Alice in the wonderland is one of the most well-known fairytale of all time and because of it’s fantasy elements it’s also perfect for screen. What’s great about this adaption it’s only loosely based on Lewis Carroll’s original novel but still it’s the story we can all recognize. On this screenplay we are introduced with 19-year-old Alice, played by Mia Wasikowska, who has had the same nightmare over and over again since a little kid and after many strange things like falling down a rabbit hole and meeting Mad Hatter and others she realizes it wasn’t nightmare at all but a memory of her visit in ”underland”. She also learns her destiny is to dethrone red queen and return the crown back to the white queen whose much more peaceful monarch so wonderland would be safe place to live in again.

Film is directed by Tim Burton whose other works are for example Sweeney Todd and Charlie and the Chocolate factory. If you’re familiar with his other works you can’t fail at noticing his own personal filmmaking style in this movie. He’s probably the only filmmaker who can make colourful and bright film with dark tones and  that combination is what makes this movie so powerful and spectacular.  Burton is known from his cooperation with actors Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter and this film is not exception we see Depp as Mad Hatter and Bonham Carter as red queen and like in almost every Burton’s film the soundtrack is composed by Danny Elfman.

Cast also includes quite many actors from Harry Potter for example above-named Helena Bonham Carter and Alan Rickman, who we all know as a potion teacher in Hogwarts, makes a voice-role as blue Caterpillar. His remarkable voice is like made for this role but you can’t stop thinking that it’s maybe too recognizable since everyone perceives his voice as professor Snape.

Not only Burton created a box-office hit what it totally was it was sixth film that grossed 1 billion dollars worldwide (after Avatar, The dark knight, Pirates of the Caribbean: dead man’s chest, Lord of the rings: the return of the king and Titanic) but also an award success. It got three Academy award nominations in 2011 and it won two in ”Best Achievement in Art Direction” and ” Best Achievement in Costume Design”. It also won two BAFTAs in categories ” Best Costume Design” and ”Best Make Up & Hair”. Overall it won 18 different awards and it got 42 nominations in several categories.

Mad Hatter: Have i gone mad?

Alice: I’m afraid so. You’re entirely bonkers. But I’ll tell you a secret. All the best people are.

While the fifth Die Hard -movie A good day to Die Hard is coming to movie theaters at 15.2.2013, it´s perfect time to go back to the film from which the whole Die Hard -series has begun. The name of the film is simply Die Hard and it´s directed by John McTiernan.

But what´s Die Hard 1 all about? The terrorists take control of Nakatomi Corporation´s office aka Nakatomi Plaza, where a group of people is celebrating the Christmas Eve. Only John McClane, starred by Bruce Willis, a cop from New York and the hero of the movie succeeds to hide from the terrorists. His wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia), who works for the Nakatomi Corporation, gets caught and joins the other hostages.

The character of John McClane is different from the other action heroes at 1988, the year the film was made. Things are also going badly and John isn´t so superior. But he always figures it out, how to demolish these terrorist´ plans.

The direction and the cut of the film is one of a kind. It´s a good combination of what you see and what you don´t see and it creates the excitement to the movie. The camerawork helps you to understand, what the each one of the characters see and at the same time helps you to follow the story and the relationships between the characters. Also the environment, a huge sky scraper, which isn´t totally finished yet, gives different locations, because each block is different and recognizable.

The casting has succeeded to choose the right actors to the right roles. Bruce Willis as John McClane is amazing and he can say those kind of black humor -lines believably. Yes, watching this film makes you laugh! Also Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber, the leader of the terrorists is fantastic: his voice, accent, facial expressions etc, they all work! Only Bonnie Bedelia as Holly leaves me cold, because I think that she doesn´t act at all. But, lucky me, she´s just in a supporting role and isn´t shown on the screen as much as the others.

In the film there is one speciality: the German terrorists speak German to each other! Generally the Hollywood-actors speak English instead of their characters´ motherlanguage. This is one thing why I´m so impressed by Alan Rickman acting the one of the bad guys; he´s got the German accent, too!

I haven´t listened to Die Hard´s music earlier so much, but when I watched the movie again for this film review, I realized, that there are many famous songs in it. For example in the scene, where the terrorists succeed to open the vault full of bearer bonds,The Ode to Joy (Ludwig van Beethoven) is played on the backround. And because it´s Christmas, you can find many Christmas songs from the film. I think that well-planed music is one sign of a fabulous film.

The amazing plot is a thing that is missing from many action films, but not from Die Hard. There happens so much in the film, but it´s still one and whole. Even the tiniest things and lines belong together, because the movie is done well. Die Hard 1 is a good start to this series and the plot provides many possibilities to sequels.

Yippee-ki-yay, this is what I call an action film!

Casino Royale was released on 14. november 2006. It is based on Ian Fleming’s novel Casino Royale (1953) and it was directed by Martin Gampbell. It is the first Bond movie featuring Daniel Craig.

The Plot is consisted of Bond’s journey of becoming a double-0 agent, playing in a high-stakes poker game and discovering how no one can be trusted. Casino Royale is the new beginning for Bond movies. It’s story is continued in Quantum of Solace (2008) and Skyfall (2012). These movies explain the beginning of Bond and other characters such as M, Q and Miss Moneypenny. But only Casino Royale was written by Ian Fleming.

The casting is done very well. The actors are suited well to their characters and bring them to life. The Main star of the movie is obviously Daniel Craig as James Bond. He might not be the Bond we are used to but he brought something new to this series. Craig is joined by Judi Dench as M; Eva Green as Vesper, the Bond girl; Giancarlo Giannini as Rene Mathis, Bond’s contact and Mads Mikkelsen as Le Chiffre, the Bond villain.

Casino Royale features great camerawork, effects and stunts. Effects include the biggest effect ever to be in a Bond movie the sinking of an Venetian house and the crash of Bond’s Aston Martin that broke a Guinness World record with it’s 7 rolls. Music of the movie was composed by David Arnold. The title song You Know my name was performed and composed by Chris Cornell.

Having also read Casino Royale (1953) I can safely say that the movie is actually much better! Believe it or not. The novel beeing the first of it’s kind it didn’t tell things that the movie did. The book starts at Montenegro with the poker not from how Bond became a double-0. Not to say the novel is bad but I like how in the movie more information is given of Bond. Of course the endings differ from each other because the movie needed to end so a sequal could be made.

All in all Casino Royale is a great movie. It’s different from former Bond movies and some people (including me) call it the best Bond movie ever made.

Memoirs of a Geisha is a book written by American author Artur Golden. Genre is historical. Movie was released in 2005 and it stars the Chinese actresses and only one Japanese, even if much of the movie is set in the popular geisha district of Gion in Kyoto in Japan

At the age of nine, Chiyo Sakamoto (Suzuka Ohgo as a young Chiyo) is taken from her home with her older sister Satsu and sold to an okiya (which means  a geisha boarding house).

Other people living in the okiya are another young girl named Pumpkin, elderly and grumbling Granny, money-obsessed Mother. Also the famous, but mean, geisha Hatsumomo (Gong Li), who is disliking Chiyo, and sees her as a threat.

Despite warnings, Chiyo plans escape with Satsu, but is caught. Enraged at her for dishonoring the okiya, Mother makes Chiyo pay off her debts as a slave.

While working as a slave in okiya, Chiyo meets a kind man who gives her money. Chiyo starts calling her as a Chairman (Ken Watanabe) and he’s her first love. She donates the money, praying to become a geisha in the hopes of seeing him again. Soon an older geisha called Mameha (Michelle Yeoh)  persuades Mother to pay  Chiyo’s training. When she can restart her training, Chiyos geisha name becomes Sayuri (Zhang Ziyi as an older Chiyo) and Mameha is acting as her mentor. And at the one point it is clarifyed that Chairman have sent Mameha to help Sayuri.

But because Hatsumomo sees Sayuri as a possible rival she tryes to destroy her fame and take all her customers. But as always, bad people has only bad endings and Hatsumomo losts everything that sha had and is ejected to the streets.

Same time Japan is on the brink of entering world war 2 and many Geisha are evacuated.  Sayuri is  send  far north to work as a kimono maker.  At the end of the war, customer visits Sayuri and asks that if she would return to Okiya and work as a geisha again.

Eventually Sayuri and Chairman confess their love to each other and teh film ends in the words: ”To a man, Geisha can only be half a wife. We are the wives of nightfall. And yet to learn of kindness, after so much unkindness… To understand that a little girl with more courage than she knew, would find that her prayers were answered…can that not be called happiness? After all, these are not the memoirs of an empress, nor of a queen. These are memoirs of another kind.” – Sayuri

 Avatar is a fantasy and adventure film. It was released in 18th of December in 2009 by 20th Century Fox. It is scripted and directed by James Cameron. James Cameron started in 1994 working on avatar. Then he wrote a 114-page screenplay. The film budget was 237 million dollars. Avatar is in position four of the world the most expensive movies list. Soundtrack of the film is ”I See You” which sings Leona Lewis. The film was developed for a number of new techniques and software. The film has been released on DVD and Blu-Ray. The film in the lead roles are Sam Worthington who plays Jake Sully and his co-star Zoe Saldana who plays Neytiri. Other important actors are Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang and Giovanni Ribisi. Cameron wanted to film actors who were not necessarily so well known.

Two and a half hour movie can hold a lot of plot twists that will keep the viewer awake movie time. Avatar incredible special effects to create a complete package which take the viewer to another dimension. Avatar ranks planet named Pandora. Pandora’s beautiful landscapes include waterfalls and abundant vegetation. The lush nature brings the movie stunning colors.

Avatar has received four nominations in the annual Golden Globe Awards, in categories ”Favorite drama movie”, ”The best director”, ”The best music” and ”The best movie song”. Avatar has been awarded awards a Golden Globe the best drama film and the best director. Avatar has received Oscars for the best production design, characterization and special effects. Avatar was nominated for Oscars for the best director and the film.

I have watched Avatar again and again. I think that film is one of 2000’s the best films. Avatar amazing execution effects which adds an incredible viewing experience. Avatar is the greatest adventure of all time which carries with it. I recommend the movie for everyone who likes fantasy.

Desperate Housewives is an American TV-serie, which was created by March Cherry. Desperate Housewives tells about four women, who might look perfect but they all have their own problems and lives. These five ladies lives in imaginary Fairviews suburb.

The main characters are Teri Hatcher (Susan Mayer), Felicity Huffman (Lynette Scavo), Marcia Cross (Bree Van De Kamp), Eva Longoria (Gabrielle Solis). They all have their own personalities: Susan is a litle quick-tempered, Lynette is the trusted one, Bree is always perfect and Gabrielle is the most superficial. I don’t have any favourite, I like them all but Eva Longoria is the beautiest in my eyes. I think they all are very good actors, and the Desperate Housewives has wone one Golden Globe and one Emmy.

The creator of Desperate Housewives, March Cherry, had got the idea to make this serie from one shocking news. Andrea Yates, Texan mother, had killed her five child, and Cherry asked her own mother what kind of mother would do that. His mother told him, that she understands Yates, because she had also been so desperate when her man was away and she had to raise her children alone. This made Cherry think thay maybe also other women, who look doing fine, can be inside very depressed ans desperate.

There are eight production seasons. The first period was shown on ABC in 2004 and in year 2005 serie came to Finlands TV. One season includes 23 periods. The serie is very popular all over the world – also Oprah and Dr. Phil watches it. Description group spends normally 15 days for shooting one period. Every period has own theme which is demonstrated in the begining of the period. When there was a rumour that Eva Longoria will leave the show, Longoria said that they all (the main characters) have 10 years contract.

 An Education is a British film directed by Lone Scherfig. This film is a coming-of-age drama film from it’s category and it is based on a book of the same name by Lynn Barber.

The plot is that a sixteen-year-old schoolgirl Jenny meets a charming Jewish man called David who takes her to beautiful places such as clubs and fine restaurants. Jenny falls easily for David and he also gets her parents appreciation. Soon Jenny starts to notice that David makes his money trough a variety of shady practices. Initially Jenny is shocked but she tries to forget that because she still likes David.

David also takes Jenny to Paris for her birthday, the place where she has always wanted to go. Soon David proposes marriage and Jenny accepts. That makes her to leave her school. When she has left school she finds out that David is already married to an older woman. When Jenny tells him that she knows, David disappears from her life. Jenny feels she has nothing left and finally gets help from her favorite teacher, who helps her back to her old school.

Jenny Mellor (Carey Mulligan) Jenny is the main character. She is a sixteen-year-old schoolgirl who loves french culture. She listens a lot of french music and speaks it often with her friends.

David Goldman (Peter Sarsgaard) is a charming Jewish conman. He has a lot of money and he goes often to fine restaurants and luxurious places. He values arts and music.

Danny (Dominic Cooper) is David’s partner in crime and of course his friend. He likes valuable instruments and expensive decor.

Helen (Rosamund Pike) Helen is Danny’s girlfriend. She is into fashion and she is not as clever as the others in group.

This film’s soundtrack includes a lot of french music and lively music which is played by the piano. The soundtrack includes also old classical hits which are played in the clubs where David takes Jenny.

I’d recommend this film to everyone because it’s interesting, and sad when you identify with the main character Jenny.

The Book of Eli (2010) (by Gary Whitta) is a post-apocalyptic tale, in which there are a lone man who fights his way across America in order to protect a sacred book which is a Bible. Almost every copy of The Bible is burned after war. There is some enemies on his way and he will have to compete with them so he can deliver that book to safety.

Characters:

Eli (Denzel Washington) is the main character and he is on journey to deliver that Bible to safety on a museum. On his way he finds companion who helps him complete that task. 

Carnegie (Gary Oldman) is the main bad guy. He has guys looking for books, but really he wants to get his hands on Bible. Because he believes that with that he could rule the humankind.

Claudia (Jennifer Beals) is Carnegie’s blind mistress and mother of Solara.

Solara (Mila Kunis) becomes an companion for Eli and she helps completing the task. First Eli would not want Solara to come with him. He rather wants to complete his burden alone, but after when Solara gets caught by highwaybandits Eli comes to help her and they start to walk together.

Lombardi (Malcolm McDowell) is the owner of the museum and he re-writes The Bible as the Eli tells him.

Special effects:There is so much of them in fighting scenes. You can know that they are effects, but still they look so much alive. Also when the house is gunned down camera comes towards the gun you can see it shooting but you will see its just an effect.

Genre: The genre of this movie is action, adventure and also drama. Its wonderful tale about task what you can complete if you just want to succeed in it.

My own opinion about this movie is that its so good that you can watch it many times and just then you can understand all what it tells to you.