Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014) Good Fun

In the third instalment of the Night at the Museum movies, the tablet that brings the museum exhibits to life is losing it's power and to fix it, Ben Stiller and the gang have to go visit the only person who knows how to fix it, at the London's British Museum.

This movie was definitely more entertaining than I thought it would be. Most of the jokes did entertain me despite at times being obvious, although a few do fall flat. However, I did not enjoy the comedy involving caveman Ben Stiller (thankfully, there wasn't much of it). I think the movie would have been better without that character. The story is straightforward as expected, but still good enough to not be boring.

The returning cast do a good job. Newcomer Dan Stevens as Sir Lancelot was my favourite character and was great fun to watch. There were also some great cameos which I did not expect and won't spoil and was awesome.

There are some cool scenes in this movie that really pleased my inner kid, mainly when Sir Lancelot is fighting a triceratops and a scene involving a M.C. Esher painting along with a couple of others. I did also like the ending. It was a bit sad when it came to their goodbyes, especially when it came to Robin Williams'.

Overall, it is a solid movie for kids and adults should have an alright time

Class Enemy (2013) An astounding Blackboard Jungle from Slovenia with Love

 

Class Enemy (Razredni sovraznik) was a Revelation at Miskolc CINEFEST, 2014: If one of the basic purposes of a film festival is to discover and reveal new talent from small countries then Jameson Miskolc in rural Hungary is doing a truly remarkable job. Apart from four discoveries mentioned yesterday even more powerful new films have surfaced since -- from smaller countries that one does not generally think of as sources of quality cinema. On day number four (September 15) I was astounded by the quality of a film from Slovenia -- yes, Slovenia -- a teeny country sandwiched in between Austria, Italy and Croatia. The film in question is called "RAZREDNI SOVRADNIK" which translates as "Class Enemy", a kind of update to the XXI. Century of the Hollywood Classic "The Blackboard Jungle" (1955), but far more profound and powerful in dealing with the wider repercussions of a high school rebellion.

A very strict and erudite substitute teacher of German replaces a popular female German teacher on maternity leave. The obstreperous students quickly label him a Fascist and hold him personally responsible when a girl in the class commits suicide after playing Chopin Opus 38 for him behind closed doors. The ethereal Chopin piano passages become a leit motif throughout the film referencing shy Sabina, the girl who committed suicide -- an act only referred to but not actually seen on screen.

Class Enemy (2013) live streaming

The entire school now rebels against established authority until an eventual compromise between faculty and student body is reached, but not before the whole town has gotten involved and all kinds of personal side issues have cropped up. Slovenian actor Igor Samobor (56) is in total command of the role of the unsavory controversial Thomas Mann spouting teacher -- the Class Enemy of the title, and very attractive actress Natasa Barbara Gracner(45) is most ingratiating as the cool headed school principal in change of handling the widening social crisis. All student roles are excellent in a perfectly balanced ensemble cast where each personality is clearly defined. This is an unusually mature debut by a 28 year old director, Roc Bicek, unquestionably a talent to keep eye on. Voted best film of the festival, young Bicek was on hand to pick up his well deserved award at the closing ceremony

X+Y (2014) Beatiful, A masterpiece, plain and simple.

'I think I see the world differently to others' explains Nathan, played by Asa Butterfield. The distinction causing this however is that he is has been diagnosed with Autism, which passes the conclusion that he is socially awkward, shy and 'unique'.

 X+Y (2014)Although considered disabled, Nathan is a maths-prodigy. A self- confessed, algebra loving whizz at that. Because of his advanced capability in the subject, Nathan joins a high-school a few years early and placed under the teaching of Raff Spall's character, Mr Hutchinson. Heading into early stages of MS, Hutchinson explains to Nathan a competition that he did in his youth and recommends he should enter it - the International Mathematics Olympiad, a world- wide competition similar to sporting, but rather than strong muscles, strong brains.

Chosen as one of the sixteen entries from the UK, he then joins a worldly-mix of other competitors in what is probably the most difficult children's test in the world.

At this point you realize how the story is going to end, along with the regular clichés. But X+Y keeps you on toes and raises the grade to unexpected.

Although X+Y is focused around maths, it doesn't matter. The subject could easily be replaced or removed and the film would hold strong by because in awe of the fundamental driven narrative. Put into cheesy maths terms X+Y is: Great casting + dramatic story + comedy - clichés = success.

Taking the on the central lead, Asa Butterfield (Ender's Game) stuns in the portrayal and authentically attaches us with emotion to his story. Co-starring as Nathan's mother, Sally Hawkins also gives a stellar performance.

Crafted with flashbacks, X+Y is very much about the destination as well as it is the journey. Comparable to A Beautiful Mind, this too is a prodigy excellence and a charming feature from Morgan Matthews.

The Notebook (2013) "A nagy füzet" A brilliant movie about the cruelties of life

 The Notebook (2013)The film is not only beautiful to watch but also very deep. It shows the cruelties of the war through the life of two twin brothers that are left to the care of a non forgiving grandmother during the war. They are so innocent and so good but that has to change because their new place is very cruel. People are cruel, environment is cruel and everything is even harsher because of the World War II. So they decide to overcome their weaknesses by fronting their fears. They are in the end successful in that. They become as cruel as the place they are left in and they refuse to leave their once detested grandmother to live with their loving mother. They even use their father's life to get to their own end. Overall a very moving, very real depiction of war time. The audience does not have to endure graphic violence scenes, but the violence is conveyed through the stern faces and determined behaviour of the two very young boys who are identical to look at, which makes it all the more memorable.

Life itself (2014) Thumbs Way Up

As someone who literally grew up at the movies--my mother took me to anything and everything from my infancy right through my early childhood, until I was old enough to go by myself--my love for and fascination with film is deeply entrenched in my way of thinking, my way of writing, my way of viewing life. And Roger Ebert (with Gene Siskel) was a vital discovery, someone whose opinions were always worth hearing (or reading); someone whose love for film and his way of thinking about it seemed to legitimize my lifelong instinct to appraise and quantify the value of what I was being shown on the big screen. It was all right to question things, or to accept the questionable.

I was staying at my favorite hotel in London some years ago (the mid 80s, as I recall) with a writer friend from Oslo (another lover of film and theater). She and I were having a late-night post-theater meal in the lounge when Roger came bustling through on the way to his room. I nearly levitated from my seat at the sight of him, and after he'd passed from view, I tried, a bit deliriously, to explain to my friend who this man was, and his importance to the world of film. She was awe-struck when I spoke of the format of the show, of two men agreeing or disagreeing over forthcoming films. There was nothing like it anywhere outside of the U.S.

As I watched this documentary, I kept remembering that evening at Brown's Hotel way back then, thinking that Roger would have given this film a wholehearted thumbs up. It is wonderfully coherent, and offers insights into the man, into his extraordinary talents and his tremendous enthusiasm, not just for film but for life and the people he loved. It's not hard to understand how difficult it was for his remarkable wife Chaz to let him go.

Day One (To Write Love on Her Arms) A Beautiful Hidden Gem of A Movie

Produced in 2012, this film has traveled the film festival circuit for far too long without having a proper mainstream release.

The story's arc is revealed to us through the mind of the main character through an imaginative use of animated visuals. The audience is allowed to travel in and out of the mind of the main character's coping mechanisms through a very clever and effective assortment of visual and musical story devices. When these mechanisms begin to fail, these conventions carry through in an appropriately dynamic fashion.

Rupert Friend delivers a stunning performance in his supporting role, and this film will be a pleasant surprise to those who know this actor from the 'Homeland' series.

 

To Write Love on Her Arms Live streaming HD 720p 

The film has some roughness around the edges, and at times feels like a very expensive (and slightly didactic) after-school special. But those moments are fleeting, and are contrasted with some very harsh visuals and story progression that are anything but didactic.

We're presented with a brutally honest story that is at times both beautiful and horrifying in its presentation of characters that come full circle in the end.

Into the Woods (2014) Live Streaming

I was uber excited to go see this film! With its fairytale theme, star-studded cast, and music composed by Stephen Sondheim (I'm a huge "Sweeney Todd" fan!) The internet had been buzzing about it for around a year before its release and I simply couldn't wait.

I enjoyed it.

Into the Woods (2014) Live Streaming