Films of the Weekend

Movie name: Gone Baby, Gone
Year of release: 2007
Director: Ben Affleck
Stars: Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris, Amy Ryan, Amy Madigan
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8

Synopsis:
Ben Affleck manages to create with his directorial debut, a film that is impeccably acted and near pitch perfect. Adapting the Denis Lehane novel (also responsible for Clint Eastwood's "Mystic River"), in his native Boston, Ben Affleck creates a gritty look of his city, one where the streets aren't sunny and where the residents aren't definitely smiling in your direction. This is a city where the Police has hidden agendas, and where a young couple trying to find a missing girl have to come to terms with what really matters to them and to the life of others. The acting is terrific with highlights going to the wonderful Casey Affleck and the amazing Amy Ryan, who steals each and every scene she's in.

Movie name: Lust, Caution
Year of release: 2007
Director: Ang Lee
Stars: Tony Leung, Joan Chen, Tang Wei
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:
Ang Lee is a director that doesn't like to be "cornered". After the award winning "Brokeback Mountain" he goes back to Taiwan and shoots this near 3 hour epic about the occupation of Shanghai by the Japanese forces during the Second World War. The story puts in front and center a young woman coming to terms with her life, sexuality and love - working for the chinese resistance she has to seduce and expose a collaborator/traitor. While the film doesn't bring anything new (Paul Verhoeven's "Black Book" had a similar storyline), it does allow Ang Lee to film an elegant, delicate story, punctuated by love scenes that are intense and beautifully enacted. This is a film worth checking out, but not as well balanced as Lee's previous efforts, namely "The Ice Storm" and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon".

Movie name: The Darjeeling Limited and Hotel Chevalier
Year of release: 2007
Director: Wes Anderson
Stars: Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman, Anjelica Huston, Natalie Portman, Camilla Rutherford, Bill Murray
Genre: Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:
Wes Anderson continues to build his quirky universe with these two opuses ("Hotel Chevalier" being the short that comes before the main film). I am personally a huge fan of "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou", a film where I think Anderson's vision came to an almost perfect realization, from the cast, to the beautiful photography and the wonderful soundtrack. Working from a script co-written with Roman Coppola (Sofia's brother) and Jason Schwartzman (Sofia and Roman's cousin), The Darjeeling again traces a family story, of people trying to find themselves within a familiar unit. While continuing to develop his themes, Anderson in this film doesn't bring the sense of freshness and difference that marked his previous efforts. His cast is great as usual (Owen Wilson and Adrien Brody are both terrific), and the photography by Robert Yeoman is stunning. A film definitely worth checking out.