Jack the Giant Slayer

Jack the Giant Slayer opened in theaters a few weeks ago, playing to the current public fascination with retooling classic tales for modern audiences. Growing up, "Jack and the Beanstalk" was always one of my least favorite fairy tales, due primarily to a distinct lack of any sort of romance -- or, at the very least, the presence of any female character with whom I could identify. (The only retelling of this story that I enjoyed at all was the 1967 film version starring Gene Kelly -- PLEASE tell me I'm not the only one that's seen this!) Trailers for this film promised not only a hint of romance but a healthy dose of humor as well -- and as a decent Saturday afternoon entertainment the film (mostly) delivers, even if it falls a bit short in my view of being a truly memorable fairy tale retelling, lacking a certain spark that I look for in film and bookish retellings of this type.

According to the film's Wikipedia page, the script for Giant Slayer was based on two "Jack" stories -- the widely-known "Jack and the Beanstalk" (English in origin, Jack living with his widowed mother, steals hen that lays golden eggs & a harp from giant, NO romance) and "Jack the Giant Killer" (Cornish fairy tale, King Arthur figures into the plot, and there is a lot about Lucifer, magical accouterments, Jack ends up marrying a Duke's daughter, etc.). Personally I think I would've liked Jack a whole lot more growing up if I'd been exposed to the Cornish version of his story -- I mean HELLO?? Jack has loads of adventures, a magic sword, and a CAP OF KNOWLEDGE! Clearly I spent my childhood reading the wrong fairy tale compilation. *wink*

While I enjoyed this film well enough, on the whole I think it was something of a missed opportunity as it felt like it couldn't decide what it wanted to be -- an old-fashioned fairy tale, an epic war adventure with modern sensibilities, or something more...slapstick, and ultimately forgettable. Something just felt "off," and while it is hard for me to pinpoint exactly why this movie didn't work for me quite as well as I'd hoped, nonetheless it gets points for making Jack a winning character on the big screen.

This film positions Jack from childhood as a boy with a longing for a life bigger than his father's farm, one in love with the legends of his kingdom -- particularly Erik the Great, the king of Cloister who defeated an army of invading giants by crafting a magical crown that allowed him to banish them (as long as the crown remained safely in his keeping). Now right off the bat this movie loses a ton of points with the gosh-awful CGI flashback of the giants and Erik. It was BAD...I mean like ten years ago, in a video game, this maybe, maybe would've been cutting edge. So I'm immediately predisposed to think of the giants as ridiculous instead of fearsome...but clearly that is something the filmmakers were conflicted about as well, given how things play out.

But back to earth, for a moment...the script makes the smart decision to introduce a female lead early on, juxtaposing the young Jack's fascination with his kingdom's history, an interest unbeknownst to him that he shares with the current king's only child, the Princess Isabelle. Years pass and Jack grows up under surly uncle's care, having lost his father years earlier -- a loss he shares with Isabelle, left struggling against her father's desire to be the "perfect," protected princess after her mother's untimely death.

Even though this film hasn't been loved by critics or the box office, one cannot deny that as Jack, Nicholas Hoult is having a pretty good year. Following his turn as R the zombie in the charming (yes, CHARMING) zombie-romantic comedy Warm Bodies, Hoult tackles more traditional Hollywood fare here with this throwback to classic Hollywood adventure spectacles of yore. He's adorable as the poor boy longing to make good, and has an appealing chemistry with Eleanor Tomlinson as Isabelle -- but both tend to come off as a shade too...sincere, is perhaps the word I'm looking for (though I tend to blame the script rather than the actors...they don't have a great deal to work with here).

The absolute best thing about this film is its stellar supporting cast, particularly Ewan MacGregor as the dashing and PERFECTLY COIFFED Elmont, leader of the king's guard. According to Buzzfeed, MacGregor's hair was the best thing about this movie, and I've got to say I'm inclined to agree with that assessment -- only I'd take it a step farther. MacGregor seems to be the only one having any real FUN here -- he knows he's in an absurd film and clearly relishes every opportunity he's given to ham it up for the camera (i.e., when he's about to become a human "pig in a blanket" in the giant's kitchen -- his bravado is hilarious). I really rather wish that if this movie was going to be made, it had been given the greenlight five or so years ago, when perhaps MacGregor would've had a shot at playing Jack instead of stealing the show in a supporting role.

How did I get in this movie?

Me and my awesome hair, totally responsible for any and all ticket sales.

Eddie Marsan (Lestrade in the Guy Ritchie Sherlock films) plays Elmont's ill-fated sidekick Crawe. He doesn't have quite as much fun as MacGregor (considering the end he meets at the hands of the giants' general, that's the understatement of the year), but I love any opportunity I'm given to see him on-screen. The always adorable Stanley Tucci plays the villainous Sir Roderick, who first strives to conquer Isabelle's kingdom through marriage, and failing that, brute -- GIANT -- force. Tucci chews the scenery as Roderick in very much the same fashion he does as Caesar Flickerman in The Hunger Games, only with measurably less biting wit. *wink* As a point of reference, Roderick reminded me quite a bit of Cary Elwes as Edgar in Ella Enchanted. That.. *ahem* ...ridiculous. :P

Ooooohhhh, SHINY.

Last, but certainly not least, Ian McShane plays Isabelle's father, King Brahmwell. Now I love McShane. L-O-V-E him. But I kinda want to weep if this is what he's doing now...I just hope he didn't take this job and turn down the Gabriel Byrne role in the new Vikings show on the History Channel...because goodness THAT would've been a mistake. If you're interested in seeing McShane being AWESOME watch the all-too-short-lived series Kings, where he plays a memorable Silas -- and for a taste of Ian in his younger years, check out Gypsy Girl. It's a weird, WEIRD movie, but oh my WORD is McShane hot in it. :) As the embattled king, McShane exhibits a lot of strum und drang, but the second he turns out in gold-colored armor he loses all credibility. I don't know WHAT it is about gold armor, but it is SUCH a buzzkill for me. True story. I mean who can own THAT?

Seriously, WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?

Bill Nighy, phoning it in...

The vocal talent behind the giants is much more impressive than the actual giants themselves, sad to say. Led by Bill Nighy as General Fallon (seriously, BILL NIGHY...disguised as a cartoonish giant...what. a. WASTE), the giants skitter between moments bordering on menace and bathroom humor stupidity. While the CGI that brought them to life was better than the "flashback" at the beginning of the film, it still didn't quite work for me...too cartoonish, too much of a rip-off of the Ents from Middle-earth.

While this movie is a decent enough popcorn flick, as a "classic" fairy tale retelling it misses the mark in too many respects for me to truly love it. Throughout I felt as though it was struggling with a split personality -- wanting to either be a silly, kid-friendly flick or something more epic in scale and scope, as evidenced by the battle scenes in the final act. And while there is plenty of likeable talent to be found, the script and therefore the characterizations are either a mess or colorless caricatures. This latter point is what makes me most concerned about director Bryan Singer's return to the X-Men universe next year. I was thoroughly impressed with Matthew Vaughn's handling of the First Class universe and it's sprawling cast of characters, and I really wish he'd been given the chance to test his mettle with the sequel. (At least he's on board as producer.)

The end of this movie is the icing on the cake of COMPLETE RIDICULOUSNESS, but maybe that's just me. I mean I don't mind exploring folk and fairy tales as part of history but this movie took things a little too literally IMO. But John Ottman turns in a fun score for this hot mess! And any script/story problems aside, this is totally worth renting for Ewan's hair alone...it should be classified as a certified wonder of the filmic world. If you've seen the movie I'd love to hear what you thought!

Wrath of the Titans

This weekend I went to see Wrath of the Titans with my friends Kaye and (the sadly blog-less, ha!) Lori. Wrath is the sequel to the 2010 film Clash of the Titans, the remake of the 1981 film of the same name. Now the only thing I like about the original Clash is its little stop-motion animated monsters (they are Ray Harryhausen classics after all) -- in all other respects I prefer the remake, which turned out to be a surprisingly fun and entertaining popcorn flick.

Now Wrath is a ridiculous movie. COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS (much like its predecesssor). If you're a serious student of mythology these are most assuredly not the films for you. But if you are in the mood for an action movie, with lots of flash and spectacle (and lava, in this case), this movie delivers on that score. Of course the main reason I wanted to see it was Sam Worthington as Perseus. I think he's adorable. ADORABLE. And this movie is kind of interesting because it gives Perseus a shade or two of vulnerability. Opening ten years or so after Clash, we learn that Perseus has done his best to live a completely normal (i.e. human) life, working as a fisherman and doing the single parent thing, raising his young son Helius (John Bell) alone following the death of his wife Io (Gemma Arterton). Side note: I thought Io was immortal, but apparently when Zeus brought her back at the end of Clash she became human again? I'M OVERTHINKING THIS.

Fatherhood has apparently really mellowed Perseus out when it comes to his own father Zeus (Liam Neeson, looking remarkably like Moses), as the daddy issues that consumed Perseus for most of Clash are largely absent. Yay for father/son bonding! HOWEVER, Zeus's favorite demigod son is still reluctant to embrace his divine(r) half, even though the world is apparently going to friggin' end because the gods have fallen out of favor and that means Kronos (and all evil Titans) are going to be unleashed on the earth, destroying humanity. So all that really means is that there's NO MORE OLYMPUS and all of the gods (except Ares, Posiedon, Hades, and Zeus) are apparently already DEAD. How this came about is never really detailed, however my theory is since Luke Evans' film career (he played Apollo in Clash, the most interesting god IMO) is taking off the filmmakers figured WHAT'S THE POINT in even trying to maintain Olympus. Wrath's loss is Middle Earth's gain, lemme tell you. Also, Zeus is no longer blindingly SHINY, and this makes me sad. But whatever, I still have Sam Worthington and he is ADORABLE with curly hair, even if as Perseus, his determination to live a normal life means he has really let his fighting and winged-horseriding skills go.

Look! I am ready to play Moses!

So OF COURSE Perseus should've listened to Zeus, because weird two-headed creatures pop out of the earth and go all crazy over his fishing hamlet. Whoops. Perseus leaves his son in the care of John Thornton's mother...I mean Clea (Sinead Cusack), some random woman whose apparently become Helius's adopted grandmother. When he tries to make contact with Zeus, Poseidon (Danny Huston) shows up instead with the horrible news that Hades and Ares have made a deal with Kronos and taken Zeus prisoner, and if he wants to defeat Kronos he has to take his trident to one of his own kids, some guy named Agenor (Toby Kebbell) -- AND THEN HE TURNS TO DUST (traumatic, no?).

Somehow Pegasus knows Perseus needs him which is good because Pegasus is COOL, so Perseus rides off to find his cousin, who is apparently attached to the Greek queen's court. The queen is in the battlefield, fighting off random creeptastic creatures, and she turns out to be JANE BENNET...I mean Andromeda, only this time Andromeda is played by Rosamund Pike and not Alexa Davalos. (I didn't remember this in the theater, so when Andromeda and Perseus are making eyes at each other and dancing around the issue of this oh-so-obvious mutual attraction, I didn't remember THERE WAS A HISTORY THERE. Apparently getting saved from the Krakken inspired Andromeda to become a kick-butt warror queen. More on her in a second.) Perseus's cousin turns out to be some sort of leech or something, but that's okay because he's really good-natured and provides some comic relief. (He may look familiar to those who've seen War Horse.) He just needed A CAUSE to set him on the right path! So yay, now everyone who wants the earth to LIVE has a plan: find a way into Tartarus and FREE ZEUS (who is being drained of his powers, horrors!).

Now it's time for the quest to COMMENCE. Everybody piles on a ship (which reminds me of Jason and the Argonauts) and heads off to find the fallen god Hephaestus, because he designed Tartarus so of course he can get them in. But that's easier said than done since he lives on an island protected by Cyclopes, which is a pretty neat little action sequence (and reminds me of the second Percy Jackson novel, The Sea of Monsters, which is weird because now a period mythology film is taking its cues for a YA novel? LOL). Cue the second surprise of the movie -- Hephaestus is a wee bit crazy and he's played by Bill Nighy, AND I LOVE BILL NIGHY, so the next few scenes are awesome. Not only did Hephaestus build Tartarus in his heyday, he's responsible for the Big Three's signature weapons -- the lightning bolt (Zeus), trident (Poseidon), and pitchfork (Hades), which when combined, form the Spear of Triam which is the only thing that can defeat Kronos, and surprise, surprise, Perseus is the only one capable of wielding it.

So everybody goes to the entrance to Tartarus, and the revolving "puzzle door" entrance and the subsequent layout of the labyrinth are really pretty cool. But before we can get to the maze Ares (this time played by Edgar Ramirez) shows up, and he has become a ROYAL JERK since Clash, consumed with daddy issues since he's a god and Perseus is only HALF-god but dad likes him better and DANGIT, THAT'S NOT FAIR RIGHT?!?! Sadly Hephaestus sacrifices himself in order to give Perseus, Andromeda, and Agenor a chance to enter the maze safely, and all I've gotta say is this film had far too little BILL NIGHY. *sigh* So ENTER THE MAZE, and like I said I think the design is really quite cool, and the whole experience is very stressful for everyone since they're seeing things and the walls are trying to crush them, etc. But I can't help but feel that somewhere Theseus is upset that he got gypped out of a film deal. Whatevs, though, because Perseus takes care of that pesky Minotaur gatekeeper thingy and Zeus gets rescued BUT IT IS TOO LATE because Kronos has SUCKED OUT MOST OF ZEUS'S POWERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EEEPPP!!!!

What's interesting about this movie is the overall theme of familial reconciliation and sacrifice (along with a healthy dose of family dysfunction). Hades (Ralph Feinnes), who caused all of the problems in Clash, even has a change of heart here, sacrificing a good portion of his power for his brother, and they end up having one last hurrah on the battlefield. And of course there's the issue of the problem with parental favoritism, as that clearly sent Ares off the deep end. In that respect I think Wrath improves on its predecessor by deepening its characterizations and their motivations to some extent. (Also an improvement -- the score by Javier Navarrete, who provides a more traditional, rousing adventure movie score than its predecessor got.) Of course along with that there's a lot more explosions and fighting and special effects -- and the last battle, especially, was just a bit too much. Kronos the lava monster really overwhelmed the screen, losing the human characters -- and while I realize all of that is to be expected in a movie of this type, I prefer the one-on-one confrontations, such as the final Ares vs. Perseus battle, which actually has a bit of depth to it since Perseus is fighting for his father and his son.

Hands-down the surprise of this movie is Rosamund Pike's performance as the warrior-queen Andromeda. I was really rather worried about her appearance in this movie since I'm used to her playing classy types like Jane Bennet. But I needn't have worried because she was really quite good -- she seemed to really throw herself into the role, and I have to imagine that all of the action scenes were a refreshing change from ther norm. She has the delicate beauty and demeanor of a lady, so seeing her prove an adept on the battlefield just makes her that much more awesome. :)

So slaying Kronos and seeing his daddy turn to dust has made Perseus realize that it is HIGH TIME he quits fighting the inevitable. All of this means the fishing gig is out and he needs to step up and embrace his inevitable destiny as a LEADER OF MEN. This is a handy realization because of course Amdromeda might like to make him her king if HE WOULD JUST KISS HER ALREADY...and after being egged on by Agenor, he finally makes that happen, and I am really happy about that so all is well. But then the filmmakers decide to stress me out by having Perseus give his sword to his son, and leaving me wanting to yell "don't pass the torch!!!! don't pass the flippin' torch!!!" Because people for as much fun as these two Titans movies can be, of this I am convinced...we don't need Revenge, Return, whatever of the Titans with Perseus junior. That would just be a bit too much. Leave me with the happy thought that Perseus and Andromeda are going to rule Greece and I'll be ecstatically happy . :)

upcoming films...

So I took the afternoon off and went to the movies this afternoon (more on that a bit later), and was pleasantly surprised by three trailers that look very promising --

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen



Ewan McGregor! Emily Blunt! SALMON! Color me intrigued. According to the IMDB, the film is slated to open in the US March 9th -- though I suspect that is a limited release date.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel



Isn't this cast amazing? Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, Penelope Wilton!? Did I mention BILL NIGHY?! According to the IMDB, this is slated to open May 4th.

W.E.



This film has been on my radar for a while now thanks to my interest in the history. But this film - James D'Arcy is playing Edward, LAURENCE FOX is playing his brother Bertie, and the rest of the cast of the historical portion of the film is equally pedigreed. I could care less about the Madonna connection...but with D'Arcy and Fox in this film I'm so there. :) According to the IMDB this one opens February 3rd, probably in limited release first.

Masterpiece update

I thought it was high time for a Masterpiece update. For the past three weeks, Masterpiece Mystery has been airing Case Histories which was a total bust as far as I'm concerned, except for this:

I couldn't resist. *wink*

This Sunday, Masterpiece Contemporary begins with a brand-new drama entitled Page Eight.

I'm actually quite curious about this one -- I love me some Bill Nighy, and the rest of the cast is fabulous -- Rachel Weisz, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon! Here's a bit about the story:

What happens when spies grow older in a post-9/11 world? Sixty-something MI-5 agent Johnny Worricker has amassed an impressive art collection, an amicable collection of ex-wives, and a droll, unflappable relationship with the work he enjoys alongside his boss and best friend, MI5 chief Benedict Baron. But when Benedict brings to light damning evidence of British complicity with illegal American torture operations, it falls to Johnny to do the right thing. And the right thing, in this morally ambiguous new era, is unclear — as unclear as the motives of Johnny's neighbor, Nancy, who draws Johnny in with her sad beauty and a secret of her own.

Starring Bill Nighy (Love Actually, He Knew He Was Right), Michael Gambon (the Harry Potter films, Cranford), Rachel Weisz (The Constant Gardener) and Judy Davis (Husbands and Wives), Page Eight is written and directed by David Hare (The Hours), whose stylish spy thriller resonates with today's uneasy coexistence of security and uncertainty.

And here's a short trailer:



I'm not sure if I'll be watching this one live -- the draw of Once Upon a Time and Pan Am on Sunday nights is pretty strong. But I will definitely be checking it out at some point. If you watch Sunday night, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Glorious 39

I have a feeling that Glorious 39 is either a movie people like or they can't stand. It's not a film that delivers easy, clear answers and closure - and it's not without its flaws. But personally, I found it to be enormously thought-provoking, a gripping and thoroughly absorbing piece of cinema. I'm SO glad it finally released on DVD! I had completely forgotten about it - it's been about three years since I saw trailers break online, and I hoped (vainly, as it turns out) that the film would see a limited release in my area since it features a memorable performance by m'darling DAVID TENNANT. Alas, a theatrical viewing was not to be, and it was only by chance that I saw an advertisement announcing the movie's DVD release. On to the story...parts of this review will probably be very spoiler-y since I want to set my thoughts about the film "on paper" as the saying goes. So be warned. :)

The film opens in the present day, with young Michael (Toby Regbo) visiting some distant cousins, brothers Walter (Christopher Lee) and Oliver (Corin Redgrave). Walter and Oliver seem uneasy with Michael's visit, especially when he asks about what really happened to his mysterious great aunt Anne Keyes, who disappeared during the war. Bu any uneasiness Walter and Oliver may feel with their young cousin digging up the past is quickly overshadowed by Walter's desire for an audience and the chance to revisit that glorious summer of 1939, before the outbreak of World War II changed everything. The tagline of this film is "you can't always run from the past," and we see the older Walter discover this to be true as his complicity in the events surrounding Anne's fall from the family's grace is revealed.

I absolutely love the look of the film as it begins to take us into the flashback. The family estate, the setting for so much heartbreak, is gorgeously rendered on-screen. Everything appears sublimely idyllic in the lives of the Keyes family - yes, conflict is on the horizon with Hitler's aggression in Europe, but what could that possibly have to do with their lives so far away, so secluded and removed from the hustle and bustle of London and political drama. Oldest adopted daughter Anne (Romola Garai) and her brother Ralph (Eddie Redmayne) and sister Celia (Juno Temple) appear to be as close as one could wish, dashing among the ruins, privileged and without a care in the world - until they are brought short by the image of a burial. The stark contrast to their carefree play is only a hint of the shadows that will soon overcome this privileged family.

Anne has invited two friends to the family home to help celebrate her beloved father's birthday - Sir Alexander Keyes (Bill Nighy), a World War I hero and a respected Member of Parliament. Hector Haldane (David Tennant), also an MP, is just a friend, while Lawrence (Charlie Cox) is a lover yet to be introduced to the family. Alexander brings an unexpected guest home with him, Balcombe (Jeremy Northam), an unsettlingly quiet and reserved government employee. Over the birthday dinner, Hector becomes quite outspoken about his fervent belief that Hitler must be stopped and that the current government's policy of appeasement is not only not working but dangerous, because "evil has to be stood up to." A bit of an aside - it's absolutely fantastic to see Tennant in his role with his Scottish accent. Excuse me while I swoon. And Tennant's scenes are even more swoon-worthy given his character's passionate stance against Hitler and the the threat of appeasement. Hector is a character who was determined to make a stand, and I loved that.

Shortly after the birthday dinner, Anne ventures into her father's previously forbidden outbuildings on the estate in search of a lost cat. There she discovers records, labeled as fox trots or popular songs, that don't contain music but instead are recordings of meetings - meetings she thinks little of until her friend Hector is found dead of an apparent suicide. Anne conjectures that the mysterious Balcombe could have something to do with Hector's death - she's wary of the recordings and everyone's reticence to explain the true nature of Balcombe's government work. As the stress of the mystery of the recordings and Hector's death mounts, Anne finds herself under fire as her own well-being and mental acuity are called into question.

I think I'll stop there, because this film is a journey worth experiencing yourself - if I've succeeded in hooking your interest. :) Let's talk about the construction of the film itself and some of the performances. Glorious 39 is written and directed by Stephen Poliakoff. I confess to being unfamiliar with his work save for the Masterpiece production The Lost Prince. Despite some hiccups in tone and editing, Glorious 39 is a carefully constructed film, each scene increasing the tension and suspense factor exponentially. In some respects it is reminiscent of an Alfred Hitchcock film (note I'm not saying it's on that level, just similar!) - for the most part, the suspense comes from really well layed-out and gradually increasing psychological tension, not gore or scenes that only have "shock" value (this holds true until the last fourth of the film anyway).

I'm a pretty big fan of Romola Garai's work - ever since her appearance in 2002's Daniel Deronda she's continued to grow and mature as an actress, and her latest Masterpiece appearance in Emma is one of my favorites. I happened upon this review of Glorious 39 which likens Garai's performance as Anne to Ingrid Bergman in a Hitchcock picture, and the more I mull over that comparison the more I find that I agree with it. Anne possesses the same balance of wide-eyed innocence and strength that Bergman projected in films like Spellbound or Notorious (especially the latter IMO). And though it's not a Hitchcock picture, the psychological terror brought to bear against Anne, and her reaction to it, reminds me of the terrorized wife Bergman plays in Gaslight. The final act of Glorious 39 takes a marked turn towards the melodramatic that I think will be off-putting to some viewers. It calls into question the veracity of some of the events we've seen play out to that point, but the tone and direction worked for me.

Glorious 39 skates a delicate balance between taut psychological thriller and melodrama, and while I wouldn't say it manages that balance perfectly the end product worked for me. It seems only natural to me that the continued strain placed upon Anne by the events of the film would bring her to the point of a psychological breakdown. I think that's why the last fourth of the film takes on an almost unreal aspect when Anne visits the country vet in order to put the family pets to sleep. My take on the scene where Anne enters the barn filled with animal corpses waiting to be burned is that its some sort of comment on how the coming war will consume even the most innocents wholly and completely. I don't think it's a comment on the Holocaust, as the emotional impact of the scene feels more generic and broadly directed to me.

Poliakoff has crafted a film that addresses reality vs. imagination, truth vs. fiction, and trust vs. lies. As privileged members of the British aristocracy in the 1930s, Anne's family was wholly invested in maintaining the status quo at all costs. The lengths they are willing to go to in order to accomplish their aims are positively chilling, and may leave you pondering - as it did me - just how you might have reacted were you unfortunate enough to find yourself in Anne's situation. I think if the film hadn't made quite so sharp a turn towards over-the-top melodrama in the final act that the resulting movie would have been tighter and more focused.

If you're interested in this film but concerned about the R rating, that is mainly for the way psychological tension builds throughout the movie. When the deaths are involved there is some blood but the scenes are not overly graphic. The one "almost" love scene where Charlie Cox's backside is revealed is completely unnecessary. Romola Garai drops several f-bombs toward the movie's finale, which are quite jarring given her almost genteel on-screen presence, but in the context of the story and what Anne has endured you may find it understandable.

A few quick additional acting shout-outs...I just love Bill Nighy and he was spectacular as Anne's father. His calm, solicitous demeanor throughout the film is positively chilling. You can totally understand how hard it would be for Anne to come to terms with this, for all appearances kind and loving man, being involved in an appeasement effort that advocates the violent intimidation and silencing of protesters. I also love Jeremy Northam, and have to give him kudos for playing against the more heroic, gentleman-like type of role I'm more accustomed to seeing him play in period films. It was a real treat to see Julie Christie as Anne's Aunt Elizabeth - Christie just oozes class, and though her complicity in the plot to "teach Anne a lesson" is never directly addressed, her laser like focus on frivolous matters stands in stark contrast to the dark events on the horizon with the advent of war. Hugh Bonneville gives a great turn as Anne's actor friend Gilbert, whose life is also sacrificed for discovering too much about the appeasors' activities.

Since I love film music, I have to mention composer Adrian Johnston provides the film's gorgeous score (he worked on Becoming Jane). And in addition to Poliakoff's work as writer and director, I have to give credit to the editors and cinematographers that worked on Glorious 39 - the editing in this film is, for the most part, so good at never letting up on the tension and suspense! And the look of the film, from the settings to the costumes is simply sumptuous. The stark dichotomy between the outward beauty of the Keyes family's lives and the inward corruption is really well played out. If you liked Atonement, I think you'd enjoy Glorious 39. Both films are similarly thought-provoking stories that address questions of truth and honor without providing pat or easy answers.

And finally, if you actually made it through this review, thanks. I know it's a long one. :) If you've seen Glorious 39 I'd love to discuss - it's been a couple of days since I watched it and I feel like I'm still processing it in many respects!

Wild Target

I really, really want to see this movie...



Bill Nighy, Emily Blunt, Rupert Everett, Martin Freeman, and Rupert Grint?! Yes, please! No idea when it will appear in theaters (if ever). The IMDB lists the film's release date in the US as November 6th...so, who knows? If this is playing in your area let me know, I'm curious!