The lovely Mette from Lime Review and Strawberries recently passed the torch to me with this interesting Jail Race/Blogathon/Game whatever.
The Rules
„It's time to put some movie people in jail. The object is to give a
prosecutor's argument as to why these movie people belong in 'Movie
Jail' whether it be for violating the integrity of the content source of
one of their films, or being a sell-out, just making bad movies
overall, getting worse as time goes on or not being in a good movie for
many years.
The baton will be passed to another blogger who will have to do the
following - in order to free someone from movie jail, they have to do
two things:
Give a defence attorney argument defending the plaintiff
Pay bail: the cost of which is another case for the court and a
prosecutor's argument against the actor/director of their choice that
will replace the one set free.
Then make sure to list those who have passed the baton before you.
The guy might be in a bad situation right now, but come on, let's be honest, he is, after all, the director of the Star Wars films and along with Steven Spielberg created the Indiana Jones series which made box office records of their own. Maybe he can still come back?.... [p.s. I just didn't knew who to free, most of the prisoners deserve to be there]
I throw in jail...
Kristen Stewart
There are two people in Hollywood I just can't stand- one is Jennifer Aniston, and fortunately, she is already in jail, the other is Kristen Stewart. I don't like her for the simple reason that I think she is not a good, or even real actress. I rarely see any change in her style- she is basically playing Bella, or better said, Kristen, in every film, and it is getting annoying. Her acting skills and choice of roles could surely be improved. Until then, Jail Time for you, KStew!
Last week, my sister took me to see Breaking Dawn I & II, as she is a big fan of the books and series (she is 7 years older than me). I didn't like the first part last year, but I said OK now just to see how things will develop and have a clear view on the whole situation. After the screenings, I can still say I don't like BD1, but 2 is a rather good ending to a very successful franchise.
Breaking Dawn 1 starts with the illustrious wedding, which was done in a very tasteful, beautiful way- I loved the dress and the very awkward speeches, but the dialogue was still incredibly cheesy. They obviously consume their honeymoon, and Bella soon realizes she is pregnant, which, with a vampire being the baby daddy, it's practically impossible. The rest of the movie consists of Bella getting worse by the day as she refuses to give up the baby that is slowly killing her. As expected, it ends with the birth of Renesmee and Bella as a new vampire.
Why I didn't enjoy it? Although I understand why they split the book in two movies, the second half of BD1 still dragged on, even though they cut a lot of scenes. On another note, as usual, I really didn't like the dialogue and its delivery by the actors- it's weird, because I loved the book and on paper it was better than what it sounded on screen. Still, the supporting characters were downright hilariously bad, especially Jackson Rathbone and Kellan Lutz, and their look is still unconvincing. High points? Wedding, honeymoon, Bella's look and the transformation into vampire.
Breaking Dawn 2 was much better, which was curious, considering it was directed by the same man and in the same time as 1- maybe the story moved a little faster than the first part. But don't think I loved it, because I still found many flaws to it- let's just say I liked it overall and it gave a nice ending to a series of books I used to love. BD2 follows the Cullen family in their happy days as the young girl grows and Bella gets used to her new state, but the clouds come in when the Volturi find out about the child and decide to kill her. The ending features a violent fight between the Cullen's friends and the Volturi clan, which has a surprising turn that I quite liked. The last scene is, of course, very romantic and a sweet wrap-up of the now famous love story.
I know most men will hate BD2, but I thought it was fine. It was slightly better than most Twilight films on all accounts and the fight scene was very cool, including its conclusion. If I could object to one thing, and that could apply to all the franchise movies, is the hair and make-up of the vampires- they never ever got it right (with the exception of Robert Pattinson, of course, and Kristen Stewart in the last one), it all looked absolutely horrible and cheesy.
Should you see Breaking Dawn 2? Well, if you watched all previous 4, than yes, you should, just to see how it all ends, no matter how painful in might be. If you skipped through Twilight films, and saw just one or two, just forget it, it's probably not for you.
On the 16th of August, I had the pleasure to attend the UK Premiere of On the road at the Somerset House, which is a great location. No, I wasn't invited and no, I didn't mingle with the celebrities or the press- I bought my own ticket and saw the film with all the rest of normal people. It was actually very nice. There were no chairs, so everyone had to bring their own blanket and/or pillows from home, and they allowed food and drinks brought from outside, so basically everyone came for a picnic and a film viewing- absolutely lovely.The place was packed by the time the three actors (Danny Morgan, Tom Sturridge, Sam Reily) were presented. They didn't talk too much, but it was nice to have them discuss their movie experience before seeing it. P.S. Reily was one the deepest, most grave voice I have ever heard- very interesting.
On The Road is an adaptation of the famous Jack Kerouac book from the 50s about the Beat generation. It tells the story of Sal and his adventures across the United States, where he meets a wide range of interesting characters, starting with the crazy Dean Moriarty, and continuing with people like Old Bull Lee (Viggo Mortensen), Terry (Alice Braga) or hitchhikers like Steve Buscemi. Written for screen by Jose Rivera and directed by Walter Salles, of Motorcycle Diaries fame, On The Road is a wonderful film, a very well made one, from almost all cinematic point of views, but missing in real and palpable emotion. Not perfect, but not as bad as most reviews make it to be.
The script is very faithful to the book, but doesn't quite capture its madness and sense of youth and adventure, so overall it leaves you a little bit unsatisfied. That is probably the thing that set off all the not so lukewarm reactions from critics. Even I, after seeing it, had to think for a long hour why it didn't impress me- what was missing? why wasn't it all that? I think as much as he tried, Salles couldn't properly transmit Jack Kerouac's world to the screen. I don't mean that visually or from an acting point of view- no, those aspects were very beautiful, it just didn't have the complete vibe of the Beat era, at least that is what I thought (I did read the book 2 years ago).
Taking that aside, I thought everything else was simply wonderful and very beautiful to watch. The direction, and I think I can easily include the cinematography in this description, as well, were on the same page as the era, the vibe of the story and its characters- a little careless, full of light and colors, but also shadows and darkness. One of the things I loved about it is the fact that it managed to highlight the actors' performances: the close-ups showing us the unexpected moments of sadness and desperation (Kristen Stewart melancholic realizations in the car as the hitchhiker sings, or the fantastic ending shot of Garrett Hedlund on the streets of New York), the wide shots of the places and situation in which the protagonists were faced with- everything worked very well and helped us understand them much better and see beyond the youthful exuberance that drove them forward. The score/soundtrack of the 40s and 50s, paired with the sets and the costumes, recreated the Beat years and immersed the audience into the period, showcasing the wonderful mad group in the perfect light.
Casting-wise, I think Salles chose the right people for the job. If you research the whole story behind the making of the film, you will find out that there were a lot of A listers lined up for it: Marlon Brando, Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and so on, but when Salles came on board, he insisted he wanted unknown actors for the main parts and I think his choice was better for the film overall.
Sam Reily, as Sal Paradise, the lead character, did a great job, showing us a calm, intelligent, patient personality, but one in constant need for love, attention and friendship- I really liked the way he portrayed his attraction and fascination with Dean, although the book suggests an even more sexual connection with the wild man.
Garrett Hedlund, as the devil rallying up everyone, was probably the stand out of the cast, and with good reason, since his character is the most complex of them all. Yes, Moriarty may seem just like a crazy bastard, but deep down there is someone else out there waiting to come out, and he does, from time to time. Garrett perfectly portrays the part and shines in most of his scenes. I especially loved the one in Sal's house, when he confesses to his friend that he is lost, that he doesn't know how to calm down or what he really wants- the way he goes from a sad, melancholic state to crazy retelling of a sex orgy, back to the sense of misery he hides in his soul- it was just fantastic, at least in my eyes. If the movie does well and gets attention, you can definitely expect award nominations for him (I will be rooting for him all the way, I have been a fan of his for a long time).
Most are probably wondering about Kristen Stewart. What can I say? She did a good job, although there are still traces of Bella, actually of plain old Stewart, still there- I'm referring to the rapid blinking, hand through her hair and other typical KStew mannerisms. But she does shows us a different side of her in some scenes, as she is required to perform in several sex scenes, displaying a wild, slightly nymphomaniac personality. She doesn't go all the way, as in the book, but the effort must definitely be appreciated. I think she shines more in the second half, as her character grows and faces more challenges there.
Other two performances I really enjoyed were by Kirsten Dunst and Tom Sturridge. Dunst has the experience, beauty and charisma, and those three elements made it rather easy for her to shine; it blew KStew out of the park. Also, she had great chemistry with Hedlund, I can definitely see why they're dating now. As for Sturridge, I just loved him and his character- he is so poetic, sweet and naive, just a man looking for love and attention and the perfect poem. There is one scene where he talks with Sal about his feelings towards Dean and what he wants from life- one of my favorite from all the film, he acted it wonderfully.
There are also a lot of cameos/short apperances by world class actors: Terence Howard, Steve Buscemi (in a disturbed sex scene), Elisabeth Moss, Alice Braga, and of course, the creme de la creme, Viggo Mortensen and Amy Adams, who portrayed pure madness and quirkiness, in a memorable and entertaining way. You will definitely be a little surprised by Adams, but in a good way. Overall, Reily, Hedlund and Dunst stand out, but my surprise was definitely Tom Sturridge- quite the revelation, I loved him!
Before coming to the conclusion, I have to give a warning for the prudes: you should expect a lot of drugs (marijuana and benzedrine) and sex scenes- there are many of them, but never over the top or too long (with the exception of the San Francisco one, which I cringed because it just took too much to show one obvious thing).
On The Road is a great film, based on an even better book, that deserves your attention and patience. It's wonderfully made and perfectly acted (well, for most parts), and although it doesn't quite reach the level of madness and beauty of the Beatnik era, it's a lovely attempt. Go watch it if you have the chance!
The Cannes Festival is almost here and today the
official line-up has been announced. There are multiple categories, but I will
focusing on the In Competition movies- check out below a couple of things you
should know about each one and some trailers to go along with it, too.
In
Competition
Amour,
directed and written by Michael Haneke
-Previous works of MH: The Piano teacher,
Funny games
-Stars Isabelle Huppert, Jean-Louis Trintignant and
William Shimell
-Synopsis: A retired couple deals with
aftermath of the wife suffering from a debilitating stroke. (IMDb)
The
Angels' Share, directed by Ken Loach and
written by Paul Laverty
-Previous works of KL: The wind that
shakes the Barley,
-Stars: Roger Allam, Daniel Portman and
John Henshaw
-Synopsis: Narrowly avoiding jail, new
dad Robbie vows to turn over a new leaf. A visit to a whisky distillery
inspires him and his mates to seek a way out of their hopeless lives. (IMDb)
Baad
el mawkeaa, directed by Yousry Nasrallah
-Surprisingly enough, no information
about it on IMDb and nothing clear in the first pages of Google
Beyond
the Hills, directed and written by Cristian
Mungiu
-Previous works of CM: 4 months, 3 weeks and
2 days (Palme D’or winner)
-Stars Cosmina Stratan, Cristina Flutur and
Valeriu Andriuta
-Synopsis: A drama centered on the friendship
between two young women who grew up in the same orphanage; one has found refuge
at a convent in Romania and refuses to leave with her friend, who now lives in
Germany. (IMDb)
-Particularly happy for this one, as I
remember being so excited and proud when he won the Grand Prize a couple of
years ago (yes, shocking revelation, I am Romanian)
Cosmopolis,
directed and written by David Cronenberg, based on a novel by Don DeLillo
-Previous works of DC: Eastern Promises,
History of Violence
-Stars Robert Pattinson, Jay Baruchel and
Kevin Durand
-Synopsis: Riding across Manhattan in a
stretch limo in order to get a haircut, a 28-year-old billionaire asset
manager's day devolves into a odyssey with a cast of characters that start to
tear his world apart. (IMDb)
-Looks absolutely crazy and I love it, I
am intrigued by it! Plus, dare I say Robert Pattinson might do a fantastic job
in it? He looks very good in the trailer
Holy
Motors, directed and written by Leos Carax
-Previous works of LC: Pola X, Les amants
du Pont-Neuf
-Stars Eva Mendes, Kylie Minogue and
Michel Piccoli
-Synopsis: The drama follows a day in the
life of a young actor (played by Denis Lavant) as he moves from one set to
another, sharing scenes with various partners. [Synopsis Courtesy of Next
Movie]
-Big names, interesting premise, will
attract attention
The
Hunt, or Jagten,
directed by Thomas Vinterberg&written by TV and Tobias Lindholm
-Previous works of TV: Festen, Submarino
-Stars Mads Mikkelsen, Alexandra Rapaport and
Thomas Bo Larsen
-Synopsis: a divorced man in a small country
town who is accused of abusing a child. (Guardian)
Killing
Them Softly, directed and written by Andrew Dominik, based
on a novel by George V. Higgins
-Formerly known as Cogan's Trade
-Previous works of AD: The Assasination
of Jesse James
-Stars Brad Pitt, Ray Liotta and Richard
Jenkins
-Synopsis: Jackie Cogan is a professional
enforcer who investigates a heist that went down during a mob-protected poker
game. (IMDb)
-Expect big press around this movie, Brad
Pitt and Angelina Jolie in the eve of their engagement
In
another Country, directed and written by Hong Sang-soo
-Stars Isabelle Huppert and Jun-Sang Yu
-Synopsis/storyline: There are three
women named Anne who each consecutively visit a seaside town. They each stay at
the same small hotel by the shore and venture onto the beach where each of the
Annes meet a group of the same people including a certain lifeguard who
restlessly wanders up and down the beach. Huppert plays all three of these
different Annes and aside from her, the rest of the cast is all Korean,
although the film was mostly shot in the English language. (Screendaily)
In
the Fog, directed by Sergei Loznitsa
-Stars Vladimir Svirskiy, Vladislav Abashin
and Sergei Kolesov
-Synopsis: Western frontiers of the USSR,
1942. The region is under German occupation. A man is wrongly accused of
collaboration. Desperate to save his dignity, he faces impossible moral choice.
(IMDb)
Lawless,
directed by John Hillcoat, written by Nick Cave, based on a novel by Matt
Bondurant
-Previously known as “The Wettest Country”
-Previous works of JH: The Road, The
Proposition
-Stars Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeouf, Guy
Pearce, Gary Oldman, Jessica Chastain
-Synopsis: Set in the Depression-era Franklin
County, Virginia, a bootlegging gang is threatened by authorities who want a
cut of their profits. (IMDb)
-There was buzz around it for a long time
and it is rumoured to be a very good movie
Like
Someone in Love, directed and written by Abbas
Kiarostami
-Previous works of AK: Taste of Cherry,
Certified Copy
-Stars Ryo Kase, Denden and Rin Takanashi
-Synopsis: Akiko (Rin Takanashi) a pretty
young student, sells herself to help pay for her studies. But then she comes
across a very unusual client: a learned old scholar (Tadashi Okuno) who shows
her great kindness. An extraordinary relationship develops between her and the
old man. (Awards Daily)
-Another loved and anticipated movie,
high on the betting boards
Moonrise
Kingdom, directed by Wes Anderson and written
by WA and Roman Coppola
-Previous works of WA: The Royal
Tenenbaums, Rushmore, Fantastic Mr.Fox
-Stars Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward, Bruce
Willis, Edward Norton, Tilda Swinton
-Synopsis: A pair of lovers flees their
New England town, which causes a local search party to fan out and find them.
(IMDb)
-Opening night, big stars, world known
director, interesting trailer- buzz-worthy film
Mud,
directed and written by Jeff Nichols
-Previous works of JN: Take Shelter
-Stars Reese Witherspoon, Matthew McConaughey
and Michael Shannon
-Synopsis: A drama centered on two teenage
boys who encounter a fugitive and pact to help him escape from an island in the
Mississippi. (IMDb)
On
the Road, directed by Walter Salles, written by
Jose Rivera based on a novel by Jack Kerouac
-Previous works of WS: Motorcycle Diaries
-Stars Garrett Hedlund, Sam Riley,
Kristen Stewart, Viggo Mortensen, Amy Adams
-Synopsis: Dean and Sal are the portrait
of the Beat Generation. Their search for "It" results in a fast
paced, energetic roller coaster ride with highs and lows throughout the U.S.
(IMDb)
-Very anticipated and talked about film
in the last few years, the big names will attract a lot of press, especially
Kristen Stewart
-Early reports say that the movie is 2h
20 min long and very good
The
Paperboy, directed and by Lee Daniels and based
on a novel by Peter Dexter
-Previous works of LD: Precious, Monster’s
Ball
-Stars Zac Efron, John Cusack and Matthew
McConaughey
-Synopsis: A reporter returns to his
Florida hometown to investigate a case involving a death row inmate. (IMDb)
Paradies:
Liebe, directed by Ulrich Seidl and
written by US and Veronika Franz
-Director known for his documentary style
-Stars Maria Hofstätter, Margarete Tiesel
and Inge Maux
Post
Tenebras Lux, directed by Carlos Reygadas
-Mexican director, known for Japon and
Battle in Heaven
Reality,
directed by Matteo Garrone and written by MG and Ugo Chiti
-Previous works of MG: Gomorra
-Stars Claudia Gerini, Nunzia Schiano and
Ciro Petrone
-Synopsis: “...is taking a look at
reality television, and at the very least, this image suggests a lighter movie
than the excellent but heavy "Gomorrah." (Indiewire)
Rust
and Bone, directed by Jacques Audiardand written
by JA and Thomas Bidegain
-Stars Marion Cotillard, Matthias Schoenaerts
and Bouli Lanners
-Synopsis: It starts in the north. Ali ends
up with Sam, age 5, on the arms. His son, he barely knows. Homeless, penniless
and friendless, Ali finds refuge with her sister in Antibes. There is much
better that she's hosting in the garage of his house, she takes care of the
little and it's nice. Following a fight in a nightclub, his fate crosses that
of Stephanie. He brings her back to her and leaves her phone. He is poor and
she is beautiful and confident. She is a princess. All the objects. Stephanie
is a trainer of killer whales at Marineland. It will take the show turns into a
nightmare for a phone call in the night's meet again When Ali is found, the
princess is packed in a wheelchair: she lost her legs and a lot of illusions. He
will simply help, without compassion, without mercy. She will revive.
(IndieWire)
-It received some buzz before hand,
especially because of Marion Cotillards involvement
Taste
of Money, directed by Im Sang-soo
-Previous works of IS: The Housemaid
-Stars Kim Gang-woo, Baek Yoon-sik, Youn
Yuh-jung, Kim Hyo-jin, On Ju-wan and Maui Taylor
-Synopsis: The story focuses on Youngjak,
the secretary of Mrs. Baek, who is the leader of a powerful Korean industrial
giant. Tasked with looking after the affairs of this private and morally
questionable family, Youngjak is soon caught in a spiral of domination and
secrets, lost between his principles and the possibility of rapid career
advancement to a more comfortable life. Youngjak must choose sides to survive
in this world where money, sex and power are kings. (Indiewire)
You
Haven't Seen Anything Yet, directed by Alain
Resnais
-Stars Lambert Wilson, Mathieu Amalric and
Michel Piccoli
My
choices/picks aka The "I wish I was in Cannes to see
this movie" recipients
aka "I will
be checking to see how these following movies do in the festival":
On the road- first
and most anticipated (you know that by now); I loved the book and I have had a
crush on Garrett Hedlund since Four Brothers. The trailer looks solid
Mud- for the new Michael Shannon-
Jeff Nichols collaboration; the first one (Take Shelter) was amazing, so I have
high expectations for the second one
Lawless- great cast
Moonrise Kingodom-
cast+director+trailer+storyline= all very interesting
Cosmopolis- One word: CRAZY...or, if it
pleases you, out of control
Killing them softly- mafia
and a sexy Brad Pitt? Yes, I am that shallow, I will take it
Beyond the hills-
sticking with the national talent! Go Mungiu!
What
movies are you excited about? If you
could choose one movie to see from the line-up, what would it be? Let me know
in the comments!
