"I Finally Saw The King's Speech!"

"Because I have a right to be heard. I have a voice!"-King George IV

I skipped two days of movie watching to finish my book (The Things They Carried if anyone cares). So it won't be fourteen consecutive days of movie watching and I don't even know if I will watch fourteen films, but I am trying and I do have a list of certain films I will watch before the summer is over.
The 3rd film I watched was Tom Hooper's Oscar Award winning film, The King's Speech. I had been meaning to see it since awards season, I just had not gotten around to it. I really liked it. The cast in particular I thought was superb. Colin Firth completely deserved the Oscar for his portrayal of King George the VI. He portrayed the journey of a man trying to find his voice with conviction and passion. He was wonderfully supported by Geoffrey Rush, who was just eccentric enough to be lovable as well as believable. Helena Bonham-Carter also appeared in one of her most normal roles ever. I am constantly surprised how she can play both the completely insane ala Bellatrix Lestrange, Mrs. Lovette, and Marla Singer as well as the Shakespearean and royal.
Now comes the big statement, early on in my review and months late. I think The Social Network deserved to win the Oscar. The King's Speech was a great film. There were touching moments and long, beautiful shots of the characters' faces as the contemplated the enormity of their situation. However, it felt like it was all something I had seen before. It was old, not only in subject matter, but in style. That was one of the things I liked best about The Social Network, it felt new. The music, the camera work, and the editing all drew the viewer into a world not very far removed from own own and still make it feel refreshing. I loved the sharpness of it; not only in the dialogue, but in the very pace of the film itself. There were moments of The King's Speech that I felt dragged and while it build to a rousing conclusion, it was too late. But there is nothing Hollywood loves more than the story of an underdog overcoming adversity. That was what the The King's Speech was about- the amazing true story of a man who refused to give up despite the odds against him. And while that is not refreshing or new, it is uplifting, something theater-goers have always liked to see.
Alas, last year's award season is over and discussions of this year's films are already beginning so it matters little. The film was still enjoyable and one I am glad to have finally seen.
Review: Needs Milk