The Dangers Of Nostalgia

I'm not exactly old by any standards that matter, but it is clear to me that I already live in the throes of nostalgia. I would even hazard to say most people my age are starting to become focused on the past in many different modes of their lives. I have friends that feel the golden age of music was in their high school years. We are interested in the shows and movies of our youth, which is probably why the media is 'ransacking' our youth and handing it back to us (i.e. Transformers, GI Joe, the obsession with retro-futurism). Scholars attribute this to a post-9/11 feeling of trying to get back to the "good ol' days". Chances are though, this happens with every generation. The main difference is that we can readily access our past due the recent obsession and ability to record our lives in a depth that has never existed before.

The problem in being able to peer so easily into our past is that we can start to see the cracks in our rose-tinted sunglasses. This is where I got into trouble, when I couldn't just let sleeping dogs lie. Granted, I often get some good results by drudging up the past, but it wasn't true in this particular case. I re-watched The Thirteenth Floor about a week ago. Although, it's probably more apt to say I attempted to re-watch the movie. I failed to continue it after eating a meal and sighing a huge, "meh," when I sat myself in front of the TV. I decided my time was more worth its use somewhere else.

Walking towards an empty landscape is quite an apt allegory

I had very fond, if murky, memories of the movie. I remember it being an absolute blast when I watched it, which happens to be same year that Matrix came out. I even recall asking myself why no one was talking about it, when it was in its own way as original as Matrix. Now I know why. Because it's garbage. It makes me want to go back in time and slap past-me for misleading present-me so badly. Couldn't I tell that the pacing was wonky? Couldn't I tell that the characters were horribly written? Couldn't I tell that I had seen better love stories in Saturday morning cartoons? Couldn't I tell that the acting was as wooden as a medieval Viking ship? I guess not. Apparently, I've traded youthful gung-ho-edness in movies for better taste. To tell you the truth, I think present-me has gotten the short end of the stick. But that's just the way life works, and being somewhat of a realist, I know I can't unsee 13 years of film to like something awful.

Be careful what you look back at. Sometimes the fuzzy memories are much more beautiful on their own. Not every itch needs to be scratched. Stupidly, I know I will continue to break this rule. In fact, I already did, again, 2 days ago by watching a nicktoon from yore. So far it hasn't let me down, but I know now it won't present anything new to me. That's possibly the true danger of revisiting our childhood past, though. A stagnation with of our views and culture. I have never heard anyone say, "it was better than I had thought as a childe!" It's always, "it holds up" or "it's as good as you remember it." Take a mini-vacation to the past, but please don't reside there. It's more seductive than you think, but it's not going to expand your horizons by even a centimeter.

- piecar

A Prophet

It's time for another indie movie flick review to get you all revved up for something that deserves a bit more than some fringe viewership. When I heard about A Prophet what hooked me was the promise of a unique and exceptional mob movie. I don't think I'm alone in that regard. After all most American's would hold one of the two Godfather movies in high esteem, as has been proven over and over in movie polls. Adding to the pique of interest is the fact that it's a French movie. Over the past year I've watched over 10 French films  (absolutely unplanned, if I made add) and this one is my favorite so far.

So how to describe it? Okay, here's the quick, dirty and overly general breakdown: Take Godfather, include the added emotional heft of Godfather II, take away the operatic aspects, add jail and some rather distracting supernatural aspects, and you've got the general sense of the movie. Somehow that felt disrespectful, but also not entirely untrue...

Our main focus is Malik, a young Arab thrown in jail for reasons that are never expounded. Right from the first scene we learn that he has no friends and no enemies. If we've learned anything from the oft-filmed politics of prison, is that this kid is in a serious bind. The story is about Malik's ascendance into power within the ranks of the mob through cunning and his willingness to commit where others let opportunities pass by. And unlike the first Godfather, which primarly dealt with the Corleone family as a whole, A Prophet specifically hinges on Malik's growth and final corruption.

I've never been in a French prison, or any prison for that matter (albeit, I guess that's technically not true...), but the movie has the gravity of 'realness'. The director has the deft hand in being able to create a sense of life within the confines of endlessly stained concrete.  The prison is not romanticized, it is shown as a hard and cruel place, but also as a place where men continue to live their lives. Not everyone is a badass or a weakling ready to get trampled over. You're not only witnessing prison life, but inhabiting it.

And this points towards the flaw of the film, which you may have picked up on in my second paragraph where I transparently choose to include foreshadowing: the supernatural. There is a character that Malik is haunted by, which I at first took this to be psychological in nature, but as the movie progressed it became clear that he was actually being haunted by a ghost. Malik can also 'see' the future, which is where we get the title from. It's more than a bit difficult for the viewer to accept these two worlds living side by side, the stark realism and the supernatural. I guess it can be taken as magical realism, but to be honest, it never felt like it added anything. It seems like even the corrupt can have their heroes, their holy man. But what of it? It doesn't add to Malik's character, it slightly cheapens his ability to navigate the treacherous waters of prison and the movie never makes enough of a comment on the prison community to give a sense that they need a 'savior', even a dark one. It feels like all that aspect could have done away with and we would have been left with an improved version.

But even with that negative aspect of the film, I cannot help but recommend it. The movie feels honest, it is truly moving (without resorting to tricks), and has some insanely tense scenes. Also, and this is a minor point, but I was also thankful there wasn't the usual requisite prison rape scene. I'm glad a director and a writer were able to get passed that by now. I also found that it is geared more towards men, (and no, that doesn't mean women shouldn't watch it, Fight Club is a movie made for men and I've found just as many women who like it as men) and speaks directly to their situation. You read it here: You should watch A Prophet.

- piecar