Archive for September, 2009

‘Lord of War’

A 2005 political crime thriller, Lord of War was written and directed by Andrew Niccol, starring Nicola Cage. It was released in the United States on September 16, 2005. In this movie, Cage plays the illegal arms dealer with similarities to Russian arms dealers Viktor Bout and Leonid Minin. Lord of War was officially endorsed by human rights group Amnesty International for highlighting the trafficking of weapons by the international arms industry.

The movie is told in flashback, starting in 1982 and ending in the completion of the opening scene. The film grossed $9,390,144 on its opening weekend. After its 7-week release it grossed a total of $24,149,632 on the domestic market in the US, and $48,467,436 overseas.

One review stated “…the poison arrows of satire that writer-director Andrew Niccol aims at international arms dealing and the great powers that let it happen for their own gain — the U.S. dangles prominently on Niccol’s hook — are frustratingly scattershot.” Cage, playing Yuri Orlov follows a typical rags-to-riches course, quite similar to that of the drug lord played by Johnny Depp in ‘Blow’ in 2001. According to Niccol, Yuri is based on five actual gunrunners. One reviewer commenting on this says, “Lord knows there’s enough plot here for five movies.”

This movie was not backed by single US studio instead international finances were secured for the making of it. Interestingly, one scene using a line-up of tanks had to be notified to NATO, lest they assumed the start of a real war. The music composed by A.R. Rahman ‘Bombay Theme’ was originally created for ‘Bumbai’ (1995).

2009 Oscar Movie Picks

The Oscars in February this year heralded in the beginning of the 2009 award show season. The movie picks for this year included the following:

Slumdog Millionaire – winning the Oscar for Best Picture, this story revolves around an 18-year old boy in Mumbai, India competing in the game show ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire’. All the questions he has to answer offer a look back at his life. The show’s host insists the boy is cheating and forces him to admit to it. His reasoning – that a boy from an impoverished background could not possibly possess the knowledge to win the show’s top prize.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – starring Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Ceán Chaffin, the movie is set at the close of World War I, where Benjamin Button’s life begins. He is born with the body of an old man, and as the years pass, he finds himself growing younger as he grows older in wisdom and experience.

Frost/Nixon – Following the life of Richard Nixon, the movie begins with his 1974 resignation, he withdraws from public life. Talk show host, David Frost persuades him to participate in a series of television interviews with the offer of a sizeable payment. This offers Frost the chance to establish himself as serious journalist, while Nixon wants to re-establish himself in the political arena.

Milk – set in the 1970s, as the Gay Pride movement gathers momentum, Harvey Milk becomes its first champion and public face to make him the country’s first openly gay man to be elected to public office.

The Reader – revolves around an affair with 15-year old Michael Berge and Hanna, in her mid-thirties. Her past contains a dark secret, the revelation of which shocks Michael and forces him to confront his country’s history.

Top Movie Download Sites

Listed here are the top three movie download sites for 2009. Rated by users worldwide, these sites have the best selections, unlimited downloads and of course, the lowest prices.

1. CinemaNow – the site gives you a selection of new releases on offer, giving you options. The search facility is well liked as one can search based on the director, film or actors. Boasting of over 1,400 titles, CinemaNow has one of the largest selections, and adds new releases every Tuesday. Subscribers gain access to extra titles as well. The software provided for downloading, watching and managing movies is exemplary and provides a lot of interesting features and is simple to use. The most interesting aspect of this software is the range of devices you can watch your downloaded movies on. CinemaNow also offers a ‘synch’ license which entitles every download an optimized version for portable devices.

2. Blockbuster Online Movie Downloads – offering top notch service and a wide selection of titles, this site has a few things to grumble about. However, the browsing mechanism is superb showing thumbnails of DVDs and a hover over the picture gives you a synopsis of the movie. Search options also include the ability to search within age ratings. The software while making downloading and managing movies easy allows you to download only one movie at a time. Blockbuster unfortunately does not support multi-pc playback or the wide range of devices offered by CinemaNow.

3. Amazon Video On Demand – offers the same ease of use everyone is familiar with when it comes to the Amazon brand. This website is integrated seamlessly with the rest of the Amazon site. It comes complete with customer reviews, recommendations, previews and everything we are used to with Amazon. Unfortunately, this site does not provide a search facility for only rental movies or purchasable ones. However, the much-loved 1-click option is available here as well. The software includes a neat Remote Load feature.

Interesting facts about Jetfire in Transformers 2

In the Transformers sequel ‘The Revenge of the Fallen’ Decepticon forces return to Earth with a mission: take Sam Witwicky prisoner. Why? because he learns the truth about the ancient origins of the Transformers. This sequel introduces many new Autobots, and one of them is Jetfire. A few interesting facts about Jetfire:

– His Japanese name is Sky Fire.
– Jetfire’s alternate mode is a SR-71 blackbird
– Speed – 200mph, record altitude flight – 85068 ft
– A poll held before the casting of the movie placed Jetfire in 4th place.
– Jetfire is voiced by John Turturro. He also appeared in the Transformers as Reggie Simmons. Turturro is a well known actor, writer, and director.
– Jetfire was a former Decepticon. He decides to change to an Autobot due to his age.
– He has a special ability, which is his ability to join with Optimus Prime.
– Jetfire can be identified by his cane beard and creaking voice.
– Originally serving the Fallen, Jetfire is one of the few Transformers to remain on Earth since the dawn of mankind.

The sequel portrays Jetfire as an old Decepticon, sickened by the ambitions of his counterparts, which moves him to leave the Cybertron and hide. He has a desire to remain anonymous and yearns for peace and quiet, until he is awakened by Sam. When he is awoken he is unwilling to fight, but is convinced to fight not for the Decepticons by the Autobots.

Indiana Jones DVD Set – 27 Years of Movie History

The Indiana Jones DVD Set, according to Paramount is one of the fastest-selling DVD sets ever. Paramount records indicate that the trilogy sold over 1 million copies, grossing over $50 million in just its first week. The first Indiana Jones movie was released way back in 1981, with the fourth and final one in 2008, making the entire series a twenty-seven year long production.

Raiders of the Lost Ark
The first in the Indiana Jones franchise, Jones fights the Nazis who are in search of the Ark of the Covenant. The film, originating from George Lucas’s desire to create a modern version of the 1930s and 40s serials, it became the top grossing film of 1981, and remains one of the highest-grossing films ever made. Nominated for nine Academy Awards that year, it won five.

The Temple of Doom
In this, Jones arrives in India, and is asked to find a mystical stone and stumbles upon the Kali Thuggee cult. This movie was originally to be set in China with a hidden valley inhabited by dinosaurs, while other cancelled plot devices included the Monkey King and a haunted castle in Scotland. The filmmakers were denied permission to film in India as the government found the script racist, and was then filmed in Sri Lanka.

The Last Crusade
This movie saw Harrison Ford teaming up with Sean Connery, playing his father to find the Holy Grail. They fight off the Nazi’s again, but this time in 1936, before the World War II. Last Crusade, interestingly shows the side of the younger Jones played by River Phoenix, growing into the archaeologist he becomes. This installation was a financial success, outdoing the other two with $474,171,806 at the worldwide box office.

Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Released 19 years after the third movie, it pays tribute to science fiction B-movies, pitting Jones against Soviet agents. This film, which was a development hell, was finally a financial success, grossing over $786 million worldwide, becoming the second highest grossing film of 2008.

Popcorn Supplies Needed for your Movie Theatre at Home

When putting together your movie theatre at home, you must invest in a surround sound system. Varying in cost, you should be able to find one that fits your budget. Make sure it comes with a DVD and Blu Ray player. Once armed with a good surround sound system, everyday television watching becomes quite an experience. Next, put together the full movie theatre experience by adding popcorn supplies to your stock.

While making popcorn to most people entails putting a bag in the microwave for a few minutes, most people want their popcorn to taste like ‘traditional movie popcorn’. Fortunately, nowadays popcorn makers are inexpensive, and are available in department stores and online as well. Ranging in several sizes, they can cost as little as $20 or as high as $2000.

Popcorn is a must-have when watching movies, especially at home. Keep your movie theatre at home well stocked. Popcorn can be bought in large bags, or smaller 1 lb bags. You’ll need to purchase Canola oil or Coconut oil to make sure the kernels pop evenly. The next thing to consider purchasing is a popcorn machine to achieve that ‘movie theatre’ popcorn. If you feel like showing off and have the space, go all out and buy a popcorn cart. Meant to replicate old red painted carts, you must get red and white popcorn holders to go with it. The flavouring of the popcorn is equally important. Find one that resembles closest taste to that of movie popcorn and you are all set for popcorn supplies for your movie theatre at home.

“Julie & Julia” Movie Review

Julie & Julia is a movie perfect for a girls’ night out. It’s an eclectic mix of food, relationships and writing. Meryl Streep plays Julia Child and Amy Adams – Julie Powell in writer-director Nora Ephron’s adaptation of two bestselling memoirs: Powell’s Julie & Julia and My Life in France, by Julia Child. The story intertwines the lives of two women, Julie & Julia, though separated by at least half a century, find themselves in limbo, until they discover the joy of cooking – that inimitable combination of passion, fearlessness and of course, butter!

Not a traditional ‘foodie’ movie, this Ephron production is interestingly not about women in desperate pursuit of men. Marriage does figure in the story, but it isn’t the thing, making it refreshing and also fulfilling. Streep’s performance was once again stunning, embodying the immediately recognizable Julia Child. Amy Adams’ Julie, though being a good performance was overshadowed by Streep’s portrayal of Julia. Ephron successfully draws obvious and interesting parallels between a number of passions, be it cooking, writing or making a name for oneself. Julie’s story is the less interesting of the two, with Julia’s character inherently more interesting. However, the film holds it together remarkably well, like any good culinary feat, leaving a sense of satisfaction.

The movie won much praise from film critics with the LA times saluting Nora Ephron for “…whipping up something wonderful in ‘Julie & Julia.’ Bon appétit, indeed.” The USA Today cited the movie as a light and entertaining treat with “winning performances, sharp writing and some happy surprises.”

Watching movies is the perfect to while away your time. For those who are caught up in the rat race, and constantly miss out on their favourite movies and TV shows, the concept of online DVD rentals is in fact alluring. While being easily accessible, efficient and convenient, it allows you to watch your favourite movies at your convenience, because:

Unlimited – there is no limit to the number of DVDs you rent. Membership plans and schemes allow one to rent out 10 or more DVDs per month.
Accessible – DVDs are easily accessible to check availability, all at the convenience of your PC. You don’t have to scurry around like you do at DVD rental shops in search of movies.
Shipping – a number of online DVD rental companies have a two-way shipping scheme. The DVD you pick will be mailed to you, and also picked up once you’re done. Your geographical location doesn’t matter.
Subscription – depending on which plan you choose, you can rent two or more DVDs at a time, and opt to pay monthly or annually.
Review – movie reviews and trailers can be watched before you choose the DVDs you want to rent, making it that much easier for you.
Availability – if the DVD you want to rent out is unavailable, the online DVD rental company lets you add it to your rental list, so that you will be next in line.

Thus, online DVD rentals save time, money and energy, revolutionizing the concept of renting out DVDs.