tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23844521053441166212024-02-19T08:55:34.244+01:00The Movie PerspectiveSpreading thoughts inspired by superb or truly disastrous piece that one director put together.MajaTerzichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11811202591071504595noreply@blogger.comBlogger451125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2384452105344116621.post-69412945507547686712015-02-22T21:33:00.000+01:002015-02-22T21:33:44.657+01:00Whiplash, 2014<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0uxmvNEmDMb-KMrKeAqvTKJDk0qPmKmPMVbbbpSFQxDBpLJ_N9er-AMcyBdKYPTgVmdasdGBd6oInFYlWFnV0JK9FV9ThCWDSZEug0pnxwbDM5iRhnzAfpTwIfplEhUMrj9KLWwaYmVKc/s1600/whiplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0uxmvNEmDMb-KMrKeAqvTKJDk0qPmKmPMVbbbpSFQxDBpLJ_N9er-AMcyBdKYPTgVmdasdGBd6oInFYlWFnV0JK9FV9ThCWDSZEug0pnxwbDM5iRhnzAfpTwIfplEhUMrj9KLWwaYmVKc/s1600/whiplash.jpg" height="320" width="216" /></a><b>Whiplash, 2014</b><br />
<b>Director: Damien Chazelle</b><br />
<b>Cast: Miles Teller, J.K.Simmons, Melissa Benoist</b><br />
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<b>Stage:</b> Home Cinema Complex :), later again on Ipad, and again on Ipad.<br />
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<b>My personal rating: 9,5 (a masterpiece - you need to watch this!)</b><br />
Nominated for 5 oscars 2014!<br />
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<b>Whiplash in short</b>: A promising young drummer enrolls at a cut-throat music conservatory
where his dreams of greatness are mentored by an instructor who will
stop at nothing to realize a student's potential.<br />
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<b>Preps</b>: I read an article about this movie and wanted to watch it. Normally I would watch all the Oscar nominees, try to evaluate them before they are judged and praised and try to guess who will be the winner in the most prominent categories. Plus, I am keen on movies that include some kind of classical approach to music, preferably classical music. This one involves jazz, not my favorite piece of pie, however I suspected it would have great music pieces within. <br />
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<b>Reality</b>: It hits you like a knife in your stomach. Not only the music. It is brilliant, as I suspected. With hit in the stomach, I mean the story. It involves so many young people, trying to achieve something extraordinary in life, something that would leave their watermark on the planet. Like so many people already did. Einstein, Mozart, Ingemar Stenmark, Marie Curie, Alexander Bell.. there are many people everyone knows and it's this man's dream to achieve something remarkable. To be the best drummer in the world. Better than anyone ever up to this point.<br />
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He does have this aim and vision of his life. Submerges everything he knows to this goal. Dismisses the girlfriend, tries to win some attention in his family, but doesn't, practices day and night and works his ass off to be accepted in the orchestra the way he thinks they should accept him. Is subtle and doesn't raise attention, because all he does is either listens to music or plays the beat.<br />
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The lessons learned are hard yet he maintains his head above the water. His relationship with his teacher turns into something larger than WW2, as the nazi approach of Fletcher pushes him beyond his limits. And sometimes brings out the best out of him. And turns this movie into a hyper impulsive beat, with the last concert played into a movie vibrato.<br />
Beautiful. From the first to the last second. I truly enjoyed these interpretations of jazz music and the urge to succeed at any cost. Fletcher's excuse is that he needs to put his students into misery and press them anyway he can, because only that will bring them to the point where they will excel. The price of this kind of success is immense. Not only possible suicides, depressions, etc, that students would normally have with this kind of treatment. Plus, one in ten thousand really does it. Or one in hundred thousand or even million. It is even more beyond belief how many people it takes to fail for one person to succeed.<br />
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Tonight is the Oscar night. I hope Simmons wins for the supporting role. He really deserves it. <br />
Strong recommendation - watch it and think about it :) It could straighten your priorities in life. <br />
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<br />MajaTerzichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11811202591071504595noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2384452105344116621.post-25834909073783712212015-01-25T14:24:00.002+01:002015-01-25T14:24:29.766+01:00The Imitation Game, 2014<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOP-NuWQvAPR6myYFr1q8jX2FXaKlLIf61Kz-Mu3oKpWPEhUGkmF13u2dJe9EjWT6V29HBQxdNsLmOtiLPwAawOztdHlAP_dyzRhcy-ivXExJ4LKQnNl61FiBpn98iMEp_Fv0zEzQCtN6c/s1600/thuring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOP-NuWQvAPR6myYFr1q8jX2FXaKlLIf61Kz-Mu3oKpWPEhUGkmF13u2dJe9EjWT6V29HBQxdNsLmOtiLPwAawOztdHlAP_dyzRhcy-ivXExJ4LKQnNl61FiBpn98iMEp_Fv0zEzQCtN6c/s1600/thuring.jpg" /></a><b>The Imitation Game, 2014</b><br />
<b>Director: Morten Tyldum</b><br />
<b>Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthey Goode</b><br />
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<b>Stage: Cineplexxx Kranj</b><br />
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<b>My personal rating: </b>8,0<br />
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<b>The Imitation Game in short</b>: During World War II, mathematician Alan Turing tries to crack the enigma code with help from fellow mathematicians.<br />
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<b>Preps</b>: It is a popular time for biographies on scientists and I have been expecting this one for some time. I have studied some computer and internet history and it is in that time, with this man, that the first grandfather of today's computers was made. Therefore I was expecting to see some really cool insights. Plus, 6 Oscar nominations and Bletchley park reconstruction from the darkest days of WWII >> definitely a must see. <br />
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<b>Reality</b>: The biography is normally portrayed from the beginning to the end or focused on the most important part of one's life. There are several cases where it has been done a bit differently and The Imitation Game is definitely one of them. Tyldum jumps from one part in Thuring's life to another (the youth; the cryptographic part during the WWII; the "after" - meaning the life right after WWII).<br />
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We are taken deep into the happening of decriptanalyst team in Bletchley park at that time. Unfortunately the movie lacks portraying what this institution stood for and who was working there, as it was filled with gifted individuals, engineers and people who all influenced science as we know it today (see more <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bletchley_Park" target="_blank">here</a>). The director assumes we all know what this is, so in my opinion he could have spent some movie footage on that part, instead of definite focus on Thuring's sexual orientation and post WWII life. I also felt some technical details regarding Enigma and the way it worked would be something I expected seeing here, as well as the solution to the problem. Apart from that it was extremely interesting to see the giant Christopher (or later known as Ultra), as I would gladly like to travel there and if possible, see the reconstruction of this amazing machine. The movie inspires and makes you either travel there and see these sites or participate in something as amazing as this and make a difference in life.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1oxKdxPlxcTkjZjbaTIYy_XYXKuQ2l4TVleNPmYMS6gB3PAGZq-YAi8FyVVxD5v623aEG2rrvoeMJwnVEpM1bLkyI97YITlES4mkWG5zY12thFcDlpas0zPqOrtt5Z2V1_lBDH922Hm95/s1600/320px-Bletchley_Park_-_Draco2008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1oxKdxPlxcTkjZjbaTIYy_XYXKuQ2l4TVleNPmYMS6gB3PAGZq-YAi8FyVVxD5v623aEG2rrvoeMJwnVEpM1bLkyI97YITlES4mkWG5zY12thFcDlpas0zPqOrtt5Z2V1_lBDH922Hm95/s1600/320px-Bletchley_Park_-_Draco2008.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bletchley Park - the Mansion; founded in 1938</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Next to Bletchley park and the happening there we got a sneak peek into Turing's childhood in a school for young boys, as well as post-Enigma life, after the WWII. It isn't a surprise that the top secret government team was dismissed and were obliged never to see each other again, and I would love to see the way the characters evolved after this project. Instead of this, the director decided to bring up the gay perspective and social problems one would definitely have in that time, should he have the "wrong" sexual orientation.<br />
I believe it is something that could easily be spared and elaborated in the next movie and instead of this, it could be orientated towards the Enigma itself and resolving the greatest puzzle in the world. So the spectator could walk out with mind set on puzzles, cryptography and less on the fact that Turing was gay. <br />
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I believe that in many cases the director turns his eye towards some other social perspectives or issues that he personally feels need to be resolved or even thought of when making a movie. Putting it into the right scenography, photography, costumography and yes, ideals of the society in a certain period. Or issues in this case. It is just a shame that this takes the focus out of the most important thing here, resolving Enigma and the way they did it. <br />
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I am not neglecting the crucial part that social nonacceptance of sexual orientation at that time period played in Turing's life. It was a death sentence for Turing to receive hormonal therapy to cure his orientation and afterwards probably led to his suicide. Even more, his work and scientific achievements weren't praised until very recently. (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Turing" target="_blank">more on Turing here</a>)<br />
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We could all adapt some entities of the "fine" mathemathical way, which Turing used to express his everyday thoughts and feelings. Even though it means you can lose some so called friends, because you don't treat them so incredibly nice any more and you are not afraid to tell it directly. And.. if you want an answer, do pose a question and don't assume :D <br />
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<br />MajaTerzichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11811202591071504595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2384452105344116621.post-25609648712751332602013-01-22T06:41:00.000+01:002013-01-22T06:41:19.441+01:00En kongeling affaire, A Royal Affair, 2012<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt17Uhh1AGjWWFHU5MFwx9ZQBVaM_qpUze_Ww9eTcWXFJIgynO1OFRt4fVmlvqZxmtoDLpOINJxdeGoJDRvA8Tr_PdQPwGCrP8i2uNPCzo1_cjjNmvfwI-kacKPKBWhKz-As0GYce4aUbH/s1600/kongeling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt17Uhh1AGjWWFHU5MFwx9ZQBVaM_qpUze_Ww9eTcWXFJIgynO1OFRt4fVmlvqZxmtoDLpOINJxdeGoJDRvA8Tr_PdQPwGCrP8i2uNPCzo1_cjjNmvfwI-kacKPKBWhKz-As0GYce4aUbH/s1600/kongeling.jpg" /></a><b>En kongeling affaire, A Royal Affair, 2012</b><br />
<b>Director: Nikolaj Arcel</b><br />
<b>Cast: Alicia Vikander, Mads Mikkelsen, Mikkel Boe</b><br />
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<b>Stage: Local Theatre Dvor</b><br />
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<b>En kongeling affaire in short:</b> <i>A young queen, who is married to an insane king, falls secretly in love
with her physician - and together they start a revolution that changes a
nation forever. </i><br />
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<b>Preps: </b><i>Only a good recommendation from a person I admire and respect. Which is good enough for me. I am aware this is an european piece, because theatre Dvor wouldn't screen it otherwise. Plus, I am in royal mood to see it. </i><br />
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<b>Reality:</b> Enlightenment is a period which is both, sacred to modern thinkers and furthermore, one of more important periods of world's history. People died in that period for being different, thinking different and not being just a part of the holy sheep crowd. It is inspiring to see on screen, how Nikolaj Arcel saw this happening in the danish royal society.<br />
The movie will take you through the dreadful time of being forced to a marriage, just because your parents thought it was a good match. At that point of time, it was given to you at birth, who is your circle and who are you supposed to marry. Love wasn't a matter of opinion, but a matter of intelligence and money. And careful choice of the parents, some sort of agreement. In a way you didn't have the choice, therefore many affairs like the one depicted, happened for sure.<br />
The court in this case has a witty, yet looney king, for whom the history doesn't know even now, what his real problem was. Nor does the movie suppose or predict why the weird acts happened or what was wrong with him.<br />
The german protagonist of enlightenment movement comes and dazzles the king. Becomes his so called friend, adviser, closest person the king can relate to. Soon enough the queen is bedazzled as well, making strong moves and committing her heart to Struensee.<br />
Now, Struensee has many enemies in court. They don't want him there as he poses a threat to existing rules, existing ways things work. Enlightenment meant bringing reason to things instead of god. Meant progress, new ways to do things, new inspiration. The ideas behind it were more progressive than most of the rulers could take at that time. This is why many of the protagonists were beheaded at some given point of time and in this piece, we definitely see the cruel side of the coin. However, things moved in many countries because these weren't just a few of individuals, this was indeed a movement. You will for sure see, how tuff it must have been, bringing a bit of difference in every day life, many small steps towards a greater cause - progress in general.<br />
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The hidden "holy" background, many church protagonists, fought severely against this plague and called it devil deeds. You will be amazed how well the movie will drag you right in the centre of this happening. I am quite sure this story could be depicted in the same way at many national courts all over Europe. However, we can thank today to many poets, writers, progressive people that made some of things we take today for granted, real.<br />
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The love story is inspiring and will make you believe. The relationship Sturgess and queen Caroline develop, seems so real you will cry at the end. You will be stunned by the ruthless ways court people develop just to destroy the love and progressive ideas. Until the end, until death, until all means are gone.<br />
Another thought I had while I was watching this piece. Looking at that time and thinking of it, it would seem that now we should be happier because we are liberal and have all the means that we can be or relate with anyone we like. Yet it seems we are still unhappy and unsatisfied. Unfortunately we cannot have the excuse these people had. They were forced into living lives they often didn't want. We don't have the pressure they had. Still, I cannot say we are much more happy than they were, merely in love and choosing a spouse sense.<br />
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<b>My personal rating: 8,5 </b>(the nomination for Oscar well deserved, a sparkling love story and inspiring age you will think about long after the movie is over).<br />
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A Royal Affair <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1276419/" target="_blank">on IMDB </a><br />
Royal on <a href="http://www.kinodvor.org/spored/en-kongelig-affaere-44340/" target="_blank">official page of Kino Dvo</a>rMajaTerzichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11811202591071504595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2384452105344116621.post-35452034659451387762013-01-22T06:15:00.000+01:002013-01-22T06:15:41.620+01:00Cloud Atlas, 2012<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-fEPe0rNfyuy4SqW_KriIDX0R719W-5wJe2O-MtO7AI3rIQzrQT4we9ZEVQSqxa9ts6g0EVMrope5SCmzuyDXiI22k2Mpf3A34x4_LWfNw59kByP7w4UsSIJ8mUQUomGdbZsbJyAN_BO5/s1600/cloud.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-fEPe0rNfyuy4SqW_KriIDX0R719W-5wJe2O-MtO7AI3rIQzrQT4we9ZEVQSqxa9ts6g0EVMrope5SCmzuyDXiI22k2Mpf3A34x4_LWfNw59kByP7w4UsSIJ8mUQUomGdbZsbJyAN_BO5/s1600/cloud.jpg" /></a><b>Cloud Atlas, 2012</b><br />
<b>Director: Andy Wachowski, Tom Tykwer</b><br />
<b>Cast: Tom Hanks, Hale Berry, Hugh Grant, Jim Sturgess</b><br />
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<b>Stage: Home theatre</b><br />
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<b>Cloud Atlas in short:</b> Everything is connected: an 1849 diary of an ocean voyage across the
Pacific; letters from a composer to his friend; a thriller about a
murder at a nuclear power plant; a farce about a publisher in a nursing
home; a rebellious clone in futuristic Korea; and the tale of a tribe
living in post-apocalyptic Hawaii, far in the future.<br />
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<b>Preps:</b> <i>This is a hot cake at our theatres. A lot of my colleagues already saw this and I was anxious to see it as well. I heard many contradicting stories, but here's what I found out. I didn't even prepare the way I normally do - which means I didn't even see the trailer nor knew what the movie was about. </i><br />
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<b>Reality: </b>Cloud Atlas is one of those movies you either enjoy or don't at all. Binary, I need to say. So I don't suppose there is an alternative option to that. Either you believe souls can be recaptured and repositioned in another shape/body, or you don't. Or least you need to be open to this suggestion.<br />
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It took me a while to figure out what is going on in this piece, as I didn't do my homework. So for some time I looked puzzled and didn't know what to do with all of the scenes and all of the roles I saw Tom, Hale, and other protagonists, appear. But once I discovered what it meant and what the true story is saying, I was amazed and regret not being able to figure out sooner. One of better reasons why I need to see it again.<br />
Now, this piece will tell you why you end up in a better place, if you do good. And why you will be even a larger villain if you do bad in your life. I read a book at some point, The fate of souls, by Newton M, which deals with this - soul captivity or soul learning after you end up a life. If you did a good job and learned what you were supposed to learn, you will progress and you will meet up with souls of your group in your next life. If you don't do well, you have another chance, but you don't progress. You go a few steps back and try again.<br />
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This movie is about experiencing each other in different time, different circle, different role. One time you are a parent, next time a spouse. It is amazing how quick the director switches from one time to another, from one scene to another. It doesn't let you down in terms of thinking about all the scenes, you really need to have full concentration when watching this piece. Because if you don't, you will be lost and will need extra time to catch up or make it up for that scene.<br />
The real question, posed in this, would be, is it believable to one, that didn't believe before? Will this person now try at least to be open to the idea of the soul mixing, fate, etc? Or will these groups of people just nod their heads and say to their friends that they just had seen a nice fairy tale.<br />
The music in this piece is superb, also the scenery and the costumography. The story in my opinion is a very good one, and you can find a lot of literature, supporting it. It will make you think about life and the meaning of it. It will make you at least consider the fact that it isn't such a tragedy dying, because you might wake up as a better, upgraded person in a fine role, the next time you wake up.<br />
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It would be interesting to capture the lives of these people and characters from their childhood. The movie throws you in the middle of their existing lives and you need to figure out what they mean, who they have around from the previous round. Exciting to explore and very interesting to see.<br />
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Definitely one of the better pieces lately and worth your time. The three hours will pass by like one and a half. Not one time, did I think about time. Yet time is not important in this piece. The things you do in life, are. They will echo in eternity.<br />
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<b>My personal rating: 8,0</b> (an extremely interesting piece, worth the nominations it has, and worth the time. Maybe one of the more extraordinary mixtures of different lifestyles and destinies you will ever see on screen)<br />
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Cloud Atlas<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1371111/" target="_blank"> on IMDB </a>MajaTerzichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11811202591071504595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2384452105344116621.post-45888221270648452972013-01-01T21:28:00.000+01:002013-01-01T21:28:57.243+01:00Jack Reacher, 2012<b>Jack Reacher, 2012</b><br />
<b>Director: Christopher McQuarrie</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRRvgKieFejQsr0vXewhaiChyphenhyphenuXMlX3Tax9jVvcDcZIpqnVVfUAQAZSdJHI6OJ_K1VzoSm4xT4XfCaH0JUfmpLR70gmI3_f6kYYyFvu20MDImvDzjEvoFEH9wt0ZAayJHKEGRZdnGsToRY/s1600/jack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRRvgKieFejQsr0vXewhaiChyphenhyphenuXMlX3Tax9jVvcDcZIpqnVVfUAQAZSdJHI6OJ_K1VzoSm4xT4XfCaH0JUfmpLR70gmI3_f6kYYyFvu20MDImvDzjEvoFEH9wt0ZAayJHKEGRZdnGsToRY/s320/jack.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
<b>Cast: Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike, Richard Jenkins</b><br />
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<b>Jack in short</b>: In an innocent heartland city, five are shot dead by an expert sniper.
The police quickly identify and arrest the culprit, and build a
slam-dunk case. But the accused man claims he's innocent and says "Get
Jack Reacher." Reacher himself sees the news report and turns up in the
city. The defense is immensely relieved, but Reacher has come to bury
the guy. Shocked at the accused's request, Reacher sets out to confirm
for himself the absolute certainty of the man's guilt, but comes up with
more than he bargained for.<br />
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<b>Stage</b>: Local Colloseum, just before NY eve.<br />
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<i>Preps: Seen the trailer, wanted to see it badly. Am fan of Cruise anyway. But I expected some kind of MI, or something like it, to be honest. </i><br />
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<b>Reality</b>: A good political capitalist thriller. I have really thought this was a clone of Mission Impossible, so imagine my surprise. Not only that it can hold the thread from the beginning to the stunning end, the story is extremely good, the delivery is such that it makes you wonder what the next move is going to be like and after a while you are surprised with the ways the story makes turns.<br />
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It is impressive from multiple parts. Tom is obviously a bit older than we are used to, but still dazzling. He does not use his charming smile, which I am absolutely mad about, but you cannot blame the director for skimming this off the movie. It would not work, not in the scenes that movie is telling about. Thank you, McQuarrie, for making us see that Tom can really act and be a splendid sight for sore eyes even without the dashing smile. Without a doubt, the movie gives a few points for not making the obvious romance which could happen, really happen. I am grateful for this more than I can even point it out.<br />
Great music and strong dialogues. The type that makes you want to make it until the end. Strong two hours of action and investigation. Very suitable for anyone that wants to see something between CSI and Poirot, something between The Net and Tom Cruise bedazzling on the scenery. Like some kind of Terminator or Rocky. He is a trained tuff guy from war police, investigator for a cute attorney. My mind sets in a different scene, with Matthew McConnaughey and Sandra Bullock, a time to kill. Although now the lady is the attorney and not vice versa. If you liked that piece, you will love this one, storywise. The action is as exciting as in MI2.<br />
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I appreciate the crew didn't want to go live just in the time of shooting in US. It wasn't appropriate. However, until I saw the piece, I didn't realize the point. Now I am smarter and know why they didn't want to go out public. The movie is about violent shooting of innocent people which should never happen. In this piece it is the interest in money, not the victims. Unfortunately, it often is.<br />
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<b>My personal rating: 7,5</b> (unusual piece, it won't let you down) <br />
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0790724/" target="_blank">Jack Reacher on IMDB</a>MajaTerzichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11811202591071504595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2384452105344116621.post-66032397541107962592012-12-26T11:16:00.002+01:002012-12-26T11:16:57.432+01:00Les Choristes, 2004 (The Chorus)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCjGWR0lfc2ha-x9joX9GX6i6f-eZrdmthLCToEyQ95JJXRadaevpuirUX2MB49dQsXXWyLwlnypJsSPhsF7p1tseqxR_uNdKTBOJ0CONZYfiCyGSWu5dF4FjU_BDXHGckg1EXeqzuZD_U/s1600/chorus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCjGWR0lfc2ha-x9joX9GX6i6f-eZrdmthLCToEyQ95JJXRadaevpuirUX2MB49dQsXXWyLwlnypJsSPhsF7p1tseqxR_uNdKTBOJ0CONZYfiCyGSWu5dF4FjU_BDXHGckg1EXeqzuZD_U/s1600/chorus.jpg" /></a><b>Les Choristes, 2004 (The Chorus)</b><br />
<b>Director: Christopher Barratier</b><br />
<b>Cast: Gerard Jugnot, Francois Berleand, Jean Baptiste Maunier</b><br />
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<b>Stage</b>: my own TV selection on a Christmas evening<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Les Choristes in short</b>: <i>Fond de l'Etang is a boarding school for troubled boys located in the
French countryside. In the mid-twentieth century, it is run by the
principal M. Rachin, an egotistical disciplinarian whose official
unofficial mantra for the school is "action - reaction", meaning that
there will be severe consequences for any boy out of line. This approach
does not seem to be working as the boys as a collective are an unruly
bunch. In turn, the teachers don't teach, but are always watching out
for the next subversive act from the boys. January 15, 1949 marks the
arrival to the school of the new supervisor, M. Clément Mathieu, a
middle-aged man who is grasping at finding his place in life after a
series of failed endeavors. Although he does find the boys an unruly
lot, Mathieu does not believe in the "action - reaction" policy, and as
such, butts heads with Rachin while secretly undermining the policy.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Preps</b>: I have just seen the introduction and I am impressed by the IMDB review rating. Therefore I am curious. I have missed this piece at LIFFE, obviously. Therefore I am even more curious.<br />
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<b>Reality</b>: The movie is a blast. Virtually takes you from the beginning to the end in the melancholic tone you don't want to absorb at the beginning. It will make you sad to see what kind of environment once boarding school were. Somehow it resembles the Oliver Twist story, hence it is made to make you sad at first and then see what miracles can happen with the right approach.<br />
The movie praises discipline as the only virtue that was important in that time. With boarding schools, you can almost taste misery that ruled in those premises. Boys that ended there were either taken from their parents because they couldn't support them or were juvenile criminals. However, they were all treated the same - as criminals that need to have a tight rope around their necks. Which to an observer of the movie isn't easy to accept, but you can then dwell upon this feeling because you get familiar with all kinds of torture methods that the principle is using when interacting with boys.<br />
<br />
On the other side, you can see the teacher perspective and what does it take to change things that are "the way they used to be", or maybe "action-reaction" idea, which blows my mind with anger, once I hear about it thousands of times. It is hard to buy what this era is selling, but it really seems very authentic.<br />
With the choir, you see a totally different approach with kids' education. If they really were villains, it would mean they would also deny to participate in a music project, such as choir. Their teacher brings out the best out of anyone, for this matter, they need to learn how to participate, choir has always been a joint effort, where there's no place for egoism.<br />
<br />
The story can break your heart because of its cruelty towards children. The director made sure we don't doubt it and that your mind freezes if you only imagine being thrown in an institution like that. On the other hand, you need to be grateful for present time which doesn't allow such acts from the staff of the institution, neither from the children that still attend such facilities. A very solid drama, one of the better ones lately. It made me think that sometimes you are thrown in a situation where you cannot do anything to make it better. Was the principle the best man to fit the job? I doubt it. Was the teacher the best man to fit the children's needs? Most certainly. Do we always work where our potential shows the most? Not likely. In present time we have the option to really change it. At that point of time they could only dream about that.<br />
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<b>My personal rating: 8,0 </b>(brilliant drama that broke my heart on several places).<br />
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Les choristes on IMDB MajaTerzichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11811202591071504595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2384452105344116621.post-79087728385584064682012-12-02T00:23:00.000+01:002012-12-02T00:23:53.198+01:00Gone, baby, gone, 2007<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLAnUzVlHp_yl8UfonvFJ9_0rwnEmMKKna82E38LBg8MlPOVPw9pk34rL-oKKgHT8s3es9z5TVMCjIwwnlv9Vm9K6SSxSPvoP2dTZxUauqbruHxdN8PRz8DoYu5OEFQxWD3UcCViZ8snlF/s1600/gone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLAnUzVlHp_yl8UfonvFJ9_0rwnEmMKKna82E38LBg8MlPOVPw9pk34rL-oKKgHT8s3es9z5TVMCjIwwnlv9Vm9K6SSxSPvoP2dTZxUauqbruHxdN8PRz8DoYu5OEFQxWD3UcCViZ8snlF/s1600/gone.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0452623/" target="_blank"><b>Gone, Baby, Gone, 2007</b></a><br />
<b>Director: Ben Affleck</b><br />
<b>Cast: Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris, John Ashton</b><br />
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<b>Stage: Home TV selection</b><br />
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<br />
<b>Gone in short: </b><i>When 4 year old Amanda McCready disappears from her home and the police
make little headway in solving the case, the girl's aunt Beatrice
McCready hires two private detectives Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro.
The detective freely admit that they have little experience with this
type of case, but the family wants them for two reasons - they're not
cops and they know the tough Boston neighborhood in which they all live.
As the case progresses, Kenzie and Gennaro face drug dealers, gangs and
pedophiles. When they are about to solve their case, they are faced
with a moral dilemma that could tear them apart.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
Preps: <b>I have seen this at the movies already and I liked it a lot. A good drama, thriller, if you like. Morgan Freeman is one reason to see this. </b><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Reality:</b> I believe movies about serious kidnapping of a child or a teenager and police chasing this or detectives, are always a promise to success. However this isn't enough. I am just claiming that as in romantic comedies, when you have a cute couple, the movie has a better chance to succeed than if you have a really ugly cast - the same thing here. The story can do the trick. Now, we know a lot of stories on this topic. What makes winners really win and what obstacle haven't losers thought of?<br />
<br />
We have several hot shots in the oven. Firstly, Ben Affleck, one of his first directing acts. Luckily we only have him on the director's seat and not in the cast. Noone (ok, I give this to Clint Eastwood and some others) can't do both. Secondly, cast. Morgan Freeman, to start with. He makes these investigations and everything obscene in the movies as if you had a big godfather looking down to us and giving us fatherly advice when we are lost.<br />
<br />
Two really young detectives, a couple, is on a quest and takes us through the background of the story, to the mortal endings and really filthy people that they scratch from beneath the surface. The aim in my opinion is only one, to really make the audience relate to the story and wish their children would never fall in the hands of such villains. I believe Affleck emphasizes this to the point where you are really appalled by everything that can happen to this four year old Amanda, i.e. to your kid. And where you are on the field with the detectives, trying to figure what happened and where is the young lady.<br />
<br />
Normally I wouldn't expect such a connection between private detectives and police. I buy it in this case.<br />
The music covers the fearsome parts of the piece and is carefully chosen. The scenario is well driven, some dialogues are a bit clumsy, but all in all, I am eating it from the beginning from the end like my favourite cheese from the plate.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>My personal rating: 8,0 </b>( a strong piece on kidnapping. Morgan Freeman on godfather role. Action, thriller. Worth seeing and thinking about).<br />
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Gone, Baby, Gone <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0452623/" target="_blank">on IMDB</a>MajaTerzichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11811202591071504595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2384452105344116621.post-44521197779037008142012-12-02T00:08:00.002+01:002012-12-02T00:08:50.137+01:00Pretty Woman, 1990<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkXFxkLgBmNAw0KC1sfKBI6gyM62zWuihoYxOwQqfksgOi0wzsdlVgCP97KRRRr4eRWA3cFBsREPYqG0qN0vJohBbhASFVXNuyld5uebLm2wmi3UTaah2Y5HmL2dSxfGU0n0qg-qslrwez/s1600/pretty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkXFxkLgBmNAw0KC1sfKBI6gyM62zWuihoYxOwQqfksgOi0wzsdlVgCP97KRRRr4eRWA3cFBsREPYqG0qN0vJohBbhASFVXNuyld5uebLm2wmi3UTaah2Y5HmL2dSxfGU0n0qg-qslrwez/s1600/pretty.jpg" /></a><b>Pretty Woman, 1990</b><br />
<b>Director: Gary Marshall</b><br />
<b>Cast: Julia Roberts, Richard Gere, Jason Alexander</b><br />
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<b><br /></b>
<b>Stage: Home TV selection</b><br />
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<br />
<b>Pretty Woman in short</b>: <i>Edward is a rich, ruthless businessman who specializes in taking over
companies and then selling them off piece by piece. He travels to Los
Angeles for a business trip and decides to hire a prostitute. They take a
liking to each other and he offers her money if she'll stay with him
for an entire week while he makes the "rich and famous" scene (since it
doesn't do for a man of his stature to be alone at society parties and
polo matches). Romantic comedy (and complications) ensue.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Preps</b>: <i>Don't need them seen this a thousand times. One of my favourites from my youth. My mother also adored this piece. I can watch it or have it as a background. I know it by heart.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Reality</b>: As said, my classic from my junior/primary school. Always wanted to be Vivien Leigh.The movie is about falling in love and making something in your life that brings you happiness - in this case, falling for the man/woman of your life.<br />
The movie is a hot example for a romantic comedy. This was one of the first memorable ones of the end eighties period. Also set some standards. At that time, we watched either this, or Ghost (for the romance), or on the other hand, Police Academy. Luckily there weren't so many movies as these days, when you cannot follow them - the market is overfilled with them.<br />
<br />
Now, the movie has some drives and moves other should follow. First, a lovely lady. Or better said, a lovely wreck that after seduction and fancy clothes becomes a lady. Gere in this sense represents a guy every girl in the world wants to be with. Charming, well mannered, filthy rich and ready to spoil a woman. I mean it. Dinners, evenings at the opera, living in a penthouse, .. it just never ends in this week. With all the charming qualities he is showing in this week, it's quite normal and predictable that she falls in love with him and that he falls in love with her.<br />
<br />
The movie is depicted a bit off normal wheels. It is not a repeatable situation, I mean by that. But it shows a perspective (like if you win a lottery, you have perspective). So in this case, they both end up winning a lottery, and everyone is happy.<br />
Storywise, it's not a peak of all peaks. But in any case, I am still very keen on this piece. I virtually know all the dialogues by heart. I love the way the director exposes the manager of the hotel, and the butler. And I love the anti-person we have. Always we have one in these comedies. Stuckey in this case, makes me hate him from the very beginning.<br />
Obviously the audience waits if this what we all have been waiting for, resolves in a fairy tale. It all ends up well in Hollywood, doesn't it? :)<br />
<br />The piece has also a good soundtrack. Back in 80ies, I got an original for myself. Also know it by heart. It is a movie that always reminds me of my young days that I spent with my mother, in front of TV. Always brings back memories.<br />
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<b><br />My personal rating: 8,0</b> (for its period and placement, genre, a solid and good positive piece).<br />
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Pretty woman <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100405/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank">on IMDB</a>MajaTerzichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11811202591071504595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2384452105344116621.post-75230914674841286892012-11-25T22:51:00.001+01:002012-12-03T21:50:41.235+01:00My best friend's wedding, 1997<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGzAsYmDQkEWzSUG0GiQx_7JD4Mai4zaDZlyG_bnc8tm7cbNVYL_qjRlkPWCakZG9luS4_7LlNl81eGb9RXVkTJ5erewqGyy-uNteS-hel3QkS2OSXjmbWxSl7f3lRWuATK_rY7lboiwc/s1600/wedding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGzAsYmDQkEWzSUG0GiQx_7JD4Mai4zaDZlyG_bnc8tm7cbNVYL_qjRlkPWCakZG9luS4_7LlNl81eGb9RXVkTJ5erewqGyy-uNteS-hel3QkS2OSXjmbWxSl7f3lRWuATK_rY7lboiwc/s1600/wedding.jpg" /></a><b>My best friend's wedding, 1997</b><br />
<b>Director: P.J. Hogan</b><br />
<b>Cast: Julia Roberts, Dermot Mulroney, Cameron Diaz</b><br />
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<br />
Stage: Home TV selection<br />
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<b>My best friend's wedding in short:</b> <i>A woman who, by a promise made years earlier, is supposed to marry her
best friend in three weeks, even though she doesn't want to. When she
finds out that he's marrying someone else, she becomes jealous and tries
to break off the wedding.</i><br />
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<br />
Preps: <i>I have seen this piece several times. A nice romantic comedy, something to end up a good weekend with. </i><br />
<br />
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<b>Reality</b>: This isn't one of the greatest achievements for Julia Roberts or Cameron Diaz. However, both share mutual affection (or attraction) to the genre (romantic comedy). It is without a doubt that you can never claim this one isn't cute or wittily put together. On the other hand, it isn't more than an average comedy. The story flow is charming, but not breathtaking. A girl finds out a guy of her dreams was waltzing around her the whole life and when she is to lose him, she realizes she wants him more than anything in the world.<br />
<br />
It is a bit lame, the storyflow, as the big secret to learn is that we need to cherish things when we have them in our palms, not when they are about to go or already away. Ok, we got it. It is something you learn at a certain point of time. The tools Julia uses in bringing attention of once her best friend are merely worth any special attention. The scenario lacks a few good dialogues and you won't fell off your feet seeing bad things she does to distract her friend from his fiance.<br />
<br />
Now, the music is cute. I even have a soundtrack and the songs go into your ears easily. You easily like Julia and Cameron, so it's hard to decide, who do you really want to get this guy of their dreams. The setting is bound to make humour, things around wedding tend to get funny. But the director could have taken this chance to bring up an extraordinary character or two. He does some work with gay friend Julia has (Rupert Everett) and he quickly grows into your heart. He is the light in the dark you are surrounded with at some points. And he ends the piece with pure humour you cannot resist.<br />
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<b>My personal rating: 6,0</b> (funny, witty dialogues, solid romantic comedy. Never fall in love with your best friend ;) after he's already engaged).<br />
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My best friend's wedding <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119738/" target="_blank">on IMDB</a>MajaTerzichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11811202591071504595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2384452105344116621.post-53893504042718597772012-11-04T21:55:00.000+01:002012-11-04T21:55:30.827+01:00Catch and Release, 2006<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc7pZ2iMR-_GgTuZeQ0lYCovsVqplGbMvalw7Rjxz5WXz-Gf-kTRqTIUoRSxeIaA2wKB8P0BQKdyDYTAamP-ESin7mIBHhTk0QqryHgyas5gJO7GqoNoHVsfd82vYFgXMmDaqaGbrKdkWi/s1600/catch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc7pZ2iMR-_GgTuZeQ0lYCovsVqplGbMvalw7Rjxz5WXz-Gf-kTRqTIUoRSxeIaA2wKB8P0BQKdyDYTAamP-ESin7mIBHhTk0QqryHgyas5gJO7GqoNoHVsfd82vYFgXMmDaqaGbrKdkWi/s1600/catch.jpg" /></a></div>
<b>Catch and Release, 2006</b><br />
<b>Director: Susannah Grant</b><br />
<b>Cast: Jennifer Garner, Kevin Smith, Timothy Olyphant</b><br />
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<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Stage: Home TV selection, late Sunday night. </b><br />
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<b><br /></b>
<b>Catch and Release in short:</b> <i>After the sudden death of her fiancé, Gray Wheeler finds comfort in the
company of his friends: lighthearted and comic Sam, hyper-responsible
Dennis, and, oddly enough, his old childhood buddy Fritz, an
irresponsible playboy whom she'd previously pegged as one of the least
reliable people in the world. As secrets about her supposedly perfect
fiancé emerge, Gray comes to see new sides of the man she thought she
knew, and at the same time, finds herself drawn to the last man she ever
expected to fall for.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Preps: </b>I don't know the essence of the movie, nor have I heard anything about this piece. But Jennifer can be cute in some romantic pieces. let's see.<br />
<br />
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<b>Reality: </b>It is an interesting piece. Starts off with irony of the moment. Losing a guy you are supposed to marry is a tragedy. Especially if you really mean it and you are all up to it. Quite another thing is finding out all the secret life he has been living parallel to living with you. This movie deals with loss and getting over by finding out all the bad things about your ex. Somehow different to similar pieces.<br />
<br />
Gray is faced with all the dirty details, plus she falls for one of his friends. Scene where they kiss for the first time, is one of more optimal solutions to the problem, what to do about it. Step aside and think. Not go for it, all the way. The irony of the moment is so strong it keeps me wondering for a long time. The same goes for the dialogues and the black humour witty stuff that keeps my belly trembling with anxiety. <br />
<br />
As said, one of the better pieces in the genre, that wants to be some kind of comical drama and succeeds truly. The friends are neat, the family is awful (getting the engagement ring back might seem a good idea as the spouse isn't going to stay in family, but from her perspective it is either highly ironical or unacceptable). I believe I would slap the future ex mother in law in the face. I need to admit Garner plays a tremendous role in this one, compared to some minor ones that I can remember, where she doesn't have the decent glow around her.<br />
<br />
Nothing really perticular about this piece, but I do like it. A good Sunday entertainment, truly. Plus, the guy she falls for, cute and charming, Mr Yummy. :)<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>My personal rating: 6,0</b> (more than decent Sunday fun. To be sincere, fell to the solid ground).<br />
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Catch and Release <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0395495/" target="_blank">on IMDB</a><br />
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MajaTerzichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11811202591071504595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2384452105344116621.post-89843597009905748532012-11-04T21:10:00.000+01:002012-11-04T21:10:05.895+01:00The Babysitter, 1995<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRzbviQWUtZZtw0Uui6Zt_QyDiFU6-e8mG5ZTS05CCO1R-KNf6bUb3yMChk17iYJrwfSNOPfocfyNVBvyLIDzDhBa46g0KOZfAMpP5wu2xgY_zbJ9Sr3jsHX9aWrkYAbtYVRb1XrSCi9_K/s1600/baby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRzbviQWUtZZtw0Uui6Zt_QyDiFU6-e8mG5ZTS05CCO1R-KNf6bUb3yMChk17iYJrwfSNOPfocfyNVBvyLIDzDhBa46g0KOZfAMpP5wu2xgY_zbJ9Sr3jsHX9aWrkYAbtYVRb1XrSCi9_K/s1600/baby.jpg" /></a></div>
<b>The Babysitter, 1995</b><br />
<b>Director: Guy Ferland</b><br />
<b>Cast: Alicia Silverstone, Jeremy London, J.T.Walsh</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Stage: Home TV selection, Friday night</b><br />
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<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>The Babysitter in short</b>:<i>A teenage girl babysits two young kids while the parents go out to a
party. Her boyfriend is coerced (with the help of alcohol) by an old
'friend' into going to the house. Both boys are obsessed with the
babysitter, as is the father of the two children. The story basically
shows the effects drink has on different people.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Preps</b><i>: I am not familiar with the piece and I notice Alicia Silverstone is still a child here. Though I see her as a sex icon in many movies with more recent date, I am curious how she behaved as a child and whether she has any talent in this time of her life.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
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<b>Reality</b>: The movie is dissappointing. It can be well taken as a juvenile movie, with some erotic moments (erotic also for juvenile audience). I haven't seen such lousy act for a long time. The same goes for stupid dialogues, the scenes that cannot touch my heart and presumeably erotic affection for a teenager that goes beyond belief.<br />
Alicia Silverstone is here merely a child, still seducing adult people like they were on some transport line or something. All adults have wet dreams about her and dream about making it out or having straight sex with her. Right. <br />
The same deed in The american beauty, but in quite a different shape. Beauty makes this erotic desire for the young lady so convincing you cannot find it disgusting. However in this perticular piece nothing is as it should be in real life. Therefore I cannot even bare to watch it beyond half a movie.<br />
Don't recommend it. There isn't anything you would like to watch on this piece.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>My personal rating: </b>0 (blah. not worth your time and effort).<br />
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The Babysitter<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112438/" target="_blank"> on IMDB</a>MajaTerzichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11811202591071504595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2384452105344116621.post-84362579929784874292012-10-28T22:27:00.001+01:002012-10-28T22:27:29.583+01:00Monster-In-Law, 2005<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7TuqTqtGzB-bB1B6Lx8SFcIftpVWIIb45IXsOjGsUA8uobMwUeP4VqOBbWzCZNqlfj_vrrS3HlYLNG1EfkLpcXpsgiTQWeSQrbvrxIvY0zRYumHu4KwqEEZ0ECyGZBj7vPK1_2LBm5L4/s1600/monster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7TuqTqtGzB-bB1B6Lx8SFcIftpVWIIb45IXsOjGsUA8uobMwUeP4VqOBbWzCZNqlfj_vrrS3HlYLNG1EfkLpcXpsgiTQWeSQrbvrxIvY0zRYumHu4KwqEEZ0ECyGZBj7vPK1_2LBm5L4/s1600/monster.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0369735/" target="_blank"><b>Monster-in-Law, 2005</b></a><br />
<b>Director: Robert Luketič</b><br />
<b>Cast: Jennifer Lopez, Michael Vartan, Jane Fonda</b><br />
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<b>Stage: Home TV selection on a late Sunday night</b><br />
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<b>Monster in short</b>: <i>After years of looking for Mr. Right, Charlotte 'Charlie' Cantilini
finally finds the man of her dreams, Kevin Fields, only to discover that
his mother, Viola, is the woman of her nightmares. A recently fired
news anchor who is afraid she will lose her son the way she has just
lost her career, Viola determines to scare off her son's new fiancé by
becoming the world's worst mother-in-law. While Viola's long-time
assistant Ruby does her best to help Viola execute her crazy schemes,
Charlie decides to fight back and the gloves come off as the two women
battle it out to see just who is the alpha-female</i><br />
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<i><b>Preps:</b> Well, Jen is one of my favourite ones. I adore her acts in romantic pieces. Jane Fonda? Wow.. I need to see this. </i><br />
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<b>Reality</b>: This is a classic romantic comedy, one of the many we already saw. There are a few highlights, though, that differentiate this one from the others. First, we have beautiful Jane Fonda (I am still a fan, she looks dazzling in this piece. The voice she posesses, is as distinctive as for instance from Meryl Streep). Jennifer Lopez on the other side, is the beautiful bride to be, in the role of a perfect innocent stranger, walking into the rich family.<br />
To make it up for the simple fact that she has grown up working and not being rich at birth, she needs to suck up to the future mother in law. In this sense, monster in law.<br />
The movies that serve ideas how to get on someone's nerves, are a cabinet of good ideas how to do something malicious. But deep down I believe they don't give you anything moral or beautiful. Just ideas to make someone else miserable.<br />
Not necessarily all audience would enjoy looking at this. There is a twist in the movie, when Jen finds out her monster in law is really a monster. So she starts fighting back and then it is when also for me the fun begins. If you can identify yourself, you want to be in Lopez' shoes when the game turns around.<br />
Good scenery, good costumography. And the ladies look dazzling. Predictable story. Funny scenes. Maybe this is all you need for one random Sunday night. However, take into account that this is what you get from this movie. Nothing more, nothing less. <br />
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<b>My personal rating: 4,0</b> (amusing in many perspectives, good dialogues and a good battle between the future bride and the existing dragon. In this piece, you realize, what kind of dragon it can be sometimes.) <br />
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0369735/" target="_blank">Monster on IMDB</a>MajaTerzichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11811202591071504595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2384452105344116621.post-1379216609909712702012-10-28T21:49:00.003+01:002012-10-28T22:29:12.028+01:00Oslo, 31. august, 2011<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisDBbHR3NifEJ8CEw0kcCsF5n_1_CQI5Krd3TRUfKov_OIa3hJoqySvLU_ILSHODxbAZVKKhgVq3oXFMoAveJxQc0Ab0CIhw_imsm2J_SKr9TTOLRApqaFCv7JMBa07T-rofGJDrTZd3j3/s1600/oslo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisDBbHR3NifEJ8CEw0kcCsF5n_1_CQI5Krd3TRUfKov_OIa3hJoqySvLU_ILSHODxbAZVKKhgVq3oXFMoAveJxQc0Ab0CIhw_imsm2J_SKr9TTOLRApqaFCv7JMBa07T-rofGJDrTZd3j3/s1600/oslo.jpg" /></a><b>Oslo, 31. august, 2011</b><br />
<b>Director: Joachim Trier</b><br />
<b>Cast: Anders Danielsen Lie, Hans Olav Brenner, Ingrid Olav</b><br />
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<i><b>Stage: local Art Cinema Dvor</b></i><br />
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<i><b>Oslo in short</b></i>: <i>One day in the life of Anders, a young recovering drug addict, who takes
a brief leave from his treatment center to interview for a job and
catch up with old friends in Oslo. </i><br />
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<b>Preps:</b> I have missed this one on the last year movie festival Liffe, therefore I am more than curious what it is about. I know the plot, but I am wondering whether this one will seize beyond usual depressive mode of scandinavian pieces that reach our land.<br />
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<b>Reality</b>: The piece is dedicated to one single day in a random drug addict's life. The question is, how representative it really is in sense - does it represent how it really is, or is it exaggerated in any way.<br />
To have only one day in the complete piece, you need to make it dynamic. This movie is made this way. The guy is running into people from his life and is exploring if they still are supporting him and how did they take the fact that he isn't average person in his 34. He just got out of the drug recovery clinic and needs way to build his life back.<br />
The movie addresses several levels where someone like this guy needs to climb before the life as he knew it, or said better the life he wants right now, can be built. The challenge is always in trust. Noone from all the relatives or acquaintances trusts him. Nor does someone that is aware he used to take heroin, even though he is off for several months.<br />
I believe in general this is one of the worst decisions one can do for himself. Unfortunately there is no road back. The society throws you out faster than a stone through a window. How obvious in this piece, the poor guy doesn't have anyone to talk to, anyone to get anything for him. Naturally he has lost the faith he needs to have for himself, therefore he is insecure and doesn't feel accepted as it is. The interactions he has with the society disappoint him so he is trying to escape all the time.<br />
In the end the depressive thing about the complete plot is that his escape in the end is to the white line he started the whole issue with.<br />
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The movie is dramatic and precise, moral and educative. I believe everyone should see it for psychological reasons. For I am sure that the place where it ends, is brilliantly described in this piece and am even more certain that noone would like to be in his shoes at any point of time.<br />
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This is a separate topic, however, a suicide never can be an answer. In this case, it is an option. I can understand how this guy is driven to such a decision. <br />
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<b>My personal rating: 7,5</b> (superb showoff how tuff a life can be after you have gone out of institution and the society should give you a strong push not to get you back where you were before)<br />
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1736633/" target="_blank">Oslo on IMDB</a><br />
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<br />MajaTerzichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11811202591071504595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2384452105344116621.post-20898685714591906072012-10-22T22:04:00.000+02:002012-10-29T22:39:45.522+01:00Planet 51, 2009<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPIugHGtxkU3EeehJvgvGJ9UPOj9PLd6HgUiDfonSBC60iVw6_MLAJEr0oaCet1rhKWnWCMC5ReRwTQSeGImcWlE_uE_TzDUJs_lQTXM6ikSv-g456wTc2L4oS9lQ_tKmL0_cKDFVM8R6P/s1600/planet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPIugHGtxkU3EeehJvgvGJ9UPOj9PLd6HgUiDfonSBC60iVw6_MLAJEr0oaCet1rhKWnWCMC5ReRwTQSeGImcWlE_uE_TzDUJs_lQTXM6ikSv-g456wTc2L4oS9lQ_tKmL0_cKDFVM8R6P/s1600/planet.jpg" /></a></div>
<b>Planet 51, 2009</b><br />
<b>Director: Jorge Blanco, Javier Abad</b><br />
<b>Cast (voices): Jessica Biel, Sean William Scott, Dwayne Johnson</b><br />
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<b>Stage:</b> Home TV selection, nice Sunday afternoon<br />
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<b>Planet in short</b>: <i>Lem is just an average teenager working on getting the girl and
furthering his career at the local planetarium - except that he's an
alien. At least to U.S. astronaut Captain Charles T. Baker who lands on
Lem's planet hoping for a quick flag plant and a hasty return to earth
and his millions of screaming fans. But on this alien planet the media
has tagged spacemen as brain-eating, zombie-creating monsters, causing
Baker to run for his life and into Lem's house. Now it's up to the green
native to get the clumsy astronaut back to his spaceship before
military dictator General Grawl and mad scientist Professor Kipple
manage to exterminate the Earthly visitor. </i><br />
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<i>Preps: I have seen this piece as it was released. I am quite surprised to see it so soon on our screens. But it's a good story and I don't have anything more important to do. Hence..</i><br />
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<b>Reality:</b> The story is quite charming and could easily be taken from different movies we have already seen. Yet, this one is animated hence special. Lem is yet another scientist that wants to be famous and do something for the cause (remember dr. Levinsky in Honey I shrunk the kids or maybe Eddie Murphy in The nutty professor). This is a story about small person making a big shot into the stars. It is always amazing to review the traumas one has that prevent him the shot for the stars. In this case, Lem is uncertain of his actions, doesn't want to take a chance and risk anything. He is in love, yet, he is as slick as an elephant in a crystal store.<br />
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In some sense, Lem represents every single one of us. Each one has a trauma or two and doesn't dare to do this or that<i>. </i>You can relate to him and all his mistakes. The mischarming proposals he does for the girl he is attracted to. The clumsiness in everything he does in life.<br />
The arrival of the "athlete" astronaut makes a complete change in his life. It is not a coincidence that a hero like this needs a push. He gets it in the shape of Charles Baker, who wants also to make a career. The only difference between the both guys here is that the astronaut already brought fame and career. The issue he has that noone is aware he is supposed to be treated as hero. In some sense he is grounded to Lem's level.<br />
Though he doesn't want to, in the end he commits the friendship to Lem and helps him rise and fight. To get to the other level.<br />
In some sense he also gets better acknowledged and acquires some emotional skills by the way.<br />
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Animated movies are supposed to be lighter than usual depressive drama featured ones. In some sense, we can always see them through a child's eye. On the other hand, more and more cartoons /animated movies feature a powerful story, which can easily make you cry or identify yourself with. Hence, they help us turn a mirror image towards ourselves, see a different perspective and grow. With a powerful cast and some experiments with functionalities of animated movie, these have a huge advantage compared to ordinary ones. In the end.. we believe what we see on screen. Because it's animated.<br />
Huge bow to dialogues and storyline.<br />
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<b>My personal rating: 7,0 </b>(excellent example of how one gets to be a hero even if he was a genuine loser before he got this push).<br />
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Planet 51 <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0762125/" target="_blank">on IMDB</a><br />
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MajaTerzichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11811202591071504595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2384452105344116621.post-90916903684615561742012-10-11T15:47:00.002+02:002012-10-11T15:47:16.381+02:00They Live, 1988<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY-VYG99qDYl4O8eAPkTJgftt2Vwmli-0LDyzXAbgjz-y57zEMmR4_SEF1xa_bXTef-LU2AUH2o8CChryLqREZnBoq7tNEjiVWHvtPJNcOrMEToFNeH5TckRtfuOQ17Uo-sMGf4O2bQ5X2/s1600/live.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY-VYG99qDYl4O8eAPkTJgftt2Vwmli-0LDyzXAbgjz-y57zEMmR4_SEF1xa_bXTef-LU2AUH2o8CChryLqREZnBoq7tNEjiVWHvtPJNcOrMEToFNeH5TckRtfuOQ17Uo-sMGf4O2bQ5X2/s320/live.jpg" width="216" /></a><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096256/" target="_blank"><b>They Live, 1988</b></a><br />
<b>Director: John Carpenter</b><br />
<b>Cast: Roddy Piper, Keith David, Meg Foster</b><br />
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<b>Stage: Home theatre</b><br />
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<b>They Live in short</b>: <i>Nada, a down-on-his-luck construction worker, discovers a pair of
special sunglasses. Wearing them, he is able to see the world as it
really is: people being bombarded by media and government with messages
like "Stay Asleep", "No Imagination", "Submit to Authority". Even
scarier is that he is able to see that some usually normal-looking
people are in fact ugly aliens in charge of the massive campaign to keep
humans subdued. </i><br />
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<b>Preps</b>: <i>A good strong recommendation. As I trust the taste, I am eager to see it. I am warned, though, that I should be patient in the first third, because it will develop. Even more eager to see this. </i><br />
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<b>Reality</b>: Carpenter hit a good marketing spot here with the piece. The general story is quite simple, but more effective than most things I have seen in a while. Now, things you need to embrace before seeing this piece (I have also been trained for this ;) :<br />
<ul>
<li>This is an eighties' movie. This means that Rambo, Terminator, action heroes that simply cannot die being hit by villains, are a part of this trick</li>
<li>You will be seeing afro style of hair, or in my country we call it "bundes liga" kind of haircut :)</li>
<li>Imagine that guns have multiple bullets, which means more than 6 or 12</li>
<li>Some Star Track dissapearance is possible</li>
</ul>
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And you need some stamina to cope with this movie. You will not have a clue what you are watching when you start watching it, and this goes for the first twenty minutes to half an hour. Carpenter could have thought of this somehow and keep the observer more in the loop or more attentive to what he is going to see. I was amused by the scenes and the comparison I made in my head with the movies we see nowadays, quite similar to for instance something we would see with the old video clips or more recent ones.<br />
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Secondly, the dialogues are pretty basic. Which means, the complete movie power is based on the story. Once you discover the beauty of the sun glasses, the movie increases your interest by 1000% at least. I wonder how it would be, wonder around, discovering the truth like the main protagonist does. And how would I cope with it. In some sense, I am instantly drawn to think about more recent pieces on the same topic, like the Matrix, and whether this might have been the idea godfather to build it. I am not sure, but movies like They live must have influenced several of more recognized ones. Plus, I am pretty sure this one must have been prohibited least in US or something, because it's a criticism towards society, towards politics, higher positions in companies, the "govern" class of people, that dictate our lives and make decisions that influence us greatly. <br />
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Last, but not least. This movie is still live. Which means in my opinion it is as relevant as it was in 1988. I am happy that I have seen it as it embraces one of the best movie ideas of all times and still find it difficult to believe that Carpenter made something so deeply involved with us in present time. <br />
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<b>My personal rating: 8,0</b> (the idea is brilliant and I strongly believe this might have been one of the influencers that built movies like Matrix, etc) <br />
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096256/" target="_blank">They live on IMDB</a>MajaTerzichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11811202591071504595noreply@blogger.com0Ljubljana, Slovenia46.0514263 14.505965545.8756533 14.190108500000001 46.2271993 14.8218225tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2384452105344116621.post-33291831361387544352012-10-11T11:41:00.000+02:002012-10-11T15:48:17.531+02:00The Devil Wears Prada, 2006<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSfLWwx_w5DgyjRq71n5tNOTN3FHiaRhQENefNHHej926Ghmyd3GTPWTvY5Xh0CbVAFSrqLvOl1fR4uj61_0c28hMRSmUQrtTwm7UoNvXtSZI9fLv204MG622_y47s6y3_zGNrOPH5dpxU/s1600/devil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSfLWwx_w5DgyjRq71n5tNOTN3FHiaRhQENefNHHej926Ghmyd3GTPWTvY5Xh0CbVAFSrqLvOl1fR4uj61_0c28hMRSmUQrtTwm7UoNvXtSZI9fLv204MG622_y47s6y3_zGNrOPH5dpxU/s320/devil.jpg" width="208" /></a><b>The Devil wears Prada, 2006</b><br />
<b>Director: David Frankel</b><br />
<b>Cast: Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Adrian Grenier</b><br />
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<b>Stage: Home TV selection, late Sunday night</b><br />
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<b>The Devil in short:</b> <i>In New York, the simple and naive just-graduated in journalism Andrea
Sachs is hired to work as the second assistant of the powerful and
sophisticated Miranda Priestly, the ruthless and merciless executive of
the Runway fashion magazine. Andrea dreams to become a journalist and
faces the opportunity as a temporary professional challenge. The first
assistant Emily advises Andrea about the behavior and preferences of
their cruel boss, and the stylist Nigel helps Andrea to dress more
adequately for the environment. Andrea changes her attitude and
behavior, affecting her private life and the relationship with her
boyfriend Nate, her family and friends. In the end, Andrea learns that
life is made of choices</i><br />
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<b>Preps:</b> Notorious piece that was introduced some time ago. Still, never found a chance to see it completely. Am curious. And I am eager to see something not too heavy for my mind. <br />
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<b>Reality</b>: It is a positive surprise. Never have I seen Meryl in a similar role before. And she fits into it like a glove. Such a strict, stubborn boss you would never want to have or work for - it can take your breath away. However, in need people are willing to work even if you need to work under these kind of conditions.<br />
The second, the naive part (Hathaway) runs into an industry. I am quite sure this is a milestone for most people that just graduated from college. I also thought I would stumble upon a brilliant job after the college right away. Soon you realize life isn't just a box of chocolates and those sayings should be maybe reserved for Forrests Gumps of this planet. Not for "regular" species. Like me. Well, in journalism, which I also wanted to explore as a possibility what to do in life, there's a severe battle. Not only to get a position, but to sustain it. The level of employee turnover is amazing. And in Devil wears Prada we see a perfect example what a fashion magazine workload is all about, how should you behave, what should you wear, which language to speak, how fast must you nod your head and that it is all about image, not the real content.<br />
In real life, even such "bitches", as the one, that Meryl is impersonating, can have a soul. In this particular example we can observe how we sometimes are let into the inside of Miranda. And we can imagine how tuff is it to preserve an image like this. And on the other side, how hard it is for Andrea to first acknowledge where she is and then adapt. The fast adaptation to the new environment is simply amazing. I love to see her wear those dresses, high heels and act like she's one of them. The real issue is, does she become one of them? In this scenario not, however, in real life I imagine you get used to being around rich people with fancy clothes, champagne in their hands, very quickly. And it's the downfall for your ego, your soul in many cases, should you decide to go backwards.<br />
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Andrea decides this isn't the life she wants to pursue. Good for her. It is also her lucky break, because the gates in her previous life haven't closed yet. But in reality I imagine that for most of us our doors close, once we decide to change things so dramatically as depicted in this movie.<br />
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Good music and scenes, dialogues and costumography are main attributes of this movie. Streep and Hathaway are brilliant and I will love to see this one again once it's played again on our screens. <br />
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<b>My personal rating: 6,5</b> (one of the better "villain" roles for Maryl Streep, a good show off or insight into the fashion magazine world)<br />
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The Devil <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0458352/" target="_blank">on IMDB</a> MajaTerzichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11811202591071504595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2384452105344116621.post-16687733325887025212012-09-30T15:48:00.000+02:002012-10-11T16:04:24.331+02:00Ice Age 4: Continental Drift, 2012<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQc3ViIknPS020COVeDcy2C9SGAGkrRocTEni-EtumHWcUiDzyu2iDfF0Zz6eykYXW-jq3hSab8ggjKStIhV09J1M_1tuXxFP-Oblhh6TWyAbMh3rjnPtCwe1J4P0r94hdPwZTarjPXXfD/s1600/iceage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQc3ViIknPS020COVeDcy2C9SGAGkrRocTEni-EtumHWcUiDzyu2iDfF0Zz6eykYXW-jq3hSab8ggjKStIhV09J1M_1tuXxFP-Oblhh6TWyAbMh3rjnPtCwe1J4P0r94hdPwZTarjPXXfD/s1600/iceage.jpg" /></a><b>Ice Age: Continental Drift, 2012</b><br />
<b>Directors: Steve Martino, Mike Thurmeier</b><br />
<b>Cast (voices): Ray Romano, Denis Leary, John Leguziamo, Queen Latifah</b><br />
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<b>Stage: Home theatre (a very sh**** copy unfortunately)</b><br />
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<b>Ice Age in short</b>: <i>When Scrat accidentally provokes a continental cataclysm with a storm,
Manny is separated from Ellie and Peaches on an iceberg with Diego, Sid
and Granny but he promises that he will find a way to return home. While
crossing the ocean, they are captured by the cruel pirate Captain Gutt
and his crew. However they escape and Manny plots a plan to steal
Captain Gutt's ship and return to his homeland in a dangerous voyage
through the sea. But the cruel pirates seek revenge against Manny and
his family and friends. </i><br />
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<i><b>Preps:</b> You don't need preps for Ice Age. It's cool. The only issue or question is, what have they prepared now and how have they upgraded the last versions. Since my voices tell me that I only can see the synchronized version at the theatres, I finally give up on waiting and provide myself a very sh*** copy of this piece. I want to see it. </i><br />
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<b>Reality: </b>Well, I am not disappointed. I am always full of ears whenever Seinfeld steps in the room, have always been a great fan and a huge admirer. As Manny, I can see Seinfeld's faces in spreading the irony. The other side of the coin, Sid, always gives me goose bumps of laughter. Like in some kind of reality show, the main characters in this animation cannot be a fail. Maybe similar story to Shrek, where Eddie Murphy together with Banderas runs the show completely.<br />
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Now, the fourth part deals with worlds breaking apart - and explains a really funny theory, how the continents were shaped. It's always a pleasure seeing the squirrel chasing its nut and as always, I am eager to make it to the final scene, where I will again see the nut heaven.<br />
<br />
Ice Age is very much alike to Tom / Jerry cartoons or something similar, as I cannot get fed up with it. I would be happy to see this prolonged in some other sequels, which is much more than we could say for any type of movie. But in this sense, I believe the creators of recent animated movies that became notorious really tried to assemble some of the greatest comediants or live show entertainers combined with the best humor and ironic dialogues, plus a funny story. It cannot be a bad assembly.<br />
<br />
Therefore, even though we have already seen three parts, I am still hungry for more. This one I liked, as it is somewhere on the same level as its ancestors/previous versions. The stories are something you easy relate to and find it deep in your heart - all the emotional rock n'roll, the uprise, hard downfall (pirates and captivity, being separated from a family) and then a happy ending. Like in good old Disney days.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>My personal rating: 7,5</b> (solid piece, right on the level of all the other Ice Age's.).<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1667889/" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1667889/" target="_blank">Ice Age 4 on IMDB</a><br />
<br />
<i> </i>
MajaTerzichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11811202591071504595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2384452105344116621.post-15666830857907301762012-09-02T21:25:00.002+02:002012-09-02T21:26:31.490+02:00Enemy of the State, 1998<b>Enemy of the State, 1998</b><br />
<b>Director: Tony Scott</b><br />
<b>Cast: Will Smith, Lisa Bonet, Gene Hackman, Jon Voight, Gabriel Bryne</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHVhbJ2MNWljLy16pMwxTBdycMqnijyY0i1BEj1O5CLGx6b6bdw-V7hgcEuYZPVszXt13laZzEBptfj7WH9gO_RrO6EiZwIt6l9NXfIdM8BQPCe1M2EnZ2nMgPfYEFOyKAmYQeSUpoPRw/s1600/state.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHVhbJ2MNWljLy16pMwxTBdycMqnijyY0i1BEj1O5CLGx6b6bdw-V7hgcEuYZPVszXt13laZzEBptfj7WH9gO_RrO6EiZwIt6l9NXfIdM8BQPCe1M2EnZ2nMgPfYEFOyKAmYQeSUpoPRw/s200/state.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>
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<b><br /></b>
<b>Stage: Home TV selection, late Sunday night</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Enemy in short:</b> <i>Robert Dean is a mild-mannered lawyer who works in Washington D.C. He is
on the trail of a kingpin named Pintero. Meanwhile, a politician named
Thomas Reynolds is negotiating with Congressman Phillip Hammersley about
a new surveillance system with satellites. But, Hammersley declines,
that is when Reynolds had Hammersley killed, but this murder was caught
on tape, and this person was being chased by Reynolds' team of NSA
agents, the guy must ditch the tape, so he plants it on Dean
(unbeknownst to Dean). Then, the NSA decides to get into Dean's life.
That is when Dean's life began to fall apart all around him, with his
wife and job both gone. Dean wants to find out what is going on. Then,
he meets a man named "Brill" who tells him that Dean has something that
the government wants. That is when Dean and Brill formulate a plan to
get Dean's life back and turn the Tables on Reynolds. </i><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Preps:</b> <i>Seen this already, however a loooong time ago. Still, seeing Will Smith normally is a good decision on any point of the day or week. </i><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Reality: </b>The subject now is the lawyer, being haunted by different parties. It is a good hop into the history, taken that in that time they didn't have decent mobile phones, following devices, etc. However, I would assume it is the best there was in stock in 1998. Therefore, for that time, the movie is a really upgraded one, with the latest tech breaches.<br />
<br />
Will Smith is brilliant in the victim's role. I adore watching him playing a smart ass. Still he has a strong, yet fragile figure, trying to avoid the villains and solve the puzzle. The side story with his wife is just a trigger, making this more exciting and the viewer curious what is going to happen.<br />
The cast in complete is a good one. Finding Bonet Lisa is somehow surprising, because we were used of her from Cosby Show. But the others are natural born action actors, we are used seeing them in some kind of conspiracy type of movies.<br />
<br />
All in all, good action, good representation of what could happen to every person if someone high enough should want to frame someone. The government and democracy don't work in these cases and you are left to your own surviving skills. At the end it's the higher bidder for your life, in terms of money, that will do the trick. I would see this piece as the pre-inspiration for many action thriller movies that followed, like MI2, Matrix.<br />
The point would be that we aren't important enough to count if someone from state wants us dead. Noone will hear our voice, noone will help us. The other point would be what kind of society are we turning ourselves into - being wired, followed, giving our information out for free and open so everyone can follow. I would see this piece as some kind of prophecy. Although I remember when I saw this piece at the movies in 1998, I thought it was a bit of a science fiction. Noone should have this kind of power. This is a good movie for a good action fright.<br />
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>My personal rating: 7,0</b> (solid action piece, filled with anger, and also some funny parts that make you think about Will Smith back when he was at his uncle on Bel Air).<br />
<br />
<br />
Enemy of the State <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120660/" target="_blank">on IMDB</a><br />
<br />MajaTerzichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11811202591071504595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2384452105344116621.post-79836044036297932662012-09-02T00:30:00.003+02:002012-09-02T21:30:14.790+02:00Master and Commander: The far Side of The World, 2003<b>Master and Commander: The far side of the world</b><br />
<b>Director: Peter Weir</b><br />
<b>Cast: Russel Crowe, Paul Bettany, Billy Boyd</b><br />
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<b>Stage: Home TV selection</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Master and Commander in short:</b> <i>In April 1805 during the Napoleonic Wars, the H.M.S. Surprise, a British
frigate, is under the command of Captain Jack Aubrey. Aubrey and the
Surprise's current orders are to track and capture or destroy a French
privateer named Acheron. The Acheron is currently in the Atlantic off
South America headed toward the Pacific in order to extend Napoleon's
reach of the wars. This task will be a difficult one as Aubrey quickly
learns in an initial battle with the Acheron that it is a bigger and
faster ship than the Surprise, which puts the Surprise at a
disadvantage. Aubrey's single-mindedness in this seemingly impossible
pursuit puts him at odds with the Surprise's doctor and naturalist,
Stephen Maturin, who is also Aubrey's most trusted advisor on board and
closest friend. Facing other internal obstacles which have resulted in
what they consider a string of bad luck,.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Preps:</b> I have also seen this several times. Russel Crowe is one of my favourites. Plus, this is a two times oscar winner. With eight nominations in that year. A must see every now and then.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Reality:</b> Crowe rocks in the movies where he has a giant role, like a protagonist of faith, or someone at the front of an army (as in this case). A strong figure, whose role is to lead towards better life or to win a battle. To have a vengeance, like in Gladiator.<br />
Master and Commander is not an exception. Crow is in one of his strongest roles. The dialogue is brilliant, the action scenes also. The faith in the main protagonist remains until the end of the story. One of the best parts is the continous rivalry between the captain and his scientist, if I may dare to say so. Dr. Maturin, surgeon, is at the same time, his best friend and his worst enemy. He quarrels with him practically the whole time. It is as the doctor is his bad conscious and predicts the dark scenarios (or at least the opposite / being somehow always against what captain thinks, at least in verbal sense.)<br />
<br />
I believe the director made a fine thin line between what's too much and what's enough. In sense that the dialogues aren't too long, the battles are not too long. And the story is believable, the music takes you to enter adrenalin and on the other hand calms you down. I believe that a lot of people enjoy watching movies that will take you to the history and show you how some things that are practically extinct, like working on ships, took their role in the food chain. To me, I love to watch good costumography and good made scenes. With items from the past, with music fro the past, with superstition and everything that revolves itself around it. And with Russel Crowe, what a treat.<br />
<br />
An extra plus: The scenes from Galapagos Islands. I would really love to go there.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>My personal rating</b><i><b> </b>8,0 (a brilliant pirate movie. The Brits do their charm and magic on
the ocean and win the war. In the main role, Russel Crowe, the pirate
of the sea. Loved it)</i>:<i></i><br />
<br />
<br />
Master and commander <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0311113/" target="_blank">on IMDB </a>MajaTerzichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11811202591071504595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2384452105344116621.post-24994264619560334612012-08-20T20:46:00.001+02:002012-09-02T21:31:30.722+02:00Australia, 2008<b>Australia, 2008</b><br />
<b>Director: Baz Luhrmann</b><br />
<b>Cast: Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Shea Adams</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAYRz4FUIMpfQjE5F4fDXr_1_UDXgapnsewhIKCSwyZjYKg-WEhavf7ZO53ZnD9FJXiWPtq_hOiuqrY9lzNdmJySTFK7WSLlG-Efrdp53EvRJnjmocSSp4vh1AXdy0U9VnMjw4n98jG2U3/s1600/st.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAYRz4FUIMpfQjE5F4fDXr_1_UDXgapnsewhIKCSwyZjYKg-WEhavf7ZO53ZnD9FJXiWPtq_hOiuqrY9lzNdmJySTFK7WSLlG-Efrdp53EvRJnjmocSSp4vh1AXdy0U9VnMjw4n98jG2U3/s200/st.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>
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<br />
<b>Stage: </b><i>Home TV selection. I am surprised. In a positive way</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Australia in short</b>:<i> In northern Australia at the beginning of World War II, an English
aristocrat inherits a cattle station the size of Maryland. When English
cattle barons plot to take her land, she reluctantly joins forces with a
rough-hewn stock-man to drive 2,000 head of cattle across hundreds of
miles of the country's most unforgiving land, only to still face the
bombing of Darwin, Australia, by the Japanese forces that had attacked
Pearl Harbor only months earlier. </i><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Preps: </b>I have seen this wonderful piece a while ago. I am so positively surprised that TV finally gets something decent on the run.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Reality:</b> This is one of Luhrmann's masterpieces in terms of scenes, photos, picturesque feeling the viewer must have. So a definite must see if you are fond of nature and its wonders. The director did his best to show the lovely sight of Australia, and at the same time didn't forget to warn about its disadvantages. Aborigines, lack of water, weird customs, people, etc.<br />
So how does a lady fit into this environment? To my perception, they couldn't have chosen more white or more lady-like character like Kidman. She's a complete misfit for these surroundings, yet in the development of the movie, she handles a lot of stuff that you wouldn't dream she could. A good guidance through the movie and good adaptivity of this woman. I admire Kidman for making strong drama where it's necessary and to drive the character in the depths that noone expected.<br />
I would claim that most of the scenes are driven precisely, however not concisely. In other words, the movie could have been much shorter and some unnecessary stuff could have been taken out.<br />
I really enjoyed the triumph after the gang drives the bulls on the ship. The little Nollah - the missionary boy, bedazzles me completely. His role as the narrator is really well equipped with original aborigin english. His yearning for a family and someone that loves him touches me deeply.<br />
On the other hand, the love story between Kidman and Jackman is somehow lacking energy. the complete movie is set to the time where I doubt things could have been driven this way. At that time women unfortunately didn't have a "vote" right, which means, I doubt that a woman could have pulled off such deeds as this woman does. So in this sense I would prefer for this movie to be more realistic. In the story, I mean.<br />
Plus, there could have been some scenes that weren't so obvious taken in a studio. These things can be more discrete.<br />
Nevertheless, I enjoyed watching a land I don't know much about and dream about travelling there, in that time and space. In some sense the red thin line in this one is finding your cause and fight for it. And like in a miracle, all the universal forces will join to help you. A bit ironic. Or naive. But still, I bought it for these three hours. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>My personal rating: 7,0 </b>(a really good solid piece, showing you the best and the worst of Australia at once. Photography is superb, scenography as well. Kidman shows her best manners and her well adaptivity).<br />
<br />
<br />
Australia <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0455824/" target="_blank">on IMDB </a>MajaTerzichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11811202591071504595noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2384452105344116621.post-48006097831729689372012-08-19T23:28:00.003+02:002012-09-02T21:32:24.700+02:00Carnage, 2011<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_SzkM6wzs1aU_FQS6D3ZzD882Ke_nCAisIpBJZCad6Xa_J1LODJgHzQRHXDC5K6VIE6Qv1me7qZYFIVVR8779MVUhpzXb-f9h1w_c9ix9wWGsGivVAytt1snGF89ibF9upBHNiEBpTyw/s1600/polan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_SzkM6wzs1aU_FQS6D3ZzD882Ke_nCAisIpBJZCad6Xa_J1LODJgHzQRHXDC5K6VIE6Qv1me7qZYFIVVR8779MVUhpzXb-f9h1w_c9ix9wWGsGivVAytt1snGF89ibF9upBHNiEBpTyw/s320/polan.jpg" width="216" /></a><b>Carnage, 2011</b><br />
<b>Director: Roman Polanski</b><br />
<b>Cast: Kate Winslet, Jodie Foster, Christoph Waltz, John C. Reilly</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Stage</b>: Home theatre. Substitute for the movie under stars at Ljubljana Castle. And got a fairly good quality.<br />
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Carnage in short:</b> <i>In Brooklyn Bridge Park, eleven year old Zachary Cowan strikes his
eleven year old classmate Ethan Longstreet across the face with a stick
after an argument. Among the more serious of Ethan's injuries is a
permanently missing tooth and the possibility of a second tooth also
being lost. Their respective parents learn of the altercation through
Ethan's parents questioning him about his injuries. The Longstreet
parents invite the Cowan parents to their Brooklyn apartment to deal
with the incident in a civilized manner. They are: Penelope Longstreet,
whose idea it was to invite the Cowans, she whose priorities in life
include human rights and justice; Michael Longstreet, who tries to be as
accommodating as possible to retain civility in any situation; Nancy
Cowan, a nervous and emotionally stressed woman; and Alan Cowan, who is
married more to his work as evidenced by the attachment he has to his
cell phone and taking work calls at the most inopportune times..</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Preps:</b> <i>I need to see this. It's Polanski. And I heard it's brilliant. I am not in the mood to make it up to the castle for this one. Fortunately, I can get it in one hour and almost start watching at the same moment :)</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Reality</b>: The beginning is somehow calm. The two families, trying to come to an agreement. I could never expect such an explosion of emotions is coming. Polanski took the scenery very serious, placed it very statically - this means we never get to leave the room these four people are locked in.<br />
This is the hardest thing to do. Make a static scene interesting. Yet Polanski succeeds. I am out of breath from the first moment on.<br />
The calm aristocratic family (and the other one, similar to the first one), start of civilized and friendly. In a way you would start a business conversation. However, with the conversation proceeding, they turn into wild things, animals for sure. I cannot believe the way the couples are behaving first towards complete strangers, then towards each other. The way women take sides against men is simply excellent and leaves me with a fresh breath of pure irony. Plus, the men and their habits that reveal. The four persons show themselves in the worst possible way. Completely without any limit, prejudicial, filled with depression they didn't express prior to this unique opportunity. The room is the place, where vomit literally breaks loose, fighting for your own existence and if they first wanted to make an impression (in a fashion of Keeping up Appearances and "lady of the house speaking", Hyacinth) on each other, later this is no longer important.<br />
The worrying part is the fact that at the end, noone remembers why they gathered in the first place. The dispute they had is no longer relevant, only the blame and anger they nurture against each other. A drama that turns into a horror, leaves me breathless and with a deep respect for Polanski. Worth every minute.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>My personal rating: 9,0</b> (excellent. Plus, 80 minutes, that seem like five).<br />
<br />
Carnage<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1692486/" target="_blank"> on IMDB</a>MajaTerzichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11811202591071504595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2384452105344116621.post-73824427592001004752012-08-19T23:13:00.001+02:002012-08-19T23:13:27.943+02:00Up Close & Personal, 1996<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvDpOsRvPjkO8cecRF2Qab8DpOuXSLmMXpABGHIUbmw2kOD1erVMTwxPUOa8V-mfMXr7NFEXrFp-7nhpg5TN9hXy38PmGXbZGGeIm85RqkwaRFPrjnL7ok-mS-pqGmnpyw5sCmNyI2op-/s1600/up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvDpOsRvPjkO8cecRF2Qab8DpOuXSLmMXpABGHIUbmw2kOD1erVMTwxPUOa8V-mfMXr7NFEXrFp-7nhpg5TN9hXy38PmGXbZGGeIm85RqkwaRFPrjnL7ok-mS-pqGmnpyw5sCmNyI2op-/s320/up.jpg" width="216" /></a><b>Up Close & Personal, 1996</b><br />
<b>Director: Jon Avnet</b><br />
<b>Cast: Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert Redford, Stochard Channing</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Stage: Home TV selection</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Up close in short: <i>This is a telling of the Jessica Savitch story, the newswoman who, in
the 1970's, became the "First Woman Anchor". Sally/Tally is taken under
the wing of Warren in a Miami newsroom and becomes a news star on TV.
Despite her love for Warren, she takes the big chance and moves on to
Philadelphia, where he follows to rescue her faltering career at the
cost of his own - as she rises he falls.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Preps: I have seen this many times. I love this piece. Worth seeing it again.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<b><i>Reality:</i></b> This piece revolves around journalism and love. Love for career and love for someone with regards to which one is more important. Journalism is somewhat similar to low level jobs, at least when you are starting with your career. Which means you need to take shitty reports, weather forecasts, do whatever it is possible just to be able to get the break. Not many people get the break<i> </i>because there is just so many of them and so little opportunities. Once you get in the saddle, you need to hold on to it. Which means that once a person grabs a seat for instance in the main news, they will not let it go.<br />
Now, Tally shows a story about how to get to the top. At first, because of attraction (how convenient, I would prefer the story about how one rocks to the top because of the talent). In this case, the talent is shown later in the piece. Just making it obvious that career isn't something where women and men are treated equally, especially in journalism. Whose d.. you need to suck to get to the top anyway? Now, the strength of this particular woman is floating through the screen. Also the energy between the two main actors. I love the way Redford brings out the best of women in the pieces where he acts. He has this sexy stamina that will make me watch it all over again. Also, I love Pfeiffer. I cheer for the romantic ending. Plus, it fills me with the feeling that Tally won her career because she deserved it. But what a price to pay on the way to the top. And how many times you stumble.<br />
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>My personal rating: 8,0</b> (a good, solid piece on making your dreams come true. And a wish as great as the world. For love and for the job you have).<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_632646468"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118055/" target="_blank">Up Close on IMDB</a>MajaTerzichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11811202591071504595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2384452105344116621.post-89491160320137551712012-08-19T23:01:00.004+02:002012-08-19T23:01:56.075+02:00Home for the holidays, 1995<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijQ88YzpXrhtj-IaE2zhlmAlgOnaVOUwJkA9cRF4grTRABqd2T9up0Za89cxaLMJ5B0loYD-j_FaBYV12zfrJF5OC8UnFnjaE9vjlxCwQWl6K3TzSFHkFXpo8TLqJ21g9PgG_8KVVtJwRJ/s1600/home.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijQ88YzpXrhtj-IaE2zhlmAlgOnaVOUwJkA9cRF4grTRABqd2T9up0Za89cxaLMJ5B0loYD-j_FaBYV12zfrJF5OC8UnFnjaE9vjlxCwQWl6K3TzSFHkFXpo8TLqJ21g9PgG_8KVVtJwRJ/s320/home.jpg" width="172" /></a><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113321/" target="_blank"><b>Home for the holidays, 1995</b></a><br />
<b>Director: Jodie Foster</b><br />
<b>Cast: Holly Hunter, Anne Bancroft, Robert Downey Jr</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Stage</b>: Tv selection, late Sunday night<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Home in short: </b><i>After losing her job, making out with her soon to be ex-boss, and
finding out that her daughter plans to spend Thanksgiving with her
boyfriend, Claudia Larson has to face spending the holiday with her
family. She wonders if she can survive their crazy antics. </i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Preps:</b> I am crazy about Holly Hunter, just love her act. This is a good drama, I know this. Plus, I would need some ironic smile :)<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Reality: </b>Well, to be honest, this amuses me like for instance Bridget Jones. It's also a comedy, mixed with drama. Nothing to laugh about the situation the woman is in, but the way she is forced to eat her past fears and get together again with people she fled from - it's quite extraordinary and very funny. In a way the family is something noone would want - at least not in this weird way they are represented in this piece.<br />
And in some opinion, this could be forcing yourself to cope with your inner stress/depression/something you never wanted to see again, once you moved out. And now she's here, forced to tell she didn't make it, doesn't bring home her grown up daughter, plus, she's not connected with any member of her weird family.<br />
I am amazed with Hunter's act and love to see the flow of the story. It brings out the respect for tradition and family to me, plus, it reminds me of the good and as well bad things that come with a huge family. It definitely brings the desire to me, to have a large family turkey dinner, and at the same moment, I am reluctant to this, seeing how it can turn out (in a bad way).<br />
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As said, family arguments at their best. Bridget Jones meets drama. And we can see again the raindeer pullover, which is the very last excellent thing I needed to see in this evening :)<br />
Good tradition and ways to skip it. Ways to embrace it. Reasons pro and reasons against. Stories that only grow in large families. Secrets that aren't really secrets. Robert Downey Jr, so young and not so convincing as I know him now. Solid, good piece.<br />
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<b>My personal rating: 7,0 </b>(excellent, when in a good mood, it will also inspire you to go and fetch your partner/relatives and kiss him/her/them :)<br />
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Home for the holidays <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113321/" target="_blank">on IMDB</a><br />
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MajaTerzichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11811202591071504595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2384452105344116621.post-21844004286351487982012-08-19T22:48:00.001+02:002012-08-19T22:48:25.844+02:00The Princess Diaries, 2001<b>The Princess Diaries, 2001</b><br />
<b>Director: Gary Marshall</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZzkH1vwsE4Bq4Uiwm4UweekxANRFleeWesxqZKEf9q0HBm7fCV7AxN_0Wh_wVxu2gmTIPmn-IL2h5rYR7dTSB5kgWSti0FPh-LpE_arf8q5z4irlwM_yz1-Pl4ARfTM_rFMfw00MxLnSV/s1600/princess.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZzkH1vwsE4Bq4Uiwm4UweekxANRFleeWesxqZKEf9q0HBm7fCV7AxN_0Wh_wVxu2gmTIPmn-IL2h5rYR7dTSB5kgWSti0FPh-LpE_arf8q5z4irlwM_yz1-Pl4ARfTM_rFMfw00MxLnSV/s320/princess.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
<b>Cast: Julie Andrews, Anne Hathaway, Hector Elizondo</b><br />
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<b>Stage: Home TV selection, late Sunday night</b><br />
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The princess diaries in short: Mia Thermopolis is the average teenager - sweet, a little geeky and
pretty much invisible to everyone with the exception of her mother, best
friend Lilly and Lilly's older brother Michael. Making it through high
school without throwing up is a challenge in itself for Mia, so it
doesn't come as welcome news when her estranged grandmother shows up out
of the blue and calmly informs her that she is in fact the heir to the
throne of a European country called Genovia. Suddenly Mia's life is
thrown into complete overload. She's being taught about scarves, waves
and pears in order to become a perfect princess, she gets a makeover and
a tough looking yet sweet bodyguard/limo driver called Joe. Things get
out of hand when the media gets a hold of the story and suddenly Mia is
thrust into the spotlight in both the newspapers and in school. On top
of all that Mia has a choice to make...<br />
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<b>Preps:</b> <i>I have seen this piece several times, but never completely. I don't have anything smarter to do. </i><br />
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<b>Reality:</b> Miss Piggy goes to the ball. This is a cross junction between The Ugly Betty and Cinderella. How would you like to wake up one day and find out you are a princess of a country (that doesn't even exist)? And that you need to become something like Eliza Doolitle in My fair lady? (least that one was brilliant). The idea is taken from there, just put in the modern world with some american prejudice.<br />
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Julie Andrews might have been a great lady in The sound of music, but she certainly acts like an elephant in a glass store (to be more metaphoric than I wanted to be) in this piece. There is nothing real or glorious about the idea the screenplayer had, putting a "queen" in the american high school and turning a nice teenager into a princess.<br />
There are some funny scenes, not to be so dramatic. The script does have funny dialogues and the process of turning is as amusing as for instance Sandra Bullock in her turnover (watch Miss Congeniality to see where I am going with this comment). There are things you can imagine could happen if this could be true and things you are curious how they will go after the young lady is introduced. The drive is similar to that one in My fair lady, or similar movies like Miss Congeniality. However, it is an average or even below average piece. You need to turn off your brains and accept some things to make it bearable. You needn't expect too much of it. Just average Sunday fun.<br />
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<b>My personal rating: 4,0 </b>(if you really don't have anything to do. Hathaway and Andrews are much better in other pieces where they acted).<br />
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Princess <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0247638/" target="_blank">on IMDB </a>MajaTerzichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11811202591071504595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2384452105344116621.post-20322753153572726072012-08-19T21:59:00.003+02:002012-08-19T21:59:29.495+02:00A lot like Love, 2005<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp7iRVm0VI4DqUAXL0twecjyfBqsRTtOHJd4ay4UsIIyaOO-0FRUaWyyDti1jGTHNTLRYyxu-jCtBzA4Mcug0c9hNhH6qgLTModB6cAqw7BSaRxegayAPQ67KLftvE343mlnf63vsIt7bu/s1600/love.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp7iRVm0VI4DqUAXL0twecjyfBqsRTtOHJd4ay4UsIIyaOO-0FRUaWyyDti1jGTHNTLRYyxu-jCtBzA4Mcug0c9hNhH6qgLTModB6cAqw7BSaRxegayAPQ67KLftvE343mlnf63vsIt7bu/s200/love.jpg" width="135" /></a><b>A lot like Love, 2005</b><br />
<b>Director: Nigel Cole</b><br />
<b>Cast: Ashton Kutcher, Amanda Peet, Taryn Manning</b><br />
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<b>Stage</b>: TV selection, while taking care of my friend's cat<br />
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<b>A lot like love in short:</b> On a flight from Los Angeles to New York, Oliver and Emily make a
connection, only to decide that they are poorly suited to be together.
Over the next seven years, however, they are reunited time and time
again, they go from being acquaintances to close friends to ... lovers?<br />
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<b>Preps:</b> <i>I am babysitting my friend's cats and don't have anything to do but watch the selection on TV. I see this charming piece with Kutcher. Let's see it. </i><br />
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<b>Reality</b>: Kutcher is really strong in romantic comedies. However, they all look alike to my opinion. Only the women change and the scenery. Obviously, also the scenario a bit. I do have the feeling that he will be in the comedies for a long time, due to his cuteness and young image he has - which is the basis or reason that most of the women fall for this genre with Kutcher in the main role.<br />
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This piece in perticular is interesting because the different time these two people are meeting each other. Entering different stages in life with different expectations, never being able to connect truly. It appears that it never is the right moment, the right timing, the right placement. The director smoothly jumps from one moment in time to another. It is really yearning you feel and aim that the characters will unite at the end. The good part is that you are asking yourself whether this will happen at some moment in time and when it will happen. The bad part about comedies in general normally is the story, because it's predictable. This one is going so smoothly and taking turns as you go along that you aren't really convinced what will happen. So applause for director, as normally I wouldn't expect something like this.<br />
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The act is pretty average. The dialogues are witty and Kutcher is cute in every way. The director could have acknowledged also his smarts and take an extra step with this. Or is this the screenwriter and literature basis for the movie? Can't say, because sometimes directors take extra caution in making things more than average. In this sense, this one isn't something really remarkable, but pleasant to the eyes. A good selection on a lonely evening.<br />
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<b>My personal rating: 6,0</b> (pleasant. comedy above average, funny and amusing).<br />
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A lot like love <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0391304/" target="_blank">on IMDB</a><br />
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<br />MajaTerzichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11811202591071504595noreply@blogger.com0