ScreenFish

where faith and film are intertwined

Mark Ruffalo

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law – Roaring for Justice

by Leave a Comment

Not every Hulk is the same. And that’s okay.

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law follows Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany), a brilliant and successful defense attorney. When travelling with her cousin, Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), a car accident results in her receiving his Hulk-infused blood, transforming her into the She-Hulk. Determined to resume her life, Walters returns to her old life with her new body and begins to specialize in superhuman-oriented legal cases, while still navigating life as a single, 30-something.

(L-R): Tatiana Maslany as She-Hulk/Jennifer “Jen” Walters and Drew Matthews as Dennis Bukowski in Marvel Studios’ She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.

Now in the second year of the Disney+ experiment, we have seen that other Marvel series like Hawkeye, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier or Wandavision have taken themselves with a sense of urgency or seriousness. (Even more comedic entries such as Ms. Marvel or Loki still carried a sense of importance.) But She-Hulk has its own tone and style. Villains are more laughable than fearsome. Playfulness in its lawyer drama akin to famed 90s comedy Ally McBeal gives us a winking eye into the world of the MCU. Appearances from characters such as Ruffalo’s Banner/Hulk combo, Benedict Wong, and Tim Roth help place the series firmly within the Marvel Universe and the goofiness seems to flesh out their characters, in some ways. (And, surprisingly, Ruffalo seems quite comfortable with more comedic material.) 

What is apparent, however, is that She-Hulk wants to create something new for the Marvel universe. Billed as a comedic ‘lawyer show’, the series feels more like a sitcom than any of the other standard MCU fare. Unlike their more tepid style of humour, conversations about Captain America’s virginity, Hulk-sized hangovers give the show an edge that points the needle more firmly in the direction of Deadpool. (In fact, in a move also similar to the Merc with the Mouth, Jessica also frequently breaks the fourth wall to address the audience.) As a result, there’s a silliness about the show that makes it different. 

Tatiana Maslany as Jennifer “Jen” Walters/She-Hulk in Marvel Studios’ She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.

To be fair, ‘different’ is always welcome, especially in the cookie-cutter MCU. 

Whether or not that always works is another story entirely.

Interestingly, one of the more divisive parts of the series may be Maslany herself. While only the first few episodes have been screened to critics, Maslany feels both instantly likeable and out-of-place at the same time. Maybe it’s the show’s tone or writing but her performance initially feels as split as her personality within the series. Without question, Maslany is a remarkable talent and fully willing to engage in sci-fi material. (Just revisit Orphan Black. You’ll thank me later.) When she steps into the role of Walters as lawyer, Maslany lights up the screen with confidence. To Walters, her most powerful weapon is her mind and she is willing to defend the most controversial of characters so that they can have a fair trial. However, when she ‘hulks out’, part of that confidence seems to fade away. Perhaps it’s the CGI or even just her newness to the role but, at times, it feels like something gets lost in the transformation.

(L-R): Mark Ruffalo as Smart Hulk / Bruce Banner and Tatiana Maslany as Jennifer “Jen” Walters/She-Hulk in Marvel Studios’ She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.

What is most interesting about the series though is the fact that this She-Hulk is a more fully integrated version of Ruffalo’s Big Green Beast. Unlike Banner, Walters is also stronger, faster and instantly psychologically integrated. Within her, there is no other ‘hand on the wheel’ or battle for control of her mind. Instead, she is at once both She-Hulk and Jessica, able to control herself more easily than her tormented cousin. But, in doing so, thankfully She-Hulk avoids any potential ‘man-splaining’ of her training. (Though not for lack of his trying…) In this way, there’s an empowering spirit to Walters onscreen. She maintains her passion for justice and fights for her clients. She is willing to express her femininity and ferocity equally in positive ways. There’s a self-awareness within this series that allows Walters to embark on her own personal journey, without mimicking the original character. 

Again, there’s genuine potential in this series. Like Walters herself, the series simply hasn’t fully realized it… yet…

The first episode of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is available on Disney+ on Thursday, August 18th, 2022 with new episodes available every Thursday.

The Adam Project: Finding Hope in Future’s Past

by Leave a Comment

Sometimes, Ryan Reynolds really gets it right. 

Although he’s one of the most bankable actors in Hollywood, Reynold’s films have been hit and miss. Best known as the wise-cracking Deadpool, his charming smirk may often bring his characters to life but the writing isn’t always there to justify his unique brand of pop culture quips. However, in Netflix’s The Adam Project  Reynolds channels the right energy to make it one of his more entertaining projects in recent years. 

Beginning in the year 2050, most of The Adam Project takes place in the present day where a 12-year-old Adam Reid (Walker Scobell) is still suffering from the loss of his father (Mark Ruffalo). Struggling to survive in school and taking his frustrations out on his mother (Jennifer Garner), Adam’s world is turned upside down when he comes home one day and stumbles across his future self (Ryan Reynolds). Bleeding from a bullet wound, the adult Adam claims to have returned to the past in an effort to save his future by stopping the process of time travel from ever being invented. 

While Reynolds may be the film’s biggest star, the most important ingredient to Project’s success may be director Shawn Levy. With films like the Night at the Museum trilogy, Real Steel and Reynold’s Free Guy on his resume, Levy has become an expert of finding the right balance of adventure, silliness and heart that is reminiscent of the classic 80’s family films of the Amblin era. With The Adam Project, Levy manages to walk that line once again with a fun and furious ride that feels like a creative mix of Flight of the Navigator and Back to the Future. (Though, it’s worth noting that, with some course language and mature themes, parents of younger children should take note that this film is PG-13 for a reason.)

Outside of Reynolds, the cast becomes particularly well rounded as well. Balancing out his trademark snark, Project makes good use of Garners’ warmth and Ruffalo‘s wit. (Side note: I can’t deny that it’s also fun to get a brief 13 Going on 30 reunion as well.) However, the absolute stand out of the cast is young Walker Scobell as Reynold’s younger self. Channeling Reynolds’ energy and sarcasm, Scobell’s ability to banter allows him to hold his own with the star onscreen, providing a unique take on the ‘buddy comedy’ that anchors the film. (Having said this, one does wish that more was given to the wonderful Catherine Keener and Zoe Saldana who are given little to do, despite the importance of their characters.)

While there are those that may argue that the time travel logistics of the film don’t always makes sense, The Adam Project cares little about such things. Like the best family adventures, what matters most are its characters and their emotional journeys. In this way, Project cares less about the sci-fi logistics and more about grappling with grief and healing. Fueled by a mixture of regret and anger surrounding the loss of their father, both versions of Adam are dealing with their own grief in different ways. Whereas adult Adam channels his pain into rage against his father, his younger self is taking it out on his mother. To them, the loss of their father is filled by complex feelings, ranging from inadequacy to blame. 

Because of his father’s own failings, adult Adam believes that he was unimportant to him. But is the world always the way that we remember it? As Reynolds revisits his own past, he begins to gain a new perspective on the way that things actually were. Even in his darkest moments, there is love in his home. As a child staring through his hurt, and be easy to forget that reality. 

There is hope when we realize that there is love.

With a spirit of adventure and fun, there is simply an energy and joy about this film that are undeniable. Once again, Levy has created a story that draws the viewer in with action but never loses its heart in the process. As a result, this is definitely one Project worth taking on.

The Adam Project streams on Netflix on Friday, March 11th, 2022.

Meet The Rocket Man: 1on1 with Sean Gunn (AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR)

by 2 Comments

While he is perhaps best known from his time playing the affable Kirk Gleason in Gilmore Girls, Gunn has stepped into the forefront recently for his role as Kraglin in the Guardians of the Galaxyfilms. However, he has also found himself in the unique position of serving as physical stand-in for CGI fan-favourite Rocket the Raccoon as well. As Gunn prepares for the return of Rocket in Avengers: Infinity War, he credits his brother, Guardiansdirector James Gunn, for bringing him into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

“Really, it was when my brother got involved,” he starts. “I know that my brother, James, was at a point in his career where he was a little down on directing movies because it was such a hard job to get it on one of these big tent-pole movies. Then, when he ended up being up for Guardians, getting that job, I was totally ecstatic for him.”

“I play both Kraglin on-screen and I also play Rocket [the Raccoon] on-set. That kind of came about during the first movie. [James] and I had worked together so much on various things in our career and he knew that he wanted an actor that he knew, trusted and had worked with to be able to play Rocket on set so that he’d have a real actor there to do it and not just a tennis ball on a stick or a PA holding up script in their hands or something like that. So, he asked me to do it and we ended up kind of figuring out on the go what the method was for that to work. Then, it turned out that it was basically me just getting down on my hands and knees and playing Rocket just as though he was there and it was really helpful to the other actors and the visual effects team. They weren’t able to use me for reference them when they started to animate the character and then I think it was a matter of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’. So, then you know, it worked so well for the first movie that I ended up doing it again for Guardians Vol. 2and then for both Infinity Warmovies as well.”

Though most people associate Rocket the Raccoon with Bradley Cooper who supplies his voice, it’s Gunn’s work that lays the groundwork for the performance. By providing much of the physical acting for the character, Gunn appreciates the hard work of the animators who can take his movements and bring Rocket to life.

“I play Rocket the entire time on-set…,” he recalls. “Then, the visual effects team then goes in and they start to put together a draft based on what I did–our movements, hand movements, and particularly my face, some facial expressions, things like where Rocket’s looking… For just little things like that, the animators will use what I’m doing as a reference. Then, later Bradley Cooper comes in and he does the voice of the character and they can change things then. He’ll flesh the character out and sort of put his thing on it and then if they want to make some changes based on either what he’s doing or some combination thereof, they can make those changes at that point as needed.”

Of course, playing two different characters within the same film brings its own set of challenges as well. During scenes where Rocket and Kraglin shared screen time, Gunn claims that he had work twice as hard in order to be prepared.

“There are four different scenes where [Rocket and Kraglin] are not only together [in Vol. 2], but they both have dialog. We really would just kind of shoot around each character and plug me in as much as we could. I always think that the preparation and focus are the most important components to go to acting on set and I had to sort of double my preparation and double my focus on those days. It wasn’t easy because I can’t really squat down as Rocket in Kraglin’s wardrobe. So, I was also having to do these costume changes where I would get and jumpsuit, which is a little stiff and hard to maneuver, and into my Rocket sweats, which is basically a track suit that I’m wearing. So yeah, we’d just have to go back and forth. We’d really have to just take a little longer to shoot and I would be doing the scene twice from the point of view of each character.”

Of course, the Guardians franchise signaled a shift in tone for the Marvel Cinematic Universe upon its release. While offering more humour and brighter colour schemes than other franchises (and not to mention the best soundtracks in the MCU), the most interesting thing about the Guardiansfranchise has been its ability to help audiences fall in love with the anti-hero. When asked about whether he feels this franchise looks for the good in the ‘bad guys’, Gunn argues that the backstories of characters like Rocket gives them the chance to explore what it means to be a hero.

“Well, I certainly don’t view them as bad guys,” he explains, “but they’re not motivated by altruistic qualities the way that the Avengers are certainly… But, I agree with your premise that over the course of the movies, I think the arc of those characters are still learning to identify the goodness that’s already inside of them. I think they’d had lives that have encouraged them to squash the goodness, like Quill living with the Ravagers or Rocket having been where he’s been, sort of lonely most of his whole life. They’ve been encouraged to not think about the good inside of them so I think part of the movies is them finding that.”

Having worked with an ensemble cast on Guardians, his experience on Avengers: Infinity Warmoves to another level entirely. Billed as the ‘largest cross-over event in history’, the film features most (if not all) of the major characters that Marvel has introduced to audiences over the last decade. Nevertheless, Gunn believes that the film honours each character and hopes that the fans agree.

“There are a lot of characters and I think that that’s handled particularly well over the course of the two movies–which, if I can’t talk about the first one, imagine how little I can say it about the second one,” he muses. “We filmed them back to back. There’s still some additional photography to do for the second movie as is always the case and but I think the way that that issue of all these different characters participating in one story is really interesting and I think it works really well. We’ll have to wait and see what people think about. It certainly is a lot of balls in the air to juggle.”

Providing the motivation for the Avengers to assemble this time is the impending threat of alien overlord, Thanos. Hell-bent on destroying the universe, Thanos’ quest for the Infinity Stones is rumoured to give the film a darker tone than other entries into the MCU. Despite its intensity, Gunn also feels that Infinity Waralso balances it with Marvel’s trademark humour.

“I haven’t seen the movie yet so I’ve got to start with that,” he begins, “but I do think that it has a heaviness to it that I think is super cool. I think it’s warranted, personally. I mean you can’t have all these disparate franchises that you’re tying together under one massive banner and be sort of glib about it. I think that these movies are going to be serious. There’s certainly plenty of comedy though. I mean, you know, we have the Guardians in there. We’ve got the crew from Ragnarok in there. I think there’s a lot of laughs, but I think the overall tone of piece is not super light. I think fans will like that because it’s pretty serious. Thanos is serious business.”

Furthermore, one of the highlights for Gunn of working on Infinity War was the opportunity to combine the Guardians crew with a more diverse cast, allowing new interactions and conflicts.

Says Gunn, “I think every actor in one way or another helps define who the character you’re playing is, particularly from Rocket’s point of view. Rocket has been in space his whole life. He knows very little about Earth or the people who live there other than what he knows through his friendship with [Peter] Quill. So, his whole relationship to the earth is based on what Quill has told him and when he comes across any of these people from the Avengers universe, he has a very different perspective of them than any of us would have of them from down here. If anything, I think they’re not quite so impressive to Rocket.”

With his success in the Marvel Universe and Gilmore Girls, one might wonder what Gunn hopes to do next. Still, rather than get preoccupied with what is to come, he prefers to simply focus on looking for great stories to help bring to life.

“I try not to prognosticate or wish too much about where my career is going to go because then you’re only setting yourself up for disappointment. I’ve been very, very lucky to work with incredibly talented people with my brother in Guardians, with the Russos and everyone else they’re working with on Avengers and the list goes on and on, but also with Amy Sherman-Palladino and her husband, Dan, on Gilmore Girls. They’re such great writers and I’ve been so lucky and I really just try to chase the words. I think story is king still. Good stories and good content still rule the day and I just want to keep doing stuff like that. I’d love to revisit Kirk on Gilmore girls if we ever make more, which I don’t think would happen anytime soon. I’d take a look at the character again at some point down the line. I’d love it.”

To hear full audio of our conversation with Sean, click here.

Avengers: Infinity War opens April 27th, 2018.

Spotlight: Setting the Truth Free (Oscar Spotlight: Best Picture)

by Leave a Comment

spotlightmain

When Marty Baron (Liev Schreiber) becomes the new editor of The Boston Globe, he pushes investigative journalist Robby Robinson (Michael Keaton) to explore the accusations of lawyer Mitch Garabedian (Stanley Tucci). Garabedian has gone public, saying that the Catholic church and local authorities have covered up accusations of child abuse by a local priest. Robinson is initially reluctant to explore it. There’s a sense of duty as journalists and conflict over crossing the Catholic church (and expected levels of human decency) but as Robinson’s team investigates, the truth comes out.

Tom McCarthy takes a dialogue-driven story, located primarily in the offices of the Globe, lawyers, and coffee shops, and dials up the tension in a way that impressively shows the conflict within the souls of the reporters (including those played by Rachel McAdams and Mark Ruffalo), the suffering of the victims, and the indignant reprisals of the guilty. The truth is that many people are guilty for their crimes against the children and their inaction in not stopping those who committed those crimes.

spotlight3

While some films might have been bogged down in the details or the ensemble cast, Spotlight shines as a Best Picture nominee both for the story it tells and for McCarthy’s focus on what bits and pieces matter. We hear from a victim but we’re not completely dragged down in lurid details; we don’t see every conversation but we hear the necessary ones. And when push comes to shove, we are reminded that the story impacts us all.

One of the most troubling elements of the story is that various people had opportunities to stop the trajectory of the crimes. Whether it’s a parent of a victim, a local police officer, a lawyer, or a reporter, different people knew about the crimes but found various excuses not to get involved. This is like the rape and murder of Kitty Genovese in 1964 – or the words of Martin Niemoller about the importance of speaking up for the Jews and others in Nazi Germany. It’s the global connection that Spotlight is connecting to – we can all see moments where we failed to stand up for what we knew was true.

And yet Spotlight reminds us that we have a second chance. We can make it right. We can fight for the widow, the orphan, the immigrant, the marginalized. We can make social justice a reality, but we must not miss our chance…

What truth do you know that you should be shouting, even when you’re the minority? That’s the question Spotlight asks, and it’s up to you to answer.

 

And The Winner Is…or Should Be (Oscar Spotlight)

by Leave a Comment

revenant2The Oscar races this year are absolutely clear cut… in my mind. Having seen fourteen of the nominated films (out of approximately sixteen films in the major categories), these are my favorites to win.

At Best Actor, the portrayal of screenwriter and Communist Dalton Trumbo by Bryan Cranston put him in rare air, not that of the illicit drugs he manufactured as Breaking Bad’s Walter White. I was immensely moved by Cranston’s depiction of this flawed-yet-heroic man, and the way Jay Roach framed all of the movable parts around Cranston. Sadly, he’ll be runner up to Michael Fassbender, whose turn as Steve Jobs delivers something that Noah Wyle and Ashton Kutcher couldn’t: a performance that gets to the soul of the man. (Film I missed: The Danish Girl -my apologies to Eddie Redmayne.) Here’s a mad genius who lacks the emotional power to connect with others – until those who care about him the most challenge him spiritually.

stevejobs2I’ll openly admit that I’ve only seen a few of the five films in the Best Actress category but I have a hard time believing anyone could surpass Brie Larson’s portrayal of the kidnapped and raped young woman who raises her son in a garden shed in Room. While another year might produce more wins, this will be Room’s lone trophy. It’s harrowing and powerful, both in captivity and in the world outside, but all of it is made human by the quiet power of Larson’s delivery.

room1While this is a “makeup call” (a term ripped from other contact sports), I’ll predict that the Academy awards a lifetime achievement award to Sylvester Stallone for his Best Supporting Actor turn in Creed. Simply put, there are too few scenes in The Big Short, The Revenant, Spotlight, or Bridge of Spies for the other nominees to salt away a win. It’s Stallone by default, even if Michael B. Jordan deserves much of the credit for making Stallone look good (and recovering from the insufferable Fantastic Four).

Consider this your commercial break before we reach my big two awards for the year – consider it burying the lede.

creed-movieBest Original Screenplay: Straight Outta Compton delivers the time, the music, and the mythos of NWA. Were these guys prophets? Exploiters? Exploited? This complex story spins a tale that entertains, reminisces, and challenges us to think about how we define our worldview.

Adapted Screenplay: Michael Lewis’ The Big Short over Emma Donaghue’s Room robs the latter of a double win. Three times nominated, this one has to finally pull off the win. Greed sucks the life out of you in the long run – and proves there are no victimless crimes. It’s not the best film I saw this year, but it serves as a morality tale for all of us to consider in our day-to-day spending and relationships.

Cinematography: Director Alexandro Inarritu can do amazing things with film (think last year’s Birdman). This year, The Revenant dukes it out with The Hateful Eight (only win: Best Original Score). Both films are beautiful in their brutality, with the elements and humanity playing against each other for spellbinding cinematic moments.

straightouttaAnd now… Best Director goes to … Mad Max: Fury Road’s George Miller. Having established a dystopian world decades ago, he returns to the world that Hardy said was in Miller’s head and delivered it in a sprawling, dialogue-short film that visually does everything. No stone was left out of place, and every moment mattered to the overall picture. [Unfortunately, Inarritu will probably win… There, I said it.]

So, does that make Mad Max: Fury Road my Best Picture? Not exactly. While it (and Creed) was my favorite film of the year, it doesn’t qualify as the most important film of 2015. [It also came too early in the year, and surprised everyone with its depth.] A story about working within society to change it (versus running from the world we live in and hitting a restart) makes for a powerful testament of humanity in the midst of an apocalypse. It should be a challenge to us all – global warming, AIDs, violence, racism, whatever – be the change you want to be.

Mad Max Fury Road MainIs it The Revenant? No. Leonardo DiCaprio’s ability to grunt, Inarritu’s ability to shoot enigmatic scenes, and the makeup crew’s ability to generate the ferocious aftermath of a bear mauling do not make a complete picture. If you push me, I’ll admit this film looked cool but I thought the storytelling was shallow. (It’s why I preferred Mad Max: Fury Road.)

bridge3How about Bridge of Spies? Nope. While Tom Hanks delivers a tour de force performance, the film is almost entirely on his shoulders. Yes, it speaks to the way we are divided and guarded in society today, but it’s not enough to just have a strong lead. The film itself was good but not great; without Hanks, it’s a dud.

Left to right: Steve Carell plays Mark Baum and Ryan Gosling plays Jared Vennett in The Big Short from Paramount Pictures and Regency Enterprises

Does The Big Short…? An ensemble cast with solid performances couldn’t save a primarily financial film (here’s looking at you, Margin Call and Moneyball). Brooklyn? Didn’t see it. (Gulp). Room? Too claustrophobic.

And suddenly, we’re down to two.

martian-gallery3-gallery-imageWith the look on Matt Damon’s face as he accepted his award at the Golden Globes, I can tell there were fewer people laughing at the “comedy” that was The Martian. With the ridiculous categorization of the film, The Martian was condemned to be remembered not for Andy Weir’s story but the ridiculous politicization of the awards. And this isn’t even the best film where a dedicated group of brave people willingly sacrifice their lives to bring Matt Damon home or the best film where someone is castaway without human companionship…

spotlight3So, Spotlight it is. While Birdman and The Artist (2015 and 2012, respectively) proved that the Academy sometimes falls in love with the visuals, the track record of 12 Years a Slave, Argo, The King’s Speech, and The Hurt Locker show a trend toward based-on-a-true-story moments that highlight something about our society. With Spotlight, there’s an effort to show the power of the press (ding!), expose a hidden darkness (ding! ding!), and confront a powerful force in the world, the Catholic church (ding! ding! ding!)

Let’s hear the counter arguments. I know Chris Utley will be sharpening his knives… This should be fun.

Spotlight: In The Pursuit Of Truth

by 2 Comments

spotlightmain

“For a paper to best perform its function, it must stand alone.”–Marty Baron

In 2001, a new editor arrived at The Boston Globe, pushing the newspaper’s investigative team to look into the Catholic sex scandal in Massachusetts. Instead of assuming that the Catholic church’s hierarchy and the legal system are actually exposing the truth, editor Marty Baron (Liev Schreiber) pushes Spotlight team leader Robby Robinson (Michael Keaton) to uncover what actually happened to hundreds of children at the mercy of dozens of priests. This is a film about truth, justice, faith, and community that will show the depths of human depravity and the heights of human courage.

When the team brings in Phil Saviano (Neal Huff), an adult alleging abuse by a Catholic priest when he was younger, they discover that the situation they have heard about may be more widespread than they ever imagined. With the help of attorney Mitchell Garabedian (Stanley Tucci), the team (Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Brian d’Arcy James) begins to interview various other individuals who claim abuse by Catholic priests throughout Massachusetts.

The Globe’s pursuit of truth leads them to uncover a list of potentially ninety dangerous priests with hundreds of possible victims. The investigation is helped on by a psychiatrist (Richard Jenkins) and their “gut.” In so many situations, we can recognize the truth, we can even know what the truth is, but we don’t know how to pursue it. In this case, the Spotlight team puts its extensive experience and intuition to the singleminded task of uncovering what several powerful institutions, including the Archdiocese of Boston and its powerful Cardinal Bernard Law (Len Cariou), have worked so hard to sweep under the carpet.

spotlight

While there will certainly be pushback about the release of this film, claiming that it’s “truth versus the church,” I found myself admiring the way that the filmmakers, namely writer/director Tom McCarthy artfully showed that the issue was actually a spiritual one- a powerful one- that needed to be brought to the light. These priests had power in their communities – especially over children who were abandoned, orphaned, or struggling to make ends meet. It’s an abuse of power that echoes a certain impeachment process, asking what power we attribute to others fairly and unfairly.

Mark my words, if it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village to abuse one. –Mitchell Garabedian

What soon becomes apparent to the crack team of reporters is that it’s not just the priests abuse, but also the church/law working to cover it up. There must be hundreds, thousands even, of everyday citizens who know that something is not right with the local parish (like the cops depicted in the opening vignette) and who choose to do nothing. Is it ignorance? Is it laziness? Is it fear?

spotlight3

Martin Niemoller said, about the rampaging Nazis in the 1940s,

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

In one powerful scene, one of the reporters realizes how close to home the danger is and sticks a sign to his own children on the refrigerator, warning them. Suddenly, it’s not just a story but the danger to one’s own family that makes this something that can’t be dismissed, ignored, or merely argued about. Suddenly, it’s crucial that the truth be spoken, as more than an acknowledgment but as a pursuit of justice. They recognize that it’s not just priests, lawyers, or cops who stayed silent but also neighbors, siblings, and extended families who stayed silent.

I don’t think I should talk about it. – unnamed police officer. 

I think you should. -Sacha Pfeiffer

Jesus said, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). It’s hard to know what lasting impact the truth had on those who were already victims, but the work of the Spotlight team – and the honesty of those who had been abused – surely set things in motion that allowed others to be freed from hiding ashamed. And who knows how many children were kept safe from being molested because these men and women took a stand?

Acted subtlety and intelligently by the ensemble cast, the pacing of the story stays on point without dragging. While some ‘investigative’ films prove to be mind-numbingly dry, the complexity of the issue and the depth of the actors assembled makes this a ‘must-see’ film – especially those tracking the Oscars. Having applauded the way that 12 Years a Slave showed historical racism and warned of the impacts of slavery today, Spotlight shows us a vision of the past that should inform our present. If we want to keep our children safe, if we want the truth to be available to all, we must be prepared to fight through the smokescreens to bring justice and peace out into the light.

Foxcatcher: Wrestling with God

by Leave a Comment

foxcatcher2

Foxcatcher is as difficult to write about as it was to watch. I have seen it three or four times now, and it does not lessen the difficulty of watching such a tense and dramatic film. Despite that, it is a great film, deserving every nomination for every film award it got! There is no other film like it. Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, and Mark Ruffalo all gave outstanding performances.

The difficulty of watching this film is that it is true.

Foxcatcher is the story of John du Pont (Steve Carell) whose desire to achieve something on his own draws him to sponsoring the US Olympic wrestling team in the 1980s. Du Pont knows nothing about wrestling, but it does not stop him. From the moment we meet du Pont, though we barely recognize Carell, we know that there is something not right.

The same could be said about Channing Tatum’s Mark Schultz. The trophies and metals in his apartment seem to stand as a memorial to what was in Mark’s life. Mark goes from making a speech to elementary school students about the Olympics to making a speech (prepared by du Pont’s people) about the father-figure that John du Pont has become in his life. These speeches stand in contrast to where Mark’s life has taken him.

John du Pont seeks out Mark to achieve his vision of being a part of a winning team. There are hints that he goes to Mark to get to his brother Dave (Mark Ruffalo), an experienced coach. In this attempt, John befriends Mark, making promises and sharing intimate stories. John sets himself up to be the father-figure that is missing in Mark’s life. Mark does not seek him out as a mentor; John positions himself to be such. On the way to the event where Mark is give a speech that John’s staffers wrote, John shares cocaine with Mark and teaches him how to use it. From there we see a decline in Mark.

There is something not right here.

Between the two of them, John and Mark fill the screen with emotional damage. This damage is so settled within their very core, that is difficult to see, yet it explains everything. After participating in drug use with John, Mark begins to change, which is depicted by his appearance. He dyes his hair and he dresses differently. He spirals into self-destruction.

Foxcatcher 2

After he loses a match that he should have won, Mark returns to his hotel room to grieve. What follows is one of the most intense scenes in the whole film. Without any words, the real wrestling in Mark’s soul is revealed.

Filled with anguish, Mark sends his head into a mirror, glass breaking. He orders carts full of food and stuffs his face. His nameless internal wrestling bursts forth. The fighting ends with Mark collapsing to the floor. This is how David finds him. Bloodied. Defeated. Full of carbs. The wounds can be bandaged. The carbs can be handled. David puts his attention on Mark’s battered soul.

In the shadows of the hotel room, Mark is curled up on the bed, with David bent over him. As they do when they wrestle, they become one lump. David says to his younger brother, “You’re not in this alone.”

When you are in your darkest moment, dwelling in the shadows of life, there is nothing more meaningful than someone whispering, “You’re not in this alone.”

FOXCATCHER 3

In the Hebrew Bible, Jacob wrestled with an angel (Genesis 32) all through the night. Some have suggested that the angel represented God and the wrestling was over whom God was calling Jacob to be: Israel – the father of a nation. In Romans 7, Paul describes a fight with himself – “I do the things I know I shouldn’t do and I don’t do the things I know I should do.” In Ephesians 6, Paul says that the struggle we go through is not one of flesh and blood, but one with the spiritual forces of wickedness.

We wrestle with God, with ourselves, and with forces of injustice. 

The beauty of the film is that it does not state the obvious. We do not know for certain why Mark is emotionally damaged. Nor do we know why John is, though the film leaves clues as to why they may be. So often that is the case. We see others wrestling with their inner selves, not knowing why. We can, however, say to them, “You’re not in this alone.”