After sitting on the shelf (?) for over a year, the excellent French film THE HEDGEHOG that played at SIFF 2010 and won best picture then has finally opened in Seattle. Based on the popular novel THE ELEGANCE OF THE HEDGEHOG by Muriel Barbery, this moving adaptation seemed to be well liked by fans of the novel. It tells the story of a young, would-be suicidal 11 year old girl, who is disappointed by life in her luxury Parisian apartment and is determined to end it all by the time she is 12. She discover es her father's old video camera and begins to record and discover things she's never noticed before, particularly the frumpy concierge, who loves to read, harbors a secret library, and loves dark chocolate while reading with her cat on her lap--along with other passions. When the mysterious Mr. Ozu moves in upstairs, his exotic Japanese manners and apartment design stimulate the girl and the concierge to form a fulfilling friendship. It's an intriguing and delightfully amusing film, made even more memorable by the shockingly sad but ultimately uplifting ending. GRADE---------A
A film about kickboxing brothers is not necessarily going to be on every one's radar, but WARRIOR is a very strong, bruising, emotional film and very compelling. Like the recent films THE FIGHTER (2010) and THE WRESTLER (2008), the sports aspect takes a back seat to the dysfunctional family dynamics that propel the plot. There might be some contrivances in the film, and the film is marred during the first hour by some wiggly hand held camera work, but the story and characters hook you from the start. Nick Nolte is in fine form as the recovering alcoholic father whose drunken violence drove the family--literally--apart. The younger son Tommy took off with his sick mother, who soon dies leaving him alone. He ends up in the Marines. The older brother escapes his father by marrying his young wife and starting a family in another city. There is a lot of angst and anger between them all. Both brothers learned to wrestle and box spurred on by their father when they were young, and when a big purse mixed-martial arts competition comes to the east coast, they both enter for various reasons, unbeknownst to each other. The fighting scenes are kept to a minimum until the end, and there are several climaxes that really pour on the drama. Joel Edgerton plays the married teacher brother, and Tom Hardy plays the ex-Marine, and both are effectively brooding and up to the physical challenges of the roles. The thing that surprised me most was the wracking, rousing emotional conclusion---both physically and mentally--that ends the film. I was shaking so hard (trying to stop the sobbing) that I felt my seat might break loose from the row. GRADE--------B+
A strong, subtle film that tells the story of 3 Nazi hunters in the early sixties and the effects it has on the trio in the present day remains haunting nearly two weeks after screening. THE DEBT features Helen Mirren in the present with a well cast Jessica Chastain (THE HELP) as her younger self who is key to trapping the Doctor of Death in post war Germany, and she becomes sexually attracted with the two men helping her in what seems like a Mission: Impossible situation. As the story from the past is slowly revealed, we see that not all is what it seemed in the beginning, and moral issues add to the suspense that this thriller presents to us. Thoughtful, intelligent, adult entertainment. Also featuring Sam Worthington and om Wilkinson. GRADE-----------B
The new film by Steven Soderberg called CONTAGION has a dynamic subject matter and a first rate cast. A deadly virus pops up in Macao, and before you can sneeze or cough once, the entire world is crumbling and dying in it's wake. Top scientists rush to find a cure (one played with gentle authority by Jennifer Elhe is excellent), and the Center for Disease Control doctors and workers struggle to contain the spread of the virus (including a fine Kate Winslet) while the political side of the CDC (an impressive Lawrence Fishbourne) try to keep a lid on the scare factor and the media. Gweneth Paltrow plays the patient zero (the first to die) and she is quite effective. Less effect is her husband (Matt Damon)who struggles to keep his daughter safe from infection while her horny boyfriend keeps coming around. The film has many creepy effective moments (especially the final shot which finally tells us what happened on Day 1 to start this whole sad tale) but the problem with this film is that it tries to do to much, cover to much information (make sure to cover sneezes, sanitize hands frequently, stop touching your face so much, and stock pile basics early) and rushes from player to player and scene to scene without building much sympathy or effective empathy. I also feel like this is familiar stuff, especially if you've seen or read things like THE HOT SPOT, OUTBREAK, VIRUS, etc where humanity has been threatened with this before. Coming soon is an excellent "virus/end of the world" thriller that recently screened at SIFF 2011 called PERFECT SENSE and starring Ewan McGregor. By keeping the scale small and intimate, the film takes on horrifyingly tragic consequences. It's a small masterpiece. Watch for PERFECT SENSE which just recently opened in Eastern Europe. (?!?) GRADE-------B-
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It is not one of the best James Bond films, but I recently saw on Blu-Ray disc the most recent film featuring an impressive Daniel Craig as 007 in QUANTUM OF SOLACE (2008) and I have to say that it looked GREAT---even better than when I saw it at a theatre. The sound and photography was crisp and clear (even with some muttering British accents) and it opened my eyes to what home-theatre can become if you have the right equipment. The whole finale which takes place in the middle of a desert is underwhelming, but Craig is still one of the strongest Bonds ever (except for perhaps Connery, of course)and I hope they (the producers) keep him around, although I've heard that will not happen. Well, Daniel Craig still has two very intriguing movies coming out this year---DREAM HOUSE and the first in the trilogy---GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO--and the previews for both look compelling. GRADE-----------B-
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