Monday was Screening day

Yesterday I saw 4 films at three different theaters, I had a comp day at work so it seemed like the thing to do with it.

First up was Revolutionary Road a quiet tragedy set in the suburbia of the past. Two very solid performances from DeCaprio and Winslet two actors I generally like a lot...Ok I maybe in love with Kate Winslet but based on her Golden Globe win for this performance I'm going to trust my judgement. The film as whole is solid but leaves the viewer at a distance, with both characters so cruel at times to each other you find yourselves frequently without anyone to root for. Your natural tendency is to root for two people to get together but that often doesn't feel like what they want. That said we are not left completely out in the cold there are certainly things we can relate to in the film, unfortunately from an entertainment angle they are the things we all try and cover up and forget about. to summarize, it made me think but only occasionally feel, it looked great and was solidly acted, it very good, but not great. B+

The Wrestler was next and this like all of thing films I saw yesterday is a showcase for performances. Mickey Rourke was one of the first actors I followed and admired in the mid 80's he had a string of films that fascinated me. Diner, The Pope Of Greenwich Village, Year of the Dragon, Angel Heart, and Johnny Handsome. Year of the Dragon was one of my favorite films. Will since those days when he was full of promise he has fallen and fallen hard, his best post 1990 performance was as Marv in Sin City, that worked because you could hide the once attractive fact that now resembles a kindergartners clay art project under a ton of make up. The Wrestler works for Rourke because his appearance matches the characters, and given his own career it's the perfect roll for him. It allows the talent he has to show through because you see him as the character,you are not constantly looking at him wondering WTF happened to this guy he was beautiful, in a tough guy way. So I was rooting for Rourke, and I can't say I was disappointed in his performance. I do wonder how many other roles there are out there for him and his new look though. I hope for a comeback but I wonder how realistic that is. The film as a whole is a slight disappointment only in that it is exactly what you expect it to be it never really rises above it's simple premise or quite realizes the promise of the trailer. B

Doubt was the third film, this has great performances again particularly Viola Davis and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Meryl Streep does a lot to redeem the horridness of Mama Mia, but to be honest While I wouldn't call it flawed I did think she erred slightly towards a showing performance here, I saw her acting. Finely filmed and acted the only slightly unfullfilling thing here is that you don't get resolution, you are left with Doubt, intentionally but somehow that's still a little bit of a bummer. B+

Last was the best The Reader, again featuring Kate Winslet, in the best of the two performances of the day. The film was rounded out by great performances by Ralph Fiennes and David Kross playing her costar at different ages. This was the one film that I not only admired but also moved me. A-