Wednesday, July 17, 2013

"Bella"--A Movie Review

It's risky to post a movie review on a family blog because everyone's tastes and filters are so different, but even if most of you are bored, some of you are offended and even one of you are touched, like I was, it will be worth it to me. Maybe if I carefully pre-weed the assumptive bored and offended parties out, they won't even be interested, which means they won't be frustrated with me from the start and the "one" will be the only person interested enough to try it. We'll hope for that scenario.

The weeding: First of all this is an independent festival film--translation: "artsy", small budget, and could be classified by the action/adventure crowd as a painfully slow "talker". There half of you weeded already. =) Secondly, this is rated PG-13 and I would not watch it with anyone of a more fragile age as it deals with some very heavy emotional and moral issues,  a wrenching car accident, dysfunctional relationships and abortion among them. It also portrays some minor drinking and smoking. All of that baggage will weed some of you that shouldn't be weeded--it would normally weed out me. To unweed a few of you, the film is anti-abortion, inappropriate relationships are all pre-story, off screen and portrayed as destructive. The accident is not graphic, but still profoundly harrowing. I may have heard one reference to Hades, but other than that, no language, and the drinking and smoking aren't glorified or promoted. The movie does jump back and forth between the past, present and future and gets a little confusing at times, but it still works. The guys beard will make you crazy, but it's symbolic. This isn't "entertainment"--it's food for thought. Any of you still with me? Maybe one? That's all I need. =)

Why I feel compelled to share: Among all of the noise and "entertainment" of most movies (and we watch a lot in the summer, often scraping the artistic barrel looking for something "clean") this one stood out, luminous and full of heart. The messages were poignant, with no agenda except to promote charity and light by presenting a few glimpses into the opposition between humanities natural man and the spiritual dictate to love one another. It is a movie where nothing happens on the outside because everything is happening on the inside. It is about suffering and solace. It is about doing what's right even in the face of everything that is wrong. It is about how we treat each other. It is about family--about pure love.

If you had to read this and aren't interested, that's 5 minutes wasted and 91 minutes saved. If you watch this and hate it, I'm sorry. If you watch it and love it, you are most welcome; I want to know.

Bella--People's Choice Award Winner, Toronto Film Festival 

No comments:

Post a Comment

All comments are moderated on this blog which may mean a brief intermission before the comment shows up on the page.