Showing posts with label Jude Law. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jude Law. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Review: "Repo Men"

When I first heard of this film in a 'Coming Attractions' article I was convinced, yet another remake was going to make it's way into our local cinemas. However, it was only when I saw the trailer that I realized it wasn't a revamped version of the 1984 action film starring Emilio Estevez, but something somewhat different.

Set in the not-too-distant future where illness, or rather, organ failure isn't a concern, you simply purchase it on credit. However, failure to remit payment before the ninety-five day delinquency period "The Union" will send it's skilled and aggressive repo men to collect their product. Former soldiers Remy (Jude Law) and Jake (Forest Whitaker) are the company's best, cold and unsympathetic, until unforeseen circumstances suddenly put Remy on the other end of the scalpel. Unable to function in his duties and no income to pay for his new heart, Remy resigns himself to his fate and goes on the run with a beautiful nightclub singer in the same dire straits.

The metropolis' futuristic atomosphere is reminiscent of Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner", dark, desperate and devoid of any emotion. Remy and Beth (Alice Braga), both machine for the most part, are ironically more human than anyone else in the film. During the course of the film, our hero's newly acquired emotional overload paves the way for our protagonists plight and leads them to transcend their own state of affairs and help all runners, in attempting to bring down the 'Union'. For all the gore hounds there is plenty of carnage in the fight sequences, in particular the films climax, which was rather unrelenting.

Not a totally unique idea, reminded me a bit of the 1976 sci-fi epic "Logan's Run", but still a good and entertaining film...oh yeah, and a killer twist to boot. If you are a sci-fi/action junkie than this is your film, but if you're squeamish and have a sensitive nature, then I suggest you find a warm and fuzzy flick because this ain't it!

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Center Stage: Nicole Kidman

Born Nicole Mary Kidman in Honolulu, Hawaii on June 20, 1967. Living briefly in Washington, DC, the Kidman family returned to native Sydney, Australia when Nicole was four. Nicole showed a huge interest in ballet and started classes in mime and drama. In her later school years the acting bug took hold and became the mainstay in Nicole's life, often opting to miss outings with friends and could be found in the theater honing her craft.

In 1983 Kidman appeared in her film debut, "BMX Bandits", at the age of 15. Throughout the 1980's she appeared in the Australian soap opera 'A Country Practice', the mini-series 'Vitenam' and the film "Emerald Forest" (1988). In 1989, her starring role in "Dead Calm" as Rae Ingram wife of a naval officer John Ingram (Sam Neill), held captive on their yacht by Hughie Warriner (Billy Zane), while vacationing on the high seas would become her breakthrough performance. The film garnered good reviews from the likes of Variety and critic Roger Ebert.

The nineties saw Kidman starring in larger, high-profile roles and would eventually lead to her international success. The first of these roles was the Ron Howard directed, car racing action flick "Days of Thunder" (1990) playing opposite Tom Cruise. During production Kidman and Cruise began a relationship that would eventually lead to their wedding by the end of the year. Kidman and Cruise would star alongside each other for Ron Howard again in 1992's "Far And Away". Kidman caught the attention of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and received her first Golden Globe nomination for her portrayal of murderous newscaster Suzanne Maretto, in the satirical comedy "To Die For". Kidman rounded out the decade starring alongside Sandra Bullock in the highly enjoyable, supernatural romance film "Practical Magic" and in Stanley Kubrik's final directing effort, "Eyes Wide Shut" opposite husband Tom Cruise.

2001 was a huge year and saw Kidman starring in two blockbuster hits, Baz Lurhmann's musical "Moulin Rouge!" and the moody thriller "The Others". A Golden Globe nomination and win for 'Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical' was cinched for her portrayal of ill-fated heroine Satine in "Moulin Rouge!" Sadly, her Academy Award nomination for 'Best Actress' alluded her. The following year Kidman portrayed Virginia Woolf in Stephen Daldry's "The Hours" and earned Kidman her second 'Best Actress' Academy Award nomination and first win in 2003. The following years would be fraught with mainstream success and a mixture of good reviews and pans from critics.

Kidman's personal life was going through upheaval during the epitome of her career, a much publicized divorce from Tom Cruise and speculation of an affair with Jude Law occurring while starring opposite each other in "Cold Mountain". Kidman threw herself into her work while keeping a low public profile. In 2004 Lenny Kravitz and Kidman were spotted together and shared a brief romance. While in attendance of a 'G'day LA' event Kidman met second husband, country singer and fellow Aussie, Keith Urban in 2005. The pair were married the following year in Australia and bought a home in Tennessee and in 2008 welcomed their first daughter, Sunday Rose.

Nicole Kidman remains one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood and one of the most diverse, and on a personal note, my favorite actress. Aside from her impressive acting abilities, Nicole has surprised audiences by doing all of her own singing in her films, from the fabulous and sexy Satine in "Moulin Rouge!" to the playful Norma Jean in "Happy Feet". Nicole is a beautiful human being and humanitarian being a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF since 1994 and raising funds for disadvantaged children around the world. There is nothing that this lady can't accomplish and with several projects in the works well into 2011, we're guaranteed great performances for years to come!

Selected filmography:

BMX Bandits 1983
Dead Calm 1989
Days of Thunder 1990
Billy Bathgate 1991
Far and Away 1992
To Die For 1995
Batman Forever 1995
The Peacemaker 1997
Practical Magic 1998
Eyes Wide Shut 1999
Moulin Rouge! 2001
The Others 2001
The Hours 2002
Dogville 2003
Cold Mountain 2003
The Stepford Wives 2004
Birth 2004
The Interpreter 2005
Bewitched 2005
Happy Feet 2006
The Invasion 2007
The Golden Compass 2007
Australia 2008
Nine 2009