Aurora Borealis

Duncan is a young man trying to find his way through life while dealing with some issues from his father's death, his sick grandfather and his unfaithful brother.

I love this movie. It's moving and it has some sweet moments and a funny touch. It's deep without being overdramatic, the subjects are put in a very realistic way, bringing the story closer to us. It's a great movie, it brings up a lot of thoughts about life.

And the cast. Perfect. My sweetheart Joshua Jackson is great as Duncan, he really manages to show us both sides of his character, the 'big boy' and the 'adult'. And Donald Sutherland! God, I have no words to describe how GOOD he is in this movie. He nails it! Incredible, just perfect. Juliette Lewis and Louise Fletcher are amazing as well.

Watch Joshua showing his Canuck habilities with hockey is always a plus. ;)

I love the name 'Aurora Borealis', one of my 'to do' things in life is to watch the Aurora Borealis, I'm fascinated by them, it must be just so beautiful.

Not a movie from a huge production company with a giant box office, but the best things in life come in the small packages, right? You won't regret it.

My Top 5 Childhood Movies

I'm turning 21 today and to 'celebrate' it I'm remembering my childhood. One of my strongest memories is me and my parents watching movies like Karate Kid and Mighty Ducks. It was awesome, I loved it. So, to honor those amazing and most loved memories, I decided to make a top 5 with my favorites childhood movies (Disney's cartoons aren't included, maybe I'll do another post for them).


WARNING: I was a 90's kid.

5 - The Beverly Hillbillies

(!!!!!) This one is a family classic. Everyone loved it. Me, mom, dad, cousins, grandparents. We would watch it everytime it was on (we watched it A LOT). It's not the best movie ever, actually is quite silly, but come on! It's fun! That grandma (gotta love her) is hilarious! I loved the dumb twins (specially the girl). Ms Jane was another one of my favorites. Fun, fun, fun.

 4 - Karate Kid (1-3)

Classic! I remember me going like 'Dad! Dad! Karate Kid 7 will be on tomorrow! Don't think we've watched this one yet!' And the next day there would be me and my dad watching it. I can't even remember why I liked it so much since that old japanese (Is he japanese?!) guy used to annoy the hell out of me. Think what I liked the most was just the bonding time with my dad (who actuallly liked the movie a lot).

3 - Mighty Ducks (1-3)

Another father and daughter classic for me. I loved this one SO MUCH! They made hockey look so much fun. My childhood dream was to play hockey and join the Mighty Ducks. Who didn't want to say 'Quack! Quack! Quack!' with them?! Also, they had a girl on the team, girl power!!! And of course, Joshua Jackson, years later and he still is my true love. 

2 - Andre
 You know how some kids are obsessed with E.T.? Well, Andre was (and still is) my E.T.. I still love this movie to pieces. I love the marine seal. I love the little girl dancing with it. I love everything about it. Didn't matter how many times I'd seen it, I'd cry (correction, I'd sob) every new time. I'm sure I'd still cry (specially because I found out just now that it's based on a true story). I used to watch it with my mom and dad and it was lovely. This movie made my childhood so much better. Been looking for the DVD (or even a tape) so I can rewatch it because it's been such a long time, but I can't find it anywhere.
Oh, and guess who's also on Andre? JJ! I'm telling you, that man has been stalking me since birth!

1 - The Never Ending Story (1 and 2)

Definitely the movie I watched most as a kid. It just amused me. It's so... incredible. Magical. I loved it, loved it, loved it! Still do. The first and the second. That dragon and the stone baby (I loooooove the stone baby, he's so sweet) were my dream pets. I actually believe this movie had a big impact on me and my personality, on my hability to escape quite easily to an imaginary world, to daydream (which, surprisingly, I haven't lost as grew older). I have a huuuuuuuge imagination and I think this movie might have something to do with it. This one brings me back so many things.


Oh, boy, those were good times...

The life before her eyes

 

The life before her eyes tells the story of Diana, a surviver of a high school tragedy, 10 years after the event.

The storyline goes back and forward in time, but nothing very confusing. 

Ahn... I'm afraid I can't write more about this movie simply because I didn't quite get it. I got the end (or at least I think I did, with some films we never know), but I don't see how it fits with the rest of the story. The end is probably my main problem... I must have got it wrong. I don't know.  

So, watch it and then come back and explain it to me. =)

ps: I'll probably watch it again to see if I understand it the second time around, if do I'll make a new blog about it with a decent review. I know this entry wasn't very helpfull, but it's just that I got really confused maybe the fact that missed the first 10 minutes has something to do with it...hm..

Dislike

I usually write about movies I like, but recently I've watched two that I DISliked so much I had to share. Are you prepared? Here I go.

 Frozen 

Don't be fooled by the poster (which is better than the movie itself).  Disliked this movie so much that I couldn't stop thinking about it. Basically the storyline is these 3 friends who get stuck at the chairlift and are left there to freeze to death. The thing is, the 3 of them have the most idioticts ideas of how to get out of there ( I could think of 3 or 4 ways more racional and efficient than theirs). And then there're the wolves. I got so horrified by one of the wolves scenes that I may be traumatized for life (visually the scene is not that bad, it was the concept that got to me). There's also a moment when the movie gets too emotional for my taste, it just made the whole experience more painful. To me it ended up being really frustrating (painful at times) and I hosnetly wish I hadn't watched it.

Titanic 2

Ok, let me start by saying that I'm not a fan of Titanic so I have no idea why the heck I thought I should watch the number 2. 'Oh, it's sunday. I have nothing better to do and it's on.' Silly me. Possibly the worst decision I've ever made. I hate being mean, but this movie begs me to be. It's just dreadful. From minute one to minute 586245842 (that's how long it felt). And I kept hoping it would get better at some point, because seriously it couldn't get worse, right? Wrong! It got worse with every second. Geez. Every single thing about it is bad. The acting is just painful to watch and the effects are ridiculous - by the way, that's a good word to also describe the acting and the movie in a whole. This movie it's just... ARGHHHHH! Oh, dear Lord. I don't even have a word that express who horrible/bad/dreadful this movie is. I'm writing this as an advice, DON'T WATCH IT.  It truly is the worst movie I've ever seen and it makes me sad to think that people actually waste money doing c*ap like this when there's so many good movies with no fund. I desperately want those 2  hours of my life back.

Leap Year

Chick flick. Let's be honest, though, we all -even if secretly- enjoy some nice chick flick. Even guys! (Claudio Marchisio himself said his favorite movie is How to lose a guy in 10 days, along with Scarface. Go figure.. o.O)

 Leap Year is about Anna, a girl who decides to follow the Irish tradition that says women can propose on the 29th of february. But to do so, first she has to make it to Dublin, which may not be very easy.

This is a really nice movie and if you ask me is not all that chick-flickish. It's light, funny and charming. The Irish sightings are beautiful! I've always wanted to go to Ireland and after this I just can't wait to go.

Poor Anna. Had some nice laughs with her and her crazy trip to Dublin.

Amy Adams is great on it, she really gives Anna life. You can see her in every little thing she does, like moving her hands and her face. (Even in the movie poster she's very 'Anna'). Matthew Goode is just as good, bringing a Declan tone to every action as well.

Very enjoyable, definitely worth watching.

Wedding Fever in Campobello

 

I love this kind of movie. Nice, funny and not the Hollywood type (at all!).

Wedding Fever in Campobello is basically about Jan, a German guy who proposes to his Italo-German girlfriend. No big deal, except for the fact that her dad want things his way: a truly Italian wedding in Campobello. And that's when the problems really start.

Anyone who comes from or knows an Italian family knows what it is like; all the noise, the mess, the arguing, the food and the love.  And that's perfectly portraited on this film. I couldn't help but laugh, because that's pretty much the way it really is. It can definitely drive people who are not used to it crazy (the ones who are used are already crazy). And that's what the movie is about, this very german guy who suddenly finds himself in the middle of this very italian family.

What I also like about this movie is the idea of being a foreing. Whether in a new country, city, family or any group of people with ways different from ours. The idea of feeling misplaced. That's well put on the movie, and the fact that we all can somehow relate to it brings, once again, a fun/funny touch to the story.

It's good movie for a night in. Funny, with some sweet moments and no worries.
I quite enjoyed it. Hope you will too.

Arrivederci. Abbi una buona pellicola.


ps: Wedding Fever in Campobello was based upon Jan Weiler authobiogarphy. The book has the same tittle, unfortunately I haven't read it, but since Jan co-wrote the screenplay I believe it is as faithful to the original as possible.

You know you're watching Fringe way too much when...

1. Your guesses on what's gonna happen next on the show are right 98% of the time.
2. You much rather stay in and watch a new episode of Fringe than go out.
3. During a lecture the teacher drinks some water and you truly expect him to start shivering, colapse and  then explode.
4. You realize you're actually disappointed none of the above happened, the teacher is fine.
5. You truly believed, even if just for a moment, that ZFT were behind the suine flu.
6. You watch carefully for bizarre things while walking on the street, hoping something will happen and can you say 'Welcome to the Fringe Division'
7. You think about how is your life in the alternative universe.
8. You have got to the conclusion that your life in alternative universe is awesome, the alternative you did all the things you failed to.
9. You are already making lots of crazy assumptions when the observer says (on 2.16) 'It's not theories, it's entertainment ' and you realize he's talking to you.
10. You acknowledge the fact that you are completely addicted might be a bit obsessed with the show, but you just don't care. It's worth it. 

Feel free add some more itens to the list if you think I forgot something. =)

Note: the list above was written from personal experience.

Brothers

 

I was so blown away by this movie.

Brothers is about this two extremely different brothers (duh!) and how their lives and relationship are affected after Sam (the 'good' brother) goes to Afghanistan and Tommy (the 'bad' brother) is left with his family.

There's so much I really liked about this movie. First, the relationship between Sam and Tommy, I love how united they are despite of being so different and of how the family feels about Tommy. Second, I love how intense it is. There is a lot of tension and all the acting is so incredible that, even from outside the screen, we can, not only feel the tension, but almost touch it.

It's not a movie about war, but it's kind of hard to watch it and not wonder how much war really affects the people who lived through it.

I need to mention the acting again, because it's just so good! Jake, Natalie, the kids (the kids are amazing. Specially on the tension scenes), everyone is so incredible (must mention the guy who goes to war with Sam). But Tobey, oh my! Tobey just takes the movie to a whole new level. I've never seen him like this. I didn't even know he could be this dark and intense. It's just sad that he didn't get the appreciation he deserved, he deserved at least more award nominations.

Now that I come to think about it, not just Tobey was underappreciated, but the movie in a whole. It makes me so sad that good movies are left  to the dust, while crappy ones become huge.

It's a great movie. Definitely worthy of your time. And if I had to describe it in only one word, INTENSE would be it.

Nanny Mcphee and The Big Bang

Finally watched Nanny Mcphee 2! =)

I'm not a fan of sequels, somehow they always end up being dissapointing. Specially if the first one it's very good. Still, despiste of being a completely skeptic about sequels, I was really excited about Nanny Mcphee 2. I mean, you can't get it wrong with her, right?!

RIGHT!!! I've got to say, I wasn't disappointed at all. The second one it's definitely on the same level as the first one. It's charming, lovely, funny. It will win your heart just like the first one did.

Another thing that bothers me a lot on sequels is when they change the characters (or worse, they keep the characters, but change the actors. I don't even watch it when they do that), and I was feeling a little abandoned because it's a different family, different kids, but they managed to tie the knot between the two movies amazingly well. I got so happy when a familiar character 'appeared'. It felt like seeing a beloved friend after a long time apart. I was thrilled!

The kids on this one are just as amazing. Maggie Gyllenhaal it's lovelly as the mom and Emma Thompson, well, Emma Thompson is Nanny Mcphee, do I need to say more? And Maggie Smith, gotta love her character! Ralph Fiennes and Ewan McGregor are just a bonus. =)

Great acting, great photography, great everything!  And on top of that, it's quite inspiring too.

Take a leap of faith and feel it in your bones.

Welcome to the Fringe Division

I know this is a movie blog, but this is also a blog about things I love. So I decided to change things a bit and today I'm not writing about movies, I'm writing about a TV show. Fringe.

I'm a Fringe Junkie.

I'm absolutely crazy about it. I love Walter, I love Pete, (actually, at the moment I'm not on very good terms with Peter, but still), I love Astrid and I even love Gene (the cow). I love that it is a sci-fi show, but it has personal relationships. I love Walter & Pete's relationship. In fact, I liked it better when they were focusing a bit more on them, now they are too caugh up in Peter-Olivia-(and possibly)Fauxlivia. I'm not a fan of drama and I'm definitely not a fan of love triangles.

To me Fringe is by far the best TV show on air right now. That's probably because it has everything I love: mistery, action, sci-fi, a lovely crazy scientist and Joshua Jackson.

Since I mentioned Joshua, I must take a minute to say how incredibly awesome John Noble is. For real! Just watch Walter and Walternative and you'll see what I mean. I can't describe how good he is on this show.
Anna Torv is pretty amazing too. We have the best cast ever. =P

I'm posting two quotes from the show that I really like. Both are about the same thing, déjà vu. One was said by Walter (the genious, but a bit crazy scientist) and the other by Peter (the smart, skeptic son).

There you go:

Déjà vu is--is--is simply a - a momentary glimpse to the other side. Almost everyone experiences it. We feel that we've been somewhere before because actually we have - in another reality. It's another path. The road not taken.

- Walter Bishop


I read that déjà vu is fate's way of telling you that you are exactly where you are supposed to be. That's why you feel like you've been there before. You are right in line with your own destiny. It's a bit mystical for my taste.

- Peter Bishop


I like both, although I do prefer Pete's version, it's kinda magic (you all know I love this kinda stuff, right? ). Ironicly that's the same reason why he doesn't believe on it. haha

If you don't watch Fringe you have no idea how much you're missing. Catch up with seasons 1 and 2 and start watching it RIGHT NOW.  Season 3 will rock your world. ;)

Warning: be prepared for more Fringe related posts. You better watch it, or you might feel a little lost. =)

How to be

 

How to Be is about Art, a guy in the middle of a life crisis. He doesn't know what to with his life and worse, he doesn't know how to be. In his search for some purpose he decides that he wants to be normal. The thing is, trying to be normal usually makes one look even less normal.

I quite like How to be for several reasons. One of them is that I think is very easy for anyone to somehow relate to Art. We may not be as desperate or as lost as him, but we all try to fit into something (whether is in the 'normal' category or in a more specific group of people). We are always trying to fit in somewhere, high school, college, work, it never ends. And even though we might tell ourselves that we don't want to fit in, that we don't want to be 'normal' and that we are proud to be unique, once in while -even if just for a few seconds, still- we question that.

This movie can be a little melancholic at points, but Art also brings a comic touch with his peculiar personality. At the same time that we feel sorry for him, it's kinda funny to see how serious he takes this how to be thing. 

I like Art a lot. And I'm not surprised he is so messed up, being raised by his parents and all (you'll know what I mean when you watch the movie).

Go watch it, because sometimes we do need a little help, right?

ps: The Robert-Pattinson-talk, you knew it was coming. In my humble opinion Robert is a really good actor. You can see he pays attention to the little details and we all know those details make all the difference. I gotta say, however, that I don't think Twilight was the best move for his career. It brought him to public eye and all, but I think it also made people not look at him as the actor he is.

Nanny Mcphee

 

Nanny Mcphee!!! I love this movie!!! It's sweet and funny and touching and clever and amazing!

Nanny Mcphee is about this nanny who has a very unique method to deal with misbehavior. Her next task is to help this widower manage his seven naughty kids. It's a hard task, but she's Nanny Mcphee.

It may seem a children movie, but it's not. It's an all ages movie, kids will love it, so will adults and so will older adults. 

Colin Firth and Emma Thompson, do I really need to say anything else?! They are both incredible on it. Colin brings the perfect desperate/funny/clumsy tone to the dad. Everything on this movie is so well done, it's amusing. You can see they put a lot of thought on every tiny detail. All the bright colours (there's SO MUCH colour in this movie! I love it!) that goes from the walls to the food, the amazing costumes, the beautiful locations. It's all wonderful. And the kids, oh my, it's impossible not to fall in love with them (even with all the bad behavior). Ohhhh and Mrs. Blatherwick (the cook) gotta love her too! You'll even like the bad aunt.

The final credits are lovely (yes, I watch the final credits) and very well made as well.

You'll really love it. Warts and all. ;)

ps: haven't watch the sequel yet, but I'm really excited about it. It seems just as great as this one and Maggie Gyllenhaal is on it! Maggie Gyllenhaal and Emma Thompson together should be pretty amazing.