2008 Woodie Awards
Check it out with Jack and Darcy
Movies you can check out of the library!
Issue date: 10/5/07 Section: Arts and Entertainment
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Jack's Pick
Mysterious Skin PN 1997 .M97847 2005
In keeping with this month's theme (unlike my compatriot Darcy) I've chosen Mysterious Skin, a 2005 film by Gregg Araki, based on a book of the same name by Scott Heim. This movie is a graphic portrayal of the way dark events can have drastic and varied effects on different people. The plot focuses on two teens from Hutchison, Kansas-One, a UFO-obsessed shut-in, the other a hustler tired of the lack of new tricks in town. Brady Corbet plays Brian, whose preoccupation with alien abduction has led him directly to Neil (a shining performance by Joseph Gordon-Levitt). Or, at least, to his house, as Neil has just hopped a bus to New York City to "get out of this dead-end town." Only over the holidays when Neil returns home do the boys realize the extent connection between them.
While I won't reveal the movie's Macguffin, do be warned, readers, that it is quite a dark event that ties these two together. Those with delicate constitutions may wish to choose another movie. That said, the cinematography is perfect, giving an edge to the movie it wouldn't otherwise possess. The pacing is clear, even with an occasional flashback thrown in for fun. The characterizations are spot-on, even if this makes the leads less-than-pleasant people, and the supporting cast is phenomenal. The rural Kansas setting provides a surprisingly accurate depiction of life in the Midwest, and the small town of Hutchison is a nice foil for both Neil's boredom and Brian's isolation.
To conclude, though slow-paced at times, and not full of the lowbrow humor of Wayne's World (which STILL doesn't hold a candle compared to the first SNL skits, or even some of Danny Kaye's comedies-but I digress.), Mysterious Skin is a character study, and quite a good one. Corbett and Gordon-Levitt both do excellent jobs portraying tough roles. Yes, this is a psychological drama, with more focus on who they are than what they must do, excepting the fact that each of them must find salvation in the other, or not at all. The interactions can be a bit rough to watch, but tearing away is even harder. For those of you who choose to tackle it: Good luck!
Mysterious Skin PN 1997 .M97847 2005
In keeping with this month's theme (unlike my compatriot Darcy) I've chosen Mysterious Skin, a 2005 film by Gregg Araki, based on a book of the same name by Scott Heim. This movie is a graphic portrayal of the way dark events can have drastic and varied effects on different people. The plot focuses on two teens from Hutchison, Kansas-One, a UFO-obsessed shut-in, the other a hustler tired of the lack of new tricks in town. Brady Corbet plays Brian, whose preoccupation with alien abduction has led him directly to Neil (a shining performance by Joseph Gordon-Levitt). Or, at least, to his house, as Neil has just hopped a bus to New York City to "get out of this dead-end town." Only over the holidays when Neil returns home do the boys realize the extent connection between them.
While I won't reveal the movie's Macguffin, do be warned, readers, that it is quite a dark event that ties these two together. Those with delicate constitutions may wish to choose another movie. That said, the cinematography is perfect, giving an edge to the movie it wouldn't otherwise possess. The pacing is clear, even with an occasional flashback thrown in for fun. The characterizations are spot-on, even if this makes the leads less-than-pleasant people, and the supporting cast is phenomenal. The rural Kansas setting provides a surprisingly accurate depiction of life in the Midwest, and the small town of Hutchison is a nice foil for both Neil's boredom and Brian's isolation.
To conclude, though slow-paced at times, and not full of the lowbrow humor of Wayne's World (which STILL doesn't hold a candle compared to the first SNL skits, or even some of Danny Kaye's comedies-but I digress.), Mysterious Skin is a character study, and quite a good one. Corbett and Gordon-Levitt both do excellent jobs portraying tough roles. Yes, this is a psychological drama, with more focus on who they are than what they must do, excepting the fact that each of them must find salvation in the other, or not at all. The interactions can be a bit rough to watch, but tearing away is even harder. For those of you who choose to tackle it: Good luck!
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