To let five children into his secret chocolate factory, Willy Wonka makes five golden tickets. And when Charlie Bucket finds one of those winning tickets, he is in for the most fantastic day of his life.
I was never really into the books of Roald Dahl, while they were pretty popular when I was young. And I wasn't a fan of Tim Burton either. So it came as quite a surprise when I enjoyed this movie. It wasn't until later that I realized how much I actually had enjoyed it.
I was going through some movies when I found 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' again. I knew it had entertained me, but I had to see it that second time to realize what an unique movie it was. It just proves again how movies don't have to be adult or children only. And how family movies don't have to be all nice and cuddly.
That's probably the thing I like the most about the story. This big chocolate maker every child loves, isn't a lovely man at all. Played brilliantly by Johnny Depp. There's a fine balance between funny weird and just weird and he pretty much keeps it steady at the funny part. Another fun family movie to enjoy on this casual Monday.
Seeing his family struggle for money his whole youth, George Jung plans to make a different life for himself. And he soon finds smuggling weed is going to get it. But times change and the 70’s is all about cocaine. Changing his business model to the white substance, George is making more than he can count. But his daemons are closing up on him and they are about to go into a higher gear.
I like to search for new movies by director. Authors, the type who put their stamp onto a movie, have a low failure rate. If you like their movies, there's a big chance you'll like their new movie too. But checking for the director of Blow, I found the director probably did a couple of blows too much himself.
And I think his relation with the powder shines trough in this movie. Showing the good and the bad days. Understanding what this man, George Jung, went trough. As a user and a father himself. And not only helped by some great performances, but also by a soundtrack I can play over and over.
It may not be the best study of the drugs industry. It might not be the best biopic ever made. But it's one hell of an entertaining casual popcorn! And have a coke while you're at it.
All Olive wants is to win the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant. But to do so, the whole family has to get to California in time. And since this isn’t the ordinary family, it is not as easy as it sounds. Uncle Frank just tried to commit suicide. Grandpa Edwin, also Olive’s coach, is a drug addict. Son Dwayne just took a vow of silence. And motivational speaker and father Frank isn’t even able to motivate his own family.
I'd say this is a perfect match for a casual Monday. Little Miss Sunshine might be a classic feel good movie, but it does contain a fair amount of well written drama. It is a funny movie, but you can still take it serious. What I'm trying to say is, that it has a perfect balance. The main reason for this, is the character driven story. All family members have their own problems. And although these are real problems, the movie lightens them up. Not by plainly making fun of them, but by relativating them in a funny way.
And while Steve Carell shows he can do serious guys too, little Miss Sunshine herself, Abigail Breslin, is the most impressive. I'm not sure if she really is a great actress or just a really sweet girl, who can do her lines very well. But both are impressive. She is what makes this into the perfect quirky and charming movie to get through this Easter Monday.
Tom Ripley meets the wealthy father of Dicky Greenleaf. He wants his playboy son to come back from Italy and gives Tom $1,000 for doing so. But when Tom gets there, he falls in love with Dicky and his wife Marge. Actually, he gets obsessed and eventually just wants to become Dicky Greenleaf. And Dicky himself isn’t going to stop him.
Making of the Soundtrack:
As a movie that can be found in the DVD budget bin, this is one of the more underrated mainstream movies of the last decennium in my opinion. Maybe not during its release, making $80 million, but certainly after it. Particularly the performance of Matt Damon, as a twisted psycho copier, is very convincing. He want to become this playboy so bad, he just does everything to get there. I couldn't help myself but be totally drawn into the story.
The romantic Italian scenery and the music add a lot to the atmosphere -- you can check the music in the video above. Everything takes place in all these great but every day places. While other thrillers might choose a dark and gritty set. It makes for a tensional psychodrama, that isn't the easy forgettable type.
Lars is an introvert young man, living in the modified garage of his married brother. He holds back from any contact and can’t even handle being touched by friends or family. One day, one of his cubicle colleagues tells him about a place where you can buy a real size doll. While Lars doesn’t seem impressed, soon a big package arrives on his and his brother’s doorstep. From then on he takes Bianca, the open-mouthed sex doll, everywhere he goes in her wheelchair. And everyone has to get used to Lars being convinced she is the real deal.
It was about a week ago when one of our readers, A. Caleb Hartley from 'environmentastic', reminded me about this movie. And I didn't forget about it because it was a 'forgettable' movie. It's just, how do you convince someone to see a movie about a guy buying a sex doll to be his real partner?
I guess I just have to give it a try. 'Lars and the Real Girl' is a remarkable positive story about looking a little further than your first impression. Ryan Gosling plays a silly and traumatized, but ultimately charming young man. It's the story behind the crazy guy on the street. Because we all know this crazy guy wasn't always crazy. And it's a comforting thought that a community like Lars lives in, might really exists. Not judging, but helping.
A. Caleb told me he had seen it in the $1.00 theater. For just $1.00 I can't think of any reason not to go and see this movie. I may sound like a movie teacher, but movies are just always better on that big silver screen. It will take a long time before some movie download equipment can beat that experience.
"I liked this film a lot. It is funny, and poignant, and engaging. The French have a way of making the simplest and ordinary things in life very intere [....]"
