The Artist (2011) with Trailer

 The Artist has garnered a lot of rave reviews based on it's simplicity and charming tale. The story revolves around a successful silent movie star George Valentin (played with such delightfulness and glee by Jean Dujardin) who struggles to adapt to the advent of talking pictures. For those of you who don't know, this film is in black and white and is a (mainly) silent feature.



The film opens up in a movie theatre which is playing Valentin's latest hit film. When the film finishes, Valentin and his co-star come onto stage to accept their applauds and from this point onwards you'll understand the tone and mechanics of the plot. As Valentin laps up the cheers, through exaggerated physical and comedic movement, you understand what is clearly going on. It's never at all difficult to follow the action on screen. When he leaves the auditorium a chance encounter with a young girl changes both their lives. The young girl Peppy Miller (an aspiring actress) causes a bit of commotion and catches the eye of our silent film star.


With the chance encounter comes the coincidental casting of Peppy Miller (played by Berenice Bejo) as an extra in Valentin's next feature film, sparks fly as chemistry forms between the two. As their individual careers take off, the advent of talking movies come of age but with only one of them embracing the new technology, the other is left behind and becomes last weeks news.




What you probably notice straightaway is that it's immensely easy to follow. With the lack of dialogue (only the occasional title cards pop up) the acting is at the highest calibre as every emotion, feeling and thought is conveyed with effortless beguile and subtly. A mention should go to the dog as the animal plays an important part in the film and adds certain extra magic to the whole proceedings. It feels light with many nice comic touches (many come from the performance by the four legged friend) and even if the film has a predictable arc, it's still very watchable

A film shot in 1:33 ratio with a simplistic direction (which does not mean poor!) it revels in it's influences which made cinema what it was all those years ago. Simple track and pan, close ups and minimal edits which allows for a masterclass in acting by both leads. There's no room here for flash in the pan jerky camera movements and fast cut edits (which has hampered modern film efforts of late), the camera simply focuses on the actors faces and we as the audience are asked to interpret the emotion and feelings. It's the uncomplicated, plain and simple narrative which is accompanied by it's charm and witty rapport.

It's a joy to behold and a far cry from majority of today's modern blockbusters, where all the skill and craftsmanship from yesteryear's grace our screens. The era is capture with an eye for detail as costumes, dance moves and mannerisms reflect the period so well (just wait until you see Peppy's audition as an extra!). It's a great tribute to cinema and celebrates a time and era where entertainment was the main aim and this picture undoubtedly engrosses, enthralls and of course entertains.

Acting 4.5/5

Technical Merit 4/5

Narrative 4.5/5

Entertainment 5/5

18/20

Films to look forward to in 2012

As we enter the New Year, I tend to get excited about the forthcoming films waiting to be projected onto the silver screen. Here's a list of a few films that will grace our lives in the next 12 months....


In no particular order here are 10 films you should keep an eye out for.



The Dark Knight Rises.

An end to the epic Dark Knight trilogy. Nolan's realism and grounded story lead the way for future superheroes and allows the world of fantasy to become more believable. Bruce Wayne/Batman comes face to face with Bane (Tom Hardy), a terrorist leader, hell bent on causing mayhem and havoc in Gotham City, forcing Batman to come out of hiding to restore a level of law and order. I'll stick my neck on the line and say this will probably be the highest grossing film this year.

The Amazing Spider-Man.

A reboot of an already successful comic book film, directed by Marc Evans (500 Days of Summer) and starring Andrew Garfield (The Social Network) as Peter Parker/Spider-Man. It'll be interesting to see whether this will follow in the footsteps of another superhero reboot (a la Batman) and develop it's style and shift away from Sam Raimi's kinetic camerawork. As this is a fresh start, the origin story of how Peter Parker becomes Spider-Man is obviously reworked (but with a sense of deja vu) and this time he is up against The Lizard/Curt Connors. Regardless of growing up with all the comics as a child, I am still excited to see it, even if I am 
familiar with the story and it's characters.

Prometheus.
Ridley Scott directs an Alien picture which isn't really an Alien picture?!? Basically the film is set in the same universe but doesn't feature any xenomorphs. Instead the story revolves around a group of explorers who believe they have discovered the origins of mankind but what they encounter is a battle to save the human race. This will be the closest thing "Alien" fans will have to watching a new feature in the Alien franchise as it is pretty much dead after Jeunet's efforts. Though none of the creatures appear, many of the "Alien" world seem to be referenced. This started off as a prequel but is now a stand alone feature. I am keen to see Ridley Scott return to Sci-Fi.

The Raid.

An Indonesian action film which has been a box office smash and has created enough waves for Hollywood to buy up the rights for a re-make (for those people out there who can't follow subtitled films. Not because they  are bereft of ideas....how kind of America!). The plot is simplistic. A SWAT team tries to infiltrate a safe house occupied by drug lords but unfortunately they have been tipped off and the team become trapped on the 6th floor with all exits blocked. The only option is to fight their way out. It's a cross between Die-Hard, John Woo and numerous martial arts flicks. It's a crazy combination which has caused a lot of commotion and has been herald as the greatest action flick ever made!!

The Hobbit.
Peter Jackson returns to the world of wizards, mythical montsers and fantastical storylines with the focus on Bilbo Baggins' early adventures. If the Lord of the Rings Trilogy is your thing, then expect nothing else than a man who is clearly devoted into bringing this to life in a vivid and imaginative way just as he did in his epic fantasy films. Based on JRR Tolkien's book, this will be a lovingly brought to life with some previous characters making an appearance along side newer characters. Coming out in 2 parts, expect more elfish and wizardary action than you can shake a stick at next year.

Bourne Legacy.

Gone is Matt Damon and Peter Greengrass, In comes Jeremy Renner and Edward Norton with the screenwriter (Tony Gilroy) of the previous three Bourne films in the directors chair. Little is being revealed in the terms of plot, but you'd expect plenty of twists and action packed stunts and if the previous efforts are to go by, each film tends to get better and better, so with that theory this should be even better, right? We'll just have to wait an see.

The Artist.

A hark back to the days of the old silent pictures. This is an amazing and brave thing to release in the days of blockbuster and art house/indie films. Is there still an audience for silent cinema? Not only is the film shot with no dialogue, the beautiful monochromatic visuals, I for one always loved the golden oldies and as recent press reviews have suggested, this is a marvellous and majestically film set in the era when the arrival of talking pictures. Some of it's stars at the time start to worry about their careers. Already whispered to earn and winner some awards. This will be the first film I will be looking forward to seeing (technically released on the 30th Dec, I would still class this as a film for 2012)

Looper.

Rian Johnson (of Brick fame) directs Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a killer being sent through time to kill people from the future and on his latest assignment his target is his future self (played by none other than Bruce Willis....you can see the resemblance...no?). Expect an action, sci-fi, brain teaser with time travel and facing future selves. Will it be any good? My hopes are high but only time will tell.

A Dangerous Method.
The latest feature from David Cronenberg which traces the birth of psychoanalysis through the relationship between Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen) and Carl Jung (Michael Fassbender). This should be an interesting feature from the director who likes to mess with audiences' minds with his film as this period piece intends to show how volatile their relationship was. Keira Knightly stars as a patient who Jung is having an affair with. 

World War Z.

A film best on a book that has been critically praised for it's social commentary and themes on survival instincts in a post apocalyptic war torn zombie filled world, no list would be complete without a zombie feature. The book doesn't follow a normal narrative structure as it recalls individuals accounts of the the zombie war, so it would be interesting to see how this shapes up into a filmic language. Brad Pitt stars with Marc Foster (Quantum of Solace) in the directors chair. Released at the tail end of this year in the US.

Which of these will be a hit or a bona fide turkey....lets wait and see.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Le scaphandre et le papillon) (2007) with Trailer

A portrayal of one man's journey to overcome adversity to find new meaning and purpose in life. This may sound a bit trite and dull as a synopsis, but if I tell you it's based on a real life story you begin to understand what an amazing piece of film this is. One time French Elle magazine editor (Jean-Dominque Bauby) is left paralyzed with an inability to move or talk (basically a vegetative state), remarkably his left eye is still intact and the only body part he can use to communicate.


The path in which the film unravels starts by showing you a man going through and struggling with his disability and as we follow the events we begin to feel a part of his condition. As a viewer you are placed in the position of Bauby, as everything we see is from his view point and all his thoughts are heard only by us. It's frightening and unnerving as the camera blurs in and out of focus just as an eye would as he tries to focus at the start of his "journey".




Waking up from a coma and finding out that you are unable to communicate, you would understand ones frustration and the director allows us to fully emphasise a man utter irritation and annoyance by giving us Bauby's internal monologues. As relentless Doctors and experts come to treat his condition, none of them truly know how he is feeling on the inside. We as the audience become Bauby. It's very unsettling and a sense of claustrophobia creeps in as a sense of helplessness overtakes.

Luckily not everything is seen through the eyes of Bauby. We are given glimpses of his life before his crippling stroke. His life as a magazine editor going to photo shoots mingling with models and rock stars is so far removed from his current position. But the film does not dwell too much on his successful career. It's only a stark reminder of how different his life is now to what it was before. Other flashbacks involve his family and lover. Memories of events that have affected him and allow him to analyse his life and how he feels he has lived it so far.


There are pangs of emotional pain that strike throughout the film. The scene in which his father talks to him over the phone is acted with such raw feeling and tenderness it'll bring a tear to your eye(s). The film is also punctuated with beauty and breathtaking imagery as his mind fills our screen as he battles with emotional lows to euphoric highs.


The narrative isn't as sombre in tone as it sounds. There are light touches of humour as we experience everything Bauby does and we feel the same as he does, so when people start to talk to him like an idiot we can only feel the same as he does. Contempt, disdain and indignity. As he learns to communicate through a modern alphabet of the most commonly used letters (it is a slow and arduous task), we too have to endeavor this as well. We are following his journey though it's heartbreaking, the voyage is of life affirming self discovery and a great example of how one man overcomes mountainous odds. With only his determination and patience, Bauby sets out to dictate his life and experiences into a memoir.

A powerful story based on his biography which allows us to explore a man's spirit as he comes out through his darkest hour and he learns what is genuinely valuable and meaningful. Beautifully shot and captured. A dizzying and dazzling yet never overly flashy in technique and style. A heartwarming, stirring and tear-jerking journey which leaves the viewer feeling exhausted yet elated as well.

Acting 4/5

Technical Merit 4/5

Narrative 4.5/5

Entertainment 4.5/5

17/20

Iron Man 2 (2010) with Trailer

After the surprise success of the first Iron Man movie, came the obvious and apparent sequel. As with many sequels, the diminishing returns are unfortunately evident. Carrying on from the previous film where Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) has just announced to the world that he is, in fact, Iron Man. A playboy millionaire with a superhero alter-ego. What is very much a refreshing change from the norm of many superheroes characters, is the fact that he doesn't have to hide who he his. No conflict of personalities or change of persona. Or, that is what Stark is trying to portray to the public. Deep down, what he is hiding is a slow and painful death resulting in his antics as Iron Man. The suit that keeps him alive is slowly poisoning him.

Following the rigid format of a typical comic book film, where there is a superhero there must be a villain (or villains).This comes in the form of Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke playing a role not to dissimilar to his previous film The Wrestler except with less words and less grunting). A quick intro of Ivan shows how he feels his father (an ex-employee of Stark industries) has been deprived and bereaved of his accomplishments. He feels Stark's father has claimed these as his own. As well as Ivan, there is the (obvious) rival company run by Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell), who wishes to develop his own army of Iron Men for financial gain. When Ivan fails at his attempt on Stark's life, Hammer see this as an opportunity to team up with Ivan to develop his technology to advance his own. With Stark hiding his own battle with health and continual conflict with the government over his reluctant co-operation over the Iron Man technology, everything begins to mount up as a climatic battle ensues when Hammer's super Military Drones (controlled by Ivan) to go up against Stark in a battle of man against machines.

What is considerably lacking in this film is the shortage of tension or any real sense of danger. This big screen comic book action adventure just doesn't fulfil your desired expectations. There's a sense of impression that no one is really in peril. It's just the way the film flows. Robert Downey Jr's performance is very relaxed and comes across as if there is no trouble or menace that cannot be overcome with a witty quip/one liner. The final battle fX between the drones and Iron Man are spectacular and eye boggling at times but the same can't be said for the Monte Carlo racing scene. It doesn't capture sense of speed or excitement, with the race cars looking very obvious like CGI instead of the real thing.

Another problem I encountered was the pace in which the lines were delivered by characters in the film. Particularly the exchanges between Stark (Downey) and Pepper (Gwyneth Paltrow). The dialogue between the two of them goes at a hundred miles an hour at times and can be very annoying to decipher. Stark comes across like a man high on drugs. Uttering words like they are going out of fashion. The performance to me seem a little lackadaisical and not as genuine as it could (or should) have been.

Humour is scattered around throughout the film and allows the film to live in it's own universe which is probably what I found a little deviating and creates little or no suspense. If you can live with Downey's performance then you'll tolerate the whole flaw the film has created for itself. I feel they haven't allowed enough development in characterisation. Even with his apparent battle and struggle with his impending death, you never feel like he was ever in any danger of dying. If you can't make the hero look like he has any weaknesses then there is no jeopardy or endangerment. The other problem is the villain isn't villainous enough. No matter how menacing you make Rourke look, he never seems to be an even match for Downey's Iron Man.

With this also being a link to the forthcoming Avengers film (a super group of superheroes!) the film is continually referring to characters and plot points towards a bigger picture. It's not a major problem as long as you know your Avengers back story or group dynamics but for others it may look a bit out of place within the film and some of you may wonder what the hell is going on. Who is Nick Fury? Why are they going on about this Avenger initiative and how does it progress the plot? It doesn't really have any bearing except to allow some tentative link for a couple of films to crossover to allow for the up and coming Avengers movie. It's not a massive negative and fan boys would probably love it but for Joe public it may seem a bit disjointed.

A lackluster and laid back sequel which disappoints as well as annoys in places (the middle segment of the narrative almost put me to sleep). A decent enough fX to please the brain dead but the film's overall emphasis on fun and witty one liners doesn't allow any real danger to exist. A failure to expand and develop with a heavy reliant on fX and humour to pass off as progress is a sad state of affairs. A sequel which like many sequel's pales in comparison to the original, which should come as no surprise then. Vapid, hollow and regurgitates old grounds.

Acting 3/5

Technical Merit 3/5

Narrative 2.5/5

Entertainment 3/5

11.5/20

Amelie (le fabuleux destin d'Amelie Poulain) (2001) With Trailer

Could there been a better time to review a classic than it's ten year anniversary?

 Released only a decade ago Amelie has firmly established itself as a timeless classic. Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet's best film so far (his latter films are a bit of a disappointment but check out his earlier works "Delicatessen" and "The City Of Lost Children"), here he is allowed full rein over his expressionistic ideas and visions, brought to live by a simplistic and charming story of a young girl with an imaginative and inventive mind growing up with little or no friends where all she has for company is her fantastical views on people and her unique look on life.

The story starts with a narrator regaling little facts about bluebottle flies  before moving onto the main character and her family. Divulging further titbits in an entertaining and statistical manner over her families likes, dislikes and idiosyncrasy (not just about Amelie but every character the camera comes across, we get a little story on obsessive compulsive behaviours ranging from bubble wrap popping to bone cracking). As we follow Amelie on her fabulous journey (the English literal translation is The Fabulous Life of Amelie Poulain!) one event which affects our heroine is the death of Lady Diana. With the news playing in the background Amelie drops a lid, that rolls towards a tile, which happens to be loose and it's there she finds someones hidden childhood memories. That night she decides to track down it's owner, return it to him and if they are grateful she'll continue to do further good deeds. From there on the film goes off on an extraordinary and incredible adventure where she becomes a match maker, a tour guide, a deceased lover and a woman looking for love amongst others.

It's a film that is so beautifully shot with outstanding colourisation and a marvelous use of warm soft Earthy tones of greens, reds and yellows. Paris has never looked so autumnal. The complementary colours of the greens and reds brings out the vibrancy and warmth which gives the film more heart and feeling. It's a quality the film never veers away from and as a failed artist it's not too hard to spot the beauty and artistry of the cinematography. Along with the beautiful music by Yann Tiersen, they combine to add an elegance and haunting beauty to what is already a feast for the eyes let alone the ears.

The breakout performance from Audrey Tautou as Amelie who in nature appears child like and innocence enables her to tug on viewers heartstrings at all the right places. A spot-on capture of someone who is positive and has their heart in the right place though has a sly wicked streak for those who deserve punishment (a comical moment in the film where she teaches a market vendor a lesson or two in humbleness and humility). With a uniformly strong supporting cast (keep your eyes out for Jeunets regulars Dominique Pinon and Rufus) the story ticks along with each characters little foibles creating a world where perfection is not the norm and everyone has their own little obsessive behaviours whether they know it or not. 

Cynics of you may not buy into its charms or understand Amelie's take on the world and life. The mixture of fantasy, dreams and reality may not be everyone's taste but it's undeniably wonderful and captures the human spirit and it's faults to a tee. It's an escape from reality and that is what cinema is all about. You don't go to see the mundane and the drab (though in this film even the mundane and the drab are given beauty and purpose). Here, the joys and euphoria come at you in equal measure and one persons act of kindness is surely something that's not too hard to imagine.

This is dedicated to my wife, my very own Amelie as this is one of her favourite films, and like Amelie she has a heart of gold and would do anything and everything for anyone.

Acting 4.5/5

Technical Merit 4.5/5

Narrative 4.5/5

Entertainment 5/5

18.5/20

One Day (2011) With Trailer

Whenever there's a successful book, an adaptation of the story is never far away. Here we have a faithful adaptation from it's own author (David Nicholls is the writer for the film so no one can argue about what is put on screen). The story, for those of you who haven't read the book, follows the lives of two people, Dexter Mayhew (Jim Stugress) and Emma Morley (Anne Hathaway). What differs from the norm, is the fact we only  meet Dexter and Emma on this "one day" July 15th (St Swithin's Day) every year, for twenty years starting on the night of their  graduation. 

We are shown how their relationship develops over time, from going on holiday together to family bereavement to fall outs and reunions. Sometimes they are together and at other times they are not. Throughout the years they start to grow apart, their lives moving in different directions but their initial connection inevitably always draws them back together. They both experience failed relationships and eventually realise their true feelings for one another and they end up together as fate would have them to be.

I'm sure that many fans of the book would cry outrage at the numerous missing sub plots and minor details but the main emotional ethos of the source material remains intact. There is only so much you can expect to fit into an hour and forty feature film. 

Full praise goes to Rafe Spall as the one time long suffering ex boyfriend of Emma as he steals every scene he is in. The character is bought to life in a better way than I could have ever imagined. The two leads do command the screen well as they go through a range of emotions with events which affect their lives. An obvious talking point will be Hathaways accent. I'm not going to say it's bad but it does veer in and out of  Yorkshire tones. Her Englishness isn't at all terrible but some words do stick out like a sore thumb. It's not a complete mess and does not ruin what is pretty much a very commendable performance.

The use of music to mark the progression of the years is very efficient in allowing viewers to hear as well as see the date on screen via text appearing in an inventive and nifty way. Apart from allowing the actors hair to grow/shorten or go grey, there isn't much the film makers could do to show two people growing older through to their late 30's early 40's.

In some ways the film works as well as the book. The unnecessary flab in the book is trimmed and so are some of the characters which doesn't effect the overall journey of two lead characters. What is lacking I found is the lack of emotional depth that you could get from the book that you couldn't get from the film. The thoughts and feelings can only be portrayed by the two stars but the thoughts are not heard like they are in text. The emotional wallop doesn't translate fully but there are still snatches of tears to be found in the saddest parts of the film.

For the fans of the book, I would have to say not to go in expecting everything you may have read in the novel and you won't be disappointed. The films stays close to the books heart and the journey of Emma and Dexter is brought to life in a worthy adaptation. For those of you who haven't read the book, go out and read it. 

Acting 4/5

Technical Merit 3.5/5

Narrative 4/5

Entertainment 4/5

15.5/20

The Silent House (La Casa Muda) 2010 - Official Trailer

A Uruguayan film which claims to be filmed all in one shot and in real time! I was intrigued to see whether the claims were true. As film making has progressed, what is to stop anyone from making a film in one long continuous shot? Well here's an attempt from debut film maker Gustavo Hernandez.

The plot is based on a true story of an event which happened in the 1940s in Uruguay. A father and daughter are called to a cottage/farmhouse to house sit until it's eventually sale. It doesn't take long to find things are not as quiet and serene as they seem. The daughter Laura, (the main focal point in the film) starts to hear some noise coming from the rooms above. She wakes her father who goes reluctantly to investigate and that's when the film kicks into gear. After a few minutes and the non re-appearance of her father, Laura decides to find out what has happened to her father.

What happens next is a series of what I would call "boo" moments, as the film makers try to catch the viewer off guard by springing up flashes of images and dark shadows in the background to instill some scares. As a veteran horror fan it wasn't too successful as it was predictable. What the film does succeed on though is giving the sense of claustrophobia. Having only one view point can be really unsettling, as the camera follows our protagonist from behind and slowly switching views to being in front and occasionally becoming the POV shot, there is no cut away or a secondary view point. The film makers really have tried to make the film flow like an uncut one long continuous shot.

But is the film really filmed with no cuts? Unforutnately no, those of you with an eagle eye will probably be able to spot the "seemless" cuts between the passing through objects or anything dark. That isn't to say that there isn't a lot of technical achievement on show but the claims of the film are clearly not 100% accurate. There is a lot to say about only having one view point as it can seem really restrictive but in turn it can boost the overall atmosphere and tension. The lack of film score also adds to the sense of dread as every little sound is magnified.

The only thing criticism I would level at the film is it's last reveal or final revelation. When you find out what is really happening there's an enormous sense of let down. For all the films technical flair, the film is severely hampered but it's silly turn in events. If you have seen the French film Haute Tension then you will understand what I am talking about. It should have kept on going as a haunted house story instead of what it turns out to be.

An interesting idea, clever uses of light and dark and the generation of tension is admirable. Clearly influences by other low budget horrors like Blair Witch and the video game Silent Hill. A girl walking around a house with only a torch to light the way only conjours up memories of playing the old survivor horror game. Alas, I feel I would have more fun and rewarding experience playing the game than watching this film. A flawed experiment.

Acting 3/5

Technical Merit 4.5/5

Narrative 2/5

Entertainment 3.5/5

13/20