The Duchess

WORTH-IT: (Saul Dib) In 1774, 17-year-old Georgiana Spencer (Kiera Knightley) giddily agreed to marry the older, distinguished Duke of Devonshire (an unsettling Ralph Fiennes). Unlike many girls, whisked away by arranged marriages, she entered this union flattered and with big dreams. Unfortunately, the Duke shared, or cared for, none of those dreams, performing the marital duty and speaking none, proving this relationship would be nothing beyond an expected male heir. Heartbroken and frustrated, Georgiana, "G," refocuses her energy, becoming the fashion icon of her time, what was the very height of Britain's Georgian era, one rich with pop culture, decadence and political revolution. And The Duchess is complete with all the fantastic glitter that comes with these period pieces, winning an Oscar for costumes and matching all expectations for a 18th Century starlet. Dressed to the T, G finds her superfluous joy in gambling, partying and socializing, but ultimately cannot recover from the heartbreak she continually encounters. The Duke brings an illegitimate child for her to raise, he sleeps with a multitude of other women, and when after 6 years she had not managed to produce a male heir, they head to Bath for a "healing" vacation. Here, she meets Lady Elizabeth Foster, played subtly and heartily by Hayley Atwell, who shortly becomes G's best friend and confidant--encouraging her to live life sexually empowered, opening herself up for real love with a young rising politician, and old friend of G's, Charles Grey (the highly adorable Dominic Cooper). She helps capture a political fan base for him, at the same time capturing his heart, and vice versa. Knightley and Cooper maintain an unmatched chemistry, one reflecting innocent romance, true companionship and a beautiful love story. The Duchess isn't a happy ending or a flowery romance though; It is imprisonment, heavy expectations and the high price of a life-long contract. Although loved by everyone in England for her convivial aires and iconic lifestyle, behind closed doors she is a tragic soul and a wasted personality. Knightley captures utter heartbreak on her face, pulling an audience into her character's despair without question or persuasion at the slightest strain of her smile or within the smoky glare she can, on command, exude. The film at barest is light, although filled with heavy emotion and tragic hardship. It comes in the shadow of both Elizabeth and Marie Antoinette, but G's story is not one to be ignored, and competes just as fiercely.

Tropic Thunder

MUST-SEE: (Ben Stiller) I have to warn you that this review might be filled with many superlatives. First off, it is the best spoof on an action film I have ever seen. Secondly, it is the best construction of a cast I have seen in a comedy film in a long time. And, it is the funniest movie for a movie-lover out there right now. Take a most unique way of creating a plot, a group of ego-rich actors forced to really play their characters in a director's effort to dissipate diva attitudes. Combine that with the most unforgettable characters, Robert Downey Jr. as a white Australian playing a black man, a gay-yet homophobic-black rapper who "loves the P****" and his energy drink, Booty Juice, a one-hit wonder and struggling drug addict Jack Black, and a Will Smith-gone blockbuster-less turned Sylvester Stallone as Rocky the Millionth Ben Stiller. Whew. It gets better. Living up to all spoof expectations it delivers subtle blows to movies across the board and touches on personalities off-screen to include punches at stereotypical Hollywood personalities (great cameos by Matthew McConaughey as the personally attached Agent and Tom Cruise as the egg-head Film Exec). I can't say much more that wouldn't spoil this story for you, but I can encourage you by saying that this movie is about the characters, thus about people gathered on screen that complement each other in a way unmatched by any other. Stiller directs his ass off in a no-holds barred real-life role play. As the characters' whining begins, so does the fun, sending the group on a treasure hunt to the end of the script. Tropic Thunder is a mass of brilliant writing, unforgettable "action" and constant comedy, a worthy film evidenced by the nod for Downey Jr.'s race/self-confused Kirk Lazarus, and lastly, like any good comedy, deep beneath the laughter, a truly believable story erupts. Nah... But you'll be laughing too hard to care. Use this as an escape from the deep-rooted films too common during these Oscar months. It won't disappoint.

Milk

MUST-SEE: (Gus Van Sant) I label this film out of habit. It is a must-see movie. But know this movie is not for everyone and not everyone will agree with that classification. Even as historical and enlightening, Milk illustrates a side of life still not accepted by all, and by others still hated upon. That said, if men lovin' on other men offends you, skip this one--skip out on a colorful part of history and skip one of the year's most well-made, most fun movies of the year. Starring Sean Penn as California politician and gay rights activist, Harvey Milk, Milk is the story of one man's fight for rights in the San Francisco Castro District (and ultimately the state). As a newcomer to the West Coast, Milk is impossible to ignore and even harder to hate. Even for Josh Brolin's City Supervisor Dan White, a strict conservative, who is smitten with Milk's extraordinary personality and political attitude. Bare-boned, this film is a documentary of the series of events leading up the assassination of Milk and the city's mayor, George Moscone. But full-on, Milk is a historical montage, an incredible mesh of actual clips and fictional re-enactments. It tells a true story in a unique, personal way--a way never before associated with politics. It helps an audience sympathize with a universal desire for happiness. It breaks down the formalities of law and makes life's lessons meaningful and ultimately, inspiring. Penn plays a powerful Harvey Milk, embodying the man from appearance to accent to body language. But props to an overall accurate casting job. Each character is remarkably comparable to the real-life campaign members, and they got lucky to land such similarities with actors like James Franco and Emile Hirsch, rising to the task in ways that make us continue to seek more out of them. An all-star cast with a fabulous story and creative film-making makes Milk impossible to pass up. To say it's heart-warming seems morbid, but the love within that 128 minutes does nothing short of play your heartstrings. Settle your offenses for two hours and relive a history from a fresh vantage point. Bravo Van Sant and film editors. This is a truly unique story forever branded in reputation.

Slumdog Millionaire

PHENOMENAL: (Danny Boyle) Slumdog Millionaire is a movie for the masses illustrating a vibrancy of culture existing among the darkest of standards, proving that human life is foremost lived. Director Danny Boyle (Trainspotting) brings to the screen the story of Jamal Malik, an orphaned Mumbai boy growing up on the streets. He candidly reveals a country and its people immune to devastation and caught up in extortion. He hides nothing from the harsh reality, simply because there is nowhere to hide in India. There is no freedom, only constant fear, and only the powerful ones survive. With the Jamal character (Dev Patel), we are given passage into the heart that exists underneath the grime, and the innocence beneath the corruption. Meshing energetic music with warm sights and street sounds creates a backdrop for Malik's quintessential journey through time, through the ups and downs of street life, one moment jumping in feces to get an autograph of his favorite movie star and the next watching his mother violently murdered in the street. Slumdog shows us what it looks like to have that innocence stolen and your life threatened over and over. This motif is carried out farther with Malik's participation on game show, the Indian version of Who Wants To Be a Millionaire? He relives moments in time from wherein his brain holds the answers to each question. The amazing power of this story comes as, through all of it, living in trash, swimming in poop, and dodging gunfire to play in your backyard, there are real lives being lived there. These people experience the same things we do; love, family, friendship, pick-up games, skipping class, reading the 3 Musketeers... all normal things. Real things that don't wait on clean hands or fresh water. They live in the here and now, executing a totally different kind of innocence than we're used to, and Boyle does a stand-out job of proving it's both devastating and beautiful to watch. I am 100%behind this film for this year's Best Picture. Don't miss seeing it.

WALL-E

WORTH-IT: (Andrew Stanton) Hard not to expect great things from the man who brought us Finding Nemo and A Bug's Life, and he does nothing but meet those expectations with more impossibly adorable, environmentally aware animated creatures. WALL-E is the story of a trash compacting robot, left on earth long after life has ceased to exist on the planet. For over 700 years, he has gone about his business alone, uninterrupted until the arrival of a suspicious new fangled robot named Eve, a robot sent from the "new" Earth to test the old planet's ability to support life. With the cutest animatronic voices, you find yourself rooting for this pair from the beginning, ignorant to the lack of "real" people and anxious to see more. Their journey takes us to the new Earth where they fight for the return of human life to a forgotten planet. It's a gentle way to encourage green living, and mildly reputing people for not taking responsibility for playing their part to protect the planet. With extreme solutions illustrating the potential detriment our lack of concern may lead to, this story inspires garden planting, enjoying the outdoors and of course, picking up your trash. A catchy song helps drive the point home, Down to Earth, by asking "do you feel tricked by the future you picked?" It calls out the human negligence and in turn celebrates the earth for what it is and can aspire to be. A truly heartwarming fable, WALL-E deserves nothing less than its Oscar nod. Perfect for everyone in your family, or all of your friends. Enjoy!

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

WORTH-IT: (David Fincher) I tend to hold F. Scott Fitzgerald in a certain high esteem. He has an apt to write flagrantly and classically, all the while maintaining an aire of unique beauty, untouched by any other story and impossible to undermine. For that reason, I immediately was curious (no pun intended) of the potential this film held. How would it be possible to carry over such deep emotion and soul, something I find irreplaceable in book to film adaptations? But, curiosity is a funny thing, and my expectations of this film quickly escalated. Luckily, Fincher knew to choose timeless faces like Cate Blanchett, Taraji P. Henson and Brad Pitt; he knew a muted color palette would successfully carry out a feeling of nostalgia mixed with new experience; and at last, he found a way to make a short story into one of the longest movies, yet lacking one moment of monotonous lag. Fitzgerald's gentle voice and unique style completely reveal themselves through Fincher's Curious Case. Fascinating make-up and a soft artful impression leave an avid reader satisfied that much is left to the mind of the viewer, ruining no personal creativity and encouraging liberal sentiment. The story is a true definition of originality. A beautiful love story and one of genuine self-discovery, Curious Case is one not to miss. Prepare yourself for a long movie and revel in the fact that it is a treat to see the story. You'll laugh and you might cry, but overall you'll feel the warmth from the inside that shrugs off a cheesy threat, and wins over your heart.

Revolutionary Road

MUST-SEE: (Sam Mendes) Before seeing this film, you really should fall in love with the book first. Written by Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road is truly an overlooked classic. The story is of April and Frank Wheeler, a young married couple fighting a monotonous threat of sweet suburban life, struggling to hold their relationship (and family) together despite their inner defeat. It's their dreams that suffer in this story, and their constant cry is that the "hopeless emptiness" of the American Dream are draining them of the potential they once had. The only way out, the only way to save their creativity and live happily and satisfied, is to move to Paris and allow themselves to be the interesting, "special," people they really are. Well executed on screen, tiny seams start to rip in this theory and plan. Is it that the couple are now comfortable in the monotony? Afraid of anything but the monotony and that a new exciting life would reveal they are in fact not special or interesting? And at last, are they so brainwashed, stuck in this life for so long, that they actually believe in the potential of this "sweet" and simple life? All of the above fire through Frank Wheeler's mind, brilliantly payed by an also overlooked Leonardo DiCaprio, sending him into contstant question of where he fits best in life. Is he better off here, knowing he is superior? Or is he superior once he leaves, proving his worth by choosing better? He is phenomenal as the tormented Frank Wheeler, able to simultaneously portray innocence and ignorance, enact fury and fear, and roll everything into one lovable, forgivable family man. Leo's ability to play someone so lost, but so confident in each moment, makes his performance one to sting your tearducts, knock the air from your lungs and hope, above all else, that happiness will somehow find this man. April Wheeler is played equally well by a mesmerizing Kate Winslet. Also overlooked by our friends at the Academy, Winslet has the uncanny ability to fire up an audience no matter the moral. As she empties April's eyes of emotion, drains her face of any light whatsoever, she draws fantastic reaction to something deeper, her spirit. April immediately takes hold of your soul, becomes a real person with genuine validity. Together Kate and Leo create a wrenching illustration of some of the saddest creatures ever spoken of. No two others could have served the late Richard Yates so well. His words and his motif jump off the page and onto the screen, leaving nothing out of order, nothing desired, and everything mundane and muted in vibrant implication, as it should be. Truly heartbreaking, Revolutionary Road is worth the gasp it gives your heart. Riveting performances and subtle tragedy make this one not to be overlooked in your own regard.

Frost Nixon

MUST-SEE: (Ron Howard) From the opinions of someone completely ignorant to anything about Richard Nixon and Watergate that wasn't revealed through 1999's Dick, I have to say this movie is incredible. It's a summed up version of the White House scandal, revealed in the questions and answers that took place between David frost and President Nixon in the summer of 1977. Played majestically by Frank Langella, Nixon is believably human, a fragile aging man fighting to keep his political repuatation alive post-impeachment as well as maintain his "presidential" stature. Michael Sheen is TV host and pop star David Frost, adequately matched to a real-life Frost, performing it as naturally as if he were him. As Frost bites off (possibly) more than he can chew with his own reputation's biggest subject yet, Nixon prepares to railroad an inexperienced investigative journalist. The result is an ultimate battle of wits, where the only weapons are experience and confidence backed by a ruthless ability to bullshit. Langella reverberates a calm and defiant demeanor, clamoring Frost's hopes as the interviews skew from an intended direction. Only as Nixon finds comfort and begins to relax does Frost's determination (and threat to go bankrupt) light a fire underneath his team, ultimately cornering Nixon, tiring him out and at last, squeezing a confession for 400 million viewers to see. The film beautifully portrays the emotional ride our nation was on that summer, explaining plenty (for the ignorant few) but leaving the evidence of "character" to your own definition. The loose filming gave it 70s realism, the acting brought it validation. Langella sits high on a list of nominees for this role. Thanks to Ron Howard for delivering a believable, relatable, historical piece to a modern-day society of political curiosity.

Doubt

MUST-SEE: (John Patrick Shanley) On the surface, Doubt is the story of the warm-hearted Father Flynn (Phillip Seymour Hoffman), accused of child abuse at St. Nicholas Catholic School. The deeper story is that of Sister Aloysius, played remarkably by Meryl Streep, who accuses Flynn without proof, without reason, and only with her certainty that he has done wrong. She has her doubts that Flynn is struggling from his first sermon in the film, announcing often people doubt their faith, but without it we wouldn't respect its strength. Aside from his questionable sermon, he openly practices taboos like long fingernails, lots of drinking and allowing himself pleasures of sugar and tobacco which all give Aloysius a sense of urgency to get rid of him. She all but waits for an excuse to take Flynn down. Therein lies motif number 3, as she is limited by the church's authority. Meshing that into the doubt eating its way through the church guarantees a woven play of dark reality. Aloysius says, "In taking a step towards addressing wrong doing, you are taking a step away from God, but in his service." This quote embodies the film's attempt to constantly force the viewer (and the other characters) to question who is right, what are we certain of, and ultimately, what good does it do to know? Amy Adams does a tremendous job as the innocent Sister James, who is the first to suspect Flynn but unconvinced whether or not his taboo acts actually equal wrong doing. She is quickly caught in the middle of her faith's requirements and her heart's belief, in the end not able to sleep at night again. The finger points back and forth, leaving not one scene slow or tedious. Emotions run on high, and if you're left with tears in your eyes or a breath caught in your chest it is the deep deep pathos within this script and the ability our stars have to capture it so immensely. Truly this deserves Academy recognition.

Bride Wars

QUESTIONABLE: (Gary Winick) Um, I am not really sure where to begin with this one. Aside from the frustration of having to spend that $10 for 2 hours of mindless entertainment on something so mindless (and at the same time ridiculous), there is the question of whether or not it was worth the sacrifice. Would I have missed out on anything? No. Would I be better off having not seen it? Financially, yes, and--I'll go there--wholly, yes. It might be a little harsh, especially for those of you who enjoyed a chuckle or two at Anne Hathaway sitting single at the Strip Club before mounting a knotted rope swing in satin shorts and a top hat all in the name of revenge, so I'll announce some redeeming qualities right off the bat. Humor. It had some. Mostly at the expense of Kristen Johnston's already suffering credibility, but also because who can't help but laugh at two "best" friends who are willing to give up having any friends at all in their wedding party because neither is willing to change wedding locales. There are moments of unique laughter, as Kate Hudson's Liv stalks into her boyfriend's office demanding an engagement only to realize he was planning it that particular night. Yes, I can tell you're dying at the originality and--oh!--the irony! Anne Hathaway plays the understated, second-fiddle friend, almost the protagonist until she chases Hudson down the aisle as her ceremony began. Awkward and dramatic, especially since our protagonist is the one who breaks the cake with her own fiance and wa-LAH, marries the random brother one year later. Happiness is inevitable I guess, and I am sure all those people clapped and cried and were immediately over the shock of seeing Hathaway's Emma humping a high school boy on the table in Mexico, or Liv's bra hanging out of her Vera Wang wedding dress. These are all normal, easy to get over things. Good thing, because I did get over them. I was able to laugh, and I felt the hint at sentimentality... but overall, the utter ridiculousness created more of a distraction than anything. I couldn't get by with telling myself, "it's just a movie," or "it isn't supposed to be real life." I mean, that is why people see movies in the first place, am I right? For an escape from reality? Unfortunately, in today's world, we're looking more for a brighter sense of reality, an encouragement sort of... not a delusional hyped-up netherworld of bridal fantasy and backstabbing best friends. Okay. Whew. Back to redeeming qualities. This little flick fits into the stereotypical night of popcorn, pillow fights and pink pajamas, where conveniently you can watch it on dvd and split a $4 rental fee many ways. You can laugh at a cute girly romantic comedy and brush off bad writing and stooped credibility for much less of your wallet and sanity. But even with that said, what happened to Pretty in Pink?