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Film & BooksIssue: cancer 08

Son of Rambow

A quirky look at boyhood and film-making in the 1980s, “Son of Rambow” is a welcome diversion from the current deluge of blockbuster remakes and super hero epics in theaters this summer. Written and directed by Garth Jennings and produced by Nick Goldsmith, I like the way this film spins a standard, winning movie formula at a slightly awkward angle.

In this film, two lonely and wayward boys are eventually bound together by blood because of a mutual love of film-making and the discovery of the movie “Rambo.” Lee Carter, lives with his neglectful older brother, Lawrence (Ed Westwick), next to a nursing home. Their parents are perpetually away it seems, and Lee is definitely feeling the pain. However, he has found a way to distract himself from his unhappy life by 1) getting into trouble, and 2) making his own film epic in hopes of winning a contest. Will is a sheltered and fatherless loner whose family belongs to some type of Quaker-esque church that doesn’t allow TV or much outside influence. When the two boys collide at school, it is the character Rambo that ignites Will’s already powerful imagination and begins his film-making adventure with Lee, his first real friend.

The boys then embark on a classic journey of commitment and betrayal alongside French foreign exchange students, pop rocks, spiky hair, and painful family situations. The film also gleefully maps out the joys and the pitfalls of the creative process as all the characters in the film are changed forever by the boys’ new obsession. The ending is also extremely satisfying...even though it is not very likely.

If you are looking for something other than standard summer glitzy action, I highly suggest that you give this entertaining, lower-budget film a chance. dots

by Ann JandaSagittarius

Film & Books Archives (total entries: 36)

Aquarius 10

Burma Chronicles

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Aries 08

Three Cups of Tea

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Cancer 10

A Few Good Reads

Now that school is out and summer is here, I cannot wait to relax in the sunshine and enjoy a few good reads. Here is my summer list:

Sagittarius 09

Wild Chickens and Petty Tyrants

This witty, accessible, and concise book will raise the mindfulness of the most stressed out person in mere seconds.

Virgo 09 - The Climate Change Issue

Julie & Julia

Meryl Streep is absolutely mesmerizing in Nora Ephron’s film, Julie & Julia. I was blissfully swept away by her portrayal of Julia Child and the story of her supportive and adoring husband, Paul Child, played by Stanley Tucci.

Taurus 09 - The Garden Issue

Edible Green Mountains

My new favorite food magazine is Edible Green Mountains. Filled with beautiful images and interesting articles about local Vermont growers, retailers, chefs, and food artisans, Edible Green Mountains is a feast for the eyes with plenty of food for thought!

Pisces 2009 - The Movie Issue

Frozen River

A struggling, single mother of two has only one wish for Christmas – to move her family out of a broken-down trailer and into a new double-wide.

Aquarius 09 - The Change Issue

WALL-E

Adorable, funny, and eerily post-apocalyptic, WALL-E is, in short, brilliant, and if you haven’t seen it yet, you must rent this fabulous film made by the Pixar division of Disney.

Capricorn 08 - The Career Issue

Dispatches from the Edge

Though Anderson Cooper has reported on many natural and political disasters across the globe, his response to Hurricane Katrina is what made him famous.

Sagittarius 08 & Honest Self Expression

Rachel Getting Married

Like real life-families who have a member struggling with drug or alcohol addiction, the focus of “Rachel Getting Married” isn’t on Rachel, even though it should be. It is on her narcissistic sister, Kym, who is out of rehab for the weekend to attend Rachel’s wedding.