I like this film. It's very different.
I guess at it's heart it is a film about revenge.
The film is about 16 year old Hanna, (played brilliantly by Saoirse Ronan). She has been brought up in total isolation by her father Erik (Eric Bana) in a forest and taught survival and hunting skills. He has been training her to become an assassin.
When given the chance to explore the outside world she leaps at it gladly. This sets into motion events that are unpleasant for all concerned.
In other hands, this could have been a Bourneesque Spy thriller. But the director Joe Wright has approached the film like a dreamlike fairytale, in fact it is like a Grimm Brothers fairytale.
One of the many highlights of the film is a four and a half minute steadycam shot, that is simply awesome to behold.
I say fairytale like, but don't get me wrong, the action is top notch! The fight choreography is done by Jeff Imada of the Bourne trilogy. Plus some scenes really push the PG-13 rating.
Saoirse Ronan owns this film! I will be keeping an eye out for her in the future.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
On leaving London. Part 2.
Getting through Customs and Immigration was stressful even though all my papers were correct and I had never been in trouble with the law. So I was very relieved to get that over and done with. But even then my journey was not over, I had to get on second plane to my final destination.
This is always fun, as you have to go through security yet again, find your terminal and gate, then get there in time to get the plane. Considering you have to wait in line in a quite massive queue to get through Customs and Immigration, sometimes it can be touch and go! But this time I got there with plenty of time.
It's about this time that you really start to realise that nearly everyone has an American accent (Yeah I know, I am in America, right? D'oh, no surprise there!) That's when it hit me, I wouldn't be seeing London for awhile and life here would be a little different than before. The unwritten rules of London would not apply here, I could be polite to people if I wanted without being stared at like some sort of crazy guy.
One of the first things I noticed as I walked steadily to my gate was the fast food joints had relatively cheap prices compared to London. I mean, a foot-long sub from Subway could cost you nearly eight Pounds (about $13) in London. Plus customer service was infinitely better than in London, where your server rarely smiled and just stared at with you with contempt while reciting the agreed corporate greeting of the Brand.
Well the short domestic flight was uneventful, and I listened to music on my Ipod while gazing happily at the fluffy white clouds below us. I was thinking about my fiance and I was happy. There was some turbulence, but nothing crazy.
Is there anything better than being picked up in an Airport by someone you love and have missed alot? I don't think there is much that beats that! It was night when I landed and my fiance and I indulged in our routine of going to get something to eat from Taco Bell. Then we drove to our new home, where I washed up and promptly fell asleep.
This is always fun, as you have to go through security yet again, find your terminal and gate, then get there in time to get the plane. Considering you have to wait in line in a quite massive queue to get through Customs and Immigration, sometimes it can be touch and go! But this time I got there with plenty of time.
It's about this time that you really start to realise that nearly everyone has an American accent (Yeah I know, I am in America, right? D'oh, no surprise there!) That's when it hit me, I wouldn't be seeing London for awhile and life here would be a little different than before. The unwritten rules of London would not apply here, I could be polite to people if I wanted without being stared at like some sort of crazy guy.
One of the first things I noticed as I walked steadily to my gate was the fast food joints had relatively cheap prices compared to London. I mean, a foot-long sub from Subway could cost you nearly eight Pounds (about $13) in London. Plus customer service was infinitely better than in London, where your server rarely smiled and just stared at with you with contempt while reciting the agreed corporate greeting of the Brand.
Well the short domestic flight was uneventful, and I listened to music on my Ipod while gazing happily at the fluffy white clouds below us. I was thinking about my fiance and I was happy. There was some turbulence, but nothing crazy.
Is there anything better than being picked up in an Airport by someone you love and have missed alot? I don't think there is much that beats that! It was night when I landed and my fiance and I indulged in our routine of going to get something to eat from Taco Bell. Then we drove to our new home, where I washed up and promptly fell asleep.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
On leaving London Part 1.
It's been over a year since I left London. I haven't been back yet. Funnily enough I do not miss it as much as I thought I would. I guess since I have been getting used to living here in America, my mind has been distracted from that.
Been a busy year, getting married, moving houses, helping my wife in her new job. So I was preoccupied you could say. London is like an old friend you only miss him a little bit when he is gone and kind of take him for granted when he is around. Heck, you know you are gonna see him again sometime!
I remember I was not sad when I left London, more excited and nervous to miss my plane than anything else.
The night before I didn't get that much sleep, it seemed I was waking up every five minutes to check the time.
Anyway,taxi came on time and we hoofed it to Heathrow Airport. Needless to say we got there with plenty of time to spare as rush hour was yet to start.
I was funny to look out the taxi window and realise that I would not see London again for awhile. It was before 6 am and London was not yet fully awake. The streetlights bathed everything in that nasty orange glow...closed shop fronts, bus stops, restaurants etc. I just smiled to myself...a change from this would be nice. I was heading towards a new life after all.
The plane journey was long and boring which was normal, I can't remember what films they were showing, but at least there were no crying children. Don't need it on a 13 hour flight!
Getting through customs was a pain, because I was coming in on a fiance visa. I was escorted to the Homeland Security offices at the back feeling very much like a criminal. Had to wait in the back on a plastic chair with all the people who had been stopped by Customs. After a while I had a brief interview and had my visa stamped. That was my welcome to America.
Been a busy year, getting married, moving houses, helping my wife in her new job. So I was preoccupied you could say. London is like an old friend you only miss him a little bit when he is gone and kind of take him for granted when he is around. Heck, you know you are gonna see him again sometime!
I remember I was not sad when I left London, more excited and nervous to miss my plane than anything else.
The night before I didn't get that much sleep, it seemed I was waking up every five minutes to check the time.
Anyway,taxi came on time and we hoofed it to Heathrow Airport. Needless to say we got there with plenty of time to spare as rush hour was yet to start.
I was funny to look out the taxi window and realise that I would not see London again for awhile. It was before 6 am and London was not yet fully awake. The streetlights bathed everything in that nasty orange glow...closed shop fronts, bus stops, restaurants etc. I just smiled to myself...a change from this would be nice. I was heading towards a new life after all.
The plane journey was long and boring which was normal, I can't remember what films they were showing, but at least there were no crying children. Don't need it on a 13 hour flight!
Getting through customs was a pain, because I was coming in on a fiance visa. I was escorted to the Homeland Security offices at the back feeling very much like a criminal. Had to wait in the back on a plastic chair with all the people who had been stopped by Customs. After a while I had a brief interview and had my visa stamped. That was my welcome to America.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)