Films I've seen in 2009 - Vol I

DOUBT
Writer and director: John Patrick Shanley
Cast: Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffmann, Amy Adams, Viola Davis
My vote: 5/5
-Set at a Catholic school in 1964, it centers on a nun who grows suspicious when a priest begins taking too much interest in the life of a young black student. Is she being overly protective or not protective enough? And can she work within the system to discover the truth?-

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I and Kristi went to see "Doubt" today. It was certainly one of the best films I've seen so far in 2009. It was appealing till the end and with excellent cast as well as carefully thought out. I guess the films - where everything is not shown black and white, told directly to the audience - are better remembered than the others. Too obvious stories are boring and forgotten more easily - isn't it so? Well, this is the film where nothing is too obvious - everyone will decide herself what exactly happened. I loved all the details in the film - the strong wind which was symbolic in the story - changing wind... in nature, in epoch, in religion; the difference between the lives of nuns and priests (the first dining in the silence and latter enjoying their dinners with wine and loud laughs); the severalty of black and white people.Meryl Streep did excellent cast, she was playing a powerful, "old school" woman and she was very convincing. I also liked Amy Adams in her shy uncertain character which came out natural as well. Certainly worth to watch!

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CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

Writer: Eric Roth

Director: David Fincher

Cast: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Julia Ormond

My vote: 4/5

-It is a story of a man who is born in his eighties and ages backwards. A man, like any of us, is unable to stop time. His life is followed from the end of World War I in 1918 until the 21st century. It's a time traveler's tale of the people and places he bumps into along the way, the loves he loses and finds, the joys of life and sadness of death, and what lasts beyond time. -

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Yesterday, I and Aune went to see "Benjamin Button". I was very curious about this film as well as sceptical. First - will I find the story of a man who starts aging backwards veracious enough? Second- is this film too long to sit almost 3 hours without strethcing your legs? Third - will Brad Pitt be as handsome as he has been in other films? With these thoughts in my mind, I went to see this film. In a way, I wasn't disappointed. The film wasn't too long at all - the time passed by, the tension and curiousity was always up; and Brad Pitt was as handsome as always, especially in the end, when he was young and wrinkless :). But... the story itself... I loved parts of it, but there was one big problem for me: the film reminded me too much of Forrest Gump and to be honest, somewhere I felt the originality is lost... I just couldn't help myself of drawing the parralels with Forrest Gump - the film I've enjoyed in the past very much. Later, after the film, I read that the writer was actually the same as for Forrest Gump - so without knowing it, the handwriting was so obvious... But all in all, it was a great story, well-played cast - both by Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett; and it wasn't a waste of time. In a way, it was a bit untrue, but I know it's my fault - I'm too realistic to believe that something like that has really happened...

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REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

Writers: Justin Haythe (screenplay) Richard Yates (novel)

Director: Sam Mendes

Cast: Leonardo diCaprio, Kate Winslett, Michael Shannon, Kathy Bates

My vote: 5/5

-The film is a portrait of an American marriage through the eyes of April and Frank Wheeler in 1950's. A question is posed: can two people break away from the ordinary without breaking apart? Frank and April have always seen themselves special, different, ready and willing to live their lives based on higher ideals. Can they do that in reality, too? -

Photo: www.allmoviephoto.com In January 30, I and Erik went to see "Revolutionary Road". I was inquistive how DiCaprio and Winslet would play together after a big blast of Titanic more than 10 years ago (the only film I've gone to see in the movies twice!). And I wasn't disappointed in a bit. I loved this film! It made me think of so many life issues, it made me find the different angles in life and the most important: it made me understand how people often escape from the truth, and until the truth is pleasant, they like to hear it and are delighed when someone says it to them; but when it becomes unwanted, it makes them angry to hear the truth. It made me also think how much we struggle ourselves to show a normal, happy family life to our neighbours, general public, friends... while inside of us, we might feel absolutely opposite... Over a long time, it was a film what touched all my senses.
Worth to watch - definitely!