Movie of the Month :BREAKING AND ENTERING (2006)

ARE MOVIES more to you than entertainment? Without dreams, ambition and inspiration, life is harder than it has to be. Who says only the very young are hungry for knowledge. This good movie has taught me something about foreign relations, love and families, crime and punishment, truth, imagination, diligence, experience...the list goes on.Rarely have I seen a film cover as many layers as flawlessly as this film does.

The title itself is a bounty of different meanings to it. Taken literally, it refers to the several break-ins that occur throughout the beginning of the film that spiral everything that is to follow. However if you look deeper, you can find several different metaphorical meanings to the title. It could be referring to the lives that we see. They are already broken, and we enter these lives to see how they play out and progress

SYNOPSIS:

Jude Law plays Will, an architect who lives with Liv (Robin Wright Penn), a documentarian and her behaviorally challenged daughter. After a series of break-ins at his office, Will begins staking it out in order to find the culprit. This puts an extra strain on his already tenuous relationship with Liv. One night, he sees a young man breaking in. He shouts to him, and when the kid runs away, Will pursues him. Will follows the kid, Miro, to his apartment in a rundown area. At once he becomes entranced by Miro's mother Amira , an refugee from Serbia who works as a seamstress. Will invents reasons to keep coming back to see Amira. They soon begin an affair. Amira believes if she keeps sleeping with Will he won't turn in Miro. As Will grows closer to Amira, he begins to pull away from Liv. The tension and uneasiness grow until the spacious rooms of their posh townhouse are full of all the things they can't seem to say to each other.

REVIEW:

Anthony Minghella uses this setup to explore the issues of trust, love and honesty in the intertwining relationships of these characters. As always, he proves himself to be an intelligent and insightful writer. His story and characters are authentic and every emotion is real. He is also an outstanding director. He has an excellent sense of pace, tone, and the composition..This is Minghella's most moving film to date. He provides a light insight into the lives of immigrants and he does a good job of suggesting, in a subtle way, how life for immigrants living in England is different from that of Brits.

He also cleverly shows , how the actions of one character leads to having an influence on the lives of another character.His obsession with darkness hidden in his characters hearts is as universal a theme as unrequited love. Minghella loves his characters and the darker they re, the stronger the love. In Minghella's sphere every human being is welcome and lovable,he's not accusing or justifying the people, but the circumstances.It is a film that tells the story of a lot of people of our times when political and social insecurities have broken the borders between countries and made many people immigrants

I also loved how Minghella studied the parallels between the two mother-child relationships in the film. Both deal with troubled children and mothers who are trying their best to create the best lives for their child. On one spectrum there is Amira and Miro. Due to an absent father and poor finances, Amira is forced to work as hard as she can to provide for Miro. However, he gets involved with criminals and becomes more and more entwined into these break-ins, as he is the only one who can actually be punished by law since he's the only one who physically breaks in. Amira has to work as much as she can and, as a result, she neglects Miro which leads to his actions.

On the other side of the spectrum there is Liv and Bea. Bea suffers from a very extreme case of obsessive compulsive disorder and this takes a heavy toll on the lives of her and her parents. Unlike Amira though, Liv has a husband who works very hard and can provide constant economical support to the family. This allows her to quit her job and spend all of her time with Bea, doing her best to make sure she's alright. It's very interesting to see how these two similar relationships progress throughout the film with opposite approaches to trying to fix the problem.Even though sadly this great director is no more, his films will stay and 'Breaking and Entering' is just the right swansong.

Jude Law gives his most mature and honest performance to date. Admittedly I am not a big fan of Jude Law, but he plays his part so efficiently it was a masterstroke casting him in the lead role. His character is seemingly disinterested and frequently irritating but wholly believable and realistic. He may come across as a London male stereotype but as said Law is so convincing it does not matter it just adds to the realism. Robin Wright Penn excels at playing emotionally distant women and she is able to communicate all of Liv's submerged emotions with small gestures or looks.

But the star of the film is the magnificent Binoche. Her performance is easily the best female performance I've seen in a film... ever! She plays the suffering mother of a troubled youth and lost her husband years before. She becomes entangled in a relationship that she should avoid but, as she states herself, it has been years since anyone showed her affection so she is vulnerable to an advance. There are two scenes which exemplify Binoche as the best actress in the business; when she decides to take pictures of her sleeping lover against his knowledge, she tries to make it look like she enjoys it but immediately reviles with disgust and disgrace, and when she descends to desperate begging from her lover for his help.

Rafi Gavron, who plays Miro, despite this being his debut, holds his own among these seasoned pros. In addition there are several interesting characters such as Bruno (played by a vivacious Ray Winstone) the chatty good-hearted CID, Sandy (a funny Martin Freeman) the friend who might have found the 'love of his life' and Oana the philosophical prostitute (by a brilliant and barely recognizable Vera Farmiga).

Like most of Minghella's films, 'Breaking and Entering' is visually very appealing. It has a very polished look but at the same time it portrays London in a very stark realistic way. The nightlife and daytime on the streets is well captured. Production design and art direction are fantastic. Benoit Delhomme's cinematography is wild. The frame and compositions are outstanding. Whether it's a wild red fox running through the streets or the sequence with Will chasing Miro, they have been skillfully executed. The rich score by Gabriel Yared flows smoothly with the story.

A very complex, but a satisfying film. It is a film that makes us feel responsible towards each other, and creates a land for all of us to live in, that of compassion. Those who need car chases or special effects in their movie experiences should avoid Mighella's parable, but those who value thoughtful and nuanced works will find much to admire here.

TITLE; Breaking and Entering

Director : Anthony Minghella

Cast: Jude Law, Robin Wright Penn, Juliette Binoche, Vera Farmiga

Rated R for sexuality and language.

Language: English

Country: USA/ UK

DVD extras: feature-length audio commentary by Minghella

deleted scenes are also included with optional commentary

making of featurette

Trailer link www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2Ekg4rYSKE

TorrentsBreaking And Entering[2006]DvDrip[Eng]-leetay

Movie of the Month :BELLA (2007)

"BELLA" is the perfect name for this beautiful, deeply moving story about a day in the life two New Yorkers. It's a romantic drama that manages to be tender, funny, heartbreaking, and uplifting without straying down the same clichéd path you've been a hundred times before.

SYNOPSIS

The movie centers around Nina (Tammy Blanchard), a young, unmarried waitress at a Mexican restaurant who finds herself pregnant and out of a job after coming in late to work several days because of morning sickness. Jose (Eduardo Verastegui) the restaurant's chef is taken by Nina's plight and becomes her sole confidant. Jose helps her walk through her decision on what to do with her pregnancy. In the process, he bears secrets from his own mysterious past, which reveal his tenderness and passion for her and the child she is carrying.

REVIEW:

The main ingredient in this award-winning film is "charm”. Everyone is pretty likable, there's a lot of emotion and the characters are very realistic The film beautifully shows the power of a good family. Jose has a caring and loving Mother, Father, older brother and younger brother. With these relationships, it is easier for Jose to try to do the "right" thing than it is for Nina, who comes from a dysfunctional and tragic family.

Each scene blends perfectly into the next , creating and weaving an intricate and detailed story without being self indulgent. The actors make choices that are simple yet powerful. Every character lets their humanity show in a way that causes the audience to fall in love with them throughout the course of the movie. Both the story and the characters are realistic and every scene of the movie is packed with truth. Audiences can see aspects of their own lives and situations in every scene of this masterfully composed story.

I thought that one area of the movie that really stood out was the concept of true manhood -- the idea of a man being one who is strong enough to know and stand firm for what is right, but who is willing to bend his own wishes and desires to serve those around him who need help. That is rare to find these days, especially where most men are portrayed as womanizing slacker hedonists.

Stylistically, newcomer director Alejandro Monteverde does a superb job pacing the story -- combining just the right amounts of character, humor, and mystery into a package that satisfies on multiple levels -- intellectually, visually, emotionally, symbolically, etc. The photography -- shot in and around the streets of Manhattan and Long Island -- is top notch and the editing, relying heavily on jump cuts, keeps the story moving along in multiple time frames to great effect .

Eduardo Verástegui and Manny Perez both turn out strong performances, but the women of Bella are the real standouts. Tammy Blanchard's emotionally honest portrayal of a young woman dealing with an unexpected crisis and Ali Landry's brief cameo as a distraught young mother are compelling and stay with you long after you've left the theater.

This is, without exaggeration, the most inspirational, moving film I have ever been fortunate enough to see. This is love- not self-gratifying sexual passion or a friendship built on lies and deception, but true, unselfish, indiscriminate love. Love not because of the benefits or conveniences one might reap, but simply because we are human, and should love each other simply because we are, giving every life the dignity it deserves.A very powerful piece of cinema. No wonder this rookie work shocked all the big name pictures to win the top prize at Toronto Film Festival.

Hollywood says a movie with a pure message won't sell. I think we can prove them wrong with "BELLA".

Title : Bella

Director : Alejandro Monteverde

Cast :Eduardo Verástegui , Manny Perez ,Tammy Blanchard

Rated PG for thematic elements and brief disturbing images.

Country:

USA | Mexico

Language:

English | Spanish

DVD FEATURES :Commentary with director Monteverde:

Behind The Scenes

Behind the Journey of Distribution

Trailers

TRAILER LINK: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ9AkTrbxgk

TORRENT FILE NAME : Bella.2006.DvDRip.XviD-JFKXVID

Movie of the Month :TRANSAMERICA (2005)

THERE WILL BE PEOPLE who on viewing this film will find themselves repulsed by its nature, maybe fascinated a little, or trying to nit-pick the situations that develop at the second half. But for once, finally, like its sister film Brokeback Mountain; this is a film which doesn't use the Transgendered person as the butt of a joke. At last a movie that humanizes the experience and makes it accessible to anyone who watches it regardless of gender preference.

SYNOPSIS

Bree, formerly known as Stanley, who is close to getting her lifelong dream of being a woman, except for a little problem: she has a son named Toby, a junkie and a gay prostitute, now 17 years old, who's in jail, and she must come to terms with him before taking this final step. She's none too happy: this means opening the door back to her old life as a man and she's not about to do this. The kid is a total hindrance. So she decides to keep it a secret, bail him out, drive him to Los Angeles, and be done with him.

REVIEW:

The plot line is certainly the tried and true formula of the transformational road trip, yet the irony of Bree's concurrent sexual transformation freshens a story that could easily have been cliché. Duncan Tucker, the director and writer of "Transamerica", takes a difficult subject and expanded on it. This is not exactly what any Hollywood films dare to present to a general audience since it deals with a frank approach to a subject that is not commonly seen treated so honestly and with so much integrity. Mr. Tucker shows a respectful restraint in the way he shows his story that is never shocking, or in one's face.

Bree is not as a stereotype or caricature, but as a profoundly unhappy woman uncomfortable in her own skin, in her own (estranged) family, and in her own life. She can't wait to become fully a woman, and comes across as almost tragic, as her journey with Toby places in her situations where she is unable to fully hide her secrets. Toby, for his part, couldn't care less if she were a transsexual. After all he's seen and done, he accepts Bree for who and what she is, irritated not at her transsexual status, but at her deception and hypocrisy.

Some of the big lessons to learn from this movie are that you can't judge people based on physical appearances or based on things you really aren't familiar with (such as trans-gendered people). We are all just human in the end, and we all have the same emotions, we all just want to be happy, to love someone, and to be loved. I was very happy and pleasantly surprised to see in this movie that Bree's changes are not related at all to sex. And the love she is looking for is from her family.

Felicity Huffman delivers a brave and fantastic performance of what she herself described as the role of a lifetime. She displays Bree with insecurity, pathos, fear, humour and growth which really makes one forget that they're actually looking at an actress act. Her use of non-verbal language is remarkable. While in the beginning the audience may feel that they're looking at an ugly freak, one can't help but love the character after the end credits have rolled. Though many have described Huffman's performance to be of Oscar caliber, the Oscars have rewarded many non-deserving performances. It is definitely one of the most challenging performances and one that will be remembered in the history of cinema. Kevin Zegers as Bree’s son Toby, jarringly and gruelingly portrays his physical and emotional abuse, incorruptible suffering, radiant purity, abandonment, torment, wreckage, galvanization, sexual demoralization, ravishment, brutalization, subversion, and desperate desire to be loved and understood.Elizabeth Pena, Graham Greene and Burt young stand out in small roles.

The soundtrack selections are excellent reflections of the environments the characters are in, from Latin in California, to hip hop in New York to a lovely range of Southern country and gospel, moving through Texas with a Lucinda Williams track, Native American in New Mexico, with a beautiful new Dolly Parton song over the credits.As far as production values, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the film did not look "low budget". The settings, cinematography, acting and directing was as professional as anything I've ever seen.

Independent movies have been losing some of their force during the years. They have not been making so much profit, partially because of so many blockbusters and successful franchises that are more and more often in the cinematic world. But out of all the independent films I've seen recently, "Transamerica" was the one that stayed in my mind. Whether it is a touching comedy or funny drama, it is an important film, with polemic issues and intense character development.

I was so happy to see a portrayal of a transsexual person that didn't portray them as crazy, or a psychopath or suicidal. Those who are transsexual have a great challenge in life as they not only have to endure the incongruity of the physical body with their real being, but the terrible social marginalization and I have the utmost admiration for anyone who survives such a great challenge. We must celebrate diversity in life, not try and suffocate it. This is the beginnings of peace.

Lets hope this is the beginning of future inclusions of positive roles for transsexual characters in the future. A very brave and real film that everyone should see.

Title : TRANSAMERICA

Director : Duncan Tucker

Cast : Felicity Huffman , Kevin Zegers ,Burt Young, Elizabeth Pena

Rated R for sexual content, nudity, language and drug use

Country :USA

Language:English

DVD Features :Commentary track with director Duncan Tucker
a conversation with Felicity Huffman
Blooper reel

Trailer Link : www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a7HXgYou-8

Torrent File Name:Transamerica[2005]DvDrip[Eng]-FXG

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