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
Thursday, 10 January 2013
Oscar Predictions 2013
So, with the announcement of this year's Oscar nominations, the awards season truly is now about to kick off - the Golden Globes taking place on Sunday night being the first major date on the calendar.
There were a few surprises and quite a few obvious choices in the nominations this year. The one absentee, most notably, in the Oscar list is Skyfall, The Culture Section's Film of 2012. However, as with the Harry Potter franchise, this blog feels that the Bond franchise will never win a major Oscar such as Best Film. It was a slight shame not to see Javier Bardem nominated for Best Supporting Actor from it, however, as he has been in quite a few other lists. Still, the first prediction is that "Skyfall" the song by Adele has a very good chance of winning.
The Screenplay Prizes are anyone's guess - they are such a mixed bag of talents, genres and writers, a very good thing for the season we've had. It's nice to see the Indie hit of the year, Beasts Of The Southern Wild, up for a prize here, though one suspects Life Of Pi might just nail it in that particular category - the book was supposed to be unadaptable, after all.
Foreign Film - everyone's favourite has to be Amour, Michale Haneke's sensitive, heart breaking portrayal of old age that's won pretty much every prize it can including the Palme D'Or at Cannes last year. It could also be a very worthy winner of Original Screenplay.
There are five Animated films up for a gong this year; one of the surprises was to see Pirates! In An Adventure With Scientists up there; sadly, it might just be there for Aardman's sake- it hasn't been nominated for any other award ceremonies. One would guess that Brave has the upper hand, though Frankenweenie could surprise people.
Best Supporting Actress - Everyone is saying Anne Hathaway, Anne Hathaway - in this blog's books, she would be a worthy winner, though her work in Les Miserables that she is nominated for is yet to be seen. Still, she would the fave to win.
The Best Supporting Actor is trickier to call - in fact, one could argue that these are the more genuine of acting awards, as they really are a mixed bag. If Lincoln is going to be the love in that people might predict, Tommy Lee Jones would need to win this one to get the ball rolling. However, this blog predicts that Robert DeNero will take the upper hand in this particular fight for Silver Linings Playbook.
There are five powerful men on the list for Director this year, Kathryn Bigelow a notable admission despite her latest film Bravo Two Zero being praised. Though Spielberg could win his third gong for his passion project, as seems to be the case for when he makes a passion project, The Culture Section picks Ang Lee as the winner for his work on Life Of Pi.
Though it is nice to see Hugh Jackman pick up a nod for Best Actor in Les Mis, the only name on people's lips for this category is Daniel Day Lewis in Lincoln. Looking at stills and clips, you cannot blame them - this is a transformative performance, one such as Charlize Theron took on in Monster where the prosthetics, wig and make-up (a shoo in for win, by the way) only come alive because of the actor underneath it all. Daniel Day Lewis it is then.
One name has been banded about more than any other; Jennifer Lawrence. Her work in Silver Linings Playbook could guarantee her the Best Actress nod this year. However, she faces stiff competition with Emmanuelle Riva in Amour. Still, Lawrence just clinches it for this blog's choice.
Finally - Best Film. What a list to choose from. Lincoln is the blockbuster with the most nominations, yet we know that is never a guarantee of ultimate glory (case in point: Avatar, The Colour Purple) It would be nice for Les Mis to take the crown- the Academy is quite fond of a musical every now and again, and it's been at least ten years since Chicago won. Still, for pure spectacle and innovation, The Culture Section predicts that Life Of Pi will win the Best Film Oscar.
But what do I know?
There were a few surprises and quite a few obvious choices in the nominations this year. The one absentee, most notably, in the Oscar list is Skyfall, The Culture Section's Film of 2012. However, as with the Harry Potter franchise, this blog feels that the Bond franchise will never win a major Oscar such as Best Film. It was a slight shame not to see Javier Bardem nominated for Best Supporting Actor from it, however, as he has been in quite a few other lists. Still, the first prediction is that "Skyfall" the song by Adele has a very good chance of winning.
The Screenplay Prizes are anyone's guess - they are such a mixed bag of talents, genres and writers, a very good thing for the season we've had. It's nice to see the Indie hit of the year, Beasts Of The Southern Wild, up for a prize here, though one suspects Life Of Pi might just nail it in that particular category - the book was supposed to be unadaptable, after all.
Foreign Film - everyone's favourite has to be Amour, Michale Haneke's sensitive, heart breaking portrayal of old age that's won pretty much every prize it can including the Palme D'Or at Cannes last year. It could also be a very worthy winner of Original Screenplay.
There are five Animated films up for a gong this year; one of the surprises was to see Pirates! In An Adventure With Scientists up there; sadly, it might just be there for Aardman's sake- it hasn't been nominated for any other award ceremonies. One would guess that Brave has the upper hand, though Frankenweenie could surprise people.
Best Supporting Actress - Everyone is saying Anne Hathaway, Anne Hathaway - in this blog's books, she would be a worthy winner, though her work in Les Miserables that she is nominated for is yet to be seen. Still, she would the fave to win.
The Best Supporting Actor is trickier to call - in fact, one could argue that these are the more genuine of acting awards, as they really are a mixed bag. If Lincoln is going to be the love in that people might predict, Tommy Lee Jones would need to win this one to get the ball rolling. However, this blog predicts that Robert DeNero will take the upper hand in this particular fight for Silver Linings Playbook.
There are five powerful men on the list for Director this year, Kathryn Bigelow a notable admission despite her latest film Bravo Two Zero being praised. Though Spielberg could win his third gong for his passion project, as seems to be the case for when he makes a passion project, The Culture Section picks Ang Lee as the winner for his work on Life Of Pi.
Though it is nice to see Hugh Jackman pick up a nod for Best Actor in Les Mis, the only name on people's lips for this category is Daniel Day Lewis in Lincoln. Looking at stills and clips, you cannot blame them - this is a transformative performance, one such as Charlize Theron took on in Monster where the prosthetics, wig and make-up (a shoo in for win, by the way) only come alive because of the actor underneath it all. Daniel Day Lewis it is then.
One name has been banded about more than any other; Jennifer Lawrence. Her work in Silver Linings Playbook could guarantee her the Best Actress nod this year. However, she faces stiff competition with Emmanuelle Riva in Amour. Still, Lawrence just clinches it for this blog's choice.
Finally - Best Film. What a list to choose from. Lincoln is the blockbuster with the most nominations, yet we know that is never a guarantee of ultimate glory (case in point: Avatar, The Colour Purple) It would be nice for Les Mis to take the crown- the Academy is quite fond of a musical every now and again, and it's been at least ten years since Chicago won. Still, for pure spectacle and innovation, The Culture Section predicts that Life Of Pi will win the Best Film Oscar.
But what do I know?
Oscar Nominations 2013
A great deal of speculation is going to be headlined today by the announcement of this year's Oscar nominations.
I shall be making our annual predictions later today after the ceremony, presented by Seth MacFarlane and Emma Stone takes place. That's after I stop laughing at MacFarlane's joy at being there and being slightly unprofessional at the gorgeous Miss Stone. Ahem.
I shall be making our annual predictions later today after the ceremony, presented by Seth MacFarlane and Emma Stone takes place. That's after I stop laughing at MacFarlane's joy at being there and being slightly unprofessional at the gorgeous Miss Stone. Ahem.
Saturday, 5 January 2013
The Pirates In An Adventure With Scientists! Review
Shiver me timbers, pieces of eight and yah me hearties - the Pirate Captain (Hugh Grant) is the most beloved pirate captain by all his crew: The Pirate With A Scarf (Martin Freeman), The Surprisingly Curvaecious Pirate (Ashley Jensen), The Pirate With Gout (Brendan Gleeson), etc. But sadly the love is not felt throughout the pirate realm; in fact, the Pirate Captain is something of a laughing stock. So he and his crew go out to search for booty; their search finds them meeting a rather lovesick Charles Darwin (David Tennant) and coming face to face with their arch nemesis, Queen Victoria (Imelda Staunton)...
If there was one studio who could pull off bringing Gideo Defoe's very funny series of books onto the big screen, it's Aardman. The studio who brought us Wallace And Gromit and Chicken Run have a sense of humour that matches the franchise perfectly, their love of sight gags and odd British humour combining brilliantly. Interestingly, they had originally pitched the idea as CGI, until they fell in love with the prototype sets they built.
This is one of the triumphs of the film; claymation is, sadly, a very rarely seen art, which adds to the sheer spectacle of the movie. So many animated films are CG now it might have struggled to stand out from the crowd- one thinks of their other attempts, Flushed Away and Arthur Christmas for example, good films but not ones that immediately spring to mind when you think of Aardman. The size of the film, the constantly strict attention to detail in everything is a winning formula that they tirelessly push to pursue.
Grant plays the Pirate Captain to perfection, allowing his trademark poshness to deepen and occasionally snarl; he's obviously having a lot of fun. The same applies to all the cast, not least Tennant, whose Darwin has to compete with Mr Bobo, a silent Monkey butler who gets the biggest laughs of the film, and Staunton, whose Queen Victoria is a brilliant mixture of Delores Umbridge and Mrs Tweedy, Aardman's other great villainess.
Sadly, there are a few who are wasted; you feel as if not enough time is spent in the presence of the other pirates, particularly Salma Hayek's Cutlass Liz in such a male dominated film, despite Staunton's presence. Brian Blessed makes a winning cameo as the Pirate King, but again could possibly have appeared one more time.
The script by Defoe, though full of fantastic one-liners for the Pirate Captain and others, also occasionally feels rushed, but maybe that's the point. It never feels long; in fact, it could have even been slightly longer. The script is also surprisingly dark for Aardman, though admittedly a lot of their brilliant short films have an edge to them; still it's actually a refreshing thing to see, Aardman not talking down to their audience at all and still remembering that the majority of the people who have read the books will be older readers.
Though it does not quite match the sheer brilliance of Wallace And Gromit, The Pirates...is still a winning, funny, brilliantly animated film with just the right sense of humour to poke fun at itself, and makes you wish, surprisingly, that Grant were given more chances to shine as much as he does here.
8/10
If there was one studio who could pull off bringing Gideo Defoe's very funny series of books onto the big screen, it's Aardman. The studio who brought us Wallace And Gromit and Chicken Run have a sense of humour that matches the franchise perfectly, their love of sight gags and odd British humour combining brilliantly. Interestingly, they had originally pitched the idea as CGI, until they fell in love with the prototype sets they built.
This is one of the triumphs of the film; claymation is, sadly, a very rarely seen art, which adds to the sheer spectacle of the movie. So many animated films are CG now it might have struggled to stand out from the crowd- one thinks of their other attempts, Flushed Away and Arthur Christmas for example, good films but not ones that immediately spring to mind when you think of Aardman. The size of the film, the constantly strict attention to detail in everything is a winning formula that they tirelessly push to pursue.
Grant plays the Pirate Captain to perfection, allowing his trademark poshness to deepen and occasionally snarl; he's obviously having a lot of fun. The same applies to all the cast, not least Tennant, whose Darwin has to compete with Mr Bobo, a silent Monkey butler who gets the biggest laughs of the film, and Staunton, whose Queen Victoria is a brilliant mixture of Delores Umbridge and Mrs Tweedy, Aardman's other great villainess.
Sadly, there are a few who are wasted; you feel as if not enough time is spent in the presence of the other pirates, particularly Salma Hayek's Cutlass Liz in such a male dominated film, despite Staunton's presence. Brian Blessed makes a winning cameo as the Pirate King, but again could possibly have appeared one more time.
The script by Defoe, though full of fantastic one-liners for the Pirate Captain and others, also occasionally feels rushed, but maybe that's the point. It never feels long; in fact, it could have even been slightly longer. The script is also surprisingly dark for Aardman, though admittedly a lot of their brilliant short films have an edge to them; still it's actually a refreshing thing to see, Aardman not talking down to their audience at all and still remembering that the majority of the people who have read the books will be older readers.
Though it does not quite match the sheer brilliance of Wallace And Gromit, The Pirates...is still a winning, funny, brilliantly animated film with just the right sense of humour to poke fun at itself, and makes you wish, surprisingly, that Grant were given more chances to shine as much as he does here.
8/10
Friday, 4 January 2013
Sound Of 2013
The BBC's Sound Of...polls are usually bang on the money; it doesn't necessarilly mean that the winning artists will be huge or be around forever (does anyone know where Little Boots has gone? She was great!), it's up to them and their management to add to the status that winning the poll gives them - Ellie Goulding, Jesie J, Adele, etc.
This year's winners are a three-girl band called Haim. As with most winners they've been around for a while, but this win pushes them further into the mainstream. They seem to be a mixture of Fleetwood Mac and the more electronic-fused bands we know of today - Friendly Fires, The xx. Their song "Don't Save Me" is catchy after a couple of listens, but shows how good songwriters they are. They're not going to write very catchy pop licks, that's not their thing.
These girls will be a quiet presence in the coming year - which is good, because they can build up more and more support by doing this.
Can I also quickly mention Sons And Lovers? A brilliant band who opened for Ellie Goulding in Brixton a couple of weeks ago. They sounded better live than they do here, but their songs seem more anthemic and even arguably youthful than Haim.
Btoh awesome groups - bring on 2013 for them.
This year's winners are a three-girl band called Haim. As with most winners they've been around for a while, but this win pushes them further into the mainstream. They seem to be a mixture of Fleetwood Mac and the more electronic-fused bands we know of today - Friendly Fires, The xx. Their song "Don't Save Me" is catchy after a couple of listens, but shows how good songwriters they are. They're not going to write very catchy pop licks, that's not their thing.
These girls will be a quiet presence in the coming year - which is good, because they can build up more and more support by doing this.
Can I also quickly mention Sons And Lovers? A brilliant band who opened for Ellie Goulding in Brixton a couple of weeks ago. They sounded better live than they do here, but their songs seem more anthemic and even arguably youthful than Haim.
Btoh awesome groups - bring on 2013 for them.
Tuesday, 1 January 2013
The 2013 Film List
Happy New Year!
If you've stumbled upon this blog, or if you happen to be someone who's crazy enough to have followed this blog for a certain amount of time (sometimes I get 4 views on an entry - 4 whole views!!) you are more than welcome, and I wish you a Happy New Year!
As is tradition, my resolutions will always, always invole the wish to see more live theatre and more films in the cinema. This will usually fall apart in early February, but there's still hope!
So here, as always, is the Film List for 2013 - the ten films I really, really want to go and see in the cinema - not in any particular order, just ten of them. Bring it on.
1. Les Miserables - The big screen adaptaion of the blockbuster musical - early prediction here that Anne Hathaway will be nominated and may even win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress at least, according to early reports. Plus a mate of mine was an extra in it. I could have been but my beard wasn't as impressive.
2. Gangster Squad - Ryan Gosling and Josh Brolin take on Sean Penn, who looks like he's on full scenery-chewing mode in the trailer. Could be The Untouchables for the 21st Century.
3. Django Unchained - Tarantino is back, with his take on a revisionist western - he's been on fire recently (not literally) and with Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio and his pal from Inglorious Basterds, Christoph Waltz, this looks to be very decent indeed.
4. Monsters University - Pixar always like to do something a little different; this time they're taking on the prequel. They haven't had the graetest couple of years recently, nothign to match the glories of Wall-E, Up and Toy Story 3; plus a prequel, as history dictates, is notorious in its difficulty at pulling off. But it will be good to vist Mike and Sully again - if anyone can do it, surely Pixar can.
5. Oz: The Great And Powerful - Speaking of prequels, Disney are hoping to do to the classic American legend of Oz what they tired (and sadly failed) to do with Narnia - this is so obviously a franchise starter, it reeks of it. But with a trio of lovelies like Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams and the always watchable Rachel Weisz, they may be on to a good thing.
6. Hitchcock - Yes, it's Oscar bait, but at least star Anthony Hopkins is making no song and dance about it for this film, snubbing the usual Academy ass kissing that accompanies such bait. A look into the making of arguably his second greatest work (after Rear Window in this blog's humble opinion), Psycho, this could be a very interesting biopic.
7. This Is 40 - Judd Apatow revisits two of the supporting characters from his excellent Knocked Up, looking at life for those hitting mid-life. It could just be the start of a more mature catalogue of films from the director/producer/hit maker.
8. The Great Gatsby - Baz Luhrmann's film should have been released last year, but because of studio involvement, it went away from the Awards season and into the Summer Blockbuster pool for this year. This could sink the film or it could be a triumph - the book has an awesome status that the film needs to live up to.
9. The World's End - Finally, finally, we get to see the concluding part of the Cornetto Trilogy of Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Edgar Wright; the two films previously, Shaun Of The Dead and Hot Fuzz, took irreverent looks at genre classics and gave them a brilliantly Brittish twist. Here's hoping that they can do the same with the Apocalypse. They'll make it more cheerful, anyway.
10. Star Trek Into Darkness - I am not a Trekkie. This is not a Trekkie blog. If you are a Trekkie, respect and honour to you. I am not one. The last Star Trek, J. J. Abrams game changing, franchise renewing blockbuster, was one of the most fun and enjoyable sci-fi films I've seen for a long while. It was a Trek film for Trekkies and non-Trekkies alike. And Benedict Cumberbatch is in this one. He's the bad guy. Win.
Honourable Mentions:
Wreck-It Ralph; Cloud Atlas; Man Of Steel; Jack Ryan; Passion; Hyde Park On Hidson; A Good Day To Die Hard; Pacific Rim; The Place Beyond The Pines; Byzantium; The End Of The World; White House Down; Movie 43; Robot & Frank
If you've stumbled upon this blog, or if you happen to be someone who's crazy enough to have followed this blog for a certain amount of time (sometimes I get 4 views on an entry - 4 whole views!!) you are more than welcome, and I wish you a Happy New Year!
As is tradition, my resolutions will always, always invole the wish to see more live theatre and more films in the cinema. This will usually fall apart in early February, but there's still hope!
So here, as always, is the Film List for 2013 - the ten films I really, really want to go and see in the cinema - not in any particular order, just ten of them. Bring it on.
1. Les Miserables - The big screen adaptaion of the blockbuster musical - early prediction here that Anne Hathaway will be nominated and may even win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress at least, according to early reports. Plus a mate of mine was an extra in it. I could have been but my beard wasn't as impressive.
2. Gangster Squad - Ryan Gosling and Josh Brolin take on Sean Penn, who looks like he's on full scenery-chewing mode in the trailer. Could be The Untouchables for the 21st Century.
3. Django Unchained - Tarantino is back, with his take on a revisionist western - he's been on fire recently (not literally) and with Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio and his pal from Inglorious Basterds, Christoph Waltz, this looks to be very decent indeed.
4. Monsters University - Pixar always like to do something a little different; this time they're taking on the prequel. They haven't had the graetest couple of years recently, nothign to match the glories of Wall-E, Up and Toy Story 3; plus a prequel, as history dictates, is notorious in its difficulty at pulling off. But it will be good to vist Mike and Sully again - if anyone can do it, surely Pixar can.
5. Oz: The Great And Powerful - Speaking of prequels, Disney are hoping to do to the classic American legend of Oz what they tired (and sadly failed) to do with Narnia - this is so obviously a franchise starter, it reeks of it. But with a trio of lovelies like Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams and the always watchable Rachel Weisz, they may be on to a good thing.
6. Hitchcock - Yes, it's Oscar bait, but at least star Anthony Hopkins is making no song and dance about it for this film, snubbing the usual Academy ass kissing that accompanies such bait. A look into the making of arguably his second greatest work (after Rear Window in this blog's humble opinion), Psycho, this could be a very interesting biopic.
7. This Is 40 - Judd Apatow revisits two of the supporting characters from his excellent Knocked Up, looking at life for those hitting mid-life. It could just be the start of a more mature catalogue of films from the director/producer/hit maker.
8. The Great Gatsby - Baz Luhrmann's film should have been released last year, but because of studio involvement, it went away from the Awards season and into the Summer Blockbuster pool for this year. This could sink the film or it could be a triumph - the book has an awesome status that the film needs to live up to.
9. The World's End - Finally, finally, we get to see the concluding part of the Cornetto Trilogy of Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Edgar Wright; the two films previously, Shaun Of The Dead and Hot Fuzz, took irreverent looks at genre classics and gave them a brilliantly Brittish twist. Here's hoping that they can do the same with the Apocalypse. They'll make it more cheerful, anyway.
10. Star Trek Into Darkness - I am not a Trekkie. This is not a Trekkie blog. If you are a Trekkie, respect and honour to you. I am not one. The last Star Trek, J. J. Abrams game changing, franchise renewing blockbuster, was one of the most fun and enjoyable sci-fi films I've seen for a long while. It was a Trek film for Trekkies and non-Trekkies alike. And Benedict Cumberbatch is in this one. He's the bad guy. Win.
Honourable Mentions:
Wreck-It Ralph; Cloud Atlas; Man Of Steel; Jack Ryan; Passion; Hyde Park On Hidson; A Good Day To Die Hard; Pacific Rim; The Place Beyond The Pines; Byzantium; The End Of The World; White House Down; Movie 43; Robot & Frank
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