Category Archives: Film and Culture

The Film “Get Out” is the Best Horror Flick of 2017

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I have always been a fan of horror films and in college, I filled my course list with film criticism classes that introduced me to several different styles and sub-genres of horror. Needless to say, I was hooked. I can spend countless hours watching everything from Nosferatu to Nightmare on Elm St and I will never get tired of it. 

The aspect of the horror genre that appeals to me the most is the social commentary embedded between the jump scares and buckets of blood.

According to Aristotle’s Poetics the drama serves a necessary communal purpose by providing catharsis or emotional purging, while the satire or comedy serves to criticize established institutions, and the modern rise of the horror genre seems to function as a combination of both.

Examples of honest and human fears manifesting into ghoulish creatures that lurk in the shadows can be found in novels like Bram Stoker’s Dracula and in cult-classic films like Romero’s Night of the Living Dead.

In addition, the Cold War fostered the fear of nuclear fall-out that gave rise to a slew of giant insects and mutated swamp monsters stalking the silver screen. And the “me generation” of Mall Rats in the 80s produced films like Poltergeist, which illuminated the desire for a perfect nuclear family and capitalism ruled. This inevitably led to the angry slasher flicks of the 90s, like Scream and I know What You Did Last Summer.Therefore, in theory, it makes sense that Jordan Peele would conjure up images of isolation and a loss of control of the current social horror surrounding this generation’s fear of ideology. Clay Cane, for CNN, states that “Get Out perfectly captures the fears mainstream, white, middle America holds of liberalism and the browning of America. It also captures the fears that liberals and brown America hold of mainstream, white, middle America. Mark my words, social horror is the new trend.”

Get Out has already made history by reaching 100 million at the Box Office, and I am looking forward to more work by Jordan Peele.

Resources:

Aristotle, and Julius Pollux. Aristotle’s Poetics, or, Discourses Concerning Tragic and Epic Imitation. London, Printed for J. Dodsley … and Messrs. Richardson and Urquhart …, 1775.

Clay15, Caden. “Why Jordan Peele’s ‘Get Out’ Just Made History.” CNN, Cable News Network, 15 Mar. 2017, www.cnn.com/2017/03/14/opinions/jordan-peele-makes-movie-history-with-get-out-cane/. Accessed 22 Mar. 2017.

 

Beauty and the Beast is Everything and More

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This weekend I went to see the new live-action adaptation of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, and it was magical! Now, I will admit that I am a little biased because this was my absolute favorite movie growing up. I played and replayed the VHS tape so many times that it was beginning to develop stress lines on the film. All of those childhood memories came flooding back and I was crying/singing along to “A Tale as Old as Time” like I was 1o years old again. Belle is definitely my kind of fairytale princess. She is smart, kind and fearless. Her love for books and reading really registered with me, and as I got older, I also admired her steadfast confidence in turning down the handsome Gaston. While my girlfriends were concerned with finding the other glass slipper, waking up from a nap, or making a man fall in love with her because she is silent and naive to the world, I was taking trips with Belle to far off lands and fighting for what I believed in.

Emma Watson is fantastic and she is a wonderful role model for young people both on and off the screen. She has responsibly used her platform as a successful actress to campaign for gender equality. Her speech, “Gender Equality is Your Issue Too,” delivered a powerful message to the UN and the world. Her grace and wit sets her apart and adds authenticity to the role.

I was also pleased with the Director’s and Producer’s choice to fill the many plot holes presented in the first film.

WARNING: MINOR SPOILERS BELOW

 

  1. It never really made sense to me in the original film that the enchantress would punish a 10-year-old boy and all of his servants. This is cleverly updated by making Dan Stevens (The Beast) a grown man when he refuses to provide shelter for the old hag. It is additionally explained by the lovely Mrs. Potts that the Beast’s father turned him into a heartless and cruel man after the death of his mother, and the servants just stood by and did nothing.
  2. Belle is the witty inventor! I love this addition so much. Not only is she the only girl in her village who can read, but she uses her intelligence to create and engineer machines.
  3. The Beast is also well read and intelligent. It always bothered me that the Beast struggled with reading and Belle had to teach him. I understand that it functions as a bonding agent for the couple, but I think it matches Belle’s personality more to find a partner that shares her love for the written word. It makes more sense that she finally has someone, besides her father, to talk to about Shakespeare and King Arthur.
  4. I was also pleased that they decided to add in the story of what happens to Belle’s mother and that the Beast helps her find and mourn her loss. This works well with the storyline because this gracious act helps to soften the Beast’s personality and adds credibility to her growing adoration for him.

My niece is almost a year old and I really hope this ends up being her favorite Disney movie too!