The Last Station (2009)

Recently, I had the opportunity to see this film based on the famous and gifted writer, Leo Tolstoy. For me, this film was a very interesting one to watch.

Since I'm a history buff, I do enjoy watching period pieces and history type movies. This one is no exception.

Basically, this film tells the story of the last days of Leo Tolstoy (played by Christopher Plummer). At the end of his life, it seems Tolstoy has grown to be a very bitter man - wanting to be away from society and find peace within himself.

The main conflict in the story lies with his wife, Sophia (played by Helen Mirren) who does not seem to understand Tolstoy's views upon life and upon humankind. It shows a very love and hate relationship between the two.

Then enters, Vladimir Chertkov (played by Paul Giamatti), the leader of Tolstoy's devoted disciples. And, Chertkov is intent on serving the people with Tolstoy's money.

So, you begin to see the conflict here. On one hand, you have Chertkov who is tries to influence Tolstoy to hand over his estate and all his money to his cause (aka the people) when he dies. And, on the other hand you have Tolstoy's wife, Sophia, who is intent on having her family taken care of when Tolstoy passes away who constantly tries to suade Tolstoy to abandon his cause and support his family by leaving them with his fortune. So, the big issue at hand is a matter of Tolstoy's will when he dies - who gets what, when and where.

Quite honestly, it was a bid sad to see all the quarreling in this film about Tolstoy's will. In a way, to me it seemed a bit selfish and kind of hypocritical. Chertkov's argument for Tolstoy's fortune was that it would be for the people, but would it really be used for that cause? And, Sophia's argument was that Tolstoy had a duty to take care of his family when he left this world. It seemed Tolstoy was left to be in quite a dilemma.

To add to the story, enter Valentin Bulgakov (played by James McAvoy) who gains a new position as a private secretary for Tolstoy.

Bulgakov is young and very naive about the world. Though, he possesses a sense of innocence and goodness that reminded Tolstoy how he felt and how things were when he was a young man.

The dynamic between the old and the young and the views portrayed between generations is very nicely depicted - it gives you a sense of how sometimes you begin to see things in a different perspective as you grow older.

Overall, I think this film was descent. Since I enjoy period pieces and history type movies, I could be a bit biased. Though, this film is not for everyone. If you don't really like these types of movies, it may not be for you.

For me, I especially enjoy autobiographical films - going into it I was interested in the subject matter. That is probably why I enjoyed the movie.

(Note: Now, that I've watched the film I'm interested in reading some of Tolstoy's works. If anyone out there has read any of them, I would be interested in hearing your thoughts).

If you're in the mood for a history type of film and enjoy period pieces, I think this one is worth taking a look.

Film Gurl's 15 Minute Rule: PASS

Happy movie watching!

p.s. Feel free to leave comments on any post either here and/or my Facebook Page. Comments are always welcome, thanks for reading!

Happy movie watching!



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Robin Hood (2010)

"Rise and rise again. Until lambs becomes lions."

- Robin Hood

Since I have an interest in history, I was looking forward to seeing this film. Going into it, I had a lot of expectations for it. It surprised me. Though, in a good way.

As a child, I remember reading the "Robin Hood" storybook. I remembered Robin Hood, the heroic figure, as one who steals from the rich and gives to the poor. In turn, I really thought this movie would be the same - I was mistaken.

Instead of focusing on Robin Hood and his goodwill towards the poor (as in the children storybook), we are introduced to a different Robin Hood - this is a man who is good yet does not realize the power of his goodness and ability to help others. This man is one who just wants to survive - his sole purpose is to survive.

In a way, this movie is more of a prequel to the Robin Hood story we all know. Just as "Batman Begins" is about Batman and how he came to be, "Robin Hood" is just the same - it is the story of Robin Hood and how he became to be as well.

It's not until Robin Hood, played by Russell Crowe, stands up and does a good deed for his country (the side he thought was the right side) yet is cast away as an outsider is when he realizes he's playing for the wrong side.

It's not the rich (i.e. the monarchy, the merchants, etc) that he should be defending - it should be the poor. As, it is the rich (in these times) that really are the ones that steal from the poor (in forms of taxation) for their own self-interest. To Robin Hood, this is wrong.

What's interesting is that the story then becomes a matter of ethics - what is right? And, what is wrong? And, who is to say what is right and what is wrong? Is it the rich? Or, is it the poor? Who can decide what is right and what is wrong?

In a way, this is a story of vengeance - a vengeance against the rich for wronging the poor. And, it is this vengeance that gives Robin Hood purpose in life. Before he was wronged, he didn't have much purpose. Though, this event changed him and enlightened him - it gave him a reason to live.

What made it even more personal was the fact that his family was involved. I don't want to ruin it for you, but let's just say Robin Hood really followed in the footsteps of his family in his mission of vengeance against the rich. In a sense, this new vengeance gave him a purpose which gave him a new identity.

When it boils down to it, this film is really about identity - knowing who you are and remembering where you came from. Sometimes we forget the past and sometimes we want to forget the past. Yet, the past is the past. And, a lot of times the past tells us where we came from.

Though it can be hard, we must always remember where we came from - it is a part of who we are even as we grow up and become adults.

Overall, I enjoyed the movie. It had a good storyline, acting was good and the action scenes were pretty well played out. For me personally, I enjoyed the historical references and backdrop of the movie - I do enjoy period pieces.

(Note: I really liked Cate Blanchett's role and portrayal of Lady Marion. She played a very strong character in the film - intelligent and strong willed).

Though, I'm going to be honest. Not everyone is going to like this movie. I've already heard some bad reviews of it already.

Going into it, I think some people had some expectations- namely the story of Robin Hood and how he stole from the rich and gave to the poor. The fact that it was more of a prequel, I think may have turned some people off.

However, I enjoyed it. I was entertained throughout the film. But, it is not for everyone. I think those who will enjoy it are those who have an interest in history and enjoy watching period pieces (like me). If you're not that much of a history buff, you may not enjoy this film as much.

If you're in the mood for a history type of movie and enjoy period pieces, I do recommend this one.

Film Gurl's 15 Minute Rule: PASS

Happy movie watching!

p.s. Feel free to leave comments on any post either here and/or my Facebook Page. Comments are always welcome, thanks for reading!



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Public Enemies

"I'm not here for your money. I'm here for the bank's money."

- Public Enemies

Ok, so I really wanted to see this film when it first came out. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to catch at the theater. So, I had to wait to see it. Now that it's out on DVD, I finally had a chance to see it. It was definitely worth the wait.

Since I enjoy watching gangster movies, I really did enjoy watching this film from beginning to end. Let me just say, it's not for everyone. There are parts in the film that seem to kind of drag but bring a sense of history to the film. (If you've seen the movie, you'll know what I'm talking about).

There are times when there are some characters introduced and/or discussed in the film that may sound familiar to those who have studied and/or are interested in "gangster" type history. This is why I say - it's not for everyone.

For those who do enjoy historical type movies and have an interest in "gangster" type films, you may find this very interesting and entertaining. I did.

I really enjoyed Johnny Depp's performance of John Dillinger, one of the most notorious gangsters of all time. He really brought life to the character and insight into the gangster world at that time. The quote above sums it all.

It portrayed Dillinger as a man trying to survive - rebelling against large banks who did have the power to take advantage of people's money. Back then, the FDIC had not been fully established yet. So, people had to have faith that the banks would hold their money (in the form of deposits) for them. However, like any other institution that has too much power - it can corrupt.

It portrayed Dillinger as non-violent man. When him and his crew robbed banks, they made it a point not to kill innocent civilians. Very interesting. Though, there was violence with the action sequences between Dillinger's crew and the police. Being wanted by the law, it was very much a game of cat and mouse since Dillinger and his crew were always on the move.

By the end of the film, Dillinger had seemed to change. He wanted a more simpler life, a normal life. I really enjoyed how the director, Michael Mann, showed another side of Dillinger - the side that wanted to get away from the fast life and want simpler things. He no longer wanted the fast money, the fast cars, and the fast women.

Though, getting away from it all wasn't that easy - it was very hard for him to escape the world he once longed for. I don't want to ruin it for you but let's just say the saying, "Be careful what you wish for," can sometimes hold true.

Overall, I enjoyed the film. If you enjoy historical and "gangster" type movies, I definitely recommend this one. Check it out!

(p.s. If you enjoy historical type films, you might also enjoy this movie as well. Happy movie watching!)



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There Will Be Blood (2007)

I first found out about this movie while reading this book.

While reading the synopsis, it really sounded like something I'd be interested in. (I think I've mentioned here before how I enjoy watching movies where I learn about business).

This film happens to take place at the beginning of the century, a time where opportunities were plentiful and some of the wealthiest families today made their millions (who are now worth billions). It truly was an exciting time in American history.

Basically, this movie focuses on oil men and their quest to find oil and strike it rich. (Sounds similar to the gold rush too!) And, this is the time where Standard Oil is the big kahuna when it comes to oil and has already been well established.

Though, there are still some parts of America at the time that have been untapped - mainly in the West. And, this is where the oil men seek opportunities and begin looking for their pot of gold. (aka oil)

It was very interesting to watch this movie and see how the oil business worked back then. Basically, the oil men would find a piece of land they thought had some oil (based on sample testing) and would offer to lease the land from the landowners (usually farmers) for a small fee. In addition, the oil men would offer the landowners a royalty fee (or percentage) of the profits if they found any oil on their land.

Most of these landowners were farmers who lived very simple lives. And, they did not have the equipment or the manpower to drill for oil. The money the oil men would offer them seemed to good too pass up. In reality, the oil men would offer a really small fee compared to the profits they would actually be making off of the oil. The main character, played by Daniel Day-Lewis, said in one scene he was making $5,000 per week as an oil man with his operation. That's a lot of money, even today!

However, drilling for oil is a very dangerous job - many lives were at stake (thus the name of the movie). So, it was the oil men who were taking the risk. The landowners simply allowed them to use their land. So, in a way it was a win/win situation for everyone.

The film did go into the pros and cons of the oil business and in running a business in general. It was very interesting to watch. There were some moments of the film where unexpected things happened - its all a part of the kind of life we choose.

I really enjoyed the movie. Though, I have to warn you - it's not for everyone. It's more of a history piece than anything else. In my opinion, I think you need to be interested in history to enjoy the film. It is quite long (over 2.5 hours), though it takes you through the history and evolution of the time period which I really enjoyed.

If you're in the mood for a history type film and have an interest in business, I recommend checking this one out!

Happy movie watching!



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Frost/Nixon

Excellent, excellent film. I've always liked Ron Howard as a director, great movie!

It goes to show how hard it is to be the President - it's a tough job. It's very difficult to please everyone. It also shows how caught up and twisted the media can be sometimes. Even with the Internet, it seems that most Americans today still rely on television and newspapers for their sole source of news - that's the power of the media.