MOVIE GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD

Did you see this movie? What did you think of it? I sat through it because I have always been a  Bruce Willis fan. If you want to give your faculty of intelligence some rest and just watch the movie because you have nothing better to do, or you are a Bruce Willis fan, or you love to see total chaos, massive car destruction, endless road chase, and you don't mind a weak boring  plot,  then go ahead. If I should share a secret, the real truth is I chose to watch it along with my husband who was desperately in a mood for watching an action film......When I asked him if he enjoyed it ( I wanted to tease him as  I already knew what he felt), he replied in the negative and I rather not post what the negative was that had me laughing. 

MOVIE DOUBT

On Tuesday evening, I saw this beautiful movie Doubt (2008 release) which is actually an adaptation of John Patrick Shanley's Pulitzer prize winning stage play "Doubt: A Parable". The movie stars Meryl Streep as Sister Aloysius, Phillip Seymour Hoffman as Father Flynn and Amy Adams as Sister James who gave a sterling performance portraying their roles. The movie received several Oscar nominations in 2008. The story and direction is by Shanley and produced by Scott Rudin. The film grossed well at the box office.

"Doubt" centers around a progressive minded Priest Father Flynn, a very strict and conservative Principal Sister Aloysius and a young history teacher Sister James at a Catholic church and school in Bronx, New York. Father Flynn is kind, caring, and supportive to 14 year old Donald Miller who is the only black student in the school and is also an altar boy at the church where Father Flynn gives his sermon. Sister James is concerned when  Donald Miller's behavior seems worrisome when he returns from a meeting with Father Flynn in the middle of her class. He appeared distraught and his breath smelt of alcohol. She informs her concerns to Sister Aloysius who begin to suspect Father Flynn of having an inappropriate relationship with Donald. She confronts Father Flynn who explains his side of the story and claims no wrong doing though he seemed to become disturbed when confronted and questioned about his past. Sister Aloysius is absolutely firm in her resolve to remove Father Flynn from Church despite lack of real evidence.

I don't want share more details of the plot. You should actually watch this beautiful movie that leaves you with your own doubts! 

ACADEMY AWARDS 2013 - OSCAR WINNERS AND PHOTOS

The 85th Academy Awards 2013 (also called the Oscars)  was held on Sunday 24 February, at Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. There were huge predictions over the past month and some surprise winners. I liked the movie Argo so much, that it felt nice to know Argo won the best movie award. I was telling everyone I knew, 'You've got to watch Argo'. Young upcoming actress, Jennifer Lawrence won the best actress award for her role in Silver Linings Playbook. She is such an amazing and beautiful actress, she has wonderful screen presence and has made her huge talent known through the recent movies she has acted. I actually look forward to see her do many more great roles. Accomplished director Ang Lee's Life of Pi is a beautiful movie that won him the Best Director award. Whenever Ang Lee makes a movie, it's sure to create a huge and everlasting impression on the audience and movie buffs. I had enjoyed 'Life of Pi' from beginning till end. I wish the young actor Suraj Sharma who donned the role of  Pi should have received some recognition at the Oscars as he breathed life into the character of Pi, taking the audience on a soulful journey along with him as he lay stranded in the sea with the Bengal tiger. Best Actor award went to 55 year old Daniel Day-Lewis who is three time Academy Award winner! Lewis received a standing ovation as he won the award for the role immaculately portrayed  the role as Lincoln. 

Best Picture - Argo (produced by Ben Affleck, Grant Heslov, George Clooney; the movie was directed by and starring Ben Affleck)

Best Director award - Ang Lee, Life of Pi

Best Actor - Daniel Day-Lewis - for his role as Lincoln

Best Actress - Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook

Best Supporting Actor - Christopher Waltz, Django Unchained

Best Supporting Actress - Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables

Here is the full list of the Oscar winners for 2013

1. Best Picture: Argo - Ben Affleck, Grant Heslov, George Clooney

2. Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln

3. Actress: Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook

4. Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained

5. Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables

6. Directing: Ang Lee, Life of Pi

7. Foreign Language Film: Amour

8. Adapted Screenplay: Chris Terrio, Argo

9. Original Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained

10. Animated Feature Film: Brave

11. Production Design: Lincoln 

12. Cinematography: Life of Pi 

13. Sound Mixing: Les Miserables 

14. Sound Editing (tie): Skyfall, Zero Dark Thirty 

15. Original Score: Life of Pi, Mychael Danna. 

16. Original Song: "Skyfall" from Skyfall, Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth. 

17. Costume: Anna Karenina.

18. Documentary Feature: Searching for Sugar Man.

19. Documentary (short subject): Inocente

20. Film Editing: Argo

21. Makeup and Hairstyling: Les Miserables

22. Animated Short Film: Paperman

23. Live Action Short Film: Curfew

24. Visual Effects: Life of Pi

MOVIE ARGO

The movie Argo directed by Ben Affleck was inspired by true events. When militants stormed and took control of the U.S. embassy on November 4, 1979 in Tehran during the height of the Iranian Revolution, they demanded release of the late Shah (who had sought refuge in U.S.)  in exchange for the diplomatic staff that were held captive inside the embassy. 

However before they stormed in,  six of the America Embassy staff escape and seek refuge in the Canadian Ambassador's residence. It's only a matter of time, that the militants are bound to find them and they can't remain hidden for long and they fear for their lives.  Ben Affleck dons the role of CIA agent Tony Mendez who comes up with a bizarre yet unique plan to rescue the six fugitives. This means, he has to get them out of Iran, back to the U.S. The plan has it's dangerous downside - that is, if caught, it would cost their lives including Tony Mendez's.  Whether or not they trust Tony Mendez with their lives and the escape plan, it is something they have to go through and find out.  Six innocent people and a CIA agent faces the worst fear armed with great faith, courage and trust and risking everything.  I watched the movie about a week ago and after the movie was over, I thought, 'My God...all this to have really happened'. You know what, 'It's a must see movie'. 

Argo is produced by Grant Heslov, Ben Affleck and George Clooney. The cast includes Ben Affleck, Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman, Kerry Bishé, Kyle Chandler, Rory Cochrane, Christopher Denham, Tate Donovan, Clea DuVall, Victor Garber, Zeljko Ivanek, Richard Kind, Scoot McNairy, Chris Messina, Michael Parks, Taylor Schilling. The story for the movie is written by Chris Terrio, Joshuah Bearman. 

Argo was huge box office success. Ben Affleck won the Best Director and Best Motion Picture (Drama) award for Argo at the recently held Golden Globe Awards. The movie also received seven nominations for   for Academy Awards. 

MOVIE LINCOLN - A TOP CONTENDER FOR OSCAR AWARDS

This little boy in the photo grew up to be Abraham Lincoln, one of the greatest presidents in U.S. history. 

Abraham Lincoln - childhood photo

'Lincoln', by Steven Spielberg, starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Sally Field is a beautifully crafted movie that centers around the last  four months of Lincoln's  life from January 1 to April 19 1865 and  the passage of the 13th constitutional amendment that forever abolished slavery in America. The movie 'Lincoln' has received a lot of nominations for the upcoming Oscar awards. 

MOVIE - LIFE OF PI

It's weekend and are you movie buffs out there wondering which movie to go for? I would suggest, folks, go to the cinescape and watch 'Life of Pi'. It's a lovely fictional adventure tale with a  beautiful message. The movie is based on the 'Man Booker Prize' award winning book of the same name, 'Life of Pi' written by Canadian author Yann Martel in 2001. 

The 3 D movie  is directed by Ang Lee who also directed Broke Back Mountain and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The movie has received 11 nominations at the Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director. Life of Pi has some amazing visuals and wonderful acting by Suraj Sharma as the young Pi Patel cast way in the sea. Among 3000 boys who auditioned for the role, casting director Avy Kaufman chose Suraj Sharma. Kaufman said, she could tell Suraj Sharma understood who Pi was. 'I didn't have a doubt, I knew he would be able to tell the story that needs to to be told'. The movie won 'Best Original Score' at the recent Golden Globe awards. 

The story is about a young Indian boy Piscine Molitor, known as 'Pi', who survives a shipwreck and is stranded on the Pacific ocean for 227 days, in boat with a fearsome tiger called Richard Parker. Facing harsh cruelties of life, Pi learns many a lessons, overcomes his fears, learns the importance of survival skills while he keeps his sanity with  faith and great strength of mind. I am not saying anymore, enjoy the movie! 

Suraj Sharma with director Ang Lee

MOVIE - THE KID WITH A BIKE - WINNER OF GRAND PRIX PRIZE AT 2011 CANNES FILM FESTIVAL

A few days back, we watched in our home theatre, a beautiful, heartrending french film 'The Kid with a Bike' (Le Gamin au vélo). It won the Grand Prix award at the Cannes Film Festival 2011. It is French drama film written,  and directed by the Beligian brothers, Jean Pierre and  Luc Dardenne. Young Thomas Doret immaculately and amazingly dons the role of Cyril, a 12 year old boy who is desperately in search of his father who abandoned him after leaving him in a farmland foster care. A kind hearted hairdresser (Cecile de France) enters his life and takes care of him during the weekends. Cyril is troubled and unpredictable. He has behavior issues and finds it difficult to express his emotions, due to the deep pain of rejection and abandonment he suffers. The hairdresser helps the boy locate his father but all his hopes are crushed when his father makes a confession. Cyril's  natural desire for a father figure lands him to trouble thats teaches him certain facts about life at a young age. All along the hairdresser never gives up on him and sticks by him, even during the most trying and toughest times she experiences with Cyril. The movie is a master piece work with the directors having touched realities of a child's emotions and sufferings, fighting to survive under cruel circumstances, and his deep need  for parental love, acceptance and support. 

No words will suffice to explain how beautifully this movie was crafted and the entire cast has put in great perfomances. It's a movie worth watching (with subtitles). There are so many profound messages and lessons the movie expresses without articulating them in words....

 Director Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Thomas Doret, Cecile de France and director Luc Dardenne at the Premier, Cannes Film Festival 2011

JENNIFER LAWRENCE - INCREDIBLY TALENTED ACTRESS

I first watched Jennifer Lawrence in Winter's Bone. Anyone who has seen that movie would have sensed the incredible talent and acting skills she is endowed with. The young actress who recently turned 22 on August , left an unforgettable impression. When my husband suggested we watch Hunger Games, I didnt ask him or check who were the cast. When I began to watch  Hunger Games, and saw Jennifer Lawrence, I was sure, we were going to watch something really good. And yes, 'the girl on fire' gave an astounding performance in the movie. Hunger Games became a super hit with a world wide box office success of 700 million $ . Her base salary for the action role in  in Hunger Games was 500,000 $ dollars. She will be cast in the sequel which will be released in 2013. It was reported that Jennifer Lawrence is offered a 10 million dollar contract,  for her role in the sequel 'Catching Fire'.  

There are two movies of the beautiful actress that will be released this year, one is a thriller called "House at the end of the Street" which is expected to released on September 21. The other one is a comedy-drama called "Silver Linings Playbook," which will be released on Nov. 21. I am looking forward to seeing both.

Apart from her passion for acting, she likes to paint, knit sweaters and scarves, surf, and play the guitar.