Mr. Dog's Blog

Last night, after a wonderful day of “tasting”, I decided that the perfect ending would be a movie. I had a choice – Sherlock Holmes or Tom Cruise’s new action thriller. I chose Mission Impossible, and am I glad I did! What a treat! Now I am familiar enough with movie trailers not to trust them to really show me what or how a film might actually be, and so I had seen the trailers to this film and was not intrigued at all. It was just way too fast, too mindless, too unending. But the film is not that at all. It’s a wonderful combination of suspense and action, and enough space between huge gigantic effects that you could breath. I was stunned by the end of the film how short it felt, when it was actually over 2 hrs long. OK, so here’s the plot: Tom Cruise is in a prison – in Moscow, and some folks are getting him out. After they do that, they discover that they need to stop a really bad person from stealing a nuclear bomb, and detonating in order to start a nuclear war. This of course means that they have to go to lots of interesting and exciting places – like Dubai, and India. But enough about the plot. The plot isn’t really all that important. What made the film for me was the excellent balance between action, fighting, crazy impossible devices, and crazy impossible encounters. Oh and what makes it fun is that the devices – the impossible devices that are supposed to give you the most amazing powers in the world – they keep falling apart and failing. I loved it. It adds terrific suspense, and like that.

Now the only thing that didn’t really work for me was the actual climbing and stuff up the outside of this really really tall building. Tom Cruise explained how he trained like crazy to be able to climb around on the outside of this film and like that, but it was so impossible to believe that he was really doing this stuff – I mean it was just beyond belief that anybody could do this stuff – even knowing that he had a safety harness and was wired up to the building, it was just too insane – it had to be done with computers – CGI (computer generated images)

So here’s my verdict: 4 big and fluffy paws! Run, don’t walk to see this film, and take along a chew toy!

Last night as I was watching the first 7 minute montage of all of the best picture nominees, I was stunned when I realized that 2 of the best picture nominees were not included – A Winter’s Bone (4 paws) and Rabbit Hole (which I haven’t seen) As the piece went on, and little jokes were made about the films, I kept waiting for at least a nod to these other 2 pictures – Anne Hathaway laying bloody in a barn – joking about her makeup, or James Franco in a grief support group talking about his dead dog – something! But it was not to be. Then after 3 hrs of the most mind-numbing poorly written jokes and Kurt Douglas having grabbed the spotlight, holding on for dear life, the show closes with another Best of Picture montage with The King’s Speech as the background for pictures from the other 9 movies. Previously all ten films would have a short trailer for itself. This year, they all got to bask in the glory of The King’s Speech. I was very disappointed in the way they treated these other really good movies. Of course the Oscars have been wildly overblown for years, and since Billy Crystal stopped hosting, there isn’t even something funny to watch in between. But this year was truly awful. Get some young folks to host it and suddenly it will be fun to watch. Probably not. In any case, I give it 1 paw.

Now if you want to spend some time with a wonderful, difficult, and very strong movie – watch Winter’s Bone – 4 paws.

I loved this film. Yes it was a very classic English film. Lot’s of great castles, clothes, and wandering through miles of hallways, but that wasn’t why the film was so touching. It begins with Bertie – the future King of England making a speech to the Commonwealth Games – millions and millions of people all waiting with baited breath for him to say a few words. And it is a disaster. Colin Firth stands and stammers and stutters to a degree where you are immediately drawn into a feeling of empathy, and I don’t know – you just can’t stand it. You feel so bad for him, and keep hoping against all hope that he will make through. But he never does.

After having to put up with scorn from his father, the King, and horrible teasing from his brother – who is so weak, you really start to wonder how the monarchy will getting along after the King dies and the Older brother (of Wallace Simpson fame) takes over the family business. And to make it even worse, Hitler is closing in on taking over Europe and invading France.

Enter Geoffry Rush as the undegreed Australian speech therapist. His unconventional style and familiarity with Bertie (which he insists on calling him creates a tension that lasts well into the film, but it’s wonderful to see how the royalty lives such an amazingly cloistered life. Bertie’s (King George IV) wife is Helene Bonhan Carter and she is also exquisite.

I have to give this the highest rating – 4 paws – a woof, and a happy wagging tail. I also predict oscar nominations for Colin Firth, Geoffry Rush, and Helena Bonham Carter, the Director, Tom Hooper, and Best picture. You have to see this really moving, touching, and finally uplifting film!