character – NZ Film Freak

My Favourite Character: Elaine Benes

Sassy, smart, cynical, silly and hysterical! Seinfeld‘s Elaine Benes is just the coolest. She’s confident and crazy, yet successful and feminine.

Seinfeld is my favourite TV series because it is based on nothing. It’s just four people going about their lives, focussing on the odd things that happen from day to day. From these occurrences comes addictive catch-phrases that I’m sure you’ve heard before. “Serenity now!” “Festivus for the rest of us!”

Please refer to this extensive list for the full collection of Seinfeld phrases.

Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) is my favourite character because she’s one of the guys, without compromising her femininity. She’s independent, a successful writer with a thriving social life.

Yes, she’s promiscuous, but she always ends up with the upper-hand in every relationship. I don’t think there’s an episode where she is genuinely upset when a relationship ends.

I love her because she is so negative about everyone and everything, yet she still manages to make hilarious, witty remarks about every situation without making herself appear egotistical.

“I had to take a sick day, I’m so sick of these people.”

Julia Louis-Dreyfus plays her SO well. I can’t imagine anyone else doing a better job. She’s versitile and does comedy so well.

Have you seen some of the weird faces she pulls? Or even Elaine’s dancing! Louis-Dreyfus is so talented, and so hilarious.

Also, her hair is spectacular.

I love Seinfeld. I love Elaine. *Sigh*

Jodie.

My Favourite Character: Jocelyn

I’ve reviewed The Jane Austen Book Club, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and I did write a short bio of the characters in my review. But I wanted to expand on my favourite character, Jocelyn.

Maria Bello plays Jocelyn.
Jocelyn has never fallen in love, but she says she’s happy with that:

“…alone is not the end of the world. For as many years as you’ve been married I’ve been quite happily unmarried… I mean, I don’t know. I wouldn’t mind falling in love, but it just all seems like fiction to me, anyway.

She’s a dog-breeder, and if you catch onto her mannerisms early enough, you’ll notice she treats men like dogs – she’s strict, short-tempered and dominant with them. Her use of language when speaking about people is similar to how she would talk about dogs.

“No one I’m interested in. He’s young, compliant, said he might enjoy being in a book club… Do you think Sylvia responded to him?”

Jocelyn is drawn to ‘Grigg’ because he’s “eager to please” and “tries hard”… Sort of like a dog.

Jocelyn is known as the ‘match-maker’, always on the look-out for who she can pair people up with. She partnered her best friend Sylvia up with a guy who is now Sylvia’s husband.

I think Jocelyn is super cool because she’s independent and lives by herself in the country doing exactly what she wants. She dresses quite casual (except for the final scene), in knitted shrugs, jeans, long skirts and turtle-necks.

a19bc551-7228-4b74-915a-b81733a21fe0_detail — Jocelyn and Grigg

In the movie, she hesitantly opens up to change. Starting by reading a book Grigg suggests, which Jocelyn is sure she won’t enjoy.
“I think at my age I should know what I like”
But the more she relaxes and allows him to be a friend – rather than a person to direct – the more she changes into a calmer and happier person.

I love Jocelyn. She’s so pretty (I want her hair), and confident in herself.

Jodie.

My Favourite Character: Louise Sawyer

I recently reviewed Thelma and Louise, which is my favourite movie of all time.

Out of the two main characters, I connected with Louise more because I admire her more than Thelma (who is ditsy, and reminds me too much of myself!).

“Suspect: Louise Elizabeth Sawyer. Red hair, brown eyes, five-foot, seven inches tall, on hundred and twenty pounds…”

Louise is so sassy. In the bar scene at the beginning of their road trip, I love how she doesn’t even give Harlan (a guy at the bar who is hitting on them) the time of day.

At that point, Harlan seemed like just a confident gentleman who approached the pair. But she saw right through him.

Harlan: Hey! Now what are a couple of Kewpie dolls like you doin’ in a place like this?
Louise: Mindin’ our own business. Why don’t you try it.

Despite her straight-up-and-down character, she has a generous side. Like when she left the waitress “a huge tip” at a bar. Sawyer is a waitress by day, so I think she completely understood how far a bigger tip would go.

She drives a green/blue T-Bird convertible, wears well-fitted jackets and western-style boots.

Susan Sarandon does a spectacular job portraying her as a motherly, yet, fiercely independent woman. Louise seems like somebody who you could rely on.

Jodie.

There’s not a lot out there, so this trailer will have to do. However, this is the original 90s trailer which portrays the movie as a straight-laced comedy, which isn’t accurate at all.

Gravity

Director: Alfonso Cuarón
Writers: Alfonso Cuarón and Jonás Cuarón
Released: October 2013
Starring: Sandra Bullock and George Clooney

—–

This movie is out of this world!
Ha.
I saw Gravity 3D and it was spectacular. The director, Alfonso Cuarón, said movies should be a visual experience – a lot of dialogue isn’t necessary to tell the story – and he certainly did that well.

Claustrophobia, agoraphobia, isolation, suffocation and death. This is a terrifying movie, playing on our natural fears. It is a very ‘human’ film – it goes back to basics – which is extremely effective in such an alien environment.

I’m not sure how to describe the epicness of the visuals… It is inviolable. Simply spectacular. The shot of the Northern Lights from outer space, and of the sun emerging from behind Earth… Wow. gravity_inline_2

Ryan (Sandra Bullock) and Matt (George Clooney) were absolutely incredible. I am a huge fan of George Clooney anyway, who played a chatty and upbeat character. But I was pleasantly surprised with Sandra Bullock! She convincingly played a strong protagonist.

All the dialogue used makes a huge impact. There is literally no unnecessary dialogue. The spoken word is almost used as a parallel storyline; Ryan’s back story links to her current traumas.

The audio is so detailed and layered. The use of silence is powerful and serene. Ryan’s heartbeat can often be heard in the background. The point-of-view shots include the dampened sounds of collision as though heard from inside the astronaut suit.

Speaking of audio, the soundtrack is incredibly moving – especially in the final scene! RANDOM FACT: Steven Price, who composed for Gravity, also composed for The World’s End.

Structurally, the story keeps you hooked. The count down before the next debris shower from the destroyed satellite near-by, and the suspense as the oxygen depletes… You literally find yourself holding your breath.

The loneliness, desperation, mourning, horror and serenity creates a hugely emotional journey. The point-of-view shots, as mentioned before, just gets you closer to the action.

All my favourite movies are character-orientated and emotional. Juno, Young Adult, About A Boy, Little Miss Sunshine, The Perks of Being A Wallflower.. I could go on! But imagine that character development in a terrifying thriller with a totally original environment.

Intense, stunning and creative. It is definitely worth seeing in 3D.

I loved it!
Jodie’s rating: 9.5/10

The trailer gives away nothing. The storyline is barely touched upon – you’re in for a treat!
I just got chills. Again.

My Favourite Character: Miranda

I. Love. Miranda.

Not only do we share the same last name and similar place of origin, but we share the awkward and embarrassing everyday situations. The only difference being, the actress who plays the character of the same name, has made her life into a comedic series… While I simply digest my cringe-worthy days on my 40 minute bus journeys home…

Bear with… Bear with…

Miranda is the slightly more casual and relatable version of Bridget Jones. She makes my everyday situations become not an “embarrassing moment” but a “Miranda moment”. Which simply means my life is television-worthy. In my mind.

Miranda Hart has the ability to find sexual innuendos in most conversations, yet the inability of saying certain words.

I also give myself freely to others… I don’t mean ‘s-x-ally’.

A great series, a fantastically comical actress and an awesome character!

Such fun!

Jodie.

My Favourite Character: Bridget Jones

What do you think of when somebody mentions Bridget Jones?

“A verbally-incontinent tragic spinster who smokes like a chimney and drinks like a fish?”

Yes, although a somewhat blunt description of the Bridget Jones’ character, I do feel like that she is also a role model. She represents a group of women in their thirties with a career but no partner, with bad habits and frequent input in their love life from “vulgar mothers”.

Suddenly I realised that I was going to live a life where my major relationship was with a bottle of wine…

Sure, I can’t really relate to Bridget’s generation or situation… Yet. But like many young women, struggling to succeed in life, Bridget Jones acts as a role model. Particularly when making the right decisions in relationships, in Bridget’s case, between tempting (Daniel Cleaver) and sensible (Mark Darcy) choices.

“[I like you] just as you are”? Not thinner? Not cleverer? Not with slightly bigger breasts or a slightly smalls nose?
-Bridget’s friends discussing Mark Darcy’s comment.

If anything, watching/reading Bridget Jones’ Diary makes you feel better about making a total arse of yourself in public. It’s sort of comforting in a weird way knowing that a lovable and fun character also does stupid things and everything still tends to work out fine her anyway.

…you seem to go out of your way to try to make me feel like a complete idiot… and you really needn’t bother. I already feel like an idiot most of the time anyway.

The film adaptations were convincingly played by American Renee Zellweger whose English accent was flawless. The dreamy Colin Firth played Mark Darcy, and quite appropriately, the stuck-up and smug Daniel Cleaver was effortlessly portrayed by Hugh Grant.

A down to earth, bog standard, nothing-special woman who makes every painfully average woman feel a little better about themselves. It’s okay to be ordinary, clumsy, chubby and single, thanks to Bridget.

Jodie.

My Favourite Character: Juno

Not only do I adore this movie and Ellen Page, but I think the character is the bee’s knees.

Juno is a typical bored suburban teenager who gets into a spot of bother with her best friend, Bleeker, a stringy-looking track runner who gets Juno pregnant… Or how she says “I’m for shizz up the spout”

Despite the tragic circumstances of the sixteen year old, she is so up beat and totally hilarious with her choice of language.

“Quiet, Banana. Hey, shut your gob, okay” (to the barking dog)
“Silencio old man! I just drank my weight in Sunny D. and I have to go, pronto.”
“I’m already pregnant, what other shenanigans could I get into?”
“I thought I might, you know, nip it in the bud before it gets worse. Because I heard in health class that pregnancy often results in an infant.”

And many more genus lines – obviously thanks to the brains behind this character, Diablo Cody.

I love Juno because of her confidence, her boyish style and sense of humour in everything, even when “dealing with stuff way beyond [her] maturity level”. It is literally impossible not to respond to people without Juno’s sarcasm after watching this movie.

She is inspirational because makes every bad thing seem like it’s no big deal.

And if anybody knows where to get brown tartan Chucks, let me know. They look wicked.

Jodie.