Seven Drennan Movie Reviews

January 4, 2009

SEVEN DRENNAN  MOVIE REVIEWS!

YOU ALREADY KNOW. . .I LOVE YA' CLEVELAND!!!!

MILK

DOES SEAN PENN EVER GIVE A BAD PERFORMANCE?  

IF HE HAS. . YOU GOT ME!  BASED ON A TRUE STORY, PENN PORTRAYS HARVEY MILK. . .THE FIRST OPENLY GAY ELECTED OFFICIAL.  FROM HIS FIRST SCENE HE DIVES INTO HIS CHARACTER AND YOU FORGET WHAT A CHALLENGE PLAYING AN OPENLY GAY POLITICIAN IS FOR SUCH A GREAT TALENT.  THE STORY OF THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT IS NOT WHAT ATTRACTS ME TO MILK. . .BUT IT'S PENN'S PERFORMANCE.  IS THERE A ROLE OR A CHARACTER HE CANNOT IMMERSE HIMSELF INTO?  HE IS SO CONVINCING. . IT'S ALMOST AS IF  IT'S EFFORTLESS FOR HIM.  JOSH BROLIN GIVES A STRONG PERFORMANCE AS A RIVAL SAN FRANCISO SUPERVISOR . .WHO CARRIES HIS OWN DEMONS.   BUT. . .THIS IS PENN'S FILM. . .ALL THE WAY!   I DEFINITELY FORESEE A BEST ACTOR NOMINATION AND A POSSIBLE SECOND WIN (MYSTIC RIVER).  THE STORYLINE AND THE MOVIE. . .ARE JUST "OK". . BUT MILK IS WORTH SEEING BECAUSE OF THE GREAT SEAN PENN!

VALKYRIE

VALKYRIE IS AN INTENSE ACTION PACKED ACCOUNT OF THE LAST FAILED ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT OF ADOLPH HITLER.  TOM CRUISE STARS AS CLAUS VON STAUFFENBERG, THE GERMAN COLONEL, WHO ALONG WITH OTHER ARMY OFFICERS PLOTS TO END HITLER'S REIGN SO AS TO NEGOTIATE A PEACE SETTLEMENT WITH THE ALLIES.  HISTORICALLY, IF YOU ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH THIS STORY, YOU'LL BE ABSORBED INTO THE "BEHIND THE SCENES" PLOT.  CRUISE IS BEING  CRITICIZED FOR BEING MISCAST IN THIS ROLE.  INDEED, SOME OF THIS IS WARRANTED.  HOWEVER,  HE IS SURROUNDED BY A GREAT SUPPORTING CAST. . INCLUDING TOM WILKINSON, TERRENCE STAMP AND KENNETH BRANNAGH. . .ALL OF WHICH GIVE CONVINCING PERFORMANCES.    THE SCREENPLAY DOES NOT TOTALLY REVEAL ALL OF THE CONSPIRATORS, NAMELY THE DESERT FOX, GENERAL ROMMELL; BUT IT DOES SHOW THE ORGANIZATIONAL BEHIND THE SCENES MACHINERY THAT GOES INTO PLACE AFTER IT'S BELIEVED THAT HITLER HAS BEEN ASSASSINATED.

DOUBT

THIS IS DEFINITELY ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES OF 2008.  WITHOUT QUESTION. . IN MY OPINION. . DOUBT SHOULD BE NOMINATED FOR BEST PICTURE.  IT STARS MERYL STREEP AS SISTER ALOYSIUS, THE MOTHER SUPERIOR  OF A CATHOLIC GRAMMAR SCHOOL. 

PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN PORTRAYS THE PASTOR OF THE PARISH.  AMY ADAMS PLAYS A YOUNG IMPRESSIONABLE TEACHING NUN.  VIOLA DAVIS PLAYS MOM TO THE ONLY AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENT IN THE SCHOOL.  EVEN THOUGH SHE HAS ONLY ONE SCENE (OPPOSITE STREEP). . .IT'S POWERFUL ENOUGH TO EARN A SUPPORTING ACTRESS NOMINATION.  I, LIKEWISE, FEEL ADAMS IS ALSO WORTHY OF A SUPPORTING ACTRESS NOMINATION.  HOFFMAN. . LIKE SEAN PENN. . NEVER GIVES A BAD PERFORMANCE!  HE IS TREMENDOUS AS A PRIEST ACCUSED BY STREEP'S CHARACTER OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT WITH THE BLACK STUDENT.  BUT. . .MERYL STREEP. . .STEALS. . .THE. . .SHOW!!!    THE FILM IS STAGED IN THE 60's. . .AND AS A STUDENT IN THAT ERA WHO ATTENDED CATHOLIC SCHOOL. . I ASSURE YOU. . .STREEP'S SISTER ALOYSIUS. . IS PERFECTLY PORTRAYED!  SHE SO NAILS WHAT MOTHER SUPERIORS WERE LIKE DURING THAT TIME. . .I WAS IN AWE OF HER EVERY SCENE!  THIS IS TRULY THE BEST PERFORMANCE IN THE LEADING ACTRESS CATEGORY THIS PAST YEAR.  I DARE SAY. . .STREEP'S SISTER ALOYSIUS. . WILL GO DOWN AS ONE OF THE GREATEST PERFORMANCES. . .IN A FEMALE LEAD.  SHE IS TREMENDOUS!!  I WILL BE. . ABSOLUTELY ASTONISHED. . IF SHE DOES NOT WIN HER THIRD OSCAR!!!   THE FILM. . .BASED ON THE BROADWAY PLAY. . IS PERFECTLY TITLED.  THE END LEAVES ONE IN DOUBT.  

REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

IN 1997 TITANTIC TIED 1959'S BEN HUR WITH 11 OSCARS, INCLUDING BEST PICTURE. 

THE MOVIE TEAMED LEONARDO DICAPRIO AND KATE WINSLET TOGETHER ON SCREEN FOR THE FIRST TIME.  THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN THE 2 WAS NATURAL, VERY BELIEVABLE, AND DOWNRIGHT COMPELLING.  WINSLET RECEIVED A BEST ACTRESS NOMINATION FOR HER ROLE AS ROSE.  AMAZINGLY, DICAPRIO WAS SNUBBED THAT YEAR BY THE ACADEMY. . .NOT RECEIVING A NOMINATION!

AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, THE TWO ARE TEAMED TOGETHER AGAIN.  THIS TIME. . IN THE 1950'S DRAMA; REVOLUTIONARY ROAD.  THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN THESE 2 IS INCREDIBLY SIMILAR TO WHAT THEY SHOWED 11 YEARS AGO IN TITANIC.  WHAT'S IRONIC ABOUT THIS TIME AROUND, IS THAT THE MOVIE IS DIRECTED  BY WINSLET'S HUSBAND, SAM MENDES.  I CAN EASILY FORESEE BOTH BEING NOMINATED FOR BEST ACTOR AND ACTRESS.  HOWEVER. . .I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT EITHER OF THEM SHOULD WIN. 

THE MOVIE IS A STORY OF TWO TROUBLED PEOPLE TRAPPED IN A MARRIAGE THAT AT TIMES. . WORKS BUT MOSTLY DISPLAYS A DISFUNCTION THAT IS DISTURBING.  I DID NOT FIND THIS MOVIE TO BE ENJOYABLE VIEWING; NOT TO SAY  THAT A FILM HAS TO ALWAYS HAVE A FEEL GOOD ENDING OR SENSE.  THIS FILM IS OVERRATED.  EVEN THOUGH THE TALENT OF THESE 2 STARS CANNOT BE IGNORED. . THE STORY IS DEPRESSING AND FLAWED. 

THE READER

CO-PRODUCERS ANTHONY MENGHELLA AND SYDNEY POLLACK BOTH PASSED AWAY PRIOR TO THE COMPLETION OF FILMING.

POST WORLD WAR II GERMANY IS THE SETTING.  KATE WINSLET PLAYS A WOMAN IN HER MID-30'S WHO SEDUCES AND HAS AN AFFAIR WITH A 15-YEAR OLD BOY EFFECTIVELY PORTRAYED BY DAVID KROSS.  LATER, WE FIND OUT THAT WINSLET'S HANNA SCHMITZ IS A FORMER NAZI GUARD AT AUSCHWITZ.   SHE IS BROUGHT TO TRIAL AND MUST PAY FOR HER CRIMES. WHILE SERVING A LONG PRISON TERM THE BOY HAS NOW GROWN UP AND HAS BECOME A SUCCESSFUL LAWYER.  RALPH FIENNES PLAYS THE BOY AS AN ADULT.  THERE IS AN UNDERLYING REVELATION ABOUT WINSLET'S CHARACTER THAT LEAVES YOU WITH AN INSIGHTFUL UNDERSTANDING TO HER ACTIONS. 

IT MAKES FOR AN INTRIGUING STORY AND FILM MASTERFULLY DIRECTED BY STEPHEN DALDRY ( THE HOURS). 

WINSLET IS ABSOLUTELY SUPERB!  SHE DESERVES AN OSCAR NOMINATION.  THE ONLY QUESTION IS:  SHOULD SHE BE NOMINATED FOR BEST ACTRESS OR SUPPORTING ACTRESS????

SHE HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR BEST ACTRESS AND BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS 5 TIMES.  IF SHE IS NOMINATED FOR A SUPPORTING ROLE. . IN MY OPINION. . SHE WILL WIN. . HANDS DOWN. . HOWEVER-----IF SHE IS CONSIDERED FOR BEST ACTRESS, HER PERFORMANCE IN REVOLUTIONARY ROAD MY HURT HER CHANCES AND  HEAVEN FORBID. . CANCEL HERSELF OUT.  WINSLET IS DESERVING OF AN OSCAR WIN. . .SHE IS SO CONVINCING IN THIS MOVIE THAT DESPITE HER CHARACTER'S DARK PAST. . YOU CANNOT HELP BUT LOOK UPON HER AS A SYMPATHETIC FIGURE.  SENTIMENTALLY. . I'M PULLING FOR HER TO WIN BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS FOR THIS ROLE. . .BUT IF SHE'S NOMINATED FOR BEST ACTRESS. . .DESPITE HOW MUCH I LOVE HER IN THIS MOVIE. .I WOULD HAVE TO VOTE FOR MERYL STREEP IN DOUBT. 

FIENNES IS NOMINATED (GLOBES) FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN THE DUCHESS. . .HE COULD HAVE JUST AS EASILY BEEN NOMINATED FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN THIS FILM.

WITHOUT QUESTION. . THE READER. . .SHOULD ALSO GET NOMINATED FOR BEST PICTURE OF THE YEAR.

GRAN TORINO

ISN'T IT AMAZING HOW CLINT EASTWOOD KEEPS GETTING BETTER WITH AGE???!  

HE'S 80 YEARS OLD. . WHICH IN ITSELF, IS HARD TO IMAGINE THAT HIS BEST WORK IS COMING IN THE LATTER YEARS OF HIS CAREER! 

HE WON 2 OSCARS FOR UNFORGIVEN IN 1992, FOR BEST PICTURE AND BEST DIRECTOR.  HE WON 2 OSCARS FOR MILLION DOLLAR BABY IN 2004, FOR BEST PICTURE AND BEST DIRECTOR.  HE AND HIS FILMS HAVE BEEN NOMINATED FOR BEST PICTURE AND BEST DIRECTOR NUMEROUS TIMES.  AFTER GIVING US CHANGLING WITH AN INCREDIBLE PERFORMANCE BY ANGELINA JOLIE. . .HE NOW GIVES US GRAN TORINO, WHICH HE STARS IN. . .HIMSELF.   EASTWOOD PLAYS WALT KOWALSKI WHO IS A RACIST KOREAN WAR VETERAN. . WHO BEFRIENDS AN ASIAN AMERICAN FAMILY, WHO MOVED IN NEXT DOOR, SHORTLY BEFORE THE PASSING OF HIS WIFE.

EASTWOOD IS BETTER KNOWN FOR HIS DIRECTING RATHER THAN HIS ACTING.  UP UNTIL NOW, HIS 2 BEST ACTING PERFORMANCES WERE IN HIS 2 BEST PICTURES. . UNFORGIVEN AND MILLION DOLLAR BABY.  THIS TURN. . AS WALT KOWALSKI. . MAY PROVE TO BE HIS BEST YET!  HE STEALS THE FILM. . WITH EVERY SCENE!  HIS CHARACTER IS CRUDE, COARSE, OFFENSIVE AND PROFOUNDLY RACIST.  HE MANAGES TO SHOW A COMPASSIONATE SIDE. . WITH A KEEN UNDERSTANDING OF HIS YOUNG ASIAN NEIGHBORS' CHALLENGES. 

I QUESTION THE CASTING OF THE YOUNG ASIAN TEENAGER. . WHO IS BEING HARRASSED BY THE LOCAL GANG.  THERE WAS A SLIGHT DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE TWO.  BUT. . .THERE IS NO DENYING EASTWOOD'S IMPACT AND COMMAND IN THIS FILM.  WHETHER THE FILM WILL BE NOMINATED FOR BEST PICTURE OF THE YEAR IS IN QUESTION.  IT DID NOT RECEIVE A GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATION. . .BUT THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT EASTWOOD DESERVES A BEST ACTOR NOMINATION. . AND IF HE RECEIVES IT. . .HE COULD BECOME THE SENTIMENTAL CHOICE FROM ACADEMY VOTERS. 

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

THE MOST CURIOUS THING TO ME ABOUT THIS MOVIE IS ALL THE BUZZ AND CRAZE WE'VE EXPERIENCED.  GIVE ME A BREAK!  THIS THING IS SO FAR FETCHED THAT A MAN WOULD AGE BACKWARDS AND MEET HIS LONG LOVE INTEREST. . .SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE.  MANY PEOPLE ARE CALLING IT A FASCINATING STORY.  I SAY IT'S PREPOSTEROUS!   I WILL ADMIT THAT THE MAKE- UP IS TREMENDOUS.  THE SPECIAL EFFECTS OF MAKING PITT AS AN OLD MAN. . .SHORTER IS INTRIGUING.  I MEAN. . HOW DID THEY DO THAT???

SOME OF THE CINEMATOGRAPHY IS ALSO IMPRESSIVE.  .INCLUDING A SEA BATTLE IN THE ATLANTIC DURING WWII AND THE LAUNCHING OF A SPACE CRAFT FROM CAPE CANAVERAL.  BRAD PITT'S PERFORMANCE IS OVERRATED.  THE ONLY STRETCH. . AS I SEE IT. . IS ATTACHING A SOUTHERN DRAWL TO HIS CHARACTER.  KATE BLANCHETT.  .WHOSE WORK I ALMOST ALWAYS ADORE, IS JUST OKAY.  THE SIMILARITIES TO FORREST GUMP (1994 BEST PICTURE WINNER). . .ARE MUCH TOO COINCIDENTAL. 

I WONDER WHY????

THE SCENEPLAY FOR THIS FILM AND GUMP. . .ARE WRITTEN BY ONE AND THE SAME. . ERIC ROTH.  TO COPY WHAT WORKED 14 YEARS AGO MIGHT FOOL SOME BUT NOT TO A MOVIE HISTORIAN, SUCH AS MYSELF.  THE INFATUATION WITH THIS MOVIE IS BEYONG MY COMPREHENSION. . .AND I DO NOT RECOMMEND IT.