Cloud Atlas, 2012

Cloud Atlas, 2012
Director: Andy Wachowski, Tom Tykwer
Cast: Tom Hanks, Hale Berry, Hugh Grant, Jim Sturgess



Stage: Home theatre


Cloud Atlas in short: 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.


Preps: 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. 


Reality: 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.

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.
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.

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.
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.
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.

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.

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.


My personal rating: 8,0 (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)


Cloud Atlas on IMDB

American Dreamz, 2006

American Dreamz, 2006
Director:Paul Weitz
Cast: Dennis Quaid, Hugh Grant, Mandy Moore




Stage: Home TV selection


American Dreamz in short: The new season of "American Dreamz," the wildly popular television singing contest, has captured the country's attention, as the competition looks to be between a young Midwestern gal (Moore) and a showtunes-loving young man from Orange County (Golzari). Recently awakened President Staton (Quaid) even wants in on the craze, as he signs up for the potential explosive season finale.


Preps: None in perticular, I am just home and have some time to spare.



Reality:Well.. pathetic. Is the director so lame that he thinks there could be a case where a president of US wouldn't function because of a TV show? Or that he could really hide away? Really? I mean, Really?

This is a classic example of a movie that wants to be serious and funny at the same time. You don't get to be a drama and a comedy at the same time. You don't use actors that have a giant role in comedies, and in this case Grant does his job decently. Not if you want a drama about the president.
Oh, wait. Or was it the first intention of the piece to make fun out of president and his role? This reality isn't really funny, nor entertaining, nor dramatic, nor sad. Just plain stupid. Nowhere you could have a president running through the newspapers instead of going to the crowds and shaking their hands, at least.

Hugh Grant in the role of the TV leader isn't as bad as everything else is. Well, I don't admire his role. I just love the man in dramas and romantic comedies. This, trying to be a mixture of both, fails and lets me down completely. Dennis Quaid, as far as I am concerned, is one of greater names in late nineties. But here, he is a complete disaster. I don't buy even a minute of his cast. As if he didn't know the role (or the scenario). Or was it on purpose?

No strings attached. I stop watching. I cannot bare it.




My personal rate: 1,0 (yuk. skip it. If you are a fan of TV shows, maybe. But on the second hand.. No. skip it!)


American Dreamz on IMDB

Two weeks notice, 2002

Two weeks notice, 2002
Director: Marc Lawrence
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Hugh Grant


Stage: home theatre



Two weeks in short: Explores the question of whether it's ever too late to say 'I love you'. The story revolves around Lucy Kelson, a brilliant but neurotic attorney, and her client, who is "charming, irresponsible and fabulously wealthy."

Preps: none in perticular - I am not familiar with the piece, but am a strong fan of Sandra Bullock, Hugh Grant I suppose is a giveaway in terms of me seeing this movie as a classic romantic and not really high quality comedy. Unfortunately.


Reality: Well.. unfortunately I am right. The movie leaves me cold as ice. The setting is not as wrong as it might seem.. the bursting city might be a brilliant stage for a prepotent, selfish male that is seeking attention of stupid females that are lying at his feet. Sandra Bullock in the role of someone that isn't supposed to be one of them or at least act like one. When the story develops, she becomes one of those items on his list. It is impossible for me to imagine a worse scenario, worse acting at this point. This piece is one of those pathetic comedies where you are seeking romance with a spotlight, looking for some attraction between the main actors (where it was truly supposed to be present) and trying your best way to live until its end. This piece is not remarkable nor something you should see at all. Be sure that if you succeed to miss it, it might be considered a present to your spare time. As much as I love Sandra Bullock and sometimes admit that Grant rocks the world of romantic comedies, this piece is a huge dissappointment in all terms. Running around making a big deal of the "everybody's replaceable but this perticular nanny that is taking care of my life and making it count".. well.. yuk! Obviously, the romantic Hollywood ending. What else?

My personal rate: 1,0 (no comment, not worth my time and your time.)

Two weeks notice on IMDB

Notting Hill, 1999

Notting Hill, 1999
Director: Roger Michell
Cast: Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant, Richard McCabe



Notting Hill in short: Every man's dream comes true for William Thacker, an unsuccessful Notting Hill bookstore owner, when Anna Scott, the world's most beautiful woman and best-liked actress, enters his shop. A little later, he still can't believe it himself, William runs into her again - this time spilling orange juice over her. Anna accepts his offer to change in his nearby apartment, and thanks him with a kiss, which seems to surprise her even more than him. Eventually, Anna and William get to know each other better over the months, but being together with the world's most wanted woman is not easy - neither around your closest friends, nor in front of the all-devouring press.


Stage: Home TV selection on a Thursday night

Preps: seeing this a few times, I believe it's a fairly good selection for this evening, since I am tired and quite frankly, adore Julia Roberts. And love the english accent.


Reality: Well, the eternal dilemma - what would my life be, if some famous person (actor, actress), would be my partner - it just get disclosed here in its general appearance. It doesn't dig into the stomach of the problem, however you get an idea how it's like, being followed by the press all the time, being dragged in any newspaper and being greated by totally unknown (and in some cases, dangerous) people. What does it take to have a date with a famous person and how does this person hide this, if he/she wants it. ..

Notting Hill takes you to the mistery of dating an actor and its glory. And also, a look from the perspective of a "normal" family - in this case, one of the most wacky and weird families I have ever seen (at least on screen). You will enjoy true english humour and funny scenes when a celebrity comes around and gives you a heartache. Also, the roommate Hugh Grant's having, is worth his money :)

Roberts' role isn't one of the most splendid ones, however in the category of making a romantic scenery, she wins..



My personal rating: 8,0 (in category of romantic comedy, this has a certain plus and optimism you need to make your day get better or improve your state of mind. Plus, an eternal mystery about being with a famous person, will make you think.


Notting Hill on IMDB

Beautiful pictures on Julia here

About a boy, 2002

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



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


Stage: Home theatre, TV selection

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

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

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


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



About a boy on IMDB
Official site

Did you hear about the Morgans, 2009

Did you hear about the Morgans, 2009
Director: Marc Lawrence
Cast: Sarah Jessica Parker, Hugh Grant




Stage: Home theatre
Morgans in short: In New York City, an estranged couple who witness a murder are relocated to small-town Wyoming as part of a witness-protection program.


Preps: one of my friends told me it is somehow interesting and maybe worth seeing. Apart from that I am aware about Grant, nothing more


Reality: Cissy boring re-make of long known story - for instance Doc Hollywood. Hannah Montana in a way she comes in a village, so called small town, where the virtues of living in a small town compared to a big one (in Morgans New York), are being put on a piedestal. And in this case, also some old romance is lit on again.

Very boring, but in some way it has some fruit to eat - some dialogues between old couple are quite amusing. Also some good music. Scenery.. hm, practical, but doesn't get my attention. Neither do Sarah Jessica and Hugh Grant, who I see in all kind of romantic comedies, like Nothing Hill, etc. Wasn't he also in the Valentine's day? He would have fit there like a glove.

Nevertheless, you will enjoy it on a rainy Sunday evening, even more if you are a chick and even more if you see it with a friend. I had a serious consideration of turning it off. However, I managed up to the end.

My personal rating: 3,0 (if you don't have anything more exciting to do and just love Sarah or Hugh in any role - this definitely isn't one of their best. And their romance is only in the script, not on the movie.


Morgans on IMDB
Official site