in
watchers of the sky : film screening & conversation with luis moreno - ocampo luis moreno ocampo , former chief prosecutor , international criminal court ; eddie mandhry , yale university what are the challenges facing the international criminal court ? how can it be more effective ? former icc prosecutor moreno - ocampo explains . ( carnegie new leaders , march 2014 . audio , transcript )
at the beginning of the book , annabelle wanted to be in charge of her own life , and wanted to know why nobody told her mother what to do , and that she wanted the same rights . so , annabelle’s mother switched them to teach annabelle a lesson , so that annabelle could understand exactly what she was saying , and to learn for
goes out to investigate and tells anastasia to stay where it is safe . this is saying that it is the male’s job to protect the female and make sure she is safe . there are two events in which
mrs . banks opinions are totally contradictory to things that mr . banks says but when she talks to him she agrees with everything he says .
books seem to revel in it . but rather than being the simple creatures that we are used to seeing in so many children’s books , the
seems to resent his human blood because it makes him weaker than other demons , and takes offense to being mocked for his heritage . one of
saves her , but after he saves her , she stands up to rasputin and it is her who kills him . throughout the movie anastasia is under great pressure to become the lost princess . at the end of the movie she chooses not to be the princess but instead to be with
disclosure of material connection . i was given the opportunity to view an advanced version of the film mentioned above for comment and review . some of the links above are affiliate links . that being said i only promote things which i thoroughly believe my readers will benefit from and that i use myself . i am disclosing this in accordance with the federal trade commission’s 16 cfr , part 255 : “guides concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising . ”
partially right , since “ida” is certainly a story of identity ; it’s certainly a spiritual journey , too . his irritation may be caused by a certain hostility in poland to an exiled filmmaker who returns bristling with ideas about the country . ( pawlikowski may want to work there again , and needs to sweeten the atmosphere . ) whatever he says , he’s made a movie that breathes history in every frame , and his annoyance reminds me of d . h . lawrence’s remark , “never trust the teller , trust the tale . the proper function of a critic is to save the tale from the artist who created it . ” all right , then : again and again , “ida” asks the question , what do you do with the past once you’ve re - discovered it ? does it enable you , redeem you , kill you , leave you longing for life , longing for escape ? the answers are startling .
he replied , “i am looking at my little white cat , which is sitting up on the roof and wants to say goodbye to me . ”
as they came to a “great piece of water” on their journey home from the gingerbread house , they realized they had no means to cross it .
mary gave them chances to be their own judge but she was always there to pull them back and take over when things were out of hand .
urltoken is here to search the geographical , textual , and archaeological remains of the ancient near east to better understand the biblical text and god ' s redemptive history . providing individuals and ministries the resources to do the same .
if dogme is to become more of a force for social change within the very small goldfish bowl that we inhabit … it has to nail its colours to the mast . … . is dogme to be more than just a rejection of meaningless tasks and bland stodge from the publishers ? ( gordon )
belle avoids the interpellation of her peers and society through staying true to herself , and , in the end , she gets her prince . she does not succumb to the prodding of gaston , and even her father in the beginning , to marry and become a mainstream household wife . instead , she uses her ability to love truly to find the man , or beast , with which she is meant to be . it is through this rebellion of society’s norm that belle uses her agency in life to stand firm against interpellation .