Australia

 Released Year: 2008

Directed by Baz Luhrmann

Casted by:

Nicole Kidman as Lady Sarah Ashley

Hugh Jackman as Drover

Brandon Walters as Nullah

David Wenham as Neil Fletcher

Bryan Brown as Lesley 'King' Carney

Jack Thompson as Kipling Flynn

David Gulpilil as King George

 Story:

In 1939, Lady Sarah Ashley travels from England to northern Australia to force her philandering husband to sell his faltering cattle station, Faraway Downs. Her husband sends an independent cattle drover, called "Drover", to transport her to Faraway Downs.

Lady Sarah's husband is murdered shortly before she arrives, and the authorities tell her that the killer is an Aboriginal elder, "King George". Meanwhile, cattle station manager Neil Fletcher is trying to gain control of Faraway Downs, so that Lesley 'King' Carney will have a complete cattle monopoly, giving him negotiating leverage with an Australian army officer, Captain Dutton, who wants to buy the cattle.

The childless Lady Sarah is captivated by the boy Nullah, who has an Aboriginal mother and a white father. Nullah tells her that he has seen her cattle being driven onto Carney's land — in other words, stolen from her. Because of this Fletcher mistreats Nullah and threatens him and his mother, so Lady Sarah fires Fletcher and decides to try to run the cattle station herself. When Nullah and his mother hide from the authorities in a water tower, his mother drowns. Lady Sarah comforts Nullah by singing the song "Over the Rainbow" from the film The Wizard of Oz. Nullah tells her that "King George" is his grandfather, and that like the Wizard, he too is a "magic man".

Lady Sarah persuades Drover to take the cattle to Darwin for sale. Drover is friendly with the Aborigines, and therefore shunned by many of the other whites in the territory. It is revealed that he was married to an Aboriginal woman, who died after being refused medical treatment in a hospital because of her race. Lady Sarah also reveals she is unable to have children.

Drover leads a team of six other riders, including Lady Sarah, Drover's Aboriginal brother-in-law Magarri, Nullah, and the station's accountant Kipling Flynn, to drive the 1,500 cattle to Darwin. They encounter various obstacles along the way, including a fire set by Carney's men that scares the cattle, resulting in the death of Flynn when the group tries to stop the cattle from stampeding over a cliff. Lady Sarah and Drover fall in love, and she gains a new appreciation for the Australian territory. The team drive the cattle through the dangerous Never Never desert. Then, when at last delivering the cattle in Darwin, the group has to race them onto the ship before Carney's cattle are loaded.

Afterwards, Lady Sarah, Nullah, and Drover live together happily at Faraway Downs for two years. Meanwhile, Fletcher kills Carney, marries his daughter Cath Carney, takes over Carney's cattle empire, and continues to menace Lady Sarah. It is established that Fletcher was the actual murderer of Lady Sarah's husband, and is also Nullah's father.

Nullah is drawn to go on a walkabout (a rite of passage) with his grandfather "King George", but is instead taken by the authorities and sent to live on Mission Island (a fictitious island, but inspired by Bathurst Island) with the other half-Aboriginal children (dubbed the "Stolen Generations"). Lady Sarah, who has come to regard Nullah as her adopted son, vows to rescue him. Meanwhile, she works as a radio operator in Darwin during the escalation of World War II. When the Japanese attack the island and Darwin in 1942, Lady Sarah fears that Nullah has been killed.

Drover, who had quarrelled with Lady Sarah and left, returns to Darwin and hears (mistakenly) that she has been killed in the bombing. Drover learns of Nullah's abduction to Mission Island, and goes with Magarri and a young priest to rescue him and the other children. Meanwhile, Lady Sarah is about to be evacuated, but when Drover and the children sail back into port at Darwin, and Nullah plays "Over the Rainbow" on his harmonica, Lady Sarah hears the music and the three are reunited.

Fletcher, distraught at the ruination of his plans and at the death of his wife killed during a Japanese air strike, attempts to shoot Nullah, but is speared by King George and falls dead. Lady Sarah, Drover, and Nullah return to the safety of remote Faraway Downs. There, King George calls for Nullah, who returns to the Outback with his grandfather.

 L² Scored: 2/10

L² Comment:

I was having problem in sleeping lately, but thanks to this movie, i slept all the way till morning. For almost a week, I kept on wanted to finish the whole movie, but i just can't stand the lengthy grandmother story kinda movie... The whole movie is so boring, the only exciting part was when Hugh Jackman shower outdoor, but that was like less than 2 mins, gosh... 

Eyes Wide Shut

Released Year: 1999

Directed by Stanley Kubrick

Casted by:

Tom Cruise as Dr. William "Bill" Harford

Nicole Kidman as Alice Harford

Sydney Pollack as Victor Ziegler

Marie Richardson as Marion Nathanson

 Story: 

Dr. Bill Harford and his wife, Alice, are a young couple from New York. They go to a Christmas party thrown by a wealthy patient, Victor Ziegler. Bill meets an old friend from medical school, Nick Nightingale, who now plays piano professionally. While a Hungarian man tries to pick up Alice, two young models try to take Bill off for a tryst. He is interrupted by a call from his host upstairs, who had been having sex with Mandy, a young woman who has overdosed on a speedball.

The next evening at home, while smoking marijuana, Bill's wife asks him if he had sex with the two girls. After Bill reassures her, she asks if he is ever jealous of men who are attracted to her. As the discussion gets heated, he states that he thinks women are more faithful than men. She rebuts him, telling him of a recent fantasy she had about a naval officer they had encountered on a vacation. Disturbed by Alice's revelation, Bill is just then called to the deathbed of the father of a now-engaged female friend, Marion Nathanson, who impulsively kisses him and says she loves him. Putting her off, Bill takes a walk. He meets a prostitute named Domino and goes to her apartment.

Bill's wife phones as he begins to kiss Domino, after which he calls off the awkward encounter. Meeting Nick at the jazz club where he's just finishing his last set, Bill learns that Nick has an engagement where he must play piano blindfolded. Bill presses for details. He learns that to gain admittance, one needs a costume, a mask, and the password. Bill goes to a costume shop. He offers the owner, Mr. Milich, a generous amount of money to rent a costume. In the shop, Milich catches his teenage daughter with two Japanese men and expresses outrage at their lack of a sense of decency.

Bill takes a taxi to a country mansion. He gives the password and discovers a quasi-religious sexual ritual is taking place. One woman takes Bill aside and warns him he does not belong there, insisting he is in terrible danger. They are interrupted by a masked porter who tells Bill that the taxi driver wants to speak with him. However, the porter takes him to a room where a masked, red-cloaked Master of Ceremonies confronts Bill with a question about a second password. Bill is unable to answer. The Master of Ceremonies insists that Bill "kindly remove his mask," then his clothes. The masked woman who had tried to warn Bill now intervenes and insists that she be punished instead of him. Bill is ushered from the mansion and warned not to tell anyone about what happened there.

Just before dawn, Bill arrives home guilty and confused. He finds Alice laughing loudly in sleep and awakens her. While crying, she tells him of a troubling dream in which she was having sex with the naval officer and many other men, and laughing at the idea of Bill seeing her with them. The next morning, Bill goes to Nick's hotel, where the desk clerk tells Bill that a bruised and frightened Nick checked out a few hours earlier after returning with two large, dangerous-looking men. Nick tried to pass an envelope to him when they were leaving, but it was intercepted, and Nick was driven away by the two men.

Bill goes to return the costume — but not the mask, which Bill has misplaced — and Milich, with his daughter by his side, states he can do other favors for Bill "and it needn't be a costume." The same two Japanese men leave; Milich implies to Bill that he has sold his daughter for prostitution. Bill returns to the country mansion in his own car and is met at the gate by a man with a note warning him to cease and desist his inquiries. At home, Bill thinks about Alice's dream while watching her tutor their daughter.

Bill goes to Domino's apartment with a gift. Her roommate Sally(Fay Masterson) is home, but not Domino. After Bill attempts to seduce Sally, she reveals to him that Domino has just tested positive for HIV. Bill leaves and notices a man is following him. Bill reads a newspaper story about a beauty queen who died of a drug overdose. Bill examines what is revealed to be Mandy's body at the morgue. Bill is summoned to Ziegler's house, where he is confronted with the events of the past night and day. Ziegler was one of those involved with the ritual orgy. His own position with the secret society has been jeopardized by Bill's intrusion.

Bill asks about Mandy, whom Ziegler has identified as the woman at the party who'd "sacrificed" herself to prevent Bill's punishment, and about Nick, the piano player. Ziegler insists that Nick is safely back at home in Seattle. He says the "punishment" had nothing to do with Mandy's death; she was a hooker and addict and had died from another accidental drug overdose. Bill does not know if Ziegler is telling him the truth, but says nothing further.

When he returns home, Bill finds the rented mask on his pillow next to his sleeping wife. He breaks down in tears. He decides to tell Alice the whole truth of the past two days. The next morning, they go Christmas shopping with their daughter. His wife muses that recent events do not define their lives, that they should be grateful they have survived, are still together and that she loves him. As to what to do next, Alice says "fuck," as soon as possible.

 L² Scored: 7.5/10

L² Comment: 

Based on the fiction of Arthur Schnitzler "Novella Dream Story" in 1926, Cruise and his ex Kidman show us this hot sexy movie. The (ex) married couple was so hot that time in Hollywood, of coz it definitely attracted many audience to buy tickets into the cinema :) Well, for me the movie is ok, i understand it better rather than the first time i watch it 10 years ago, which i keep staring at those boobies lol~ 

Moulin Rouge!

Released Year: 2001
Directed by Baz Luhrmann

Casted by:
Ewan McGregor as Christian
Nicole Kidman as Satine
Jim Broadbent as Harold Zidler
Richard Roxburgh as The Duke of Monroth
Story:

The film opens in the year 1900, where a suffering and depressed writer named Christian is mourning the loss of his true love: Satine. Determined to have her story written, Christian sits at his desk and begins to type it out on a typewriter.

In 1899, one year before, Christian moves to the Montmartre district of Paris to become a writer among the Bohemian culture. He encounters performers led by Toulouse-Lautrec; his writing skills allow them to finish their proposed show, "Spectacular Spectacular", that they wish to sell to Harold Zidler, owner of the Moulin Rouge. The group arrives at the Moulin Rouge as Zidler and his "Diamond Dog Dancers" perform for the audience (Lady Marmalade/Zidler's Rap (Can Can)/Smells Like Teen Spirit). Toulouse-Lautrec arranges for Christian to see Satine, the star courtesan, in her private quarters to present the work, unaware that Zidler is promising Satine to the wealthy and unscrupulous Duke of Monroth, a potential investor in the cabaret ("Sparkling Diamonds" medley).

Satine mistakes Christian for the Duke, and dances with him before retiring to her private chamber with him in order to discuss things "privately" (Rhythm of the Night) but soon learns that he is just a writer; by this time Christian has fallen in love with her ("Your Song"). The Duke interrupts them; Christian and Satine claim they were practicing the lines for the Moulin Rouge's new show, "Spectacular Spectacular". With the help of Zidler, Toulouse-Lautrec and the rest of the troupe pitch the show to the Duke with an improvised plot about an evil maharajah attempting to woo an Indian courtesan who is in love with a poor sitar player ("The Pitch (Spectacular Spectacular)"). The Duke agrees to back the show on the condition that only he is allowed to see Satine. Meanwhile, Satine contemplates on Christian and her longing to leave the Moulin Rouge to become "a real actress" (One Day I'll Fly Away). Christian later goes back to Satine to convince her that she loves him ("Elephant Love Medley"). As the cabaret is converted to a theater, Christian and Satine continue seeing each other under the pretense of rehearsing Satine's lines. The Duke becomes jealous and warns Zidler that he may stop financing the show; Zidler arranges for Satine to dine with the Duke that evening, but during practice she falls ill (Gorecki). That night, Zidler makes excuses to the Duke, claiming that Satine has gone to confession ("Like a Virgin"). Zidler learns that Satine is dying from consumption. Satine tries to convince Christian that their relationship endangers the show, but he counters by writing a secret love song into the show to affirm their love ("Come What May").

As the Duke watches Christian rehearse lines with Satine, Nini, a jealous performer, points out that the play is a metaphor for Christian, Satine and the Duke. Enraged, the Duke demands that the play ending be changed so that the courtesan ends up with the maharajah; Satine offers to spend the night with the Duke to keep the original ending. While at the Duke's quarters, Satine sees Christian on the streets below, and realizes she cannot go through with this ("El Tango de Roxanne"). The Duke tries taking her forcibly, but she is saved by Le Chocolat, one of the cabaret dancers, and reunited with Christian, who recommends they run away together. The Duke tells Zidler that he will have Christian killed if Satine is not his. Zidler reiterates this warning to Satine, but when she refuses to return, he finally informs her that she is dying (The Show Must Go On). Acting on the threat to Christian's life, Satine tells Christian they can no longer see each other as she will be staying with the Duke. Christian tries following her, but is denied entry to the Moulin Rouge, and falls into a state of depression, even though Toulouse-Lautrec insists that Satine loves him.

On the night of the show, Christian sneaks into the Moulin Rouge, ready to pay Satine to return his love just as the Duke has paid for her (Hindi Sad Diamonds). He catches Satine before she steps on stage, and he demands she tells him that she does not love him. Suddenly they find themselves in the spotlight; Zidler convinces the audience that Christian is the disguised sitar player. Christian reviles Satine for her perceived betrayal and walks off the stage. From the rafters, Toulouse-Lautrec, cries out, "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return", spurring Satine to sing the secret love song Christian wrote to express their love. Christian returns to the stage, joining her in the song. The Duke's bodyguard tries killing Christian but is thwarted by Toulouse-Lautrec and Valeria (a dancer in the Moulin Rouge), while the Duke's own attempt is stopped by Zidler. The Duke storms out of the cabaret as Christian and Satine complete their song ("Come What May (Reprise)", "Coup d'État (Finale)").

After the curtain closes, Satine succumbs to her illness. She and Christian affirm their love before she dies. A year later the Moulin Rouge has closed down, and Christian is writing the tale of his love for Satine, a "love that will live forever" (Nature Boy (Reprise)).

L² Scored: 7.5/10

L² Comment:

Oh Lord, if this is the first time i watch this movie, i'll definitely give it a score below 5 because it's quite confuse at the beginning of 20 minutes. Luckily this is my 3rd time watching this movie and i like it a bit better each time i watch it :)

There's really not much acting on the actors/actresses side, though there's a lot of nomination in multiple awards, and though they win some, but not on all the main category anyway... But this is quite new during 2001, that's why a lot of musical style film come out later~ :)

Trespass 2011

Released Year: 2011
Directed by Joel Schumacher

Casted by:
Nicolas Cage as Kyle Miller
Nicole Kidman as Sarah Miller
Cam Gigandet as Jonah
Ben Mendelsohn as Elias
Liana Liberato as Avery Miller
Jordana Spiro as Petal
Dash Mihok as Tye
Story:

Kyle is a diamond dealer whom almost face bankruptcy. Inside his glamorous house, Sarah his wife and Avery the daughter were arguing whether Avery can attend a party. Avery sneaked out from the house and climb out through fence after shutting down one of the alarm part to let herself escape to meet her friend.

Sarah wore her best lingerie & nice black dress to please Kyle but Kyle was worry about his business and decided to go out. But the security guard appeared on the telecom and request them to open the door to check whether there is robberies inside their house. But Sarah realize Avery has gone missing and shout to Kyle. Kyle realize the dangerous and wanted to shut the door but the security guards broke in. They are not security guards but 4 robberies instead.

The robberies seems like know everything about them including their life and the house alarm system. They shut down the system to prevent the security company from knowing it. They threaten to kill Sarah if Kyle did not hands out the diamond to them from the safety box. After a several punches, Kyle open up the safety and everyone was shocked that there are nothing inside. Kyle claims that he has face bankruptcy and has nothing left beside debts. On a disappointment, Sarah realize that one of the robbery is the security guard whom she almost has an affair with, Jonah. The rest of the robberies are, Elias (Jonah's older brother), Petal (a strip dancer, Elias' girlfriend) & Tye (Elias' debtor).

Avery came back from the party because a young boy wanna have chem sex with her by paying her cash. The robberies caught her and threw her with the parents. The robberies get freak off because there were no diamonds and cash for them. But from a picture, they saw that Sarah has a expensive diamond necklace, they went through the house and found the necklace. But Kyle claims that the necklace is fake and from a flee market. Elias crash it and discover it is really fake. Tye decided to kill the Millers, then Avery told them she can get them money from the young boy's party. Petal follow her along to the party, while driving, Avery turn the car and crash into a pole while unbutton the seat belt of Petal's. Petal get injured and Avery chain her up while getting back to her parents.

Sarah stole the narcotic from Elias and in the end Kyle injected it at Tye to make him unconscious. Elias realize Petal was in trouble and wanted to kill Avery but Sarah protected her. Jonah kill Elias instead to protect Sarah whom he has fall for. A fight in the house renovation part exposed the huge money which was hide by Kyle at there. Kyle use the nail gun to nailed Jonah at there and fire burn up to burn him alive. The Millers lost all including the house and money but they were safe in the end.

L² Scored: 8.5/10

L² Comment:

I love this movie so much, kinda exciting and new to me. The storyline is good and almost all scene are important and exciting. The most exciting part will be the fighting part at the renovation house.

And its been a long time i didnt watch any movie of Nicole Kidman :) She still looks good but you can actually see the wrinkles~ lol...