Blackfish

Documentary is the most underrated category of film by far. These films tend to generate less buzz than blockbusters, therefore great films often go unnoticed. However if done right, these films can be exceptionally powerful, because they are able to do something that narrative films do not- tell true stories through the eyes of people that have lived them.

I may have been exceptionally late to the "Blackfish" viewing party, but at last I have seen it, and my viewpoints on the treatment of wildlife will never be the same again. This 2013 documentary, by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, chronicled the story of Tilikum, a SeaWorld orca whale responsible for taking the lives of three people.

This film serves as an exposé on the underlying manipulative corporate side of SeaWorld. I have never been keen on going to places such as aquariums or zoos. I have the distinct memory of going to the zoo as a child, where I experienced my first heartbreak about the mistreatment of animals. My smile quickly turned to a frown as I investigated the polar bear exhibit. I saw an environment with little ice, containing a too-skinny polar bear with eyes full of sorrow. It was a hot summer day, and this poor bear looked miserable under the sun. It was at this young age that I recognized the importance of not providing business to zoos, and other attractions like SeaWorld. I remember reading books about the mistreatment of animals in zoos when they first came to America. Since my youth, I have resisted trips to these facilities.

I saw this film almost a week ago, and the material has been haunting my mind ever since. "Blackfish" is a very powerful movie that is not for the weak-of-heart- that being said it is a film that everyone should experience. It emphasizes the importance of leaving animals as nature intended. This film tackles many important subjects, and effectively develops each point fully. It not only outlines the horrific incidences of human deaths, but the psychological and physical pain underwent by the animals.

I learned a lot from this film. Marine life is very interesting, though I must admit I knew little about the habits of orca whales before viewing this documentary. I learned that orcas are very social creatures. Studies have shown that the part of their brain encompassing emotion have further developments than human brains. They are extremely sympathetic animals. Orcas are arranged into matriarchal societies. This film provided a nice foundation of basic information before getting into the nitty gritty of their story.

The film then uncovered the unfortunate reality of the mistreatment of orcas at SeaWorld. This mistreatment eventually led to psychological damage, which promoted the deaths of multiple SeaWorld trainers. Since SeaWorld is a popular tourist attraction, footage of these occurrences was readily available. The video documentation may be painful to watch, however strongly supports the points addressed in the film. I don't want to explain every aspect of this film, as it is very important to watch firsthand (it's on Netflix- check it out!) This was a very powerful film that brought my attention to issues that can easily be overlooked by those not directly involved.

Across The Universe

While "Across the Universe" only got a 53% on Rotten Tomatoes, it remains one of my all-time favorites. This 2007 film tells the story of characters Jude and Lucy, among others, in a psychedelic 1970s anti-war Greenwich Village. The most mesmerizing component of this film is the seamless incorporation of Beatles songs. The film director/writer Julie Taymor pulled a Mamma Mia, creating a storyline around preexisting music. This is a risky maneuver, and very tricky to do correctly. While the plots created in this movie reveal overdone romances that would normally make me roll my eyes, the fact that these are constructed around Beatles songs make me smile. Aspects of the movie that could be viewed as corny, such as naming all of the characters after Beatles songs, I find endearing.

This film takes the viewer on a complex journey through historical events of the 1960s. The storylines of several different characters are woven together through music. The characters are what would be expected out of a movie about the politics of the 1960s- Max, the college dropout who gets shipped off to war; Lucy, a naive girl who moves from middle America to New York; Jude, an Englishman finding himself as an artist in the city- but I can't see the film being done any other way. The plot expands between different cities and even different countries, demonstrating different mentalities found in the sixties. The story unfolds not through plot and dialogue, but through music. Nearly everything expressed in the movie is expressed through a Beatles song. While many critics think this is a cheesy and nearly artificial way of telling a story, I think it is exceptionally unique and beautiful.

One significant component of the film are the daring atypical visual effects. Channeling the psychedelic aspects of the sixties, certain parts of the film are designed to feel like an acid trip. There are underwater dance-like scenes. Jude creates art with bleeding strawberries. Soldiers are designed to look like G.I. Joes. These scenes may be a lot for a viewer to process, yet they are exceptionally powerful. Not only do they add to the film, but they demonstrate certain elements of the Beatles' music that we know were influenced by drugs.

I can certainly understand why this film is not appealing to everyone. It is fairly avant-garde and a lot of the romances and plotpoints are fairly predictable. I may be biased because the Beatles are my favorite band in the entire world, I adore Greenwich Village, and the sixties are my favorite time period- scratch that, I am undoubtably biased. It would have been really, really easy for this movie to be atrociously bad. Nothing frustrates me more than visual effects that make the film seem like it's trying too hard. Also, bad covers of Beatles songs really break my heart. The saving grace of this movie, without a doubt my favorite component, is the incredible soundtrack. I listen to it practically daily and just can't get enough. The arrangements and the vocals of the covers are astonishing. The set design and costumes are fitting for the time period. While this film may not be for everyone, I highly recommend it for Beatles fans and people interested the sixties.