I am not the type of person that likes to watch movies over and over but there are rare exceptions and Finding Forrester is one of them. Just this afternoon I sat down for an hour and a half to enjoy this exceptional film. Exceptional not in its twists and turns because it is predictable nor in cinematography but exceptional in the thoughts and emotions it evokes. No it didn’t get me bawling but it is the kind of film that will stay relevant and strike a chord in people’s hearts because of the truths even as time passes. At least it does that for me, after all it’s been almost a decade since the film came out and about every other year I manage to find time to watch it.
Finding Forrester is about a brilliant young boy named Jamal Wallace (Rob Brown) who lives in the Bronx and is accepted to a very prestigious private school. It centers on his friendship with a Pulitzer prize winner/recluse William Forrester (Sean Connery) and shows how the friendship helped Jamal grow as a writer and William to once again reach for his dreams and come out of his shell.
The movie got multiple nominations and is considered to be one of the best films of 2000. It also won some awards though the Oscars didn’t give it nod. Still director Gus Van Sant really hit the home run with this. If you want a quiet movie night at home this is the movie to watch.
Best “Hard Times” Movies
Looking for a good “feel bad then feel good” movie? I know that sounds kinda wrong but you know what I mean…movies that are about the hard times in life…at the end of the day, despite the grimness of these movies, you tend to feel a glimmer of hope. This could be due to the fact that you know that somehow, some way, there will be a rainbow at the end of the road. Whatever the reason, I think that this would be a good time to watch one of these movies – and then celebrate your life afterwards.
The Grapes of Wrath
Definitely a good portrayal of how harsh life can be. This movie is actually a documentary cum poem based on John Steinbeck’s novel of the same name. If you have not read the novel (I can’t imagine why not!), the gist of the story is that a farming family from Oklahoma migrates to California to find work. The actors (Henry Fonda and Jane Darwell) are excellent and brings the novel to life. An old movie but very much relevant to today.
Cinderella Man
This movie is more recent and it certainly was a hit when it was released. The story is based on the life story of Jim Braddock, played by Russell Crowe, and how he struggled with the fact that he could not provide for his wife (Renee Zellweger) and children. He gets a chance to do so by fighting in the boxing ring. The movie is a good mix of emotions, sports, and relationships.
The Pursuit of Happyness
If you cannot appreciate this movie, then I don’t know what to do with you! Will Smith did a superb job playing the role of the lead character. Who can forget scenes wherein he and his son were living on the streets?
Has “Australia” Gone Under?
Yeah, I know, it’s called Down Under but I just could not resist the pun. It may not be the most brilliant of lines but I have to say that neither is this movie. I was really eager to watch it simple because I like Nicole Kidman and I think Hugh Jackman is hot. These things aside, I really didn’t find myself that happy after watching the movie. It has been out for several weeks now but I am not surprised that it has been getting a lot of flak from critics and – if they are to be believed – it is also not a surprise that cinemas showing Australia are not crowded.
So what’s wrong with the movie? It was 165 minutes long. For a movie that long, I expected so much more. I expected to walk away understanding exactly what it is that the movie wanted me to know and feel. Good luck with that. I was left wondering what Lurhmann was trying to get across.
The beginning of the movie was not so bad – Nicole Kidman doing comedy, but that is probably only because I like her. But somehow – and I am surprised at this – she didn’t lift the movie up to the level I was expecting it to be. If anything, it was Jackman’s acting (and wonderful shower scene!) that gave the movie its saving grace.
I know I am sounding like one of those “expert” film critics – I am not one of them – but I just have to say, almost 3 hours worth of my time could have been spent on something better.
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button: A Review
While we’re at it, why don’t we take a look at “the other” movie that caught the attention of movie goers on its Christmas release? While Jennifer Aniston came up with a comedy that managed to elicit some tears at the same time, her ex-husband Brad Pitt had a movie that belongs to a class of its own.
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button is actually based – albeit very very loosely – on a short story by Scott Fitzgerald. The whole story revolves around the “curious case” of the main character, Benjamin Button who, instead of growing old, became younger as the years went by. That in itself is a curiosity, don’t you think?
Critics applaud director David Fincher’s hand in the movie; how he was able to create a movie that is “extravagantly ambitious movie that’s easy to admire but a challenge to love.” I have to be honest and say that even the basic idea didn’t – and doesn’t – appeal to me. I simply am not attracted to the idea that someone is aging the other way around (if aging can even be used to describe what happens to Button).
However, I have to admit that Brad Pitt is still as glorious as he was when I first saw him on screen. He is Brad Pitt after all. And that fact has given a lot of plus points to this movie. With Cate Blanchett playing the other major role, the movie is indeed eye candy even for those who might not fall in love with the story. I am not surprised that the movie didn’t earn more than others thought it would on its first day.
Seven Pounds: Will Smith In A Deeper Light
Ever since Will Smith came out in the Men In Black movies, I have always thought of him as a funny guy. I never thought of him as a rapper, truth be told – it just didn’t work out for me. Funny guy, yes.
How about a serious actor? Yeah, he can get away with it. Independence Day. The Pursuit of Happyness. These movies have revealed the serious actor in Will Smith. And with his new movie, Seven Pounds, it seems that his deeper side has come out even more.
Critics have a lot to say about the movie. Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle describes the movie:
In fact, the movie is so roundabout and cryptic that it takes half the running time just to figure out the general nature of what’s going on. “Seven Pounds” makes a mystery of its lead character and of what he’s pursuing, and for a very simple reason: If the movie were to announce its subject and story in the usual straightforward way, it would seem so ridiculous, far-fetched and borderline distasteful that no one would want to watch it. It might even seem funny.
Still, he gives the movie, the story, and the actors their due:
Enjoyment of “Seven Pounds” rests entirely in how one reacts to the romance that develops between the austere IRS agent and Emily (Rosario Dawson), a graphic artist suffering from congenital heart failure. Some will cry foul, say it’s too much, that the movie turns maudlin. But for those who find themselves on the film’s wavelength, this is love at the edge of the universe. This is the kind of thing that inspires people to write operas.
The review is enough to spark an interest in me – enough to get me out tonight to see the movie.