LITTLE CHILDREN

I have heard that last year “Little Children” was nominated for 3 Oscars. So I thought it must be worth watching and it worth every minute of it. I have to worn you first if you are easily offended it is not for you. The movie has been rated as containing strong sexuality and nudity. Unlike its name suggests, the movie won’t be a wise choice if you prefer to watch it with your children. A masterpiece for adults not for little children!!

We catch up with the characters in suburbs. Quiet calm neighborhood as one can guess. From the surface that’s what you see. Individuals and the neighborhood hide secrets. Young families who have managed to get their hands on some money and bought those big spacious houses outside that crammed city life. When the breadwinners leave the houses to work what happens to the one who stays put?

Sarah (Kate Winslet) after giving up the opportunity to do masters degree in the university, she got married and gave birth to Lucy. However she is not mature enough to take the responsibility of a kid as many times she questions her motherhood and how she keeps herself away from Lucy. Sarah is living a life that doesn’t suit for her. Brad (Patrick Wilson) got married young and has a son named Aaron. He is a house husband, his wife shots documentaries. He takes care of Aaron most of the time. The women of the suburbia call him “the prom king”. They are too shy to talk to him when he shows up in the park with his son. Sarah and Brad feel this little sparkle, excitement. In Sarah’s ideology it is “the hunger for an alternative and the refusal to accept a life of unhappiness.”

Kate Winslet glows throughout this movie. Patrick Wilson is a newcomer but he deserves some attention too. He really looks like “the prom king”. Jackie Earle Haley does a great job too by showing us an emotional crisis that people with psychological problems. The directing, lame colors with bold explanations ornaments of “little children”. A must see.

BABEL

A single tale out of four disparate ones. Love for your family, country, culture all in one big movie. Different worlds meeting up at one point lack of communication. An incredible touching story One should watch. A ride all around the globe.

Richard (Brad Pitt) and Susan (Kate Blanchett) leave their two children in San Diego to spend some quality time in Morocco. Susan gets shot from the shoulder by a stray bullet coming from a Moroccan goat farmer son. The boy Yussef was testing out a new rifle that his dad bought in case a fox wants to eat the goats. Richard and Susan’s trip ruins by this as she almost dies while waiting to be transported to a hospital. They are in the middle of no where even the tourists group leaves them behind.

Meanwhile Richard and Susan’s Mexican housekeeper is the only one who can take care of their 2 children. But she has to go to Mexico since her son is about to get married. So the only way is to take them and go. They go through the border without any problem. But when the time comes to go back to America they face with some immigration problems. She has her drunken gun-toting nephew drive her across the border. So they escape. The nephew dumps them in the desert and leaves. Now 2 children and the housekeeper are in the middle of nowhere, a dessert that draws the borders.

A deaf Japanese teenage girl is going through her crazy teen problems. Clubs, drugs, drinks and the problem of having no mom to take care of her. She is stuck with a father who loves to travel across the world. How all these stories come together? Well you should watch the movie first. I really do not want to spoil it this time as I respect “Babel”.

If you are waiting to see Brad Pitt being Brad Pitt, that’s not what you’re going to get. He is just a man trying to save his wife...

CHICAGO

I was talking about the dance routines in “the Memoirs of a Geisha” previously. Just forget about it I have found something amazing, brilliant, and catchy. An Amazing Piece of Cinema. For those who cannot live without a musical here it is. Chicago. You can get away with murder if you have the right moves and a song and a story that can be sold. As Billy Flynn the a greedy, flamboyant lawyer (Richard Gere) says so straight forwardly: “This trial... the whole world... it's all... show business”

Meet Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones) a vamp chanteuse who killed her husband and sister after finding them in bed together. And there is this Roxie Hart a wannabe-star (Renée Zellweger) who killed her boyfriend when she discovered he wasn't going to make her a star. Where they meet? In jail, of course... In 1920s Chicago, where fame comes with ones moves and songs. Roxie tells us the story with her brilliant songs.

Well I have to admit I’m not a big fan musicals, I actually hate them. To my surprise I loved this movie. So realistic, indeed. Music, jazz, dance, entertaining stories... It is completely revolutionary and legendary. İt is filled with juicy dialogue, and a beautiful flow from song to scene to song. The performances are on top. I never thought that Renée Zellweger could be this good. I don’t know why but I always find her irritating somehow. She shines through in this piece of art. You have to watch the movie first. I decided to buy the soundtrack now, that is something good so good.

BLUE CRUSH

I have realized that I have been watching a lot of feel good movies nowadays. Hımm… that means I’m feeling good. I guess we all need a time off from our hectic lives and breathe a little fresh air. My escape is the feel good movies. Well for the “blue crush” also known as “Surf Girls” it is one of those. For us who are living far far away from the blue masses you really feel like you’re on holiday if you watch something that is filled with it.

The movie takes place in Hawaii, the North shore. Huge waves believe me they were HUGE... feel like hitting the waves actually. One really feels the breeze of the ocean and the colors oh so good. The mash up of blue and green... The movie has left a big impact on me; I guess I really need a holiday. If I can stop myself thinking about that beautiful heavenly place out of my mind I can carry on with the story.

“What do I want? Oh my god, I want Penny to quit smoking and go to college. I want, I want to be able to pay the phone, electric and rent in the same month. I want a girl to be on the cover of Surf magazine. It would be great if that girl was me, but any girl would do. I want... I mean I wish my mom would come home, and I really, really want to win pipe masters tomorrow, that's what I want.” Is what Anne Marie (Kate Bosworth) wants. Too much to ask? No. Three girls living in a beach shack, one big dream winning the Pipe Masters surf competition. Anne Marie has to take care of hr sister, and her 2 roomies are there to help her achieve her dreams. They know that she is a great surfer and it is hard to find female surfers around.

We catch up with this friend family 7 days before the Pipe Masters surf competition. Anne Marie seems determined, made up her mind about this subject. But she falls in love with Matt (Matthew Davis) a pro quarterback. Romance enters the scene this time. She forgets about the competition. But everything keeps reminder her that. One of the girls say: "You have to understand. They're the most dangerous waves on the planet. Out here, you don't just get crushed...you die." One has to take the risk to achieve your dreams.

If you have found the story too teeny for you, just watch it for the sake of the beautiful scenery, ocean, waves that looks like to swallow you inside...

HALF LIGHT

There is this worse and the worst. I don’t know where to put this movie. Another writer’s story, but this time do not look for Jonny Depp. Why not cast Demi Moore instead? Bad choice, again bad choice. What is wrong with these script writers? They are not as inspiring as they used to be. I really understand now why they do not want to do those movie awards shows. Which movie that you’d like to honor “Half Light”? I highly doubt it.

I watched the movie because my friend gave me the VCD and I knew she would be asking questions about whether I liked it or not. I have to be honest with you guys, I hated it. The movie supposed to be touching as Rachel Carlson (Demi Moore) a prolific novelist loses her son in the river by the house. She is devastated and cannot forget what happened. Like any other mom would do she accuses herself from his death. But I have told you bad choice Demi Moore fails to give you the emotions the feelings. She is just so lost for words actually. She is so numb. And that does not really affect the viewers.

So Rachel moves to a small Scottish village to move on with her life. Okay you know what’s coming next... yes that’s it! Strange things start to happen all of a sudden. The village’s crazy women talking about a ghost of a boy hunting her, a swing swings right behind her... that’s supposed to be creepy right. But I didn’t feel this way. Usually I get scared from almost everything. But throughout this movie I didn’t even feel tense. Well the villagers introduce a revenge story that has ended with a three death happened 8 years ago in the light house. Feeling your blood pressure rise? No. Getting attached to the story? Maybe.

I’m going to spoil it all by just saying it is all a set up to get her money!!! What? She is a rich novelist!!! What is wrong with that? Just a creepy guy wanting to get her money... No need to tell you the rest. That’s all I can say about this movie.

MEAN GIRLS

They are the A-list girls of the school. They are mean. They are “the Plastics” as the school calls them. Regina George (Rachel McAdams), Gretchen Wieners (Lacey Chabert), Karen Smith (Amanda Seyfried) they are the most popular girls, everybody wants to be in their group. Cady Heron 15 (Lindsay Lohan) has been home schooled for years as she followed her zoologist mom and dad’s life in Africa, and safaris. She is a survivor in the forest but she has no idea whether she can make it after her parents decide to move back to America and put her to a public high school.

It is considered as one of the biggest problems that teenagers of USA are going through. Bullying and social groups... From an outsider point of view I have personally never experienced such a thing while I was going to school. I can only imagine. But the Hollywood thought that making it a funny movie is a better idea. The movie “mean girls” Light heartedly criticize this horrible situation.

The only way to bring those groups down had to be from the inside. At least that’s what Cady and her friends think. The most suitable person to do this is the new comer Cady. First they do silly stuff like sabotaging their daily life stuff. The crème they use, the diet regimes etc. Eventually, Cady likes being on top of the social status in the school. So she drowns into their life. Partying, sexy outfits are just a few. She loses her friends one by one. She is blinded by it all. The moment she realizes that her marks are getting lower and her relationship with her parent goes upside down, she wants to stop it.

Regina, the alpha Plastic, finds out Cady’s reason to be one of them. No one can be as evil as her and no one can make evil plans like her. She brings the whole school down with a big scandal or should I say a series of scandals. What else should I say other than I liked the movie. Want to see something young, fresh, comedy and a little bit of evil you have come to the right place. For those who are already left their high school years behind go for it and watch, just to remember how it felt like to be a teenager.

The Astronaut Farmer

Horrible, horrible, horrible… I don’t know what to say really. I am Lost for words... I wanted to do something different and wanted to watch “The Astronaut Farmer” without finding some information and comments written for it. I should have done it but it is too late now that I have watched the movie. But at least you have a chance to hear what I am going to say before you decide to watch it with your very own eyes ... you are saved... saving one person is enough for me really

One of the worst movies I have ever watched which is trying to say the cliché “keep dreaming”. Is this a comedy or something else? I couldn’t figure it out. If it was supposed to be a comedy I didn’t laughed at all, not a single smile. It is definitely not a sci-fi neither a drama. It’s impossible to categorize “The Astronaut Farmer” so I want to keep this review as short as possible. Don’t want to talk about my horrible choice... I don’t know why Billy Bob Thornton decided to play the main character Charles Farmer. Such a good actor filming something so disgusting... Bruce Willis does a cameo. What are you doing there Bruce? Get out of there!!!

The story line is this. A NASA astronaut (Thornton) forced to retire years earlier so he could save his family farm. But he has never give up his dream of space travel. He starts to build his own rocket in his back yard. The government's not happy with his dreams of becoming an astronaut when he tries to purchase rocket fuel. There is no rule to stop him; all they can do is to postpone what he can do with his rocket. Everybody in the village thinks he is crazy somehow. I thought the same thing actually. His first launch ends up in hospital. But for the second time he does it. He actually goes to space with his rocket. That’s it from me. Don’t bother to purchase or rent “The Astronaut Farmer”. Bad choice...

MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA

From a small fishing village to one of the most respected women of Japan. A bibliography with all its glory is waiting for you in “Memoirs of a Geisha”. That’s not all. A love story, a broken heart, a war that changes everything is what this movie is about. I think this utterance summarizes all. Nitta Sayuri (Ziyi Zhang) is ready to become one of the best but all she can think of is to run away with her sister to their father whom they were taken by force. Unfortunately that never happens as her sister leaves Nitta behind. After she fells in love with a man she decides the only way to be with him is to be a respected geisha.

Unlike the image in our heads geisha means something else, something more for those who are make a living out of it. Mameha wants to make it clear to Nitta whom she refers to as Chiyo. “Remember, Chiyo, geishas are not courtesans. And we are not wives. We sell our skills, not our bodies. We create another secret world, a place only of beauty. The very word "geisha" means artist and to be a geisha is to be judged as a moving work of art.” As you watch you follow Nitta becoming a breath taking geisha. With her youth blossoms and her unique blue eyes takes her to the top of mountain.

I adored the scene where she dances her heart out. So glamorous... one of the scenes one shouldn’t miss. Every culture has its own understanding and reflection of beauty. For me that was the moment when I said they should have kept that dancing a little longer than it is. You really want to see and experience more. But for 145 minutes, over 2 hours you feel fulfilled I guess producers thought it is enough.

The movie has been inspired by a book that called the same name written by Arthur Golden. I think before seeing that movie one should read the book first. You can fill in the gaps that you may encounter during the movie. Plus, you first imagine how it could be. The movie has an enchanting effect on most of the viewers and me of course. I liked it a lot. The scenery of Japan at that time makes you think how lives can turn 180degrees with a bomb that shatters all.