The Oscar nominations are out, and the race is on!! (check it out at http://oscar.go.com/nominees) Last year Eddie Redmayne won Best Actor for his role in The Theory of Everything. This year he's nominated for The Danish girl. Can he do it again? 



The Danish Girl
Director: Tom Hooper
Length: 120 mins

© Universal Pictures

Based on a true story set in Copenhagen of the1920s: Einar Wegener (Eddie Redmayne) and his wife Gerda (Alicia Vikander), both artists, seem the perfect pair, until Einar gradually realises he is really a woman inside a man's body. With the love and support of Gerda he eventually allows his inner gal, Lili Elbe to emerge, which leads him to become the first known case of gender-reassignment surgery in the world. Redmayne shows again what a sublime talent he is, and Vikander is exceptional as his Bohemian wife. The film delicately but compellingly handles Einar's emotional transition to womanhood, but doesn't dwell much upon the medical side of things. Overall it is a poignant insight into the whole notion of trans-genderism (very topical these days), at the same time sitting firmly in the love story genre. (Take your tissues!)

Don't miss it!

For a full review from Chris Thompson (I like it way more than he does):

http://www.cinephilia.net.au/show_review.php?movieid=5936

Looking for Grace
Director: Sue Brooks
Length: 127 mins

© Palace Films

Grace (Odessa Young) runs away from home in Perth with a friend and with a large sum of her father's money. Parents Radha Mitchell and Richard Roxburgh drive out in frantic pursuit, with the help of a retired detective, played by veteran Terry Norris.

I really wanted to like this film, as I loved Japanese Story (same director) some years back. But I find myself a bit baffled by the timeline, not really engaging much with the characters, and sensing an uneven tone in the film  as it lurches between drama, comedy, marital soap opera and more. The film's strengths are definitely seeing Mitchell and Roxburgh back on the big screen (they are excellent), a few good comic scenes, and the overwhelmingly beautiful cinematography featuring the vast expanses of the Aussie landscape. 

Maybe! (It's always good to support our Aussie industry!)

For my full review:

http://www.cinephilia.net.au/show_review.php?movieid=5931