Slumdog Millionaire - A movie review

I was finally able to go see the talked about movie, eight Oscar winner: Slumdog Millionaire.

I was so curious to find out what the story of this film was all about. What made it so extraordinary that it ended up winning all these Oscars? Best picture, best directing, best original score, best original song, best editing, best soundmixing, best cinematography and best adapted screenplay. The trailer itself didn't reveal too much and I wasn't sure what to expect other than a pretty boring thought of a young man participating in a Who Wants to be a Millionaire-competition in India. But I was so wrong, since the competition itself was just a tiny part of the story, like the top of an iceberg.

In truth this was a compelling story of a young man, a slumdog Jamal (Dev Patel), who ends up playing in a Who Wants To Be a Millionaire-game and suddenly and for everyone's suprise is just one question away from the Grand Prize! But it's not that easy to be in a position like this in India and just before the final broadcasting and the final answer, he finds himself in a local jail. In an intense questioning he tries to give the answers to all the questions made by the local Police Inspector (Irrfan Khan): How could you know all the answers? You are just a poor boy with no education and now knowledge of such things as poetry or our culture! You just cannot know the answers! Can you?

But you just watch and see...

As Jamal answers the questions in the competition (and to the Inspector in the questioning) the story rewinds back to his early childhood, to his brother Salim and the girl he so dearly loved, but then lost, called Latika (Freida Pinto). It shows the complex relationship between the brothers, but it also reveals the poverty and the despair of their childhood in the slums of Mumbai. This movie isn't just about the story of Jamal, but also a story of his culture and the slums of Mumbai. It was beautiful to watch how the story evolved with all the children turning into young adulthood and how those two, Jamal and Latika finally found each other again despite all the obstacles they had to go through. And last but not least, all the questions (both in the competition and in the jail) being answered one by one, just like it is written.

One of the Oscars of this film went to director Danny Boyle (The Beach). And no wonder. The directing in this film has its own, fresh point of view. And it sure was nice to see something a bit different from everyday Hollywood style movies, and I really enjoyed how Boyle brought all the cultural aspects to the screen, showing us not only the story of Jamal, but also the cultural side of the story, the despair of those little children of Mumbai and the overall differences between our world and the world of Jamal's.

But still, for me it's a bit hard to put this movie on its place. Was this an extraordinary experience, being the best movie of the year? Exceeding all the others I have seen this past year or all the other Oscar nominees? I really don't know. But I sure will remember this one and appreciate the fact that the Oscar Committee went for a fresh movie this year, and gave hope to all of those low-budget film makers.

This film sure wasn't just a movie along others, since the story was so different and up to date. All the cultural aspects made it more believable and more colorful than most of the films that I have seen in the past year. The cast itself was amazing, all the actors and actresses being locals and the youngest children being the real children of the city of Mumbai, some of them from the slums themselves. This had a very important role as making the story come alive and to be more realistic. The cast actually made it so real that at times I thought I was watching a real documentary film rather than a movie. For saying this I also want to mention the cinematography, which was unbelievably colorful, strong and well implemented and I personally still have a lot of those vivid images in my mind.

So, if you are looking for a movie with a colorful cultural aspects and a new, fresh point of view, go see this one! I am sure you will enjoy!



Directed by Danny Boyle and Loveleen Tandan (co-director in India)
Written by Simon Beaufoy (screenplay) and Vikas Swarub (novel)
Cast Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Anil Kapoor, Irrfan Khan
IMDb http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1010048/.

Breaking Dawn (Twilight -saga) - book review

Breaking Dawn is the fourth and last novel of the immensly popular Twilight-saga by Stephenie Meyer. It continues the story of Bella the human girl, Edward the vampire and Jacob the werewolf. With its over 700 pages it is the most massive of the series, but I have to admit that the story is so addictive, I read the book in two days (when also working during the days and taking care of my two-year-old in the evenings).

It is impossible to describe the book without spoiling the story. The book dives deeper into the complex relationships between the supernatural creatures and humans which makes it interesting, a story you don't want to let go from your hands. Some aspects of the story are a bit disturbing. Some even more disturbing.

It is fun to notice how Meyer has developed as a writer during these books. When reading Breaking Dawn, it feels like Twilight was just a piece of practise. The books definitely get better in time, the story gets more complex, the characters more deep. Breaking Dawn does not use most of its time describing how beautiful Edward is - the part repeated until its annoying in Twilight. Instead it binds the story into a thrilling web of relationships, and when in some previous books you might have thought of characters a certain way, you most likely will start feeling something for each and every character in this last book.

Meyer's style of writing is similar to the previous books: reader still knows all the time what's going to happen next (or in the next few hundred pages), but all events are again written in such an addictive way, that it absorbs the reader totally.

My suggestion: if you have read Twilight and are planning on giving up the saga after the first book, just give it a try - the story gets so much better in the books three and four!

Written by Stephenie Meyer
Year 2008
Pages 768
Amazon.co.uk - order here
Amazon.com - order here
Play.com - order here

Watchmen (2009)

In 1986-87 Alan Moore and David Gibbons published a series of comics that eventually formed a graphic novel called Watchmen. The novel became one of the most highly acclaimed graphic novels of all time, and received an honor of being the only graphic novel to win a Hugo-award. So, the pressure on who'd take the story and make it onto the big screen was huge.

Director Zack Snyder (300) was not afraid of the challenge and created a movie that is very loyal to the original work, both in its story and visual style. Watchmen is a challenging work of art as a novel - it requires its reader to really work through the story, every single frame has so much information and there are parallel stories that need the reader's full attention. The film does not differ that much from the novel: it is also challenging to watch. During its three hour duration one will see rape, murder, very graphic and bloody violence not that common in comic book movies.

Watchmen is a story of a former group of masked superheroes. Masked heroes have been made outlaws in the US, and only very few still continue their work on the streets. Many of the ex-Watchmen are already aging, retired from the superhero business, and then suddenly one of them (The Comedian played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan) gets brutally killed. Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley) suspects someone is killing off masked heroes and starts investigating. At the same time the world is falling towards the World War III between the Soviet Union and the US.

The story is very complex and to even try to describe it here would not make any sense. Due to the complexity it is strongly recommended to read the novel first and only then see the movie. That way the viewer will get the most out of the movie as well, because there are many things that are not thoroughly explained.

The Watchmen cast is brilliant. Billy Crudup as the blue Dr Manhattan has just the perfect amount of the god-like behaviour in him, but does not fully forget he was once a human. Haley as a socially incompetent Rorschach is as perfect as in his creepy role in Little Children. Haley's Little Children colleague Patrick Wilson brings vulnerability to his shy-ish Dan Dreiberg, and Malin Akerman is just too sexy in her latex costume as Laurie. Matthew Goode as Adrian Veidt first feels a bit too "weak" for the character, but eventually he grows into the proportion required for the "world's smartest man".

Watchmen is a comic book movie but it is no Fantastic Four. It is complex and does not necessarily open up to a person not familiar with the original story. It is challenging in both its story and visuals. It is dark and grim, but visually mesmerizing, and it gives something to think about, and also a reason watch it again.



Directed by Zack Snyder
Written by David Hayter and Alex Tsu, based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore and David Gibbons
Cast Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Jackie Earle Haley, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Goode, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Carla Gugino
IMDb http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0409459/

81st Annual Oscar Gala

Yesterday evening the Oscars were given for the 81st time, in Kodak Theather, Hollywood.

It was a great evening with shining stars and perhaps a couple of suprises.

It was also a nice and welcomed change to see Hugh Jackman as the presenter at the Gala and he sure opened a new chapter in: How to do the Oscars. As he said in Barbara Walter's interview earlier: It doesn't always need to be all about business, but more of a show and having fun!

And it sure worked! He went through the nominated films with Broadway style and pulled Anne Hathaway from the audience, proving that this young lady is not only talented actor, but could also have a bright future as a singer. And soon after Hugh Jackman and this amazingly talented crew did a spectacular number with names like Beyonce and many other young, talented actors. But even though Hugh Jackman was amazing the most interesting part was yet to come.

The Oscars!

What a night! So many touching speeches, so many unforgettable moments and so many talented people gathered inside the Kodak Theathe.

The most talked about films of the evening were The Curious Case of Benjamin Button nominated in 13 different categories, winning three. But the real winner of the evening was Slumdog Millionaire being nominated in ten different categories and winning eight. After seeing the Golden Globe winnings this victory was not a big suprise, though.

And here they are, all the winning Oscars in different categories.

* Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
* Best Actor in a Leading Role: Sean Penn, Milk
* Best Actress in a Leading Role: Kate Winslet, The Reader
* Best Directing: Slumdog Millionaire
* Best Foreign Language Film: Departures (Japan)
* Best Original Score: Slumdog Millionaire, A.R. Rahman
* Best Original Song: ''Jai Ho,'' Slumdog Millionaire
* Best Editing: Slumdog Millionaire
* Best Sound Mixing: Slumdog Millionaire
* Best Sound Editing: The Dark Knight
* Best Visual Effects: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
* Best Documentary Short: Smile Pinki
* Best Documentary Feature: Man on Wire
* Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
* Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Penélope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
* Best Live Action Short: Spielzeugland (Toyland)
* Best Cinematography: Slumdog Millionaire
* Best Makeup: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
* Best Costume Design: The Duchess
* Best Art Direction: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
* Best Animated Short: La Maison en Petits Cubes * Best Animated Feature: WALL-E
* Best Adapted Screenplay: Slumdog Millionaire, Simon Beaufoy
* Best Original Screenplay: Milk, Dustin Lance Black

And for the brightest stars of the evening...

They were of course Kate Winslet in The Reader (my absolute favorite in this category) winning the Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role and Pénelope Cruz in Vicky Cristina Barcelona (the best choice in this one too, I would say) winning the Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.

As well as Sean Penn in Milk (a little suprise in this category I would say, since many of us were hoping for Mickey Rourke to receive this one) winning the Best Actor in a Leading Role and Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight (supposedly everyone's guess in this category) winning the Best Actor in a Supporting Role. Heath Ledger's family, his father, mother and sister all gave a little speech and it was very emotional moment for them as for all the viewers.

I was also one of those hoping that the Oscar for the best Actor in a Leading Role would've gone to Mickey Rourke in film The Wrestler, but well, I haven't even seen Milk yet, so who am I to judge here? But still, I have to say, Randy The Ram was such an unforgettable and touching role I can't but wonder why the Oscar didn't go to Rourke.

One shining star was also the Best Director Oscar Winner Danny Boyle with his work in the movie Slumdog Millionaire. I have not yet seen this film, but I sure am going to after all these eight wins this film achieved yesterday evening. And all the other wins in Golden Globes, SAG Awards etc.

And of course the movie itself, Slumdog Millionaire. Winning the Oscar for Best Picture. A low-budget film that almost didn't make it to the movie theaters is now a multi-Oscar Winner! Wow!


And last but not least. Best Animated Feature Oscar winner, WALL-E.

Our family's number one movie at the moment and as I already revealed in my other blog my daughter's guess for the winner in this category.

-------------------------------------

What a great night!

And let's not forget all the other Oscars from last evening either. Given for Best Documentary, Cinematography, Visual Effects, Sound Mixing and so many more important parts in the art of making movies.

I know that some of you have been awake the whole night watching this show and I really hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did!

And it doesn't take too long, when we can start guessing which are the nomimees for next years Oscar Gala...

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) - movie review

David Fincher came to my knowledge a few years ago with his terrific horror movie Se7en. With that he owed me a few nights of sleep. Then came Fight Club that solidified Fincher's skills in my books. Couple of years back came Zodiac which was also a nice piece of work.

This time Fincher has taken a totally different kind of story in his hands - a romantic drama of a man who is born old and gets young all his life. The story is loosely based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald in the 1920's.

Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt) is born in 1918 and his mother dies in childbirth. His father is devastated by her death - and even more when he sees his baby boy who looks more like a dying old man than a cute little newborn baby. He abandons him at the door of nursing home for old people, where he's taken care of by Queenie (Taraji P. Henson). Queenie believes all God's creatures deserve to live, and especially because she could not have children on her own, she takes Benjamin as her son.

Soon she realises that Benjamin is very special. He refuses to die as doctors predicted, and starts growing up, and at the same time getting young. When he meets a cute little blue eyed granddaughter of a lady living in the house, his life gets a new turn. Somehow the old young man and the girl get connected. The blue eyed girl grows up to be a stunning young lady called Daisy (Cate Blanchett) and eventually her and Benjamin's paths cross again.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a delicate romantic drama. The story holds up surprisingly well for its whole duration of 2 and a half hours. Surprisingly, because when I first heard about the movie, I thought the story sounds stupid. But it is far from stupid. It is a very sweet story, and even though you know exactly where events lead to, even just seeing other people get old and Benjamin get young is fascinating. The idea of being able to use all your old age wisdom and experience when young is interesting. But the idea has major downsides: the people around you just die of old age when you still continue to flourish. This will eventually lead to serious loneliness.

This is the third time Fincher and Pitt work together, and every time they do brilliant job together. It is beautiful to notice how Pitt has grown into a great actor after his "cute boy" years, and him working with one of without doubt the greatest actresses of our time, Blanchett, is fantastic to watch. Blanchett's variability is just amazing, how she can do pretty much any role she's given, and always in such a passion that captures the viewer deep into the story she's telling with her presence.

Benjamin Button was nominated for 13 Oscars which made it the most nominated film this year.



Directed by David Fincher
Written by Eric Roth
Cast Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Julia Ormond, Taraji P. Henson, Tilda Swinton
IMDb http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0421715/

The Reader (2008) - Movie Review

This is a story of Post-WWII Germany. This is a story of two people that meet and have true passion despite the age difference. This is also a story of pride, pride that can in the end lead to some sacrifices. And a story of new connection, new beginning and new hope, even there is not always so much to look for.

The movie begins on one rainy day. A young Michael Berg (David Kross) is walking in the rain and is weakened by a worsening scarlet fever. He gets a helping hand from a lady called Hanna (Kate Winslett), who offers to guide him back to his home. When Michael gets better and is able to leave his house again, he wants to go to her and thank for her kindness. Hanna lets him in her tiny apartment and in her lonely life. It doesn't take long for them to find themselves being passionate lovers. There is quite an age difference and the affair keeps secret, but there is still something unforgettable about all the moments these two share together.

Hanna also seems to have some peculiar habits. She loves to be read and Michael sure enjoys reading to her, every single time that they meet. He doesn't ask any questions, but just keeps on reading. No matter how passionate they seem to be, there is always room for a new chapter, a new book and a new story.

Until one day, when Hanna mysteriously disappears, leaving Michael heartbroken.

-------------------------------------------

Years go by and Michael is a law student observing trials in court halls. One day when going to the court there is a Nazi war trial, where several S.S. guards are defendants and believed to have sent children and women to their deaths in Nazi camps. When at the courtroom he suddenly realizes that Hanna is one of the accused S. S. guards. He is stunned to see her again in these kind of circumstances. There is also a tiny secret, just a little detail Hanna won't reveal in the court, but which Michael knows about and is torn between helping her or just letting it go.

Time goes by and Hanna is now in prison. She is serving a life time sentence for her actions during the war. Michael (Ralph Fiennes) on the other hand has a family, but eventually gets divorced and when going through his old things, he finds all the books he used to read to Hanna and decides to record those books into tapes and send them to her. He sends them year after year, until finally Hanna starts to use these tapes to teach herself how to read.

In the end Michael is the only contact Hanna has in her life outside the prison and when it's time for her release, he is the one to take care of her and her new life, being a free woman. But things don't always go the way they're supposed to as is the case in this one too.

The end of the film was quite slow paced and even a bit boring I would say, but overall this was an interesting story of two strangers that meet, fall in love, have true passion, drift apart and then meet again in the strangest circumstances.

Kate Winslett's role as Hanna was very strong, believable and real. Like Kate herself is. There is just something about this woman that makes her so alive and real on the screen. She is perhaps one of the most down to earth actresses that I know of and maybe that's one of the reasons she outshines the others. And remember, Kate is nominated for an Oscar for her role as Hanna.

But this film is not only about love and the little affair, nor about Kate or her skills, even though she is nominated for Oscar for her role in this film. But we need to remember that this is also a story about war and about all the horrible memories of the Holocaust, the dark side in German history. It was very moving and confusing to see young Michael walking in the old prison camp, all those empty halls and those empty gas chambers. You could almost sense the presence of all those poor people that were walking their last steps to their deaths, closing one chapter in German History.



Directed by Stephen Daldry
Written by David Hare (screenplay) and Bernhard Schlink (book)
Cast Kate Winslett, Ralph Fiennes, David Kross
IMDb http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0976051/

He's Just Not That Into You (2009) - Movie review

Don't you just sometimes want to relax by watching a movie that is not so deep, but entertaining an funny? Even though you may run into some clichées and "I've seen it before" scenes? Well, I do and won't hesitate to see these so called Chick Flicks every now and then.

He's Just Not That Into You falls into this category. The storyline is bubbly and quite entertaining, and the cast is full of well-known actors and actresses. Names like Ben Affleck, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Connelly and Scarlet Johansson. Not to mention some new names (at least for me) like Justin Long, Ginnifer Goodwin, Kevin Connolly and Bradley Cooper.

In this movie there are several parallel stories of singles or couples who are desperately trying to understand each other and read other peoples behavior. This may sound a bit chaotic, and maybe it is, but the cast keeps the story alive and compelling until the very end.

The story begins with the early childhood of Gigi (Ginnifer Goodwin), when she gets the first clue that men are not that easy to read. Years later she is still struggling to find a perfect match and finds herself always waiting by the phone for THE phone call, from a man who is obviously not that interested. But through a failed date with Connor (Kevin Connolly), she meets Alex (Justin Long), who is able to help her to read the signs men give and she is hoping her love life will get a bit better with his help. And everything goes well until she starts to misread Alex and thinks he's falling for her... Or maybe he is?

Gigi's friend Mary (Drew Barrymore) has her own obstacles when it comes to men and feels that she has been dumbed with every possible gadget that our modern technology offers. But she doesn't want to give up and believes she will find her man, eventually. She just has this problem wanting to share all her love-life details with her "perhaps not so straight" co-workers, which is not always the smartest way to do things.

When a man and a woman decide to be just friends, what do you expect happens...? Ben (Bradley Cooper) and Anna (Scarlett Johansson) run into each other at a local grocery store and sparks fly immediately. Ben tries to hold back and explains that he's happily married with his wife Janine (Jennifer Connolly), but Anna won't give up and persuades him into a relationship, which starts first as a friendship, but you know, who can resist Scarlett? I mean... Anna... ;-)

And what if you have been together for years, let's say seven years, and there is no sign of him to be interested in marrying you? Would you start thinking it's against the nature? Well, at least Beth (Jennifer Aniston) feels this way about his long relationship with his beau Neil (Ben Affleck) who seems to be totally against marriage and Beth can't help but think that maybe this is a bad sign. A sign of something much more serious. A sign that says that he will never marry her and even worse; is not that into you...

And of course ladies love to share their thoughts about all the disturbing details of their relationships and point of views from friends are always highly appreciated. Who else can give you help in these matters than another woman, since they know the best. Don't they?

You can expect to see a lot of new turns and little twists, but don't expect this to be too deep or a life changing experience. Entertaining and funny, but an average movie experience, I would say. And one star goes to the cast, absolutely!

Directed by Ken Kwapis

Written by Abby Kohn, Mark Silverstein
Cast Ben Affleck, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Connelly, Scarlet Johansson, Justin Long, Ginnifer Goodwin, Kevin Connolly, Bradley Cooper

IMDb http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1001508/

Eclipse (Twilight -saga) - book review

Eclipse is the third novel in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight -saga of altogether four books. First novel was filmed in 2008, the second novel New Moon will be released as a movie version in November 2009, and based on the popularity of the series, I would be very surprised if the whole saga was not made into film. Wait for Eclipse in cinemas in 2010?

It is very difficult to review this book without spoiling the story. That's why I won't tell much about it. Eclipse continues directly from New Moon, and focuses more and more on the complicated relationships in the series. It introduces new creatures and monsters, it deepens the original story and the characters familiar to us from the first two books and that way it gives the characters history.

After getting Edward back in New Moon, Bella faces a new problem: her relationship with Jacob has formed into such a deep friendship it is difficult to balance. Especially when some new magic steps in. Bella is also (again) in mortal danger - Victoria is still hunting. And this forces people to form unexpected alliances with each other.

In a way Eclipse is better than the previous novel - the deepening of the character's motives and backgrounds gives things perspective and interesting history to the whole story universe. Also there is more action, cool fights that would be interesting to see on screen.

The weakest point of the saga is in my opinion the central character Bella. Even though the author has mentioned in some review that everything is done the way Bella wants, and that way the story is a feminist story, I just don't see this. I see Bella as a self centered, whining and even stupid girl, who does everything according to other people's will. She seems to be almost totally lacking the ability to logical reasoning and she is being irrational in so many ways. Other characters - especially Jacob in this book - are so much more complicated and interesting. They have souls that are able to think outside the box.

Meyer's way of writing is still holding the reader. Despite the annoyance one may feel towards some events, characters or motives, the events and actions are still described in such a detail that it is easy to picture the steaming hotness of certain things in one's mind. However, she does not give the reader much surprises. All events are hinted so clearly along the way, that once the characters themselves finally figure out the case, the reader has known that already 100 pages before. But somehow it is not what happens, but how it is described to the reader that counts in these books - very often the "how" overrides the "what".

I felt incredibly bad for one of the main characters in the end of the book. And even though I have already spoiled myself with the final novel, I'm still looking forward on reading the story wrap up.

Written by Stephenie Meyer
Year 2007
Pages 640
Amazon.co.uk - order here
Amazon.com - order here
Play.com - order here

New Moon (Twilight -saga) - book review

New Moon is the second book in Stephenie Meyer's vampire romance saga and direct continuation to the story of Twilight.

In New Moon Bella is facing a different problem from being killed by a vampire: aging. Her 18th birthday makes her freak out because then she's officially older than her beloved, always beautiful and 17-year-old Edward (even though in real years he's about 100 years old). Her birthday party becomes a chaos after she gets a bleeding cut in her hand at Cullens' house - a house full of vampires.

This leads to events that cause the whole Cullen family to move away from Forks, and Edward leaves Bella behind. Her world comes tumbling down and she spends months in a deep depression. Finally she starts to recover with the help of Jacob Black who eventually becomes her best friend, but who also has a dark secret to bear.

The writing in New Moon has the same kind of gripping hold of the romance-thirsty reader, but the story does not handle much deeper investigation. I suppose it is the author's own views on life that jump up in the story too much - the glorification of the good vampires and the inclusion of religious views in such a story make me sigh in disbelief. Also I find it difficult to understand that a 18-year-old girl who is officially and legally adult, would be fine with being grounded at home by her father. It does not make any sense to me.

Sex is prominent between the lines but is still not really mentioned in the story. Marriage is mentioned though, and that clearly shows the author's disapproval for pre-marital sex. This does not make any sense in the real world, at least not to a person living in a sexually liberal Nordic country. It just makes me wonder, if this kind of beliefs, which were common in this part of the world many many decades ago, really still are that strong in the US.

Is there then any good in New Moon? Yes, of course there is. It has much more action than Twilight, it has new creatures and monsters, interesting revelations, but the author also digs pretty deeply into the area of depression. It describes thoroughly how the changes in life can cause total chaos in one's mind, making everything meaningless, even survival. Because depression and other forms of mental illness are so common in the world today, I find it good that such things are also discussed in literature targeted to young audiences as it may help also them to deal with the difficult time as a teenager and also with the emotions that may lead to serious depression.

The movie of the novel is set to be released in November this year, and it will directed by Chris Weitz, the director of The Golden Compass. Robert Pattison and Kristen Stewart will be returning to their roles as the lead couple Edward and Bella. It will be interesting to see how the new movie turns out as New Moon will require much more efficient visual effects than Twilight, in which the effects were a bit crappy. Also interpreting Bella's depression will be a difficult task for Stewart.

Written by Stephenie Meyer
Year 2007
Pages 608
Amazon.co.uk - order here
Amazon.com - order here
Play.com - order here

Eye candy for ladies

Often men are criticised for being shallow and getting visual satisfaction of the pretty girls on film. However, based on my experience I suppose men and women are the same in this: both love to watch beautiful people, and get good vibrations of the opposite sex specimens on film they personally consider sexy and attractive.

I do like to watch beautiful women like Angelina Jolie and Keira Knightley, but as a heterosexual female, it's the men that make my heart beat a few times more with their muscular upper body, piercing dark eyes, hairy face and deep voice... Think about Australia - without bearded Hugh Jackman and his shirtless appearance the movie would have been much boring (eye candy-wise)!

I have noticed that a good looking man can make otherwise miserably bad movie watchable, and sometimes I even choose to see a movie just because some of my favourite sex symbols is in it.

Only very few remain as the favourites for many years, but there are a few. I do have a soft spot for tall, dark and handsome men. Johnny Depp and Keanu Reeves have been my guilty pleasures for about 20 years now, and I still melt in front of those beautiful eyes.

Few years ago Colin Farrell made his way to my top of sexiest men. And I just utterly adore his freshly rebel and still somehow shy performances on screen. Being a good looking man, and a great actor is a fantastic combination, and Farrell, Depp, George Clooney with his now already aging charisma and the Mexican heart-melter Gael Garcia Bernal are examples of this.

No matter how much Reeves's acting skills are being criticised, he still draws my attention to his movies. They may not be masterpieces (except for the first Matrix), but they are pleasing to watch because of the chocolate eyed heartthrob.

Sometimes it is not just the looks that count. My heart can beat a few more times also when I hear a sexy voice. This is what happened with Vin Diesel. In my books he was not that great looking, but when I heard him speak for the first time (it was actually in xXx), I changed my mind - his voice made also his looks so damn sexy it took me some time to recover.

It's not always even the voice, but the way of talking. Farrell is a perfect example of this: when he opens his mouth and starts talking, I'm done for. And a brilliant young Scottish actor James McAvoy - I just love to listen to his native accent!

I am aging along with my beautiful stars, and my taste in men has also grown up. I don't think the gray hairs in Clooney's head are at all less sexy. He still has that boyish look in his eyes. 20 years ago I couldn't have thought a gray haired man was sexy!

Even though the men of (around) my own age have appealed to me, I have found it is very cute to see some new rising star, a new young face that has enormous potential on becoming the new "George Clooney".

I did not like the movie Narnia 2 (nor did I like the first one, though), but there was something that caught my eye. A young, fresh and extremely beautiful face of Ben Barnes, whose career I'm definitely going to follow more closely from now on.

Although the dark haired, dark eyed men are the ones that on screen make this blonde drool, I'm not excluding the blondes totally. Brad Pitt was definitely eye candy when I was young (and he was young), but nowadays, oh how masculine that once baby-faced actor now is, when over 40!

And last but not least, the late Heath Ledger... RIP. The brilliant actor just died too young.