Studie
Ik studeer Engels aan de
Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, met als minor 'Tekst en
Taal in Professionele Communicatie' en Theater
wetenschappen in mijn vrije deel. Als voorbeeld van
wat ik leer bij mijn studie zal ik hieronder een
filmreview geven van de film "No Reservations" die
ik heb geschreven voor het vak 'Proficiency III'.
Het doel van het vak was om een magazine te maken
samen met een aantal andere studenten. Dit is
één van de artikelen uit het magazine.
No Reservations
Starring: Catherine Zeta-Jones, Aaron Eckhart and Abigail Breslin
Life isn't always made to order
In Scott Hicks' film 'No Reservations', master chef Kate Armstrong (Catherine Zeta-Jones) lives her life like she runs the kitchen at the 22 Bleecker Street restaurant in Manhattan: rule-bound, unyielding and with an astonishing precision and intensity that is both fascinating and intimidating to everyone around her. This lifestyle is questioned when Kate's sister dies, leaving Kate with her 10 year old niece Zoë. While Kate struggles to build a relationship with a grief-stricken child, her kitchen is turned upside down when the manager hires a sous chef from an Italian restaurant, whose freewheeling personality is a sharp contrast to Kate's unwavering perfectionism.
This film, a remake of Sandra Nettelbeck's screenplay for the 2001 German romantic drama 'Mostly Martha', mesmerises the audience with its combination of skilled adult actors, a young and enchanting Abigail Breslin, beautiful shots of delicious dishes, and a not altogether too predictable romantic comedy plot. Zeta-Jones is beautiful and enticing as the workaholic, uptight Manhattan master chef and is particularly heartbreaking in the scenes she shares with Breslin. The two actresses are well matched and amplify each other's skills.
Eckhart is charming and tender in his role as new sous chef Nick, but lacks Zeta-Jones' subtlety and effortless souplesse that make the film so enjoyable. His character's introductory scene shows him singing Italian opera in the kitchen, immediately establishing him as a good-natured man with a boyish sense of mischief. Unfortunately, his character does not grow from there and as character development is one of the central themes in this film, this strikes as a bizarre mishap. The chemistry between Zeta-Jones and Eckhart, however, is convincing and endearing, making it a perfect romantic comedy.
Romance is alternated by comic relief as well as the inevitable tears when Zoë's mom is remembered with old pictures and video's, combining into a altogether well-crafted pacing of the film, even though the story unnecessarily slows down a bit towards the end of the film.
Most romantic comedies have a comparable plot, where every single event can be predicted from the beginning. 'No Reservations', however, seems to be an exception that proves the rule in this case. Though it is clear from the onset where the story is headed, the film counters many expectations along the way.
Naar het buitenland
Volgend jaar ga ik via het Harting Programme in Hull
studeren. Hull ligt in Engeland. Hieronder zie je de
website van Hull University en ter vergelijking de
website van de Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, waar ik nu
studeer.
Hull University | Rijksuniversiteit Groningen