Wicker Park (2004)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0324554/
Director: Paul McGuigan / Script: Gilles Mimouni & Brandon Boyce
Runtime: 114min
Cast: Josh Hartnett, Diane Kruger, Rose Byrne, Matthew Lillard Genre: Drama / Romance / Mystery
Tagline: Passion never dies.


It is the remake of the 1996 movie “L’Appartement”. I have watched Wicker Park first, and after the original which was a big disappointment to me; I simply couldn’t understand why anyone should praise the French film, when the remake is better in every way. The original was a bit blurry to me, even if I already knew the storyline and the ending completely infuriated me. Though the story, except the ending, is mostly the same, Wicker Park is a hundred times better executed; for me, the original doesn’t even come close to it.

The movie presents Matthew, who thinks he sees his former passion, Lisa, who walked out on him without a word two years ago. We get insight into their wonderful love affair through Matthew’s flashbacks. Details about their relationship unfold little by little. He gives up his business trip and lies to his fiancé, in order to find Lisa and require an explanation for her departure. He encounters a friend, Luke who will help him reveal the mystery. Matthew searches for clues to track down Lisa, who he still is obsessed about, but instead of her, he meets another woman with the same name; things aren’t what they seem to be. I cannot give away more details, in fear of ruining the impact of the movie. Gradually, the mystery unfolds with the shocking truth; little, seemingly insignificant details are explained and pieces are astonishingly put together like a puzzle. It really keeps you on the edge of your seat, with eyes wide open. Unusual coincidences increase pressure and excitement. The plot is complex. Points of view change, flashbacks are nicely edited. The soundtrack is appropriately put together; many songs matching quite extraordinarily the mood and situation. There is a recurrent melody, which I related to Lisa. The acting is outstanding; Josh Hartnett is superb(ly cute), Diane Kruger is lovely, and they immediately attract sympathy.

All I can say is that this movie can be an unforgettable experience for anyone who has ever been in love. It isn’t an ordinary love story, it stimulates emotions. Passion, romance, excitement, mystery mingle in the film. It instantly got on the top of my list. During the movie I felt curiosity, surprise, anger, and I was also deeply touched (I think I cried). I did not feel any compassion, only anger for the villain, though I think some people did/will. Passion never dies, indeed.

The Butterfly Effect (2004)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0289879/

Written & directed by: Eric Bress & J.Mackye Gruber
Runtime: 113min
Cast: Ashton Kutcher, Amy Smart, Elden Henson, William Lee Scott
Genre: Drama/ Fantasy / Sci-fi / Thriller
Tagline: Change one thing. Change everything.

What if you could go back to a certain moment of your life and change everything? What if you did things differently? This movie explores these unreal possibilities. Evan Treborn suffers from memory blackouts, and keeps a journal to help him remember events which his mind would rather forget. With the help of his journals he kept for seven years, he finds a way to go back in time and alter his life.

We are presented with three time periods: Evan and his friends as children, as teenagers, and as grown-ups. Evan remembers events in flashbacks, which always provide something new that we didn’t know about his past. He manages to change his life several times by going back and doing things differently, but each time, something isn’t right, one of his friends or he himself has to suffer. You change one thing; you change everything, the whole life of other people and yours as well. Everything seems alright at first, but gradually it turns to the worse, so that Evan has to turn to his method of altering his life again and again.

The theme is fascinating; the situations created are full of surprises and the pace of the movie keeps you curious and ecxited. I was fascinated by the psychological approach of the movie. Evan's mind refuses to remember unpleasant memories. It is admirable how Evan alters the past not only for his own good, but for that of his friends, and mostly Kayleigh’s, who he’s in love with. The editing is also splendid; I appreciated how when Evan gets himself a “new life”, his memories start coming back in very fast and short flashbacks, we get a glance at how that particular version of life evolved; so we not only find out the present of that version but also get a peek in the past. It’s thrilling, because it really keeps you guessing what’s going to happen next; will everything work out well? The sound effects also contribute to the excitement and it’s also thought-provoking; it isn’t the type of movie you forget in a few days. I kept thinking about how one different decision could alter your whole life, and what if we had the possibility to do that. I also wondered how the casting director managed to find children who actually resembled to the actors; did he ask the actors to bring childhood photos of themselves? Well, I guess not.

This movie was my favourite for a time; and is probably the one I’ve seen the most times. The idea is absolutely brilliant and the execution is captivating. It is somewhat similar to “The family man” and “Sliding doors”, but explores not only two sides of potential life, but many more. The end couldn’t have been wittier. The movie supports the philosophical notion that life is the sum of all our choices. Is it? How would one different decision from our past alter our present? I guess we’ll never find out.