We all know that racism is a rampant societal evil, but when you find it in the wrong place, it can lead to some very shocking results. This movie is about this displacement of young children from their families into orphanages due solely to their half white, half native Australian status. Kenneth Branagh does a great job portraying the white politician who justifies the actions of the Australian government at every turn. His calculated reasoning, despite being so utterly cruel at its core, is chilling, and it really highlights the woefully misguided nature of the Aboriginal Integration program.
If it was just for the core of this movie, I think that this movie would easily have hit the five star mark. BUT, there are so many elements that are missing that truly needed to be explained. We never truly see how these little girls survive in such a hostile environment. Many adults, with provisions, pack animals, and experienced guides have failed the trek. Actual explorers and surveyors that were prepared for the difficulties they would be facing not only failed to make the trip, but died along the way. So, just how are three little girls able to do it? It is never really explained, which leaves me with a very dissatisfied feeling. It is a plot hole that really is a let down in an otherwise dramatic masterpiece.
Movie to See #2: Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
One side note in this film is a question I have to ask. Is Marisa Tomei 43 or 23 at he time this film is made? I mean, she was born in 1964, and the film was made in 2007, but WOW can you not tell. While, naturally, not everyone will appreciate this fact, there is a a LOT of naked Marisa Tomei in this film, and let me just say that the woman has aged very, very well. Now that I've earned my place on the couch this evening...
There is one negative aspect to this film that I can't quite get over, and that's the flip-flopping time line. While I do appreciate the story telling element that comes with showing how things unwind over time, the break in the linear story is sometimes a little confusing. While I can appreciate this kind of approach when you're telling small snippets of story this way, there were really large swathes of story that were part of this back and forth movement of storyline that didn't feel quite right. It was a tad disorienting. Otherwise, this is a great little movie, but the pace was a little disjointed at times.
Movie to See #3: American Psycho 2
William Shatner? Mila Kunis? In the same movie?! Yes! Unfortunately this movie is not nearly as creepy as the original. In fact, it really feels more like a teeny-bopper version of the Christian Bale masterpiece. Like the first movie, this is certainly a tongue-in-cheek romp, albeit with a lot more camp. Unfortunately, when they added the camp, they really dumped all of the menace in the process which makes this one even more unbelievable and gives it, overall, a kind of 'lightweight' feel to it. All that aside, I still found this film pretty fun. Perhaps I'm being too forgiving because it's Kunis and Shatner, but I mean come on, how can you not? A lightweight piece that certainly won't be for everyone, but still enjoyable.
Movie to Skip #1: Hamburger Hill
Don't get me wrong. If you're just looking for a movie about warfare in the jungle, then this film has got tons of it, and you probably won't be disappointed. But if you're looking for an honest exploration of the human soul, then you'll find that this one comes off a little preachy and kind of hollow. You've got three much better choices than this one if you want to explore the Vietnam War from the eyes of the grunts.
Movie to Skip #2: Quarantine
The long and short of this movie is that it is an interesting twist on the modern virus-zombie movie craze. But ultimately there is nothing too terribly surprising about any of it. I've enjoyed Jennifer Carpenter since I first saw her as Detective Morgan on Dexter, and she is certainly one of the saving graces of this film, but at the end of the day, it's just another mediocre zombie movie. Could be worse. Could be better. But wholly skip able.
The Young Victoria is beautiful film. It is very well acted, well written, but NOTHING HAPPENED. This is supposed to be a story about how Victoria and Prince Albert fall in love and become the longest reigning monarchs in history (England, anyway). But that having been said, this movie wasn't really about love because 'love' isn't the point of the couple's union. Further, we only see glimpses of their exchanges and it's hard to understand just how the 'love' was supposed to have developed. But this movie also isn't about Victoria being queen, because it is so early on in her reign that she hasn't done anything yet. This is, for all intents and purposes, merely an 'abstract' version of Victoria's life from about 17 to 21 years of age (so, four years in her life). And unfortunately the only real drama in the movie was < spoiler alert> an entirely fictional account of Prince Albert being wounded during an assassination attempt. In fact, Prince Albert was never actually shot historically, although he was present when an assassination attempt was made on Victoria's life.
