Tuesday Releases: Killing Them Softly & Lincoln

March 26, 2013 / Leave a Comment

MARCH 26TH, 2013

KILLING THEM SOFTLY // Andrew Dominik’s first film in five years is nothing short of a success, with a perfect showing from Brad Pitt as a hired hitman. “Killing Them Softly” steps above its blatantly violent demeanor and delivers a poetic and troubling truth about the ugly state of capitalism, often with just as much heavy-handed-ness as its punches and gunshots, with a dilapidated New Orleans setting and playing off of footage from George W. Bush and Barack Obama during the Goldman Sacks scandals and Obama’s election. The supporting cast is filled brilliantly by Richard Jenkins, James Gandolfini, and yet another breakout performance this year from Scoot McNairy (“Argo”). The cinematography is thoughtful and eloquent, accentuating the moments from the trailer and delivering such truly high points in the film, which are accented beautifully all the way through to Pitt’s epic last sentence.

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LINCOLN // Daniel Day-Lewis’ performance is the closest representation of the 16th President we will ever witness in our lifetimes. With thoughtful resolve and abundance of history, Steven Spielberg garners the task of bringing these well-known events to an audience saturated with knowledge about this iconic historical figure, yet with an effortlessness only a veteran director could possess, he creates a film that is not only enriching and empowering, but entertaining and emotional along the way. With countless familiar faces filling the roles of our fore-fathers, “Lincoln” is grand in all the ways one would expect. Although the conclusion could have come slightly sooner, the overall pacing of the film carried on quite well, helped mostly by the ever constant stories and anecdotes told by Lincoln, which allowed a glimpse of the man beneath the hat that is never alluded to in any prior embodiments of Abraham Lincoln.

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A ROYAL AFFAIR // Having only seen two of her performances, I can tell that the young Alicia Vikander is going to be a completely successful actress with a bright future. For starters, she is such a beauty that you could watch her do just about anything. Having her as the star of the show definitely helps “A Royal Affair”, something that really could have saved “Anna Karenina”, where Vikander also shines, but is used rather sporadic. She has a maturity that is often masked by her nubile appearance, but with that she shows the poise and delivery of an actress twice her experience level and age. Given the appropriate stepping stones, she could be well on her way to truckloads of awards. Mads Mikkelsen is also sensational, delivering the strong, brooding main character that is needed in this role. The love story is fresh and exciting, the sets and costumes are authentic, and “A Royal Affair” truly outshines any period piece released this year. Despite its dismal twists, the film has a darkness that sets it apart and reaches past its tragedy to produce a fitting and full circle ending.

New Releases
Cheerful Weather for the Wedding
The Collection (2012)
The Comedy (2012)
Day of the Falcon
Killing Them Softly
Lincoln (2012)
Parental Guidance
A Royal Affair