91. Sophie's Choice

In Progress: If it says anything... I dozed off while watching this movie and it is still on as I type this. I'd rather be working on my Botany paper. Here's hoping it eventually proves me wrong when I come back to finish this post.

Left this hanging from April.

Re-watching as of July 9, 2009.

If it says anything, I have watched it 3 times now. All 3 times I have yet to update this blog. Let's get this going here...

"I've barely saved enough money to write my novel, for I wanted to be and hoped or dreamed to be a writer. But, my spirit had remained locked, unacquainted with love and a stranger to death." -Stingo.

As far as Holocaust films go... I think Steven Spielberg has spoiled me with his masterpiece we know as Schindler's List. It's good... but I just didn't like it. Ever have that film where you recognize its greatness and see is strengths... but really just don't care enough to like it? I tried. I tried my damnedest to get into this movie. First time I watched this, my mind continually drifted to other things (See the Botany paper reference.) The second time I watched this, I fell asleep. The third time I let this movie grace my television, I just flat out didn't want to finish it, so I chose The Village instead. (If you don't know me, I can watch The Village 9000 times and never get tired of it.) I'll give you all an outline.

Stingo = southern writer
Sophie = Meryl Streep
Kevin Kline's batshit insane character = batshit insane.

All set in BROOKLYN. I have expressed my views on the state of New York in this blog already, so I believe nothing else needs to be said here. I can't tell you all about the only good part in the film because that is probably the one pivotal scene that makes this movie eligible for AFI's Top 100. Actually, screw it I am telling you all.

Sophie (the wonderful Meryl Streep who played a phenomenal role) is a Holocaust survivor. Not Jewish, just at the wrong place at the wrong time... not 100% sure on this because all 3 times I just didn't care enough to watch it. She is in line to the Concentration Camp and a Nazi asks her to choose which one of her children to save or he will kill both. After some struggling, she gives up her daughter.

I'm not going to lie.
GROUNDBREAKING.
This was the only part that REACHED me, that actually made me feel any emotion other than boredom. It is a choice that nobody would dare ponder, but this woman had to make and lives it with it to the present day.

Then she goes to Brooklyn and shacks up with Kevin Kline who is some weird Holocaust fanatic. I blame Kevin Kline, he was just too eccentric. Not funny eccentric, boring eccentric.

That is it for this review.
I blame Kevin Kline for being too crazy.
I did not care enough for Stingo, regardless of his southern roots.
I wish Meryl Streep narrated the film and centered around her life in Poland.
Screw Brooklyn.
I'm actually kind of mad at how much I did not like this movie.

Not saying this is a bad movie... but there will be no 4th viewing. That is all folks.



Next Movie: Swing Time (1936)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swing_Time_%281936_film%29