Into The Woods: A Review (Light Spoilers) ************************* I went into this movie with almost zero expectations other than to expect a Disney musical. Then at the last minute my roommate tells me that his sister saw it and said, Dont waste your money. Nothing could be further from the truth. It was worth every penny. These days it is rare to find a film that touches on so many touchy and taboo areas and lives to tell the tale. But Im getting ahead of myself. Into The Woods is a story about a Baker and his Wife who arent able to conceive a child due to a curse set on them by a Witch. She sends them on a quest to retrieve some items that will lift the curse: a milk-white cow, hair as yellow as corn, a blood-red cape, and a slipper of brilliant gold. Along the way they meet Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Jack, all of whom are on their own quests to fulfill their wishes. What I find so intriguing about the movie is that it plays out in musical style that is light and care-free, mirroring their typical fairy tale stories. But what caught my attention was when I thought the show was ending and everybody had their happy endings, it pushed through and out the other side to see what happens AFTER the classic montage of and they lived happily ever after. What happens after is where the real magic of this movie lies. Things happen to the characters that imitate real life. Characters die, relations are strained, and the atypical nuclear family is challenged. What makes Into The Woods a true gem is how these difficult subjects are handled: with a rare elegancy of poise and grace that never dares to undermine the gravity of each situation. Recurring themes in the movie are those of forgiveness, acceptance, natural and encouraged strength found from within, eradicating blame, and equality. If there ever was a movie that could stand as a cultural symbol of the prevailing times it would be Into The Woods. The actors were brilliant, the cinematography was lush with painted emotion and furor, and a message so bright with shining examples of what our underlying humanity stands for: love. I give Into The Woods a raving four and a half star review. You wont regret seeing and experiencing it and would be a fantastic undertone to have going into 2015. Keep Growing, Ben Perry
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 16:57:44 +0000