Stoker

100 Movies in 100 Days
Movie 38 Day 38
Stoker

I was looking for something unique to watch today. So often I see so many mainstream movies but it's refreshing to find something a little bit odd and more independent. I had heard about the movie Stoker in the past. I knew it starred Nicole Kidman as the mother, Mia Wasikowska as India and Matthew Goode as Uncle Charlie. The trailers always seemed a bit odd, like you weren't really sure if it was a thriller, independent or creepy. It's a little bit of everything! I must say that if you have the patience, this movie is absolutely stunning and terrifyingly creepy.

Stoker starts off with India's father passing away on her birthday. From there the story develops as a long-lost uncle appears out of nowhere and begins to assist her mother after her father's death. Now India is a very unique girl. She doesn't like to be touched, she has heightened sensory. She can hear things and see things that go unnoticed by most people. She's very socially awkward but incredibly brilliant. And her uncle Charlie seems to have a connection with her but you aren't exactly sure why that is. Members of the family seem shocked that Charlie is back after claiming he's been in Europe all these years. You know there's something sinister under the surface but you're not exactly sure what it is. I don't want to spoil the movie for you because it has so many creepy twists and turns. Stoker leaves you guessing until the screen fades to black and the credits roll.

The film making in this movie is breathtaking. Director Park Chan-wook uses to sound and sight to give another layer of depth and intimacy. You feel like you're watching something you're not supposed to see. He also has a beautiful artistic eye, the whole movie is inter laid with greens and Earth Tones that represent India and her emotions. Even Mia wears green contacts to give India an  interesting look to match Uncle Charlie's eyes. The cinematography was so on point you feel like you're looking at a painting. Every detail, every bird wing flapping, every creak the floorboards is so intimate and invasive. It's absolutely eerie and wonderful.

The acting by the cast is something to be praised. Nicole Kidman plays a brilliantly washed up, former debutante. She is struggling with the loss of her husband but she's clearly the type of woman who is always needed a man in her life. For the first time she has to evaluate herself and it's not a pretty picture.  Mia as India is phenomenal, she is so wise beyond her years. She's conflicted and deep but incredibly damaged but you're not exactly sure why. It's incredibly fascinating to watch her develop this character. Then of course there's Matthew Goode who is charming and delightful but there's some type of evil cynicism buried underneath the surface. I don't know how he can become dark and twisted but likable. I think he's incredibly underrated, he's so talented and can play charming, sweet, kind and sexy but terrifying and sinister.

If you have an opportunity and you are looking for a movie that's a little bit odd I highly recommend taking a look at Stoker

Agatha Christie's Ordeal by Innocence

100 Movies in 100 Days
Movie 36 Day 36
Agatha Christie's Ordeal By Innocence

I love when a new movie pops up on Amazon Prime. As you are well aware, I'm a very big fan of British Cinema. I'm also a big admirer of the British mini-series as well. Today I stumbled across Agatha Christie's Ordeal by Innocence. What an amazing movie! I've heard of a few of Agatha Christie stories but I've never been a huge follower follower of hers. What drew me to this one was I really enjoyed the cast. It's stars Morven Christie, Anthony Boyle, Christian Cooke, Bill Nighy, Matthew Goode, Luke Treadaway, Anna Chancellor, Crystal Clark, Ella Purnell, and Eleanor Thomlinson.

Ordeal by Innocence is about an adoptive mother who was murdered and one of her adopted children is accused. Before he can be brought to trial, he is murdered in prison. 18 months later the family has joined together, as the father is going to remarry but the truth about mother's death starts to come out. And unexpected stranger shows up claiming to be The Alibi of the son who is accused of killing the mother. From there the story unfolds into a who did it, are they telling the truth, is The Alibi legit, and which among them is capable of murder?

The casting for this movie was absolute perfection. Morven Christie plays the down-on-her-luck maid that knows so many family secrets but never speaks up. She really is the heart and conscience of the entire movie. The way she observed the children and knew all the secrets but could never tell them. Matthew Goode is, once again, terrifying! Matthew Goode plays Phillip, the wheelchair ridden, morphine addict husband of one of the daughters and he is absolutely horrific. He loves to meddle, create problems and cause drama. He's absolutely brilliant at it. More than once I found myself cringing at the sight of him. The best part is, he the only character that couldn't have killed the mother!  He is the one that you were scared of the most just because of his mannerisms. The other standout performance is Anna Chancellor who plays Rachel, the mother. She goes between stern and cold. It's absolutely baffling to watch.

I know Agatha Christie wrote a long time ago but I must say her stories still resonate with people today. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I had no idea who the killer was. I kept guessing and I did not guess the correct answer until the very end. The whole film had this dynamic and sinister feel to it. There was a deeply talented cast that brilliantly portrayed the overwhelming sense of dread. We see the mother is horrible to these adopted children. She was merciless and any one of them could have killed her. The whole time you're just trying to figure out who it might be. The ending is phenomenal! I will not spoil the ending but I literally gasped out loud. Fantastic film that you really should watch if you get a chance. It's only 3 episodes and they're absolutely brilliant.

Leap Year

100 Movies in 100 Days
Movie 35 Day 35
Leap Year

Happy Saint Patrick's day everyone! It seems like a perfect day to reflect on an Irish film. I wasn't sure which one I should choose. I don't know many Irish movies except for slightly depressing ones. I decided I would go with a delightful romantic comedy called Leap Year.

Leap Year stars Amy Adams as Anna, an uptight house Stager who desperately wants to get married to her boyfriend Jeremy, played by Adam Scott. Anna and Jeremy go out to dinner where Anna hopes for a proposal but instead is surprised with a pair of diamond earrings. Obviously, she is incredibly disappointed by this. Here is a tip for my male readers. Don't ever present a girl a pair of earrings in a wedding ring shaped box. It's not nice! Moving on! Anna decides to take matters into her own hands. tYhere is an Irish tradition, a woman can propose to a man on the 29th of February during the leap year. Jeremy is at a conference in Dublin and Anna decides to surprise him. She goes to Dublin with the intent of proposing to Jeremy.

As in many romantic comedies, things do not go according to plan. Anna's flight is rerouted and she has to find her own way to Dublin. At her first stop she meets the charming Declan, played by the beautiful Matthew Goode. Declan is the owner of a bed and breakfast Pub and is in desperate need of money. He offers to drive Anna to Dublin for five hundred pounds. Right from the start you can tell these two are going to clash but the clashing is what makes them so adorably endearing. With all romantic comedies there are ups and downs with the couple. It takes time for them to realize they like each other, then they hate each other, then maybe they like each other again. Who knows how it's going to go!

Leap Year is charming and very fun but I will say it had some slight pacing issues. Sometimes it was hard to get into the story and it was not for a lack of charm from the actors. Amy Adams is adorable and so charismatic in this film and Matthew Goode is equally witty and sexy. The two have pretty decent chemistry but they're bickering so much through the movie that you really don't get to see their potential. I almost wish the film focused on them more as a couple instead of bickering/fighting. I get that they wanted it to be a dynamic ending but it it just didn't feel right. The film is filled with awkward spots that don't flow very well. I don't know if it was from misdirection or poor editing but the film it needed a little something extra.

One thing I will say for this film is it had beautiful locations. The film is shot throughout the Irish Countryside and it is absolutely breathtaking. We see green cliffs, rolling hills, dark moors and ancient castles. It's absolutely stunning. It makes anyone watching want to go to Ireland. I was more excited to see where they were going to be filming next as opposed to the actual drama of the film. The locations add a deeper layer to this movie. How could you not fall in love driving across an Irish Countryside? I have no idea! I would be head-over-heels but it is Matthew Goode, who I am secretly crushing on.

This beautiful Saint Patrick's Day, if you're looking for something fun maybe take a peek at Leap Year. It's not the best romantic comedy I've ever seen, it's not the worst romantic comedy I've ever seen. Watch it for the Irish Countryside, for the beautiful Amy Adams and for the handsome Matthew Goode.

A Discovery of Witches

100 Movies in 100 Days
Movie 33 Day 33
A Discovery of Witches

So as I said I've been wanting to mix things up a little bit and I've been watching a lot more television series. I love magical shows, books and movies. I've read all of the Mortal Instruments stories, I've read all the Twilight books (Don't judge me!) I've seen all of the magical movies from the Labyrinth to The Craft to Practical Magic and so many more. I love a good witch, vampire, daemon, werewolf story. So when I heard about A Discovery of Witches I was intrigued. Until this point, I have never read the books. To be honest, I went out and got the book as soon as I finished season 1. Moving on, before the show, I never even heard of the books. I followed Teresa Palmer, who plays Diana in the show, on Instagram. She posted about filming the show and I loved the cast. I've seen Matthew Goode in a few different things from Downton Abbey, Chasing Liberty, Leap Year and The Crown. I was mostly intrigued by the elements magic in A Discovery of Witches. I always wanted to be a witch when I was little. I was very disappointed when I found out I couldn't be a real witch. I blame years of Harry Potter! Let's take a short look at A Discovery of Witches.

A Discovery of Witches takes place in 2018. It is about a historian and witch named Diana Bishop, played by Teresa Palmer. One day while doing research at Oxford University, she finds a book hidden in the classical section of the library. When she opens the book weird event start to occur. Magic words start coming off of pages. The book is otherworldly, covered in magic and not only do the witches feel the power but vampires and daemons as well. Diana's experience with this book drew a lot of attention and the most attention is by a vampire named Matthew, played by Matthew Goode. All of the magical creatures are attracted to this book, which Diana has returned and is now nowhere to be found. Diana becomes a person of interest to all creatures. Matthew becomes completely fascinated and infatuated with Diana and her abilities. Let me tell you, the chemistry between Palmer and Goode is completely electric. Gives me total chills!

What's the big deal, it's just another witch story! Yes, it's a witch story but it has fantastic layers of History woven within each scene. It is clearly seen the author of the book series is a historian. Plus, what's not to love about forbidden romance? Obviously, Matthew is attracted to Diana. He's intrigued by Diana magical potential.  He's interested in her because something is off with Diana's magic. Her magic is untamed, unchecked and unbalanced. Who wouldn't love the idea of magic appearing whenever you need it or sensing danger whenever it's near? I think that is what draws the viewer in. We all imagine ourselves as a witch, vampire, or daemon. We humans are attracted to the unknown and the darkness. A Discovery of Witches allows you to tap into that part of your imagination. It's a fun escape for the boring Human world.

This show does not shy away from strong female characters. It's wonderful to see Diana as a smart academic but also a powerful witch. A Discovery of Witches is about women empowerment across all species. The female vampires are wise matriarchs of their families.  Female witches are powerful and can save themselves. Diana doesn't need Matthew's help to survive, she can survive on her own and it's brilliant to see. There is a great contrast where maybe the witch can save the vampire. A Discovery of Witches is not afraid to challenge societal norms. It's uplifting to see Diana was raised by two women, her aunt Sarah and partner Emily. Both women are strong capable witches. The fact they are lesbians is never mentioned. It doesn't matter who you love, it's the power of the love. Yes, I know that's so girlie and cheesy but I'm a secret romantic. Shhhh, don't tell anyone.

My only criticism of the some are the side stories. There are a few smaller stories happening in the background and they pull focus from the main characters. There is this whole plot line about an ancient council with Daemons, Vampires, and Witches. I found myself a little bit bored with that plot line. I'm sure it will be important in later seasons but I kept thinking, get back to Diana and Matthew now. Oh well, it is still a strong show!

I could write so much more on this show. I could write and entire thesis paper on it very easily but that's not why you are here. You, my dear reader are here to get a taste for something new. I highly recommend finding and watching A Discovery of Witches. Be warned, it's massively addictive.

Chasing Liberty

100 Movies in 100 Days
Movie 32 Day 32
Chasing Liberty

Sometimes you need a little blast from the past. I was feeling a little nostalgic and in need of some 2004 influence. I was looking on Hulu and realized I have never watched the movie Chasing Liberty. The movie stars Mandy Moore, Matthew Goode and Mark Harmon. I thought this movie looks kind of cute, it's from 2004! It seemed like a good day to take a peek and see what Chasing Liberty had to offer. I was pleasantly surprised to find that chasing Liberty is so nostalgic of my senior year in high school. I remember wearing the bell-bottoms, having the short dark choppy hair, short crop tops and all the glitter and bling that went along with the year 2004. Chasing Liberty was a fun little experimentation.

Chasing Liberty is the story of Mandy Moore playing Anna, she is the first daughter to the president of the United States. Jokingly the president is played by Mark Harmon and he does a beautiful job of playing the stern, yet funny president. Anna decides she wants to have a weekend to herself, away from the Secret Service and her parents prying eyes. She sneaks away from the Secret Service in Prague and meets Ben, who she thinks is just a friend. Ben actually ends up being a Secret Service agent who is supposed to be guarding the first daughter without her knowledge. That charming man is of course played by the beautiful Matthew Goode.

What makes Chasing Liberty so gosh darn charming? Honestly it's all about young, naive love. It reminded me of my first crush and how your whole world revolved around being young. The adult in me watches the film and is yelling at the characters. You don't know them? Be safe, where is your passport...ect ect ect. Chasing Liberty reminds viewers of wanting to backpack through Europe during those college years. This movie will definitely make you want to travel to Venice, Prague, Austria and all over Europe. I think that was my favorite part about the entire movie, watching Mandy Moore and Matthew Goode run along the streets of Venice.  It was a fun rom-com with a lot of jumps and bumps along the way.

Was this a good movie? It wasn't a bad movie, it definitely wasn't the best rom-com I've ever seen but it was charming. Matthew Goode stands out for his brilliant performance, he makes Ben seem kind instead of a lying creep. One odd thing I did notice was during some points of the movie it feels like a made-for-tv movie. There are large breaks in between scenes where the screen just goes to black. The break between scenes felt like a dramatic, hold for commercial moment. It was very distracting and didn't help the pacing of the film at all.

Again the real highlight of the movie is the locations. It really reminds its viewer to travel and exploring new cultures. That being said it also reminds you of the dangers of travel and remind you that you have to watch out. It was still a fun little hour and a half's adventure. If you have a spare moment, check it out but again it's not on my must-see list but it was still fun to watch