New Year's Eve (2011)

Director of Valentine's Day Garry Marshall has made one more movie in the same pattern. Many stories with many participants on new year's eve in New York. The movie is very predictable which makes it so comfortable and cozy to watch. You already know how will it end and there is no need to involve your little grey cells. Besides, movies has a parade of stars. Where else you gonna see together (except maybe Oscars) Sara Jessica-Parker, Michelle Pfeiffer, Zac Efron, Ashton Kutcher, Robert De Niro, Halle Berry, Jon Bon Jovi etc. My favorite couple was Pfeiffer and Efron.

Rating 6 of 10

The Artist (2011)

A silent black and white movie made in the spirit of the early cinema. The story happens on a verge of sound in movies. George Valentin (Jean Dejurdin), a well-known silent actor, has a hard time to accept that sound is the future of the cinema. Meanwhile, Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo), a young actress flies into stardom thanks to talking movies. In the beginning of the movie their tracks of both actors cross and it helps Peppy to become recognized and at the end, because of Peppy, George returns to cinema.
"The Artist" is well-done, well-told and in a good style of silent movies.
Rating 8 of 10.

Midnight in Paris (2011)

Woody Allan's movie makes one to fall in love with Paris. It gives beautiful views of Paris and there would be no wonder if you will find many walking in rain through Paris thanks to this movie.
Gil (Owen Wilson) a young writer and his fiance Inez (Rachel McAdams) have joined her parents on a business trip to Paris. Gil dreams of Paris in 20's. One night right in the midnight a cab comes along and brings him to his dream time Paris in 20's(oh, this is so Cinderella like). He meets his idols Hemingway, Scot and Zelda Fitzgerald, Gertruda Stein, Picasso and Dali. His new experience moves him away from his fiance Inez.
A movie that will make one laugh and appreciate life in its beauty whatever time its is.
Rating 8 of 10

The Beaver (2011)

Walter Black (Mel Gibson) is a husband, father and successful business man however he has been depressed for a long time. When he decides to end his life he finds a puppet doll- the beaver. The beaver saves his life and returns to family and business. In time the beaver from a problem solver becomes a problem.
Depression affects everyone around the depressed person.  Walter's son Porter(excellently played by Anton Yelchin) hates himself and his father. His youngest son Henry has become a loner. His wife Meredith (Jodie Foster, also a director of the film) escapes into work. Mental illness is not something that can be cured only by medicine. There is need for healing of affected relationships as well in order to restore a wholesome life.
Rating 8 of 10.

The Help (2011)

I love old style movies, with clear plot outline and without spec effects. The Help is with heart touching storyline, great actor play and beautiful shots.

America in 60's. Young Skeeter (Emma Stone) has returned from a collage and wants to be a writer. She decides to write a book about the help- black ladies who have done most of the work in white families. She finds help in Aibeleen (Viola Davis) and Minny (Octavia Spencer). We hear funny, sad, touching stories.

Very emotional and heart touching movie.

Rating 10 of 10

In Time (2011)

The movie is set in the future. People are genetically modified to stop aging at 25 but at that moment their clock starts ticking giving only one more year to live. In order to live longer they have to earn time. Time is the new money. The main character Will Salas (Justin Timberlake) finds himself accused in a murder and time stealing. Will is sought by time keepers lead by Raymond Leon(Cillian Murphy). He begins to work against the system. On a way he meets rich and board Sylvia Weis (Amanda Seyfried). They begin Bonnie and Clyde type of bank robberies, this time time stealing.

The move pictures human society as it always has been: few rich against many poor. Is there way out of it? I don't think there is answer, at least no one has found it. There are some scenes that ask is help always a help, for example, Will gives 10 years to his friend who as a result drinks himself to death on the same day?

Rating 8 0f 10

Melancholia (2011)

Lars von Trier has made a picturesque and thought provoking movie. Two sisters (Kristen Dunst and Charlotte Gainsbourg) face the end of the world by a planet called Melancholia.

It's interesting that "Melancholia" and "The Tree of Life" have come out at the same time. If the fist one sees world as evil without hope then the second one shows the beauty of the world and evokes hope. In "Melancholia" there is nothing to live for, there is nothing good and redeemable. While Malik's movie seeks for good despite suffering around. There is voice of God in a person itself which is enough for a person to live.

Rating 8 of 10.

The Tree of Life (2011)

A movie as visual poetry. It has similar flow as the book of Job. Questions to God about life and its meaning, of a man's place in creation, of suffering played out through the life of a middle class American family in 50's.

Bred Pitt and Jessica Chastain play brilliantly.

Rating 10 of 10

Dream house (2011)

A haunted house movie. It starts as usual: steps, whispers, shadows... In the middle of the movie there is a twist though nothing fresh, echos from Shatter Island. The end of the movie is in a good style of good winning evil.

A father (Daniel Craig) leaves his job for his wife and two daughters. They find that their new house has some parallel life. The father finds out that there have been murders in the house previously...

Rating 6 of 10

La piel que habito (2011)

"Skin I live in" a movie by well-known controversial Spanish director Pedro Almodovar. He continues with his favorite themes of sexuality and violence. He also turns to ethics of biochemistry.

Robert (Antonio Banderas) is a brilliant plastic surgeon. He has lost his wife as a result of savage burns. He has undertaken a research to create a new kind of skin that withstands any kind of damage. As his guinea pig he uses Vera (Elena Anaya) who is hold as a hostage in his house. Veras past serves to Robert as justification to use Vera for his interests. Uncovering one layer ofter other of their past relationship we are confronted we surprise.

Almodovar asks questions: how far is too far? can violence be treated with violence? can someone ever change our identity against our will?

Rating 9 of 10.

Abduction (2011)

Nathan (Taylor Lautner) a wild teen finds out that he is not a son of his parents. He starts a search for his identity and a run from bad guys.

I hoped for more but find myself quite bored with the movie. The story line never gets to real thrill. It has some decent fighting scenes. And then that teenage love story. What for? To get a pretty face throughout the movie?

Rating 3 of 10.

Friends with benefits (2011)

This was the other movie I saw today. It was somehow disappointing. It was too predictable. a man and a women try to find out can there be sex without attachment and how surprising, the answer is "No." The move had too many sex scenes (though what did I expect going to a movie about sex without love?).
Only thing I enjoyed was watching a good play of Justin Timberlake and flashmob scenes.

Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011)

I was avoiding romantic comedies this summer. However, there was nothing else to watch and I went to this and another movie in a category comedy. And I am glad I did.
It has a very good storyline with an unexpected twist. Basically it is a movie about love in all ages and stages. The cast does amazing job leading us through all twists and turns of the story. Cal ( Steve Carell) finds out that his wife (Julianne Moore) has had an afire with her colleague David(Kevin Bacon) and wants a divorce. Cal meets a playboy Jacob(Ryan Gosling) who offers to help him to find manhood. Meanwhile his kids' babysitter has fallen for him and his son for the babysitter...
I cried and laughed and laughed again. Long since I have seen a comedy so well done.

Winnie the Pooh (2011)

Disney's new creation is colourful, funny, friendly as it is common for Disney animations.

Winnie the Pooh is playing with the text. Creators have taken the original more as a guideline to their story. There are some recognizable scenes and quotes from A.A. Milne's work but generally it's all mixed up (just right now I am reading the book to kids and know storyline quite well). In a way it's disappointing when well-known stories are changed. However, I liked how the animators have played with the text. The story happens in a book and words and letters empower what you see. Use of the text makes the cartoon interesting not only for preschoolers but also for those who already can read.

Away with my musings, kids watched it with eyes wide open, laughed, clapped, and enjoyed it.

Winter's bone (2010)

17 year old Ree (Jennifer Lawrence) has been thrown into grownup world too early. She has to take care of her depressed mom, little brother (12) ans sister (6) and feed animals. One day sheriff tells her if her meth-cooker dad doesn't show up in a court they will lose a house. Ree starts to look after her dad. When her dad does not show up in a court she is sure he is dead. In order to get off the bond she has to prove that her dad is dead. At the end three women take Ree to her daddies bones. By giving her dad's hands to sheriff Ree gets to keep their property.

The grayness of the poor rural area movie happens in even more enhances the power of meth on people. Harsh looking women Ree meets with. Poverty of people. Use of violence in dealing with each other. However, despite all that, the main heroine gives some hope that there is possible life without meth. At the end when her dad's brother Teardrop gives chickens to her brother and sister he in a way gives hope and new life to them.

Let's get started

Life with six kids takes most of my time. To read a book, watch a movie or see a play are some of the little joys that help me to keep sanity. However, mere reading, watching or seeing has become too little for my mind. I have decided to enter into a new adventure of exploring books ( and not only) by taking a closer look at them. I believe it will be an exiting adventure with many new insights. Cannot wait to take my first step.