Watch Out For Spoilers

LITTLE CHILDREN

2008-01-14T04:23:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-13T03:06:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-13T03:03:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-12T13:50:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-12T13:47:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-12T08:33:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-12T08:29:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-12T08:22:00.000-08:00

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.

HERBIE: FULLY LOADED

2007-12-18T03:55:00.000-08:00

All Maggie Peyton (Lindsay Lohan) wants is to buy a car so that she can go to school with it. She has managed to save a little money and expecting her father to give her a helping hand. All she dreams of owning a classic Mustang. Eventually her father takes her to the junkyard so that she can a have a good selection of well, junks basically. Among all of the cars one stands out by its strange actions. Yes strange actions, because this car is alive. The Transformers spirit is on. Number 53 - the free-wheeling Volkswagen bug with a mind of its own one can call it.

The car Herbie as Maggie calls it is out of its mind. All Herbie wants to do is race. Ooh the old glorious days...when the first owner took her to the speed races. It won’t be long untill it finds the way to race again but this time with Maggie behind the wheel. I guess it’s in the blood as her brother is a street races trying to be a pro. She turns out to be a good racer actually more talented than her brother. It’s more like a friendship Herbie and Maggie have. The bug even helps her to find love Hmm... With the unstoppable encouragement or lets say force coming from Herbie, the car, she decides to race. First Maggie joins the street races with an anonymous name. But ends up loving the fame it brings.

Little did she know that there are more important things in life than fame, popularity, excitement of racing, high blood pressure. What are they then, the friendship and family bonds. Throughout the journey the bug, number 53, Herbie takes her she realized that she has grown up inside and outside.

The audience of the movie is children and pre-teen. If you have crossed that age limit years ago the only thing that may interest you is a girl driving a Volkswagen bug in races as fast as she can. Easy to watch and has a simple story line. If you’re a fan of Lindsay Lohan it is a must for your DVD collection. The DVD has some interesting features as well; like the music video “First” sang by Linsay Lohan. As I have said before the movie Herbie Fully loaded suitable for the children or you may end up switching the DVD off in a second.

BEWITCHED

2007-12-09T01:31:00.000-08:00

Oh good old days… I am definitely not an old person but I have seen the TV series when it aired in my country 3 years ago. I loved the series. It was fun to watch after one has a chaotic day at school. Then the movie “Bewitched” came.

Samantha/Isabel Bigelow (Nicole Kidman) quits being a witch. Intresting, huh? She decides to live in the earth and among all beautiful cities she picks Hollywood. She is struggling with herself and trying not to use magic whenever she needs. Meanwhile Jack Wyatt / Darrin (Will Ferrell) an egocentric actor is in desperate need the attention from the press but all he can do is to shoot really bad movies. He decides to have a big role in an upcoming television remake of the classic show "Bewitched”.

We all know that the show is about Samantha, the witch, but ohh to get the magazine attention back Jack Wyatt pulls some strings and in this version he orders to be the main character and change the whole attitude of the TV series. After securing his role, he looks for the character Samantha. She has to be unknown and unnoticed so that the focus would be on him. He finds Isabel Bigelow. He has no idea that she is a real witch. While shooting the show Isabel Bigelow falls for him. Love potion is on its way too.

You’ll loose the count of how many times she promises not to do any magic but never keeps that. Isabel Bigelow sees how an ego centered selfish man Jack Wyatt is and she breaks down. She tells him that she is a witch but she does not get the reply that she was waiting for. He screams and shouts as he was her flying with a broomstick. She decides to leave the earth for good. Bewitched is a lighthearted movie just like the show. It is funny. Nicole Kidman turns out to be a good nose wrinkler :)

THE NUMBER 23

2007-12-09T01:28:00.000-08:00

To what extent an obsession can change human life. Walter Sparrow (Jim Carey) is an animal control worker and lives an average American life. His life is a bit dull until Agatha Sparrow (Virginia Madsen), his wife, gives him a book for his birthday. A book is a book, or is it not? Walter Sparrow indulges himself into reading this book. Day by day he realizes that the book is talking about him. Everybody thinks he is mad as he starts to equalize everything with the number 23.

Walter thinks a curse is upon him. From his name to his birth date he finds the number 23. A counting system, numbers with meanings attached to them. What can I say about the book? Let me see... Hmm. It is a detective story filled with murders suicides but each and every one of them tells just one thing the world revolves around the number 23. Walter reads until the last chapter which is 22. He was desperate to find the last chapter as in his heart he knows that the book has not ended, yet.

The number 23 is a mental disorder, a heavy psychological problem which takes years of rehabilitation to fade away. Walter Sparrow is the man behind the pen and the pages. He is the one who committed all those crimes years ago. Repression of the bad memories was the only way for him to continue his life. But the number 23 haunts him again.

The concept is very exciting. If you were a royal fan of “x-files” you may like it but I am not guaranteeing that. Movie reminds me of “Sin city” whenever we see the pages of the book come alive while Walter narrates it. The colors and the way that people look, dark, cold depressed all the same. I have to admit that I didn’t like the movie as much as I thought I would be since I like every little bit of work Jim Carey does. But this time he misses the bull’s eye. It is not an extremely strong movie that will make you keep thinking after you leave theatre. If you really insist on seeing this movie just do it but do not expect a high standard detective story.

TRANSFORMERS

2007-12-07T13:47:00.001-08:00

After 15 years without hearing a word from them my brother asked me whether I can remember Transformers. Well, I’m a smart girl. Of course, I remember how could I forget? Childhood memories… I loved transformers when I was a kid. I used to glue my eyes to TV and swallow every little thing they say. After each and every episode I and my brother pretend that we were the robot cars and play for hours. I was so happy to hear that finally someone shoot Transformers. Come on, this cartoon needed something more than “The Incredible Hulk”. The team behind “Transformers: The Movie” did an amazing job. Special effects were really special. The story they come up with was brilliant. They deserve a very big hug J

Out of a two dimensional world Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf), the nerd, meets flesh and bone. Mikaela Banes (Megan Fox) is the hot chick that he is in love with as long as he remembers. I don’t know how am I going to link this love story with the robots which are more important then the first one. Well, I guess I will find a way... Autobots and Decepticons come to earth to find the Cube as it is source of their lives. They’ve got the technology and all that stuff on their side but they couldn’t manage to look after a huge cube. So they loose it in space while they were fighting with each other. How irresponsible of them! :p Then the cube end up in Earth! Oh, I love this part where USA finds it all by chance and tries to hide It under a desert. Everybody has their own dirty little secrets, right?

Obviously these super cool robots wants to find the cube before the other group. Autobots love them to pieces we are on their side. Decepticons hate them to death. A chaos break outs in New York as the two rivals fights. Who saves the day? Sam Witwicky...

Shia LaBeouf shines through the movie as well as autobots as they change from robots to brand new shiny cars. Well I really do not want to spoil it anymore. ( I know I have already done that) If you name yourself a true fan of transformers since childhood just watch the movie and see it yourself. I know it’s unfair but I loved the movie as I loved the series...

INCONVENIENT TRUTH

2007-12-07T13:44:00.000-08:00

I just want to stand up and clap until my hands go red. We need to wake up, we need to change. We have just one planet to exist on. We all feel sorry and in grief when we lose some so dear to us. But we just close our eyes to the fact that us, human beings killing the earth, our home. This documentary opened my eyes. Former US vice-President Al Gore shows us what global warming will do to our planet.

Al Gore is just stand in the middle of everything bringing the 2 dimensional slides to life. Being a Politian has its advantages like having rhetoric skills and persuasion. He uses his skill to the extremes and put up a great show. Sometimes touches your heart as he shows an exclusive footage of the 24 hours of the Earth’s orbit as well as sharing his life changing experiences with his son. Well I have to admit that it also includes little commercial breaks as we see Young Al Gore doing highly beneficial stuff when he was a college student and after facing the world.

I guess this movie has lit a candle along with the other organizations, funds to save the planet. The inconvient truth shouts deep into your conscious. I see this documentary as a milestone of educating people from the big screen. It attracted millions of viewers all around the world and has raised the same reaction “let’s do something about it”. If we won’t then who will do it? Cats, dogs?.. The inconvient truth has also showed us that how much we were hungry for something like that while millions flowed to saloons. Then the Live eight concerts came. Entertainment and good cause holds hands as you sing along to your favorite musician. If rate this movie with stars I will give them the whole The Milky Way.

CLICK

2007-12-07T13:38:00.000-08:00

What if you had a universal remote that controlled your universe? You know you want to... Come on... You’d definitely use it if you had one. Michael Newman (Adam Sandler) is a workaholic architect who is trying to find his way to the top of the business. Donna Newman (Kate Beckinsale) loves his husband to pieces but she thinks Michael is working too hard and not spending his time with his family. Michael is aware of that too but he thinks he cannot be everywhere at any time.

He discovers a department called “Beyond and More” in a supermarket right after he falls asleep on one of the displayed beds in bedroom section. You got the hint I guess. So he is curios and follows the sings to “Beyond and More”. He meets Morty (Christopher Walken) a man looking like he has just come out of one of those “Back to the Future”. He has what Michael has been looking for. So Michael thinks Morty came in the nick of time, something magical like God sent. Got the hint? These “hint” parts are put there on purpose you’ll understand what I mean if you just watch the movie and enjoy it. Morty gives him a universal remote that has not even tested or used on animals or humans before.

Like cigarettes, alcohol, chocolate obsession Michael gets addicted to his new device, a universal remote that allows him to fast-forward and rewind to different parts of his life. Michael forwards every time he faces an obstacle like finishing his drawings before the deadline. It’s like having all in one for free. All he has to do is choose and option from the menu. Eventually he realizes that he is missing out his own life as he find himself 10 years older, fat, and alone.

While watching this movie I don’t know why I kept recalling the movie “Family Dad”. I know the answer but I wanted to check whether you felt the same thing or not. I have to admit I liked the movie. It is hilarious. You’ll definitely have good laugh when you see how Adam Sandler would look if he was a fat man.

LICENSE TO WED

2007-12-06T10:15:00.001-08:00

Tying the knot is serious business. Like it is not too hard to find Mr. Right... Sadie (Mandy Moore) and Ben (John Kiranski) is a happy couple, in love and about to marry. Ben proposes during Sadie’s Parents 30th anniversary of being together. All Sadie asked for was to get married where her parents did in St. Augustine's. It was her dream when she was a little girl.
They rush to St. Augustine's Church to decide on a wedding date. They meet Reverend Frank (Robin Williams) there. He is not your usual Religion man he is definitely more than that. He is the only person to make this happy couple question their relationship. Believe me he is capable of doing anything to assure that. Even if it takes him to creep up into their apartment an place a microphone to check their daily conversation and more...

The wedding has to take place in three weeks of time or they will have to wait for two years in line to get married in St. Augustine's. The church has its own regulations. Signing up a couple program is one of them and finish it successfully is another one. The curriculum is the funniest of all; How to fight, how to manage kids, how to belly dance. Yeah, you read it right; how to belly dance. It’s one of the funniest scenes.

For this movie I really do not want to spoil it for you. The story line is simple but funny. You don’t get lost between the characters because they are all equally entertaining.

Comedy, comedy, comedy... One never gets tired of laughing. When I left the saloon I had a very sweet cheek ache from laughing too hard. Most of the comments on review web sites about the movie were very harsh and negative. I have never encountered such hatred towards a movie. Either they haven’t watched the movie or they don’t know how to laugh. I guess it is because the major actor and actress were trying to secure a place in Hollywood movie industry. And not every person gets a warm welcome,hah? Well they are at the beginning of their career so give them a space to breath. I think instead of saying “No-no” to a movie, they should encourage new talents to this business as it needs to be refreshed now and then. I had such a great time watching this movie. Plus the entire crowd did. I know it is too late to watch it in big screen but get the VCD or DVD to taste a fine tuned comedy movie.

PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS

2007-12-06T10:12:00.001-08:00

Meet Chris Gardner (Will smith). He is the bread winner of the family. Linda (Thandie Newton) she is the bread winner of the family, too. Christopher (Jaden Smith) is just five years old. But the world is no good if your mom leaves your dad and home for good as she is sick of being poor and underpaid. Having no home to shelter and you have to go to kindergarten where they don’t know how to spell happiness. But you are lucky to have a father who has big dreams, hopes about the future.

Chris Gardner is a salesman who is trying to sell a device which calculates the density of teeth. 3 more devices to sell and he is free to do anything else. By luck he meets a professional endeavor of a very big insurance company. It’s not that bad to be a salesman as you gain some special features like knowing how to talk, how to lie, how to keep living in very dreadful situations that life brings. These little things help him.

This movie tears down some taboos believed by general people like you have to finish college and even more to become a very important person. Chris Gardner has nothing on the education side other that being good at calculations in high school. That professional endeavor inspires him to ask for more from life and he manages to write his name on an internship program of an insurance company. After a month of education he has to past a test to work for them. They only select one person each year. He has one shot, one opportunity. That’s not all, having nowhere to live he travels across the district to a public shelter where he and his son, Christopher, can stay for just one night. And they have to do this routine everyday or else they are on the street.

Watching Will Smith in such a winner movie in every aspect was very touchy as he is usually the comic guy (Man in Black, Show Time) or the action guy (I, Robot). We as viewers needed a change. I am so glad that I spared time to watch Pursuit of Happiness. Such excellent story meets ambitious acting. It pinned a smile on my face as credits rolled by me. Sometimes you have to pursue your dreams, work hard for it. Things you dreamed off don’t fall in laps of no one. All the sacrifices and tears are they worth it? You have to watch the movie first!!!

MUST LOVE DOGS

2007-12-06T10:10:00.001-08:00

Sarah Nolan (Diane Lane) is a beautiful divorcee in her forties. Her husband has left her for a younger lady. She feels she needs some time to stop and think about life and relationships. For her sister, Carol, (Elizabeth Perkins) she is in desperate need of men and the easiest way to get one is the internet. All you have to do is sing up to a love match site which will do all the hard work for you. Someone eventually answers her ad and she gets a date. Well, multiple dates. The-long-awaited Jake (John Cusack) answers her ad too. They fell in love blah, blah, blah. Then, there comes another guy, Bob (Dermot Mulroney) whom she also finds attractive. You can have both, can you?

Sarah chooses Bob. But she realizes that it will not work out after they spend a weekend together at a holiday resort. I didn’t understand why she continued to see him after she found out that he is cheating on Sarah with a college of hers. She eventually picks up the pieces and confronts Jake that she has done a terrible mistake.

Can someone find truelove through internet? I highly doubt that. “Must Love Dogs” find the love quick and painless. Do you remember the movie “You’ve Got Mail” in which Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks gradually, bit by bit falls in love. I am deeply sorry to inform you that “Must Love Dogs” is a replica of that movie. I wish they had done a little effort and different perspective to win our hearts by offering something more. Good acting, good story but nothing more. It lacks the enthusiasm and curiosity that I have found in romantic movies. In a nutshell the movie asses you by, doesn’t harm you. I definitely choose “You’ve Got Mail” over “Must Love Dogs”

THE EX

2007-12-06T10:06:00.000-08:00

Waste of time, waste of money... I have realized sometimes being a good soap opera actor does not mean they can do well in big screen. I am so disappointed in especially Zack Braff and Jason Bateman. Haven’t they read the script before playing in it? The movie “The Ex” intended to be a comedy. Not funny at all!!!

The story? Just don’t ask me, I was bored witless. I may have missed some scenes because I may have fallen asleep. I have just watched the movie and I can easily tell you that the story has no impact whatsoever on viewers. What is the problem with these script writers? There is nothing I can tell about the movie!! Well I know I have to write something and here it is.

Tom (Zack Braff) and his wife Sofia (Amanda Peet) are in for major changes now that they have a newborn. Sofia is the breadwinner of the family. She is a very successful lawyer. Tom is chef in a restaurant where he gets sacked just before Sofia pop out the baby and leave her job to be a full-time housewife and mom. They have to earn money, right? That baby needs food. So Sophia’s family gives them a hand and finds Tom a job in an advertisement company.

Tom is a stranger to this new field and environment. Eventually he meets Sophie’s ex (Jason Bateman) there. Don’t worry he is not your usual handsome well-paid and chased ex-boyfriend. He is crippled, stranded to his wheelchair. But we find out that he is not crippled at all. He is fake using the advantages of being a handicapped person in society. I am not telling that they are all living a good life but this guy knows how to use it for his advantage. When Tom finds out about ex’s lie he wants to go public.

This is the story believe me!! It has not attracted cinema goers all around the globe. Don’t feel incomplete as you haven’t missed anything. Go watch something else!!!

STRANGER THAN FICTION

2007-11-08T13:23:00.000-08:00

Picking a death scenario for the character of your book must be a hard job. Well it is for Karen Eiffel (Emma Thompson). Should she kill him by car accident or choking him to death or destroying his house? What about Harold Crick (Will Ferrell)? I know you’re asking who the hell he is. Well he is the main character of the book. He is the one who’s going to be killed cruelly. First, he started hearing a woman’s voice who told him “Little did he know that this simple seemingly innocuous act would result in his imminent death.” This voice was actually narrating his boring life with her bold comments. He has to stop that narrator to kill him. Hearing voices, no, there is no way that he is out of his mind...He is just a character in a book.

Whatever Karen says happens. My favorite comment from her was “...And we must remember that all these things, the nuances, the anomalies, the subtleties, which we assume only accessorize our days, are effective for a much larger and nobler cause. They are here to save our lives. I know the idea seems strange, but I also know that it just so happens to be true.”

Harold's usual boring life

Harold Crick was living in that fiction. His boring life became more adventurous. Sorry not that ‘adventurous’ but interesting. I guess he started to see that ‘nuances and subtleties’ and started accessorizing his life. He started playing guitar. Well, from his point of view this is a big step for him to take. Especially opening up his heart and fall in love was the biggest change in his life. At the start he was a usual man trapped in the working class with ties society then turned into a happy working man with a tie. Harold knows that, fells it in his bones that he is a tragedy. And he has to change it somehow.

Well this is not an easy process. ‘His imminent death’ was very close. So he changed little by little. In the end he was almost going to die by a car accident. I repeat that almost be dead. But you didn’t think that he was going to die at the end of the movie, did you? Well, you really grow to like the guy actually. At least he tries to do his best. And you wish that he lives happily ever after.

The colorful narration spices up the story. I am not going to say a word about acting. They were fabulous. Although it is a low tempo film you don’t feel bored. I didn’t feel bored and I do with these kinds of movies. I just want to leave the theatre for good. Surprisingly this movie made me smile and glued me to my seat. It was like reading a book. Unusual plot, good acting, entertaining; you’re gonna like it...

STUCK ON YOU

2007-11-05T10:57:00.000-08:00

Conjoined brothers sharing a liver and a life. One is full of life and the other one is not even sure whether he is living or not. Bob (Matt Damon) is the shy one. Walt (Greg Kinnear) is having all the fun. Poor Bob all he has a chat friend that he hasn’t even seen her picture. What can I say; he is the recessive of the two. Just like me you are going to feel sorry for him when you watch the movie. But you’ll also realize that he has the guts to support his brother whatever he does.

They are from a small town. They own a little diner. They are both very famous in their home town. Yes it is because they are Siamese. Although they are stuck together on the hip, that does not stop them from doing everything. From baseball to ice hockey they are inseparable. I guess Walt always wants more that’s why they left everything behind to achieve his dream to be a real actor. What happens when Walt decides to be a Hollywood star? Well you have to watch the movie first. I don’t want to spoil it. But I can’t stop myself from doing that. “spolier alert” He becomes famous when Cher (yes, Cher in person) asks him to be her partner in this soap opera. Well he gets so famous that the brothers decide to be separated from the hip where they are conjoined about 9.00 inches.

It’s a fifty fifty chance. But they took it. They should do it or else why are we watching that movie for? Of course the procedure went fine. No they are healthy as a bull! But there is still one problem. Although they adapt their new life they still long for the shoulder that they are so used to. What happens at the end then? They return to square one. They are back at their small town but this time as individuals.

Funny movie? Yes it has funny moments. Drama? No, not really although I made it sound like a drama. Well you laugh, but cautiously since you don’t want to feel guilty over someone’s disabilities. Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear is a good team. But I think Jim Carey would be much more suitable for the Walt character. Most of the scenes I kept repeating myself wouldn’t it be great if Jim was there. I know I’m not a cast director but you will see what I mean after you watch the movie. Stuck On You deserves a 4 star out of 5. Check it out!

HOODWINKED

2007-11-05T09:42:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had doubts about your innocent fairy tale characters? Well I did when I was a little girl. I always had the idea that one cannot be that fortunate and lived happily ever after. Hoodwinked, the story shows its face in a newer look. This time it has everything from humor to adventure. This time there is a crime and a suspect. Red Riding Hood (Anne Hathaway), The Woodsman (James Belushi), Granny (Glenn Close), The Wolf (Patrick Warburton) found themselves in a detective story that they have to solve.

The trouble in the hood causes a scene among the residents. Although it seems like a little problem to us but it is not. Come on! Some one has been stealing the recipes of candies of the goody shops! Many animals are out of business just because of that. Of course the police department has to solve this mystery. Detective Nicky Flipper, a frog, is in charge of the investigation. Each and every character tells the story from their point of view. The Red (Anne Hathaway) we already know from the tale is not as dumb and childish in this version. Granny (Glenn Close) is not your usual grandma who knits, crochets, waters flowers. She is like the Triple X in this movie. She can do all the stunts and extreme sports. What amazes me most is she keeps her huge hair in shipshape against her life on the edgeJ And the Wolf (Patrick Warburton); just don’t blame him straight away. I know it is really hard to believe but he is innocent. He is just a poor reporter after a big story.

Well, I have to be honest with you. it is not like the movies that we are accustomed to in Shrek, Monster Inc., Toy story, Happy Feet, Ice Age etc. this movie is for the kids an only kids. I watched this movie with my 10 year old brother. What I realized was he had a lot more fun then I did. He laughed harder and frequently. If you feel like you had already grown up, go and watch something else because you won’t find what you are looking for. When it comes to criticizing the movie I know I have to be fair and objective although this is not an official newspaper review and I am not a reporter. The quality of the animation is average. The story could be a lot better. But the idea of changing the ordinary fairy tale characters is brilliant. According to my research, this is the first time that 20th Century Fox has been releasing an animated movie. Well they deserve and applause, this movie got a B+ from me.

Bend It Like Beckham!

2007-10-30T14:51:00.000-07:00

Bends the viewers like an Oscar winning movie! A comedy that kicks you out of your seat and encourages you to reach your goals. The film introduces us two eighteen year old girls from a very different families and backgrounds sharing one dream, making it to the professionals. The movie takes place in West London, England where football has a much respected fan basis. But not for a girls team :(

Jessminder (Parminder Nagra) stuck into her traditions with her Indian family sneaking out to play football in the park with boys. For her mom she should be spending time to learn how to cook a complete Indian dish without burning it. Moreover she has to help her sister who is in the process of getting married. However this is the last thing on her mind, while she chats with the poster of the world-famous-footballer David Beckham hanging on her wall.

Juliette (Keira Knightly) is in war with her mom too. But this one is different. Her mom wants her to dress like a lady and date with guys. Although her father supports her love for the sport, her mom is just not gonna give up. She meets Jessminder who has the same abilities but lacks the courage to go for it. They fight, get angry with each other even make sullen like little girls but they don’t forget that their love for the sport is more important than any other thing in the world.

The movie is like an all you can eat diner. It has a successfully tamed chaos. You can find football, family crisis, teenage crisis, adaptation problems, insecurities, love, dance, music, cooking, and competition, anything and everything in between which spices up a two teenage girls’ life. As British say “Bloody brilliant!”. Go check it out if you haven’t done already. A five star comedy that you won't want to miss!

Native and Non-native Speakers of English

2007-10-30T14:00:00.000-07:00

The pronunciation is the biggest headache that irritates most of the adult learners. Being a non native speaker of English like me, I think, gives you the right to make mistakes. For me it is inevitable to be confronted with problems, failures to produce the correct sounds. Especially after a certain period of time, people find it difficult to sound like a native speaker.

Between the native speakers of English all around the world, we hear different pronunciations of the same word. From America, England to Australia, that is from coast to coast the native speakers do sound different. What I have noticed is the native speakers from America and Australia & New Zealand sound totally different. Australian accent sound more like its British roots. Although they are miles and oceans apart the similarities are exciting. In Turkey we are exposed to American English accent most of the time. After checking the various web sites, I have realized that I am not that accustomed to the Australian one. So hearing a native speaker from Australia New Zealand is quite hard to find. After comparing and contrasting the speakers from all around the world, Australian accent has become the hardest of all that I can produce the sounds just like they do.

Only in America we encounter hundreds of different accents. North, south, west, east has all their own characteristics and easy to differentiate from one another. Since America looks like a mosaic of various ethnics the language spoken by them is different as they are also influenced by their mother tongue. Canadian English has been influenced by both the native residents own language and French at the same time. This situation raises the language into a new level. Still fascinatingly I felt more familiar with the Western American accent along with the southern American one.

Lastly, the non native speakers of English just like me use other intonations, stress patterns, tone of voice. Most of the time, they lack these qualities of English. Even some of them sound like they are the boring repetitions of the sound records that come along with the course books. But most of the times since the message is presented orally it is impossible to understand the boundaries between the words. All in all, for me, the most difficult one to understand was the non native speakers of English as they are less exposed to the language and conquered by their mother tongue

THE LAKE HOUSE

2007-10-22T13:43:00.000-07:00

“In love and two years apart” are the exact words that can summarize the whole movie. Throughout the movie you keep saying that they are meant for each other but how are they going to meet? Kate Forster (Sandra Bullock) moves out from a breath taking glass house by the lake to works as a doctor in Chicago. She leaves a letter in the mailbox to the next tenant in order to give information about her new address if something important comes up in the mail to her name and signs the letter as 2006. Alex Wyler (Keanu Reeves), the new owner of the house, is an architect who has just left Chicago and bought the glass house by the lake which had been designed by his father.

Alex finds the letter which had been left in the mailbox. The letter has mysteriously signed as 2006 and he’s living in 2004. He ignores it as a spelling mistake. He replies back to the previous owner. Meanwhile for Kate her life changes totally when she loses her first patient in the Chicago hospital. She starts to question herself as a doctor and human. She goes back to the empty lake house to find comfort again and relax a little bit. Kate and Alex soon find out that they are actually living 2 years apart. The mail box seems like having a connection between these years. First they talk about the marvelous glass house the only thing that they have in common but then, they start asking questions trying to know each other in a different level. Eventually they fall in love. Hahhhh :)

“It's kind of a long distance relationship.” admits Kate. But how do people love someone that they’ve never met? This movie is a second version. The original title of the movie is "Siworae” shot in Japan. I had a chance to watch a clip of the original one. Although it attracted quite a lot of moviegoers in Japan I personally liked the second version most. Sandra Bullock has done a great job by performing a quiet self conserved doctor. Plus, Keanu Reeves shows us another side of him after the matrix trilogy that the world will never forget. We have seen him performing in romance/drama movies like “Sweet November”. This time he hits the bull’s eye. He proves that he can also handle a soft easy going character.

I love romantic movies as long as they do not repeat themselves or other similar productions. This movie “The Lake House” is nothing but ordinary. It’s a family friendly movie. Moreover it won’t bore you and your partner (If you are lucky to have one :). Give it a try and check it out soon. It will be a good part of your home video collection.

MR. BEAN'S HOLIDAY

2007-10-21T11:17:00.000-07:00

Everybody needs a holiday, even Mr. Bean (Rowen Atkinson); that is, disaster has a passport. Thanks to a church ruffle, Mr. Bean wins a holiday in Cannes, South France. All he needs to do is transfer in the Gare de Lyon, Paris unfortunately he cannot speak French very well. The fun part starts right after that. At the Gare de Lyon he grows an appetite for delicious French food. For me, that is when the funniest part of the first half of the movie starts. All he gets is an enormous plate full of sea food and sea bugs.

To make his holiday an unforgettable one, Mr. Bean records everything he sees with his camcorder. And I am not exaggerating when I have said everything! With his recent interest in recording, Mr. Bean accidentally separates a young boy from his father. All he wanted to do is to find someone who can shoot the moment when he gets on the train. This time his luck turns against him. He asks Emil, a Russian film director on his way to be a judge at the Cannes Film festival, to use his camcorder to record that precious moment. However the train leaves the station without Emil who has his son inside the wagon. Mr. Bean feels awful for the big mistake he makes and tries to accompany the director's son Stepan throughout the journey. All he manages to do is grunt and mumble. Moreover he loses all his documents money and passport while helping the kid to reach his father. Meanwhile the concerned father Emil, reports his son, Stephan, has been kidnapped by a strange looking guy. Now Mr. Bean is really in trouble.

I am already a huge fan of the first Mr. Bean movie. I used to watch Rowen Atkinson doing crazy stuff, getting himself into trouble on BBC Prime. For me the story line of “Mr. Bean’s Holiday” is not really important. All you want to do is laugh. Your eyes search for an awkward situation that Mr. Bean can do crazy stunts. Throughout the movie he falls, gets lost, change costumes! If you want to see the funniest (and stunningly athletic for his own age) British guy lip-syncing an opera you’re in the right address. He even shows his art work (!) to the elegant Cannes Film Festival visitors! Poor Mr. Bean all he wanted to reach a sunny beach! It sounds like a rhyme! Did he reach the Cannes Beach at the end? “Spoiler Alert!” Yes, he did. With his tuxedo and shiny shoes!!! The film is sure to put the smiles on your faces. If you find time make sure to watch the first movie also.

The Prestige

2007-10-13T09:48:00.000-07:00

Attention is what you should bring if you want to watch this movie to its full potential. “Are you watching closely?” is the opening line of the movie. We succumb to the reality each second like a trick done by a magician. This proves that director Christopher Nolan has done an excellent job. That is exactly what this movie is about 2 assistant magicians in the late nineteenth century London become enemies after Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) kills Robert Angier’s (Hugh Jackman) beloved wife by accident during a performance. They go to separate ways yet not very far. Both have the passion to overpower the other one. Sabotaging each others’ shows and stealing tricks is just one of the many ways of corrupting their carriers.

The world of magic is ungrateful and forgetful but if you could fool the audience, even for a second, they'll flatter you. One of the mind blowing doctrines in this movie is the one that Cutter (Michael Cane), the advisor used to work for them, spells it out for us. “There are three plots of every magic trick… 1st the pledge, the magician shows you something ordinary: a deck of cards, a bird or a man. 2nd the turn, the magician takes the ordinary something and makes it do something extraordinary. And making something disappear isn't enough; you have to bring it back. That is 3rd the prestige.” That is what Robert Angier’s after, a five star prestige.

(A sparkling scene from "The Prestige" when Robert's search comes to an end.)

Robert Angier goes half way around the world and spends a fortune. He finds what he is looking for in a box. “I add only one suggestion on using the machine: destroy it. Drop it to the bottom of the deepest ocean. Such a thing will bring you only misery.” is the inventor’s concern on using that machine. But Robert never listens.

People are happy to be mystified. Well at least I’m one of them. If you want to be fooled and say “A-ha!” at the end, you’re in the right place. You’ll find rivalry, intrigue, and the prestige. Pure genious!

The Holiday

2007-10-12T03:03:00.000-07:00

From Los Angeles to London, a coast to coast romantic comedy. A love story of two women in their thirties forms the core of the movie “The Holiday”. They are different, yet still similar in many aspects. Iris (Kate Winslet) and Amanda’s (Cameron Diaz) life take a different turn when both women decide to leave their miseries behind and make a new start. From the director of “What women want” and “Something’s Gotta Give” Nancy Meyers presents us another brilliant romantic comedy.

“I found almost everything ever written about love to be true. ‘Shakespeare said journeys end in lovers meeting’ what an extraordinary thought.” says Iris at the very beginning of the movie helping us to foresee the future. 6000 miles apart Iris, a British journalist, and Amanda, who works as a movie trailer maker in L.A., is experiencing different consequences of love. Iris is in love with someone who is about to get married and has no interest in her whereas Amanda finds out that her long time boyfriend has cheated on her. What they both need is a little escape, a holiday. Iris and Amanda meet online through a home exchange site. They decide to go for it and for just two weeks before Christmas they switch the houses, cars, basically everything. What they do not know is they are going to find love at the end of their journey.

The viewers has the opportunity to have sneak peek at the behind the scenes of the film industry. When Iris arrives at Los Angeles, she meets Arthur (Eli Wallach), a legendary scriptwriter and Amanda’s friend Miles (Jack Black) a young film composer. “The wind…It’s what make it so warm at this time of the year. Legend has it, when Santa Anas blow, anything can happen.” as Miles suggests and they find themselves in a very innocent romance. Meanwhile a stranger knocks on Amanda’s door on a usual cold winter day of Britain. She welcomes him without second a thought. He was Iris’s brother Graham (Jude Law). They immediately fall in love.

Just like the character Amanda does, “The Holiday” inspires you to make a movie trailer of your own life. Moreover encourages you to watch the movies given as reference by Arthur (Eli Wallach) and Miles (Jack Black). As usual Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz and Jude Law present a great performance. Besides like the pieces of a puzzle, they all fit together. Especially Jack Black shines through in this movie. At first you think it is impossible for a person like him could manage an emotional character, since we know him from the comedy films like Nacho Libre (2006) and The School of Rock (2003). However, Nancy Meyers proves us all wrong by giving him the Miles character and trusts him fully. If you are looking for a nourishing romantic comedy, this one will be the best choice among the movies of last year.

Evan Almighty

2007-10-09T12:09:00.001-07:00

After the world wide success of “Bruce Almighty” (2003) the director, Tom Shadyac, tries his luck with the second comedy movie “Evan Almighty” (2007). They are both hilarious. In the second movie God (Morgan Freeman) gives Evan Baxter (Steve Carell) a chance to change the World as he had asked for in his prayer. All Evan has to do is to build an ark and warn people about the great flood ahead.

As a newly elected congress man Evan has to start a new life with his family. They decide to move to the suburban northern Virginia. There is a lot going on at the beginning of the movie. He has to leave a good impression on his new coworkers. Evan’s family is expecting a lot from him like giving more attention to his 3 sons. Right at this critical point of his life he finds a box full of tools and wood in his porch. Building an ark like Noah did and filling it with animals was what Evan had to do. Why are all of these animals following Evan Baxter? God only knows. As God (Morgan Freeman) expresses very clearly “God gives you opportunities to reach your goal.” This is his opportunity to spend more time with his family during the construction of the ark. Moreover his big break to the congress by warning common people about a fishy legislation that they want to adjust. But everyone thinks he is “the weirdo with a beardo”.

The first one has the ultimate comedian of our time Jim Carey. The difference between the two movies is that the second one introduces us a real actor who does not have to imitate or make funny faces to make us laugh. All Steve Carell has to do is be in front of the cameras. The instant you see his face the bigger smile you’ll have. Have you ever watched animals building an ark? It’s like the longer version of the famous gag videos that is circulating the internet. There you have it! If you want to have a good laugh, trust me you’ll love it, if you watch it.