Ironically titled PRECIOUS tops 3 best film contenders.

Over a year ago, I came home from an early screening of a new, little known (at the time) film, and announced to my wife Toni that I think I had just seen the movie to beat for Best Picture. I had some reservations about this new title, which was to open in several weeks. That film went on to open to good reviews and a growing audience. It was called SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, and it did indeed go on to win the best picture Oscar in February of this year. The plot seemed a little too coincidental, too precious and too fantastical for me. But as I thought about it, it grew on me--it's exotica, music, energy, and humanity. I began to think of it like a Charles Dicken's novel where the hero starts his life a poor unfortunate orphan, living with evil or indifferent adults, and who by luck or good fortune or skill dug their way into an adulthood that was happy, adjusted and well deserved. Think Oliver Twist, Great Expectations or David Cooperfield.
Well, several weeks ago I came home from an advance screening and told Toni that I had just seen the film to beat at next February's Oscars. That film is PRECIOUS and everything you're going to hear about this film from others will probably be true. It is a stunning film. The audience I saw it with was absolutely transfixed, and when it reaches its excruciating climax, you don't want to see or hear anymore, but you know you've got to see this to the end, because this character has no where to go but up in life, and your heart aches for her to succeed.
This young Harlem teen in the early 80's has nothing to live for. Her mother abuses and beats her, her mostly absent father rapes her, and she is now pregnant with his second child. She lives in poverty and filth and neglect. The story is how she amazingly manages to survive and tries to break out of this terrible cycle, and it's based on a true story. Another Charles Dickens-type story, but without the feelgood ending or the train station dancing. The actors are remarkable. I was shocked to realise after the screening that the cast includes a comedian (not funny here) and two pop-singers (no music here) and an unknown, first-time actress who plays PRECIOUS with such honesty and directness that it made me cringe. As much as I enjoyed A SERIOUS MAN's deadpan, intelligent humor, the film PRECIOUS stands out for the unique and uncharted world that it explores.

Saturday night I saw another fine new British film, written by Nick Hornsby (High Fidelity) and featuring an assured cast including Alfred Molina, Peter Sarsgaard and Emma Thompson. A young 17 year old girl receives AN EDUCATION at the hands of a man nearly 20 years her senior as he introduces her to art, music, film and love. Unusual for me, I failed to predict the obvious twist towards the end that really had me rethinking my feelings for these characters. Very, very well done and thought provoking.

Slipping briefly into town this last weekend is a minor but enjoyably quirky, edgy comedy called "UNTITLED." It skewers the art gallery world and finds some big laughs in dresses that make noises, bucket kicking and chain rattling music, and "elevator" art (think musack). It is a low budget wonder.