Shrek Forever After, 2010

Shrek Forever After, 2010
Director: Mike Mitchell
Cast: Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas, Eddie Murphy



Stage: Local Colloseum (Local theatre)

Preps: Hmmmm, Slovenia has a huge commercial background for this one. You can collect multiple things to receive marketing materials, where Shrek is - cups, badges, fluffy animals, campaign is really great and if it happened two months before the actual movie, I believe the movie would be even a greater success as it already is. Long time expected, the final part of this animated classic, that set standards for an animated movie with its first part in 2001. I wanted to see this badly as I am a bit of an addict to such movies. And who can resist Eddie Murphy as the Donkey and Banderas as the Puss?


Reality: It is really hard to make the fourth sequel of a great hit. The same problem is with Ice Age. With so many movies out we are very picky and very talented to criticize without a perticular reason. The worst thing is to make a sequel just because you feel you have to. Every sequel has to have a story. After all, not everyone can make Die Hard (and have three good ones), or Rambo's to some extention.

In any case, this piece is innovative and fresh, it offers a complete different perspective of an oger life, from what it used to be, to what it has evolved into now, with all the trivial problems that don't seem problems any more once Shrek loses them. He offends his wife, signs a contract with a devil and works his way through the movie to win his life back. He suddenly starts to appreciate what he thought was a curse for him. Funny, and that is precisely the way our lives work in a way, don't you agree?

So we look this struggle, meet other ogers, meet finally the Donkey and Puss, in their best condition - they make me laugh the whole time. I just cannot resist Murphy, I can practically see his gestures through Donkey's big teeth smile and Banderas when clapping the boots that crack of the fat he posesses within a cat's body.

There aren't any overeaters in terms of scenography, special effects, or something that would get my mind to focus on this. However, the music is good (especially the one that the Donkey is singing), the idea of the witches is great, and the theme - to be able to change something in your life and then find a noble way to win it back - it's really modern and you can personalize in it.


One of the greatest scenes :) You need to see it!

Donkey: Why don't you just tell her what you told me? You know, about how you're her true love and you came from an alternate universe.

Shrek: Oh, and while I'm at it, why don't I tell her that you're married to a fire breathing dragon and you have little mutant donkey dragon babies?
Donkey: I do?

Shrek: You saw what happened. She's going to think I'm crazy.

Donkey: I'm a daddy?



My personal rating:7,0 (better than I expected and on some levels, the greatest achievement for an animated picture. The main theme evolves and in a way, touches some questions we might have when being in the same situation - the post marital life and being able to appreciate what you have when you lose it). I think you will really enjoy it :)

Shrek on IMDB
Official site

Create your OGER here :)

Mary and Max, 2009

Mary and Max, 2009
Director: Adam Eliott
Cast: Toni Collette, Philip Seymour Hoffmann, Eric Bana


Short summary: A tale of friendship between two unlikely pen pals: Mary, a lonely, eight-year-old girl living in the suburbs of Melbourne, and Max, a forty-four-year old, severely obese man living in New York.

Stage: home theatre
Preps: none whatsoever - I have this for some time, downloaded it at a point and it has been waiting in queue. Why not see this on a rainy Sunday, right?


Reality:
It's an animated movie, made with a strong and modern technique. I love the expressions of these characters (the way they designed them), as well as the fact that the director (and the writer in the same person) decided to focus on a deep topic of distant friendships, pen pal friendship.

The relationship between Mary and Max evolves with the time and has a lifetime cycle. From what it seems a bit naive and shallow at the beginning, evolves a strong friendship of two lonely and misunderstood people (within their own worlds).

The way, in which the world of Mary and world of Max is described, is absolutely brilliant. With a smooth touch of irony or black humour, most of modern problems of modern families are depicted precisely in the lives of these two individuals. The representation of internal fears, some of them still immature (in the shape of Mary) and some of them reflected even years after the traumatic events happened (the psychology of Max, mentally disoriented man in his last third of life).

Also, the nature of the friendship is interesting - it happens because of a coincidence in which Mary selects one person to write to and it just so happens that this lonely man responds. From this point on as they write to each other, they reflect their souls. This is just what makes this piece special. It is a rare occasion that we express our feelings so directly and so personal, however, it seems that it's more likely that we do that to someone we don't know in person. Which is precisely the case here.

I recommend this one strongly as I feel I need to think about this movie hours after I have seen it. And this is what makes a good piece in my opinion. If it doesn't touch my soul, it's not worth recommending it or seeing it again. I believe it fed my ironic soul and mind with deep truths each one of us carries with him or her.


One of the best things in this piece: Do you have a favourite-sounding word? My top 5 are ointment, bumblebee, Vladivostok, banana and testicle. (Max Horowitz in one of his letters)

Such a great thing, to have five words selected to be your top favourite ones for any reason at all. I have thought whether I have such a selection, and in my language, I actually don't. But the movie gave me the idea to do that. Or to select favourite expressions.



And another one, that burst the laughter out of me: Unfortunately, in America, babies are not found in cola cans. I asked my mother when I was four and she said they came from eggs laid by rabbis. If you aren't Jewish, they're laid by Catholic nuns. If you're an atheist, they're laid by dirty, lonely prostitutes.





My personal rating: 8,0 (a very deep story about this friendship touched me in several ways and on different levels. I am sure it will touch you).

Mary and Max on IMDB

Official Site of Mary and Max

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, 2010

Prince of Persia: The sands of time, 2010
Director:Mike Newell
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley


Prince of Persia in short: Based on the video game, which follows an adventurous prince who teams up with a rival princess to stop an angry ruler from unleashing a sandstorm that could destroy the world.


Stage: Local theatre; Colloseum.

Preps: Hm. I know the video game. It was the first on my first-ever-computer at home, when I was a kid. However, I didn't enjoy it as much as some other teens did. So I never got to play it a lot. In spite this fact, the technology nowadays can be impressive and serve to its purpose precisely in these cases, like Prince Of Persia. I hava a strong feeling about a spectacle, deriving from the impressive trailer I saw.



Reality: Well, it's a good remake of the famous PC game. At least in sense of finding / or storekeeping the treasure, getting the princess, while you are at it, chasing through the streets of the main city (as the PC game vividly showed 20 years ago). The story is somehow predictable, and the director should stick to it also in the beginning. The invasion on Alamut is simply something taken out of a different picture, different stage. I don't see this as a good example for setting up the movie. I don't get, who's who, who's fighting, what are they fighting for. In spirit of lately seen hystorical movies I subconsciously corelate this scene with all the others and this one doesn't even touch the knees of the others.

Nevertheless, I seem to think through the whole movie, what movie is that this one reminds me of. I am more than satisfied to realize, that it reminds me of the Pirates of the Carribean. The dialogues between Prince and the Princess are just so.. black-humoured, straight forward, like between Depp and Knightley in the Pirates. I see later on a poster in front of our theatre that it's the same producer (makes sense then, however, it's just a reminder, far from the real Pirates gig).

As a package, the movie won't dissappoint you, but you need to accept certain phantasy driven miracles - jumping through roofs, falling several meters down and just standing up, like you haven't broken a single bone; going back in time and changing things.

Philosophically it seems going back in time and having the ability to change something you think changed your destiny is a powerful tool every person in this world would want to have. It has inspired many pictures and many artists. In this case, Disney-like ending; everyone is happy and everyone gets what they deserve. A bit naive, but so is the video game ;)


My personal rating: 6,0 (you will see it reminds you of the Pirates of the Carribean, however, it's just a reminder, not as close as you would want it to be. And only in terms of dialogues, that is).

Prince of Persia on IMDB
Prince official site

The cove, 2009

The Cove, 2009 - oscar winner for documentary 2009!
Director: Louie Psihoyos
Cast: Joe Chisholm, Mandy Rae Cruishank, Charles Hambleton



Cove in short: Using state-of-the-art equipment, a group of activists, led by renowned dolphin trainer Ric O'Barry, infiltrate a cove near Taijii, Japan to expose both a shocking instance of animal abuse and a serious threat to human health.


Stage: Local cinema Dvor

Preps: I have seen the trailer. It's the oscar winner in documentary for this year - due to my experience they are good ones that got that. However, I know it's about the massacre of the dolphins. And I know I cannot stand animal torture on screen. So I am a bit sceptical when going to see this with a friend. She is a dolphin fan and claims to have a certain connection with them. I try to warn her, however, she feels she needs to see it. So there we went..



Reality: I am struck as of lightning by this piece. Raw material, absolutely no hard work in putting it together (or so it seems). But in spite this fact, this movie has a message. So profound and deep it doesn't need any fancy material behind it. The truth about the animal abuse /torture/ massacre is so hurtful my eyes are like waterfalls. I think I cry for at least half of the movie. I cannot think about how evil the human race is.. we are violent and take everything from the nature, regardless if we need it, regardless of the consequences. Like grasshoppers, we take and take and kill and take, and never give anything back to it. It's so sad it makes me think about this the whole time and days after the movie. I believe I am bursting with tears as I go to sleep because the cruel footage those brave people took to take a stand against Japanese, well, that footage just kills me parallel to poor dolphins.

It angers me that it's taken so many people and so much time to put something like this public. All because of the politics and its interests. It's really sad that such things get to happen and not only that, the responsible people get by when this happens. The whole massacre in the Cove is just a metaphore for all murders of this kind happening all over the world. I am shutting my eyes every now and then, I cannot stand the pain when seeing poor creatures killed.

The movie leaves me thinking about the world and the place we are leaving to our kids. Absolutely nothing great about it. Sadly enough..

So, what can you do about it? Go to their webpage - see link below! and make a stand. The more people know about this, the bigger pressure can be made to politics. See this movie not because it's sad - It will kill you in your heart, but because it's right to care!

Remember this : Richard O'Barry: If you aren't an activist you're an inactivist


My personal rating: 7,5 (it shocked me and made me cry almost half of the movie. But the high rating is not because of that. It's because I care and I would like more and more people to see this masacre and at least judge their stand in this matter)



Cove on IMDB
Where can you get more info? Takepart.com/thecove or here

Official site of the movie

The Wolfman, 2010

The Wolfman, 2010
Director: Joe Johnston
Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Benicio Del Toro, Emily Blunt


Stage: Home theatre (to be more accurate, home on the laptop)

Wolfman in short: Upon his return to his ancestral homeland, an American man is bitten, and subsequently cursed by, a werewolf.


Preps: Hm, one of the remains of the day, the movie that I didn't see but is running in our theatres. The urge to see it makes me want to see it. However, I get awful critics from my friends (and if a girl, that's practically nuts about this genre, claims, that's no good and I will be seriously spending my money in vain if I see this in theatre, well, that stands for something). But I have it at home, so let's check it out.


Reality:Wow, this one exceeds even my lowest expectations about werewolf movies. I mean it's even worse than I expected. What's with the blue colour in the photography of the movie? And no dynamics whatsoever. There are some movies carefully looking into this problem (see 13th warrior for this matter with fabulous Antonio Banderas)..however, this one is not one of them.

After carefully revising the decision to delete this piece immediately, I stay and wait for the action that unfortunately never arrives. A big dissappointment for me. So what if he was bitten by a werewolf? We all know what happens, so why stall it? And why put gypsies to tell the bitten one he's going to be laid off the spell by a woman that loves him - so predictable and lame.

All in all, a waste of time. A waste of talent, for that matter - I am referring to the actors. On Hopkin's behalf, I wouldn't be proud of this piece. I think he should have done better or not even spend time with this. And so shouldn't you. Don't watch it, if you are not an extreme fan of the genre. You will not stand it ;)

My personal rating: 2,0 (because it took me 34 minutes to shut it off), which means I gave it more than one shot. I truly admire Hopkins and Del Toro, but this one is a no no :)


Wolfman on IMDB

Robin Hood, 2010

Robin Hood, 2010
Director: Ridley Scott
Cast: Kate Blanchett, Russel Crowe, Max von Sydow, William Hurt




Robin in short:Oscar winner Russell Crowe stars as the legendary figure known by generations as Robin Hood, whose exploits have endured in popular mythology and ignited the imagination of those who share his spirit of adventure and righteousness. In 13th century England, Robin and his band of marauders confront corruption in a local village and lead an uprising against the crown that will forever alter the balance of world power. And whether thief or hero, one man from humble beginnings will become an eternal symbol of freedom for his people.


Stage: Local colloseum /theatre

Preps: I am a bit skeptical in sense of not trying to expect too much (I have done a mistake like this in seeing Sherlock Holmes). I am definitely a fan of idea of Robin Hood, but another remake of something we saw so many times already? Russel Crowe gives me hope this will be something good, also Ridley Scott, one of my favourite directors. I definitely want to see this at the movies.


Reality: One of the best pieces I saw, definitely for the last decade. Definitely best movie of the year in my eyes so far, in this genre in perticular. Scott did a great job here. The first surprise derives from the fact, that you see the pre-story of Robin Hood and not the one we saw animated, in 10 remakes. You get to see where Hood really derives from, how the idea with the taxes went (even for someone that didn't really study hard at hystory class the idea would be clarified now).

I am amazed by the action, by dialogues, by costumography, scenography and also, the selection of the music. I finally get to know where Little John, Alan d'ale and Fryer Tuck come from. They are realistic, and so is Robin Hood. Since I expected a similar character as in Gladiator, I am more than satisfied. This is a type of cast Crowe should really look for in the future, it suits him perfectly. Blanchett also has an important and independent role here, I am amazed by the perfection her irony is selected and praised then by people that surround her.Take this for instance (what she tells to Locksley when he is sleeping in the same room): I sleep with a dagger. If you ever move as to touch me, I will sever your manhood.

The idea of waiting for a man for 10 years, because he's fighting for the king, is real for that time, and gives me shivers as I see directly how it can be manifested and then how much damage a war can do to the people, the land and moral in general.

The movie is definitely a masterpiece on several levels. The two hours and a half pass by in a minute. And I want to see it again and again. If you didn't know what to do with the sea and the water fights when you saw the trailer (in sense - didn't Robin Hood live in the forest?!?!) - well, Scott makes perfect sense out of this. And sets political dilemmas (France over GB) in front.

Definitely something I will see again. And what is the fine tune in the movie? Rise, and rise again. Until lambs become lions.


My personal rating: 10 (nothing to add, I would just go to see it again right after I saw it. Excellent)


Robin Hood on IMDB
Official sites

Kill Bill, vol. 2, 2004

Kill Bill, vol. 2
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Cast: Uma Thurman, David Carradine, Lucy Liu




Kill Bill 2 in short: The murderous Bride continues her vengeance quest against her ex-boss, Bill, and his two remaining associates; his younger brother Budd, and Bill's latest flame Elle.

Stage: Home theatre, TV selection (yessss, finally they came up with some money for true movies)


Preps: Licking over Kill Bill, I know this is going to be good again. Quentin cannot make anything not to my taste :)


Reality: The movie is a follow up on the first part. Still some people to kill, still some revenge to seek. It is amazing, how a sequel can be even better than the first part. This is something a lot of directors aren't capable of. And sad enough, you get to see so many of them.

This piece is again, a rollercoaster of action, irony, hard trauma (we get to see the scene in the chapel to its details and I love this combination of the knowledge about something you get from the first part of the movie, connected to this piece). Uma is superb, her training is something almost everyone would go to, but wouldn't stand the pain. Her skills are something almost everyone would have, but wouldn't go through blood and dust to get it.

Some of the scenes are so direct and hit so hard in your heart you stand with mouth wide open (for instance the idea that you piss your trainer so hard he tores your eye out) or the revenge in sense of taking the other eye - the fight at the camper.

Music is carefully selected, so are the scenes (or lets say the sets) and the black idolized characters or items (the bloody Hanzu sword). Tarantino made a wise choice to split the revenge drama into two pieces, where you can see each movie by itself and you don't miss the action in another, because it has a complete story. If you combine the two, you realize it's one of those hystorically important break-downs in movie industry (like Godfather, for instance, or LOTR). Definitely something worth seeing a few times. You will always get new truths, new values and new impact directly in your bloodstream.


My personal rating: 9,0 (some of my personal favourites of all times)


Bill on IMDB

Kill Bill, 2003

Kill Bill, 2003
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Cast: Uma Thurman,Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox


Kill Bill in short: The Bride wakes up after a long coma. The baby that she carried before entering the coma is gone. The only thing on her mind is to have revenge on the assassination team that betrayed her - a team she was once part of.


Preps: I absolutely adore Tarantino. I love or become a deep fan of everything he does. Unique, in terms of scenography, costumography, photography, dialogue, set-up and music. In a predictable genre that suits me to my bones - irony, black comedy, drama. Tarantino brings added value to every day scenes. Or makes up unbelievable scenes one dreams of seeing once in life. And now live in theatres. Amazing.


Stage: Home TV selection (every now and then our local TV seems to have the money to actually pay for good movies ;)


Reality: I am again astonished and lost in excellence of this Tarantino's masterpiece (or one of them at least for that matter). Kill Bill is not only a great piece on revenge and how a hurt woman's soul thinks and in some cases, acts. It's a rollercoaster of martial arts that meet human souls in revenge. It's a specific (being at the right place at the right time) set of connection between human brains and body - you will enjoy the fighting scenes tremendously. Even if you don't like kung-fu movies, this one is amazing insight into them :) Tarantino knows how sexy a woman looks in performing some of the kicks that are supposed to be reserved for male population only.

The idea of being in a killer squad, fighting for justice of the world or making the world a cleaner place, well, this is something that everyone wants to be, every now and then, if not more often. The same as the idea of being a president of a country. Almost noone would do the job, but most of us would agree to try doing this for a week and then leave it to another sucker. The same thing here - everyone would be a specialist or Uma in this case; however, most of us would do this for a week tops. Still, amazing to imagine what the right coordination of mind and body can do. And think about, how deep in your mind the idea of the revenge falls. To go all the way, because you have got nothing to lose. The worst and deadliest kind of revenge.

A masterpiece in my mind, that I need to see and explore some more every few months. I was glad to see it again. Also, note the music. Tarantino played the right cards selecting carefully (as he always does in his movies). The soundtrack doesn't have them all. However, the most powerful ones are, as always, in the fight scenes. Uma will impress you, I am sure. She did a great job on me.



My personal rating: 9,0 (Quentin's masterpiece, definitely one of the best movie in this genre mixture. See it and make it run in your veins. You will want to be this assassin :)

Kill Bill on IMDB

Big momma's house 2, 2006

Big momma's house 2, 2006
Director: John Whitesell
Cast: Martin Lawrence, Nia Long



Momma again in short: Martin Lawrence returns as FBI agent Malcolm Turner, a master of disguise who again goes deep undercover as the sassy septuagenarian "Big Momma." The FBI has learned that a computer software developer named Tom Fuller has created a computer virus that allows access to classified US government files, Fuller is planning to sell the virus to terrorist organizations all over the world. Upon hearing this, the FBI's best lead is Fuller's wife. So Malcolm goes undercover again as Big Momma in order to pose as Mrs. Fuller's nanny. and as always, Big Momma once again turns the house upside down.


Stage: Home TV selection, one week after Momma 1


Preps: one of my friends decides to come for a movie night. She needs to see a comedy. I wanted actually to check out Phone Booth again, a superb movie to my recall,. However, she persuades me this one will be great. Ok, I will submerge to her and not to my inner thoughts that this is one of the worst sequels of a bad comedy..


Reality: Hmmm, I am correct in my assumptions. The first part was a dissappointment, and so is this one. The comic scenes underestimate the spectator, the dialogue makes me feel stupid because I don't see the comedy in this. The story is taken out of the dumpster of scenarios, Nia Long plays a fool inlove, Martin Lawrence takes this cast probably because of lack of money.. all in all .. dissappointment.

Directors when putting down a sequel, should really consider the purpose of this. What was done in first part, that wasn't said there? Where is the niche for setting up a sequel? What will be this competitive edge that a sequel might bring to spectator to see the main difference and add value to the first part? Well, here this homework wasn't done at all. Again, the scenes with bringing up the image of Big Momma, are impressive (I wouldn't dare showing up 150 kg more than I have and still resemble the old lady. Lawrence (or the costumography team) does a great job here. I am impressed by this. However, this already happened in the first part. So, I need something more here. I carefully think about it.. but the movie is empty. The love story between Nia and Lawrence isn't believable, doesn't look genuine at all. The happening is unbelieavable, too (the flow of the story is just brought up in a second, like the director wouldn't even stop and think about it before putting it together).


Some of the scenes are still very funny, but they never make up for the time loss the spectator has. In my opinion, it's a no-no (the decision whether to watch this or not). If there wasn't for my friend (and she really enjoyed this), I would have turned this off long time before the end. So, don't see it if you have anything more enjoyable to do.


My personal rating: 2,0 (if you have something more important to do, do it :)

Momma on IMDB
Momma official site

Big momma's house, 2000

Big momma's house, 2000
Director: Raja Gosnell
Cast: Martin Lawrence, Nia Long, Paul Giamatti



Momma's synopsis: An FBI agent Malcolm Turner is going deep undercover as he disguise himself as Sherry Pierce's long-lost grandmother named Hattie Mae Pierce, aka Big Momma. And his latest assignment sends him to small-town Cartersville Georgia, where he is assigned to trap a brutal bank robber who they suspect will be coming down to visit his ex-girlfriend and her son, Trent. Now, Malcolm must somehow find a way to nab his criminal and the lady.


Stage: home TV selection (a really lazy evening and I needed something that smells like a comedy)


Preps: Once I remember seeing this, and I wasn't that thrilled, however, I needed some funny stuff so I was ready to choak or settle on something not so thrilling just to get some other things out of my head.


Reality: Worse than I remember. I remember at the time when this piece was created, there was this fame around Eddie Murphy and his sit-com's, his movies when he dressed up and his cast was cast of 8 actors (the nutty professor for instance is an example, from 1996). Anyhow, I got the feeling every person that considered himself as one of black really funny actors and resembled Eddie Murphy, wanted to do a piece that played around this topic. And of course, make big money out of the old idea - just for the sake of the argument, that crowd needs and loves such humour. Big momma's house is something like that. It has an unbelievable story, however, the make up and the dressing, resembling of big mommy by Martin Lawrence, is cute and in some cases, hilarious, funny so you could tremble and fall down. However, this is just in some cases and in some minutes of this movie.

These directors (that make such movies) and actors that are presented in this way, need to know that an old idea doesn't make a movie. And of course, not every actor can be like Eddie. Martin Lawrence is also a great comedian - I have seen some of his better times, and I remember Momma's house to be a big hit in Slovenia at the screening time. But I don't think that it's the type that would suit me. I don't like comedies that underestimate the viewer and this one, unfortunately, does just that.



My personal rating: 3,5 (I have seen more of my flat or refrigerator than this piece when watching it. Plus, the TV version makes you use the breaks they need for their commercials. Seriously, you won't miss a lot if you don't see it. However, there areat least a few really funny situations and some of the sit-com is really enjoyable.

Momma on IMDB

About a boy, 2002

About a boy, 2002
Director: Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz
Cast: Hugh Grant, Nicholas Hoult



About a boy synopsis: Will Freeman is a hip Londoner who one day realizes that his friends are all involved with the responsibilities of married life and that leaves him alone in the cold. Passing himself off as a single father, he starts to meet a string of single mums, confident in his ability to leave them behind when they start to ask for a commitment. But Will's hope of a continued bachelorhood is interrupted when he meets 12-year old Marcus, in many ways his complete opposite.


Stage: Home theatre, TV selection

Preps: Wanted to see this again as I remember it to be one of Grant's better casts and it has a good point about male middle-age adolescence.

Reality: I am even more satisfied as I was the first time I saw this. Truly I believe this to be one of Grant's better pieces. Nicholas Hoult stars as a boy, out of league in his school, hated by his "supposed-to-be-friends" at school, misunderstood by his mother, unappreciated by his own father, a reality case that can happen on each corner. What makes this movie special is the bond that the boy and Grant evolve in it; from the watching of Xena, up to philosophical quests or chasing a woman Grant desires at that moment.

The movie is filled with ironical scenes and good dialogues. Other directors could learn something about situation comic in a lot of british movies, however this piece stands out of the crowd with it. Seeing Grant as he is, humble, stalky, humiliated, high, embarrased, well, it's worth these two hours. See it! It will make you think what making relationship is all about; the main purpose; the obligations a child brings with him; problems you can have not being accepted at school when having different visual, different way you think about things and see the world. All about a boy is filled with casual scenes, but brought up with humour and specialized in bold decisions after taking responsibilities for your actions.


My personal rate: 8,0 (definitely see this to endulge some english humour and some good dialogues, the relationship between Hugh and Nicholas is so genuine I have to love it and admire the cast)



About a boy on IMDB
Official site

Veronica decides to die, 2009

Veronica decides to die, 2009 (based on Paolo Coelho's piece)
Director: Emily Young
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jonathan Tucker, Erika Christensen




Veronica in short: The story centers on Veronika, a woman in her mid twenties who appears to have everything: good looks, good job and a great life ahead of her. Yet she decides to end her own life. She is unsuccessful and awakens in a mental hospital where she learns that she a short time to live. However in the hospital she meets people who are only 'insane' because they don't always follow society's rules. With little left to lose, Veronika embarks on a journey on which she frees herself to experience relationships and emotions and ultimately discovers what it means to live.

Stage: home cinema

Preps: I heard it to be an awful piece, however due to the fact that it has been filmed in Ljubljana, my home town, it sparkles my interest. I truly want to see Ljubljana in a movie, so I guess this must be a main driver for seeing this.


Reality: I hate this one. The topic is so serious, maybe I am not in the right mood to watch it and maybe I have a problem with suicides - or people that feel the need to do it. I just cannot help seeing this another way than selfish.

The movie is static, nothing in perticular happening, the evolvement in the mental institution is too slow, people are too weird. You cannot have sane people (I mean all of them) in a mental institution, as the movie implies. Eventually someone would have noticed them. All mental institutions have their grey zones (see Shutter Island to know what I am implying to), however they are not black or white.

I didn't see Ljubljana as I expected. It took me about 45 minutes to stop watching this. The cast wasn't great at all, more pathetic than great indeed. And no, I don't recommend it. Do something more useful with your time :=)The only thing you can be perfectly sure about is that if you are in a depressive mode, the movie will increase your level of depression.


My personal rating: 0 (nothing there to judge.. )


Veronica on IMDB
Veronica's official site

Mona Lisa Smile, 2003

Mona Lisa Smile, 2003
Director: Mike Newell
Cast: Julia Roberts,Kirsten Dunst, Julia Stiles



Mona Lisa in short: A free-thinking art professor teaches conservative 50's Wellesley girls to question their traditional societal roles.

Stage: home cinema, TV selection on a rainy Thursday

Preps: seeing this movie every now and then gives me the creeps about the role of a woman half a century ago. It makes me appreciate what women have accomplished so far and equalizes the role play in my mind for both sexes :=)


Reality:

Julia Roberts is an art professor with a unique (and for that time unnacceptable) way of thinking. And teaching. I must imagine it's a nightmare coming into your first class having all the students already read (and not just read, also self-tought) everything you wanted to teach them. Furthermore, Catherine (Julia) shines out of this system like a candle in the wind, with everyone trying to shut her down or make her uncomfortable and ready to leave, because she just doesn't fit.

Fitting into society is what this piece is all about. And making yourself aware of that role you are supposed to play in your life or life of the others, accepting or denying that. Is really a role of a woman something that can be defined? Furthermore, can it be defined through shirt pressing, housewif-ing, bearing children and be educated at the same time? The role seems to fit perfectly to some people, for others it may seem a burden.

Watching this movie will make you think about these things thoroughly. Watching, how a system can crack someone just for the sake of the argument, or make someone crawl, just because they don't think alike, is just devastating and so sad. However it was an important part of our society and in some cases or in some parts of the world, it still is alive. Sadly enough, I think most of the people choose to be sheep and follow the herd. For all individuals... well, life's a challenge, often prosecuted for their own thoughts and deep misunderstandings by the society.


My personal rating: 8,5 (extremely good in philosophical kind of way. I strongly recommend it).

Mona Lisa Smile on IMDB
Official sites

The Back-up plan, 2010

The Back-up plan, 2010
Director:Alan Poul
Cast: Jennifer Lopez, Alex O'Loughlin




Stage: home theatre, a mildly bad version, however I wanted to see it, so I also accepted worse quality for viewing and rating this


Preps: I have seen the trailer. I expected a romantic comedy and Jennifer to be charming as ever, the guy is a new face on the cast, to my knowledge at least. Seems all romantic comedies are no fun lately and they are a disgrace to their genre. I wanted this to be a bit better in at least one perspective.


Reality: The true problem, which drives me to see the movie even after 20 min is obviously, the way she will share with her new love the good news (if you can put it this way) - that she's pregnant. And the way the guy is going to accept it, intrigues me and makes me wonder to see it.

I am dissappointed. The dialogues are nothing special, the answer to how to deal with this is "you will manage, the whole universe has", or, where will I have the money to raise a child (or in this case, two), is neglected - you will manage somehow. The problem, how one accepts other man's child (and doesn't even know who the father is - neither of the couple), is put aside, the other problem - how dreadful a decision must be to be inseminated (for a woman's perspective).. maybe the relationship you have afterwards with your family, the surroundings, all of your friends, how are you supposed to work.. and there are more questions arising in me..

These are all topics that could have been addressed in this movie - sadly they are not. I mean, they are just side topics, that get a tap on the shoulder and a quick getaway with a nonsense dialogue. Lopez again complains about her cute ass and this time you cannot see the difference, even if she's pregnant. The cheese guy is presented as a cute guy that takes on everything without a problem, they seem to break up and come back together in an instant (and the director is bold enough to put the blame to a pregnant woman's emotional affection. They move together and live, go apart and again come together. Not really realistic and I don't buy it - for me it's not believable. The movie itself doesn't offer any kind of satisfaction to the viewer, merely a thought that everything settles itself in the end.

I don't really recommend it, even to freaks on Lopez or those that would see this cute guy. The labour in water seems a disaster (the whole scene is making fun out of it) - skip that part in the movie if you need to see it :). However, it's not a back up plan for me - I don't buy it.



My personal rating: 4 (Apart from a trigging question, how to tell your new boyfriend you already are pregnant), nothing really bad if you miss it, trust me. One of romantic comedies I have seen lately, but nothing really brilliant about it.

Plan on IMDB
Official site of the movie