<b>Actress:</b> Hilary Swank

"Dear Lana, By the time you read this I'll be back home in Lincoln. I'm scared of what's ahead, but when I think of you I know I'll be able to go on. You were right, Memphis isn't that far off. I'll be taking that trip down the highway before too long. I'll be waiting for you. Love always and forever, Brandon."


Directed by: Kimberley Peirce
Starring: Hilary Swank, Chloe Sevigny, Peter Sarsgaard, Brendan Sexon III, Alicia Goranson

Genre: Biography/Crime/Drama/Romance

Running time: 118 minutes




My review:

Boys Dont Cry is a really touching and depressing film with a lot of desire, passion and yet a dramatic twist that changes a lot of the characters personalities and emotional feelings. This is the true story of the life of Brandon Teena. Follow Teena Brandon as she becomes Brandon Teena and claims a new male identity to the rural town of Falls City, Nebraska. There, Brandon successfully pulls off portraying a man unbeknownst to the women he is dating, eventually falling in love with Lana. He also befriends Lanas friends John and Tom. At first, Brandons new friends like him and treat as a buddy. But when Brandons sexual identity is revealed, the deception triggers a spiral of horrific violence that ends in homicide. This film has a plot that makes it really hard to watch but when I watched it, I thought it was really depressing and was quite hard to watch but wasnt as bad as I thought it would be. The scene that made me feel a bit sick was the rape scene. That is one of the biggest crimes in this world that sort of freaks me out along with slavery and imprisonment. It really depends on what sort of film. This film reminds me a lot of Brokeback Mountain but with women instead of men and that the man in Boys Dont Cry is really biologically a woman. And also when Brandon meets Lana they both become best friends but then become lovers. It is a shame because when they make out with each other, Brandon kisses and touches Lana but Lana doesnt touch Brandon because she will find out that Brandon is really a woman and would find out that she is making lesbian love to him. I personally think that Teena Brandon was a lesbian until she became Brandon Teena and then was heterosexual in her disguise but really she is a lesbian. Hilary Swank delivers one of my favourite performances of all time as Brandon Teena/Teena Brandon. It is quite weird because Hilary looks like a man with short hair but with long hair looks like a woman when she really is a woman. I was unsure about Hilarys male disguised voice for Brandon Teena. I like Hilary Swank is pretty much all of her films and this probably is one of her best but her best performance in my opinion is Maggie Fitzgerald in Million Dollar Baby. She definitely deserved her Oscar for this film. I think it is one of Hilarys earliest films. Chloe Sevigny was awesome in her Oscar nominated performance as Lana Tisdel. I dont think she was quite good enough to win though. If this film had a screenplay, direction, cinematography or sound nomination then it would have had the Best Picture nomination. This film would have been even better than it already is if this film was about Brandon Teena/Teena Brandons whole life. Without a doubt one of the best films of 1999 and definitely one of the best films based on a true event.

Randy, this whole thing you're doing, you know, this "fuck the world" act. Now that might work with your mama. It might even work with a couple of these local cops, who have known you long enough to figure you're too dumb ever to kill anyone without leaving a couple of witnesses and a signed confession. Ain't gonna work with me, because I know things, you understand? I know you beat your girlfriend. I know she was seeing somebody else. Somebody she might have even gone to see after she walked out on you Friday night. Now, you're gonna tell us who that somebody might be? Or are you so fucking stupid, you're going to leave yourself as the last person to see Kay Connell alive?


Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Al Pacino, Robin Williams, Hilary Swank, Martin Donovan, Oliver Zemen

Genre: Crime/Drama/Thriller

Running time: 118 minutes




My review:

I was expecting at first to be a Chris Nolan disaster film but I dont think it was a disaster at all. There are quite a few reasons for this. It stars three Oscar winning actors Al Pacino (Scent Of A Woman), Robin Williams (Good Will Hunting) and Hilary Swank (Boys Dont Cry). I thought the whole cast was good in this film. I thought the best from the whole film was Robin Williams. I was unsure about Al Pacino and Hilary Swanks performances. I have seen better films from both actors. Al Pacino portrays Detective Will Dormer who is assigned to a new police force with his partner Detective Hap Eckhart to assist them with their investigation. The investigation is murder of a young 17 year old girl called Kay Connell after she was beaten to death. Robin Williams portrays crime writer Walter Finch. The young girl Kay was a big fan of his work. Hilary Swank portrayed Ellie Burr who is a police officer who assists Dormer and Eckhart in their investigation to the murder mystery. Ellie states herself to be Dormers biggest fan. I personally believe that Al, Robin and Hilary were all miscast as their characters. I think the roles should have been Clive Owen or Hugh Jackman instead of Al Pacino, Robert De Niro instead of Robin Williams and maybe Julia Roberts instead of Hilary Swank. I love Al, Robin and Hilarys films but I just believe that they werent right for this film. Apart from that, I thought it was brilliant. These are exactly the sort of films that I love. I love murder mystery detective films. This film has one of the best plot twists I have ever seen. It is really tragic that twists everything in the film and makes all of the characters awkward in all situations within the murder investigation. This film is really tense and is a lot like a psychological thriller. I wouldnt call this Nolans best film. I would say I enjoyed this more than Memento and Batman Begins but not more than Prestige and Dark Knight.

To make a fighter you gotta strip them down to bare wood: you can't just tell 'em to forget everything you know if you gotta make 'em forget even their bones... make 'em so tired they only listen to you, only hear your voice, only do what you say and nothing else... show 'em how to keep their balance and take it away from the other guy... how to generate momentum off their right toe and how to flex your knees when you fire a jab... how to fight backin' up so that the other guy doesn't want to come after you. Then you gotta show 'em all over again. Over and over and over... till they think they're born that way.<


Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank, Morgan Freeman, Jay Baruchel, Mike Colter

Genre: Drama/Sport

Running time: 132 minutes




My review:

In the wake of a painful estrangement from his daughter, boxing trainer Frankie Dunn has been unwilling to let himself get close to anyone for a very long time until Maggie Fitzgerald walks into his gym. In a life of constant struggle, Maggie got herself this far on raw talent, unshakable focus and a tremendous force of will. But more than anything, she wants someone to believe in her. The last thing Frankie needs is that kind of responsibility, let alone that kind of risk, but won over by Maggies sheer determination, he begrudgingly agrees to take her on. In turns exasperating and inspiring each other, the two come to discover that they share a common spirit that transcends the pain and loss of their pasts, and they find in each other a sense of family they lost long ago. Yet, they both face a battle that will demand more heart and courage than any they have ever known. This film was really depressing but the most dramatic of all of the boxing films that I have watched before. Hilary Swank delivers a brilliant Oscar winning performance as Maggie Fitzgerald because Hilary really looked like a true boxer and a boxer with a great passion and really makes the character inspiring and pleasureable to watch. She seems like a really nice person whos life was falling apart but she gains the spirit. Clint Eastwood was really good in an acting performance as Frankie Dunn. I really liked Morgan Freeman in his Oscar winning performance. I really like Clint Eastwood directing films but I prefer Mystic River to this, Unforgiven, Flags Of Our Fathers and Letters From Iwo Jima. I was surprised that this film won Best Picture Oscar. In my opinion, Finding Neverland should have won it. This is still an absolutely brilliant boxing piece of filmmaking from Clint Eastwood.

Dear Holly, I don't have much time. I don't mean literally, I mean you're out buying ice cream and you'll be home soon. But I have a feeling this is the last letter, because there is only one thing left to tell you. It isn't to go down memory lane or make you buy a lamp, you can take care of yourself without any help from me. It's to tell you how much you move me, how you changed me. You made me a man, by loving me Holly. And for that, I am eternally grateful... literally. If you can promise me anything, promise me that whenever you're sad, or unsure, or you lose complete faith, that you'll try to see yourself through my eyes. Thank you for the honor of being my wife. I'm a man with no regrets. How lucky am I. You made my life, Holly. But I'm just one chapter in yours. There'll be more. I promise. So here it comes, the big one. Don't be afraid to fall in love again. Watch out for that signal, when life as you know it ends. P.S. I will always love you.


Directed by: Richard LaGravenese
Starring: Hilary Swank, Gerard Butler, Lisa Kudrow, Gina Gershon, Kathy Bates

Genre: Drama/Romance

Running time: 126 minutes




My review:

P.S. I Love You is definitely a chick flick. This film is more for girls than for boys which is why I didn?t like this as much as I hoped. Hilary Swank delivers an average performance as widow Holly who has lost her husband from a brain tumour. I have seen Hilary do better movies. Her performance in Million Dollar Baby is probably her best but I thought she was quite good in the Black Dahlia aswell. She is one of my favourite actresses without a doubt. But I think this is a film that I don?t think she should have been in. I think for god?s sake she is a two time Oscar winning actress why can?t a less known actress be in this film? Gerard Butler was good as Gerry because he fits in perfectly with this film because his character is so charming and really nice which suits Gerard pretty well. He looks totally different in this film as he did in 300. The only similarity is exact same voice. Apart from that it isnt him at all. I thought both Holly and Gerrys characters were very strong but the rest of the characters in the film weren?t that strong at all really and I don?t think any of their performances were good either even Oscar winner Kathy Bates. This is torn between whether this film is romantic comedy or romantic drama. If I took it within great depth I would call this a romantic drama. I thought the direction was average but it could have been better and so could have the script of the film. Apart from that a good film.