I’m not a huge Bradley Cooper fan, but I have to give him an A+ for this movie. I wasn’t expecting much from this film and watched it out of boredom more than anything else and I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised. The cinematography was very unique in the way it portrayed how the drug made you “see” the world. It was almost as if the cinematographer wanted you to “see through” the clear pill that was NZT as if you were holding it up to your eye. It’s a neat concept, to think what your life could be like if you could use 100% of your brain at the same time. The main character Eddie (Bradley Cooper) is one entertaining slacker turned whiz kid. Limitless is definitely a fun film to watch and The Scribe’s Desk gives it 3.5 loupes out of 5.
Did You Know?: Limitless is based on the 2001 novel The Dark Fields by Alan Glynn? Don’t you just love books on film?
The definition of a social issue film is defined as a narrative film that merges a certain social conflict into the lives of its characters. The social issue genre film has its roots in the 1930’s and 40’s, so it has been around a very long time and chances are you’ve seen one before. Yet you haven’t seen one like One Hour Fantasy Girl, a film written and directed by Edgar Michael Bravo and produced by No Restrictions Entertainment.
This is a movie based on a true story which makes the bleakness and the reality of it have that much more impact. It’s definitely a look at the darker side of life in an honest, and at times, extremely unflinching way.
Brandi/Becky is a 20 year old woman who has a dream of investing in real estate as a way to improve her situation. Tired of struggling to get by, she gets an offer from a friend (who becomes her pimp) to make some “easy” money as ‘a by the hour fantasy girl’ where she fulfills any fantasy one might have, as long as you can pay her fee and as long as there is no sex or kissing. It’s pretty straight forward but it doesn’t mean that it is pretty. As a fantasy girl no fantasy is off limits, and pleasing the client is paramount if you want repeat clientele. Everything has a price, and there is a price for everything. One Hour Fantasy Girl makes that aphorism really hit home.
There is a desolate truth and a certain honesty to Becky’s story that evokes sympathy for her, yet it’s not as if she spends her time making you feel sorry for her. She is a strong and determined woman — she had to be strong to withstand the things she learned about people and not run screaming from the room and descend into insanity. But she is a survivor of child sexual abuse and anyone who can survive that has strength.
There is a quote in the movie that stood out to me. “When you have discipline you make something of yourself.” Becky had such discipline. It was apparent in everything she did and every decision she makes until she lets emotion cloud her foresight. Even we are duped by a sense of safety in the film so that when a betrayal occurs we feel it just as keenly as Becky does. We feel just as much impotent anger as Becky does. And in the end it is made so clearly evident that so often in a life like Becky’s there is little one can do to get any sense of justice. All you can do is keep going. It is also made keenly apparent in a life like hers, emotions get you in trouble and they dull your instinct. Blocking the need to feel, which is a luxury in itself, is probably the biggest obstacle Becky must overcome. It is why being cold and emotionless if you are a fantasy girl is not just a necessity, it really is survival.
The film demonstrates instances of kindness and then shocking cruelty. There is a real sense throughout the film that something is going to go wrong to derail Becky’s pursuit of her dream, but what that obstacle is you just don’t know. There are many forms a problem could take in this movie. Danger can and does come so suddenly and unexpectedly when you stray from the acceptable forms of society’s morality; but this is the harsh reality for some people. To stray is the only choice they have, to do the unpalatable in order to escape the lurid state that is their life to hopefully somewhere better in the future.
There were definitely moments in the film that made me so uncomfortable that it made me squirm. The bleakness of Becky’s journey to a freedom that seems unattainable is at times harsh and not easy to watch. But that is what makes One Hour Fantasy Girl so intensely effective. It’s adept at making you grateful for your own situation in life because it really could be much worse. It is a film that makes you think, and isn’t that what a social issue film should do?
I love everything that Harry Potter stands for — courage through adversity, finding the strength within, the power of love and the bonds of friendship, and faith, above all, faith that when the chips are really down, you’ll have the power to conquer any obstacle because of the faith you have in yourself. I did immensely savor this epic finale to a fantastical fantasy saga. The ending was poignant and hard earned by our beloved characters and it was a final installment filled with all the magic and adventure we love in our Harry Potter films.
As part of a whole, and even separately, it does deliver most admirably. This film boasts a score filled with reminiscence of bygone adventures and David Yates and Steve Kloves do pay homage to the themes J.K. Rowling poured into this wonderful work of fiction. The CG was seamless, awe inspiring and masterful, and enhanced the story without overwhelming it. The writing of Steve Kloves was stark and to the point, and the action was fast paced and always moved towards the end with purpose, and without any lulls that allowed the mind to wander. And the end was tied up nice and tight and even had a bow on it, and the only thing left to our imaginations is what will life be like for our heroes now that the peril is over? It is a film that is almost perfect and brings to a bittersweet close an unforgettable adventure that spanned a decade.
The opening scenes of Part 2 set up the calm before the storm and Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and his faithful friends are regrouping before their final battle. Before long the audience is swooped up into another daring adventure as Harry, Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint) search for the remaining Horcruxes. There is a sense of urgency that is magnificently conveyed as is the danger of this life and death quest. They’re not practicing spells at Hogwarts anymore. No, this is the real deal where one wrong move can end up costing the lives of those Harry loves.
The malevolence of Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) and his horde of evil doers is fully realized and no longer reduced to shadows and whispers. His reign of fear and tyranny is in full swing and he is indeed terrifying to behold in all his glory. And yet for all this majestic evil unveiled, for the first time we can also marvel in the fact that Voldemort is not invincible and that Harry just might have a chance in defeating him.
In Part 2 our characters are fully developed and both we and they know exactly who they are. They are also no longer children shouldering burdens that the young shouldn’t have to carry; now they are capable, adept and fierce wizards who have grown to adulthood under our ever watchful eyes and they are set to defend Hogwarts where they will have their last stand against Lord Voldemort. Even Hogwarts itself, a place that was once a hallowed, mysterious, kooky and off the wall place, is now a grim sentinel of all that is good in the world.
The most emotionally moving moment of the film comes when Severus Snape’s (Alan Rickman) true part in all of this is revealed. We have the good fortune of going back in time and delving into his most private memories and we see a man with a heart capable of a deep and abiding love and duty. He is a man who has been forced to become the villain. Where once you reviled him as a traitorous killer, you will ultimately see him as a man willing to take the fall and be the bad guy who will do what he must in order to give Harry and his friends a chance to succeed. More than any other character in the movie, he has been sorely misjudged by all and sundry — even Harry.
And Dumbledore (Michael Gambon), the man who seemed to be the magnetic north of these films, the compass by which Harry steered through a life fraught with danger, is a man whose nature is called into question. Were we wrong to trust him all along? Was he so devoted to prophecy and duty that he was the most duplicitous of anyone? Even at the end he is a wizard that will remain a true enigma.
Ultimately in this film the past 7 installments coalesce into one final swell, weaving every nuance and bit of story that we’ve experienced over the years into one whole. It is definitely one of the darkest of all the films with some disturbing and sinister moments and deaths. Yet the way they handled Harry’s questions about death and what is next after life was treated in such a beautiful and peaceful way that it was easy to accept the tranquility Harry felt about these themes and this thing we call life.
We see characters we hate finally get theirs (and we cheer about it), we see our favorite wizarding teachers finally show us what they’re made of, and it’s like a reunion of sorts as we get to see for a final time on the big screen characters we’ve come to know like friends. We even get a deeper understanding of the kind of wonderful people Harry’s parents were and the love they shared and had for Harry.
We see mild and sweet Mama Weasley (Julie Walters) lay it down in a “Nobody messes with my kids!” kind of fashion which is so utterly awesome; and Neville Longbottom (Matthew Lewis) becomes a gallant hero showing us the courage and bravery that lay all this while in his shy heart, and we can be happy for Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch). We finally see true love bloom and blossom between Harry’s best mates and comrades in arms, Hermione and Ron. It’s a love that beautifully culminates in a sudden unexpected, but long awaited kiss that has us laughing right along with Ron and Hermione with pure joy.
It’s also reconfirmed in our hearts why Harry is the Chosen One. His courageous and selfless heart reaffirms for us once again why we have loved this boy wizard from the moment we set eyes on him so many years ago.
Unfortunately, the final battle is shocking in its brevity. Being that this is the moment we’ve been waiting for for 10 years — the final epic showdown between two of the most powerful wizards in the land, the different sides of the same coin — audiences may feel that it should have been more spectacular and filled with such an unbearable tension that by the end of the battle you were weak with relief that it was over. Instead Voldemort is vanquished in a way that seems almost too easy and it’s over before it really started. And moments before, even the death of his terrifying pet snake seemed too easy and slightly discordant, though it did afford Neville the chance to shine.
And the final scene, well, I won’t expand too much on it, but I find it ironic that in a franchise spanning a decade that was all about the most outlandish magic, magical places and mythical creatures, it was here in these final moments where I was most unwilling to suspend my disbelief. Is it because I’m just too sad to see the end of a 10 year story that will live in my heart forever? Or is it because I wish this film would have been a little longer and a little less frantically paced? Or is it because I fear Harry and his crew are now destined for a normal life of ordinary?
It’s the end of an era in film history and yet I do not feel that absolution of spirit that I quested towards for all these years. I left the theater feeling like something was missing; like I was missing that ultimate feeling of overwhelming satisfaction that settles into you after bidding farewell to well loved characters and a beloved story. I was close to it, but mostly I’m just left feeling sad. Afterall I have invested 10 years of my life in this franchise and 10 years of intense emotion.
I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that the saga of Harry Potter is one in a million and we may never see the likes of it again. And despite the feeling of sadness I am left with, I know that in the end, things ended the way they needed to end for Harry, Hermione and Ron. As far as endings go, I do think that this film was almost perfect. I’m also left thinking about the saying, if you love something, let it go. And though letting go is hard to do, it is indeed time to say goodbye to Harry Potter, the boy who lived.
How many kids grew up with this saga? How many parents and adults grew older with this franchise? (hehe) As we have grown and changed, so has our favorite wizarding trio, three kids who have brought some magic into the lives of millions of fans around the world. And though it seems that Harry Potter has been with us forever, in fact it has only lasted a decade. However, a lot can happen in 10 years, and there were a lot of things that happened in this 10 year long saga. So Warner Bros. released a featurette that takes a look back at the blockbuster franchise, it’s Harry Potter in a 5 minute nutshell, highlighting the events in the entire saga.
It all ends on July 15th with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, but before that happens, let’s journey back in time to where it all began…
Who didn’t love Dirty Dancing? Who didn’t root for Baby and her love Johnny from the other side of the tracks? Who didn’t rejoice when they did the final dance and really did look like they had the time of their life? This is one of my favorite movies of all times and whenever I hear this song I can’t help but be happy. I hope you enjoy this pick for Music Monday!
Here it is, “Time of My Life” by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes from the movie Dirty Dancing starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. Both the song and movie are classics that never, ever get old.
Now I’ve had the time of my life
No I never felt like this before
Yes I swéar it’s the truth
and I owe it all to you
‘Cause I’ve had the time of my life
and I owe it all to you
I’ve been waiting for so long
Now I’ve finally found someone
To stand by me
We saw the writing on the wall
As we felt this magical
Fantasy
Now with passion in our eyes
There’s no way we could disguise it
Secretly
So we take each others hand
‘Cause we seem to understand
The urgency just remember
You’re the one thing
I can’t get enough of
So I’ll tell you something
This could be love because
CHORUS:
I’ve had the time of my life
No I never felt this way beforeYes I swear it’s the truth
And I owe it all to you
With my body and soul
I want you more than you’ll ever know
So we’ll just let it go
Don’t be afraid to lose control
Yes I know what’s on your mind
When you say “Stay with me
tonight.” Just remember
You’re the one thing I can’t get enough of
So I’ll tell you something
This could be love because
CHORUS
‘Cause I’ve had the time of my life
And I’ve searched through every open door
Till I’ve found the truth
and I owe it all to you
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I’m not a huge Bradley Cooper fan, but I have to give him an A+ for this movie. I wasn’t expecting much from this film and watched it out of boredom more than anything else and I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised. The cinematography was very unique in the way it portrayed how the drug made you “see” the world. It was almost as if the cinematographer wanted you to “see through” the clear pill that was NZT as if you were holding it up to your eye. It’s a neat concept, to think what your life could be like if you could use 100% of your brain at the same time. The main character Eddie (Bradley Cooper) is one entertaining slacker turned whiz kid. Limitless is definitely a fun film to watch and The Scribe’s Desk gives it 3.5 loupes out of 5.
