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Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Friday, November 18, 2016
Monday, October 17, 2016
Me Before You - my thoughts after
I'm a bit late to the game, but I recently watched the hit movie, Me Before You, based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Jojo Moyes. It was as good as everyone said it was.
Although it involves a heavy and controversial topic, there are light-hearted and touching moments. The stellar cast led by Emilia Clarke (of Game of Thrones fame) strike the right balance to give the audience an emotional and fulfilling experience.
Emilia Clarke's character, Louisa, has spent her whole life in a quaint town when she is let go from her latest job and finds herself in a new one, for which she has no experience - being the carer for a wealthy young man who was paralyzed in an accident. Throughout her journey, there are plenty of highs and lows. Make sure you have tissues ready because there are several tear-worthy moments.
It's not a movie to watch when you just want something light and brainless, but you should watch it at some time. It's been years since I've seen a movie so moving.
Although it involves a heavy and controversial topic, there are light-hearted and touching moments. The stellar cast led by Emilia Clarke (of Game of Thrones fame) strike the right balance to give the audience an emotional and fulfilling experience.
It's not a movie to watch when you just want something light and brainless, but you should watch it at some time. It's been years since I've seen a movie so moving.
Saturday, December 19, 2015
Love Actually - a Christmas staple
I'm on the bus listening to my music on shuffle and a great song, Songbird by Eva Cassidy, comes on and reminds me of one of my favorite soundtracks in one of my favorite films, Love Actually. How can you get through the Christmas season without watching this movie at least once? Many movies have tried to copy its intertwined multi-story format but haven't been successful in eliciting as strong emotions.
A big reason why Love Actually works so well year after year is the brilliant writing of Richard Curtis. (By the way, he also wrote one of my favorite Doctor Who episodes, Vincent and the Doctor.) Although we only get short vignettes of every storyline - in some cases literally just a beginning, middle, and end - the characters are so well-developed we instantly become attached to them. He also manages to navigate a range of emotions in short succession. The movement between funny, poignant, cute, heartbreaking, solemn, and romantic is seamless.
It also helps that the cast is full of talent. Liam Neeson expertly plays the tortured father, but his "special set of skills" in this movie is less violent. Emma Thompson makes us all cry when she tries not to cry. Bill Nighy brings out his wild side, delivering a strong performance as we'd expect from him. Colin Firth and Hugh Grant each bumble in their own way, as they know how to do so well. Laura Linney is just stellar. This film also happens to be the first time I saw Joanna Page, Martin Freeman, and Nina Sosanya - all of whom are some of my favorite actors now. And that's just a partial list of the cast.
In addition to the writing and the acting, what really makes the film work is the music. I can't talk about the music without mentioning the amazing voice of the then 10-year-old Olivia Olson. I prefer her "All I Want for Christmas" over Mariah Carey's. That song and almost every song from the movie are on my commuting playlist. The soundtrack is one great song after another, and the way they're used in the background makes each scene have more impact. Richard Curtis mentions in the commentary that he always has music playing when he's writing, and the songs picked in the final edit really fit what he's written.
So whether you kick back and watch Love Actually or take part in another tradition, I hope you have a relaxing and wonderful Christmas.
A big reason why Love Actually works so well year after year is the brilliant writing of Richard Curtis. (By the way, he also wrote one of my favorite Doctor Who episodes, Vincent and the Doctor.) Although we only get short vignettes of every storyline - in some cases literally just a beginning, middle, and end - the characters are so well-developed we instantly become attached to them. He also manages to navigate a range of emotions in short succession. The movement between funny, poignant, cute, heartbreaking, solemn, and romantic is seamless.
It also helps that the cast is full of talent. Liam Neeson expertly plays the tortured father, but his "special set of skills" in this movie is less violent. Emma Thompson makes us all cry when she tries not to cry. Bill Nighy brings out his wild side, delivering a strong performance as we'd expect from him. Colin Firth and Hugh Grant each bumble in their own way, as they know how to do so well. Laura Linney is just stellar. This film also happens to be the first time I saw Joanna Page, Martin Freeman, and Nina Sosanya - all of whom are some of my favorite actors now. And that's just a partial list of the cast.
In addition to the writing and the acting, what really makes the film work is the music. I can't talk about the music without mentioning the amazing voice of the then 10-year-old Olivia Olson. I prefer her "All I Want for Christmas" over Mariah Carey's. That song and almost every song from the movie are on my commuting playlist. The soundtrack is one great song after another, and the way they're used in the background makes each scene have more impact. Richard Curtis mentions in the commentary that he always has music playing when he's writing, and the songs picked in the final edit really fit what he's written.
So whether you kick back and watch Love Actually or take part in another tradition, I hope you have a relaxing and wonderful Christmas.
Saturday, July 18, 2015
Lumos on Harry Potter
It may be a minority opinion, but I love overcast days. Temperatures are comfortable, and you don't feel the burning of the sun on your skin. There's also something calming about the light yet grey tone of the environment.
If it's raining, and you want to stay indoors, it's the perfect time to grab a cuppa tea and curl up with a good book. Some of the best indulgences - the books in the Harry Potter series. I started reading the series in college, and I still love rereading it today.
The stories are captivating at any age and a treat for your imagination. For those of you that have somehow managed to avoid all the hoopla, the series is about a boy who learns he's a wizard and gets swept up in the wizard world. While going to a wizarding school, he develops lifelong friendships with classmates and teachers who help (and hinder) him in various adventures. The overarching adventure, however, is the classic battle of good versus evil. The evil in this series are the forces of a powerful wizard gone bad.
Like any great work, the stories are entertaining at face value, but there are also deeper undertones on life, humanity, and morality. Depending on what you like to get from entertainment, you can read it as you wish.
I will admit, some of the books are a little slow in the beginning. It's not that they're bad, but they're not as page-turning as later on in the book, once you've passed the scene-setting and are in the thick of the plot. Usually about a quarter of the way through, though, you are compelled to keep reading until the end. That's how some die-hard fans finish a book in one day. It usually took me a week to finish a book - a few days for the first quarter and one day into late night for the last three quarters. Now that I've read them all, every now and then, I go back and just read the bits I'm craving at the time.
So why not watch the movies and save some time and effort? Please do! I find them highly entertaining. The Harry Potter movies are some of the better adaptations from books that I've seen, but the main reason I would also read the books is the internal monologue that doesn't come across on screen, which allows you to connect more deeply with the characters. There are also significant elements and subplots in the books that aren't developed or shown in the movies. Elements that make the books that much more enjoyable.
So put the kettle on, get settled in your cozy chair, and welcome to the wizarding world of Harry Potter!
If it's raining, and you want to stay indoors, it's the perfect time to grab a cuppa tea and curl up with a good book. Some of the best indulgences - the books in the Harry Potter series. I started reading the series in college, and I still love rereading it today.
The stories are captivating at any age and a treat for your imagination. For those of you that have somehow managed to avoid all the hoopla, the series is about a boy who learns he's a wizard and gets swept up in the wizard world. While going to a wizarding school, he develops lifelong friendships with classmates and teachers who help (and hinder) him in various adventures. The overarching adventure, however, is the classic battle of good versus evil. The evil in this series are the forces of a powerful wizard gone bad.
Like any great work, the stories are entertaining at face value, but there are also deeper undertones on life, humanity, and morality. Depending on what you like to get from entertainment, you can read it as you wish.
I will admit, some of the books are a little slow in the beginning. It's not that they're bad, but they're not as page-turning as later on in the book, once you've passed the scene-setting and are in the thick of the plot. Usually about a quarter of the way through, though, you are compelled to keep reading until the end. That's how some die-hard fans finish a book in one day. It usually took me a week to finish a book - a few days for the first quarter and one day into late night for the last three quarters. Now that I've read them all, every now and then, I go back and just read the bits I'm craving at the time.
So why not watch the movies and save some time and effort? Please do! I find them highly entertaining. The Harry Potter movies are some of the better adaptations from books that I've seen, but the main reason I would also read the books is the internal monologue that doesn't come across on screen, which allows you to connect more deeply with the characters. There are also significant elements and subplots in the books that aren't developed or shown in the movies. Elements that make the books that much more enjoyable.
So put the kettle on, get settled in your cozy chair, and welcome to the wizarding world of Harry Potter!
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