New Year’s is just around the corner, and in the United States holidays sales are everywhere you go. I am enjoying the beautiful weather and picturesque sunsets. As I am not far from Hollywood, I decided to review a few American films that had their premiere in 2013.
Yesterday we went to see Saving Mr. Banks with the wonderful Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks. It
is set between Australia and Los Angeles, and it dramatizes the creation of the
Mary Poppins film against the backstory of the writer’s youth.
One of the main characters is Walt Disney. His tenacity, diligence and unique sense of art still provide us, through his empire, memorable American films and television. The film is also full of subtle differences between British and American culture. The first cannot live without
milk in tea; the latter, although similarly hardworking, would not hesitate to serve
the tea in a plastic cup.
Another film which opened in 2013 was 12 Years A Slave, which is now a favorite
to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Picture. The amazing and tragic story
of a free man sold into slavery, pictured sometimes very plainly and realistically,
captured the hearts of Americans. As Poles clap their hands after airplane landing,
Americans often applaud at the end of movie. In this case, there was a thorough
applause. When I was leaving the cinema, I saw many emotional Afro-Americans.
Frances Ha, was one of my most liked films. It is a black-and- white production about a dancer
and her friends, who like most of the younger generation, are trying to find
their place in the world. Witty dialogues are used to define the younger and
more mature American middle class. It left me wondering about today’s realization of the American Dream.
Finally, the Hunger Games, Catching Fire, which broke box office records, not only in the
United States but also abroad, impressed me. The second part of the sci-fi trilogy
about a girl named Katniss, attracted crowds of not only teenagers but also
their parents. It shows the beginning of the revolt of the oppressed citizens
who have had enough of authoritarian rule and the brutal Olympics. Hawaiian
scenery adds magic to a concise story, which taught us that society has a
chance to survive, when the individual does not act alone.
Certainly I did not manage to see every important cinematographic offering this year, and I am sure that I could also mention a few more titles that attracted my attention, but those stand out.
I wish you all a happy New Year, full of new challenges, exceptional premieres and many
desired successes.
