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Author: Merrick Egber (February 2018)  Movies, movies, movies….

How I love them, from an early age when I was introduced to Disney films, I would start my lifelong love for movies, and the visual arts. Back then, my hero was Jim Carrey, my favorite movie was “The Lion King” and the biggest controversy was more about the political leanings of the people who made up the talent, with social misbehavior being much more isolated.

Unfortunately, as it turns out, some of the biggest personalities in our media world, especially in the Hollywood circuit, have been misbehaving for such a long time, starting with the expose of Harvey Weinstein in the “New York Times”, snowballing to almost epidemic quantities. This spotlight that has been foisted on all of these celebrities as, somehow, paragons of human virtue has dimmed, as so many who have been caught under the light use it as a license to sleaze, and it is not too well-known if we’ll be seeing more of the undead come out of their closets anytime soon.

But the weirdest thing? You can learn a lot about social behaviors, relationships, by indulging in this industry, not from the frailties of the people you read about in the newspaper, or watch on any visual media site, but from its product itself, film and television! Sometimes I even think that I became advanced, socially, due to my exposure to the visual arts, it especially helps with comedies.

So, what is a movie? You may be thinking “well, a movie is a series of moving pictures where you watch actors and actresses play characters in service to a plotline”, but that may not be the exact answer. A movie really is a series of social interactions conducted in a way that is meant to be realistic and natural, set up in a universe with an almost consistent set of rules, sometimes even teaching someone a lesson, whether through an allegory, a direct comparison, or as part of an educational body of work.

Sometimes, like, in real life, a movie can be unpredictable, you cannot always guess the listener’s reaction when a message is received. But there is usually context, and a purpose, for why they may act that way. But, usually, just like in real life, you can guess a subsequent scene in a movie as a reactant, in the same way, I could guess the reaction to my message.

Here are a few common movie plots that have relevance in social situations. They are mostly comedies, specifically, because comedies are the movies most in tune to the human condition, and to the eccentricities, unpredictability, of people’s behaviors, while also noting the importance of social behavior. They’ll make fun of a person’s social guffaws while wearing a heart on the sleeve to care for that same individual as that person is learning how to live in a social environment. It also points out what society expects as normal, and what society rejects as “abnormal”.

Yet, it also depends on the times. “abnormal social behavior” like famed entertainer Al Jolson in blackface, was characterized as perfectly normal back in his day, but would be seen as racist and unacceptable today. On the flip-side movies like “Moonlight” and “Brokeback Mountain” portrayed gay relationships in a way that would’ve never been seen as acceptable in the early 20^th century. Still, there are timeless educational bits in many of the movies we watch.

The Romantic Comedy:

These are movies usually about relationships, where, typically, the two people fall in love with each other at the end. As relationships can be complex and nuanced, they offer pathways, and scenarios, as to how to conduct actual human relationships, but usually they also offer a rival of sorts, who is meant to represent the opposite of what the ideal protagonist could be. Sometimes, because they are written by eccentric people, you can have poor versions where the rival ends up being sickly, and loud, like in Sleepless in Seattle, but, even still, it’s the idea that getting to be in a relationship like that involves the art of conversation, and a little bit of work no matter what.

The extreme flipside to this convention is the “Stalker Thriller”, like “The Boy from Next Door” or “Fatal Attraction”, where instead of a burgeoning could-be romance between the two protagonists, it’s about the wrong ways of relationship building or creation, where it gets to the point in which the protagonist is the victim of the “lover” who becomes his/her worst enemy. While like in “Fatal Attraction” there may be a key narrative going on that supplants any social messaging, cheating is wrong, there is still a sense of recovery from a bad moral decision that never happens due to poor honesty, poor diplomacy, or just poor messaging.

Movies like “When Harry Met Sally”, and “Serendipity” fit this mold.

Certainly, I would be curious if someone were to do a documentary on someone attempting to get a girlfriend or boyfriend, or even just a good friend, by following the rules of 5 romantic comedies, one rule I know of is to have some special thing in common, a movie, or an audio record.

Fish out of Water Comedy

This kind of movie, typically, is about somebody who ends up in a foreign environment, a strange land, or any situation or scenario that they are not used to. It is about adapting to any new purpose, scenario, and even the chaos of the moment. What viewers will learn is how to conduct themselves in foreign lands, how to adapt to the dramatic change of events in a light enough way to where the education almost happens subliminally, as much as all other substantial comedies.

Movies like “Coco” (most of it), and “Back to the Future” could be defined as such.

The Snowball Movie

You ever wonder about the importance of even one sentence, one phrase, one bit of social misbehavior, the Snowball type of film is usually about a specific social action, could be a lie, or even inappropriate conduct, and depending on how the person communicates, could shape their lives either for good, or for a momentary purpose. The individual learns, through the film, it doesn’t even have to be a film it could be any kind of performance art, how to, not just negotiate through rough terrain, but to, perhaps, prevent it from happening in the first place.

Movies like “I Know What You Did Last Summer”, and “Rango” fit this theme.

That is a layman’s analysis of cinema, but it is important. Cinema and television can help shape culture, and can either influence, or be influenced, by the way we dress, the way we talk, and the way we understand things while being entertained without being put through the wringer for inappropriate behavior. Movies can define acceptance of what, who you are, look at “Benny & Joon” or can educate the viewer into building up a better social life, like the movies listed above. Certainly, with the world being more open to portrayals of characters with autism, it is important now, more than ever, to embrace the more virtuous acts of Hollywood, even if the fingers clinging onto them are rotted, and perverted.

Author: Merrick Egber (November 30^th, 2017)

I’m an open person when it comes to movies. I may be a single 31 year old man with no kids, but if an animated movie or a family movie comes out with good reviews, I’ll go and see it, no matter what others think. Sure, the viewing audience around me will be composed of plenty of families, but I’m used to it. Whenever I would go to a video game store to look at the games on sale, it would usually be my 28 year old self and a host of 14 year olds interested in the same games that I would love to play. Thus, when “Wonder” came out, and got a consensus score in the mid-80s from my go-to-web site Rotten Tomatoes.com, I had to go, after all it is always good to feel inspired by something.

The movie, at its basest level, is about a boy by the name of August “Auggie” Pullman, played with charm and wit by Jacob Tremblay, who had to have multiple surgical operations to get his face to work, which still left his face looking deformed. Homeschooled all his life, his parents have decided that it would be a good idea for him to join his peers at a nice prep school for the fifth grade before he moves onto a middle school education. The movie follows the traditional route of an unusual individual managing to adapt to a new environment for a span of time, in this case, a school year. And that would be a good thing, already, if it wasn’t adapted from a novel.

Because of its literary ambition, the movie tries to strike a deeper chord. It isn’t just about Auggie but also about the young people around him, their expectations, hopes, fears, and how his presence either changes their lives, or affects them. You get to learn more about these characters, that every reaction and gesture comes from a spot of good intentions, even if they may not message it clearly enough on first try. While I would’ve liked to learn more about the parents, the principal, even the antagonist of the story, that wasn’t the movie’s fixation, and I can respect that.

Before I do the critical part of my review, I would like to put out two tips that the movie does teach viewers, that may be pretty important:

1. Always keep your sense of humor. “Wonder” is a drama but with strong comedic elements. There are moments in the film, like when Augie talks to a new friend about plastic surgery and his face, “It took years of surgery to look this good”, that show how resilient Augie really is. The parents of him, played by Owen Wilson and Julia Roberts, also have a good sense of humor about their lives, but because of a strong desire to see Augie grow and prosper just like everybody else.

2. Exposure to “normal” people is very important for a person’s development, especially by having a “normal” friend. When Augie starts the movie, he is still wearing an astronaut’s helmet, has no major friends, and is unknown to the world. At the end, he has a group of friends, forgoes the helmet, and ends up getting duly recognized. He has made a major development as a person rising above what those critical of his appearance would say, and makes those willing to receive him, better people in understanding the differences of others. Tolerance, and respect can come from greater exposure to different people, of course.

Instead of waxing about the performances, the writing, the story itself, which were all good, I would like to say that the appeal of a good family movie, is that it makes you want to be a part of the universe around the characters, to maybe even relate to one or two, and, after watching the movie, I would’ve liked to have been invited to a Pullman family shindig, when I was much younger, and I did see a little bit of me in the characters, themselves. So, overall, a funny, not condescending, literate, and skillful movie, if you get past that it’s just a “family movie” you’ll see the heart inside, kind of like Auggie himself.

8.8 out of 10

Author: Merrick Egber (October 5^th, 2017) An attempt at a spoiler free review.

Disclaimer: This review only covers the first two episodes, “Pilot – Burnt Food”, and “Mount Rushmore”

Through better strategies to assess and treat children with autism, it is time for some empowerment stories of autism told through the lens of cinema and T.V. Last year we had the movie “Accountant”, and sometime before that, movies like “Temple Grandin” and “Adam” all giving perspectives on autism. What is generally considered the most important conflict for those with autism is in asserting their own individuality and independence in a world that didn’t prepare for them. Thus, for this back to school season in 2017, we have two shows chronicling adult-aged people with autism trying to make it through what are generally called the most important moments of our lives. “Atypical” which I reviewed in August, is a show about autism and dating.  “The Good Doctor”, which I’m reviewing now, is a show about the highly competitive world of surgery with an autistic surgeon.

“The Good Doctor” stars Freddie Highmore (“Bates’ Motel”) as Dr. Shaun Murphy, a surgeon in residence from Wyoming who ends up getting a job at a prestigious hospital, St. Bonaventure, in San Jose, California, thanks in part to his benefactor, Dr. Aaron Glassman (Richard Schiff), who runs St. Bonaventure. Besides Mr. Highmore and Mr. Glassman, there’s Nicholas Gonzalez as Dr. Neil Melendez, the arrogant head of surgery, Antonia Thomas as Dr. Browne, a conflicted co-worker who likes Dr. Murphy, Chuku Modu as Dr. Jared Kalu, a competitive, aspirational type, Beau Garrett as Jessica Preston, a member of the Board of Directors who has hereditary connections to the hospital and Hill Harper as Dr. Marcus Andrews, the primary antagonist to Dr. Glassman’s interest in hiring Dr. Murphy. It was developed by David Shore, the creator of “House”, and Seth Gordon, who directed all 8 episodes of “Atypical”, returns as executive producer for this series. Also on board is Daniel Dae Kim (“Chin” on the remade series of “Hawaii Five-O”) whose production company, 3AD, took remaking “Good Doctor” into this series as their first project.

Dr. Murphy is a valuable contribution to portrayals of autism in the media. Much like Sam Gardner, in “Atypical”, he isn’t a complete caricature, and his character is more based upon our modern understanding of autism than someone like Dustin Hoffman in “Rain Man”. While he has a set of gifts usually attributed to autistic savants, of which he is one, he also has difficulties that are more relevant to real people which creates a more nuanced take on the subject. In some ways I can relate to Dr. Murphy, as much as I can relate to Sam Gardner, they are both committed, instinctual personalities who have built ways of coping with anarchistic mental states that can be freeing but also highly stressful.

But my biggest criticism of the series is in the way they present the supporting cast. Outside of Dr. Glassman, you have different shades of “ehhh”, at least they have personalities. But almost all of them need development plans for the rest of the season, otherwise it’s a bunch of one track characters with very little motivation, other than their reactions to Dr. Murphy. As it is, I’ve only seen the first two episodes, I hope they will develop these characters beyond “anger” and “being conflicted”. It would also be nice to know if these characters even know of anybody else who is autistic, which would make this show feel even more real.

“The Good Doctor” is a good show, there are moments that produce bright, exciting, dramatic moments. Dr. Murphy delivers a few zingers now and then, while also attempting to improve on his social skills. It’s not an insulting show, but it could stand to make improvements to give viewers something to watch, even if they don’t know anything about autism.

Author: Merrick Egber (September 19th, 2017) An attempt at a spoiler-free review.

You may remember me saying that the only autistic representation in the media that I knowingly indulged in was “Rain Man”, sometimes I feel like it is way too personal to go out of my way to watch. This late summer, early fall season transition has two shows (“Atypical” from Netflix, and “The Good Doctor” from ABC), and a movie (“A Boy Called Po”), that are all supposed to represent some form of autism. With heavy heart, I decided to indulge in the eight episodes of the first Season of “Atypical”.

“Atypical” seems like your average teenage melodrama, with the upcoming verge of adulthood, questions about love, dating, and having to deal with the responsibilities made to yourself, and responsibilities made to your friends. But, the difference is that one of the characters having to deal with it, Sam Gardner (Kir Gilchrist, “It’s Kind of a Funny Story”) is a high-functioning autistic person who spends the whole Season pondering about dating and love once his therapist, Julia (Amy Okuda), gives him the go ahead to do so. Rounding out the rest of the cast are: Doug Gardner (Michael Rapaport), who plays Sam’s father, an EMT worker who hasn’t had an easy time connecting with his son, Elsa Gardner (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a hairdresser who feels that her connection to her family is slipping away, Casey Gardner (Brigette Lundy-Paine) a track star and Sam’s younger sister who functions as a pillar of support, Zahid (Nik Dodani) who is Sam’s best friend, and special mention to Anthony Jacques who plays Christopher, who not only is the only other character with autism, but is the only actor with autism in the cast.

What emerges from the show, is a very realistic portrayal of the subject. Sam talks to his therapist throughout the show to explain what he is going through, and there are also standard tricks, like obnoxious repetition to give you a look inside Sam’s head. It also is interesting in that the tension isn’t about a genius suffering from social trouble, but of an emotionally vulnerable, fragile individual, whose intensified senses are helpless in the face of unfamiliar pain. He is very bright, yet he’d rather be in Antarctica, his favorite place, with the animals including penguins then to deal with a human environment that feels so alien to him. It makes the comfortable parts of the show feel more genuine, and almost escapist.

I could relate to Sam’s character. His impulsiveness, the lack of autistic friends, having tunnel vision, sensitive about his possessions, and emotionally intense, were my experiences in high school. There was one part that I couldn’t relate to him, and I think that that is one of my criticisms of the series. His relationship with Zahid is paper-thin. By the time he turned 18, he should’ve had a friend, or group of friends, who were interested in his interests or who admired his interest in Antarctica and ornithology. Much of Sam and Zahid’s chemistry were about “girlfriends”, which while a major part of the show, never clues the viewer into what Zahid sees in Sam’s distinctiveness. He seems friendly, and likes engaging with Sam, but outside of going to the same school and working at the same store, there is little reason to think that they are actually best friends, even if the final episode tries to make the case.

Another criticism is related to the genetic nature of autism. It is hard to see through the show’s bleakness, because of how tortured Sam is. The fact that it feels like Antarctica throughout the whole season helped me, a little bit, due to my outlook.  But it also should relay the feeling that Sam is not alone. It wouldn’t surprise me if autism can be passed down from parent to son or daughter. I would’ve liked an uncle or somebody from Sam’s family who could be seen as the biological ancestor for Sam’s condition. At least I would like to see greater involvement with the autistic community for Season 2, perhaps a band, like the Autistix (http://www.theautistix.com/bio.html) could perform for the high school, maybe even school prom. For another future interest: I would like to see Sam explore his interest in penguins, for example, to a greater extent that may determine his future in the series.

I was grateful in seeing the show. I think that it was a good treat to see a realistic depiction of autism, which also depends how open a person is to understand it. I’ve heard the show has been criticized by certain autistic critics who see it as misrepresenting those with autism, and who also see the show as having very little to do with the community. I don’t fully agree with the first claim. Sam is a nuanced individual dealing with his own unique thought and language processes which is far from being a caricature. He doesn’t talk about his special interest as  “look I’m a genius”, but rather how he comprehends the world around him, and perhaps, how he self-adapts to each situation presented to him. The second claim is more feasible, even with a consultant and Anthony Jacques, but that is why you have future installments. Plus, it shouldn’t be about a guy with 10 autistic co-stars, but rather the nature of a world as reactant to someone as reactive as Sam is. I really enjoyed the show, and I recommend it to anyone with a Netflix subscription