Breaking Emotions: Hate and Love

Here is the final part of the Breaking Emotions blogathon that Mettel Ray has put together. I had a lot of fun with this project, and I think it was an absolutely stunning idea, and I jumped on board late maybe, but fervently. This was something I wanted to be a part of, and sadly it has now drawn to a close. The final two emotions to tackle were love and hate. One half of me was really on board with this, then the other half was hate, and there are a lot of things that I can get up in arms about, but not precisely sure which ones I would put in this post, so I have chosen three at random.


Django Unchained (2012)
As much as I loved this film and as much as I could laugh in it, there was a massive array of scenes that plain and simple just highlighted the injustices and inequalities of the past, the cruelty that human beings were made to suffer at one another’s hands. And this is a great film, do not misunderstand me. I watched it again just recently and had a ball for the most part. But there were some scenes, and I think the two most memorable ones were the Mandingo fights and the scene with the dogs. I am going to concentrate on the scene with the slave, the despicable Calvin Candie and the vicious dogs and rednecks waiting. A Mandingo fighter/slave ran away – the slave just couldn’t do it anymore, he didn’t have it in him anymore to fight and win or die at the hands of another man. Calvin Candie pretends to be having a normal conversation with the man, but is in actual fact mocking him and getting to his point. Dr King Schultz attempts to even out the situation by buying the slave, and Django has to put his foot down, and progresses to tell Calvin Candie he can do with his slave whatever he pleases. This entails Candie setting some incredibly violent dogs on the slave, who is then torn limb from limb while Django looks on, and Dr King Schultz cannot bear witness to the brutality. The scene is sick and twisted and pretty rough seeing as one human being decided to teach another one a lesson so harshly for something as small as running away, of wanting to be free. It just highlighted the slaveholder’s attitude towards a life he had no value for. I think it really gets to me because I love history a lot, and I have never understood how someone could take control of another person like that, as though they have no say and no feelings. This scene just captured the inequalities and the cruelty.

American Mary (2012)
This was one of those films that was just a true work of art, in my honest opinion. I enjoyed so much about it, and thought it was simply amazing to watch. But then there was that thing that just made me boil over with anger, seething. When Mary goes to the party of her one teachers, Dr Grant, whom she respects, but is subsequently drugged, raped and has it all filmed by him, my stomach literally started churning. What a bloody douchebag! I get mad as a snake every time that I see that scene, and cannot help but feel a surge of justice whenever you see that sorry slab of meat again. What a loser.

american mary post scene

Sleepers (1996)
When a group of four friends get sent to Wilkinson Home for Boys, there are so many things that go wrong for them there that simply makes my blood boil. However, seeing as I already have a scene in a similar vein with American Mary, I am going to go with the cafeteria scene. A fight breaks out between the friends and the hardened kids at Wilkinson’s, warden/protector of the kids, Sean Nokes, takes it upon himself to break up the fight and humiliate the boys. At first they think he is there to rescue them, but it soon transpires that they are there purely for his entertainment. He orders them to get down on their hands and knees and eat the food that was so gracelessly spilled and messed on the floor – after all, he is not denying them their lunch!


Drive (2011)
The kiss that Driver and Irene share in the elevator. It is so gorgeous and perfect because not once does it happen in the movie, but it is ever building up to the moment when it will surely happen, and when it does it is sincerely rewarding. The lighting is perfect, the way Driver leans into Irene, the way time seems to stand still… it is all captured. It is amazing and takes my breath away. More often that not a kiss shared in a movie is almost perfunctory, just filled in there, or it happens due to expectations or just the way the moment needs to progress, but seldom does it hold the magic it is supposed to. For me it really was a thing of true beauty and it gets me each and every single time.

American History X (1998)
I know this is going to come out sounding all wrong, but I just need to explain it. I loved the scene where Derek Vinyard was placed under arrest. The camera, the black and white, the way he dropped to his knees with his hands behind his head… it all displayed his hate and bitterness clearly. His eyes burned with resentment and pride and his body language spoke of that anger and hate, too. It was one of the best depictions of managing to convey the pure hatred that was encapsulated, and Norton manages to bring that all across to the viewer – the sheer derangement of his character. It was by no means an inspiring scene or a “good on you man” scene or anything like that, it is just that I love the way Tony Kaye managed to get it so right.

american history x

Catch Me If You Can (2002)
This movie just had one of those great scenes in it that you just cannot help giggling at and later full out roar with laughter and one that I absolutely love watching. Frank Abagnale Jr has made a huge success of conning people into believing him to be things that he is not. One of these things is a doctor. He has watched plenty of movies and television series and observed them and read about them and is sure that he can pose as some doctor at a hospital and manages to get the job. However, one day a badly injured boy comes in and naturally his underlings rush to get his opinion, and Frank is overwhelmed by the scene that he comes upon. He actually has no idea how to handle the situation and no real expertise at all besides “do you concur?”, common among doctors. Trying desperately to keep his gag reflex under control, he rushes through whatever the other two doctors opinions are, desperately coughing out the infamous “do you concur?” line, making it sound like he has rendered a diagnosis and a way to continue care, as well as that he agrees with the doctors. Their shocked expressions that he would value their opinions and his desperation make the scene absolutely wonderful to watch.


16 thoughts on “Breaking Emotions: Hate and Love

  1. Yes that Drive kiss was magical, especially since there was a guy in the elevator they knew was there to kill them, but hey, let’s take time out for a kiss first. Fortunately, the assassin graciously lets them, even though that would be the perfect opportunity to kill them because their eyes are closed. But hey, he must have been blown away by the sheer passion of their kiss and forgot why he was there.


  2. GREAT post, Zoe!! I was afraid we weren’t going to get anything while you’re on vacation but – YAY! What did you think about Samuel Jackson in Django?? I thought he was absolutely hilarious!


    1. Thank you! I have lined up posts all week and notifications are coming through on my phone, you can’t get rid of me that easily! He absolutely cracked me up, especially that scene where they all arrive at Candieland… I loved that movie!


      1. Truly, I have scheduled the whole way through December for in case I get busy. I am nothing if not consistent! 😛

        Burning all the bedding and stuff hahahahahaha!


  3. I’ve only seen one movie you put down here, but I like Catch Me If You Can. I’m not fond of Gosling but there is something so sexy and romantic and kissing in an elevator 😉


    1. Teehee Ruth Catch Me If You Can is a great film. Watched it again the other day and enjoyed it. Drive is really well worth the watch. It blew my mind and I didn’t expect that! It was a really beautiful kiss… 😀


  4. I really need to give American Mary a shot, I don’t like watching low budget indie stuff when it comes to horror, but I read so many positive reviews for this one. That Catch me if You Can scene was so brilliant!


    1. American Mary doesn’t even LOOK or FEEL like a low budget film, it was beautiful and totally worth it. Hope you look into it soon and would love to hear what you think. Ah Catch Me If You Can is so good!


  5. Great post Zoe. There are so many great scenes in Django but that vicious dog scene still stands out for me, I was so hard to watch that. American History X has the most devastating curb stomp! Powerful scene.


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