Six Movie Trailers that Will Make You Want to See the Feature

Nov 11, 2011 by Sami

Melancholia. Two sisters find their already strained relationship challenged as a mysterious new planet threatens to collide into the Earth.

Lucky. A wannabe serial killer wins the lottery and pursues his lifelong crush.

The Art of Getting By. George, a lonely and fatalistic teen who’s made it all the way to his senior year without ever having done a real day of work, is befriended by Sally, a popular but complicated girl who recognizes in him a kindred spirit.

One Day.  After spending the night together on the night of their college graduation Dexter and Em are shown each year on the same date to see where they are in their lives. They are sometimes together, sometimes not, on that day.

 The Sleeping Beauty. A young princess is the subject of a tug-of-war among witches, as each struggles to find the suitable antidote to a death sentence inculcated by an evil sister.

 Like Crazy. A British college student falls for an American student, only to be separated from him when she’s banned from the U.S. after overstaying her visa.

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5 Visually Pleasing Movies that are Actually Good

Aug 10, 2011 by Sami

There are a lot of visually stunning movies out there. However, few of them are ones that have a good plot, great character development and a smart direction. Here’s a list of 5 films that are great eye candy and won’t leave you feeling underwhelmed in terms of the story.

 

You already know how I feel about Sympathy for Lady Vengeance.  But in case you didn’t know you can click on link and find out why. One of the 43634 reasons I do love it is how beautiful it looks. Guns, blood and forests look absolutely stunning. Read my review for a more detailed description. Lady Vengeance is done very beautifully. I sometimes forget how gory it is because at the same time it is incredibly beautiful.

 

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My Picks for The 46th Chicago International Film Festival

Sep 22, 2010 by Sami

I LOVE MOVIES!

Yes, I screamed the above line.  Any one that knows me knows that every year I await the Chicago International Film Festival like a lover awaiting the return of their loved one from war. I count the days, wonder what films will be screened that year, what countries are they from, how many days will I be locked inside the theater with my favorite characters…

This year is no exception. The Festival is running from October 7th till the 21st. Check out the website on where to get your tickets! Act fast because usually they will go by faster than you can say “I want to check out this movie”.

I’ve made it easy for you folks. You know I have a great taste so I’m going to recommend few that I think are not to be missed. Comment and let me know what you think of my picks and what others do you plan to go see! Enjoy! The description is taken directly form the Festival’s site.

Asleep in the Sun (Argentina)

Lucio loves his wife Diana desperately, but her losing battle with depression prompts him to commit her to an institution in the hopes that their radical methods will cure her. Diana returns home only a few days later, pronounced healthy yet deeply altered by the treatments she underwent. Festival alum Alejandro Chomski creates an atmosphere of disquieting surreality with his arresting, off-center visual style in this Kafkaesque tale of mental illness.

Black Swan (USA)

This psychological thriller set in the world of New York City ballet stars Natalie Portman as Nina, a dancer in a ballet company who finds herself locked in a web of competitive intrigue with a new rival (Mila Kunis). Black Swan takes a thrilling and at times terrifying journey through the psyche of a young ballerina whose starring role as the duplicitous swan queen turns out to be a part for which she becomes frighteningly perfect.

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305 days, 305 films – Broken English

Jul 7, 2010 by Sami

“Most people are together just so they are not alone. But some people want magic. I think you are one of those people”

Film #10- Broken English

The first time I saw Broken English I left the theater feeling uneasy about Guillaume, a French man who speaks little English and spending few days in NYC. Why? Because I felt he was a bit un-understanding with Nora, that he kept asking her to explain things that couldn’t be explained. I blamed it on the language barrier, I blamed it on his lack of empathy and I blamed it on the French people. It wasn’t until a friend told me that the point was that even though he spoke “broken English” he was still able to communicate with Nora very directly. It was her that over complicated things. It then hit me, we live in times where we do over-complicate feelings involved in relationships. Guillaume is there to show the audience how easy communicating between people can be. Things are a lot more straightforward than our head tends to lead us to believe. You either want something or you don’t, everything else is an excuse. Yes you can’t just pack your bags and leave but you can work towards that goal without blaming other factors that are irrelevant.

Nora is stuck in a funky place. Meeting a man at a party she almost didn’t go to changes a big part of her life. Sounds unrealistic? I don’t think so. I think that sometimes things do happen when you’re at the right time, the right place…and life is all about taking chances. I don’t think I have witnessed such a relatable character in some while. I’ve always enjoyed the quirkiness of Parker Posey and she does a fantastic job with Nora.  It’s the kind of character that you have to experience to come to the realization that you might have lived in her shoes at some point in your life.

This film is very sweet and at times very funny.  Broken English is available at your neighborhood video rental store and at Netflix. You can even watch it instantly on Netflix!

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305 days, 305 films- The September Issue

Apr 5, 2010 by Sami

Film #9 The September Issue

Just because you like to put on a beautiful Carolina Herrera dress or a pair of J Brand blue jeans instead of something basic from K-Mart it doesn’t mean that you’re a dumb person- Anna Wintour

I didn’t know what to expect when I started watching The September Issue except that it will be over-saturated with fashion and that was good enough for me.  I watched it and it was indeed over saturated with fashion and that made me happy. If that was the end of it I would have been satisfied but it wasn’t. The September Issue is actually a good documentary. Any person would enjoy watching it but it’s an even bigger joy if you’ve heard of Anna Wintour and the power she holds in the fashion industry.

Besides pupils dilating due to the abundance of fabulous fashion there were some interesting things going on in The September Issue.  Like the use of the “silent treatment” the film makers inflicted on some of the interviewees. When confronted with silence, often times, people will keep on talking and eventually say something that they did not intend to say. Furthermore, the use of music to manipulate the audience’s moods is, at times, too obvious. That said, I would not say it was a bad move, necessarily.

There is a point of The September Issue where you get to experience a  glimpse of Anna’s true feelings. I think that she wishes her family would recognize her importance in the world she lives in. Her 3 siblings are heavily involved with non-profit organizations and they are “amused” by what Anna does for a living. I respect her for going for what she wanted, growing up, and not falling in the trap of following foot steps of her family. She is desperate to get her family’s appreciation but knows that she wouldn’t be happier doing anything else.

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