An Unusual Mind

Before I say anything else, I have to make a retraction on this blog (how serious, ay?). I believe a few posts a go, when discussing David Cronenberg's films, I stated that he had made 2004's "Crash", the one about racism and a car crash, but I have since realised that his film named "Crash" was the 1996 version with James Spader and Holly Hunter about car crashes and sexuality. I do apologise.

So, I was pretty off with my predictions for the BAFTAs. Basically, all of them seem to have gone to "The Artist" (Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor,...), which I haven't seen, so my judgement was obviously not well backed. I cannot believe it won Best Original Screenplay, as was said when the award was received, you wouldn't think a silent film requires one, but logically it must do. I did predict that "The Artist" might win Best Director, but did not realise the amazing success it would be. I guessed right that Meryl would win best actress, and I'm sure she is incredibly deserving of it, from what I've see of her amazing Thatcher imitation, but I think everyone could have predicted that victory. "Shame" won nothing unfortunately, though Fassbender turned up, looking handsome as ever. The ONE candidate for the Orange Rising Star Award that I'm not really familiar with won, so obviously this was not my year for being in with the best films. I do genuinely believe that, despite having only seen "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" on the Best Film list, I have seen some amazing films this year, worthy of some significant recognition, such as "Shame", "Submarine", "Troll Hunter" and many more I'm sure.

I am very excited, however, to see Stephen Fry back behind the wheel, presenting the BAFTAs as he was born to do. He is the reason it surpasses all other award shows, with his wit and humour, making several hours of sitting still and watch other people win awards, a jolly good romp. He is quintessentially British and so the perfect candidate to present the biggest British film awards of the year.

I missed my weekend-ly visit to the cinema this week because of party arrangements for my flatmates birthday - it was a smashing do I can tell you. I was hoping to go and see "Chronicle" on Saturday, but there is still time and I have managed to catch up on an important one this Monday evening, that is "A Dangerous Method"...

We had a scary moment when going to see this at the Showcase, when we noticed that written outside the cinema with all the film titles was "Dangerous Minds", but NOT "A Dangerous Method". When we went inside the board said "Dangerous" and that was all. As you can guess, everyone thought I had read the title wrong on the website. But then I have never heard of "Dangerous Minds" and was hoping the cinema had got it wrong. I am still not sure if the latter is the case, but what we ended up seeing was definitely "A Dangerous Method" and we sighed with relief when this title came up at the beginning of the credits. 

This is the story of Freud (Mortensen) and Jung's (Fassbender) relationship and how it went from friendship to rivalry, and the sexual relationship between Jung and one of his patients (Knightley). I approve very much of the casting for this film. As you know I am a big Fassbender fan, but I also love Keira Knightley and, well, who doesn't love Aragorn? All three performed their parts very well. Knightley's was probably the most challenging, having to play a mentally disturbed young woman with all sorts of ticks and outbursts. Mortensen impressed me greatly, though it's harder to pin down why. His performance was very subtle, but I believe it is that he seems to have adopted a completely new person - this may largely be down to the new nose he seems to have been given for the part. The scenery is also perfectly chosen, swapping between two beautiful settings, Switzerland and Vienna. Cronenberg makes the most of the natural beauty as well as of the gorgeous architecture of early 20th century Europe.

It is very interesting subject matter and shows you into some of the most important foundations for modern psychology. Cronenberg gives us a good, detailed contrast between the theories of Freud and Jung, he does not sacrifice the science and psychology for sex, which actually is not as prominent or superfluous in the film as the hype might have you believe. Sex is merely used to show us the issues which surround Sabine's (Knightley) madness. The film, however, has to span over about 15 years I believe, so one can be transformed, just by a cut from scene to scene, several years forward, which can make the film feel a bit rushed, though at the same time, the lengthy period covered makes the film appear longer than it is. It is by no means dull, but perhaps the pacing is a bit off.

I also caught up on "Drive" this Monday afternoon, another in the category of Best Film for the BAFTAs. Again, I wasn't too anxious to see this in the cinema, but what a fantastic film, I must admit. At the end I was completely drawn in, hooked, and I don't know if it's the fantastic final scene or the music, but something clicked in me as the film reached the end.

This is the story of a professional stuntman, with a skill for driving, who earns money on the side as a get away driver and falls in love with a married mother, dragging himself into robbery, murder and mob revenge. First of all I have to rave about the music, because it was superb. It is subtle and understated, like much of the film, especially Gosling's performance, but it is powerful. Often there is just a continuous, simple beat, whose pace changes with the pace of the film. This beat caught me straight away, it is dull and thudding, intense and immediate like the film, and it seemed to me almost as if the film had a pulse. Perhaps the pulse of the Driver (Gosling).The pace of the beat sets the mood of the scene perfectly. The sound track, like much of the film, is very 80s. The pop songs used remind very much of that era, they are often quiet and beautiful, frequently juxtaposed against a heavily violent scene. This creates an eerie atmosphere and emphasises the subtlety in the Driver's actions and manner.

The lighting is also beautifully crafted. Most of the scene is set in relative darkness, often with dull, orange-y, fiery lighting, giving the impression that the sun is setting. It is very much an evening based film. The Driver's face, and those of other characters, especially Irene (Carey Mulligan), is therefore usually in relative shadow, and it casts a still feeling on the film, reflecting his still personality. It also reflects the shadows over the Driver's identity. Where did he come from? What is his name? What is he really feeling under that frequently emotionless facade? The dull lighting also allows for many moments of highlighting just the Driver's intense eyes as he speeds through the night. All of Gosling's acting is done through subtle changes in his eyes and mouth. He has beautifully expressive eyes I have noticed.

Ryan Gosling is of course one of the big names of 2011, starring in "Drive", but also "Crazy, Stupid Love" and "The Ides of March", he's one to watch it would seem. As I have said, the acting all comes from his eyes and mouth. His character is very quiet, he barely speaks unless it is absolutely necessary, preferring to use slight nods or head-shakes, barely noticeable, to respond when he can. Watching the BAFTAs, I heard Gosling describe his character as half man, half machine, and when he meets Irene, the machine half is drawn the more out of him, leading to some incredibly violent scenes in the second half. Mulligan also masters this subtlety, managing to show the great emotion and turmoil her character is going through, without making much noise.

The film is very stylised. The credits appear very 80s, like the music, in the odd, hand-written font, and the bright pink colouring, as if you're watching a Brat Pack film. Everything, the music, the settings, the lighting, to the font of the credits at the beginning and end, is chosen to exact detail.

It is an incredibly moving film, though I don't think you realise you are being moved straight away. The Driver's relationship with Irene and her son is incredibly complex. He appears to show no emotion, but is clearly very protective of the boy, he puts his life on the line to protect them, and he is incredibly loyal to his boss, Shannon, played by the wonderful and lovely Bryan Cranston, aka Hal from "Malcolm in the Middle". Despite the horrific acts of brutality which the Driver deals out, despite his apparent lack of emotion, there is something incredibly beautiful about this man. Though he barely ever gets excited or raises his voice during all of the terrifying events, when the ones he loves are hurt, he shows true anger. This film must be watched, if for no other reason than the terrifying penultimate scene on the beach at night.

Too Many Dicks on the Red Carpet: My evaluations and predictions for 2012's BAFTA nominees

The winner!

Well the poll on which of the"Avengers" prequels (well, not prequels, the films that led up to it) was the best has a clear winner: "Iron Man", with 80% of the vote. "Captain America" got 20% and "Thor" got 10%. Yeah, that doesn't add up, but it can only do it in 10s. I pretty much agree with the winner, though I believe "Thor" deserves more votes.  I'm very glad no one dared to vote for "The Incredible Hulk", you would have been shunned.

Ok, so this title isn't so much a film reference as the title of a song, but I think this can be overlooked as it perfectly demonstrates the topic of this post, aka, the complete absence of female nominees for the Orange Rising Star Award at the BAFTAs this year. They are showing this Sunday 11th February. Don't get me wrong, I love the BAFTAs, I adore the BAFTAs, I have been a devoted fan since my early years when I would sit and watch it with my mother and sister and laugh along to Stephen Fry's jokes, his quips, his witty comments on the films and the nominees. I have had less chance to watch it since coming to TV and living in houses that lack TVs, but this is not such a loss as Jonathan Ross can't hold a candle to Stephen Fry as host and as I always catch up on the winners online. This year however, I am going to try my darnedest to watch the awards live.

That said, this years nominees for the above mentioned award (Adam Deacon, Chris Hemmsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Chris O'Dowd and Eddie Redmayne), though I am a fan of all of them (except Adam Deacon, don't even really know who he is), I do resent the lack of female representation. There have been some fantastic female new comers in the past few years of film and I think they require acknowledgement, therefore I am going to do my own TFOO Rising Star Award and choose my own, female only short-list.

And the nominees are...

Emma Stone

Why she should have been nominated:
Easy A (2010)
Crazy Stupid Love (2011)

Three words to describe Emma: funny, natural, charm.

Felicity Jones

Why she should have been nominated:
Cemetery Junction (2010)
Like Crazy (2011)

Three words to describe Felicity: vulnerability, intuitive, graceful.

 


 Jennifer Lawrence 

Why she should have been nominated:
Winter's Bone (2010)
 X-Men: First Class (2011)
Like Crazy (2011)

Three words to describe Jennifer: strength, charisma, elegance.

Mia Wasikowska

Why she should have been nominated:
The Kids are Alright (2010)
Jane Eyre (2011)


Three words to describe Mia: adaptable, natural, intelligent. 






Rooney Mara 

Why she should have been nominated:
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

Three words to describe Rooney: brave, memorable, unique.






This lack of female nominees is not by any means a constant characteristic of the Rising Star Award. In 2007 Eva Green won and in 2010 Kristen Stewart (I will withhold negative comments) and, to be fair, Emma Stone was one of last year's nominees (though Tom Hardy won). But I think, considering the female talent that is "rising" right now, at least one of my nominees, or some other female actress, should have been included on this year's list.

I've discovered that in 2009 Michael Fassbender lost the award to Noel Clarke. What an atrocity!

This of course is not the only or by any means the most important award of the evening. Here are a list of the awards - and their nominees - which I am most eager to see the winners of:

"Leading Actor"
Brad Pitt (Billy Beane) – Moneyball
Gary Oldman (George Smiley) - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
George Clooney (Matt King) – The Descendants
Jean Dujardin (George Valentin) – The Artist
Michael Fassbender (Brandon) – Shame
Oh I do hope Fassbender wins, surprisingly enough. I'm not sure who I think will win, this is quite a heavy list. Everyone is saying this is the best performance of Clooney's career, and he certainly would be a more high-profile choice than Fassbender. They quite often give it to someone who's been nominated before, one of those "it's about time they got one" scenarios... I haven't seen "The Artist", but I doubt Dujardin will win. Gary Oldman will certainly give the others a run for their money and Brad Pitt can't be dismissed. To hazard a guess, I will say Clooney, but who knows, this is Fassbender's year...


"Leading Actress"
Bérénice Bejo (Peppy Miller) – The Artist
Meryl Streep (Margaret Thatcher) – The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams (Marilyn Monroe) – My Week with Marilyn
Tilda Swinton (Eva) – We Need to Talk About Kevin
Viola Davis (Aibileen Clark) – The Help
I don't think anyone expects this to go to anyone other than Meryl Streep, though critics do rave about Davis' performance in "The Help". You can quite often guarantee awards if you play convincingly a famous public figure, which gives Streep the edge, but also Williams. I am going to go for Meryl Streep! (That said, Tilda Swinton is constantly nominated and a strong contender also.)


"Outstanding British Film" (a category in which I am very interested) are:
My Week with Marilyn
Senna
Shame 
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
We Need to Talk About Kevin
I didn't see "We Need to Talk About Kevin" or "Senna", but the former has had a lot of positive response and has definitely been one of the most talked of British films this year. I think "Shame" was a much stronger film than "My Week With Marilyn" (I would happily see Michelle Williams get Best Actress, but I think Best British Film is pushing it) and a touch better than "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy", though the latter was superb, with some amazing performances. I shall go for "Shame" out of hope, but I imagine "We Need to Talk About Kevin" may just beat it and both that and "TTSS" made it into the Best Film category, which "Shame" didn't, so logically it shouldn't be able to beat them.

"Best Director"
The Artist - Michel Hazanavicius
Drive - Nicolas Winding Refn
Hugo - Martin Scorsese
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - Tomas Alfredson
We Need to Talk About Kevin - Lynne Ramsay 
Hmm... This is tougher to judge than the previous categories. I have only seen "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy", so really my opinion is moot, but purely from the talk I have heard about the other four, I would guess either "The Artist" - which has the advantage of being in black and white and the first silent feature film made in years - or "TTSS". I don't believe an American children's film like "Hugo", despite its fantastic reviews, will win, but I haven't seen it so your guess is as good as mine. 

Of course, the category everyone is talking about is "Best Film", for which are nominated:
The Artist
The Descendents
Drive
The Help
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
I doubt "the Help" will win, I think this film was more about performance and I didn't see any 5 star reviews in proper film magazines or newspapers, the Guardian etc. "Drive" came 1st in Empire's best films of the year, but the BAFTAs are different. I haven't seen it, so I can't really judge what kind of film it is. It may well win. I don't know anyone who's seen "the Artist", it must have a very niche audience, that said it highly praised by all critics I've read. All I've heard of "The Descendents" is Clooney's brilliant performance, so I shall eliminate this film... I suppose that leaves me with "TTSS". I believe either this or "Drive" will win.

Film News: Our favourite Joseph Gordon-Levitt is set to direct his debut film, an as of yet untitled romantic comedy, which will star himself and Scarlett Johannson. A Guardian article on this subject described it as "reportedly the tale of a lothario and "his journey to become less of a selfish dick"." - There's a JGL quote within a Guardian quote for you. Gordon Levitt already runs a webiste "hitRECord" on which he encourages burgeoning artists of all forms, film makers, musicians, artists, photographers, to collaborate and make art together. He submitted a film they'd made at Sundance and has produced a book, filled with collected works, called "Recollection".

The good, the bad and the downright rubbish!

I don't think I've yet mentioned, at least I may have in passing but not properly, my deep and most affectionate love for the actress Helena Bonham Carter, not only an incredibly talented actress but also one of the most beautiful, coolest women to ever grace our screens.

She has been on the top of my girl-crush list and one of my favourite actresses since I don't know when, possibly recently joined at the top by the wonderful Emma Stone.I'm trying to think where I first fell in love with Helena... It must be somewhere amongst all the period dramas, all of Merchant Ivory's E. M. Forster adaptations, and her deliciously gothic appearances in Tim Burton's films of the past 10 years or so. Many people complain that Burton keeps making the same film, the same dark, surreal settings, the same cast (Depp and Carter), etc. But, to be honest, until that style isn't cool and unique to Tim, I won't complain. And if you actually consider Helena's entire portfolio, she has portrayed a wide variety of characters, emotions and situations.

She started out playing young, beautiful innocents in Merchant Ivory films such as "A Room With A View" and "Howard's End" and basically starred in multiple other period dramas, "The Wings of the Dove", Twelfth Night etc. She played these parts superbly and convincingly, but one may argue that such parts offer little variation. Then, however, she branched out, playing the morbid - and definitely not old-fashioned - smoke-aholic Marla Singer in David Fincher's classic "Fight Club". Yes, she has been in basically every Tim Burton film since "The Planet of the Apes" in 2001, but is an ape woman really the same as the mother of an impoverished family or a widow who bakes human pie? And don't forget other fantastic, critically acclaimed turns such as the Queen Mother in "The King's Speech", which won her the BAFTA for best supporting actress or the fact that Bonham Carter was recently awarded a OBE at the end of last year.

Bellatrix LeStrange

What made me head-over-heels for Helena must have been her interpretation of Bellatrix LeStrange in the Harry Potter films. My least favourite character in the books, because she kills the oh-so-wonderful Sirius Black, she is one of my most beloved in the films because her style and clothing are so dark and  full of personality, because she is sex on legs and because her portrayal of a mad, Voldemort-obsessed death eater is so flawless! Bellatrix must be the reason why my admiration for a great actress turned to obsession.

Marc Jacobs

Also, Bonham Carter is just intrinsically cool. She wears fantastic outfits, with a style completely incomparable to any other actress. She is the mother of the children of my favourite director and has starred in many of his films and so, many of my favourites. She has modeled for Marc Jacobs, my favourite designer! Though his clothes are bright and vibrant,  they match her quirky, other-wordly nature perfectly. I don't know that it's so much I want to marry her as I want to be her and I think you can see why....

Speaking of women I love a little too much, there have been some new images released for "The Amazing Spider-Man", including this lovely one of Emma Stone...

AND!!! There is a new "Amazing Spider-Man" trailer. Go to the website to check it out. Now, now, now!!

And speaking of period dramas, I have discovered this brilliant idea for an article: handsome men in period dramas!
Stylist: Handsome men
It's everything you could want in life, aka... handsome men and period dramas! I vote either Firth-Darcy, Fassbender-Rochester or Hardy-Heathcliffe. What about you?

I'm always going on about films I like - naturally -, but I'm never very critical. I never warn you of the rubbish that's to be avoided, I never pick at the flaws of the films I enjoy, so today, I shall do the polar opposite! The Top 5 Worst Films I've Ever Seen:

 Scary Movie
This film is to blame for not only all the subsequent "Scary Movie" sequels, but also all the "- Movie"s which followed: "Date Movie", "Epic Movie", dare I mention "Meet the Spartans"? Luckily for myself, my brain and my stomach I have only sat through "Scary Movie" 1, because, as a rational person, I knew I was not likely to enjoy the sequels to such a dud. This film is dull, it is awfully written, awfully acted, and it resorts to incredibly crude jokes to hide the fact that it's not funny: "The more extreme we are, the more likely someone will laugh!" Are the Wayans brothers responsible for all that is wrong with contemporary cinema? Maybe...

Little Nicky/The Waterboy
Having said what I said about the Wayans brothers, I must give Adam Sandler some credit for the awful cinema inflicted upon us. These are the two worst Sandler films I have seen, but I am sure there are many I haven't seen or don't remember that are worthy of this list. Again, poorly written and poorly acted, these films are also slightly offensive. Sandler plays basically the same character twice. In "Little Nicky" he is the devil's son and must save his father's life - or some rubbish like that - and in "The Waterboy" he is, well, a waterboy, a true underdog who fights his way onto the team. Both films are horrifically bad and both these characters play on a slow voice and a dim intellect for laughs. They play to the lowest common denominator. Is it endearing Adam? No, it's not. If you've seen "Tropic Thunder" (love it!) and have watched Stiller's satiric advert for "Simple Jack", you will see exactly what Sandler is doing in these films:

The Cat in the Hat
I don't even remember exactly why this film was so bad (it came out in 2003), but I remember that it was one of the most tedious cinema trips of my life! To be honest, is Mike Myers really that great? Does he really add much to "Shrek" that any other actor couldn't do easily? Are the "Austin Powers" films (except 3, which I do enjoy) really that good? Myers, Sandler and Eddie Murphey all have careers I cannot explain! This film wasn't even a good children's film, it was dull and pointless, unlike "The Grinch", a brilliant, fun, sweet Zeuss adaptation definitely worth a watch around Christmas!

Van Wilder: Party Liaison 
This film works similarly to the "Scary Movie" franchise in that it goes as gross as possible and throws in some boobs to try to appeal to teenagers. I love Ryan Reynolds, I really do, and I do love American college films, but this did not entertain me and at times forced me to avert my eyes. Bestiality is not funny people!

Anything with Eddie Murphey
I couldn't think of another specific film worthy of being up here with these horrors, so I thought we should give a shout out to Eddie, who never fails to create some shockers. Anything in which he plays more than one character (I'm also looking at you, Martin Laurence, and you, Adam Sandler) is bound to be a less-than-one star film. 

None of these films deserve an accompanying image! I don't want to soil my blog.

I'm sorry if this bout of negativity has lowered the mood of my blog. I much prefer talking about films I love and most films you can definitely find something good in. I shall return to my favourites in the next post for sure!

Film News: There's a new "Hunger Games" trailer out, check it out, this film should be big! And check out my previous post on "The Hunger Games" for a look at the book and its story: "The Hunger Games - A Briefing". Plus, the Super Bowl is on at the moment which means lots of mini film trailers are being aired. Here's a Guardian article with some clips, including for "the Avengers". Plus here's a link to "The Avengers" extended super bowl ad.
Best quote from the advert: Loki "I have an army." Tony Stark: "We have a Hulk."
This shit gonna be good!

That's What __ Said!

This weekend I finally got the chance to go to see the illusive "The Grey", seemingly not showing anywhere in Bristol, despite its fantastic reviews and its general appeal as a survival, action film. I didn't really know what to expect or if I would like it, because I was warned by Jim - film buddy - not to watch the trailer, as he'd read that it showed parts of the film best seen for the first time when watching the entire thing. So all I knew was Liam Neeson was some sort of wolf expert, whose plane crashed in a snowy, forest covered, mountainous region, and he and his fellow survivors had to battle against the elements and a pack of ravenous wolves to make it through to some sort of survival destination. Having watched the film, I can now tell you that Neeson plays "Ottoway", a man working with an oil drilling team in Alaska, hired to keep guard with a rifle for wolves that threaten the safety of his team. From Ottoway's voice over, which involves him reading out a letter he is writing to his wife who we learn has left him, we can see that he is incredibly unhappy. Ottoway and many of the oil drillers embark on a flight back home but the plane, of course, never reaches its destination.

This film is so many brilliant things. It was far better, far more complex, far more emotive and terrifying and 3-dimensional than anything I was expecting. I was basically expecting "Taken" 3 ("Taken" 2 of course being Neeson's "Unknown"). But this is no mere action film. What this film achieves, that which makes it such a brilliant piece of art, is to draw you in to what the men are experiencing. You are scared when they are, you are sad when they are, when they are exhausted, you feel it. You become part of their survivors' circle. At times, it is terrifying. There are so many fantastically suspense-filled and genuinely frightening scenes, the plane crash, the encounters with the wolves, I can't name too many because I would not wish to spoil the surprise, but many scenes in the wilderness which don't involve the wolves will have you on the edge of your seat (for the final scene I was literally sat on the edge of my seat and for much of it I had at least one tear in my eye).

At times it is heat-breaking, as the men tell their stories, talk of the ones they love at home, as you see the many who have died in the crash and realise that not all of them will make it to the end. But what really made my heart wrench were the scenes in which, remembering or dreaming, Ottoway looks back to his wife, and we see that the only reason he is holding it together and acting brave, is for the sake of the other men who have no chance without his expertise. I will not tell you when or why, but at one point I was silently sobbing (thank goodness for the darkness of a cinema in which you can totally pretend you're not even bothered).

There are some fantastic stunts in this film and the scenery and the cinematography are at times stunning. Of course, the film-makers have chosen a fantastically imposing setting - the snow capped mountains of North America, which can't hurt the job of the cinematographers. At one point, one of the survivor's points to the river and the mountains in the background and says "look at this, now all of this is mine," considering its great beauty, laid out before him. The music is clever because there is very little of it and the sound team have relied on the elements, the heavy snows, the blizzards, the winds, and the sounds of the forests and the wolves, the howls and the screams, as a backing track to the plot and it perfectly first the atmosphere. External music can often detach you from what is going on within the film, it reminds you that it isn't real.

This is by no means a perfect film. I will try to add some criticism. Certain aspects of the plot are slightly loose. I'm not sure I believe just how much knowledge and expertise Ottoway has on wolves. At one point the men hear howling and a fight and he explains that there's been a fight with the alpha male and he has won. I find it hard to believe he can know that by listening to howls. He seems to know exactly how to react to all emergency situations, who needs what care, where to best hide, etc. Though he does often say that it is merely a best guess, not a certainty, and I believe he is responding how he knows best, acknowledging that someone needs to take charge and act like they know what they're doing. There are other parts of the plot which also slightly bothered me on reflection, but nothing which will really nag at you throughout. I would definitely recommend this to people who like adventure, horror, action, suspense, but also to people who enjoy watching films about people. It is not, however, for everyone. A large group of chatty girls, who I only just believe were 15+, came in and sat at the back and then left about half way through, not to my surprise. I highly doubted when they arrived that this was the sort of film they would enjoy. That said, I give this film 4/5 at least! A very pleasant surprise!

I also watched the third and final of the "American Pie" trilogy this weekend (I don't include "Band Camp" or any of the other spin offs and loosely based ons...). I watched the 1st this summer and it wasn't as awful as I expected, but I have geuinely enjoyed 2 and 3. No, they're not particularly amazing film, but they have their moments, mainly Stiffler moments. Sean William Scott can usually brighten up a crappy film with a good comic performance. There's a good amount of heart and sweet characters too, to keep you going until the end, though I would say that most of Jason Bigg's friends are pretty pointless. If you enjoy films like "Road Trip", "Euro Trip", "Dude Where's My Car", etc., then I don't see any reason why you should hate these three. I am actually really looking forward to "American Pie: The Reunion", the sequel set 10 years on with all of the original cast. As the trailer says "It's seem like everyone's actually going". The trailer is pretty funny really: 

I have also been watching a lot of Arrested Development this week and wanted to note down some of the best quotes and best running gags from series 1 to get us all excited about the new series and film. There is actually a film called "That's What She Said" with Alia Shawkat, aka Maeby Fünke, so this title is particularly appropriate.

The Bluth family

Georg Sr.
"Daddy horny, Michael."

Lucille
Michael: "I Haven't met anyone in a while who wasn't completely self-absorbed and impossible to have a conversation with."
Lucille: "If that was a veiled criticism about me I won't hear it and I won't respond to it."

Lucille: "Oh please, they didn't sneak into this country to be your friends."

Lucille (about Tobias): "A never nude? I thought he just liked cut-offs."

G.O.B.
"I've made a huge mistake." - A recurring classic.

"Hey, if I can't find a horny immigrant in three days, I don't deserve to stay here."

Kitty: "GOB, I wish I'd known you were coming. I look a mess." GOB: "I don't know if a call from me would have changed that."

Lindsay: "It'd give dad one more excuse to think I have nothing to offer but my looks."
GOB: "Yeah, I've got some of that. Except he also didn't like my looks."

G.O.B.: "These are just strippers. Look how hot they are!"

Georg Michael
Michael: "GOB reckons he saw you down at the docks today. Was that you?"
GM: "No. Maybe it was the other Georg Michael, you know, the singer song-writer." 

Wayne Jarvis (in his typical, very serious tone): "Why should I be billing you for small talk when I'm enjoying it as much as you are?"

J. WalterWeatherman: "And that's why you don't teach your son a lesson."

Seriously, I can't begin to list all of the genius things they come up with, let alone the physical comedy and the intonations of what they say. If you haven't seen it yet, I envy you, because you still get to experience it for the first time, but seriously, get on it!!!

G.O.B. and Franklyn, my favourite pairing

Plus, you need to get all the way through to series 3 if you want to experience the hilarious, unique, newest member of the Bluth family, Franklyn Delano Bluth!!

Shame Fassbender!

My last poll on Heath Ledger vs. Joseph Gordon-Levitt was a 50/50 split! In conclusion: They're both AMAZING!

How many posts is this now which have Fassbender at the center? I know, I have a problem and many people are probably sick of it, but seriously, you have to check out the film I am about to mention...

I watched "Fish Tank" last night. What a film! I've been meaning to watch it for ages now. It won so many prizes, the Jury Prize at Cannes 2009, the Bafta for Best British Film, and people keep recommending it to me. Then again, you know, it's one of those films where you think about watching it and are like "I'm not in the mood to be depressed" or can find no one in such a mood to watch it with you. But it definitely paid off and I genuinely believe I can call it one of my favourite films now.

"Fish Tank" is about a teenage girl, Mia (Katie Jarvis), who lives in an East London council estate, whose father is absent for an unmentioned reason, whose mother (Kierston Wareing) is frequently drunk,who spends much of her time alone, drinking, seeming to have isolated herself from her only friends. She swears heavily and in one of the earliest scenes nuts a girl in the face! But Mia also is an aspiring, talented hip-hop dancer, who sneaks away to a deserted council flat to practice her moves, who (literally) tries to free a starving horse from its chains, who clearly just wants someone to say a few nice words to her. I believe this is the main message of the film. Mia's mother, Joanne, is clearly very unhappy, she pushes around her two daughters and is foul-mouthed in front of even her youngest (who must be about 10). In turn, the two girls are aggressive and adopt bad language naturally. Then Connor (Michael Fassbeder) appears, the mother's new boyfriend, he's handsome, charming, friendly and good with the girls. Joanne is happier and so kinder to her daughters and in turn the youngest, Tyler, begins to behave more like a happy teenage girl and even Mia at times is sociable. Unhappy people find it difficult to be affectionate or sympathetic, but they are often unhappy because they have no one treating them humanely.

Things are not so simple with Connor however, and this is another clever trick of the film. Though he is amiable and generous, especially towards Mia, there are clear signs throughout that his treatment of the 15-year-old is not as innocent as it should be. The director (and writer), Andrea Arnold, seems to want us to judge Connor's behaviour, but then never makes it easy for us to do so. Is he all bad? Are things really so black and white. People definitely aren't and Arnold understands this and this is what she wants to show us. We see a better side of Mia's mother and sister when they are treated with affection, we see that our initial judgements of the family are unfair. Maybe judging Connor is not so straightforward either.

The film is brilliantly shot. Camera angles frequently change to show you events from a new and interesting perspective. In one scene, Mia films Connor changing his shirt and dolling himself up: we go from a head-high shot of Mia with the camera to a shot from below, as Mia lies down, from between her arms, almost from the cameras perspective as we watch Connor. We are seeing what she sees and how SHE perceives this new man in her life. The lighting is also meticulously chosen. A friend I was watching it with pointed this out specifically in a scene in which Mia dances for Connor. It is dark outside, the lights are off in the house, all we have is the streetlight from outside creating a shadow in the room. We watch the silhouette of Mia, the dark, expressionless form, clearly depicting the tension and inappropriate sexuality of the scene.

All the performances are flawless. Kate Jarvis, who plays Mia, must have been about 18 when she filmed this, very young and depicting flawlessly someone even younger. At no point in the film do you doubt her authenticity as she conveys anger; frustration; hope; suffocation - in this fish tank she lives in - as she knows there's something bigger out there for her; desire for a much older man. This is not an easy task for a first time actress, spotted by a casting agent while arguing with her boyfriend at a train station, and no one can doubt the beauty of this performance. Fassbender has a challenging role, making himself likeable while also incredibly suspicious. You know really that his intentions are not pure, but he seems to bring happiness to an unhappy family. He plays perfectly in that field of grey which we cannot judge. Kierston Wareing is always brilliant, I first saw her in Martina Cole's "The Take", as the beautiful but disturbed and deeply depressed Jackie. Though not one of the two main roles in "Fish Tank", she conveys depression and despair, in some cases happiness and hope, more naturally than many other actresses with her looks. There is also a brilliant performance from the young Tyler (Rebecca Griffiths).

If I have not convinced you yet with this length appraisal, I don't know what will. OK, one more thing: I know I shouldn't be noticing this in this particular film, but 32 year old Michael Fassbender is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. His first appearance, in the kitchen wearing only jeans, shows off his... lets say impressive body. While watching it I invented a new - well, new is a strong word - to describe the effect this actor has on women: He leaves you "Fassbendered". That plus his star performance should get any Fassbender fan interested. By the way, do we fans have a name? Can we be Fanbenders? Or does that just sound wrong?

Film news:
Having created a Twitter account I'm getting all the good film news! And I read this little treat yesterday. Jesse Eisenberg and Mia Wasikowska are to star in Richard Ayoade's next directorial venture, "The Double", based on Dostoyevsky's novella of the same name. It is the story of a man whose life is shaken greatly by the appearance of his doppleganger.A story of great loneliness. The film is to start shooting this summer and I already can't wait for its release.

On other news, for comic book and comic book film fans, there are to be prequel graphic novels written to Alan Moore's "Watchmen". A series of books focusing on individual characters, Ozymandius, the Comedian, Nite Owl, also one on the Minutemen and more. It is likely that Alan Moore will not agree with this, I'm not sure how I feel about someone else trying to take over from the genius himself, but I am intrigued to see the stories and I shall secretly hope that more films will be made!

I am going to try to keep up to date within this blog on what films are coming out in the next few weeks (that I think worth mentioning), so that you and I can both make sure we're on top of the important dates!


February 3rd
Martha Macy May Marlene 
(I have always, not so secretly, bee a massive Olsen twin fan, so I am curious to see this new, third Olsen acting, in a role which has been highly critically acclaimed!)


February 10th
A Dangerous Method
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (3D)
The Woman in Black
(Daniel Radcliffe in a period drama? Hell yeah!)

The Hunger Games - A briefing

Jennifer, Josh and Liam

For my birthday this year a friend of mine bought me the first in the series of books, "The Hunger Games", of which I had never previously heard, but which I quickly took to reading and soon I was buying books two and three, "Catching Fire" and "Mockingjay". These books, a teenage trilogy, starring a brave, resilient young heroine, Katniss, facing constant life-threatening situations, while being simultaneously wooed by two handsome young men, Peeta and Gale, has, unsurprisingly, often been labeled the next "Twilight", but it's so much more.

Effie Trinket with lead, Katniss Everdeen

The story is set in an alternative version of our world, in a post-apocalyptic America, now named Panem. It is divided into 12 districts and a Capitol which rules them all. To ensure fear and complete subservience of the other districts and to repress the urge to rebel, the capital holds annual "Hunger Games". These games involve a lottery in which one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 from every district is chosen to enter an arena and fight to the death. Last man standing wins. Sound familiar? Yes, it is to an extent a western, 12A version of "Battle Royale". I haven't read the novel of "Battle Royale", though I've read much of the manga, but I'd say it is the better story of that and "The Huger Games". That said, the latter is a consistently fun, often gripping, frequently moving - in some cases to tears - novel, full of lovable characters. I was so thrilled to find out that Lenny Kravitz would be playing Cinna and Woody Harrelson would be playing Haymitch - two of my favourites. 

Though still notably aimed at a teenage audience, these books are significantly better written than the Twilight saga, with more in depth characters and a more well-rounded and action-packed plot. Many of the kinks (the many, many kinks) in "Twilight"'s armour have been ironed out in these novels - though I am by no means arguing that Suzanne Collins thought for a minute about "Twilight" when she wrote them. The protagonist, Katniss, is actually likeable and sympathetic. She has personality, and does not merely feel like she is narrating the events as the author would. She has ups and downs, moments of joy and of sadness, instead of hurtling out moans and complaints at her reader. The two male leads courting her are the ONLY men doing so, unlike in Bella Swan's case where I believe her two male school friends, Mike and Eric, also tried to catch her attention when she first arrived in Forks. There is actual death and violence in this saga about a game show where "kill or be killed" is the mantra, in complete contrast to the vampire novels in which, despite 90% of its population being vampires or werewolves, both creatures designed for strength and the ability to destroy, and despite the age old rivalry between these two races and despite the high tensions between the Cullen clan and the vampire Vatican, not one main character dies in 4 books. Not one! Well, when reading or watching "The Hunger Games", prepare to lose those you love and thought you'd never lose! The individual events of this story are by no means predictable, though you can have a general guess at how it will end, but important questions - such as who will survive?, who will Katniss end up with? - Peeta? Gale? No one? - are not supplied with quick and easy answers. 

The film is going to be a quadrilogy, which I believe will involve splitting the final novel in two - as was done with "Twilight: Breaking Dawn" and "Harry Potter Part 7". The first part is coming out 23 March and, judging from the trailer, looks to be one of this years must-see fantasy films:

Film News:
I am about to reveal to you, the most exciting, inviting, inciting film news you'll hear for ages: It's official, they're making a sequel to "X-Men: First Class" and director Matthew Vaughn is back on board: http://blastr.com/2012/01/that-x-men-first-class-se.php?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Another intriguing new project I have heard of is "Only Loves Left Alive", a film about two vampire lovers, starring Tilda Swinton, John Hurt, Tom Hiddleston and Mia Wasikowska and directed by Jim Jarmusch.

More soon to be released is "A Dangerous Method", out on 10th May, the next in the Michael Fassbender series. This is the story of psychoanalysis, of the friendship of Karl Jung and Sigmund Freud and the tests they carry out on a sexually disturbed Russian girl, Sabina, who ends up driving a wedge between the two. I am very excited about this film, though it appears to be receiving only mediocre praise: 3 stars from Total Film. I love Fassbender, Viggo Mortenson and Keira Knightley and David Cronenberg (director) has made some interesting films. He directed "Crash", which won the Oscar for Best Film. I personally didn't enjoy "Crash", I found it very bleak and there aren't many characters you can really empathise with, but it does address important and interesting issues and he got some brilliant performances out of his cast. Cronenberg also made "A History of Violence", displaying some raw talent from Mortenson and, again, heavy and serious material.  It seems to me it is worth watching his films to look at the issues he raises and the performances of his actors.

A Very Long-Distance Engagement

I was very eager to go see "The Grey" this weekend. I have seen many 4 star reviews in reputable magazines (aka, not "Zoo", "FHM" or "Hello"). But then when I looked online I could find practically no viewings in Bristol, so, of course, instead of giving up on my weekly trip, I inspected what other goodies were on offer and found "Like Crazy". I'd seen a trailer for this in the cinema about a month ago and forgotten when it was coming out, but it had very much appealed to me at the time, largely because I love Felicity Jones, but also because the subject matter seemed intelligent and not like your average rom-com and the advert displays several Sundance Film Festival award wins:

This is the film of Anna, a young British university student studying in LA, who falls in love with American student, Jacob and decides to stay there with him after their study ends. But Anna comes into problems with her visa and is refused entry back into the US. Subsequently, they struggle through an on-off-relationship, trying to find the best solution to make them both happy. I completely agree with the repetitive 4 star review this film has received. It delivered all I hoped it would, a fantastic performance from Felicity Jones and Anton Yelchin, a moving and natural script and a very insightful look at long-distance, seemingly doomed relationships.

This is one of the best depictions of a young relationship, still in the honeymoon phase: utterly devoted to each other, unaware how to live without each other. When you watch the film, you feel like it is a documentary or just select recordings some of your friends have made to detail their relationship, its ups and downs. It feels so natural for several reasons: The fantastic performances, the great chemistry between Yelchin and Jones; the hand-held camera style, that gives an un-airbrushed, non-Hollywood feel to the film, you feel like you're watching a home video or even that you're right there with them; the lack of pop songs, pre-published songs, in the sound track, it merely uses a score written for it, using pianos and other classical instruments and a lot of the time there is no music at all, which all adds to the natural, real-life ambiance.

The film is very well-paced. It has to cover several years of relationship and so the editors had to pick out the key moments, which is done very well. There is little focus on the early days of the relationship, because what matters is the difficulties they face once Anna is denied entrance into the US. Their first date, however, is included and its definitely a bonus in this film. It helps the audience build a clear image of their relationship, helps you feel invested in it, as you've known it from the start. And it is just a fantastic scene. The dialogue is awkward as they try to think what to say to this person whom they are clearly interested in, but don't know all too well and have definitely never been in a romantic situation with before. This is your typical, honest first date. The chemistry between the two throughout the film is undeniable.

After my last, "Avengers"-orientated post, I decided that it was really time I got around to  re-watching "Thor", which I did on Saturday night and I have to say, though it doesn't have the impact at home as it does on the big screen, it is still jolly good fun. I do think the contrast between the scenes in Asgard and the scenes on Earth is stunning. "Thor" has what no other super-hero film has, a completely different world, the world of the (almost) Gods, which is giant, glorious and gold! This allows Marvel to use their special effects to new, more exciting uses. Chris Hemsworth is fantastic as Thor. He's brilliant at playing the rash, aggressive and naive God of thunder, but he's also hilarious. A prime example of the films humour is the scene in the cafe, when Thor, not used to human civilisation, smashes his cup of tea and demands: "Delicious, I'll have another!" And you have to admit, with the long blonde hair and beard and the immenseness of his pecs, he is a God-like sight to behold. I think he may well be my new number one Avenger, edging out Downey Jr's sarcy, smart, sexy Stark (I am owning the alliteration).

For this week's Top 5 I am going to look at my Top 5 Directors, considering the films that have put them on my list:

Tim Burton

Edward Scissorhands

This man has been my no.1 since I was like 6 and my parents introduced me to "Edward Scissorhands" and soon after "Beetlejuice", still two of my favorite films. I love his gothic style, you know you're watching one of his. I love his characters who never fit into the world they are born into. Characters like Edward, who in their loneliness and feeling of misplacement, are achingly beautiful. Other masterpieces by Burton are, as I have already mentioned in an earlier post, his two "Batman" films, "The Nightmare Before Christmas", based on his story and his characters, though directed by "Coraline"'s Henry Selick, and "Sleep Hollow", which I must have watched about ten times when I first bought the video in 2010.

Ridley Scott
I have always argued that "Gladiator" is a perfect film. Every aspect of it is perfectly chosen and conducted: the acting, the script, the scenery, the music. It is not to be faulted! Another masterpiece of his is "Blade Runner", whose beauty and depth go beyond the visuals, but in the way Scott addresses the question of good and bad and right and wrong. It has one of the best endings of any film ever, when Harrison Ford and Rutger Hauer battle it out on the rooftops. Also, "Alien" - need I say more?

Christopher Nolan
I'm sure I've said it too many times now, how much I love "the Dark Knight" and even "Batman Begins", which hadn't yet reached the complexity and genius of its sequel, but is still fantastically directed and an incredibly unique take on filming the comic book hero. That said, I have seen all  of Nolan's feature-length films and none were bad. He seems to get better with every film, but we mustn't forget the older ones, like "Momento", one of the most cleverly edited films I've ever seen, and "The Prestige", with its brilliantly complicated and twisted plot, its outstanding performances and scenery.

Peter Jackson
Because no one else could have done "the Lord of the Rings" so perfectly and so in keeping with the atmosphere and life of the book. Though Guillermo del Toro is also amazing and would have made an incredibly dark and haunting "Hobbit" I am sure, Jackson was born to make this prequel.

Hayao Miyazaki

Howl's Moving Castle

Because he directed all of the best Studio Ghibli films, some of which are my most beloved films of all time, for example "Howl's Moving Castle" and "Spirited Away". The Studio's films are totally unique and surreal and the studio is Miyazaki essentially. The artwork, the stories, the characters. His signature is on all his films and no one else can possibly claim to be similar to the style of Ghibli.



Film news: They are definitely onto filming "Star Trek 2", which has me all excited, because I am a BIG fan of the first film and slightly in love with Zachary Quinto, ever since he terrified us in the first series of "Heroes". There are many sequels being set up at the moment, including a "Ferris Bueller 2", that's right, it's 26 years after the first one, Matthew Broderick is now 49, but they're doing it. Also in the pipe-line are "Terminator 5", though who is directing it or starring in it is yet to be confirmed and "Fast and the Furious 6" - seriously guys?

The Gangster Squad

In other, very important news, I have discovered a new film to be released on November 9 starring the love of my life, sorry, I mean Emma Stone, alongside Ryan Gosling (repairing them after last year's "Crazy Stupid Love"), called "The Gangster Squad", looking at the LA mafia in the 1940s and 1950s. Sean Penn and Josh Brolin also star, but I was sold at Emma Stone, who has yet to do a film that I haven't liked.