Sleuth (2007)

We watch a confrontation between a younger man (Jude Law as Milo Tindle) and an older man (Michael Caine as Andrew Wyke).  The issue is a woman, lover of Milo, and Wife of Andrew - but we never see her. 

The setting is a large old country house in England with a stunning, expensive, futuristic interior that in no way connects with the exterior.  One feature is a tiny, but very open lift which brings an element of claustraphobia to some of the scenes.

Sleuth began  as a stage play, and was made as a film in 1972 (with Michael Caine as the younger man then), so this 2007 film may be called a re-make.  But since the dialogue has been completely re-written by Harold Pinter, it is quite different.  

The writing is very clever.  You think you are getting a grasp on the plot when some lines suddenly make you doubt that you have it right.  In this way the story has surprising twists.  I found it engrossing, and recommend it.

Romulus, My Father (2007)

The story is based on a young boy's memories.  The boy, Rai, is played by Kodi Smit-McPhee - and the performance is excellent. The setting is rural Victoria in the 1960s and the photography is remarkable.  Rai's mother, Christina (Franka Potente), is somewhat neglectful, tends to be depressed and is often not there.  So his father, Romulus (Eric Bana), is mostly a single parent and we learn much about the complexity of their relationship.  Their lives have many hardships which makes the movie a bit bleak, but happier memories are interspersed and help to lighten it.

I loved many aspects of how rural Victoria is portayed.  Two older ladies who give Rai cakes , and prepared a birthday cake for him are superb.

This is a great film and I am sure I will watch it again. 

The Black Dahlia (2006)

Directed by Brian De Palma, this film is based on a 1989 book by James Ellroy.  It creates a fictionalised solution to a famous unsolved LA murder from 1946.  Mostly it is told through the eyes of two detectives - and shows considerable police corruption. 

He needs to talk directly with the two murderers - and has to put much energy into "seducing" the more reticent Perry Smith (Daniel Craig). In the process he falls in love with Perry, and is torn between his desire for the success of his book (which almost demands the death of the murderers) and his fascination with Perry.

There is a parallel in Perry's life when he seems to fall in love with one of his victims - but it is already too late. 

The story is interspersed with documnetary style interviews (that remind you of the History Channel) - some may find this distracting but I liked them - particularly the comments from a young Gore Vidal (Michael Panes).

This movies was realeased soon after "Capote" - another version of the sames events with an Oscar winning lead actor (Philip Seymour Hoffman).  I have not seen this one - but would like to.