The Book Thief (2013)

Directed by: Brian Percival
Country: USA / Germany

Movie Review: Based on the bestseller novel by Australian author Markus Zusak, “The Book Thief” didn’t seem to have been made with the right choices regarding its cinematic adaptation. Not even the musical score of multi-awarded John Williams, or the presence of Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson could save a story already compromised since its first moments, with its excessive sweetness instead of thrill, and lingering too much time in a sort of passivity, preventing me from establishing any connection with its characters.  Set in a Germany under the Nazi regime, the film follows the fate of Liesel (Sophie Nélisse) who is on her way to meet her new foster parents, the kind and attentive Hans (Rush) and the insensible Rosa (Watson). This occurrence arises after the death of her little brother and consequent ‘abandonment’ of her mother. Liesel gains a special taste for books and gets along with two faithful friends: the schoolmate Rudi, and a Jewish fugitive called Max. The film drags in the first half to the point of making me sleepy, thanks to its familiar tones and impaired sequences. Sadly, “The Book Thief” seemed contrived in almost every happening and was unfruitful during its few moments of tension. I had no other choice than to sit back and patiently wait for its ending. The sharp cinematography by Florian Ballhaus was the prominent point of a thoughtless film that failed flatly to convince.

Mystery (2012)

Directed by: Lou Ye
Country: China / France

Movie Review: “Mystery” is a Chinese dramatic thriller directed by Lou Ye whose past work is synonym of undeniable quality (“Suzhou River” and “Summer Palace”). Lately, he seems a bit lost in secondary dramas such were the cases of “Love and Bruises” and now this messy “Mystery”, where a dark love triangle ends up in murder. The film starts with a woman being run over by a car when she was already in a deplorable state. This woman was seen getting out of a hotel with Yongzhao, a married man and attentive father who, in parallel, supports a second family composed by his mistress and son. If the story started with some potential and nerve, it lost quickly its initial strength with unbalanced scenes and an overcooked plot that also involves the policeman who is in charge of the case and the ex-boyfriend of the deceased girl. In some moments, the shaky camera was adequate, giving a sensation of disorientation, but in others, its use was completely unnecessary and even annoying. An acceptable balance was never achieved and I can point some scenes that made my interest collapse along the way - a violent rape as punishment ends up in an overemotional situation, just like the raging murder of a homeless beggar. Moreover, every time an intense rain and threatening sky were present, was a sign that a crime would be committed. Erratic and unsatisfying, “Mystery” can be skipped without regrets.

Tokyo Family (2013)

Directed by: Yoji Yamada
Country: Japan

Movie Review: “Tokyo Family” is Yoji Yamada’s homage to unrivaled master Yasujiro Ozu, and a modern adaptation of his 1953 masterpiece, “Tokyo Story”. This way, and recreating the gentle and smooth Ozu’s universe of family (not without some significant differences), Yamada moves away from the samurai scene (“The Twilight Samurai”, “The Hidden Blade”, “Love and Honour”) that gave him some notoriety in the last decade. The story follows an aging couple who travels from Hiroshima to Tokyo to visit their three children and grandchildren. Their arrival, despite being expected with eagerness by all the family, will cause deep changes in the rushed life and daily routines of the adult relatives who will think in other solutions to get the space and time they are used to. The comparison with Ozu’s original is simultaneously unfair and inevitable - some outdoor compositions of streets and trains passing by, were reminiscent of his serene style, while the indoor ones were a mix of steady shots through a low-positioned camera (a staple in Ozu’s filmmaking) and other own compositions depicting modern family's interaction. The weakest aspect here was the sentimental tendencies of its final part, but the richness of the story, in its whole, was enough to be enjoyed, focusing on problems that seem real and never forced, and with an approach that emphasizes affectionate relationships. In a time where remakes are so in vogue, Yamada’s contemporary Tokyo family, at least, remembers us how simple a film can be.

The Banshee Chapter (2013)

Directed by: Blair Erickson
Country: USA / Germany

Movie Review: Horror flick “The Banshee Chapter” marks the directorial debut of Blair Erickson, causing sensations of déjà-vu through the use of alternating techniques, consisting in extremely mobile handheld camera to accentuate the anxiety and distress felt, sinister footage (some in black-and-white), and a few sudden scares accompanied with loud noises, a repetitive strategy that doesn’t surprise anymore if not properly done. The film starts with a small introduction to the real and bizarre US Government’s MK-Ultra Program, carried out in the 60’s, which consisted in administering chemical substances on humans to induce mind control. After Bill Clinton’s public apologies to all the victims of the experience, and other strange testimonials, the film departs to its fictional story whose nature could have been better managed if presented with dreamlike tones and uncertainty, instead of trying to achieve some veracity through its pseudo-realistic scenes. Journalist Anne Roland narrates the occurrences while embarks in a deep investigation filled with radio noise, ghostly appearances, and some monologues, to try to understand what happened to her dear friend, James Hirsch, a volunteer in the experiences. For that, the help of Thomas Blackburn, a swindler, miserable and junkie writer, will become precious. Somewhere between “Paranormal Activity” and “Blair Witch Project”, “The Banshee Chapter” was never reasonable or unsettling, and its execution is a mere aggregation of ideas presented in other films of the genre.

A Magnificent Haunting (2012)

Directed by: Ferzan Ozpetek
Country: Italy

Movie Review: Not original in concept but depicted in agreeable tones, “A Magnificent Haunting” is a feel-good comedy without any other pretention than entertain us with the story of Pietro (Elio Germano), a homosexual croissant-maker who planned to change his life radically after the death of his father. He decides to leave his hometown, Catania, to live in Rome’s district of Monteverde. Pietro, always backed up by his inseparable and disoriented cousin, Maria (Paola Minaccioni), decides to rent a big old house in need of repair, but soon realizes that the place is occupied by amiable ghosts of several actors who belonged to a famous theatrical company called Apollonio, mysteriously disappeared during the wartime. The first signs of fear vanish when Pietro realizes that his hosts just want to leave the house for good, but also can be of great help in order to achieve his dream: to become an actor. Turkish director residing in Italy, Ferzan Ozpetek, continues to refuse stressful or disturbing plots, preferring instead charming dramas with hints of romance or light comedies as this one. Offering some good humor and bouncing performances from Germano and Maccioni, both winners of an Italian Golden Globe, “A Magnificent Haunting” is far from being essential, but provides good laid-back moments with its gentle and spirited aura. The film was well received in Moscow, winning the audience award, as well as the Russian Film Clubs Federation Award.

The Machine Which Makes Everything Disappear (2012)

Directed by: Tinatin Gurchiani
Country: Georgia

Movie Reviews: Tinatin Gurchiani’s directorial debut is a documentary focused on the reasons and motivations of a group of Georgians (ages from 15 to 23), for having responded to a casting call for a movie. After the first banal questions, the filmmaker starts to enter more in the personal life of the participants, being granted with easy access to their homes, dreams, and daily life, which intends to give an idea of current Georgia, former Soviet republic. In these unembellished interviews, each story told reveals to be very contrasting regarding the others. From the simple case of dreaming to be an actor, passing by psychological depression or disillusions of life associated to family problems, and ending in military reasons and war traumas, everything can be a motive to apply for the job. Not always satisfactory, the documentary itself lacks some dynamic, seeming sunk in the same depression of its guests/characters. Technically unimpressive, and with a sketchy approach, “The Machine Which Makes Everything Disappear” was incapable to compose the proper big picture of a socially affected and wistful country by gathering the individual stories of a few young inhabitants. I ended up paying more attention to the desolated landscapes and mistreated roads filled with elder people, than properly in what Gurchiani would like to have shown with the sad and despairing realities where traditional and modern coexist.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)

Directed by: Ben Stiller
Country: USA

Movie Review: “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” is a comedy-drama surrounded by fantasy and weak mystery, falling short in vivacity or interest. Ben Stiller directed, acted, and produced, basing himself in the acclaimed short story by American author, journalist, and cartoonist James Thurber. Stiller gives life to compulsive daydreamer Walter Mitty, who works as a negative assets manager for Life Magazine’s photography department. He tries desperately to approach his coworker Cheryl Melhof (Kristen Wiig) for whom he has a crush, and at the same time, locate his photojournalist friend Sean O’Connell (Sean Penn) who gave him an important photograph that would be the magazine’s next cover. The problem was that the photograph disappeared. This fact makes him confront, both in dreams and reality, the nasty executive Ted Hendricks (Adam Scott), who nags him all the time in front of others. However, a trip to Greenland, Iceland, and then lower Himalayas will make Mitty find the answers he’s searching for. The tortuous script with its multiple heroic dreams and foreign adventures, together with the awkward mood presented, never pleased me or made me feel involved. It worked more like a composition of small parts rather than a continuous and fantastic adventure towards self-discovery. Mr. Mitty’s great secret is dispensable, and its viewing lacks fun and thrill, adding up in the final part, a self-content fragment of cheesiness.

The Invisible Woman (2013)

Directed by: Ralph Fiennes
Country: UK

Movie Review: Ralph Fiennes’ sophomore feature film, “The Invisible Woman”, goes into the late life of Charles Dickens (performed by the same Fiennes), focusing particularly in the agitated relationship with his secret, and much younger mistress, Nelly Ternan (Felicity Jones). The screenplay was written by Abi Morgan (“Shame”, “The Iron Lady”), based on Claire Tomalin’s book from 1991 entitled “The Invisible Woman: The Story of Nelly Ternan and Charles Dickens”, but the outcome wasn’t so favorable. The film presented pace issues, which was aggravated along the time with Fiennes’ static approach and some coldness in performances. At first I thought it was an initial strategy in order to prepare us for what was coming next, but the story never really showed the passion it claims for its protagonists. In some way, the expressionless love depicted here, vulgarized their doubts and certainties, failing to give an exciting course to their problematic romance. I couldn’t feel sorry for them in the worst situations of their lives, and that was a clear sign that beautiful shots and a perfect recreation of the period, weren’t sufficient to hold my attention. Perhaps Fiennes wanted so much to avoid the sentimental traps and stereotypes, so common in this biographical period dramas, that he made “The Invisible Woman” with too much formality and passivity rather than with emotions, placing it in the limits of watchable.

Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa (2013)

Directed by: Declan Lowney
Country: UK / France

Movie Review: “Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa” is an action comedy directed by Declan Lowney and based on the fictional TV and radio presenter, performed by English actor Steve Coogan, who also created it together with Armando Ianucci (“In the Loop”) and other show writers for the BBC Radio 4 program ‘On the Hour’. If Alan Partridge became an undoubtedly success on British TV and radio, in this feature-film is just a character that scarcely shines in its tactless talks, behaviors, and personality. Irish filmmaker Declan Lowney was never able to drop his TV routines, evincing an approach that feels closer to the small screen rather than the big one. Coogan conveyed all the superficiality and repulsiveness in the representation of his own creation, this time wrapped in a fierce competition with the depressed and threatening DJ Pat Farrell, but after its end, I didn’t miss Partridge’s dodgy adventures and was almost relieved for not have to hear him again. The problem here, with the exception of Lynn, Partridge’s magnificent assistant, is that “Alpha Papa” wasn’t so hilarious as it should, stumbling too many times along the powerless plot and only creating sporadically impact in situations that, in a blink of an eye, fall over and over again in inconsequent triviality. Likewise its main character, “Alpha Papa” needed a bigger dose of art and cleverness to work out. That’s why the already proven good idea didn’t result, in this ho-hum cinematic experience.

Beyond Outrage (2012)

Directed by: Takeshi Kitano
Country: Japan

Movie Review: “Beyond Outrage” is the new Japanese yakuza thriller by Takeshi Kitano (considered best director by Asian Film Awards), relying in the same cyclic alliances and betrayals among gangsters and cops. Kitano plays confidently a fearless executioner and old-time yakuza, Otomo, who joins forces with another retired Mafioso called Kimura, right after being released from prison. All this strategy came from the organized-crime detective, Katoaka, whose goal was to gain power by creating a war between the Sanno clan from the East and the Hanabishi clan from the West. Employing dark humor even in the most raging and fiery scenes, “Beyond Outrage” is far less violent than its predecessor “Outrage” from 2009, and showed to be smarter and more appealing in terms of plot. The execution was the weakest aspect of the film, with a couple of questionable camera movements and some awkward shooting scenes that could have been improved to look more reasonable. Even though, the film is entertaining and shows some creativity in a few scenes, particularly a memorable one that depicts a man’s face being smashed by baseball balls thrown by a machine. I’m hoping that the announced third part of this outrage trilogy can follow the lines presented here, but without trying to show off in the shootings, and presenting some more suspense and unusual outcomes. Meanwhile, this second part goes on the right track, and deserves a peep.

The Selfish Giant (2013)

Directed by: Clio Barnard
Country: UK

Movie Review: With her directorial sophomore, British filmmaker Clio Barnard doesn’t disappoint, and even demarcates a style that despite very own in many aspects, doesn’t hide influences of Ken Loach’s social realism, considering the subject-matter, naturalism and rawness presented. The absorbing “The Selfish Giant” that nothing has to do with gentleness or warmness, follows the 2009 experimental documentary “The Arbor”, about playwright Andrea Dunbar, where the same unrefined approach has been taken with highly satisfying results. The script, written by Barnard and inspired in a short tale by Oscar Wilde, follows two problematic young friends, the impetuous 13 year-old Arbor and his best friend, Swifty, who have a passion for horses. Expelled from school, they both beat the streets of their rough neighborhood searching for some opportunity to earn some bucks. That’s when they enter the illegal and risky business of stealing copper, encouraged by a greedy, unjust scrap dealer who will put them against each other and exploit them without any consideration for their lives. Self-conscious and eye-opener regarding educational problems, “The Selfish Giant” exposes juvenile delinquency in a very compelling manner, thanks to the unimpeachable performances of the young actors, but also aims greediness and exploitation, which, as usual, led to lamentable outcomes. Everything was presented under grey skies, hazy landscapes, and a cheerless atmosphere that will also make the viewers remember its strong images.

Stranger by the Lake (2013)

Directed by: Alain Guiraudie
Country: France

Movie Review: Set in the summer, somewhere in the south French coast, “Stranger by the Lake” starts with some establishing shots that transport us to isolated lakeshores outlined by woods, frequented exclusively by male gays and nudism enthusiasts. Franck (Pierre Deladonchamps) arrives for the first time that year, and in his talkative way, makes conversation with the quiet and isolated Henri (Patrick d'Assumçao), a bi-sexual lumberjack who passes his days gazing the calm waters of the lake, completely uninterested in sex, in opposition to the rest of the bathers. The men became good friends, but Franck, clearly looking for a sexual partner, falls in love with Michel (Christophe Paou), a mysterious, jealous, and dangerous man who murdered his former partner in the lake at nightfall. Franck was the only witness of the crime and despite knowing what he was getting in, couldn’t refrain his sexual impulses. Even wasting time with unnecessary explicit sex scenes (its only, yet considerable setback), which didn’t add anything beneficial to the story, “Stranger by the Lake” was able to effectively bring together suspenseful moments and an interesting psychological side. Alain Guiraudie’s outstanding direction was awarded at Cannes, well backed up by Claire Mathon’s admirable photography. The entrancing, much chilling finale will leave you thinking about the triumph of desire over moral, making us expecting eagerly Guiraudie’s next move.

Lone Survivor (2013)

Directed by: Peter Berg
Country: USA

Movie Review: Based on true events, “Lone Survivor” tells the ill-fated story of four soldiers, members of Navy-SEAL Team 10, who went to Afghanistan’s Kunar Province with the mission of capture/kill a dangerous Taliban leader. The 2005 mission known as ‘Operation Red Wings’ was a complete failure, and only Marcus Lutrell, performed without great brilliance by Mark Wahlberg, escaped with life from the hellish mountains populated with numerous and ferocious Taliban who came out from all directions. The troubles arise when the team loses communication with the base, after has accidentally bump into two youths and an elder Taliban, deciding to release them afterwards as a good practice conduct. Peter Berg (“The Kingdom”, “Hancock”) was able to depict the soldiers’ despair and bravery in a raw manner, capturing some beautiful images among the devastating scenarios of war, but the film loses some grip as the story reaches its final part. I think those final minutes took the film to where I didn’t want to, sweeping some of the good thing it had done till there. Even so, this terrifying journey is worth watching, and for several occasions I felt this nightmare as if I was there in the middle of the mountains, witnessing my companions dying little by little. Far from essential, “Lone Survivor” shall please war genre fans, serving simultaneously to reinforce that this conflict shouldn't be against a country and its people, but against its fanatic minority factions.

August: Osage County (2013)

Directed by: John Wells
Country: USA

Movie Review: Counting with George Clooney and Weinstein brothers as producers and based on Tracy Letts’ celebrated play with the same name, “August: Osage County" cinematic adaptation by John Wells was part satisfying and part disappointment. In the summer heat of Oklahoma, the three Weston sisters, Barbara (Julia Roberts), Ivy (Julianne Nicholson), and Karen (Juliette Lewis), reunite with their drug-addict, poignant, and sick mother, Violet (Meryl Streep), for her husband’s funeral after he has committed suicide. The story can be resumed by the following formula: failed marriages + meanness + secrets + fucked up parents/children relationships = solitude. John Well’s direction oscillates between raw and stagey, and the cast saves the film from bitterer outcomes. When tension is forced everywhere and on every single character, I involuntarily just stop to care about them, but then the genius of Meryl Streep came up again, taking the film to those sarcastic, funny places, where we can’t help having a happy laugh, even in sad circumstances. Julia Roberts wasn’t bad at all as bossy, aggressive and angered daughter, but for my second best performance I pick up Margo Martindale who played Violet’s sister in a very funny and natural manner. Comparing with two other 2013 films that are both directly and indirectly related with dysfunctional families, “August: Osage County” was wittier than “Cold Turkey” but less assertive than “The Way Way Back”. Definitely, it will be better remembered for its stinging humor rather than for its dramatic side.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)

Directed by: Peter Jackson
Country: USA / New Zealand

Movie Review: The second part of Hobbit’s trilogy, “The Desolation of Smaug” was released in early December, following the example of the other episodes of the saga, with slightly better results than its precedent “An unexpected Journey”. The fierce battles to retrieve the dwarf kingdom of Erebor continue - in one side, the new ring holder, Bilbo Baggins, his 13 Dwarves friends, and the good wizard Gandalf; in the other side, the misshapen Orcs, the spiteful and gigantic dragon, Smaug, and the most accomplished fighters and sometimes helpful, Elves. By comparing this one to the first part, I can tell that a much darker side has been set up in detriment of festive humor, to the story’s benefit. The forests surrounded of darkness and shadows and the sinister atmosphere adopted, created a better impact, together with a hand of memorable scenes that filled our eyes with its colors, fierce fights, and magical fantasy. I’m remembering of giant spiders’ attack, some action moments involving the Elves, or the awakening of the dragon, so concerned in protect his occupied land and treasure from thieves. Other situations, in turn, were not so accomplished, like the battle in the river that immediately accentuates the notion of digital sceneries. “Desolation of Smaug” improved in many aspects where “An Expected Journey” failed, and Peter Jackson’s effort was noticeable to make the things right. Nevertheless, the film wasn’t always balanced, and most of all, was completely unable to surprise us along its invariably long 160 minutes of action.

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Country: USA

Movie Review: Iconic filmmaker Martin Scorsese, inspired by the memoir of former stockbroker from Wall Street, Jordan Belfort, creates an effusive portrait of a world of shame, pelted with heavy drugs, sex, and luxury. The film was very efficacious in the way it shows the ability of these cunning 'wolves’ to deceive vulnerable people for their own profit, and Scorsese did it bluntly and wryly. The first hour was irresistibly hilarious, denoting a bouncing pace and establishing wittily the foundations of the story, which captured my attention right away. In the following two hours the excitement was maintained, even considering some ups and downs in the narrative, along with a few purposely overdone scenes of delirious partying and a risky yet funny boat trip, which not everybody will go for it. The performances were astonishing, with a perfect DiCaprio in the front (it’s been the fifth collaboration with Scorsese), well followed by Jonah Hill, P.J. Byrne, and a brief but unforgettable appearance by Matthew McConaughey as unrestrained boss, Mark Hanna. What is ironic here is to realize that artful men like Belfort will continue to take advantage of his corrupt past life to profit, from selling books to giving motivational speeches. But you know what? It always feels good when these big bad wolves are unmasked, so the world can see what they really worth. I wouldn’t say this is Scorsese’s best film, but is surely a special one.

Computer Chess (2013)

Directed by: Andrew Bujalski
Country: USA

Movie Review: “Computer Chess” is definitely one of the weirdest films of the year. An offbeat indie comedy that takes us to a hotel in the early 80’s, time amazingly recreated and painted in an old-fashioned yet appealing black-and-white, where we can follow a group of obsessive computer nerds gathering for a weekend chess tournament intended to software programmers. You won’t learn how to play chess here, and is not required that you know something about it; despite of the several mentions to the strategy board game, the film simply focuses on weird people whose strange behaviors and difficult human relations project us to a completely different dimension. The characters were definitely smartly built, but for me the film only had positive outcomes now and then, never constructing a sufficiently solid narrative sequence to get me totally involved. The inclusion of a therapy group that was having their private sessions in the hotel and their posterior contact with the nerds, was determinant to create some more disarray in the plot, getting away from complex technological considerations about hardware and software (was this really possible?). “Computer Chess” is sometimes intriguing and challenging, but other times can be also dense and pointless. By presenting an irreverent posture within an original context, the film becomes peculiarly watchable, but I never found true valuable aspects that make me want to watch it a second time.

Wrong Cops (2013)

Directed by: Quentin Dupieux
Country: USA

Movie Review: If the plotless adventures of “Wrong”, released last year, were in the edge of being watchable with its purposely ambiguous machinations, “Wrong Cops” is simply unbearable, being a satirical film about police corruption that was taken to the extremes of ridiculousness. After a promising start, the film quickly falls in such stupid and childish situations that are nothing more than forced and unfunny attempts to shock, making me gradually exhausted and completely drawing out any effective surprise factor with its obnoxious characters and cheap jokes. Some good ideas, like a cop selling rats stuffed with weed that he buys from the Chinese, are wasted in the whirlwind of other inconsequent scenes and impertinent humor. In the end I had the perfect notion that film director Quentin Dupieux (also known as Mr. Oizo in the world of French electronic music) dug a big hole with absolutely nothing inside, since most of the scenes seemed unfinished, contributing for the glaring disconnections evinced in the poor script. So, how could I recommend a pretentious, hollow movie? If you’re searching for a smart, balanced, and funny story, don’t waste your time with these imbecilities. “Wrong Cops” is just another wrong film taken out from the wrong mind of Dupieux who seems incapable to create something more coherent or smarter than this cartoonish foolishness.

The Towrope - La Sirga (2012)

Directed by: William Vega
Country: Colombia / others

Movie Review: Art-house Colombian drama “La Sirga” is a dazzling feast for the eyes, punctuated by heavy silences, occasionally broken by howling wind blows that causes rattling sounds coming from the corrugated zinc of ‘La Sirga’, an old hostel placed in a remote swampy field near La Cocha lake, Southwest Colombia. The film, written and directed by debutant William Vega, follows Alicia, a 19-year-old Colombian girl who is fleeing from the guerrilla war that victimized her family, arriving to La Cocha to heal her psychological wounds, which are reflected in her nocturnal somnambulism. Reticent uncle Oscar, who warns about the rough work required in the area, will accept her in his house as a member of the family, despite of peeking into her room every night when she undresses, along with his son Fredy. The magnificent cinematography composed of grey skies, luxury vegetation, soaked fields, and foggy atmosphere, probably won’t be sufficient to please every audiences. The same analysis applies to the quiet pace and story’s development, which associated to the elusive plot, can be seen as a setback. Intended or not, the fact is “La Sirga” will stick to your mind, not for its floating narrative or impenetrable metaphors, but for its images and sound. William Vega showed to have the film controlled in every moment, addressing traumas of war and consequent human response in a subtle and original manner. Uncertainty is what reigns in realistic “La Sirga”.

Saving Mr. Banks (2013)

Directed by: John Lee Hancock
Country: USA / others

Movie Review: “Saving Mr. Banks” is centered on 1961 troubled Walt Disney Studio’s cinematic adaptation of the famous novel ‘Mary Poppins’, written by Australian-born British author P.L. Travers. In a delicate financial position, traumatized-by-childhood Pamela Travers (Emma Thompson) is advised to travel to America in order to meet Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) in person and work with his staff to prepare the film. A big headache for all of them, since her cockiness, unconscious rudeness, and pickiness, got everybody intrigued and frustrated, with exception of Ralph (Paul Giamatti), a driver whom she had a special consideration. Flashbacks to her inscrutable past are presented, making us better understand her personality and the importance of Poppins’ existence as well. In the end, Disney’s psychology, care, and understanding were able to soften a shielded Pamela and relieve her from her hardest pains. The film was elegantly presented and directed by John Lee Hancock who has here his best work so far, after the sloppy “The Blind Side” released four years ago. Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks gave another ‘explanation’ of why they already won a couple of Oscars each. The moderate, well-mounted “Saving Mr. Banks” has its little problems, especially sentimental ones, but has its gravitas on the heart and bestows the spirit of the old, affectionate, and tuneful Disney films.