Notes On A Scandal (2006)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0465551/
Director: Richard Eyre / Script: Patrick Marber, Zoe Heller
Runtime: 92min
Cast: Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett, Bill Nighy, Andrew Simpson
Genre: Drama
Tagline: One woman's mistake is another's opportunity.

A complex, versatile drama presenting events leading up to a scandal. Barbara Covett is a bitter, old and lonely spinster, a strict teacher, who befriends with Sheba, the new and young art teacher. When Sheba’s affair with one of her teenage students becomes known to Barbara, she uses the information to manipulate Sheba, who becomes indebted to her and Barbara can at any time divulge the life shattering secret.

Barbara’s character makes an impression from the beginning; with the help of her diary she analyzes every aspect of Sheba’s life and her cynical comments are sometimes pretty sharp. Even if Barbara is nothing like Sheba - young, fragile, naïve and lovable – they become friends. Sheba comes to confide in Barbara, who is hungry for her friendship. Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett’s performances are admirable and passionate; though we tend to not like Barbara’s character, we have to admit that her acting is great. Sheba has an affair with an attractive teenage boy, who she’s pursued by; even though she knows it is immoral she eventually gives in to temptation. It is pretty exciting; I liked the idea of the adultery with a teenage boy; the potential lust between a student and his teacher. Too bad the affair is threatened by Barbara who after witnessing their compromising relationship insists that Sheba should end the affair. At first we think she wants that only because of moral principles, but later on we find out of her other reasons too. Barbara’s attitude towards Sheba is ambiguous throughout the movie, though we are given several subtle hints, the movie still manages to surprise us with Barbara’s emerging secret. Loneliness, obsession and sexuality are key themes illustrated by this movie.

The twists, the natural sounding dialogues and the movie’s intense, provocative script presenting moral and sexual dilemmas make this movie a real treat. The psychological struggle is intense, which comes along with deviant sexual desires. It is a complex movie with a fluid storyline, recommendable for anyone who would like an original representation of a controversial subject.

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button (2008)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0421715/
Director: David Fincher / Script: Eric Roth, Robin Swicord
Runtime: 166min
Cast: Cate Blanchett, Brad Pitt, Julia Ormond, Tilda Swinton, Jason Flemyng, Taraji Henson
Genre: Drama / Fantasy / Romance / Mystery
Tagline: Life isn't measured in minutes, but in moments.

A movie which delights its viewers with exceptional quality pictures and an original, magical and interesting story. The exceptional life-story of Benjamin Button is presented to us with the help of his diary which is being read by Caroline, the daughter, in the hospital where the old Daisy lies on her deathbed. Benjamin’s case is indeed curious: he starts aging backwards; born as old he keeps getting younger.

Early development of the movie began in 1994 (!).There are two narrators in the movie, the primary narrator being Benjamin Button himself, who is introduced by the old Daisy’s very authentic voice. The storyline is captivating and provides us with various characters. Romance, adventure, mystery mingle in the film. It deals with concepts such as mortality, the passing and the value of time, fate, loss and love. The idea of aging backwards is very original and is flawlessly executed. Benjamin Button’s experiences make his life exceptional. He meets Daisy, the love of his life, when she’s just a little girl and he’s an old man. But as they age in reverse and their lives continue to intersect, they actually meet halfway when they are compatible in age and they get from the initial affection to love. But the older Daisy gets, the younger is Benjamin, which leads to some complications. The art direction is stunning, also the make-up and the visual effects; no wonder the movie won Oscars for them. I was utterly surprised by how realistically were the war-action scenes filmed. It is as if you are there, the bullets coming towards you, water flowing overboard. The visuals and the make-up made miracles: I could hardly believe that the old Daisy, lying on her deathbed, was still embodied by Cate Blanchett. I was amazed by a scene presenting a strain of events which led to a meaningful event. Seemingly insignificant details show how all things are interconnected, and if only one thing happened differently, that event wouldn’t have occurred. But “Life being what it is, a series of intersecting lives and incidents out of anyone’s control”; people are in no position to interfere in their fate. And “Our lives are defined by opportunities, even the ones we miss.” Just a few memorable lines. A source of fun was the case of the man struck seven times by lightning. The actors gave their best in the film. Cate Blanchett’s one-of-a-kind beauty shined in the role of the complex Daisy. Even Brad Pitt’s daughter appears in the movie.

I’m glad I waited all along for this movie to watch it in the cinema; it was just as I expected: a grand experience. The almost three hours passed without getting me bored. It’s an expressive, thought-provoking tale with some real magic. Still I wouldn’t qualify it as bizarre; the story was fluid enough and presented so credible. I will end my review with a quote, to prove the movie’s thought-provoking nature (if I haven’t already): “We’re meant to lose the people we love. How else would we know how important they are to us?”

Shopgirl (2005)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338427/
Director: Anand Tucker / Script: Steve Martin
Runtime: 106min
Cast: Steve Martin, Claire Danes, Jason Schwarzman
Genre: Drama/ Romance
Tagline: Relationships don't always fit like a glove.

On the one hand an immature, messy and penniless guy, who is young. On the other hand a wealthy and charming gentleman, who could be your dad. Who would you choose? I didn’t know that Steve Martin actually writes screenplays or novels. This film adaptation of his novel was actually interesting and even if not particularly outstanding it made me want to write about it. The movie presents a love triangle consisting of Mirabelle – a bored salesgirl, Jeremy – an aimless young fellow, and Ray – a wealthy but aging man.

I liked that the story was very close to becoming reality any time. Love triangles, affairs, rich men being involved with young women; such things happen in life. The movie is about a particular one. The way the two men are presented, as Mirabelle encounters them, make the viewers want to choose Ray; he is so stylish, charming and gentlemanly. Jeremy, in contrast to Ray, seems just a moron; immature, weird and terribly messy. No wonder Mirabelle falls in love with Ray. They have a beautiful affair; the problem is only that Ray doesn’t want anything more than just an affair. I found it hard to understand why he couldn’t take the responsibility of loving someone. He has the privilege of going out with a pretty and young woman, and he doesn’t appreciate it. But I already said too much. The cast is fine, Claire Danes is illuminating as Mirabelle; for the role of Ray I read that Tom Hanks was considered, but eventually Steve Martin got to play it, because he figured he was more suitable being so familiar with the script. I must say, I don’t know who wanted Mirabelle to wear such old-fashioned dresses; from the many she wore during the movie, I think I liked only two. But it was fine, she wasn’t the femme fatale type of character; she was rather modest and still beautiful. And fortunately, Jeremy changed a bit by the end of the movie; he became more normal an emotionally more mature.

The movie made me understand why some women prefer wealthy and aging men; helped me see the advantages of such a relationship. But also provided me with a different perspective: wealthy and aging men aren’t always doing anything to keep the attention of a young woman. It truly is an intelligent and sophisticated movie.

Final Destination 2 (2003)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0309593/
Director: David R. Ellis / Script: Jeffrey Reddick, J. Mackye Gruber, Eric Bress
Runtime: 90min
Cast: Ali Larter, A.J. Cook, Michael Landens
Genre: Thriller / Fantasy / Horror
Tagline: You can’t cheat death twice.

“There is a sort of force, all around us, everyday & it determines when you live & die.” Kimberly has a premonition of a road accident in which many people, including herself. She saves those who are meant to die, by blocking the way. But death is coming after the survivors, each of them starts dying in freak accidents, and Kimberly must try to stop it.

From the trilogy, this one seemed the best; maybe because this was the first one I have watched. It relates back to the first one, by flight 180, but everything is clear, so that anyone can watch it without having seen the first one. The movie is tense, mysterious and of course gruesome. First of all, premonition was something that has always fascinated me and this movie deals with it too. Kimberly’s premonition – the accident – is violent, cars crashing, fire; shows clearly that the director is fond of stunts. It’s interesting how the little things gain importance in the film. There are little events that prefigure the tragic accident; like if they were all signs that something bad is going to happen. And this mysterious approach sends chills down the viewer’s spine. Also, the fact that the survivors, who are made up of all kinds of people, start dying one by one accordingly to death’s plan, is puzzling. Then there is the way they die. Again, seemingly insignificant items prove to be important as one thing leads to another and all the coincidences lead to horrific deaths. There are all kinds of accidents during the movie, and you never know which one is going to be fatal for someone. The deaths are pretty inventive, I must admit. The music also contributes to the feeling of mystery and tension.

It’s an interesting thriller from the writers of “The Butterfly Effect”, successfully dealing with a different “what if”. It kept me anxious about how the next person was going to die; the freak accidents were mostly the reason why I watched the whole trilogy. And the whole process, the one thing leading to another was just too nicely executed to not to be puzzled by it.

Miss Potter (2006)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0482546/
Director: Chris Noonan / Script: Richard Maltby Jr.
Runtime: 92min
Cast: Renee Zellweger, Ewan McGregor, Emily Watson
Genre: Biography / Drama / Romance
Tagline: One of the greatest love stories never told.

It’s an enchanting tale of the life of Beatrix Potter, the talented children’s book author, illustrating her struggles for publishing her books and finding love in the Victorian era. It is Chris Noonan’s first film after “Babe”, and it has won a Truly Moving Picture Award. The director reasoned his choice for directing this movie saying that he was waiting for something unique to perform, something emotional but real.

The movie is lovely and heartwarming. It is set in the summer days of late Victorian and Edwardian England, where Beatrix Potter begins her close connection with her drawings She manages to prove herself as an artist and a writer by getting her books published, and finds love as well. The film illustrates many interesting aspects of the Victorian era with its strict social and moral values. Renee Zellweger is absolutely wonderful! She did a great job; I can’t imagine anyone fitting better in the role of Beatrix Potter. She has such a nice, calm voice, and her character is admirable and inspirational. Ewan McGregor is charming as well. Together they manage to create chemistry on screen and draw attention on their brilliant acting as well. There is just a right amount of animation during the movie, making it more playful and illustrating the connection of the artist with her work. The art direction and photography is excellent; together with the soundtrack they create a sense of feel-good during the film. The sceneries are beautiful. The soundtrack is quite magical, as if taken from a tale. The romantic love-story which evolves during the movie makes the story even more poignant.

It’s quite an ideal movie for all ages, presenting a life-journey with all its tribulations and still ending with hope. I simply was surprised by how good this movie was and how it stimulated emotions of all kinds.

Marley & Me (2008)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0822832/
Director: David Frankel / Script: Scott Frank & Don Roos & John Grogan
Runtime: 115min
Cast: Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, Eric Dane, Alan Arkin
Genre: Comedy / Drama / Romance / Family
Tagline: Heel the love.

This is not just a film about a cute dog. It is so much more than that. Encompasses themes such as family, marriage, parenthood, work, loss and realistically presents life. The story is basically the life of two journalists, John and Jenny who not long after their marriage, happen to adopt Marley, a Labrador pup. He is incorrigible, testing everyone’s patience; he seems like the world’s worst dog. But also happens to become a very important member of the Grogan family, being there with them through most of their experiences and all of life’s ups and downs. It is based on the best-selling autobiographical book by columnist John Grogan.

The movie proved to be highly entertaining, heartwarming and funny. The amusing part is made up mostly by Marley’s mischief. The art direction and photography is exceptional; beautiful sceneries right from the beginning. The soundtrack also is pleasurable, appropriate tunes for the dynamic, frisky moments just as for the dramatic, touching ones. I also found the editing interesting; liked how there is a three-minute sequence, where so many things get summed up about the life with Marley, all shown in quick little flashes. Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson make a sparkling couple on screen, with likable performances. But still, Marley seems to be the main character of the movie, which was embodied by twenty-two different dogs during the movie. Jenny and John face hardships, but what makes the movie lovely, is that they manage to be happy. “No one tells you how hard this is all going to be” – giving up on things, work, parenting, marriage; in one word: life. Marley is there, in every phase of their lives, and the way the bond is presented would touch the heart of anyone, not just a pet-lover. It is interesting how time passes in the movie; basically the movie covers at least fifteen years of Jenny and John’s life. I only wished the last half an hour was a bit shorter. It became too emotionally overwhelming; I couldn’t hold my tears back. “A dog doesn’t care if you’re rich or poor, clever or dull, smart or dumb. Give him your heart and he’ll give you his. How many people can you say that about?” Anyhow, this movie attempts quite powerfully to make you shed a few tears.

I expected it to be good, but it was even better. The story of the world’s worst dog and his irreplaceable space in one family managed to state its positive message. It’s a movie for anyone looking for a poignant comedy, and anyone who is looking for something else too.

Shrek 1-2 (2001,2004)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0126029/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0298148/
Directors: Andrew Adamson, Vicky Jenson, Kelly Asbury, Conrad Vernon
Script: Will Steig, T. Elliott, T. Rossio, Joe Stillman, R. Schulman, D. Weiss, J.D. Stem.
Runtime: 90 / 93min
Cast: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz
Genre: Animation / Adventure / Comedy / Romance
Tagline: Fairy tales will never be the same again.

Shrek is a quality, non-traditional fairytale which brought us lots of fun and entertaining adventures. In the first movie, we meet with Shrek, a green ogre living in isolation in his swamp, which becomes populated by banished fairy tale creatures. In order to get his swamp back he goes to Lord Farquaad, who sets him on a quest: rescue Princess Fiona from the dragon-guarded castle and bring her to be his wife. The sequel is about meeting the in-laws, who have no idea that they are meeting ogres, moreover Fiona and Shrek’s marriage ruins a few plans of the king with Fairy Godmother, who set out to clear Shrek out of the way. All these adventures happen in the omnipresence of the annoyingly adorable Donkey.

It’s very inventive, with interesting characters and funny lines. It’s a nonconformist fairy tale, where princes are not charming, princesses are not perfect and fairies are villains. However, many fairy tale clichés appear in the movie, these are mostly all reinvented. The graphics are beautiful with detailed, colourful, and picturesque animations. I can say that Dreamworks is a worthy rival for Pixar. The soundtrack is made up of dynamic, popular songs. Action, adventure, romance and fun are balanced. The sequel is surprisingly good. (but not the third, which lost much of its charm and good lines; seemed totally forced) While working on Shrek, Shrek 2 was already being made. The sequel provides with new and interesting characters like Puss In Boots, Prince Charming, Fairy Godmother. Shrek and Fiona’s love is pictured heartwarmingly. In a way these Shreks present more modern, “realistic” fairy tales. The unconventional approach manages to be entertaining without being too silly. Of course, there are flaws (some of the characters, some musical and fight scenes), but all in all it’s fun with its particular humour, quality animations and its original characters. The setting is great with a varied set of places, the faces are expressive and the voices are matching. Cameron Diaz’s voice is very pleasant, Myers as Shrek is agreeable with his accent. And I haven’t even mentioned Donkey yet. Well, he’s my favourite. Eddie Murphy’s voice and comedic skills are perfect. His personality together with the graphics makes Donkey hilarious and adorable, even when he is supposed to be annoying a.k.a. all the time. It’s also interesting to think the characters haven’t even met; they read their lines separately.

This is a light-hearted animation with lots of adventures and good laughs. Some of its jokes are unforgettable (like “are we there yet?”). And the characters are successful for good reasons. Who would have ever thought of a green ogre?