Precious

I’ve been dragged by no good friends to watch movies I did not have the inclination to watch, this has been a burden on my movie watchin' soul for a while and it is time, it is time to say what i thought about these no good flicks that have taken 90 minutes of my life. (you would have to imagine me saying the previous in Precious' mother or Sophia from colour purple's voice). It’s Complicated is one of the movies, and Precious is the other. No pleasant surprises in both.

Isn’t it weird how they refer to the movie? In all the award shows I’ve seen so far, they don’t just say Monique for Precious, it’s always: Monique for Precious, based on a book Push by Sapphire. For what? For What?

So yes, went to go see Precious today and my instincts were right. It is depressing. Monique was good but the story is just so horrible and demented with demented characters.

Which brings me to our favourite topic Heartwarmer, here is another ‘black’ movie showing 'black' characters in the worst light and they are being recognised for it? Is this all that we do well? Play abusive people? Drug dealers? Slaves? Bad cops? Black men who drive old crusty white ladies around? Demented dictators of African countries?

Oh no, there is some light at the end of the tunnel because we have, our Madiba, our saviour, our claim to fame. Morgan Freeman has also gotten some recognition for his portrayal of Nelson Mandela in Invictous. So it is not all lost.

I’ve realised that the key to award recognition (other than shameless lobbying) is to speak to the theme of the current time. To speak to what the 'collective conscious' is experiencing and award shows will recognise. Good examples, Hurt Locker, Iwo Jima, they all spoke to what the west thought of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Michael Clayton? Corporate advancement at all cost, preceding devastating financial crisis? Up in the air? Financial crisis consequences? Which is why It’s Complicated, spits in America’s face because, who the hell has so much money and is renovating when the property market is in the toilet and banks aren’t giving out loans for frivolous home improvements.

I am rambling. Back to Precious. I did not fall asleep. And I did not cry. Mind you it’s not hard to make be cry. Given my biological clock ticking and all, I find that I cry very easily these days, especially when it comes to children. Precious did not unfortunately touch me in that way.

There are good performances. Look out for Mariah Carey and Lenny Kravitz as never seen before. Mariah looks like she woke up from a deep sleep and immediately afterwards did her scenes. She was not bad though. Lenny has a weird thing going on with his one eye. I think he has a lazy eye, but he still comes across as supper sexy.

I give Precious, based on a book Push by sapphire, 3 spoons.