Madeleine's Movie Blog

SHATTERED or BUTTERFLY ON A WHEEL

2008-04-16T03:59:00.000-07:00

Available on DVD also under the title "Butterfly on a wheel"

Neil and Abby Warner have the perfect life and a perfect marriage. With their beautiful young daughter, Sophie, they are living the American dream... until today. When Sophie is suddenly kidnapped, they have no choice but to comply with the abductors demands. The kidnapper - Ryan (PIERCE BROSNAN), a cold and calculating sociopath takes over their lives with the brutal efficiency of someone who has nothing to lose. In the blink of an eye Neil and Abby's safe and secure existence is turned upside down. Over the next twenty four hours they are at the mercy of a man who wants only one thing. That they do his bidding. It soon becomes clear that Ryan's demands are all the more terrifying... because he doesn't want their money. What he wants is for Neil and Abbyís life, the life that they have built over 10 years, to be systematically dismantled and destroyed. Piece by piece. With time running out on their little girl, Neil and Abby realise their nightmare is about to take its most deadly turn: They will have to face Ryan's final, horrifying challenge - would they kill an innocent man to save their own child? In the far distance a solitary light burns in the window of a lodge as the car glides to a halt - and Neil knows it is a question only he can answer - when Ryan hands him the gun...

My view

I absolutely liked this movie, it had me sitting on the edge!

THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL

2008-04-14T06:49:00.001-07:00

Still in movie theaters at this date

Genre: Dramas
Starring:
Natalie Portman,
Scarlett Johansson,
Eric Bana
Director: Justin Chadwick
Screenwriter: Peter Morgan
Producer: Alison Owen
Composer: Edward Shearmur

Synopsis:
Based on the best selling novel by Philippa Gregory, The Other Boleyn Girl is an engrossing and sensual tale of intrigue, romance, and betrayal set against the backdrop of a defining moment in history. Two sisters, Anne (Natalie Portman) and Mary (Scarlett Johansson) Boleyn, are driven by
Based on the best selling novel by Philippa Gregory, The Other Boleyn Girl is an engrossing and sensual tale of intrigue, romance, and betrayal set against the backdrop of a defining moment in history. Two sisters, Anne (Natalie Portman) and Mary (Scarlett Johansson) Boleyn, are driven by their ambitious father and uncle to advance the family’s power and status by courting the affections of the King of England (Eric Bana). Leaving behind the simplicity of country life, the girls are thrust into the dangerous and thrilling world of court life – and what began as a bid to help their family develops into a ruthless rivalry between Anne and Mary for the love of the king. Initially, Mary wins King Henry’s favor and becomes his mistress, bearing him an illegitimate child. But Anne, clever, conniving, and fearless, edges aside both her sister and Henry’s wife, Queen Katherine of Aragon, in her relentless pursuit of the king. Despite Mary’s genuine feelings for Henry, her sister Anne has her sights set on the ultimate prize; Anne will not stop until she is Queen of England. As the Boleyn girls battle for the love of a king – one driven by ambition, the other by true affection – England is torn apart. Despite the dramatic consequences, the Boleyn girls ultimately find strength and loyalty in each other, and they remain forever connected by their bond as sisters.

My view:

If you are looking for a very serious version regarding the Boleyn Girls, read a historical biography. Otherwise enjoy this movie, which is accurate enough and fun to watch.

HARD CANDY

2008-04-04T09:32:00.000-07:00

Available on DVD

For three weeks, 14-year-old Hayley Stark has been chatting on-line with 'Lensmaster319', a 32-year old fashion photographer, named Jeff. The two agree to meet at a coffee shop called Nighthawks. They hit it off, despite the massive age difference. Hayley appears to flirt with Jeff, and Jeff generally restrains himself, even admitting that he must wait 4-years until he can be with her. But his reservations are apparently not enough to decline when Hayley all but invites herself over to his house. Once at the house, manipulation becomes the name of the game, and the pedophile or is he a pedophile seems at a disadvantage in this senario.

This movie grabed my attention from start to finish, the acting by Ellen Page is incredible, she is agless and not the nice little girl in JUNO. This movie would adapt well for a play, the interaction between the 2 characters lends itself wonderfully for a stage production. It is a must see movie.

Ellen Page (being herself)

Patrick Wilson and Ellen Page in HARD CANDY

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN

2008-03-29T10:46:00.001-07:00

In rural Texas, welder and hunter Llewelyn Moss discovers the remains of several drug runners who have all killed each other in an exchange gone violently wrong. Rather than report the discovery to the police, Moss decides to simply take the two million dollars present for himself. This puts the psychopathic killer, Anton Chigurh, on his trail as he dispassionately murders nearly every rival, bystander and even employer in his pursuit of his quarry and the money. As Moss desperately attempts to keep one step ahead, the blood from this hunt begins to flow behind him with relentlessly growing intensity as Chigurh closes in. Meanwhile, the laconic Sherrif Ed Tom Bell blithely oversees the investigation even as he struggles to face the sheer enormity of the crimes he is attempting to thwart.

A great movie!!

GOYA'S GHOST

2008-03-29T10:39:00.001-07:00

Even Milos Forman's most ardent supporters are sure to have mixed feelings about Goya's Ghosts. As expected from the Oscar-winning director of One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, the production values are strong and the performances solid. Unfortunately, his fictional take on the life of subversive painter Francisco Goya (Stellan Skarsgård), circa the Spanish Inquisition, feels undercooked compared to previous issue-driven works, like The People vs. Larry Flynt. As in that film, censorship and hypocrisy take center stage. Co-written by Luis Buñuel scenarist Jean-Claude Carrière (That Obscure Object of Desire), Goya's Ghosts concerns the painter's relationships with two subjects, Brother Lorenzo (Javier Bardem) and artist’s model Ines (Natalie Portman). When Ines is suspected of practicing Judaism, she's tortured until she confesses, leading to her incarceration. With Goya's assistance, her family enlists Lorenzo to fight for her freedom, but to no avail. For his own transgressions, Lorenzo flees the country, while Ines lingers in prison. The story then skips ahead 15 years. Goya has since lost his hearing, Ines remains imprisoned, and a defrocked Lorenzo is living a life of leisure in France. After Napoleon invades Spain, the three are once again thrown into each other's orbit. Of the trio, Goya emerges as decency incarnate, Ines as a victim of religious fundamentalism, and Lorenzo as a man who found his conscience far too late to save anyone--least of all himself.

I felt so-so about this movie, it had it's moments.

PENELOPE

2008-03-29T10:27:00.001-07:00

Not worth the price of admission, wait for DVD release

Starring: Christina Ricci, James McAvoy, Catherine O'Hara, Reese Witherspoon, more castDirected By: Mark PalanskyReleased By: Summit Ent.Theatrical Release Date: 02/29/2008Run Time: 101 min.Genre: Comedy

In this modern day romantic tale, Penelope is about a young girl's inspiring journey, a mysterious family secret and the power of love. With all odds against her, in order for Penelope to break the family curse, she must find true love with "one of her own kind" and realize the most important life lesson, "I like myself the way I am." Penelope Wilhern, born to wealthy socialites, is afflicted by the Wilhern spell that can only be broken when she finds love. Hidden away in her family's estate, the lonely girl meets a string of suitors in her parent's futile attempt to break the curse. Each eligible bachelor is enamored with Penelope and her sizable dowry; until her curse is revealed. Lemon, a mischievous and eager tabloid reporter wants a photograph of the mysterious Penelope and hires Max to pose as a prospective suitor to get the shot. The handsome down-on-his luck gambler finds himself falling for Penelope, but not wanting to disappoint her or to expose his surreptitious ways, he decides to disappear. Fed up by his latest betrayal and determined to live life on her own terms, Penelope breaks free from her family and ventures into the world alone. She finds adventure and Annie, her first friend and becomes the person she was meant to be.

4 MONTH 3 WEEKS 2 DAYS

2008-02-23T07:12:00.000-08:00

LARS AND THE REAL GIRL

2008-02-21T07:26:00.001-08:00

Director: Craig Gillespie

Ryan Gosling
Emily Mortimer
Paul Schneider
Kelli Garner
Patricia Clarkson

Written by Six Feet Under scribe Nancy Oliver, Lars and the Real Girl is a heartfelt comedy starring Academy-Award nominated Ryan Gosling as Lars Lindstrom a loveable introvert whose emotional baggage has kept him from fully embracing life. After years of what is almost solitude, he invites Bianca, a friend he met on the internet to visit him. He introduces Bianca to his Brother Gus (Paul Schneider) and his wife Karen (Emily Mortimer) and they are stunned. They don’t know what to say to Lars or Bianca — because she is a life-size doll, not a real person and he is treating her as though she is alive. They consult the family doctor Dagmar (Patricia Clarkson) who explains this is a delusion he’s created — for what reason she doesn’t yet know but they should all go along with it. What follows is an emotional journey for Lars and the people around him.

Juno

2008-02-18T20:28:00.000-08:00

Still in theaters at this date

Director: Jason Reitman

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 30 wins & 19 nominations

Sixteen year-old Juno MacGuff is the type of girl that beats to her own drummer, and doesn't really care what others may think of her. She learns that she's pregnant from a one-time sexual encounter with her best friend, Paulie Bleeker. Juno and Paulie like each other, but don't consider themselves to be exclusive boyfriend/girlfriend let alone be ready to be a family complete with child. Although she would rather not be pregnant, Juno is fairly pragmatic about her situation. Although there, Paulie really leaves all the decisions about the baby to Juno. Initially she decides that she will have an abortion, but that's something that she ultimately cannot go through with. So she decides to have the baby and give it up for adoption. But first she has to tell her father, Mac, and stepmother, Bren, that she is pregnant. Although they would have preferred if Juno was on hard drugs or expelled from school, Mac and Bren too are pragmatic about Juno's situation. The next step is to find prospective parents for the yet unborn child. In the Pennysaver ad section, Juno finds Mark and Vanessa Loring, a yuppie couple living in the suburbs. Juno likes the Lorings, and in some respects has found who looks to be a kindred spirit in Mark, with whom she shares a love of grunge music and horror films. Vanessa is a little more uptight and is the one in the relationship seemingly most eager to have a baby. On her own choosing, Juno enters into a closed rather than open adoption contract with the Lorings - meaning she will have no contact with the baby after she gives it up. During the second and third trimesters of Juno's pregnancy which she treats with care but detachment, Juno's relationships with her family, with Paulie, and with the Lorings develop, the latter whose on the surface perfect life masks some hidden problems.

I absolutely loved this movie!

2008-02-12T06:48:00.000-08:00

Still in theaters at this date

Director: Tim Burton

Writers: Christopher Bond (play), John Logan (script)

Producer: Richard D. Zanuck

Music: Stephen Sondheim

Starring:

Johnny Depp as Sweeney Todd

Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Lovett

Sacha Baron Cohen as Signor Adolfo Pirelli

Alan Rickman as Judge TurpinLaura

Michelle Kelly as Beggar Woman

In this adaptation of the classic musical, Sweeney Todd (Johnny Depp) is a barber who is sent to prison for a crime he didn't commit. After his release years later, Sweeney opens up a new shop and plots revenge against the judge (Alan Rickman) who sent him behind bars. But, before he does, he practices his knife skills on unsuspecting customers who have their necks cut along with their hair. The bodies of his victims then fall into the possession of Sweeney's girlfriend, Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter), who carves them into delicious meat pies that become the talk of the town

STARDUST

2008-02-01T11:36:00.001-08:00

Stardust is a 2007 fantasy film directed Matthew Vaughn.

Stars: including

David Kelly, and Mark Heap. Narration is by Sir Ian McKellen.

The passage from this world to the fantasy kingdom of Stormhold is through a breech in a wall by an English village. In the 1800s, a boy becomes a man when he ventures through the breech to prove his love for the village beauty by finding a fallen star. The star is no lump of rock, but a maiden, Yvaine, and Tristan, the youth, is not the only one searching for her: three witches, led by Lamia, want her heart to make them young. The sons of the dead king of Stormhold want her because she possesses a ruby that will give one of them title to the throne. Assisting Tristan are his mother, the victim of a spell, and a transvestite pirate of the skies. Will Tristan win his true love?

THE INVASION

2008-01-29T09:53:00.000-08:00

STARRING:

Nicole Kidman ("The Hours")

Daniel Craig ("Casino Royale")

Directed by: Oliver Hirschbiegel

PLOT:The science fiction action thriller "The Invasion," a nightmarish journey into a world where the only way to stay alive is to stay awake. The mysterious crash of the space shuttle leads to the terrifying discovery that there is something alien within the wreckage. Those who come in contact with it are changing in ominous and inexplicable ways. Soon Washington, DC psychiatrist Carol Bennell (Nicole Kidman) and her friend, Dr. Ben Driscoll (Daniel Craig), learn the shocking truth about the growing extraterrestrial epidemic: it attacks its victims while they sleep, leaving them physically unchanged but strangely unfeeling and inhuman. As the infection spreads, more and more people are altered and it becomes impossible to know who can be trusted. Now Carol's only hope is to stay awake long enough to find her young son, who may hold the key to stopping the devastating invasion. "The Invasion" also stars Jeremy Northam ("The Tudors," "Gosford Park") and Jeffrey Wright ("Casino Royale," "Angels in America").

Ok, I am a fan of Nicole Kidman and was surprised to see her in a Sci-Fi movie which I usually do not watch. I enjoy her mature, intellectual acting as in "THE HOURS", "THE INTERPRETER". If you like Sci-Fi this is a good one, good actors and action, it is just not my kind of movie also it had me sitting on the edge once or twice. By the way it is a remake of "THE BODYSNATCHERS" with a contemporary twist.

EASTERN PROMISES

2008-01-28T17:40:00.001-08:00

STARRING:

Naomi Watts

Vincent Cassel

Armin Mueller-Stahl

Viggo Mortensohn

DIRECTED by: David Cronenberg ( Also directed the movie "CRASH" )

PLOT: The mysterious and charismatic Russian-born Nikolai Luzhin is a driver for one of London's most notorious organized crime families of Eastern European origin. The family itself is part of the Vory V Zakone criminal brotherhood. Headed by Semyon, whose courtly charm as the welcoming proprietor of the plush Trans-Siberian restaurant impeccably masks a cold and brutal core, the family's fortunes are tested by Semyon's volatile son and enforcer, Kirill, who is more tightly bound to Nikolai than to his own father. But Nikolai's carefully maintained existence is jarred once he crosses paths at Christmastime with Anna Khitrova, a midwife at a North London hospital. Anna is deeply affected by the desperate situation of a young teenager who dies while giving birth to a baby. Anna resolves to try to trace the baby's lineage and relatives. The girl's personal diary also survives her; it is written in Russian, and Anna seeks answers in it. Anna's mother Helen does not discourage her, but Anna's irascible Russian-born uncle Stepan urges caution. He is right to do so; by delving into the diary, Anna has accidentally unleashed the full fury of the Vory. With Semyon and Kirill closing ranks and Anna pressing her inquiries, Nikolai unexpectedly finds his loyalties divided. The family tightens its grip on him; who can, or should, he trust? Several lives - including his own - hang in the balance as a harrowing chain of murder, deceit, and retribution reverberates through the darkest corners of both the family and London itself.

2008-01-25T10:07:00.001-08:00