Sunday, April 22, 2007

This is just another movie about how one patriotic man can handle a problem by himself. Sort of like Rambo. But a cute one.

Bob Lee Swagger (Mark Wahlberg) is a former Sniper who leaves military service after he lost his friend on the last mission. However, when someone called Colonel Johnson came and asked his help to protect the president. Since he is so patriotic, he accepted the assignment. Later, he realized that he was just being used to cover something up. I am sure you know the rest. He got shot. Wounded. End up asking help from a wife of his late friend. He recovered. Starting to plan his revenge to uncover all the false charges on him. And got another support from an FBI agent ; Nick Memphis (Michael Pena). And of course, since the law can not touch those bad person, Bob decided that he has to deal this with his own hand and rule.

The story is very boring. But what is interesting, that this movie portrayed the beautiful sceneries of America. Both from the mother nature and from the city with high stories buildings. And of course, the conspiracy stories itself. It turn out, that one of the senator is involved with the massacre of a small village in the name of development. And since Bob is the last person alive from the mission, he has to be eliminated. Even though he did not know what was the real problem.

My advise, just enjoy the movie as it was intense with a lot of shooting. And definitely the beautiful sceneries in the movie.

Sunday, January 21, 2007

I have never like Leonardo Dicaprio too much. Why? I do not like his boyish look and also voice. Not until I saw him again in The Departed and finally in this movie. His acting is getting better and better and with that great body right now…, he look so irresistible.

Why this movie was called Blood Diamond? It turn out, that big company who sell jewelry that made from diamond; purchase the diamond from countries in Africa with cheap price. And of course, we all know only too well, that once the diamond turn into a beautiful diamond, the price will go sky high.
This is the second movie that I saw, portraying that rich and beautiful countries with no good human resources, can only be use by other countries for their own advantages. In the end, the supposed rich country gives nothing but misery to its own people.

Around 1990’s Sierra Leone was in chaos. The situation which seems to be kept that way for the purpose of many people who wish to take profits from other people misfortune. Many people who do not know anything about the politics and wars, were either being killed, getting chopped in the hand, or being turned into slave in the diamond fields. One of them is Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou). In the mine, he managed to get a big pink diamond and try to hide it. The rebel army who forced him to work there found out and almost kill him before finally the government troops came. While in the prison, Danny Archer (Leonardo Dicaprio) get hold of this information. He wish to move to another country, start a new life and he see this as a big opportunity. When the war finally broke, he managed to save Solomon. Promised him that he will help Solomon to find his family. In return, he will get the diamond. the help of Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly), an American journalist, both men finally found the families in the refugee camps. But Solomon son is not with his family, as the rebel took him and hundreds of other boys. They turn these boys into kid soldiers.

Danny Archer finally gave Maddy the information about how rich companies bought the diamonds with cheap price through the black market. He asked her not to let the story out until he find the diamond. Maddy accused him not give a damn about Solomon and only care about himself. But when the diamond was finally found, the cross fire finally emerged between Danny and his mercenaries team. TIA. This Is Africa. Your friends can be your deadliest enemies. Archer lost his life, gave the diamond to Solomon. Before passing, he managed to contact Maddy to bring Solomon to London and exposed about the blood diamond story.

This is a very violence movie. The sad thing is, although this probably not a real story, but it was taken from the real events that happening around the world. The war between ethnic groups, and they did not realized that other people take this opportunity to make themselves getting richer and richer. Only one moment, this movie is so-American. The scenes when Archer about to die and gave the diamond back to Solomon. It was over dramatized. And it’s a bit annoying. But overall, this is the kind of movie that either makes you bored or hit your conscience. That misery still around so many people in this world. We may do something about it or just look away, pretend nothing ever happens.

Beny Mabhena, Djimon Hounsou and Anoti Lokola in Blood Diamond

Leonardo Dicaprio with Jennifer Connelly

Leonardo Dicaprio

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Sunday, December 17, 2006

I was kinda bored with this movie as I do not have a clue about Johnny Cash (Joaquin Phoenix), let alone June Carter (Reese Witherspoon). So, watching this movie was like seeing a biography of someone that I hardly know about.

The story is about the life of Johnny Cash, being a legendary country icon in the US. How he did not get along with his father, due to the death of his older brother. How he gets married to his wife and after having three children realizing they have nothing in common. And that he has been a big fans of June Carter since he was a kid and how that adore feeling change to love. It is so sad sometimes, that singers or any other entertainers, surrounded with so many fans; but inside they still feel lonely. But Johnny and June always able to talk to each other about their feeling. And when Johnny finally fell into the hands of drugs, June and her family helps him to stand on his feet again. What is more beautiful to see how two people going through all the happiness and sadness together and finally able to be together? That my friend, was true love.

Will you give everything that you love to other person? Will you forget about your freedom for something else that can change the destiny of so many people?

Jacob Petersen (Mads Mikkelsen) needs money so bad to keep this orphanage in India. He received an offer from a Danish rich businessman; Jørgen (Rolf Lassgård) but in return he has to attend his daughter wedding.

At the wedding, Jacob realized that he know Jørgen wife; Helena (Sidse Babett Knudsen) and that the daughter; Anna (Stine Fischer Christensen) is actually his.

When I first watching the movie, I was like… this is soooo drama. How can I not think like that? Well, the whole story was Helena found out that Jacob is screwing around and in disappointment , she left him and back to Denmark. She did not that she was pregnant and when she and her later husband tried to find Jacob; they were unable to get any information on his whereabouts. They assumed he has already dead and keep going with their life. When Anna was told about this, she was mad at her mother for not telling her the truth. She knew that Jørgen is not her real father, but she was surprised to find out that her real one is much alive instead of being dead. And then, Jacob was surprised that to have money installment for the orphanage he Must not leave Denmark forever. He was furious, thinking that Jørgen try to bought him, but then Jørgen tells him that the real reason he was doing all these because he is very ill and he want Jacob to look after his family after he was gone.

See, there is nothing special about the story? But the casts were great, the dialogues, the camera shoot not only on the faces expression, but also other body part. Like hands, twitching lips, sad eyes only, it was good.

Can you imagine, not seeing your daughter or father for about 20 years? Anna brought a photo album, taken from her entire life. As if with that she tried to denial the fact that her father was not there with her, watching her grow to a very beautiful woman. To see the look on Jacob, seeing the photos of his daughter with Helene and Jørgen. Imagining that he is actually the one who should be in that picture.

Eventually, Anna and Helene found out that Jørgen was terribly ill. Anna ran to her step father and demanded him to answer why he did not tell her about his illness
J : I do not want you to be sad.
A: Do you think, that one day if you just passed away, I will not be sad?
If I know you are going to leave me, I will not be busy doing something else.

Being Jørgen was hard. Life has been good to him. He has 2 sons, pretty wife, a step daughter who loves him, his company is on the top, but he was unable to fight greater destiny which is his illness. He has to be sure that his family will be taken care of, and he seems to think that her wife ex husband will be able do the job nicely. But will he do it? And will he able to let all his beloved to this man?

And Jacob and Helene, finally at peace to each other and talking about the past which started the whole thing.
J : Why did not you tell me that you are pregnant?
H : I did not know until I was in Denmark. And I thought you were going to after me back home
J : And I thought you were going to be back with me.

Lack of communication, can start all the wrong things, huh?

Shortly, Jørgen passed away, and then the scene shows us that Jacob went back to the orphanage in India. He asked one the kid there, Premod whether he will be willing to go with him to Denmark. Before Jacob left, Premod once asked him if someday Jacob will bring him to go and live in Denmark. But, his answers were surprising:
P : Why would I go to a place where you dislike all the people?
J : Well, that was then…
P : I do not want to go there. I like it here. Things has been better lately.
J : If you do not go with me, then you probably will never going to see me again.
P : Can you visit me?
J : Well, yes
P : Then just visit me when you have the time…

(sorry , if the lines were a bit different. I only remembered several words)

With that answer, Premod has released the burden from Jacob’s mind. He has no worry anymore about Premod and he smiled looking at Premod playing with his friends. I suppose, nothing will hold him back now to go back in Denmark.

Anyway, if you are wondering, where in the heck you have seen Jacob before..., well, if you have seen James Bond: Casino Royale, he was as there, acted as the bad guy : Le Chiffre.

Saturday, December 16, 2006

Have you ever thought that your action, no matter how pointless it seems to you, can triggered so many sad events for other people?

A Japanese hunter was happy with his hunting guide in Morocco, decided to give his riffle to him. The guide however, sold the riffle to a family. The father lent the riffle to his sons to shoot any jackals preventing them to eat their cattle. The brothers then tested the gun on moving subject, which is a tourist bus. From here, the events started.
The bullet hit an American tourist; Susan (Kate Blanchett). She was on a getaway trip with her husband; Richard (Brad Pitt) to forget their pain from losing their youngest child. The trip turn out to be a nightmare for them. Both Susan and Richard finally rested in a village, where is the hometown of their tour guide; Anwar (Mohamed Akhzam). The other tourists were concern at first. But they would not want to risk their life, fearing that the shooter might some kind of terrorists or something. They abandoned the couples in the village, waiting for help in despair as the US government made everything complicated with their wrong assumption.

When finally they were able to reach hospital, Richard called home and assuring the nanny; Amelia (Adriana Barraza) that his in laws would look after the other two children so she can go to her son wedding in Mexico. But, in the end something came up and Amelia was forced to make decision to take the children away with her to the wedding. Her nephew; Santiago (Gael Garcia Bernal) came to pick her up along with the children. Everything went on fine and happily until come the moment when the four of them rides back crossing the border to be back in the US. The police in charge was suspicious with Santiago for being drunk and in panic, Santiago run away from the police and demand Amelia and the children to be out of the way from his car. The three of them stranded in the dessert until a policeman find them. Amelia was accused of kidnapping and since she was working in US illegally, she was deported with nothing to bring but whatever she was wearing. The authority did not care that she has been working in US for nearly 16 years.

In Japan, the Japanese hunter has a deaf-mute daughter in high school; Chieko (Rinko Kikuchi). She was restless, fearing that nobody would want her, as she was deaf and mute. She provoke men to have sex with her in the most shocking way and cause the audience let out: Whooooo, woooowwww…, is she nuts? She feel that her father did not try understand her while her dad is confuse why she is angry all the time. In the end, they seems find peace with each other without talking crap at all.

And whatever happen with the shooter? The police finally realize that the shooter was not a terrorist. The younger boy fought back by firing the policemen when they were chased down and the price his older brother got shot and lose his life. The boy surrender himself to the police; begging them to help his older brother. But it was all too late.

What I like about foreign movie sometimes, that after you finished watching the movie, you are still thinking about it. Wondering, what if that thing happens to you in real life. Maybe you will not shoot someone in careless way. But, all the things that we have done will have the consequences. And it will not have effect on our life, but to those other people, which we barely know.

Thursday, August 24, 2006