Monster [Blu-ray]

Charlize Theron is brilliant in this film with her portrayal of "serial killer" Aileen Wuornos. Theron not only manages to completely change her looks but her entire persona, she becomes Wuornos, capturing all of the mannerisms and deep bedded anger that Wuornos exhibited during her trial. Theron's acting is fantastic and through her performance many questions are raised, some that will stay with you for awhile.

Christina Ricci should not be ignored in her performance in this film either. She captures naïve innocence in her role as Wuornos's girlfriend. Ricci's emotions are raw and she holds her own against Theron's brilliance.

But this film is really more than just the acting; it is a statement about right and wrong and about the justice of our death penalty. I don't think anyone can walk away from this film and not feel that Wuornos might have deserved a different sentence. While I agree she was wrong to kill her victims I have to wonder what any normal woman might do under her circumstances. Rape is almost as brutal as death despite the lack of permanence. After seeing the life Wuornos had to live I became wracked with compassion for a woman with no place to turn. Was she right to kill? No! But at what point is a person a cold blooded murderer and at what point is she crushed by her circumstances. At some point blame needs to rest with the child abusers, rapists and sexual predators that helped to create Wuornos and others likely to come in her wake. This film will really cause you to reflect on where you stand on issues like this.