Life of Pi

Irrfan Khan, Suraj Sharma, Adil Hussain, Tabu, Rafe Spall, Gerard Depardieu

Dir. Ang Lee
Scr. David Magee (based on novel of same name by Yann Martel)

Few movies have ever looked so lush and wondrous. And finally, a 3D experience so immersive that I almost forgot I was wearing those awful glasses. Almost. Life of Pi is a lovely couple of hours in a darkened room but, while I was drawn into the visual, the emotional and spiritual was a little harder to buy. Certainly Ang Lee has certainly achieved a feat – not only bringing an unfilmable book to life, but doing so with such panache. But while the sights and sounds will stay with me, sadly, the spoon-fed messages won’t.

If you’ve read the book, you’ll know exactly what sort of experience you’re likely to have. If you haven’t, well, your eyes with either widen with wonder or narrow with derision. Pi Patel is an inquisitive and challenging young boy, living in India with his parents – who run a zoo – and his older brother. One day his father (Hussain) decides they will pack up and move to Canada, taking the animals with them to sell on arrival. So the Patels and their collection of exotic beasts board a Japanese freighter bound for a new land and a new life. When disaster strikes, Pi is left stranded on a lifeboat with just an array of animals for company, most notably a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker.

It’s all wonderfully far-fetched, which will turn some people right off. It is also unabashedly religious, which will turn others away. But, as with all movies, you take to it and from it what you will. What saves this film from everything that might have made it a disaster is just how amazing it looks. It’s staggeringly beautiful and awash with colour. The opening credits introduce us to some of the animals in the zoo and it was like walking amongst them. There is plenty of CGI on offer and most of it is excellent. Bringing the tiger to life must have been especially challenging and is a real achievement – Richard Parker is perhaps my favourite character in the film. Life of Pi is possibly the most sumptuous visual feast you will see all year.

The spiritual elements of the film didn’t annoy me so much as bore me. But I wouldn’t say not to see it because of this – the punch Lee manages to land visually makes it worth a viewing. And while the movie’s religious depths didn’t move it, it certainly manages to scare and amuse and delight. I just couldn’t shake the feeling that they wanted me to descend into tears and prayers, and didn’t shy away from bashing me over the head with the big messages I should ponder as I left the cinema. A dose of subtlety wouldn’t have gone amiss.

The performances on offer here are all very good indeed. Much of the film rests on the shoulders of the stranded teenage Pi, played absolutely brilliantly by Sharma. Khan, who plays older Pi recounting his story of survival to an intrigued writer, is enigmatic and excellent. Hussain and Tabu, as Pi’s parents, as well as all the incarnations of Pi and his brother Ravi, give very solid performances. Spall, who plays the writer, is a very likeable actor and has a pivotal role here – he is the audience; cynical and disbelieving at first, wide-eyed and converted by the end. I didn’t quite make the entire journey with him, but never mind. A wee appearance by Depardieu, as the ship’s cook, is grotesque and wonderful.

I really enjoyed Life of Pi. But while the visual journey was a treat, the story didn’t move me in ways I suspect I was meant to be moved. Nevertheless, this film is a wild ride that shouldn’t be missed.

----------------------

Pi Patel: I can eat the biscuits, but God made tigers carnivorous, so I must learn to catch fish. If I don't, I'm afraid his last meal would be a skinny vegetarian boy.

Jack Reacher

Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike, Richard Jenkins, Robert Duvall, David Oyelowo, Werner Herzog, Jai Courtney

Dir & Scr. Christopher McQuarrie (based on a book by Lee Child)

Jack Reacher is a man out of time. And so too is this film. In an age of Jason Bourne and a rebooted James Bond, this film simply isn’t up to scratch. A rubbish plot, some decidedly wooden performances, a complete lack of any sort of humour (well, any intentional humour) and a villain that would have been much more suited to a Bond film than this dire piece, Jack Reacher is utterly forgettable. Avoid.

A sniper lines up a bunch of random people in his sights, picks them off one by one, and disappears. All the clues lead back to one man, a former soldier, who, when asked to confess, requests just one thing – Get Jack Reacher. Reacher (Cruise) is a ghost, who reappears to help figure out just what has happened and why. Joining forces with defence lawyer, Helen (Pike), they discover nothing is quite as it seems. Blah blah blah.

I disliked much of this film. And not just the obvious. For example, the score bugged me immensely – tugging you along against your will and hitting you over the head at key moments. The story is unnecessarily convoluted and clumsy and, in the end, completely irrelevant. The dialogue is beyond cheesy and clichéd, and not in a good way. You will laugh, and you’re certainly not supposed to. There are a few jokes and I guarantee you won’t laugh at them. The acting is, almost across the board, either rubbish or simply unsuited to the film. But the biggest problem is that we have moved on from this sort of thriller – it felt like a tv movie or an episode of CSI, lacking any cinematic magic we have come to expect from this sort of genre. Reacher doesn’t even come close to the likes of Bourne or Bond. But even taking it down a notch, Cruise’s Reacher completely pales in comparison to the likes of Liam Neeson in Taken.

Much has been said of the miscasting of Cruise as Reacher – apparently he’s supposed tall and weathered and rugged. If you haven’t read the Lee Child books, I don’t think this should really make a difference. Although, Cruise is decidedly Cruise-like in this film. I have nothing against Cruise, but he’s really phoning it in here. Pike is simply awful as a gifted defence lawyer trying to make her name in the shadow of her DA father (Jenkins). Wooden, deer-in-the-headlights throughout, I simply didn’t care if she survived or not. Jenkins is woefully under-used. As is Duvall, who is one of the few rays of light in the film as an ex-vet, running a shooting range. Oyelowo, who I have not seen before, plays a detective and is almost as awful as Pike. Herzog, I have to confess, is probably the reason I rushed to see the film as soon as it came out. He is brilliant. Unfortunately, he is so clearly a Bond villain and simply doesn’t fit into an ultimately mundane story. I was rooting for him though – I simply wanted him to kill EVERYONE.

There were, I admit, a few good bits. As noted above, Duvall and Herzog set the screen ablaze every time they appeared. The scenes between Duvall and Cruise were also particularly good – the dialogue suddenly rang true and it all started to make sense. Unfortunately this was short-lived. The final stand-off between Reacher and Herzog’s villain, The Zec, is refreshingly uncharacteristically anti-climatic. But these elements did not make up for the many, multiple, various, numerous crap bits.

I guess if you’re a big fan of Child’s Reacher, you may be curious about this film. By all means, satisfy that curiosity. You’ll probably regret it though. Everyone else – simply avoid.

---------------------

Jack Reacher: You think I'm a hero? I am not a hero. And if you're smart, that scares you. Because I have nothing to lose.

Top Ten of 2012

What a totes cracking cinematic year it has been. I certainly haven’t seen as many films as I had hoped (I never do!), but I had no trouble coming up with enough stellar movies to easily populate the list. In fact, it was quite an effort to stick to ten. Disclaimer, as always: I take no responsibility for movies in this list technically being 2011 films – I see them as they arrive on Kiwi screens. In alphabetical order, my top ten of 2012 are:

The Dark Knight Rises – I agonised for quite some time about whether to include this film or Whedon’s brilliantly entertaining Avengers. In the end, TDKR simply moved me more.

The Hobbit – I risk being deported if I don’t include Sir Peter Jackson’s latest Middle Earth caper in this year’s list. And, furthermore, this is a film made by a cinematic pioneer, with an undying passion for the material. Nuff said.

Into the Abyss – My spiritual hero, Werner Herzog, at his best. A simply wonderful look at an awful subject, this film surprises and angers and saddens and challenges, but manages to do so without preaching.

Looper – A real surprise: compelling and thrilling and smart. I immediately wanted to watch it again. With a masterful performance by Joseph “He’s Everywhere All the Time” Gordon-Levitt.

Martha Marcy May Marlene – By no means an easy watch, this film is outstanding and has remained with me for months. Disturbing and unsettling, with a lead performance that is out of this world.

A Royal Affair – Wonderfully lush, this film was definitely a standout. I laughed, I cried and I learnt a great deal about Danish history.

Searching for Sugar Man – Two documentaries is maybe a hard sell for such a short list, but I simply couldn’t leave out this mysterious and uplifting story of an unknown superstar. I was an instant fan of the film and the music.

Skyfall – It hasn’t pleased everyone, especially those who like their Bond more misogynistic and wise-cracking. But it’s a Bond for the times – failure, emotional depth and all. And I loved it.

Tinker Tailor Solider Spy – It was film of the year ‘thus far’ when I saw it in January and remained a strong contender at the year’s end. Brilliant cast, brilliant story, brilliant atmosphere.

We Need to Talk About Kevin – And finally, my film of the year. An absolutely glorious film – stark, disturbing, beautiful and utterly unforgettable.

Very highly recommended (and so very nearly in the top ten):

The Artist, The Avengers, Chronicle, The Descendants, The Ides of March, Seven Psychopaths, The Way

Disappointment of the year:

Rock of Ages

Quote of the year:

Tony Stark (to Loki) in The Avengers - "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!"

Seven Psychopaths

Colin Farrell, Sam Rockwell, Christopher Walken, Woody Harrelson, Long Nguyen, Tom Waits, Abbie Cornish, Linda Bright Clay

Dir & Scr. Martin McDonagh

Well, what a great film to get you right into the Christmas spirit! I’m kidding. But, you know what, I like to laugh at Christmas and I certainly laughed a lot during Seven Psychopaths … a little too much perhaps. It’s one of those black comedies in which you laugh, and then feel just a little bit of shame for doing so. I really liked this film. It’s not the best of its genre or even the best by McDonagh (of In Bruges fame). But it certainly ticked a lot of boxes. Highly recommend.

Seven Psychopaths is what you might call meta. A movie within a movie, and then some. Marty (Farrell) is a struggling screenwriter, possessed of a movie title – Seven Psychopaths – and not much else. His dog-napping friend, Billy (Rockwell), is desperate to help Marty write his movie and curb his drinking. Alongside this artistic struggle is the story of, well, quite a few others. Including Hans (Walken), Billy’s dog-napping accomplice; Charlie (Harrelson), a crazy gang lord who just wants his dog back; Kaya (Cornish), Marty’s long-suffering girlfriend. By the end of it all, Marty has his film.

McDonagh set his own bar extremely high with the brilliant In Bruges and this film has certainly suffered from constantly being compared to it. Sure, it’s not as good. It meanders in places, especially towards the end. Excuses itself from its shortcomings too easily and is, at times, a little too self-aware. Is perhaps a little too ridiculous in places. McDonagh has enough going on to pack several films. But for all its erratic-ness, there is much to like about Seven Psychopaths. Not least, it’s blooming funny. It’s also quite bloody, so be warned.

Perhaps the movie’s biggest saving grace is its brilliant cast. Here, McDonagh is truly blessed. Farrell is, as ever, very watchable. And set quite against type, as a floundering, cowardly screenwriter. Harrelson is spot on type – violent, crazy and emotionally unstable; he’s a treat to watch. The women don’t have much to do here (something which is humorously noted in the movie itself), but Clay is sublime and Cornish a welcome addition. Waits is creepily wonderful as a former-serial killer just searching for his long lost love. But the real stars of the film are Rockwell and Walken. They simply steal every scene they are in. Rockwell is right in his comfort zone, as wacky and unbalanced Billy. And Walken is… well, he’s Walken. Speaking in that way he does and shining every time he’s on the screen. And he injects most of the heart into the film, which is certainly needed.

It’s not perfect. But its dialogue is razor-sharp and the performances are brilliant. Spending a couple of hours in the company of Walken and Rockwell and Farrell means I can forgive a lot.

P.S. Him Indoors pointed out that it should really be called Seven Sociopaths, for many reasons he outlined on the drive home from the cinema. I’ll let you make your own decision. Personally, I just think psychopath is funnier.

------------------

Hans: An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.

Billy: No, it doesn’t. There’ll be one guy left with one eye. How’s the last blind guy gonna take out the eye of the last guy left?

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Hugo Weaving, James Nesbitt, Aidan Turner, Dean O’Gorman, Graham McTavish, Andy Serkis, Sylvester McCoy, Cate Blanchett

Dir. Peter Jackson
Scr. Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens & Guillermo del Toro (based on the novel by JRR Tolkien)

This movie is like nothing you have ever seen before. And I’m not being hyperbolic, I promise. I can also say with near certainty that some movie-goers will hate it and complain that it’s not “cinematic” or that it looks “too real”. These people have small minds and need to get out more. Seriously though, this is something new and shiny, much like colour or sound or high definition. It’s innovation; it’s pushing the boat out. And kudos to Jackson for taking us to a new place, whether this new place is universally embraced or not. Let’s not forget also, this is a charming and enchanting story, with larger than life characters and a whole lot of heart. I highly recommend.

I am somewhat embarrassed to say I have never read The Hobbit (or anything by Tolkien for that matter). For those of you who have, you’ll know the story well. Bilbo Baggins (Freeman), a quiet-life-loving hobbit, gets swept along on an adventure with wizard Gandalf the Grey (McKellen) and thirteen displaced dwarves led by warrior Thorin Oakenshield (Armitage). Their kingdom, Erebor, has long been ruled by the evil dragon Smaug and they embark on a quest to reclaim their home. Along the way, friends and foes are encountered, including the strange creature Gollum (Serkis) who will change Bilbo’s life forever.

The book will spawn three movies, fleshed out by other writings and details by Tolkien. And indeed Jackson and his creative team. An Unexpected Journey feels very much like part one of a larger story. Jackson takes time in setting the scene and giving key characters depth and motivation – it’s a nice thing that he has the luxury to do so. The movie, because of this, does seem to take some time to get going. But when it hits its stride, it’s unrelenting, chaotic and cracking. This is also a much brighter and happier Middle Earth than the one we experienced in the Lord of the Rings (LOTR) trilogy. There is less lurking in dark corners and it lacks that constant sense of foreboding. Which I admit I missed a little.

The Hobbit is the first feature to be filmed and projected at 48 frames per second (fps). The standard is 24 fps. In addition, it’s in 3D. I guess if anyone is up to this task, it’s Jackson and his team. There is no question that this combination messes with your mind. How long it takes an audience member to adjust might directly correlate to how much the film is enjoyed and embraced. It’ll be a very personal journey. For me, the adjustment was swift but I was still repeatedly surprised and thrilled by the detail and smoothness and clarity. Although I could have done with a pause button to simply take it all in.

The cast on offer here, much like that in the LOTR trilogy, is stellar and clearly having the time of their lives. If some feel the look of the film is too clinical, they can be rest assured that this cast ably offer the emotional connection the audience needs and craves. First and foremost, Freeman is simply perfection. He was born to play Bilbo. Such enthusiasm and heart and humour and nuance, he is a delight. I connected with him so much more than Elijah Wood’s Frodo. McKellen is back as a younger Gandalf and is brilliant as ever, a little more vulnerable and unsure than his LOTR Gandalf. The gaggle of dwarves is very entertaining, though few are truly fleshed out. Armitage, as their driven and courageous leader Thorin, has the most to do and does it very well. The other standout for me is Serkis, reprising his role as Gollum. Without question, the best scene is the riddle battle between him and Bilbo – absolutely captivating and wonderfully funny. Some have compared McCoy’s wizard Radagast the Brown to Jar Jar Binks, which is awfully unfair.

If you are a Tolkien and LOTR fan, you will not be disappointed by this visit to Middle Earth. The technology on display here may divide audiences and I’m sure the likes of James Cameron are looking on with great interest – if it goes well, who knows how many frames per second Avatar II might be filmed in. Jackson clearly believes in his vision. This particular movie-goer was simply delighted by it all.

------------------------

Gandalf: You’ll have a tale or two to tell when you come back.
Bilbo: You can promise that I will come back?
Gandalf: …. No. And if you do, you will not be the same.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2

Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Billy Burke, Peter Facinelli, Ashley Green, Jackson Rathbone, Michael Sheen

Dir. Bill Condon
Scr. Melissa Rosenberg

I have a love/hate relationship with the Twilight movies. Well, maybe ‘love’ is too strong a word. But I was happily entertained by the first instalment, Twilight, and by Eclipse. Both New Moon and Breaking Dawn – Part 1 (BDP1) however, drove me near insane with rage. Which is, in itself, rather entertaining (I like nothing more than yelling at fictional characters). So could Breaking Dawn – Part 2 (BDP2) bring balance to the universe? In short, yes. BDP2 is wonderfully ridiculous and gloriously naff and I had a great time watching it. It also has, without question, the best and biggest fight scene you’re likely to see all year. To those who like to dismiss these films out of hand, you’re missing out on a real treat.

At the end of BDP1, our gloomy protagonist Bella (Stewart) gave birth to her miracle child, died while doing so and was “saved” by her vampire hubby Edward Cullen (Pattinson). So, finally, hurrah, everyone is a vampire. Except, of course, for werewolf Jacob (Lautner) who is nonetheless stuck with the Cullens because he “imprints” on Bella and Edward’s daughter, Renesmee. It’s not all happy families however, and once again the Volturi – the most powerful clan who enforce the laws of all things vampiric – are after the Cullens and their new strange half-breed child.

I haven’t read the books on which this series of films is based, but I’m told that this last instalment posed the most problems for filmmakers and fans alike. In other words, nothing much happens in the book. A lot of standing around and talking and coming to sensible agreements about thorny issues. Yawn. I think without really annoying the fans too much, Condon and Rosenberg have managed to let us have our cake and eat it too. In a glorious, ripping-heads-off sort of way.

The special effects are, as always, a tad awful. And I’ve learned to live with that. But nothing quite prepared me for the horror that is baby Renesmee. I understand they had to make her do things they couldn’t possibly get a real baby to do, but did she have to be so utterly unsettling? It was the frightening element of the movie.

The performances in BDP2 are largely more of the same. Although, I have to admit, this is the first time I actually didn’t mind Bella. Stewart is finally able to portray a strong and formidable leading lady, rather than one who largely mopes about. Pattinson was also a bit more animated and engaging in this instalment. Lautner continues to be the weakest link. Along with every non-Cullen/non-Volturi vampire on offer (and there were quite a number to choose from), who were all utterly ridiculous stereotypes. It’s great to see Bella’s dad Charlie (Burke) back and Burke gives a lovely performance, as always. The real highlight though, without any doubt, is the return of Michael Sheen as Aro, the Volturi leader. He captivates every time he appears on screen. And that very special laugh was the best bit of the whole movie and worth the price of admission alone.

Critics love to hate all things Twilight. If you don’t mind me plagiarising for a moment, I completely agree with the oracle Mark Kermode, who said recently: "the sight of stuffy, bespectacled greying men berating films aimed primarily at teenage girls is as farcical as it is depressing." I like to laugh at Twilight as much as the next person, but I can’t deny that I have a soft spot for the whole weird and wonderful and ever-so-slightly-camp Twilight universe. And if you take it for what it is, BDP2 is an entertaining film.

------------------------

Jacob: Lot of red eyes around here …

Skyfall

Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Albert Finney, Ben Whishaw

Dir. Sam Mendes
Scr. Neal Purvis, Robert Wade & John Logan

After the disappointing Quantum of Solace, fans have been holding their collective breath, hoping that Bond can be restored to the wonderful grittiness that was Casino Royale. Well, everyone can finally exhale – Mendes has delivered not only the best Daniel Craig Bond, but the best Bond outing …. (wait for it) …. ever. Well, maybe that’s overstating it, but not by much. Skyfall is not just a great Bond film, but a great action film, period – more than a sum of its Bond-ish parts, Skyfall walks a fine line and walks it well.

As is tradition, from the very opening scene, Skyfall drops us right in the middle of the action. Bond (Craig) is hot on the heels of a stolen list of undercover British agents, when he is shot and presumed dead. Of course, he isn’t dead and resurfaces when M (Dench) needs him most – MI6 is under attack, from an unknown enemy and from inside the corridors of political power. Bond is tasked with finding the list and restoring order to the universe.

It’s a pretty simple story, which is somewhat of a relief. The rule of thumb seems to be the more convoluted a Bond plot, the more awful the film. In Skyfall, the actions of a madman (Bardem) are driven by that most wonderful and visceral of motivations: revenge. And for Bond and M, this is a story of redemption and resurrection. This allows Mendes and his cast to delve, to reach down deep, and bring to the screen the most emotionally honest Bond to date. Sure, you don’t necessarily want every Bond film to be Skyfall, but this is a real emotional injection in the arm of a franchise which has certainly suffered from its fair share of two-dimensional characterisation.

Mendes also manages to navigate the fine line between a good film and a good Bond film. Without the knowing, and sometimes humorous, nods to the past, Mendes was in danger of making a film that simply wasn’t Bond. Without making fun, Mendes manages to homage the past and bring it right into the present.

The action on offer here is spot-on. Not too frantic or detached. But retaining a style and finesse that is all Bond. The whizz and bang of the London underground scene made my teeth rattle. I could have lived without all the product placement, and loudly scoffed at one particular moment when the camera lingered a little too long on Bond’s Omega wristwatch. But what’s a little mid-action advertising between friends?

For my money, Skyfall offers some of the best acting in a Bond film ever. Craig has already shown us he is more than cut out for this role and his performance here doesn’t disappoint. Dench is her usual wonderful and slightly cantankerous self. Bardem completes the oddly-Shakespearean trio, with a performance that possibly tops them all. Darkly camp, if there is such a thing, he is perfect. Fiennes is a welcome addition to the cast, giving a restrained and understated performance. Whishaw, as the new Q, is a delight. And Finney, well, I thought he was dead. Turns out, not so much.

I hugely enjoyed this film. I slapped my knee and whooped at one point, quite against my will. And the opening credits were simply the best (but being an Adele fan, I would say that). I highly recommend Skyfall, and not just to Bond fans. This is a fine action film with surprising emotional depth.

--------------------------

M: Dignity! To hell with dignity! I'll retire when my goddamn job is finally done.