The Great Gatsby (1974)

Director: Jack Clayton

Stars: Robert Redford, Mia Farrow and Bruce Dern

The idea of the American Dream is closely related with the statement that all men are created equal, but over the time the meaning has stately changed. Therefore, the movie The Great Gatsby (1974) an adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel attempts to create an accurate view of it.  

The story of the movie revolves around a mysterious character, called Jay Gatsby. Gatsby is a rich business man who apparently likes to throw fancy parties at his mansion. However, his parties are very peculiar in the sense that none of his guests seem to know him personally.  So, as the story unfolds, the atmosphere becomes puzzled with questions and rumors about his identity. The action of movie starts in the summer of 1922 when Nick moves to West Egg on Long Island Sound, where he visits his cousin Daisy and her husband Tom. Then, Nick meets his neighbor, Gatsby and for the rest of the movie we observe what happens to those that pursue the American Dream and to those who are borne with it. 

In short, The Great Gatsby movie caught my attention in the sense that all the characters and the settings seemed very realistic and this truly made me connect with the atmosphere of the twenties.  

                                                                                                                                    by M.T.

JOHNNY ENGLISH REBORN 

The last Johnny English movie was different from the outstanding first movie of the famous Brittish Secret Agent, Johnny English.
Should you have seen the first film, the second one follows the pattern created in the first one. In addition, there is the monothematic issue like in the first one. The ridiculous Agent have to save the world from by using his "abilities". However, in this second movie, the Agent is more pathetic and even worse than how it was in the first one. From my point of view, the usage of too much burlesque scenes creates the feeling that it cannot be possible, and there is no Suspension of Disbelief here. So, I consider the film as a comedy/parody, but the main theme is boring.
Moreover, there are new elements introduced in this film, like the incredible Rolls V16 made just for this film under the will of Sir Rowan Atkinson. The avoidance of the Aston Martin of the first film and the similarities to James Bond are removed, but there is a similar line to Bond's movies, done in a bad way, in my opinion.
There are funny moments, specially the beginning when Johnny is training his Martial Skills, unsuccesful like always, so he pretends to be a better agent, but he falls just in the pretention because he is not going to be better. I find a parallesim between this idea of trying to be better than the first version between Johnny as well as the movie as a whole. However, it seems to me that they have failed in both aspects.

Finally, I recommed to wacth the movie, you are going to enjoy funny moments, like at the beginning when he plays with a cat, for me, it's the best 2 minutes of the whole film, but you cannot expect to have a really great time. However, I encourage you to watch the film and decide by yourself.

ESR

Finding Neverland

Finding Neverland (2004) is a drama based on the life of James Mathew Barrie, the author of the classic Peter Pan. Specifically, it is about Barrie’s friendship with the family who inspired him to create Peter Pan.

The story takes place in London in 1904. Barrie’s latest play has failed to impress the audience and he needs something new because his producer is clamouring him a new show, but he is at a loss of inspiration. However, Barrie's fortune changes during one visit to the park where he finds four young boys and their widowed mother Sylvia. Barrie is instantly attracted to the children. During the next months the author plays with the boys daily. He leads them in games involving pirates, cowboys and Indians; he dresses in funny costumes...

Barrie and the Davies family quickly become inseparable. The children like him and Sylvia is grateful for his attention, especially since she has developed an alarming cough and he helps her taking care of the boys. The only holdout is Peter, he is wise and solemn, and he feels the loss of his father more than his brothers. After a while, Sylvia's health worsens. The boys are reassured that nothing serious is wrong, but Peter is sure they are lying to him about her illness, as they did regarding his father disease.

 Simultaneously, the whole town is talking about Barrie and the Davies family. With reference to Barrie's wife, Mary, she rarely sees him at home and she is disturbed about his relationship with the Davies family. In addition, Sylvia’s mother is also worried by a man (Barrie) who wants to become the best playmate of her grandchildren. Nevertheless, none of these distractions take Barrie away from the boys, who are his muses.

Their imaginative games give him ideas for a new play.  He begins writing once again, and cannot stop.  Each new adventure with the Davies clan leads to pages and pages for his new play about a young boy and a visionary place called Neverland. The play’s opening night, Barrie invites 25 orphans and sits them through the audience, where their laugher stirs the adults to see the magic in the later renamed play.

The main actors and actresses of this film are Johnny Depp as Sir James Mathew Barrie, the protagonist of the film; Kate Winslet as Sylvia Llewelyn Davies; and Freddie Highmore as Peter Llewelyn Davies. Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet do a great job. However, from my point of view, the most remarkable performance is the one made by Freddie Highmore as Peter Llewelyn. This character really moved me.

I am of the opinion that Finding Neverland is a story very well told with some charm. Personally, I believe that it’s very emotive, tender and touching. And at the same time very funny.  The more I look it, the more I like it. For that reason, I strongly recommend you to see this film. Especially, for those who in a way refuses to grow up, and for those who like fantasy and creativity, because this film is a very good example of it.

MJSP

PROOF OF LIFE

PROOF OF LIFE

Cast: Meg Ryan, Russell Crowe, David Morse

Director: Taylor Hackford

Year: 2000

Peter Bowman (David Morse), an American engineer,  is living with his wife (Alice) and building a dam in the (fictional) city of Tecala, sited in South America ,when he is kidnapped by antigovernment forces during an intrusion in the city.

Alice (Meg Ryan) immediately turns to Peter’s corporation (sited in Houston) and they immediately provide help through Terry Thome’s (Russel Crowe) services, an ex-soldier turned kidnap and ransom professional negotiator. Terry immediately takes charge of the matter, but unfortunately after few days, news from Houston communicate to Alice that they are in a hard economic situation and consequently have no budget to afford the hostage insurance. However, the negotiator being already really involved with the case; decides to keep working on it on his own.

Due to this sudden situation things become complicated since they have no economic support to pay the ransom that Peter’s rescue costs. Thenceforward Terry starts preparing himself a rescue plan for Peter with some old colleagues’ help.

While this process and plan is being carried on, a close relation occurs between Terry and Alice, a kind of opposed feelings grow between them: Alice feels attracted to Terry but she is still worried and suffering about her husband’s situation, on the other hand Terry being extremely professional with his work and having always in mind the reason why he is there; cannot avoid feeling the same attraction to his client.

While watching the film there are two outstanding senses found: impossible attraction/relation and suffering mixed, so there is a bittersweet feeling transmitted during the whole movie.

The whole cast work it’s amazing, they reach the goal of performing in a perfect and realistic way.

As an absolute personal opinion I must admit that since the first time I saw this film became one of my favorites because the opposed feelings encountered.

One of the other occurrences in the movie that seems interesting to me is that through this kind of reports/films we can see how people who live in poor and underdeveloped countries have to act in order to protect and be able to feed themselves and their family. Nevertheless from my point of view it would not justify innocent people who’s just working or trying to help them having to pay and suffer for politic mistakes or deals.

Review by IPJ