Friday 19 April 2013

Mama


As the economy comes crashing down in North America, Jeffrey (a casualty of the market) loses his mind and sets about destroying his private life. Having thrown his two daughters in the car, Jeffrey is on the road to nowhere. With his daughters terrified and he himself lost (in more ways than one), it's not long before an accident occurs.
Bruised and battered, the broken family stumble from their car and begin walking aimlessly through the forest to which they've found themselves. Finding an abandoned log cabin, Jeffrey ushers in his young daughters with malicious intent.

This pre-credit sequence is almost a film within itself and goes about laying the foundations for Mama -  the debut feature from Andres Muschietti, produced by Guillermo del Toro (of Hellboy and Pans Labyrinth fame).
By championing new directors, del Toro is able to tell more stories than he would otherwise be able. Certain themes have emerged from the films del Toro has put his name to - with children being the principle victims of a twisted fairytale aesthetic. Due to the expertise behind each film however, they do all differ - as basements differ from attics (in the same nightmarish house)!

Mama continues some five years later with Jeffrey's brother, Lucas (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) spending every waking hour (and every penny earned) searching for his nieces. They are finally found in the very cabin where we left them. They are bought back to civilisation, via the hospital and re-cooperation centre of Dr Dreyfuss. It would appear the girls had only themselves for company, while surviving on a diet of cherries alone. Animal-like in instinct and behaviour, it takes a good while for the girls to return to normality.
Lucas and his girlfriend Annabel (Jessica Chastain) take in the girls eventually, meaning big change for all involved - particularly Annabel, who's rock-star lifestyle is suddenly compromised.
Despite the challenges of rehabilitating two girls (with the youngest showing little sign of returning to the world), the new family soon discover a third-party resident in their home. An entity that seemingly looked over the two girls during their time in the cabin - the ubiquitous Mama!

Like many of del Toro's productions, the film follows the plight of the young cast, with adults falling foul from sticking their noses where they don't belong.
The two young actresses (Megan Charpenteir and Isabelle Nelisse) show great restraint. They are particularly good in the effects-driven scenes - displaying more imagination than most adults saddled with the task of interacting with a tennis ball or some such prop.
As an alternative human mother Annabel presents the most interesting character arc. Content with being Lucas' girlfriend while pursuing a career in music, she is suddenly burdened with children to look after. With little compassion to offer Annabel struggles at first, but soon finds her feet as paternal instincts kick in. Annabel is another change for Chastain who's carving out a career as a character actor, rather than a movie star.
Beyond the family dynamic, there's a couple of side-stories concerning Dr Dreyfuss' restless fascination with the case - and the relentless jealousy of Lucas' sister-in law Jean, who originally fought for custody of the girls.

Mama is full of great moments, boasting plenty of scares. Mama herself is an effective ghoul - with the suggestion of her presence proving more sinister than when she's revealed fully.
Like Don't be Afraid of the Dark and The Devil's Backbone before it, there's a tenderness to Mama which shows it's hand after the majority of the scares. Another main staple of del Toro's productions, this sets his films apart from the likes of more chilling and adult fair.

Mama is a great addition to the genre - a twisted fairytale in the Brothers Grimm (del Toro) tradition!

3/5


Poster image courtesy: www.impawards.com

Oz the Great and Powerful


One could be forgiven for thinking Oz the Great and Powerful was yet another contemporary fairytale adaptation. Sandwiched between Hansel and Gretel and Jack the Giant Slayer, Oz is instead a prequel to the original classic, The Wizard of Oz - arguably one of the greatest fairy-tales of all time.
Oz also represents a return to the cinema for Sam Raimi. Despite a few false starts ( Spider-man 4/ World of Warcraft) Raimi's attachment to the film is what sparked this particular reviewers interest!

Oz the Great and Powerful recounts the early days of the self-proclaimed magician as he struggles to make ends meat as a member of the Baum Bros circus. Oz is well versed in showmanship and trickery and when he's not wowing crowds, he's seducing any attractive young woman who happens to cross his path. When a colleague discovers his own wife has fallen for Oz's charms, Oz has no alternative but to flee in his hot-air balloon - and it's off to the land of Oz we go!
Paying homage to the original, the film begins in black and white, then by way of destructive tornado, we are whisked away to the land of Oz - where the technicolor vistas come thick and fast!

As with the original Wizard of Oz, our hero meets some truly remarkable characters along his way. A porcelain girl and a flying monkey accompany Oz on his journey, while three witches help and hinder our hero in equal measure.
Despite his charms, Oz is far from perfect. The consequences of his actions back home are quickly dwarfed by the challenges he faces in the land of his namesake.

Played very nicely by James franco, Oz discovers he has been heralded as the returning great Wizard - summoned by the people of Oz to protect them from the tyranny of the wicked witch of the west.
Franco is ably supported by Joey King and Zach Braff as the china girl and bellhop monkey, respectively. The three witches are played with great versatility by three stunning actresses of contemporary cinema; Rachel Weisz (Evanora), Michelle Williams (Glinda) and Mila Kunis (Theodora).

Known to most as the director of the original Spider-man and Evil Dead trilogies, Sam Raimi reigns in his penchant for the absurd and delivers his most commercial and family friendly film to date.
There are still flourishes of inventiveness abound - often delivered with bombast by the ever effective Raimi-cam!

Over-all the film is an unexpected delight. Like the original Wizard of Oz, the Great and Powerful is a deeply moralistic tale, with many a lesson to be learnt.
The film is steeped in nostalgia, with love and respect for it's predecessor.

3/5


Poster image courtesy: www.empireonline.com

Lincoln


I'm afraid this review won't be as comprehensive as some due to Lincoln's political content - much of which went over this particular reviewers head!
Despite my interest in politically driven features, the historical element of Lincoln highlighted my ignorance of the time in which it's set.

The plot is reasonably easy to follow and one imagines Lincoln will reward with multiple viewings.
As the American Civil War rages on, the film follows Lincoln's attempts to bring about the 13th Amendment - effectively banning slavery. Set during his second term as President, the film follows Lincoln's hurried efforts to get the bill passed by the House of Representatives.

Lincoln plays Daniel Day-Lewis in a role that earned him the best actor Oscar this year - and deservedly so! Day-Lewis inhabits the role chameleon-like - just as he's done many times before. There wouldn't be a film without him - the man's a genius!

Spielberg does an amicable job of directing, but for a visual story-teller who's set-ups and compositions are so masterful, this dialogue-heavy project seems an odd fit for the man.
There are moments which are undeniably his of course; the ongoing issue with Lincoln's gloves - and the wheel-barrow scene (as Lincoln's son stumbles upon the truth of war).

The supporting cast are good also. Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones are both strong. While James Spader, John Hawkes and Tim Blake Nelson (as Lincoln's street smart/politically savvy operatives) bring a lightness of touch to proceedings, distracting us from the furrowed brows of Office.

The film is rich with detail and the historical accuracy is evident. The film does feel small and somewhat restrained however. Perhaps the claustrophobic environs of Office are meant to communicate Lincoln's own feelings of isolation and frustration? With the 13th Amendment being of National concern, the obvious choice would've been to show the scale to which this new legislation would've affected the country.

Interestingly and somewhat poignantly I found myself watching Lincoln while current President, Barack Obama was looking to make revisions concerning gun control in the U.S. Fundamentally Lincoln recognised the Constitution of old needed amending today - a commendable action from an inspiring man.
Close to 150 years have passed since this film is set. One would hope we've evolved to a clearer and more united vision of our future?!

3/5


Poster image courtesy: www.empireonline.com

Saturday 13 April 2013

Flight


Flight is the new film from Robert Zemeckis - a director who's been absent from live action for over a decade. As well as his pioneering work with motion capture (The Polar Express, Beowulf, A Christmas Carol), Zemeckis has given us some of the most beloved films of all time; Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Forest Gump, to name a few. He has also proven his worth outside the action/adventure genre with films as diverse as Cast Away and What Lies Beneath.

Flight showcases the many talents of this acclaimed director beginning with a heart-stopping plane incident.
Denzel Washington plays Whip Whitaker - the hero pilot who saves many with a stunningly inventive display of piloting. Despite his hero status, Whip has blood on his hands and alcohol on his breath - and the families of the slain want justice. The film follows the plight of the aircrafts captain after an accusation of manslaughter by intoxication.

What begins as a finger-gnawing disaster piece, continues as a drama about addiction.
While recovering in hospital, Whip meets fellow addict Nicole (Kelly Reilly). A kinship is born between the two and it's not long before they're living together.
But as Nicole embraces her new beginning, Whip grows more depressed and disillusioned by the accusations that have been flung at him.
Washington does a very fine job with good support from Reilly and Don Cheadle (as Whitaker's industry appointed lawyer).

Despite the spectacular opening and the superb performances by the principle cast, Flight does take a dive in to melodrama occasionally - with a cliched soundtrack to match.
One scene towards the end is particularly jarring. A misguided scene featuring John Goodman as Whips drug dealer, Harling. The scene is inappropriately funny and consequently, best forgotten.

After a turbulent middle, the final act has you sitting to attention once more. All eyes are on Whitaker as he faces up to a few home truths.

When it's good, Flight is very good. For a director who's embraced so many new methods of film-making however, it seems odd that he would fall on so many tried and tested ones.

3/5


Poster image courtesy: http://www.empireonline.com

Zero Dark Thirty


Zero Dark Thirty marks the second collaboration between director Kathryn Bigelow and screenwriter/journalist Mark Boal, after 2008's multi-award winning The Hurt Locker.
This time Bigelow and Boal go broader with the hunt for Osama bin Laden.

The film recounts the decade-long search through the eyes of Central Intelligence analyst, Maya.
The film begins after the events of 9/11, with Maya (played with real verve by Jessica Chastain) assigned to the U.S. embassy in Pakistan.

Despite obvious discomfort at what she first encounters, Maya takes everything at face value.
For the american employees and recruits stationed in this part of the world, there is seemingly no life beyond their work. Anyone trying to integrate in to their new found surroundings usually falls foul.
Just as Maya approaches her work, so too do the film-makers - presenting everything at face value and without biased (more importantly, nothing overtly American or political)
Instead the film is loaded with detail, from the rich characters to their surroundings and beyond. Consequently the time and effort that went in to this lengthy man-hunt is palpable.

The flow of time is something the film-makers pull off magnificently. Orders from on high reassign key players, others grow weary and move on voluntarily - while the main character of Maya falls deeper and deeper in to her obsessive role.

Zero Dark Thirty is Bigelows most cerebral and adult film to date. Were it not for the last act, one could be forgiven for thinking they were watching another director at work.
Plans were originally in place to end the film differently. As it transpired, the search for bin Laden came to a close in 2011 - thus presenting Bigelow and co with a thrilling final act.
The Bigelow of old is at work here, ratcheting up the tension and putting the viewer in the thick of the action.
The fact that it all happened for real adds much to proceedings - this is where the Bigelow of new shows subtle restraint and sensitivity.

With Near Dark, Point Break and Strange Days on her resume, Zero Dark Thirty shows the growth of an exquisite action director, becoming globally aware.
Having focussed on a world at war with both this and The Hurt Locker, Bigelow is looking to answer the question that's stumped many - to what end?

4/5


Poster image courtesy: http://www.empireonline.com

Django Unchained


When Django Unchained was released back in January, awards season was upon us and with that came a host of quality productions - stories we could finally get our teeth in to!

By his own admission, Quentin Tarantino has sought to produce pictures that stand the test of time. His films will certainly be remembered, of that much I'm sure! Some question his excess, however Tarantino is a director of considerable talent and integrity (despite his fudging of historical fact)! Tarantino is a cinephile of the highest order and makes movies for those who live and breath the cinema.

Django Unchained tells the story of Django (Jamie Foxx), a man freed from slavery by Dr King Schultz (Christoph Waltz). Schultz is a bounty hunter who needs Django to identify the Brittle brothers - Schultz's next target. Django and his wife were attacked, kidnapped and sold by these fiends - not people Django will forget in a hurry!
In exchange for his help, Schultz offers his assistance in locating Django's wife.

The two set out on their righteous quest, bonding over a somewhat preordained connection to Schultz's fatherland. It would seem Django's wife, Broomhilda is of German heritage, with her name holding particular relevance to our hero's journey.
With Django showing great promise as a gun-slinger, it's not long before Schultz offers him a partnership in his business. This being the deep south of 1858, this kind of partnership is unusual, to say the least!

Following on from Inglourious Basterds, Django marks Tarantino's second foray in to historically-set drama. And just like Inglourious Basterds, the accuracy of the chosen period is somewhat skewed to accommodate Tarantino's love for exploitation cinema.
For my mind Inglourious Basterds is a classic and one of Tarantino's best. Despite it's similarities, Django is a more serious film - with a love story at it's core.

Tarantino essentially married comedy with violence by way of grindhouse aesthetics. With Django (and Basterds before it) he's playing with more serious themes. In an effort to distance his films from historical fact, it seems he's moving further towards his beloved grindhouse, exaggerating elements (such as violence) to comic-book-like proportions.
He trod a fine line with Inglorious Basterds, but Django appears to be another animal altogether.
The visceral violence of old is back, with an intent to document the horrors of the period. As with any Tarantino film there is much comedy to be found. With such seriousness abound, the comedy in Django jars somewhat. Non more so than a scene towards the end of the movie, featuring Tarantino himself (with a dodgy Australian accent). This scene takes you out of the movie completely, making it hard to immerse yourself in the film so close to the end.

Django has more going for it than the directors cameo of course. It's a worthy story with a great fairy-tale premise. The dialogue is fantastic and the actors are all superb (although it would've been interesting to see Will Smiths take on Django). Christoph Waltz is particularly good as Schultz - followed closely by Leonardo DiCaprio as Calvin Candie.
Candie is the villain of the piece - the dragon Django must slay, if you will. Owner of slave plantation Candie Land, the buying and selling of Mandingos (fighting slaves) is where Calvin's chief interests lay.

Django Unchained has much going for it - one could argue a little too much.
Having witnessed Tarantino evolve from Reservoir Dogs to Kill Bill and beyond, it would be premature to suggest the director is starting to repeat himself. There is undoubtedly more surprises to come - I for one can't wait!

4/5


Poster image courtesy: http://www.dreammoviecast.com
The name of the artist who produced this poster is Mike Butkus. Check out more of his incredible work at: http://www.mikebutkus.net/index.html