1-28-15 Movies

Impossible - DDDDD Last night I watched this powerful film. I had no idea what it was about. I don’t even remember if this film played in the theaters, just went straight to DVD or if it was made for cable. When I was a part of the film festivals I knew the films that were being made. Which ones had distribution; the ones that wouldn’t see the light of day.

 When the opening credits rolled it said it was based on a true story and it repeated it as if it would be so unbelievable that no one could comprehend that something like this could happen. The story is about a family that goes from Japan to Indonesia in 2001. That was the year of the earthquake and tsunami. This is a story about survival, family and love. This film is not for the squeamish as there are scenes that are very intense. I was in awe at how well the effects were done.
It was as if someone had taken a camera and actually experienced what was going on. I really, really enjoyed this film.
The film stars Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor and Tom Holland.

Once again I got inspiration that I should continue writing my Katrina story.

A Better World -DDDD This is a Swedish film, which some of it takes place in Kenya. The first few months have some English dialogue. This is another film I had never heard of. My film friends know what I like so I trust their judgment and when they are clearing out their collections it just doesn’t matter. As I’ve mentioned many times before, I love film. If I don’t have to pay to see it, I will watch anything. It’s an art form so you either like something or you don’t. It is not for everyone. I know some people that watch a film once and they never watch it again. I watch films over and over. The first time I watch it for the purpose of the story. Depending on what I take away from it then it is either going to become a yearly watch or one of those that I watch every so many years.

A Better World is one I will probably watch again before the year is out. Although I don’t particularly like films that I can figure out, this one is an exception because the ending was not what I would have liked to have seen. This is the story of two families and two boys dealing with the life of teenage boys. Being the new kid in school and being picked on. Wanting to fight back, but not sure how to do it. This is a film about communication, family, friendship, betrayal, compassion, survival, revenge and love.

The film is directed by Susan Biehr and stars Mikael Persbrandt, Trine Dyrholm, Ulrich Thomsen, William Johnk Juel Nielson and Markus Rygaard

Here is my new rating system. DDDDD highly recommend. DDDD It should be watched. DDD Entertaining DD So, so if you like the stars. D Just out of curiosity watch it.
(I like all movies. Even those that most people don’t like, it makes for great conversation.)

Coming soon: 12 Years A Slave, The Butler, Django Unchained, Lincoln and The Counselor

Still watching movies

Thanks to a very good friend I received about four dozen movies over the weekend. Now I can catch up on all of the movies that I missed. I started with The Wolf of Wall Street. The film is based on a true story, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Seth Rogen. I like Leonardo DiCaprio and although he has come great scenes toward the end, I feel Seth Rogen stole the movie. I don’t recall if Seth was nominated for best supporting actor or not, but both of their performances were oscar worthy. Matthew McConaughey has a small role in the film as well. He is just all over the place these days, but that’s what a good actor does. He keeps working. It’s not the size of the part, it’s what the part offers that’s important.
The Wolf of Wall Street is a rags to riches story in an unorthodoxed fashion. Some people will do anything to live the life they never had at any price. I am not sure if the version of the film I have was unrated, but there is a lot of sex, perversion, fowl language and drugs, lots of drugs.

The Wolf of Wall Street - DDDD

Savages - DDDd - this is a film by Oliver Stone. I wanted to see the film because it starred Salma Hayek. You may remember, many many years ago I had met the actress a couple of times at the Seattle International Film festival. A few days ago I caught some of the film on one of the Spanish channels and it seemed interesting. It also stars Blake Lively who I think is pretty, but she’s been playing all of these gritty roles. I guess she’s trying to get away from the image she had on Gossip Girl. It’s an okay film about friends who decide to go into the drug business and when their product infringes on that of another source, conflict begins.
The story is somewhat deceiving as we believe something may or may not be true, but still the ending is not what we are expecting. There are many surprises in the film. Also in the film are Benecio Del Toro, John Travolta, Taylor Kitsch, Aaron Johnson and Emile Hirsch.

Cloud Atlas - DDDd - I am definitely going to have to watch this film again. There is a lot to take in. I found myself trying to figure out which star was playing which role as opposed to paying complete detail to the story. I liked the idea of people being connected from past lives and the interaction of the present and future. That’s why we have what is known as Dejavu. We experience things we feel as if we’ve done them before and we spend out time trying to figure out what will happen next, but we can never do it.
The makeup and cinematography in this film is incredible, as well as the special effects. There are many surprises besides trying to figure out who the actors are, but seeing all the great talent that is a part of this film. Tom Hanks, Halley Berry, Keith David, Susan Sarandon, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess, Donna Bae, Ben Wishaw, Xun Zhou, Hugh Grant, James D’Arcy, and David Gyasi. The film is based on the book by David Mitchell which I am now interested in reading. We go from the future to the past and present in various intervals in the film. Now that I write this, it makes me think of Inception, but this time it’s stories, within stories as opposed to being inside of someone’s mind. And there are more stories to take in than Inception. I really enjoyed it.

The Rise of the Planet of the Apes - DDD- I had mixed feelings about seeing this film in the theater because of the CGI. The original film franchise was more interesting. The film has its moments. It is original which is what I keep wishing Hollywood would do. Don’t just remake a movie, tell a different story.
The effects are interesting and other than Caesar, the other chimps, gorillas, orangutans look so realistic. Andy Serkis plays Caesar and it looks creepy at times.
The film stars, James Franco, John Lithgow, Frieda Pinto, Brian Cox, David Oyelowo and Tom Felton.





Here is my new rating system. DDDDD highly recommend. DDDD It should be watched. DDD Entertaining DD So, so if you like the stars. D Just out of curiosity watch it.
(I like all movies. Even those that most people don’t like, it makes for great conversation.)


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