Pjinstillers (Painkillers) (2014) - Gjis Blom

Pjinstillers or Painkillers in English is a dutch film about young student and pianist Casper Van Riel who dreams of becoming a composer. At the beginning of the film, he was able to succeed in his audition to join a youth orchestra, but this is dampened by him finding out that his mother who raised him as a single parent has cancer. This causes him to search for the father he has never known, to examine his life, and do whatever he can to keep his beloved mother alive.

 The movie starts out kind of slow, it is to be expected in films of this genre , but it felt like some things were unnecessary. Like the sideline story line of the girl that Casper likes who is just using him. It may have been better if they simply focused on him dealing with his mother, the orchestra , where the true love interest lies , and his search for his father. It felt like simply piling up on Casper for the sake of adding more drama when there is enough in the movie in the first place, although the added dimension of the girl's racist father was amusing it really was not needed.

 As for the performance, many of the supporting characters were pretty mechanical, but the main characters did deliver, Gjis Blom who plays Casper and Susan Radder who plays Anouk, a fellow orchestra member did inject life into the film. Gijs was able to portray sad and stoic without being boring, and Susan was a burst of sunshine in the scenes she was in. Birgit Schuurman who plays Marit , the cancer stricken mother of Casper showed just the right amount of pain , weakness, strength and fun that showed the different facets of her character in a short period.

 The second half of the movie is where things start to get good. When all the fillers were removed , and the film focused on the main story line , and the pace started picking up. It is also where Gijs performance goes from good to excellent. Obviously it may be due to the fact that their is more emotion in this part of the story, but if handled incorrectly it could wind up too melodramatic, it didn't. The last part was more raw and real, except for the cliche bicycle ride and journey to Prague that felt forced and out of place.

 The vague ending seemed useless somehow, a clear resolution to that part of the story may have been better. As a whole the film is actually a mess, and is somehow confused in what it tries to be, is it a drama. a comedy, a teen romance? It tries to be all of that and not wholly succeeding. It can be enjoyable if you get through the first part , since the second half is a delight, just don't expect too much out of it.

 Watch Trailer Here

 Directed by Tessa Schram

Cast
Gijs Blom as Casper Van Riel
Birgit Schurman as Marit Van Riel
Susan Radder as Anouk
Massimo Pesik as Pim
Raymond Thiry as Robert Van Laren
Tijn Docter as Felix

Philomena (2014)

Philomena tells the true story of a mother searching for the whereabouts of her son who was forcibly taken from her 50 years ago by a group of nuns who believed that she had sinned. Despite all this Philomena remains a devout Catholic and would not speak ill of the nuns and kept her secret until she opens it up with her daughter 50 years later . In a chance meeting her daughter meets journalist Martin Sixsmith who is undergoing his own career crisis and convinces him to help her mother find her son. This starts their journey and the course of the entire film.

This movie has a lot of plot twists, so much so that if you never knew it was based on a true story you may end up convinced that it is a work of fiction. In fact the movie plays at this concept , where Philomena ; the title character and mother would often talk to Martin Sixsmith about the novel she has read and how she didn't see that plot twist in the novel coming . Creating a foreshadowing of things that they would discover. As usual the great Judi Dench is phenomenal as Philomena , oh I so love the way that she portrayed the character , and embodied the spirit of the real Philomena . You see I have a soft spot for little old ladies , my , my grandfather had six sisters , only one of them married and those who didn't, doted on me. Aside from that I grew up in a big old house owned by the widow of my grandfathers' cousin who had no children of her own , so you see I had a lot of great aunts around me. And of course , the sweet old lady in this movie reminded me so much of them , particularly since Judi Dench resembled the last of them who passed away. Anyway personal feelings aside , this movie would most likely strike a chord with anyone. And it is not just a simple drama it has hints of intrigue and mystery as well as social commentary on the side . The moments are quiet , but I got excited with every thread unravelling . If it was a novel it'll be a page turner in which you really can't wait to find out what happens next. It is really a beautiful tale , wonderfully acted , and a great movie to simply enjoy . Like Judi Dench, Philomena is phenomenal.

Watch Trailer Here

Directed by Stephen Frears

Cast
Judi Dench as Philomena Lee
Sophie Kennedy Clark as Young Philomena
Steve Coogan as Martin Sixsmith
Barbara Jefford as Sister Hildegarde
Kate Fleetwood as Young Sister Hildegarde
Mare Winningham as Mary Hess
Michelle Fairley as Sally Mitchell
Sean Mahon as Michael Hess

Hugo (2011)

To say that Hugo is "magical" would be an understatement. This movie has more magic in it than all the syfy movie fantasy specials combined, but then again that is not too much of a stretch. No Hugo is not a fantasy film , but if you want to know what magic I'm talking about you really have to see it . Hugo is actually historical fiction , about a an orphan boy who lives in a Paris train station. I don't really want to give out too much of the synopsis , since it might spoil the "magic" of which I'm talking about. I prefer that you let the movie enfold you as you get to watch the stunning visuals , and experience the twist and turns of it's beautiful storyline. Asa Butterfield who wowed audience in his performance in " The Boy in the Stripe Pyjamas " delivered a performance that could put veteran actors twice his age to shame. Him playing Hugo was an excellent casting choice although I still find it funny why Parisians are always portrayed speaking in a British accent . Anyways the rest of the ensemble , although overshadowed by this young man , seriously even Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley was upstaged by Asa . Still they all delivered a magnificent performance. All characters no matter how small the screen time were all fleshed out . Is it any wonder that this movie won all those Oscars? Or were nominated so much in the year it came out ? Watch it , no matter your age this film would bring wonder to your eyes...

Watch Trailer Here

Directed by : Martin Scorcese

Cast
Asa Butterfield as Hugo Cabret
Chloë Grace Moretz as Isabelle
Ben Kingsley as Georges Méliès / Papa Georges
Sacha Baron Cohen as Inspector Gustave
Helen McCrory as Jeanne d'Alcy / Mama Jeanne
Michael Stuhlbarg as René Tabard
Jude Law as Hugo's father
Ray Winstone as Claude Cabret
Christopher Lee as Monsieur Labisse
Emily Mortimer as Lisette
Frances de la Tour as Madame Emile
Richard Griffiths as Monsieur Frick
Marco Aponte as a train engineer assistant
Kevin Eldon as policeman
Gulliver McGrath as young Tabard
Angus Barnett as a cinema manager
Ben Addis as Salvador Dalí
Emil Lager as Django Reinhardt
Robert Gill as James Joyce

Boy A (2007)

Many of us know Andrew Garfield as Spiderman. It is the role that made him a Movie Star but Boy A is the movie that made him a great actor and most probably brought him to the Spiderman gig.

The film is the story of a young ex-con incarcerated for killing a young girl , the story is told in flashback as he tries to live a normal life after leaving jail and for his own security assumes a new identity. This is a beautifully dark haunting tale told from a criminal's perspective . And it gripped me from start to finish, Andrew Garfield is perfect in his ability to project a young man coming to terms with the horror of what he did , and how to move on from it. You can actually see the pain from his eyes even at the most enjoyable moments of his new life . And really it gets you thinking , especially on how criminals are shown in the media and how we as a society treat them . Do we rehabilitate or do we punish ? Is someone who did something horrible in the past be beyond redemption? Do they not deserve a second chance? Of course each of us would have a different answer and our own opinion , but at the very least this movie gives us an insight and allows us to question our core beliefs . Which is what makes it a great movie and of course the performance of the cast led by Andrew Garfield . Well written, well acted and beautifully told this movie should not be passed up . Watch it when you get the chance.



Watch Trailer Here



Directed by John Crowley



Cast
Andrew Garfield as Eric Wilson / Jack Burridge
Peter Mullan as Terry
Siobhan Finneran as Kelly
Alfie Owen as Eric Wilson
Victoria Brazier as Teacher
Skye Bennett as Angela
Katie Lyons as Michelle
Taylor Doherty as Phillip Craig
Shaun Evans as Chris
Anthony Lewis as Steve

Captain Philips (2013)

Tom Hanks is a great actor , I mean you have to be if you won two Academy Awards for best actor back to back. Not to say that all his roles after those subsequent wins were amazing, because really everybody has their off-days even if they are Two time Academy award winners. So is Captain Philips a dud or not?

Captain Philips is based on the true story of a container ship being hi-jacked by pirates from Somalia. Tom Hanks portray the commander of the ship Captain Philips , and the movie follows in the rescue attempt by the US Navy to save him. This movie kind of struck me , because my Uncle used to be a captain of one of those vessels , and I also have several cousins who work at various capacities on those kind of ships .I'm aware that of the level of piracy that occurs from Somalia , after all I'm a news junkie . And I've heard of this news before . Yes, the film does a good job in conveying the danger and the intensity of the situation. You could even say that this could be a good action film. What with all the gun-toting and military maneuvers going on. Is Tom Hanks good in this, well yeah but I have seen him do better. This is an average performance for him, I wasn't really wowed by it , or maybe it just the shadow of his former brilliant performances that causes me to set a too high expectation? I don't know , but this I can say , just don't expect a too brilliant movie. Just sit back and relax , the movie is very enjoyable , it is fun to watch . And it is worth the ticket you pay for it.

Watch Trailer Here

Directed by Paul Greengrass

Cast
Tom Hanks as Richard Phillips, Captain of the MV Maersk Alabama
Catherine Keener as Andrea Phillips
Barkhad Abdi as Abduwali Muse, pirate leader
Barkhad Abdirahman as Bilal
Faysal Ahmed as Najee
Mahat M. Ali as Elmi
Michael Chernus as Shane Murphy, First Officer of MV Maersk Alabama
David Warshofsky as Mike Perry, Chief Engineer, MV Maersk Alabama
Corey Johnson as Ken Quinn, helmsman, MV Maersk Alabama
Chris Mulkey as John Cronan, senior crew member, MV Maersk Alabama
Yul Vazquez as Commander Frank Castellano, Commanding Officer, USS Bainbridge
Max Martini as U.S. Navy SEAL Commander

Summer in February (2013)

I'm a sucker for any period film set in the english countryside . No matter what the story is or how bad the review I don't care , there is something romantic about the english countryside in a bygone era.

Summer in February is a period film based on a true story about a love triangle that occurred between the famous british painter Alfred Munnings , his friend Captain Gilbert Evans and the girl they both loved , the beautiful but disturbed Florence Carter Wood who happens to be an aspiring painter. They all meet in the beautiful Cornish Coast in the Lamorna valley Estate , where a group of Bohemian painters have formed a community . The setting is beautiful, there is no denying that , and the cinematographers were able to capture it perfectly . The premise is interesting and the story is intriguing . Also Dominic Cooper who played Alfred Munnings, to whom I share a birthday as I later found out , was able to deliver a fine performance, he was a standout among the cast. But that is all that is good in this movie. Dan Stevens who play Gilbert Evans appeared to be really mechanical in this. I've seen him in Downton Abbey , he is good at playing the English Gentleman , but then it doesn't really require much to do that . A little bit of training and a dash of acting is all you need. He should really try to spread his wings and try to do more juicy roles. The other end of the love triangle ; Emily Browning is no better , in fact I found her performance rather annoying . You should really feel some sort of pity for her character , but you don't . This is a movie that you watch to pass the time , it can be sort of entertaining but don't expect anything great . Hey the scenery is amazing, there is that...

Watch Trailer Here

Cast
Dominic Cooper asAJ Munnings
Emily Browning as Florence Carter-Wood
Dan Stevens as Gilbert Evans
Hattie Morahan as Laura Knight
Mia Austen as Dolly
Shaun Dingwall as Harold Knight
Max Deacon as Joey Carter-Wood

The Last Emperor (1987)

I first saw the Last Emperor when I was still a child. And like many movies you watch when you were a kid , you tend to realize that when you watch it again as an adult that you actually had no fucking idea what was going on. That is exactly what happened when I decided to re-watch it again. Regardless certain scenes were embedded on my mind and I was able to recount them but then they were just images and no substance to them from my kid's viewpoint.

To those of you who have not heard of this film , The last Emperor is well the story of the Last Emperor of imperial China . I have read a lot about that era in Chinese history because I'm interested with the history of the Soong Family- Republican China's closest version of the Kennedys. Although I seldom touched upon the story of Pu-Yi the last emperor. A man who was raised to be an absolute ruler only to be turned into nothing more than a figurehead and a prisoner in his own palace. He never actually tasted power , by the time he was old enough to rule , China was already a Republic and he was nothing more ,but a symbol of the past. His life is tragic no denying that , but it does make for one compelling and dramatic story. The movie captured it beautifully , everything from the amazing cinematography , the lovely but sorrowful soundtrack and the great performance delivered by the cast , added to this gem of cinema . Trust me, even if this movie is close to three hours long, it is very entertaining and you won't feel that it is that long. It's like reading a great novel, the hours just pass by and you can't wait to turn one page after another. This is a masterpiece , hey and deserved all the Academy Awards it won back in the day. And the ending was bittersweet but oh so wonderfully done...

Watch Trailer Here

Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci

Cast
John Lone as Puyi (adult)
Joan Chen as Wanrong
Peter O'Toole as Reginald Johnston
Ying Ruocheng as Detention Centre Governor
Victor Wong as Chen Baochen
Dennis Dun as Big Li
Ryuichi Sakamoto as Amakasu Masahiko
Maggie Han as Eastern Jewel (Yoshiko Kawashima)
Ric Young as Interrogator
Vivian Wu (credited as Wu Jun Mei) as Wenxiu
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as Chang
Jade Go as Ar Mo
Fumihiko Ikeda as Colonel Yoshioka
Richard Vuu as Puyi (3 years old)
Tijger Tsou as Puyi (8 years old)
Wu Tao as Puyi (15 years old)
Fan Guang as Pujie (adult), Puyi's younger brother
Henry Kyi as Pujie (7 years old)
Alvin Riley III as Pujie (14 years old)
Lisa Lu as Empress Dowager Cixi
Hideo Takamatsu as General Hishikari Takashi
Hajime Tachibana as Japanese Translator
Basil Pao as Zaifeng, Prince Chun, Puyi's father
Henry O as Lord Chamberlain

Parkland (2013)

There is a reason why the Kennedys are considered America's Royal Family, it is not just the political offices that they have held, because there are after all many other families who have produced more politicians , and there are in fact a few families that have actually produced two Presidents. No , what the Kennedys have that the other clans don't is a certain elevated celebrity status. Something which all royal families in the world have within their own nations, whether they hold formal power or not. It is this public fascination that has brought upon us an endless parade of films, books and , television specials about the Kennedys.

Parkland is the story of what happened during JFK's assasination , with a lot of the focus on Parkland Hospital , where he was sent for medical attention . Plus of all the things that happened in the next three days . Which begs one to ask , what have we not heard or seen before? Does Parkland present anything new? The answer to that would be no. There is nothing new in this movie we have all heard of it before , watching this is like watching a movie where you have heard all of the spoilers. Some movies are actually able to transcend that, even if you know and have seen everything about the topic , they can still present a fresh take . This one failed that , and I was actually kind of bored watching this. Especially since the pacing is so slow . Although one actor was actually able to shine in this. The excellent James Badge Dale as Robert Lee Oswald , delivered a once again amazing performance in another film. The rest of the cast were forgettable , except for the mother of Robert and Lee Harvey Oswald. But I think it is more because of how the character was written, in contrast to any great acting skills. On that note this film may be, only worth seeing if you love anything Kennedy. Even then you may still find yourself yawning at some parts .

Watch Trailer Here

Cast
James Badge Dale as Robert Edward Lee Oswald, Jr.
Zac Efron as Dr. Charles James "Jim" Carrico
Jackie Earle Haley as Father Oscar Hubert
Colin Hanks as Dr. Malcolm O. Perry
David Harbour as James Gordon Shanklin
Marcia Gay Harden as Head Nurse Doris Nelson
Ron Livingston as James P. Hosty
Jeremy Strong as Lee Harvey Oswald
Billy Bob Thornton as Secret Service Agent Forrest Sorrels
Jacki Weaver as Marguerite Oswald
Tom Welling as Secret Service Agent Roy Kellerman
Paul Giamatti as Abraham Zapruder
Bitsie Tulloch as Marilyn Sitzman

Seven Years in Tibet (1997)

I've wanted to watch this film ever since it came out . But haven't really gone around to seeing it for no particular reason. Based on an autobiographical book by Austrian Mountain climber Heinrich Harrer about his experience on living in Tibet at a pivotal time in it's history , the movie weaves a fascinating story of adventure , drama and war mixed in with the almost magical essence of an isolated kingdom led by a young boy. To those of you living under a rock or have heard of it but know little about Tibet and the Dalai Lama . Essentially the Tibetans believe that the Dalai Lama is a reincarnation of the Bodhisattva of Mercy , a god-like entity and yes they worship him, before the chinese occupation he would have been the absolute spiritual and temporal leader of Tibet. Heinrich Harrer played by Brad Pitt , moves into Tibet to escape a prison camp in India. Being austrian and all , and this happened during world war II, since both countries were at war. He was in climbing expedition in British territory, thus he was captured.

In Tibet he begins to build a life for himself with fellow climber and escapee Peter Aufschnaiter . Being the only westerners and foreigners aside from the chinese diplomatic delegation , they acquire a certain curious celebrity status . This notoriety piques at the interest of the young Dalai Lama that he asks for a meeting with Heinrich , at first just wanting to know more about the western world , the two eventually becomes friends.

Most of the time , no matter how big a movie star Brad Pitt becomes , he is often underestimated as an actor. Most people get lost in the fact that he is good looking , most movie stars are good looking - but I guess Brad Pitt is way ahead of the pack on that department which makes it both a blessing and a curse for him. People don't really see when he displays his acting chops. Which is most probably why he has grown a beard for most of his roles in recent years .In this movie he is really good , he outshines everyone , not just because he is the star , because he performed really well. And the supporting cast in all fairness also did well in their roles , so it's not really a fluke. The story is already amazing , there is no doubt about that , but to translate it well onscreen is another matter. And the entire cast and crew were able to do that. This is an excellent film . It is long , but every scene was important , and it is very engaging and interesting . And yes it was one of Brad Pitt's best works..

Watch Trailer Here

Directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud

Cast
Brad Pitt as Heinrich Harrer
David Thewlis as Peter Aufschnaiter
B.D. Wong as Ngawang Jigme
Mako as Kungo Tsarong
Danny Denzongpa as Regent
Victor Wong as Chinese 'Amban'
Ingeborga Dapkūnaitė as Ingrid Harrer
Jamyang Jamtsho Wangchuk as Dalai Lama, 14 years old

The Way Way Back (2013)

The way way back is the story of Duncan, a teenage boy who reluctantly goes on vacation for the summer with his mom, and his mom's boyfriend who also brought along his own daughter. They stay at a beach house his mom's boyfriend owns in a small seaside town. As it turns out the boyfriend played by Steve Carrel is somewhat emotionally abusive towards Duncan, always putting him down in small and subtle ways . With Duncan's mom being oblivious to the the whole thing or is just simply ignoring it. It doesn't help with Duncan's self esteem who appears to be a shy and introverted young man . Eventually Duncan finds solace in a nearby water park , he accidentally meets the manager of the place , and he takes him under his wing .

The movie is quite simple , but the story is beautiful. And I could really see myself in Duncan. I'm actually an introvert , despite spending a lot of time going out and hanging out with my friends . I really couldn't explain it, I could feel alone in the middle of a party thrown for me while being surrounded by lots of people. But enough about me , as I said the movie's storyline is amazing. I like the the contrast between the sad moment that is going on in Duncan's life , and the great , happy moments he has in the waterpark . It's like a safe haven for him in the middle of the storm. Liam James who plays Duncan was really excellent in this role, and Steve Carrel who plays Trent "the Boyfriend" really shined in being the bad guy. Most comedic actors would find it really hard to shed their funny persona or reputation on screen. It's like no matter what movie you watch them in , you as an audience will always be waiting for something funny to happen. But not with this one , he was very believable as a douche bag, props to Steve Carrel. The rest of the supporting cast also did an amazing job , this is a really well put together film. The characters are all fleshed out , no matter how small their roles is . You get a glimpse of what they are and who they are , in contrast to most movies where you only get that sense from one character or two, not an easy thing to pull off. This is a great movie, I applaud it . It is not heavy drama , or requires too much attention , it is a fun watch yet very intelligent . A nice relaxing film.

Watch Trailer Here

Directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash

Cast
Liam James as Duncan
Steve Carell as Trent
Toni Collette as Pam
Allison Janney as Betty
AnnaSophia Robb as Susanna
Sam Rockwell as Owen
Maya Rudolph as Caitlyn
Rob Corddry as Kip
Amanda Peet as Joan

Gravity (2013)

Frankly, when I first saw the trailer for this film , I didn't really get excited or anything close to that. I thought I should just give it a pass. Later I thought it may be good film to watch just to pass the time , the visuals seemed good so I went and thank goodness I did . Because this is a gem of film making . Alfonso Cuaron did such an excellent job in putting together this film. Everything started slow but as soon as the shuttle came into shot and you are introduced to the characters , there is not , not even a few seconds of the film being dull. The trailer says everything you need to know about the film so I won't give a synopsis, giving out too much would just spoil the film for you anyway . You see one of the strengths of this film is how it puts you at the edge of your seat . I advise you to watch this in 3D , the effect doesn't just add to the visual splendor of the film , but also puts you within the experience . When I was watching this , I literally felt like I was with Sandra Bullock through the whole ordeal , I was feeling her panic , her loneliness, her isolation, even the courage she emanated in certain scenes I really felt it . That is not just a testament to her great acting skills - and I have to say this , this is her best performance in any of her movies so far . She won an Oscar for the Blind Side and regardless whether she wins another one or gets nominated for this which I think is a crime if she doesn't- she did ten times better in this than on the Blind Side. This is also a testament to everything that was put in it , I've seen a lot of 3D films and so far , in the way the medium is used , this is the best I have seen so far as well. Also a big applause to the sound editors and sound mixers you did an Oscar winning job in this , I have a gut feeling that this movie may sweep the technical awards it might even grab the best special effects trophy. This movie made me bipolar the whole time it was running , I felt my emotions were in a yoyo , which was amazing , like I said you literally felt everything the character felt , because of how everything was put together , it's like they plopped you into space . What an excellent movie Mr. Cuaron , bravo , everyone involved in this film is a gifted artist . Doesn't matter if you like the genre or the premise, you will enjoy this film.

Watch Trailer Here

Directed by : Alfonso Cuarón

Cast
Sandra Bullock as Dr. Ryan Stone
George Clooney as Matt Kowalski

Greetings From Tim Buckley (2012)

When I first heard of this movie I have never heard of Tim Buckley , I've been able to listen to some of Jeff Buckley's songs in passing , but technically I"m also unfamiliar with him then. It was when I first saw the trailer that I decided to google Jeff Buckley and to listen to some of his songs . Needless to say I was enthralled and I became a fan, it took a while before I got to see this movie , so by that time I had already done my research and already had a certain expectation of this film . I wasn't disappointed this movie delivered the goods.

To those of you unfamiliar with Jeff Buckley , he was a singer-songwriter who released a best selling and critically acclaimed album called "Grace" in the 90's. You may be more familiar with his cover version of Hallelujah , which has used plenty of times in a lot of popular TV shows and movies. . He died young, drowned - but this movie does not cover that. It merely shows a significant moment in his life. The film explores the events leading up to him performing to a tribute concert in Boston for his late father folk singer Tim Buckley who also died young from a drug overdose .It explores the father-son relationship that never was because Tim was always absent in Jeff's life . There are a lot of flashbacks to Tim which ties to the storyline of his son coming to grips with his emotions over his father , as he prepares to sing in this tribute concert for a man he never knew himself. It is not seriously a biopic, I read that a lot of things were fictionalized or conjecture. But don't let that steal away from the movie, because this is one truly amazing film. The center of the movies is the music , it was like one big concert all the way through , no it is not a musical or felt like one . It was a concert not a loud big stadium type , but one of those small intimate lounge ones where you could actually hear and feel the musician breathe . And the movie was true to the emotion , it was eargasm. But they did not neglect the drama, the story , or the amazing quiet character moments , it's all there .

I have to give big props to Penn Badgley who did such a great job in this film . He drove it straight out of the park . I never knew he could sing like that , plus he had to act , to play an instrument and sing just like the real live person he is portraying . Wow , that is a very difficult thing to do and he pulled it off. There was this scene in the record store where he made my jaws drop, I read that he did not do any lip-syncing and he sang everything live . That is awesome - Penn Badgley is officially one of my favorite actors now . And my oh my-he did such an extraordinary work at the finale concert and song number -it was pure artistry . Him and the rest of the cast they did extremely well. You have to see this movie , the music alone would envelope you. What a great movie - I wish it had gotten more exposure .

Watch Trailer Here

Directed by Daniel Algrant
Penn Badgley as Jeff Buckley
Ben Rosenfield as Tim Buckley
Imogen Poots as Allie, a young woman who meets Jeff Buckley while working at a concert.
Frank Wood as Gary Lucas
Norbert Leo Butz as Hal Willner
Frank Bello as Richard Hell
William Sadler as Lee Underwood
Kate Nash as Carol
Jessica Stone as Janine Nichols

Chasing Mavericks (2012)

This movie is a biographical drama about the famous soul surfer Jay Moriarty. To those of you unfamiliar with his story, the film obviously would chronicle his rise to surfing history but more than that it focuses on the incident which made him famous in the first place . Which is the footage of him surfing Mavericks , a gigantic swell which only occurs at least once in a decade . This is a mentor-student-karate-kid type of movie , where Jay's tutor is his neighbor Frosty , a veteran surfer who he idolizes . He actually chased Frosty around to teach him after he caught him and a few friends surfing Mavericks, thus is the catalyst of the film.

I really liked this movie , I know that there has been a lot of criticism. But for me a self-confessed couch potato and movie addict , this is a really nice film. I mean the awesome surf scenes were beautifully shot , and the sound guys brilliantly captured the sound of the swells- you'll be surprised at how bad certain movies are at capturing the sounds of the ocean - yes I pay attention to that. The acting wasn't bad , hey Gerard Butler is a good actor , he plays a varied amount of roles and he has range. Although I smirked a little bit at the idea of him being a surfer - I don't know why, I just do . But seeing him in the movie it was at the very least , believable. And that is no put down , after all the first goal of any actor in any role is believability- that is the foundation of a brilliant performance. It wasn't one , but he was there , he did justice to the part and let's just leave it at that. As for the kid who played jay Moriarty, newcomer Jonny Weston. I think he did better than the other members of the cast . Not just because he is the star , but he was able to embody the spirit of Jay , you know the sense of what he was about . Or what the public perceived him to be. He was able to bring that, and I was engrossed watching him. But what makes this film good is really the surf action, it is an amazing capture , and I loved how they positioned the camera angles. Look this movie may not be award winning material , but it is a fun watch. It is not as bad as critics say it is supposed to be , give it a chance it may just surprise you. Oh and plus fun fact the son of Clint Eastwood, Scott Eastwood is in this movie , see if you can spot him.

Watch Trailer Here

Directed by Curtis Hanson and Michael Apted
Jonny Weston as Jay Moriarity
Gerard Butler as Frosty Hesson
Elisabeth Shue as Kristy Moriarity
Abigail Spencer as Brenda Hesson
Leven Rambin as Kim
Taylor Handley as Sonny
Scott Eastwood as Gordy

Rush (2013)

Rush is a very appropriate name for this movie , it really is a Rush. The Film makers succeeded in giving the audience a taste of what it feels like to be in an F1 race without putting us in the actual cars . You'll be holding your breath with every twist and turn and somewhat your adrenaline would be pumping. So yes quite obviously the movie's action race scenes are a good enough reason alone to watch it .

The true story of F1 race car drivers and rivals James Hunt and Nikki Lauda, is an amazing tale in itself , if you have no idea what happened between the two I urge you not to do research , you know spoilers. The film would be better without you knowing anything about them not unless you are a big fan of course. Action aside , which as I have said is amazing by the way . The off race track drama is superb,this is no Days of Thunder. What happens outside the racing is very compelling, never boring , fun to watch , there is never a dull scene in this movie . And I swear if the Academy does not honor Daniel Bruhl with even just an Oscar nomination for his role , I swear I will hunt all of them down and sacrifice them to the almighty lord of movies . Daniel is a genius in this movie , watching him in this film is like seeing Michelangelo paint the Sistine Chapel , true artist at work . I have been a big fan since Goodbye Lenin , I haven't seen all of his movies-but I think that this might just be his best performance . And then there is Chris Hemsworth who we all know and love as Thor , he is equally amazing in this movie. He more than held his own against Daniel Bruhl, not an easy feat considering that Daniel is an art house drama mainstay , who has done many more films than Chris in so many different languages opposite so many great veteran actors from different countries. After seeing this, I have to say Chris Hemsworth is more than just a Comic book hero movie star, he is a great actor , and he might just clinch nominations for this , even pick up a few awards hopefully, because he truly deserves it . The supporting, cast all of them also did an amazing job. I really can't find any flaws in this movie so I will just say_I urge you to see it, it really is great , you will have an awesome time watching it . The story , the action , the drama, the acting , the cinematography - all top of the line . This is film making at it's best .

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Directed by Ron Howard
Chris Hemsworth as James Hunt
Daniel Brühl as Niki Lauda
Olivia Wilde as Suzy Miller
Alexandra Maria Lara as Marlene Knaus
Pierfrancesco Favino as Clay Regazzoni
David Calder as Louis Stanley
Natalie Dormer as Nurse Gemma
Stephen Mangan as Alastair Caldwell [7]
Christian McKay as Alexander Hesketh
Alistair Petrie as Stirling Moss
Julian Rhind-Tutt as Bubbles Horsley
Colin Stinton as Teddy Mayer
Jamie de Courcey as Harvey Postlethwaite

Not Today (2013)

Not Today is the story of wealthy young man named Cadan Welles, whose entire life seems to be nothing more than an endless party. In a trip to India with his friends he encounters a beggar and his daughter, who begs for money. Cadan initially refuses to help , but due to circumstance is eventually persuaded to promise help. He forgets about this , but after a few days of being sick , he eventually has this feeling of sort which propels him to find out what happened to the man and his daughter..

This movie had a lot of promise and a premise that could be built upon. But boy did they waste it. First of all the editing is horrible , one scene jumped from the next it made me nauseous. And what's up with the stupid subtitles flipping all over the air? I have no problem with the christian values this movie espoused , or is trying to convey. But does this really have to be too preachy? There was too much -oh we have to pray-oh I have to pray - I believe in God -God turned his back on me - What do I do God - I don't believe- you know that sort of thing. It became really annoying, and this is coming from a guy who prays every night before I sleep . You know Ten Commandments and the Robe was not this preachy. Why not just create one powerful amazing moment where the character finds his faith instead of hammering through the entire movie ? What was the film maker scared of ? That people won't get what he is saying?

Then there are the characters , aside from Cadan , they were nothing more but caricatures . Every single one of them was nothing more than a backdrop , the horrible acting did not help much either. I mean everybody was some sort of stereotype , they even had the token black guy. Everyone was so one dimensional. When I saw the trailer for this movie, it had so much potential, so much promise , but after trying to force myself into finishing it. I realized that the trailer is a way way way better movie than this . Not really worth watching , if you want to watch a good christian film , rent the Prince of Egypt..

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Director:Jon Van Dyke

Cody Longo...Caden Welles
Walid Amini ... Kiran
John Schneider ... Luke
Shari Rigby ... Sarah (as Shari Wiedmann)
Cassie Scerbo ... Audrey
Justin Baldoni ... Eli
Wilson Bethel ... Bill
Preston Davis ... Z Roy

Sonata (2013)

Sonata is the story about a former Opera Diva who has lost her voice. Living in her huge mansion, she spends most of her day , drinking surrounded by memoirs of her past like a modern day Gloria Swanson. All this changes when her former Secretary with her son in tow comes home to take care of her. A friendship soon develops between the fallen star and the young boy as she teaches her about drama and classical musical and he in turn teaches her how to live again.

This movie was directed by one of my college Professors , aside from that his nephew was a classmate of mine in High school and his son who also appears in this movie is an acquaintance of mine. I also know some of the cast and crew so I'll try not to be too biased in reviewing this, I'll just say my honest opinion . First of all Sonata is beautifully shot , you can expect no less from the duo of Peque Gallaga and Lore Reyes , they are an award winning pair who have proven from time and time again that they could create great movies. The fact that this movie was shot in Hacienda Rosalia ,also the setting of Peque Gallaga's masterpiece "Oro Plata Mata" gives this film a magnificent stage to play with. The mansion and the estate is fairly dramatic and beautiful itself , and the directors were able to capture it perfectly , think of it as Highclere Castle in Downton Abbey or Tara in Gone the Wind , a place that acts as a major character that adds depth to the drama. Cherie Gil an acclaimed actress well known for playing arch-villains and who also starred in Oro Plata Mata, plays the Diva, Regina Cadena. Her turn in this movie was absolute genius , she was able to convey her character's sadness and flamboyance in every scene . The little boy played by new comer Chino Jalandoni was a natural in his role, he played well against the veteran actress , it would be so easy to be upstaged by her, but he more than held his own. The storyline though had a lot of flaws , some scenes were sort of cheesy, but that is negligible . The part in the end was fairly predictable and felt like it was added there just to give some sort of drama , and a way to end things . The movie could have done without it , I wish there was another way they could have had wrapped things up .

This movie had hints of greatness to it , it was beautifully shot , the acting even among the supporting cast was top notch , the classical music score added to it. But I really couldn't let go of how the film took a bad turn in the end . But aside from that , it is a fairly good movies , I hope I did not step on anyone's' toes in saying that just my opinion.

Directed by Peque Gallaga and Lore Reyes

Cherie Gil as Regina Cadenas
Chino Jalandoni as JonJon
Joshua Pineda as Ping
Richard Gomez as Carlo

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The Kings of Summer (2013)

A truly brilliant coming-of-age film, The Kings of Summer tells the story of Joe Toy , his best friend Patrick and a strange kid by the name of Biaggio. Frustrated with their lives at home the two best friends hatch a plan to live out in the woods away from everyone, where they would build a house and make up their own rules. Joe chooses to bring Biaggio with them , after he bonds with the kid over one night and discovers "the place" in the woods with him, by accident .

How many of us have had wanted to run away from home during our adolescence ? Every family has it's own issues and I know most probably almost every teenager have toyed with the idea . Many even go through with it, I still remember that day I had to pick up my best friend after he punched a picture frame and his mom threw him out of the house. It wasn't too long ago that I crashed at my friend's place because I was annoyed at everyone in the house , I was already an adult so it was a different dynamic and I wasn't exactly asserting independence, I wanted to take charge of my domain to put it mildly. Anyways the feelings are the same , especially for us boys, as teenagers we have little control over our lives , and as soon as the testosterone kicks in we tend to want to mark our own territory , take charge of our own lives no matter how unprepared we are . Trust me at twenty something it is still the same struggle with different circumstances. This movie captures that moment between being a boy and a man very well. I think it should be entitled the King of Summer because essentially the entire movie was carried by Joe played with amazing intensity by Nick Robinson. His journey through, trying to be independent , heartbreak and finally some form of maturity is something that every man could relate to. I'm a big fan of Melissa and Joey which stars Nick, he is great at this sitcom , really funny and he brings that experience to this movie , great comedic timing but what really impressed me was the drama. The quiet intense scenes is where he really shines , that young man is gonna pick up some major awards some day . The supporting cast did a very good job as well, they were just simply outshone by Nick, a part of that is due to the story itself , he was given a nice juicy part , but you can't deny his skill. This is his star-is-born moment . I also really loved the cinematography , the environment could essentially be considered a character , the camera captured everything beautifully . Although some things I think were dragging , you can't help but be mesmerized by the slow motion captures, it is not just fun to watch but also adds emotion to the movie. All in all this is great watch , it is funny and not just slap stick humor but intelligent comedy , the drama is not overblown or over the top, the story is good, and the cast delivered a fine performance, bravo.

Directed by : Jordan Vogt-Roberts

Nick Robinson – Joe Toy
Gabriel Basso – Patrick Keenan
Moisés Arias – Biaggio
Nick Offerman – Frank Toy, Joe's father
Alison Brie – Heather Toy, Joe's sister
Megan Mullally – Mrs. Keenan
Marc Evan Jackson – Mr. Keenan
Eugene Cordero – Colin
Mary Lynn Rajskub – Captain Davis
Erin Moriarty – Kelly

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Newcastle (2008)- Lachlan Buchanan, Xavier Samuel

Newcastle is a film about Jesse a surfer who has always been in the shadow of his older brother Victor, a former champion surfer who quits after a knee injury. Jesse, his friends — Nathan, Andy and Scotty — and his brother Fergus (who has a crush on Andy, which is reciprocated), along with two girls, go on a camping-surfing trip to a remote beach, but when Victor shows up tragedy hits.

This movie actually started really boring for me , okay many of the scenes were pretty boring. The performance of the actors seemed mechanical . The pacing of the story was very slow , everything was dragging, like they were given a set if time to make a movie so they just all sat around and tried to figure out " Hey what should the characters do to fill in the minutes " . The best part of the film were the surfing montages , the close up captures were beautiful , what I think they should have done was cut off the unecessary bits and all that drama. The ending was also pretty bad , I really don't get it . I was like , what on earth happened and that's it? That is all?..

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Au Revoir Les Enfants-Bye Children (1987)

Au Revoir Les Enfants is one of the best films I have ever seen. When I saw this I thought it was a work of fiction but upon further research I found that it was an autobiographical work by the its director Louis Malle , he based it on his childhood experience while attending a catholic boarding school during the time of Nazi occupied France.

The film tells the story of Julien Quentin who is sent off to a carmelite boarding school, there the school's headmaster introduces three new students. One of them Jean Bonnet is Julien's age , at first Julien despises Bonnet , he even discovers by accident that Bonnet is a Jew and that his real name is Jean Kippelstein . As it turns out the school's headmaster is a compassionate Priest who has chosen to shelter three Jewish boys and disguised them as students because their life was in danger, being that France was occupied by the Nazis at that time. Despite all of this Julien eventually strikes up a close friendship with Bonnet...

This is a movie you must not miss, it has a lot of depth, and the cast delivered a wonderful performance . Everything was simple , there wasn't any great panoramic shots , or a strong immediate outburst of emotion , not even a resounding score, but a lot of scenes were very powerful . The characters were able to convey so much, by just a simple look, a snippet of conversation, or by simply standing there . It was brilliant watching it , there was no carnage , no brutality , the war seemed far away and non-existent. and yet , you could feel the dark over cast in every scene, no matter how innocent or how fun everything is , there is this feeling of dread, that something horrible was going on outside. The film also gives you different perceptions and view points from the innocent understanding of a child, essentially Louis Malle was able to filter down what he experienced into a perfect little work and gave the viewer a taste of it . It is amazing , and excellent work of French Cinema a true work of art...

You can watch the full Movie Here

Hotel Rwanda (2004) - Don Cheadle , Nick Nolte , Joaquin Phoenix

Hotel Rwanda is probably one of the most inspiring and disturbing film I have ever seen. It is not disturbing due to any act of brutality or inhumanity shown in the film. But because , this film was based on a true story. Hotel Rwanda is set at one of the darkest parts of history, one that happened not too long ago. Many of us have heard of the Rwanda genocide , but you have to admit most of those who have probably heard of it may just have said, and I will borrow a quote from the movie and it goes like this " I think if people see this footage, they'll say Oh, my God, that's horrible. And then they'll go on eating their dinners. " The film actually gave me a glimpse into how horrible and devastating this event was , but obviously it can never capture even one fourth of the extent of it. But it will certainly open your eyes,

The movie tells the story of Paul Rusesabagina, a hotel manager working at the Hôtel des Mille Collines in Kigali, during this time there has been brewing tensions between two "ethnic" groups, although both groups seemed to be more akin to a social class than an ethnicity Per Se. The two groups are the minority Tutsi , long perceived ruling class of Rwanda and the majority Hutu, which is perceived as the masses.The UN is seen supervising a peace treaty between the Hutu majority led government and the Tutsi rebel forces. Things start escalating quickly when the Hutu President is assassinated in an attack on his plane. Thus begins the genocide , with the prodding of the government, Hutu militia begins killing Tutsi people on the streets. Although Paul is an ethnic Hutu his wife isn't , and amid the violence in the middle of the night , frightened tutsi neighbors hide in their house knowing full well that Paul in his position as manager , had often mingled and served powerful people in an effort to create contacts. Paul eventually ends up bribing a military officer to allow him to bring his family and neighbors to the hotel. It is there that he ends up taking in more refugees as he tries to use his contacts to keep the hotel safe and away from harm even as the rest of the world seems to be ignoring what is happening on the ground.

A beautiful movie, if you haven't seen it, don't do any research prior to watching it, trust me it is much better to watch this film not knowing any "spoilers". You will be horrified , you will cry and some scenes but still feel inspired.The true story is already amazing as it is, the movie does a good job in conveying it to screen. The cast led by Don Cheadle is stellar, even the supporting roles are great. This is one of those rare gems of film making that you must never pass up, this is one truly great movie.

Watch Trailer Here