Emy Prize Confirmation

As I was signaling a long time ago, this is an amazing artist and an amazing documentary. Now confirmed by the Emy Award for Arts Programming in 2010.

Avatar is just fun

Well..., you know, it's just that...the movie is not talked about in the proper sense. What I mean is that everybody either talks it down, relating to the "movie of the century" label ("most expensive" etc.), or they are just blown away by it in an infantile kinda way!

Everybody takes sides. People, it's just a movie. It's just great fun, and that's what counts in my book the most (in spite of my natural tendencies to overtheoretisize stuff). And, like Titanic before (not that big of a fan of that one either) the story steels you away and keeps you there for 2 hours (at the cost of several hundred million $$$). The return is already just as impressive.

Of course it's not the most ... nothing movie that I've ever seen. But I couldn't care less. It just great fun.

Robert Rodriguez

Robert Rodriguez is a good movie producer that I found out about through cooking. Namely through watcing a video via Foodwishes. Chef John has nice words for the guy and for good reason. Mr. Rodriguez makes breakfast Tacos (from scratch), ant it involves lots of the things that I like: potato omlet, home made tortillas (that i have never tryed, due to lack of conditions and propper gear in my kitchen).
   "Not knowing how too cook is like not knowing how to fuck!"...Come on, if you're a foodie, you gotta love this.

Last House on the Left

One of the hardest to watch movies of your life. Me and my whife had the choice between The Proposal (romantic comedy) and The last House on the Left. The latter was marked as a horror movie, but after watching the trailer online it seemed to me as mor of a good thriller. So we decided to go watch it for relaxation on saturday night.

Well, not the best choice for relaxation!

Burning woman's forehead with car lighter. Explicite rape! slow stabbing young girl in abdomen multiple times!, suspense, live medical procedures performed on people without sedation. OK, want more? Sticking someones hand in the garbage shredder, than killing him with a hammer in the head, with the sharp end of the hammer.

Ok, still want more? Next shooting a woman through the eye from cose distance, jumping through windows, everything in an isolated house in the woods, at night, during a thunderstorm.

Oh, happy end, at last. But, no, still want more? Paralized man from neck down, stick his head in microwave oven, head explodes.

Oh...The End!

Dune, Frank Herbert

Dune, by Frank Herbert is a classic of the SF literature. That’s why I decided to read it, although kinda late in life. I am 32. I say this because I think this is a book for the teenage years, more then for later. It’s a kind of Jules Verne. There’s an unintentional compliment.
OK, the book gets you, and it is once again proof of the fact that a good SF work must relate permanently to things already known to the public, from…well, earth. I have seen a program on the Discovery Cannel about the Star Wars series and the elements of human culture upon witch it is built. It is the same with Dune. The similarities with the feudal social organization are obvious: the emperor padishach, the landsraad, the fremens of the desert and their strong religion (the arab nations of the middle east of today) etc.
There is another thing: in a good SF book you might see all kinds of scientific nonsense that (strangely) doesn’t bother you, unlike in bad literature or movies, when you hold any mistake against it. For example, the people of Dune used to do battle with knives, in parallel with using lasers, air ships named “topters” and even atomic bombs. Somehow, this doesn’t bother me at all. In fact, it ads to the story.
It is a complex world that Frank Herbert builds, and I liked it. The religions are fascinating, mainly the Bene Geserit. The occult order of well trained priestesses that plot for generations to high political goals is a wonderful idea and very well illustrated.
It was a pleasant reading, but it would have been an even better one if I would have read it in my teens.

Two Lovers

Joaquin Phoenix is perfect for the role of the torn and unsure of himself young man in Two Lovers. The image is somber and dark at all times. Joaquin Phoenix is expressive without words, almost. It's like he surprises you in the brief scenes when he acts as a normal 30 years old.

Gwineth Palthrow is beautiful. You want her too, as does the young man in the movie. Vulnerable and unsure also. Blond, skinny, lovely, sexy.
I got to see the movie because of my admiration of Joaquin Phoenix, but I guess that for me the real revelation was Vinessa Shaw. She is hot. She is understated. She is good.
New York is f*king beautiful in any season, I guess. I just love the steam that permanently rises from all kinds of openings in the streets and buildings, as if the city were a living breathing dormant monster.
Joaquin...Joaquin is tragic. Just as , for example, John Malkovich is always demented and obsessed, Joaquin is always tragic and tormented.
I also loved his parents flat. Simple, old fashioned, in tone with the story.
Loved the end. Call me a softy, but i just love a happy ending.
I would have been a more structured drama if he would have killed himself, or at least run away...but to end up with Vinessa Shaw is not the worst of all faiths.
Good one, altogether!

State of play

State of Play with Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck. Introducing (for me, anyway) RachelMcAdams as a very nice little blogger journalist, greeted with sarcasm by Crowes character, wich was the old fasioned paper journalist.
Helen Mirren, great in the role of "Washington Globe"s manager. Allthough, I really dont know why is the american public so fascinated with english accents in movies. Well, I know the reason, but I still think they overdo it somewhat. Helen Mirren, great little role.
So, I looove a coruption movie. And tis is another great corruption movie. Russell Crowe investigates a sex/murder scandal in Washington, that focuses on an old friend of his, turned politician, that is Ben Affleck.
The movie is very well built, most of the times allert, action, detective work by journalists, smart lines, jokes, but whithout the usual Hollywood exageration and cliche. The characters are all credible, athmosphere the same. I loved the feel of the great newspaper redaction.
You allmost cant believe how well they did Benn Affleck, with grey hair, bags under
eyes, great suits, everything that says young politician under a lot of stress. And speaking of politicians, I come to Jeff Daniels. Damnit, he is one worthy of hate sob in this one. The party senior, group leader in senat, the corruptaest of the corrupt. Great job make up artists and tailors.
Everything is built upon a well structured plot, a good and fluent story, suspanse on ocasion, lots of detective work, great dialogue, but not too heavy.
Loved the PR guy thatwas stoned and turned into a snitch.
Great story, overall, then great
ending. Its a must of the year, in my opinion.

Body of Lies

Am mers sa vedem filmul cu leonardo dicaprio si russell crowe, la cinema multiplex din Tomis Mall, Constanta.

Am ales dupa afis si dupa actori, desigur, ca niste amatori desavarsiti. Dar nu am dat gres. Mi-a placut. Mult realism hollywoodian de duminica. Macar nu are atmosfera aia de viata americana cu suburbii si consumerism excesiv, unde toate arata noi si scrobite, de la parul eroilor pana la tricourile imposibil de shifonat etc. Dar nu are nici aerul fals violent al filmelor politiste. Este un thriller de spionaj in lumea araba. CIA impotriva AlQaida. Complot istetz, actiune, impuscaturi, orase arabesti cu stradute murdare dar pitoresti, leo dicaprio mai matur decat in aviatorul, russell crowe cam gras, vorbind tot filmul la un telefon mobil cu hands free:-)

Apoi am vazut si cartea pe care este bazat filmul in raft. Am admirat-o cu voce tare, dupa care, la vreo luna, am primit-o cadou!

Evident, ceva mai buna decat filmul. Mai completa povestea, mai frumos cadrul pe care, inconstient, imaginatia noastra il construieste ca fundal al firului epic. Exagerarile nu lipsesc, dar, what a heck!, meritam si moi putin escape-ism! O recomand! Acum am terminat-o si am senzatia de parere de rau ca nu mai continua povestea.

the changeling: clint eastwood, angelina jolie

Am pentru inceput comentarii meschine, de copil care vrea sa arate ca e destept: actiunea filmului este pozitionata in Los Angeles, anii 20. Am observat cateva greseli pe care, oricat as fi vrut sa le ignor, nu pot: eroina locuieste (singura cu un copil) intr-o suburbie aerisita si curata, intr-o casa mare, lawn in fata casei etc. Pe strada se afla cate un automobil parcat in fata fiecarei case (modelele alea de Ford, inalte si shubrede ca parca ar cadea la prima pala de vant). Jobul Angelinei este de telefonista; este vaduva. Toate hainele actorilor sunt de epoca, dar foaaarte curate si impecabilde noi. Pana si copiii sunt imbracati cu pantalonii aceia pana la genunchi, sepci in cap...etc. Stofele sunt toate gri sau maron (tot un gri, tehnic vorbind), dar prea noi si neuzate. Atmosfera este prea cosmetizata si (imi) pare putin neverosimila.
Trecand la story, filmul este facut dupa o poveste reala, ceea ce ma incanta pentru ca este inca un scenariu (dupa Training Day, Pride and Glory) care scoate la iveala coruptia nesimtita si generalizata din Politie; din orice Politie din lume (pigs)! Actiunea e alerta, parca prea alerta, uneori, pentru ca trebuie sa bage in 2 ore o poveste prea lunga. Finalul prost.
Jocul Angelinei este peste medie, dar uneori parca este coplesita de importanta unui asemenea film, exagereaza putin, da impresia de incordare, de fortare. Machiajul excesiv de tot; rujul de un rosu aprins ori stacojiu pe buzele alea ... ce sa mai zic, oribil. In foarte multe cadre, Angelina trebuie sa fie slabita si ravasita, ceea ce duce totul prea departe (ea este oricum supta la fata). Machiajul ochilor cu mult negru, rimel curs de la scene de plans etc. not to my taste.
Malcovici este Malcovici, chiar si in rol de preot militant, pare tot un obsedat bolnav (in sensul bun, daca se poate asa ceva).
Daca doriti un film relaxant si placut, nu este cazul, in ciuda unui happy end aproximativ. Faptul in sine ca a fost posibila o astfel de poveste, nu lasa loc de prea multa bucurie, oricat de bine s-ar aranja lucrurile pana la sfarsit.http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809945088/trailer
Clint Eastwood, bravo lui, mai ales ca am vazut de curand si Grand Torino. Comentarii vor sosi in scurt timp.

The Devil Weares Prada

Yes, i've seen the movie. It's likeble, but a little too hollywoody for my taste. Mainly the beautyfull girl made (what else!?) really "beautyfull" by clothes and style of the fashion magazine she works for.
The view over the business side of the fashion editorial world is rather good, but still... And, Meryl Streep's acting is way better siuted for "Bridges of Madison County", then for a monster like the infamous fashion Guru. Oh, well, ....about memorable lines: yes, there can be found here, although one has too look hard. Here's one:"She eats carbs!!!, For God's sake, CARBS!!!" the exclamation of the former assistent of the Devil, while in the hospital, crying! Menaing, "how can a person who eats cabohydrates take my place as first assistent of the Devil!?" Kinda nice...
I'm not (at all) gonna say that i didnt like the girl when she was well dressed. Now it krosses my mind that i didnt notice if she lost any wheight while going through the fazes of her "coming of age".
But enough about the movie. Here's a picture of a devil who's clothes (jeans) find it harder and harder to hide the lust for life (and chicken shawarma) inside. Cheers!