Movie reviews

Another great series which originated in 2006 and promoted as "This year's
Lost", although the Writer's Strike did hold it off for a while with only 11
episodes aired till the end of December of 2007, which led to some confusion as
to what happened to a few characters, it is still mesmerising to watch, not
quite as good as the first season, but in my opinion marginally better than the
second.

We join our protagonists Claire "Bear" Bennet played by the lovely Hayden
Panetierre(Malcolm in the middle) those lovely clear hazel eyes, and baby soft
cheeks can do no wrong, her foster father Noah Bennet aka "man with the horn
rimmed glasses" played by Jack Coleman(Spawn) who is trying to play it straight
this time with his wife Sandra Bennet played by Ashley Crow(American Dreamz),
Hiro Nakamura(Masi Oka, a local Japanese would be able to tell that he speaks
japanese with a slight accent) with his hilarious sidekick Ando Masahashi(James
Kyson Lee) there is a hilarious segment where Ando has to make a face to keep a
baby quiet, priceless, Mohinder Suresh played by Sendhil Ramamurthy(was in an
episode of Grey's anatomy, and studied drama in England as part of the Ryal
Shakepeare Society hence the english accent) senator Nathan Petrelli played by
Adrian Pasdar(Carlito's way, Top Gun), and his difficult relationship with his
younger sibling Peter Petrelli played by Milo Ventimiglia(Rocky Balboa, many may
have seen his father John ventimiglia the chef in the Sopranos) watched over my
their mother Angela Petrelli played by Cristine Rose(almost didn't recognise her
in He's just not that into you), the clarificaiton on exactly her powers are
elaborated a little in this series, there is a surprise for mind reader Matt
Parkman played by Greg Grunberg(Mission Impossible 3, Hollow man) in more ways
than one, we also get to meet Micah Sanders again played by Noah Gray-Gabey
whose in for quite a surprise, the Haitian played by Jimmy Jean-Louis(must be
seen in Diary of a tired blackman, he is fluent in five languages, and you can
tell he was a model) meets his nemesis.

This series starts off with a formula that can give powers to anybody, half of the formula was
guarded by Hiro's father which is now in the charge of Hiro, but you just know
some villain may get their hands on it and it will be up to our protagonists and
their associates to save the world.
There is the usual mix of heroes and villains, and it is always fascinating to
find out what new characters may popup and more imporantly just what their
ability(as Sylar likes to put it) is, and if Sylar(playing the young Spock in
the new Star Trek movie, and I must admit he has an uncanny resemblance to a
young Leonard Nimoy) will finally get his comeuppance, we get to see Elle Bishop
played by Kristin Bell(pretty hilarious in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, particular
in one scene where she attacks the spiritual values of her boyfriend played by
Russell Brand).

Labels: Adrian Pasdar, film reviews, Hayden Panetierre, Heroes, heroes cast, Heroes tv show, Hiro, Masi Oka, Milo Ventimiglia, Moview Reviews, Save the cheerleader save the world, science fiction

This is a fascinating series that is already much loved in it's genre, and I
simply can't wait for the next season. It has already won the matriach Sally
Fields(the endearing mother in Steven Spielberg's Forrest Gump) a Golden Globe
as best actress, and you can see immediately why, she strikes a core as all her
immediate and extended family do, and that maternal nature of hers simply comes
across the screen as genuine as any other of her lovable characteristics. She
plays the matriach Nora Walker, she holds the family together through all the
pain, and you know whatever happens, whatever her children do they can always
rely on her, her warm smile is always ready to confront whatever the world has
for her and her family, while relying on the rock of her brother Saul played by Ron Rifkin.


Along with Sally Fields it has an all star cast: Dave Annable, Calista Flockhart(Ally McBeal, something
about her lovely huge hazel eyes that just keeps you transfixed akin to
something hypnotized by a snake), Balthazar Getty, Rachel Griffiths, Sarah Jane
Morris, Ron Rifkin, Patrica Wettig, Matthew Rhys, Emily Vancamp and Rob Lowe.


What makes this series so good is the diversity in characters and their A class
acting. Normally having so many characters does not go down so well, but not
here, you simply can't get enough of the Walker clan and their extended friends.

The series begins with the revelations of the previous season still hanging as a
dark cloud which you are certain will start sending showers anytime soon.
Calista Flockhart plays Kitty walker, although billed as the star attraction
watching any episode and you get the impression they are truly no stars, and everybody comes
with an equal weighting in terms of performance and air time. Kitty has to
battle with her relationship woes while at the same time trying to maintain her
relationship with her mother Nora, while her elder sister Sarah thinks
everything just happens to fall in her lap.


Balthazar Getty plays Thomas("Tommy") Walker as quiet and more like the Patriach
than any of his other sons.
Matthew Rhys plays Kevin Walker, the charming, smart and in a way a cornerstone
for the family, one scene in particular when Nora was contemplating leaving had
Sarah gently slap him saying "Don't make me slap you...be a man".
Dave Annable plays the youngest Justin Walker who is trying to find his own
ground as a self sufficent man, amidst the dotting from his mother Nora, and the
lovely Emily Vancamp who simply can do no wrong(you get the feeling all she has
to do is flash a smile and she can literally get away with anything).
I have to admit Sarah Whedon played by Rachel Griffiths is one of my favorite of
the Walker clan, the memories of her playing pool while protected by her
brothers in a bar surrounded by army personnel was one of the highlights of the
first season, that captured her zest for life, as Nora Walker puts it "You are
my Trifecta".


Holly played superbly by Patrica Wettig(The president in Prison Break season
one), she has lovely soft clear blue eyes, and the chemistry between her and
Sally Fields, is always one to watch.

Rob Lowe plays Senator Robert McAllister, the love interest of Kitty Walker, he
is getting more involved in the shenanigans of the Walker clan he has come to
love.

Labels: Balthazar Getty, brothers and sisters, Calista Flockhart, Dave Annable, film reviews, Moview Reviews, Patrica Wettig, Rachel Griffiths, Ron Rifkin, Sarah Jane Morris, series

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.

Labels: Anna Paquin, Aunt, Charlotte Bronte, Charlotte Gainsbourg, drama, film reviews, Governess, Jane Eyre, Lover, Moview Reviews, romance, Teacher, William Hurt