In my review of The Conspirator, I talked about highlighting hidden gems in theaters that get lost amongst the noise of the big tentpole pictures.  This is the second movie I referred to in that review.

Woody Allen has been making movies for as long as I can remember.  Sadly, though what sticks out in my mind is his personal life.  While I have seen clips and sections of some of his work, I have never sat through an entire movie of his.

Until now…

Midnight in Paris is a simple film that follows a Hollywood writer on vacation in Paris.  He falls in love with the city as he imagines what it was like in the roaring 20s, with Picasso and Hemingway.  His fiancé is not as enamored with Paris as he is and that provides our tension for the story.  As our protagonist explores Paris at night, we follow him as he seemingly steps into the 20s and interacts with those of that time.  Woody Allen does a great job of keeping things very simple, allowing the audience to accept what is shown without challenging the willing suspension of disbelief in each person.  Much like reading a book, we accept the idea of time-travel because it is kept in terms we understand.  After all, it does not matter how we go to the 20s, just that we are simply there.

What helps this movie shine is Allen’s ability to let the images of Paris speak for itself in such a way that it becomes as vital a character to the story as any human cast member.  Speaking of cast, there are some really good performances to be seen.  Owen Wilson, playing down the idiot/buffoon and playing up the pure innocence, turns in one of his best performances.  Rachel McAdams seems to channel part of her Mean Girls character as the fiancé who just doesn’t understand.  Supporting turns by Kathy Bates and Adrien Brody help flesh out a relaxing 90-minute story.

My advice: Pay full price if it is still playing in your area; it is a great date movie, and I think Spaldy would agree with me that this is more of a film than a movie…

One of the joys I have in going to the movies is uncovering those hidden treasures that get obliterated by the major studios’ latest “tentpole” picture.  The Conspirator is one of two such movies I will be highlighting today.

So, one night I was watching Piers Morgan Tonight and he had Robert Redford on to discuss his latest directorial effort, The Conspirator.  The movie is about the trial of Mary Surat for her role in the Lincoln assassination.  Now, I have always had an interest in this subject, so I continued to watch.  As the interview went on, Redford discussed the cast, which included Tom Wilkinson and Kevin Kline.  Now I knew I had to go check this one out.

On Easter Sunday, I found myself driving home from a friend’s family afternoon and decided to see what was playing.  When I saw The Conspirator had snuck in to theaters that weekend, my choice was obvious.  I was not disappointed.

The movie never tries to convince you of Mary Surat’s innocence or guilt – rather it focuses on whether due process can be ignored in times of war.  Now, most people think this is one of Redford’s ways of sticking it to Republicans over Iraq and Afghanistan, but in reality, we, as a nation, faced these same dilemmas during the Civil War.  The main difference is that we did not have 24/7 news channels focused on them.

James McAvoy turns in a solid performance as the war-hero-turned-lawyer who is forced to defend Ms. Surat, despite his belief that she should hang from the nearest tree.  Kevin Kline does a masterful job of showing the conflicting emotions of a man trying to hold a country together as the War Secretary.  Almost unrecognizable, Robin Wright (The Princess Bride) plays the defendant, at times sympathetic and at other times, cold and calculating.

My advice: check it out on-demand or when it hits Blu-ray; sadly, it did not last long in theaters with the onslaught of summer tentpoles…