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Lost in Translation (2003)
Finding the translation - in connection.
I watched this film when it came out and fell in love with the visuals and connection. I didn't completely understand or have the words to describe the emotions it brought then. I watched it again a few days ago and I see things more clearly empathically.
Both Bob and Charlotte are "lost" and they "translate" throughout the course of the film. Neither can sleep well and are out of sorts with themselves and out of sync with their chosen lives. The contrast of a backdrop that is alien to them makes it easy to meet each other.
For a brief moment in time they find each other in the same place with the same disconnect, they have random fun together and one of the moments of realisation they have a connection was when they were doing karaoke when they had relaxed and became more open.
Their choice of songs and words show Bob's age difference, but also seemed like they were trying to get each others attention with Charlotte's "Brass in Pocket" and Bob's "More Than This" in their ways they were acknowledging each other for the first time and actually seeing and feeling what they needed.
This led to an intimacy with each other that is respecful, tender and caring.
One of the most intimate, in sync moments for me is when they are curled up on their seperate sides of a bed watching a film, then start talking to each other and Charlotte puts her feet on Bob's side and he strokes her foot lightly and then they both fall asleep together. Both in sync with each other and feeling safe.
That is a completely different level of acceptance, safety and intimacy than just having sex.
It makes my heart ache for them both.
I hope that connection made them live better and truer to themselves, and I am just grateful I got to witness that cathartic intimacy displayed so beautifully and visually.
Strange Magic (2015)
Really enjoyable family movie for all
Everyone enjoyed this movie, from a 3 yr old up to a Granny.
It had music, singing, humour, swords, action and was beautifully animated.
Even difficult customers like the 7 and 8 yr old boys enjoyed it! That is one tough thing to achieve as they are the harshest critics.
I can understand why people may have got annoyed with all the singing, but open your heart <3
It is actually Strange and also Magical. Not what you expect and was a nice challenge on not judging people and accepting love with whoever you fall in love with.
John Wick (2014)
Excellent action movie
First off, in Keanu's personal life he has suffered quite horrific tragedy with his ex girlf and sister dying, so I felt that watching his wife in this circumstance dying would be quite horrible for him to go through. It is an interesting choice to say the least, as surely you would want to act out the opposite to real life? Maybe it was cathartic.
Secondly, this is an action movie with sprinklings of black humour throughout. Little real life moments where it comes up for air and then swiftly ducks it head back down into the crime world. I really appreciated that! The whole "did he really just get away with that?" kind of moment.
The storyline isn't award winning, or the Russian accents spot on, but as an action movie, how many of them have you felt the accents weren't right? Or the storyline wasn't so cripplingly in depth? I can think of many whose entire story plot could be written in a paragraph. Enjoy it for what it is and stop looking for a super elite snobby art-house film that isn't there. It is an ACTION movie.
I like the premise that the powerful crime people have access to a world with their own currency that separates them from the civilians, why couldn't that be a possibility? The hotel and club scene in the basement reminded me of Constantine a bit.
Sometimes you need a bit of simplicity in your life and a direct approach to things, and this film has you rooting for the good-bad guy (John), and that means some emotional investment, which works for me.
Constantine (2014)
Fan-tastic
First of, the Keanu film - it is a good film, but it is nothing like John Constantine in the comics. Not really.
When I saw this series was coming out I had low expectations as it would take a real fanboy to make this work. In some respects, the Keanu film brought Constantine to the masses and paved the way for this series so people at least knew it was about demons etc.
The man playing Constantine is from Swansea, not Liverpool, doesn't smoke and is not completely 100%, but plays the part really really well. For those small differences, I can ignore them. Ryan is a good Constantine, and feels real.
The pilot was almost cheesy different from the rest of the episodes. I enjoyed it, but I wasn't sure where it would go. Episode 2 onwards is where it finds its feet.
There is a lot of fan references within the episodes to geek over, the casting is brilliant, the story lines are believable and after watching episode 5, it left me feeling really depressed. That may sound bad, but the morality and choices that need to be made, has emotional impact. I care about the characters, the story is interesting and real, whenever I genuinely feel emotion when watching something, means it is very good.
I wish I could watch this new again and binge watch the first 5 episodes in a row. Really recommend this and want to see where it is going.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Disappointed
I was really excited from seeing the review score on here, and all the hype I had heard from other people via social media. I eagerly pressed play.
The initial opening scene was quite intense and moving, and I was quite taken aback by how that went. I wondered if this level of intensity would set the bar for character development throughout the film and I was immediately grasped.
My illusions were soon dashed as the film fast forwards to when the boy is "grown up" and is stealing an item. He is most definitely not grown up, and a complete idiot. I guess this bit is meant to appeal to 6 yr olds? It is almost as bad as trump jokes. I cringed.
I let it slide and hoped for better. It got exciting when the chase scene was happening. Then they went to prison, then they broke out, and then they tried to sell the item. That pretty much summarises the whole film.
The main protagonist is a buffoon, who swears a few times for good measure (kids watch this film...), the only character that seemed to develop was Draxx as he reflects on his poor choices. The bad guy isn't even scary - he doesn't do that much.
Compare the bad guy to Loki and the difference is infinite.
No character development apart from a 1 minute scene with Draxx. The annoying Rocket character that had zero impact, a non entity villain, a weak weak weak plot line and the dialogue was so flimsy. In fact, most of the characters flip flopped around in reasons to do things that didn't really make logical sense.
The only saving graces were the planet scenery and make up. I hesitate to say the cinematography as it was CGI. The worst bit (out of many) was where the Racoon decided he wanted a man's prosthetic limb to escape the prison, and then sniggered about how he wanted to see the guy hop about - I actually found this really offensive and don't want my children to think that is a) funny and b) OK. The best bit was the soundtrack.
Overall a very disappointing, disjointed film. It felt as jarring as Star Trek: Into Darkness coupled with Star Wars "Jar Jar Binks" and a smidge of the Goonies (but nowhere near as good!).