-----CLINT EASTWOOD-----

December is always period for presents and gifts. And if there is some I do love is to buy DVDs for either family and friend or even myself.

Therefore and with the aim of checking offers there might be at HMV Store, I popped in and I found something I couldn’t resist to buy, Gran Torino for a friend of mine whom is a devotee of Mr. CLINT EASTWOOD (in capital letters). And I have to say, I can’t blame him for this worship towards him.

As the day was cold, and in order to check whether the DVD was in right conditions (no skips on it, good excuse anyways…) I put it on my laptop.

And during the movie I forced myself to write something about who I consider the greatest (at least one of them) personalities on the history of the cinema.

Not only because Gran Torino is a master peace with a superb script and an amazing direction-interpretation on Eastwood side, with memorable moments as the barber shop scene… (I did need subtitles to fully enjoy it. However this is one of the most enjoyable moments in cinema in the last years)

And then make us cry a river. Or dialogues as the following, in one of the opening footages of the movie;

“-Get off my lawn-(Eastwood)

-Go back in the house-(Gangbanger)

-Yeah, I blow a hole in your face and then go in the house. And I sleep like a baby. We used to stack fuck like you 5 feet high in Korea and use you for sandbag.”

He is a living legend not only for that, but for all he made during the last 50 years as both director and actor.

When talking about Clint Eastwood, the first thing that comes up in mind is his tough character in roles such "Dirty Harry", or the large list of westerns he played all around his entire career. Under Sergio Leone’s and Don Siegel’s umbrellas Clint reached the status of big and bright Start within the spaghetti western with such unforgettable titles as “Il buono, il brutto,il cattivo”, “For a few dollars more”, “A fistful of dollars” or “2 mules and Sister Sara”.

However, would be unfair just to remember him for that.

Because, even though his very best performances have been under these 2 colossus of the 3rd art, and the role that placed him forever within the memory of all those cinema lovers will always be Harry Callahan (directed by Siegel once again); his contribution to cinema has been much more important.

He proved that sometimes words ain’t needed for making a good script, a shocking dialogue. A blood soaked fist whilst smoking peacefully a cigarette is more overwhelming than a 1233 words-conversation with snob and old-fashion words within as regular viewer believes.

He is the finest example of director-actor all-in-one despite attempts I do consider far away form his (Woody Allen as an example).

And instead of loosing efforts on either run o play, he is able to come up with a masterpiece of direction (Million Dollar Baby, Best Achievement in Directing Oscar Award) and a breathtaking performance alongside (acknowledged with a Nomination).

What’s more and to be fair with Eastwood, I should have written two different articles.

One just focused on his achievements as director and other on his awesome performances as a

n actor.

However I did decide to print my admiration towards him with a blend. Cause a fully comprehension of his work is not possible if they both don’t came gathered.

With "Unforgiven" (1992) established what many critics consider the summit of westerns,being nearly impossible to enter again in this genre nowadays without looking back to this piece.

Years later, in 1995, with "Absolute Power" he changed the rules of cops-and-robs movies as known till then, with a thriller not only well built but supported on great performances (Gene Hackman and Eastwood himself).

If all said so far hasn’t proved how meaningful and even necessary has been his contribution to the industry; somehow and beside his appearance of tough guy he shown in roles like "Dirty Harry" (1971) or even Sg. Highway in "Heartbrake Ridge" (1986), he is also able to show up with touching stories like "A perfect world" (1993), "Gran Torino" (2008) or "Mystic River" (2003) which without any doubt was the film that brought him the worthy acknowledge of both public and critics.

His prolific career still keeps him on the cutting edge (I hope for a long, long time) with a film per year. The amazing of this is that none vary substantially in quality from its previous.

And this is something to bear absolutely in mind when speaking about this art.

None has been able to cover all genres with same success Clint Eastwood has done. He is “god” when speaking of Westerns (always without ruling out other “gods” in Western Olympus such John Ford and Eastwood’s mentors Siegel and Leone). He is a reference when naming action (and with action I mean cop-and-robs and detectives kind of than popular then in the 70’s and 80’s).

But above all is a genius in the widest sense of the meaning.

Because this is the only definition I can think of when mentioning for the man who brought or upgraded such must-see and never outdates films like "Mystic River", "Unforgiven", "Il buono…", "Flags of our fathers" and "Changeling" to the category of master pieces.

.

Where The Wild Things Are

Director: Spike Jonze

Cast: Max Records, Catherine Keener, Pepita Emmerichs, Mark Ruffalo

Year: 2009

Genre: Fantasy

Rating:

Cinema-Reader – 7.4
IMDB – 7.8
FilmAffinity – 6.8


Cinema-Reader Synopsis:

Max (Max Records) is a lonely and imaginative child living within a mono-parental family looking desperately for an exit to the world he has to live into. And is after a discussion with her beloved mother (Catherine Keener) when in a getaway wearing his wolf custom finds himself in a world full of magic, 3 meter-tall and peaceful monsters in which he ends up being the king.

Beside living in a perfect kingdom with his new friends such as Carol, Ira or Douglas; he will soon discover than there is something growing deep on his heart that urges him to go back home.

Cinema-Reader Review:

Spike Jonze adapts Maurice Sendak’s classic children story where Max (superbly played by newcomer Max Records), a lonely child with a powerful and imaginative mind, shelters himself from reality into a world populated by kind-hearted creatures.

Touching film that tries to spread this classic tale aim at children to an adult audience.

And Jonze actually got it with a well driven direction and through his well-known skills in the usage of speed-movement of the camera gained during his period onto video clip industry (check as examples works with Beastie Boys, Bjork or Chemical Brothers).

AVATAR

Director: James Cameron

Cast: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez, Giovanni Ribisi

Year: 2009

Genre: Action / Sci-Fi

Rating:

Cinema-Reader – 8.4
IMDB – 8.3
FilmAffinity – 8.7

(click picture for Trailer)

Cinema-Reader Synopsis:

When Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), an ex-marine paralyzed waist down, arrives in planet Pandora he does not expected what is about to happen.

He just enrolled into the Avatar program, which will allow him to walk again although on the shoes of an Avatar.

However planet Pandora is also populated by the Navi, which peaceful existence will be interrupt as the main goal of the humans is to extract a new and priceless energetic resource down the soil of Pandora, just bellow one of the native villages.

In order to gain the trust of the Navis, Jake will have to infiltrate into their civilization as an Avatar.

This is when Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) shows up in Jake’s life, changing his perception about nature, life and Pandora itself making him to make up his mind and fight standing on Navi’s side in an epic battle against humans commanded by merciless Colonel Augustine (Stephen Lang) that jeopardize harmony within Pandora.

Cinema-Reader Review:

James Cameron’s return behind the camera after Titanic is a stunning visual piece under the umbrella of new motion capture system that makes this movie a superb experience for the viewer, even more in 3D.

According to Cameron himself, the project landed somehow on his hands years ago but is now when he felt confident enough on the current visual techniques to fulfil with this ambitious project, becoming the most expensive movie ever made so far.

All around the plot is meant to be socking for the viewer. From the natives, 3 metres tall blue creatures with ability to jump around the nature in Pandora; including Pandora and its breathtaking landscapes.

A visual exercise that for sure will make this movie became a referent in what is about to come in the future in the cinema as other movies did before within this genre (Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Ring, Tron, Blade Runner or Matrix).

A new concept in CGI Effects that makes this movie pure entertainment throughout the nearly 3 hours it lasts.

The men who stare at goats

Director: Grant Heslov

Cast: George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey, Stephen Lang

Year: 2009

Genre: Comedy

Rating:

Cinema-Reader – 7.1
IMDB – 6.9
FilmAffinity – 6.9


Cinema-Reader Synopsis:

A reporter looking desperately for a story and which life is falling apart after being dumped by his wife (Ewan McGregor) finds himself involved in a crazy and secret mission in the middle of Iraqi desert along Lyn Cassady (George Clooney), a former US army soldier working for a secret government unit.

He will be handling what a first sight seems his lifetime opportunity to straight his upside-down career.

However, he’ll soon realise that this unit under Larry Hooper’s command (Kevin Spacey) is a bit strange as they are developing completely different military techniques.

Supported on researches carried on by a nuts and hippie stylist General Bill Django (Jeff Bridges), this unit tries to create the ultimate warrior training soldiers in the usage of psychical powers using goat as targets.

Cinema-Reader Review:

After checking the cast, the viewer can expect some more than actually gets.

Clooney manages this kind of roles quite brilliantly as seen before in previous examples like “O Brother, Where are you?”, and McGregor has a natural talent to connect with people making him being just simply funny.

However, and besides the script (an adaptation of the book by Jon Robson), the movie doesn’t get let say the standards required for being a reference in the genre. What’s more, won’t be even remembered as one of the best movies of the year.

Is a pity because it has all ingredients for success.

However, without the proper blend, the outcome resulting is not attractive enough.

Cracks

Director: Jordan Scott

Cast: Eva Green, Juno Temple, Maria Valverde

Year: 2009

Genre: Drama

Rating:

Cinema-Reader – 7.3
IMDB – 7.4
FilmAffinity – 6.0

Cinema-Reader Synopsis:

Miss G. (Eva Green) is a young and enigmatic teacher on an all-girls English school during the II WW leading a group of young students on her swimming classes.

Her conception of life; travels and love is catching deeply on them all, especially on Di (Juno Temple).

However, the appearance of Fiamma (Maria Valverde), a Spanish new student, will suppose a huge change into life and principles of every girl within the group, changing even their devotion and fascination towards Miss. G.

They soon will discover life goes further than they'd ever imagined, far away from the schools fences and walls surrounding them.

Cinema-Reader Review:

Jordan Scott’s first movie ever (Ridley Scott’s daughter and Tony's niece) dives into life of a group of young girls, their fascinations, desires, hopes, dreams and problems; all reflected on the figure of Miss. G (Eva Green).

Eva Green (already a long way since her first main role in Bertolucci’s "The Dreamers"), that looks gorgeous on screen by the way, seems perfect for the role of an enigmatic woman full of security and fear at the same time within her inner existence, and although of her french roots, she overtakes this handicap to achieve a priceless outcome with a really outstanding performance.

Cracks moves into the same story line than other movies like "Dead Poets Society" or "Mona Lisa Smile", but without falling in the short cut of being a copy cat of the before named pieces.

Well driven and with a good taste for eroticism (rushing away from manners and straight conception of eroticism of other European authors like Almodovar), this movie tries to explore deeply how admiration can be mixed up becoming a false and blind worship.

Besides something is missing in its way, the movie ends up as a very advisable choice.

-----501 MUST-SEE MOVIES-----

December. Christmas time is coming upon us.

That means time for editorial to launch new releases in what can be considered as the most prolific period for sales.

Loads of books aims at cinema are now on the bookcases of all libraries all around the world.

Books with different topics, ideas, styles. However all with a common denominator: the 7^th Art.

And here I come with my last purchase, and in this case is not a DVD to place among my already enormous collection. A book. Yes, this is me buying a book.

Do not panic. I haven’t made up my mind. I’ll always wait for a book made movie.

However just the title of this book attract my attention despite is not something new.

“501 must-see movies”.

A list that displays what can be deemed as the top 501 movies ever made so far.

A list classified by genre, in chronological order according to opinion of 5 well-known critics within the film industry.

Despite I do not agree with some titles included, there is something great within this book. Choices go further than box, or even awards.

Writers picked some movies that you’d never include in this list because you might be pretty sure film archives are plenty of films better than the one included. However, and this is the great point of it, these movies has been placed within this list because they has been a starting point in cinema.

They supposed a change in the way a genre was made. What could have been of adventure and Sci-fi genre without Matrix and his image capture techniques?

This is a clear example of how this list has been carried out. Matrix is not the best Sci-fi movie ever, but however created a precedent that has been used, sometimes overused, afterwards.

Other movies have been included just for the fact they are masterpieces. Spartacus, Ben-Hur, Metropolis, Cleopatra, Lord of the Ring, The odd couple, It’s a wonderful life, The bicycle thief, Night of living dead, Roman Holiday, Out of Africa, Seven, The Dirty Dozen or Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

However, and as said before, there are others I don’t agree at all.

Ruling out such a great movies as The Bridge on the River Kwai, A man called Horse or either old-style or brand-new The Bourne Identity whilst ruling in such bullshit as Austin Powers, The Mummy, A.I. and Troy can be considered just as a slip-up…Nothing is perfect…

Here you can find the entire list. Check it our and make up your own opinion.

http://www.listology.com/list/501-must-see-movies

Enjoy it.

“501 must-see movies”

Bountry Books Ed.

31/12/03

(PVP 9.99 €)

Planet 51

Director: Jorge Blanco

Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Jessica Biel, Gary Oldman, John Cleese

Year: 2009

Genre: Animation

Rating:

Cinema-Reader – 7.0
IMDB – 6.0
FilmAffinity – 6.1


Cinema-Reader Synopsis:

All in Planet 51 is completely normal.
Sunny day means BBQ. Ladies take a walk with their dogs and milkman leaves his deliver in the front door every day like clockwork.

However, something is about to change their life and idea about the Universe, above all for Lem, a teenager working in the local planetarium as a junior assistant that is pretty sure the universe is 5000 miles wide; when a space rocket lands on his back garden, bringing big-mouth and pig-headed Captain Charles T. Backer (Dwayne Johnshon) within.

What at the beginning seemed as a pushover space walk for Backer turns into an adventure helped by his new fella Lem to get back on time to the spaceship for the take-off and to runway of General Grawl (Gary Oldman) and a nutty doctor obsessed with extracting brains for scientifically proposes (John Cleese).

Cinema-Reader Review:

Although it has been panned by the critics with such tough reviews as “a lame-brained toon that even kids will recognize as an insipid goof on sci-fi conventions (Variety)”, and I partially agree, but I consider is probably a bit overrated not to acknowledge the fact that the 3D animation is simply terrific.
The script is on Joe Stillman, the mind who brought us both masterpieces like Shreck I and II. I do agree with the point that the script is a little disjointed. Tries to get an easy laugh with references of other movies that labelled this genre like "E.T.", "2001: A Space Odyssey" or "Star Wars".

However I consider that overtakes what we saw in other recently 3D charts like "Cloudy with chances a of meatballs".

Summing up, the first raid on 3D high budgeted animation fulfilled by a Spanish company is simply good.
Is not great because whatever we compare with a Pixar creation tends to have no good ending.
Won’t be remembered in following years because we have already seen "Toy Story", "Shreck", "Monster Inc" or "Wall-E".

Despite of all these, I am happy with the outcome of this “Made in Spain” movie.

New Moon, The Twilight Saga

Director: Chris Weitz

Cast: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattison, Taylor Lautner, Michael Sheen

Year: 2009

Genre: Romance

Rating:

Cinema-Reader – 4.9
IMDB – 4.6
FilmAffinity – 5.7


Cinema-Reader Synopsis:

After vampires attack suffered by Bella (Kristen Stewart) and a nasty incident during her birthday party, Edward (Robert Pattison) realized that keeping her aside from his world will be a tough task. Therefore, he takes a harsh call deciding to keep her far from him in order to avoid jeopardize her life.
However, she does not see that in the same way, falling into a deep sorrow that will disturb her dreams since then.

What seemed to be impossible, Edward showing up again into Bella’s life; did happen caused by a misunderstanding. However, this will lead both to deal with something against their unnatural and strong love.

Cinema-Reader Review:

I don’t get what people see on this movie and the whole saga though.
Starting since minute 1 I already had a weird sensation going around. Somehow I found myself being stuck on the seat, when I should have been running down the aisle heading the emergency exit.
However and against what seemed reasonably, I stood still until the end of a movie basically made to raise money on the blockbuster robbing straight from teen’s pockets. Because this film is aimed to they and all those which their lineal thinking avoids see what´s on in the cinema besides crap and rubbish.

The starring couple; no words… What a deathly dull performance…
And the dude that used well every second on screen to show his “six-pack”…

Haven’t seen such a lousy movie in a long while. Check out the rates. No further comments regarding this.

Law Abiding Citizen

Director: F. Gary Gray

Cast: Gerard Butler, Jamie Foxx, Colm Meaney, Bruce McGill

Year: 2009

Genre: Thriller / Action

Rating:

Cinema-Reader – 7.2

IMDB – 7.3

FilmAffinity – 6.4

Cinema-Reader Synopsis:

Justice ain’t fair once again when Clyde Shelton (Gerald Butler) loses his wife and daughter under brutal circumstances, as the killer is released when Shelton’s plaintiff lawyer, ambitious Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx), reaches an agreement with defendant in order to secure the case.

After feeling betrayed, Clyde Shelton turns into a merciless psycho and starts a countdown punishing in his own way, and thanks to his wide knowledge of engineering, to all those he considers responsible for his family murder and the lack of justice made during their prosecution. Even when locked down under custody in a secure prison, Clyde still is being able to strike with his particular hammer of justice without anyone, Rice included, could do nothing to avoid it.

Cinema-Reader Review:

New action/thriller movie that grab the topic of a normal guy living a normal live till something happens. This something is the murder of his wife and daughter.

Witnesses of this awful happening, Clyde Shelton (Gerald Butler) becomes into a particular avenger full of anger and hate towards all those he believes are responsible for the death of his entire family.

Sounds familiar, isn’t it?

It is indeed.

However, and somehow (I couldn’t figure it out yet) this films turns more interesting according the time passes.

Finally Gerald Butler gets another role since breathtaking "300" that makes him being on of the starlets within the current film industry for his own rights after such unclassified failures as "Gamer", "The Ugly Truth" or "P.S. I Love you" (what the hell he was thinking of?).

Alongside him, Jamie Foxx (always solid performing) and the superb Colm Meaney (I almost open up an account with Halifax after seeing him on its ad…)

Harry Brown

Director: Daniel Barber

Cast: Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Liam Cunningham

Year: 2009

Genre: Thriller

Rating:

Cinema-Reader – 8.0
IMDB – 7.9
FilmAffinity – 6.9


Cinema-Reader Synopsis:

Harry Brown (Michael Caine) is a retired ex serviceman of the Royal Marine and recently widower living peacefully within one of the most dangerous and lawless hoods in England, ruled by gangs of youths and drug dealers.

However, this peace will be stopped when his all time friend is brutally murdered by one of these gangs.

As police enforcement lead by stubborn Detective Frampton (Emily Mortimer) is unable to prosecute the killers, Harry decides to take law on his own hands turning a merciless vigilante taking revenge for his friend death.

Cinema-Reader Review:

On his second ever movie, Daniel Barber brings a brutal view of the increasingly problem suffered by some inner cities in England where drugs and gun related crime are a daily basis routine. An approach close to a mix between Scorsese (at his very beginning) and some details "made in" Guy Ritchie (i.e. the first frame of the movie).

The film has caused a huge controversial on the always narrow-minded and two-faced British society, due to the explicit violent scene that contains. However, this dismay has been justified by the filmmaker saying this movie had to be made. And I totally agree.

Beyond the fact that has violent frames indeed, the film dives deeply in a suburban world in which violence and smuggling are the only ways to keep you alive, avoiding any kind of clichés always used when showing street gangs.

And violence is the only way to show violence.

Having said that, I must confess Michael Caine (never imagine this kind of role could suit on him that much) plays a stunning role, making this film really interesting.