The Lovely Bones
Director Peter Jackson delivered another cinematic masterpiece. Based on my personal favorite and best-selling novel by Alice Sebold, the story is narrated by 14-year-old Susie Salmon. Growing up in the 1970s, Susie loves photography and has a crush on an Indo-Anglo boy, Ray Singh. Her happy-go-lucky innocence is suddenly lost in an instant. Her battle overcoming bitterness, vengeance, and loss is portrayed through awe-inspiring landscapes.
Certain settings show Susie running freely through vast open fields, while others seem more confined in a wooded area. This is where Jackson seems to be at his best. Creative time lapse photography, use of color lenses, and stark contrasts between bright and dark settings captivate the average viewer.
The film is well cast with a newcomer starring as Susie. Susan Sarandon plays the hip, chain smoking grandmother who isn't short of witty banter. Mark Wahlberg and Rachel Weisz play Susie's parents. Finally, Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Stanley Tucci?
Although I highly recommend this film, I was disappointed how quickly it moved. The book depicted a much more gradual turn of events. In the film, the characters aren't shown as they age several years. Second, it was difficult to really connect with the characters. It seemed you really had snapshots of each and couldn't identify with anyone other than Susie. Finally, the film's resolution isn't what was portrayed in the book surrounding a few major events.
I can say with confidence this film will be up for Best Picture and Best Director. Honestly, I hope you didn't read the book. You can view this film with a fresh perspective and like all films versus books, the book will win every time. Although it won't copy and paste here, check out the haunting melody in the film by This Mortal Coil, Song to the Siren. It was also featured in one of my all-time personal favorites, Lost Highway.
Today's Republicans continue advocating for individual freedoms and responsibilities. What good does that do when you strip away freedoms and don't hold yourselves accountable? The peddlers will continue distracting you with character assassinations on Democrats. That's all they've got. "Well, the God I believe in isn't short of cash, mister," Paul "Bono" Hewson, U2, "Bullet the Blue Sky," Rattle and Hum
P.J. Gaffney at Omaha, Nebraska's Mahoney State Park.
4 comments:
an awesome book indeed.....haven't seen the movie yet, thanx for the heads up pj.......:)
"what i think was hardest for me to realize was that he had tried each time to stop himself.....he had killed animals....taking lesser lives to keep from killing........"
wonderful way of turning one's feelins of disgust into pity.......
thanx.......:)
Yep, this typically seems to happen with serial killers. It starts with animals. The book depicted a much more painstaking toll on disgust to pity. In the film, I was highly disappointed how it went completely off track from the book. Get ready to show some frustration when you see how the film adaptation changed some key events.
Good review. I saw the film a little over a week ago. I'd never read the book, so wasn't disappointed by the movie. The visuals were really something else and I'd been eager to see what Peter Jackson had created.
The film will most likely not be nominated for Best Picture and this is the year that there are gonna be ten nominees! A nom for Best Director is totally out of the question (I read up on what's hot on the awards circuit and "Bones" isn't). Its best bet is a nom for Tucci.
This is what I've come to learn Thomas. I'm a little disappointed, but it's tough. The film didn't receive favorable reviews. I have to agree with you. It looks like the only high recognition it will get is a possible nod to Tucci.
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