Final Post

Hello to my um...2 or 3 readers.
While I will still admit to being a movie addict,
I have realized that I am not a reviewing addict.
Because I know I have seen more than 1 movie in the last 3 months.
And so I bid you farewell.
I haven't decided to completely delete this blog...yet.
But I may from time to time talk about movies I love/hate on my other blog Just Me.
So thanks for reading my ramblings...hope you enjoyed them...
pam.

Coming Soon...

My 2 cents on:
-The Queen
-Little Miss Sunshine

Babel 2006

Babel
2006
Lots Of People
**** of five for someone who runs with an idea.



Okay, in the end credits for this fabulous movie, it says 'Based on an idea by so & so. Oh. my. goodness. An idea?! I mean I know movies take a lot of work with storyboarding and figuring out plot right and yada, yada, but really? An IDEA??? That is a lot of work.
Basically this movie follows about 4 or 5 major plots and at the end you finally get to see how they are all connected. The way they make it work is amazing. The criss crossing of time lines, stories, characters and countries is at times confusing and in the end mind blowing. I suggest if you go to see this movie, you have a spare hour or two planned after it for some coffee and conversation. All the next day I just kept fitting pieces into place. I am happy to say that Hollywood woke up this year and nominated this good movie for a Best Picture Oscar. While it may be hard to watch at times, it is definately worth it. I am also happy to see a few of the actors up for Oscars as well. Especially unknowns. If you don't like mainstream hollywood, don't let the fact that Brad Pitt headlines this movie scare you off. I don't think he would have chosen to label it like that. Especially since he has one of the lesser shown stories.

One of the things that I really enjoyed about this movie is that the entire point is to show the confusion accompaning communication. They portray every type of communication barrier that there is at some point throughout the movie. There are problems of understanding between different languages, different ages, emotional barriers, visual communication, sign language, between friends, lovers, parents, caretakers, officials, siblings, employers, employees.

Babel seems like an obvious though appropriate name.

It is a lot of stories.

It is a lot of work.

Give it a shot. It's worth it.

The Departed 2006

The Departed
2006
Leonardo DiCaprio
Matt Damon
Jack Nicholson
*** 1/2 of five for feeling a bit like a Tarantino film.



Okay, so now it's up for an Oscar. I better write out what I think of it.
I rather enjoyed it. I liked all the secrecy and double siding (that's what I'm calling it).
Some of my favorite things:
-Matt Damons accent(Will Hunting is BACK! ha ha)
-Leo DiCaprios accent(not quite as good as matt's but not bad)
-The actress who was the main love interest in the movie
(mostly because she wasn't too perfect)
-Jack Nicholson. 'Kay normally, this would be under my list of 'worst parts of a movie', but I guess ruthless, disgusting, greasy, boston mob boss just suits him well.
-Alec Baldwins like 7 funny lines-seriously, I think he had like maybe 10 lines, but every time he was part of a scene, you could practically guarantee a smile on my face.
-Mark Walberg. He got like the best role of the movie. (You'll have to see it to get it.)
-The fact that in the 'sex' scene, her bra didn't match her underwear. THANK YOU whoever did costumes for that scene. Funny. A lit bit of reality in such an unrealistic movie.
-L.D.'s acting. I would say he should be up for an oscar for this, but i think he's up for one for Blood Diamond and that role is definately more deserving.

All in all, I guess the actors in this movie just made the movie for me. To know what other movies they have all been in and to see them all in their Boston roles for a couple of hours was a hoot. A gorey, naked, grusome, sweary, tricksy, bloody hoot.

The Nativity Story 2006

The Nativity Story
2006
Keisha Castle-Hughes
Oscar Issac
** of five because I was embarrased to be there.



So. We got free tickets to see this movie because we work at a church. It was like an evangelical promotion. I do wonder if anyone from the company promoting it got to see it first. There were about 7 good parts to it. Well 8 if you include the preview. When I saw the preview, I thought, 'Wow, that look tremendous!'. Then we got free tickets I was ecstatic. I never get free stuff and definately never to interesting movies. It was like I was meant to go. After seeing the movie I now realize I was meant to go so that I could warn other people not to see it. Well...some people.

A few of the 8 good parts:

-Check out the teaser to see the preview that got me all shivery.

(Check out this one if you want the longer version.)

-Casting choices for Mary(Keisha Castle-Hughes -the little girl from Whale Rider) and Joseph (Oscar Issacs) were phenomenal. If only they had the direction and dialogue to match their great talents. But some very touching moments between the two of them.

-Let's just say the first 25 minutes of the movie. There is still some hope for a good turn out.

To be fair, I did actally hear that some people quite liked it.

• Now I agree that if you like that stereotypical bible story type of 1989 movie, you'll probably like this.
• If you would prefer to see that halfway through the movie, mary ceases to have any lines because she has suddenly become the quiet demure wife of the times and Joseph must speak for both of them because he is The Husband, then I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
• If you think that when Jesus was born, a star shone down just on him through a hole in the roof like a 2000 watt spotlight at a David Bowie concert, I think you'll be pleased with this rendition.
• If you like to imagine the wise men as silly, bumbling fools who are comedic relief instead of protectors, reverent worshipers and believers, I am sure they'll tickle you're fancy.
• If you like to hear lines written as though taken from the illustrated children's picture bible, I'm positive you will enjoy the screen play and dialogue.
• But if you especially like the fact that somehow throughout history Mary has been placed in a baby blue veil in every movie/play/drama/illustrated story ever made about the nativity, then you are GUARANTEED to like this one.

My recommendations: Rent it if you dare(or if you are with your grandma-no offense intended to grandmas!)

Flags Of Our Fathers 2006

Flags Of Our Fathers
2006
Ryan Phillipe
Adam Beach
Barry Pepper

Some other guy no one cares about
** of five because I think I've seen this movie before...

Flags of our fathers.
The story of the flag raised at Iwo Jima.
I've seen this picture (above) as much as anyone.
I guess it's because I'm not an american that I didn't feel my heart and soul moved when I looked at it. I didn't see the patriotism of a nation, the courage of those men, or the victory won when I looked at it. I was just like, "Oh, they're putting up thier flag. Isn't that what americans do?" Just kidding. But really, perhaps I would feel a little partial to it if it were a Canadian flag. But it's not. So I'm not. But anyhow, back to the movie. Sort of. See, I enjoy seeing movies about the wars (I & II). I love to read stories about it, and most of all I LOVE to hear stories from people who were there. I like to do all of these things because I think it is so very important to remember the wars. Losing friends. Fathers. Brothers. Sons. Rationing food. Black outs. Fear. None of the last few generations can really understand it. The oldest generation who was actually there rarely wants to talk about it. The newest generation hardly cares about it. It's a sad situation. So I think it important to remember it(--and don't even get me started on seeing that walmart and canadian tire are open on Remembrance Day). Each year we lose more and more people who remember it, movies are one way to take generations back to how it was. So. Blah, blah, blah. My little tirade is over. Why? Because this movie is not the way to do it. This movie sucked. Directed by Clint Eastwood, should be good enough, right? Nope. Screenplay-Paul Haggis, fellow canadian, obviously brilliant screen writer, right? Wrong again. I don't know if people (and by people i mean editors and whoever else reviews movies before they continue shooting) were a little intimidated by the Eastwood/Haggis duo, but someone should have stopped them. I waited the whole movie-okay okay, I waited the first half of the movie--for something that would make me gasp at their geniusness. Make me goggle, wide-eyed at the marvelous way they make it seem so raw and real. To be amazed and humbled and not surprised that they are in the buisness of movies and I am not.

So, okay, perhaps my expectations were a tad high.

Mainly the movie would switch between the battle on Iwo Jima, a few months later (as the soldiers who raised the flag toured the us of a raising war funds) and the present -- where one of their sons was 'discovering' the story along with us-the veiwers. Pretty much the entire movie was spent by me trying to figure out who was who is the past and who is that person in the present. I never got clarity. The other half was spent by me trying to ignore Adam Beach (who ever encouraged that boy to act??!?!-if that is what you can even call it).

One of the things that made the movie bearable was Ryan Philippe. He held it up. And, yes he is also easy on the eyes. Oh, and also Barry Pepper. (BP didn't have a major, major role, but he was wonderful as always.) I just found that watching this movie was pretty much like watching Saving Private Ryan: Youngbloods. A bunch of soldiers who are buddy-buddy-special-connection-friends who are led by a fearless sargent through the war to fight nobally(sp?) for their country. Hey Barry Pepper is even in both movies! Ha! Now, after you see this movie, you may be saying to yourself,well it wasn't THAT bad.

And then you will remember adam beach crying, the horrific lone guitar soundtrack (can we say Brokeback mountain anyone?) and you will suddenly find yourself wishing for your money and precious time back.

The Prestige 2006

The Prestige
2006
Christian Bale
Hugh Jackman
Micheal Caine
***1/2 of five only because it was just a little predictable.

Every great magic trick consists of three acts. The first act is called "The Pledge"; The magician shows you something ordinary, but of course... it probably isn't. The second act is called "The Turn"; The magician makes his ordinary some thing do something extraordinary. Now if you're looking for the secret... you won't find it, that's why there's a third act called, "The Prestige"; this is the part with the twists and turns, where lives hang in the balance, and you see something shocking you've never seen before.

This is the opening line of the movie, "The Prestige", with 3 wonderful actors and a fantastic director. Now I hate ruining endings or giving away major plot points, so I just want to say five short things about this movie:

-Christian Bale is fantastic.

-Hugh Jackman is pretty good.

-I love watching tricks.

-You'll still be thinking about it at least an hour afterwards. If not the next day!

-I hate being disapointed by directors with potential.

Oh and one final comment: One thing I love about movies set in a past era is when they really make you believe they are being true to the era. A couple of recent movies that have done this are: Shakespeare in Love & Pride & Prejudice (the latest version). I really love when directors ( and I guess the entire crew) go above and beyond to show you what life really was like in the era they are portraying. They leave in the real things, the dirty things, the unpretty things and I really, really appreciate that. So go see this movie and tell me what you think. Not recommended for children.