Movie Review: Thor

Happy Monday! For those of you who have a job, hope you're off to a good start. I'd like to start off the week with a movie review. Since the second installment of Thor is scheduled to come out at the end of this year, I figure it would be helpful to review the first one. So here we go...

      Thor (Hemsworth), trained in battle and heir to the throne, is banished from his homeland on the distant planet of Asgard, by his father, King Odin (Hopkins), for inciting war with the Frost Giants of Jotunheim, in reaction to a matter that resolved itself to the King’s satisfaction. For his disobedience , Thor is sent to planet Earth to live among the humans in hopes of developing a sense of humility.
      Hurling towards Earth at warp speed, Thor crash-lands in the high deserts of the American Southwest. Dazed and confused, he walks headlong into a retrofitted recreational vehicle, operated by none other than Jane Foster, a research scientist studying the possible existence of worm holes through space and time. Deprived of his supernatural powers, Thor stumbles through a series of unfortunate events, accompanied by Jane Foster and her crew. Along the way, he discovers what it feels like to grieve the loss of a loved one, to suffer from the betrayal of a family member, and to fear the possible annihilation of his homeland.

Release date was in 2011
Rated PG13: Comic-book Adventure
Starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, and Anthony Hopkins

If you, the reader, have seen it, share your thoughts in the comments section.
Until next time, have a great day!

Actresses to Watch continued...

Noomi Rapace (Elizabeth Shaw, Prometheus (2012))

A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.

Rooney Mara (Lisbeth Salander, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011))

This is the first film in Columbia Pictures’ three-picture adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s trilogy with the same name. The story centers around Lisbeth Salander, an eccentric punk prodigy who makes a living as a writer. When Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist, hires her to help investigate the disappearance of a woman who has been missing for forty years, they uncover a conspiracy of far-reaching proportions. Directed by David Fincher, it stars Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig as the two leading characters.

Freida Pinto (lead character,Trishna)

This is a tragic love story between the daughter of an auto rickshaw owner and the son of a property developer.

Saoirse Ronan (Melanie Stryder, The Host (2013))

From Stephenie Meyer, the creator of the worldwide phenomenon The Twilight Saga, comes this daring and romantic thriller based on The New York Times #1 bestselling novel. When an unseen enemy threatens mankind by taking over humans' bodies and erasing their minds, Melanie Stryder risks everything to protect the people she cares about most in her life, proving that love can conquer all.

Zoe Kravitz (Senshi Raige, After Earth (2013))

A crash landing leaves Kitai Raige and his father Cypher stranded on Earth, a millennium after events forced humanity's escape. With Cypher injured, Kitai must embark on a perilous journey to signal for help.

Emily Blunt (Sara, Looper (2012))

In 2074, when the mob wants to get rid of someone, the target is sent 30 years into the past, where a hired gun awaits. Someone like Joe, who one day learns the mob wants to 'close the loop' by transporting back Joe's future self.

'Gems' Followup

In a prior blog post, I listed a number of female actresses to watch over the next few years. Indeed, they are talented. And most of them came out, or will be coming out, with new movies towards the end of last and the first half of this year. For each, I have included their characters’ names and a brief description of each movie.Take a look for yourself, and then tell me what you think . I would love to get your feedback.

Jennifer Lawrence (Tiffany, Silver Linings Playbook)

After a stint in a mental institution, former teacher Pat Solitano moves back in with his parents and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife. Things get more challenging when Pat meets Tiffany, a mysterious girl with problems of her own. (I haven't seen this movie yet, but I plan to in the near future.)

Amanda Seyfreid (Cosette, Les Miserables)

In 19th-century France, Jean Valjean, who for decades has been hunted by the ruthless policeman Javert after he breaks parole, agrees to care for factory worker Fantine's daughter, Cosette. The fateful decision changes their lives forever. (I haven't seen this movie yet and I don't intend to-the misery of it would make ME miserable!)

Anne Hathaway (Fantine, Les Miserables)

Jean Valjean, known as Prisoner 24601, is released from prison and breaks parole to create a new life for himself while evading the grip of the persistent Inspector Javert. Set in post-revolutionary France, the story reaches resolution against the background of the June Rebellion.

Scarlett Johansson (Janet Leigh, Hitchcock)

In 1959, Alfred Hitchcock and his wife, Alma, are at the top of their creative game as filmmakers amid disquieting insinuations about it being time to retire. To recapture his youth's artistic daring, Alfred decides his next film will adapt the lurid horror novel, Psycho, over everyone's misgivings. Unfortunately, as Alfred self-finances and labors on this film, Alma finally loses patience with his roving eye and controlling habits with his actresses. When an ambitious friend lures her to collaborate on a work of their own, the resulting marital tension colors Alfred's work even as the novel's inspiration haunts his dreams.

Rebel Wilson (Robin Peck, Pain & Gain)

Based on the true story of Daniel Lugo,  a Miami bodybuilder who wanted to live the American dream. He wanted to have the money that other people had, so he enlisted the help of fellow bodybuilder,  Adrian Doorbal, and ex-convict, Paul Doyle. When their kidnapping and extortion scheme went terribly wrong, they attempted to salvage whatever they can. (I haven't seen this movie yet, but I plan to in the near future.)

Zoe Saldana (Uhura, Star Trek: Into Darkness)

With a personal score to settle, Captain Jim Kirk leads a manhunt aboard the starship, Enterprise, to a war-torn world in an effort to capture a one man weapon-of-mass-destruction. Our heroes are propelled into an epic game of chess, during which the bonds of loyalty and love will be tested.

Emma Stone (Grace Faraday, Gangster Squad)

Based on a true story. It's 1949, and Los Angeles is under the control organized crime. A secret crew of police officers led by two determined sergeants work together in an effort to take down the Legendary West Coast Mafia King, Mickey Cohen. Things get complicated when one of the sergeants falls for the kingpin's daughter, Grace. (I haven't seen this movie yet, but I plan to in the near future.)

Halle Berry (Jordan Turner, The Call)

When a veteran 911 operator takes a life-altering call from a teenage girl who has just been abducted, she realizes that she must confront a killer from her past in order to save the girl's life.

Liv Tyler (Madison, Robot & Frank)

Set in the near future, an ex-jewel thief receives a gift from his son: a robot butler programmed to look after him. But soon the two companions try their luck as a heist team. (I haven't seen this movie yet, but I plan to in the near future.)

Movie Review: After Earth

After Earth, starring Will Smith and his real-life son, Jaden Smith, is an action-fantasy flick about a father and son, who escaped Planet Earth with the rest of humanity over a thousand years before, and established a new home on a planet they christened Nova Prime. The father, General Cypher Raige, is head of the planet’s most prominant family. He and his wife had two children, a daughter and a son. But the daughter was killed long ago, leaving their son, Kitai, to bear the strain of an only child. 

            Kitai feels enormous pressure to follow in his father’s legendary footsteps. As a result, the relationship between father and son is tense. To reconnect, the General takes his son on a routine trip. Due to unforeseen circumstances, he and his crew must break regulations and land on Planet Earth. As the aircraft enters Earth’s atmosphere, it malfunctions and splits in two. Both pieces make landfall, but most of the crew has been killed. General Cypher Raige and his son, Kita,i are the only two survivors.

            Kitai awakens in a panic and rummages around until he comes upon his father. Once the General comes to, he discovers that both his legs are broken and he can’t go anywhere. When he locates the emergency beacon that all aircraft are equipped with, it is damaged and useless. Their only hope now is to find the backup beacon stored in the tail end of the spacecraft, which lies many miles away.

            Tasked with finding and retrieving the second beacon, Kitai makes his way across the wild and dangerous terrain.  Now it will take all his training to succeed, if not for his own sake, than for his father’s. 

          

Anne Hathaway, an Audry Hepburn lookalike?

Anne Hathaway’s initial claim to fame was her role in Disney’s The Princess Diaries in 2001. Then, in 2005, she played alongside Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal in Brokeback Mountain. Meryl Streep took Hathaway under her wing in 2006 with The Devil Wears Prada. More recently, she played a cat burglar in the Dark Knight Rises (2012) and the role of Fantine in Cameron Macintosh’s Les Miserables (2012).

Here is an actress who has proven her acting skills across multiple genres over the years. Her doleful eyes and contagious smile has added warmth and genuineness to each role she has played. And, might I add, her sophistication and grace is reminiscint of Audry Hepburn. Why then do so many people in showbiz seem to “hate” her? Probably because she is THAT good, that why!

Om Sweet Om

Hellooooo there everybody..... I was surfing the web recently and came upon an article about Swami Mangalananda, one of two that preside over the Badarikashrama Temple in San Leandro, California.(The other is Swami Omkarananda.)  It was very enlightening, but more importantly, it was surprising! I mean, I didn't expect to find it in an obscure online bay area journal like I did. So without further adue, I share with you this excerpt:

      One day 22 years ago, a former hippie threw her shorn hair into the Ganges River (in India), said her final monastic vows, and never looked back. Swami Mangalananda describes herself as "a WASP from Wisconsin," but she's also a Hindu nun and the secretary of the Badarikashrama Temple (15602 Maubert Ave., San Leandro, CA).

      "My interest in non-Western philosophies began in high school and continued through the Sixties," she said. "I became a vegetarian. I listened to Indian music. By dressing in Madras clothes and Indian jewelry and living communally, a lot of us in those days were imitating the people of Eastern cultures without completely realizing it. I went through a very strong Christian phase, then an agnostic phase. I was disenchanted with religion, yet I had spiritual longings and altered states of consciousness and a lot of spiritual experiences — not just from drugs."

       A devoted peace activist and civil-rights campaigner, "I developed a very strong attachment for Mahatma Gandhi, and that attachment stayed with me," Mangalananda said. "I didn't become a yuppie. Sometimes I actuallychose poverty."

        While living in San Leandro and studying health education at San Francisco State University, she wandered into Badarikashrama one day. It was the first Hindu temple she'd ever visited. Immediately inspired by its founder, Swami Omkarananda, she began working at the ashram, taking classes, and becoming first a student monk, then a full nun. She stuck with it. In 1997, Omkarananda transferred her to Badarikashrama's fifty-acre sister ashram in Madihalli, India.

Top News Stories of 2012

The year 2012 was a year when the tenets of our founding fathers were tested on many fronts. It was a year when gun control became part of the general conversation. It was a year when the first African-American president was re-elected for a second term of office. It was a year when natural disaster struck hard on the homefront. In this post, I will list a few of the momentous events that took place in the last twelve months. I do realize, however, that I have missed out many. But these should open the discussion for you.

Costa Concordia, an Italian cruise ship, became the largest passenger ship to sink, ever, when it ran aground at Isola de Giglio in Tuscany on January 13^th .

At a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado: 12 people were shot and killed.

David Patraeus, CIA Director, tendered his resignation after it was revealed that he had an affair with his biographer, Paula Broadwell.

At a Sikh Gurudwara in Wisconsin, a military veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces, who was dishonorably discharged, opened fire in a delusional attempt to rid himself and his country of a perceived enemy. The heroics of the Faithful drew national attention to a widely-misunderstood segment of the U.S. population.

Hurricane Sandy hit land, killing hundreds and costing billions in damages. It is the second-costliest storm in U.S. history.

A September 11^th assault on the U.S. Embassy in Benghazi, Libya was the result of a protest instigated by the release of an anti-Muslim film in the U.S.A.

U.S. Presidential Election: Contender Republican Mitt Romney versus Current President Democrat Barack Obama. Obama won re-election.

On Election Day, Maine, Maryland, and Washington, became the first states to legalize gay marriage.

Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut: 20 young school children and 6 staff members were shot, making it the second biggest shooting massacre in U.S. history.

Obama’s much-debated health care overhaul, popularly known as “Obamacare”, was upheld by Supreme Court Justice John Roberts (conservative-leaning).

An outbreak of peaceful protests in Syria descended into full-blown civil war between the regime of Bashar Assad and a potent rebel opposition.