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Here’s a list of movies to get you in the winter spirit.
Tag: film
“Quantum of Solace” Review
Bond: Beautiful and bold, just what we expected.
I’ve never been a fan of action movies. I don’t love violence in films. I’m more of a ‘it’s-all-about-the-story’ kinda gal.
But, with all my heart, I love Bond films.
From Goldfinger to GoldenEye to Casino Royale, I’ve loved them all. I love them for the James Bond, the Bond Girls and the overwhelming chase scenes. I love them for the amazing, exotic locations and the hard-hitting fights.
So of course, I was pumped to see Quantum of Solace, the follow-up to Casino Royale starring Daniel Craig as James Bond.
And it did not disappoint, mostly.
Quantum is beautiful, exciting and fun. But it does lack the presence of past Bond movies.
In case you forgot, in Royale James Bond loses the love of his life, Vesper. So now, he’s out to find the man who did it, and stop an environmentalist from terrorizing South America.
The film opens with a car chase (Aston Martin, of course) which quickly reminds you of why Bond films rocks……..
“Pride and Glory” Review
Pride and Glory
Review By: Rebecca Ford
TheCinemaSource.com
For the life of me, I could now remember the name of this movie. “Pride and Glory.” I think it’s because it’s so general. I mean, it says nothing about what the film is about. Is it a war movie? A period piece? A samurai film?
Turns out it’s a cop drama. And it’s the same-old-same-old, we’ve seen it before good-cop-bad-cop story line. Dirty cops in New York City?! Shocking!
Directed by Gavin O’Connor, who also directed “Miracle” (look at that title!), the Olympic hockey movie, “Pride and Glory” feels far too familiar because it is just another cop movie where violence trumps story, and sensationalism trumps substance….
RocknRolla Film Review
Review By: Rebecca Ford
I’ve always believed that deep down inside, everyone wants to be a badass. A rebel. A baller.
Or as it’s called in Guy Ritchie’s newest film—a Rocknrolla.
So what exactly is a Rocknrolla? He is the best of the worst. Drugs, sex and rock n’roll are not just a part of his life—they are his life. With Ritchie’s action-comedy set on the streets of London, we all get to visit this world, but thankfully, don’t have to stay in it forever. Because really, no one wants to deal with guns, bongs and torture on a regular basis (I think).
Ritchie, whose past hits Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch also explored the rougher edges of London, finds a rare balance between hard-hitting action and quirky dark humor. The cast of merry madmen, the interweaving of interesting storylines and a unique visual style all add up to a fun time in the underworld of London crime…..
See the rest at Thecinemasource
A little perspective
I’ve always had a nagging thought that the film industry burns too much money… this video puts a little perspective on it:
Meg Ryan, Jada Pinkett Smith- The Women interviews
Meg Ryan
By Rebecca Ford
At a popular café in Beverly Hills, the waiter reaches over my shoulder to point at the photo of Meg Ryan on my table.
“She comes in here a lot,” he says, but after a pause adds, “Well, she used to, but not anymore. I don’t know where she went.”
That seems to be the general consensus about Meg Ryan, one of the top earning women actresses in Hollywood, whose celestial curls, startling blue eyes and sweetheart smile were once gracing the nearest movie screen hit after hit. From When Harry Met Sally, to Sleepless in Seattle, to You’ve Got Mail, there seemed to be no stopping Meg Ryan….
See the rest at The Cinema Source
And on Jada Pinkett Smith here
Vicky Christina Barcelona- Review
When the closing credits rolled after Vicky Christina Barcelona, a man in the row behind me exclaimed,
“Gimme a break! I want a story. Come on Woody, I want a story.”
While I doubt the portly man knew Woody (Allen), he seemed to know even less about his films. His newest endeavor, starring Scarlett Johansson, Penelope Cruz, and Javier Bardem, has the signature Woody moves– love triangles and trysts and quirky characters. Moreover, everything and nothing happens at the same time.
The story begins in the beautiful, romantic, whimsical city of Barcelona, where two American tourists have come to live for the summer. The analytical and pragmatic Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and her best friend, the unpredictable Christina (Johansson) could not be more different. They meet Juan Antonio (Bardem), a local artist, who invites them for a weekend trip of sight-seeing and love-making. There, they learn of Juan Antonio’s ex-wife (Cruz), a passionate, yet volatile woman who’s not afraid to use knives and guns.
While there are plenty of good, solid actors in this film, Cruz shines. Her character is both crazy and lovable, beautiful and complete mess. She seems most comfortable in her native language, which soars through the film like a bat out of a hell.
I’ve been to Barcelona a few times in my life. It really is a city of possibility, and Woody brings that to the highest level. Sure, a complete stranger will fly you to a small, romantic town and then sweep you off your feet and in to bed. Sure, his crazy ex-wife will teach you to photograph like you never have before. Sure. With a background of Gaudi design and the bustling of a beautiful city, how could it not happen?
Woody Allen’s films often transcend the need for an epic ending, for a life-shattering turn of events. Sometimes, crazy stuff happens, and then other stuff happens. For the man in the audience, that wasn’t enough. But sometimes, that’s all there is.
Mamma Mia!
I’ve always wanted my life to be a musical. For my friends and lover to break out into song during emotional moments of my rollercoaster life would make it all the better. And in musicals, all that messy stuff always works itself out right before the ending.
So when MAMMA MIA came out as a movie, I was pumped. 70’s ABBA music? Meryl Streep? Colin Firth? Greece? How could this be anything but AWESOME?
I discovered that I could never hate a musical. The singing always lifts my spirit, no matter how ridiculous. I’ve seen the live musical, and I loved it. The film could never live up to that, but it does have its own benefits.
If you’ve never heard the story before, it’s about Sophie (played by Amanda Seyfried–who CAN sing) who is about to get married, and wants her father to walk her down the aisle. The only problem is that she is not sure who her daddy is because her mom (Meryl Streep–whose amazing acting masks the fact that she can’t sing) slept with three different men around the time of Sophie’s conception. So, Sophie invites the three men (Colin Firth–who can sort of sing; Stellan Skarsgard–who doesn’t sing; and Peirce Brosnan–who should NOT be allowed to sing) to her wedding in order to find out who really is her father.
While the singing is obviously not up to par with the musical, the scenery makes up for it. Shot in Greece, the cliffs and water and beaches are breathtaking. The camera work takes full advantage of the picturesque locations.
I’m glad I saw it. Heck, I’d even buy it because it makes me feel that good. Life (and film) really is better in song.
The Dark Knight
For the past week, I would say I haven’t gone a single day without hearing about The Dark Knight.
Usually, I try to keep my ears and eyes closed to any criticism of a film before I’ve seen it, but there was no avoiding the constant mummers of Heath Ledger’s Oscar-worthy performance.
Tonight, I finally saw what all the fuss was about. I had feared dissapointment, but instead found complete awe. If I didn’t know it was Ledger, I would never have recognized him. He is completely and utterly The Joker– dark, twisted, and a little bit funny. I literally yearned to see more of him in the film.
It is easy to note how tragic it is that this was his last fully completed film. I’ve always believed there are very few actor actors– those who are in it for the art, rather than the fame and fortune. It is very clear that Ledger is one of the few, and for all his fans out there, The Dark Knight is a true testament of that.
After we’re gone, most of us will only leave behind our offspring, and the memories we’ve shared with others. But for the lucky few, they leave behind eternal documentation of their greatness–whether that be in writing, or, in Ledger’s case, film. And we’re all pretty lucky to get to see that greatness.
Broken- Downtown Film Festival
“Broken,” a short film I have some association with, has been accepted to Los Angeles’s Downtown Film Festival. It will show on Aug. 16.
“Broken” Director: Harry Buerkle 2007, USA, 7 mins. Numbing loneliness has led a woman to make a decision that she comes to regret deeply the next day.
The festival seems to have some interesting films, so it is probably worth stopping by, even if you can’t see “Broken.” Schedule here.
Rebecca M Ford 