UK – Let's Talk About Movies

The Imitation Game [2014] ★★★½

January 7, 2015

TheImitationGame-BC Everything adds up- just like a perfectly solved mathematical equation- in “The Imitation Game”, a fantastic movie about the life of Alan Turing, the man who helped crack the notorious German enigma code during World War II (and ultimately won the war). This is one of the best biographies I’ve seen in a long time; It puts most of Hollywood biopics to shame and offers a candid portrait of an intriguing figure whose private life and struggles make for compelling drama. Best of all, he is brought to life with charm and credibility by the gifted Benedict Cumberbatch (get him on that Oscar list right away). We first meet Alan in 1951 when he arouses the suspicion of a local police detective in Manchester, then the film goes back in time, as we witness his recruitment by the British Government at the beginning of the war. What follows is so interesting, that even a mediocre dramatization would command our interest, but director Morten Tyldum (in his English language debut), screenwriter Graham Moore, and the actors go above and beyond the norm. Cumberbatch, whose star status is already on the rise, gives an Award caliber performance. Everything about the film is first-class: Oscar Faura’s cinematography, Maria Djurkovic’s period production design (with an incredible eye for detail), Alexandre Desplat’s score, and the contributions of such fine actors as Matthew Good, Keira Knightley and Mark Strong. “The Imitation Game” held me spellbound for almost two hours. It’s definitely one of 2014’s best movies.

Rating: 3.5/4

The Theory Of Everything [2014] ★★★½

November 25, 2014

Eddie Redmayne has emerged as a fine actor over the past few years, in films like “My Week With Marilyn” and “Les Miserables“. With his performance in “The Theory Of Everything”, he reaches a new plateau, transforming himself into the brilliant Stephen Hawking, who was diagnosed with motor-neuron disease at just 21 and was given only 2 years to live. It’s the kind of role that showoff stars leap at. Luckily for the film and us, an actor got there first. Redmayne does nothing to turn Hawking’s illness for mainstream consumption. As a result, he gives a towering performance; fierce, witty and moving. He uncovers an imprisoned character’s beating heart. What’s more, he is matched by Felicity Jones (“The Invisible Woman“), who is simply terrific as Hawking’s determined wife Jane. They meet and fall in love just before he starts experiencing the first symptoms of illness. He tries to push her away but she refuses. What happens next? You’ll have to see for yourself. But you should know that there are no missteps along the way and it’s hard to take your eyes off the screen, even during the most difficult moments. That’s because it all seems genuine and above all, touching. And at the heart of this uniquely compelling film is a performance that impels us to think about Stephen Hawking, not Eddie Redmayne. But when it’s over we realize what an extraordinary feat we’ve witnessed. Some actors seem to be courting award attention when they play a disabled character, and many have been rewarded for their efforts. I have a feeling that Redmayne is simply a dedicated actor whose only goal is to make us believe he IS the character he’s impersonating. Either way, I hope he gets rewarded come Oscar time. It’s a great, soulful performance. Sit back and behold.

Rating: 3.5/4

The Invisible Woman [2013] ★★★

March 14, 2014

Charles Dickens was an English writer and one of the most famous novelists of the Victorian period. But what you probably didn’t know is that he was deeply unhappy in his home life, which lead to a love affair with a much younger woman. The film itself, energetically directed by the amazing Ralph Fiennes (who also plays a middle aged Dickens) can’t always rise to the level of its two dynamo actors, but it’s gripping and very moving at times. The settings are majestic, the costumes quite beautiful. But the icing on the cake is the cast, led by Fiennes in an unforgettable performance, Felicity Jones who plays the woman Dickens falls in love with, Kristin Scott Thomas, Tom Hollander and Joanna Scanlan in a heartbreaking performance as the writer’s wife. The challenge of any historical drama is to engage us so that we’re not passively observing a series of events, but actively involved in the characters and their story. Screenwriter Abi Morgan has drawn on many sources to create a rich and rewarding screenplay that tells a story that many people may not know about the famous writer. If you’re a fan of Dickens or his work, consider “The Invisible Woman” a must see.

Rating: 3/4

Kill Your Darlings [2013] ★★½

March 9, 2014

“Fuck you! You’re a phony”.That trash talk is aimed at Lucien Carr (Dane DeHaan) by Daniel Radcliffe, in fierce, flamboyant form as the young poet Allen Ginsberg, a Columbia freshman in 1944. Ginsberg falls under the spell of the charismatic Carr and along with Jack Kerouac (Jack Huston) and William S. Burroughs (Ben Foster), kicks off a literary revolution.There’s a murder too, involving Lucien’s stalker/lover, played by Dexter’s actor Michael C. Hall. Austin Bunn’s script attempts to jam it all in while director John Krokidas struggles with the awkward sex scenes. No deal. DeHaan and Foster do their best. And Radcliffe, free of Harry Potter, does better. He’s a live wire. It’s serious business and serious fun watching him try. “Kill Your Darlings” is all over the place trying to find a tone, but it knows where its heart is. I say give it a shot.

Rating: 2.5/4

In Fear [2013] ★★½

March 8, 2014

Two people find themselves lost in a maze of backwoods roads. If you ask why, “In Fear” is so not the movie for you. Logic goes south the minute Tom persuades his girlfriend Lucy to go on their first weekend getaway as a couple. Bam! They’re lost in a maze for nearly 90 minutes. And so are we. The fun is in the techniques. Director Jeremy Lovering doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but he trails the couple with psychological terror. Other movies have been there before, of course, but “In Fear” springs tangy new tricks. It creeped the shit out of me.

Rating: 2.5/4

Philomena [2013] ★★★

February 6, 2014

Judi Dench has emerged as one of the finest actresses alive, in films like “Shakespeare in Love”, “Iris” and “”Notes on a Scandal”. With her performance in “Philomena”, she reaches a new plateau, playing a real-life Irish woman named Philomena Lee, who had sex fifty years ago, gave birth to a child at a local convent, and watched the nuns give her son away. Now, years later, she wants to find out what happened to her son. In doing so, she hires a journalist named Martin (a delightful Steve Coogan) who sees her story as an opportunity to revive his career. Dench, in her Oscar nominated performance, is a marvel. It’s a joy and a privilege to watch her inhabit the character of Philomena. If you’ve never read anything about this woman’s story, the film will have plenty of surprises for you. Some actors seem to be courting award attention when they play a real life character, and many have been rewarded for their efforts. I get the impression that Dench is simply a dedicated actress whose only goal is to make us believe she is the character she’s impersonating. It’s safe to say that she succeeds with flying colors here. I’d watch “Philomena” again just to savor her delightful performance.

Rating: 3/4

12 Years A Slave [2013] ★★★½

December 21, 2013

Every once in a while, movie buffs look for movies that push them out of their comfort zones into uncharted territory. “12 Years A Slave”, the latest masterpiece from director Steve McQueen (“Hunger”, “Shame”) is such a movie. It’s a cinematic triumph that defines the American Slave Trade. Chiwetel Ejiofor delivers a bold and brilliantly immersive performance as a violin player living free in 1841 New York with his wife and children. One day he is tricked into a job in Washington and then winds up as a human slave in the Deep South. Then McQueen drops him and us into a sea of horrors that wouldn’t mean a damn if the story wasn’t so poignantly told and acted. McQueen’s intent is to create a film you can see, touch, feel and smell. “12 Years” surely is. All the actors bring their A games to this triumphant bruiser of a film. Ejiofor and Lupita Nyong’o (who plays a young female slave) give explosive, emotional performances. Is the film a bit too much? Damn straight. It wouldn’t be McQueen otherwise. He tops the list of modern day directors because, even when he doesn’t fully succeed, strives passionately to make movies that matter. His latest achievement, a defiantly uncompromised vision of a terrible chapter in American history is one of his best. It’s a fantastic movie that covers a lot of ground with an observant eye, and provides a great part for the exceptional Ejiofor. It isn’t too soon to be talking about Oscar where this actor is concerned; his humanity shines through every unforgettable scene.

Rating: 3.5/4

About Time [2013] ★★★

October 10, 2013

There’s no reason “About Time” should play as well as it does; it’s formulaic and predictable. But it flows so well, and the cast is so likable, that it’s hard to resist. As a writer, director and observer of relationships, Richard Curtis (“Notting Hill, “Love Actually”) just keeps getting better and better. This time, he has chosen time travel as the subject of his latest romantic comedy. On his 21st birthday, Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) finds out that he inherited an unusual power from his dad (Bill Nighy): he can go back in time. This sort of superpower helps him get together (in a hilarious way by the way) with Mary (Rachel McAdams), and from that moment on the film takes us a few years into their relationship. Both actors couldn’t be more delightful.The film is also sparked by a number of lively supporting performances by a talented cast including Bill Nighy who’s simply a pleasure to watch, Lindsay Duncan and a hilarious Tom Hollander. Richard Curtis’ screenplay connects all the dots in a pleasing way, even if it doesn’t always make sense. He also avoids the pitfall of becoming overly sentimental, especially towards the end. In the same vein, the stars don’t overplay their parts, as they could have under less watchful eyes. Yet for all its smarts and laughs, “About Time” works because we care for these characters. It’s not what anyone would call “cutting-edge moviemaking”, but it’s a delightful romantic comedy and you don’t have to be in a relationship to appreciate it.

Rating: 3/4

Trance [2013] ★★★

May 2, 2013

Danny Boyle follows up “Slumdog Millionaire” and “127 Hours” with this juicy, mind bending thriller. He and his screenwriters have crafted the kind of twisty tale we don’t see very often nowadays. James McAvoy plays Simon, a London auctioneer who teams up with art thief Franck (Vincent Cassel, as good as always) to steal Goya’s masterpiece, “Witches in the Air.” But a hit on the head makes Simon unable to remember where he hid the painting. Now it’s up to hypnotherapist Elizabeth (Rosario Dawson) to help him remember. Clearly, there’s more than meets the eye here, but Simon is the last one to figure that out and the one who ultimately has the most to lose. To avoid spoilers, I won’t go further into plot. But you can’t deny the fact that “Trance” rewards the attention it demands. And the heat generated by the cast is something worth mentioning as well. Boyle’s vision demands and gets uncommon depth and subtlety from the actors. McAvoy and Cassel are sensationally good. And Dawson, as our hypnotherapist is . . . well, let’s start with dynamite. Some people may find this twisty and twisted psychological thriller arty and pretentious. I find it arty and provocative. Whichever way you go, you won’t be able to resist it.

Rating: 3/4

Hyde Park On Hudson [2012] ★★½

January 17, 2013

Sometimes, a solid performance makes a movie worth watching. Case in point: Bill Murray, who portrays President Franklin D. Roosevelt in this charming little movie that takes place in the summer of 1939. The story focuses on Roosevelt’s distant cousin Daisy Suckley (Laura Linney) and her relationship with the President. Director Roger Michell imagines what may have happened between the two based on fragmented diaries and intimate letters that were discovered under Daisy’s bed when she died at the age of 100. The idea is to show that F.D.R. had not just a fondness for her but an actual relationship, while carrying on with his secretary Missy LeHand. This is certainly interesting but also disturbing at times. Some might object to the sweetness Roger Michell brings to the unlikely romance between the married President and his distant cousin. But Murray and Linney have charm to spare and the no-bull instinct to cut to the heart of a scene.The overall result may not be excellent, but in the face of Murray’s magnificence, it’s impossible to dismiss “Hyde Park on Hudson” as a flop. The movie is fun to watch, so enjoy it for what it is.

Rating: 2.5/4
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