Summary
'The King's Speech' (Anchor Bay/The Weinstein Company)
"The King's Speech" was a big winner at the Academy Awards pulling in major awards for best actor (Colin Firth), best director (Tom Hooper), best original screenplay (David Seidler) and, most importantly, best picture. The honors are justified, as the film stands as a rare undeniable classic from 2010. It's a well-made work that puts together wonderful performances, an intelligent script and overcast cinematography that points to signs of the times, pre-World War II London. Perhaps, the key ingredient that won over audiences and judges was the picture's inspirational storyline. Certainly, the story of King George VI (Firth) is one that carries a happy ending. When his father, King George V (Michael Gambon), dies, and his brother (Guy Pearce), King Edward VIII, abdicates the throne, Bertie -- or King George VI -- is given the top spot. Bertie is cut out for the job, but he has one gigantic problem, and that is his speech impediment. Through his wife (Helena Bonham Carter), Bertie starts to work with Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush), an unorthodox speech therapist. Together, they work through Bertie`s speech impediment, attempting to cast it out in time for the largest moment of the King's career. Rush and Firth are at their best when they're working past Bertie's stammer, and the sequences are highlights of a terrific film that undoubtedly has something for everyone. The DVD package carries some good features, beginning with a set of speeches from the real King George VI. A making-of featurette is also here, and it is worth a look. Commentary and interviews are in the DVD set, too. R; 2010. 4 Stars.See the full content of this document
Extract
Dvd Reviews: Oscar Winner 'King's Speech' Inspires
'Rabbit Hole' (Lionsgate Pictures)
Filmmaker John Cameron Mitchell, largely a force in the indie film world with titles such as "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" and "Shortbus," taps into the mainstream with his latest picture. Mitchell's "Rabbit Hole" is an emotional tour de force that quietly delves into the lives of a grieving family....See the full content of this document
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