Revolutionary Road

Quiet Desperation.

The movie is based on a novel by Richard Yates and many literature enthusiasts call it their favorite novel. I’ve never read the novel but if it’s anything like the movie, I hope to read it one day. The story is very compelling and interesting. It may seem simple on the edges - a wife and husband living in the suburbs during the 50s, trying to make a decent life for their children and forgetting their own ambitions. However, the interweaving conflicts and situations that arise bring depth to the truth of the story. This is a period piece but applies to today’s society as much as it did to the 50s. For me, an interesting film needs an interesting story and this movie has that.

Kate Winslet does a wonderful job in embodying April Wheeler. She gives many layers to her character and plays her emotions appropriately for the time period. Her passion for the role is clearly displayed through the solid character choices she makes and the commitment she gives to her performance. However, I do feel at times that when dramatic/important monologues present themselves that she can overdo it. The most noticeable aspect is the way her voice changes during these monologues and how they seem too rehearsed.

Leonardo DiCaprio also has several monologues to deliver. I feel he delivers them more realistically. His pauses and emphasis on certain words does not have the forced/rehearsed feel like Kate tends to have. I enjoyed Leo’s performance immensely. He understands the issues his character, Frank Wheeler, is going through. He is trying to save his marriage and is struggling to find himself. He fears change and all of this is illustrated through Leo’s every action. He shows the conflicting objectives that pass through Frank Wheeler’s mind. I especially like the intensity Leo gives to dramatic scenes. His body language and emotions are believable without a doubt.

Justin Haythe does a wonderful job with the script. He gives both actors equal show time and does not make one seem like the victim to the other. He allows the story to unfold clearly and without confusion. The story is not overly predictable. More becomes obvious as the film progresses.

Finally, Sam Mendes does a wonderful job of bringing together a story about finding the courage to be who you want to be and the consequences of letting opportunities pass you by. He brings the quiet desperation of millions to life.

Avatar

Welcome to Pandora.

Yesterday, I went to see the highly anticipated movie Avatar. This movie took 12 years to make. James Cameron knew exactly what he wanted for this film and settled for nothing less, even if that meant longer production. Cameron is well known for the classic Titanic. That still remains my favorite movie of all time.

His new film is a modern version love story. It reflects the same action packed story as Titanic but is enhanced through the abilities we now have with special effects and animation. The amount of work put into creating this other world makes you realize how it can take 12 years to produce something to this scale. I watched the credits at the end of the film and the amount of people involved is unbelievable. This is a film that makes you realize how much work is put into 3 hours of entertainment. For what? For us. These people are incredible.

One of my favorite aspects of this movie is the colors. The world of Pandora is breath taking, especially at night. I wanted to jump into the screen and live in that world with the characters. The way it is created is so alluring, almost hypnotizing. It is really something that cannot be explained through words, you have to see it for yourself.

At the beginning of the film, I was a little skeptical. It seemed a little slow in advancing the story. Most of the time was in the human society. Right when I was beginning to wonder when the romance would start, it did. Once that took off, the story became extremely interesting and I was completely consumed by the story. I personally enjoyed when the characters were in the Avatar world (I hope they come out with a sequel that focuses just on Pandora with now real humans). The creatures are flawlessly designed and beautiful. I felt like there was more depths to the tribe people than the humans. This is largely due to the fact that more time is spent with them.

Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana are magnificent in their roles. I can only imagine how difficult it was to act in a body suit spotted with green dots. Amazing commitment and understanding of their characters is the only way they accomplished their tasks. The chemistry between the two is believable and strong. You can feel it as you watch. They take you with them through all of their emotions.

I did not care much for Stephen Lang's character. I felt he had only one emotion; it would have been nice to see more depth or gain an understanding for his one level of emotion. For me, it was a poor character choice.

All in all, this movie is very compelling and James Cameron succeeds in bringing an entirely new world to life. I left the cinema wishing I could go back to stay in that world. It makes you realize how important our planet is and why we must appreciate what we have and respect nature. It shows us the destructive, careless behavior of humans and how we must make the effort to protect our home. It honestly made me hate mankind for a while.

I rate this film 9.5/10.

The Order

"Behind the disguise of good hides the soul of evil."

Released in 2003, The Order is a fascinating film. I was lucky enough to come across this DVD at Wal-Mart in a 2/$10.00 bin. I did not see any other films that interested me but this one caught my eye. Heath Ledger is one of my favorite actors, and I had never heard of this performance. I figured $5.00 was not a big risk on my behalf.

I say it was more of an amazing deal! This movie has quite a complex story line that engages the audience early on. The action begins swiftly as does the evolving story. It is a compelling tale about sin eaters and religion. I am not religious but this movie interested me nonetheless. Brian Helgeland wrote a story that continuously leaves the audience wondering what will happen next. His writing skills do not outshine his director skills either. He had a specific vision for the film that allowed such strong choices to be made. He knew how he wanted each scene to flow into the next, creating a story from the scenes. Each scene builds up to the next - there is rarely a stall in the evolution of the story. Every single details leads to something.

Heath Ledger shows another solid performance. His character goes through a whirlwind of events that challenge everything he believes in and makes him change in ways unimaginable. The audience sees how each situation contributes to the character's development. He control sover his emotions and taps into a resource for every situation he brings to life. He continues to amaze me with every film I see him in. I know this is an older film in his repertoire ,but it is no less spectacular than his recent movies. I am glad his legacy will live on his films, R.I.P.

Benno Furmann also shows a wonderful performance in this movie. His super objective stays the same throughout the entire film and it is very clear. However, he hides his true ambition to achieve this objective well in order to make the audience pity, care, and connect with him. It is hard to say whether he is good or evil. His choices for his character make the Sin Eater seem like anyone else, creating a realistic character.

I cannot say much about Shannyn Sossamon. She is not extremely present in the film but her role is a major one in relation to the story. She uses her body language very well to get the character's emotions across. The character is believable except for the scars on her wrist that appear later in the film. I find they look too fake and are shown more often than necessary once they are revealed.

All in all, I really enjoyed this movie. It has a compelling story, solid characters, and develops at a good pace.

I rate this film 9.5/10 stars.

For The Love Of Grace

Love spreads like fire.

Ramona Barckert and Paul Ruehl have written an amazing story. This film combines great writing, acting, and direction to create a compelling movie. It automatically intrigued me from the beginning right until the end. This movie is realistic and something everyone can connect to. The audience follows Steve Lockwood (Mark Consuelos) and Grace Harding (Chandra West) through their struggles and journey to rediscover themselves. The character development each portrays is a result of hard work and solid character choices. The entire atmosphere of the movie changes as the characters do but there is also an underlying tension due to the previous lives both characters lead. You are taken through a whirlwind of emotions and cannot peel yourself from the screen.

Mark Consuelos and Chandra West have wonderful chemistry together. I sincerely hope to see them work together again in the future. They worked well together - feeding off of each others emotions and deliverance as all good actors do. I felt like I knew most of the characters on the screen as though they were my own friends.

I also enjoyed Ennis Esmer's performance of Steve Lockwood's brother, Frank Lockwood. His comedic timing is perfect and relieves any tension when a scene gets emotional. He is someone you want to be friends with. Ennis decided to plays the role of a younger brother perfectly. The audience can tell how difficult Molly's death has been on Steve's life and those around him. He shows concern for his older brother and determination to help him through the rough patches. He also portrays the confusion a younger brother goes through when they are not sure what to do. Younger brothers ask their older brothers for advice and guidance, not the other way around. This also shows how deeply he admires his bigger brother and how strong the relationship is between the two.

This is the kind of movie I enjoy watching. It is realistic and lets you connect with a variety of emotions. It is a simple yet fascinating story teamed with committed actors who make solid choices.

I rate this 9/10 overall.

2012

The power of science and a desire for entertainment come together to create a magnificent story of the end of the world.

The beginning of the movie confused me slightly because of the year shifts. The years go by very quickly, but the audience does get the sense of the increasing anxiety of those involved. There is a lot of scientific talk at the beginning that proved difficult for me to follow at times causing me some frustration. I understand the need to set up the story but feel it lacks the importance it should evoke in the audience.

I was pleased with how they decided to display the title. The grandeur of it makes you realize something extraordinary is about to happen.

Roland Emmerich (Director) wasted no time in getting to the action of the movie once the year 2012 hits. He starts off slow - a little crack at a time, growing bigger. The special effects in this film are breath taking - literally. During the entire scene where Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) is driving in the limo racing to stay ahead of the earth crumbling behind him, I was holding my breath and tensing my body. I eventually ended up lower in my seat, pressed against the back and staring wide-eyed at the screen. I suggest sitting close to the screen so you really feel like you are in the movie. It is like being on a roller coaster but more terrifying! The way the ground falls away and buildings crumble is just amazing. There are no words to give the special effects justice.

The special effects were the best part of the film. The story is clearer as it continues and Charlie Frost's (Woody Harrelson) animation reminded me of things I learned in science class, and I was able to understand what was frustrating in the beginning. Woody did a great job with his character. His insanity is unsettling at the beginning. Before his final decision, I did not feel emotionally connected. I think this is because he was not a very prominent character and because he was asking for what he got. I also enjoyed Chiwetel Ejiofor's portrayal of Adrian Helmsley. His performance is my favorite out of the entire cast. He does a wonderful job of really showing the different layers of his character. His emotions are strong and nothing is held back. He is someone you rooted for and cared for. His choices allow the audience to relate to him. He took the time needed to develop a solid character. I think we will be seeing more of him in the future.. The other cast members are another story. The main family played by John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Liam James, and Morgan Lily do a good job with their characters but nothing beyond what is absolutely required. Zlatko Buric ,who portrays Yuri Karpov, does not do any good for the film because of the fact that most of the time you cannot understand what he is saying due to the thick accent. I frequently lost his lines and heard people in the audience expressing the same frustration.

All in all I enjoyed the movie and it has some good acting moments. This is an action film without a doubt. If you enjoy special effects I recommend you see this movie. If not - well, like I said... there is an interesting story line and characters but not the most intriguing I have seen. This is a film you will want to see in the cinema on a big screen.

I rate this 6/10 overall.