Archive for the ‘Cinema’ Category:
American Gangster
I have been hearing about this movie for quite some time, obviously the advertising has been top notch. I like Denzel as an actor, he can really bring some anger to a role when needed, but I think that this means that he only gets roles of this nature and his anger can get a bit repetivite sometimes but regardless he can really make a movie.
After hearing this film review from triple J, I thought that this would be great to check out.
In short I thought that it was great, because there was nothing over powering about the movie but there was enough of an actual story to make it real and gritty and if I might say so meaty!
Well worth seeing.
I am Legend
I got to see this on the weekend and I must say that I loved it, there was a lady next to me who didn’t like it very much, so much that she turned to me at the end of the night and said “thank god that is over’ I head similar stuff from here through out the movie.
I could to an extent understand why the movie was graphic and somewhat violent but it wasn’t unnecessary it was all in context, we were able to see the desperation of a man who’s only goal was to keep living against everything that was thrown at him while still trying to keep his sanity in various ways.
I liked watching the character fight both the internal and external struggle, what aspects the film touches on such as survival, and to a lesser extent on what makes us human (aka bladerunner)
I’m glad that I was able to see this, as Will Smith is really coming along in a lot of his movies that he producing, I hope that he will come into his own and be of the same standards of Denzel Washington.
Globe Tripping
The plans for the next adventure are well under way so far India and Japan are on the list.
This is pretty much my dream trip well the Japan part is the India is a nice stop over (for a month!)
I’m a very plan oriented person so I need a plan of action if I am going to do something, I need to know what to say, how to say it and what I will say at the end. But to organise an overseas trip in the fashion is a large amount of work even when you consider that to comply with all this I would have to book my hostels in advance and map out the places that I want to see for each city that I will visit.
Due to the number of circumstances I haven’t done this like last time, I hope that this will turn out to be a good thing because it will allow me to push my boundaries and retain a sense of calmness under stress which I don’t think that I lack but I think that I can be better at.
I am jealous of those that get to live and work overseas in the country of their choice or even studying in a different country would be enough fun. Traveling would have to be the next best thing but the one thing that I think that you miss out on is experiencing the culture, something that you can only have first hand knowledge of after drowning yourself in it for a while - not really possible when you are spending a few days in each place.
I hope that I will be able to do this every year, with only 4 weeks off a year it would be hard to plan a good long trip away, so I’m really looking forward to this one. The culture clash/shock I think will be quite big when compared to what I am used to here, and for some reason I am excited by this.
I have no illusions of being a different person at the end of this like I did last time, but I do intend on being a happier person - it’s the impending realisation that I might have to be grown up and make real decisions (health insurance, moving out, serious career direction) when I return is that is really stirring the excitement and adventure that I am expecting.
Well it’s back to the planning, which I don’t think I will get much done becuase the Melbourne International Film Festival has arrived and I intend to watch more than I did last year.
Transformers
In my humble opinion the best movie I have ever seen, and probably will see for the next couple of years. While The Matrix and Lord of the Rings had held he crown for me, Transformers brought back the fun of my youth and took me back there sitting in the cinema watching it.
I walked out breathless and remained that way for the rest of the night, I was in awe at the scene when Optimus Prime turned up and then transformed and in uncontrollable excitement during the battle scenes, there were some excellent references back to the original series.
The CGI was spectular and seamless an excellent film and worth far more than the admission price so much so that I guarantee that I will be back to see this again and again.
This review from Movie Critic says pretty much all that I want to say about the movie and pretty much got it spot on about how I felt as well.
Thank You For Smoking
An odd sort of film and nothing something that I would have picked straight away, but glad that I did. Although on the surface you might not like the premise of the movie you have only got to dig a little deeper and the humor of it is brillent and so still the story telling. Well that is my interperation of it.
I am no good at writing reviews…for anything. So instead I wish to quote Megan Spenser
Yes, smoking is no laughing matter it seems… But Thank You For Smoking is one of those delicious movies that gives us permission to laugh at something we shouldn’t – encourages us to even! Part of this film’s agenda is to (subtly) tackle the political correctness that often imbues films about ‘serious issues’, and the other is to throw the responsibility of smoking and our cultural addiction to tobacco back into the lap of the audience, which is unusual, and quite brave.
Thank You For Smoking is also surprising in its sympathetic portrayal of Naylor, who, for all intents and purposes, is pretty evil. To Reitman’s credit (and unlike his dad’s films), he doesn’t take the easy way out. In his adaptation (which Reitman scripted), he takes the road less travelled. Surprisingly, this isn’t a didactic tub thumper about the evils of corporate America. Instead it is a portrait of a fallible human like the rest of us. Reitman subverts our expectations – which I kind of resented, not being able to hate Nick Naylor - yet admired the film for not making it easy to do just that.
Which makes Thank You For Smoking unpredictably enjoyable, very, very funny and memorable.
Stern(8,g)
Best MIFF Shorts
I had hoped to see more of the http://www.melbournefilmfestival.com.au as I had oulined in MIFF List I had got to see one of the list: Between the Lines: India’s Third Gender and on sunday I got to see one more being MIFF shorts.
My memory is a bit sketchy but this is what I remember seeing:
Read more »
Between the Lines: India’s Third Gender
BETWEEN THE LINES - INDIA’S THIRD GENDER
Is about the self proclaimed third gender in India, the documentary follows three such hijras: Asha, Rambha and Laxmi. What I did like about the film is the fact that the photographer/narrator Anita Khemka was able to engage with the three individuals on a more personal level through language and familarity to bring out conversations and topics that I don’t believe would have been possible otherwise.
Most documentaries that I tend to see take sides or put out a point of view, but this one didn’t and I’m rather grateful for that fact because not only was the film interestingly informative about a topic I never knew existed but also sad at the same time. After about 30 minutes I could sort of empathise with the three people (they don’t refer to themselves as men or women) in a way and their strange predicament in society. I enjoyed how the movie was factual in the way that it showed both sides of the coin, their place on the social ladder and what they do to keep themselves there. During the movie I started to make comparisons towards homosexuals and trans gender society but as the movie progressed and I realised that the link couldn’t be reliably established mainly because of the way that they thought of themselves and dressed, also the history in their own country (and surrounding counties), culture and religion added more depth to their state of being, I suppose.
All in all I really enjoyed seeing this, I almost didn’t go because I thought about it and it was something that was unfamiliar to me and I wasn’t sure if a trip into the city would be worth it on what turned out to be a very busy Saturday…but it was.