One of the greatest, and certainly one of the most quoted, films in cinema history, Casablanca contains all the essential elements of a Hollywood blockbuster: adventure, romance, intrigue, suspense, and of course, evil Nazi bad guys (if you doubt this last one as an essential element, then reference the success of the Indiana Jones films). With a director (Michael Curtiz) and cast second to none, Casablanca makes a strong case for consideration as the best movie ever made. And although I loath clichés, it is true that they just don't make ‘em like this one anymore…
Casablanca unfolds in a place called Rick's, a popular watering hole in Vichey-controlled Morocco on the outskirts of Nazi dominated Europe. An important travel hub, Casablanca plays host to numerous colorful characters with any number of varying agendas. Arms dealers, spies, and revolutionaries walk side-by-side through streets littered with pickpockets. But at Rick's, everyone seems to enjoy themselves. Owner Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) seems content with his life of serving customers and making money, at least until the day she walks in, Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman), the love of Rick's life.
Less than two years earlier, as the Nazis moved into Paris, Rick and Ilsa fell in love. But in the act of fleeing the Nazi advance, Ilsa sent Rick a note at the train station informing him that she could not go with him. She offered no explanation. Now, she was appearing in his establishment with her husband, fugitive and Nazi resistance leader Victor Laszlo.
As the hours pass, and the Nazis desperately search for Laszlo in an attempt to cut off his escape, Rick learns the truth about Ilsa and her reason for leaving. For the moment, Laszlo's fate is in his hands. Since his days in Paris, Rick's made a habit of being practical, both in his business life and in his personal life… But will Rick use his influence and connections to help himself or Victor Laszlo? Will his idealism prevail over his hardened pragmatism? The Third Reich is closing in, and Rick must make a decision regarding Ilsa and Laszlo before time runs out…
The recipient of widespread critical acclaim in the more than six decades since its release, Casablanca is one of the few films deemed as a “cinema classic” that actually lives up to the mega-hype surrounding it. The set design, costumes, and direction are absolutely flawless. The dialogue is superb. Bogart and Bergman are perfect as the lovers torn apart, and Claude Rains is unforgettable as Captain Renault. If you have an aversion to pre-1980 movies or some other strange reason for missing out on this one, then I highly encourage you to watch Casablanca. You won't regret it.
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Long before The Passion of the Christ, Mel Gibson directed another cinematic masterpiece, Braveheart. Filmed against the backdrop of majestic mountains and rolling meadows, it tells the historically-based (yet not entirely accurate) story of William Wallace, a common man's warrior who led the Scottish people in rebellion against King Edward I, also known as ?Longshanks?. Written by Randall Wallace, an American tourist fascinated with a Scottish statue of his namesake, the script collected dust in Hollywood for over a decade before Gibson made the brilliant decision to put it on the big screen. Just like The Passion, it's a decision he would not regret?
Set in the 11th Century, Braveheart catalogues the struggle of Scottish serfs who labor under the brutal oppression of English occupation forces. Amidst these terrible conditions, William Wallace (Mel Gibson) falls in love with Murron MacClannough (Catherine McCormack). Insistent on not sharing his wife (a proclamation by the king gives local rulers ?first-night rights? to new brides) Wallace secretly marries Murron. Nevertheless, an English knight assaults her, sparking a fight with Wallace. Fleeing the village, Wallace believes Murron has escaped and will soon meet him at a secret rendezvous point. But Murron is captured and executed by the king's emissaries.
Angered by his wife's murder, Wallace instigates a local rebellion, slaughtering all the king's loyalists in his village. As his rebellion grows, a distraught Longshanks (Patrick McGoohan) dispatches his fabled Northern Army to destroy it. But the heroic Wallace delivers a stirring speech to rouse his men, while deploying an ingenious battlefield trick to defeat the king's cavalry.
With the power and legend of Wallace growing day by day, Longshanks relies on his daughter-in-law, Princess Isabelle (Sophie Marceau) to broker a truce. But Isabelle's power is limited, and Wallace realizes his people can only win freedom if backed by the Scottish nobles. Their appointed leader is Robert the Bruce (Angus MacFadyen) who vacillates between his own idealistic views and his father's pessimistic pragmatism. Will the nobles join with Wallace? Will the Scots win their freedom? Only history tells us the answer?
With elaborate costumes, vivid battle scenes, and a noble hero as its focal point, Braveheart is more than your typical run-of-the-mill action movie. Part history, part Hollywood heroism ? its timeless idealism strikes a cord with every viewer. In fact, the movie itself led to a revival in nationalistic pride that fueled the successful Scottish independence movement of the 1990s. It's a testament to the strength and character of the real life William Wallace. A thousand years later, his enduring legacy continues to transform the European landscape, and Mel Gibson captures the noble warrior's passion with an awe-inspiring Academy Award-winning masterpiece?
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Bbc Vegetarian Good Food It helps with reducing cancer risk, obesity and protection against strokes. It would certainly seem worth giving up that hamburger for so many benefits in return
