“The Last Station,” 4 December 2010 (2009), DVD. Very interesting look at Tolstoy’s last days as his wife and his disciples battle over control of his writings. Superb and affecting work by Christopher Plummer as Tolstoy and Helen Mirren as the Countess Sofya (I can’t even begin to describe the crush I have on her). I was a bit disconnected from Paul Giamatti’s character, Tolstoy’s main disciple, who is played as a devious and almost evil caricature, more than a character. A lovely, romanticized presentation of the tension of thought and practice in Tolstoy’s writings and the two leads are amazing. Nonetheless, I found myself strangely detached from the overall story arc and that may have come from some of the unnecessary melodrama, including the musical backdrop, that graced the film. Still, watch this one for two older, brilliant pros doing fine and heartfelt work.