Breaking Dawn Part 2 and An Education: Movie Reviews

I haven’t been on my movie watching kick quite as much lately, but this weekend I decided to spend some time catching up.

Finally, a Bella I can appreciate.

I watched Breaking Dawn Part 2. And even though the perception is that I am not a fan of the Twilight books/movies, I was pleasantly surprised. For the record, I do not at all mind the Twilight movies and books. I read them all, and rather quickly. Couldn’t put them down. They were fun. Even though I take issue with some of the themes of the book, especially in regards to Bella, honestly, she is no different than some female characters in books we consider to be literature, the difference being that those books are written with more sophisticated language...and well, there are no vampires. The movies are blockbusters, and like with any blockbuster, I will watch them and enjoy them, but they don’t generally make my list of favorites.

Breaking Dawn was very entertaining. I got re-invested rather quickly to the characters and the story. I thought it was the right amount of funny, not nearly enough of shirtless Jacob, great music as always, and good build to the climax of the series. And the “twist” that everyone has talked about, was legit. I enjoyed it and even gasped a little. It was fun to watch, and I’m glad I did.

Getting schooled.

I also watched An Education this weekend. Carey Mulligan plays Jenny, a 16 year old student who is dreaming of Oxford when she meets Peter Saarsgard, David, an older man, who is cultured and a “student of life.” He takes interest in her and wants to expose her to his way of living. At first it’s thrilling for her.

Mulligan is amazing in it of course. She can play innocent so well. In fact she plays it so well that at times I was uncomfortable with her relationship with David. He just seemed too good to be true. Her life is on track, and while his presence does open her up to new and wonderfully rich experiences, it also throws her off her intended course. Not only does he throw her off, but his interest in her causes everyone around her to seem to change their expectations of her. Oxford gets put aside for marriage and everyone seems fine with it give or take a few members of her school. The movie also brings up the question of what education really is. With David she can travel to Rome and Paris and listen to jazz, with school, she will study hard in a classroom. Jenny says at one point to the headmaster of her school, “It’s not enough just to educate us anymore, you’ve got to tell us why you’re doing it.”

The movie really fit with some things I’m coming to terms with at the moment. Finding out that my years of education are all but rendered useless in their being a means to an end. Of course I appreciate the things I’ve learned, but if I had to choose again, I’m not sure I would choose all of that when there is an entire world to see. Fortunately for me, it seems I get to do both.

In the end, I think the lesson of the movie, if there is one, is that you must know yourself and what you want, and even your reasons for wanting it, or someone can throw you off course. Changing your mind is one thing, changing it for someone else is another that could have disastrous results.