January 2012

January got off to a good start. Our first movie of the year was MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL starring the ever gorgeous Tom Cruise, who this time is joined by Jeremy Renner (of Hurt Lock fame) and the fabulous Simon Pegg. The fourth in the Mission Impossible series and in my opinion so good it could rival the first. Tom Cruise at almost 50 is still impressively doing his own stunts. The movie is action packed from start to finish and has a riveting storyline to boot.

My rating 4/5

Next up was the THE IRON LADY, starring Meryl Streep and one of my all time favourites Jim Broadbent. I went to watch this with an open mind. I’d read mixed reviews, some that highlighted the political inaccuracies and others that classed it as a masterpiece. The film is set in the present day with Thatcher now suffering from dementia and reminiscing with her dead husband Denis on poignant moments in her career. I didn’t love The Iron Lady. I don’t think anyone can deny what a truly committed leader Margaret Thatcher was, but from a maternal perspective, I think she was cold and heartless and in old age she was paying the price with her absent son and grandchildren, whom she was yearning to see. There is one scene where as a young mother Margaret drove away from home with her children crying and chasing after her. She showed no emotion as she left them and moments later was seen removing evidence of them from her car. I also felt it was a little crass to make the film while she is still alive and suffering from dementia.

My rating 3/5

January continued to be a busy month and next on our list was WAR HORSE which I thoroughly enjoyed. Produced by Steven Spielberg and starring the relatively unheard of Jeremy Irvine as the boy Albert Narracott and the wonderful Emily Watson as his mother, Rose. The film is an adaptation of a children’s book by the same name written by Michael Morpurgo. The story tells of a captivating bond between a horse and a young boy who are separated by the boys father when he sells the horse to pay the rent. Albert vows to the horse that one day they will be reunited but as war sets in that looks an unlikely prospect. Much of it is set in the beautiful Devon countryside amongst the moors and quaint English villages. I thoroughly enjoyed the film but unlike many I didn’t need any tissues.

My rating 4/5

I was particularly looking forward to seeing HAYWIRE, produced by Steven Sodenburg and with an amazing cast, it promised to be nothing but outstanding. Starring Antonio Banderas, Michael Douglas, Ewan McGregor, Channing Tatum, Michael Fassbender, who was remarkable as Mr. Rochester in last year’s Jane Eyre and another newbie Gina Carano. The story follows Mallory Kane (Carano), a covert agent with a private company that provides services to the US government as she tries to ascertain who has set her up and why. The movie is action packed to say the least but the fight scenes are about as credible as the performance by Carano herself. I also felt let down by Ewan McGregor who, I felt, didn’t do the role of Kenneth any justice. It didn’t live up to my expectations and if I had to sum it up in one word, it would be disappointing.

My rating 2/5

 The very next day we watched J. EDGAR starring the wonderfully talented Leonardo Di Caprio and Dame Judi Dench and directed by Clint Eastwood. I am a particular fan of Leo Di Caprio. He always plays his characters so effortlessly and I’ve never seen him in a role where he was unconvincing. In the role of Edgar, he was totally flawless. The story details the personal life of J. Edgar Hoover and his professional dedication to the FBI for pretty much all of his adult life. I particularly enjoyed that his personal life was portrayed with tenderness and respect. I knew very little about Hoover before I watched the movie, but I left feeling I had an insight into his life. I enjoyed the costume and although the lighting was often dark it was appropriate for the period and story. This is another perfect example of when I disagree with the critics. The reviews I’d read hadn’t rated J. Edgar highly, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it.

My rating 4/5.

January started well and ended on an even higher note. Our last movie of the month was THE DESCENDANTS starring my all time favourite George Clooney, in what I would consider to be his best performance to date. The movie has already won 2 Golden Globes and has been nominated for 5 Oscars, including George Clooney as best actor. I will be outraged if he doesn’t win on February 26^th. The story follows Matt King (Clooney), a Honolulu based lawyer as he tries to juggle life and family following his wife’s boating accident. Elizabeth King (Patricia Hastie) is in a coma when Matt discovers from his teenage daughter that she has been having an affair. The story follows his journey, with his two daughters, to seek out the other man in his wife’s life and give him a chance to say goodbye. The depth of emotion in the film is palpable and I felt I was being prepared for Elizabeth’s passing. Shailene Woodley and Amara Miller are outstanding as Alex and Scottie King, the couples daughters. Alex, while dealing with her own grief and anger, also provides a crutch for her father, while their relationships move into new realms. There is a wonderful scene where Matt confronts Elizabeth about her affair and you can feel the pain inside him, desperately wanting answers, desperately wanting her to wake up. I needed a whole pack of tissues throughout the movie. It will definitely be going onto my list of all time favourites. Go see it or buy the blu-ray or both!

My rating 5/5