Feb 27, 2006
Inquirer Libre
"We must not confuse dissent from disloyalty. We must remember always, that
accusation is not proof, and that conviction depends upon evidence and due
process of law. We will not walk in fear, one of another. We will not be driven
by fear into an age of unreason if we dig deep in our history and doctrine and
remember that we are not descended from fearful men, not from men who feared to
write, to speak, to associate and to defend causes which were for the moment
unpopular. We can deny our heritage and our history, but we cannot escape
responsibility for the result. There is no way for a citizen of the Republic to
abdicate his responsibility."
- From the March 9, 1954, "See It Now"
television broadcast on Senator Joe McCarthy.
Relevance and revolution are major topics in this year’s batch of Oscar hopefuls, all of them benefiting from spectacular performances. The first story is about America’s greatest writer and the birth of the non-fiction novel. The second is about a CIA agent caught in a global moro-moro between the US government and Arab oil. The last is a tribute to the newsman who fought a US Senator on the air and introduced broadcast journalism to the world.
Capote*** 1/2
Directed by Bennet Miller
Based on the book by Gerard Clarke
Nominated for Picture, Direction, Acting, Support Acting (Female) and Adapted Screenplay
Philip Seymour Hoffman plays America’s greatest of writers, Truman Capote in this moody, contemplative story about the relationship Capote develops with one of the murderers of a Kansas City massacre.
In what is probably the best performance this year (my bet for Best Actor), Hoffman delivers a spellbinding, unforgettable portrayal of the colorful New Yorker, Truman Capote as he unhurriedly delves into the mind and soul of a man who admits to murdering an entire family in Kansas, eventually inventing a modern genre in literature. Unhurriedly is not a euphemism, the movie is decidedly lethargic and slow, Hoffman’s acting saves the movie.
Syriana
*** 1/2
Directed by Steven Gaghan
Suggested by the book See No Evil: The True Story of a Ground Soldier in the CIA's War on Terrorism by Robert Baer
Nominated for Original Screenplay and Support Acting
Uncompromising in its message and provocative in intention, Syriana doesn’t flinch to repeat, in George W. Bush’s own words, America’s addiction to oil. George Clooney plays CIA field operative Robert Barnes who becomes a pawn and the fall guy in a global multi-government, multi-business conspiracy to keep the Middle East in chaos as the US drains its oil resources dry.
Syriana is choppy and relentless, a disfigurement resulting from its multi-character narrative and the sheer scope of information. Despite this, Clooney and co-stars Matt Damon and Jeffrey Wright manage to squeeze out unforgettable human characters made vulnerable by the powers that be. Great ensemble cast, editing, music and sound. The ending is almost shocking.
Good Night, and Good Luck****
Directed by George Clooney
Nominated for Picture, Direction, Acting, Original Screenplay, Art Direction and Cinematography
Beautifully shot in color and rendered black and white in post-production and a marvel of economic storytelling at only 93 minutes, Good Night, and Good Luck pays tribute to the days when professionalism and integrity survived hand in hand with conviction and honor.
Practically channeling the spirit of Edward R. Murrow, David Strathairn makes an indelible, stirring performance as the TV anchor who exposed and clashed with Senator Joseph McCarthy’s infamous Communist witch-hunting and unfettered inquisition in the name of national security. Good Night and Good Luck seamlessly combines archival footage and elegant photography to pit journalist Murrow against Senator McCarthy in a moral boxing match about truth, human rights, and freedom of speech. Sounds contemporary? The movie is set in the late 1950s.
No nonsense, no hype, except a clear purpose to remind the audience that democracy is everybody’s responsibility and not the government’s sword. By intention, message and make, Good Night and Good Luck is the best movie of the year.
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