Review: 'The Iron Lady', a film by Phyllida Lloyd (*1/2)

It is indicative of the The Iron Lady's own weaknesses and of the self-consciousness with which the film's creators approach its subject-matter that director Phyllida Lloyd and leading lady Meryl Streep have been announcing to all and sundry that their film is not a biopic of Margaret Thatcher. The statement is in itself highly questionable, for a film that revisits the life of a public person from their youth to old age must necessarily be a biopic, just as a film where the characters momentarily abandon the storyline to sing songs is a musical or an account of a young man's day on the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944 is a war drama.

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San Sebastian 2011 review: 'Albert Nobbs', a film by Rodrigo García (**)

The key to the success of any film ascribed to the cross-dressing subgenre is whether the central performance is able to create an autonomous character who can live beyond the limitations of the gender gimmick. Sadly, Glenn Close's commendable effort to inhabit the character of Albert Nobbs, a woman dressed as a man to make a living as a waiter in 19th Century Ireland, completely fails to do so, for it has nothing more going for it than its gimmick. Not once during the almost two hours of this overlong, stagy rendering of George Moore's short story does the viewer (at least the one writing this review) have the impression to be watching anything else than a hugely popular actress, with coincidentally androgynous looks, dressed in drag for the sake of self-important farce.

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2011 Oscar countdown: WGA, Annie Awards and Best Actress

I owe an apology to the readers of Imitation. I've been a little bit tied up during the last few days and I've neglected the Oscar race. I address this apology particularly to those who have written asking about the reasons for this hiatus in such a crucial moment of the awards season. Nothing flatters a blogger's ego more than anonymous interest, so thanks for that and sorry again. I promise to remain focused from now on until the big night.

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