As with The Iron Lady last year, I only had a general understanding of this films central character. Much like Margaret Thatcher, my understanding of J.Edgar Hoover was that of a villain. These two films share similar DNA in the sense that they're presenting a figure who wasn't liked by the moral majority.
Certainly for younger audiences(not privy to the information as it was happening), these films are well-rounded lessons in history, ending with a similar thought - no person of power remains grounded.
J.Edgar is played magnificently by Leonardo DiCaprio and the film chronicles his entire public life, as the Bureau of Justice slowly transforms into the F.B.I.
J.Edgar is a sad character with no real life outside of his work. He is unquestionably committed to the cause of justice and goes about heralding the dawn of forensic investigation.
The work by Hoover's Bureau inevitably improves, as we follow several major cases of the time. The evidence presented by the Bureau is more scientific and as time goes on, becomes a lot harder to refute.
Slowly but surely, Hoover begins to use the resources at his disposal to investigate unwarranted cases. By bugging the homes and offices of his contemporaries, he accumulates a great deal of dirt - to both bribe and barter with. Hoover later uses counter-intelligence as a device to bait such political figures as Martin Luther King. From the very beginning, I believe most of his work was 'counter', as it was himself he was protecting all along.
The film comments on what little social life he did have, from living at home with his mother to his unrealised homosexual tendencies - particularly towards his most trusted colleague, Clyde Tolson.
Interestingly, this film was written by Dustin Lance Black, who wrote Milk. Despite the challenges Milk faced in the 1970's, J.Edgar is even more at odds with his sexuality in the years prior. He is a desperate man, working in the public eye, trapped in a time of intolerance.
The film uses flashbacks, again like The Iron Lady. There's obviously been a great many films that have used this device, but the Thatcher story used it to such great effect, that it almost seems superfluous here. There's a lot going on in J.Edgar and the flashbacks hinder rather than help.
Much has been said about the make-up in this film, as the same actors play their older selves well in to their golden years. DiCaprio's make-up in particular is spectacular! As an older Helen Gandy( Hoover's trusted secretary), Naomi Watts looks suitably authentic too. Unfortunately the same can not be said for Tolson(Armie Hammer). No doubt the artists worked from photographic evidence, however he looks like a caricature and the resulting scenes are somewhat distracting. Regardless, this is a very fine film, which left me educated and sympathetic to the plight of yet another troubled character - 4/5.
Tuesday 28 February 2012
Saturday 18 February 2012
The Grey
I was hotly anticipating the return of director, Joe Carnahan. After blowing my mind with Narc, Carnahan made Smokin' Aces and then The A-Team. His later films were entertaining(no question), but the startling realism of his earlier triumph was missing.
I'm happy to report that The Grey fills the realism quota(possibly, for the year) - and is a return to form for the director.
The Grey is a survival story, pitting man against the most brutal elements of nature - particularly that of the Alaskan wilderness. Not content with the horrendous weather, Carnahan pits his characters(survivors of an earlier incident) against a pack of wolves. Liam Neeson leads these survivors(about half a dozen men) and we follow his story closest.
The men featured in this film work on a drilling plant and their existence is presented as pretty bleak. The work is hard and with little to keep them occupied after hours, they drink and fight. Not all of them of course - there are no caricatures in this film.
The film is very well cast. Not all of the actors are recognisable, but they all explore their characters fully. Neeson exudes confidence and the men follow him happily(as would I). Carnahan is wise to explore the characters of each cast member. Even the disagreeable ones are presented as human - the reasoning behind their behaviour undeniable, if not always understandable.
I believe this is what raises the film above others of it's genre. We care about these characters, having invested our time and emotion in each and every one - often while sitting at the edge of our seat!
Neeson of course, needs no introduction. One can't help but think of the tragedy Neeson himself faced not long ago. No disrespect to his craft, but I can't imagine he would've had to dig too deep to find this man - it's a very fine performance.
It's not all doom and gloom of course. There is laughter to be had - these are men in the company of men, after-all! Their are some fine visual flourishes - and enough tension to keep you standing up straight for days!
This is a thriller of the highest order - packing an emotional punch, which leaves you rooting for Neeson and his men long after the credits have rolled - 4/5.
I'm happy to report that The Grey fills the realism quota(possibly, for the year) - and is a return to form for the director.
The Grey is a survival story, pitting man against the most brutal elements of nature - particularly that of the Alaskan wilderness. Not content with the horrendous weather, Carnahan pits his characters(survivors of an earlier incident) against a pack of wolves. Liam Neeson leads these survivors(about half a dozen men) and we follow his story closest.
The men featured in this film work on a drilling plant and their existence is presented as pretty bleak. The work is hard and with little to keep them occupied after hours, they drink and fight. Not all of them of course - there are no caricatures in this film.
The film is very well cast. Not all of the actors are recognisable, but they all explore their characters fully. Neeson exudes confidence and the men follow him happily(as would I). Carnahan is wise to explore the characters of each cast member. Even the disagreeable ones are presented as human - the reasoning behind their behaviour undeniable, if not always understandable.
I believe this is what raises the film above others of it's genre. We care about these characters, having invested our time and emotion in each and every one - often while sitting at the edge of our seat!
Neeson of course, needs no introduction. One can't help but think of the tragedy Neeson himself faced not long ago. No disrespect to his craft, but I can't imagine he would've had to dig too deep to find this man - it's a very fine performance.
It's not all doom and gloom of course. There is laughter to be had - these are men in the company of men, after-all! Their are some fine visual flourishes - and enough tension to keep you standing up straight for days!
This is a thriller of the highest order - packing an emotional punch, which leaves you rooting for Neeson and his men long after the credits have rolled - 4/5.
Friday 17 February 2012
The Muppets
Do yourself a favour and go see The Muppets!
I caught this film late in to it's release and unfortunately the theatre was empty. I imagine seeing this movie in a full theatre would have been great fun. There was still much laughter to be had by me and the half a dozen attendees, however. Even on DVD, I dare anyone not to be charmed by this film.
This particular Muppet movie is the brain-child of four very passionate and talented individuals; Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller(creators of Forgetting Sarah Marshall) and James Bobin and Bret Mckenzie(creators of Flight of the Conchords). Their passion is evident in the respect they have for all things Muppetry, and their talent speaks for itself.
This movie is an interesting hybrid of old and new comedy. The aforementioned talent have become hugely popular with their own brand of comedy of late - and with The Muppets, they now have a secondary(and somewhat nostalgic) element to play with. It works to great effect and gives audiences of every age something to giggle about. The songs for example, are very Conchordsesque - full of word-play, and incredibly catchy to boot!
Despite the nostalgia of seeing The Muppets again, they prove once more how relevant they still are. I found myself captivated by their performances - still surprised by how simple, yet affecting these creations are.
This being a story about(amongst other things) two brothers, I found myself thinking of my own brother over-seas - who's always had a strange affection for anything more than(and including) a hand in a sock! No doubt he'll enjoy this immensely - 4/5!
I caught this film late in to it's release and unfortunately the theatre was empty. I imagine seeing this movie in a full theatre would have been great fun. There was still much laughter to be had by me and the half a dozen attendees, however. Even on DVD, I dare anyone not to be charmed by this film.
This particular Muppet movie is the brain-child of four very passionate and talented individuals; Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller(creators of Forgetting Sarah Marshall) and James Bobin and Bret Mckenzie(creators of Flight of the Conchords). Their passion is evident in the respect they have for all things Muppetry, and their talent speaks for itself.
This movie is an interesting hybrid of old and new comedy. The aforementioned talent have become hugely popular with their own brand of comedy of late - and with The Muppets, they now have a secondary(and somewhat nostalgic) element to play with. It works to great effect and gives audiences of every age something to giggle about. The songs for example, are very Conchordsesque - full of word-play, and incredibly catchy to boot!
Despite the nostalgia of seeing The Muppets again, they prove once more how relevant they still are. I found myself captivated by their performances - still surprised by how simple, yet affecting these creations are.
This being a story about(amongst other things) two brothers, I found myself thinking of my own brother over-seas - who's always had a strange affection for anything more than(and including) a hand in a sock! No doubt he'll enjoy this immensely - 4/5!
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Expectations were high for this film, having been unable to avoid it's positive press. I sat in the theatre, eyes wide open and brain switched to manual! I'm a big fan of movies which engage the brain and this one didn't disappoint.
Tinker Tailor is a layered, multifaceted affair, concerning the British spy community of the seventies.
The head of British intelligence, Control, is convinced there is a mole amongst his inner circle. After a failed attempt to discover the identity of said mole in Croatia, Control resigns - along with his second in command, Mr Smiley. George Smiley(the cameleon-like Oldman) is later reinstated outside the walls of British intelligence, where he continues Control's secret mission.
Not having read John Le Carre's book(or seen the Alec Guinness starring television show), I couldn't confirm how this movie adaptation compares. As a stand-alone production, it's expertly made and superbly acted.
For a film that's been criticised for exorcising numerous parts from it's source material, it's perfectly paced. It certainly doesn't appear rushed, as the casual execution of the film can attest.
This is certainly a movie one could watch more than once and perhaps even a movie one would re-asses, long after the hype has settled. For now - 4/5.
Tinker Tailor is a layered, multifaceted affair, concerning the British spy community of the seventies.
The head of British intelligence, Control, is convinced there is a mole amongst his inner circle. After a failed attempt to discover the identity of said mole in Croatia, Control resigns - along with his second in command, Mr Smiley. George Smiley(the cameleon-like Oldman) is later reinstated outside the walls of British intelligence, where he continues Control's secret mission.
Not having read John Le Carre's book(or seen the Alec Guinness starring television show), I couldn't confirm how this movie adaptation compares. As a stand-alone production, it's expertly made and superbly acted.
For a film that's been criticised for exorcising numerous parts from it's source material, it's perfectly paced. It certainly doesn't appear rushed, as the casual execution of the film can attest.
This is certainly a movie one could watch more than once and perhaps even a movie one would re-asses, long after the hype has settled. For now - 4/5.
Monday 13 February 2012
Direct to DVD!
Originally, I was only going to review movies I had seen at the cinema on this blog. However, I recently saw two direct to DVD releases, which were both very good and certainly worthy of review. If nothing else, I thought their status as DVD's was worth commenting on.
It wouldn't be fair to comment on this matter fully, without the relevant information to hand. It would appear however, that the Australian market follows that of the U.S.(over and above the rest of the world), in it's decision to release movies theatrically or not. It seems any movie which doesn't do well at theatres in the States, will not get a theatrical run on our shores. There must be a cut-off of so many million - it would be interesting to know what that number is?!
Anyway, on to the movies in question. Firstly we have, 'The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-sec'. This is the new movie by Luc Besson - famed director of The Big blue and Leon.
This is a french language film set in 1911 and tells the tall tale of intrepid adventurer Adele Blanc-sec. Adapted from the graphic novels by Jacques Tardi, this very entertaining yarn could be best described as Amelie meets Tintin! The roll of Adele is played by Louise Bourgoin. She is charming and beautiful - and carries the movie with aplomb!
Live action family fantasies are too often 'something and nothing' - the film-makers unable to skew their product for the enjoyment of all ages, resulting in the enjoyment of none.
I have no doubt the success of this film has a lot to do with it's European sensibilities. It never ceases to amaze me how well foreign films translate sometimes. Despite the language barriers, we all share the same basic emotions on this planet. I believe foreign films act as a reminder to us all that we're not all that different from one another.
I found the quirky nature of this film incredibly refreshing. As with Les Visiteurs, Taxi 1 and 2, Micmacs and the aforementioned Amelie, the comedy elements in particular translate to satisfying effect.
My only criticism lies with the execution of some of the visual effects - particularly the interaction between live action and digital. No doubt Besson had a much smaller budget to work with than he did on The Fifth Element. However, what I found particularly lacking, was inventiveness. It seems only first time film-makers are able to produce unique and interesting scenes under budgetary constraints. Time and again, more is(unfortunately) less - 3/5.
Our second direct to DVD feature is, 'Apollo 18'. This is a found-footage feature(much like the recently reviewed, 'Chronicle'). This time the footage in question is from the 1970's and documents a secret Apollo mission to the moon.
The plot is simple, yet effective. After the success of Apollo 17, future Apollo missions and the program itself, is decommissioned. Three American astronauts are asked to take part in an unofficial 18th mission however, and sign-up willingly. After arriving on the moon, the crew discover Russian cosmonauts who shouldn't be there, and strange goings-on of 'alien' nature.
The execution is where this movie really succeeds. The film stock is suitably retro and the grainy nature and frequent interference of said footage helps to build tension - as it warns both astronaut and audience alike of impending strangeness!
This being a found footage account, the film-makers successfully ground their story in the facts surrounding the Apollo program. Nuggets of information concerning rock samples for example, aid in making the fiction just as intriguing as the fact.
This was close to a 4* film for me. For such an intelligent movie, full of originality, it needed a suitably interesting ending. I was left slightly unsatisfied as the credits rolled - 3/5.
It wouldn't be fair to comment on this matter fully, without the relevant information to hand. It would appear however, that the Australian market follows that of the U.S.(over and above the rest of the world), in it's decision to release movies theatrically or not. It seems any movie which doesn't do well at theatres in the States, will not get a theatrical run on our shores. There must be a cut-off of so many million - it would be interesting to know what that number is?!
Anyway, on to the movies in question. Firstly we have, 'The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-sec'. This is the new movie by Luc Besson - famed director of The Big blue and Leon.
This is a french language film set in 1911 and tells the tall tale of intrepid adventurer Adele Blanc-sec. Adapted from the graphic novels by Jacques Tardi, this very entertaining yarn could be best described as Amelie meets Tintin! The roll of Adele is played by Louise Bourgoin. She is charming and beautiful - and carries the movie with aplomb!
Live action family fantasies are too often 'something and nothing' - the film-makers unable to skew their product for the enjoyment of all ages, resulting in the enjoyment of none.
I have no doubt the success of this film has a lot to do with it's European sensibilities. It never ceases to amaze me how well foreign films translate sometimes. Despite the language barriers, we all share the same basic emotions on this planet. I believe foreign films act as a reminder to us all that we're not all that different from one another.
I found the quirky nature of this film incredibly refreshing. As with Les Visiteurs, Taxi 1 and 2, Micmacs and the aforementioned Amelie, the comedy elements in particular translate to satisfying effect.
My only criticism lies with the execution of some of the visual effects - particularly the interaction between live action and digital. No doubt Besson had a much smaller budget to work with than he did on The Fifth Element. However, what I found particularly lacking, was inventiveness. It seems only first time film-makers are able to produce unique and interesting scenes under budgetary constraints. Time and again, more is(unfortunately) less - 3/5.
Our second direct to DVD feature is, 'Apollo 18'. This is a found-footage feature(much like the recently reviewed, 'Chronicle'). This time the footage in question is from the 1970's and documents a secret Apollo mission to the moon.
The plot is simple, yet effective. After the success of Apollo 17, future Apollo missions and the program itself, is decommissioned. Three American astronauts are asked to take part in an unofficial 18th mission however, and sign-up willingly. After arriving on the moon, the crew discover Russian cosmonauts who shouldn't be there, and strange goings-on of 'alien' nature.
The execution is where this movie really succeeds. The film stock is suitably retro and the grainy nature and frequent interference of said footage helps to build tension - as it warns both astronaut and audience alike of impending strangeness!
This being a found footage account, the film-makers successfully ground their story in the facts surrounding the Apollo program. Nuggets of information concerning rock samples for example, aid in making the fiction just as intriguing as the fact.
This was close to a 4* film for me. For such an intelligent movie, full of originality, it needed a suitably interesting ending. I was left slightly unsatisfied as the credits rolled - 3/5.
Saturday 11 February 2012
Loner and SSOB now available at Wooly Bully!
Loner and SSOB are now available at the Wooly Bully cafe in North Melbourne(googlemapwooly)!
Wooly Bully is a fabulous little cafe, selling records and comics - a superb combo, if ever there was one!
Check out their website at: www.woolybully.com.au for more details.
Thursday 2 February 2012
Chronicle
Another great movie of 2012 and it's barely February!
I was quite looking forward to seeing this movie after catching the impressive trailer and discovering John Landis' son, Max was behind the script. For those of you who don't know, John Landis is responsible for the only great werewolf film thus far, 'An American Werewolf in London'. To discover Max had followed his father into a similarly genre bending project was encouraging, to say the least.
This is a found-footage movie of sorts. This time(as audiences become increasingly 'aware') we're expected to understand the format and follow without a written prologue or information as to the discovery of said footage. This film would've benefited from a little opening text in my opinion, but that's something the film-makers chose to exclude.
This movie 'chronicles' the exploits of three teenage boys who discover they have telekinetic powers, after an incident underground. Two of the boys are popular, while the third is shy and introverted - with major domestic problems to boot.
I believe the main problem these types of movies face is convincing it's audience that certain characters will always be filming, regardless of circumstance. For the most part these films carry the concept off, but I feel there's always a few moments here and there which require a further suspension of disbelief - and a consequence of this is the audiences brief removal from proceedings.
This is a good movie regardless of it's sub-genre. The second half of the movie cranks up the spectacle to 11 and is breathless in it's execution.
It made me think of all the super-hero movies past and forth-coming and how they've yet to capture the threat and danger of super-beings in our cities, as Chronicle does!
Perhaps the found-footage element makes the appearance of super-beings seem more real - perhaps even the switch from New York to Seattle in this movie makes events seem less iconic and more grounded in reality? I believe the only previous movie to succeed in creating a similar atmosphere is Superman 2.
Chronicle is a lot of fun with an emotional core to keep things interesting - 4/5!
I was quite looking forward to seeing this movie after catching the impressive trailer and discovering John Landis' son, Max was behind the script. For those of you who don't know, John Landis is responsible for the only great werewolf film thus far, 'An American Werewolf in London'. To discover Max had followed his father into a similarly genre bending project was encouraging, to say the least.
This is a found-footage movie of sorts. This time(as audiences become increasingly 'aware') we're expected to understand the format and follow without a written prologue or information as to the discovery of said footage. This film would've benefited from a little opening text in my opinion, but that's something the film-makers chose to exclude.
This movie 'chronicles' the exploits of three teenage boys who discover they have telekinetic powers, after an incident underground. Two of the boys are popular, while the third is shy and introverted - with major domestic problems to boot.
I believe the main problem these types of movies face is convincing it's audience that certain characters will always be filming, regardless of circumstance. For the most part these films carry the concept off, but I feel there's always a few moments here and there which require a further suspension of disbelief - and a consequence of this is the audiences brief removal from proceedings.
This is a good movie regardless of it's sub-genre. The second half of the movie cranks up the spectacle to 11 and is breathless in it's execution.
It made me think of all the super-hero movies past and forth-coming and how they've yet to capture the threat and danger of super-beings in our cities, as Chronicle does!
Perhaps the found-footage element makes the appearance of super-beings seem more real - perhaps even the switch from New York to Seattle in this movie makes events seem less iconic and more grounded in reality? I believe the only previous movie to succeed in creating a similar atmosphere is Superman 2.
Chronicle is a lot of fun with an emotional core to keep things interesting - 4/5!
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