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The Ides Of March * * *

Posted in Drama with tags 2011 on April 2, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: George Clooney.
Screenplay: George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon.
Starring: Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Evan Rachel Wood, Marisa Tomei, Jeffrey Wright, Max Minghella, Jennifer Ehle, Michael Mantell.

The last time George Clooney stepped behind the camera to direct a political drama – with “Good Night And Good Luck” – he delivered a skilful and vivid dramatisation. This time, with a star-studded cast in the line-up, it looks like he just might do it again. Unfortunately, this doesn’t live up to expectations and ends up, quite a frustrating, indifferent attempt.

Stephen Myers (Ryan Gosling) is an idealistic young man, helping Governor Mike Morris (George Clooney) in his bid for the Presidency of the United States. However, he gets involved in a relationship with campaign volunteer Molly Stearns (Evan Rachel Wood) and gets caught between rival campaign managers Paul Zara (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and Tom Duffy (Paul Giamatti), which show him that candidate Morris isn’t as squeaky clean as he makes out. Before he knows it, Myers is involved in a dangerous game of sex, betrayal and ambition.

“The Ides of March” is a (commonly used by Shakespeare) reference to the slaying of Julias Caeser, who was stabbed to death by a group of conspirators, lead by friends, Brutus and Cassius. Using this term as it’s title, you would imagine a film about politics will have some double-crossing, on the level that met Caeser, but on this evidence… not quite enough. Right from the get-go we are thrust into a political campaign and the jargon that goes along with it. It takes a little time and patience to keep up with it’s constant flow of name dropping and rapid introduction of numerous characters and quite frankly, you’d be forgiven for finding it rather dull. Within the half-hour mark, it threatens to sink under it’s own weight. However, once a bit of corruption is thrown into the mix, it steps up a gear and delivers some great dramatic tension. Clooney is a very fine actor but he wisely takes a back seat in the acting stakes, allowing Gosling to be the front runner, with Hoffman and Giamatti biting at his ankles. It’s these three, bitterly fighting it out on the campaign, that bring the drama. When Clooney does show face again, it’s adds extra spice to an already boiling pot of corruption and double-dealing. But just when the film finds it’s feet, it draws to it’s conclusion. The performances are all strong by the aforementioned actors but the talented likes of Marisa Tomei and Jeffrey Wright are wasted in thankless roles. Ultimately, the film masquerades as political intrigue but the message that comes across is mainly about the corruption of youth and idealism.

A brilliantly assembled cast are given some juicy roles and they play them well, but like politics itself, it can be too loaded at times and leaves you feeling dissatisfied.

Mark Walker

9 Comments »

Carnage * * * *

Posted in Comedy, Drama with tags 2012 on March 27, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Roman Polanski.
Screenplay: Yasmina Reza, Roman Polanski.
Starring: Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, John C. Reilly, Jodie Foster, Elvis Polanski, Eliot Berger.

“God Of Carnage” by Yasmina Reza was originally a stage play that featured on Broadway, with such talented performers as James Gandolfini, Jeff Daniels, Marcia Gay Harden and Hope Davis. Supposedly, it was quite a powerful piece, so Roman Polanski always had his work cut out in adapting it for the screen.

Alan and Nancy Cowan (Christoph Waltz and Kate Winslet) pay a visit to Michael and Penelope Longstreet (John C. Reilly and Jodie Foster) to discuss an upsetting schoolyard incident in which the first couple’s son has beat up the other’s. These four intelligent adults, hope they can resolve their differences with a positive approach and teach their children about responsibility, instead of resorting to physical or verbal abuse. However, things don’t quite work out that way.

Having not seen or read the play, my experience of this is based solely on Polanski’s version. He has been criticised for not capturing the claustrophobia of the play but I have to say that the film really worked for me. There is obvious tensions between the characters and with nowhere for them to go but to sit around a cramped apartment, talking through their differences, the tension builds admirably. Granted, it wasn’t as intense as I was expecting but what it did have (that I wasn’t expecting) was a lot of humour. This is mainly down to four joyful performances. Throughout their (intended) cordial meeting, each character displays their viewpoints. In the beginning, they’re subtle but as tempers begin to fray, they get more vicious with their barrage of abuse towards one another. The conduct of their behaviour often reflects their chosen professions. Foster is an aspiring writer, choosing her words carefully; Waltz is a high profile attorney who jumps on her every word; Winslet the frustrated housewife and Reilly, a low-key salesman finding himself the go-between during the escalating discomfort. Each one of the four actors put in fine performances but Reilly and Waltz are the particular standouts. Polanski himself, doesn’t have to do much but allow his actors to take charge of their roles. And that they do.
Capturing claustrophobic situations and heightened tensions between his characters is a notable gift that Polanski has shown throughout his films. The most notable comparison (also based on a stage play) is “Death And The Maiden“. So, that being said, it’s surprising that he was criticised for a lack of it here. If you go into this expecting humour then you won’t be disappointed and it’s always a bonus that the actual playwright contributes with the screenplay also.

A finely tuned chamber piece that delivers a real sense of uncomfortable cordiality. The characters are identifiable and the actors deliver with aplomb.

Mark Walker

11 Comments »

Moneyball * * * *

Posted in Biography, Drama, Sport with tags 2011 on March 11, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Bennett Miller
Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zaillian
Starring: Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Robin Wright, Chris Pratt, Stephen Bishop, Reed Diamond, Brent Jennings, Ken Medlock, Tammy Blanchard, Glenn Morshower, Kathryn Morris, Nick Searcy, Jack McGee, Arliss Howard, Spike Jonze.

A slow moving, dialogue driven Baseball film – that features very little actual Baseball – will almost certainly ostracise a large amount of viewers. However, this actually works on a surprisingly dramatic level from acclaimed stage director Bennett Miller.

Based on the true story of financially crippled baseball team, the Oakland Athletics and their general manager Billy Beane (Brad Pitt), who tried to hold them all together. In order to make a winning team with no money, he had to change the sport. To do this, he enlisted the help of smart young analyst Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) and attempted to use a new formula of computer-generated analysis to acquire new players.

How this film manages to maintain your interest – with constant boardroom discussions and talk of Baseball statistics – is testament to everyone involved. Miller’s direction is low-key, adding an almost documentary feel; Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin’s screenplay is full of natural dialogue and Pitt’s central performance is subtly brilliant. This doesn’t rely on special effects – or even on the game itself that much – to entertain. It relies on a basic story well told. The formula of sports films are left far behind for this fly-on-the-wall approach to the business side of things. There’s no players pointing to the sky before knocking the ball out of the park: there’s no clock ticking as the underdog tries to overcome the big-hitters. Well, in some cases you could say this happens. But it happens less on the park and more in the offices and boardrooms of the backroom staff. This inevitably leads to talking. Lots of talking. But thankfully, the cast are more than up for the challenge. Pitt (in an Oscar nominated turn) is an actor that has grown in the maturity of his recent roles and handles the difficult role of Billy Beane to perfection. The normally profane Jonah Hill (also Oscar nominated) is effectively reserved and even Philip Seymour Hoffman, in a vastly underwritten role, manages to speak a thousand words with his expressions alone. The only downside it had was it’s over-length. At over two hours long, it’s hard to maintain your concentration with a film that is primarily concerned with number crunching. However, most of the time, surprisingly, flys by.

An unconventional sports film that focuses on a side of the game that is rarely addressed. In our current financial climate, this has been released at just the right time.

Mark Walker

14 Comments »

L.A. Confidential * * * * *

Posted in Crime, Drama, Film-Noir, Mystery with tags 1997 on March 10, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Curtis Hanson.
Screenplay: Brian Helgeland, Curtis Hanson.
Starring: Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, James Cromwell, David Strathairn, Kim Basinger, Danny DeVito, Graham Beckel, Brenda Bakke, Paul Guilfoyle, Ron Rifkin, Matt Malloy, Simon Baker.

James Ellroy is one of the finest of hard-boiled crime writers. For those not familiar, check out his “L.A. Quartet“; four novels, that delve into the seedy and corrupt world of the Los Angeles police force in the 1950’s. This film is actually based on the third novel in the series and director/screenwriters Curtis Hanson and Brian Helgeland have done a marvellous job in adapting Ellroy’s convoluted narratives and staccato writing.

L.A. in the 50’s is rife with organised crime and corruption in the police force. Both intertwine in the glitz and glamour of the booming Hollywood movie business. The story follows the path of three very different police detectives. Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) – the suave and ambitious type with an eye on stardom for himself. Bud White (Russel Crowe) – the brutal strong arm who will do anything to achieve his form of justice and rookie Ed Exley (Guy Pearce) – who does everything by the book and believes in law and order. A late night shooting in a coffee shop, which leaves one policeman dead brings these three detectives together in an elaborate plot involving corrupt politicians, prostitutes made to look like movie stars, gangster Mickey Cohen and sleazy tabloid journalists.

First of all, where this film succeeds – in it’s difficult adaptation – is capturing the mood and setting. Not since Roman Polanski’s “Chinatown” in 1974 has this been achieved. The music by Jerry Goldsmith taps into film-noir with a seedy jazz score, while Dante Spinotti’s rich cinematography perfectly captures the infancy of the city of Los Angeles, before it’s economical boom. It was a city that could make or break a person, with corruption at every corner. This rich attention to detail, is also captured by some outstanding performances. Kim Basinger won a supporting actress award but it’s Spacey, Pearce and particularly Crowe that own this film. Their performances have seldom been better. The story itself can simply be described as labyrinthine. There are so many facets that’s it’s hard to keep up. It demands your attention and commitment but it also rewards. Credit must go to Curtis Hanson, who does an excellent job in handling all the narrative arcs and teasingly fitting all the pieces together. This is filmmaking of the very highest standard.

An absolutely enthralling film, that’s so vivid and compelling that fans of the genre should not ignore.

Included in My Top Ten films.

Mark Walker

10 Comments »

Beginners * * *

Posted in Comedy, Drama with tags 2011 on March 10, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Mike Mills
Screenplay: Mike Mills
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer, Melanie Laurent, Goran Visnjic, Kai Lennox, Mary Page Keller, Lou Taylor Pucci, Cosmo.

Writer/Director Mike Mills’ long awaited follow-up to his 2005 film “Thumbsucker” arrives with this independent emotional drama that has a similar sense for the off-beat that his previous outing had. This, however, doesn’t impress as much.

Oliver (Ewan McGregor) is a graphic artist that is coming to terms with the death of his father Hal (Christopher Plummer). In his time of grief, he embarks on a romance with French actress Anna (Melanie Laurent), while remembering the past of his parents’ failed marriage and when his father revealed that he was gay, and dying of cancer.

I can’t honestly say that I was entirely drawn to this film upon it’s release. I only checked it out for Plummer’s Oscar winning supporting turn, of which, he made history by being the oldest actor to ever be awarded at age 82. The performances of McGregor, Laurent and Goran Visnjic are to be commended also though but Plummer does get the juicier role. As for the material itself, it was peppered with an original quirkiness that managed to just about see it through some periodic lulls. It was too slow for me but I have a suspicion that this might serve better on a second viewing. During my initial sitting though, I found it to waver and lose it’s momentum after the hour mark. Ultimately, it’s the zesty characters of Plummer and Laurent that keep the film ticking over and despite a good effort from McGregor, his character is a bit too dull and depressing to fully relate to. As it’s him that drives the story, the journey becomes somewhat repetitive.

A semi-autobiographical and highly personal story from Mike Mills that has an obvious air of catharsis. It just doesn’t allow you to engage, as well as it should.

Mark Walker

4 Comments »

Warrior * * * * 1/2

Posted in Drama, Sport with tags 2011 on March 6, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Gavin O’Connor.
Screenplay: Gavin O’Connor, Anthony Tambakis, Cliff Dorfman.
Starring: Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton, Nick Nolte, Frank Grillo, Jennifer Morrison, Kevin Dunn, Maximiliano Hernandez, Kurt Angle, Erik Apple, Gavin O’Connor, Noah Emmerich.

2011 was a good year for movies. Even the ones that tread old ground still achieved their own identity. Just look at the Oscar winning “The Artist“, for harking back to silent films; “Hugo“, for reminding us of the origins and the magic involved in making them; “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” remake also found an audience, a mere two years after the Swedish original. This is another, that manages to take an old formula and still make it work.

Tommy Conlon (Tom Hardy) returns to his hometown Pittsburgh after serving time as a Marine. When back, he prepares for the world’s biggest mixed martial arts tournament, reconnecting with his father, Paddy (Nick Nolte), who takes up his training. Meanwhile, his estranged brother, Brendan (Joel Edgerton), realises he has to return to his old fighting ways if he has any hope of saving his family from crippling financial debts.

This is no basic rags to riches sport flick; there’s personal history to the three main characters. It has the working class background and fighting montages that lead to the obvious comparisons to “Rocky” or more recently “The Fighter“. But even though this is on similar, well worn territory, it’s greatest achievement is in delivering something surprisingly fresh and all it’s own. The two lead performances are excellently delivered by Hardy and Edgerton but it’s Nolte, as their estranged alcoholic father, that really stands out. A great moment, in particular, between the tortured characters of Nolte and Hardy in a diner where the tables turn. As soon as Nolte takes over as trainer, he becomes the patriarch once more. Meanwhile, Edgerton (reminding me of a younger Russell Crowe) combines the family man with ferocious fighting abilities more than competently. The sport itself has rarely been covered on screen. David Mamet touched upon it in 2001 in his impressive film “RedBelt” but that didn’t take much of the fighting into the ring. This does. It has the usual sports flick cliches; the underdog; the montages; the friends and relatives watching at home; the opinionated commentary at ringside. If truth be told though, it’s a winning formula. But where this film succeeds is in it’s human drama. The characters are real and instill a sympathy and sensitivity while building to it’s inevitable conclusion. There are moments that genuinely have you on the edge of your seat and ultimately punching the air with delight. (particularly Edgerton’s fights).

Despite the formula and abundance of cliches, this still manages to transcend them and come out a winner. A great sports film that hits all the right buttons.

Mark Walker

6 Comments »

Perfect Sense * * * * *

Posted in Drama, Romance, Science Fiction with tags 2011 on February 29, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: David Mackenzie.
Screenplay: Kim Fupz Aakeson.
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Eva Green, Ewen Bremner, Stephen Dillane, Denis Lawson, Connie Nielson, Alastair Mackenzie, Richard Mack, Stephen McCole.

Director David MacKenzie heads back to the city of Glasgow with Ewan McGregor, after their first collaboration in 2003’s “Young Adam“. That was a gritty and powerful film but here, both of them have excelled themselves, in one of the years most criminally overlooked films.

Michael (Ewan McGregor) is a Glaswegian chef who falls for scientist Susan (Eva Green). She happens to be investigating an epidemic and as they are getting to know each other, people the world over, begin to develop some strange behaviour which leads to them losing their sensory perceptions. First, the sense of smell goes, then taste and so on…

This may be compared (with it’s apocalyptic theme) to the recent Steven Soderbergh, lethal epidemic, film “Contagion“, or more so, Fernando Meirelles’ similar “Blindness” but you’d be doing this film a disservice if you go into it with preconceived ideas based on those lethargic and jaded deliveries. This is a completely immersive human drama that packs some real power and has more in common with one of my favourite films of recent years – Alfonso Cauron’s “Children Of Men“. It has the same stark approach; the authentic feel for the frailty of our society and the same potential demise of humankind. If the end was indeed nigh, you’d expect a bit of chaos and people acting, more than a little, peeved but director Mackenzie and screenwriter Kim Fupz Aakeson never force this issue, allowing the drama to unfold at it’s own pace, with highly effective mood established by the great use of austere Glasgow locations and haunting music by Max Richter. The two leads also help by delivering believable characters with subtlety and McGregor is given a rare chance to show his range – which he delivers admirably. Fine support is also supplied around him, particularly, some slight comic-relief from his “Trainspotting” co-star Ewen Bremner. The film itself, is essentially a love story but it’s a harrowing and heartbreaking one. As the couple are getting in touch with their feelings and exploring their love for each other, they are losing their sensory perceptions one by one. It’s an intriguing premise that builds slowly and Mackenzie’s assured mirroring of the sensory perceptions waning, allow the audience to better understand how it feels, before delivering one of the most powerful and unrelenting endings of the year.

An unconventional, thoughtful and ultimately poetic, ‘end of days’ drama that deserves to find a wider audience. In a year of films dealing with the nature of our existence – “The Tree of Life“; “Melancholia” and “Another Earth“, this stands as good as, if not better. Simply magnificent.

Mark Walker

12 Comments »

Scent Of A Woman * * * *

Posted in Drama with tags 1992 on February 21, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Martin Brest.
Screenplay: Bo Goldman.
Starring: Al Pacino, Chris O’Donnell, James Rebhorn, Gabrielle Anwar, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Richard Venture, Bradley Whitford, Rochelle Oliver, Frances Conroy.

Al Pacino is one of the most respected and talented actors in the history of filmmaking. So why did it take him over 20 years in the business before he finally got his hands on one of those golden little baldies, that go by the name of Oscar? It’s a question that will confound many but at least now, with this performance in 1992, it can, proudly, rest on his mantelpiece.

In order to make some money for a Christmas trip home, impoverished college-student Charlie (Chris O’Donnell) agrees to look after Frank (Al Pacino), a blind retired Colonel for Thanksgiving. Babysitting takes on a whole new dimension when Frank decides he wants to spent the weekend living it up in New York City.

At the time of this films release Pacino had had 4 nominations for Best Actor and 3 nominations for Best Supporting Actor. He had produced such sterling work in classic films like “The Godfather”, “Serpico”, “Dog Day Afternoon” and “Scarface”. This is only a few in a long list but, finally, no-one could argue with his bravura portrayal of a blind, hard drinking, ex-Army colonel. This isn’t the type of film you’d tip for Pacino receiving an award but it’s a performance that can’t be ignored. Yes, grandstanding does ensue, but hey! It’s Pacino, he’s allowed. There’s an unsettling intensity to his performance that’s so powerful, it’s hard to take your eyes off him. Ironically, he plays a blind man but his performance allows the audience to see. To see, what an actor can encapsulate. The film itself is a tad lighthearted and despite being overshadowed considerably, a young Chris O’Donnell handles himself well in such company. But it feels like the story itself is only a vehicle, or series of scenes, in which to allow Al to chew up. It’s enjoyable stuff nonetheless and at a running time of 2hrs 30mins, you wouldn’t know. The time flies by as it’s so much fun. A major demerit is the Hollywood perfect, rousing, finale though. The schmaltz factor goes through the roof, leaving you feeling a bit embarrassed at the audacity in even attempting it and it seriously sells the film short.

If I was to rate this based on Pacino’s performance, it would be an unquestionable 5 stars. However, the flimsy material brings the film down a notch.

Mark Walker

2 Comments »

Breaking The Waves * * * *

Posted in Drama with tags 1996 on February 21, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Lars von Trier.
Screenplay: Lars von Trier, Peter Asmussen.
Starring: Emily Watson, Stellan Skarsgard, Adrian Rawlins, Katrin Cartlidge, Jean-Marc Barr, Jonathan Hackett, Sandra Voe, Udo Kier.

This was controversial Danish director Lars von Trier’s first film in English and also the first in his “Golden Hearts” trilogy in which the heroines remain naive despite their actions. The two other parts are “The Idiots” and “Dancer in the Dark” but this is the strongest of the three.

Bess (Emily Watson) is a devout, church going, innocent young woman living in a remote Scottish village in the 1970’s. She possesses a real sweetness, warmth and affection but she’s also not right in the head. She marries oil rig worker Jan (Stellan Skarsgard) and is unable to bear separation from him when he leaves for work. When he is brought back from the rig paralysed after an accident, her obsession adds to his despair. They arrive at a bizarre arrangement; he urges her to take a lover, for his own sexual gratification and she interprets this as a spiritual mission.

Von Trier shoots in a grainy, almost documentary like style (with help from respected cinematographer Robby Muller) adding to the realism of his story and his characters. Emily Watson (in her debut) is commanding throughout with a marvellous and brave performance. Her physical and mental struggle is tragically and achingly portrayed. Von Trier’s films tend not to be easy viewing, or the treatment of his female characters, for that matter. Just look at the aforementioned films, as well as, “Dogville” and “AntiChrist“. This is no exception and any actress taking on a role in his films needs to be committed. Watson certainly is here and commands the screen entirely. The only downside that the film suffers from, is it’s length. After the two hour mark, and another half hour to go, it overstays it’s welcome. Normally, this wouldn’t be a problem but the subject matter is so depressing that it becomes an exhausting experience.

Not to everyone’s tastes but if your a fan of von Trier, then it’s essential viewing. But, as always, with the provocative director, it doesn’t paint a pretty picture.

Mark Walker

5 Comments »

The Descendants * * * * 1/2

Posted in Comedy, Drama with tags 2011 on February 20, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Alexander Payne.
Screenplay: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash.
Starring: George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller, Nick Krause, Patricia Hastie, Beau Bridges, Matthew Lillard, Judy Greer, Robert Forster, Mary Birdsong, Rob Huebel.

Director/co-writer Alexander Payne’s (handful of) films always deal with similar themes and tortured, struggling protagonists. Matthew Broderick was a hapless schoolteacher in “Election”; Jack Nicholson was an angst-ridden widower in “About Schmidt” and Paul Giamatti was a social-misfit, wine connoisseur in “Sideways”. Now, it’s George Clooney as an estranged workaholic husband/father in Payne’s best film so far.

Matt King (Clooney), a descendant of one of Hawaii’s first white land-owning families, must decide whether to go ahead with a multi-million dollar land deal that will destroy a vast bit of Hawaiian forestry to be replaced with tourists and condominiums. At the same time, he faces a personal crisis. His wife has had a boating accident, leaving her in a coma. Matt now faces the decision to disconnect her life support and become a single father to his two daughters, 17 year-old Alexandra (Shailene Woodley) and 10 year-old Scottie (Amara Miller) while dealing with the frustration of the locals at his proposed business deal.

The key to a good drama is finding the right balance between humour and pathos. Alexander Payne has a keen sense for this. He sees the absurdity in every day experiences and paints realistic and flawed protagonists. His characters can sometimes have a comical element to them but they are never trivialised. They are not ‘movie’ characters. They are human with flaws and Payne’s skills in writing show this. He has consistently observed ordinary people in ordinary situations and rarely have they been captured so well. As a director, Payne’s skills lie in drawing marvellous performances from his actors and it’s here that George Clooney shines. He’s an actor that I greatly admire and one who makes intelligent choices. His range is also extensive with hilarious comedic roles in the likes of “O Brother Where Art Thou?” and “Burn After Reading” or serious dramatic roles in “Michael Clayton”, “Solaris” and his (supporting) Oscar winning role in “Syriana”. This film has garnered him some more Oscar buzz with his Third leading actor nomination. And rightfully so. Clooney delivers a subtle and soulful performance that’s not without regular humorous moments either. He’s not alone though. Shailene Woodley as his eldest daughter is marvellous also and lends great support in some heartfelt and hilarious tete-a-tete’s and brief but effective support is displayed by veterans Robert Forster and Beau Bridges. (The latter showing a glimmer of his brother Jeff’s iconic turn in “The Big Lebowski”). The Hawaiian setting could also be included as a character, it looks absolutely stunning playing it’s part as a real feast for the eyes.

Human drama’s don’t come much better or more nuanced than this. Great writing and great acting give rise to one of the year’s genuine gems.

Mark Walker

4 Comments »

Take Shelter * * * *

Posted in Drama with tags 2011 on February 20, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Jeff Nichols.
Screenplay: Jeff Nichols.
Starring: Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain, Shea Whigham, Kathy Baker, Ray McKinnon, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Katy Mixon, Robert Longstreet, Guy Van Swearingen, Tova Stewart, Natasha Randall, Scott Knisley, Ron Kennard.

Michael Shannon has surprisingly been around the acting game since the early 90’s. He even made a brief appearance in the Bill Murray comedy “Groundhog Day” in 1993 but it wasn’t until his scene-stealing Oscar nominated turn in the Leonardo DiCaprio/Kate Winslet film “Revolutionary Road” in 2008, that people took notice. Now, he’s getting regular work and on the evidence of his performance here, you can see why he’s in demand.

Curtis LaForche (Shannon) is a blue-collar worker who lives with his wife Samantha (Jessica Chastain) and their young daughter (Tova Stewart) in the suburbs of Ohio. A series of strange shifts in the weather in the LaForche’s home town seem to signify impending disaster. Curtis quickly starts to kit out his storm shelter and stockpiling food but his paranoia soon frightens his family and alienates him from the town.

Be prepared for a film that’s in no rush to tell it’s story. It demands patience and a level of commitment but if invested in, it pays dividends. Despite it’s glacial pace, this film had me captivated throughout. Credit must go to writer/director Jeff Nichols for his restraint and the trust he shows his audience. He confidently handles the material, in only his second film (his first was “Shotgun Stories” in 2007 – also with Michael Shannon). Dave Wingo also deserves mention for his haunting music score that adds to the sense of foreboding. Ultimately though, it’s Michael Shannon’s solid central performance that’s the real highlight here. His state of mind is always kept elusive. Is there a storm coming? Or is Curtis suffering from paranoid schizophrenia? Either way, something always feels just around the corner. Whether you believe him to be right or not, doesn’t matter, it still has you gripped and it’s testament to Shannon’s skills that he has you completely sympathetic, yet fearful. The moment he finally cracks in front of his family and friends is powerhouse stuff. The ubiquitous Jessica Chastain is no slouch either. She lends some fine support as his patient and bewildered wife, adding to the convincing family drama while the film maintains it’s uneasy feeling of dread.

A provocative and nuanced film that leaves you with an uncomfortable feeling throughout. It manages to be both hopeful and frightening with a strong, memorable performance blowing in from Shannon.

Mark Walker

4 Comments »

Glengarry Glen Ross * * * * *

Posted in Drama with tags 1992 on February 17, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: James Foley.
Screenplay: David Mamet.
Starring: Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Alec Baldwin, Ed Harris, Kevin Spacey, Alan Arkin, Jonathan Pryce.

Writer David Mamet is known for his sharp and natural dialogue but when you combine this with sharp and natural actors, you get nothing less than an intense and searing drama where every word sizzles and every performance lights up the screen. It’s a perfect match.

Set entirely within the office of a handful of real estate salesmen, where business is tough and the threat of unemployment looms. The ruthless boss has them all competing with one another and the prize of a Cadillac for finishing top of the leader board. The bottom of the board, however, will be fired. This leads the desperate men to pull out all the stops in swindling their way to safety.

First of all, have a look at the cast and ask yourself… Does this look good? The answer should be a resounding, Yes! The line-up itself is enough to sell this film and despite having a dodgy title, the cast do not disappoint. This is the type of film that allows you to appreciate good acting. Based on David Mamet’s Pulitzer prize winning stageplay, it’s a very basic premise… One room; Six greed infused salesman; Limited jobs. The perfect melting pot for top actors at the top of their game to spout profanities and act their little cotton socks off. The world that these vile characters inhabit and the cruel and manipulative way in which they operate is torturously played out. There really are no depths to which these people will not stoop. Not only do they vie to take money from unsuspecting, ordinary people, they vie to outdo each other.
Ensembles like this are few and far between and, as always, Al Pacino is great but it’s Jack Lemmon who really shows his class here, as a desperate, bumbling fool who has past his best in this cut-throat business. A 10min cameo from Alec Baldwin though, almost steals the show, informing us of what’s needed to sell Real Estate… “Brass Balls”.

This enables you to sit back, in the comfort of your own home, and view a marvellous ensemble as if being treated to a night at the theatre.
If you appreciate great actors working with great dialogue, then this is one of the best. Top Quality.

Mark Walker

6 Comments »

Dog Day Afternoon

Posted in Crime, Drama with tags 1975 on February 17, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Sidney Lumet.
Screenplay: Frank Pierson.
Starring: Al Pacino, John Cazale, Charles Durning, James Broderick, Chris Sarandon, Sully Boyar, Penelope Allen, Carol Kane, Lance Henriksen, Dick Anthony Williams, Philip Charles Mackenzie.

“I’m a fuck-up and I’m an outcast. If you get near me you’re gonna get it- you’re gonna get fucked over and fucked out”

Al Pacino and John Cazale came into this film just off the back of completing The Godfather parts I & II together. Pacino also managed to do Serpico and Cazale The Conversation in-between. It was a good run they were both on in the early 70’s and this no less of a classic than the aforementioned ones.

On a hot day in New York, on 22nd August 1972, three men set out to rob a bank. It’s supposed to take ten minutes, but things start going wrong from the beginning when one of them bails at the last minute. Four hours later, the bank is surrounded by police, a media circus, and crowds of well wishers.

As the film opens, we are given a montage of New York life and it’s vastness and eclectic mix of people. Not before long though, we are then led into a bank by three men, who proceed to threaten the bank tellers with rifles. Within minutes, this true story has begun with such a tense and completely believable hold-up. The tension is, by-and-large, the masterwork of director Sidney Lumet and a strikingly powerful performance by Al Pacino. Lumet never let’s up for a moment, he has the camera moving at such a pace that the adrenaline of the bank robbery is also felt by the viewer. He has always been a highly respected director and on this evidence alone, you can see why. And then, almost suddenly, the pace is ground to a halt with a phone call… The police are watching everything that going on from across the street. This is when Lumet slows it down and gets closer to his actors and the claustrophobia of the situation. The performances are uniformly brilliant – making you forget that it’s actors you’re watching – but this is ultimately Pacino’s show. He highly on-edge, with despairing eyes and nervous ticks, desperately trying to hold everything together. He injects a real sympathy and believability to his character and it stands as one of his finest pieces of work. Added to which, with the body of work that Sidney Lumet has delivered over a career spanning 50 years (he died in 2011), this is one of his greatest achievements also.

An outstanding, naturalistic heist movie that boasts career highs and an unbearable tension that never let’s up. In a decade of fine cinema, this remains one of the best of the 70’s.

Mark Walker

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Another Earth * *

Posted in Drama, Science Fiction with tags 2011 on February 17, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Mike Cahill.
Screenplay: Mike Cahill, Brit Marling.
Starring: Brit Marling, William Mapother, Matthew-Lee Erlbach, Jordan Baker, Flint Beverage, Robin Taylor, Rupert Reid, Diane Ciesla, Kumar Pallana.

Director Mike Cahill and star Brit Marling make their feature film debuts after their 2004 documentary “Boxers and Ballerinas”. Their earlier collaboration focused on the lives of people from different parts of the world. This film has a similar documentary style and explores a similar theme.

Rhoda Williams (Brit Marling) is a promising student who crashes her car one night, when news breaks that a duplicate Earth has been discovered. A family are killed in the crash but only her and the father John Burroughs (William Mapother) survive. On her release from prison four years later, Rhoda bluffs her way into Burroughs’ life as a cleaner, with the intention of easing her guilt and revealing herself as his family’s killer. Meanwhile, a competition is launched to find the first visitor to “Earth 2”, where the meeting of your ‘other self’ is a very real possibility.

This film has such an excellent concept, that’s so intriguing, that the delivery fails to do it justice. It’s slow and tedious. Keeping it as realistic as possible, Cahill’s handheld-camera is up close and personal to his characters. It add realism but ultimately fails to entertain. The philosophical questions posed are the closest you’ll get to any form of entertainment but these questions are better considered in your own time (read Plato’s “The Allegory of the Cave”), rather than watching the tediousness played out onscreen. I normally enjoy speculative drama’s but this lost me about half way in. Not because it’s a noodle-scratcher but because it laboured on the grief and guilt of the main characters, rather than thoroughly exploring the possibilities of our doppelgängers from “Earth 2”. I can’t really fault director Cahill or the actors. They put in competent shifts but it’s the unexplored script that’s the problem. To start with such a hypothesis and then allow it to wallow and fritter out, is very discouraging. Granted, the budget isn’t high and it rests on it’s emotional and metaphysical core but it still falls into a very frustrating lull, from which it never recovers. It’s one that would play well alongside the existential films of Lars Von Trier’s “Melancholia” or Terrence Malick’s “The Tree Of Life” but it’s nowhere near in the same league, despite it winning the Sundance Film Festival.

Maybe on ‘another earth’, this film was a masterpiece. On ours though, it’s frankly… dull.

Mark Walker

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We Need To Talk About Kevin * * * 1/2

Posted in Drama with tags 2011 on February 8, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Lynne Ramsay.
Screenplay: Lynne Ramsay, Rory Kinnear.
Starring: Tilda Swinton, Ezra Miller, John C. Reilly, Jasper Newell, Rocky Duer, Ashley Gerasimovich, Siobhan Fallon, Alex Manette, Joseph Melendez.

Scottish director Lynne Ramsay made her debut with the working class Glaswegian drama “Ratcatcher” in 1999. It was seen as an artistic breakthrough for independent cinema in Scotland but sadly it didn’t really catch on. She followed it up with “Morven Caller” in 2002 but no-one came calling. Then she was basically shafted for the duties on “The Lovely Bones” in 2009 – the studio preferring a more “experienced” director in Peter Jackson. Not to worry though as Ramsay has finally got us talking again.

Based on the novel by Lionel Shriver, this tells the story of Eva (Tilda Swinton), the mother of a teenager (Ezra Miller) who careers off the rails, and her struggle to cope with the aftermath of his devastating actions, reflecting on the boy’s childhood and the breakdown of her relationship with both him and her absent husband (John C. Reilly).

No less a horror than say, “The Omen” in it’s depiction of a troubled and dangerous child. But done in such an elusive and dramatic style that it falls into another genre altogether. If a horror director had gotten their hands on this material it would probably have been a slasher movie, but Ramsay brings dramatic weight. The story progresses with a certain distance from the audience, painting the characters in such a fragmented and elusive light, making us uncertain of the outcome. When the unravelling occurs it’s no less effective whether you predicted the outcome or not but that’s thanks in large to Ramsay’s hypnotic direction and intense performances from her actors. Ezra Miller channels the perfect malevolency and Tilda Swinton is absolutely superb as a mother (and person) at the end of her tether. Unfortunately, the talented John C. Reilly is given very little to do as the loving father in the chaotic household and doesn’t quite suit the role. However, the film’s main focus is on a mother and her son and any other characters are secondary. For this reason, I found it’s elusive nature a bit too distant and hard to identify with the characters.

An unsettling drama that packs a powerful punch, but it’s not entirely easy viewing and may leave a bad taste for some.

Mark Walker

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The Artist * * * * *

Posted in Comedy, Drama, Romance with tags 2011 on February 8, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Michel Hazanavicius.
Screenplay: Michel Hazanavicius.
Starring: Jean Dujardin, Berenice Bejo, John Goodman, James Cromwell, Penelope Ann Miller, Malcolm McDowell, Missi Pyle, Beth Grant, Ed Lauter, Ken Davitian, Joel Murray, Hal Landon Jr, Nina Siemazsko.

In our modern era of motion capture and CGI – controlling most of what we see on screen – it’s a bold decision for director Michel Hazanavicius to tackle the style of a silent film from the 1920’s. A bold move indeed, but it’s also a masterstroke. This is a true original.

In Hollywood, in 1927, silent movie star George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is at the height of his career. He’s the toast of the town and loved by all. One day he, literally, bumps into Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo). He gives her a head start in the film business but films are changing, with the arrival of the ‘talkies’. Peppy decides to go with the change while George thinks that talking cinema is just a passing fad. Soon his career (and life) is in decline while Peppy becomes the new starlet that everyone loves to love.

Hazanavicius’ attention to detail is flawless. He has the look, the music, the feel, and overall, the actors to pull it off. He also throws in some of his own artistic flourishes along the way, which include a marvellous dream sequence where George can actually hear the cacophony of sounds around him, yet can’t hear his own voice; or the often used billboards and posters that mirror the very actions onscreen.
The performances are superb, particularly Dujardin with his big shit-kicking toothy grin and endless supply of charisma. The man gets away with the entire film by acting with his teeth an his eyebrows but he also conveys a real depth to his character, without uttering a word – not to mention an obvious allusion to classic film actor Douglas Fairbanks.
I deliberated on how I should have rated this film, considering all the hype I’d heard and read beforehand. I didn’t have to deliberate too long though. For the originality – and sheer audacity alone, in not only conceiving the idea of attempting to entertain in a fashion that’s over 100 years old but also in the execution of it – it’s hard not to give this film top marks.

Worthy of the plaudits and superlatives that’s been thrown it’s way. This is one of those films that even though you go into it looking to criticise, you find that… you just can’t.
An absolute delight.

Mark Walker

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Hugo * * * 1/2

Posted in Drama, Family, Fantasy with tags 2012 on February 5, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Martin Scorsese.
Screenplay: John Logan.
Starring: Asa Butterfield, Chloe Moretz, Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen, Ray Winstone, Emily Mortimer, Jude Law, Christopher Lee, Helen McCrory, Michael Stuhlbarg.

“My friends, I address you all tonight as you truly are; wizards, mermaids, travelers, adventurers, magicians… Come and dream with me.” These are the words of magician/director George Méliès (Ben Kingsley) and also the very words of director Martin Scorsese in his love letter to all things cinema.

Paris, 1931. Young Hugo (Asa Butterfield) maintains the clocks of a great railway station while avoiding a guard (Sacha Baron Cohen) intent on sending him to an orphanage. Aided by Isabelle (Chloe Grace Moretz), Hugo gets an automaton left by his late father (Jude Law) working. It draws a picture, which prompts the children to delve into the mystery of an unhappy shopkeeper (Kingsley), at this very station, and his intriguing history.

Cinema is to be enjoyed and is the biggest, modern medium for means of escape. Granted, Scorsese allows us to escape here but doesn’t really escape to anywhere noteworthy. The whole film looks absolutely magnificent (thanks to Robert Richardson’s sublime cinematography) and Scorsese’s use of 3D is the best I have seen yet. He doesn’t rely on action set-pieces to get it across but concentrates more on the basics; snow falling, steam drifting and passers-by in order to fully immerce us in the grand scheme of things. It works a treat and looks wonderful but ultimately remains just a visual spectacle, instead of the adventure in which it proclaims to be. In fact, the biggest moment of entertainment comes from his use of archival footage of the great Harold Lloyd and his classic clock tower stunt from “Safety Last!” in 1923. There’s no doubt that Scorsese is a film buff and feels the need to remind us of the craftwork and illusionary beauty of some forgotten pioneers of cinema but he doesn’t quite achieve anything worth noting in telling his own tale. The use of 3D is magnificent (and sometimes distorting) but even that will eventually be bettered in time. Fine performances are included, young Asa Butterfield is commanding throughout but some, like Emily Mortimer, Ray Winstone and Christopher Lee, are wasted in thankless roles. In fact, the film has everything going for it but somehow, strangely, seems uneventful. As a visual spectacle it’s outstanding but also somehow laboured and tedious.

Maybe my expectations were too high going into this. Scorsese’s Oscar nomination for best director is well deserved but I found myself waiting for something to happen and… it never did. What it does do, is allow you to appreciate the craftsmanship and wonderment of cinema, and being Scorsese’s obvious intention, it at least achieves that.

Mark Walker

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Contagion * * * 1/2

Posted in Drama, thriller with tags 2011 on February 3, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Steven Soderbergh.
Screenplay: Scott Z. Burns.
Starring: Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Marion Cotillard, Jude Law, Laurence Fishburne, Gwyneth Paltrow, Bryan Cranston, John Hawkes, Elliott Gould, Jennifer Ehle, Larry Clarke.

Director Steven Soderbergh is no stranger to switching a theme or two. If you look through the films he has delivered over the years – “Sex, Lies and Videotape”, “Solaris”, “Erin Brockovich”, “Traffic”, “Out of Sight” and “Che” to name a few – you’ll find it difficult to pigeonhole him to any particular genre. This is yet another change of direction from him.

As an unknown and deadly virus spreads across the world, a man (Matt Damon) struggles to cope with it’s tragic impact on his family and the death of his wife (Gwyneth Paltrow), while a World Health Organisation doctor (Marion Cotillard) seeks to find its source and the Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (Laurence Fishburne and Kate Winslet) fight to contain the epidemic and make a vaccine. Meanwhile, a blogger (Jude Law) claims he knows the true cure…

Surprisingly, there are very few of these types of films anymore. The premise is always a winner as it can genuinely strike fear into people but for one reason or another they never seem to reach the screen as much as they should. In 1995 director Wolfgang Petersen released the similarly themed “Outbreak” that dealt with an epidemic of deadly proportions. That film had a Gung-ho approach but the cruciality it had is exactly what this film lacks. Where Soderbergh falters is trying to squeeze in too much detail and not enough drama. His detail is impressively meticulous though which adds a frightening sense of realism but there’s also a feeling of distance from the characters. Despite this, it strangely still manages to hold your attention and even on occasion, your breath. There is some fine acting on show from a first class ensemble – particularly Damon – but with all that’s going on, the investment in the characters just isn’t there, leaving the impressive cast slightly wasted. The premise is a gripping one though and it’s horror in it’s most frightening and realistic form.

A bold attempt by Soderbergh and as a commentary on the fragility of our society it’s a winner, but as entertainment it’s lacks a sense of urgency.

Mark Walker

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The Tree Of Life * * * * *

Posted in Drama with tags 2011 on February 3, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Terrence Malick.
Screenplay: Terrence Malick.
Starring: Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jessica Chastain, Fiona Shaw, Irene Bedard, Jessica Fuselier, Hunter McCracken, Laramie Eppler, Tye Sheridan.

Director Terrence Malick is an enigma all his own. He’s a closed book when it comes to his personal life and he never gives interviews. Very little is known about him but the one thing that is known, is that he was once a philosophy lecturer and this certainly shows in his visually poetic films.

On the anniversary of his brother’s death, troubled architect Jack O’Brien (Sean Penn) ponders his place in the universe, leading inevitably to powerful memories of his turbulent 1950’s childhood in Waco, Texas – in particular, his formative relationship with his loving mother (Jessica Chastain) and disciplinarian father (Brad Pitt).

The themes for this film will be discussed endlessly but essentially they come down to Birth, Life & Death. Ranging from astronomical to our very own existence. Our paths, be them intuitive, spiritual, empirical or material are also explored. Within this birth, life and death is the violence and cruelty. Most are essential parts of life, while others are unnecessary or learning curves in the journey itself and Malick ruminates on them all. This is quite unlike anything you’ll come across. The closest you’ll get will come from Malick himself, in his previous films. The man has a certain unmistakable style all his own. He’s slow, methodical, even ethereal and there is no other quite like him. I love his idiosyncracy and ability to magnify life and his wonder of it. “The Thin Red Line” still remains his masterpiece, but that took a while to grow on me much like I think this will. I loved this, but I have a sneaky feeling I’ve not taken it all in yet and it may grow to be something even more stupendous than it already is. This is a film that will require several viewings to fully appreciate and most certainly will not appeal to everyone. The beauty of Malick is his appreciation for nature in all it’s forms. Sometimes it can be like watching National Geographic but rightfully it plays a part in his creative process, as it plays a part in everything around us. There’s no escaping it and Malick is highly attuned to this, helped by Emmanuel Lubezki’s gorgeous cinematography. Not content with just some stunning shots of the flora and fauna from our planet, Malick branches out to show us the birth of the universe which is highly ambitious and nothing short of breathtaking. It may well split some peoples opinions of it’s relativity as a whole, but this is no simple family drama. The human element to this story is only the microcosm of the macrocosm. It may well have been possible to omit the cosmic section of the film but it’s inclusion is only a visual expansion of the point and themes that Malick is exploring.
Amongst all the visual splendour there are three fantastic performances. Hunter McCracken playing Jack as a young boy shows a great talent and as the vastly different parents Jessica Chastain is wondrously graceful, while Brad Pitt is astonishingly good at being stern and quixotic. Sean Penn however, is given very little to do and his talents are somewhat wasted.

Malick has achieved mainstream arthouse cinema with this transcendental contemplation of life. It’s an accomplished and ambitious film that’s highly spiritual and deeply philosophical. Simply put, it’s a majestic piece of visual poetry.

Mark Walker

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Melancholia * * * * *

Posted in Drama, Science Fiction with tags 2011 on February 3, 2012 by Mark Walker

Director: Lars Von Trier.
Screenplay: Lars Von Trier.
Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kiefer Sutherland, Alexander Skarsgard, John Hurt, Charlotte Rampling, Stellan Skarsgard, Brady Corbet, Cameron Spurr, Jesper Christensen, Udo Kier.

With his “Nazi sympathiser” outbursts at the Cannes film festival – getting him thrown out and declared ‘persona non grata’, you’d be forgiven for expecting this latest from director Lars Von Trier to be provocative and disturbing like his previous films. However, it’s far from it and probably the most restrained and technically accomplished film of his career so far.

At her own wedding reception, Justine (Kirsten Dunst) is overcome by depression and alienates everyone, including her new husband Michael (Alexander Skarsgard), her devoted sister Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg) and brother-in-law John (Keifer Sutherland). When a new planet, “Melancholia”, appears in the sky and is on a collision course with Earth, some believe it will fly-by, others are not so positive… Justine believes it to be the end.

The intellectual weight behind this one is not as heavy as you might expect from Von Trier. The heaviness comes in the form of watching very unhappy and angst ridden people for over 2 hours. Von Trier’s understanding and personal portrayal of mental illness may seem uneventful, but it’s captivating nonetheless. That’s by and large to his wonderfully artistic eye and strong performances from Dunst, Gainsbourg and Sutherland. The constant reminder of the descending planet adds an unbearable sense of foreboding, again, expressed through Justine and her everyday struggle with depression. The science fiction element to the story plays second fiddle to the human drama but it’s no less impressive. Much like Terrence Malick’s recent “The Tree of Life“, Von Trier is happy to use wondrous images of star forming galaxies. But where Malick explored the birth of Earth, Von Trier explores the destruction of it, making this an unofficially strange, yet apt companion piece. The baroque style that Von Trier employs is also highly effective. From the dominating architecture and artistic flourishes to the haunting classical score, culminating to an eerie and visually striking piece of cinema.

Provocateur Lars Von Trier is not so provocative this time around. Instead he delivers a personal understanding of mental illness, with highly artistic and meditative filmmaking.

Mark Walker