sufiaonthesilverscreenrevie-blog

[sufiaonthesilverscreenrevie-blog]

How the western genre died

( Spoiler alert)

The Western world is dying and with that, so is that Western movie genre. Years of historical gunfights, cowboys vs indians, brave cowboys who save the damsel in distress lost in history. But was the heroic old west myth a lie? Clint Eastwood (director and actor) visually portrays the dying western genre moving into the new america, and- for the first time in western movie history- de-glamorises violence in the harsh reality of what it really is.

After a prositute gets disfigured by 2 cowboys in Big Whiskey, Wyoming, the town sheriff, Little Bill (Gene Hackman)- who does not allow any criminal behaviour in town, lets the cowboys off lightly. Outraged, the rest of the prostitutes, followed by their leader Strawberry Alice (Frances Fisher) set up a $1000 reward to whoever can kill the cowboys. A schofield kid (Jaimz Woolvet) hears about the offer and rides to Kansas in search for William Munny (Clint Eastwood)- an ex gunslinger who is now a widow with two kids and a dying farm. The schofield kid tells the story of the prostitutes revenge and how much the prostitutes are willing to pay. Munny accepts the offer and rides to recruit Ned Logan (Morgan Freeman)- another retired gunslinger who used to be partners in crime with Munny. Back in Wyoming another gunslinger, English Bob (Richard Harris) is determined for the reward as well and it's the race of the two sides and the raph of Little Bill.

The major theme of Unforgiven was the value of death. It seems in western films that if there was a problem, violence was the answer and someone die as a consequence. Sometimes the crime isn't even equal to the punishment of death. For example, when Delilah gets slashed by the cowboys, yes, there should of been a greater punishment. But was death really a suitable punishment? I believe Little Bill recognised and understood that violence wasn't the answer and tried to escape the popular ‘killing trend.’ Even though he himself did it in an uncivil and violent way, I could tell that he was trying to break this theme. Violence was seen to be ‘cool’ and this is shown to us as the schofield kid brags about his past ‘killings.’ The only reason he goes on the quest for the prostitutes is to kill, not to be a noble hero. This ties into how the heroic old west myth is a lie, no cowboy was brave and noble, but wanted something in return. The schofield kid acts tough and that he is ready for anything, but when he kills a man, he realises there is no glory in killing.

The schofield kid acts tough and ruthless, but after he commits the worst crime... he realises the act of violence is not worth any glory

This movie, in my opinion, captured audiences even if they weren't familiar with the western genre (like myself). In a regular movie, I always have a positive feeling that the good guy will win. But Unforgiven tells us that no one's fate is fully secured and that if you die- good or bad- you die. This was brought more to my attention when Ned Logan (Morgan Freeman) died. I have watched two other western movie and this movie really steps apart from them, why? Because violence is real in Unforgiven, one bullet means everything and life and death is precious. It isn’t like someone can just shoot someone and then another guy and then be on their way, this movie portrays the cost of violence and that every bullet in this movie counts. This is the reason why Clint Eastwood made this film, to show the audience the true western life and how being the cowboy hero wasn't by killing the bad guy, saving the girl and being hero. It was something more dark and cold and tells the audience of the reality it really was. In the western film 3:10 to Yuma, Charlie Prince just goes around killing people, there is no value of life and death and if you die, you die.

Many people have praised Clint Eastwood on this film ‘Eastwood gives Unforgiven a tragic stature that puts his own filmmaking past in critical and moral perspective. In three decades of climbing into the saddle, Eastwood has never ridden so tall.’ - Rolling Stones. People seem to like the idea of Eastwood telling the unwritten truth of the western genre. Between the 20th century and 1920s, the western genre was the most popular genre in hollywood, unfortunately, this isn't the reality anymore as the new generation is more interested in superheroes and sci fi action. Unforgiven came out in 1992 and was the very last western movie that Clint Eastwood made.

Clint Eastwood concluded what he started with one simple message: the cost of violence that portrayed the dark reality of western films, and how everything was glamorised to hide the fact that the heroic old western myth is a lie.

                            Unforgiven movie trailer for anyone curious. 

[sufiaonthesilverscreenrevie-blog]

A wimpy ending

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The long Haul review 

(Spoiler Alert)

Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid series- loved by many as a book and movie series. I myself have seen all the movies when I was a ten- thirteen year old and you know what, I wouldn't even mind sitting down and watching a movie from the series again and replenish the memories as a 16 year old. But this new movie, is where I draw the line. Why? Because to be honest, this movie was bad, really bad. I have personally watched the first three movies (with the same cast every time that you get to know and love) and thought they were great but this last movie with a completely new cast is where I rethink my decisions of paying $10 to watch it.

Director David Bowers brings us the story of Greg Heffley (Jason Ducker III), a thirteen year old boy  on summer break and instead of chilling out at home, he is forced to go on a technology free road trip with his family (Alicia Silverstone, Tom Everett, Charlie Wright and Dylan and Wyatt Walters) to attend Meemaw’s 90th birthday. Greg isn't thrilled with the idea but only agrees to go because he finds out that a game convention ‘Player Expo,’ is taking place not far from where the birthday is held, he is especially excited to go as his favourite gamer, Mac Digby (Joshua Hoover) will be there. He hijacks the GPS system and concurs to reach fame with Mac Digby after Greg becomes an unwanted internet meme (please don't ask why the use of memes are involved with this movie, I don't know either) There is enough toilet jokes to go around as well if anyone was the slight bit curious.

This movie (obviously) isn't doing too well, with just a 20% from rotten tomatoes and  scoring only 4.2/10 from IMDb this movie isn't one of those instant classic hits. This movie was too predictable, it didn't capture audiences and leave them wanting more. It was just a bland, tasteless story with no extra something to hold the audience wondering what happens next. This to me, is a very forgettable film. The jokes are cheesy and the acting is just really bad. Unlike the first 3 films, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Hall has an entirely new cast. I was really curious to see how Alicia Silverstone would do in this film as she plays the main character, Cher, in one of my favourite chick flicks, Clueless. Her character is believable but she totally ruins everything by screeching the lyrics from the Spice Girls hit, ‘Wannabe’ which will just make you just want to run out of the theatre.

The first three movies of the series (starring Zachary Gordon, Steve Zahn, Racheal Harris and Devon Bostick) were humorous and displayed a realistic and relatable family. They had some legitimate problems like father- son drama in ‘Dog Days’ that may of been relatable to some people. The first three films really showed a boy going through the awkward stages of his life which was both funny and down to earth. The problem with ‘The Long Haul’ is that we have seen it all before: bad hotels, family road trips that go wrong, it's just all so stale and Bowers seems to squeeze every last stereotypical family joke in one big mess. Bowers has produced Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules, Dog Days and The Long Haul and to be fair, I think this movie should be his last.

Above left is the old, beloved cast of the series. On the right is the new cast that does not serve justice. 

As a previous Diary of a Wimpy Kid fan I have truly been let down with this slop of a movie. The Long Haul was bland, tasteless and the tragic end to a beloved series.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul trailer