2012 Oscar Time Arrivals

THE DESCENDANTS-2011
DRAMA

George Clooney is not only good looking but can act!!! He plays Matt King an everyday man dealing with everyday but tragic problems in of all places Hawaii!!! His wife is in a coma, he finds out she was cheating on him, he has a vast amount of beautiful land many of his family wants to sell and he is clueless how to deal with her rebellious daughters. The daughters played by Alex (Shailene Woodley ) the oldest with a foul mouth and Scottie (Amara Miller) leaning the wrong things from her sister.

The King family has many ways right or wrong to deal with death and it is truly heartbreaking. It is not like typical Lifetime movie. There are no flashbacks of how Elizabeth King (Patricia Hastie) how she was before the accident you find out about her through her husband and kids. Woodley is very good as a hellish teenager but learns her father needs help with the younger sister. If you enjoy excellent acting you should go.

THE IRON LADY -2011
BIOGRAPHY/DRAMA

This review is a tough one. I don’t know about Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. I read a little bit about her so I am only reviewing as a movie. Meryl Streep is wonderful as the character but they rushed the film about her raise and fall. The best parts are when she is not in power but just a citizen trying to ordinary. To me, it’s a better Lifetime movie with a great actress. Depending on your political views she was amazing or an amazing bitch!!! If you like incredible acting by Streep watch it the film is not very accurate.

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO-2011
(AMERICAN VERSION) DRAMA/MYSTERY

If you like this movie you should have read all three bestselling books by Stieg Larsson and watched all three movies –the Swedish version. I haven’t done either but I have watched the English version and it is interesting once you get passed the explicit sex and violence ( the Swedish version is likely much worst) and get to the story of Mikael Blombkist (Daniel Craig) a reporter paid of a rich family to find his daughter from 40 years ago.

He gets an assistant Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) an antisocial gothic lean chick who is a brilliant hacker and together they uncovered a hot bed of corruption. Craig is not James Bond in this movie but he is good. Actress Mara who was briefly in The Social Network is very good but I don’t know is she as good as the original Salander played by Noomi Rapace. This is not a family movie, not a date movie so they release it around Christmas. WARNING: Be prepared to see some kinky stuff!!

THE ARTIST-2011
SILENT/DRAMA/ROMANCE

Ladies and gentlemen this is a great movie but you really have to enjoy silent movies that are shown on TCM. You can enjoy the film but you will appreciate more if you like silent movies. It is about a silent movie idol George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) who doesn’t do well when talkies come in and a fan Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo) in love with him who becomes a sensation. It is a joy to watch. The music is very important to silent films and Ludovic Bource does an excellent job. Everything about cinema silent or otherwise is great. See it if you can.