Nothing keeps Steampunk Granny down and out, except a
nasty, nasty cold. All my plans for a fun filled beautiful summer day derailed,
I spent my time on my sofa alternating between long bouts of a drug induced
slumber (prescribed) and watching films. Luckily, I was able to watch two never
before seen (by me) films. They were both a pleasant surprise as I had never
seen upcoming trailers for either one. Did they help poor Granny forget her
misery?
The Giver
This 2014 film was directed by Phillip Noyce and was
based on the 1993 novel of the same name by Lois Lowry. It stared Brenton
Thwaites, Odeya Rush, Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep, Katie Holmes and, to my
surprise, True Blood’s very own Viking vampire Alexander Skarsgard. Yeah Team
Eric!
Plot
In the not too distant future, the survivors of an
unnamed disaster are resettled in communities where all past memories have been
removed and the people drugged in order to make them docile. Everyone is taught
proper manners and speech and all conflict is forbidden. From the moment of
birth, a person’s life is planned out for them. Teenagers are assigned to lifelong
careers on the day of graduation. Only one person holds all the memories and
records of what life was like before the “The Ruin” and now he must take in a
new apprentice to train.
Not everything is as peachy fine as you would expect
in such a hassle free Utopia, and not everyone conforms. Jonas (Brenton
Thwaites) is one of these non-conformists. Jonas has been assigned the job of Receiver
of Memories. He is to learn about all past memories from The Giver (Jeff
Bridges). People who disobey or infants that fail to thrive are sent to
Elsewhere.
As Jonas learns about emotions, good and bad, his
father (Alexander Skarsgard) takes pity on a baby who is failing to thrive and
brings the infant home with the hopes of a second chance. If the baby does not
thrive, he will be killed. Jonas, against the rules, shares what he’s learned
about emotions with the baby boy and the girl that he loves, Fiona (Odeya
Rush).
Conclusion
Jonas has one chance to save the baby that he bonded
with, but it means his traveling into dangerous territory. Will Jonas succeed? Will
Fiona be executed? You can catch this little gem on Demand.
Miss Meadows
This is a 2014 film directed by Karen Leigh Hopkins
and staring Katie Holmes, James Badge Dale, Callan Mulvey and Stephen Bishop.
Plot
This is a vigilante film with a twist. Katie Holmes
plays the part of Miss Mary Meadows, a first-grade teacher who is the pinnacle of
prim and proper. Miss Meadows is loved by everyone in town. She is soft spoken
and generally interested in what goes on in her neighborhood and with her
students. Miss Meadows wears 50’s style clothing, white gloves and tap shoes
and, she is a dutiful daughter who calls her mother every day.
When bad people begin to pile up in the local
morgue, the sheriff (James Badge Dale) becomes suspicious of, but also falls in
love with the teacher. Their one time sexual encounter leaves our teacher
pregnant. Miss Meadows becomes alarmed when an ex-con moves into her
neighborhood. She starts tracking Skylar’s (Callan Mulvey) movements to make
sure no harm will come to her students.
As the sheriff and deputies try to trace the gun
that is used in all the killings not knowing that the weapon is in Miss Meadows’
stylish purse, we learn of the events that led the teacher to take the law into
her own hands.
Conclusion
I think you should definitely see this film for the
surprise ending. Katie Holmes, who is now sans Tom Cruise, was amazing as Miss
Meadows and, I’m happy that I got to see her in back to back films.
As to my question, did the films help me forget the misery of my nasty cold? Yes! If you have to be stuck in the house, these two films definitely did the job, but you don't have to be sick to watch them. Both get a four star **** rating from me.
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