Shutter Island
Martin Scorsese is the epitome of the consummate American master director. His first movie ‘Who’s That Knocking at My Door?’ appeared in 1970, but since then his many classic hits include ‘Taxi Driver’ (1976), ‘Goodfellas’ (1990) and ‘Gangs of New York’ (2002). In Scorsese’s latest movie ‘Shutter Island’, Leonardo DiCaprio plays a US Marshal who goes to an isolated island, which is actually a prison for the criminally insane, to look into the disappearance of one of their totally deranged inmates. However, while there, Leonardo starts to experience some disturbing flashbacks and hallucinations from his past, while the case under investigation becomes more complex and mysterious. There has been much talk on the internet and in the media concerning the success or not of Scorsese’s film. Granted, much of the plot of ‘Shutter Island’ is silly and convoluted, but, Scorsese is able to manipulate his material to create a compelling psychological drama, full of empirical symbolism. Leonardo DiCaprio also gives an interesting performance of a ‘confused’ and ‘weak’ man, which seems highly appropriate for the role. Whether or not you like the movie, it still remains ‘required viewing’ for all Martin Scorsese fans.
Glorious 39
Set in the glorious Summer of 1939, just before the outbreak of the Second World War, this English drama, written and directed by Stephen Poliakoff, opens with a sumptuous dinner party in a grand country estate. The Lord of the Manor is entertaining some prominent government cabinet ministers, and their flunkies, and there is much sophisticated talk about the possibilities of war, and ways in which it can be avoided. However, as the movie continues, you will discover that this very British Upper-Crust family is not as nice as you would think. The movie turns into quite a tense psychological thriller.
Cracks
This Irish film, directed by Jordan Scott and produced by Ridley and Tony Scott, is set in another glorious English Summer of 1934. The action takes place in a private Girls’ Boarding School. The teenage members of the Diving Team become quite rattled when a new glamorous student from Spain joins their ranks. The gymnastics teacher also takes much too much interest in the new girl. Jealousies, of a lesbian-love nature, raise their ugly heads. The movie slowly but surely moves towards its unpleasant ending. Eva Green is superb as the sophisticated but mysterious gymnastics teacher.
Legion
Movies don’t come any more bizarre than this one. A group of strangers are stranded in an isolated roadside cafe, and, there, they come under attack from all sorts of demons from hell, determined to kill the unborn child being carried by the cafe’s waitress. Why? God only knows! The Archangel Michael comes heroically to their assistance. Could anything get any weirder? It doesn’t pay to think about the plot. Just sit back and enjoy all the gory and great action. Paul Bettany is quite hunky as the Archangel Michael.
From Paris With Love
Based on a story by Luc Besson, and directed by Pierre Morel, this French movie doesn’t really give you much time to think about the plot as well. This is probably a good thing. The movie is just sleek action, action and action all the way. The latest cinema heart-throb, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, plays a naïve political aide who is drawn into a CIA operation in Paris. The case starts off as a drug bust, but quickly evolves into international terrorism. However, the real star of this movie is John Travolta, who plays the special agent directing the operation. John presents a very peculiar but fascinating performance, which all goes to show the enormous versatility of this particular superstar.
Crazy on the Outside
Tim Allen first came to fame in his TV sitcom ‘Home Improvements’, which was a big hit from 1991 to 1999. The show was a nifty blending of handy man hints and family values. Since then his movie career has been a ‘hit’ and ‘miss’ affair. In his latest movie Tim returns to the formula which made him a star. Handy man hints and family values. Tim plays a paroled white-collar criminal, who returns home to live with his sister, and to make a new start in life by establishing a house painting business. Along the way he has some problems with his ex-girlfriend, and falls in love with his probation officer. There is nothing in the movie which you can’t see coming from a mile off, but, it does have some very pleasant moments of situation comedy. Tim directs, and he is given great support from a great cast which includes Sigourney Weaver, Ray Liotta, Kelsey Grammer, and Jeanne Tripplehorn.
Green Zone
Ok, this is not the best war movie ever made, but it should maintain your interest throughout its running time. Matt Damon teams up with director Paul Greengrass again (‘The Bourne Supremacy’ and ‘Bourne Ultimatum’) to tell the tale of a US Army Officer in Iraq, at the end of the war, searching for the ‘Weapons of Mass Destruction’. Yet, whenever Matt goes to the co-ordinates, provided by US Intelligence, he finds nothing there. After a while Matt suspects something screwy is going on, and he starts his own unofficial investigation. Soon he runs into a lot of pressure from the Pentagon and ‘high-up’ in Washington. The movie contributes to the growing number of conspiracy theories involving ex-President Bush’s antics in the Middle East.
