THAT BEAUTIFUL SOMEWHERE

Drama

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Roy Dupuis: Detective Conk Adams
Jane McGregor: young archaeologist Catherine Nyland
Gordon Tootoosis: Aboriginal elder Harold and healer

REVIEW
Although ostensibly a murder mystery, it soon becomes bogged down (pun intended) in the healing rituals of Native American bog lands, a subject of disinterest to many and therefore a bit of a bore.

The title gives some hint at what is to come: finding that place where things are better. Well the movie itself would have been better had they not cast such a young attractive woman to be the “tough experienced forensic anthropologist” and “highly regarded university professor”. That’s a lot for a twenty-something to carry and frankly it just does not ring true. She looks totally out of place in this role. And her situation is not helped by having to deliver corny lines like, “I need to know what all this means”. So do we.

CLASSIFICATION
for General Audiences.

P.S.
The end credits always show the catering firm employed for that purpose during the actual filming. This particular production, filmed in remote North Bay Ontario, had to rely on the local Tim Hortons coffee shop for food. I kid you not.

FRACTURE

Crime thriller, courtroom drama

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Anthony Hopkins: Ted Crawford, wealthy owner of a giant aeronautics company
Embeth Davidtz: his wife Jennifer
Billy Burke: L.A.P.D. hostage negotiator Lt. Rob Nunally
Ryan Gosling: Assistant District Attorney Willy Beachum
David Strathairn: his boss, the D.A. of Los Angeles County, Joe Lobruto
Rosamund Pike: Nikki Gardner, senior corporate Lawyer

REVIEW
Right from the opening golden close up of someone playing with a Rube Goldberg-like device, the cinematography sets the tone and feel of the film. The cinematographer, the person who is in charge of making lighting and camera choices, generally is given little credit for his contribution. Personally I think it should be among the top three or four, not relegated to the bottom of the pack.

Anyway in keeping with the classy look of the movie, the acting is first-rate (Hopkins in particular) and the intelligent story line will keep your interest. The dialog comes across as real and has a lot of clever bits, some of which are rather amusing. All told, a very entertaining film.

CLASSIFICATION
for language and some violent content.

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY
Willy is told “a meeting has been arranged for 3:00pm, 15 minutes from now.” At that moment his cell phone rings. The close-up of his watch shows the current time to be 12:02 not 2:45 pm.

When the D.A. comes to visit Beachum at his house, he leaves his car on the street facing up hill. While talking, his car must have done a 180° by itself because when he walks towards his car to drive off it is now conveniently pointing downhill.

P.S.
Possibly the title comes from the fact Ted Crawford is a specialist in fracture mechanics, the engineering science that studies structural flaws in airplane designs? Perhaps not.

Reuben Garret L. Goldberg (1883-1970), better known as Rube Goldberg, earned lasting fame for his complicated and convoluted devices that perform simple tasks using extremely complex roundabout means. The Official Website of Rube Goldberg employs just such a contrivance for its intro.

HOT FUZZ

Comedy

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Simon Pegg: Police Constable Nicholas Angel
Nick Frost: P.C. Danny Butterman
Jim Broadbent: Inspector Frank Butterman
Timothy Dalton: Simon Skinner, supermarket manager

REVIEW
Spoofs of cops-and-robbers movies generally rely upon exaggeration and this one has that component in all of the action sequences. However an unusual combination of British-style of movie making and that of Hollywood sets this one apart from the others.

The “Brits” are particularly good at doing murder mystery movies and of course their style of humour is well known and much appreciated by many. Combine that with the “buddy-type” movie and spectacular action sequences Hollywood does so well and you got one dandy movie.

Just about every known humorous device has been included: sight gags, clever one-liners, outrageous double-entendres, sarcasm galore, deadpan dry wit, charming eccentrics. In itself, the humour is very entertaining although there are some misses. And you get to solve a murder mystery as well.

But there is one note of caution: like a lot of other things in the movie that are being satirised, so too is the “gore factor” and no attempt has been made to keep it to reasonable levels. The squeamish will find several scenes quite repulsive.

One criticism though: it goes on a little too long with a running time of just over two hours.

CLASSIFICATION
for violent content including some graphic images (really graphic, gory images), and language.

MOLIERE

Drama, comedy

BACKGROUND
Jean-Baptiste Pouquelin (1622-73) was a French dramatist, theatre manager and actor. He is considered as one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature (despite his own preference for tragedy) and perhaps the best known playwright in French history.

His comedies have been performed from his day to ours not only in France, but also around the world. The company he toured with was known as the King's Troupe (for the Sun King, Louis XIV), and later became the most prestigious theatre company in all of France, the Comédie Française. More than likely he used a stage name to spare his father the shame of having an actor in the family.

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Romain Duris: Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (better known by his stage name Molière)
Fabrice Lucini: Monsieur Jourdain, a wealthy "bourgeois"
Laura Morant: his wife Elmire
Edouard Baer: Dorante, long time friend of M. Jourdain
Ludivine Sagnier: Célimène, a beautiful, bright, young widow

REVIEW
The film begins with a play being staged before a boisterous audience and your first thought might be “Oh my heavens, what have I got myself into?” But stick around because it soon moves on from the theatre setting and the real movie begins.

Although it is not promoted as an autobiography, the combined efforts of historians have unearthed no trace of Molière between the time of the Theatre Troupe bankruptcy and his reappearance later when he formed a new group and began touring the provinces. So perhaps the movie recounts what really happened in the intervening months?

In any event, it is so refreshing to see a movie that relies on intellectual humour rather than the “in your face” variety that is so prevalent. This is a lavish production with the costumes and acting of the highest order amid sumptuous settings. Although it is two hours long, very little could be edited out and the time passes quickly.

One more thing that sets this film apart: the audience started applauding when the end credits began to roll. That in itself is quite an endorsement.

CLASSIFICATION
for General Audiences

FIREHOUSE DOG

Drama

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Bruce Greenwood: Captain Connor Fahey
Josh Hutcherson: his 12-year old son Shane
Steven Culp: Zach Hayden, former firefighter turned politician
Claudette Mink: Captain Presley

REVIEW
Although most people would seriously consider walking out at the beginning, hang in 10 minutes or so until the real movie begins. Despite the fact it lacks in originality and therefore somewhat predictable, it is still a pleasant outing.

There is some good acting by the principals and lots of action to keep our attention. All the requisite rude, offensive body noises are much in evidence for the younger target audience.

CLASSIFICATION
for sequences of action peril, some mild crude humor and language.

P.S.
Partly filmed in Toronto, Canada with the Fairmount Royal York Hotel the site of the awards ceremony (with Union Train Station in the background) while Casa Loma Garden Terrace was the setting for the reception party.

THE ITALIAN

Original title: Italianetz
In Russian with English subtitles

BACKGROUND
With the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (the USSR) in December 1991, that part of the union known as Russian is now the Russian Federation. Many socio-economic problems have yet to be resolved including the hoards of children abandoned by parents who have no means of supporting them much less able to feed themselves.

According to Russia's Health Ministry there are some 700,000 children and teenagers living in state-run orphanages. Only 15,000 or so graduate from these institutions every year.

Couples wishing to adopt a child through the state-run adoption agency must complete a home study course, get criminal clearance and provide medical reports along with other forms. There are some age restrictions imposed on the potential adopting couples: they must be older than 25, if they are over 40 years old they can only have a child 2 years and older, if they are over 50 they cannot adopt at all. Not surprising there is an underground illegal adoption process to by-pass all this.

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Maria Kuznetsova: Madam, an “adoption arranger”
Nikolai Reutov: Grisha, her right-hand man
Yuri Itskov: Director of an orphanage
Kolya Spiridonov: 6-year-old Vanya Sonetsiv
Denis Moiseenko: Kolyan, leader of some older residents
Olga Shuvalova: Irka, one of the gang

REVIEW
Rather than being a condemnation of the Russian orphanage system, this is really a story about people coping with it. The drab landscape and run down buildings of Russian back in 2002 mirrors to some extent the lives of these orphans. It is not an inviting place at all.

Although centred on one person’s dilemma, we get to see some of the real Russian, not the stuff of glossy pamphlets. Touching at times, it is not in any sense a “weepy” movie but one of thoughtful reflection.

CLASSIFICATION
for some sexual content, mild language and some drug references.

P.S.
It comes up so quickly right at the end that it is difficult to discern that the letter being read is from Vanya’s friend who is now living in Italy.

WHO LOVES THE SUN

Drama

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Lukas Haas: Will Morrison
R.H. Thomson: Dr. Arthur Bloom, his best friend’s father
Wendy Crewson: his wife Mary
Adam Scott: Daniel Bloom, Will’s childhood buddy
Molly Parker: Maggie Claire, their friend

REVIEW
Getting together at the summer cottage can provide an opportunity to catch up with old friends. With a leisurely pace, we get to see what they’ve been up to the past few years.

There is some fine acting and the scenery is stunning.

Warning: some people might be shocked at the frank use of some sexual terms and/or the brief porno scenes on the television.

CLASSIFICATION
for mature themes, sexual situations, vulgarity and language.

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY
With his hands clasped together at the dinner table while talking about his recent travels, Will doesn’t touch his unfinished meal. But his fork moves from pointing straight at us or off to one side.

Maggie sits down to have a drink out of a nice decanter. Viewed from the side the liquid level is up to mid-shoulder of the bottle whereas seen from the front it is one-third empty and she hasn’t touched it yet.

During dinner Danny is eating directly from the salad bowl on his right-hand side. The camera shifts momentarily to get Will’s reaction then right back to Danny. The salad bowl is now no where to be seen.

Maggie puts her bag in the boat, which is pointed towards the back of the boathouse. She says goodbye to Danny and we hear the motor start. The viewpoint changes and we see that the boat has done a 180 by itself as she drives straight out.

P.S.
The title apparently comes from a song by that name which we never get to hear. Strange.