DalyDose of…4 Film Society Films

This year is the first that I haven’t had a SAG Film Society membership.  Thankfully, my good friend Heidi has one and is kind enough to let me be her +1.  We’ve seen these four films lately and I thought I’d share a few thoughts with y’all.

I’ve never seen Nicole Kidman this good.  She is gritty and crazy while being controlled and stubborn.  She does all of this without her usual glamour of being all dolled up…and she still looks amazing.  Aaron Eckhart plays her husband and shows great emotional range here.   This was a great ride and I think there might be some statues in their future!

Kevin Spacey, as Jack Abramoff, is amazing in this.  He brings the crazy to a real life mastermind criminal.  For a story wrapped in politics & finance it is surprisingly entertaining and often funny.   The opening monologue denouncing “Mediocrity” is reminiscent of Michael Douglas’ Gordon Gecko “Wall Street” monologue hailing “Greed” as an essential American value.  This story is inspired by true events, however.

Oscar nom for Miss Portman?  I think so.  The preparation for her and Mila Kunis must have been intense.  Their dancing was to a believable level for portraying professionals.  They were painfully thin which adds to the reality of life in the cruel and cutthroat world of professional dance.  You’re never quite sure what to think and a few times you don’t know what’s going on.  Are YOU crazy or just watching crazy?  Hmmmmm….while you wait to find out, there is hot love scene between Natalie and Mila.  Just sayin.  For more on the process, check out this LA Times article.

This was the slowest moving of the films, but the ensemble acting was effortlessly brilliant at times.  The relationships between these people is funny, sad, maddening and loving all at once.  This is a great one for video.  In fact, it might play better in a cozy intimate space vs. a large theater.