Friday, July 3, 2009

I wish I could say I entirely left the circuit...

Watched "Choke" and "Waltz with Bashir" last night.

Powerful movies in their own right. Sex and the search for intimacy and meaning followed by murder and war. The tragedy of love and misunderstanding. But with revisiting the memories within a community, even a flawed one, redemption and healing await in each.

"Choke", which is based on the book by Chuck Palahniuk (author of fight club) introduces us to the tragedy of lonliness and emptiness thru the escapades of a sex addict. Who within minutes of the films opening declares his orgasm as sweet...nothing. Sex has become meaningless and devoid of love. An act to fulfill the bodies now dependance on the endorphins released.

The journey from nothing to something is funny and painful to watch. Especially the main characters scheme to choke on food in restaurants so the good samaritans who rescue him will pay his bills. Watching him find the only true intimacy he can in the hug of strangers is moving.
Underneath the sex scenes and flashbacks lies a powerful story. I found many Christ-like themes exploding into view as the tale is weaved. Rent it.



"Waltz with Bashir" is rather oddly described as an animated documentary. A foreign film with subtitles that explores the horrors of the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in the early 80's thru a small units perspective. Stunning visually. It doesn't play or look like a documentary at all.

Here to, flashbacks of men haunted by their actions and inaction in that war come to play upon the present. The minds powerful ability to not casually store certain pain in its memory while simultaneously finding ways to have us deal with it. Here as well do friendships, forged in youth and tribulation, provide the needed community of similiar broken people that allow us to deal with, face and lament our crimes.
Click HERE for a trailer.

No comments: