Deliver Us From Evil...exactly who is the enemy?

Deliver Us From Evil, is a riveting, yet disturbing documentary about a priest, Father Oliver OGrady, convicted of child molestation; he served his time in the US, and is now under the radar, free strolling the streets of Ireland. OGradys cooperation in making this eye-opening documentary offers a meager effort at redemption, yet brings to light almost a half century of rumored behavior & the subsequent cover up. OGradys blithe admissions regarding his years of pedophilia, rape and abuse of hundreds of boys & girls, and their families will make most cringe. The betrayal by the Catholic Church, and members of the diocese, who were repeatedly informed of his questionable behavior is astonishing. Each offense appeared to be dismissed as a mere misunderstanding, and Father OGrady was strategically moved from one parish to another for decades. The devastations to several victims & their families are chronicled. Being informed on current & relevant issues is rarely a bad thing, check out Deliver Us From Evil, yet its not for the fainthearted, but the footage & documentation are powerful. (101 minutes, NR)

The Queen finally speaks...hear ye, hear ye!

The Queen offers a unique perspective into the supercilious & far removed lives of the royal family, couched during the period of Princess Dianas death on August 31, 1997. Helen Mirin, starring as the British Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has an extraordinary, & often artic performance, fitting of nobility.

The story line is a bit over the top, in spots, yet a peek behind the veil is satisfying for a short while. Millions all over the world followed this moment in history, culminating with the Princess horse drawn procession through the streets of London & the heartfelt memorial services. It appeared in the mist of this tragedy, it was the leadership of newly elected Prime Minister, Tony Blair (played by Michael Sheen), who was responsible for gingerly guiding the reluctant royals to honor the life & death of Princess Diana. So as to provide the forum that the world needed, in order to bring closure, and lay the Peoples Princess to rest. Ultimately, restoring a sense of compassion, dignity & respect upon The Queen & her throne. If not for anything, GO SEE The Queen for Helen Mirins regal portrayal. (97 minutes, PG-13)

The Last King of Scotland... bold & uncompromising.

The Last King of Scotland is raw, graphic, sometimes disturbing, & intriguing all in one; expect to be fascinated. Forest Whitaker, plays a role only he could undertake, as the 1960's Uganda dictator Idi Amin Dada, obsessive with everything Scottish & military in nature. Whitaker, learned Swahili & resided in Uganda for sometime to fully embrace the role & culture; he jumps off the screen as Amin, you can almost feel the spit spewing from his mouth in so many scenes.

You may find yourself wondering, how might I handle myself in a tough situation, like Dr. Nicholas Garrigan, played by James McAvoy, the ambitious Scottish physician, befriended by Amin. Initially you don't feel sorry for the greedy Dr. Garrigan, in his quest for power, he allows himself to be easily seduced by Idi Amin. The doctor is selfish, looking for quick success, adoration, and of course getting laid is very high on the priority list with no hesitation for sleeping with married women. Eventually, he finds himself in over his "head".

Soon its hard not to empathize for all involved during the reign of the charismatic leader, Idi Amin, turned brutal dictator. Whitaker, is convincing as a strong, intimidating, big thinker with limited people skills. Like many leaders, he initially wants much more for his country and his people, and he delivers more than any Western country could fathom, hence Westerners become nervous with his growing power. Yet it is Amin, on his own who is incapable of balancing his ginormous thirst for power & respect, with the long term needs of his people and the world at large. Not to mention the appearance & portrayal of his deteriorating mental health. The Last King of Scotland is a powerful film, there is little down time get ready for a rollercoaster ride, haunted house, & safari tour all at the same time. Dust off the bag pipes out & put on the kilts, its time to celebrate, Forest Whitaker is deserving of an Oscar nomination. GO SEE.
(121 minutes, R)

Time is more valuable than money, so save your time.

NO GO:
1) Science of Sleep, is disjointed and awkward. The director, Michel Gondry, should be celebrated for his film direction of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Dave Chappelle's Block Party. While there are fleeting moments of humor, its not enough to carry the film, and there is very little that is positive to share about Science of Sleep, it borders on schizophrenia & is a true disappointment. What was he thinking? Mr. Gondry, with all due respect, please tell us what you were thinking.
(105 minutes, R)
2) The Protector, has remarkable cinematograpy, showcasing the beautiful landscape of Thailand. And the martial arts & stunts by Tony Jaa (Ong Bak) are authentic, easily the films best feature. Yet, the storyline of a boy who grows up to avenge his father's murder, overtake his oppressors, and restore honor to his family and his way of life is overdone. There was very little that was new or surprising about this film, making it to easy to anticipate everything. (108 minutes, R)

Keeping Mum, a flick from across the pond.

Based in Britain, Keeping Mum, is an ominous, yet enchanting flick, with a lot of surprises & a few familiar faces like Rowan Atkinson (the hilarious Mr. Bean) & Dirty Dancing's Patrick Swayze as a trolling golf instructor. Yet the show stopping performance is left to none other than, Dame Maggie Smith, playing the mysterious nanny. GO SEE, if you want to laugh. You should have a liking for that clever Brit humor to fully appreciate. It begins with a pregnant young lady on holiday traveling by locomotive, during her travels it is discovered she has murdering her hubby & his mistress. The story follows her journey, after her release 4 decades later, when she takes on the role of nanny. She is sweet, charming and protective, doing everything in her power to make the household pleasant & perfect. While the nanny's heart is in a good place, her methods are misguided. Keeping Mum, is a smart, witty flick, be prepared to laugh out loud, and feel free to bring a spot of tea. (103 minutes, R)

On your mark, get set, GO SEE...

1) A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, and
2) Little Children

For the Chick Flick review and the Dude Flick review, read on.

Our Chick Flick vs. Dude Flick Smack Down.

In this corner, we have the Chick Flick, Little Children, rated R, and weighting in at 138 minutes.

• A little long in the tooth, with rich moments of painful humor, the kind brought about because the subject matter is so uncomfortable or resonants so much you need to laugh. There is plenty of depth in this film, and the performances from Kate Winslet, Jennifer Connelly and Patrick Wilson, are remarkable given a somewhat intricate plot, yet they deliver with clarity & simplicity. There is very little about this film that is pretty or beautiful, except maybe glimpses of Oscar winner, Connelly. Much of the dialogue & portrayal are often painfully real or just corny, like the flag football scenes. While the re-entry of Jackie Earle Haley, the rebel motorcycle kid from The Bad News Bears, playing the resident pedifile in Little Children is quite disturbing as a believable & tortured soul. The growing relationship between Winslet & Wilson's characters is intense; yet sadly understandable given their isolation, denial & often misguided efforts to upright & navigate their own marital homefronts. While the affair is far from honorable behavior, it rings real to life in their apparent mundane & hopeless suburban lives. GO SEE Little Children its a surpising & murky chick flick, and the erotic nature will keep the dude astute.

In the other corner, we have the Dude Flick, A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, rated R, and weighting in at 104 minutes.

• Based in Queens, NY, this film nearly bridges the gender chasm, teetering on androgeny, primarily due to the ensemble of actors, and how they depict dysfunction cocooned in authentic & passionate relationships. There is a treasure trove of talent in this independent gem. From Shia LeBeouf, who plays young Dito in this coming of age journey, to his parents played by Dianne Wiest and Chazz Palminteri, to Channing Tatum, who plays young Antonio, Dito’s closest friend and a youth on the edge of destruction. Robert Downey, Jr. (plays adult Dito) and Rosario Dawson, both appear much later in the film as adults, portrayed as high school sweethearts who went their separate ways & lost touch over the years. Now all grown up, they reconnect for a few moments of healing. A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints is littered with hostility & violence, yet much of it is ‘boys will be boys’ genre. It is the interpersonal ties that keep you enthralled. One slip-up that the director or 2nd unit director, should have been more diligent to avoid, and a detail moviegoers may notice…cell phone towers atop apartment buildings in scenes that represent the early 80’s. Not a deal breaker, but certainly not believable even by Big Apple standards. But don’t let this blunder stop you, GO SEE, A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints.