We’re back with 4 more reviews of films that are up for Oscar consideration, a couple of which are on DVD, so you can check ’em out at home.
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First up, Children of Men, a fine, stark yet flawed dystopian thriller that, while sporting some dazzling filmmaking hardly involves with its story about a world plagued by infertility and on the verge of collapse. Clive Owen’s performance is actorly in a manner that fails to engage, while Julianne Moore is in the picture for such a short while it’s a wonder that her name even made it into the credits. Lots of critics liked this film, but VanRamblings is not among those that found it “gritty, disturbing, solemn or haunting.”
Half Nelson, on the other hand, now here’s a slice of life drama that is wholly absorbing despite its low budget and generally lacklustre production values. Ryan Gosling’s performance as a drug-addicted inner-city school teacher is human scale, watchable and near mesmerizing (and very much deserving of an Oscar), while 13-year-old newcomer Shareeka Epps gives as good as she gets. Absolutely one of the best films of 2006 — and now on DVD for rental.
Now, you’d think that The Last King of Scotland would be heavy fare and a slog to get through, but you’d be wrong. Forest Whitaker’s larger than life performance as African dictator, Idi Amin — charismatic, trained by the British, and home to create chaos in Uganda during his eight-year reign — may be menacing, but he’s also horrifically engaging and possessed of a wry sense of humour. Prediction: Whitaker will win Best Actor for his performance.
Little Miss Sunshine can garner all the accolades it wants, but you’re not gonna find unadulterated praise for this rather pedestrian film in this corner. A too cute and rather mundane road movie chock full of odd “characters” rather than relatable people, there’s a cleverness, no doubt, in this Oscar nominated picture, but when it comes to films emerging from January’s Sundance Film Festival, give me a Quinceañera any day of the week. Strained, foul-mouthed and verging on the grotesque, from VanRamblings’ standpoint Little Miss Sunshine is much ado about not very much. Don’t say you haven’t been warned.
