One of the great things that happens to students at Ohio University, is the access to newly released movies for free at our student center. Just a couple of weeks ago, an Oscar Award winning movie event was given, where a few of the Academy Award winning movies from 2009 were shown. I went to see The Reader and Revolutionary Road.
It was an absolutely moving experience.
The Reader is a movie about love, lust, and Nazi war crimes. Sound unusual? Maybe it was, but it was certainly beautiful. I have never seen a movie that held so much emotional depth, and so much historical meaning. Starring Kate Winslet, the movie held my interest until the very end. I loved how it switched back and forth so the audience could see the character lives progress, slowly discovering secrets and learning about the hidden lives of the main characters.
While Kate Winslet won the Oscar for her role, the young man named David Kross who played the main character Michael Berg, as a young boy, was a real star in my eyes. His performance was stellar.
Completely flipping sides, Revolutionary Road was probably the complete opposite of The Reader but just as great.
This movie also starred Kate Winslet, but also brought along Leonardo DiCaprio, reuniting the lovely pair from Titanic. This is what had drawn me to see the movie, but when I saw how their relationship differed in this movie, I was shocked.
Instead of a lustful, crazy-in-love relationship like Rose and Jack had been a part of, Frank and Alice's relationship in Revolutionary Road was cold and bitter, showing the cracks in a marriage during the 1950's, where it was incorrect to look human. Instead Frank and Alice felt the need to be the perfect family, the perfect spouses, and the perfect people. All the while, they struggled to find the real meaning in their lives, ending with a stunning series of scenes that everyone should see.
Overall, both movies were wonderful. Very different...but very meaningful. I'm usually a sucker for romantic comedies, but I have a newfound respect for serious dramas. They can really deliver a message and I fully believe that they have the power to change lives. I am definitely going to be watching more dramas in my future, and suggest that everybody do the same. They may not be the happiest, but they almost always deliver a strong message.
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