The Movie "Precious"

[+ Lucky]

So is it wrong that I don't have the slightest desire to see this tale of woe? Is there not enough grief already in the world that we can avoid going to the theater to see more?

 

Just reading the reviews of Precious is enough for me. Yes, this girl had a really horrible time of things and I wish it hadn't happened. But I would really rather see something more cheerful. It's not as though I avoid hearing tales of woe, trust me, I have heard plenty.

 

What I think we are to gleam from this movie is first, the quality of the acting, and second, the resilience of the human spirit. I'll grant that the acting is fabulous, but still don't want to see the movie. But I may be wrong about the second part. Perhaps the movie is so uplifting that it becomes a "must see." Well, I have changed my mind before, so I will read what is posted here about it, but I'd rather read a good book than pay to get depressed.

[+ Billsboy4]

I saw the movie earlier this week and felt the same way as you did going in. Yes, it's a tough movie to watch, but it is so well done and well acted, that I changed my mind on the way out of the theater. The biggest surprise was Mo'Nique who gave an incredible performance of the monster Mother.....who knew she was such a good actress? I say "see it." It will definitely get lots of Oscar buzz. I did not walk out of the depressed.

[Boomer]

Lucky: I understand your feelings. I had to attend a work related screening for "Hotel Rwanda." Very well made movie. Great acting (Don Cheadle). A story that needed to be told, but a relentlessly horrific situation. At one point the person sitting next to me said, "I don't know how much more of this I can take." That being said, I'm glad that I saw the movie, but to see these types of movies I have to be in the right frame of mind. I saw "Shindler's List." I'm glad that I did. Once was enough. Perhaps one day when "Precious" is on HBO or available on DVD you may find yourself in the right frame of mind to watch it. For me it's also the same thing with subtitles. No matter how well the movie is reviewed, sometimes I just don't want to either work or think that hard. I think that these types of socially relevant movies have a small but devoted audience. The story about how "Precious" got made is quite impressive and I'm sure that someday, somehow I'll see it. With Oprah attached that should give the film some heat.

[+ g56whiz]

I was a GI in the Vietnam era who lost too many friends: and it took me decades before I could sit down to watch Dearslayer or Apocalypse Now (and thereby missed the theatrical big screen release of them). Ditto Shindler's List which I watched alone in tears. But perhaps I'm missing some of the amplified catharsis that can occur when experiencing a movie like Precious in a communal setting. I hope I have the courage to try.

[seaboy4hire]

I was a GI in the Vietnam era who lost too many friends: and it took me decades before I could sit down to watch Dearslayer or Apocalypse Now (and thereby missed the theatrical big screen release of them). Ditto Shindler's List which I watched alone in tears. But perhaps I'm missing some of the amplified catharsis that can occur when experiencing a movie like Precious in a communal setting. I hope I have the courage to try.

 

Some movies are best I think viewed at home. It was hard for me to watch SL even thoug I'm not Jewish it still hurts. When I saw SL on the big screen I held back a lot of tears. When I watched it at home I was able to relax & let the flood gates open. I'm out on if I want to watch Precious on the big screen or wait till it's on dvd.

 

Hugs,

Greg

[Guest greatness]

oh

 

I would like to recommend The Sound of Music~~ It is so uplifting a movie..

 

The hills are alive with the sound of music

With songs they have sung,

For a thousand years.

The hills fill my heart,

With the sound of music.

My heart wants to sing every song it hears.

My heart wants to beat like the wings

Of the birds that rise from the lake

To the trees.

My heart wants to sigh

Like a chime that flies

From a church on a breeze,

To laugh like a brook when it trips and falls

Over stones on its way

To sing through the night,

Like a lark who is learning to pray.

I go to the hills

When my heart is lonely.

I know I will hear

What I heard before.

My heart will be blessed

With the sound of music

And I'll sing once more.

 

So is it wrong that I don't have the slightest desire to see this tale of woe? Is there not enough grief already in the world that we can avoid going to the theater to see more?

 

Just reading the reviews of Precious is enough for me. Yes, this girl had a really horrible time of things and I wish it hadn't happened. But I would really rather see something more cheerful. It's not as though I avoid hearing tales of woe, trust me, I have heard plenty.

 

What I think we are to gleam from this movie is first, the quality of the acting, and second, the resilience of the human spirit. I'll grant that the acting is fabulous, but still don't want to see the movie. But I may be wrong about the second part. Perhaps the movie is so uplifting that it becomes a "must see." Well, I have changed my mind before, so I will read what is posted here about it, but I'd rather read a good book than pay to get depressed.

[EXPAT]

I'm seeing "Precious" on Saturday at the Arclight in Hollywood. I love movies that have extraordinary acting with interesting characters.

[foxy]

I just came from the movies. I saw "An Education" which is one of the absolute best movies I've seen in a long time. I highly recommend it. Carey Mulligan is glorious.

 

I read a very good review (Roger Ebert) on "Precious" today. I thought the same thing as Lucky. I don't really want to see this movie. It just seems too grim.

[Guest zipperzone]

I too agree with Lucky. I go to a movie to be entertained and uplifted. No matter how good the acting or how relevant the story line, if it's sad or depressing I'd rather stay home. I also don't do horror flicks. Why spend 10 bucks to have the shit scared out of you?

[Guest MickeyMoosie]

I saw it at Sundance and although the subject matter is certainly horrible I didn't leave depressed. If you stay away, you'll be missing something you've never seen before.

 

Also, Mo'Nique's (real name: Monique Imes) performance is one for the cinematic history books. She's so monstrous you can't wait for another scene with her in it even though you know it will be painful. There's no way anyone is going to beat her for the Oscar and she deserves it. And it's not simply a screaming performance. The scene with the social worker is terrifying and nothing short of spectacular.

 

When it comes out on DVD, you'll be replaying Mo'Nique's scenes over and over again. The bitch hits it out of the park, over the parking lot and onto the interstate.

 

I just hope they don't put her in the Best Actress category because Meryl deserves it this year, plus it's a supporting role anyway.

 

The girl who plays Precious is great too but she barely says anything until about halfway through the movie. However, her performance is completely natural and spot on. The fact that she's not trained works in her favor.

 

Everyone in the movie is great - even Mariah is fantastic in a small part.

 

Go see it and then get back to the rice fields!!!

[+ Lucky]

BooHoo

 

When I said I'd rather read a good book than pay to get depressed, it occurs to me that the book I just read (Crossers, by Phillip Caputo) was in many ways a tale of woe. But it didn't have dramatic music blasting in my ears, manipulating me into a show of emotion. That's part of my complaint against the movies- the way they work so hard to get a tear out of you. Why can't I just see the movie and decide for myself if a tear is in order?

[Kevin Slater]

That's part of my complaint against the movies- the way they work so hard to get a tear out of you. Why can't I just see the movie and decide for myself if a tear is in order?

 

That doesn't bother me nearly as much as a laugh track. I simply will not watch a show that includes that horrid little device.

 

Kevin Slater

[Guest greatness]

What about "Friends"

 

I love Friends.. It's a great sitcom...

 

 

 

That doesn't bother me nearly as much as a laugh track. I simply will not watch a show that includes that horrid little device.

 

Kevin Slater

[Lookin]

I saw it at Sundance and although the subject matter is certainly horrible I didn't leave depressed. If you stay away, you'll be missing something you've never seen before.

 

Also, Mo'Nique's (real name: Monique Imes) performance is one for the cinematic history books. She's so monstrous you can't wait for another scene with her in it even though you know it will be painful. There's no way anyone is going to beat her for the Oscar and she deserves it. And it's not simply a screaming performance. The scene with the social worker is terrifying and nothing short of spectacular.

 

When it comes out on DVD, you'll be replaying Mo'Nique's scenes over and over again. The bitch hits it out of the park, over the parking lot and onto the interstate.

 

I just hope they don't put her in the Best Actress category because Meryl deserves it this year, plus it's a supporting role anyway.

 

The girl who plays Precious is great too but she barely says anything until about halfway through the movie. However, her performance is completely natural and spot on. The fact that she's not trained works in her favor.

 

Everyone in the movie is great - even Mariah is fantastic in a small part.

Thanks! Your write-up clinches it for me. Interesting that it's entering distribution so slowly. Won't be showing in the Bay Area until next week, and then in only a few theaters.

[+ glutes]

Lucky, every movie cannot be like 'Up'...

[EXPAT]

Absolutely amazing movie. I believe Mo'nique will get an Oscar. It actually is uplifting at the end and you do leave hopeful. Even Mariah Carey was good and she irritates me endlessly.

[+ Lucky]

So ho did you enjoy that scene where her daddy rapes her? I hear it's a tough one to watch.

[EXPAT]

You only see brief glimpses of the rape scene because it happened in the past in terms of the movie timeline. So they are represented as flashbacks.

[Guest MickeyMoosie]

So ho did you enjoy that scene where her daddy rapes her? I hear it's a tough one to watch.

 

Did I "enjoy" the rape scene? You're projecting.

 

As for the rape scene, it's short, "tastefully" done, comes at the very beginning of the movie and until you tastelessly mentioned it, I had forgotten all about it. There are things far more disturbing than that scene.

 

So, if you're hoping to get a chub while watching it, you'll probably be disappointed.

[Michael Vincenzo]

I went to see "Precious" last night here in Chicago. This is not a difficult movie to watch and the trailer includes all of the best lines/scenes in the movie. I easily cry watching this type of movie, but didn't shed a tear during the whole movie. My opinion is that it was more like a short story with missed opportunities for a deeper understanding of the characters.

 

Mariah's role is so small that it isn't memorable and I didn't connect with the main character because I couldn't understand what she said most of the time and couldn't read her eyes (you can't even see her eyes most of the time). Monique's performance is above average, but not Oscar worthy; although my date considered her performance to be worthy of an Oscar.

 

I wouldn't hesitate to go see this movie if you are concerned about subject matter, but I wished that I had waited for it come out on DVD.

[+ Axiom2001]

In spite of the sad and grim story-- I plan to see it for its varying themes, characterization, and for the way it, the story line, is played out overall. Unfortunately, it "aint" in my area as yet, but I want to see it.

 

Today I hope to find myself in a theater viewing THIS IS IT!

[edjames]

Of note is the director, Lee Daniels is an out gay man.

 

I think we can all agree that the subject matter of this film is a tough and grim topic.

 

It will appeal to some and not to others. Thank goodness we all have the ability to decide what we want to see and what we don't want to see.

 

I'm wavering about this film and will give it some time before i make a decision to see it or not.

 

ED

[Boomer]

"Precious:Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire" tallied the top per-screen average ever, at $100,000 per screen on 18 runs." Daily Variety

[+ glutes]

From sfgate, the reviewer thought it was excellent:

 

Precious

 

WILD APPLAUSE Drama. Starring Gabourey Sidibe and Mo'Nique. Directed by Lee Daniels. (R. 109 minutes. At Bay Area theaters.)

http://imgs.sfgate.com/graphics/littleman/1.0.gif

 

"Precious" is a movie about an obese Harlem teenager who's raped by her father and abused by her mother. It's depressing, devastating, harrowing and repulsive. But there are lyric flights of hope interspersed among that raw naturalism, and that's what makes this movie amazing.

 

Directed by Lee Daniels and adapted by Geoffrey Fletcher from the novel "Push" by Sapphire, "Precious" is arguably the hardest-hitting depiction of childhood incest to find widespread mainstream distribution

 

The film looks squarely at the graphic emotional contours of sexual abuse, whether it's the sweaty face of the man who impregnates his daughter or the twisted psychological battery of the woman who enables him.

 

Yet Daniels mixes up the harsh urban drama with episodes of magical realism, moments when the title character cuts away from the horrors of abuse into a fantasy world of glamorous photo shoots and red-carpet schmoozing. In that realm, she's adored. In the real world, she's raped and reviled.

 

The contrast between idealized and real emphasizes the unforgiving grittiness of Precious' life - the crackheads in the projects, the mother who hates her guts - but it also plays up the resilience of a girl who hasn't yet given up on loving, or being loved.

 

At one point, Precious looks in the mirror and imagines a skinny blonde, a glimpse of self-loathing that might have been torn from Toni Morrison's "The Bluest Eye."

 

Bit by bit, in a messy progression of choices, confrontations and setbacks, hope insinuates itself into the plot.

 

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/13/MVNQ1AIN5B.DTL&type=movies#ixzz0WohFSWUb

 

 

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/13/MVNQ1AIN5B.DTL&type=movies#ixzz0Wog55nBf