HANNA

HANNA is the name you see spelled out in big white letters across a red background a few minutes into the film and again at the end. “Hanna” Heller (Saiorse Ronan) is seventeen years old and lives a secluded life in the forest with her rogue secret agent father, Erik Heller (Eric Bana). However, this girl is much more than your average 17 year old – she hunts, shoots, knows combat skills, knows the world off by heart even though she’s never left the forest and speaks enough languages to be able to communicate with just about anyone.)


Her father trained her to be an assassin and one day, when she decides she is “ready”, she flips the switch on a transmitter to inform Marissa Wiegler (Cate Blanchett), a corrupt CIA agent, of her location. Erik leaves the home while Hanna stays behind to be captured and taken to a CIA safe house in Morocco. Her goal there is to kill Wiegler, but kills Wiegler’s body double instead.

Hanna escapes the compound to meet up with her father in Germany and on the way, finds out many truths about her own life: who murdered her mother, why she is who she is and about her father’s betrayal. She is hunted by Wiegler, the CIA and a heartless mercenary, Isaacs (Tom Hollander). After encountering modern technology for the first time and stowing away in a British family’s van, she ultimately reaches Berlin and this is where the final showdown takes place between Erik, Isaacs and Wiegler, as well as between Hanna and Wiegler.

This film is without a doubt one of those original and enthralling films that no one knows about, but everyone should see. It is an action-adventure with a sci-fi twist and a dramatic blow. The performances from Saiorse Ronan, Cate Blanchett and Tom Hollander are brilliant and you honestly walk out of the cinema wanting to “take down the bad guys.”

Le Acteur Americaine, Bradley Cooper, Parle Francais!

Especially for a girl like me, trying to learn the most beautiful language in the world (French, if you didn't guess) in a country where no one speaks it, this video of Bradley Cooper doing an interview in fluent French on TF1 is truly inspiring.

He was lucky enough to be able to go to Provence to learn, which I dream of doing someday!

Language forces us to perceive the world as man presents it to us.

~Julia Penelope

A Classic Film you can’t Miss: La Vita é Bella

Do you remember the 1998 Oscar ceremony where a charismatic Italian man jumped over chairs and sprinted to the stage when Sophia Loren announced the winner of the Best Foreign Language film award? That man was director, writer and actor, Roberto Benigni and that film was La Vita é Bella or “Life is Beautiful”.

I saw this incredible film for the first time in the 9^th grade when we were studying it for English. I appreciated it then, but when I watched it just a few weeks ago, I realized just how magical this film treasure truly is.

To sum it up, it is about love and the extreme actions people will take to protect the ones they love. Guido (Roberto Benigni) is an Italian bookkeeper and later waiter in 1940’s Italy. With to his witty nature and humorous luck, he courts Dora (Nicoletta Braschi), an Italian schoolteacher from an affluent family. They marry and have a son, Giosué (Giorgio Cantarini), who steals the hearts of audiences with his “Buongiorno Principessa!” cry when he sees his mother after hiding in a closet.

However, both Guido and Giosué are Jewish and when German forces occupy Italy, they are sent to a concentration camp and Dora joins them by pretending to be Jewish. In the camp, Guido makes up an elaborate story and convinces Giosué that everything is a competition and he will win a tank if he completes all the games successfully. This includes hiding from German officers and playing hide-and-seek with German children. The first person to reach 1000 points wins the game. Guido also finds intelligent ways to communicate to Dora that they aren’t in danger.

When the war draws to its end, the camp is in chaos and Guido has to make one last sacrifice to ensure both Giosué and Dora’s safety.

It’s a romantic comedy, a war-drama and so much more, but the overall film? Pure magic!

Goodbye, Elizabeth

A childstar, a leading lady, two Oscars, seven husbands and a double set of eyelashes. This woman, an actress in Hollywood's Golden Age, was a legend - both official (the American Film Institute named her seventh on its Female Legends list) and in the hearts of millions.

Unfortunately, her fairytale came to an end this morning when she died after being hospitalized for congestive heart failure. At 79, her grace and spirit was still a light in her four children, many grand children and even great-grand children's lives.

Rest in Peace, Elizabeth Taylor...

"Everything makes me nervous - except making films."

"The problem with people who have no vices is that generally you can be pretty sure they`re going to have some pretty annoying virtues."

 "My mother says I didn`t open my eyes for eight days after I was born, but when I did, the first thing I saw was an engagement ring. I was hooked."

"[2005] There`s still so much more to do. I can`t sit back and be complacent, and none of us should be. I get around now in a wheelchair, but I get around."

Oscar Magic

4 to Inception, 4 to The King's Speech, 3 to The Social Network, 2 to Alice and Wonderland and 10 out of 10 for brilliance! The 83rd annual Academy Awards were not only fun and glamorous, but the winners were definitely the most deserving. I must admit, I expected a different outcome after the Golden Globes, but The King's Speech was without a doubt the "Best Picture" considering all aspects, including cinematography, editing, directing, acting and art direction - a film that kept you gripped, expanded your knowledge and made you laugh every now and again.

Personally, I believe Hans Zimmer has deserved and Oscar for years, but Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross brought The Social Network to magical life. Colleen Atwood knows how to fuse fashion and drama and her long time collaboration with Tim Burton has truly brought beautiful works of fashion art to this world.

Even though there were mixed reactions toward Anne Hathaway and James Franco as hosts (they are not comedians, why should they feel obliged to be funny?), they kept the night going and made it entertaining - it is about the awards, anyway.

The Best Actors and Actresses of the night, Natalie Portman and Colin Firth were the cherries on top. Both portrayed vulnerable characters with flaws to overcome and ultimately stood for that confusing stages everyone experiences in life.

Some Fashion...

Black Swan

Black Swan

Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel

Directed by Darren Aronofsky

 Nina (Natalie Portman) is a top New York ballet dancer who lives and breathes ballet. When artistic director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) decides to replace retiring dancer, Beth (Winona Ryder), doors open drastically for Nina when she is chosen to portray the Swan Queen. However, Leroy wants one dancer to be both the vulnerable, pure white swan, as well as her seductive, villainous "twin sister" the black swan. Nina perfectly embodies the former, but struggles to let herself fall into her dark side. Competition presents itself in the form of Lily (Mila Kunis) who epitomizes the black swan and paranoia becomes a big part of Nina's every day life. She loses all trust she ever had in anyone, even her critical, former dancer mother (Barbara Hershey) and soon this spirals into destruction.

Darren Aronofsky creates sheer art with every aspect of this film and every award nomination is deserved. The cinematography (with hand held camera actions playing a big role) captures the movement of dance and the overwhelming paranoia perfectly and the well-written twists keep you on your toes to the very surprising end.

What draws the audience in even further is the identifiable situations and the real performances. You feel the fear of losing and the intoxicating need to be perfect. You identify with not being able to share a part of yourself with the world and the grace a wonderful achievement can bring.  This film shocks to the core, but mystifies and amazes just as successfully.

One has to have respect for strong performances, especially when they include such precision dancing. Classical Ballet is the most difficult dance form, but Natalie Portman achieves what every ballerina strives to: she makes it look effortless.

Vincent Cassel is just as impressive as the vain, yet charming; seductive, yet intriguing artistic director.

Black Swan has already won numerous awards, including a Golden Globe for best actress (Natalie Portman) and is now up for five awards at the 83rd annual Academy Awards: Best Actress in a Leading Role (Portman), Cinematography, Directing, Film Editing and, of course, Best Picture.

For more information, downloads and the trailer, check out the official site: http://www.foxsearchlight.com/blackswan/

The Globes, of Course

The 68th annual Golden Globes has probably been the most discussed topic on the web in the last twenty-four hours, but I can't help it - it's where two of passions come together: the film world and fashion. As an actress one finds these awards inspiring, because you get to see and learn from the most increible talent the world has to offer. Some winners you agree with whole-heartedly, but others you wonder about and think: "why?" However, no matter what happens, this is where I usually get to know brand new shows and artists and discover even more about the craft I love so much.

 I've always been a fan of Colin Firth and he executed this difficult role of a stuttering King George VI with pure brilliance. Congratulations!

I'm a sucker for everything ballet, no matter how darkly portrayed. Well done to Natalie Portman for her Black Swan perfomance.

And to those who fell through the cracks:

 Inception was spectacular in every aspect of filmmaking and will always be one of my all time favourite films.

 When Johnny Depp steps in front of the camera, you don't even see a glimmer of Johnny Depp - it's all about the character and I admire him greatly for that. A good actor is believable, a great actor makes you wonder if the actor is even still in there: that's Depp!



As for the fashion: some of my personal favorites...

Sandra Bullock in fairy tale Jenny Packham.

Olivia Wilde in Marchesa with shimmery gold Christian Louboutins.

Natalie Portman in Viktor & Rolf.

Anne Hathaway in Armani Privé.

Julia Stiles in Romona Keveza.

For a complete listing of nominees and winners, go HERE

On Stage Today

I had an acting audition today for the first time in a while and as the waiting room grew ghostly quiet around me, you could feel the tension growing in the room. Strangely enough, it wasn't inside me. Yes, I had the butterflies, I had the fear of forgetting everything I had learnt, but I was calm... I didn't feel a single glimmer of dread! Which is, if you know me, the most peculiar thing ever. The audition was fun! It was fun to once again be able to transform into someone else, to pretend that my world was dimensions away and to live the life of a stranger. I'll confess... I like auditions! Most actors would stare at me with an intense look of disbelief, maybe even horror, but I believe auditions are chances. Chances to not only show your skill, but chances to enjoy your craft! After all, "all the world is a stage."

I inherited the acting bug from my parents and grandfather. Here are some photos from one of my mom's 1982 plays, The Golden Ring.

"Life is like a play; it is not the length that matters, but the excellence of the acting."

- Seneca (Roman Philosopher)