Only parts of us will ever
touch parts of others –
one’s own truth is just that really — one’s own truth.
We can only share the part that is within another’s knowing acceptable
so one
is for most part alone.
As it is meant to be in
evidently in nature — at best perhaps it could make
our understanding seek
another’s loneliness out.

     ~ Marilyn Monroe
         From Fragments: Poems, Intimate Notes, Letters

Man of Steel via Ones2Watch4
Release date: June 14, 2013

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s – Kal-El, son of Jor-El, from the planet Krypton. In this dark Superman reboot directed by Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen) and written by David S. Goyer (Blade: Trinity) and Christopher Nolan (Batman), Man of Steel steps out of the cheesiness and into maturity of the modern serious Superman. More realistic in the sci-fi sense, the story unfolds from the planet Krypton in its fantasy-like environment and takes us through Superman’s formation: the beginning of Superman, before he leads the life of bespectacled Clark Kent at the Daily Planet. As of yet, he is not called Superman but Kal-El, and he tells Lois Lane that the “S” stands for hope in his world.

Henry Cavill (Immortals, The Tudors) makes his first appearance as the chiseled, other-worldly featured Clark Kent, farm boy turned hunky steel man. Born and raised by two strong sets of parents, Russell Crowe with Ayelet Zurer and Kevin Costner with Diane Lane, a boy can only grow to become something extra special. As Jor-El, Crowe delivers a guiding and stoic father-in-spirit figure, helping shape Kal-El and teaching him the nature of his birth. The background story has never been brought out in detail before in Superman films, digging into the ground that Kal-El is indeed an alien being. Kevin Costner as Clark’s Earth father brings heart to the film, forming Clark’s sensitivity to the earthly humans.

The rest of the cast perform well despite the comparisons with their characters in Superman films. General Zod (Michael Shannon) is solidly frightening if not dry, even though he was programmed by birth to protect the civilization of Kryptonians at all cost. German born Antje Traue as Faora-Ul, General Zod’s right-hand gal, is beautifully unemotional as well, albeit a bit lacking in the sadistic nuances Sarah Douglas as Ursa portrayed in the 1980 version of Superman. Perky and cute as Lois Lane, Amy Adams falls a little short on chemistry with the man of steel, with none of the spiciness Margot Kidder had as the incorrigible Miss Lane. The character of Jimmy, who was Lois’ sidekick, has not entered the story yet. Laurence Fishburne plays Perry, the Daily Planet’s boss, straight laced, yet concerned with Lois’ well-being. Christopher Meloni (Law & Order: SVU) is the hardline Colonel Hardy who comes to realize on which side Kal-El fights. Cavill’s Kal-El is not the fumbling and shy Christopher Reeve version, and he is believable and passionate, a welcome revision to fit modern times.

Man of Steel is epic, action-packed, stunningly executed, and its cinematography beautifully displayed. There is a breathtaking pace to the stunts, with Kal-El using and showing more of his powers than ever before. Even the Kryptonian wardrobe is spectacular. The best summation of the film comes when Kal-El has to let go of his past in order to protect his future in a memorable heart-wrenching scene. It’s filmmaking with heart, and this is the best blockbuster of the year, with probably the best director-writer combination.

Star Trek Into Darkness via Ones2Watch4

Star Trek Into Darkness is misleading for all its onscreen lens glare and the U.S.S. Enterprise’s bright bridge deck. One would think outer space is infused with visible sunlight. For the most part, it’s a fun ride, sweetly comical, heartfelt, visually spectacular, action-packed, and delivered with bullet speed. Even with the introduction of the villain Khan, one is not sure whether to dislike him or not.

Director J.J. Abrams’ sequel to 2009’s reboot, the origins of Star Trek, satisfies in a colossal way. Fans of the original Gene Roddenberry television series may notice references to episodes: Captain Kirk’s affinity for women of all species, the appearance of a tribble, and the fist fights. Refreshing in this sequel is the enormity of the visual cinematography, the introduction of universe-size ships, and the Klingons who’ve never been presented so primal and destructive. Central to the picture, however, is the emotional byplay between the stars that keep the film from becoming a simple sci-fi romp.

Chris Pine heads the cast as the gorgeous and manly Captain Kirk, Zachary Quinto returns as the conflicted Spock, Zoe Saldana as the doting Uhuru, Simon Pegg as the overly concerned Scotty, Karl Urban as the dislocated Bones, Anton Yelchin as the understudy Chekov, and John Cho as the competent Sulu. The crew’s camaraderie is evident, even when Alice Eve as Carol, the Admiral’s daughter, joins the team under dubious circumstances. Peter Weller plays the formidable Admiral Marcus, eerily similar to the Emperor ofStar Wars. (Is Abrams practicing for Star Wars Episode VII?)

Khan, originally Khan Noonien Singh in the past episode, is known as John Harrison in this film, a rogue Starfleet space agent on a mission to save the rest of his super species comrades. A chillingly powerful presence, Benedict Cumberbatch (BBC’s Sherlock Holmes and The Hobbit series) plays a Neo-like (Matrix) super being incapable of being injured (at least from punches a la Kirk) and can create cures. It’s hard to hate Cumberbatch as a villain dressed all in black when his voice resonates with sexiness. He is unlike the 1982 blonde Khan played by Ricardo Montalban (or Ricardo Montalban’s chest).

The most surprising of all in Star Trek Into Darkness is Spock. When darkness befalls his bromance with the Captain he breaks out of his usual logically unemotional shell. His inner badass gets him into a one-on-one battle with Khan. The ensuing action sequence is h-o-t. Never mess with a half-Vulcan when it comes to his friends.

The only thing a bit disappointing with the whole Star Trek reboot is that it is not a new boot. “To boldly go where no one has gone before” is the tagline. How about writing new original stories for the new cast, new era, and actually exploring new worlds? Khan was a great story among all the episodes from the 1966-1969 television series. If you’ve seen all of them, each new Star Trek film made creates an expectation of more to come. Yes, more is better.

Aidan Turner
via Ones2Watch4

Dark, striking, and bloody sexy, Aidan Turner exudes an unforgettable presence. He is currently in the much anticipated prequel to Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. As Kili, he is the dwarf who, along with his brother Fili, accompanies their uncle Thorin and Bilbo on the Quest of Erebor. Before signing on for The Hobbit, Aidan was riding high as John Mitchell the cool vampire in the original UK version of SyFy’s Being Human television series.

Born on June 19, 1983 and raised in South Dublin, Ireland, Aidan graduated from The Gaiety School of Acting in 2004. After a string of theatrical performances, his initiation into the world of film and television was as Bedoli in 2007’s The Tudors, in the opening scene of the pilot episode, “In Cold Blood.” From there he played bit parts in the short filmsMatterhorn (below), as Theodoro, and in The Sound of People, as the father. He starred in two thriller films, Porcelain (2007) and as Mal in Alarm (2008).

Aidan found success in his role as Ruairi McGowan in The Clinic, an award-winning medical drama television series, in which he starred in eighteen episodes from 2008. In 2009 he went on to play Dante Gabriel Rossetti inDesperate Romantics, a six-part television drama serial based loosely on the real Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, a group of reformist artists and writers formed in 1848. Aidan commented on shooting the sex scenes: “You get into it and you do it and all the girls do it. There’s no qualms, there’s no inhibitions. You just get your clothes off and get it on.”

Aidan’s vampire countenance as John Mitchell in Being Human contributed to the show winning an RTS and Writers Guild Award in 2009 and a BAFTA nomination in 2010. The popularity of the show spurred the creation of the U.S. version on the SyFy channel, with Sam Witwer, Sammy Hunnington, and Meaghan Rath, debuting in 2011. The ever rising popularity of the vampire and werewolf genre has done well for Aidan, introducing him to the world acting market.

In his upcoming film The Hobbit, Aidan, at six feet, doesn’t look much like a dwarf, which in Middle Earth are between four and five feet high. He fit into the role perfectly, though, after twelve weeks of intensive dwarf boot camp that included fitness and sword fight training, as well as blending in with the varied-scale scenery through the magic of camera perspective. Aidan identifies himself to Kili as “a good role model. Kili is brave, loyal, curious, open-minded, and believes in friendship.” As Peter Jackson, the director himself, says, “I’m sure he will bring enormous heart and humor to the role of Kili.” As The Hobbit trilogy unfolds, it will give plenty of time for Kili to win the hearts of its audience.

From raunchy poet artist to vampire to Middle-earth dwarf, Aidan lands unique roles that showcase his deep acting skills and striking aura, attracting more fans along the way. In The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones,Aidan embodies the werewolf character of Luke Garroway. Set to be released in 2013, this film, the first of a young adult urban fantasy series set in New York and written by Cassandra Clare, reunites him with Jonathan Rhys Meyers alongside stars Lena Headey and Lily Collins. It would not be surprising if Aidan next lands a part in the future Star Wars films.

The Hobbit:  An Unexpected Journey 
Review from Ones2Watch4

Travel into the world of fantasy in the first installation of Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit trilogy, the prequel to Lord of the Rings. In this introductory chapter, hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman , from the BBC TV series Sherlock) is recruited by wizard Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen) to join the band of dwarfs on a quest to reclaim Erebor, the Dwarf Kingdom, from the giant dragon Smaug. Led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage, of BBC’s Robin Hood and MI-5), the group encounters numerous creatures and adventures along their journey.

A few familiar faces from Lord of the Rings include Gandalf, Galadriel (Cate Blanchett), Saruman (Sir Christopher Lee), Elrond (Hugo Weaving), and Gollum (Andy Serkis). There are cameo appearances by old Bilbo (Ian Holm) and Frodo (Elijah Wood). The old cast makes the transition into the prequel easier and heartfelt. The Hobbit plays out what it essentially is – a children’s story. The characters of the dwarfs make it more lighthearted, providing some cute and comical relief on some scenes.

As interesting as the dwarfs are, it is hard to distinguish or remember all thirteen of their names, unlike Snow White’s Seven Dwarfs. There are the three handsome ones that stand out: Thorin, the King of the Dwarfs, and the brothers, Kili (Aidan Turner, from Being Human) and Fili (Dean O’Gorman, who appeared in an episode of Moonlight in 2007). Thorin alone stands powerful and takes the film away from becoming a mere Disney romp.

The Hobbit is the first film made with the rate of 48 frames per second, twice as much as the standard 24 frames per second filmmakers have used for decades. Whether or not this is preferable, it remains subjective to the viewer. In 3D, the increase in rate gives the film clearer, smoother lines, albeit almost CGI animated. For the far away shots of scenery such as those of Rivendell, the land of the Elves, it gives it an ethereal quality. For regular daylight scenes however, it appears like a soap opera and no longer a movie with that grainy quality. The saving grace is that the darker scenes like that on the stone mountain and the Gollum segment in the underground cavern come out exceedingly crisp and dramatic, giving them an added dimension.

The film is not at all like the Lord of the Rings in its telling of the story, its pace, and in its visual technology. Almost 2 hours and 45 minutes long, it’s fast paced with lots of adventures for these dwarfs plus a hobbit and wizard. There are no extensive and melodramatic Sam and Frodo type scenes. Among the creatures they encounter are Orcs, Goblins, stone men, and the beautiful Elves. The most fascinating creature is Gollum; he is 100% creepier and semi-humanlike with the high film rate speed picking up minute details in his facial and body expressions. The only thing missing from this film was Legolas and the Bard, who will be making appearances in the upcoming chapters.

Skyfall film review from Ones2Watch4

Bond: the end of the beginning. Daniel Craig is back as James Bond, British Secret Service Agent 007, in what seems to be the final installment of “the making of James Bond.” Directed by Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Revolutionary Road), this episode takes a dark direction, taking Bond to his origins as he confronts his nemesis, Silva (Javier Bardem). Craig’s portrayal of the evolving Bond in all three films has focused on the edginess, roughness, and unrefined persona before he becomes the suave and sophisticated agent defined by Bond in past films. He has been the most vulnerable and most realistic of all the Bonds to date.

As the premise of Skyfall, MI6 is under attack, and the story revolves around M (Judi Dench). Bond’s relationship with M is strained when secrets unfold and the villain becomes elusive. It is apparent in this film that M is the “mother,” albeit tough and psychologically fixating, for her agents, and she struggles to maintain control of the collapsing MI6. In the midst of the power play is Gareth Mallory (Ralph Fiennes), whose intentions are questionable.

Javier Bardem plays the chillingly psychotic Silva, who obsesses over M and MI6. Powerful enough to take control of an entire island, Silva and his cyber terrorism land him in a face to face confrontation with Bond. One of the most memorable scenes of the film involves homoerotic tension between the two blondes. This brings into question the relationship between Silva and the beautiful Sévérine (played by French actress Bérénice Marlohe).

Skyfall introduces the recurring characters in the franchise. Astonishing is Q, the Quartermaster, played by Ben Whishaw. Young, tech-savvy, and adorably nerdy, he immediately connects with Bond wit for wit. As usual, Bond loses or destroys the gadgets he’s given. Q, however, is in step with modern technology. Long gone are the days with exploding pens. Naomi Harris as Eve, the agent Bond playfully fears for good reason, makes her first appearance as the attentive Miss Moneypenny. It is refreshing to see she is capable of doing more than “secretarial duties.”

With a mix of glam and coarseness, old and new, Skyfall takes a step above recent Bond films. It is a catalyst for future Bond adventures. As in all these films, the theme sequence follows the initial action-packed introductory scene. For Skyfall, Adele’s song is the backdrop for the opening death theme, eerily cool and visually spectacular, one of the best.  The worldly locations include Turkey, Shanghai, Macau, Scotland, and of course, Britain. Scotland, however, is where everything comes to a turning point.

Whether or not one is inclined to see a James Bond film, Skyfall is not the one to miss. It is more of a study in character and relationships than pure sterile action, although there is plenty of agent action to keep you visually occupied. Even the Aston Martin DB5 with the ejector seat and weaponry makes an appearance. Cool, tough yet vulnerable, Daniel Craig is one of the better Bonds.

SKYFALL Movie Site

Stephen Amell of the TV Series Arrow on CWTV.
Profile on Ones2Watch4

This October Stephen Amell will make his starring role debut in CW’s action adventure television series, Arrow, based on the Green Arrow character of DC Comics. As billionaire Oliver Queen, he plays a vigilante hero set to make amends for his family and clean up Starling City – much in the way of Batman and Gotham City, only with a mysterious family history. His homecoming finds him a changed man after being stranded on an island.

Born in 1981 and raised in Toronto, Canada, Stephen’s early career started as an extra in Queer as Folk as a spinning instructor. Then he began guest starring on Canadian television shows such asHeartland, Dante’s Cove and Degrassi: The Next Generation. He won a Gemini award, the Canadian version of an Emmy, for his guest starring role on ReGenesis. Stephen was also nominated in 2007 as part of the Best Ensemble Cast for Rent-A-Goalie. In the direct-to-video film Screamers: The Hunting, the sequel to 1995’s Sci-Fi flick Screamers (Peter Weller), Stephen played mysterious Guy, the leader of the surviving humans on a distant mining planet ravaged by war. It is in this film where he shows a hint of his much darker side, especially in the surprising finale.

Stephen found that things moved at a slow and unsure pace in the Great White North. Los Angeles beckoned and suddenly the work was pouring in. First there was CSI: Miami, then NCIS: Los Angeles,90210 and, in 2011, he became werewolf Brady on the popular CW show, The Vampire Diaries. He finished off his incredibly busy year with the made-for-TV movie Justice for Natalee Holloway as the creepy but charismatic Joren Van Der Sloot.

Amell’s breakthrough role has got to be busboy-turned-prostitute Jason, on HBO’s Hung. The much younger Jason starts infringing on Thomas Jane’s escort service racket. If you needed further enticement to watch, his work on Hung represents Stephen’s first nude-scene work. In an even steamier role (as if that were even possible), he played Amy Brenneman’s lust interest, Scott Becker, paramedic hottie, in several episodes ofPrivate Practice. Additionally Stephen recently appeared on New Girl. We should point at this point that Stephen was a serious contender for the lead in Spartacus: Blood and Sand, which ultimately went to Liam McIntyre. So you see how hard work and making one smart decision can open tremendous doors.

Arrow promises to be a darker series and Bourn-esque in nature than CW’s lighter fare of Smallville. The pilot was directed by David Nutter, who directed pilots for shows such as Supernatural, Dark Angel, andSmallville. The production is also working with DC comics to remain  true to the characters, satisfying fans of the graphic novel series.

An avid Social Networker, according to Stephen’s Facebook page he prepped for Arrow by watching movies such as The Bourne Trilogy, Lethal Weapon 1 and 2, Die Hard, and Season 4 of Mad Men (“just BECAUSE”). Of course, he did also physically train for the role, both on and off the set and maintains a dairy-free and gluten-free diet. His fabulous physique is proof of his dedication. Stephen, with his solid good looks from head to toe (hard not to stop at the abs), seems personable and yet untouched by the star syndrome. That may change, however, once Arrow hits the air, for then his full star quality will be realized.

Cloud Atlas
Drive-by Movie Review from Ones2Watch4

Six stories run concurrently with a handful of actors playing several roles – it’s a lot to process unless you have read the book by David Mitchell. This Twyker and Wachowskis collaboration uniquely portrays the theme that people are bound throughout eternity by unseen forces (short of touching on “souls”). Great acting, visually well-executed and the makeup team should be highly commended for their work. Each story is fascinating, with the “Somni” segment the best. At worst it’s choppy storytelling. At best it’s a beautiful theme. I only want to know why at some point society is consisted of Asian-esque people.

Ben Whishaw
Actor Profile on Ones2Watch4 

It happened to be one of those days when I chanced upon a screening for the film, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer. Based on the international best seller, the film depicted the story of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, a gifted perfume maker, whose life takes a dark turn as he becomes increasingly obsessed with creating the ultimate perfume. The character was eerily portrayed by a young actor, Ben Whishaw. He showed promise and talent in a film so morbid yet rich in scenery. I was drawn to his aura like a moth to a flame.

Now years later, he is set to become the newest Q, the Quartermaster, in the latest James Bond film, Skyfall. He is the youngest Q in the series to date and by far the nerdiest and tech savvy. This is the most exciting news of the year for this Bond enthusiast, and I wait in earnest to see what new gadgets he has in store for Bond to use. It may be limiting to his true talent but nevertheless he is permanently encased in the Bond franchise history.

Born as part of twins in 1980 and raised in Clifton, Bedfordshire, England, he attended Samuel Whitbread Community College where he became involved in theater productions. At the Edinburgh Festival in 1995, his group garnered critical acclaim for their production of If This Is a Man, a story of an Auschwitz concentration camp survivor, and Whishaw played the character of Levi. Graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he appeared in film shorts and British television until becoming nominated for awards for his portrayal of Hamlet in Trevor Nunn’s 2004 production.

By 2004 he had already acted in two films with the future James Bond, Daniel Craig: Enduring Love and Layer Cake. He won the part of Jean-Baptiste over Leonardo DiCaprio and Orlando Bloom for the film Perfume. Afterwards, he played Keith Richards in the film Stoned, followed by an appearance among an all-star cast as Arthur in I’m Not There, a film centered on the life of Bob Dylan. With Abbie Cornish he became the poet John Keats in the romantic drama, Bright Star. 2010 had him playing Ariel with Dame Helen Mirren in the Shakespearean fantasy, The Tempest. This year he starred as King Richard in BBC TV’s Cultural Olympiad, The Hollow Crown, a series of plays depicting a history of kings. Later this year he will be back as Freddie Lyon on BBC’s The Hour series with Dominic West.

Before his debut as Q in November of this year, he will be co-starring with Tom Hanks and Halle Berry in the science fiction adventure drama, Cloud Atlas, based on a novel of the same name and set to be released in October. Directed by Tom Tykwer, (Perfume) and the Wachowski team (Matrix trilogy), this film hints at being paranormally and visually thrilling if not simply epic. This is the perfect vehicle to showcase Whishaw’s talent before being universally dubbed as “Q.” The film is premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2012.

From Shakespeare to psychopath to stoner musician to nerdy gadget professor, Ben Whishaw has displayed an enormous propensity for being versatile and skillful at drawing you into his characters. He has a strange, unworldly quality about him, riveting and electrifying. Watching him is an emotional experience at best.

Magic Mike
Review in 100 Words from Ones2Watch4

Warning: this film is not recommended as a date movie. Well-executed, wild, raucous entertainment showcasing the beautiful physiques of Channing Tatum, Matthew McConaughey, Alex Pettyfer, Joe Manganiello, Matt Bomer, and Adam Rodriguez, it reels you in with raunchy stage moves and a rhythmic soundtrack. Channing plays older brother figure to young Alex, who soon gains access to easy money and women, causing anxiety for his sister (Cody Horn). The show scenes dominate the mediocre and predictable storyline, even with a few unusual camera angle shots. McConaughey is perfectly crazy as the club owner and Channing – he’s one sexy gangsta dancer.

A moment of Taylor Kitsch and I exhale. The more I see him the more I feel something unique about him.

The Avengers
Film Review From Ones2Watch4
Release Date: May 4, 2012

The Avengers in 3D is the ultimate experience for anyone who has ever read a graphic novel or comic book of superheroes. Watching them come to life on the big screen is a visual buffet of Marvel’s longstanding original characters: Thor, Iron Man, Captain America and the Hulk. The Black Widow and Hawkeye, later characters, complete this spectacular piece of art in motion.

In this epic version, the Avengers emerge full force with director Joss Whedon (Serenity, Firefly and Buffy TV series), who has created an exciting, adventurous, and entertaining film. Under the direction of Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Supreme Headquarters International Espionage Law-Enforcement Division) the superheroes come together to fight the alien army led by Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Thor’s megalomaniac villainous brother. Flying through the air in a ship with crew reminiscent of Star Trek’s starship Enterprise, the Avengers assemble on this command base as they search for the missing piece to stop the portal for Loki’s army invasion.

The film caters to the antagonism between the superegos as they meet, resulting in affectionate byplay. Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.) engages in wordy power banter with Captain America (Chris Evans) and clashes with Thor (Chris Hemsworth) at first meeting. Thor and the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) engage each other in physical combat, matching brute strength. The relationship between Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) gets tested, and there is a hint of intimacy yet to be discovered.

The most refreshing of all the heroes is the Hulk. Mark Ruffalo’s version is much more animated and believable than previous digitalized Hulks (Eric Bana’s and Ed Norton’s). He now has personality, even when he’s throwing villains around like ragdolls. As Bruce Banner he’s deceptively sweet and adorable. The Hulk is gigantic and intimidating, yet his heart shines through unlike in previous films.

Conversely, the conflict between Thor and Loki continue on in its condensed version in this film. Missing the dramatic essence from the film Thor, Loki becomes more evil, losing his humanity in his quest for world dominance. Thor’s scenes seem restrained except when he’s fighting in action.

In the end the Avengers prove they work well together as a team. Even when the two assassins, Black Widow and Hawkeye, can only fall back a little when their friends with superpowers take over, they nevertheless complete the team. Captain America (who still needs a better outfit) truly shows his soldier leadership skills when things go down, and Iron Man becomes self-sacrificing.

The epic look of The Avengers with its gigantic ship, aliens in flying machines and dragon drones, and the sheer super powers released in motion from all its characters, almost makes the film worthy of the Star Wars franchise status. The script is at times surprisingly humorous in both dialogue and visual moment. With a little more heart and pull this would be a 100% perfect movie. We can only hope for more sequels with new villains and maybe a few more superheroes to fulfill the possibility.

The latest addition to the harem:

Xavier Samuel, in Anonymous and Eclipse.

This Means War film review is now at Ones2Watch4.

300

It’s been about five years since the film came out. Watching it again with some female friends I once again experienced the sexiness of all that testosterone onscreen, wondering why aren’t there men that beautiful and manly hanging around my world? I love that King Leonidas (Gerard Butler), as powerful as he was, turned to his wife because she was his partner, his love – that is so intensely sexy.

Some of my favorite moments in clips:

This is Sparta!

King Leonidas in action.

Stelios (Michael Fassbender) “Then we will fight in the shade!

“My Queen. My wife. My love.”

Machine Gun Preacher from Ones2Watch4
Link to the organization:  MachineGunPreacher.com

Sam Childers (Gerard Butler) just got out of prison and straight away he’s back into doing the same things he’s always done: drugging, boozing, and committing violent acts. This time, however, his wife has found religion and suddenly he finds inner turmoil. When he reaches a crisis, it is only then that he asks for help and he turns his life around.

Directed by Marc Forster (Monster’s Ball, Quantum of Solace), Machine Gun Preacher chronicles the true life of Sam Childers, a rehabilitated preacher turned savior for the orphaned children of East Africa. With a span of at least 30 years condensed into a little over 2-hour movie, screenwriter Jason Keller (of the untitled Snow White for 2012) managed to maintain a linear timeline even with the constant trips between the Sudan and Pennsylvania.

The story unravels in dual themes. While in Pennsylvania, Childers struggles to maintain his family life with his wife (Michelle Monaghan), daughter, and childhood friend (Michael Shannon) who is still plagued by drug addiction. He manages to create a business and build a church to support his family and his project of building the orphanage in the Sudan. In the Sudan, however, the more he goes the deeper he becomes involved in the fight for freedom and protection of the children of the region, the children orphaned or who have been tortured and abducted to serve as soldiers. It eventually overtakes him and he becomes estranged from his family.

While the film is a bit choppy in terms of scene flow, and you are never quite sure if there is rhyme and reason to all the chaos, the stabilizing and powerful force in the film is Gerard Butler. His passion and drive as Sam Childers bring out the empathy for the plight of the children and bring home the reality of their struggle. He expertly conveys the inner conflict brought on by having to witness the horrors of a war torn region and then coming home to a civilized society. When events become critical, you can feel his desperation and hopelessness, and then the renewal of faith.

Filmed in Africa, you feel the authenticity in the scenery and the people involved. There is enough gun battle and horrific scenes to portray the anguish without overpowering the story. The drawback to the film, however, is that it never manages to reach that climactic peak that the story builds up to, as if there is a final and ultimate resolution. Therein lies the paradox because in reality, the story continues and there is yet to be finality. The struggles of these children still exist and the political barriers that keep them from receiving help still stand.

Even if the film, as an attempt to show the world of this crisis in East Africa, disappoints by standard comparison, it should be taken almost as a documentary but mostly as an informational source to help these children and spread the word. If that isn’t enough reason, then the raw and genuine performance of Gerard Butler is worth the viewing.

From Ones2Watch4
Release date:  September 23, 2011

Adrenaline-pumping, hardcore one-on-one action is why you go see a Jason Statham film, right? Well, his latest flick, Killer Elite, delivers on that promise and more. Based on an alleged true story, Statham plays a reluctant assassin forced to carry out orders to save his mentor (Robert De Niro) held captive. Clive Owen plays his nemesis who finds himself in an ultimate race to finish the job and win the prize. Hard-punching, nonstop suspense with car chases and testosterone, it still manages to pull heartstrings with Statham’s protectiveness with his girlfriend (Yvonne Strahovski). Statham and Owen’s fight scenes are deliciously masculine.

Un Film de Clement Pillet avec Gowan Didi, Aurelio Arena et Jeanne Monnet

Il aussi joue le rôle principal dans un film Q (en France).