{"id":7405,"date":"2018-08-14T06:31:52","date_gmt":"2018-08-14T10:31:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/vweisfeld.com\/?p=7405"},"modified":"2018-08-28T07:21:59","modified_gmt":"2018-08-28T11:21:59","slug":"pages-vs-the-silver-screen-2018-edition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vweisfeld.com\/?p=7405","title":{"rendered":"Pages vs. the Silver Screen \u2013 2018 Edition"},"content":{"rendered":"

BlacKkKlansman<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"BlacKkKlansman\"The real-life Ron Stallworth infiltrated the KKK in the late 70s, but in his movie, director Spike Lee resets the action earlier in the decade and makes some other changes for a stunning result. Every thoughtful American should see this riveting film (trailer<\/a>), which ping-pongs between comedy and tragedy, passing repeatedly through high drama and providing first-rate acting from a fine cast, start to finish.<\/p>\n

The comedy part comes from the ability of Colorado Springs\u2019s first black police officer, Stallworth (played by John David Washington), to convince a local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan and even former KKK Grand Wizard David Duke (Topher Grace) that he\u2019s actually a hate-filled white racist. The tragedy comes from considering that the racial issues that divided the country in the 1970s remain painfully relevant today. In a grim coincidence, I saw this film on August 12, the one-year anniversary of Charlottesville\u2019s deadly white supremacist rally.<\/p>\n

Stallworth built his unlikely relationships by phone, but when his physical presence was needed, his white colleague Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver) stood in. Spike Lee could have made a predictable film out of this basic material, but he works it, proving nuance and impact. He intercuts footage of a KKK initiation ceremony with scenes from a black student organization\u2019s meeting with an aging civil rights figure (Harry Belafonte). Two speeches received with wild enthusiasm by totally different audiences bookend the story: a compelling stemwinder early in the film by Corey Hawkins as Kwame Ture, the name adopted by former Black Panther leader Stokely Carmichael, and, near the end of the film, a speech by David Duke carefully designed to mask his underlying meaning and make it more palatable to mainstream.<\/p>\n

Self-awareness, loyalty, respect, humanity\u2014these values are all on view, as are their opposites.<\/p>\n

Rotten Tomatoes<\/a> critics\u2019 rating: 97%; audiences 77%.
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Leave No Trace<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"LeaveBased on Peter Rock\u2019s 2009 novel My Abandonment<\/em>, this film, directed by Debra Granik, raises a lot of questions it doesn\u2019t answer (trailer<\/a>). It was inspired by the true episode, which you can read about on Rock\u2019s website<\/a>, that in its conclusion is more unsettling than the film.<\/p>\n

For four years, Vietnam Veteran Will (played by Ben Foster) has lived with his adolescent daughter Tom (Thomasin McKenzie) in Portland\u2019s 5200-acre Forest Park, their camouflaged encampment further hidden by waist-high vegetation. Will apparently suffers from PTSD, and selling the drugs the VA gives him is one way the pair makes money. They visit the city for groceries and other supplies, though most of their time is spent in the rain forest.<\/p>\n

Eventually, they are discovered. Unexpectedly, the authorities make a heroic effort to find a living arrangement that Will can tolerate. Helicopters spook him. Crowds spook him. Many things. For Tom\u2019s benefit, he struggles to adapt to a more regularized life. The love between them is palpable, but will it be enough?<\/p>\n

Foster gives a strong performance; McKenzie has received considerable praise, though the scanty dialog doesn\u2019t give her much to work with, and she hits just a few emotional notes. You can count the times she smiles on one hand.<\/p>\n

Rotten Tomatoes<\/a> critics\u2019 rating: 100%; audiences 86%.
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The Book \u2013 Film Smackdown<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Quite a few other movies this year are based on well-regarded books, as noted in this Literary Hub article<\/a>. Which works better? Based on Book Marks ratings for books and Rotten Tomatoes for films, here\u2019s the score:<\/p>\n