Review of film: “THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON” -- “FASTEN” yourself to a FASCINATING ride

Review of film:    “THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON”  --  “FASTEN” yourself to a FASCINATING ride =   

                                            [ Rating:  9.5 of 10 stars ]

Date Rated: Dec 5, 2008 | Rel. Date: Dec 25, 2008

(Based on an advance preview:) I tend to be impressed by films that effectively achieve a wide epic-type story-telling “scope”, and this is a very TELLING commentary on relationships over long-ranging lives...

...  It starts out with a surfacedly-difficult premise -- a guy Benjamin (BRAD PITT) who ages in REVERSE and meets love interest Daisy (CATE BLANCHETT)...

...  With wonderful makeup, cgi effects and acting, it all “WORKS”, enhanced by the strong supporting cast: TARAJI P. HENSON as the housekeeper at a rooming house who adopts him as a baby, JARED HARRIS as Capt Mike, TILDA SWINTON as someone he gets attached to, JULIA ORMOND as Daisy’s daughter Caroline, and numerous people living at the rooming house...

...  It meets director David Fincher’s goal of showing “mortality and life… and the way we’re touched and affected by” the people “we meet along the way”.

I found this to be an often sweet and CHARMING film that meanders successfully through the “complicated” lives & times of its many characters.

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Review of film: “MILK” – Of Human Kindness, thru Political Action

Review of film:  “MILK”   – Of Human Kindness, thru Political Action = 


 

        
       [ Rating:  9.5 of 10 stars ]

Date Rated: Nov 25, 2008 | Rel. Date: Nov 26, 2008 

(Based on an advance preview:) SEAN PENN stars in the new Gus Van Sant film biography of Harvey Milk, America’s first openly gay politician elected in a large city (San Francisco)...

...  This biography chronicles the difficulties encountered by Milk and his partner Scott (very well played by JAMES FRANCO) & the other people who enter their world to try to improve or change their lives by exercising political power: eventual political assistant Cleve (effectively handled by EMILE HIRSCH), strategist Anne (ALISON PILL), photographic helper Danny (LUCAS GRABEEL), & antagonist Dan White (another impressive performance by JOSH BROLIN) who ends up causing havoc in the city...

...  This is the story of a growing CIVIL RIGHTS struggle, and as Milk can be heard to say at one point, it’s important to give people “HOPE” for their future... 

...  I agree with Chicago Tribune critic [Michael] Phillips that Penn is likely to get an ACADEMY AWARD nomination for his exceptional work in this smoothly done and STIRRING film.

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