Monster

Rating:
Summary: Who Is The True Monster?
Review: I had been familiar with the story of Aileen Wournos for a few years and admit to being interested in studying the criminology of female serial killers. This movie however for me posed the question of just who was the real monster. Was it Wournos herself whose years of pent up anger and frustration steming from abuse only set her up to be a walking time bomb, or was it the people in her life who had abused and used her in some way shaped her out to be the person she was to become?
One of the theme's brought up in the movie was Wourno's belief that love as all one needs to change and become a good person. She felt as if she had no choices in the matter of turning tricks and killing, but still, clinged onto the hope, thanks to Selby, that there was something better for the both of them around the corner.
Don't get me wrong, her past actions cannot justify the murders she committed, but there were some instances where I felt as if she were a sympathetic character.
The movie was good, but what did it for me was Charlize Theron's performance. I'll admit, I never cared too much for her previous work, but her performance in this movie had me in awe. If one wants to see the movie for anything, it should be her performance. Who cares if she gained 30 pounds and sat in a make-up chair for 2 hours getting "uglied up" for the part. She channeled Wournos and she deserves every ounce of credit for taking on such a dark role.

Rating:
Summary: BLEW ME AWAY
Review: No other film has ever made me feel sorry for a serial killer before. I cried my eyes out! The above reviews really say it all, very eloquently. My question to you is do you know where I can buy the soundtrack? I would really appreciate it if you could tell me where!! email me: [e-mail]
Thankyou

Rating:
Summary: A Love Story
Review: I was astounded that a movie about a serial killer could be presented as a love story. Very impressive. I think Patty Jenkins should get a lot of credit for not sensationalizing the story-even a little bit. It took a woman to make a movie like this. She takes you inside the mind of Wuornos and shows you the world from her perspective. It's a moving portrait of this woman's painful existence. You also come to understand why she killed, but in a way that allows you to keep a certain distance from her actions. I think Jenkins wants us to understand Wuornos, not to identify with her. While the movie is disturbing, there is integrity in the way it treats its characters that transcends the pain. Theron is very good here, and deserved her Oscar; however, I wanted to mention the unsung hero of this movie: Christina Ricci. Her performance is very subtle and not very favorable to her character. It is a performance that flew under the radar of many critics (...). She really brought to life this young, very selfish girl who had lived a sheltered life in the Bible Belt all her life. She had a certain detached quality that I recognized, having lived in that part of the country before. In the end, (...) she uses Wuornos-just as so many others had before. And it is Wuornos, the serial killer, who sacrifices herself for the woman she loves. It is very moving how the killer learns to love and makes an unselfish act at the end. Great writing and direction. Way to go, Patty Jenkins!

Rating:
Summary: Phenomenal!
Review: I watched Monster without any expectations, save knowing that it was a movie about two women. At the end of the screening, i was totally blown away. One, Charlize Theron gives a spectacular performance as 'serial killer' Aileen Wuornos. Her facial expressions and bodily movements strongly resemble that of the actual person (based on what i read). Secondly, the 'human' aspect of Aileen was brought out in the film, and despite her brutal killings, one can symphatise with aspects of her life which brought her to this point of no return when she started killing her johns. Thirdly, although Monster is primarily about Aileen the killer, yet the viewer is treated to a love story between Aileen and her lesbian lover. This is in many aspects, the driving force of the film and which makes the film memorable. Some prison psychologists had diagnosed Aileen as having Borderline personality disorder, which explains her behaviour of wanting to keep Selby Wall, her girlfriend (in real life, the girl's name is Tyria Moore) at all costs, despite the fact that Selby was at times a selfish, immature person who ultimately betrayed Aileen. The final scene of the 'confession' phone call (which basically nailed it for Aileen) is heartbreaking. Aileen basically took the fall for everything and absolved Selby of any blame. Even though the audience may sense a taste of Hollywood drama here, one must remember that in real life, Aileen did take the blame for everything, and even went to the extent of sending Tyria money while she was on death row. Perhaps this is a glimpse into a rare aspect of her life (which traditional documentaries on her never cover), which shows us that at the end of the day, she is a human being like the rest of us and despite her heinous crimes, she too longed to be loved and feel love. The betrayal scene will stick in my mind for a long time to come. I welcome emails on this film as i am interested to know more about the film as well as Aileen and her lover.

Rating:
Summary: Not perfect, but Theron's performance absolutely is
Review: After thinking about it for half-a-week now, I'm still not exactly sure where I stand on Monster, the controversial film that has taken actress Charlize Theron to new levels of artistic stardom. Monster is primarily concerned with Aileen Wuornos (Theron), "America's first female serial killer," who shot and killed seven men during her time as a prostitute along Florida's Highway 75 (and was famously executed in 2002). At the same time, we also see Wuornos's blooming lesbian relationship with Selby Wall (Christina Ricci), a young, shy woman that brings joy (and some confusion) into Wuornos's life for a time. The movie starts promising - Theron and Ricci have some sort of chemistry that alternates between being awkward and passionate, highlighted by a spirited skate in a rink and a startlingly moving ride on a carousel. It's when the movie starts to deal with the 'issues' of Wuornos that it isn't so sure - a few notions and theories on what lived in the soul of Wuornos are tossed around, but they're never really put together in a fashion where the viewer feels like they've gained insight. At times, Wuornos is portrayed as a vengeful rapist-killer, but then later she's shown as a heartless killer. At one point, Wuornos's history of being abused is brought into light, but it quickly dies and never really makes anything of itself. I get the feeling that director/screenwriter Patty Jenkins really had a few few profound ideas about Wuornos, but I don't feel that they transferred to the screen so well. That's not to say that Theron's performance is damaged by the movie's flaws. It's simply...amazing to watch her unfold - she's so in-control of her portrayal, but it feels so raw and natural that (not to sound clichéd, but) you really forget it's her. Every moment of her embodiment of Wuornos is compelling, in some way, to watch, and it reaches its heartbreaking crescendo in the movie's finale - one of the best of the year. So I'll bet you can see why I'm conflicted about the film. Narratively, it stumbles, but Theron and Ricci are both flawless, and when it comes down to it, the movie has a lot more going for it than going against it. Monster is far from perfect, but it's still an essential viewing experience for the new year - if anything, for Theron, who deserves an Oscar for so much more than just her physical transformation. Grade: B+

Rating:
Summary: Monsters aren't born, they are made...
Review: Monster is a movie that supports Hannibal Lecter's observation that monsters aren't born, they are made that way out of years of systematic abuse. We sympathize with Aileen, the central character of Monster, even though we cannot forgive what she does. That's OK - she can't forgive herself, either.

This movie has gotten a little lost in controversy. First is Charlize Theron's Oscar-winning performance as Aileen. She definitely did deserve the award. Then there was the issue of how factually-correct the film is. Although this movie is "based on a true story" I always take that proclamation with a grain of salt - any film version of anything will change things for dramatic purposes.

Controversy aside, Monster is a GOOD film. We get enough sensationalized movies about serial killers - this is a film that shows what one really might be like. It is not pretty. Christina Ricci gives another great performance as Aileen's lover. This film is not a boring, preachy melodrama - it is a fascinating character study of people on the fringes of society. Also, it has a surprisingly GREAT soundtrack which the director uses to create many lyrical moments. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: The Hollywoodization of a brutal woman
Review: I followed this case with studied interest at the time events portrayed in the film were actually happening and there are several problems with it's approach and content. Aileen was not our first female serial killer. The histories of England and America history are full of women who have killed a number of victims before being caught, tried, and executed. This one just used a gun and did her killing in the age of television and and "Entertainment Tonight" style news reporting. I believe the writer and director wanted to partially excuse her behavior because she claimed to be abused. If you care enough to investiate the backgrounds of most all antisocial killers you can find evidence of childhood abuse. The problem is in our culture. We do not attempt to excuse the behavior of abused men, only abused women. The statements made about violent "johns" were recanted when Aileen testified requesting that her appeals be dropped. Charlise Theron gained some weight, wore false teeth, and learned to grab her crotch in her attempt to portray a basically nasty, stupid, mentally deficient lesbian who hated men enough to to take their money and kill them. Strike 1-Aileen put her faith in Tyria Moore and made a valient attempt to protect a woman who wanted nothing more than to save her own butt. Strike 2- she put her life in the hands of a guitar strumming lawyer who was w-a-y out of his league taking on any death penalty case let alone six!. Strike 3- she was then legally adopted by a Florida woman who became involved simply to get her 15 minutes in the spotlight and make whatever money she could. She tried to extort $10,000 from a British documentary crew who wanted to tell Aileen's story in a more balanced mannor. When it became clear that they wouldn't pay and there was nothing in it for her this woman became invisible. Aileen was a very immature, angry woman. Her choices got her killed and Charlise got an Academy Award. Bravo, what a message! I have been very successful in past years at picking Academy Award winners. This is my secret: I assess the liberal causes the Hollywood elite wants to champion in any given year and then evaluate which films and roles might win movie watchers to their points of view. Voila! Those involved with the production of "Monster" sought to show that women who go wrong are usually abused by some man and were it not for that all would have been a-ok a-n-d that this was somehow...unfair for poor Aileen. There was no stand taken about the immorality of lesbianism or prostitution (except for the hypotheses that these guys kinda got what they deserved for entertaining a hooker to begin with). Aileen was a filthy looser who killed a bunch of people and got executed for it. Why does that rate the Hollywood treatment? Save your awards and dvd money for more deserving projects.

Rating:
Summary: A Modern Day "Bonnie & Clyde"
Review: Let me preface this by saying that "Monster" is in my opinion the best film of 2004, but it may also be one of the most infuriating for me personally. You see, as a fairly unattractive human being, it's always bothered me when gorgeous people have complained about not being taken seriously, and I guess I never really thought that this was a concern of Charlize Theron's. I mean, she's always been one of the sexiest actresses in Hollywood, and extremely capable in guilty-pleasures like "The Italian Job" and "Reindeer Games" (yes, I really liked that movie). But the one thing we, the average-looking people of Earth, have always had on her and her kind, was that we made really great, gritty, personal films. Now, though, even that's being taken away from us. With this movie, she, along with writer/director Patty Jenkins, have taken our last bastion of usefulness. Soon we'll all be expendable...

I write this in jest, of course, but her performance truly is exceptional, and not just because of the physical transformation, which in my opinion has slightly overshadowed just how remarkable her embodiment of the character really is. This is one of "those," and by those, I mean something that simply can't be put into words. Oh, and by the way, the movie ain't bad either.

How good is it? Let me tell you a brief story. I walked nearly two miles in twenty-below windchills to see this film the first day of it's release in Toledo. And as I settled into my seat, beginning to warm up, all I could think about was how miserable the walk home was gonna be (I'd have to cover the same distance, only this time without the sunlight). But soon thereafter, the projector began to roll, and as the movie started, everything else just seemed to fade away. I was hooked. I sat riveted to my seat, and never once thought about the long trek home, or any other external factor for that matter. Wanna know what's more impressive? When I finally did get around to leaving the theater to head home, I didn't even notice how cold it was. I just kept replaying the movie in my head, over and over again. Some scenes are just that unforgettable.

For example, the "Judas" scene, as I've come to dub it. We all know that it's coming, at least anyone familiar with law enforcement does, yet when it happens, somehow it manages not lose a bit of it's potency or power. Now that's filmmaking! The camera pans, we see a shadow on the wall, and suddenly the betrayal becomes hauntingly clear.

Having said that, you may ask, "What are the film's faults," and I'd be naive to deny that there aren't some, the most obvious of which being that Aileen, as portrayed in this film, comes off as entirely too sympathetic. I was with her every step of the way and, though I already knew the outcome, was still hoping for the happy ending I knew was never going to come. Whose fault is this, you ask? The answer might surprise you.

Christina Ricci. That's right, the little girl from "The Adams Family" is the linchpin of this film. It's only because of her, and the way she's able to make us, the audience, fall in love with her, that we're able to understand, and even empathize with Aileen. I can even pinpoint the exact moment that this happens. It's as the couple, Aileen and Selby (Ricci), rollerblade to a 80's rock ballad, a song that I never really cared for, but having seen it in the context of this film have come to appreciate (not unlike Martin Scorsese's brilliant knack for taking so-so pop songs and making them transcend their cheesiness). But getting back to "the moment," Charlize looks deep into her big, brown eyes, the music swells, and that's it. She had me, and so did this film.

Rating:
Summary: Monster's Ball
Review: Monster is a great character study of one of America's first female serial killers. A much glamed down Charlize Theron (who looks more than a little like Gary Busey here) plays Aileen, a Florida woman who killed several men in order to support her white trash lifestyle with her willfully naive girlfriend, Shelby (played by Christina Ricci). Theron's character plays on people's pity of her; she entices them for sex along the highway, and shoots them in their car. Aileen is actually kind of pitiful, to a degree. She is not psychotic, but she is far from mentally stable. Her only real male friend is a alcoholic vet (Bruce Dern), and while he is great, he isn't in the movie much, and that is a shame. The violence is pretty streight forward, and while shocking, it isn't gratuitous. In fact, the contemptous attitude of people against Aileen is much more meneveloent (the part where she is on job interveiws is pretty hard to watch). This is an interesting movie with gfreat acting, even if the subject is kind of hard to sypathize with.

Rating:
Summary: Incredibly horrifying, deeply disturbing portrayal
Review: First off, if Charlize Theron had not won an Oscar for this performance, it would have been a HUGE injustice. Charlize was absolutely brilliant as she took on this deeply emotional role by actually becoming Aileen Wuornos.

What is most disturbing about this movie is the fact that the emotions of Wuornos are real. Her life was completely wasted after a horrific childhood, being raped, giving birth to a child at 13 and finally resorting to prostitution in order to survive on the streets. She eventually comes to meet Selby (a very loose portrayal of the actual girlfriend Tyria Moore) in lesbian bar. She becomes very agitated after being somewhat hit on by Selby. Eventually, she finds that her attraction to Selby is strong and she enters into an affair with her. Christina Ricci is equally amazing in her portrayal as the naive turned selfish Selby, firstly being innocent and just wanting to be with Aileen to becoming an incredibly selfish, self-centered girlfriend.

Aileen wants a normal life for her and Selby and after being turned down many times at various job interviews for her lack of education and her mannerisms, she must reconsider her options. Fade into Selby telling Lee she must go back to prostituting because their money is short and any prospects for going straight are slim to none.

The first murder is highly disturbing. This scene was incredibly emotional. After being knocked out by her john, her back is completely cut and he pours rubbing alcohol all over her and she is screaming. Her then rapes her and she manages to slip out of the rope tied around her wrists and she then committs her first murder. Understandable this murder is in self-defense, but once she sees how easy it is to get free money and cars by robbing these men after she has taken their life, it seems like the easy way to live. She then becomed the hunter, looking for men she could easily kill and take their possessions. Many, if not all of the men she murders following the first, are not in any way deserving of being killed. Even Wuornos herself has to make herself believe that these men are only out to hurt her and that they are deserving of their fate. Tired of being used, abused, taken advantage of and treated horribly by the majority of people in her lifetime, she convinces herself that these men are the culprits, this finding it easier for her to vent her frustrations by slaughtering these men. Taking their belongings is just a bonus for her.

Not only is Theron's visual transformation incredible but she actually becomes Wuornos. The emotions are real and you find yourself wanting to comfort her, while at the same time being appalled by the monster that she truly is. All she ever wanted from anyone was to be loved and unfortunately she went through life without ever being truly loved.

This is a highly emotional movie that is very hard to get out of your head, even days after you've seen it. I would higly recommend this movie to anyone.