Oh, to see without my eyes

The Title of this Blog is a tribute to separate but related points which we will dive into.
We’ll start where it all began. I’m a super fan of Drama Thrillers & Documentaries particularly HBO, they have some spectacular series - Euphoria, Big Little Lies, Sharp Objects & True Detective. If you have not watched these SERIOUSLY watch them. It’s been some time since I’ve watched a good series, so I decided to do some digging & get my research cap on.

»»»»»»»»»»»>Google search HBO series»»»»»»»»»»>

I came across a series called House of Hammer, the description reading A shocking Hollywood scandal rips open the Hammer family's perfect façade. The title and initial description alone sold me. I never like to read too much into what a series is about or watch trailers etc because SPOILIER !!!!

»»»»»»Watching the Trailer pre movie Gang »»»»»»»

The docuseries is about the lineage of the Hammer family, including but not limited to manipulation & murder. It specifically focuses on the Allegations of Armie Hammer which emerged in 2021. The allegations centered around emotional abuse & coercion. The craziest accusation was that of cannibalism which was told by one of his ex-partners. She recounted how he expressed desires to cut her rib out and eat it. One of the things I internally grappled with was that of the Halo effect. Having seen him in the Social Network, I was surprised to learn of his history. Am I the only one who is only learning of these allegations now?

Not a unique thought but I often think, especially in modern life we put such a subconscious weight on our perceptions & appearances that we can be blinded by true energy & motives. Perhaps if I didn’t know what Armie looked like I could accept his downfall more readily - Oh to see without my eyes.

Having watched the documentary & learning he was dropped from all movie roles, I was curious to see his acting. After learning so much about his history & wrongdoing I wanted to see,
1. How he carried himself (while potentially living a double life) &
2. How differently I would have viewed him without the knowledge I now had.

I decided to watch Call Me by your Name; I hate to say it but what a brilliant movie & Armies acting was great. The movie is set in the Italian countryside & follows the quiet romance between Elio (Thimothée Chalamet) & Oliver (Armie Hammer). This movie is so visually pleasing and depicts the calmness & glory of the quiet life in the Sun. The shots are long and often simple but so cinematic.

This movie is long (I watched it in three chunks). One thing I did love was there’s no distinct timeline; the movie feels free flowing like the emotions that are played out. The scenes meander & the big moments are unpredictable and happen freely. IMO there is nothing worse than a movie having an obvious beginning, middle & end. You know I’m predicting what’s happening next.

The use of Sound creates such a feeling of Nostalgia that I can’t articulate. I honestly felt like I was back to being carefree circa 2010. The use of sound really draws you into the moment and made me feel so grounded in the scenes.

If you have watched this movie, you’ll know how beautiful the moment was where Elio’s father has a conversation with him about the possibilities that come with living life on your own terms.

There was a huge depth & range of emotions in this movie. As an outsider looking in on Elios life, it seemed idyllic. The Country house & tempo of his life are enviable.
Although, there’s a big contrast between his physical life & internal world, which is filled with dismay & conflict.

Especially in today’s digital age, it is so easy to think from what you view & consume that others are more fortunate. Oh, to see without my eyes is a brilliant song & was strategically picked. It was almost a contradiction & reminded me not to base my judgements of someone’s life on appearances alone.

I won’t say any more about this movie other than I’d rate it 9.2/10 (I don’t want to be a hypocrite with spoilers). PS if you’re looking for me, I’m probably listening to the movie soundtrack.