There seems to be a rather interesting thread over the last few years in cinema. Nostalgia is the new buzz word. It could be argued that this has been started by the rebooting craze that began with Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy which, to its undeniable credit, brought a comic book hero into the 21st century and also, more importantly, into reality. But it's not just that: nostalgia is seeping through into all sorts of genres.
Case in point: This Is 40, the sort of sequel to the quite amusing Knocked Up. Though panned by quite a lot of critics, this film isn't as bad as some would make you believe. It's lacking a clear, strong narrative, true, but what it really is is a series of vignettes about a couple who are apporaching the big four oh. The problem I had with this particular couple was that, truth be told, they're not exactly the most likable of characters, despite Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann's decent efforts. However, the fact that there is no discernable plotline and nothing really gets resolved in the end of the film (Money matters, growing family) perhaps helps this a little. If nobody changes (and nobody really does change) then that's the true nature of real life and, more importantly, Judd Apatow's real life; his characters never really change unless the storyline requires them to change and that's actually very rare in his storylines.
Another film where I felt a little let down by the script was Oz The Great And Powerful, Disney's prequel to The Wizard Of Oz, hampered by two major factors: the first is that they couldn't actually use any images/songs/themes from the classic Judy Garland musical. The second is James Franco in the title role. Originally this was to be played by Robert Downey Jr, who you know - not feel, know - would have made much more of an impression as the con man turned hero. Franco is slightly flat and lacking in character. As a result the film has to be held up by the three female leads - Michelle Williams, who captures the spirit of Glinda perfectly, Rachel Weisz who you feel is underused, and Mila Kunis who surprised me as just how good she was as the niave sister caught in the middle. The twist in the plot helps a little, though make up isn't all that fantastic at times, and when you really need a bit of comic relief there is a surprising lack of it from Zach Braff's monkey, who should have been better. The film ould have benefitted from being a little darker, though the winged monkeys are scary at times. The film sets up the plot for the next film (the musical) well, though, despite these flaws, and is a quite good picture to take small children too.
Michelle Williams is good as Glinda, but even better as Marilyn Monroe in My Week With Marilyn. She perfectly captures the star so much you almost forget that she's playing the role, unlike Kenneth Branagh whose Laurence Olivier is a sly knowing wink and a nod away from pantomime. Williams is fun and tragic, sexy and vulnerable; no wonder that Eddie Redmayne, who is good in the naive part of the narrator who spends the title time with the screen goddess, is captivated by her. The film is not too long too, to its credit, and is beautifully shot at times, going at its own pace to really celebrate the work of an actress who knew exactly why she was famous and wanted to prove she could be something more, but was hampered by her own insecurities.
This Is 40: 6/10
Oz The Great And Powerful: 6/10
My Week With Marilyn: 8/10
Sunday 24 March 2013
Friday 8 March 2013
Artistic Rant
It was announced this week that Newcastle City Council are to scrap their £1.2 million arts grant and produce a new ccultural fund that is half that amount.
This isn't a surprise; we knew this was going to happen. But it still stings and, yes, even stinks. Times are tough, we can all appreciate that, and there are areas which need to suffer. But it just feels like time and time again it is the arts that are being punished. Yes, punished.
This wouldn't happen in London, let's say, because London has Theatreland and the West End; London has a great tourist pull with their theatres.That means that London gains money out of theatres. Okay, fair enough. But when theatres are charging a huge, stupid amount for tickets to see decent shows then it means that there is a huge percentage of the population who are going to suffer. They won't be able to afford to travel to London to see these shows, let alone come and watch them; therefore they don't experience the arts and the closest thing to drama that they associate with is utter bilge such as TOWIE, Geordie Shore or worse.
Now imagine what would happen if arts budgets were increased: more local theatre, more local art, more initiatives and programmes to get young people interested and involved, more summer projects to get them off the streets and learning who they are and, best of all, having fun, for as little money as possible. As a result they determine to work harder in schools, they get better grades, they want to go to University, they want to work in the big world out there and make money, not just for themselves but helping the economy.
TOWIE doesn't teach them that; TOWIE teaches them that all they need to do in life is get a fake tan, a vajazzle and show their boobs to get instant fame.
It doesn't work like that, and it should never work like that.
For far too long the local councils have taken the arts for granted; the more money they take away, the more chance it is that these arts will eventually disappear into the murky world of a middle class minority. Local theatres offer cheap seats, but they won't be able to if their funding is cut; writing initiatives offer opportunities to up and coming writers, but they won't be able to if their funding is cut.
It's time to stop this.
This isn't a surprise; we knew this was going to happen. But it still stings and, yes, even stinks. Times are tough, we can all appreciate that, and there are areas which need to suffer. But it just feels like time and time again it is the arts that are being punished. Yes, punished.
This wouldn't happen in London, let's say, because London has Theatreland and the West End; London has a great tourist pull with their theatres.That means that London gains money out of theatres. Okay, fair enough. But when theatres are charging a huge, stupid amount for tickets to see decent shows then it means that there is a huge percentage of the population who are going to suffer. They won't be able to afford to travel to London to see these shows, let alone come and watch them; therefore they don't experience the arts and the closest thing to drama that they associate with is utter bilge such as TOWIE, Geordie Shore or worse.
Now imagine what would happen if arts budgets were increased: more local theatre, more local art, more initiatives and programmes to get young people interested and involved, more summer projects to get them off the streets and learning who they are and, best of all, having fun, for as little money as possible. As a result they determine to work harder in schools, they get better grades, they want to go to University, they want to work in the big world out there and make money, not just for themselves but helping the economy.
TOWIE doesn't teach them that; TOWIE teaches them that all they need to do in life is get a fake tan, a vajazzle and show their boobs to get instant fame.
It doesn't work like that, and it should never work like that.
For far too long the local councils have taken the arts for granted; the more money they take away, the more chance it is that these arts will eventually disappear into the murky world of a middle class minority. Local theatres offer cheap seats, but they won't be able to if their funding is cut; writing initiatives offer opportunities to up and coming writers, but they won't be able to if their funding is cut.
It's time to stop this.
Sunday 24 February 2013
The Oscars 2013 - As They Happen
So, here we go! The glitz, the glamour and the gorgeous people. Already I've seen a number of famous actresses looking drop dead gorgeous(Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon),and the boys look quite dapper too; Joe Gordon-Levitt in particular. Throughout the morning (yes, morning over here in Blighty; I am quite insane), I shall be going though the entire event. Our host this year is Seth MacFarlane, a slightly odd choice perhaps, but one that smacks of the choice to make Chris Rock a host - edgy, on the line humour with perhaps a hint of danger. Let's see what happens!
There are at least three categories this year where I will be very, very happy for a winner: Best Original Song ("Skyfall"), Best Animated Short (Paperman) and Best Supporting Actress (Anne Hathaway for her stunning turn in Les Miserables).
1:00am: Half an hour to go; I've got my crips and salsa, my coffee too (an odd combo taste wise, I'll admit.) Jennifer Lawrence and Jessica Chastain, arguably the battleground for Best Actress this year, both look stunning; as does Catherine Zeta-Jones. And hooray to see Michael Douglas, who's had a pretty rough couple of years health wise, so good to see him looking so good.
1:10am: We have a theory here that Jennifer Aniston is just getting hotter as she gets older. Tonight has proved that theory even more so.
1:20am: Beards. Beards everywhere. Thankfully not on any women. Definitley not on Amy Adams. Have you ever watched one of her first films, the prequel to Cruel Intentions? I have; who would have thought she'd become the amazing actress that she has done after that? Anne Hathaway is being interviewed...I'm not a fan of her dress right now, even if it is Prada.
1:26am: Here we go; the final countdown!
1:30am: And we're off.
1:33am: Seth gets the ball rolling with some traditional stand up, taking on Tommy Lee Jones, Ben Affleck and Jean Dujardin. Me thinks the nerves are showing a tad. And then a Chris Brown /Rhianna reference...oooh.
1:36am: Shatner!
1:38: Oh....oh, there's a few very pissed off looking actresses in there right now...is this fake? Is this real? There was applause and Theron is back on there with Channing Tatum dancing to a classic swing number. It was fake; and breathe! Nice dancing!
1:41am: Sock puppets version of Flight...very funny! Then more dancing with Dan Radcliffe and Joe Gordon Levitt. This is going to be a night of surprises, me thinks
1:45am: MacFarlane flirting with Field. Boom. Then "Be Our Guest" to round the opening off.
1:47am: Best Supporting Actor: should be a tough one here.
1:49am: Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz
1:52am: A nice speech; as usual, he saves the most gracious bow to Tarantino, as after all he wouldn't be there without him
1:56am: Paul Rudd and Melissa McCarthy, doing what they do best: quiet comedy. A little too quiet, actually.
1:57am: Best Animated Short: Paperman
1:59am: Simply brilliant, that's one out of three for me. If you haven't seen this short yet, watch it! Also check out the other nominees as they are pretty decent.
2:00am: Best Animated Feature: Brave
2:01am: Mark Andrews is wearing a kilt. Not a bad choice for a winner, though this wasn't one of Pixar's best.
2:03am: Now we start to look at the nominees for Best Picture this year: Les Mis, Life Of Pi and Beasts Of The Southern Wild.
2:05am: The Avengers are here to give out an award - at least five of them, taking the mick out of each other. This seems to be the theme tonight.
2:07am: Best Cinematography: Life Of Pi.
2:09am: That was pretty much a given. Life Of Pi will probably sweep these technical gongs. Claudio Miranda, the winner, has awesome Gandalf hair.
2:11am: Best Visual Effects: Life Of Pi.
2:13am: Case in point. Pi could be this year's Hugo.
2:15am: The music they play to get people to shut up in their speeches has been given a special overhaul, given that the theme tonight is about music. So, naturally, it's the Jaws theme. A shame, as the guys here were saying something a little important.
2:17am: Great little gag about Clooney from Tatum about jumping out of bed camera ready
2:18am: Best Costume: Anna Karenina
2:20am: That's a given perhaps; excellent costumes.
2:21am: Best Make Up: Les Miserables
2:22am: Any film that does that to Anne Hathaway deserves an Oscar.
2:23am: Bond tribute time!
2:25am: A nice little montage (though not amazing) followed by Dame Shirley herself, belting out Goldfinger. The Baftas had Sir Tom Jones last year doing Thunderball. Trust the Academy to go one better. She gets the note though, and a standing ovation.
2:32am: Best Live Action Short: Curfew.
2:35am: Best Documentary Short Subject: Inocente
2:37am: Liam Neeson is here (after a Harvey Weinstein joke) to announce the next three Best Picture nominees: Lincoln, Argo and Zero Dark Thirty.
2:42am: Ben Affleck is here to announce Best Documentary, after a slight joke made about him by MacFarlane...a slight Sean Penn moment perhaps, another similarity to Chris Rock's stint.
2:44am: Best Documentary: Searching For Sugar Man
2:45am: Popular choice this; and these guys won for the brilliant Man On Wire too.
2:50am: Jennifer Garner and Jessica Chastain...okay, there's something about girls beginning with J.
2:52am: Best Foreign Language Film: Amour
2:53am: It had to be, really; this means it probably won't win Best Film, but at least the Academy have fo the last few years voted for the best films in this category.
2:55am: Oooh, Travolta. Me thinks something musical is about to happen...
3:03am: So Zeta Jones can still manage to sing "All That Jazz". Then Hudson knocks "I Am Telling You" out of the ball park, and then a huge ensemble of Les Mis; this is basically awesome.
3:04am: French flags. Crowe singing live. Oh hell yes.
3:09am: Chris Pine and Zoe Saldana announce that more awards were given earlier this month to film technicians. Their presence to announce these facts has nothing to do with their new film out in the summer.
3:11am: It's Ted. Looking fantastic.Apparently there's an orgy at Jack Nicholson's house.
3:13am: Best Sound Mixing: Les Miserables
3:15am: Best Sound Editing: Zero Dark Thirty AND Skyfall
3:16am: Well. Blow me down! A tie, and an Oscar for a Bond film too. Great award for Les Mis too; there was immense sound in all three of these films.
3:19am: Great Sound Of Music joke as Christopher Plummer takes to the stage.
3:20am: Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway.
3:22am: Had to be. Simply had to be. Stunning performance, wonderfully recognised. And that's two out of three for my wish list. Just song to go now.
3:27am: Are we liking the Jaws theme cutting off the lesser songs? Maybe not so much. Was a good joke...getting tired quickly though.
3:29am: The Academy Presiden is here...to announce a new tourist attraction. But also to announce winners in a student film competition. Good for them;the Academy really is trying to reach out to the youngsters.
3:31am: Sandra Bullock is always great fun; here she is to announce the winner for Editing.
3:32am: Best Editing: Argo
3:33am: First Oscar of the night for this film then. Not really been a sweep for any film so far.
3:34am: And here's Adele; the premier performance of "Skyfall".
3:38am: Not as epic as her stunning performance at the Brits a coupleof years ago but still awesome. She rocked it from the beginning, something Zeta Jones failed to do somewhat
3:44am: Nicole Kidman, looking stunning, is here to announce the final three nominees for Best Picture: Silver Linings Playbook, Django Unchained and Amour.
3:48am: Dan Radcliffe and Kristin Stewart are here; he looks happier to be here than she does.
3:49am: Best Production Design: Lincoln
3:50am: Lincoln's first award of the night then; Rick Carter admits he's not prepared for this.
3:51am: And now a look at the honary Oscars that were given at the Governer's Awards. Sadly Jeffrey Katzenberg won one, but it was for charity work so credit to him.
3:56am: George Clooney is here for In Memoriam. This is always a sad, humble moment. Beautiful John Barry music behind it.
4:01am: Barbara is here to sing "The Way We Were". No jokes; this is for Marvin Hamlisch. Good for her.
4:05am: Okay, the night gathers on. Music awards coming up.
4:08am: The cast of Chicago are here to announce the winners.
4:09am: Best Score: Life Of Pi
4:16am: Best Original Song: Skyfall
4:17am: Could just easily go to sleep now; my faves have all won. Well done to Adele.
4:23am: Screenplay awards now, with Dustin Hoffman being dwarfed by Charlize Theron.
4:24am: Best Adapted Screenplay: Argo
4:27am: Best Original Screenplay: Django Unchained
4:29am: No surprises here for these two awards; Mr Tarantino, as Dustin called him, gives a much more laid back speech, which is usual for him.
4:33am: Michael Douglas and Jane Fonda are here to announce Best Director.They both remind me of very strict middle class parents.
4:34am: Best Director: Ang Lee
4:35am: Life Of Pi is a work of vision and genius, and only someone like Lee could do it and not muck it up. Very well deserved and a standing ovation to boot.
4:40am: Time for the Big Three. The only competition here is surely in the first award which is...
4:41am: ...Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence
4:44am: She fell over as she got to the stairs but gets a standing ovation anyway. Great speech of someone who just can't believe she's won. I really hope the Best Actress curse doesn't get her.
4:46am: A woman who needs no introduction is here to announce Best Actor. Just think about it; it's the Oscars and she's here. Doi.
4:47am: Best Actor: Daniel Day Lewis.
4:49am: He makes history but, really, he was the kind of actor who always would do.
4:52am: Here's Jack! And...blimey...Michelle Obama, apprently live from the White House. Well...there we are then.
4:54am: Best Picture: Argo
4:56am: So a clean sweep for the Best Film categories in the awards season for this small film. Kudos to the cast and crew and Affleck himself.
5:00am: So four and a half hours gone and a night of good fun though little surprise overall. I now need a massive dose of coffee before my shift starts in two and a half hours. Ciao.
There are at least three categories this year where I will be very, very happy for a winner: Best Original Song ("Skyfall"), Best Animated Short (Paperman) and Best Supporting Actress (Anne Hathaway for her stunning turn in Les Miserables).
1:00am: Half an hour to go; I've got my crips and salsa, my coffee too (an odd combo taste wise, I'll admit.) Jennifer Lawrence and Jessica Chastain, arguably the battleground for Best Actress this year, both look stunning; as does Catherine Zeta-Jones. And hooray to see Michael Douglas, who's had a pretty rough couple of years health wise, so good to see him looking so good.
1:10am: We have a theory here that Jennifer Aniston is just getting hotter as she gets older. Tonight has proved that theory even more so.
1:20am: Beards. Beards everywhere. Thankfully not on any women. Definitley not on Amy Adams. Have you ever watched one of her first films, the prequel to Cruel Intentions? I have; who would have thought she'd become the amazing actress that she has done after that? Anne Hathaway is being interviewed...I'm not a fan of her dress right now, even if it is Prada.
1:26am: Here we go; the final countdown!
1:30am: And we're off.
1:33am: Seth gets the ball rolling with some traditional stand up, taking on Tommy Lee Jones, Ben Affleck and Jean Dujardin. Me thinks the nerves are showing a tad. And then a Chris Brown /Rhianna reference...oooh.
1:36am: Shatner!
1:38: Oh....oh, there's a few very pissed off looking actresses in there right now...is this fake? Is this real? There was applause and Theron is back on there with Channing Tatum dancing to a classic swing number. It was fake; and breathe! Nice dancing!
1:41am: Sock puppets version of Flight...very funny! Then more dancing with Dan Radcliffe and Joe Gordon Levitt. This is going to be a night of surprises, me thinks
1:45am: MacFarlane flirting with Field. Boom. Then "Be Our Guest" to round the opening off.
1:47am: Best Supporting Actor: should be a tough one here.
1:49am: Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz
1:52am: A nice speech; as usual, he saves the most gracious bow to Tarantino, as after all he wouldn't be there without him
1:56am: Paul Rudd and Melissa McCarthy, doing what they do best: quiet comedy. A little too quiet, actually.
1:57am: Best Animated Short: Paperman
1:59am: Simply brilliant, that's one out of three for me. If you haven't seen this short yet, watch it! Also check out the other nominees as they are pretty decent.
2:00am: Best Animated Feature: Brave
2:01am: Mark Andrews is wearing a kilt. Not a bad choice for a winner, though this wasn't one of Pixar's best.
2:03am: Now we start to look at the nominees for Best Picture this year: Les Mis, Life Of Pi and Beasts Of The Southern Wild.
2:05am: The Avengers are here to give out an award - at least five of them, taking the mick out of each other. This seems to be the theme tonight.
2:07am: Best Cinematography: Life Of Pi.
2:09am: That was pretty much a given. Life Of Pi will probably sweep these technical gongs. Claudio Miranda, the winner, has awesome Gandalf hair.
2:11am: Best Visual Effects: Life Of Pi.
2:13am: Case in point. Pi could be this year's Hugo.
2:15am: The music they play to get people to shut up in their speeches has been given a special overhaul, given that the theme tonight is about music. So, naturally, it's the Jaws theme. A shame, as the guys here were saying something a little important.
2:17am: Great little gag about Clooney from Tatum about jumping out of bed camera ready
2:18am: Best Costume: Anna Karenina
2:20am: That's a given perhaps; excellent costumes.
2:21am: Best Make Up: Les Miserables
2:22am: Any film that does that to Anne Hathaway deserves an Oscar.
2:23am: Bond tribute time!
2:25am: A nice little montage (though not amazing) followed by Dame Shirley herself, belting out Goldfinger. The Baftas had Sir Tom Jones last year doing Thunderball. Trust the Academy to go one better. She gets the note though, and a standing ovation.
2:32am: Best Live Action Short: Curfew.
2:35am: Best Documentary Short Subject: Inocente
2:37am: Liam Neeson is here (after a Harvey Weinstein joke) to announce the next three Best Picture nominees: Lincoln, Argo and Zero Dark Thirty.
2:42am: Ben Affleck is here to announce Best Documentary, after a slight joke made about him by MacFarlane...a slight Sean Penn moment perhaps, another similarity to Chris Rock's stint.
2:44am: Best Documentary: Searching For Sugar Man
2:45am: Popular choice this; and these guys won for the brilliant Man On Wire too.
2:50am: Jennifer Garner and Jessica Chastain...okay, there's something about girls beginning with J.
2:52am: Best Foreign Language Film: Amour
2:53am: It had to be, really; this means it probably won't win Best Film, but at least the Academy have fo the last few years voted for the best films in this category.
2:55am: Oooh, Travolta. Me thinks something musical is about to happen...
3:03am: So Zeta Jones can still manage to sing "All That Jazz". Then Hudson knocks "I Am Telling You" out of the ball park, and then a huge ensemble of Les Mis; this is basically awesome.
3:04am: French flags. Crowe singing live. Oh hell yes.
3:09am: Chris Pine and Zoe Saldana announce that more awards were given earlier this month to film technicians. Their presence to announce these facts has nothing to do with their new film out in the summer.
3:11am: It's Ted. Looking fantastic.Apparently there's an orgy at Jack Nicholson's house.
3:13am: Best Sound Mixing: Les Miserables
3:15am: Best Sound Editing: Zero Dark Thirty AND Skyfall
3:16am: Well. Blow me down! A tie, and an Oscar for a Bond film too. Great award for Les Mis too; there was immense sound in all three of these films.
3:19am: Great Sound Of Music joke as Christopher Plummer takes to the stage.
3:20am: Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway.
3:22am: Had to be. Simply had to be. Stunning performance, wonderfully recognised. And that's two out of three for my wish list. Just song to go now.
3:27am: Are we liking the Jaws theme cutting off the lesser songs? Maybe not so much. Was a good joke...getting tired quickly though.
3:29am: The Academy Presiden is here...to announce a new tourist attraction. But also to announce winners in a student film competition. Good for them;the Academy really is trying to reach out to the youngsters.
3:31am: Sandra Bullock is always great fun; here she is to announce the winner for Editing.
3:32am: Best Editing: Argo
3:33am: First Oscar of the night for this film then. Not really been a sweep for any film so far.
3:34am: And here's Adele; the premier performance of "Skyfall".
3:38am: Not as epic as her stunning performance at the Brits a coupleof years ago but still awesome. She rocked it from the beginning, something Zeta Jones failed to do somewhat
3:44am: Nicole Kidman, looking stunning, is here to announce the final three nominees for Best Picture: Silver Linings Playbook, Django Unchained and Amour.
3:48am: Dan Radcliffe and Kristin Stewart are here; he looks happier to be here than she does.
3:49am: Best Production Design: Lincoln
3:50am: Lincoln's first award of the night then; Rick Carter admits he's not prepared for this.
3:51am: And now a look at the honary Oscars that were given at the Governer's Awards. Sadly Jeffrey Katzenberg won one, but it was for charity work so credit to him.
3:56am: George Clooney is here for In Memoriam. This is always a sad, humble moment. Beautiful John Barry music behind it.
4:01am: Barbara is here to sing "The Way We Were". No jokes; this is for Marvin Hamlisch. Good for her.
4:05am: Okay, the night gathers on. Music awards coming up.
4:08am: The cast of Chicago are here to announce the winners.
4:09am: Best Score: Life Of Pi
4:16am: Best Original Song: Skyfall
4:17am: Could just easily go to sleep now; my faves have all won. Well done to Adele.
4:23am: Screenplay awards now, with Dustin Hoffman being dwarfed by Charlize Theron.
4:24am: Best Adapted Screenplay: Argo
4:27am: Best Original Screenplay: Django Unchained
4:29am: No surprises here for these two awards; Mr Tarantino, as Dustin called him, gives a much more laid back speech, which is usual for him.
4:33am: Michael Douglas and Jane Fonda are here to announce Best Director.They both remind me of very strict middle class parents.
4:34am: Best Director: Ang Lee
4:35am: Life Of Pi is a work of vision and genius, and only someone like Lee could do it and not muck it up. Very well deserved and a standing ovation to boot.
4:40am: Time for the Big Three. The only competition here is surely in the first award which is...
4:41am: ...Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence
4:44am: She fell over as she got to the stairs but gets a standing ovation anyway. Great speech of someone who just can't believe she's won. I really hope the Best Actress curse doesn't get her.
4:46am: A woman who needs no introduction is here to announce Best Actor. Just think about it; it's the Oscars and she's here. Doi.
4:47am: Best Actor: Daniel Day Lewis.
4:49am: He makes history but, really, he was the kind of actor who always would do.
4:52am: Here's Jack! And...blimey...Michelle Obama, apprently live from the White House. Well...there we are then.
4:54am: Best Picture: Argo
4:56am: So a clean sweep for the Best Film categories in the awards season for this small film. Kudos to the cast and crew and Affleck himself.
5:00am: So four and a half hours gone and a night of good fun though little surprise overall. I now need a massive dose of coffee before my shift starts in two and a half hours. Ciao.
Sunday 17 February 2013
One Week To Go...Reviews
In just one week the whole of Hollywood and the world will have their steely eyes fixed on the Academy Awards; it's kind of creepy how quickly they ome about. It feels like only yesterday that, bleery eyed and regretting my decision, I emerged from watching the full ceremony live to start a full day's shift an hour later. I shall of course be doing exactly the same thing again this coming week; I'm a glutton for a very fine punishment.
I will also happily put my hand on my heart and admit I got a couple of my predictions very, very wrong; I can say this without question after what the rest of the Awards Season this year has provided us with. Luckily for me, I am not the only person to have got it so wrong; it seems the Academy did too. Ben Affleck has been recieving a virtual clean sweep of Best Director awards for his work on Argo, which has also been picking up Best Film awards all over the place. Affleck is not nominated for an Oscar though; this is perhaps one of the most ridiculous and sublime oversights that the Academy has ever partaken. In fact, this will probably be remembered for decades to come, certainly when he actually wins the award for what will no doubt be a lesser film. This is always the case; look at Scorcece and The Departed; it's a very good film but his best? Hell and indeed no.
Over the past two weeks I have indulged myself in a few trips to watch some of the other highly tipped films for Oscar glory. In Django Unchained we find what could be both our Best Supporting Actor, Christoph Waltz (though I won't rule out Tommy Lee Jones in Lincoln still) and Best Original Screenplay. The film, though slightly too long, is furious and fun escapism, the kind that Tarantino does best, with a stellar cast working their socks off; Waltz is magnificent, DiCaprio is slimy to the core and Samuel L Jackson is the best he's been for a while. Jamie Foxx is very good as the title slave, though once again the female characters are left slightly out on a limb; they seem to be either damsels in distress or just plain stupid.
Zero Dark Thirty is a thrilling ride; despite the fact that you know how the film is going to end you are still on the edge of your seat throughout. The last half hour, filmed mainly as if you were wearing night vision goggles, is superb. Jessica Chastain, who may just pip Jennifer Lawrence to the post of Best Actress (And I would argue this is probably the most close race for the prize, next to Best Director, in this year's ceremony), is stunning in her portrayal of a woman driven by one cause and one cause alone. Though controversial at times, the film does not endorse or celebrate the torture techniques used by the US Army against their prisoners in the hunt for Bin Laden; in fact, it shows just how useless they were by the very fact that it takes so long to gain a credible lead. The only minor blip for myself was when John Barrowman turned up; though with only two lines, in this country at least one would feel his presence takes a little of the belivability away from the plot somewhat. Then again, Tony Soprano is playing the Head of the CIA.
Finally, Wreck-It Ralph, which won't win Best Animation, despite being actually very good; this prize will go to the slightly sub-par Brave from pixar. Hopefully, though, the prize for Best Animation Short will go to the cartoon that was before it, Paperman; this was a stunning, enchanting, romantic piece that filled my heart with optimism and joy, not just about the state of Disney right now but about life itself. The main feature's plot was nicely written with a few neat twists that I didn't see coming, and the voice cast including John C Reiley and Sarah Silverman are excellent.
So this year could still throw some surprises at the Oscars; I'll be watching and reporting all night. Why? Glutton for punishment, and I've been a bad boy.
Django Unchained: 7/10
Zero Dark Thirty: 8/10
Wreck It Ralph: 7/10
Paperman: 9/10
I will also happily put my hand on my heart and admit I got a couple of my predictions very, very wrong; I can say this without question after what the rest of the Awards Season this year has provided us with. Luckily for me, I am not the only person to have got it so wrong; it seems the Academy did too. Ben Affleck has been recieving a virtual clean sweep of Best Director awards for his work on Argo, which has also been picking up Best Film awards all over the place. Affleck is not nominated for an Oscar though; this is perhaps one of the most ridiculous and sublime oversights that the Academy has ever partaken. In fact, this will probably be remembered for decades to come, certainly when he actually wins the award for what will no doubt be a lesser film. This is always the case; look at Scorcece and The Departed; it's a very good film but his best? Hell and indeed no.
Over the past two weeks I have indulged myself in a few trips to watch some of the other highly tipped films for Oscar glory. In Django Unchained we find what could be both our Best Supporting Actor, Christoph Waltz (though I won't rule out Tommy Lee Jones in Lincoln still) and Best Original Screenplay. The film, though slightly too long, is furious and fun escapism, the kind that Tarantino does best, with a stellar cast working their socks off; Waltz is magnificent, DiCaprio is slimy to the core and Samuel L Jackson is the best he's been for a while. Jamie Foxx is very good as the title slave, though once again the female characters are left slightly out on a limb; they seem to be either damsels in distress or just plain stupid.
Zero Dark Thirty is a thrilling ride; despite the fact that you know how the film is going to end you are still on the edge of your seat throughout. The last half hour, filmed mainly as if you were wearing night vision goggles, is superb. Jessica Chastain, who may just pip Jennifer Lawrence to the post of Best Actress (And I would argue this is probably the most close race for the prize, next to Best Director, in this year's ceremony), is stunning in her portrayal of a woman driven by one cause and one cause alone. Though controversial at times, the film does not endorse or celebrate the torture techniques used by the US Army against their prisoners in the hunt for Bin Laden; in fact, it shows just how useless they were by the very fact that it takes so long to gain a credible lead. The only minor blip for myself was when John Barrowman turned up; though with only two lines, in this country at least one would feel his presence takes a little of the belivability away from the plot somewhat. Then again, Tony Soprano is playing the Head of the CIA.
Finally, Wreck-It Ralph, which won't win Best Animation, despite being actually very good; this prize will go to the slightly sub-par Brave from pixar. Hopefully, though, the prize for Best Animation Short will go to the cartoon that was before it, Paperman; this was a stunning, enchanting, romantic piece that filled my heart with optimism and joy, not just about the state of Disney right now but about life itself. The main feature's plot was nicely written with a few neat twists that I didn't see coming, and the voice cast including John C Reiley and Sarah Silverman are excellent.
So this year could still throw some surprises at the Oscars; I'll be watching and reporting all night. Why? Glutton for punishment, and I've been a bad boy.
Django Unchained: 7/10
Zero Dark Thirty: 8/10
Wreck It Ralph: 7/10
Paperman: 9/10
Tuesday 5 February 2013
Happy Feet...And Singing...
With cinema currently bashing us over the head with epic amounts of darkness and thoughtful storylines, not to mention powerhouse performances (one thinks of Naomi Watts in The Impossible, Hathaway and Co in Les Miserables, Day-Lewis in Lincoln and films with titles such as Zero Dark Thirty and Gangster Squad), you could be forgiven for growing a little tired of the worthiness of cinema right now. This is all due to awards season, obviously; come the summer the mindless popcorn fodder of Blockbuster Season will take its turn with the hammer to our noggins.
But, if you're looking for something happy and entertaining, and you're willing to perhaps spend a little more money, you could do worse things than take a trip to the West End. Right now there are two classic song and dance musicals, Singin' In The Rain and Top Hat, whose sole purpose is to make you smile. These are the kind of shows that the plot doesn't really matter, where the antagonists are really epic comic creations, and it's all about the song and dance numbers; exactly the kind of shows that audiences would have expected from the 1920s up to about 1943. This was the year that Musical Theatre changed forever with Oklahoma. 'Nuff said.
Singin' In The Rain, in particular, does have the title moment where Adam Cooper, the incredibly talented leading man, does exactly what it says on the tin and...well, sings and dances in the rain. Literally. The rain comes down and down and if you pay an expensive price for an excellent seat just make sure you are aware that you will get wet. If Cooper doesn't get you, the rest of the company will in the curtain call. Of course, the show is about a lot more than one of the most famous numbers in musical history; ironically, it's actually a very slight tale about the transition in Hollywood from silent films to talkies. But it's a tale of good humour, romance and manages to get it right - it's a happy show and you can't get away from the theatre without one of the songs stuck in your head.
And good humoured, honest shows are coming thick and fast to the bright lights of London's Theatreland, with two Best Musical Tony Winners - The Book Of Mormon, already sold out till June, and Once, based on the gorgeous film that won an Oscar for Best Original Song with "Falling Slowly". Not to mention the return of Spamalot, the continuing success of Wicked and Matilda, and the enduring classic romance of Phantom.You could even go and see the original Les Mis. The best thing about these shows too is, whereas all these worthy films will only be around for a few months in the cinema, these shows are going to be around for a lot longer; and every night is a different performance. That's the magic of theatre; a living, breathing creature that needs to be fed. It's highly addictive, and doesn't it just make you want to dance?
But, if you're looking for something happy and entertaining, and you're willing to perhaps spend a little more money, you could do worse things than take a trip to the West End. Right now there are two classic song and dance musicals, Singin' In The Rain and Top Hat, whose sole purpose is to make you smile. These are the kind of shows that the plot doesn't really matter, where the antagonists are really epic comic creations, and it's all about the song and dance numbers; exactly the kind of shows that audiences would have expected from the 1920s up to about 1943. This was the year that Musical Theatre changed forever with Oklahoma. 'Nuff said.
Singin' In The Rain, in particular, does have the title moment where Adam Cooper, the incredibly talented leading man, does exactly what it says on the tin and...well, sings and dances in the rain. Literally. The rain comes down and down and if you pay an expensive price for an excellent seat just make sure you are aware that you will get wet. If Cooper doesn't get you, the rest of the company will in the curtain call. Of course, the show is about a lot more than one of the most famous numbers in musical history; ironically, it's actually a very slight tale about the transition in Hollywood from silent films to talkies. But it's a tale of good humour, romance and manages to get it right - it's a happy show and you can't get away from the theatre without one of the songs stuck in your head.
And good humoured, honest shows are coming thick and fast to the bright lights of London's Theatreland, with two Best Musical Tony Winners - The Book Of Mormon, already sold out till June, and Once, based on the gorgeous film that won an Oscar for Best Original Song with "Falling Slowly". Not to mention the return of Spamalot, the continuing success of Wicked and Matilda, and the enduring classic romance of Phantom.You could even go and see the original Les Mis. The best thing about these shows too is, whereas all these worthy films will only be around for a few months in the cinema, these shows are going to be around for a lot longer; and every night is a different performance. That's the magic of theatre; a living, breathing creature that needs to be fed. It's highly addictive, and doesn't it just make you want to dance?
Sunday 3 February 2013
Les Miserables Review
France, 1800s. Convict Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) breaks parole after been given a second chance by a kindly bishop (Colm Wilkinson). Pursued by the police inspector Javert (Russel Crowe),Valjean tries to become a better man, adopting the daughter of a factory worker (Anne Hathaway) in the process. But revolution is in the air...
Within the first few minutes of Tom Hooper's film you realise this is no ordinary adaptation of a musical; the ships being pulled into harbour by the convicts under stormy skies, Crowe's obsessive inspector overseeing the action; the music dark and foreboding. This is a film that is not afraid to shy away from the poverty, from the violence. You feel every bullet, you can almost smell the sewage that Jackman must crawl through during the third act.
Jackman is extraordinary, and with the amount of vocals he must perform, not to mention the range he sometimes must sing ("Bring Him Home" an obvious example), you feel as if he has to be. His emotional journey of confliction and guilt is well judged and balanced, though for a film that supposedly covers at least twenty five years he ages remarkably well. He is matched by a fantastic talented cast; Crowe, to be blunt, is not a natural singer but his performance in fact helps the film even more, for Hooper chooses to shoot his solos in intense close up and as a result he is brooding and menacing.
Hooper uses this trick quite a few times, most notably during "I Dreamed A Dream", which is one long unbroken shot. Anne Hathaway is extraordinary; she neither showboats nor shies away from the power of the song or the emotion of the character, who has been brought to her lowest by the cruelty of those around her. It is a great, awards worthy performance, and is actually missed when she is no longer around after the first act.
The film isn't all doom and gloom and depression, despite its title; there is welcome comic relief from Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter as the thieving innkeepers, and a charming, sweet love section with Amanda Seyfried and Eddie Redmayne; this also involves a bewitching turn from Samantha Barks, the only member of the cast to have played their character on stage; as a result she knows her role inside out and adds a raw emotion to it.
The film isn't perfect, sadly; it is perhaps a little too long, though fans of the stage show will notice when songs have been trimmed slightly and reworked. But all in all, itis a fantastic achievement. The last great movie musical, arguably, was Chicago, in that it found a way to convey the song and dance numbers in a believable, celluloid sense. Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd is of course a worthy contender, with it's love of blood and gore helping it to stand out from the cowd; but Hooper has done the seemingly impossible and made a gorgeous film out of a show that has often been criticised for its overuse of schmaltz; this is grounded, and more to the point, realistic. It is first class filmmaking.
8/10
Within the first few minutes of Tom Hooper's film you realise this is no ordinary adaptation of a musical; the ships being pulled into harbour by the convicts under stormy skies, Crowe's obsessive inspector overseeing the action; the music dark and foreboding. This is a film that is not afraid to shy away from the poverty, from the violence. You feel every bullet, you can almost smell the sewage that Jackman must crawl through during the third act.
Jackman is extraordinary, and with the amount of vocals he must perform, not to mention the range he sometimes must sing ("Bring Him Home" an obvious example), you feel as if he has to be. His emotional journey of confliction and guilt is well judged and balanced, though for a film that supposedly covers at least twenty five years he ages remarkably well. He is matched by a fantastic talented cast; Crowe, to be blunt, is not a natural singer but his performance in fact helps the film even more, for Hooper chooses to shoot his solos in intense close up and as a result he is brooding and menacing.
Hooper uses this trick quite a few times, most notably during "I Dreamed A Dream", which is one long unbroken shot. Anne Hathaway is extraordinary; she neither showboats nor shies away from the power of the song or the emotion of the character, who has been brought to her lowest by the cruelty of those around her. It is a great, awards worthy performance, and is actually missed when she is no longer around after the first act.
The film isn't all doom and gloom and depression, despite its title; there is welcome comic relief from Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter as the thieving innkeepers, and a charming, sweet love section with Amanda Seyfried and Eddie Redmayne; this also involves a bewitching turn from Samantha Barks, the only member of the cast to have played their character on stage; as a result she knows her role inside out and adds a raw emotion to it.
The film isn't perfect, sadly; it is perhaps a little too long, though fans of the stage show will notice when songs have been trimmed slightly and reworked. But all in all, itis a fantastic achievement. The last great movie musical, arguably, was Chicago, in that it found a way to convey the song and dance numbers in a believable, celluloid sense. Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd is of course a worthy contender, with it's love of blood and gore helping it to stand out from the cowd; but Hooper has done the seemingly impossible and made a gorgeous film out of a show that has often been criticised for its overuse of schmaltz; this is grounded, and more to the point, realistic. It is first class filmmaking.
8/10
Friday 25 January 2013
Gangster Squad Review
So many films seen in such a short period of time - here's the first of the reviews for them!
Los Angeles, late 1940s. Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn) reigns as the gangster king, a rule of terror and corruption that the police force have put up with for too long. Sgt John O'Mara (Josh Brolin) is assigned a mission that Chief Parker (Nick Nolte) hopes will end Cohen once and for all: they will create the Gangster Squad...
What director Ruben Fleischer did for horror in Zombieland and the heist movie in 30 Seconds Or Less he tries to do with gangster films in Gangster Squad. When the title "Inspired By True Events" flashes up on the screen at the start one couldn't help but remember another classic gangster film based on true events, The Untouchables. That had Robert DeNero playing Al Capone, another real life gangster, just as this film does; sadly, it made me really want to watch The Untouchables, and towards the end, LA Confidential.
That is not to say the film is bad at all, but it is very much a case of style over substance. It's the kind of gangster film you'd show to someone watching their very first one. It has all the bare essentials: crooked cops, honest joes, stereotypical bad guys and a sexy dame to boot (Emma Stone, doing her best to play a Gilda type smoker but just not given enough screen time to create a decent chemistry). These bare essentials are just not given enough time to breathe and develop. You want to learn more about the characters because they are interesting - particularly Robert Patrick's ageing gunslinger-type cop and his relationship with Michael Pena's fan.
Brolin growls nicely but is overshadowed by the underplaying of Mireille Enos as his long suffering wife. Ryan Gosling also underacts superbly, giving a cool drifter vibe to the film that never takes over the picture. For full scene chewing, Sean Penn nails it as Cohen - his is a berserk character, dangerous and quiet, perhaps every so slightly insane. It's a wonderful interpretation, though again perhaps a little two dimensional.
The film looks fabulous, and this is where the true triumphs of the film lie. The scenery, the costumes (from Stone's gorgeous dresses to the men's suits), they all add together to create that period of the turning point in the 1940s. However, it's clear that quite a lot was done via computer, again one trick that you cannot accuse LA Confidential of.
The theme of war filters through the story; these gentlemen are all fighters, survivors of the Second World War, adrift in a city that has changed from ideal paradise to frightening hell. This is a world where Land is still on the Hollywood sign - things have to change. Cohen cannot be killed simply because his empire would still exist. These guys aren't fighting Nazis anymore; these are their own flesh and blood, and previously safe families and friends are now threatened. It's a nice touch but again you want it to go deeper into this war like theme.
Not a great film, but a decent starting point nonetheless.
7/10
Los Angeles, late 1940s. Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn) reigns as the gangster king, a rule of terror and corruption that the police force have put up with for too long. Sgt John O'Mara (Josh Brolin) is assigned a mission that Chief Parker (Nick Nolte) hopes will end Cohen once and for all: they will create the Gangster Squad...
What director Ruben Fleischer did for horror in Zombieland and the heist movie in 30 Seconds Or Less he tries to do with gangster films in Gangster Squad. When the title "Inspired By True Events" flashes up on the screen at the start one couldn't help but remember another classic gangster film based on true events, The Untouchables. That had Robert DeNero playing Al Capone, another real life gangster, just as this film does; sadly, it made me really want to watch The Untouchables, and towards the end, LA Confidential.
That is not to say the film is bad at all, but it is very much a case of style over substance. It's the kind of gangster film you'd show to someone watching their very first one. It has all the bare essentials: crooked cops, honest joes, stereotypical bad guys and a sexy dame to boot (Emma Stone, doing her best to play a Gilda type smoker but just not given enough screen time to create a decent chemistry). These bare essentials are just not given enough time to breathe and develop. You want to learn more about the characters because they are interesting - particularly Robert Patrick's ageing gunslinger-type cop and his relationship with Michael Pena's fan.
Brolin growls nicely but is overshadowed by the underplaying of Mireille Enos as his long suffering wife. Ryan Gosling also underacts superbly, giving a cool drifter vibe to the film that never takes over the picture. For full scene chewing, Sean Penn nails it as Cohen - his is a berserk character, dangerous and quiet, perhaps every so slightly insane. It's a wonderful interpretation, though again perhaps a little two dimensional.
The film looks fabulous, and this is where the true triumphs of the film lie. The scenery, the costumes (from Stone's gorgeous dresses to the men's suits), they all add together to create that period of the turning point in the 1940s. However, it's clear that quite a lot was done via computer, again one trick that you cannot accuse LA Confidential of.
The theme of war filters through the story; these gentlemen are all fighters, survivors of the Second World War, adrift in a city that has changed from ideal paradise to frightening hell. This is a world where Land is still on the Hollywood sign - things have to change. Cohen cannot be killed simply because his empire would still exist. These guys aren't fighting Nazis anymore; these are their own flesh and blood, and previously safe families and friends are now threatened. It's a nice touch but again you want it to go deeper into this war like theme.
Not a great film, but a decent starting point nonetheless.
7/10
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