Mamma Mia!

Mamma Mia!” is a musical film and romantic comedy. It was released in 2008 and it’s adapted from a Broadway musical of the same name. The film is based on the songs of Swedish singing group ABBA. It was directed by Phyllida Lloyd and producer by Judy Cramer & Gary Goetzman. Movie was filmed in the Greek island Skopelos.

Plot

Sophie Sheridan (Amanda Seyfried) is a young woman who lives in Kalokairi with her mother Donna Sheridan (Meryl Streep). Donna is a single mother and owner of the old hotel. Sophie is about to get married but first she needs to find out who is her father. Sophie reads Donna’s diary and finds out that she has three possible fathers: Sam Carmichael (Pierce Brosnan), Bill Andersson (Stellan Skarsgård) and Harry Bright (Colin Firth). Sophie invites all the father candidates to her wedding ( without telling her mother) because Sophie is convinced that she will know which man is her real father as soon as she sees them.

All three men arrive on the island before the wedding. Sophie starts spending time with them and realise that she doesn’t have any idea which man is her real father. Sophie is trying to hide all three men, but it doesn’t work very well and Donna sees them. At the same time other wedding quests, like Donna’s best friends Rosie (Julie Walters) and Tanya (Christine Baranski) arrive to the hotel and Donna starts to figure out why all the men are on the island.

Soundtrack

The film genre is musical so it is obvious that there are many songs. Overall the actors sing about twenty different ABBA’s song during the film. Many of the actors are not professional singers but most songs still sound good (Especially when Amanda Seyfried and/or Meryl Streep are singing.) Unfortunately all men weren’t so good singers.

The plot is not that amazing but on the whole Mamma Mia is very bubbly and refreshing movie. I recommend it for those who like ABBA’s songs and those who just want to watch some happy and cheerful movie.

Written by MM

Piglet’s big movie

Piglet’s big movie
Piglet’s big movie was first released in USA 16 march 2003. The film is a children’s film based on A.A Milne’s winnie the pooh stories. It is directed by Franci Glebas. The film is a classical children’s film where being friends is very important and that you should never bully anyone.
As usual this is a perfectly drawn cartoon film from Walt Disney. The characters and the whole Hundred Acre Wood is really magnificently drawn. Typically after watching Winnie The Pooh you get a cheerfull feeling, well after this one also. The film contains a really great story.
The main character is Piglet, a small creature from the Hundred Acre Woods. Piglet is a really helpfull person who always helps his friends before anything else. The other characters from the Hundred Acre Wood’s are in a big role also.
During the film the are told few of the old allready known winnie the pooh stories. The adventure starts when rabbit and pooh has come to a great plan of getting honey for themselves. Piglet comes and asks them that can he help them, and they say that piglet is too small to help them. When they start to work on getting the honey bee’s attack them and piglet saves them but they still won’t notice piglet. Then suddenly piglet dissapears and after that the journey really begins. They start looking for piglet at his house and there they find a book where piglet has drawn all his memorys. Pooh thinks that the book remembers where piglet is and they go to places that piglet has drawn, and on
each page there is a different story told. They lost the book and get in grave danger when they are looking for it and then piglet saves them. Each time they are telling a story they notice that their little friend is actually a big hero. The story ends happily when piglet allso realises that he is a hero and they are all friend again.

Walt Disney has again managed to make a delightful happy ending to one of their movies. I really enjoyed watching the movie and i really recommend piglet’s big movie to every one who likes animation films.

Written by Lapiokoura

The Green Mile

The Green Mile is a drama film directed by Frank Darabont in 1999. It is based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name. The film was nominated for four Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor for Michael Clarke Duncan, Best Picture, Best Sound, and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Plot

The film tells a story about “The Green Mile”, a death row at Cold Mountain Penitentiary during the summer of 1935. The death row is called “Green Mile” because the inmates waiting for their execution are said to be walking on “the last mile”. The corrections officer in charge of “the Green Mile” is named Paul Edgecomb. Edgecomb suffers from urinary tract infection, which causes him great pain.

One day, a prisoner named John Coffey arrives to the Mile. He has been convicted of killing and raping two young girls. Coffey is revealed to be shy, soft-spoken and emotional. He heals Edgecomps urinary tract infection with extraordinary powers and brings a mouse back from death. Later he heals the Wardens fatally wife. When he is asked to explain his powers, John only responses that he “took it back”.

Coffey puts the sickness that he took from the Wardens wife, and puts it into Percy Wetmore, a sadistic and unpopular guard. Percy shoots violent prisoner named ”Wild Bill” Wharton who is actually guilty of crimes that Coffey has been convicted. Percy falls into a state of permanent catatonia.

In the aftermath of these events, John Coffey shows to Paul Edgecomb what really happened to those girls. Paul asks Coffey if he should let him go, but Coffey answers that he is so tired of pain and is ready to rest. The next day, John Coffey is executed.

Characters

  • Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks) is corrections officer in charge of death row. He is shown to be kind but stern man. He has wife and adult son. Edgecomb is the main protagonist in the movie.
  • John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan) is an inmate who is sentenced to death. He has mystic powers to heal people just by “taking it back”. He is the secondary protagonist in the film after Paul Edgecomb.
  • Percy Wetmore (Doug Hutchison) is a guard that everyone hates. The only thing why he is kept in duty is that he is nephew of the governor’s wife.
  • ”Wild Bill” Wharton (Sam Rockwell) is the most violent and rowdiest inmate in the mile. He tries to piss the guards off any way he can.

Initial D

Initial D is a movie that based upon a japanese comic. It was released in 2005.

Events take place in Akina mountain, in Japan. Akina mountain is fictional place. Actually it is a real place, but it’s name has been changed for the film.

In the movie cars play a big role. They are not living creatures. but their drivers trusted partners. Main character, Takumi, has an old Toyota Corolla, also known as AE86, which is a respected little car amongst car enthusiasts. AE86 is pictured as the second main character.

The movie tells a story about a boy who has developed to a really fast driver, and also has a very skilled driving style. He has been driving a lot because he has been delivering tofu for his fathers tofu shops customers. He has developed to such a good driver because he wanted to get the job done faster. He does the job by night so no one knows about his kills. Takumi’s high school friends are interested in cars and especially in mountain racing, also known as, touge.

The plot is interesting because Takumi gets drawn into touge, whitout him even noticing it and rises from an underdog to a respected driver.

What makes a movie interesting is the reality of it and the loss of so called hollywood efects. (Explosions, etc.) Exitement is achieved by slow motions and close-ups of drivers emotions and car parts. Kind of comic like. Some of the views on the driving scenes are made digitally.

Mainly the scenes take places between main characters dad’s tofu shop and his day-time job work place at the local gas station.

The movie is kind of touching because Takumi has to make a decision between love and career as a racing driver, like his dad had to made when he was young.

I would recomend this movie espesially for those who are interested in cars and driving.

Breaking Bad

The plot

Breaking Bad tells about middle-aged chemistry teacher, Walter ”Walt” White, and his family’s road through Walter’s cancer diagnosis to the state’s leading drug factory.

After diagnosis Walter, as responsible husband and father, tries to find way to provide his family after his death, which he thinks is unavoidable thing in the future. He ends up manufacturing methamphetamine, also known as ”meth”, with his former pupil Jesse Pinkman. Jesse is from middle-class family, but has ended up to living the life of drug abuser to his aunt’s old house. At the high school Jesse was hopeless at chemistry, but knows very much about ”streets’ laws” and dealing, so when he and Walt do combine their knowledge about chemistry and drug dealing, they become state’s greatest drug manufactor. But road to there isn’t that easy, it includes alot of blood because life of drug dealer is not dream. It takes alot energy from Walt to try keep drugs as secret from family because it requires endless amount of explanations for absences, which causes divorce. And finally drug manufacturing dawns to his wife, Skyler. Skyler has to join the keepers of secret for help Walt to avoid prison. Keeping secret isn’t easy, especially when Skyler’s sister’s Marie’s husband, Walt’s brother-in-law, Hank, is a DEA agent. At this point the fifth season of series is on the break and Walt’s alter ego’s, Heisenberg’s drug factory is about to reveal to Hank.

There was the main points of story’s plot. Story includes many people as smaller roles, for example Skyler’s sister Marie, drug people, Walt’s and Jesse’s lawyer Saul Goodman, Jesse’s girlfriend Jane etc.

Characters

  • Walter ”Walt” ”Heisenberg” White is played Bryan Cranston. Walt is 50-year-old chemistry teacher who has diagnosed with lung cancer. He becomes great ”Heisenberg”, who scares everyone and makes best meth of the state.
  • Jesse Pinkman is played by Aaron Paul. Young man from middle-class family who has ended up being drug dealer. Creates drug manufacturing duo with Walt, which doesn’t avoid necessary killing of dangerous people.
  • Skyler White is played by Anna Gunn. She is Walter’s pregnant wife. They divorce but end up living together. Their baby girl’s Holly’s, who borns during series, role has no matter. Skyler also runs car washing company for laundry their drug money.
  • Walter ”Floyd” White, Jr. is played by RJ Mitte. Floyd is Walter’s and Skyler’s teenager son. He has been diagnosed with CP, disease, which causes difficulties with speech and moving. He uses crutches.
  • Hank Schrader is played by Dean Norris. Hank is a DEA agent, who takes that ”new drug king” thing to under his special investigate.
  • Marie Schrader is played Betsy Brandt. Skyler’s sister, Hank’s wife, Walter’s sister-in-law. Affects on Hank’s and Skyler’s decisions with her never-ending nagging. Causes problems for Skyler by giving her present which is stealed.
  • Saul Goodman is played by Bob Odenkirk. Saul is lawyer of criminals. His clients are mostly drug abusers and other down-and-outs. Helps characters with lawyer tricks.
  • Gustavo ”Gus” Fring is played by Giancarlo Esposito. Gus is great drug boss and member of Mexican Juarez Cartel. Like Walt does, Gus lives two-faced life and runs fried chicken restaurant chain and does charity for avoid suspicions. Got killed by Walt.
  • Mike Ehrmantraut is played  by Jonathan Banks. Mike is ex-police who works for Gus as ”security guard”. Does mostly murders for money. Got also killed by Walt.
  • The Salamancas are drug family from Mexico. Connects to the cartel.
  • Badger and Skinny Pete are Jesse’s old mates from drug circles.

Written by Robert

Slumdog Millionare

“Slumdog Millionare” is a British drama movie which directed by Danny Boyle and written by Simon Beuafoy in 2008. The movie is setting and filmed in India. The movie´s starring are Dev Patel and Freida Pinto. The movie has won many prizes, inter alia eight Oscar, seven Bafta and five Golden Globes.

The movie tells about Jamal Malik, who takes part in “How Wants to Be a Millionare” -game. Flashbacks allow him to remember his life and by them, he answers to the questions and progressing in the game. The story starts in Indian slum where young Jamal lives with his mum and brother Salim. Unfortunately the rebels kill their mum and they have to escape. With their new friend Latika, they will see the dark side of India. They will meet the bad people who don´t care anything else except money. They will experience things that anybody shouldn´t. They are forced to experience the prostitution, the violence and unscrupulous exploitation. Kids are driven apart and all of them have to survive now on their own. Jamal has never forgotten love his life, Latika and so he decides to found Latika. Finally he will take part in the very popular television game “How Wants to Be a Millionare” to find her. By his memories of his life, he answers to questions in a right way and proceed towards top price. That causes distrust with police and program makers who believe that Jamal has cheated to win money. This causes difficulties to Jamal, who isn’t interested in money but something totally else.

I think that the movie´s innermost-plot is very simply. The boy fallen love for the girl and the girl fallen love the boy but they can´t be together. Nevertheless the plot contains also many others things. It is a survival-story. The film makes an interesting fact that you can´t find the movie like that in anywhere. It is unique. The film is a thought-provoking storyline and it feels very realistic. Even it is very fast-moving, you can easily understand that and live in it. The end of the story is a little bit too predictable but it is full of plot twists and the end of the story has been succeeded to make touching.

In my opinion the director Danny Boyle succeeded well. He succeeded to create very credible and sometimes unfertile, beautiful and touching movie. He combines India´s different sides of impressive and credible entity. In fact my opinion is that “Slumdog Millionare” –is the best direction which he has achieved so far. No less he won “the best director Oscar” –award for his movie “Slumdog Millionare” and I think that he deserved it.

Dev Patel acts protagonist Jamal Malik. A child actors Tanay Chheda and Ayush Kheder act Jamal too. Both of them make impress me, especially their young age, qualified and credible actor performance. Patel acts very well in the movie but stay still a little bit vapid. He could be more credible and acts braver. Jamal´s brother Salim is acting by Madhur Mittal, Azharuddin Ismail and Ashutosh Gujiwala. Everybody of them acted very well. They look like each other in the film which creates credibility. The film´s beauty and Jamal´s love, Latika is acting by Freida Pinto, Rubina Ali and Tanvi Lonkar. Ali and Lonkar act younger version of Latika and their portion of the film stay very short and maybe that’s why they can´t make a big impress. Pinto makes the impress of her sweetness and abilities. She will stay positively in my mind. 

The film´s music is very inspiring. It fits perfectly almost in every part. It is avid. But on the other hand the dancing and the playing music in the end of the movie are unnecessary and it makes me wonder important of the all movie. And is a big fail for A. R. Rahman, who was responsible for music. 

Corresponds to the description of the movie is Anhtony Mantles, who has worked with director Danny Boyle in previous films. The film describes a lot of the landscape from the slums to the fine palaces. There is not much objectionable about description. It is enjoyable to watch and you can really feel atmosphere of the film.

All in all “Slumdog Millionare” –movie is very emotive, brave movie that everyone should see. Personally, it was one of the best movies I have ever seen and I recommend others also to watch it.

Written by toivonenn

 

Kick-Ass

Kick-Ass is an action comedy movie released in 2010. The movie is based on a comic book with the same name and directed by Matthew Vaugh. It tells the story of Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson), a nerdy high school student who decides to become a superhero even though he has no super powers or training for it. Unfortunately for him, he soon attracts the attention of not only real superheroes but also the mafia, and gets pulled into a bigger mess than just returning cats to their owners.

Kick-Ass is an excellent movies for a number of reasons. Both the plot and characters are very well written. The movie dances on the fine line between being hilarious and dark, with many comedic moments but also brutal violence. The characters are all very enjoyable and interesting, above all Hit-Girl (Chloë Grace Moretz), a ten-year-old girl who can pretty much take down anyone on her way and use the crudest language while still being completely adorable. Really, I have never heard of anyone not being in love with her after watching Kick-Ass. Overall the whole movie is highly entertaining and it actually seems to get better the more times you watch it.

One of my favorite things about Kick-Ass is how well the camerawork and soundtrack work together while both being excellent on their own too. The soundtrack especially meets my taste almost perfectly and works very well to highlight different kinds of tension during different scenes and draws attention to the many fine details in the movie. Kick-Ass is also visually a very nice movie to watch, I loved the color layer in the movie and how its origin as a comic book is shown in, for example, doing a whole scene as a cartoon.

Kick-Ass is not a movie for everyone. It’s got some rather disturbing things in it, including all kinds of violent scenes, so if that’s not your thing then you surely won’t enjoy this movie. But if you do appreciate an overall well made movie with the edge of humor and some ass kicking, then Kick-Ass will definitely be a movie for you.

Full Metal Jacket

Full Metal Jacket

Full Metal Jacket was released in 1987. Stanley Kubrick has produced, directed and co-written it. Full Metal Jacket is a war film which tells about a platoon of U.S. Marines in the Vietnam War.

The plot is divided into two parts. First part shows how the platoon trains for Vietnam War. In the main role of first part are soldiers Leonard “Gomer Pyle” Lawrence (Vincent D’Onofrio) and “Joker” (Matthew Modine) and their Drill Instructor Hartman (R. Lee Ermey). Gomer Pyle is overweight and a little bit stupid. Joker helps him at training camp as much as he can. Hartman punishes other platoon for Gomer Pyle’s mistakes and other soldier starts to hate Gomer Pyle. Pyle gets mental problems and one night he shoots first Hartman and then himself.

In the second part of film Joker become a compact reporter and photographer. He interviews other soldiers about their opinions and experiences. His squad gets ambushed by sniper and few of his friends dies. When they finally found the sniper they notice that the shooter was a little girl. Joker tries to shoot her but his rifle gets stuck, but Jokers squad leader comes rescue him and shoot the girl.

Full Metal Jacket is not a war film which has only massive special effects and lots of shooting. But war scenes was still done great and shooting looked realistic.

Film director Stanley Kubrick made only 16 movies in his career, but some of them are truly masterpieces. His best known movies are: 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Shining, A Clockwork Orange and Full Metal Jacket. He have also won Oscar-award and have been nominated many times.

One special note about the cast is that the actor of Gomer Pyle was required to gain weight for the role and added 32 kilograms to his body before the movie filming. It took 9 months and it is the record for the largest weight gained for a role.

I liked about the movie a lot. Others are liked it also as we can see on IMDb’s rating 8,4/10 which is very good. Full Metal Jacket is truly one of the most legendries war films.

Grease

Grease was made in year 1978. The story based on musical written by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. Director of the movie was Randal Kleiser and produced by Paramount Pictures. Grease was very big thing when it came on cinemas. But it is still very popular musical.
John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John are starring on the movie. Also Stockard Channing and Jeff Conaway have big roles on the movie. The movie is going through the ’50s. Film tells the story of the Danny Zuko’s (John Travolta) and Sandy Olsen’s (Olivia Newton-John) romance. The movie begins that when Danny and Sandy are on the beach and they think that’s what happens when school starts because Sandy have go back in Australia. Sandy unknowing goes to the same school as Danny. They fight at the bonfire night and the movie tells their doing. Sandy find a new boy and Danny is jealous. Danny start to play a sports and try to make effect on Sandy. It works and they go togehter in the dance. They fight again after the dance. But at the end they will get the agreed of course.
Because the movie is musical that have very great soundtrack and other sound effects. The movie contains a lot of original songs from the musical but a few song was composed specifically for the movie, like Danny’s and Sandy’s duet You’re The One That I Want and Sandy’s Hopelessly Devoted To You. Composers working Michael Forystek and Barry Gibb.
Because the movie is going through the ’50s grease is a key part of which is due to the movie name.
The movie is awesome and it is essential for all lovers of musicals. Harsh humor is also great in the movie.
Later has made Grease 2 but that is not as popular as Grease.

Madagascar 3 : The most wanted

They are here again! Same old figures and the new one adventures in the third Madagascar movie: Europe´s most wanted. Madagascar is an animated comedy made by Dream Works. Madagascar 3 was released in 2012. It’s starred by Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer and Jada Pinkett Smith with many other new actors.

Very popular figures Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria adventures in the most hilarious adventure ever. They are still fighting to get back to their home in New York zoo. The story begins from Africa where they are missing home and waiting that penguins would bring them by plane. Animals get tired of waiting and decide swim to Monte Carlo. Penguins and monkeys are found at casino and escape from there is eventful episode. They are chased by captain DuBois, who is hunting animals. On their escape animals end up in a circus train. The story tells how do a lion, zebra, hippo, giraffe, four penguins, two monkeys and three lemurs travel through Europe and get back to New York.                                                                                                                                                  Animals make friend with circus animals and on their trip they realise the importance of friendship and cooperation. Inside the story there is the thruth that when you belive yourself, you can make the impossible, possible.                                                             Film had a happy ending: animals get back to New York but they still decide stay at circus with friends.

The music of the film was great and riveting. There was well-known music and remixed music and of course the famous, original theme music remixed.

The tecnical fulfilment was also great. Enviroment was diverse and figures was lively. Also 3D fulfilment was good. Voice actors were very good both in english and finnish.

Madagascar 3 is very funny family film witch entertains both young and adults. Even the critics have praised the movie and it has got many stars in reviews.