When you can't remember the name of a film???

Like a shazam for movies - this is great - http://www.whatismymovie.com/

'The Visitor' (2011)

This is a beautiful, touching film about a widower who discovers that 'illegal immigrants' are squatting in his city apartment after leaving it empty for a long time. I loved this film especially when the professor learns the drums. Highly recommended. 

Second Hand Wedding

'Second Hand Wedding' is a New Zealand film. It gets off to a pretty rocky start and as one of the comments I read said, "The irony here as you begin to watch Second-Hand Wedding is that you feel as if you are watching a second-hand copy!! ". Stick with it though - it is full of treasures. The story is beautiful. I went to see it in the Stratford theatre for International Women's Day this week. The film shows a range of relationships and experiences and I would highly recommend it. Lots of laughs and a few tears. Margaret and David reviewed it here - At The Movies: Second Hand Wedding

Broken Hill

This film is set in outback Australia. It's about music, crossing the threshold into adulthood and redemption. I loved it.

The Sapphires

I finally watched this film this week. It's very good. Based on a true story about a group of Australian girls who toured Vietnam to entertain the troops. The relationships and family scenes are gold. The music is wonderful. I highly recommend this. Others do too, it won awards.

I was kind of amused (because I've never been thrilled  with how the US treats Australian film), but mostly offended at this article: The Age: Furore over 'sexist, racist' Sapphires DVD cover for US release. How can they get it so wrong?

 

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Still fabulous even the second time around. I went to see it last year and blogged about it a couple of times on my other blog. Solid gold actors, gentle challenges humorously handled. Love it!

The Intouchables

The Intouchables is one of the funniest films I've seen in a long time. It's irreverent and uplifting and I highly recommend it. The version I watched is French with English subtitles and it was worth putting aside all distractions to watch and enjoy. This film is my favourite so far this year.

Searching for Sugarman

I listened to Rodriguez in the park on the way to school where we would stop for a sneaky smoke before school. I'd downloaded his music on my ipod and I had no idea about his story until I saw this great film. What a story!

Django Unchained

It's hard to anticipate a film you are looking forward to seeing. As a big fan of the writer/director, you can have high expectations. I totally enjoyed 'Django Unchained'. I'm too biased in favour of Tarantino to give a decent review, so here are a coupl from professionals:

The Australian: Tarantino is unrestrained
ABC: At The Movies




 

$9.99

This stop motion animation features many great Australian voices, Anthony LaPaglia, Ben Mendelsohn, Geoffry Rush and others. It's set in an apartment building and is like having a coffee and watching the world go by, but a bit more intense and personal. I enjoyed it.

The Soloist

I loved this film. It touched me in many ways. It is a great story that reveals lots of human themes such as friendship, judgement, values, commitment and love. It gives insight into homelessness and mental health. I watched it last night and I want to see it again. The music was precious as were the characters. All of them. This film is good.

Planet Terror

I loved Deathproof and have only tonight managed to watch 'Planet Terror'. I started to watch it once, but the horror genre is not my thing and I got a bit put off by the zombies. After a conversation with my son, I had another attempt tonight. It was great. I am glad I persisted. The final scene was my favourite though. Great characters as you can expect from Rodriguez.

Marie Antoinette (2006)

Fluffy, light and delicious. Historically innacurate with a great sound track. This Kirsten Dunst film was exactly what I was in the mood for tonight. I love the colour and costume. The food and scenery were great as well. Let them eat cake indeed.

TED: James Nachtwey Prize Wish

The Wish



Watch James Nachtwey's talk on TED talks. I have to warn you though, if you are human, you will probably cry.

The Waitress

The Waitress is another romantic comedy recommended by a bloke. There are some really funny parts to it and the romance is believable. The misery a little too real for me, however it did have divine pies in it and a happy enough ending. I liked this review, What I Watched Last Night: Waitress.

My favourite part I think was the lack of enthusiasm for the pregnancy, yet the joy at the birth. I think this is sometimes the way it is and yet it's not really an often confessed reaction.

Lars and the Real Girl

This film was recommended to me by two guys and because it's a romantic comedy and I love these men, I couldn't wait to see it. It's not every day men recommend the romantic comedy genre. I should have known there would be a blow up doll involved!

Seriously though, it is a touching story and much more than a funny love story. If only there were communities like that. People that didn't judge or become repulsed by peoples weirdness. Communities that tolerated and cared instead of medicating or ignoring others pain.

It was a beautiful story and I highly recommend it.

There Will Be Blood

This film is great without a doubt. There are wonderful scenes and remarkable scenery and Daniel Day Lewis does a fine job. I marvelled at how the baby in the beginning scenes survived in such a polluted environment.

My favourite review is by Richard Schickel in Time. Not many negative reviews to be found on this one.

The Painted Veil

This film was the kind of love story you can believe, complete with human frailties and errors. I want to read all W.Somerset Maugham's books now. It was so beautiful. The setting was great. It was set in China. The political and historical background was interesting. I loved the scene where the Nationalist soldier was negotiating/interpreting with the local warlord. It was clever.

I read 'The Moon and Sixpence' a couple of years ago and found it so rich in it's characters and their transformations and I found this story to be similar. They are very authentic....touching, human and moving.

I recommend this film. I totally enjoyed it.

Into the Wild

I absolutely loved this film. Sean Penn did the screenplay and directed it. It's based on a true story about a young man who adventures out into the world leaving behind comforts to travel and survive on his own smarts. It's a beautiful film, revealing natural and human treasures.
'Into the Wild' tells the story of my favourite kind of people. Self sufficient adventurers, I find very attractive. I highly recommend it.

The Golden Compass

'The Golden Compass' is based on the fantasy novel 'Northern Lights' by Philip Pullman. It is the first in the trilogy 'His Dark Materials'. The production of the other two will apparently depend on the success of the first. People who have read the book are apparently displeased with the film. I am not one of them. I intend to read the book one day though.

I enjoyed the film. The acting and settings were great. I liked the fast pace and variety of action. I especially loved the song 'Lyra' written and performed by Kate Bush.