Italian For Beginners

Italian For Beginners (Lone Scherfig, 2000)
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Rating: Q=5, P=4 / Average OJ

Scale 1=2, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=1

Danish, Grief, Love, Complex Relationships, Coping

I love the simplicity of this film. The concept, camerawork, setting--all simple and yet the individual stories and characters are all quite complicated. A reminder that life changes can seem devastating but somehow we all manage... sometimes the little things are enough to make everything better. A shoulder to cry on, a stranger to confide in, a language barrier that allows the truth to be spoken...

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Happy-Go-Lucky

Happy-Go-Lucky (Mike Leigh, 2008)

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Rating: Q=5, P=6 / Average OJ

Scale 1=2, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=3

Whimsical, Philosophical, Light-Hearted

 

We all need to be reminded that happiness, optimism, and kindness will serve us well in this world. In this troubling world where angry and cynical people seem to be around every corner, someone like Poppy is a rare gem. Silly, childish, not grown-up, too nice, etc... Since when has a free-spirited and fun-loving personality meant "not taking life seriously"? If you learn anything from this film, you'll know it's exactly the opposite. Great film.

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Brave

Brave (Mark Andrews & Brenda Chapman, 2012)

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Rating: Q=6, P=4 / Average OJ

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=3, Scale 4=2, Scale 5=2

Disney, Fairy Tale, Scotland, Legend, Coming-of-Age

A nice breath of fresh air from Pixar. This is a feel-good story about the importance of family and tradition, but also being true to yourself. Great animation, music, and characters. I especially liked the blue wisps

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Anna Karenina

Anna Karenina (Joe Wright, 2012)

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Rating: Q=6, P=4 / Average OJ

Scale 1=4, Scale 2=2, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=1

Based On Novel, Honor, Love, Class, Complex Relationships, Scandal

Leo Tolstoy's timeless story is brought to life in this intriguing adaptation. I wasn't absorbed by the acting or drama as much as I thought I would be. But I did find the artistry fascinating- each scene reminding me of stage sets or paper cut-out dioramas. Vibrant colors and ingenious use of mis en scene.

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