Uglies, 2024

Uglies is a 2024 American science fiction drama film directed by McG and written by Jacob Forman, Vanessa Taylor, and Whit Anderson. Based on the novel of the same name by Scott Westerfeld, the plot centers around a future post-apocalyptic dystopian society in which people are considered "ugly" until they become "pretty" by enduring extensive cosmetic surgery at the age of 16. The film stars Joey King, Keith Powers, Chase Stokes, Brianne Tju, Jan Luis Castellanos, Charmin Lee, and Laverne Cox.



TRAILER



PLOT

In the future, the world has fallen into chaos after exhausting all natural resources. To keep humanity alive, scientists first create genetically modified orchids that are a new energy source, and second, a surgical procedure to enhance human beings in both appearance and fitness to prevent prejudice and discrimination. The surgery is performed on "Uglies" when they are sixteen before allowing them to go to the city, where celebrations occur among the "Pretties."

Tally and her best friend Peris are Uglies, but Peris, being three months older, leaves for his surgery first. The two share scars on their hands, which they vow to keep despite the procedure. They also promise to remain friends and meet again.

Tally, anxious to see Peris again, sneaks into the city. She confronts him but discovers that he has become careless, and the scar they vowed to keep is gone. When Tally is discovered, she is chased by the Wardens back to the Uglies' dormitories. Later, she befriends Shay, a rebellious Ugly who tells her about "The Smoke," a land of freedom in tune with nature. Shay encourages Tally to come with her, reject the surgery, and seeks out The Smoke and its leader, David. Tally refuses.

On her sixteenth birthday, Tally is denied her procedure until she tells Dr. Cable, the operations leader, where Shay is. She is told that David is dangerous, will hurt Shay, and that he is also building a weapon to destroy the city. Tally is sent as a spy into The Smoke, reunites with Shay, and meets David.

The smoke reveals the orchid energy source is toxic to nature, so The Smoke rebels set them on fire to wipe them out. Tally and David share a moment, and she tosses her tracker into the fire after renouncing the system and rejecting her chance to become a Pretty.

As she begins to grow close with David, he and his family reveal the truth about the surgeries: they limit human free will, so the Pretties are easily controlled. A select few are given a cure to become the scientists surrounding the scheme. David's parents worked as some of those scientists until they discovered the truth and fled. Ever since, they have been working to develop the cure.

Her active tracker signals Dr Cable, who arrives with troops to round up the rebels. Peris, modified to be a enhanced soldier, kills David's father, and Tally is discovered to be the traitor. Still, she convinces David to take her with him to free the captured rebels, who are held in a lab facility.

Tally, David, and some of Tally's friends make a plan to rescue the captured rebels. Tally's friends make a diversion that lets Tally and David arrive where the rebels are held. Everyone is freed except Shay, who has already undergone her procedure. Completely changed and oblivious to her previous cause, she is taken with the rebels to a safe spot. Peris confronts the team Tally tries to get through to his true personality, although Peris show's promise, David protects Tally and throws Peris off a building into rubble to his death.

While escaping, David's mother reveals she stole the final piece of her cure. Yet, she does not want to administer it to Shay as she's unwilling. Tally volunteers to undergo the surgery and test the cure. She swears she will not let being Pretty change her drive for justice. She bids David and her friends goodbye.

Rating: 10 Stars

Miss Potter, 2006

 Miss Potter is a 2006 biographical drama film directed by Chris Noonan. It is based on the life of children's author and illustrator Beatrix Potter, and combines stories from her own life with animated sequences featuring characters from her stories, such as Peter Rabbit. Scripted by Richard Maltby Jr., the director of the Tony Award-winning Broadway revue, Fosse, the film stars Renée Zellweger in the title role, Ewan McGregor as her publisher and fiancé, Norman Warne, and Lloyd Owen as solicitor William Heelis. Emily Watson stars as Warne's sister, Millie. Lucy Boynton also stars as the young Beatrix Potter and Justin McDonald appears as the young William Heelis. It was filmed in St. Peter's Square Hammersmith, Cecil Court, Osterley Park, Covent Garden, the Isle of Man, Scotland and the Lake District.




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PLOT

In 1902, Beatrix Potter and her chaperon, Miss Wiggin, visit the publishing house of Harold and Fruing Warne, who decide to publish her The Tale of Peter Rabbit. While Beatrix is thrilled, behind closed doors the Warnes think her book is ridiculous and only agree to publish it because they promised their younger brother, Norman, a project.

Norman and Beatrix meet, and realise they share a vision for her work. As production on the book begins, Norman introduces Beatrix to his mother, and his unmarried sister, Millie, who befriends Beatrix. Tensions rise in the Potter household, as Beatrix's social-climbing mother, Helen, is unhappy about her daughter spending time in the company of tradesmen, and she believes that the book venture will fail.

However, the book sales are very successful, and Norman encourages Beatrix to submit other stories for publication. Eventually, Beatrix's father, Rupert, voices his support of Beatrix's writing career, after hearing about the popularity of her books from his friends at the Reform Club. Encouraged, Beatrix invites Norman and Millie to her family's Christmas party. Beatrix shows Norman a story she is writing especially for him, "The Rabbits' Christmas Party", giving him a drawing from the story as a present. Finally left unchaperoned, Norman proposes to Beatrix, and she happily accepts.

Beatrix's parents disapprove of the match, but she stands firm, reminding her mother that both her grandfathers were tradesmen. Beatrix learns that not only can she survive on her own with her books, but that she is now a wealthy woman from her royalty earnings. Her parents eventually suggest that Beatrix and Norman keep their engagement secret for the summer months, and promise that they can marry if their feelings remain unchanged after three months. The Potters holiday in the Lake District, and Beatrix and Norman maintain a regular correspondence.

After a few days without a letter from Norman, Beatrix receives a message from Millie, informing her that he is ill. Beatrix travels back to London only to find that Norman has died. A grieving Beatrix shuts herself up in her room; she turns to her drawing, but discovers that her characters disappear off the page. Millie comes to visit and comfort her, and Beatrix decides she must leave the family home.

Beatrix buys a farm in the country in the Lake District and moves there to resume her work. She hires a farmhand to run the farm and finds comfort in her surroundings. Millie visits, returning the painting of The Rabbits' Christmas Party. With the help of her solicitor, William Heelis, Beatrix outbids developers at auctions and buys many other farms and land in the area to preserve nature.

A textual epilogue reveals Beatrix, to her mother's disapproval, married William eight years after moving to the Lake District. The land she purchased formed part of the Lake District National Park in North West England, while her stories became the best-selling children's books of all time.

Rating: 10 Stars

Uglies, 2024

Uglies is a 2024 American science fiction drama film directed by McG and written by Jacob Forman, Vanessa Taylor, and Whit Anderson. Based o...