Movie Review: Last Night

I was so excited to see that this movie was on pay per view. It's coming to the Dallas Angelika in 2 weeks, but I just couldn't wait. I had to watch it as soon as I had a spare moment, which just happened to be tonight. I have been waiting to see this movie for about a year and a half. The release was delayed a few times because of the problems Miramax was having, but thankfully, it finally made its way to me! Keira in a modern time period? I hardly knew what to do with myself! Unfortunately, I am unable to write a review about a Keira movie without spoilers.

This movie begins at a fast pace, showing the dynamics of characters and background of couple. Immediately you can see the chemistry between the two leads and how comfortable they are in their relationship. They've been together for a while, even though they are still newlyweds (married for 3 years). Keira (Joanna) was completely lovable and genuine in her role, and surprisingly, Sam Worthington (Michael) was even tolerable. (This is a big deal because I have pretty much despised him in everything else I've ever seen him in.)

Eva Mendez's Laura is hard to connect with because she is presented in a way that makes you dislike her on principle, but eventually I did end up feeling for her. The only character I never really connected with was Guillaume Canet's Alex. It's hard to say why, but it could have had to do with the fact that the whole time I kept expecting him to speak with an Irish accent but he was most certainly French. It never ceased to throw me off, and that's just my own stupidity. But also, I found his character to be the only one who never became more self-aware nor did I feel that his intentions were ever anything but selfish.

The story takes place as a side by side as Joanna's husband goes on a business trip. The actions of one spouse mirror the actions of the other, both in similar situations, just in different parts of the country. (The film cleverly does a few camera tricks with mirrors to drive home this motif.) Both spouses deal with equal temptations at the same time. Neither are really the bad (or should I say worse) guy because they are both doing things that they know are wrong or shady, both feeling guilty, and having to decided moment by moment what to do in their own specific temptation. When asked by Laura if he is happy in his marriage, Michael replies, "You can be happy and still be tempted."

The stance this film takes on cheating is that a person can't always be blamed for being attracted to another or having feelings for another. The true betrayal is subjecting your loved-one to the knowledge or the image of your desires for another. Joanna mentions a few times that Michael should have "spared" her from seeing his attraction to Laura. She wasn't upset that he was attracted to her, she was just mad that he didn't try to hide it better. She retorts, "I would've spared you." This is a kindness to be dealt your partner, in her eyes. Later, even Laura mentions the things she could never get our of her mind, when she was cheated on, were pictures she saw on a computer. Not the infidelity itself. "I could have done without the visuals." The images of cheating are more hurtful than the actions. If you have to see it, it's more of a betrayal, in this story.

As well as speaking with candor like this, the two main characters were also very self aware. They know themselves well enough to verbalize things many others wouldn't be able to. Joanna is very honest with Alex when he begins to ask about why they never have worked out. She says, "I don't know that this would be what it is on its own." She loves Alex because she idealizes him and she likes it better that way. What's rare here is she knows that's why she loves him. She won't allow more to happen because he'll become too real and the ideal will end. For a person to step out of their own head and admit this to themselves is very rare. This made her such an interesting character.

The entire movie is building up to the part where both our lovers make a decision about what to do in their temptation, creating a turning point on either front. The voice overs from one scene laid across the others' bring the actions together, even though they are geographically far apart. It links them seamlessly and makes them feel like they are happening in the same room. It's very affective and cleverly done.

In the end, the degree of betrayal on either side will have to be judged by each individual viewer. Michael has a physical affair, Joanna has an emotional affair. Which is worse? No matter what you decide, I think the film is really asking this: Is it better to know or not know when you have been betrayed in a relationship? Is it selfish to admit to it, subjecting your lover to this horrible news to clear your own conscience, or is it noble, being honest to try to work it out? And in all that goes into a marriage, how would you define betrayal?

Top 5: Favorite Holiday Movies

It's that time of the year! And every Christmas, I set aside time for each of the following movies. Maybe you will agree. If I leave one off that you enjoy, tell me in the comments!

Elf

This movie is probably on so many people's lists for the holidays, but it's no wonder. Maybe the most adorable role Will Ferrell has ever been in, Buddy the Elf captures the same attitude of Christmas we all had as kids. And there is nothing more fun than a clay-mation Narwhol. 

Love Actually

I absolutely ADORE this movie. I usually wait to watch it during the holidays with the friend I saw it with originally (MELISSA) to keep it special, however, I really want to watch it throughout the year, too. With as many British all-stars as you can fit into one movie, it's no wonder this movie is so entertaining, but also it has a message that is refreshing and sweet without being cheesy. Perhaps my favorite line from the movie is from the beginning: "When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know, none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaking suspicion... love actually is all around."

Muppet Christmas Carol

This story has been done SO many ways. I don't know anyone who hasn't heard or seen some sort of version of Dickens' classic story, however, of all the ones that exist, this one is the best, hands down! I get tired of this story REALLY quickly, but for some reason, no matter how many times I watch this version...  I never tired of it. I love it.

Just Friends

I've actually cheated and watched this throughout the year. But it's especially necessary to watch this one during Christmas time. This is one of the funniest Christmas movies I think I've ever seen. There are Christmas songs in this movie, that when I hear them in real life on the radio or something, I laugh out loud. It was my first brush with Ryan Reynolds and I've never looked back, haha!

Lord of the Rings

Yeah, yeah this isn't ABOUT Christmas, but whatever. When I was in high school, I couldn't wait for the next Lord of the Rings movie to come out in theaters. It was always the weekend of December 16th that they were released. Now, every single December I block an entire Saturday off and I sit down from 8:30 in the morning and watch the Extended Editions of all three Lord of the Rings until about 11 at night (if you factor in meals and bathroom break times, it can take that long). It's the BEST. I started this yearly marathon in college my sophomore year when I realized I really wanted to chill out before exams. I organized it into a campus-wide thing and one of our professors let us into the projection room so we could all watch it together on a big screen. There were usually about 25 of us and we were all in our sleeping bags and PJs all day and it was glorious. And it has been every year since. And will be every year in the future.




Now tell me your favorites in the comments! And don't forget you can "like" my blog on Facebook. Just click "like" in the Facebook box to the right!

New Photoshoot: Keira Knightley

I know this isn't really NEWS WORTHY for a lot of people... but since I can hardly handle my love for Keira Knightley and it's been forever since she's had a new photoshoot.... I have to post THIS:

HOW IS SHE SO BEAUTIFUL?????  IT CANNOT BE EXPLAINED!!!

Movie Review: Never Let Me Go

Today, FINALLY, I got to see Keira Knightley in a movie, in a THEATER, for the first time in nearly 3 years! It's been MUCH too long. Now for anyone who knows me well, KNOWS just what Keira means to me. She's my #1 girl crush, my favorite actress of all time, and the person I would probably want to meet and hang out with most out of all the celebrities on the planet. I can't explain it completely, but I've been in love with her since I was 18 and it's only gotten worse since then. I've bought every magazine she's ever been on the cover of and every movie she's ever been in. Even the bad ones. Even the mini-series version of Dr. Zhivago (which I actually loved)!

To me, she can do no wrong, so going into "Never Let Me Go," I'd have to say I was severely biased. It's hard to be objective when doing a movie review, but in this case, I already knew I would be overly inclined to enjoy it just because of the sheer bliss of Keira being in a movie that came to America for a change!

With that being said, as I watched the film, I tried my best to look at it as subjectively as possible. Hah! Spoilers below... like, a lot.

 

This movie takes place in a dis-topian society that seems a lot like our regular world, but is NOT. Carey Mulligan's character, Kathy, begins by narrating her childhood and young adult life with her two closest friends, Ruth (Knightley) and Tommy (Andrew Garfield). Ruth and Tommy end up being together, even though it was obvious that Tommy and Kathy were in love even when they were very young. The rest of the story unfolds to reveal that this boarding "type" school these children have been attending is actually just a humane place to raise clones who have been created specifically just for organ donations. Eventually these kids will grow to adulthood and then be forced to donate as many organs as they can before they die. Through learning, dealing with, and understanding their fate, these three characters begin to confront the undertones of betrayal, love, and jealousy between them.

This story asks a pretty obvious question about humanity. If it came down to this situation, where we'd be able to avoid cancer and other diseases by using organs collected from cloned humans, would we have any (humanity, that is)? When confronted with the question, the answer in this movie is 'no.' At the end, the Headmistress of Hailsham says that she tried to show that the students at her school had souls, but no one cared if they did. No one was even asking about it. She says "If you ask them if they'd want to go back to the darkness, to go back to a world that has cancer ... , the answer will always be 'no.'" These children were created, allowed to grow up, and kept healthy for the soul purpose of having their organs harvested. And even though it was as though they were cattle or crops, the rest of humanity didn't care. Who cares what happens to those clones even if they have souls, love, friendship, and everything humans are supposed to have? They are nameless and faceless, kept somewhere that is inconsequential, out of site and out of mind. Don't think about the injustices that are going on, as long as it serves you well, or doesn't bother you. This is the attitude I think a lot of people take on in real life today about other things. Maybe not as blatantly, but almost. 

I think this movie was done really well. It was beautifully acted by Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley, and Andrew Garfield. Each of them portrayed their characters very well. I especially enjoyed the twitchy awkward factor that Garfield added to Tommy. It really worked with his character. Some of the sweetest moments of the film were when we got to see the Hailsham students having to interact with people in the outside world. There was a scene where they had to order breakfast and none of them knew how. They were so nervous and scared that they all ordered what their friends did. It was so cute! They are, in their own ways, so lovable.

There were times that I wasn't sure how I felt about Keira's character, Ruth. Even when the characters were all being played by the children, Ruth seemed jealous and awful. But thankfully, for me, half way through the film she redeems herself. The scene where I was most impressed by Keira was when Kathy was working as a "carer" for those donating. She had traveled to a hospital to oversee one of her patient's operations, and it just so happened that Ruth was there, too. She had had her 2nd donation and was in bad shape. She had to use a walker to get around. As Ruth and Kathy walk down the hospital hall together, you can see a complete shift in Ruth's demeanor. After years of having not seen this girl (Kathy), her supposed best yet estranged friend, and nearly on the brink of death, Ruth seems more likable than ever. To me, this was some of the most genuine acting Keira did in the entire movie. I don't know why that scene hit me the way it did, but I really loved it.

In the end, of course, Ruth "completes" or dies after her 3rd donation. It's just AWFUL how it happens. She's on an operating table, unconscious, tube down her throat, eyes OPEN. As they remove her donation (which is her liver), she flat lines and dies. There are no frantic attempts to revive her, there is no urgency, no crash cart. They just seal up the liver in a bag, disconnect her oxygen, turn off the lights, and leave her body, open and still bloody, there on the table, as though she was just another tool in the operating room. She is not human. The image is haunting and unsettling. And that's the last we see of Ruth.

After that, there is one more powerful scene where Tommy releases a horrendous outburst after finding out that he and Kathy cannot defer their donations. The rumor was that couples in love could apply to have a few extra years together, and it was Ruth's last wish that Kathy and Tommy apply for this to make up for her keeping them apart all through school. They find out this possibility never existed and as his true fate sinks in, he lets his emotions out. Kathy tries to comfort him and hold him and it makes for a very beautiful, yet very tragic scene. It was very powerful in letting the audience see just how human these characters, who were viewed as things, really are. The music swells, and by the end they are both holding each other in the middle of the street, in the light of their headlights. 

With all of the elements of this film, the thing that stood out most to me was the soundtrack. And it's not just because the title "Never Let Me Go" comes from a song that Kathy plays over and over, but Rachel Portman's music fits this movie so perfectly. Beyond that, it also adds to scenes where perhaps something was missing. I certainly will be going and buying the actual hard copy CD of this one and adding it to my list of favorite instrumental albums.

Overall, I really liked this movie. It was heartbreaking and unsettling, but very good. And I only teared up a bit on the way home. (Seeing Keira die always upsets me a LOT!) I hope it will eventually hit wide release and more people will get to see it. And I am satisfied that this is what is kicking off the new season of movies, especially since Keira is back! Hooray!

Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair...

I just got back from San Francisco last night around midnight. It was a whirlwind trip and I have to say... it kind of kicked my butt. But the city was beautiful and wonderful. I LOVED it! It was such a switch from Texas. I love this crazy, humid, ridiculously hot part of the world (DFW), but there is something beautiful about a city that stays below 68 degrees even when it's sunny. Also, I love the positivity the city seems to be buzzing with. Every where you turn there were murals, encouraging billboards, and fliers for some sort of charity walk. The feeling of complete cultural acceptance, regardless of what kind of culture it happened to be, was so refreshing. It was a beautiful thing.

Firstly, my friend, Melissa, who I went with, works for the Mansion in Dallas, and therefore we got to stay at another property owned by Rosewood called the Sandhill. It was beautiful and the staff was SO nice. Especially Mia. Whom I know will never find my blog, but just in case, I dropped her name. :)

We had to get up around 4:00 AM to catch our flight out to Cali, so we were pretty tired and HUNGRY, but we were also ready to get into San Francisco and see the Golden Gate Bridge.

So first we ate at Woodside Bakery a few minutes away from the hotel. We got to sit on the patio and we DIDN'T burn to pieces. It was such an adjustment to be able to hang out outside in the middle of July and not feel like bursting in to flames. Nice change.

I ate the best chicken sandwich... and I mean I ate the WHOLE thing because I hadn't eaten since 6 AM, and by this time, it was around noon Cali time... meaning it was 2 my time. Which leads me to the biggest, most embarrassing moment of the trip for me...

On the way into San Francisco, I was helping navigate while Melissa drove, and I got car sick. Now usually when I get motion sickness (something I've always had to deal with my whole life), I can just step out of the car, get some air, and I immediately begin to feel better. However, this time... not the case. We arrived at a park right next to the Golden Gate Bridge, parked, got out, ran to the bathroom to freshen up, and I kept feeling sick. No matter how much air I got, or how much water I sipped, I kept feeling awful but I just pushed it aside because I REALLY wanted to walk to bridge and take pictures. Plus, I didn't want to ruin Melissa's experience of the bridge. So I powered through and we started walking towards the bridge. Just then Melissa asks, "Are you ok now?" As I tried to answer I gagged! She goes, "Did I ask too soon?"

YES.

I threw up right there in front of Melissa, the bridge, and the whole world. It was SO embarrassing! I kept trying to move towards the bathroom and I never made it. When I finally could get to the bathroom, I was fine. There was only one working faucet and no soap anywhere that I could find, but I composed myself and still went to the bridge. We just... exited that bathroom on the other side from where I entered as to not run into anyone who may have seen me puke.

Later I tweeted this, and also wondered how many people at the bridge that day also tweeted about seeing me throwing up.

The bridge itself was SO neat. It was draped in fog and it felt very ominous. It was a little overwhelming, but in a good way. Oh yeah, and it was ridiculously windy as you can see in the pictures.

On Saturday, Melissa had her test for Grad School, so she dropped me off in the city and went to the school. So, I got to hang out with Anya, a San Fran local who I had never met before in real life. Anya and I met on Facebook about 4 years ago in a Keira Knightley Fan community. Call us nerds if you will, but we still keep in contact and now we actually got to meet in person, turning our Facebook friendship into the real thing. Plus, it was a fabulously fun day! Anya knows the area well and took me all over the city, places I would've gotten lost trying to find. Especially while trying to ride the buses. Haha! (PS. The first place we walked in together, there was a frame for sale with a picture of Keira in it! It was a sign!)

Sunday was the last day Melissa and I were in San Francisco, so we decided to go into the Financial District and see the City Lights Bookstore. Like I've said before, I majored in English and so this was something VERY special for me! Modern Poetry was one of my favorite classes in college, and we learned all about this establishment and the men that were a part of the movement. This is definitely where I took the most pictures.

Poetry room upstairs!

Ferlinghetti next to the "I am the door" door from the basement... and the actual door in the basement! This was exciting for me.

Then it was time to leave, so I caught this picture of a beautiful building down town as we left.

So long San Fransisco! It was magical, and one day I hope to go back, explore it deeper, and not end up puking in front of hundreds of people. HAH!

Next stop, Potter World, Orlando, Florida! I'll be there next week! Get jealous.

My Hollywood Wish List

Lately, I've been obsessing over a few things that I really want to see happen in Hollywood. Not stuff like, "Oh, I wish Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler would date!" or "I would love to see a movie about myself where Keira Knightely plays me!" What I mean are things I really want to happen that actually COULD happen. Like what actors I wish would play along side each other, what roles I'd like to see exist, director/actor collaborations, etc. Here are the top 8 things on my very own Hollywood wish list. Why 8? Not for any good reason except that these are the things I most want to see and it didn't even out into a nice round number. So if you have to have a good number like 10, then... pretend the first two are [10.] I wish to see RDJ come to my classroom in his Iron Man suit and scare the kids into loving English, and [9.] I'd love to see Keira Knightely become my BFF and go shoe shopping with me. AND NOW, the real stuff...

#8. Batman/Superman movie starring
the current stars in their current roles; directed by Chris Nolan

To me, this doesn't seem so far out there. Chris Nolan is already a part of the amazing Batman franchise which began with Batman Begins and only got better with its follow-up, The Dark Knight. With his guidance and Christian Bale's dedication to keeping the story of Batman legit, I don't see how this series could go wrong. Now it's being confirmed that Nolan is set to pick up the next Superman movie after he adds one more Batman flick to his saga. With his hand in both of these series, it wouldn't be hard to translate that into a well-adapted, continuity in tact, team-up movie that could blow the minds of any comic book geek in this world. Including me! I would love to see this happen, and am patiently awaiting the day it might.

#7. Kate Winslet and Cate Blanchett to work together

Cate and Kate are two of the most powerful, beautiful, and successful women in the business right now. Having both just won an Oscar within the last 5 years and starring in numerous movies each year, it just makes good sense to get these gals together! Be it period piece or contemporary drama, I don't care. Make this happen!

#6. A Poe Bio-pic starring the luscious Robert Downey Jr.

I've always wanted there to be a good Edgar Allan Poe movie created. The man has such an interesting life and has inspired so many people with his poetry and stories, however there has never really been a great movie reflecting this. It wasn't until recently that I realized who I wanted to play Poe. For some reason I can really see RDJ in this role. He's had a past struggle with substance abuse, a darker side, and an amazing talent in acting. All of these things are helpful in playing Poe. One of my favorite roles Robert was in is Charlie Chaplin in Chaplin, and seeing his dedication to making that character as true to the real man as possible convinces me that he'd do well in this role, too. Not to mention that he, himself, is interested in doing it. The only bad part of this dream is I've heard whatever film they had in mind for Poe has been changed and the role actually went to (brace yourselves) Joaquin Phoenix. REALLY? It's not on IMDB yet, so I won't lose hope. I'll keep dreaming and see if this rumor gets debunked soon... PLEASE Hollywood, please?

#5. Christian Bale in a literary epic or ANY
role that gets him NOMINATED

I've been a huge Bale fan for years, now. Ever since he was the new face of my beloved Batman in 2005. I've seen him in role after role that just blew my mind, American Psycho, The Machinist, Rescue Dawn, and yet he has NEVER even so much as been nominated, individually, for an Oscar or a Globe. It's UNREAL. He's so talented and so dedicated. There is no reason for him to be constantly overlooked, and yet he is every year. So, that's why I wish for him to star in a role that is SO amazing, so awesome, it SLAPS the academy in the face and they have NO CHOICE but to nominate him. Maybe some sort of literary adaptation, or an epic love story (where he could possibly act along side the likes of Nicole Kidman, which is another dream of mine). But whatever it is, I want it to happen and I want him to finally get what he deserves! It's time.

#4. Johnny Depp and Robert Downey Jr. to work together;
directed by Quentin Tarantino

You can't get much cooler than Johnny Depp and RDJ, in my opinion. I adore them both and hold so much respect in my heart for them, which is why seeing them on screen together would absolutely blow my mind. What type of movie should it be? It would be great if it were some sort of period piece where we could see these two men in great costumes, but my affiliate, Kevin K mentioned something that was GENIUS. He mention to me that he thought it would be amazing to see Johnny Depp in a Tarantino flick, which I agreed with whole-heartedly. So let's kill two birds with one stone and just have him direct the movie with Johnny and RDJ in it. Hollywood! Do you hear this? I am talking MOVIE MAGIC HERE. Let's do it.

#3. Michael C. Hall to play The Riddler

I had been hearing rumor after rumor about who would be the next villain in the new Batman sequel. Was it The Penguin, Catwoman, The Riddler...? No one was for sure. But the one with the most speculation was been The Riddler and I've heard anyone from Jim Carrey (who played him in the old Schumaker flick, Batman Forever) to Johnny Depp was up for the role. No one I could think of seemed really right for the role, even Depp, who I believe can do most anything. But then, one day I was talking to my gal, Caty, about the Showtime juggernaut, Dexter. When she mentioned that it would be neat to see Michael C. Hall play the Riddler in the next film, I almost choked on whatever I was eating at the time. Having been completely enthralled with Hall's Dex, a character with a charming, yet frighteningly calm demeanor as a serial killer anti-hero, I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of it myself! Of course, he'd be perfect to fit into The Riddler role! I can only hope that Mr. Nolan feels the same, or at least reads my blog and goes this direction. Do it Chris! You know you want to.

#2. A DVD of Conan's "Legally Prohibited
from Being Funny on Television Tour" with
making-of documentary and special features

Conan O'brien has been my late night ritual for years. Ever since 2003 rolled around and Elijah Wood was on his show to be interviewed for my biggest obsession, Lord of the Rings. From then on I was completely hooked on my favorite late-night red head. He was one of the funniest men on TV. It should come as no surprise to anyone how I landed when the NBC fail-o-thon happened this winter. I was BEYOND outraged and hurt. His last show brought me to tears and it showed me what a truly wonderful and gracious man he is. Beyond just making me laugh, he has earned my love and respect. What happened to him was SO undeserved. However, he has planned a tour for this spring, which even though I can't go, I am ecstatic about! And since it's so limited, I think it would be GREAT if a tour DVD would be created for all his fans who were unable to attend. I really hope this happens!

#1. Keira Knightely and Leonardo Dicaprio to work together

Surprise, Keira is at my number one again... But this is something that I've wanted for a long time. Keira is the only actress that makes me want to cry, even if her role isn't sad. I love EVERYTHING about her. Leo is on the list of the few actors I would see absolutely ANYTHING he did, no questions asked. I think that if these two were in a film together, it would be so beautiful my eyes would melt out of my socket... and the level of talent in the movie itself might actually set the cameras on fire. It sounds dangerous, but I think it might be worth it to try. The great news about this dream is that Keira has been linked to the new Fitzgerald book adaptation called The Beautiful and The Damned where Keira will plays Zelda, Fitzgerald's schizophrenic wife, and Leo has been rumored to have been approached about playing Fitzgerald. I'm feeling a well-deserve freak out coming on! This movie may kill me. In a good way!

Happy 25th Birthday Keira!!

Keira Knightley has been my girl-crush since 2003. I absolutely LOVE her and in honor of her 25th birthday, a PICSPAM of 25 beautiful Keira pictures! Enjoy.

WHAT a cutie! The picture above is from her Red Nose Day ads. Laugh! Laugh everyone!

OH, Keki! Love this production still (above) from her stage performance of The Misanthrope.

Above is a picture of Keira as a Fairy from her boyfriend's production called The Continuing and Lamentable Saga of the Suicide Brothers.

A beautiful photoshoot (above) recreating a moment from Atonement.

Keira sings in The Edge of Love, which her mother wrote the screen play for!

Uuuh! I am so jealous of the precious friendship between Sienna and Keira. LOVE it.

The most amazing dress ever... I want it badly.

Keira and her boo, Rupert Friend. They met on the set of Pride and Prejudice and have been together ever since.

LOOK at that PRECIOUS expression! I just love her face.

Keira is my fashion muse.

Picture from her 21st birthday party! Flapper themed! (Where was my invite, KK?)

Such an angel! :)