Month: July 2016

The Legend of Tarzsan - Tanzan and Samuel L Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson lures Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgard) back to the Congo.

THE LEGEND OF TARZAN

By Marlene Ardoin

Like America, Africa was exploited horribly. “The Legend of Tarzan” highlights this truth with the fascinating story of an infant raised by a female gorilla. This fantasy somehow reveals the truth, but with a far more joyful outcome.

It was not just the slave trade, but the exploitation of ivory trade, trophy trade, diamond trade and every other kind of greed. Unfortunately, these evils are still a reality of today. If only Tarzan could come to the rescue.

Our story opens with the handsome, refined Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgard) sipping tea in an English mansion, looking up and saying, “No”. This image of him contrasts radically with the Tarzan who is unleashed later in the African part of the story. His American wife, Jane (Margot Robbie), insists on going on the journey with him.

Samuel L. Jackson plays a mercenary, who is sent to lure Tarzan back to the Congo. Jackson finds himself ill-equipped physically to keeping up with a Tarzan and the other natives. All he has is a gun, which won’t help him much if he is stranded in the middle of a lush and very dangerous jungle.

Christoph Waltz plays a corrupt merciless Belgian captain sent by King Leopold of Belgium to find diamonds and control the region. In other words, he is King Leopold’s stooge.

And, the part about a King Leopold of Belgium is a true fact. Leopold II (9 April 1835 – 17 December 1909) was the second King of the Belgians, chiefly remembered for the founding and exploitation of the Congo Free State as a private venture.

Leopold extracted a fortune from the Congo, initially by the collection of ivory, and after a rise in the price of rubber in the 1890s, by forced labor from the natives to harvest and process rubber. Under his regime millions of Congolese people died; modern estimates range from one to fifteen million, with the consensus figure climbing by around ten million.

Why do they need Tarzan to come back to the jungle? Apparently they cut a deal with one of the chiefs, who wants Tarzan dead for killing his son, who killed Tarzan’s gorilla mother, in an initiation rite of passage.

As it turns out, Tarzan and his wife are welcomed back to the Congo, not only by the animals, but by a specific African tribe, where Jane grew up.

This story keeps getting better and better. It has a magnificent cast, gorgeous scenery, amazing animal footage and a very warm-hearted story. And, I promise, it has a very, happy ending.

The Legend of Tarzan - Leopold II of Belgium

Leopold II of Belgium

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopold_II_of_Belgium

7/13/2016 # THE LEGEND OF TARZAN

The Meddler, Susan and Simmons

Susan Sarandon rides with J.K. Simmons.

The Meddler, Susan and Rose

Lori (Rose Byrne) is uncomfortable with mom’s help.

THE MEDDLER

By Marlene Ardoin

Susan Sarandon, as Marnie, is more of a fairy god-mother, than a meddler. A good meddler’s motivation comes from a place of love, and a bad meddler comes from a place of criticism or envy. Marnie is a good meddler.

We get a step by step how-to-get-over the death of a doting husband. Marnie’s husband has made sure that she has more than enough to survive on her own, but Marnie is a natural giver. And, now we know the secret of a great marriage, two-way, great giving.

Marnie relocates from the east coast New York area to the west coast Los Angeles area.

What is so delightful about this film is watching Marnie gradually open to a new way of life, new friends, and learning how to fill the void of her recent solo life. Anyone who crosses her path is sure to feel the force of her great big heart.

At first, her daughter, Lori (Rose Byrne), is uncomfortable with her presence, but when mom gradually builds a new life for herself, the tables turn as Lori begins to miss her mother’s unconditional support and love.

Marnie’s god-mother recipients include an elderly woman in the hospital who is unable to speak, a young black boy in a computer store who shows her how to use the new phone, a lesbian couple who have a young daughter, and a divorced cop (J.K. Simmons) who gets his chickens to lay eggs by playing them music.

We also get treated to watching her open herself to the possibility of male attention. She clearly knows the difference between love and lust. The demonstrations of both are humorously presented.

This is a warm-hearted story.

As a group of elderly, middle-class females were leaving the showing, I overheard them wondering if the lesbian couple had any lesbian friends? I hope that is not the only takeaway that they got from this movie.

7/11/16 # The Meddler