Girl Who Played w/Fire, Little Dorrit, Late Marriage Top Week

The only new movie for me this week, which I've wanted to see for a month, but has only been playing at the inconvenient (for me) Egyptian Theatre on Capital Hill in the evenings only, just opened at the local Majestic Bay in Ballard. It is the second film in a trilogy and is called THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE. It is not quite as effectively shocking as the original THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO (see earlier blog), because mainly we've adjusted to the sights of sexual abuse and violence, and now understand the motivation of the lead character. That is not to say that horrible things do not occur in this exciting part two; indeed, there are many shocking revelations and plot twists, but I managed to predict a couple of them this time. The film is made with great energy and cleverness, and has the depth of a great novel behind it. The actors have great conviction, and the technical aspects are first rate. There is already Oscar buzz for GIRL/TATTOO and based on the first two films, Noomi Rapace could be a leading contender for the Best Actress race. GRADE-----B+

The library produced a wonderful surprise--a DVD rental of a BBC movie/mini-series LITTLE DORRIT (2008) which is nearly 8 hours long, and appeared on Masterpiece Theatre in the US, winning 7 Emmys including Best Mini-Series, Direction and Writing out of 12 nominations. It is a stunning and immensely sprawling entertainment that is well written, produced and acted--quite possibly the BEST (and most complete) version of a Dickens novel ever made, David Lean's version of GREAT EXPECTATIONS(1946) notwithstanding. LITTLE DORRIT is not well known, and is considered to be one of his most difficult and lesser known novels--it is certainly one of his longest, so that the 14 episodes on this DVD become an ideal way to experience this ambitious story. Set partly in a debtor's prison, partly concerned with government bureaucracy, and partly set in Venice and other Italian settings, the film expertly juggles several subplots and more than a dozen major characters as it tells the tale of a poor girl who is born in prison, but in typical Dickens manner, becomes socially exalted, with a lot of sarcastic and amusing scenes showing the hypocrisies of poor and rich alike. There is a lot of mystery, deep dark family secrets, several reversals of fortune, some broad humor, horrifying drama, several romances and a dozen unforgettable characters (played with great aplomb by great British stalwarts including Matthew Macfadyen, Tom Courtenay, Bill Paterson, Andy Serkis and others) that deserve to be remembered along with the likes of Scrooge, Tiny Tim, David Copperfield, Pip, Miss Haversham, and dozens of others. If you've never read LITTLE DORRIT as a novel before, this film is the perfect way to experience it. (My only minor complaints--why does Mr. Dorrit's room at debtors prison seem so--too?--large?---and the final hour seems rather rushed, with some plot revelations given short emotional shift. Still......) GRADE------A !!!

The Israeli film LATE MARRIAGE (2001) turns out to be a provocative, astute and sexy story of a 31 year old bachelor who becomes involved with a 34 year old divorced woman with a child, and when his family finds out, they try to intervene, despite having had no success in arranging marriage to more "more appropriate" women. The film is playful and at times quite graphic in depicting his sexual attraction to the older woman, and it carries some surprising scenes as well as a stinging finale. GRADE------A-

SISTER MARY IGNATIUS EXPLAINS IT ALL (TO YOU) (2001) was shown on Showtime and is available on DVD with an excellent cast that includes Diane Keaton, Laura San Giancarlo, Meg Tilly, Martin Mull and others. It is "opened up" a bit from the long one act play written by Christopher Durang. Keaton plays Sister Mary, who is a bossy and very strict nun who has taught children for many years by terrifying them with her amusing and fanatical theories of faith and God and Heaven and Hell. She meets her match when several older students return 20 years later during her annual Christmas lecture to seek revenge on her hysterical ways. There's a lot of funny gags and lines, mostly criticizing Catholicism and religion in general, and the film turns surreal and horrifying by the end. Keaton seems a bit young for the part but she is game and stays in character quite well. Interesting. GRADE-----B-

I spent eight hours this last week watching the first season of the HBO hit OZ (1997)--set in a maximum security prison and featuring back stories of the inmates, guards and faculty that help to humanize them all in this grim locale. Watching the first episode made me very nervous, and it took me two episodes to realize that this alternate reality is just a gritty, gripping reflection of everyday life, but with in your face violence, sex and melodrama. It is quite addicting after the fourth hour, and I look forward to season 2. It is shocking viewing until one gets use to the characters, who are played by some fine actors including Ernie Hudson, Harold Perrineau, Edie Falco (before THE SOPRANOS), B.D.Wong, J.K. Simmons, and Rita Moreno. GRADE----B-

After OZ I thought it might be interesting to see another prison inspired film---PINERO (2001) is a non-linear biographical story of ex-con and award winning playwright Miguel Pinero, who became famous for turning his prison stint into a powerful play and movie called SHORT EYES (1977). Benjamin Bratt is especially effective as Pinero, who despite his fame and successes couldn't shake his self destructive drug habit and criminal ways, and the cast is very good, including Giancarlo Esposito, Michael Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Robert Klein and Rita Moreno (again--see OZ). Too bad the chaotic style and busy camera work lose sight of the humanity. GRADE-----C+