Always fun to make predictions and see how catastrophically wrong you got it after the event. I will be staying up to watch the Oscars on Sunday night so can watch first hand it all unfold and will post the results as soon as we have the full list. So here we go:
Best Picture: 12 Years a Slave. America is obsessed with slavery
Best Director: Alfonso Cuáron (Gravity). For the special effects
Best Actor: Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club). Its going to happen and then he'll win an Emmy for True Detective completing the set.
Best Actress: Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine). If anyone else wins Ill be pissed.
Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club). Academy loves people who lose lots of weight
Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle). June Squibb should win for Nebraska but the academy loves J-Law.
Best Original Screenplay: American Hustle. Funny with great characters will see it through.
Best Adapted Screenplay: The Wolf of Wall Street. They'll find a way to give something to Scorcese's movie.
Best Documentary: The Act of Killing. Stunning documentary by all accounts.
Friday, 28 February 2014
Thursday, 27 February 2014
Film Review: All is Lost
Director: J.C. Chandor
A 2013 survival film is the second feature film from new director J.C. Chandor whose first was the sublime Margin Call, which won The Rolling Picture Award for Best Picture in 2012 which I'm sure he was delighted about. Robert Redford was brought on board by Chandor after his first film was shown at the Sundance Film Festival in 2011, from there the film was shot at studios in Rosarito Beach in Mexico.
A un-named man (Robert Redford) wakes up to see his boat is leaking water after it collided with a shipping container that was floating in the Indian Ocean. He manages to force the container free by using a sea anchor and then driving the boat away before going to work on patching up the hole so it doesn't continue to leak water. As he tries to use the broken radio to communicate for assistance he realises a big tropical storm is coming his way and that his problems might just be beginning.
The film itself is almost a silent movie with Robert Redford the only soul onboard carrying the film himself so naturally there is little conversation with no-one to talk to. Its a hugely demanding role not just in the physical sense but to be able to carry an entire movie by yourself and very little script so it needed a veteran actor of Redford's experience. To have that confidence to be able to carry off this sort of film is imperative and Redford is certainly not short of that.
Redford's character is hit by one catastrophe after another reminiscent of the film The Perfect Storm but in a film like this you never get the threat of danger until the film act, they can hardly kill off the only character in the whole film after 30mins. This is the polar opposite of Titanic, a stripped down catastrophe inflicted to one lone man in a film that is surprisingly devoid of emotions. Chandor keeps his distance to survey his leading man from afar without seeing closeups of his face conveying his emotions which was a surprising twist. A bold but solid second film for Chandor leaves me intrigued to see how his next film A Most Violent Year will go.
2.5/4 Engaging but sparse aquatic drama
A 2013 survival film is the second feature film from new director J.C. Chandor whose first was the sublime Margin Call, which won The Rolling Picture Award for Best Picture in 2012 which I'm sure he was delighted about. Robert Redford was brought on board by Chandor after his first film was shown at the Sundance Film Festival in 2011, from there the film was shot at studios in Rosarito Beach in Mexico.
A un-named man (Robert Redford) wakes up to see his boat is leaking water after it collided with a shipping container that was floating in the Indian Ocean. He manages to force the container free by using a sea anchor and then driving the boat away before going to work on patching up the hole so it doesn't continue to leak water. As he tries to use the broken radio to communicate for assistance he realises a big tropical storm is coming his way and that his problems might just be beginning.
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| The storm prepares to batter the Virginia Jean |
Redford's character is hit by one catastrophe after another reminiscent of the film The Perfect Storm but in a film like this you never get the threat of danger until the film act, they can hardly kill off the only character in the whole film after 30mins. This is the polar opposite of Titanic, a stripped down catastrophe inflicted to one lone man in a film that is surprisingly devoid of emotions. Chandor keeps his distance to survey his leading man from afar without seeing closeups of his face conveying his emotions which was a surprising twist. A bold but solid second film for Chandor leaves me intrigued to see how his next film A Most Violent Year will go.
2.5/4 Engaging but sparse aquatic drama
Wednesday, 26 February 2014
This week's releases
The Book Thief: Based on the popular novel, during the horrors of World War Two Germany we see young Liesel (Sophie Nélisse) steal books and share them with others. Whilst at home they have a Jewish refugee seeking refuge from the Nazi's. Naturally no-one speaks German despite the obvious setting although the Nazi officers speak German to each other, not the first film to work in this hugely odd manner with language.
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Non-Stop: Hot off the success of Taken and the not so popular Taken 2, Liam Neeson returns into action as Bill Marks who is an air marshal on a flight that is at risk unless the airline transfers $150 million to an off-shore bank account. So naturally only one man can save the passengers and stop the evil guys from escaping with the money.
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Ride Along: Fast-talking security guard Ben (Kevin Hart) joins his cop brother-in-law James (Ice Cube) on a 24-hour patrol of Atlanta in order to prove himself worthy of marrying Angela, James' sister. Very much a comedy version of the film Training Day.
Tuesday, 25 February 2014
Film Review: Crazy, Stupid, Love
Director: Glenn Ficarra and John Requa
A romantic comedy from 2011 that elevates itself above the usual dross genre of rom-coms with a clever dose of comedy and a distinct lack of predictability over the affairs of love. From the impressive cast, Ryan Gosling was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a musical or comedy but unsurprisingly he lost out to Jean Dujardin in The Artist.
Cal Weaver (Carrell) has been told that his wife (Julianne Moore) wants a divorce and that she had an affair with another man. Cal is obviously shocked and drinking heavily in a local bar he runs into Jacob Palmer (Ryan Gosling) who says the reason his wife left him is because he lost sight of who he is as a man. They finally agree to meet the next day so Jacob can help him dress and act accordingly to be a man who women would be interested in. Elsewhere Hannah (Emma Stone) is hoping to pass the bar to become a lawyer and has possibly been promised the offer of an engagement by her boyfriend Richard (Josh Groban) if she does.
The film has a cynical edge at its heart which separates it from the genre that it currently dwells within. The divorce between Cal and Emily Weaver feels very real with a direct effect on their kids, especially Robbie (Jonah Bobo) who has his own love problems with his babysitter Jessica (Analeigh Tipton) which produces its own strand of laughs. Its a film that starts off incredibly strongly and manages to save itself at the end from what is a pretty average middle act, save for one clever plot twist.
The early jokes mostly stem from the conversations between the swarve Jacob and the Dad type Cal. This is arguably the funniest section of the movie as the jokes and put downs are often well observed and witty. Whilst the second half does descend slightly into the more slapstick and crude jokes that are much easier to reach, which is a shame but not so prevalent that it will put you off entirely. Ryan Gosling is impressive as the quick witted Jacob whilst Steve Carell plays the sort of character he really excels at, a more straight character rather than the annoyingly over the top Brick Tamland type we saw in Anchorman 2.
3/4 Fresh and funny romantic comedy
A romantic comedy from 2011 that elevates itself above the usual dross genre of rom-coms with a clever dose of comedy and a distinct lack of predictability over the affairs of love. From the impressive cast, Ryan Gosling was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a musical or comedy but unsurprisingly he lost out to Jean Dujardin in The Artist.
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| Jacob Palmer (Gosling) with Cal Weaver (Carell) |
The film has a cynical edge at its heart which separates it from the genre that it currently dwells within. The divorce between Cal and Emily Weaver feels very real with a direct effect on their kids, especially Robbie (Jonah Bobo) who has his own love problems with his babysitter Jessica (Analeigh Tipton) which produces its own strand of laughs. Its a film that starts off incredibly strongly and manages to save itself at the end from what is a pretty average middle act, save for one clever plot twist.
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| Hannah (Emma Stone) with her opinionated friend Liz (Liza Lapira) |
3/4 Fresh and funny romantic comedy
Monday, 24 February 2014
Film Review: Her
Director: Spike Jonze
Released in the last few weeks in the UK meant it was ineligible for any nominations at the recently awarded BAFTA's but its American release date meant it was in contention at the Golden Globes and the Oscars, with most nominations going to Joaquin Phoenix as the lead and Spike Jonze for the screenplay. Although it did create some debate around Scarlett Johansson's performance as the voice of Samantha about whether someone could be nominated for purely lending their voice to a role, it almost created the same debate that Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) has in the film regarding Samantha.
Theodore is a lonely man living in Los Angeles and working at a company that writes romantic letters on behalf people to their other halves who either dont have the time or the ability to do so. He's currently in the middle of a divorce to Catherine (Rooney Mara) and has his friend Amy (Amy Adams) trying to set him up on dates. Theodore lives a quiet existence more intrigued with playing computer games and wallowing in his loneliness before he buys a new artificially intelligent operating system called Samantha (Scarlett Johansson) who changes his outlook on life entirely.
"Falling in love is a crazy thing to do, its like a socially acceptable form of insanity" is a powerhouse of a line from Amy Adams when discussing Theodore falling in love with a computer. Is this the next step in the evolution of humans to be able to disconnect from each other as people and have relationships with intelligent pieces of software? This Pygmalion story for the 21st century openly questions the validity of this relationship, Theodore's ex-wife cuttingly criticizes it and stating that he's only chosen this because he can't deal with the hassle of a human relationship.
Her opens with some funny moments, the best of which being Theodore's attempts for middle of the night cybersex with another woman who can't sleep which goes tragically wrong, but as it develops it becomes a more straight-laced melodrama. As inevitable in all relationships the honeymoon period ends and with that the laughs are replaced with more serious moments and conversations about what two people want. Theodore's huge desire not to commit after the failure of his marriage is the main stumbling block for him being happy with someone. But the other more subtle question at the heart of this movie is whether he really wants to be happy or whether he prefers living in wallowing self pity?
The supporting cast are actually anonymous for large parts of the film as the focus is solely put on Theodore and Samantha as we share their most intimate moments, although the screen is black for their attempt at cybersex. Joaquin Phoenix has proven in the past that he can carry a movie as the lead and he once again does so here, Scarlett Johansson's husky tones do bring Samantha to life but the film loses its focus and direction through the final act. Spike Jonze appears unsure where to go with the film before the story is wrapped in a slight surprising yet baffling way. Maybe all those old sci-fi movies were correct and the machines will take over but in a slightly less apocalyptic manner.
3.5/4 Thoughtful yet bittersweet journey through one mans loneliness
Released in the last few weeks in the UK meant it was ineligible for any nominations at the recently awarded BAFTA's but its American release date meant it was in contention at the Golden Globes and the Oscars, with most nominations going to Joaquin Phoenix as the lead and Spike Jonze for the screenplay. Although it did create some debate around Scarlett Johansson's performance as the voice of Samantha about whether someone could be nominated for purely lending their voice to a role, it almost created the same debate that Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) has in the film regarding Samantha.
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| Theodore at the beach with Samantha |
"Falling in love is a crazy thing to do, its like a socially acceptable form of insanity" is a powerhouse of a line from Amy Adams when discussing Theodore falling in love with a computer. Is this the next step in the evolution of humans to be able to disconnect from each other as people and have relationships with intelligent pieces of software? This Pygmalion story for the 21st century openly questions the validity of this relationship, Theodore's ex-wife cuttingly criticizes it and stating that he's only chosen this because he can't deal with the hassle of a human relationship.
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| Theodore on his blind date with Amelia (Olivia "Thirteen" Wilde) |
The supporting cast are actually anonymous for large parts of the film as the focus is solely put on Theodore and Samantha as we share their most intimate moments, although the screen is black for their attempt at cybersex. Joaquin Phoenix has proven in the past that he can carry a movie as the lead and he once again does so here, Scarlett Johansson's husky tones do bring Samantha to life but the film loses its focus and direction through the final act. Spike Jonze appears unsure where to go with the film before the story is wrapped in a slight surprising yet baffling way. Maybe all those old sci-fi movies were correct and the machines will take over but in a slightly less apocalyptic manner.
3.5/4 Thoughtful yet bittersweet journey through one mans loneliness
Friday, 21 February 2014
This week's releases
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Nymphomaniac: The latest Lars von Trier movie which is currently clocking in at around the 4 hour mark for both volumes I and II (the directors cut presumably saved for DVD is a whopping 330mins). The film follows a self diagnosed nymphomaniac as she recounts her erotic sexual experiences over the years and since its von Trier probably has some horrible degrading experiences.
A Winter's Tale: Colin Farrell stars as a a burglar who falls in love with a rich heiress (Jessica Brown Findlay) as she dies in his arms against the backdrop of a dark and snowy New York City. But can the gift of re-incarnation bring his love back to life?
Thursday, 20 February 2014
Film Review: The LEGO Movie
Director: Phil Lord and Chris Miller
The latest LEGO movie (there have been many previous that went straight to DVD) goes all out with a bigger budget, a renowned cast and a far reaching marketing campaign. The LEGO brand is experiencing a bit of a renaissance at the moment as young kids are introduced to it and adults are becoming re-acquainted with one of their favourite childhood toys. Phil Lord and Chris Miller are mostly known for writing and directing Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs.
The Wizard Vitruvius attempts to protect the "Kragle", a superweapon, from the evil Lord Business. He fails to do so, but warns Lord Business of a prophecy where a person called the "Special" will find the Piece of Resistance capable of stopping the Kragle. Meanwhile, Emmet is an ordinary construction worker who happens to come across a woman named Wyldstyle and whilst following her falls down a hole and finds the piece of resistance, so its down to him and Wyldstyle to stop the world from being destroyed.
The opening scenes showing a far too enthusiastic Emmet in his world preparing for work is arguably the funniest part of the movie, the trailer really does show most of the best jokes unfortunately. Batman also swoops into make some decent jokes and some arguably terrible bat puns, whilst the film does have a laugh at its on expense on many an occasion.
All of the animated CGI effects are grand in scale and in impressive whilst keeping the slightly flawed features of LEGO itself. Its a film that entirely embraces its retro look and combines it seamlessly with the latest animated technology. The film itself is presumably not really aimed at me so its not really worth going into much depth on that but one thing that stood out for me is that I want to make a double decker sofa for my living room.
2.5/4 Oddly funny and likeable
The latest LEGO movie (there have been many previous that went straight to DVD) goes all out with a bigger budget, a renowned cast and a far reaching marketing campaign. The LEGO brand is experiencing a bit of a renaissance at the moment as young kids are introduced to it and adults are becoming re-acquainted with one of their favourite childhood toys. Phil Lord and Chris Miller are mostly known for writing and directing Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs.
The Wizard Vitruvius attempts to protect the "Kragle", a superweapon, from the evil Lord Business. He fails to do so, but warns Lord Business of a prophecy where a person called the "Special" will find the Piece of Resistance capable of stopping the Kragle. Meanwhile, Emmet is an ordinary construction worker who happens to come across a woman named Wyldstyle and whilst following her falls down a hole and finds the piece of resistance, so its down to him and Wyldstyle to stop the world from being destroyed.
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| Emmet with Batman |
All of the animated CGI effects are grand in scale and in impressive whilst keeping the slightly flawed features of LEGO itself. Its a film that entirely embraces its retro look and combines it seamlessly with the latest animated technology. The film itself is presumably not really aimed at me so its not really worth going into much depth on that but one thing that stood out for me is that I want to make a double decker sofa for my living room.
2.5/4 Oddly funny and likeable
Wednesday, 19 February 2014
Film Preview: The Raid 2: Berendal
The original film released in 2012 was a slow burner on release that quickly became a cult classic by fans of the martial arts movie from Asia. It was also surprising to note that it was written and directed by Gareth Davies who hails from Hirwaun in South Wales. The sequel was an idea thrown around by the production crew after they failed to get funding a film called Berendal ("thugs" in Indonesian) and went for a simpler film which turned out to be The Raid. The success of the original film gave them the funding they required for a larger scale production on a more ambitious script.
The sequel literally follows straight on from the end of the first movie, Rama (Iko Uwais) having survived the apartment block goes undercover and looks to infiltrate the gang responsible in Jakarta. All whilst protecting his family from retribution for the previous events as he continues to uncover corruption in the police force.
The Raid 2: Berendal is released in the UK on Friday 11th April (great day) and the trailer is embedded below:
The sequel literally follows straight on from the end of the first movie, Rama (Iko Uwais) having survived the apartment block goes undercover and looks to infiltrate the gang responsible in Jakarta. All whilst protecting his family from retribution for the previous events as he continues to uncover corruption in the police force.
The Raid 2: Berendal is released in the UK on Friday 11th April (great day) and the trailer is embedded below:
Tuesday, 18 February 2014
Film Review: The Passenger
Director: Michelangelo Antonioni
The 1975 French-Italian drama that was released at the Cannes Festival and competed for the Palme d'Or but lost out to Chronique des Années de Braise. The film is often praised for its excellent use of camerawork and the fantastic locations used including Barcelona, the province of Almeria in Spain and the North African desert.
David Locke (Jack Nicholson) is a frustrated TV journalist who is searching for rebels who are fighting a civilian war in an un-named African country. He has been unable to find them so far and his Land Rover has just broke down in the desert so he heads back to the hotel where he meets an Englishman named Robertson who says he is there on business. After Locke finds Robertson dead in his hotel room he decides to swap identities with him and report that Locke has died to escape his monotonous life.
Jack Nicholson is impressive as the nomadic David Locke who ditches his mundane life to live the life of another and possibly bites off more than he can chew. His life in England was uninteresting living in suburbia with his wife so he escapes to become the man he thinks he wants to be. The film does present some great ideas around identity and personality but the plot itself is excruciatingly slow in developing after the first act, Antonioni is ponderous in his direction and pauses to admire the view on many an occasion.
2/4 Beautifully shot but achingly slow plot
The 1975 French-Italian drama that was released at the Cannes Festival and competed for the Palme d'Or but lost out to Chronique des Années de Braise. The film is often praised for its excellent use of camerawork and the fantastic locations used including Barcelona, the province of Almeria in Spain and the North African desert.
David Locke (Jack Nicholson) is a frustrated TV journalist who is searching for rebels who are fighting a civilian war in an un-named African country. He has been unable to find them so far and his Land Rover has just broke down in the desert so he heads back to the hotel where he meets an Englishman named Robertson who says he is there on business. After Locke finds Robertson dead in his hotel room he decides to swap identities with him and report that Locke has died to escape his monotonous life.
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| David Locke with his stricken Land Rover |
2/4 Beautifully shot but achingly slow plot
Sunday, 16 February 2014
BAFTA Winners 2014
Best Film:12 Years a Slave
Best Leading Actor: Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
Best Leading Actress: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Best Supporting Actor: Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips
Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle
Director: Alfonso Cuaron for Gravity
Best Animated Film: Frozen
Best Original Screenplay: American Hustle - Eric Warren Singer & David O. Russell
Best Adapted Screenplay: Philomena - Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope
Best Documentary: The Act of Killing
Outstanding British Film: Gravity
Fellowship: Dame Helen Mirren
Interesting things of note were the absence of Jennifer Lawrence who was apparently shooting a movie so was unavailable, maybe she didnt want to risk a long trip to lose the Best Supporting Actress award like last year when Emmanuelle Riva was surprisingly chosen for her role in Amour. Films like Her and Dallas Buyers Club were ineligible for the awards due to their late release date in the UK which meant films like Captain Phillips muscled their way into contention for the main awards. At the end it was announced that The Act of Killing won the Best Documentary and it is a truly excellent piece from what I've heard, I'm still summoning up the courage to sit through it.
Best Leading Actor: Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
Best Leading Actress: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Best Supporting Actor: Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips
Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle
Director: Alfonso Cuaron for Gravity
Best Animated Film: Frozen
Best Original Screenplay: American Hustle - Eric Warren Singer & David O. Russell
Best Adapted Screenplay: Philomena - Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope
Best Documentary: The Act of Killing
Outstanding British Film: Gravity
Fellowship: Dame Helen Mirren
Interesting things of note were the absence of Jennifer Lawrence who was apparently shooting a movie so was unavailable, maybe she didnt want to risk a long trip to lose the Best Supporting Actress award like last year when Emmanuelle Riva was surprisingly chosen for her role in Amour. Films like Her and Dallas Buyers Club were ineligible for the awards due to their late release date in the UK which meant films like Captain Phillips muscled their way into contention for the main awards. At the end it was announced that The Act of Killing won the Best Documentary and it is a truly excellent piece from what I've heard, I'm still summoning up the courage to sit through it.
Friday, 14 February 2014
Film Review: Airplane!
Director: Jim Abrahams, David and Jerry Zucker
Released in 1980, Airplane set out to mock the slew of disaster movies that were released throughout the 1970's but is mainly based on the 1957 movie Zero Hour! The film went on to be a huge financial and critical success with many lauding it as one of the greatest comedy films of all time. It also opened the door for a whole genre of spoof movies that followed including a less successful sequel released two years later.
Ex-fighter pilot Ted Striker (Robert Hays) is dumped by his girlfriend Elaine (Julie Hagerty) for his refusal to move on from the past. Ted is still traumatized by an accident that happened during an unknown war (generally seen to be the Vietnam War) which means he has a pathological fear of flying and has struggled to hold down a job since. He nervously boards a flight to Chicago though to be able to speak to her just as problems start to arise for the passengers and crew.
The jokes range from puns to slapstick and are plentiful throughout the movie with some running gags thrown in for good measure. Leslie Nielsen as Dr. Rumack instinctively has excellent comic timing and Lloyd Bridges produces a performance that instantly put him in the frame as a great comedic actor for future films (Hot Shots films for instance). Bridges is also spoofing his 1970–1971 television role as airport manager Jim Conrad in San Francisco International Airport. My rating is biased as I've always loved this film but its still a classic.
4/4 Hilarious parody movie that created a genre
Released in 1980, Airplane set out to mock the slew of disaster movies that were released throughout the 1970's but is mainly based on the 1957 movie Zero Hour! The film went on to be a huge financial and critical success with many lauding it as one of the greatest comedy films of all time. It also opened the door for a whole genre of spoof movies that followed including a less successful sequel released two years later.
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| The auto-pilot, Elaine and Ted in the cockpit |
The jokes range from puns to slapstick and are plentiful throughout the movie with some running gags thrown in for good measure. Leslie Nielsen as Dr. Rumack instinctively has excellent comic timing and Lloyd Bridges produces a performance that instantly put him in the frame as a great comedic actor for future films (Hot Shots films for instance). Bridges is also spoofing his 1970–1971 television role as airport manager Jim Conrad in San Francisco International Airport. My rating is biased as I've always loved this film but its still a classic.
4/4 Hilarious parody movie that created a genre
Thursday, 13 February 2014
Film Review: It All Starts Today
Director: Bertrand Tavernier
With the current political landscape completely mired in talk of recession, budget cuts and government deficits. The cost of living is increasing whilst wages are stagnant, it is leaving a lot of people in poverty especially in poor towns up in the North of England. It All Starts Today is a French movie released in 1999 set in a small Northern town in France that is suffering from the same economic malaise, the rundown housing in the towns are almost identical to what you would see around any city in the UK. Its a film that has become even more relevant since its release and centers round the suffering the children at a kindergarten go through as their parents have no money.
Philipe Torreton is simply incredible as the headteacher Daniel Lefebvre of the small kindergarten that is suffering due to overcrowding in classrooms and a lack of funding from the local government. The local mine has shutdown meaning the loss of thousands of jobs for the local people. He is constantly forced to go beyond the call of his job to help pupils who are sent to school with no food or are being bulled by other pupils or even their families. Throughout the film you can see the losing battle that the teachers are facing as more pupils fall into poverty whilst a government turns its back on its problems.The interactions between Torreton and the pupils were filmed 'as live' and involved a lot of improvisation as the children just responded like they would do in a classroom rather than it being rehearsed beforehand.
The disgusting squalor that some children have to live in is truly shocking and depressing. This is a film that packs a real emotional and political punch as we starkly follow the struggles of the town with families having there electricity and gas cut off just ahead of winter by energy companies to pressure them to pay. The local mine has shutdown meaning the loss of thousands of jobs for the local people and naturally there is no assistance for the town to help those most in need.
4/4 Truly stunning and touching film
With the current political landscape completely mired in talk of recession, budget cuts and government deficits. The cost of living is increasing whilst wages are stagnant, it is leaving a lot of people in poverty especially in poor towns up in the North of England. It All Starts Today is a French movie released in 1999 set in a small Northern town in France that is suffering from the same economic malaise, the rundown housing in the towns are almost identical to what you would see around any city in the UK. Its a film that has become even more relevant since its release and centers round the suffering the children at a kindergarten go through as their parents have no money.
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| Daniel Lefebvre (Philipe Torreton) |
The disgusting squalor that some children have to live in is truly shocking and depressing. This is a film that packs a real emotional and political punch as we starkly follow the struggles of the town with families having there electricity and gas cut off just ahead of winter by energy companies to pressure them to pay. The local mine has shutdown meaning the loss of thousands of jobs for the local people and naturally there is no assistance for the town to help those most in need.
4/4 Truly stunning and touching film
Wednesday, 12 February 2014
This week's releases
Her: A lonely writer, played by Joaquin Phoenix, straight from a breakup falls in love with a new computer operating system much to the surprise and chagrin of his-ex. Believing he is in love with more just a computer but somebody with a consciousness as he experiences joy but then inevitable doubt. Also starring Amy Adams, Rooney Mara and Scarlett Johansson as the voice of the computer.
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Cuban Fury: A British ballroom dance based comedy starring Nick Frost as the overweight former salsa prodigy who re-kindles his love of dancing to impress a woman he likes (Rashida Jones). He naturally struggles to get back into dancing after 22 years away from the floor whilst also competing against his nemesis Drew (Chris O'Dowd).
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The LEGO Movie: An ordinary guy/lego figure called Blake (Craig Berry) is mistaken for the Master Builder and forced to fight against an evil lego tyrant called The President (Will Ferrell). He enlists the help of a lego Batman (Will Arnett) and Lucy (Elizabeth Banks) in his quest to stop the Lego universe being glued together.
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The Monuments Men: Based on a true story of an American platoon which was tasked with retrieving stolen art pieces from Nazi thieves towards the end of World War Two. A stellar cast including Matt Damon, George Clooney, John Goodman, Bill Murray and Cate Blanchett come together for one of the most impressive ensembles in recent months.
Tuesday, 11 February 2014
Film Preview: The Double
An upcoming dark comedy directed by Richard Ayoade whose debut film Submarine was impressive and compelling (although it didnt quite fair as well with the critics). He's mostly known for his roles in The IT Crowd and Garth Marenghi's Darkplace whilst also starring in Hollywood comedy The Watch last year with Vince Vaughn and Ben Stiller that flopped in at the box office. The film premiered at the Toronto Film Festival on 7th September 2013 to excellent reviews.
Simon (Eisenberg) is a quiet shy man whose life seems to be passing him by as he's shunned at work and not liked by the woman he loves, Hannah (Mia Wasikowska). But then he meets James who is his exact physical double but is the opposite in terms of personality, he's outgoing and confident but slowly Simon begins to realise that James is trying to take over his life.
The Double is released in the UK on 4th April 2014 and the trailer is embedded below:
Simon (Eisenberg) is a quiet shy man whose life seems to be passing him by as he's shunned at work and not liked by the woman he loves, Hannah (Mia Wasikowska). But then he meets James who is his exact physical double but is the opposite in terms of personality, he's outgoing and confident but slowly Simon begins to realise that James is trying to take over his life.
The Double is released in the UK on 4th April 2014 and the trailer is embedded below:
Monday, 10 February 2014
Film Review: No Country for Old Men
Director: Joel and Ethan Coen
A film noir from 2007 by the infamous Coen brothers who continue to impress with original films, this time they adapt the book of the same name by Cormac McCarthy. Among its four Oscars at the 2007 Academy Awards were awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. The film probably has the most in-common with Fargo out of the Coen brothers earlier works with the story surrounding murders and an older experienced police detective trying to solve the crime.
Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) is out hunting and finds the aftermath of a drug deal gone wrong in the desert in Texas. He steals two million dollars from a duffel bag and heads home after being chased away by two men in a pickup truck, he escapes into the next county after sending his wife to her mothers to be safe. The problem he has is that Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) is the ruthless hitman that has been hired to recover the money and will stop at nothing to find it. Amongst all this experienced Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) is tasked with solving the mystery around the drug deal and the string of deaths following the stolen money.
Javier Bardem is excellent as the cold killer Anton who uses a captive bolt pistol to execute his victims and break through locked doors. He portrays almost no emotion and has only one goal, to recover the stolen money. The tension Bardem brings to every scene is incredible, you almost know what he's going to do at each turn but you will him not to do it.Whilst Tommy Lee Jones as the weary police sheriff is clever, wily but tired of the violence that continues to blight his county which leads to a clever but slightly beguiling ending to the film. Its also interesting to note that the three main characters (Moss, Chigurh and Bell) almost never share the screen at the same time.
The film is incredibly faithful to the 2005 book and works hard to depict the gritty violence of the novel, whilst the almost predestined turn of events are nothing new in the Coen brothers work. The Coens are markedly less interested in who (if anyone) gets away with the loot than in the primal forces that urge the characters forward. This isn't just a simple crime drama about who escapes with $2 million but something much deeper.
3.5/4 One of the Coen brothers finest film to date
A film noir from 2007 by the infamous Coen brothers who continue to impress with original films, this time they adapt the book of the same name by Cormac McCarthy. Among its four Oscars at the 2007 Academy Awards were awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. The film probably has the most in-common with Fargo out of the Coen brothers earlier works with the story surrounding murders and an older experienced police detective trying to solve the crime.
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| Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) |
Javier Bardem is excellent as the cold killer Anton who uses a captive bolt pistol to execute his victims and break through locked doors. He portrays almost no emotion and has only one goal, to recover the stolen money. The tension Bardem brings to every scene is incredible, you almost know what he's going to do at each turn but you will him not to do it.Whilst Tommy Lee Jones as the weary police sheriff is clever, wily but tired of the violence that continues to blight his county which leads to a clever but slightly beguiling ending to the film. Its also interesting to note that the three main characters (Moss, Chigurh and Bell) almost never share the screen at the same time.
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| Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) |
3.5/4 One of the Coen brothers finest film to date
Saturday, 8 February 2014
Film Review: Dallas Buyers Club
Director: Jean-Marc Vallée
One of the films taking the latest awards season by storm is based on the true story of Ron Woodruff who contracted HIV and subsequently fought illegally imported drugs not available on the market in the US from abroad. The screenplay was created by Craig Borten who interviewed Woodruff shortly before his death and did the rounds in the mid-90's with little success, at one point Dennis Hopper was slated to direct and Woody Harrelson in the title role but again it never came to fruition. Jared Leto admitted he was once sent a script but never actually read it before he became reinvolved with the project this time with Matthew McConaughey.
Ron Woodruff (Matthew McConaughey) is an electrician and rodeo cowboy in 1985 Dallas, he contracts HIV and is given around 30 days to live. He struggles to come to terms with his condition as he's strongly homophobic and believes the disease only affects homosexual men. After investigating his illness he realises that the FDA in America is refusing to certify many drugs to help manage AIDS that are available in other countries so starts a business importing the drugs to sell to local sufferers with Rayon (Jared Leto).
The one man campaign against the system that he believes is killing him by denying him the drugs is bold, its not a true story of one man fighting for the silent AIDS sufferers as he sees it purely as a business venture. Ron isn't the sort of man to turn down the opportunity to make a quick few dollars. The relationship created between Rayon is sharply witty at times as they trade jokes and barbs in the early going. In a world of legal and ethical loopholes being exploited on both sides, Jennifer Garner plays the upstanding moral guardian of the story as Dr. Eve Saks. Her role was a bit muddled at times and was more of a character for Ron to play off with some clever lines than a fully fledged character whose developed at any length
To be honest the dramatic weight loss is one of the less exciting aspects of the roles played by McConaughey and Leto as they both produce excellent performances, especially Leto whose nonchalance masks a brittle and damaged personality after years of drugs and rejection from his family due to his lifestyle. One scene where Leto is topless though shows the incredible amount weight he must have lost for this role though. In terms of Oscar nominations I'm not convinced McConaughey is a definite winner, outside of the dramatic weight loss which is always a huge plus with Oscar voters, its an impressive but not necessarily leagues apart from his peers. But Jared Leto is possibly closer to being rewarded come March but its still early days in the race.
3/4 Bold but with a dry wit adds to strong acting performances
One of the films taking the latest awards season by storm is based on the true story of Ron Woodruff who contracted HIV and subsequently fought illegally imported drugs not available on the market in the US from abroad. The screenplay was created by Craig Borten who interviewed Woodruff shortly before his death and did the rounds in the mid-90's with little success, at one point Dennis Hopper was slated to direct and Woody Harrelson in the title role but again it never came to fruition. Jared Leto admitted he was once sent a script but never actually read it before he became reinvolved with the project this time with Matthew McConaughey.
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| Ron Woodruff (Matthew McConaughey) |
The one man campaign against the system that he believes is killing him by denying him the drugs is bold, its not a true story of one man fighting for the silent AIDS sufferers as he sees it purely as a business venture. Ron isn't the sort of man to turn down the opportunity to make a quick few dollars. The relationship created between Rayon is sharply witty at times as they trade jokes and barbs in the early going. In a world of legal and ethical loopholes being exploited on both sides, Jennifer Garner plays the upstanding moral guardian of the story as Dr. Eve Saks. Her role was a bit muddled at times and was more of a character for Ron to play off with some clever lines than a fully fledged character whose developed at any length
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| Rayon (Jared Leto) |
3/4 Bold but with a dry wit adds to strong acting performances
Friday, 7 February 2014
Film Review: The Bone Collector
Director: Phillip Noyce
This 1999 thriller had disappeared deep into my memory banks and was only rekindled when I was given the original book of the same name by Jeffrey Deaver to read. Having quite enjoyed the book I thought I'd re-assess the film against the original text, as always with films some subplots are cut out and certain developments shelved to keep the running time low. But even with this the film felt rushed through the second half, the subtle nuances of the book and the impressive way that Deaver created the tension and threat were less implied. The serial killer felt more like a clever human being in the book, due to him narrating certain chapters without giving away any of the plot
Police Officer Amelia Donaghy (Jolie) is called to investigate a hand sticking out of the ground by the railway tracks, she quickly realises its a dead body with the finger chiseled down to the bone. Tetraplegic forensics expert Lincoln Rhyme (Denzel Washington) is put on the case but insists that Officer Donaghy stay on the case as well to work the crime scenes as a forensics expert due to her good instincts. After initial resistance she agrees as they work out where the next murder will be based on the clues left at the last murder by the killer in a race against time to save lives.
Even with certain parts of the book removed, the film felt rushed through the second half, the subtle nuances of the book and the impressive way that Deaver created the tension and threat were less implied. The serial killer felt more like a clever human being in the book, due to him narrating certain chapters without giving away any of the plot, as in the film he is a remote character who is barely visible except for one scene which made him less human and therefore less threatening.
The acting in the film is more than capable from the leads Jolie and Denzel, they both intriguingly portray the brittle but stubborn characters very well. The only thing lacking is the real panic and urgency that would be apparent from two people in charge of chasing down a serial killer before he claims another victim, its almost a detached and emotionless puzzle that they are solving not one involving real victims at times. In searching for a crime thriller you could do a lot better than The Bone Collector but you could also do a lot worse.
1.5/4 Formulaic and almost emotionless crime thriller
This 1999 thriller had disappeared deep into my memory banks and was only rekindled when I was given the original book of the same name by Jeffrey Deaver to read. Having quite enjoyed the book I thought I'd re-assess the film against the original text, as always with films some subplots are cut out and certain developments shelved to keep the running time low. But even with this the film felt rushed through the second half, the subtle nuances of the book and the impressive way that Deaver created the tension and threat were less implied. The serial killer felt more like a clever human being in the book, due to him narrating certain chapters without giving away any of the plot
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| Lincoln Rhyme (Denzel Washington) with Nurse Thelma (Queen Latifah) |
Even with certain parts of the book removed, the film felt rushed through the second half, the subtle nuances of the book and the impressive way that Deaver created the tension and threat were less implied. The serial killer felt more like a clever human being in the book, due to him narrating certain chapters without giving away any of the plot, as in the film he is a remote character who is barely visible except for one scene which made him less human and therefore less threatening.
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| Officer Amelia Donaghy (Angelina Jolie) |
1.5/4 Formulaic and almost emotionless crime thriller
Thursday, 6 February 2014
This week's releases
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Dallas Buyers Club: Ron Woodroof is a hustler in the mid-80's who works outside of the law to get AIDS medication for patients after he is diagnosed with the disease himself. An Oscar nominated movie that is renowned for the huge weight loss by its stars Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto as they both play AIDS victims.
Full Preview Here
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An Oversimplification of Her Beauty: Based around the feelings of a young man who feels terrible after being stood up on a date by a mysterious woman. It questions the ideas of what are the feelings you experience in a momentary meeting with someone you're attracted to?
RoboCop: A remake of the original from 1987 sees Joel Kinnaman play the infamous RoboCop in Detroit in 2028, Alex Murphy is critically injured in the line of duty so OmniCorp sees its opportunity to create a part man, part robot crime fighting machine in the corrupt and lawless Detroit. Exploring similar themes of machines ruling the population and the ideals of what it means to be human.
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Mr. Peabody & Sherman: Animated comedy as Using his most ingenious invention, the WABAC machine, Mr. Peabody and his adopted boy Sherman hurtle back in time to experience world-changing events first-hand and interact with some of the greatest characters of all time.
Wednesday, 5 February 2014
Film Review: Inside Llewyn Davis
Director: Joel and Ethan Coen
The recent released musical drama from the Coen brothers is a melancholy look at the 1960's folk scene in Greenwich village in New York. The film centers around fictional folk singer Llewyn Davis (played by Oscar Isaac) who is partly based on the real singer Dave Van Ronk who wrote an autobiography. All of the songs are sung in full and live with the exception of "The Auld Triangle" at the Gaslight Cafe which is actually lip-synced, the performances are excellent especially by Oscar Isaac who has surprisingly impressive singing voice.
The film shows a week in the life of Llewyn Davis, a folk singer who is struggling after his latest album is bringing him no money and his previous singing partner committed suicide. He lives from day to day sleeping on various people's sofa's and performing in the local folk clubs to earn money, most notably the Gaslight Cafe. He explores many different avenues to try and earn money through his singing all whilst looking after a friend's cat that escaped from their flat when he was letting himself out one morning.
In many ways the film is largely plotless, with its ouroboros like structure its more a glimpse into the rather depressing life of a struggling singer regardless of the time or genre of music they perform. The idea for the movie came from a simple yet rather odd question, what if Greenwich Village legend Dave Van Ronk had been beaten up in an alleyway outside Gerdes Folk City in 1961? So from Llewyn Davis being beaten up by a mysterious man for heckling a performer whilst drunk the night before we follow the downbeat and self-pitying Llewyn as he moves around New York searching for his big break and possibly what he feels is missing in his life.
A central theme to the film is a ginger tabby cat that Llewyn looks after and loses which continually re-appears thoughout the movie in different places, was it the same cat that he sees in many different places or different cats that look the same? One theory being that the cat represents Llewyn's dead singing partner Mike, constantly trying to escape the life he had (by committing suicide) with Llewyn chasing him trying to stop him from doing so. With one of the final scenes showing him stopping the cat from escaping the apartment unlike the beginning of the movie which is him severing the ties for being responsible for the cat/Mike.
The folky soundtrack is simply beautiful throughout, even with the help of Marcus Mumford who I personally can't stand normally on the track "Fare thee well", its an absolute triumph. Justin Timberlake is clearly a singer based on his career and Carey Mulligan already proved her vocal prowess in the movie Shame with an almost acapella rendition of New York, New York, but Oscar Isaac has lovely smooth voice that is totally befitting of the genre he is performing.
One quite funny scene cuts to the very core of Llewyn's failure in the movie, he is asked to be a session guitarist for Jim at a recording studio for the cheesy song "Please Mr. Kennedy" about an astronaut not wanting to go into outer space. Llewyn mocks the song before realising that Jim wrote it and it quickly shows why he cannot get off the bottom rung of the musical ladder, his strict morals for the music he loves clearly holding him back.
3.5/4 Charmingly melancholy with a beautiful soundtrack
The recent released musical drama from the Coen brothers is a melancholy look at the 1960's folk scene in Greenwich village in New York. The film centers around fictional folk singer Llewyn Davis (played by Oscar Isaac) who is partly based on the real singer Dave Van Ronk who wrote an autobiography. All of the songs are sung in full and live with the exception of "The Auld Triangle" at the Gaslight Cafe which is actually lip-synced, the performances are excellent especially by Oscar Isaac who has surprisingly impressive singing voice.
The film shows a week in the life of Llewyn Davis, a folk singer who is struggling after his latest album is bringing him no money and his previous singing partner committed suicide. He lives from day to day sleeping on various people's sofa's and performing in the local folk clubs to earn money, most notably the Gaslight Cafe. He explores many different avenues to try and earn money through his singing all whilst looking after a friend's cat that escaped from their flat when he was letting himself out one morning.
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| Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac) with the cat |
A central theme to the film is a ginger tabby cat that Llewyn looks after and loses which continually re-appears thoughout the movie in different places, was it the same cat that he sees in many different places or different cats that look the same? One theory being that the cat represents Llewyn's dead singing partner Mike, constantly trying to escape the life he had (by committing suicide) with Llewyn chasing him trying to stop him from doing so. With one of the final scenes showing him stopping the cat from escaping the apartment unlike the beginning of the movie which is him severing the ties for being responsible for the cat/Mike.
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| Jim (Justin Timberlake) and Jean (Carey Mulligan) sing with Troy Nelson (Stark Sands) |
The folky soundtrack is simply beautiful throughout, even with the help of Marcus Mumford who I personally can't stand normally on the track "Fare thee well", its an absolute triumph. Justin Timberlake is clearly a singer based on his career and Carey Mulligan already proved her vocal prowess in the movie Shame with an almost acapella rendition of New York, New York, but Oscar Isaac has lovely smooth voice that is totally befitting of the genre he is performing.
One quite funny scene cuts to the very core of Llewyn's failure in the movie, he is asked to be a session guitarist for Jim at a recording studio for the cheesy song "Please Mr. Kennedy" about an astronaut not wanting to go into outer space. Llewyn mocks the song before realising that Jim wrote it and it quickly shows why he cannot get off the bottom rung of the musical ladder, his strict morals for the music he loves clearly holding him back.
3.5/4 Charmingly melancholy with a beautiful soundtrack
Tuesday, 4 February 2014
Top 5 Movies of 2013
With the end of 2013 long gone, now is a good time to grade the top 5 films of last year. This is different to any Oscar list for Best Movie because I'm not paid to vote for a certain movie, but mainly because it only includes films realised in the UK in 2013 which excludes most Oscar films as they don't make it to the UK till 2013 (think Dallas Buyers Club, The Wolf of Wall Street, Her for example this year). Last years winner was the French film Untouchable which just beat Margin Call.
The link for the top 5 movies at the half way point is here.
Honourable mention to Gravity and Side Effects as they both came close but just missed out ahead of the list above. If you'd asked me halfway through Gravity I'd have said it was #1 but unfortunately it did tail off quite badly. So on to the list:
5. Only God Forgives
The ultra-violent yet highly stylish thriller which reunited Drive compatriots Nicholas Winding Refn and Ryan Gosling polarized critics like no other film in 2013. It was a more subtle and less straight forward affair where Gosling has his thunder stolen by Lt. Chang played by Vithaya Pansringarm whose the ruthless cop who spends his spare time singing karaoke about his pain and lost love. The violence may be too much for some but its a beautifully shot film that has a lot more going on beneath the surface than you may realise.
4. Zero Dark Thirty
A well nominated film at the Oscars last year that is included due to its January release date in the UK. Jessica Chastain as Maya is pushed to the limits of her sanity in tracking down the worlds most wanted Osama bin Laden. Kathryn Bigalow strips away any American patriotism in favour of showing the dark side of how the Americans used torture tactics at Guantanamo Bay to help find their suspect. The film itself was overshadowed by the debate over the use of torture and its effectiveness unfortunately but its a supremely dark thriller.
3. Fruitvale Station
Technically not formally released in the UK yet, the story of the final day in the life of Oscar Grant III after he was unlawfully killed by a police officer after riding the BART transportation system in San Francisco is harrowing and upsetting. Michael B. Jordan is excellent in the lead role giving a troubled yet determined performance whilst Octavia Spencer is the mother constantly worried about the choices in life her son has made.
2. Before Midnight
The third and possibly final piece in the series by Richard Linklater that spans nearly two decades is an excellent piece on a love that has lost its spark as the couple have been ground down by life, children and previous relationships. Once again the film relies almost exclusively on its script to entertain you with only one scene that isn't just Jesse and Celine talking to each other. But its authenticity whilst being entertaining and compelling that makes it such a great film.
1. The Place Beyond the Pines
A film released just after the film world had calmed itself after the Oscars but still without doubt the film that sticks in my mind is being the most impressive and enjoyable. Derek Cianfrance pulls no punches with his plot twists and adds to his already impressive repertoire with this downbeat look at small town America in this crime drama. A stellar cast featuring Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper as its stars more than do justice to the screenplay.
The link for the top 5 movies at the half way point is here.
Honourable mention to Gravity and Side Effects as they both came close but just missed out ahead of the list above. If you'd asked me halfway through Gravity I'd have said it was #1 but unfortunately it did tail off quite badly. So on to the list:
5. Only God Forgives
The ultra-violent yet highly stylish thriller which reunited Drive compatriots Nicholas Winding Refn and Ryan Gosling polarized critics like no other film in 2013. It was a more subtle and less straight forward affair where Gosling has his thunder stolen by Lt. Chang played by Vithaya Pansringarm whose the ruthless cop who spends his spare time singing karaoke about his pain and lost love. The violence may be too much for some but its a beautifully shot film that has a lot more going on beneath the surface than you may realise.
4. Zero Dark Thirty
A well nominated film at the Oscars last year that is included due to its January release date in the UK. Jessica Chastain as Maya is pushed to the limits of her sanity in tracking down the worlds most wanted Osama bin Laden. Kathryn Bigalow strips away any American patriotism in favour of showing the dark side of how the Americans used torture tactics at Guantanamo Bay to help find their suspect. The film itself was overshadowed by the debate over the use of torture and its effectiveness unfortunately but its a supremely dark thriller.
3. Fruitvale Station
Technically not formally released in the UK yet, the story of the final day in the life of Oscar Grant III after he was unlawfully killed by a police officer after riding the BART transportation system in San Francisco is harrowing and upsetting. Michael B. Jordan is excellent in the lead role giving a troubled yet determined performance whilst Octavia Spencer is the mother constantly worried about the choices in life her son has made.
2. Before Midnight
The third and possibly final piece in the series by Richard Linklater that spans nearly two decades is an excellent piece on a love that has lost its spark as the couple have been ground down by life, children and previous relationships. Once again the film relies almost exclusively on its script to entertain you with only one scene that isn't just Jesse and Celine talking to each other. But its authenticity whilst being entertaining and compelling that makes it such a great film.
1. The Place Beyond the Pines
A film released just after the film world had calmed itself after the Oscars but still without doubt the film that sticks in my mind is being the most impressive and enjoyable. Derek Cianfrance pulls no punches with his plot twists and adds to his already impressive repertoire with this downbeat look at small town America in this crime drama. A stellar cast featuring Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper as its stars more than do justice to the screenplay.
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