Hello everyone!
I just wanted to make my presence known (thanks to a certain person calling me out on my myspace) and welcome myself to this wonderful establishment! I am Bree and I will be writing about whatever is on my mind at the moment about news and other random findings I discover on the internet and beyond!
As the new year settles in and I hope that the Beyonce rendition of the "Single Ladies" video dies a quick and painful death, life will soon start to become the usual routine for me as I head back to school in San Francisco. In the meantime though, I have been spending a lot of unecessary time with one of my roommates (I have three), Alysha. Living in boring uppity Palos Verdes; she has nothing better to do than pick me up from the slums of Inglewood and horrify me with her terrible road rage and speeding. This weekend, I went over to her "hood" and watched "Mama Mia" on her new XBOX 360! I promise you, if you love musicals, it is amazing. Nonetheless, this is not the movie review I am discussing here. I will get there, don't worry. During the intermission (there is no intermission btw, we just paused it for a bathroom and cereal break. I made Fruity Pebbles! Muy delicioso!), I gush about my love for Meryl Streep while Alysha squeals in excitement, yelling in my ear that she does too. As we literally jump up and down singing "Dancing Queen" while her little sister Laura laughs at us, Alysha stops singing and looks at me with her big hazel eyes. To spare you another long paragraph, I will cut to dialogue:
ALYSHA: "Dude!"
BREE: "What?"
ALYSHA: "Let's go to the movies!"
BREE: "To see what?"
ALYSHA: "DOUBT!"
BREE: "Oh my god! MERYL STREEP is in that movie!"
ALYSHA: "I KNOW!"
BREE: "DUDE!"
ALYSHA: "I KNOW!"
BREE: "Let's go now!"
ALYSHA: "YEAH!"
True story. So we randomly put on our chaquetas (jackets, I am slightly remembering spanish words here and there) and head off to AMC 20 in Torrance, to watch the 10:20pm showing of Doubt.
The movie is based on the play with the same name about a nun, Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep), who accuses a Priest, Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman), of sexually abusing a black student at a Catholic School.
In 1964, St. Nicolas Catholic School, in the Bronx, Father Flynn attempts to shatter the old, firm disciplines upheld by Principal, Sister Aloysius. In his struggle to integrate modern times with the teachings and beliefs of Catholicism, the school accepts its first black student, Donald Miller. But when teacher Sister James (Amy Adams) notices that Father Flynn is giving Donald some "extra" attention, she confides in Sister Aloysius which then brings forth a stir of accusations and trouble. Sister Aloysius' struggle to find the truth within this rumor gets the best of her as the only evidence she can contain is her "moral certainty". Her goal is to remove Father Flynn from the school while exposing the priest for who he truly is, even threatening to put the church and school at stake.
This is a movie that will not have you at the edge of your seat, but have you covering your eyes and mouth in the fetal position as you watch the movie. Every scene is as intense as the other and I cannot say enough that this film scared me more than any horror flick ever will. It is in no way a scary movie, but Meryl Streep's character will frighten you so much that during the movie, you will confess to every sin you have ever commited and ask for forgiveness. I sure did! Meryl Streep, as usual, did nothing short of an amazing job. She delves deep into her character and definitely gives you a performance well worth your $11 (that's how much I paid!). Phillip Seymour Hoffman was spectacular as well. I have not seen many of his movies, but I will have to catch up because he is surely an actor anyone should keep their eye on (going to rent Capote once I get back to my apartment). He definitely wins for the portrayal of a priest who possibly touched a little black boy award in my eyes. His emotions are raw and exposed as Meryl Streep rips him apart and almost shreds him into pieces, and I must say that he handled it pretty well. Another major actress in the movie, Amy Adams was eh. I suppose you can't really compete with Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Meryl Streep because they outshined her completely. I actually forgot she was in the movie for awhile. Her mediocre performance just went over my head and all I saw was that chick from "Enchanted". I'm just not sure if she is ready to do serious roles like this yet. I suppose they chose her for her innocent look.
So there is my opinion and summary of the movie. On a scale of 1-10, I give it an 8 1/2 for sure! Actually I don't like fractions so I will give it a 9! Go see this movie! You will love it!
P.S. What's with the legal ish over Watchmen???!!!??? That movie better come out on time! It looks so good! Stupid big mean movie corporations....
