Film Review (The Great Gatsby)

Cast:
Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby
Tobey Maguire as Nick Carraway
Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan
Joel Edgerton as Tom Buchanan
Isla Fisher as Myrtle Wilson
Elizabeth Debicki as Jordan Baker
Adelaide Clemens as Catherine
Jason Clarke as George Wilson
Amitabh Bachchan as Meyer Wolfsheim
Max Cullen as Owl Eyes
Brendan Maclean as Klipspringer
Jack Thompson as Nick Carraway's Doctor, Walter Perkins
Gemma Ward as Languid Girl
Callan McAuliffe as Young Jay Gatsby
Gus Murray as Teddy Barton
Stephen James King as Nelson

The Great Gatsby is a 2013 romantic drama film. An adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel of the same name, the film was co-written and directed by Baz Luhrmann, and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton, Isla Fisher and Jason Clarke. It follows the life and times of millionaire Jay Gatsby and his neighbor Nick, who recounts his encounter with Gatsby at the height of the Roaring Twenties. The film was released on May 10, 2013 in 3D.

The narrator Nick Carraway was in the hospital and the doctor adviced him to write about everithing that have happened in his life. Nick said that when he came to New York City his neigbour was a very mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby. With the new friend, Nick was involved in the life of luxury, illusion, love and lie. But one day Nick became the witness of the terrible tragedy and his life changed again.

The actors who were invited to take part in this film did their best to make this film successful. As for the main actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire, to my mind, they deserve the best praise. Their acting was really perfect.

As for me, I liked this film. It impressed me greatly. I can say that it is a fascinating story, telling about the complicated human relationships.

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http://www.euronews.com/2013/04/25/sound-mixes-with-art-to-reinvigorate-the-centre-of-athens/

The article was published on the website euronews.com on April 25, 2013. The article reports that “Silent Space Stand Still” has brought a combination of sound and art to the centre of Athens and the organisers took over a former mosque in the Greek capital, now the home of the museum of Greek Folk Art.

According to this article, since the end of March, four artists have each opened their week-long residence with a live presentation. It is dialogue of sound resonating through the site and its history, connecting those inside with the fabric of the building.

This extract is said that the exhibition’s curators said that they got in touch with the Greek Ministry of Culture, and found this wonderful mosque in the centre of Athens. No one really knows it is here. But it was built to reflect sound and that is what our exhibition is all about. Firstly, Tarek Atoui is an electro-acoustic musician, sound artist and computer programmer. Perched above one of the busiest squares in Athens, he listens, reacts, improvises and performs with his environment in real-time, creating a synergy between the instrument, the sound produced and the physical context. Secondly, everybody are going to see a performance of electro-acoustic and electronic music, that is pretty much dealing with the notion of instrument. Moreover, this is the first time that a sound installation has been housed in a mosque in Athens. The curator of the Museum of Greek Folk Art tells the story about this museum. In addition to, they think it is excellent for museums to interact with art and the audience, to open up their surroundings to music and sound once again, because this one was built for that.

In this article the author gives the information that Turk Cevdet Erek’s new work ‘Same to Different’ is an exploration of the links that bind all things. Instead of being an architectural symbol of power or control, the mosque’s dome is transformed into a simple covering, embracing and encompassing everything underneath.

The author comes to the conclusion that the performance was a combination of a lecture, sounds, personal memories and objects that create sounds. They have been working on creating some materials for this improvisation.

As for me, the combination of sounds and art is always interesting for art-lovers. It’s a unique decision and it attracts a lot of visitors.

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http://www.euronews.com/2013/05/06/thank-you-for-the-music/

The article was published on the website euronews.com on May 6, 2013. The article reports about legend musicians ABBA.

According to this article, almost 40 years after they shot to fame by winning the Eurovision song contest, ABBA’s very own museum is opening in Stockholm.

This extract is said that it traces their careers from their early days all the way to when they became Sweden’s biggest band in the 1970s and early 1980s. The article describes that there are the guitars, the drums the mixing tables and the studio in this museum. Moreover, they have all that classical memorabilia. But then we wanted to add something more to make it a really fun experience. In addition to, everybody can become the fifth member of ABBA here by entering the stage where they are in hologramme illusions, while at the same time your performance is being filmed and put on your ticket and homepage because each ticket to ABBA the museum is connected to an individual ABBA home page.

In this article the author gives the idea that a museum dedicated to Sweden’s most famous musical export dates back to 2008. But it was really when former ABBA member, Bjorn Ulvaeus got involved in the project that things took off.

The author comes to the conclusion that museums are about dead people usually. ABBA the museum officially opens its doors to the public on May 7. For fans, there will be plenty of time to say thank you for the music.

As for me, this famouse band is honored that the museum will be open nowadays. They are talented and became popular all over the world.

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http://www.euronews.com/2013/05/03/guitarist-with-heavy-metal-band-slayer-jeff-hanneman-dies/

The article was published on the website euronews.com on May 3, 2013. The article reports that Guitarist with heavy-metal band Slayer, Jeff Hanneman, dies.

According to this article, his death may be connected to a spider bite that almost cost him his arm.

This extract is said that after being bitten, the musician had developed necrotizing fasciitis, the flesh-eating disease which attacks subcutaneous tissue. The article describes that Hanneman had recently begun writing songs with Slayer in anticipation of recording a new album. Firstly, Slayer were known as one of the “big four” thrash metal groups of 1980s along with Anthrax, Megadeth and Metallica. Next, the thrash metal genre was distinct for its extremely fast tempo, big double-bass drums and dark themes, often dealing with Satanism, war and serial killers. Secondly, music website Allmusic.com said the band’s trademark “full-throttle velocity, wildly chaotic guitar solos, and powerful musical chops paint an effectively chilling sonic background for their obsessive chronicling of the dark side.” In addition to, Hanneman was best known as a writer of the songs “Raining Blood” and “Angel of Death” from the 1986 album “Reign of Blood,” which was considered a landmark of the genre.

In this article the author gives the information that he was survived by his wife Kathryn and three siblings.

The author comes to the conclusion that Jeff Hanneman would always be a metal god. A true master, he gave energy and excitement to millions, and would continue to.

As for me, I can say that talented musicians are always in our memory and when we listen to their music again and again it remained us about these people.

Individual Reading (Part 6)

His last years Strickland passed in Tahiti. There he got married Ata, who hadn’t a drop of white blood in her. This woman did everything he needed and she had never been against his lifestyle. All this time Strickland created a lot of pictures. Nobody liked them except a French captain who was sorry for him and had bought a couple of his pictures for small sums. Some years later Strickland was ill. He had leprosy but in spite of it he continued his painting. Two years more a message was brought to the Doctor that Strickland was dying. When he came into his house, he saw that there were paintings on the walls. The Doctor understood that Strickland was a genius. Also he was shocked by the news that Charles had been blind for nearly a year. The last Strickland’s wish was to destroy this house after his death and his wife kept her promise.

Individual Reading (Part 5)

Before leaving for Holland, Dirk Stroeve came to his house. It was very difficult for him to be there, everything remembered him about his wife. Also this man met Charles Strickland and offered him to go to Holland together. When the narrator met Strickland in the street he only nodded him because he felt in him a sudden repulsion. In spite of it Charles was walking after him and the narrator had to let him to come into his home. Strickland told some facts about his life with Blanche and explained that it was only a passion to her. At the same time Charles wanted the narrator to look at his pictures. He agreed to understand his inner world. In fact these pictures were confused him. A week later the narrator heard that Strickland had gone to Marseilles. He never saw him again. In Marseilles Charles led a life of a beggar. Every moment Strickland tried to leave for the East and he did it.

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http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/will-i-am-producing-new-britney-spears-album-20130501

The article was published on the website rollingstone.com on May 1, 2013. The article reports that Will.i.am had confirmed to Rolling Stone that he would be acting as executive producer on Britney Spears' forthcoming album.

According to this article, the producer hoped this album would reflect who Spears was as a person rather than an artist, and he had been actively spending time getting to know her on a more intimate level to ensure that could happen.

This extract is said that Will.i.am and Britney needed to have lunch four times a month for three months before he even tried to go in the studio with her. He must do it because: firstly, they needed to talk about what she was excited about in life; secondly, he got to talk about the things that hurt her, made her concerned. In addition to, he added that they could not do another song about going on the dance floor.

In this article the author gives the information that the producer and Spears had had almost three months' worth of lunches, and they had had a session the day before that will.i.am called "amazing." Although he was unable to offer any sense of a timeline on the album's release, he suggested that the production on his end was moving along fairly quickly.

The author comes to the conclusion that the producer would also release a follow-up single with Justin Bieber. Meanwhile will.i.am, honored last night for his collaboration with Levi's 501 on a pair of jeans created from plastic Coca-Cola products, had numerous other projects on the table. Those included ongoing work with his i.am.angel and i.am.scholarship programs.

As for me, I understood that this producer is very talented. He has various kinds of works. He works not only with singers, but also with big corcorations such as Coca Cola and Levi’s.

Individual Reading (Part 4)

Dirk Stroeve was very upset, he tried to connect with his wife in different ways, but she didn’t want to see him. The narrator didn’t see Charles Strickland for several weeks but one evening they met in the coffee and Strickland offered to play a game of chess. Mrs. Stroeve watched the game with inscrutable face. Her face was a mask that told nothing. Two days later Dirk Stroeve came to the narrator to ask him to write a letter to Mrs. Stroeve and told her about her husband’s love. Sometime later Stroeve came to the narrator and told him that his wife had committed suicide. She drank a bottle of oxalic acid. This woman had been in the hospital for two weeks. Blanche Stroeve died and when her husband buried her, he left for Holland. Before his leaving Dirk Stroeve met Strickland, who told him a singular story.

Film Review (Ellie Parker)

Cast:

Naomi Watts - Ellie Parker

Jennifer Syme - Casting Chick

Greg Freitas - Rick Saul (as Gregory Frietas)

Gaye Pope - Leslie Towne

Blair Mastbaum - Smash Jackson

Jessica Vogl - Trixie

Ellie Parker is a 2005 American comedy film, written and directed by Scott Coffey. The title character, played by Naomi Watts, is a young woman struggling as an actress in Los Angeles.

Ellie Parker was a young girl who wanted to become an actress. She visited a lot of studios and was looking by different agencies. She had a boyfriend. With her friend Sam they visited acting classes. One day coming home she saw her boyfriend with another girl and they separated. Sometime later Ellie met another man who told her a lie that he was a cinematographer. After unsuccessful attempts to get a role in the movie, she made up her mind to stop it and began a new life.

As for the main actress Naomi Watts, her acting was bright, hopeful, and at the same time very aggressive. Her life seemed to be hovering on top of a tightrope where the only way was ahead even when the stakes got higher and her predicaments got worse at every turn. Her decision to leave the industry came not as a shock but as a predictability that was numbing because once a person's spirit had been broken. It was a sign that maybe this was not what they should be doing even though they may have the talent to do so.

It was rather difficult for me to watch this film. In spite of the fact that the plot was interesting, the director showed Ellie’s assays very detail and this fact made the film very boring. But in the whole, the film is worth watching.