Circumstances & A Marriage of a Thousand Lies

To begin, Circumstances was an excellent film. It describes a gay relationship between two young girls in Iran; a country that is so steeped in the laws of its theocratic government that Morality Police are actually used as a preventative measure. Atafeh and Shireen become involved with each other. The origins of their relationship are portrayed so purely and realistically. Atafeh is more aggressive while expressing her desire to be with Shireen, but both girls are young and exploring things together. Atafeh begins to show interest in Shireen and takes her to parties and clubs where they do not wear their hijabs. Although shot in Lebanon, the reality of Iranian life and government are portrayed realistically. Morality police serve as minor antagonists throughout the film.
Mehran, Atafeh's brother, appears to come back from rehab. His father tests his urine during one scene and Mehran references drugs in another. To compensate for his troubling past, he immerses himself in his local mosque. Throughout, the film heavily implies that Mehran used to frequent clubs, clubs that Atafeh takes Shireen to. It is clear that he has come back from rehab a different person, with different values. Atafeh is made uncomfortable by this knowledge but continues to see Shireen.

Parallels of women and men's lives are made throughout the film. Mehran, a past drug addict, was not punished for his actions but sent to rehab. Later, Atafeh and Shireen are taken in by the morality police because they were driving a car without a male escort. Atafeh is raped during the encounter. While playing volleyball at the beach, 3 men in speedos can be seen enjoying the water while one woman sits, in full garb. Atafeh's dad says of this "one day we can all go in together," alluding to his liberal ideals. Later, Atafeh's father also argues with her, upon a mountain, about moral ideals and what it means to follow the rules. Atafeh yells at him, "You all created this world for us, now we a forced to live with the consequences."

Symbolism

Three symbols of note are sugar, water, and a bed. 

The imam (priest) that Mehran befriends slides him what looks like tea and some sugar during their first discussion of beliefs. Mehran stares at the sugar, as if it is an unusual offering, and does nothing to the tea. The imam looks slightly bothered but the scene ends. This can be interpreted as an acceptance of the imam's beliefs and methods, but a rejection of the imam's leadership. Mehran still desires to be his own man and pursue his religious radicalism individually. Later, in negotiations with Atafeh's father about her crimes, (driving with Shireen), the imam slides tea and sugars to her father as well. This time, the father accepts the sugar and they continue to negotiate Atafeh's release. This is a power move by the imam, and he has won the nonverbal battle. Atafeh's father has no choice but to offer the imam old photos and money; he has lost.

Water is used as a means to communicate the freedom of dress that men have over women. Atafeh's father quickly jumps in the ocean with Mehran, stripping without any hesitation. Atafeh and her mother sit and watch them on the blanket. Atafeh is constantly holding back expressing her feelings for Shireen while Shireen visits her. One day they both go to the beach again, but alone. They watch the waves for a bit, Atafeh chases them in and out, in and out, until finally she disrobes and jumps in. Shireen follows. The ebb and flow of the waves is the constant struggle that Atafeh has with her identity. This scene is particularly poignant in that it is directly after a scene in which they have sex. By jumping into the water, they have released their identities. Not to the world or their families, but to themselves.

Lastly, the imagery of a bed is used twice. Early in the film, Shireen is laying on the bed and Atafeh joins her. An aerial shot shows their hair intertwining as they begin to daydream about escaping to Dubai, where they believe they can live and express themselves freely. They are wearing fancy dresses and party in a penthouse in this fantasy. It is a lovely moment. Yet again this imagery is repeated at the end of the film. Atafeh joins Shireen again on the bed, this time after a fight where Shireen refuses Atafeh's advances after getting married to Mehran. They cry as Atafeh says that they can still leave Iran. Shireen has accepted her fate as Atafeh leaves her on the bed, an aerial shot still sitting on Shireen as Atafeh gets up. A painful image.       

Privilege & Cosmopolis

Cosmopolis, a 2012 film by David Cronenberg attempts to address the subject of privilege. It does not gratuitously display privilege in a way that it is not critiqued, however it does not condone the usage of privilege either. The film merely skates by the subject, tangentially tip-toeing around the real meat and cause of privilege in our society. The source material has similar issues, all hidden by hard-to-read metaphors and odd sentence structures. Odd sentence structures which I appreciate by the way.

Imagery that is successful includes the choice to tell the majority of the story in a limo. Eric Packer's limo is his symbol of power, a direct division between him and the poor. It also shows his need to control the presentation of information, even if it is already known. Entering his limo means an exchange of dialogue, information, will take place. Every guest in his limo is almost a disciple, excusing his actions and at most times, aroused by them. The limo forces odd camera angles that emphasize uncomfortable situations and claustrophobic emotions felt by him and his visitors.

Clearly, there are heavy political overtones and a need to control things sexually as well as financially. Eric sleeps with 2 other women than his wife, and flirts with many more. He wishes to sleep with his wife, although she is withholding sex from him. She loses interest in maintaining their marriage after Eric becomes bankrupt. This relationship is the one thing Eric cannot maintain and control. At a glance, Eric seems all-powerful and capable of making wealthy decisions, but he cannot even have sex with his wife. It is a consistent power struggle bleeding into his political life.

Later, he, Eric, speaks about technology advancing faster than the human mind can comprehend. There is a sense to equalize, a sense to destroy and rebuild to get back to a natural state where humanity can control and comprehend its technology. Entropy leads to a self-destructive outcome. To further this point, a discussion about time as a currency happens between Eric and his Chief of Finance. Time has accelerated because of technology, altering the state at which nature processes time.

The novel and film nail metaphorical references, but the execution of the content is poor. A good conversation alluding to privilege is when a character asks why kids must take drugs and drink alcohol while in a rave club. Another character responds "there's enough pain for everybody."

On another note, they also address complications with "progress" in the technological age. "The more visionary the idea, the more people that get left behind." This A: address issues with a small amount of people having power and B: how these people get this power. The movie critiques capitalism in this regard, calling it a spectre and saying it is haunting the world. At the end we can conclude that Eric's power relies on other people giving him that power. Guns are used to discuss this point as the person with the gun holds the power. 

As a last note, another movie in a similar metaphorical vein is Mother!. Mother! performs much better but speaks also in vague dialogue to examine a greater concept, the destruction of mother nature because we can and we choose to. We choose to abuse our power. Overall I feel this movie is a better discussion of privilege, but on a global scale.

A Wonder Woman Theme Park

The most important aspect of Wonder Woman was her ability to evolve from the current culture. Her cover designs heavily reflected the women's suffrage movement and slave imagery, moments in history that are stakes in our culture. Wonder Woman had to free herself from these restraints, opposing the "damsel in distress" trope of the time. Because of this, the main attraction of her theme park would be a rollercoaster. Wonder Woman has been a symbol for change and tolerance through the highs and lows of every era. A rollercoaster seems fitting.

Other parts of the theme park would feel more like a museum, telling of America's tumultuous past. Today, we choose to forget and fear where we came from, how this country was built on the backs of slaves and refusing human rights to groups of people. This park would delve into this fear and ensure park-goers would not forget their origins. The park would serve as a harsh reminder of our past, yet images of Wonder Woman would be dispersed throughout the displayed timeline, shown saving the day or saying what we have learned from each formative event.

The park would be experienced in a linear fashion atop a mountain, emphasizing the country's growth and struggles. At the end of it would be a drop tower. The drop tower serves as a metaphor to remind patrons that there is only one direction to go: up. Wonder Woman is a champion of reflection of all of the progress we have achieved as a society. Along the way, we must not forget to help each other succeed. This is what we must remember about the values of Wonder Woman. A woman from a foreign land, wrapped in the american flag, coming to defend and protect the values of a world her people turned their back on because she saw something worth saving.

True Grit & The Western Mythology

The Greeks don't have a monopoly on mythology! The western flicks of the mid-20th century serve as great forms of mythology. In them, men are pistol-wielding fiends with wit. Women are damsels that are to be rescued. And most importantly, justice is to be upheld. But, True Grit has a different take on that.

The Coen Brothers' 2011 film is an adaptation of the novel, True Grit as is the 1969 film. Mattie Ross is the main character in the text and films. In the 1969 film, a 20-year old Kim Darby played a 14-year old Mattie Ross. In the 2011 film, a 13-year old Hailee Steinfield played Mattie Ross. It is within these differences that affect how the rest of the film resides. The book is unusual for its portrayal of a teenage girl as the center of the story, especially for the western genre. Mattie Ross is truly better played as a younger character, sticking to the roots of the book.
Mattie Ross desires justice, rather than revenge, for her father's murder. She uses logical thinking, to a fault, throughout while seeking justice for his death. Marshal Cogburn, a drunkard companion to Ross, hunts for the killers. Cogburn is chosen by Ross because he has true grit. At the end of it all, after Chaney has been killed, the audience finds that it is also Ross that has true grit. She loses her arm to a rattlesnake bite and a some odd 40 years later searches for Cogburn to thank him. He has died since then, yet she still takes a logical approach to this news.

This story rested on Mattie Ross, telling it as a teenager with no concept of "the grey" areas that are abundant in life. She swiftly negotiates throughout to get her way. However her way is more pure than a personal motivation. She seeks justice for her father's death. She is not led by money. One could say she is not motivated by revenge either, only until she sees Cheney that her motivations warp a little bit. Ross wishes to shoot Cheney with her father's gun, an act not driven by justice alone. Still, she upholds her philosophies about true grit and justice until the end of the text. These elements make True Grit and unusual portrayal of the western ideologies. 

The Kid of Norfolk's Tale: Prologue & Pride and Prejudice

The Kid of Norfolk's Tale

I was born in Norfolk, Virginia to a military couple of mixed race. They met in Scotland while on leave and have been together ever since. I did not come into this world alone though, my brother had been here 4 years prior to my birth. I've lived in the ghetto and have been raised to "love what you got" and love makes the world go 'round. We bounced from place to place, my dad remained in the military 11 years after I was born. I left behind my first best friend in Virginia.
I've been to Japan, a wonderful life experience. After Japan we lived in the not-so-great state of Texas. A horrible year. During 7th grade we came back to Norfolk for a year. It was the same old place but it was darkened by experiences with puberty and middle school boys. Now we've bounced to Florida. I come from a mixed, proud family. I have been taught to know my surroundings and be wary of certain people. Since the 7 years I've been here, racism has gotten worse and I'd say Florida is one of the worst places to be if you want to avoid it.
It hurts to tell my parents, who were born in 1972; only 5 years after interracial marriage was made legal, that I still experience racism today. They thought it would be better, but I know I am here just to finish school. Soon, I will move on to better things. I think everyday now, how the world could not be what we hoped it would be.

Pride & Prejudice's Relevence  

Known concepts of the 18th-19th centuries in which Pride & Prejudice takes place; eloping, wedlock, proposals, organized marriages, etc. do still exist in the modern era. Couples still elope to escape family traditional values and arranged marriages do exist in many parts of Asia and Northern Africa. Sex before marriage is still a debated topic, especially in the conservative south of America. But modern dating in most parts of the US are not held up to these conservative standards of relationships, however they are affected by them in a modern way.
There is pressure to get married before a certain age, but it is not like our mothers are marrying us off to rich bachelors. But the internal clock itches. Sometimes I look to that old era and think how easy it would've been to just let it happen. But the best thing about the modern era of relationships is freewill. We can make our own decisions. But again... the internal clock itches. We are pressured by the status of our peers to perform well in front of the desired sex. Generally, our ultimate goal, however obvious, is to find a soulmate.