Coming To America: Review of The Immigrant

The Immigrant 

Director: James Gray 

By Alex Watson 

 

Arriving in a new nation can be a very scary thing indeed. You have no knowledge or understanding of the culture before you and have no idea who to trust. I can relate to this fact twice over, but since I have recently moved to Toronto, my adaptation was perhaps less than some. Regular partners Joaquin Phoenix and director James Gray re-unite this year in their 2013 Palme D’or nominated movie, The Immigrant which gives a powerful example of a woman doing all she can to survive in the face of increasing odds. 

in 1921, Ewa Cybulski (Marion Cotillard) is a Polish who just arrived at Ellis Island, New York with her sister after escaping Great War Poland. But moments after arriving her sister is quarantined and Ewa is threatened with deportation!  Suddenly she is rescued by Bruno Weiss (Joaquin Phoenix), but things are not as they seem and it soon comes through that Bruno is a man of low morals. To survive Ewa is forced to become a prostitute to makes ends meet and begins to hate herself! Things also get complicated by the introduction of magician Emil (Jeremy Renner). 

The Immigrant is a journey that every emotionally taxing, but it is worth every minute of viewing time and through the magnificent direction of James Gray- we are given a potent and heart rendering example of a woman paying a terrible price to survive. There is an almost ‘Godfather Part II’ feel to the early Ellis Island scenes, particularly due to the bronze tinted cinematography by Darius Khondji. Here Ewa is thrown into a strange new world and within seconds her world is torn apart. Bruno at first appears to be a white knight, but soon his devious side appears and he forces to work in the erotic club he frequents to exploit herself for much needed cash. The worse part for Ewa, is that although she loathes this life, she depends on Bruno and has no way out! 

Ewa is a woman who is deeply traumatised (she even recoils at Bruno attempting to hug her) and all throughout her grief intensifies- her stage debut as an erotic dancer is like something from a horror film and we can powerfully feel her insecurities and doubts. Although she attempts running away, Bruno always seems to show up and eventually breaks her in to her new profession by making her her sleep with a scared teenager to prove to his father he is ‘manly’. After he snidely remarks “You helped your sister today.” The money she makes is slowly bringing her towards her goal of rescuing her sister, but she can only bide her time for this. 

At the centre is a bizarre love triangle, Bruno is a man with a twisted moral compass, but he seems to truly feel something for Ewa, problem is Ewa truly hates him as she informs him early on “I like the money, I don’t like you!” His inner pain of these rejected feelings causes him to act out violently and in some cases he is like a spoiled child. But in the films slower second half, his character goes through a severe change and as his cocky and bashful layers are stripped away, a sweeter and more considerate  man appears. 

Things in The Immigrant are given a dramatic change when magician Emil rears his head. We want to believe he is a decent man who really means to take Ewa away from the awful life that she has. But his introduction sparks a fierce war with Bruno and from the outset we can tell this will be civil war and collateral damage will be brought! But against all odds, James Gray gives an ending which is very gut wrenching but immensely uplifting- the final shot will stay with you for some time after as it shows just what different directions lives will take! 

Marion Cotillard is simply excellent as Ewa and she is able to brilliantly convey her sense of trauma in Gray’s movie. With a convincing Polish accent, Cotillard proves just why she is one of the finest European actresses today as she shows us a woman on the verge of a new phase, but will forever be marked by her horrific arrival to the States. Joaquin Phoenix is also a revelation as Bruno, a man brooding and desperate who his feeling for the girl he has exploited. But Phoenix strives to make him likeable somehow and his quality continually shines through.

Almost a year after it wowed Cannes, Gray’s movie The Immigrant has been a wait worth having and we will struggle to see a more harrowing journey than this one in 2014. Phoenix and Gray and are partnership that is really starting to click well and it is wonderful to see them back together again. Just remember when you arrive in a new place- trust no one!  

The Real Me: Review of The Double

The Double

Director: Richard Ayoade

By Alex Watson

 

Meeting a potential doppelgänger is a very scary prospect and we can only imagine how nerve-wrecking it must be to see the same person staring back at you. Adapting Dostoyevsky’s novella, The Double might seem like a bold move for Submarine director, Richard Ayoade, but then again this man has proven to be more than just uber geek Moss from the IT Crowd. In this movie we will a man’s mind begin to unravel as he is introduce to a like alike who is his polar opposite in every way.

Simon James (Jesse Eisenberg) is a shy and introverted man who works an unrewarding job in an office.  Here he is continually overlooked and can never seem to access the building. He has a crush on fellow co-worker Hannah (Mia Wasikowska) who seldom seems to notice his existence. One day though, his life takes a dramatic turn when new employee James Simon (also Eisenberg) arrives at the office, but no one seems to notice he is Simon’s exact double! The man proves to be better at him in every respect and soon Simon is convinced his identity has been stolen.

The Double is a movie that is very heavy going and for fans of Submarine this shift may seem dramatic, but Ayoade skilfully adapts Dostoyevsky’s novel and adds a great psychological tension throughout. From the very beginning we are drawn into a grimy and dimly lit world full of depressing office cubicles and unremarkable, box like apartments. Everything in Simon’s life is mundane and as he rides the boring train to work each day, he seems to be a ghost in the office he has long worked. Even his his obnoxious boss (Wallace Shawn) still calls him ‘Stanley’. His longing for Hannah goes unrequited and even his own mother tells him he is a disappointment. When James arrives, the movie gets given a major shake up because this man simply glides in and seems to be everyone’s favourite guy.

When the moment arrives, this provides the firing point for Ayoade’s movie and throughout we see Simon’s mental state declining to the point of hysteria. But the big question always remains, how much of this is reality? James is a person he seems to good to be true and he is everything that Simon is not, which is confident, charismatic and good with the opposite sex. Soon he seems to be taking over his life and his apartment and Simon feels powerless to do anything. But his real point of frustration comes from the fact that no one else seems to notice these similarities!

All throughout you can feel the tension and edginess boiling to extreme levels and the films third act sends things into overdrive. Simon’s identity is constantly being stripped away in The Double, not once does his pass work and he is always told that he doesn’t exist in the system. The cracks are forever appearing in his state of mind and he seems to have no way of proving who he is. The denouncement however, will leave many people perplexed as to its actual meaning. But this makes for a perfect question to ponder as you ride home and in the coming days I predict much time will be spent on forums discussing this.

Jesse Eisenberg is excellent twice over in this film as the flip side of both characters, as Simon he is pitiful and wonderfully meek and this character is the one who holds our sympathies as he is routinely put down. When he plays James, Eisenberg gives him a magnificent cocky and bullying persona as he swoops in and bulldozes his counterpart’s world to the ground. One can only wonder how his upcoming turn as Lex Luthor will turn out? Mia Wasikowska is also excellent as both men’s dream girl, Hannah and her slightly aloof performance suits the character perfectly and she gives her enough charm to make her alluring in the grey world on show. Also watch out for the entire cast of Submarine.

Many may have expected this to be a page for page adaptation of Dostoyevsky’s book, but Richard Ayoade’s version of The Double has enough merits on its own to stand out as an original piece. This will be one of the more thought provoking pieces of the next few months and it is worth seeing it to make your own conclusions. Will also come handy as a survival guide if you meet your exact double too!

 

Enjoy Your Stay: Review of The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Grand Bupadest Hotel

Director: Wes Anderson

By Alex Watson

 

Wes Anderson’s films are always love or hate affairs, many love the quirkiness he is capable of bringing to the screen and the odd yet strangely charming characters that come with it. Others however, may just seem him as pretentious and believe he tries to a little too hard to be offbeat. But whatever happens, his movies are always worth a visit, if only to see Bill Murray’s regular appearances. His new effort The Grand Budapest Hotel certainly has gotten indie fans tongues wagging and it appears we could see Anderson’s most accomplished movie yet!

Told in flashback, a famous author (Tom Wilkinson) recounts a tale told to a younger version of himself (Jude Law) about when he visited the once celebrated The Grand Budapest Hotel. Whilst staying there he met the proprietor Mr Moustafa (F Murray Abraham) who told him the tale of his days starting out as a lobby boy in the hotel, under the guidance of notorious concierge M.Gustave (Ralph Fiennes) and just how exactly this failing property came into his possession.

The Grand Budapest Hotel  like all his films, is a very Wes Anderson type picture and those who go into this with an open mind will enjoy the ride for the very beginning. With its vivid set design and fine selection of pastel colours, Robert Yeoman’s cinematography brings the fictional nation of Zubrowka alive and this in turn allows Anderson’s creative juices to run wild. In this world we see Nazi type soldiers led by kindly inspector Henckels (Edward Norton) and a nation on the brink of war. The deadpan humour gives the film a great comedic feel and sparks some of the movies finest moments, such as Gustave’s silver tongued attempt to stop Moustafa being harassed on a train ride and a finale shoot-out that gets very OTT! 

When we first meet the noted concierge, we learn of his lady killing habits, including his countless affairs with rich elderly ladies including Madame D (Tilda Swinton), his love of nice smelling perfume and quoting pretty poetic phrases, to most of all- how he runs the hotel like clockwork. In the early stages there is a light and breezy quality to events as Moustafa learns the ropes of the hotel and begins a strange friendship with his slightly sleazy mentor- but things turn on their head when Gustave is accused of murdering D and incurs the wrath of her entire family when he is left the priceless portrait ‘Boy with Apple’ in her will! From there the story kicks into life and becomes a fun game of cat and mouse as the unlikely pair attempt to dodge the authorities and Madame D’s furious son Dmitri (Adrien Brody).

Moustafa and Gustave’s partnership is one that keeps this movie alive, it is not a straight forward friendship and his demanding mentor certainly has his expectations- in one sequence when he breaks out of prison- Gustave berates his friend for forgetting to bring his favourite perfume! But although slightly shaky in places, their friendship keeps one another going. However, it is not just these two who make the movie because we are also introduced to a variety of excellent support character such as Willem Dafoe’s brass knuckled henchman Jopping, the birth marked baker, Agatha (Saoirse Ronan, who serves as both ally and love interest for both men and the mysterious butler Serge (Matthieu Almaric), who’s presence sparks the key point of the storyline. Before you ask, yes Bill Murray does make his usual appearance!

Ralph Fiennes makes for a very able Anderson actor as Gustave and all throughout this he brings a witty yet serious approach to his role and this fits the pace of the film perfectly. To those more accustomed to seeing Fiennes in more serious roles, this may come a surprise, but ever the profession, Fiennes is up to the task! Newcomer Tony Revolori also make a good impression as the young Moustafa and his youthful naivety and awe of his teacher gives his role a much needed sparkle.

Many will be divided on The Grand Budapest Hotel for years to come and like many of Anderson’s works before, you may have to meet this picture halfway to full appreciated it. But its look and story quality cannot be denied and this will by far be one of the indie darlings of 2014- though I do wish a hotel of this quality still existed, it would make for an excellent stay!

Some Memories Are Best Forgotten: Review of Wild Strawberries

Classic from the Vault 

Wild Strawberries (1957)

Director: Ingmar Bergman

By Alex Watson

The cinema of Ingmar Bergman has brought us some of the most iconic imagery of world cinema, such as his often copied chess game between Death and The Knight in The Seventh Seal and his bizarre yet utterly captivating opening sequence to his twisted masterpiece, Persona. But there was one movie he made that was memorable for another reason altogether. His picture Wild Strawberries brought about the tale of one man’s recalling the past and the end result was of heart shattering brilliance and exhibited an emotional depth rarely captured on film!

Grouchy old Professor Isak Borg (Victor Sjostrom) has lived a life with many regrets, all except his work. He is due to receive an honorary degree from Lund University, where he originally graduated. Reluctantly he brings along his daughter in law Marianne (Ingrid Thulin) who has little respect for him or his son who she is married to. As the long journey progresses, Isak is forced to confront life, death and the past events that have shaped him and as he and Ingrid travel they meet young hitch-hiker Sara (Bibi Andersson) who reminds of a past love. Eventually Isak will come face to face with his demons and find peace in the strangest of circumstances.

Wild Strawberries is a true Bergman classic in every sense and aided by Gunnar Fischer’s stunning photography, this one of the most poignant and cordial road movies ever made. Emotional we are taken on a real roller-coaster as Isak one by one encounters events that trigger past memories. The notion of death hovers over the picture and in the very beginning a quintessential Bergman image is born. In a dream sequence, Isak dreams of a coffin falling off a horse drawn carriage and as he looks closer, he realizes it is himself inside it! This well known event serves a catalyst for later events and ultimate triggers Isak to confront the emptiness in his life and gain closure.

As a protagonist, the old professor isn’t likeable to begin with due to his egotistical and sour nature. His life is filled with painful memories and his own son rarely speaks to him, the award he is receiving is the only pleasure he has to look forward to. But along the journey, we start to warm to this man and realize he may be worthy of redemption. One of the stories key elements comes from the various characters who are picked up by the pair- Sara and her two male travelling companions who are both in love with her prompt Isak to reminisce about his own cousin Sara (also Andersson) who was also his fiancée and how he lost her to his his brother. The married couple the Almann’s, who trade such horrible and venomous insults that Marianne throws them out the car, mirror Isaks unhappy and hateful marriage- and no doubt serve as indicator of events for Marianne’s own struggling marriage to his son Evald!

A final test of character for Isak comes when in a dream, he is forced witness haunting events from his past such as his wife’s affairs which cause him great anguish to view but may just explain why he has become such an aloof and bitter character in later life. But as he faces his buried scars, Isak gains a crucial self acceptance and finally seems to let go of the bottled hate inside himself and this makes way to an inner peace. The final scene set to a beautiful seaside picnic demonstrates how far he has come and as we view his face shines with happiness, it is assured our own face will have a smile equally wide!

The late Victor Sjostrom gives a performance of high quality and the well regarded former expressionist actor initially gives Isak and icy chill to begin with but as the movie emotional content increases, so does his performance and Sjostrom gives the man a great sense of warmth and character which endear him to the audience. Sjostrom was dying of cancer as this film was made, so lord only knows how close to home this piece may have struck! As the cheeky young Hitcher Sara, Bergman regular Bibi Andersson is utterly charming and we can see exactly what the two young men and the young Isak are drawn to and we only we wish there one like her in our lives! Also look for Max Von Sydow in an early role as a gas station attendant.

Winner of the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, Wild Strawberries is a film that is worth discovering and will no doubt make you think back to the events of your youth that still plague you. The Swedish director is one of the most important people in cinematic history and although his pieces may seem dated now, their content is still as mesmerising as before!

Elite Membership: Review of Dallas Buyers Club

Dallas Buyers Club

Director: Jean Marc Vallee

By Alex Watson

 

People may have sneered at Matthew McConaughey in the past, many due to the numerous (but hardly career progressing) romantic comedies in starred in which required him to do little more than look good with his shirt off! As the critic gigged, his initial talent appeared to have been lost. But since starring in indie hits, Killer Joe and Mud last year, a newer and more improved Matthew has sailed into view and in his new effort, Dallas Buyers Club the Texas native has been racking up  an impressive amount of award nominations. Here we may just see him hit his career peak in some style!

Ron Woodroof (Matthew McConaughey) is man who lives a very fast and reckless existence, but soon his life changes completely when he is diagnosed with HIV and given only 30 days to live! Refusing to fall in despair, Woodroof attempts to find a way to prevent his illness from taking his life. For this he turns to the black market to find a solution and soon he starts a business which allows HIV victims to get the proper meds they need, but also puts him head on with government  agents who aren’t keen on his methods. However, through his efforts, Woodroof becomes a beacon of hope for others!

Dallas Buyers Club is a movie that has tremendous heart and soul,and all throughout Jean Marc Vallee’s movie, we are given a story that is bleak looking, but yet immensely uplifting. Ron Woodroof is a man who is at first bitter and cynical with the hand that life has dealt him, but his spirit is one that cannot be taken away and this what pushes Vallee’s movie along as no matter what kinks there are in the road, Woodroof is forever inventing methods to drive around them. But he is a protagonist that we have to fight to warm up to and this is one of the more reward aspects of this film.

When we first meet Woodroof, he is a drug abusing, promiscuous and nastily homophobic gentlemen, who treats life as cheaply as the cocaine he freely snorts. When he is given his diagnosis, he merely laughs it off stating there has been a mistake because he doesn’t have “Faggots Blood!” But this moment proves a turning point because it shapes the man he will later become as he is abandoned by his jerk friends, dismissed from his job and begins to experience severe discrimination for his illness. Rather than quitting Woodroof, heads to Mexico and after meeting a shady doctor, stumbles onto a goldmine of unapproved drugs!

From here Dallas Buyers Club becomes a persuasive look at one man going head on with the men in suits, as the FDA still refuses to permit use of the basically legal drugs over some fine legal print! But the more he confronts the corrupts doctors and agents, the more we root for this man! As events transpire, Ron still has his faults, but gains a more sympathetic edge as he strives to help others through creating his drug selling illicit club to help others and his romance with Doctor Eve (Jennifer Garner) adds to his reformation. Also the side story of transsexual Rayon (Jared Leto), who is an AIDS victim who refuses to let life beat her down and becomes an unlikely business partner proves instrumental in helping turn Ron into more of an acceptable person,and it is a tale that is truly heart shattering.

Matthew McConaughey here confirms that he is now officially one of the top actors around presently and in this movie, he rings in a career high performance! Through his dramatic loss, McConaughey demonstrates an impressive array of emotion and he aptly personifies Ron Woodroof’s hard fight and the pain he hold inside- but also brilliantly captures his fighting courage and you would have to agree, this man is now front runner for Best Actor glory at this years Oscars! Jared Leto, in his first role in over 4 years is magnetic as Rayon and adds some of the movies most tender and emotionally charged moments. Many fans of his rock band 30 Seconds to Mars may be shocked to see him don a variety of nice wigs, but his impact is undeniable!

Dallas Buyers Club is destined to become one of the top movies of 2014 and although its story may see this miss out on the top prizes at the upcoming BAFTA and Oscar ceremonies, Matthew McConaughey’s name should already be engraved on both Best Actor trophies, because for all his efforts, he has truly earned this! Believe the hype, the Matthew of old has returned- Kate Hudson, please don’t call this man any time soon!

Inner Struggle: Review of From Here to Eternity

Classic From The Vault 

From Here to Eternity (1953) 

Director: Fred Zimmeman 

By Alex Watson 

Most times when you watch a classic war movie, it focuses on the men’s heroics on the battle field and the courage that goes with it, but we rarely see the struggle faced by soldiers at home. In 1953, director Fred Zinneman adapted James Jones’ well received novel From Here to Eternity, which focuses on a US Army Base on the lead up to the Pearl Harbour attacks in 1943, the result was one of the most iconic and heartbreaking war movies of all time and gave birth to one of cinema’s most notorious kissing scenes!

Private Robert E Lee Prewitt (Montgomery Clift) arrives at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii after being transferred. His new superior Captain Dana Holmes (Philip Ober) knows of his boxing past and is keen to use him in the upcoming boxing championships, Prewitt however relents due to quitting boxing. To get him to fight, Holmes encourages all NCO’s to make his life hell on a daily basis until he gives in! Meanwhile Holmes’ bored wife Karen (Deborah Kerr) takes up an affair with his trusted aide Sergeant Milton Warden (Burt Lancaster) which will lead them down a dangerous path!

Winner of the Best Picture Oscar in 1953, Zinneman’s From Here to Eternity is an excellent war movie in ever sense of the word and its depiction of internal struggle of portrayed splendidly. In this movie, each man is fight his own personal war but unlike the battle field, here there can be no possible victory! Prewitt is the subject of horrendous prejudice by the NCO’s of his platoon because of his refusal to fight and his disillusion with army life increases throughout the movie despite the odd kind word by Warden. Eventually he is pushed to breaking point, and when he is old fighting spirit reappears it is both glorious but also devastating! He does find solace however, in a romance with nightclub girl Lorene (Donna Reed), although their ideals for the perfect life may not correspond.

Warden and Karen’s romance is the movies true centre point and it gives way to the infamous beach scene where the pair kiss on the sand whilst being hit by the waves! Their romance initially is a way for the manly Warden to get one over on his arrogant superior, despite warnings from fellow soldiers about Karen’s previous affairs! Although their romance blossoms into something much deeper, Warden wrestles with his desire to start a new life with Karen and his commitment to the Army, but from the very start their romance is doomed to fail because Warden is already married to the service and cannot imagine life anywhere else! But perhaps the real tragedy comes from the downfall of Private Angelo Maggio (Frank Sinatra), Prewitt’s confident friend who is bullied severely by racist Sergeant ‘Fatso’ Judson (Ernest Borgnine), who enjoys regularly beating his soldiers in the stockade!

The actual Pearl Harbour bombings pay only a small part in From Here to Eternity, but when they hit the result mirrors the confusion and terror faced by the soldiers involved and their peaceful base is literally blown to pieces by the Japanese bombers, Tora, Tora, Tora would give a much more in depth look at this 17 years later!

Both Burt Lancaster and Montgomery Clift give towering and Oscar nominated performances in this movie, Lancaster’s Sergeant Warden is a man dedicated serviceman, but soon learns that opening his heart might be a dangerous thing to the woman he yearns to love! This a reminder of what a dominant force that Lancaster could be one our screen and the 1950’s belonged to him! Montgomery Clift plays a far more sensitive and suffering man, Prewitt just wants to play his bugle and forget about boxing, but his unable to forget to tragic incident that made him quit! One of cinema forgotten talents, Clift’s affecting turn gives Zinneman’s film its soul.

Supporting wise, Deborah Kerr and Donna Reed (who won an Oscar) are both coequally superb and Kerr gives the film its key female presence and despite this being a male dominated movie, she truly stands out as the woman who desired to find something resembling happiness in life! But the Oscar winning Frank Sinatra steals the supporting honours as Angelo and many forget what a capable actor Ol’ Blue Eyes was! Though how he got the role would later influence the horse head sequence in The Godfather years later!

From Here to Eternity is a true golden oldie and through its strong performances and affecting story, it a film that deserves revisiting again and serves as proof that not all wars are fought on the battlefield! Just be careful recreating the beach kiss, those waves might just ruin the moment!

A Tortured Soul: Review of Inside Llewyn Davis

Inside of Llewyn Davis

Directors: Joel & Ethan Coen

By Alex Watson

 

No matter what the story or how unlike-able the character, the Coen Brothers are one the truly great American film making duos of years gone by and whenever we leave on our their movies, we are forever filled with questions about what we have just witnessed! These two specialize in a type of quirky yet thoroughly engaging type of film making that has yet to be equalled, and based on their mass critical acclaim for their new movie Inside Llewyn Davis (including the Grand Prix at the Cannes film festival) it seems their fine run is not due to end any time soon. For this episode, the Coens covet the New York folk music scene and give us the story of a man who is still trying to find himself and annoying many people while doing it!

Folk singer Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac) is a man at the crossroads of the life, he is continually depressed at the death of his former musical partner and seems unable to catch a break in the music scene. His friendships have become strain due his constant scrounging off others and it appears he may have impregnated his best friend Jim’s (Justin Timberlake) wife Jean (Carey Mulligan) and by a freak accident he has ended up looking after someone’s cat! But through a series of coincidences, Llewyn’s life may just change- but will it be for the better?

Cruelly snubbed by the Academy this year, Inside Llewyn Davis is yet another fine Coens brothers movie, a more low key story than we are used to from this duo, but it is also one of the most wistful and hauntingly beautiful movies of 2014. The grimy cinematography from Bruno Delbonnel is like a euphemism of Llewyn downcast mind and under the cloudy and snowy skies the movie simply gleams and contributes the downer feel of the movie. Their quirky presence is as always present and correct and we are given may humorous moments that help lift our spirits through including an hilarious and bizarre sequence when Llewyn is forced to help record the sci-fi song ‘Please Mr Kennedy’, all I will say is expect the strange and laugh loudly!

Slow in pace it may be but the movie benefits largely from this because it allows us to get a better picture of the man himself and the cat that accompanies him. The sequences on display are  a weird and wonderful mix, including a lengthy on the road sequence where Llewyn meets heroin addicted Jazz player Roland (John Goodman) who mocks him for being a folk musician and his beatnik partner Johnny Five (Garrett Hedland) and a pain filled yet comical dinner sequence with his only fans/providers the Gorfeins. These moments provide a uniqueness to the film and give moments of heartbreak, danger and dark humour. Plus in great Coen Brothers style, they typically and unashamedly leave us hanging with their end- then again what fun would their movies be if things were explained?

The Coens always have a knack of given us a hero who isn’t always easy to emphasize with and this is certainly the case with Llewyn! Normally for a tortured soul like this, we could feel some degree of sadness that his friend threw himself off the GW Bridge- but here we have man who is very glass half full, because that perfectly resembles his effort in life. Llewyn is unable to function either a musical duo or on his own, his half hearted audition to big a Chicago promoter (F Murray Abraham) is just painful to watch. But that doesn’t stop him from having a self destructive streak! The man has left such a trail of wreckage behind him that he is referred to by Jean as “King Midas’ idiot brother, because everything you touch turns to shit!”

But bizarrely all things he does wrong. only succeed in drawing the audience towards him and in a clever twist, the Coens asks us to make our own mind what we think about this man? Is he really this ignored musical genius that he believes he is or just another washed up act? Through Inside Llewyn Davis we hope for the man to clue in and to turn things around, but you get the sense that wouldn’t be cool for a man of his stature!

The real success of this movie goes down to Oscar Isaac’s magnificent performance as Llewyn, and as this man he perfectly brings across a terrific sense of weariness and self loathing which make him stand out on screen. After stealing Robin Hood away from Russell Crowe and giving ace support in Drive- Isaac has arrived on the big stage and the Coens have found a man who fits this role perfectly! it is a shame he was deprived of an Oscar nomination, as it would have been fully earned Carey Mulligan is equally superb as the forever angry Jean and her many sarcastic and venomous spouts at Llewyn for impregnating her provide the perfect comedic moments!

Folk music may have been an unlikely story for the Coen Brothers, but it is one of their best works yet and it is a real crime this has missed out on so many major awards when it begs for mass approval! The protagonist on display may not be liked by all, but you can’t deny he give us one hell of a ride! See you real soon Ethan and Joel!

Hungry Like The Wolf: Review of The Wolf of Wall Street

The Wolf of Wall Street

Director: Martin Scorsese

By Alex Watson

When a Marty Scorsese movie hits cinema’s that can mean only one thing, it’s Oscar time! After being an Academy favourite for so many years, it seems odd that he has only been rewarded once for best director! But rarely since the turn of this century has his name not been among the nominees and thus year he brings a sex, drugs and wild party filled three hour movie depicting the rise and fall of a daring young stockbroker in his film The Wolf of Wall Street. 

Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a young man on Wall Street with big ambitions. But when he loses his promising broker role in the 1987 stock market crash, he is forced into a new life! But when lands a job at a second rate dealership on Long Island, his eyes are opened to a whole new opportunity to get rich quick where he sells cheap and lousy stocks to the working class of America. Assembling his own business, Belfort soon makes a killing and is able to fund a fast and furious life style, but the richer he grows, the more eyes begin to focus on him!

The Wolf of Wall Street is by far Scorsese’s greatest effort of the twenty-first century so far and his portrayal of the rich man gone wild Belfort is a wildly entertaining affair and Scorsese’s comic touch makes this movie all the memorable. The story is simple, Belfort’s world is one where only the smartest survive and to be a success he has to prey on the weak. His early scenes where he discovers penny stocks are a good indicator of his future plans and as he easily dupes folks into buying garbage, a Wall Street hero is soon born! His dubious morals and ethics are always as in our mind, but thanks to Scorsese’s directorial flair, our thoughts are pushed firmly to the back!

Many may find this movie a surprise due to the sheer amount of great laughs on display and as Jordan and his other money find the lifestyle of their dreams, the drug use increases and their actions become way more erratic- and sides will burst as a result! A taster of the painfully hilarious scenes to come, sees Jordan attempting in vain to drive home his Lamborghini whilst basically paralyzed on a particularly powerful Quaalude is a sure fire candidate for one of the years best! As he crawls and rolls his way to his white target, this a great display of sheer physical comedy by Leo.

Much of the success of The Wolf of Wall Street goes down to the magnificent protagonist we are given. Jordan is a man who by all accounts we should loathe with intensity, as he robs from the poor, rich and all in between to fund his own pocket. But you cannot deny his business brains and his cocksure charm makes him all the more appealing. But its his adoration of himself and his careless breezing through life that will eventually bring about his downfall and cleverly, Scorsese brings a third act that brings a glimmer of fear and conscience to Jordan as the problems mount up and his life begins to crumble apart!

Now in his fifth collaboration with Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio gives what us perhaps his best ever performances. As Belfort, DiCaprio brings a flair and a ever so smooth touch to his role that makes his man shine on screen and solidifies without doubt that he us one of the best actors of his generation!

But DiCaprio is also in good company and Jonah Hill gives an excellent supporting turn as his equally drug addicted and unusual second in command Donnie, a man with creepily white teeth who marvels at Belfort’s wide world. Hill is uproarious but thankfully never reduces his character into being a stereotype. But its Matthew McConaughey who makes the biggest and funniest impact with his early appearance as Jordan’s early career mentor who provides with life advice which will eventually lead him down a road to ruin! With Matt and Leo facing off for best actor glory at this year’s Oscars, it will be a fascinating battle!

With its drug and money fueled content, The Wolf of Wall Street is a Marty film to truly savour! For this I will advise the following, go see this, laugh till your head drops then quit your job IMMEDIATELY after watching and go work on wall street, understand? OK now go! Come back so Leo and Marty, we love you guys.

The Ultimate Prize: Review of American Hustle

American Hustle

Director: David O Russell

By Alex Watson

Films about confidence scams are normally a very suave and glittering affair and they always provide us with a story that is continually changing and usually there is a lot payoff that is mind blowing! Take for example the ending of The Sting, which still goes down as one of the great movie twists. This week, David O Russell makes a return to our screen to bring of a scam which is about to get out of control very quickly in American Hustle. 

In 1978, professional con artists Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) and Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams) are making a killing by embezzling money out of desperate people. But when they are caught red handed by FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper), they are forced into co-operating to aid the feds catch other corrupt individuals in exchange for staying out of jail! Soon DiMaso hatches a plan to go after Camden, New Jersey mayor Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner), but as the mission goes ahead, Irving’s unbalanced wife Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence) threatens to hinder progress!

American Hustle is another fine effort from David O Russell and for the majority of the time this  very funny and enticing ride and the theme of corruption in 1970’s America aids the film well! There is also an entertaining feel in the films early part as we open on a tubby and balding Irving gluing part of a toupee to his head! And as we view their early swindles, it looks so easy and jovial, part of us would be delighted to join!

When they are caught by Richie, the party feel stops and smartly and a more hard and guilt edged feel comes over proceedings as our initial villains come to lament the choices they have made, but secretly know they cannot turn back without people getting majorly hurt! Things are also given an immense shakeup when mobster Victor Tellegio (Featuring a brilliantly menacing surprise cameo from a screen legend!) is introduced, a notoriously violent mobster who sees right through their fake Arab scam because he can actually speak Arabic! From this point on you sense these three are in over their heads and they will only sink deeper.

But perhaps the most thought provoking aspect of this movie us wondering just who the real bad guys are? Irving and Sydney are guilty are tricking people out of their money, but the FBI men are willing to wreck hard working people like Carmine, who only the best for his townspeople- simply because they can! Richie in particular, gets lost in the game and although initially having honorable intentions, soon becomes just like the criminals he puts away, although he has numerous warnings from his dull yet clever boss (Louis CK) he furiously disregards them and soon is on the road to ruin!

However, although things for the most part are well constructed, American Hustle does sometimes lose its way and with the various twists and turns that appear- events feel very dragged out and this movie is perhaps longer than it needs to be. Also the ending presented may not satisfy all tastes as it doesn’t have that uplifting or justified feeling we are all hoping for and events feel a little too neatly tied up!

But Russell’s movie produces a glut of stunning turns from his lead actors and theory are led by Christian Bale as the morally ambiguous Irving, who gives an excellent performance that is both very seedy but emotionally charged! Bradley Cooper also does well as Richie but is stuck with a less charming role and but gives him enough charisma to see things through.

On the female front, Jennifer Lawrence us scene stealingly brilliant as Rosalyn and she succeeds in both holding our attention but yet being brilliantly maniac-  her aggressive cleaning dance to Live and Let Die after an audacious revenge attempt is frighteningly memorable! Amy Adams as usual is solid and keep us guessing as to which she will fall on when the chips come down? Plus extra point for an impressive British accent!

American Hustle looks set to be a major player at the awards ceremonies this year, it may miss the main prizes, but the acting should merit at least one reward! David O Russell has found his A-Team (No pun intended Bradley) and his groove and is now fast becoming one of Hollywood’s best! Keep up the good work David.

Breaking Away: Review of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Director: Ben Stiller

By Alex Watson

Ben Stiller is a man who can be very funny when he wants to be, but other times him, and his now infamous angry outbursts, do not quite hit the mark. But one thing has always been clear with Stiller, he has far more to offer than he lets on and this year we could finally see a whole new side of him as he tackles what is perhaps his most ambitious effort yet, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Here we may well could meet a far more restrained and emotionally charged Stiller- but will this alienate his true fans?

Walter Mitty is a man who simply- just exists and is seemingly scared of truly embracing life, standing up to his new jerk boss Ted Hendricks (Adam Scott) and making a move on new accounts girl Cheryl (Kristen Wiig). His job at the legendary Life Magazine is now under threat due to downsizing and it doesn’t help that he has now lost a vital photo sent for the final issue from famous photographer Sean O’Connell (Sean Penn). His only option now is to find the photo- for this he will set off on a whirlwind adventure to find a picture that could be anywhere!

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is undoubtedly a career high for Ben Stiller and here he reveals what he is truly capable of bringing to us. Walter is a very blank canvass and Stiller uses this to full effect and gives us a compelling look at a man who is trying to find his own identity. To the untrained eye, he is your average (and very dull) forty year old who just stares blankly- but Walter’s life in his head sees him as a man who leaps from rooftops or fights baddie whilst falling. His early scenes as he fantasizes provide some laughs, but luckily Stiller never once lets the film stray into more comedic territory.

Many may feel that some elements of this movie are perhaps too fetched, particularly his spontaneous decision to fly to Greenland to find Sean and his resulting mishaps such as dropping from a helicopter into shark infested waters or getting numerous funny phones calls midway up the Himalayas from an eharmony agent (Patton Oswalt) . But if you suspend your disbelief and go with the ride, then it will prove to be a wonderful experience! Because Walter’s journey that is assured to bring smiles, because his eyes never leave the prize he is seeking and he is well aware that this adventure for the photo will not change his job, but will give him a better idea of himself and open his eyes to the world!

But the most refreshing element of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is the mature approach to emotion demonstrated by Ben Stiller and through his excellent direction (and aided by Stuart Dryburgh’s beautiful cinematography) he captures some beautiful moments on screen. One scene that is lovely in its simplicity is when Walter by coincidence meets Sean midway up a mountain and together the two watch a snow leopard creep onto a ledge- no picture is taken and we just enjoy ‘the moment’. This gives new life to the concept to phrase looking but seeing and in an age of Instagram and ‘selfies’ we learn to look closer at the pictures we see.

This being his first big movie effort, Stiller is more than up to the task of holding things together and he demonstrates a gentleness of storytelling that he has never been shown and as Walter’s journey is carried out, we feel lifted and probably have the urge to hop on the first plane we can find and think about the consequences later. Also, his romantic side story featuring Cheryl is one that is potent throughout and thankfully avoids any type of Schmaltzy sentiment and keeps thing on the right side of mushy.

Ben Stiller also rings in a best performance to boot as well- Jim Carrey, Sasha Baron Cohen and Owen Wilson were all announced in the main role previously, but you couldn’t have chosen better than Stiller who shows what an accomplished actor he could potentially be away from his comedic chops! Sean Penn also provides a very brief, but extremely memorable cameo appearance as the mysterious Sean O’ Connell, and his one scene has a very magic feel to it.

As the closest thing to the villain, Adam Scott makes a memorably revolting boss and throughout he continually mocks Walter citing him as a ‘Dream Machine’. Anyone stuck in the corporate world can probably relate to this and Scott carries it off with relish! Kristen Wiig also excels as the lovely Cheryl and, like her director, she could prove to be a great straight actress in future!

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is a movie that will most likely divide people on whether it is as good as the campaign suggested, all I can say is go and find out for yourself and along the way lose yourself in this journey. If you do you will be rewarded with one the most wholehearted movies of 2013!