Capote

Capote: Philip Seymour Hoffman turns in an Oscar type performance as Truman Capote. The story follows Capote as he did his research for his novel In Cold Blood. What made this so intriguing is the fact that Capote based the novel on a true crime – the murder of a family in Kansas in the 1950’s. His research brought him close to one of the murderers (Perry Smith). Talking to him Capote saw his troubled youth and saw the path he took to be able to commit such a crime. The movie did not give us enough information about Perry, instead focused on the strain all this caused to Truman Capote. The acting by Hoffman is first rate and should garnish him his 1st Oscar nomination. The movie itself is solid, but slow moving.
* * *

With a running time of 118 minutes
This film is rated R

The Weather Man

The Weather Man: Nicholas Cage stars in this very funny, very serious look at life. The Characters in this film are much more complex than I had expected. Cage plays David Spritz, a weather man, a divorced dad, and a son whose own father is a great writer played by Michael Caine. The story is really about the highs and lows of life, the expectations we have and the reality that it becomes. I do not want to make it sound “over the top serious”, because this movie has plenty of laughs -- It is really well balanced. The whole movie was shot here in Chicago which is a bonus to us Chicagoans, they did the city justice as it’s beauty showed up on screen. Over all a very funny film with a serious message – this was done right!
* * * and ½

With a running time of 102 minutes
This Film is rated R

Elizabethtown

Elizabethtown: Being a fan of Cameron Crowe I had my hopes up for his latest adventure, unfortunately it missed it’s mark. He penned this film after his father passed away and that is what the movie is about. A son returns to Elizabethtown, his father’s hometown, along the way he meets a girl who breathes new life into him. Orlando Bloom plays his son and Kristen Dunst plays the girl he meets, both do average jobs at best. The main problem is that Crowe had too much to say…..tried to cram way too much into the movie and the result is far less. Even the music is too much. Had the feeling like it was 3 movies in one. Some funny creative scenes save this from getting even a worse grade……
* *

With a running time of 136 minutes -- too long
This movie is rated PG

A History of Violence

A History of Violence: The premise for this movie is outstanding, it is also a movie where the less you know about it going in the better. Viggo Mortensen stars as Tom Stall, a family man who runs a diner in a small town in Indiana. When trouble comes into town one day, his life is turned upside down. There are some violent scenes in this movie that have a shocking and realistic quality to them, this only heightens the strength of the story. The fault of this movie is – It could have been even better. I really loved the idea, but felt the writers could have even dug deeper. Ed Harris turns in a great supporting role as does William Hurt. This is a small movie done right, could have been great, but still very entertaining!!!
* * *

With a running time of 99 minutes
This movie is rated R