Harry Potter and the Half-Blood prince
Dir. David Yates; starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Tom Felton, Michael Gambon, Jim Broadbent, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman
David Yates again takes the director's chair for the sixth installment of the Harry Potter series. As Harry returns to Hogwart's school of wizardry for another year of teenager angst and dark magic. Director Yates has the difficult task of adapting J.K. Rowling's overlong and exposition-heavy novel. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince always felt like a prelude to something else in its literal form, as if Rowling knew how she wanted to end her saga but was unwilling to start that conclusion with her sixth book. The film is much the same. It's a solid effort with some wonderful moments and fantastic production design, score, and special-effects, but Yates with writer Steve Kloves, can't overcome the novel's inadequacies. For a novel that is based far too much in flashback and back-story, the Half Blood Prince as a movie, feels a little disjointed, rushed in places and overcooked in others. Yates goes to the ever-blossoming talent of Rupert Grint's comic sidekick, or Emma Watson's teenage lust and broken heart to create some character-driven forward momentum, but it detracts from the underlying battle between good and evil. A battle that Rowling unfortunately presents in the book as a series of dream-induced flashbacks that, had Yates featured in their entirety, have made for a very long (even longer than its current two hours forty) film.
The sixth Harry Potter film isn't without its highlights and there are a few surprises along the way but it doesn't live up to the high standards set by Cuaron's Prisoner of Azkaban or Newell's Goblet of Fire. Ultimately, the Half-Blood Prince simply sets up the adventure to come, and instead of satisfying fans who've waited a long time for the sixth film to appear, it'll leave them unfulfilled, their anticipation only heightened for film number seven.
Lemon Trees
Are you one that finds yourself really enjoying good movies that have a good message or learning about other cultures? Do you gain strength watching movies that tell of people's lives and what they have had to fight for? There is a movie out that was co-produced by Ira Riklis that has that type of a message. The movie is "Lemon Tree." It is now out to see and you won't want to miss it.
This movie tells of a widow who is 45 years old and she is all alone. The Israeli minister builds a house by her lemon trees and her lemon trees become a security risk and they get in the way of the bodyguards. Salma, the 45 year old widow, doesn't want her lemon trees taken down. They were planted by her family many generations ago. She decides to fight and protect her lemon trees. It is an unfair battle, because the Israeli minister holds all the power. Luckily Salma has the support of the defense minister's wife, because of her loneliness due to her husband's political career. Through all of this there is a special bond that is developed between these two women. It is a very moving movie that helps you realize what we have here in America.
The producers and co-producers did a great job with this movie. It took everyone to make the movie from Bettina Brokemper to Michael Eckelt to Moshe Edery, Leon Edry, Dudi Zilber, Ira Riklis, Marcia Riklis and many more great people.
Superman
I was in the mood to watch a classic, I'm sure many have seen this film before. This is the original Superman release back in 1978. This is another movie where the music done by John Williams is so epic it literally sends a deep ridden chill down your spine with childish delight. For those who watched this many years ago, it will bring back many memories. There of course was a re-make with all the updated effects simply titled: "Superman Returns" (2006) that was directed by Bryan Singer who was responsible for other movies such as X2 the sequel to the X-Men film series. This original version stars one of the greatest single performances in movie history - portrayed by the late Christopher Reeves. His performance in this movie was so incredible it will be tough not to forget him both as a person and actor.
The actor suffered a great tragedy from a horse riding accident in Virginia, USA. This later would lead to a slow death for him. It is not right to watch movie screen heroes die like this. He was taken too quickly in this life. The characters he left behind on screen will forever be endearing to his fans. There are some great scenes in this; my favorite I think was when he saves Lois by turning back time. The character Lois is played by Margot Kidder who also tragically suffered in real life from being in a car accident, and also an unusual disease from using her computer. How strange is that? This lead to her paranoia and then she contracted bipolar disorder. Afterwards, she had massive panic attacks and this resulted in psychological problems for her. Apparently, she left her home and faked her own death and even changed her appearance she later got involved with a mental wellness campaign and is now much better based on what I understand.
OK, now back to the plot of the film, the planet that Superman hails from is called Krypton which is on the verge of destruction, there are three criminals who are judged and banished from the planet. The council of elders at the planet of Krypton are set in their ways, and refuse to flee from the planet. Superman's parents are played by the late Marlon Brando as Jor-El and British actress Susannah York who plays his mother Lara. Both of them meet their demise, but are able to save their son in a capsule sending him to Earth. He gains knowledge while traveling through time and space upon his arrival to Earth. When he crash lands, he is found by a remote area in the countryside where the couple adopts him and raises him as their own, he then discovers some of his super powers along the way, but his true test lies ahead when he reaches the age of eighteen.
He decides to set forth to the city of Metropolis where he gets a job as a reporter, and keeps a low profile as Clark Kent his other alias identity later he meets up with Lois, Jimmy Olsen who is played by Marc McClure and Jackie Cooper who plays Perry White the chief at the "The Daily Planet" a newspaper company. He works as a reporter and secretly saves humanity from the likes of Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor. This character is similar in some regards to Spiderman. (They both work in journalism and are superheroes on the side) On a side note, if you have old comic books lying around best check them out. The first edition where Superman appears in Action Comics issue #1 is worth in mint-near mint condition a whopping $400,000 dollars and the best known copy a 9.2 comic grade rating which a dentist owns who bought it back years ago for $25,000 dollars a coin dealer Jay Parrino offered him $2,000.000 for it. Superman is part of pop culture and probably one of the best known icons in our time. You must watch this movie, it is simply amazing the effects are dated a bit, but look beyond it and enjoy this one! This is a must buy or rental to enjoy with your family. Even the trailer gives me chills, fantastic filmmaking.
A Beautiful Mind
A Beautiful Mind is a truly beautiful movie, and it should not be missed by anyone of proper age to appreciate its beauty. It is about a schizophrenic mathematician named "John Nash", who spends all of his days trying to find a revolutionary discovery/formula that will change life. The irony, is that life doesn't work out if we try to solve it like an equation. It is only when we let go and let life happen to us, that we will find our true happiness. The Beautiful Mind is an exaggerated tale of this law, and how terrible life can get if you try to solve its nonexistent formula.
John Nash is an awkward man, not good in social situations, but an amazingly talented mathematician. He is so good, in fact, that he spends most of his time trying to find a revolutionary discovery in mathematics. I like to think of it as a "Life formula", or a discovery that will never happen. The twist of the movie, which happens about halfway through, is that Nash is suffering from a severe form of schizophrenia, and half of the situations/places that exist in his life, are only part of his "beautiful" mind.
One imaginary character that he creates is his roommate, Charles. Nash gets along very well with Charles, which makes the audience suspicious from the start, seeing that John Nash doesn't really get along well with anyone else. The other character that Nash creates is named Parcher, who is working to solve a conspiracy case of an atomic bomb threat towards the U.S. When the conspiracy situation goes wrong in Nash's head, that is when he is in need of mental help. He is taken into a psychiatric hospital, and receives intense treatment. Upon returning home, the visions are suppressed, but so is every aspect of John Nash's beautiful mind. He no longer can think right, feel right, or act right. He stops taking the medication, and loses another battle with his schizophrenia. Instead of going back to the hospital, he tries to battle the hallucinations on his own. This is the turning point of the movie, where Nash learns how to really live his life.
Nash learns that life is more than making a discovery, or solving an equation. There is love and emotion involved; A wife, taking care of your baby, and the everyday joys of life. Instead of focusing his time on himself, John decides to go back to teaching classes, and shares his amazing knowledge with his students. All this, while ignoring the characters that took over his mind. This is where an amazing inspirational quote is mentioned by John Nash, which I will mention here:
"Are the hallucinations...gone?" "No, but I've gotten used to ignoring them, and as a result, they've kind of given up on me. I think that's sorta what it's like with dreams and nightmares. We've gotta keep feeding them for them to stay alive"
That is one of the most true and inspirational quotes I have ever heard. Dreams will gradually disappear, if we do not focus on them, and take constant action towards them. Nightmares will continue, as long as we feed them our attention. John Nash wins a Nobel Peace Prize at the end of the movie, for his contributions to society. A Beautiful Mind is a movie about the importance of enjoying every day of life, and not getting caught up in ridiculous theories or fantasies for a future that may never be. If we don't focus on the present moment, it may be the biggest regret in our life. Embrace life each day, don't embrace a fantasy world.
New Moon Movie
New Moon Movie, the sequel to Twilight, is going to be big, very big. Raking in over 382 millions dollars gross, there are big expectations for the New Moon Movie. Because the going is hot, Summit has planned to have New Moon out by the 20th of November, 2009, exactly 1 year after Twilight's release. We're in July now and filming has been completed, however post-production is still in the works.
You might say, "yea they've got 4 months to work on it, heaps of time". That's true, but did you know that Eclipse is set to begin filming on August 17 and then be released July next year! In other words, they are going to be working on two films at once, back-to-back and have Eclipse ready within 8 months! This is a very tight schedule, considering we haven't seen the second film yet. New Moon Movie no doubt will be something to watch, but can they make the cut? That is something that everybody would like to know.
Besides the production side of things, the actors themselves are going to be burnt out amongst the Twilight Saga and their other contracted films. There is also talk of doing Breaking Dawn, yet another addition to the Twilight Saga.
Adding to the mix is the fan base of girls after Robert Pattinson. They've caused disruptions in between on-set of his new movie "Remember Me" and his personal life. Poor guy was even hit by a taxi! Hopefully, he wont have those issues when filming Eclipse.
Best thing to do is sit tight, keep up to date with how the production is going and just see what happens. Good luck to the New Moon Movie crew.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Good Cinemas gives good knowledge
Movies
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood prince
Dir. David Yates; starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Tom Felton, Michael Gambon, Jim Broadbent, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman
David Yates again takes the director's chair for the sixth installment of the Harry Potter series. As Harry returns to Hogwart's school of wizardry for another year of teenager angst and dark magic. Director Yates has the difficult task of adapting J.K. Rowling's overlong and exposition-heavy novel. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince always felt like a prelude to something else in its literal form, as if Rowling knew how she wanted to end her saga but was unwilling to start that conclusion with her sixth book. The film is much the same. It's a solid effort with some wonderful moments and fantastic production design, score, and special-effects, but Yates with writer Steve Kloves, can't overcome the novel's inadequacies. For a novel that is based far too much in flashback and back-story, the Half Blood Prince as a movie, feels a little disjointed, rushed in places and overcooked in others. Yates goes to the ever-blossoming talent of Rupert Grint's comic sidekick, or Emma Watson's teenage lust and broken heart to create some character-driven forward momentum, but it detracts from the underlying battle between good and evil. A battle that Rowling unfortunately presents in the book as a series of dream-induced flashbacks that, had Yates featured in their entirety, have made for a very long (even longer than its current two hours forty) film.
The sixth Harry Potter film isn't without its highlights and there are a few surprises along the way but it doesn't live up to the high standards set by Cuaron's Prisoner of Azkaban or Newell's Goblet of Fire. Ultimately, the Half-Blood Prince simply sets up the adventure to come, and instead of satisfying fans who've waited a long time for the sixth film to appear, it'll leave them unfulfilled, their anticipation only heightened for film number seven.
Lemon Trees
Are you one that finds yourself really enjoying good movies that have a good message or learning about other cultures? Do you gain strength watching movies that tell of people's lives and what they have had to fight for? There is a movie out that was co-produced by Ira Riklis that has that type of a message. The movie is "Lemon Tree." It is now out to see and you won't want to miss it.
This movie tells of a widow who is 45 years old and she is all alone. The Israeli minister builds a house by her lemon trees and her lemon trees become a security risk and they get in the way of the bodyguards. Salma, the 45 year old widow, doesn't want her lemon trees taken down. They were planted by her family many generations ago. She decides to fight and protect her lemon trees. It is an unfair battle, because the Israeli minister holds all the power. Luckily Salma has the support of the defense minister's wife, because of her loneliness due to her husband's political career. Through all of this there is a special bond that is developed between these two women. It is a very moving movie that helps you realize what we have here in America.
The producers and co-producers did a great job with this movie. It took everyone to make the movie from Bettina Brokemper to Michael Eckelt to Moshe Edery, Leon Edry, Dudi Zilber, Ira Riklis, Marcia Riklis and many more great people.
Superman
I was in the mood to watch a classic, I'm sure many have seen this film before. This is the original Superman release back in 1978. This is another movie where the music done by John Williams is so epic it literally sends a deep ridden chill down your spine with childish delight. For those who watched this many years ago, it will bring back many memories. There of course was a re-make with all the updated effects simply titled: "Superman Returns" (2006) that was directed by Bryan Singer who was responsible for other movies such as X2 the sequel to the X-Men film series. This original version stars one of the greatest single performances in movie history - portrayed by the late Christopher Reeves. His performance in this movie was so incredible it will be tough not to forget him both as a person and actor.
The actor suffered a great tragedy from a horse riding accident in Virginia, USA. This later would lead to a slow death for him. It is not right to watch movie screen heroes die like this. He was taken too quickly in this life. The characters he left behind on screen will forever be endearing to his fans. There are some great scenes in this; my favorite I think was when he saves Lois by turning back time. The character Lois is played by Margot Kidder who also tragically suffered in real life from being in a car accident, and also an unusual disease from using her computer. How strange is that? This lead to her paranoia and then she contracted bipolar disorder. Afterwards, she had massive panic attacks and this resulted in psychological problems for her. Apparently, she left her home and faked her own death and even changed her appearance she later got involved with a mental wellness campaign and is now much better based on what I understand.
OK, now back to the plot of the film, the planet that Superman hails from is called Krypton which is on the verge of destruction, there are three criminals who are judged and banished from the planet. The council of elders at the planet of Krypton are set in their ways, and refuse to flee from the planet. Superman's parents are played by the late Marlon Brando as Jor-El and British actress Susannah York who plays his mother Lara. Both of them meet their demise, but are able to save their son in a capsule sending him to Earth. He gains knowledge while traveling through time and space upon his arrival to Earth. When he crash lands, he is found by a remote area in the countryside where the couple adopts him and raises him as their own, he then discovers some of his super powers along the way, but his true test lies ahead when he reaches the age of eighteen.
He decides to set forth to the city of Metropolis where he gets a job as a reporter, and keeps a low profile as Clark Kent his other alias identity later he meets up with Lois, Jimmy Olsen who is played by Marc McClure and Jackie Cooper who plays Perry White the chief at the "The Daily Planet" a newspaper company. He works as a reporter and secretly saves humanity from the likes of Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor. This character is similar in some regards to Spiderman. (They both work in journalism and are superheroes on the side) On a side note, if you have old comic books lying around best check them out. The first edition where Superman appears in Action Comics issue #1 is worth in mint-near mint condition a whopping $400,000 dollars and the best known copy a 9.2 comic grade rating which a dentist owns who bought it back years ago for $25,000 dollars a coin dealer Jay Parrino offered him $2,000.000 for it. Superman is part of pop culture and probably one of the best known icons in our time. You must watch this movie, it is simply amazing the effects are dated a bit, but look beyond it and enjoy this one! This is a must buy or rental to enjoy with your family. Even the trailer gives me chills, fantastic filmmaking.
A Beautiful Mind
A Beautiful Mind is a truly beautiful movie, and it should not be missed by anyone of proper age to appreciate its beauty. It is about a schizophrenic mathematician named "John Nash", who spends all of his days trying to find a revolutionary discovery/formula that will change life. The irony, is that life doesn't work out if we try to solve it like an equation. It is only when we let go and let life happen to us, that we will find our true happiness. The Beautiful Mind is an exaggerated tale of this law, and how terrible life can get if you try to solve its nonexistent formula.
John Nash is an awkward man, not good in social situations, but an amazingly talented mathematician. He is so good, in fact, that he spends most of his time trying to find a revolutionary discovery in mathematics. I like to think of it as a "Life formula", or a discovery that will never happen. The twist of the movie, which happens about halfway through, is that Nash is suffering from a severe form of schizophrenia, and half of the situations/places that exist in his life, are only part of his "beautiful" mind.
One imaginary character that he creates is his roommate, Charles. Nash gets along very well with Charles, which makes the audience suspicious from the start, seeing that John Nash doesn't really get along well with anyone else. The other character that Nash creates is named Parcher, who is working to solve a conspiracy case of an atomic bomb threat towards the U.S. When the conspiracy situation goes wrong in Nash's head, that is when he is in need of mental help. He is taken into a psychiatric hospital, and receives intense treatment. Upon returning home, the visions are suppressed, but so is every aspect of John Nash's beautiful mind. He no longer can think right, feel right, or act right. He stops taking the medication, and loses another battle with his schizophrenia. Instead of going back to the hospital, he tries to battle the hallucinations on his own. This is the turning point of the movie, where Nash learns how to really live his life.
Nash learns that life is more than making a discovery, or solving an equation. There is love and emotion involved; A wife, taking care of your baby, and the everyday joys of life. Instead of focusing his time on himself, John decides to go back to teaching classes, and shares his amazing knowledge with his students. All this, while ignoring the characters that took over his mind. This is where an amazing inspirational quote is mentioned by John Nash, which I will mention here:
"Are the hallucinations...gone?" "No, but I've gotten used to ignoring them, and as a result, they've kind of given up on me. I think that's sorta what it's like with dreams and nightmares. We've gotta keep feeding them for them to stay alive"
That is one of the most true and inspirational quotes I have ever heard. Dreams will gradually disappear, if we do not focus on them, and take constant action towards them. Nightmares will continue, as long as we feed them our attention. John Nash wins a Nobel Peace Prize at the end of the movie, for his contributions to society. A Beautiful Mind is a movie about the importance of enjoying every day of life, and not getting caught up in ridiculous theories or fantasies for a future that may never be. If we don't focus on the present moment, it may be the biggest regret in our life. Embrace life each day, don't embrace a fantasy world.
New Moon Movie
New Moon Movie, the sequel to Twilight, is going to be big, very big. Raking in over 382 millions dollars gross, there are big expectations for the New Moon Movie. Because the going is hot, Summit has planned to have New Moon out by the 20th of November, 2009, exactly 1 year after Twilight's release. We're in July now and filming has been completed, however post-production is still in the works.
You might say, "yea they've got 4 months to work on it, heaps of time". That's true, but did you know that Eclipse is set to begin filming on August 17 and then be released July next year! In other words, they are going to be working on two films at once, back-to-back and have Eclipse ready within 8 months! This is a very tight schedule, considering we haven't seen the second film yet. New Moon Movie no doubt will be something to watch, but can they make the cut? That is something that everybody would like to know.
Besides the production side of things, the actors themselves are going to be burnt out amongst the Twilight Saga and their other contracted films. There is also talk of doing Breaking Dawn, yet another addition to the Twilight Saga.
Adding to the mix is the fan base of girls after Robert Pattinson. They've caused disruptions in between on-set of his new movie "Remember Me" and his personal life. Poor guy was even hit by a taxi! Hopefully, he wont have those issues when filming Eclipse.
Best thing to do is sit tight, keep up to date with how the production is going and just see what happens. Good luck to the New Moon Movie crew.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood prince
Dir. David Yates; starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Tom Felton, Michael Gambon, Jim Broadbent, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman
David Yates again takes the director's chair for the sixth installment of the Harry Potter series. As Harry returns to Hogwart's school of wizardry for another year of teenager angst and dark magic. Director Yates has the difficult task of adapting J.K. Rowling's overlong and exposition-heavy novel. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince always felt like a prelude to something else in its literal form, as if Rowling knew how she wanted to end her saga but was unwilling to start that conclusion with her sixth book. The film is much the same. It's a solid effort with some wonderful moments and fantastic production design, score, and special-effects, but Yates with writer Steve Kloves, can't overcome the novel's inadequacies. For a novel that is based far too much in flashback and back-story, the Half Blood Prince as a movie, feels a little disjointed, rushed in places and overcooked in others. Yates goes to the ever-blossoming talent of Rupert Grint's comic sidekick, or Emma Watson's teenage lust and broken heart to create some character-driven forward momentum, but it detracts from the underlying battle between good and evil. A battle that Rowling unfortunately presents in the book as a series of dream-induced flashbacks that, had Yates featured in their entirety, have made for a very long (even longer than its current two hours forty) film.
The sixth Harry Potter film isn't without its highlights and there are a few surprises along the way but it doesn't live up to the high standards set by Cuaron's Prisoner of Azkaban or Newell's Goblet of Fire. Ultimately, the Half-Blood Prince simply sets up the adventure to come, and instead of satisfying fans who've waited a long time for the sixth film to appear, it'll leave them unfulfilled, their anticipation only heightened for film number seven.
Lemon Trees
Are you one that finds yourself really enjoying good movies that have a good message or learning about other cultures? Do you gain strength watching movies that tell of people's lives and what they have had to fight for? There is a movie out that was co-produced by Ira Riklis that has that type of a message. The movie is "Lemon Tree." It is now out to see and you won't want to miss it.
This movie tells of a widow who is 45 years old and she is all alone. The Israeli minister builds a house by her lemon trees and her lemon trees become a security risk and they get in the way of the bodyguards. Salma, the 45 year old widow, doesn't want her lemon trees taken down. They were planted by her family many generations ago. She decides to fight and protect her lemon trees. It is an unfair battle, because the Israeli minister holds all the power. Luckily Salma has the support of the defense minister's wife, because of her loneliness due to her husband's political career. Through all of this there is a special bond that is developed between these two women. It is a very moving movie that helps you realize what we have here in America.
The producers and co-producers did a great job with this movie. It took everyone to make the movie from Bettina Brokemper to Michael Eckelt to Moshe Edery, Leon Edry, Dudi Zilber, Ira Riklis, Marcia Riklis and many more great people.
Superman
I was in the mood to watch a classic, I'm sure many have seen this film before. This is the original Superman release back in 1978. This is another movie where the music done by John Williams is so epic it literally sends a deep ridden chill down your spine with childish delight. For those who watched this many years ago, it will bring back many memories. There of course was a re-make with all the updated effects simply titled: "Superman Returns" (2006) that was directed by Bryan Singer who was responsible for other movies such as X2 the sequel to the X-Men film series. This original version stars one of the greatest single performances in movie history - portrayed by the late Christopher Reeves. His performance in this movie was so incredible it will be tough not to forget him both as a person and actor.
The actor suffered a great tragedy from a horse riding accident in Virginia, USA. This later would lead to a slow death for him. It is not right to watch movie screen heroes die like this. He was taken too quickly in this life. The characters he left behind on screen will forever be endearing to his fans. There are some great scenes in this; my favorite I think was when he saves Lois by turning back time. The character Lois is played by Margot Kidder who also tragically suffered in real life from being in a car accident, and also an unusual disease from using her computer. How strange is that? This lead to her paranoia and then she contracted bipolar disorder. Afterwards, she had massive panic attacks and this resulted in psychological problems for her. Apparently, she left her home and faked her own death and even changed her appearance she later got involved with a mental wellness campaign and is now much better based on what I understand.
OK, now back to the plot of the film, the planet that Superman hails from is called Krypton which is on the verge of destruction, there are three criminals who are judged and banished from the planet. The council of elders at the planet of Krypton are set in their ways, and refuse to flee from the planet. Superman's parents are played by the late Marlon Brando as Jor-El and British actress Susannah York who plays his mother Lara. Both of them meet their demise, but are able to save their son in a capsule sending him to Earth. He gains knowledge while traveling through time and space upon his arrival to Earth. When he crash lands, he is found by a remote area in the countryside where the couple adopts him and raises him as their own, he then discovers some of his super powers along the way, but his true test lies ahead when he reaches the age of eighteen.
He decides to set forth to the city of Metropolis where he gets a job as a reporter, and keeps a low profile as Clark Kent his other alias identity later he meets up with Lois, Jimmy Olsen who is played by Marc McClure and Jackie Cooper who plays Perry White the chief at the "The Daily Planet" a newspaper company. He works as a reporter and secretly saves humanity from the likes of Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor. This character is similar in some regards to Spiderman. (They both work in journalism and are superheroes on the side) On a side note, if you have old comic books lying around best check them out. The first edition where Superman appears in Action Comics issue #1 is worth in mint-near mint condition a whopping $400,000 dollars and the best known copy a 9.2 comic grade rating which a dentist owns who bought it back years ago for $25,000 dollars a coin dealer Jay Parrino offered him $2,000.000 for it. Superman is part of pop culture and probably one of the best known icons in our time. You must watch this movie, it is simply amazing the effects are dated a bit, but look beyond it and enjoy this one! This is a must buy or rental to enjoy with your family. Even the trailer gives me chills, fantastic filmmaking.
A Beautiful Mind
A Beautiful Mind is a truly beautiful movie, and it should not be missed by anyone of proper age to appreciate its beauty. It is about a schizophrenic mathematician named "John Nash", who spends all of his days trying to find a revolutionary discovery/formula that will change life. The irony, is that life doesn't work out if we try to solve it like an equation. It is only when we let go and let life happen to us, that we will find our true happiness. The Beautiful Mind is an exaggerated tale of this law, and how terrible life can get if you try to solve its nonexistent formula.
John Nash is an awkward man, not good in social situations, but an amazingly talented mathematician. He is so good, in fact, that he spends most of his time trying to find a revolutionary discovery in mathematics. I like to think of it as a "Life formula", or a discovery that will never happen. The twist of the movie, which happens about halfway through, is that Nash is suffering from a severe form of schizophrenia, and half of the situations/places that exist in his life, are only part of his "beautiful" mind.
One imaginary character that he creates is his roommate, Charles. Nash gets along very well with Charles, which makes the audience suspicious from the start, seeing that John Nash doesn't really get along well with anyone else. The other character that Nash creates is named Parcher, who is working to solve a conspiracy case of an atomic bomb threat towards the U.S. When the conspiracy situation goes wrong in Nash's head, that is when he is in need of mental help. He is taken into a psychiatric hospital, and receives intense treatment. Upon returning home, the visions are suppressed, but so is every aspect of John Nash's beautiful mind. He no longer can think right, feel right, or act right. He stops taking the medication, and loses another battle with his schizophrenia. Instead of going back to the hospital, he tries to battle the hallucinations on his own. This is the turning point of the movie, where Nash learns how to really live his life.
Nash learns that life is more than making a discovery, or solving an equation. There is love and emotion involved; A wife, taking care of your baby, and the everyday joys of life. Instead of focusing his time on himself, John decides to go back to teaching classes, and shares his amazing knowledge with his students. All this, while ignoring the characters that took over his mind. This is where an amazing inspirational quote is mentioned by John Nash, which I will mention here:
"Are the hallucinations...gone?" "No, but I've gotten used to ignoring them, and as a result, they've kind of given up on me. I think that's sorta what it's like with dreams and nightmares. We've gotta keep feeding them for them to stay alive"
That is one of the most true and inspirational quotes I have ever heard. Dreams will gradually disappear, if we do not focus on them, and take constant action towards them. Nightmares will continue, as long as we feed them our attention. John Nash wins a Nobel Peace Prize at the end of the movie, for his contributions to society. A Beautiful Mind is a movie about the importance of enjoying every day of life, and not getting caught up in ridiculous theories or fantasies for a future that may never be. If we don't focus on the present moment, it may be the biggest regret in our life. Embrace life each day, don't embrace a fantasy world.
New Moon Movie
New Moon Movie, the sequel to Twilight, is going to be big, very big. Raking in over 382 millions dollars gross, there are big expectations for the New Moon Movie. Because the going is hot, Summit has planned to have New Moon out by the 20th of November, 2009, exactly 1 year after Twilight's release. We're in July now and filming has been completed, however post-production is still in the works.
You might say, "yea they've got 4 months to work on it, heaps of time". That's true, but did you know that Eclipse is set to begin filming on August 17 and then be released July next year! In other words, they are going to be working on two films at once, back-to-back and have Eclipse ready within 8 months! This is a very tight schedule, considering we haven't seen the second film yet. New Moon Movie no doubt will be something to watch, but can they make the cut? That is something that everybody would like to know.
Besides the production side of things, the actors themselves are going to be burnt out amongst the Twilight Saga and their other contracted films. There is also talk of doing Breaking Dawn, yet another addition to the Twilight Saga.
Adding to the mix is the fan base of girls after Robert Pattinson. They've caused disruptions in between on-set of his new movie "Remember Me" and his personal life. Poor guy was even hit by a taxi! Hopefully, he wont have those issues when filming Eclipse.
Best thing to do is sit tight, keep up to date with how the production is going and just see what happens. Good luck to the New Moon Movie crew.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Marley & Me
This isn’t just about a dog. Marley & Me is a heartwarming tale of a family with dog DRAMA. Be prepared to laugh and cry, equally as hard.Based on newspaper columnist John Grogan’s best-selling book about his life, Marley & Me is a study of a married couple, who happen to own one of the more destructive Labradors known to the canine species. From the minute newlyweds John (Owen Wilson) and Jenny Grogan (Jennifer Aniston) pick out Marley from a pen of cute Lab puppies, they realize something’s up when the seller says they can have him for a discounted price. Soon, it becomes very apparent Marley is un-trainable, as he proceeds to jump and climb and chow down on anything he can. Still, John and Jenny fall for the mutt and as their family begins to grow, as they change jobs, have babies, move to new places, Marley remains a constant fixture. For better or worse.
This marks a sort of comeback for its stars. For Jennifer Aniston, it’s a way to clear up all her past movie mistakes. Her portrayal of a woman, coping with job, marriage, kids -- and dog who barks at the garbage truck, waking up her napping young children at the wrong times -- shows just how mature she has gotten as an actress. Owen Wilson, too, has matured and proves he’s good at his craft, playing John with equal measures bemusement and joy at how his life turned out. And the two are genuinely convincing as a married couple, without any of the clichés. Wilson and Aniston have both had to take a hard look at themselves personally, but they seem to have come out stronger on the other side. Also good is Grey’s Anatomy’s Eric Dane as John’s journalist buddy Sebastian, an investigative reporter John envies at times.
As for the 22 or so dogs who played Marley, well, director David Frankel (The Devil Wears Prada) should get a medal, handling all that canine behavior. He manages to manipulate the camera to get the just the right “worst dog in the world” moments with Marley. Or he may have just pointed the camera at the dog and let the dog handler yell, “Go for it!” Either way, the dog tugs at your heartstrings. But audiences should know Marley & Me isn’t just a movie about the life and times of an adorable dog, contrary to how the studio is marketing it. This is about a marriage and family and all the ups and downs that entails -- and how a beloved pet can be an integral part. If you plan on bringing young kids, be warned it might not be a life lesson they need to learn just yet.
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