Sisterhood of the traveling pants

Sisterhood of the traveling(sic) pants

I wanted to watch this movie as I heard it was close to the book, albeit a few changes, as most adapted books inevitably go through for the big screen. I also wanted to watch it as it starred America Ferrara( from Ugly Betty and Ugly she is not!). It is a story of friendship amongst four lovable girls as they turn 17 on their summer holidays. Carmen (America Ferrara) the writer, Tibby (Amber Tamblyn) the rebel, shy and beautiful Lena (Alexis Bledel), and wild and unstoppable Bridget (Blake Lively). It surrounds a pair of jeans that fits them all perfectly (hence the name), and the 'sisterhood' decide to wear them each in turn during their summer holidays and to make a mention if anything of any note happens whilst they have these 'magical' pants on. As they have never been apart from each other all their lives, the pants immediately represent their angst as they go on separate lives from each other for the first time, a kind of focus point to remember each other by. Bridget (Blake Lively) has the most energetic role as she is a soccer star, going to a girls training camp in Mexico or as Libby put it (el campo del futbol). However Bridget has lost her mother, and although her friends and extra activities have helped her avoid it, she has never come to grips with such a monumental loss, and the movie brings this bad episode as a stark reminder of the void she is missing. Lena I found was the most lovable of the lot, her shyness, and innocence (and apparently she is really that shy in real life) makes her adorable, and those lovely puppy dog eyes makes her even moreso, she is visiting her eccentric greek grand parents Yaya and Papou played magnificently by Maria Constadadou, and George Touliatos respectively. Bridget visits her seperated father in a development, and comes to the shocking knowledge that he is about to be married to another woman with kids of her own, the biggest change has to be for Tibby, whilst "her friends jetoff on their little adventures" she is stuck at Walmall (Walmart anyone?) trying to raise enough money for new video equipment, as she is an aspiring documentary director, she meets 12 year old Bailey (played superbly by Jenna Boyd) who really steals every scene she is in, it is impresive such a presence from such a little girl. This is a nice family movie, and you see their world through their eyes as they are forced to confront some painful issues.

The lovely sisterhood of the traveling pants

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The science of sleep

The science of sleep
I didn't know what to make of this movie, thought at first from the title and my intitial impression hearing the director Michel Gondry did music videos for thefoo fighters, I was expecting a science fiction drama. What I certainly did not expect was this kind of a movie, I don't know where to begin, it is a psychodelic enchanting vision through the main lead, played by Gael Garcia Bernal (unrecognisable from the angry mexican in Babel). He plays Stephane, staying in his mother's apartment in France as he starts a new job, Stephane sees and interpretes the world around him through his vivid dreams, and this is the magic of the movie, it involves animation, special effects and psychodelic images to bring those dreams vividly to life, not to mention it is also a love story with Stephane having a crush on his neighbor (Stephanie), played enchantedly by Charlotte Gainsbourg, who Stephane realises is the only one who truly understands him and his dreamy take on life. I haven't seen anything quite like it, and you may either love it or loathe it, but what is clear is it captures vividly the dreamy world we have been to.

Stephane (Gael Garcia Bernal) in one of his dreamy episodes

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Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre
I Wanted to see this movie particularly because of Charlotte Gainsbourg(The Science of Sleep), she has one of the softest, yet commanding angelic voices on the screen.

This is an adaptation of one of the Bronte's sisters' famous Jane Eyre Novel, Gainsbourg plays the title lead, an orphan mistreated by her aunt and eventually becomes a governess to the child of a very moody and unrecognisable by his upper class english accent William Hurt(The Accidental tourist).

She takes the role of governess in her stride, strict but firm as governesses in those era were. Her soft doe vulnerable eyes, surrounded by an english reserved masked by an expressionless face; makes her perfect for this role.

It is a love story as told from the 19th century, the scenery and acting reflects the book and this is widely acclaimed to be one of the best adaptations of the book. There are superb performances from the stellar cast, and one would be hard pressed to believe Charlotte Gainsbourg is conscious about her english, seeing she lives and spends most of her life in France, and is to all effect French.

It also stars the lovely Anna Paquin(Rogue in X-men) as a young Jane Ayre.


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