JessieRomanticManiac's Film Review

I am a bona fide movie buff. Always has been for years. Given this fact of my life, I am pleasantly compelled to make a review of the movies I have watched. Let me begin with the 12 movies I killed this December. I don't want to go gaga over the historical or technical values of a film as bases for my review. Movies have numerous purposes in our lives and our continually evolving culture. Perfect movies may not necessarily have perfect details, and yet they remain perfect for whatever impact they have on our lives. As such, I drafted my own rating system, as follows:

4 Pink Flowers I would watch this movie over and over and over again!
3 Pink Flowers I might just forget this movie, but hey there are slices of life in here.
2 Pink Flowers Hmmm, yeah. It's okay. And i think the critics and award-giving bodies quite liked this movie, so who am I to disagree?
Flowerless A total waste of my time.

Enjoy my December offering!

A subtler version of The Godfather or The Departed. This one centers on a Russian organized crime family in London. Naomi Watts, as a midwife who delivered a baby supposedly fathered by the organized crime leader, is brilliant as always, while Viggo Mortensen, as the mysterious driver of the family, is viciously amazing that I almost forgot that he used to be Aragorn. The climactic bath house fight sequence should be gruesome, but Viggo, who carried on with the scene without a single square-inch of clothing, made it so bearable to watch. I give this one 3 Pink Flowers.





Cate Blanchett is one of my four all-time favorite actresses alongside Meryl Streep, Kate Winslet and Jodie Foster. As such, even if the screenplay or editing is flawed, a movie could never go wrong if at its center is a very brilliant performer like Cate. This may not be as brilliant as Cate's first tour as the Virgin Queen, but this is still a movie to behold with other icings aside from Cate's talent such as the beautiful costumes and the ruggedly beautiful Clive Owen as Sir Walter Raleigh. This one deserves 3 Pink Flowers.






This Chinese pride of a movie traces the lives of two opera actors whose friendship and professional relationship was greatly disturbed when one of the actors got involved and eventually married a strong and imposing "prostitute," performed by the very beautiful Gong Li. I think this movie is important for two reasons: it provides us with information on modern Chinese history from the years prior to the Japanese occupation to Mao's cultural revolution until the decline of communism; and it also illustrates the existence and subsequent social repression of gay love. However, the movie is so indulgent and overloooong. I hate to do this, but i think this film deserves only 2 Pink Flowers.

I love Kate Winslet. I love Johnny Depp. I love Peter Pan. I love this movie. 4 Pink Flowers. No question about it. By the way, this movie is about the circumstances that inspired playwright James Barry to write Peter Pan.

The first two Harry Potter installments, Sorcerer's Stone and Chamber of Secrets, are definitely much much better than the Prisoner of Azkaban, Goblet of Fire, and this one, Order of the Phoenix. Because I've read the book and there were so many details that were unfortunately omitted in the screenplay. Because the original Albus Dumbledore, Richard Harris, is a much much better actor. And because I have greater affections for Harry, Hermione and Ron as kids than as young adults. But Order of the Phoenix is not really bad, it is still entertaining, and if there is one thing that is very memorable about this movie, it is the young Evanna Lynch who brilliantly portrayed the weirdo Luna Lovegood. Years from now, I would like to watch Evanna tackle roles usually played by Cate, Jodie or Naomi Watts. 2 Pink Flowers would be enough for this movie.

Ratatouille is what great entertainment is all about. And this new Walt Disney / Pixar gem, about a rat who dreams of being a chef, once again fuses all elements of a timeless animated film - live action that breathes with very human life, comedy and drama and suspense, fantastic music and heartwarming fairy tale ending. 4 Pink Flowers. 4 Pink Flowers. 4 Pink Flowers.








Any movie, no matter how flawed in terms of the story, could still be good if blessed with good performances especially by the central character. The Brave One is one those movies and Jodie Foster is one of those actors. Jodie is Erica Bain, a radio program host who had the fortune to be part of a very happy and fulfilled relationship. New York is her home and its environ provide her with the stories that she recreate in her radio program. However, her peace was shattered when she and her boyfriend were senselessly attacked that cost her boyfriend's life and left her emotionally wounded. Justice seems so elusive hence Foster took matters in her own hand. Some praised the unknown vigilante for cleaning the streets of New York while the many who still holds on to the value of due process condemned her acts. The Brave One is a strong morality tale and dissenting opinions may crop up especially from those who don't quite agree with the film's Machiavellian philosophy. Nevertheless, Jodie Foster is a powerhouse and that's reason enough for Jessie to give this movie 3 Pink Flowers.

One of those heist movies populated by brilliant actors - Denzel Washington, Jodie Foster and Clive Owen. I would give this movie 2 Pink Flowers because of Jodie Foster for her terrific turn as a pleasantly vicious power broker Madeline White.












The Insider is a Samson and Goliath kind of movie based on real-life events. Specifically, Jeffrey Wigan played by Russel Crowe, exposed a tobacco company's manipulation of cigarette substances in order to enhance smokers' addiction to nicotine. Strongly believing in Wigan's cause, CBS producer Lowell Bergman played by Al Pacino, stopped at nothing to bring Wigan's story to the public through the US television show, 60 Minutes. Very absorbing, The Insider reminds me of the Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman classic, All The President's Men, which was about the Watergate Scandal. 3 Pink Flowers for The Insider.




In this movie, Nicole Kidman is Silvia Bloome, a South African working as an interpreter in the United Nation's headquarters in New York. One evening, she overhears an assassination plot against Doctor Zuwanie, a corrupt and tyrannical African leader, who may be indicted by the UN for crimes against humanity. Bloome disclosed this information to the UN Secret Service and subsequently Sean Penn's Tobin Keller is assigned to protect Zuwanie as well as Bloome. Incidentally, Bloome has a shady past - she used to be involved with a rebel group bent on overthrowing Zuwanie. There is nothing new about The Interpreters. This is basically similar to other political crime thrillers. 2 Pink Flowers.



Sofia Coppola's adaptation of Jeffrey Eugenides' bestseller is very simple, straightforward but mesmerizing nevertheless. Thanks to the five beautiful Lisbon sisters especially the enigmatic Lux portrayed by Kirsten Dunst. Thanks to Coppola's screenplay, which unfolds like pages of the book. And thanks to the movie's soundtrack, which echoes with 70s pop, rock and soul. In the year 1974, in the upper middle class suburbs in Michigan, the five Lisbon girls committed suicide. The youngest, Cecilia jumped off of their second floor window and impaled herself in the fence. Lux, the second youngest, poisoned herself with carbon monixide. Therese, the eldest, had sleeping pills overdose while Mary, the second daughter, hanged herself. Bonnie stuck her head in the oven. The Virgin Suicides is made to be a 4 Pink Flower movie. Why? Find out for yourself.