Monday, April 30, 2012
A Separation
Peyman Moadi, Leila Hatami, Sareh Bayat, Shahab Hosseini, Sarina Farhadi
Dir & Scr. Asghar Farhadi
A Separation is a heavy, compelling, thriller-esque drama about the dissolution of a marriage, an act of aggression and so much more. Winner of best foreign film at this year’s Oscars, this film is not an easy watch. But not because it’s violent or brutal or gory – the moral ambiguity and hard grind of life will be too much for some who are looking for cinematic escapism. Sure, this is a film set in a foreign land, but these people could be your neighbours or, indeed, yourself. And what might you do in the situations that arise in this film? That question will have your head spinning.
Set in contemporary Iran, on the surface this film is about the separation of a husband and wife – Simin (Hatami) wants to leave Iran but her husband Nader (Moadi) is less keen. Their situation is complicated by Nader’s live-in, Alzheimer’s afflicted father and their teenage daughter Termeh (Farhadi), who is desperate to keep her parents together. A turn of events (which I will not describe for fear of spoiling the story), involving a maid hired by Nader and her troubled husband (Bayat and Hosseini), sees much more put at risk than merely a marriage.
At times, this is indeed a very foreign film – in a foreign land and language and religion, for me anyways. The foreignness keeps you on our toes and often sneaks up on you – when the newly hired maid, Razieh, rings a religious “hotline” to check whether cleaning a man who is not her husband is a sin, I was suddenly aware of another level of complexity that started making my head hurt. But as we ease into the story, the struggles and questions these people face are breathtakingly universal. Although I shudder at the thought of ever having to grapple with such issues.
The performances in A Separation are all very good. The two husbands particularly shine, especially in their scenes together – two such different men, both brought to breaking point. This movie is truly an indepth character study and the strength of the acting is an essential element to making this work. The fine quality acting avoids any danger of caricature. There are no obvious good guys or bad guys – it is left to the audience to make such judgments, if you dare. Indeed, the open nature of the film’s ending, allows the audience to draw their own conclusions about what happened next for this family.
I didn’t necessarily enjoy A Separation. The forces at work are a little too heavy and, at times, draining to truly sit back and let the film wash over you. This film may remain with you for days. But I certainly recommend A Separation, just except a little moral ambiguity and outrage and, ultimately, bewilderment.
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Nader: What is wrong is wrong, no matter who said it or where it's written.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
A Dangerous Method
Michael Fassbender, Viggo Mortensen, Keira Knightley, Vincent Cassel, Sarah Gadon
Dir. David Cronenberg
Scr. Christopher Hampton
Viggo Mortensen, talking on a movie review show, said this was the film Cronenberg should have got some sort of Oscar recognition for. I don’t think I agree with Viggo, but this film is certainly one of Cronenberg’s most accessible. Don’t be sucked in by the poor marketing – this is not an historic love triangle, with some hysteria thrown in. Instead, this film is a conversation, over many years, between two great minds. It might be a little tedious for those who don’t much care for the history of psychoanalysis, but I recommend it very much for those who do. And, at its core, are three very fine performances which are well worth the price of admission.
Jung (Fassbender) and Freud (Mortensen) are largely accredited with the birth and development of the technique of psychoanalysis, or the talking cure. This film follows the early days of Jung’s interest and adoption of the cure, and the patient that he transforms and that transforms him – Sabina Spielrein (Knightley) – as well as his ultimately fraught relationship with his mentor, Sigmund Freud. Told over a dozen or so years, we accompany Jung on an intellectual and emotional journey, as his ideas and relationships both enlighten and destroy his mind.
Cronenberg treats us to a lush and authentic early 20th century – in the mountains of Zurich, in the city of Vienna, in the harbour of New York. This film looks mighty good. When you have Viggo on board you can also be assured of authenticity to a sometimes ridiculous point – he spent months in Vienna and sourced many of the books you see around him on screen, to make sure they were the same titles and of the same vintage as Freud himself owned. Knightley made sure to get Sabina’s hysterical ticks and mannerisms (which are disturbing indeed) exactly right. This all adds up to an immersive experience for the audience.
This is not, though, necessarily an easy watch. The sessions between Jung and Sabina are unsettling, as was her life and her illness. Their other, more intimate “sessions” are equally disturbing and graphic, though I would argue definitely not gratuitously so. Cronenberg is not one to shy away from such discomfort for the audience and, in this particular film, rightly so. But I would argue he does show restraint and a wisdom in this story-telling than he perhaps would have a decade or two ago.
While the conversational and sometimes overly measured nature of this film may bore some, what cannot be ignored are the performances of the three top-billed actors. Each are phenomenally good and, in the case of Knightley, surprisingly so. I am not a Knightley fan at all – much of her acting in the past has consisted of varying degrees of pouting. If she doesn’t ruin a film, I mark it as a success. But this film (as well as Never Let Me Go, which I saw on dvd recently) has really made me reconsider. She is wonderfully feral and vulnerable and insightful – I think it really does help that she doesn’t have to carry this film as a conventional romantic interest. Mortensen is equally good – his role is relatively small in terms of time on screen, but his persona hangs over every scene as the all-knowing Freud. The real star for me, though, is Fassbender. His Jung is at times quite naive and almost comical, at times hopelessly burdened, at times wonderfully idealistic and optimistic, at times utterly tortured by his own demons. Fassbender plays it all to perfection. I don’t doubt that he could read the phonebook on screen and I would be transfixed.
You’ll need to have your wits about you if you go to see this film. This isn’t escapist cinema – this is pay attention and think about it cinema. It’s very talky. If it doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, don’t go. But if it does, even a little, pay your money and take your seat. You’ll at the very least be treated to some lovely sets and costumes, three brilliant performances and a very interesting history lesson.
-----------------------------
Carl Jung: Sometimes you have to do something unforgivable... just to be able to go on living.
Dir. David Cronenberg
Scr. Christopher Hampton
Viggo Mortensen, talking on a movie review show, said this was the film Cronenberg should have got some sort of Oscar recognition for. I don’t think I agree with Viggo, but this film is certainly one of Cronenberg’s most accessible. Don’t be sucked in by the poor marketing – this is not an historic love triangle, with some hysteria thrown in. Instead, this film is a conversation, over many years, between two great minds. It might be a little tedious for those who don’t much care for the history of psychoanalysis, but I recommend it very much for those who do. And, at its core, are three very fine performances which are well worth the price of admission.
Jung (Fassbender) and Freud (Mortensen) are largely accredited with the birth and development of the technique of psychoanalysis, or the talking cure. This film follows the early days of Jung’s interest and adoption of the cure, and the patient that he transforms and that transforms him – Sabina Spielrein (Knightley) – as well as his ultimately fraught relationship with his mentor, Sigmund Freud. Told over a dozen or so years, we accompany Jung on an intellectual and emotional journey, as his ideas and relationships both enlighten and destroy his mind.
Cronenberg treats us to a lush and authentic early 20th century – in the mountains of Zurich, in the city of Vienna, in the harbour of New York. This film looks mighty good. When you have Viggo on board you can also be assured of authenticity to a sometimes ridiculous point – he spent months in Vienna and sourced many of the books you see around him on screen, to make sure they were the same titles and of the same vintage as Freud himself owned. Knightley made sure to get Sabina’s hysterical ticks and mannerisms (which are disturbing indeed) exactly right. This all adds up to an immersive experience for the audience.
This is not, though, necessarily an easy watch. The sessions between Jung and Sabina are unsettling, as was her life and her illness. Their other, more intimate “sessions” are equally disturbing and graphic, though I would argue definitely not gratuitously so. Cronenberg is not one to shy away from such discomfort for the audience and, in this particular film, rightly so. But I would argue he does show restraint and a wisdom in this story-telling than he perhaps would have a decade or two ago.
While the conversational and sometimes overly measured nature of this film may bore some, what cannot be ignored are the performances of the three top-billed actors. Each are phenomenally good and, in the case of Knightley, surprisingly so. I am not a Knightley fan at all – much of her acting in the past has consisted of varying degrees of pouting. If she doesn’t ruin a film, I mark it as a success. But this film (as well as Never Let Me Go, which I saw on dvd recently) has really made me reconsider. She is wonderfully feral and vulnerable and insightful – I think it really does help that she doesn’t have to carry this film as a conventional romantic interest. Mortensen is equally good – his role is relatively small in terms of time on screen, but his persona hangs over every scene as the all-knowing Freud. The real star for me, though, is Fassbender. His Jung is at times quite naive and almost comical, at times hopelessly burdened, at times wonderfully idealistic and optimistic, at times utterly tortured by his own demons. Fassbender plays it all to perfection. I don’t doubt that he could read the phonebook on screen and I would be transfixed.
You’ll need to have your wits about you if you go to see this film. This isn’t escapist cinema – this is pay attention and think about it cinema. It’s very talky. If it doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, don’t go. But if it does, even a little, pay your money and take your seat. You’ll at the very least be treated to some lovely sets and costumes, three brilliant performances and a very interesting history lesson.
-----------------------------
Carl Jung: Sometimes you have to do something unforgivable... just to be able to go on living.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
The Avengers
Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L Jackson, Stellan Skarsgard
Dir & Scr. Joss Whedon
Five minutes into this movie, I turned to my partner in viewing, held up my clenched fist, he bumped it with his in true ultra-cool (ie geek) style and we grinned. And I challenge any action film fanatic to not grin throughout this entire film. Whedon has taken on a beast; in fact, he has taken on several. And thank the movie gods for the safe hands of Whedon – he has managed to not only tackle what is arguably the most highly anticipated superhero movie in years (if not decades) and not only not ruin it, but actually produce awesomeness.
The plot of The Avengers is pleasingly simple: Colonel Nick Fury (Jackson) of S.H.I.E.L.D – the fictional agency Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division, or some such thing – must bring together a team of superheroes and assassins to help save the Earth from the Norse god Loki (Hiddleston), who seeks to raise a supernatural army and bring humanity to its knees. As you’d imagine, there is much action, fight scenes, things blowing up and witty repartee. And a whole lot of comic book heroes – Tony Stark aka Iron Man (Downey Jr), Bruce Banner aka The Hulk (Ruffalo), Steve Rogers aka Captain America (Evans), Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow (Johansson), Clint Barton aka Hawkeye (Renner), and, of course, Loki’s brother and Earth’s defender, Thor (Hemsworth).
My praise for this film will flow freely, even though I saw it in 3D – the worst thing to happen to cinema since, well, the last time 3D was so prolific. I fully intend to see this film again in 2D and do not doubt that I will probably enjoy it even more. In my opinion, 3D alienates the audience from the movie-going experience, putting a manipulative barrier between us and the film. I don’t buy that it’s the future of cinema. Almost always, it is gimmicky and pointless. Here, Whedon doesn’t overuse the medium and I found it mostly immersive (like in Avatar) rather than distracting (like in every other 3D movie). End of rant, on with review.
This movie works for many reasons. The first is the cast – with the exception of Ruffalo, all these actors have spent time with their characters before, and it shows. They seem comfortable in their crazy skins. And in the case of Downey Jr, not only comfortable but downright transformed. Furthermore, I would argue Ruffalo is by far the best Banner/Hulk of the three actors to have played him in recent cinematic incarnations (Eric Bana and Edward Norton being the other two) – finally we have a Hulk with nuance and humour. All the acting is absolutely pitch-perfect. The second reason this movie works is balance – Whedon has given us a beautifully compelling and well-paced action film, while also delving just enough into each character in order to give them all time to shine and develop. There isn’t a point I can recall in which I felt that the plot was dragging or I was stifling a yawn. He has managed to bring humour and humanity into a crazy, action-packed concept, without either suffering. Being a huge fan of Whedon’s body of work, I was confident that he could pull this off. But his sublime handling of a complex cast of characters surprised and delighted even me. The last major reason this film succeeds is that it looks amazing. It’s like the best carnival ride you’ve ever been on, times a million. It’s slick and shiny and so very cool.
You will gasp and grin. You will laugh out loud. You will want to see it again. Without question, this is one of the best superhero movies ever to have been made. Whedon, you are the man.
---------------------------
Tony Stark (to Loki): There is no throne, there is no version of this where you come out on top. Maybe your army will come, maybe it’s too much for us, but it’s all on you. Because if we can’t protect the Earth, you can be damn sure we’ll avenge it!
Dir & Scr. Joss Whedon
Five minutes into this movie, I turned to my partner in viewing, held up my clenched fist, he bumped it with his in true ultra-cool (ie geek) style and we grinned. And I challenge any action film fanatic to not grin throughout this entire film. Whedon has taken on a beast; in fact, he has taken on several. And thank the movie gods for the safe hands of Whedon – he has managed to not only tackle what is arguably the most highly anticipated superhero movie in years (if not decades) and not only not ruin it, but actually produce awesomeness.
The plot of The Avengers is pleasingly simple: Colonel Nick Fury (Jackson) of S.H.I.E.L.D – the fictional agency Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division, or some such thing – must bring together a team of superheroes and assassins to help save the Earth from the Norse god Loki (Hiddleston), who seeks to raise a supernatural army and bring humanity to its knees. As you’d imagine, there is much action, fight scenes, things blowing up and witty repartee. And a whole lot of comic book heroes – Tony Stark aka Iron Man (Downey Jr), Bruce Banner aka The Hulk (Ruffalo), Steve Rogers aka Captain America (Evans), Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow (Johansson), Clint Barton aka Hawkeye (Renner), and, of course, Loki’s brother and Earth’s defender, Thor (Hemsworth).
My praise for this film will flow freely, even though I saw it in 3D – the worst thing to happen to cinema since, well, the last time 3D was so prolific. I fully intend to see this film again in 2D and do not doubt that I will probably enjoy it even more. In my opinion, 3D alienates the audience from the movie-going experience, putting a manipulative barrier between us and the film. I don’t buy that it’s the future of cinema. Almost always, it is gimmicky and pointless. Here, Whedon doesn’t overuse the medium and I found it mostly immersive (like in Avatar) rather than distracting (like in every other 3D movie). End of rant, on with review.
This movie works for many reasons. The first is the cast – with the exception of Ruffalo, all these actors have spent time with their characters before, and it shows. They seem comfortable in their crazy skins. And in the case of Downey Jr, not only comfortable but downright transformed. Furthermore, I would argue Ruffalo is by far the best Banner/Hulk of the three actors to have played him in recent cinematic incarnations (Eric Bana and Edward Norton being the other two) – finally we have a Hulk with nuance and humour. All the acting is absolutely pitch-perfect. The second reason this movie works is balance – Whedon has given us a beautifully compelling and well-paced action film, while also delving just enough into each character in order to give them all time to shine and develop. There isn’t a point I can recall in which I felt that the plot was dragging or I was stifling a yawn. He has managed to bring humour and humanity into a crazy, action-packed concept, without either suffering. Being a huge fan of Whedon’s body of work, I was confident that he could pull this off. But his sublime handling of a complex cast of characters surprised and delighted even me. The last major reason this film succeeds is that it looks amazing. It’s like the best carnival ride you’ve ever been on, times a million. It’s slick and shiny and so very cool.
You will gasp and grin. You will laugh out loud. You will want to see it again. Without question, this is one of the best superhero movies ever to have been made. Whedon, you are the man.
---------------------------
Tony Stark (to Loki): There is no throne, there is no version of this where you come out on top. Maybe your army will come, maybe it’s too much for us, but it’s all on you. Because if we can’t protect the Earth, you can be damn sure we’ll avenge it!
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Top Five Movie Scenes (aka Five Cinematic Moments That Changed My Life and Burned Into My Brain)
It’s the school holidays and well-post-Oscar season, hence the lack of reviews. The dire movie viewing options (for me, anyway) has left me with a writing itch I just had to scratch. So, to tide me over until The Avengers is released later this week, here are my five favourite movie scenes, ever ... in no particular order:
Empire of the Sun (1987)
The Cadillac of the Sky scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02BBtN-P0lc
One of my favourite films, this Spielberg epic is rarely cited as one of his best. I simply don’t know why. Based on JG Ballard’s semi-autobiographical novel of the same name, Empire of the Sun tells the story of Jim, an English boy surviving in Japanese-occupied China during WWII. In this scene, the Americans attack the Japanese with their mighty impressive planes. Take a moment to remember this film is 25 years old – the effects are seamless. John Williams’ score soars. But what truly gets me is ‘I can’t remember what my parents look like.’ Sob. I have probably watched this movie around two dozen times and I always cry at this moment. The first time, when I was 11, and every time since. Every. Single. Time.
When Harry Met Sally ... (1989)
The New Year Revelation scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_M3GHJckv8 (spoiler alert)
Another favourite film, another I have watched too many times for my own good. For many many many years, this movie represented everything I wanted in a relationship. I’m a sap, what can I say. I still contend this is the best rom-com ever. It’s the basic boy meets girl, girl hates boy, boy meets girl again, boy and girl become friends, boy and girl fall in love, awwwww. Genuinely funny with a stellar cast, this film is a classic. And this particular scene – the big ‘I love you’ speech – is adorable and funny and simply ace.
There Will Be Blood (2007)
I Drink Your Milkshake scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_hFTR6qyEo (spoiler alert and language warning)
Hmm, another favourite film (there seems to be a pattern here), There Will Be Blood is truly a modern classic with one of the finest lead performances you will ever see. There are three or four scenes in this film I could have picked – the relationship between oil drilling guru Daniel Plainview and evangelical preacher Eli Sunday is wonderfully antagonistic and provides most of the highlights of the story. The one I chose is simply majestic in its meanness and intensity and darkly comic tinge. You can’t help but love a character like Plainview – given so many chances to redeem himself, he fervently shuns every one.
The Usual Suspects (1995)
The Twist to End All Twists scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_6560AW1zQ (MAJOR spoiler alert and language warning)
If you haven’t seen this film, do NOT view the video – go out immediately and hire the dvd instead. The Usual Suspects is the first film I remember seeing at the cinema with such an amazing twist that I actually gasped out loud. A stellar cast and the vehicle that truly made mainstream audiences sit up and take notice of Kevin Spacey, The Usual Suspects is by no means a flawless film. But for me, sitting in the dark, I will never forget this moment and the feeling of having the rug pulled out from under me. Other films have thrilled me in the same way since, but I definitely lost my cherry on this particular twist.
High Society (1956)
Ultimate Bing and Frank scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kq1JQUhwVQ (musical warning!)
I absolutely and utterly adore musicals. And I have a particular soft spot for the classic films I remember watching on tv on lazy Sunday afternoons – films in which manly men sang and danced, lyrics were cheesy poetry and nuns sang about the hills being alive. High Society is a very early memory and this song – Well, Did You Evah? – is simply sublime. A duet between two legends, one a little drunk, both in love with the same woman (Grace Kelly – how could you not love her?), this is cinematic magic. And when Frank drunkenly sings ‘naaah, let’s drink to your wealth’, I giggle every time.
The Matrix (1999)
The Most Mind-Blowing Opening scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u31OjOPF-ZI
Yes, I can count. This is scene number six. But I simply could not get the list down to five – let’s call this scene a tie with The Usual Suspects ending and just move on ... So, The Matrix. What a great flick. It’s about, errr, who knows really? But, at the time, it was simply the coolest thing to touch down at the cinema and certainly in my life. I remember distinctly watching this opening scene, turning to the person next to me and saying ‘I have no idea what’s going on, but I love it!’ Sure, it looks so clichéd now (largely because it has been copied so shamelessly subsequently), but I had certainly never seen anything like it – the slow-mo, the camera angles, the outfits, the comic book feel. I was buzzing and I always get a little of that feeling back when I watch it again.
What are some of your favourites?
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