Hey Party People! (Or, Netflix and Chill people?)
I love movies. If it was socially acceptable to lay on the couch all day and watch movies, I would. My son wishes I would give in to this proclivity more. He inherited my movie mania.
Once a week, I’m going to do a straight shootin’ movie review that quickly let’s you know whether this movie is for you or not. I’ll lay out the summary, mood of the film (or the mood it will put you in,) food pairing ideas, drink ideas, the ideal company for the cinematic journey, and the general pros and cons.
The film choices will be a mix of adult movies (not the dirty ones), kid films, old films, and new films. Gone With The Wind, Titanic, and Lonesome Dove may eventually make it on the list because I want an excuse to make my husband watch them with me- thanks!
Here goes.
First stop, The Revenant.
Starring my first love Leo, this film is big on visual splendor and realistic gore, is packed with underlying social commentary, and only speaks when it has something really important to say.
Summary: The movie follows frontiersman Hugh Glass in 1823 as he explores the United States with a hunting team who leave him for dead after he suffers a brutal bear attack. He pulls himself from the dead to track one particular individual who deeply betrayed him. The movie also shines light on the injustices Indigenous peoples and communities have suffered.
Mood: If you’re in the mood for a heart-wrenching, brutal, awe-inspiring, graphic, and moving experience, this is the film for you. This movie will make you feel- bring some tissue.
Food: This is a meat and potatoes type of movie. Grab your hamburger (or veggie burger!), potatoes wedges, and a kale salad for good measure and enjoy the dark ride.
Drink: If you want to do as the frontiersman would do, throw back some beer or whiskey. And have a side of ginger ale in case some of the scenes make you queasy.
Company: This is no “chick flick.” Grab your partner, or your buddy who enjoys deep, dark, and gritty films to hold your hand through this experience.
Yays!: I want to bow down to the cinematographer of this film- it is GORGEOUS. They even make the blood and horse innards look beautiful. And Leo is of course beautiful, even beaten and battered.
Nays: There will be moments you’ll be inclined to close your eyes. They don’t hide the blood and violence that was laced through the collisions of Indigenous peoples and the new settlers. This violence serves a powerful purpose in that it fully immerses you in the danger of the wild these men were traversing, but can be difficult to stomach.
Bailey Gaddis Blog 