The Iron Lady

     The other day I had the immense pleasure of seeing Meryl Streep portray one of the most powerful women in modern history, the indomitable Margaret Thatcher. For those who are unaware, Margaret Thatcher was the first woman to head the conservative party and the first to become prime minister of Great Britain with a tenure lasting from 1979-1990. She earned her title as "The Iron Lady" for her tough stances on unions, and labor laws. It is no wonder that such a powerful woman in history would be portrayed by one of the most powerful actresses of all time.

     Meryl Streep gives what I consider to be a career best performance in The Iron Lady. She flawlessly assumes the role of the great Margaret Thatcher as a retired woman suffering from dementia and as a political force of nature. The film begins with a brief glimpse into the modern life of Ms. Thatcher as an elderly woman. It is shortly revealed to us that she is in fact suffering from delusions and paranoia. It is not long before that we are plunged into a series of flashbacks that chronicle Margaret's life as a young girl who never fit in at home or socially.
     Within these early flashbacks the role of the then unmarried Margaret Roberts is played by Alexandria Roach. We are quickly made aware of how young Margaret is uncomfortable with her home life and strives to do something more with herself. Despite being shunned by other girls her age and her mother, her father remained a positive force in her life and supported her continuing her education at Oxford. We are then whipped back and forth between present day and her road to political power.
     The film does it's best to show us that this now demure and somewhat broken woman was once capable of making the most powerful men in the world squirm in their seats with only her words. Unfortunately, what should be a subtle contrast ends up being a coy and often unfair representation of Thatcher in the present day. Director Phyllida Lloyd puts too much emphasis on the life that Baroness Thatcher lives now in an attempt to draw an emotional response from audiences. This tactic comes off as nothing more than exploitations of circumstance and emotional pandering. Margaret Thatcher is not a woman that we should pity, she is a woman who is to be revered.
     Luckily the film is saved by it's accurate portrayal of Thatcher throughout her career and the lengths that she had to go to overcome every trial that dared to hold her back. In one scene Thatcher states, ‘It used to be about trying to do something; now it’s about trying to be someone.' Regrettably screenwriter Abi Morgan does not heed the advice of this line. The problem with the movie is that does not show enough of what Margaret Thatcher did, but instead focuses too much on who she is now.
     In the end, The Iron Lady is still a powerful film and poignant lesson in global political history. Meryl Streep once again more than plays the role she is presented with, she is a solid manifestation of the much maligned former Prime Minister. This definitely a film to see because of it's importance and because of the stunning portrayals by the entire cast. Just be prepared to be somewhat disappointed by the manner in which the story is told.


Rating: 3.5 (Maximum of 5) - Meryl Streep shines in this film that does not match her level of dedication to excellence

Books & Adaptations

     I've been going through a lot of posts from an old blog I used to maintain. While reviewing a lot of these sometimes awkward and grammatically challenged posts, I discovered a creative jewel that I have long forgotten. The post detailed a letter I wrote to my favorite author at the time in regards to adapting one of his series into films. I also mention "The Golden Compass", which at the time had not been released as a film. While The Golden Compass had immense potential, it was dragged down and destroyed by the narrow-minded and unimaginative members of the American religious community. The backlash of negative press resulted in the studio (New Line) pulling the plug on future projects. To make matters even worse, major plot lines were intentionally omitted from the film due to studio censorship. It's ridiculous that people would boycott a fantasy film because of it's over arching themes, but would still allow trash like Borat, Jackass 2, and even The Paranormal Activity series to thrive. Alas, I have digressed.  I hope you enjoy this blast from the past and feel encouraged to post comments. Thanks!

  I recently wrote a letter to my favorite author of all time (at the moment) to bounce some thoughts off of his head and generally get some off of mine. I am posting that very same letter here as well for the opinions of my friends, family and dedicated readers. Please feel free to respond with thoughts, advice or commentary.


Dear Garth Nix,

     Mr. Nix I am an avid reader and an aspiring writer in the US. I'm writing this to share with you some of my thoughts and propose a few questions. At this current time you are my favorite author. Overall, I love the energy and flow of all of your books. Your literature has helped me write several short stories and has furthered my own dreams to become an accomplished filmmaker. You are fiercely imaginative and you have yet to release a book or story that is less than riveting. It has been a dream of mine to adapt "The Abhorsen Trilogy" into three separate powerful screenplays for film. Of course yours is not the only one, but the most pressing. I initially fell in love with Sabriel long before I knew it was a trilogy. I have since written a screenplay based on it for a school project. The world of the Abhorsen is so complex and imaginative that I feel like it can spawn a generation of followers via films and mini-series. While I am sure that you are in current discussions and/or negotiations with many people about bringing your many works to life. I wanted to be sure that unlike some authors, that this is done in the most accurate way possible. For example, I love Philip Pullman and my dream of bringing the "His Dark Materials Trilogy" to life is now dead. Alas, all I can do is hope that Mr. Pullman had more than a hand in the adaptation of a very complicated book (The Golden Compass) than other authors have had in theirs. A fine example would be what I consider to be the travesty of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix". Mrs. Rowling has accomplished what many writers dare to achieve. She started with nothing and ended with a cultural phenomenon. As she wrote, her books became more complex and progressively more stylized and powerful. In essence, she got better as she went along. Unlike her writing, the films have done just the opposite. I may be over exaggerating, but I could have publicly executed David Yates (the director) for the most recent film (Order of the Phoenix). I do not wish for this to happen to any of your films, or to others whom I admire. I feel that as an author you have to be just as fiercely dedicated to your own works of literary art as you were during their initial editing process.
     I am sure that you are well aware of all of this. Then again this is an open forum so I am also writing this for all those who wish to read and respond. So in final words, I wish to say that I pray for your continuing success and hope that like myself your passion for great writing will translate into great films. I look forward to your response (as well as anyone else) and bid you adieu.

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

     For the past several years we as movie-goers have been subjected to an alarming number of adaptations. Whether it has been from a graphic novel, manga, children's book, or other literary work; it seems as if there are no longer any original thoughts in Hollywood. Especially when you think of films that are in fact remakes of a movie that was an adaptation of a play that was an adaptation of something else entirely. Nonetheless, it is happening and will continue to happen. The good news is that occasionally a truly great book to film adaptation is made. Great adaptations go above and beyond to bring the original piece to a vibrant and artful life. Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close is one of those great film adaptions.
     Directed by Stephen Daldry (Billy Elliot, The Hours) Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close is an adaptation of a novel with the same title. This film follows a nine-year-old loses his father in the September 11th attacks and his journey to to find the lock to a key that was left behind by his father. Oskar Schell (Thomas Horn) is incredibly close to his father Thomas Schell Jr. (Tom Hanks) and it almost seems as if no one but his dad understands him. Oskar is a jack of all trades; a self-proclaimed amateur inventor, jewelry designer, astrophysicist, tambourine player, and pacifist. The one thing that Oskar isn't is good at is being social. He's petrified of many things and the loss of his father sends him over the edge. A year after his father's death, Oskar embarks on a nearly impossible quest that he hopes will keep him from losing his only friend (his dad).
     The beauty of Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close is it's intimate perspective on how a single event can destroy so many lives. The imagery alone is enough to conjure powerful emotions for anyone that remembers or was affected by the attacks on the World Trade Center. There are many messages to be found within this artistic and emotional tale of family, loss, and love. Communication, self-expression, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are all subjects found within this film. Bolstered by a spectacular supporting cast featuring Sandra Bullock, Viola Davis, and Max von Sydrow, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close speaks to all generations and all ages. This is easily the first must-see movie event of the new year. I can only hope that 2012 will continue to deliver adaptations such as this one.

Rating: 5 (Maximum of 5) - Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close is an incredibly emotional and poignant tale of a boy and his struggle to save the bond he had with his dead father