The Big Lebowski

This has been far out the funniest movie I've seen in a long time. The Dude, how awesome is that. Jeff Bridges, I didn't know he could do this, much respect. I have to say I haven't seen a lot of films with him in it nor payed any real attention to his career. I thought he was just this old guy actor, playing a cop or loving husband, or some other of those filler-up kind of roles, with no real challenge to them. So seeing him as the dude really surprised me.
This movie is so much fun. The characters totally rock. John Goodman as Walter was flat out hilarious. The way he keeps blaming everything on the Vietnam war and his sudden bursts of anger. Crazy. And he made me feel really bad for Donny, always telling the poor guy to shut up. The dialogues are crazy good, so is the very chilled out music. And I love these stories where a regular guy gets in the middle of all these people's problems he never was part of. Reminded me a lot of The Hudsucker Proxy, which is also a very nice film from the Coen brothers.

What is it about?

The story is about Jeffrey Lebowski a.k.a. the Dude. One night the poor guy is mistaken for another Lebowski, he gets beaten up and an Asian guy pees on his rug. Feeling hurt by this act he goes on a search to find the other Lebowksi and get a new rug from him. When the guy doesn't want to give him one, our Dude decides to just take a new rug from the other Lebowski's mansion. A couple of days later the Dude gets a call from mr. Brandt, the other Lebowski's helper. The Dude is then asked to help Lebowski get his wife back who is kidnapped by probably the same guys who beat up the Dude and peed on his rug. Therefore it seems best for the Dude to make the exchange of one million dollar, 'cause those guys think the Dude is the other Lebowski. Together with his friend Walter he goes to the meet up for the exchange, but from there on things go awfully wrong. In one of his outbursts Walter decides they should keep the money and instead of giving the bad guys the briefcase with the million dollar he gives them a bag full of underwear. This makes for a lot of misunderstandings and mistaken identities for the Dude who now has to find a way to get himself out of this complicated mess.

Final Verdict: *****

A lot of witty dialogue and awesomely funny and very memorable characters makes this film a real joy to watch. There are moments I just laughed my ass off. I really like the work of the Coen brothers, they always come up with fun, fresh stories, full of originality. Jeff Bridges gave a stunning performance and really made the whole dude kind of attitude his own, always keeping his voice very smooth and cool. I had no idea he was capable to do this. The conversations at the bowling alley are priceless, as are all the scenes with John Goodman's character. This really is one of the coolest films I've ever seen. And the word dude has always been one of my favourite words, it just sounds so relaxed, love it.

The best 3 of May

After watching movies for another month, some great, some a bit crappy, but overall, totally amazing, it's time to choose the top 3 of films you must-see. All three of these films I will remember as beautiful experiences. They all are great pieces of cinema and tackle very different subjects. These three really reflect my love for cinema. May definitely was a good month, being very diverse and seeing some films from directors that can be considered true artists.

1. The Fountain

A highly remarkable experience, a great mind fuck. This really is one the most amazing films I've seen in a long time. The way it sticks long after you've watched it is brilliant. It really lingers on and makes you think of your life and life itself. Totally extraordinary and like nothing Ive seen before. All praise for Darren Aronofsky.

2. Anche Libero Va Bene

A great drama about a family coping with the absence of a mother. Wonderfully acted by both the parents as the kids. Very moving, showing characters with great feeling and depth. A tremendous debut of actor and first time director Kim Rossi Stuart.

3. Bin-Jip

Highly original. A beautiful story of two characters that don't speak, but just love. A very different film, but in a very good way.
Romantic and dreamy. A great piece of storytelling. Kim Ki-Duk has great talent. I definitely have to see more of his films.

Ocean's 13

After the first one and the sequel they for some reason thought that it was time for another one and this one had to be better than Ocean's Twelve, which afterwards the cast and crew themselves weren't that crazy about. Nowadays almost everything has to turned into a trilogy in Hollywood, therefore also the Ocean's series. So this summer they're back with Ocean's Thirteen. Gone is Europe and gone are the Julias and Catherines. Still there are Danny Ocean and his men. New are Al Pacino and Ellen Barkin, who's the new leading lady of this latest installment. I have to say I myself wasn't very fond of Ocean's Twelve either. It was fun, but the story was way too confusing. At the end you weren't entirely sure of what exactly had taken place. But it was fun and it was partly shot at the beautiful train station of the city I live in, Haarlem, which was presented though as being part of Amsterdam. With ocean's 13 the men go back to the casinos from the first film and it seems they did find back their cool.

What is it about?

Reuben, one of Danny's crewmembers, is lying in the hospital after getting unwell. The reason for his pain is Willie Bank, played by Al Pacino, who was supposed to build a hotel together with Reuben, but who decides to cut Reuben out off the deal. Fortunately Reuben has ten friends that can put up a good heist and help him out to get Bank bankrupt. The plan is to make it all happen on the big grand opening of Banks new casino. To get their revenge the team starts taking the measures to pull of this major plan. A big fake nose, some earthquakes and a highly expensive Samsung mobile phone are all part of the plan.

Final Verdict: ***1/2

This one was much better that Ocean's Twelve. The team kind of went back to their roots. The story was nice and easy to follow and the way all their little plans come together at the end is a delight, just like in the first one. The slick music was back too, which is always a feast to listen to and which adds a lot to the Las Vegas atmosphere. Ocean's 13 is hilghly entertaining and maybe even better than Ocean's Eleven. It's really a film you have to see with some cool friends. Just kick back, relax and take it all in. Ocean's 13 delivers pure fun after a hard day of work. With this one they nicely finish off the series, in which admitting, I did lose some interest. It's been a long while since the first one, so it was time to get this series over with. Ocean's 13 is definitely one of the better summer movies and turns out to be a great way to end the adventures of Danny Ocean and his crew, while secretely longing for a little bit more.

Duo Luo Tian Shi

It is only my second film I've seen by director Wong Kar Wai, but again I'm totally in awe. This man's not only a director, but a painter and the screen is his canvas. My first film of him was 2046, which I loved, but Duo Luo Tian Shi (a.k.a. Fallen Angels) I like a bit more. The film is pure magic. I loved the characters. Especially the guy who decided not to speak again and the quirky blonde who's in love with the rain. Almost all of them get to be narrators, which gives the viewer a glimpse of their wonderful thoughts. This film seems like a dream, which probably all of Wong Kar Wai's films feel like. The visuals are amazing. I love the way he switches from colour to black and white, without having to give the switch a real meaning. Also the scenes where there's fighting or a shooting taking place are done magically by kind of turning it all into a slow-motion kind of blur. I also loved the scene where He Zhiwu talks about man and woman being like water or something like that, but the whole scene was in black and white, while blurred on the edges, making the images seem like water flowing. And the way he puts his actors in front of the camera, so close to the lens as if you could see right into their minds is pure bliss.

Final Verdict: *****

This film is very beautiful. The characters all have real feelings. The cinematography is tremendously cool. It adds so much to the story. It's just about real people searching for love and themselves in this big city. It's like a long wonderful dream. I found myself dreaming away a bit too while watching. I love when a film has that effect on me and makes me think in that way. You're thoughts just wander off, just like the movie. The movie itself seems like a bunch of beautfiful thoughts brought together into one story of different people. I can't wait to watch it again some time. Hopefully the experience then will be as wonderful as it has been this first time. It's really a great piece of cinema. I can't wait to watch even more films of this man. Wong Kar Wai's truly an inpiration. I feel he kind of sees the world the same way as I do. This film feels as if it could have actally been a thought of mine.

The Station Agent

This morning I finally watched The Station Agent. I had it on tape for a couple of weeks now, but because I waited too long I kind of lost interest in the movie. But finally today I decided to see it. I'm really amazed by the beauty of it. It's this perfect little film. Everything about it is great. After the first couple of minutes I suddenly felt this rush of joy come over me, this feeling of intense fulfillment. And all of that because of the great, interesting characters. This film touched me so much. I really haven't felt about a film in this way in quite a long time. It's weird, 'cause it's just such a simple premise. It's just about regular people. Nothing big happens. But the characters are so moving, especially Patricia Clarkson's character, Olivia. And she's played so well. Patricia has this very natural way of acting. She really gave her character personality. Yesterday I watched Walk The Line and even though I liked it, I did feel it missed something. This film just has a lot of heart and it really shows. Patricia Clarkson's performance is one of the best I've seen so far. And I have to say I would give her an Oscar over Reese Witherspoon's performance any time, even though Reese was very good also.

What is it about?

The story is about Fin, who isn't very tall which is why people call him a dwarf and look at him funny when he walks by. When one day his friend dies, he inherites a little train depot across a railway and decides to live there. He soon meets a lot of new interesting people, like Joe, who owns a hotdog vendor and Olivia, a struggling painter who lost her son Sam and not too long ago went through a divorce. Soon the three of them become close friends. They make walks together and watch trains, which is one of Fin's passions. He also meets Claire, a girl who invites Fin to speak in front of her class at school, and Emily, a young woman who is pregnant from her boyfriend and works at the local library. All of the characters deal with their own struggles and soon Fin finds out, he's not the only one with problems in his life.

Final Verdict: *****

This film really is extraordinary. I knew a lot of people liked it and I knew it was something special, but I never realized I would like it so much. This could definitely be a favourite of mine which I would've never expected. It's funny, but also very sad at some times. I truly loved it. Only the ending felt kind of abrupt. There weren't any real indications that the film was about to end. And I know it doesn't have to, but it kind of came unexpected and with a film as wonderful as this one you just want to prepare yourself for the ending. You just want to be able to say goodbye to the film and its characters and the wonderful feeling you got from watching it and which you probably will not feel for a very long time. Not until the next gem of a film comes along, which can take very long. I really thought every character was very loveable, they all got their own set of characteristics and their kind of uncommen friendship feels very realistic. I loved how these characters are attracted to each other and don't mind about the way they look. They don't care that Fin is a little person. It just doesn't matter. It's not what their friendship is based on. This film is really nice. It just shows how little is needed to touch an audience when you just tell a good story. You don't need a lot of action to move people, to keep their interest. This film is truly wonderful and I've been incredibly touched by it. It definitely is a film everyone should see.

Walk The Line

I was supposed to see this movie on Tuesday, but I was so tired that I fell asleep short after the first couple of minutes. So today I decided to watch it and not fall asleep. Of course everyone has heard about this movie and so do I. It received a lot of Academy Award nominations and even landed Reese Witherspoon her first Oscar, which I have to say, is very deserved. The acting was top-notch. I loved Joaquin Phoenix's performance. He IS Johnny Cash in this movie. Just like Reese who is tremendous as June Carter. Sure you start wondering what's so great about their performances. So did I. But when you watch this film and compare those two performances with the rest of the cast, you really see the difference. For instance, take Ginnifer Goodwin. Her performance as John's wife was great, but she just didn't own the screen as Reese does. When June comes in the picture it's all about June. Reese takes away all of your attention from everyone else. Even a bit from Joaquin at some moments. I really loved the scene on the bed, just after Johnny took the tractor and drove it into the lake. Reese's eyes, everything. You got a glimpse inside her soul. That's what great acting is. Truly showing the emotions of your character and really showing you feel them yourself. Both Joaquin and Reese's eyes tell so much. And watching Joaquin during the performances of the songs is pure bliss. The way he moves, his gestures and his voice, all are like Johnny Cash.

Final Verdict: ****

Apart from the wonderful acting, the movie itself is very nice too. The story is very touching and compelling. I really liked the musical performances. After a while you really can't get the songs out of your head. I'm not a real fan of this type of music, but these songs sure are addictive. This film has a lot of great scenes which allows Joaquin and Reese to really show their range as an actor. I really liked the last scene where Johnny asks June to marry him. The acting in that scene is so honest. Really incredible. I guess this movie won't be a classic, nor a real favourite, but I definitely enjoyed it. it's a very good, solid movie.

AzuloScuroCasiNegro

I heard nice things about this film, so I thought let's go and watch this film with the very cool title. I had no idea what the story was about, 'cause I kept myself away from reading anything that had to do with it. So I wasn't sure what to expect. Seeing it today I have to say I was a little bit dissapointed, just because apparently I expected a lot more from it. But either way it was a really nice film. Cool story, sometimes funny but also very sad. It also feels kinda raw. This film isn't so much about shooting sentimental pictures, but really more about the characters and their relationships. It's a coming of age kind of film with very good used music. I especially liked one song that was performed by a friend of one of the characters. I really like moments like that. For me it gave this movie that little extra which it needed at the time.

What is it about?

The story is about Jorge who lives together with his father whom he takes care of. He finished his studies, but can't seem to find a decent job, even though he keeps applying. Meanwhile his brother is in jail where he meets a girl. She's also in jail and wants to have a baby. They fall in love a bit, but not fully. She kind of uses him to get pregnant. When it turns out Jorge's brother can't make babies, he asks Jorge to have sex with the girl, who's name's Paula. At first Jorge is quite hesitant, 'cause he already has a girlfriend. But eventually Jorge decides to do it, putting his relationship with both his girlfriend and his brother at risk. In the meantime Jorge's best friend is having some trouble with his father, who regularly visits a masseuse, but not only for the massages it seems, while also struggling with his sexuality.

Final Verdict: ****

The acting was nice. Quim Gutiérrez who plays Jorge really knows how to carry this film. The girl who played Paula reminded me of Monica Bellucci a bit, which was also very nice. She gave a really nice performance. I have to say that I kind of hoped for a film that was a little bit more romantic. This film was nice, but didn't fully work for me. It has a lot of sweet moments though and quite a few laughs. Maybe the fact that there was a short break in between, which I'm not really used to anymore, also made the experience less cool. I guess this film won't be a favourite of mine, but if it comes on TV one day I will definitely watch it again and give it another try. I think I will come to like it even more then.

25th Hour

I watched 25th Hour for the second time last night. I was very surprised, cause I liked it even more than the first time I saw it. I remember the first time that the beginning was kind of difficult to watch, 'cause I wasn't really aware of what exactly was going on, but then at the end I felt I got this great reward. Now watching it the second time I loved it from the beginning. I really found myself loving each scene and appreciate the wonderful conversations between the characters even more. The dialogue is awesome, just as the acting. Edward Norton really is one of the best actors. I always try to watch as many movies he's in, 'cause I learn so much by watching him. Also Barry Pepper gives a great performance. The first time I saw this film I was very surprised. He's just that good in this film. Watching this film is like getting a masterclass in acting.

Final Verdict: *****

The pace of the story is very nice, very relaxed. I really like that all the scenes, the conversations take long and aren't interrupted. The dialogue is so good and all the actors play very nartural. I also loved Rosario Dawson she's beautiful in this film. And together with Edwards character she makes a great couple. They're one of the most believable couples I have ever watched on screen. They really look like a real couple and act like one too. It's really nice to watch and makes me remember how nice a relationship can be, without it having to be overly romantic.
The ending to me is perfect. 'Cause you can decide for yourself what happened. This film is definitely one of my favourites, and last night I remembered why that is again.

Match Point

I finally saw Match Point last night. It's always nice when you watch a film that got good reviews and now you can finally see what's so good about it yourself. It is really a fantastic film, very intense, great development of characters. You would think all of this would be done before, there wouldn't be anything new to this story of betrayal and an unfaithful husband. But somehow Woody Allen takes it to a whole new level. The ending is full of suspense. It's greatly done. Even the great Alfred Hitchcock came to mind at some point. The film starts slowly, then at the middle everything takes its place to end with a bang. For so many times you're left unsure of what is about to happen.

What is it about?

It all starts off with Chris Wilton, a former pro tennis player who now only teaches. When Tom Hewett starts taking lessons from him they notice they both share a love for opera and soon thereafter Chris is invited to the opera house to watch La Traviata. There he meets Chloe, Tom's sister. The two start to fall in love, but there's someone else. Tom's engaged to Nola, an American struggling actress whom many man desire. Chris falls for her and the two start an affair. Meanwhile Chris and Chloe get married. And when Tom and Nola break up, Nola leaves Chris's life and he got no other choice than to continue his life with his wife. Still on his mind, he tries to contact Nola. When he sees Nola, while attending an art exposititon with Chloe and one of her friends, he manages to get Nola's phone number. Soon they meet at her place and continue their intense affair full of lust. At the end Nola turns out to be pregnant. She begs Chris to leave Chloe, but he never has the gut to. Eventually Chris makes a dreadful decision and makes a plan to kill Nola. Looking like a robbery, he kills Nola's neighbour and then Nola herself. The police contact him, but there's no proof he murdered Nola. It all seems just like a robbery. Chloe finally gets pregnant and Chris gets away clean. The guilt will haunt him for the rest of his life.

Final Verdict: *****

Woody Allen did a great job. The ending is so crazy, that you just can't fully believe this is the decision Chris takes. The writing, though, is so great, that you believe all his actions. He really seems capable to commit this murder. He's desparate, scared, and knows he screwd up. The acting is solid. I loved Scarlett's character Nola. She really goes ballistic as the whining mistress. The ending is full of suspense. It's a great thriller, very well made. A must-see.

Zodiac

Just yesterday I saw Zodiac, which is a very good, solid film. Great performances and a great story with lots of suspense. It even got a bit scary sometimes. And as for me who never gets scared by movies that's a really cool thing. Where horror movies with ghosts, doesn't scare me at all, a film like this, which is based on true events, really gave me some shivers. At one point I even thought: 'nooo don't go in there, just leave, this doesn't feel right!,' when Jake Gyllenhaal's character gets to play detective. Also there was a very graphic scene where a woman was stabbed. That one made me cringe in my seat and wasn't a nice sight. The acting in this film is great. First off Chloë Sevigny was in it, which is always a pleasure, since she is one of my favourite actresses. The characters she plays are always really nice and even if they're just small, like this one, she knows how to give the character that little extra that it lacks on paper. Her presence is always a delight, she really lights up the screen for me. Also both Mark Ruffalo and Robert Downey Jr. give solid performances. Especially Downey Jr., who kinda reminded me of Johnny Depp sometimes. He sort of had the same look.

Final Verdict: *****

Overall, it really is an excellent film. One of the best to come out this year. It's one of those movies that is so good that you don't need any new movies about the same subject matter for many years to come. This one will do just fine. So far David Fincher has made a lot of great movies. I hope he gets to make many more. This one is one of his best and maybe even a classic. See this film if you want to watch a really good movie. It won't dissapoint. Also this film reminded me why it is so much better to watch movies on the big screen.

Pirates Of The Carribean: At World's End

Like almost everyone I also saw Pirates Of The Carribean: At World's End a while ago. As for all the summer blockbusters it is probably the most anticipating one. The earlier two has been reaal box-office smashes gaining billions of dollars. But while the earlier two were very good and fun, this one was kinda lacking it. It was very long and also a bit confusing at times, even though I did manage to understand everything. Compared two the first two this one was a big dissapointent. Thinking about it right now, I don't even remember what it was about exactly. So much happened. But what I do remember is that it really felt like a the final part of a trilogy. All loose ends got finished with and the all live happily ever after. Well, beside Will Turner who is dead and has to spend his dead bringing other dead people to the underworld.

Final Verdict: ***

I have to say I kind of lost interest since the last one. But this one was even worse. Elizabeth and Will had no chemistry at all. She should have better chosen Jack. That would be way more fun. Also nothing huge happened. The fighting scenes were boring. We all saw those before. The second part had some nice fresh takes on the fighting, like with the big wheel towards the end. But this one was all the same. It could have been way better. I guess that when you watch them all at once they feel more complete and it will be a different experience. But this one didn't have enough excitement to stand firmly on its own.

Bin-Jip

Some weeks ago I woke up and decided to start my day watching this Korean movie by Kim Ki-Duk I rented, called Bin-Jip. It was my first time watching a movie by Kim Ki-Duk and since then unfortunately I haven't been able to see another one of his. But I definitely still want to see more, I've heard amazing things about him. And I really start to love Asian cinema. I really loved how Ki-Duk's style really came through. Even though it was my first film of him, I could immediately notice it. There's something so serene and at the same time mysterious about the images he presents. The two main characters don't say anything at all. Just at the end the woman speaks two sentences. But besides that there is almost no dialogue.

What is it about?

The story's about a young man who breaks into houses of people who are on holiday. He doesn't steal anything. All he does is use their things and spends some time in their house. He bathes in their bath, he eats in their kitchen, he even sleep in their beds, in their pyjama's. Then one day he breaks into this house, but the woman living there is still at home. Only her husband has left. As he walks around in her house, she just observes him. She doesn't call the police or anything. When she finally appears to him, he leaves without saying anything. He later returns and notices the woman and her husband are having some issues in their relationship. The woman then leaves with the young man and from that moment they break into houses together and fall in love. Eventually the man gets arrested and the woman has to return to her husband. While he is in jail, the man trains himself in becoming invisible so he can dissapear completely. In this way he gets to free himself from jail and the woman and he can be together again without her husband noticing him.

Final Verdict: *****

Thinking about it makes me feel really satisfied. The film is a very beautiful, different and original love story between two people. Just by looking at each other, without saying anything at all, you can just see how their relationship develops. They just enjoy each others presence. I loved that they didn't spoke a word to each other. They didn't ask any questions. She just went with him. They didn't need words to make clear to each other how they felt. This film is very special and for everyone who loves movies that are different it's a must-see.

Anche Libera Va Bene

A while ago I saw Anche Libero Va Bene at a movie theatre in Amsterdam. I was very excited to see it that day. I especially like it when an actor directs a film and also plays in it himself. And Kim Rossi Stuart did an amazing job both in directing and acting. I guess most people here haven't heard about this film. Except maybe when you're from Italy or when you really love European cinema. But anyway, I really enjoyed this film. It's very good. The acting is awesome. I never saw Kim Stuart Rossi in a film before. It's the first time I watched a movie he's in. But he definitely wants to make me see more of his films. He played his character very well. A real strong performance which blew me away. Also both actors that played his son Tommi and daughter Viola in the film are very good, especially considering there young age. They really were like a brother and sister and acted very natural.

What is it about?

The film is about Tommi, who's about 11 years old and his older sister Viola who live with their father. Their parents are separated, cause apparently the mother likes to sleep around with other men. The father takes care of his two kids pretty well, but he still has a hard time dealing with the fact the mother of the children left them. The father, who's name is Renato, seems like a very kind man, but so now and then he can get really angry over little things. For example when the house is a bit of a mess, he flips out and gets all angry with his kids screaming and yelling. Also in public he sometimes get angry, especially when it has to do with his job. Renato's behaviour sometimes scares Tommi a bit. Tommi wants to play football, but his father wants him to be a swimmer, cause he finds swimming a better sport than football. Swimming will make his little boy a real man. The film shows how Tommi struggles with the problems his family go through.

Final Verdict: *****

I could really relate to everything in this film. Like when Tommi was about to ask his father if he could go skiing with his friends. I could feel how afraid he was for asking, cause you just knew his father would flip out. And there have been many moments when i was a little kid that I had to ask my parents for something which I knew would make them mad. This movie is a must-see and could definitely grow out to be a favourite of mine. I'm very glad I watched it and still after all those weeks, I think about what a nice experience it was watching this film.

Northfork

Northfork is about a little town, named after the river that surrounds it, which is going to be flooded. The damm that protects the village form overfloating will be destroyed, therefore the villagers have to be evacuated. To do so the state send six men. All of them are divided into pairs of two and will earn 1.5 acres of land if they evacuate at least 65 homes. The six men agree to evacuate the village and head off to Northfork.
Meanwhile a young mother and father are about to leave the village. With them is their adopted son. The boy is ill and will not make it if he'll leave with his parents. Afraid for their son's life they decide to leave the child behind. His caretaker, Father Harlan, will stay with him, while the boy's parents leave the village. Lying in his bed the boy starts to fantasize. First he meets Flower Hercules at the village's graveyard. The boy, who's name is Irwin, is standing by the grave of his real father and mother. Flower Hercules is looking for someone and speaks briefly with the boy. Before she or he, since Flower Hercules seems not be man or woman, leaves the child, Flower gives him a feather, which the boy holds tightly. Back to the room where little Irwin is lying, a feather falls out of his hand when he sleeps. Father Harlan sees it, picks it up and saves it in a book.
While the six men are trying to convince the villagers to leave, Irwin starts to fantasize again. This time he's sitting on a swing when suddenly he sees a strange reddish creature who's legs are like long stilts. Irwin follows the creature and is led to a house. When nobody opens the door he decides to walk in himself. There he meets Flower Hercules and her fellow relatives who go by the names: Cup of Tea, Cod and Happy. The four of them are looking for a relative they have lost. They ask the boy if he knows about the 'unknown angel'. He says he does. The four ask Irwin to bring them this angel, promising the boy that they take him with him, 1000 miles away as he wishes. When the boy returns all he has with him is a long suitcase. When the four ask him where the unknown angel is, he tells them he's the angel they've been looking for. Suspicious, Happy starts to investigate the boy. First he searches for his wings. When these can not be found, the boy says they took them form him, amputated them. All he got left are some feathers that seem to grow from his body sometimes on an early morning. Next Happy investigates the boy's body, looking for his halo. That too, they took from him, Irwin says. Next Irwin shows them what's in the suitcase. There they find a gun. The boy tells about how he was flying with his flock of angels and got shot from the sky when they were flying across Northfork. This is how he ended up in the village as an orphan. After the boy's story Irwin leaves again, leaving the four discussing over wheter the boy might be their relative or not.
During the boy's fantasies the six men are still evacuating people, like the man who has built his own arc and has two wifes like Noah had two of everything. The wifes are eventually convinced to leave, but the man, Mr Stalling, doesn't want to leave and stays. For the two men, a father and a son, this arc was part of the 65 houses they had to evacuate. Because the man decides to stay they only have evacuated 64 houses. Therefore they won't get the 1.5 acres of ground they could have earned. Not giving in that easily, the son tells the head of state that there's another house they haven't investigated yet. This house, so it turns out is the one where Flower Hercules and the others live.
After rethinking everything the boy has said, Happy concludes that he's one of them, he's the relative they were looking for. Flower Hercules is allowed to get the boy and take him with them. But first the father and son investigate the house. It seems nobody's home. They both investigate the first floor where they find out that in the middle the house is broken up in two separate parts. The father is on one part of the house, the son's on the other. He ask his father to jump so he'll be on his side and they'll be together. The father jumps, makes it to the other side, but hits the floor. When he tries to get up he sees Flower Hercules and the others. Not sure what he saw he decides to leave quickly taking his son with him, but leaving behind a suitcase. This suitcase is almost as big as the one Irwin brought the four. When they open it they find two beautiful wings that look like if it belongs to an angel.
Then Iwrin dies, but not before he has his last fantasy. He's taken by Flower Hercules telling him he's their relative and explaining to him that she will nor be his mother nor his father, since she's both. Together with the other three they leave with a plane, leaving Northfork behind. Next to the bed Irwin has died in, stands a little table. On it are a comic about Hercules, a flower in a vase, a bottle of cod liver oil and a cup of tea.

Is it any good?

Northfork is a very different movie. I don't think I have ever seen anything like it. First off, the movie has a very slow pace, which fits the story well and gives it a haunting feeling. The music is lovely, very relaxing and the images look beautiful. Also the costumes, in particular that of Flower Hercules, look amazing. Overall Northfork has a kind of surrealism to it. It looks very arty, like a painting. The colors that are used make it look really peaceful. The story uses a lot of symbolism and has biblical references which shows in the spoken dialogue and in some of the characters. The movie is filled with these references that you may not always be able to place. All actors are great. Especially Daryl Hannah as Flower and Nick Nolte as Father Harlan. Anthony Edwards, whom I only know from E.R., I didn't recognize at all. He definitely looks different as Happy.
Some people call this movie boring, but I thought it was interesting enough to keep me watching. At times I kind of felt that I had the urge for something big to happen, but this never made me look away from the screen. This movie is a bit tough to understand immediately when you first watch it. I'm not quite sure what it all means. But the way it is brought is really comforting. Watching this movie just feels really nice. Right now it isn't a movie that I instantly love. Maybe if I watch it again or put more thought in it I will come to love it. But for now it's just a really nice film, with a story that seems like a little fable, a story you tell your kids before they go to bed.

Is it a must-see?

Nope, I don't think so. It's not a movie you need to see, because it's so awesome, it's so great. But it's definitely something else. And if you like something else, than you should watch it. But to me it isn't a movie that I feel I really should have watched. It's nice, but nothing more. If I hadn't seen it, I wouldn't really have missed something.

Is it inspiring?

Not so much. Northfork didn't have me going: wow I want to make a movie like this! I did like the way the story is told, though. I love the images and the costumes. The location where it's shot is tremendously beautiful. Very breathtaking scenery. It would be great to shoot a film in a place like that. It seems to have a very dramatic feel to it. It's really a character in itself. Just the colors, they make for so much emotion. It really is a haunting landscape, so open, so empty. Also the scene in the church, that did not have a back wall, was a lovely sight. Nice and original. That had me in awe for a moment.

Best scene

The best scene is the part where Flower Hercules and Irwin meet for the first time. When we, the viewer, see Flower for the first time she's surrounded by this bright white light. The way this is shot looks very beautiful. And really adds something to the lovely costume Daryl Hannah is wearing. I also liked the red creature, of which I'm not sure what it is and what it means. But it really fitted the story. And it added to the strangeness that is Northfork. It was that little extra that makes it more special and different from anything else. It's nice that a strange creature like that is added without giving an explanation of what it is or what it means. It was just there.

Best piece of dialogue

I loved the dialogue in this movie. It sounds poetic and deep. My favourite line has to be this one: "We are all angels. It is what we do with our wings that separates us."

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The Fountain

The Fountain is about Tommy and Izzi, a very in love couple. Izzi has cancer which cannot be cured, therefore she will die. Tommy, who is a doctor and who's full name is Tom Creo, will not accept the fact that his wife will die. He keeps searching for a cure that will safe his wife's life. This search starts to consume him, which worries Izzi who believes death isn't the end. She knows she will die, but also that she will live on and never entirely leave this earth. During the time that Tom tries to make a medicine which he tries on apes, Izzi has written a story. This story is centered in the past, in a time when Spain is on fire. The queen has sent her servants on a quest to find the tree of life, the one tree from Eden, that is hidden somewhere at the navel of the earth. Tomas Vere, a conquistador, will lead the quest and the queen, who's name is Isabel promises to be his Eve once he finds the tree of life. The story Izzi has written is about her and Tom, hence the names Tomas and Isabel. It consists of eleven chapters, but isn't finished yet. When Izzi's lying in the hospital, close to dying, she asks Tom to finish the story. Tom reads it, but can't finish it yet. He isn't able to give into the fact that his wife's going to die. When the right cure is finally found it's already to late. Izzi has died. All that's left for Tom to do is to finish the story just like Izzi wanted. This was her last wish. The reason she left it open, is so Tom will come to realise Izzi's right and Tom should just enjoy his life and except it. She will never really be gone, she will be with him, he doesn't have to be scared. She'll always be present.
The story ended at the moment Tomas encountered the guard that will lead to the tree of life. It's now up to Tom to decide wheter he finds the tree and will be given immortality or that he fails, not able to conquer death as he so badly wants to.
Tomas finds the tree but as he drinks from the tree's sap, new life grows, but he himself, dies. All that's left are the flowers that have grown out of him. Queen Isabel and him meet and he's given a seed. Back to the present, Tom goes to Isabel's grave and plants the seed, which shows that the story Izzi's written isn't just based on their life, but really is their life. They've lived that life in the past.
Also, Tom changed the present by following Izzi when she visited Tom at the hospital just before he would go into surgery. Right then, Izzi's still alive. Instead of just dying in hospital, Tom will now make sure Izzi will live forever, like she wanted to. The ending he writes contains all of this.

Just like Tom is shown in the past, he's shown in the future, living in a bubble, an ecosphere, that's floating in space. He meditates and writes with the fountain pen Izzi gave him as a present so he could finish the story. With him in the huge bubble is a big tree. The tree that has grown out of the seed that Tom had planted on his wife's grave, years before when Izzi had just died. Tom spends his days meditating, thinking about the past, about the story, and how he never was able to find immortality. Eventually he has to finish the story. End it. Years later, he has to finally make his last choice. Still haunted by Izzi's voice telling him to finish it. Therefore he starts climbing the tree which has died, finally fully coming to terms with death, realising, also, he will die one day. He has chosen for his wife's believes and apparently has finished writing the story and this is how it ends. He has chosen for the story Izzi believed in, the one her guide told her about the son who planted a seed on his father's grave, out of which grew a tree, a tree of life. Tom, bald and grown old, is finally reunited with Izzi. Now in death they live on forever.

Is it any good?

It is amazing. First off, the music and the images are breathtaking and both Weisz and Jackman give brilliant performances. Jackman is great in this film. I thought he did good in The Prestige, but this one, he's just great. And I actually don't really like him as an actor. But he plays his character really well, easily switching between vulnerability, anger, dertermination, all in showing the struggle Tom goes through. The beautiful close-up's of both actor's faces still haunt you hours after watching the movie. I didn't cry, but I definitely felt the tears in my eyes at some moments and those weren't even the most intense ones.
As for the story, it's great. I don't even know if the summary that i gave above is correct, but that's what makes this movie even better. It's stays open for your own interpretation. It's filled with little details that during the time you watch the movie you can't really place and give you a lot to think about after watching it. Actually, while watching this film you never really get the time to fully rethink everything you have been watching. And it will be afterwards that you really realize how amazing this film is. It's a film that makes you think, wonder, and leaves you puzzled. It's very rich and has lots to offer. You just have to sit and watch and pay really close attention, just let it wash over you. Then at the end, when you've seen everything, and it has ended you can go and put all the pieces together and try to understand everything you've just watched. It's a film you have to see multiple times, which is why it's so good and which is why it will become better everytime you watch it. Everytime you will watch it you will discover new things, but never fully get a hold of everything you see. This story is never fully complete itself, it's never fully finished. You can give a different interpretation everytime you watch it.
As a viewer all three stories are presented to you little by little. You're like a conquisitor yourself, going on this quest to decide for yourself which way you will go. Which of the messages will you keep when you'll be finished watching? The film doesn't have a real beginning, middle and end. Therefore you don't really know when the film will end. You're never sure if this is the final ending, if this is the way Tom has decided to finish the story.
As for everyone who disliked this movie. I can understand them, at least a bit. I understand that the way this movie presents itself to the viewer can be too difficult for some people. If you don't have the patience to sit through a beginning of a film without fully being aware of what's going on, then The Fountain isn't for you. The Fountain really challenges you as a viewer, makes you active. And I really appreciate that. You get all these images that take place in different times, and you're allowed to put them together the way you want to. And it really sticks in your head.
So if you do have the patience you'll be rewared, except if you're just really a person without feeling. Someone who only watches movies for some kind of thrill, not longing for a story that will make you think, will make you feel. Some people say this film is a mess or that it's utter crap, which to me makes no sense. Okay, it's alright if you think it's pretentious, that it's trying to be a lot. But why not? Why can't it be? Aronofsky made so much of this story. He really gives you every possibility to look upon this story of a man who's searching for eternal life. Everyone who has a bit of feeling in them at least will find some connection on an emotional level. How can you not feel for Tom on all his travels? How can you just sit watching, without thinking about what you see? If you care about the characters, even just a little, if you can identify with them, feel Tom's pain, his endless struggle, than you would never condemn this movie to the statement 'utter crap'. Because, fact is, it isn't. Everybody should be able to relate to everything this movie offers.
It's just like people saying Lost In Translation is boring. For me, I love it when a movie makes me think. Makes me realize things I never realized before or which I haven't realized in a long time. Or just a film that's on the same wave lenght as I am. The Fountain is just like a big pile of thoughts that keep changing. It just shows the whole thinking process and Tom's mind that's about to explode, because he just don't know what to do anymore.
The Fountain really is beautiful, exceptional, extraordinary even. You can really see that it's a very personal movie, which makes me feel very privileged as a viewer. Aronofsky really takes you into this story, into his world. This is how he sees things. I love that he allows his viewers to get this close to him, to his vision. It's a very powerful film with a lot of heart. Just one man, one, I guess you can say hopeless romantic, that doens't want to except his wife is going to die. How great is that! I myself, don't think I would ever really be able to except something like that. I don't think I could ever fully make piece with the fact that my wife is dying either. Just the thought that your wife will leave you forever and there's nothing you can do. It's devastating and oh so brave of this man, Tom, to try and conquer death. Why not try, even though you know you won't be able to stop death, but at least you haven't given in that easily. It's about that kind of power, this movie. It's about that strong love, that powerful love. Really, how can you not be intrigued by the way this film tells this story.

Is it a must-see?

Wheter you'll like it or not. Just go see it! Yes, it's a MUST see. The images look wonderful. This is a film you want to linger in forever. It's Aronofsky's masterpiece. It's poetry, proze, a painting, a love song, it's everything you can imagine and beyond. And if you won't like it, too bad. But if you do like it, than I'm sure you'll love it. It's a gem of a film. Therefore, it's a must-see. A must-see is a film that's just isn't so and so, but is really good. And this one is just that.

Is it inspiring?

Very. If I would ever be able to make a movie, than this is how I would have wanted it to be. A story about love this strong, beautiful music, acting and images. And a story that is told in a way that has just that little bit of extra complexity that makes it a bit hard to grab. That's what a good movie should be. One that makes you think, long after you've seen it, a movie that sticks and you want to watch over and over again. Darren, you're my hero! This movie was a risk, it's very personal, which make it so nice. You really feel the envolvement. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who can look at life this way.

Best scene

Even though there are many great moments in this movie, e.g. the wonderful tears rolling from both of Jackman's eyes; Izzi sitting on the roof looking at Xibalba; the best scene in my opinion is when Tomas finds the tree of life and drinks from it's sap. A drop falls on the ground and this beautiful white flower starts to grow out of the ground. Then Tomas tries to heal his wound. First it just seems to heal, but suddenly flower starts to grow out of it and before he can do anything, more flowers grow and he eventually falls to the ground. All that's left are flowers and Tomas is death, the flowers have burries him next to the tree of life. This scene really made me go: wow! It was that good, and very unexpected. Wonderful moment.

Best piece of dialogue

I love the dialogue in this movie. Everything that is said is said for a reason, you have to pay close attention. And the things they say are very beautiful and very deep. But a line I really liked was: 'Every shadow no matter how deep is threatened by morning light.' (Izzi/Isabel)

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