Movie Reviews

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Living

A great script and a first-rate director can make you see an actor in a different light, and that was the experience I had watching this excellent British drama, which features a superb, Oscar-nominated performance by the great Bill Nighy, who most people know from awful movies such as “Underworld” and “Love Actually.”

“Living” is about making the most of the time a person has remaining, as we learn early on that Nighy’s character is terminal and is desperate to leave a legacy before his previously unremarkable life is over.

“Living” is a beautiful testament to the human spirit and to the idea that it’s the quality of a person’s life (rather than its length) that really matters.

Eo

After I tell you what this incredible movie is about, you might not want to see it, but I assure you it is one of the finest films of this or any year.

“EO” follows a grey donkey with very expressive eyes whose adventures while roaming the countryside bring him in to contact with humans, some of whom treat him well and others who do not.

“EO” is essentially about how domesticated animals are at the mercy of humans. I never thought I could get so attached to a donkey, but EO’s soulful eyes speak volumes and make a viewer want to be a better human.

Poland’s nominee for this year’s Best International Feature Oscar, “EO” deserves to win that award, thanks to its hypnotic cinematography, brilliant direction, and a stunning score.

“EO” and “Living” were still playing at Sacramento’s Tower Theatre as we went to press.