Mini Reviews….The Catch up!!

I am going to make there as brief as possible so bear with me as I condense two hours of cinematic time down to a few lines.


Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

Cold and calculated. Aside from the wonderful costumes, eye popping art direction and wonderful black white and red cinematography there is nothing else of substance (something most Tim Burton films leave me thinking). Sure you can still appreciate the genius of Sondheim’s lyrics and music, but I was expecting more.

Johnny Depp just seems to walk around with a constant scowl, while the usually wonderful Helena Bonham Carter, whilst being very comical does not have the singing voice for this. I could hardly understand what she was singing about most of the time. I kind of wish they had cast Toni Collette in the role.
All in all a missed opportunity
C


3:10 to Yuma

Call this the year of the westerns. Rancher Dan Evans (a wonderful sad and haunted performance by Christian Bale) heads into a near town when he witnesses the closing events of a stagecoach robbery lead by famed outlaw Ben Wade (The reliable Russell Crowe).
Wade is captured by the law and Evans finds himself one of the escorts who will take Wade to the 3:10 to Yuma train (get the title now??) for the reward of $200.

The reason for Evans taking this trip is not only to save his land with the money, but to be seen as a hero in his sons eyes.

Wade and Evans form a strange bond on the journey. Wade has spent most of his life destroying lives and families, and he sees Evans as something he would like to, but can never be….a noble man.

The transport is hazardous as they are constantly being pursued by Wade's vengeful gang (including the scenery chewing Ben Foster).
While watching Bale held my attention there is only so much one can take of constant shot-em-ups. The western is something that has never really excited me as a film genre, and while the filmmaking and acting is wonderful I just found myself wondering why all this killing had no moral.
B


4 luni, 3 saptamani si 2 zile (4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days)

Director Cristian Mungiu’s film is one of the most harrowing films I have seen in a long time. The feeling of dread and fear he manages to capture is astonishing when you think there is no score to tell you what to feel, and no villain to be fearful of.

During the course of one day in 1987 in Communist Romania, Otilia (Anamaria Marinca) helps her friend and roommate Gabita (Laura Vasiliu) to get a late-term abortion done (at that time, any sort of abortion, as well as any kind of contraceptive were illegal in Romania).

The camera follows Otilia around, as she helps her friend, who is too scared to be of help. To talk more about the film will give far too much away. This is one of those films that needs to be seen not just for the amazing acting but to see how it is possible to create such fear and dread in a viewer with out violence or mountains of gore. Just the idea that something could go wrong is enough for your heart to be in your throat.
Such a shame Anamaria Marinca was not considered for awards attention as she gives one of the best performances of the year. She plays the more head strong of the two girls who makes the decisions and has to live with them. The scene at the dinner party is harrowing and entirely played on her face. This actress does not play one false note. A sublime performance in an amazing film.
A-