Three easy watching movies I’ve enjoyed lately in the air.
It is definitely going to be Hugh Jackman’s year. He’s set to star in Baz Luhrmann’s epic Australia, which I hope will do for Australian tourism what Lord of the Rings did for New Zealand. (And anyone in their right mind visiting Australia will tag on a week in New Zealand.)
In Deception, Hugh Jackman has bulked up to play a raunchy, sensual, evilly attractive guy that I believe women will find irresistible. He stars opposite Ewan McGregor who really extends his range brilliantly. The movie is smart, cool, trendy and set in my stomping ground of New York. One scene even takes place in the Soho Grand. It’s clever, fast paced, sexy, intriguing, dark and totally contemporary. The penultimate scene is fantastic and, as so often is the case, the final scene pathetic. Almost certainly a victim of consumer research.
Flawless is a small movie that’s well worth watching. It’s set in 60’s London and is a beautiful slow moving period piece of the times. The fashions are terrific and the social mores are beautifully captured. Michael Caine is terrific as an old cleaner and Demi Moore plays outside her range too. It’s a story is well told and well paced.
In similar vein is The Bank Job, which is based on a true story of the 60’s. It’s set around a royal scandal of the time involving Princess Margaret who was Princess Diana’s predecessor in the publicity stakes. I remember the story so well, and here it is terrifically played out and recaptured. The movie stars Jason Statham and, at first it has the feel of a ‘slam bam, thank you mam’ bank heist, but it turns out to be much more fun than that.
