While you were sleeping, 1995

While you were sleeping, 1995
Director: Jon Turteltaub
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Bill Pullman, Peter Gallagher


Stage: Home theatre, TV selection


While you were sleeping in short: Lucy's life consists of constant loneliness that is until she saves Peter's life. Now she is a part of his family, and with a strong heart and fate on her side, others begin to realize what a terrific person she is, especially Jack, Peter's brother. An extraordinarily true-to-life sequence of events begin to take place as Lucy and Jack become closer and learn more about each other and themselves than one would ever expect from such coincidental, yet believable events.



Preps: wow, a wonderful surprise on a Thursday evening. I adore Sandra and also Pullman. I saw this piece a few times and it makes me dream away every time.


Reality: As always, not dissappointed. The storyline is interesting, the philosophy behind it even more. How far are you going with things you make up and where do you choose to have the limit? Especially if you are as sad and yearning for love and someone to love (and that would love you back). So she makes something small up which afterwards comes up to a giant fat lie she can't back away from. She grows into the heart of his family, she plays the game until she falls in love with the brother. After that still plays the game. Do women really want to be comfortable until the very last breath?
The charade is really fun to watch and I love the witty scenes and the confusion she brings with her intelligent statements. Also the side role of her friend in the building that proposes to her constantly, is really intriguing.
Setting is placed around Christmas, the perfect time you can forgive her for making things up. The perfect time to be with the family and ones you love. You can easily feel with a person that is all alone, working on Christmas. So with the personification of the viewer, a bit of romance, fluffy yearning.. and the director wins the homerun.
Can you give me any reason I shouldn't marry your brother?, she asks Pullman. What would be the answer if he told her he loves her? Then the charade of the wedding, family love, etc, would vanish and she would be stuck with her conscience. The mixup at the wedding scene is really touching. We all need to confess our sins, especially if they are mixing with other people, influencing other people's feelings. The proposal at the ticket station is so romantic it really makes your heart turn a bit mushy. Life doesn't always turn out the way you planned.


My personal rating: 7,0 (a solid romantic comedy. You will love it, especially if you are fond of family way of living and are cheering for happy endings).


While you were sleeping on IMDB

Le Concert, 2009

Le Concert, 2009
Director: Rado Mihaileanu
Cast: Aleksey Guskov, Melanie Laurent, Dmitri Nazarov



Stage: Home theatre, early morning on a morning I couldn't sleep, cultural holiday. Maybe the best beginning of such a day with some culture in the piece.


Le Concert in short: Thirty years ago, Andrei Simoniovich Filipov, the renowned conductor of the Bolshoi orchestra, was fired for hiring Jewish musicians. Now a mere cleaning man at the Bolshoi, he learns by accident that the Châtelet Theater in Paris invites the Bolshoi orchestra to play there. He decides to gather together his former musicians and to perform in Paris in the place of the current Bolshoi orchestra. As a solo violin player to accompany his old Jewish or Gypsy musicians he wants Anne-Marie Jacquet, a young virtuoso. If they all overcome the hardships ahead this very special concert will be a triumph.



Preps: Heard many great reviews about this piece, yet never came to its place on my perfect night. Now I have a perfect morning, the dawn of our national cultural holiday to celebrate with this piece.



Reality: An extraordinary piece, touched me to my heart and soul. Besides miraculous music, also great interpretation and great story. Reminds me somehow of a hungarian movie I saw a while ago, however that piece consisted on the dancing (maiden danced to death .. ). This one consists on music and bringing back virtually dead people to live again on stage.

The real story is about revealing real parents to a young talented violinist and telling her the story about her life as it really is. The parallel story is about getting some rusted russian players (concert players, artists) to perform again, with a real attitude, in Paris, the centre of culture (up to a russian standard, obviously also to the rest of the world). Numerous funny scenes happen inbetween, the russians somehow manage to assemble themselves and fly to Paris, however once they are in the city, they get loose of their strings, per se. Which means they act less serious than ever and don't really have in mind they came here to perform to a crowd of critics and eager people.

The movie has a genuine depressive drama mode, accompanied with the mindset of a true russian, as presented here - some would say even balcan way of thinking (we would call it "lako čemo" or we will get by). Which means that the real artists like this violinist would never perform with such a crowd of sheep for the lack of respect and interest in such barbarians. Still, somehow, the dramatic effect of the first subtle story about someone reaching to the parents and this clown artist story on the other hand, somehow collide in a superb concert they manage to deliver at last.
The final scene is breathtaking and makes it worth staying behind the screen until the movie lasts. It touches your innerself and makes your body shiver. The music collides with the feelings and the confession or the real story, which is told inbetween. Brilliant piece, in term of seeking something that touches you deeply.

Now, can IRL some people just go to the airport and print some passports, or on the other hand, can they deliver an excellent concert without practising at all? I really doubt. The movie is also filled with subtle hints how russian (or eastern) people are supposed to be and brings a dark spotlight upon them. I doubt things are really like this, however, if we see too many movies on this topic made in the same way, we might consider this to be the truth. Similar with our prejudice towards some US citizen (because of some movies that show them more stupid as I really think they are). So in some sense, this movie is humiliating the attitude towards russian nation and some eastern nations as a whole. Still, I got to laugh quite a bit. You will, too.

Some hindback for me; it's a russian movie, I saw it with spanish subtitles. I am not as fluent in spanish as in english or german, still, I got it all. But do yourself a favour and download english subtitles. Most of the jokes will be funny instantly, not after one minute (once I got them :)


My personal rating: 8,0 (a splendid piece, worthy seeing on a cultural holiday. I love the story and I love the outcome. the music will rock your bones).


Le concert on IMDB

Girl, Interrupted, 1999

Girl, Interrupted, 1999
Director: James Mangold
Cast: Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie, Whoopi Goldberg



Stage: Home theatre, late Sunday night


Girl, Interrupted in short: Susanna is rushed to the hospital. Afterwards she discusses this with a psychiatrist. She had been having some delusions. She had also been having an affair with the husband of her parents' friend. The doctor suggests that combining a bottle of aspirin and a bottle of vodka was a suicide attempt. This she denies. He recommends a short period of rest at Claymoore. Claymoore is a private mental hospital full of noisy, crazy people. Georgina is a pathological liar. Polly has been badly scarred by fire. Daisy won't eat in the presence of other people. Lisa is a sociopath, the biggest exasperation for the staff - like Nurse Valerie - and the biggest influence on the other girls in the hospital. Lisa has a history of escapes, so gaining access to personal medical files is not a problem... Susanna's boyfriend Toby is concerned that she seems too comfortable living with her institutionalized friends.


Preps: Angelina got an oscar for this piece. Winona was nominated, I think. Something I haven't seen before and definitely need to see it. It's an oldie, but I think I might like it. The trailer tells me it's the topic that interests me.


Reality: Narrator (Winona) begins with.. "Have you ever confused a dream with life? Or stolen something when you have the cash? Have you ever been blue? Or thought your train moving while sitting still? Maybe I was just crazy. Maybe it was the 60's. Or maybe I was just a girl... interrupted"

Winona is right. Sometimes you need to go a bit crazy to understand the real world. Where else do you submit to be analyzed and cured at an institution which doesn't want to give you a leave or let you go. It's a bit sad watching how an institution can influence a sane person (or at least turn someone with a few weird characteristics into a complete looney). A place, where sane people are kept because they tread on the system, and sick ones are left home, where they cut their veins and keep chicken in the fridge to please the father that's raping them.

The movie will strike you with the reality of the scenes and the horror it might pose down your bloodstream. You are terrified to find yourself once in a place like this and you need to think out of the box to convey the message. If you are placed in an institution, lie because otherwise you won't escape :)
To be quite honest, this must be one of the best Angelina Jolie's casts. I adored her also in the Changeling - the serious role of a mother that loses a child. I think that serious drama movies fit her better than action movies. Yes, she's a hot chick, but appereantly she can contribute much more to the cause than just a nice ass and hot lips. So use her in those roles, instead of only action Lara Croft figures! :) (Maybe action brings more money, I don't know. But I have grown a deep respect for her in drama casts).

Winona is superb also. I just love the dialogue these two "more sane" women are having all the time and the adventures they are a part of being kept in a looney house. It devastates my mind to think about the impact you have on your soul, if you are working in a place like this. The scenery is superb, the dialogues are witty and intelligent, the music brings /adds on, where necessary.

The movie is more than worth seeing. It's worth thinking about it and the limit you are willing to admit (to yourself and to others), what is a sane person and what an insane looks (feels, thinks) like. When are we insane and aren't we all in certain moments? Should we all be locked or would the locking benefit to our image of ourselves at some point? Winona after a while doesn't want to leave the institution that she took shelter in. The same I have at home, she says and refuses to leave.
As if we build the cage we are caught in. And are our own prisoners, keepers and managers.

P.s. Exclusively nice to see Whoopi Goldberg, even though it's a relatively old movie.


My personal rating: 8,0 (a splendid show-off of lunecy vs. sanity. And a superb cast. You will enjoy the two dames in their prime roles. Plus, have fun with the dialogues and looney actions.)


Girl, Interrupted on IMDB