I’d like to suggest a few films that look promising enough for you to go and shell out seven dollars to see:
“Happy- Go- Lucky”: This is a British film from world renowned writer/director Mike Leigh, whose résumé consists of such films as “Naked” and “Vera Drake.” The basic plot is about a 30-year-old primary school teacher who has a constantly positive outlook on life, even when she is surrounded by a driving instructor with anger management problems, a pregnant sister she is at odds with and a social worker that she is falling in love with even though he is in charge of one of her students. From the looks of things this has the potential to be this year’s “Amelie” and with the success of that movie to help this one along I can almost guarantee it being a successful movie for the young and old alike. Keep an eye out for it over the next few months.
“Frost/Nixon”: This one comes to us care of world famous director and Andy Griffith offspring, Ron Howard. It is based on the Broadway show by the same name and was written by Peter Morgan who also wrote the screenplay. This is a recreation of the famous interview that David Frost did with the disgraced ex-president right after he left office because of the Watergate scandal. The trailer for the movie reveals it as riveting and the two leads played by Michael Sheen (Frost) and Frank Langella (Nixon) who are reprising their roles from the stage play. The movie has the word “Oscar” written all over it and it also looks like it might just be one of the best movies of the year.
“Rachael Getting Married”: Anne Hathaway stars in this film by veteran filmmaker Jonathan Demme as a girl who has just gotten out of rehab and is attending the wedding of her sister. This one has actually been out for a little while now but is just now getting to the local theaters in Asheville and it looks like it’s worth a glance. Early reviews say that Hathaway is brilliant in the movie, and the direction is also said to be top-notch.
“Milk”: This is a biopic about the first openly gay man to serve as a government official only to be assassinated by another official. It is directed by queer cinema auteur Gus Van Sant and stars Sean Penn in a role that very well may win him another Oscar nomination for acting. The movie itself looks very interesting and with Van Sant’s very nuanced direction it is at the very least going to be an interesting movie to see.
