So, I just saw this movie tonight that I think is moderately pertinent to class. It is called Seven Psychopaths. The plot can be found at the following link:
IMDB: Seven Psychopaths
I won't ruin the plot and finale for anyone planning on seeing it but just know that it deals with a large amount of death. It really got me thinking about how others view death. Through the class and discussions, I was always aware of what others thought about death and the dying process but never put much deep contemplation to it. It took a bizarre group of psychopathic characters to accomplish this level of deeper thought. The film was beyond anything I could have imagined - I went into the theatre expecting to get a decent amount of laughs and maybe learn a lesson. Little did I know, it would have very different affect on me.
Through the film, the characters face different kinds of death - theoretical and real, gruesome and... well no, I don't recall any of them being peaceful. The audience is then in turn introduced to each character's interpretation and reaction to the death. It astounded me how some of them viewed certain deaths with disgust or horror while others viewed them as victories. In extension of this, each character had a different "readiness" for his or her own death that may or may not be eminent. The audience, in turn, has to reflect on what death means to them, their positions on death, and how others' positions on death affect them. It was, in summation, completely bizarre but allowed a strange level of deep thought of the public and death.
After a good deal of reflection on this film, another film comes to mind. The film 50/50 deals with a man's confrontation with his dying process after he finds out that he has a rare form of cancer of the spine. This movie was bizarre as well in that it had the audience laughing hysterically one minute and crying their eyes out the next. It had a very deep meaning and left the audience (well, at least me) with a lot to contemplate. It represented a lot of what we have studied in class (the whole dying in the hospital motif) and gave a real life application for the discussion he have had.
I believe that while our modern society has a problem with facing that our deaths might be very eminent and our serious lack of planning for when that day may come, the media does a good job of representing to us how mortal we are and that death and dying is something worth contemplating about.
I absolutely loved the movie 50/50. I agree that it can mess with your emotions because sometimes I would find myself almost in tears and other parts I would be laughing.
ReplyDelete50/50 is a great movie to relate to our class discussions on dying and being faced with death. In the movie, when Adam finds out that he has to undergo chemotherapy, his mother wants to move in with him and help with everything. However, Adam refuses to let his mother move in and help because she is already dealing with his father who is suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
The movie allows you to see other people's perspectives on death and how they deal with it.
For example, Adam's friend Kyle tries to get Adam to use the fact that he has cancer to pick up women.
In the movie Adam kind of puts on a front and acts like he is dealing with the cancer fine, but in reality he is slowly getting weaker and realizing the seriousness of his disease. In the end he is faced with a dangerous surgery as his only option. This is where he has to consider the important things in his life, who he is, and what he wants to do.
Looking back at this movie, I felt like I could really relate to it. Some of the decisions he had to make I was faced with as well and will be faced with again in the future.
Great post Audrey!
Chelsea-I completely agree that 50/50 was a movie that can relate to a lot we are learning in class. It definitely shows that when it is inevitable that you are going to die soon, your view changes. Of course people see death differently, but how you see death when you know that you have a short time left verses how you see it when you don't know when you will die is exemplified well in this movie. Having a terminal illness would, for some people, change how they are living their lives.
DeleteThe movie 50/50 is completely applicable! I love the depth of the movie, it takes such an emotional twist and brings up so many controversial issues. I felt very raw emotions as the character confronts his death at such a young age. It was very humbling because young adults don't think themselves as "at risk" for disease and death. The film really exposes the reality of mortality.
ReplyDeleteAs I have not seen the movie 50/50, it seems like a very interesting and impacting movie. I love movies that keep me on the edge of my seat. It does not take much to keep me interested. The fact that he refused to let his mother move in with him is surprising. Granted, his father has an illness, but he needs help and I would want my mother to help me as well. But if you turn it around on the mother, she would have a lot to deal with. This sounds like a fabulous movie that I will have to check into.
ReplyDeleteBoth of the movies of which are discussed are two in which I have not seen. They both seem interesting and definately apply to class. The emotional toll that everyone has been talking about makes me curious on what these movies are.
ReplyDeleteI have not seen either of the movies either, which, is rather surprising since I'm a big movie buff. I will certainly look into them since both appear and sound like very good movies!
ReplyDeleteI just recently finished the Seven Psychopaths movie. It was indeed as the previous comments have stated: Excellent. The movie really allows for the watcher to grasp the perspectives of all involved parties. I agree with Chelsea how the movie so brilliantly messes which your emotions from laughing and switching to being completely in tears.
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