Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Evan Rachel Wood, Marisa Tomei
Dir. George Clooney
Scr. George Clooney, Grant Heslov & Beau Willimon
The Ides of March is a wonderfully paced, expertly crafted, mouth-wateringly evocative movie. Sure, there’s not much that will astound you about politics or the human condition. But this film is nevertheless a delight and a must see for any fan of the West Wing (or similarly brilliant political tales). Top-notch acting and a compact plot make for a great outing to the cinema. And, I again have to ask, is there anything Clooney can’t do?
The Ides of March tells the story of the few crazy days before an all-important presidential primary. Stephen Meyers (Gosling) is a young, gifted, up-and-coming political player, press secretary for Democratic presidential hopeful Mike Morris (Clooney). Meyers is also an idealist and believes in his candidate and everything he stands for. The waters get muddy when their rival’s chief of staff asks for a secret meeting and offers Meyers a job. This meeting, along with his fling with a young intern, sets into motion an eventful and enlightening few days for Meyers who must question everything he thinks he knows about the people around him and, ultimately, about himself.
This is a smart film. Smart enough to know less is more. And what we get is an extremely simple and neat tale, told with buckets of restrained emotion. It’s dark, but not too dark. It’s extremely evocative in its brilliant use of silence and lingering camera work, without becoming pretentious or annoying. It’s witty, but not distractingly funny. It’s fast-paced, matching the frantic pace of politics itself, but not impossible to follow. It has just a few key players and we get inside each of their heads swiftly and completely, without needing extensive back stories. It’s clear that Clooney knows what he’s doing, wearing his writer/director/actor hats, and he is a master at the helm.
The cast on display here is very pleasing indeed. The powerhouses that are Philip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti – who play the rival chiefs of staff – are brilliant and perfect. Clooney himself is spot-on, both in terms of casting and performance. It’s not much of a stretch to imagine his Morris as a presidential candidate – his portrayal of a charismatic and inspirational leader is an easy one. But it’s his more challenging scenes – particularly the one in which Gosling’s Meyers confronts him – in which you really see the fire behind his eyes. For me, Clooney is the Jimmy Stewart of our generation – likeable, charming, an everyman, but one that has demons and the ability to catch you off guard, in the best possible way. But as much as I love Clooney’s turn in his film, it’s really Gosling who shines. This film is yet another example of why he’s one of the best young actors around – a fantastically showy yet incredibly restrained performance of a man faced with a rather large ethical dilemma. He especially delivers some of the best lingering moments of revelation you’ll see in quite some time.
The Ides of March is like a perfectly formed, emotive and satisfying pop song, that doesn’t try too hard to impress us with too-clever, distracting flourishes. What it does, it does very well. This is a confident film which I highly recommend.
---------------------------
Stephen Meyers: You can lie, you can cheat, you can start a war, you can bankrupt the country, but you can't f**k the interns. They get you for that.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
The Artist
Jean Dujardin, Berenice Bejo, John Goodman, James Cromwell
Dir. Michel Hazanavicius
Scr. Michel Hazanavicius
I was sceptical about this movie. Beyond sceptical. I’m not too proud to say I ranted. A black and white silent film, sheesh. And, what’s more, a silent film set in the era of silent films, double sheesh. At least do something original like a modern day silent picture! And so on and so forth. Then I saw the trailer and realised there might be more to this film than meets the eye. And, well, it’s got a truckload of Oscar nominations, so I had to see it. And, thank goodness! This film is an absolute treat – it’s delightful, beautifully acted, surprising and heartfelt. I was utterly charmed and happily eat my ranting words.
The Artist begins in 1927 when the silent film is king. George Valentin (Dujardin) is a superstar (think Douglas Fairbanks Jnr). He’s rich and successful and he knows it. An accidental meeting leads to an almost-fling with budding actress Peppy Miller (Bejo), who goes on to great success in the future of cinema – talkies. Valentin, unfortunately, is too stubborn to have similar success and gets left behind by the new technology. In 1929, the economic crash sees Valentin lose his fortune and he falls on very hard times indeed. We follow the fortunes and tragedies of both Valentin and Miller, as their lives continue to intersect. I won’t spoil the ending but, let’s just say, it’s all Hollywood.
For a movie consumed by a certain technique (that I’m sure gave the filmmakers many a headache), The Artist is strangely compelling. Unlike many of the actual silent films of the 20s, director/writer Hazanavicius does not feel the need to give us much subtitled dialogue at all. He relies on the audience being able to read lips and read emotions. And this is hugely effective, helping to draw the viewer in and keep them hooked. Furthermore, this film is lush and beautiful, completely capturing an era. Clever too – listen out for some interesting use of sound at a couple of important moments. Which is cheating, sure, but who cares? And, of course, one of the most essential elements of a silent film is the music and the music in The Artist is soaring and moody and playful.
There is a fine line to walk for the actors in this movie: to convey emotion and humour and subtext without being too hammy. And, largely, they succeed. Bejo is beguiling and cute and, maybe, a little too much at times. But her character is young and suddenly successful and, well, who can blame her? She absolutely shines in her more emotionally poignant moments. The movie really does rest on the shoulders of Dujardin though and, boy, does he deliver. He is simply breathtaking throughout Valentin’s journey, with a thousand-watt smile and a wonderfully emotive face. While there is no doubting his charm, it was the real heart-breaking moments in which Dujardin showed his acting chops. I cannot praise his performance enough. Special mention also to Uggy, Valentin’s utterly adorable sidekick – I want him!
The Artist transports us back to a bygone era when men had eyebrows and knew how to use them. It’s imaginative, sassy, funny, dramatic and so much more. It will sucker you in and never let go. And I guarantee you’ll leave the cinema with a smile plastered on your face. Highly recommended and it deserves every award it gets.
-------------------------
George Valentin: Look what you’ve become. You’ve become proud! You’ve become stupid!
Dir. Michel Hazanavicius
Scr. Michel Hazanavicius
I was sceptical about this movie. Beyond sceptical. I’m not too proud to say I ranted. A black and white silent film, sheesh. And, what’s more, a silent film set in the era of silent films, double sheesh. At least do something original like a modern day silent picture! And so on and so forth. Then I saw the trailer and realised there might be more to this film than meets the eye. And, well, it’s got a truckload of Oscar nominations, so I had to see it. And, thank goodness! This film is an absolute treat – it’s delightful, beautifully acted, surprising and heartfelt. I was utterly charmed and happily eat my ranting words.
The Artist begins in 1927 when the silent film is king. George Valentin (Dujardin) is a superstar (think Douglas Fairbanks Jnr). He’s rich and successful and he knows it. An accidental meeting leads to an almost-fling with budding actress Peppy Miller (Bejo), who goes on to great success in the future of cinema – talkies. Valentin, unfortunately, is too stubborn to have similar success and gets left behind by the new technology. In 1929, the economic crash sees Valentin lose his fortune and he falls on very hard times indeed. We follow the fortunes and tragedies of both Valentin and Miller, as their lives continue to intersect. I won’t spoil the ending but, let’s just say, it’s all Hollywood.
For a movie consumed by a certain technique (that I’m sure gave the filmmakers many a headache), The Artist is strangely compelling. Unlike many of the actual silent films of the 20s, director/writer Hazanavicius does not feel the need to give us much subtitled dialogue at all. He relies on the audience being able to read lips and read emotions. And this is hugely effective, helping to draw the viewer in and keep them hooked. Furthermore, this film is lush and beautiful, completely capturing an era. Clever too – listen out for some interesting use of sound at a couple of important moments. Which is cheating, sure, but who cares? And, of course, one of the most essential elements of a silent film is the music and the music in The Artist is soaring and moody and playful.
There is a fine line to walk for the actors in this movie: to convey emotion and humour and subtext without being too hammy. And, largely, they succeed. Bejo is beguiling and cute and, maybe, a little too much at times. But her character is young and suddenly successful and, well, who can blame her? She absolutely shines in her more emotionally poignant moments. The movie really does rest on the shoulders of Dujardin though and, boy, does he deliver. He is simply breathtaking throughout Valentin’s journey, with a thousand-watt smile and a wonderfully emotive face. While there is no doubting his charm, it was the real heart-breaking moments in which Dujardin showed his acting chops. I cannot praise his performance enough. Special mention also to Uggy, Valentin’s utterly adorable sidekick – I want him!
The Artist transports us back to a bygone era when men had eyebrows and knew how to use them. It’s imaginative, sassy, funny, dramatic and so much more. It will sucker you in and never let go. And I guarantee you’ll leave the cinema with a smile plastered on your face. Highly recommended and it deserves every award it gets.
-------------------------
George Valentin: Look what you’ve become. You’ve become proud! You’ve become stupid!
Monday, February 6, 2012
Hugo
Asa Butterfield, Chloe Grace Moretz, Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen, Emily Mortimer, Christopher Lee, Helen McCrory, Ray Winstone, Jude Law, Michael Stuhlbarg
Dir. Martin Scorsese
Scr. John Logan
There is no doubt that this is a delightful film. It’s lush and quaint and celebrates the early days of the cinema. The performances are whimsical and heartfelt. And you won’t find a more magical piece of imaging at the cinema. I very much enjoyed it, but it won’t necessarily stay with you or challenge you or surprise you. I don’t quite understand why it has received so very many Oscar nominations, except that maybe there is a fear that Scorsese is going to pop his clogs or stop making movies or a recognition that his career deserves more than just the one win. See it, by all means. It’s a visual symphony and a lovely, if somewhat overlong, tale. But I would recommend The Descendents or Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy over Hugo in a heartbeat.
That’s it.
----------------------------
Hugo: I'd imagine the whole world was one big machine. Machines never come with any extra parts, you know. They always come with the exact amount they need. So I figured if the entire world was one big machine, I couldn't be an extra part. I had to be here for some reason.
Dir. Martin Scorsese
Scr. John Logan
There is no doubt that this is a delightful film. It’s lush and quaint and celebrates the early days of the cinema. The performances are whimsical and heartfelt. And you won’t find a more magical piece of imaging at the cinema. I very much enjoyed it, but it won’t necessarily stay with you or challenge you or surprise you. I don’t quite understand why it has received so very many Oscar nominations, except that maybe there is a fear that Scorsese is going to pop his clogs or stop making movies or a recognition that his career deserves more than just the one win. See it, by all means. It’s a visual symphony and a lovely, if somewhat overlong, tale. But I would recommend The Descendents or Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy over Hugo in a heartbeat.
That’s it.
----------------------------
Hugo: I'd imagine the whole world was one big machine. Machines never come with any extra parts, you know. They always come with the exact amount they need. So I figured if the entire world was one big machine, I couldn't be an extra part. I had to be here for some reason.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Chronicle
Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, Michael B Jordan, Michael Kelly
Dir. Josh Trank
Scr. Max Landis
I can’t say this is a completely original film. The “found footage” genre has been quite prolific over the last few years, most notably in Cloverfield and the Paranormal Activity instalments. And what we fundamentally have here is a superhero flick. But Chronicle is surprisingly fresh and relatable, with more humour and heart than you would expect. A simple premise executed well, in a neat and satisfying 83 minutes, Chronicle is a very good film indeed.
Three high schoolers – popular kid running for class president Steve (Jordon), good-looking wannabe intellectual Matt (Russell) and his loner cousin Andrew (DeHaan) – find a strange crater in the woods while at a party and come face-to-face with an other-worldly machine/creature/who knows. The next day they find they have all developed superhuman abilities of telekinesis and invulnerability. Gaining strength day by day, the boys initially use their skills for their own entertainment and minor mischief. As is so often the case however, darker instincts take over and mayhem ensues.
These shenanigans are captured on film by Andrew initially (documenting his life in an effort to escape the horrors at home), and later through security and television camera footage. The filmmakers really do stand by their format, right to the end. At times it may feel a little forced, but I admired the vision and ingenuity. It’s in-your-face and makes the superpower moments pop. The intimacy of the format also has its advantages – sure, these kids can do outlandishly amazing things that make them laugh and blow their minds, but sitting alone on his bedroom floor, a sad and frustrated Andrew can also quietly pull a spider apart with his mind in one of the movie’s darker moments.
This brings me to two features of this film that I absolutely loved: how truly dark it was at times (much more so than you will have expected) and how realistic the performances are (especially from Russell and DeHaan). Andrew’s story especially is heartbreaking and, at times, pretty brutal. DeHaan is on spot-on perfect in this role. His recluse, reserved Andrew is brilliant. Russell has a more understated role to play – Matt is a good guy trying to do right by his friends – but does it with equal naturalism and a lot of heart. Jordan, in the most showy of the roles, gives a very solid performance also. The only adult that really features is Andrew’s dad, played by familiar face Michael Kelly. A truly awful character, Kelly does a stellar job in his small but ultimately all-important role.
Chronicle is not all bleak – the film has some wonderfully light moments, especially when the boys are initially figuring out their powers. The scenes in the toy store and the car park are particularly fun. But the movie always has an undertone of dread and while it certainly never descends into horror, this is certainly a thrilling and chilling ride.
This film is a complete mash-up – a teenage-centric, found footage, superhero flick – that works. It’s not going to win any awards and it’s unlikely to make millions at the box office. But I have to say it was surprising and entertaining and dark and I liked it very, very much. I highly recommend to anyone who fancies a look.
-----------------------------
Matt: It's like a muscle...we're getting stronger.
Dir. Josh Trank
Scr. Max Landis
I can’t say this is a completely original film. The “found footage” genre has been quite prolific over the last few years, most notably in Cloverfield and the Paranormal Activity instalments. And what we fundamentally have here is a superhero flick. But Chronicle is surprisingly fresh and relatable, with more humour and heart than you would expect. A simple premise executed well, in a neat and satisfying 83 minutes, Chronicle is a very good film indeed.
Three high schoolers – popular kid running for class president Steve (Jordon), good-looking wannabe intellectual Matt (Russell) and his loner cousin Andrew (DeHaan) – find a strange crater in the woods while at a party and come face-to-face with an other-worldly machine/creature/who knows. The next day they find they have all developed superhuman abilities of telekinesis and invulnerability. Gaining strength day by day, the boys initially use their skills for their own entertainment and minor mischief. As is so often the case however, darker instincts take over and mayhem ensues.
These shenanigans are captured on film by Andrew initially (documenting his life in an effort to escape the horrors at home), and later through security and television camera footage. The filmmakers really do stand by their format, right to the end. At times it may feel a little forced, but I admired the vision and ingenuity. It’s in-your-face and makes the superpower moments pop. The intimacy of the format also has its advantages – sure, these kids can do outlandishly amazing things that make them laugh and blow their minds, but sitting alone on his bedroom floor, a sad and frustrated Andrew can also quietly pull a spider apart with his mind in one of the movie’s darker moments.
This brings me to two features of this film that I absolutely loved: how truly dark it was at times (much more so than you will have expected) and how realistic the performances are (especially from Russell and DeHaan). Andrew’s story especially is heartbreaking and, at times, pretty brutal. DeHaan is on spot-on perfect in this role. His recluse, reserved Andrew is brilliant. Russell has a more understated role to play – Matt is a good guy trying to do right by his friends – but does it with equal naturalism and a lot of heart. Jordan, in the most showy of the roles, gives a very solid performance also. The only adult that really features is Andrew’s dad, played by familiar face Michael Kelly. A truly awful character, Kelly does a stellar job in his small but ultimately all-important role.
Chronicle is not all bleak – the film has some wonderfully light moments, especially when the boys are initially figuring out their powers. The scenes in the toy store and the car park are particularly fun. But the movie always has an undertone of dread and while it certainly never descends into horror, this is certainly a thrilling and chilling ride.
This film is a complete mash-up – a teenage-centric, found footage, superhero flick – that works. It’s not going to win any awards and it’s unlikely to make millions at the box office. But I have to say it was surprising and entertaining and dark and I liked it very, very much. I highly recommend to anyone who fancies a look.
-----------------------------
Matt: It's like a muscle...we're getting stronger.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)