Thursday Movie Picks- films about prodigies/Geniuses

It's genius week or prodigy week over at Wandering Through the Shelves. You pick 3 films that correspond to the theme of that week and this is the theme. I have never met someone who is a genius and not sure I would want to because they could easily put me to shame. I have met many who think they are geniuses and those are the types I like to stick a pin in their huge head and watch it deflate. So, let's check out the movies...

1. AMADEUS-1984

I have not seen this film in a long time but I love it! I am not sure if Mozart was quite the nut displayed in this film but it does not take away from the fact that he was not only a child prodigy who composed the song "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" when he was 4, but also a man driven to create sheer poetry in musical notes. Salieri, a noted composer on his own, but now forgotten, talks about Mozart and his life at the King's court. Salieri's jealousy is shown to great effect as well as his respect for  Mozart's genius by the actor F Murray Abraham. We see Mozart at the top of his game but slowly losing favour, dying young and thrown into a pauper's grave with no one in attendance. The acting is superb and the music...sublime.

2. SHINE-1996

This first brought Geoffrey Rush to prominence to the regular folk like moi:). He plays David Helfgott, a young Australian who is mentored by his controlling father. He is a child prodigy gifted in playing the piano and wins competitions. He is not allowed to go to London or the U.S. because his father does not wish to lose control, but, eventually, David does go to London and enters a competition to play the very difficult Rachmaninoff's Concerto #3. He wins but at a cost to his mental health and ends up in a mental hospital where he undergoes electro-shock therapy. David must try to climb back up despite his mental issues (I like to say brain issues). It is an acting tour-de-force from Rush  and I think he did deserve the Oscar.

3. STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE-1999

Surprise! Now I am not a lover of these 3 films from the 90's but this young kid, the future Darth, is a child prodigy who sets everything in motion and is the daddy of Luke and Leia so I think this does belong. Now it starts with Q-Tip (Ok, Qui-Gon) and a young Obi-Wan going in search for the the one who has "The Force". They find this in the young Anakin (played horribly by that kid Jake Lloyd), a slave to some fat dragonfly, who ends up winning his freedom in a race. The troupe find Jar-Jar(ugh...don't ask) and Princess Armadillo (ok Amidala) and they all end up on going to a planet so she can plead her people's case regarding some trade agreement. All the while, the evil Sith are now gaining more power. I actually like the plot, The special effects are outstanding and the acting, aside from the annoying kid, is good. I really like Armadillo's planet which I thought was really quite beautiful. The music is excellent in the major fight scene between Q-Tip, Obi and the red and Black faced guy whom you know is evil due to his mean dad (OK just kidding but it always seems to be the dad's fault doesn't it?)

Which films would you pick?

An Extra...

WILEY E. COYOTE-SUPER GENIUS