Film reports

Interesting film about the world of back up singers.  Some are content to sing back up, some got screwed over and were forced to keep singing back up, and some tried to bust out and sing lead but it didn't happen for them.  All the stories are interesting and well worth your time.

Cute but super predictable film about four people who meet when they all decide to commit suicide by jumping off a tall building.  Imogen Poots, who is supposed to be the young blond 'it girl' from Britain today is highly annoying in this film.  The other leads, meh.  It's okay, nothing special.

Lavish retelling of the life of the Duchess of Devonshire.  Her husband was unfaithful and shitty towards her, mostly until she bore him a son, but even afterwards he was a shit to her.  He bedded her best friend and she moved in with them and into his bedroom.  But when she had a public affair like him, he went ballistic and threatened to take away her children.  I quite liked this film, usually I root against all the nobles in films like this one, but Keira Knightly won me over.  This is her best role since Bend it like Beckham.

I liked most all of this gritty true crime film about a the murder of a cop and the survivors guilt of his partner.  James Woods is charismatic as anything as the creepy small time hood who murders a cop and goes on to become a jailhouse lawyer of renown.  John Savage is outstanding as the partner of the murdered cop who is forced to deal with PTSD and survivors guilt.  In real life his character was used as an example of what not to do when a cop gets taken as a hostage.  My only problem with this film was the dialogue of some of the black actors, most all of whom turn in fine performances, it was a load of that 'Yas suh, no suh, you is da boss massah' style dialogue.  If it was written that way, then shame on the author Joseph Wambuagh, if it was an acting choice made by the actors, then shame on them.  All in all though, this is a good film that I should have seen a long time ago.