Atonement

I read the book and it took me forever.  The movie is absolutely beautiful.  The camera folks (cinematographers?) should win an award for the amazing shots in this movie.  The story is gripping and very sad.  The amazing part is the power of imagination in not only sin but in forgiveness and redemption.

One thing that really struck me in this movie was the smoking.  Most of the characters smoked, as was appropriate for the day I am sure.  But they way they smoked was so sensual, so attractive, so enticing that by the time the film was over I was dying for a cigarette.  I quit smoking 14 years ago and this movie could easily have led me to start again.

If one movie which glamorizes smoking can do that to me, a crotchety old woman, imagine what it might do to an impressionable young person.  And if a movie can make smoking look delightful, imagine what a movie of violence says to an impressionable young mind.  I love movies so much and I don’t want to restrict them with laws and regulations.  I do however want to encourage parents to talk to their kids about what they see and how it makes them feel.  We can’t assume they can process all this themselves just because it is “not real” anyway.  I need to talk about movies after I see them.  These are wonderful ways to start some very important discussions.  It works between partners too if you have no kids.  Try it.

And no, I did not have a cigarette.

Kite Runner is another book turned movie.  I loved them both and thought the movie was an excellent portrayal of the book.  It is another story of redemption, forgiveness and transformation.  The story is so touching.  I highly recommend this one.

It all started with a chair.

That is the opening line of Juno.  If a pregnant 16 year old can ever be funny, this is it.  The dialogue and the emotions felt pretty real to me, except for the parents when they learn Juno is pregnant.  They were a little too calm.

This movie is another great discussion starter.  Kids have having sex in middle school these days.  We can pretend it doesn’t happen and be surprised, or we can talk about it with our kids.  This movie raises all the issues- sex, abortion, affairs, lying, single parent adoption, you name it, this movie touches on it.  There is even a section on best music and worst horror movies.

More to come…