Despite my busy schedule, I make it a point to watch movies after realizing their significance in the realm of arts, and also for their complementary nature to literature in the refection of humanity. The following are a few of what I have watched recently.
Black Swan is a psychological thriller starring Natalie Portman. It is about a ballerina who wishes to achieve perfection and who, in the process, becomes a victim of her delusions. Very nice choreography and Tchaikovsky's music was instantly recognizable. He composed, after all, the original musical score for "Swan Lake". The film tackles issues on sexual repression, hallucinations, and paranoia. After watching this, I'm betting on Natalie Portman to win the Oscars. And I was happy she won the Golden Globes Award for Best Actress. While watching this, I was instantly reminded of F, one of my friends in graduate school, because of her obsession to perfection and her insecurity complex.
Eat, Pray, Love starring Julia Roberts as a divorced woman intent on finding herself after a failed marriage is an exciting movie that sends viewers to different gastronomical and travel treats. From New York to Italy, to India, and Indonesia, Liz Gilbert goes on a quest to seek peace of mind. And indeed she has learned to release herself from all the guilt and to forgive herself when she meets Felipe in Bali. Excitement builds up dramatically at first but spirals down just as quickly towards the end. I almost fell asleep watching this. Must be because I'm not into romantic films. Still, there are lots of quotable quotes with touches of Buddhism, Taoism and Zen like "Ruin is a gift. Ruin is the road to transformation." "Sometimes to lose balance for love ispart of living a balanced life." And there are numerous quotes worthy to remember so just watch the movie and see how Liz learns about life and love from her travels.
The Golden Compass is based on the book of the same title by Philip Pullman which, if I remember correctly, generated controversies because of the alleged semblance of the Magisterium to the Church's hegemony especially during the Middle Ages. Lyra Belacqua is a crafty little girl who can read the alethiometer. She goes on a quest to save her friends from the gobblers who were in the command of Mrs. Coulter (Nicole Kidman). Cliffhanger because the movie ends with Lyra and company on their way to deliver the alethiometer to her father Lord Asriel. Very nice graphics. But the battle was short and wasn't much of a scene. Still, it is pleasant to see Iorek Byrnison, the armored polar bear, fight against Ragnar. Anybody who can lend me Pullman's "His Dark Materials"?
The Tourist stars two of the most well-loved artists in Hollywood. Angelina Jolie plays the role of a secret agent named Elise and Johnny Depp as her lover Alexander Pearce who is wanted for stealing a huge sum of money. Full of suspense and mystery, plus nice views of Venice add to the movie's appeal. And not to mention the twist in the end which for me, is very ingenious. Oh and before I forget, don't bother to search for the book "The Berlin Vendetta". It's just a prop and not a real book. (Yeah, I was duped coz I got curious, but my curiosity led me to discover interesting stuffs they do in movies.)
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is based on the acclaimed classics for children by C.S. Lewis. I've been meaning to watch this but it's only now that I got to thanks to Noriza who lent me a DVD copy. It tells of four children who gained access to Narnia and who helped in the battle against the White Witch. Very nice graphics. It's very obvious that a lot has been spent on the production of this movie as can be seen from the minute details that propsmen paid attention to. Aslan the lion was also beautifully done, rendering him to be almost real.
Prince Caspian is released a year after the massive success of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The four Pevensie children return to Narnia to help a prince in self-exile gain his true place as king. Again, this movie does not disappoint. I look forward to getting a copy of "Voyage of the Dawn Treader".
The King's Speech is a historical drama set in pre-WWII in England, about a king overcomes his speech problems with the help of an amateur speech pathologist who becomes his loyal and trusty friend. Somewhat boring at first but viewers can sympathize greatly with Bertie as Colin Firth renders a very realistic performance. Oh and did I say that the primary reason why I watched this is because of my fave actress Helena Bonham Carter? Sadly, she plays a minor role here.
I have many more to watch but first, I have to finish my papers.
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