Into the Woods (2014)

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Cast

Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, James Corden, Anna Kendrick, Chris Pine, Tracey Ullman, Christine Baranski, Johnny Depp, Lilla Crawford, Daniel Huttlestone, MacKenzie Mauzy, Billy Magnussen, Tammy Blanchard, Lucy Punch, Frances de la Tour, Richard Glover, Joanna Riding, Annette Crosbie, Simon Russell Beale

Plot

The film follows the tales of Cinderella (Anna Kendrick), Little Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford), Jack and the Beanstalk (Daniel Huttlestone), and Rapunzel (MacKenzie Mauzy)-all tied together by an original story involving a baker (James Corden) and his wife (Emily Blunt), their wish to begin a family and their interaction with the witch (Meryl Streep) who has put a curse on them.

Opinion

After many - and endless - months of waiting, the film has finally been released in Italy. It wasn't as good as I was hoping, but not even as bad as many people said it was. Into the Woods is a humorous musical, a good twist on several of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales, with a delightful first half, and a gloomy ending, but not a kids film.
Having not seen the stage version, I've searched the Internet to be more familiar with it, and it turned out that many changes were made in Act II. Disney has actually cut everything important and meaningful for the show, such as the death of Rapunzel, making the character completely pointless now. Furthermore, in Act II, the narrator is almost gone.
On the other hand, the costumes, Meryl Streep's makeup and the sets are great, and the singing is good - great in some cases.
Among all the performances, which are pretty good, Meryl Streep's stands out. She is wonderful as usual, and several times she induces laughs from the audience.


Quotes

Witch: You're not good, you're not bad, you're just nice. I'm not good, I'm not nice, I'm just right. I'm the witch. You're the world.

Cinderella's Prince: I was raised to be charming, not sincere.

Witch: Stay a child while you can be a child.

Rating

7.0/10
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Frank (2014)

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Cast

Domhnall Gleeson, Michael Fassbender, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Scoot McNairy, Carla Azar, François Civil

Plot

Jon (Domhnall Gleeson), a young wanna-be musician, discovers he's bitten off more than he can chew when he joins an eccentric pop band led by the mysterious and enigmatic Frank (Michael Fassbender).

Opinion

Oscar Wilde once said, "Every man lies, but give him a mask and he will be sincere". This film is an example of that. Frank is a funny, clever, moving, surreal and unusual film.
The autobiographical experience of screenwriter Jon Ronson, upon which the film is based, certainly helps, but Lenny Abrahamson's film is something more than a man in the papier-mâché head. The film shows the thin line between artistic talent and insanity, and also the difference between going viral and being popular.
Michael Fassbender's performance as Frank is stunning. Despite the covered face, he manages to show the depth of the soul of such a complex character through gestures and voice modulation. In the spectacular closing scene, when Michael/Frank finally takes the mask off, all we see is a man in tears embarrassed by the awareness of being different.


Quotes

Frank: I say, tell everyone everything. Why cover anything up, right?

Rating

9.0/10
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Inglourious Basterds (2009)

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Cast

Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Michael Fassbender, Eli Roth, Diane Kruger, Daniel Brühl, Til Schweiger, Mélanie Laurent, August Diehl, Julie Dreyfus, Sylvester Groth, Jacky Ido, Denis Ménochet, Mike Myers, Rod Taylor, Martin Wuttke, Gedeon Burkhard, B.J. Novak, Omar Doom, Léa Seydoux, Richard Sammel, Alexander Fehling, Christian Berkel, Söhke Möhring, Samm Levine, Paul Rust, Michael Bacall, Rainer Bock, Bo Svenson, Enzo G. Castellari, Samuel L. Jackson, Harvey Keitel

Plot

In Nazi-occupied France, young Jewish refugee Shosanna Dreyfus (Mélanie Laurent) witnesses the slaughter of her family by Colonel Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz). Shosanna narrowly escapes and flees to Paris, where she forges a new identity as the owner and operator of a cinema. Elsewhere in Europe, Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) organizes a group of Jewish soldiers to engage in targeted acts of retribution. Known to their enemy as "The Basterds," Raine's squad joins German actress and undercover agent Bridget Von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger) on a mission to take down the leaders of The Third Reich. Fates converge under a cinema marquee, where Shosanna is poised to carry out a revenge plan of her own.

Opinion

The tagline says it all: you haven't seen war until you've seen it through the eyes of Quentin Tarantino. Inglourious Basterds is a brilliant, brave, exuberant, comic, dark, violent and glorious film.
Quentin Tarantino's pleasure to tell stories leads him to rewrite history, by telling the - fictional - assassination of Adolf Hitler, set in the only possible venue: a cinema.
The dialogue, the continuous tension, and the use of several languages - English, German, French and German -, on which irony is mostly based, make of this film a jewel of cinema. Also, the film is smooth and there is no heaviness resulting from its long running time.
The Spaghetti-Western score is magnificent, and the opening scene's song, The Verdict (Dopo la condanna), written by Ennio Morricone, is absolutely stunning.
The acting is pretty much great. Christoph Waltz is spectacular: he built a deep, detailed and realistic character, the kind of Nazi everyone would be afraid of. Brad Pitt's performance is not very good, and his Italian is pretty painful to be heard. August Diehl well plays the other sadistic German, very important in the final plot twist. Michael Fassbender is great as Lieutenant Archie Hicox, he has the chance to show off his almost perfect German, and he gets extra points for delivering the line, "There's a special rung in hell for people who waste good Scotch". 


Quotes

Lt. Aldo Raine: You probably heard we ain't in the prisoner-takin' business; we in the killin' Nazi business. And cousin, business is a-boomin'.

Bridget von Hammersmark: I know this is a silly question before I ask it, but can you Americans speak any other language besides English?

Rating

9.0/10
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Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)

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Cast

Zhang Ziyi, Suzuka Ohgo, Shizuko Hoshi, Gong Li, Samantha Futerman, Kaori Momoi, Ken Watanabe, Kōji Yakusho, Michelle Yeoh, Youki Kudoh, Zoe Weizenbaum, Tsai Chin, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Cathy Shim, Kenneth Tsang, Karl Yune, Ted Levine, Paul Adelstein

Plot

In the years before World War II, a Japanese child (Suzuka Ohgo) is torn from her penniless family to work as a maid in a geisha house. Despite a treacherous rival (Li Gong) who nearly breaks her spirit, the girl blossoms into the legendary geisha Sayuri (Zhang Ziyi). Beautiful and accomplished, Sayuri captivates the most powerful men of her day, but is haunted by her secret love for the one man (Ken Watanabe) who is out of her reach.

Opinion

Memoirs of a Geisha is a stunning film, dealing with one of the most beautiful romance stories of recent times.
Director Rob Marshall not only brought to the screen a well-adapted version of Arthur Golden's book of the same name, but he managed to capture each feature of the Japanese culture, far from us yet extraordinary.
The film is a journey into the world of geishas, which are not high-level prostitutes but artists able to play, sing and dance, and that must observe rules of etiquette.
The cinematography, the colours and the music are splendid.
I was expecting an all Japanese cast, and the choice of casting three Chinese actresses - Zhang Ziyi, Michelle Yeoh and Li Gong - in the leading roles is annoying. However, the acting from the three ladies is great, although sometimes I was struggling to understand what Zhang Ziyi and Li Gong were saying. The performance by Ken Watanabe is outstanding.


Quotes

Sayuri: The heart dies a slow death. Shedding each hope like leaves, until one day there are none. No hopes. Nothing remains.

Chairman: We must not expect happiness, Sayuri. It is not something we deserve. When life goes well, it is a sudden gift; it cannot last forever...

Rating

8.5/10
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Foxcatcher (2014)

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Cast

Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, Vanessa Redgrave, Sienna Miller, Anthony Michael Hall, Guy Boyd, Brett Rice, Samara Lee, Jackson Frazer, Jane Mowder, Daniel Hilt, Lee Perkins, David Bennett

Plot

The film tells the dark and fascinating story of the unlikely and ultimately tragic relationship between an eccentric multi-millionaire and two champion wrestlers.

Opinion

Finally released in Italy last Thursday, I went to see it last night. I don't like wrestling and I wasn't expecting much from this film, but it disappointed me in a good way. Foxcatcher is a story about defeat, that goes beyond the sport, and delves into the complexities of the protagonists' psychologies.
The acting is excellent. Channing Tatum proves that he is not just a pretty face, but he act and he is quite good. The way his character punished himself reminded me of "Of Mice and Men"'s Lennie. Forget about the sex comedies guy, because this Steve Carell is different and unrecognizable - great job on the make up - and he delivers an excellent performance, definitely his best so far. Mark Ruffalo gives a superb performance.


Quotes

John du Pont: You're going to do great things, Mark.
Mark Schultz: I'm gonna give you everything I have.

Rating

8.5/10
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Before Midnight (2013)

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Cast

Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick, Jennifer Prior, Charlotte Prior, Xenia Kalogeropoulou, Walter Lassally, Ariane Labed, Yiannis Papadopoulos, Athina Rachel Tsangari, Panos Korinos

Plot

Nine years after they last met in Paris, Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy) have become a couple, they live in Paris and they are parents to twin girls, Ella (Jennifer Prior) and Nina (Charlotte Prior).
Spent a summer in Greece, and come the time to send Jesse's teenage son (Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick) off to the States, Jesse begins to question his life decisions, and his relationship with Céline is at risk.

Opinion

Third chapter of the story between Jesse and Céline, along with Before Sunrise and Before Sunset, Before Midnight is the most honest attempt to show human beings and life as they are, without any filters, and without hiding the worst of all this. 
Still wrote by Linklater, Hawke and Delpy, despite the dramatic tension, the dialogues are more humoristic in this film.
It is impossible to not appreciate the fact that the actors are growing up and getting older along with their characters, changing physically and mentally.
It is nice that the film was shot in Greece, but the beauty of the country comes second to the portrayal of the couple.
The performances are fantastic, and the chemistry between Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy is still the same of 18 years ago. There is a supporting cast, although Hawke and Delpy make the film work by themselves.


Quotes

Natalia: Like sunlight, sunset, we appear, we disappear. We are so important to some, but we are just passing through.

Jesse: If you want love, then this is it. This is real life. It's not perfect but it's real.

Rating

9.0/10
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Death at a Funeral (2007)

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Cast

Matthew Macfadyen, Rupert Graves, Andy Nyman, Kris Marshall, Peter Dinklage, Keeley Hawes, Daisy Donovan, Alan Tudyk, Ewen Bremner, Peter Vaughan, Thomas Whatley, Jane Asher, Peter Egan

Plot

After his father passes away, Daniel (Matthew Macfadyen) arranges to contact their extended family and friends. Chaos ensues when a man (Peter Dinklage) tries to expose a dark secret regarding the dead patriarch of the family.

Opinion

Death at a Funeral is a brilliant black comedy, and one of the funniest ever made. I found myself laughing out loud pretty much the whole time. Director Frank Oz handles the different situations brilliantly. Writing Peter Dinklage's character was a fantastic move, since the character added lot of insanity to the situation. The cast of lesser known actors is assembled and delivers very well. 


Quotes

Daniel: Who is this?
Undertaker: Pardon me?
Daniel: That's not my father.
Undertaker: Oh shit, we've taken the wrong one.

Jane: Would you like a cup of tea, Sandra?
Sandra: Tea can do many things, Jane, but it can't bring back the dead.

Rating

8.5/10
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Before Sunset (2004)

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Cast

Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Vernon Dobtcheff, Louise Lemoine, Rodolphe Pauly, Mariane Plasteig, Diablo, Denis Evrard, Albert Delpy, Marie Pillet

Plot

Nine years after Vienna, Jesse (Ethan Hawke) is in Paris promoting his best selling book, This Time, inspired by that night. As the media scrum at the bookstore nears its conclusion, Jesse spots Celine (Julie Delpy) in the crowd, she who only found out about the book when she earlier saw his photograph promoting this public appearance. Much like their previous encounter, Jesse and Celine, who is now an environmental activist, decide to spend time together until he is supposed to catch his flight back to New York, this time only being about an hour.

Opinion

Before Sunset is fantastic and delightful. I enjoyed every single second of it, and I liked this one even more than the original. Making a sequel to Before Sunrise was undeniably a hard thing to do, but Richard Linklater did brilliantly. This gem of him shows how to make a film about feelings, mostly love, without slipping on the soap opera drama. The dialogues, once again, are just brilliant.
Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy have grown with their characters, and their performances are wonderful once again.


Quotes

Celine: Even being alone it's better than sitting next to your lover and feeling lonely.

Jesse: I feel like if someone were to touch me, I'd dissolve into molecules.

Celine: There are so many things I want to do, but I end up doing not much.

Celine: Let me sing you a waltz / Out of nowhere, out of my thoughts / Let me sing you a waltz / About this one night stand / You were, for me, that night / Everything I always dreamt of in life / But now you're gone / You are far gone / All the way to your island of rain / It was for you just a one night thing / But you were much more to me, just so you know / I don't care what they say / I know what you meant for me that day / I just want another try, I just want another night / Even if it doesn't seem quite right / You meant for me much more than anyone I've met before / One single night with you, little Jesse, is worth a thousand with anybody / I have no bitterness, my sweet / I'll never forget this one night thing / Even tomorrow in other arms, my heart will stay yours until I die / Let me sing you a waltz / Out of nowhere, out of my blues / Let me sing you a waltz / About this lovely one night stand

Rating

9.5/10
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Detour (2013)

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Cast

Neil Hopkins, Brea Grant, John Forest, Ptolemy Slocum, Deb Snyder

Plot

Trapped inside his car by a mudslide, smooth-talking Jackson Alder (Neil Hopkins) finds himself in a situation he can't talk his way out of. With no hope of rescue, he must defy the odds; battling Mother Nature for his survival.

Opinion

If you enjoyed Cast Away, 127 Hours, All Is Lost, or Gravity, then this film might be for you. I am always amazed by how strong a human being can be to survive, and this film amazed me. Detour is an intense and thrilling story about a literally buried man that puts all his efforts to survive. How did he end up there? Will he survive? If so, how? These are the questions that kept me in my seat.
Director and co-writer William Dickerson teaches us to appreciate life and what we have. The filming, which explore the small set, is great.
Whoever wrote The Rat’s Rabbits Are Calling song is a genius: the lyrics are monotonous but catchy at the same time, and I can’t get this song out of my head.
Neil Hopkins does an incredible job: he is able to carry the film through until the end.

Buy on Amazon.com | Buy/Rent on Amazon Instant Video

Quotes

Jackson: I see this experience as being born again. Born into the world, from the world itself.

Rating

7.5/10
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Before Sunrise (1995)

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Cast

Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Andrea Eckert, Hanno Pöschl, Karl Bruckschwaiger, Tex Rubinowitz, Erni Mangold, Dominik Castell, Haymon Maria Buttinger, Bilge Jeschim, Adam Goldberg

Plot

American tourist Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and French student Celine (Julie Delpy) meet by chance on the train from Budapest to Vienna.
Sensing that they are developing a connection, Jesse asks Celine to spend the day with him in Vienna, and she agrees. Unfortunately, both know that this will probably be their only night together.

Opinion

Before Sunrise is pure cinematic gold, yet one of the most underrated films ever made. Richard Linklater delights us with an honest look at relationship. The absolute beauty of this film is the dialogues, because, although they are ordinary conversations between two people who just met, they really fascinated me. This film teaches us love is never absurd, and after watching it, you will realize falling in love with someone in just one night doesn't sound that stupid after all.
Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy bring to life two unforgettable characters, and they are the pillars of the film, contributing to making of it one of the best romance films of all the times.


Quotes

Jesse: I always think that I'm still this thirteen-year-old boy, you know, who just doesn't really know how to be an adult, pretending live my life, taking notes for when, you know, I'll really have to do it.

Street Poet: Daydream delusion, limousine eyelash / Oh baby with your pretty face / Drop a tear in my wineglass / Look at those big eyes / See what you mean to me / Sweet-cakes and milkshakes / I'm a delusion angel / I'm a fantasy parade / I want you to know what I think / Don't want you to guess anymore / You have no idea where I came from / We have no idea where we're going / Lodged in life / Like branches in a river/ Flowing downstream / Caught in the current / I carry you / You'll carry me / That's how it could be / Don't you know me? / Don't you know me by now?

Jesse: I kind of see this all love as this, escape for two people who don't know how to be alone. People always talk about how love is this totally unselfish, giving thing, but if you think about it, there's nothing more selfish.

Celine: I used to think that if none of your family or friends knew you were dead, it was like not really being dead. People can invent the best and the worst for you.

Rating

9.0/10
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Let's Be Cops (2014)

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Cast

Damon Wayans Jr., Jake Johnson, Rob Riggle, Nina Dobrev, Keegan-Michael Key, James D'Arcy, Andy García, Jon Lajoie, Tom Mardirosian, Natasha Leggero, Rebecca Koon, Nelson Bonilla, Jeff Chase, Jwaundace Candece, Briana Venskus, Alec Rayme, Ron Caldwell

Plot

Justin (Damon Wayans Jr.) and Ryan (Jake Johnson), two pals disappointed about their life, dress as police officers for a costume party. When they are mistaken for real cops, they take advantage of it and have some fun. However, soon they get tangled in a real life web of mobsters, and the real trouble begins.

Opinion

Critics won't agree with me, but Let's Be Cops is an enjoyable cop comedy. It lacks a bit of originality - the story and the little ending fight between the two pals remembered me of 21 Jump Street - but after all it isn't that bad. I have to admit it is not very logical or realistic at some points, but it's a comedy, and as such we shouldn't take it too seriously. The jokes are not brilliant, yet they are funny.
There's chemistry between Damon Wayans Jr. and Jake Johnson, and they both do a good work with their characters. Although I believe their comic potential has been wasted in this film. 

Buy on Amazon.com | Buy/Rent on Amazon Instant Video

Quotes

Ryan: I got promoted to sergeant!
Justin: You got promoted to sergeant?
Ryan: I felt like I deserved it.

Rating

7.3/10
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The Last Samurai (2003)

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Cast

Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe, Hiroyuki Sanada, Shin Koyamada, Tony Goldwyn, Masato Harada, Shichinosuke Nakamura, Timothy Spall, Seizo Fukumoto, Koyuki, Billy Connolly, Shun Sugata, Sosuke Ikematsu, Scott Wilson, Togo Igawa

Plot

Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise), a veteran of the U.S. Civil War, is hired by the Emperor Meiji (Shichinosuke Nakamura) to train an army capable of wiping out the samurai. But when Algren is captured by the samurai and taught about their history and way of life, he finds himself conflicted over who he should be fighting alongside

Opinion

I wasn't expecting much from this film, I thought it would be just another high-budget film starring Tom Cruise, without any depth. I've never been more wrong in my life. I absolutely loved it and I regret not watching it before.
The Last Samurai is a brilliant story of honour, tradition and courage, and glorifies the Samurai lifestyle in a sublime way.
The film, masterfully directed by Edward Zwick, manages to capture Japanese men living in a transition world: the fall of the Bushido and the rise of a modern empire.
The action/fighting scenes are spectacular. The sublime music, provided by Hans Zimmer, contributes in making the film even more fantastic.
Tom Cruise - actor I don't particularly like, and the reason why I watched this film only now - gives his best performance ever. However, Ken Watanabe, who plays Samurai leader Katsumoto, steals the show with his intense and mesmerising performance, and the Oscar is definitely worthy, but the Academy rarely fails to disappoint.

Buy on Amazon.com

Quotes

Katsumoto: You believe a man can change his destiny?
Algren: I think a man does what he can, until his destiny is revealed.

Emperor Meiji: Tell me how he died.
Algren: I will tell you how he lived.

Katsumoto: The perfect blossom is a rare thing. You could spend your life looking for one, and it would not be a wasted life.

Katsumoto: Perfect... They are all... perfect...

Simon Graham: [narrating] And so the days of the Samurai had ended. Nations, like men, it is sometimes said, have their own destiny. As for the American Captain, no one knows what became of him. Some say that he died of his wounds. Others, that he returned to his own country. But I like to think he may have at last found some small measure of peace, that we all seek, and few of us ever find.

Rating

10/10
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A Beautiful Mind (2001)

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Cast

Russell Crowe, Ed Harris, Jennifer Connelly, Paul Bettany, Josh Lucas, Adam Goldberg, Anthony Rapp, Vivien Cardone, Christopher Plummer, Judd Hirsch, Jason Gray-Stanford

Plot

The film tells the story of John Forbes Nash Jr. (Russell Crowe), a mathematical genius, who made an astonishing discovery early in his career and stood on the brink of international acclaim.
But soon Nash finds himself on a painful and harrowing journey of self-discovery once he is diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Opinion

I tried to watch this film about a year ago, but I didn't like it and I quit. I gave it another try and it was worth it. A Beautiful Mind is a fantastic film, and a great tribute to the life of John Nash. Although mathematics is a pillar of the plot, the film is never boring.
Ron Howard does an amazing job engaging the audience, and making them experience mental illness. Akira Goldman's screenplay, based on Sylvia Nasar's A Beautiful Mind, is brilliant. 
Russell Crowe is excellent. He does not act as Nash, he is Nash. The way he conveys mental illness is amazing. The elaborate makeup partially age Nash, Crowe does the rest. And most important, Crowe does not overshadow Nash. Jennifer Connelly is amazing as well as supporting actress. The chemistry between them is amazing.


Quotes

Dr. Rosen: Imagine if you suddenly learned that the people, the places, the moments most important to you were not gone, not dead, but worse, had never been. What kind of hell would that be?

Nash: What truly is logic? Who decides reason? My quest has taken me to the physical, the metaphysical, the delusional, and back. I have made the most important discovery of my career - the most important discovery of my life. It is only in the mysterious equations of love that any logic or reasons can be found. I am only here tonight because of you. [looking at his wife] You are the only reason I am. You are all my reasons. Thank you.

Rating

8.8/10
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Still Alice (2014)

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Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, Kristen Stewart, Kate Bosworth, Hunter Parrish, Shane MccRae, Stephen Kenken, Victoria Cartagena, Seth Gilliam, Daniel Gerroll, Erin Darke, Kristin Macomber, Caridad Montanez

Plot

Alice Howland (Julianne Moore), happily married to John Howland (Alec Baldwin) with three grown children, Anna (Kate Bosworth), Tom (Hunter Parrish) and Lydia (Kristen Stewart), is a Columbia linguistics professor who starts to forget things.
When she is diagnosticated with an early onset Alzheimer's disease, Alice and her family find their bonds thoroughly tested.

Opinion

Based on Lisa Genova's novel of the same name, Still Alice is a powerful, realistic, raw, emotional and heartbreaking story about a woman whose life totally changed. The direction is flawless, the screenplay is great, the cinematography is amazing. 
Julianne Moore's performance is not good in the lead role, she is mesmerizing, devastating and heartbreaking. She delivers in such an incredible way, and she successfully shows the struggle, the anger, the pain, the fear and the confusion of having such a disease.
The supporting cast is also good: Alec Baldwin's performance, who plays Alice's husband, is one of his best; Kristen Stewart's, who plays Alice's daughter, is her best performance so far.

Buy on Amazon.com | Buy on Amazon Instant Video | Buy Lisa Genova's novel on Amazon.com

Quotes

Alice Howland: Good morning. It's an honor to be here. The poet Elizabeth Bishop once wrote: 'the Art of Losing isn't hard to master: so many things seem filled with the intent to be lost that their loss is no disaster.' I'm not a poet, I am a person living with Early Onset Alzheimer's, and as that person I find myself learning the art of losing every day. Losing my bearings, losing objects, losing sleep, but mostly losing memories... 
[she knocks the pages from the podium] 
I think I'll try to forget that just happened. 
[crowd laughs]
All my life I've accumulated memories - they've become, in a way, my most precious possessions. The night I met my husband, the first time I held my textbook in my hands. Having children, making friends, traveling the world. Everything I accumulated in life, everything I've worked so hard for - now all that is being ripped away. As you can imagine, or as you know, this is hell. But it gets worse. Who can take us seriously when we are so far from who we once were? Our strange behavior and fumbled sentences change other's perception of us and our perception of ourselves. We become ridiculous, incapable, comic. But this is not who we are, this is our disease. And like any disease it has a cause, it has a progression, and it could have a cure. My greatest wish is that my children, our children - the next generation - do not have to face what I am facing. But for the time being, I'm still alive. I know I'm alive. I have people I love dearly. I have things I want to do with my life. I rail against myself for not being able to remember things - but I still have moments in the day of pure happiness and joy. And please do not think that I am suffering. I am not suffering. I am struggling. Struggling to be part of things, to stay connected to whom I was once. So, 'live in the moment' I tell myself. It's really all I can do, live in the moment. And not beat myself up too much... and not beat myself up too much for mastering the art of losing. One thing I will try to hold onto though is the memory of speaking here today. It will go, I know it will. It may be gone by tomorrow. But it means so much to be talking here, today, like my old ambitious self who was so fascinated by communication. Thank you for this opportunity. It means the world to me. Thank you.

Rating

9.0/10
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Tigerland (2000)

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Colin Farrell, Matthew Davis, Clifton Collins Jr., Shea Whigham, Cole Hauser, Tom Guiry, Neil Brown, Tory Kittles, Nick Searcy, Afemo Omilami, Matt Gerald, Michael Shannon

Plot

In 1971, Roland Bozz (Colin Farrell) is a draftee who has been sent to the Advanced Infantry Training Facility in Fort Polk, LA, where with hundreds of other new soldiers he's to be taught a final course in combat skills before being shipped out to Vietnam. 

Opinion

Tigerland is not exactly a war film, it is more like the first half of Full Metal Jacket, but more dramatic and intense than any other anti-war film. The hand-held camera, the grainy film stock and the mostly natural lighting give the look and feel of a documentary.
Using a minuscule budget, director Joel Schumacher managed to make a great film, which is, in my opinion, one of the best Vietnam films along with Apocalypse Now and Full Metal Jacket.
The acting is good; unknown at the time, Colin Farrell is terrific as Bozz, the rebellious and anti-war soldier. 

Buy on Amazon.com | Buy/Rent on Amazon Instant Video

Quotes

Staff Sgt. Thomas: Any questions?
Bozz: I got a question, Sergeant. If I'm dead, how come I can ask you a question?

Bozz: Courage is when you're the only guy who knows how shit-scared you really are.

Rating

8.5/10
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The Hurt Locker (2008)

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Cast

Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Guy Pearce, Christian Camargo, David Morse, Ralph Fiennes, Evangeline Lilly, Christopher Sayegh

Plot

During the Iraq War, Sergeant First Class William James (Jeremy Renner), recently assigned an army bomb squad, is put at odds with his squad mates Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Eldridge (Brian Geraghty) due to his maverick way of handling his work.

Opinion

At first I thought this was just another war film Americans love, but I was wrong. The Hurt Locker is about war, addiction, courage and alienation.
Beautifully directed by Kathryn Bigelow, the film is full of suspense and action. The cinematography by Barry Ackroyd is outstanding, and truly captures the Iraq War, but also war in general, in its rawness and brutality.
Jeremy Renner delivers an excellent performance as Sergeant Will James, a man addicted to danger and adrenaline. Anthony Mackie and Brian Geraghty, as Sanborn and Eldridge, James's partners, are impressive in their roles, and they do act like real soldiers.

Buy on Amazon.com | Buy/Rent on Amazon Instant Video

Quotes

Sergeant William James: [Speaking to his son] You love playing with that. You love playing with all your stuffed animals. You love your Mommy, your Daddy. You love your pajamas. You love everything, don't ya? Yeah. But you know what, buddy? As you get older... some of the things you love might not seem so special anymore. Like your Jack-in-a-Box. Maybe you'll realize it's just a piece of tin and a stuffed animal. And the older you get, the fewer things you really love. And by the time you get to my age, maybe it's only one or two things. With me, I think it's one.

Rating

9.0/10
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Whiplash (2014)

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Cast

Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons, Paul Reiser, Melissa Benoist, Austin Stowell, Nate Lang, Chris Mulkey, Jayson Blair, Kavita Patil, Michael Cohen, Kofi Siriboe, Suanne Spoke, April Grace

Plot

Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller) has a dream: becoming one of the greatest jazz drummers of his generation.
Since the competition is fierce at the New York's prestigious Shaffer Conservatory, and to impress his instructor Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), Neiman practices hard day and night, until his hands bleed. 

Opinion

Whiplash is an incredibly powerful film with lot to teach: never give up, pursue your dream, no matter what. Damien Chazelle, young and talented, becomes part of the history of cinema with this thrilling, exciting masterpiece. The constant drumming that stays with us for almost the entire film is amazing.
Miles Teller is surprisingly good, actually he is fantastic and this is his best performance so far. J.K. Simmons delivers a flawless and astonishing performance, which got him a Golden Globe for best supporting actor, and an Oscar nomination, which surely will turn into a win.

Buy on Amazon.com | Buy on Amazon Instant Video

Quotes

Terence Fletcher: There are no two words in the English language more harmful than good job.

Terence Fletcher: I was there to push people beyond what's expected of them. I believe that's an absolute necessity.

Rating

10/10
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Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014)

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Cast

Christian Bale, Joel Edgerton, John Turturro, Aaron Paul, Ben Mendelsohn, Ben Kingsley, Sigourney Weaver, María Valverde, Indira Varma, Hiam Abbass, Kevork Malikyan, Anton Alexander, Golshifteh Farahani, Tara Fitzgerald, Dar Salim, Andrew Tarbet, Isaac Andrews

Plot

In the ancient tale of the Hebrews, Moses (Christian Bale) gathers the faith to free his 400,000 enslaved people from the Egyptian Rule. King Ramses (Joel Edgerton), who he grew up with, must face his once best friend in a battle that exceeds the mere mortals and endures the act of God.

Opinion

Exodus: Gods and Kings is a huge disappointment. This story, which has been told and retold for thousands of years, deserved something better than this. And it really means a lot coming from an atheist. Ridley Scott brought to the screen his own interpretation of the Bible, and is it good? No, it isn't. $140 Million probably spent for special effects, costumes and a cast full of stars, but surely not on the script. I was expecting a spectacular Red Sea parting, but there is no trace of it. It is a mystery how Scott did such a poor movie.
Christian Bale is mediocre, delivering an emotionless performance - I wasn't expecting this from him at all. Joel Edgerton is surprisingly good.

Buy on Amazon.com | Buy on Amazon Instant Video

Quotes

Ramses: You sleep well because you know that you're loved. I've never sleep that well.

Moses: Follow me and you will be free. Stay and you will perish.

Rating

5.0/10
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Unbroken (2014)

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Cast

Jack O'Connell, Domhnall Gleeson, Garrett Hedlund, Miyavi, Finn Wittrock, Jai Courtney, Luke Treadaway, Travis Jeffery, Jordan Patrick Smith, John Magaro, Alex Russell, John D'Leo, Vincenzo Amato, Ross Anderson, Maddalena Ischiale, Morgan Griffin, Savannah Lamble, Sophie Dalah

Plot

Louis Zamperini (Jack O'Connell), an Olympic athlete, joins the armed forces during World War II.
Captured by the Japanese navy after a plane crash in the Pacific, and sent to a prisoner-of-war camp, Zamperini must continue his fight by surviving through the war.

Opinion

This film got so much hate and I sincerely don't understand the reason. Based on Laura Hillenbrand's "Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption" Unbroken is a brilliant film about friendship, inner strength and love.
A great and bright cinematography is provided by Roger Deakins. Coldplay's "Miracles" - ending credits - perfectly fits in the story and I couldn't imagine of a better song.
Jack O'Connell - I recently mentioned him in Eden Lake's review - is the real deal, and puts his efforts to portray such a man. Miyavi as The Bird does a great job.

Buy on Amazon.com | Buy on Amazon Instant Video

Quotes

Pete: A moment of pain, is worth a lifetime of glory.

Rating

8.5/10
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Apocalypse Now (1979)

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Cast

Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, Frederic Forrest, Albert Hall, Sam Bottoms, Laurence Fishburne, Dennis Hopper, G.D. Spradlin, Jerry Ziesmer, Harrison Ford, Scott Glenn, Bill Graham, Cynthia Wood, Linda Carpenter, Colleen Camp, R. Lee Ermey, Francis Ford Coppola, Charlie Sheen

Plot

During the Vietnam war, U.S. Army Captain Willard (Martin Sheen) is sent by Colonel Lucas (Harrison Ford) and Lt. General Corman (G.D. Spradlin) to carry out a dangerous mission that, officially, 'does not exist - nor will it ever exist': he has to kill the renegade and presumed insane U.S. Army Special Forces Colonel Walter E. Kurtz (Marlon Brando).

Opinion

Apocalypse Now, besides being a film about the Vietnam war, is a film about Vietnam itself. Francis Ford Coppola's film is complex, ambitious and philosophical, and reaches the human psyche. 
Marlon Brando's Colonel Kurtz is a man who has reached his breaking point, and has retired in the jungle to live like a demigod, venerated by thousands of indigenous.
The closing scene of the ritual slaughter of a sacrificial bull is the most powerful of symbols.
Martin Sheen is outstanding - this is the first time I have seen him -, Robert Duvall, "I love the smell of napalm in the morning!", is great and fun to be watched as Colonel Kilgore, and Marlon Brando does a spectacular job as Kurtz. 

Buy/Rent on Amazon Instant Video: Original Version - Redux Version

Quotes

Colonel Walter E. Kurtz: I've seen horrors... horrors that you've seen. But you have no right to call me a murderer. You have a right to kill me. You have a right to do that... but you have no right to judge me. It's impossible for words to describe what is necessary to those who do not know what horror means. Horror... Horror has a face... and you must make a friend of horror. Horror and moral terror are your friends. If they are not, then they are enemies to be feared. They are truly enemies! I remember when I was with Special Forces... seems a thousand centuries ago. We went into a camp to inoculate some children. We left the camp after we had inoculated the children for polio, and this old man came running after us and he was crying. He couldn't see. We went back there, and they had come and hacked off every inoculated arm. There they were in a pile. A pile of little arms. And I remember... I... I... I cried, I wept like some grandmother. I wanted to tear my teeth out; I didn't know what I wanted to do! And I want to remember it. I never want to forget it... I never want to forget. And then I realized... like I was shot... like I was shot with a diamond... a diamond bullet right through my forehead. And I thought, my God... the genius of that! The genius! The will to do that! Perfect, genuine, complete, crystalline, pure. And then I realized they were stronger than we, because they could stand that these were not monsters, these were men... trained cadres. These men who fought with their hearts, who had families, who had children, who were filled with love... but they had the strength... the strength... to do that. If I had ten divisions of those men, our troubles here would be over very quickly. You have to have men who are moral... and at the same time who are able to utilize their primordial instincts to kill without feeling... without passion... without judgment... without judgment! Because it's judgment that defeats us.

Rating

9.0/10
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