Movie Review | ‘American Beauty’

对比
物质富足的美国中产阶级幸福表象下的种种问题
电影标题、展现美满家庭的规则构图镜头造成的反讽、小区规则的形式的俯瞰

隔膜
夫妻之间貌合神离
子女与父母缺乏交流，父母虽然有所尝试，但是方式不对（暴力、武断）或者不彻底

孤独
隔膜造成的孤独感
试图引人注目而获得关爱（女儿的同学）

怀旧
对于物质的盲目崇拜和追求，精神缺失
隆胸、沙发、事业、收藏枪支和纳粹碟、贩毒
对于过去的怀念
照片、往事、贩毒

虚伪
粉饰太平
宴会、邻里间

风中的塑料袋
表面上的自由，实际上是随风飘摇，盲目而受约束
塑料袋几乎始终在地面打旋，暗示受到束缚

救赎
男主角在辞职的胜利之后，获得喜悦，并逐渐明确精神的追求。但是由于在物质的不富足的条件下而遭到妻子的不理解，使得婚姻关系的矛盾明朗化。暗示精神追求在这个物质的社会处于弱势地位。
妻子在与地产之王偷情时获得的喜悦在被丈夫知道之后，变成压抑和罪恶感乃至被害者心理。
女儿的男朋友被自己的父亲误认为是同性恋，赶出了家。
上校压抑的同性恋身份在表达遭到拒绝之后，将男主角杀害。
男主角最后放弃了对女儿的同学的欲望，获得精神上的提升，然而随即被杀害。
所有的救赎的结果都是失败。
一开始的推镜头与最后的拉镜头相呼应，暗示只有死亡才能获得精神上的解脱。

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Movie Review | ‘The Legend of 1900’

A Man Who Deserve the Reputation of Pianist

The story of 1900 is narrowed by a trumpet player named Max, who is the only and closest friend of 1900. Abandoned on board the luxury liner The Virginian as a baby, 1900 was adopted by an engine room worker. With every passing year, 1900 comes to show an incredible talent for playing piano. When he reaches his twenties, 1900 charms audience on broad with music ‘that’s never been heard before’. As word of his talent spreads, he draws the attention of record producers and public, even the father of jazz comes to challenge the prodigy to a piano duel.
With thousands of people pass by day after day, however, the talented pianist never set off the ship. Despite the attraction of fame and fortune and even the affection of a woman, 1900 remains to live on the ship steadily.
When Max finally finds 1900 on the liner The Virginian, which is going to be abandoned and destroyed, 1900 refuses to get off the ship because of the fear of the possibilities and the infinity of the life on the land. In the end he dies where he was born with the explosion of The Virginian.
Part of why this movie touches me is the strong bond of 1900 and piano. He makes fun with piano, expresses himself with piano, reads people with piano, as it is part of his own body. He goes for piano without any thought of fame or fortune or even interest. He merely lives for the 88 keys and infinite tunes.
However, the truth that 1900 can not confront the infinite life of land adds a deep feeling of sorrow to the end of the movie. Probably we all need just a little ship to live in, as 1900 does, but we have to choose every accessory of this ship from the infinite and dizzying world on our own.

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