where: CINE ARTS @ PLEASANT HILL in Pleasant Hill, CA
when: Sunday, January 9th, 2011
show: 4:00 p.m.
costs: $10.25 + $1.00 3.1 oz Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Bites ( bought at The Dollar Tree Store next door and smuggled-in ) + $4.50 medium Zero Coke + $13.37 dinner @ China Wall Buffet ( + $2.63 Tip ) + $5.00 Benicia Bridge Toll = $36.75
auditorium: 1, the Cine Dome
seat: 7th row, 22nd column
synopsis/overview: A Royal Bromance ( cue-in the Lady Gaga parody song, Rad Bromance )
Upon the death of the English King George V ( Michael Gambon ), the subjects look to his son, Edward VIII ( Guy Pearce ) to lead the nation just as the Nazi threat gains political and military momentum. But Edward VIII proves to be a major embarrassment to the royal crown because of his scandalous affairs with married women. And, as if this is not enough, he intends to marry one of them, a foreign commoner, the twice-divorced American Wallis Simpson ( Eve Best ). But this planned marriage is opposed by the prime ministers of the United Kingdom and the Dominions. Instead of giving-up on Wallis Simpson, Edward VIII chooses to abdicate his throne.
Bertie ( Colin Firth ) consents to ascend to the throne as King George VI, but with trepidation. Bertie suffers from a speech impediment, and at a time when radio broadcasts become the standard. Still haunted by his humiliating British Empire Exhibition closing speech and gravely intimidated by Hitler's captivating speeches, Bertie is unsure that he can properly lead his kingdom at its time of greatest need.
But Bertie's ever-supportive wife, Elizabeth I ( Helena Bonham Carter ), never gives up hope and finds the best speech therapist to help with his problem, the unconventional Lionel Logue ( Geoffrey Rush ). Gradually, Bertie opens up to Lionel and learns to manage his impediment. And a life-long friendship develops between the two of them.
noteworthy scenes: 1.) The closing ceremony speech; 2.) Enunciate; 3.) "Promise me no more"; 4.) "Perhaps he should change jobs"; 5.) "What if my husband was the Duke of York"; 6.) Penguin; 7.) Audition; 8.) Elevator; 9.) "I was told not to sit too closely"; 10.) "Timing isn't my strong suit"; 11.) "Makes it official then"; 12.) The bet; 13.) "We've become actors"; 14.) Phonograph; 15.) Tongue twisters; 16.) Exercises; 17.) "Long live the King"; 18.) "You can finish that off if you sing"; 19.) "Any other corrections"; 20.) "Country shack"; 21.) "Certain skills"; 22.) "I've been king-ing"; 23.) Divorce; 24.) "You know the 'F' word"; 25.) Walk in the park; 26.) Abdicate; 27.) "The Duke is busy"; 28.) Official abdication; 29.) Ascension council; 30.) Your Majesty; 31.) "I'm not a king"; 32.) "He stammers beautifully. They'll leave us alone"; 33.) The King's apology; 34.) Royal introduction; 35.) "My preparations are equally as important"; 36.) The Royal Chair; 37.) Rehearse; 38.) Hitler's speech; 39.) "Your greatest test is yet to come"; 40.) At war with Germany; 41.) "In this grave hour"; 42.) "I made it cozy"; 43.) The Speech; 44.) "Well done, my friend"; and 45.) "Your Majesty, I'm speechless."
favorite scene: The one in which they argued over The Royal Chair.
prediction: This movie is a front-runner for an Oscar in both the Best Actor and the Best Supporting Actor categories.
audience reaction: The audience loved this Historical Period Piece movie and gave it a "Hands Clapper" ending.
recommendation: I enjoyed it, too. And I gave it a "Hands Clapper" ending, as well. Go see it.
spoiler alert! Only one: They should have picked a better-looking actress to play the part of the American Divorcee, Wallis Simpson. Her having acquired "certain skills" in Shanghai simply isn't a good enough excuse to cast a Plain-Jane in the role. After all, if a king is willing/crazy enough to abdicate his throne, he'd better have a great reason for doing so! Never mind .... I just saw pictures of the real Wallis Simpson on the Internet! Hmm ... I wonder what those "certain skills" are.
fyi: I love how this movie is based on a true story--and not just any story, but a historical one at that! I'm acquainted with the story of an English king who abdicated his throne to marry an American divorcee. But it was only when this movie came out that I heard of an English king who stuttered. Now, imagine my pleasant surprise when I found out, while watching this movie, that not only were the two kings related but were actually brothers, at that!
Even after his abdication, Edward VIII still managed to make himself a "royal pain in the butt" when it was learned that he was pro-Nazi! And he was close to being fully ex-communicated by the rest of the royal family after that.
I really wanted this to be the first movie that I see this year. But circumstances conspired against me.
Because of what he claimed to be in Exodus 4:10, most people assume that Moses was a stutterer. But most scholars don't accept this assumption, especially in light of what is said of Moses in Acts 7:22.
word of advice: Love is ( very ) blind.
It is said that most people are more afraid of public speaking than they are of death, itself.
tidbits: Before heading-off to see this movie, I swung by the Benicia Chevron gas station to get $4.00 worth of regular gas. As I stepped in through the doors, a former co-worker of mine ( who I haven't seen in months since he was let-go ) stepped-out. We talked for a while. He told me that he now works for the new Wal-Mart store in Fairfield, CA. I will have to drop by that store someday just to say, "Hi," and to check-out the place.
After the movie, a woman behind me said, "That was great." To which her male companion replied, "It was .... Amazing."
When I arrived at China Wall Buffet, I learned that the Namaste Indian Restaurant next to it had closed, as well as two other businesses. I'm sorry that this Indian restaurant was forced to close because they had good food--yet another victim of this bad economy. And I was actually planning on visiting this place in the near future to have some more of their delicious exotic dishes. I wish them "Good Luck" in their future endeavor, whatever that may be.
attention: It's the Eleventh Annual Weblog Awards time! Please do me a favor and go to http://2011.bloggi.es and nominate my blog in any or all of the following categories: Religion, Travel, Entertainment, Most Humorous and Best-Kept Secret. Each category will have space for three nominees. You only know of my blog, and nobody else's, so just enter one nominee--me, as Cine-Man ( url: wwwcine-man.blogspot.com ). If you nominate me in just one category, pick the Entertainment one. And nominate me a.s.a.p. since the deadline is January 16th, 2011. Thank you.
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