The Avengers

Over the past couple of years Marvel Comics have been making films to set up the individual characters from their stable which are building up to this ensemble superhero film.
I need to say upfront that I am a huge fan of the writer/director of this film Joss Whedon. While I have not loved everything he has done, I still think he is one of the best writers working in Hollywood today. He has an especially witty style which I respond to and is not afraid to make some bold writing choices which give the ultimate emotional impact.
I have a great deal of respect for Joss and his co-writer Zak Penn in being able to create this film and the story they have come up with. Being able to take all these different characters and the stories we have seen set up in their individual films and then bring that to this ensemble film. In some ways the easy part is that the characters have already been set up all they have to do is to put them into an interesting and challenging situation. I think that Joss and Zak have succeeded in that respect. They have been able to create a story and plot which lets each character have their own moment in the film. It also lets them not only fight a common enemy but each other. Address problems that arise when a group of such different personalities comes together. These clashes are what make the film so enjoyable. My favourite moment in the film is an emotional one in which a character we have come to love over the series of films leaves. It was a moment I did not expect and I was surprised at how emotional I got. But that is part of the power of Joss and his writing.
Being a film with big characters all coming together means there needs to be big action and that is what the film has in a big deal. Joss has created some brilliant action scenes in the film which are awesome to  behold. While most of his work has been in television, Joss knows how to use the cinema screen to make a big impact and show a spectical which we are entertained by. It is definately a film you need to not only see on the big screen but in 3D for the biggest impact.
As with most ensemble films you have many different characters fighting for space and as a result you have actors fighting for screen time as well. Each of the main Avengers gets a nice little moment and each of the actors playing them does an excellent job. Mark Ruffalo is the newer one here and I think he makes an excellent Bruce Banner. Mark has always given great performances and does so again here. He plays the conflict of his character well and you can see that conflict in the way he carries himself. I was also quite impressed with Scarlett Johansson and think this is one of her better performances. It is no secret that Joss likes strong female heroes and so he has made the Black Widow a strong character here. She has many witty lines and subtle moments which I found delightful and Scarlett more than takes advantage of. 
Marvel have now set the bar quite high with this ensemble superhero film. DC must now try and follow suit with their ensemble the Justice League.   

Gallipoli

In Australia we honour those who fought in battle on ANZAC day, April 25. One battle that has had great significance is one that took place in Turkey during World War I.
The geography of Australia is such that we very rarely become involved directly in war. We have had a couple of scraps but nothing on a huge scale. We have always gone to help fight in other countries with our allies. One of the most significant battles Australia was involved in was the Gallipoli campaign in Turkey during World War I. It was significant because of the insurmountable odd the soldiers had to face in the battle. There has been contention of how the Australian soldiers were sent into battle by the English when they should not have. This issue is explored in this brilliant film.
Writer David Williamson and director Peter Weir have crafted a story that explores the friendships of men and what that means when they are sent to war. Archie Hamilton is a wonderful character who has a skill which would come in handy on a battlefield. Archie is not willing to let this skill go to waste at home by winning medals and trophies. Instead he wants to use it to help fight. That is another issue that is explored here and one which is a bit old fashioned. I'm not sure that many young Australians would be willing to go off to fight in a war like people did in those days. While I admire them for doing it, it is not something that I could do. Archie is luck enough to meet someone else with a similar skill and they both become friends. It is this friendship which is the main plot of the film. Archie and Frank are such great characters that you come to care for them so much over the coarse of the film. That is something most important in a film like this because it gives the ending a bigger impact. Peter Weir is certainly one of Australia's great film directors and this film is proof of that. The way he constructs the film and tells the simple story is amazing. Then there is the iconic music score by Brian May. The synthesiser he uses for scenes when Archie is running is brilliant. 
Mel Gibson's Aussie accent is something that we have not heard in such a long time. It was great to hear it again. His recent private life gives people a selective memory which means you forget that he can be a brilliant actor. Even in these early days he showed great talent. While it is a larican character he can easily play he still does an awesome job of it. His partner in this journey and real leading man Mark Lee is equally as brilliant. Mark brings out the every-man quality in Archie so you feel he is from that era. He is someone who wants to do what's right, regardless of what he has to do. It would not be a true Aussie film without Bill Hunter and of coarse the legend is magnificent here. His character has a wonderfully emotional moment in the film which Bill plays so well. The rest of the cast are equally as excellent in their roles. 
The battle at Gallipoli is such a significant event in Australian history that I am surprised we have not seen another film about the event. But perhaps this film is so iconic that no one is brave enough to try and top it. 

This Must Be The Place

There are some rock stars out there that do actually retire when they get older. This films explores what happens when one of them gives up the glamorous life.
Some rock and pop stars from the 80's would dress up when they performed. I'm not sure how many of them actually wore the make-up and costume when not on stage. Cheyenne is one rock star who still gets dressed up despite the fact that he no loner performs. He does it to go about his normal life and do his errands. It certainly provides much of the humour of the film. Seeing how people react to him is quite funny. I think the best thing is that he walks around with a small trolley. It is such a regular item for someone like this to be carrying around. Cheyanne's journey in this film is a very strange one. He is quite bored with his humdrum life and so when his father dies he travels from his secluded life in Dublin to the USA. Cheyanne discovers that his father had been trying to find a Nazi who tormented him during the war. So Cheyanne takes up his father's quest. The plot may sound a bit strange but it suits the film very well. There is a great deal of normality to the story but there are a few quirky and some outright bizarre scenes that make it different. That is what made me love the film so much. It could have easily followed a conventional path but writers Umberto Contarello and Paolo Sorrentino have made it just that little bit weird to make it different. Paolo's direction is excellent as well. He does these wonderful sweeping camera moves in certain scenes which I loved. There is also a brilliant musical performance by David Byrne which was strange but amazing. 
There is no doubt that Sean Penn is one of the best actors working today. For me this is one of his best performances. I think it is one of the best acting performances of any actor in any film. I was totally blown away by what Sean does here. His character is quite confronting in looks but you come to really care about him and his journey. The lightness of his characters voice was a nice touch as well. I am a huge fan of Frances McDormand as well. I loved how as Cheyanne's wife she freely accepts his odd behaviour. I just wish she was in the film a bit more. Eve Hewson is excellent as a young friend of Cheyanne's. Judd Hirsch is quite funny too as a man who helps Cheyanne in his quest.
Do not let the oddness of the film put you off seeing this brilliant piece of film making. It is not only hilariously funny but has some lovely moments of emotion. Then there is the phenomenal performance of Sean Penn, which is well worth the price of admission alone.   

Salmon Fishing In The Yeman

The British film industry seems to be the place to make the feel-good comedy. This is their latest attempt.
Fishing is not something that I find very interesting. I can understand the meditative qualities but it is not a sport or activity that I like to do. In the film there is the character of Patricia Maxwell, a political press representative who is looking for a good news story from the Middle East. 'Salmon Fishing In The Yeman' is much like that. A good news story from the Middle East. Most of the films made about that region are about the war and all the horrors that go on so it is refreshing to see something that makes you feel good. The story is quite charming and fairly cliched but there is enough humour to keep you interested. The idea of trying to start fishing in a desert region sounds like a crazy scheme. So it is not a subject you take seriously. But as our lead character, Dr. Alfred Jones learns, some crazy schemes can turn out to be not so crazy.
Ewan McGregor is such a versatile actor that he can play many different roles in many different genres. He is delightful as the charming nerd in this film. He has a bumbling quality that makes his character very endearing. It is why Emily Blunt's character falls in love with him. Emily nicely plays the rather prim representative of the sheik. Emily manages to make her character delightful when it could have been so easily to make her plain. By far and away the main reason to see this film is Kristen Scott-Thomas. She is hilarious in the film and appears to be relishing the chance to play such a juicy character. 

Once again the British have made a charming and delightful film that lets them keep their trademark on the phrase 'feel good'. 

To Kill A Mockingbird

This would have to be one of the most beloved films of all time which is based on one of the most beloved books of all time. With what is considered one of cinemas greatest characters.

It has been a while since I have read the book 'To Kill A Mockingbird'. Like many children I studied it when I was in school. I remember enjoying it and finding it to be an interesting story. Very emotional and thought provoking.

My regular readers will know that racism is not a topic that I understand fully. I have not lived a racist life and come into contact with it in my everyday life. I do though understand how ignorant people can be and be fearful of what they do not know. This lack of understanding does not prohibit me from enjoying the film. Author Harper Lee has created a brilliant story of a family and the events that affect their lives. She has populated this story with some wonderful characters that you come to care about deeply over the course of the story. Horton Foote has done an excellent job of adapting the book for film. The story was a little different to what I remembered it from the book. I thought the trial of Tom Robinson was a bigger part of the plot. It does not come into play until the end. This is not a bad thing but just an observation. The Boo Radley sub plot is certainly an interesting one as well even if it has become some what a cliche.

Gregory Peck is one of the best actors of all time. And he is perfect to play Atticus Finch. This is not a big showy type character that wants to steal the limelight. The major focus of the story is on the children, so Gregory does not let his character steal the show. He plays Atticus with a nice quiet dignity that makes him a believable character and someone you want to root for when he gets to the trial. Mary Badham is delightful as Scout. With the story seen trough her eyes, Mary must carry the film and she does an excellent job of it. You feel like she is a normal child and not an actor playing one. Equally as good is Phillip Alford as Jem. Phillip and Mary have a really nice chemistry that makes them feel like real brother and sister. While his role is minor a young Robert Duvall has a very effective presence at the end of the film.The rest of the cast are excellent in their smaller roles.

A brilliant story told in a brilliant way. The simplicity of the way it is told and directed make it a refreshing reminder that you do not need to be big and flashy to tell a good story.

Battleship

There is a great deal of fear running through Hollywood. This fear manifests itself in various scary ways. This is one of them.

Hollywood has mined many sources for inspiration for films and now they have turned to board games. They are not something that would be considered viable for story ideas. But that has not stopped Peter Berg and his team from making an action blockbuster. I have been a fan of Peter's from his acting days on 'Chicago Hope' but I've not been a huge fan of the films that he has directed. Not because they are badly directed but just because the plots have not been that great. I think he has somehow become possessed by the spirit of Michael Bay. Peter's directing style here is very much like a Michael Bay film. As with the trailers it looks very much like a 'Transformers' movie.

Considering the inspiration I think the film is not all that bad. As with most films these days it is aimed at young males. It is all spectacle and no substance. It is definitely spectacular. The action scenes are very well done and look awesome on the big screen. However the reason for all that spectacular action is not that awesome. The plot is quite dumb and just an excuse for huge battles. I realise the film is called 'Battleship' but you can still have great action scenes and a decent story to it. My main problem is that I'd have liked to see more of what was happening outside the dome. They could have had more attempts to try and bring down the force field from the outside. The one good scene in the film is where they actually use the game as the basis for an attack on the aliens. The film is also very long too.

Taylor Kitsch does a decent job as the main hero. Even if his character is incredibly cliched. Alex Skarsgard does a very good job with his cliched character as well. I would have liked it if he was seen more of though. Considering the material Rhianna does a good job with her performance. She is not called upon to do anything with any great dramatic purpose so she handles it well. Liam Neeson manages to add a great deal of authority to the film even if you wish he was in it more often. His character is one of the many that is incredibly cliched.

If you like your action films to be all style and no substance then this movie is for you. You won't have to think much, so you can just turn your brain off and enjoy the show.

The Pirates! Band Of Misfits

After a couple of struggles, Aardman animation is making a come back. This is their second film in six months and they return to the style of animation that made them famous, stop-motion.

As many of you know my favourite form of animation is stop-motion. I admire these artists who can take the time to pain-stakingly move these models one frame at a time to create a movie. I think it is amazing. So in some ways I am a little biased when it comes to films like this. With the success of the 'Pirates Of The Caribbean' series, I am surprised that we have not seen more attempts to make a pirate movie. But then again working on water can prove to be very expensive, so I think doing an animated film is more economical.

What I love most about the Aardman films is their distinctly English sense of humour. I have always loved English comedy and Aardman are some of the best that there is. What I loved most about this film is the little things. While there are many big gags, there are so many little ones that I think made me laugh more than the big ones. It is not just the small things in the background but small things characters do which amused me. I was quite pleased that many of the most amusing moments from the book have made it into the film. The book's author Gideon Defoe has brought the true spirit and silliness of his novel to the movie. As usual the animation is visually stunning. Peter Lord and his team have created some brilliant looking action scenes which must be seen on the big screen and in 3D. There is one scene with a whale which took my breath away.

I'm not sure why this is Hugh Grant's first time doing the voice for an animated film because he is brilliant at it. We all know he is a gifted comedic actor in a visual sense but he can be equally as funny with just his voice. You don't know it is Hugh speaking so only see him as The Pirate Captain which is the success of all good vocal artists. Martin Freeman is wonderful as always in his usual second in command role. The brilliant Imelda Staunton is hilarious as Queen Victoria. David Tennant is delightful as Charles Darwin. There are also a couple of great cameo appearances from Jeremy Pivan and Salma Hayek.

Not only the year's best animated film but one of the year's best films so far. Make sure you see this film on the big screen and in 3D.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Most mainstream films these days are made for a much younger audience. But every so often film studios realise that there is an older audience who go to the cinema as well.

It is a fact of life that everyone gets old. Depending on our circumstances is how we get to spend our later years. With so many things being 'outsourced' to India, it was only time before we decided to outsource the elderly to India as well. I did not expect to enjoy this film as much as I did. I got the impression that it was going to be a very cute little film about a group of older people on a trip to India. While the film plays it safe and does not go too daring in its approach, it does present some interesting themes and issues that the elderly would have to deal with. I think the story and the characters have a great deal of charm which you can't help but fall in love with it.

Director Tom Stoppard has managed to bring together some of the best older actors working in Britain today. It is certainly a distinguished ensemble. That is also what makes the film more charming is seeing these familiar faces. Judi Dench is wonderful as the character trying to restart her life after her husband's death. Bill Nighy is nicely subdued in his role as a put-upon husband stuck with a whinging wife. Penelope Wilton as his wife is one of those characters who you want to hate but soon get to know and sympathise with. Maggie Smith plays is excellent as the member of the group who is trying to find some worth in her life after years of service. For me Tom Wilkinson is the best of the bunch as he gets the more emotional story to work with. It seems Dev Patel has most success with English films set in India. He is great here as the hotel owner trying to make his way in life.

Do not let the age of the cast put you off this excellent film. It has a great deal of charm and excellent performances which make it worth seeing.

Goodbye, First Love

Last year, French writer/director Mia Hansen-Love bought us 'Father Of My Children', a film about a family going through a grieving process. Now she brings us another film about a different type of grief.

The world of movies is full of films about young people who fall in love. The thing about young love is that one or both of the people in the relationship fall very deeply in love and cannot see anything beyond the person they are in love with. This film deals with that obsession but in a refreshingly different way. I can see how people might not like 'Goodbye, First Love', it is very slow and takes its time to develop the story. The female lead Camille is not the most appealing character either. But I did not mind that because to me it felt more real. Most romantic films come with a somewhat heightened reality to them. They are set in a real world but some actions and behaviours feel like they could only occur in a film. This story and its characters felt more real and like it could have happened. I will admit that the second half of the film really drags and I felt a little bored by it. I was sitting there wishing it would end.

Lola Creton is very good as Camille. While her character comes across as a bit annoying and not really going through any growth in the course of the story she gives an excellent performance. Sebastian Urzendowsky is good as her lover Sullivan but I did not feel his love for Camille was as strong as hers was for him. Magne-Havard Brekke is decent as the older man Camille falls for after Sullivan leaves.

Not the type of film that will be to everyone's liking. If you like your love stories a bit different and more realistic then you might like it more.

Dr. Seuss' The Lorax

Animation companies are finding how much success they can have by adapting Dr. Seuss books. I think a failed live action film made them think that animation is the only way to do justice to the Doctor.

Like all children's books, 'The Lorax' has a very slim story. So the creators of this film had to expand the story to make it feature length. To do that they created a love story. This is one of the problems that I had with the tone of the film. On the one had it seems to be aimed at a very young audience but the way the story is told it seemed more suitable for an older audience. I think our hero Ted's motivation to find a tree could have been made more suitable for the younger audience it is aimed at. The environmental message is well done and I think all the cute little forest creatures help the kids to appreciate how we need to look after the trees. It is a nice way to get the message across which is not heavy handed. The film looks stunning as always. Dr. Seuss has such a rich visual palate that animators have a lot to draw on.

The voice cast here are not all that much to rave about, with the exception of Danny DeVito. Danny has such a distinctive voice that he does a very good job and makes his character stand out. He does get most of the funny lines in the film too. Zach Efron has a good young voice that suits his character. As does Taylor Swift. Betty White I think has the monopoly on all old ladies roles in film and TV now.

The rich visuals and cute characters will no doubt delight many children. The story may go over their heads but adults will have some fun with it.

Wrath Of The Titans

Despite not being well received critically and getting getting many complaints about the bad 3D conversion, 'Clash Of The Titans' made enough money to warrant a sequel.

I got the impression from early reports on this film from those making it that it was a way for the film makers to right the wrongs of 'Clash'. The first correction was to make the 3D look better and I must say they have succeeded on that. There are some scenes in the film which look really spectacular. Especially the final battle. Another favourable element is the choice of director. The film is basically a series of battle action scenes with very little plot. Which suits director Jonathan Liebesman because his last film 'Battle: Los Angeles' was very much the same. 'Wrath' is basically just a series of large battle sequences with virtually not plot. There are not twists or turns just Perseus and his gang fighting a variety of ferocious creatures. Considering what 'Clash' was like it is pretty much what you would expect. Which is why I enjoyed the film a lot more than I expected. I went in with fairly low expectations and they were met. As mentioned above the 3D has been considerably improved so this made the action scenes more spectacular.

I think these 'Titans' films suit Sam Worthington very well. There is very little for him to do except fight and that seems to be what Sam can do as far as acting goes. Rosamund Pike does very well with her limited role. As demonstrated in other films she can play tough action heroines very well. Here she seems to elevate the material a little. Toby Kebbell is probably the best thing in the film as far as performances go. He provides the film with some much needed comic relief. Bill Nighy is also excellent in a role much like Slartibartfast which he played in 'The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy'. Ralph Fiennes and Liam Neeson add a great deal of dignity to proceedings and have much bigger roles than they did in the previous film.

A decent action film. While it does not have the complex plot and complex characters you might be seeking, it does have some great action sequences that are very well served by the 3D.

American Reunion

In 1999 Universal Pictures released 'American Pie', a film that reinvigorated and reinvented the teen-sex-comedy genre. Two cinema sequels followed and then a few direct-to-DVD spin offs. Now it returns to the big screen.

'American Pie' was one of the few times that film makers managed to take a genre which can so easily be done badly and make something great. In most of this style of films the guys and their behaviour comes off as very sleazy and unappealing. However writer Adam Herz had created a film which was populated by characters you come to care about and believe in. You want them to succeed in loosing their virginity. Not something that many people would route for. The film also presented women in a more positive light. Previously they were only seen as objects of lust and desire. And while there is a little of that in the film, most of the women still come off as characters you care about. The sequels still kept much of that tone but to a lesser extent.

So with the law of diminishing returns this sequel is not as good as the original. There is something to be said for seeing familiar characters again and seeing what is happening in their lives since we last saw them. That was one of the positive elements of the film is catching up with 'friends'. It was fun to meet them all again. However what they get up to is not as good. I think writers Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg have not been able to come up with interesting plots for these characters to go though. It is fairly typical and cliched stuff that you expect to see. That might be appealing to a certain extent but you want more for these characters that you have come to love. I will say that there are some funny moments but not enough to sustain the the rather lengthy run time. Also despite there being some crude moments I think the rude elements have been muted here. Perhaps the many copycats that followed the original film have set the bar so high that this film fails to live up to it.

The cast here have not done that much since the release of the last film, so they must have been quite pleased to return. Jason Biggs and Sean William Scott manage to get the best of what the film has to offer. Jim's story gives something for Jason to work with and he proves how delightful an actor he can be. Sean has the wonderful character of Stiffler to play so he gets to go wild once again. In some ways his antics are wearing a bit thin but he has a nice character arc which Sean does a wonderful job with. Eddie Kaye Thomas gets a nice romantic plot with a fellow nerd. However Chris Klein and Thomas Ian Nicholas get very ordinary plots of them trying to get back with former girlfriends. Chris's performance on a dancing show is though very amusing. As mentioned above the girls were nicely drawn characters in the original film. But this time they are stuck in the background and don't have all that much to work with. Allyson Hannigan playing the wife of Jason's character gets a chance to work more of her performance but it is still just the annoying wife role. Eugene Levy is hilarious as always.

While there is a pleasure in seeing this group of friends back together, you wish that they could have had a more substantial return.

Mirror Mirror

It seems every year a single thought for a movie goes through Hollywood and we get a couple of films based on the same idea. This year it is the fairy tale 'Snow White'.

Of the two versions of the 'Snow White story we are getting this is by far the more light hearted approach. It plays much like a pantomime production. I fully expected the cast to talk to the audience and get them to participate in the story. The plot sticks very close to the original story but when you have a leading actress like this there is a bigger emphasis on her. So the film focuses just as much on the Evil queen as it does on Snow White. That is not a bad thing though. There is some wit in the script but not enough for me. I think it is very much aimed at a younger audience. It is still very charming and delightful. The film looks wonderful with some amazing costumes and make-up. It would seem that is where all the productions money went. There is also a great deal spent on special effects for the sets too with some lovely looking scenes.

The role of an evil queen is one of those 'bad guy' type characters that actors love to play. Julia Roberts certainly looks like she is having fun with the role. It looks like she is really getting into the role of an evil person. Lilly Collin is sweet as Snow White. I would have liked her to be a bit more heroic as she comes across as too light. I'm a big fan of Nathan Lane and he is excellent here as the Evil Queen's side-kick. He gets most of the clever lines. It is nice to see Armie Hammer doing something more light hearted. He makes a very charming Prince.

Certainly the most light hearted and delightful of the 'Snow White' films we are going to see this year. Lacks some wit but is still a bit of fun for the young.

Hello, Dolly!

As many of you know Wall-E learned all about romance from watching the film 'Hello, Dolly!'. I thought I should check it out to see if he has chosen the right film.

Musicals are the type of film that need to be viewed on the big screen. Especially grand big scale musicals like this one. Most of them are large scale events, especially older musicals such as this one. 'Hello, Dolly!' has many big song and dance numbers that I feel needs to be seen on the big screen to get the full experience. It gives you a more joyous feeling and makes the film more enjoyable. I cannot see Hollywood these days making a musical this big. The sets and the amount of people involved in some of the musical numbers is on such a big scale. Director Gene Kelly certainly knows how to direct a musical number and does a brilliant job. Now-a-days there is a lot of quick editing with songs to make them more appealing to the younger audiences. However something can be said for the longer shots that this film uses. It means we see the dancers in full shot as opposed to the half body shots you normally see today. The story is very cute and charming with people looking for a partner and love. It is all very old fashioned which is refreshing.

The role of Dolly Levi is made for an actress like Barbara Streisand. She really embodies this role and is not only skillful at the singing but is a brilliant enough actress that she can handle the witty banter too. It is one of those roles that is very full-on and can be too much to take, but Barbara is able to make her nice enough for you to care for. I never thought of Walter Matthau as a singer and/or dancer. but he does a brilliant job as the shopping magnate Horace Vandergelder. He has always been a brilliant comedic actor so is great in that respect but he is also great at the musical numbers. Michael Crawford has long been known as a singer and dancer. This is one of his earlier roles and is wonderful as one of the nerdy duo looking for love. He and his cohort Danny Lockin make an excellent comedy duo. They are backed-up delightfully by their female counterparts Marianne McAndrew and E.J. Peaker.

While it is not the most romantic film I've ever seen, 'Hello, Dolly!' is still a wonderful musical. It fills you with joy like all good musicals should.

Rear Window

Thankfully cinemas are playing some old films so that now I can slowly work my way through some of Alfred Hitchcock's more popular films on the big screen.

This is one of those films that has been referenced comedically and seriously so many times that I feel like I have seen the film already. It was most cleverly referenced in an episode of 'The Simpsons' which is why I had trouble watching the film 'Distrurbia'. But the real thing has a very different feel.

Like many of his films you get a certain feeling when watching an Alfred Hitchcock film that you are in the hands of a master film maker. Someone who knows what they are doing and can tell a story well. That is very much the case here. Hitchcock only used one sound stage build an apartment complex set. This way it is all contained within the one area. It lets him move his camera around in one take shots and he can control the weather. A perfect example if the opening of the film which is a tracking shot around the complex as we see all the various occupants and then around our hero's apartment and we learn who he is and why he is stuck there. What I also loved was that in addition to the main story we have a lot of other little stories going on involving the other people in the building. It was so cleverly integrated into the main story.

James Stewart is one of those actors who has a certain presence which lends a great deal of credibility to all the films he is in. Not that an Alfred Hitchcock film needs that but it makes his character more believable. You trust him and all that he says. Despite doing all the work sitting in a wheelchair James is brilliant. As I said his mear presence is enough. He does not need to do much to make his character credible. It very rarely happens that I am totally blown away by the beauty of a woman when watching a film. But that was the case here with Grace Kelly. We first see her from James Stewart's POV as his character is waking up and it was an amazing film entrance. Her character of Lisa is interesting because while she and Jeff are pretty much broken up she manages to stay around to help Jeff with his crazy theory of his neighbour being a killer. It must be the lure of being a voyeur. This must also be the reason he ropes in his nurse played by Thelma Ritter. Thelma plays the naturally nosey type character you see in films like this. I was amazed at the performance of Raymond Burr. We all know him from the TV series 'Perry Mason' but he does not speak much here and is all action as he plays the potential killer.

It is not a tension filled thriller like many of Hitchcock's films. But is it a simple story told in a brilliant way by master film maker.