Interstellar

• Released Internationally on 06/11/14
• Released in Malta by KRS on 12/11/14

Review (11/11/14)

3-word review: Don’t Go Gently. 

You might be stunned into silence by Interstellar, but you might also dismiss it as a confusing waste of three hours of your life. Either way, it will most probably linger in your memory as something unlike anything you have ever seen before. This is not a film that is easy to digest or define, or write about. But it is most definitely another technically marvellous piece of cinema from the mind of the great Christopher Nolan.

An uncertain future

Starting off like a scene from Signs, the film introduces us to single dad Cooper (Matthew McConaughey, still on top of the world), who lives surrounded by corn fields with his two children. The bond with his daughter is clearly a special one, and with just a few opening scenes we are quickly drawn into this tight family unit that is the heart and soul of the sci-fi opera ahead. What is not clear is what year we are looking at, since we slowly learn that mankind has failed and the last few survivors are slowly starving as crops succumb to pests. Farming is encouraged as the human race tries to survive.

Into the wormhole

We are then introduced to the real crux of the dilemma as an ageing NASA professor (Michael Caine, a Nolan regular) recruits Cooper for a desperate mission to travel to other galaxies and find habitable worlds that the human race could emigrate to. The odds aren’t great, and thanks to the bending of time and space as they travel through a wormhole, the expected duration of the mission is far from certain. Here lies one of the film’s master strokes – the narrative potential as loved ones are separated by time and space is heart-wrenching and full of possibility. Cooper promises to his daughter that he will be back, but she has no way of knowing when.

A complex epic

What unfolds must have been a nightmare to write and condense, and quickly fills up the film’s nearly three-hour running time. As the hopeless mission slowly unravels in space and the subtle apocalypse proceeds on earth, we are treated to such an array of emotions, topics and stunning sequences that it can get exhausting at times. From love, to time, to survival instinct, Nolan and his scriptwriter brother have undertaken quite a lot. Some might be disappointed at how it all comes to the boil, but there’s no denying that this is proper science-fiction, with lots of science but also some fascinating and imaginative fiction.

A feast for the senses

Even if you give up on the fine details of the plot, there’s lots to digest and marvel at on the big screen. The balletic scenes in space are gorgeous, with more than a hint of the waltzes of Kubrick’s 2001. Composer Hans Zimmer also enhances the action and drama with a Philip Glass-like score that is one of the highlights of the film. There are a few casting surprises that should bring a smile to any movie-lover’s face, and there’s a particular docking scene which is the most exciting thing I’ve seen on screen all year.

In the end

I might need two or more viewings of this before I truly grasp what Nolan has done, just as happened with Inception. This might not be a film for everyone, but Nolan continues to be the most original and courageous voice in mainstream film today, with an assembled cast and crew that have made something truly spectacular.

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/

Alice in Wonderland

 

• Released Internationally on 05/03/10
• Released in Malta by KRS on 05/03/10
• Showing in ‘RealD’ 3D at Empire Cinemas, Buġibba and in 2D everywhere else

 

Preview (Published 01/03/10 in Vida Magazine)

In a nutshell

The eccentric, visionary and often brilliant director Tim Burton teams up with his frequent collaborator Johnny Depp to give us their version of Wonderland (and it’s in 3D too).

Why we’re hyped

Tim Burton’s films share a few wonderful characteristics – they’re usually great fairytales filled with memorable characters, and bursting with flair and colour. Whether it’s his retelling of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the excellent tall tales of Big Fish, or his dark gothic imagining of the story of Ichabod Crane in Sleepy Hollow, you can usually tell you’re in the hands of an enthusiastic storyteller. Lewis Carroll’s classic seems like a perfect fit, since the pages of the book overflow with strange scenes, oddball creatures and a general feeling of disorientation. Many of our mental images of the characters come from the Disney version, so it will be interesting to see Burton’s darker and dreamier version.

Who’s in it?

Johnny Depp, ever the chameleon, gets to act even crazier than Jack Sparrow this time around, since he’s hosting a tea party as the Mad Hatter. Burton’s partner and other frequent casting choice Helena Bonham Carter (Big Fish, Fight Club) will be screaming orders as the Red Queen, and rising star Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married, The Devil Wears Prada) will try to balance matters out as the White Queen. Veteran comic Stephen Fry (The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Wilde) will lend his soothing voice to the Cheshire Cat, whilst Alan Rickman (Harry Potter’s Snape) will lend his to the caterpillar. Michael Sheen (The Queen, Frost/Nixon) will be keeping track of the time, as the White Rabbit, and a partially recognizable Matt Lucas (of Little Britain fame) will be doubling as both Tweedledee and Tweedledum. Crispin Glover (Back to the Future, Willard) will be the Red Queen’s henchman, whilst the size-shifting role of Alice goes to the young Mia Wasikowska (Defiance, Amelia).

 

Review (04/03/10)

Alice in England

The film starts off with a real-world prologue, which is one of the many alterations to the classic tale introduced by scriptwriter Linda Woolverton. Rather than feeling like necessary filler material before Alice goes tumbling down the hole, these scenes of Alice’s real life are funny and entertaining, and cleverly add depth and motivation to Alice’s character. As expected, she then catches sight of the punctuality-obsessed white rabbit, and down she goes. From then on things may seem familiar, but there’s one important difference to the proceedings, which I won’t spoil for you in case, like me, you only realise once Alice herself does.

Quite a character

The film benefits from being a re-imagining of a tale that has entered into public consciousness and many viewers may feel right at home once the famous inhabitants of Wonderland start appearing on the scene. Carefully altering the previous Disney versions without straying too far from the original descriptions and illustrations, the characters are beautifully brought to life by a mix of CGI, borrowed facial features and the superb voice cast listed above. Soon after her arrival, Alice meets the wise caterpillar, who is allowed to smoke in public places, as well as the Cheshire Cat and his transparent methods. The list goes on. There’s even the Jabberwocky, a bad-tempered dragon-like creature from Lewis Carroll’s poem by the same name, who brings a touch of drama and danger to the film’s finale, also thanks to the gravelly voice of Christopher Lee.

Plotting her course

Another noticeable departure from previous versions is the obvious attempt to organise her dreamy encounters into more of a linear story, as opposed to the often random dreaming that Carroll presented. This gives more of an active role to Alice herself, as well as to Depp’s Mad Hatter. Her eventual adventure and contribution to Wonderland may seems similar to what we saw in Narnia recently, although to be fair these queens were barking their orders long before the White Witch ever graced a page.

Not so wonderful

Despite nailing the appearance, environment and encounter of each of Alice’s Wonderland encounters, the end result isn’t as great as the ingredients made me hope for. It’s all fun and it looks great, but when things come to the boil and Wonderland is at stake, do we care? I felt very little sympathy or attachment towards most of the characters, with the exception of the poor Hatter, whom Depp manages to instil with humanity beneath his insane glazed eyes. Only Alice herself and the Hatter get enough screen time to warrant a response, and ironically for a film so obsessed with queens and knaves and cards and spades, I felt it lacked heart. The 3D didn’t impress much either, although Avatar is admittedly a tough act to follow. Apparently shot in 2D and converted in post-production, I don’t imagine this film would lose much if you opt to ditch the fancy glasses.

In the end

As an attempt at creating a fantasy adventure, the film falls slightly short. But as a whimsical dream full of colourful characters, this film is an ambitious and dazzling live-action portrayal of Lewis Carroll’s vivid imagination. They don’t write fairytales like this anymore, and this version will probably make you want to dig out your old copy and give it another read.

 

 

Trailer:

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/disney/aliceinwonderland/

Rachel Getting Married

• Released Internationally on 31/10/08
• Released in Malta by KRS on 25/03/09

In a nutshell

As you may have suspected, Rachel is getting married. What you might not know though, is that Kym, her whirlwind younger sister, is taking a break from her rehab program to come join the festivities. With everyone under one roof for the wedding weekend, familiarity just might breed contempt.

Here comes the bride

Maybe it’s because we’ve all been to at least one, or maybe it’s because they are recognizable across cultures and religions, but there’s something immensely watchable and absorbing about weddings on the big screen. From Four Weddings and Funeral to Wedding Crashers and from Love Actually to Braveheart, weddings (and funerals) have provided some of the most memorable and amusing scenes of the past two decades. And this time around, the wedding dominates from the first frame to the last, with a constant flow of emotions, both high and low.

Home video

The film is shot in a seemingly home-made fashion, without adding too much Hollywood gloss to the proceedings, or stooping to the distracting hand-held camera antics that were needed for Cloverfield or The Blair Witch Project. It works by adding an extra sense of realism to what is essentially a very intimate and very private look at family dynamics over a urbulent weekend. It often feels like you’re prying on someone else’s soul-bearing moments and thankfully the dysfunctional family in question has more than enough going on to keep us involved.

Shiva the destroyer

While Rachel’s name is on the invitation, the film is very much about Kym, and their relationship with each other and their estranged parents. With an unstable history of substance abuse and worse, Kym has long been the black sheep of the family, and her return is met with both affection and an underlying hesitancy and caution. Every one of the many guests knows or gets to know what she’s been through, so she tries her best to wear a brave face and enjoy the festivities. But sibling rivalry inevitably creeps in when the focus of attention isn’t always the lady in white.

Who’s in it?

Director Jonathan Demme is no stranger to bringing out the best in his cast, with Silence of the Lambs and Philadelphia under his belt. He doesn’t disappoint here, and the above-mentioned sense of realism owes as much to the camera-work as to the seamless performances from the entire cast. Anne Hathaway (The Devil Wears Prada, Brokeback Mountain) plays against type and is excellent as Kym, to the point that by the time she gets up to speak during the rehearsal dinner, you’re as wary as the guests about whether she’ll say something grossly inappropriate. Relative newcomer to the big screen Rosemarie DeWitt is equally impressive as the titular bride, and the relationship between the two is as believable as it is rocky. Debra Winger (Terms of Endearment, An Officer and a Gentleman) adds a touch of class as their saddened mother, and Bill Irwin (who is instantly recognizable from Robert Altman’s Popeye) gives one of the most heartfelt portrayals of the whole guest list as the father desperately trying to hold his family together. He even manages to turn a playful dishwasher-loading scene into a heart-stopping moment. The original screenplay is by Jenny Lumet, who gets her movie genes from her dad.

In the end

The weekend passes in a flash, and the wedding doesn’t disappoint, however once it’s all over, I couldn’t help feeling that everything was returning back to normal. Despite all the re-enforced relationships or differences, there’s not much change or growth going on apart from Rachel’s marital status. Maybe that’s the whole point – maybe this is just a snapshot of their lives, but still, it’s left up to the audience to imagine what the future holds for Kym and co.

Trailer:

http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony/rachelgettingmarried/ (High-res Quicktime)

Get Smart

 

• Released Internationally on 19/06/08
• Released in Malta by KRS on 27/08/08

 

Preview (01/08/08)

In a nutshell

Based on the Mel Brooks TV series from the 60s, this spy-spoof films pokes fun at the whole secret agent world, much as Johnny English did a few years back.

Why we’re hyped

Steve Carell is one of the funniest actors working today, and this looks like a well-suited vehicle for his geeky persona. And like every spy-spoof worth its salt, this one promises to be full of death-defying stunts, stylish gadgets and headquarters, and a bungling but effective hero of the day.

Who’s in it?

Steve Carell is Maxwell Smart, the data analyst who gets promoted to agent due to desperate times. Anne Hathaway is the dazzling but deadly Agent 99, Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson is Agent 23, Alan Arkin is The Chief, and Terence Stamp is Siegfried, the current threat to world safety.

Review (26/08/08)

High-tech fun

From the word go, this film was a charming reminder of how a movie genre can be spoofed entertainingly. So-called spoofs are being released faster than you can watch them nowadays, and most of the filmmakers involved seem to think that if you simply re-create a scene from a famous film but have the actors fool around or bump into things, it will be funny. Thankfully, this is not the case here. This film throws up the whole secret agent genre by simply being a secret agent movie, but adding hints of exaggeration to the characters, the sets and the plots – whilst making sure that everyone looks dead serious throughout. And few people could do that better than Steve Carell, whom we see promoted to agent in times of dire need, and who proceeds to get the job done rather unconventionally.

He even gets the girl

Teaming up with him on his mission is the delightful Anne Hathaway, who is slowly but surely staking her claim as one of the leading young ladies of Hollywood. She shines in every scene here, and manages to make any eventual chemistry with Carell believable. And when geeky office types manage to save the world and get the girl, it’s hard not to leave the cinema feeling good.

Planes, trains and automobiles

As befitting a film of this sort, we’re treated to impressively scary henchmen, mentally unstable villains, nuclear threats, Cold war remnants and all sorts of modes of transport. But most importantly, the humour keeps running throughout, right up to the climax, which is of symphonic proportions.

 

 

Trailer:

http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/getsmart/ (High-res QuickTime)