movies | pinartarhan.com

The Last Legion starring Colin Firth & Ben Kingsley

Posted on June 22, 2010 Written by ripitup

The Last Legion starring Colin Firth, Aishwarya Rai, Ben Kingsley, Thomas Sangster, Kevin McKidd and Rupert Friend. Image from: http://img5.allocine.fr/acmedia

Romulus Augustus (Thomas Sangster) is the new emperor of Rome. He might be young but he is carrying Ceasar’s blood in his veins. Even though he is protected by his parents and his new protector Aurelius (Colin Firth), they fail to protect him and themselves from the Goth attack. The king and queen are murdered and Aurelius loses his army. Rome is in ruins and Romulus is now a prisoner of the Goths. The only reason he is not dead- despite the wishes of the king’s right arm Wulfila (Kevin McKidd)- is his former caretaker/teacher Ambrosinus(Ben Kingsley)-who persuades the king that killing a young boy will not gain respect. So the kind decides to imprison Romulus and Ambrosinus.

By this time, Aurelius has gathered what’s left of his men and the guard their ally Constantinople’s messenger (Alexander Siddig) has assigned him. To his surprise, the masked guard turns out to be a very attractive woman named Mira (Aishwarya Rai), who fights just as well as he does.

The Last Legion with Colin Firth and Aishwarya Rai — Aurelius (Colin Firth) and Mira (Aishwarya Rai). We knew something was up when we learned he was single. Image from: http://images.allmoviephoto.com/

Colin Firth and Aishwarya Rai in The Last Legion — So, every couple has a different way of foreplay...Image from: http://www.pocandpoch.com

However they soon realize that saving their young emperor will be the least of their problems as even their own senators and allies turn against them and they will need to go to Britannia and find the last legion- their fellow Roman soldiers who never returned home. They will however have resistance and another and stronger nemesis….

This movie is pure fun. It is all there is to it. I am not really interested or knowledgeable when it comes to histories, legends and myths. So while lovers of the legend (I am not going to say which because it might be a lovely surprise if you don’t read the plot or tagline on IMDB) might be disappointed, I don’t see how entertainment and movie addicts like me- who also happen to be Colin Firth fans- will fail to have a good time. It has all the fun and glory of a fun little epic: strong and loyal characters, betrayers, romance potential, lots of fighting and battles, good-looking leads, some true wisdom, friendship, loyalty and more. It doesn’t hurt that it comes with a cast that features Colin Firth, Kevin McKidd, Ben Kingsley, Rupert Friend and Alexander Siddig. For those of you who have seen Love Actually- also featuring Colin Firth and Thomas Sangster- might enjoy watching Thomas as a teenager. Love Actually was made 4 years prior to this film and featured an almighty British cast including Liam Neeson, Bill Nighy, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson and Hugh Grant. Thomas plays the stepson to Liam Neeson’s character. And they do have an adorable relationship. Which reminds me, I should write about Love Actually.

Kevin McKidd seems to be getting his fair share in epic movies as he also co-starred in Kingdom of Heaven (starring Orlando Bloom) and he played in the critically acclaimed TV show Rome. I first watched Scottish Kevin as he played the Scottish fiancé of Michelle Monahan- the love of Patrick Dempsey’s life-in Made of Honor. He and Patrick continued to act together when Kevin joined the cast of Grey’s Anatomy as Dr. Owen Hunt. It is nice to see Kevin go all evil here.

I am pretty sure Ben Kingsley needs no introduction but I feel his roles in Gandhi (as Gandhi) and Schindler’s List should be mentioned. He is also seen in a big role in Prince of Persia alongside Jake Gyllenhaal as his uncle.

Well, watching Alexander Siddig- albeit in a small role- was fun all the same. My recent admiration for the actor comes from watching Cairo Time. May he be in more and more leading roles without killing people. As he is quoted (from imdb)on his role in Cairo Time: “It was a real treasure, a treat, to find a character, a role, that wasn’t intent on trying to blow up the White House or hijack an airplane”. Well, he has been cast in 24. Boys might also remember him from Star Trek Deep Space Nine TV series.

Rupert Friend plays in Pride and Prejudice, Chéri and The Young Victoria.

Of course, I need to mention James Cosmo. Did you think the big warrior next to Kevin McKidd’s Wulfila seem familiar? It is because he played Campbell, Hamish’s father in Braveheart.

So, this is a movie about honor, loyalty, love and friendship. It may not be one of the best but it does show a good time. Of course there are many who disagree as the movie was rated a 5.4 on IMDB. Watch and see for yourselves. I think it is a 7.

Posts Featuring Colin Firth and his movies:

Dorian Gray

The British Actors We Love

22 Tall Actors From Hollywood

Apartment Zero

Trauma

St. Trinian’s

The Accidental Husband

Cairo Time starring Patricia Clarkson and Alexander Siddig

Posted on June 16, 2010 Written by ripitup

Cairo Time starring Patricia Clarkson and Alexander Siddig. Image from: http://www.reelworld.

Juliette (Patricia Clarkson) has two grown children that both left home. Her husband Mark (Tom McCamus) is working for the UN and they haven’t seen each other for a while. So while he is working in Gaza, Juliette flies to Cairo. The idea is to meet in Cairo is soon as Mark is done with his work. In the meantime, Mark has asked his old friend Tareq (Alexander Siddig) to take care of Juliette until he arrives.

Tareq used to work for UN with Mark and he is now retired, running a typical café in the city. While her first days are a little bit boring for Juliette (well, she gets bored most of the time when she’s not around Tareq, she realizes that the person she can get along with them most is Tareq. They both know a little about the other one’s culture and they are both intrigued and amused by it at the same time. Their relationship is a very sincere and naturally-progressing friendship. It is not long before they realize they have feelings for each other. But it is one thing being attracted to another person and it is another to act on it…After all, Juliette loves Mark and Tareq respects his friend…

This movie gives a lovely opportunity to explore Cairo- with its streets and cafes, restaurants and pyramids, the crowds and the dessert…It is a beautiful city. Watching this movie is incredibly serene and comforting experience. It might be the subtleness of the acting, the use of music and the setting or the combination of all these, but I felt like I meditated afterwards. Yeah, this is a good thing.

While Tareq and Juliette got to know one another, walking through Cairo,I was reminded of Before Sunrise starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, and of course the lovely sequel Before Sunset. Of course in many ways, these movies are very different. In Before Sunrise, the characters are both young and single. And there is also the fact that Celine and Jesse didn’t have time to be friends. They just had 24 hours together. Here, in Cairo Time, we do get a beautiful love story but the love here includes and starts from friendship. There is a bond and it is even stronger than the chemistry and attraction.

Now, obviously the movie is not everybody. The pace is really slow. Now, the pace works perfectly for the film but it might not be your thing to watch mainly two characters hang out. And if you are expecting explicit sex scenes (or sex scenes of any nature), you will be disappointed. This is not The English Patient. In fact, I’d say that this movie is safe even for a three-year-old. But with all the action and the nudity the movie world loves so much these days, it is nice to get something that is deep and has such an innocent level to it. I love my action and fast movies. But this movie is a very nice, escapist from all that. I am just warning you about what to expect and what not to.

Both Alexander Siddig and Patricia Clarkson are lovely together. And while Mark is essential to the story, he doesn’t have much screen time. But after hearing all about Mark throughout the movie, I think it is safe to say Tom McCamus fits the “hype”.

There is a big chance some things are exaggerated. So what? Relax and enjoy the experience. Written and directed by Ruba Nada. 8/10.

Love Happens starring Aaron Eckhart and Jennifer Aniston

Posted on June 15, 2010 Written by ripitup

Love Happens starring Jennifer Aniston and Aaron Eckheart. Co-starring Martin Sheen, Dan Vogler and John Carroll Lynch. Image via thorunnsteins.files.wordpress.com.

Burke Ryan (Aaron Eckhart) has lost his wife a couple of years ago. He has written a book about coping with loss and to his surprise, the book has become a bestseller and made Burke a household name and a hero for anyone who has ever lost a loved one. Now, it is all about book tours and workshops. His current city is Seattle. The problem? This is the city where his wife’s parents lived, the city where she lived and died. It is also the city where she meets a beautiful and intriguing woman named Eloise (Jennifer Aniston).

Eloise runs a flower shop and is in the depressive and pessimistic post break- up mode. She also has an unusual interest in really long and not so typical words in the English language.

When they two meet, it is not exactly sparks and irresistible chemistry. It is full of misunderstandings, misjudgments and then well, sweet awkwardness. However, as Eloise and Burke begin spending time together and develop a close friendship, and along with one particular participant in the workshop, Burke will have to face the fact that he hasn’t come to terms with his wife’s death. And despite all the useful and genuine advice he is giving out, he hasn’t yet taken them himself…

Now, this is not a romantic comedy. It is a drama with some romantic elements . Sure, there are feelings between Eloise and Burke but this is not the story of Burke and Eloise falling in love. This is Burke’s journey and it is a really emotional, fun and interesting one at that. The premise is really good. Even though you hate Jennifer Aniston (which I don’t), and hate the idea of a romantic drama (which again, I don’t), this movie is about one love story. Burke’s story isn’t merely in the background; it is not there to help serve and enhance his relationship with Eloise. Eloise is there to help move Burke’s story forward. Now, it is amusing that how people condemn the movie saying it is predictable. Well, the only thing predictable here is that he will, at some point, move on and give it a shot with her. And? How would it make a better story if he didn’t develop feelings for Eloise at all? Why would it make a better movie if he didn’t move on? Seriously?

Yes, Burke will get to be happy. Yes, Eloise will help. If you despise the idea so much, don’t see the movie. But this is a good movie. In my subjective yet humble opinion, Aaron Eckhart is a terrific actor. I have been following his work ever since he took the backseat to Julia Roberts’s Erin Brockovich as the long-haired, bearded biker who loved rock n’ roll and was a softie who loved kids. I was only bored with two Aaron movies: Nurse Betty and Conversations with Other Women, but his other movies more than made up for it: Thank you for Smoking, Neverwas, Molly, Erin Brockovich and Bill. It is a shame that his character and its development were totally rushed in Batman The Dark Knight. And his romantic drama with Catherine Zeta Jones- No Reservations- is a typical comedy/romance/drama. But despite the typical elements, it is a feel-good-movie that will please the lovers of the genre. And it is rated 6.3 on IMDB.

And why do people love bashing Aniston so much? Well, people love saying her roles lack diversity. They might be right. She may not play very different roles but then again the criticisms are not that creative either. She is branded as Rachel. Well, I don’t know how people watched Friends and how they watched Love Happens but Eloise isn’t Rachel. The only thing they have in common is Aniston. And while her roles may not be radically different, why should she not play those roles? It represents an important segment of the world population: Single women in their 30s, with some bad luck in romance, good friends and careers. I am that girl, only I am in my 20s. So you can’t just say she is Rachel every time she plays anyone. She may not be the greatest actor out there but she is a good enough actress.

This movie has its some really funny moments but it is no comedy. So don’t expect one. And don’t expect it to focus on romance. It is about loss and love, moving on and being stuck. It might also strike a chord on how humane, vulnerable and genuine Burke is. In between enjoying his success and resenting how it happened, he might also remind you, well… you. After all we give advice on a regular basis but it is much harder to stick to our own advice in our own lives. Practicing is much, much harder than preaching. I also loved Martin Sheen’s presence in the film and the significance of both his and John Carroll Lynch’s (he plays the mourning father) characters.

5.5/10 on IMDB. 7 from me. And I just rated I love you Philip Morris. At the end of the day, it all comes down to whether you can relate to the characters and I did. Written by Brandon Camp and Mike Thompson. Directed by Brandon Camp.

Posts Featuring Jennifer Aniston

The Bounty Hunter

Marley and Me

He’s Just Not That Into You

Hollywood Stars in Friends

Derailed

Love Happens on amazon.com

Sex and The City The Movie (2008) starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Kim Catrall and Kristin Davis

Posted on June 11, 2010 Written by ripitup

Sex and The City movie starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Catrall, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis. Image: thecia.com.au

I saw this really bad review on IMDB. I had already seen the movie and enjoyed it so the review realy caught me off guard. Sure, you don’t have to like the movie but this viewer had given it the lowest score possible, called it thrash and named the characters selfish, self-absorbed, superficial and so on. My first question was: Was this viewer a male? While I have some male friends who liked Sex and The City as TV series, the majority of the show’s audience is female. After all, the show is about 4 girls’ sexapades, friendships and romantic experiences while they hang out at New York’s poshest places and spend a fortune on their clothes. Now, while the show may not be a deep one and can’t relate to all women, it sure as hell appealed to strong, independent career women who were like these 4 or who just wanted to be like them. So I wondered if the viewer had seen this really original and daring show at all.

Talking about a strictly movie perspective, I may not have exactly fallen in love with the movie. 4 characters’ love lives, occasional work trouble and their friendships is not every screenwriter’s dream script. However, I am not just a girl who stumbled on this movie. I am a fan of the show who loved and watched all 6 seasons of the shows and identified at least some characteristics of the characters.

If you are interested in the back story or trivia, you can visit the show’s profile page. Here I will tell where each character ended up:

*Sex and The City is originally a best-selling book written by Candace Bushnell. The show tells the story of Samantha (Kim Catrall)- a totally promiscuous, sexually adventurous man-eater who is also a successful career women running her PR company. She has no limits or reservations. And while she couldn’t have cared less about family, kids and other traditional expectations, she eventually fell in love with young actor Smith (Jason Lewis).

* Charlotte (Kristin Davis) is every feminist’s and cynic’s nightmare: She dreamed of the big white dress, the fairy-tale wedding and the perfect husband. And while most women could understand her romantic fantasies, even her best friends were amazed as Charlotte left her art career to stay at home and work at a family. They were even more fazed when she changed her religion because the love of her life (Harry- played by Evan Handler) said he couldn’t marry a non-Jew. So she changed it and married Harry. And since they couldn’t have children,they adopted a Chinese baby.

* Successful, and cynical lawyer Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) finally married her on and off boyfriend and the father of her baby/bartender Steve (David Eigenberg). And even if it killed her to leave Manhattan, she moved to Brooklyn so that her kid could grow up in a nice house with a garden instead of a small apartment.

*And the show’s leading character/narrator/writer of her own newspaper column Sex and The City/author of bestselling books/ shoe-addict Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) finally married the love of her live John, a.k.a Big (Chris Noth). After a very turbulent love affair that took many levels and forms, trials of friendships and break-ups, Carrie and Big finally got together for good.

Carrie and Big decide to move in together and buy the dream house. They even decide to take it to the next level and get married. Her career is also on the rise as she is working on her third book. It is time to say good-bye to her flat and plan a wedding. As Charlotte “lends” Carrie her friend/wedding planner, Carrie get carried away with all the glamorous ideas. And to Big’s concern, she wants him as involved and excited as she is. However Big is older than Carrie’s 40 years and he has been married twice before. And nothing would make him happier than just to go to the city hall to get married.

Samantha has moved in with Smith (Jason Lewis). He has finally got the fame and the career he craved for so Samantha has moved to Los Angeles with him, also working as his PR manager. And while Smith is gorgeous, thoughtful and nice, his primary concern is to make his career successful and permanent. And Samantha is homesick. Big time. She misses New York, her regular hang-outs with her three best-friends and she is missing the good old days when she wasn’t in a relationship. It doesn’t help that Smith is away a lot and her next-door neighbor is a hunk whose sex life sees as much action as Samantha’s used to have.

Charlotte is still blissfully happy with her husband, adopted daughter Lily and beautiful little dogs. In fact she is so happy and her life is so perfect, it’s scaring her.

Miranda’s world comes crashing down when Steve admits that he has cheated on Miranda. She doesn’t care that it has happened only once. She doesn’t forgive Steve and taking their kid Brady, she moves back to New York.

Carrie’s life comes chrashing down when Big leaves her alone right before the altar. Even though he tries to make up for it, this disappointment is too much for Carrie. So the story follows as the girls try to balance their lives with trying to get Carrie back to life. Can she handle being without Big? Can Big survive without Carrie? Can Miranda ever forgive Steve? Can Samantha ever get used to living in L.A?

As I said, if you look at the screenplay alone and not the TV show, the story might seem like plain and ordinary that happens to be set in glorious settings. However, for a lot of fans of the show, the movie gives more time with the characters that we never wanted to say goodbye to in the first place. We wanted to see if a-happily-ever after was possible for Carrie and Big. It was fun watching Samantha as she turned into a ticking bomb, trying to keep her sexual appetite under control. It also took years for Steve to make Miranda to believe in love, them as a couple and in him as an individual. Miranda screwed up many more times than Steve did during the course of the show. For the first time, Steve screwed up big time. And Charlotte still is as tuned to her friends’ lives and problems as always.

The magic of the show lied in New York, Carrie’s wardrobe, her weekly columns, the adventures of tall/dark/handsome charm of Big, the perfect one-liners and much more. Sure, Carrie spends more money on shoes than any woman should (I mean $500/a pair? Seriously!) and she probably loves Loui Vitton or Manola Blahnik as much she loves Big…Charlotte is way too traditional and family-oriented. And Samantha? As much as girls do tend to talk about their sex lives in detail, I am not sure how many women go as explicit and vulgar as Samantha.

But these characters worked. The chemistry was good, the jokes were good. The situations were all too familiar among most modern single women, not just New Yorkers. The supporting cast did a marvelous job and the shown was like a really cool fashion statement. I am a week away from seeing the second installment. And I am looking forward to it. Remember,Sex and City has three lead roles: The 4 girls,sex and New York. And we love that combination.

Buy Sex and The City on Amazon.com