The Reader

Unusually romantic. Compelling and brilliant.

It was a turbulent time in Germany, in the years soon after the end of the second World War, when a teenaged boy met a much older woman. Their affair was mutually loving and gratifying, born, bred and secreted in literature. Years later the boy is now a man recollecting his first love, how it was lost, and all the regret and tragedy which followed.

Brilliantly written and directed, this film is alive with remarkably outstanding performances!

A / PG2

Starring: Kate Winslet; Ralph Fiennes; and, David Kross
Featuring: Bruno Ganz; Hannah Herzeprung; Vijnessa Ferkic; and, Matthias Habich
With: Susanne Lothar; Karoline Herfurth; Alexandra Maria Lara; Volker Bruch
Writer: David Hare [from the book by Bernhard Schlink]
Director: Stephen Daidry

Reel Review by Josef

Revolutionary Road

Morose and forlorn – but outstanding nonetheless!

Frank and April once dreamed of a life singularly free, unique and pleasurable. Still, their life course led them inevitable to a little house in the suburb, raising their children... and pretending to be living happily-ever-after. Now, all their pretense is threatening to crush them. Conformity has robbed them of their once brilliant creativity, stolen their freedom and killed their spirit. But, there is hope, an opportunity to restore all they’ve lost – if only they can get to Paris before the rules of society make yet more demands.

Weakly written and unevenly directed, this film’s strength is in it’s brilliant performances!

B / PG2

Starring: Kate Winslet; Leonardo DiCaprio; and, Kathy Bates
Featuring: Michael Shannon; Kathryn Hahn; David Harbour; and, Jay O. Sanders
With: Richard Easton; Dylan Baker; Zoe Kazan; and, Max Casella
Writer: Justin Haythe [from the book by Richard Yates]

Reel Review by Josef