Doubt--Surprisingly, this is our favorite of the movies we've seen the last cou
ple of weeks. We had seen the play with Cherry Jones, who won a Tony Award for her role, but we both agree that the movie was a much more powerful experience. The four main actors are equally at the top of their game and turn in amazing performances. Meryl Streep plays Sister Aloysius, principal of the parish school circa 1960's, who faces off against Philip Seymour Hoffman's Father Flynn. Sister Aloysius is an ambitious nun resentful not just of Father Flynn's "modern" ideas, but of his rank and the general sexism within the church. Her suspicions about Father Flynn and his relationship with one of the young male students provide the backbone of the plot. The tension between these two is palpable and is not diminished in any way by the presence of a young, naive nun who is drawn into their conflict (played by the excellent Amy Adams). Viola Davis takes a small role and makes it unforgettable--she captures beautifully the quiet strength and steely determination of a mother trying to do the best by her son in the face of racism, sexism, and an abusive husband. Definitely a must see.
Australia--Predictable, light entertainment . . . the plot is one that you've seen many
times (haughty, tightly-wound woman + sexy, rough-around-the-edges man + adventure that binds them together = true love) and uses every cliche in the book. It's also way too long. What did stand out was the choice to narrate the story through the eyes of the young half-caste boy, Nullah, who becomes a surrogate son to the childless Lady Ashley and the free-spirited Drover. Nullah lives in fear of being taken by the government from his real mother to be "re-educated" (i.e., turned white) in a mission school. This meshing of social outrage and romantic adventure does make the movie more interesting. Also, the film is pretty to look at, and the scenes of the outback are certainly beautiful (although there are only so many expansive shots of scenery you can take in two and a half hours). The best scenery in the movie (we have to admit) is Hugh Jackman . . .
ple of weeks. We had seen the play with Cherry Jones, who won a Tony Award for her role, but we both agree that the movie was a much more powerful experience. The four main actors are equally at the top of their game and turn in amazing performances. Meryl Streep plays Sister Aloysius, principal of the parish school circa 1960's, who faces off against Philip Seymour Hoffman's Father Flynn. Sister Aloysius is an ambitious nun resentful not just of Father Flynn's "modern" ideas, but of his rank and the general sexism within the church. Her suspicions about Father Flynn and his relationship with one of the young male students provide the backbone of the plot. The tension between these two is palpable and is not diminished in any way by the presence of a young, naive nun who is drawn into their conflict (played by the excellent Amy Adams). Viola Davis takes a small role and makes it unforgettable--she captures beautifully the quiet strength and steely determination of a mother trying to do the best by her son in the face of racism, sexism, and an abusive husband. Definitely a must see.The Curious Case of Benjamin Button--The CB's disagree a bit on this one. Ann thought it dragged in 
parts, and that the emphasis on the physical aspects of Benjamin's reverse aging left her wanting more insight into his emotional and psychological condition throughout. She also felt that the chemistry between Benjamin (Brad Pitt) and Daisy (Cate Blanchett) wasn't very strong, and that Pitt underplayed the role. While I agree that the relationship between Benjamin and Daisy didn't always seem as powerful as it should have been, I thought the slow pace of the film appropriately mirrored the leisurely tempo of Southern story-telling. I also found Pitt's performance to be subtle and heart-breaking. He made me fell Benjamin’s sadness as he becomes more familiar with death and the reality of each person’s mortality, as he deals with the pain of trying to keep his condition a secret, and as he regrets missed opportunities. Pitt also captures the thrill and excitement of living, his pure joy at being in love and the eagerness with which he sets out to see the world. We both agreed that the performance by Taraji Henson, who plays Benjamin's adoptive mother, is the stand-out role of the movie. We also agree that it was a touching, bittersweet movie that tells an intriguing story using outstanding special effects.
parts, and that the emphasis on the physical aspects of Benjamin's reverse aging left her wanting more insight into his emotional and psychological condition throughout. She also felt that the chemistry between Benjamin (Brad Pitt) and Daisy (Cate Blanchett) wasn't very strong, and that Pitt underplayed the role. While I agree that the relationship between Benjamin and Daisy didn't always seem as powerful as it should have been, I thought the slow pace of the film appropriately mirrored the leisurely tempo of Southern story-telling. I also found Pitt's performance to be subtle and heart-breaking. He made me fell Benjamin’s sadness as he becomes more familiar with death and the reality of each person’s mortality, as he deals with the pain of trying to keep his condition a secret, and as he regrets missed opportunities. Pitt also captures the thrill and excitement of living, his pure joy at being in love and the eagerness with which he sets out to see the world. We both agreed that the performance by Taraji Henson, who plays Benjamin's adoptive mother, is the stand-out role of the movie. We also agree that it was a touching, bittersweet movie that tells an intriguing story using outstanding special effects. Australia--Predictable, light entertainment . . . the plot is one that you've seen many
times (haughty, tightly-wound woman + sexy, rough-around-the-edges man + adventure that binds them together = true love) and uses every cliche in the book. It's also way too long. What did stand out was the choice to narrate the story through the eyes of the young half-caste boy, Nullah, who becomes a surrogate son to the childless Lady Ashley and the free-spirited Drover. Nullah lives in fear of being taken by the government from his real mother to be "re-educated" (i.e., turned white) in a mission school. This meshing of social outrage and romantic adventure does make the movie more interesting. Also, the film is pretty to look at, and the scenes of the outback are certainly beautiful (although there are only so many expansive shots of scenery you can take in two and a half hours). The best scenery in the movie (we have to admit) is Hugh Jackman . . .Slumdog Millionaire--More to come on this, as I saw it in Burlington with my daughter and her girlfriend, and Ann has yet to see it . . .
