Thursday Movie Picks: Television Edition: High School

Welcome to another Thursday Movie Picks, the weekly series hosted by Wandering Through the Shelves that consists of picking three films to fit the week's theme. 

It's the last Thursday of the month and that means it's time for another television edition TMP. The theme is high school and the struggle to pick three shows was real because I've seen so many, I didn't know which to choose.

The O.C. (2003-2007)

It follows the dramas of a group of (for the most) rich high school kids in Orange County, California. This is one of the first shows I watched and I loved it. I can't believe it has been 10 years since the final season. 

One Tree Hill (2003-2012)

It follows the rivalry both on the basketball court and in the heart of their friends of two half-brothers living in Tree Hill, North Carolina. I started watching this at season 3 I believe, but it was so good I checked out the first seasons as well. I haven't seen the last couple of seasons though.

Pretty Little Liars (2010-2017)

When the body of their missing friend is found, four high school girls must team up against A, a mysterious/anonymous figure who threatens to expose their deepest secrets. At the beginning it was great, then it all became too ridiculous and boring. I even stopped watching it at season 6 but then restarted it because they said season 7 would be the last. And it was. And it also was a disappointment. 

Y Tu Mamá También (2001)

Genres

Drama, Romance

Director

Alfonso Cuaron

Country

Mexico

Cast

Maribel Verdú, Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna, Diana Bracho, Andrés Almeida, Ana Lopez, Nathan Grinberg, Veronica Langer, Maria Aura, Juan Carlos Remolina, Daniel Gimenez Cacho

Storyline

After their girlfriends have left to travel through Europe, two friends, Tenoch (Diego Luna) and Julio (Gael Garcia Bernal) embark on a road trip with Luisa (Maribel Verdú), the beautiful wife of Tenoch's cousin (Juan Carlos Remolina).

Opinion

Iñárritu's is basically all the Mexican cinema I know and I love it. But his is not all the Mexican cinema which is why I decided to check out Y Tu Mamá También, one of Cuaron's earlier films and that also has been on my watchlist since the dawn of times. And I was amazed by it.

I read somewhere someone saying this was the Mexican version of American Pie. That couldn't be more wrong because this film isn't a stupid teen sex comedy, but a deep and very compelling drama about life.

Y Tu Mamá También is that kind of movie that doesn't need a plot, twists and all that to keep you engaged. It's the character-driven kind of film with impressive development and believable characters whose behaviours could be easy to relate to. The leading trio, Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna and Maribel Verdú, is at the top of their game and the performances are nothing short of fantastic.

Also, the film beautifully explores the relationship between two friends and the relationship each of them has with the woman they met while dealing with serious matters such as death either caused by diseases or road kill.

At last but not least, the film is a visual splendour and the credits go to the one and only Emmanuele Lubezki. 

Baywatch (2017)

Genres

Action, Comedy

Director

Seth Gordon

Country

USA

Cast

Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron, Alexandra Daddario, Kelly Rohrbach, Priyanka Chopra, Jon Bass, Ilfenesh Hadera, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Rob Huebel, Hannibal Buress, Jack Kesy, Oscar Nunez, Amin Joseph, Belinda, Izabel Goulart, Charlotte McKinney, David Hasselhoff, Pamela Anderson

Storyline

While babysitting an insubordinate former Olympic swimmer (Zac Efron), vigorous lifeguard Mitch Buchannon (Dwayne Johnson) must do some undercover work to find out who's selling a new synthetic drug on his beach.

Opinion

Apparently, m.brown's review over at Two Dollar Cinema wasn't enough of a warning because I still decided to watch Baywatch. And it was exactly how I thought it would be, hundred percent trash.

I have never seen the TV show, only a few scenes here and there and they were enough for me to see how stupid it was (so it totally makes sense Hollywood decided to remake into a movie) and the movie is no different. The story is absolutely ridiculous, stupid, pathetic, cheesy, predictable and I think I'm out of adjectives to describe it.

And it's filled with equally terrible characters. They all are paper-thin and stereotypes. The men are all morons, the women are all smart and witty. I'm a woman and I love seeing witty women on screen, but these characters are just pathetic and insulting throward those movies that actually features smart female characters. Also, they are so bland, I couldn't care less about the predictable outcome of their mission. To be honest I was rooting for the villain. I'm not saying the villain was a better character, I just have a huge crush on Priyanka Chopra. I mean, isn't she hot and charming as hell? She was basically the highlight of the film for me.

The trashiest thing about this film is easily the humour. I haven't laughed a single time. Not even chuckled once. Almost all the jokes are old but not gold dick jokes. There are some gags, however, that I've seen for the first time but that didn't make them any better than the others. Like that scene where Zac Efron is touching a dead man's dick. How is that supposed to be funny?

Oh, by the way, that's pretty much it with the nudity. If you are a guy expecting to see boobies, well, you better pick another movie. Other than some over used slow motion, there's nothing to make you happy. 

'71 (2014)

Genres

History, Thriller

Director

Yann Demange

Country

UK

Cast

Jack O'Connell, Richard Dormer, Charlie Murphy, David Wilmot, Sean Harris, Killian Scott, Sam Reid, Barr Keoghan, Paul Anderson, Jack Lowden, Martin McCann, Babou Ceesay, Corey McKinley, Paul Popplewell

Storyline

Accidentally abandoned on the streets of Belfast in 1971, a young British soldier (Jack O'Connell) must survive the night alone and find his way to safety.

Opinion

I've been meaning to watch '71 for a very long time but always put it off because of its storyline. Eventually Jack O'Connell got the best of me and I finally watched it. Jack O'Connell is the only reason why I don't regret watching it because it's pretty much a mess.

I know very little about Northen Ireland's history so I thought this film would be a great opportunity to learn more, but it just wasn't the case. The storyline, although heavy, was interesting but the execution is terrible. The plot doesn't see to go anywhere, there are too many pointless subplots, it is very confusing and therefore not only I didn't learn anything about the Belfast conflict, I also struggled to understand who was fighting who basically because there are too many characters that looks pretty much all the same. Also, comparing this to other similar films I've seen, I feel like '71 doesn't really show what people were going through back then.

Something I did appreciate was the director's choice to focus on the emotional side of the story and character rather than the action which, by the way, was decent. The hand-held camera was annoying at times, but during the action sequences, it gave more realism to the film. 

At last, there's the only thing truly worth watching this film for, Jack O'Connell's performance. His portrayal of the lost soldier is incredible. 

Jaws 3-D (1983)

Genres

Horror, Thriller

Director

Joe Alves

Country

USA

Cast

Dennis Quaid, Bess Armstrong, Simon MacCorkindale, Louis Gossett Jr., John Putch, Lea Thompson, Harry Grant, P.H. Moriarty, Dan Blasko, Liz Morris, Lisa Maurer, Kaye Stevens

Storyline

Mike (Dennis Quaid) and Sean Brody (John Putch), the sons of former police chief Brody, must protect the people at the Sea World Park as a 35-foot shark wreaks havoc on the visitors.

Opinion

After watching the not-so-bad Jaws 2, I knew the franchise would get worse. What I did not know was how worse it would get with Jaw 3-D, a jaw-dropping awful addition to the series.

The plot has never been particularly smart but this time is worse than ever. The whole idea of a baby shark and the (over)protective mother shark is very stupid, and the shark wreaking havoc in the amusement park part would have been decent if the writers knew what the hell they were doing.

Unfortunately, the cringing screenplay isn't the only problem with Jaws 3-D. And it isn't even the biggest. This film is tremendously boring simply because the director wasn't able to deliver any tension and suspense. Those scenes that are supposed to be tense are so recycled they are just dull and unappealing. Same goes with the soundtrack that completely fails at giving you the chills.

But that's not all. Wanna know what's the icing on the cake? The special effects. They are absolutely horrifying. They are silly, cheap and laughable. I'm pretty sure a kid could do better than this by drawing a shark on Paint. Or maybe not. But in the kid's defence, he/she's just a kid, not a professional.

Aladdin (1992)

Genres

Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Fantasy, Musical, Romance

Directors

Ron Clements, John Musker

Country

USA

Voice Cast

Scott Weinger, Robin Williams, Jonathan Freeman, Linda Larkin, Frank Welker, Gilbert Gottfried, Douglas Seale, Jim Cummings, Charlie Adler, Corey Burton

Storyline

Street urchin Aladdin (Scott Weinger) develops a relationship with a genie (Robin Williams) from a lamp and uses his wishes to become a prince in order to marry Princess Jasmine (Linda Larkin). However, the evil Jafar (Jonathan Freeman) has other plans for the lamp.

Opinion

Aladdin has never been my favourite Disney flick but on the other hand, Jasmine has always been one of my favourite Disney princesses. I don't know if it's even possible but I think I had a crush on her. Anyway, that's the reason I decided to rewatch it before the new live-action film gets released and ruins her and this film because we all know that's going to happen. But let's move on onto the fact that this Aladdin is a pretty good and very fun to watch movie.

As normal with most Disney films, the story is very simple and not so deep and it's also a story we all know. Nevertheless, it has a wonderful pace and it is so magical, it will definitely grab your attention from start to finish. And it has a very beautiful love story.

But the story wouldn't be anything without its fantastic and beautifully animated characters. The genie is easily the most amusing character as well as the most hilarious genie ever created and that's mainly thanks to the great voice work by Robin Williams. Jasmine isn't only a beautiful princess but she also has a strong personality which is the reason I always liked her. And the animal sidekicks are simply amazing. Abu, Aladdin's monkey, is adorable, but my favourite will always be Iago, the sarcastic parrot/sidekick to Jafar, one of the best Disney villains ever if you ask me.

The only flaw? Aladdin doesn't compare with the other characters. But at least he sings, along with Jasmine, the most mesmerizing song of the film, "A Whole New World". That song is just wonderful.

Legally Blonde (2001)

Genre

Comedy

Director

Robert Luketic

Country

USA

Cast

Reese Witherspoon, Luke Wilson, Matthew Davis, Selma Blair, Victor Garber, Jennifer Coolidge, Holland Taylor, Ali Larter, Jessica Cauffiel, Alanna Ubach, Oz Perkins, Linda Cardellini, Raquel Welch

Storyline

After being dumped by her boyfriend (Matthew Davis) because she doesn't fit his blue blood family, sorority queen Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) decides to follow him to law school to win him back.

Opinion

I'm ashamed to admit this but there's always been a part of me that really wanted to see Legally Blonde but I've always put it off because of the poster. I know I shouldn't judge a book by its cover, a movie by its poster in this case, but a woman and a dog both wearing pink seem to me like a very good reason to avoid a film. I eventually watched it because I was in the mood for something light and fun and that's exactly what I got, a light and fun film.

The story is pretty simple, clichéed, predictable and you can basically see every single plot point coming from miles away. And it's also very stupid, but I'm sure you could tell that from the storyline.

Anyway, in spite of that, it was quite entertaining and fun to watch and that is down to Reese Witherspoon's charming performance as Elle. Unfortunately, her character was nothing more than a stereotyped dumb blonde with no development whatsoever. Seriously, I was excepting her to change at least a bit but the movie was over and she was the same person she was at the beginning.

However, the real problem with Legally Blonde is that it came off as offensive and insulting to a lot of people. And things as well. It insults women, lawyers, Harvard and its professors. Not to mention the caricatures of homosexuality.

Unforgettable (2017)

Genres

Drama, Thriller

Director

Denise Di Novi

Country

USA

Cast

Katherine Heigl, Rosario Dawson, Geoff Stults, Isabella Rice, Cheryl Ladd, Simon Kassianides, Whitney Cummings, Robert Wisdom

Storyline

Tessa (Katherine Heigl) can't cope with the end of her marriage with David (Geoff Stults) and sets out to make life hell for Julia (Rosario Dawson), his new fiancée.

Opinion

Rosario Dawson is a fantastic actress and the only reason why I decided to give Unforgettable a chance. To be honest, I was also curious to see Katherine Heigl in such a different role (I've only seen her in Grey's Anatomy and rom-coms). Anyway, that doesn't change the fact that, in spite of its title, this movie is completely forgettable.

There is really nothing new or original in this film. It's got a story that has been told over and over again, that's pretty stupid, illogical, boring, predictable and that doesn't have absolutely anything to stand out from the others. It's the kind of story that deserves/requires solid or at least decent twists but this one doesn't have any.

Unforgettable is also guilty of having terrible and stupid characters. There's nothing resembling character development so, in spite of Rosario Dawson's wasted/too-good-for-this-crap performance, nothing is given us to make us care about Julia. Also, the decisions taken by the characters, especially Julia, are so stupid that makes you question whether it's Tessa or Julia the one with problems. The weird thing about this film is that Tessa actually has some development which only made me wonder if we are supposed to root for her after all. The other characters are so forgettable, they aren't even worth talking about.

Unfortunately, that's not it. This film also fails at building and delivering suspense and tension. To be honest, there's none. There are some scenes where there's supposed to be some tension between the two leading ladies, but it all came off very awkwardly. It is so flat, I'm surprised I didn't fell asleep while watching it.

The Holy Mountain (1973)

Original Title

La montaña sagrada

Genres

Drama, Fantasy

Director

Alexandro Jodorowsky

Country

Mexico

Cast

Alejandro Jodoroswky, Horacio Salinas, Ramona Saunders, Juan Ferrara, Adriana Page, Burt Kleiner, Valiere Jordowsky, Nicky Nichols, Richard Rutoswky, Luis Lomeli, Ana de Sade, David Silva, Basilio Gonzalez, Lupita Peruyero, Héctor Ortega, Connie de la Mora, Leticia Robles, Blanca Sanchez

Storyline

An alchemist (Alejandro Jodorowsky) leads a Christlike figure (Horacio Salinas) and seven wealthy and powerful people to the Holy Mountain where they hope to achieve enlightenment. 

Opinion

I've seen a fair share of weird and bizarre films in my short life but The Holy Mountain easily is the most insane and fucked up. Some say this is not just a film, but it's an experience. I agree, it's a dreadful experience that bored me to death. And frankly, I'm not even sure I understood the movie but I have no intention whatsoever to go through this again.

Although there's something resembling a very simple and linear story, it feels like this film doesn't even have a screenplay. There are just some random things happening that somehow manage to tell a story. God only knows how.

But that's not really a problem after all this is a satirical film about power, politics religion and spirituality, and the obsession of a lot of humans to find enlightenment and/or the purification of the soul. The problem is that in order to get that (only in part because I didn't fully understand the movie) I had to go through a lot of disgusting images (and pretty offensive to religious people, which I'm not) that are supposed to provoke thought, but that did nothing to me. It wasn't all the nudity weirdness going on that bothered me but the sick animal scenes/abuses/cruelty. I love animals and I will never be okay with it.

However, The Holy Mountain does have a redeeming aspect. Visually, it is outstanding. Even though most of the scenes are disgusting, the majority of them are pretty mesmerizing thanks to some wonderful colours and nearly flawless sets, locations, costumes and props. 

Thursday Movie Picks: The Stage

Welcome to another Thursday Movie Picks, the weekly series hosted by Wandering Through the Shelves that consists of picking three films to fit the week's theme.

This week's theme is pretty self-explanatory so with no further ado I leave you with my three picks.

Birdman (2014)

It follows a stage actor famous for portraying a superhero as he struggles to mount a Broadway play and battles his ego. This film is simply spectacular. Top notch director and acting; a score that blends with the story perfectly; and an outstanding cinematography, easily my favourite part because it makes the story so involving and makes you feel as you are living it.

The Salesman (2016)

A woman is assaulted in her new apartment by a client of the previous tenant and her husband becomes consumed with finding that man. How does this fit the theme? Because other than telling a complex revenge tale, Farhadi compared the drama the woman is living in real life with the drama she is living on stage in the play she is working on. 

Bullets Over Broadway (1994)

It's the 1920's in New York and a playwright is forced to cast the talentless girlfriend of a mobster to get his drama produced. Another little gem/hilarious movie by Woody Allen. The story isn't his best, but it combines the stage world and the gangsterism world very well and the New York setting is just beautiful. Also, this movie has some damn fine cinematography, one of Allen's best. 

Cinderella (2015)

Genres

Drama, Fantasy, Romance

Director

Kenneth Branagh

Country

USA

Cast

Lily James, Cate Blanchett, Richard Madden, Helena Bonham Carter, Nonso Anozie, Stellan Skarsgard, Sophie McShera, Holliday Grainger, Derek Jacobi, Ben Chaplin, Hayley Atwell, Eloise Webb, Rob Brydon, Jana Perez, Alex Macqueen

Storyline

When her father (Ben Chaplin) passes away, Ella (Lily James) finds at the mercy of her cruel stepmother (Cate Blanchett) and her stepsisters (Sophie McShera and Holliday Grainger) and is forced to be a servant in her own house. But things are about to change after she meets a fascinating stranger.

Opinion

There aren't many sure things in life, but one thing I know for sure is that Disney will never, and I repeat never be able to make a charming live-action remake of their fairy tales classics as Cinderella ended up being another visually stunning film that unfortunately feels incomplete.

The story is basically the same as the original, pretty simple and predictable. Only this time around it is tremendously boring and it made me realise that the story isn't that interesting to begin with and that it should have never been made into a film in the first place.

However, there's a little improvement over the original. Although it's not a plot twist - I would have loved one -, there's a nice addition that allows to develop the relationship between Ella and the Prince and makes it more believable if compared to the original where they immediately fall in love. Not even a spell would work that fast. A, so the characters have a bit more of development and backstory that allow us to know them a bit better, especially the Prince.

Still, the film is pretty boring. And most of the characters aren't memorable at all. Especially all the animal sidekicks. And the uninspired performances don't help either. Cate Blanchett (basically the reason I watched this) is quite remarkable as the stepmother but she's enough to make this film great. 

Nor enough are the visuals. The costumes are stunning, so are the sets. And the special effects are equally good - the transformations both of the dress and pumpkin are very impressive - and yet I would have preferred more real sets to all those green screens. It takes away from the film. 

Thank You For Smoking (2005)

Genres

Comedy, Drama

Director

Jason Reitman

Country

USA

Cast

Aaron Eckhart, Cameron Bright, Katie Holmes, Maria Bello, David Koechner, William H. Macy, Robert Duvall, J.K. Simmons, Marianne Muellerleile, Kim Dickens, Rob Lowe, Adam Brody, Sam Elliott, Todd Louiso, Dennis Miller

Storyline

It follows Tobacco industry lobbyist Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckhart) as he promotes smoking in a time when its health non-benefits are well known while trying to be a role model for his teenage son (Cameron Bright). 

Opinion

I saw Thank You For Smoking a long time ago and moreover, it was in Spanish - I don't know why but I saw it at Spanish class at high school. I didn't remember much of it so I figured it was time to rewatch it and now I'm not sure at the time I really understood what the movie is about.

Although it's the story of a Tobacco lobbyist and it revolves around him promoting smoking and talking a hell of a lot about this huge industry - and it's a pretty well-done and solid story -, Thank You For Smoking isn't really about smoking.

What the movie really does is glorify the art of talking by showing that you are never on the wrong side of an argument if you can support your facts or if you can prove the other person wrong - which is basically all Aaron Eckhart's character does in the movie and Eckhart gives such a great performance in this role, it makes me want to cry. 

Thank You For Smoking is also a quite wonderful satire of people and their(our) choices. Through its story, the film isn't either trying to convince people to smoke or to convince them not to smoke. All it does is asking us questions. Are we capable to choose what's best for us? Do we know/understand what the effects of our choices or actions may be? Shouldn't we be held responsible for our actions?

So kudos to Jason Reitman for being able to incorporate those questions into the movie without making it too heavy but still pretty light and enjoyable. The credits for that also go to some of the quite-exaggerated, caricature even, supporting characters, from Rob Lowe's  Hollywood producer to William H. Macy's Senator who fights against the Tobacco industry to Robert Duvall's Captain of the Tobacco industry. 

Jaws 2 (1978)

Genres

Horror, Thriller

Director

Jeannot Szwarc

Country

USA

Cast

Roy Scheider, Lorraine Gary, Murray Hamilton, Joseph Mascolo, Jeffrey Kramer, Collin Wilcox, Ann Dusenberry, Mark Gruner, Susan French, Barry Coe, Gary Springer, Donna Wilkes, Gary Dublin, John Dukakis, Marc Gilpin

Storyline

Four years after killing the shark, Police Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) once again must hunt a man-eating great white shark as the animal begins terrorizing the swimmers.

Opinion

Jaws is a fantastic piece of filmmaking basically because of the man behind it, Steven Spielberg, and Jaws 2 is the utterly proof of that since there's no Spielberg involved and the film is pretty disappointing. Still, it could have been way worse.

The plot is basically the same of the original. Still very simple and predictable and manages to be even more silly that before. It starts off pretty slow and it isn't as interesting as the original, but eventually the pace gets better and the story gets a little engaging.

However, Jaws 2 doesn't rely on suspense, tension and the right atmosphere to engage and entertain like its predecessor did. This one entirely relies on the action. It's as if the filmmakers didn't give a damn about making a scary movie so they did an action flick instead. But at least the non-stop action is nice. Sure, there's a lot of blood and guts, and cheap horror movie sharks, but it somehow manages to be a bit compelling.

And that's pretty much it. Like I mentioned above, the special effects are pretty cheap and not that effective. The acting also leaves a lot to be desired and the absence of Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss can be easily noticed.

Your Name. (2016)

Original Title

君の名は。Kimi no na wa.

Genres

Animation, Drama, Fantasy, Romance

Director

Makoto Shinkai

Country

Japan

Voice Cast

Ryunosuke Kamiki, Mone Kamishiraishi, Masami Nagasawa, Etsuko Ichihara, Ryo Narita, Aoi Yūki, Nobunaga Shimazaki, Kaito Ishikawa, Kanon Tani, Masaki Terasome, Sayaka Ohara, Kana Hanazawa

Storyline

Mitsuha (Mone Kamishiraishi), a girl living in a small mountain town, and Taki (Ryunosuke Kamiki), a boy living in Tokyo, are complete strangers until they suddenly switch places, with Mitusha waking up in Taki's body and Taki waking up in Mitsuha's body. A connection forms between the two, but distance won't be the only thing to keep them apart.

Opinion

Anime isn't really my thing so it was no surprise that when Your Name. was suggested to me on Twitter I had never heard of it. But since I was looking for an animated film to watch and this happened to be released on DVD pretty recently I decided to watch it. And I'm glad I did because it is one of the most emotionally draining animated films I've ever seen. Yes, I consider that a good thing.

Easily one of the most striking aspects of the film is the story. It is complicated right from the beginning so it requires you to pay a lot of attention - and I think that's when the subtitles come handy. It is very well built and interesting. It could have done with a little more complexity but it is devastatingly beautiful. It's a dramatic story that manages to keep a lighthearted tone most of the time. 

It's also the kind of story entirely driven by its main characters and their relationship and it's great since Your Name. has some pretty good, well-developed and interesting leading characters that really make you root for them. You know I don't like romances, but this one, I loved it. And it made me cry. 

There also are some nicely done and equally interesting supporting characters. There are some clichées, both in story and characters, but it isn't that bothering.

Less of a surprise was the animation. If there's something I've learned watching those few anime flicks is that the animation is always spot on and Your Name.'s is no different. The drawings are very beautiful; the details of the Japan sceneries and architecture are unbelievable; the colours are very vibrant. And to complete the very atmospheric visuals there is a stunning musical score that fits each scene to perfection. 

Okja (2017)

Genres

Action, Adventure, Drama

Director

Bong Joon-ho

Country

South Korea, USA

Cast

Ahn Seo-hyun, Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, Jake Gyllenhaal, Byun Hee-bong, Steven Yeun, Lily Collins, Yoon Je-moon, Shirley Henderson, Daniel Henshall, Devon Bostick, Choi Woo-shik, Giancarlo Esposito

Storyline

It follows Mija (Ahn Seo-hyun), a young girl from South Korea who risks everything to prevent a powerful multinational company to take away from her Okja, a gigantic pig as well as her best friend.

Opinion

I spend way too much time on Netflix and their original series and movies are my favourite things to watch. So I was pretty excited when Okja finally came online - also because it's from the same director of Snowpiercer which I loved - but didn't watch it because it seemed like a pretty heavy film and you have to be in the mood for it. But I was wrong. It isn't that heavy. Actually, it has the perfect balance between comedy and drama. It's plenty of happy and funny moments but it also has a lot of deeper and emotional ones and chances are you'll laugh one minute and cry the next one only to laugh again the next one.

One of Okja's greatest strengths is Bong Joon-ho's original story. It is very simple and yet very interesting and exciting, but most of all it's really effective in engaging you in the wonderful journey of the young girl and her wonderful relationship with an animal. It is a pretty familiar story and yet it will surprise you with some very unexpected turns.

Other than being engaging, exciting and entertaining, the story also carries an important message. While (successfully) attempting at making us sympathise with animal-rights advocates and environmentalists, it shows how the meat industry works, and the things we, humans, are willing to do in order to keep feeding ourselves with animals. It is pretty accurate and sad picture of what the world has become. Some may say it's too preachy to be entertaining, or that it tries to make people go vegetarian/vegan, what I think is that it raises awareness towards this problem, from animals rights to GMO foods. 

But enough with the heavy stuff. Let's talk about the visual aspect of the film. Simply amazing. It isn't the photography nor the colours nor the costumes - although they all are pretty amazing. No, I'm talking about Okja, the GMO pig. She is so beautifully done, she looks real. It's the proper use of CGI that makes the film so emotional and gives to it so much soul.

Still, the pig wouldn't be anything without the young Ahn Seo-hyun who gives a strong performance as Mija and whose chemistry with the fake animal is truly astonishing. The rest of the cast is also very strong, with a special mention for Tilda Swinton and Jake Gyllenhaal.

East of Eden (1955)

Genre

Drama

Director

Elia Kazan

Country

USA

Cast

James Dean, Julie Harris, Raymond Massey, Richard Davalos, Burl Ives, Jo Van Fleet, Albert Dekker, Lois Smith, Timothy Carey, Harold Gordon, Nick Dennis, Barbara Baxley, Richard Garrick, Lonny Chapman

Storyline

In and around WWI, Cal Trask (James Dean) compete against his brother (Richard Davalos) for the love of their father (Raymond Massey). In the meantime, he tries to reconnect with his estranged mother (Jo Van Fleet) and falls in love with his brother's girlfriend (Julie Harris).

Opinion

When I think about James Dean, my mind immediately goes to Rebel Without a Cause for two reasons: first, it is one of my favourite movies of all times; second, it was the only film with James Dean I saw until watching East of Eden days ago. And this is definitely the film that's going to come to my mind now because both Dean's debut and Elia Kazan's film are impressive.

As everybody knows this film is based on John Steinbeck's novel. I haven't read it so I won't be able to tell whether it is an accurate transposition or not, I sure can say that it's one of the most beautiful, emotional coming of age story I've seen and one of the greatest sibling rivalry stories ever. I know that it's basically a modern-day version of the Bible's Cain and Abel, but I've read the Bible (I'd like to point out that I'm not a religious person, I just read it to see how much nonsense there was in it. And FIY it's a lot) so believe me when I tell you Cal and Aaron's rivalry is way more interesting.

However, the best feature of East of Eden is easily the characters. Although they could have done with a little bit more development and their motivations could have been explored a little better given the two hours running time, the characters are very complex and intricate and you will easily find yourself reflecting about them long after you see the film.

The characters wouldn't be as great as they are if it wasn't for the cast. Most of the actors are so natural it doesn't even feel like they are actors, but the most impressive is James Dean. His performance is so intense and dramatic and at times it almost feels like he was aware of his upcoming tragic death. There's something in his eyes, a veil of sadness and bitterness, that captures the drama of Cal beautifully.

At last but not least there's the masterful job Elia Kazan did. The use he makes of subtle camera movements and Dutch angles enhance the drama to perfection.

Thursday Movie Picks: Rescues

Welcome to another Thursday Movie Picks, the weekly series hosted by Wandering Through the Shelves that consists of picking three films to fit the week's theme. 

This week's theme is movies about rescues aka a lot of movies to choose from so I don't really know why I'm going with two of the most obvious. Oh, I know, because they are great.

Argo (2012)

In order to rescue six American in Tehran in 1980, a CIA agent acts under the cover of a Hollywood producer looking for a location to shot a science fiction film. I still can't believe this is a true story. Anyway, I loved it. I haven't seen it in a while but I remember it being pretty suspenseful, and I was really impressed with Ben Affleck. 

Finding Nemo (2003)

When his son Nemo is taken away by a diver, Marlin sets off on a journey to rescue him. Although it isn't the best from Disney Pixar, it is a pretty fun flick both for kids and adults (I'm the living proof. I loved it as a kid, I still love it now). It also has a nice message and Ellen DeGeneres is hilarious as Dory.

The Monuments Men (2014)

It's WWII and an American professor recruits 6 men who rescue art masterpieces from Nazi thieves. There's nothing I can say about this film that could convince you to watch it. It's a pretty empty film, insulting even. So why did I pick it? Because it's based on a compelling true story.

Dogtooth (2009)

Original Title

Κυνόδοντας Kynodontas

Genre

Drama

Director

Yorgos Lanthimos

Country

Greece

Cast

Christos Sterfiouglou, Michelle Valley, Angeliki Papoulia, Mary Tsoni, Christos Passalis, Anna Kalaitzidou

Storyline

The father (Christos Sterfiouglou), the mother (Michelle Valley) and their three kids (Angeliki Papulia, Mary Tsoni and Christos Passalis) live isolated in a country estate. And they are happy. But then the father decides to pay his colleague Christina (Anna Kalaitzidou) to appease the sexual urges of his son and the happiness and tranquillity of the family are put at stake. 

Opinion

Being one of those who absolutely loved The Lobster (it's one of my favourite movies ever to be honest, and I find myself thinking about it very often), and waiting for Lanthimos's new film once again starring Colin Farrell, I decided to give his debut a try. And, although I didn't love it as much as I loved The Lobster, Dogtooth is another quite brilliant film from the Greek filmmaker.

But it's also another film you either love or hate and it's all because of Lanthimos' writing. There isn't more to the plot than the simple storyline you can read above. Also, it manages to be both incredibly absurd and believable at the same time. And it doesn't really kick in until about halfway through the movie. And it's pretty uncomfortable and unpleasant as well.

But that's not all. The dialogue is pretty mundane, very random and incredibly slow. And then there are the characters. They are some of the most wooden and underdeveloped characters I've seen on screen. They are quite dull and unrelatable. They are extremely bizarre and even disgusting at times and yet they are incredibly interesting to watch because of their emotional blandness and weird actions. And for the first time in my life, I'm praising wooden acting because it's just what the film needs to be more effective.

So it's definitely not a film for everybody, but I'd still recommend to watch it because after all is a great but still disturbing political satire that tackled dictatorship while making a social commentary on the extremes of isolation, on manipulation and corruption. It's basically another twisted dystopian film that I'm sadly not very sure it's far from reality.

American Heist (2014)

Genres

Action, Crime, Thriller

Director

Sarik Andreasyan

Country

USA

Cast

Hayden Christensen, Adrien Brody, Jordana Brewster, Akon, Tory Kittles, Rachel Bilson

Storyline

James (Hayden Christensen) owes his life to his brother Frankie (Adrien Brody) after taking the rap for a crime they committed together. When Frankie asks him for help to rob a bank, he has no choice but help him. 

Opinion

As the ending credits were rolling, I was trying to figure out why on Earth they would name this film American Heist. It just didn't make any sense. It's only now, a few days later, that it's finally making sense. This is the typical Hollywood bullshit, so I guess the fact that they tricked me and many others to watch it qualifies as an American heist.

The storyline isn't particularly appealing so it didn't come as a surprise that the final result wasn't appealing either. The plot barely has something resembling development, it's incredibly boring, it doesn't have any interesting twist and it has nothing to do with a heist (unless you consider a bank robbery gone bad a heist. That's not a heist if you ask me).

Anyway, if anything, it is a melodramatic soap opera about the troubled but never dramatic relationship between two brothers, James and Frankie, 'enhanced' by one of those pathetic and pointless romantic sub-plots Hollywood doesn't seem to be able to live without and whose only purpose is to have a gorgeous woman in the film.

The characters, however, are even worse than the story. Christensen's is one of the most uninteresting characters I've seen recently and there's nothing he can do to help. He's not like the best actor ever, after all. On the other hand, there's Adrien Brody, playing Christensen's brother. He really puts some efforts into the role and that results in a fine performance from him. Unfortunately, his character is barely developed and all of his efforts to deliver an emotional and heartbreaking scene are completely vain.

The direction also leaves a lot to be desired, from the almost inexistent action that obviously fails to deliver tension, to the terrible soundtrack that makes American Heist just a little bit more ridiculous if you consider some of the tracks are from one of the members of the cast, Akon.