Angelina Jolie in "The Changeling"
courtesy of Universal Home Entertainment
“Angelina At Her Best”

Angelina Jolie is one of Hollywood’s best actresses. Sometimes her beauty gets in the way of letting her talent shine, but put her in a role like the one she has in the new DVD release “The Changeling” and her talent can’t be denied. Then add a director like Clint Eastwood who knows how to make her talent shine and you have an Oscar nominated performance.

Eastwood took a true story out of Los Angeles’ past and created a stunning movie. He used elements of a case involving the mother of an abducted child back in the 1920’s, Eastwood’s film dramatizes the fact that truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. Jolie and a near perfect supporting cast bring this horrific story to life.

Christine Collins (Jolie) is a single mother raising her son in Los Angeles in the 1920’s. She is devoted to her son but has to work in order to live. One day she is called into work and has to leave her nine year old son Walter (Gatlin Griffith) at home alone. When she returns from work late that afternoon Walter is gone.

After a few months have passed the police notify her they have found Walter, but the son they present to her is not the son she remembers. The police say she is just suffering from stress and that this is her son, but Christine knows in her heart he is not. The detective in charge of the case, Captain J J Jones (Jeffery Donovan), treats her with contempt and accuses her of not wanting the responsibility of raising her son.

The only person offering Christine any support is a minister of a Presbyterian Church named Gustav Briegleb (John Malkovich). He believes her and thinks this case is just another foul-up by the incompetent police department. But even he can not protect Christine when the police department decides to silence her complaints.

The movie is full of horrendous events that actually occurred and these situations provide the film with moments of intense and high drama. If the facts were not true the script would be accused of being totally over the top.

Eastwood’s directing pace of the story is perfectly suited to let the events unfold over a period of time. There is nothing rushed about the proceedings and the audience is left with a feeling of completeness when the movie is over. Eastwood is also the master at letting the horror of the events unfold without revealing them in graphic detail.

Jolie lets all of Christine’s panic and pain unfold in the way she holds her body and in the agony imprinted in her eyes. She is one talented actress and this movie gives her a role that displays her abundant talents. 

Malkovich underplays the role of Briegleb, stifling his usual tics and twitches to portray a calm authoritative man. Donovan is cold and calculating as the icy detective. Amy Ryan makes a strong impression as a prostitute placed in a psychiatric ward against her will.

"Changeling” is a movie that will impress you with its talent, amaze you with the horror of its story, and satisfy you with the completeness of its plot. It is Eastwood at his best as a director who knows how to get this story told. Plus in Jolie he has found the perfect actress to showcase. Jolie and Eastwood make a dynamic duo for this intense, but enjoyable movie. Get the DVD today!

One of Jolie’s competitors in the Best Actress race this year is Melissa Leo. This underappreciated actress is at the top of her game in the movie now on DVD “Frozen River.” She plays a woman driven to extreme acts in order to save her family.

Leo settles into her role as a forceful mother and makes this person live and breathe. It is a dynamic performance in a sever film. She will hold your attention and so will the movie so get it and watch it before the awards on Sunday night.

Steven Seagal has always been a favorite of mine. At one time he was a big Hollywood action star ollywood action star but lately his m,ovies go directly to DVD – but I still enjoy them.Hol m bm 
but lately his films have gone directly to DVD – but I still enjoy them. In his new DVD release “Against the Dark” it is Seagal against vampires. These are not “Twilight” vampires but rather blood-sucking, killing ones. It is up to Seagal to save the world. Can he do it – oh yes!!!!

If you like action adventures then you will want to get this DVD. Seagal can deliver the action and all with a squint-eyed grimace in place. He is the man so watch him save the world one more time.

For the kids there is a new Disney DVD and it is “Oliver and Company – 20th Anniversary Edition.” The movie is base loosely on Charles Dickens’ “Oliver Twist” but in this movie Oliver is a cat.

There are some great voices in this animated film including those of Bette Midler, Billy Joel and Joey Lawrence. Plus there is music, comedy and adventure to make all children enjoy it. So do your family a special favor and get “Oliver and Company – 20th Anniversary Edition” which has some special “extras” to make you enjoy it all more.

Laura Leighton rose to stardom on “Melrose Place” and hasn’t been seen too often since that show ended, but now she has a movie on DVD. It is titled “Daniel’s Daughter” and is the story of a head strong young woman who goes back to her hometown to spread her father’s ashes.

While doing this she makes some discoveries about the man he was and then some about who she is. It is a movie about personal growth that delivers a message as well as some entertainment. Leighton is a bright spot in the film and should be doing more movies. I’ve missed her.

Robert Englund, best known for “The Nightmare On Elm Street” series, is back in a DVD titled “Black Swarm.” He plays a mad scientist who creates a breed of killer bees who threaten humanity.

This is another movie in the “nature gone crazy” genre. If you were ever fearful of bees in the past, then this movie will terrify you of them.. They are mean little creatures thanks to the mad scientist.

Really these movies are just a lot of fun and are not to be taken seriously. Just watch it and laugh along with it.
 

 

 

 

 

©2009 Jackie K. Cooper

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