'Unknown' reviewed

From left, January Jones, Aidan Quinn, Rainer Bock and Liam Neeson in Unknown. Watch the preview: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/unknown/10018662/main

We enjoyed this action thriller loaded with plenty of twists & turns to keep you guessing until the end. Liam Neeson plays a scientist traveling with his wife (January Jones) to a seminar in Berlin. He loses his briefcase at the airport and before checking into their hotel, he hops in a cab to retrieve it. An accident leaves him comatose for four days and his doctor warns him of possible memory loss. When he returns to the hotel, his wife says she doesn't know him and he has no papers on him to prove his identity. She introduces him to a man (Aidan Quinn) who claims to be her husband and has Neeson removed.
>>Nobody believes him as even his photo is changed to Quinn's on his internet biography so he begins to seek anyone who can verify his identity, starting with the cabbie (Diane Kruger) who abandoned him when they crashed into a river. Eventually he convinces her he's telling the truth and she decides to help him. A sympathetic nurse leads him to a former Stasi agent (the always wonderful Bruno Ganz) who is hired to investigate and gets in too deep in solving the mystery. Meanwhile he's constantly followed by killers who want him permanently silenced.
>>You have to pay attention to the plot as it moves fast while you learn the truth about Neeson's identity. I liked the way the story ends and I will admit it fooled me as well as the audience. There's plenty of well spaced car chases & accidents and one-on-one fights that propel the plot along. It takes a while for Neeson to realize who is telling the truth and that's what keeps us on our toes. If you like these kind of puzzle mysteries, this one's for you. Keep in mind that everyone here is not who they seem to be...

Colin Firth & Helena Bonham Carter as the real royal couple (shown here) in the acclaimed The King's Speech

It's been a while since I wrote an entry. I finally recovered from a lingering sinus infection that's left me tired and still playing hell with my allergy and asthma. At night I'm usually watching DVDs and reading about films, and I haven't had the creative spark to write about films. I have seen several Oscar contenders and will offer my thoughts about the winners & losers after the ceremony. I never miss the broadcast which is tomorrow night.

Here's a few quickies about what I've seen in theaters. Watch the previews.

True Grit.
http://www.moviefone.com/movie/true-grit/1430122/main

Very good period piece with marvelous performances. It will make you forget the John Wayne version as the new one is closer to the novel as I've been told. Jeff Bridges tosses off those humorous one liners better than anyone else. Matt Damon holds his own with retorts against Bridges in their friendly rivalry in tracking the villain. Newcomer Hailee Steinfeld as the cool & confident young girl who joins them in her quest to find her father's killer might earn a Best Supporting Actress Oscar.

Black Swan

http://www.moviefone.com/movie/black-swan/1441150/main

A disturbing picture not for the squeamish. It's about ballet but don't expect The Red Shoes or The Turning Point except for a superficial comparison. Young ballerina goes bonkers in her quest for perfection. You 'ld go nuts too if you had her possessive mother, a manipulative instructor, and jealous rivals, real or imaginary besides being under the pressure of rehearsing and performing the lead role in probably the world's most famous ballet. Natalie Portman might earn the Best Actress Oscar and deservedly so for her preparation for the role and she's onscreen for almost the entire film. The rest of the cast deserves praise. Here's a good article about Portman's role:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/02/movies/awardsseason/02scot.html?scp=45&sq=black+swan&st=nyt

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

http://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-chronicles-of-narnia-the-voyage-of/30385/main

More of the same in the series but this time in 3-D which was minimal/hardly noticeable. I'm guessing the film was later converted to 3-D for extra box office appeal. One good plot element: A bratty cousin learns compassion & humility the hard way.


The Tourist

http://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-tourist/30768/main

An expensive-looking but limp thriller with Angelina Jolie, Johnny Depp, and other good actors. The plot is incredulous and at one point I yelled out: "Aww come on!" at Depp's unbelievable escape from inside a van. The film has nice European scenery and Jolie looking her classy best in gowns & jewels. Depp looks like he's sleepwalking through his role. A big disappointment that got bad reviews and small box office returns, considering the huge salaries for the two leads and the cheaper but first rate cast including Paul Bettany, Timothy Dalton, Rufus Sewell, and Steven Berkoff as the nasty villain. The Mrs liked it more than me.

The King's Speech http://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-kings-speech/10034251/main


The best film of the bunch and should earn Oscars in several categories. There's been articles about the film being not entirely historically accurate in favor of dramatic license but it doesn't matter. You will enjoy every minute of this inspirational story about overcoming adversity. Colin Firth should win the Best Actor Oscar as the stuttering king and Geoffrey Rush deserves the Best Supporting one as his irreverent teacher but Christian Bale is predicted as the winner for The Fighter. Helena Bonham Carter, who gets better with every role, should not be underestimated as Firth's understanding royal wife. She's nominated for a Supporting award. Every performance is a winner.