THE KINGS SPEECH

I'm a sucker for period movies, especially those with English accents and even more so, those staring Colin Firth. So what happens when an English accent of character played by Firth in a period film is accompanied by a stammer? That is the story of The King's Speech which opens November 26th.

Prince George, The Duke of York was second in line to the throne behind his brother so his stammer wouldn't really have been as big of a problem had his brother not abdicated the throne to marry Wallis Simpson. (Madonna is making a film about that story.)
After his brother abdicates, George ('Bertie') reluctantly assumes the throne as King George VI. Because his stutter has called into question his ability to rule, he and Elizabeth I engage the help of an unorthodox speech therapist named Lionel Logue.

"Through a set of unexpected techniques, and as a result of an unlikely friendship, Bertie is able to find his voice and boldly lead the country through war." George VI and Elizabeth are the parents of reigning Queen Elizabeth II and it will be interesting to see her childhood during the war.

There are already rumors that this film will earn Colin Firth an Oscar just as The Queen earned Helen Mirren her statue. I think it's safe to say that The Academy is also a sucker for an English accent - Garth

L'AMOUR FOU

September saw the release of the film L'Amour Fou which documents the life of the late Yves Saint Laurent and his fifty year relationship with his life companion Pierre Bergé

Upon Yves Saint laurent death, Bergé decides to sell their private art collection. This sale is considered "the auction of the century". Each object and art piece tells a story about their personal lives. This documentary, filled with rare material archives and exclusive images of their homes, tells their story: a story of love, art and ethics.

Currently there is no release date for South Africa but hopefully Cinema Nouveau will be bringing it to our big screens - Garth

A SINGLE MAN

Once in awhile you come across a movie that leaves in complete awe. A Single Man for me is such a movie. This film is fashion designer, Tom Ford, first foray into film and hopefully not his last. Based on the Christopher Isherwood novel of the same name, Ford has written and directed a film that is simply a masterpiece.

Colin Firth heads up a stellar cast and his performance as George is breathtaking. Julianne Moore is exquisite and Nicholas Hoult shines on camera.

Everything about this film - the look, colours, pacing, shots, composition, cinematography, costumes, soundtrack - shows that an extraordinary amount of love and care went into it. I was left awestruck how Ford creates two worlds - a cold, stark one in which George sees only hopelessness, and another warm, colorful one in which he has hope. A special mention must be made for the film's soundtrack which is haunting and moving.

About A Single Man
In the beginning of the film, we are introduced to a despondent George (Firth) who has just lost his longtime partner. He is sapped of energy and will, he struggles to wake up each day and function as the brilliant college professor he is. Few notice the change in him, but one student sees George as a magnet pulling him forward to a place even he doesn't understand. Kenny (Hoult) seems to glow like an angel in George's dark world and, yet, is a puzzle and presents a challenge which he doesn't necessarily want to confront at this stage in his life. As is his custom, he turns to Charlotte (Moore) for a warm shoulder but the temperature drops amidst the chill surrounding George's bleak existence.

My thoughts
A Single Man is a visual feast and an emotional roller coaster ride. It doesn't get better than this - Mart

ROCKING MOVIE

On Sunday after our great adventure at Rand Airport, Garth and I decided that watching a DVD would be a perfect way to round off the day. The movie that we really wanted to see was out so by Geoff's recommendation we hired The Boat That Rocked starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Bill Nightly.

About the movie:
The Boat That Rocked is a comedy in which the romance takes place between the young people of the '60s and pop music. It's about a band of rogue DJs that captivated Britain, playing the music that defined a generation and standing up to a government that, incomprehensibly, preferred jazz.

My thoughts:
I didn't really know what to expect from this movie and what I got was a well scripted, beautifully acted performances and an equally powerful soundtrack.

The superb cast of actors all deliver quite genuine performances mixed with enough sarcastic profanity that doesn't push the performances over the comfort zone. The tale of Radio Rock and its crew is one that transcends personality and nationality. I loved the Hitler-like English committeeman in charge with taking care of the radio pirates. He is an unabashedly serious caricature of government-led regulators holding the link between revenue generating industries and the voices of progress, each always trying to tip the balance in their favour. Oh and let's not forget Felicity, the boat's only female resident who happens to be a lesbian.

The Boat That Rocked is a smart and witty story about love and friendship and we make you fall in love (again) with the music of the 60s - Mart

LOVE AND WAR

One of the many things that Garth and I have in common is our love for movies - our tastes differ on genres though.

This past weekend we watched Bright Star (period romance) and Shutter Island (thriller).



BRIGHT STAR

Plot: The drama based on the three-year romance between 19th century poet John Keats and Fanny Brawne, which was cut short by Keats' untimely death at age 25.

My thoughts: Bright Star is beautifully acted (many times during the film, I thought that Abby Cornish was amazing as Fanny Brawne) and stunningly shot. The film contains some of the most beautifully cinematic scenes I have ever seen. Director and writer, Jane Campion did a wonderful job of communicating Fanny' emotional state through the composition, particularly in one scene where the wind is blowing the curtain in her bedroom.

The light and colour are fresh and gorgeous and the costumes and design add to the overall piece without being distracting, which is just what you want from a period piece. The characters are real and fully rounded, you feel the joys and the pain with them.


SHUTTER ISLAND
Plot: It is 1954, U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels is investigating the disappearance of a murderess who escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane and is presumed to be hiding on the remote Shutter Island. Once on the island, Daniels discovers things are not what they seem.

My thoughts: Shutter Island is a well crafted psychological thriller filled with twists and turns. And it is all heightened by the coming storm that looms over the island. This is classic film noir. This is a film you must watch carefully. That is another thing that sets this apart, it is a thriller that makes you actually think.

This film will make you question your own sanity.