Larry Crowne Movie Review

Larry Crowne Movie Review

Viktor Navorski has great performance as he did in "The Terminal"! In the Pixar animated film, Tom Hanks capable of blowing the life of the toy cowboy named Woody, as a result we not only see a toy that could talk but also capable of communicating with the audience. This time Hanks not only involved as the main character, a middle-aged man who had just been fired and then found love, but also directed their own films. "Larry's Holiday" was actually not the first experience in directing a film Hanks, debut begins with "That Thing You Do!" In 1996. But Hanks had in fact been sitting on the bench director before that, in 1992 he directed a television series, "Tales from the Crypt", in the episode "None But the Lonely Heart". In "Larry Crowne", Hanks also was reunited with Oscar-winning actress, Julia Roberts, who had previously seen a duet in Charlie Wilson's War (2007). So how does the action of the "Forrest Gump" is in front of the camera and behind the scenes at the same time, as a director?

Although seen pushing a shopping cart and in the shopping area, Hanks was not a sequel Viktor Navorski in The Terminal, but a middle-aged man named Larry Crowne. But today is different; Larry was called to the board room, though unworthy also called the room, not to once again be recognized as the best employee to-10 time but to get fired. Because Larry had never tasted college, employers use the excuse to let him go. Once divorced and living alone with a pile of debt, the more severe Larry lived alone since the difficulty of finding a new job. Until finally a friend and neighbor, Lamar (Cedric the Entertainer) advised her to go to a local university. Larry went back to college for the first time, took the economy class and another, a unique class of learning how to make a speech. His new life as a college student could say fun, make new friends who invited him to join the scooter community, and met with teachers who caught his attention, Mercedes (Julia Roberts).

Read Country Song Movie Review, A Drama Film

Read Country Song Movie Review. Kelly Canter (Gwyneth Paltrow) is country music huge star whose big career is interrupted by a stay in a rehab (which reminds us of Lindsay Lohan, anyway). There, in the rehab, she meets Beau (Garrett Hedlund), who has a big talent in singing and writing country music, and falls in love with him. Simply, she then has an affair with Beau behind her husband/manager James (played by real country singer, Tim McGraw). Even after James gets her out of the rehab a little early, the affair keeps going on.

When you are watching musical movie instead of love films, especially of which specific theme is a country musical movie, you will always remember about the wonderfully-performing Reese Witherspoon in a movie about Johnny Cash. She sang, a little bit, but mostly she acted incredibly that you won’t have another replacement for such a role in a country musical movie next time. Now, Gwyneth Paltrow has her own role in the latest movie released about country music, but it’s another thing. Its better for you you to check nearest film rentals around you to enjoy the film.

James has planned, and thus goes with it, a show tour for Kelly with Beau and beauty-queen-turns-singer Chiles Stanton (Leighton Messter) as the openers and tour companies. It is unlikely that the affair will end, however, and James also almost set his eyes on Chiles. Fortunately, perhaps, that Kelly still cannot leave her addiction to alchohol and thet does not seem make Beau happy. Shortly, he turns his back on her and goes for Chiles.

The story is definitely not new. Not that because it is a non-based-on-true-story movie, but it should have not been that bad. It is about a huge star having troubles with drugs, alchohol, or anything: big deal. And how he or she deals with their problems and recovers to stand strong again on stage to prove that he or she is not done yet. The love affair between the characters does not show or convey any emotion at all. Many cries and frustration and depression among them, indeed, but those feelings are not so strongly come up to the surface. And it’s a wonder why.

However, an applause  should pay to Gwyneth Platrow who plays her role well and even sings herself on her own way. We ever saw and listened to her singing a movie years ago, but this is different. She’s done well anyway. As to Leighton Meester, she does sing outside her acting job, and a little bit show of her in this movie is quite nice, even though her acting performance is still far away from that of Paltrow’s. Unfortunately Tim McGraw does not sing here, such a waste. What do they put him in this musical project for? Many people will expect him to sing, not to be a greedy manager.

The Country Song film is nice and catchy, though. And it is one of few reasons why music-lovers, but not really movie-goers anyway, should watch this movie.

Online Movie Review of Wrecked (2011)

As one of the latest movie releases these days, Wrecked , a drama film – may distract most of the audiences’ attention for a while for its “different” kind of story and filming. It is not the typical film produced by most (or, all) of the Hollywood film production companies, it is obviously an indie alias independent film made for sake of film, not money. It has the idealism of its own on how to make the story, direct the actors, even choose the film locations.

The story is so simple without any complicated plot or weird narrative style, yet confusing if the audiences do not follow the film by heart. It is about a man, an unnamed person played by Oscar-winning actor Adrien Brody, who gets a car crash in somewhere unknown without remembering the other passangers. Injured and being in a place that he does not know at all, the condition of this man is worsened by his losing memory. He does not remember anything, including his own identity, and does not know anything. He even has to free himself from a hallucination of an unknown woman, also unnamed played by Caroline Dhavernas, who keeps coming to him and taunting him.

Wrecked only spots how the main character here has to survive in the middle of a steep cliff, the unknown place where he is, including eating bugs around him. No doubt that the film only focuses on one character and show the audiences how this man survive, how his character react on the accident, what he does then and what will happen next. It is all about the man and his survival, nothing else.

The film director Michael Greespan really put a lot of efforts to make the car crash the subsequent happenings look real. He carefully picked up the film locations, and ended up choosing a cliff in Vancouver Island. Though the story is not developing at all and the film movement is stuck there in the main idea of survival and losing one’s memory, the somehow real condition of every thing there which was directed by Greenspan has to be appreciated. Even the make-up really helped to make the man here looks horrible.

The Way Back 2010 Movie Review

The Way Back 2010 Movie Review. The Way Back is tremendous films that somehow really inspired from its story and value portrayed on the whole film. It’s the classical plot-story in which it dedicated how determined believe and strong character so influence within daily experiences. Similar to other critics, The Way Back is likely monumental film having storytelling that so arouse our intension by Janusz (played Jim Sturgess), as prisoner who finds out his escape way together with his friends to find out their freedom. From the films, we simply can conclude that freedom is not cheap; its need immolation; even its need blood and tears.

The Way Back 2010 is basically inspired by the Slawomir Rawicz`s book entitled The Long Walk, that tells about the struggle of escapees that takes long journey across-over the continent, from Siberia to India and dangerous weather and other threats that totally dangerous for their life. What we get from the films is a superb story having some dangerous escapes atmosphere, the value of determined and believe and of course beautiful setting/view that depict wilderness. Moreover, regardless the story is true on untrue has strong and excellent storytelling as well as Slawomir Rawicz claimed that he was one of survived mans during the journey to get their freedom.

In short, the story begins when Janusz, is being accused by Russian officer as a spy and traitor who threaten the country; then he took by Russian government into Gulag deep in the far away Siberian tundra.  There, he suffers some violence, mistreatment and terrible living conditions. Even, it’s likely that he will end up at that jail if he stays inside it.  Together with other prisoner such Mr. Smith (Played by Ed Harris), Zoran (Played by Dragos Bucur), Kazik (Played by Sebastian Urzendowsky), Tamasz (Played by Alexandru Potocean), Voss (Played by Gustaf Skarsgård) and Valka (Played by Colin Farrell), he decided to escape from the jail and face wilderness and survive from wild encounters from the nature itself and its harshest weather with very little food & water, even just run away with one knife, some flints and limited tools.

Never Let Me Go, Drama Film Movie Review

Never Let Me Go Movie Review. The story of this film is specifically talking about how it feels to live in a dangerous world in which humans’ lives are so not worthy and their existence is only to end up as organ donators. All characters in the film will end up in the same fate and thus love between them urges them to subtly state, “Never let me go”. The core of the story is very much frigtening that we ourselves cannot own our lives. Never Let Me Go is produced by Fox Searchlight Pictures film production company, is a love film which is based on the celebrated novel written by Kazuo Ishiguro. Generally it is a love story, interwoven in a specific theme about the value of life.

Once upon a time in a place called Hailsham, which is located in “another world”, many little children are taken care of, educated, and, consciously or not, prepared to be “organ donators”. They wear some kind of unique bracelets so that their presence can be detected. There, three children are getting closer to each other: Kathy, Tommy, and Ruth. Tommy (Andrew Garfield) and Ruth (Keira Knightly) grow up as a couple of lovers, while Kathy (Carey Mulligan), who is actually in love with Tommy, watching in jealousy without even saying anything.

The time is running and the three go out of the place to face something eerier. When each of them are more aware of each other’s feelings, they are also aware of what happens and will happen to them in the future. Minute by minute, the movie will bring the audiences to the desperation, frustration, and fear of each character when their valueable life will be grabbed out. The love story may be subtle, but the strong atmosphere of something which is like its title, Never Let Me Go, is so strong in this movie. However, that love atmosphere will be more subtle once the value of life conquer all the rest of the story line.

The mood or atmosphere came out of the film directing art by the film director Mark Romanek is so deep and beautiful in its every element. It is all gloomy and dark and romantic at the same time. The cinematographer Adam Kimmel has to be given the best credit for making this movie so beautiful to watch, though very much gloomy in its atmosphere.

The three main actors, Keira Knightly, Andrew Garfield, and Carey Mulligan have performed at their best. Knightly is no doubt one of the most brilliant actress not only in Britain or Europe, but also in Hollywood. So her great portrayal of Ruth is unquestionable. Andrew Garfield has proven that he is not only some kind of cute guy walking around the scenes by working hard to liven up his character as Tommy. But Mulligan is marverlous, her facial expression here is so deep and drowning and saddening. This is definitely a good movie as an adaptation, for Mark Romanek has put a lot of efforts to transport the gloom of the novel correctly to the big screen with a great success.

Letters to Juliet, Love Film A Movie Review

Letters to Juliet (Review) is about Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) who travels to the beautiful Italy and finds out some women sticking out some pleading letters in hope that the Secretaries of Juliet (the unknown ghostwriters) will reply them. Not that it does not have any meaning. The idea of true love story is always interesting and tantalizing to make. It’s like it is a perpetual idea of perpetual love. Well, there is nothing special about this movie anyway. It’s just the romantic atmosphere is so thick that the audiences can feel it, but nothing more than that. The atmosphere itself comes out of the atmosphere of the place, not really of the scenes. The wall in which these women put their letters is the supposed wall where Romeo (the legendary characters of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet) meets Juliet at midnight. They believe that the so-called Secretaries of Juliet will solve their love problema.T

True love never dies, doesn’t it? And Hollywood film industry will never stop making love films about the true love which never dies even though the life time is running out. Letters to Juliet is certainly one of those love romantic-comedy-dramas, which is produced by Summit Entertainment film production company, talking about waiting the long-lost love to appear once again to embrace it in an eternal relationship. Well, we have already got Love in the Time of Cholera (based on a book by Gabriel García Marquéz), but that is not enough, of course, without Hollywood making another one.


Sophie finds a very old letter from someone named Claire (Vanessa Redgrave) and read it straightly right away. Determined to be the Secretary of Juliet for Claire, she tries to find the British woman and helps her. Fortunately she meets her grandson, Charlie (Christopher Egan), so her attemp is so much easier now. Together, the three of them look for someone named Lorenzo (Franco Nero) who is once Claire’s boyfriend before she leaves him in the past. Sophie herself has her own love problems anyway, with her fiancé Victor (Gael García Bernal) and when she becomes closer to Charlie.

The awkward thing is when we watch two very old persons walking their way to get together again after a very long long time. It just does not make sense in todays’ logic, does it? Even if it is “indeed” a true love, why bothering yourself to get hold of your long-lost love when you are already old and should have been relaxed about your present life?

The good thing about this movie is the actors performing in it. Amanda Seyfriend is for sure as beautiful as usual and performs as well as she can. Vanessa Redgrave, who plays the grandma losing her true love, Claire, is amazing here. Looking at her eyes and weak body makes you put a pity on her. The disappointing one is Christopher Egan, he is not good here. It’s a romantic love film however. It indeed can fulfil your desire for romantic love story in a smooth narrative. Romantic love films fans may want to get the DVD in the film rental.

Blue Valentine Movie Review

This movie, Blue Valentine, is likely a film that portray an issue of family-relationship of present days with its numerous value and problematic theme. However, for sure, we can realize that Blue Valentine is reasonable to be watched since it has deep characterization among the actor both Cindy (Michelle Williams) and Dean (Ryan Gosling). Moreover, its has great & unpredictable  movie plot within the story so that we will obtain a curiosity feeling with different experiences that arouse humanity interest. Moreover, Blue Valentine offers emotional  sense in which the actor enjoy their character so much regardless it was actually a film that absolutely makes the film more alive.

Generally, Blue Valentine is a love-drama film having high intense of romantic experiences blended with gender issue. Exactly, the film tells about the life of married couple, Cindy and Dean who actually has problem concerning to their relationship. Both of them has different character that lead into problem, yet they still has courage to maintain their marriage. Blue Valentine has particular notion in which offer the experiences of recent gender roles  issue that commonly appears in the modern family problems.

From the my analysis, the story composition is arranged in good sequences, it has strong sense of the great drama movie by which we can deeply feel the sensation and the experiences played by the actor. Sometimes, both of  Cindy and Dean look as if they want to involve the audience within the story, feel it, and then take its value and experiences of happiness and un-happiness things usually we found at our real daily life.

Indeed, we can conclude that Blue Valentine give strong engaged within the characterization and its moral value concerning beliefs about dream, on other hands, it also give us some understanding about hope and struggle to find out certain manner to gain truly love and happiness in daily life.

The final result officially takes the Director, Derek Cianfrance, as one of key person that influence the such achievement. Derek Cianfrance, for some reasons, smartly enhance the natural scene within the film by allowing self-improvisation from the actors and give special freedom to lets them in order to perform their brilliant performances. All of scene, this decision likely arouse the sense of naturalism since he gave instruction to the camera man to captures every part of the scene as well as the actor did their improvisation that finally lead into such kind of romantic drama movie.

Jane Eyre (2011) Movie Review

Jane Eyre (2011) Movie Review

If you are looking for a good adaptation (good, not necessarily very much faithful) and a great film to watch, then Jane Eyre, one of the new movie releases this March, is the answer. Based on the most respected novel written by Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre is produced by Focus Features film production company and takes Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland) as the leading actress. This is an absolutely worth watching love film which is interwoven in a gothic and gloomy atmosphere.

Once the scene moves to the mysterious castle, the core of the love story begins. There, she meets the Lord of the castle named Mr. Rochester. An unpleasant, rude, mysterious master who, from the looks of his, seems to hide something. Contradicted first by the high self-esteem and confidence of her new governess, Mr. Rochester then feels attracted by her and tries some flirtation. And the love story goes, revealing the marvelous romantic scenes between them and some mysteries beyond Mr. Rochester’s character.

The film director Cary Fukunaga has successfully transferred the gothic mood of the novel into the big screen, making the romance clothed by the dark atmosphere. While the BBC miniseries for the same adaptation works more on the romance and hence put forwards mainly the sweet and romantic mood in the film, Fukunaga tries and is tremendously successful in blending both the gothic mood symbolized in the novel and the romanticism of the love story between Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester, which is also depicted in details in the book. Thus, the great cinematography plays the main role here in bringing the blended gothic and romantic mood of the film into the audiences.

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Take Me Home Tonight (2011) Movie Review

Take Me Home Tonight (2011) Movie Review

If there are some recent movie releases which are so worth watching, then Take Me Home Tonight is one of them. For those who are about 40 year old or above will have some reminiscence once they watch this 80s comedy film produced by Relativity Media film production company. Taking Topher Grace as the leading actor, who is no doubt experienced in playing in such classics like his That’s 70 Show, Take Me Home Tonight delivers the problems of almost all young adults at that time in 80s and twists it into something fun.

Matt Franklin (Topher Grace) is one of those young people having graduated from MIT  who does not really know what he wants to be or do. People around him keeps telling him what he should become looking at what he’s good in. In fact, he only works in Suncoast Video. While his twin sister Wendy (Anna Faris, the chosen actress playing her looks too much different from Matt, though it is his “sister”) is more certain about her life, applying for a graduate school in Cambridge and having long-time boyfriend.

On one occasion Matt meets again with his high-school crush Tori (played by Teresa Palmer, who, instead, really looks like Kristin Stewart). Like what will be done by the same kind of men who want to look “good” in front of their crushed women, Matt lies about his job. And in an instant, he thinks that Tori is the one that he really wants to pursue. Then he comes to the party which Tori attend, together with his best friend Barry (Dan Fogler) and his twin sister Wendy. There, all the madness of the 80s happens: wild party, strange music, dance, and sex, and it’s all reprensented in an interwoven story line.

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