Blue Jasmine

Also the winner of 1 Oscar this year; was this sensational film 2013 film written and directed by Woody Allen entitled ‘Blue Jasmine’. Starring the exceptionally talented Aussie actress Cate Blanchett, American funny-man Alec Baldwin, and Sally Hawkins, Andrew Dice Clay to name a few. All came together to help this at times funny, at times depressing and haunting Comedy-Drama to life. Rated PG-13 for some language and sexual content, Allen not only made a killing at the box-office from $18 million USD to $33 million USD but also 39 nominations and 29 other wins at film festivals world-wide. 

Jasmine is lovely, elegant and fragrant but she is quite troubled and on a down-ward spiral of ruin; hence the title ‘Blue Jasmine’ - picture perfect and self-explanatory. The audience is thoroughly captivated by the back-story of elegance, opulence and the present day humiliation, yearning and pain that our main character faces and although somewhat comical at times viewers realize that it’s a much more serious feat at hand and that everyone’s breaking point is different. One person can withstand a storm and another could unravel as fragile plants do in a storm. 

Cate Blanchett shines 100 times over and is magnificent to watch. A beautiful film; wordy as Woody Allen films usually are and quite tragic when understanding the fine line we humans walk with mental health and instability in a life that is ever so unpredictable.

The Talented Mr. Ripley

“If I could just go back…if I could rub everything out… starting with myself.”

One of the many exquisite lines found in this wonderful dramatic 1999 film based on the novel by American Patricia Highsmith and adapted into screenplay and directed by English Anthony Minghella. Nominated for 5 Oscars that year and garnering 11 wins and 53 other nominations its easy to say this story moved quite a number of audiences.

‘Tom Ripley’ our main character and expertly played by American’s sweetheart Matt Damon won the hearts of viewers everywhere despite his collapsing web of lies. Blonde, American siren Gwyneth Paltrow was believable and poised despite extreme circumstances. And English heart-throb Jude Law who played ‘Dickie Greenleaf’ as well as Australian chameleon Cate Blanchett shone as ‘Meredith Logue’. The late Philip Seymour Hoffman also gives a worthy and eeriingly good performance.

Nail-bitingly good and thrilling at all the right moments this $40 million USD budget soared above and beyond everyone’s expectations and made back a cool $81 million USD a couple months later at the box-office. ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’ was a heart-breaking masterpiece from the story, acting, cinematography and message of being true to yourself; it is a film that will be remembered till the end of time.

‘JourneywithJair Recommended’ - ENJOY! :))