Kim’s Movie Picks

V for Vendetta, the new film written by the Wachowski brothers and directed by James McTiegue (Matrix Revolutions, Matrix Reloaded, Star Wars: Episode II)  allows us to live vicariously in a world where the extreme right has done the unthinkable — taking over the government, all the media outlets, banning almost all art and literature and driving anyone deemed ‘different’ underground —  and then, the nation, goaded by a bold revolutionary, comes to its senses and takes action.  (Imagine that!)

This movie pulls no punches as it weaves conspiracy after conspiracy in a Britain gone ultra-conservative after a virus attack leaves the nation vulnerable to an extreme political upheaval.

Spun from a little-known DC comic book, this story’s themes and philosophies resonate again and again, even if you don’t agree with the violence enacted in the name of democracy (which I don’t).

This film presents Natalie Portman in yet another dramatic role worthy of her talents (see Garden State for another).  Portman plays Evey, an everywoman who seems randomly pulled into the actions of a masked avenger named V after he saves her from gang rape at the hands of the government’s new police.  At least we think it is random.  Again and again, throughout this movie, the title character, V, declares ‘there are no coincidences.’ And this plot makes you believe it, even if you cannot continue to believe that Evey started out as a completely innocent bystander.

Hugo Weaving plays the title character, V, with more than a bit of Phantom of the Opera-ness – though it’s not just the mask, it’s also his love of music, and yes, probably the cape as well.Frankly, how much emoting can you do without facial expressions?  For that reason, his utterances, even when not literally Shakespeare (which they often are) often sound like they should be.

Stephen Rea gives a marvelous performance as Finch, the detective who doggedly works to undercover what is really going on, not just with V, but with the country’s leaders. And Stephen Fry gives a too-short performance as Deitrich, Evey’s sentimental, closeted homosexual colleague, who shelters her for awhile and then takes the ‘I’m mad as hell and I won’t take it anymore’ philosophy just a tad too far for the police state they live in.

This plot sucked me in quickly and kept me interested, at least until the last 15 minutes, when the conclusion becomes evident – but I hung in there anyway. There were so many goose-bump raising moments that I cannot name them all, certainly without revealing plot spoilers – and I won’t do that here.

It is enough to say: go see it for yourself. You will either love it or hate it. There is little here in the middle. Rated R for strong violence and some language, though it could have easily been rated PG-13 as well. There is much violence, but none of it is excessive or gory, especially by today’s standards; lots of things blowing up. Okay for all teens and even grandma as long as she doesn’t mind a few dead bodies. Three out of four stars. This one is a keeper.

Failure to Launch, a new romantic comedy starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew McConaughey, is a light, cotton-candy romantic comedy with little to no caloric intake. In other words, go to be entertained, but don’t expect the plot to make a lot of sense.

This is one of those movies where half way through you begin to rewrite the script in your head, attempting to help the movie along. “If only the plot didn’t take that predictable turn, if only the friend who was a computer programmer wasn’t a geek, if only….,” you get the picture. If only the director, Tom Dey, did!

The two main stars are their usual adorable selves – Sarah is her usual perky and yet street-wise, hair-tossing self; Matthew is all teeth, tan and southern hospitality. Their chemistry together is lukewarm, but it’s the one thing that fits this plot, since both characters have commitment issues and major emotional baggage.

Supporting actors Kathy Bates and Terry Bradshaw play his parents, so desperate to have their son move on with the next phase of his life (he’s 35 and still living upstairs in his childhood bedroom) that they hire Parker as a ‘transitional’ therapist recommended by friends who just successfully ousted their reluctant son.

Some saving grace is provided by the respective friend characters – the eccentric room mate played by Zooey Deschanel and the two Peter Pan boy friends, one of whom, Justin Bartha gives some needed warmth and humanism to the plot. But otherwise we know the main tenants by rote and I was particularly annoyed by a strange subplot about attacking land and sea animals that must have Flipper rolling in his grave.

One and a half out of four stars.  If you need a quick romantic comedy fix or a safe movie for the girlfriends (or tween set), go see it. Otherwise wait for the NetFlix rental queue. Rated PG-13 for sexual content, partial nudity and language. There is lots of tangling in sheets and glimpses of parts of naked bodies, but only one bare backside gets a lot of film exposure  – and it belongs to Terry Bradshaw (will any of us look at NFL Today the same again?!!)