Warrior[2011]

Warrior was an extremely pleasant surprise for me! I knew it would be good and I have read so great reviews about it, but only today I realised its greatness!

The film is a drama about two brothers separated at a young age by the tumultous relationship of their parents, who reunite after many years at an MMA tournament.

Nick Nolte plays Paddy Conlon, the sad, miserable, remorseful father, who was to cope with the thought of losing both of his sons and his wife because of his drinking problem. During the film, he is constantly trying to reconnect, to show his boys that he has changed, in any way that he can, but most of the times, the pain he caused it's too big for it to be penetrated by love.

At the beginning, where we see him sober for 1000 days, he finds Tommy, the younger brother, at his door, and soon enough starts training him for the MMA contest, while Brandon, the older brother, prepares with the help of his friend, Frank.

Tom Hardy, as Tommy, is a secluded, grumpy, tough young man, recently returned from the war, who becomes an internet sensation for his fighting skills on the ring, but most importantly, for his bravery on the field. He is messed up, permantly affected by the separation of his brother, but a fighter, and he uses that anger and will in all that he does, on and off the fight ring. He is a man of action, not words. His stubborness and the wall he build up during the war doesn't let him connect to the people around him, especially the other two men in his life, but in the end he manages to find that in a very touching, brutal way.

Joel Edgerton, as Brandon, the older brother, is a grown-up, kind man, a teacher with a beautiful wife and two daughters, trying to make a living, but failing with the bank rates; he rarely fights and only gets into the tournament just because of the money. He was the revelation of the movie for me and I think he delivered a great performance, I can't wait to see him in other movies, especially The Great Gatsby!

Observing the dysfunctional family, you end up rooting for Brandon, feeling sympathetic towards Paddy, as you wish for him to reunite with his sons, and you understand and admire Tommy. It's a messed up family, but with a good heart, one that needs a second chance. And we get our happy ending, after all, as usual!

All in all, the film delivers big time! I have to mention something that I always love and look after in movies- the Realness factor! If the story and the characters, the dialogue and sets and costumes seem real and believeable, if it is something that you can see and hear on the streets, than it's done its job, from my point of view. I connect more easily and I care more for these kind of movies, and Warrior is no exception! The direction is beautiful, the performances are just fantastic- especially Nick Nolte, who deserves a Supporting Actor nomination, and I love the soundtrack! It also had, what I call, the nail bitting factor, as I was bitting my nails so hard during the fights of the MMA tournament, hoping for a win! The action/fighting sequences are great, entertaining and well-executed!

Warrior is a great movie and it might have just creeped up in my top 10 of 2011! You should see it when you have the chance!

The thin red line[1998]

I have a love and hate relationship with Terence Malick. You know that feeling when you're pissed off at someone, say your girlfriend/boyfriend, and you just want to slap him/her, but, in the same time, god, you just love her/him and get the urge to kiss. When I saw Tree of Life, I was in a constant battle between slapping and kissing!This movie had a different situation!

"The thin red line" is a fantastic movie! Everything is wonderful, from the cinematography, to the script, direction, music and most definitely, the acting! It still has some weak points, but still...

Let's start from the beginning! I love the fact that you can, firstly, hear the voice and feel the attitude of a character, then see him in action- a beautiful way of introducing the men and showing us, as the movie progresses, how they really are. 

All of the shooting scenes and the missions seem real and the best part is that Malick doesn't focuses his attention on the blood or actual fighting, but on the reactions and emotions of the soldiers. They are the core of this movie and it is just a way for us to understand and relate to those who have lived this kind of horror. You can find anything in the middle of the action, from men going crazy to others who indifferently sit next to dying soldiers. The war has transformed them and Malick shows us how through a 170 minute journey into their mind and soul. 

The cast was exceptional and recognizable, even if you don't watch a lot of movies: Nick Nolte, Sean Penn, John Travolta, Adrien Brody, Woody Harelson, John C.Reilly, Jared Leto, John Cussack and others. Nick Nolte, especially, is crazy good as the man in charge of the island, who has to go down into the battlefield to take charge when his captain(Elias Koteas) can't. 

The key character and actor in this, for me, was James Caviezel. There is just something about him: it draws people in, his eyes, his calm and numbness, his raw emotions are wonderfully displayed. He is the heart and soul of the battalion and of this movie. 

One thing I still don't like about the Terence Malick movies is the voice-overs. I understand they are meant to give substance and more meaning to the story and create an atmosphere, but most of the time, for me anyway, it is distracting and I just give up, all together, listening to it and prefer to watch the action on screen! Plus, it can be a little boring to watch for some- 170 minutes!

In the end, it's a story about war, suffering, fear, ignorance and humans; it's a story about young men who go to war with fear, but go out with a calmness and numbness that only war soldiers can understand!

Fantastic movie, I really hope you will see it, if you haven't already!