Black Swan. The winter’s most talked-about film so far, Black Swan is the riveting story of a beautiful ballet dancer’s self-destructive downward spiral. Natalie Portman prepared for a year to play this role and will be Oscar nominated. French actor Vincent Cassel is outstanding as the ballet company’s manipulative artistic director and doe-eyed Ukrainian beauty Mila Kunis is super job as Portman’s rival. Director Darren Aronofsky, who dusted off Mickey Rourke and made him relevant again in the 2008 cult hit The Wrestler, again shares an intensely disturbing voyeurism, this time going inside the tortured mind of a young woman whose life is comprised of nothing but dance. A powerful film made the hard way, through hard work and no shortcuts. Strong recommend.
I Love You, Phillip Morris. Open your eyes, open your heart. This fine effort couples a solid performance by dialed back maniac Jim Carrey with a marvelous effort by versatile Scottish actor Ewan McGregor as gay lovers whose lives complicate in jail and each other’s arms. This is a most unexpected love story and an excellent movie for everyone willing to embrace the power of romance in a not-so-ordinary form. Recommend.
Burlesque. At two hours it’s too long, and those who remember Cher from the sixties will find it tough not to fixate on all her plastic surgery. Cher is a trouper and does her best but the film suffers from a wooden acting performance by Christina Aguilera as an aspiring small town Midwest girl determined to carve out a slice of Hollywood by dancing and singing in a tiny emporium. The film is an hour long before Christina stops acting and starts performing. The plot is amateurish, the film darkly shot and choppily edited. Pass on it in the theater and watch it on TV.
The Next Three Days. Director Paul Haggis won an Oscar in 2005 for the ensemble film Crash. This film is different; this is a tight character study with star Russell Crowe in nearly every frame from start to finish. I liked this film because of the way it was made. The story unfolds and the drama continues to build throughout; it holds your attention from start to finish. The premise is simple: A determined husband decides to spring his wife out of prison after she’s incarcerated by mistake. Haggis produces top-notch work and this is no exception. Recommend.
Today’s Special. This cute little indy film set in mid-town Manhattan is about a young Indian chef who gets stuck running his father’s rundown Tandoori restaurant. Although somewhat predictable as the story unfolds, this is a happy little story with a quirky and likable cast. What’s not to like? Recommend.
One Lucky Elephant. Ten years in the making, Oprah’s new network bought the rights to this documentary. A small time circus owner buys a baby elephant and treats her like a daughter. But time works against both and he’s faced with the difficult realization that for the good of the elephant he must find her a new home. This film was choppily made on a shoestring so it’s best suited for animal lovers who don’t care about production quality. Pass unless you love elephants with issues.
Made in Dagenham. Wonderful British actress Sally Hawkins spearheads a highly likable ensemble cast of female factory workers who go on strike against Ford Motor Company and stand their ground for the betterment of all British job-holding women. An excellent film based on a true story, this is a strong recommend.
There Once Was An Island. A low-budget digital documentary about life choices and relocation decision-making for several hundred residents living on a tiny atoll in the South Pacific that’s facing submersion from rising sea levels caused by global warming. Watch on cable if you are so inclined; otherwise pass.