Easter’s on the way, the air has an ever so slightly detectable chill about it and I’m looking forward to Autumn being a time of reflecting and tidying up loose ends before a delicious winter of hibernation – when movies is the best past time to be indulging in. This week at the movies however, the big three I’m looking into feature some school holiday sanity savers as you’d expect it; plus a gritty drama that has some perspectives on gender roles within culture that is worth a look.
THE SALESMAN
2017 Oscar Winner for Best Foreign Picture, The Salesman also known as Forushande is a gripping, tense drama that held my attention and provoked my thoughts; especially on my very privileged position as a white, middle-class, western woman. I found the lack of rights and liberties that women in this Iranian narrative were afforded shocked me from my comfort zone and definitely reminded me that it’s my responsibility in my position of privilege, to assist those who need and request it; regardless of their gender, culture or race. The Salesman uses a clever narrative device in that the main action seems to be the community production of play The Death of a Salesman written by Arthur Miller in 1949; in which main character Willy Loman is insecure and unstable within himself and his family. Playing Willy is Husband Emad Etesami (Shahab Hosseini) who we meet as a confident, happy man.
Feature Image via: NZIFF.co.nz
Once Emad’s wife Rana (Taraneh Alidoosti) is violently assaulted; Emad’s internalization and shame of the event devolves Emad more and more into mirroring the traits and behaviours of Willy Loman’s character. It’s a heart-breaking watch as Rana’s reactions and feelings about her own assault are not fully accessed or discussed, they’re more there to give detail to how Emad and the community is reacting to Rana’s assault and therefore, very effective at illustrating a bigger issue with rape culture and survivor victimization. A powerful watch, writer and director Asghar Farhadi, previously won Oscar gold for 2011’s A Separation; also made a sincere personal statement by not attending the 2017 Oscars Ceremony to receive the Best Foreign Picture award for The Salesman. Stating that to attend and receive accolades would dishonour his countrymen and women, who were/are facing persecution and deportation under President Trump’s immigration manifestos.
As grim as the content is, it’s one of those films you really ought to see to gain perspective on your own situation and lot in life; and the clever device of using a previous text to build tension in the text you’re watching, is one I always enjoy seeing unfold. If you love that too, check out 2014 Japanese Horror film Over Your Dead Body by Takashi Miike, where the actors fall to pieces, sometimes literally, while they stage a production based on the ghost story Yotsuya Kaidan.
THE SMURFS: THE LOST VILLAGE
Much truer to the 1981 U.S. cartoon version incarnation, The Smurfs: The Lost Village is an all animated look (no live action weirdness with Dougie Howser heh-heh); into the smurfy world of our favourite blue humanoids. Originally a Belgian comic series by artist Peyo, these smurfalicious little beings titled Les Schtroumpfs, emerged into popular culture in 1958. …Lost Village is Stacked with acting talent voicing these little creatures and I reckon I’ll have a chuckle when I finally see it too. Check out who’s in it! Demi Lovato, Rainn Wilson, Joe Manganiello, Jack McBrayer, Danny Pudi, Mandy Patinkin, Michelle Rodriguez, Ellie Kemper, Julia Roberts, Ariel Winter and Meghan Trainor…ya know, just to name a few.
THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE
Oooh man! Damn my busy schedule! I’m yet to see The LEGO Batman Movie but I just know it’s going to be cuttingly funny, silly and very tongue in cheek. You know the Batman drill by now (this narrative world has been around since artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger created The Bat-Man in 1939 after all…); and does it really matter what’s going to happen in LEGO Batman world as the ever-dry Will Arnett voices the Bat in this version. Also starring Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson, Zach Galifianakis as The Joker, Jenny Slate as Harley Quinn, Jason Mantzoukas, Conan O’Brien, Doug Benson as Bane (I love this casting pic for so many reasons), Billy Dee Williams, Zoë Kravitz, Kate Micucci + Riki Lindhome who you might know better as Garfunkel and Oates? Plus, in a piece of brilliance, Ralph Fiennes plays Bruce and Batman’s faithful butler Alfred, but what’s this? Eddie Izzard stars as…as Voldemort? Who knows how these worlds have collided by I’m keen to find out!
WIN! WIN! WIN!
Officially in NZ cinemas from Thursday April 13th, DreamWorks The Boss Baby I’ve got to say, is the school holidays flick I think will suit everyone. Lots of jokes for the adults in there, a fun romp, some slapstick…it was a good time! Enter below if you wanna win yourself a The Boss Baby water bottle so you can get hyped for it in cinemas this April school holidays!
How to enter
To win yourself a super cool, ‘for closers only’ exclusive DreamWorks The Boss Baby water bottles (as seen in 20th Century Fox NZ’s Insta pic above) from the NZ Premiere, then follow the instructions below and you’re in the draw:
1) Like One Take Kate on Facebook! Psst I’ll be announcing the lucky winners here…
2) Comment below to tag a mate you think would get a laugh out of DreamWorks The Boss Baby this April.
3) Subscribe here to the free One Take Kate newsletter. Don’t worry, you can unsubscribe at any time if you have a change of mind; it’s just easier for me to track you down if you’re a lucky winner! Already a One Take Kate newsletter subscriber? No worries – just hit up step 1 and 2 and you’re good to go in the draw.
4) Super Special Bonus Entries: Follow One Take Kate on Instagram or Tweet this Post on the Share button at the bottom of this post.
Thanks 20th Century Fox NZ for inviting me along to the NZ Premiere with my closer crew and for these cool water bottles to giveaway.
Competition closes on Thursday 20th April and is in no way associated with or endorsed by Facebook/Instagram/Twitter. NZ residents only. Competition is for 3 winners receiving 1 x The Boss Baby water bottle each, only.
Feeling like seeing what domestic life in Iran could be like? What to feel like a kid again and get lost with The Smurfs? Perhaps you’re bursting at the seams to finally see The Caped Crusader get down to business…LEGO style? Tell me in the comments below what you wanna see this weekend.
