Sunday, February 22, 2004

Adis says:This image comes from a fellow Quicksketcher, Kenny Keil, author of Squaresville. I'll catch up and do a Quicksketch Spotlight next week, I was just busy this week (remember I'm a comicbook artist now.
However, now that I've got your attention, I'd like to reccommend you a movie.
In fact, in order to be a true CYS fan, you need to go see it. In America, directed by Jim Sheridan. It tells the tale of an immigrant Irish family coming to America to start over after a family crisis, that's left them hurting, the scars still open despite the happy faces. Five minutes into the movie, the tragedy is revealed, and with it, magic: through the eyes of the oldest daughter, said tragedy becomes a miracle. Wonderfully handled, what should be an unbearable conflict is overcome thanks to a ten year old girl making a wish, turning the story into a fairy tale.
What should be a realistic tale of hardships and poverty feels like all it needs is a fairy godmother or an imaginary friend for this to be a true fairy tale. The family then becomes friends with the character played by Djimon Honsou, Mateo, who has reasons of his own to come to love this vibrant family that's so full of life. And that's where it hit me: this is the perfect CYS film. As Mateo picks up the little daughter, I saw both little girls, played by the real life sisters Emma and Sarah Bolger as Katie, with her parents, Paddy Consadine but mostly Samantha Morton as Laurie, with the excellent Djimon Honsou as Ship. What I mean by this is that I saw them playing out the character dynamics I want for our story, but done magnificently better, of course. I thought "That's how I want my story to feel." I want that magic, the miracle of knowing how to have characters be this alive and whimsical, even in the face of the truest sadness.
In the end I cried, because I'm a big softie like that, and it was even worse since a)I was alone and b)I had ran out of kleenex. Of course, my tears shouldn't be what compels you to go see it for yourself, though :) The movie is warm, sweet, tender, and sad, and knows just what buttons to push, but it feels honest, more honest than most recent films I've seen. Go see it.
However, I would like to submit this for your consideration: the adorable Sarah Bolger as Laurie. She could definitely play little Laurie right now, but if there's ever a CYS film (say, in 15 years) I do picture her as a modern day Laurie. What do you think?
Now go to bed!
Adis!



Count Your Sheep is © Adrian Ramos.