Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson, Dev Patel, Penelope Wilton, Celia Imrie, Donald Pickup
Dir. John Madden
Scr. Ol Parker
This is a delightful film – funny, lovely, poignant, lush, a little silly – that you should by all means take your mum or dad to see. With a cast to absolutely die for, it’s not necessarily going to set your world alight. But this film is an extremely pleasant way to spend a couple of hours with performances (especially from Dench and Nighy) and a location that are well worth the price of admission.
Each at a particularly important turning point in their elderly lives, a diverse group of over 65s find themselves and their old age “outsourced” to India. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is run by a young, enthusiastic, financially-challenged Indian man whose passion more than makes up for his lack of business sense. His dreams are many and he finds support from the most unlikely place – his guests. And his guests have troubles and dreams of their own. I won’t ruin any of their individual stories, but let’s just say everything goes on a journey of discovery in one way or another.
The other wonderful aspect of this film is India itself. Such vibrancy and colour and chaos. Although nothing and no one looks quite impoverished as you might expect. But there is charm and warmth aplenty.
At times the story might drag or stall, and the resolutions are certainly a little contrived. But I can forgive almost any minor flaws when you have such an amazing cast on offer. Patel is charming but perhaps a little annoying as the manager of the Hotel. Dench, as a recent widow looking for meaning and adventure in her life, is the centre of the group and is her usual graceful self. Smith, a cantankerous retiree in need of a new hip, is wonderful with some of the funniest dialogue at her disposal. Wilkinson, an ex-judge, has the most surprising and interesting story and shines in his role. Wilton is excellent and completely unlikeable, for a change. Imrie and Pickup are a little one-dimensional, but wonderful nonetheless. For my money, Nighy is completely the star of the show. He gives an extremely effective reigned-in performance, more subtle than his usual fare. His breakout scene with Wilton, in which he finally stands up to a domineering wife, is the highlight of the film. Simply wonderful.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel will make you laugh and smile, it may even make you shed a tear. And you will feel better having seen it. I recommend for a lazy Sunday afternoon.
--------------------------------
Sonny: Everything will be all right in the end... if it's not all right then it's not the end.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Saturday, March 24, 2012
The Hunger Games
Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson, Stanley Tucci, Wes Bentley, Lenny Kravitz, Donald Sutherland
Dir. Gary Ross
Scr. Gary Ross, Billy Ray & Suzanne Collins (based on the novel of the same name by Collins)
Set in a futuristic, once war-torn America, The Hunger Games is the story of a brutal annual ritual. A televised ritual, of course. Kids killing kids – can anything be more grotesque? And this film certainly does not shy away from the inevitable violence, earning its M rating and wearing it proudly. If you think this is merely a film for teens, you’d be wrong. This is a compelling, entertaining, disturbing, vibrant film, with some very fine performances by its young cast, notably Lawrence. It’s not necessarily an instant classic, but it’s well worth a look.
The Hunger Games, in its 74th edition in this film, is a yearly form of entertainment in which two teens (a boy and a girl) are selected from each of the twelve districts that, in the distant past, rose up against the authorities and were crushed into submission. They are trained and then unleashed into an arena to fight each other to the death – only one can be victorious, and that victory comes with riches and resources for themselves and their district. The selection process is a horrible form of the lottery – the older you are and the more you have taken from the authorities, the more time your name is entered in the draw. In her first year and against all the odds, young Primrose Everdeen is chosen but is saved by her older sister Katniss (Lawrence), who volunteers to take her place. Taken to the Capitol, Katniss and Peeta (her equally unlucky male partner, played by Hutcherson) are wined and dined and trained to survive and kill. Then, about half way through the film, the games begin.
At over 140 minutes, this is a seat-numbing film. But, don’t despair – it’s compelling and well paced and it’ll end before you know it. Leaving you wanting more. And, of course, there is more – this is book one of a trilogy. And judging by the already frighteningly obsessive teenage-led internet campaign, the second two instalments will be made and will be successful. Think Twilight, but better ... IMHO.
For such a big blockbuster, this is a surprisingly intimate film at times. Intense and at times claustrophobic camerawork brings emotional depth to story of Katniss and her people, juxtaposed with the huge, sweeping vistas of the ostentatious Capitol. Not so subtly, this is ancient Rome – all money flows to the centre of the empire, from the enslaved but natural resource-rich outlying provinces. This is a lush, good-looking film – a feast for the eyes.
As mentioned above, this is also a violent film. In moments, more shockingly so than I ever expected. The audience I was in literally gasped, more than once. In hindsight, it could be no other way. But, at the time, I was very impressed that the filmmakers didn’t shy away from what is surely commentary on society’s bloodlust.
The acting in this film is, across the board, pretty darn good. There is an array of talented adult performances, mostly small-ish but pivotal roles – Tucci as the over-the-top tv host of The Hunger Games, Sutherland as President of this incarnation of America, Bentley as the Games architect and director, Harrelson as a past winner tasked with mentoring Katniss and Peeta, Kravitz as their stylist. All very fine indeed. But the heart of this film is the kids. Hutcherson is good, perhaps a little wooden at times, but in an interesting enough role to keep the audience intrigued. The star here, without a doubt, is Lawrence – a hugely talented young actress who brings equal parts vulnerability and toughness to Katniss. I believe this film would have utterly failed with a lesser, more mainstream actress in the main role. Lawrence’s emotional honesty and transparency is the absolute key to the surreal events of this film.
The Hunger Games is not going to necessarily win any awards or feature on any greatest films of all time lists. But this is an utterly entertaining film. And don’t be surprised if moments remain with you for days. I highly recommend and personally can’t wait for part two.
-------------------------------
Katniss: So you’re here to make me look pretty.
Cinna: I’m here to help you make an impression.
Dir. Gary Ross
Scr. Gary Ross, Billy Ray & Suzanne Collins (based on the novel of the same name by Collins)
Set in a futuristic, once war-torn America, The Hunger Games is the story of a brutal annual ritual. A televised ritual, of course. Kids killing kids – can anything be more grotesque? And this film certainly does not shy away from the inevitable violence, earning its M rating and wearing it proudly. If you think this is merely a film for teens, you’d be wrong. This is a compelling, entertaining, disturbing, vibrant film, with some very fine performances by its young cast, notably Lawrence. It’s not necessarily an instant classic, but it’s well worth a look.
The Hunger Games, in its 74th edition in this film, is a yearly form of entertainment in which two teens (a boy and a girl) are selected from each of the twelve districts that, in the distant past, rose up against the authorities and were crushed into submission. They are trained and then unleashed into an arena to fight each other to the death – only one can be victorious, and that victory comes with riches and resources for themselves and their district. The selection process is a horrible form of the lottery – the older you are and the more you have taken from the authorities, the more time your name is entered in the draw. In her first year and against all the odds, young Primrose Everdeen is chosen but is saved by her older sister Katniss (Lawrence), who volunteers to take her place. Taken to the Capitol, Katniss and Peeta (her equally unlucky male partner, played by Hutcherson) are wined and dined and trained to survive and kill. Then, about half way through the film, the games begin.
At over 140 minutes, this is a seat-numbing film. But, don’t despair – it’s compelling and well paced and it’ll end before you know it. Leaving you wanting more. And, of course, there is more – this is book one of a trilogy. And judging by the already frighteningly obsessive teenage-led internet campaign, the second two instalments will be made and will be successful. Think Twilight, but better ... IMHO.
For such a big blockbuster, this is a surprisingly intimate film at times. Intense and at times claustrophobic camerawork brings emotional depth to story of Katniss and her people, juxtaposed with the huge, sweeping vistas of the ostentatious Capitol. Not so subtly, this is ancient Rome – all money flows to the centre of the empire, from the enslaved but natural resource-rich outlying provinces. This is a lush, good-looking film – a feast for the eyes.
As mentioned above, this is also a violent film. In moments, more shockingly so than I ever expected. The audience I was in literally gasped, more than once. In hindsight, it could be no other way. But, at the time, I was very impressed that the filmmakers didn’t shy away from what is surely commentary on society’s bloodlust.
The acting in this film is, across the board, pretty darn good. There is an array of talented adult performances, mostly small-ish but pivotal roles – Tucci as the over-the-top tv host of The Hunger Games, Sutherland as President of this incarnation of America, Bentley as the Games architect and director, Harrelson as a past winner tasked with mentoring Katniss and Peeta, Kravitz as their stylist. All very fine indeed. But the heart of this film is the kids. Hutcherson is good, perhaps a little wooden at times, but in an interesting enough role to keep the audience intrigued. The star here, without a doubt, is Lawrence – a hugely talented young actress who brings equal parts vulnerability and toughness to Katniss. I believe this film would have utterly failed with a lesser, more mainstream actress in the main role. Lawrence’s emotional honesty and transparency is the absolute key to the surreal events of this film.
The Hunger Games is not going to necessarily win any awards or feature on any greatest films of all time lists. But this is an utterly entertaining film. And don’t be surprised if moments remain with you for days. I highly recommend and personally can’t wait for part two.
-------------------------------
Katniss: So you’re here to make me look pretty.
Cinna: I’m here to help you make an impression.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
We Need to Talk About Kevin
Tilda Swinton, John C Reilly, Ezra Miller
Dir. Lynne Ramsay
Scr. Lynne Ramsay & Rory Kinnear (based on the novel of the same name by Lionel Shriver)
I was afraid to see this movie. Being a fan of the book, I had my doubts that they could make it work as a film. Also, knowing what was coming, I was simply scared to see on the big screen what had been so disturbing on the page. So, yes, this is not necessarily a nice movie to watch. But it is utterly and absolutely compelling, superbly acted, chilling, beautiful and does justice to its best-selling material. I did wonder how easy it was to follow, particularly the first half hour or so, if you hadn’t read the book. But I can only assume that the possible confusion would only serve to throw an audience off-guard, making the subsequent reveals and realisations that much more shocking.
We Need to Talk About Kevin explores the relationship between mother and son, and ultimately poses those age-old questions of nature versus nurture, of whether evil exists and can exist from birth, of how culpable the parents of criminals truly are. Eva (Swinton) is certainly not the most maternal of mothers and, from early on, struggles to connect or relate to her distant son, Kevin (played, at different ages, by three actors). When Kevin reaches his teenage years (this incarnation played by Miller), it seems that nothing can unite mother and son. And when Kevin carries out an unthinkable act of violence, Eva’s life is forever changed. Ostracised by her community, her last hope is to understand why he did what he did and, in doing so, figure out how much she was to blame.
This film is non-linear for much of the first half, which may well annoy some film-goers. I can only advise that you stick with it. And, if you’ve read the book, it is easier to sit back and just go along for the ride. I have to say I found the first half hour or so stunning – a little heavy-handed on the red imagery perhaps, but nonetheless beautiful and, at times, breath-taking. Ramsay obviously had a wonderful time playing with light and colour. Sure, it’s arty. But don’t scoff – it certainly fills in all the blanks by the end of the film and won’t leave you wondering what happened. In the end, this film is a physiological thriller/horror and you need to know that going in. But that doesn’t mean beauty and indeed joy can’t be found at its fringes.
It’s utterly inconceivable that I’ve managed to go three paragraphs and not fallen to my knees and worshipped Tilda Swinton. She is perfection in this role. An utter powerhouse. Completely transfixing. I simply cannot understand why she didn’t receive an Oscar nomination – It. Does. Not. Compute. Her portrayal of Eva as a completely broken woman is heart-wrenching. But equally, Eva the ballsy mother or Eva the young idealist are brilliant. Her stricken, hollow expression burns into your brain and doesn’t shift for days. I could mention so many particular scenes (so many!) in which she shone but really, just watch the film and see for yourself. Reilly gives a refreshingly straight-man performance as husband/father Franklin. The boys who play Kevin are all very good, but the utterly beautiful Miller (those cheekbones!) has the most to work with and is as transfixing as Swinton, especially in their scenes together.
As I’ve said, this is not a nice film. Perhaps I will see it again, but I’m not in an enormous hurry to. However, I cannot recommend it enough. If you’ve read the book, see the film. If you haven’t, see the film but just make sure you know a little what you’re getting yourself into. And be warned: this may put you off having children forever.
-----------------------------
Franklin: Hey, Kev. Listen buddy, it's easy to misunderstand something when you hear it out of context.
Kevin: Why would I not understand the context? I am the context.
Dir. Lynne Ramsay
Scr. Lynne Ramsay & Rory Kinnear (based on the novel of the same name by Lionel Shriver)
I was afraid to see this movie. Being a fan of the book, I had my doubts that they could make it work as a film. Also, knowing what was coming, I was simply scared to see on the big screen what had been so disturbing on the page. So, yes, this is not necessarily a nice movie to watch. But it is utterly and absolutely compelling, superbly acted, chilling, beautiful and does justice to its best-selling material. I did wonder how easy it was to follow, particularly the first half hour or so, if you hadn’t read the book. But I can only assume that the possible confusion would only serve to throw an audience off-guard, making the subsequent reveals and realisations that much more shocking.
We Need to Talk About Kevin explores the relationship between mother and son, and ultimately poses those age-old questions of nature versus nurture, of whether evil exists and can exist from birth, of how culpable the parents of criminals truly are. Eva (Swinton) is certainly not the most maternal of mothers and, from early on, struggles to connect or relate to her distant son, Kevin (played, at different ages, by three actors). When Kevin reaches his teenage years (this incarnation played by Miller), it seems that nothing can unite mother and son. And when Kevin carries out an unthinkable act of violence, Eva’s life is forever changed. Ostracised by her community, her last hope is to understand why he did what he did and, in doing so, figure out how much she was to blame.
This film is non-linear for much of the first half, which may well annoy some film-goers. I can only advise that you stick with it. And, if you’ve read the book, it is easier to sit back and just go along for the ride. I have to say I found the first half hour or so stunning – a little heavy-handed on the red imagery perhaps, but nonetheless beautiful and, at times, breath-taking. Ramsay obviously had a wonderful time playing with light and colour. Sure, it’s arty. But don’t scoff – it certainly fills in all the blanks by the end of the film and won’t leave you wondering what happened. In the end, this film is a physiological thriller/horror and you need to know that going in. But that doesn’t mean beauty and indeed joy can’t be found at its fringes.
It’s utterly inconceivable that I’ve managed to go three paragraphs and not fallen to my knees and worshipped Tilda Swinton. She is perfection in this role. An utter powerhouse. Completely transfixing. I simply cannot understand why she didn’t receive an Oscar nomination – It. Does. Not. Compute. Her portrayal of Eva as a completely broken woman is heart-wrenching. But equally, Eva the ballsy mother or Eva the young idealist are brilliant. Her stricken, hollow expression burns into your brain and doesn’t shift for days. I could mention so many particular scenes (so many!) in which she shone but really, just watch the film and see for yourself. Reilly gives a refreshingly straight-man performance as husband/father Franklin. The boys who play Kevin are all very good, but the utterly beautiful Miller (those cheekbones!) has the most to work with and is as transfixing as Swinton, especially in their scenes together.
As I’ve said, this is not a nice film. Perhaps I will see it again, but I’m not in an enormous hurry to. However, I cannot recommend it enough. If you’ve read the book, see the film. If you haven’t, see the film but just make sure you know a little what you’re getting yourself into. And be warned: this may put you off having children forever.
-----------------------------
Franklin: Hey, Kev. Listen buddy, it's easy to misunderstand something when you hear it out of context.
Kevin: Why would I not understand the context? I am the context.
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