Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

I promise that this is a good movie, a good spy movie with intrigue and complex plotting and great acting. Here's what it isn't-it isn't The Bourne Whatever. Jason Bourne is a fake spy. He's a fun and exciting fake spy but he's a fake spy. George Smiley, as written by John LeCarre and performed by Gary Oldman is much closer to the real world of espionage. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy gives you more insight into the reality of the Cold War. But there is a problem- reality isn't all that cinematic. This is a British spy film-more akin to Howard's End than the Bourne Series. The first hour is sleepy. Like double-espresso sleepy. You have to stick with it. The rewards of this intelligent film about the intelligence business come slower, sneakier and more understated. So chug some caffeine and put it in the Blu-ray.
The plot is this: Control (John Hurt) is the dying head of a British Spy Agency. He has figured out that there's a highly placed mole in the outfit and has given several leaders code names-tinker, tailor, soldier, poorman and beggerman-one of these guys works for the Russians. After Control dies, it falls to aging spy master George Smiley to find out which one is the mole, and he methodically sets out to do so. The result is an intriguing exercise in spy work, suspenseful in its own way, and totally worth watching. Gary Oldman's understated work earned him an Oscar nomination. The word understated has been used to describe Oldman's work exactly, ummmm...never. At least until now. He is brilliant in the role.
This is a good watch, especially if the spy genre interests you, but prepare for it--with lots of caffeinated beverages.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

This film is the American version of the Swedish films that were a worldwide phenomenon. It's set in Sweden and all the actors speak with a generalized accent that I suppose might be Swedish. I'm really not sure why they remade a good foreign film except to recast---and cash in. But let's talk about this as if those other films didn't matter.
This is a whodunit. A bleak, dark, and often disturbing whodunit. In point of fact it is three mysteries rolled into one, which is why this film feels like it has three endings. A journalist (Danial Craig) is hired to research a murder that happened long ago in a very rich and powerful Swedish family, all of whom have been living with this crime for decades and none of whom want to rehash the thing again. A lot of stonewalling ensues. Enter crack investigator/researcher Lisbeth (Rooney Mara), a darkly pierced and somewhat disturbed young woman who has her own issues with violence toward women. Together the intrepid duo track down a serial killer and begin to untangle the problems in their own lives.
The reason to see this film is for it's characterizations and uniqueness. The mystery genre has never seen a character like Lisbeth. And Rooney Mara plays her with fierceness and steel. She got a well-deserved Oscar nomination. But be warned-this film is disturbing to a high degree both in specific scenes and in general tone. If violence toward women disturbs you this might not be for you (even though the women often prevail and survive). I often felt, well, kind of unclean watching this film. This is a rough-textured genre piece, but Rooney Mara is often brilliant and the journey is ultimately worth the bumpy ride.