Two weddings and a fun for all …
Posted by Rick - 06/05/02 at 05:05:51 pmUntil last week I hadn’t been to the theater to see a movie since Marc, Lori, Josh and I went to see Lord of the Rings. Not having read the book*, I didn’t find this movie all that interesting. Especially considering all the hype that surrounded it. But last week I saw two excellent—and very different—films that I enjoyed very much: Monsoon Wedding and Spider-man.
Monsoon Wedding is a film by Mira Nair, an Indian-born producer/director, who made her directorial debut in 1988 with the Academy Award-nominated Salaam Bombay! Monsoon Wedding tells the story of a modern Indian family coming together for the arranged marriage of Aditi and Hermant. But while the bride and groom are important characters in the film, Monsoon Wedding is not entirely their story. It is the story of family, and of the joy and pain that comes from being a part of one. It is about a father’s love for his children—as well as his departed brother’s—and the sacrifices he makes for their happiness. As cliche as it sounds, I laughed and I cried. I cheered and clenched my fists. This is a beautiful film on many levels, and I encourage folks to catch it. I know it will become a part of my DVD collection.
The other film I saw this weekend was Spider-Man. Now, I have never been a fan of the so-called summer blockbuster, and I was never a comic book reader, but Spider-man is not the traditional over-the-top action movie that seems to define previous films about comic book characters. For instance, for the first time in such a film, the superhero does not have his superpowers when he is introduced to the audience. This alone makes for a much more personal experience with the film and the characters. Another difference between this film and previous movies based on comic book characters is that the film doesn’t rely on special effects, outrageous plots, and sillier and sillier villains. Sure there are some really cool FX, but they aren’t ground-breaking, and they don’t overshadow the film’s story. At its core, this film is a love story, but it had a little something for everyone. For these reasons it is no surprise that it broke box office records this weekend.
* I have since read all three books, and then re-watched the first 2 movies. I liked them much better after reading the books.
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Mira Nair directed “Mississippi Masala” too, although that wasn’t as good as Monsoon Wedding. I just thought they all looked like they were having so much fun at the wedding.
Comment by Roz — May 6, 2002 #
Scully, I came so close to going to see Spiderman Saturday night. I feel like I missed out now. It’s good to hear from someone that it’s not a story overrun by gratuitous special effects.
Comment by hencio — May 6, 2002 #
Good point, Roz. Mira Nair has done many other things, including Mississippi Masala and Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love.
Comment by Rick — May 6, 2002 #
I loved Monsoon Wedding too! I actually paid to see it at the first run theatre (rather than wait for it to show at the Bloor Cinema). I didn’t regret it. I haven’t seen Spiderman, but I’ve heard only good things about it…
Comment by Jayme — May 6, 2002 #
Spiderman f***ing rocks!!! I, too, went in with very low expectations - not being a fan of the cartoon as a child - but I am with you — it had a great story line, amazing supporting cast (Willam Defoe stole the show as the Green Goblin), and a great ending that effectively left the door open for the sequels. I highly recommend seeing this one a large screen if possible -we saw it at the Dome Theater on Sunset Blvd, and it was unbelievable! It restored my faith in good summer movies!
Comment by Stephany — May 7, 2002 #
We saw Monsoon Wedding too and really liked it. Our friends, who have an arranged marriage, recommended it to us, which I thought was interesting. They said the movie was pretty realistic in the process surrounding the wedding.
Comment by Derek — May 7, 2002 #
Sam Raimi (the director of Spiderman) is a god, no doubts about it. ;)… He did an excellent job of telling the Spiderman story, and — unlike Batman — develops the character through his ‘exploratory’ phase of superpowerdom…
Comment by Darren — May 24, 2002 #
Actually, I think the effects in Spiderman were fairly ground-breaking. It ain’t easy getting a chap to swing through New York like that. There’s a lot of melding of stunt man work, blue screen work and CGI. All very clever. I’m in the UK, and Spiderman is me favourite super hero, so I’m absolutely gasping to see this when my exams are over. Spiderman. Spiderman. He does whatever a spider can, don’t you know.
Comment by Paul Waite — May 24, 2002 #