Page 24 THE VILLADOM TIMES I, III & IV • January 21, 2009
Kate Winslet
(continued from Entertainment page) thanks to Sam Mendes’ on-the-money direction. Like her Hanna in “The Reader,” Winslet’s April is not your typical movie heroine. She is not Harriet Nelson with the pearls and ever-present smile. This is a woman trapped in a life of her own making -- a life that has let her down. It is not as easy as chalking it up to a marriage gone sour. She still loves Frank, and that is part of her tragedy. She wants more for both of them, and is desperate for a way out. As the viewers see the Wheelers’ comfortable home, meet their pleasant neighbors, and initially wonder why she is so lost, Winslet’s April transmits her longing, her unhappiness, and her disappointments with a combination of anger, tears, frustration, and quiet suffering. One of her strongest scenes occurs the morning after a violent flareup, when a calm, smiling April serves a hearty breakfast to
Frank as she sees him off to work. The sense, even though the scene is tranquil, is that something is not quite right. April is too sweet, too pleasant, and too calm after the previous day’s hysteria. Both “The Reader” and “Revolutionary Road” depend on a first-rate actress to sell a key role and, ultimately, the entire movie. Winslet comes through in both films. She is that rare actress whose star power is merely the stepping stone for the audience’s total involvement. She is usually very canny about the roles she accepts. She was instrumental in making “Little Children” a success, complemented nicely Johnny Depp’s performance in “Finding Neverland,” and contributed a first-class supporting performance to “Sense and Sensibility.” Even in less successful films, such as “All the King’s Men,” she heightens the picture’s quality by her mere presence.
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Gentle modifications the way you Gentle modifications inin the way you speak others can bring wonderful speak toto others can bring wonderful results, Aries. You’ll find that people results, Aries. You’ll find that people are listening intently you and asking are listening intently toto you and asking more questions well. more questions asas well. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Although seems that if you make Although it it seems that if you make the wrong decision this week all will the wrong decision this week all will bebe lost, you actually have less to lose lost, you actually have less to lose than you imagine. Go out on limb than you imagine. Go out on a a limb and enjoy the results. and enjoy the results. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 You care passionately about what hapYou care passionately about what happens your loved ones, but don’t try pens toto your loved ones, but don’t try and control their actions. Give others and control their actions. Give others asas much freedom as you can, Gemini, much freedom as you can, Gemini, oror they may resent you for helping. they may resent you for helping. CANCER - Jun 22/Jul 22 CANCER - Jun 22/Jul 22 You may want think about adding a You may want toto think about adding a new friend your inner circle, Cannew friend toto your inner circle, Cancer. fresh perspective could provide cer. A A fresh perspective could provide the change you were looking for this the change you were looking for this week. week. LEO - Jul 23/Aug 23 LEO - Jul 23/Aug 23 You could cynical this week, Leo, You could bebe cynical this week, Leo, but takes so much energy to do so. but it it takes so much energy to do so. Rather, let others have their say and Rather, let others have their say and keep your opinions yourself for the keep your opinions toto yourself for the most peaceful results. most peaceful results. VIRGO - Aug 24/Sept 22 VIRGO - Aug 24/Sept 22 Relationships don’t always go acRelationships don’t always go according plan, so be flexible, Virgo. cording toto plan, so be flexible, Virgo. Sometimes things do not work out for Sometimes things do not work out for no good reason, not because people are no good reason, not because people are against you. against you. LIBRA - Sept 23/Oct 23 LIBRA - Sept 23/Oct 23 You will the one put in charge of You will bebe the one put in charge of organizing major event this week, organizing a a major event this week, Libra. Take charge and own up your Libra. Take charge and own up toto your responsibilities. You can express yourresponsibilities. You can express yourself creatively. self creatively. SCORPIO - Oct 24/Nov 22 SCORPIO - Oct 24/Nov 22 Though you’re full energy and Though you’re full ofofenergy and would love rush into new activities, would love toto rush into new activities, it’s better take things a bit slower it’s better toto take things a bit slower and with more caution, Scorpio. Loved and with more caution, Scorpio. Loved ones agree. ones agree. SAGITTARIUS - Nov 23/Dec 21 SAGITTARIUS - Nov 23/Dec 21 Building a network colleagues and Building a network ofof colleagues and friends will help build your wealth friends will help build your wealth inin the days to come. Start small, and the days to come. Start small, and soon all your hard work will come soon all ofof your hard work will come toto fruition. fruition. CAPRICORN - Dec 22/Jan 20 CAPRICORN - Dec 22/Jan 20 You are very self-directed this week, You are very self-directed this week, Capricorn. You can easily agitated Capricorn. You can bebe easily agitated by anyone who challenges your posiby anyone who challenges your position on things. Ward off others with tion on things. Ward off others with a a polite smile. polite smile. AQUARIUS - Jan 21/Feb 18 AQUARIUS - Jan 21/Feb 18 It’s fun and good times from the moIt’s fun and good times from the moment you open your eyes this week, ment you open your eyes this week, Aquarius. You are the life the party Aquarius. You are the life ofof the party once again and you’ll turn every activonce again and you’ll turn every activity into adventure. ity into anan adventure. PISCES - Feb 19/Mar 20 PISCES - Feb 19/Mar 20 Stay focused on things that need Stay focused on things that need toto bebe done now, rather than those which done now, rather than those which may never happen, Pisces. Don’t live may never happen, Pisces. Don’t live by dread this week. by dread this week.
DVDs
(continued from Restaurant page) British prime minister who has amorous feelings towards the American President. Reminiscent of the Monty Python troupe, Lucas and Walliams play all the key roles themselves. Lucas is built like Lou Costello and is the more flamboyant of the pair. Walliams creates laughs with his deadpan countenance, as when he portrays Carol Beer, a frustratingly by-the-book hospital receptionist who refuses to let medical emergencies hurry her or steer her away from her version of proper hospital procedure. Extras include audio commentaries from all episodes with Lucas and Walliams, a making-of featurette, bloopers, and a character playlist where viewers can watch each character’s sketches back-to-back. “Taxi Blues” (Koch Lorber) is among the first works to address the end of the Soviet Union. Middle-aged taxi driver Shlykov (Pyotr Zaychenko) has always accepted the Soviet way of life and worked hard to attain the little he has. One night, a customer -- aimless, Jewish saxophone player Lyosha (Pyotr Mamonov) -- stiffs Shlykov on his fare. The cabbie chases down the hard-drinking musician and, after a rough start, a friendship develops between the
two. Shlykov lets Lyosha stay in his tiny apartment and suffers a financial setback for his troubles, but soon the young musician is sent on a jazz tour of America. When he returns to Moscow a star, the embittered Shlykov looks to renew their old friendship. Director Pavel Lounguine has staged some interesting scenes of the two men from diverse backgrounds engaging in political and social debate -- two men who are so far apart in their social strata that, unless bound by circumstances, they would never speak with any depth to each another. The DVD has no extras. The film is in Russian with English subtitles. “Jurassic Fight Club: The Complete Season One” (A&E Home Entertainment) is for dinosaur lovers. This four-disc set chronicles new discoveries made by forensics experts about these prehistoric beasts. Apart from the scientific information, the series features amazing computer generated interpretations of dinosaurs, which illustrate how the creatures might have looked millions of years ago. There are 12 digitalized battles between these huge monsters, backed by science and technological research.
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