Verdict: 7/10

The Other Boleyn Girl

Year: 2008

Directed By:Justin Chadwick

Based on a book by:Philippa Gregory

In my Opinion: The first half part of the story was a little dragging but all throughout the movie was not bad. The setting was rich. Alex Bana as King Charles, Natalie POrtman as Anne Boleyn and Scarlett Johansson as Mary Boleyn. Before this film, i've already watch some of the parts from "The Tudors"- this is a bbc tv-drama series like "Rome" in Hbo. I like the tudors storytelling better than this film. Because the story here is a little vague and it really gives emphasis on these two sisters, but more or less the storyline is just the same. Anne Boleyn is a a wretched-ol-witch who is really ambitious and very envious of her sister Mary, who is very timid, shy but very kind and down-to-earth but because of wanting to please the king and both of them are falling for the same guy. Anne so desperate to win over the King's love, betrayed her sister, persuaded the king to annul his marriage with queen Catherine of Aragon, tried to bore a child but end up having a girl who she named Elizabeth who will later rule for the next 40+ yrs. bec. she wants to gain power and throne over her kingdom when her 2nd pregnancy became a miscarriage she tried to have sex with his brother and therefore both of them were tried for grave judgement. If you want to know a little glimpse of England's history, try watching this film.

Verdict: 8/10

" Emma " directed by: Douglas McGrath year: 1997

" Pride and Prejudice" directed by:Joe Wright year: 2005

" Sense and Sensibility" directed by:Ang Lee year: 1995

" Mansfield Park " directed by:Patricia Rozema year:1999

all were based on a book by: Jane Austen

In my opinion: There's this enigma why i love Jane Austen eventhough, i haven't read even one of her books from start to finish. I always find it hard to read and most of the time, i find it tedious, boring, too garrish and too detail of that sort. Mais, au contraire... J'aime les film being portrayed on screen.

1: Pride and Prejudice- this is an Austen classic love story. i mean the story has a happy ending and indeed very romantic. I've watched it for over a.... times already. Back then, life was simple. The women only busy themselves by looking good and finding his prince charming,thus, getting married. They have to be musically incline, they have to know more than one language, they have to act all prima donna-esque.

The musical score was excellent. Life lessons on prejudice-not judging a book, pride-being humble and learning from your mistakes.

ps!~ there's an old version of this~ baak in 1940's starring: laurence Olivier

pps!~ There's also this bollywood musical movie called Bride and Prejudice. Starring the sensational Ms.Aishwarya Rai.

2: Emma- portrayed by Gwyneth Paltrow. She's a bit of a wallflower in this film but i like her cute character trying to be the matchmaker. This is film is very entertaining, very light. It's like whilst you were sipping a cup of tea... you don't need to be in a hurry, you just have to appreciate this fairy-tale like movie.

3: Sense and Sensibility- i find it too heavy at first and i don't like Kate Winslets' role. Who is just so damn naive about life and love...

but, since Hugh Grant was so charming in his oh so stuttering scenes...and of course this was Ang lee's film... i just had to appreciate how talented he is, with the costume and the setting and even the actors he chose. I think this film was nominated for Best picture (Oscar), i forgot if it won anything or not but this definitely open new doors for director Ang lee.

4: Mansfield Park - the film was ok. For starters i don't like the leading lady. i find her too old for her part. Like any Jane Austens' book... this is about betrayal, jealousy, falling in and out of love, youth and maturity. I think in the end she decided to live a life on her own thus finding her freedom.

Also see: Becoming Jane by: Anne Hathaway

The Jane Austen Book Club - a group of girls and a guy who formed a club and each were assigned to read a book by Austen and those stories influence how they make decisions in life and love.

Verdict: 6.5 /10 Girl with a Pearl Earring directed by: Peter Webber based on a book by: Tracy Chevalier In my opinion: I think the story started a little slow and a little dragging for me. I like Scarlett Johansson better in the movie Lost in Translation. I think her role here was too stiff bec. she has to portray this all to innocent and demure lady. I also had trouble with her accent, didn't sound too realistic. But i like Colin Firth's portrayal as Vermeer ( the painter ). I also like the attention to detail of this film, like the scene where Vermeer is going to paint the girl, he has to adjust the lighting, how he seduces this Girl to be her inspiration for the painting, how Vermeer's wife got jealous and accuses her of stealing the pearls.How lighting plays an important role for every scene that was captured,the silence and the enigma of this drama even without talking to each other, you can see the intimacy between the painter and that of the girl.The costumes unveiled the rich colors of golden yellow and royal blue. The setting was similar to what was described in the book. I think a few scenes may have been omitted. Definitely, the book was better than the film,. Tracy Chevalier writes in a way that makes you feel like you were part of that era,but overall, the movie wasn't bad.

Verdict: 8.5/10 The Kite Runner Year: 2008 directed by: Marc Forster based on a book by: Khaled Hosseini In my opinion: I am a fan of this author. I think his novel's one of the best i've read so far, so when i heard that a movie was coming out. I can't wait to watch and relate it with the book and true to its story, It didn't disappoint me. "There's a chance to be good again" so does the line goes...A story about 2 boys living in Kabul, Afganistan. One is called Amir - a well to do boy, a pashtun, a boy who has everything except that of his father's love. The other one is called Hassan- a hairlip boy,the house boy of amir but a loyal friend,a very talented kid who loves to kite, but was shun from the society bec. he's a Hazara ( a commoner),he was badly molested and raped by Assef who was a bully at their village and later in the story will also become a Taliban. As their country was slowly being captured and brain-washed by the Talibans, so was their test of friendship slowly deteriorating. Because of hatred, jealousy and yearning for his dad's love and acceptance. Amir made up a lie that will change both their fate. A lie that he had to live with all his life, a life of grief and guilt. A realization that came too late maybe? or maybe not? ... Amir has to a make a decision between what's right and wrong.This is a story that will move your heart. It's about how love and hatred, happiness and sadness, despair and hope.It will make you cry, it will touch you in every aspect you can imagine. Normally, i don't like watching this kind of genre, like Finding Neverland ( also from the same director) but this one, definitely very inspiring. I recommend reading the novel 1st before watching it to get a better grasp of the story. " For you a thousand times over"... (Persian: کاغذ‌پران باز - Kāğazparān Bāz)

http://www.khaledhosseini.com/

Verdict~: ~ 6/10 ~ Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

Year: 2006

directed by: Tom Tykwer

based on a book by: Patrick Süskind ( allemand )

In my opinion: This is a story of a young french man, set in 17th century era. Jean Baptiste who is sad, tormented, mentally disturbed but has a gift ever since he was a child which is he has a strong sense of smell. He craves for it. He became an apprentice and worked for a famous italian perfumer who is played by Dustin Hoffman. But upon his discovery, he realized that not all things have specific smells and more importantly, he doesn't exude one, thus, he needed to find his own. By desperation and curiosity and yes! by being a serial murderer, almost like jack-the-ripper. He kills every woman he meets, slice of the sweat or oil glands, boils and ferments it ( i think...), just to get the perfect and right smell that he wants. Eventually, he was captured, imprisoned, tortured... and the ending... well you have to see it...it's very disturbing...if you look this in another angle, not from a murderer's point of view, Jean Baptiste may have lead a very sad and pityful life, hence his deranged mind. But, in reality, i don't think this is a movie for everyone to see. The horrific and sadistic mind of a person is secretly very vile. On some parts, i have to cut or forward the scenes because it's just too mentally disturbing for me...