4 out of 5. Director Steve McQueen's HUNGER shows an alarming skill as a filmmaker. Seemingly to come out of nowhere he's surgically crafted a rather beautifully shot, well-acted, gut-wrenching poem. The writing by he and Enda Walsh is verbose and yet spills over with story. The pacing is intense at times and then cold empty silence. There's one scene where the camera is locked in a two-shot of a prisoner and a priest that is essentially the bulk of the dialogue. It goes on far longer than you expect but what is revealed makes it necessary for the director to get out of the way. While the performances are quite good the emotional detachment is the elephant in the room and I think the audience feels it too. Smart and skilled...it'll be hard to do better. Because of the rough subject matter (think Midnight Express amped up) it was hard to fully "enjoy" it. Yet it's a must see for filmmakers.
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4 out of 5. The stark timelessness of Andrew
Dominik's THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD is
both artful and refreshing. Thankfully Andrew Dominik has a way of
showing us a well-worn genre that offers
a meditative view of a legendary figure. The acting is quite
compelling, especially that of Casey Affleck. Knowing the ending ahead
of time certainly doesn't get in the way of the journey. This is perfect
Sunday movie watching. Contemplative and open.
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3 out of 5. In MAN ON WIRE James Marsh delivers an exhilarating spectacle that holds your attention from the first frame. Despite it's simple subject matter and some re-staging
elements this was a really well-made documentary. It builds up the same
tension of a heist movie. With its colorful characters and ample
beautiful footage from the central character, Philippe Petit's youth it
builds to an amazing finish but not nearly as amazing as the journey
there. Some touching moments are offered by friends of Philippe. Great
pacing and very enjoyable.
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4 out 5. Michael Hoffman's THE LAST STATION
overflows with excellent acting and a real solid story. It makes one
wonder how this slipped by so easily without much notice. Maybe the
subject of Tolstoy is over everyone's
heads and seems daunting. But truth be told it's about the beginning and
ending of love and relationships. I wouldn't call it a chick flick, but
the subject matter contrasts nicely between serious drama and some
rather amusing scenes. I'd call out Helen Mirren as having done an
exceptional job but really everyone played with the perfect pitch of
sincerity that I'd hate for her performance to shadow anyone else. If
you like well-photographed, well-acted films that look like
impressionist paintings at times, you should definitely check this one
out.
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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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3 out of 5. Sergey Bodrov's MONGOL harkens
back to an era of LAWRENCE OF ARABIA but without the centerpiece
ebullience of Peter O'Toole. Still the acting is quite good and the
story is boundlessly epic and
heartbreaking at times. This is the first part of a planned trilogy
about Genghis Khan's rise to power. I hope they finish it because it's a
terribly fascinating cultural and historical journey. If you like
BRAVEHEART, CONAN, and LAWRENCE OF ARABIA this is definitely worth a
look.
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4 out of 5. Ted Demme's film, BLOW was a stylish and intriguing.
It had the sass of Soderburgh but with a soft, less intrusive approach.
Ted Demme's use of various film stock and processing along with a great
costume designer really brought this
intriguing story through the decades with an easy aesthetic. Johnny Depp
does a great job for the most part too capturing the real life
character of George Jung. Highly entertaining and highly recommended. If
you liked Scarface but wouldn't mind a lot less violence or if you
liked Donnie Brasco, you will not be disappointed with this.
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