Peacock (2010)

Peacock was almost awesome. I think the script was probably really great - creepy, full of psychological horrors, and clever in a way that few movies dare to try. However, the execution just wasn't there.

I always feel bad about saying mean things about a movie after I've watched the special features. Everyone tried so hard. But the biggest, crater sized, grand canyon of an issue with this movie is obvious to anyone with eyes. Quick mention of what this movie is about first.

Cillian Murphy plays Emma and John. John is this dude who was abused like crazy as a young'un in by his mom (who I'm pretty sure is voiced by Sally Field although she isn't given credit). So, when she dies, poor John goes mental and gets all personality split. He becomes Emma - the chick of the house - who cooks his food, does his laundry, and does the cleaning. He doesn't remember what he does as Emma and Emma doesn't remember what John does as John. Eventually, Emma becomes a problem for John as she does things he doesn't want her to do.

Spotted the problem? Check out the pics. How difficult would it have been to give John some glasses and a hat? Or give Emma some glasses and a hat? Yes, her makeup is soft and lovely. Yes, the clothes look homemade and somewhat cover the adam's apple situation. But everyone in that town with eyes would know. It's absurd to try and convince us otherwise. The super super super easy fix would have been to keep our town characters separate. Only let the town newbies ever see Emma. But alas. We watch these scenes completely incredulous that we're meant to buy what's going on. It ruins what could be a fun ride otherwise.

Cillian Murphy is phenomenal 100% of the time. He rocks both roles and does what he can to make us believe people would think these were two separate individuals. But he can't hide that he's Cillian Murphy and that's the problem. Ellen Page is also in this, Canadian accenting her way through. I don't think I'd mind hanging out with her in reality, but she's Juno in every role she takes.

I'm telling you, this script was a clever idea. It has to be the one and only reason this film attracted the talent it did. I wish it had worked out better for everyone.

Inception (2010)

Inception is entertaining. I think it borrows heavily from The Matrix, but eh. We could use a Matrix movie every ten to fifteen years. You should see it in the theatre so you can stop avoiding articles with spoilers and conversations where people are talking about it. Because you're bound to run into both.

However...and...do I want to spoil it? No. I won't. I guess. But it's not like anyone reads this so I guess it doesn't really matter if I do. So I will. SPOILER ALERT!

Throughout the movie it's been set up that if the freaking top stops spinning - we're in reality. Not a dream. So the last shot of the movie, Leonardo DiCaprio spins his silly little top and walks away. The film cuts to black with the damn thing still spinning. My opinion of that? Christopher Nolan is a dick. It's reality. It's a colossally stupid movie if it isn't and I don't think Christopher Nolan is stupid. Just a dick. He wants the IMDb boards to explode with threads about theories and to have people cite crazy minutia as evidence either way. Most importantly, he wants people to run back to the theatre for a second look so they can take notes all the way through and build their case that it's all a dream. He knows. He picked one way or the other and I would eat my hat if he picked 'it's all a dream.' He just won't ever admit it.

To that end, read this article. It's an interview with Dileep Rao who played the chemist. He has it all worked out and he talks about his opinions on what's what. If you're confused or you just want a definitive something - check it out. I love him for actually answering these questions.

And - twelve year old me who saw Titanic six times in the theatre has asked me to mention that Leonardo DiCaprio hasn't looked this good in quite some time. So see it for that if nothing else. (And Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Cillian Murphy too).

The Edge of Love (2008)

Sigh. The Edge of Love could have been good. It was almost good. Cillian Murphy was in it and he's always good. But it wasn't really good.

Remember the problem I had with The Last Station? This didn't have that problem - I went running to Wikipedia to find out what I didn't know about Dylan Thomas. I learned that Matthew Rhys was great casting. The problem with The Edge of Love is that it isn't about Dylan Thomas or anyone else.

This movie tried to be about Keira Knightly's character and then sort of about her relationship with Sienna Miller's character. But it's also about their relationships with Dylan Thomas, Keira Knightly's relationship with Cillian Murphy, World War II and the impact it had on its soldiers, the morality of adultury, and abortion. Too much. All over.

One of those things as an entire movie could have been really great. The talent is there and some of the scenes, as stand alone scenes, are very engaging. It could have been a love triangle if they had nixed Cillian Murhpy (although, in my biased opinion, he's the best thing about the movie). Or it could have been about the two couples if the film had begun after they were two couples (rather than half a movie spent trying to get Cillian Murphy and Keira Knightly together). Or it could have had nothing to do with Dylan Thomas and been about a woman who marries a soldier and learns she's pregnant while he's away at war only to have him return a different man. Or it could have been about Dylan Thomas and his tulmultous relationship with his wife. It tried to be all and succeeded at none. Alas.

A few random ramblings: Keira Knightly's Welsh accent was distracting. You know who I identify most with the uber-Welsh accent? Aimee-Ffion Edwards who played Sketch on Skins. Sketch was sorta nutzo so I tend to identify really Welsh women with nutzo. Sorry Welsh women. Also - there's an episode of The IT Crowd where Roy goes to dinner with a blind date and she's also nuts and really Welsh. It's British T.V. that's done it to me.

Also, Matthew Rhys was very good. I know him only from Brothers and Sisters and his pretty small role in Titus. So seeing him be a lead and Welsh was a nice change.

Cillian Murphy was also good - but I always think he's fantastic. He's up there on the list of actors I adore with James McAvoy, Jonathan Rhys Myers, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Jamie Bell. Speaking of which - Keira Knightly has gotten to play oposite three of them now. Lucky her.

So The Edge of Love. Almost good. But not.