Thursday, February 3, 2011

Temple Grandin...different, not less!



I wish it was not a TV movie. If released theatrically it would have surely won an Oscar.
The movie is an excellent biopic of Temple Grandin, an autistic woman who in the 1960’s through 1980’s revolutionized the stockyard / slaughterhouse industry.This movie places us inside Temple's brain and lets us view the rest of the world from her point of view. This film gave a different view of the character in a way many other films of this sort often fail to do, it enabled us to appreciate the fact that this person is an intelligent, nuanced human being who simply sees the world differently than a "normal" person. To see Temple battle her own inhibitions and logically formulate solutions to situations which might be simple for most people but which are tremendously challenging for her is both thrilling and intensely affecting. One of the most intriguing elements of the film is the manner in which it accentuates the fact that many problems those with autism have are generated by the often inconsistent, illogical, exasperating way in which "normal" individuals conduct themselves. It's both infuriating and mind-boggling to see the manner in which Temple's masterful mental processes are dismissed as goofy, weird, and stupid by so many of her peers.
Claire Danes plays the title character and I was amazed how well she acted, she did such a convincing job that I forgot I was watching Claire Danes on screen it was as if I could see/feel what Temple Grandin is going through, this is what we call getting into the character or being the character.
Mick Jackson’s direction is brilliant, he so amazingly shows us how Grandin is able to picture things in her mind. Catherine O’Hara is great as Aunt Ann and Julia Ormond is phenomenal as Temple’s mother who is sometimes frustrated, sometimes angry and sometimes helpless watching her offspring doing something strange and blaming herself for the child’s condition.
My only complain in the movie is that they should have focused a little bit more on her growing years and shown more about her sibling and her father rather than just mentioning them once. Still its a great watch.
Do yourself a favor go watch this movie.
Happy watching☺

Watch Temple granding receiving Emmy Award:


Emmys: Outstanding Made for Television Movie, Directing, Actress (Danes), Supporting Actor (Strathairn), Supporting Actress (Ormond). Golden Globe: Best Actress (Danes).

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Groundhog Day is here...



What if you are stuck in one day?? Yes, thats what happens to a weatherman Phil Connors (Bill Murray), who finds himself living the same day over and over again.
He is a self-obsessed weatherman and imagine how painful it is for him to relive the same tedious Groundhog day in a lame small town Punxsutawney, PA.  He doesn't like anything about his job, isn't fond of his co-workers, and is forced to spend the night in the same town due to heavy snow. However, when he wakes up the next morning he finds its the Groundhog day again and the events of the previous day are happening all over again. The same thing happens the next day and the day after and so on.  The whole movie is how differently he lives each day.





You might think it would be boring to watch a movie which plays one day repetitively but Groundhog Day is full of ingenious ideas and successfully throws up new developments and delightful twists at every opportunity. The fill has some memorable dialogue. Its not just another comedy it has a much deeper meaning to it, it will make you think of some serious questions.

Even when i watch this movie today i enjoy it thoroughly, it is as fresh as it was in 1993 its only because the theme underlying the humor will never go out of fashion.




Watch this movie if you haven't already and please let me know whether you liked it or not.
Happy watching:)