In the Loop (2009)

2 nations separated by a large body of water
The US and Great Britain are planning a war.  Nobody seems to know what is going on, each side is trying to guess the other's real agenda, and the two sides are trying hard to get on the same page.  Both sides have their share of misunderstandings.  The British hurl insults like no other nation on earth. This is laugh out loud funny for the duration of the film.  Political satire at its best, In the Loop is based on the British TV show The Thick of It, which I've never seen but have to track down.  Apparently only about 80% of the dialogue is scripted.  And the creators have a 'swearing specialist' that they consult with on a regular basis.  Recommended if you like the faux documentary styling of The Office or A Mighty Wind.

In the Loop is on fire with 4 out of 5 Poblanos!

Director: Armando Iannucci
Writer: Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
Starring: Tom Hollander (Hanna), Peter Capaldi and James Gandolfini (The Sopranos)
Rotten Tomatoes: 94%
Metacritic: 83 out of 100

Hanna (2011)

Raise your child up in the way she should go
Hanna has been raised in the wilderness by her father.  She can hunt, track, and fight, plus she's multilingual and very smart.  When her father presents her with a button, she declares herself ready presses it, and launches herself into the world of espionage.  Hanna is an international thriller which winds its way from Scandinavia to North Africa and across Europe.  Teenage actress Saoirse Ronan who plays Hanna holds her own next to international superstars Cate Blanchett, and Eric Bana.  Well written, very nicely shot (watch for the long shots as Eric Bana leaves the bus station), and very entertaining.

With a good mix of revenge, action, intrigue, and espionage, Hanna gets 4 out of 5 Poblanos!

Director: Joe Wright (Pride & Prejudice, The Soloist)
Writer: Seth Lochhead and David Farr
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Cate Blanchett, and Eric Bana.
Rotten Tomatoes: 71%
Metacritic: 65 out of 100