2 Movie Reviews

I watched 2 movies the past couple of nights that I find "review" worthy.

The first I watched last night, it was called I am David. Decent movie. I was not disappointed in the time put forth in watching it. It is about a boy named David who escapes from a concentration camp with a sack with very little to survive on. Through out the movie there are "instructions" being relayed, for the viewer and a mental reminder for the young boy. The instruction need to be followed by the viewer in order to be made sense of later at the end of the movie. I found the movie to be a personal journey for the boy. A journey of self discovery. He had no idea who he was literally and figuratively. He also needed to discover the world. He grew up in a horrible world, a concentration camp. His idea and views of the world were dark, depressing, and sad. The first time he sees a field of flowers, the smell of fresh baked bread, a warm touch by an old woman, all mark moments of sweetness. The first time he ever smiles is rather touching. He even asks if he had just smiled. I found myself wondering what that must be like, to "wake up". I find the boy having had an awakening to the goodness of life and of people, that there be no need to fear all the time.

The second movie I watched this evening. It was called The Remains of the Day. Waist of 2 hours. I kept waiting for the head butler to have his "awakening" just as David in the previous movie had. But the butler never did. I was rather disappointed. He lived every moment of every day of his entire life for someone else, his Employer. He did not have any thoughts on any matters, or at least he never vocalized them, he never listened to anyone, he never really lived. And to make it all worse, he let a beautiful opportunity of "awakening" slip right through his proper fingers. I must say it did give an excellent view into the life of an old world English butler. Tough job. He was faithful to one person and one person only. What a depressing life to live.

So, I am exhausted I want more than anything to go to sleep right this moment. But my thoughts on these two movies are too much to not put down here on my blog. Which person am I more alike? The young boy or the old man? Well, I am obviously neither seen as I am a woman, but their characters, which would I be. I feel at times that I am the butler, focusing so much on the duties and responsibilities that I let precious life pass right through my fingers. I want so much to be like the young boy, to look at everything and everyone as if it were my first time to ever see them, to taste, to smell, to touch, as if I had never done such in all my life, to cherish each and every moment.

My ending thought is that I should be both, but ultimately the cherishing should take precedence over the duties. So, I suppose I find both worth my time, the movies ended with me having a better understanding of myself.