Things we found in the fire...

THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE
***
One man struggles with an addiction. One woman struggles with reality. They both are in desperate need of somesort of relief. The film "Things We Lost in the Fire" tells the story of these two wayward people. Halle Berry stars as Audrey Burke, a woman who has recently lost her husband, the love of her life, and the father of her two children. The violent death of her husband portrayed by David Duchovny also adversely affects Benicio Del Toro's character Jerry Sunborne, a heroin addict who has no one to lean on now that his best friend has died. During his lifetime Duchovny's character had tried to convince his wife that Sunborne is a good man who got a bad break. Berry's character on the other hand believes her husband's childhood friend is a loser who is using her husband to get another fix. When Duchovny's character is brutally murdered, his wife slowly comes to the realization that Sunborne is the only man she could really lean on as the difficulties of raising two children on her own become too much to bear. Sunborne on the other hand needs a reason to remain sober. Yet what they don't know is that they still need time to acclimate to each other and life with out their closest companion. Berry and Del Toro both turn in sublime performances, the rest of the cast however are lost in the background. Unfortunately Director Susanne Bier fails to captivate her audience, yet she does earn an E for effort because she motivates her two stars and they do not let her down. In addition to that Duchovny's character does not seem to have any personality flaws, and that is why it is difficult to relate to him. The way he meets his death is also quite unbelievable, although not improbable. Nonetheless the film is quite endearing which is why it will have staying power.

Love, Lust, Caution

Lust, Caution
****

Director Ang Lee’s latest effort Lust, Caution is truly a visually seductive film. The film takes place during WWII when the Japanese occupied Shanghai. Tensions were high among the Chinese, who at that time were a divided nation. Those Chinese who were well off were recruited by the Japanese and placed in positions of power. Others were subjugated to Japanese rule. Lust, Caution introduces us to a group of drama students that join an underground network of Chinese nationalist spies who seek to eliminate the Chinese traitors who work for the Japanese. Among these spies is a young actress who uses her talent and her beauty to capture her audience. She is chosen by the other members of the resistance movement to infiltrate the residence of Mr. Yee, portrayed by Tony Leung. After being introduced to Yee and his wife, as the wife of a prominent Chinese exporter she prepares for the most demanding role of her young life: the mistress of the distrustful and very dangerous Mr. Yee. Without a doubt Lee exhibits all of the skills that earned him his Best director Oscar. His fluid camera movements accentuate the superb performances turned in by the entire cast especially by Leung and the newcomer Wei Tang, whose performance as his mistress, in this film is so captivating that it seems as though she were a much more seasoned performer. This is probably why she was chosen from among 10,000 other actors for the role. Excellant performances, passionate direction, and a story that truly seduces are just some of the reasons why this film should be considered one of the best foreign films of 2007.

The Good Movie...

The Good Shepherd
***1/2

The CIA is shrouded in mystery. We might be given snippets of information regarding this covert organization from time to time however we are never allowed to know exactly what it is that makes the CIA tick. This longing to better understand the CIA is one of the major reasons why legendary actor/director Robert DeNiro chose a CIA agent to be the main character of his second directorial effort "The Good Shepherd". Edward Wilson is that agent. He is your all American boy. He goes to Yale, he is highly literate, and oh so composed. It seems as though in another world he might have been your friendly neighborhood librarian. However despite his efforts to live the quiet life, deception, secrecy, and an obligation to serve his country envelop him. And no matter what happens, he cannot trust anybody even those that are closest to him. Matt Damon portrays Edward Wilson with great accuracy. His every movement is subtle and full of tension. The rest of the cast turn in adequate performances, with the exception of Eddie Redmayne who shines in the role of Damon's bewildered son Edward Jr. DeNiro is obviously not the same director he was when he first stepped behind the camera as to film "A Bronx Tale." He clearly seems comfortable with the material, and does an outstanding job of portraying the world of espionage as one that is quite unremarkable, dark and devious. He refused to give any of the antagonists or protagonists of the film any James Bond or Dr. No qualities. This is a covert organization run by men who tell lies and keep secrets. Not men who walk around in tuxedos or use highly technological weapons that belong in science fiction films. Perhaps that is also the reason why the film tends to lag at times. The action sequences are limited to a few acts of violence and a brief torture scene, however Eric Roth who wrote the screenplay might be the one to blame and not DeNiro. In closing this film would have been more entertaining if their had been more confrontations between the good shepherd and the big bad wolf and less conversations.