Here are some more reviews!
Albert Nobbs (2011) This one is a real tearjerker. The main character is Albert Nobbs, a valet in a well frequented hotel in the Victorian era, who likes to keep to himself. Albert has a secret you see. Albert is a she. A masterful performance by Glenn Close, I recommend this movie to anyone who likes Downton Abbey, Dickens and movies that require a handkerchief.
Monster House (2006) This 3D animated movie tells the story of a young boy who stays home while his parents are away for a few days, and discovers something not quite right about the house across the road... The plot in this movie is well done, the characters likeable, and even the 'monster house' has a bittersweet story to tell. I find this a perfect Halloween movie; my 5 year old watched it over and over again, even after Halloween was over. A note of caution for the sensitive kids, there are some scary scenes in the movie, so you may wish to view it before deciding if it's right for your children.
Saving Mr. Banks (2014) This movie tells the story behind Disney's making of Mary Poppins, and it's creator, P. L. Travers. This is a charming and thoroughly heartbreaking look at Ms. Travers' past, as she tries to come to terms with all aspects of her book's translation to movie, and the difficult task of working with the indomitable and tenacious Walt Disney. This is based on real persons, and the movie's makers used recording's of P. L. Travers' meetings with Walt and his crew as a basis for her portrayal. Another great movie I would recommend to anyone.
Case Histories (s. 1 2011, s. 2 2014) This is actually not a movie, but a tv series based on the books by Kate Atkinson. Jackson Brodie is a former police officer, now a P. I. in Edinburgh, Scotland. Jackson has the worst luck for an investigator. Whenever he finds himself investigating what promises to be a paying case, it invariably turns into a complicated, personally draining, person endangering mess. And Brodie takes the brunt of it. I love how his character is portrayed, with such a sad, hangdog face, but so loyal and stubborn. If Jackson Brodie decides to help you, he puts everything on the line, including his own happiness, to ensure that things end well for you. Because you see, once upon a time, things didn't end so well for him... A top notch detective series.
Elysium (2013) This futuristic science fiction thriller looks at a very possible near future, where the planet has become drastically impoverished and overpopulated, and people are controlled by androids sent down from Elysium, an orbiting habitat for the super rich. On Elysium, an revolutionary medical device can cure any disease within minutes. But only if you are a 'citizen', and those on earth are not. When our main character, played by Matt Damon, gets a deadly dose of radiation, he decides that he will be getting a cure, come hell or high water.
I really enjoyed this movie, even though it was more hard core science fiction and action than I usually watch. The action was fast paced, and the characters were likeable enough with a good background plot to make it believable. I also found the ending to be quite good, bringing the movie to a higher emotional peak than it would have reached had the story gone in a different direction. Some gory bits in this film, so I definitely recommend following the ratings on this one.
Le Jour des Corneilles (2013) And to finish off this post, a French movie review! I will put this review here in English, but will be putting it up in French in another later post when I have more French reviews gotten together.
This is an animated children's movie about a young boy who lives alone in a forest with his father. The boy, who can see forest spirits, is content with his life and wishes for nothing more, until one stormy night when his father is injured and rendered unconscious by a bad fall. Not knowing what to do and without much choice, the boy drags his father into the nearby village, where he is taken in by the local garrison's doctor and his young daughter. The village people are not too thrilled with his arrival, as they still remember his father and dreadful stories circulate about him and his child.
I found this a very moving story about love and grief, and how families can break apart and remake themselves in strange ways. The animation style is beautiful, and the forest spirits of the dead are charming and magical in their own way.
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