The Moon of Liberty

 A Little later than planned, sorry, here are the winners 

Best Supporting Actor

Phillip Seymour-Hoffman (Charlie Wilson's War)

Ryan Gosling (Fracture)

Chris Cooper (The Kingdom)

Tom Wilkinson (Michael Clayton)

Jake Gyllenhall (Rendition)

And the winner is ... Tom Wilkinson (Michael Clayton) - A tight one between him and Seymour-Hoffman, but Wilkinson's powerful portrayal of a man who on one hand was losing the plot and on the other was fighting for something worthwhile edged it.

Best Supporting Actress

Joan Allen (The Bourne Ultimatum)

Amy Adams (Charlie Wilson's War)

Alison Janney (Juno)

Jessica Garner (Juno)

Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton)

And the winner is ... Amy Adams (Charlie Wilson's War) - To play a quietly powerful foil to the confident character of someone like Tom Hanks with such charisma is a tough thing to do, Adams did, this gave it an extra dimension from the rest.

Best Director

Joe Wright (Atonement)

Mike Nichols (Charlie Wilson's War)

Peter Berg (The Kingdom)

Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton)

Tim Burton (Sweeney Todd)

And the winner is ... Tim Burton (Sweeney Todd) - A Clear winner, Burton knew exactly how he wanted this to feel, look, sound and flow. He delivered. In terms of a directors vision, this film is a masterpiece.

Best Entertainment Film

The Golden Compass

Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix

Pirates of the Carribean - At World's End

Ratatouille

Transformers

And the winner is ... Ratatouille - Pirates was the only other serious contender, Ratatouille had something speicla however, a simple story making a star of an animated rat who wants to be a chef, sounds rediculous, it was fantastic however, and a worthy winner.

Best Lead Actor

Jamie Foxx (The Kingdom)

Tom Cruise (Lions For Lambs)

George Clooney (Michael Clayton)

Johnny Depp (Sweeney Todd)

Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood)

And the winner is ... Jamie Foxx (The Kingdom) - A powerful display of courage and leadership, a performance that brought the reality of leading a team in a place like Saudi Arabia to life. The type of leadership you would want in that situation, Foxx made this truely believable.

Best Lead Actress

Kiera Knightley (Atonement)

Julia Roberts (Charlie Wilson's War)

Ellen Page (Juno)

Meryl Streep (Lions For Lambs)

Helena Bonham-Carter (Sweeney Todd)

And the winner is ... Kiera Knightley (Atonement) - From a fun loving youngster, to the realities of having the man she loved torn away by a combination of war and injustice. The great emotional depth of this performance stands out in a very strong category this year. 

Best Film

Atonement

Charlie Wilson's War

The Kingdom

Rendition

Sweeney Todd

And the winner is ... Charlie Wilson's War - Tough to call between the great acting performances of this and the wonderful flow of Sweeney Todd. Charlie Wilson's War edged it, a film of balance, that brough the poltical reality of Washington and the delicate global alliences around the world to life, mainly through the great acting and screenwriting of Aaron Sorkin. This is my film of the year.

If this blog is still here next year, I will do more of the same again.

OK, here we go with this years nominees for my own film awards of 2007/08

Best Supporting Actor

Phillip Seymour-Hoffman (Charlie Wilson's War)

Ryan Gosling (Fracture)

Chris Cooper (The Kingdom)

Tom Wilkinson (Michael Clayton)

Jake Gyllenhall (Rendition)

Moon of Liberty award notes - Gyllenhall is nominated for the 2nd time in this category, he was for 'Brokeback Mountain' two years ago. Wilkinson was nominated for Best Actor 2 years ago for 'The Exocism of Emily Rose.' Neither won though, and the rest are first time nominees, so a first time winner is guaranteed.

Best Supporting Actress

Joan Allen (The Bourne Ultimatum)

Amy Adams (Charlie Wilson's War)

Alison Janney (Juno)

Jessica Garner (Juno)

Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton)

Moon of Liberty award notes - Alison Janney is part of a strong showing of the TV's 'The West Wing' in this years awards, with a number of nominations also going to Charlie Wilson's War, of which the screenplay was by West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin. Juno is the first film to get two nominations in the same category. Swinton has her first solo nomination, she starred in 'The Chronicals of Narnia' the winner of the Entertainment category two years ago.

Best Director

Joe Wright (Atonement)

Mike Nichols (Charlie Wilson's War)

Peter Berg (The Kingdom)

Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton)

Tim Burton (Sweeney Todd)

Moon of Liberty award notes - All first time nominees for the main director category. Burton has directed two Entertainment category nominees in 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' and 'The Corpse Bride.' His films yet to have a win to their name.

Best Entertainment Film

The Golden Compass

Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix

Pirates of the Carribean - At World's End

Ratatouille

Transformers

Moon of Liberty award notes - Knightley and Depp who will be nominated in other categories get another nomination of sorts for Pirates of the Carribean. The Harry Potter team follow up their nomination for the Goblet of Fire two years ago with another one, in the chinese year of the Rat, there is no keeping down that rat-chef either.

Best Lead Actor

Jamie Foxx (The Kingdom)

Tom Cruise (Lions For Lambs)

George Clooney (Michael Clayton)

Johnny Depp (Sweeney Todd)

Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood)

Moon of Liberty award notes - All first time nominees in the individual category. Depp, like Tim Burton, has been involved in entertainment category nominees before, and has another this year for Pirates of the Carribean. Tom Hanks narrowly missed out on a nomination in this category for Charlie Wilson's War, ensuring no film has still been able to sweep nominations in all the big six categories.

Best Lead Actress

Kiera Knightley (Atonement)

Julia Roberts (Charlie Wilson's War)

Ellen Page (Juno)

Meryl Streep (Lions For Lambs)

Helena Bonham-Carter (Sweeney Todd)

Moon of Liberty award notes - Bonham-Carter joins Depp and Burton moving from the entertainment catogories into the main categories. Knightley gets her second shot at this category, having been nominated for Pride and Prejudice two years ago. The rest are first time nominees.

Best Film

Atonement

Charlie Wilson's War

The Kingdom

Rendition

Sweeney Todd

Moon of Liberty award notes - Unlike the OSCAR's, the political films are in the running in my awards this year. Charlie Wilson's War leads the way with 5 nominations, Michale Clayton, which just missed out on a best film nomination, has 4 along with The Kingdom and Sweeney Todd.

The Winners will be up on here on Sunday.

 

The Oscars Aftermath

Last week I gave some predicitions on the OSCAR's, see below, Just to gloat a little, of the seven predicitions I gave, six of them were correct. In the case of Best Film, sadly, as I would have loved to have been wrong. The Love it or hate it Cohen Brothers film 'No Country for Old Men' took out the best film category, with the Cohen Brothers winning best Director, and Barnden for the supporting actor.

The European theme was continued in the other acting categories to. Marion Coutillard did, as I also predicted, win best actress for 'Le Vie On Rose.' The one I got wrong created some British cheer, Tilda Swinton won the best Supporting Actress for 'Michael Clayton.' A fine performance it was too. Daniel Day Lewis took home best Actor in the most predictable category of the night.

The more technical categories were shared around, 'The Bourne Ultimatum' got three awards including sound editing and sound mixing. 'Atonement' got the award for best score, ensuring it has an OSCAR to it's name. 'Sweeney Todd' took out best art direction, 'Juno' took original screenplay while 'The Golden Compass' took best visual effects. This ensured no cleen sweep for any one film.

My final prediciton also came true, the brilliant 'Ratatouille' took the animated film prize, in the chinese year of the rat, who would have thought a film about a rat chef would win an OSCAR.

Two defining elements of this years award stood out, first, apart from the Cohen brothers, where were the Americans on their own show? You can understand Europeans doing well at the Golden Globes or the BAFTA's, but this is America's own academy. The acting categories were won by Europeans without exception, most of the technical awards were taken by crews that were primarily British. 'Ratatouille' was made by American's, but it was about a French rat set in Paris. Maybe a suggestion that great film making is happening well away from Hollywood, even the Cohen's are from the industrial north of Minnesota, well away from the Hollyood set.

Secondly this year was a year the usually activist left-wing minds of the academy took a step away from politics. The political films of the year like, 'Charlie Wilson's War', 'The Kingdom' and 'Rendition' were a mile away from the awards, going instead for dark movies like 'No Country For Old Men' and 'There Will be Blood.' Maybe the Clinton-Obama spat has devided Hollywood Democrats and they don't want to be seen taking sides by making politics an issue this year. I doubt this phenomonon will last.

Overall it was a good show, Jon Stewart did a good job of hosting, but few surprises, Swinton apart, in the major awards.

(This site's award nominations will be up on Friday night/Saturday morning, with the winners up on Sunday. Stay tuned for the third annual Moon Of Libert Film Awards)

There Will Be Blood

Starring - Daniel Day Lewis, Paul Dano, Kevin O'Conner, Dillon Freasier, Mary Elizabeth Barrett,

Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson

Oil, Capitalism and religion, big subjects come together in a rare Daniel Day-Lewis film as he takes on the lead role of Daniel Plainview, an oil man who will stop at nothing to own the land and be the biggest tycoon of them all. When he is tipped off by a young man named Paul as to where a large new oil reserve is, he finds himself trying to convince the local community welded together by a local church headed by Paul's brother Ely (Paul Dano) who seems very sceptical of the motives of Plainview, who treats with contempt and then ditches his deaf son, has utter contempt for the local church, and gradually becomes more and more ruthless.

The movie has some of the  most annoying sound effects, at key points a sound that feels like a swarm of noisy wasps at times ensures we lose the tension of the moment as you can't get away from the irritating sound. Much of the film has no acting at all, using the deafness of the son as an excuse for long periods of action but no words. When the acting did take place, Daniel Day-Lewis did a fine job, but was the only performance of note, Dano is annoying as the church leader to the point where at the points you are supposed to feel sympathy for him at the hands of the ruthless Plainview, you just don't.

All the characters have their serious flaws and the film leaves no stone unturned in exposing them. It seems to be a commentary on how money and relgion both corrupt the mind and does a fairly good job of giving a negative picture of both. The problem with that is it leaves nothing positive as a counterbalance, leaving a feeling of nothing left. The endgame game further confirms this when Plainview's apprent reconciliation with his son takes a further dark twist, and the cold-blooded finale with the church leader in a posh bowling alley, well acted though it was, exposes all the negative themes of the film, that human beings are not very nice, the religion is a farce, and that money can corrupt even the supposedly most god-fearing mind.

THE MOON OF LIBERTY VERDICT - RATING 'B' - A dark film without light, if there is any good in the world, you wouldn't know it watching this. Daniel Day-Lewis is very good though, and the final scene, while fairly depressing, is well done.

The 80th Academy Award's go ahead in one week's time, writers strike averted and all. It promises however to be a night of very few surpises in the main categories, as most seem locked.

Personally I would love to see an upset in the Best Film category as I don't believe 'No Country For Old Men' deserves to win. However, it almost certainly will, 'It Will Be Blood appears to be it's only challenger, a film not on general release inthe UK until next week, thus I cannot really comment on it's merits (review will be here as soon as possible). The outsider is the well put together 'Juno' but the race appears to be between the first two. The problem is those not keen on 'No Country' will split between the other two, meaning while No Country is clearly a love it or hate it film, those who love it should have enough votes to carry the day. It's dual directors, the Cohen brothers, will also win best director, they have no serious challenger.

In the acting stakes Daniel Day Lewis has won at the Golden Globes, the Screen Acor's Gulid award and the BAFTA's. so he should take out the best actor. Javier Barnden for No COuntry is in a similar position for supporting actor, and will take it out, much as I would one of the (imo) superior performances of Tom Wilkinson in 'Michael Clayton' or Phillip Seymour Hoffman in 'Charlie Wilson's War' to take it, Barnden appears a lock for this one.

On the feamle side, the supporting actress seems to have been taken over by Cate Blanchett, ironcically for playing a man, namely Bob Dillon for 'I'm Not There.' British hopes in this category lie with Tilda Swinton for 'Michael Clayton.' But I expect Blanchett to take it.

The best actress is a facinating race. The bookies favourite is Julie Christie for 'Away From Her.' A film I have to confess not to have seen. However, the Goldon Globe and BAFTA winner was Marion Coultillard for 'Le Vie On Rose.' A French actress in a french film, many are not convinced a foreign language film can be successful in the big categories, Coutillard may change that tonight and score something of an upset. The dark horse is Ellen Page for 'Juno.' I'm going for the French girl however to buck the trend.

The other one to watch is best Animated film. They have come up with a more interesting threesom of nominations than the BAFTA's did. 'Ratatouille' won the BAFTA, and should win the OSCAR too, but instead of playing safe in it's opposition going for big name let downs as the BAFTA's did in nominating 'The Simpson's Movies' and 'Shrek the Third,' the OSCAR's have gone for the lovely tale of the Surfer penguin from Shiverpool in 'Surf's Up', and a facinating French animation about an Iranian family called 'Pesepolis.' I think the French film to win is unlikely, so it will be the Rat against the Penguin, In the chinese year of the rat, I'll take the rat to win.

See how wrong I am next week,should be a good show.

 

And finally for tonight's reviews, a mix of the serious and comedic

Juno

Starring - Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jason Bateman, Jennifer Garner, Allison Janney, JK Simmons

Directed by Jason Reitman

Juno (Ellen Page) is a smart young girl with a reasoanbly streetwise attitude. When she decides to sleep with Bleeker (Michael Cera) she falls into every young girl's nightmare trap of pregnancy. Thankfully she gets more backing than she expects from her dad (JK Simmons) and stepmum (Allison Janney) when she rejects abortion and decides to have the baby and look for adoptive parents.

In the local paper they find Vanessa (Jennifer Garner) and Mark. (Jason Bateman) They appear probably a little posh for Juno's taste but they seem to be willing to give the baby a good home in any case so despite her personal msigivings she is happy have have them as the parents. Through the period she strikes up a friendship with Mark, who is into similar music, plays a guitar, into horro films like her. They get on very well to the point where she begins to see more of Mark when Vanessa is no home. At firs Juno thinks Mark is cool while Vanessa seems quite a cold, uptight person.

This all changes when Mark suddenly announces he is going to divorce Vanessa and he is not ready to have the baby. This upsets Juno who wanted the baby to have a real close family, however Mark has gone cold on the baby idea and after a showdown with a distraught Vanessa he decides to go ahead with he divorce, leaving some tough decisions all round. Juno finds that in reality, Vanessa is the one she has more in common with despite Vanessa's weaknesses.

The film is quirkly made and despite the serious subject matter, has a good amount of humour to lighten the load. One citricism I have is there was a fair bit of uneccersary swearing which for me did not add much. Despite this the film is a pleasent watch with a few gentle twists along the way as circumstances continually change, both in Juno's relationships with Bleeker, the adpotive parents and her own parents.

Page leads the way with a strong mix of seriousness and well delivered comedy, Janney is a tour de force in deomonstrating her characters committment to her step-daughter and Garner superbly desplays the emotions and strnghts and weaknesses of a women desperate yet terrified to become a first time mother.

There are a few clever imagery nods to one of Page's previous performances. The relationship with Mark has undertones of the sexual tension which touches close to the little girl-grown man scenario she found herself in in the spine chilling 'Hard Candy.' On finding she was preganant, she also put her head playfully in a noose, bringing memories of the ending to the self same film.

THE MOON OF LIBERTY VERDICT - RATING 'B+' - A very well done peice mixing the serious issue of adoption and relationship break down with a touch of comedy. Some smart imagery, good entertainment, well worth seeing.

Here is number three. The (imo only) completely overated favourite for Best Film at the OSCARS.

No Country For Old Men

Starring - Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Barden, Josh Brolin, Kelly McDonald, Woody Harrelson

Directed by Joel Cohen & Ethen Cohen

When Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) picks up a suitcase full of money, little does he know he will be hunted down for it by a range of individuals, particularly the twisted killer Anton Chigurh. (Javier Barnden) Also on the case is small town cop Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) who seems to be of the view everything was better and less violent in the 'good old days.'

Chigurh is a mysterious killer who on occasion gives his potential victim a coin flip chance to stay alive, as we observe through one service station scene he does not kill the person if they win the coin flip. He tries to chase down Moss as Bell tries to chase him down. At one stage we also get the intervention of Carson Wells (Harrelson) who tries to get Moss's daughter out of the way (Kelly McDonald) but Wells, who you at first feel may be a signifcant character, meet Chigurh and dies so quickly I was unsure of what the true point of him being there was.

The film is slow for the most part, it takes a while to get going and on occasion you think it does, it gets dragged down in a series of conveluted sub-plots, like the sotry of the cop, what the CIA are doing to try and help, The pointless Wells interlude. If it had been more of the chase between Moss and Chiguh this may have been better, but it tried to be too clever and failed as a result.

There is plenty of violence for those who like that and it seems clear from trying to bring all th angles they did in they tried to make this film this years 'The Departed' which brilliantly brought together a series of angles on the same set of circumtances. This is no Departed, the performances do not hold anywhere like the interest, I found myself bored through most of the film and dissappointed as the film went off on pointless tangents everytime it seemed to pick up a little.

For me the only performance of note was that of Barnden as the killer, but half way through the film they decided to get to to talk and have a personality of a sort, killing the mystery which was one of the positives of the first part of the film. The ending is also very poor, Overall this was a huge dissappointment.

THE MOON OF LIBERTY VERDICT - RATING 'D' - Very little to save this film, parts of Barnden's performance perhaps, but slow, dull, a very weak ending, some pointless characters that could have made an impact. Apparently this may win best film at the OSCAR's, I have no idea why, it won't be in my award nominations later this month.

Second up, the one man crusade against the Red Army.

Charlie Wilson's War

Starring - Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Phillip Seymour-Hoffman, Amy Adams, Shiri Appleby

Directed by Mike Nichols

Said to be based on true events, Charley Wilson (Tom Hanks) holds the easiest congressional district in the US house of representatives. His Texas base is made up of small towns who don't want very much, just governemnt to leave them alone. This gives him plenty of time to indulge in things most politicians would get slaughtered for.

Aided by his more intelligent than he thinks advised, Bonnie Bach (Amy Adams) and an office of very attractive if not hugely intelligent young ladies, Wilson's main interest is international issues. He likes to keep on top of what is going on, especially as the Soviet Army are about to begin an assault on Afghanistan.

He finds the effort to help the Afghans amounts to a miniscule $5 million dollars. He also finds that Joanne Herring, one of his biggest donors, is passionate about this subject. To him she intrugues as she is attractive, and annoys him with some her her political views such as religion, which he has no interest in. However he needs her donations so he agrees to take up the challenge of trying to increase the money to help the Afghans. With the help of CIA agent gust (Seymour-Hoffman) he goes around the US political scene, and into the heart of the middle east, to form bizarre coalitions which help turn small time afghan fighters into a force tot ake on the red-army.

The film proves Aaron Sorkin, the creator of the brilliant US political series 'The West Wing' can also do serious screenplay for the big screen. It's political content takes on some of the lazy arguments of the current 'War on Terror' debate from both sides and provides an alternative view of what went on in the 1980's, and what is happening now.

Two two huge plusses of the film are it is very real on a political level, fort his Sorkin has to take huge credit, and it has simply great acting creating great characters you can engage with. Hanks creats a likeable rogue, Seymour-Hoffman puts in a fantastic performance as a long-standing, passionate but frustrated CIA agent. On the female side two very different performances, Julia Roberts plays a very in your face, sexy and confident character, while Adams interplay with Hanks, and the quiet power her character exherts over Wilson without him knowing it is a joy. To play a shy, quiet yet powerful character like that with such charisma is a very difficult thing to do on screen, Adams truely did so.

THE MOON OF LIBERTY VERDICT - RATING 'A' - Politically powerful and well argued, and great acting across the board. A fine mix of the serious and the entertaining, I highly recommend it.

It's OSCAR night this time next week, so here come 5 back to back posts, four film reviews, and an OSCAR preview.

Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Starring - Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham-Carter, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, Sacha Baron-Cohen

Directed by Tim Burton

As Benjamin Barker (Sweeny Todd) returns to London from a spell in prison, sentenced unjustly by Judge Turpin. (Alan Rickman) He takes on the new persona of Sweeney Todd. He then meets pie shop owner Mrs Lovett (Helena Bonham-Carter), after taking on one of her 'Worst pies in London,' He tells how he vows revenge on the judge who falsely imprisoned him, purely becuase he fell in love with the lady the judge wanted for himself.

The sub-plot is Tobias, who was on the boat with Todd on the way back to London, who falls for what seems to be the judges daughter through a window, as she is not allowed out due to the judge keeping her under watch. It is then revealed Barker his love had a baby before the imprisonment, so it is Barker's/Todd's daughter he has fallen for.

Todd strikes a deal with Mrs Lovett that he will set up shop as a barber (for that is what he did before the imprisonment) and slit the throats of his customers, Lovett could then use the meat to considerably improve her pies. Eventually events transpire that Todd gets the chance to get revenge on the judge in the chair, he also finds Lovett lied in telling him about the death of his wife, these events lead to a bloody but fitting conclusion.

The whole set-up of the films looks beautiful, it moves with ease at a nice pace. The whole thing is put together brilliantly and the genius of Burton is there for all to see. The interplay between Depp and Bonham-Carter as at times spellbinding. Depp creates a murderer who at times you actually feel like he has a point, twisted yet brilliant. The musical style also works well while not being over done.

The story creates nice sub-plots and amusing bit part characters to add to the drama, like the Baron-Cohen interlude pertending to be an Italian barber, and the nosey old lady who tries to warn people who wont listen something bad is going on in the place. From start to finish this is simply a first rate film.

THE MOON OF LIBERTY VERDICT - RATING 'A' - A magical piece of cinema with quality acting and brilliant artistic attention to detail. 

Firstly sorry to anyone who reads this for being lazy and not updating for a while.

We are at OSCAR and BAFTA time, so not to be outdone, over the next few weeks I will be doing my own film awards, the winners will almost certainly bare no resemblence to the real awards, but I don't really care.

There will be awards for lead actor and actress, supporting actor and actress, best director, best film and best entertainment films for films of a more light-hearted nature, animimations, comedies, rom-coms, loose children's book adaptations ect. Films in the entertainment category can be in the main categories if I consider them good enough.

This will be the third year I have put my own awards together. So just for the records, the current role of honour before I started this blog for the previous two years reads as follows.

Best Film 

2005-06 - The Constant Gardener

2006-07 - The Prestige

Best Entertainment Film

2005-06 - The Chronicals of Narnia, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe

2006-07 - Eragon

Best Lead Actor

2005-06 - Russell Crowe (The Cinderella Man)

2006-07 - Christian Bale (The Prestige)

Best Lead Actress

2005-06 - Risse Witherspoon (Walk The Line)

2006-07 - Dame Judy Dench (Notes On A Scandal)

Best Supporting Actor

2005-06 - Paul Giamatti (The Cinderella Man)

2006-07 - Paul Bettney (The De Vinci Code)

Best Supporting Actress

2005-06 - Rachel Weisz (The Constant Gardener)

2006-07 - Cate Blanchett (Notes On A Scandal)

Best Director

2005-06 - Ron Howard (The Cinderella Man)

2006-07 - Andrew Davies (The Guardian)

The nominations, 5 in each category, will be put on here on the 1st March, and the winners of the year most important awards (just kidding) will be on here on the 8th March. 

Hitman (2007)

Starring - Timothy Olyphant, Oleg Kurylenko, Dougray Scott, Michael Offei

Directed by - Xavier Gens

I was looking forward to this film as the last computor game to film adaptation I saw, Silent Hill, was a film a really enjoyed. Timothy Olyphant plays a hitman known just as 'Hitman 47' as he came from a background of trained killers, given numbers but not names. He kidnaps, then forms a twisted relationship with Nika (Oleg Kurylenko.) Sadly, like the film as a whole, this relationship does not spark at all.

The other part fo the story is two British detectives from Interpol investigating the attemtped assassination of the Russian President. With Hitman 47 involved, these stories intertwine to create a series of action series. Michael Offai playing Jenkins, the sidekick to Mike Whitter (Dougray Scott) was one bright spark in an otherwise dull movie, full of acting performances that at no point stirred the emotion, or any reason to care about the characters in question.

The plotline was at time convuleted and confusing, trying to do too many things at once. But the heart of the failure of this film was the Hitman himself. If at any point I found myself caring about the fate, journey or role of this character, the film may have taken off, but I didn't, and as a result the entire film felt like a pointless excersice as a result.

This film is a short, 93 minutes. If you see this I fear you will be thankful for that, I certainly was. It was a very long 93 minutes and I'm not sure I could have sat through any more. Sadly this opportunity for a series of unknown actors to step up and make a name for themselves failed on every single count. The film did have some fine choice of settings, but made nothing of them. I've never played the game Hitman, but I would be surprised if even it's own fans wil be impressed by this movie.

MOON OF LIBERT VERDICT - RATING 'D+' - A tedious film that may make others think seriously about if a game can really make a good film before producing such an adaptation in future.

The Golden Compass (2007)

Starring - Dakota Blue Richard, Nicole Kidman, Eva Green, Daniel Craig, Ben Walker

Directed by - Chris Weitz

It's almost Christmas so it must be time for a good fantasy entertainment film. The Golden Compass does the job almost perfectly. The film combining the introduction of a new child starlet in Dakota blue Richard playing Lyra, As well as the in-demand Casino Royale duo of Daniel Craig and Eva Green, with Nicole Kidman thrown in, create a fine cast to take us on a wonderful ride. Even Ian McKellam and Lovejoy himslef, Ian McShane, join in the fun as the voices behind two talking polar bears, or Ice bears as we should call them in this film.

The story is based in a universe paralell to Earth. Where as on Eartht he human soul lives in the body, in this world the soul lives alongside you in the form of an animal. Young Lyra is a rebellious young thing with an ever changing soul to match, children's souls can change as they have not 'settled' This is due to the mysterious phenomonon called 'dust' that the ruling Magisterium do not want people to find out about, but Lord Asrael (Daniel Craig) fights the establishment going to the mysterious North to try and learn more about dust and it's relation to souls and other worlds. Lyra is curious too, to the dismay of her teachers at college.

After being kidnapped and the escaping from Mrs Coulter (Nicole Kidman) who is working for the magisterium, Lyra is protected by the seafearign Gyptions, friends of Lord Asreal. Before she left college she was given a Golden Compass which allows her to see 'The truth.' She goes on a journey befreinding an Ice bear and an astronaught, in this world known as an aironought, as well as a withc (Eva Green) who makes it clear she is on the girls side. Along the way she learns how to read the compass, is able to use it to allow her Polar bear friend avenge his enemies and restore his pride, and finds herself on a journey to the North to give Asrael the compass, as she believes it will help him, and her learn more about dust.

This part of the story comes to a head when she finds a lab the magisterium are using to try and destroy children's souls. She orchastrates a rebellion that looks doomed to failure before she finds her new friends are on hand to join the fight, as well as the help of the compass.

The great cast allows this to move along at a good pace, well acted and a good fun movie. It has many comparisons with Narnia, It's Asrael not Aslan, the polar bear instead of the lion, a paralell universe devided by dust rather than a wardrobe. A little girl hero playing the lead. The similarities are great. The ending was well understated, making it quite clear this is a trilogy and there is plenty more to come. Overall it did not quite have Narnia's depth, but it is still a fine film which sets up the next stage nicely, I for one look forward to the next one.

THE MOON OF LIBERTY VERDICT - RATING 'B' - A very enjoyable fantasy film that is well worth seeing, hopefully they will learn from this first effort to make the remaining parts of the series even better, if so, the second film could be something special.

 

 

Rendition (2007)

Starring - Risse Witherspoon, Jake Gyllenhall, Omar Metwally, Alan Arkin, Merryll Streep

Directed by - Gavin Hood

If you want a spine-chilling critique of US Governemnt policy, forget Michael Moore's over the top Liberal rants, forget the wars on Iraq or Afghanistan, watch this film instead. It in clear terms demonstrates the errors of Rendition, apolciy where suspected terrorists are shipped out of the country and sent somehere where the normal laws of justice are rendered irrelevant.

This film runs two plots concurrently. on one hand there is Anwar, an Egyptian who had lived in the US for over 20 years, suspected of having terrorist links, he is arrested but knowing the evidence against him is flimsy, in order to detain him he is sent to a brutal prison abroad. His treatment is 'observed' by Douglas (Jake Gyllenhall), a man who has taken over the role after his colleague was killed by a suicide bombing that takes place at the start of the film. Anwar's treatment, Douglas' battle doing his duty dispite having deep misgivings about what is going on, and Anwar's pregant wife (Risee Witherspoon) who is desperately trying to find out from politicans who are closing all doors to the truth are the first part of the plot that unfolds, lead by Miss Whitman. (Merryl Streep)

The second part of the plot is based in the middle-east. Linked with the rest as a result of Abasi, father of the family featured is the lead interrigator of Anwar once he arrives. On the home front he is trying to deal with his wayward daughter who has fallen in love with, against her fathers will, a man who is a part of a terrorist cell, willing to use suicide bombings to further their aims. When the two stories come together, a series of issues combine to create indirect consequences for all involved.

The acting on behalf of the lead male characters is very powerful, especially Gyllenahll who displays huge emotional depth in the development of his observer role, while maintaing his frail humanity, as he also makes a few mistakes along the way. Streep and Witherspoon do fall a little flat however, meaning the part of the story set in America was the the weaker link of the film. There are so many messages about what Rendition creates, about how it can actally cost and not always save lives and how it can direct resources into the wrong areas with desperate consequences. It is not one sided however, the terrorist cells depicted in the film are not held back, their poisoness ideology is shown in it's full twisted glory some the scenes of local leaders making powerful speeches and to young, impressionable men about martyrdom and destroying all 'infidels' meaning any non-muslim as they see it created a powerful reminder of what the west is up against, and why a policy like rendition can play right into the hands of the extreams.

This is a hugely powerful film overall, well worth going to see. So many messages, so many clever, subtle points, so many wonderful links to the jigsaw. A long hard look at the weaknesses of all sides of the argument, and a far better analysis of where the west have got it wrong than any march about Iraq. When the rules of justice are disregarded, bad things happen, watch this film and you may just find out why.

MOON OF LIBERTY VERDICT - Rating 'A' - A very special film on so many levels, had it not been for the weakensses of the female performances in the part set in the US, this would have been in my elite band of A+ films.

Stardust (2007)

Starring - Charlie Cox, Claire Danes, Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sienna Miller,

Directed By - Matthew Vaughn

Billed as the fairytale that wont behave, not quite sure about that, their is an old fashioned feel about this film which leads it to be very some, on occasion too well, behaved. A fun film with many flaws too, Stardust will be a film that is a question of taste.

The plot does have an old fairytale feel. A wall divides England and Stormhold. Whena young mand crosses the wall and has a liaison with a lady on the other side, it produces a son, Triston. Triston is brought up in England until he is older, we then flash forward to Triston pusuing his love, Victoria (Sienna Miller) who is cold and shows little interest, but agrees to marry him if he crosses the wall and brings back the jewel from the star they see cross the wall for her birthday.

This leads Triston (Charlie Cox) to Stormhold. The star turns out to be a beautiful woman (Claire Danes) called Yvaine. The search for the start is joined by the son of the king of Stormhold, Septimus (Mark Stong) who needs the star to become the new king as his father is on his deathbed. Just to add to the mayhem, a witch named Lamia (Michelle Pfieffer) is also after the star as if she cuts the heart out of the start she will obtain eternal youth.

So a three way race for the star, and in Triston's case to get it back to the other side of the wall is on. However, during the journey he realises his true love is actually Yvaine and not Victoira who is only interested in material things. The end game produces a startling revelation reagrding the true aire of Stormhold that changes the situation completely, and gives Triston the chance of true happyness by staying on the Stormhold side of the wall, if the others don't take the star first of course.

This is all very nice and lovely, and a perfect date movie. We also got an amusing interlude by Robert De Niro playing the at first glance tough but in reality not, Captain Shakespeare of the ship that sails the skys. Ricky Gervais also makes an appearence pretty much playing himself. It's a nice, heart warming fairy tale of the days of old, nothing uniquely special about it and the relationship between Danes and Cox does not really spark, although Cox does a good job playing the gallant young man. I enjoyed Mark Storng's performance as Prince Septimus, Pfieffer was less convincing.

Overall good fluffy stuff, nothing special, but a nice film for a nice night out.

MOON OF LIBERTY VERDICT - RATING 'B'  - A 'B' rating on the A+ to F scale means good, and that sums this up perfectly. Lovers of fantasy, adventure type films may rate it more highly, if you want a more seriously acted film, stay away. 

 

Ratatouille (2007)

Starring - Patton Oswalt, Ian Holm, Lou Romano, Peter Sohn, Brad Garrett, Janeane Garofalo

Directed by - Brad Bird

The recent great film keep coming, this time from a hugely unlikely source. Surely a story about a rat who wants to be a chef cannot work? Well, I'm here to tell you, oh yes it can! Remy the Rat is sweeping cinemas, and deservedly so.

Remy dreams of becoming a great chef, depite the major problem of being a rat. He has a highly developed sense of smell with esnures he can feel the full aroma of the finest food. His dad and brother the wonderful Emile, are not so impressed by Remy's love of good food, their motto, 'Shut up and eat your garbage' makes Remy more determined to seek out the finer tastes in life.

When the group of Rats are threatened and have to take a long escape through the sewage works, Remy ends up in Paris, home to the restaurant of his chef hero Gusteau. Gusteau used to run a five star rated restaurant which has since his death been in decline. Remy is also a follower of Gusteau's book, 'Anyone Can Cook.' Remy pays a visit to the restaurant and aids the boy who takes out the garbage take the credit for a soup that goes down hugely well. The evil head chef Skinner then spots Remy and asks the garbage boy, called Linguini, to dispose of him.

With Linguini contemplating his poor position, he realises the rat is sympathising with him, he also realises the rat can cook. They then come up with a bizarre method of the rat controlling Linguini's actions. What follows is a wondeful journey as Remy helps Linguini be recognised as a great chef, He also helps Linguini find love with Collette, the female chef at Gusteau's. All is well until the harshest food critic in France comes for a visit, the rat is revealed to the staff as the true chef, and Remy has to rely on his family and friends (all rats of course) for help as only Luinguini and Colette stick around to help.

The animations are beautiful, the storyline is a pleasure to watch, as the unlikeliest of ideas combine to create a compelling and fun film. The film moves at a good pace and lets face it, how many films have you cheering on a rat? You will be too however, will the flagship Ratatouille dish win over the critics and win Gusteau's it's five star glory back, or does it all end down the sewage? I suggest you go and see for yourself.

MOON OF LIBERTY VERDICT - RATING 'A-'  Remy cooks up a treat, this is great fun with a great story, will surely have to win best animation come the OSCAR's, it really is that good, or should that be yummy.

Michael Clayton (2007)

Starring - George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, Sydney Pollack, Pamela Gray

Directed by - Tony Gilroy

This film is a joy to wtach and uses one of the most intelligent devices in the book, when it works, and in this it does. I will come back to that later. This film is also, after the in my view unwarranted overhype of Clooney's roles in Good Night And Good Luck and Syriana, George Clooney's best serious performance.

Clooney plays the title role, Michael Clayton, he fixes things for a corparte compnay called Kenna, Bach and Ladeen. When suits are brought that could cost the company, he is the one to fix it. When the company is asked to take care of U-North's (a water company accused to mistrating water and causing cancer) case, lead litiigator Karen Crowder's (Swinton) career is on the line to ensure a successful conclusion is reached. Clayton's loyalty to the company ensures he does everything to help, until the mysterious death of the firms old head, Arthur Edens, leads Clooney to suspect U-North were behind the murder.

At this point Clayton's suspicions lead him on a new journey to do the right thing and try and find a way to destroy the U-North settlement and get justice for those affected by the U-North's profit at any cost attitude.

Clooney plays Clayton with poise and passion on a higher level than anything I have seen before. He is also aided by a magnificent supporting performance by Tom Wilkinson as the slightly mad, campaigning old head of the firm who this law suit was one dirty case too far. Swinton for me fell a bit flat, and the ending could have brought it all together better for me. One great move of the film was what I mentioned at the start, it began with a scene that we then went backwards from, and the full extent of it could only be understood once we got back there, this technique worked a dream here.

A film very much worth seeing, not quite the full emotional depth of a couple of recent films but Clooney and Wilkinson are well worth the effort to see this on their own merits.

MOON OF LIBERTY VERDICT - RATING 'A-'  A fine film with two excellent male performances, the ending was a little flat and lost some of the emotional drive, the main reason I have not quite got this in the 'A' category.

The Kingdom (2007)

Starring - Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Ali Suliman

Directed by - Peter Berg

A film that will send a shudder down the spine of both the United States and the Saudi authorities, The Kingdom explores the cultural differences and similarities that can bind the two countries, and tear them apart.

The start pulls no punches on the relationship between the US and the Saudi's down the ages. Then we get into the meat of the film. A terrorist bomb ruins a simple siftball game as local onlookers through their binoculars appear to have a scary sense of what is about to happen. The bomb kills many American's and leads agent Fluery (Foxx) to put together an elite FBI team to go to Saudi Arabia to try and find justice.

To start with they find their pusuit worthless as the dos and donts of local culture hamstring the investigation, as the Saudi's only want to find the killer on their terms. Foxx's understanding of the importance of learning local way and using the personal touch to get unlikely people on board, including Saudi officers, they eventually turn this around and the team eventually get the right to carry out the investigation they want.

This eventually leads to a realisation that to chatch the killer they need to go outside normal compound boarders and into real Saudi Arabia. Their hosts reluctantly agree. The subplot of the family who saw the initial bomb go off and a look into their life reminds us that we are delaing with human beings with families and children too, but in this case with a deadlt twist, leading the FBI eam to fight for their lives while trying to deliver justice to those murdered in the bomb.

The film is a high paced and chilling ride into the realities all too common in todays world. Foxx leads the way with a first rate performance, The section between him and the Saudi officer discussing The Increidble Hulk and the Six Million Doller Man demonstrated only too well that when different cultures meet, there is still plenty of common ground.  the film is well directed and put together and keeps moving along nicely. The ending is one to test the emotions the full 360 degrees, with a stark reminder of the intractable ultimate problem, the course of the film may offer some starters as solutions, but it works because it is balanced, not an all out attack on one side or the other but a good overview of the strengths and defects of the argument from either side. It is also not so pretentious to pretend there are any easy answers to the middle-east.

MOON OF LIBERTY VERDICT - RATING 'A' - A wonderful film, great action, not scared to take on a huge subject and a performance that may put Jamie Foxx in the frame for this years best actor races.

Transformers (2007)

Starring - Shia LaBeouf, Tyrese Gibson, Josh Duhamel, Anthony Anderson, Megand Fox

Directed by - Michael Bay

So after the SImpson next on the big screen is Transformers (robots in disguise.) A former cartoon favourite, this however is no cartoon, it has real people plus spectacular robots the special effects people can be exceptionally proud of. I however, am not one of those who belives special effects alone can make a film (Take King Kong, great effect, terrible film.)

So does the wider film match the work of the effects guys. Well, yes it does. The film wastes no time as decpticons attack a US military base in Qutar from the off. Through the internet both the evil decepticons and the good autobots have traced the all powerful 'All Spark,' an all-powerful cube that can be used for good or evil, to Earth.

Meanwhile in a little school, a young man named Sam Witwicky tells a story about his Grandfathers treck to the Artic circle, he also has his grandfathers glasses salvaged from the trip. Little does he know that these glasses hold the key to the whereabouts of the all spark. He intends to sell the glasses and other artifacts on ebay, seeing robots checking ebay for the details is very amusing.

As a result a pursuading his teacher to gvie him an A he did not deserve, his father buys him his first car, the car however turns out to be Bumblebee, sent to also trace the All Spark. Later Sam and Mikaela, a girl he would like to date, then meets Optimus Prime and the rest of the Autobots. Sam's involvement in the serach fort eh All Spark is set, and takes him on a journey into the dark world of Government Alien survellence units, as well as into the heart of the Government defense department. The race for the cube like object is underway, and to get it before Megatron, the leader of the decepticons, does.

There are few pauses for breath in what is a rattling good story. It moves fast, and the slower parts are principally good humour to add to the drama. My only reservations were the fact we have the 'Is Bumblebee dead?' storyline twice when once would have done, this did drag out the ending a little. There was also much airtime given to two characters, one girl working in the defense department, the other caught with a CD the girl from the defense department had given him. These could have been replaced with standard analysts in the department, I have no idea what the point of these two characers were or what they added to the film.

All in all though, this delivered, good film, good story, good flow. Not great acting but enough to carry the battles between the robots, which afterall, is what this film is really there for. Well worth the hype, and a look if you have not seen it.

MOON OF LIBERTY VERDICT - RATING 'B+' - Lived up to the hype, a great story was put together and had me locked in from start to finish. These films often don't deliver, this did, well done to all involved.

The Simpsons The Movie (2007) First watched by me on Thursday 26 July

Starring - Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavney, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith

Directed by David Silverman

The Simpsons The Movie. 17 years in the making. After the hit TV show spanning a whole generation, would The Simpsons appearence on the big screen live up to all the pre-show hype? Would Simpsons fans get the show they all went into the cinema yearning for?

Of course only the Simpsons could begin it's own movie by insulting all of it's own fans and dare to get away with it. They did this through the form of Itchy and Scratchy, while Springfield is in a cinema watching their movie, Homer goes on a mad rant about how people who pay to go and watch something on the big screen we can see for free on the small screen are strange. We are all suckers, great start to the film.

This had a storyline, this was for me the main problem with this film, it had too much storyline and not enough of the faces, sights and sounds of the Simpsons we all know and love. For what it's worth the storyline went something like this, Due to an environmental crisis emerging from Lisa Simpson's 'An Irritating Truth' the Mayor declares a ban on dumping waste into Springfield lake. When Marge tells Homer he must get rid of the waste created by 'Spiderpig,' Homer dumps the waste into the lake. This creates a huge problem. To combat this, 'President' Arnold Schwarzenigger authorises a plan to place a dome on top of Springfield, in fact, he picked the plan at random from 5 possible options, he was afterall elected to 'Lead not read.'

The dome means nobody gets in or out, but the Simpsons escape while the rest of Springfield are after Homer's blood. They run to Alaska, but when a TV add hosted by Tom Hanks reveals a new plan to blow up Springfield to create 'A New Grand Canyon to replace the boring old one.' The Simpsons are in a race against time to return and save their home.

Roughly a third of the film was conducted around the run to Alaska, in my view adding little to the enjoyment. There are plenty of good jokes and it is not a disaster. But Mr Burns and Smithers had only one scene of note (excellent one though it was), there was nothing from Marge's sisters (Who would have been perfect for a scenario like this.) There was nothing from Springfield school and far to much of Schwarznegger's cabinet member Mr Cargill who just was not funny.

This is a film that started well but lost it's way. The storyline took over too much and it was not a very good one. There is plenty of subtle humour to amuse and clever ideas in there, but we could have had more from the fringe characters, less in Alsaska, more from Springfield and less of a too serious storyline that appeared determined to ram an environmental theme down our throats that was inappropriate for this movie.

THE MOON OF LIBERTY VERDICT - RATING 'C+' Worth seeing to a point, but don't expect too much. This should have been much better, and failed to deliver what we all wanted to see

 

 

Another retrospecive film review.

Walk The Line (2005) - First watched February 2006

Starring - Joaquin Phoenix, Risse Witherspoon, Ginnifer Goodwin, Robert Patrick

Directed by James Mangold

Walk the Line, a story of the rise and fall of Johnny Cash. Cash made his debut in 1955 walking into Sun Studios and delivering a performance that began the process of of the creation of a superstar who would change the sound and face of American music, and the industry itself.

Of course, like many a genius, and musically most would say Cash was one, he was also seriously flawed. This film tells the story of the rise, fall and rise again of Cash. Nothing is spared, as the life of Cash and his volitile relationship with June Carter is covered in a very balance way, warts and all.

The film is neither a vindication or a demolition of Cash, and the film does take a little time to warm up, mainly because while Phoenix does a good job as Cash, the real star of this show, Risse Witherspoon as Carter, does not show up later. Witherspoon delivers a masterclass performance, every scene between her and Phoenix is electric and she creates an energy that takes the film to another level.

Withersppon said this was a role she has long wanted to play and it shone through the screen. The issue deals with the gritty reality of Cash's drug taking and the extent of his decline as a result. Carter helped Cash gradually recover and regain his position at the top of the music world. The intense relationship between the two, and Carter's refusal to stop believing in Cash is a story exceptionally well told.

There is plenty of music too and if you are a Cash fan this alone will see you through the movie, but don't let that get in the way of the fact this is also a well told and directed story of the life of a music legend, along with the probably the finest acting performance of the year from Risse Witherspoon. This is well worth seeing.

MOON OF LIBERTY VERDICT - RATING 'B+' - Witherspoon went on to win the Best actress OSCAR, a fantastic story well told, get the DVD if you have not seen it.