Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by jamesgarvin (A) on August 16, 2006 at 07:11:16

In Reply to: "Monster" why did I waste all that time? posted by Victor Khomenko on August 15, 2006 at 09:59:59:

Just because you disliked the subject matter does not mean that the film was bad. If you had seen the documentary on the real life Aileen Wournos, you would know that Theron absolutely nailed her. While you may not like Wournos, who would, Theron's depiction of her was brilliant.

The point of the film, I think, was to provide a glimpse into the life of of a very disturbed woman. If you read a newspaper, or pay attention to current events, then you should know of Wournos. The purpose of the film was to provide details which those forums never seem to address.

While I love foreign films, one thing they generally are is safe. Other than historical dramas, you rarely see subject matter that provides the viewer a glimpse into a society and persons that form the underbelly of society. As though foreign directors and screenwriters self-censor so that they do not advertise to the world that their home countries, perhaps, have elements less than ideal.

While Hollywood is mostly preoccupied with films designed to scintillate, this is not one of those films. If the segment of society depicted in Monster is a segment of society that you prefer not to see and know a little about, more than the casual blurb in the newspaper or on the news, then perhaps a brief read of the film's summary before you actually watch should be in order.