Movies again

I'm really sick and angry! Mostly because I'm sick.
Which is why I'm writing - to feel better.

I watched some movies recently and I want to share some thoughts on some of them.

Drive

Powerful, with great style, unique, yet a bit morally confused.



A Separation

Complex, honest and revealing about human nature. Hard to find a flaw.



Beauty

It makes you understand that lust can be a destructive thing if you're not lucky in regard to who inspires it in you.



The Artist

Smart, funny and moving homage to an era with some welcome specific references. But... not always interesting.



Possessed

Pretty proud of itself even if it knows some will mock it.  As you're watching it you might expect only to have a little fun (if that) but it's entirely possible to end up moved and generally impressed.



Melancholia

Pretty ambitious and eccentric (well, von Trier...duh) yet not messy. Realtionships are tested by ordinary (a wedding) and extraordinary (the possibility of the end of the planet) occasions providing very interesting and aesthetically pleasing results.



The Way We Were

Bittersweet story that feels a bit dated in its realization yet it's pragmatic enough that, with a little (or a lot of) help from Barbra's very good performance, it manages to have a soul.

Sansho the Bailiff

 So simple that you might not even notice how hard it is to make a movie that doesn't seem to have any unnecessary moments or to do anything wrong during its necessary ones, which as is obvious, comprise the whole movie. It fully earns its morally didactic nature (and not only because it's supposed to be a fairy tale), as does our tears.

  

I'm not going to review Diary of a Country Priest because I didn't watch it properly.

I am going to say that it's certainly compelling and that I intend to see it again some time. 

Letter From An Unknown Woman 

What I said about Beauty but replace "lust" with "love". Painfully wonderful.

We Need to Talk About Kevin

Something about it felt unorganized and not deliberately so, yet its depiction of such a strange relationship and its powerful finale make it worth the effort. Thank you Tilda!

 

And finally, I loved Senna! I don't know if it's pefect or I was just touched by the man and his myth that much, but I think it's an amazing film. Some people can't fully connect to others because it's like they're living in their own, magical world, yet they connect all of us.

Sometimes it's about the girls

There are some performances given by a bunch of young (or younger) actresses that I really can't wait to see regardless of the degree of my interest in the movies they're in.

Yup, list time.

Carey Mulligan Shame

I keep reading wonderful things. I really liked her in An Education and she seems to be great in a different way in "Shame" which is just amazing news!

Glenn Close Alber Nobbs

People seem to really like the performance and it's in the Oscar conversation so I have many reasons to want to see this.

Meryl Streep The Iron Lady

Too obvious!

Kate Winslet Carnage

Even more so!

Elizabeth Olsen Martha Marcy May Marlene

Great reviews for the film and the performance. Plus, I really liked the trailer.

Tilda Swinton We Need To Talk About Kevin

In the "too obvious" category as well.

Mia Wasikowska Jane Eyre

I hear she's wonderful. The same about the film.

Michelle Williams My Week With Marilyn

Good actress. Oscar potential. Intriguing match of actress and role. Anything could happen.

Rachel Weisz The Deep Blue Sea

Haven't read/seen the play but it seems like a good role for a good actress.

Vanessa Redgrave Coriolanus

The things I read! I'm expecting her to floor me!

Janet McTeer Albert Nobbs

A talented actress who, I read, is pretty good in the movie.

Judi Dench My Week With Marilyn

I'm not familiar with Dame Sybil Thorndike but a Dame playing another Dame is pretty interesting, especially when you love one of them. And I do. I love you Judi!




"You mean I'm not enough??"

The near future and its gifts

I feel like sharing my thoughts on which films of 2010 I am most looking forward to.

Inception

It's a film about... I have no idea. I think no one does. Christopher Nolan (the director and screenwriter) doesn't want us to know much about it. Something about a plan that might change the Earth. The trailer is promising and the cast is pretty impressive with DiCaprio and Cotillard leading the film.


Never Let Me Go

Based on a book that I enjoyed. Carey Mulligan and Keira Knightley together! What do I hear? Excitement? I knew it! The plot: They're in a "special" school (no, they're not mentally retarted) and there is a boy. You don't need more than that. Actually, what I described didn't help you at all. Trust me!


Alice In Wonderland

Do I have to say much? The interesting thing is that I'm not excited about any element of the movie in particular, but about the combination. Please, Mrs Nice Movie, don't disappoint me!


Tangled

It's actually the famous Rapunzel story but for some reason they renamed it and it will be in 3D. Hey, I love a good animated movie. This one is supposed to have some originality to the animation. From what I've seen, it works perfectly. Let's hope the script is on the same level.


The Kids Are All Right

Annette Bening and Julianne Moore are a couple! That's interesting by itself but the film also has many critics backing it. It premiered at the Sundance Festival. Once again I will not write anything more about the plot. If you are not drooling by now, nothing I say will make a difference.


Blue Valentine


Depressing story about a couple (Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams) that is having some problems. Also from Sundance. Also supposedly very good. I really like these two guys.


We Need To Talk About Kevin

Based on a book that focuses on a mother who writes a letter to her ex husband regarding her late son's actions. Actions? What actions? Nothing too grave. He killed some students as well as himself. Yeap, it's strong stuff. And Tilda Swinton is in it. (The mother, in case you hadn't guessed)