Filed under: Matt Gagnon
Yeah, I’m way behind on film. Half Nelson came out last year. I never made it to the theatre despite rave reviews from friends and critics (and my friends that are critics). Well, it cycled through my Netflix, sat on my table for a month, and finally made its way into my dvd player a few days ago. It inspired me enough to write a few words about it.
Half Nelson is a hell of a film. One of the best films I’ve seen in the past couple of years. They story follows a young inner-city school teacher (Ryan Gosling) who strives to inspires his students — and find meaning in his own life — while struggling with drug addiction. Gosling’s character, Dan Dunne, is neither hero nor villain, good nor evil, he’s just a real guy doing the best he can. Gosling, in my opinion, delivers his best performance yet. He gives the character of Dan Dunne nuance and layers and creates a completely believable protagonist. With bloodshot eyes and a perpetual hangover from hell, Gosling shuffles through the film with a sensitivity and magnetism that you can’t take your eyes off of. You won’t find self-righteous speeches by well-manicured teachers that look like they took the first plane from Hollywood to The Hood. The kids do not learn self-worth through the power of dance. The teacher does not know karate and beat the ever living shit out of local bangers on his lunch break. No, the creators of this film go deeper. They’ve created characters with real human motivations and flaws.
Dunne and one of his students, Drey, played brilliantly by Shareeka Epps, become unlikely friends. We spend most of the film witnessing how the friendship between teacher and student affects both of their lives, and their secrets. This is a beautifully shot film that focuses on quiet moments and small observations. It transports you to a place; It’s transcendent.
Apparently the genesis of this film lies in a 19 minute short film that was so well received it led to the feature. In and of itself, that’s an amazing journey.
Filed under: Matt Gagnon
Photojournalist Robbie Cooper, a regular contributor to magazines such as GQ and Esquire, and a winner of the Ian Parry scholarship, created this concept book that showcases gamers and their in-game alter egos.
Lucas aka Gaenank
Check out its Amazon listing for more information.
