The Golden Apple Awards: The 2015 Season

    2015 seemed to be the year of big budgets and even bigger stars-- from the rise of Ultron, the swarming of raptors, and the flight of the Mockingjay-- we have seen the rise of the popcorn movie once again. All the more reason to hand off this Golden Apple to a now infamous comedy that was sorrowfully overlooked during the Golden Globes... I mean, seriously, who decided that The Martian was a comedy anyway? And, let me point out, it's our first time awarding an apple in this genre! But let's face it; this particular movie is a bit hard to ignore. We mean that in the best way possible, of course.
                                                           ~  Spoiler Alert! ~




And, the Golden Apple goes to...

Trainwreck

Release Date: July 17th

Rating: R

     As I once outlined in my summer preview, not enough can be said for how groundbreaking this rom-com really is. In true, Judd Apatow style (with a screenplay by Ms. Schumer herself), this comedic nugget offers a glimpse into the love lives of adults everywhere.... and it isn't pretty, folks. With a slight tinge of raunchiness, they prove that we may not be as sophisticated and mature as we sometimes think we are. Because, let's face it, life isn't made up of a bunch of Sex and the City-esque cliches. 

Neither is Amy Schumer for that matter! This potty-mouthed protagonist is every bit the wreck that the title implies. Yet, she provides all the observations about love (or sometimes the lack thereof) that many of us women save for our most intimate girlfriends. Sprinkle in a touch of Bill Hader's quirky charm, and we have the recipe for a romantic duo we didn't even know we needed! 

"I want to puke on us!"

Their so adorably well paired, in fact, that they reminded me of that one couple we all love to hate... come on, be honest, you know what I'm talking about. But still, this film pushed back against all the stereotypes that make rom-coms so annoyingly predictable; as evidenced by that one, big fight that has come to define the genre. I won't go into what was said or how the characters bridged that gap between their differences; leading to the inevitable happy ending. You really should just enjoy that little nugget for yourself. I promise you won't be disappointed. 

In a nutshell, this hilarious comedy brought the laughs in a big way; without sacrificing all the social commentary that we have come to expect from a Judd Apatow comedy... with a hearty dash of Amy Schumer! If you're looking for the anti rom-com, then don't miss this movie! However, be aware: it isn't for the faint of heart! 

A Feminist's Take On: "The Theory Of Everything"

     How does one begin to review an Oscar nominated movie? Such films are created to  provide us with stark images of our society, family/home lives or small historical nuances that might have been overlooked by the general public. Let's face facts; they are not mere popcorn-style fair that are meant to amuse us. This small category of cinematic goodness act as the whole grain/ health food in any movie lover's diet.

     The Theory of Everything follows this description to a fault at times; depicting the life of Stephen Hawking, the now-famous Astrophysicist and his wife Jane Wilde. The acting is flawless, with Eddie Redmayne stealing basically every scene he is a part of. There is a rumor among Hollywood hopefuls that a sparkling award can be won if an actor embarks on a "passion project"--setting aside his own vanity for the sheer necessity of the work itself. This reviewer will not comment on the validity of such statements. All I can say is that Redmayne was truly a sight to behold; taking on the slight nuances of Hawking's personality down to a simple, sparkling gesture or a flick of an eyebrow. He made us believe that the brilliant mind of this formidable man still lurks somewhere behind the shallow waters of his complicated disease. I am not sure if this will render him an Oscar winner at the end of this evening, but Redmayne has nothing to be ashamed of. I suspect he will have many opportunities to showcase his talents for years to come.

     The silent, shining star of this movie had to be the complicated marriage that the Hawking's found themselves in. It all began with a cliche: "every strong man has an even stronger woman behind him", a turn of phrase that I have often resented. Why is that a strong man would require his even stronger counterpart to trail behind him? Would it be so much to ask that she, say, stand beside him.. as a partner should? Felicity Jones is a subtle force throughout, not allowing Jane Wilde to stay silently in the background of her husband's success. She began her career at Cambridge with dreams of her own, many of which she had to knowingly replace with the life of a wife and mother. Her portrayal of Jane Wilde showcased the struggle to maintain that delicate balance, all while trying to find something in their complicated universe that was solely her own. Perhaps, Jane finds this freedom within her own religious beliefs; refusing to give up her faith despite her brilliant husband's insistence on the scientific theory of the universe at large. Jane becomes the moral, emotional center of his world after all. There is a grey area, she insists, things that his careful equations could fill in her hungry soul

     More than anything else, Jane stares out into the great, wide void with a deep sense of longing that no words could ever possibly fill. Felicity Jones was brilliant in her subtle way of reaching out to all of us as she longed for that ever present "something". Jane-the-character transcended the strong wife ideal to become a real woman: silent, enduring, kind, loving, nurturing and yet still selfish enough to wish for more than her life could provide. She reminds us that we are all simple and messy human beings at the end of the day. Yes, love is a powerful and life changing force but yet sometimes it  may not be enough to conquer all the bumps that life may through in our paths.

     It seems that if this movie teaches us anything, it is the power of self-acceptance in the face of adversity. Stephen Hawking is a man who is simply happy to be alive, seemingly embracing his life with a passion that is almost enviable. A movie is not reality, however, so I wouldn't suggest taking this as the final testament into the lives of the Hawking's clan. It does shed some light into their complicated lives, while also introducing us to some very talented actors.