The Weathly and The Help: Downton Abbey

Lately, I've been into a very specific genre -- film and television (mostly television) that juxtapose the wealthy and their help. Whereas in many films/TV series, the upper and lower classes pass in and out of each others' lives, work together, etc., these people live together. They are constantly entwined in each others' lives, and yet always separate.

There are few aspects that usually appear in these films/TV shows. There is always a matriarch who holds onto the traditional ways, mostly those of being haughty, while a younger member of the aristocracy tries to mix with the lower class, either for fun or genuine interest. Many times, the aforementioned matriarch is played by the great Maggie Smith. Usually, there is also some sort of scandal in the aristocracy that inevitably must be cleaned up. In general, those in the lower class are nicer, although there are always the evil, conniving ones, while those in the upper class are either flaky, coarse, or stifled, showing that it ain't easy to be rich.

In my "research" I have found a few particularly good examples: Gosford Park, 2010 British Miniseries Upstairs, Downstairs, and my personal favorite, PBS Masterpiece Downton Abbey.

Downton Abbey is particularly interesting because it deals with many different issues. It's about with the family and estate of Lord Grantham (Hugh Bonneville), who is married to an American (Elizabeth McGovern), and has three daughters and a bevy of servants. While "His Lordship" is relatively kind and always gives a hand to a friend in need, regardless of his station, his mother (but of course, Maggie Smith) insists that everything always be as it always was.

The first episode takes place on April 16, 1912. Anyone? Anyone? Right! -- the day after the Titanic sank. Soon we learn that (1) the family's cousins died on the ship, (2) that the eldest daughter was betrothed to the eldest cousin (erk), and (3) that this now means that the family fortune will go to another distant cousin, possibly leaving the daughters with nothing.

The last episode of the first season takes place on the day that England enters World War I. Throughout the season, the family and their staff have to deal with matters of inheritance, the heart, and social and political changes. Said distant cousin, aka Cousin Matthew, turns out to be a working class lawyer, who serves as a bridge between the upper class and the audience, as the customs of the aristocracy are as foreign to him as they are to us. Eventually, the youngest daughter gets into politics and women's rights, egged on by the family's new chauffeur, an Irish socialist. Perhaps, that could lead to dealings with the Irish War of Independence that we all know is coming in 1919. (cough - Guests of a Nation - cough. Ahem, sorry, itchy throat) Meanwhile, of course, there are a series of hijinks related to a dead Turk, scheming sisters, and the race to wed.

Through all this, in the bowels of the mansion, the servants are working away to make sure the house runs smoothly. They have to deal with their own relationships, whilst acting as surrogate family members to those above deck. What I thought was interesting was how some of the servants, particularly the butler, feel no resentment towards the family, indeed feeling a genuine connection instead. If the family is hurt, the staff feels the pain as well.

But if none of that interests you, watch it for the clothes. Oh, the clothes! The aristocrats' wardrobe will have you salivating. The style on this show is impeccable and the ornate dresses and jewelry the women wear are enough to send you reeling.

For all interested parties, both Gosford Park and Downton Abbey, Season 1, are on Netflix.

The Silent Magic of Sherlock Jr.

Last week, after a long day at work and a strenuous workout (due to the fact that it was my first in eons), I decided to take the advice of a magazine doctor, whose article I once read while in Sleepy's. He said that, in order to have a good night's rest, I should tell my body to calm down by drinking tea and and watching a movie to relax. Sounded good to be, so I got some tea and combed through Netflix. I came upon Buster Keaton's 1924 masterpiece Sherlock Jr.

I didn't know what to expect, because even being the cinephile that I am, I sometimes find silent films tedious. And, before this, my only Buster Keaton experience was Johnny Depp's impression in Benny and Joon. But this was fantastic! It was understated, sweet, and seriously funny.

I very much enjoyed Buster Keaton. His comedy can definitely be described at slapstick, but he makes it more than that. The jokes in the film, physical and otherwise, seemed smooth and natural, like dominoes, each action setting off the next in perfect time.

In the film, Keaton's character falls asleep and slips into a dream world. The sequence in which he is first in the dream is cinematic magic, the way cinematic magic was meant to be. Keaton double exposes the film to make a ghostlike version of himself climb out of his sleeping body. Today, we would do it with a computer without thinking twice. Then, he walks into the movie theater (he is a projectionist) and steps into the screen to interact with the characters. It's funny, beautiful and clever. In a world where entire films are made using green screens, this was a refreshing reminder of the pioneers of this industry we all hold dear.

Eureka, Fez, Eureka!

Yesterday, I started watching the Sci-Fi show Eureka. For a long time, I tried to avoid anything on the SyFy channel so as to keep the last shred of cool that I had intact. But, I finally caved and while I cannot see myself watching Stargate any time soon, Eureka was a pleasant surprise. If you enjoy shows like Pushing Daisies, Chuck, or Buffy, I would strongly suggest checking it out. Three seasons are on Netflix.

Spring Break Playlist

Last week was my much-needed spring break. I was going to head down to Mexico for some fun in the sun, but then decided it would be more fun to stay at school and chill at home. Luckily, that gave me plenty of time to catch up on my movie watching. Between schoolwork, seeing old friends, and an extraordinary amount of sleeping, I watched the following films...

Happy Ever Afters (2009, directed by Stephen Burke, starring Sally Hawkins)
This quirky British film depicted two weddings -- one, a marriage of convenience and the other, the second wedding of a dysfunctional couple -- and the shenanigans that ensue when their receptions turn out to be in the same hotel. There is not a whole lot more I can say about this movie because it was not very good. It was definitely fluff, but it lacked even the mainstays of trash cinema, such as chemistry between protagonists, good jokes, or a discernible style. Thumbs down.


The Adjustment Bureau (2011, directed by George Nolfi, starring Matt Damon and Emily Blunt)
The Adjustment Bureau was a lot better than I expected it to be. It was about Matt Damon and Emily Blunt trying to beat the odds to be together -- and by odds, I mean supernatural dudes in suits who manipulate peoples' lives in order to keep them on a pre-destined plan. The film utilizes aspects of science-fiction, romance, and fantasy make the audience believe in the obstacles that the couple faces and the existence of the "Adjustment Bureau." The agents of the Adjustment Bureau are played by Anthony Mackie, John Slattery, and scary-as-shit Terence Stamp, among others. They have the ability to be transported miles simply by passing the threshold of a doorway. On screen, the effect itself looks really cool and it brought a whole new dimension to the chase scenes, as agents would defy the laws of nature and pop up any ol' place. The ending was a bit hokey, but acceptable. Matt Damon and Emily Blunt were adorable together. I think this is my favorite of Matt Damon's performances because he was smart, cute and absolutely lovable. A very enjoyable film.


Middle of Nowhere (2008, directed by John Stockwell, starring Eva Amurri and Anton Yelchin)
I caught this movie on TV, though it is on Netflix, and I'd my eye on it for a while. It is about Grace (Amurri), who teams up with Dorian (Yelchin) to deal drugs for the summer in order to make money for college. It also deals with Grace's family -- her train wreck of a mother (Susan Sarandon) and emotionally neglected sister (Willa Holland). The film worked through issues well and broke conventions by not having Grace and Dorian get together. It was unexpectedly good and presented well-rounded characters. I would certainly recommend it.



Red Riding Hood (2011, directed by Catherine Hardwick, starring Amanda Seyfried)
Well, it seems that Catherine Hardwick is carving out a niche for herself. Unfortunately, that niche seems to be teenage love triangles with a sprinkling of danger, accented with birds-eye views of forests. Red Riding Hood presents a new take on Little Red Riding Hood. It presents a voluptuous, all-growed-up Red flanked by two smokin' hot villagers vying for her attention. Said villagers are played by Shiloh Fernandez as the dark and continuously brooding Peter (and the Wolf, get it?) and Max Irons as equally-cute village golden boy Henry. Oh, and there's a wolf -- a werewolf that is terrorizing the village. The citizens, with the 'help' of Scary Gary Oldman, must then figure out who the wolf is before he kills everyone. The film starts out weak but gets stronger as the story progresses. It has a good cast -- including Billy Burke, Virginia Madsen, and Lukas Haas -- who all give good performances. The best part of this movie is the cinematography. It's lit and shot like an old story book, utilizing shadows, candlelight, and distinct colors. My favorite part was definitely the cinematography and set design. Verdict: wait for it to get to Netflix Instant Play.


Hunger (directed by Steve McQueen, starring Michael Fassbender)
I'm working on project about the Irish War of Independence, so my professor suggested that I look into this film. Although my piece and this film are set sixty years apart, many of the same issues appear in both. This film depicts the prison conditions in Northern Ireland and the treatment of convicted IRA terrorists (or freedom fighters). The film is artistic, poetic even in the way that it frames characters and holds shots longer than necessary. The film is shot with a lyricism that distinctly conflicts with the subject matter. Hunger pulls no punches with presenting the struggles of the prisoners, as they are brutally beaten and forced to lived, literally, in shit. In terms of narrative, the film is strange. It follows three storylines. The first introduced is of a prison guard. He says little to nothing, but still becomes familiar to the viewer. The second is of Davy Gillen, a new prisoner. Through him, the audience sees the lives of the average IRA prisoner. About half way through the film, his story abruptly ends and we pick up with Bobby Sands (Michael Fassbender), a seasoned prisoner who is preparing to begin a hunger strike. The rest of the film -- about a half hour -- watches Bobby deteriorate into a shell of a man and finally pass away. It is strange because the only complete story we see is the prison guard's. The others either end early or begin late. This is my major complaint because I wanted to know what happened to Davey and I wanted to know Bobby better. Fassbender was very good, and proved himself to be in the Christian Bale league because he lost 30 pounds, going down to 130 pounds to play the emaciated, near-death Sands. Overall, it was not a great film, but certainly very interesting for the subject matter and style.