Movie of the Month - January - Frost/Nixon

I'm saying that when the President does it, it's *not* illegal!

Following the resignation of US President Richard Nixon (Frank Langella), television talk show host David Frost (Michael Sheen) wants to arrange a series of interviews with him to air on television. Part of the reason Frost thinks the interviews would be compelling to both the public and the television networks is that Nixon never admitted any guilt of or offered any apology for the Watergate scandal which led to his resignation.. Nixon believes he can railroad Frost, who is better known as a pop cultural entertainment styled interviewer than an investigative political interviewer. However, Frost has every intention on these interviews being hard hitting and pointed; in addition to his producer John Birt (Matthew MacFayden), Frost hires two investigative reporters known for their previous exposés on Nixon: Bob Zelnick (Olivier Platt) and Jim Reston (Sam Rockwell). Nixon's chief adviser for the interviews is his current chief of staff, Jack Brennan (Kevin Bacon).

A Beautiful Mind

72/100 (135 min, 2001)
Plot: After a brilliant but asocial mathematician accepts secret work in cryptography, his life takes a turn to the nightmarish.
Director: Ron Howard
Writers: Akiva Goldsman, Sylvia Nasar (book)
Stars: Russell Crowe, Ed Harris and Jennifer Connelly

The mysterious equations of life

"I need to believe, that something extraordinary is possible."

"A Beautiful Mind", Academy Award winner for Best Picture was also named one of "The 20 Most Overrated Movies Of All Time" by Premiere magazine - that situation actually represents the true nature of the film - it has amazing moments only to have completely mediocre, bland and unnecessary scenes following them. I always considered the movie to be very overpraised,  but there are parts of the film that are truly able to move the audience - mostly because of wonderful performances and gripping story the movie is based on. Still, I will always find the fact that "A Beautiful Mind" won over "Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring" and "Moulin Rouge!" to be one of the Academy's worst mistakes.

Inspired by life of John Nash, the movie tells a story of brilliant mathematician who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia. Nash is a typical shy outsider - very focused and fascinated by his work, mocked by others who are jealous of his brilliance and suspect he will achieve great things. During one of the lectures he gives on University he meets Alicia, beautiful girl who reaches out to him. Two of them fall in love and seemingly everything is looking good for Nash, who by then made progress in developing his revolutionary game theory. But soon Alicia and John will come to face life altering difficulties.

Frost/Nixon

(122 min, 2008)
Plot: A dramatic retelling of the post-Watergate television interviews between British talk-show host David Frost and former president Richard Nixon.
Director: Ron Howard
Writers: Peter Morgan (screenplay), Peter Morgan (play)
Stars: Frank Langella, Michael Sheen and Kevin Bacon

"Only one can win, Mr. Frost"

The first duty of a man  is the seeking after and the investigation of truth.

-Cicero

I never liked Ron Howard's movies. I was disgusted when I saw Russel Crowe painting invisible umbrella on the sky for Jennifer Conelly (A Beautiful Mind) and I nearly vomited when Audrey Tautou said 'c'est ne pas possible!' in the butchered adaptation od 'The Da Vinci Code". So when I heard about 'Frost/Nixon' i thought that it's gonna be filled with cheap tricks, pathetic and forced emotional scenes (like the one with Nobel prize in ABM at that point I nearly puked on my TV too).

But what a surprise! Not only is the movie one of the finest ones this year, it is one of the best political thrillers I've ever seen. And what a unique kind of a thriller it is.

I'm not exactly sure what was up with Watergate and prior to the movie I had absolutely no idea who David Frost was. But I was excited and I saw the movie because of the wonderful cast - Michael Sheen, who I adored so much in 'The Queen', Sam Rockwell, who is one of the most underrated actors right now, Kevin Bacon, who was great in 'Mystic River' and he does wonderful things on screen if he doesn't play a vilian and Rebecca Hall, golden globe nominee for new Woody Allen's movie 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona'.

The cast is the movie greatest asset. Frank Langella plays Nixon so well that the viewer absolutely looses the idea that he is in fact watching the movie. I don't really know why Mickey Rourke will win oscar this year, since his performance is miles away behind Langella's (and miles MILES away behind Penn's in Milk). Michael Sheen is as good as his opponent, bringing so much life and passion in the character of David Frost, with his eccentric 'Hello, good evening and welcome', his playboy's attitude and his joyful, optimistic approach to things. Olivier Platt and Sam Rockwell are hilarious, especially the latter with his comments and funny look, so different than his other roles. I also greatly enjoyed Kevin Bacon's portrayal of Nixon's bodyguard and right hand, he was terrific and I can't imagine any good reason why neither he nor Michael Sheen aren't nominated for any of major awards this year (beacause nominating them for best ensemble during SAG is simply not enough and that is another piece in hall of shame called 'academy awards').