I daresay I’m proud to be an avid collector of the retro cowboy classics on DVDs.
It’s been ages since I first stared.
There’s always, this surmounting excitement of “gallopy” adventure depicted in mystical tales relating to the wild, wild west.
Specially those surrounding old-timers ALAN LADD and JOHN WAYNE, the archetype of the quintessential American heroes.
Westerns of yesteryears had uncomplicated plots then, and provided for the most wholesome of family entertainment.
My memory has always been piqued by this touching finale in “SHANE” where a boy called Joey pursues Shane the wounded gunslinger as he gallops away into the sunset.
Joey was frantically hollering “Shane! Shane!” with tears streaming down his face. His calls echo across the valley as the movie closes …. a poignant moment, breaking every heart and mind.
It was so sad, yet so sweet.
Why did I remember this scene?
Gosh, I haven’t a clue.
That particular visual sticks with me, till now.
Ever since then, my romancing with the kick-ass westerns started.
You dig Western movies?
They often come bathed in the splendor of sprawling landscapes, prairies, stretches of lonely mountains, murmuring streams and bubbling brooks.
Then this neo-cowboy offering “TRUE GRIT” is crafted for lovers of westerns.
It gets to be directed by by the Coen Brothers (Ethan and Joel) who has given us the gem of an academy award winner “NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN”.
Make that a double bonus.
A name such as THE COEN BROTHERS raise heads.
Anyhow, we don’t get to watch a lot of cowboy films these days.
They are fast becoming a rarity.
The western movie has quietly passed on from the motion picture scene.
Over the last decade fewer and fewer films depicting the western theme have been produced.
Cowboy stories are simple. They do not depict life alone.
They speak out for courage, magnanimity, benevolence and the ability to fight for justice, to root out community evil.
The plot of “TRUE GRIT” this time stems from a 14 year-old gal Mattie Ross (HAILEE STEINFIELD). She’s the pulse of the movie.
She is seeking vengeance for the brutal, senseless killing of her father by one of his hired hands called Tom Chaney (JOSH BROLIN) who made off with her father’s horses amongst them two California gold pieces.
Whilst collecting her father’s body, Mattie intends to hire a Deputy U.S. Marshal to track down Chaney. She is given three recommendations, but chooses to settle for Rooster Cogburn (JEFF BRIDGES) because he is described as aloof and merciless.
Naturally Rooster repeatedly rebuffs at her attempts to hire him to do the dirty work. At first.
But Mattie is a plucky girl with a fierce determination who never gives up.
She ignores Rooster’s overbearing insolence and stalks him until he agrees.
Despite Mattie’s objections, Cogburn is joined by a bullish Texas Ranger (MATT DAMON) who is also after Chaney, but for a different crime.
However these two cowboys could not shirk off Mattie as she proves she’s a force to be reckon.
She displays her true grit by courageously riding her horse across the river to catch up with them.
The three then head for Indian territory, believing that Chaney could have joined an outlaw gang headed by Lucky Ned (BARRY PEPPER).
As the days roll by after encountering all kinds of scraps, the three develop a strong, platonic friendship with the sole purpose of nailing the killer.
There are light comedic moments too, to break the monotony of rhythm.
These are evenly spaced, in true COEN BROTHERS style.
“TRUE GRIT” is essentially BRIDGE’s acting vehicle where he plays a rambling, alcoholic US marshal named Reuben “Rooster’’ Cogburn with remarkable finesse.
Not to be overshadowed, HAILEE STEINFELD pitches a wonderful performance as Nattie Ross, a steely gregarious 14-year old who’s hell bent on seeking justice for her father’s murder.
She is the real star of the show, where the crux of the parable weaves around her.
Hers is a dynamic character caught up in a timeless tale where she tackles her big screen debut with a fearlessness that borders on naïvety, yet is nevertheless admirable.
Remember the old song “We may never pass this way again”?
“TRUE GRIT” is an exceptional family entertainment that will bring back the glorious memories of yodeling, cowboys and gunslingers.
Sitting in the cinema appraising the ”BLACK SWAN” is like boarding a night train as it “choo-choos” its way into a long, dark tunnel.
We may not know where we are heading.
But we do know that there’s light at the end of the tunnel if we wait.
For now, the mood is decidedly grim. The tone foreboding. Throughout.
You can liken “BLACK SWAN” to a mesh of dark poetry blended into a piece of taut sinister, psychological drama.
It plagues, preys and gnaws on your mind, from start to end.
This one shall “will” you to utter despair, slowly but surely.
Yet, when the lights eventually go up and curtain calls are taken, “BLACK SWAN” will be remembered for being a deserving masterpiece in demented horror.
You picture NATALIE PORTMAN as she plays this fragile, forlorn ballerina who dances frantically in the dwindling spotlight, right deep into the complexity of our subconscious.
She lures us into her sinister dreams, and we follow hither.
That’s the beauty of film director DARREN ARONOFSKY’S BLACK SWAN.
We observe the slow burn and let the psychological breakdown of Nina, the lead character erode in our mindsets.
Until this utter reality begins to flap and twist like a hungry vulture, threatening to claw and consume.
You can barely tell the difference between the white swan persona (innocence) and the back swan’s (sensuality) and when you finally do, the end credits are already on the roll.
As PORTMAN’s screen character Nina loses her grip on the world around her, the feature morphs into a sort of high-toned horror film.
But the director settles it both ways: the elegance and the art film jextaposed with the chiaroscuro shots of ballerinas in spotlights, as well as the creepiness of the terror genre.
Off-screen there’s already, a resounding buzz and blast surrounding “BLACK SWAN”.
It’s reported that director DARREN ARONOFSKY is definitely looking at a certain Oscar nomination, whilst NATALIE PORTMAN is expected to be crowned the Best Actress queen.
French actor VINCENT CASSEL as the ballet director charms in a superb performance as ”a control freak, a true artist using sexuality to direct his dancers”.
Once-upon-a-time A-Listers, but now supporting actresses BARBARA HERSHEYas Nina’s overwhelming mother and WINONA RYDER as Beth, the forced-to-retire ballerina – BOTH lit up the screen with their powerful presence.
It’s great to see them giving the leads a run for their money. Welcome back gals.
The film opens on PORTMAN as a fragile ballerina in a prestigious New York company. She pursues her art, enabled by an overly protective mother (BARBARA HERSHEY) who gave up her own dancing career to become a parent.
Yet PORTMAN’s Nina yearns to show the world what she can do.
She gets her wish when the company’s imperious director (VINCENT CASSEL) casts her in a new production of Swan Lake: playing both the tragic Swan Queen and the villainous Black Swan.
She is told to explore her dark side so that she can better embody the dual role of the Swan Queen and the Black Swan.
This, combined with her concern over the ambitions of a new arrival at the company, Lily (KUNIS), pushes Nina towards breaking point.
It’s within the context of this paradox that a world of competitive ballet unleashes. A trapful of jealousies, devious schemes,bitchy backstabbing and the casting couch syndrome.
Nothing is ever perfect, much as you’d ever want.
Everything is stemmed from powerful emotions from the ballet right to the music.
Where the good and the evil intertwined.
“BLACK SWAN” offers a chilling twist in a world that’s cruelly short of perfection.
Perfection is art. Art is perfection.
Essentially this award winning film explores art in its purest form.
You feel Art, smell Art as Art is everywhere in “BLACK SWAN”. With a streak of gloom of the dark mind.
Not everyone shares the same divine craving for the British filmfare.
This is a staunch fact.
But there’s always a standing ovation for the deserving ones, out here in ASIA.
For non-fans, British films can be deemed as hard and boring, that is, if you do not know where to rest your artistic tolerance.
The younger minds who are ever mindful of action and excitement may not be as appreciative,
but for matured audiences, it’s a joy to behold when the right one comes along.
“THE KING’S SPEECH” is one such gem, packaged within a stand-offish title.
Sieving through you’ll surely find remarkable traces of
aristocracy, pomposity, stiff-upper-lip British blather, and all things such.
But then ….
“THE KING’S SPEECH” is dressed in style -
packing in a heavenly script.
Le manifique, folks.
The combination of sterling performances and masterful direction turns this movie into an all-consuming emotional experience.
This one is a powerful drama that you’ll quietly enjoy.
It’s a buddy story about a stutterer and would-be-king played by COLIN FIRTH and his speech therapist GEOFFREY RUSH with a decent amount of sugary toppings.
“THE KING’S SPEECH” explores the intensity of human relationships, making up for all the endless onslaught of violent and sex driven cinematic junk that is perpetually drowning us all the time.
It’s a true story about King George VI, who took over the throne just prior to World War II. George, ever mild mannered, had a serious speech problem and had an awful time speaking in public.
Colin Firth plays George and he displays the gentleness, wisdom and humor of the King.
He delivers a magnificent performance.
Geoffrey Rush plays Lionel Logue who ultimately helps the King overcome his speech impediment.
The interaction between Firth and Rush is top notch.
Helena Bonham Carter, in the role of Firth’s faithful screen wife demonstrates a steely presence with her grace, look and gestures.
Here’s a heartwarming, soulful film that plays out on the battlefield of words, not action.
It’s a perfect film fodder for discerning audiences starved for literate entertainment.
“THE KING’S SPEECH” is directed by TOM HOOPER, (THE DAMNED UNITED ,HBO’s award-winning mini-series and JOHN ADAMS). HOOPER quickly gets you emotionally immersed in the characters and storyline.
Overseas critics I know are lauding praises on this award-winning film.
Right.
So don’t miss it for the like of the world.
“THE KING’S SPEECH” is a smashing film by any means.
It’s one peach of a gem that will render you absolutely speechless.
Together, the die-hard and the skeptic embark on a journey unto the darkest depths of EXORCISM.
The mood is grim, the tone dismal.
Soon the young priest will be drawn into the supernatural world, much against his will.
He will be confronted with the ugly truth about Satan, demons, and possession.
“THE RITE” is reportedly based on actual events that occurred between two priests in Rome.
The film is directed by Mikael Hafstrom and stars Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins and a young, Irish actor named Colin O’Donoghue.
The duo is cast as the believer and the doubter.
We watch them fight a spiritual warfare, while dealing with their own personal demons.
The premise of the movie is taken from the book THE RITE: The Making of a Modern Exorcist by journalist Matt Baglio.
It’s a mind-bending parable that weaves the story of a priest-in-training Michael Kovak. Kovak is played by newcomer Colin O’Donoghue. He only believes in hard facts, in what he sees and not told.
Michael enrolls in seminary school, and is sent to Rome to attend a class on exorcism at the Vatican. He meets Father Lucas Trevant (Anthony Hopkins), a very experienced priest in the art of exorcism.
It’s right here, that the murky world of the demons unfolds before him, threatening to suck him in.
And it’s HERE, where the battle of beliefs begin.
Though exorcism films have been overdone in recent years, it is expected that Anthony Hopkins could bring a new twist and energy to this film.
Hopkins brings excellence to his role, but unfortunately not enough to instill a fresh feel to this movie.
The demonic possession scenes leave much to be desired.
You don’t get to see enough of blood, gore, levitation, spinning heads and twisted bodies.
So horror is cut out.
“THE RITE” shows that every man has his own belief system.
Father Lucas knows the Devil’s power all too well. It’s God that all too often leaves him without proof.
Michael is the opposite. He is convinced that Satan is just a myth.
Essentially “THE RITE” is an intriguing thriller with a strong performance by veteran ANTHONY HOPKINS and a dense complex script.
