Disconnected

 Hello everyone, I'm your friendly neighborhood absentee film critic, TheCinemaChick! I know, I know, I promised I'd stop being such a slacker but you know...things happen and I slack off. Well, it's not like I just decided to stop doing this. I'm taking a class (yes, the same class, no snarky remarks please) so that's eating up a huge portion of my time. I've also begun working out, which is actually turning out to be something I'm enjoying. And, lets see...I've been working on another blog, Curves, Chicks and Clothes, which is about fashion and self image. Also, you know...boys. Yes, boys again. And once again, it's a younger guy. Since I prefer anonymity (which is ironic since I've made vlogs before), I'm not going to talk about them. And in case you're wondering, no, I am not dating multiple boys, I just happen to have two in my life. Before you tell me I'm a hypocrite, one of them is my little nephew. He and I have an attachment.

Plus...I've just been really depressed about my mom again. I was ok for a while, but something in me changed and I'm just always sad about her. Like, I went shopping with Fry last night and there were a ton of mother's day cards and gifts. One sign said “Don't forget Mom this Mother's Day”. I know it's designed to be universal but it still felt like a punch in the chest.

Needless to say, I am not over her death.

Enough of my wonderfully depressing personal life. Let's move on to the real reason you (hopefully) still click on this blog. You want to know about movies. And today, I have one that I actually saw several months ago. However, due to a contractual obligation, I was not allowed to talk about it until its official release, which was on April 12. I have been dying to review this one guys. I seriously loved it. Fry didn't care for it, but we are quite different.

I was invited to an early showing of this film, so it was a rough cut. Almost no music, no sound effects, some minor editing errors, things of that nature. Even though it wasn't the final draft, I still loved it because it is very relatable.

Ladies, gentleman, nerds...everyone, let's discuss the limited release film, “Disconnect”.

Don't worry if you've never heard of this film because very few people have. It doesn't have much star power in it, but it's not the actors you should be seeing it for. “Disconnect” is three stories that are sort of intertwined and they are all about the negative impact technology has had on our lives. While I do realize the irony of discussing this while using a blog that you read on a computer, I still see how some people can see how it is a problem. Let me explain the three stories and you'll get a better sense of what I'm talking about.

Alexander Skarsgard and Paula Patton play the married couple Derek and Cindy Hull. They have lost a sense of intimacy since the loss of their child. Derek spends his time gambling online while Cindy becomes involved in a chat room. Both of them are shocked when they suddenly have no money. After hiring a private detective, they learn the potential thief is in a neighboring city so they decide to confront him. When they learn he too was a victim, they have to reevaluate their plans.

Rich and Lydia Boyd (played by Jason Bateman and Hope Davis) are living in two separate worlds. He is a lawyer who spends more time on his phone than with his children while she is trying to bring the family together. Abby and Ben (Haley Ramm and Jonah Bobo) are typical teenagers. Abby loves being around her friends and texting while Ben is an introverted musician. Life gets turned upside down when two of Ben's class mates decide to torment him, leading to a revealing photo of Ben being sent to everyone in school. Humiliated, he attempts suicide, but Abby finds him and saves him before he dies. The rest of the family has to cope with this but also try to figure out why he would do such a thing. Rich discovers who is behind it and tries to get answers.



Nina (Andrea Riseborough) is a reporter who is trying to expose a certain website that hires underage teenagers to perform sexual acts on camera. She befriends Kyle (Max Theirot) and they become somewhat attached. He wants to escape the life and try to make something of himself. Nina offers to help, but secretly just wants her story. They end up have a romantic attraction but when the FBI steps in, he sees that she is using him. He flees with the other teens but Nina tries to come after him, to save him. Things to a huge turn when Kyle refuses her help, saying he knows that she only wanted to use him and that he plans to stay where he is. Nina is hurt and Kyle leaves with the other teens, giving a final glance back to her. Fashion designer Marc Jacobs plays Harvey, a small but crucial role as the man recruiting the teens to his website.

What I loved about the movie is that almost everyone can find something that they either agree with or relate to. Perhaps you know someone who has been a victim of identity theft. Maybe you've been cyber bullied. Or a friend of yours has a gambling addiction. I don't know, but then again, I have my own connections to this film. I have been cyber bullied many times because of what I look like (another reason I prefer to remain hidden). We use the internet and cell phones and tablets every day, but do we ever think about the negative actions that could come from it? Look at Rich and Lydia. They were completely out of touch with their children. Derek had no idea his wife was confiding in others about their marital issues.

Its almost like asking “Are we safe at all anymore?” People can attack us online and make things worse, thanks to things like photoshop and even Facebook. Certain websites are specifically designed to humiliate people. There are millions of teens like Ben out there, not all of them with siblings like Abby to save them. Ben's fate is also left unclear. The last thing we see is Abby laying on his hospital bed as he remains unconscious with a breathing tube. I don't know if he died or if he pulled through.

My favorite thing about “Disconnect” is the style in which it was presented. As the movie progresses, it becomes more fluid and less jerky. It starts over very disjointed. The transitions are rough so its like watching one story then being shoved into the next and repeated.

This isn't going to be a major blockbuster. In fact, you probably won't see it in theaters. However, I honestly think “Disconnect” is worth the watch. It's relatable and it will break your heart before repairing it and ultimately breaking it again. To me, its one of the best films I have seen in 2013. Others will disagree, but to each their own. Like I said, Fry didn't care for it, but I honestly loved it. All I ask is that you make your own opinions.

I'm TheCinemaChick and I could possibly be barefoot right now.

...but I'm not. I'm actually about to go see Fry.