Rated:R

Genre:Biography, Romance, Music

Release Date:5 December 2008

Runtime:109 min

Director:Darnell Martin

Cast:Adrien Brody, Jeffrey Wright, Gabrielle Union, Columbus Short, Cedric the Entertainer, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Eamonn Walker, Mos Def, Beyoncé Knowles

Cadilac Records chronicles the rise of Chess Records and its recording artists. In this tale of sex, violence, race and rock and roll in Chicago of the 1950s and 60s, the film follows the exciting but turbulent lives of some of America’s greatest musical legends.

The story of how the blues became popular and gave birth to rock and roll begins at a dingy bar on the rough South Side of Chicago in 1947, where an ambitious young Polish emigre, bar owner Leonard Chess (ADRIEN BRODY), hires a talented but undisciplined blues combo that includes quiet and thoughtful guitar prodigy Muddy Waters (JEFFREY WRIGHT) and impulsive and colorful harmonica player Little Walter (COLUMBUS SHORT). Fascinated by the sound of the music and eager to cash in on the record burgeoning record business - Chess arranges a recording session for Waters. Waters’ early recordings start moving up the R&B charts and receiving heavy play.

Chess treats his musicians like family. He buys them a Cadillac when they record their first hit record — although the line between business and personal sometimes causes conflict with his increasingly talented and successful stable of artists. After backing up Muddy on his early recordings, Little Walter becomes a star in his own right, but his quick temper and loud manner often run him afoul of friends and the law. He also finds that the only woman he can talk to is Muddy’s girl, Geneva (GABRIELLE UNION), who struggles to remain loyal despite Muddy’s poorly concealed affairs. Big Willie Dixon (CEDRIC THE ENTERTAINER), a songwriter and bandleader, also is a key member of the Chess Records family, as is Howlin’ Wolf (EAMONN WALKER), an intense and proud blues singer who develops a musical rivalry with Muddy.

But it’s not until 1955 when a Chess artist finally “crosses over” into the realm of mainstream (”white”) America - a skinny guy from St. Louis named Chuck Berry (MOS DEF), whose dynamic “duck walk” and catchy, country-tinged tunes mark the birth of rock-and-roll. When Berry is arrested and jailed at the height of his career, Chess finds another talented performer to cross over singer Etta James (BEYONCE KNOWLES), an emotionally scarred young woman whose vulnerability tempts Chess’ loyalty and concern in unexpected ways.

As rock-and-roll grows more popular, the Chess artists find themselves revered by a new generation of musicians, but they have also each earned and lost a small fortune on booze, women and the high life, and their addictions begin to take their toll. Even as tragedy befalls, their music and their spirit remain strong: as the sixties wind down and Leonard Chess gets out of the record business, the blues live on. –© Sony Pictures

Truly a great film depicting the root of true music. A must see for music fans.

carole Biography, Music, Romance

Rated: PG-13

Release Date: February 28, 2008

Runtime: 1 hr. 55 mins.

Genre: Biography, Drama, History, Romance

Director: Justin Chadwick

Cast: Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, Eric Bana, Jim Sturgess, Kristen Scott Thomas, Mark Rylance, David Morrissey

Based on the bestselling novel by Philippa Gregory, The Other Boleyn Girl is about the relationship between King Henry VIII (Eric Bana) and Anne (Natalie Portman) and Mary (scarlett Johansson) Boleyn. The Boleyn sisters are driven by their father Sir Thomas Boleyn (Mark Rylance) and merciless Uncle Thomas Howard - Duke of Norfolk (David Morrissey) to advance the families power by courting the kings affections regardless of the fact that he is married.

What begins as a proposal to help out the family develops into a ruthless rivalry between Anne and Mary for the love of the king. Mary wins the affection of the king and bears his child. But her sister Anne will stop at nothing to become the queen, edging aside Mary and the Queen Katherine, in her relentless pursuit. Eventually England is torn apart over the battle for the king’s affection. Despite the dramatic consequences, the Boleyn sisters ultimately find strength in each other by their bond as sisters.

The Other Boleyn Girl is about power and betrayal within a family. I really enjoyed Natalie Portman in this movie; she is such a fantastic actress. She really took control as she stepped into the role of Anne Boleyn, you can feel her confidence as she goes after what she desires. One of the last scenes is so powerful, where she is to be condemned for her so called betrayal with her brother George (Jim Sturgess) for adultery and incest (which never actually happened). Johansson also plays her role well, as Anne’s naïve forgiving sister.

Although the movie was portrayed differently than the actual events it was still watchable, if you don’t compare it with the actual events, I quite enjoyed it actually. The costumes stood out a great deal more than other movies from the same time era. I thought they were just fantastic and should definitely have won an award for best costume design.

Jenn Biography, Drama, Romance

Rated: PG-13

Genre: Biography, Drama

Release Date: 22 April 2009 (Belgium), 25 September 2009 (USA)

Runtime: 105mins

Director: Anne Fontaine

Cast: Audrey Tautou, Benoit Pelvoodre, Marie Gillain, Alessandro Nivola, Emmanuelle Devos

I have always enjoyed foreign films. Movies such as Water (India), Caramel (Lebanon) and Maria Full of Grace (Columbia), were some of the few foreign films that I have seen and had absolutely fallen in love with. Foreign films are, more often than not, such a change from Hollywood movies which, iReel blog followers will know, I find has became a mass market of repetitive ideas and storylines.

I chose to watch Coco avant Chanel initially for curiosity. This high-spirited biographical drama follows the fascinating early career of famed designer Coco Chanel, including her many romances. The story is incredibly fascinating, it is appealing to see where individuals have come from and discover their roots prior to becoming an overpriced nametag on fashion items made in Italy and to learn how they were “born”.

We first meet ‘Coco’ as the young Gabrielle Chanel, in 1983, when her father is abandoning her and her sister at an orphanage. The story then skips ahead fifteen years to when Chanel is working as a seamstress in Moulins, but wanting a career as a singer. It is in the cabaret clubs that she gets her nickname Coco, and meets the wealthy Etienne Balsan (Benoit Poelvoodre). After becoming Balsan’s mistress and a permanent fixture at his country estate, Chanel goes against the hypocritical morals of the aristocrats and tight corsets of upper class society, designing loose dresses and unadorned hats for herself and then for friends. But it is the arrival of the self-made English industrialist Arthur “Boy” Capel (Alessandro Nivola) to the estate, and their ensuing love affair, that helps Chanel fully realize her creative potential.

As well as bearing an uncanny physical resemblance to Chanel, Tautou brilliantly expresses her pride and fragility with almost imperceptible ripples across her smooth countenance. While Nivola gives a good performance as her restrained lover, it’s Poelvoodre who matches Tautou scene for scene, making Balsan an intriguing mixture of brute, proprietor and friend.

The history of Chanel’s relationships has been compressed, and the love triangle plot slips into melodrama occasionally, but director Anne Fontaine generally keeps a steady hand on the action, returning to Chanel’s analysis and experimentation with clothes. The sequences of her working with fabric are rightfully imbued with the passion and tenderness of any love scene, the only thing i found to be missing was the time between the beginning of her decision to make clothes and the final scene of the fashion show. I would have liked to have seen more of her creative aspect, nevertheless, this was a wonderful movie and although in French (with english subtitles) the stregth of the characters was something to be admired.

carole Biography, Drama

Rated: R

Genre: Action/Biography/Drama/War

Release Date: May 24, 1995

Runtime: 2 hrs 57 mins

Director: Mel Gibson

Starring: Mel Gibson, Sophie Marceau, Patrick McGoohan, Catherine McCormack, James Robinson

Synopsis: Uniting the 13^th century Scotsman in their battle to overthrow the England rule, legendary hero William Wallace (Mel Gibson) who also directs the film is a commoner who takes a stand against this new rule. Scotland had been in political unrest for years and Wallace decided to conquer Scotland.

William leaves home as a child with his uncle following the death of his father and brother. He returns home years later and falls in love with Murron MacClannough (Catherine McCormack), his childhood love. They secretly marry, to avoid Murron having to spend her wedding night with the English Lord, a rule in which King Edward I (Patrick McGoohan) who invaded Scotland and won the war, implemented. Unfortunately an English soldier discovers their secret. Murron is captured and killed before William could rescue her. Wallace distraught kills all the Englishmen in the village in which they took her too, thus compelling him to grow an army and fight against the English soldiers who have taken over his homeland.

The Scotsmen fight and win countless battles, leaving King Edward concerned. To make negotiations with William Wallace, he sends his son Prince Edward’s (Peter Hanly) wife Princess Isabelle (Sophie Marceau) to do his dirty work. Only she finds comfort in William and they spend a night together. Princess Isabelle conceives his child, which William never discovers.

Robert the Bruce (Angus Macfadyen) and his father (Ian Bannen) whom Wallace trusted, end up betraying him in a trap that King Edward had set up. Captured Wallace never gives in, never pleads for mercy. He believes in the freedom of Scotland and does not confess, even when he is being tortured. He is beheaded in front of a crowd pleading for his mercy.

The Scottish army faces the English at Bannockburn and defeats the English; they win their freedom as they are inspired by the hero William Wallace, who once said “They may take our lives but not our freedom”.

This inspiring patriotic film won 5 Academy Awards, 5 Oscars, and many other awards and nominations. Mel Gibson does a great job playing his character, with his strength and courage that is implied to Wallace’s qualities. With a dramatic and touching ending it’s no wonder why this film received so many awards.

Jenn Action, Biography, Drama, War