Duplicity: Espionage and romance, a good combo!

In the high stakes world of corporate espionage two former spies, and lovers, hatch a plan to make the score of a lifetime. But will they be able to trust one another long enough to pull it off?

This complex caper certainly kept the audience on its toes by not only keeping them guessing as to who exactly was playing whom, but also if the main characters (Ray and Claire) could trust each other. Writer/Director Tony Gilroy did a good job of structuring the movie in a non-linear fashion, to further aide in keeping the audience engaged in the plot, but he also created clever dialogue for the cast to eat up. Speaking of said cast, Clive Owen and Julia Roberts were dynamite as Ray and Claire, trading verbal jabs as well as kisses all the while looking cool. Their crackling exchanges might even remind some of those that are prevalent in those old 1930's and 1940's screwball comedies like Bringing Up Baby. But what made Ray and Claire's story so endearing, and relatable, was that the issues they were having with their relationship mirrored those we mortals face (although rarely are ours set against the background of corporate espionage). The fear of trusting someone implicitly and loving them for who they are is something most people have to deal with in their search for their better half and Owen and Roberts (thanks to Gilroy) were able to tackle those issues and more in an intelligent manner which did not insult the audience with over-sentimentality. Neither was the love story seemingly tacked on as an afterthought to justify certain aspects of the caper plot of the film.

While Duplicity successfully waves the banner as a breezy, fun caper film, it's the heart of its main characters which sets it apart from the rest.

Grade: B

King Arthur: Does a classic need to be "reinterpreted?"

Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table are sent on one last mission in this “reinterpretation” of the classic story. Based on historical accounts, the film tells the tale of how Arthur and his men, after having served under the Roman flag for they ruled Britain at the time, were due to leave the service and begin their lives as free men. But the last mission, one to rescue an important Roman ruler, leads to a discovery that makes them question what it is they are fighting for. Plus an army of evil Saxons are on their tails, looking to conquer the land the Romans are giving up as they withdraw from Britain and destroy anyone who gets in their way.

This “reinterpretation” of the Arthur tale had a distinct take on the timeless story. Instead of being a fairy tale, it was presented as more of a war story with Arthur as the commander of a group of battle - hardened veterans who are trying to earn their freedom from Roman rule without loosing their lives. The look of the film reflected that with gritty battle sequences plus sets and locations that were dark and earthy as opposed to the bright, shimmering appearance you would see in a fairy tale version. The performance of Clive Owen as Arthur was intense, although there were points where his "Braveheart - ish" speeches and distant gazes slowed the film. He played Arthur as a man divided by his idea of how the world should be and the way it was. Other characters are shuffled around and given different back stories which made the film unique and interesting. Merlin was still a wizard, but commanded a tribe that fought against Arthur while Guinevere was a warrior who fought along side Arthur, not a fragile princess. One consequence of the reworking of the legend which hurt the film overall was the fact that the Arthur, Lancelot, and Guinevere love triangle was merely hinted at and never fully explored. Without it, Lancelot played a lesser part and a plot device that could have added more emotional intensity to the movie was never explored.

The action was there in King Arthur but it felt as though the viewer had to trudge through too much in order to get to and enjoy it.

Grade: C

Children of Men: A glimpse of what might be...

Films, in general, do not have much to say anymore. They simply go about their business of (trying to) entertain the audience. However, a film like Children of Men is a rare exception for it not only entertained but also attempted to take a deep philosophical look at the modern world and some of its issues.

In the year 2027 humans can no longer reproduce and society has begun to rip apart as extinction seems inevitable. However, hope is rekindled when a young woman becomes pregnant and the responsibility of keeping her safe from the numerous factions who want her unborn child fall upon a despondent government officer named Theo.

Director Alfonso Cuaron gave the audience a terrifying glimpse into the future, one where playgrounds and schools were devoid of children and refugees were tortured and kicked out of the last country not knee deep in anarchy (Britain). It was a bleak and nihilistic portrait, but the most disturbing thing was the realistic way in which it was presented. Given the fact that we as people are facing things such as global warming, Europe’s population becoming older with fewer young people, intolerances of all types flourishing and Armageddon still only the push of a button away, it is hard not to be the least bit dismayed every time someone turns on the news. Those disturbing facts we face everyday made it easy to relate to Theo (a wonderfully broken Clive Owen), a man who long ago lost faith and had only been drifting along in life thanks to a bottle of whisky. But he rediscovered that faith when he met up with Kee, the pregnant refugee. Through her and the baby growing inside of her, he hoped to find mankind’s second chance at peace in the midst of chaos. And even though Kee eventually gave birth to her child, Cuaron was not above indicting modern man and his propensity towards violence. In one of the most surreal scenes, the violence between the government and rebel forces finally spilled into the streets, erupting into some of the most gritty and intensely filmed urban combat seen. But when people caught sight of Kee and her child, the guns stopped and for just that moment life was about hope and change. But as soon as she and the baby moved out of range, the gunfire (symbolically) started up again with man killing man in the name of something neither of them could ever truly understand. Intelligent and significant, Children of Men is not to be missed.

Grade: A

Closer: Wait, this isn't an action film?

I'll admit, if you've looked at my blog the bulk of the films I've reviewed so far have had a definite action/sci-fi feel to them. So I decided to step out of my comfort zone and tackle a film about something I know little about (according my last girlfriend at least) relationships.

Four people have their lives turned upside down as they search for love. Even though Dan has a successful relationship with his girlfriend Alice, he can’t get another woman named Anna out of his mind. And although Anna is in a serious relationship of her own, with a doctor named Larry, she still finds herself attracted to Dan. Soon they begin a passionate affair which destroys their other relationships. But can it last or will it end with everyone being heartbroken?

Though it started out like one, the movie was not another maudlin romantic comedy with a predictable storyline and absurd plot. It was a sophisticated look at adult relationships and not really a love story per se. While all of the characters were in search of love, they certainly did not find it. The bleak ending, to go along with dialogue that seemed to pop from the screen for it sounded genuine, gave the film a true to life feeling that most romantic comedies and dramatic movies lack. The performances by the actors also made the film a pleasure to watch, specifically Natalie Portman and Clive Owen. Portman was dazzling as Alice, a free spirited woman whose innocent looks hid an old, world weary soul able to control her life on her terms. Owen was astonishing as Larry, the good doctor who seemed like such a gentleman on the outside but had a deviant sexual side which flawed him. Closer was a brutally honest look at how love could be seen in many different lights, sometimes very harsh ones.

Grade: A