When The Little Things Turn Big

At the beginning of the year one of my cinema adventures included a police tale called Little Things. To be perfectly honest I may have a mixed review of this film but my overall feeling was generally positive.

There were so many inconsistencies and unrealisms about detective work that it was frustrating but alas it was only a film. Any film no matter how historically accurate or real it may seem, every film is in fact a fantasy.

The most outstanding moment in this picture was when Denzel Washington’s character gave wisdom to Rami Malek’s character. Washington is an older and much more experienced officer who unites with his younger replacement when a series of murder surfaces in L.A. around 1990. Both men have different reasons on different levels for being so desperate to catch this particular killer. One of the more obvious reasons being the country was still recovering from The Night Stalker era, I’m assuming. Washington’s character appears to be severely haunted by a former case, explains to Malek’s character that the main drive as to why their work is more paramount on a higher and unseen level.

‘Whatever they are, wherever they are, you are their angel until you find who did this to them.’

Of course he’s referring to the unfortunate human beings that had their life so cruelly cut short. Even in a film no matter how close to reality or how close to fantasy it may be, that is one element that could not be more accurate. From the living point of view, the families and friends of the deceased heavily rely on those police officers AKA Angels to bring closure to their lives. If there was a better way to explain this than the way that Denzel Washington’s character did, I know it not. That one line alone made up for the annoying imperfections of the film. In addition the soundtrack was odd yet appealing especially the erie piano notes throughout the film.

If an independent police detective film is your mood on a quiet day then I suggest this film, though I do suggest others, this one would definitely be on the list.. just perhaps on the bottom.. but still on the list.

• 

So Many Things

This past holiday season I saw the latest Wonder Woman film. Even though I can’t stand Marvel and am DC obsessed I still wasn’t overly excited to see this film since the first film didn’t interest me. However it’s still a DC film so of course I had to go see it.

Two and a half hours later after walking into the auditorium, finding our seats, and watching the beginning of the film the rest of the auditorium and myself were sitting in all these different emotions that we didn’t know what to do with. These arent the kind of emotions I usually expect to feel when watching an action film especially a superhero action film. WonderWoman 1984 is so much more than a big budget Hollywood blockbuster. The music was a major character by itself and the score transported the audience into 1984 with its pop tunes, sweet balads, and hip funk songs. However the real transportation piece was the score itself. Fellow movie lovers as well as music lovers will recognize the Adiago in D Minor piece during the sequence where Wonder Woman rises to the sky and deals with her own personal tragedy while saving others from theirs. The films where you will recognize this piece is in the film Kick-Ass starring Nicolas Cage, as well as the film Sunshine. My second favorite piece is towards the end of the film where the main character recites one of my favorite lines as well as is the title of this blog, it is called ‘I Won’t Leave You’ and is featured in the film Pompeii starring Kit Harington and Kiefer Sutherland.

Back to the film aspects; it was so nice to finally watch a film that didn’t have the same plot over and over again as I feel most films do especially in the Marvel Universe. Not that I am necessarily bashing the Marvel Universe but I will say it was nice to enjoy an action film that was character-driven on a smaller scale instead of involving 5 million different characters with 5 million different subplots. All of the actors performances were unique on their own as well plus we’re both comforting and heartbreaking with each choice they made for their various wishes.

Ending with this; my two favorite parts of the film. They are not so much parts as they are lines. Towards the close of the film, The Villain, though he’s hardly a villain more of a misguided and repentant father who turns hero, after realizing what he values. When reassuring his son of his endless love for him he begins to say how he has a wish and then quickly corrects himself with a brief breath and says ‘I pray.’ Even in the major Hollywood motion picture he chose to pray over wishing. And not only as a Christian and as a human being but as a moviegoer that part truly touched me.

Secondly the other favorite line appears at the very end of the film where Wonder Woman, after suffering her greatest tragedy relishes in her environment when one would assume after such a heartbreak that she would be low in spirits. She stepped outside to enjoy the cool air and amongst the laughing, the joy, and the freedom she experienced warmth on even such a cold day. As anyone who has experienced any kind of loss, even in a film with a fictional character watching someone Marvel in the positive after a tragedy is magical.

‘So Many Things,’ softly whispering into the comfortable breeze as if she’s expecting her words to echo back to her in a weightless bliss.

Picking up the pieces from a broken soul, failed battles, and facing her fears one would think she’d surrender and succumb to exhaustion. Instead like the citizens around her who experienced similar battles though not quite as severely as she did, but she also took pleasure in experiencing the rainbow after the hurricane.