Directed: Nigel Cole
Written: William Ivory
Released: October 2010
Featuring: Sally Hawkins, Rosamund Pike, Miranda Richardson, Bob Hoskins, Geraldine James
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This movie is based in the late sixties during a time when women were treated unequally in the work place. They were degraded and given less pay than the men, simply because they are women.
The leader of the movement Rita O’Grady, played by Sally Hawkins, a worker in a Ford factory in Dagenham, organises the rallies. Based on a true story, these women made history in their success in getting equality in the workplace – even meeting Barbara Castle (Miranda Richardson)!
Rita carries the guilt of others’ personal issues such as dealing with the after effects of war on her friends as well as keeping everybody united in the struggle against the workplace. This adds another very human dimension to the film.
Rights not privileges, it’s really that simple.
My favourite character is by far Lisa, played by Rosamund Pike. She is beautifully elegant, and posesses a fantastically strong sense of right and wrong. Her opinion is generally unwelcome, but I just adore everybody’s faces when she speaks out A look of utter shock. She is strong, intelligent and an amazing woman.
I’m Lisa Burnett, I’m 31 years old and I have a first class honours degree from one of the finest universities in the world, and my husband treats me like I’m a fool…
It’s based in the sixties, so naturally the music and fashion is absolutely to die for! The dresses, the hair, the dancing *gasp* …so amazing.
This is a movie that will inspire and move you. It is entertaining and funny with an amazing cast! This is not a preachy feminist film either. This is based on true circumstances adding so much integrity to the script.
The front cover of the DVD and poster is very inaccurate. It looks like it is a happy-go-lucky rom-com. It is far from it. It is a drama based on humanity and personal triumphs.
An incredible journey by heroines based in a time of total change.
Jodie’s rating: 8/10
1. After time travelling back to the beginning of the Mayan calendar, Doctor Who attempted to speak to the Mayan elders to extend the end of the calendar to a much further date in time. He was unsuccessful and was accused of being a witch doctor. He tried to explain that he wasn’t a Doctor Which, but a Doctor Who. After convincing them to not treat him as a threat, he was able to compromise, and settled on an agreement. That at the end of the Mayan calendar a “to be cont.” sign was to be etched at the end. Scientists, if they were to re-study the Mayan calendar today, will find this statement, thanks to the Doctor.
2. A huge meteor was hurtling toward Earth, NASA people were freaking out (despite the many press releases stating otherwise). They called the man that is never to be spoken about publicly. His name, is Superman. Fiction? I think not! Unfortunately, the meteor was purposely laced with kryptonite by the alien beings who wanted to ruin Superman’s world. He was unable to stop the meteor in it’s path, so Iron Man, although a little drunk from his house party celebrating his updated Iron Man suit, was able to use his brain, his mind and his head too, making it possible with the use of various lasers and alcohol-induced decisions to divert the meteor. Phewph!
3. Having heard about the Mayans’ little plan about ending the Earth in 2012, Vianne, a girl who lived around the time of the invention of the Mayan calendar, decided that she had to do something. She was never welcome in the Mayan society because of her super powers that were shunned by the elders who never acknowledged her existence (which is why she can not be found in any Mayan history).
A layer that we now call an ozone that protected Earth from the meteorite that was supposed to impoverish the Earth in December of 2012. Our ozone layer protects us against many things that would have damaged the world in Mayan times due to the world’s lack of ozone.
4. Ever heard of the butterfly effect? Where the tiniest of changes made by the likes of a time traveller, perhaps the indiscriminate killing of a minuscule insect could change the future forever through a domino effect. Well, in fact, what actually happened to prevent the world from being wiped from existence in 2012 was a time traveller who travelled from the year 1750AD, back in time to the year 3114 BC.
Airborne, the machine continued falling down the gully and landed on the fast flowing river, landing with an unsatisfying splash like a ping-pong ball thrown into a swimming pool. Now, I know what you’re thinking, you think I’m going to say that on the way down the hill the time machine squished something that had major repercussions on the distant future…
But apart from that, in fact what happened was that as the spheric time machine rolled down the hill that was classed as “sacred” by the local native Mayan people of Southern Mexico. This was witnessed by a Mayan woman who had been put in charge of creating the Mayan Calendar. She had a rock canvas that was a rectangular shape and had begun carving the dates when suddenly a giant ball-like rock thing appeared in the distance and rolled down the sacred hill at an ever increasing speed, demolishing trees on the way.
6. Have a goal. For most people getting to a safe house they heard of is what drives them, or finding the cure or getting a way better vehicle than they already have. For some, it is to get from ‘anywhere but here’/find a rescue team of some kind, and for others it is to find Twinkie bars… In any case, having a purpose is the simplest way to keep alive AND to stay sane!
Good luck guys! Those are just a few pearls of wisdom from me, I’m sure you have many more, so feel free to share them in a comment or on my NZ Film Freak Facebook page… While you still can!
OR the mamsy-pamsy emotional blubbering characters who through the fog of their infatuation are unable to reach logical decisions.
Unfortunately, the fairytale romance unravels due to the Duke (Richard Roxburgh) – an investor in Satine and the Moulin Rouge – attempts to put an end to their love affair. Christian and Satine’s love turns into a concoction of “desire, suspicion, jealously, anger and betrayal”.
It is full of colour and energy! It feels like you’re right there in the Moulin Rouge with them. The lighting is incredible along with Baz Lurhmann’s trademark choppy edits and steadicam footage. This all adds to the excitement on the dance floor with the colourful dresses and cabaret dancers.
The music is fantastic! They’re not songs that describe mundane things, it’s music that supports the emotion of it all. They’re modern songs by incredible artists such as Bowie, Rufus Wainwright and Elton John, as well as bands such as T.Rex, Queen and Nirvana, in an orchestral fashion, and/or medley mash-up of multiple songs, sometimes in aMoulin Rouge party style.
Inspired by true events, this exciting and high-energy journey follows Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess) as he discovers the world of counting cards and the game of blackjack in Vegas. The huge financial rewards and glamorous way of life that was supposed to be a means to an end for Ben, became an addictive and extremely risky and dangerous lifestyle choice.
This is a fast paced film of high-rollers and well-educated characters, some with intimidating power and control. A once conscientious student becomes wrapped up in the underworld of counting cards which jeopardises his future as a Harvard Medical student as blackjack team member, Professor Mickey Rosa (Kevin Spacey), turns on him.
The soundtrack to 21 is a mixture of popular artists such as Rihanna and MGMT, classic artists such as The Rolling Stones, plus some more of the middle-of-the-road artists like Peter Bjorn and John and Unkle. There are a few R&B songs that I don’t really like, but the best parts are used in the film effectively.
Musical or not, its fifties costumes and authentic hair-dos are enough to make me love this optimistic film. I love this era and it’s portrayed in the most idyllic light. Obviously Grease is essentially a stage play which isn’t lost in the movie form with the occasional fourth wall barriers lost.
Tim Burton’s quirky and off centre idea of normalcy is shown in Edward Scissorhands which is about a man who was created by an inventor who died before he could complete him – hence the scissors for hands. Edward finds himself embraced into suburbia which challenges the belief system of the small, gossipy population, before everything goes wrong and Edward finds himself in a more confused state than ever.
It does seem like a crazy storyline. A man with scissors for hands? Imagine trying to pitch that to a production company…
Speaking of casting, one of my favourite actresses, Dianne Wiest, (
The sets look like a model set because of all of the pastel colours and cookie-cutter, two dimensional looking houses, especially in contrast with the black, gothic castle that Edward Scissorhands hides out in. It is actually a spectacular set which is an exaggeration of suburbia’s claustrophobia, uniformity and lack of individualism or creativity, which is what Edward Scissorhands inadvertently changes when he is introduced to the neighbourhood.
It is a comedic view on the insanity of normalcy. An entertaining watch – unlike anything you have ever seen before. It is a typical Burton film so if you’re not a fan of his work usually, you may not enjoy the weirdness of Edward Scissorhands. However, the love interest between Edward and Kim (Winona Ryder) as well as the snowy Christmas scenes makes it a great festive movie (despite the somewhat sad ending which Tom Cruise disliked).
NZ Film Freak 