Genius Or Lunacy? A Memorable ‘Master’
By Noah Kidron-Style Senior Reporter Youth Journalism International LONDON – Looking down the list of nominees for Academy Awards, I was struck yet again by the incomprehensible absence of Paul Thomas Anderson, and his sensational epic The Master, from tonight’s proceeding. Perhaps it was damaged in the often-conservative eyes of the Academy by Anderson’s unwillingness to tell you what to think about central characters Freddy Quell, played by Joaquin Phoenix, and Lancaster Dodd, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman. Certainty as the credits rolled, it was possible to hear half of the audience muttering that it was the worst film they had ever seen, while the other half elegized that it may well have been the best. For my part, I was divided. Was it genius or lunacy? The Masterfollows veteran Freddy Quell as he tries to … Read entire article »
Filed under: Amy Adams, movie review, Noah Kidron-Style, Paul Thomas Anderson, review, The Master
A Tidal Wave Of Emotion In ‘The Impossible’
By Roohani Deshpande Reporter YouthJournalism International NEW DELHI, India – The Impossible, a movie about the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, is not a typical disaster film. Spanish director Juan Antonio Bayona focusses on the plight of a single family hit by the tsunami to create a simple, beautiful and unforgettable film which is a must-watch for everyone. Starring Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts, who play Henry and Maria respectively, this movie is about a Spanish family, the Belons, who faced the 2004 tsunami and survived to tell their incredible story. The couple and their children are on vacation at a hotel. It’s Christmas Eve and the family is enjoying themselves at a holiday resort, totally unprepared for the unexpected disaster that would change their lives forever. Before they know it, a set of huge tidal waves descend … Read entire article »
Filed under: movie review, Roohani Deshpande, The Impossible
‘Silver Linings’ Is A Journey Of Self-Healing
By Jenny Neufeld Junior Reporter Youth Journalism International MOUNT VERNON, New York, U.S.A. – Who would have thought that the ‘World’s Sexiest Man’ and the winning tribute of The Hunger Games could mold together, with the work of director David O. Russell, in an intense, yet heartwarming, and surprisingly nail-biting, adaption of Matthew Quick’s novel, Silver Linings Playbook? I sure didn’t. As I walked into the theater I sat down in my seat expecting your typical “rom-com,” with the sappy love-story, but a chick flick was far from what I got. Silver Linings Playbook follows the journey of confused and estranged Pat Solitano Jr., played by Bradley Cooper, named last year by People as the sexiest man alive. Recently released from a committed period in a mental facility, Pat must begin his new life away from … Read entire article »
Filed under: Jenny Neufeld, Mount Vernon, movie review, movies, New York, U.S.A.
YJI’s Take On This Year’s Oscar Nominees
Through the past year, a lot of Youth Journalism International students have reviewed movies, some of them nominated for Academy Awards now. Here’s a chance to check out their reviews of some of this year’s lineup of films — just in time for the Oscars. Best Picture: Amour, Argo, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Django Unchained, Les Misérables, Life of Pi, Lincoln, Silver Linings Playbook, Zero Dark Thirty Best Actor in a Leading Role: Bradley Cooper, Daniel Day-Lewis, Hugh … Read entire article »
Filed under: movie review
A Boy, A Boat And A Bengal Tiger
By Myah Guild Reporter YouthJournalism International DUNSTABLE, Bedfordshire, England – The visual masterpiece that is Life of Pi hit our screens at the end of 2012 and has wowed audiences worldwide ever since. Director Ang Lee’s adaptation of the 2001 novel by Yann Martel follows the story of Piscine ‘Pi’ Patel, the son of an Indian zookeeper as he battles to survive as a castaway, with only a Bengal tiger for company. Instantly fascinating is the beauty and clarity of the picture as the story opens in Pondicherry, a French-inspired region of India. This theme continues throughout the story as spectacular scenes of huge diving whales and glowing fish appear in startlingly high definition. Suraj Sharma’s performance as Pi Patel is captivating as he goes through almost every emotion conceivable while drifting endlessly in the Pacific … Read entire article »
Filed under: Life of Pi, movie review, Myah Guild, Oscars, reviews
‘Lincoln’ Deserves A Dozen Academy Awards
By Alan Burkholder Junior Reporter Youth Journalism International BRISTOL, Connecticut, U.S.A. – Let’s see here: Based on a critically-acclaimed historical book? Check. Steven Spielberg sitting in the director’s chair? Check. Daniel Day-Lewis as the lead star? Check. Score by John Williams? You bet your life. Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve got ourselves an Oscar Bait movie that has absolutely no shame in showing it. We know that the movie has been nominated for 12 Academy Awards, including the prestigious “Best Picture,” but how is Lincoln on its own merits? Well, I sat down for two and a half hours plus the obligatory movie previews to find out. The result? I can honestly say that this movie deserves all of the praise it has been getting from critics. The movie’s story follows the exploits of then-President Abraham … Read entire article »
Filed under: Alan Burkholder, Lincoln, movie review, movies
Life Of Pi: Going Beyond The Impossible
By Van Nguyen Junior Reporter Youth Journalism International HANOI, Vietnam – “The reason death sticks so closely to life isn’t biological necessity; it’s envy. Life is so beautiful that death has fallen in love with it, a jealous, possessive love that grabs at what it can.” This conviction is food for thought that the author mentions at the beginning of the soulful, 2002 novel, Life of Pi by Yann Martel. Taking inspiration from Martel’s novel, the original film led many fans to protest because they thought the movie was impossible with such a story montage. However, director Ang Lee has done an excellent job; not only does Life of Pi successfully convey a humanitarian message, but it also urges all viewers to cling to their hopes even in seemingly insurmountable situations. The plot of Life of … Read entire article »
Filed under: Hanoi, Life of Pi, movie review, Van Nguyen, Vietnam
Filmmaker Tarantino’s Fictional ‘Django Unchained’ Lives Up To His Legacy
By Wiam Mostefai Junior Reporter Youth Journalism International ENFIELD, North London, England – Director Quentin Tarantino returned to the film industry with Django Unchained after a three-year absence. Since his last offering was the 2009 Inglourious Basterds, I wondered if his new movie, staring Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz and Leonardo DiCaprio, would be as good as the 1966 Western Django, directed by Sergio Corbucci. I must admit when I first saw the trailer for Django Unchained, I thought, “What a boring waste of money,” yet now after watching the film – which turned out to be one of the most dramatic and interesting films I’ve seen – I stand corrected. The plot is about a German bounty hunter named Dr. King Shultz who searches for Django Freeman, a slave. Dr. Shultz is searching for three brothers … Read entire article »
Filed under: Enfield, England, movie review, North London, Wiam Mostefai
Fantastical "Beasts Of The Southern Wild" Offers Vulnerability And Exhilaration
By Noah Kidron-Style Senior Reporter Youth Journalism International LONDON, England – Director Benh Zeitlin’s hallucinogenic Beasts of the Southern Wild may well be the most exiting cinematic debut, if not the outright best film, of the year. Drawing inspiration from Hurricane Katrina – but with a resonance far beyond the admittedly effective emotional manipulation of the tsunami survival film The Impossible, Beasts of the Southern Wild is set in a fictional Louisiana bayou called The Bathtub, which lies below a levee in a perennial floodplain. The film tells the story, through the eyes of six-year old Hushpuppy, played by Quvenzhane Wallis, of the small ramshackle community that lives in The Bathtub as they prepare to face a storm that threatens their existence. As Hushpuppy struggles to comprehend her increasingly confusing world, the film oscillates between a galling depiction of … Read entire article »
Filed under: Beasts of the Southern Wild, England, London, movie review, movies, Noah Kidron-Style
If Justice Is Done, ‘Les Mis’ Will Win Oscars
By Myah Guild Reporter Youth Journalism International DUNSTABLE, Bedfordshire, England – Director Tom Hooper’s long-awaited adaptation of the consistently acclaimed novel and musical Les Misérables finally hit UK screens on January 11 and surely set the bar high for 2013 in film. Everything from the cinematography to the world-famous score was done in epic style. Following the life of convict Jean Valjean, played by Hugh Jackman, Les Misérables is a story of change and time as well as social injustice and revolution. Jackman’s portrayal of the felon pursued by Russell Crowe’s relentless Javert is simply outstanding and whilst Crowe’s singing is considerably weaker than his counterparts, his ability to convey the cruelty and complexity of Javert is a good distraction. Hooper’s decision to shoot the singing live paid off enormously as the emotion of the songs resounded … Read entire article »
Filed under: Bedfordshire, Dunstable, England, Les Miserables, movie review, movies, Myah Guild, Oscars
Do You Hear The People Sing? You Sure Will In French Revolution Tale, Les Misérables
Official movie poster By Tasman Anderson Reporter Youth Journalism International BRISBANE, Australia –It’s not a common occurrence for a film to feature more singing than dialogue. However, Director Tom Hooper’s musical, Les Misérables not only achieves this, but goes one step further by having no more than a dozen words uttered throughout the entire two and a half hour film. Before seeing the movie, I had no idea what Les Misérables was about or even that it was a novel and extremely successful theater production. I went into the cinema with no idea that it was even a musical so you can imagine my surprise when a rough and sagged Hugh Jackman started singing the second he appeared, holding onto heavy ropes and covered in dirt! However, it soon dawned on me that it wasn’t just … Read entire article »
Filed under: Australia, Brisbane, Les Miserables, movie review, movies, Tasman Anderson
Lessons From Les Miserables: Tearjerker Teaches About Grace And The Law
Official movie poster By Evangeline Han Reporter Youth Journalism International MELAKA, Malaysia – Before going to watch Les Misérables, I logged into Wikipedia to read the movie’s plot. My Facebook friends had been posting about the movie and some even mentioned the touching aspect of it. After reading the plot, I was bewildered. How could they cry while watching the movie when two of the main characters had their happy ending because of their marriage? After all, how touching could battle scenes be? Little did I know! Les Misérables starts with prisoners working on ropes to pull in a large ship in the downpour. As they file back to prison after completing their job, the prison guard, Javert, played by Russell Crowe, stops one man, Jean Valjean, played by Hugh Jackman, and tells him that he … Read entire article »
Filed under: Evangeline Han, Les Miserables, Malaysia, Melaka, movie review, movies
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