More movies.
Feb 15th, 2008 by B.
Three more:
In The Valley Of Elah:In The Valley Of Elah tells the story of a father (Tommy Lee Jones) investigating the death of his son, who recently returned from a tour of duty in Iraq. But it’s not about the war- more so the inhumanity of war (if that makes sense).
Tommy Lee Jones with his basset-hound-gone-lame face and saddened, resigned voice is an absolute marvel. And while Susan Sarandon played a much smaller part, she lit the film while she was onscreen. That said, wow, Wes Chatham’s small but pivotal role as Corporal Steve Penning is the performance upon which this film turns.
That said, there are still plenty of signature Haggis flaws. A preachy, lecturing tone, emotional manipulation, clubbing you over the head with morality & lame symbolism. But… credit where it’s due… it IS good. And, without giving too much away, had Haggis chosen to close the film at the end of the final interrogation scene, it would’ve been great.
This is one to see.
♦
Surf’s Up: This is the way a mocumentary should be done. Jeff Bridges as an aged surfer-dude was an inspired bit of casting. I’ve watched this with my 7 year-old daughter multiple times and we both agree it’s one of our favorite animated films. Well worth owning.
♦
Gone Baby Gone:Gone Baby Gone is a suspenseful whodunit centering on the abduction of a child. Ben Affleck does a great job directing the film and making sure the ethical dilemma is presented in a way that really doesn’t have a right or wrong answer. That said, I can’t help feeling he tried to accomplish too much.
Ultimately it was an entertaining film, with the cast delivering memorable performances (perhaps the best coming from Amy Madigan), and a resolution that’s far from simple.
