|   Finally saw Whale Rider! Good call Worf! | Kam
Aug 2, 2003 7:02 PM | | After seeing a good amount of crap and fluff this summer, finally sat down to check out Whale Rider (Seabiscuit and Bend it Like Beckham up next). I thought this film was fantastic and definitely one of the best I've seen this year so far. Great family story looking at 3 generations and what they're going through and i think the grandfather, father, and the girl were all extremely well done. I was shocked at how much emotion was coming from that little girl in nearly every scene! Am amazed at the talent of child actors. Very engaging story and if you haven't seen it, give it a chance, help support the boxoffice of indie features, the only way hollywood receives any message, by the money they do or don't make.
Now, to get on a soap box rant for a moment: I haven't seen Ebert's review of this, but apparently I heard he went off on the MPAA for what they've beendoing about this movie.
1. It is rated PG-13 for "brief language and momentary drug reference."
2. The MPAA told Newmarket (the makers of the movie) they couldn't use a quote from ebert saying something along the lines of: Take the kids and go see it! Why? Because you can not market a PG-13 film to a "family" audience according to the MPAA and so the ads were pulled.
3. Other PG-13 rated movies are: Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (1+2), The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Charlie's Angels (1+2), Hulk, 2 Fast 2 Furious, The Italian Job, Wild Wild West (which to my reccolection had execution style killings in it).
The PG-13 rating, IMHO, is completely worthless, as is the MPAA's ratings methods. For any parents reading and curious what the drug reference is, the young girl goes to ask her uncle to teach her some of the old ways of her culture, s she walks in his backyard, he is laying down and there is a pipe and a bag of marijuana (i am presuming, could be he really likes oregano) on his stomach which he picks up and places to one side. It never talked about or mentioned again. The curses in the film I honestly do not even remember other then one humorous use of "Dick" by the grandfather in teaching the boys about their culture (trust me, not vulgar at all, sounds more vulgar than it was). If that's not offensive to you, PLEASE take your kids to see the film! Based on the trailer alone Chralie's Angels is 10 times more vulgar then this movie. There is no rampant violence, no guns being shot, no explosions, nothing to warrant a PG-13 rating in comparison to others. This rating (and don't even get me started on the "R" ratings and even "NC-17") is a big joke. Any level of violence can be had as long as it's 'cartoony' and there is no sexual references? Am not trying to push my views on what is right or wrong on anyone else, but what kind of message is that? Violence is ok, but sexuality is not? Bottom line, don't let the MPAA decide for you, trust the people you know and yourself if a movie is ok for your kids.
Because according to the MPAA people being killed for treasure and cars engaging in reckless abandon races and buidlings exploding and people being killed without a second thought or any remorse and people being shot at by several hundred thousand bullets and a young girl trying to find her place in the world stumbling on her uncle with a pipe and baggy on his stomach are all the same thing... yeah... makes sense to me. Hey, my parents asked their friends who saw certain movies if it was cool to let me and my friends see them, why has that tried and true method gone by the wayside? (or at least i hope it hasn't)
Ok, done with my rant. :)
peace
k2 |
| Glad you liked it Kam..... (spoilers) | Worf101
Aug 3, 2003 10:20 PM | | I loved the film... there are some scenes when she's riding the whale that had me speachless. What did you think of the ending? Do you, as a filmaker feel they copped out and possibly should have left her fate unknown or better yet, just not the one we were given?
As for the assinine rating for this film. I agree with Roger Ebert and yourself. There's no "common sense" in these guideline whatsoever. I don't know which is worse, draconian censorship from above or lukewarm censorship from within. Very sad.
Anyway, glad you enjoyed the film...
Da Waleridin' Worfster |
| (more spoilers) | Kam
Aug 3, 2003 11:15 PM | | You know I was wondering what they were going to do once they showed the whale dive down and her hanging on, and then that one shot of her where she let go and drifted off. I thought at that point, she had accomplished her character's "arc" so to speak and with her "death" had given the tribe their chief and showed them the leadership they needed to survive and go on. The ONLY thing i thought was weak in the story was that she was just found and then in a coma, no explanation, nothing. But on the flip side, it would've been extremely cheesy to have her ride the whale back to shore, and would've ruined the film. So i guess they handled it in the best way, without any explanation at all, because nearly any explanation would've ruined it. It is VERY tough to kill off the main character, even in a martyr situation and have the audience 'happy' with the ending (see True Romance). For a while i actually thought she was dead and was surprised by that story twist. But overall, i think it was the right decision in that showing her ACTUALLY leading the tribe and finishing her father's boat was a more powerful ending than having her lead in death. But the more i think about it, the more i like. I HOPE the dvd has a director's commentary and other goodies on it. Those beached whales were freakily real. I stayed through the credits just to make sure i saw the animatronic whale credit come up! Wow, great job all around. |
| |
