Dogs Bark

Repairing the Nerve - - Rabbit Hole (2010) - - 21 May 2011

Recommended. The overwhelming emotion of John Cameron Mitchell’s (Hedwig and the Angry Inch) Rabbit Hole is agony. Endless teeth-grinding. This is something Nicole Kidman has perfected, most recently in The Hours. Becca (Kidman) and Howie (Aaron Eckhart) lost their 4-year old in a traffic accident. The movie steers the couple though this wasteland to a conclusion as tentative in its relief as it is mature. Becca seeks out the emotionally distraught young man who caused the accident and finds a sort of closure. Howie considers an act of desperation and finds what remains of his soul. This is he kind of serious movie that may actually help, or maybe, suggest that help is possible in the maw of such horror. A deserved Oscar nomination went to Kidman but the always spot-on Dianne Wiest (Bullets Over Broadway, Hannah And Her Sisters) also needs mention. Her scenes with Kidman are superb.

Feeling Up The Angel Of Death

First she ran over me in her Mercedes, THEN she stole all my jewelry!

Cotinis Mutabilis, In Its Range - - Junebug (2005) - - 20 May 2011

Strongly recommended. Southerners tend to normally act crazy until the times get crazy; then they get very normal. Or, when the going gets weird, the weird turn pro, to quote a son of old Louisville. Junebug, is a tale of one such Southern clan stricken by nothing more abnormal than childbirth. That baby names the movie, according to its mother, brilliantly rendered by Amy Adams. She got Oscar’s smile, although Scott Wilson (Monster, In Cold Blood), Celia Weston (Dead Man Walking) as the grandparents and TV star Ben McKenzie (Southland, The O.C.) as the father-to-be, clearly play up to her standard. The rapid and painfully authentic dialogue between the screenplay (Angus MacLachlan) and acting is breathtaking. The foils are the older son and new wife (Alessandro Nivola and Embeth Davidtz) in town for a brief visit. Can a movie be both heartbreaking and hysterically funny? Yes. See Junebug.

Don’t Go In The Basement And Let The Door Slam Behind You - - The Hole (2001) - - 12 May 2011

Not recommended. Four upper-twit, English preppies decide to ‘rebel’ and hide in an old bomb shelter during a field trip. Veteran legit helmer Nick Hamm has a go at a thriller; however The Hole is so full of transparent ‘don’t do that . . .’ moments,  that ultimately you don’t care if the whinging little brats get out or not. Liz (Thora Birch) is quickly cast as the most unreliable of narrators. One mildly interesting twist is immediately informing us that Lizzie does survive the - - whatever - - leaving us to try and beat the plot (done!) to the fate of her remaining companions. The one reason to see this is the presence of some fine young actresses early in their careers, for example, Kiera Knightly, with her swash unbuckled, and Thora Birch, just after she became an American beauty.  That maybe enough for their adoring fan boys but probably not you.

Northern Exposures - - My Summer Of Love (2004) - - 4 May 2011

Strongly recommended. My Summer Of Love is a deceptive movie about deception and should be approached carefully. While originally promoted as a ‘lesbian film,’ it is nothing of the sort and one may be fooled into initially thinking they’re watching Rochelle, Rochelle-style, soft-core porn. BAFTA honored director Pawel Pawlikowski’s lyrical style, enhanced by spectacular location shots (Ryszard Lenczewski) of West Yorkshire, the physical beauty of the two young leads and their naturalistic fall into affectionate sexuality, all contribute to the slight-of-hand. I won’t spoil it but by the conclusion the real point of the story is clear. Credit goes to the two, very talented young stars, Natalie Press, playing the townie, Mona, and Emily Blunt (The Adjustment Bureau), in her first feature, as posh Tamsin. The  distinction in accents between the girls is a significant tell. Paddy Considine plays Mona’s Christ-addled brother and also performs a magic trick.  Don’t get distracted.

Not Quite Strangers On A Train - - The Tourist (2010) - - 30 April 2011

Recommended. There’s a certain kind of director - - Hitchcock and Hawks come to mind - - so romantically enthralled that he tries to create women from spare parts. Probably used to sit on his parent’s bed, watching his mother get made up for parties. Some great movies come out of that fetish. The Tourist, as enjoyable as I found it, isn’t one; Angelina Jolie isn’t Grace Kelly. She’s more like Sophia Loren (Arabesque) in those Universal thrillers of the 60’s, still pretty intoxicating. The script of The Tourist, by Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects), Julian Fellowes (Gosford Park) and director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (The Lives Of Others), is silly but entertaining. John Seale’s (Cold Mountain, The English Patient) photography is excellent. James Newton Howard (The Dark Knight) cuts in an obtrusive score but Angelina walks to her own music, with several loin-stirring promenades herein. Johnny Depp just has to reprise Gregory Peck (NOT!).