Which Movie Character Would You Like to Be for a Day?

Last week, Nostra put such a question in the post of the same name at his site My Film Views, providing us with an interesting list. I decided to create the similar one. To read Nostra's blog entry, click right here. By the way, you will also find a lot of film reviews there. You can follow Nostra at Twitter: @myfilmviews

What I can promise you about the list is that some choices of mine will make you doubt my sanity (here must be evil laughter but our Sound Department is celebrating the winter coming closer). Whatever, musings on the most interesting and vivid film characters were fun. Besides, they still haven't made a film about me for it is me who I'd love to be for the rest of the life.

10. EVE, 'WALL-E' (2008). There's always a place for animated features, and I couldn't leave them behind. I started thinking of a really nice film and character. And what came to my mind was, probably, the best animated film of all time (in my personal point of view) — 'Wall-E', that also has a distinctive female robot that lives through from being a cold unemotional creature to something that can feel affection and experience friendship.

9. Elizabeth Swann, the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' trilogy (2003, 2006, 2007). I was a fan of these movies, and they, in particular, developed my love to cinema, as I remember myself absolutely absorbed, watching special edition features about making the films. Besides, being a pirate sounds not bad, "A pirate's life for me".

8. Holly Golightly, 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' (1961). Thanks to Truman Capote, Audrey Hepburn and Huber de Givenchy, this movie character was created and immortalized. Well, maybe, not to Capote, as the novel heroine was absolutely different from the screen Holly. Nevertheless, no one can dispute that Holly Golightly is a beautiful character. At least, I don't recommend you to.

7. Miranda Priestly, 'The Devil Wears Prada' (2006). I think it's needless to explain: a portrayed by Meryl Streep she-devil. I think that for a day we'd like to be those who we are far from, so since I'm the one who wouldn't hurt a fly…

6. Neytiri, 'Avatar' (2009). I was just stricken by the beauty of Jim Cameron's planet Pandora.

5. Hermione Granger, the 'Harry Potter' franchise (2001-2011). Time for mocking you think? No. My first thought was to include Bellatrix Lestrange but I considered that there'll be enough dark characters in this list, that's why my ultimate decision turned to be in favor of Granger. Once again, as in the case of 'Avatar', I really like the world, created by J. K. Rowling. There are so few good fantasy stories, but the world of Hogwarts is among the best ones.

4. Velma Kelly, 'Chicago' (2002). Several years ago, there was a game at the official Oscars website, in which you could find out what movie character you are. That's what I got and I can't complain for I love this musical and I think it's the best Catherine Zeta-Jones' part.

3. Heath Ledger's Joker, 'The Dark Knight' (2008). To avoid misunderstanding, I don't want to be a man. I also don't want to sound over-feministic, but there are much more awesome male parts in the cinemaverse. The Joker in this Nolan's film is one of the most beautifully acted personas on screen. If it came to male parts, Christoph Waltz's colonel Hans Landa is the second beautifully acted persona on screen.

2. Ariadne, 'Inception' (2010). The architect in dreams. Plus, Leo DiCaprio and Joseph Gordon-Levitt hang around all the time. If seriously, I used to have some antipathy towards Ellen Page in 'Juno', as this film was good due to Diablo Cody, not Page. Anyway, 'Inception' made me look at her in a different way. Great character.

1. The Bride, 'Kill Bill: vol. 1, 2' (2003, 2004). Thank you, Quentin, for this character. Probably, the only one martial arts film I can watch.



What film characters would you like to be for a day?

Moulin Rouge (1952)

4 stars

"One should never meet a person whose work one admires. What they do is always so much better than what they are!" (Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec)

Probably, the majority of people saw the 2001 remake but not the film-forerunner. The 1952 adaptation of the novel by Pierre La Mure focuses on the life of Toulouse-Lautrec (played by José Ferrer in this one), and his portrayal immensely differ from the one performed by John Leguizamo in the above-mentioned modern version.

Being physically disabled since his childhood after falling of the stairs, the main character is very unhappy, and being in despair, he is convinced that he will never find a woman who will fall in love with him. Among his run-off-the-mill activities are sitting in Moulin Rouge, drinking cognac until he is out of this world, and drawing sketches of the cancan dancers from the "haunt of vice". But once he meets an ill-tempered street girl, Marie Charlet (Colette Marchand), whom he shelter in his apartment, immediately falling for the charming creature of the underworld. Eventually, he realizes that she doesn't love him and is only after his money for her lover and herself. His heart is broken and the skies he gazes at are turning gray but a tiny beam of hope makes its way through the dull storm clouds, as he starts to paint a poster for Moulin Rouge that makes both him and the club famous. As time passes, he meets a woman who becomes a great friend for him, Myriamme Hayam (Suzanne Flon), but blinded with confidence that no one will love him, he doesn't notice that feeling in her eyes. [SPOILER begins] And she marries another man. [SPOILER ends]

No wonder, that the film got two Oscars in Art Direction and Costume Design (just like the Baz Luhrmann's movie): Zsa Zsa Gabor is radiant in posh and elaborate gowns, being the star and the main attraction of Moulin Rouge as the beautiful singer Jane Avril. As for the set decoration, I liked the most they furnished and adorned Lautrec's rooms — the rooms of the real artist, cluttered up and full of paintings on the walls and on easels. José Ferrer scrupulously performed the part of an exceedingly sad person, but on the other hand, I didn't like the acting Colette Marchand: I can't call her first appearance in film successful, as she looks totally fake.

A very somber film but definitely worth seeing. Nevertheless, the 2001 'Moulin Rouge!' outshines this one.

Rating: 4 stars (see what that means)

The Kids Are All Right (2010)

4 stars

"I don't think you guys should break up." (Laser)

In this film, written and directed by Lisa Cholodenko, viewers may follow a fragment of a family's life, expressed as the daily routine of a gay couple and their two children. The head of the family is manlike Nic (Annette Benning), the doctor who loves to hit the bottle, while her partner, the womanly Jules (Julianne Moore), is not really happy about her spouse's being busy and her weakness for wine. Nevertheless, their kids, Joni (Mia Wasikowska) and Laser (Josh Hutcherson), unintentionally chequer the usual order of things by finding and meeting their sperm donor Paul (Mark Ruffalo). At first everything seems to be fine, the children are glad to communicate with their biological father who feels the same but Nic's suspicions that the whole situation is not good find grounds, as there occurs something between him and Jules.

'The Kids Are All Right' is a fun dramedy. One knows that the success of the vast majority of well-written films depends on characters that inhabit the film world, and in this case, the two of the couple perform a magnificent duet about people who face difficulties in their domesticity: Benning and Moore play sincerely and closely to real life. Ruffalo portrays just an average guy who falls for a lesbian, even hoping for more or less serious relationships with her, telling Jules that it's possible. Then, kids' acting is all right. In particular, I'd like to distinguish Wasikowska who made me pull a wry face watching 'Alice in Wonderland' but in this flick she's just fine.

Overall, the film is more than watchable and focuses on commonplace confrontations between people in their hearth and home life. In my view, 'The Kids Are All Right' is a perfect Oscar nominee, although not a winner, deserving nods in such categories as Best Actress (for two of the leading ladies, maybe, supporting for Moore), Original Screenplay, Director and even Picture.

Rating: 4 stars (see what that means)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

4 ½ stars

"The longer we stay here, the stronger he gets." (Harry Potter)

To start with, it seems that the creators pulled themselves together for the last effort to make the last two films the best in the entire franchise. Honestly speaking, I didn't have any over-high expectations about the movie but I just wanted to see it. What I saw left me very satisfied, and I never knew that I could give such a rating to a Harry Potter flick.

The director David Yates, working on four Harry Potter films, collected his strength, tenacity and creativity for the decisive blow — 'The Deathly Hallows'. Extremely favorable and smart move was definitely the decision to split the last J. K. Rowling's book into two film adaptations which allows the story to flow smoothly and without excessive rush.

Moreover, this time the motion picture was not boring at all, and I'll confess that I glimpsed at my wristwatch ever and anon only to make sure that it wouldn't end soon, as I enjoyed every moment of the flick. 'The Deathly Hallows', actually belonging to the drama genre, is seasoned with funny moments bolstered with rather decent comic acting. The camerawork, the visuals and sound effects are done comme il faut which is not a surprise for such a blockbuster. It's still hard to say whether Daniel Radcliffe is talented but what I like in his performance is that he doesn't change much the way of acting: I don't like when players change their characters during long time of sequels shooting (I would provide you with an example for I'm afraid I can wander in my musings too far; eventually, it's the Harry Potter review). Once again, Rupert Grin establishes himself as a comic actor in this franchise. I've always been discontent with Emma Watson's performances but this time her acting work was visibly better, although not perfect. Many supporting actors from the previous films appeared. Nevertheless, their screening time was extremely small: Ralph Fiennes as terrifying Voldemort, Helena Bonham Carter as his loyal crony, frenzy-looking (and probably, -feeling) Bellatrix Lestrange, Alan Rickman as sinister Severus Snape, Julie Walters as kind-hearted mother Weasley, David Thewlis as the werewolf Remus Lupin and many others, adding to the list Bill Nighy's cameo. Furthermore, that's not very important for the movie but I liked the way the fairy-tale about the Deathly Hallows was presented onscreen — with the help of stylishly done animation.

In the spring, we'll see what we'll get: concerning the second part is likely to be the same in spirit as the first one, we may expect the spectacular finish of the Harry Potter race. However, there's one problem that can become a stumbling block — the 3D technology; even worse — the conversion into 3D. Whatever, I don't think they'll undertake this venture without responsibility. To top it off, 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1' is a very well done movie, the best Harry Potter film so far: the mix of action, open-hearted dialogs, visual effects and a share of tragedy.

Rating: 4 ½ stars (see what that means)

It Happened One Night (1934)

5 stars

"I'll stop a car, and I won't use my thumb!.. It's a system all my own." (Ellie Andrews)

Oh, it's a time-honored one that however, 1) is not very well-known in my country; 2) they say that both Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert hated the film; I heard a lot about this flicker and was looking forward to see the brilliance, the first film to get the "grand slam" at the Oscars (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Screenplay).

The first screwball comedy, popular in 1930s, revolves around a wonderful romantic story: she is a lady from the high society, Ellie Andrews (Colbert), who escaped from her very rich father as he disapproves her engagement to get married with famous flyer King Westley (Jameson Thomas). Mr. Andrews initiated surveillance of his beloved child but the heiress avoids detectives very carefully, starting off from Miami to New York. During the bus trip, she meets Peter Warne (Gable), an unfortunate just-fired journalist, who helps her to get to the target city safely in hopes of writing an exclusive article about the millionaire's daughter. As expected, they both seem to hate each other: he calls her a spoiled brat, and she's always haughty with him. Naturally, extremes meet and love blaze up between the two wayworn travelers. The movie is abundant for funny situations: the scene when the key characters fool Mr. Andrews' sleuths, the hitchhiking scene, and generally, all moments when the rich girl faces the outer world. Nevertheless, if you watch 'It Happened One Night' for the second time, the humor may be lost a bit, but this fact doesn't deprive it of all charm.

Watching this classical film was one of the most enjoyable movie-seeing experiences in my life, and I kept questioning myself — how can this really old movie be so simple and at the same time elaborate, that it's still a great watch? Maybe, it's glowing radiance of actors' performances (by the way, in this film I discovered Colbert, and she is veritably amazing and comfortable on screen). Maybe it's great directorial work by Frank Capra. Anyway, it's a capital comedy.

Rating: 5 stars (see what that means)

Milk (2008)

5 stars

"My name is Harvey Milk and I'm here to recruit you!" (Harvey Milk)

There are talks that Gus Van Sant always dreamed about making a film about the first openly gay elected official in California, Harvey Milk, who indeed was a prominent figure in American history that also inspired Dustin Lance Black to write the screenplay about his life. The film tells about Milk's last years and his activity as the gay rights fighter.

For sure, when you write a biography movie, you must be very careful interweaving the threads of known and unknown, fact and fiction; and the scriptwriter flawlessly copes with this task as all fictitious dialogs and situations are not odd but very suitable in the view on Milk's life and career. I like the moment when Harvey, as he has been past forty, shares with his boyfriend Scott that he hadn't done anything to be proud of. We'll never know whether the real Harvey Milk was beset by such leaden thoughts. However, in the movie, it represents kind of a borderline between his pointless existence then and the meaningful deeds in future, an incentive for the character to change situation.

The shooting took place in the Castro, San Francisco, while the shop previously owned by Milk was restored to its former look. The real-life people, the witnesses of then events, worked with the crew as history consultants which was feasible and useful aid for creating the close-to-rebellion atmosphere. For demonstrations filming, many people who actually participated in real ones several decades ago and those of younger generation gathered to reproduce the happenings that were common in the district at that time.

Among the actors, there were no miscast ones because the directors chose appropriate players who bear strong resemblance to people they portray: Cleve Jones (Emile Hirsh), Scott Smith (James Franco), Anne Kronenberg (Alison Pill), Dan White (Josh Brolin), Jack Lira (Diego Luna). I was afraid that at the Oscars Sean Penn can lose to Mickey Rourke ('The Wrestler') as the best leading actor but I wanted Penn to win what, to common knowledge, actually happened. For a straight man and even for a very talented actor, the part of Harvey Milk is immensely challenging but Penn managed to make out of it one of his greatest performances: manners, voice, looks, gestures, mimics, — everything creates a great portrayal. The last scene of him being shot is heartbreaking and I mean it. At that moment, you realize what an unfair sad thing that is.

What is more important is that Harvey Milk is presented like an ordinary person with own weaknesses and fears but still he can make difference and have an impact on many things and many lives. He doesn't do it for money or popularity, he does it for the sake of the people. Among favorite scenes are all his speeches, very powerful, "the hope speech" especially.

The aim of the film is to tell the story of Harvey Milk; to show that when everyone was frenzied by fear staying in the closet, one person made it; to impart that although he was deprived of life, his work wasn't wasted and his legacy found its place in history forever. It is kind of film that with sad emotions equally evokes kind feelings and "hope for a better world, hope for a better tomorrow", which was reached with the help of light, pleasant and inspiring original score by Danny Elfman. My expectations about 'Milk' were met and even excelled.

Rating: 5 stars (see what that means)

Moulin Rouge! (2001)

5 stars

"Come what may, I will love you until my dying day." (Christian and Satine)

I'm not a fan of too romantic and lachrymose films but when I saw this one a year or two ago, I couldn't imagine how I existed without knowing about this musical masterpiece. It's a spectacular film experience, which combines the spirit of Paris at the turn of century, the village of Montmartre in particular, with its Bohemian revolution and artistes drowning their sorrows in absinthe, a beautiful love story told by a poverty-stricken English poet, and tons of songs by distinguishing singers and bands of 20th century (from Marilyn Monroe and the Beatles to Elton John and Madonna), united into a number of euphonic medleys.

The young penniless Christian (Ewan McGregor) comes to the city of love in high hopes to lead the living of a real child of the revolution and to write about love. In the city on the Seine, he meets a bunch of desperate artists guided by Toulouse-Lautrec (John Leguizamo), who are to prepare a play to present it before Harold Zidler (Jim Broadbent), the owner of a night club Moulin Rouge. However, Zidler wants to transform the bordello into a theater, just as the Sparkling Diamond, Satine (Nicole Kidman), aspires to become a real actress, as she's fed up with being in the limelight as the most desirable courtesan. Eventually, Christian finds himself in the night world of cancan dancers and fleeting pleasures, but when he sees the star, he falls in love with Satine for the first time in his life.

Ewan McGregor's part is very different from the majority of his roles, as he portrays a naïve and overromantic soul; nevertheless, his work goes over with a bang: the actor plays with such sincerity and so wholeheartedly that it seems that on screen is real him. Nicole Kidman is amazing both in dramatic and comedic numbers of this film, and it is 'Moulin Rouge!' that earned her the first Oscar nomination. Jim Broadbent gives a hilarious performance, especially in the singing schticks of 'Zidler's Rap' and 'Like a Virgin' interpretation. Moreover, other supporting actors are very funny and each of them contributes for the best of the motion picture. Of course, almost any film can't do without a villain, and in 'Moulin Rouge!', it's Zidler's investor, the Duke, played by Richard Roxburgh. I really like his acting, and even more, at first I didn't recognize Dracula from 'Van Helsing' in him, which is quite masterful.

Furthermore, the art direction and costume design are beyond everything: if you don't like the movie itself, pay tribute to those who tackled this uneasy labor of creating the set and outfits. The songs performed by the cast are music to the ears, and choreography is magnificent, more than ever in the tango scene. There's only one original song ('Come What May') in the film that could've been nominated for the Academy Award but the nod was withdrawn as initially it was planned to be used in 'Romeo + Juliet' (1996), though never appeared in it. By the way, as for the latter, both films share a tragic romantic orientation and the same director Baz Luhrmann but they look different, and while the interpretation of play by Shakespeare is not completely to my liking, 'Moulin Rouge!' is.

Probably, the only thing that I didn't like about the movie under discussion is over-drama. Indeed, too much drama, too many tears shed by Christian, by Satine, even by Toulouse. Anyways, it's one of my top favorites and the first Moulin Rouge film automatically goes to my must-watch list (unfortunately, I still didn't get to see it).

Rating: 5 stars (see what that means)

The Great Dictator (1940)

5 stars

"Hannah, can you hear me? Wherever you are, look up Hannah! The clouds are lifting! The sun is breaking through! We are coming out of the darkness into the light!" (A Jewish barber)

In this first talkie by Charlie Chaplin, he plays two parts: one of a Jewish barber and another one of the Tomanian dictator Adenoid Hynkel that is the mere and masterful parody of Hitler. Traditionally, Chaplin is not only the main actor but the writer, director and producer of the motion picture that rushed into cinemas at the height of war. Nevertheless, the movie, the work on which started in 1937, dwells upon the interwar period.

For the nameless barber character, Chaplin used the image of his famous Tramp (a bowler hat and a walking stick), while the barber's friend Hannah is played by Paulette Goddard who co-starred Chaplin in 'Modern Times' (1936) and to whom he was briefly married. Both heroes and other ghetto residents suffer from unjust attitude of soldiers, while Hynkel loafs his time away in his magnificent palace, occasionally coming out and yelling with every time greater vigor his speeches.

What is really special to me is that Hitler represented not only in a humorous manner: Chaplin doesn't just mock him but somehow conveys the message multiple times that the dictator's system is a sheer "error". One of that moves is Hannah's monologue when the girl profusely talks in boundless hope that her people will have an opportunity to live free from terror and unfairness. In this particular scene, the camera is fixed at Goddard and it seems that she looks in our eyes from the screen in this way referring to Hitler like "stop this insanity please". Another curious fact is that the dictator banned the film in Germany and all Nazi-occupied countries but finally attended two screenings. Consequently, when Chaplin got to know about this, he wondered what thoughts wreathed in the führer's head (quotation: "I'd give anything to know what he thought of it.") That's quite the question. I also wonder why would he see for the second time the movie in which his persona is jeered and sneered at? Moreover, I pay tribute to Chaplin for having courage to make and produce such a flicker at the times when Hitler could see it.

The final monologue by Jewish barber mistaken for the dictator, beyond all doubt, is one of the most inspiring scenes in the film history. Furthermore, it proves that Charlie Chaplin is not only the master of slapstick comedy but also the writer of very touching and powerful words that can make even angels weep.

Rating: 5 stars (see what that means)

Silkwood (1983)

3 stars

"You think I contaminated myself, you think I did that?" (Karen)

'Silkwood' has everything to be a successful project: the true story, the great director Mike Nichols ('Closer', 'Working Girl'), and the good cast including wonderful Meryl Streep, Kurt Russel and Cher, but for me it was not so remarkable as I expected. I suppose that the reason for this deplorable fact can be explained that the film was made for different kind of audience.

A plutonium processing plant employee, Karen Silkwood (Meryl Streep) suspects that the workers are contaminated in the course of dangerous experiments. Evidently, as an honest person who is willing to establish justice in the unfair world, she begins her investigation and finds enough evidence to unmask the guilty. Because of her selfless activism, an ill-wisher purposefully contaminates her but it's not radiation that puts out her life.

As mentioned above, I see nothing outstanding in the movie itself, and for me, a huge Meryl Streep's fan, it's a film I'll never watch again. Based on a true story of Karen Silkwood, it doesn't bear a tragic element that draws tears from viewers or move them anyhow. However, it was nominated for 5 Oscars, where my opinion doesn't count. No doubt, Meryl Streep's performance is amazing, and is the only reason to watch the film. Although I sound overcritical, I'm giving 'Silkwood' three stars because indeed we belong to the generation of blockbusters and box office winners, the revenues of which are simply striking, and sometimes we cannot understand a quiet film, let's say, of 80s. Wow, indeed, it's probably the most laconic review I've ever written and probably it happened so because the film didn't stir up my emotions; I can't just wring anything else from my feelings and understanding of films.

Rating: 3 stars (see what that means)