Sleuth (2007), In The Loop (2009), The Ghost Writer (2010), The Illusionist (2010)

Sleuth

Like a game of cat and mouse by Samuel Beckett. Kenneth Branagh adapts the play by
Anthony Shaffer , a story of a mystery (Michael Cain) writer and the out of work actor who is sleeping with his estranged wife (Judd Law). The whole thing takes place in a slate gray marble house, they play psychological games with each other. Sometimes they even seem to adopt different persona's in relation to these games, even border line homosexual ones. I enjoyed the first act, when the stylized dialogue was fresh, but after that it got confused and repetitive. Still kudos for being so different from most modern pictures. Grade: B-

In the Loop

Dry British comedy of political satire centers around political bureaucrats on the eve of an ill considered Iraq type war. It's bright in an understated way, but plays it too safe to be really thought provoking. The profanity really got oppressive in this one and brought it down a peg. Grade: B-

The Ghost Writer

An unusually good, unusually smart political mystery. Ewan McGregor is a nameless professional ghost writer who takes on the task of sprucing up the memories of a Tony Blair type former British PM, after the original ghostwriter turns up dead. Of course this means there's 'more then meets the eye' going on and McGregor ends up caught in a semi-complicated plot involving the CIA, weapons companies etc. Most of the action takes place on a Marthas Vineyard type island which provides a suitably creepy setting. This is not an explosion filled action thriller, but rather it is a smart mystery story, very enjoyable in part because we see so few of these kind of movies made anymore. Great cast.

Grade: A

The Illusionist (2010)

Sweet , beautiful looking animated feature from the creator of The Triplets of Belleville Sylvian Chomet. Based on an unproduced script by the beloved french comedian Jacques Tati, this is the Chaplinesque tale of struggling magician past his prime, and the young servant girl who adopts him as a surrogate father figure. Set mostly in Scotland in the year 1959 this film isn't as stylized as Belleville, but Chomet's signature is everywhere present, and did I mention its just beautiful. The story, the scenery the characters, all understated and sentimental in a good way. The occasional slow spot but on the whole a lovely movie that brought me almost to tears.

Grade: A-