Jason KingSeven Pounds ($15-)
January 10th 2009 10:24
Category: No Category
Seven Pounds ($15-)
seven pounds = 3.17514659 kilograms. Seven Pounds sounds so much nicer than 3.17514659 Kilograms and for once I am glad the U.S. has refused to go metric.
An IRS agent with a fateful secret embarks on an extraordinary journey of redemption by forever changing the lives of seven strangers.
This film is so beautiful in every way. It is like a sonnet, a heartbreaking violin solo that takes deep emotion to new levels. It requires tissues and people ready for a true dramatic tale of woe. Will Smith is sensational and as Sean said (friend I watched film with), "if Will Smith and Rosario Dawson don't get academy award nominations................The Dark Knight can go to hell". Well said Sean. Truly this film has rare moments of joy, but when it does it rips your heart in pieces. We were all mesmerised from moment zero. The second Will Smith enters the screen he holds you present for the duration, easily his best dramatic work. It's the same director as The Pursuit of Happyness, Gabriele Muccino, but they both excel beyond that film with this. If you thought Pursuit grabbed your heart then get ready to have it ripped out of your chest. It is told so simply, with little need to explain to the audience in over detail what is happening - the film and characters do that themselves. For a long time coming these are characters you care about, what happens to them is important to you and the chemistry between Will and Rosario is hynoptic. The pain they feel resonated through the entire cinema - even the asshole that spoke on his mobile in the movie that nearly created an attack of senior citizens proportions shut up once his brain worked out what was happening.
I don't want to say much about the story - the film is about discovery of the actual story and to give anything away would be rude and contain spoilers. The film could not be read better, this is a fine film on every level and the three of us that watched could not find fault in anything about the film - only 2 things annoyed me, one I will mention in italics after my final score as it actually does contain a major spoiler and one was that for a scientoligist does not the very first line of the trailer seem odd "in seven days god created earth". OK - Will is flawless in this but it did register with us as slightly funny.
The sound in this film is also so well utilised. Most things are quiet - and this brings a sublte tone to the film - even the Muse's best ever cover Nina Simone's Feeling Good is played softly muffled to only provide another emotion - not to add a filmclip to a feature film. Great use of this medium!
To be honest this film is so beautiful it won't be for everyone, maturity is required to grasp the emotion and teenagers that expect things from Will Smith may be sorely disappointed. This one is for gorwn ups, take your mum, your parents. Retirees grab your friends, this is the one!! Worth $15-. WATCH IT
NOW BELOW THIS LINE EVERYTHING IN ITALICS IS A SPOILER, READ IT IF YOU HAVE SEEN THE FILM OR IF YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT FINDING OUT SOMETHING MAJOR.
The only other thing I was curious about was that I thought a person who had been brought to the point of death by being stung by a box jellyfish (the world's most deadliest creature) would not be able to donate the major body organ due to being toxic with poison. I spoke to a good friend of mine who has just become a doctor and asked his opinion - this is his belief.
seven pounds = 3.17514659 kilograms. Seven Pounds sounds so much nicer than 3.17514659 Kilograms and for once I am glad the U.S. has refused to go metric.
An IRS agent with a fateful secret embarks on an extraordinary journey of redemption by forever changing the lives of seven strangers.
This film is so beautiful in every way. It is like a sonnet, a heartbreaking violin solo that takes deep emotion to new levels. It requires tissues and people ready for a true dramatic tale of woe. Will Smith is sensational and as Sean said (friend I watched film with), "if Will Smith and Rosario Dawson don't get academy award nominations................The Dark Knight can go to hell". Well said Sean. Truly this film has rare moments of joy, but when it does it rips your heart in pieces. We were all mesmerised from moment zero. The second Will Smith enters the screen he holds you present for the duration, easily his best dramatic work. It's the same director as The Pursuit of Happyness, Gabriele Muccino, but they both excel beyond that film with this. If you thought Pursuit grabbed your heart then get ready to have it ripped out of your chest. It is told so simply, with little need to explain to the audience in over detail what is happening - the film and characters do that themselves. For a long time coming these are characters you care about, what happens to them is important to you and the chemistry between Will and Rosario is hynoptic. The pain they feel resonated through the entire cinema - even the asshole that spoke on his mobile in the movie that nearly created an attack of senior citizens proportions shut up once his brain worked out what was happening.
I don't want to say much about the story - the film is about discovery of the actual story and to give anything away would be rude and contain spoilers. The film could not be read better, this is a fine film on every level and the three of us that watched could not find fault in anything about the film - only 2 things annoyed me, one I will mention in italics after my final score as it actually does contain a major spoiler and one was that for a scientoligist does not the very first line of the trailer seem odd "in seven days god created earth". OK - Will is flawless in this but it did register with us as slightly funny.
The sound in this film is also so well utilised. Most things are quiet - and this brings a sublte tone to the film - even the Muse's best ever cover Nina Simone's Feeling Good is played softly muffled to only provide another emotion - not to add a filmclip to a feature film. Great use of this medium!
To be honest this film is so beautiful it won't be for everyone, maturity is required to grasp the emotion and teenagers that expect things from Will Smith may be sorely disappointed. This one is for gorwn ups, take your mum, your parents. Retirees grab your friends, this is the one!! Worth $15-. WATCH IT
NOW BELOW THIS LINE EVERYTHING IN ITALICS IS A SPOILER, READ IT IF YOU HAVE SEEN THE FILM OR IF YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT FINDING OUT SOMETHING MAJOR.
The only other thing I was curious about was that I thought a person who had been brought to the point of death by being stung by a box jellyfish (the world's most deadliest creature) would not be able to donate the major body organ due to being toxic with poison. I spoke to a good friend of mine who has just become a doctor and asked his opinion - this is his belief.
The only major organs such as a heart, lungs, kidney etc that are fit to be donated are when the organ actually never stops at all. For example, in a car crash where the person is dead at the scene, the heart wouldn't be viable. However, if the person still has a heart beat and they are taken to hospital but declared brain dead then that heart is still beating and may be suitable. I'm not sure if the effect of box jellyfish toxin would actually mean the heart was damaged but it is "cardio-toxic", all this really means to me is that it stops the heart, not necessarily ruins it. The main thing is that any period after blood has stopped pumping is time for the cells of that organ to die and probably make it unsuitable for transplant.
. Therefor in my opinion based on my friend's this is possible and feasible in the film - therefor me pacified. Yay!| 63 |
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Comment by Morgan Bell
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Comment by Cheryl J
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One thing I will ask though, the friend that really wants to see it with me recently suffered a bereavement, should we wait for the DVD to watch it? Do you think it would be too emotional to sit through in a cinema for someone who is still fragile?
Just thought I'd ask because it sounds like it's a very sad film.
Comment by Wilson Pon
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So, we're mostly won't be disappointed, when the film/movie is casting by Will Smith!
Comment by Jason King
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Good idea Cheryl - it is definately worth seeing and getting the surprises as you should and not by reading them in my blog. In regards to now or DVD - I would say watch it now. It is very very sad and I don't think time will lessen its impact. But it does deal with death and losing people so I leave it up to you. It could also be a release from the grief of your friend's loss and could prove therapeutic.
Wilson - pretty spot on. He has been in mostly great films but some of them have flopped. While I liked I Am Legend - the last 15mins was totally crap and ruined it for me. But I will always try and see everything he is in when released.
Thanks for the comments guys and gals - have a great day!!
Comment by MelGee
Hi Jason,
I used to be an organ donor coordinator and scoffed at this film when I heard what is was about. Like the film 'Awake', organ donation in this situation is pure fiction. Fatal poisoning would likely cause multi-organ failure, rendering organs unusable, plus it's highly unlikely that brain death would occur (without an actual brain injury). Donation of tissues such as corneas, heart valves, skin, bones maybe, but this is not nearly as glamourous for Hollywood. Am I being too cynical?
Comment by Jason King
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Not at all Mel - this was my one question for the film and it was the only thing I thought was unfeasable. My newly Dr friend seemed to think it all made sense as long as heart was pumping and there was brain death. The only way around I thought was if the toxins from Box Jellyfish are neurotoxins?? Just a thought - I am in no way medically trained. However my concern was that the toxins entered the bloodstreem hence delivering posion to everything.
Thanks heaps for more info on this and for visiting. Organ donor coordinator would have been a an interesting job.
Comment by MelGee
Hi Jason, This is an interesting debate. I do agree with your friend that brain death could occur in this instance, but it's unlikely to occur without affecting everying else in the meantime, as you suggested. Organs are incredibly assessed for their health prior to being considered for organ retrieval. If the cause of death is a neuro-toxin, the entire nervous system would be affected, not just the brain, hence there'd be a knock-on effect to all body organs causing multi-organ failure. I'm trying my hardest to believe it's possible to be an organ donor in this situtation, but I don't believe any transplant team would ever accept any organs from such a donor - and unless there are recipents an organ retrieval doesn't go ahead.
Comment by Jason King
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The transplant happens so quick - they hardly assess anything (Hollywood). At least there was a pre researched recipient from Mr Smith.
Even though it is typical Hollywood and hard to stretch this part of the film, the way it is told is so beautiful. Have you seen it? If not I would love to know your opinion of the film
Thanks again for your info and comments. I have wanted to discuss this part since I saw it!
Comment by MelGee
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My only advice - avoid The Day the Earth Stood Still if that's on your list.
Comment by MelGee
I really enjoyed this film. Thanks for the tickets. Whilst the ending was completely implausible, it was a beautiful story which had me in tears several times!
Mel
Comment by Jason King
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