Methos-7

Luc Besson's movie Léon (The Professional) gives us an intense story which is maximized in potential by the casting of the movie done by Todd Thaler. Every aspect of the movie delivers to the audience and makes an impressive overall package. Jean Reno plays a character named Léon who has learned to repress his emotions in order to perform his job as a "cleaner", or hit-man. His secluded world is shattered by the young girl named Mathilda who lives on the same floor as he does in an apartment building. When she turns to him for help, he learns about living a normal life, even if the circumstances which unite them are far from normal.

The performance delivered by then twelve-year old Natalie Portman as Mathilda is nothing short of brilliant. Her ability to relate to others with body movement and facial gestures is matched by few, she really brings raw emotion and believability to a difficult role. Mathilda and Léon are unexpectedly thrown together, but learn to value life from their chance encounter, and how valuable a friendship can be.

Jean Reno as Léon gives us a solemn and calculated character who sets all of his energy on his assignments until her is given something else to care about. Mathilda gives him the daughter that he never had, while Léon serves as a father and friend to her. Gary Oldman, as the corrupt DEA Agent Norman Stansfield, offers the viewers an amazingly wired and electrical performance which pushes the envelope. He moves the story along by his actions. Oldman offers us a memorable portrait of a sadistically obsessed man who stops short of nothing to get what he wants.

The Professional is what movie-making is all about. Without the overuse of special effects, a large shooting location, or a commercially star studded cast, we are given all that could possibly be asked for in a movie. Portman, Oldman, and Reno, along with Danny Aiello as the hit-contractor Tony remind us that there is no substitute for great acting. There are elements of comedy, drama, and action, and great original music by Eric Serra adds to the energy the film already encapsulates. The most impressive thing about the movie is its story which is basic but is maximized by all the other elements which go into the making of the movie. Simply put, an intense and impressive movie.

Elizabeth is an exceedingly poor movie, and this is coming from someone who always watches a movie with an open mind and almost always has something good to say about a movie. The basic intention of any movie is to tell a story, and the story that is told in Elizabeth is not only inaccurate, it is also dull and boring. Historical accuracy means little to me when watching a film, as long as it can be comprehended. But this movie is not, and too many times fails in telling the story of the "Virgin Queen". I felt like reaching into the screen and asking why certain scenes were portrayed in the fashion that they were, the disconnected plot and movable characters defeat the purpose of telling a story about perhaps the most formidable monarch in English history.

Cate Blanchett is an exceptional young actress, who can be appreciated for her portrayal of Elizabeth, a woman who was confronted with suitors and questions regarding her faith. But in my opinion, continuity in the film was completely missing, and limited Cate's ability to bring her character to life. The lack of intensity in the film is startling when considering the subject matter and how important it was at the time. Many times it seemed as if the actors were begging to be allowed to act to their full capacity, while the script dictated that they could not.

With all the above said, it remains a fact that all of the actors in the film are exceptional and make the best of what they are given. Geoffrey Rush steals the show as Walsingham, who seeks to do all he can to protect his Queen. Joseph Fiennes as Dudley shows a man who loves Elizabeth but cannot ever marry her. As told in the movie, we learn that Elizabeth never knew he was already married. While in reality she did know, this fact does not harm the intrigue the two of them have while Elizabeth tries to secure her throne while loving Dudley at the same time. Kathy Burke does a great job as Mary Tudor, the miserable Queen who sought to convert her half-sister Elizabeth before she could ascend to the throne to replace her and her religion. Richard Attenborough as Cecil is limited by the character he is given, but stresses the reality of the time, once you become King or Queen, you are bound to your state. In the end, when Elizabeth declares herself the "Virgin Queen", and her service to England, Cecil's once trivial line becomes reality. The Duke of Norfolk's service to Mary Tudor and intrigues to overthrow Elizabeth are well portrayed by the commanding presence of Christopher Eccleston, who in the end signs away his life trying to take Elizabeth's.

After reading all of the praises I have for the acting in the movie, we must return to the reality that the film could have been better if told by a different director and with a different script. There is no denying the costume design, setting, and music are all well crafted and help to tell the intended story. But too many times the audience is left to imagine what could have been, and this is what I feel makes many label Elizabeth as a great movie. Too much is forced into this telling of the legendary Queen of England, and many people see it for what it could have been, not what it is: actors without direction or a well-crafted story to tell.

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace succeeds in so many areas that it makes up for the place in where it falters. Let us first deal with the scenery. Contrary to what critics have said, the costume design and use of special effects are glorious and do not detract one inch from great acting performances given by all of the main cast members. In fact, I felt as a whole the acting clearly outmatched the original movie. The original musical score by John Williams was excellent and carried along the story very effectively.

Now, as for the argument that the plot was hard to follow and that the characters are stale, and so-called prisoners of their surroundings, I will dispel any such argument by simply pointing out how good the acting was. Natalie Portman as Queen Amidala was exceptional, and showed herself to be a strong and inflexible character in disputing her people's rights. Regardless of what the critics may feel, Portman turns in yet another excellent performance and conveys her message well as the Queen. Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon Jinn steals the show, for as a Jedi Master, he was a calming presence which helped hold the story together for a majority of the movie. Ewan McGregor turned in a good performance as Obi-Wan Kenobi, an ambitious but focused young Jedi. And young Jake Lloyd as Anakin Skywalker is very impressive, regardless of what critics say. Some say he was flat and showed no signs of evil. Well of course he doesn't, he is a young kid who has yet to learn of the force, or to be swayed by the dark side. I am limited in what I say due to the twists in the movie's plot, but rest assured, Jake Lloyd adds youthful energy to the movie. And Ray Park, who plays Darth Maul, is great, and provides us with a few excellent fight sequences in the movie. Whether you Episodes 4,5, and 6 or not, this movie can be enjoyed as it delivers an entertaining plot which does have some unexpected results, and is well crafted.

Some of the movie's detractors argue that the inclusion of Jar-Jar Binks and the lightness of the film make it pale in comparison to the ominous setting for Episodes 4,5, and 6. I agree that Binks was annoying at first, but after a while, his character was toned down and he fit in well with the story that was being told. Well these critics are misunderstanding the movie's intentions. As the first movie of three, we should not expect to learn everything, and what we do learn definitely convinces us that young Anakin is one to keep close watch on. Many characters from the original movie pop up, and also add continuity to the Star Wars saga. Rest assured, the movie does not disappoint, and helps set the stage for the next film, which promises to be even better considering the foundation laid in the Phantom Menace.