Movies

Updated : February 27, 2009

 

Oscar Night is March 7 and  Frank's Picks are:

Best Picture:  Avatar
Best Actress: Gabourey Sidbe (Precious)
Best Actor:   Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart)
Best Supporting Acftress:  Mo'Nique (Precious)
Best Supporting Actor:    Christoph Waltz (Inglorious Basterds)

The Last Station
One of the strongest love stories in a while ,the two protagonists, Leo Tolstoy and his wife  are perfect examples of the 'can't live with you, can't live without you" genre. This melodrama about the last years of Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy("War and Peace")  is a brilliant tour de force for two of our finest actors, Christopher Plummer and Helen Mirren. (Both have been nominated for best  acting honors in this year's Oscar race) The basic plot involves whether Tolstoy should leave his works to the state or to his family.  The battle  escalates with two camps, Paul Giamatti insisting it should belong to the people, and Helen Mirren insisting it should be the family who should be the heir. It's a stirring story that will keep you engaged from start to finish.

Up in the Air 
Director Jason Reitman ("Juno") has come up with a sure winner with his latest flick. Vivid characters and a sharp love story. The rare film that audiences can readily identify with. George Clooney, in a role that seemed made for him, plays a corporate downsizer who avoids emoptional ties by traveling constantly and feeding his obsession to accumulate frequent flier miles and enjoy the perks available.  At least until he meets up with fellow cumpulsive traveler Vera Farmiga. who gives him a run for his money.They play off each other beautifully. The other female role is played by Anna Kendrick,a fast-talking delight who is trying to upend what presumably is a lifestyle that Clooney covets. When Hollywood get it right, there's nothing better.  Don't miss this one.

Avatar

James Cameron has turned one man’s dream of the movies into a trippy joy ride about the end of life as we know it. Several decades in the dreaming and four years in the actual making, the  3-D alien/jungle epicmovie is a song to the natural world that was largely produced with software.  It has become the biggest box office smash since his last effort "Titanic", filled with Cameronian rock ’em, sock ’em pulpy action. Created to conquer hearts, minds, history books and box-office records, the movie — one of the most expensive in history — is glorious and goofy and  whether you're a fan of sci-fi films or not, you have to go.  The special effects alone are worth the trip.uthor:

 

  The Hurt Locker

Being touted as a serious Best Picture Oscar contender The Hurt Locker is a serious character study and a taut, suspenseful action thriller at once.
The story of a bomb diffusion unit in Iraq the film concentrates much more on the job itself than the political environment. Iraq seemed more like a backdrop - any other war would do,. Not too well known actor Jeremy Renner gives an incredibly powerful performance as an EOD officer completely hooked on adrenaline stemming from his everyday close shaves with death.( Her earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actor)
All aspects of film-making are top-notch, from the brilliantly subversive screenplay through vivid cinematography and. Kathryn Bigelow's (also up for Best Director Oscar) masterful directing.
In its storytelling the filmmakers wisely break with traditional Hollywood narrative techniques. There is no clear antagonist, no rising action, no obvious character development and no climax. And yet the film manages to be more interesting, tense and suspenseful than any Hollywood action thriller I've seen in years while making a powerful, yet subtle statement about the insane addiction that is war.

Invictus
Directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela, the title of the film comes from the Latin word for undefeated . It was the title of a 19th cent. poem that inspired Mandela during his 27 years in prison. The story centers on the anti-apartheid leader's efforts to unify South Africa during the early days of his presidency, culminating in the country's stunning upset victory at 1955's rugby world cup. Matt Damon plalys the rugby team captain

Nine
Daniel Day -Lewis in a true stretch as a aong and dance man.  He plays a movie director juggling the seven women in his life as he prepares to helm his ninth film. Basd on Fellini's "8 1/2",the film is directed by Rob Marshall ("Chicago") and costars a bevy of beauties including Oscar winners Penelope Cruz, Nicole Kidman, Marion Cotillard, Judi Dench, Sophia Loren and Kate Hudson. With such a star-studded cast, you'd think Marshall would have  the perfect followup to his Oscar winning "Chicago". But somehow  it ws not to be.  Pretentious and boring, the film  jumps from one big musical production featuring the individual stars and in between we have a very depressed Daniel DAy Lewis trying to figure out where his life is taking him.  This may go down as Hollywood's biggest bomb of the year.

It's Complicated
Romantic-comedy auteur Nancy Meyers ( Soemthing's Gotta Give) directs a grown-up romp that follows a divorcee ( Meryl Streep) her ex-husband( Alec Baldwin) and her architect.(Steve Martin) Streep plays a fifty something lady who's successful in business, but somehow ot ohter  lacking in her own personal  life. All three of the leads capture their roles perfectly.  there are some laugh out loud scenes  and as we follow Streep in her quest for romance we're enjoying every minute.Finally a romantic comedy that appeals to adults who remember the Hebpurn -Tracy classics, and how much fun they could be.