Stone of Destiny

Stone of Destiny is quite a good little film. It's not a great film, but it's good. The cinematography is smooth and beautiful (the landscapes of Scotland are astounding), the performances are solid, and the cast is excellent. The cast was made up mostly of lesser-known actors (although you may recognize Pippin from Lord of the Rings), probably due to the fact that this is not a major-studio-big-budget release. All in all, this is a solid film full of humour, passion, and nostalgia.

The plot of the film is fairly simple: Scottish nationalists from a University in Glasgow in 1950 decide to take back their country's coronation stone that the English "stole" from them centuries gone by. In a not-so-elaborate rouse, Ian Hamilton and merry men drive down to London, break into Westminster Abbey, and attempt to take back what is rightfully theirs.


My gut tells me that a true-blooded Scottish nationalist would not find this film terribly amusing. It seems to trivialize the Scottish nationalist spirit a little bit by tinting some of the more "compelling" dialogue with a Hollywood-type feel. Furthermore, the makers of the film are predominantly non-Scottish. This is, however, a true story and the "Making of" featurette on the DVD indicates that the actual Ian Hamilton was involved in every step of the production, which leads me to believe that it's fairly accurate. At any rate, it makes me want to learn more about the history of my ancestors, my being Scottish and all. Moreover, Canadians may find this film interesting since it has echoes of the English-Canadian/Quebecois tensions that have been brewing over the past 40 years. I would certainly recommend seeing this film (supporting quality non-mainstream cinema is a good idea, no?).

Vantage Point

Don't waste your time. Vantage Point is weak. The only redeeming quality, in my mind, is the fact that Dennis Quaid is in it. In my mind, Quaid rarely gets the praise due to him, nor does he have roles offered to him that fully showcase his abilities (notable exeption: Smart People).


A film about various perspectives on (spoiler!) an attempted assassination of the President of the United States, Vantage Point is at once entirely incredible, ridiculous, and well beyond the realm of believable. An interesting premise; poor execution. Don't waste your time.

GoodFellas

As far as mob movies go, I'm a big fan. The mafia is consistently an interesting subject for filmmakers to explore and expose on the big screen. In fact, The Godfather (parts I and II) are among my all-time favourite films. It's no surprise to me, then, that I thoroughly enjoyed Martin Scorsese's film GoodFellas.

GoodFellas follows the rise and fall of an Irish-Italian mobster named Henry Hill (portrayed by Ray Liotta). The film begins with his teenaged introduction to mafia work and follows him through his marriage, the birth of his children, his time in jail, and, finally, his days as a high-rolling cocaine dealer. Along the way, the audience learns about the nitty-gritty of mob life and is treated to some really stellar acting performances and filmmaking.


The best part of this film, in my view, is Liotta's performance. He's awesome. This is particularly evident in the scene pictured above, should you decide to watch the film. The only real complaint I have is that Scorsese's direction is a tad over-stylized. I realize that he puts Rolling Stones songs in every film, but "Gimme Shelter" seemed out of place, to be honest. More generally, the 'Scorsese Style' seemed to get in the way of the film in a few moments. Now, to be sure, these are not deep criticisms. This movie is excellent. The violence is gnarly, the language is filthy, the mafia is scary, and the performance are all spot-on (I'm looking at you, de Niro, Pesci, and Sorvino).

One Week

One Week is a *Canadian* film through-and-through(-and-through? Looking at you, Plaskett). Joshua Jackson (of Dawson's Creek fame) plays a settled twenty-something from Toronto named Ben who is told that he has cancer and will likely die within the year. Naturally, his fiance is upset by the news and then bewildered when Ben decides to take a cross-Canada trip from Toronto to Vancouver Island on a motorcycle.


The filmmaker's goal is to ask the audience what they would do if they had only one day, one week, or one month to live. Would you do anything differently? Would you start *actually* living? This is all well and good, but generally not the most interesting aspect of the film. Aside from the interesting and quirky film style put forward by director and writer Michael McGowan, One Week is basically a vehicle through which to explore Canadiana. From the director to the staff to the setting to the locations to the soundtrack, everything about this film oozes with Canadian sentiment. If you doubt this, consider the scene where Joel Plaskett busks on Front Street beside the CBC building or the scene where Gord Downie offers Ben a hit from his joint outside a motel.

Any Canadian worth their salt should and will find this movie entertaining.

Brokeback Mountain

A brief review:

Brokeback Mountain was a film that received a lot of buzz a few years ago when it came out and was battling Crash for the top award at the Oscars. I refused to see it back then because of how it was being toted as some sort of glorious victory for the homosexual community. "Give me a break!" I thought at the time.


At any rate, time and space has allowed me to view the movie in a more neutral and hostility-free headspace. As it turns out, Brokeback Mountain is a pretty decent film full of tense relationships, capable acting, and (above all) gorgeous cinematography; the Alberta Rockies have never looked so luch and beautiful. In the end, I thoroughly enjoyed the film, but it saddens me that it had to recieve the attention and stigma that it did back when it was released.

Revolutionary Road

I have to admit, I did not totally understand the ending of the newest Kate and Leo film Revolutionary Road. Nor do I really care to. The premise of the film is totally pretentious and lame (did you know that, in order to be at all interesting or fulfilled in life, you have to be self-important, artsy, not working in a "normal job", and be living in Paris?).



Aesthetically, the film is beautiful; near flawless cinematography, interesting set design, etc. Even the acting is quite good. But the story is lame. Not a fan.

Up

Up, the latest release from everyone's favourite animation studio, Pixar, is really excellent. Readers of this blog will probably remember that I am a huge Pixar fan; I think that everything they have released to date has been really great. Their films are full of humour, good taste, and vivid storytelling, all while remaining accessible to the whole family, not just children.

Unlike previous films, Up is probably difficult for children to grasp. There are scenes that are straightforwardly adult and emotions conveyed that children will not be able to relate to. In this respect, Up is probably the most adult film that Pixar has produced to date. This is not to say that children will not be into the film; there is plenty for the little ones to enjoy. The translating collars that the dogs wear, for example, is one of the funniest and most interesting comedy bits I've seen in a long time. ("Squirrel!")

I don't really want to give too much away. Suffice to say, you will likely not be disappointed. To quote my friend Nik after he saw Up: "I read a review that said, 'You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll laugh, you'll cry,' and I thought that was pretty ridiculous. But then I did both... multiple times."

If you want to feel great about life, go see Up.