Seven Pounds - Chris

* Possible spoilers to follow*

From all of the Oscar hype I had heard about Seven Pounds, I was expecting a real tear wrencher, someone even said it would be "life changing." What was delivered was predictable and far from "life changing."

On the good side, Rosario Dawson once again delivers an amazing performance. She captures the lively spirit of someone who enjoys life despite knowing it could all end soon. Her character, a previously successful print-maker and entrepreneur, is born with a congenital heart defect that leaves her with only a month to 6 weeks to live. She falls in love with Will Smith's character, giving her a glimpse of hope and happiness in this terrible time in her life.

On the other hand, Will Smith plays an emotionally stunted, suicidal man who believes the only possible atonement for his fatal sins is to kill himself. Previously a successful engineer who had money and love, he gets into a car crash that kills not only 7 strangers, but his wife. Now, hell bent on giving back what he has taken, he impersonates an IRS agent to gather information about strangers he deems "good people" and "worthy" of saving. His skewed logic for his own ultimate punishment and his hazy criteria for people's "worthiness" scratch only the surface of his twisted psyche. He leads Rosario Dawson's character on, not only beginning their fledgling relationship on a foundation of lies, but knowing full well his ultimate intentions. On their last night together, after having sex, Rosario Dawson cries while Will Smith speculates on their moving away together, getting married, and having children. That night, he decides it is finally the time to fulfill his destiny and commits suicide so that Rosario Dawson, and several others, can receive his organs. (see Death by Jellyfish in Bathtub)

Even if the character was memorable or redeemable, Will Smith's portrayal is weak, and emotionally hollow. The inability for the audience to connect with the character makes his actions seem not only anti-heroic but it makes the audience angry at his complete lack of tact.

In the end, I kept wondering, "when is this going to end already?"

Inauguration Post

The year 2009 is being ushered in with feelings of new beginnings.

A new president, a new economy, new surroundings, new friends, new hopes, new goals.

With all these new issues, the only logical and rational response is that of critical examination.

We have created this blog to provide an outlet for our lives; to stay connected, across the borders that separate us, via the medium of critique.

Whether a new restaurant, a new book, a new movie, a new gadget, or a new CD, we are here to study what is at its root. We are scientists of the popular world, and will provide the public with our methodical findings.

We are the Ivies and the Architect.

Chris - Cornell (Ithaca, NY)
Maricel - Carnegie Mellon (Pittsburgh, PA)
Evelyn - Columbia (New York City, NY)
Scarlett - Princeton (Princeton, NJ)