My Favorite Movies

romantic comedy--sweet and the taste lingers.

historical novel with the streisand added

Clarck Gable and Vivien Leigh in their pre and post civil war romantic drama. The costume, the background, the actors, and the director himself,--everything in one and perfect place. Of course, it's my grandparents' era and I love it too.

Documentary and history rolled into one.

Want to be a war correspondent in the future? Then see this one for a bit of orientation experience.

See the rise and rise of Oprah.

Their music is universal.

Be inspired, persecuted and be saved.

A classic and remarkable movie. Robert's portrayal of a dedicated journalist has been an encouragement to others in similar situations. Yes, I don't fear for my career.

An extremely powerful movie. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman are both winners.

The first female ruler of England at the age of 23--no wonder, its the golden age era.

A very heartwarming story. The struggles of Israelites from Egyptians 'retold' in a similar fashion with the Jews during World War 11. The parallelism is almost the same, and the only diference is TIME.

Fight for your freedom and from the oppressor of your culture and heritage. Your own freedom and liberty are worth more than anything else.

From the earliest years of European settlement in Australia, there is evidence of Aboriginal children being taken from their families as the authorities believed it was for their own good. In the first half of the 20th century, it was official policy in most states to remove half or quarter caste Aboriginal children.

This movie is the true story of Doris Pilkington Garimara's mother Molly, who in 1931 led her two sisters on a 1,600 kilometre walk across remote Western Australia. At their tender age, they escaped the confinement of a government institution for Aboriginal children removed from their families.

Barefoot, without provisions or maps, tracked by Native police and search planes, the girls followed the rabbit-proof fence, knowing it would lead them home.

This movie is so inspirational, so compelling, yet quite sad too. It is one of the triumph of human spirit that may sound a bit cliche, yet I have tremendous respect for Christopher McCandless' (Hirsch) passion to realize man's call to the wild.

He asked for solitude and he found it. He could not bear a selfish and superficial society. His famous quote: Happiness is only real if shared--so poetic and very endearing, and touched so many people along the way. He has shared his happiness by accepting full responsibility for himself and didn't blame anyone for his misfortune.

It's unfortunate that sometimes the cost of enlightenment is death. I hope he's at peace. So sad that a life so promising is gone.

Based on the classic novel by Somerset Maugham, the film tells the story of an ill-suited English couple, Walter (Edward Norton), a middleclass doctor and bacteriologist, and Kitty (Naomi Watts), an upper-class woman nearing the age where staying unmarried was considered unbecoming and humiliating for her family.

Walter's work sees the couple relocate to Shanghai where Kitty falls in love with the charming English Vice-Consul, Charles Townsend (Liev Schreiber).

Set in the 1920s, the film focuses on the breakdown of a marriage due to adultery. After Kitty's infidelity Walter becomes fuelled by his hate for her, or for himself.

From the character-driven storyline we see Kitty's journey of self-discovery--a spoilt upper-class woman who breaks through her boredom and depression to become more human. Kitty realises that she doesn't really know her husband and attempts to reach out to him and repair their relationship. Due to hurt pride and a broken heart, Walter's cold and distant manner makes a reconciliation between the two a long and arduous battle, but as both eventually realise, it is a battle worth fighting for.

The Painted Veil is a brilliant movie. Set amongst the beautiful mountainous landscapes of rural China, the cinematography is breathtaking, the plot is compelling, and the acting is superb. An absolute must-see.

Love, friendship, teaching, learning, driving, flamenco--this is how I sum up Mike Leigh's latest film, Happy Go Lucky.

Poppy (Sally Hawkins) is a 30-year-old London primary school teacher whose cheerful demeanour enables her to deal with whatever life throws at her. She lives with her best friend and fellow primary school teacher Zoe (Alexic Zegerman), whose wry calmness makes her an excellent foil to Poppy's over-the-top enthusiasm. Inasmuch as the two best friends have opposng views at times, they are perfect for each other and love being around each other.

After her bike is stolen, Poppy decides to take driving lessons so she can get around town a little easier. This is where we meet Scott (Eddie Marsan) the uptight driving instructor who is the complete antithesis of Poppy. Scott's strict approach to teaching and his somewhat unstable views on things cause a complete personality clash between the two characters. Poppy always stays true to her genuinely endearing personality and is an eternal optimist no matter what she is faced with. Her happiness is unconditional.

The film is a funny, feel-good and real film that looks deeply into the character's development. It has a beautiful message that is important for us humans to know. It may seem easier to be gruff and pessimistic, but it is so much better to be positive and just get on with life. The end result is a film with memorble characters, great performances and a take-home mesage we could all benefit from.

This is a life-affirming bittersweet comedy that will win over even the most cynical heart.

Persepolis is a magnificent film!

I was able to catch the animated film version of Marjane Satrapi's memoir at this year's Brisbane International Film Festival, and I'm very impressed-- indeed!

The film is about the poignant tale of a young girl in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. The story is told through the eyes of a young and bold Marjane from age nine through to age 24 when she comes to the realization she can no longer live in her beloved homeland. It includes a period when, at age 14 her parents, worried for her safety, ship her off to school in Vienna.

In Vienna, Marjane becomes the exotic outsider, never quite fitting in, and coming of age in an alien environment proves difficult, especially when romance is involved. She returns to Iran, but years of fundamentalist rule and war with Iraq sees the country much changed, and the rapidly maturing and independent Marjane finds that she no longer fits in the country of her birth.

Although laced with humour, despite the grim circumstances often faced by people when the world changes around them at frightening speed, the film is endearing, and it contains worthy lessons, as it entertains, and opens up your heart and mind. It's a triumph!