What the Film

Kathryn Bigelow: The Hurt Locker

what the film — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 10:10:33 +0000

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, the movie is about a bomb disposal team who tries to deal with personal issues while saving lives and their own. The film focuses on Jeremy Renner as Sergeant First Class William James as he uses uncanny methods in approaching his life and his job.

At first glance, the movie can be billed as a war movie that tries to be preachy about the soldiers’ situation. But as the film unfolds, it tells a different type of story. Each character in the movie (Renner’s team mates played by Anthony Mackie and Brian Geraghty) has individual issues that are also related to the war but on a very personal level.

The movie could have easily fallen apart if it had focused on the characters but it is still a war movie which means there will be some action. You can breathe after each bomb disposal but there will always be another situation that you have to take a closer look at.

The movie doesn’t have a lot of twists but that’s part of the story’s beauty. It’s an amazing journey of the main character as it unfolds before the viewer’s eye.

The only concern is that viewers will be looking for more after the film has ended. The Hurt Locker is a must see movie for any film enthusiast.

Spierig: Daybreakers review

what the film — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 09:22:53 +0000

Daybreakers is a vampire-themed movie released January 6, 2010. Although the obvious release date of the movie is to harness the vampire mania to improve ticket sales, it’s no reason to ignore the movie. After all, the movie features established actors such as Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe and Sam Neill.

The Movie is centered on Edward Dalton (Ethan Hawke), a vampire who lives in a world controlled by vampires. They are facing an immediate crisis of running out of human blood because humans is nearing extinction. Edward accidentally found a group of humans with a very interesting discovery and mayhem ensues.

The movie is more like a sci-fi rather than a pure vampire flick. Blood shortage could be attributed to anything – food, fuel, oxygen or anything important to the human race or vampires for this movie. This relatively generic theme made the movie one of the “me too” films because the premise has very little imagination or relation to the vampire. If you’re looking for a powerful vampire-theme, check out “Let the Right One In”.

On the other hand, the performance of Ethan Hawke and Willem Defoe is commendable. Although Ethan Hawke has doubts about the film and ultimately declaring it as a bit of a campy movie, this did not prevent him from giving the character some justice. Willem Defoe as always, entertains the viewers with his quirky attitude.

Overall, the movie is a great Friday night film. It may not attract critical reviews but it has a great movie theme with unique story line for vampires.

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Steven Spielberg to do Ground Zero Documentary

what film — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 09:20:58 +0000

After all the documentaries that have been released in the past nine years showing those indelible footages of the twin towers’ destruction and the moments of agony the world lived on that 9/11, Steven Spielberg is opening a new chapter to witness and record the new World Trade Centre that is to rise again from the ashes of Ground Zero. The production of a series of documentary in six parts to be entitled “Rebuilding Ground Zero” is planned to be completed and released in 2011.

The structure that will be build in the former WTC site will be called the Freedom Tower, a 540 metre tower to be the tallest building in the US, which development has begun in 2006 and is due to be completed in 2013. Next to the cubicle tower will also be the Reflecting Absence memorial and museum to commemorate victims of the terrorist attacks.

The importance of commemoration and honourship of the lost lives in 9/11 is Spielberg’s main motivation for this work and, for this reason, has been warmly welcomed by New York’s mayor Michael Bloomberg. The documentary will make use of advanced technological means including computer modelling techniques, 3-D and time-lapses cameras through which Spielberg will recreate, as only he is capable of, the events that made history from that day.

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Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland

what film — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 18:09:10 +0000

Learning that Tim Burton’s next film is his very own interpretation of Alice in Wonderland does not come as a surprise. How could such a milestone of fantasy literature and film production not inspire one of the most creative and imaginative minds of Hollywood? Burton’s story could be considered half a remake and half a sequel of the original one, since the protagonist here is an 18 year old Alice Kingsleigh (Mia Wasikowska), who does not remember her past wonder adventures but will re-live the fantastic journey and encounter all of the iconic characters who have populated this amazing tale.

Nonetheless, the director has declared his intention is to thoroughly recreate the sacred spirit of the story and, unlike all his previous movies, make it perfetely consistent with Lewis Caroll’s work. Other actors in the new movies’ cast are: the unfailing Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter, Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen, Michael Sheen as the White Rabbit, Stephen Fry as the Cheshire Cat, Christopher Lee as the Jabberwock and Anne Hathaway as the White Queen.

The movie is to be released in March. In the meantime, Walt Disney is marketing the product in true wonderland style by sending to several film journalists mysterious parcels with a a really unusual copy of the novel Alice in Wonderland: a sort of chinese box made of books of different dimensions with images of the upcoming Burton’s film. At the heart of the boxes, a USB pen drive with the script “Read me “ and “This key will lead you beyond the gate of Wonderland”…

Top Box Office Movies: Avatar

what film — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 23:17:40 +0000

Avatar is certainly the film pushing science fiction to the next level. This movie has immediately had a huge success in the US from his first week after being released and is believed to repeat the same in Europe where it will be distributed in January.

James Cameron had in mind the idea for the movie since 1995 but realised he did not have the technological means to go on with the production. He worked along with the top minds of the industry to develop the motion capture technologies which make Avatar one of the most spectacular and jaw dropping 3D films out there.

The story is set in 2154 on Pandora, a toxic planet light years from the Earth, populated by blue skinned Na’vi indigenous. The protagonist Jake Sully, a disabled ex-marine, has been selected by the RDA corporation for the planet colonisation “Avatar” project. He enters the hostile environment with his consciousness in the body of an artificial Na’vi in order to better cope with the natural and survive without oxygen.

Jake will eventually find himself blending with the native population through Neytiri, a female Na’vi who will make him part of the tribe’s culture and the natural environment. Throughout the story, the ex-soldier will strive between his aim of establishing peace between humans and Na’vi and, on the other hand, the occupation interests of the corporation.

Christmas Movies: Sherlock Holmes

what film — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 13:27:50 +0000

The latest adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s character, Sherlock Holmes, sees Robert Downey Jr. in the role of the famous detective and Jude Law as his trustworthy assistant Dr. Watson. The plot of the movie directed by Guy Ritchie is not following one of Doyle’s narration but presents an original story with Holmes facing a new enemy, Lord Blackwell (played by Mark Strong) who is planning a satanic conspiracy endangering the entire country.

The film therefore takes the freedom to reinvent and almost revolutionize the iconic character. If you expect to see the well-known detective in his tweed outfit with his unfailing magnifying glass and typical British composure, you will soon be deceived. Sherlock Homes only saves here his legendary perspicacity and intelligence. He is otherwise depicted as a womanizer with gambling issue and the thug attitude of those who never back down in front of a fight. The film is of course set in nineteenth century London, a dark and unrecognizable metropolis which levels of daily crime, violence and homicides makes it look closer to a far-west town rather than to the hometown of British monarchy.

Nonetheless, the work is a great homage to Doyle’s novels in the way it is dominated by the charisma of the protagonist, with his out-of-the-common mind, and his companionship with Watson. The successful mix of Hollywood action movie style and the depth of its literary origin has so far been recognized in the film’s much acclaimed debut in cinemas.

Brittany Murphy found Dead

what film — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 16:26:07 +0000

After last year’s tragic death of actor Heath Ledger, Hollywood is loosing another young talent. Actress Brittany Murphy was declared dead yesterday, Sunday 20th December, after paramedics urgently transported her to Los Angeles Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Murphy’s husband, writer-producer Simon Monjack, and mother Sharon found her in the shower in a state of unconsciousness and immediately called for rescue.

The 32 year old actress was most importantly famous to the public for co-starring with Eminem in “8 Mile”, but also for other movies such as “Clueless” and “Don’t say a Word”. She started her career in TV in 1991 in “Murphy Brown” and worked in several other TV shows before becoming known to Hollywood from early 2000.

The Los Angeles Police Dept. is still carrying out investigations as to what caused the actress’s death, which until know, has been declared to appear for natural causes as a consequence of cardiac arrest. More is expected to be known from toxicology tests and autopsy results.

Many friends and colleagues of Murphy also publicly expressed their sorrow after the news of Brittany’s death went out. Ex boyfriend and co-star, Ashton Kutcher, Lindsay Lohan, Jessica Simpson and Alyssa Milano all tweeted their condolences and support to Murphy’s family.

Leonardo di Caprio to Star in New Mel Gibson Film

what film — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 09:10:46 +0000

Mel Gibson is due to start his next movie as a director in autumn 2010 and has chosen Leonardo di Caprio to be the main feature. The film, with no title as yet, will be based on a Viking epic, written by William Monahan and produced by Graham King. Other than the official agreements of those involved in the project, not much is known regarding the plot and further details.

Mel Gibson seems to have flair for historical epics (remember The Passion and Apocalypto) which nonetheless have all had some controversial reactions over the strong nature of featured scenes. Latest Gibson’s works included playing in The Beaver for director Jodie Foster. Now, after a four year pause, and some troublesome personal episodes regularly making the news, Gibson is set to step back again behind the camera.

As for Di Caprio, he has declared to have always been fascinated by the Nordic myths and Viking culture, and has seen the upcoming work as the occasion to further explore the subject. The actor has been recently involved in many projects including a work with Ridley Scott on Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World and a co-starring movie with Angelina Jolie about Gucci’s fashion empire.

Pan’s Labyrinth

what film — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 09:00:34 +0000

Mexican director Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth is a wonderful movie. Really, wonderful is the word for this fantasy tail that nevertheless has so much reality in it. For those who loved Benigni’s Life is Beautiful, we are sure the same feeling will go for Pan’s. Although these might look to be two very different movies, there is in fact endless food for thought that spurs out of both these two great pieces of work. That is because both have skilfully put the viewer in the fading margin that lies between reality and imagination.

The crude events and desolating life of Spanish post-Civil war clash with the smooth and sparkling fantasy world that only little Ofelia, the main character, is able to see. These two layers never find a final resolution all along the story but nonetheless create the whole essence of the plot.

The story of the film starts with Ofelia and her pregnant mother meeting her new stepfather, fascist Captain Vidal. Leftist opponents to the Franchist regime, in the meantime, are secretly building up the resistance movement. In this setting, the little Ofelia embarks in a mythical and fantasy world where her principal interlocutor, a fascinating and somewhat scary faun, engages her into quests and promises that the little girl will take up to regain her original belonging in a supra-natural world.

There would be a lot to talk about to fully understand the deepness of this film. The figure that we really loved is that of the faun. It fully embodies the dimension of a lost original world with which human beings have lost touch and that, ultimately, can only be regained through the path of imagination, faith, innocence and morality. It is actually amazing how a movie is able to make you think about such topics in, nevertheless, the most light and entertaining way.

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International Film Festival of Marrakesh

what film — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 09:24:33 +0000

The 9th International Film Festival of Marrakech is being held these days in the Moroccan city, gathering some important names of the film industry. Personalities within the jury panel this year are Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami as president, Italian actress Isabella Ferrari, Argentinian director Pablo Trapero, French actress Fanny Ardant and British director Mike Figgis among others.

The festival has been an annual event since 2000, put in place thanks to the promotion of Prince Moulay Rachid and the patronage of HM King Mohammed VI. Over the years, the Festival has been gaining further visibility on the international landscape, thanks to the important cinema personalities invited but also to the impeccable organisation of the event.

The charm of Marrakech, a town that has always been a crossroad of different people, cultures and ethnicities, adds its own very particular element to the event. In fact, the fifteen films competing this year make quite a multicultural mix with very well known names as well as new films from directors Ahmad Abdallah (Egypt), Urszula Antoniak (Netherlands), Nosir Saidov (Tajikistan), Rigoberto Perezcano (Mexico) and Enrique Buchichio (Uruguay).

Some of the non competing films that have been shown in the event especially discovered the emerging Thai cinema, with new talents such as Aiptchapong Weerasetakul and Songyos, Sugmakan, as well as Korean cinema. Other special moments of the Festival in program are tributes to be paid to actor Christopher Walken, Sir Ben Kingsley (famous for playing in Schindler’s List), directors Emir Kusturica and Said Taghmaoui.

Finally, a nice initiative was also that of a series of screenings for the visually impaired and a photography exhibition of shots taken by visually impaired people. There is also a charity purpose to this in order to provide cataract operations to patients in the region of Marrakech-Tensift Al Haouz.