4 new movie reviews in brief: Room, Rock the Kasbah, Burnt, Remember

Room

Brie Larsonand youngJacob Tremblaygive amazing performances in this intimate film. Working on a script from original author Emma Donoghue,director Lenny Abrahamsongives us a child's view of livingin captivityin a singleroom the size of a shed. It's young Jack's perspective that turns a familiar situation inside out.

Room is an interestingcontradiction: a claustrophobic film to watch but looking at it through Jack's eyes filled with space andwonder.Larsonis strong, butbrittle; there's an emotional intimacy in her that can't be faked.Tremblayisso convincing it's frightening.

While most of these stories end with a definiteresolution, part of what makes Room so fascinating is the notion thatescape is only one of many hurdles former captives face.Now if only the film gave William H. Macy a decent part.

4 out of 5 stars

Room gets 4 out of 5 stars

9 years ago

Duration 2:27

Room, a tale of captivity and endurance, is an unpretentious and emotionally honest drama, says CBC's film critic Eli Glasner

Rock the Kasbah

Groundhog Day.Lost in Translation.Rushmore. Ghostbusters. Even the first Garfieldfilm. All thesemovies made better use of Bill Murray than themisguided, misdirected Rock the Kasbah.

DirectorBarry Levinson takes us to Afghanistan to tell the true-life tale of theyoung Pashtun woman who competedas a contestant on theAfghan Star reality show. But Salima's bravery is just the background for this tepid comedy about Richie Lanz, a music manager past his prime.If the presence of Kate Hudson makes you think ofAlmost Famous stop, you're mistaken.Levinson's aiming for something grittier than his earlier filmGood Morning Vietnam,but the results are safe and stilted.

The movie'sfew moments of mirth come from the rare occasionsMurray is given freedom to stray, including his delivery ofa killer cover of Smoke on the Water for bemused Afghan warriors.

2out of 5 stars

Burnt

A gourmet version of a familiar Hollywood recipe, Burnt finds Bradley Cooper and his immaculately groomed chin stubble cast as Adam, a broken but genius chef in Londonsearchingfor redemption as well ashis third Michelin star.

The cinematography transforms the slabs of beef and onion sprouts of his upscale menuinto modern art installations worthy ofa museum.Directed by August: Osage County's John Wells, Burnt transports us into the kitchen of thehigh-end restaurant where Adam bullies and berates his staff into aquivering crew churning outperfection.

Leather jacket-cladCooper tooling like a Top Gun stand-in can be hard to swallow, but Burnt'sexcellent supporting cast, including Sienna Miller and Daniel Bruhl, elevate the film to cinematic comfort food of the highest order.

3.5out of 5 stars

Remember

At his best director,Atom Egoyan's films feature a clinical,cool gaze. He's drawn to relationships rich in conflict, but the emotions can be buried deep. This approach clashes with Remember, a movie that takes place in a fog of memory asa character battling dementia isdetermined to carry out one last promise.

Christopher Plummer takes on the trope of anelderly man losing his faculties with as much dignity as possible. Heplays Zev, a Holocaust survivor followingthe instruction of his nursing home friend Max (the great Martin Landau), who provides him details for tracking down the former Nazi commander who annihilatedtheir families. Borrowing from the film Memento, the film relies heavily on a laboured device: in this case therepeatedrereading ofMax's letter to Zev explaining his mission.

There are a few standout, thrilling moments say, the confrontation with the son of a Nazi collector, or apoignantscene of bewilderment in aWalmart. Though the conclusion may leave you gasping, it's Plummer's workmanlike approach that is the true hero here.

3 out of 5 stars