Two Strong Women: AGORA and SALT

Recently previewed at SIFF, the powerful fictionalized story of the real life astronomer and philosopher Hypatia (played with passion by Rachel Weisz), who in 4th century Alexandria, Egypt finds herself caught in a religious conflict and struggles to save the great library of antiquity, opened this weekend around the country---AGORA is a very dynamic film. The story portrayed pits Jews and Christians and pagans against each other as each faction tries to control the destiny of Alexandria, and the intellectual Hypatia attempts to stay above the fray by concentrating on knowledge and truth. It's now a centuries old struggle, still going on today as the film so vividly and creatively demonstrates. The sets and costumes and cinematography and special effects are grand and authentic looking--epic in feel, yet the film also feels intimate and personal. An early scene when Hypatia rejects a potential suitor feels raw and profound. It is so rare that we get an intelligent and entertaining film, that I urge you to seek this one out amid the clutter of popcorn movies. GRADE------ A-

Since I didn't want to pay an extra $4 to see a 3-D screening of DESPICABLE ME for a noon matinee (for a grand total of $12.50), I ended up at another theatre seeing a film I knew very little about, despite the fact that Angelina Jolie (Mrs Brad Pitt, and mother of numerous adopted and biological children) was the star. So perhaps my expectations were low, but I have to say that SALT (directed by Australian Philip Noyce) impressed me from the start, and kept building in action and tension throughout the screening. It starts rather carefully and slowly, as we learn that she is a CIA operative who specializes in Russian intelligence, and she is quickly outed as a double agent and goes on the run from CIA to preform deeds of treason and terrorism against the USA....or does she? The film cleverly stays one step ahead of the audience and keeps us guessing to the end---including the most blatant open ("sequel coming soon") ending I've ever seen. I look forward to the sequel if it can maintain the energy level of the first film. Think BOURNE films crossed with some recent James Bond, with a dash of DAY OF THE JACKAL. Preposterous at times, sure, but a lot of serious fun. GRADE------- B+

A serious contemporary drama starring Benjamin Bratt and written and directed by his brother, THE MISSION is set in the macho Latino, power-car, Mission neighborhood of San Francisco, and it is a fascinating set up, as Bratt portrays an ex-con struggling to stay on the right side of the law and control his temper--especially when he discovers that his son is gay. The milieu keeps the somewhat modest playing out of the drama a bit edgy. A good DVD pick if you miss the limited runs. GRADE---- B

PERRIER'S BOUNTY is an entertaining little Irish film, which has a young man unable to pay off his (modest) debt to a local gangster, so he must go on the run trying to hook up with the people who might help him out, and ends up hanging out with....his dad...who is convinced he will die if he falls asleep....so he chugs espresso, dry instant coffee and--- cocaine! Fortunately, this amusing character is played to the hilarious hilt by the great character actor Jim Broadbent, and along with the other quirky characters, helps this modest film become a pleasure to watch, even as the film becomes more and more violent and twisted. GRADE---- B

It was slim pickings at the local library this week, but I did pick up a Swedish film from 2006 called KEILLOR'S PARK, a well made film about a young man about to be married and take over his ailing father's business. He becomes attracted to a free spirited gay man and infatuated by his newly discovered sexuality. This is one of the few serious films made about questioning one's sexuality (ie BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, GET REAL and a few others) that doesn't feel exploitative, and gets to the heart of the matter with frank and honest sexual scenes. The director, in a statement made after the film, claims that this is the first of a planned trilogy on sexuality, and her next film will be about a Lesbian relationship, with the third about a heterosexual couple. Here's hoping the other two get made. GRADE----- B+

Had never seen IT HAPPENED AT THE WORLD'S FAIR (1963) filmed in Seattle with Elvis Presley. It starts out very slow, but after 20 boring minutes, he and a pal get to Seattle and the scenes of the Seattle Center are quite fun, especially for local Seattle-ites. I recently went up the Space Needle, and yup, it looks the same, except that the skyline has changed dramatically. Lightweight to be sure, but the songs were listenable and it was fun seeing a very young Kurt Russell in his first role (as the leg kicker.) GRADE----- C+

Just saw RIDE EM COWBOY (1942) on TCM, which featured a couple of snazzy songs by a very young Ella Fitzgerald (A Tisket A Tasket) and others, and the comedy of Abbott and Costello. Easy to watch, but no classic. GRADE----- C+