Exit Through The Gift Shop ***1/2 (rave)

The Academy Award nominations for "Best Documentary Feature" are in. Leading the pack out of the 5 contenders is a film by British born graffiti artist Banksy. This film captures the world of street art as it follows the artists that create at night and the community that later arises to define and own it.

The documentary begins with an interview with Banksy himself. His face is hidden and his voice distorted as he introduces the subject of the movie - Thierry Guetta. Thierry is a french filmmaker whose intention was to make a documentary film about Banksy but as Banksy explains, ended up being more interesting than himself.


Through extensive interviews with Thierry we meet his family, learn a little about his background and find out how he was introduced to (and then later entrenched in) the world of street art. Thierry is an interesting subject and his stories and mannerisms are humourous and entertaining. Other street artists and their works are showcased - some, like Shephard Fairey, are interviewed. And as the movie progresses Banksy and others try to determine if Thierry Guetta is really one of them, just plain crazy or both.


The movie explores many interesting facets about the art world - the age old question "what is art", the power of hype and the effects of commercialism. All of the artists are interesting in their own right. And I found this glimpse into their creative process and chosen medium really fascinating. Shephard Fairey, for instance, has plastered the same image over and over again on many different walls all over the world for over a decade. In doing so, he believes the power of repetition his given his work power. Each artist in Exit Through The Gift Shop has their own unique statement to make and I was interested to hear them all.

What makes this film all the more intriguing is that there's a very big possibility that it's all fake - a mockumentary, if you will. Many believe that Thierry's story is a creation of Banksy's -as is Thierry's creative evolution in the film. The conspiracy theorists that I've read are convinced that with the help of others, Banksy has managed to pull off a great hoax with Exit Through The Gift Shop. -Not only that but he has now garnered an Oscar nomination for it. If this is true and if Banksy wins the Academy Award for "Best Documentary Feature" I have to wonder if that's a good thing or bad. I have to wonder if I'll be rooting for 'truth' or for the artist. Like the movie; it's really got me thinking. And isn't that what a good documentary should do?

Black Swan **1/2 (rant)

Although Natalie Portman's performance in this film is great, I didn't like the movie.

Black Swan is a psychological thriller that delves into the madness of a prima ballerina as she strives for perfection. Natalie Portman stars as Nina Sayers, a dancer with the New York City Ballet who has just been cast as the lead in the company's production of Swan Lake. To successfully inhabit this dance role , Sayers must perform as both the vulnerable White Swan and the seductive Black Swan. Sayers' own meek personality naturally fits into the role of one but she struggles greatly with her attempts to portray the other. A newcomer (played by Mila Kunis) joins the company and rivals Sayers for the role. For the rival Lily, playing the provocative Black Swan comes all too naturally. Throughout the film Sayers endures rigorous rehearsals, bullying from her director and smothering support from her dance obsessed mother. In the end, Nina's desire to prove to everyone that she can perfect this role pushes her to a very extreme transformation.

I like psychological thrillers. And I've enjoyed some strange psychological thrillers in the past (like a Cronenberg film.) But there were several things about this strange thriller that didn't sit right with me. For starters, I'd read Nataile Portman did her own dancing in the movie and in the first scene I found her ballet abilities lacking. Even though her quality of dance improved as the film progressed, it took me awhile to accept Portman's character as a contender for prima ballerina.

Once the Swan Lake lead role was cast and we watched as Portman's character struggled to perfect it, everything about the movie then became weird. There was never any knowledge as to what was real or what was being projected from Nina Sayer's deepening twisted mind. Although I realised this was an important part of the film's narrative, it just started to get irritating. Instead of focusing on the intensifying dynamics between the characters, I found myself guessing which ones, if any, truly existed - which events, if any, truly occurred. And then eventually, I just stopped caring. - Cut to the scene where Nina pulls a piece of bird feather out of her scabbed shoulder blade and I can't wait for it to all be over.

Finally, the ending for me was just way too over the top. Some people liked the dramatic climax to the story (many have reviewed this film favourably) but I'm just not one of them. Bizarre, bizarre, bizarre is all I can say. And in the end, after a couple of hours of watching Nina Sayers trying to tend to her sexual frustrations, I was left wondering why I was watching a movie about an uptight young woman who wanted to be a bird.

Although this film is not one of my favourites, I cannot deny the acting was impressive. Natalie Portman is extremely convincing as the intensely driven ballerina who desperately wants to 'let herself go'. Mila Kunis is getting much acknowledgement for her role in the film as well and even though I do believe she's come a long way since That Seventies Show, I was more impressed with Barbara Hershey's performance as Portman's over-bearing mother and Winona Ryder's short but intense screen time as the ousted prima ballerina.

Perhaps I just wasn't in the mood for a movie like Black Swan when I watched it. Although I could appreciate the film, I just couldn't enjoy it. The film is getting critical acclaim and has received some Oscar nominations. And if you have an interest in dance or are curious about the bizarre nature of the movie, I say go and see it. Otherwise, I would suggest that instead of seeing Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan, you rent his 2008 film The Wrestler. In my opinion, it is a superior film about the dark world that can be inhabited by an entertainer.

The King's Speech **** (rave)

Last September during the Toronto Film Festival, the two movies that were getting a lot of buzz were Black Swan and The King's Speech. I've seen both now and although I do intend to write about Black Swan later, I wanted to start with my personal favourite of the two, Tom Hooper's The King's Speech.

If you haven't already seen it (or at least heard about it) this movie is based on the true story of King George VI and his attempts to overcome his debilitating speech impediment while ruling a country as it heads into another World War. Colin Firth stars as George "Bertie" VI and he encapsulates the frustration, fear and determination of this would-be-king. Geoffrey Rush plays the unconventional speech therapist that is enlisted by George's wife Elizabeth (played by Helena Bonham Carter) to help George gain the confidence he needs to find his voice.

The acting in this movie is superb. Firth is receiving much attention and awards for his performance and, in my opinion, it is rightly deserved. I've always been a fan of Colin Firth's (he had me at Mr. Darcy) and in the role of Bertie, he is vulnerable, witty and short -tempered. As the story progresses, he eventually forms a friendship with his wannabe actor speech therapist and as he opens up to him, Firth's character exposes some of the pressures and expectations placed upon a young boy growing up within the Monarchy. We instantly feel empathy for Bertie's plight and can't help but struggle with him as his stammers through the telling of his story.

The power of speech is the theme of the film and it is never lost on the viewers. The opening scene sets the tone in an instant - the microphone: ominous and powerful in nature. Watching the broadcaster prepare for it was not unlike watching a matador (albeit a small British man) preparing to conquer the bull.

The cinematography and sets in the movie are stunning. The walls (and in some instances the wallpaper covering them) seem to have a life of their own as they surround and frame the characters. Occasionally, it does feel as if you are looking onto a stage, as oppose to being enveloped in a room, but perhaps this is what Hooper intended - incorporating a theatre stage setting for Rush's character Lionel to work upon.

This movie is definitely going to receive some Oscar recognition. And if you're someone like me who likes to see all the "Best Picture" contenders, I suggest you go out and see what all the buzz is about. If you like a good drama, I can assure you you won't be disappointed.

True Grit ****1/2 (rave)

Well the Coen brothers have done it again! True Grit is a beautifully shot film with rich and funny characters that take us through a journey of retribution and test of character.

I wasn't sure if I wanted to see this movie. Westerns aren't my favourite genre. And I knew this latest installment from the Coen brothers was completely shut out of the Golden Globes. After watching it however, I was stunned at the Hollywood Foreign Press' huge oversight. I liked the movie Inception, but True Grit clearly should have replaced it as a top 5 contender. Or, out of desperation, they could have easily squeezed it into the comedy category. I can only hope that when the Oscar nominations come out, the Coen brothers and others will get some acknowledgement for this film.

True Grit stars Jeff Bridges as a one-eyed, 'tough guy' U.S Marshall who is hired by a 14 year old girl named Mattie Ross who wants to avenge her father's murder. She knows who the murderer is and she enlists Marshall Rooster Cogburn to help her hunt him done and bring him to justice. A Texas Ranger (played by Matt Damon) is also on the hunt for this particular bad guy and so the three eventually join forces and head out to find the elusive Tom Chaney (played by Josh Brolin). As with any 'journey film', the leads come across a cast of characters along the way. -In true western form, these characters all have bad teeth, craggy skin, poor grammar and are cloaked in animal pelts. As the Marshall, the Ranger and the determined young avenger seek out Tom Chaney, their biggest obstacle is the struggle to get along with each other. Each has their own agenda, and each person is determined to have their own way. Eventually, despite themselves the three manage to work together and face their common enemy as a unified force.

Jeff Bridges is absolutely hilarious in the role of Rooster Cogburn. He's described as a man who "likes to pull the cork" and he has some classic scenes while in an inebriated state. He talks fast, he talks a lot and he mumbles half the time. I'm looking forward to seeing the film again so I can catch the other half of what he was saying while taking a swig and riding his horse.

It was a delight to see Matt Damon in a western. Not since 1993's Geronimo has he been out in the Wild West. And after watching him as the self -toting saviour of the day I hope he dirties himself up and gets back on a horse again real soon. He held his own against Bridges' honed comedic timing and the quick banter between the two characters kept me engaged and laughing.

Newcomer Hailee Steinfeld was simply amazing as the sharp -tongued, headstrong instigator of this journey. She was tough and never gave an inch with her convictions. As she continued to bully and press the two lawmen, I had to keep reminding myself she was only 14 years old.

I have not seen the original 1969 version of this film starring John Wayne, and so I cannot draw any comparisons nor do I have any emotional attachment one way or the other about the story being retold. I can however, explicitly state that I fully enjoyed this version. It was well cast, well acted, well written and (as I can always expect from a Coen brother film) really beautiful to watch.

Although I can't claim True Grit is my favourite movie of the year, I can easily say it makes my top ten. I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed when the nominations are announced that the Academy agrees with me.