I've been so unmotivated this week. I've watched my favourite movie ('Stuck in Love') six times when I should have been writing essays, but I can't seem able to get things started and have done whatever I can to procrastinate. Which is why I thought it about time to write a post, which I haven't been very good at keeping up to date recently.
Today I watched a movie called 'Woman in Gold' starring Helen Mirren and Ryan Reynolds. I'm really fussy when it comes to watching movies. I'm a real tough crowd because a lot of genres, plots or characters don't interest me at all, however, I have discovered over the past couple of years, that films that I really enjoy seem to be the ones based on true stories, people and events. For example 'Pride' which I saw at the cinema twice and has become one of my top films.
I like the fact that films are a way to tell history that may have previously been unrecognised. I didn't know anything about the LGSM and I found it incredibly interesting and so glad that their story has been told and is accessible to a contemporary audience, so it won't be forgotten over time.
'Woman in Gold' is about Maria Altmann- forced to flee Austria during the Second World War, being a Jew- who sixty years later wants to reclaim her family's paintings that were stolen by the Nazis. Amongst these artworks was a portrait of her Aunt Adele, painted by Klimt. It is a very iconic work of art, which at the time was on display in the Belvedere Palace. The movie shows the legal battle of the return of her family possession with the help of the lawyer, Randol Schonberg. The film is very cleverly set, with it's present day (late 90's) overlapping with flashback scenes of her life prior to the war. It is a really interesting story which is eye-opening to the injustice and fear that occurred in Europe during the Nazi regime.
Recently I have also seen the brilliant 'The Imitation Game' based on the work of Alan Turing during the Second World World. I hadn't heard of him before, I feel really bad that I didn't until I saw this movie, because the guy was a genius. He was able to crack the Enigma code, which was thought to be unbreakable until he proved otherwise with his group at Bletchley Park. This film too has the different time frames, of during the war and the process of developing the machine, and after the war where Turing is questioned by the police which reveals him being a homosexual. The film is excellent, with the talented Benedict Cumberbatch as Turing. I highly recommend watching this film, because not only is it fascinating, it also recognises one of the greatest war heroes and geniuses of the 20th century.
I'm not a massive fan of Tim Burton. One of my closest friends would hate me saying that, but other than 'The Corpse Bride', I never really got into his other films. However, I watched 'Big Eyes' a couple of weeks ago and it was fantastic! I remember my dad telling me about this particular case a while back when the movie was soon to come out and thought it extremely interesting, but never got around to actually seeing it. And I'm so glad that I eventually made the effort, because I loved it so much and once again, it is based on a true story. It's about Margaret Keane and her artwork which her husband, Walter Keane had claimed as his own. During the 50's and 60's, he was a famous artist who completely exploited his wife's talent and this movie shows their artistic and romantic relationship. He treated her terribly and when they separate, Margaret finally had the ability to reveal the truth and it follows the lawsuit that emerges.
Margaret Keane (who is portrayed by the gifted Amy Adams) is a great artist and I really love her 'Big Eye' paintings, which are captivating and draw the viewer in. It's like the eyes really are the gateway to the soul. (On a side note, Lana Del Rey has a song featured in the movie, which is haunting and really suits the film and the style of the artwork).
Today I watched a movie called 'Woman in Gold' starring Helen Mirren and Ryan Reynolds. I'm really fussy when it comes to watching movies. I'm a real tough crowd because a lot of genres, plots or characters don't interest me at all, however, I have discovered over the past couple of years, that films that I really enjoy seem to be the ones based on true stories, people and events. For example 'Pride' which I saw at the cinema twice and has become one of my top films.
I like the fact that films are a way to tell history that may have previously been unrecognised. I didn't know anything about the LGSM and I found it incredibly interesting and so glad that their story has been told and is accessible to a contemporary audience, so it won't be forgotten over time.
'Woman in Gold' is about Maria Altmann- forced to flee Austria during the Second World War, being a Jew- who sixty years later wants to reclaim her family's paintings that were stolen by the Nazis. Amongst these artworks was a portrait of her Aunt Adele, painted by Klimt. It is a very iconic work of art, which at the time was on display in the Belvedere Palace. The movie shows the legal battle of the return of her family possession with the help of the lawyer, Randol Schonberg. The film is very cleverly set, with it's present day (late 90's) overlapping with flashback scenes of her life prior to the war. It is a really interesting story which is eye-opening to the injustice and fear that occurred in Europe during the Nazi regime.
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| 'Portait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I'- Klimt |
Recently I have also seen the brilliant 'The Imitation Game' based on the work of Alan Turing during the Second World World. I hadn't heard of him before, I feel really bad that I didn't until I saw this movie, because the guy was a genius. He was able to crack the Enigma code, which was thought to be unbreakable until he proved otherwise with his group at Bletchley Park. This film too has the different time frames, of during the war and the process of developing the machine, and after the war where Turing is questioned by the police which reveals him being a homosexual. The film is excellent, with the talented Benedict Cumberbatch as Turing. I highly recommend watching this film, because not only is it fascinating, it also recognises one of the greatest war heroes and geniuses of the 20th century.
I'm not a massive fan of Tim Burton. One of my closest friends would hate me saying that, but other than 'The Corpse Bride', I never really got into his other films. However, I watched 'Big Eyes' a couple of weeks ago and it was fantastic! I remember my dad telling me about this particular case a while back when the movie was soon to come out and thought it extremely interesting, but never got around to actually seeing it. And I'm so glad that I eventually made the effort, because I loved it so much and once again, it is based on a true story. It's about Margaret Keane and her artwork which her husband, Walter Keane had claimed as his own. During the 50's and 60's, he was a famous artist who completely exploited his wife's talent and this movie shows their artistic and romantic relationship. He treated her terribly and when they separate, Margaret finally had the ability to reveal the truth and it follows the lawsuit that emerges.
Margaret Keane (who is portrayed by the gifted Amy Adams) is a great artist and I really love her 'Big Eye' paintings, which are captivating and draw the viewer in. It's like the eyes really are the gateway to the soul. (On a side note, Lana Del Rey has a song featured in the movie, which is haunting and really suits the film and the style of the artwork).
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| By Margaret Keane |
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