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If you were going off the trailers alone, your first instinct might be to say that Wild is a knock-off, female version of Into the Wild. You could be forgiven for thinking that; after all, both movies are based on true stories of someone going on an extremely emotional, physical and spiritual journey. Both movies are told in a non-linear fashion, so as to link past events with new experiences. Heck, both movies feature “wild” in their titles! But I find there is one key difference between the two that makes Wild the better film.

And that difference is that the main character is actually likable.

It’s no secret that I don’t care for Into the Wild. In many ways, I felt like it was a tedious experiment in Oscar Bait. I’m not terribly familiar with Christopher McCandless’ real life, but the character as presented in Sean Penn’s movie always struck me as self absorbed, someone out to prove something that didn’t need to be proved. Someone so incredibly stubborn, they only realized they needed others in their lives as they lay dying alone. Tragic yes, but not a relatable character for most.

Wild is based on Cheryl Strayed’s book of the same name, in which she documents how she hiked the PCT for months after her mother died of cancer and she found herself spiraling out of control in the wake of it all. The hike was her way to force herself to change, by going out of her element and pushing herself to her limits. She’s determined to make her goal despite many setbacks and the constant fear of being raped or assaulted. She’s not rejecting society so much as trying to find her way back in it. Reese Witherspoon plays Cheryl here and I must say, it’s a fantastic performance from her and I wouldn’t be surprised at all if she’s nominated for several awards next year.

As good as Reese is, however, it’s Laura Dern who steals the show as Cheryl’s mom. She is the heart of this film and you can feel (and sometimes see) her character resonate throughout every scene, despite only appearing briefly in flashbacks. Even when faced with certain death, she is more concerned for the well being of others and maintains a positive spirit that’s more than just a facade, more than just allowing herself to be naive. She’s strong, like her daughter.

Director Jean-Marc Vallée garnered some much deserved critical acclaim last year for Dallas Buyers Club and he brings that same level of gritty, stripped down realism here. It works much to the film’s favor and is very different from the approach that Sean Penn took.

By my standard, Wild is so much more than Into the Wild and succeeds in nearly every way I thought that filmed failed, but especially with compelling, relatable characters. I also found it interesting that it deals with issues that a man would never have to face if they chose to go on a journey like this, namely other men choosing to see them as objects.

Don’t write it off as knock-off. It’s so much more than that.

Virunga is a new Netflix original documentary from executive producer Leonardo DiCaprio. It takes its name from the Virunga National Park in Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is gorgeously put on film here.

The film follows a park ranger tasked with taking care of orphaned gorillas, most left for dead by poachers. He is the heart of the film, his love for the gorillas is so genuine and pure it aches. I think I might have watched an entire film just about him, but the film also follows his fellow park rangers, they are responsible for fighting poachers. When I say fighting I mean literal fighting, with automatic weapons. This is a war, and the prize is elephant ivory and gorilla pelts. Its shocking how violent this can be. The dichotomy is great, the peaceful man who simply wants to take care of the gorillas, and the men who take up arms to defend them.

Then the film shifts gears, rather suddenly, when oil is found in Virunga. With oil comes multinational corporation, bribes, and war. The rangers are stuck in the middle of the chaos and must find their way as their country is literally sold to the highest bidder.

If the film was any one of these stories it would probably be good, but with all three its great. It really feels like you are seeing the story in three dimensions. All too often documentary film makers get tunnel vision and forget that their subjects are surrounded by other compelling characters. Here the background enhances the drama of the main characters. The most painfully emotional moment of the film for me was watching the care taker of the gorillas put on his uniform as he prepares to take up arms to defend the creatures he loves.

This film falls somewhere between “Gorillas in the Mist” and “The Constant Gardener” but with added punch of knowing that its all real. Its a sad reality, but the film reminds us that there are some things worth fighting for. I would highly recommend Virunga.

PS: On a lighter note, I had no idea gorillas like Pringles.

There are several great things about The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1. First off the cast is great by any standard. Donald Sutherland, Julianne Moore, Jeffrey Wright, Stanley Tucci, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Woody Harrelson and, yes, Jennifer Lawrence. Any one of these would normally be the star of the film, but here they all play supporting roles to one another. And they are all great, maybe not their best work, but still great.
Second is the story line. If you enjoyed the Twilight style love triangle between Katniss, Peeta and Gale then you won’t enjoy this movie as much. Also if you enjoyed watching teenagers kill each other in the arena, you won’t like this movie as much either. But if you enjoyed the semi-Orwellian nature of the whole world of The Hunger Games, then you’ll really like this installment. For those not familiar with the books, this is the point in the story where the people begin to openly rise up against the Capital. The revolution has begun and Katniss is right in the middle of it, like it or not.
This brings me to the third thing that makes this movie great. The real world and art are beginning to blend. China has “indefinitely delayed” the movie’s release, due to its overtly political nature. Flashing the three finger salute from the film will get you arrested in Thailand, where rebels earlier this year began using the salute during their protest of a military coup. Most recently protesters in Ferguson MO spray painted a phrase from the movie “If we burn, you burn with us!” on a local landmark. Normally movies try and exploit a current trend to sell tickets and soda. But this time it seems that the movie has hit home with people in a way that the filmmakers may not have foreseen. For better or worse, many people around the world have also lost faith in their leaders and many have grown angry or even violent. These movies have given people a meaningful way to rebel with nothing more than hand gesture.
Whether by plan or totally accidental, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 seems to be an incredibly timely movie. And also a solid movie, maybe the best so far in the franchise.