The Orphanage (2007) (El Orfanato)

“El Orfanato” is a film debut of Spanish film director Juan Antonio Bayona. The film was produced by his good friend Guillermo del Toro. “The Orphanage” has some similarity with Guillermo del Toro’s “Pan’s Labyrinth”, but it has more elements of horror.

The film grips from the start and keeps viewers tense till the end. The scenes are well-paced and each scene makes viewers to expect something bad. Three things that make a great film are all present in “The Orphanage”. The director has done a marvelous job. The performances, especially Belén Rueda’s acting, are excellent. But more importantly, the story itself is great and incredible. The story makes film not just a horror film, but, sad and heartbreaking story of mother. It takes place in Spain.

Laura (Belén Rueda) and her husband Carlos (Fernando Cayo) together with their seven-year-old adopted son, Simon move to the house of her childhood – orphanage, where she lived until her adoption. She wants to reopen orphanage for disabled children. But soon we find out that this is not an ordinary house.

Everything that makes a perfect horror house is present in this film; ghosts of children, cracking floors and doors and other strange noises. The combination of these stuff and other clever directorial maneuvers build the tension up throughout the film. I do not want to tell more about the film, because it is better to watch it without any idea what will happen to the characters.

I enjoyed "The Orphanage" very much and it left a lasting impression on me. You will definitely enjoy this film, but if you do not like horror films, then it is not for you. It is better watch something else.

Reviewer’s rating: 8.5 out of 10

City of God (2002) (Cidade de Deus)

“Cidade de Deus” is a Brazilian film directed by Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund. All characters are real, and the film is based on true events. It is an adaptation of same name novel written by Paul Lins. The film won numerous awards. Though the story is cruel, violent and shocking, directors gave “Cidade de Deus” some kind of legerity making it quite interesting.

The story is narrated by Buscapé nicknamed Rocket (At different ages, the roles are played by different actors.), a young man, who grew up in the Cidade de Deus and the only person, who seems to be keeping away from gang wars, drug dealing and trafficking. He dreams about becoming a photographer. Yet, his story is not essential. He narrates the story of others.

Cidade de Deus is a neighbourhood near Rio de Janeiro. The film covers period of time from the end of 60s to the beginning of 80s and growth of organized crime during that time. It starts with an original and admiringly simple scene of an armed gang following running chicken. The time stops when Rocket comes across the gang and we go back to the 60s. In my opinion, it is a strong and beautiful start for a film.

After witnessing destructing poverty and cold-blooded massacre of motel inhabitants by sociopath child Zé Pequeno, we jump into the 70s. Zé Pequeno and his best friend Benny are grown up now. They have established a drug empire by eliminating all other competitors. Despite power, Zé is not successful with women and his sociopathic nature cannot cope with it. His actions give a start to the war between the gangs.

“Cidade de Deus” is a breathtaking film, which you will most definitely enjoy. The story of the film is so original, incredible and shocking that even if there were lacks in directing or actors’ performances, you would hardly notice. But directors and actors have done a marvelous job. The scenes are well-paced and well-thought. Only one role was played by a professional actor. The rest of characters were played by real-life favelas, what makes film even more interesting since their performances are amazing.

This film is a great watch in the company of friends. Be prepared for violence!

Reviewer’s rating: 9.0 out of 10

True Grit (2010)

“True Grit” is an American Western film directed by Joel and Ethan Coen brothers. It is based on Charles Portis’ same name novel written in 1968. The story was previously filmed in 1969 by director Henry Hathaway (1898-1985). Unfortunately, I cannot compare this film to previous version as I have not seen it. But, since the story is good, this version of film is good as well.

The story is narrated by an elderly woman Mattie Ross. When she was 14 years old, her father was murdered by his hired worker Tom Chaney. He ran away to Indian territories with Mattie’s father’s horse and two California gold pieces. Young Mattie (Hailee Steinfeld) is the main character of film. She is quite intelligent and confident for her age. Using her wit, Mattie easily manipulates adults around her to get what she wants.

Seeking for revenge, teenager hires U.S. Marshall Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to find Chaney and bring him for hanging. Rooster is known as having “true grit”. Another person, who wants to catch Chaney, is Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (Matt Damon), who claims that Chaney killed the senator in Texas. Though Mattie, Rooster and LaBoeuf start this adventure together, they twice split up and take different routes.

Despite Hailee Steinfeld’s young age and the fact that this was her first role, in my opinion she perfectly delivered her role. Bridges makes film better by excellently performing his strong and ignorant character. Damon’s performance is also flawless. His character is not that likeable and moustache makes him somewhat different from his usual roles.

The film leaves positive impression in spite of numerous gunshot and dying-people scenes. Once more Coen brothers have done a good job. Though, I have to say, they could film a better ending.

“True Grit” is a great watch in the company of friends especially if they like Western films. Enjoy!

Reviewer’s rating: 7.5 out of 10

127 Hours (2010)

This is an adventure film directed and produced by Danny Boyle starring James Franco. The film is based on a true story that happened to mountain climber Aron Ralston in 2003 in Utah, USA.

Though, “127 hours” is a quite simple film, I like films based on true stories and enjoyed this one as well. If you want to watch it, you should not do any research about Aron Ralston or the story; otherwise film will not be interesting.

I will tell you a little about the film. In April, 2003, Aron Ralston goes for canyoneering in Utah and meets on his way two young women, Kristi and Megan. He shows them a better route for hiking and hikers invite him to the party for next night. He continues alone to his route and while descending from one of the rocks with his MP3 player turned on, a boulder falls after him. It pins his right arm against the wall of rock and traps him.

Ralston realizes that nobody will come for help as he did not inform anybody about his whereabouts. The hikers will assume that he just did not show up for party. He videos himself and rations his food and water. When Ralston is out of water, he drinks his own urine. He becomes desperate realizing that soon he will die.

Real Ralston’s courage is incredible as much as his frivolity to hike with turned-on MP3 player. Franco’s acting is superb and hilarious and his charisma is grasping. With his terrific performance viewers practically share Ralston’s torments and joy of survival.

I experienced Boyle’s outstanding directorial skills with “Slumdog Millionaire” and surely he has a lot to say in film-directing. You will certainly enjoy this film in the company of friends. Be prepared for gut-wrenching scenes!

Reviewer’s rating: 8.0 out of 10

The Kids Are All Right (2010)

One word comes to my mind when I want to describe this film: boring. Yes, this is a boring drama film about a lesbian family with two children. It was directed by Lisa Cholodenko (who is a lesbian) starring Julianne Moore and Annette Bening.

The film does not grip from the beginning and you wait hoping to reach the exciting part of story, but it never comes. Though the performances generally are good, the story itself lacks twists and turns.

Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore) are a lesbian couple living in California with their two children Laser (Josh Hutcherson) and Joni (Mia Wasikowska). They each gave birth to a child using the sperm of same donor. This way, children have one father and two mothers. Laser wants to find the sperm donor, and asks his 18-year-old sister Joni to do so.

Laser inadvertently gives out information about their meeting with sperm donor to his mothers. Lesbians decide to invite the “father” Paul (Mark Ruffalo) into their lives and this is where family becomes fragile.

I did not believe Annette Bening’s character even for a second; neither did I believe in their lesbian relationship or acting in bed. The film seems to be oriented to certain unconventional-family-audience.  As very little happens in the film, it does not look like a drama nor is it a comedy. The ending is as boring as the beginning.

I do not understand how this film won awards. Did it win because the film is about lesbian family?  Does this mean any “horrible” film might win awards if it is about gay or lesbian family?

Well, this is not a family watch, nor a watch in the company of friends.

Reviewer’s rating: 5.0 out of 10

The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)

It is an exciting and interesting thriller film directed by Brad Furman and starring Matthew McConaughey. Based on the same name novel, film shows the dirt behind the success of lawyer who still has some moral. Whole film and counter-moves reminded me the game of chess.

Mickey Haller (Matthew McConaughey) is the successful attorney driven around by his former client in beautiful Lincoln Town car. He is divorced and has a young daughter. Everything goes smoothly until he accepts the case of Louis Roulet, playboy son of wealthy real estate company owner Mary Windsor. He is accused of brutally beating prostitute and attempted murder and rape.

Roulet seems innocent and claims that the prostitute together with her lover have set up whole case.  She accuses him in beatings in order to make money. Haller and his investigator Frank Levin studies evidence and injuries of victim.

The nature of beatings reminds Haller of his previous client’s case. He is in jail for murdering a woman. Though this man claimed to be innocent, Haller convinced him to plead guilty in exchange for avoiding death penalty. Haller visits him in jail, and shows Roulet’s picture. He becomes agitated and is taken back from the meeting area.

Haller begins to suspect Roulet in murder and in an attempted murder. But his hands are tied by attorney-client confidentiality rules and he cannot inform the police. He has to be careful in order to remain safe and sound and clever enough to put Roulet in jail.

Matthew McConaughey's performance is impeccable and the story is gripping and interesting. It is much more complex than I have described here. The film is a nice evening watch in the company of friends.

Reviewer's rating: 7.0 out of 10

Biutiful (2010)

Biutiful is a strong and affecting film directed and written by Alejandro González Iñárritu, produced by Guillermo del Toro (and others), and starring Javier Bardem. It has been long since a film last induced so deep emotions and left an excellent impression on me. The story, director, and actors - all are 100 percent great.

Biutiful takes place in Barcelona, Spain. The main character, divorced father of two children, Uxbal is played by Javier Bardem. His acting is excellent and outstanding. Uxbal is in the middle of a big mess. He exploits and helps to large number of illegal African and Chinese immigrants. He earns his livelihood with petty criminality. Interestingly, Uxbal also has a psychic gift; he can see spirits of dead people. He makes some cash out of this gift.

His ex-wife Marambra is unreliable, hard-drinking and reckless woman who sleeps with Uxbal’s brother. She seemed psychotic to me. The story would not be this sad without Uxbal’s health condition. He has a prostate cancer. He neglected medical examinations and cancer has been metastasizing. He is left a couple of months to leave.

Uxbal tries to help people and make good deeds during this short time, but unfortunately a little turns out well. He struggles with pool of emotions: guilt, love, and worry for his children. He has nobody to leave Ana and Mateo. Here comes the wife of an African immigrant and her baby. He gives her money for taking care of his children.

Film starts and ends with Uxbal giving his mother’s ring to his daughter. I love Biutiful and I am happy that I watched it. It is a moving, touching, emotional, hard, massive film. You should definitely watch it as you will remember it for a long time.

Reviewer's rating: 9.0 out of 10

Shutter Island (2010)

In my opinion, this is one of the best films from Leonardo Dicaprio. But that is partly because of Martin Scorsese who flawlessly directed Shutter Island and because of Dennis Lehane who wrote the same name novel. This film has all three things that make a great film: experienced (and talented) director, talented actor and catching story.

It takes place in 1954 on Shutter Island in Boston harbor. US marshal Edward “Teddy” Daniels arrives at the Ashecliffe hospital for the criminally insane on Shutter Island with his newly assigned partner Chuck Aule to investigate disappearance of a patient. Throughout the film, viewer is perfectly fed with the details of story and has no suspicion of what will come next. The ending is unexpected and unbelievable. Somehow you want to believe in conspiracy rather than reality.

As soon as truth was out, my mind went back to the beginning of story and tried to analyze every little detail to find out whether marshal is sane in reality. Edward’s partner turned out to be his doctor –Dr. Sheehan and Andrew Laedis, who he searched for throughout the film and blamed in his wife - Dolores’ death, is actually Edward himself.

Doctors explain that Edward went through repeating cycles of realization of truth. Whole this investigation was part of an experimental therapy and another attempt to help him realize the truth.  I believed Andrew when he protested violently to doctor’s explanations only to realize that doctors are right. This is where Leonardo must be praised since he excellently delivered the scene.

After explanations, Andrew accepts the reality and blames himself for ignoring his wife’s illness until she drowned their children. Though he finally accepts the truth, he pretends that he is still into conspiracy story for his doctor and calls him Chuck. After this, hospital workers approach him to take for lobotomy. He asks his doctor whether it would be worse to "live as a monster, or die as a good man" and goes calmly with workers.

I have to say, it is an interesting and catching film that leaves ambiguous feelings. Since not every film is able to do so, it is definitely one of a kind.

Reviewer's rating: 8.5 out of 10

The Lovely Bones (2009)

If you want to watch this film you have to be morally ready. It is not a week-end or evening watch. It is sad, devastating and genuinely touching film. All actors, especially main character Saoirse Ronan, are hilarious in their roles. The film is based on Alice Seabold’s same name novel.

The story is of a teenage girl who is raped and murdered by her 36-year-old neighbor George. He coaxes her into the den in the cornfield which he builds earlier for just one purpose: to get Susie. Susie’s family become worried when she does not return from school. They never see her again.

Susie watches her killer and her family from above. In afterlife she sees that George killed many other young girls. Her family struggle to get on with their lives. Her parents break up, her mother leaves house, her father is beaten unconscious, and George targets Susie’s sister Lindsey as a next victim.

Later, Lindsey breaks into George’s house and finds evidence of his involvement in Susie’s disappearance and supposedly death, though she does not find or know about the safe in the basement where Susie’s body lays.

He returns home, and notices Lindsey who barely escapes. George dumps safe into the sinkhole and flees. He dies from falling over a cliff. Film ends with Susie’s words: "My name is Salmon, like the fish; first name Susie. I was 14 years old when I was murdered on December 6, 1973. I was here for a moment and then I was gone. I wish you all a long and happy life."

In my opinion, it is not a family watch, though film ends positively.  It is certainly one of a kind, enormously real and affects viewer deep in the heart.

Reviewer's rating: 8.0 out of 10