HUNTSVILLE, AL (November 17, 2009)-----It is going to be a big weekend at the Box Office. The second film in the Twilight saga, “New Moon”, hits screens for a midnight showing on Friday. The opener, as well as most weekend showings playing on four screens at the Monaco Theater, is sold out.
But on Tuesday, the Monaco was all about a lesser known film. After numerous calls and requests from local movie-goers, the Monaco was able to get the critically acclaimed “Precious” in its limited showing based on their ticket sales for similar films. For the next two weeks, the Monaco is the only place in Huntsville where viewers can see the winner of the Dramatic Grand Jury and Audience Award Prizes for the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. Gabby Sidibe, Mo'Nique and Mariah Carey star in this powerful film based on the novel Push by Sapphire. The film was co-produced by Oprah Wynfrey and after a round in the festival circuit, has built large grass roots support.
Set in 1987 Harlem, Precious is about Claireece 'Precious' Jones, an overweight 16-year-old girl who already has a child with Down's Syndrome from when she was raped by her father. Her mother constantly abuses her and she's pregnant again with her second baby. When she gets kicked out of school and is forced to go to an alternative school to help her get her GED, she realizes that there may actually be hope for her. Precious, winner of the Dramatic Grand Jury and Audience Award Prizes for the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, opened with a very limited release on November 6.
WAAYTV.com’s Leslie Moody attended the screening of “Precious” and has a preview of the film.
“Precious” is not a film for the faint hearted. The language is extreme and the severe abuse of Precious Jones is hard to watch.
Gabby Sidibe’s portrayal of Precious, in conjunction with her non-traditional movie star “look” , make it easy to forget you are watching a movie. Within the first five minutes, the viewer is made aware of the incest Precious has endured. Compassion and a desire to see her conditions improve draw you in.
Ultimately, the film is about Precious’s journey to find value in herself. Though the conditions she lives in are unimaginable to most of us, it is a journey we can relate to on some level. My favorite line in the movie was when Precious started alternative school. For years she had sat in class, unnoticed, not learning. After reluctantly introducing herself to the new class she has an uncontrollable moment where she interrupts and tells the group she has never spoken in class before. The teacher asks “How does it make you feel?”, to which she replies simply “Here”.
“Precious” is a movie that will leave you thinking for the rest of the day. I find myself continually going back to the thought that while what I had seen was a movie, there are young girls (and boys) who are enduring the same type of inconceivable abuse in the real world.
“Precious” opens Friday at the Monaco and in additional theaters nationwide in two weeks. You can order tickets online with no fee at www.monacopicturesusa.com . Also in theaters this week, "The Blindside" starring Sandra Bullock and football coaches from throughout the SEC, Disney's "A Christmas Carol", "2012" and "Planet 51".
