Friday night at the movies...

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007)

Directed by: Julian Schnabel

Starring: Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Anne Consigny

The second movie was my choice and after looking through the movies playing at the local $2 theatre this one caught my eye. The main reason was the rave reviews that had been garnered from some of the top movie critics in the industry. I went in knowing the background. This is probably the most unique movie I have ever seen, I would specify that it is without a doubt but it is midnight and my mind isn't working great right now.

The story is about the following:

Jean-Dominique Bauby (April 23, 1952 – March 9, 1997) was a well-known French journalist and author and editor of the French fashion magazine ELLE.

On December 8, 1995 at the age of 43, Bauby suffered a massive stroke. When he woke up twenty days later, he found he was entirely speechless; he could only blink his left eyelid. This rare condition is called Locked-in Syndrome, a condition wherein the mental faculties are intact but the entire body is paralyzed.

Despite his condition, he wrote the book The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by blinking when the correct letter was reached by a person slowly reciting the alphabet over and over again. Bauby had to compose and edit the book entirely in his head, and convey it one letter at a time. To make dictation more efficient, Bauby had his interlocutor read from a special alphabet which consisted of the letters ordered in accordance with their frequency in the French language. The book was published in France in 1997. Bauby died just two days later of pneumonia.

The whole premise of the movie would seem to make a film nearly impossible, but it is pulled off perfectly.

Acting / Dialogue (9): Superb acting by the entire cast. There wasn't a single misstep by any of the characters.

Cinematography / Effects / Music (10): If I could rate this category higher I would. There was no doubt in my mind what it would feel like to be in Bauby's shoes during the latter half of his life. The first person camera work was flawless and I found myself shifting in my seat wishing that he could just say his thoughts. The unbelievable patience it must have took both for him and the staff he worked with to be able to complete his work is unbelievable. I felt tormented myself every time someone would start to recite the alphabet.

Plot Originality / Effectiveness (10): Again this movie was unlike any other I have ever seen. It is a disservice to even try to grade it according to our traditional standards. It is 100% original to me.

Viewing Experience (7.5): This movie is absolutely not for everyone and a lot of people, will not like it, will get bored with it, or will be upset by it, but I felt a sense of accomplishment from the movie. We get a true sense of the trials Bauby goes through and from the early times shortly after the incident when he desires death to the point where he reaches freedom and moves beyond self-pity. The movie is daring and perfectly accomplishes its goal. There are points that seem drawn out or repetitive, but I feel that this was mainly done to allow the viewer the deepest possible glimpse into his life.

Cumulative: 9.125

This movie gets classified in its own category, it definitely does not fit in any box I can possibly think of to put it in.

27 Dresses (2008)

Directed by: Anne Fletcher

Starring: Katherine Heigl, James Marsden

The first movie of the night was ladies choice and of course the only way I would have ever gotten to see my movie was to sit through this. This movie provided all the excitement of watching paint dry, but I made it through and there were a couple redeeming qualities.

Acting / Dialogue (5): Absolutely average and I definitely feel like Heigl mailed this one in. The script was cliche ridden and I'm not sure there was an original thought in the entire film.

Cinematography / Effects / Music (5.5): The soundtrack is slightly above average, but again nothing new is brought to the table unless of course you want to count the 27 dresses detailed by the title.

Plot Originality / Effectiveness (5): Absolutely predictable from start to finish. With a nice little bow tie placed on the end of the film to make all the girls swoon.

Viewing Experience (4): Outside of a 30 second bar scene where Heigl puts her own spin on the lyrics to Elton John's Benny and the Jets it was really bad.

Cumulative: 4.875