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Reviews
Islander (2006)
Film as storytelling, like a yarn spun by an old Yankee salt
I'm lucky enough to live in a coastal New Hampshire town with a fabulous film program which was lucky enough to score a one-night screening of The Islander. What a film. I knew going in that many of the cast were non-professionals, but I was darned if I could tell which were which. The storytelling was spare, honest and compelling, and everything about the production, right down to the spectacular cinematography of coastal Maine, was there to simply serve the story. The acting was minimalistic and restrained -- and moved me to tears more than once. I also had the luxury of listening to a Q&A with lead actor-writer-producer Tom Hildreth afterward -- what an inspiration he is. Serious, articulate, proud and humble, with wonderful stories about filming on Vinylhaven. This is indie film-making at its very best, and deserves to be seen by the widest audience possible. I know I'll be out there spreading the word...
Cinderella Man (2005)
A totally character-driven fight film
Never once through this rather long film did I find myself fidgeting - I was riveted. I have minor problems with the fact that Renee Zelwigger looked fabulous throughout, and, please, some of her lines...poor dear. I have minor problems with the fact that Braddock found his friend in Hooverville in the middle of the night in the middle of a riot - nothing about that scene worked for me. But who cares - the rest was stone brilliant. Paul Giometti should be a lock for best supporting actor - no way that performance is going to be forgotten come Oscar time. Russell Crowe was stellar. Great accent, totally ready for the role, conveyed a world of pain in the smallest ways. Totally believable. Fortunately I hadn't read anything about the film before seeing it, so the suspense was real and unrelenting. I was amazed to get home and discover I wasn't black and blue all over. What a movie.