Movies, movies, movies........

LADIES IN LAVENDER – written and directed by Charles Dance, stars Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Daniel Bruhl and Natasha McElhone.  A story of two sisters, who found a foreign man washed ashore near their home, took care of him and the man stole their hearts.           

                This is a very sweet movie, a heartwarming one and the actors were all magnificent.  Judi Dench and Maggie Smith were marvelous playing the sisters.  Daniel Bruhl was good and charming and Natasha McElhone was adorable.  The setting was beautiful, the music was splendid.

PRECIOUS – directed by Lee Daniels, stars Gabourey Sibide, Mo’nique, Paula Patton and Mariah Carey.  This is the story of Caireece Precious Jones, who endured unimaginable hardships in her young life.  She was abused by her mother, raped by her father and she grew up poor, angry, illiterate, fat, unloved and generally unnoticed.

                This touching movie is also a splendid one with great performances by Gabourey Sibide as Precious, Mo’nique as the mother (82^nd Oscars Best Supporting Actress winner), Paula Patton as the teacher and Mariah Carey as the social welfare officer.

UP IN THE AIR – co-written and directed by Jason Reitman stars George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick and Jason Bateman.  This is a story of Ryan Bingham, whose job is to fly around the US to fire people and along the way met a woman who gave him sparks.

                This film got some nominations in the 82^nd Oscars, but to have multiple nominations was an achievement enough.  I did not expect it to win though. 

AVATAR - directed by James Cameron, stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Giovanni Ribisi and Michelle Rodriguez.  This movie is rich in computer animation and tells about Jake Sully, a paraplegic ex-marine who took the place of his dead twin brother in a mission on the distant world of Pandora, wherein they were trying to incorporate themselves in the lives of the natives called Na’vi in order to gain their trust.  Their objective was to mine the area inhabited by the Na’vi for a precious material.

                The story is not somewhat original, wherein a love story developed between a human and a Na’vi, and the inclusion of good versus evil scenario with the issue of preservation of nature thrown into it.  Although, this movie was initially heavily favored to win in the Oscars, as it did in the Golden Globes, it was not surprising that it took home only three technical awards.

THE HURT LOCKER – directed by Kathryn Bigelow, stars Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty with Ralph Fiennes, David Morse and Guy Pearce, is a story of a team of bomb disposal experts assigned in Iraq.

                The movie was magnificently shot, you could almost feel the anxiety and fear in the middle of each situation as the team goes into their daily routine.  There was some touching moments in the movie.  Jeremy Renner was deserving of his Best Actor nomination in the 82^nd Oscars.  Anthony Mackie was good here too and should have earned a nomination.  It deserves though to win most of the major awards in the 82^nd Oscars.

BROOKLYN’S FINEST – directed by Antoine Fuqua and stars Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke and Wesley Snipes.  Kwento ito ng mga pulis sa Brooklyn, New York.  Ang isa (Gere) ay suicidal at magre-retire na, ang isa naman (Hawke) ay problemado sa paparami nyang anak (buntis pa ng kambal ang misis niya) at kinakailangan niyang mailipat sa mas maayos na bahay ang pamilya niya kaya natutukso syang pakialaman ang mga drug money sa mga raid nila at ang isa (Cheadle) ay isang undercover cop na later on ay naatasang I-set up ang kalalabas lang sa kulungang dati niyang tagapagligtas (Snipes) dahil involved pa rin ito sa katiwalian.

                The story of the three cops were told independently and at times intertwined.  Maganda ang pagka-direhe ni Antoine Fuqua, at hindi ako magtataka kung mapupuna dito ang mahusay na pag ganap nina Gere, Cheadle at Hawke.  It is nice to see Wesley Snipes in the movie again.  Nakalaya na pala siya.  I hope I could see him more often in the movies.  Deserving din si Fuqua for a citation for his work in this movie.

CRAZY HEART – directed by Scott Cooper and stars Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhall, Robert Duvall and (the unbilled) Colin Farrel.  This is a story of Bad Blake, an aging, overweight, alcoholic and chain smoker country and western singer, na pakanta-kanta na lang sa mga smaller places, at later on na meet niya ang isang journalist na nagpatibok sa puso niya.  Napa-hook up din siya sa isang dating touring partner na mas sikat sa kanya at ginawa siyang front act sa concert nito.

                Magaling si Bridges sa pag-ganap niya dito at deserving siyang manalo ng Best Actor sa 82^nd Oscars.  Magaling din si Gyllenhall sa pag-ganap niyang love interest ni Bridges at very surprising ang pag-ganap ni Farrel as the famous Tommy Sweet.

EDGE OF DARKNESS – directed by Martin Campbell, stars Mel Gibson, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston and Bojana Novakovic.  Kwento ito ng isang homicide detective na habang kasama niya ang teen-aged daughter niya ay nabaril sila at tinamaan at namatay ang anak niya.  Akala niya siya ang puntirya ng bumaril but later on nadiskubre niyang, ang anak pala niya ang target.  He investigated the case and he discovered his daughter’s secret life and the reason for her murder.

                Naaliw naman ako sa pelikulang ito.  At very refreshing to see Mel Gibson in the movie again.  Matagal ko na ring di siya napanood.