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

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 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

Oldboy (2003)

It is a South Korean film directed by Park Chan-wook based on Japanese manga. I love films like “Sin city”, “V for Vendetta” based on graphic novels, comics and manga and I loved this one too for its format. But it is important to acknowledge that this film is weird, unusual and a little bit sick.

The story turns around Oh Dae-su, Korean businessmen, who is kidnapped and locked in a room without explanation for 15 years. He has a TV in his room. While watching it he finds out that his wife is killed and his little daughter is sent for adoption. In these first scenes we pity Oh Dae-su and want him out in order to revenge for his life that was taken from him.

After he is set free he meets young chef Mi-do in restaurant. He falls unconscious and Mi-do brings him to her home. She helps him to find the place he was kept captive. Later, we find out that Oh Dae-su’s captor is a man named Woo-jin who attended the same school with Oh Dae-su.

Oh Dae-su remembers Woo-jin and his sister. At school after witnessing their incestuous interaction through the hole in the window, Oh Dae-su inadvertently started rumors about Woo-jin’s sister and transferred to another school. Because of rumours and visible signs of pregnancy, she committed suicide.

Here, we look at the story from the opposite side. We see a brother and a lover suffering and mourning for sister and lover. The role and emotions are perfectly delivered by the actor. His feelings seem so real that you almost forget how sick his relationship and revenge actually are. When at last Oh Dae-su confronts Woo-jin, the story gets even sicker.

It is definitely not a family film and it is difficult to advise whether to watch it or not. You should decide for yourself.

Reviewer's rating: 7.5 out of 10

Limitless (2011)

I have just watched “Limitless”, film directed by Neil Burger. It is a crazy film about drug addiction, drug-chasing and drug-dealing. It is not a boring and not a deep film. It does not leave lasting impressions, but it is interesting to watch.

Main character, Edward Morra, is a writer whose girlfriend dumps him in the beginning of story. His life is one big mess. He fails with deadlines of his new book. His flat is unclean and messy, just like him. It is here, he meets his ex-brother-in-law Vernon Grant. Vernon gives Eddie one tablet of a new drug called NZT. Well, it is not just a drug; it provides access to 100 % of the brain power. Thanks to this drug, he finishes his book extremely fast in a short time.

Later he finds Vernon dead in his flat, searches his flat for drug and finds stash of NZT. Edward understands that there are no limits to his ability and abandons his writing career. He starts trading stocks. He becomes rich and gets back together with Lindy. He takes more and more NZT for fast learning and thinking. But nothing comes without side effects. Soon, his memory starts to fail, and he becomes frenetic.

His ex-wife Melissa, who also was an NZT-addict, warns him about major health problems in case of withdrawal from NZT. He manages to consume drug in an average level, assists his new boss in making an important deal, and gets away from murder charges and also from Russian thug Gennady.

As usual for these types of films, a year later we see Eddie, in a better position, running for the United States Senate. While refusing Carl’s (Robert De Niro) offer of an unlimited NZT, Eddie mentions that he no longer needs the drug. He says that modified version of drug has helped him to come off the drug, though in the last scene of film  he speaks Chinese with waiter  and it is left unclear (as it is fashionable nowadays) whether he uses NZT or not.

Bradley Cooper plays his role very well. He changes his attitude a couple of times throughout the film and becomes a new person each time. Cooper delivers it flawlessly. He makes the film a nice watch.

Reviewer's rating: 7.0 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