Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Armie Hammer and Naomi Watts
Director: Clint Eastwood
The Iron Lady
Starring: Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent, Richard E. Grant, Tony Head and Harry Lloyd
Director: Phyllida Lloyd
Watching two biopics in one week was a huge stretch for me, especially ones with such hugely political figures. I really don't like politicians or the politics behind running a country. It's nasty, plain and simple. But both of these people have such a huge history attached to them and there has been such buzz about both movies that I decided I should watch them.
First up, The Iron Lady.
First up, The Iron Lady.
From the moment I saw Meryl Streep in make up for this role, I was intrigued. She looked absolutely amazing and what a transformation. Meryl Streep is an amazing actress and should be very proud of the body of work she has produced over the years, including this movie. Did I like the movie? No, not really.
I know very little of Margaret Thatcher or her role in British Politics, but was told that this movie was worth watching for Meryls' performance alone. This movie is more about her rise to the seat of the first female Prime Minister in Britain and her relationship with her husband, Dennis Thatcher than her life in general. It paints a very sad picture of a lonely old lady who is almost forgotten by the country she served, locked away in a house with a personal assistant, entertaining hallucinations of her deceased husband.
Quite frankly, the story itself was rather boring. It never quite engages the watcher enough to keep you interested. It chops and changes from a young Margaret Roberts to a frail and elderly Margaret Thatcher struggling with the onset of dementia.
The best thing about this movie was, without a doubt, the performance put in by Meryl Streep. The accent is perfect, the make up in incredible and it was most definatley an Oscar worth performance, but this doesn't make it an Oscar worthy movie.
Quite frankly, the story itself was rather boring. It never quite engages the watcher enough to keep you interested. It chops and changes from a young Margaret Roberts to a frail and elderly Margaret Thatcher struggling with the onset of dementia.
The best thing about this movie was, without a doubt, the performance put in by Meryl Streep. The accent is perfect, the make up in incredible and it was most definatley an Oscar worth performance, but this doesn't make it an Oscar worthy movie.
Unless you know a lot about British Politics and the subject matter interests you, I would skip this one.
J. Edgar
Like Margaret Thatcher, I knew very little about the iconic FBI director, J. Edgar Hoover. I knew that he was supposedly a cross dresser and that he was responsible for the setting up of the Federal Bureau of Investigation as we know it today, and that's about it.
J. Edgar
Like Margaret Thatcher, I knew very little about the iconic FBI director, J. Edgar Hoover. I knew that he was supposedly a cross dresser and that he was responsible for the setting up of the Federal Bureau of Investigation as we know it today, and that's about it.
Straight up we see Leonardo DiCaprio in age make up as the very seasoned J. Edgar Hoover. Once again, the make up department have done a fantastic job, but unlike Meryl Streep, DiCaprio has trouble aging his voice. As soon as he opens his mouth, the voice of a much younger man is heard rather than the older person you see on screen.
Directed by Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood, this is a very gentle look at John Edgar Hoover. It also chops and changes from young Edgar to old Edgar and we never really see his childhood or what led him to be interested in what he would become famous for in later years.
The movie centres around the case of "The Lindberg Baby" and the infamous kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh Jnr in 1932, 20 month old son of the famous aviator Charles Lindbergh.
It also tells us of the relationship that Hoover built with 8 different Presidents and the secrets that he kept on each one, and of the friendship between him and Clyde Tolson, the man who was his constant companion and rumoured lover right up until the day he died.
Plenty is implied about J. Edgar Hoovers sexuality and Eastwood handles it in a tasteful and respectful way. Being a homosexual in that era was very much frowned upon and Edgar doesn't want to displease his mother, played by Dame Judi Dench, who refuses to have a 'daffodil' for a son.
DiCaprio does a wonderful job, very similar to his role as Howard Hughes in "The Aviator". There is no way you can call this man an 'up and coming' actor anymore. He has more than established himself as a fantastic actor who can adapt to many roles.
Directed by Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood, this is a very gentle look at John Edgar Hoover. It also chops and changes from young Edgar to old Edgar and we never really see his childhood or what led him to be interested in what he would become famous for in later years.
The movie centres around the case of "The Lindberg Baby" and the infamous kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh Jnr in 1932, 20 month old son of the famous aviator Charles Lindbergh.
It also tells us of the relationship that Hoover built with 8 different Presidents and the secrets that he kept on each one, and of the friendship between him and Clyde Tolson, the man who was his constant companion and rumoured lover right up until the day he died.
Plenty is implied about J. Edgar Hoovers sexuality and Eastwood handles it in a tasteful and respectful way. Being a homosexual in that era was very much frowned upon and Edgar doesn't want to displease his mother, played by Dame Judi Dench, who refuses to have a 'daffodil' for a son.
DiCaprio does a wonderful job, very similar to his role as Howard Hughes in "The Aviator". There is no way you can call this man an 'up and coming' actor anymore. He has more than established himself as a fantastic actor who can adapt to many roles.
This was much less boring than The Iron Lady, but I certainly didn't love it by any means. However, I would recommend this one above Meryl Streeps efforts just because it is Clint Eastwood and very well done.
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