Movie Review: Elizabeth: The Golden Age

This visually stunning movie chronicles the struggles and intrigues of Queen Elizabeth I. The starts just after her ascension to the English throne after the death of her Catholic step mother, Mary. Elizabeth’s father, Henry VIII, had separated the English church from Rome. England is in a state of flux. A large minority of English is loyal to Rome, but the English government and her Queen are Protestant. Mary, Elizabeth’s Catholic sister and rival to the English throne, schemes to reunite England with the Catholic Church.

The film’s conflicts include Elizabeth’s struggles with her half sister, Mary, her chief counselor, Sir William Cecil, Sir Walter Raleigh and King Phillip of Spain. Throughout the story, Elizabeth is torn between the necessity of being royal and authoritative and the need for intimacy, friendship and council.

Sir Walter Raleigh is in turn torn between the need for the queen’s royal patronage and sincere admiration of her intelligence, sensitivity and will. The interplay between these two characters is well developed, sophisticated and for the most part virtuous.

The visuals, costumes, setting and musical score are stunning. Some theatrical license was taken in some of the pivotal points of the story- including a Joan of Ark-like scene on the Cliffs of Dover as Elizabeth looks over the destruction of the Spanish Armada in shining armor on a white charger delivering a warmed over version of Richard’s St. Crispin’s Day speech.

The movie is rated “R” mainly because of the violence and brief nudity.

Movie Review: “3:10 to Yuma”

This is a remake of the 1957 classic western of the same name. Dan Evans, a crippled Union Army veteran trying to survive bad times as a rancher in Arizona, is pitted against Ben Wade, a sophisticated sociopath outlaw who must be escorted to a train station in Yuma, AZ. In the course of their travels, Dan and Ben build an unlikely bond. Both Dan and Ben make sacrifices in the end in an attempt to redeem both their characters and situations. If not for the salty language, it would have earned a PG-13 rating. Christian Bale (Dan Evans) and Russell Crowe (Ben Wade) gave masterful, powerful performances. Peter Fonda and Luke Wilson made cameo appearances.

Movie Review: Molie’re

This movie’s plot centers around the imaginary events of an undocumented 13 years in the life of famous 17th century French playwright Moliere. At a low point in his career, Moliere is rescued from a Parisian prison to compose a play and teach acting to a rich French bourgeois, Monsieur Jourdain, who is courting a rich pompous young widow. Moliere develops a mutual attachment with Monsieur Jourdain’s wife, Elmire. The story evolves into multiple nests of plays within plays. Like a classic Italian opera, infidelity and dishonesty are rife in the lives and habits of all the central characters. In the end, Monsieur Jordain, wife Elmire and Moliere realize the plight and severity of their personal character flaws. Their lives are redeemed by this realization and individual sacrifices that ultimately result in honor and lasting fidelity.

Movie Review: Stardust

This movie is based on a novel that was in turned inspired by a DC Comics mini-series. It involves a poor young English villager, Tristan, who is on a quest to retrieve a falling star in order to win the hand of the prettiest local girl. Upon falling to earth, the falling star, Yvaine, takes on human form. She falls in the mythical land of Stormhold. Yvaine is also pursued by the evil witch, Lamia (played by Michelle Pfeiffer), who wants to cut out her heart in order to become immortal. Rivals for the empty throne of Stormhold join the pursuit as well. Robert DeNiro makes a semi-cameo appearance as the comical Captain Shakespeare.

The story starts slowly. The other worldly Yvaine and hero Tristan slowly learn the meaning of love. The movie is a delightful mix of comedy and suspense. The musical score is reminiscent of Pirates of the Caribbean and the scenery of Lord of the Rings. The film finishes with a happy story book ending

Movie Review: Bourne Ultimatum

This is the 3rd installment of the Bourne series starring Matt Damon. Jason Bourne continues on his quest to find out who he really is. He is lured out of hiding to contact a journalist who is writing an exposé of a US government assassin network. CIA agent manager Noah Vosen is determined to assassinate Bourne. Pamela Landy is brought back in to the series to help lead the effort to capture or kill Jason Bourne. As usual, the movie has non-stop action in exotic locations. Some of the chase sequences are too long. US intelligence operatives are mostly treated as assassins and torturers whose end of protecting US interests justify any means- regardless of moral implications. This film was very entertaining, but lacked some of the tidy closure present in the first two films of the series.

Movie Review: Transformers

This movie is based on the Transformer series of Hasbro toys. The plot of the movie centers on the conflict between two groups of robots from the planet Cybertron. The Autobots (good robots) fight the Decepticons (bad robots) for control of a giant square talisman called Allspark that gives unlimited power to the owner. Sam Witwicky, an awkward teen is befriended by one of the Autobots and is called on to help in a robotic/human struggle for ultimate power. The visual effects are superb. The sound effects and sound track are even better. The plot of fairly shallow, but entertaining.

Movie Review: "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End"

This third installation of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series opened this weekend. A resurrected Captain Barbossa, Will and Elizabeth set sail with the usual eclectic pirate crew to free pirate Jack Sparrow from the land of the dead. Davy Jones is now in the reluctant employ of the sinister East India Company head Lord Cutler Beckett. With Davy Jones’ help, Lord Cutler’s ultimate goal is to destroy Jack Sparrow and rule the seas. The central story is muddled by numerous poorly executed sub-plots including- a meeting of the pirate lords on Ship Wreck Island and the betrayal of Davy Jones and his lover Calypso. Rolling Stone’s Keith Richard makes a cameo appearance as Captain Teague, the head of Ship Wreck Island.

The movie plot was not cohesive. Many characters, who were thrown in to the cast from previous movies, contributed little to the story’s development. The special effects were dazzling. Johnny Depp and Geoffrey Rush’s performances as Captain Jack Sparrow and Captain Barbossa were above average. Aggressive editing of the final film and story line would have served this movie well.