Punch-Drunk Love (2002)

[Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson]

A mellow film about a psychologically abused guy who's being drowned in his own business and learn to fall in love. I enjoyed Adam Sandler's performance as Barry Egar. I think he fits the role. Barry Egar is a kind of person who being disrespected by his family, but he's a strong, persistent guy, who will do anything he wants. Before he met Lena (Emily Watson), he didn't stood up for what he deserves, but then he fell in love and it seems somehow, cure his psychological problems.

I like this movie first time I saw the first scene. Brilliant cinematography, typical PTA, love it. Then in the middle, the tense is getting higher and with the score support. This is an innocent film. The scenes that involves the piano also makes me happy, it seems that the little piano, in sort of strange way, helps Barry release his strangled mind.

Totally recommended.

Rate: 8.5/10
Imdb rate HERE

Magnolia (1999)

[Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson]

Phew! Magnolia simply one of the best movies I've ever seen. What can I say? PTA at his best, beside There Will Be Blood definitely (this one won oscar)! But this movie completely continues to thrill me. I feel shook up when scenes changing. First of all, this movie is 3 hours long but I didn't feel like that long. I mean this movie is carrying me so well that I feel it's just like normal duration of a movie. 3 hours of masterpiece. Bravo, PTA.

The first scenes confusing me. I refuse to read the reviews of this movie. I think it will gives me greater expectation until the end. It does. Then I continued, I keep my eyes on the screen, it won't let me see other things. The cinematography is incredible, the scenes are so tense, I can feel my heart beating in couple scenes. This movie speaks the mouth can't. It grips you but also chills you.

The storyline is about how coincidence connects to each other, you may not see how it actually connects, but it does. It makes you think, though, but not in a complicated way.

Great casts indeed. I love how much they got in characters. My favorite character in this movie is Phil Parma (Philip Seymour Hoffman), he plays this one innocent nurse, who's really helpful and involved too much in a family, but inside he's just a really really nice guy. There's so many things I want to say about this film, but it turns out that I don't have many things to write, I'm afraid I'll look dumb and I don't want to spoil things and you must need to see the FAQ of Magnolia HERE. It's impeccable. Big line: love, pain, honesty, forgiveness, courage, hope.

My recommendation overall is you need to see this movie, buy the dvd, watch it, again and again if you like! I personally going to find time to watch this movie again, and tell my boyfriend to watch it :)

Rate: 8.5/10
Imdb rate HERE

Haevnen (2010)

[Dir. Susanne Bier]

First of all, this movie has great landscapes, great location. I really like the sceneries. Anyway, this movie is about a troubled child Christian (William Jøhnk Nielsen) whom her mother dead because of cancer and live with his father Claus (Ulrich Thomsen) and got misunderstood about his mother's dead, that's why he hates his father. Meanwhile, his friend Elias (Markus Rygaard) with his about to divorce parents but still in contact, is a loner and victim of bully in his school. His parents works as doctor, his father works in Africa. This movie tells you about two different point of view. The humanity, love, caring, peaceful side which pictured by Anton (Mikael Persbrandt) whom everyday deals with victims of crime or murderers in Africa, most of them are kids. The other point of view is about violence, rage, vengeance, who pictured by Christian, a kid who misunderstood about her mother's dead, whom finally revealed the truth.

The scenes mostly display sadness, pain, sympathy, i love how real the actors emotions are, even as a little kid, William Jøhnk and Markus Rygaard play so effortlessly in the characters. The most outstanding performance in this movie goes to Mikael Persbrandt. And the whole story about humanity in this movie is astonishing, no wonder why this movie won an Oscar. Susanne Bier wins my heart again.

I have to admit actually I don't really like Christian's character, but that's why I said he was good because he made me hate the character. Because it was so real. Great casts by the way!

I figured out the meaning of it's title and it's wonderful. Like, your life before something really happened, but then it made you a better person, a whole different peaceful situation, how a bad accident made your life better. And then they live in a better world.

Rate: 7.5/10

Imdb rate HERE

Memento (2000)

[Dir. Christopher Nolan]

Oh gosh, I don't know where to start this review. First of all, I love how I get stuck in this movie. First, I was like "what the hell is happening???", then "oh my god are you kidding me???", then "it can't be serious!!!!", after all happened i'm like "you fucking little prick". Oh god, I loveeeee this movie. It keeps your brain spinning all the time. Like, you can't miss one second of this movie.

The story about an ex-insurance investigator who had short-term memory, I'm not gonna say trying, but more like attempt or making a story of his own to find out about what happened to his wife, in this film synopsis, he's trying to find out who killed his wife. That's the main story. It's pretty simple, actually. Do not read the review, read it by your own risk. Everything will turns out beyond your imagination. Just be patient about it. 

Gripping, twisting, outstanding, fresh, out of the box, that's what this movie is. Big thanks to Christopher Nolan. And Guy Pearce is incredible!! Also, note this. You will want to see this movie again right after you finished it.

Rate: 9/10

Imdb rate HERE

Dead Poets Society (1989)

[Dir. Peter Weir]

Dead Poets Society is a kind of ambitious, cheering, break you down, but surprising at the ending. Basically you'll feel lifted up but then you slammed down but slowly you'll lifted again. The story of a group of young men who so driven up by their spirit to do something unique, something that they don't even like it before, but they were curious, they were so fervent. Well, of course, they are different each other. Some of them like to be serious, playful, alone, or even unconfident.

This movie tells you that you can't just trust a story by itself, that you must feel it to know what it actually happening, what it's actually like. John Keating (Robin Williams) is a rebellious teacher who's not bad at teaching but he brought something different, something positive to the students, something that the school can't accept, he's an optimistic man that was misunderstood. And then, his students were so influenced by him and what he did in the past, they try to be like John Keating, but it seems that at that time, it wasn't a good decision, until something that tear up all the audience happened (I cried 3 times).

There were only one flaw that I saw like what happened to Knox Overstreet with Chris. Because they two are like pretty important part to me, they both showed up a lot, somehow, main attraction of the movie. Apart from that everything is great!

True friendship like Neil and Todd have, is so beautiful. Also, everyone that plays in the movie showed their great performance, great acting. I personally love this movie and wouldn't mind watching it all over again for couple times.

Rate: 7.5/10

Imdb rate HERE

Elsker Dig For Evigt (2002)

[Dir. Susanne Bier]

I suppose I've written in this blog that I'm a fan of Mads Mikkelsen since I watch Hannibal. And after that I see all of his movies, but I admit when I see him in Casino Royale I was kind of attracted to him but it didn't continued. Now that I became a big fan of him, I've seen his movies and I love his Danish movies. And now I just finished Elsker Dig For Evigt (Open Hearts).

This film shoot is not dramatic, I feel like it supposed to be seen as things that happened in real life. It was so clear, so natural, and there was no special effects. The acting was pure. Susanne Bier is probably my favorite Danish director. I first started to like her work in After The Wedding, the movie is perfect. And I think I'm going to see couples of her work after this one. Back to Open Hearts, this movie will get your feelings, the actors especially Mads Mikkelsen can drive your emotions, he's brilliant in this kind of thing. He will always drive your emotions.

Anyway, this movie is about a confused young girl Cecille (Sonja Richter), whom her fiance Joachim (Nikolaj Lie Kaas) got hit by a car driven by a woman named Marie (Paprika Steen) with her daughter in the car. And then he was hospitalized, taken care by one of his doctor Niels (Mads Mikkelsen). Then Joachim stated that he won't be able to walk, to move his arms, he only be able to think and talk. Cecille got confused, she looked for help, especially for someone who can always be there for her, to hold her, to make sure everything is okay, then Niels come to her life. Clumsy Niels, he fell in love with her and left his family. He didn't think clearly and long enough that Cecille is just an unstable and confuse young girl.

This movie went straight to my feelings when Niels' daughter found out about his dad's affair and so did his wife, it was really painful to watch. There's a lot of sadness shown, but it's not overwhelmed. Perfect amount. The ending was.. It was great really. They just accept the truth, and life goes on. I like realistic movies. And thanks for Susanne Bier for making such an impeccable movie.

Mads Mikkelsen, like always, showed his best performance, Paprika Steen plays such a wonderful, strong, loving wife. I love their performance in this movie, so tough! My saying about this movie is that: a simple movie that could teach you that love is wonderful and there it doesn't leave you hopeless.

Rate: 7.5/10
Imdb rate HERE

Taxi Driver (1976)

[Dir. Martin Scorsese]

I always curious about this movie, it's funny that I just watch this movie now because it's a great movie. Taxi Driver pretty much speaks to my soul, because it has something in common with me. It was perfectly written, a classic movie that never gets old. Because the issues in the movie still going so strong until now.

A man who searching for his identity, also a loner, who tries to find what he could do in his life, and want to be somebody. I can't get my eyes off of the screen. Travis Bickle (Robert DeNiro) want to earn some money, though he didn't have any purpose, he just want to work. He got a job, as a taxi driver. When he doing his job, he met a lot of people, which one of them is Betsy (Cybill Shepherd), whom he fell in love with, and Iris (Jodie Foster) whom he tried to save from Matthew (Harvey Keitel). He tried to live his life, but he couldn't seem to because all these people around him annoyed him. He was heart broken.

The story is easy to understand, probably happens to many people. Especially in America. What I really like in this movie is how they try to picture Travis, brave, courageous, with a tiny bit of insecurity. He can't sleep at night to think about his life. He also still care about his parents. Travis is heroic, mostly to himself, but finally he made something big in his life. Something useful to many people, as he was named "A heroic Taxi Driver". I also really like how Scorsese direct movies. This movie is powerful.

Rate: 8.5/10
Imdb rate HERE

Killing Season (2013)

[Dir. Mark Steven Johnson]

Killing season, a thrilling story about a Serbian veteran soldier seeks revenge for an American veteran soldier. Well predicted, not too catchy. I have to admit two old men fighting is really not good to see but that was predicted from the start. Both not showed their best performance.

Killing Season is a movie about revenge and one way another, have find the meaning of life that doesn't always about living in the past. Benjamin Ford (Robert DeNiro) is a man with peace, only live his rest of life doing his hobbies, hunting, taking photographs, and sort of other usual daily activities. He was divorced with his wife who married their best man at their wedding. His life was painful but he forgets it all, even the pain during the war. Meanwhile, Emil Kovac (John Travolta), a soldier who was shot (but not killed) by Benjamin, coming all the way around the world to kill him. He met Ben in the middle of the forest where Ben lives, and did not suspect his kindness, because Ben has changed, it was pissing him off but he remembers why he's there for.

Emil knows that Ben is not the man he was back then in the war, but he only wants him to confess about what he did in Bosnia, and yet Ben can't even forget about the war. So Emil, forced him to confess, they are fighting, torturing each other, and came to an end where they find a way to make peace with the past. Their wound is finally healed.

Writers only focused on the two characters, doesn't bother the family. It was pretty boring, maybe because there aren't any plot twists. But it was pretty good at the end (i don't mean the scene, only it's meaning) because this movie has something to be learnt. Not got writing, not good cinematography, screenplays too. It's so-so. It should have been good if the writers could be more creative to improve the story.

Well, I'm not into history but I saw people are complaining about the war, but then I don't really care about the truth behind the making of this movie script. Above all, it's just a movie. They can make however they want it to be.

Rate: 4/10

Imdb rate HERE

An Education (2009)

[Dir. Lone Scherfig]

When I first see this movie, I thought this will be a "usual" romantic/drama movie just for plain fun. But it was pretty interesting. A young girl Jenny (Carey Mulligan) met a stranger when it was raining and he picks her up, drives her home safely. The stranger happened to be David (Peter Saarsgard) who claimed himself as a successful, broad-minded, and ridiculously smart person who tries to make Jenny fall in love with him and he did it. Jenny was trapped in David's charisma and she's already threw away her dreams, then struggles to win her life back.

It's delightful to see Jenna's life was became much more brighter since David came, even her stubborn dad can change because of David. David truly do anything to make Jenna fall in love with him. She loves Paris, David takes her there, brings her to the best places and a lot of presents on her birthday, and even all of the sudden, proposes her. In one sentence: David made Jenna's dreams came true. But something's wrong when Danny (Dominic Cooper) act strange when Jenna declared that she's engaged with David. He likes Jenny (not in a way we predict), but he likes her because she's smart, classy, have things in common with him, and he knows what Jenny will face because of that engagement.

This film was well written and Carey had this funny romantic chemistry with Peter it made this heart wrenching to see the story of their characters.  "An Education" means there's something meant to be learnt from this movie. It was simple like: you can't trust a stranger. But in a complicated way. The ending is beautiful. I also really like Alfred Molina's character, he played as Jenna's stubborn dad. If you haven't see this movie, see it now.

Rate: 7/10

Imdb page HERE

Only God Forgives (2013)

[Dir. Nicolas Winding Refn]

I was waiting to see this movie and I can say that it was in between worthy or not worthy. Only God Forgives is a movie that directed by Nicolas Winding Refn and as usual, emphasize the violent side. It was about a man named Julian (Ryan Gosling) who lives from a boxing stadium and a drug dealer, has his brother Billy (Tom Burke) sometimes came there to watch a match. His mother Crystal (Kristin Scott Thomas) hear about the news about Billy's death and flew to see her son's corpse and decides to avenge the killer of her son. Everything seems complicated when a police was involved in the case.

Every character is violent, except Julian. The title "Only God Forgives" seems to be referred to Julian's character. Literally every character seeks revenge, unmercifully. The story line was pretty flat, didn't wake your eagerness to keep your eyes on the screen. Not gripping. Only the cinematography. It's reaaallly beautiful, honestly that's why I like to see this movie, it has beautiful cinematography, it's dark and colorful at the same time. It was blended perfectly. The fighting scene was really bad (I like action movies). Just as you imagine NWR's movies, it has slightly few dialogues. Anyway, my brother left when we watched it. But, I kinda liked it, I like NWR's movies. Because it's like visualgasm.

Rate: 5/10

Imdb page HERE

Hi everyone

Hello, my name's Cininta. I love to watch movies, I'm not really smart of writing reviews but I'll try, because I really like to express my feelings about movies.