Winter Movie Reviews

Hey everyone! I must be in a good mood of late because I've liked every movie I've been to see. Either that or the studios did indeed save the best for last. And by that I mean the last part of the year. So since I live in flyover country, that means January is a good month for movies for us. Here are some of my favs of late:

• Children of Men - First off, Clive Owen can do no wrong by me. Secondly, this film had me on the edge of my seat. We left it with Thomas saying something like, that's how I picture the future. Yikes! I hope not. It definitely puts the dys in dystopia. Children of Men is set in a future world that has pretty much gone to hell. There's major discontent/rioting/violence everywhere, and to top it off the human race is on the verge of dying out because no more babies are being born. The story follows Owen as he struggles to get a miraculously pregnant woman to safety against all odds. Owen is spectacular and was robbed of an Oscar nom. For some reason, this film hasn't been nominated for much at all this season. The movie also has good performances by Julianne Moore and newcomer Claire-Hope Ashitey. Micheal Caine plays an overly stereotypical aging hippie. There is much action in the movie - car chases, shoot outs, escape sequences, etc., but it's alleviated by much needed bits of humor from Owen.

• Apocalypto- Thomas has been dying to see this movie since previews started coming out this fall. I have not. This seems to be the case with every married couple I know. The men all want to see it and the women don't. I finally gave in, because let's face it, I love to go to the movies and it has been so deathly cold this winter that there's little else to do. Apocalypto tells the story of an isolated Mayan tribe living out in the jungle/woods that is attacked by a group of mercenaries (that's the closest thing I can think to call them) who are intent on bringing them to a Mayan city to either work as slave labor or be sacrificed. The movie focuses on one particular man, Jaguar Paw, and his quest to escape and get back to his pregnant wife and child who are inconveniently stuck at the bottom of a very deep well. The movie is basically one long chase scene with a spectacular stop at the Mayan city. The sets for the city were worth the price of admission - a visual treat for the eye with a cornucopia of tribes represented. Whoever built them definitely deserves some recognition, though I see none was given by the Academy voters. From what I understand only one real professional actor was cast in the movie, but that did not detract at all from the performances. Jaguar Paw and his wife were both great and his wife was especially sympathetic. There are some excessively violent scenes in this movie. I had to close my eyes for extended periods during three of them. But I'm glad I saw it, and I'm glad I'm not a Mayan.

• Notes on a Scandal - Luckily, I went into this movie not knowing much about it. Because boy, were there some surprises. I won't ruin any for you, so this will be brief. Notes stars Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett as two schoolteachers who have quite the rocky relationship. Blanchett is glowing and wonderful, but it's Dench who delivers the best female performance of the year in this edge of your seat faceoff. Bill Nighey is also stellar as Blanchett's husband.

• The Queen - I almost didn't want to see this because I've grown tired of watching Helen Mirren accept all those awards for this movie and for Elizabeth I, which I have yet to see. How silly. The Queen is all about what happens when the royal family has to deal with Princess Diana's death. Basically their love of protocol, dignity, and privacy are scorned by the English media and public so it's up to newly elected Tony Blair to save the day. I'm one of those people who was shocked and saddened by Diana's death - I watched both her marriage and her funeral - so it was very interesting to see all this from the viewpoint of the family she scorned. Queen Elizabeth ends up coming off as sympathetic, though her husband Prince Phillip seems a bit of a monster. Mirren, Michael Sheen as Blair, and the always great James Cromwell as Phillip all rock.

Next up via the big screen or netflix: Little Children, Volver, Letters from Iwo Jima, Blood Diamond, Pursuit of Happiness, and Last King of Scotland. Whew.

Boulder Bumpersticker of the Day: God Bless the World. No exceptions.

-sunday