I've spent the weekend catching up on many of this year's Oscar contenders, here are my short and sweet reviews of 3 films still in theaters:
The King's Speech
This is a very, very British film starring Colin Firth as King George VI. His wife, the queen, is played by Helena Botham Carter who has proven that she is actually able to act in a role that isn't psychotic. I would love to see her continue to branch out from her typecasting because she really does have legitimate acting chops. All the actors in this film do a fantastic job, Colin Firth is definitely in contention with James Franco and Jesse Eisenberg this year for Best Actor (the Hollywood Foreign Press certainly agrees). Geoffery Rush's character of Lionel is one of the most entertaining character I've seen this year. The plot may deter some as it doesn't seem particularly exciting but give this film a chance. It is a legitimately interesting film with a great sense of humor about it.
Final Score: 9/10
Black Swan
I suspect a large percentage of the male viewing audience for this film will be drawn in by the promise of Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis' sex scene. I would say that that is unfortunate but at the very least it ensures a larger audience for this very good film. Aronofsky's signature style is present here once again, and you can have no doubt that this film was made by the same director of Requiem for a Dream. Unfortunately that ends up begging a comparison between the two – and Requiem is the better film. Natalie Portman proves herself here, showing that in the hands of a competent director (read: not George Lucas), she is able to act with the best of them. I was very impressed by her performance in this film and very pleased to see her win a Golden Globe tonight. Mila Kunis was also fantastic in her role and I hope to see her in more dramatic films. This is not a film about ballet, but its appearance as such will likely hurt its popularity.
Final Score: 8/10
The Fighter
2010 appears to be the year of great “based on a true story” films. The Fighter takes its place among others like The King's Speech, 127 Hours, and The Social Network. Being from New England – I particularly enjoyed how accurate the depictions of Lowell, MA were in this film. By accurate I of course mean as a town full of crack dens. Christian Bale and Melissa Leo both deserved their Golden Globe wins this evening as they both pull out great performances. Marky Mark does a good job in the main role but it is definitely his supporting cast who shine. Christian Bale is a joy to watch and is magnetic in his character, quite the improvement for a man famous for acting like a bat with throat cancer. There were better films this year but this was a great boxing film I'd definitely recommend.
Final Score: 8/10
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