The Help

It may not be subtle in it’s message, but The Help looks like it will make you feel both empowered and weepy all at the same time. With such a great cast that includes Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Jessica Chastain and Octavia Spencer this is definitely a film people should watch out for and go and see.

True Grit

This film is getting a lot of Oscar and reward buzz, and for good reason. Not only does the film combine the huge talents of the Cohen brothers, Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon, but it also introduces us to Hailee Steinfeld who has got an Oscar best supporting actress nomination for her first ever acting role; that is no mean feat. Add to that the fact it is a film about redemption, battling the odds and also a re-make of the 1969 film that John Wayne his only Academy Award and this is certainly a film that people should be excited to see.

Trainspotting

 

Surprisingly this film has nothing to do with the leisurely past time of spotting all types of trains on the tracks. The relevant part of Irvine Welsh’s  book of the same name, where characters Renton and Begbie meet a drunk who turns out to Begbie’s father, at an abandoned station, was cut from the final draft; Welsh himself is, however, lucky enough to get a cameo as low down drug dealer Mikey Forrester) With all that is left, however, there is enough for this small detail not to matter. At then end of the day there is no mistaking that this is a Danny Boyle film since it has everything that interests him:controversial topics; culture analysis; possibility for harrowing scenes; and at the centre of it all, an interest in humans and characters.

The film is set in Edinburgh during the changing times of the 1980’s and it centers on a group of working-class Scottish misfits. The protagonist and narrator is Mark Renton (Rent Boy) who is played by a young Ewan McGregor, a somewhat unknown actor who had only been in three films previously. To prepare for the tough role McGregor shaved his head and lost 18 kilos so that he would look the part of a heroin addict. Renton is a guy who saw what he could have and chose to reject it for a life of instant and extreme gratification that only a good ‘hit’ could provide. The others in the group are equally colourful; there is Spud (Eiren Bremmer) a well-intentioned but dim witted guy destined for failure; Sick Boy ( Jonny Lee Miller) the schemer and wannabe pusher; Begbie (Robert Carlyle) who is a violent sociopath that will fight anyone anytime; and finally Tommy (Kevin McKidd) who is the clean cut –jock who ends up being the most tragic character in the story. None of them are really particularly likeable, most seeming to try hard to do as little work as possible, but the whole cast is exceptional with each one making their characters stand out on their own.

The film, as with the original book, revolves mainly around the heroin that the group is addicted to. As the movie progresses Renton, through his narration, tries to glorify and justify the choice he made, claiming to be in control of it all. However, this is all a self-generated smoke screen that the audience cannot fall for since we see the graphic reality. The frequent drug scenes work well in depicting the brutal realities of heroine addiction. The grotty flats, unattractive appearances and tragic consequences show the audience the truth of this lifestyle. At a time where drugs seem to be the latest party accessory due to shows such as ‘Skins’ and ‘Shameless’ (thanks a lot Channel 4) it is good, possibly even healthy, to know that there are ways for people to see the harsh side of the ‘glamour’. There is certainly nothing appealing about the dead baby scene, which is one of the most shocking I have seen on a screen.

Saying all this Boyle does not directly pass any moral judgment on the characters and doesn’t lecture the audience like an after school special. In fact we are shown how society has its own acceptable drugs such as cigarettes, alcohol and (the middle class favourite) prescription drugs, which are just as bad for you, but legal so therefore ok. The audience is left to decide for themselves if addictions are an acceptable part of life or not.

There is more analysis in this story than just looking at drugs; it also looks at the entire city of Edinburgh during its ‘cultural boom’. In the 1980s Edinburgh was seen as culturally rich and diverse, but here are a group who are anything but those things. For the best Scottish film of all time it doesn’t portray the country in a very positive light, even describing the Scottish people as ‘…the scum of the fucking Earth! The most wretched, miserable, servile, pathetic trash that was ever shat into civilization.’-not something the Scottish tourist board will be using anytime soon. The working class life-style of Edinburgh appears not to have caught up with the rest of the city and instead clings to its seedy bars, violent fights and attempts to avoid all sort of reasonability. As with Channel 4’s ‘Shameless’ we are most likely given an exaggerated version of reality, but these characters will have come from somewhere and represent some part of Edinburgh. In fact the film chooses to be brutally honest about Scottish national perception. So as well as looking at drug addiction, ‘Trainspotting’ is a cultural dissection of Scotland and its working class. It is such a shame then that this analysis takes a back seat to all the drug related plot line and story arcs such as the one concerning Renton and his under age ‘girlfriend’ Diane (Kelly Macdonald) are never fully finished.

Although the contents and issues of the film are dark and dingy, the film is shot beautifully. In this way it is like Darren Aronofsky’s ‘ Requiem For A Dream’, which also used great cinematic techniques to allow audiences to experience the same sensations as the addicts. The drug fuelled trips, cold turkey delusions and of course the famous loo metaphor are all creatively and expertly shot making the film feel just that little bit more special. Along with the visuals also comes a great 80s soundtrack that takes those who remember it straight back.

The film is certainly one that requires a strong stomach and nerves of steel, I would be lying if I said I didn’t hide behind my hands whenever a needle was shown, and trust me it happens a lot. But the rewards of seeing such a strong, hard-hitting film are worth all the ‘eek’ moments. I imagine that the book is a little less full on, many moments would be easier to read than watch, so if the story interests you it may be worth giving that a try, but you won’t get the same strong emotional reaction or reward.

 

Degree-2:1

Not a film for everyone by any means, but one that is well worth seeing.

It certainly lives up to the accolade of being the

best British film of the 1990s

(If you are confused about the rating system please click on the ‘About This Blog Page’ which will explain it all)

 

 

The King’s Speech

A rich man getting over a speech impediment doesn’t sound like a particularly impressive feat, at least not one that should have audiences and the academy in such a buzz. However, if you think about how public speaking is one of people’s biggest fears and listening to a bad public speaker is one of the most painful experiences, it starts to make a little more sense. Oh and did I not mention it? The protagonist is the King of England. Now you can see why such a premise might become a national issue.

For those who are not up to date on the history of the British monarch (what do they teach you these days?) the film is set in the late 1930s in the years running up to World War 2.  George V (played superbly by Michael Gambon) is reaching the end of his reign due to failing health, but his heir is causing a constitutional crisis. The then King Edward VIII wants to marry the twice-divorced American Wallis Simpson, but since he is head of the Church of England, which does not recognize divorce, it would be considered an immoral marriage This causes the famous change in the course of history that sees King Edward VIII abdicate the throne and Prince Albert, Bertie to his family (played by Colin Firth), become King George VI. However, the poor prince was never meant to become king and has a serious stammer that stops him from making any sort of inspiring public addresses, so there is little confidence in his being able to lead the country. To get over the stuttering Bertie goes to radical speech therapist Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush), and while all this is happening Hitler is slowly gaining more power in Europe.

The relationship between Bertie and Lionel is the key component to the film and is an easy and moving one to watch. The great dynamic between the two men comes from the great difference in social standing and the unseen class divide that this creates. At first the two act very awkward around each other with Lionel treating Bertie like any normal client, even going as far as to use his familial nickname, which of course infuriates the prince.  But as the barriers start to come down a real, touching friendship develops that lifts the movie up to another level. This friendship feels much deeper than the usual Hollywood ‘bromance’, in fact using such a term to describe it is an insult to its unique perfection.  The relationship causes many of the unexpected funny moments in the film that had the entire packed audience laughing in their seats. For instance seeing a prince of England, as well as a national treasure, roll around on the floor or swear worse than a drunk Essex lad has everyone in stitches.

Firth and Rush both play their parts brilliantly (I think I may soon run out of complimentary adjectives). Firth is perfect as a regal prince, in control of his emotions to reflect what is expected of him, but also able to show a vulnerable side that tugs at the heartstrings. Firth handles the emotional side of Bertie’s character, the pain and torment he had growing up in the royal household, and with exceptional skill shows just enough to seduce the audience without making it all feel like a melodrama. Rush equally stands out in the film and is on par with Firth in his supporting role. It is a shame that he likely won’t get as much recognition as Firth, but he provides a lot of the comedy and insights into the royal character. This is probably one of Rush’s best performances to date.

The film outside this friendship is filled with great actors, all amazing in their own right. Michael Gambon, as already stated, is very good as no nonsense George V while Timothy Spall plays a convincing Winston Churchill. Australian Guy Pearce is also very good as King Edward VIII, choosing to come across as shirking his responsibility rather than giving up the thrown purely for love. However, the actor who really stands out in a supporting role is Helena Bonham Carter, who for once is playing a serious and non-quirky role and is exceptionally good at it. You can certainly imagine her Queen Mother being both supportive, but also full of all the royal diva stories that have come out over the years.

The rest of the film, the costumes, the music, the locations are all equally stunning, but in the end what really matters in this film is the exceptional acting talent at its core. All the surface factors could be cheap, tacky and falling apart and the film would still be exceptional due to its cast. The only slight problem I had, and it is so slight that I almost forgot to mention it, is how the film tries to be smart by making slight references to future events. For instance Lionel tells Bertie that smoking is a disgusting habit and will one day kill him, which is a reference to the fact that King George VI died young due to throat cancer. There are a few others, such as references to Hitler and also princess Elizabeth, but as I said it is an almost forgettable fault that I mention to simply fulfill the role as ‘critic’.

The film has all that the academy council could possible want; a period piece by one with experience a great historic backdrop; class boundary issues; and conquering ones personal demons-it is a shoe in for Oscar gold. But for the audience all that really matters is the incredible acting at the heart of the film that has each character appear deep and also stand out from the crowd.  This is certainly a film that is on a pedestal and all others should aspire to be like.

Degree: 1st

This film is practiaclley perfect in everyway. A great start to 2011 and one that deserves all

the hype and awards that it is receiving

(If you are confused about the rating system please click on the ‘About This Blog Page’ which will explain it all)

The Queen 2-Back in the crown?

Well this is more of a prequel than a sequel, but the joke still stands-come the 7th January 2011 there will be another film based on the royal family and their effect on the country.

The film is set during the Second World War, during the reign of George VI (Colin Firth). Due to the adbication of his brother the king has only recently come to the position he was never meant to have. As his country goes to war he must be the voice of the nation and so he must also get rid of the stammer that has plagued him all his life; for that his wife, Queen Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter), better known as the Queen’s mum, send him to speech therapist (Geoffrey Rush). ‘The Queen’ got Dame Helen Mirren her only academy award so hopefully this will do the same for Colin Firth.