Love Comes Softly

There is a category of films that calls ‘chick flick’. These films are notable for the fact the men viewing them have the risk of dying of boredom. “Love Comes Softly” is one of such movies.

The plot is ordinary, predictable and hackneyed. The pregnant damsel, who lost her husband, marries again, but this time it’s a marriage of convenience. They agreed to live together until the spring, both of them have their own interests and only the time will show what the spring will bring.

I’m not a big fan of Katherin Heigl, but in this movie she is right at home, probably Heigl is good at acting of good-for-noting girls. I cannot not to mention acting of the little devil (Skye McCole Bartusiak), the step-daughter of the main heroine. For the girl of her age Skye was incredible.

I can’t say the movie teaches us something or make us think about exalted things, but if you are lonely or just emotional female being, you’ll probably like it and even will have some moments to cry.

In summery, with clear conscience I give 5/10 to “Love Comes Softly”.

If I Stay

Do you believe that love can make you sacrifice everything? It held you even when you think your life is over and there is nothing left.

The main heroine finds herself in an awful situation. In one fell swoop she lost all her family. Later, she discovers that she is stuck in between and has to choose. Stay or go.  The choice is hard to make because she knows her life will never be the same. There will be a lot of pain. And, of course, she has a boyfriend who is trying to make her stay, to persuade her.

This story teaches us a great deal about how short and unpredictable life is, that we should value every moment.

It is an adaptation of Gayle Forman’s amazing book which I liked from the first chapter. I didn’t expect much from this movie but it turns out not so bad.  I didn’t like the acting of main heroes. I was imagining Mia not so shy and awkward.  But on the whole I liked this movie. I give it 6 out of 10.

Maniac

I’m a fan of horrors, thrillers and the same genres, but this movie really scares me with its candid brutality. No wonder the film was banned to show in many countries. It can be easily attributed to the category 18+.

Reminds me of well-filmed porn with the bloody and sadistic scenes, although gleams of light exist, namely, hints at maniac’s love (slightly distorted and strange, but still love).

The funny thing is that the protagonist is played by none other, but Elijah Wood. I don’t know how about you, but I remembered him as sweet and kind hobbit Frodo bravely fighting with evil. His face looks too cute and childish for a maniac, and those big puppy eyes don’t cause much fear, but pathetic.

Yes, he’s certainly loony whose eyes we see everything that happens on the screen. Honestly, maniac, at the same time a restorer of mannequins and living among them (already this thing can make you crazy) and he isn’t really afraid of being seen, isn’t  careful, he is ruled by the obsessions and thoughts.

Special thanks to the musical accompaniment. It makes the movie even more creepy that it is.

To summarize, I want to say, to watch or nor — it’s your choice, but I give 6/10 to this ‘masterpiece’.

Stuck in Love

What do you expect from a melodrama? Let’s be honest, usually we watch them because they are great tearjerkers. There are almost always a happy ending and in that moment most of us burst into tears.

This one is not so much different, but it doesn’t make this film bad. So, famous writer Bill Borgens is trying to get through hard period in his life. His wife Erica left him for a younger man. He is spying on her and her new life. He hasn’t written a word since their divorce and they have been apart for three years. He has a strange habit setting a place for her at the Thanksgiving table but she never comes.

Their children are also going through some difficulties. Samantha is in college trying to become a writer. She hates her mom because she left and cheated on her dad. Rusty fell in love with a girl who has a huge baggage of her own problems. But everything changes one year, on Thanksgiving, when Sam comes home with news that her book has been published. Family reconnects while dealing with problems.

“Stuck in love” is a great example of modern family life with its ups and downs. I like this film so much. The acting was perfect; all characters were live and vivid. If you don’t believe me just watch it yourself, and I guarantee you’ll like it. 

The Truman Show

Imagine that the world around you is just an illusion, favorite things and places are the scenery, your closest are just good matched actors, perfectly fulfilling their roles. Sounds like a nightmare, doesn’t it?

Such is the life of 30 year-old insurance agent Truman Burbank, who lives in a puppet town Seeheaven. Literally from Truman’s birth a lot of cameras are constantly following him, imprinting his every single move, and the recording is broadcasted worldwide, but Truman (by the way, performed by Jim Carrey) didn’t realize that it's all a show, and he’s the main star in it.

A hint at what is going on to him gives his failed love Lauren / Sylvia. She utters the phrase: «Everything – it’s a lie, deception and full bullshit, and we're all playing our roles!».

In other words, after Shakespeare, the hero of «The Truman Show» finding in the end that the whole reality around him was really made-up, could repeat the famous phrase: «All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women, meerely players». Although bearing in mind the given fact that the series meets all the canons of a soap opera, it can be paraphrase without hesitations: «All the world’s a show, and all the men and women, meerely marionettes».

Watching this masterpiece, I began to feel a mild paranoia. The thought that you can be the second «Truman Burbank» got the wind-up!

In my opinion tough irony (uncovered cynicism of all the film crew) and a personal drama in the life of the protagonist (miserable person just wanting to know the truth) are masterfully interwoven with each other.

I’m not considered to be a big fan of Jim Carrey, but in this film for the first he shows that he is able to play profound roles, full of tragedy and doom.