Snow White and the Huntsman ft Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth and Charlize Theron

Went to see this movie with much anticipation, since the trailers were quite promising, and...I was not dissapointed.
We all know the story of Snow White, so to make a captivating movie is not an easy task, but this movie definitly did just that.
Though ofcourse its a modern take on the tale, but the whole story is kept intact.
It looks stunning, the worlds in which it is set look amazing...the dark and nasty world of the bad queen, where all goodness has died - all beauty seems to be owned by the queen, an outstanding Charlize Theron - the scary dark forrest, the mountains..all very impressive, raw and rugged.
Nothing reminded me of the storybook tale, and heck, I even forgot about the dwarfs and was pleasantly surprised by them. They bring a comical note to the film and bring some much needed relief in the visuals when they take snowwhite and her huntsman to the enchanted place where they live. A magical forrest, so sweet and so lovely, you just wanne stay there for ever..
But ofcourse the happily ever after is not untill all evil has been dealt with, and all the fighting has been done.

I could nag about some details, like the shaking of the camera in the action sequences, or why did the wonderful trol not come to their aid in the end..or the many close ups of the leading ladies...but that would not do it justice.

I had a great sundayafternoon, watched a wonderfull movie and would advise all of you to go see it if you just wanne have a good time.

Inge

An Officer and a Gentleman- with Richard Gere, Debra Winger

A classic and an all time favorite of mine.
A young guy, kind of a bum, joins the army because he wants to fly jets. Meets girl, falls for girl, trouble trouble and ofcourse ..all is good that ends good.
In a tiny nuttshell.
The movie was released in 1982, so I when i first saw it I was...very young..
Richard Gere had been plastered all over my walls since American Gigolo, so it was terible easy to totally identify with Paula. The nice girl with the good morals, with her golden heart saving the hero that is in so much pain...i'm sure i would have saved him too..i'm sure..
My best friend at the time found it as easy to identify with Zack and wanted Paula to save him ...so we saw that movie many many times. Both mesmerized...engulfed in the drama and romance...

Now..many (many) years later I watched it again and frankly i'm kinda puzzeled.
This movie, probably my all time favorite ...does not paint a healthy picture now does it?
Allthough, maby for men it might...it tells them that not every woman is out to get them (okay, exept for Lynette..she is out to get Sid), and there are even a few that will actually save them...oh men...that sounds like unhealthy rubbish too!
See, he is a definite asshole, gets into fights, drinks too much and treats woman like whores.
But lets not judge him, he has had a very hard life..so, the girl - who has had a very hard life too, holds down a crappy job, is a good person and treats men like princes - totally falls for him and wants to save him.

Oh my...this was my rolemodel when I grew up? This was the epitomy of romance for me?  No flippin wonder I have been falling for these beautifull hurt men that I really needed to save!
Watching this again and looking back on my loves and life...I really did play the part of Paula way too many times!!
Let men treat me like crap and see that as a challenge to get them to open up their hearts and be gratefull for eternity! All because I thought that that was my destiny and the right thing to do and that love would save the day..but all of that was my bond with saint Paula and my undying love for Zack Mayo cause in the end he was sure to walk into the factory in his white suit to save me!!!
Aaaahhrrgg!!

What is gonna happen to my daughter who is totally smitten with a gorgous stonecold vampire who doesn't talk a whole lot but makes you melt with his eyes....
Or the latest one..the poor kid thats thrown into and arena to face certain death,  but gets rescues by the girl with the balls ...scuse me, the bow!
What kind of saving is she gonna be doing?
Or maby...maby I should just trust her to know that nobody needs saving?

Hm...I might just make het look at Pippi Longstocking movies and nothing else :-)

Inge


ps: watch the movie yes or no...ehm..Richard Gere..need I say more?

Dark Shadows - Tim Burton starring Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter

Not an easy film to review..
Not the greatest movie I have seen, (by far) but one I really wánt to like because of everyone involved.
The movie is based on a tv-show from the seventies, wich was never really big, but inspired Tim Burton nonetheless.

And a real Tim Burton movie it is...comicbook-like characters, with waxlike faces and awesome couloring in the make-up, fantastic - even brilliant - set design, and a story to tell, which he tells in a rather slow pace.
There is where my first critique comes in, cause he might have quickened the pace a bit and with the minutes gained fill in the gaps in the story. The lovestories are presented as facts, but there is hardly any build up. To me that made it a bit superficial, I did not get swepped away...the love is not very passionate, and even the lust lacked that.

The acting...Johnny Depp brings what he always brings and its always a pleasure to watch him (though his beauty is hidden well in this one) Michelle Pfeiffer I love for her always understated humour, and Helena Bonham Carter ( Tim Burtons partner) who - since the Harry Potter movies I cannot see as a sane person anyway - is a wonderfully disturbed psychiatrist.

Then there are a number of cool cameo's...like the actors from the original tv show making an appearence at the 'happening' , another Burton favorite Christopher Lee shows up briefly, and even Alice Cooper show up.
Another big part is played by the seventies themselves...with the hippies, the shaggedelic carpet, the lavalamp and cool music, which is helping to tell the story and never just some background noise.

So..conclusion...if youre a Burton fan..if Johnny or Michelle are favorites, if you like awesome visuals..go see it!
If you want to be swept away...ah....go see it anyway :-)
Inge

The Hungergames - Gary Ross starring Jennifer Lawrence

A while ago I went to see the blockbustermovie "The Hungergames" with my daughter... quite frankly I was confused. Why are these books and why is this movie so extremely popular? (in the USA and in the Netherlands recordbreaking numers of visitors)

The story is about a young woman that lives in a world that is divided in districts, where people are poor, and repressed by The Capitol, the place where the dicator Snow lives with his wealthy and well-off followers, superficial and just as repressed, by their own vanity and materialistic lifestyle.
As punishment of a rebellion -74 years ago - against the Capitol, one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 from each (of the 12) district are chosen to participate in the Hungergames, an event (and a huge social happening in the Capitol) in which these kids must fight in an outdoor arena , until only one remains.
The first half houer of the movie, i was mortified. The given story was making me sick to my stomache.

But i was also confused, because i watched a lot of movies about good versus bad. I watched a lot of movies in which people get killed in their struggle. (a lot!)
So...was i so shaken by the fact they were kids? That would be pretty strange, because how old is Luke Skywalker? Frodo? Harry, Ron and Hermione are not exactly grown-ups either.
It is absolutely disturbing that the kids in The Hungergames don't have any other option, but really, neither did Luke, Frodo or Harry..
(okay..they at least were not faced with having to kill all of their opponents)
But then it became clear to me what the most disturbing is...the fact that these 'games' are concidered entertainment.

That hits close to home now doesn't it?
All the tv-shows where people get eliminated? Where we vote off the least popular? Laugh at the ones with the least talents?
Are we the superficial people of the Capitol? The vain..the uncaring ones with designer clothes, the plastic nails, extensions in our hair and the unending demand to be entertained? The wants, needs, desires for more and more...
How unsetteling...

When I came home, i just had to read the sequel...deeply longing for an uprising, a revolt!
In desperate need to restore my faith in humanity.
Getting there...starting part 3 now..
Inge