So I've still got a second catch up session to do, but with the Oscar nominations being just around the corner I thought I'd through my had in the ring in guessing what will be nominated for best movie. As with last year, the minimum number of movies that can be nominated is five and the maximum is ten. Some of these movies haven't even been released in Australia yet, but I'm basing my predictions on the movies I have seen, the kinds of movies that normally get nominated, movies that have been nominated for other awards and general Oscars buzz. Predictions have been split into three, guaranteed, likely and possible.
Guaranteed Nominations
You can bet your bottom dollar the following four movies will be nominated. I really should have five guaranteed nominees seeing as there has to be five movies nominated, but there are only four I'm 100% sure of.
Lincoln (Not out in Australia yet)
Steven Spielberg + Historical Drama + Daniel Day-Lewis. This would be nominated even if it was the worst movie ever made just based on the above formula. To be honest, unless it's especially good I really hope it doesn't win as it's such an predictable and boring choice for best picture. But I am looking forward to seeing it.
Zero Dark Thirty (Not out in Australia yet)
Pretty much all the critics are raving about it, it's a political drama about recent history and it's been nominated for heaps of other awards. Yeah, it's a lock for a nomination. Also, it's directed by Kathryn Bigelow who directed The Hurt Locker, winner of the best picture from a few years back.
Argo
Ditto Zero Dark Thirty. Except this is directed by Ben Affleck, who's profile as a director is slowly rising.
Les Miserables
It's been a while since a musical has received a best picture nomination, however this a big budget, lavish production of one of the most popular musicals in recent history featuring a big name cast with the director of The Kings Speech at the helm. Of course it will be nominated.
Likely Nominations
These ones will most likely get a nomination, I'm just not bold enough to say it with any certainty.
Silver Linings Playbook (Not out in Australia yet)
This one almost HAS to be nominated as the Oscars always have a token comedy film in the list and this is the only comedy that is getting any significant Oscar buzz.
Beasts of the Southern Wild
A critical darling and with good reason (it's one of the best movies of 2012 by a mile) this is another movie that almost HAS to be nominated to demonstrate that the Oscars still appreciate smaller, independent movies and also movies that are, you know, good.
The Master
Similar in tone and theme to Paul Thomas Anderson's last effort, There Will be Blood, which did earn a best picture nomination. This one is almost as good, but it's a little more avant-garde and bizarre which may put Oscar voters off, but all the critical applause it's received should push it over the line.
Possible Nominations
So that's seven movies that will almost certainly be nominated, however there are a possible ten nomination spots up for grabs, so I'll name another three for good measure.
Django Unchained (Not out in Australia yet)
The reviews for this one see to suggest that it's very good, if not Taratino's best. But it's still Taratino and boasts and impressive cast, so I think it could be looked on favourably by Oscar voters.
Life of Pi
Getting a fare bit of buzz, Oscar voters usually like Ang Lee, plus it's a good movie, which helps. So I think it's in with a good chance.
Amour
There's been at least one instance where a movie has been nominated for best foreign language film and best picture (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon) and I'm hoping beyond hope that it happens again with Amour. Getting a surprising amount of buzz, I was happy last year when my favourite film of 2011, Tree of Life, was simply nominated in the best picture category. I'd be equally as happy here.
So that's that. The last couple of years have seen a number of great movies nominated for best picture, but the main prize always goes to the wrong movie. I predict the same will happen again this year.
Wednesday 9 January 2013
Saturday 5 January 2013
And the best movie of 2012 is......
discussed at the bottom.
Got some old stuff to catch up on. Most of these will be pretty brief cause I saw them a while ago, but, you know, I'm trying catch up so I gotta cut some corners.
Got some old stuff to catch up on. Most of these will be pretty brief cause I saw them a while ago, but, you know, I'm trying catch up so I gotta cut some corners.
Argo f*ck yourself
No that's not a diss on Ben Affleck's latest directorial effort, but a line that's used several times in the movie for superb comedic effect. Funny stuff. Based on a true story Argo follows the efforts of Ben Affleck's CIA character to rescue six American Embassy employees in Iran who take refuge in the Canadian Embassy after a group of protesters take the rest of the American staff hostage. Argo is the name of the fake Sci-Fi film that he pretends to be producing as a cover to get into the country. But that's enough about the story.
After years of being at least mildly disrespected as an actor Ben Affleck is really staring to make a name for himself as a major filmmaker, with Gone Baby Gone, The Town and now Argo all being successes. The direction and scripting are hella tight, the performances all fine and the last 45 minutes are some of the most tense, thrilling moments I've seen at the cinema. I almost thought I choke myself to death on my fingernails at one point. The problem with Argo is that it spends virtually no time at all developing the characters, and in a movie like this that's almost unforgivable. Which is a shame, because if they had this would have been a near masterpiece, instead it just turns out to be a very very good political thriller. Still, watch out for future films with Ben Affleck at the helm, his masterpiece isn't too far away
**** out of *****
Liked Lock Stock and Snatch?
Then you'll love Seven Psychopaths. Or you should, because it's the best multi-storyline gangster comedy since Guy Ritchie and Madonna got divorced. This is one of those movies where the main character is trying to write a story, or in this case a screenplay, that mirrors the actual movie we're watching. You know, like they did in Adaption. Not saying Seven Psychopaths is unoriginal, far from it. It's full of interesting characters, unexpected plot developments and self referential humor, this was probably the funniest movie I saw in 2012. It also has a great cast featuring Colin Farrell, Christopher Walken, Woody Harrelson and even Tom Waits (!). So, basically, you know you're gonna have a good time.
**** out of *****
And The Prize For Most Teen Cliches In One Film Goes To...
Yeah, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is full of them and attempts to tackle just about every issue facing teenagers in under 2 hours. Bullying, social acceptance, mental illness, depression, family relationships, love relationships, drugs, partying, they're all here. But, the thing is, the movie actually works and does a good job at exploring all of the above. The script is great, the story engaging, the cast brilliant and performances fantastic, the soundtrack top notch, the characters interesting and memorable, and it's damn funny. There's really not a lot to dislike about this film, excepting the aforementioned cliches. Should obtain something similar to cult status in a few years I boldly predict.
**** out of *****
East Meets West Meets Garbage
The Man with the Iron Fists is an attempt to do what I can only imagine is a sort of Tarantino inspired Western movie with Eastern influences, complete with over the top action scenes and excessive amounts of gore. However, instead of stylish action scenes, slick dialogue and interesting characters what this movie offers is a schizophrenic mess that not even the director's mum would say was worth the price of admission. It's pointless, makes no sense, and has Russell Crowe in it for some reason. Nuff said about this epic waste of time.
* out of *****
Love
Or Amour, as it's known by it's original title pretty much everywhere, is the best movie released in 2012. Not that I've seen every movie that was released in 2012, but I find it so unlikely that anything would top this masterpiece that I'm willing to claim it. The story is simple enough, and old ordinary couple, neither especially dull or especially interesting, are just living their lives together after years of marriage when the wife's health starts to deteriorate. After undergoing surgery and suffering multiple strokes we watch as she slowly starts to slip away, and while her husband cares for her without fail despite the protests of their children that she should be put in a home.
The story may be simple, but it's told with such heartbreaking subtlety, grace and poignancy that even the most avid action film junkie would be hard pressed not to shed a tear. Forget about your Hugh Grant's and Colin Firth's, this old French dude is the most romantic male lead you're likely to see in a movie, and Amour captures the most raw, honest portrayal of true love I think I've seen on film.
There are a good movies, there are great movies, then there are those rare transcendent film experiences that speak to the core of our humanity and just leave all other cinematic experiences for dead. Amour, like Tree of Life from 2011, falls in that rare latter category. Winner of the Cannes Film festival, it's almost unfair that other movies had to compete against it. It should win the major prize come Oscars time, but we all know that will go to some historical drama or biopic piece of nonsense we've seen 1000 times before. But hey, that's Hollywood. I saw this as the last film of the Brisbane Film Festival, but it's not officially out in Australia until later this year. Go out of your way to see it times a million. I can't stress it enough.
***** out of *****
No that's not a diss on Ben Affleck's latest directorial effort, but a line that's used several times in the movie for superb comedic effect. Funny stuff. Based on a true story Argo follows the efforts of Ben Affleck's CIA character to rescue six American Embassy employees in Iran who take refuge in the Canadian Embassy after a group of protesters take the rest of the American staff hostage. Argo is the name of the fake Sci-Fi film that he pretends to be producing as a cover to get into the country. But that's enough about the story.
After years of being at least mildly disrespected as an actor Ben Affleck is really staring to make a name for himself as a major filmmaker, with Gone Baby Gone, The Town and now Argo all being successes. The direction and scripting are hella tight, the performances all fine and the last 45 minutes are some of the most tense, thrilling moments I've seen at the cinema. I almost thought I choke myself to death on my fingernails at one point. The problem with Argo is that it spends virtually no time at all developing the characters, and in a movie like this that's almost unforgivable. Which is a shame, because if they had this would have been a near masterpiece, instead it just turns out to be a very very good political thriller. Still, watch out for future films with Ben Affleck at the helm, his masterpiece isn't too far away
**** out of *****
Liked Lock Stock and Snatch?
Then you'll love Seven Psychopaths. Or you should, because it's the best multi-storyline gangster comedy since Guy Ritchie and Madonna got divorced. This is one of those movies where the main character is trying to write a story, or in this case a screenplay, that mirrors the actual movie we're watching. You know, like they did in Adaption. Not saying Seven Psychopaths is unoriginal, far from it. It's full of interesting characters, unexpected plot developments and self referential humor, this was probably the funniest movie I saw in 2012. It also has a great cast featuring Colin Farrell, Christopher Walken, Woody Harrelson and even Tom Waits (!). So, basically, you know you're gonna have a good time.
**** out of *****
And The Prize For Most Teen Cliches In One Film Goes To...
Yeah, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is full of them and attempts to tackle just about every issue facing teenagers in under 2 hours. Bullying, social acceptance, mental illness, depression, family relationships, love relationships, drugs, partying, they're all here. But, the thing is, the movie actually works and does a good job at exploring all of the above. The script is great, the story engaging, the cast brilliant and performances fantastic, the soundtrack top notch, the characters interesting and memorable, and it's damn funny. There's really not a lot to dislike about this film, excepting the aforementioned cliches. Should obtain something similar to cult status in a few years I boldly predict.
**** out of *****
East Meets West Meets Garbage
The Man with the Iron Fists is an attempt to do what I can only imagine is a sort of Tarantino inspired Western movie with Eastern influences, complete with over the top action scenes and excessive amounts of gore. However, instead of stylish action scenes, slick dialogue and interesting characters what this movie offers is a schizophrenic mess that not even the director's mum would say was worth the price of admission. It's pointless, makes no sense, and has Russell Crowe in it for some reason. Nuff said about this epic waste of time.
* out of *****
Love
Or Amour, as it's known by it's original title pretty much everywhere, is the best movie released in 2012. Not that I've seen every movie that was released in 2012, but I find it so unlikely that anything would top this masterpiece that I'm willing to claim it. The story is simple enough, and old ordinary couple, neither especially dull or especially interesting, are just living their lives together after years of marriage when the wife's health starts to deteriorate. After undergoing surgery and suffering multiple strokes we watch as she slowly starts to slip away, and while her husband cares for her without fail despite the protests of their children that she should be put in a home.
The story may be simple, but it's told with such heartbreaking subtlety, grace and poignancy that even the most avid action film junkie would be hard pressed not to shed a tear. Forget about your Hugh Grant's and Colin Firth's, this old French dude is the most romantic male lead you're likely to see in a movie, and Amour captures the most raw, honest portrayal of true love I think I've seen on film.
There are a good movies, there are great movies, then there are those rare transcendent film experiences that speak to the core of our humanity and just leave all other cinematic experiences for dead. Amour, like Tree of Life from 2011, falls in that rare latter category. Winner of the Cannes Film festival, it's almost unfair that other movies had to compete against it. It should win the major prize come Oscars time, but we all know that will go to some historical drama or biopic piece of nonsense we've seen 1000 times before. But hey, that's Hollywood. I saw this as the last film of the Brisbane Film Festival, but it's not officially out in Australia until later this year. Go out of your way to see it times a million. I can't stress it enough.
***** out of *****
Wednesday 28 November 2012
I'm baaaaaaaaaccckkkk in the sadddle.....
After a long hiatus I've decided to start doing this again. Why? Cause I feel like it.
Best.Bond.Ever.
Yep, I'm just gonna come out and say it - Skyfall is the best Bond move so far. It's a big claim, one which I back myself in making 100%. I will now attempt to convince you that this statement is correct. In dot point form.
****1/2 out of *****
They should have taken more time writing the script
The original Taken was a hit, and why shouldn't it be. Take a likable actor in Liam Neeson, have him play a likable character who stops at nothing to achieve his goal and takes crap from no one, kicking all manner of ass on the way, throw in a fairly straightforward but satisfying storyline and plenty of action and thrills and you have yourself a winning formula.
Taken 2, on the other hand, is garbage. The thrills from the first movie are instead replaced with sappy melodrama and a lame revenge story, the action is tame and by the numbers, and the villain feels like he's be more at home reading Dostoevsky with a tall glass of milk rather than killing people. Liam Neeson feels like he's simply going through the motions this time, and the whole damn thing just feels kinda phoned in. But that's a cash cow sequel for you huh?
Oh, and then there's the script. It's painful. The dialogue was so horrendous I could have written it. And that's a bad thing, because I have no idea how to write a movie script. Avoid this travesty.
*1/2 out of *****
Is seeing Helen Hunt in the buff appealing?
If you answered "yes" to the above question, you'll probably enjoy The Sessions, but I imagine you probably don't enjoy life much. Or keeping your dignity. If you answered no you should still enjoy this tale of a poet in his late 30's who is paralysed due to suffering from polio as a child. Due to his immobility he is still a virgin, and is desperately seeking to lose said virginity despite suffering from Catholic guilt over the issue, which he discusses at length with the his priest played by William H Macy. Helen Hunt plays his sex surrogate, which is apparently different from a prostitute because they only offer you a maximum of six sessions. Whatevs.
The Sessions is funny, smart, charming (believe it or not) and, if there's any justice, John Hawkes should be nominated for an Oscar for his sympathetic portrayal of the lead character here. Well worth seeing despite the abomination mentioned in the head.
**** out of *****
Best.Bond.Ever.
Yep, I'm just gonna come out and say it - Skyfall is the best Bond move so far. It's a big claim, one which I back myself in making 100%. I will now attempt to convince you that this statement is correct. In dot point form.
- Bond's Character - More time is spent on actually developing the character of James Bond in Skyfall than in all the rest of the Bond movies combined. He's given a back story, an emotional backbone and even looks vulnerable at times. All the while remaining bad ass and ultimately unstoppable.
- The Villain - It's a given that Javier Bardem would play an excellent Bond villain, but this is something else. Bardem's Raoul Silva is clever, smooth, despicable AND actually has personal motivation for his... villainy. The character is so cunning there were I actually thought he might get the better of Bond, something which I can't say any of the previous Bond villains have achieved.
- The Action/Story - Skyfall opens of course with a completely over the top action scene to get everyone pumped, but from there the story and action build with such preciseness and without a moment of lost momentum that it builds to a beautifully worked action crescendo at the end and an emotional payoff the likes of which 007 has not offered before.
- The (lack thereof) Gags and Gadgets - Some people lament the old Roger Moore days with the unending lame puns and insane gadgets. I think the new more serious approach to Bond is a breath of fresh air, but here we have just enough gags and gadgets to hopefully apease that crowd without being over the top. Perfect balance.
- Sam Mendes - Anyone who has seen any of Sam Mendes's previous movies (American Beauty and Road to Perdition to name a couple) would know that him being in the director's chair was always going to bring a new level of artistry to Bond. And he does just that. Nuff said.
****1/2 out of *****
They should have taken more time writing the script
The original Taken was a hit, and why shouldn't it be. Take a likable actor in Liam Neeson, have him play a likable character who stops at nothing to achieve his goal and takes crap from no one, kicking all manner of ass on the way, throw in a fairly straightforward but satisfying storyline and plenty of action and thrills and you have yourself a winning formula.
Taken 2, on the other hand, is garbage. The thrills from the first movie are instead replaced with sappy melodrama and a lame revenge story, the action is tame and by the numbers, and the villain feels like he's be more at home reading Dostoevsky with a tall glass of milk rather than killing people. Liam Neeson feels like he's simply going through the motions this time, and the whole damn thing just feels kinda phoned in. But that's a cash cow sequel for you huh?
Oh, and then there's the script. It's painful. The dialogue was so horrendous I could have written it. And that's a bad thing, because I have no idea how to write a movie script. Avoid this travesty.
*1/2 out of *****
Is seeing Helen Hunt in the buff appealing?
If you answered "yes" to the above question, you'll probably enjoy The Sessions, but I imagine you probably don't enjoy life much. Or keeping your dignity. If you answered no you should still enjoy this tale of a poet in his late 30's who is paralysed due to suffering from polio as a child. Due to his immobility he is still a virgin, and is desperately seeking to lose said virginity despite suffering from Catholic guilt over the issue, which he discusses at length with the his priest played by William H Macy. Helen Hunt plays his sex surrogate, which is apparently different from a prostitute because they only offer you a maximum of six sessions. Whatevs.
The Sessions is funny, smart, charming (believe it or not) and, if there's any justice, John Hawkes should be nominated for an Oscar for his sympathetic portrayal of the lead character here. Well worth seeing despite the abomination mentioned in the head.
**** out of *****
Thursday 19 July 2012
The Amazing Spiderman & More
The Amazing Spider-Man
I'm not a straight up hater of remakes and reboots, but when the original film series is less than ten years old (the most recent film being made in 2007) a reboot of the Spider-Man franchise seems not only bizarre but kinda pointless. That shouldn't, however, stop the new movie standing on it's own merits and being judged accordingly. What seemed like an second feature for director Mark Webb, who's only other film to date is the off beat romantic comedy (500) Days of Summer, only intrigued me more and left me cautiously optimistic for the new take on the story.
But really, as long as you stick to a predictable formula, how badly can you stuff up a Spider-Man origin story. Introduce dorky kid who gets picked on at school the audience can sympathise with and root for once he develops new powers, see him learn to use to those powers and develop more confidence in a series of confrontations with baddies, develop the relationship between said kid and hot blond girl (this time the character of Gwen Stacey rather than Mary Jane) and finish things up in a satisfyingly over the top action sequence where Spidey battles a weird giant mutant thing. If all of the above elements are there, the audience goes home happy.
The question, then, is whether the new movie offers anything above and beyond the standard formula, and the answer is, well, no not really. The story was more interesting early on with our hero using his new powers to search for his uncle's killer after Spidey's angry response to a couple of situations indirectly leads to his death. This character development is played out well, but the transition from vengeful vigilante to public servant taking on greater responsibility just sort of happens with no rhyme or reason. The final battle with The Lizard (the film's main villain, who is a little lame) then sort of just happens arbitrarily and doesn't build on what has already been established.
Andrew Garfield is fine as Spider-Man, probably just as good as Tobey Maguire in all honesty. Emma Stone is great to watch as always, and there's a decent amount of chemistry between the two. I actually saw this twice, once at the drive in and again in 3D, as I'd heard the visuals were quite stunning, however it was really only the last 25 minutes that gained any benefit from the 3D (it did look pretty darn good though.)
As the movie doesn't stray from the formula, offers some laughs, some thrills and a different take on the story, it's a success. It's just not one of the better superhero films to come along recently, that's all.
***1/2 out of *****
Once Upon a Time in Anatolia
So, this a Turkish art film showing in only one cinema in Brisbane that I doubt anyone I know would have any interest in. But I'm going to talk about how awesome it is anyway. The setting is a barren landscape near a rural Turkish town late at night. The police, accompanied by a group of other men with various professions, are searching for a dead body buried somewhere in the vicinity, however it turns out to be akin to searching for a needle in a haystack. The sombre mood that presides over the affairs is compounded by the sparse light available to the search party and the thunder roaring in the distance. This all serves as a framing device for the conversations of the men as they reflect on their own mortality, past regrets and the trivialities in contrast with life's deeper meaning.
What follows is multi layered film poetry at it's finest. The attention to detail is exquisite, the camera lingering on the character's faces not a second too long to gauge the full range of emotions being experienced, and long takes of simple things such as an apple falling from a tree and rolling down to a creek are handled with such grace that it almost feels like watching each brush stroke of an artist creating his latest masterpiece on an enormous canvas. One needn't worry too much about what is supposed to be symbolised by such things, just let the spontaneity and beauty of the image carry you away (do I sound like enough of a pretentious fop yet?)
Winner of the Grand Prix at Cannes 2011 (the second highest award following the Palme D'or) I'll acknowledge this movie isn't going to be for everyone. Believe me when I say it's slow. I've seen some slow movies before but this one is SLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWW. I don't know what else to say, it's one of those pieces of art you really need to just jump in and experience rather than analyse, and if you have the patience for it you'll be duly rewarded.
****1/2 out of *****
Not Suitable for Children
Ryan Kwanten must really enjoy working in his home country, as he could surely land numerous jobs in Hollywood after his success in True Blood, yet he keeps returning to Australia to make movies. Good on him I say. Here we follow him as a care free 20 something male living the dream and running a party planning business when he discovers he has testicular cancer. The doctor's have caught it in time and can operate, however this will leave him infertile. With only a short amount of time available to him, he sets out in an attempt to father a child before his opportunity runs out.
There are a few elements that set this Australian rom com apart from the multitude of others out there and make it a movie guys can enjoy as well. Firstly, the characters and situations are more firmly grounded in reality, and there's no ridiculous gimmicks or contrived scenarios that bring our couple together. Rather, the blossoming romance forms as a natural extension of the already established story and characters that we've come to care about. The dialogue is also more organic and less forced than you would usually expect in the genre. Secondly, the movie is actually funny, which is, you know, a plus for a comedy. Thirdly, the performances of the two leads are believable and there is plenty of chemistry between them.
So yeah, thumbs way up!
**** out of *****
Other movies I've seen lately but can't be bothered talking about are Prometheus (four stars), Ted, Brave and Men in Black III (all three and a half stars). So as you can see there are some good movies out there at the moment. I must say, though, that what promised to be the biggest season of blockbusters in years has been a bit disapointing so far. The only movie that really lived up to the hype was The Avengers, and even that was mildly disapointing. The Dark Knight Rises had better deliver.
I'm not a straight up hater of remakes and reboots, but when the original film series is less than ten years old (the most recent film being made in 2007) a reboot of the Spider-Man franchise seems not only bizarre but kinda pointless. That shouldn't, however, stop the new movie standing on it's own merits and being judged accordingly. What seemed like an second feature for director Mark Webb, who's only other film to date is the off beat romantic comedy (500) Days of Summer, only intrigued me more and left me cautiously optimistic for the new take on the story.
But really, as long as you stick to a predictable formula, how badly can you stuff up a Spider-Man origin story. Introduce dorky kid who gets picked on at school the audience can sympathise with and root for once he develops new powers, see him learn to use to those powers and develop more confidence in a series of confrontations with baddies, develop the relationship between said kid and hot blond girl (this time the character of Gwen Stacey rather than Mary Jane) and finish things up in a satisfyingly over the top action sequence where Spidey battles a weird giant mutant thing. If all of the above elements are there, the audience goes home happy.
The question, then, is whether the new movie offers anything above and beyond the standard formula, and the answer is, well, no not really. The story was more interesting early on with our hero using his new powers to search for his uncle's killer after Spidey's angry response to a couple of situations indirectly leads to his death. This character development is played out well, but the transition from vengeful vigilante to public servant taking on greater responsibility just sort of happens with no rhyme or reason. The final battle with The Lizard (the film's main villain, who is a little lame) then sort of just happens arbitrarily and doesn't build on what has already been established.
Andrew Garfield is fine as Spider-Man, probably just as good as Tobey Maguire in all honesty. Emma Stone is great to watch as always, and there's a decent amount of chemistry between the two. I actually saw this twice, once at the drive in and again in 3D, as I'd heard the visuals were quite stunning, however it was really only the last 25 minutes that gained any benefit from the 3D (it did look pretty darn good though.)
As the movie doesn't stray from the formula, offers some laughs, some thrills and a different take on the story, it's a success. It's just not one of the better superhero films to come along recently, that's all.
***1/2 out of *****
Once Upon a Time in Anatolia
So, this a Turkish art film showing in only one cinema in Brisbane that I doubt anyone I know would have any interest in. But I'm going to talk about how awesome it is anyway. The setting is a barren landscape near a rural Turkish town late at night. The police, accompanied by a group of other men with various professions, are searching for a dead body buried somewhere in the vicinity, however it turns out to be akin to searching for a needle in a haystack. The sombre mood that presides over the affairs is compounded by the sparse light available to the search party and the thunder roaring in the distance. This all serves as a framing device for the conversations of the men as they reflect on their own mortality, past regrets and the trivialities in contrast with life's deeper meaning.
What follows is multi layered film poetry at it's finest. The attention to detail is exquisite, the camera lingering on the character's faces not a second too long to gauge the full range of emotions being experienced, and long takes of simple things such as an apple falling from a tree and rolling down to a creek are handled with such grace that it almost feels like watching each brush stroke of an artist creating his latest masterpiece on an enormous canvas. One needn't worry too much about what is supposed to be symbolised by such things, just let the spontaneity and beauty of the image carry you away (do I sound like enough of a pretentious fop yet?)
Winner of the Grand Prix at Cannes 2011 (the second highest award following the Palme D'or) I'll acknowledge this movie isn't going to be for everyone. Believe me when I say it's slow. I've seen some slow movies before but this one is SLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWW. I don't know what else to say, it's one of those pieces of art you really need to just jump in and experience rather than analyse, and if you have the patience for it you'll be duly rewarded.
****1/2 out of *****
Not Suitable for Children
Ryan Kwanten must really enjoy working in his home country, as he could surely land numerous jobs in Hollywood after his success in True Blood, yet he keeps returning to Australia to make movies. Good on him I say. Here we follow him as a care free 20 something male living the dream and running a party planning business when he discovers he has testicular cancer. The doctor's have caught it in time and can operate, however this will leave him infertile. With only a short amount of time available to him, he sets out in an attempt to father a child before his opportunity runs out.
There are a few elements that set this Australian rom com apart from the multitude of others out there and make it a movie guys can enjoy as well. Firstly, the characters and situations are more firmly grounded in reality, and there's no ridiculous gimmicks or contrived scenarios that bring our couple together. Rather, the blossoming romance forms as a natural extension of the already established story and characters that we've come to care about. The dialogue is also more organic and less forced than you would usually expect in the genre. Secondly, the movie is actually funny, which is, you know, a plus for a comedy. Thirdly, the performances of the two leads are believable and there is plenty of chemistry between them.
So yeah, thumbs way up!
**** out of *****
Other movies I've seen lately but can't be bothered talking about are Prometheus (four stars), Ted, Brave and Men in Black III (all three and a half stars). So as you can see there are some good movies out there at the moment. I must say, though, that what promised to be the biggest season of blockbusters in years has been a bit disapointing so far. The only movie that really lived up to the hype was The Avengers, and even that was mildly disapointing. The Dark Knight Rises had better deliver.
Tuesday 5 June 2012
First update in a while
So, now I've finished The Wire (best TV show of all time) I can refoucs again. I saw these movies a while ago, so write ups will be brief.
The Avengers
I don't think there's ever been a bigger build up to a movie than The Avengers. I mean, sure, there's been longer movie series with endless sequels that just keep going and going, but I can't think of any other instance where there have been five different movies (Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger), looking at different characters each time, with a deliberate build toward one ultimate pay off. So, with that in mind, was it a success? The simple answer is yes, although not a resounding yes.
The basic plot of The Avengers brings together Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Black Widow and Hawkeye under the direction of Nick Fury to stop Thor's evil step brother Loki from destroying the earth. The also fortunately don't ignore the already established characters and plots from the previous movies, and there are several sub-plots inter weaved as well.
Written and directed by Joss Whedon it was a given that we would be treated to good dialogue and humour. The spectacular action scenes and already fleshed out characters also set this apart from other similar movies. It does, however get a little bogged down in the middle, and while there is sufficient attention paid to the individual character sub plots, I would have liked to have seen more. So while The Avengers doesn't quite hit the ball out of the park in the convincing and confident manner expected of it, it does hit the ball out of the park nonetheless.
**** out of *****
Wish You Were Here
This Australian film starring Joel Edgerton tells the story of two couples from Sydney holidaying in Cambodia. We pick up on their journey as they arrive home and it's immediately obvious that something horrible has happened on their vacation, however we soon find out that there has been more than one incident in Cambodia that will impact the lives of these characters. There's a lot to like about this film, the story is very carefully and skillfully told through a narrative that flashes back and forward through from the present day to the groups time overseas. It's made clear from the start that there is some information about what happened there that is being withheld from us, and this is successfully used to keep us engaged. The locations were well chosen with the scenery all looking quite pretty, and the performances are fine. Unfortunately the character development is a little lacking and the film suffers from not knowing exactly what it wants to say, or at least not being clear about it. But, with the aforementioned qualities standing out above the flaws, Wish You Were Here is a little gem of a film that it's a shame not many people saw (my cinema was empty, besides me.)
**** out of *****
Dark Shadows
Based on some weird supernatural themed soap opera from the 60's and 70's, Tim Burton's latest outing is a mixed bag. The storyline is all over the place and not really worth talking about, but in short Johnny Depp plays a vampire who, after being buried alive for hundreds of years, returns to bond with his family's ancestors, falls in love with a human and seeks revenge on the witch who made him this way.....
On a more positive note, the soundtrack is outstanding, and there is even a cameo from Alice Cooper performing a couple of his old songs. Johnny Depp is really good, along with the rest of the cast including Helena Bonham Carter, Eva Green and Chloe Grace Mortez. The story is even somewhat interesting to begin with, however it slowly degenerates into complete nonsense and the ending is all kinds of stupid. Clearly Tim Burton isn't interested exploring any deep themes or even putting together a carefully constructed narrative. He just wants to entertain, and you either embrace the over the top silliness of it all or you don't. I can't say I really did.
**1/2 out of *****
The Dictator
Following the over the top vulgarity, Sacha Baron Cohen tones it down a notch with this tale of a dictator of a fictional country having his identity stolen during a trip to America as part of a plot to usurp his position. You wont Baron Cohen duping any innocent bystanders into looking foolish this time, as The Dictator is a completely scripted movie consisting entirely of actors. Which is probably a good thing. While some of the vulgarity of his previous movies remains, The Dictator focuses more on satire, and it's quite funny and at times pretty clever. Worth a watch.
***1/2 out of *****
The Avengers
I don't think there's ever been a bigger build up to a movie than The Avengers. I mean, sure, there's been longer movie series with endless sequels that just keep going and going, but I can't think of any other instance where there have been five different movies (Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger), looking at different characters each time, with a deliberate build toward one ultimate pay off. So, with that in mind, was it a success? The simple answer is yes, although not a resounding yes.
The basic plot of The Avengers brings together Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Black Widow and Hawkeye under the direction of Nick Fury to stop Thor's evil step brother Loki from destroying the earth. The also fortunately don't ignore the already established characters and plots from the previous movies, and there are several sub-plots inter weaved as well.
Written and directed by Joss Whedon it was a given that we would be treated to good dialogue and humour. The spectacular action scenes and already fleshed out characters also set this apart from other similar movies. It does, however get a little bogged down in the middle, and while there is sufficient attention paid to the individual character sub plots, I would have liked to have seen more. So while The Avengers doesn't quite hit the ball out of the park in the convincing and confident manner expected of it, it does hit the ball out of the park nonetheless.
**** out of *****
Wish You Were Here
This Australian film starring Joel Edgerton tells the story of two couples from Sydney holidaying in Cambodia. We pick up on their journey as they arrive home and it's immediately obvious that something horrible has happened on their vacation, however we soon find out that there has been more than one incident in Cambodia that will impact the lives of these characters. There's a lot to like about this film, the story is very carefully and skillfully told through a narrative that flashes back and forward through from the present day to the groups time overseas. It's made clear from the start that there is some information about what happened there that is being withheld from us, and this is successfully used to keep us engaged. The locations were well chosen with the scenery all looking quite pretty, and the performances are fine. Unfortunately the character development is a little lacking and the film suffers from not knowing exactly what it wants to say, or at least not being clear about it. But, with the aforementioned qualities standing out above the flaws, Wish You Were Here is a little gem of a film that it's a shame not many people saw (my cinema was empty, besides me.)
**** out of *****
Dark Shadows
Based on some weird supernatural themed soap opera from the 60's and 70's, Tim Burton's latest outing is a mixed bag. The storyline is all over the place and not really worth talking about, but in short Johnny Depp plays a vampire who, after being buried alive for hundreds of years, returns to bond with his family's ancestors, falls in love with a human and seeks revenge on the witch who made him this way.....
On a more positive note, the soundtrack is outstanding, and there is even a cameo from Alice Cooper performing a couple of his old songs. Johnny Depp is really good, along with the rest of the cast including Helena Bonham Carter, Eva Green and Chloe Grace Mortez. The story is even somewhat interesting to begin with, however it slowly degenerates into complete nonsense and the ending is all kinds of stupid. Clearly Tim Burton isn't interested exploring any deep themes or even putting together a carefully constructed narrative. He just wants to entertain, and you either embrace the over the top silliness of it all or you don't. I can't say I really did.
**1/2 out of *****
The Dictator
Following the over the top vulgarity, Sacha Baron Cohen tones it down a notch with this tale of a dictator of a fictional country having his identity stolen during a trip to America as part of a plot to usurp his position. You wont Baron Cohen duping any innocent bystanders into looking foolish this time, as The Dictator is a completely scripted movie consisting entirely of actors. Which is probably a good thing. While some of the vulgarity of his previous movies remains, The Dictator focuses more on satire, and it's quite funny and at times pretty clever. Worth a watch.
***1/2 out of *****
Friday 27 April 2012
The Hunger Games
It only took me about a month longer than everyone else to see the new teeny bopper flavour of the moment, but I finally got there. Comparisons between The Hunger Games and the Japanese film Battle Royale are inevitable considering they have the same basic premise. Of course, Suzanne Collins, author of the novel, claims she had never even heard of Battle Royale when writing it.... let's give her the benefit of the doubt. There are more than enough point of differences between the two, however, to hopefully not have people bang on about it too much. Firstly, Hunger Games spends about the first half of the movie looking at the lead up to the tournament of death, whereas Battle Royale thrusts us almost immediately into the action. Secondly, the thematic elements are pretty different. Whereas Battle Royale was effectively a study of the issues surrounding teenagers and the way they were treated by people in authority, Hunger Games is more of a satire of political dictatorships and oppression of the lower class etc. So enough on that.
So yeah, I think everyone is familiar with the story, teenagers battling to the death for a televised reality show, which was set up as punishment due for a failed coup against the government by the different "districts". Jennifer Lawrence's character volunteers in place of her younger sister. There's a love triangle thrown in for good measure.
The set up to the actual tournament feels like it goes for about half the movie, and it's all fairly mundane stuff. There are some attempts made at character development but it all falls a bit flat and didn't really make this viewer care about what was to come. Then the tournament starts and things do kick up a notch, but not all that much. There are a couple of nice action scenes, a descent side story involving our heroine and her relationship with a young girl she tries to work with, but the love triangle that is apparently supposed to be a big part of the story goes nowhere, and one third of the triangle hardly even appears in the movie. If it was, as I suspect, being set up for something bigger in the next movie then they didn't do a very good job.
Jennifer Lawrence is a really fine actress and almost carries the movie on her own back, but at the end of the day it kinda feels like one of those fantasy/adventure kids shows they put on Saturday mornings or after school, just with a bit more violence. Verdict - Ok, but wait for DVD.
*** out of *****
So yeah, I think everyone is familiar with the story, teenagers battling to the death for a televised reality show, which was set up as punishment due for a failed coup against the government by the different "districts". Jennifer Lawrence's character volunteers in place of her younger sister. There's a love triangle thrown in for good measure.
The set up to the actual tournament feels like it goes for about half the movie, and it's all fairly mundane stuff. There are some attempts made at character development but it all falls a bit flat and didn't really make this viewer care about what was to come. Then the tournament starts and things do kick up a notch, but not all that much. There are a couple of nice action scenes, a descent side story involving our heroine and her relationship with a young girl she tries to work with, but the love triangle that is apparently supposed to be a big part of the story goes nowhere, and one third of the triangle hardly even appears in the movie. If it was, as I suspect, being set up for something bigger in the next movie then they didn't do a very good job.
Jennifer Lawrence is a really fine actress and almost carries the movie on her own back, but at the end of the day it kinda feels like one of those fantasy/adventure kids shows they put on Saturday mornings or after school, just with a bit more violence. Verdict - Ok, but wait for DVD.
*** out of *****
Wednesday 18 April 2012
So anyway,
Yeah. Been slack. Too busy watching The Wire (it IS the greatest TV show of all time. If you disagree you're just plain wrong.) I think I'll just look at three films, even though I've seen more. Can't be stuffed with the other ones 'eh.
A Separation
As I already said in my last post on my top 10 from 2011, this film is amazing. Beginning with an Iranian couple (cause, you know, this is an Iranian film) explaining their reasons for separating to a judge (which immediately draws the viewer in as they speak directly to the camera) the focus soon shifts as the male in the relationship is involved in an incident with his new housekeeper which has far reaching consequences for his family and his housekeepers family as the matter goes through court. From here the journey is best experienced spoiler free, so I wont mention any other plot elements.
What I will mention however is the incredible depth in which A Separation explores the nature of truth as viewed by the different characters, how their circumstances mould their perspective of it and how far they are willing to bend the truth, especially given their religious and family values. The film offers a study of your average family and how they are affected by illness, separation and tragedy, and does so with both subtlety and poignancy.
A Separation is a film so thematically rich yet at the same time instantly accessible that it would undoubtedly be studied in English classes for years to come, if only it were in English. I'm not sure that this is still actually showing at the cinema but be sure to pick it up the first week it come out as a new release. Or illegally download it if you have no conscience. Just make sure you see it.
***** out of *****
The Raid
Unlike the above movie, The Raid has no philosophical musings on the nature of truth and will never be studied in any depth whatsoever, but it completely kicks arse. This Indonesian action film is about a group of cops trying to take down a major crime boss who's created a fortress for himself in a high rise building, so full of henchman that no one has had the balls to try and topple his empire. Until now.
As far as story goes, that's all you really need to know. Then settle yourself in for some of the most over the top, beautifully choreographed action set pieces you're likely to see. The real beauty of the whole thing though is that even though the action is relentless and non-stop it never feels chaotic, there is an order to it and you can always tell what's going on. There's also an incredible amount of thought put into actually making the action scenes mean something. For example, toward the end of the movie the big baddie's number one henchman has a lengthy fight scene with one of the top cops. Due to the length of the fight you may think it's a climatic battle, however, nope, it instead demonstrated how much of a complete bad arse this guy is and made the final fight mean all that much more.
Despite the majority of the focus being on the action, there was also enough effort put in to make you actually care about what is going on. The opening scene shows our protagonist training hard, leaving his pregnant wife reluctantly to go to the job, establishing him as a hard working, caring man wanting to provide for his family. We want him to succeed. A subsequent shot shows the main antagonist brutally slaughtering three men he has tied up for no apparent reason. We hate him. These two simple scenes achieve more in the way of actually getting us to give a damn in five minutes than most action movies do in the entire film ***cough*** Expendables ***cough*** Actually, no need for the coughing, The Expendables was terrible.
The storyline was basic, but surprisingly not terrible, and there are actually a couple of nice twists thrown in for good measure. If you haven't already got the picture, this is a completely bad arse action movie (no I can't think of a better expression), again proving that for some reason Asia just completely blows Hollywood out of the water when it comes to the genre.
**** out of *****
21 Jump Street
Based on an old American cop drama that I've never seen, so no nostalgia for me. The TV show was apparently quite serious. The film is co-written by Jonah Hill (who also stars), so you know it's not. Hill and Channing Tatum (in the first role he's played where he's not completely wooden) play a pair of idiotic beat cops who get re-assigned to a project requiring them to go undercover at a high school to expose a drug dealing operation. While Hill was the nerdy outcast and Tatum was the jock when they were at school together, things have changed since their days as students, and the cool kids are now the environmentally minded hippie types who Hill finds it easier to bond with.
While 21 Jump Street probably doesn't break any new ground when it comes to the buddy cop/comedy genre, it does provide plenty of laughs including some clever self referential humour, and actually delivers some decent action toward the end. The characters a likable and make you care, the relationship between the two leads is developed adequately. Pretty good.
***1/2 out of *****
And that'll do for now. Other new movies I've seen lately but can't be bothered writing about are th US remake of Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (four stars), Another Earth (three and a half), and John Carter (lets call it three). Wont be so slack with future new film.... for real.
A Separation
As I already said in my last post on my top 10 from 2011, this film is amazing. Beginning with an Iranian couple (cause, you know, this is an Iranian film) explaining their reasons for separating to a judge (which immediately draws the viewer in as they speak directly to the camera) the focus soon shifts as the male in the relationship is involved in an incident with his new housekeeper which has far reaching consequences for his family and his housekeepers family as the matter goes through court. From here the journey is best experienced spoiler free, so I wont mention any other plot elements.
What I will mention however is the incredible depth in which A Separation explores the nature of truth as viewed by the different characters, how their circumstances mould their perspective of it and how far they are willing to bend the truth, especially given their religious and family values. The film offers a study of your average family and how they are affected by illness, separation and tragedy, and does so with both subtlety and poignancy.
A Separation is a film so thematically rich yet at the same time instantly accessible that it would undoubtedly be studied in English classes for years to come, if only it were in English. I'm not sure that this is still actually showing at the cinema but be sure to pick it up the first week it come out as a new release. Or illegally download it if you have no conscience. Just make sure you see it.
***** out of *****
The Raid
Unlike the above movie, The Raid has no philosophical musings on the nature of truth and will never be studied in any depth whatsoever, but it completely kicks arse. This Indonesian action film is about a group of cops trying to take down a major crime boss who's created a fortress for himself in a high rise building, so full of henchman that no one has had the balls to try and topple his empire. Until now.
As far as story goes, that's all you really need to know. Then settle yourself in for some of the most over the top, beautifully choreographed action set pieces you're likely to see. The real beauty of the whole thing though is that even though the action is relentless and non-stop it never feels chaotic, there is an order to it and you can always tell what's going on. There's also an incredible amount of thought put into actually making the action scenes mean something. For example, toward the end of the movie the big baddie's number one henchman has a lengthy fight scene with one of the top cops. Due to the length of the fight you may think it's a climatic battle, however, nope, it instead demonstrated how much of a complete bad arse this guy is and made the final fight mean all that much more.
Despite the majority of the focus being on the action, there was also enough effort put in to make you actually care about what is going on. The opening scene shows our protagonist training hard, leaving his pregnant wife reluctantly to go to the job, establishing him as a hard working, caring man wanting to provide for his family. We want him to succeed. A subsequent shot shows the main antagonist brutally slaughtering three men he has tied up for no apparent reason. We hate him. These two simple scenes achieve more in the way of actually getting us to give a damn in five minutes than most action movies do in the entire film ***cough*** Expendables ***cough*** Actually, no need for the coughing, The Expendables was terrible.
The storyline was basic, but surprisingly not terrible, and there are actually a couple of nice twists thrown in for good measure. If you haven't already got the picture, this is a completely bad arse action movie (no I can't think of a better expression), again proving that for some reason Asia just completely blows Hollywood out of the water when it comes to the genre.
**** out of *****
21 Jump Street
Based on an old American cop drama that I've never seen, so no nostalgia for me. The TV show was apparently quite serious. The film is co-written by Jonah Hill (who also stars), so you know it's not. Hill and Channing Tatum (in the first role he's played where he's not completely wooden) play a pair of idiotic beat cops who get re-assigned to a project requiring them to go undercover at a high school to expose a drug dealing operation. While Hill was the nerdy outcast and Tatum was the jock when they were at school together, things have changed since their days as students, and the cool kids are now the environmentally minded hippie types who Hill finds it easier to bond with.
While 21 Jump Street probably doesn't break any new ground when it comes to the buddy cop/comedy genre, it does provide plenty of laughs including some clever self referential humour, and actually delivers some decent action toward the end. The characters a likable and make you care, the relationship between the two leads is developed adequately. Pretty good.
***1/2 out of *****
And that'll do for now. Other new movies I've seen lately but can't be bothered writing about are th US remake of Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (four stars), Another Earth (three and a half), and John Carter (lets call it three). Wont be so slack with future new film.... for real.
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