William ArnottGirls On Fire
February 12th 2009 07:54
I have two new movies to report on.
"Changeling" is the second Clint Eastwood directed film out at the moment. Unlike "Gran Torino", Eastwood does not star in this film. Instead we get an on fire Angelina Jolie as Christine Collins, a mother whose young son goes missing and is then given a boy who is not hers. In response to her protestations the police lock her up in a psychriatric hospital for the insane. John Malkovich also stars as a church minister who helps Collins fight the corrupt police. This 1920's set drama is based on a true story and is utterly absorbing, expertly directed by Eastwood and performed by the cast. It would seem that given access to the material he does, Eastwood has a deft and fine touch at handling it. I don't like Changeling as much as Gran Torino, and don't rate it as highly as Eastwood's "Mystic River" and "Million Dollar Baby", but still recommend it highly.
It gets 4 out of 5.
"Rachel Getting Married" is an interesting little curio of a movie. Starring Anne Hathaway as a temperamental recovering drug addict returning home for her sisters wedding, Hathaway is up for a Academy Award for this firery performance, as is Jolie for hers by the way. Directed by Jonathan Demme who gave us "Silence of the Lambs", Rachel has been shot handheld and in a down and dirty style which I think gives it a reality and liveliness which is quite fresh. The Director of Photography also shot "Monsoon Wedding" and this film shares similar themes to that one. All the actors perform so well with Hathaway given a juicy role to let fly with. The whole wedding celebration and accompanying soundtrack is also a joy.
It also earns 4 out of 5.
In the next few days, be ready for new reviews of "The Reader" starring Kate Winslet, and "He's Just Not That Into You", and maybe "Ghost Town" too.
Ciao.
"Changeling" is the second Clint Eastwood directed film out at the moment. Unlike "Gran Torino", Eastwood does not star in this film. Instead we get an on fire Angelina Jolie as Christine Collins, a mother whose young son goes missing and is then given a boy who is not hers. In response to her protestations the police lock her up in a psychriatric hospital for the insane. John Malkovich also stars as a church minister who helps Collins fight the corrupt police. This 1920's set drama is based on a true story and is utterly absorbing, expertly directed by Eastwood and performed by the cast. It would seem that given access to the material he does, Eastwood has a deft and fine touch at handling it. I don't like Changeling as much as Gran Torino, and don't rate it as highly as Eastwood's "Mystic River" and "Million Dollar Baby", but still recommend it highly.
It gets 4 out of 5.
"Rachel Getting Married" is an interesting little curio of a movie. Starring Anne Hathaway as a temperamental recovering drug addict returning home for her sisters wedding, Hathaway is up for a Academy Award for this firery performance, as is Jolie for hers by the way. Directed by Jonathan Demme who gave us "Silence of the Lambs", Rachel has been shot handheld and in a down and dirty style which I think gives it a reality and liveliness which is quite fresh. The Director of Photography also shot "Monsoon Wedding" and this film shares similar themes to that one. All the actors perform so well with Hathaway given a juicy role to let fly with. The whole wedding celebration and accompanying soundtrack is also a joy.
It also earns 4 out of 5.
In the next few days, be ready for new reviews of "The Reader" starring Kate Winslet, and "He's Just Not That Into You", and maybe "Ghost Town" too.
Ciao.
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