Movie reviews and recommendations

[MipiaceJake]

Originally Posted by Anne

Well, it's Arnie after all, not the smartest cookie in the jar but still Governator of California.

LOL! The American dream: anybody can make it, if he's enough strong(!) willed. But he needs to be related to the Kennedys!

Anyhow, I'm going to see Avatar, eventually. I'll post my thoughts!

[MipiaceJake]

So Avatar...
Warning: I pride myself for still being able to feel enthusiast in a childish way and some find it quite annoying. But, as the 4th Doctor (Who) used to say "There's no point in being grown up if you can't be childish sometimes"!, so there.
Avatar is a good movie, the graphic is really spectacular and the plot carries you away in a world of wonder and beauty, Pandora, so beautiful that you really want to reach out your hand and feel it. Not a short movie, almost three hours, but like an amazed kid in a candyshop, time passes by and you don't even notice it.
Mild spoilering here:

Spoiler: show

Truth is, the story is not very original but it is one we Dr Quinn lovers know already: the Na'vi, the natives of planet Pandora, have something the "White man" want badly at the cost of destroying the nature (The Na'vi is a pantheistic culture, so you can imagine their grief in losing sacred trees and holy places) and eventually slaughtering people.The good prevails, in the end, even if the cost will be high. But the magic of the first part of the movie is a bit ruined, IMHO, by the G.I. Joe style of this ending.

You can't help but fall in love with this peaceful, utopic world and with some of the characters.

Silly mode on: I started giggling at the main character's name, Jake Sully, and laughed histerically at Sigourny Weaver character's name Grace! Silly mode off!

[Jen]

Sophy, have you already seen It's Complicated? I'm pretty sure you'll have lots of fun watching it.

Seems like everyone is really into this Avatar film. Maybe I should give it a chance. I'm not much of a scifi person, but I've never seen anything in 3D so that would be interesting to experience (unless I get a heart attack or something lol).

Originally Posted by MipiaceJake

So Avatar...
Silly mode on: I started giggling at the main character's name, Jake Sully, and laughed histerically at Sigourny Weaver character's name Grace! Silly mode off!

lol that's funny! I sometimes see connections like that in films too. Maybe our brain has too much Dr. Quinn in it.

Last film I watched was Magnolia. I've seen it before but could only remember THE scene about it (you know what I mean if you've seen it ). Hmmm. I like the idea a lot and the way it was built was really interesting. Sometimes though I got a bit too lost for my liking, so I had to concentrate really hard to see connections between the random things. But I do think it's a great, inventive film and liked the way things were sort of left open. Though Tom Cruise still makes me want to , so I guess he played his role in this one well then... (And it's a disgrace that Julianne Moore hasn't won any major awards for these great roles she's played over the years...argh.)

[Anne]

I haven't seem Magnolia yet because of Tom Cruise. I can't believe there were times that I actually liked him. But that was a long time before he mutated into a Scientology zombie.

[Jen]

lol Anne. I don't know, something about his personality has never really clicked with me and somehow I could never see anything great in his acting. But that's just my opinion of course (oh yeah and if I remember correctly, he was okay in Jerry MacGuire - but it's ages since I saw that one).

[Anne]

I actually liked him in "A few good Men" and in "Rain Man", but you're right, he's not the greatest actor although he thinks he is.

[Sophy]

Originally Posted by Jen

Sophy, have you already seen It's Complicated? I'm pretty sure you'll have lots of fun watching it.

I just came from watching It's Complicated now! Gosh there were some real hard and loud laughs in the theatre I tell you! LOL!!!! It sure WAS complicated. A true mixed up Nancy Meyers movie. People seemed to really like it.
I'm silly though, I keep watching Meryl movies too closely. I think that here and there they had "edited away" some deep acting moments, both fun and sad scenes. I think there could have been even more true heart feeling in the movie if it hadn't been for the "quickness" of it. Hard to explain.
And

Spoiler: show

I kind of wished for another ending.

I must see it again.

[Jen]

Yay! But I agree: there were instances where I thought "okay now it will get really touching" but then they just rushed past it and never gave any of the feelings that much space to develop. So in that sense I feel "Something's Gotta Give" had more of those serious moments where you really identified with the characters. And it seemed pretty clear that Meryl wanted to make it more "real" in certain scenes but there just wasn't enough time or the role didn't offer her those possibilities. But perhaps we analyse it too much and should just take it as an entertaining comedy, nothing more nothing less. The Finnish audience kept cracking up at it very loudly too which is quite unusual here, so I guess it was a hit. (Yet after her break...Meryl, please choose a drama role and show us again why we originally fell in love with you. )

[Mervi]

I finally saw Avatar! Not really my type of film with all the action and fighting but I must admit the world of Pandora and it's people were really beautiful and seeing all that 3D made it really worth watching!

The storyline however kept annoying me, it was so predictable and not original at all. Afterwards my sister sent me this funny link (spoilers there...)

[MipiaceJake]

Originally Posted by Mervi

Afterwards my sister sent me this funny link (spoilers there...)

Very similar in a suspicious way!

[Anne]

Hahaha Mervi, this is hilarious!
I still haven't seen Avatar yet, but you have me giggling here at the "coincidences".

[Jen]

I saw Where the Wild Things Are yesterday. A little bit strange sometimes, but I'd say good strange. And all the "monsters" looked so real and human. It fascinates me what you can do with computers these days. Great music and beautiful scenery as well.

[Jen]

It's me again.

I've been watching some of the Oscar nominated films. An Education was really enjoyable and I'm not surprised at all that the girl in the main part is nominated for best actress Oscar. Emma Thompson's short supporting role was pretty funny in a way - she looked horrendous and had some major posh attitude going on.

The Blind Side with Sandra Bullock left me a bit undecided. The overall film seemed very cheesy to me, no matter how much I wanted to like it. As for Sandra being nominated for best actress...why?! I tried to see the reasons, but I just didn't feel like it was such an amazing performance. Unless they measure it in the actor's own merits, like "she's been in silly comedies before and now she handled a serious role well." I was expecting something greatly moving from all the rave about her in this film, but I just didn't see it I guess. I'm starting to think that even though Meryl Streep wasn't unbelievably amazing in her role either, she still was miles ahead. I have yet to see Helen Mirren and that other woman, though. But I'd rather the girl from An Education got the award than Sandra actually. Hmmm, I think these Oscars will be quite interesting after all.

[Mervi]

Today I bought my ticket to Alice in Wonderland premiere next week

[MipiaceJake]

Yay!!
Here the premiere is tonight, no chance to find tickets!
I took my mum to see Avatar: it made me so happy to see her, 66 years old, being excited like a little girl for the 3d experience. So I want to take her to see Alice as well!