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The King's Speech (2010)

Colin Firth (Actor), Helena Bonham Carter (Actor)
Tom Hooper (Director)
Rated: R

Product Description –

After the death of his father King George V (Michael Gambon) and the scandalous abdication of King Edward VIII (Guy Pearce), Bertie (Colin Firth) who has suffered from a debilitating speech impediment all his life, is suddenly crowned King George VI of England. With his country on the brink of war and in desperate need of a leader, his wife, Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter), the future Queen Mother, arranges for her husband to see an eccentric speech therapist, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). After a rough start, the two delve into an unorthodox course of treatment and eventually form an unbreakable bond. With the support of Logue, his family, his government and Winston Churchill (Timothy Spall), the King will overcome his stammer and deliver a radio-address that inspires his people and unites them in battle. Based on the true story of King George VI, THE KING'S SPEECH follows the Royal Monarch's quest to find his voice.

Rabbit Hole (2010)

Nicole Kidman (Actor), Aaron Eckhart (Actor)
John Cameron Mitchell (Director)
Rated: PG-13

Amazon.com -
What happens after the unthinkable happens? Rabbit Hole, based on the Tony-winning play by David Lindsay-Abaire and deftly directed by John Cameron Mitchell, slowly reveals the answer: something else unthinkable. Rabbit Hole is a moving, dark character study of what happens to a happily married couple, Becca and Howie (Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart), who suddenly lose the love of their life, their 4-year-old son. As in real life, the grief portrayed in Rabbit Hole takes peculiar twists and turns, and the deep sorrow and tragedy of the story is leavened by dark humor--much of it coming from Kidman. While Rabbit Hole is not an upbeat film, it's emotionally resonant in the ways of some of the best films on similar subjects--like Ordinary People, Revolutionary Road, In the Bedroom. Both Kidman and Eckhart bring true humanity to roles that could have been one-dimensional. Kidman, especially, rejects the platitudes offered by the grievance support groups and well-meaning friends. When one acquaintance explains the loss of her own child as, "God needed another angel," Kidman's Becca snaps. "Then why wouldn't He have just made another angel? He's God, after all. Why not just make another angel?" The beauty and power of Rabbit Hole comes from showing how Becca and Howie make it back to a life they can bear--and, just maybe, to each other. The excellent supporting cast includes Sandra Oh (another member of the support group) and Dianne Wiest as Becca's mom, who's been through something similar. Everything about Rabbit Hole feels genuine, almost delicate, from the cinematography to the gentle but extremely moving score. Rabbit Hole is one of the most moving dramas and one of the saddest films a viewer will feel gratified to embrace. --A.T. Hurley