The Bank Job

First Hit: This was an entertaining film that was efficiently paced and based on the 1971 London bank robbery.

There is very little background development or information about the characters of this event which is fine because the action, plots and subplots propelled the film.

However, I did want to know more about the previous history between Terry, the head thief, (played by Jason Statham) and Martine Love (played by Saffron Burrows).

My reasoning is that there is a continuing story line involving the jealousy between Terry’s wife and Martine and it kept cropping up and wasn’t fleshed out. Otherwise, each of the characters has some background built into their story line and it’s enough to accept this at face value and roll with the action of the robbery story.

The story involves compromising pictures of a member of the royal family, crooked members of Scotland Yard, members of the high government who like kinky sex, the local police, a charismatic black radical leader, a sex club owner, a Madame, and a high level government secret service team.

All these characters have something at stake in the safety deposit boxes that are robbed. It begins when Martine is being pressured by high government officials to find someone to rob a bank and collect pictures of a royal family member’s sex romp. If she finds someone to do this robbery the drug charges against her will be dropped.

The deal also includes the robbers getting to keep the ill gotten gains. The robbery and story line gets more complicated when some of the stolen items mean as much to the people that were stolen from, as the royal family’s compromising pictures mean to the government.

With multiple plots revolving around the robbers and the people who were robbed the action is quick, engaging and the outcome was satisfying.

Overall: This isn’t a great film; however it is interesting, fast and well paced with strong enough acting resulting in a very entertaining film.

Lust, Caution

First Hit: Beautifully shot and gives a sense of the time period and while erotic it wasn’t necessarily arousing which made the sex a tool of seduction. A well crafted film.

Ang Lee’s latest film uses the power of sex and desire to tell a tale of the struggle to make a difference in the war between Japan and China. Idealistic college students wanting to make a difference in the war hatch a plot to kill a Chinese Official who, they perceive, is being a traitor to his own country. The initial plot fails and a new one takes shape that requires one of them to seduce the official. The story evolves from showing the power of seduction and how one can never know how this affects the involved parties.

The NC-17 rating comes from the powerful and visually arresting sex scenes. Some are rough others are an exploration of the growing relationship. Although the film was a little long, all the acting was superb, the direction clear and the storytelling interesting and engaging.

Overall: I liked the film and although a couple of the panoramic scenes seemed false it was exquisitely and beautifully shot.

Eastern Promises

First Hit: This is David Cronenberg film is very well made and kept me present, involved, and in suspense the whole time.

The History of Violence, David’s previous film, was well crafted and starred Viggo Mortensen as does this one.

I really enjoy films which focus on subcultures in large cities and how their indiscretions are hidden by false fronts. The Godfather films did this and Eastern Promises does this as well.

Naomi Watts plays a midwife who finds herself deeply attached to a baby whose 14 year old mother had died. She desperately wants to find the mother's family so that the baby will not get trapped in England’s foster child system.

In her search she stumbles on to the Russian mafia in London and discovers the father of the baby is the mafia’s leader. Viggo is “just the driver” but he is someone who is becoming entwined in the mafia for other reasons: Power, money, savior, glory or twist of fate…

Overall: This is a suspenseful thriller that will keep you entertained and watching and the end is well delivered.

The Brave One

First Hit: It started out fairly well but as it went on, I just didn’t buy the story.

Terrence Howard and Jodie Foster give wonderful performances for the most part. I had some difficulty with the moment of transition for Jodie.

In other words the reasons for her switching from someone who loves the streets and people of New York as espoused on her radio show job, to deadly killer just didn’t work. There was this supposed build up of her fear and anger after she left the hospital with her not being able to go outside and being scared from every noise that interrupted the space around her.

The final moment of this shift, or the straw that broke the camel's back, was when she was in the police station waiting to see someone about her case. It just wasn’t enough for me to buy it. However, Jodie showed my why she has been a great actress for all these years by staying with the character and making it feel intense.

There were moments I saw the little girl from Taxi Driver who was vulnerable, intense, wise, and interesting and it made my heart smile.

Her voiceover in this film, as the radio personality, are wonderful because the quality of her voice was deep, soulful and believable.

Overall: This was an OK film, not memorable but if you like Jodie it’s worth seeing.

The Invasion

First Hit: Although better than many “invasion” films, it didn’t quite hit the spot.

Nicole Kidman is a wonderful actress and her part in the film is done well.

However, during the film there were three or four times I wondered why she picked this film to do. Isn’t she getting other film offers? Does she need the money? With thoughts like this I knew the premise wasn’t quite hitting the spot for me.

For a thriller, this film is well produced and crafted and does a credible job. The scenes are full, and unlike its predecessor zombie films, it holds together. But somehow it didn’t suspend my belief enough to keep me engaged all the way through.

I needed to know more background about how the government was handling the crisis, and was Bush already a zombie? (I know rhetorical question) I wanted to know more about the ex-husband and what made him such a terrible husband before he was taken over. His saying “I came third” wasn’t enough to make me understand what had gone wrong in their relationship.

I didn’t find the film very scary or creepy which was a bit disappointing. Daniel Craig wasn’t in his element as another doctor and in love with Nicole’s character.

One of the best scenes was the exchange of dialog between the Russian Ambassador and Nicole at the dinner table.

Overall: Not very fulfilling nor did it suspend my belief enough for me to think this could happen.