It's lovely to see a big adventurous Sci-Fi film with a British bent. So many these days are big Hollywood budget with American stories or British stories retold in America and that's great but it's also nice that people are still making home grown Sci-Fi and what the film lacks in big budget polish it makes up for in genuine heartfelt story. I wish there were more like this.
Reviews
6 Reviews
Revolutionary Road
(2008)
A difficult film to either like or to easily dismiss
11 February 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Adapted from the acclaimed literary novel by Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road is very difficult film either to like or to easily dismiss.
Richard Yates, in writing his book wanted to compare the brave revolutionary spirit upon which America had been founded to the spiritless conformism which had taken hold in the 50's as a result of McCarthyism, where people clung to safety and security at any price. The demise of April and Frank Wheeler's relationship and the price paid for the conformism of their contemporaries is meant to symbolise the last flicker of a dying American flame. Sadly the film, despite being truly well done, delivers no such comparison.
Sam Mendes adaptation is certainly stylish, perfectly detailed and brutally honest. Kate and Leo are both excellent, the art design superb and Roger Deakins captures it all with his usual cinematic eloquence. It's all very high calibre stuff but yet I found it really hard to like or find anything new, relevant or meaningful to me in this melodramatic story.
In fact in the 21st century that I inhabit, I'm not sure any of the themes of Revolutionary Road have relevance. Perhaps in another context, perhaps in another film they might, but to spend two hours with April and Frank and their crowd, however beautifully portrayed they are, is to spend two hours with horrible shallow stereotyped people more in love with their ideas about life than anything else including themselves or each other. Who on earth, however brilliantly the film is made, would truly want to spend a couple of hours getting bogged down in that mire when there are other choices.
I wanted to like Revolutionary Road, the filmmakers have tried to give me stuff to like, and I did like most every aspect of how it was made. I just didn't relate to the people or the situation it was about and cared nothing for this story. More than anything I want to watch films that make me feel something. Sadly this revolution was just not up my road.
Richard Yates, in writing his book wanted to compare the brave revolutionary spirit upon which America had been founded to the spiritless conformism which had taken hold in the 50's as a result of McCarthyism, where people clung to safety and security at any price. The demise of April and Frank Wheeler's relationship and the price paid for the conformism of their contemporaries is meant to symbolise the last flicker of a dying American flame. Sadly the film, despite being truly well done, delivers no such comparison.
Sam Mendes adaptation is certainly stylish, perfectly detailed and brutally honest. Kate and Leo are both excellent, the art design superb and Roger Deakins captures it all with his usual cinematic eloquence. It's all very high calibre stuff but yet I found it really hard to like or find anything new, relevant or meaningful to me in this melodramatic story.
In fact in the 21st century that I inhabit, I'm not sure any of the themes of Revolutionary Road have relevance. Perhaps in another context, perhaps in another film they might, but to spend two hours with April and Frank and their crowd, however beautifully portrayed they are, is to spend two hours with horrible shallow stereotyped people more in love with their ideas about life than anything else including themselves or each other. Who on earth, however brilliantly the film is made, would truly want to spend a couple of hours getting bogged down in that mire when there are other choices.
I wanted to like Revolutionary Road, the filmmakers have tried to give me stuff to like, and I did like most every aspect of how it was made. I just didn't relate to the people or the situation it was about and cared nothing for this story. More than anything I want to watch films that make me feel something. Sadly this revolution was just not up my road.
The Birthday
(I) (2004)
There is nothing conventional about this extraordinary film
24 January 2009
Warning: Spoilers
A Spanish produced English language movie filmed in a Baltimore hotel set created in Barcelona, there is nothing conventional about extraordinary film The Birthday directed by Eugenio Mira and staring Corey Feldman.
Norman goes to meet his girlfriends parents for the first time at her father's birthday party, finding out only after he arrives that nobody other than his sweetheart Alison is expecting him, on top of which there are some very strange goings on indeed with the waiting staff and another party of Norman's old school pal that's going on upstairs.
Norman is forced to choose between being a bystander or a hero as he tries to impress Alison's parents, find time to give her a present to confirm their commitment and prevent the birth of a cult God.
While the premise is great the storyline of The Birthday is frustratingly hard to make sense of or understand and to some extent it lacks a satisfying conclusion but there are so many great things about this film that it's hard to be upset by that fact.
Shot beautifully in a purpose built stylistically designed and moodily lit set, we got to experience the full depth of colours as the festival screened the original 35mm print rather than a digital copy. The film plays out in real time as we follow Norman about the hotel, witnessing events unfold peripherally as he does and the technique works brilliantly putting the viewer right in there in the midst of the discoveries in a very experiential way.
Corey Feldman is wonderful as Norman creating a surreal character who becomes more and more believable within the escalating bizarreness of events. It takes a lot of craft to pull that off as an actor and Corey flawlessly inhabits his character's skin. The sound design was particularly stunning and affecting too and that alone is worth the trip to the cinema.
Corey Feldman was there at the screening I saw at the Raindance Film Festival 2008. He gave a long talk and Q&A earlier in the day about his extensive film career and growing up as one of the most well known faces of the 80's and he talked before and stayed after the film screening to answer questions about it and meet those who came to see it. Director Eugenio Mira was also there talking enthusiastically about his aims and process in making this film happen and his ongoing push to get it seen as widely as possible. I can see why these guys are so warm and enthusiastic about their film and so appreciative of the people who came to see it. Few first time indie film debuts stretch these kinds of film-making boundaries and The Birthday, though it doesn't hit all marks, is certainly worth experiencing and enjoying for the very fun and unique premise and piece of film-making that it is.
Norman goes to meet his girlfriends parents for the first time at her father's birthday party, finding out only after he arrives that nobody other than his sweetheart Alison is expecting him, on top of which there are some very strange goings on indeed with the waiting staff and another party of Norman's old school pal that's going on upstairs.
Norman is forced to choose between being a bystander or a hero as he tries to impress Alison's parents, find time to give her a present to confirm their commitment and prevent the birth of a cult God.
While the premise is great the storyline of The Birthday is frustratingly hard to make sense of or understand and to some extent it lacks a satisfying conclusion but there are so many great things about this film that it's hard to be upset by that fact.
Shot beautifully in a purpose built stylistically designed and moodily lit set, we got to experience the full depth of colours as the festival screened the original 35mm print rather than a digital copy. The film plays out in real time as we follow Norman about the hotel, witnessing events unfold peripherally as he does and the technique works brilliantly putting the viewer right in there in the midst of the discoveries in a very experiential way.
Corey Feldman is wonderful as Norman creating a surreal character who becomes more and more believable within the escalating bizarreness of events. It takes a lot of craft to pull that off as an actor and Corey flawlessly inhabits his character's skin. The sound design was particularly stunning and affecting too and that alone is worth the trip to the cinema.
Corey Feldman was there at the screening I saw at the Raindance Film Festival 2008. He gave a long talk and Q&A earlier in the day about his extensive film career and growing up as one of the most well known faces of the 80's and he talked before and stayed after the film screening to answer questions about it and meet those who came to see it. Director Eugenio Mira was also there talking enthusiastically about his aims and process in making this film happen and his ongoing push to get it seen as widely as possible. I can see why these guys are so warm and enthusiastic about their film and so appreciative of the people who came to see it. Few first time indie film debuts stretch these kinds of film-making boundaries and The Birthday, though it doesn't hit all marks, is certainly worth experiencing and enjoying for the very fun and unique premise and piece of film-making that it is.
Who Is KK Downey?
(2008)
Coolness personified
24 January 2009
Warning: Spoilers
The Highlight of the Raindance Film Festival 2008 for me was Canada's Who is KK Downey?, a fantastic film and the first feature length production from Kidnapper Films it is jam packed with talent and hilariously funny.
Actor/Directors Darren Curtis and Pat Kiely are particularly brilliant creating an experience in this unforced zany comedy that is simply delicious and left me a little bit in awe of and in love with them both.
Hard to describe, the innovative plot revolves around wannabe rock star, Terrance, who wants his ex girlfriend back from her new beau, pretentious journalist Connor Rooney, and Terrance's best friend Theo who dreams of being a successful author. Fed up of getting nowhere the two hatch a plan to turn Theo's gritty but fictional book Truck Stop Hustler into an 'autobiography' by creating a fake protagonist in the enigma that is KK Downey. As KK's popularity rockets the friends towards everything they dreamed of there are twists turns and downsides to the celebrity they have so long wished for and the characters each learn the price they must pay for the things they want and learn to discover and value the unique qualities in themselves and each other.
One of the best and most original films I've seen in ages, Who is KK Downey is a courageous example of everything that's great in indie film-making. It's brilliantly written with a flawless plot and fantastic characters, sensitively acted by an ensemble cast, rich with imagery and cool locations and is shot and scored brilliantly. The film has it's own unique look, sounds great, and is coolness personified with loads of inventive film-making technique packed in for good measure and plenty of funny moments to boot.
It's simply put, the best fun I've had in a big dark room full of strangers!
Actor/Directors Darren Curtis and Pat Kiely are particularly brilliant creating an experience in this unforced zany comedy that is simply delicious and left me a little bit in awe of and in love with them both.
Hard to describe, the innovative plot revolves around wannabe rock star, Terrance, who wants his ex girlfriend back from her new beau, pretentious journalist Connor Rooney, and Terrance's best friend Theo who dreams of being a successful author. Fed up of getting nowhere the two hatch a plan to turn Theo's gritty but fictional book Truck Stop Hustler into an 'autobiography' by creating a fake protagonist in the enigma that is KK Downey. As KK's popularity rockets the friends towards everything they dreamed of there are twists turns and downsides to the celebrity they have so long wished for and the characters each learn the price they must pay for the things they want and learn to discover and value the unique qualities in themselves and each other.
One of the best and most original films I've seen in ages, Who is KK Downey is a courageous example of everything that's great in indie film-making. It's brilliantly written with a flawless plot and fantastic characters, sensitively acted by an ensemble cast, rich with imagery and cool locations and is shot and scored brilliantly. The film has it's own unique look, sounds great, and is coolness personified with loads of inventive film-making technique packed in for good measure and plenty of funny moments to boot.
It's simply put, the best fun I've had in a big dark room full of strangers!
Slumdog Millionaire
(2008)
A feelgood film about the wealth of life and the riches of love
24 January 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire is a wonderful feelgood film about the wealth of life experience and the riches of love. At times it feels very unrealistic but we happily suspend disbelief for the pleasure and joy of this fast paced ride.
What struck me most is that, though bursting with all the colour and vitality that Mumbai has to offer, the film has a very British feel to it with a cool modern soundtrack, a mischievous outlook and a winning energetic spirit. (And of course plenty cups of chah!) Everything about the film exudes cheeky fun, the music, the title sequence, the colourful offset subtitles and finally the Zatoichi style Bollywood closing number.
The cinematography is stunning. It's rich dense colours and the unique vantage points of the shots give an energetic upbeat feel to the footage. Expert cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle used a mixture of 35mm and hand-held digital (shot on the P+S Technik 2K). The digital was introduced as a way to include the fast paced movement through the narrow, densely populated slum streets without getting stuck in them with bulky Indian film cameras or attracting too much unwanted attention from bystanders. About 60% of the film ended up being shot on digital and a small amount was shot on a CanonCam stills camera on continuous burst.
The beauty, energy and uplifting qualities of Slumdog enable the film to deal with more sinister elements of the story in an engaging way. Far from being harrowing the films violent points are given to us with hope for overcoming life's dangers, and these punches of the dark side of India are what keeps the film from being dismissed as pure fairytale. Beautifully acted by an endearing cast it is instead a fantastic triumph of meaning and relevance in a growing city that is set to become the largest in the world within the next decade or so.
What struck me most is that, though bursting with all the colour and vitality that Mumbai has to offer, the film has a very British feel to it with a cool modern soundtrack, a mischievous outlook and a winning energetic spirit. (And of course plenty cups of chah!) Everything about the film exudes cheeky fun, the music, the title sequence, the colourful offset subtitles and finally the Zatoichi style Bollywood closing number.
The cinematography is stunning. It's rich dense colours and the unique vantage points of the shots give an energetic upbeat feel to the footage. Expert cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle used a mixture of 35mm and hand-held digital (shot on the P+S Technik 2K). The digital was introduced as a way to include the fast paced movement through the narrow, densely populated slum streets without getting stuck in them with bulky Indian film cameras or attracting too much unwanted attention from bystanders. About 60% of the film ended up being shot on digital and a small amount was shot on a CanonCam stills camera on continuous burst.
The beauty, energy and uplifting qualities of Slumdog enable the film to deal with more sinister elements of the story in an engaging way. Far from being harrowing the films violent points are given to us with hope for overcoming life's dangers, and these punches of the dark side of India are what keeps the film from being dismissed as pure fairytale. Beautifully acted by an endearing cast it is instead a fantastic triumph of meaning and relevance in a growing city that is set to become the largest in the world within the next decade or so.
Milk
(I) (2008)
Milk is electric, Van Sant at his best..
23 January 2009
Warning: Spoilers
If you don't think you're going to like a film about Gay rights then I'm here to recruit you! Because nobody has to be Gay to be happy about Gus Van Sant's amazing film, Milk.
From the very first instant right through to the closing credits it's electric film-making in true Van Sant style with all the flair, whimsy and gentle humility that this tremendous director brings to his work. And this truly is a signature Van Sant movie not to be missed.
Based on the true story of Harvey Milk who was the first openly Gay official to be elected in the United States. The film captures the period with ease and backdrops the storyline with poignant interludes of a narration scene depicting Harvey Milk as he tape records his path from political awakening to current position 'in the event that he should be assassinated'. Along with smatterings of retro stills and video footage depicting the issues and icons of the time, the result is both light and powerful. The flip of styles, never for one minute lets us forget that this story is about something real and relevant to both our society's history, and it's attitudes today.
Sean Penn under Van Sant's direction is magic and the actor finds even greater depths and ease than usual in the charming tenderness with which he inhabits Milk's character. Highlighted too are smashing performances from James Franco, Josh Brolin and Emile Hirsch who all shine in their respective roles. The screenplay is well moulded by Dustin Lance Black and super cinematography by Harris Savides gives an authentic feel while maintaining a mood lifting brightness that mirrors the heart of the tale. The score by Danny Elfman is unobtrusively delicious and seamless editing courtesy of Elliot Graham finishes a sublimely crafted film.
If there are cracks then they appear in the underdevelopment of the one pertinent female character, campaign manager Anne Kronenberg and rather over indulges the character of boyfriend Jack Lira, but these flaws are minor and do not spoil what is a moving and well delivered film and it's great to see Gus Van Sant on such top form these days with a more mainstream production. More like this please!
From the very first instant right through to the closing credits it's electric film-making in true Van Sant style with all the flair, whimsy and gentle humility that this tremendous director brings to his work. And this truly is a signature Van Sant movie not to be missed.
Based on the true story of Harvey Milk who was the first openly Gay official to be elected in the United States. The film captures the period with ease and backdrops the storyline with poignant interludes of a narration scene depicting Harvey Milk as he tape records his path from political awakening to current position 'in the event that he should be assassinated'. Along with smatterings of retro stills and video footage depicting the issues and icons of the time, the result is both light and powerful. The flip of styles, never for one minute lets us forget that this story is about something real and relevant to both our society's history, and it's attitudes today.
Sean Penn under Van Sant's direction is magic and the actor finds even greater depths and ease than usual in the charming tenderness with which he inhabits Milk's character. Highlighted too are smashing performances from James Franco, Josh Brolin and Emile Hirsch who all shine in their respective roles. The screenplay is well moulded by Dustin Lance Black and super cinematography by Harris Savides gives an authentic feel while maintaining a mood lifting brightness that mirrors the heart of the tale. The score by Danny Elfman is unobtrusively delicious and seamless editing courtesy of Elliot Graham finishes a sublimely crafted film.
If there are cracks then they appear in the underdevelopment of the one pertinent female character, campaign manager Anne Kronenberg and rather over indulges the character of boyfriend Jack Lira, but these flaws are minor and do not spoil what is a moving and well delivered film and it's great to see Gus Van Sant on such top form these days with a more mainstream production. More like this please!
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