I’m a little late for Fall since it’s already mid-October but let’s take a look at the top 10 movies coming the next few weeks that look the most intriguing after a fairly decent summer crop. It’s getting colder, darker, wetter and money is in short supply unless you are a bank executive. Which movies are worth seeing ahead of Award season?
BROTHERS tells the powerful story of two siblings, thirty-something Captain Sam Cahill (Tobey Maguire) and younger brother Tommy Cahill (Jake Gyllenhaal), who are polar opposites. A Marine about to embark on his fourth tour of duty, Sam is a steadfast family man married to his high school sweetheart, the aptly named Grace (Natalie Portman), with whom he has two young daughters. Tommy, his charismatic younger brother, is a drifter just out of jail whos always gotten by on wit and charm. When his Black Hawk helicopter is shot down in the mountains Sam is presumed dead and the Cahill family suddenly faces a shocking void. Tommy tries to fill in for his brother by assuming newfound responsibility for himself, Grace, and the children. In the grief and strangeness of their new lives, Grace and Tommy are naturally drawn together. Their longstanding frostiness dissolves, but both are frightened and ashamed of the mutual attraction that has replaced it.
But Sam is not dead; he and a fellow soldier have been captured by Taliban fighters. In Afghanistans harsh, remote Pamir Mountains, Sam is subjected to traumas that threaten to rob him of his very humanity. At the same time that Sams sense of self is being destroyed overseas, Tommys self-image is strengthening at home.
When Sam unexpectedly returns to the States, a nervous mood settles over the family. Sam, uncharacteristically withdrawn and volatile, grows suspicious of his brother and his wife. Their familiar roles now nearly reversed, Sam and Tommy end up facing the ultimate physical and mental challenge when they confront each other. In the shifting family dynamics, who will dominate?
Directed by six-time Oscar® nominee Jim Sheridan (IN AMERICA, IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER), BROTHERS tells the compelling tale of how two brothers come to terms with issues of love, loyalty, and manhood—and with the woman caught between them. Coming to theaters December 4th, 2009!
One of the few movies that look intriguing this winter…
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I just saw Rendition in theater Friday night. Good but unspectacular movie. As a whole it is neither exceptional nor bad. Just a little blah… In short, Rendition = BABEL. Same structure, same shortcomings, same result. It doesn’t help that it’s the 47th movie in the past 2 years whose subject relates to the Iraq War.
The major issue I had was the terribly underwritten story and Gavin Hood’s attempt to get into way, way too many subplots instead of following Isabelle’s character attempt to rescue her husband from the evil CIA. This would have followed the most compelling part of the plot and given all characters time to develop. Acting-wise, why get an All-star cast if you are going to have all characters be one-dimensional and give them minimal screen time. Reese Witherspoon appears in only about 1/4th of the scene and does a good job of playing a tough women in a role that could easily have fallen into a self-pitying, weeping, fest but stays on the sideline for too long. Jake Gyllenhaal, who spends most of his screen time sitting in a corner and mastering the art of getting high, does a good job as Douglas Freeman. In the other hand, Meryl Streep and Alan Arkin are just going through the motion. The highlight comes from the Tunisian actors turning out some outstanding performance that should be commended.
Major plot holes in the movie, overly simplistic in character development and pivotal events, too complex in terms of subplot and secondary characters. Many of the important events in the movie happen off-screen and sandwiched in there are some torture scenes.
Don’t get me wrong, Rendition is somewhat entertaining, well-crafted, well-acted, and good-looking but given the All-star cast, I would go as far as to say the movie was a disappointment. Rendition’s attempt to move the audience and make people think comes up short.
C+
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