Tonight's marathon is not just any ordinary marathon, its' an emotional experience. We follow the story arcs of several great characters in four great dramas that rank as some of the screens most emotional pieces of work. If one tear is not shed during this marathon nor a feeling of emotion, then you're not human. We have on our menu for this evening:
A Beautiful Mind 2001, The Shawshank redemption 1994, A Little Princess 1994, and The Pursuit of Happyness 2006
One word that can sum up this marathon perfectly is it being powerful. Each one of these films carries with them an emotional power that draws you into their worlds and live with these characters. You feel their moments of pain, fear, hopelessness but also their moments of hope that transcends into pure happiness by the end of their story arcs. There is a reason why this marathon is considered an emotional experience, each film hits you in the gut and cry tears of joy in the end, leaving you blown away by what you just endured during those several hours. Each film ends with a message of hope and happiness for the characters. Really, that is all that is needed after the experiences they all go through. The first film of the night is Ron Howard's 2001 Oscar Winner A Beautiful Mind. Winning the oscar for best picture over Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring, the epic drama deals with a brilliant but asocial mathematician played by Russell Crowe, who accepts secret work in cryptography which leads to his life ultimately turning upside down. Jennifer Connolly won an academy award for playing his fearful but supportive wife who never stops fighting to cope with her husbands demons. A Beautiful Mind is hands down the greatest work of director Ron Howard's career next to Apollo 13. The film is majestic, grand, mesmerizing, tragic, and ultimately a great example of overcoming adversity with it's heartwarming ending. Nothing can prepare the viewer for the film that comes afterwards with Frank Darabont's The Shawshank Redemption. There is a reason this film is number 1 on imdb's top 250 list. This film is so powerful that it still resonates with audiences today and has a sheer power everytime it's viewed, Starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman, the two play imprisoned men who share a special bond over a number of years in prison together. Through their friendship, they find solace and redemption through acts of common decency they form. Shawshank is a film that enjoyed its rise to critical fame over the course of twenty years. The film was a box office flop when first released in 1994 and lost the Oscar for best picture to Forrest Gump. It is through the constant playing of the film on television and remarkable afterlife on home video that the movie became the pop cultural phenomenon that is today. It enjoys a comfortable spot as being one of the great modern day classics and is listed in AFIs top 100 best movies of all time list. You would think after Shawshank Redemption, the marathon would be finished as there is no way that film can get topped. Maybe not in quality but in terms of emotionally uplifting story arcs, there's more room for more unforgettable stories. The third film on the list is Alfonso Cuaron's remake A Little Princess. In this film, a young girl named Sarah Crewe is relegated to servitude at a boarding school when her father goes missing during the war and is presumed dead. The Alfonso Cuaron version is a remake of the 1939 classic starring Sherley Timple in the iconic role of Sarah Crewe with same plot theme. The difference between the first two films in the lineup and this one, is it introduces the theme of overcoming adversity with a young person. A child facing this issue makes the viewer sympathize with them more as they appear to be more vulnerable than the rest of the characters in this lineup. The final film of the night ties all the films together and is perhaps the most uplifting film of the evening. Will Smith's The Pursuit of Happyness, is the real life story of Chris Gardner, a struggling salesman who takes custody of his son as hes poised to begin a life-changing professional endeavor. This film has such powerful moments with one specifically taking place in the restroom of a BART station involving Gardner and his son being forced to take refuge in a public restroom. The success of the film brought Smith critical acclaim as a serious actor and a well deserved Oscar nomination for best leading actor.
If this lineup doesn't reach into a persons soul and pulls their heart strings, then they aren't human. This is round one of overcoming adversity marathon theme of movies.
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