I recently flew back to the States for the upcoming weddings of not one, but two, sisters! I originally thought I would want to sleep on the flight, but when I thought about it, it made more sense to stay awake so I could actually sleep at night once I got to my parents’ house. Thankfully, the Delta flight I took offered a LOT of movie options. There were a lot I wanted to watch, but with less than 9 hours, I had to narrow it down to four of them.
1. The Odd Life of Timothy Green
It was cute. “The Odd Life of Timothy Green” was a sweet story about an infertile couple who are basically told that they will not conceive a child. After receiving the devastating news, the husband, Jim, convinces his wife to help him make a list of various qualities their child would have had. They enjoy their evening coming up with their “perfect” child, then put the pieces of paper in a box, and bury it in the garden. Out of this comes a child. From the garden. Literally. After that it’s the story of this strange child that has come into their lives and changes them. Again, very sweet. I teared up at the end (not what you want on a cramped flight). I’m glad I saw it, but it’s obviously unrealistic and sweet at best.
2. Revolutionary Road
I had forgotten that I had wanted to see this! It’s from a few years ago, but I was excited to finally watch it. It’s the story of a 1950’s couple, April & Frank, who get pulled into the normal American Dream life when they marry and get pregnant. While they are considered a perfect couple, and then a perfect family, both April & Frank yearn for a more exciting life. They both had dreams for more, but settled into the typical life only to discover boredom and desperation. While the couple has two children, the children are rarely seen and the focus is much more on April & Frank. April suggests a plan that involves Frank quitting his job, the family moving to Paris, and April working a secretarial job to support the family while Frank finds what he is passionate about in life. They begin to make plans for their big move, shocking all of their friends and co-workers. Things get complicated when Frank if offered a promotion and April discovers she is pregnant again. The whole film is a bit depressing with all of the yearning for more and general unhappiness with everyday life. But Kate Winslet & Leonaro DiCaprio are excellent in their character roles, and you can relate to both of their wants and needs. I highly recommend it if you’re in the mood for a serious film.
3. Parental Guidance
I needed a comedy after the drama, so this was the one I picked. What can I say, I like Billy Crystal & Bette Midler. 🙂 It was a fairly typical comedy but easy to relate to. It’s the story of a set of grandparents being asked to come babysit for their three grandkids, who are parented by your current day helicopter A-type parents. I had to laugh when Marisa Tomei’s character suggested they say, “Use your words,” because I say that ALL the time! You can’t help but roll your eyes at all of the “good parent” phrases of the day. And shake your head at the lack of…well, any negativity. I mean, they play baseball with limitless outs and a tie at the end of every game. It’s a good movie, and a nice family ending.
4. Stoker
After contemplating several thrillers, I settled on “Stoker.” I knew I couldn’t handle any of the “Paranormal Activity” films, mostly because I don’t want to shriek in the middle of a crowded plane. Anyway, I was pretty pleased with my choice. I always enjoy a good psychological thriller. But be warned: it’s weird. If you enjoy cinematic symbolism, general creepiness, and a highly dysfunctional family, this is the movie for you. The acting is superb. The big name is Nicole Kidman, but you may also recognize Mia Wasikowska from Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland.” Wasikowska plays India Stoker, whose father dies in an accident on her 18th birthday. Kidman is her cold and distant mother, Evie, who has a strained relationship with her daughter. You can see from an early point that India connected primarily with her father, especially when you see that she is a quiet, sullen social outcast at her school. At her father’s funeral, mysterious Uncle Charlie shows up, a man she had no knowledge of until that point. While Charlie is charming and nicely dressed, you feel a general wariness right off the bat. And it only grows when you see him trying to seduce Evie (Kidman) and possibly India as well. The family secrets and tension within the house build up the suspense, but it’s surprise after surprise in this film. Every time you think you’ve connected to a character, they seem to change. Apparently, this is mostly a coming-of-age film… but it will be the strangest one you’ve ever seen.
Hope you enjoyed my “movie reviews”… I’m hoping for this many movie options on my return flight as well! 🙂
On An Even Kiel 