Shuttle
This must be the ‘surprise’ movie of the year. It comes out of nowhere, and has received no pre-publicity or hype. The movie is amazing, but, it is STRICTLY FOR ADULTS ONLY! Two young women fly in very late at night from a holiday in Mexico. The airport is closing down. Some of their luggage is lost. It is raining, and there are no taxis. So, the girls take the last shuttle bus into the city. Things are only going to get worse! The movie is mesmerizing, extremely violent, and absolutely brilliant. It is written and directed by Edward Anderson, and stars Peyton List and Cameron Goodman as the two unfortunate travelers. Tony Curran is chilling as the shuttle bus driver. As the movie ever so slowly fades from full-color to a washed-out sepia, it only intensifies the gritty realism of the piece. Not to be missed!
Good
Based on a stage play by C. P. Taylor, Vicente Amorim directs this American and British co-production located in Berlin in the late 1930s. Viggo Mortensen plays an intellectual literary professor, who writes a novel based on real-life experiences exploring compassionate euthanasia. His novel comes to the attention of some highly placed politicians, and Viggo is hauled into Gestapo Headquarters. There he is asked to write more papers expanding on his theme. Viggo has no sympathy for the Nazi regime, but, suddenly he finds his life altered for the better, and he has no desire to challenge the status quo. However, a never ending series of choices forces him to realize how his hypothesis is being put into practical application. Vicente Amorim expands the play out extremely well for the screen, and he uses an excellent British supporting cast, who make no attempt at a guttural German accent. We accept everybody for what they are; very nasty Nazis!
Five Minutes of Heaven
This is an unusual and interesting movie from Northern Ireland. Liam Neeson stars as a member of the Ulster Voluntary Forces, who, at the age of 17, in 1975, attempted to prove himself by killing a Catholic. The crime was witnessed by the victim’s younger brother. Some 33 years later, after having served a prison sentence, Liam is now a prominent speaker advocating a peaceful resolution to the ‘Irish Problem’, while the witness, played by James Nesbitt, has had his life destroyed by his inability to reconcile himself to the heinous event he witnessed. A documentary television company has the bright idea of putting these two men together and recording their encounter. What the TV company expected to get from this meeting turns into something else entirely. James Nesbitt has more on his mind than an apology. The movie is well directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel, and well acted by both Liam Neeson and James Nesbitt. It also makes some very pertinent comments on media manipulation and the ongoing overall Irish predicament.
Powder Blue
Directed by Timothy Linh Bui, this is another ‘interconnected narratives’ and ‘multiple characters’ movie, starring a variety of actors which include Jessica Biel, Ray Liotta, Eddie Redmayne, Forest Whitaker, Lisa Kudrow, Kris Kristofferson and Patrick Swayze. All of the characters depicted have had, or are having, dealings with death. A Los Angeles strip club acts as the pivotal point bringing this assortment of people together. The movie starts off strongly, looses the plot towards the middle, and then turns surreal and sentimental in the last 20 minutes. Your reaction to the ending will no doubt be dictated by your own personal interpretations of heaven. Timothy Linh Bui certainly has his own interpretation of what he thinks heaven is all about. Anyway, during the dull middle section of the movie, Jessica Biel gives a fantastic performance of her own sexy interpretation of pole dancing!
The Pink Panther 2
I hate to admit it, but, Steve Martin’s latest portrayal of the idiotic and bumbling Inspector Clouseau is absolutely hysterical. His movie is a whole load of nonsense, and thoroughly entertaining. Steve Martin’s French accent is still over-the-top, and, his ‘high-camp’ rendition of Flamenco dancing has to be seen to be believed. This time around the Pink Panther diamond has been stolen, yet again, by the international jewel thief ‘The Tornado’, and it is up to Inspector Clouseau to solve the case, in his own inimitable style. Of course, I come from that generation who have fond memories of Blake Edwards and Peter Sellers’ outrageously successful ‘Pink Panther’ series of the 1960s and 1970s, however, in hindsight, maybe their comedies are not so wacky and illogical as Steve Martin’s version of this popular cinematic icon.
Role Models
This is another comedy which is wacky and illogical. After committing some terrible traffic violations, Paul Rudd and his buddy Seann William Scott are sentenced to 150 hours of community service. When placed in a mentorship program, where they have to act as ‘Big Brothers’ to some impressionable young boys and teenagers, Paul and Seann set about instilling their own brand of immature wisdom into their charges. Through all of this, they become involved with some form of a ‘Dragon and Dungeons’ real-life action game. The movie really is as bizarre as it sounds.
State of Play
A sex scandal has ramifications at the highest levels of Washington politics. The movie is a typical Hollywood ‘Blockbuster’. It is competently directed by Kevin Macdonald and both Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck are adequate.
