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December 31, 2013.

This blog is now closed. After three years and 311 posts, I have decided to end this blog. I have enjoyed watching the films, reviewing them, and interacting with global readers.

If you are interested in contacting me, you can do so by commenting on any of the posts. The blog will remain live on the web.
Thank you to all the readers for your comments, ideas, and thoughts. They were helpful, stimulating, and enriching. This is Alene, signing off.

February 17, 2011

The King's Speech (2010)

When it's over, The King's Speech reaffirms again that Colin Firth is a versatile actor who will most likely get the Oscar for brilliantly portraying King George VI and capturing the inner turmoil of a man who constantly felt "held back" by his stammering.  Geoffrey Rush plays the king's speech therapist and friend and does it with such ease and charm that it makes his role so much more poignant.  Helena Bonham Carter isn't playing any bizarre character in this film.  Instead, she lends humor and delight as Queen Elizabeth, the wife and constant supporter of the king.  The cinematography was absolutely stunning in this film and not just panoramically, but also symbolically.  The framing of the characters, especially of Firth, suggested a lot of isolation, of feeling diminished, and of being closed in.  The director, Tom Hopper, used just the right color pallet of greys, browns, and blacks to depict a time of great dread, fear, and sorrow as the nation was going to war.  Even the rich burgandys of royalty was toned down to suggest grandness, but not opulence.  This is a film you could see again and again to appreciate the subtle details of every scene. 

My rating: 5 out 5

3 comments:

  1. This film was definitely very well done, with great performances by Firth and Rush. I think what I liked about it was that it's not just another typical historical biopic of British monarchs, but rather, it examined the relationship between unlikely friends, making the story a lot more compelling. In terms of Oscar picks though, this one was certainly a "safe" crowd pleaser which is more than likely to snag Firth a long-deserved Oscar for his performance. But I must say that as well as it is done, this movie doesn't really push any boundaries like previous People's Choice picks from TIFF. I actually liked his performance in last year's A Single Man, which surprisingly didn't get as much attention. In any event, it's a job definitely well done. And I agree with your comment on the cinematography.
    -Alex

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  2. Well deserved Oscars for Best Picture, Directing, Acting, and Original Screenplay. It's nice to see that an independent film can still win the heart of Oscar and the world.

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  3. Stellar performance by Colin. I feel for all stutterers now after watching this film. I especially like some of Geoffrey Rush's lines, very well written. I think the best part is when Geoffrey Rush reveals that he doesn't have any speech therapy credentials, rather, his knowledge comes from all his experiences. It makes it more extraordinary for me.

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