Eat Pray Love (Ryan Murphy, 2010) -- So before I have to put my flame suit on, I'll say two things: I think every movie deserves a chance to be criticized upon, even if it's a chick flick. Also, this was indeed a chick flick which I saw with a girl I'm dating and who had heard a lot about it (so had I, some good and some bad), so I more or less went rather enthusiastically to watch it.
The movie is about a woman who had everything a modern woman is supposed to dream of having - a husband, a house, a successful career - yet like so many others, she found herself lost, confused, and searching for what she really wanted in life. Newly divorced and at a crossroads, she steps out of her comfort zone, risking everything to change her life, embarking on a journey around the world that becomes a quest for self-discovery. In her travels, she discovers the true pleasure of nourishment by eating in Italy; the power of prayer in India, and, finally and unexpectedly, the inner peace and balance of true love in Bali.
With that said, I have to say I enjoyed this movie. However, as a movie it's pretty mediocre: only Javier Bardem's acting is good enough, there's insane amounts of corniness and I've always disliked Julia Roberts, and in this movie she does little to redeem herself. There's also too many pointless scenes and an apparent attempt to overdramatize everything.
But there's also some very effective and perfectly pointed out messages in the movie that were withuot a doubt part of the book, but which are nonetheless well illustrated. The main problem of this movie is that its target audience is very, very specific: 31-38 year old divorcees, with less than 3 years separated and who are not in a relationship (or at least not in a very comitted one). Since I'm exactly within that target, I found it significant enough and enjoyable, though I shed a tear here and there, but precisely because I could understand exactly what the characters (and my date) were going through.
Even though life is pretty unsensible at times, this movie touched that bit of sentimental fiber still within me, that hasn't been burned off by every other failed relationship I've been in. It's the type of movie I've probably liked this time, but will maybe hate in a few years. 6.5/10
Compulsion (Richard Fleischer, 1959) -- Chicago, 1924. Two brilliant, wealthy, but psycho young men set out for thrills and go much too far. Meanwhile, their fellow law student Sid Brooks helps identify the murdered body of a kidnap victim and finds a clue to the killers...who firmly believe they can outsmart all opponents with ease. Result - a sensational case with defense attorney Jonathan Wilk putting capital punishment itself on trial... Starred by Orson Welles in a role that was definitely written for him and a speech that was probably the main reason the movies was made.
The result is a movie that although good, has its drawbacks, but mainly because it deals silently with topics such as homosexuality and racism, both of which were pretty silently criticized in the 1950s, but which could've made the movie so much better. Both actors that play the killers do a great job at making you hate them, and orson Welles proves how good an actor he always was. One of those movies that should never be colorize and that was strangely in 16:9 format. 7/10
