Hanna, Lincoln Lawyer, When We Leave, Soul Surfer

The new film from Joe Wright (PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, ATONEMENT) is called HANNA, and it is a blast of fresh air for the first hour anyway, until it descends into a standard chase thriller mode. (The last half reminded me of the BOURNE films.) HANNA is played with a great deal of sympathy and energy by the young Saoirse Ronan (ATONEMENT and LOVELY BONES)--she's been trained as an assassin by her father (Eric Bana) from birth to kill (or protect herself from) the agent who is trying to kill her--played with wicked menace by Cate Blanchett. The plot pieces don't all fall easily into place by the end, but the first hour in which the young HANNA is making her way in a strange world she doesn't yet understand, and trying to "pretend" she is normal and making friends is the classic "fish out of water" milieu, with a lot of laughs and tension to move things along. Very entertaining, with exciting (but sometimes a bit over active ) camera work (think RUN LOLA RUN) and effectively modern music by the Chemical Brothers. GRADE------------B+ ----------------- I am no fan of actor Matthew McConaughey (as well as Nicholas Cage and often John Travolta) but I have to say that his new film THE LINCOLN LAWYER fits him like a glove, and for those who care, he does get to take his shirt off. He plays a sleazy defense attorney who seems to have no conscience defending the guilty, the evil, and the scum-bags. When he takes a case of a naughty rich boy accused of murder, you know sooner or later he is going to grow a conscience, since all his friends and associates (including William H. Macy and his ex-wife Marisa Tomei ) seem to think he's wonderful. There are a fair number of twists and turns (although the final twist was hardly persuasive), and overall, it plays like a superior episode of TV's LAW and ORDER. GRADE----------B --------------------WHEN WE LEAVE is a heartbreaking Turkish film of a young married woman who leaves her abusive husband and with her child travels back to Germany to live with her parents, who are shocked that she would embarrass them in that way. The film deals with the efforts of her in-laws and husband to get her back, and when the talk turns to family honor, you know that violent tragedy is just around the corner, but when it happens, it is quite a shock. GRADE--------B ----------------I nearly walked out of SOUL SURFER after the first 20 minutes. The camera works seems to have been done by an 11 year old boy on roller skates and crack, zooming the camera around to nauseating effect, and the film is edited like a Michael Bay hysterical epic, with no shot lasting for more than 3 seconds. Finally, when a shark attack bites off the arm of the 13 year old surfer Bethany Hamilton, things get a little calmer and more interesting. Based on the true story of how Bethany got back to surfing after this tragedy, we have to sit through several church scenes and speeches about family love, believing in God's will, trusting Jesus, etc. that I felt this was more of a sermon than a movie. Add lots of promotion for the work of World Vision, and a cast (including old pros like a gaunt Helen Hunt, a perky Dennis Quaid, and an ex Hercules Kevin Sorbo) stuck with spouting homilies and reading passages from the Bible, and I just lost interest in what could have been a compelling story. But the Hawaiian scenery was pleasant. GRADE-------C- ------------------------------- On the DVD front this week---- The recent DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS (2010) is a remake of a French farce THE DINNER GAME (1998). This new version takes the basic premise of snobbish executives inviting nerdy fools for dinner to insult them, but makes it a lot more silly with pratfalls, sight gags, and crude jokes to fill in for sophistication. Still, the casting is quite good, with each character, including the "schmucks" given a lot of screen time to develop amusing back stories and characterizations, and quickly it becomes apparent who the real fools are. I especially enjoyed the smaller characters--many from Europe--including hilarious turns byJermaine Clement as an egotistical artist who often dresses as a naked Minotaur creature, Zach Galifianakis as the intense IRS "mind-reader" and Lucy Punch as a vindictive stalker ex-girlfriend!!!! Comedy like this often splits the audience, but if you are in the mood there is a lot to enjoy. GRADE-----------B ----------------SHADOW OF THE THIN MAN (1941) is the follow up to last week's original THIN MAN film, and once again I love the chemistry between the leads William Powell and Myrna Loy--they are witty, sarcastic and very funny in their dead pan deliveries, but the murder mystery plot was quite forgettable. GRADE-------B-

SIFF REPORT 3

Week three is better than average.

GRADE---A

WINTER'S BONE--(USA)--A poor Ozark girl trying to keep her family together must find her drug making dad who is on the run from the law before her house will be seized by the courts, but she stirs up dangerous family secrets. A remarkably succinct story and honest acting keep this harrowing tale gripping.

THE TOP TWINS: UNTOUCHABLE GIRLS--(New Zealand)--A brilliant documentary about a singing comedic set of twins, who for 30 years have entertained audiences with country music, yodeling, political protest and social commentary. They are unapologetically gay and out, and are one of New Zealand's most popular acts.


GRADE---B+

WHEN WE LEAVE--(Germany/Turkey)--Sad and harrowing tragedy of a young woman and child seeking independence from an abusive husband against societal restrictions.


GRADE--B

MAO'S LAST DANCER---(Australia)--Lush looking (music and dancing) true story of young Chinese dancer who tries to defect to USA. A very moving finale.


GRADE---B-

ONDINE --(Ireland/USA)--Fairy tale story of girl captured in a fisherman's net (his daughter thinks she is a "selkie"--half human and half seal) turns gritty by the end. The print screened was so dark and grainy that is was hard to see (apparently a light bulb needed replacing), and the film needed subtitles due to mumbled Irish (and other) accents.

THE DRY LAND--(USA)--Moving story of Iraq veteran have trouble adjusting to civilian life.

SON OF BABYLON--(Iraq)--A young Kurdish boy and his grandmother search for his father who was arrested 10 years earlier in the aftermath of Saddam Hussein's regime. They visit prisons and several mass graveyards. The two leads are remarkable and the mood is melancholic, but the lack of narrative strains your interest.

GRADE--C+

SKATELAND---(USA)--Better than you'd expect (from the title and description) teen angst drama set in the 80's. It's well acted, but we've seen this story before.

EVERY DAY---(USA)--A modern family struggles to juggle stress and change (father's roving eye, mother is sudden caregiver to cranky ailing granddad, teen son explores his sexuality, etc) but too many subplots dilute the effect. Despite strong cast (Helen Hunt, Brian Dennehy, Liev Schreiber, Eddie Izzard etc) this plays like an earnest made-for-TV film. Another HD film that is grainy and too dark to watch (see ONDINE above.)

COUNTDOWN TO ZERO--(USA)--Documentary on atomic fears and struggle for international disarmament is well make and makes strong point, but for me I felt like I'd seen and heard this argument before, and if you've been around awhile this will seem like it is preaching to the converted.