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Saoirse Ronan in Peter Jackson’s latest film, The Lovely Bones.
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THERE was a time when director Peter Jackson was revered throughout horror circles for his obscure and inventive splatter movies such as Bad Taste and Brain Dead. Taking the energy and spirit of genre benchmark Evil Dead to a whole new level, these films were as outlandish as they were entertaining.
All memories of cartoon gore were swiftly extinguished, however, upon the arrival of Heavenly Creatures in 1994; its mesmerising tale of two schoolchildren conspiring to commit murder revealing an unexpectedly mature touch for the New Zealander. With this in mind, it comes as no surprise that his latest film signals another complete left turn from the recent box office nirvana of the Lord of the Rings trilogy and his mighty King Kong.
Based on the bestselling 2002 novel, The Lovely Bones introduces us to the other-worldly space inhabited by Saoirse Ronan, as she come to terms with the man who raped and murdered her, and the effect her death has had on her family. Hmm, a definite change of pace after watching Kong trash New York, indeed. Whilst advance word has been mixed, it is Stanley Tucci’s performance here that has been winning accolades with critics worldwide – and Jackson’s imagination is surely worth the price of admission alone.
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The Lovely Bones
Release Date: 5 March
Director: Peter Jackson
Starring: Saoirse Ronan,
Mark Wahlberg
A Single Man
Release Date: 5 March
Director: Tom Ford
Starring: Colin Firth,
Julianne Moore
Precious
Release Date: 5 March
Director: Lee Daniels
Starring: Gabourey Sibide,
Mo’Nique
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Continuing on with this dance with death, next up this week we spend a day in the life of Colin Firth’s gay professor in A Single Man. Overcome with grief at the passing of his long time partner, his only reprieve is via his planned suicide. Critics have praised Firth in what is widely lauded as an Oscar-worthy performance.
The third contribution to this week’s sombre mood is Precious, which follows the life of an illiterate 16-year-old struggling against abusive parents in Harlem, circa 1987. With life’s windows of opportunity closing fast around her, she tries to raise her handicapped son and come to terms with her second pregnancy at her father’s doing. With surprisingly effective cameo roles from both Mariah Carey and Lenny Kravitz, this confronting drama promises a tough, yet rewarding journey.
JAMES O’SULLIVAN - HT
Andrew Cooper
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