Never Let Me Go

Never Let Me Go is an adaptation of the novel of the same title written by Kazuo Ishiguro, I had hoped to read if before the movie was released but it came quicker than I expected and felt the need to see it immediately. The story begins with three friends Kathy (Carey Mulligan), Tommy (Andrew Garfield) and Ruth (Keira Knightley) at their childhood "boarding school" Helshaim on the English countryside where everything seems perfect and picturesque and follows them through young adulthood after their cruel fate has been shared with them and the boundaries of love and friendship are tested and in some cases crossed.

I thought that the casting choices were done well in this film, we get to see slightly different sides of Carey Mulligan and Andrew Garfield (a drastic shift from his portrayal of Eduardo Saverin in the Social Network) and would not be surprised if Mulligan was nominated for another Academy Award this year for her role. The cinematography was also very well done, the colors and landscapes lead you to think that the story takes place in 1960-70s England possibly, yet at the same time we see the characters passing electronic wristbands over beeping devices that would only seem to exist in present time or the future even which ads to the mystery. I really liked Never Let Me Go, a heartfelt story with a dark undertone that gives the film just enough of a twist without killing the story and still has enough room to leave you seriously contemplating if youre doing all that you can with the time you have here.

Never Let Me Go
Released 2010
Directed by Mark Romanek
Adapted from the novel "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishoguro

"Are we still the good guys?"- The Road

I had been looking forward to The Road for a while mainly for its bleak dark look. I enjoyed it overall but didnt love it, although some scenes really stuck with me as a photographer. I think it was a hard movie to do in the first place because of the following the book has, and also because with a book it is so much easier to put yourself into the characters shoes as well as stir up your nerves with your own imagination.

I cant imagine anyone else playing the lead, Viggo Mortenson was a good choice and the kid who played his son was not bad. Im sure one common complaint with the movie is wanting to know "what happened?", how did the world turn into this grey, bleak place in what seemed like a relatively short amount of time. At the same time, in the long run it doesnt matter whats happened just that theyre supposed to keep going even though it seems pointless and tough try to be the good guys. A lesson for life? I guess so. I think the movie got itself sidetracked with trying to be mainstream and action packed when the main story is about a man trying to raise a good son in a world that has fallen apart. You still get that from the film but not as much as we could have, it feels like hes preparing his son to survive not necessarily to be a good person as they try to emphasize in a lot of ways.