Very Enjoyable Movie: THE QUEEN

My favorite actress, mega-talented Helen Mirren (who once kissed me on the cheek when I called her the "greatest actress on the planet "and declared "I love everything you have done") makes cold queen Elizabeth II seem human in the excellent new British film THE QUEEN. Directed by one of England's greatest talents, Stephen Frears (If you have not seen his outstanding recent movie DIRTY PRETTY THINGS, GO RENT IT AT ONCE!!!), this film has a terrific Brit cast and brings to life all the backstage drama of the week after Princess Diana's death, when the world was in mourning but the Royal family stayed secluded at Scottish Balmoral Castle, refusing to comment. New prime minister Tony Blair, finally, after six days of newspaper and public attacks on the queen and demands for an end to the British monarchy) persuaded her to lower the royal flag to half staff, fly back to London with her family and make a statement on TV about Diana's death and legacy.

This is a very smart, very revealing, emotionally satisfying picture about real history and real people--and its look at the inner workings of 10 Downing Street and the Royal family is very revealing and compelling.

As we are entering the fall, which is the year's main season for smart movies for adults, many outstanding films are on the way and several are currently in theatres, including Little Miss Sunshine, 49 Up, The Departed and The Illusionist. Later today I am off to my local art cinema to see Le Petit Lieutenant, which is up for six French Cesars (Oscars), including Best Picture, and which has been adored by critics here and overseas.

Rottentomatoes.com, where hundreds of reviews are turned into a numerical score of 0-100, based on the percentage of them who liked it, these are the current scores:

The Queen 98% loved it, 49 Up 96%, The Departed 93%, Little Miss Sunshine, 93%, Le Petit Lieutenant 81% and The Illusionist 75%. Just a few critics' quotes:

LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE: "You'll be delighted, if a bit breathless from laughing..." Ruthe Stein, San Francisco Chronicle.

"THE QUEEN is the most reverent irreverent comedy imaginable....It's a small masterpiece." David Edelstein, New York Magazine.

"To the extent that it opens a window into the puzzling business of growing older and affirms--with touching reflectiveness and exuberant humor--the suspicion that we are all in the same boat, 49 UP is priceless." Jan Stuart, Newsday.

"The tough, satisfying French film LE PETIT LIEUTENANT is ... a drama of the sort that rarely makes it to American screens, except on cable television." Manohla Dargis, New York Times.

"The original film (2002's Infernal Affairs, from Hong Kong) was gritty and entertaining; the new version (THE DEPARTED) is a masterpiece--the best effort Scorsese has brought to the screen since Goodfellas." James Bernardinelli, Reelviews.