Angelina Jolie @ Santa Fe Train Depot

Bless Angelina !! God and Goddess and all who love her!

love angie,miss 4 kids,god bless the jolie-pitt

Missouri Fan–Your pictures are so clear–and really, good shots! Thanks!

Does anyone know where Brangelina is headed for next?

what a wonderful lady, she has it all, and does it well!

look like a **** s aka

can`t wait to see the movie! love her!!!!!!!

thanks for the new picture i want some bampsz photos! pleasee!! i really miss them and they’re such a beautiful family. ange looks gorgeous per as usual!

She is an amazing woman. We never get tired looking at her pictures. So full of live. GO Ange!

gorgeous!
good to see a new Angelina thread…the other one was becoming really loud :lol:
sometimes i’d like to post more in brad and angelina threads, especially here, but most of the time i get turned off because it’s like walking on egg shells here. it’s so unavoidable not to get into an argument, whether with a fellow fan or not. i just saw someone complaining about me on the previous thread about a pic from jared that i posted through imageshack…c’mon! that was the link most convenient for me, and just because of that i get ball-busted:!: :lol: geez…chill…
anyway…best wishes to the jolie-pitts, as always…so too for the rest of BAMPZville…:-)
peace!

Brought this from the previous thread:

curly : 10/25/2007 at 11:46 pm

I came to believe that AJ is a catalyst for people to reflect on who they could have become and who they chose to be. This applies to AJ more than to BP, for expectations about him is to be a provider, yet he is not always spared. Are you concerned only about your kind? AJ is there to remind that it is possible to be genuinely concerned about others. Do you believe blood is thicker than water? AJ reminds that family is also about labor, not simply genetics. So be it, she truly walks on her own path.

ITAWY

Just jared N°1!!!

Yet another soon to be BOMB for the H0 :-)

The DVD Dissection: A Mighty Heart
Posted by Chad Webb on 10.26.2007

A somewhat mighty DVD for an extremely mighty film.

Angelina Jolie: Mariane Pearl
Dan Futterman: Daniel Pearl
Archie Panjabi: Asra Q. Nomani
Mohammed Afzal: Shabir
Denis O’Hare: John Bussey
Irfan Khan: Captain
Perrine Moran: Ruth Pearl
Jeffrey Kaplow: Judea Pearl
Aly Khan: Omar
Ishaque Ahmed: Arif
Will Patton: Randall Bennett
Jillian Armenante: Maureen Platt
Demetri Goritsas: John Skleton
Directed By: Michael Winterbottom
Theatrical Release Date: June 22, 2007
DVD Release Date: October 16, 2007
Running Time: 105 minutes

Rated R for language.

The Film

The ending of A Mighty Heart is quite known to anyone that watched the news, or even used the internet in the past few years. The death by beheading demise of Wall Street Journal Journalist Daniel Pearl is not just a tragedy, but inhuman. I have seen several of these gruesome videos on various websites. They were not clips I went searching for at all, but I was in a situation where they were being shown, and I saw them. Horrific situations such as these induce feelings that would make you want to vomit. It leaves you empty, shaken, and changed forever. Luckily, the heartbreaking premise is not a funeral but a tribute, and Michael Winterbottom should be congratulated for how he handled the material. What shame that the studio did not release this theatrically in the Fall/Winter where it belongs, and could be admired more.

The story is based on Mariane Pearl’s memoir of the same name, which chronicled the days leading up to her husband’s death. At that time, Daniel (Dan Futterman) was living in Karachi, Pakistan with his wife Mariane, also a journalist. He was researching a number of topics like shoe bomber Richard Reid, Al-Qaeda, and the Inter-Services-Intelligence. He was on the verge of interviewing Sheikh Gilani, a controversial religious figure, but on his way to complete this meeting, Daniel was kidnapped by an unknown group of terrorists, and taken to a secret location. The law enforcement authorities and security agents of Pakistan immediately spring into action, and along with friends and family, do everything in their power to help Mariane (Angelina Jolie) apprehend the criminals, and find Daniel. As the evidence and leads build up, Mariane and the authorities maintain hope, but on February 1, 2002, the fate of Daniel Pearl would hit home and startle the nation.

The buzz surrounding Angelina Jolie’s performance was widely known, but nevertheless, half way through this film, there was no doubt in my mind. This is work that transcends anything she has done previously. Jolie controls the screen, and forces all eyes on her every move and word. Mariane Pearl wastes no time in making phone calls and pulling up emails in an attempt to find a quick solution to why Daniel went missing. She is a smart, compassionate, and courageous woman, whose unwavering attitude in a time of crisis causes every person involved to pull together and give the investigation 110%.

This marks the type of portrayal Jolie could attain annually is she wasn’t busy adopting children, or contributing her talents to pictures like Tomb Raider or Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Her presence demands attention because viewers forget that she is a supercelebrity, and believe she is Mariane Pearl. Similar efforts do not happen often. That is why it is so incendiary and daring. As the inevitable conclusion draws closer, we continue to root for Mariane to prolong her strength, and convey her bravery. Jolie captivates us with her emotion, and such an accomplishment deserves to be recognized come Oscar season.

A Mighty Heart unfolds in the moment, extremely reminiscent to United 93, but the only difference is a thin layer that makes the former more cinematical. Director Michael Winterbottom keeps this from Mariane’s perspective, and those aiding the investigation. He does not show Daniel being captured, or actually held as a hostage, but perhaps if he did, this could have been a more comprehensive masterpiece. Despite knowing the ending, that does not diminish the emotional impact or suspense of the story. We are pulling for Captain and his acquaintances to unearth evidence, and bring the guilty parties to justice.

There is one sequence in particular that I found especially shrewd and fascinating. Omar Saaed Sheikh is taken in for interrogation, and before the audience sees what occured away from the news cameras, real footage of him being transported with his face covered is displayed. This caused that advancement in the plot to be ten times as powerful as it would have been initially. The thriller angle also could have been heightened by revealing details of Daniel’s interactions with the The National Movement for the Restoration of Pakistani Sovereignty, the terrorist organization responsible. Winterbottom and screenwriter John Orloff refrain from exposing the terrorists, and those involved excessively, so as not to exaggerate their motives. As a matter of fact, Aly Khan is so calm, cool, and collected during questioning that if anything, his performances increases the intimidation of the group.

By implementing the docudrama approach, which is how Winterbottom’s previous effort The Road to Guantanamo was filmed, it allows the reactions to remain genuine and personal. One may argue that this distances the viewer from bonding with the characters. I strongly disagree. I didn’t feel that way with United 93, and the same can be said for A Mighty Heart. We connected with the characters as the events were broadcast. This just amplifies our attachment. Winterbottom manages this delicate and disastrous story with the utmost dignity, respect, and care. No underlying political motive is discernable. This is completely absent of a polemic agenda, which will in turn, make its longevity more prominent.

The intense media coverage, combined with the atrocious videos that leaked onto the internet, augmented the publics awareness of Daniel Pearl and other people that were held against their will. If we learned anything from these tragic deaths, it is that the world will never ever forget what these murderers are capable of. It is vital that films such as A Mighty Heart and United 93 be circulated regularly so that everyone remembers what can happen, in order to continually make progress in stopping it permanently. This is a near triumphant film, and I hope more people get a chance to see. Knowing Daniel’s fate is only the beginning. It is also an enlightening glance at information we cannot hear on television.

Previews (11:19) - The trailers contained here are Year of the Dog, Margot at the Wedding, Arctic Tale, Stardust, and The Kite Runner.

The Film: 8.5/10.0
The Video: 8.0/10.0
The Audio: 9.0/10.0
The Packaging: 7.0/10.0
The Extras:7.5/10.0

The 411: It should be worth noting that Jennifer Anniston was originally slated to play Mariane Pearl. After all, Brad Pitt is a Producer, and his interest in the memoir helped this along faster, but I cannot fathom this A Mighty Heart without Angelina Jolie. This is not a role just any mainstream actress walks into. She is unbelievable in it. A Mighty Heart is an exceptional piece of cinema, and one that will hopefully get the life it warrants on DVD. The technical specifications of the disc are up to par, and the extras are average, but they could have been a bit more extensive. All in all, this would be a wise purchase, and a definite rental if nothing else.
Final Score: 8.5 [ Very Good