Director: Anne Sewitsky
Starring: Agnes Kittelsen, Henrik Rafaelsen, Joachim Rafaelsen, Maibritt Saerens
Studio: Magnolia Home Entertainment
MPAA Rating: R
Run Time: 88 minutes

Film: 2 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1/2 out of 5 stars

This film is a Norwegian comedy from 2010 ( if you can consider it a comedy). It was also elected as the Norwegian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Academy Awards…I guess it was a slow year for them. This film is not funny at all and in fact is a little depressing in fact. I do not think that it is lost in translation either as I quite enjoyed “Trollhunter”, which was another Norwegian comedy from 2010. Running at 88 minutes the film still feels long and dragged out.

The film follows two couples that both have issues with their marriages. The story is setup when Eirik (Joachim Rafaelsen) and Elisabeth (Maibritt Saerens) to the country and end up next door to Kaja (Agnes Kittelsen) and Sigve (Henrik Rafaelsen). The couples get to know each other and the truth behind both couples are eventually found out. The couples strive to find out what does it take to be happy in your marriage.

I have to say the only saving grace for the film has to be Agnes Kittelsen. She is very cute and definitely keep my interest in the film, but that doesn’t make the movie any better. It just kept me from turning it off. There are no special features on the Blu-ray besides a US and an international trailer for the film. Overall, stay WAY away from this film for sure.

Created by: Adrian Hodges, Tim Haines
Starring: Andrew Lee Potts, Hannah Spearritt, Ben Miller, Ben Mansfield
Number of discs: 4
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Distributed by: BBC
Episodes: 13
Run Time: 581 Minutes

Volume: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

Volume 3 of “Primeval” includes Series 4 and 5 of the show, rounding up all 13 episodes. This show took a little while to catch on with me but it still manages to entertain with each season. These episodes include some decent special effects and awesome creatures like the Spinosaurus, ancient crocodiles, giant insects, and of course the T-Rex. If you are holding your breath for series 6, you might need to keep waiting since their has been no announcement but there is a spin-off in the works for this year called “Primeval: New World”.

I would love to say that the show looks amazing on Blu-ray but it is only presented at 1080i. It looks ok and it is better than DVD but definitely not up to par for Blu-ray. The sound is also disappointing with only a Dolby Digital 2.0 track included. Lastly if you are looking for special features, don’t look here. Firstly, we get some prequel webisodes, which are ok but nothing special. Lastly there is a featurette called “New Dawn: Making the New Primeval”, a basic EPK but worth a watch on the production. Overall fans of the show will enjoy this, otherwise I would just watch it on Netflix Instant.

Primeval Volume 3 is available 1/10 on Blu-ray and DVD at http://bit.ly/zkSLnN!

Synopsis: Monster hit Primeval roars back onto the screens for an extended third series. Still reeling from Stephen’s death and with the depth of Helen’s betrayal now revealed, Nick Cutter must fight to re-focus his embattled team. Cutter’s crew are joined by some new recruits in the form of maverick policeman Danny Quinn, sparky Egyptologist Sarah Page, and the new leader of the ARC’s security forces Captain Becker. But as the anomalies continue to present an unrelenting series of threats, the task in hand seems almost insurmountable. It’s not just deadly creatures the team has to contend with, they also face a threat to the future of not just the ARC but of mankind itself. Prepare for more explosive action as Primeval bares its newly sharpened teeth.

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Director: Jeremy Webb, Dave Moore, Alice Troughton
Starring: Colin Morgan, Bradley James, Anthony Head, Katie McGrath, Richard Wilson
Number of discs: 5
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distributed by: BBC
DVD Release Date: January 17, 2012
Run Time: 571 minutes

Season: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4 out of 5 stars

The series of “Merlin” has been around the block a few times so far. It debuting in the U.K, but has no luck in the US airing on NBC. But thanks to the Syfy channel for giving this show its life. The show is still going strong though…season four just premiered on Syfy on January 6, 2012 and season 5 airs in March on BBC in the UK. The shows performances still remains solid throughout season three. Colin Baker continues to show his talent as Merlin. Bradley James is a greater balance to Colin’s character. Angel Coulby has a smaller role in this season but her romance with Arthur gets some nice spotlight. Of course everyone loves, Anthony Head and he gets some great scenes as well. Another notable role in the show is the dragon (voiced by John Hurt).

Although not HD, the picture and audio are great on the DVD pushing the limited of standard definition with bright colors and an ass kicking Dolby 2.0 Stereo sound. The 13 episodes from season three are spread out over four discs with the entire fifth disc is set aside for special features. The extras included start with great commentaries from the directors and actors featured for episodes 1-3 and 10-13. Next up, the disc is packed with a bunch of great featurettes on the making of season. They go in great depth on the shows production and is worth checking out. There are also deleted scenes, outtakes, a photo gallery. Overall a great layout of special features for a great season.

Merlin Season 3 is available 1/17 on DVD at http://bit.ly/A759kY!

The legendary sorcerer returns with even more magic, adventure and romance. In the exciting third season, Merlin (Colin Morgan, Parked) must work harder than ever to conceal his unique abilities from the king and his war against magic. While battling deadly assassins and mystical monsters, the young wizard struggles to protect Prince Arthur in the perilous world of Camelot. As seen on SyFy.

Director: Takeshi Kitano
Starring: Takeshi Kitano, Kippei Shiina, Ryo Kase, Tomokazu Miura, Jun Kunimura
Distributed: Magnolia Home Entertainment
MPAA Rating: R
Run Time: 109 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

I think it is fair to call this film the Japanese take on “The Godfather”. It is a slow-burning drama packed with great action and mucho yakuza ass-kicking. Takeshi Kitano is a fantastic director, as well as an actor. I feel that this film really reaches the high level of directing like in Takeski did with “The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi”. The film is no-hold barred, brutal and packs some pretty great violence/gore. I also think that this film has a great story and plot build up, which leaves you on the edge of your seat. The Blu-ray presentation included great pictures and sound as well. Let’s just say that I am counting down the minutes for Takeshi to direct the sequel, “Outrage 2”.

The film focuses about several yakuza clans as they all aim to become the head family in the Japanese underworld. Long-time yakuza Otomo (Kitano) is fighting to get what he deserves and also trying to stay alive. He finds out that it is a very corrupt world and he is going up against everyone. He is surrounded by betrayal and vengeance all around and he is left fighting to keep his clan from getting wiped out by the other clans.

The bonus features section on the Blu-ray is packed with goodies. First there is an interview with the cast about the “Making Outrage: Way of the Yakuza”. “Inside Out: Behind The Scenes Documentary” is a very informative look at the production of the film. There are more interviews with the cast during panels and also at the film’s premiere. There is a feature called Red Carpet Premiere With Takeshi Kitano, it is cool to see his presence on the red carpet. Lastly there is trailer for the U.S. and International. It is hard to have a commentary track with foreign films but otherwise these extra wrap up another great release from Magnolia Home Entertainment.

Directed by: David M. Rosenthal
Starring: Abigail Breslin, Alessandro Nivola, Brittany Snow, Elizabeth Shue,
Peter Stormare
Distributed by: Tribeca Film
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running time: 107 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

This film is one of my favorites from 2011. The film didn’t get a big release and deserves a lot more attention. It’s story is really original and touching. The performances in the film from Abigail Breslin and Alessandro Nivola are top notch and packed with emotion. Besides the performances, I really enjoyed the original music created for the film by Gemma Hayes and Eef Barzelay. Also the songs are actually sung by Nivola and Breslin, which is very impressive. This is a must see film and definitely worth picking up on DVD.

The film is inspired by a true story about a 13-year old girl, Janie Jones (Abigail Breslin) is abandoned by her former-groupie mother (Elizabeth Shue), and informs fading rock star, Ethan Brand (Alessandro Nivola), that she is his daughter. Janie is left on the road with her new found father and his world is falling apart himself. The two of them embarks on a journey that might lead them both to be find what they are looking for.

Even though this film is so great, the special features are that great. Included on the disc is an brief but decent interview with JANIE JONES Team, presented by American Express. I was hoping for some features on the music created for the film, which I really enjoyed. Although it isn’t all lost since there is a good audio commentary track from director David M. Rosenthal and film’s producers.

Director: Uwe Boll
Starring: Dolph Lundgren, Lochlyn Munro, Michael Teigen, Natassia Malthe, Heather Doerksen
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
Running Time: 96 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

To start off, I am a fan of Uwe Boll’s films overall, they may not be the best but they are always fun to say the least. This film is very entertaining like its predecessor even though this film only carries a $7.5 million dollar budget compared to the first films $60 million dollars budget. There are less special effects but I feel that the story really picked up the slack in the film. The first film’s cast includes Jason Statham, Ray Liotta, Burt Reynolds, Matthew Lillard and Ron Perlman and the sequel is only carried by Dolph Lundgren and Natassia Malthe. But that is what money can buy you and this film does good with what it has. Overall though if you are a fan of his films this one is definitely worth checking out.

In this story, we follow Granger, an ex-Special Forces soldier, who travels back through time help save a kingdom from its leader. Taken from modern day, he faces an age of sorcery and of course has to go up against dragons. Granger finds out that the two worlds are actually connected and that he needs to defeats the forces of darkness and fulfill an ancient prophecy before it is too late.

The special features are lacking a bit but at least they include two commentary tracks from the director Uwe Boll and writer Michael Nachoff. Uwe’s track is much better than Michael’s for sure. The next two featurettes are short and a little bit too quick. “Behind the Scenes of In the Name of the King 2: Two Worlds” runs about 5 minutes and barely covers the production. “From Page to Screen: Writing In the Name of the King 2: Two Worlds” is another short interview with writer Michael Nachoff about working on the film. It is working watching once but runs short as well.

Directed by: Shawn Levy
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Evangeline Lilly, Dakota Goyo, Kevin Durand, Anthony Mackie
Distributed by: Touchstone Pictures
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running time: 127 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4 out of 5 stars

When I originally saw the trailer for this film, I couldn’t wait for it to be released…so I wouldn’t have to see the trailer anymore. After viewing it I was completely surprised at how entertaining it was after all. Hugh Jackman is definitely the action star, he knows action and he does it well. Though this film was all about the robots, they work together really well and the CGI was very impressive. The Blu-ray presentation was simply amazing. The video was super sharp and the sound boasting an amazing 7.1 surround track was unbelievable. This film definitely pushed the limits of Blu-ray’s capability and proved very impressive.

In case you don’t know the story it in short a live-action version of the board game “Rock ’em Sock ’em Robots” or at least I felt like it is. In part also it is based on the short story “Steel” by Richard Matheson (“I Am Legend”) and also the 1963 episode of “The Twilight Zone” of the same name. This is something that I was unaware of until after watching it, but it made me appreciate it quite more. The story is simple but it packs some great heart and definitely leaves you cheering and rooting for the underdog. I must also note that the film has an amazing score composed by non-other than the master Danny Elfman.

The special features are very amazing and I really enjoyed them all. Some extras are exclusive to Blu-ray such as “Second Screen: Ringside with Director Shawn Levy” adds more to the film while using an iPad but of course you first need an iPad. “Countdown to the Fight: The Charlie Kenton Story” portrays the rise and fall of Charlie Kenton’s boxing career. Very entertaining and fun! “Sugar Ray Leonard: Cornerman’s Champ” features Hugh Jackman talking about how he seeked out help from the legendary fighter. There are almost 20 minutes of deleted and extended scenes, all in HD and some with an explanation from director Shawn Levy. Some needed to be cut for timing and pacing but definitely worth a watch.

The rest of the special features are on the DVD as well as the Blu-ray disc. “Making of Metal Valley” is an informative feature on the behind-the-scenes of the film. It really shows the scale of the production. “Building the Bots” is the second featurette which focuses on the visual effects and the creating of the robots. Lastly there is a set of bloopers and delivers some good laughs and it wraps up a great disc of extras. Overall this is a must purchase on Blu-ray.

Directed b: Larysa Kondracki
Starring: Rachel Weisz, Vanessa Redgrave, Benedict Cumberbatch, David Strathairn, Monica Bellucci
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
MPAA Rating: R
Running time: 112 minutes

Film: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1 out of 5 stars

Honestly, the driving factor for me to watch this film was really only the cast. After watching it that hunch was proven, great acting was definitely the driving force for this film. The subject matter in this film is definitely intense dealing with human-trafficking but film feels like it drags in the middle and could have used a few tweaks in the pacing. First-time director Larysa Kondracki definitely shows her passion for the subject since it is based around a true story but misses the thrilling aspect for the film itself.

The film follows Kathy Bolkovac, a policewoman (Weisz), who takes a job as a peacekeeper in Bosnia, finds out that she is about to enter a whole new world of crime. She risks her job and life to help to uncover and bring to notice a child sex-slave and human-trafficking scandal, which even includes the United States involvement.

The Blu-ray video is decent and has a gritty look though which adds to the film. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 sound is decent but nothing to call home about. The only extra found on this Blu-ray unfortunately is called “Kathy Bolkovac: The Real Whistleblower”. It is a short featurette with interviews with the real Kathy Bolkovac, as well as Rachel Weisz, and the film’s writers and director. Overall, unless you are aware of this true story and find its topic interesting, I would steer clear.

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Directed by: Tom Brady
Starring: Nick Swardson, Christina Ricci, Don Johnson, Stephen Dorff
Distributed by: Sony Home Entertainment
MPAA Rating: R
Running time: 97 minutes

Film: 3.5 out 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

This film was gone in theaters before you could have even know it was there. It was very unpopular with the critics but I have to highly disagree. I honestly think it is one of the best Happy Madison Productions releases in the last 10 years. Nick Swardson is so likable and definitely has fun with this character. If you think this film is bad…have you even seen Adam Sandler’s recent pieces of crap…like “Jack and Jill” and “Grown-Ups”. this film should win an Oscar. It is just simple fun, stupid, yet simple.  Don Johnson is really crazy and funny and Kevin Nealon gets a few good one liners. the Blu-ray presentation is also very impressive as the video is extremely sharp and rocks the 1080p transfer. So love it or hate it, I found myself laughing out loud and really enjoyed this film.

Nick Swardson plays Bucky Larson, who is destine to travel to Hollywood to make it in the porn business. After finding out the his parents were in the business back in the 70’s, Bucky wants to follow in their footsteps. He is a simple person in a very complicated and advanced business. Along the way Buck meets Miles Deep (Don Johnson), who plans to turn Bucky into a star…but is the world ready for Bucky Larson?

The special features are made up of basically four featurettes. The first one is called “Laughter is Contagious” and it is a 5 minute gag reel, with a couple good laughs. “Behind the Teeth” is the real look into the production with discussions from the cast and crew. “Gary: Tough Customer” is a focus on Kevin Nealon and his under used funny character in the film. Lastly, we have “Bucky Sparkles” is honestly a feature on Bucky’s orgasms. It is laugh out loud funny. Overall, I think this film had horrible marketing in theaters but fans of Nick Swardson should definitely give it a chance as it is quite funny.

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Directed by: George Clooney
Starring: Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Marisa Tomei, Jeffrey Wright, Evan Rachel Wood
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
MPAA Rating: R
Running time: 101 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Normally, I stay far away from political dramas but this drew me in with its one hell of a powerful cast. George Clooney not only co-stars he directs, produces and co-wrote this film. Ryan Gosling continues to take over the world of acting. Paul Giamatti also gives a great performance and has great execution on his lines. Which brings me to discuss the dialogue in the film.  It is so sharp and leaves you hanging on every next word. The pacing of the film is also so fast yet very precise and well planned. This is a must to check out for sure if you haven’t already.

The story follows Stephen Meyers (Ryan Gosling), the Junior Campaign Manager, who is working with for Mike Morris (George Clooney), Governor of Pennsylvania, as they are campaigning to win the preliminaries for Ohio and secure the candidacy for the Democratic party. Of course in any political race there is lies, deceit and cover-ups. All that and more is included in this story and it asks the question: How much are you will to give up to win and how far are you looking to go?

The special features are a decent overall are are mostly saved by a strong commentary track from George Clooney and co-writer/co-producer Grant Heslov. It is a great companion to the film as they discuss the making-of elements of the film. Definitely enjoyable. Next up, the feature “Believe: George Clooney” features Clooney talking about wearing all the different hates on this production. Lastly “On the Campaign: The Cast of The Ides of March” is a short discussion with the actors in the film about the film and their roles. Even though the extras are short they still leave you mostly satisfied. Though in case you are looking for more the Blu-ray release contains more extras than the DVD.

Directed by: Krishnendu Majumdar, Luke Campbell
Starring: Karl Pilkington, Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant
Distributed by: BBC Worldwide Americas, Inc.
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
No. of episodes: 8
Running Time: 347 minutes

Series: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington are just such a great team. They could sit in a white room and they could make it funny. In this series, they decide to send Karl Pilkington all over the world and have him experience different cultures. Karl Pilkington is just so clueless and over the top funny. Whether or not he is joking is meaningless since almost every word out of his mouth is magic. Ricky Gervais’ laugh is also infectious. He just cracks you up every time if you don’t find it funny. A friend of mine suggested that his laugh should be a ringtone and I couldn’t agree more.

In this first series of 8 episodes called: “The Seven Wonders”, Karl gets sent to the following places: China, India, Israel, Jordan, Mexico, Egypt, Brazil and Peru. In China, he visit the Great Wall of China. In India, he visits the Taj Mahal. Episode 3, while in Israel we see Karl visit a few places like East Jerusalem for the Western Wall, the Palestinian territories Bethlehem, The Dead Sea and Petra in Jordan. In Mexico he explores Chichen Itza, the city built by the Maya civilization. In Egypt he visits the Great Pyramid of Giza. In Brazil he meets the statue of Christ the Redeemer. Lastly in Peru, he visits the 15th-century Inca site, Machu Picchu.

I think the special features are a little lacking but overall still decent if you are a fan of the trio. “The Preview Show” has a sit down with the group and it definitely get a few laughs. There are about 8 deleted scenes totaling about 15 minutes, which are great. Then the only extra left is a 3 minute slideshow of stills. I would have loved to have more hands on features from Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington and perhaps some commentaries or featurettes. I wish this was also released on Blu-ray in the States.  I know for sure that I am really looking forward to season two.

An Idiot Abroad: Season 1 now available on DVD at http://bit.ly/zQOTWr!
With friends like these, you’d be better off alone! In this hilarious travel series the co-creators of The Office and Extras, Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, send their mate Karl Pilkington (The Ricky Gervais Show) around the globe- against his will-to visit the Seven Wonders of the World. Along the way he’s forced to endure camel rides, dine on toads, search for a clean bathroom and worse!

JawsFest: The Tribute, the second official “Jaws” celebration scheduled for this August on Martha’s Vineyard, announced it’s first list of celebrity attendees.  Scheduled to appear at the celebration:

Brenda Siemer Scheider, widow of “Jaws” star Roy Scheider (Chief Martin Brody)

Virginia Shaw and the Shaw Family, widow and children of “Jaws” star Robert Shaw (Quint)

Carl Gottlieb, co-star and co-screenwriter of the film.  Mr. Gottlieb is also the author of the popular book, “The “Jaws” Log”

Susan Backlinie, who played Chrissie Watkins, the sharks first victim.

Greg Skomal, Marine Biologist best known as the “Shark Guy” on the Discovery Channel

Greg Nicotero, award winning Hollywood make up and special effects artist.

Edith Blake, local journalist/photographer and author of “On Location on Martha’s Vineyard: The Making of the Movie ‘Jaws'”

Susan and Lynn Murphy, whose work behind the scenes during the filming of “Jaws” was invaluable.

MediaMikes writers Mike Smith and Dave Picton will be covering the event from beginning to end with up to date reports and exclusive interviews with those in attendance.

Also this week Universal Studios announced that, in conjunction with the studios 100th Anniversary, they will be restoring thirteen classic films for possible theatrical re-release, including “Jaws.”  Other films scheduled for restoration include “All Quiet on The Western Front,” “The Sting,” “Out of Africa,” “Frankenstein,” and “Schindler’s List.”  The studio announced late last year that “Jaws” would be released on Blu-Ray this coming August, hopefully to coincide with JawsFest.”

JawsFest: The Tribute will be held on Martha’s Vineyard from August 9-12, 2012. For more information go to www.jawstribute.com.

Directed by: Mark Mylod
Starring: Anna Faris, Chris Evans, Joel McHale, Zachary Quinto, Martin Freeman, Andy Samberg, Anthony Mackie, Blythe Danner, Ed Begley, Jr.
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
MPAA Rating: R / Unrated
Running time: 106 minutes (R-Rated), 117 minutes (Unrated)

Film: 1 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

Since “Scary Movie” series, Anna Faris’ films really haven’t appealed to me, this one is no different. In fact I think it might be the worst one and she seems to spend a lot of time shows off her fake boobs. I am a fan of Chris Evans but it is sad that he is in this film the same year as the great “Captain America: The First Avenger”. But I guess for woman watching this film he walks around naked half the movie and I am sure they will enjoy it more. The film has terrible pacing and feels long after the first 30 minutes. The film does have some decent yet awkward  brief cameos from SNL’s Andy Samberg as a creepy puppeteer and Reno 911’s Thomas Lennon as a creepy gynecologist.

After losing her job, Ally (Anna Faris) reads a magazine article called “What’s Your Number?”, which tells the average number of people America sleeps with.  Ally realizes that her number is nearly double the average at 19.  She decides to track down her ex-boyfriends in hopes to find one to marry and to avoid going over 20 men that she has slept. Ally gets some help from her neighbor Colin (Chris Evans), who sleeps around, so guess what happens next while she tracks down her past exes.

The “ex-tended” unrated cut just adds 11 minutes to the already unbearable 106 minutes. Just to note there is also a DVD and digital copy of the movie included in case actually enjoyed it.  The special features on the disc are also lame, There are about 17 minutes of deleted scenes, nothing worth wild. The gag reel is decent and runs about 7 minutes and that is it on the features besides a trailer and some previews for upcoming Fox films. No audio commentaries or behind-the-scenes features, even though I wouldn’t watch them anyway.

On January 12th, we were proud to present Angelina Jolie in a Live online Q&A brought to you by PartnersHub. “In The Land of Blood and Honey” is the first film Angelina has written and directed. Fans were be able to ask Angelina questions LIVE! See the video below to hear her responses to those questions.

“In the Land of Blood and Honey” has been nominated for a Golden Globe. In the film, Angelina Jolie tells the love story between a Bosnian Serb who is in charge of a prison camp and a Muslim artist who is taken prisoner during the Bosnian War in the early 1990’s.

Behind The Scenes Photo With Angelina Jolie:

Promotional Film Still:

Starring: Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent and Richard E. Grant
Directed by: Phyllida Lloyd
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hour 45 mins
The Weinstein Company

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

November 2008. As the daily papers highlight the recent terrorist bombings in Turkey a kindly old lady is sitting down to breakfast with her husband. Over their eggs she complains about the price of milk. A knock on the door alerts her to a busy day of book signings. Such is a day in the life of Margaret Thatcher.

Skillfully portrayed by Meryl Streep, on her way to Academy Award nomination number 17, “The Iron Lady” is a look at the decisions Thatcher made that took her from a little respected member of Parliament to one of the most famous leaders of the 20th Century. The story is told in two parts. The flashback sequences show how Thatcher, played by Alexandra Roach in these scenes, went off to Oxford, became a barrister and began her fight for the people of England. The modern day scenes are curious because though we see Thatcher speaking constantly with her husband, Dennis (Broadbent), she is only doing so in her mind. Dennis Thatcher passed away in 2003.

Director Lloyd, who directed Streep previously in “Mama Mia!,” stages these intimate scenes between Margaret and Dennis well. But she relies too much on dramatic music and heavy dialogue to establish Margaret Thatcher’s toughness. After Argentina invades the Falkland Islands it is her decision to go to war. The music builds as she is told one of the Argentine ships that attacked is steaming away. “Sink it,” she spits out to her naval commander. But even these detractions can’t take away from the masterful performance Streep delivers. Of course, she’s been delivering them for more than three decades so I don’t understand why I seem surprised.

The supporting cast is also first rate. As Dennis Thatcher, Broadbent brightens each scene he’s in. Ms. Roach also shines as the young Margaret as does Grant who plays Michael Heseltine, who challenged Thatcher’s leadership of the Conservative Party, which later led to her resignation.