August: Osage County, the Movie Trailer

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Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen.....what a peculiar title for a movie but what a delightful film it is!

Well, it is actually based from a book of the same title by Paul Torday with a script written by Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire). Helmed by Cider House Rules director, Lasse Hallstrom who brought together a cast of some of my favorite British actors.

Avid fisherman and wealthy sheikh, Sheikh Muhammad (Amr Waked) hires consultant Harriet Chetwode-Talbot (Emily Blunt) to help him accomplish his vision of bringing the sport of Fly Fishing to his country. Ms. Chetwode-Talbot, is efficient and very effective that she manages to lay down the fundamentals of the project. She hits a stall when she emails fisheries expert, Dr. Alfred Jones (Ewan McGregor) about the project. A science man and a bit socially inept, Dr. Jones thinks that the project is impossible even to the point of being ludicrous. However, the Salmon Fishing project gets a jolt of support from the Office of the British Prime Minister when Press Secretary, Patricia Maxwell (Kristin Scott-Thomas) needed to divert attention from some bad press from Afghanistan. Eventually, Dr. Jones is pushed into the project due to pressures from the bureaucracy and agrees to have a meeting with the Sheikh. Alfred connects immediately with the sheikh through their mutual love of fishing. What follows is the meticulous planning of this grand undertaking.

I have to say thought that as soon as you meet the sheikh on screen, one realizes that it's not just really about a whim of bringing fishing to Yemen but he is indeed a visionary. He brings wisdom and understanding not just about fishing but in life. It's an unexpected experience sitting in the audience because as you realize this, Ewan McGregor's character, Dr. Jones also comes into the same realization. You soak up the revelation, very much like the principal character and one feels like you are also pulled into the story. From then on, I was emotionally invested in the Salmon Project.

I truly enjoyed Ewan McGregor's social ineptness and was engrossed with Emily Blunt's vulnerability. While Kristin Scott-Thomas was perfect as the very hard edged publicity opportunist, Amr Waked was penetrating with his wisdom. Even more enjoyable was that these gems of wisdom were not cliches nor were they hammered into you. It just naturally and unexpectedly trickled down from the screen. Go and try to catch it in the theatres. It's a capitivating story about connection, faith and the power of possibilities.

The Ghost

Roman Polanski's screen adaptation of Robert Harris's novel The Ghost Writer starts with cars disembarking from the Martha's Vineyard ferry, until one car is ominously left unclaimed. Then we see a body washed up ashore, which turns out to be that of Mike McAra. He was a ghost writer working on the memoirs of former U.K. Prime Minister Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan). Another writer (Ewan McGregor) who remains unnamed in the film, reluctantly takes over the task of completing the book. Unfortunately, Mr. Lang, who's been very friendly to U.S. interests is accused by his former Foreign Secretary Richard Rycart (played by Robert Pugh) of being a war criminal. His crime? Allowing suspected terrorists to be kidnapped and handed over to the CIA for torture. As the ghost delves deeper into the disgraced leader's life, he finds many inconsistencies and mysteries that will put his life in jeopardy.

The performances are top-notch. The talented Mr. McGregor is faultless as the smart, funny, initially apolitical biographer. His conscience won't allow him to step away from the political intrigue as he continues with his increasingly dangerous research. Mr. Brosnan is perfect as the arrogant politician. Olivia Williams is the icy, beautiful and intelligent Ruth Lang, the power behind the man. The rest of the ex-PM's retinue is led by Amelia Bly (Kim Cattrall with a strange English accent). Tom Wilkinson plays enigmatic Harvard Professor Paul Emmett. Watch out for brief cameos from James Belushi and Timothy Hutton. Now if like me, you were wondering where the film was shot (in light of Mr. Polanski's legal troubles), Berlin=London; Sylt, Germany=Massachusetts. The scenes of the gray and desolate coast are beautiful.

The movie is a compelling, slick political thriller with plenty of unexpected humorous dialogue. It doesn't rely on gimmickry or action scenes to build the suspense. It's all in the clever screenplay. There are thinly veiled references to Tony Blair, Halliburton (Hatherton in the movie) and Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice. Although I figured out early on who the villains are, the reveal (and the movie's haunting last shot) still caught me off-guard. So sit back, try to relax, and enjoy this potboiler.
(poster from screencrave)

Of Goats and Men

After watching a Jon Ronson TV interview, I was curious to see The Men Who Stare at Goats. It is based on his non-fiction book that claims the U.S. military trained and used psychic spies in the '70s, with some of the techniques getting resurrected during George W. Bush's War on Terror. Political satire, Jedi warriors, New Ageism, conspiracy theories---what's not to like?

Our stand-in for Mr. Ronson is Bob Wilton: a newly divorced, down-on-his-luck writer who meets Lyn Cassady (a wide-eyed, goofy, earnest, mustachioed George Clooney) in Kuwait at the start of the 2nd Gulf War. Mr. Cassady was one of the more gifted members of the New Earth Army, now a contractor in Iraq (and dance studio owner back in the States). And as a Star Wars fan, I have to admit that part of the draw was seeing Ewan McGregor look incredulous as Mr. Clooney's character explained all things Jedi to Obi-Wan himself. The duo make their way to Iraq to complete a secret mission he psychically received from the First Earth Battalion's former leader, Bill Django (Jeff Bridges channeling one of his most famous characters, The Dude). Kevin Spacey plays Larry Hooper, a felonious member of the Jedi army. Pretty one dimensional as a character, he is jealous of Cassady's powers and seeks to discredit his own group.

The film is bizarre, and Lynn and I found it wonderfully amusing. Despite the outrageous situations the characters find themselves in, it manages to take a swipe at the military, greedy corporations and the government. I read a review questioning how the filmmakers dare to take potshots at the military while 2 wars are raging. I do not share this criticism. The most poignant scenes in the movie are when Django comes home from Vietnam wanting an alternative way to fight a war; when Cassady goes to the Army and finds he belongs there, and when an Iraqi named Mahmud helped out so-called enemies, the Americans Cassady and Wilton. While the movie is clearly kooky, I didn't think it disrespected servicemen and women at all. Although I think the ending was totally made-up, the movie's message of tapping into people's basic goodness, finding yourself and fulfilling your potential came through.

The film opens by saying that "more of this is true than you will believe." And the premise is so ludicrous, I'd be terribly disappointed if it weren't true.


The DVD comes out 23 March 2010.

Religion v. Science

Many might disagree, but I find Dan Brown's books entertaining. He combines mystery, intrigue, and my favorite conspiracy theories with facts and historical figures to weave good page-turning yarn. I end up finishing the book in one sitting. I always guess who the bad guy is, but it's still a compelling read. I thought The Da Vinci Code was movie-ready, but was sorely disappointed by Ron Howard's lumbering film adaptation. So I went to see Angels and Demons with lowered expectations, and left feeling satisfied. Secret societies---no wait---even better---The Illuminati?! The Vatican? The Hadron Collider and anti-matter? Enough said! I'm there on opening day!

Director Ron Howard has said that he doesn't want to repeat himself so he doesn't like to do sequels (although the book Angels and Demons actually preceded The Da Vinci Code, so it's technically a prequel). Thankfully, he didn't repeat himself in this one. I'm impressed that he made a fun, fast-paced and absorbing thriller, complete with a pulse-pounding Hans Zimmer musical score.

Tom Hanks is back as the symbologist Robert Langdon (but with a better haircut) to save the Catholic Church, the accomplished Ewan McGregor as the Camerlengo, Ayelet Zurer as the physicist Vittoria Vetra, Stellan Skarsgard as the Swiss Guard Commander Richter, and the always exceptional Armin Mueller-Stahl as Cardinal Strauss. The script is tighter (mainly because the book is not as convoluted as Da Vinci, and the bomb threat naturally comes with a deadline). There are some plot changes but nothing that interfered with my enjoyment of the film. I especially relished the insider's look at the Church, all the rituals and ceremonies that come with the passing of a Pope and the election of a new Vicar of Christ. The tour of Rome and Vatican City, taking a pretend-peek into the Vatican Archives and its treasures, and the eternal debate between science and religion also rank high in my points of interest.

So if you just want to savor a popcorn potboiler and be diverted for 2 hours, go see Angels and Demons. You'll have a hell of a time.

(photo from Moviegoods)