Written by Kelleigh

On the surface, An Inconvenient Truth has all the makings of a sedative…a PowerPoint presentation on global warming given by a politician. However, this surprising hit, which was screened at the Sundance Film Festival, is a penetrating wakeup call to all of us who think that pollution isn’t going to catch up with us.

Armed with photos of melting glaciers and computer imaging of Manhattan sinking into the ocean, this film is one that will not leave your mind for some time. The film is based on a presentation that Al Gore has been giving for years, which presents the scientific consequences of modern pollution.

The statistics are startling when we realize that the US is the worst offender. Maybe in 10 years we will be driving cars that are as fuel efficient as the Chinese cars are now.

The subject and presentation are gripping and causes the viewer to reflect upon the gradual destruction we are all slowly inflicting upon ourselves. I’ll be shocked if this isn’t nominated for best documentary. Everyone should see this film.

What is most striking about the film is the transformation Al Gore makes in this film. Al is a democrat with a cause. Whether his new found confidence comes from giving this presentation for 20 years or from the facelift he is rumored to have had, this is a different man than we saw in the 2000 presidential election.

I’m surprised they don’t try to sell you a hybrid as you walk out of the movie.

written by Kelleigh

“The Queen” is a film about the Royal Family’s reaction to the death of Princess Dianna in the week following her death. The situation caused a mass controversy in England because Queen Elizabeth waited an entire week to make any sort of statement or appearance. Interestingly, the incident was one of the very few times in her 54-year reign that the queen has come under such scrutiny, particularly when compared to her offspring.

This film was a fascinating one for me to watch, being from Canada, one of the 16 nations that the queen reigns over. The film was a very interesting exploration of the delicate balance of power between the monarchy and parliament. At the end of the film, it is still hazy as to who is really calling the shots.

Well, first of all, Helen Mirren is now my pick for Best Actress. Her transformation in this film is spot on. She manages to play one of the most powerful, but yet mysterious world leaders, with both skill and humanity. In watching this film, I felt myself having the same reaction to her performance that the English people had during that fateful week in 1997, waiting and waiting for her to show some sort of grief. Although the film is about royalty, it is also about a family dysfunction and PR gone wrong.

Mirren’s performance inspired a 5-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival. Not only was her physical transformation striking as she manages to be both stuffy and traditional, while at the same time evoking sympathy for not understanding why she is expected to publicly mourn Diana.

The film begins with the queen’s reaction to the election of Tony Blair as Prime Minister. Not only does Mirren lament that she, as queen, does not have the right to vote, but she also scolds her advisors for calling Blair the Prime Minister preemptively, after all, she says, “I haven’t asked him yet.”

As the newly elected Prime Minister, Blair (Michael Sheen) is abruptly introduced to the various royal protocols in dealing with the monarchy, beginning with his first official meeting in which she reminds him that he is her 10th Prime Minister, Winston Churchill being the first. Sheen bears a striking resemblance to Blair, particularly his rodent-like ears.

But the rules of protocol shift when the queen begins to see that she has lost the pulse of her people as she is bewildered by their criticism. From demanding a public funeral to public outcry that the flag above Buckingham palace is not flying at half mast, she becomes increasingly aware that her idea of a quiet dignified period of mourning is one that is not shared by her people.

Sheen’s performance as Tony Blair is also masterful as portrays the young leader struggling to understand the backward ways of the monarchy he is expected to support. In the end, he gains a level of sympathy and understanding, as he tries to prevent the queen from hanging herself politically by her actions.

Much like the real-life scandal of Dianna’s relationship with the Royals, the monarchy’s side of the story is not fully told. Instead, you hear conversations about whether Charles should take the young princes to bring their mother’s body back from France and what the royal family’s responsibility is to Dianna since she is no longer an HRH (Her Royal Highness). They also lament that the funeral will be filled with Celebrities and homosexuals (namely Elton John). The most vocal of the royals is Prince Philip (James Cromwell), who continually rants about Dianna’s antics, but without going into the scandalous details. In real life, Philip is widely known for his politically incorrect comments. To add insult to injury, the royal family’s advisors borrow the Queen Mother’s Funeral plans to use for Dianna.

I did walk out of the film with some sympathy for the queen, especially when you realize that she unexpectedly took the throne at the age of 26 and has spent her whole life becoming the example of quiet dignity, suppressing her emotions in the process. Not to mention the fact that they chose to portray the worst week of her 54 years.

Here are a few tidbits of trivia (courtesy of IMDB and Wikipedia):

• Helen Miran is the only actress to portray both Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Elizabeth II

• Mirren was made a DBE (Dame of the British Empire) in the Queen's Birthday Honours, June 2003

• Apart from the United Kingdom, Elizabeth II is also queen of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, and Saint Kitts and Nevi

• She is presently the world's only monarch who is simultaneously Head of State of more than one independent nation

• Queen Elizabeth is currently the second-longest-reigning head of state in the world and the fifth-longest serving British monarch.

• She was the first, and so far only, female member of the royal family to actually serve in the armed forces, though other royal women have been given honorary ranks.

• opinion polls have almost always shown that she has an excellent approval rating, currently over 80%; and often significantly higher than that of her elected Prime Ministers.

I saw this film a while back at a special advanced screening. I believe the film will be released in spring 2007 so stay tuned.

If you are walking into this movie thinking it will give some advice on how to get out of credit card debt, you would be wrong. This is not that kind of movie.

Maxed out is a documentary which exposes the strategies that credit card companies use to turn over a profit.

In the tradition of Super Size Me, Maxed out is not a film about personal responsibility. Neither is it about paying more than the minimum or controlling spending.

Just like its fast food predecessor, the film is about the villainization of the credit card industry and not a seminar on how to get out of debt.

From a Harvard professor telling us how credit card companies target people who’ve already declared bankruptcy to the collection agents bragging about their harassment strategies, this movie is really an eye opener.

The message is simple… if you’re in debt; get out while you still can. If not, these companies will use a variety of methods to keep you in high-interest credit card debt for the rest of your life.

What is more disturbing are the strategies used to target the elderly and handicapped. Not to mention those who eventually commit suicide because of the harassment.

Although it’s not something you have to see on the big screen, this movie is definitely worth seeing.

written by Kelleigh

Well, I don’t know how many stars I would give this one. I would have to give it some more thought. Overall, I thought it was entertaining and the pace was good, but there were a few things that got to me.

My main beef with this film was the casting choice of Robert Langdon. I love Tom Hanks, I really do, but what was Ron Howard thinking? I really felt like Tom Hanks was so uncomfortable in this role and stumbled around letting everyone else figure out what was going on. Kim and I were talking about possible casting choices and I still haven’t come up with the perfect choice yet. I think one of the most important aspects of the Langdon character is that he is a really bright guy and I think most really intelligent people do have a level of a self confidence and, let’s face it, arrogance, which was missing in his performance. I kept waiting for him to take charge of the situation and it never happened. There’s even a part where Langdon runs into his hotel room and grabs a copy of his own book to try and figure things out. What was that all about?

I was also disappointed at the complete lack of chemistry between Hanks and Audrey Tautou. They acted more like siblings than love interests. I thought everyone else was well cast, but for a movie like this, you can't afford to mess up on the main character. It was almost as bad as that "Phantom of the Opera" movie where they cast Gerard Butler who couldn't sing.

Another major flaw of this movie, for those who haven't read the book, is that thy don't bother to explain anything about Da Vinci and his relationship to the whole mystery. One could walk out of this movie wondering what the movie had to do with Da Vinci. They omitted most of the symbolism and barely talked about any of the paintings. They don’t even explain why Jacques Saunière is sprawled out on the floor like the Vitruvian Man.

I did enjoy Paul Bettany’s performance as the albino monk. He captured both the deranged and tragic aspects of Silas.

Well, there it is, I didn’t hate it, but I must say that I was a bit disappointed.

PS..I saw this movie a few months later and I now think I was being too nice. The script is terrible and many of the lines are almost laughable.

written by Kelleigh

I decided to lift my “TomKat Boycott” in order to see Mission Impossible III. Admittedly, I did not want to see this movie. I didn’t really like the first one and I didn’t even bother to go see the second (I heard that John Woo put in a bunch of weird bird sequences). And then there is the endless craziness that follows Tom Cruise wherever he goes.

My favorite story about Tom is that, before Katie, he had a list of very young Hollywood actresses that he wanted to be lined up with. I don’t think Katie even made the list at that point. Anyway, Scarlett Johansson, who is barely in her 20s was number one (or was it Kate Bosworth?). Rumor has it that Tom took Scarlett to some Scientology meeting with a bunch of guys in white lab coats (see http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8133757) . She asked to be taken home. Then of course, there was the whole Brooke Shields saga, the yellow couch thing and Tom telling Diane Sawyer (without even flinching) that Katie’s dad doesn’t mind that they are not having a Catholic wedding.

Despite all this, I shamefully have to admit that I really liked this movie. I attribute it to the creative genius of director J.J. Abrams who created both “Lost” and “Alias.” I thought he really delivered on this film.

The movie grabs you right from the first scene and I was already squirming in my seat before they even got to the opening credits. It starts with a climactic scene between Cruise and Philip Seymour Hoffman, who just won best actor for "Capote." It’s filled with cool action sequences that draw you in. I particularly liked the scenes in the Vatican with Cruise, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Maggie Q. It reminded me of “The Italian Job.” Hoffman gives a great performance as the heartless villain.

Although the plot was unbelievable at times, it didn’t take away from suspense or adrenaline of the movie. I gasped several times. I do think they should have picked an actress that didn’t look like Katie Holmes, because you couldn’t help but think about it everytime she came on screen.

I predict that sales for this movie will jump the second weekend after a few people go see it and word spreads that its really good (it also helped that my expectations were very low). Even those who didn’t like the first two will probably enjoy this one. It is easily the best of the three.

It was so good that I think Tom Cruise should have paid J.J. Abrams to be in his movie.