“Trainspotting” is the title of an exciting British film about British youth which is based on Irvine Welsh’s novel about heroin junkies in the Edinburgh underworld. The film is a tragic-comedy which was released on July 19th,1996 and was directed by Danny Boyle who has also directed “Shallow Grave”, “The Beach” or “A Life Less Ordinary” among others. The main characters are Ewan McGregor (Mark Renton), Ewen Bremmer (Spud), Jonny Lee Miller (Sick Boy), Kewin McKidd (Tommy), Robert Carlyle (Begbie) and Kelly McDonald (Diane).
“Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose your future. But why would anyone want to do a thing like that? I choose not to choose life. I choose something else. And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you’ve got heroine?” This is the story of Mark Renton and his so-called friends a bunch of losers, liars, psychos, thieves and junkies. The film charts the disintegration of their friendship as they proceed seemingly towards self-destruction. Mark alone has the insight and opportunity to escape his fate, but then again does he really want to “choose life”?
From my point of view, there are some good monologues, some interesting camera angles, a comic scene in the worst toilet of Scotland, a hilarious job interview scene and some truly shocking moments, apart from sex, nudity and some violence. Besides, the film has a strong language apart from slang and the Scottish accents which make it a bit difficult to understand. In addition, the stellar sound track shouldn’t be missed, provided by the best of British bands and in which is played alternative rock, Britpop and electro music.
In my opinion, this is a good film alternately comical and dark, with a mixture of the ironic and the serious and which ultimately comes down to Renton’s choice between self-destruction and life.
All in all, I’ve found this film quite enjoyable, gripping and hilarious, in spite of the fact that is a bit harrowing in some scenes. Therefore, I’d recommend it.
Thursday, 26 April 2007
Tuesday, 17 April 2007
REVIEW ANGELS & DEMONS
Angels & Demons was writen by Dan Brown, the famous author of The Da Vinci Code. I started to read this novel because I really enjoyed reading the Da Vinci Code and I think they are very similar because in both are mixed adventures and religion.
This novel was published in 2000 and in which Dan Brown first created the character of Robert Langdon and indulged his passion for art, symbology, codes, secret societies and religion. Alter that this character will appear in two novels more.
The novel begins with a phone call in the middle of the night from Maximilian Kohler to Robert Langdon. The first one is the director of CERN, the world’s largest scientific research facility in Geneva, Switzerland, and the second one is a profesor of religious iconology and art history at Harvard University. Like one of the physicists has been murdered with his chest branded with the word “Illuminati”, he decided to call to Robert to ask to help, because the Illumiati are an ancient secret society.
The murder victim is Leonardo Vetra, he’s a Catholic priest and he has adopted a daughter, Vittoria, who is also a scientist at CERN. Both are working in create the antimatter using the world’s largest particle accelerator and then suspend the antimatter in canisters. Leonardo created this to simulate the Bin Bang, in his mind he could proof that God exists. But the problem is that the murderer stole also the canister and it can explode. Inmediately tha canister is located in Vatican City and Langdon and Vittoria fly to Rome to help not to destroy the Vatican.
In addition to this problem in Rome is celebrating the Conclave to choose the new Pope and the Illuminati only wish the destruction of the Catholic Church in retribution for the church’s treatment over the centuries.
Langdon and Vittoria start a race against the time. They will have to resolve ancient mysteries to find clues, this will lead them through deserted cathedrals, ancient fountains, sealed crypts, forgotten passages and dangerous catacombs, which requires an extensive background in art history and religious symbology.
From my point of view, I recommend this book because it’a very exciting and absorbing novel plenty of mysteries to resolve and a real-time adventure, above all if you are interested in art history. I think you will have a wonderful time if you decide to read this book.
Patricia García García.
Angels & Demons was writen by Dan Brown, the famous author of The Da Vinci Code. I started to read this novel because I really enjoyed reading the Da Vinci Code and I think they are very similar because in both are mixed adventures and religion.
This novel was published in 2000 and in which Dan Brown first created the character of Robert Langdon and indulged his passion for art, symbology, codes, secret societies and religion. Alter that this character will appear in two novels more.
The novel begins with a phone call in the middle of the night from Maximilian Kohler to Robert Langdon. The first one is the director of CERN, the world’s largest scientific research facility in Geneva, Switzerland, and the second one is a profesor of religious iconology and art history at Harvard University. Like one of the physicists has been murdered with his chest branded with the word “Illuminati”, he decided to call to Robert to ask to help, because the Illumiati are an ancient secret society.
The murder victim is Leonardo Vetra, he’s a Catholic priest and he has adopted a daughter, Vittoria, who is also a scientist at CERN. Both are working in create the antimatter using the world’s largest particle accelerator and then suspend the antimatter in canisters. Leonardo created this to simulate the Bin Bang, in his mind he could proof that God exists. But the problem is that the murderer stole also the canister and it can explode. Inmediately tha canister is located in Vatican City and Langdon and Vittoria fly to Rome to help not to destroy the Vatican.
In addition to this problem in Rome is celebrating the Conclave to choose the new Pope and the Illuminati only wish the destruction of the Catholic Church in retribution for the church’s treatment over the centuries.
Langdon and Vittoria start a race against the time. They will have to resolve ancient mysteries to find clues, this will lead them through deserted cathedrals, ancient fountains, sealed crypts, forgotten passages and dangerous catacombs, which requires an extensive background in art history and religious symbology.
From my point of view, I recommend this book because it’a very exciting and absorbing novel plenty of mysteries to resolve and a real-time adventure, above all if you are interested in art history. I think you will have a wonderful time if you decide to read this book.
Patricia García García.
Thursday, 12 April 2007
Nemo final
Film Title: Finding Nemo
Country/ Year: USA, 2003
Genre: Adventure, animation, comedy
Director: Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich
Writing Credits: Bob Peterson, Andrew Stanton, David Reynolds
Cast: Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould, Willem Dafoe, Barry Humphries, Eric Bana
Are you able to remember what your feelings were after watching a Walt Disney wonderful story? Childhood is a period of time when our dreams become true and our main character Nemo proves that. Through this story many of us will submerge into magic world where sadness, happiness, and comedy mix each other up. At the bottom of the movie when both Nemo and his father find each other there’s a scene that persuades everyone:
Dad: Nemo is alive!
Nemo: Daddy!
Dad: Thank Godness!!
Nemo: I was so scared!
Dad: It’s all right son. Everything is gonna be ok.
The story begins when Nemo’s fretful father and his mother are attacked by a violent shark. The only survivors are Marlin ( Nemo’s father) and an the egg which Nemo would be born from. Afterwards Marlin is really worried about his son security far away from reef. During Nemo’s first school day, and desiring to show what he is capable to do, Nemo is kidnapped by a diver while he was swimming alone in the ocean. He is taken to a tank in a Sydney dentist. There he meets all kind of peculiar fishes. We can emphasize his friend Gill who is a friendly fish who dream of escaping to the ocean. Meanwhile, Marlin bumps into a blue tang named Dory and sets out to save his son wherever he was. For this objective he tells everyone he pass about his little Nemo’s missing, and this express information spreads quickly between the whole sea animals.
Then, after several Nemo’s abortive scaping plans and a Marlin big effort in order to get the dentists it is imposible to go away from this macabre tank.
When there is no hope for both child and father, and Nemo is going to be given as a present to a mischievous child, tank friends help him in order fall in a pipe which takes him to the sea.
When Nemo comes back to the ocean he finds his father and both rescue Dory who is being taken by fisherman’s nets. Afterwards they live together, Nemo and his daddy, and all of them are happy forever.
There is beauty and brilliance in every frame.Visually, the aquatic adventure is as wonderful as its predecessors of Pixar ( Toy Story and Monsters, Inc.). The vibrant undersea world and its colourful array of wildlife is dazzling us from the beginning until the end.
Another aspect that we have to emphasize are the animations which get their objective of simulating this magic atmosphere. The dialogues by many different good actors archive their purpose of being easy to understand but moving at the same time. The type of language which is used is American English.
From my point of view the best section of the film is the plot because it is capable to tell us a simple story by communicating us many different feelings. This aspect is acompanied with the soundtrack with it’s impressive sound effects and the visual part which is quite good.
On the other hand this film is really better for a young audience but it is also advisable for not-so-young people. I’m sure that each adult who watched any Disney film in his childhood is gonna feel this kind children’s emotions.
To sum up I can say that this wonderful history attracts our attention from the beginning and its comedy and adventurous accent make everything special.
By Rubén Tena
Country/ Year: USA, 2003
Genre: Adventure, animation, comedy
Director: Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich
Writing Credits: Bob Peterson, Andrew Stanton, David Reynolds
Cast: Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould, Willem Dafoe, Barry Humphries, Eric Bana
Are you able to remember what your feelings were after watching a Walt Disney wonderful story? Childhood is a period of time when our dreams become true and our main character Nemo proves that. Through this story many of us will submerge into magic world where sadness, happiness, and comedy mix each other up. At the bottom of the movie when both Nemo and his father find each other there’s a scene that persuades everyone:
Dad: Nemo is alive!
Nemo: Daddy!
Dad: Thank Godness!!
Nemo: I was so scared!
Dad: It’s all right son. Everything is gonna be ok.
The story begins when Nemo’s fretful father and his mother are attacked by a violent shark. The only survivors are Marlin ( Nemo’s father) and an the egg which Nemo would be born from. Afterwards Marlin is really worried about his son security far away from reef. During Nemo’s first school day, and desiring to show what he is capable to do, Nemo is kidnapped by a diver while he was swimming alone in the ocean. He is taken to a tank in a Sydney dentist. There he meets all kind of peculiar fishes. We can emphasize his friend Gill who is a friendly fish who dream of escaping to the ocean. Meanwhile, Marlin bumps into a blue tang named Dory and sets out to save his son wherever he was. For this objective he tells everyone he pass about his little Nemo’s missing, and this express information spreads quickly between the whole sea animals.
Then, after several Nemo’s abortive scaping plans and a Marlin big effort in order to get the dentists it is imposible to go away from this macabre tank.
When there is no hope for both child and father, and Nemo is going to be given as a present to a mischievous child, tank friends help him in order fall in a pipe which takes him to the sea.
When Nemo comes back to the ocean he finds his father and both rescue Dory who is being taken by fisherman’s nets. Afterwards they live together, Nemo and his daddy, and all of them are happy forever.
There is beauty and brilliance in every frame.Visually, the aquatic adventure is as wonderful as its predecessors of Pixar ( Toy Story and Monsters, Inc.). The vibrant undersea world and its colourful array of wildlife is dazzling us from the beginning until the end.
Another aspect that we have to emphasize are the animations which get their objective of simulating this magic atmosphere. The dialogues by many different good actors archive their purpose of being easy to understand but moving at the same time. The type of language which is used is American English.
From my point of view the best section of the film is the plot because it is capable to tell us a simple story by communicating us many different feelings. This aspect is acompanied with the soundtrack with it’s impressive sound effects and the visual part which is quite good.
On the other hand this film is really better for a young audience but it is also advisable for not-so-young people. I’m sure that each adult who watched any Disney film in his childhood is gonna feel this kind children’s emotions.
To sum up I can say that this wonderful history attracts our attention from the beginning and its comedy and adventurous accent make everything special.
By Rubén Tena
Tuesday, 3 April 2007
A PASSAGE TO INDIA BOOK REVIEW
“A Passage to India” is a classic novel written by E.M.Forsters and published in 1924 and which is composed of three parts, MOSQUE, CAVES and TEMPLE in 306 pages and set in the fictional city of Chadrapore in India, which at the time was a colonial possession of Britain. This is a compelling tale about the relations between British and Indian people in that country. It’s also about the necessity of friendship and about the difficulty of establishing friendship across cultural boundaries. Forster’s narrative centres on Dr Aziz, a Muslim Indian who works as an intern at the English hospital whose attempt to establish friendships with several British characters has disastrous consequences. The other main characters are, Mrs Moore, mother of Ronny Healsop, visiting Chadrapore to oversee her son’s engagement. Ronny Healsop, the English Magistrate of Chandrapore. Cyril Fielding, English principal of the Chandrapore high school, middle aged and unmarried. Adela Quested, a young woman visiting India to possibly marry Ronny Healsop. Hamidullah, a Cambridge-educated barrister, he serves as Aziz’s best friend. Mr Turton, the English city collector of Chadrapore and Professor Narayan Godbole, an elderly Brahman.
Adela Quested has come to India to meet her possible future husband, Ronny Healsop. Mrs Moore has also accompanied her, being Ronny’s mother. When they arrive they’re ardent to see the “real” India and are therefore enthusiastic to take up Aziz’s invitation to visit the Marabar Caves. However, due to a hallucination or another person Adela is “insulted” in one of the caves and makes her accusation against Aziz, consequently he’s arrested and Mr Fielding helps to defend Aziz. During the trial, the charges are dropped by Mss Quested, but the gulf between the British and native Indians grows wider than ever and Fielding comes to the aid of Adela. Because of this, Fielding’s friendship with Aziz has deteriorated and Fielding hopes that the two can remain friends. The novel ends on an ambiguous note. “Why can’t we be friends now?” he says at the end. “It’s what I want.” But India answers: “No, not yet” and the sky says, “No, not there”.
Overall, the vocabulary used in the book is quite formal and simple. Likewise, it has an easy reading because the sentences follow the normal order of English and the majority of the words are concrete. Although, there are also some Anglo-Indian colloquial words and it’s saturated with prejudiced and racist comments.
In conclusion, I could get into this wonderful book because is brilliant, absorbing and gripping. Therefore, I’ve enjoyed reading it and I truly recommend it.
Jose Javier Flors
“A Passage to India” is a classic novel written by E.M.Forsters and published in 1924 and which is composed of three parts, MOSQUE, CAVES and TEMPLE in 306 pages and set in the fictional city of Chadrapore in India, which at the time was a colonial possession of Britain. This is a compelling tale about the relations between British and Indian people in that country. It’s also about the necessity of friendship and about the difficulty of establishing friendship across cultural boundaries. Forster’s narrative centres on Dr Aziz, a Muslim Indian who works as an intern at the English hospital whose attempt to establish friendships with several British characters has disastrous consequences. The other main characters are, Mrs Moore, mother of Ronny Healsop, visiting Chadrapore to oversee her son’s engagement. Ronny Healsop, the English Magistrate of Chandrapore. Cyril Fielding, English principal of the Chandrapore high school, middle aged and unmarried. Adela Quested, a young woman visiting India to possibly marry Ronny Healsop. Hamidullah, a Cambridge-educated barrister, he serves as Aziz’s best friend. Mr Turton, the English city collector of Chadrapore and Professor Narayan Godbole, an elderly Brahman.
Adela Quested has come to India to meet her possible future husband, Ronny Healsop. Mrs Moore has also accompanied her, being Ronny’s mother. When they arrive they’re ardent to see the “real” India and are therefore enthusiastic to take up Aziz’s invitation to visit the Marabar Caves. However, due to a hallucination or another person Adela is “insulted” in one of the caves and makes her accusation against Aziz, consequently he’s arrested and Mr Fielding helps to defend Aziz. During the trial, the charges are dropped by Mss Quested, but the gulf between the British and native Indians grows wider than ever and Fielding comes to the aid of Adela. Because of this, Fielding’s friendship with Aziz has deteriorated and Fielding hopes that the two can remain friends. The novel ends on an ambiguous note. “Why can’t we be friends now?” he says at the end. “It’s what I want.” But India answers: “No, not yet” and the sky says, “No, not there”.
Overall, the vocabulary used in the book is quite formal and simple. Likewise, it has an easy reading because the sentences follow the normal order of English and the majority of the words are concrete. Although, there are also some Anglo-Indian colloquial words and it’s saturated with prejudiced and racist comments.
In conclusion, I could get into this wonderful book because is brilliant, absorbing and gripping. Therefore, I’ve enjoyed reading it and I truly recommend it.
Jose Javier Flors
-Title : Chariots of Fire.
- Country / Year : UK / 1981.
- Runtime : 123 min.
- Genre : Drama / History / Sport.
- Director : Hugh Hudson.
- Written by : Colin Welland.
- Starring : Ben Cross as Harold Abrahams, Ian Charleson as Eric Liddell, Nigel Havers as Lord Andrew, Cheryl Campbell as Jessie Liddell, Alice Krige as Sybil Gordon ( Harold’s girlfriend), Ian Holmes as Sam Mussabini ( Harold’s coach ).
This is the story of two men who run...not to run...but to prove something to the world. They will sacrifice anything to achieve their goals...Except their honour. Two men chasing dreams of glory!
Chariots of Fire is a British film released in 1981. Written by Colin Welland and directed by Hugh Hudson was nominated for seven Academy Awards and won four, best picture, original music score, costume design and writing original screenplay. After this success, Hudson’s movies have been quite dissappointing, among them “Greystoke - The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984) or Revolution (1985). The two main actors are Ben Cross, as Harold Abrahams, and Ian Charleson, as Eric Liddell. Although their role in Chariots of fire was their most important perfomance, or at least their most recognized one, we can also find Ben Cross in other movies, such as First Knight , which starred Richard Gere and Sean Connery, and in the Exorxist sequel in 2004, and Ian Charleson in Jubilee (1977), Gandhi (1982 ) and horror classic Opera (1987). Charleson was gay and died of AIDS at the age of 40.
The film is based on a true story of two British athletes who are chosen to represent Britain in the 1924 Paris Olympics, Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell.Their personality as well as their motivations to run are very different . Harold Abrahams is a Jewish student at Caius College at Cambridge, son of a Lithuanian Jew who runs to overcome class prejudice, antisemitism and prove his worth to society, as he says: “ For me running is a compulsion, a weapon against being Jewish”. Harold is obsessed with winning and can’t face losing, he says after being defeated by Liddell in a warm-up 100 meter race: “I don’t run to take beatings. If I can’t win, I won’t run”. On the other hand Eric Liddell, son of missionary parents in China, is a devout Scottish missionary who combines getting ready for the Olympics with helping his sister to run a local mission. Liddell runs for the glory of God, He knows God gave him a splendid gift, being possibly the swifter man on earth and wants to repay God for that, he says: “I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure”. Certainly the characters are not alike in their motivation, they have very different personalities, ways of thinking, training, but the core of the matter is the same, two good men trying to achieve their goals without betraying their beliefs.
In my view this movie deservedly won 4 Oscars. The plot is great, it keeps you gripped to the screen. The dialogues are deep, rich in meaning. Both Ben Cross playing Harold Abraham and Ian Charleson as Eric Liddell are very believable. The supporting actors are really convincing as well. There are moments to smile and moments which will move you. A very touching moment is when Harold Abrahams wins his race and Sam Mussabini, his trainer, listens to the British anthem and sees the British flag rising in the Olympic Stadium from his room. But it is also an exciting film, even on the basic level of “will they win?”. The races are riveting, partly due to the music and sound effects. The score composed by Vangelis for the film is also outstanding and is the perfect accompaniment to the swift pace of the film and to the unforgettable scene of the cheerful British boys running along the beach. The direction by Hugh Hudson is powerful. Hudson captures the feeling and excitement of track and field competition, as well as giving us numerous beautifully photographed scenes
Therefore, I truly recommend it. It’s really worth watching. I would rate it a 9/10. When you finish watching it, it makes you try to be a better person. So, nowadays when there is so much junk and violence on TV, it’s a good film for everybody to enjoy.
Salva Corcoles
- Country / Year : UK / 1981.
- Runtime : 123 min.
- Genre : Drama / History / Sport.
- Director : Hugh Hudson.
- Written by : Colin Welland.
- Starring : Ben Cross as Harold Abrahams, Ian Charleson as Eric Liddell, Nigel Havers as Lord Andrew, Cheryl Campbell as Jessie Liddell, Alice Krige as Sybil Gordon ( Harold’s girlfriend), Ian Holmes as Sam Mussabini ( Harold’s coach ).
This is the story of two men who run...not to run...but to prove something to the world. They will sacrifice anything to achieve their goals...Except their honour. Two men chasing dreams of glory!
Chariots of Fire is a British film released in 1981. Written by Colin Welland and directed by Hugh Hudson was nominated for seven Academy Awards and won four, best picture, original music score, costume design and writing original screenplay. After this success, Hudson’s movies have been quite dissappointing, among them “Greystoke - The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984) or Revolution (1985). The two main actors are Ben Cross, as Harold Abrahams, and Ian Charleson, as Eric Liddell. Although their role in Chariots of fire was their most important perfomance, or at least their most recognized one, we can also find Ben Cross in other movies, such as First Knight , which starred Richard Gere and Sean Connery, and in the Exorxist sequel in 2004, and Ian Charleson in Jubilee (1977), Gandhi (1982 ) and horror classic Opera (1987). Charleson was gay and died of AIDS at the age of 40.
The film is based on a true story of two British athletes who are chosen to represent Britain in the 1924 Paris Olympics, Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell.Their personality as well as their motivations to run are very different . Harold Abrahams is a Jewish student at Caius College at Cambridge, son of a Lithuanian Jew who runs to overcome class prejudice, antisemitism and prove his worth to society, as he says: “ For me running is a compulsion, a weapon against being Jewish”. Harold is obsessed with winning and can’t face losing, he says after being defeated by Liddell in a warm-up 100 meter race: “I don’t run to take beatings. If I can’t win, I won’t run”. On the other hand Eric Liddell, son of missionary parents in China, is a devout Scottish missionary who combines getting ready for the Olympics with helping his sister to run a local mission. Liddell runs for the glory of God, He knows God gave him a splendid gift, being possibly the swifter man on earth and wants to repay God for that, he says: “I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure”. Certainly the characters are not alike in their motivation, they have very different personalities, ways of thinking, training, but the core of the matter is the same, two good men trying to achieve their goals without betraying their beliefs.
In my view this movie deservedly won 4 Oscars. The plot is great, it keeps you gripped to the screen. The dialogues are deep, rich in meaning. Both Ben Cross playing Harold Abraham and Ian Charleson as Eric Liddell are very believable. The supporting actors are really convincing as well. There are moments to smile and moments which will move you. A very touching moment is when Harold Abrahams wins his race and Sam Mussabini, his trainer, listens to the British anthem and sees the British flag rising in the Olympic Stadium from his room. But it is also an exciting film, even on the basic level of “will they win?”. The races are riveting, partly due to the music and sound effects. The score composed by Vangelis for the film is also outstanding and is the perfect accompaniment to the swift pace of the film and to the unforgettable scene of the cheerful British boys running along the beach. The direction by Hugh Hudson is powerful. Hudson captures the feeling and excitement of track and field competition, as well as giving us numerous beautifully photographed scenes
Therefore, I truly recommend it. It’s really worth watching. I would rate it a 9/10. When you finish watching it, it makes you try to be a better person. So, nowadays when there is so much junk and violence on TV, it’s a good film for everybody to enjoy.
Salva Corcoles
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