Tuesday, November 18, 2008

I DREAMED OF AFRICA

I DREAMED OF AFRICA
Kim Basinger, Vincent Perez, Liam Aiken, Eva Marie Saint, Daniel Craig, Garrett Strommen


"Sometimes the adventure of a lifetime becomes life itself"

Star Movies



More often than not, most movies about Africa have this ethereal vibe to them. Well I'm talking about films about white people happily settling down in Africa not those depressing movies about poverty, genocide and oppression.

Therefore "I dreamed of Africa" is no exception. It traces the story of Kuki Gallman, a divorced Italian socialite who upon her second marriage to a rugged adventurous guy named Paolo settles down in Kenya, Africa. She learns to adjust to the completely different lifestyle, new surroundings and her husband's never ending passion for the great outdoors. She has had to endure sandstorms, encounter wild animals and face fierce poachers trespassing on their property. Yet despite all these setbacks, she still manages to look as refreshing as ever in her cotton tunics, her wavy blond hair and her smooth skin. She hardly seems to break out in sweat, swat away pesky mosquitoes and faint from the harsh climate. Well perhaps it helps that she is portrayed by the gorgeous Kim Basinger, an actress who manages to look beautiful even without make up. Aside from the attractive Kim Basinger, do watch out for a pre Bond Daniel Craig in all his rugged, scruffy glory as one of the white settlers in Africa.

This poignant and touching human drama succeeds in making us sympathetic to the plight of a strong woman who chose to accept her fate in a strange land. A fate marred by several tragedies so her life wasn't simply a bed of roses. An interesting enough film filled with emotional moments (I actually cried a few times!) and dramatic encounters amidst a scenic cinematography of the vast African continent.

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