Archives for November 2010

And when did you last see your father? starring Colin Firth and Jim Broadbent

Posted on November 18, 2010 Written by ripitup

And When Did You Last See Your starring Colin Firth and Jim Broadbent

It is hard to say that author Blake (Colin Firth) respects or admires his dad Arthur (Jim Boradbent) much. He is even embarassed by him and a little angry. And who can blame him?

Arthur wasn’t exactly a model father. He was cheap, didn’t support his son’s dreams, cheated on his mom with his mother’s sister; all the while his mom was aware of the whole thing???

There is a lot of anger in Blake and there is much confrontation to be made but Blake has to overlook all these feelings when Arthur gets really sick. Blake moves back home for a while to help his mother and sister out and trying to be with his father in his final days. Despite all the negative stuff that has happened, a father-son relationship is just too complicated to be just in black and white…

There is no problem with the acting or the direction. Colin never has trouble playing any character but emotional just suits him even better. The only problem here is that we have seen this story before. Maybe not with all its elements but it has been there. The less than perfect father? Angry son? The resiliant wife who loves her husband despite everything???It is a true story but what would movie-goers lose if this has not been made into film? Sadly, the answer is nothing.

I am not saying this is a bad film. I am just saying it is all too familiar. If you are not an absolute fan of father-son films and are not crazy about Colin Firth, there is not much point in seeing it.

If you do want to see a much more remarkable father-son(s) movie, watch The Boys are Back with Clive Owen. Also a real story, but with much more interesting elements and more likeable characters…

Other Posts on Colin Firth

Colin Firth Trivia

The Last Legion starring Colin Firth

Trauma starring Colin Firth and Mena Suvari

The British Actors We Love feat. Colin Firth, Daniel Day Lewis, Rufus Sewell and Ralph Fiennes

St. Trinian’s starring Colin Firth

Apartment Zero starring Colin Firth

The Accidental Husband starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Uma Thurman &Colin Firth

The English Patient feat. Ralph Fiennes, Juliette Binoche, Kristin Scott Thomas & Colin Firth

Hollywood’s Tall Actors feat. Colin Firth, Keanu Reeves, Gerard Butler & More

Moonlight starring Alex O’Loughlin, Sophia Myles and Jason Dohring

Posted on November 14, 2010 Written by ripitup

Moonlight starring Alex O'Loughlin, Sophia Myles and Jason Dohring.

Characters, General Plotline and First Episode

Mick St. John (Alex O’Loughlin) is an 80-something vampire, going on early 30s. He is living in L.A., where hundreds of vampires exist, unknown to many humans. The vampires care about secrecy, and usually if someone is going to drink human blood, it is voluntary. These vampires can’t be killed with wooden stakes. You either need to chopping their head off or set them on fire. Sunlight hurts, but they don’t burst into flames. They prefer the shadows, but going out in the sunlight won’t kill them if they are careful. Let’s face it; California is a refreshing update to a Vampire’s address.

Mick is a good guy, working as a private investigator. His best friend is one of the oldest vampires around – Josef (Jason Dohring), a rich businessman, in his 400s and going on mid 20s. Josef is a lot more into all things pleasurable and of course, money.

Mick’s existence is pretty uncomplicated, until a big part of his past catches up with him. 25 years ago, he has saved a little girl’s life. Her name is Beth Turner (Sophia Myles). She is now working as an online journalist and dating a lawyer-Josh- from the D.A.’s office (Jordan Belfi). She runs across Mick at a murder scene. A young woman was murdered, with bite marks in her neck. When Beth sees Mick, she knows he is so familiar but can’t make it out yet. Mick only discloses that he is a P.I. While working on the case, their paths cross again. Mick has watched over her for years and seems to have developed a major crush for the adult Beth. And despite being in a happy and steady relationship, Beth is strangely drawn to Mick as well.

The pilot episode comes to a big finale with Mick saving Beth’s life and earning her trust.

As episodes continue, we see the attraction growing between the two. They love working together but Mick is doing his best trying not to get too close. After all, he is a single vampire, and she is a human with a boyfriend. But of course shortly Beth will discover Mick’s secret and this will bring them even closer. However the current complications are multiplied when a freelance photographer comes into the picture, who carries an uncanny resemblance to Mick’s vampire ex-wife/sire Coraline (Shannyn Sossamon – 40 Days 40 Nights, A Knight’s Tale). And even though she seems to be having a lot in common with Mick and Coraline, she is human…

Moonlight starring Alex O'Loughlin, Sophia Myles, Jason Dohring & Shannyn Sossamon — Moonlight characters & actors: from left- Coraline (Shannyn Sossamon), Mick St. John (Alex O'Loughlin), Beth Turner (Sophia Myles) and Josef Kostan (Jason Dohring)

Verdict:

Moonlight has been my favorite vampire-related thing so far, movies and TV series included. It has the great mixture of mystery, action, thrilling factors, romance, friendship and entertaining one-liners. It is a shame it only lasted for 1 season. But unlike the many shows that overstated their welcome, Moonlight offers 16 excellent episodes. The acting is fine and Australian Alex O’Loughlin’s American accent is more than convincing. And a good American accent never goes to waste for an actor, as he is now also playing an American again, this time in the new Hawaii Five-0 TV series.

If you like vampires, give Moonlight TV Show a shot. Unlike the Twilight franchise, Moonlight has a much more unisex audience. But of course it is far away from the sexual and gory scenes of True Blood. You’ll enjoy Moonlight; especially if you like the new generation vampires who are harder to kill, look prettier and don’t burst into flames. But don’t worry, again- unlike Twilight’s ever-pretty, shining under the sun vamps, Moonlight vampires go extremely pale in the face & eyes and show fangs when they want to do their vampire things. They don’t shine in the sun either.

Guest star: The Mentalist’s FBI Agent O’Loughlin, The Ugly Truth’s Colin – Eric Winter- guest-stars for 4 episodes.

8/10 – for all episodes. The music rocks too.

Other Vampire Shows and Trivia

The Vampire Diaries starring Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder

Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Movie Vampires feat. Stuart Townsend, Gerard Butler, Tom Cruise, Kate Beckinsale, Robert Pattinson & More

All Posts on Alex O’Loughlin

Alex O’ Loughlin Trivia

The Back-Up Plan starring Alex O’Loughlin and Jennifer Lopez

Hawaii Five-0 starring Alex O’Loughlin and Scott Caan

Brideshead Revisited starring Matthew Goode, Hayley Atwell, Ben Whishaw and Emma Thompson

Posted on November 12, 2010 Written by ripitup

Brideshead Revisited starring Emma Thompson, Matthew Goode, Ben Whishaw and Haley AtwellBrideshead Revisited starring Emma Thompson, Matthew Goode, Ben Whishaw and Haley Atwell — Brideshead Revisited starring Emma Thompson, Matthew Goode, Ben Whishaw and Haley Atwell

It was before World War II broke out…

Charles Ryder (Matthew Goode) is by no means poor, but he is definitely not rich and he is not coming from a significant family. He has a rather cold and restrained relationship with his father.

His uneventful life however changes forever when he starts his first year at Oxford University and meets the colorful Sebastian (Ben Whishaw). Sebastian is a lot more intriguing than Charles’s own cousin, who calls Sebastian and his gang sodomites. And he is not technically wrong as Sebastian is openly gay and feminine. Charles enjoys his company and falls in love with Sebastian’s extraordinary family mansion and living quarters called Brideshead.

Charles spends a wonderful time with Sebastian although he is not exactly sure why Sebastian wants to keep Charles away from his mother and sister. It has a lot to do with his mother (Emma Thompson) being a strict Catholic who loves to control her children and make them feel guilty. Sebastian likes his sister Julia (Haley Atwell)though. She also seems to be rebellious like him. Things get increasingly complicated when Charles finds himself intensely drawn to the sister and Sebastian notices this. Charles’ growing feelings for her will endanger his relationship with the entire family, especially the mother. She was OK with him hanging around when he seemed like the grounded friend who would keep her son from trouble. Unfortunately, being an atheist artist with no resources, he is not someone she’d ever allow her daughter to be with.

Can Charles salvage his friendship with Sebastian, manage to be with … despite the mother? Or does Charles even know for sure what he is and what he wants? The same can be asked about Julia as well…

Brideshead Revisited is a period drama adapted from the novel of the same name. It starts as beautiful and engaging period drama but as the movie goes on, the story loses a lot of momentum. Ben Whishaw’s Sebstian has just too many clichés, none of the characters seem to know who they are apart from Emma Thompson’s character and unfortunately her character is the most boring and depressing at all. I love the first couple of scenes of the film and how things start but the movie starts to drag, especially after the scenes in Venice. By the time Charles gets to be with Julia, it was already more than 1,5 hours into the money and apart from their “big reunion”, their relationship is just plain boring.

I am not a Catholic, and I am not an atheist. Maybe I have the tendency to be an agnostic and so I rarely ever cared about the guilt trips of the siblings, and their bleak existence. Matthew Goode’s character was alright up to the point, but there is so much you can care about a lead who centers his life around 2 people, who let their lives run by their mom.

Nonetheless, it is an opportunity for Matthew Goode and Ben Whishaw fans as the movie last longer than 2 hours.

The story, though, is just not as magnificent as its cast or the Brideshead house. It is not romantic enough, sexy enough or interesting enough- and this is coming from a girl who likes period dramas and Matthew Goode.

Other Posts on Matthew Goode

Leap Year starring Matthew Goode and Amy Adams

Watchmen starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Malin Akerman and Matthew Goode

The Lookout starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Matthew Goode and Jeff Daniels

Matthew Goode Trivia

Chasing Liberty starring Matthew Goode and Mandy Moore

Watchmen starring Matthew Goode, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Malin Akerman

Copying Beethoven starring Ed Harris, Diane Kruger and Matthew Goode

No Strings Attached, The Switch and Morning Glory: 3 Romantic Comedies to Anticipate

Posted on November 9, 2010 Written by ripitup

No Strings Attached starring Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher

Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher in No Strings Attached

The storyline is obviously ordinary and predictable but if you like the actors, this one seems to be having some nice jokes and it is also refreshing that it is the girl who resists mixing romantic feelings with the sexual ones. Here’s the plot:

Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman are longtime friends and at some point they realize that they are the best candidates for each other when it comes to a non-problematic, non-complicated no strings attached sex. But just like many friends with benefits arrangements in real life and fictional world, things will get complicated. We will just have to see if this one will dare to pull a 500 Days of Summer type of ending…

No Strings Attached Trailer:

[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ubfcfs98MBw [/pro-player]

Morning Glory starring Rachel McAdams, Diane Keaton, Harrison Ford & Patrick Wilson

Morning Glory starring Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton and Patrick Wilson. Also featuring Jeff Goldblum.

Rachel McAdams plays a young and ambitious news producer who is happy to land a job, despite she is warned by her boss (Jeff Goldblum) that she will be underpaid, overworked and will have a really hard time. She is too over-the-moon to turn this opportunity down. The show is hosted by the eccentric Diane Keaton and Rachel’s job certainly doesn’t get any easier when she decides to hire even the more eccentric, veteran host Harrison Ford, who thinks he is just too good for the position. In addition to her ever-challenging job, her romance with a co-worker (Patrick Wilson) might not make her life any easier either.

A sweet comedy with a touch of romance, true-to-life career ups and downs; including a great friendship story….I love the cast and I so can relate to the plot. I’ll be seeing this movie.

Morning Glory Trailer

[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9lWUqraDoU [/pro-player]

The Switch starring Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, Patrick Wilson, Juliette Lewis & Jeff Goldblum

The Switch Movie starring Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, Patrick Wilson, Jeff Goldblum and Juliette Lewis

Whether I will wait for the DVD or just see it at the theaters is irrelevant. I will watch this film. Yes, all Jennifer Aniston-haters, you’re welcome to look down on me for being enthusiastic about her new romcom. But frankly, even though I agree that Jen needs diversity in her career, romcom is a profitable genre, it has a certain audience and a good one can offer a great escapism and there is no reason you can’t enjoy it if you like the actors. And even if you despise Jennifer Aniston, have you seen the rest of the cast?

And I did have a real laugh (during the trailer) at how Jason Bateman ends up making the switch and then forgets about it. Sure, the fact that he had feelings for his friend for 13 years and is only just realizing it goes against all my experience and beliefs about relationships and love, but hey, we watched Friends. We can handle this storyline.

And yes, I wish I could see more of Patrick Wilson and Jeff Goldblum and have loved Juliette Lewis since What’s Eating Gilbert Grape and Cape Fear.

The Switch Trailer

[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEYqgyXyk9A [/pro-player]

Note: You can watch the trailers on IMDB by clicking on the links below. Just incase youtube videos don’t work for some reason.

IMDB Trailer Links

No Strings Attached

Morning Glory

The Switch