REVIEW: "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" -Bookworms & Emo chicks rejoice!

The many elated readers of the best-selling trilogy " GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO" should be stoked to see this faithful cinematic version, directed by David "Fight Club" Fincher, finally released in theaters.

The story centers around a freshly sued Swedish magazine publisher Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) who is commissioned to find the missing grand niece of retired CEO Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer)

Mikael recruits the covert geek squad services of freelance surveillance agent and researcher Lisbeth Salander (a brave performance by Rooney Mara) who is having some problems of her own. She is a ward of the state and her monitary allowance is given to her by a new guardian who sexually abuses her.

Mikael and Lisbeth end up having a sexual relationship and begin to suspect that they have stumbled onto the trail of a serial killer.

Violent and graphic for vanilla audiences waiting for a Jennifer Aniston cameo, this adult drama is all grown up and, apparently, follows the books pretty faithfully (Sorry. I wait for the movie like everyone else).

Fincher brings us another visually handsome film that sounds great, once again showcasing "Social Network" vets cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth and music directors Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross.

Ms. Mara's portrayal of the "girl" is a fascinating study of inner struggle, able as she is vulnerable and hell bent on revenge. She brodens the scope of the classic cinematic heroine into a new contemporary style of brainy/bisexual/emo/warrior chic with a touch of punk. It seems as though she has successfully embraced the internal workings of an iconic literary character and channeled it into a riveting display for the camera.

The film moves as does a book (has a pacing, kinda long) and may not be the action shoot-em-up as suggested by the film's trailer. Yet it is well worth the admission $ for fans of the book and those who enjoy a more intense and well-developed film.


Golden Globe Nominations:

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
ROONEY MARA

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE
TRENT REZNOR, ATTICUS ROSS

The presentation of “The 69^th Annual Golden Globe^® Awards” is on Sunday, January 15, 2012

THE ARTIST: Cast, score shine in new silent movie

It may be hard to imagine a full length, black and white silent movie as being an amazing and refreshing breath of fresh air in the current climate of Holiday popcorn fare.

But this awesome new silent "classic" film is not only a visual homage to the silent screen era, but a creative recognition of the artistic process and it's perilous pitfalls.

The story takes place in Hollywood, 1927.

Red-hot silent movie star George Valentin

(Jean Dujardin) enjoys his success until the arrival of talking pictures threaten to end his career.

George has an accidental photo op with a cute young flapper named Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo).

After he helps her get work on the set as an extra, she gets a big break in the "talkies", captures the nation's heart and catapults to stardom.

The story's villain is George's pride (yes, it has it's own music) that rears it's ugly head, causing George to downward spiral into a dark world of self doubt and bottles of booze.

But he is fortunate to have at his side his trusty limo driver (James Cromwell) and faithful co-star/pet dog (2011 Palm Dog award winner UGGIE) to help him regain his muse and return to the silver screen.

An amazing original score by Ludovic Bource weaves a sonic tapestry of Ragtime, Classical and Jazz into an audible narrative that advances the story at a comfortable pace. This serves as an impressive canvass by which to paint the extraordinary black and white cinematography.

Harnessing inspiration for performance and maintaining a "real world" sense of identity are two of the seldom seen burdens of the artist and, as the film warns, may be rough terrain to navigate for artists unprepared for drastic life changes.

TICKET WORTH: Full price. $12.50
RENT THIS MOVIE?: Yes without a doubt.
BUY THE DVD?: Yes. A soon as it's released.

J/A