Announcing: The Greater Good Blogathon!

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to forever alter the course of cinema as we know it. You have the opportunity to wipe one film from the history books entirely. Our unique time-blending technology has created a wormhole through which you can simply delete the existence of any film ever made. However, you should not underestimate the sheer power that comes along with such a decision. Even the tiniest of ripples could mutate our understanding of cinema as we know it. So, what will you do? What careers will you make or break in the process? The time for your decision is at hand.

WHEN: SUNDAY JULY 24, 2011
WHERE: YOUR BLOG (and mine)
WHAT TO POST?

1. The Movie You Destroyed
2. Your Intended Outcome
3. The Actual Result

Email links to your blog posts to lifeinequinox@gmail.com

Note: Blogger users, if you need help figuring out what your link will be ahead of time, let me know and I'll see what I can do.

It's a Morality Thing

Do Filmmakers Have a Moral Responsibility? Such is the question posed to us by blogger extraordinaires Ronan of Filmplicity and Julian of Dirty With Class. At first, I thought this seemed a rather simple question. Duh, of course they do. Regardless of whether or not they like it, or feel the need to act upon, all human beings have a responsibility to be 'moral' - you know, as long as they prefer their world with a little bit less fire and brimstone.

Then, I thought about it. What does it really mean to have a 'moral responsibility' anyways? Well, at least with respect to publicly present artistic methods. It's an interesting dilemma. On the one hand, there really is no single thing as 'morality.' For the most part we all agree on a core group of dos and don'ts, but there's hardly consensus. Not to mention the dreadful confusion people experience on a daily basis - unable (or unwilling) to accept that moral can represent something greater.

Morality encapsulates a wide range of ideas, beliefs, and notions. Some are seemingly built on nature, while others tend towards nurtured perception (this is where you beg me to avoid a Deontology vs. Consequentialism rant). So, with all that hullabaloo going on, the question of moral certainty becomes rather vague. Movies have the potential to expose our greatest flaws, or inspire our highest form of social decency. But no matter how you slice it, interpretation and personal believe is going to muck up the joint.

Heck, even a film as seemingly innocent as Wall-E received heavy backlash from certain groups for pushing a 'liberal anti-capitalism agenda.' Of course, to a less shocking extent, when 300 came out it was blacklisted by anti-violence groups. When Milk came out it was hit by anti-homosexual groups. It's an ongoing parade of sporadic anti-ism that passes as moral certainty, and is more self-fulfilling superiority with a vague idea of what it means to be moral. Then again, who among us really knows how to be moral without debate?

The only real event that film's often (enough) portray that seems to retain a consistent reception is rape. As touchy a subject as there ever was, but on the whole people look down on any film that portrays such an act in either a positive (i.e. she 'enjoyed' it) light, or fails to enact some real level of justice against the perpetrator. Even then, the more vehement activists get, so seems to get the steadfast apologists and defenders.

So, perhaps the real crux of the question is "can filmmakers be truly 'moral.'" In all honesty, probably not. In recent years the fine line between moral righteousness and moral wrongness has become increasingly vague. Movies have the potential to explore the darkest depths of morality, and leave it to the viewer to decide what is right and what is wrong. Movies like Gone Baby Gone present ambiguous moral decisions and each viewer interprets and embraces/rebukes/contemplates the film's decisions as they see fit.

Sure, people like to debate about the 'awesomeness' of ideological killers like Jigsaw, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a legion of followers enacting their ways. Same things go for movies like the Fast and Furious series. There's a disconnect, and while some like to cry about an increasing loss of real-world awareness, it's still there. The real challenge is, will the disconnect remain? Especially when you factor in the one seemingly indestructible force in the universe - 'coolness.'

If you can sell something as cool, people will inevitably try and do it. So, we find ourselves at an impasse. Yes, filmmakers have a responsibility to be aware of the potential consequences of the morals they purvey. But at the same time, people have a responsibility to know the difference between right and wrong - even if that requires the admittance that in some scenarios there is no right and wrong.

A Life in Movies

Tired of these yet? Feeling as if reading one more will slowly deprive you of the very essence of your being? Well have no fear, because there are still dozens more to be read! But of course, what would the world be like without Univarn's participation? Probably just fine, but that's neither here nor there. So toss on your top hat, get your very best jig ready, and prepare for A Life in Equinox's A LIFE IN MOVIES!

1987 - The Untouchables: Because when the going get tough, Sean Connery's Irish accent is all that can save humanity.

1988 - Grave of the Fireflies: Because real men cry just as easily as imaginary men.

1989 - Glory: Because I must perform years of penance for forgetting this movie during a crucial moment. Oh, and I think it's one of the finest films ever made.

1990 - Home Alone: Because as a kid I watched the HELL out of this movie. Wait, what do I mean 'as a kid?'

1991- Silence of the Lambs: Because sometimes I like to sit around and think 'hey, cannibals are just misunderstood.' Then I remember this movie and think.... nevermind.

1992 - Unforgiven: Because Gene Hackman 'ain't nuthin' but a g thang.' You know, I feel dirty for writing that. I think I need to go cry now.

1993 - Schindler's List: Because if anyone ever tells you that black and white doesn't have style, this is the movie you show them

1994 - The Lion King: Because this year sucks. Well, at least for this list. So many great movies came out this year. However, only one had the voice of a God - James Earl Jones, you complete me.

1995 - The Usual Suspects: Because sometimes when I develop a limp, I begin to wonder if perhaps I'm a super villain.

1996 - Trainspotting: Because Ewan McGregor, Jonny Lee Miller, Ewen Bremner, Kevin McKidd, and Robert Carlyle would make for a killer boy band.

1997 - Men in Black: Because I'm willing to forget the second installment if you are.

1998 - Saving Private Ryan: Because sometimes, war can like, so totally suck, yah know? Honestly, because this movie is amazing.

1999 - The Matrix: Because those feckers keep stealing my damn spoon! No spoon my ass, it was there a moment ago and then 'poof,' gone!

2000 - Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Because this is the movie that introduced me to asian cinema, and life has never been the same sense.

2001 - Spirited Away: Because Miyazaki is my lord and savior. I pay homage to him on Sundays because I'm awesome that way.

2002 - The Pianist: Because emotional journeys transcend time and music... or something like that.

2003 - Lord of the Rings: Return of the King: Because if you don't know why this is on my list, you obviously don't know me very well.

2004 - Million Dollar Baby: Because even if lots of people like to hate on this movie, I won't. To me, this is just an all around great movie.

2005 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Because up until this point, I was not yet sold on the validity of the Harry Potter films as passable entertainment. Granted, it must also lose points for bringing 'he who shall not be named' into the public zeitgeist... and I don't mean Voldemort.

2006 - Children of Men: Because from the opening credits to the closing credits, I'm hooked like Charlie Sheen at a meth convention every time.

2007 - There Will Be Blood: Because the fact that light doesn't shine out of the ass of Daniel Day Lewis while he's doing this performance is a plague upon all our films.

2008 - Wall-E: Because if I didn't have at least one Pixar film on the list, I'm 100% certain there would be a riot. Droves of people would charge along the hills screaming violently and calling for my removal from blogging... and I don't want that.

2009 - Moon: Because when Science Fiction is right, Science Fiction is awesome. And no, the Syfy channel doesn't know a thing about science fiction. They just think it's crappy monsters.

2010 - 127 Hours: Because tales of humans overcoming great odds to survive in extreme circumstances far too often get relegated to 'background' stories while TV wastes time talking about Reality TV stars and the worst members of our society.

2011 - TBD: Because one should always be open for the next film that may just take your heart.

Have a great Sunday everybody! And be sure you check out all the other wonderful posts at Fandango Groovers!