A Late Quartet - A late review...

 Yaron Zilberman presents the story of a string quartet from New York who must come to grips with the thought of losing one of their members. After being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, Peter, the eldest of the group, expresses his wish to leave. As his departure threatens the future of the quartet, so too does the breakdown of Robert and Juliette's marriage. Tensions increase further when Robert becomes dissatisfied with his position as second violinist, while first violinist Daniel becomes involved with Alexandra, Robert and Juliette's much younger daughter.

Christopher Walken, Catherine Keener and Philip Seymour Hoffman turn in predictably high calibre performances here, with the latter truly shining; Hoffman's ability to find truth in a character through subtlety continues to thrust him higher through that league shared by the likes of Ed Harris, Tim Roth and Viggo Mortensen. It is a league actors who are, quietly, better than anyone ever says; actors who make a film worth watching, almost all on their own. Frustratingly, Mark Ivanir, as Daniel, doesn't quite strike as resounding a note as his screen partners; had a fourth cast member been able to share the screen with these masters, we would have had a perfect ensemble cast.

Nicely written, with real characters and great dialogue, A Late Quartet closes where it opens, with everything you see in between ensuring that when you reach the end, you see it anew. It makes for an engaging watch, with some golden scenes strewn throughout. It is true to say we do not quite get to know everyone as well as one might hope, and the running time could have been longer, allowing for better pacing, but the use of a quartet as an analogy for the strains that real-life relationships face, not to mention the fantastic performances, lend all the weight needed to what would have otherwise been a more average drama.

3.5/5

THIS WEEK: Mama / The Perks of Being a Wallflower

MAMA - (2013 - UK Certificate 15)

 

Mama is a poetic ghost story with a slightly haunting quality, featuring a lot of the trademarks with which Del Toro is clearly in love, so we see why he produced it.  Two girls go missing after their father murders their mother, kidnaps them, and attempts to end their life along with his own, only to be stopped by the mysterious titular character.  Five years later the girls are found, having survived, and are brought to live with their uncle and his reluctant rock-chick girlfriend, who the movie ends up being as much about as anything else.  The big question is, what was this mysterious character that appears to have saved the girls, and where is it now?  The story, predictably, deals with the mother/daughter bond in what turns out to be rather a "round the campfire ghost story" manner.

This sounds promising; indeed even the trailer whet the appetite nicely and prepared us for a film that looked set to follow in the footsteps of preceding Del Toro-produced successes.  Unfortunately, whilst it is carried fairly well by some familiar faces, most notably the chameleon-like Jessica Chastain, overall it has a sense about it of having been rushed, which shows not only in her character arc, but in the delivery of certain plot points which don't feel entirely thought through and, at times, a tad passe.  The whole thing lacks the creeping intensity of the first half of, say, Insidious or Sinister, as one might expect, and it also features the effects and lighter sort of scariness we saw with The Woman in Black and Don't Be Afraid of the Dark.  Given its theme and ultimate denouement, what it really needs is more of The Orphanage and The Devil's Backbone.

The negatives and some unmissable, lazy inconsistencies aside, however, this remains a perfectly passable, creepy flick.  A lot of credit should go to a director who extended his short to make this as his first feature, but don't expect to see it sitting alongside any classics in a few years.

2.5 / 5

 

THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER - (2012 - UK Certificate 12)

Based on his own book, Stephen Chbosky adapts  The Perks of Being a Wallflower and captures rather well a time and place, and a group who aren't just cliches, but genuine people we care about, even with their flaws.  Logan Lerman plays Charlie, the troubled wallflower of the title, entering his first year of high school and facing all the trials that are part of coming of age.  Upon meeting Patrick and Sam, a fantastic Ezra Miller playing completely different to how most last saw him in We Need To Talk About Kevin, and Emma Watson, he becomes part of the out-crowd, discovers the joys and pains of love, the importance of music and sincerity, being yourself, and ultimately confronts the ghosts of his childhood, defying them to shape his future.

There is a question mark over Watson, not because she gives a bad performance, but just because some may feel she was miscast.  There is also the occasional anachronistic element, as well as some oddly under-written roles.  That said, a great deal of the film has a very sincere spirit, and an ambition to tell an honest story that comes to feel very real.  "We are infinite" is a tagline for the movie; whilst the film will perhaps not be infinite as such, it is certainly worthy of your attention.  Whether you are the age of the characters or not, it does a rather smart job of capturing a specific feeling, what it is to find real friendship, and distilling it in to images, like a moving photo book.  In some way we catch glimpses of The Catcher in the Rye, a story told in such a way as to elicit reflection on our own formative years, and maybe find some empathy for adolescents we truly care about.

3.5 / 5

 

On DVD/Blu Ray
Catch it if you like:  Donnie Darko, Juno, The Man Without a Face

THIS WEEK: Antiviral / Beasts of the Southern Wild / The Flowers of War

0 - No Redeeming Feature

1 - Poor

2 - Passable

3 - Good.  Rent it.

4 - Excellent!

5 - Buy It!!

 

ANTIVIRAL (2013 - UK Certificate 15)

 

I don't know if Brandon Cronenberg minds living in the shadow of the respected master of body-shock, or whether he ultimately wants to make his own way, but two things can be said: His name undoubtedly helped him helm a film that drew more professional and critical attention than many debut efforts, even capturing the attention of cult favourite Malcolm Mcdowell (yes, him of A Clockwork Orange), and that not only does the apple not fall far from the tree, but this particular piece of nastiness is effectively on the same branch!  Antiviral, as an idea, could easily be part of his father's early canon; what sets it apart is the lack of experience, which does show a bit.  

Obsession with celebrity has gone far beyond Celebrity Big Brother and it is now the norm to consume meat derived from cell cultures of the famous, and you can buy colds and infections carried by your idol, if you can pay for it.  The story is of Syd, working for an agency whose business is the buying, selling and administering of these infections.  Through an act of carelessness Syd finds himself hunted for the disease he carries, and on the road to death because of it.  There are those who will talk about the extreme silliness of the idea, but if art is not free to push the boundaries of metaphor and ideas, what is?  In any case, this is not the first time we have seen a troubling idea taken to a disturbing extreme; aside from the aforementioned similarity to his own father's more fleshy, extreme work, you may easily see reflections of Darren Aronofsky's Pi here.

The film features a solid lead in Caleb Landry Jones (No Country for Old Men, X-Men: First Class, Contraband), who plays Syd with a coldness that fits right in with the starkness of the world Cronenberg creates.  It must also be said, he works the extremely ill look pretty much naturally; no offense to the guy but his grim, dour, pale and naturally malnourished appearance does make him a perfect fit.   Alongside him is Sarah Gadon, who has appeared in three Cronenberg films in as many years, with the last two being David's...it's all getting a bit incestuous, actually.

She is also perfect casting, and although given fairly little to do other than lie down a lot, I suspect there is thinking behind the idea that she is little more than a beautiful star for people to fawn after. In selling herself to The Lucas Clinic, the company for which Syd works, she represents the rather spiritless (talentless?) artist who has only to exist in order to be celebrated.

The film has its pacing issues, could have been trimmed, and even hits a hurdle in the middle, where it goes a bit 'conventional thriller' mode, but for a first timer Brandon Cronenberg puts together a solid, visually exciting, sufficiently unsettling body-shock drama to live up to his family name, although it could be said it never gets as extreme as some may want it to. Whilst it does not tie up as well as it could, Antiviral certainly makes for a strong debut, and suggests great, better-honed work in future. Well worth a look.

3.5 / 5 

To buy or rent
Catch it if you like:  Pi, David Cronenberg.

BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD (2012 - UK Certificate 12)

 

Benh Zeitlin's film about a six-year-old member of an ignored, poor, self-supporting community the wrong side of a sprawling levee, who survives an awful storm and learns early lessons in life and love, drew a lot of critical attention and even earned a couple of Academy nominations this year.  This is why I feel I've missed something, as I did not really like Beasts of the Southern Wild; I would go so far as to say that I found myself, at points, wondering when it was actually going to draw me in.

This is not to say it doesn't have its charms, such as the score, the central performance, and it is impressive that for a nothing budget it comes out so solid, clearly echoing and commenting on events in America's very recent history, but it ends up feeling like it has more to say than it actually does; for the most part it lacks engagement, which is frustrating given that the final ten minutes are rather poetic.  Had the rest of the film hit the same height, perhaps I would have been more impressed.  There is potential here, and clearly I am in a minority, but I just didn't get to grips with it; my recommended alternative to this is the gorgeous New Zealand film Whale Rider.

2/5

 

To buy or rent.

THE FLOWERS OF WAR (2012 - UK Certificate 15)

 

Yimou Zhang brings to the screen an astonishing, brutal beauty that looks at a situation where pure humanity and bravery stood against the evil that men do.  The less said about the synopsis here the better; it is enough to know it is set in 1937, the fall of Nanking at the hands of the Japanese, and that it is beautiful and terrible in equal measure.  It takes a mature look at the loss, or perhaps we should say theft of innocence, and the sacrifice and virtue of the brave.

A terrific, subtle performance from Christians Bale, which was hugely and unfairly overshadowed by his other films around the time of its release; this is the performance that should have won him the Oscar.  The women playing the prostitutes are good, but the young girls in the roles of the schoolgirls are incredible!  The photography is fantastic, but this is no surprise from the director of House of Flying Daggers and Curse of the Golden Flower, although it is understandably a generally darker pallet than his previous work.  Tough when it needs to be tough, and tender when it needs to be tender, this film does not fail to move you.

The only things holding it back are a few misjudged moments, and even with these the intentions are clear; they simply do not play as well as they could have done, which is strange given how well balanced and observed the movie is as a whole.  Nevertheless, simply by virtue of the fact nobody saw it, and that it is the dramatization of an important, overlooked, and even a denied part of history, this is a film you must watch.  The critics did not respond well while audiences were far more generous; in this case, the critics were so wrong, and the audience are so right!

One of my picks of 2012.

4/5

 

To rent or buy
Catch it if you like:  House of Flying Daggers, Letters to Iwo Jima

THIS WEEK: Flight / Untouchable

0 - No Redeeming Feature

1 - Poor

2 - Passable

3 - Good.  Rent it.

4 - Excellent!

5 - Must See!!

 FLIGHT  (2013 - UK Certificate 15)

Robert Zemickis returns to live action cinema with Flight, which surely presents what must be Daniel-Day Lewis' closest competition for the Best Actor award at this year's Oscars; there is no doubt that Denzel Washington is the reason, above all others, to see this movie.  He plays Captain Whip Whitaker, a pilot who crash lands a plane in a way that, it is later proved, nobody else would even consider, let alone be able to execute successfully (it really is genius!); he saves almost everybody on board, and becomes a hero.  How was he able to keep his head, while all around him were losing theirs, and perform this heroic and seemingly impossible feat?  Was it being the expert pilot he is, or was his ingenuity and gutsy handling of the situation a result of being hopped up on cocaine, and enough alcohol to make driving a car illegal?  Is his irresponsible action forgivable by virtue of the fact that, had he not been there, everybody would have died?  This is the conundrum the movie explores, and it even ponders the possibility of higher power, divine guidance, and bigger plans than we can imagine for those in need.  The latter theme may prove too lofty for some of the audience, and there are a couple of points where I must confess I felt it was a bit heavy-handed with the subject.  Then again, it is a trait that seems to appeal to Zemeckis and so should come as little surprise; consider previous work such as The Polar Express, Forrest Gump and Cast Away.  This, however, is not the only area that will feel familiar to Zemickis fans; the airplane disaster sequence is a few notches more frantic, bone-rattling and tense than the one we saw in Cast Away.  It is also possibly the best sequence of its kind that I have ever seen, and I saw Peter Weir's Fearless, which says a lot!

After this incredible opening it becomes a psychological drama, a character study of a man with a problem.  It was always going to be hard for the film to maintain its engagement level, but much like the plane, the second act does suffer more turbulence than I expected; Zemeckis certainly appears, at points, to be unable to marshal it all quite as well as has done previously.  This is not to say there are not many terrific scenes and performances, indeed the film is performance driven, but there is no getting around the fact that some elements are mismanaged.  A scene in which the co-pilot and his wife preach about God's plan for Whip comes off as a bit too humorous for the piece; it would have perhaps played better without the inclusion of the wife.  Being used to Zemeckis' cinematic ticks of the past, I understand how he saw her fitting in and depicting the archetype, and I don't doubt that these people do crawl out of the woodwork in such situations, but in terms of what the scene should have been, it does feel out of place.  A similar situation occurs when John Goodman turns up in a role I would have dialed down a notch and developed more; he is a perfectly fun, well played character, but I couldn't get it out of my head that he looks like he's wandered in from a Coen Brothers comedy.

Other characters are underused, and relationships not given as much fleshing out as might have been helpful in adding dramatic weight; a great example here would be the flight attendant Margaret, who really should have had more screen time.  Nicole, played by Kelly Reilly of Eden Lake and Sherlock Holmes fame, is a perfectly fine character who should have worked a bit like Marisa Tomei in The Wrestler, but unfortunately never has that sort of impact.  The hour or so after the crash almost outstays its welcome by meandering a bit too much, which is ironic, given that there is a fair bit left under-developed here.  This is a shame, as there is a notable gear change for the final act of the movie, and we suddenly find ourselves back in a film that could have been flying high the whole way, had it been a bit more focused, and I daresay shorter. 

All of this said, however, the most important element of Flight is the story and the arc of Captain Whitaker; casting the right man for the job was absolutely crucial to selling this whole thing.  Washington reminds us, possibly for the first time since Training Day, how good he is at presenting not simply a good or bad guy, and not somebody we can easily say we like or dismiss, but rather the flawed human being.  The heart of drama is conflict and this film is full of the stuff for all concerned, but most notably and interestingly, for us the audience.  The study of the psychology of a man who will not, or cannot, face up to his demons is always compelling, and here we are brought to a point where we care about Whitaker, we want to see him redeemed.

Washington hits his highs and lows brilliantly, taking us with him; we find ourselves genuinely happy, and sincerely disappointed with him in equal measure, as we watch him struggle, wanting desperately to jump in and help him.  It is a master actor who can get us to this point, and it is in fact mainly he, not the director, who pulls us through the muddy middle of the movie.  The final forty minutes is a compelling performance, and the penultimate chapter showcases nothing short of a masterclass in acting.  The finale of the story has been foreshadowed for some time through the film, we are ready and waiting for it, and so the fact Washington is still able to move us quite so intensely is a pleasant final lift.  His delivery proves that the devil is in the details; there is no "Hollywood-ing" here, it is absolutely real, and as we watch him we see the quiet, subtle perfection that makes him worthy of his nomination.

Flight doesn't maintain its occasionally breathtaking altitude as consistently as I would have liked, but its star, and the phenomenal acts that sandwich a middle which feels in need of a script polish, elevate it from the generic and make it one to watch.

3.5 / 5

At cinemas now.
Catch it if you like:  Cast Away, Fearless.

UNTOUCHABLE  (2012 - UK Certificate 15)

Some films just surprise us; they may not be setting the world on fire and they may not receive a huge release, but they have that special something that those who see it can't help but respond to.  Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano bring us this truly heartwarming film, based on a real event, about two people who never should have met, but who, upon doing so, altered each others lives significantly.  The great Francois Cluzet, who some may recognize as the star of the thriller Tell No One, plays Phillipe, an aristocrat made quadriplegic through an accident.  He needs constant care and is searching for a new caretaker; nobody ever makes it beyond a couple of weeks.  Enter Driss, played by an unfamiliar Omar Sy, a man turning up to the interview with no experience, and with only getting his benefit papers signed as motivation.

Yes, you can literally plot the rest of the film yourself, but at the point in the opening sequence where Driss signals a change of tone before moving into a joyous credit sequence, we know the film makers are going to do the best they can to make the story as fresh and enjoyable as possible, and boy do they succeed!  Whilst the overall arc of the story is no surprise, some may even say rather cliched, there is no denying the joy of the film.  With scene after scene of terrific dialogue and amusing interaction, we watch one man bring into another man's life some unexpected fun and joy.  The movie doesn't touch on back story as much as I would have liked, although they do well in visually contrasting the lives of the two men, and the tone is far more joyous than I expected; you might see reflections of Awakenings or Scent of a Woman here, but it plays on a far lighter level than either.  In any case, it is a film much overlooked outside of Europe in 2012, and it shouldn't have been.  I haven't smiled and laughed my way through a film this much for a while; I recommend you see it as soon as you can!

4.5 / 5

Catch it if you like:  Awakenings, Amelie, Scent of a Woman 

THIS WEEK: The Impossible

0 - No Redeeming Feature

1 - Poor

2 - Passable

3 - Good.  Rent it.

4 - Excellent!

5 - Must See!!

THE IMPOSSIBLE

What effectively appears to be a blockbuster disaster movie is perhaps one we would expect to come out of the Cameron or Spielberg canon, so when we see the name Juan Antonio Bayona, a director who is possibly unfamiliar to many who haven't seen The Orphanage, we are surprised and curious.  Upon closer inspection, The Impossible is in fact the incredible true account of a Spanish family's experience when the worst natural disaster Thailand has ever known hit in the form of a tsunami.  Many of us recall the disaster and its fallout, but this film takes us up close, following this one family's story, from their arrival, though their separation, to their departure.

Now there has been complaint from certain quarters that the film somehow does a disservice to the family by making them white Brits, rather than sticking to the reality that they are Spanish.  There is also claim that, by focusing on this one fortunate family's survival, the movie arrogantly disregards the experiences of those indigenous to the country, and those whose experiences were not so fortunate.  I find the prior accusation petty, and the latter ludicrous.  In casting big names Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor in the lead roles, they simply ensure that the budget necessary for the production is more likely to be granted, and covered; the story of the family is still honoured well. The idea that somehow we ignore the plight of anybody else is just silly; certain moments in the movie, and in particular the beautifully conceived final scene, touch very well on the fact that many were not so lucky.  The title of the film itself ties in with Bayona's intent to illustrate just how rare the sort of good fortune it depicts was, and the family are shown to clearly understand this.  I am flabbergasted people are reading it any other way, to be honest.

The first ten minutes of this movie are filled with a tension; the fact we know what comes next makes the setup of Maria and Henry's great relationship with their boys, Lucas, Thomas and Simon somehow more distressing.  The next forty minutes are truly a technical miracle; never before have I been in a cinema feeling quite so overwhelmed by the depiction of a natural disaster.  Bayona uses incredible miniature sets, real water, terrifying use of sound, and superb in-camera make-up to stunning effect, forcing us to endure the entire tsunami as mother and son do.  We follow Maria and Lucas' events for about an hour before cutting over to Henry, Thomas and Simon.  I will say that there is, for me, something lacking in the second act of the film, but this is possibly because the first has blown you away to such an extent, the devastated quietness of what follows feels naturally muted.

This said, the performances carry through very well; McGregor is heartbreaking, and particular note has to be given to all the boys, who we adore pretty much on the spot.  I would also suggest keeping an eye open for Tom Holland, who plays Lucas; his arc and the maturity of his performance feels so wonderfully natural, it is a struggle to believe his only experience has been as Billy Elliott on stage, and voicing a character in 2010's Arrietty.  Naomi Watts has been nominated for a Best Actress Oscar, and whilst I suspect she will not win, I can say I have not seen her giving such a physical and emotionally draining performance, and that if you only see her in this and Eastern Promises, you might be forgiven for believing she is English.

This film does drain you; by the time you leave the movie, you do feel a little washed out, and thankful that in the end this is a story of human triumph over adversity and a celebration of spirit, rather than the dour tale it could have threatened to be.  Despite a second act lacking the kinetic force of the first, and the fact that Watts and Holland are really the more compelling characters and performances, and despite some moments where the gorgeous score does seem to teeter on being too much, overall this is a recommended experience.  I have no idea why it is not nominated for production design and sound editing, because it should wipe the floor in those categories.

4/5

At cinemas now.

Catch it if you like:  Natural disaster movies, or intense, emotional drama.

THIS WEEK: Silver Linings Playbook/Shame/Coriolanus

0 - No Redeeming Feature

1 - Poor

2 - Passable

3 - Good.  Rent it.

4 - Full Price

5 - Must See!

 

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

It must be said that despite its plaudits, The Fighter is not a film that was particularly impressive to me, and David O. Russell is not a director I can safely rely on for a guaranteed great film experience.  Likewise for Bradley Cooper, who has proven himself as a perfectly fine leading man previously, but is most notable for his role in films I don't rate.  Add to this the fact that one of the greatest screen actors of all time, Robert De Niro, has made similar-looking film choices in recent years that were questionable, and that the marketing campaign for Silver Linings Playbook seemed to have it setup as a rather forgettable rom-com, set awkwardly around the subject of mental illness, and you might understand my concern going in.  I am therefore happy to say that not only was I pleasantly surprised, but that I actually put it straight in as one of my favourite films of 2012!

The film centres around Pat, who suffers a bipolar disorder and who has, due to an unfortunate incident involving his wife and her lover, recently spent eight months rehabilitating at a facility.  He is brought home to live with his parents while he gets back on his feet, but is convinced he can make contact with his wife by means of a letter and that everything will be back to how it was, despite the fact she has had a restraining order taken out against him.. Exactly as you might expect from the synopsis, it is very much a story which, in the wrong hands, could have become a debacle of bad taste; as it is, Russell marshals it all rather well and creates a solid, engaging drama.

Now let's not get carried away, it is not a masterpiece; some notable technical errors, including at least one scene that bordered on misguided and farcical, though admittedly well staged, do hold it back.  It is also, in the end, little more than an extremely off-beat romance; even in dealing with mental illness, and addressing issues like the ill-judgement of people affected, it still has nowhere near the same important resonance as, say, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest.  Beyond this, however, there is a lot to be admired, and it starts with the grace with which it handles the subject.  This seems to stem from the fact that the author has great respect for the characters, and that Russell apparently has a personal relationship with the subject through his family.  I must say it shows; every character has some relationship with mental disorder, and though there are moments of lightness, the humorous edge of the film grows organically from the story, in the way it would in reality, rather than being forced.  We are never made to feel we are complicit in pointing and laughing; on the contrary, I found every single character, major or minor, to be very well drawn and someone I felt I could believe in and in whom I could invest emotionally.

It is also a film that seems determined to defy quite a lot of convention; just as you suspect certain plot points or moments are about to go one way, some might say the Hollywood way, it in fact goes somewhere else, on one hand surprising you, and on another carving a deeper sense of empathy and realism.  To cite examples, watch out for a scene in which Pat gets into a real physical fight with his father, or his discussions with his therapist; moments like these, due to their sense of realism, engage you all the more with the characters, and make them so much more than mildly humorous cliches.  It does, of course, go into Hollywood land eventually, but by this point, such has been the good judgement of the movie in nearly every way, you find yourself enjoying it rather than being cynical.  De Niro's reaction to the "big moment" in the finale, as well as the moment itself, is so wonderfully, awkwardly, and realistically amusing, it is one of a few genuine laugh-out-loud moments, and the scene also features possibly my favourite line in the movie, by an extra, no less!

Much has been said for the performances, and rightly so.  From the smaller roles, such as the one filled by Chris Tucker, to the major, I don't think I can find a weak link; if anything, it is their drawing I would like to have seen more of, rather than better performances.  Jennifer Lawrence is exactly the effortless performer I have come to expect, and I only take this opportunity to recommend to everybody a film called Winter's Bone which, whilst not perfect, features a quiet, intense, star-making performance from a younger Lawrence.  When Bradley Cooper is given good material, he is a terrific lead, and I just wonder to what degree he sought advice from his on-screen father De Niro who, forty years earlier, may have easily walked away with an Oscar for a performance Cooper is here required to give.  Speaking of De Niro, it is good to see his chops not lost and that he still owns his time on screen; it is fair to say I have not seen him this good for a while, and it is a joy to watch him back on form.  Best Supporting Actor nomination, ahoy!

For me, one of the big surprises of 2012, and in the strangest way, the best feel-good film I have seen for some time, Silver Linings Playbook is an engaging, well-crafted piece of storytelling.  Some of its ideas are ultimately a bit above its station, but it is still a wonderful two hours.

At cinemas now

4/5

 

Catch it if you like: Good Will Hunting, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. 

SHAME 

I was aware of Steve McQueen as an artist, whose work I even recall studying at GCSE here in the UK, but it was his debut feature Hunger that confirmed him as a serious film maker.  Hunger also confirmed the suspicion I had roused by the movie Eden Lake, that Michael Fassbender is a screen force who demands some real attention.  Here in McQueen's second feature he plays Brandon, a thirty-something living on his own in New York, whose professional life remains steady, while his personal one is absolutely driven by a need for sexual gratification.  Whether it be through pornography, random women like the one at a bar his boss wants to take home, prostitutes, or simply regular trips to the bathroom to have a friendly get-together with his hand, he is in need of release through sex.  To understand a film is about such a topic, two things come to mind: it sounds funny, and even if it is not, it is undoubtedly going to be a piece of erotica not far removed from pornography.  In fact Shame is neither funny or erotic.  It is explicit, but that is to be expected.  What it is actually about is far more interesting; a sincere examination of a lonely, lost soul in a vast, faceless city, and the need, and importantly the lack of desire, to find something more, to feel connected, to feel human.  This need seems highlighted when Brandon's sister arrives in the form of the terrific Carey Mulligan, their fraught relationship and her attempt to connect with him managing to pull his life apart and force his self-reflection.

This is a movie I did not get to writing about straight away, as I felt the need to let it settle before feeling I knew what I wanted to say about it.  With that being done, here it is.  There is a lot to be admired about this film, and here is where the problems also begin; it is a film to be admired in its bits and pieces, but not embraced as a whole.  When it gets dynamic and dramatically gripping, it is primarily because Fassbender and Mulligan do outstanding work with what they are given; they have a terrific chemistry as siblings who are both disturbed in their own way, and particularly in scenes where a disturbed past is hinted at, they perform expertly.  At no point are we told anything, and in the end it is down to us to consider their potentially unsavory history.  This has two functions: the absolute lack of exposition between characters who already know everything about one another keeps it realistic, and the sense that we never really get to know them properly keeps them devoid of something vital, preventing them from being utterly human, which is of course the point.  It must be said, as superb as Mulligan is, she is not given a great deal to do overall, and so it becomes very much Fassbender's film in terms of performance.  Once you get around the fact that you see a reasonable amount of his penis in this movie, you can easily see why many eyes were on him at the Oscars last year; Brandon is a difficult, quiet, damaged and complicated man to play, and the fact the majority of our understanding comes only from the actor's expressions and behaviour is impressive; that we actually see a character development and arc in Brandon is testament to Fassbender's talent.  As was shown in McQueen's debut, he clearly works well with the man.
  
The film has a stunning score, which is arguably the best thing about it.  Sounding like Hans Zimmer half asleep, its haunting nature captures perfectly the sad tone of disconnection, loneliness, and ultimately the apparent futility of the effort to change the situation.

McQueen has an undeniable eye for excellent composition, which is no surprise; as an artist he has a keen understanding of how powerful an image can be, how one tableau can speak a hundred words, and that is very obvious throughout.  The whole thing is shot with they eye of a man who is first and foremost an artist, so there is no denying the film's urban beauty.  Such is his insistence, however, on getting across the points through visuals and long, protracted scenes in which so much is unsaid, or so much is about the internal, and which sometimes border on overdone, that I found myself often realizing I might do just as well to read a memoir of this man, rather than watch it be played out.  It looks and feels like a book.  In terms of the story unfolding, it does so in quite a stagy way at times, and this highlights an issue McQueen has not really overcome with either film, which is his inability to drive forward with a narrative.  His desire to put individual scenes together and create moments is a priority, and so the drive of the film seems laboured.  This said, staging of said moments is impressive, much of the film having an almost Kubrick feel of precision, keeping us intentionally somewhat removed from the characters, which, given the subject matter, brings about an obvious comparison to Eyes Wide Shut.  This is true for all scenes barring one towards the end, which seems decidedly unrealistic; set against the impressive realism of the rest of the film, this was strange and took me out of it. 

I consider Shame rather flawed, and can't say I liked it, yet I found it compelling and moving; in this way it is a strange movie to pass a clear verdict on.  McQueen is very confident in his transition to film; his work thus far is admirable and does have a power, but in the end Shame equals, for me, less than the sum of its parts.  To each their own, of course, but I would suggest you can see some similar issues tackled, with perhaps more narrative flow, and far less handsomely, in work like Intimacy with Mark Rylance and Kerry Fox, and Open Your Eyes with Clive Owen and Alan Rickman.

On DVD/Blu-Ray now.

3/5

 

Catch it if you like: Eyes Wide Shut, Hunger, Intimacy, Open Your Eyes.

CORIOLANUS

Ralph Feinnes takes one of William Shakespeare's lesser known, longer plays, and adapts it for the big screen.  Those familiar with the play will argue it has been too cut down, and some purists will decry any modern adaption, almost on principle, it seems.  Just as with Romeo and Juliet, though, we see the beauty of Shakespeare's poetry pushed to the front, delivered with much power by a cast featuring some surprising players.

Most notable by the fact he should seem out of place is Gerard Butler, who actually fits right in as Aufidius.  He is an interesting character, he respects his enemy, and wants to overthrow him; both facets have to be made clear and this is a dramatic task Butler rises to rather well.  Also giving a surprisingly exciting turn is James Nesbitt, as an angered Tribune.  Alongside them is a host of far more immediately comfortable-looking actors, including Jessica Chastain, Brian Cox, and Vanessa Redgrave, who almost steals the piece as Volumnia.  Shakespeare did love his strong females, and she is no exception.

Unlike Baz Luhrmann's bombastic take on the star-crossed lovers, Coriolanus is treated with a far sterner hand; you can almost feel Feinnes scowling from behind, as well as in front of, the camera!  What a performance he gives, though, intense and frightening on one hand, spitting the vitriolic monologues with relish, yet just as convincing when playing sheepish and pathetic under his mother's authority.  If you like to hear this stuff acted out, this is definitely a treat of a movie.  The reason for the firm handling is, of course, that this play has no sense of frivolity or fun about it; this is an all round meaner piece about social upheaval, prompted by a Roman warrior who is too proud of his position to care about being a voice for the common man.  The commoners revolt and banish him from Rome, we see his loyalties easily corrupted by his pride, and we watch him turn to his life-long enemy in order that he may attack his people.  The tension heightens, and we cannot help but understand Feinnes' choice to make it; one cannot fail to see its relevance today.  The inclusion of familiar BBC faces playing their part as news readers and talking heads in the piece is a smart move, really bringing the drama into modern day and making it feel all the more familiar and relevant.

With the good comes some of the bad, of course; Feinnes' lack of experience in handling action sequences shows, the city of Rome appears to consist of very few people, which does not help give weight to the idea that there is an uprising, and there is a sense of the film petering out rather than ending with the real dramatic bang one might expect.  The power of the writing, however, an exciting use of music, and the principal performances make it a compelling adaption of a play that illustrates how relevant the Bard remains.


On DVD/Blu-Ray now.

3.5 / 5

 

Catch it if you like:  Romeo and Juliet, solid Shakespeare adaptions.

THIS WEEK: Pitch Perfect/Quartet/Even The Rain/The Prey (Le Proie)

0 - No Redeeming Feature
1 - Poor
2 - Passable
3 - Good.  Rent it.
4 - Full Price
5 - Must See!

The new year brings with it a host of promising films and here follows my take on one of the first releases of 2013, along with no less than three previously unwatched movies.  Yes, I did well this week.

PITCH PERFECT

Anna Kendrick is coming to prove her worth with her last few film choices; whether one likes the movies or not, she is undeniably a strong screen presence and an actress who, like Pattinson, appears to have the talent to get out from under the Twilight shadow in the long-run.  Here she plays Beca, a woman who joins Barden Universtiy with one goal, to become a DJ.  Upon arrival she is swiftly accosted in the shower by Aubrey, who hears her singing voice, and is almost ordered to join the all-girl singing group The Bellas.  The Bellas compete each year in the campus singing competition, and it is clear that this time they have more to overcome than just their male competition, The Treblemakers.

It featuring a lot of teens straight out of performing arts, musical set pieces, witty one-liners, and is directed by Jason Moore, responsible for episodes of Dawson's Creek and One Tree Hill, among others.  The Glee similarity is all too clear, and Moore's TV roots do show; given that, there is no denying the trepidation I felt walking in.  Much to my surprise, then, and I would by lying to say otherwise, I found myself entertained.  Yes, it is exactly what you would expect when you look at the poster, not much more or less, but it is raised above the average by the musical elements genuinely working well, the refreshing look at the girl group as human beings with different personalities, rather than as being simply 'mean girls', and a strong sense that Moore understands its intended audience.  This is perhaps best reflected by the choice to heavily reference The Breakfast Club in the story; many who watch Pitch Perfect may not have seen it, but could well be encouraged to go take a look, and understand the use of this coming-of-age classic as a reference point due to its influence.  It is not to say the two are at all in the same league, but it is to say the movie remains arguably the most iconic of the field Pitch Perfect is aiming to be included in.  The narrative and character development is fairly weak and there is no getting around the fact it is clearly at its best when being funny or breaking out the music action, but it is what it is and it does the job well.

Most people will recognise the standout element of the film, the thing most people will talk about, as Bridesmaids' Rebel Wilson as Fat Amy; she is intentionally given some of the best lines and she delivers superbly.  The film is worth watching for her!  Pitch Perfect will do exactly what we expect, be popular for a while, particularly with the crowd into this sort of movie, and then gradually be forgotten, but Wilson is a comedy gem of the future; she is here to stay!

At cinemas now.

3/5

 QUARTET

Dustin Hoffman directs what is otherwise a quintessentially British play-turned-film. A quartet of yesteryear's professional opera stars are asked to perform again at a gala, which will save the retirement home in which they now live. You might be forgiven for assuming this will end up being a stuffy piece, about a boring topic, which will hold only the interest of a select audience, but you would be wrong on all counts.

Quartet's winning stroke is the casting; I could not imagine a better line-up of four performances I would rather watch.  Not one of the principal cast drop the ball and I am hard pushed to choose any actor's performance over another; this is supported by the fact they are given such humorous, touching, and most importantly, real dialogue to deliver and honest emotion to play.  The situation that emerges and how it plays out all feels so natural, there is no avoiding being drawn in, entertained, and ultimately moved by it.

The film is no longer than it needs to be, rather dry with its humour, touching with its sentimentality, without over-egging it, and well observed in its detailing of the people you are watching.  You come to realise, fairly quickly, that what is important is not whether you enjoy the subject of the music, or whether you are of an age that you will naturally relate to the characters, but just that you understand the frame of reference through which the touching story of love and regrets plays out.  It is not a film to set the world on fire, and will likely be swiftly overshadowed, but it does what it does very well.  It is a touching, enjoyable movie for all, which will likely find its most loyal audience outside of the cinema, on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

At cinemas now

3.5 / 5

EVEN THE RAIN

An almost perfect drama, which beautifully balances the story of a film being made about exploitation of the New World with exploitation in the real world.  A film being made, about Columbus' discovery of the New World 500 years ago, enters turmoil as around the film makers the people of Bolivia enter into a volatile urban war over water.  In their efforts to complete what they consider an important movie no matter what, the question is whether the film makers are becoming a cog in the very machine their film decries?

It takes perhaps half an hour to settle into a groove, and with it being a foreign language movie, I might understand some people losing interest and switching off.  This is a shame, as Even The Rain actually rewards patience; it becomes an extremely engaging drama about politics AND people; it is provocative, exciting, very well put together, and is easily among my top ten of 2010.  Telling a tremendous story and featuring a great screen presence in Luis Tosar as pragmatic producer Costa, this is a superb movie all should see.

Get it on DVD/Blu-Ray now.

4.5 / 5

Catch it if you like:  Che, Fair Game, The Hurt Locker, Lebanon.

THE PREY (LE PROIE)

Released in 2012 and totally overlooked, I won't say much about this except it is another typically impressive slice of French thriller cinema, looking like Hitchcock directing a Tarantino screenplay, if you can imagine such a thing.  Primarily a cat-and-mouse chase, it is a bit let down by its odd score, which does feel a bit Pink Panther at times, but it also features some terrific actions sequences, a wonderful central performance from Albert Dupontel, who cinephiles will be likely to recognise, and it is all underpinned by an exciting idea that feels like a Harlen Coben novel.  Worth checking out.

On DVD/Blu-Ray

3.5 / 5