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Monthly Archives: September 2015

Under Suspicion

30 Wednesday Sep 2015

Posted by vinnieh in Movie Reviews

≈ 24 Comments

Tags

2000's, Gene Hackman, Monica Bellucci, Morgan Freeman, Stephen Hopkins, Thomas Jane, Thriller, Under Suspicion

Film Title

Under Suspicion

Director

Stephen Hopkins

  • Gene Hackman as Henry Hearst
  • Morgan Freeman as Captain Victor Benezet
  • Thomas Jane as Detective Felix Owens
  • Monica Bellucci as Chantal Hearst

I would hardly describe Under Suspicion as the best thriller I’ve ever seen, but it certainly does the job efficiently with style and a great cast to keep you biting your nails as its mystery is unearthed.

In Puerto Rico, Henry Hearst is a powerful and very rich lawyer who is called in police questioning one night, just as he’s about to give an important speech at a charity fundraiser for aid to the island after a devastating hurricane. Under Suspicion PosterThe previous day he reported finding the body of a young girl while out jogging and Victor Benezet, a police captain and old friend wants to ask him a few questions about it. The murder of the young girl is the second in a string of crimes and Benezet is under pressure to get to the bottom of it. Aided by the eager and cocky young detective Felix Owens, what starts as normal and routine questioning that was promised to take only a small amount of time slowly evolves into something deeper and darker as the various recounting of Henry’s actions begins to change alarmingly and his seedy private life comes into question. Under the grilling of both, Henry’s story begins to slowly unravel as cracks appear left right and centre, which makes the brash Henry look even more guilty as time slowly pushes on. But what is the truth and what is lies? And when Henry’s much younger trophy wife Chantal is interviewed with regards to her husband, things only get a whole lot more mysterious.

Director Stephen Hopkins brings a sense of visual panache with stylish flashbacks that incorporate the conversations of the present in between them blurring the line between truth and falsehood. Under Suspicion Gene Hackman and Morgan FreemanAs lies and deceit come spilling out of what originally appeared to be a simple routine questioning, Hopkins manages to crank the tension up, even when the movie appears to go down the by the numbers thriller route. As the film enters its final third it does become more than a little overly complex and the ultimate outcome undermines the build up a bit, but you can’t help but watch as it does keep you riveted because of the talent behind the camera and in front of it. The fact that Under Suspicion takes place largely in one setting, in this case police headquarters, lends the film a certain claustrophobic impact as Henry attempts to leave but his stories filled with multitudes of holes keep him from doing so and causes him to lock horns with the searching Victor. Morgan Freeman and Thomas JaneThe intense score, featuring carnival beats of Puerto Rico, gives another layer of mystery to the film as the case is blown wide open. When the plot gets a little sleepy, the score manages to lift it from slumber and give it life.

Gene Hackman and Morgan Freeman are both on cracking form here and there scenes of coming to blows are electric. Hackman possesses that charm and arrogance that belies something darker beneath, and Freeman exudes quiet intelligence and the questioning authority of the police captain. When these two acting greats are on screen, it’s a great thing to behold because of the amount of combined talent between them. Thomas Jane is well cast as the probing and hot-headed detective who from the get go is convinced that Henry is guilty as sin. Like Freeman, Jane’s character clashes with Hackman’s but with more physical force, instead of Freeman’s gradual ways of gaining information. Monica Bellucci is smouldering as the icy trophy wife, who has an air of enigma about her and hides that she’s knows more than she is letting on. Monica Bellucci Under SuspicionFor the first half she is largely on the sidelines, but eventually through her subtle face and actions, we see that she plays an important part in this mystery as she comes into her own in the latter part of the movie.

So while sometimes a bit jumbled and overly complex, Under Suspicion is nonetheless an absorbing thriller to watch.

 

Blogs You Should Follow Part 12

30 Wednesday Sep 2015

Posted by vinnieh in Blogging Community

≈ 23 Comments

Tags

Blogs You Should Follow

Blogging CommunityAnd now for three more fantastic blogs worthy of your attention and full of excellence.

Written In Blood: With an eye for alternative poster art and horror at the core, this blog is the pinnacle of greatness with it’s commitment to following the genre of horror.

Drew’s Movie Reviews: The eponymous Drew is a major bad ass and voracious cinephile to boot. If it’s anything you want to know about movies, he is your guy.

The Blazing Reel: Khalid runs this intriguing and very descriptive site. With a knack for 10 lists and honest takes on movies of all sorts, he’s a supremely dependable blogger.

 

 

Blogs You Should Follow Part 11

30 Wednesday Sep 2015

Posted by vinnieh in Blogging Community

≈ 24 Comments

Tags

Blogs You Should Follow

Blogging CommunityHi everyone. It is a great joy to do these posts as I love highlighting the brilliance, commitment and amazing talent I have come into contact with and the friendships I’ve made on the blogs I follow.

Pink Suburbia: Blessed with a killer sense of humour, Matt runs this eventful site. From movies and television, to his daily Man Crush Mondays, this guy is on fire and has emerged as an incredible blogger.

Parlor of Horror: With horror pretty much my favourite genre, it’s only natural that I’d put Mike’s superb site on. With an amazingly in-depth knowledge of the genre that stretches for miles, his blog is what I like to call horror central.

Life of This City Girl: The wonderfully fabulous Natasha documents pop culture and the adventures of her life. A truly engaging blog to read if ever there was one.

Happy Birthday Monica Bellucci

30 Wednesday Sep 2015

Posted by vinnieh in Birthdays and Tributes

≈ 59 Comments

Tags

Happy Birthday, Monica Bellucci

Monica BellucciA stunning international siren of beauty and talent, Monica Bellucci is the definition of a woman that will stop you in your tracks and today she turns 51. Yet there is a whole lot of talent and depth to her in her acting work that I think often goes unnoticed because of her stunning appearance. Her acting for me is all about shaded subtlety and nuance, she doesn’t need any big shouting scenes as she can say so much just with her face. Bellucci for me is just an all round personality, she has a sense of humour in interviews, her speaking voice is so mellifluous to listen to and she just exudes star quality. And I for one can’t wait to see her in the next Bond movie Spectre. So here is a photographic look at her wonderful career to celebrate her birthday.

Monica Bellucci Close Up

Monica Bellucci Black and White

Monica Bellucci Cat Suit

Monica Bellucci Topless

Monica Bellucci Flowers

Monica Bellucci Gorgeous

Monica Bellucci Leather Dress

 

 

 

Photography Discussion: Ellen Von Unwerth

29 Tuesday Sep 2015

Posted by vinnieh in Photography Discussion

≈ 45 Comments

Tags

Ellen Von Unwerth, Photography Discussion

Hi everyone, today is the arrival of a new feature on my blog. Besides movies and televisions, photography is another one of my passions. So I decided to begin a series of posts that discuss and analyse the work of famous photographers. Today is the turn of Ellen Von Unwerth.

Now the first thing I always notice about a photo from Ellen Von Unwerth is the candour of it. Rather than the always glamorous sheen of Hollywood that hangs over many a photo shoot, her photos have an edge to them that refuses to conform to the rules. She features her subjects doing everyday things and captures them almost unvarnished and heavily made up, giving her shots a certain messy quality that goes against the grain. Sexuality plays a big part of her work. Fantasies and fetishes play out through her shots, with humour covering a number of them and aggression forming another. Her work celebrates the female form in sexual terms as well as a sense of control, that doesn’t feel exploitative. She gets her subjects to live in front of the camera and not just be motionless and pouting. So there are my thoughts on her work and below are some of her shots. What do you make of them? Do they make you interested in her work? Whatever the case, please leave an opinion.

Emma Watson Ellen Von Unwerth

Lana Del Rey Ellen Von Unwerth

Olga Kurylenko Ellen Von Unwerth

Claudia Schiffer Ellen Von Unwerth

Natalie Portman Ellen Von Unwerth

Liv Tyler Ellen Von Unwerth

Madonna Ellen Von Unwerth

Drew Barrymore Ellen Von Unwerth

 

 

Blogs You Should Follow Part 10

28 Monday Sep 2015

Posted by vinnieh in Blogging Community

≈ 20 Comments

Tags

Blogs You Should Follow

Blogging CommunityWith the rapturous reception that these posts have got, I thought it best to do another one to highlight the sheer brilliance out there in the blogging world.

Sweet Archive: The utterly delightful and funny Reut runs this site that is as sweet as its name. With a great eye for visuals, it manifests in a riveting blogging experience.

That Other Critic: The eponymous guy who runs this blog has really great taste and stunning use of language. This is one classy blogging joint.

Film Funkel: If you want a straight to the point movie review, you should visit Tim’s site. Concise and well-crafted, his reviews are utterly marvellous.

 

Desperate Housewives Season 5

28 Monday Sep 2015

Posted by vinnieh in Television Reviews

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

2000's, Beau Bridges, Brenda Strong, Dana Delany, Desperate Housewives, Desperate Housewives Season 5, Doug Savant, Eva Longoria, Felicity Huffman, Gale Harold, James Denton, Kyle MacLachlan, Marcia Cross, Neal McDonough, Nicollette Sheridan, Ricardo Antonio Chavira, Teri Hatcher

With the ending of Season 4 leaping five years into the future for the ladies, I was so intrigued of what would be found in Season 5 of Desperate Housewives. And it turned out amazingly with the jump giving the show a sense of rejuvenation and added dimension to once again make it addictive viewing, coupled with intriguing flashbacks and dark mystery. Warning, spoilers will be following.

With the five-year jump, a lot of things have changed for the ladies but there’s still drama in spades as observed by the deceased Mary Alice(Brenda Strong).Desperate Housewives Season 5 Poster Susan(Teri Hatcher) is now divorced from Mike(James Denton), though their young son M.J keeps them in constant contact with one another. We learn that they separated after a fatal car crash that killed a young mother and her child and the emotional fall out was too much to handle for both. Susan is struggling to adjust to life as a single mother and divorcee(while still obviously carrying feelings for Mike), and finds some excitement in the arms of hunky painter Jackson(Gale Harold). Meanwhile, Mike unexpectedly finds romance with Katherine(Dana Delany), much to people’s shock. Gabrielle(Eva Longoria), who was once the most stunning of the group is now very dowdy and tired as a mother of two troublesome children. While also contending with Carlos(Ricardo Antonio Chavira) being blind, she feels that her status as a party goer is waning and that her days of being pretty are behind her. Yet when it is revealed that Carlos may get his sight back, she worries that with her current appearance Carlos won’t love her. Thankfully, once Carlos regains his vision, he doesn’t care how Gabrielle looks and loves her more than ever.  Bree ChefBree(Marcia Cross) is now a career woman and chef, whose great fortune drives a wedge between her and her friends, as well as Orson(Kyle MacLachlan) who feels emasculated at not being the breadwinner. And while Orson feels pushed out after just getting back with Bree following his time in prison, it takes her a while to notice how her career has taken over her life and made her selfish and inconsiderate. But trouble awaits as Orson has developed a stealing habit to give him a sense of control. Lynette(Felicity Huffman) is having to deal with her husband Tom’s(Doug Savant) midlife crisis, the twins as troublesome rebellious teenagers and her work at the pizza place slowly beginning to go under. And trashy Edie(Nicollette Sheridan)  moves back to Wisteria Lane with a new husband Dave Williams(Neal McDonough), who provides us with this season’s dark mystery. A charming and smooth guy, he slowly arouses suspicions with his underhand acts and manipulation as he is revealed to be deeply unstable and out for revenge on someone living on Wisteria Lane. As drama escalates and dark deeds are committed, five years in the future is just as intriguing and mysterious for all of the characters in this fabulous fifth season.

As I previously mentioned, the five-year jump adds that something extra to this season as it opens up many avenues. The most intriguing is the structure of many episodes, that tease us with the outcome of something and then slowly show us what lead to it.  Having the jump could have been risky for Desperate Housewives, but it pays off with greatness and makes the show just as entertaining and riveting as before with great development of characters and story lines. OnDave Williamsce again, the mystery angle is very strong this season with the unstable Dave taking everyone in with his charm but secretly plotting revenge and violence. It is very creepy to watch him destroy the lives of those around him, whether it be by manipulating the neighbours or committing arson and putting the blame on Lynette’s son Porter. His increasingly psychopathic ways lead to one of the most memorable moments of the show, the death of Edie. To say it is a shock when Edie dies would be a major understatement, but she is given a memorable send off. In the scene, Edie has uncovered Dave’s sinister intentions and is nearly strangled by him. She escapes and jumps in her car, but her journey is short-lived as she swerves to avoid a thieving Orson and hits an electric pole. When she attempts to move, she receives an electric shock which ultimately kills her. As the neighbours come out to see the commotion, we get Edie narrating her last moments. Edie's DeathAnd how can we disagree with her assessment that she lived as she died, at the centre of attention. Edie will be missed in Desperate Housewives but she will still be remembered for a long time. As tribute to her, the next episode features Edie on narration duties and her friends remembering the times when she was there for them, despite their difficulties.

The comedy and drama of Desperate Housewives are on point once more, with both acting in cohesion with the other. The main drama is that of Lynette protecting her son from possibly going to jail or ending up dead because of his affair with a married woman. In this, we see Lynette as a powerful maternal force willing to do anything to protect her family. Eli ScruggsThe season also has its heartwarming moments, most notably when the local handyman Eli Scruggs(played perfectly by Beau Bridges) dies and the women think back on how he touched all of them with his kindness and support over the years. That episode is one of the standout ones from this very well done season that is filled with excellent episodes of humour, drama and pathos. Gabrielle Season 5On the comedy front, Gabrielle is the clear winner with some hysterical lines and situations that she is put in. Watching her as she sacrifices things to help Carlos(such as selling some prized possessions and then having to get them back) and having to deal with petulant children in her own outrageous ways is both funny and at times quite moving. Gabrielle is always the most flamboyant character and every time you see her she is a marvel, though she is more down to earth nowadays. We also have the humour of M.J, Susan and Mike’s son, playing tricks on Katherine, when he sees that his father is dating her and then coming around to like Katherine, much to the chagrin of Susan. There is something quite endearing about it as you can see that he just wants his parents back together again and views Katherine as something stopping that and then the turn around of liking Katherine which infuriates his mother. And with these two stories, there is an overriding theme of motherhood throughout this season that is well acted and written.

The fantastic cast once more adds their talents and abilities to the characters with style, specifically the central ladies. Desperate Housewives Season 5The wonderful Felicity Huffman brings her A game to Lynette once more, showing her as a fierce form of maternal power and decision. Huffman’s ever-reliable ability to bring depth and stunning conviction to the character is fully on display as she tries to protect her family, no matter what the cost is. Similarly, Teri Hatcher provides Susan with both dramatic and comedic chops as she attempts to give her young son everything he deserves, while having to navigate her way through her complex love life. Susan just wants to be a good mother but at times feels like she pales in comparison with others, and Hatcher sells this excellently, particularly when Katherine comes on the scene and M.J takes a liking to her. Speaking of Katherine, it’s nice to see a bit more warmth to her character this season, embodied greatly by the sterling work of Dana Delany. Yes Katherine can still be catty and you would like to keep her at arm’s length, but there’s another softer side to her that is revealed too. Her scenes with Susan are great as they clash over Mike and M.J, for a while friendships are set aside and the claws come out in hilarious fashion. Eva Longoria is spot on with her comedic timing and ability to show there is humility to Gabrielle, and that love is the most important thing for her even though money is another. Now that Gabrielle has a family, she is more mellow and nicer, but you still wouldn’t cross her because of her fiery temper. It may take her a while to regain her old looks, but at the end of the day it becomes unimportant to her because of her family holds more value than glamour. Marcia Cross cleverly reveals the frustration and obliviousness to Bree, now that she has become so famous and renowned. Season 5 BreeBree is always someone who wants to be in control and Marcia Cross shows this excellently as well as the fact that Bree soon realises that her fame has come at some very high prices. And with Nicollette Sheridan leaving the show, she takes a bow in style exhibiting the bitchy persona of Edie and unmasking the kindness and fear that no one else glimpses. Farewell Edie Britt, as Susan says “She was one of a kind”.

The other members of the cast fare equally as well as the main leads. Desperate Housewives DaveAs the centre of Season 5’s mystery, Neal McDonough is fantastic. Skillfully presenting the outward niceness of Dave and then little by little through various tics, revealing the damaged mind that lurks within and is planning revenge, McDonough makes this season very tense. Kyle MacLachlan gets us to feel sympathy for Orson as he leaves like nobody because of his wife’s success. He also manages to be very sneaky and manipulative, especially when Orson begins to steal as a coping mechanism and as something he can control and not Bree as a way to punish her. Ricardo Antonio Chavira gets some really moving moments as Carlos, who professes that he loves Gabrielle no matter what and is thankful that he now has his sight back again. Doug Savant portrays Tom as slowly slipping as pressure gets to much and he has to dust himself down and sell the business. James Denton makes another impression as Mike, who is attempting to move on with his life after Susan but finding it impossible to not see her because of the fact they live so close and they have a son. He isn’t bad, but Gale Harold’s character of Jackson doesn’t really serve much of a function here. Brenda Strong with her lovely and expressive voice are once more a fixture that adds dimension to the show as she watches from her unique vantage point over the friends she had while she was alive.

  1. You’re Gonna Love Tomorrow – A
  2. We’re So Happy You’re So Happy – B+
  3. Kids Ain’t Like Everybody Else – A
  4. Back in Business – B+
  5. Mirror, Mirror – A+
  6. There’s Always a Woman – C+
  7. What More Do I Need? – B
  8. City on Fire – A
  9. Me and My Town – B
  10. A Vision’s Just a Vision – B+
  11. Home Is the Place – B
  12. Connect! Connect! – B –
  13. The Best Thing That Ever Could Have Happened – A+
  14. Mama Spent Money When She Had None – B
  15. In a World Where the Kings Are Employers – D
  16. Crime Doesn’t Pay – C
  17. The Story of Lucy and Jessie – B
  18. A Spark. To Pierce the Dark – A
  19. Look Into Their Eyes and You See What They Know – A+
  20. Rose’s Turn – B-
  21. Bargaining – C+
  22. Marry Me a Little – B+
  23. Everybody Says Don’t – B
  24. If It’s Only In Your Head – B+

With rejuvenated energy and verve, laced with darkness and more than a couple of shocks, Season 5 of Desperate Housewives is an enjoyable and compelling season.

Let a Ray Of Light And Thanks Wash Over You

26 Saturday Sep 2015

Posted by vinnieh in Music reviews and opinions

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Madonna, Ray of light

I’ve just been feeling so much love at the minute from everyone here and I wanted to express it. As it would be pages and pages to explain my gratitude, I thought I’d find a song of positive energy that would explain it. So here is Madonna singing the euphoric Ray of Light and a photo of the Queen of pop living it up.

Ray Of Light Madonna

TV Shows I’m Going To Catch Up On

25 Friday Sep 2015

Posted by vinnieh in Television Opinions

≈ 38 Comments

Tags

TV Shows I'm Going To Catch Up On

With so much television out there, there is a whole lot of choice for me. Here are the shows that I have started in the past, but need to really catch up on.

White Collar

White Collar: The slick caper of a con man helping out the FBI is endlessly enjoyable and one of the many things I gotta watch again.

Freak Show

American Horror Story: I have seen the first three seasons of the creepy but amazing show, but somehow haven’t seen Freak Show yet. That’s got to change.

Damages

Damages: Set in the cutthroat world of lawyers and starring the outstanding Glenn Close, Damages represents a show that I gotta watch from the beginning again.

And I also promise that I’m continuing Desperate Housewives and there will be future reviews of the seasons in the future.

 

 

Love Your Bum Part 3

24 Thursday Sep 2015

Posted by vinnieh in Adventures of Satrap

≈ 147 Comments

Tags

Love Your Bum

With these posts soaring in popularity, I decided I must do another one. But today there is just one peachy bum on here and it isn’t airbrushed or amazing. That is the point, it’s supposed to be just a natural bum, albeit belonging to Satrap. Hopefully everyone can embraces their butts with the help of this post.

Bum

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