The Hours - Stephen Daldry - 2005
Recommended by: S Nair
Nicole Kidman won an Oscar for playing Virginia Woolf in this film and even had an anti-nose job to more accurately mirror her character. The brilliant Meryl Streep and Julianne Moore also star in this film. We follow 3 stories lead by our tragic heroines living in the 1920s (?), 1950s, and 2000s. This film is a must for any feminist or anyone looking for a drama and heart ache. The soundtrack was an exceptional complement for each of the time periods--music always knows how to penetrate an audience's heart. If a film can be both floral and dark, this one achieved it. While this isn't the type of film I'd watch twice, I was very impressed with how each story line exposed feminist highlights of the 3 eras.
Look out for: Toni Collette, Ed Harris, and Claire Daines
Rating: [X]Like it []Love It []Gotta Have It
Blue Velvet - David Lynch - 1986
Laura Dern for president! At my age, my peers probably know her best for her sensational role in the Jurassic Parks, or as Ben Harper's wife. She is to David Lynch what Johnny Depp is to Tim Burton, or something. A first for David Lynch's work--I think I followed the story line and understood it almost completely. That's probably because our protagonists were in highschool so they had to reiterate and verbalize everything they were thinking all the time. The boy found a human ear and is trying to trace it back to its owner. Things go from bad to disturbing when he breaks into a suspects apartment and hides in the closet. The villian in this film got high off helium, I believe was sadistic and masochistic, and victim of the Oedipal Complex. Definitely not a flattering Halloween costume idea. Several scenes in this film were personally uncomfortable to watch, but when it's all said and done, thrilling and momentous.
Look out for: Some scenes appeared to have been shot in Champaign.
Rating: [X]Like it []Love It []Gotta Have It
Moulin Rouge - Baz Luhrmann - 2001
This is one of those films that reveal the ending in the very beginning. I suppose this is effective in trying to rule out pretentious viewers' complaints that sequences or outcomes were predictable. The focus of this film is not how it all ends, but the beauty of the mise en scene and the rivetting, dramatic performances of our characters (namely the beautiful Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGreggor). I can't believe I haven't watched this sooner. The song selection and how clever it was laced into dialogue was simply mad and genius. I can only imagine how exhausting it was to shoot this film. Fascinating and compelling, almost any freeze frame in this film would make a killer movie poster or wallpaper for my Blackberry.
Look out for: Nirvana and Madonna
Rating: []Like it []Love It [X]Gotta Have It
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