Note: I specifically mentioned ‘the movie’, since I am planning to read the book very soon and I am sure I will want to post about that too.

There are fewer than 4000 Jews left alive in Poland today. There are more than 6000 descendants of the Schindler Jews.

Schindler’s List is one of the movies you have to see in a lifetime. Maybe more than once. It is an incredible film. It’s not very original, though. It’s about the Holocaust. The Jews. Auschwitz. Death of millions of people. But the way this movie is made…no other can compare to it. The fact that it is all black and white, with just a hint of colour now and then (to emphasize a particular red coat) gives it more depth. And the fact that great actors are in it, including the ever surprising Ralph Fiennes and the incomparable Liam Neeson just adds so much more to the movie as a whole.

The story? It’s the true story of Oskar Schindler (beautifully portrayed by Liam Neeson), a Czech born Nazi who sees the war as an opportunity for fast profit. He therefore hires Jews as cheap labour force for his factory in occupied Poland and aims to get as rich as possible. Time is passing by and the Jews are first evacuated from the ghetto in Krakow and sent to labour camps. A while later, Auschwitz concentration camp was established and thousands of Jews were gassed and incinerated afterwards, in an attempt of ‘race purification’.

But Oskar Schindler was different. He was a womanizer, a party man, he liked people to work for him and he liked making profit. However, he also had a heart. And when he saw the horrors that were happening around him, he thought his money could be put to better use. It is how he decided to ‘buy’ more than 1100 Jews from the Nazis as workers for his factory. He even promised to make ammunition instead of pots, but no decent missile ever came out of his factory. Together with his loyal accountant, a Jew himself (Ben Kingsley acts superbly in this role), they made a list of people who were to come to work for him instead of going to Auschwitz. The list, itself, was life.

The plot itself however is not the essence of this movie. Else way, there wouldn’t have been necessary 3 hours and 9 minutes of film. It’s all about the Holocaust: the terror, the pain, the merciless nazis. And this is where Ralph Fiennes comes into the movie. He portrays Amon Goeth, a commandant of the Nazi army, thirsty for blood and death, killing for his own pleasure, hating everything in relation to the Jews. He likes Schindler, develops a friendship with him, but never once does it occur to him that Oskar is trying to save the Jews instead of killing them. And here, Ralph Fiennes portrays one of the most loath-able characters ever. Cold, purely evil, Amon kills for pleasure. He adores the fact that he can kill anyone for no reason. He feels powerful through other people’s tragedies. He was, unfortunately, real.

There is more about this movie than the story of Oskar Schindler. There are the horrors of the Holocaust: the killing, the humiliation, the cruelty, the torture, the horrible feeling you get when you’re watching that all of this is true and once happened. That the extras that are being killed every few minutes actually portray real people that din nothing wrong except being in the wrong place, at the worst of times.

To see this movie, you need to prepare. You need to understand what you are about to witness, that one of history’s darkest periods will be revealed to you in its ugliest form. There is not much actual violence in the film. But there is no need. You can feel the horror and pain and desperation without seeing blood all over. You know it is there, there’s no need for them to show it.

To be honest, I think I would like to see this movie once more. Because somewhere in the back of my mind I am still hoping to understand why. It probably is pointless, I know. But one can only hope. And I also think we should all see this movie. It is there to remind us, to make us understand what huge mistakes were made and to teach us not to ever do them again.

I cannot end this review without mentioning Spielberg. Usually, I am not a fan of his work. But this is brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. The music (John Williams) and cinematography (Janusz Kaminski) are also works of art. Everything comes together wonderfully.

You can buy this movie on Amazon.co.uk.

On a happier note though, this is one of our recent short films, light and easy and cute. It makes me think of my grandmother who actually got herself a laptop when I moved to Switzerland. This is to all those who love us but hate computers and struggle with them just to keep in touch. Thank you

It’s like that thing Jon Bon Jovi said: ‘No man is an island.’

Being all alone at home with pay per view television, I decided to improve my culture, movie-wise. And as I have a ‘crush’ on everything that is British and is called Hugh Grant, I decided to watch a nice, light romantic comedy I never got around to seeing.

As you may have guessed, I am talking “About a Boy”. Unsurprisingly, Hugh has yet another role as a shallow, quite rich and extremely charming playboy who only thinks about present time and himself. I would assume that it’s the way men usually think, but I don’t really mean to be that harsh. Anyway, as Will is going through his ‘doing nothing’ life, trying to get smoothly from one woman to another and discovering how attractive single mothers seem to be. In his quest for the next *shag*, he enters the rather picturesque world of SPAT (yes, pun intended) – a single parents organization, consisting mostly of depressed, unattractive women who are crying over stupid fathers who left them and their children alone. Will manages to make up an imaginary chld, gets to meet Susie (the only cute woman in the club) and eventually, through a series of events, meets Marcus, the boy that is going to change his life.

Marcus is a 12 year old boy, with a lunatic mother and somewhat interesting ideas about life. He meets Will in one of the toughest moments of his life: his mother tries to commit suicide, for no apparent reason at all. This makes Marcus uneasy, permanently frightened that this would happen again. And so, he tries to find comfort and help in this strange, shallow man that is Will.

An uncommon friendship is set between the two, especially when they both get crushes on two girls and start helping eachother out. Will is trying to get Marcus out of his cocoon and make him more sociable, and Marcus, well, he is making Will grow up in ways he wouldn’t have imagined.

Needless to say, I liked the movie. I find that Hugh Grant is maybe not the most versatile actor in the world, but delivers such charming, lovable characters that are always pretty hard to forget. The kid is cute, funny, although quite cheeky and annoying at first. Will’s crush, Rachel, is actually Rachel Weisz, a great actress herself, and it is a shame we do not get to see more of her during the movie.

All in all, I would highly recommend this movie to anyone who would like a nice afternoon/evening in front of the tv, with a hot cup of tea and preferably someone you love by your side. I found that the latter is optional, and that the movie is so good you will laugh most of the time, forgetting you are alone. At least I did.

Enjoy!

P.S. The movie is based on a novel by Nick Hornby, one of my favourite British authors. Perfect match

You can find the movie and the book on amazon.co.uk. Check out my widget

Image source: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30501342&id=1403223798&subject=95880483260&ref=mf

Everybody walk the dinosaur

I’ve actually seen this movie a while ago and never got around to writing about it. Don’t know exactly why, because I enjoyed it a lot. It’s funny, witty, makes you wanna dance and sing and…oh well, it really is a good movie. After re-watching Ice Age 1 the other day I dare say this one it’s better, since graphics have evolved…a lot.

Manny and Ellie are preparing to have a baby, Diego is going through his middle age bachelor crisis, Sid is well…Sid. No surprise here. When he realizes that the three little mammoths are to have a family of which maybe he won’t be able to be a part, he goes on to build a new one. Er, that is, by stealing three dinosaur eggs (Eggbert, Shelly and Yolko;)) and ‘adopting them’. As you can imagine, mommy-dinosaur is not that pleased, and so the animals in the Ice Age find out dinosaurs are not extinct, at least not totally extinct, and that they have been living underneath their world for God knows how long.

Sid is kidnaped by mommy dinosaur along with her 3 babies (although it’s not really her fault, he just wouldn’t let go) and Manny, Diego and pregnant Ellie along with her weird-possum brothers come to the rescue. That oughta be fun! It actually was

We meet Buck, a Crocodile Dundee style weasel with a beautiful British accent, a loner in dinosaur world who’s ready to help. As I was saying, it really is a funny movie. I laughed so, so hard. Ellie had, of course, her baby, the prettiest mammoth I’ve ever seen, Diego and Sid realize that they are part of the family and they…ummm…I guess live happily ever after. Or until Sid gets in trouble again.

Well, that’s all folks, I’ll leave you with the utterly entertaining video clip of ‘Walk the Dinosaur’. Enjoy!

Seriously Jenny, I’ve got ghosts in my bedroom!

Recunosc din start ca imi va fi greu sa fiu obiectiva vis-a-vis de acest film, in primul rand pentru ca reuneste 3 dintre acorii mei preferati: Jennifer Garner, Michael Douglas si Matthew McConaughey. Ceea ce ii da un boost la nota din start. Apoi, intotdeauna mi-au placut povestile cu fantome si comediile romantice. E clar, obiectivismul a murit. Se intampla.

Dar ceea ce mi-a placut in primul rand la film este ca…te face sa razi. Cu pofta. Adica, nu sa zambesti de complezenta, ci sa razi din toata inima cand, de exemplu, il vezi pe Connor facand echilibristica intre tortul de nunta si sticla de sampanie. Sau cand apare prima fantoma a „prietenelor din trecut”.

Dar s-o iau cu inceputul: Connor Mead, fotograf de succes, si-a facut un scop in viata din a fi un „womanizer”, „man – whore”, „afemeiat” sau cum vreti voi sa-i spuneti. Avantajat din punct de vedere al fizicului (asta ca sa folosesc un eufemism si sa imi poastrez demnitatea) si cu un manual de replici cuceritoare intotdeauna la indemana, Connor s-a culcat cu o gramda de femei la viata lui si intentioneaza s-o tina tot asa. Pana cand, intr-o noapte, are loc o turnura de situatie. Invitat la nunta fratelui sau, are parte de aparitia fantomei unchiului sau care il crescuse, fusese la fel de afemeiat, si din care Connor facuse un idol. Unchiul Wayne il avertizeaza insa ca va fi vizitat de 3 fantome in respectiva noapte, care ii vor arataca drumul pe care l-a ales in viata este gresit. Si ca nu topaitul din pat in pat ii va aduce fericirea.

Desi sceptic, Connor se trezeste cu prima sa prietena, Allison, care il duce inapoi in timp pentru a-i arata unde a decis ca in loc sa fie un barbat „normal” sa devina…in fine…el insusi. Totul se reduce la relatia sa esuata cu cea mai buna prietena a sa din copilarie, Jenny, prezenta acum si la nunta, pe care, desi a iubit-o dintotdeauna, a respins-o din frica de a nu fi ranit. Si asa s-a dus totul naibii.

Pe parcursul filmului Connor jongleaza intre lumea reala a nuntii ce se pregateste (si pe care o da peste cap cu totul) si cea a fantomelor sale, din trecut, prezent si viitor.

N-are rost sa va spun cum se termina, cred ca va dati seama si singuri, ca doar e comedie romantica. Dar e amuzanta si cu o abordare noua, care sper ca nu l-a facut pe domnul Charles Dickens sa se enerveze la el in mormant. Pentru ca, pana la urma, e cat se poate de entertaining. Iar eu una, asta si cautam. Asa ca primeste 7,5, si asta pentru ca scenariul e destul de previzibil si nu putem spune ca am extras cine stie ce morala din el. Mie mi-a placut.

Articol scris pentru www.filmblog.ro   

You on one side, me on the other, it’s perfect.

Din pacate acest film a venit dupa Snatch, Ocean’s 11 (12,13) si nu a mai primit o nota atat de mare cat ar fi fost daca era primul de acest gen pe care il vedeam. Asta ca minus. Pentru ca in rest, e chiar demential!

Claire Stenwick si Ray Koval sunt doi agenti secreti ce lucreaza pentru CIA si, respectiv MI6. In trecut, se urmareau unul pe celalalt. Acum au decis sa lucreze impreuna, in domeniul corporate. Planul lor, infailibil dealtfel, este sa puna mana pe formula unui nou produs cosmetic ce urmeaza sa fie lansat pe piata de un gigant in domeniu. Astfel, ajung sa lucreze la „counter-intelligence” pentru principalul competitor si sa se zbata sa fie mereu cu un pas inaintea tuturor celor care doresc formula. Si aceia nu sunt putini, si nici prosti.

Din ce am vazut in jurul meu la cinema, nu toata lumea a avut rabdare sa vada tot filmul si sa-i urmareasca toate schimbarile de ritm si situatie. Care nu au fost putine. La un moment dat, actiunea era atat de invalmasita si de rapida ca imi era greu sa tin pasul. Dar a meritat. Desi similar ca idee cu Ocean’s… filmul se distinge prin relatia furtunoasa dintre Claire si Ray care, desi aliati, nu pot avea suficienta incredere unul in celalalt. Ceea ce, daca stam sa ne gandim, gasim si in viata de zi cu zi destul de des, doar ca putini dintre noi sunt spioni CIA. Chimia dintre cei doi se lasa cu scantei si cu tot felul de situatii deloc anticipate.

Umorul este de foarte buna calitate, iar finalul, desi se lasa asteptat in tensiune maxima, merita. Un plus pentru imaginile superbe din cele mai frumoase orase ale lumii, pentru coloana sonora de exceptie si pentru jocul actorilor pe care l-as numi, pe englezeste, flawless. De remarcat Tom Wilkinson si Paul Giamatti care, desi in roluri secundare, se descurca minunat. Pana la urma un film relaxant si placut atat la prima cat si la urmatoarea vizionare. Eu una l-as mai vedea o data, de doua ori . 

Articol scris pentru www.filmblog.ro

Da, da, am fost aseara sa vad filmul, la doua zile de la premiera, format digital 4k. Yay! 2 ore jumatate de film bazat pe  o carte scrisa de Dan Brown…are we 3 years ago?! Eh, oarecum (daca te gandesti si la scenariu si la tot) dar eu zic ca exista o evolutie pe care e pcat sa o ignoram (mai ales la formatul filmului).

Uitasem sa o mentionez pe Vittoria Vetra (Vitoria se pare ca e nume predestinat pentru femei luptatoare )), o cercetatoare CERN care incearca alaturi de Robert sa impiedice sfarsitul Lumii (sau cel putin al Romei) in timp util. De remarcat ca in alea 6 ore sau cat sunt de urmarire, alergatura, impuscaturi, incendii, etc, domnisoara arata impecabil intr-u fusta mulata si tocuri. Nota 10 pentru rezistenta. In plus, un personaj secundar dar incredibil de convingator este Il Camerlengo, cel care are atributii papale temporar, pana cand noul Papa este ales. Jucat magistral de Ewan McGregor, cu acea stralucire in ochi care te face sa intelegi ca el este mult mai complex decat ai crede, cel care este prins intre a-i ajuta pe oamenii de stiinta sa-i salveze Biserica si a-i avea in grija pe toti cardinalii din Capela Sixtina pe care iminenta explozie i-ar face ingerasi inainte sa apuce sa stranute.

P.S. Ca idee, Ingeri si demoni (cartea) a fost scrisa inainte de Codul lui Da Vinci, dar filmele au actiunea plasata fix pe dos

I’m gonna dance your socks off!

Am tot ezitat sa vad acest film pentru ca titlul nu ma atragea si pace. Nici macar nu ma obosisem sa caut ceva despre el, iar in Romania nu parea ca se va lansa vreodata. Curiozitatea insa m-a facut sa dau un mic search si, cand am vazut ca este vorba de Emma Thompson si Dustin Hoffman, mi-am schimbat atitudinea total.

Nu am gresit deloc. O comedie romantica mai « altfel », un umor simplu si mai greu poate de detectat, doua personaje atipice intr-o poveste de dragoste cat se poate de tipica. Harvey Shine este un american venit la Londra pentru a asista la nunta fiicei sale. Job-ul sau se apropie cu greu de visul sau din copilarie (compozitor de jingle-uri TV versus pianist de jazz) si reuseste sa-i manance nervii cu telefoanele insistente. Ajuns in Anglia, descopera ca toti cei care urmau sa participe la nunta erau cazati intr-o vila inchiriata de mama fiicei sale, mai putin el, cazat la un hotel din apropiere. Desi nu se lasa descurajat de asta, si nici de faptul ca nu poate desprinde antifurtul de pe costumul cel nou, isi pierde increderea si optimismul cand afla ca fiica sa a ales ca tatal sau vitreg sa o conduca la altar in locul lui.

Colac peste pupaza, cateva ore mai tarziu afla ca a fost concediat si pierde avionul spre NY. Cu toate acestea, in restaurantul aeroportului Heathrow o intalneste pe Kate, operator de chestionare pe aeroport, pe care o place si pe care este hotarat sa nu o lase sa ii «scape».

Se naste astfel o frumoasa poveste de dragoste, cu doi oameni trecuti de prima tinerete, neincrezatori in fortele proprii si impacati cu dezamagirea atat de bine incat sunt socati cand aceasta nu apare. Isi joaca sansa si isi traiesc viata, chiar inainte de a fi prea tarziu.

Jocul actorilor este, desigur, ceea ce scoate filmul din anonimat (pentru ca, sincer, scenariul nu e cine stie ce capodopera). Emma si Dustin sunt incantatori, simpatici, adorabili, reali. El e mai mic putin de inaltime, ea are o mama preocupata excesiv de statutul sau de «femeie singura». Iar clipele in care Hoffman zambeste, resemnat sau din toata inima te fac sa-l indragesti pe loc, din tot sufletul. E incredibil cum momentele lui de tacere fac mai mult decat 1000 de cuvinte recitate la repezeala de un alt actor.

Asa ca, cei doi isi iau ultima sansa, se bucura de ea, isi fac de cap ca doi adolescenti, fara sa stie sau sa le pese de ziua de maine. Pentru ca, pana la urma, despre asta e vorba cand vine vorba de dragoste. Chiar daca nu e la 20 de ani. 

Enjoy!

Articol scris pentru www.filmblog.ro

Filmul asta…a fost vizionat in 2 bucati: o data pana pe la jumatate, cealalta jumatate peste vreo luna si ceva. Per total, un film dragut, bunicel, sweet. Bineinteles ca m-au apucat curiozitatile vis-a-vis de carte acum, dar mai am de asteptat caci lista de “to read” e lungaaaaa.