The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared

• Released Internationally on 25/12/13
• Released in Malta by KRS on 17/09/14

Review (16/09/14)

3-word review: Silly and wonderful. 

With a title like that and a tagline like ‘You’re never too old for an adventure’, you’d be perfectly correct to assume that this is no ordinary film. It isn’t, and it’s great. Based on the successful novel and made in Sweden with some help and actors from other European nations, this little gem manages to be both a quirky little story as well as a polished film achievement with great acting, impressive make-up and big budget effects.

A colourful century

The 100 year-old man in question has lived an extremely interesting life, partly due to his love for explosives, but mostly due to the lesson his dying mum taught him about not thinking too much, but just doing things. There’s a standout Cold War montage with him as a double agent which is a glorious piece of cinema. In a Forrest Gump way his life intertwines with historic events and famous people over the course of the last century, and the flashbacks prove to be just as entertaining as the present day story. As the staff at his nursing home prepare to celebrate his birthday, he climbs out the window and sets in motion an incredible chain of events that take him across the globe. You’ll need to suspend belief on occasion, but never to the point of distraction or in an annoying way. It’s a comic caper, after all.

In the end

For me, this was one of the biggest surprises of the year so far, coming out of nowhere like a breath of fresh air among the other Hollywood fare. It’s far from perfect, and it borrows from other film and stories at points, but it manages to keep the pace for two hours of fun and humour. If you enjoyed the crazy flashbacks and odd characters of Amélie, you should love this.

Trailer:

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

 

• Released Internationally on 11/12/13
• Released in Malta by KRS on 13/12/13

Review (12/12/13)

3-word review: Necessary, uninspired viewing.

It’s 2013, and this second part of the Hobbit is released worldwide on the 13th of December, and once again features a rowdy company of 13 dwarves. So here’s 13 reasons why you should watch it, and, maybe more convincingly, 13 reasons why you shouldn’t.

13 reasons why you should watch ‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’.

1. It’s more entertaining than the rather dull first instalment.
2. It’s slightly shorter, too.
3. It starts off with a prologue sequence in Bree, which might bring you fond memories of The Fellowship of the Ring, as it is intended to.
4. Martin Freeman is once again fun to watch as Bilbo, and Ian McKellen is his usual classy self as Gandalf.
5. The first half is quite fast-paced and features a couple of interesting and fresh new characters.
6. There’s an exciting and well-choreographed action sequence involving lots of barrels and lots of dwarves, which stands out in the book and is brought vividly to life here.
7. There’s finally one place that looks, sounds and feels completely new - a picturesque town on a lake, which is probably the first part of the Hobbit trilogy not to look like a recycled Lord of the Rings set.
8. The leader of said town is portrayed by Stephen Fry.
9. The magical sense of occasion that permeated throughout the Lord of the Rings trilogy finally returns once the company reaches their destination and knocks on the door of Smaug the dragon.
10. Smaug himself looks quite stunning (albeit similar to most other dragons we’ve ever seen on screen), and is voiced by the ever-eloquent Benedict Cumberbatch.
11. The way that Smaug is revealed and introduced lives up to all the hype surrounding such a magnificent character.
12. Just like the recent second Hunger Games film, and many famous second films in trilogies, this one has the luxury of ending with a cliff-hanger.
13. You need to see this to be able to see the climactic end to the trilogy next year.

 

13 reasons why you should not watch ‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’.

1. The main flaw of the first film has not been addressed, and in a sense could not be addressed. Once they committed to making three films out of such a short book, there was no way it was not going to be dragging, drawn out and stuffed with ‘filler’ material.
2. The filler material includes the largely pointless prologue scene which feels so forced and fabricated, even including a repeat cameo by Peter Jackson just like in The Fellowship of the Ring, that you can’t but feel let down even before the main titles start.
3. The lack of excitement is a recurring theme – such as in a long, complex scene involving huge spiders, which fails to provide anything new at all when compared to the excellent Shelob material we’ve already seen in The Return of the King.
4. Gandalf is off on his errands as usual, but this time they are tedious, seemingly pointless, and to a large extent fabricated, besides slowing the films pace down even further.
5. Nearly six hours into this tale, it’s still hard to sympathise with, delve into or even recognise most of the dwarves, despite evident attempts to make them distinguishable thanks to ridiculous hairstyles and traits.
6. Evangeline Lilly (Lost) is a new main character, but her role also screams desperation - a desperate attempt to introduce some girl-power and a fresh face.
7. Legolas (Orlando Bloom) is dragged into the proceedings, despite being completely absent from the source material, in what seems like a sad attempt at sharing some of the Lord of the Rings love and linking the two time frames.
8. Surprisingly, the visual effects stand out as below par in certain instances, particularly the barrel action sequence.
9. The attempts at linking the story with that of The Lord of the Rings, beyond the obvious links created by Tolkien, leads to the focus being stolen away from Smaug at certain key moments.
10. Some scenes in the third act are so painfully long and dragging that you start to wonder if there was a pre-determined minimum length established for this film.
11. None of Howard Shore’s new music, including the new themes for the town on the lake, stand out as half as inspired or memorable as the countless themes he wrote for the original trilogy.
12. None of the dwarves are half as endearing as Gimli.
13. The end credits song is an very unfortunate choice, and not a great fit for the tone of the film and the excellent end credit songs that preceded it.

 

Trailers:

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/wb/thehobbitthedesolationofsmaug/

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

• Released Internationally on 20/11/13
• Released in Malta by KRS on 21/11/13

Review (20/11/13)

3-word review: Even better sequel.

I think I’ll stop rushing to read books before they are made into films. It makes the films so much more enjoyable when I have no clue what’s coming next. I hadn’t read the Hunger Games books when the first film was released, and I enjoyed it so much I decided not to read the other two, despite itching to know what comes next. And here I am, hugely satisfied by the second film, and itching to know what happens in the third. But I’ll be patient.

Of course, the eternal debaters between the book and the film choices would point out that reading the books without having seen the films offers the same raw joy, but considering how many books I have lined up waiting to be read, I think I’ll be fine without delving into these particular  three.

 

So where were we?

But I digress. This second film definitely assumes you have watched the first, and picks up soon after Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence, now an Oscar winner) and Peeta (subtle but effective Josh Hutcherson) have won the 74th edition of the infamous Hunger Games, in a dystopian world somewhere in the future. Their stirring victory and apparent love story has sent ripples of admiration and defiance through the twelve districts of Panem, and President Snow (a wonderfully malicious Donald Sutherland) rightly fears a revolution. He schemes with his new Head Gamesmaker (Philip Seymour Hoffman) to get them eliminated or at least have their image deflated, by hosting a 75th Hunger Games that involves participants selected from amongst past winners. So sort of like the Champions League, but instead of getting knocked out, you’re killed.

 

Deeply disturbing stuff

Much like the first film, the strength of this sequel is the worrying concept at its core, and the unsettling similarities to the world we live in, where TV and reality work together to manipulate audiences, and too much is done purely for show. The capital city’s thriving population feeds off the work and misery of the backward districts, and their celebrity TV presenter (a finely-tuned manic performance by Stanley Tucci) turns shocking and morbid news into sound bites for the cheering crowds. Death is reduced to a mere TV event, and lives are judged by their impact on TV audiences. It’s a far exaggerated version of the reality TV scenarios we have today, but so much of it rings eerily true. The helpless people on TV are instructed to merely be a distraction, so that the unwashed masses in the audience don’t have time to think about the real problems in their lives.

 

Making us accomplices

One of the impressive feats of the film, although I’m not sure whether intentionally or not, is that during the extensive build-up to the games, as we meet the eventual participants and see what is really at stake, the revulsion at the concept of the murderous games is mixed with a palpable anticipation for the games to start. I for one felt a rush when the countdown finally began and all hell broke loose. It’s hugely entertaining of course, and just like the manipulated workers of Panem I was eager to see the contest unfold. But of course, these are not straightforward games like we saw in the first film.

 

Cast and crew

The star-studded cast makes for quite an impressive list. Complementing Tucci as another well-executed fake is Elizabeth Banks (Zack and Miri Make a Porno) as the District 12 escort, and trying to keep calm and grounded amidst all the craziness is celebrated designer Cinna (Lenny Kravitz). Woody Harrelson also returns as the previous District 12 victor who mentors the new stars, and Liam Hemsworth (younger brother to Thor star Chris) resumes duties as Katniss’ close friend and hopefully more. The new participants in the games include a few familiar faces too - Jeffrey Wright (Syriana, Casino Royale), Amanda Plummer (Honey Bunny from Pulp Fiction), Lynn Cohen (Munich) and Jena Malone (Donnie Darko). This sequel has a new director (Francis Lawrence, I Am Legend) and writers (Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire; Michael Arndt, Little Miss Sunshine) but they do a remarkable job of continuing seamlessly where the first film left off, also thanks to the recurring musical themes of James Newton Howard (Batman Begins, The Sixth Sense).

 

In the end

This is extremely entertaining cinema, and it touches on a host of themes, from unrequited love to the power of the media, and all showcased in a post-apocalyptic world where excess and poverty feed off each other. The plot is taken up a notch in this second instalment, after the seeds of revolution were sown in the first, and I eagerly anticipate the next part of the story. The film also has that rare luxury only offered to second films in trilogies, which The Empire Strikes Back and The Two Towers made such excellent use of - the downer, cliff-hanger, ending.

 

Trailers:
http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/lions_gate/thehungergamescatchingfire/

Captain Phillips

• Released Internationally on 10/10/13
• Released in Malta by KRS on 18/10/13

Mini-Review (29/10/13)

3-word review: Hanks excels again.

Some of the best films ever made focus on a single person’s struggle, and Tom Hanks has portrayed that person on numerous occasions. He’s back in top form here, as the true life captain of the first American cargo ship to be captured by Somali pirates back in 2009, before these hijackings became regular news. Director Paul Greengrass (United 93, The Bourne Ultimatum) gives us a simple, no-frills look at the unfolding events, and Hanks perfectly portrays the ordinary man caught up in extraordinary circumstances. His powerful acting starts off subtle and unremarkable but ends in a powerful finale as the hostage situation reaches its conclusion. Credit must also go to the supporting cast, especially his captors – clearly desperate and unprepared, but led by the chillingly calm Muse (impressive first time actor Barkhad Abdi). It’s a moving story of confrontation and survival, and a great piece of cinema.

 

Trailers:
http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/captainphillips/

World War Z

• Released Internationally on 19/06/13
• Released in Malta by KRS on 26/06/13

Preview (as published 01/06/13 in VIDA Magazine)

Watching Malta succumb to a zombie epidemic should be fun, which probably means that this film will be a local box-office hit, whatever the international outcome is. You might recall that, quite a while ago, Brad Pitt was in town, accompanied by the lovely Angelina and their personal child care centre. The result was extensive and ambitious scenes of zombie warfare shot in various parts of Valletta, Floriana, and even the Malta International Airport, amongst others. Shooting then moved to Glasgow, so it remains to be seen who does the best undead impression.

Despite the scale and international appeal of the project, as well as the star at the helm, alarm bells started ringing when extensive reshoots and alterations were announced - something that usually indicates that the film is going to be a bit of a mess. The first trailers didn’t do too much to dispel those worries, with the admittedly impressive footage being a bit too chaotic, and not exactly the best special effects we’ve ever seen.

Hopefully, however, the extensive post-production period has allowed for things to be polished and refined, and we’ll get the epic apocalyptic disaster movie that summer audiences deserve. Zombies aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, of course, but when you might recognise one of them as Uncle Tony or Aunty Phyllis, I think it’s worth plucking up the courage and heading to the cinema.

 

Review (25/06/13)

3-word review: Zombies, but serious.

It’s tricky making a zombie film. No matter how much gravitas you pour in, and how big and respected a star you land as your main guy, it’s hard to shake of decades of zombie film reputation and reactions. The reason is quite simple - zombies tend to be a perfect mix of looking terrifying and looking ridiculous. We all know how to walk like one, and if you add a blank stare and outstretched hands - voila! - instant zombie party. Which is why the more successful zombie films in the past have either dialled-up the horror to the point of making it a guilty pleasure gore-fest, or else added generous amounts of humour. In recent years, two good examples of this were Shaun of the Dead and Zombieland. The former toned down the gore but had some of the best humour of the decade, and ended up being a joy to watch. The latter took the gore to new extremes, but still managed to coat it all in wonderful, self-aware, dry humour, including an inspired opening monologue that sets the quirky tone splendidly.

Here, however, nobody smiles. There is nothing remotely funny or amusing about the whole film, and it very clearly aims for the ‘tragic, heartfelt, disaster movie’ genre, but replacing the usual recipes of aliens, outbreaks or asteroids with zombies. It very nearly manages in that regard, and the worldwide scope is palpable, and befitting of the film’s title. But inevitably, you can expect to hear occasional guffaws from the audience, because zombies still look ridiculous, or at least they can do when they’re not running after you or biting your leg. Possibly because of this, the Z-word isn’t heard until a good half-hour into the film, and great care is taken not to portray them in any amusing way.

International unity

The paranoia sets in very effectively during the opening titles, with the overused-but-still-very-effective method of using newsflashes. Once Piers Morgan appears, you can tell things are going to get really unpleasant. And sure enough, we cut quickly to the chase, with widespread chaos having set in barely minutes into the film. As is necessary in any such film with an emotional core, we zoom into the main character’s family briefly, but we’re shown enough to make them a key motivation throughout the rest of the film. Normal life is shattered, as within moments ordinary citizens are on the run without their car, without their wallet and without their asthma inhaler.

But then we zoom back out and take in just how bad things are getting. The international scope of the film is well-maintained throughout, with the global fight against the zombie epidemic playing out like some huge competition - some countries are winning, some cities have fallen, some nations have ‘gone dark’. The powers that be are suitably international, with the UN and the WHO being the main players here, and Brad Pitt’s character as their man in the field.

Ideas that work

The urgent search for a cure plays out well, with hints dropped along the way and eventually coalescing into a feasible solution, although the film doesn’t hang around long enough for practical loopholes and problems to be given much thought. The whole zombie phenomenon is also given a few interesting twists not often seen is such films - such as their being drawn to noise, and their being aggravated by the killing of fellow zombies. These minor points help to add tension and drama at a few key points in the film. The other main factor that drives this film forward is how the plot delivers us into seemingly safe locations - sheltered homes, aircraft carriers, planes, countryside - before ruthlessly yanking them away from us, thus driving home the message that “movement is life”. Thankfully, amidst all the wanton destruction and killing, there are also a handful of moments to remind us about the true value of each individual life, especially in the case of a female Israeli soldier who ends up being one of the more interesting characters in the film.

Malta and more

On a purely Maltese level, the film is also highly recommended from a sightseeing point of view, as Malta doubles for Jerusalem in the middle section of the film. There’s lots of Valletta on display, as well as our airport being overrun during an aerial escape sequence. Once the plane manages to leave, it allegedly marks the point where the film’s direction was altered after the first draft was made, resulting in extensive reshoots, a few new early scenes, and an entirely different third act. The last bit, set in a claustrophobic WHO facility in Cardiff, does in fact seem very different from the rest of the film - in tone, in pace and even visually. But it manages to deliver some of the more tense scenes of the film, on a minimal budget, and manages to give this film a satisfying conclusion whilst leaving the options open for the inevitable sequel.

 

 

Trailers:

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/paramount/worldwarz/

The Great Gatsby

• Released Internationally on 10/05/13
• Released in Malta by KRS on 25/05/13

Preview (as published 01/05/13 in VIDA Magazine)

This cinematic summer, amidst all the inevitable sequels, prequels and reboots, there are a few standalone giants to look forward to. And there’s no prize for guessing which will be the most lavish, colourful and all-round spectacular. Baz Luhrmann is back.

The man behind one of the best films of the millennium so far (Moulin Rouge!) is now bringing his unique brand of vivid craziness to one of the all-time great stories - F. Scott Fitzgerald's famous tale of society and excess. That the story still resonates nearly a century after its publication is a testament to its relevance, and it has already been adapted numerous times before - most famously in 1974 by Francis Ford Coppola, with Robert Redford in the title role.

Luhrmann teamed up with his regular writing partner Craig Pearce, who had also helped him with the highly original adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. Another returning collaborator from that huge success is Leonardo DiCaprio, who has of course grown in both age and star stature since then, and who will portray the exuberant Gatsby. The narrator role goes to Tobey Maguire (Spider-man), with Carey Mulligan (Drive, An Education) starring as the lovely Daisy who is swept up into Gatsby’s party world. Isla Fisher (Wedding Crashers), Joel Edgerton and Jason Clarke (both recently seen in Zero Dark Thirty) also star.

As with every Luhrmann film, music will be a key player, and for this outing the director enlisted a host of stars, led by superstar rapper Jay-Z, to oversee the music. How the music will reflect the 1920s setting remains to be seen, but for the man who brought Fatboy Slim to the can-can shows of Paris that shouldn’t be a problem. The trailers have so far been stunningly beautiful, and I can’t wait to see this on a massive screen.

Review (24/05/13)

3-word review: Quite Great Indeed.


Anyone sitting down to watch this and expecting a somber, reverential adaptation of the classic should know better. This is Baz Luhrmann, so everything needs to be gorgeous, everything needs to be operatic, and everything needs to sparkle. Thankfully, this is a story that works wonderfully with the Baz treatment.

Purists might balk at the hip-hop sounds that are heard in early twentieth-century New York, and conservatives might have reservations about the unabashed portrayal of ridiculous excess which jars substantially in these times of preached austerity. But ultimately the seamless blend of music genres works wonderfully throughout the film, and the depiction of the absurdity of excess wealth helps drive the story’s message home. Because beneath all the sequins and within all the mansions, this is a timeless tale of wealth, and whether it alone is enough to make a man, irrespective of whether it was inherited, earned or dubiously earned. And as with most tales of the rich, it is also a careful analysis of fair-weather friends and the abuses of hospitality that ensue. The tour of Gatsby’s house, as crafted in this adaptation, manages to be both a beautifully whimsical montage whilst still highlighting the disgusting excess of it all. It’s a fine balance, but Luhrmann pulls it off with aplomb.

DiCaprio, who can’t seem to make any bad films, is a joy to behold as the titular bachelor and legendary party host. He dominates every scene he’s in, also thanks to the masters in the wardrobe department. More importantly, he manages to convey the paralysing insecurity and doubt that is central to his character, as well as all the other problems that us non-billionaires secretly hope the rich face. And he manages to drive the story forward thanks to his very convincing interpretation of Gatsby’s obsession with Daisy.

Daisy, the main female character and the cause of most of the events in the film, gets a very slightly disappointing turnout from Carey Mulligan, but it was always going to be a tall order to manage to be the woman that can fuel such obsession. To help her along, Luhrmann orchestrates one of the most visually magical character introductions I can remember - an introduction that is then topped a few minutes later when we first meet Gatsby. These two scenes, along with a handful of others throughout the film, are such a perfect marriage of colour, acting, set design, music and imagination, they remind us why we head to dark cinemas and gaze up in amazement.

It’s not all fireworks and champagne, of course, and the filmmakers treat the source matter with respect, including a clever nod to the novel’s first cover, carefully watching over proceedings on the road to ruin. Tobey Maguire’s narrator gives us someone to identify with in all this craziness, and he skillfully guides us through the tale with the benefit of hindsight. His arrival at the party to end all parties is a joy to behold, and it’s great that we have him to cling onto.

Ultimately, it’s an excellent story, very well told. Luhrmann’s unique brand of storytelling charges fiercely on, and I for one hope it never fades. It’s not as overall excellent as Moulin Rouge! or Romeo + Juliet, but it’s a huge step up from his more recent Australia, and easily one of the best films of the year so far.

Trailers:

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/wb/thegreatgatsby/

Oblivion

• Released Internationally on 10/04/13
• Released in Malta by KRS on 24/04/13

Preview (first published 01/04/13 in VIDA Magazine)

Oblivion hasn’t been released anywhere yet, so it’s hard to gauge whether it lives up to expectations or not. Expectations are understandably high, however, since it looks like a smart, futuristic action thriller and it stars Tom Cruise and Morgan Freeman.

Set 60 years in the future, the post-apocalyptic backdrop is apparently the result of a huge war which resulted in the destruction of most of our planet. Although the war was won, everyone had to be evacuated. All that remains is a few individuals who keep the planet secure and maintain all the drones. So it’s a sort of Wall-E-type scenario, although instead of a cute little robot we have Tom Cruise looking serious despite his tight white outfit.

Of course, things are not all as they seem, and shortly before his shift on earth is about to end, he uncovers an underground community of humans, led by a grungy-looking Morgan Freeman. They try to enlighten him, and he starts to question the political manoeuvres behind the current situation, and whether all is as it seems on desolate planet Earth.

The film is the second directorial effort by Joseph Kosinski, who was at the helm of Tron: Legacy, and it is based on the graphic novel he wrote. To help him polish the screenplay, they roped in Michael Arndt, who was previously slightly famous for writing Little Miss Sunshine and Toy Story 3, but who is currently the man entrusted with the behemoth task of writing Star Wars: Episode VII. The film also stars Olga Kurylenko (Quantum of Solace), Melissa Leo (The Fighter), Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Game of Thrones) and Zoë Bell (Death Proof).

 

Review (23/04/13)

3-word review: Quite cool overall.

Oblivion looks great from start to finish, and during the main titles manages to convincingly ‘sell’ us the post-apocalyptic world it is based in, with impressive and beautiful shots of a desolated Earth, in which Jack (Tom Cruise’s character) is a very isolated maintenance guy. The scenery is even more notable as it is showcased in broad daylight, largely avoiding the visual effects tricks of clouding scenes in shadows. The main title sequence sounds great too, although it’s a bit too similar to Tron: Legacy, which was the director’s previous project.

The plot, although engaging on a human and technological level, doesn’t try to be too original, and feels like a healthy mix of many previous science-fiction landmarks - anything from 2001 to the above-mentioned Wall-E, with an overall coating of the classic ‘man reaching the end of his mission’ plot device. The settings are a mix of spotless, white, designer space-stations and vehicles, and the grungy, Tatooine-like dirt of the underworld down below. Sitting up in the spotless control centre is Jack’s supervisor, partner and lover, who for some reason insists on wearing lovely dresses and high heels even though she sits at a screen all day. Back at the orbiting mothership, everyone is happy about what a great team they make.

As is usually the case in these sort of films, Jack stands out because he is curious about the past, and this stems from a series of dreams and flashbacks that he can’t shake off. One hour in, we hear the instantly recognizable voice of Morgan Freeman, and Jack’s journey of discovery gets the necessary catalyst for him to defy orders and seek the truth. To go into too many plot details would be a disservice to the filmmakers, but suffice to say that there’s a reasonable amount of human drama for an effects-driven film, and not since Moon a few years ago have I enjoyed a stand-alone science fiction film so much. The sheer scale of the finale is also impressive, with some Independence Day influences making a welcome appearance. The epilogue is a slight cop-out, where in my humble opinion the script loses the chances to be truly different, but otherwise I found this to be highly enjoyable, irrespective of whether it is a Tom Cruise ego-trip or not.

 

Trailers:

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/universal/oblivion/

Safe Haven

• Released Internationally on 14/02/13
• Released in Malta by KRS on 24/04/13

Preview (first published 01/04/13 in VIDA Magazine)

Nicholas Sparks (The Notebook, My Sister’s Keeper) has a solid reputation for writing moving human dramas, and Lasse Hallström (Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Chocolat) has an equally solid reputation for directing moving human dramas. So here they are, together again (after Dear John a few years ago). Julianne Hough, who made the move from dancing to acting when she starred in the remake of Footloose, stars as a woman escaping an abusive husband, who finds solace in a small town, where she meets a widower with two children (Josh Duhamel, Life As We Know It). Based on past experience, I’d suggest you bring tissues.

 

Review (23/04/13)

3-word review: Safe is dull.

There are very few characters in this film, and they are all pretty two-dimensional and clichéd. I guess the overall effect works if you’re looking for an undemanding thriller/romance, but I felt that the thrills were few and the romance was quite tepid. Julianne Hough portrays the woman on the run, who decides to stop in a tiny fishing village in the middle of nowhere. Her decision may or may not have been affected by the handsome man who runs the local store, but if she has any doubts that they’ll end up an item, I’m pretty sure the audience won’t. The reason why she is on the run is the only real secret of the film, and once that is revealed there’s nothing much more to do but watch the inevitable unfold.

Maybe if you’ve had a long, emotionally draining day, or your favourite pet just died, you might get a bit teary-eyed during the blatantly manipulative scenes at the end, but I guess my day was going just fine. And this is someone who can unashamedly admit to having shed a few tears during My Sister’s Keeper. I’m not sure whether that was a better Nicholas Sparks novel, but they certainly made it into a better film than this.

 

Trailers:

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/safehaven/

Cloud Atlas

• Released Internationally on 26/10/12
• Released in Malta by KRS on 10/04/13

Preview (first published 01/04/13 in VIDA Magazine)

The is definitely the release I’m most interested in this month. The film has all the makings of an epic, but was less-than-enthusiastically received across the Atlantic. It is the difficult adaptation of the multi-award winning novel from 2004 by David Mitchell (not the comedian). The book follows six separate stories which are eventually shown to be related to each other in various ways, despite being set in various corners of the globe and often many centuries apart.

This must have made it a bit of a nightmare to bring to the screen, but the task was undertaken by Lana and Andy Wachowski (The Matrix Trilogy) and Tom Tykwer (Perfume, Run Lola Run). Tykwer is one of those rare directors who also composes music for his films, and here he teamed up with Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek to compose what was undoubtedly one of the best and most beautiful film scores to come out of 2012.

The film also boasts a stellar cast, with Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugh Grant, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving and Susan Sarandon, amongst others, portraying multiple roles in the various story segments. Despite all this, it failed to make huge waves at the US box-office, although the general impression is that those few who did enjoy it, think it’s a masterpiece. Let’s see what Europe thinks.

 

Review (10/04/13)

“All boundaries are conventions.”

There's a point, roughly two hours in, where this fast-paced film takes a breather, and a new piano melody appears. It slowly builds to a gorgeous march, playing out perfectly in sync with the montage on screen. The shots skip nimbly between different eras and different locations, and the voiceover from one of them carries over into the others, perfectly accompanying what we are seeing on screen. It's a rare moment of movie perfection, with sound, music, narration, emotion and imagery melding perfectly. I wished it could last hours, but it was over in a couple of minutes - a sublime crystallization of all that is wonderful about this film.

“What is an ocean but a multitude a drops?”

This is, in fact, the single most daring and ambitious decision taken by the filmmakers - to constantly cut from one story to the other, rather than lay them out in lengthy chunks like the novel does. From the very beginning of the film, in a whirlwind opening sequence, we are transported between an 1849 sea voyage, 1936 Cambridge and Edinburgh - where a fledgling composer somehow completes his finest work, 1973 California - where a young reporter daringly tries to uncover an environmental time-bomb, present day UK - where a publisher is tricked into entering a mental asylum, 2144 Korea - where a daring escape is underway in a Coruscant-type city, and a post-apocalyptic Hawaii where technology is only held by the few. It seems like a mammoth task, but from the very first shots the frames are carefully set with props and clues, as well as costumes and makeup, to orient the audience to time and place. Somehow, it works, and it allows for a few breath-taking sequences like the one mentioned above.

“From womb to tomb we are bound to others, past and present.”

The point, of course, is that everything is linked. As the film unfolds, we see how not-so-random acts of kindness in one era resonate in the next, and how places and people are clearly affected by others. Some of the links are obvious, but others had me thinking and reading up online well into the night after leaving the cinema, wide-eyed. The crossover narration mentioned above is a key feature, and it’s not everyday you see such seamless collaboration between script and editing. The other way the filmmakers chose to link the eras is by having the same actors portray various roles in each segment. This is one change I was less enthusiastic about, although it does help stress the point of linkage. The makeup and prosthetics are generally excellent, but there were a few characters that I felt ended up looking too odd, and being a distraction.

“That’s it! The music from my dream!”

The other common thread throughout the six segments is the music. Rather than try to compose music typical (or expected) of each setting, the music acts as a timeless thread between them all, also forming part of the plot, and of course enhancing key moments and carrying the story forward in other pulsating sequences. There are some moments of sheer gasp-out-loud joy, such as a comical escape, and others moments of shocking violence or futuristic action. The sheer variety and complexity of what we see on screen during these nearly three hours is staggering, and no wonder three directors were needed. I believe it was quite an oversight for the Oscars to shut this film out completely, especially with regard to original score. I can only imagine the logistical nightmares that art direction, makeup and costume design teams faced.

By the time things are brought beautifully to the boil, and all six segments rush towards their individual, but inevitably shared, conclusions, you’ll either be completely befuddled and uninterested, or else be sitting there with your mouth open, wondering how anyone had the guts to make this film, and make it so beautifully.

 

 

Trailers:

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/wb/cloudatlas/

 

Cloud Atlas Trailer

Les Misérables

• Released Internationally on 25/12/12
• Released in Malta by KRS on 16/01/13

Preview (first published 01/01/13 in VIDA Magazine)

The festive season was especially crowded at the box-office last year, so thankfully we have a handful of highly anticipated ‘event’ films trickling over into January. It’s hard to pick a favourite, but based on popular appeal and a huge worldwide guaranteed audience, this is probably the one that will make the most waves. Considering the many millions who have watched and cherished the stage adaptation over the past quarter of a century, this has a lot of great expectations to live up to.

The ingredients for great cinema are all there - a tragic and epic story, stunning and instantly recognizable music, larger than life heroes and villains, and a fair dose of comedy. What has been added recently is a cast and crew who should hopefully do the material justice. After other directors were mentioned in the past, the job was handed to Tom Hooper, fresh from his huge success as the director of The King’s Speech. The scribe roped in to adapt the play for the screen was Williams Nicholson (Gladiator, Elizabeth: The Golden Age). Plus the big names involved in the stage phenomenon are very much on board, with super-producer Cameron Mackintosh (who often visits his mum here in Malta), producing and apparently also having a cameo.

The casting was always going to be a challenge. Hooper insisted that the musical performances are recorded live on set, adding to the realism of the performance, but also making the roles much more demanding. Hugh Jackman has proved he can sing and dance with class, even on the Oscar stage, and he stars as the hero Valjean. His lifelong nemesis is portrayed by Russell Crowe, who has his own rock band down under and should therefore manage at least most of the notes hit by Inspector Javert. Anne Hathaway, who has also sung live on the Oscar stage, is Fantine, whilst Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia!) is Cosette. Rising star Eddie Redmayne (My Week with Marilyn) is Marius, and the comic duo, the Thénardiers, will be brought to life by Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen, who had appeared together in the musical film version of Sweeney Todd.

Nowadays, many musicals are adaptations of films, but it is almost inevitable that the long-standing, worldwide success of original musicals results in them making the reverse journey to the screen. After Moulin Rouge! revived the musical as a film genre over a decade ago, we were soon treated to a lavish production of The Phantom of the Opera. This has the potential to be an even better and more successful adaptation, with a stellar cast and a courageous singing ethic. If you’ve never had the honour of watching this amazing story unfold on stage, and hear the timeless music, you’re in for a treat. If you have, then this is a must.

Review (12/01/13)

In future, I hope all musicals are made this way.

When I sat down to watch this film I was starving. Within minutes, I had forgotten about my hunger, and for two and a half hours I was so engrossed in the music, the drama and the anguish of this classic tale, that I only noticed my stomach rumblings well into the end credits. From the first few seconds, it is made very clear that this will be a large-scale adaptation, with a hefty scope and budget as befitting this loved story. But once the spectacle has been taken in, the camera zooms in onto the worn, pained face of our hero Valjean, and this establishes a recurring feature of this adaptation, and one which proves very successful - this is Les Misérables, the musical, in extreme close-up.

As mentioned in the preview above, the ‘singing live on set’ was one of the most discussed issues about this film. I loved the results, especially when coupled with the in-your-face direction by Tom Hooper. I quickly realised why I was enjoying the songs so much. I realised that the quality of the singing is ultimately secondary to the acting of the characters. Since the actors don't need to worry about lip syncing perfectly to a pre-recorded track, they can concentrate more on what they are singing, and what the character is going through. Yes, maybe the resulting soundtrack of this film is far from pitch perfect, and may pale in comparison to the musical’s previous cast recordings - but it sounds, and more importantly looks more real. Having front row seats at the theatre is great, but this is like having the character in a phone booth with you as they belt out their lines. Every line on their face, every grimace or smile as they sing, every furtive look, is wonderfully clear. And this makes the songs all that much better. I understood lines and lyrics I had never understood before, because the acting brought them to life in a more vivid way than was possible on stage. 

The results are most evident in two key sequences. First, Hugh Jackman, who by the way is astounding in this film, has a prolonged, uninterrupted soliloquy at the end of the prologue, which plays out beautifully and rushes toward a euphoric ending as the music, and the cameras, soar to signal the start of the next act. But you only get a few minutes to recover, because soon afterwards, Anne Hathaway enters the scene. She quickly loses her hair, her tooth and her pride, but then her brief presence culminates in a four-and-a-half minute tour de force, as she brings ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ heart-wrenchingly to life. Again, it’s an uninterrupted close-up, and again, there might be notes (but just a few) where she falters slightly, but it’s so stunningly and convincingly well-acted that, for me, she brought the song so vividly to life it was like I understood it for the first time, despite having heard it countless times before. The range of emotions she goes through in that one scene is incredible, and I hope she continues to win supporting actress awards all the way to the Oscars, if just for this one scene. Goodness knows how many takes they must have done, but it sure was worth it. 

The rest is all more or less as expected. The damp, ugly setting of revolutionary Paris is recreated wonderfully, and the ensemble of famous names and stage veterans do justice to the timeless music. The exhilarating moments such as ‘Who Am I?’ are all as rousing as expected, and the amusing Thénardiers provide some much needed relief from the heavy proceedings.  Besides working wonderfully as a film narrative, this adaptation showcases what a masterpiece the music is. The recurring themes and songs which serve as signposts in this lengthy saga lend themselves to great montage scenes inbetween the quieter, more intimate moments. There was one point where I had to remind myself not to clap at the end of the song. The ‘building the barricade’ scene is also a joy to behold, and something that only a film adaptation could pull off.

Ironically, I felt the film slacked very slightly once the actual revolution started, with the plot not as tight and fast-moving as previous acts. The barricade action scene was also the only time I thought it felt claustrophobic and ‘on set’. This unfortunately lost some of the grand scale established in previous scenes. But these are minor quibbles and they were quickly swept from my mind as the film’s ending roared onto screen, bringing the curtain down on a masterful adaptation of a masterpiece musical. Stunning.

Trailers:
http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/universal/lesmiserables/

Jack Reacher

• Released Internationally on 20/12/12
• Released in Malta by KRS on 26/12/12

Preview (first published 01/12/12 in VIDA Magazine)

Tom Cruise’s post-Tropic Thunder renaissance continues, and just in case the Mission: Impossible franchise loses popularity, he has now landed another role as a modern day action hero, with franchise potential. Jack Reacher is a rather unorthodox but highly effective crime fighter, who uses his past military skills rather than donning any fancy costumes, and he’s quite good with his hands too. This film is an adaptation of just one of the series of novels about the character, and it’s adapted by Christopher McQuarrie, who will always be ‘the genius who wrote The Usual Suspects’. If you liked Angelina Jolie’s Salt from a couple of years ago, this should work as the male equivalent.

 

Review (23/12/12)

This film is fun. It doesn’t pretend to be anything it’s not, but rather embraces its role as a smart action film with franchise potential. Tom Cruise is still evidently deeply in love with himself, but to be fair this is one scenario where it works, and his cocksure titular character manages to be both slightly over the top and likeable.

The films opens with a powerful, largely silent extended scene, which as the film progresses is later seen from different angles and provides an intriguing ‘whodunit’ scenario that forms the backbone of the plot. Once that is established, Reacher arrives on scene in stylish fashion, and gets to work. His clever dialogue is often countered effectively by Rosamund Pike’s character, with whom he shows good chemistry. But despite being very witty at times, the script throws in enough humour to make it all very easygoing and engaging. There’s also a fair amount of original action, with even good old fashioned fist fights getting a few new twists.

Throughout all the proceedings, however, not much is as it seems, and things finally fall satisfactorily into place, although the film does lose some originality and smartness in the third act. More importantly, though, the film does a great job of letting the audience get to know Jack, but at the same time leaving enough mystery for us to be curious about what his next adventure will be, if and when he shows up.

 

Trailers:

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/paramount/jackreacher/

Life of Pi

• Released Internationally on 21/11/12
• Released in Malta by KRS on 20/12/12

Preview (first published 01/12/12 in VIDA Magazine)

With Cloud Atlas and Midnight’s Children making it to the big screen in 2012, the list of truly ‘unfilmable’ books grows shorter. Here’s another one. The philosophical and quite unique novel from 2001 gets a gorgeous big screen revival, at the hands of celebrated director Ang Lee. One can only imagine the logistical implications of filming a tale where the main character, a sixteen year-old boy from India, survives a shipwreck and lives for more than half a year on a rescue boat with a fully grown tiger. As if the shipwreck wasn’t enough to ruin his day.

Things go surprisingly well, however, and the life-changing journey will hopefully flourish as well on screen as it did on the page. Ang Lee is no stranger to making stunning looking films (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Brokeback Mountain), but based on this film’s trailers, we’re in for a whole new level of visual awe. It’s exciting to have Lee back in the limelight after a few years of lying low, and this seems to be one film that will appeal to all sorts of cinemagoers.

 

Review (19/12/12)

If there is one film that deserves a proper big screen viewing, this is it. Shamelessly gorgeous from start to finish, as well as being a near-perfect film in every regard, this was, for me, the cinema-going highlight of 2012, and one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen on a screen of any size.

From the word go, you realise you’re in for something special. The opening credits help set the scene, in a zoo paradise in one of the prettier parts of India, and for the duration of a sublime lullaby by composer Mychael Danna, we are treated to scenes that would give any top notch David Attenborough documentary a run for its money. Much like most of the film, I would gladly frame any scene from this opening sequence.

Things then shift into a more playful, humorous mode as we chronicle the early days of our protagonist, and in a quasi Amélie-like fashion the story unfolds with larger-than-life characters and wonderful attention to detail. The opening scenes also introduce us to Richard Parker, the tiger who is so central to this wonderful story, and within seconds I had stopped wondering which scenes were real tiger and which were computer-generated. The tiger is a technical marvel, and throughout the film remains as convincing a digital creation as any Gollum or blue alien.

The first act also introduces the subject of religion, which Pi is fascinated with from an early age. He adopts three religions as a child, much to the amusement of his parents, and without being too heavy or overbearing this sets the film up for what will ultimately be an interesting metaphor for questions of faith.

Before long we skip forward to the crucial sea voyage, and the life-changing storm which casts our heroes into a boat together, for a battle of wits and will that may or may not be all that it seems. The film then adopts a surprisingly engaging tone as the survival battle unfolds, often without words or distractions. Much like in Cast Away, the fascinating situation of the main character makes for compelling viewing, and in this case the relationship with the tiger adds another wonderful layer.

In the meantime, we are treated to numerous scenes that surpass even the opening sequence in terms of beauty and marvel. I tried to keep track of the most beautiful scenes, but after jellyfish, whales, flying fish and meerkats I stopped counting. The artistry that has been poured in this film is all up on screen for us to see, and should leave most audiences open-mouthed.

But in case you’re worried that this is just eye candy and not much substance, the film then delivers with an ending that manages to both immediately satisfy but also provide much food for thought, and I for one was pondering the final message long after I left the cinema. It is, after all, the reason why the book was such a success.

On every level, this is the best film I have seen in 2012, and one of the most beautifully made films I can remember. It should appeal to all ages and most tastes, and I strongly recommend you do it justice by seeing it on a proper big screen, and in 3D. To quote from the film, “You have to see this, it’s beautiful!”.

 

Trailers:

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/fox/lifeofpi/

Rise of the Guardians

• Released Internationally on 21/11/12
• Released in Malta by KRS on 30/11/12

Preview (first published 01/11/12 in VIDA Magazine)

This looks like the clear winner for children this month, and may even carry through until the festive season. The animation team at DreamWorks, who have brilliant films such as How to Train Your Dragon to their name, have turned their attention to children’s author William Joyce, who also has experience in film and animation. He is working on a series of books about the Guardians of Childhood - an Avengers-like gathering of famous names including Santa Claus (voiced by Alec Baldwin), the Tooth Fairy (Isla Fisher), the Easter Bunny (Hugh Jackman), the Sandman (who takes care of dreams) and Jack Frost (Chris Pine). They all team up to protect children when Pitch (the nightmare king, voiced by Jude Law) threatens to take over the world. So there’s a fair bit of magic and wonder involved, which allows the animation teams to run riot. This should be fun, but even more so if you’re still at that wonderful age where you believe.

 

Review (29/11/12)

This delivers as expected, with stunning visuals and animation, right from the first few minutes. After a brief prologue introducing the central, misunderstood character of Jack Frost, the film launches into full festive mode, and despite being set around Easter time, provides enough north pole material to feel like a festive holiday treat. The ‘guardians’ all get ample screen time, but are slightly different to their usual self. Alec Baldwin provides a deep Eastern European accent for Santa Claus, who also sports heavily tattooed arms. But otherwise it’s business as usual, from tooth fairies to Easter bunnies to the lesser known Sandman. It’s a testament to the animation team at DreamWorks that the latter is probably the most memorable character, despite not uttering a single word throughout the film.

Jude Law’s villain draws heavily on Hercules’ Hades, and probably deserved a better ending. The film also seems to be cramming too much into one short film at times, and risks losing the plot in the second half. Worst of all, however, it somehow misses out on that extra something, that magical spark, that made recent gems like How to Train Your Dragon and most Christmas classics so heart-warming and special. The ingredients are all there, but something hasn’t set. Or maybe I just dampened my sense of awe when I found out the secrets behind the tooth exchange system and Christmas presents. Either way, young kids should be suitably blown away, and this should serve as a wonderful holiday treat.

 

 

Trailers:

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/dreamworks/riseoftheguardians/