Murder on the Orient Express (2017)

Hercule Poirot is forced by circumstances to solve the mystery of a murder committed on the train he is traveling on.

'Murder on the Orient Express' is a new and modern adaptation of Agatha Christie's famous novel. Apart from the modern air (here we mean the observable technology proved by the perfect picture and the color and cinematography in general), the current adaptation does not bring much more than the old ones, except that once again, an impressive and different team of well established artists have gathered to bring the movie to life.

Director:  Kenneth Branagh  

With: Kenneth Branagh, Penélope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, Daisy Ridley, Michelle Pfeiffer, Johnny Depp, Lucy Boynton

Rating: 7.5/10

Mortdecai (2015)

A bohemian and pampered art dealer lives suspenseful adventures in his search for recovering a stolen painting with a hidden code.

"Mordecai" is an adventurous and fresh comedy that takes the viewer by surprise. It has a talented cast that is not afraid to appear in ridiculous circumstances.

Director:  David Koepp    

With: Johnny Depp, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ewan McGregor, Olivia Munn

Rating: 7.6/10

The Tourist (2010)

Complet plat si fara sare si piper, filmul arata ca nu este de ajuns sa aduci doua vedete prea ridicate in slavi (nu ca nu ar merita, dar se invata sa fie apreciate fara sa depuna nici un efort) in istoria recenta, fara pic de chimie in asocierea lor, sa pui de o intriga gaurita, intr-un decor ce prin vechimea si popularitatea sa cantareste greu in masurarea cliseelor, si sa te astepti sa iti rezulte un nou "How To Steal a Million". Nu e sarcina usoara si cei implicati ar face bine sa isi aminteasca de ce si-au ales bransa asta. Cel mai merituos din intreg ansamblul s-a dovedit Paul Bettany, care desi intr-un rol in penumbra, arata ca stie sa pretuiasca minimul de teren de desfasurare alocat. De evitat!

Regie: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Scenariu: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, Christopher McQuarrie
Cu: Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Paul Bettany, Timothy Dalton, Rufus Sewell

Alice In Wonderland (2010)

Multe, prea multe asteptari. Multe pe care le-am si pomenit pana acum. Dar... they fail to deliver. Prima ar fi Alice in Wonderland.

Filmele lui Tim Burton vor insemna mereu ceva special pentru mine, cu stangaciile si farmecul lor gothic si dulce si amestecul nevinovatului printre pericolele amenintatoare ale supranaturalului generator de fiori si mai ales ale naturii umane. Dar undeva in drumul asta spre mult asteptata recunoastere s-a intamplat ceva, s-a pierdut ceva, la o prima vedere s-a pierdut autenticul si insufletirea. Poate pe introvertitul Tim l-a speriat atentia brusca si si-a pierdut marea putere de exprimare prin imagini si miscare. Poate s-a conformat prea mult. Poate a recurs la prea multe efecte speciale. Unde e stangacia? Nu am vazut decat ceva pigulit la milimetru, foarte plastic si impresionant vizual, dar tot ce insemna un film Tim Burton nu am regasit. Ah. Si the Red  Queen...extrem de nereusita, oricat de mult mi-ar place Helena Bonham-Carter. Regina umilului Alice pentru tv din 1999 era net superioara (bine, era si vorba de Miranda Richardson). So, sadly, inca declar ca astept sa regasesc aceeasi reactie la un film viitor. I still have faith.

Regia: Tim Burton
Scenariul: Linda Woolverton (scenariu), Lewis Carroll (carte)
Cu:Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Crispin Glover, Stephen Fry, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall

I want to be a cynic...

Cateva dintre cele mai memorabile personaje cinice (sau sarcastice, ironice etc) sau cel putin atatea cate mi-am putut stoarce intr-o seara in care ma sufocam in lapsus-uri.

Four Weddings and a funeral
Fiona - Kristin Scott Thomas

Charles: Any idea who the girl in the black hat is?
Fiona: The name's Carrie.
Charles: Pretty.
Fiona: American.
Charles: Interesting.
Fiona: Slut.
Charles: Really?
Fiona: Used to work at Vogue. Lives in America now. Only gets out with very glamorous people. Quite out of your league.
Charles: Well, that's a relief. Thanks.

Fiona: Where's Gareth?
Matthew: Torturing Americans.
Fiona: How thoughtful of him.

Fiona: There's a sort of greatness to your lateness.
Charles: Thanks, it's not achieved without real suffering.


Dangerous Liaisons
Marquise de Merteuil - Glenn Close

Marquise de Merteuil: You'll find the shame is like the pain, you only feel it once.

Vicomte de Valmont: You see, I have no intention of breaking down her prejudices. I want her to believe in God and virtue and the sanctity of marriage, and still not be able to stop herself. I want the excitement of watching her betray everything that's is most important to her. Surely you understand that. I thought betrayal was your favorite word.
Marquise de Merteuil: No, no..."cruelty." I always think that has a nobler ring to it.


Wolf
Will Randall - Jack Nicholson

Mary: Is the worm turning, Mr. Randall?
Will Randall: The worm has turned and it is now packing an Uzi, Mary.
Mary: It's about f***ing time, sir.

Will Randall: I did it the old fashioned way.
Charlotte Randall: What do you mean?
Will Randall: I begged.


The last seduction
Bridget - Linda Fiorentino

Bridget Gregory: Could you leave? Please?
Mike Swale: I haven't finished charming you yet.
Bridget Gregory: You haven't started.
Mike Swale: Gimme a chance.
Bridget Gregory: Look, go find yourself a nice little cowgirl and make nice little cowbabies and leave me alone.
Mike Swale: I'm hung like a horse. Think about it.

Bridget Gregory: Is it true what they say?
Harlan: What?
Bridget Gregory: You know, size?
Harlan: Is it true what they say about white women?
Bridget Gregory: What's that?
Harlan: No ass.
Bridget Gregory: Oh, come on. I was wondering for real. Let me see it.
Harlan: F**k you. Drive.
Bridget Gregory: I'm sorry.
Harlan: About what?
Bridget Gregory: About your shortcoming.
Harlan: I'm not gonna play this game.
Bridget Gregory: Is that why you carry a big gun?
Harlan: The Freudian mind-f**k isn't gonna work either.
Bridget Gregory: Ooh, touchy. I'm sure your woman is very understanding.
Harlan: Exactly how is it that we end this phase of our relationship?
Bridget Gregory: By you showing it to me. Come on, let me see it. I've never seen one before.

Mike Swale: I'm trying to figure out whether you're a total f***ing bitch or not.
Bridget Gregory: I am a total f***ing bitch.


Reality Bites
Troy - Ethan Hawke

Troy Dyer: [answering the phone] Hello, you've reached the winter of our discontent.

Troy Dyer: There's no point to any of this. It's all just a... a random lottery of meaningless tragedy and a series of near escapes. So I take pleasure in the details. You know... a Quarter-Pounder with cheese, those are good, the sky about ten minutes before it starts to rain, the moment where your laughter become a cackle... and I, I sit back and I smoke my Camel Straights and I ride my own melt.

Troy Dyer: I am not under any orders to make the world a better place.

Troy Dyer: [On answering machine] At the beep, please leave your name, number, and a brief justification for the ontological necessity of modern man's existential dilemma, and we'll get back to you

Lelaina: I just don't understand why things just can't go back to normal at the end of the half hour like on the Brady Bunch or something.
Troy Dyer: Well, 'cause Mr. Brady died of AIDS. Things don't turn out like that.


Ginger Snaps
Ginger - Katharine Isabelle

Ginger: [Playing with a kitchen knife] Wrists are for girls. I'm slitting my throat.

Ginger: [suicide note] No comment.


Severance
lots:P

Richard: There are no bears in Hungary. Unless we've crossed the border into Romania, in which case there ARE bears. If we're in Serbia, then... I don't know.
Harris: That's really interesting, Richard. Tell me something: are bears required to stop at borders? Is there some sort of, I don't know, passport control for bears?

Richard: I can't spell success without "u". And you, and you, and you...
Harris: There's only one "u" in success.

Gordon: Shall I make a cup of tea?

Steve: Shit, I've left Gordon's foot on the coach... sorry mate

Billy: Dating's complicated in England.
Steve: English birds ain't complicated. You buy 'em a Bacardi Breezer and they'll ride you like Sea Biscuit.


The libertine
Rochester - Johnny Depp

Rochester: This is your first season on the London stage?
Elizabeth Barry: It is, my lord.
Rochester: Mrs. Barry, you must acquire the trick of ignoring those who do not like you. In my experience, those who do not like you fall into two categories: The stupid and the envious. The stupid will like you in five years time. The envious, never.

Rochester: I don't mean to upset people, but I must speak my mind. For what's in my mind is far more interesting than what's outside my mind.
Alcock: Makes you impossible to live with, though. You see?
Rochester: Did I once praise you for your blunt manner?
Alcock: It was your reason for employing me.
Rochester: It could as easy be your grounds for dismissal

Rochester: I wish to be moved. I cannot feel in life. I must have others do it for me in theater.

Rochester: But life is not a succession of urgent "nows". It's a listless trickle of "why should I's".

Rochester: Did you miss me?
Jane: I missed the money.
Rochester: Good. I don't like a whore with sentiment.

Rochester: All men would be cowards if they only had the courage.

Public Enemies(2009)

Momentul mult asteptat (mai bine de jumatate de an:D) a sosit. Public Enemies a ajuns si la un theater near ... me. Nu a fost nimic din ce ma asteptam, but it did blow me away. Nu poti intra in sala cu prejudecati, asteptari (bazate pe experientele Mann precedente, sau nici macar cele cu protagonistii) caci nimic nu se va adeveri.

Mann nu judeca, nu caracterizeaza, nu infrumuseteaza, nu imbraca in haine frumoase, nu caricaturizeaza, nu parodiaza si nici nu amplifica linia uratului. El doar arata si lasa la latitudinea privitorului analiza. Si precum vorba "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder", parerile, impresiile, trairile si toate cele induse de film sunt atat de variate precum sunt variate firile si caracterele. Cei mai multi vor un film care sa le spuna ce sa gandeasca, pe cine sa placa, pe cine sa urasca si de ce.

Lor n-o sa le placa acest film. Nu-i va lasa dusi de val catre o tinta finala fixa, aceeasi pentru toti. Te obliga la analiza, la nesiguranta, recunoasterea unor imperfectiuni, adaugirea acestora la multimea de premise, si de obicei sentimentul de confuzie ii duce pe cei mai multi la o singura concluzie "Nu mi-a placut filmul/Am adormit". Pe un fundal de muzica foarte bine aleasa din partiturile vremii - anii '40- folosita cu zgarcenie in momentele vrute romantizate, iar in restul scenelor deloc, actiunea se desfasoara aproape real, zgomotos, stangaci, ce mai - o portretizare perfecta, neidealizata.

Johhny e charismatic (duh!), placut de toti, sigur pe el, sensibil si impulsiv si nu se lasa oprit de obstacole si vede mereu ziua insorita de maine chiar si dupa zidul amenintator care-i blocheaza vederea. Bale, antagonistul sau, e realist, eficient, tot sigur pe el, dar totusi un pic subiectiv in vanatoarea sa, obsedat, nu de eradicarea raului ci de eradicarea raului imediat dupa eliminarea lui Dillinger - de unde si frecvent folosita replica "was it Dillinger?". Figura incocenta a povestii este intruchipata divin de Marion Cotillard, o femeie ghidata de dragostea ei si intarita de forta acesteia, victima a imprejurarilor, sinceritatii sentimentului ei, si puterii sale de daruire.

O experienta de repetat cu proxima ocazie.

Some other great expectations

Alte filme de asteptat:




Inglourious Basterds




http://www.inglouriousbasterds-movie.com/

Daybreakers















Alice in Wonderland




Cel putin Tarantino n-ar trebui sa dea gres. Am mari asteptari si de la Tim Burton ca deh - regizorul meu preferat - desi ultimile sale realizari nu s-au ridicat la nivelul asteptat... de mine cel putin. But he's still my no1.(si ca paranteza - ghici cine e Palarierul cel Nebun)