I have been doing a lot of reading lately. So I could write about any number of books for this review but I really want to talk about a book I actually read a while ago. I would have posted about it sooner but I've been so busy and then my internet was out. But here I am finally ready to review a fantastic book titled "Her Fearful Symmetry" written by Audrey Niffenegger. I read her first novel "The Time Traveller's Wife" many years ago, before anyone ever talked about a movie, and I really loved it. So seeing "Her Fearful Symmetry" when I was out book shopping one day I got pretty excited. I took a little while to read it but once I started it took me in and I read it in a couple of days.
The story begins with Elspeth Noblin dying in a hospital in England. Later after her funeral she comes to as a spititual blob in her flat unable to move or see anything and not really aware of anything. As time goes on she becomes more of a full formed ghost. Meanwhile in the suburbs of Chicago Elspeth's two nieces Julia and Valentina, mirror twins, get the surprise of their life when not only did their aunt die but she left them her flat in London and most of her estate. There were two stipulations however, one the twins had to live in the flat for an entire year together. And two their mother, Elspeth's twin Edie, and their father weren't allowed to set foot in the flat. Julia the stronger, more out spoken twin, jumped at the chance for a new adventure. Valentina the simpler, physically weaker of the two was hesitant, she wanted to stay in Chicago and go back to school. Julia being the more pushy of the two wins and the twins head to London and all the mysteries it holds.
Once they get there they discover more questions than answers in the flat and it's surrounding inhabitants. Julia meets their upstairs neighbor Martin who hasn't left his place for years due to his crippling OCD. And Valentina meets, after being there for months, their downstairs neighbor Robert (who was Elspeth's lover) and slowly the two of them begin learning to live life without the person they had depended on for so long. Valentina slowly begins to become independent of Julia and Robert learns to love once more. All the while Elspeth's ghost is there in the flat, watching Julia and Valentina fight, and love, and discover new things about each other. Trying all the while to find a way to communicate with the twins and for the rare moments he's in the flat with Robert. Finally breaking through their disbelief they find a way to communicate with Elspeth.
This is a book that has secrets hidden in every page and I don't want to give too much away. I will say that this book is incredible though. It is very well written full of imagery and poetry. It's part ghost story, part love story and all pure genius. If you are at all a fan of a dramatic beautifully crafted novel then this is a book for you. I truly wish that I could put into words what I felt as I read this book. Each page flowed into every other page flawlessly. There was nothing that seemed out of place in the book. It was a ghost story that felt real, nothing over the top or cheap to it. It is a fantastic read one that I highly reccommend to everyone. It really is something that I think could appeal to all types of tastes. I think that this is definitely worth it.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
A Mixed Bag
I have a few movie reviews to post but first I want to mention that recently I have read the 8th and final book of the Jaz Parks series. Although it is sad to see the end of Jaz, Vayl, Bergman, Cassandra, Cole and the other memebers of their trust, not to mention Jaz's many, many personalities I feel that they all went out with a bang. Jennifer Rardin brought to life one of the most vivacious and real bad creature hunters I've ever read about. Jaz Parks has become a favorite of mine and I will continue to go back and read her over and over again. If you are looking for a fun, whimsical, off kilter read pick up the first of the Jaz Parks series by Jennifer Rardin "Once Bitten, Twice Shy." It's a laugh out loud, loveable take on the paranormal genre. Give it a try.
Movie time. I watched a couple of the new movies that are coming out this week and was pleasantly surprised. I watched "The Adjustment Bureau" the big thriller starring Matt Damon and Emily Blunt, "Unknown" the new Liam Neeson, and a sweet little drama called "HappyThankYouMorePlease." I went into watching all of them with no expectations and ended up being surprised by all three of them.
"HappyThankYouMorePlease" was written, directed and starred Josh Radnor. A group of friends living in New York just kind of exsist. Josh Radnor plays Sam Wexler a struggling writer trying to go from writing short stories to a full length novel. On his way to meeting with a publisher he meets Rasheen a young boy who has been seperated from his foster mother. When Sam takes Rasheen in hoping that he can help Rasheen get back to his foster family the dynamics of his life begin to change. As he keeps putting off taking Rasheen into child services Sam finds himself starting to grow up. The friends that he surounds himself with find that they need to grow up as well.
The stories are simple and just disjointed enough that it is almost vignette like. But at the same time they all fit together seamlessly. It's a quircky cynical yet sweet movie that I really liked. It's not a main stream movie at all. It's something that is just slightly off kilter and almost a sleeper. I know that I didn't go into much detail about the film but I think this is a movie that needs to be seen, the movie is made in such a way that the greatness is sort of folded in. I hope you go out and rent it. It's not something you see everyday. And with what has been coming out lately I find that to be a refreshing thing indeed.
"Unknown" starring Liam Neeson and Diane Kruger is a thriller that is slow to start. Actually for most of the movie the story is pretty slow. And though there is some action it seems forced and awkward, I find that Liam Neeson is starting to get a little old for high action sequences and yet he trudges on. Liam Neeson and January Jones play Dr. and Mrs. Martin Harris. Heading to Berlin for a conference the couple get seperated when Dr. Martin realizes he left his briefcase at the airport and hops in a cab to go get it. The cab gets into an accident and Martin wakes up in the hospital four days later. All he remembers is that his name is Martin Harris he is a botoanist and his wife is waiting for him. When he goes to his hotel and finds his wife she claims to not know him. Things go from weird to downright bizarre when Aidan Quinn shows up and introduces himself as Dr. Martin Harris.
Ostricized and alone in a strange city Martin begins searching for clues. Narrowly escaping death time after time he meets up with the woman, Gina, who was driving the cab he was in when he crashed. Together they race through Berlin trying to piece together who Martin really is and why all those who were once close to him have suddenly turned against him. The twists that begin to show were different then I thought they were going to be which was the pleasant surprise. As for the rest of the film it was the typical action/suspense that Liam Neeson has become so fond of doing. It's got a pleasant twist and mindless action so if that is the movie mood you are in go for it. It was well acted and well directed. Nothing super special and nothing that is going to blow anyone away but it wasn't bad at all.
"The Adjustment Bureau" I actually liked. It is based on a Phillip K. Dick story so it has a solid foundation right off. It is the story of David Norris, played by Matt Damon, a young politician from Brooklyn who on the night of his concession speech meets a fascinating woman in the men's bathroom. Although they hit it off she leaves without giving him her name or number and years go by before he sees her again. They meet again on a bus and once more hit it off amazingly. However after arriving at his new office with Elise's, played by the beautiful Emily Blunt, number in hand David stumbles upon a seen straight out of a science fiction movie. Frozen people and strange men walking around doing strange things. After being captured by them David discovers that they are the men that run the world. Not in a power play sense but literally they make the world work. They keep an eye on every human and the plan that has been laid out by "The Chairman." These men, 'The Adjusment Bureau' so to speak make sure that every person stays on his or her plan so that the world runs as it is supposed to. Although David has a hard time believing all of this they show him enough proof to make him wary. Then comes the kicker. They tell him that he was never supposed to be on that bus to get Elise's number, that in fact he was never supposed to see her again after that first night. They are not in each other's plans and therefore cannot be together no matter how much they want it.
At first they convice David to just leave well enough alone but they promise to keep an eye on him. But after accidently running into Elise again a couple years later David decides he's not going to let some phantom plan and a group of guys in hats stop them from being together. He is warned again and again that being with Elise could mess up both their lives but David feels that their connection is too strong to stop trying.
There is a little too much back and forth in the film, going from fighting David to giving up David back to fighting David and again back to giving up David. But the story was unusual and well thought out. Acting was superb and I found the cinematography to be captivating. The film had some great moments of suspense and action and was well written but it was a tad anti-climatic. I won't say why or how but I do want to put that out there. It's worth watching though. I thought it was a pretty good movie all in all.
Well there we have it. Yet another movie review. I think that although I am busy I will try posting a book review soon. Just finished a non-fiction that was a little mind blowing. Also I am still working on my AFI's Top 100 list. I have seen a couple more off the list and will write reviews on them shortly! Hope you find at least one movie out of this post that you find worth watching. Enjoy!
Movie time. I watched a couple of the new movies that are coming out this week and was pleasantly surprised. I watched "The Adjustment Bureau" the big thriller starring Matt Damon and Emily Blunt, "Unknown" the new Liam Neeson, and a sweet little drama called "HappyThankYouMorePlease." I went into watching all of them with no expectations and ended up being surprised by all three of them.
"HappyThankYouMorePlease" was written, directed and starred Josh Radnor. A group of friends living in New York just kind of exsist. Josh Radnor plays Sam Wexler a struggling writer trying to go from writing short stories to a full length novel. On his way to meeting with a publisher he meets Rasheen a young boy who has been seperated from his foster mother. When Sam takes Rasheen in hoping that he can help Rasheen get back to his foster family the dynamics of his life begin to change. As he keeps putting off taking Rasheen into child services Sam finds himself starting to grow up. The friends that he surounds himself with find that they need to grow up as well.
The stories are simple and just disjointed enough that it is almost vignette like. But at the same time they all fit together seamlessly. It's a quircky cynical yet sweet movie that I really liked. It's not a main stream movie at all. It's something that is just slightly off kilter and almost a sleeper. I know that I didn't go into much detail about the film but I think this is a movie that needs to be seen, the movie is made in such a way that the greatness is sort of folded in. I hope you go out and rent it. It's not something you see everyday. And with what has been coming out lately I find that to be a refreshing thing indeed.
"Unknown" starring Liam Neeson and Diane Kruger is a thriller that is slow to start. Actually for most of the movie the story is pretty slow. And though there is some action it seems forced and awkward, I find that Liam Neeson is starting to get a little old for high action sequences and yet he trudges on. Liam Neeson and January Jones play Dr. and Mrs. Martin Harris. Heading to Berlin for a conference the couple get seperated when Dr. Martin realizes he left his briefcase at the airport and hops in a cab to go get it. The cab gets into an accident and Martin wakes up in the hospital four days later. All he remembers is that his name is Martin Harris he is a botoanist and his wife is waiting for him. When he goes to his hotel and finds his wife she claims to not know him. Things go from weird to downright bizarre when Aidan Quinn shows up and introduces himself as Dr. Martin Harris.
Ostricized and alone in a strange city Martin begins searching for clues. Narrowly escaping death time after time he meets up with the woman, Gina, who was driving the cab he was in when he crashed. Together they race through Berlin trying to piece together who Martin really is and why all those who were once close to him have suddenly turned against him. The twists that begin to show were different then I thought they were going to be which was the pleasant surprise. As for the rest of the film it was the typical action/suspense that Liam Neeson has become so fond of doing. It's got a pleasant twist and mindless action so if that is the movie mood you are in go for it. It was well acted and well directed. Nothing super special and nothing that is going to blow anyone away but it wasn't bad at all.
"The Adjustment Bureau" I actually liked. It is based on a Phillip K. Dick story so it has a solid foundation right off. It is the story of David Norris, played by Matt Damon, a young politician from Brooklyn who on the night of his concession speech meets a fascinating woman in the men's bathroom. Although they hit it off she leaves without giving him her name or number and years go by before he sees her again. They meet again on a bus and once more hit it off amazingly. However after arriving at his new office with Elise's, played by the beautiful Emily Blunt, number in hand David stumbles upon a seen straight out of a science fiction movie. Frozen people and strange men walking around doing strange things. After being captured by them David discovers that they are the men that run the world. Not in a power play sense but literally they make the world work. They keep an eye on every human and the plan that has been laid out by "The Chairman." These men, 'The Adjusment Bureau' so to speak make sure that every person stays on his or her plan so that the world runs as it is supposed to. Although David has a hard time believing all of this they show him enough proof to make him wary. Then comes the kicker. They tell him that he was never supposed to be on that bus to get Elise's number, that in fact he was never supposed to see her again after that first night. They are not in each other's plans and therefore cannot be together no matter how much they want it.
At first they convice David to just leave well enough alone but they promise to keep an eye on him. But after accidently running into Elise again a couple years later David decides he's not going to let some phantom plan and a group of guys in hats stop them from being together. He is warned again and again that being with Elise could mess up both their lives but David feels that their connection is too strong to stop trying.
There is a little too much back and forth in the film, going from fighting David to giving up David back to fighting David and again back to giving up David. But the story was unusual and well thought out. Acting was superb and I found the cinematography to be captivating. The film had some great moments of suspense and action and was well written but it was a tad anti-climatic. I won't say why or how but I do want to put that out there. It's worth watching though. I thought it was a pretty good movie all in all.
Well there we have it. Yet another movie review. I think that although I am busy I will try posting a book review soon. Just finished a non-fiction that was a little mind blowing. Also I am still working on my AFI's Top 100 list. I have seen a couple more off the list and will write reviews on them shortly! Hope you find at least one movie out of this post that you find worth watching. Enjoy!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
The Newest of the New
This past weekend I actually sat down and watched a couple of full length feature films. They included a comedy "Just Go With It" and a drama called "Another Year." "True Grit" starring Jeff Bridges also came out this week but I had previously seen it so I skipped it. However there are a couple of reviews to come.
First I shall start with the comedy. "Just Go With It" starred Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston, with a surprising cameo by Nicole Kidman. Basically it is the story of Adam Sandler's character Danny Maccabee a man who many years ago was hurt by his fiancee on his wedding day. After calling the wedding off he goes to a bar to drink his sorrow away, suddenly a gorgeous woman walks into the bar. And all these men begin hitting on her, saying lewd things and annoying her. She goes to sit next to funny looking Jewish Danny Maccabee who when she inquires about the wedding ring he's wearing stumbles across the perfect pick-up line. He invents a horrible wife earning him sympathy sex. And from that moment on his life changes. He becomes a plastic surgeon gets himself a new nose and begins life as quite the playboy.
His assistant Katherine, played by Jennifer Anniston, is a single mom with two kids who has become his best friend and the only woman in his life that he is honest with. Things begin to get complicated when he meets a woman he thinks he can actually fall in love with. When she finds his "wedding" ring and gets mad he tells her that he is in the process of a divorce. But she wants to hear it from her, his fictional wife, and so he enlists the help of Katherine. Things go from strange to weird when Katherine lets slip that she has kids and Palmer, played by Brooklyn Decker, wants to meet them. The whole thing culminates in the whole group heading to Hawaii for a bonding vacation.
The movie had some good highlights, funny moments that had me laughing. Other then the few moments of humor "Just Go With It" written by Allan Loeb and Timothy Dowling and directed by Dennis Dugan was your typical romantic comedy. Cute but nothing special, watch for light romantic movie time. I would give it a 7 out of 10.
The drama that I watched "Another Year" written and directed by Mike Leigh and starring Jim Boradbent, Ruth Sheen and Lesley Manville was a little bit of a let down. I had been seeing previews for what looked to be a very sweet british film all about Tom and Gerri and the people in their lives. Tom and Gerri are this very sweet adoring married couple who enjoys gardening and cooking for friends and family. I was hoping that the movie would be mainly about this really adorable couple and their day to day life, how they stay in love and crazy about each other even after all the years they had been married. I knew that we would meet a variety of characters that would be slightly off that were friends of Tom and Gerri but I figured it would be mainly about them. I was wrong. It was mainly about their very weird friend Mary who has a whole host of problems that she seems unwilling to deal with.
The movie was sweet in a way, mainly the scenes that were between Tom and Gerri. Other than that I didn't really enjoy it all that much. I went into it aware that it was going to be a slow, quiet movie so it wasn't that I was bored. It was just not all that I hoped it was going to be. The character of Mary really started annoying me and they never really explained why she was the way she was so it wasn't really about her either. It wasn't a bad movie. But it's not anything that I was jumping for joy about. I would probably give it a 5 out of 10. Well acted and some really tender, beautiful moments but it really wasn't that great.
First I shall start with the comedy. "Just Go With It" starred Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston, with a surprising cameo by Nicole Kidman. Basically it is the story of Adam Sandler's character Danny Maccabee a man who many years ago was hurt by his fiancee on his wedding day. After calling the wedding off he goes to a bar to drink his sorrow away, suddenly a gorgeous woman walks into the bar. And all these men begin hitting on her, saying lewd things and annoying her. She goes to sit next to funny looking Jewish Danny Maccabee who when she inquires about the wedding ring he's wearing stumbles across the perfect pick-up line. He invents a horrible wife earning him sympathy sex. And from that moment on his life changes. He becomes a plastic surgeon gets himself a new nose and begins life as quite the playboy.
His assistant Katherine, played by Jennifer Anniston, is a single mom with two kids who has become his best friend and the only woman in his life that he is honest with. Things begin to get complicated when he meets a woman he thinks he can actually fall in love with. When she finds his "wedding" ring and gets mad he tells her that he is in the process of a divorce. But she wants to hear it from her, his fictional wife, and so he enlists the help of Katherine. Things go from strange to weird when Katherine lets slip that she has kids and Palmer, played by Brooklyn Decker, wants to meet them. The whole thing culminates in the whole group heading to Hawaii for a bonding vacation.
The movie had some good highlights, funny moments that had me laughing. Other then the few moments of humor "Just Go With It" written by Allan Loeb and Timothy Dowling and directed by Dennis Dugan was your typical romantic comedy. Cute but nothing special, watch for light romantic movie time. I would give it a 7 out of 10.
The drama that I watched "Another Year" written and directed by Mike Leigh and starring Jim Boradbent, Ruth Sheen and Lesley Manville was a little bit of a let down. I had been seeing previews for what looked to be a very sweet british film all about Tom and Gerri and the people in their lives. Tom and Gerri are this very sweet adoring married couple who enjoys gardening and cooking for friends and family. I was hoping that the movie would be mainly about this really adorable couple and their day to day life, how they stay in love and crazy about each other even after all the years they had been married. I knew that we would meet a variety of characters that would be slightly off that were friends of Tom and Gerri but I figured it would be mainly about them. I was wrong. It was mainly about their very weird friend Mary who has a whole host of problems that she seems unwilling to deal with.
The movie was sweet in a way, mainly the scenes that were between Tom and Gerri. Other than that I didn't really enjoy it all that much. I went into it aware that it was going to be a slow, quiet movie so it wasn't that I was bored. It was just not all that I hoped it was going to be. The character of Mary really started annoying me and they never really explained why she was the way she was so it wasn't really about her either. It wasn't a bad movie. But it's not anything that I was jumping for joy about. I would probably give it a 5 out of 10. Well acted and some really tender, beautiful moments but it really wasn't that great.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
A Thin Line Between Fact & Fiction
I know that it has been quite awhile but I have had a lot going on. And yes there have been movies, as well as books that I probably should have posted about but I have decided to write about but I didn't. And though there are movies I should post about but I think I am going to post about a book. Not just any book and honestly not one that I have read recently, a little controversial I know, but a book that I loved reading. It is a non-fiction book, mostly, titled "The Devil In The White City" by Eric Larson.
In the author's notes in the back of the book he admits that in a few places he took artistic liberties due to no substantial record of certain conversations but the majority of the book is all fact. Anyway the book is about the World Fair which took place in Chicago in the 1800's. During the prep and building of the fair a man moved in to the city. A man named Dr. H.H. Holmes who turned out to be a serial killer. Dr. Holmes bought a building a short distance from the final sight for the fair. Because of the excitment of the fair the "doctor" was able to lure young, single, impressionable women to his "hotel" and slowly torture and kill them.
The book not only follows Dr. H.H. Holmes's exploits and interests but it follows the construction of the very large fair from the very first bid for Chicago to be the ultimate site to the very last ticket sold. It is a truly amazing feat that the architects and workers undertook. Many died due to fires, buildings collapsing and countless other mishaps that occured during the building of the fair. It was truly unbelieveable some of the things that these people had to do in order to put together what later became known as "The White City." The tales intertwine and throughout the book we meet many of the people that put together one of the greatest fairs ever seen. It's a true experience.
When it comes to non-fiction books I usually have a hard time sticking to reading just that. I have to have a fiction book to keep me interested. But this book was so full of intrigue and supremely interesting facts about construction. And it was written so well that I read through the book as if it were a fascinating fiction novel. I think it took me a week to read through the whole thing. Which considering how busy I am most weeks that's pretty fast. It combines mystery, drama, and facts perfectly. The whole thing written with great care to detail and at times even soaring poetry.
For any architecture buff or history lover, anyone that is morbidly curious about a serial killer who marred one of the US's greatest moments with death then the is the book for you. It's more than just a non-fiction book about the Chicago's World Fair it's a mystery that keeps you hanging on until the very end. I give "The Devil In The White City" a very high recommendation. I hope you all enjoy it as well.
In the author's notes in the back of the book he admits that in a few places he took artistic liberties due to no substantial record of certain conversations but the majority of the book is all fact. Anyway the book is about the World Fair which took place in Chicago in the 1800's. During the prep and building of the fair a man moved in to the city. A man named Dr. H.H. Holmes who turned out to be a serial killer. Dr. Holmes bought a building a short distance from the final sight for the fair. Because of the excitment of the fair the "doctor" was able to lure young, single, impressionable women to his "hotel" and slowly torture and kill them.
The book not only follows Dr. H.H. Holmes's exploits and interests but it follows the construction of the very large fair from the very first bid for Chicago to be the ultimate site to the very last ticket sold. It is a truly amazing feat that the architects and workers undertook. Many died due to fires, buildings collapsing and countless other mishaps that occured during the building of the fair. It was truly unbelieveable some of the things that these people had to do in order to put together what later became known as "The White City." The tales intertwine and throughout the book we meet many of the people that put together one of the greatest fairs ever seen. It's a true experience.
When it comes to non-fiction books I usually have a hard time sticking to reading just that. I have to have a fiction book to keep me interested. But this book was so full of intrigue and supremely interesting facts about construction. And it was written so well that I read through the book as if it were a fascinating fiction novel. I think it took me a week to read through the whole thing. Which considering how busy I am most weeks that's pretty fast. It combines mystery, drama, and facts perfectly. The whole thing written with great care to detail and at times even soaring poetry.
For any architecture buff or history lover, anyone that is morbidly curious about a serial killer who marred one of the US's greatest moments with death then the is the book for you. It's more than just a non-fiction book about the Chicago's World Fair it's a mystery that keeps you hanging on until the very end. I give "The Devil In The White City" a very high recommendation. I hope you all enjoy it as well.
Monday, May 2, 2011
"How Can You Tell The Dancer From The Dance?"
It has been a little while, mainly because I haven't really been watching that many movies (it's been mainly bad TV shows comfort watching!) and although I have read a couple of books that I might eventually review here I just watched a film that takes precedence over all. I want to say that the title of this post is a quote but not from the movie. It is from one of the books in a trilogy by Guy Gaverial Kay, a trilogy that I will review eventually, but it so perfectly describes the movie I want to talk about that I had to use it. So on to the review!
I truly enjoy the fact that I get to see the new movies the weekend before they come out for general release. I get to do this because I work at a video store, as I have said before, and being able to do so is usually a pretty great thing. But the movies that came out last week were nothing but c level movies and so I watched nothing. This weekend I was again prepared to watch nothing but I reconsidered when I found out about one film in particular. It was called "Mao's Last Dancer." A film based on the true story of a Chinese boy who was recruited as a ballet dancer. Taken from home as a young boy and brought to Beijing to live and study at a school for ballet with other boys and girls away from his family. His name was Li Cunxin. He was at first a reluctent student once telling one of his teachers that he didn't like ballet, that he didn't understand it. Until one day he sees a video of Mikhail Baryshnikov dancing and suddenly he understands. He begins training harder, gaining muscle and percision, wanting to fly.
He is not only learning to be a great ballet dancer he is also learning the Communist ways that goverened China at the time. Learning that through communisim China would become one of the greatest nations in the world, that they will have no poverty, no hunger, no greed, no classes. All will be equal and perfect. They learn that places such as America will corrupt them and turn them into mindless consumers. And so when the Houston ballet company asks the Chinese government to lend them a dancer they do so with hopes that whatever young dancer they choose will not only be able to stand against the evils of America but also do what they can to promote China and it's agendas. Li Cunxin is chosen. Soon he becomes the talk of the company even as just a student.
He meets a young beautiful dancer who is still trying to get accepted into the company named Liz. They form a tentative friendship that eventually blossoms into more. One night Li gets the chance of a lifetime when one of the principle dancers is injured right before a big performance. Li gets to step in and show what he is really made of. The crowd goes wild for him and he begins performing more and more as a principle dancer. Then when it is time to leave he finds he wants nothing more then to stay in America and dance there. The Chinese government refuses his request and so Li begins taking drastic measures. Measures that eventually leave him barred from ever going home.
This movie was incredible. Not only from the stand point of it being an great dance movie but as a whole the film was amazing. The strength that Li had in fighting for what he wanted and his true love of the dance was breathtaking. When they say that the movie is based on an incredible true story they are not exaggerating in any way. It really is an incredible story. And the movie itself was wonderful as well. Written by Jan Sardi and directed by Bruce Beresford the film captured all the elements of beauty, struggle, loss and joy that Li went through. Add in the insanely talented dancing that occured and you have a truly great film. I give this a ten out of ten and I highly reccomend it! I do warn that there are some subtitles but the movie is mainly in english. I say to thee go forth and watch you will not be disappointed!
I truly enjoy the fact that I get to see the new movies the weekend before they come out for general release. I get to do this because I work at a video store, as I have said before, and being able to do so is usually a pretty great thing. But the movies that came out last week were nothing but c level movies and so I watched nothing. This weekend I was again prepared to watch nothing but I reconsidered when I found out about one film in particular. It was called "Mao's Last Dancer." A film based on the true story of a Chinese boy who was recruited as a ballet dancer. Taken from home as a young boy and brought to Beijing to live and study at a school for ballet with other boys and girls away from his family. His name was Li Cunxin. He was at first a reluctent student once telling one of his teachers that he didn't like ballet, that he didn't understand it. Until one day he sees a video of Mikhail Baryshnikov dancing and suddenly he understands. He begins training harder, gaining muscle and percision, wanting to fly.
He is not only learning to be a great ballet dancer he is also learning the Communist ways that goverened China at the time. Learning that through communisim China would become one of the greatest nations in the world, that they will have no poverty, no hunger, no greed, no classes. All will be equal and perfect. They learn that places such as America will corrupt them and turn them into mindless consumers. And so when the Houston ballet company asks the Chinese government to lend them a dancer they do so with hopes that whatever young dancer they choose will not only be able to stand against the evils of America but also do what they can to promote China and it's agendas. Li Cunxin is chosen. Soon he becomes the talk of the company even as just a student.
He meets a young beautiful dancer who is still trying to get accepted into the company named Liz. They form a tentative friendship that eventually blossoms into more. One night Li gets the chance of a lifetime when one of the principle dancers is injured right before a big performance. Li gets to step in and show what he is really made of. The crowd goes wild for him and he begins performing more and more as a principle dancer. Then when it is time to leave he finds he wants nothing more then to stay in America and dance there. The Chinese government refuses his request and so Li begins taking drastic measures. Measures that eventually leave him barred from ever going home.
This movie was incredible. Not only from the stand point of it being an great dance movie but as a whole the film was amazing. The strength that Li had in fighting for what he wanted and his true love of the dance was breathtaking. When they say that the movie is based on an incredible true story they are not exaggerating in any way. It really is an incredible story. And the movie itself was wonderful as well. Written by Jan Sardi and directed by Bruce Beresford the film captured all the elements of beauty, struggle, loss and joy that Li went through. Add in the insanely talented dancing that occured and you have a truly great film. I give this a ten out of ten and I highly reccomend it! I do warn that there are some subtitles but the movie is mainly in english. I say to thee go forth and watch you will not be disappointed!
Monday, April 18, 2011
A Whole Mess Of Stuff
It has been awhile since I posted and even longer since I had a movie post. And so I am here to do just that. Last weekend I watched "Harry Potter & the Deathly Hollows Part 1" and this weekend I watched, "Rabbit Hole," "Gulliver's Travels," and "The Way Back." So I'm going to have to do a few mini reviews instead of a long review for each. Plus I'm a tad low on energy and am afraid if I try for long in-depth reviews they will come out sounding strange and not thought out. So here goes.
Firstly there was "Harry Potter & the Deathly Hollows Part 1." This is the first part of the seventh installment of the Harry Potter saga. For those out there who have read the books we already know the story. And for those out there simply skating by on watching the movies you at least have an idea of where the story starts. Harry, Hermione, and Ron aren't going back to Hogwarts, they are headed out to search for Voldemort's Horcruxes. While the war between the Order and the Death Eaters continues Harry and his gang camp atop mountains and in the middle of forrests, searching for any clue to finding the only weakness that Voldemort has, his Horcruxes. The film is full of adventure, drama, excitment and sorrow. While the movie is well done, definetly in keeping with the Harry Potter tradition, there are points that prove it's nearing the end of it's reign.
While the movie in itself is a darker part of the Harry Potter saga I thought that the lack of lighting was going a bit overboard. The movie was almost too dark to see which made it hard to watch. That was a disappointment. Now while I never go into watching these movies with any level of true expectations I have watched the last couple of films with more of a feeling that the actors should at the very least know their characters. I know that they are not the greatest actots, nor do I expect them to be. However they have now spent many years as these characters and should have grown into them by now. Rupert Grint, Ron Weasley, and Emma Watson, Hermione Granger have indeed done this. And of course the adults of the production know what they are doing. There is however a weak link and that unfortunately Daniel Radcliffe, Harry Potter, himself. He can't seem to grow into his role the way that the others have. It's a shame. Other than that and the lighting the movie was pretty good. It ended at the perfect moment to make me want to go and see the second part. So good there.
On to "Rabbit Hole." Starring the nominated Nicole Kidman, and Aaron Eckhart the movie is full of pain. It's all about these two people, a husband and wife who are trying to figure out how to go on with their lives after the death of their two-year-old son. It's eight months after their son's death and they are trying to find some sort of normal routine. They have been going to grief group and suddenly Becca, Nicole Kidman, decides she wants to quit. After that Becca and Howie, Aaron Eckhart, begin to live seperate lives. Becca has just found out that her sister is pregnant. And in the spirit trying to move on she goes to deliver Danny's, her son's, clothes to her sister. On her drive home, from eventually dropping the clothes off at Goodwill, she sees a young man in a school bus. She follows the bus to his stop and from that day on she continues to watch him. All the while Howie is going to group, making new friends, and trying to find a way to move on. Seperate lives going on.
The movie was well done in many respects. Superbly acted, beautifully written and directed. And though the film was nowhere near as heavy as "Precious" was it was still hard to watch. The pain of losing a child has to be the hardest thing that parents can go through. And that pain was wll played out in the movie. I do recommend this movie but with a disclaimer. You really have to be ready to experience the sadness and pain that is interwoven in the silences as well as every word spoken. But it is indeed a really good movie.
"Gulliver's Travels," was a fun flick. Starring Jack Black, Amanda Peet, Emily Blunt, Jason Segal and Billy Connolly. All in all a fun cast for a fun movie. Anyone who is familiar with the tale of "Gulliver's Travels" knows pretty much what the story is. Although this is a modern take on it. With iphones and Star Wars refrences the movie was full of odds and ends that made the movie silly and fun. For something that is light and funny and nothing too intense this is the movie. There were a few really nice laughs and some good old fashioned Jack Blackness so it made it worth it. I recommend it.
"The Way Back" based on an incredible true story about seven prisoners escaping from a Siberian prisoner in 1940 and how they survived until they got to India. Not all of them survived but the ones that did left behind an incredible story. Starring Colin Farrell, Jim Sturgess, Ed Harris, and Saoirse Ronan (which is pronounced SEER-shuh RO-nuhn) the movie is full of talent. Though the story itself is a tough one it is also one filled with hope, and one of the things I liked best about it was that they escaped into the winter night, in Siberia, knowing that some would die but knowing that those that did would die free men.
It is a beautiful story of survival and hope and one that really makes you look at people differently. It made me realize that there really were some truly remarkable people in the world. The movie was a tad long and there were some weird time confusions that happened but it was a good movie. The story was incredible and a little mind blowing, the movie was good, well acted and intruiging. It's something that I would recommend though.
Anyway there they are, the movies that I watched in the last little while. Good ones, nothing that blew me away but good movies. Which is more then I can say for a lot of the movies in the past little while. It was a nice change to get some good movies rather then a whole bunch of nothing. Also I would like to note "The King's Speech," is out on dvd this week as well. So if you are local come buy the store and pick up a copy it is well worth it!
Firstly there was "Harry Potter & the Deathly Hollows Part 1." This is the first part of the seventh installment of the Harry Potter saga. For those out there who have read the books we already know the story. And for those out there simply skating by on watching the movies you at least have an idea of where the story starts. Harry, Hermione, and Ron aren't going back to Hogwarts, they are headed out to search for Voldemort's Horcruxes. While the war between the Order and the Death Eaters continues Harry and his gang camp atop mountains and in the middle of forrests, searching for any clue to finding the only weakness that Voldemort has, his Horcruxes. The film is full of adventure, drama, excitment and sorrow. While the movie is well done, definetly in keeping with the Harry Potter tradition, there are points that prove it's nearing the end of it's reign.
While the movie in itself is a darker part of the Harry Potter saga I thought that the lack of lighting was going a bit overboard. The movie was almost too dark to see which made it hard to watch. That was a disappointment. Now while I never go into watching these movies with any level of true expectations I have watched the last couple of films with more of a feeling that the actors should at the very least know their characters. I know that they are not the greatest actots, nor do I expect them to be. However they have now spent many years as these characters and should have grown into them by now. Rupert Grint, Ron Weasley, and Emma Watson, Hermione Granger have indeed done this. And of course the adults of the production know what they are doing. There is however a weak link and that unfortunately Daniel Radcliffe, Harry Potter, himself. He can't seem to grow into his role the way that the others have. It's a shame. Other than that and the lighting the movie was pretty good. It ended at the perfect moment to make me want to go and see the second part. So good there.
On to "Rabbit Hole." Starring the nominated Nicole Kidman, and Aaron Eckhart the movie is full of pain. It's all about these two people, a husband and wife who are trying to figure out how to go on with their lives after the death of their two-year-old son. It's eight months after their son's death and they are trying to find some sort of normal routine. They have been going to grief group and suddenly Becca, Nicole Kidman, decides she wants to quit. After that Becca and Howie, Aaron Eckhart, begin to live seperate lives. Becca has just found out that her sister is pregnant. And in the spirit trying to move on she goes to deliver Danny's, her son's, clothes to her sister. On her drive home, from eventually dropping the clothes off at Goodwill, she sees a young man in a school bus. She follows the bus to his stop and from that day on she continues to watch him. All the while Howie is going to group, making new friends, and trying to find a way to move on. Seperate lives going on.
The movie was well done in many respects. Superbly acted, beautifully written and directed. And though the film was nowhere near as heavy as "Precious" was it was still hard to watch. The pain of losing a child has to be the hardest thing that parents can go through. And that pain was wll played out in the movie. I do recommend this movie but with a disclaimer. You really have to be ready to experience the sadness and pain that is interwoven in the silences as well as every word spoken. But it is indeed a really good movie.
"Gulliver's Travels," was a fun flick. Starring Jack Black, Amanda Peet, Emily Blunt, Jason Segal and Billy Connolly. All in all a fun cast for a fun movie. Anyone who is familiar with the tale of "Gulliver's Travels" knows pretty much what the story is. Although this is a modern take on it. With iphones and Star Wars refrences the movie was full of odds and ends that made the movie silly and fun. For something that is light and funny and nothing too intense this is the movie. There were a few really nice laughs and some good old fashioned Jack Blackness so it made it worth it. I recommend it.
"The Way Back" based on an incredible true story about seven prisoners escaping from a Siberian prisoner in 1940 and how they survived until they got to India. Not all of them survived but the ones that did left behind an incredible story. Starring Colin Farrell, Jim Sturgess, Ed Harris, and Saoirse Ronan (which is pronounced SEER-shuh RO-nuhn) the movie is full of talent. Though the story itself is a tough one it is also one filled with hope, and one of the things I liked best about it was that they escaped into the winter night, in Siberia, knowing that some would die but knowing that those that did would die free men.
It is a beautiful story of survival and hope and one that really makes you look at people differently. It made me realize that there really were some truly remarkable people in the world. The movie was a tad long and there were some weird time confusions that happened but it was a good movie. The story was incredible and a little mind blowing, the movie was good, well acted and intruiging. It's something that I would recommend though.
Anyway there they are, the movies that I watched in the last little while. Good ones, nothing that blew me away but good movies. Which is more then I can say for a lot of the movies in the past little while. It was a nice change to get some good movies rather then a whole bunch of nothing. Also I would like to note "The King's Speech," is out on dvd this week as well. So if you are local come buy the store and pick up a copy it is well worth it!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
A Mythical Adventure
I recently read "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman. I have a friend who has been recommending it to me for quite awhile now. I went to visit her and her boyfriend, they live in Portland and near Powell's bookstore, and naturally due to the fact that we are both kind of book freaks we got to talking books. And we of course went to Powell's. This is a dangerous place to be for book lovers, true book lovers. You have to be the type of book lover that literally can't get by for even a day without out SOMETHING to read. If you are that type of book lover Powell's is nirvana. The place that you could go and live and die happily. Anyway while there I started talking about how I really wanted something new to read. A new author, a new genre and my friend once again suggested Neil Gaiman's "American Gods." Seeing as I had already gathered quite a few titles I decided against getting it. However when I returned home and went to a used bookstore I picked it up. Then promptly forgot about it.
Eventually I started getting interested in the book. There it sat on my bookshelf staring me in the face. And I started talking about it with my friend and she urged me to give it a try. And so I did. I read it in a couple of days. I loved it. It surprised me, from the very beginning it swept me up and kept a hold on me. Now I'm not usually one for the fantasy genre but this just interested me from the beginning and kept me interested until the very last page.
The story begins with Shadow. An ex-con just getting out of prison, on his way home to bury his wife. A wife who died just a few days before he got out of prison. On the plane ride home he meets a man calling himself Mr. Wednesday. A man that at first seems harmless and then starts telling Shadow things that he shouldn't know. It scares Shadow enough that when they get to the airport instead of making his connection Shadow decides to rent a car and drive the rest of the way home. Somehow Mr. Wednesday catches up to him and offers him a job. After a few drinks Shadow agrees. What follows is an adventure that shakes Shadow to his very core and makes his soul soar to new heights.
He meets gods and goddesses and speaks to them as equals. Although he is at times thrown for a loop he learns to find his footing in this new world. The world of gods from the past and gods of the present. He dines with Thoth and Anubis, meets Bast, plays chess with a Russian god of darkness and is given the moon. It's a world that most of the time confuses him but one that he ultimately feels comfortable in. And one that I grew to love.
This was a great book, one that will stick with me always, one that made me want to read more of the fantasy genre. Something I know will make my friend happy, and one that makes me happy due to the fact that this opens up a whole new world for me. If you enjoy fantasy or are trying to break into that genre "American Gods" is a great place to start!!! I highly recommend it!
Eventually I started getting interested in the book. There it sat on my bookshelf staring me in the face. And I started talking about it with my friend and she urged me to give it a try. And so I did. I read it in a couple of days. I loved it. It surprised me, from the very beginning it swept me up and kept a hold on me. Now I'm not usually one for the fantasy genre but this just interested me from the beginning and kept me interested until the very last page.
The story begins with Shadow. An ex-con just getting out of prison, on his way home to bury his wife. A wife who died just a few days before he got out of prison. On the plane ride home he meets a man calling himself Mr. Wednesday. A man that at first seems harmless and then starts telling Shadow things that he shouldn't know. It scares Shadow enough that when they get to the airport instead of making his connection Shadow decides to rent a car and drive the rest of the way home. Somehow Mr. Wednesday catches up to him and offers him a job. After a few drinks Shadow agrees. What follows is an adventure that shakes Shadow to his very core and makes his soul soar to new heights.
He meets gods and goddesses and speaks to them as equals. Although he is at times thrown for a loop he learns to find his footing in this new world. The world of gods from the past and gods of the present. He dines with Thoth and Anubis, meets Bast, plays chess with a Russian god of darkness and is given the moon. It's a world that most of the time confuses him but one that he ultimately feels comfortable in. And one that I grew to love.
This was a great book, one that will stick with me always, one that made me want to read more of the fantasy genre. Something I know will make my friend happy, and one that makes me happy due to the fact that this opens up a whole new world for me. If you enjoy fantasy or are trying to break into that genre "American Gods" is a great place to start!!! I highly recommend it!
Monday, April 4, 2011
Something So Sad About Comedy
This past weekend the movies that were for viewing were mostly comedies. I was looking forward to them due to the fact that it has been a dry time in the workld of good comedy. There was a Jim Carrey/Ewen McGregor comedy that looked promising as well as "Little Fockers." This was the third installment in the "Meet the Parents" saga. Also something that looked promising. I generally find Ben Stiller to be amusing and I thought that RObert De Niro and Ben Stiller made a good team in the other two. Needless to say I felt that this weekend just might be a good movie weekend. Wow when I'm wrong, I'm REALLY wrong.
Starting with "I Love You Phillip Morris" starring Jim Carrey and Ewen McGregor, written by John Regua and Glen Ficarra and directed by the same team this is a story about a gay con man. Jim Carrey plays Steven Russell a man who grows up living a lie. He is gay but he gets married, has a daughter, works on the police force and goes to church. He joined the police force to find his real mother, he had been adopted, and when he finally does and she rejects him he decides he is going to move his family to Texas and start over. While there after a night spent with a lover he is driving home and gets into a car accident. This is when he decides to change his life and just be gay. He moves to Miami and moves in with a boyfriend and starts living the expensive "gay lifestyle." This is where things start going awry.
Steven decides that in order to keep things the way they are and treat his boyfriend the way he deserves to be treated he starts running insurance scams. Finally he gets put in jail and there he meets Phillip Morris, played by Ewen McGregor. After a whirlwind courtship they fall in love and bunk together. After Steven gets out he promises to get Phillip out as well. What follows is the two of them living together happily for awhile, Steven goes to work and Phillip stays home. But it's in Steven's nature to go hunting for more. He continues to pull scam after scam. And he continues to get caught. Until finally he ends up in prison for good.
This is supposed to be based on true events and it's based on a book written by Steve McVicker. The whole time I was watching the movie I felt like instead of being a comedy about a con man it was a movie poking fun of gay men. It kind of made me sad in that respect. I felt that Jim Carrey's portrayal was over the top and the sex scenes, and yes there were a few, were over done. I was really pretty disappointed in the film. I felt that Ewen McGregor and Jim Carrey were an awkward match for the movie. I thought that they should have used Jim Carrey and someone equally outrageous and make it a complete farce or use Ewen McGregor and someone as tame and make it more a dramedy but the two of them were too opposite and the movie turned into a strange mix of real acting and one liners. I don't recommend it. It's a 2.
Onto "Little Fockers." The movie is pretty much what you expect, starring Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Dustin Hoffman, Barbara Streisand, Teri Polo, Jessica Alba, Blythe Danner and new comers Laura Dern and Harvey Keitel the best part of the whole thing was the cast. I thought that this was going to be a sure thing in the laughter area but it was not to be. It is the story of the Focker's getting ready for their twins' 5th birthday party. A few weeks before the party Jack Byrnes, Robert De Niro, has a heart attack. And realizes how life just might be shorter then he hoped. He calls Greg Focker, played by Ben Stiller, and informs him that he is now the "GodFocker" of the family. Things kind of proceed from there. The whole "GodFocker" thing goes to Greg's head as well as his new happy relationship with Jack. When Jack and Dina come to visit for the party things go back to the way they were. In the first two movies that is.
The whole thing is a repeat of the first couple of films. The jokes are pretty much identical to the ones in "Meet the Parents," and "Meet the Fockers." It's the same misunderstandings and the same joke of Jack not liking Greg. It was pretty boring. And I think the only reason they had Jessica Alba in the cast was so that she could take her clothes off. I was really disappointed with the whole thing. It's a 4, maybe, out of 10 and although I know it won't stop people from renting it, due to the series it is a part of, I don't suggest it. Then again I might end up once again in the minority in this.
I also watched a TV movie called "The 19th Wife" based on a book with the same title. It was all about the murder of a polygamist man. And his 19th wife is accused of the murder. It stars Chyler Leigh and Matt Czuchry, both best known for other TV roles. Chyler Leigh is probably best known for her role in "Grey's Anatomy" and Matt Czuchry is most likely best know for his role in "Gilmore Girl's." The movie was like a long episode of the TV show "Big Love." It really wasn't much. If it is a story that interests you then go for it, and I didn't think that it was horrible. But it also wasn't anything to get all that excited about.
I guess none of the movies this week were really all that great. It's too bad. Tomorrow there will be a book post, I have finished a couple of books and will review at least one of them on the morrow. Until then gentle readers.
Starting with "I Love You Phillip Morris" starring Jim Carrey and Ewen McGregor, written by John Regua and Glen Ficarra and directed by the same team this is a story about a gay con man. Jim Carrey plays Steven Russell a man who grows up living a lie. He is gay but he gets married, has a daughter, works on the police force and goes to church. He joined the police force to find his real mother, he had been adopted, and when he finally does and she rejects him he decides he is going to move his family to Texas and start over. While there after a night spent with a lover he is driving home and gets into a car accident. This is when he decides to change his life and just be gay. He moves to Miami and moves in with a boyfriend and starts living the expensive "gay lifestyle." This is where things start going awry.
Steven decides that in order to keep things the way they are and treat his boyfriend the way he deserves to be treated he starts running insurance scams. Finally he gets put in jail and there he meets Phillip Morris, played by Ewen McGregor. After a whirlwind courtship they fall in love and bunk together. After Steven gets out he promises to get Phillip out as well. What follows is the two of them living together happily for awhile, Steven goes to work and Phillip stays home. But it's in Steven's nature to go hunting for more. He continues to pull scam after scam. And he continues to get caught. Until finally he ends up in prison for good.
This is supposed to be based on true events and it's based on a book written by Steve McVicker. The whole time I was watching the movie I felt like instead of being a comedy about a con man it was a movie poking fun of gay men. It kind of made me sad in that respect. I felt that Jim Carrey's portrayal was over the top and the sex scenes, and yes there were a few, were over done. I was really pretty disappointed in the film. I felt that Ewen McGregor and Jim Carrey were an awkward match for the movie. I thought that they should have used Jim Carrey and someone equally outrageous and make it a complete farce or use Ewen McGregor and someone as tame and make it more a dramedy but the two of them were too opposite and the movie turned into a strange mix of real acting and one liners. I don't recommend it. It's a 2.
Onto "Little Fockers." The movie is pretty much what you expect, starring Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Dustin Hoffman, Barbara Streisand, Teri Polo, Jessica Alba, Blythe Danner and new comers Laura Dern and Harvey Keitel the best part of the whole thing was the cast. I thought that this was going to be a sure thing in the laughter area but it was not to be. It is the story of the Focker's getting ready for their twins' 5th birthday party. A few weeks before the party Jack Byrnes, Robert De Niro, has a heart attack. And realizes how life just might be shorter then he hoped. He calls Greg Focker, played by Ben Stiller, and informs him that he is now the "GodFocker" of the family. Things kind of proceed from there. The whole "GodFocker" thing goes to Greg's head as well as his new happy relationship with Jack. When Jack and Dina come to visit for the party things go back to the way they were. In the first two movies that is.
The whole thing is a repeat of the first couple of films. The jokes are pretty much identical to the ones in "Meet the Parents," and "Meet the Fockers." It's the same misunderstandings and the same joke of Jack not liking Greg. It was pretty boring. And I think the only reason they had Jessica Alba in the cast was so that she could take her clothes off. I was really disappointed with the whole thing. It's a 4, maybe, out of 10 and although I know it won't stop people from renting it, due to the series it is a part of, I don't suggest it. Then again I might end up once again in the minority in this.
I also watched a TV movie called "The 19th Wife" based on a book with the same title. It was all about the murder of a polygamist man. And his 19th wife is accused of the murder. It stars Chyler Leigh and Matt Czuchry, both best known for other TV roles. Chyler Leigh is probably best known for her role in "Grey's Anatomy" and Matt Czuchry is most likely best know for his role in "Gilmore Girl's." The movie was like a long episode of the TV show "Big Love." It really wasn't much. If it is a story that interests you then go for it, and I didn't think that it was horrible. But it also wasn't anything to get all that excited about.
I guess none of the movies this week were really all that great. It's too bad. Tomorrow there will be a book post, I have finished a couple of books and will review at least one of them on the morrow. Until then gentle readers.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
The World of King Henry VIII
I have always been fascinated by the world of The Tudors. In that respect I read what I can on them. I read "The Other Boleyn Girl" by Phillipa Gregory, which I loved, I have spent time on the internet researching them. I bought a biography on Henry VIII and started reading that, it is a tad dry but I think that I will try it again. The point is I find the whole Henry VIII saga intriguing. In that vein I was at a bookstore and I stumbled across a novel, a rather thick one titled, "The Autobiography of Henry VIII" by Margaret George. I had read one other historical novel by her "The Memoirs of Cleopatra," and though it was long and a tad boring towards the end I thought that it was good writing and it seemed to be well researched. So I thought that I would give her Henry VIII a try.
Yes I know that the very definition of autobiography means written by oneself. And how is a modern novel written by a King who has been dead since 1547? The reason Margaret George called it the "Autobiography of Henry VIII" was because she put it as a first person narrative, the book was supposed to be Henry's journal. Hence the title. Anyway I was taken in from the start. To read things from Henry's point of the view was a nice change of pace. Reading about how when he was very young and was going to meet Katharine of Aragon in his brother's stead, how from the moment he saw her he fell in love. He felt that she was indeed the love of his life, that he should be the one to be in his brother Arthur's place.
We see Henry's pain as his mother and father favor the first born son over and above him. We experience his confusion when after his brother dies and then his mother and finally his father he finds himself King of England. And after many years he finds himself the husband of Katharine and truly happy. Then we watch as Henry becomes bewitched by Anne and throws his country into a tailspin trying to change the way the world worked. With each new bride we watch as he falls incredibly in love, sure that this is the one true love. And we experience his pain when he realizes he has been betrayed or that the ones he trusted most turned from him.
The book is well written and well researched, it had poetry and reality that was well mixed. I enjoyed spending time not only in the court of Henry VIII but also in his mind. If anyone enjoys historical novels or finds themselves especially interested in the Tudor court I would reccommend this novel. However it is not for everyone because it is a long novel and gets very involved. I give it a 7 out of 10. A good read, and well written but not for everyone.
Yes I know that the very definition of autobiography means written by oneself. And how is a modern novel written by a King who has been dead since 1547? The reason Margaret George called it the "Autobiography of Henry VIII" was because she put it as a first person narrative, the book was supposed to be Henry's journal. Hence the title. Anyway I was taken in from the start. To read things from Henry's point of the view was a nice change of pace. Reading about how when he was very young and was going to meet Katharine of Aragon in his brother's stead, how from the moment he saw her he fell in love. He felt that she was indeed the love of his life, that he should be the one to be in his brother Arthur's place.
We see Henry's pain as his mother and father favor the first born son over and above him. We experience his confusion when after his brother dies and then his mother and finally his father he finds himself King of England. And after many years he finds himself the husband of Katharine and truly happy. Then we watch as Henry becomes bewitched by Anne and throws his country into a tailspin trying to change the way the world worked. With each new bride we watch as he falls incredibly in love, sure that this is the one true love. And we experience his pain when he realizes he has been betrayed or that the ones he trusted most turned from him.
The book is well written and well researched, it had poetry and reality that was well mixed. I enjoyed spending time not only in the court of Henry VIII but also in his mind. If anyone enjoys historical novels or finds themselves especially interested in the Tudor court I would reccommend this novel. However it is not for everyone because it is a long novel and gets very involved. I give it a 7 out of 10. A good read, and well written but not for everyone.
Monday, March 21, 2011
A Couple Of Movie Reviews, As Promised
Alright I promised a movie review tonight and here it is. Actually, honestly it is a couple of them because I watched a couple of movies. The movies were "How Do You Know" and "The Tourist." I must warn you all that I don't have high praise for either of them, they were both simply mediocre. Let me explain.
"How Do You Know," starring Resse Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, Owen Wilson, and Jack Nicholson and written and directed by James L. Brooks, is a romantic comedy that forgot to bring both the romance and the comedy. Resse Witheespoon plays, Lisa, a baseball player who for most of the years of her life has focused on nothing but baseball. She has dated only jocks, and is pretty hard. She is at a time in her life when she is just past her prime and has found out that she has been cut from her team. She starts dating the ever egotistical Owen Wilson, another baseball player, who isn't so much about quality but rather quantity when it comes to relationships. And because things aren't serious with him she agrees to a blind date with Paul Rudd. Paul Rudd is a man who works in his father's company and who is currently being investigted by the government for...something. I couldn't really tell what was happening there. Anyway they have a great first date, according to George (Paul Rudd), and this is the first good thing to happen to him in awhile. He thinks that this might just lead to something great. She on the other hand pretty much forgets about him and moves in with Owen Wilson, who happens to live in the same building as George's father, played by Jack Nicholson. One day George goes to visit his dad and runs into Lisa. Lisa invites George into her new home and introduces him to her boyfriend Matty (Owen Wilson). Matty gets upset that she invited someone into HIS place, this statement makes Lisa angry and so she gathers her stuff and moves out. George invites her to his place for a drink. They have another great night together. After a few hours Matty calls and Lisa goes back to him.
That is pretty much the movie. There is no real surprise at all, and the comedy is so subtle that it's barely there. Paul Rudd has a few funny moments, he is usually the one to bring the real comedy, but other then that I spent most of the movie bored. Resse Witherspoon's character is supposed to be tough and kind of like a tomboy but she's really just annoying. And as for the romance part of this romantic comedy it was really all one sided until the big end. I found "How Do You Know" to be boring and pretty lame. Sorry to all those out there with high hopes for a Resse Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, James L. Brooks romantic comedy but this is definetly not.
On to "The Tourist." Starring two of the most beautiful and well loved actors in Hollywood Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp and written by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, Christopher McQuarrie, and Julian Fellows and directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, this movie was simply okay. I had heard that the critcs weren't in favor of the film, they found that Jolie and Depp had no chemistry and that the whole film was a little awkward. However I also heard from the people that it was a good action/suspense movie. That everyone did a grand old job. And I was personally excited to see it because I have been hoping the two of them would make a movie together for a long time. It turns out that, that should have stayed a dream. The film is about Frank, a math teacher from Wisconsin, and Elise, a mysterious woman being followed by the police. They meet on a train on their way to Italy. Elise invites Frank to spend the evening with her and sleep in her hotel suite. What ensues then is case after case of mistaken identity. Frank is mistaken for a big time theif by Interpol and the gangster this theif stole from. And so begin the chase scenes and shoot outs.
It sounds exciting right? But it was really kind of boring. I disagree with the critics about Depp's and Jolie's on-screen chemistry. I felt that they had some. I don't know if there were sparks between them nor did I believe they made the most interesting couple but there was good acting going on. The chase scenes were typical action scenes, the bad guys easy to spot the good guys in the right. Yes there were a few twists that were supposed to shock but I kind of figured things out before they were revealed. It made for a rather boring film. I know that plenty of people are going to see the film due to it's star cast but I am stating here that I found it lacking.
There you go. On both films I would have to give them a low rating. "How Do You Know" gets a 3 out of 10. I was hoping for laughs and found none. "The Tourist" recieves a 5 out of 10 due to the performances of the actors involved. However I can't give it more then that because it really was rather perdictable. The Venice back drop did make for nice visuals but really nothing too exciting. A shame that this weekend yielded such poor movie results but I guess that happens.
"How Do You Know," starring Resse Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, Owen Wilson, and Jack Nicholson and written and directed by James L. Brooks, is a romantic comedy that forgot to bring both the romance and the comedy. Resse Witheespoon plays, Lisa, a baseball player who for most of the years of her life has focused on nothing but baseball. She has dated only jocks, and is pretty hard. She is at a time in her life when she is just past her prime and has found out that she has been cut from her team. She starts dating the ever egotistical Owen Wilson, another baseball player, who isn't so much about quality but rather quantity when it comes to relationships. And because things aren't serious with him she agrees to a blind date with Paul Rudd. Paul Rudd is a man who works in his father's company and who is currently being investigted by the government for...something. I couldn't really tell what was happening there. Anyway they have a great first date, according to George (Paul Rudd), and this is the first good thing to happen to him in awhile. He thinks that this might just lead to something great. She on the other hand pretty much forgets about him and moves in with Owen Wilson, who happens to live in the same building as George's father, played by Jack Nicholson. One day George goes to visit his dad and runs into Lisa. Lisa invites George into her new home and introduces him to her boyfriend Matty (Owen Wilson). Matty gets upset that she invited someone into HIS place, this statement makes Lisa angry and so she gathers her stuff and moves out. George invites her to his place for a drink. They have another great night together. After a few hours Matty calls and Lisa goes back to him.
That is pretty much the movie. There is no real surprise at all, and the comedy is so subtle that it's barely there. Paul Rudd has a few funny moments, he is usually the one to bring the real comedy, but other then that I spent most of the movie bored. Resse Witherspoon's character is supposed to be tough and kind of like a tomboy but she's really just annoying. And as for the romance part of this romantic comedy it was really all one sided until the big end. I found "How Do You Know" to be boring and pretty lame. Sorry to all those out there with high hopes for a Resse Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, James L. Brooks romantic comedy but this is definetly not.
On to "The Tourist." Starring two of the most beautiful and well loved actors in Hollywood Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp and written by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, Christopher McQuarrie, and Julian Fellows and directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, this movie was simply okay. I had heard that the critcs weren't in favor of the film, they found that Jolie and Depp had no chemistry and that the whole film was a little awkward. However I also heard from the people that it was a good action/suspense movie. That everyone did a grand old job. And I was personally excited to see it because I have been hoping the two of them would make a movie together for a long time. It turns out that, that should have stayed a dream. The film is about Frank, a math teacher from Wisconsin, and Elise, a mysterious woman being followed by the police. They meet on a train on their way to Italy. Elise invites Frank to spend the evening with her and sleep in her hotel suite. What ensues then is case after case of mistaken identity. Frank is mistaken for a big time theif by Interpol and the gangster this theif stole from. And so begin the chase scenes and shoot outs.
It sounds exciting right? But it was really kind of boring. I disagree with the critics about Depp's and Jolie's on-screen chemistry. I felt that they had some. I don't know if there were sparks between them nor did I believe they made the most interesting couple but there was good acting going on. The chase scenes were typical action scenes, the bad guys easy to spot the good guys in the right. Yes there were a few twists that were supposed to shock but I kind of figured things out before they were revealed. It made for a rather boring film. I know that plenty of people are going to see the film due to it's star cast but I am stating here that I found it lacking.
There you go. On both films I would have to give them a low rating. "How Do You Know" gets a 3 out of 10. I was hoping for laughs and found none. "The Tourist" recieves a 5 out of 10 due to the performances of the actors involved. However I can't give it more then that because it really was rather perdictable. The Venice back drop did make for nice visuals but really nothing too exciting. A shame that this weekend yielded such poor movie results but I guess that happens.
"Every Life Has A Soundtrack, All You Have To Do Is Listen."
I finished the latest Jodi Picoult quite a few days ago but I didn't have internet for unknown reasons and so I am just now posting my review. Right now I will post this book review and then later there will be a movie review about upcoming movies. On to the book review part of the review now.
As I said in my previous post I love almost all of Jodi Picoult's novels. A couple have fallen a little short for me but this one intrigued me from the start. It is titled "Sing You Home," all about Zoe, a music therapist married to Max, a recovering alcholic landscaper, and their wish to have a child. It has been difficult for them due to both of their infertilities. The story begins when Zoe is twenty-eight weeks into an IVF pregnancy. Far enough along that she is actually hopeful that this will end in a baby and not a miscarriage like her first two. She is huge and healthy and happy. Her mom has a baby shower all planned out, gifts and games, and cake is waiting. Half way through the shower Zoe begins to hemorrhage and is rushed to the hospital. Where she delivers a stillborn son.
While at the hospital she discovers that she has a severe blood clotting disorder that could cause serious and permanent damage if she were to get pregnant again. Which is something she is determined to do. However after she gets out of the hospital and Max and her spread the ashes of the son they never knew Max tells her he can no longer go through the uncertainty of trying to have a baby. The pain and the money that goes into it. And so he asks for a divorce. After this Max falls off the wagon big time and almost dies in a car crash. It is this that points Max in the direction of his brother's church and pastor. The Eternal Glory Church with Pastor Clive Lincoln. An extremist church that claims to follow the Bible to it's fullest meaning. Especially the passages that condem homosexuality.
Around this time Zoe runs into Vanessa Shaw. A counselor at the local high school with whom she has worked in her musical therapist capacity. They begin spending time together. Working through Zoe's depression over her dead baby, and her clotting condition, and most recently the knowledge that she has cancer, and has to have a hysterectomy. They do little things together, going shopping, running errands and going to the movies. On one of their movie trips they run into Max and his new church buddies protesting a movie entitled "Juliet & Juliet." This is Zoe's first glimpse at Max's new life. Knowing that Vanessa is gay Zoe gets them out of the situation before it can escalte into anything.
Eventaully after spending all their time together Vanessa and Zoe find themselves in love. A situation that both surprises and delights Zoe. In short order they move in together and get married. Eventually they decide that they want a baby. Now that Zoe no longer has a uterus, Vanessa decides to carry one of Zoe's embryos so that it is a part of both of them. Zoe and Max have three more embryos frozen at the fertility clinic from their last round of IVF. Zoe goes to Max asking for permission to use them. However with Max's new beliefs and the new crowd he runs in, he denys her the use of them and instead wishes to take them so that he can give them to his brother and sister-in-law. And so begins the court case.
It is a battle of church and state. Questions such as "who will provide the best home life for the child?" "Is this a matter of the law being carried out or simply the church trying to push it's own agenda?" Each side believes they know what is best for the "pre-born children" as they are reffered to. Each side tries to trap the other into tripping up. Making a big enough mistake that the judge will rule for their side. It is a tough read at times.
The book was really well written and very well researched. Jodi Picoult nevers leaves a fact unreasearched, which should show just how dedicated she is to getting things right. And the poetry of her writing is absolutely beautiful. Because this story had so much to do with music and it's healing properties Jodi Picoult and her friend Ellen Wilber put together a companion soundtrack. Jodi wrote the lyrics and Ellen wrote the music and sang the songs. I think that it was a nice idea to have. The lyrics and music were beautiful although didn't really seem to go along with the chapters each track was selected for, but they should have hired a professional singer. Ellen just didn't have the range needed in order to make these songs beautiful. I was a little disappointed in that. I love to read and listen to music. And a lot of times I enjoy trying to find music to go along with the mood of the book and so I was excited that this book came with music already picked out. But I was disappointed in the outcome. I ended up using my own mix to go with it, using a lot of the artists that are mentioned in the book.
Despite the poor quality of the CD the book is a great read. It is a tough story to read, especially if you are thinking about having a baby or know what it's like to go through having a baby, but for me this makes it even better. The rawness, and the pain that come through make the story darkly beautiful in the way only Jodi can do. The story is told through the eyes of Zoe, Max and Vanessa. And so we get different perspectives on each person's life and how they see what is going on around them. We feel the power of music every time Zoe brings it up, and we feel the pain of everything she goes through. We understand Max's inability to cope and his need to keep drinking after every promise not to, and we feel his heart being torn in two during the trial. We watch Vanessa fall head over heels in love with Zoe and promise hersef that she will make sure that Zoe is always happy. It's a great way to storytell. I love it.
If you are at all a fan of Jodi's go out and get "Sing You Home." It's worth the money. And if you are looking to dive into a new author this may very well be a good first for Jodi Picoult. I recommend this novel highly and I can't wait to see what else Jodi has in store.
As I said in my previous post I love almost all of Jodi Picoult's novels. A couple have fallen a little short for me but this one intrigued me from the start. It is titled "Sing You Home," all about Zoe, a music therapist married to Max, a recovering alcholic landscaper, and their wish to have a child. It has been difficult for them due to both of their infertilities. The story begins when Zoe is twenty-eight weeks into an IVF pregnancy. Far enough along that she is actually hopeful that this will end in a baby and not a miscarriage like her first two. She is huge and healthy and happy. Her mom has a baby shower all planned out, gifts and games, and cake is waiting. Half way through the shower Zoe begins to hemorrhage and is rushed to the hospital. Where she delivers a stillborn son.
While at the hospital she discovers that she has a severe blood clotting disorder that could cause serious and permanent damage if she were to get pregnant again. Which is something she is determined to do. However after she gets out of the hospital and Max and her spread the ashes of the son they never knew Max tells her he can no longer go through the uncertainty of trying to have a baby. The pain and the money that goes into it. And so he asks for a divorce. After this Max falls off the wagon big time and almost dies in a car crash. It is this that points Max in the direction of his brother's church and pastor. The Eternal Glory Church with Pastor Clive Lincoln. An extremist church that claims to follow the Bible to it's fullest meaning. Especially the passages that condem homosexuality.
Around this time Zoe runs into Vanessa Shaw. A counselor at the local high school with whom she has worked in her musical therapist capacity. They begin spending time together. Working through Zoe's depression over her dead baby, and her clotting condition, and most recently the knowledge that she has cancer, and has to have a hysterectomy. They do little things together, going shopping, running errands and going to the movies. On one of their movie trips they run into Max and his new church buddies protesting a movie entitled "Juliet & Juliet." This is Zoe's first glimpse at Max's new life. Knowing that Vanessa is gay Zoe gets them out of the situation before it can escalte into anything.
Eventaully after spending all their time together Vanessa and Zoe find themselves in love. A situation that both surprises and delights Zoe. In short order they move in together and get married. Eventually they decide that they want a baby. Now that Zoe no longer has a uterus, Vanessa decides to carry one of Zoe's embryos so that it is a part of both of them. Zoe and Max have three more embryos frozen at the fertility clinic from their last round of IVF. Zoe goes to Max asking for permission to use them. However with Max's new beliefs and the new crowd he runs in, he denys her the use of them and instead wishes to take them so that he can give them to his brother and sister-in-law. And so begins the court case.
It is a battle of church and state. Questions such as "who will provide the best home life for the child?" "Is this a matter of the law being carried out or simply the church trying to push it's own agenda?" Each side believes they know what is best for the "pre-born children" as they are reffered to. Each side tries to trap the other into tripping up. Making a big enough mistake that the judge will rule for their side. It is a tough read at times.
The book was really well written and very well researched. Jodi Picoult nevers leaves a fact unreasearched, which should show just how dedicated she is to getting things right. And the poetry of her writing is absolutely beautiful. Because this story had so much to do with music and it's healing properties Jodi Picoult and her friend Ellen Wilber put together a companion soundtrack. Jodi wrote the lyrics and Ellen wrote the music and sang the songs. I think that it was a nice idea to have. The lyrics and music were beautiful although didn't really seem to go along with the chapters each track was selected for, but they should have hired a professional singer. Ellen just didn't have the range needed in order to make these songs beautiful. I was a little disappointed in that. I love to read and listen to music. And a lot of times I enjoy trying to find music to go along with the mood of the book and so I was excited that this book came with music already picked out. But I was disappointed in the outcome. I ended up using my own mix to go with it, using a lot of the artists that are mentioned in the book.
Despite the poor quality of the CD the book is a great read. It is a tough story to read, especially if you are thinking about having a baby or know what it's like to go through having a baby, but for me this makes it even better. The rawness, and the pain that come through make the story darkly beautiful in the way only Jodi can do. The story is told through the eyes of Zoe, Max and Vanessa. And so we get different perspectives on each person's life and how they see what is going on around them. We feel the power of music every time Zoe brings it up, and we feel the pain of everything she goes through. We understand Max's inability to cope and his need to keep drinking after every promise not to, and we feel his heart being torn in two during the trial. We watch Vanessa fall head over heels in love with Zoe and promise hersef that she will make sure that Zoe is always happy. It's a great way to storytell. I love it.
If you are at all a fan of Jodi's go out and get "Sing You Home." It's worth the money. And if you are looking to dive into a new author this may very well be a good first for Jodi Picoult. I recommend this novel highly and I can't wait to see what else Jodi has in store.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Books Once More
Well I know that it has been a long time since there was a book post but there was the Academy Award project to complete so I guess I kind of have a small amount of an excuse. But it is here, the time to put up a post about the books. I have been deabating for quite some time about exactly what books to talk about. I could talk about Jane Austen, I love her and I just finished re-reading "Sense & Sensibility" but I think that I want to read more of her before putting up a "how cool is Jane Austen" post. Then I was thinking that since I recently just read the first three of the MaryJanice Davidson "Undead" series for the second time, maybe I would talk about that. But that is something that I would like to write about as a whole. I could write about one of the books I am currently in the middle of but I would feel like that is a half hearted post. So what to write about? Obviously it has to be something that I really love. Something that will be worth the wait. And then I got to thinking about one of my favorite authors, Jodi Picoult. With that thought in my mind, I have decided to write about her.
She now has 18 novels out. I own 17 of them, the newest just came out a few days ago. I can't wait to go get it! I didn't think that it was coming out until May otherwise I would have gotten it right away. Anyway minus her first couple of novels, which I still own, all of her work is pretty amazing. Granted I haven't read the Wonder Woman comics that she wrote or the play she wrote with her son but other then that I think I have read all of her fiction. I love it. Her style of fiction is really something that I enjoy reading. Hence the owning of all her fiction novels and the springing for the hardbacks of her newest novels. I bought two of the Sookie Stackhouse novels in hardback, and I don't think that I will be doing that again seeing as the series is declining, other then that I rarely buy an author's latest novel as a hardback. I'm rambling a tiny bit. I'm a tad distracted. Anyway when it comes to Jodi Picoult I don't mind spending the extra dough.
Her novels usually end up as a courtroom mystery. I think that the most recognized name is going to be "My Sister's Keeper." It has been turned into a movie starring Cameron Diaz and so it has become a pretty recognizable title. The novel is about a family who has a daughter named Kate who has leukemia. Because her life was going to be filled with waiting for donors and surgeries the family decides to genetically engineer another daughter they name Anna. She was born so that Kate will always have someone around who is a perfect match for bone marrow donation, blood transfusions, and any other surgery that may be needed. This is how life goes on for quite a few years. It goes on until Anna hires a lawyer and sues her family for the rights to her body. This is where it turns to the courtroom. The novel is told through the eyes of Anna, Campbell (her lawyer), Sara (the mom), Brian (the dad), Jesse (the brother), and Julia (Anna's guardian ad litam). The novel is told from all these points of view, each chapter a different person, a different font. It makes it iteresting. The reader gets to experience what almost everyone is thinking. Anyway I enjoy it. The writing is beautiful, the story heartfelt and real. It's a great place to start if you are just beginning to find your way through Jodi's work.
Her writing, even in the few that I didn't enjoy as much, is always thought out. Each sentence, each phrase is put together with care and finesse. She's a master at taking dark subjects, "designer babies", rape, autism,school shootings, abusive realationships, and putting them in words that make the reader WANT to read about it, WANT to look at it, face it head on. It's a brilliant ability. I just love her work, her poetry, her talent. I highly reccomend her novels. Maybe skip ahead to her third novel "Picture Perfect" and go from there. Her first two are really not as great. They are her still trying to find her style. They are only something that a real fan of hers will want to read. But I say give a lot of the others a chance. They are worth the time. I know that I can't wait until I can get to a bookstore and buy her latest novel "Sing You Home."
Jodi Picoult is an author that rarely disappoints, rarely lets me down. An author that I can see myself reading as long as she is writing. So go out, give her a try, see if maybe you become devoted to her as I am!
She now has 18 novels out. I own 17 of them, the newest just came out a few days ago. I can't wait to go get it! I didn't think that it was coming out until May otherwise I would have gotten it right away. Anyway minus her first couple of novels, which I still own, all of her work is pretty amazing. Granted I haven't read the Wonder Woman comics that she wrote or the play she wrote with her son but other then that I think I have read all of her fiction. I love it. Her style of fiction is really something that I enjoy reading. Hence the owning of all her fiction novels and the springing for the hardbacks of her newest novels. I bought two of the Sookie Stackhouse novels in hardback, and I don't think that I will be doing that again seeing as the series is declining, other then that I rarely buy an author's latest novel as a hardback. I'm rambling a tiny bit. I'm a tad distracted. Anyway when it comes to Jodi Picoult I don't mind spending the extra dough.
Her novels usually end up as a courtroom mystery. I think that the most recognized name is going to be "My Sister's Keeper." It has been turned into a movie starring Cameron Diaz and so it has become a pretty recognizable title. The novel is about a family who has a daughter named Kate who has leukemia. Because her life was going to be filled with waiting for donors and surgeries the family decides to genetically engineer another daughter they name Anna. She was born so that Kate will always have someone around who is a perfect match for bone marrow donation, blood transfusions, and any other surgery that may be needed. This is how life goes on for quite a few years. It goes on until Anna hires a lawyer and sues her family for the rights to her body. This is where it turns to the courtroom. The novel is told through the eyes of Anna, Campbell (her lawyer), Sara (the mom), Brian (the dad), Jesse (the brother), and Julia (Anna's guardian ad litam). The novel is told from all these points of view, each chapter a different person, a different font. It makes it iteresting. The reader gets to experience what almost everyone is thinking. Anyway I enjoy it. The writing is beautiful, the story heartfelt and real. It's a great place to start if you are just beginning to find your way through Jodi's work.
Her writing, even in the few that I didn't enjoy as much, is always thought out. Each sentence, each phrase is put together with care and finesse. She's a master at taking dark subjects, "designer babies", rape, autism,school shootings, abusive realationships, and putting them in words that make the reader WANT to read about it, WANT to look at it, face it head on. It's a brilliant ability. I just love her work, her poetry, her talent. I highly reccomend her novels. Maybe skip ahead to her third novel "Picture Perfect" and go from there. Her first two are really not as great. They are her still trying to find her style. They are only something that a real fan of hers will want to read. But I say give a lot of the others a chance. They are worth the time. I know that I can't wait until I can get to a bookstore and buy her latest novel "Sing You Home."
Jodi Picoult is an author that rarely disappoints, rarely lets me down. An author that I can see myself reading as long as she is writing. So go out, give her a try, see if maybe you become devoted to her as I am!
Monday, February 28, 2011
That's Entertainment?
I know that I said the last post was my final Academy Award post. And I had every intention of sticking to that. However today I was with my mom and we were getting our hair done at a friend's salon and naturally we started talking about the show last night. I was telling my mom about it, specifically about some of the more boring aspects. Doing a few impressions of a couple of the most boring speeches. My mom made the point that not all of them, them being the winners, would have good public speaking abilities. I know that not all actors will be naturally good public speakers and many of the winners were of course people behind the scenes. But I made the point that if you know you aren't a good public speaker, make the speech short and sweet. My mom then jokingly said that I should be the director of the Academy Awards. Realizing that this may be a tad silly she then made a more reasonable suggestion of writing a blog about my impressions of the entertainment of the night. And so here we are.
When they first annouced that Anne Hathaway and James Franco were going to be hosting I was equal parts annoyed and confused. A weird pairing to be sure, I found it strange that a nominee for best actor was going to be hosting and I really don't like Anne Hathaway, equal parts confused and annoyed. I figured sitting through three hours of Anne Hathaway's annoying fake perkiness would make the night a tough one for me. But I figured that as strange as it was that James Franco was a host he would make the night full of fun and be nice eye candy. Wow I don't know if I could have been more wrong. Anne Hathaway made the evening fun and interesting. It turns out that her fake perkiness and annoying simpering self make the perfect combination for hosting the Academy Awards. And whether it was due to nerves or just that he isn't very exciting live James Franco bored me almost to tears. The one highlight of his night was when he came out wearing the Marilyn Monroe get-up from her "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" number from the movie "Gentlemen Perfer Blondes." It was amusing. However other then that he was droll, stiff, and didn't seem to be paying attention to what was going on around him. It made Anne Hathaway work twice as hard to keep the energy up.
If that was the only boring part of the evening it might have been excusable. This was unfortuantely not the case. The show itself was almost a dud. Sure it was full of glamour and glitz. And the stage they had for the night was pretty spectacular. It was like one big screen, with layers. Other then that the whole night was missing something. I don't know if the Academy had to put a cap on how much humor they were allowed to use or what but the funny was definetely not present. The funniest speech was from Hollywood legend Kirk Douglas, who presented the award for best supporting actress, and you could only understand every third word or so. Even Randy Newman brought the funny. Excepting a few other moments of humor, including a moment between Jude Law and Robert Downey Jr. that made fun of Downey Jr.'s sordid past and a great Bob Hope story by Billy Crystal, that was about it.
Acceptance speeches should be something that you want to listen to. Or at the very least things that you don't mind listening to. Most of them turn into this "I want to thank my manager of 5 years and my cast and crew, my mom and of course my beautiful wife/husband. Also this person, and this person and this person and this person..." until the music starts playing and they are escorted off. It's like a bedtime story. Only not interesting in the least. There have been a handful of truly amazing acceptance speeches in the history of the Academy Awards. Including Sally Field's exremely long speech which actually was the speech that made the Academy put the cap on speech length. Nice work Sally.
Since then winners have been trying to cram quite a lot into a small amount of time. However even with the cap there have been some great speeches. Halle Berry when she won best actress, Tom Hanks when he won for "Philadelphia," and Forrest Whitaker's speech when he won for "The Last King of Scotland." This year there was really nothing noteworthy. Except of course for being noteworthy in boringville. Colleen Atwood, won best costume design for "Alice In Wonderland," gave a speech that was something that would have been edited out if the show had been something other than live. Yes I know that she is not a performer or a public speaker but her speech was awful even for someone who was nervous. She took a long list out of her bra or wherever she stored it and read the whole thing. Without glancing up even once. Not only did she read from a list but she went over the time limit. It was disaster city!
There were a few funny moments. A few times that made me remember what it used to be like to watch the show. Especially the moment that made the night full of drama, when the camera went to Annette Benning's face when Natalie Portman won. That is one pissed off actress. Again I want to say that I understand that not every good actor can speak publicly and of course those that are behind the scenes, costume desginers, writers, directors, that aren't used to performing at all. I accept that there is that nervousness to deal with, the animosity of those around that didn't win. But those who do win can do a couple of things to make the night a little more with the pep and less with the tired. A: if you know you are too nervous to stand up there for any length of time make the speech short and sweet. B: if you are an actor and aren't good with the public speaking AND haven't been practicing your acceptance speech since day one of your first day of work on your first movie, or even before, use a little of your craft. Act your way through it. Find a way to act yourself. Or at least a way to act the part of a person who can be interesting for at least a minute. C: if none of the above works fake crying, say a quick thank you to the Academy and your family and book it off the stage.
Whether it's nerves or pure boringness baked in the entertainment event of the year needs to find a way to keep people entertained. People tune in to watch the Academy Awards in the millions,this year I believe they said that a billion people were watching. However that number is going to dwindle if the show starts becoming less of a show and more of a "here's an award for you...next." I love the Academy Awards. I always have and I always will. I may not get a 100% of winner perdictions right but I seem to navigate it alright and it will always, always be my favorite time of year. But they need to go back to when it was a night full of amazing things and a true joy to watch.
I mean it is the entertainment industry right? And the event is an entertainment event. So why not bring the entertainment? After all, no matter what, the show must go on.
When they first annouced that Anne Hathaway and James Franco were going to be hosting I was equal parts annoyed and confused. A weird pairing to be sure, I found it strange that a nominee for best actor was going to be hosting and I really don't like Anne Hathaway, equal parts confused and annoyed. I figured sitting through three hours of Anne Hathaway's annoying fake perkiness would make the night a tough one for me. But I figured that as strange as it was that James Franco was a host he would make the night full of fun and be nice eye candy. Wow I don't know if I could have been more wrong. Anne Hathaway made the evening fun and interesting. It turns out that her fake perkiness and annoying simpering self make the perfect combination for hosting the Academy Awards. And whether it was due to nerves or just that he isn't very exciting live James Franco bored me almost to tears. The one highlight of his night was when he came out wearing the Marilyn Monroe get-up from her "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" number from the movie "Gentlemen Perfer Blondes." It was amusing. However other then that he was droll, stiff, and didn't seem to be paying attention to what was going on around him. It made Anne Hathaway work twice as hard to keep the energy up.
If that was the only boring part of the evening it might have been excusable. This was unfortuantely not the case. The show itself was almost a dud. Sure it was full of glamour and glitz. And the stage they had for the night was pretty spectacular. It was like one big screen, with layers. Other then that the whole night was missing something. I don't know if the Academy had to put a cap on how much humor they were allowed to use or what but the funny was definetely not present. The funniest speech was from Hollywood legend Kirk Douglas, who presented the award for best supporting actress, and you could only understand every third word or so. Even Randy Newman brought the funny. Excepting a few other moments of humor, including a moment between Jude Law and Robert Downey Jr. that made fun of Downey Jr.'s sordid past and a great Bob Hope story by Billy Crystal, that was about it.
Acceptance speeches should be something that you want to listen to. Or at the very least things that you don't mind listening to. Most of them turn into this "I want to thank my manager of 5 years and my cast and crew, my mom and of course my beautiful wife/husband. Also this person, and this person and this person and this person..." until the music starts playing and they are escorted off. It's like a bedtime story. Only not interesting in the least. There have been a handful of truly amazing acceptance speeches in the history of the Academy Awards. Including Sally Field's exremely long speech which actually was the speech that made the Academy put the cap on speech length. Nice work Sally.
Since then winners have been trying to cram quite a lot into a small amount of time. However even with the cap there have been some great speeches. Halle Berry when she won best actress, Tom Hanks when he won for "Philadelphia," and Forrest Whitaker's speech when he won for "The Last King of Scotland." This year there was really nothing noteworthy. Except of course for being noteworthy in boringville. Colleen Atwood, won best costume design for "Alice In Wonderland," gave a speech that was something that would have been edited out if the show had been something other than live. Yes I know that she is not a performer or a public speaker but her speech was awful even for someone who was nervous. She took a long list out of her bra or wherever she stored it and read the whole thing. Without glancing up even once. Not only did she read from a list but she went over the time limit. It was disaster city!
There were a few funny moments. A few times that made me remember what it used to be like to watch the show. Especially the moment that made the night full of drama, when the camera went to Annette Benning's face when Natalie Portman won. That is one pissed off actress. Again I want to say that I understand that not every good actor can speak publicly and of course those that are behind the scenes, costume desginers, writers, directors, that aren't used to performing at all. I accept that there is that nervousness to deal with, the animosity of those around that didn't win. But those who do win can do a couple of things to make the night a little more with the pep and less with the tired. A: if you know you are too nervous to stand up there for any length of time make the speech short and sweet. B: if you are an actor and aren't good with the public speaking AND haven't been practicing your acceptance speech since day one of your first day of work on your first movie, or even before, use a little of your craft. Act your way through it. Find a way to act yourself. Or at least a way to act the part of a person who can be interesting for at least a minute. C: if none of the above works fake crying, say a quick thank you to the Academy and your family and book it off the stage.
Whether it's nerves or pure boringness baked in the entertainment event of the year needs to find a way to keep people entertained. People tune in to watch the Academy Awards in the millions,this year I believe they said that a billion people were watching. However that number is going to dwindle if the show starts becoming less of a show and more of a "here's an award for you...next." I love the Academy Awards. I always have and I always will. I may not get a 100% of winner perdictions right but I seem to navigate it alright and it will always, always be my favorite time of year. But they need to go back to when it was a night full of amazing things and a true joy to watch.
I mean it is the entertainment industry right? And the event is an entertainment event. So why not bring the entertainment? After all, no matter what, the show must go on.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
And the Winners Are...
The Awards finished around 8:30pm. And it was an interesting night. Hosted by Anne Hathaway and James Franco the night was full of fun and glamour. Most of the winners were what I expected and hoped for. I wanted to take a moment to list the winners for the top 6 categories. Best supporting actor, best supporting actress, best actor and actress, best director and best picture.
Best supporting actress went to Melissa Leo for her wonderful performance in "The Fighter," a well deserved win but with a four letter slip up and one too many "whoo-hoos" a poor thank you speech. Best supporting actor went to Christian Bale, which means that I missed one, for his truly incredible performance in "The Fighter." I believe that Christian Bale was amazing. Truly so. And I am glad that he won because he really did soar in that role. His speech and his look left a lot to be desired about him in person but he did seem truly grateful for the win. I still think that Geoffrey Rush should have won. It is hard to describe how fantastic he was if you have not seen the movie but it was more of a subtle performance then Christian Bale's. However congratulations to Christian Bale!
Best actress went to the pregnant, beautiful and much deserving Natalie Portman for her unbelieveable performance in "Black Swan." A teary and grateful acceptance speech, with an incredible memory for many names, made the win sweet and really well deserved. Best actor was taken by Colin Firth. As it should have been. His speech was simple and heartfelt and beautiful. He seemed to be really and truly grateful which made it a wonderful win. Best director went to Tom Hooper for "The King's Speech." A well deserved win, the movie was beautifully and richly directed. Tom Hooper had wit and humor in his speech and was grateful to his mother. For a very special reason. His mother is Australian and was invited by some Australian friends of hers to a table read of an unproduced script a few years ago. She almost declined the offer but went despite her reluctance. It turned out to be a fateful trip because the script was "The King's Speech." After she went to the read she went home and called her son and said "I think I have found your next film." It was a match made in film heaven.
Best picture went to "The King's Speech." I truly believe that this was the right move on the Academy's part. The movie is incredible. And I am so happy that it got the recognition that it deserves. I hope that this will inspire people to go see the movie and see what all the fuss is about. I know that it has been wildly popular with audiences already and I hope that this gives it yet another push towards becoming a classic great.
Congratulations to all the winners in all the categories! Tonight was a beautiful night with many moments of fun, beauty, wit, and some wonderful nods to past winners and award shows. It was a truly glamourous night.
Best supporting actress went to Melissa Leo for her wonderful performance in "The Fighter," a well deserved win but with a four letter slip up and one too many "whoo-hoos" a poor thank you speech. Best supporting actor went to Christian Bale, which means that I missed one, for his truly incredible performance in "The Fighter." I believe that Christian Bale was amazing. Truly so. And I am glad that he won because he really did soar in that role. His speech and his look left a lot to be desired about him in person but he did seem truly grateful for the win. I still think that Geoffrey Rush should have won. It is hard to describe how fantastic he was if you have not seen the movie but it was more of a subtle performance then Christian Bale's. However congratulations to Christian Bale!
Best actress went to the pregnant, beautiful and much deserving Natalie Portman for her unbelieveable performance in "Black Swan." A teary and grateful acceptance speech, with an incredible memory for many names, made the win sweet and really well deserved. Best actor was taken by Colin Firth. As it should have been. His speech was simple and heartfelt and beautiful. He seemed to be really and truly grateful which made it a wonderful win. Best director went to Tom Hooper for "The King's Speech." A well deserved win, the movie was beautifully and richly directed. Tom Hooper had wit and humor in his speech and was grateful to his mother. For a very special reason. His mother is Australian and was invited by some Australian friends of hers to a table read of an unproduced script a few years ago. She almost declined the offer but went despite her reluctance. It turned out to be a fateful trip because the script was "The King's Speech." After she went to the read she went home and called her son and said "I think I have found your next film." It was a match made in film heaven.
Best picture went to "The King's Speech." I truly believe that this was the right move on the Academy's part. The movie is incredible. And I am so happy that it got the recognition that it deserves. I hope that this will inspire people to go see the movie and see what all the fuss is about. I know that it has been wildly popular with audiences already and I hope that this gives it yet another push towards becoming a classic great.
Congratulations to all the winners in all the categories! Tonight was a beautiful night with many moments of fun, beauty, wit, and some wonderful nods to past winners and award shows. It was a truly glamourous night.
Today's the Day and I Did It!
And so the day of the Academy Awards has arrived. In about four hours they are going to start showing before the show specials, including the very famous red carpet coverage. It's a very nice day! I am looking forward to it! And at 5pm the show starts. It will be a glorious evening that I am really looking forward to celebrating.
The big thing is that I actually watched all ten best picture nominees! I did it. I saw "True Grit" on Friday. After watching it I felt such a sense of accomplishment. It was a cool feeling! I have completed one of my projects and boy do I feel happy about it!
Now to the review. "True Grit" was good. It was adapted and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. Starring Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, and (I don't care if they call her 'supporting' she's a star) Hailee Steinfeld. It is a remake of the old John Wayne classic. Hailee Steinfeld plays Mattie Ross a 14-year-old girl who's father was shot by a man named Tom Chaney, played by Josh Brolin. She decides that she is going to do whatever it takes to avenge her father's death and bring his killer to justice. This leads her to Rooster Cogburn, played by the nominated Jeff Bridges, a one eyed, tough talking, quick to shoot U.S. Marshall. She hires him to find Chaney who has crossed the river into Indian territory. Reluctantly he agrees. Part of their agreement is that she will get to go with him to get Chaney. But thinking she is a tad too young to go hunting fugitives he ditches her, for lack of a better word, and teams up with a Texas ranger named LaBoeuf, played by Matt Damon. Not to be thwarted Mattie runs after them.
What then occurs is really just an old fashioned western. There are shoot outs, threats, snakes, horses. There wasn't a whole lot to it. Other then the acting. Hailee Steinfeld was a real splash! She blew me away. I truly believe that she stole the show. Even from Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon, both very good vetren actors. And this is her first movie! I was shocked. Honestly and pleasantly surprised. That doesn't happen that often when it comes to new actors. I am glad that she got the oscar nod. I think she deserves the nod. I think that she should have been considered as a lead actress seeing as it is her story and her purpose that makes the movie.
I thought that Jeff Bridges did a good job, Matt Damon was good as well. Neither of them blew me away, neither of them did anything that was spectacular. And there were times when I couldn't even understand what Jeff Bridges was saying. His accent was so thick and then he was also a drunk so he had the slurry thing going on as well. Now I will admit that I haven't sat down to watch the original "True Grit" so I can't compare it. But when I heard about this film and heard that the Coen brothers were taking it under their wing I was excited. I figured that it was going to be as good as other Coen brother movies, not that I have seen all that many of them, but they do have a reputation. One that I have heard about over and over again, one that I have come to trust. I also heard how good this movie was going to be. I just didn't find it all that impressive. I don't really know why. Maybe I missed something but it wasn't best picture material. I seem to be the only one saying that though. I've heard people say that they think if it wasn't for "The King's Speech" "True Grit" would win. It was a good western. But nothing that I could see made it any different from any other western.
Well there it is. My final review for the best picture nominee list. I am very excited that I did this project and am looking forward to seeing the awards tonight. I hope that my ballot makes me the $50 I get if I get all five catagories right. But even if I only get some of them right I know that I made informed decisions and the ones that I think really should win. Happy Academy Awards day everyone! Have a great one!
The big thing is that I actually watched all ten best picture nominees! I did it. I saw "True Grit" on Friday. After watching it I felt such a sense of accomplishment. It was a cool feeling! I have completed one of my projects and boy do I feel happy about it!
Now to the review. "True Grit" was good. It was adapted and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. Starring Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, and (I don't care if they call her 'supporting' she's a star) Hailee Steinfeld. It is a remake of the old John Wayne classic. Hailee Steinfeld plays Mattie Ross a 14-year-old girl who's father was shot by a man named Tom Chaney, played by Josh Brolin. She decides that she is going to do whatever it takes to avenge her father's death and bring his killer to justice. This leads her to Rooster Cogburn, played by the nominated Jeff Bridges, a one eyed, tough talking, quick to shoot U.S. Marshall. She hires him to find Chaney who has crossed the river into Indian territory. Reluctantly he agrees. Part of their agreement is that she will get to go with him to get Chaney. But thinking she is a tad too young to go hunting fugitives he ditches her, for lack of a better word, and teams up with a Texas ranger named LaBoeuf, played by Matt Damon. Not to be thwarted Mattie runs after them.
What then occurs is really just an old fashioned western. There are shoot outs, threats, snakes, horses. There wasn't a whole lot to it. Other then the acting. Hailee Steinfeld was a real splash! She blew me away. I truly believe that she stole the show. Even from Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon, both very good vetren actors. And this is her first movie! I was shocked. Honestly and pleasantly surprised. That doesn't happen that often when it comes to new actors. I am glad that she got the oscar nod. I think she deserves the nod. I think that she should have been considered as a lead actress seeing as it is her story and her purpose that makes the movie.
I thought that Jeff Bridges did a good job, Matt Damon was good as well. Neither of them blew me away, neither of them did anything that was spectacular. And there were times when I couldn't even understand what Jeff Bridges was saying. His accent was so thick and then he was also a drunk so he had the slurry thing going on as well. Now I will admit that I haven't sat down to watch the original "True Grit" so I can't compare it. But when I heard about this film and heard that the Coen brothers were taking it under their wing I was excited. I figured that it was going to be as good as other Coen brother movies, not that I have seen all that many of them, but they do have a reputation. One that I have heard about over and over again, one that I have come to trust. I also heard how good this movie was going to be. I just didn't find it all that impressive. I don't really know why. Maybe I missed something but it wasn't best picture material. I seem to be the only one saying that though. I've heard people say that they think if it wasn't for "The King's Speech" "True Grit" would win. It was a good western. But nothing that I could see made it any different from any other western.
Well there it is. My final review for the best picture nominee list. I am very excited that I did this project and am looking forward to seeing the awards tonight. I hope that my ballot makes me the $50 I get if I get all five catagories right. But even if I only get some of them right I know that I made informed decisions and the ones that I think really should win. Happy Academy Awards day everyone! Have a great one!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Finding A Voice
Ok I have to preface this by saying that I am now only one movie away from seeing all ten best picture nominee movies and thus completing my Best Picture nominee list project. =D I don't even know how excited I am. I am actually going to finish something that I start. Yay me!!
I had made tentative plans to go and see "King's Speech" with a couple of different friends. None of them were able to do it and so I decided to go alone. Not a big deal because I have done this before but it would be at night so I was a little nervous. But I went. And not only was I there by myself but I was there alone. The theatre was empty. It was an interesting experience. I think that being in a big movie theatre all alone for a movie buff is like being in a big church all alone for a devout person. It was intense.
On to the movie. Directed by Tom Hooper, written by David Seidler and starring Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter this movie was a surprise. I knew from previews what it was about and I had heard that it was really very good. A fact that I also ascertained from reading that it won tons and tons of awards. But it was still a surprise to see it in it's entirety. It was almost like a two hour long conversation that I was privy to. Colin Firth plays the Duke of York, a public figure that unfortunately has to give quite a few speeches and has a stammer. He sees doctor after doctor, the best speech therapists around but nothing works. And finally he tells his wife, played by Helena Bonham Carter, that he doesn't want anymore doctors. But being a good wife she seeks out one more man, a man who comes highly recommended, played by Geoffrey Rush. The Duchess goes to Lionel Logue hoping for help and what she gets is a miracle.
Between the Duke and Lionel there is at first tension, mistrust, anger on the side of the Duke. But slowly a friendship forms and by the time the Duke's brother abjures the throne and King George the VI is crowned king theirs is a bond that refuses to be broken. Unfortunately King George the VI takes the throne on the eve of World War II but by overcoming his pain and fear he shows a nation the courage to stand against Hitler. He finds his own voice which helps his country find theirs.
What happens between the two men is something that is rare and beautiful. It is the forming of a friendship that is fun to watch. As mentioned before it is like one long conversation. Not a lot happens. But so much is SAID and that is what is important. I loved watching the movie. The cinematography was so well done, some of the shots bordered on art. And the acting was out of this world. Colin Firth was amazing and deserves his oscar nod, if not the oscar itself. Geoffrey Rush was in a whole different plane. I hope that he does win! His character was so simple but it was the simplicity that made this man great! And Helena Bonham Carter was surperb. She didn't have that big of a roll. She was a supporting role for sure but what a job she did! I was blown away by her. All the little things that she did from the way that she moved her hands to the way she would tilt her head spoke royalty. It was brilliant.
This movie was fantastic. I loved it. I reccommend it to everyone! It's a true experience.
I had made tentative plans to go and see "King's Speech" with a couple of different friends. None of them were able to do it and so I decided to go alone. Not a big deal because I have done this before but it would be at night so I was a little nervous. But I went. And not only was I there by myself but I was there alone. The theatre was empty. It was an interesting experience. I think that being in a big movie theatre all alone for a movie buff is like being in a big church all alone for a devout person. It was intense.
On to the movie. Directed by Tom Hooper, written by David Seidler and starring Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter this movie was a surprise. I knew from previews what it was about and I had heard that it was really very good. A fact that I also ascertained from reading that it won tons and tons of awards. But it was still a surprise to see it in it's entirety. It was almost like a two hour long conversation that I was privy to. Colin Firth plays the Duke of York, a public figure that unfortunately has to give quite a few speeches and has a stammer. He sees doctor after doctor, the best speech therapists around but nothing works. And finally he tells his wife, played by Helena Bonham Carter, that he doesn't want anymore doctors. But being a good wife she seeks out one more man, a man who comes highly recommended, played by Geoffrey Rush. The Duchess goes to Lionel Logue hoping for help and what she gets is a miracle.
Between the Duke and Lionel there is at first tension, mistrust, anger on the side of the Duke. But slowly a friendship forms and by the time the Duke's brother abjures the throne and King George the VI is crowned king theirs is a bond that refuses to be broken. Unfortunately King George the VI takes the throne on the eve of World War II but by overcoming his pain and fear he shows a nation the courage to stand against Hitler. He finds his own voice which helps his country find theirs.
What happens between the two men is something that is rare and beautiful. It is the forming of a friendship that is fun to watch. As mentioned before it is like one long conversation. Not a lot happens. But so much is SAID and that is what is important. I loved watching the movie. The cinematography was so well done, some of the shots bordered on art. And the acting was out of this world. Colin Firth was amazing and deserves his oscar nod, if not the oscar itself. Geoffrey Rush was in a whole different plane. I hope that he does win! His character was so simple but it was the simplicity that made this man great! And Helena Bonham Carter was surperb. She didn't have that big of a roll. She was a supporting role for sure but what a job she did! I was blown away by her. All the little things that she did from the way that she moved her hands to the way she would tilt her head spoke royalty. It was brilliant.
This movie was fantastic. I loved it. I reccommend it to everyone! It's a true experience.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Spending Time In the Ring
Well I think that I lied a little bit. I said that I might be doing a book post and I had every intention of doing so until my Best Picture list project got back on track. See I went to go see "The Fighter" today with a friend. And so I believe that I need to talk about that and then tomorrow I am going to see the last two on the list and so the next one will probably be a movie post as well. But the one after that will have something to do with books. I am almost positive.
Moving on. "The Fighter" which is written by Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy, and Eric Johnson and directed by David O. Russell was an interesting film. Starring Christian Bale, Mark Wahlberg, and Amy Adams it is a movie about a fighter trying to figure out how to balance what he wants with what his family wants. Mark Wahlberg plays Micky Ward, a boxer who's crack addicted brother, Dicky Eklund (played by Christian Bale), is his trainer and his mother, Alice (played by Melissa Leo), is his manager. Dicky used to be somewhat of a name in the boxing world due to his knockout of Sugar Ray Leonard.
The whole movie begins with HBO making a documentary about crack addiction and using Dicky as their main subject. While this is happening Dicky is training Micky for a sort of come back fight for Micky. This is supposed to be the big change for Micky. He is going to win the fight, get some good money, some recognition, and be able to buy a bigger apartment so that his daughter can stay with him. It was his big chance. However when he gets to the fight he finds that his perfect opponent has the flu and despite his wishes has to fight an opponent above his weight class and with at least 20 pounds on Micky. Needless to say Micky gets beat pretty badly.
Things begin to change. He starts looking at his life differently, he starts dating Charlene, played by Amy Adams, who truly beileves that he can be a great fighter but that his family is holding him back. Dicky can't get his act together long enough to actually show up anywhere on time and Alice, Micky and Dicky's mom, doesn't care about anything but what Dicky says. Finally things come to a head and Dicky goes to jail. Micky then gets an opportunity to be managed and trained and really given a chance at greatness. As long as he gives up working with his brother and mother. But his brother, who gets clean in jail, knows fighting and knows Micky better then anyone so Dicky finds a way to help during a difficult fight and this reminds Micky just how important his family is.
The movie was good. It was tough to watch at times and amusing at others. It was filled with a dark humor and a touching sadness that was rooted in reality. I thought that Christian Bale was fantastic as Dicky. Amy Adams and Melissa Leo absolutely deserve their nominations and I found the cinematography made the whole thing more gritty and real where it had to be. I see why the three above mentioned names are up for best supporting roles. I'm not sure yet if Christian Bale will be able to take it away from Geoffrey Rush but he deserves the nod. I found Mark Wahlberg to be mediocre compared to everyone else. He had no real depth to him as an actor. The character was rich with struggle and pain and pride and Wahlberg just wasn't able to grasp the levels of the guy.
I give the movie a 7 out of 10 whatevers. Despite Mark Wahlberg's mediocre performance the rest of the cast was worth watching, the story itself was a nice one to bring to light, and the direction and the cinematography made the movie worth sitting through as well. It was a tad long, it had a few too many badly scored montages that could have been taken out or cut. Other than that the movie was good. I would reccommend it.
Moving on. "The Fighter" which is written by Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy, and Eric Johnson and directed by David O. Russell was an interesting film. Starring Christian Bale, Mark Wahlberg, and Amy Adams it is a movie about a fighter trying to figure out how to balance what he wants with what his family wants. Mark Wahlberg plays Micky Ward, a boxer who's crack addicted brother, Dicky Eklund (played by Christian Bale), is his trainer and his mother, Alice (played by Melissa Leo), is his manager. Dicky used to be somewhat of a name in the boxing world due to his knockout of Sugar Ray Leonard.
The whole movie begins with HBO making a documentary about crack addiction and using Dicky as their main subject. While this is happening Dicky is training Micky for a sort of come back fight for Micky. This is supposed to be the big change for Micky. He is going to win the fight, get some good money, some recognition, and be able to buy a bigger apartment so that his daughter can stay with him. It was his big chance. However when he gets to the fight he finds that his perfect opponent has the flu and despite his wishes has to fight an opponent above his weight class and with at least 20 pounds on Micky. Needless to say Micky gets beat pretty badly.
Things begin to change. He starts looking at his life differently, he starts dating Charlene, played by Amy Adams, who truly beileves that he can be a great fighter but that his family is holding him back. Dicky can't get his act together long enough to actually show up anywhere on time and Alice, Micky and Dicky's mom, doesn't care about anything but what Dicky says. Finally things come to a head and Dicky goes to jail. Micky then gets an opportunity to be managed and trained and really given a chance at greatness. As long as he gives up working with his brother and mother. But his brother, who gets clean in jail, knows fighting and knows Micky better then anyone so Dicky finds a way to help during a difficult fight and this reminds Micky just how important his family is.
The movie was good. It was tough to watch at times and amusing at others. It was filled with a dark humor and a touching sadness that was rooted in reality. I thought that Christian Bale was fantastic as Dicky. Amy Adams and Melissa Leo absolutely deserve their nominations and I found the cinematography made the whole thing more gritty and real where it had to be. I see why the three above mentioned names are up for best supporting roles. I'm not sure yet if Christian Bale will be able to take it away from Geoffrey Rush but he deserves the nod. I found Mark Wahlberg to be mediocre compared to everyone else. He had no real depth to him as an actor. The character was rich with struggle and pain and pride and Wahlberg just wasn't able to grasp the levels of the guy.
I give the movie a 7 out of 10 whatevers. Despite Mark Wahlberg's mediocre performance the rest of the cast was worth watching, the story itself was a nice one to bring to light, and the direction and the cinematography made the movie worth sitting through as well. It was a tad long, it had a few too many badly scored montages that could have been taken out or cut. Other than that the movie was good. I would reccommend it.
Monday, February 14, 2011
"Don't Bogart That Joint Man"
I have been sick lately and so this is a bit late in coming. However at the moment I have a smallish amount of energy and I figured I should do this before I collapse. Which really could be at any moment so this might be short and to the point.
Anyway seeing as I've been sick and I have been working non-stop my little Best Picture project has been put on hold. I only have three left to see and so it is a cruel, cruel thing but I guess that is what happens. I will have to drive about forty-five minutes to an hour to go see "The Fighter" so that might be a bit of a stretch. I almost went to see "King's Speech" on Sunday but both my dad and I turned out to be too sick to sit through a movie (side note: we were going to go see it and have dinner in celebration of his birthday because it was on Firday and I was at work). And then there is just "True Grit" after those. So still a few that I have to cram in but I will make, hopefully, before the Academy Awards on Sunday the 27th.
Moving on, since that is in a holding pattern I was thinking that I would go into one of my other projects. I know that I haven't done a book post in awhile and I will soon. Possibly next. But for now I am going to talk about the most recent film I watched from the AFIs 100 Greatest Movies list. I watched "Easy Rider" and it was an unique experience. Written by both Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper and directed by the latter, this movie is the very emobdiment of the late '60's. It is more then just a movie. I went into it thinking that it was going to be this big motorcycle, tough guy movie but from the beginning I realized how very wrong I was. It was more of a meditation. An ode to the essence of the 60's. It follows friends Wyatt and Billy from the back roads of Mexico to a hippie commune, to the streets of New Orleans. Along the way they meet some of the most interesting, real characters.
One of the most interesting is George Hanson played by Jack Nicholson a lawyer they meet while in a jail cell. A drunk and someone looking for something new he teams up with Wyatt and Billy and the three of them set off for New Orleans and Mardi Gras. Along the way they find in each other friendship, an unquenancable thirst for finding truth in all things and a true desire to find freedom. They also encounter prejudice which ultimately leads to a death.
The movie is filled with music that brings forth images of what the 60's were hoping to bring to the world. Peace, love, sex, fun and even some drugs. There were long periods of nothing but music and landscapes, scenes of Wyatt and Billy riding their motorcylces. It's a beautiful albeit, ultimately, sad film.I found myself truly enjoying the movie, much to my surprise. I give it an 8 out of 10 on the rating things out of ten scale. I reccommend it for anyone who enjoys movies for their beauty as a film and not just because they have nudity and things exploding.
To explain the title there is a song in the middle of the movie that is called something like that and has a line in it like that. I thought that it was hilarious and it's rather a catchy title.
Note: I also just watched "Waiting for 'Superman'" a documentary about the situation in public schools. It is really very good, informative, and rather enraging. I will go into more detail about it soon but I wanted to mention because it is available to rent starting tomorrow and EVERYONE should see it!
Anyway seeing as I've been sick and I have been working non-stop my little Best Picture project has been put on hold. I only have three left to see and so it is a cruel, cruel thing but I guess that is what happens. I will have to drive about forty-five minutes to an hour to go see "The Fighter" so that might be a bit of a stretch. I almost went to see "King's Speech" on Sunday but both my dad and I turned out to be too sick to sit through a movie (side note: we were going to go see it and have dinner in celebration of his birthday because it was on Firday and I was at work). And then there is just "True Grit" after those. So still a few that I have to cram in but I will make, hopefully, before the Academy Awards on Sunday the 27th.
Moving on, since that is in a holding pattern I was thinking that I would go into one of my other projects. I know that I haven't done a book post in awhile and I will soon. Possibly next. But for now I am going to talk about the most recent film I watched from the AFIs 100 Greatest Movies list. I watched "Easy Rider" and it was an unique experience. Written by both Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper and directed by the latter, this movie is the very emobdiment of the late '60's. It is more then just a movie. I went into it thinking that it was going to be this big motorcycle, tough guy movie but from the beginning I realized how very wrong I was. It was more of a meditation. An ode to the essence of the 60's. It follows friends Wyatt and Billy from the back roads of Mexico to a hippie commune, to the streets of New Orleans. Along the way they meet some of the most interesting, real characters.
One of the most interesting is George Hanson played by Jack Nicholson a lawyer they meet while in a jail cell. A drunk and someone looking for something new he teams up with Wyatt and Billy and the three of them set off for New Orleans and Mardi Gras. Along the way they find in each other friendship, an unquenancable thirst for finding truth in all things and a true desire to find freedom. They also encounter prejudice which ultimately leads to a death.
The movie is filled with music that brings forth images of what the 60's were hoping to bring to the world. Peace, love, sex, fun and even some drugs. There were long periods of nothing but music and landscapes, scenes of Wyatt and Billy riding their motorcylces. It's a beautiful albeit, ultimately, sad film.I found myself truly enjoying the movie, much to my surprise. I give it an 8 out of 10 on the rating things out of ten scale. I reccommend it for anyone who enjoys movies for their beauty as a film and not just because they have nudity and things exploding.
To explain the title there is a song in the middle of the movie that is called something like that and has a line in it like that. I thought that it was hilarious and it's rather a catchy title.
Note: I also just watched "Waiting for 'Superman'" a documentary about the situation in public schools. It is really very good, informative, and rather enraging. I will go into more detail about it soon but I wanted to mention because it is available to rent starting tomorrow and EVERYONE should see it!
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Putting Myself Between a Rock & a Hard Place
The other night I had the unique pleasure of going to see "127 Hours." Starring James Franco, written by Danny Boyle and Simon Beaufoy and directed by Danny Boyle it is an unusual film experience. I wasn't sure about it at first but since it is part of the nominee list I knew that I would have to see it. On Thursday night I went to dinner with a friend and then we decided that we wanted to go see a movie. I voted for "King's Speech" but my friend wasn't feeling it.
And so we went to go see the story of Aron Rolston. I don't know what to say about the film. It was strange and beautiful and intense in many ways. James Franco did an incredible job. He really embodied the spirit of being trapped and alone and with only his memories and, eventually, his delusions. There is one point, toward the beginning where he finds himself starting to give up, already and very quietly he says "don't lose it. Aron don't you lose it." And just that gives him a chance to make it.
Every day some new challenge presents itself, the most pressing of course is the loss of water. But even under the worst of circumstances Aron kept choosing to survive. Day after day with no one to talk to except for himself and his video camera, he finds different ways to do just that. That is the most beautiful part of the movie in my opinion. His will to do what he has to, to survive. Yes it's a tough movie to watch and watching him struggle is very hard but for me it wasn't a movie about a guy stuck in a canyon. It was a movie about surviving under the most brutal conditions and in the worst situation.
I liked the movie. It was good and as stated above James Franco was magic in the role. I can see why it is up for best picture, it's based on a true story and no matter what people think doing a one man show, just about, on film can be as intricate and difficult as putting together a film like "Inception" or "Black Swan." I wasn't blown away by it. I knew what was coming. I knew that in the end he found help and yes this included finding the courage to cut his arm off, which is not something that is for the faint of heart. Nothing was a big surprise or made me think it wasn't going to work out. I knew that he was going to make it no matter what was thrown at him. So I wasn't thrown by it. But it was beautiful in a disturbing way. Maybe beautiful is the wrong word because it was raw and harsh and all angles.
The point is that it was a good movie. I didn't love it nor was I as moved by it as my friend was but it was a good movie. I now only have three movies on the best picture list to see. I think that I will get to see "The Fighter" this Sunday and then I think I will have to see "True Grit" and "King's Speech" alone. But that is ok. At least I will get to see them. I will keep you all updated!
And so we went to go see the story of Aron Rolston. I don't know what to say about the film. It was strange and beautiful and intense in many ways. James Franco did an incredible job. He really embodied the spirit of being trapped and alone and with only his memories and, eventually, his delusions. There is one point, toward the beginning where he finds himself starting to give up, already and very quietly he says "don't lose it. Aron don't you lose it." And just that gives him a chance to make it.
Every day some new challenge presents itself, the most pressing of course is the loss of water. But even under the worst of circumstances Aron kept choosing to survive. Day after day with no one to talk to except for himself and his video camera, he finds different ways to do just that. That is the most beautiful part of the movie in my opinion. His will to do what he has to, to survive. Yes it's a tough movie to watch and watching him struggle is very hard but for me it wasn't a movie about a guy stuck in a canyon. It was a movie about surviving under the most brutal conditions and in the worst situation.
I liked the movie. It was good and as stated above James Franco was magic in the role. I can see why it is up for best picture, it's based on a true story and no matter what people think doing a one man show, just about, on film can be as intricate and difficult as putting together a film like "Inception" or "Black Swan." I wasn't blown away by it. I knew what was coming. I knew that in the end he found help and yes this included finding the courage to cut his arm off, which is not something that is for the faint of heart. Nothing was a big surprise or made me think it wasn't going to work out. I knew that he was going to make it no matter what was thrown at him. So I wasn't thrown by it. But it was beautiful in a disturbing way. Maybe beautiful is the wrong word because it was raw and harsh and all angles.
The point is that it was a good movie. I didn't love it nor was I as moved by it as my friend was but it was a good movie. I now only have three movies on the best picture list to see. I think that I will get to see "The Fighter" this Sunday and then I think I will have to see "True Grit" and "King's Speech" alone. But that is ok. At least I will get to see them. I will keep you all updated!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Winter's Bone...and Other Things
This is going to be kind of a mish-mosh of an entry. I watched "Winter's Bone" and I do want to talk about that but it's not going to be a long entry if that is it and there are other things that I would like to talk about. So mish-mosh it is.
I watched "Winter's Bone" today, and the only reason I watched it was because it was on the Best Picture Nominee list. When we first got it at the store I wasn't that interested in it. And even though I heard it was good and it has been super popular I just never had the urge to watch it. But I do have a mission to watch all the nominees. And so I watched it. And I was bored. The very beginning looked like it could be good. It started off a little quiet and strange. And then it stayed quiet and strange. It didn't really make much sense and it wasn't all that suspenseful.
The story is this. Jennifer Lawrence plays Ree, a teenage girl stuck at home taking care of her two younger siblings and her sick mom. Her dad, I believe, is into the drug scene that is there. And then one day the 'law' comes looking for her dad saying that he posted bond by putting up the house and acerage and that his court date was coming up but that he couldn't be found. Ree, determined not to lose her family's home begins to search for him. And then things happen. I don't really know what happens but for some reason people try to hinder her search and I think that she gets threatened. I don't know. It's all not very good. It drags on and is slow. That is really it. I don't know why it is up for best picture but again I'm not on the committee.
On to those other things. As it is the award sesaon I think that for the next few entries I will be focusing on movies as opposed to books. But fear not I will move back to books shortly. On that note however I want to state a mission of mine. Beyond that of wanting to see all ten best picture nominees I want to watch as many movies off the AFI's 100 Greatest Movies of all time list as I can. So far I've seen 46. The most recent being "Chinatown."
Directed by Roman Polanski and starring a very young Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway and John Huston this is film noir at it's greatest. A true masterpiece of film the story follows J.J. Gittes, a private eye. He is hired to prove adultery and instead stumbles upon a water conspiracy that finds him trying to solve a murder instead. As the layers of mystery begin to pile on and J.J. finds himself helplessly drawn to the mysterious Evelyn Mulwray, Faye Dunaway, tensions begin to fray. J.J. finds that the more he figures out about this case, and consequently the more he is warned against it, the more he hopes to find the truth. Fighting evil henchmen, spying on the woman he loves, and finding himself with only one and a half nostrils doesn't seem to push J.J. into safer waters. All this instead just urges hime on. And what he finds makes the heart stop and the jaw drop. This is a brilliant movie that I truly believe deserves it's spot on the 100 Greatest Movies list.
I don't know where I will start next. I'm thinking "Easy Rider." Not sure why but it's been calling to me lately. Or maybe "Jazz Singer" because I just found that on VHS. Who knows what I will decide on? Well I guess I know or rather I guess I will know as soon as I decide.
Alright enough crazy for one night. I will keep you all updated on my 100 Greatest movies list mission! As well as the originally talked about mission of the best picture nominees. Only four left!
I watched "Winter's Bone" today, and the only reason I watched it was because it was on the Best Picture Nominee list. When we first got it at the store I wasn't that interested in it. And even though I heard it was good and it has been super popular I just never had the urge to watch it. But I do have a mission to watch all the nominees. And so I watched it. And I was bored. The very beginning looked like it could be good. It started off a little quiet and strange. And then it stayed quiet and strange. It didn't really make much sense and it wasn't all that suspenseful.
The story is this. Jennifer Lawrence plays Ree, a teenage girl stuck at home taking care of her two younger siblings and her sick mom. Her dad, I believe, is into the drug scene that is there. And then one day the 'law' comes looking for her dad saying that he posted bond by putting up the house and acerage and that his court date was coming up but that he couldn't be found. Ree, determined not to lose her family's home begins to search for him. And then things happen. I don't really know what happens but for some reason people try to hinder her search and I think that she gets threatened. I don't know. It's all not very good. It drags on and is slow. That is really it. I don't know why it is up for best picture but again I'm not on the committee.
On to those other things. As it is the award sesaon I think that for the next few entries I will be focusing on movies as opposed to books. But fear not I will move back to books shortly. On that note however I want to state a mission of mine. Beyond that of wanting to see all ten best picture nominees I want to watch as many movies off the AFI's 100 Greatest Movies of all time list as I can. So far I've seen 46. The most recent being "Chinatown."
Directed by Roman Polanski and starring a very young Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway and John Huston this is film noir at it's greatest. A true masterpiece of film the story follows J.J. Gittes, a private eye. He is hired to prove adultery and instead stumbles upon a water conspiracy that finds him trying to solve a murder instead. As the layers of mystery begin to pile on and J.J. finds himself helplessly drawn to the mysterious Evelyn Mulwray, Faye Dunaway, tensions begin to fray. J.J. finds that the more he figures out about this case, and consequently the more he is warned against it, the more he hopes to find the truth. Fighting evil henchmen, spying on the woman he loves, and finding himself with only one and a half nostrils doesn't seem to push J.J. into safer waters. All this instead just urges hime on. And what he finds makes the heart stop and the jaw drop. This is a brilliant movie that I truly believe deserves it's spot on the 100 Greatest Movies list.
I don't know where I will start next. I'm thinking "Easy Rider." Not sure why but it's been calling to me lately. Or maybe "Jazz Singer" because I just found that on VHS. Who knows what I will decide on? Well I guess I know or rather I guess I will know as soon as I decide.
Alright enough crazy for one night. I will keep you all updated on my 100 Greatest movies list mission! As well as the originally talked about mission of the best picture nominees. Only four left!
Monday, January 31, 2011
And The Nominees Are...
'Tis the season for award giving in the movie industry. Many award shows occur with grand clothes, red carpets,and many rounds of applause. One of the most noted and watched is of course the Academy Awards. Where in return for the winning of many votes, and doing pretty great performances the winners get heavy golden statues of naked men and a paper with their name on it. It is an evening to be remembered. And cherished in the eyes of the beholders. It is probably one of my favorite times of year.
At the video store where I currently work we do an Academy Award contest every year. We print up thousands of ballots with the nominees for best picture, best actor, best actress, and best supporting actor and actress. The customers win free rentals for guessing right. One free rental for three right answers, three for four right answers and ten for getting all five right. The employees on the other hand get cash money. It is a glorious time at the store. Except for all of the tallying of ballots at the end. That part isn't so much with the fun. But other then that.
Anyway the nominees this year for best picture are "Black Swan," "The Fighter," "Inception," "The Kids Are All Right," "The King's SPeech," "127 Hours," "The Social Network," "Toy Story 3," "True Grit," and "Winter's Bone." I have so far seen 5 of the ten mentioned and will soon being watching number 6. I am planning on seeing on all ten. I know that I have reviewed most of the ones that I have seen so forgive the repeats. But I want to just give each of the ones I've seen a quick report.
With "Inception," and "The Kids Are All Right," I was less then thrilled. I liked "Inception" well enough. Good movie making, acting was great, level upon level of 'huh?' going on. But I wasn't like "OH MY GOD BEST MOVIE EVER!!!" Like so many others seemed to be. I think that the visual effects were pretty fantastico though and I do hope that it gets recognition for that. Not best picture of the year in my mind though. "The Kids Are All Right" I just didn't like. The script was poor and the story was unbelieveable. The acting was pretty good but there was nothing else to it. It was kind of a boring story even. I don't understand why it made the list but there it is all listed. See if only I was on the decision making committee of the Academy.
Then there was "Toy Story 3," and "The Social Network." Both good. "Toy Story 3" was adorable and of course lots of fun because it's "Toy Story." In fact I cried a little at the end and I just liked it. But again I wasn't blown away by it. Loved it as a cartoon but again not a best picture type. "The Social Network," was good. Well made, interesting, well acted, but nothing that made me stop in my tracks and say "whoa there!" But maybe it was. Maybe I'm too picky or some might say snobbish about my movies. I don't know.
Yesterday though I watched "Black Swan." That movie SHOULD be on the list of best picture nominees. I was just blown away by it. It was beautifully made, extraorinarily acted, the script was fantastic, and the visuals were off the charts. It was dark and intense and creepy and it really sticks with you but that is part of the brilliance. Starring Natalie Portman, who is up for best actress, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel and directed by Darren Aronofsky. The story is about a ballerina who after years in the ballet chorus finally lands the part as the Swan Queen in Swan Lake. Already having the perfect personality for the White Swan she struggles with finding the darkness in her for the Black Swan. Once she finds it though she loses control of it and eventually she begins to lose her mind.
The whole film in and of itself is like a modern version of Swan Lake, Natalie Portman's character as the natural White Swan and Mila Kunis as her opposite twin the Black Swan. The trick is discovering where the reality ends the crazy begins. Apparently Natalie Portman had to lose 20 pounds and train 5 hours a day 6 days a week for the role. And it was worth every little bit of training that she put in. I can't in good conscience give anything more away but I will say that this is one of the best movies I've seen in a very long time. Everything fit. It's dark and hard to watch, but beautiful and worth the discomfort. It is one of those movies that will not sit well with everyone. The darkness and the pain that permeates it sticks with you and it can be hard to take. If you can handle it I say go for it.
I appreciate that it is on the best picture list but I don't think that "Black Swan" will win. I think that it is too dark, too out there for that but it's a best picture in my book.
I still have to see "The King's Speech," I am highly anticipating that one. I hear naught but good things. And then there is "Winter's Bone," which I have waiting for me, and "127 Hours" which I think might be a hard one for me because as far as I can tell it takes place mostly in a small crevice and I'm not good with the small cramped places. And then there is "The Fighter," and "True Grit." I hear good about both of those as well. Although I also heard two negatives about "The Fighter" but I will still see it. It is on the list after all.
At the video store where I currently work we do an Academy Award contest every year. We print up thousands of ballots with the nominees for best picture, best actor, best actress, and best supporting actor and actress. The customers win free rentals for guessing right. One free rental for three right answers, three for four right answers and ten for getting all five right. The employees on the other hand get cash money. It is a glorious time at the store. Except for all of the tallying of ballots at the end. That part isn't so much with the fun. But other then that.
Anyway the nominees this year for best picture are "Black Swan," "The Fighter," "Inception," "The Kids Are All Right," "The King's SPeech," "127 Hours," "The Social Network," "Toy Story 3," "True Grit," and "Winter's Bone." I have so far seen 5 of the ten mentioned and will soon being watching number 6. I am planning on seeing on all ten. I know that I have reviewed most of the ones that I have seen so forgive the repeats. But I want to just give each of the ones I've seen a quick report.
With "Inception," and "The Kids Are All Right," I was less then thrilled. I liked "Inception" well enough. Good movie making, acting was great, level upon level of 'huh?' going on. But I wasn't like "OH MY GOD BEST MOVIE EVER!!!" Like so many others seemed to be. I think that the visual effects were pretty fantastico though and I do hope that it gets recognition for that. Not best picture of the year in my mind though. "The Kids Are All Right" I just didn't like. The script was poor and the story was unbelieveable. The acting was pretty good but there was nothing else to it. It was kind of a boring story even. I don't understand why it made the list but there it is all listed. See if only I was on the decision making committee of the Academy.
Then there was "Toy Story 3," and "The Social Network." Both good. "Toy Story 3" was adorable and of course lots of fun because it's "Toy Story." In fact I cried a little at the end and I just liked it. But again I wasn't blown away by it. Loved it as a cartoon but again not a best picture type. "The Social Network," was good. Well made, interesting, well acted, but nothing that made me stop in my tracks and say "whoa there!" But maybe it was. Maybe I'm too picky or some might say snobbish about my movies. I don't know.
Yesterday though I watched "Black Swan." That movie SHOULD be on the list of best picture nominees. I was just blown away by it. It was beautifully made, extraorinarily acted, the script was fantastic, and the visuals were off the charts. It was dark and intense and creepy and it really sticks with you but that is part of the brilliance. Starring Natalie Portman, who is up for best actress, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel and directed by Darren Aronofsky. The story is about a ballerina who after years in the ballet chorus finally lands the part as the Swan Queen in Swan Lake. Already having the perfect personality for the White Swan she struggles with finding the darkness in her for the Black Swan. Once she finds it though she loses control of it and eventually she begins to lose her mind.
The whole film in and of itself is like a modern version of Swan Lake, Natalie Portman's character as the natural White Swan and Mila Kunis as her opposite twin the Black Swan. The trick is discovering where the reality ends the crazy begins. Apparently Natalie Portman had to lose 20 pounds and train 5 hours a day 6 days a week for the role. And it was worth every little bit of training that she put in. I can't in good conscience give anything more away but I will say that this is one of the best movies I've seen in a very long time. Everything fit. It's dark and hard to watch, but beautiful and worth the discomfort. It is one of those movies that will not sit well with everyone. The darkness and the pain that permeates it sticks with you and it can be hard to take. If you can handle it I say go for it.
I appreciate that it is on the best picture list but I don't think that "Black Swan" will win. I think that it is too dark, too out there for that but it's a best picture in my book.
I still have to see "The King's Speech," I am highly anticipating that one. I hear naught but good things. And then there is "Winter's Bone," which I have waiting for me, and "127 Hours" which I think might be a hard one for me because as far as I can tell it takes place mostly in a small crevice and I'm not good with the small cramped places. And then there is "The Fighter," and "True Grit." I hear good about both of those as well. Although I also heard two negatives about "The Fighter" but I will still see it. It is on the list after all.
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