i'm gonna talk about precious

it's been awhile since a movie has stuck with me this many days after viewing. i was psychically clenched all day before i saw it. it was poetry and for me that is the highest compliment. you must see it. go to wearerallprecious.com to see where it's playing near you. it is an important drama, with a fair share of unexpected, albeit strategically necessary, laughs as well.

i let go into the story, which owing to my never being able to get through the book which i've owned for years, i did not know fully. it was a multi-dimensional roller coaster, chaotic yet seamless. mo'nique deserves an oscar. gabourey sidibe and paula patton deserve nominations at minimum. mariah carey, who has recently opened up about the emotional abuse in a past relationship, holds her own in pivotal scenes. the direction reminds me of the best episodes of nypd blue, creating a sense of my being almost too close emotionally and physically to the actions. but when those actions are heartbreaking and hopeful, please let me be that close.

regarding the controversy instigated by a few critics, such as that it is exploitative and as bad as birth of a nation, i say instead these characters are not stereotypes and abuse is not black. it is abuse and it has a face. for those who are already racist and already see characters of this nature as "these people" and "less than" this movie will challenge even them, for it is not so simple. these are astounding performances, so natural as to almost trick the viewer into thinking this is a documentary. it is not, though real life experiences and empathy were drawn upon to bring dimension and depth.

so if one is only comfortable with the so-called "positive images" of black people, then one is erasing the experiences on which the characters are based and making those characters exist in silence and invisibility, the very silence and invisibility the movie's existence challenges. even the cosby show, the pinnacle of positivity, addressed serious issues every now and again. both cosby and precious champion education.

this movie is deep. this movie is yours to see and talk about. believe the hype. see precious.

p.s. check out mo'nique's eye opening interview on ellen (with some cute unrelated funny stuff at the end too because hell, it's mo'nique) heyyyyy! warning: if you don't want to know anything that happens in the film, don't watch as there is a semi-semi-semi-spoiler. but only about as much spoiling as seeing the preview would entail.

p.p.s. "everybody's good at something."

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[MDW]

I HAVE to see this film...