New Movie Releases with Michael Doherty

Friday, 23 January 2009

This Week Michael is reviewing:
Revolutionary Road (Kate Winslet, Leonardo Di Caprio)
Valkyrie (Tom Cruise, Kenneth Brannagh)
Milk (Sean Penn, Josh Brolin)
Rachel Getting Married (Anne Hathaway)

And the icing on the cake is that we get to see how Michael Doherty got on when he interviews Leonardo Di Caprio

Revolutionary Road
Director: Sam Mendes
Starring: Kate Winslet, Leonardo Di Caprio
Running Time: 119 mins
Rating: ****
Classification: 16
Courtesy: Paramount

Michael's verdict: This powerful drama deserves all of the accolades it has received. Twelve years after Titanic, Leo and Kate are reunited as a married couple whose relationship is stagnating in the suburbs. Both actors are terrific, even though it's Kate who has been hoovering up all of the awards.

Valkyrie

Directors: Bryan Singer
Starring: Tom Cruise, Kenneth Brannagh
Running Time: 120 mins
Rating: ****
Classification: 12A
Courtesy: Fox

Michael's verdict: A hugely impressive thriller in which Cruise (appropriately) gives one of his most measured performances and Singer (equally appropriately) resists the temptation to substitute drama for history. The fact that everybody knows the outcome of the thriller doesn't stop Singer and Cruise from creating a tension-filled atmosphere as the aristocratic Stauffenberg and his cohorts (played by Brits Eddie Izzard, Bill Nighy and Terence Stamp, plus our own Kenneth Branagh) are prevented from achieving their aims only by the most outrageous slice of bad luck.

Milk

Director: Gus Van Sant
Starring: Sean Penn, Josh Brolin
Running Time: 128 mins
Rating: ****
Classification: 15A
Courtesy: Focus Features

Michael's verdict: Penn delivers the performance of his career (and that's saying something) as the campaigning San Francisco supervisor who became America's first openly gay elected official. Van Sant seamlessly weaves authentic newsreel footage into his drama and captures the era perfectly.

Frost/Nixon

Director: Ron Howard
Starring: Frank Langella, Michael Sheen
Running Time: 122 mins
Rating: ****
Classification: PG
Courtesy: Universal

Michael's Verdict: Fascinating account of one of the most celebrated gladiatorial TV clashes between a journalist and a politician, in this case a disgraced former American president and an up-and-coming English reporter about to seal his reputation. Both actors are on top form.