I went to see a screening of the Giver movie on Tuesday night, Thank you Weinstein company. I haven’t read the book, which came out after I had graduated high school, so I only knew the basic premise for the film after seeing the cast at NerdHQ at Comic-con. I remember people very confused as to why The Giver would be at Comic-con but they were those who thought comic-con was only for comic books. My “type” of books/movies outside of superheroes or time traveling aliens is dystopian/post-apocalyptic romances. I love this style and luckily there are many of them, Hunger Games, Divergent to name the current/recent fare that has made the leap from page to screen but as Beth mentioned on Monday, this is the OG.
The Dude
The Giver has taken almost 20 years to make that jump. Jeff Bridges had apparently been wanting to make this for 18 years with his father Lloyd in the role of The Giver.
I’ll be honest, I didn’t even realize that Taylor Swift was there because I was indeed caught up in the story. I actually expected her to be somewhere else.
Not having anything to base this on, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, I may have cried/teared up in fact but that could have also been with the timing of film. The cinematography was stunning. They were on location in South Africa and had some amazing scenery to work with.
Lois Lowry
They easily convey the sameness that abounds in this utopian? life. Yes, in the book it says that the children are “year 12” but at NerdHQ, Ms. Lowry explains why they chose to “age” the children and it wasn’t just due to child labor laws. She said the book never mentions actual age. Twelve could mean that they are completing their 12th year of education and then going into the work force. I think it’s more believable for a 12th grader/senior to rebel against the elders honestly.
Brenton Thwaites, Odeya Rush and Cameron Monaghan were engaging. Meryl is well Meryl and quite intimidating as the Chief Elder.
I will make an observation that my friend Mande mentioned afterwards. It was a little weird seeing Katie Holmes in the film not because of her acting or anything but could this be seen as a “stab” towards Scientology? It was a little pod-people in this utopian society.
Preciseness of language, no color, no music, no fun, no dancing, no touching anyone who isn’t a member of your family unit? Ceremonies of Release? Are societies like this truly where the Human Race is headed?
Stumping Jeff Bridges
During the NerdHQ Panel, our friend Chelsea actually stumped Jeff Bridges with her question about themes of Ignorance is Bliss but Knowledge is Power.
It did make me wax philosophical and have many deep thoughts about what would I choose. I’m a trouble maker and question authority so I’m sure I’d take knowledge and not give into blind obedience… But given everything that’s going on in the world and hoping to restore bits and pieces of faith in humanity I wanted focus on why the good outweighs the bad. You can never be happy, if you’ve never known sadness. You’ve got to be lonely so that you can know love. Even when there is heartbreak because it’s those things that make us stronger. What are those memories that you’d miss? Your first concert? piano recital? your first time falling in love? Your first kiss?
My First Kiss
I was in 6th Grade and it was with a boy named Preston, in the dark corner by the elevator at school after a pep rally. What would you miss?
The Giver opens in theaters this Friday.
