film : magnolia

And Melora takes me to talk about Magnolia.

Nowadays there're many ensemble films like Crash or Babel. A lot of different characters at the first sight (without leading character) but they are somehow connected. I think Paul Thomas Anderson's Magnolia was the first one of that kind for me and it impressed me much.

Some people criticize that it's boring, pretencious, and self-indulgent picture. Firstly, I do understand them. Because it is long (188 minutes) for this normal people's stories. But it's spectacular 188 minutes. No doubt. Secondly, I prefer pretencious director to I-do-my-works-for-money director. It's more creative, and sometimes it works or not. And then people can take it or not. Thirdly, self-indulgent... Well I don't know but a lot of people enjoyed the film.


And we can't forget to say that it's terrific ensemble cast.

Tom Cruise helping men to have sex. I imagine he's very proud of this work.


Julianne Moore, dame of dirty language, finding love somewhere she didn't expect.


Luis Guzman, always there.


Alfred Molina, alwas there.


Charming Melinda Dillon (& her "I love youuu") and Philip Baker Hall.


Oscar winner (last year) Philip Seymour Hoffman, being nurse.


William H. Macy, always there and always funny.


William H. Macy's wife Felicity Huffman (in the real life), then unknown (so that some thought, poor Felicity, she was Philip Seymour Hoffman's wife) and now a desperate housewife.


And of course, Melora Walters with lovely John C. Reilly.


She's the one who left the best quote:

Now that I've met you, would you obeject to never seeing me again?

Hell!

And more and more good actors. And best supporting actors in the end, ****s.

Regret is one of the most important themes of the film. How the past makes us vulnerable and threatens the future. Also about coincidence, facts, events, will. Before starting with different stories, there's a very interesting introduction. Then everything starts and makes us think. It's not easy film to watch, just like life itself. Definitely I need to watch it again, writing here I realized that I'm forgetting things, although the its taste is still here in my head and some scenes are really hard to forget. Impressive.

Here is Aimee Mann's Video. She's kind of scary ghost here. The music was also magnificent in Magnolia.

film : a perfect world

A perfect world is a film directed by my beloved Clint Eastwood starring Kevin Costner in his best role.

Basically, the film is about the relationship between Butch (Kevin Costner) and Phillip. Butch escaped from the prison of Texas with a guy and both kidnapped a boy called Phillip. And then they start a journey, and the chief Red (Clint Eastwood) follows them. Actually it is almost a road movie.



Volver made me cry after years of drought in my eyes, but I made a river with this film! I didn't cry so hard these years!! As the affection grows between them, the film drops you into the film. It also combines drama with good sense of humor, that is why it is easier to feel near to each character. We can see how they rely on each other and finally find their heart filled emotionally. And our heart do too.

Fatherhood and the nature or origin of criminal minds are also important thematic in the film. I think Clint Eastwood is smart in his description. He's always like that. That's his stamp.

The boy is charming and Costner is in his best. All his haters have to watch this! And special mention to Laura Dern who played Sally. She and Clint made me laugh a lot.

Well I was angry and blamed on me because I missed this film all my life. That's unforgivable!

film : volver

Pedro Almodóvar's film. Probably this is the best Spanish film I've ever seen. I can't really appreciate Spanish film industry, it's actually boring to me. But this time Pedro Almodóvar looks independent, so his style. I didn't understand the beauty of All about my mother but I did with Talk to her, so I was like doubtful with this one.

This film is about different women of three generations in La Mancha, who live as best as they can. Well, it is not as best as, because sometimes I think Spanish people don't think things too much (which is good) so it's kind of they are living their lives, surviving difficult moments and enjoying what a life can offer them. And suddenly the phantom of the dead mother (1st generation) seems to come back to their lives (2nd generation & 3rd).

It was so emotional, tells or shows you the life is not only about pretty pieces, it hurts too but we've got to carry on. We know it but we rediscover it. And Almodóvar mixed with inner Spanish popular culture, and that matches so good.

The Penelope Cruz's singing scene fills you with emotions. She was fine, Carmen Maura as well, but above all the things, Lola Dueñas was superb.

Oscar? I wouldn't give a damn, in any case this is good piece to me.

When Lola Dueñas said Estoy sola, como siempre...(I'm alone, as always) There is so many good dialogues indeed. I highly recomend it.

film : eternal sunshine of spotless mind

This creative film Eternal sunshine of spotless mind is about Joel (Jim Carry) and Clementine (Kate Winslet), they split up and the impulsive Clementine went to a doctor to erase her memory of him (it's possible in this film, while you're sleeping doctors remove memories in the brain). And then he realized about that and he was about doing the same, but eventually, during the treatment (when he's sleeping), he starts thinking that he doesn't want to forget her after all. So he tries to escape from the treatment and keep all memories in his mind.

We can virtually see how his memories are removing. It's hard and sad to see how all the beautiful memories of lovers are disappearing. And the way to represent it in the film is wonderfully clever. The creators didn't resort to digital means and what we see looks like manufacturing.

It's very romantic in odd way, you may find it very artistic or very boring. That's the fact.

The screenwriter is Charlie Kaufman, who is definitely... bloody crazy.

And the director Michael Gondry did this scene so good.

film : junebug

Surreal and natural. Comedy and drama. Singularities (people) and gathering (family). That's Junebug. Some people may get bored of nothing-special-happens-here and say "please get to the point". But some people may enjoy thinking not-only-my-family-is-weird and say "what lovely characters they are", which is my case.

A marriage goes to North Carolina for business but also takes this opportunity to meet the husband's family. It's first time for the wife to meet his mother, father, brother and brother's pregnant wife. It seems like every member of this dysfunctional family is anxiously waiting for the baby who is supposed to fill the lost part of unity.

Whole film is skillful but the best is all actors in the film, specially Amy Adams, her character is crazy, and the best scene is when Alessandro Nivola's character sings a hymn at church social. Check it!

Mom: Where are you going?!
Dad: Bring the car upfront.
Mom: Don't just stand there go get the car!

Hilarious!

film : The Straight Story

I love watching films. Genre doesn't matter at all if it's good one. Science fiction, love story, thriller, whatever. But I guess stories about a family and road movies are my weak point. And The Straight Story is one of my favorites.

The following trailer itself tells everything about it. This is a elderly man's journey to meet his ill brother. The unique thing is that he travels across states on a lawnmower. Some people told me that it's too slow, but you know, when the main character is elderly man and he travels on a lawnmower, what can we expect?? I'm kidding, but for me it is absolutely heartwarming.



It is based on a true story and "Straight" is the surname of that elderly man, called Alvin Straight. That word is very suitable and deserved for him, as much as for the film. Straight. They get to the point.

And just a... curiosity: there's a script in this film which is familiar to Japanese people. It's when Alvin tells teenage girl:

When my kids were young I played a
game with them. I'd give each of them
a stick. One for each of 'em, and I'd tell
them to break it. They'd do that easy.
Then I'd tell them to make one bundle
of all the sticks and try to break that. A
course they couldn't. I used to say that
was family, that bundle.

It is like a story which told Mōri Motonari, who was a personage of Japanese history, in 16th century. OK, and this is one famous story about him (reference/wikipedia):

He had three sons whom he encouraged
to work together for the benefit of the Mori
clan. In one instance, he is said to have
handed each of his sons an arrow and
asking each snap it. After each snapped
an arrow, he produced three arrows and
asked them to snap them. Unable to snap
them, Motonari told how one arrow could
be broken easily but three arrows could not.

That's so similar!! Maybe the source or origin is the same...

Anyway check those films if you have a chance!

film : The Royal Tenenbaums

"You Are Invited To A Remarkable Family Gathering"

I love watching films. Genre doesn't matter at all if it's good one. Science fiction, love story, thriller, whatever. But I guess stories about a family and road movies are my weak point. And The Royal Tenenbaums is one of my favorites.

I was shocked with this film. This is a comedy but it isn't a type of "meet the parents" at all, the sense of humour is totally different, The Royal Tenenbaums is a little bit surreal but it's charming.

The story is about Royal (Gene Hackman) who wants his family back after a lot of years, and he's gonna fake like he's very sick. His wife and he have three children, who were genius in their childhood, but now all they've got is frustration. This is just a very short plot. The cast is great, Anjelice Huston, Ben Stiller, Gwyneth Paltrow (her best role), Luke Wilson, Owen Wison, Danny Glover and Bill Murray.

fil

Each character has their own personality and it's a succession of memorable scenes. And that's just two of the best things in the film.

Aaaand this scene is just the best. Awesome. I used to hate Gwyneth but since I saw her here telling him

Stand up straight and let me get a look at you... what's so funny... well it's nice to see you too...

This rocked me.

film : Superstar

Okay, okay, okay, you can say whatever you want, but I'm going to defent it forever and believe me, this film deserves to be more popular. Watch this clip:



She's saying

I had really good time on our date last night... Did you? I wore this kiwi-lime lip gloss just for you. Like it? Huh? Like kiwi? (She laughs) Shut up! You shut up. 'Cus You're sexy. Shhhhh! Shhhhh! Wanna spank you? Wanna be spanked huh? You want me to spank your booty? Spank it off. Spank it. Spank you. Shhhhh... (She kisses) Oh God, oh my body!

... I'm sorry... I'm sorry, I was just doing my part to save the rain forest.

I couldn't stop laughing the first time I saw it, I've watched this scene again and again!! The film is about Mary Katherine Gallagher, and all she wants is a kiss, a Hollywood style kiss, and become a superstar. She knows she isn't that popular in the school (so she dates a tree!!!), that's why later she tries to win the talent show in her school.

Molly Shanon is the best, I'm following her career, I need her to be the female Jim Carry. Well, apparently she takes a part in Marie Antoinette of Sofia Coppola, which is a surprise for me. Will Farrell appears in the film as well, he's unique and I love his stupid films!!

film : Peter's Friends

Peter's Friends is 1992 British film about six old friends that are going to gather after 10 years. All together for first time. They had acted in a comedy troupe as students. But after so long time, everything is different, it's not as it was before. It makes think about friendship and the passage of the time.

I like this kind of comedy. The combination of closed site, reduced number of characters and clever conversations. Almost all the film passes in the luxurious country house, but the script is good and it never get boring.

The actors are all good, specially Hugh Laurie and Imelda Staunton. And I didn't know Kenneth Branagh was so talented.

This is a little part of the script, a conversation between Andrew (Branagh) and Maggie (Emma Thompson):

Any news on the boyfriend front?

I was kind of seeing someone. An author.

And what happened?

He committed suicide.

Oh, I'm so sorry.

It's all right, honestly, really. I didn't really like him very much. I liked him even less after he committed suicide.

How did he do it?

Threw himself off a building. He couldn't even do that properly. It was only a 3 storey building. He would have survived, only a car ran him over.

(Andrew laughs)

It's not funny.

It is slightly funny, Maggie.

I suppose so. Yes it is slightly funny.

What sort of books did he write?

Self-help.



The clip is a scene of the film, the song The Way You Look Tonight (Frank Sinatra). So sweet.