4 out of 5. Hirokazu Koreeda's NOBODY KNOWS constantly walks the line between documentary and ficiton. A single mother with kids from different boyfriend's is a great setup for a story that I'm surprised I have not seen before. The non-acting that is going on in their interactions and the handheld close-in camera-work makes it feel like a documentary. There's so much to like about this film and yet the crushing sensation of where the story takes you is really tough. Artistically, Koreeda's handle on the writing, directing and editing score really high marks. The believability of the situation and how well the kids handle it tend to be what pulls you back from the edge of realism.
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4 out of 5. Three highly imaginative and
creative minds come together in Michel Gondry's ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND. It seems almost as rare as sighting a comet but this
perfect storm of talent represents a
time in Hollywood when creative films could still get made. I believe it
was the first thing I'd seen of Gondry's work and have gone onto check
out his THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP which is also enjoyable. The acting is
wonderful and as surreal as the Charlie Kaufmann's story gets Jim Carrey
is pitch-perfect in his reckless abandon. This movie does not
disappoint in the least.
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4 out of 5. Marc Forster captured the ethereal
in his FINDING NEVERLAND. This is probably the closest thing to Johnny
Depp playing a fairly straight-forward character. Full of life and
whimsy, this piece captures the
imagination and pulls you in for a fun ride. I like how this really
didn't get a lot of play; a real sleeper hit if there ever was one. Kate
Winslet is particularly good as is always Julie Christie. If you want
good-hearted film then this might be for you.
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