I just spent the first half of my day from like 6:30 am until 2ish on a pilgrimage from where I live in Kansas City, MO to Olathe, KS. I grabbed like 3 buses to get to the other side of the city to see the movie Perks Of Being A Wallflower. Here in Kansas City we aren't considered a sophisticated bunch so any time a movie is in limited release we only have a tiny chance of it making it here.
I have to say thank you to AMC 30 in Olathe, KS for getting the movie as they were the only theater in the metro area that got it.
I have never read the book because I have the attention span of something that has no attention span. I knew this was a coming of age story but I knew it was a hard core one not like the typical "boy meets girl and they live happily ever after in the end story." This movie has a very central theme of childhood trauma which a few people have criticized as "not that realistic" but it's been my experience growing that almost everyone without exception I knew has exposed to some form of trauma. Lots of people I know now and that I knew growing up were either exposed to or were victims of violence, sexual abuse, neglect, emotional abuse etc. ... I don't think the United States understand what a center of abuse the American family is because it is the way we live and "normal" to us.
This film is centered around a high school freshman, Charlie, played by
Logan Lerman from Percy Jackson, The Three Musketeers, and tons of other movies. I have liked most of his movies to date but this 20 y/o took this part to whole new level. Without giving too much away he enters high school having just lost a childhood friend to suicide and has been very withdrawn into depression to the point where he just has like zero friends. Through a bit of personal bravery and a little fate he meets Sam and her step brother Patrick who are both concealing a lot of personal pain also.
Emma Watson
of Harry Potter fame and
Ezra Miller play those characters and are unforgettable.
Charlie's depression takes a turn for the better as he instantly bonds with his new friends but a roller coaster ride awaits him along with a horrible crippling issue from his past.
Fifteen minutes into this movie I was 15 years old all over again and miserable. There were two points in the movie where I laughed in the middle of crying. I was really shaken up by this movie to the point where I was literally shaking when I left the theater.
I cannot stress how good this movie is and what a huge emotional impact it had on me. I really could have used this movie like 20 years ago.
American Horror Story: Asylum is two episodes in and Even Peters is at full intensity. Tate the homicidal ghost from season one is no more but Kit the potential serial killer who has been set up by aliens is here. I don't want to give too many spoilers but if you are not watching this you are missing out. It is not for the weak of heart as the shows graphic imagery is very intense.
