19-Dec-2014

Going To The Movies: Eat, Pray and Love

Plot:

Liz Gilbert is 32-years-old who has everything a modern day woman can want: a good career, a husband, a house they bought, and good friends. Still, she is deeply unhappy and doesn't feel like she belong where she is. So, after a divorce and an affair with an young charming actor, Liz decided to take the matter in her own hands and leaves her settled, well-organised live in New York in order to explore the world and herself. On her journey of self-defining and world-tasting, she spends the year in Italy, India and Indonesia. She eats, prays and loves her way to finding happiness within herself again.

Why I Like It:

It felt so real. Every bit of it. Maybe because it's based on Elizabeth Gilbert actual experiences and travels. Or maybe because I associate with this great wonderlust that she feels towards finding new, more rewarding experiences. It's inspiring, now I want to spend 4 months in Italy and eat, eat, eat! And then maybe spend another 4 months in India, doing yoga and being peaceful. And then, knowing myself, probably spend the rest of the year eating, eating and more eating! Oh, and did I mention that the movie is a colourful extravaganza of greatness! It's a bit long but it's totally worth it!

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...

14-Dec-2014

Going To The Movies: The Bling Ring

Plot:

Based on true events, the movie follows the story of 5 teenagers that are obsessed with the rich and famous of the day - Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Rachel Bilson among others. They obsession leads to them burglarizing their homes, stealing their property and trying to imitate them as much as they can. Things get a turn to the worse when some of their victims realise that they've been robbed...

Why It's Worth Your Time:

Sophia Coppola has a very distinct style that I really like. The movie has this very indie feel to it, albeit its topic. Also, the young actors are really making great roles. Emma Watson is amazing! She is not the main character but she shines as if she is. She portrays someone so different from the person everyone sees her as and she does it with such proficiency that it's just unbelievable. The movie also makes sure that you don't feel compassion towards the burglars, they are shown as the spoiled and obsessed with others little brats that they are. And that is nice, in a way.

Grade: 7/10

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...

20-Nov-2014

Going To The Movies: Horns

Plot:

When Ig Perrish's girlfriend, Merrin, is raped and murdered, everyone assumed it was him. Even his family. His whole community believes him to be the devil in human form since he killed the sweetest girl, the best thing that had ever happened to him. And just to make his life even worse, he wakes up one morning to find out huge horns protruding from his forehead. However, this new look comes with some perks - people tend to share their darkest secrets with him, without he even asking them. And Ig decides to use them to find who actually killed his dear Merrn.

Why I Liked It:

I heard about the book a while ago, I was still in high school, and I was interested in reading it but never had the time to actually find it and read it. Then, I heard that Dan Radcliffe was filming the movie adaptation and I was set to watch the movie. This time I did as I said I will.

I very much enjoyed watching Dan develop, yet again, a young adult with deep emotional troubles and more darkness in him that he cares to admit. The film itself is nothing brilliant and mighty new and magnetic, but it's a good, interesting movie to watch in terms of characters, societal presumptions ("I'm pretty enough to be on TV") and other tiny little details. It's very dark and fantasmagirical, if the latter is an actual word, and works very well the power-relationship between good and bad, right and wrong.

Not sure I will recommend it for a date knight, but it was a good movie for post-headache evening last night. And Mr.Boyfriend and I both really enjoyed watching it. It wasn't what we expected and that was good. Twisted, dark, fantasy. It's all good.

Grade: 6/10

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...

1-Oct-2014

Going To The Movies: Maleficent

A new take on a classic story. Shining light to the villain instead of the hero. Retelling a hundred years old tale. Questioning black-and-white mindset and allowing characters to re-invent themselves. What is more to want from a fairytale?!

Angelina Jolie is beyond gorgeous as Maleficent, the strongest of the fairies. She brings so many different shades to the classical villain and looks out-of-this-world while doing it. On the other hand Elle Faning seems a little bland and maybe even slightly stupid, but who wouldn't if they were to stay right next to Angelina?!

It's very hard to tell anything about the movie without giving away too much. Be prepared to question your ideas for good and bad, right and wrong. Be ready to question how much one person can love and hate something/someone in the same time. Nothing is what it seems, nothing is simple. everything has more than one meaning, plenty of layers.

Evil has never been so good. Nor has looked so good...

Grade: 9/10 (for a fairytale)

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...

30-Sept-2014

Going To The Movies: Vicky Cristina Barcelona

It's an Woody Allen film, should I say more? It's a beautiful and messy story about a city (Allen's trademark) and the lives of its inhabitants. Some of them are just spending the summer there, like Vicky and Cristina - two very different girls who happen to be best friends. While Vicky is rational, practical and goal orientated, Cristina is the exact opposite - spontaneous, chaotic and never sure about what she really wants. While in Barcelona the girls meet the artist Juan Antonio, a very enigmatic and slightly strange man.

Things happen differently in Spain. Barcelona and the are are the third main protagonist in the film, their smell and colour and voice and laughter are to be sensed through the screen. Juan Antonio y Maria Elena are the spice in the movie, they are this kick that makes a masterpiece out of an ordinary story. They are the vital ingredient for this paella of emotions, actions and words to explode as it does.

And while Woody Allen is, this time, not present himself in the film as an actor, his mimics and small facial expressions, ticks and strange habits are beautifully embedded in Vicky, she's just as quirky as he is in the best way imaginable.

Woody Allen strikes again with yet another love-story about a city and it's inhabitants. Just seeing the movie makes you wanna go there and fall in love yourself. This is one of my favourite Allen movies, probably taking second-best place only to Midnight in Paris, the ultimate lovestory with Paris.

Grade: 9/10

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...

16-Aug-2014

Going To The Movies: Chef

Plot:

Carl Casper is a genius chef that truly loves the food he prepares. Well, at least when he can cook the things he wants to. It's all good until his very strict and very close-minded boss forces him to cook the regular (and according to Casper boring) menu for a very renewed and important food critique and blogger. The critique is far from impressed and that is about to cost Casper his career. Then social media makes the things just about from bad to worse and the chef looses his job, temper and reputation all in once. Few awkward decisions later, our hero finds himself across the country with his very hot ex-wife, their son and a food truck. Yep, that's right, a food truck. Once being his own boss he let's go his imagination and the rest is a history.

Why Is Actually Good:

If you go pass the very cliche end, the movie is a feast for the eyes. Don't you ever try to see it on empty stomach, this is food porn! Jon Favreau is super believable as the chef who lost it all over a night and then rose from the ashes of his career. Sofia Vergara is slightly pleasing on the eye, but that's all. The movie doesn't bear any marks of a great, epic, writing-history movie but it's funny, cute, sweet and the food looks so delicious that I bet that you'll be hungry after seeing it. 

Grade: 7/10

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...

2-Aug-2014

Going To The Movies: Celeste And Jesse Forever

Plot

Celeste and Jesse are best friends and high-school sweet-hearts that got married young. She is a very goal orientated work woman and he is unemployed artist that is not in a hurry to find a job. The movie begins 6 months into them being separated and getting a divorce but still hanging together every day and still being best friends. Celeste is the moving force behind their separation and the one feeling that Jesse is pulling her back on her steadily improving life. Being friends after the break-up works up fine up until the point where Jesse finds out that he's having a baby with his one-night-stand and Celeste looses her chill over the news. As it turns out, it's not so easy to still be friends with your ex when they decide to move ahead with their lives.

Why I Liked It:

It's a good, different movie. It's a romantic comedy but it doesn't evolve the usual way and the happily-ever-after comes with a twist. Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg are great for their roles, they look adorable, and quirky, and lovable, and annoying, just like their characters. The film has life in it, the story is good and all the performances are a top-notch one's. The movies is slightly on the indi side of the spectrum, so that makes it even better. Plus, it's available on Netflix, so stream on!

Grade: 8/10

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...

29-Jul-2014

Going To The Movies: The Expendables Trilogy

Plot:

Well, all three movies share fairly same idea - Stallone and his super action stars are the good guys. They are super honorable and good, although they kill people for living. Somehow they get crossed by someone bad and ultra evil and now the only right thing to do is to go after the bad guys and to kill as many people as possible while doing it. Sometimes there will be a good looking gal involved, either sides of the automatic gun, but it's mostly stag party.

Personal Opinion:

Well, this is a text book action movie that at least does not pretend to be anything more than an action movie. Nothing sentimental, nothing hidden behind, no deeper meaning. And that's what makes it good, and that's why I like it. A lot of machine guns and a lot of knifes and other good things. Action movie. With all of the action heroes today.

Grade: 6/10 (for what it is)

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...

17-Jul-2014

Going To The Movies: The Hours

Wow! What a movie! Incredibly visually stimulating, to begin with! Amazing colour scheme, each protagonist comes with their specific colour-coded scenes. This is the story of 3 very different women that are connected through Virginia Woolf's "Mrs Dalloway". One is Virginia Woolf herself, one is a 1950's housewife and Mum and one is a 21st C editor in New York. So, as you may guess, their lives are connected through a very complicated and interesting way.

Each of them has her own problems and her own demons to fight and each of them is dealing with it in a very distinct way. The events in the movie take part during a day in the life of each heroin, finishing with a very dramatic plot twist.

The movie its kind of slow and it might be a bit hard to watch for the more impatient ones. However, the performance of Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore and Nikole Kidman is superb, more than amazing. Each of them portrays in an unique way the sadness and feeling of being lost and not knowing what to do in a distinct, personal way, making it great to watch. Nikole Kidman, who even wore a prosthetic nose for the role of Virginia Woolf, won an Oscar for Best Actress for it.

It's a good film, bless Netflix for giving Mr.Boyfriend and me the opportunity to watch it, and it's a modern classic. Sad, touching and slow, this is what I can say about it.

Grade: 7/10

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...

8-Jul-2014

Going To The Movies: Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones

The movie is based on the first book of Mortal Instruments young-adults series - City of Bones. I haven't read the books so I have no idea how closely the movie follows them but based on the fact that some of the things in the movie felt like a mad rush, I guess that they tried to fit as much as they could in 130 minutes of screen time.

The film follows the adventures of Clary (Lily Collins), a teenager who starts drawing a particular strange symbol, seeing things that other people can't see and other strange things that make her mother Jocelyn (Lena Headey) very worried. Then the mother is abducted and everything gets very complicated - angels, demons, runes, nephlims, witches, everything you can imagine plus a cup with super powers!

I don't want to ruin you the fun, so I'll just say that Clary finds herself in the middle of the whole mess, and on top of that there are two pretty awesome and very different boys that like like her. Is she lucky or what? So, while fighting super-villains who may or may not be related to her, choosing a boy and being special even for the world of super natural, Clary manages to save her mother. Oh, and she decides to follow her super-natural destiny because who wouldn't.

I wouldn't say that this is a great piece of cinematography but it's a good distraction for a quite evening in. Not sure if it's a movie I would actually pay to see in a movie theater but renting for a small amount it and seeing it with Mr.Boyfriend was about fine, More or less.

Grade: 5/10

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...

30-May-2014

Going To The Movies: Coco Avant Chanel

After seeing Audrey Tautou as Amelie Poulien two night ago, last night I felt compelled to see yet againg Coco Avant Chanel, one of my all time favourite movies. Don't listen to Karl Lagerfeld, he knows less than Jon Snow, no-one can be a better Coco than Audrey, not even Keira Knightley. Especially Keira Knightley. Because no English woman, no matter how pretty, delicate and artistic she is can play Gabriel "Coco" Chanel better than the exquisite French actress that lives and breathes the same effortless, timeless French elegance as Coco.

Enough with the raid, to the movie, please!

It tells the story of who Gabriel Channel was before she became the fashion icon and visionary we all know and love. From working in a bar, to being a hat seamstress to moving in, without an invitation, in the mansion of Baron Balsan. It is actually the story of Balsan and Coco, a story between something like love but more like mutual use for the good of them both. It is also the love story of Coco and her mission to liberate fashion for women - to make it comfortable in a very chic way. And it's the tragic love story of Coco and the Englishman Arthur Capel, the man who felt inlove with her and believed in her, but broke her heart twise. First by marring a woman in London for her money. Afterwords they remained lovers and his untimely death in car accident was "the single most devastating event" in her lifetime, breaking her hear forever. It feels and looks real, it looks exactly as it should, and if you're anything like me, you'll tear up a little bit at the final scene. Because greatness comes with a price. And it's usually one's most dearest possession - their heart.

For me, this is not only a fashion movie and a biography, it is also a very feminist movie, portraying Chanel as the strong, independent woman she was. Audrey Tautou is amazing in the role, a true incarnation of the timeless Coco in her specific beauty of a very special woman. Hands down, a movie that only the French cinematography can make!

Grade: 8/10

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...

29-May-201

Going To The Movies: Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amelie Poulain

Stunning! Hilarious! Amazing! Beautiful! Sweet! And this is just to begin with. I am absolutely inlove with this modern day classic. I have always known that if I really want to be blown away by a movie, I should watch an European one. Strongly recommended to be French or Italian, for best results.

Amelie is an awkward young woman, that grew up as the only daughter of an ice-cold doctor for a father and neurotic headmistress for a mother. She have never had any friends while growing up and that definitely shows in her interactions as a grown up. Amelie lives comfortably in isolation from everyone by choice and has no problems with it. Until she finds a little boy's treasure box, hidden in the wall of her apartment more than 40 years ago. She decided to find the owner and reunite him with his most treasured possessions in his boyhood and if that makes the now grown-up man happy, that she sets herself to bring happiness to the people in her life. And this is where the amazing adventure of Amelie starts.

Discarded id photos from the photo-booths in the metro stations, a painting by Renoir did more than 20 times, a travelling garden gnome, long-lost hope and a love letter, and a number of practical jokes are just some of Amelie's adventure on her quest of bringing other people joy and exploring herself. The movie is a true magic, set in the most beautiful city of them all - Paris, painted in warm colours. It's light, crispy and oh, so touching. And the music is so perfect.

This is most definitely one of the best movies I have ever seen! I'm absolutely inlove with it and Audrie Tautou deserve's a grand "BRAVO!" for her role. Amazing. A perfect movie! Modern day classic!

Grade: 10/10

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...

16-May-2014

Going To The Movies: Her

Among exam revision and cooking my hat off, we managed to go to the movies last night. Showing up completely unprepared, without the faintest idea of what we want to watch, we decided to go with the #mosttalkedaboutmovie of this season - Her. The story follows the life Theodore, a middle-aged man who falls in love with his OS - Samantha. In the year 2025  people's computers are tailored to their owners and are not only intelligent but also have character and personality.

While Mr.Boyfriend found it very interesting and even slightly heartbreaking, I found most catching the colour-coordinated theme. For example everything around Theodore is in the various shades of red. It's a bit depressing, to be honest, and the whole feeling is to something very sad and slightly disturbing. You can't help it but feel very saddened by Joaquin Phoenix's performance and the whole atmosphere surrounding him. I cannot say that I didn't enjoy the movie in a way but I wasn't so WOW-ed by it as I would've expect. Joaquin Phoenix indeed does a great great job performing a devastated by life person. And Scarlett Johansson acts amazingly with her husky, very seductive voice. If you close your eyes you could see her making all the faces, moving her body, etc. For me, she was the best part of the whole movie. Or maybe I'm just bias towards here.

It's a strange movie, but if you have time, why not see it?

Grade: 5/10

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...

5-May-2014

Going To The Movies: The September Issue

If there is one thing on which everyone who fancy fashion agree on is that Vogue is above everything else. And the one person whose opinion matters is Anna Wintour. The documentary movie follows the making of the most important issue for any given year - the September one. Made beautifully, showing the inside process of assembling what is the bible for millions of people out there, the movie feels effortless and chick, as it should be. It doesn't look like impromptu film, shot in-between coffee breaks, nor as something that has been scripted and the lines memorised to proficiency, it is everything you would wish it to be. Anna is not made into a nice sunshine that is spreading rainbows and butterflies everywhere she goes. No, that would be stupid, have you ever seen the woman? She is walking perfection of strict haircut and sunglasses. She is professional and strict to the point. She is perfectionist and she obviously loves her job, although she is very delicate at showing it. And Grace, ah, Grace! Grace is a dream cake true.

So, to the point. The movie is worth every second spend watching it and I'm so glad I decided to see it. It is pretty and fashionable and timeless. And it is perfect for what is it. Is Vogue!

Grade: 7/10

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...

28-Apr-2014

Going To The Movies: Noah

Ever since it hit the cinemas few weeks ago, Darren Aronofsky's Noah have received anything but praise. Superlatives about the movie were raining from everywhere and I was excited to see for myself this acclaimed masterpiece. I was even more enthusiastic to watch Emma Watson in movie that everyone said is her best so far. Vanity Fair's website even had a story about a month ago how her Ila is an Oscar-worthy performance. It's fair to say that I had high expectations.

Unfortunately for nothing. The story goes slowly, and somehow painfully. It's epic, that's granted, but not in the right way. I didn't feel fearful of the great storm or any bit moved by the supposed great dramatic moment. Jennifer Connolly's performance was bland and her expressions somewhat dull, her tears failed to move me. And although Emma Watson's overall performance to be not bad at all, her young mother scenes were mediocre in best case. All the tears in the world couldn't create something that is just not there - Emma to experience on screen something she have no clue about in real life - being mother. Her emotions seemed more like the ones of big sister rather that loving caring mother.

Oh, and not to mention Logan Letterman and Douglas Booth - neither of them looked as having any clue what they are doing and how should they act. Painful to watch. The children who played their younger selves did much better job, maybe because they weren't so concerned with their looks and they actually concentrated on the acting part of being actor.

However, Russell Crowe did an excellent job in making me hate him in the guts for being so prime-deterministic. Yes, I am atheist so maybe I can't relate to the struggles of a man who receives faxes from God, but this Noah seemed as an asshole, if you ask me. Or just crazy man, the choice is yours. Also, I must admit than besides the motherhood scenes Emma Watson was actually really good, pleasant to the eye and all. She did good job portraying someone who struggles between what they think is right and what their heart wants. Good performance, overall, for the young Miss Watson.

One thing that I see as a huge plus for the movie is their rather evolutionary side. Or more like "not-creationist evolutionary" side, if that makes any sense. Although is a Bible movie the G-word was never mentioned. Nor huge hand from the sky was shown to guide the building of the ark. It was as ungodly as such movie can be. And that was definitely a good thing for the long run. Oh, yes, and the movie ends with a huge rainbow on the screen, which reminds to the gay pride flag too much not to be on purpose. Thumbs up for all of this.

Noah is not for all tastes and is not a movie I would recommend but if your up for huge waves and signs from above, maybe you'll appreciate this movie more than I did.

Grade: 4/10

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...