I am please to announce that “An Animated Guy” has been accepted into the ShortPole London International Film Festival in competition.
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“Sing Street” (2016)
Running Time: 106 minutes
Director: John Carney
Featuring: Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Aiden Gillen, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Jack Reynor, Lucy Boynton
Brendan: No girl can ever truly love a man who listens to Phil Collins.
Inspired by semi-autobiographical experiences of the director John Carney “Sing Street” is possibly his best and most ambitious film to date, and narratively his most successful. Carneys previous and most well-known efforts are the excellent “Once” (2010) and the star studded “Begin Again” (2014) share some of the DNA of “Sing Street” but the personality of all of the characters shine through much more than the previous two films. This probably has something to do with the setting – 1980s Dublin – the characters _ expertly played by mostly unknowns – and the story – which whilst being not original has a narrative that pushes it along at such a pace that you are dragged along with it.
The story is about (mostly) unrequited love and opportunity in an Ireland hit by Thatcherism politics and a family that is suffering on all fronts as it tries to get to grip with changes that are largely perceived as uncontrollable. It would be easy to see each person in the film as victims but right from the beginning you can tell this is going to be a uniquely Irish story that has international appeal and understandability.
Cosmo (Walsh-Peelo) is starting a new school because his Dad (Gillen) has lost his job and he is unable to find a employment elsewhere so the youngest of three which includes his brother Brendan (Reynor) and sister Ann (Thornton) is the one to suffer. Upon starting school he falls in love from a distance with Raphina (Boynton) who lives in a girls home across from the school and who dreams of being a model. Unsure what to sat Cosmo says he is in a band and they are shooting a video and need a model, would she be interested? Of course now he needs a band and off the story goes. It is undeniably charming and with the help of hos friends and his brother he sets of to write music in the popular genres of the day. We see him try out new styles of clothes and music, get on side with the school bully and even headline the school dance.
Not to give any more away would be spoiling an excellent film that uses the music of the 80s to influence the school band and to highlight some pretty terrific music. What is refreshing is the original music by the band that borrows heavily from the genres of the day to deliver some personal feelings from Cosmo to the girl he loves.
There are some standout performances and the one that stands out is the supporting role of Cosmo’s brother Brendan someone who is haunted by his own failings and lack of courage – Reynor plays the part so well that you never really feel sorry for him and you hope he has the same kind of revelation Cosmo has at the end of the film. Newcomers Walsh-Peelo and Boynton are excellent as well and the steady hand of veteran Aiden Gillan steers the ship as the conflicted father figure.
I can say I recommend this to all audiences and once again another film from the UK that is just excellent and what we have come to expect from them in the low budget range that is sorely being missed from theatres in the US. They could learn a thing or two.
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“The Legend of Tarzan” (2016)
Running Time: 109 minutes
Director: David Yates
Featuring: Alexander Skarsgård, Margot Robbie, Samuel L. Jackson, Christoph Waltz, Djimon Honsou, Jim Broadbent
Jane: He is no normal man. He was thought to be an evil spirit, a ghost in the trees. No man has ever started with less.
Back in the day TVNZ used to re-run all the old Tarzan movies so I grew up on Johnny Weissmuller and Buster Crabbe as the man lost in the African jungles as well as being raised by apes, he always had his trusty sidekick, Cheetah, the chimp along for the ride. That was probably my first exposure to a “super-hero”, although I probably did not realize it at the time. In fact he may well have been one of the very first internationally recognized super-heroes.
My other Tarzan memory is the Hugh Hudson film “Greystoke: The legend of Tarzan” (1984), with a very young, and miscast Andie MacDowell, and a cool Christopher Lambert. Upon seeing it and revisiting it some time later I did enjoy it just for the differences from the very early. Of course there have been other incarnations, comedy vehicles and animated adventures and the odd sexualized version, see “Tarzan, the Ape Man” (1981), that was a particularly terrible version, thank you John and Bo Derek.
Now comes frequent and successful Harry Potter director David Yates and the latest version of the Edgar Rice Burroughs jungle hero, with a very English touch.
This story is a little messy, and is strung together in an awkward way, but the personalities of the actors pulls us through the story, with Skarsgård and Robie, stand outs as Tarzan and Jane. They both play their characters straight, with Jane knowing who her husband is, as well as making us believe she may be his equal, and, not the timid damsel in distress. Samuel L. Jackson makes an appearance as a kind of US agent on the lookout for slavery and crooked dealings, but becomes smitten with Tarzan, and even confesses to helping wipe out the Native American culture back home. He is on some kind of quest of redemption that is not fully realized as part of the narrative. And perhaps not for the first time Christoph Waltz plays an actual moustache-twirling villain.
As mentioned, this film is a little messy and I can not help but think there was a better version somewhere else, but the location shooting looks great which only magnifies the obviously fake sets that are used, particularly the set involving the under served Djimon Honsou. The apes themselves look good, and have to after the recent “Jungle Book” (2016) proved you can create believable looking CGI animals.
To me, the stand out scene involves Jane on the run stumbling into a band of gorillas, who then behaves just as she should, the scene itself is the best looking of the film, and the physical acting involved makes me understand why Robie is one of the most in demand actors around, and delivers a silent beautiful performance in front of two groups that could easily snuff her out.
This film is recommended for people who want to see a different kind of blockbuster, and although reviews may be unkind I had a good time with this movie and the characters, both familiar and new in this romp that proves the character of Tarzan is timeless.
Tarzan – Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgard) – Movieholic Hub – Visit MovieholicHub.com
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Tale of Tales (2015)
Running Time: 133 minutes
Director: Matteo Garrone
Featuring: Salma Hayek, Vincent Cassel, Toby Jones, John C. Reilly, Shirley Henderson,
From Matteo Garrone the acclaimed director of 2008s “Gomorrah” comes this collection of magical stories based around some albeit obscure Italian fairytales, that will leave you awash with stylistic flourishes not seen too much in modern day cinema. It reminds one Guillermo del Toro in his prime crossed with Mary Shelley and a hint of the Brothers Grimm but much more twisted.
The film has three very separate stories each involving Kings and Queens, the first concerns a Queen played by Salma Hayek who longs for a child and so sends her husband to kill a sea monster so she may eat its heart and bear a child. The second sees Shirley Henderson use her voice on Vincent Cassel’s King to lure the King to her with tragic results and finally Toby Jones plays a King who pays more attention to a giant flea instead of his beloved daughter played by Bebe Cave.
The look of the film is gorgeous and contains a lot of eye candy and this can be put down to the ever reliable Peter Suschitzky who working with David Cronenberg over the years has probably photographed stranger things. The special effects are excellent as well and the sea monster looks like it was really in the frames.
This is a must see and highly recommended on Blu-ray as well as the big screen if possible.
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David Cronenberg Collection
This newly released box set includes three horror movies films from director David Cronenberg. Presented in this box set are three of his earliest films Shivers (1975), Rabid (1977) and The Dead Zone (1983).
The first two films are in fact the directors first two full length films made in Canada, and were made with a government tax exemption which meant that there was a lot of funding for low budget projects and Cronenberg was able to take advantage by making these two films, as well as The Brood (1979) and Scanners (1981) which inevitably led him to Hollywood, and to The Dead Zone (1983) and he has never looked back.
Cronenberg is one of the most successful directors working today and his visions are always unique and captivating and as film buffs we should all be thankful he has been as prolific as he has been and worked collaboratively with many writers, actors and cinematographers over the last five decades.
This three film set is a must as two of these films are making their home video debut in New Zealand and are fine examples of his earliest work.
Shivers (1975)
Running Time: 87 minutes
Featuring: Paul Hampton, Joe Silver, Lynn Lowry
Betts: I loathe to eat alone. It makes me feel so fat and lonely.
The plot of this film is based around a group of residents who live within the confines of a suburban apartment building, they are slowly being infected by a strain of parasites that turn them into mindless, sex-crazed fiends out to infect others by the slightest sexual contact.
This film is an excellent example of what Cronenberg was best at – using a process of transformation to reflect societal issues. The film feels very claustrophobic and the four walls in almost every scene best illustrate this. Even when we are shown the outside world it is behind a wall of glass so the residents can see escape but it is never realized. The residents are trapped in a world within a world – best seen these days in the recently released “High-Rise” (2015).
As an early work this is worth the watch and the iciness that is present throughout the film.
Rabid (1977)
Running Time: 91 minutes
Featuring: Marilyn Chambers, Frank Moore, Joe Silver
A young woman develops a taste for human blood after undergoing experimental plastic surgery, and her victims turn into rabid, blood-thirsty zombies who proceed to infect others, which turns into a city-wide epidemic.
This is my favorite film here and is perhaps one of the top three Cronenberg films ever, it still packs a punch and has a wider view of the world than anything Cronenberg had done before.
The film featured porn star Marilyn Chambers and whilst this may have been some kind of 70s stunt casting she does an excellent job in her role as the ultimate femme fatale spreading her disease throughput the population.
This is definitely a pre-cursor to the zombie films that we have today as most are set in an isolated environment then exposed to the wider world.
The ending of the film is one of Cronenberg’s bleakest but stays firmly in a realistic world as we see bodies being collected and dumped throughout an unnamed city.
This film is highly recommended.
The Dead Zone (1983)
Running Time: 103 minutes
Featuring: Martin Sheen, Christopher Walken, Brooke Adams, Tom Skerritt
Johnny Smith: The ICE… is gonna BREAK!
This is based on the Stephen King book of the same name and is widely considered a bit of a miss but not as bad as some of the other adaptations of the time. The plot revolves around Johnny Smith who after a major car accidents and time spent in a coma is able to see the future and the past by touching people. This leads to a run in with a possible future President and the outcome he sees….
This was Cronenberg adapting a story, something he was not afraid of and is still not – although this film is relatively straightforward in terms of both the directors work as well as King’s own work. Most of the subtly of the book have been removed, so this became quite an average thriller with some supernatural overtones at best.
What is interesting is the way in which Cronenberg was able to harness some major acting talent, Sheen, Adams and Walken and bring to the screen some great performances. This is something Cronenberg has been able to do for some time and to let his actors shine in material others might balk at.
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“Fear and Loathing Las Vegas” (1998)
Running Time: 118 minutes
Directed by: Terry Gilliam
Featuring: Johnny Depp. Benicio Del Toro, Tobey Maguire, Gary Busey, Katherine Helmond, Michael Jeter, Mark Harmon, Craig Bierko
Raoul Duke: Lets get down to brass tacks. How much for the ape?
This month sees the release on Blu-ray of the Terry Gilliam, 1998 film “Fear and the Loathing in Las Vegas”, a wild trip of a movie featuring a great cast and pretty wild non-seneschal plot – but you will be hard pressed to stop watching this wacky film about a lawyer and his Samoan lawyer.
The late Hunter S. Thompson wrote possibly his best known book “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” in 1972 and it took almost 30 years to transform it into a film that lives up to the task, thematically anyway. There had been numerous attempts to get the film off the ground and it is with keeping with the book that a visionary, Terry Gilliam, would co-write and direct this great piece of cinema with only a few weeks notice.
The film’s plot like the novel is a bit of a mess and a haze of drug addled friendship and business. The novel revolves around Raoul Duke (Depp) and Dr, Gonzo (Del Toro) traveling across the Nevada desert high on mescaline and picking up a hitchhiker (Maguire) they are on their way to Las Vegas to cover the Mint 400 motorcycle race for some magazine. From there we meet a few interesting characters and we witness a drug-fuelled trip into insanity. It is a wild ride and we witness things that only a master, like Gilliam, with the assistance of Del Toro and a pre-Captain Jack Depp having the time of his life portraying one of his friends greatest creations.
As mentioned the plot is pretty wacky so the acting talent has to be true to the story and play it straight otherwise it would spin out of control, and this film is under control by the director and cast. What could have been a giant mis-step of an idea is saved by the trust that Thompson had in his friend Depp and his ability to involve people that would respect the original novel and would make an original piece containing the same kind of themes and wildness from the novel.
This film has to be seen to be believed, and looks great on Blu-ray almost 20 years later. Enjoy and look out for the bats!
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“Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb” (1964)
Running Time: 95 minutes
Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
Featuring: Peter Sellers, Sterling Hayden, George C. Scott, Slim Pickens, James Earl Jones, Keenan Wyn
President Merkin Muffley: Gentlemen, you cant fight in here! This is the War Room!
The re-release this month of “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb” (1964) on Blu-ray gives another generation the chance to discover one of Kubrick’s greatest films and one that can often be overlooked in favor of “A Clockwork Orange” (1971), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) and “Full Metal Jacket” (1987). This is a little unfair as I believe that “Dr. Strangelove” really does inform what was to be become the rest of his stately oeuvre.
The films plot is relatively simple; a mad Colonel creates the situation where many people believe World War III has begun and the attempts by those in power to prove the situation is actually a false one. The film is limited to three main geographic locations – a B-52 bomber on the way to Russia to deliver its payload, the US War Room where the President and a bunch of advisors as well as the aptly named Dr. Strangelove give out useless pieces of advice and possible solutions and finally the US Base which is the origin of the panic.
So much has already been written about this film that it is difficult to say anytihg new but one particular aspect to highlight is the acting, which is excellent. Kubrick has and is known as a technically perfect director and his framing and use of light has never been matched, but one thing that is not mentioned is the performances he was able to get out of his actors. This is true for all of his films, but especially this one.
Peter Sellers is the leading man just by default as he plays three characters, the titular Dr. Strangelove, The President of the United States and a Colonel at the US Military Base where all the action is happening. It is a testament to the brilliance of Sellers that this film is not considered his greatest performance but that is probably due to his triple threat in this film. Sterling Hayden one of the greatest western and film noir stars of all time as the paranoid General Jack Ripper who starts the entire mess, George C Scott playing a military man like no other – a true cold war hero, to himself anyway and Slim Pickens as the B-52 commander who will follow orders like no other.
This is film is highly recommended and should be a part of any film lovers library.
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The Hunting Ground (2015)
Genre: Documentary
Running Time: 103 minutes
Directed by: Kirby Dick
Director Kirby Dick (The Invisible War – an Oscar nominated documentary about rape in the US armed forces) confronts an issue that has been present on US University campuses for years and lifts the lid on how certain people in power treat survivors who have not had an international voice before.
This would be an easy film to review and to say something like “All women should see this film because…”, but that is simply not the case as in reality ALL women live with the fear of men, rape, domestic abuse and all other horrific things men do to women – especially in New Zealand.
What should happen is that all men should see this film and others like it, because these issues can effect their wives, girlfriends, sisters, daughters, cousins and friends in very different ways and this excellent documentary highlights at least one these in a very real visceral way.
In terms of this film though, it takes place across university campuses in the US and the audience is shown through interviews with the survivors of rape, their very personal stories, and how respective authorities dealt with their cases and the kinds of punishments that were given to the perpetrators and you guessed it – not a whole lot.
The beginning of the film opens with many girls receiving their acceptance letters to University and bring as excited about something that will change their lives forever – and of course it will but not in the way they might think. Kirby as director and producer has an in your face style and I think this actually works as we the audience have to be quick and once your attention has been grabbed it does not let up for a moment.
This film was Oscar-nominated but not for best documentary, it was nominated for best original song, “Til it happens to you” written by Diane Warren and sung by Lady Ga Ga. If you have not seen the performance at the Oscars form 2015 then you should look it up – as it illustrated in about 4 minutes what this documentary is about. By the way they did not win – it was won by one of the most misogynistic characters evert created – James Bond. What a wonderful world.
This is a must see and is out now on DVD.
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CSI: Cyber – Season 1 (DVD)
Running Time: 545 minutes
Extras: CSI Episode “Kitty”, Deleted Scenes, Makings of, Commentaries and more…
Featuring: Patricia Arquette, James Van Der Beek, Peter MacNicol, Shad Moss, Charley Koontz, Hayley Kiyoko
It was probably going to be inevitable that the CSI franchise was going to move into the 21st century with a show based around computer crime and all that it entails. When a new CSI franchise is formed you can guess two things: one, there is going to be a song by the classic 70s band, The Who, and second there will be a character actor at the helm of the show. In the case of CSI: Cyber the song chosen was “I can see for miles” and the actor was Patricia Arquette who is the first female lead in a CSI show and her name is above the title. Arquette was no stranger to the television landscape as she was the lead in the long running TV show “Medium” (2005 – 2011) – and in fact just before the first season of CSI: Cyber went to air she won an Oscar for Performance in a supporting role for the film “Boyhood” (2014) – so an excellent resume was being brought to her role of Avery Ryan first seen in the backdoor pilot “Kitty” on the related show “CSI”.
The entire first season is seen through the eyes of recently released (and on a sort of parole to Avery’s custody) Brody (Shad Moss) who was a black hat (an evil hacker) who was caught and now works as a CSI. We encounter the team: Elijah (James Van Der Beek) an FBI agent who works in the field and two other CSIs, Krumitz (Koontz) and Raven (Kiyoko) who work alongside Brody.
Through 13 episodes we are led along solving crimes and encountering situations that test loyalties to both friends and family. The season has ups and downs – its starts off uneven but by the end of the season things are on a roll and while there is probably too many shots of people just looking at screens there is an attempt at least to get as many charcters into the field as well as creating realistic bonds between the entire team, particularity the junior CSIs.
Overall this is a handy addition to the CSI pantheon of shows and I am really looking forward to Season 2.
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“Me Before You” (2016)
Running Time: 110 minutes
Directed by Thea Sharrock
Featuring: Emilia Clark, Sam Claflin, Janet McTeer, Charles Dance, Jenna Coleman
Will Traynor: Live boldly. Push yourself. Don’t settle.
“Me Before You”could have been just another weepy movie of the week about a formerly athletic guy trapped in a wheelchair, but it has been immediately elevated with the casting of Emilia Clark and Sam Claflin as the leads, two actors know primarily from Game of Thrones and The Hunger Games films respectively.
The film has a pretty simple premise and on the surface is a semi-unrequited love story with the two lovebirds trapped by separate and very different circumstances. Lou (Clark) is recently laid off from her café job which she needs to help support her family – her father has been unemployed for a while – she is trapped in her home and with her boyfriend, who is obsessed with fitness, and is struggling to find a way out without seemingly to notice it. Will (Claflin) on the other hand is physically trapped in his chair, a quadriplegic, who we see off-screen in an accident that leaves him missing his old life to a fatal degree.
These two are thrown together as Lou is hired to keep Will company and slowly over the course of the film we see them become friends and potential lovers – but Will is unable to let go of the past and Lou seems unable to embrace a future – particularly a future that may or may not include Will.
One of the highlights of the film is Lou’s dress sense and i can only imagine the fun that Clark (the actress) had in wearing all of her characters outfits – particularly the bumble bee tights which were my personal favourite – although this could have tied into the end of the film a littler bit better.
The story may seem familiar but it is steeped in tragedy and loss and whilst parts of the story are a little too familiar, and the passage of time a little confusing, this is a film that will touch your heart but will also make you think about what ifs? Whether or not you agree with the films outlook it does do one thing very well – it shows that people do not need physical or mental disabilities to be paralysed but in both cases you require courage and the ability to embrace life.
There are a few stand out performances and the two I need to mention are Charles Dance as Will’s Father who when onscreen shines and it is easy to see why he is one of the most in demand English actors around. The recently departed Dr Who companion Jenna Coleman as Lou’s sister is great as well – she to, like Lou seems to be in a holding pattern as a single mother but in the middle of the film makes the decision to go back to Business School.
First time director Sharrock make the mistake many first timers do and that is falling in love with your own footage so some trimming would not have been out of place as well as getting to the chase a bit quicker – but this is an admiral debut.
Melodrama can be a negative word to describe movies but this is bordering on one in the best sense, like those great Sirk movies of the past this movie is not afraid to embrace emotion on a primal level. I recommend this to anyone that has ever faced love with almost unbearable obstacles.
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“Warcraft” (2016)
Running Time: 123 minutes
Directed by Duncan Jones
Featuring: Paula Patton, Toby Kebbell, Travis Fimmel, Ben Foster, Dominic Cooper, Clancey Brown, Daniel Wu, Ruth Negga
Durotan: I’ve led thousands of warriors into battle, but I fear being a father. Does that make me a leader, or a coward?
Its hard to know what to make of “Warcraft” the movie based off the much beloved game known throughout geek culture. The movie itself is a bit of a mess plot wise but there are a few things that make it a worthwhile film and you can see what co-writer/director Duncan Jones was striving for, albeit with very mixed results.
The plot of the film is quite simple; it is about an invasion of a world populated by humans, with the invaders being Orcs from their own dying one. Not the kind of Orcs from “The Lord of the Rings” series, these Orcs are 9 foot tall armored behemoths – all completely CGI and motion captured. They are voiced by the likes of Toby Kebbell, Clancy Brown and others, which lend them some dramatic weight, however with so many characters they get lost in the story. There is a similar problem with the human side but this is exacerbated by the fact that most of the characters have been miscast and those that haven’t are given little real screen time. The most miscast actor has to be Ben Foster as a wizard who suffers from a bad haircut and seems completely lost in this imaginary world.
Highlights of the film are the underused and thinly characterized Queen (played by Ruth Negga) and the always exciting to watch Travis Fimmel (from the television series “Vikings”) who could have been given more to do and maybe steer the plot a bit more.
One thing the film does have as opposed to many other blockbusters are real stakes and these are shown through the deaths of some major characters which I found a relief in todays movies primed for their sequels. If there is a sequel, which is up in the air at the time of writing, new characters will need to be introduced to replace the fallen in this story.
There has been a trend in the past few years for the major studios to hire directors that have come off indie hits, like Duncan Jones who had only directed “Moon” (2012) which received favourable reviews, and hand them a massively budgeted event film. In this case they may have given him too much control as he re-wrote the script to give the Orcs as much screen time as the humans. This may have been an error as keeping the Orcs a little bit more mysterious may have served the story more.
I would recommend this film for fans only and for the rest I would wait for a home release.
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“Eye in the Sky” (2016)
Running Time: 102 minutes
Directed by Gavin Hood
Featuring: Helen Mirren, Alan Rickman, Aaron Paul, Jeremy Northam, Barkhad Abdi
Lt. General Frank Benson: Never tell a soldier that he does not know the cost of war.
This is the second film to arrive about the use of drones in conflicts and the way in which these machines while being cold are being controlled by people who have to live with the consequences of their actions. The first film being the Andrew Niccol directed and Ethan Hawke starring “Good Kill” (2014) which followed a drone pilot and the missions he has to fly, while being engaging it was passionless and did not maintain its story well throughout the running time – it was a disappointment at the time and has been quickly forgotten.
On the other hand “Eye in the Sky” which is fundamentally about the same thing takes its cues from the people controlling the missions and to a lesser extent (and less believably) the pilots themselves. Set mostly in “real time” we start the day with Colonel Katherine Powell (Helen Mirren) who is in charge of an operation to capture terrorists in Kenya using a combination of drone surveillance, troops on the ground and local agents using some pretty nifty gadgets.
It becomes apparent over the course of the film that capturing the terrorists is not going to be an option for reasons I will not reveal – we then see a pretty serious decisions being made and whilst the Colonel is 100% certain of the action, the politicians involved are not so sure and continually pass the buck all the way to the very top of the English establishment.
The cast is deep and has a lot of experience and they all pull their roles off expertly, particularly Mirren who is currently in a great part of her career – any part she plays she seems to have the authenticity every time. The other standouts are Barkhad Abdi the Oscar Nominated actor from Captain Phillips (2013) who proves he is pretty great actor with a lot of range and I cannot wait to see how his career progresses and finally Alan Rickman in his last role plays an elder statesman in the English Military who has to walk a fine line between his own officers and the politicians which he serves.
Whilst not a perfect film it is a welcome return by director Gavin Hood who after bursting on the scene with ‘Tsotsi” (2005) then was lured by Hollywood to make two very disappointing big budget misfires “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” (2008) and “Enders Game” (2013) has returned to a vert much African story and succeeds hugely with a very realistic story – the only weakness really is the Amercian segment with Aaron Paul and Phoebe Fox as the drone pilots, but this is necessary for the plot to progress.
This is a film that is very good and succeeds all round – I recommend this highly – out now!
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I am please to announce that the short documentary “An Animated Guy” has been selected for the May edition of the Largo Film Festival.
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I am please to announce that the short documentary “An Animated Guy” has been selected for the May edition of the TMFF film festival.
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Hi all just a quick podcast to say how the first Auckland screening went on Sunday at the Q Theatre.
Remember the last screening is Wednesday 25th May at the Q Theatre on Queen Street at 4pm.
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Hi all –
Last night at the Q Theatre in Auckland the 11th Documentary Edge Festival launched and it was a wonderful event – lots of drinking, eating, talking and viewing the emotional documentary “Be Here Now – The Andy Whitfield Story” with a Q&A afterwards with the director and co-subject.
We were also treated with words from photographer Marti Friedlander who received the Doc Edge Hero Award presented by Dan Shanan and Alex Lee.
Bring on the next two weeks of great documentaries.
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“The Nice Guys” (2016)
Written and Directed by Shane Black
Featuring: Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Kim Basinger, Angourie Rice, Matt Bomer
“You’re the worlds worst detective.” (Holly to her dad Holland played by Ryan Gosling.)
If you needed further proof that Shane Black is back look no further than this months “The Nice Guys” featuring the pairing of Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling as a hired thug and a really lousy private detective.
Black, the writer of such buddy movies as Lethal Weapon (1987), Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) and most recently Iron Man 3 (2013) brings us Holland March (Ryan Gosling) and Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe) who like most Black anti-heroes are looking for something else in their downward spiraling lives. Holland has some light in the tunnel he lives in with his smart streetwise daughter Holly (played by newcomer and surely a star on the rise, Angourie Rice), who are both grieving the loss of their wife and mother as well as their family home. Then there is Crowes Jackson Healy a thug who will solve problems by beating them up – for a price of course.
Set in Los Angeles in 1977 this is a dark comedy action thriller with a hint of neo-noir and a plot that really doesn’t make much sense especially in the final act – but plot has never been a part of the Shane Black Universe, you just have to trust in the characters and delve into their dark lives as best as possible and hope for some kind of resolution in the climax. Well as close to a resolution as possible.
The film moves at a lightning pace and this is surely Crowe, Gosling and Black at the top of their games in terms of performance, writing and direction. Joining them is veteran cinematographer Philippe Rousselot who moves the camera and follows the action like a pro, veteran character actor Kim Basinger (reteaming with her L.A. Confidential star) who is as close to a femme fatale character as you will get and iconic character actor Keith David who shows up long enough to have an unforgettable fight with Crowe at the launch party of a porn parody – I wont spoil the name but lets just say its not the main character’s nose that grows.
There are obvious connections to the “Odd Couple” (1968), “Chinatown” (1974) and many other films that Black loves and loves to spoof, but this ultra-violent coupling is worth the admission price. In the coming months the movies being released are going to be overblown eye candy competing for the best spectacle of cities being reduced to ashes but in the Nice Guys it’s the action, quick banter and hard case characters that will make this movie one of the best and most memorable of the year.
Go see it now!
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Gilda (1946)
Directed: King Vidor
Featuring: Rita Hayworth, Glenn Ford, George Macready
“I’ve got some news for you, Johnny. I’m going to do exactly what I please, when I please. I was true to one man once, hmmm, and look what happened.”
King Vidor’s film noir “Gilda” stands as one of the finest examples of that genre and possibly Rita Hayworth’s finest role, and a great turn from Glenn Ford.
Glenn Ford plays Johnny a down on his luck gambler living in Argentina, making his own luck by cheating his way into any game he can. He is befriended by Ballin, a nightclub owner looking for someone to pass his empire on to, with his own secret past. Ballin sees in Jonny an opportunist with a personality he can relate to. Everything is going fine until Ballin marries Gilda, a femme fatale of the highest order, who it turns out has a history with Johnny. As the twisted triangle unfolds and Gilda, who looks after number one, becomes increasingly bitter the story comes to a climax, throw in a plot twist some Nazis and you have a twisted fairytale for the ages.
This is definitley a performance piece, with the majority of the story-taking place in either a nightclub or Ballin’s lavish home. What we are left with is snappy dialogue, great deep sets as well as deep focus and actors, all at the top of their game.
Interestingly Hayworth’s name is above the title, Ford’s is below and with a female producer and screenwriter you have a film that is not often seen today – a feminist treatise on the noir genre – better than 95% of the other films that were made in this vein, and mostly generated by men. If you have not seen this film, or not seen it for a long time it is a true testament to the power of hidden meanings, false narrators and all the great stuff Hollywood produced at the time, particularly post World War II.
This edition of the DVD comes with a short piece from Martin Scorsese and Baz Luhrman giving their appreciation of the film from two unique angles and is worth watching if you want a deeper dive into “Gilda.”
Out on DVD now.
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Mississippi Grind (2015)
Directed: Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck
Featuring: Ben Mendelsohn, Ryan Reynolds, Yvonne Landry, Alfre Woodard, Sienna Miller
“Do you know how to get a sweet, little, old lady to yell “Go f— yourself?” Get another sweet, little, old lady to yell “Bingo!””
The past few years has seen the rise and rise of character actor Ben Mendelssohn, from someone who pops up as the Australian in many American films to the central actor in many character driven films and television shows. And “Mississippi Grind” is no exception with a meaty character, great dialogue and a couple of writer/directors who themselves are starting to make names for themselves in their own rights, particularly after 2006’s “Half Nelson.”
There have been many films about the gambling addiction and in fact, this is the second of 2015, after the highflying “The Gambler”, with Mark Wahlberg. “Mississippi Grind” though takes things in a more subversive and lower middle class way with the protagonists trying to meek out an existence that really cannot be maintained in any healthy way.
What we have are two men both haunted by their pasts and unsure of their futures, they have a happenstance meeting and like many people involved in a pastime that relies on unknown outcomes luck becomes a factor as does loss and the emotional contact made because of these things.
This is a stunning character piece and along with this years “Deadpool”, Ryan Reynolds finally gets a role that plays to his own character, but also allows him to truly act a part, and, take control which we have not seen in a number of years. Reynolds is that actor reaching for the A List but who perennially outdoes himself in smaller though flashier roles.
This film is highly recommended and if you stay with it you will be rewarded on all levels. In fact if anyone from this years Oscars can be slighted it could be Mendelsohn, who brings energy and pathos to a role that a lessor actor may have just gone through the motions with.
Out on DVD & Blu-ray now.
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Cuffs Series 1
BBC – 456 minutes – 8 Episodes
Featuring: Ashely Walters, Jacob Ifan, Amanda Abbington, Peter Sullivan, Shaun Dooley, Paul Ready, Alex Carter and Eleanor Matsuura
It is refreshing to watch an episodic TV show that at times does not take itself too seriously. After the effect that the Scandinavian police/political television series have had it is not surprising that the BBC would commission a program like this. One that takes a semi-fictional small middle class town and brings to the forefront stories that probably do exit and combine these with the personal lives of its (somewhat) believable cast of characters.
The show is mostly seen through the eyes of rookie, PC Jake Vickers (Jacob Ifan), who also happens to be the son of Chief Superintendent Robert Vickers (Peter Sullivan), whose wife is struggling with lung cancer. This is the main personal story and most others branch off from it including storylines such as infidelity, prejudice, and racism, dating problems, pregnancy issues and all that good stuff.
The highlight of a very well established cast is Amanda Abbington as DS Jo Moffat, a bit of a loner hiding a secret. Abbington taking a break from her roles in Sherlock and Mr. Selfridge to play a complex character that is pivotal within the show and really shows that she is a step above most of the cast.
In eight episodes we live with the characters on a daily basis watching them interact with each other and the public, making mistakes, which are sometimes humorous, sometimes not.
In the age of binge watching this show is made for it. It is eight episodes of well-crafted BBC storytelling and will not leave you emotionally wanting at the conclusion, or leave you pondering life’s greatest mysteries and the existence of life. Instead I believe you will be left with a smile and knowingly have been let into eight peoples lives as they carry on with their own passions.
DVD out now.
