Archive for the ‘cinema lover’ Category

Tuesday, 28 February 2006

Movies

Well, the weekend turned out a bit more… umm… ‘wetter’ than I had aticipated. But it was fun none the less. Here are the films I saw.

Garden State: Like I seem to have noted on the night, it was indeed very good. Zach Braff was, surprisingly enough, brilliant. And I didn’t realise until afterwards that he had also written and directed it. Wow. What a clever boy. I always thought he was just ‘that annoying one’ from Scrubs. The film reminded me a whole lot of Beautiful Girls, probably not least because of Natalie Portman. But it had that same vibe about it in general. Anyways, I’ve always liked this sort of ‘going-back-to-your-small-hometown’ genre of films. And this was one of the best I’ve seen.

Jersey Girl: Well, it was better than I expected, and sort of continued the Garden State theme which was cool I suppose. Quite a clear attempt from Kevin Smith to go main stream. But even though it was toned down a lot and a bucketload of schmultz was added, there were still some genuinely Smith-like scenarios scattered around, enough to make you smile. And I always dig Ben Affleck more when he’s working with Smith.

Elizabethtown: Hmm. I’ve been waiting for Cameron Crowe to get back to his Singles ‘roots’ for some time and this was definitely a good attempt. Some brilliant ‘feel good’ elements, some nice dialogue and observations plus quite a good supporting cast. The biggest problem imo was that Orlando Bloom couldn’t really carry the film as the main lead. I noticed I was enjoying the movie a lot more in the parts where Orlando wasn’t saying much. Beats me why they chose an Englishman for that role in the first place… Also, I really wish there would have been a lot more of the roadtrip and less of the funeral shenanigans.

Crash: I’d heard a lot of good things about this movie, and it certainly lived up to the expectations. Not sure why it took so long for me to see it. Very uncomfortable to watch in parts, and perhaps not even that rewarding, but it certainly does have quite a profound effect on your feelings/thoughts. I like the Magnolia sort of approach to storytelling, where separate stories interrelate with each other, and that was used to a great effect here. Definitely one of those ‘must see’ films… but perhaps not one to watch multiple times.

Æon Flux: It always annoys and perplexes me when people go to such lengths in creating a really sleek-looking movie, without having a proper script behind it and without concentrating on making the story strong enough to really get lost in, or even to believe in the characters. I just think it’s a real shame. Some very beautiful frames in this movie. But still, it was bobbins. 100% pure bobbins.

Saturday, 25 February 2006

<3

Grabs provided by pervy-Jen. :P

The happy cowboys


So, I finally went to see Brokeback Mountain with Jenni yesterday. And I must say it was truly a beautiful and moving experience, which will probably stay with me for a long time to come. In fact, I feel like the film is still growing on me and that I will be appreciating it more and more when time passes… and when I inevitably will watch it again. I think it’s a real shame the film has acquired the reputation of ‘the gay cowboy film’ (even though I know it’s impossible not to call it that, it just kinda flows. :P ), as it might limit the amount of people who will go and see it – and possibly prevent exactly the types of people from seeing it who really should see it. Because first and foremost, it’s a lovestory. A lovestory so sincere I can’t even remember when I last felt so much for the characters in a film. The acting is so brilliant that gender becomes wholly inconsequential and you are left with just the raw essence of what all of us are about. You feel for these two people and understand their pain so completely that it feels overwhelmingly wrong for them to be apart because of what the society finds (or did back in the time where the story is based) ‘acceptable’.

I’ve never really liked or rated Heath Ledger before. But I must admit that his Ennis Del Mar will probably go down in the history books as one of the most remarkable characters ever. (A very similar sort of revelation as Jim Carrey was in The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, but so much more courageous). He never puts a foot wrong. He is so subtle and raw and true… he makes us feel and live the whole journey with him. Jake Gyllenhaal is as good as I expected him to be, I’ve been sure for a long time that he is meant for great things. So fearless and uncompromising is his dedication to each role I’ve seen him in. In Brokeback he provides the perfect amount of passion and fragility, making it really easy for us to believe how Ennis would fall for him. In fact, the whole supporting cast is brilliant, not least Michelle Williams, who is vulnerability incarnate.

Only minus point for me was the slightly unbelievable looking aging job done on the actors, after all the story spans over 20 years. But it wasn’t done badly-badly, and I suppose it’s always a tricky thing to get spot on because everyone will still know that it’s makeup etc. and will be looking even more closely. Still, it’s nothing that seriously hampered my ability to enjoy the film. For the movie on a whole is beautiful. Slow, glorious, painful, bittersweet – like life itself.

On a completely separate note, there is also the fact that Jake Gyllenhaal has the most incredible eyes. Ever. In the history of eyes. *drool* Like yeah, I’d do him. What ever sex or species he was. Umm.

Thursday, 24 March 2005

And exhale…

Oh my what a frantic week this has been. Remember how this time last week I was hankering after a bigger flat… Well, things have moved on considerably from there. At the weekend we went to view several flats (really not intending to actually buy anything yet) and found one we really liked. By Tuesday I had viewed it again and decided that I didn’t want to pass it by. We then proceeded to get an additional mortgage rushed through, put our current flat on the market and, finally today, we put an offer in for the flat. :D It’s quite scary and the past week has been dizzifying. Now we’ll just have to wait until Tuesday to find out if our offer has been accepted. Fingers crossed. And if it is successful, fingers crossed that our current one will sell damn quick. :| Anyways, three bedrooms and a small garden… bliss.

I saw Constantine last Saturday. I wasn’t sure what to expect as the reviews had been quite bad, but I actually quite enjoyed it. It looked damn good visually and I for some reason always like films with some religious ‘fantasy’ about them. And it must be said that it was possibly the best anti-smoking advert I’ve ever seen. =P Keanu is always criticised for his stiff acting, but I think he fitted the role really well. And I loved loved loved the fact that Tilda Swinton was playing Gabriel. I regocnised her straight off from only seeing her back. :P Since Orlando she’s been the one and only choice to play the ultimate hermaphrodite. The biggest let down was Gavin Rossdale, who really should have stuck to looking pretty and singing well, acting is really not your thing, love. But anyways, if you like special effects and some angel action – do go see it.

The Hours was on TV the other night and that was the third time I’ve seen it. I must say it just gets better and better with each viewing. Rarely do you see such touching and deep performances on screen. The whole cast is just so very good. Especially Ed Harris. God, he just breaks my heart. I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but to me it’s one of the most beautiful and touching and real films ever.

I took some Easter pics tonight, just to unwind from all the stress and stuff. Cute things. :P Mmmm four days of holiday (and of trying not to think of the possible new home) ahead. Bliss. I wish you all happy Easter. <3

Monday, 21 February 2005

Bad Education

I finally got round to watching Bad Education/La Mala Educación. To start with, I must confess that I’ve always been a huge Almodóvar fan. I adore the visual look and the seemingly serendipitous storylines that always become crystal clear at the end… I’ve just always felt very much at home in the worlds he creates, while at the same time finding his vision fresh and exotic.

I remember seeing Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios and thinking this is the way films are supposed to look and make you feel. An experience a bit similar to seeing your first Fellini film. By the time I’d seen ¿Qué he hecho yo para merecer esto?!! and Tacone Lejanos I was completely sold. Umm actually that might have happened already back when I saw young Antonio Banderas (unknown outside Spain back then) in Laberinto de pasiones and later in ¡Átame!. *drool*

Anyways, the point I was trying to make was that I’ve always loved pretty much every film he’s ever made. And yet, despite all the good reviews, Bad Education left me cold and a bit disappointed. Yes sure, Gael García Bernal was very cute and gave a very touching performance. But somehow the story managed to completely pull the rug from beneath his feet and invalidate his whole performance. And yes the film dealt with difficult issues, with flourish to start with, but then managed to somehow undermine all the groundwork put in and offer these easy solutions… or no solutions at all actually.

Ahh I don’t know… I just found the whole thing a bit… dare I say it easy. And that annoyed me very much. All these very dated attempts of shocking the audience, the overly simplistic twist of the simplistic plot… it all made me wonder exactly what audiences this film was aimed for? Could it be a coincidence that all the reviews claiming this to be his best film to date seem to come from the US… Who knows… Ok, it did look good. And it did feel like an Almodóvar film. But in the same league as Hable con ella it wasn’t, nowhere near.

Friday, 17 December 2004

Koppakoppakoppakoppakoppakuoriainen

So yeah, there’s this annoying advert for a children’s CD on TV all the time. I think the songs are teaching kids the names of different animals or something (i.e. koppakuoriainen=beetle). Anyways, every time I hear this beetle song it sticks to my head for the rest of the day. Argh. Koppa-koppa-koppa-koppa-koppakuoriainen. :| I think it’s a rap. For kids. Or retards like me.

I couldn’t resist any longer. I had to watch the Return of the King last night. :D And it was good, didn’t feel nearly as long as it did in the cinema, even if it was 40 minutes longer. I so loved that chap who came to meet Aragorn et posse at the Black Gates. How camp was he! That smile was brilliant. I was kinda upset he lost his head really. Hmm, I wonder if he was in the theatrical version as I can’t remember him… perhaps I was already asleep by then. Oh and I went to see The Forgotten the other day and that was bobbins! I got the giggles so bad… Well, at least it was good for comedy relief I suppose. That said, there was an annoying person in the back row who laughed constantly. At everything. OMG they came in the door! HAHAHA. Erm. That might have contributed in my giggles as well. OMG they got sucked into space! =P

I’ve been so overly stressed this last week. I even might have been a bit snappy at times. :| Truly fed up with my work at the moment, it doesn’t seem to give me anything else but aggravation. I’m trying to think of ways to completely blank out my head by the time this day is over. For two weeks, I will not think of work at all. Or at least I’ll try my darnest. No matter what kind of a nightmare I’ll have to return to as a consequence in january.

Last night’s good news made me feel good though. :)

Oh and my dad came over yesterday, with a huge christmas present. In fact, it was so big that I had to open it after he left as we couldn’t walk past it or anything. (Don’t worry, he’s on his way to San Fransisco so he won’t know I opened it already =P). Anyways, it was this massive feather duvet. Umm. So massive that none of our duvet covers actually fit. I suppose I’ll have to get all new bedding now then. The present that keeps on spending. Thanks dad. :D

So next week. Christmas week. :D I’ve got a shoot on tuesday, which will hopefully result in my seasonal picture for this year. And on wednesday I’ve got Annis’s xmas party to go to. Where I’ll probably see other friends I haven’t seen for ages. And then, then starts my sofa time by the xmas tree. I’ve gone on about it enough, now the time is finally here. :D

Sunday, 5 September 2004

Today I finally saw the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind then. And it was brilliant. Sad and bittersweet and beautiful. And all about humanity… the ability to love, and the willingness to even get hurt over it. I think that’s what’s most admirable in human nature. That even if we knew it would all end in tears, we would be willing to embrace it just so we can enjoy the ride.

Oh, I saw this film called Equilibrium on TV the other night and that was all about human emotions being illegal, as apparently without feelings like anger and hate there wouldn’t be any wars or violence. In the end it was quite clear there wouldn’t be any sort of life worth living either. Emily Watson said something like ‘Without love, without anger, without sorrow, breath is just a clock… ticking’, which I thought was quite fitting… and gripping. Anyways, watch that one if you want to see some Matrix like moves.

Back to the Eternal Sunshine. One of the things that made my jaw drop was Jim Carrey being absolutely fantastic. I’ve never been able to watch the so called funny Jim Carrey films with all the rubber faces, without cringing. But here… he was just so real, so human, so fragile, so brilliant. His performance was just heartbreakingly good. I so hope he gets more ‘serious’ roles in the future. And how funny was it to see Elijah Wood in a creepy sort of role. :D Very amusing indeed.

Charlie Kaufman’s screenplay was fantastically quirky and touching. Even though I really enjoyed Being John Malkovich and absolutely loved Adaptation, Eternal Sunshine was just so complete and perfect. I can’t wait to see what he writes next.

Visually most interesting as well, I suppose traveling in someone’s mind always gives that freedom of illustrating the thoughts and experiences as vividly as possible. There was definitely a lot of eye candy scattered along the way.

The emotional journey of the movie (or the relationship portrayed) sort of traveled from back to front, from the end to the beginning… moving from the nasty, bitter behaviour and resentment of the end of a relationship to the pure and beautiful feelings and experiences of the beginning. It was a vital reminder to anyone, not to forget why you love someone, and how you arrived where you are now. I came out with such a sense of hope. And joy. Joy over everything I’ve experienced and felt in my life. It is all so important. And joy over holding on to love even when things get rough. As in the end, that is all that matters.

Clementine : This is it, Joel. It’s going to be gone soon.

Joel : I know.

Clementine : What do we do?

Joel : Enjoy it.

Monday, 7 June 2004

Why does time go so fast? It’s like a week starts and then in a few breathes it’s already Sunday again… I feel like I can’t get a hold of anything, like my life is slipping away through my fingers. I see people around me moving on, having lives, progressing to next stages. And I’m just treading water, while time is running out. Ah well.

Went to see The Butterfly Effect on Sunday. In spite of the negative reviews I’ve read, I thought it was actually quite interesting, strongly character driven and enjoyable. Made me jump out of my skin on several occations however… Some brilliant acting from child/teenage actors really made the story flow evenly. And I thought Aston wasn’t half bad in it. I can see what Demi was thinking now… :P

I’ve arrived at another creative slump. Always happens after I have a shoot and get an image that’s been brewing in my head for a long time out into physical form. It’s nice to have it out there, completed, but there’s always this sense of an anti-climax involved… like I could have done it better, I could have used more time on some aspects etc… Anyways. New ideas will fix that hopefully. Just feeling a bit blah at the moment.

BB UK has been really ‘lively’ this year. More has happened in the first week than in the whole of the last series. I just haven’t had much time to watch it. And also, watching it online is always so different. It feels more like you’re in the house yourself as you don’t see the edited shows and how everyone’s been portrayed. Doesn’t hold the same excitement I suppose.

I just love this snap of Elli and Stu. A meeting of great minds. :D

Sunday, 30 May 2004

So, I saw The Day After Tomorrow. It was exactly what I expected it to be, very american, very big, a little corny and perfectly entertaining. I must admit I really enjoyed it… and the effects looked rather good to me. It’s ok for films to be purely entertainment, when they’re not packaged to be anything more than that. No false expectations. So if you want two hours of just forgetting about your head and any complex problems, do go see it. Oh and Jake was cute enough, but god did he make me feel old. Must say that Dennis Quaid and his old school charm did it for me this time…

I almost bought a Holga today, but in the end opted for a 4-lens lomo. It’s quite good fun. :D Can’t wait to see the results. But this whole having to wait for the film to finish and then get it developed is quite odd you know. I think digital has made me too impatient.

Tuesday, 4 May 2004

Nikki and Ian went home on sunday, which made the atmosphere a bit… deflated. It’s not nice when something you’ve waited for a long time has suddenly passed you by. Oh well, at least the weather has been trying it’s best to cheer us up. The world is finally starting to look green. Yesterday was such a beautiful day, and *so* hot. We went to stroll around Helsinki and sat in the sun on Esplanade. Perfect end to a holiday really. Although I wouldn’t mind staying on hols for the whole of the summer actually… oh well.

I have a load of work to catch up with at the moment, but there are ideas for photographs brewing at the back of my mind. I hope to shoot Mirka soon, perhaps as early as next weekend(?). And it looks like I’m shooting Jenni again some time at the end of this month. I have some ideas for her gorgeous hair. I’m also hoping to come up with some more conceptual work, even if at the moment I’m quite enjoying the ‘pretty picture’ phase I’m in. Oh and when I finally get to see Johanna’s baby… I don’t think there will be anything stopping me and my camera. :)

I received my (massive) Mario Testino Portraits, which I ordered, and it is very gorgeous.

Also got Cecil Beaton’s Portraits, which is full of beautiful pictures, but I’ll let it inspire me more when I’m back in a B&W; mood again… Unfortunately I’ve now fallen into the trap of absolutely loving having big photography books to look at when ever I feel like it and now I’m lusting after Bettina Rheims’s More Trouble… even bigger than the Testino one and costs about 100 euros… somebody stop me. Every picture in it is just so gorgeous from start to end though… *sigh*

Yummy looking films.

I’ve had this yummy film list up on DA before. Might as well put it up here as well and see if anyone would come up with more suggestions.

A few weeks ago I finally got around watching Kieslowski’s Three Colours trilogy (I know it’s a shame I hadn’t seen them before ok) and fell in love with Blue. Every inch of film was so meticulously composed and the imagery supported the mood of the film superbly. So that’s my recent addition to the list.

Also, The Cell was on TV the other night and the ‘inside the brain’ scenes were as spectacular as ever. Who needs a plot when there’s so much to look at. :D

So, anyone seen any other yummy films lately?

Amelie

Moulin Rouge

Roma

Tacones lejanos

12 Monkeys

Blade Runner

The Lord of the Rings (whole trilogy)

Romeo + Juliet

Les Parapluies de Cherbourg

The Matrix

The Ring

Minority Report

The Cell

Edward Scissorhands

Satyricon

Trois couleurs: Bleu

Saturday, 31 January 2004

Oh my God has it snowed today. What with living on the fifth floor, I think the snow will soon reach our window. It’s getting a bit mental. Can’t see anything but white. Lose direction of where you’re going. Can’t really get ahead anyways, as you’re knee-high in snow, and you feel like you’re just treading water. Ridiculous I tells ya. I’m really rather surprised we made it home just now.

Despite the weather, we went to the cinema. The point of the exercise was to use up our free tickets, but of course we forgot those at home. As you do. So, The Last Samurai. Ahh yes, I was a bit weary of it to start with, Tom Cruise as a Samurai… honestly. Well, Tennispalatsi (the big theatre with big soft comfy seats) was all booked so we had to go to Forum (the old theatre with seats like church benches and a draft problem), which wasn’t the best of starts. Before the film started we for some weird and wonderful reason got to enjoy a er.. ‘performance’ by Kendo (I think) Master Christian. There were a lot of stifled giggles in the audience. I was rude enough to snap a few pictures…

The film itself was alright in a Dances with Wolves in Japan kinda way. Tom wasn’t bad, albeit he did look constipated throughout. You might want to spare a thought for Stu who sat through quite a lot of japanese conversing with finnish subtitles. Aww. Most enjoyable moments for me were the 6 or so lines Billy Connolly got to deliver before getting killed by a big bad samurai.

The scenery was beautiful and Tom looked quite statuesque (ahh now we clocked why he wanted the role) among his japanese fellow actors. So visually it was a pleasing experience, and all in all, it was quite enjoyable until my butt went to sleep (because of the torture seat) and a lot of yawn-inducing war scenes ensued. Don’t get me wrong, I know some people appreciate battle/war scenes, I just find them… boring. And as futile as war itself. Get a load of men into one place and get left with a whole bunch of bodies. What is the point again?

Anyways, I’m not exactly converted to the Church of little Tom, but I think he did an alright job in an alright film. That’s about the long and short of it.

Friday, 2 January 2004

Well I can’t sleep again so might as well write something (and use it in two different places…ha.).

Started the year by seeing Return of the King. It was as good as I expected, although somewhere around the fifth ending I did start to get desperate for the loo… Erm. I feel rather like completing an endurance task now. However, can’t wait for the extended DVD to come out (for next Xmas…), they just make so much more sense and feel more complete. I also always go nuts watching all the extras in one go and decide to go work in the movies. I’d give quite a lot to have been doing some sort of creative stuff for that trilogy. It fascinates me *so* much to see what a load of creative people can come up with when they put their heads together.

Tomorrow is officially my last day of holiday. How fast did that go. I don’t feel like I’ve had time to sit down and relax much at all really. Oh well, this weekend I’m planning on just laying on the sofa, finishing off the xmas choccies and maybe watching The Lakes, of which I have both seasons on DVD. Especially since it’s -15C outside and I really don’t feel like bar hopping in long underwear….

It’s been a year since we moved to Finland and I’ve done my monthly travel to London 12 times now… weird how time flies. I hope I’ll gain some clarity over what I want out of life and where I want to live this year. At the moment (probably because it’s winter) going back to England seems the likely option at the end of this year… We shall see.

And here’s a few pictures from England. Just your basic Xmas activities and a few from Ian’s birthday bash (my god that boy can eat some chinese!).

Thursday, 4 December 2003

So you know

Angelina Jolie is a bitch.

Tuesday, 28 October 2003

Today has been a strange day. Two different people (not known by eachother) phoned me today and told me they’ve found a lump in their breast. The other one was still going in for more tests, the other is certain to have an operation. I don’t know how to feel apart from scared. Scared for both of them and scared for myself. Feel very deflated. Sometimes life reminds us of its fragility in the most cruel ways. Hopefully both of them are going to be fine. Hopefully all that is left from this day will be a check on life’s priorities. At the moment, hope is what’s needed. Actually, the beardy bloke in the Matrix Reloaded did say one comprehensible thing: ‘Hope, it is the quintessential human delusion, simultaneously the source of your greatest strength, and your greatest weakness’. Delusion or not, it’s what gets people through times like these.

Talking about the Matrix, I had my first mail from a complete stranger yesterday, who was a bit upset about my harsh review of the film. I should apparently study Hinduism and the vedas. Well, in my opinion, a films ultimate purpose is to entertain. And if it fails to do that, because it’s so wrapped up in its own self-importance, no amount of philosophy can save it. I should probably make it clear that I loved the first Matrix. I think it delivered the message brilliantly, whilst still remaining an utterly enjoyable experience.

And as far as my personal priority check goes, I found an old picture of Stu, I took about four years ago. I remember the day I took it and how happy I was. At that point in time I probably didn’t even realise how trying times we would have to get through. But we’ve gotten through them together, and it’s been one hell of a ride. And every day I love you more and more. And I am still as happy.

Sunday, 26 October 2003

Tonight I’ve seen the Matrix Reloaded for the third time. Unfortunately, with each viewing, it just keeps getting worse and worse. It might have something to do with a few too many rum & cokes, but this time the pseudo-babble was even more intolerable than before. And what about that rave in the cave. A rave. In a cave. For God’s sake. The official K-pax panel (see below) granted it, after some heated debate I must add, 3 1/2 K-pax’s. I’m pretty sure that in reality the half a point was docked only because of Trinity’s shiny outfit.

If you’re not familiar with the K-pax scoring system, you obviously haven’t seen the unforgettable film it’s based on. K-pax, the ultimate film in the ‘a movie that manages to be amazingly dire, whilst pretending to be good’-genre. Ok, let’s break it down.

1 K-pax – This movie might actually be quite good and entertaining. With only a slight whiff of K-pax at those awkward, ‘what is the meaning of life?’, bits.

2 K-pax – This movie seems alright up until the point when the alien turns out to be yet another squid thing that crawls under your skin. You know the type. A bit of K-pax.

3 K-pax – This movie might look shit, it could even be made for TV and have a cardboard set, but it’s saved by (depending on panel member) boobs or Michael Madsen. Kinda K-pax.

4 K-pax – This movie was probably made with the best (pretentious) intentions. It might look slick, have cool fighting scenes and even an impressive, albeit over-acting, cast. But then… ‘Concordantly, while your first question may be the most pertinent… vis-à-vis… inexorably here… Ergo, those that refused the program… escalading probability of disaster…’ *snore*. And the rave. In the cave. What a load of K-pax.

5 K-pax – Total K-pax. Now, this is a hard act to follow. So far the only film to score this high is, the grandaddy of K-pax score, K-pax itself. It’s still in a class of it’s own, with its utter pretentiousness, and a ridiculous script. And Kevin Spacey as an alien. Honestly!

I hope it’s all become a bit more clear now. Altho, are you sure you didn’t already know the answer, and if you did, how could you make a choice if the future is deterministically fated? It is a pickle, no doubt about it.