TRUE GRIT

Western drama

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Hailee Steinfeld: 14-year old Mattie Ross
Jeff Bridges: U.S. Marshal Rueben J. “Rooster” Cogburn
Dakin Matthews: Col. Stonehill
Matt Damon: Texas Ranger LaBoeuf
Josh Brolin: hired hand Tom Chaney
Barry Pepper: “Lucky” Ned Pepper, leader of the gang
Elizabeth Marvel: 40-year-old Mattie

REVIEW
Once again the Cohen brothers have assembled their “team” (cinematographer Roger Deakins, costume designer Mary Zophres, sound designer Craig Berkey)
having worked with them in earlier films (Fargo and No Country for Old Men to name a few). The results are to be expected: a big budget movie that looks and feels just right.

Set in the Old West at the turn of the 19th century this tale of vengeance for the murder of her father as played by Hailee Steinfeld. She really nails it and steals the show from such accomplished actors as Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon.

With great attention to detail (except for one instance as noted below) there are amusing moments to lighten things up and crisp editing to keep things moving along.

CLASSIFICATION
for intense sequences of western violence including disturbing images.

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY
LaBoeuf hands Mattie a photograph which she places on top of a book on her bedside table. Although she does not touch it again several scenes later it has changed orientation.

BLACK SWAN

Pychological thriller

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Natalie Portman: Nina Sayer. ballerina with the New York City Ballet
Barbara Hershey: her mother Erica
Vincent Cassel: Artistic Director Thomas Leroy
Mila Kunis: Lily, a dancer new to the Company
Winona Ryder: prima ballerina Beth Macintyre

REVIEW
With the lead ballerina pushed to explore her dark side this is not your traditional performance of Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake".

To begin with it borders on soft-core pornography what with the vulgarity of some of the dialogue and frank sexuality including masturbation and groping as well brief lesbian sex.

And if that’s not enough the scenes of self-mutilation and stabbing are bound to shock viewers who are unaccustomed to sitting through a horror movie.

CLASSIFICATION
for strong sexual content, disturbing violent images, language and some drug use.

THE FIGHTER

Sports drama
Based on a true story

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Mark Wahlberg: professional boxer Micky Ward
Christian Bale: his older half-brother and sparring partner Dicky Eklund
Melissa Leo: their mother Alice Eklund, Micky’s manager
Jack McGee: Alice’s second husband George Ward
Mickey O'Keefe: Lowell police Sgt. Mickey O'Keefe, Micky’s trainer
Amy Adams: barmaid Charlene

REVIEW
Central to a movie about a boxer trying to make it to the top, there are a lot of fight scenes. But they are not nearly so violent as other films about this sport with more emphasis on his career and how he overcomes adversity.

Fantastic performances by Wahlberg, Bale, Leo and Adams makes for riveting stuff.

CLASSIFICATION
for language throughout, drug content, some violence and sexuality.

P.S.
During the end credits the real brothers ham it up a bit.

LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS

Romantic comedy

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Jake Gyllenhaal: sales clerk Jamie Randall
Josh Gad: Jamie’s younger brother Josh
Oliver Platt: Pfizer Area Manager Bruce Jackson
Katheryn Winnick: Pfizer sales rep Lisa
Hank Azania: Dr. Stan Knight
Anne Hathaway: 26-year-old artist Maggie Murdock
Gabriel Macht: Trey Hannigan, top salesman for Eli Lilly's Prozac

REVIEW
Much of the film is squarely targeted at teenagers and it should satisfy the wet-dream of even the most horny of them. And they don’t have to wait very long before the first tantalizing scene: about two minutes after the opening credits we get to see two people “doing it”.

But that is only the first of many similar encounters, sometimes within 10-minutes of meeting for the first time, providing ample opportunity to view topless women and bottomless men. The requisite masturbation scene is there as is the clueless rich boy, even a pajama party with everyone pairing off.

CLASSIFICATION
for strong sexual content, nudity, pervasive language, and some drug material.

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY
• Set in 1996 the grey-market electronics store where Jamie works has nothing but large flat screen televisions. Although these were invented two years earlier by a team at the University of Illinois it was not until 1997 that Sharp and Sony introduced them to the marketplace.
• The first large flat screen televisions sold for more than $15,000 making them well out of reach of most people. Consequently they were available only in high-end retail stores not the kind of store where Jamie was a sales clerk.
• Although Dr. Knight never touches the stethoscope slung over his left shoulder it moves by itself from one scene to another.
• In the same manner, the straw in Maggie’s drink changes location by itself.
• And so does Jamie’s roller-bag when he sets it down beside the dumpster.

LONDON RIVER

Drama
Some dialogue in French with English subtitles.

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Brenda Blethyn: Guernsey Island farmer Elisabeth Sommers
Roschdy Zem: London shopkeeper and landlord
Sotigui Kouyaté: African migrant worker Ousmane
Francis Magee: London Police Inspector

REVIEW
Following the bombings in July 2005 two parents meet up in London while searching for their respective children. Characterized by two fine performances this small budget engaging film is for the thoughtful serious viewer.

CLASSIFICATION
for brief scenes of disturbing images.

THE KING’S SPEECH

Historical drama
Based on true facts

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Michael Gambon: King George V of England
Claire Bloom: the queen consort Queen Mary
Colin Firth: their second son Prince Albert the Duke of York
Helena Bonham Carter: Albert’s wife Elizabeth
Geoffrey Rush: speech thearpist Lionel Logue
Guy Pearce: Albert’s older brother Prince David the heir apparent Duke of Windsor
Timothy Spall: First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill
Derek Jacobi: the Archbishop of Canterbury
Eve Best: Mrs. Wallis Simpson

REVIEW
I sat mesmerized by two fascinating performances, that of Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush. Each in their own way had a difficult role to play and they both nailed it. The rest of the cast are no slouch but these two are the best of the bunch.

An extremely enjoyable film the well-written script has quite a few humorous quips to keep the proceedings from getting too serious. The director has wisely chosen to allow adequate screen time for some scenes albeit at the expense of adding to the running time of nearly two hours: like a good wine, some things cannot be hurried.

The British are the best at period pieces and this is no exception with beautiful cinemaphotography, elaborate sets and perfect costuming.

CLASSIFICATION
(in Canada) for some language.

Because there is one scene in which the future king is encouraged by his therapist to let loose with a string of obscenities as a form of liberating speech therapy the Motion Picture Association of America has slapped a R rating on the film. This puts it in the same category as scary horror movies and blood-soaked pornography-torture films like Saw 3D for example. How silly is that?

The British Board of Film Classification at first imposed a 15 certificate on the movie, thereby denying youngsters under that age the right to see it, but then relented by giving it a 12 A rating, which is the equivalent of a PG-13 in North America.

One thing to keep in mind: there is not one teenager out there who would be offended by this language and very few adults.

TANGLED

Animated adventure

PRINCIPAL VOICES
Donna Murphy: the old crone Mother Gothel
Mandy Moore: beautiful 17-year-old Rapunzel
Zachary Levi: the handsome rogue Flynn Rider
Ron Perlman: his comrades the Stabbington Brothers

REVIEW
In typical Disney fashion they’ve taken a well-known fairy tale and not only given it their own twist but they’ve made a musical out of it with lots of songs and some dancing. Not that this hampers the telling of the story but it was not something I had expected.

The CGI is right up there with the very best including lovely rendering and great facial expressions, particularly by Maximus, one of the king’s horses, who steals the show every time he appears on screen. There are more than a few chuckles and things move along at a pretty good clip. All in all, a very entertaining outing.

CLASSIFICATION
for brief mild violence.

CLIENT 9

Documentary

REVIEW
Eliot Spitzer, former New York State Governor, talks freely about his life experiences and answers most questions in a frank and direct manner. His political opponents and others opine that he is not the man popularized by the media. So we have something of a balanced look at the man once many thought was to become “the first Jewish President of the United States.”

Although he was a numbered client Spitzer did much more: as Attorney General he uncovered financial improprieties involving companies such as AIG and Bank of America which provide some insight into the subsequent total meltdown of the American economy. By not dwelling too much on the scandalized nature of his life we get to know the man for what he really is.

CLASSIFICATION
for some sexual material, nudity and language.

127 HOURS

Drama
Based on a true story

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
James Franco: 27-year-old Aron Ralston
Kate Mara: a young hiker Kristi
Amber Tamblyn: her friend Megan

REVIEW
The cinematography is great from the opening split-screen to the glorious panorama while soaring above the remote golden canyons of Utah. And the music helps to set the scene of a experienced mountain climber out for a day of adventure.

However the director didn’t have much to work with: for most of the film it’s one location, one actor. Yet he pulls it off beautifully, in large measure because we are privy to the innermost thoughts of an individual while trying to extricate himself from a perilous situation. Franco’s performance is worth the price of admission alone. Although the movie title gives some hint as to how long he will be in the predicament he’s found himself in, we are not at any point sure of the outcome.

It’s riveting stuff.

CLASSIFICATION
for language and some disturbing violent content/bloody images.

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY
Full disclosure: I’m not sure this is a nitpick or not. But it might be so here goes. The letters REC in the corner of the video camera screen are in green. I always thought the only colour used to indicate a camcorder was in the recording mode was red.

P.S.
There is one scene that the squeamish like me will want to avert their eyes (something I didn’t do this time!) because of the realistic portrayal of Aron taking extreme measures to deal with his situation.