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Filmsi - A not so serious look at films and film reviews

Anything film =D

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Filmsi - March 2011

You will be missed

The other day I was watching a Heath Ledger movie and I got really sad. Yea I know I'm being lame but I didn't realise how awesome he was when he was alive. But now that he is gone I miss the fact that we the world missed out an opportunity to watch him become a great actor. So as a result of my odd affection towards of a dead actor whom I did not know or even meet I'm going to do a little tribute for him basically appreciating the movies that he was in. It's due time for some spotlighting anyways. So this post is tell all of you that this post will appear in the near future and so that I will actually write one. Since I have told you guys I should really follow through.

So yeah this is it for now so I will leave you with a heavy heart and hopefully soon we shall meet again. Until then goodnight and stay safe.

Samira

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March 25th 2011 @ 12:45

Posted By: Samira - Category: No Category

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You had me at hello: My top 15 romantic movies

It's not the season for love or any romantic notions but for some odd reason I'm in the mood for romance. I love a good hearty romance, a romance that can only really be captured on screen. Where only beautiful people with dim lights and sweet music can really show what romance should be. I'm a sucker for romance which is odd because I don't consider myself an overly romantic person in real life. When friends are being mushy I pretend that I have just vomited a little in my mouth but despite all those shenanigans I must be a real romantic at heart. But don't tell anyone or I will kill you!

Romance is hard to do. I mean you have to push two stranger granted they are actors but still construct chemistry and real longing. Sometimes it's dead obvious that it’s forced while other times it’s so natural you think they might actually getting on off set (and sometimes they are). A good romance is based completely on how the characters work and how much it is believable that these two are meant to be together - true chemistry or a connection. It can be a simple story or even an over done premise but if you have the right characters even something silly can work. But a great romance is highly depended on the delivery - the execution because something that seems to work on paper can easily go astray on screen. For me I always felt that TV shows are really good at constructing romances most likely because they have the time to build a romance in something that could be remotely similar to real life. But of course you don't have that time in film so you take what you have and fast track it. Usually alluding that lot of time have been spent between the two main characters or there is an instant attraction. But great romances can stay in people's minds for years. Thus this is my list of great romances. I want to emphasize that it's MY list thus there will be some who will disagree.

Young Love; Noah & Allie

15) The Notebook (2004)
The Notebook is a story of two young lovers and their epic love that spans over time and across lands but ultimately leads them together. For some odd reason I have never been a huge fan of the film. But so many people have said how much they love this movie. Don't get me wrong I really did enjoy this movie but I would not call it my favourite but it does deserve its place here. And the beautiful leads Noah (Ryan Gosling) and Allie (Rachel McAdams) work really well together.

An angel & a human, could it work?

14) City of Angels (1998)
A tragic love story between a human and an angel stars Meg Ryan as Maggie and Nicolas Cage as Seth. I'm not sure why I had put this on the list as most people may not even remember it but it was made famous by its song Iris by the Goo-Goo Dolls. Probably one of the most romantic songs that I know. Although it didn't really get amazing reviews from critics I believe this movie was a genuinely sweet sometimes forgotten but still a gem.

13) Tim Burton's Corpse Bride (2005)
A still motion picture about a corpse bride who falls in love with a human man. But unfortunately for her he is in love with someone else. It may seem a strange choice to have a kid's movie in a list of romances but I really thought this movie captured unrequited love perfectly despite her being a corpse bride. Again another underrated but a terrific film. Stars Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter.

To sir with love; Josie & Mr. Coulson

12) Never Been Kissed (1999)
A romantic comedy featuring the Queen of rom-coms Drew Barry as Josie and Michael Vartan as the teacher that Josie falls in love with, Josie is a young and budding writer wanting to prove to her boss that she is ready to write a feature article. To do so she goes back to high school to do a piece on teens. In the meantime she falls for the teacher and the teacher falls for her (yeah I know a little creepy). This is a top notch teen movie and most will dismiss it because it is a teen movie but don't let that cloud your judgment it's got the goods for entertaining and making you feel warm and fuzzy on the inside.

To me you're perfect

11) Love Actually (2003)
Love Actually is a collage of romance, love and heartbreak all rolled into one. Again another slightly underrated movie about love and everything that goes with it. And about love in all shapes and sizes. It's romantic because it works in a modern context it shows that anyone can fall in love and how love can just happen and as well how love can bring you so much pain. For a movie that has so many characters it worked really well and how they intertwined worked really well too.

Aloha!

10) 50 First Dates (2004)
*Sigh* another rom-com with Drew Barrymore (she actually appears a lot on this list) but this time it’s with Adam Sandler. These two are so wonderful together I don't know what it is, they are so sweet and so convincing that they are a real couple. I'm not a huge Sandler fan but when he is with Barrymore they work their charm. This is a couple with true chemistry that is carried from movie to movie.

Isn't that a chick flick?

9) Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
A widower's son contacts a talk show host complaining about his father being lonely it touches everyone who is listening but especially Annie. This movie was released when I was only 3 years old but since it is a regular on Australian television I have seen it so many times and yet it never bores me. A classic romance in many peoples eyes Sleepless in Seattle is sweet and refreshing and strange if you really think about. One of the most romantic movies of all time actually doesn't have the main characters meet until the very end. Despite them never meeting there is a serious connection between and it seems crazy but for some reason it works! Just in case you didn’t already know it stars a young Tom Hanks and pre-surgery Meg Ryan.

Danielle and her prince Henry

8) Ever After (1998)
Ever heard the story of Cinderella? No? Have you living under a rock? Most likely if you have never heard of Cinderella. Well Ever After is a new take on the classic and sometimes the over done story of Cinderella. But this is one of the few that is actually really amazing to watch. Again with my favourite romantic movie regular Drew Barrymore plays the role of Danielle and Dougray Scott is the very charming Prince Henry. Needless to say Danielle is poor orphan left with her evil stepmother and step sisters and falls deeply in love with a prince.

Edward and Kim

7) Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Another offering from the king of weird Tim Burton but I love his films so no surprises that his films will feature here. A strange tale of love between a teenage girl and an outcast, Edward Scissorhands shows that love can blossom in the oddest of places. Edward (Johnny Depp) is quiet and weird well naturally if you have scissors as hands but when he is taken into the home of a sympathetic family where he meets and falls for the teen daughter Kim (Winona Ryder).

Cat? Cat? CAT?

6) Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
A regular in best romance movie lists Breakfast at Tiffany’s is actually a Hollywoodised thus a washed down story of a writer who pays for the bills by being a male escort and a woman who parties all night to escape from her past. An odd set of characters in this film but it has been idolised for its classical notions of romance, staring Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly and George Peppard as Paul Verjak. Despite it being a little too glossy Breakfast at Tiffany’s is a classic for a reason - the relationship between Holly and Paul is actually more complicated than just two people in love. It’s not one of those films when the two leads immediately fall for each other but a slow development but worth the wait in the eventual realisation about how much they actually love each other.

The ultimate story of unrequited love

5) My Best Friend's Wedding (1997)
The 90’s seem to be a decade for awesome rom-coms and one of its best offerings is 1998’s My Best Friend’s Wedding. Julia Roberts plays Jules a 28 year old food critic who just found out that her best friend is getting married to a young and way too bubbly Kimmy (Cameron Diaz) realising that her chances of being with Michael (Dermot Mulrony) said best friend she does everything in her power to try to break them up. The ultimate story of unrequited love but in a neatly package of comedy goodness My Best Friend’s Wedding is the genre finest offering. I have yet to see any rom-coms as good as this lately. It’s funny, has a story, likable characters and doesn’t end in a mushy/cheesy way.

Simply adorable

4) 500 Days of Summer (2009)
Like I said I hadn’t seen any rom-com as good as My Best Friend’s Wedding until I watched 500 Days of Summer. The unconventional rom-com is hopefully the new style of rom-coms that the film industry is taking. Yes the classics like My Best Friend’s Wedding is a favourite amongst many but times are changing thus the 90’s style of rom-coms need to change with it. The rom-com needed a revamp any way with the tiresome shit that is usually produced I was actually going to dramatically abandon the entire genre. 500 Days of Summer is not a story about love but a story about relationships which may include love. For more information or a full review and my declaration of my affection for the film you can read about it in my earlier post via this link Movie review post

If they can make it work there is hope for us

3) Notting Hill (1999)
Notting Hill was released on 1999 was hugely successful which is no surprise considering it had rom-com regulars Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant. Notting Hill is many people’s fantasies played out; meet a famous actress/actor and fall in love with them. In reality we’re lucky if we might get a autograph and photo with said famous person but for William (Grant) an average bookstore owner who crosses paths with world famous Anna Scott its not simply a brief encounter. Notting Hill is funny and warm and Grant and Roberts work really well together. But I remember being completely charmed by Grant. I guess for me it was much more relatable to Grant’s character than Roberts which is understandable as I have never been a famous actress. Completely idealistic and unrealistic to have a famous person falling for a no body but I guess it’s just giving hope to all of us. Fingers crossed I get to meet Shia LaBeouf.

An affair that is brief but unforgettable

2) Roman Holiday (1953)
A list about romances couldn’t be complete without the mention of the classics (some might note the absence of Casablanca - another story)! What better way than to celebrate the classics by glorifying Roman Holiday. I adore this movie thus it is placed in the 2nd position for a reason. Although just narrowly missing out on the top spot Roman Holiday is what romances should be about beautiful, intense, deep and passionate affair between two people. It may be brief but unforgettable. Roman Holiday stars Audrey Hepburn as Princess Anne and Gregory Peck as Joe the reporter; two very different people who come together for different reasons and spends a night together in the streets of Rome discovering love without even looking for it. How romantic is that?!

Come what may!

1) Moulin Rouge! (2001)
Lastly we come to my number one pick of romances - Moulin Rouge! A penniless writer migrates to the mean streets of Paris for adventure and inspiration. When in Paris he is placed into the world of the Moulin Rouge; it’s bohemian, glamorous, fun and slightly dirty. Enchanted by this world he goes to one of its performance nights where he falls deeply in love like many before him with Satine (Nicole Kidman) the star of The Moulin Rouge. Although Satine has been trained to lure the love of many men especially wealthy men but for once Satine finds herself falling for the writer Christian (Ewan McGregor). Unfortunately for all Christian being penniless makes it difficult for them to be together as she is bestowed to a Duke. Moulin Rouge is as romantic as it is tragic but yet it is incredibly entertaining with its dark humour and satire of modern songs. It’s colourful and rich viewing experience and despite it being a musical it is not cheesy or mushy in any way. I could rant and rave about the brilliance of this film but the only thing really you should do is go and watch it. For those who have seen it watch it again.

Here’s a link to the trailer - Moulin Rouge trailer

Side note: I know the title is from Jerry Maguire but yeah I don't have it on the list. I like it but not enough to be in my top 15.

Please comment if you believe that I have missed some great romance or any criticism is welcomed

Samira =D

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March 16th 2011 @ 07:52

Posted By: Samira - Category: No Category

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Devdas, 2002

Hey all, this week it’s a little different because I'm going to review a non-English speaking movie. Ohk this isn't exactly my first non-English speaking movie BUT it is however my first Bollywood movie review. I'm no stranger to Bollywood movies thus I have seen quite a few Bollywood movies in my time. But in saying that I'm no expert on the matter. Plus Bollywood is more like a niche rather than popular viewing amongst the masses but this movie has been a regular feature on SBS usually on the Indian/Bollywood movie season.

Paro & Devdas

Devdas is a love story of epic proportions and like any great epic it's not without its complications. The story begins in old India in times when tradition ruled and class system still in trenched in society. Devdas begins with two long time neighbours and as many Indian films begin everything is honky-dory where there are spontaneous bursts of song and dance to celebrate neighbourly good will. But when the Mukherji's (one of the said neighbours) long absent son Devdas returns after boarding in London everything changes. As I mentioned this is a love story thus not surprisingly Devdas has returned not only to his home and parents but to his childhood love Paro (his neighbour). Mukherjis are a wealthy bunch and of higher social status than Paros's family so when Davdas's mother notices a budding romance between Devdas and Paro she takes matters into her own hands and makes sure that the marriage between the two cannot occur. Mrs. Mukherji is a smart woman and knows exactly how manipulate the situation to her advantage by asking poor naive Paro's mother to a party. Paro's mother gleefully accepts the invitation on the assumption that her "friend" was to announce the engagement of Devdas and Paro. Of course she was wrong instead she was lead to be humiliated in front of strangers and friends. Angered and embarrassed Paro's mother claims that Paro will never marry Devdas and she will marry someone who is of far higher status than Devdas and Mukherjis. Meanwhile Devdas is having issues with his father and in a dramatic fight between the two Devdas storms out Mukherji's house and leaving poor Paro again. During his absence Paro is married off and when he returns he finds that his one true love is no longer there. This only leads to much heart break and downward spiral of self destruction.

Devdas

I think I might have said too much but there is a lot stuff that happens so never fear there is more stuff worth watching. As I mentioned before I have seen my fare share of Indian movies, a lot of them can be cheesy and really ridiculous and most of the time you take all the stupid things and go with it. But one thing Bollywood knows how to do really well is love stories. And they like it epic; Devdas is no exception to the rule. I really liked this movie it had everything that Indian movies are good at and all the stupid things that Indian movies usually have are actually absent in this feature (thank god).

Paro

Devdas is a love story of epic proportions and
A defining feature about this movie is that it’s so beautiful to watch and I don't just mean the beautiful lead actresses. But the whole film is so bright and so colourful and the costumes were intricate and detailed. There is a theatrical presence in this film - it sometimes felt like it was shot on stage. But it gave it sense of nostalgia and it was like you watching a story about a legend or a folklore that has been told to you a long time ago. The way the film creates a world that feels so foreign yet so incredibly intriguing and engulfs you into it.

But of course the best element that cannot be ignored about this film is that it's a beautiful story of love and heartbreak. It’s a story of the love between two people that seem to last for years; a love that cannot die even after all the complications and obstacles that it had to endure. The kind of love that brings you much pain but yet much pressure all at the same time. The kind of love that even despite the possibility of never being with this person does not hinder or wither away. The film is so tragic yet so beautiful without it ever being cheesy.

I love this movie but then again I love romances so I’m going to give it a 8.75 out of 10.

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March 14th 2011 @ 07:46

Posted By: Samira - Category: No Category

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