QUARTET

 Drama

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS

Michael Gambon: Cedric Livingstone

Billy Conolly: Wilfred “Wilf” Bond

Sheridan Smith: Dr. Lucy Cogan, the home’s director

Pauline Collins: Cecily “Cissy” Robson

Tom Courtenay: Reginald “Reg” Paget

Maggie Smith: Jean Horton

REVIEW

Beecham House, an English country retirement home for musicians and performers, is thrown into a turmoil with the arrival of Jean, a former diva.

Geared to the more mature audience, it has a lot in common with “The Best Exotic Hotel in the World” in that both star Maggie Smith and are about elderly people dealing as best they can with an unfamiliar changing situation. And both have their share of amusing moments albeit of a different sort.

  

CLASSIFICATION

for brief strong language  and suggestive humour.

P.S.

The end credits pairing old black and white promotional material beside current colour photos highlights the fact that most of the supporting cast are retired professional musicians.

A ROYAL AFFAIR

 Original title: En kongelig affære
In Danish and German with English subtitles

Historical drama

F.Y.I.

Dowager: a widow who holds a title derived from her deceased husband.

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS

Alicia Vkiander: British aristocrat Caroline Mathilde

Louise von Plessen: her Danish lady-in-waitng

Mikkel Boe Følsgaard: Christian VII, King of Denmark

Trine Dyrholm: Dowager Queen Juliane Marie

Bent Mejding: Count von Bernstroff, Chief Minister of State

Mads Mikkelson: German doctor Johann Struensee

                

REVIEW

This true story of the immature, infantile King of Denmark and his young bride provides an insight into the romance and intrigue in the Danish court during the Age of Enlightenment.

The acting is uniformly excellent and production values are first-rate with great attention to period detail. The unhurried pacing results in a running time in excess of two hours but it’s not a minute too long as a lot needs to be said.

CLASSIFICATION

 for sexual content and some disturbing images.

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY

Caroline’s ladies-in-waiting address her as Your Majesty. Her correct title as a member of the British Royal family before her marriage was Your Highness.

THE IMPOSSIBLE

 Drama

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS

Naomi Watts: Dr. Maria Bennett

Ewan McGregor: her husband Henry

Tom Holland: their 14-old-son Lucas

REVIEW

We’ve all seen videos taken of the devastating tsunami that slammed into coastal South East Asia on Boxing Day 2004 but never with such intensity. By focusing on the struggle of one family the movie brings the disaster into perspective. If you ever had any doubt, let me assure you that you do not want to be caught in one of these.

It should be noted that some liberties have been taken with the facts: instead of the Spanish speaking family of Alvarez Belon they are presented as the Bennett family of British ex-pats living in Japan. As such we are spared having to read  sub-titles in English.

The producers have wisely not dwelt upon the repulsive “in-your-face” images instead just showing a flopping fish to represent the human destruction. I can handle that.

The acting is uniformly good and they are called upon  to show a wide range of emotions as the true story unfolds.

  

CLASSIFICATION

 for intense realistic disaster sequences, disturbing injury images and brief nudity.

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY

• The full moon is high in the sky as the family sits down for dinner then by the time they’re finished the it is almost on the horizon. In real life it takes all night to do that not a matter of an hour or two.
• When the moon is near the horizon it remains bright white whereas in reality it has a warm orange tinge to it that gradually fades as it ascends.
• Finally the so-called moon illusion is missing as it does not appear to be any  larger than when it was high in the sky.

ZERO DARK THIRTY

 Historical drama

F.Y.I.

The movie’s title is military-jargon for some unspecified time when it’s dark, either very late at night or very early in the morning. It is somewhat equivalent to “the wee small hours of the morning”.

A black project is a highly classified military or national security undertaking. Its existence is not acknowledged by government, military personnel nor by defence contractors. The location where it takes place is referred to as a black site.

ISI is the intelligence agency of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

UBL refers to the al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS

Jason Clarke: Dan, a CIA interrogator in Pakistan

Jessica Chastain: Maya, a young CIA recruit

Kyle Chandler: CIA station chief Joseph Bradley

Jennifer Ehle: Maya’s friend and fellow CIA officer Jessica

Mark Strong: CIA Langley boss George

James Gandolfini: CIA Director

REVIEW

This fact based movie chronicles the decade long hunt for Osama bin Laden following the destruction of the World Trade Center twin towers in 2001. Unlike most Hollywood productions, this one is matter-of-fact without the usual over-the-top embellishment. Consequently some will find the true-to-life “enhanced interrogation techniques” (torture by any other name) of bin Laden’s nephew repugnant and will have to avert their eyes.

At times the dialogue will be incomprehensible to most everyone because it is spoken so rapidly, replete with CIA jargon and the suspect’s names are so similar it gets confusing. But the gist of it becomes apparent later.

There are any number of fine performances but that of Jessica Chastain is simply outstanding. The production values are first rate with great attention to detail making it seem more like a documentary than just another movie.

CLASSIFICATION

 for strong violence including brutal disturbing images and for language.

P.S.

The price of a 6-speed Lamborghini LP-550 starts at $187,000.

PROMISED LAND

 Drama

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS

Matt Damon: Steve Butler, corporate salesman for Global Crosspower Solutions

Frances McDormand: his associate Sue Thomason

Titus Wlliver: store clerk Rob

Rosemarie DeWitt: school teacher Alice

Hal Holbrook: high school science teacher Frank Yates

John Krasinski: environmental advocate Dustin Noble

REVIEW

Getting land owners to sign leases granting drilling rights to gas companies is controversial although there is some attempt here to present both sides of the story. The acting is uniformly good, the production values are all top-notch and the pacing is fine.

But it will be left with the viewer to decide the merits of this new process.

CLASSIFICATION

 for language (which makes no sense to me given that there is just one f-word)

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY

Steve gets off the bus pulling his suitcase. He turns the corner and meets up with Sue but his wheelie is no where to be seen. It has disappeared.

Steve says “hydraulic fracturing has been used for over 50 years”. In fact fracking (the horizontal slickwater fracturing method) has been used by the industry for just 15 years. Intentional deception or a nitpick? You know which one gets my vote.

Sue and Steve are driving in an old pickup that would not meet State laws as it has no rear-view mirror in any of the head-on shots. 

HYDE PARK ON HUDSON

 Drama

F.Y.I.

Springwood Estate in Hyde Park, NY (about 70 miles south of Albany) was the birthplace and lifelong home of FDR. He often stayed there as a vacation getaway even while serving as President.

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS

Laura Linney: Margaret Suckley, distant relative of FDR

Elizabeth Wilson: the President’s mother Sara Ann

Bill Murray: Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 32^nd President of the United States

Olivia Williams: the First Lady Eleanor

Samuel West: King George VI “Bertie”

Olivia Colmand: Queen Elizabeth

Elizabeth Marvel: Marguerite Missy LeHand, the President’s secretary

REVIEW

What a missed opportunity: rather than depicting FDR as a powerful man who was instrumental in getting the USA out of the Great Depression and the one who led the country to becoming the super power it is today, he is shown as nothing more than a womanizer. If we were looking for another example of immoral behaviour we could pick up a copy of the National Enquirer, that  trashy American tabloid found at check-out counters.

               

Another serious shortcoming is that very little is said about the circumstances for the visit by British royalty (the first ever) just months before war broke out in Europe and even less about the American political situation and the constraints imposed on FDR by the populace, both significant, both totally underdeveloped and both virtually ignored.

Case in point: FDR and the King are alone in his study having after-dinner drinks and instead of discussing the real reasons for the visit they spend their time blathering on about their respective handicaps and women.

Production values are first-rate but that is not reason enough to waste your time on this clunker.

CLASSIFICATION

for brief sexuality (but one more huge mistake, it should be PG at worst).

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY

Although FDR wore rimless Pince-nez eyeglasses they were never perched on the end of his nose in such a jaunty manner.

The King and Queen are shown arriving at Springwood Estate being greeted by FDR sitting in front of the porch steps. In fact, the King and Queen after several days spent in Washington, DC accompanied FDR and Eleanor on the drive up to Hyde Park.

According to King George’s handwritten notes the Prime Minister of Canada, McKenzie King took part in the first conversation with the President but he is never even mentioned.

King George goes on to say they discussed “matters of extreme importance” not the light banter depicted in the movie.

The red telephone on FDR’s desk was a secure communication line first established in 1963 during the Cold War between the White House and the Soviet Union, some 23 years after these events took place.

RUST AND BONES

Original title De rouille et d’os

In French with English subtitles

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS

Matthias Schoenaerts: a mid 20’s single father Ali

Armand Verdure: his 5-year-old son Sam

Corinne Masiero: Ali’s sister Anna

Marion Cotillard: Stéphanie, trainer at Marineworld

Céline Sallette: her best friend Louise

REVIEW

The screen story is choppy and could do with a rewrite. Case in point: Ali sees a woman smoking and says something to the effect “nice day isn’t it?” and the next scene is a close-up of them making love. Like where’s the rest of that encounter?

Speaking of sex, it strikes me that the love ‘em and leave ‘em, wham/bam thank you ma’am-type encounters coupled with the extended violent brutal fights serve only to justify the R rating and not advance the story in a meaningful way. Furthermore the film is too long at two hours. Next time they should hire a competent screen editor.

And there are many inexplicable situations that make no sense, that defy logic. For example why does Stéphanie call Ali of all people whom she’s only known for half an hour at most? And once she gets to know him better why continue the relationship with such an irresponsible, inconsiderate, uneducated, boorish man? Surely she can do better! It simply does not ring true.

There is only one reason to see the movie: to experience the wonderful performance of Cotillard yourself. Other than that, there is nothing else of any redeeming value to it.

CLASSIFICATION

 for strong sexual content, brief graphic nudity, violence and language.

P.S.

Something got lost in translation: there is no literal reference to either rust or bones. Perhaps it’s meant in a philosophical manner?