This is a disturbing yet brilliantly crafted film. At first one is tempted to categorize it as a coming of age film as we share in the life of a 13 year old Jasira, an
Arab-American girl.
But as the film progresses, we find that the themes represented go far beyond the hazards of growing up and coming to terms with one's sexuality. The story is more accurately about the responsibility of adults.
A thriller based on Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window, Disturbia is the tale of Kale (Shia LaBeouf, a 17-year-old boy who loses his father in a tragic car accident. Sentenced to house arrest a year later after punching out his teacher for making a careless remark about his father, Kale begins to become voyeuristic, spying on his neighbor whom he begins to suspect is a serial killer. Disturbia will leave you on the edge of your seat with genuinely chilling moments and an engaging leading actor in Shia "The Beef", perfectly cast as the slightly disturbed Kale. Don't miss this thrilling film.
The simple birth of a baby to a teenage junkie leads a midwife (Naomi Watts) into the heart of the Russian mafia in Eastern Promises. Director David Cronenberg does a wonderful job of accurately and realistically portraying the Vory v Zakone in London. Viggo Mortensen, apparently still in the mob mentality after A History of Violence, successfully portrays a tattooed mafia driver and sports a convincing Russian accent. Eastern Promises is certainly not for everyone, as it is a very adult look at the mysterious and often violent world of the Russian mafia. If you liked A History of Violence or are interested in the world of the Vory, then this film is for you.
