The Queen (Stephen Frears, Color/English/2006)

PC


This is a Helen Mirren show all the way. Oscar for the grand lady? I vote for it. Sympathy for Diana is easily forthcoming and the general public will cry itself hoarse that the royal family killed her. The fact remains that she was killed in an accident. Period.

The movie shows the other point of view. Except for a few scenes and the depiction of Prince Philip as a dunce, the movie seems to have captured the mood in the royal family and the Queen's personal battles with the incident.

Looking forward to more great roles from Mirren.

SS

Ocean's Twelve (Steven Soderbergh, Color/English/2004)

PC


Now the first one "Ocean's Eleven" was an interesting remake and was bearable. This one is a clear NO NO!!! Completely garbled and overtly stylized, it left me asking if Soderbergh randomly shot the movie and created "a story" on the editing table. The acting, in most parts, was terrible, the plot cliched and confusing, the camerawork & editing gave me a headache.

Is Soderbergh losing it?

SS

Half Nelson (Ryan Fleck, Color/English/2006)

PC


This one I liked becuase at the end the movie didn't preach anything or showed a happy/sad ending. Half Nelson shows the relationship between a white male teacher in a predominantly african-american neighborhood school and a teenage african-american girl. The teacher is battling drug addiction and alcohol dependence and in turn trying to prevent the girl from getting entangled in drug peddling.

Without loud and preachy scenes, the movie shows the internal battles each of us fights inwardly, even though outside we tend not to show the world that we have issues. The movie has several messages and must be watched to understand them (instead of me writing in length).

The acting is good, but more than the acting, the direction stands out. Ryan Fleck has done a good job. Overall, a very fine movie.

SS