In 2011, Michel Hazanavicius directed and wrote a black-and-white, silent, French film. The Artist is about the relationship of a silent film actor and an inspiring actress, as the transition from silent films to "talkies" becomes very difficult and unsuccessful for the silent film actor, as his partner becomes more popular than him and he is forgotten.
The film has some similarities to the 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which is about the beginning and end of a relationship as a couple has their memories erased of each other. In a scene in The Artist, Valentin and Peppy are dancing in a scene for one of his upcoming films. Although Peppy is only an extra, their chemistry is very clear to read. Towards the end of the film, when Valentin’s career is failing and he settles into a depression, his house catches on fire after he drunkenly lights a match onto his old films. However, when he is rescued from the fire, he is holding tightly onto a nitrate film. It is later revealed to be the film of him and Peppy dancing together for the first time.
In that scene of The Artist, it compares to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind because the main character, Joel tries to hold on to important memories of his girlfriend Clementine, even as he is having them erased. The idea of holding on to the past is a popular theme in both films. For Joel, he does it out of love, but for Valentin, it is because he is desperate and has nothing else. He is not familiar with talking films, so at the end, he is later forced to join the fad. Both films show that one cannot go back and change the past, but they can move on with their future. This is also a good example of nostalgia, as Joel and Valentin reminisce their past and it makes them feel more secured and in love, but with the nostalgia, there is always the presence of the future lurking around.
If you don’t know who David Lynch is, stop reading now and google him.
David Lynch directed and wrote the 2001 film Mulholland Drive (or Mulholland Dr.) after already having success with his previous films, Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, and the Twin Peaks television series. For the film Mulholland Drive, it was originally set to be a spin-off based on one of his characters from Twin Peaks. However, executives decided against it. Lynch’s style is very artistically different from most creators. The film’s meaning has been left up for various interpretations, even the cast has no clue what the film truly meant.
Mulholland Drive is about a woman, who after being in a car accident, is left with no memory. In order to figure out what happened to her, she joins forces with an inspiring actress. It’s really difficult to explain the plot of the film because there is so much going on all at once. There is a subplot, a cowboy, a mysterious blue box and doppelgangers? What? In order to explain the film, I have to discuss the dream aspect of the film. The film, in my opinion, is a dream. The aspiring actress, Betty, falls into a deep sleep (not completely sure if it is drug-induced or not) and she embarks on a journey in her dream, in which everything is sort of perfect for her. She has an amazing audition and begins a relationship with the amnesiac, Rita. However, when “Betty” wakes up from her slumber, reality is kicked in and she is actually “Diane” and her lover in her dream is actually her ex-girlfriend, Camilla. Diane is an actress, but not as successful as her ex, Camilla, who has a relationship with her but then later dumps her for her bigshot director, Adam. Diane, who put out a hit on Camilla, because she is angry with her, has to deal with the consequences of her action. Camilla, who is now dead, makes Diane feel completely distraught and because she cannot deal with her actions and the guilt overwhelms her, it leads to her suicide.
The film does an excellent job at exploring identity through the form of doubles. Betty is the ideal version that Diane wants to be and everyone else in her dream state is who she prefers them to be. She manipulates this in her dream and becomes so involved in it, that she nearly loses herself. This is very similar to Lynch’s other film, Inland Empire. The overall message that I believe that Lynch is trying to offer is that as much as you try to change the past or make yourself the perfect version that you want, perfection is not real. He exposes the sad part of relationships and Hollywood. Hollywood can change someone and make them better or worse. It requires good morals and strength in order to stay true to yourself. Diane was unable to face her fears and guilt, which led to her breakdown.
On July 30th of 2014, I was lucky enough to attend
the "If I Stay" tour. At the tour, which was held at Sprinkles
Cupcakes in Chicago, I met the lead actress in the film, Chloë Grace Moretz and
the author of the book, Gayle Forman. After the meet up and book signing, I had
to rush over to the movie theater where an advance screening of the movie was being held.
After watching it, a Q&A was held with Moretz and Forman, where they
discussed the movie adaption of Forman's book.
I read Gayle Forman’s novel “If I Stay” about six
years ago, when it was first published in 2009. At the age of eleven, my three
friends and I shared one book and discussed the happy, funny, and sad parts in it.
“If I Stay” is about a 17 year old girl, Mia Hall (Moretz) who is an inspiring
cellist and has a rocker boyfriend, Adam (Jamie Blackley) who has his own band.
It follows her as she deals with the aftermath of a tragic car accident
involving her and her family. While she’s in a coma, she has an out-of-body
experience. She observes her family and friends in the hospital while she is
being treated. As she watches them, her memories flash before her eyes. She
realizes that she must come to a decision on whether or not she should wake up
and stay with her family and friends or slip further away and die.
The movie was overall one of the best adaptions
anyone could ever make of a book. The book alone already had a simple plot,
right? No. It actually had a difficult plot. It was hard to keep up with Mia in
the present and the past. The movie made it easier to understand. Moretz was
dressed in pale colors to create an ethereal appearance and in her flashbacks she
dressed in dark, winter colors. The flashbacks offered insight into Mia’s life
with her friend, Kim (Liana Liberato), boyfriend, her family and her love for
the cello. However, a majority of the movie was focused solely on Mia and her
relationship with her boyfriend Adam. The scenes started with how they met, and
then continued with their first date, kiss, college decisions, and fight. The
on-screen couple was cute and adoring to each other, but made it annoying at
some times and to be blunt... boring. The movie was 75% about Mia and Adam
and 25% about how Mia felt about her family in the hospital. To compare the
book and the movie, Mia (in the book) was extremely worried about her family,
especially her younger brother, Teddy (Jakob Davies). In the movie, it appeared
that Mia only cared 75% about her boyfriend and 25% about her family,
especially her parents.
Music played an important aspect in the film because
it was a major factor in Mia’s life; her whole entire being was filled with
musical strings. The music in the movie set the tone of an upbeat and moving
film, which wasn't exactly the case. The movie wasn't set out to be a melodramatic
film about a girl in a coma, but the music made up for that. Adam’s band plus
Beethoven might equal a weird combination but it didn't. The soundtrack is
without a better word, surprising. Adam is supposed to be a rock god, but he
sings pop rock-ish (alternative)? In my opinion, Adam would have been even more perfect if he
actually sang hardcore rock music, because I can’t even begin to explain how
many times Mia called him a “rocker” or “rock god” in the movie and book.
Jamie Blackley... Adam Wilde...
Blackley was the perfect
Adam because he was Adam. Blackley
grabbed Adam by his old, dirty ACDC tee shirt and said “I am going to be you”. That
was how good Blackley’s acting was. I praise Blackley, and him alone, because
he pulled off a “cheesy role”. Adam is a stereotypical “guy in a band with absentee
parents” character. Blackley was able to envelope this character and make it
him. So in other words, he gave the impression of a guy with a romantic side, confidence,
a soulful voice, hair that isn’t great but not hideous and a tough childhood
instead of a stereotypical “guy in a band with absentee parents” character.
“If I Stay” was surprising good, but dull in some
parts. It was like my favorite sandwich: peanut butter and Nutella. It looks
bad, but it’s actually great. Inside the sandwich, it could have less Nutella and peanut
butter in it and it was incredibly gooey, but it’s still good. Moretz's performance
showed a side of her the audience doesn't get to see too often: girly and
innocent. This film was definitely a good way to flaunt that side of her, but
sometimes, we don’t need to see it. She seemed so sweet and innocent, that she
came off a little fake. My mother who went to the advance screening with me
cried throughout the movie but commented that Moretz wasn't “convincing enough
in certain scenes”. But don’t fret, my mother did say that “[Moretz] really
looked like she was playing the cello!” and later asked me if she really was. She
wasn't.
I give this movie 3½ Jamie Blackleys
There’s still time to see “If I Stay” and read the
book! Go right away to your nearest theater or bookstore if you want to see a
movie or read a book that will make you laugh, cry and smile all giddy with
happiness.
