50: DISTRICT 9

Part two of my Staples Corner night out (crazy times), and the official halfway mark!!

Entertaining, original, funny - District 9 has it all. Set in Johannesburg, South Africa, and shot in documentary style, it's a refreshing new addition to the science fiction genre. Peter Jackson produces this 'independent' movie and you can see why - it's hilarious (the main character, Wikus van der Merwe, is introduced as a bit of a deskbound nerd, but, when under pressure out in the field, comes out with some great one liners and uses the word 'fuck', with his Afrikaans accent, with great humour), it's gory (blood flies about in copious amounts and bodies explode regularly), it's touching (sort of), and its topical (examples of the way the 'prawns' are treated can be found in the real world, and being set in South Africa only emphasises this point).

A very entertaining 2 hours from a talented director, who hopefully doesn't go on to sell his soul to the remake / sequel producing machine that is Hollywood.

8.5 out of 10

46: PUBLIC ENEMIES

The long awaited next Michael Mann movie - love his stuff and with Depp and Bale starring, it can't go wrong.

The inevitable comparisons to Heat can be made (and there are a few similarities) but Mann's latest is an entertaining and beautifully shot movie in its own right. As is Mann's style, he takes his time, scenes playing out at their own pace; the movie simmers. This is a movie that entertains the brain cells and will hold up to repeat viewings - a beautifully constructed and captivating telling of John Dillinger's life as Public Enemy No. 1. To appreciate not only Depp, Bale, et al and Mann's subtle direction, but also the crystal clear digital photography - go see it on the big screen, if it isn't too late. The worst thing is: having to wait for Mann's next one!!

8.5 out of 10

23: RACHEL GETTING MARRIED (OSCAR SERIES)

Eye on which Oscar?

Performance by an actress in a leading role - Anne Hathaway

Where?

Chelsea, 8.40pm (second in a double bill).

Comments?

On first glance, Rachel Getting Married looks like a non taxing rom-com that would not be to my liking at all. Anne Hathaway is the lead actress; there's the word "married" in the title. I was not hoping for much, hoping for something that I would at least be able to sit through.

Digging a little deeper, I saw that the movie was directed by Jonathan Demme, the man who gave the cinematic world The Silence of the Lambs. Okay, this made me feel a little better. Sure, it still looks like a marriage rom-com but maybe there's something a little darker underneath. I was right.

Rachel Getting Married is an intense, fly on the wall study of a dysfunctional family attempting to come together for a momentous occasion, but instead bringing all festering anxieties and arguments to the surface. It is a captivating account of how far families can be torn apart and how they can, if not in totality, be brought back together.

Kym returns home from rehab for her sister's wedding. Rachel is marrying a musician and is deeply in love. Kym's arrival is not exactly welcomed by Rachel, a little too late in an attempt at reconciliation, but their father, overbearing and protective of Kym, does everything he can to keep the wedding on track. Sounds like something Steve Martin and Martin Short might be involved in, but rest assured, this is as far from The Wedding Planner as anything could be. Nothing is held back or sweetened; this is raw, visceral stuff.

Deep down below the surface, Kym is fighting her family, who, whether spoken or not, hold her accountable for a tragic accident that occurred when she was sixteen years old. The horrible incident in the past permeates the movie from beginning to end, just as it would do so for the family members for the rest of their lives, and it is depicted in many poignant scenes. One such scene involves a dishwasher stacking contest in the kitchen which comes to an abrupt end by the appearance of a solitary plate, accidentally retrieved from the cupboard at the height of the contest. Memories come flooding in, filling the silence.

Rachel Getting Married drains the emotions from each end of the spectrum, sadness and regret, to joy and love, but you will leave the cinema feeling fuller in spirit. An important movie, deftly handled and superbly acted, this may not be a rom-com or a date movie, but it is an experience that touches the heart and soul, a "marriage" movie that has to work hard for happiness.

Oscar worthy?

I can be comfortable in saying that Rachel Getting Married should have been up for more Oscars. If The Academy turned their eye to more independent, challenging pieces, Rachel would maybe up there for Best Movie, but definitely for Best Director. It doesn't even get a nod for Best Screenplay, which was written by Sydney Lumet's daughter, Jenny, and is both raw and warm in its delivery. Lines like "he lives in our hearts and pays a little rent everyday" and "I wish that you both will live to 100 years old and that I will live to one day less, so I will always know that people like you never die" may sound corny in this context, but upon hearing them on screen, they felt like the most original lines I've heard in some time.

Although Rachel Gets Married is not an Oscar film, I believe it is better off for it. A small indie type film and release guarantees it remains at a size befitting the story and production.

As for Anne Hathaway, she is excellent as Kym, the family's embarrassment who, no matter how hard she tries to deny it, wants acceptance. However, the actress is not alone. Rosemarie DeWitt as Rachel, Bill Irwin as the father, Debra Winger as the estranged mother, and everybody else in the cast down to the wedding singers (which of there are plenty) are brilliant and, this is a complement to the cast as a whole, they are so well rounded and natural in their performance that they don't even appear to be acting. There should definitely have been a few Best Supporting nominations thrown into the mix here, especially for DeWitt (who, after seeing this movie, I've added to my Celebrity Sex-e-Que © list) and Irwin; both fine performances. As for Hathaway, I think she is great in this movie, but her co-actors are just as good, thus diluting her chances, in my eyes, for the Oscar.

Rating?

8.5 out of 10

Post Movie Quote:

"I didn't expect to gain anything from this movie, but I'm pleasantly surprised. I didn't expect to lose anything either, but where's my bloody umbrella!"

20: MILK (OSCAR SERIES)

Eye on which Oscar?

Performance by an actor in a leading role - Sean Penn

Performance by an actor in a supporting role - Josh Brolin

Achievement in directing - Gus Van Sant

Best motion picture of the year

Where?

West India Quay, 5.30pm (first time at this cinema, very nice and modern, tiered seating, big screens, big sound, on the DLR).

Comments?

Milk is a tender, faithful and ultimately heartbreaking true story about Harvey Milk, an American politician and gay rights activist who was the first openly gay man to be elected into politics as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. It was a major win for the gay movement and many celebrated the nomination in the Castro District of San Francisco, where Milk established his base.

Milk's life as we join it in the movie, is unfulfilled and dissatisfying, a dead end job and a suppressed personal life. He begins a relationship with Scott Smith and together they head for San Francisco for a better, more open life. They witness oppression and bigotry towards homosexuals, forming the catalyst for Milk's move into politics. His mandate: equal rights for gays. He is unsuccessful during two campaigns, but with Smith and a team of dedicated workers who believe in his cause, he achieves his historical election to the Board of Supervisors.

The movie is upheld by the spirit of Harvey Milk, a heart-warming man who stood up for what he and many others believed in. He became an icon for the gay movement, a spokesperson, and unfortunately, a target. However, his ultimate downfall is not brought on solely by homophobic sources, but from a disturbed fellow Supervisor, Dan White, who lets the pressure of the situation and his own confused state lead him to an unspeakable act.

The acting performances are amazing in this movie, with Sean Penn leading the charge as Harvey Milk. Other notable turns are from James Franco as Scott Smith, Josh Brolin as Dan White and Emile Hirsch as Cleve Jones. Deigo Luna contributes a fine supporting role as Jack Lira, a lost soul who falls for the charismatic Milk but struggles to share him with the man's political passion.

Milk is an entertaining movie that will pull at the heart strings. It depicts an important episode in the gay movement with honesty and heart, a true reflection of the man, Harvey Milk.

Oscar worthy?

Milk has four nominations in the major categories of this year's Oscars, with no other film faring better. It definitely deserves the nominations, an excellent, moving film with fine performances.

Josh Brolin's portrayal of Supervisor Dan White is expertly done. However, he has reasonably little screen time for a supporting role. What he does with it is tremendously good and he is a fine actor, but he is up against Heath Ledger and the two performances are miles apart.

As for the Directing and Best Movie nominations, I'd say it is right up there with the other four in each category. A thoroughly entertaining movie depicting an important movement in political history. Gus Van Sant's direction is flawless, an exceptional effort indeed. It's hard to tell thus far who will win, who is a dark horse and who will miss out on the golden statue in these categories. We may see a split in the categories, where normally, Best Directing follows Best Movie. If I had to make a call, I would say Milk stands a better chance in Best Movie.

As for Sean Penn, his performance mesmerised me; it was outstanding. The character is so believable, it actually feels like you are watching the man's life unfold before you. Big smiles, subtle campness and fine acting add to the transformation. But it is more than just a transformation, it is an expression of Milk's tenacity and big heart, his ruthlessness and caring persona, a statement of what it meant to be gay in San Francisco in the seventies. I haven't seen The Wrestler yet, but my hot tip is that Sean Penn will win the Oscar.

Rating?

8.5 out of 10

Post Movie Quote:

It's bloody cold," in reference to standing outside waiting for the DLR to arrive.

18: THE READER (OSCAR SERIES)

Eye on which Oscar?

Performance by an actress in a leading role - Kate Winslet

Achievement in directing - Stephen Daldry

Best motion picture of the year

Where?

Shaftesbury Avenue, 6pm (one of two planned movies for the night).

Comments?

I was readying myself for an uncomfortable movie experience when I settled into my Cineworld seat at Shaftesbury Avenue cinema. I had seen the previews of The Reader and knew this was a movie touching on the annihilation of Jews during World War II. But that was not the half of it.

The Reader is a love story. It is still an uncomfortable viewing, but for a different reason - this is a story of first feelings: love, loss and betrayal. One can relate to the primal feelings expressed by the main characters, if not the context. What makes this movie stand out from your everyday love story is not this context, but the decisions made by the characters, each and every one in defiance of the formula. But each decision rings true, as frustrating as it is to watch.

Decisions have to be made by the audience too - a decision of sympathy and sadness for lost possibilities versus condemnation of an atrocious crime driven by nothing more than a sense of duty. It's a tough one, but the romantic in me fell for the former.

Kate Winslet is amazing as Hannah Schmitz, the object of passion for a seventeen year old Michael Berg (played with perfect innocence by David Kross) who happens across her one day when he falls sick on a tram in his home city of Berlin. All the actors, including Ralph Fiennes, are perfect, but it is Winslet's performance that resonates and rings true, that captivates and elicits conflicting feelings. Right from the start, her mannerisms, characteristics and facial expressions betray a troubled spirit, a woman dealing with her own personal shame, a shame that is misplaced when viewed objectively in the context of her other actions, and ultimately leads to her downfall. Kate Winslet's professionalism means that her performance complements the movie, without upstaging it.

The Reader is a movie that will cling to you long after it finishes, leaving you with mixed emotions and a sense of loss, but one thing is for sure, this is another great performance by a true talent.

Oscar worthy?

Not until I sat down to write this post did I realise that The Reader is up for both Best Director and Best Movie. In fact, after watching the movie, not knowing any different, I thought that it should be. This early on, it's hard to say whether it will fare well in those categories, but without evidence to the contrary, Kate Winslet will win Best Actress - her performance is pitch perfect, subtle where it has to be and just amazing to watch. The Streepster might pip her at the post, but Kate deserves it based on this performance.

Rating?

8.5 out of 10

Post Movie Quote:

"The Oscar Series has begun and Kate looks the goods."