30 Day Movie Challenge: Day #27

Day 27. Movie With Your Favorite Villain

• Hans Gruber in Die Hard (1988)–John McClane, officer of the NYPD, tries to save wife Holly Dennaro and several others, taken hostage by German terrorist Hans Gruber during a Christmas party at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles. Starring Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman and Bonnie Bedelia. There is something about Alan Rickman that makes an awesome bad guy. He’s freaky and so badass! LOVE HIM!

• Cruella De Vil in 101 Dalmatians (1996)–A woman kidnaps puppies to kill them for their fur, but various animals then gang up against her and get their revenge in slapstick fashion. Starring Glenn Close, Jeff Daniels and Joely Richardson. I think that Cruella De Vil is one of the best Disney villains! I was even her for Halloween one year. Glenn Close does a great job bringing this animated character to life that she is forever known in my mind as Cruella.

• Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)–A young FBI cadet must confide in an incarcerated and manipulative killer to receive his help on catching another serial killer who skins his victims. Starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins. I think this is self explanatory. I mean he eats people. He’s so good at being so freaking creepy!

• The Joker in The Dark Knight (2008)–When Batman, Gordon and Harvey Dent launch an assault on the mob, they let the clown out of the box, the Joker, bent on turning Gotham on itself and bringing any heroes down to his level. Written and directed by Christopher Nolan. Starring Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman. Health brought it all to this character. The creepiest part of this character was all the little ticks and mannerisms.

• Hilly Holbrook in The Help (2011)–An aspiring author during the civil rights movement of the 1960s decides to write a book detailing the African-American maids’ point of view on the white families for which they work, and the hardships they go through on a daily basis. Starring Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Bryce Dallas Howard and Jessica Chastain. She isn’t as evil as the rest but there is a more real-life evil to her. She totally got what was coming to her!

Who’s your favorite movie villain??

30 Day Movie Challenge: Day #25

Day 25. Movie With the Most Beautiful Scenery

Sometimes, the main reason to see a film is all about how it looks. Some films are able to create these whole other worlds that are completely beautiful. Whether it’s from the locations or CGI or the cinematography, if a film looks beautiful, it’s going to be worth watching at least once. That’s the whole point of film–they tell stories in a visual way.

• Avatar (2009)–A paraplegic Marine dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission becomes torn between following his orders and protecting the world he feels is his home. Written and directed by James Cameron. Starring Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana and Sigourney Weaver. I couldn’t find any pictures that truly give this movie justice. I think it’s just beautiful. Too bad there is so much destruction throughout the movie.

• Marie Antoinette (2006)–The retelling of France’s iconic but ill-fated queen, Marie Antoinette. From her betrothal and marriage to Louis XVI at 15 to her reign as queen at 19 to the end of her reign as queen and ultimately the fall of Versailles. Written and directed by Sofia Coppola. Starring Kirsten Dunst, Jason Schwartzman and Rip Torn. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen this movie…I don’t think I cared too much for the story but the cinematography is amazing. The lavishness of the culture is exquisit. The costumes and decorations are the reason to see this movie!

• Inception (2010)–In a world where technology exists to enter the human mind through dream invasion, a highly skilled thief is given a final chance at redemption which involves executing his toughest job to date: Inception. Written and directed by Christopher Nolan. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy and Marion Cotillard. I just love the weirdness and craziness to how this movie was shot. This scene below is one of the best shot scenes–it’s just so cool! I also loved seeing these dream worlds being built and destroyed.

• Edward Scissorhands (1990)–An uncommonly gentle young man, who happens to have scissors for hands, falls in love with a beautiful teenage girl. Written and directed by Tim Burton. Starring Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder and Dianne Wiest. Seeing the dark and twisted juxtaposed with the pastel colored suburbia is a cool mixture. There is an eery beauty to the film. I just love things like this.

•  Shutter Island (2010)–Drama set in 1954, U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels is investigating the disappearance of a murderess who escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane and is presumed to be hiding nearby. Directed by Martin Scorsese. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Emily Mortimer, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley and Michelle Williams. The mysterious nature of this movie leads to some really creepy and ominous scenes.

What movie do you think has the most beautiful scenery??