Seen On the Big Screen So Far

Australia - rather long and self indulgent in spots especially over the second half, but Lurhmann's paean to his homeland is good, wild, rollicking fun for the most part. Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman were likeable enough leads but the child actor who play the young half aborigine boy steals the show. A perfect showcase for the marvelous scenery in the outback though the movie was never subtle and could have done with a fair bit of editing.

The Duchess - An interesting portrait of an era through an effervescent young aristocrat ahead of her time. Keira Knightley puts in another sparkling and high spirited performance as the title character the Duchess of Devonshire. Ralph Fiennes does a fine job portraying the everyday odiousness of the Duke, while enabling us to gain a richer understanding of the constraints of class, tradition and society into which he and Georgina are both bound. Somewhat slow at spots but good acting and clear idea of what the film sets out to accomplish makes it worth watching.

Rachel Getting Married - Hollywood loves films about dysfunctional families, and weddings often make the setting of popular runaway hits (think My Big Fat Greek Wedding). Rachel Getting Married succeeds because it avoids the minefield of cliches and gives us a group of characters who are multifaceted and richly written. Anne Hathaway puts in a standout performance as the sister in rehab who struggles with a drug habit, her own need to constantly be at the centre of attention and guilt for her responsibility in a family tragedy. The acting is good all-round here as is the script which creates real meaningful and nuanced individuals. The documentary feel of the movies and hand-held cinematography adds depth. Only beef - wedding sequence at the end of the movie was slightly overlong and removed some of the emotional heft.

Ponyo on a Cliff by the Sea - Miyazaki's latest offering hearkens back to his more whimsical, child-like work from his earlier days, like Kiki's Delivery Service. The animation, as to be expected, is truly superb. The story itself however is rather simple, as is the movie on the whole. Still, a joy for the animation itself.

Changeling - Clint Eastwood seems to just get better and better with age. You run the gamut of emotions throughout this movie from serene happiness, to shock, despair, outrage, horror and then hope. Angelina Jolie takes a superb role and runs with it, though the standout performance is by Jason Harner who manages to ooze charm and odiousness in equal measure in a unhinged manner that is truly frightening. The movies is excellently produced and directed. It does have to follow the turn of the events (it is based on a true story) which leads to a sudden switch in the middle of the film, and a slightly long conclusion where some of the emotional force is lost. But overall very good indeed.

Inkheart - what was an interesting concept - the ability to read characters into life - is ultimately wasted in this movie, which manages to be wearying. The plot begins to make less and less sense as it goes along. The chief crime is that it lacks a sense of fun, which should have been inherent in any movie involving escaped fairytale characters.

The Reader - a wonderfully compelling, deep, thoughtful movie. The elements of guilt and shame are explored through the past of Hanna Schmidt who was a former guard at Auschwitz, though the film, at its core is about the guilt of Michael, the sixteen year old boy she has an affair with. A film which can only be appreciated when thought about deeply. Kate Winslett is very good and will be a front-runner come the awards season.