Children Of Men

A brilliant movie based on the the P D James book "Children Of Men". Clearly of all the visions of the future movie audiences have been treated to over the past few years, the world of Children of Men may be the most frightening and allegorically effective yet.

Theo, a journalist with connections to the top, is persuaded by his ex-wife and fish member Julian to obtain some exit papers for Kee a young black woman, who, it turns out, is pregnant. Theo is swept up in Kee's escape across a grim decaying landscape. Not only are there the security forces to contend with, but some equally ruthless insurgents. Cuaron builds the tension exquisitely, interspersing the adrenaline fueled bits with quieter bits.

As a thriller, the film is blisteringly intense and incredibly effective. From the bomb blast that caps off the opening credits to the frenzied urban warfare sequences that dominate the film's closing thirty minutes, Cauron never lets the film lag. Though it slows down enough to deal with character development and exposition, the film maintains a running intensity as Theo and Kee try to stay one step ahead of terrorists, the police, the army and random opportunists. Several action scenes are shot in continuous takes, and make for compelling and electrifying viewing.

The film has a great look and feel to it, the cinematography and the use of the environment is great. This movie is also compared to Casablanca in many aspects (read an interesting review - http://www.alternatetakes.co.uk/?2006,12,116 ).

101 Things To Do Before You Die...

I happened to watch a programme on the BBC called "50 things to do before you die"....an amazing 1hr show which motivated me in writing this blog (after ages I reckon). So, here it goes;

1. Ride in a hot air balloon.
2. Drive a Ferrari on the Autobahn.
3. Swim with a dolphin.
4. Take a walk on Great Wall of China.
5. Bungee jumping.
6. Skydiving/Base-jumping.
7. White river rafting.
8. Exploring an underground cave.
9. Para sailing.
10. Witness the Northern Lights.
11. Snorkeling and scuba diving at Australia's Great Barrier Reef.
12. Watching a live FIFA world cup final.
13. Lemon tea and buns at a roadside shop.
14. A visit to Paris.
15. Exploring constellations in the midnight sky.
16. Run a Marathon.
17. Trekking along a railway line.
18. Watching chocolates being made (and make them yourselves).
19. Compose your own theme music.
20. Throw a huge party and invite every one of your friends.
21. Have your portrait painted.
22. Write the novel you know you have inside you.
23. Backpacking in Europe.
24. Learn to speak a foreign language and make sure you use it.
25. Tell someone the story of your life, sparing no details.
26. Learn to rollerblade.
27. Get a tattoo
28. Go skinnydipping at midnight.
29. Watch the launch of the space shuttle.
30. Visit the Great Pyramid.
31. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment (giggle-loop).
32. Spend a whole day eating junk food without feeling guilty.
33. Be an extra in a film.
34. Make love on a forest floor.
35. Brew your own beer.
36. Buy a roundtheworld air ticket, a backpack, and run away.
37. Midnight walk on a beach.
38. Grow a beard and leave it for atleast a month.
39. Stayed up all night long and watch the sun rise.
40. Take a week long road-trip.
41. Ride a camel into the desert.
42. Watch a meteor shower.
43. Give your mother a dozen red roses and tell her you love her.
44. Be a member of the audience in a TV show.
45. Send a message in a bottle.
46. Taken a candlelit bath with someone.
47. Learn to ballroom dance properly.
48. Ride the TransSiberian Express across Asia.
49. Sit on a jury (be unbiased and righteous).
50. Drink beer at Oktoberfest in Munich.
51. Shower in a waterfall.
52. Learn to play a musical instrument with some degree of skill.
53. Teach someone illiterate to read.
54. Watched a lightning storm at sea.
55. Spend a night in a haunted house by yourself.
56. Experience weightlessness.
57. Have a snowball fight.
58. Write down your personal mission statement, follow it, and revise it from time to time.
59. See a lunar eclipse.
60. A gondola ride in Venice.
61. Get passionate about a cause and spend time helping it, instead of just thinking about it.
62. Sing a great song in front of an audience.
63. Ask someone you've only just met to go on a date.
64. Walk the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa.
65. Drive across America from coast to coast.
66. Pretended to be a superhero.
67. Make a complete and utter fool of yourself.
68. Spend six months getting your body into optimum shape.
69. Own one very expensive but absolutely wonderful business suit.
70. Sleep under the stars.
71. Take a ride on the highest roller coaster in the country.
72. Go wild in Rio during Carnival.
73. Spend a whole day reading a great novel.
74. Learn to juggle with three balls.
75. Grow a garden.
76. Had a one-night stand.
77. Raft through the Grand Canyon.
78. Donate money and put your name on something: a college scholarship, a bench in the park.
79. Buy your own house and then spend time making it into exactly what you want.
80. Learn to use a microphone and give a speech in public.
81. Attend one really huge rock concert.
82. Shave your head.
83. Give to a charity anonymously.
84. Lose more money than you can afford at roulette in Vegas.
85. Make yourself spend a halfday at a concentration camp and swear never to forget.
86. Run to the top of the Statue of Liberty.
87. Create your Family Tree.
88. Hit a hole-in-one on a golf course.
89. Ski on a Double Black Diamond trail (atleast a Green circle).
90. Learn to bartend.
91. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over.
92. Broken a bone.
93. Reflect on your greatest weakness, and realize how it is your greatest strength.
94. Kiss your sweetheart in the rain.
95. Gone to a drive-in theater.
96. Been on a television show as an "expert".
97. Been on a cruise ship
98. Created and named your own constellation of stars.
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Forgive yourself.
101. Be the boss.

Cinema Paradiso

This is such a difficult film to describe in words because all of it is heartfelt emotion. This is a movie about the magic of the movies. It manipulates your perception of reality, suspends your disbelief, and ultimately either alter or affirm your view on life. It is the near-perfect blending of direction, acting, script, sound track, and cinematography. Ennio Morriconne's music is charming throughout, always totally in keeping with the images on screen and the intentions of the story.

Perhaps it was with this in mind that Tornatore made his modern masterpiece. Whatever the reason, the result is a beautifully nostalgic, utterly heart wrenching romantic waltz. Cinema Paradiso is almost certainly the most emotionally engaging film about a love of film ever made.

Do check out the trailer below...