kate!

As everyone knows, I am slightly obsessed with Kate Winslet. She is just so incredibly talented, and does extraordinary and interesting work. This holiday season has been no exception to this. With two movies, she again shows her fearlessness and incredible range. In both cases, I actually read the book that the movie was based on prior to seeing the film.

REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

This is one heck of a story. Written and set in the 60's, the story follows a family living in the suburbs. The couple, Frank and April Wheeler are both miserable, feeling trapped, and feeling like they were/are destined for something more. However, they don't seem to be going anywhere. Both Kate and Leo are magnificent in this film. I feel like the work that Leonardo DiCaprio did in this film is truly the best of his career. The scenes between the two of them (when things are going particularly badly) are so explosive, and truly heartbreaking to watch. They both do so much, and are supported by a fabulous supporting cast, including Kathryn Hahn (who was fantastic in BOEING BOEING on Broadway!) and the amazing Michael Shannon as the disturbed son of the Wheeler's real-estate agent. This movie is dark....and sad. The film has a very stylized feel, that I totally thought worked. However, I know that others have been critical of Sam Mendes' vision. I walked out of the movie saddened and moved, and only wishing every movie I saw contained such extraordinary performances.

Final thoughts: Dark, depressing, and full of unbelievable performances. Kate and Leo give performances that will astound you.

THE READER

THE READER is another incredibly dark and complicated story, and Kate tackles (with immense grace and poise) a very difficult role. Hanna, a 35 year-old, begins an affair with a 15 year-old boy, and eventually just ends up disappearing after a couple of months. The boy then runs into Hanna again several years later whilst he is in school to be a lawyer when he attends a trial for women who were guards at concentration camps during WWII. She is on trial. David Kross gives an unbelievable performance as the young man. He is on his way to a huge career. Kate, of course, is brilliant....and the two together are quite compelling. The subject matter is disturbing - and their are some quite explicit sexual scenes which are a bit disconcerting as he is a child.

Final thoughts: Heavy material, but executed extremely well.

photo credit: www.movieweb.com

the oscars are coming - the oscars are coming!

Yes friends, the Oscars are coming, and that means that lots of fabulous movies are coming out. I have not been to as many as I would have liked to at this point, but I am getting there. Over the next couple of weeks, I am planning to do movies every Saturday and Sunday morning - so more reviews to come!

FROST/NIXON

There is nothing more exciting then going to a movie, and finding it compelling, suspenseful, and interesting - even when you know how it ends! Frank Langella and Michael Sheen both give extraordinary performances in this incredibly powerful film. David Frost, a British talk-show host, goes after Richard Nixon for the interview of his career. Richard Nixon is looking to reclaim some glory after having to leave the White House. These two men meet for several hours of interviews over the course of several weeks, and the results are painful, hilarious, and unbelievable. Well directed, Ron Howard really captures the era, and just makes a clean, crisp film. Plus, kudos to an amazing supporting cast. Sam Rockwell is seriously, like the coolest person ever! This movie was exceptionally interesting to see after having seen the Broadway performance last year! All in all, a great night at the movies!

Final thoughts: A smart, fabulous film with compelling subject matter and an amazing cast!

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

It is not often that I am truly surprised by a film, but BUTTON really took me by surprise. I went in thinking it was going to be a sort of epic movie full of special effects and Hollywood glamour. There are super-impressive special effects as the actors cover ages from 18-90....and Cate Blanchett and Brad Pitt are very glamorous...but the movie itself is truly a love story. It is a simple tale of a man who ages backwards (starting at 80) and the woman he loves who ages in a regular way. Sometimes they're together, and sometimes they're not. Sometimes you see what he's doing when they're apart, and sometimes you see her life. It is just so lovely. I found myself lost in the story, laughing and crying and feeling overwhelmed. Other than feeling kind of ugly compared to the beauty on the screen (he he), I couldn't have enjoyed the movie more than I did. I was seriously emotionally spent at the end of the movie, but in a good way.

Final thoughts: If you are a romantic, get thee to the theatre! A lovely trip to the movies.

photo credit: www.movieweb.com

did you know?

Did you know that Fort Lauderdale is the Venice of the US? If you did....good for you. It actually suprised me....I mean, I didn't actually think about Fort Lauderdale much at all, but alas, whilst on my vacation in Florida, we wandered to take a boat tour of this American Venice. It was very cool! Full of waterways, we wandered about looking at mansions (they even told us where the celebrities/rich people lived), yachts, and interesting architecture. We saw a giant cruise ship waiting to head out on a trip, and passed by some gorgeous beaches. The craziest thing we saw......giant wild iguanas! Seriously, they just wander around, and they are like two feet long, and apparently really mean. The male iguanas that we saw were all this bright orange color - the color of cheddar cheese, and seemed to have a harem of women. It was so weird! Sadly, I didn't get any pictures, but did manage to be completely freaked out by these prehistoric-looking creatures. At any rate, the boat trip was a lot of fun......and it was actually quite lovely. You should definitely take a boat trip through the waterways of Fort Lauderdale!