Welcome to our page about movies! Here we shall list all our favourites with a summary and opinions of each... The Usual Suspects Summary It's a drama slash gangsta movie. It circles around five criminals (Kevin Spacey, Gabriel Byrne, Benicio Del Toro, Kevin Pollak, and Stephen Baldwin) who meet after being rounded up for a police line-up. Although all innocent of the crime they were rounded up for, they decide to pull of a 3 million dollar heist together. Through this they get the attention of the mysterious, never-seen, underworld crime god, Keyser Soze, who persuades them to do a job for him. However things start going terribly wrong... Comments Jenny: I love this movie because it's quite witty, and it has a few surprises for you. Kevin Spacey, one of my heroes, is absolutely fantastic as 'Verbal' in this movie. He's the King of subtle acting I think, but yet doesn't fail to get the communication across. Brian Singer is a genius in my opinion. That guy was so young when he did this movie! He's also the director of the X-Man movies, which will also be part of my list here. But more about them later! Fight Club Summary You are not your job. You are not how much you have in the bank. You are not the contents of your wallet. You are not your khakis. You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake. What happens first is you can't sleep. What happens then is there's a gun in your mouth. And what happens next is you meet Tyler Durden. Let me tell you about Tyler. He had a plan. In Tyler we trusted. Tyler says the things you own, end up owning you. It's only after you've lost everything that you're free to do anything. Fight Club represents that kind of freedom. First rule of Fight Club: You do not talk about Fight Club. Second rule of Fight Club: You do not talk about Fight Club. Tyler says self-improvement is masturbation. Tyler says self-destruction might be the answer. Comments Jenny: Ok, another favourite actor (yes I can have more than one favourite actor!) is Edward Norton. He's brilliant in 'Primal Fear' (reminds me of a modern Norman Bates), but not many people know this movie for some reason. Maybe because it has Richard Gere in it....sorry for Richard Gere fans, he's not that bad in that movie. Anyways, I thought that 'Fight Club' was brilliantly made and was strangely funny and quite different. I like the twist in it, and I counted two quick 'flashes' (in case you don't know what I am talking about, just watch the movie). Anyone counted more? American Beauty Summary It's a parody about contemporary suburban American life. Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) becomes intrigued with his daughter's beautiful young friend (Mena Survari), and decides to make some changes in his life. He experiences a great resurgence in his life, unfortunately much to the exasperation of his wife and daughter. Due to the changes in his life, many things start to be even more out of sync, and it turns out rather differently in the end... Comments Jenny: Great, great, great! Kevin Spacey...wow! Story...wow...and again I thought it was really funny, in a black kind of way...Not much to say about it other than...GREAT! When Harry Met Sally Summary Well it's the tale of two slightly neurotic and driven people. Harry and Sally meet as friends, and over a time span of 13 years fate seems to keep on bringing them close to each other. On one occassion Sally gives Harry a ride to New York. During the hour-long ride womanizing Harry asserts that a man and a woman can never be just friends as sex will always come in the way and screw up the friendship. Sally disagrees vehemently, and from this the questions arises 'Can a man and a woman be just friends?'. After parting rather vexedly Sally runs into Harry a few years later. What happens next is a tale of funny (who doesn't love the fake-orgasm scene in Katz's Deli?) and complicated coincidences, which once again bring up the much debated question: 'Can a man and a woman be just friends?' Comments Jenny: One of the best romantic comedies I think. It's just so nice...sigh... High Fidelity Summary This is a comedy about a geek (John Cusack), whose only real knowledge consists of music on vinyl. He thinks it's all good until his long-time girlfriend dumps him. This leads him to examine his past of failed relationships and leads him to a more mature way of life although 'kicking and screaming' in the process. Comments Jenny: Love it! Funny, and even more funny! Great comedy, and it's one of those movies I can watch again and again. Almost Famous Summary William (Patrick Fugit, who's the man and who will shortly be featured in our hunks page, because he's so nice) a young rock fan, who has got a talent in writing news articles about music, especially about his favourite kind of music, lands an assignment with the 'Rolling Stone' to accompany a new band called 'Stillwater' on their first tour. As he gets closer to the band members and their 'groupies'- or ''Band Aids'' (as they like to call themselves) - he soon finds himself getting caught up in the infamous 70's rock scene. Comments Jenny: One of the sweetest movies I have seen. It's quite funny too. The plane scene ( for those who've seen it)...that was kind of funny...poor guy. Babsi: Yes, a really nice and sweet movie! Psycho Summary When a young woman is found to be missing, her sister and boyfriend decide to follow her traces. All clues lead to the gloomy looking Bates Hotel in the middle of nowhere. Upon their arrival they find out that the hotel is run by a crazy, voyeuristic, taxidermist loner called Norman Bates. Only later do they find out that there is even more to this sick, twisted man than his love for stuffing animals. He's into cross-dressing too... Comments Jenny: I thought it was scary! Even though it's 'not much' compared to modern movie making possibilities, the camera angles in it, and the way the people got killed - scary! The scariest scene is when the police man walks up the steps and the 'old lady' comes running out of the door and stabs him, while all is flimed from a bird's view. Somehow it was really scary... Babsi: I watched the beginning of this ages ago but then couldn't finish it because I had to go somewhere. From what I've seen Hitchcock is pretty brilliant! This would certainly become a favourite of mine! Heavenly Creatures Summary Pauline Parker (Melanie Lynskey) is an introverted misunderstood girl, until Juliet Hulme (Kate Winslet) arrives as the new student at her school. Pauline is immediately attracted to the confident and beautiful Juliet and they soon become best friends. Soon they withdraw into a world of their own - Borovnia, a fairy-tale kingdom populated by clay figures and the girls's imagination. The families of the girls soon become worried about the moral rightness of the girl's 'unnatural' close friendship. Juliet's parents decide to send her away. A decision that will have fatal results as the two girls, by now far removed from reality, decide to fight for their unity. What happens next seriously scared the shit out of me (sorry, but that had to be said) and is sure to send a bit more than a chill down your spine. Comments Jenny: I'd call it chilling and disturbing... Babsi: This movie was really scary...really slightly nutty those two girls... Cruel Intentions Summary A dark story about Manhatten bored rich kids Kathryn (Sarah Michelle-Geller) and Sebastian (Ryan Philippe). Kathryn, Sebastian's stepstister makes a bet with him that he won't be able to bed the virginal Annette (Reese Witherspoon) before the next school, year begins. At first cold and cunning Sebastian is all games, but then he can't help himself growing rather fond of Annette. This however leads the intruiging and jealous Kathryn to form an even more devious plot in oder to destroy Sebastian's new found happiness. Comments Jenny: What a naughty but brilliant movie. It was so sick that it was quite good. I am just sad that they made a sequel of it, which I am sure is "3%£ , but then I haven't seen it. So if anyone has seen it and it is any good, which I HIGHLY doubt let me know, and I might see it. Clockwork Orange Summary Kubrick based his chilling masterpiece on Anthony Burgess's culture-shaking novel about a young man, growing into adulthood, who has a bit of a problem with authority figures. When Alex (a career-defining performance by McDowell) and his droogs go out for a little bit of the old ultraviolence, he is caught and forced to undergo controversial treatment that will make it impossible for him to commit violent acts - but has severe side effects... Comments Jenny: Probably my favourite Kubrick movie together with 'Dr. Strangelove'. It's sick and disturbing, and quite twisted. But then I think the emotions it can create speak for the quality of it. Spirited Away Summary Chihiro, a young girl, has just moved to a new town together with her parents. Upon her arrival she discovers a strange tunnel which leads into a market place filled with delicious food. Her parents can't withstand their appetite and although no one seems to be around they decide to start eating the food. Chihiro feels that something is wrong and as she gets back to her parents after a short look-around, she finds they are not quite themselves anymore, in fact they turned into pigs! Chihiro is now faced with the responsibility to venture into the world of gods, so unlike her own, and save her parents. This let's the viewer embark upon a wonderful journey through a world filled with the most beautiful kind of imagination. This story will, in the fullest sense of the word, leave you spirited away. Comments Jenny: I love this movie! It's my favourite anime. I love the whole story, with the bathing house for the Gods, and all the characters are so wonderful. It's such an extremely 'full' and fantastic creation that it left me wondering for the rest of the night. Babsi: I love this movie too! All the magic and fantasy in it, with different animals as gods and cute little things are funny and heart-warming! But it's got some seriousness also which is important. Can't have just little cute things! (that would be a bit stupid...i think...) Monsoon Wedding Summary An extended Punjabi family gathers for an arranged wedding in New Delhi. The bride, Aditi (Vasundhara Das), is to marry a man who works in Houston, Texas and leave her family home to be with him. However, she is in love with her former boss, who happens to be married, and is having doubts about going through with the wedding. The story is also about integrity and the bonds that families form and have to work on. The picture is filled with beautiful colours just like one would expect from an Indian movie. However, leaving out anything that could be considered 'Bollywood' and also bringing with it a somewhat more serious note. Comments Jenny: This movie has no extraordinary plot, nor has it any famous actors, or special effects. Yet I found it totally engrossing. The Talented Mr Ripley Summary Based on Patricia Highsmith's novel of the same name, Minghella's moody follow-up to his Oscar-winning THE ENGLISH PATIENT concerns Tom Ripley (Matt Damon), a poor New Yorker, who is sent to Italy by the wealthy Mr. Greenleaf in order to bring back his spoiled son, Dickie (Jude Law). Once in Italy, Tom charms his way into the home of Dickie and his girlfriend Marge (Gwyneth Paltrow), where he begins to get a taste of wealthy living. When Tom begins to wear out his welcome, he takes drastic actions to ensure that he will never have to return to the life that he left behind. Comments Jenny: Brilliantly disturbing, and bloody amazing acting I'd say. Best I've ever seen Damon do. There's a sequel to it by John Malkovich, which I haven't seen yet called 'Ripley's Game'. I don't really like sequels of brilliant movies, but as this one starrs Malkovich it might be good nontheless. Anyone seen it? Lost in Translation Summary This is the story of two Americans, a washed-up TV star (Murray) in town for a TV whiskey commercial shoot, and the (very) young wife (Johansson) of a photographer, who meet in Tokyo, Japan and end up spending a weekend hanging out there together on a "soul-searching mission." Comments Jenny: I really enjoyed this story, because of the friendship it circled around. I think it wasn't 'hollywoodised', and kept pretty natural, but nontheless special. I love Scarlet Johansen, she's just so cool! Can you believe she's only 19?! Bridget Jones's Diary Summary Upon turning 32 Bridget Jones decides to start keeping a diary, in order to help her make a few changes in her life. Soon her diary turns into the kind of hysterical/naughty book most women have on their bedside table (I don't...honestly), and she finds herself fighting temptation once more. Based on the Jane Austen classic 'Pride and Prejudice', this movie contains anything a woman might want...chocolate, a lot of embarrassing moments that make us feel less stupid about our own, music to scream our guts out to or cry our eyeballs out to, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant and a lot of heart-warming situations that will make us dream about our very own Mr. Darcy. Comments Jenny: I've seen this movie a hundred times, and could see it another hundred times. Babsi: Oh yes! Bridget Jones! This movie, as the first, was great! The Colour Purple Summary This is one of Spielberg's greatest unrecognised movies (it was nominated for 11 Oscars, but won none). The film opens in 1909 when Celie is a young girl, a victim of incest, pregnant with her father's child. Ugly and unloved, separated from her children and her sister, Celie's only option is marriage to an abusive, philandering husband (Danny Glover) who treats her little better than a slave. Her life changes forever when her husband brings his mistress, a beautiful blues singer named Shug (Margaret Avery), into the house. THE COLOR PURPLE was also the film debut for Oprah Winfrey, who beautifully plays Celie’s sister-in-law, Sofia. Comments Jenny: Harsh and sad, but it's definitely a great movie. Dumbo Summary One of the more serious Walt Disney movies. Dumbo, an elephant baby born with incredibly large ears is soon mocked by his snobbish fellow elephants. Even the kids visiting the circus start to mock him, when his mother is send into detention after trying to protect her baby. Dumbo finds himself alone and scared, but he makes friends with Timothy Mouse, who helps him regain his confidence and be proud of who he is. Comments Jenny: The only movie that'll make me cry... Tea with Mussolini Summary The film tells of Luca Innocenti (born out of wedlock and not officially recognized by his father) and his struggle to assert his independence and find his way into a life of art. The coming-of-age tale is also a haunting evocation of a vanished world: that of the quiet city of Florence on the brink of World War II. Judi Dench, Joan Plowright and Maggie Smith portray the eccentric, colorful and strong-willed ladies - called the "Scorpioni" for their biting wit - who, along with a free-spirited American art collector (Cher) and archeologist (Lily Tomlin), raise the youth and fashion him, though Italian, into "a perfect British gentleman." Comments Jenny: Cher's great in this movie. I quite like her as an actress. Funny and witty...no wonder considering the cast...Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Cher... Interview with a Vampire Summary Horror author Anne Rice penned the screenplay for this full-blooded adaptation of her novel, which chronicles the life of 18th-century nobleman Louis (Brad Pitt) after he is bitten by powerful, charismatic vampire Lestat (Tom Cruise). Though enthralled with the undead lifestyle at first, Louis is unable to warm-up to killing humans and grows despondent. To comfort Louis, Lestat creates another vampire (Kirsten Dunst in a star-making peformance), a young girl who from then on cannot age. Antonio Banderas appears as Armand, a 400-year-old vampire, and Christian Slater plays the radio producer who interviews the remorseful Louis. Comments Jenny: This is actually one of my all time favourites. I love vampire movies in general (that doesn't include a lot of the recent ones as the special effects and the chessy 'buffy' type of vampire take everything majestic, mysterious and proud away from 'My' kind of vampire). The movie has a lot of famous actors in it such as Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Antonio Banderas, Christian Slater and Kirsten Dunst. The story is excellent and I advise everyone to watch it, who hasn't already. I can't think of many people who didn't like it, except people that watch too much 'Buffy'. Babsi: This movie I watched on one of my skitrips with school. However, I wasn't really old enough so I sort of watched illegally and tried to not attract anybody's attention. Thus, I missed quite a bit of this movie! It was fantastic though! Really dark and quite disgusting but great! It was exactly how I imagined vampires to be like... The Matrix Summary Morpheus: "It's that feeling you have had all your life. That feeling that something was wrong with the world. You don't know what it is but it's there, like a splinter in your mind driving you mad, driving you to me. But what is it?" Morpheus: "The Matrix is everywhere, it's all around us, here even in this room. You can see it out your window, or on your television. You feel it when you go to work, or go to church or pay your taxes. It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth." Neo: "What truth?" Morpheus: "That you are a slave, Neo. That you, like everyone else, was born into bondage...kept inside a prison that you cannot smell, taste, or touch. A prison for your mind. Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself." Neo: "How?" Morpheus: "Hold out your hands. This is your last chance. After this, there is no going back. You take the blue pill and the story ends. You wake in your bed and you believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill and you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes." Comments Jenny: Ok, I love 'The Matrix'. But that means 'The Matrix' and not what came after it (I refuse to name those). 'The Matrix' was one of the greatest movies I had seen for a long time, when it came out. So much potential for a sequel, but no...someone tries to be real smart... 'Oh, I know! Let's get a load of half-naked people and let them have a rave party!'. Great... Favourite line: 'There is no spoon.' Favourite invented line: 'There is no sequel.' Babsi: I totally agree with Jenny! X-Men Summary Somewhere in the Canadian wilderniss, mutants Rogue (Anna Paquin) and Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) are attacked by Sabertooth, one of militant Magneto's (Sir Ian McKellen) servant mutants. Luckily Cyclops (James Marsden) and Storm (Halle Berry) are there to help them. They then bring Wolverine and Rogue to Charles Xavier's (Patrick Stewart) School for Gifted Youngsters. Here they learn more about the conflict between Magneto and Xavier, but also about the conflict between humans and mutants. Magneto is plotting a dangerous plan to power a device to genetically alter the human DNA with possibly deadly results. It's time for the X-Men to step in and save humanity once more! It's action packed and fast-paced, but doesn't fail to touch down on the conflict of accepting someone or something not quite like the rest of us. Comments Jenny: As I mentioned earlier I love this movie. I am a comic fan and I love the X-Men comics. Wolverine is not as 'ai papi' in the comics as he's in the movies, he's more of a beast, and he looks more like it (as least in the older comics). But I do really like Wolverine in the movie. Hugh Jackman is the man! But besides Wolverine I also really like 'Nightcrawler' or more 'Kurt Wagner'. I loved 'X2' too, and I think Bryan Singer did an excellent job. Babsi: I am not one of these people who reads comics and, although I've heard of X-Men before, I never knew anything about it. However I really, really enjoyed this movie and its sequel. In fact I loved it! Basically, I agree with everything Jenny said! O Brother, Where Art Thou? Summary It's a comic story loosely based on Homer's epic 'The Odyssey'. It's set in 1930's Mississippi. Three prisoners (George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson) escape from prison and try to find their way back to their families. Even though they escape successfully, their way back home is far from easy as they encounter a lot of unexpected 'problems' and somehow manage to get the most apt tracker in the whole of Mississippi on their trail. On their journey through almost the whole of the South they encounter a lot of interesting and often strange people (John Goodman), who don't always help them to get closer to home. Comments Jenny: It's a great movie. Extremely funny and packed full with little significances that will enlighten anyone, who is fond of 'that little bit of extra meaning'. The Coen Brother's did a great job and really gave this story great depth. There are lots of strange and hilarious scenes, such as the KKK scene for those who've seen it and there is also some singing. George Clooney is great, and a fantastic comic actor. Babsi: Great, funny and entertaining movie! Nell Summary The backwoods of North Carolina is where Nell (Jodie Foster) lives, all alone. She has her own form of language and no idea of a world beyond her small plot of land. Then civilization enters her life in the form of two doctors (Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson), who discover the untamed wild child. Now that they have come to study her, Nell's life will never be the same again - but neither will theirs. Based on Mark Handley's play IDIOGLOSSIA, which means a language for one, NELL is an intriguing look at a person who has grown up without any contact with the modern world. Comments Jenny: I really love this movie, and I think Jodie Foster is absolutely amazing in it. It's beautiful in many ways, and is one of my favourites. It also starrs Liam Neeson. Shakespeare in Love Summary A witty, fast-moving romantic comedy set in London in 1593, follows the trials and tribulations of Will Shakespeare, a struggling young playwright suffering from a dreadful bout of writer's block. No matter how hard he tries, he just can't seem to make any headway with his latest work, "Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate's Daughter." Somehow, even the title doesn't sound quite right. But then, Will meets and falls instantly in love with the startlingly beautiful Viola who, desperate to become an actor (in a time when women were not allowed to perform in the theatre), disguises herself as a man to audition for his play. Inspired by love, Will's creative powers are unleashed as his great love story, "Romeo and Juliet," is brought to life for the first time. Comments Jenny: Uuuhhhh...how nice...fabulous indeed! Babsi: A wonderful film full of genius, I think! It really inspired me to learn some Shakespeare and love the theatre even more! Desperado Summary The no-named Mariachi (Antonio Banderas) tracks down the last Mexican drug-lord "Bucho" with the help of his best friend and a beautiful book store owner (Salma Hayek). In a poetically violent style reminiscent of John Woo and Sam Peckinpah, the Mariachi takes on his entire army of henchmen in a dusty border town as an act of revenge for the murder of his love and his injured musician's hand. Comments Jenny: I think that 'poetically violent' says it quite well. There is a sequel called 'Once upon a time in Mexico' which was not good, but it wasn't as bad as some other sequels either. It has Johnny Depp in it, who gets 'operated on' quite a bit, but I was missing the poetic violence, which seemed to be replaced by simple, nasty violence (knee blowing off scene...yuk...where was the poetry in that?!), and therfore I do not recommend it. However, 'Desperado' is a sequel in itself of 'El Mariachi', which I haven't seen yet. BACK

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