releasing this week: The King’s Speech

Hey folks – Happy New Year!

I know this is meant to be Average Film Reviews and all but… as usual, January brings us here in Ireland (and the UK… and udoubtedly in many other countries) all those films that are likely to feature heavily in the awards season. That’s right. We’re on the Road to the Oscars™.

There’s five films for your consideration this weekend and, while I guess there’s a few that are pretty unlikely to be contenders, there is one that I reckon is going to feature prominantly. The film I’m highlighting this week is The King’s Speech.

So what’s The King’s Speech all about?

Now, I don’t know much about the British monarchy (or any monarchy for that matter) but King George VI only became King when his older brother, King Edward VIII, abdicated. He also had a stammer.

I guess on paper it doesn’t sound like a fascinating topic. The King’s Speech is not about the abdication or anything like that. It’s about his struggle with his stammer.

It’s also about character, and it stars a man who really is becoming one of my favourite character actors. If you saw my top 10 films of 2010 post then you’ll know why. Colin Firth simply is fantastic. And I’ve never seen Pride & Prejudice so I can assure you it’s nothing to do with any wet shirt competition entries.

I have seen this film so I know it’s good. In addition to Colin Firth, who I swear better win an Oscar this year, we have Geoffrey Rush as Lionel Logue, an Australian speech therapist who works with King George VI, and a surprisingly restrained Helena Bonham Carter as the Queen (again, I guess she is quite regal). Both excellent in their supporting roles but it’s Firth who shines as the troubled heir who has Responsibility thrust upon him.

If I’m being honest, this might not be everyone’s cup of tea. After all, it is a historical drama. I know that I, for one, would generally stay away from them. But, if you do want to see a great performances by a man who surely will be featuring in the Oscars for years to come, and a man who already has one then it’s definitely worth taking the time on it… It’s an excellent character study and while you might wonder how they can make a movie about some guy and his stammer interesting, just remember… They made an amazing one about a few computer folks inventing a website.

Other films releasing this week…

127 Hours – I know I was generally highlighting two films a week on this article but I thought I might start just doing one. We’ll see how it goes though, I kinda like giving people a choice.

If I was picking two this week then this is the other film I’d highlight. 127 Hours is the story of how Aron Ralston had to do the unimaginable. I don’t know if you remember Ralston from the early noughties. He’s the guy who, after becoming trapped by a boulder, found himself needing to cut his own arm off with a dull knife. Yeah… pretty nasty.

127 Hours sees his story get the Danny Boyle treatment. If you loved Slumdog Millionaire (as opposed to say, Trainspotting or 28 Day Later) then you really should give this one a look.

Hopefully you’re not too squeamish.

The Next Three Days – From Paul Haggis, the writer and director of Crash (the Oscar winning one, not the one that’s the only Cronenberg film I can’t abide by). Russell Crowe and Elizabeth Banks star in this film about the difficulties that can arise in a marriage when your wife’s been accused of murder. Or something along those lines anyway. I’m not a fan of Crowe.

Season of the Witch – I ain’t a fan of Nicolas Cage either.

Ah ok. He’s been pretty cool in some stuff. I really did think that he was good in Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call – New Orleans. It’s just that you can never be really sure which Nicolas Cage is going to turn up.

I suspect this film may not star the Nic Cage I want to see. Plus, it’s from the director of Whiteout – I do not recommend watching it – and Swordfish – which I don’t recommend either. Anyway, yeah, Season of the Witch follows two men who come back from the Crusades to find their home towns ravaged by the Black Plague. There’s also a woman who’s being tried in court as a harbringer of death. I don’t know.

It’s Kind of a Funny Story – The poster for this flick really really reminded we of Cyrus. It might just be the colour schemes. It doesn’t sound like it anyway. In It’s Kind of a Funny Story, a clinically depressed teenager decides to check into an adult psychiatric facility. It looks like a quirky sensitive comedy. So. Could be good.

That’s it for this week, first one of the year down. Hope you’ve enjoyed reading and you know, if you have the time, and you feel like it… don’t forget to vote for Average Film Reviews in the 2011 Total Film Movie Blog Awards. Ah go on, it won’t hurt.

The King’s Speech, 127 Hours, Season of the Witch, The Next Three Days and It’s a Kind of Funny Story are all in Irish cinemas from today, 7th January 2011.