Pariah kept me awake all night, but not because it awaking action, suspense or anything but becasue it was late and I refused to leave yet another half-watched movie. Watching it though skype made the process way harder since the film runs rather slow, and since Skype ( I was watching with someone though it) kept falling ( I know, I can't blame the film for factors of my circumstance while watching it) . I suppose that the slowness is needed to express the struggling strain of the protagonist who is striving to define who she is among also dealing with her family's issues. In overall, the scenes are dim, with bold and unusual colors, and linger constantly with a subtle discomfort. This film is much more than just a formula-like coming of age story. It is and heartfelt, heartbreaking, still hopeful, most of all real.  The characters are round, and their characteristics go beyond their role( the lost teenager, the strict mother etc.) It is definitely, although its theme been done and its watching slow, very much worth seeing.

     Elizabeth Wurtzel's Prozac Nation moved its readers downward a gray spiral of depression in frustration, empathy or sometimes a combination of both. Many people found this autobiographical memoir to be too self-absorbing, almost too indulgent,a teenage girl wallowing life's agony's as if they were only her own, yet this also classifies its prose to be extremely self- aware and honest, maybe a little too introspective. Nevertheless, the work boasts some great prose, many of which is included in its based film starring Christina Ricci, from the Adams family, with a riveting performance. The movie condenses the happenings of the book rather effectively without adding excessive active drama to compensate for what in the book would be extremely inner episodes of gloom and almost existentialist grief, a terrible grief for merely existing. I personally really liked the way this book was interpreted through its based film. Usually movies inpired by books ruin the essence conveyed in written form, while here the essence is extracted and not overmanipiulated to fit the visual requirements a movie needs to classsfiy as entertaining. The scenes are set in very dull atmospheres to reflect Lizzie's mental state. The camera rolls slowly into angles to intensify the film's emotional moment's of high tension. This film, although at times too emotionally dense, deserves praise for its intriguing scences, outstanding acting performances, and great interpreation considering its book-based background.

I would love to own the Across the Universe soundtrack, but currently I only have its "Because" version. This is truly a remarkable beautiful musical film. Its plot outstandingly flows around The Beatles' most memorable songs. It is set during the 1960's counter culture anti-war movement with young people struggling to live their stray ways together, most centered are the lovers Jude and Lucy whose connection suffers among the raging revolution. The film's forte lies solely on the musical and kind of abstract visual experience parallel to the time's rising popularity and accessibility to hallucinogens. The characters are loosely but interestingly developed and the technical logistics of the plot are considerably unrealistic. Yet, it does not fail to impress as it dramatically sweeps the audience under the tension of youthful passion amidst love, revolution, and music.