Anna Karenina (Dir - Joe Wright. 2012)

Summary: Set in late-19th-century Russia high-society, the aristocrat Anna Karenina enters into a life-changing affair with the affluent Count Vronsky.

This film is beautiful, the set is mostly based on a theatre building, with different parts of the theatre becoming differently locations, it is very clever, I just wish the performances had been as good as the set design. Anyway lets start with the good; I quite enjoyed Jude Law’s performance and it was nice to finally see him play a part where he didn’t have to hide his receding hairline. Aaron Taylor-Johnson was convincing as the womanising Vronsky and I really felt his role mature by the end of the film. Overall I enjoyed the supporting cast (Matthew Macfadyen, Kelly Macdonald & Domhnall Gleeson) but what spoiled it all was Keira Knightley. Now I don’t normally mind Knightley, I usually quiet like her in period dramas as I think she has an innocence and vulnerability that works well but the role of Anna Karenina was meant to convey love, passion, conflict and madness but all I got was a wet blanket. Thinking back to this, I think I would have preferred it with a different leading lady, maybe Emily Blunt would have been a good choice following her performance in The Young Victoria. I don’t know, Anna Karenina seemed full of promises which it failed to deliver.

Overall: It was stunning but it needed a better leading lady 5/10

Paranorman (Dir - Chris Butler & Sam Fell. 2012)

Summary: A misunderstood boy takes on ghosts, zombies and grown-ups to save his town from a centuries-old curse.

I was disappointed with Paranorman; the animation was brilliant, the idea was interesting and I thought it had everything that would made a good kids film that adults would enjoy as well but I was wrong.
Firstly the plot was a little weak and the script lulled in parts. Secondly it just seemed to long, it either needed the story to be padded out more or needed a secondary sub-plot to up the pacing (yes I know this is pretty much the same as my first point but this issue really has to be highlighted). Lastly I felt there were too many references to classic horror films to make it accessible to children, yes the adults in the audiences will appreciate them but the kids will miss the joke and feel left out.

Overall: Disappointing but very pretty 6/10

Magic Mike (Dir - Steven Soberbergh. 2012)

Summary: A male stripper teaches a younger performer how to party, pick up women, and make easy money. 

How did this get any good reviews? I guessed the whole plot within 10 minutes and does anyone really find Matthew McConaughey attractive? It has non of the charm of The Full Monty or Coyote Ugly and all of the horrible in your face-ness of Striptease or Showgirls. Soberbergh has not done a good film since Traffic and even though I was ill while watching this it was still a massive waste of time.

Overall: Please don’t watch this. Predictable and bad throughout, Channing Tatum and Joe Manganiello's abs are honestly not worth the effort 2/10

Argo (Dir - Ben Affleck. 2012)

Summary: Argo is a 2012 American thriller film, based loosely on an account published in 2007 of the "Canadian Caper", in which Tony Mendez, a CIA operative, led the rescue of six U.S. diplomats from Tehran, Iran during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis.

Dear Ben Affleck,  

Having just seen Argo I felt I had to write you this letter to apologise for the horrible comments I have made regarding your past work. In the past I may have referred to you as a hack, described your acting skills as wooden and your emotional range as goldfish-like. I have also, in the past at every opportunity, compared your inadequate acting skills to the greatly underrated & vast talent your brother Casey has consistently demonstrated throughout his career. Dear Ben Affleck I am sorry and I promise this bad mouthing of you will not continue. 

I have to admit the turning point in my opinion of you was your directorial début Gone Baby Gone, it was brilliant. It was such a beautiful film noir I think I told everyone I know to watch it. The came The Town which, to be honest was not as good as Gone Baby Gone but it did show stylistic versatility. The Town was good and I think the most interesting element about it was seeing just how much your acting had changed for the positive with you self directing. 

So lets gets finally talk about Argo, it is excellent, I really cannot remember the last time a film had me on the edge of my seat so much. The casting was inspired, the comic relief of John Goodman and Alan Arkin, the doubt and tension created by Scoot McNairy and there was you with all your brooding quiet intelligence. The tone this political thriller was fantastic and I really believed I was in the early 80s. I had been worried going into the cinema that it would be too dramatic, over the top and fast paced but Argo slowly builds, drawing you into the character developments and the subtle suspense.

Overall: I think I've done enough ass kissing and Argo is a masterpiece 10/10

Yours Sincerely,

Rachel Durance

Prometheus (Dir - Ridley Scott. 2012)

Summary: Prometheus is set in the late 21st century and centers on the crew of the spaceship Prometheus as they follow a star map discovered among the remnants of several ancient Earth cultures. The crew, seeking the origins of humanity, arrive on a distant world and discover an advanced civilization and a threat that could cause the extinction of the human race.

Well I somehow managed to watch this twice at the cinema, once in 3D IMAX and once in 2D. Firstly I just want to say that the 3D was a massive waste of time, 30% colour loss, horrible focus issues (I missed out on all the lovely Giger-esque background art) and messy jerky action sequences made watching in 3D jarring to say the least. Needless to say I enjoyed the 2D much more.

I love the feel of this film all gloomy, stark and post-apocalyptic, I expected it to be Alien and there is just a strong nod to what is to come (this is after all a prequel), but isn’t too over the top. I feel like it’s hard to talk about this film without giving too much away, it is beautifully shot, the sets and scenery are gorgeous and I thought the casting was wonderfully done.

From the opening sequence Scott has the audience asking ‘Why are we here?’ and ‘Where did we come from?’ and continues to escalate these themes as the film continues. I felt throughout that the script intelligently held back information, it doesn’t answer every question raised but it has the perfect level of mystery and guidance to let your mind wander to create your own answers.

As I’ve said above the casting was brilliant and I was (as always) particularly impressed with Scott’s strong female leads Noomi Rapace and Charlize Theron but as much as I hate to gloss over the lead actresses, the real standout performance was Michael Fassbender as a replicant obsessed with Laurence Olivier. Fassbender effectively balances the role between evil mastermind and minion/servant that I didn’t know if I wanted him to succeed or fail. Everything from Fassbender’s mannerisms, speech and eye contact get under your skin bringing a consistent sense of anxiousness into the mix which offsets the other characters beautifully.

Overall: If Fassbender doesn’t get a nomination for Best Supporting Actor I will be very disappointed but Prometheus just needed something more to make it truly excellent 7/10.

So it's been a while.....

So my Film Awards Season blog re-opens for business and is undergoing a few changes this year. Firstly I will no longer be focused on the Oscars and instead looking more towards the BAFTAs, the reason for this is that based on the past few years the BAFTAs have included what I honestly believe to be a better, well rounded selection of films in their nominations, BAFTA include more 1st time directors, more independent films, have British film awards and in my opinion, buy less into the Hollywood studio marketing campaigns.

Secondly I have changed my film scoring system to being out of 10, the reason for this is that I think the score out of 5 system didn’t effectively reflect what was a good film and what was a great film. Take for example The Idles of March that I gave 4/5 to last year; while comes across as a strong score it could also be interpreted as an amazing score. The fact is that if I had reviewed The Idles of March with the out of 10 system I probably would have only given it a 7/10, it was good don’t get me wrong, but it just wasn’t unique, touching or special enough to justify a higher score.

Thirdly I am going to try, I mean really try this year to cover more films then in my previous 2 years, which is why I’m starting to review films in November instead of after Christmas.

Lastly if you disagree with anything, agree with anything or just want to nag me to review something I haven’t got round to yet, leave a comment. I know my opinions are not the be all and end all of reviews and I would love to hear what you think. Who knows maybe I’ve missed something or interpreted a moment in a different way, if you think this is the case let me know.

Mass Review!

The Artist (2011) Dir: Michel Hazanavicius

There is not much I can say about this that has not already been said. Unless you have been living under a rock for the last 2 months you should know the critics believe this is an amazing piece of work and I, for once, am not going to differ. It is charming, beautiful and wonderfully nostalgic and I really enjoyed it.

Overall: Delightful echoes of Singing in the Rain. Brilliant 4/5

The Ides of March (2011) Dir: George Clooney

This is a powerhouse of a film and I loved it. It had all the political thriller stuff I earn for and is all about the supporting cast, Philip Seymour-Hoffman is immense, Paul Giamatti is a tour de force, the Clooney sneaks up on you like a sucker punch and even though Gosling is star of the show you can't help but think it's because he's had to raise his game due to the calibre of the supporting cast.

Overall : Love it 4/5

Moneyball (2011) Dir: Bennett Miller

This really is just a classic underdog story and there is nothing wrong with that. It's about failure and redemption, fear and hope and Brad Pitt is ok and Jonah Hill is ok but it's really nothing special. It's like any other American sports movie but with math. I like it but it's lets face it, it is no Raging Bull. One thing I would say about this film is that the artress that plays Brad Pitts Daughter in the film  Kerris Dorsey is definitely one to watch and that they sorely underused Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Overall: Better than average sports film but on amazing 2.5/5

Tinker Talior Solder Spy (2011) Dir: Tomas Alfredson

I'm so glad one of my uber intelligent friends told me that when they watched this the first time they didn't understand it 'coz if they hadn't I would have felt like a right idiot. I just don't think my brain can cope with this type of film, I'm still working on 1 lead when already the main character is on their 4th. I was also glad I was watching this film with James as his brain loves this type of film and I honestly had to stop the film at least twice to get James to explain what the hell was going on. Don't get me wrong the film is very good; it's shot beautifully, keeps you guessing and Oldman is completely fantastic, it's just it's probably going to take me a few watches to completely penetrate the intense web of cold war espionage that is woven. I can definitely tell you Oldman puts in a much better performance than Pitt or Clooney.

Overall: Hoping I pick it all up on the re-watch 3.5/5

Bridesmaids (2011) Dir: Paul Feig

All I can say about this is that it is exactly what I want from a female comedy. I really enjoyed it and laughed very hard. There are so many scenes that I thought 'That is exactly how I would react in a situation like that' that I lost count. Wiig is fantastic and it has perfect comedy timing.

Overall: Ladies you should watch this 4/5

Midnight in Paris (2011) Dir: Woody Allen

Summary: A family travel to the French capital for business. The party includes a young engaged couple who are forced to confront their differing views of a perfect life.

Why do I bother with Woody Allen films, I never enjoy them. They are overly wordy, the main characters are needy and often desperate and there is usually this unfulfilled need to obtain this form of an idealised, unachievable, perfect life/situation and Midnight in Paris is no different.

To be fair I actually managed to make it through the whole of Midnight in Paris which is a rare feat for me and an Allen film, it was whimsical and charming, it was brilliantly cast but overall I just didn't connect with the central themes. I often question if I have problems with Allen because I'm too much of a stubborn realist to really grasp this desperate idealism, I don't know. Wilson was the perfect artistic dreamer, McAdams is the obnoxious materialistic spoilt cow, Sheen is the frustrating show off and Cotillard optimises the idea of an artist muse. The film is laboured love letter to the beauty and wonder of Paris and I want to like it but I don't. I can understand why people would love this film but I am not one of them, maybe I'm broken.

Overall: I just don't like Woody Allen films, there I said it 2/5

The Help (2011) Dir: Tate Taylor

Summary: An aspiring author during the civil rights movement of the 1960s decides to write a book detailing the African-American maid's point of view on the white families for which they work, and the hardships they go through on a daily basis.

This film reminds me of another film but I can't for the life of me put my finger on it, it's all just so very channel 5 movie of the week it could just be that I've seen so many films similar to it they are all jumbled up in my head.

Don't get me wrong, it's charming and funny but it's so full of stereotypes the character development becomes lazy. All I can say it is a predictable melodrama, the type of film you would put on to do the ironing to. I don't really understand at all why this has got any nominations.

Overall: Perfect for doing the housework to but as a serious example of filmic genius er no 1/5

The Descendants (2011) Dir: Alexander Payne

Summary: A land baron tries to re-connect with his two daughters after his wife suffers a boating accident. 

Well I can't say I didn't like this film but I can't for the life of me figure out why Clooney has got an Oscar nomination. The film sort of plods along with not much happening, it's all about the inner emotional process rather than emotional conversations. You feel that you are waiting for Clooney to breakdown, to have that big revolutionary outburst but it's all so subtle, it creeps along to it's conclusion and then you wonder how you got there.

I loved the journey of the eldest daughter Alexandra (Shailene Woodley) as the film seemed to be her story from adolescent to womanhood and I also welcomed the light relief created by Sid (Nick Krause) and the younger daughter Scottie (Amara Miller), but this film is not going to stay with me. It's not that it's boring or that it's bad in anyway, it's just that it didn't move me. I mean it is a good interpretation of a family drama and it didn't drag, I just wasn't invested in the outcome.

Overall: The best way to describe The Descendants is that it's disappointingly nice 2.5/5

War Horse (2011) Dir: Steven Spielberg

Summary: Young Albert enlists to serve in World War I after his beloved horse is sold to the cavalry. Albert's hopeful journey takes him out of England and across Europe as the war rages on.

 

What use is an epic war film without an English cast? I'm so please Spielberg didn't fill this with Americans doing awful British accents. I must admit I instantly started smiling when Peter Mullan and Emily Watson appeared on screen. Yes the story is far fetched but it does have simply gorgeous cinematography and the horses are really the star of the show. 

I did go into this worried that I would get bored, bored of war, bored of horses, bored of a boy whining about his lost horse but the story is broken up into chapters of the horse's life making it easier to sustain interest. I completely adored the grandfather and granddaughter (Niels Arestrup and Celine Buckens), and the chief German horse carer played by Nicolas Bro but found other scenes such as the meeting of the British and German soldier in no mans land unoriginal.

I have to say the film over all is very well done and considering the amount of special effects that must have been used all were fantastically done.

 

Overall: The kind of film you could take your Mam and Dad to 3.5/5

Where have you gone Rachel?

Well some of you may have noticed that after the announcement of the Oscar nominations my blog has been rather quiet, well one of the reasons for this is because I was so disappointed with the films nominated. Now I know it's all about who's in and who's out and really the politics of Hollywood plays a huge part in who gets nominated but I really felt quite disillusioned with this years nominations. Every December, in preparation for the Oscars, I compile a list of films I think might get nominated and films/I want to get nominated hence me reviewing a few films that were not nominated before the announcement. Anyway this year I was really excited by my list, here are a handful of the films I was really looking forward to seeing/reviewing:

J. Edgar 

We Need to Talk about Kevin 

A Dangerous Method 

Young Adult

The Whistleblower 

Coriolanus

The Interrupters

Martha Marcy May Marlene 

Melancholia 

Take Shelter

Natural Selection

Bobby Fischer against the world

Instead I have to watch emotional rubbish such as The Descendants and The Help. Does anyone else remember poor David Lynch's campaign to get Laura Dern nominated for Inland Empire (Cow Campaign) or the horror show of Melissa Leo's personal campaign from last year (really what was she thinking?) but even with the Academy's new rules on promoting films to "protecting the integrity of the Academy" has not helped this game of favourites. Anyway I will persevere and tomorrow I will attempt to write about War Horse but next year I am really considering a change to a BAFTA blog.

Rachel out.

Contagion (2011) Dir: Steven Soberbergh

Summary: A thriller centered on the threat posed by a deadly disease and an international team of doctors contracted by the CDC to deal with the outbreak. 

 

What Soderbergh does well is manage large casts of big name actors, he seems to be able to let them show case their best abilities and structure scenes where no one comes across as a bad actor. In Contagion Matt Damon is emotional strong, Laurence Fishburne is all CSI, Kate Winslett is all stressed but in control, Gwyneth Paltrow is weak and dislikeable, Jude Law is the nasty baddie and Marion Cotillard is beautiful and intriguing. The problem with Contagion is not the actors it is the multi-character story telling, the narrative in the film is provided by cutting from one character to another in a way similar to films such as Crash, Traffic and Babel, due to this the film loses much of its suspense and becomes a story of survival instead of the thriller we are advertised. 

Soderbergh focus on the individual characters does create a feel similar to the beginning of a horror film; Who is infected? When is the food going to run out? Is society as we know it going to collapse? But as the story unfolds you realise the film is meant to be about finding the root of the virus, finding a cure for the virus and managing the outbreak, non of these issues are really addressed but more stumbled upon and then not really followed through. All suspense is spoilt by the chopping and changing of the narrative and the investigation into the outbreak barely gets started before a cure is found. The whole film leaves you frustrated that the stories you want expanded are not and that any narrative that starts to get interesting is stopped in its tracks. I felt the most interesting characters where the scientist who first manages to grow the virus played by the charming Elliott Gould and John Hawkes (who should have won best supporting actor last year for his turn in Winters Bone) as the CDC janitor, both of which are underused, generally ignored and roles not really fully developed. 

 

Overall: I can't fault the acting but too many characters not enough investigating. 2.5/5.

Shame (2011) Dir: Steve McQueen

Summary: In New York City, Brandon's carefully cultivated private life -- which allows him to indulge his sexual addiction -- is disrupted when his sister Sissy arrives unannounced for an indefinite stay.

This is a film about control and disconnection but I could not tell you for the life of me if it was successful or not. Michael Fassbender commits fully to the role of Brandon, a sex addict living in New York, he is unable to form meaningful emotional relationships and manages his OCD and stress with his sex addiction and the wonderful Carey Mulligan plays Brandon's mentally unstable sister Sissy. The script leaves a lot unsaid leaving the blanks to be filled in my the viewer which reminded me a lot of French cinema such as Cache. It is beautifully shot, the pace was good and fundamentally it is a story of Brandon hitting bottom. 

My main issue with the film is that I didn't form a bond with either Brandon or Sissy. As the script withholds all of Brandon and Sissy's back story it is very hard to have any empathy for either one of them. I know this ploy is probably symbolic to their inability to form emotional relationships but for me really good films should make the viewer invest emotionally in them and with Shame I just didn't overly care what happened to either of the main characters. 

I'm sitting on the fence with this one, it is not a standard film about addiction or a life spiralling out of control and for that I give it credit but I just think it could have been pushed further by providing a back story and really pushing towards a devastating end. I felt throughout the film that I was waiting for the penny to drop, for the big twist or the dramatic finale but everything was played down and softly done. I think I just wanted something as powerful as Requiem for a Dream and instead got something which was holding back and maybe too clever for it's own good.

Overall: Not good but not really bad either 3/5. 

Drive (2011) Dir: Nicolas Winding Refn

Summary: A Hollywood stunt performer who moonlights as a wheelman discovers that a contract has been put on him after a heist gone wrong.

I love a film with beautiful silences, ones that stretch out for what seems like eternity but aren't awkward, they leave you time to breathe and take everything in; the gorgeous cinematography, the colours, the lighting, the wardrobe, the look on the character's faces, what has come before and what the script is building upto and Drive has them in spade. This was one of my 2 favourite films of last year (the other was Winters Bone) and if it doesn't get a nomination I will be furious.
Gosling is quiet, brooding, mysterious and scemeing, Mulligan is tender, soft and welcoming and even the woodeness of Pearlman cannot spoil this this masterpiece. The plot unfolds slowly rapped in the bold colours of day, the dark underbelly of night and the soundtrack of loneliness until the ultraviolent finale. Yes there are car chases that you would expect to see in a hollywood blockbuster, yes fundementally it is a heist movie but Winding Refn's indie astestic always keeps our focus on the lost soul that is the Driver. 
Winding Refn has come a long way since the Pusher Trillogy and Bronson and I really cannot wait to see what his next offering will be.

Overall: Simply gorgeous 5/5. 
P.S. Drive is release on DVD and snazzy Blueray on January 30th. I will be buying it.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) Dir: David Fincher

Summary: Journalist Mikael Blomkvist is aided in his search for a woman who has been missing for forty years by Lisbeth Salander, a young computer hacker.

So why is the opening title sequence like being stuck in a Tool music video? It is so horrible I was jealous of the late comers who timed it perfectly to miss the cybergoth wet dream that I witnessed. This film only really left me with questions: Why does Lisbeth seem nervous and meek rather than angry and confident? Why is the 'background' music mixed as loud as the conversations? Why is the emotion implied by the music rather than the acting and why do Lisbeth's story seem to have been directed in a different style than Mikael's story? I know me and the Fincher have a rocky relationship (lets face it he hasn't done anything good since Zodiac), and I know I loved the book and the Swedish original but I really did try to go into this with an open mind. 

The music was the 1st thing that annoyed me, thumping beats to signify rising anger, off tune piano notes to symbolise tension and generally the way I was straining to hear the conversations. Next annoyance the pace seemed off, I felt I was thrown in with the characters rather than them being introduced, yet even though it felt like Fincher was rushing through it, it still went on forever................. I really thought it was ever going to end. Fincher also, even though he had 158 minutes, cut many of the more tender moments I loved in the original such as Mikael and Lisbeth's car journey. I didn't really engage with the film until Mikael and Lisbeth had united as until then I couldn't seem to find a coherency in the direction and then after the mystery of Harriet is reveled I felt frustration again Lisbeth begins to talk away too much and lose all her mystery. The only thing I really enjoyed was Daniel Craig who's use of his glasses was by far the best thing in this film.

Overall: What a waste, watch the original. 2 out of 5.

The Iron Lady (2011) Dir: Phyllida Lloyd

Summary: A look at the life of Margaret Thatcher, the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, with a focus on the price she paid for power.

I did not want to see this, I especially did not want to pay money to see this and it was by far the bottom of my Oscars list but it's Meryl and Meryl Streep and the Oscar go together like marmalade and toast so there was no avoiding it. Balls.

It is scary how the Streep has completely been transformed into Thatcher Thatcher the milk snatcher, I can honestly say I got goose-pimples when she appeared on screen, even creepier was when Olivia Colman turned up as Carol Thatcher, the only thing that gave her away was her voice. The story is well crafted half love note to Denis Thatcher (played by the ever charming Jim Broadbent), half story of Thatcher's humble beginnings to pigheaded bully. Streep plays it all brilliantly and there is no faulting her, the script keeps you engaged and it is beautifully shot but there is no way to view this unbiased and therefore watching it is uncomfortable. You know the political events that are coming and you know the social unrest, you know the wrong decisions she made and the landscape of the country by the end of her 11 year reign, yet the film is very much as story about Thatcher's personal loss. The script focuses on Thatcher's loss of Denis due to his death, the loss of her children’s childhood due to her political ambition and the loss of her power.

The film very much reminded me of W. by Oliver Stone, you don't want to watch it, you don't like the character in it but it's still really interesting viewing and very well done.

Overall: With so many notable performances it is hard to hate this, definitely deserves a nomination for best make up at the very least. 4 out of 5.