Okay, I was actually expecting less from the film, but I'm actually impressed by it. I watched it through Amazon.com, since, apparently, the movie had limited screening, and to my knowledge, was only shown in California and Florida. O___O Anyways, the movie seemed abit boring in the beginning. The movie dived into the book pretty quick. Like, it started off near the middle of the book, and excluded any 'minor action' that happened in the book. And alot of characters were excluded too, like Armelio, some of the doctors/other patients, his pet dogs, and etc. And I don't want to sound like a racist but they made Dr.Minerva black in the movie! She was clearly a lightly tanned Greek woman, as stated in the first few pages of the novel.
Anyways... onto analyzing the movie in a more 'film term wise' way.
There were multiple scenes in the movie where Craig would narrate over a still picture. For example, the first time this occured in the movie, was right before he landed in the ocean jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge, explaining that he would normally wake up sweating at this point (obviously, it was some sort of nightmare he was going through/explaining). This happens mostly when Craig is talking about his friends, Aaron, Nia, his family (mother, father, 'brainiac' little sister and etc.). I think its a cool little effect, though I'm sure I've seen it in other movies before.
Also, there were scenes like 'fantasies' throughout the movie. Like when he is put to do vocals/sing for a 'Musical Discovery' activity, all the patients turn into rockstars!, complete with mohawks, tight pants, and a whole lotta emotion! XD It's great, really. It takes the ordinary activity of music to a WHOLE/ENTIERLY new level.
Back to the overall 'theme' of the movie: It seemed pretty boring in the beginning, I thought the movie would be worse though. GLADLY, it wasn't. It got more fun to the end. BUT, now that I think about it, it kind of relates to Craig's condition, it starts of 'sucking', and ends up alright by the end of his 5-day stay at Argenon Hospital/the end of the novel/movie. To my surprise, Craig didn't seem as akward as I thought he would be (*see my post on the reviews this film had for a reference*). All of the actors were great, and they played their roles very well. I would suggest more justice to the other patients at the Phsyc Hospital but whatever, tell that to the director/producer of the film.
The movie could have done a better job of 'telling Ned's story', but hey, screen time is limited, and movie makers have budgets. Watch the movie! You'll enjoy it. It has a little bit of everything: Insanity, Happiness, Sadness, Hope, and whatever else you'd expect in a movie thats 'Kind of a Funny Story'. The movie is avaliable on Amazon.com to buy/rent/view online, or you can always contact your local bootlegger and make some connections. Enjoy! :D
Here's some links from Amazon.com if you're interested in watching the movie the 'legal way', and without having to take a trip to California or Florida.
DVD: http://www.amazon.com/Kind-Funny-Story-Zach-Galifianakis/dp/B0034G4OZE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1298694693&sr=8-1-spell
Blu-Ray: http://www.amazon.com/Its-Kind-Funny-Story-Blu-ray/dp/B0034G4OZO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1298694693&sr=8-2-spell
As always, HAVE FUN!!! :D
Monday, February 21, 2011
IKOAFS Book Post #3: Pgs. 276- 444
Summary:
ALOT happens in this chunk of the novel. Craig hooks up with Noelle, heck, he even hooks up with Nia! He makes friends, breaks friends, and decides he wants to transfer to a school for art. Why? During one of the art activities/workshops he attended, Craig had an art-block, and Noelle told him to draw something from his childhood, this reminds him of the maps he used to make as a kid/child. He realises, these maps are his escape, his Anchor. They make him feel happy, accomplished. Long story short, he realises why he should't kill himself, and he leaves the hospital with many friends, hoping to return as a voluneer during 'Musical Discovery', to help patients like his friend and former-tour guide, Bobby, or his roommate, Muqtada, who barely gets out of bed. He is starting his life anew, and from now on, its a straight road to success, even if it doesn't mean going to Manhattan's Executive Pre-Professional High School.
Quote:
I feel my stomach and liver and all that mushy stuff that's in there handling food, happy to be back in use. But most of all I feel my brain, up there taking in blood and looking out on the world and noticing humor and light and smells and dogs and every other think in the world-- everything in my life is all in my brain, really, so it would be natural that when my brain was screwed up, everything in my life would be.
I feel my brain on top of my spine and I feel it shift a little bit to the left.
That's it. It happens in my brain once the rest of my body has moved. I don't know where my brain went. It got knocked off-kilter somewhere. It got caught up in some crap it couldn't deal with. But now it's back-- connected to my spine and ready to take charge.
Jeez, why was I trying to kill myself?
It's a huge thing, this Shift, just as big as I imagined. My brain doesn't want to think anymore; all of a sudden it wants to do.
Run. Eat. Drink. Eat more. ------ Take these verbs and enjoy them. They're yours, Craig. You deserve them because you chose them. You could have left them all behind but you chose to stay here.
So now live for real, Craig. Live. Live. Live. Live. Live (Vizzini 442-444).
Reaction:
I'm glad he got out a-ok! XD I was expecting a full recovery (even though he still isn't fully cured, and could fall back into being depressed any minute/moment), but this novel went out with a bang. I love the final few pages of the novel too. It's like a 'lesson learned' kind of thing. Craig finally got the 'Shift' he was eagerly waiting for, and he now realizes that it would be dumb to ever think about killing yourself, nevertheless trying to kill yourself, because you would be missing out on life; Love, happiness, adventure, and etc. Great novel. More teens should read this book. I know, that just like the book, school pressures kids, and makes them depressed or whatever. This book would be kind of like the book Craig read before he called the Suicide Hotline, which saved his life. How to Survive the Loss of a Love. Hopefully this book will help others survive, and heal themselves, too.
ALOT happens in this chunk of the novel. Craig hooks up with Noelle, heck, he even hooks up with Nia! He makes friends, breaks friends, and decides he wants to transfer to a school for art. Why? During one of the art activities/workshops he attended, Craig had an art-block, and Noelle told him to draw something from his childhood, this reminds him of the maps he used to make as a kid/child. He realises, these maps are his escape, his Anchor. They make him feel happy, accomplished. Long story short, he realises why he should't kill himself, and he leaves the hospital with many friends, hoping to return as a voluneer during 'Musical Discovery', to help patients like his friend and former-tour guide, Bobby, or his roommate, Muqtada, who barely gets out of bed. He is starting his life anew, and from now on, its a straight road to success, even if it doesn't mean going to Manhattan's Executive Pre-Professional High School.
Quote:
I feel my stomach and liver and all that mushy stuff that's in there handling food, happy to be back in use. But most of all I feel my brain, up there taking in blood and looking out on the world and noticing humor and light and smells and dogs and every other think in the world-- everything in my life is all in my brain, really, so it would be natural that when my brain was screwed up, everything in my life would be.
I feel my brain on top of my spine and I feel it shift a little bit to the left.
That's it. It happens in my brain once the rest of my body has moved. I don't know where my brain went. It got knocked off-kilter somewhere. It got caught up in some crap it couldn't deal with. But now it's back-- connected to my spine and ready to take charge.
Jeez, why was I trying to kill myself?
It's a huge thing, this Shift, just as big as I imagined. My brain doesn't want to think anymore; all of a sudden it wants to do.
Run. Eat. Drink. Eat more. ------ Take these verbs and enjoy them. They're yours, Craig. You deserve them because you chose them. You could have left them all behind but you chose to stay here.
So now live for real, Craig. Live. Live. Live. Live. Live (Vizzini 442-444).
Reaction:
I'm glad he got out a-ok! XD I was expecting a full recovery (even though he still isn't fully cured, and could fall back into being depressed any minute/moment), but this novel went out with a bang. I love the final few pages of the novel too. It's like a 'lesson learned' kind of thing. Craig finally got the 'Shift' he was eagerly waiting for, and he now realizes that it would be dumb to ever think about killing yourself, nevertheless trying to kill yourself, because you would be missing out on life; Love, happiness, adventure, and etc. Great novel. More teens should read this book. I know, that just like the book, school pressures kids, and makes them depressed or whatever. This book would be kind of like the book Craig read before he called the Suicide Hotline, which saved his life. How to Survive the Loss of a Love. Hopefully this book will help others survive, and heal themselves, too.
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