Movies and Actors | pinartarhan.com

NUMB starring Matthew Perry- Strongly Recommended for the Depressed

Posted on December 26, 2009 Written by ripitup

Numb movie review, starring Matthew Perry — Matthew Perry starrs as Hudson in the 2007 movie Numb

Hudson (Matthew Perry) has a big, psychiatric problem: He is depersonalized- it is a depressive state of mind where he doesn’t feel anything is real, that he doesn’t belong and he is anxious all the time. He hates being this way but he can’t seem to do anything about it either. In his own words, he is fucked up.

He hasn’t had the most fun childhood or the most caring mother but his life as a screenwriter hasn’t been this bad- until now. He tries therapy, prescribed drugs, activities… nothing seems to work. However, meeting the beautiful and fun Sara (Lynn Collins) at least gives him the illusion of happiness and although he is in love with her, the thought that she deserves better keeps nagging at him.

As this movie takes a look at Hudson’s life for 93 minutes, we embark on a bittersweet journey on the mostly dark side of life. There are some really funny bits due some of his therapy sessions and some of his psychiatrists and some desperate reactions from Hudson. He is an original character yet not hard to relate to. In fact, if any of you have gone through any type of depression (and I have. I’m talking about the real thing here, not the occasional blues), this movie just hits home. It is just so real. The bitterness, the pain, the hope, the comedy, functioning, love and relationships…It is a good movie. It is sincere and real.

Matthew Perry is such a good actor. He is so terrific at comedy (Friends, The Whole Nine Yards, Serving Sara…) that sometimes I forget he can do drama. Sure, he has proven his dramatic skills at Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. But now I can honestly say, Perry is just very good. The movie is written/directed by Harris Goldberg. The feel of the film makes me think either Perry or the director (maybe both) might have gone through a similar process.

If you don’t like it, you probably never have been actually depressed. Well, I am jealous. But if you have, just do not miss this movie. It just might help with the healing process. And you have to love the tagline: Love is better unmedicated.

Numb on Amazon

Strange Days – One Hell of a Movie

Posted on December 24, 2009 Written by ripitup

Strange Days with Ralph Fiennes, Angela Bassett, Juliette Lewis. Written by James Cameron and directed by Kathryn Bigelow.

1999. Los Angeles. The “City of Angels” has never been more chaotic, the cops have never been so corrupt and life is more complicated than ever.

Our (anti-) hero Lenny Nero (Ralph Fiennes) used to be a cop. Now he is a dealer who sells the “drug” of the decade: tapes of real experiences (of real people)- through a device that sends signals straight to their brain. Result? Highly addictive habit of living through other people’s moments. Everything feels real. Who needs porn when you can watch an actual couple having sex and feel every bit of it in your body too? But there is a downside. Crimes have just become more dangerous. There is a psycho out there killing-while he makes his victim watch her own death live- hence doubling the pain, shock and horror.

Lenny is obsessed with his ex Faith (Juliette Lewis), an ex-hooker/singer wannabe who’s dating a seriously bad guy (Michael Wincott).

Lenny does have someone he can count on,though. His best friend Macey (Angela Bassett). But while Lenny turned weak and miserable, Macey has turned into a kick-ass single mom who can do more than take care of herself and she gets Lenny out of trouble quite a few times. Lenny and Macey share an old bond and even though Mace doesn’t approve of Lenny’s conduct, she sets to help him out.

The movie takes exciting twists and turns as the pair needs to uncover a murder that has to do with an infamous rap singer with a huge following, sadistic cops and Faith’s boyfriend/manager who doesn’t like Lenny all that much.

This is one of those gloriously dark movies. It takes you to all the grey areas, multi-dimensional and colorful characters and truly psychotic bad guys. But just when you think, the world is shitty and dark, it does show you love, friendship and hope exist.

The script is highly original, and to me, it’s the best James Cameron has ever written. Forget about every other movie he wrote. Strange Days is a strange gem. It won’t get old.

I was lucky to first see this 1996 film while I was in 1999, on New Year’s Eve, waiting for the millennium. Got to tell, you- it made it extra effective.

Ralph Fiennes is always good and he is a versatile actor. He can scare you or seduce you, make you like or hate him very easily. His character Nero is very likable character despite his flaws. He is weak and strong, he is stupid and smart…All in all, his character is entertaining and very humane.

I definitely adore Bassett’s role. She owns her scenes. The rest of the cast is also impressive with Tom Sizemore, Vincent D’Onofrio, and my favorite baddy Michael Wincott (from The Crow, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves).

The director is Kathryn Bigelow. She is very good at making adrenaline-inducing films. I also love her Point Break (starring Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze).

It is one of favorite movies ever. Be ready to have fun, to be disturbed and to see real action.

The Shadow Dancer starring Joshua Jackson, Claire Forlani and Harvey Keitel

Posted on December 20, 2009 Written by ripitup

The Shadow Dancer, starring Joshua Jackson, Harvey Keitel and Claire Forlani

Jeremy Taylor (Joshua Jackson) is a young writer sent to Tuscany, Italy by the publishing company. His mission is to find Weldon Parish (Harvey Keitel); a seasoned and well-respected writer who hasn’t been writing for some time and to help his writer’s block disappear and get him to write again. But Weldon doesn’t want to write. He has lost his wife sometime ago and he keeps his (writer’s) office under lock. He enjoys the country and the company of his three daughters. So at first he doesn’t take Jeremy’s intrusion well and puts the young man to several weird and amusing (to the audience) tests. But Jeremy’s persistence pays off. Weldon starts letting him hang around. He is also having fun with the fact that Jeremy is falling for his daughter, Isabella (Claire Forlani).

Jeremy and Weldon challenge one another and each wants the other one to write. They both have their reservations and their friendship leads to lovely decisions on both sides.

The film is a romantic drama with some funny events attached. It is set in the ever beautiful Italy. Harvey Keitel is wonderful as always.

Joshua Jackson has grown up and proving that he can take on different roles rather than just teenage rebels. If you are in your 20s, you have probably watched Dawson’s Creek at one point. I did, although I do feel some level of guilty pleasure admitting it. The first seasons had hit home with the characters’ angst and disappointments and expectations. Joshua Jackson played the rebellious and sarcastic Pacey. He came a long way from dating his then co-star Katie Holmes (now Mrs. Tom Cruise). Last time I checked, he was living with his elegant girlfriend Diane Kruger (Troy, National Treasure). Sure, Joshua had to go through all the phases of a popular (and cute) young actor had to go through: teen-slashers (Urban Legend, were-wolf movie Cursed), Scream 2. But thankfully, he got the chance to show versatility. He played in Gossip (2000). It is a very solid thriller and it is definitely not a teen-slasher. He also played in Cruel Intentions (1999); a modern adaptation of Dangerous Liaisons. Now, Cruel Intentions is decent and very appealing with its sexy power plays but Joshua got the most colorful role. He plays the gay best friend of the lead character’s best friend. So yes, it seems like Joshua Jackson is not doomed. He can shake off the “curse” of Dawson’s Creek and move on.

Claire Forlani is a good actress. She is not the best out there but she is lovely and very pretty. I first saw her in Meet Joe Black (co-starring along Brad Pitt). It looks like she is a little doomed: she just fits in with emotional parts. But hey, she does pull off romance well. And in this movie, she just looks at home in Italy. After all, she is half-Italian in real life.

My favorite character in the movie though has to be Father Moretti; played by Giancarlo Giannini. You might remember him as the traditional father from A Walk in The Clouds, giving Keanu Reeves’ Paul hell.

Back to the movie at hand: The scenery is beautiful, and the story is lovely. The movie is a little slow but it is still fun to watch. Just don’t watch it if you are in the mood for something fast.

Favorite scene: The dance scene between Jeremy and Isabella. Written and directed by Brad Mirman (2005).

Other Posts on Joshua Jackson

Cursed starring Christina Ricci, Joshua Jackson & Jesse Eisenberg

Cursed Movie Cast & Crew Trivia Feat. Joshua Jackson, Christina Ricci, Portia De Rossi, Kevin Williamson & More

Fringe starring Joshua Jackson, Anna Torv & John Noble

Fringe Trivia: 13 Facts About Fringe Cast, Crew, Plot Feat. Joshua Jackson, Anna Torv, Mark Valley…

<br />

Laws of Attraction and Pierce Brosnan

Posted on December 8, 2009 Written by ripitup

Brosnan. Pierce Brosnan.

Oh come on, I had to refer to James Bond. It is a classic. And given that Pierce Brosnan is my all time favorite Bond, I earned that introduction. Yep, you read it right. It is not Sean Connery. And heaven forbid, it is definitely not Daniel Craig (although he might be my least favorite). To me, Daniel is so…not charismatic or charming or attractive (and Bond should really be all those things)! And he is so…so…so blond! (I had this funny conversation with my friend where she counter argued that she does not object to a Bond with blond hair but a blond Batman should never have existed- a.k.a Val Kilmer. Val is my favorite Batman so..each to her own, I guess.) Anyways, Pierce is the man. He is the perfect 007. He is hot and well-built. It doesn’t take a lot to seduce women. I wish Pierce could have played James Bond a couple of more times- the guy grows even more handsome with age anyway. He used to be a pretty boy who has turned into this gorgeous man. He also has this contagious smile that seems to bring out all his lust for and joy of life.

Laws of Attraction with former James Bond Pierce Brosnan and Julianne Moore

He is not just an action actor by any means. Sure, he has done a good job with Thomas Crown Affair as well but putting Pierce in romantic roles is a damn good idea. Have you seen the 2004 movie Laws of Attraction? It is a typical rom-com so if you are expecting something different, that ain’t it. However romantic comedies aren’t really about the endings or twists anyway. Let’s go through the elements.

Clichés?

1) The leading female Audrey (Julianne Moore) is a lawyer who is organized,almost to the point of obsessiveness. Now the writers do love to portray women as annoyingly tidy and men messy, right?

2) Our male lead Daniel (Pierce Brosnan) is also a lawyer who could not have been less organized. He is messy,funny and charming.

3) The female is pessimistic is about love yet our male – despite being a divorce lawyer- is just a happy-go-lucky romantic. Now I haven’t seen a guy that fun, smart, attractive and entertaining who also happens to be a romantic. And yes it will take only a little time for him to develop feelings for the cynical yet likable Audrey.

4) Opposites attract. Rivals are attracted to each other. Yeah, whatever.

5) You know it is a happily after. Check out the genre and the poster.

BUT…

1) I like Julianne Moore and I like Pierce Brosnan. He definitely pulls out scruffy well. And frankly I’d rather watch a typical rom-com then over-pretentious and disappointing drama/thrillers like Blindness or The Forgotten.

2) The storyline It is fun. You see Audrey and Daniel meet as opposing councils during a trial. They realize the other one is a worthy opponent and after some fun and games, Daniel and Audrey go out on a dinner, supposedly not a date. Of course when the story mixes mutual attraction with heavy alcohol and fun and…yeah, they have sex. However the next day they do have a trial to attend to and Daniel has picked this exact moment to take Audrey seriously and looks more professional and efficient whereas you can tell that Audrey had a “wild” night. Moreover, Daniel also uses a below-the-belt trick at the trial and wins. Of course Audrey declares war and from then on, the competition gets tough and fun, reaching a peak when Daniel gets a client Audrey is after: a famous fashion designer (Parker Posey) divorcing her cheating rocker husband Thorne (Michael Sheen). So Audrey strikes back by signing Thorne. The case research requires a trip to couple’s estate in Ireland and Ireland…is a lovely country, full of potential for romance. So it seems like Audrey and Daniel are best buddies compared to their spiteful clients and another night full of fun and drinks leads to…let’s say more than just sex: Marriage… How the hell are two competing divorce lawyers gonna explain this to the judge?

Pierce Brosnan as Daniel and Julianne Moore as Audrey in Laws of Attraction

3) I love rockers and I love rock and I appreciate the humor that comes with it. Michael Sheen is so funny as the spoiled musician.

So…

The movie is fun. If you like Pierce Brosnan/Michael Sheen/Julianne Moore and/or romantic comedies, you shouldn’t miss it. Otherwise, well…try something else.