Frost/Nixon - Mini-review

'Tis Oscar season, and all the heavy hitters come out in December. The holiday
season for me was a chance to catch up on all the fantastic movies released just in time to beat the Oscar deadline.

Frost/Nixon stars Frank Langella as Richard Nixon, and Michael Sheen as interviewer David Frost. I just love these mano a mano acting films. These two actors also played the same roles in the play in London and on Broadway. Frank Lingella won a Tony for his amazing portrayal as Nixon, and he's likely to get an Oscar nomination as well. Ron Howard made it a condition that both original actors from the play be in the movie. There are some other great actors, too == Oliver Platt, Sam Rockwell, and Kevin Bacon.

I heard David Frost interviewed on NPR, and he says that the play and the movie exaggerate his underdog status to make for heightened drama. It is true that he had to put his own money on the line to make this interview happen.

Michael Sheen is an accomplished theater actor, but is best known to American audiences for playing Tony Blair in The Queen. I've heard a rumor that he might play Tony Blair again in an upcoming film. I just saw a commercial for the third Underworld film, and had no idea that he's had a major role in that action vampire series since the first one. I'll have to add those to my Netflix queue, especially since Bill Nighy is in them, too. It was bugging me that he had been in something else familiar, and I hit my forehead, D'oh!, when I read on IMDB that he was Lord Oliver, one of the bad guys in Timeline, one of my favorite films.

Frank Langella is a character actor, recently playing Perry White in Superman Returns. It's so great to see him get the chance to play such a big role on film. He's had an accomplished stage career, winning three Tony awards on Broadway.

This is a fantastic movie and it is just so fun to watch these great actors take each other on. Another one for the Best Picture list, and probably another Director Oscar nod for Ron Howard. Four stars, and one of the best films of the year.

RIP to the man who gave us Andre Marek

Amidst all the hoopla about the election, it was almost overlooked that author Michael Crichton died of cancer on Tuesday at age 66. He's probably best known for writing Jurassic Park, but he also penned scientific thrillers The Andromeda Strain and Timeline. He wrote the screenplays for The Great Train Robbery and Twister, and also created the TV series ER. I loved his work, but he'll forever have a place in my heart for creating one of my favorite characters: Andre Marek of Timeline. The movie changes the character a bit from the book, accommodating actor Gerard Butler's Scottish heritage. This was one of the first Gerry Butler movies I saw, renting it within a few weeks of Tomb Raider 2. It was the classic, "Who IS that guy?!" I was a goner! Timeline is not Oscar worthy by any means, but it's a fun popcorn pic and Andre Marek is the best thing in it, besides the always wonderful Billy Connolly!

Here's two fan videos to give you a taste of Andre Marek, archaeologist sent back through time to meet his true love. Thank you, Michael Crichton!

Fun Trivia, Anna Friel who plays Lady Claire in Timeline now stars in Pushing Daisies!