Saturday, September 03, 2005

High Crimes (2002)

Ashely Judd and Morgan Freeman star in this 60 minute detective/thriller. The chemistry between them is so natural and of such gravity that very soon their partnership takes over Judd's passionate will to save her husband. The story: Federal agents stop Claire and Tom, a happy couple doing their Christmas shopping, and arrest Tom, accused of mass murder in El Salvador in 1998. Tom (who had changed his name and is actually Ron) is left alone with only his wife to believe him. Herself an attorney, she teams up with a young lawyer from the army and a very old hand in military cases called Crimes (Freeman). Believing that Tom is set up by the army and higher rank officers who are hiding behind Tom/Ron, they find out that to make things un-retraceable they of the 7 original witnesses two died in combat and three are killed in accidents. This raises their suspicion. While Grimes travels to Mexico to talk to the wife of one of the murdered witnesses in an unexpected twist of events the army decides for reasons related to National Security to drop the case and pronounces Tom free. The happy couple are reunited and every sense of ending is ready to wrap up the film when Grimes calls Claire to tell her that in fact they have been trying to set free a criminal and that her husband is not only the same mass murderer he has also murdered the witnesses too. In a physical scene after this revelation, Tom gets too violent and almost attempts to kill Claire only to find himself shot by one El Salvadorian who had been waiting his time. The film ends with a lively conversation between Grimes and Claire who voice their opinions concerning their business partnership and expectantly more than that.

Thursday, September 01, 2005

The Parent Trap (1961)

"The Parent Trap" (1961) is an ideal family film. Much of its appeal and entertainment, of course, is due to the marvelous dual role-play of Hayley Mills. The story is about a twin separated at birth, each living afterwards with one parent. In a summer camp they bump into each other and find out that they are sisters. They decide to swap places and thus bring their divorced parents together. Susie finds little trouble in Sharon's house, but Sharon enters Susie's to find his father ready to marry a young beautiful lady called Vicky, who is said to care only for his father's money. When Mother (Maureen O'Harra) and Susie join the father and Sharon real drama (sweetly comedy) begins. The twin's and mother's plan is to disrupt the marriage. The scenes entertain any relax viewer. Thus, the sometimes slap-stick comedy ends up so nicely that all live happily ever after.
I have not seen its 1998 version. If you have seen both, please tell me how they compare. Cast: Hayley Mills: Sharon McKendrick/Susan Evers Maureen O'Hara: Margaret 'Maggie' McKendrick Brian Keith: Mitch Evers