Movie Review: Grace is Gone

December 26th, 2007

I kind of want to get this list over with. I don’t have much to say about Grace is Gone because it didn’t interest me as much. It’s a very depressing movie and I don’t recommend it for the holidays. It was nicely done on an obviously low budget.

The father, John Cusack, doesn’t tell his two daughter that their mother has died in the war. Throughout the whole movie he struggles of how he will tell them or when, for that matter. This is the part that bothered me the most. The whole point of that movie was to get to that moment in time when he tells his daughters, and when he finally does… his voice fades down and a soundtrack music begins. I felt cheapened. I wanted to hear his words so badly and it was muted.

Anyway, if you like John Cusack go see the movie. During the Q&A with John Cusack I learned quite a bit about him and I’m very impressed. So if you have a desire to go see this film, then please do so by all means, but be warned of its sadness. If you don’t feel interested, then don’t bother to go.

Movie Review: Atonement

December 21st, 2007

Here it is… the long awaited film review for Atonement. Okay. Maybe not long awaited, but nonetheless… promised.

Where to begin with Atonement… How about a synopsis:
“Fledgling writer Briony Tallis, as a 13-year-old, irrevocably changes the course of several lives when she accuses her older sister’s (Keira Knightley) lover (James McAvoy) of a crime he did not commit. Based on the British romance novel by Ian McEwan.”-imdb.com

Atonement is magical. Directed by Joe Wright, this film is a little box of treasures. Set in World War II, Atonement is not your average war film, but a strong romance that never amounts to anything.

This is truly one of Keira Knightley’s best performances. Her character is so true and real. She really allowed herself to be vulnerable with this role. The chemistry between her and her partner on screen, James McAvoy is fantastic. During the Q&A with James, he explained that Keira and him both attended ballroom dancing classes prior to shooting the film. Even though there are no dancing sequences in the film itself, it was done so that Keira and James could feel comfortable with each other and make their relationship appear believable on set. And I must say that it was flawless.

Joe Wright did an astounding job of incorporating the music with the film. The beats in each scene are precise and have their right moments. The editing is so incredible in this film that it is definitely noteworthy. The work that it must have taken is most definitely rewarding, because a work of art has been created with this film. The cinematography is so rich and impressive.

Saoirse Ronan does such a wonderful performance as Cecilia’s (Knightley) younger sister. She truly stands out from many young actresses. I believe that we can truly expect great work from her in the future.

I really do recommend this film to anyone. Atonement is a beautiful film and really deserves all of the credit that it is receiving.

Watch the trailer.

A Short Comment on Sweeney Todd

December 19th, 2007

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, is officially better the second time. Honestly, this movie needs to be seen on the big screen. If you want to see it, do NOT wait for it to come out on video. It is amazing and you will love it. I promise.

No, really… you will.

And if you don’t, forget that this post was ever written.

PS: I am not as upset about the ending anymore, because after the Q&A with John Logan I see why it was altered and I completely understand. So it’s okay creators, I get it now. And I promise to advertise your film until the ends of the earth.

Movie Review: The Great Debaters

December 13th, 2007

“A drama based on the true story of Melvin B. Tolson, a professor at Wiley College Texas. In 1935, he inspired students to form the school’s first debate team, which went on to challenge Harvard in the national championship.”-imdb.com

The Great Debaters, directed by Denzel Washington, is a great film to see with your family. Although, I wouldn’t recommend taking very small children, because there are some scenes that might not be appropriate. Otherwise, this is a very pleasant film to watch.

Denzel is extremely promising as a director. If he keeps following his intuition, he’s right on it. The movie was well directed. Now when I first saw the trailer, I have to say that I was afraid this would be another lifetime movie.

Surprisingly, it was not cheesy. It was a bit predictable and some of the events were somewhat difficult to believe considering the circumstances and the time in which the movie is set.

There isn’t much to say about this film. The screenplay was well written. It’s meant to be inspirational. So if you are in the mood for being uplifted or inspired then you should drop by the cinema and check this film out. Otherwise, it’s okay to wait until you can rent the DVD.

Movie Review: Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

December 13th, 2007

“Based on the hit Broadway musical which tells the infamous story of Benjamin Barker, a.k.a Sweeney Todd, who sets up a barber shop down in London which is the basis for a sinister partnership with his fellow tenant, Mrs. Lovett.”-imdb.com

“At last my arm is complete again!”
That it is! Anticipating for the movie for so many years, was more than worth it. If you loved the original, there’s no doubt you will enjoy Tim Burton’s rendition of Sweeney Todd. It’s more gory and beautiful than ever before.

The movie starts off with opening credits that are not much different from those in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory… just replace the liquid chocolate with blood. From the moment the film began I knew I was in for a treat. Johnny Depp (Sweeney) and Jamie Campbell Bower (Anthony) come onto the screen singing. I knew this would be a musical and it was!

The beauty of this film is that it does not loose its essence which makes it a musical. With most musicals-to-screen, some kind of magic gets lost. It’s quite clear that the magic still lives within the story. Although it doesn’t end exactly the way it does with Tobias in the on-stage versions, it is still depressingly beautiful. Even with all of the gore, it is picturesque.

As I left the screening, I heard one young woman say “There was so much blood!” Well, if there wasn’t, Sweeney Todd would not be the demon barber of Fleet street… now would he? Yes there is a lot of blood in the movie. Bright red blood, almost glow in the dark. It paints the canvas a nice red, across the discoloration that thrives throughout the whole film.

Helena Bonham Carter (Mrs. Lovett) takes the trophy with this one. She was fantastic and quite frankly stole the movie from Johnny Depp. Her singing was marvelous and she was delightfully creepy, just as Mrs. Lovett should be!

This film encircles around the themes of love, revenge, and just plain horror. It is a fun movie, full of funny moments and nail biting ones as well.

Though this is not a family film and geared more toward young adults and older, anyone that is a fan of the originals will like this film.

Romina's Blog

A place to speak of cheese and things

Category Archives: Movies