2014 was a good year for small films...not so much for big budget films:
-Belle introduced us to Gugu Mbatha-Raw...with a fantastic performance. You just saw her in Beauty And The Beast.
-Boyhood
-Trip To Italy so funny and poignant.
-The Immigrant where Marion Cotillard put on an acting class.
-Wes Anderson returned with the wonderful Grand Budapest Hotel
As for big budget films.....maybe two to note...
-The crazy trainwreck of Gone Girl
-The sad..yet odd...yet touching Fault In Our Stars
However my number one film in 2014.....
Wild
Based on the book by Cheryl Strayed
Written by Nick Hornby
Directed by Jean Marc-Vallee
Starring: Reese Witherspoon
Laura Dern
How does one deal with loss? How does one push on? Here is the true story of Cheryl Strayed, after the loss of her mother/her best friend (Laura Dern), she spiraled down hill. Heroin, marital affairs, unwanted pregnancy. Her life was heading one place and sadly most likely it was 6 feet under. Then she saw a book about hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, and in a rash decision she decided to hike it for 3 months. She had to wherewithal to understand her life was out of control and decided to step away from her life and reset it.
Sounds depressing! Far from it. Yes, sad in parts , but also uplifting, funny, full of discovery.
I read the book after watching the film. I think the film is better than the book. The film consolidates events and by consolidating the events it gives us a better feel of the relationship Cheryl had with her mom and her ex and sibling. In the book she meets people on the trail and befriends them and hikes with them for short periods. Many of these fellow hikers are left out in the movie. At two hours long I can see why, however I wished we could have seen more of that. I guess when comparing to the book that is my only fault of the film.
Enough comparison with the book. The movie on its own is fantastic. Laura Dern , for the second time in 2014 (Fault In The Stars) she is playing a mother. She is just spot on. Still, Reese Witherspoon is wonderful as Cheryl. It is all her. Her movie. An acting class. A tough personality at the beginning of the hike you see her becoming softer (and thinner) as her hike pushes on. Not only carrying a "monster" backpack but carrying her burdens that at one point even knock Cheryl to her knees.
I had problems at first with the films abrupt ending. I wanted more, like how she made out after the hike. I watched it a second time, and realized after the hike is not what the film is about, it is about what the 3 months and the thousand plus mile hike did to heal her mind and body.
I read one complaint that she looks miserable. Huh? She is hiking for three months losing toe nails! Hello!! Cheryl Strayed just kept hiking forward. A toast with some Snapple and chips to Cheryl.
Oh and stay with the credits, you get to see the real Cheryl Strayed in pictures.
Time for fun and not so fun facts:
-Bobbi Strayed, Cheryl Strayed's daughter plays the young Cheryl
-Reese Witherspoon dropped out of the movie Big Eyes to do this film
-Laura Dern is only 9 years older than Reese Witherspoon
-Cheryl Strayed was in the film. She was the driver that dropped off Witherspoon in the very beginning and wished her good luck.
Well, again, my number 1 film of 2014... Wild.
"How wild it was, to let it be"
"But I got promises to keep...and miles to go before I sleep".
"There is a sunrise and a sunset every day and you can choose to be there for it. You can put yourself in the way of beauty".
From the shadows as always thanks for your time.
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