Movies, Drama
Guy Richie took some liberties in wooing young audiences to see his version of Sherlock Holmes. The historical—but let us not forget fictional—19th century character invented by the writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is quite meticulous with his personal hygiene and does not seem to have any constitutional interest in the opposite sex. Richie’s Sherlock only puts drops of water on his body when it is absolutely necessary. One could mistake his Sherlock for a homeless street bum. Richie’s Sherlock could also pass for a Don Giovanni who is merely between affairs rather than an incurable bachelor. Richie cast Sherlock Holmes in the genre an action movie, putting it closer in the tradition of James Bond or Jason Bourne films. Yet in one way Richie stayed faithful to the character in the Conan Doyle books. Sherlock Holmes is one hell of a detective. His powers of reasoning are peerless.Sherlock Holmes
Movies, Drama
A few years ago I was staying for a night in a motel in the vicinity of the Washington airport. Breakfast included. USA Today placed before my door as is customary for this kind of American establishment. I read this snapshot of American life at the breakfast table. Next to me sits a man in his early 30. He is looking for conversation and connection. After training in Texas he is being shipped out to Iraq via this airport. The politicians make the decisions. We just hope that we are doing the right thing. His IQ is in the lower ranges. I come to share the trace of fearfulness about his future that has enveloped his being. “Can I have your email address so that I can write from Iraq,” he asks me. How can I say ‘no’. I never heard from him again. There are two possibilities: Everything went so well that he didn’t feel the need to write. Or he simply got himself killed soon after he arrived in Iraq.The Hurt Locker
Movies, Drama
What is a perfect night at the movies? A splendid dinner before! Short ticket lines! Then a surprisingly deep film with George Clooney in the lead! The words “deep” and “George Clooney” typically don’t go hand in hand. But a strong novel by Walter Kirn and a director (Jason Reitman) who can bring into focus at the same time life’s joys and disappointments provide a platform for Clooney to deliver a compelling performance. Clooney is Ryan Bingham who travels some 320 days a year from one American city to another to fire people on behalf of their employer. Once in a while he also gives motivational speeches that have become so popular in many American hotel conference rooms. Among the 300 odd million Americans, there may not be a single person who completely fits Bingham’s profile of being rather content although he has no family, no significant other, no close friends, and not even place to come home to.Up in the Air
Movies, Drama
The skill of con artists is not specialized to particular types of people. The best of them such as Bernie Madoff in recent times fool almost everyone. That is what makes them so dangerous. Teenage girls falling for the bad guy is not news. But parents falling for the bad guy is an underexplored theme in the movies. If you are a parent of a teenage daughter, this film will be an educational experience. It does a very nice job in capturing the mood of 1960s Britain. We follow the journey to adulthood of a 16-year-old daughter who comes from a lower middle class family. Father and mother’s only wish for their talented daughter is to attend Oxford. But suddenly a much older man appears on their doorstep and he shakes the very foundations of this socially ambitious family.An Education
Movies, Drama
My first reaction to Atonement was: I have seen this film before. Aristocratic daughter and son of servant fall in love. The differences in social class make it impossible for them to be together. The romance shatters. But before long, the film takes an unexpected turn and my second reaction became: This is a marvelous drama. The human brain is designed for people to survive. When you have done something terrible, beating yourself up for it and becoming all depressed does not have survival value. Suppression rather than atonement is a far more common reaction. Atonement, based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Ian McEwan, is remarkable because the sister of the heroine commits a terrible transgression but years later is able to admit her awful dead. She sets out to atone and win back her older sister’s respect and love. But then war comes and plays havoc with everyone’s plans.Atonement
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