theOneliner.com: Handling the Truth

WARNING: May contain traces of "Convilms". Scott is in India searching for ancient treasure this week, so it falls to Craig and Drew to round up some of the best and worst movies clogging the multiplexes this awards season. 127 Hours, Hereafter, Black Swan, The King's Speech and The Green Hornet 3D all get a bloody good going over, so don't say you weren't warned or you'll be next. Alright?

It's awards season again: that wonderful time of year when the days are cold, yet the warmth of your local multiplex cocoons within the wonders of many an awards-nominated delight. The screener fairy is making her rounds right now too, eager to remind you that "This film is the property of the Weinstein Company", though nobody ever seems to remember to tell the man at the market stall that...

127 Hours has been called many things, ranging mostly from "a good film" to "an excellent film". You can only count on one review team, however, to give you the definitive info you need and describe it as a film where "only two things move: some water up a tube and a raven". You want the truth? YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH! Whatever the truth, James Franco is excellent in it.

The arrival of a new Clint Eastwood film is, more often than not, something to look forward to. Unfortunately it seems like Drew and Scott (judging by his blog) feel like they've taken one for the team by viewing Hereafter, a tale of psychics and life after death that appears to have strummed rhythmically on the boys' tedium strings for two hours. And who knew Matt Damon saw dead people? Is there no end to the man's talents?

Faith is restored by Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan, a film so good in the eyes of most critics that they will now finally forgive the director for his comedy moustache. Natalie Portman excels in what will surely be an Oscar-nabbing performance as a ballerina whose sanity begins to crumble as she takes on dual roles in a production of Swan Lake. Much mischief manifests in mirrors.

Another critical darling this season is The King's Speech, it's star Colin Firth himself gathering a head of trophy steam. It's the tale of Britain's King George VI, a poor devil blighted by crippling speech impediments who faced the prospect of broadcasting a national address to rival that of Hitler in the lead-up to World War II. As well as deciding this was A Good Film, Drew and Craig conclude that calling Hitler "charismatic" is not a crime, nor does it make one a Nazi.

Perhaps unfotunately this week's podcast might leave you with a buzzing in the ear, as we wrap up with the disappointing The Green Hornet. Having languished in production hell for over a decade now, the reins are finally picked up by Michel Gondry of all people and, by all accounts, immediately let go of in favour of workman-like direction that displays none of the director's usual class and visual inventiveness.

So there you go. With any luck normal, professional service will resume next time once Scott returns from India with his secret treasure. Or Dysentery.