Mixed Signals on Zero Dark Thirty

                                                                     



For movie fans there is nothing better than sitting in a theater watching images come to life on the big screen. We've seen many films this year, and the most memorable are the ones that moved us in some way. With all of the rave reviews for Zero Dark Thirty which is based on the CIA's hunt for Osama bin Laden, I couldn't help but feel that there was something missing.

The movie has already received four Golden Globe nominations, and is sure to receive Oscar nods for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress; yet, instead of leaving the sold out theater cheering, I felt like some key scenes had been left on the cutting room floor. The special effects and action sequences were first rate, but there could have been more character development. Just when the young undercover CIA officer who devoted her life to tracking down terrorists divulged that she had been recruited straight out of high school, they moved onto the next scene.

 I was hoping that there would be a back story explaining how she lost loved ones in 9/11, or was a gifted student of Arabic, but those were unanswered questions. Instead, the movie focused on her determination to capture bin Laden for ten years while sacrificing any kind of personal life in the process. This was no fault of Jessica Chastain who played the role brilliantly, but her portrayal would have had even more depth, had we learned about what led her on this career path.

Afterward, while my husband and our close friends raved about the movie, I shared my concerns. Then someone pointed out that it would be difficult to develop a multi-dimensional character in only two and a half hours, and I couldn't have disagreed more. I explained how some of the best sitcoms could make you laugh and cry in less than thirty minutes. I also mentioned how last year's Academy Award winning silent movie The Artist, made me run through the gambit of emotions without even uttering a word.

When I first heard about how the courageous Navy SEALs risked their lives to raid bin Laden's compound, I was overcome with joy, as were countless others who shared this great moment in history. Though the movie was visually stunning, and has received high accolades for director Kathryn Bigelow, who steps into war movies like a fearless general; I didn't get that jolt I was expecting.

As I write this, I realize that this may have been Bigelow's intention. The message that I may have been overlooking is that though this was a huge step in the right direction, things will never be the same for the victims of 9/11, and their families. While I was searching for answers, the true meaning of Zero Dark Thirty seems to have been written between the lines. Perhaps we were not supposed to feel satisfied, as we must continue to keep our guard up against all forms of terrorism.

Another Opening At The Oscars

Billy Crystal at the 2012 Oscar Announcement

                                                                             

For the 2011 Academy Awards I decided to write my own opening incorporating all of the best picture nominations. The hosts were Anne Hathaway and James Franco, so I really didn't know what to expect. With Billy Crystal hosting this year, the grand opening is bound to be an extravaganza featuring a memorable montage with all of the nominations. My interpretation is more like if Billy Crystal had a head cold, and his socially awkward cousin had to fill in for him.

Our story begins when the bases are loaded and Billy Crystal is up to bat. Brad Pitt is pacing around the stands as other footage from Moneyball is being shown. Before he takes a swing his life flashes before his eyes.

Suddenly, he's a little boy wearing a dress while seated in the comfort of The Help's arms. Abilene looks into his eyes and declares, "You is kind. You is smart. You is important."

Then he is transported into an older boy named Hugo who is being chased through a Parisian train station while bumping into things, because he's still wearing his 3D glasses. Just as he's about to be caught by the inspector, the clock strikes 12, and he becomes a young man at Midnight in Paris. He is seated at a table with the Fitzgerald's, Hemingway, Picasso, and a lovely woman named Adriana.

Without warning, The Artist walks over and silently motions for Adriana to dance with him. Billy immediately gets in his face and starts objecting. The Artist calmly smiles and hands him a breath mint while the caption reads, "You are Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close." Then Billy becomes part of the silent movie, as they dance their cares away.

The next scene takes place in a hospital where George Clooney is delivering a speech from The Descendants. "Goodbye my love, my friend, my pain, my joy. Goodbye. Goodbye. Goodbye." The  camera zooms in on Billy Crystal's face as he wakes up, and starts pulling tubes out of his body. "Hello handsome! I'd love to catch up, but I have a show to host."

Meanwhile at the Academy Awards, the crowd is getting restless, as Billy Crystal has yet to arrive. Jean Dujardin from The Artist rushes to the stage to help out, with his adorable dog Uggie. They do a few tricks when he is mesmerized by a beautiful pair of legs dancing behind a screen.  He joins in the dance wondering who this mysterious goddess could be.

On stage left, Billy Crystal makes his entrance riding in on the War Horse. Suddenly, the triumphant horse gets caught in the branches from The Tree of Life.  Jean Dujardin rushes over to  free the horse to no avail, as the woman from the screen emerges. It's none other than Betty White who instantly rescues the horse, while Billy and Jean look on. She turns to them and gives a disgusted look while the caption reads, "Do I have to do everything?!" Then she exits the stage as Billy, Jean, and Uggie silently finish the dance.