夏日之王

After watching 'The Way Way Back', I came across this quirky movie. I was firstly attracted by the name, and then the poster, and then of course the trailer, although i have to admit that it almost got me rethinking whether it is my 'cup of tea', now after watching it, I am so glad that I didn't cross it off on my viewing list.

The story is about a rebellious teenage boy, Joe who can't bear his grumpy and distant old man. Together with his childhood best friend Patrick and a funny looking boy Biaggio, they ran away into the woods, built a house from scratch, and started their own life 'into the wild'.

I really love to watch 'coming-of-age' films because you as an audience can actually witness the physical and psychological change of the main characters, however it is almost impossible to make a 'coming-of-age' film without being criticized as 'cliched'. 'The Kings of Summer' is written, directed, and produced by 'men-boys', and I assume it is precisely a bunch of men/boys they are trying to attract.

I still remember in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Professor McGonagall told her pupils that "boys are like lions ready to prey; girls are like flowers, gracefully waiting to be awaken'. Well, this film, like I said is about men, made by men and enjoyed by men. I can almost imagine the process of script-writing and production, how much fun they were having.

The film is about 'escaping into the wild and become a man of his own', and it is also about 'girls being bitches destroying male bonding'. Don't get me wrong here. I really enjoyed the film and its vibrant soundtrack and gorgeous cinematography, however it is the underlying philosophy which those film-makers assume would work that I am objecting.

There are a great number of stories about escaping the phony adult world or some unbearable families in which from the child point of view, everything his (normally his because girls escaping into the world are just too unconvincing) parents do triggers more anger within him. The only way to be a man of his own is to run away, into the wild, without taking any responsibilities. To build a tree house (in this case, a real fucking house with basket ball ring, a slide and a mailbox) are the dream-comes-true experience for many men/boys. In the end, it is the gloominess and restrains of the adult world these boys are trying to run away from. This become a dream so deeply buried in their subconscious, and you can often hear them saying 'if I could be a boy again'. And this is also why there are all kinds of movies about a bunch of guys doing ridiculous stuff just trying to reminisce their boyhood.

The film really got me upset when Joe told Patrick, while sipping beer on the hills, "now all we need is a soft hand." It followed by Patrick teasing: "Oh we got Biaggio." It cheaply plays with the sexuality of Biaggio as he once told Joe that he thought he doesn't have a gender and when Biaggio finally 'came out' to Joe that he thought he is 'gay' his definition/symptom of 'gayness' clearly resembles what TB might be diagnosed.

The character of Kelly is the one who really pisses me off. She is, as many films of the same genre, gorgeously blond and beautiful. Her appearance, as many films of the same genre prompts the mental growth of a man. Kelly is not important in this film. She is the object that breaks the bonding between Joe and Patrick. She is the thing that makes Joe hate Patrick while Patrick hate himself for being in love with the girl. We the brothers fight, and when Joe calls her 'bitch', she is helpless and desperately begging for forgiveness. She can't do anything but leave. It is classy!

Overall, it's a wonderfully script and intelligently made film. I highly recommend it! 7/10

男人是不是都曾有过如影片中的木屋梦想？看着影片仿佛穿越到了自己的14、5岁，那时的我们比较喜欢梦想，比较不那么现实。真有人在操场边搭了个砖房，摇摇晃晃甚不结实。
酷酷的男猪角们尤其是那个长着alien脸的比亚乔实在是让我都很是喜欢，他们坐在美得不行的晚霞、草地中聊天，捕猎，跳水，生火，吃醋，争吵，，，有几个兄弟，是多么棒的人生，还一点都没让人联想到基情。
配乐摄影俱佳，剧情偏弱了点，但整体上还是一部非常阳光的佳片。

【The Kings of Summer】任我对"独立小清新"多么嗤之以鼻，这部电影都让我毫不犹豫地把他存入F盘永久珍藏。前半部分反抗奔跑毫无保留地接受，后半部分挣扎蜕皮贴着地飞翔，帧帧美到渗人的画面在剧情面前都低了头。第一种人看一个离家出走的故事，第二种人感受友谊自由亲情，第三种人听被嘶吼出来的诗。