Review 07: A Short Thought After Watching "Brokeback Mountain"

Every time I come across the issue of homosexual love, I feel that I still lack an “open mind.” I have often simply dismissed such relationship to be possible, but personally not likable. Or, I might have been trying to make myself understand that such is possible, while in fact I was not much of a believer myself. If one asks me, however, whether I believe homosexuals are inferior in any way, I would definitely respond “No,” not because of the public reception, but because I really do feel that way. Some of the people that I respect the most – singer Freddie Mercury and economist John M. Keynes – have shown homosexual tendencies in some part of their life.

Where I do have a trouble, however, is in the way it works. Some scientific researchers have argued that homosexual tendencies occur due to the genetic factor – not that such is inherited, but set as some sort of a birthmark, even. But can homosexual love grow, like that shown in the movie Brokeback Mountain? The film was shocking partly in its graphic details which were a little bit disturbing, but more greatly in the way it portrays homosexual love as something that can develop. I believe I will just make my effort to increase my scope of comprehension.

Review 06: Forrest Gump, the Narrator

The author of Forrest Gump, Winston Groom, was indeed successful in creating a character named Forrest to have qualities that make the readers laugh. However, sometimes the actions of Forrest in the novel were shown to be rather aggressive, especially in the very language he uses. Thus, despite all the achievements that he has made in the book, he is easily dismissed as a strange, inappropriate autistic savant. In a bigger sense, this prohibits the readers from understanding Forrest as a reliable narrator.

The movie version of Forrest is not all that reliable as well. He is, practically, depicted even dumber than his novel version counterpart. But this Forrest has a unique trait, which is to make people feel what he might have felt when an incident happened to him. Telling the stories with precision and honesty, Forrest of the movie naturally makes people rely on him, making them wanting to hear more of his stories. And this quality – regarding precision and honesty – that Forrest has is significant especially regarding the elaboration of the historical events that he was involved with.

Numerous historical events were reinstated in a “Forrest Gump version” during the runtime of the movie. From the University of Alabama case of racial equality regarding education, to the issue of modern consumerism, Forrest Gump just happened to be there – and this is perhaps what makes us able to think. For example, in the case of educational equality, Forrest seems to be very indifferent to the issue. Despite the nation being shook up by the intensity of this event, Forrest simply minds his own business, which is to be simply inquisitive about what is going on. In reality, there were federal troops sent to University of Alabama to protect the African American students, and there was a huge controversy regarding being “separate but equal.” However, all these events are made somewhat embarrassing through Forrest Gump’s single action – picking up a dropped item for an African American lady. Perhaps Forrest is suggesting that we should be, regarding racial issues at least, “color-blind” and simply take individual cultures as something to add more flavors to the big salad bowl that we call Earth.

Yes, it can be truly said that Forrest may not be the most reliable person to ask history about. He is dumb, after all. He even worries that his son might have the deficiencies that he has. But in the very acceptance that he makes, regarding his capacities of his intelligence, he is able to persuade the people’s minds and allow them to understand events from his point of view – which is, surprisingly, very moderate and sometimes thought-provoking. Perhaps we can say that Forrest Gump is the best kind of narrator one can meet in life.

Review 05: Winston Groom's Forrest Gump

Everyone dreams of a situation in which everything fits. One wants a mistake or an unfortunate event that has happened to turn into a positive impact later on in life, for instance. While such lucky moments in life are hard to come by, in the life of Forrest Gump they are not. His entire life, perhaps, was like a giant puzzle that just “happened to happen.”

Having accustomed to the setting of the movie counterpart to this Winston Groom novel, I was not able to match the two, at least not in an exact manner. Forrest Gump that I had known before was a man that was able to give off much positive emotional impression to others around him, yet this portrayed in the book seemed to be more of a funny and ridiculous person. While it is not to say that the movie’s Forrest Gump, portrayed by Tom Hanks, was not a hilarious character, but it is to elaborate that the two had some significant differences.

After reading this novel, I was able to understand, that through Gump, Groom was trying to elaborate the small yet important things in life. Well, I am not totally sure whether it was that well-portrayed in the novel’s part where Forrest does a lot of football. Nonetheless, the novel inflicted me with a great sensation in that despite the hardships that Gump has been through, he was always enjoying his life. Though the world itself tormented him with the barrages of everyday life, he was standing tall, both literally and metaphorically, in his own magnificence. And he did this with having one of the most unprivileged qualifications – having low intelligence.

Looking back, I had always lived my life in a very negative manner. I always believed that this was some kind of a treatment for me, because through being pessimistic, I would be able to fix myself as well as the environment around me. But how Forrest Gump pulled it out really surprised me, in that while he did things that were perhaps directly opposite to what I was doing, he was more successful than I was. While one may simply dismiss this incident as something that is simply out of lucky moments, I felt that the author was trying to say more with this rather ridiculous yet heart-warming novel. I hope to discover more in the movie counterpart to it.

Review 04: Everything Must Go

The movie Everything Must Go seemed like a creative expansion from Why Don’t You Dance?, the short story counterpart to it. While the main character of the short story does not reveal his logic behind letting all of his belongings go, that of the movie - Nick Halsey, portrayed by Will Farrell – has a story. And that story is indeed a very unfortunate one. He did not pay much attention to his family – consisting of only him and his wife, with no children between them – and only cares about the work. At least that, I believe, is what the wife feels. But when he is fired from the work thanks to very unfortunate circumstances, he is forced to return home, only to find all of his belongings lying around in his lawn, and the door of his house locked.

 When I had first encountered the title of the movie, however, I did not even think of such a ridiculous yet very possible situation. All I could think of, though, was a Buddhist monk by the name of Beop-jeong, who emphasized the significance of non-possession. And though it was quite clear that the main character of the movie was practicing this, I was unsure whether his is dispossessing himself of things just because he wanted to buy more beer, or he realized the same thing that Beop-jeong found out about life. But it was clear towards to the end of the movie that perhaps Mr. Halsey was becoming more and more acknowledging about this. 

After watching this movie, and while writing this review, I had the queerest sensation. What am I exactly working towards? Acquiring fame, wealth, and knowledge – perhaps these are the things that I had pursued. But really, perhaps what I should have realized was some kind of quality that was not exactly a “tool” but a quality of its own importance. With this newfound realization, I think that perhaps “everything except such values can go.”

Review 03: A Wild Thing vs. Another

When I was a child, I often had to stay in a small, stale room in my mother’s dental clinic, for both of my parents were working then. What I remember from those days, though only little can I recall, are not much the memories of playing with friends, but rather are those of having the wildest imaginations. Back then, I had travelled in the little world that I created.

I thought I was the only one who had experienced this, but it turned out to be quite a common thing for young children. Perhaps their venues of imagination were not exactly a small office of a dentist. However, it was true that somewhere inside their brains their own worlds with their own imaginary creatures existed. This was clearly evident in a children’s novel, Where the Wild Things Are, written by Maurice Sendak. Having risen in Korea, I was not able to read this book while I was very young, but the illustrations and the author’s name rang a bell for me.

The book was great, if not inspiring. It was crisp and clear on the concept of that “wild imagination,” through introducing a wild character – a boy named Max. Even if one does not pay too much attention towards the hidden meaning of this adventure, it can be easily recognized that everything happened in Max’s mind, as it is clear that Max is still a child, full of imaginations. (On a side note, if an adult was seeing these things, the readers would definitely believe he or she is mentally ill) The readers can smile through this short novel for they will recall parts of themselves that they might have forgotten in the past.

However, when movie director Spike Jonze attempted create his own version of this children’s book, that tingling sensation was gone. It was perhaps narrowed down and created into something that was present in Jonze’s minds, but that image is obviously not something that we all can agree upon. This is because such a story is better when it is individually depicted in our own minds with our own thoughts. Besides, the movie was too long – a prime example of where something too long can be extremely boring.

To summarize, the “blow” was not present in the movie, while it might have been present in the book. (Now I wonder if my essays had such “blows”) Nonetheless, both ways, I was able to understand that something wild was still in my heart – and that’s all I really needed to recognize.

Review 02: Shawshank and Shawshank

Salvation Lies Within You

   “I almost forgot. I can’t deprive you of this; salvation lies within.”

   “Yes, sir.”

WTF?

   And it did. Shocked was the face of the warden after seeing a slot that was cut out from the Bible for storing the rock-hammer. To think that Andy Dufresne would be able to escape simply by digging, using the minute rock-hammer – one could easily think that Andy had an endless amount of hope that would not be present in an ordinary human. Indeed, digging through a prison wall in less than twenty years with such a small tool, and crawling through five football fields of excrement and filthiness would be things that would be unbelievable to accomplish. It would be a lie to say that another person could do the same, right?

   The answer is: wrong. You can do it too, only if you have a rock-hammer and some helpful friends by your side.

Say what?

   Some do argue that in such a dire situation, one is bound to try whatever that may benefit oneself. But a situation so hopeless as one that is depicted in the movie or the book may be enough to turn one into another institutionalized inmate. I am not denying such possibilities; nonetheless, I do believe that we all have potential to become like Andy Dufresne - a manifestation of not only human capability but also the extent of hope that one can have. All depends on one's attitude on viewing a situation. But I am not saying that one needs a positive mind to have hope. What is required, then, to have salvation for the everyday hostilities that we face?

   Answer lies within the book, and in a less direct manner, in the movie as well.

   When Andy describes all the troubles that he went through in creating a false identity, Red asks Andy of how he was able to go through such ordeals and if such measures are even possible. But Andy simply answers, "I hoped for the best, and expected the worst." At that moment, I realized that an unprepared man cannot say such words. It is not positive thinking,  self-hypnosis, or simply a lot of time that is required to break through the difficulties - it is preparedness that is needed. All Andy needed, thus, was a good batch of friends - who could help him in the supplies that he needed or mental sanity that he REALLY needed - and a lot of time.

   I have probably said in the earlier writing that life may be a prison for those who, whether they have realized it or not, regard life to be one. One is caught up in the rules that oneself has made, and cannot realize that they themselves hold the keys. Those keys are what lets one escape from the prison; but using the keys is a different matter, for one needs preparedness to learn how to utilize them. And when that preparation is over, one can endure both the best situation, and the worst situation, as Andy did in the story. 


   "In the hardships that face you, do not try to find the answers directly from outside, but only receive inspirations. This is because, after all, salvation lies within yourself." At least, this is what I think.

Review 01: Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption

A Story for Everyone

   Life is a prison for many, even if they do not realize that fact. There are many rules and regulations in the modern society. However, their numbers do not exceed those of standards people put against themselves. High grades, making it to college, finding jobs, and such forth may be important; but when the pressure exceeds a certain point, such goals in life become the very bars that lock us into cells of misery. The only guard that keeps one from escaping is oneself. 

   This is clearly seen in Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption. This novella tells the readers of the story of a peculiar prisoner, named Andy Dufresne. While he pleads his innocence, everyone else – including his inmates – believes, at least at first, that he is a banker-turned-murderer. This man’s route to freedom, however, is not told by himself but by a man named Red, also a prisoner. He claims that the story of Andy, told in his words, is actually his own story. This statement may puzzle the readers. Furthermore, his acceptance of his own obscurity of the truth about Andy’s road to freedom is also what may make some readers frown.

   Yet one will realize, while reading, that the story does not matter whether it was told by a reliable narrator or not, as long as it has served a purpose. A message of hope and courage – it was not something that was delivered to our Mr. Escapee, but also to Red, and perhaps to all of the readers. In that sense, it was a story of Red, and also the tales of the institutionalized people of everyday society.

   It is arguable, that because Andy was such an enduring man, that he was able to break free from his binds and become free. Certainly, Andy’s resilience and persistence are what may wonder the readers, along with his knowledge of minerals, banking, and taxation. It is certainly hard to find a banker whose hobby is to study rocks. And perhaps, in such situations, Andy has an upper hand in escaping. Perhaps his courage was given and supported by his unnatural talents. This is even evident from the fact that other prisoners were not able to escape from Shawshank. Perhaps there is a reason for ordinary people to be hopeless.

   However, a reader who thinks in this way may be missing a very important fact. First of all, he or she is not in the same situation that Andy is in. Andy and his prison story are simply manifestations of real life that allows the readers to see themselves through the character and the story. Second of all, we are not so different from Andy. Andy may be a successful banker and all, but at fundamental, he is not too different in that he was powerless to the rules and regulations of this society. Nonetheless, he stood up. Nonetheless, he fought back. There is no reason why another cannot do it, just in a more peaceful manner (other than breaking free from a prison cell). 

   I cannot say that I am not a prisoner. But reading this story certainly helped me to tear down the walls of my mental prison. If I learned one thing from this novella, I have learned that hope is not something that finds me, but something that I have to find.