Sophie's Choice, Catfish, Becoming Jane

#1 - SOPHIE'S CHOICE

Stars - Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Peter MacNicol

Director - Alan J. Pakula

Memorable Quote - "Don't you see? We are dying."

Review - Sadly, this is going to be a review of the particular DVD that I watched rather then the film itself. Why? Because, on a film with large swathes of dialogue in Polish and German, there were no subtitles available at all. Since I do not speak either of those languages, it became quite hard to follow and almost boring at times, though I did of course manage to get the general gist of what was going on. What I understood, I liked: the "present day" scenes reminded me of Cabaret's gleeful but dangerous love triangle, and you cannot help but feel a certain empathy for Stingo (although that is a fairly ridiculous name). Streep is a fantastic actress throughout, really becoming the role, and that is why this film is so respected; I would, however, highly recommend checking before watching that your copy holds those precious translations that you will most certainly need. 3/5

#2 - CATFISH

Stars - Ariel Schulman, Yaniv Schulman

Director - Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman

Memorable Quote - "There are those people who are catfish in life."

Review - Catfish is one of those movies that lead you to question your own moral stance on their content. For example, since the woman they unveiled as a sad, lonely creature inventing multiple identities also happened to lead one of the protagonists on and potentially break his heart, is it alright for them to exploit her in their film? Does that even matter if the film is, as many postulate, a hoax? Most of the interest in Catfish seems to centre around these two questions, but I'll say this for it: it keeps you on the edge of your seat, waiting for it to develop into some kind of terrifying teen thriller, and you can feel palpable tension as the three filmmakers arrive to meet 'Megan' for the first time. The fact that it does not develop into that thriller could be a little disappointing, but the feeling is soon replaced by the uncomfortable pity for a woman who lives her life through internet personas. Real or not real? Right or not right? Maybe those questions are too hard for a mere film reviewer to answer, so I'll finish with simply a rating. 3/5

#3 - BECOMING JANE

Stars - Anne Hathaway, James McAvoy, Laurence Fox, Julie Walters, James Cromwell, Maggie Smith 

Director - Julian Jarrold

Memorable Quote - 'What value will there ever be in life, if we are not together?'

Review - I actually had to check my archives multiple times in disbelief that I have not yet reviewed this movie; I've seen it enough times - I caught it at the cinema when it first came out and since then I never miss a chance to catch James McAvoy in that green velvet jacket. So many of the nuances of the film owe everything to Austen's works, in part out of necessity since not an awful lot is really known about her life; but those nuances are captured perfectly, and make the film a delight to any fan of Austen or of period drama in general. McAvoy smoulders as the arrogant gentleman who turns out to be a Mr Darcy type after all, while Hathaway's performance as the strong-spirited Jane is beautiful. Fox meanwhile provides the perfect unwanted fiance (though to be perfectly honest I don't see why she couldn't just marry him and live in happiness with a husband she could at least regard a great friend). The cast list is flawless all the way down, the dialogue sparkles, the costumes and locations inspire. All in all one of the best period dramas out there. 5/5

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Theatre Special: The Recruiting Officer

THE RECRUITING OFFICER - DONMAR WAREHOUSE

Stars - Tobias Menzies, Mackenzie Crook, Mark Gatiss, Rachael Stirling, Nicholas Burns, Nancy Carroll

Director - Josie Rourke

Memorable Quote - "Unless we could make ourselves some pleasure amidst the pain, no mortal man would be able to bear it."

Review - This showing of George Farquhar's excellent play ends tomorrow (14th April 2012) so I would suggest you've probably run out of time to go see it - and if you have not seen it, you have missed out. A thoroughly entertaining piece to start with, great use is made of the Donmar's layout in intricate choreography between each scene, placing the players around the stage, in the wings, and on small balconies on the second level. A group of five musicians accompany the play throughout with rousing choruses of 'Over the Hills and Far Away' along with other songs to capture the mood of particular scenes, each of them also taking turns to play all of the smaller parts in various different costumes and accents.

Mackenzie Crook, though playing a relatively small part for his star status, manages to conquer the stage completely during his scenes. As the gypsy fortune-teller he is hilarious, pitching his expression and tone perfectly to get the most laughs out of each line. Similarly laugh-a-minute is Mark Gatiss, virtually unrecognisable in heavily powdered and rouged face and long wig. Playing the French-hating Francophile Captain Brazen, m'dear, he captures the audience from his first appearance, throwing his hat at a member of the front row (in our case, a customer who was rather rudely reading his programme rather than watching the performance - to the joy of everyone else). In the end though you cannot help but root for the central character, Captain Plume, in his efforts to win the lady he loves - Sylvia.

Though the whole is filled with laughs, tricks, and musical gaiety, the ending holds a subtle twist. The comedy conclusion plays out as expected: the right men marry the right women, any misdemeanours are forgiven and forgotten, and the recruiting officers manage to recruit enough men to satisfy their superiors. All is well - but the band's final performance of 'Over the Hills and Far Away' sees one put down their instruments and march off to war after each verse. Finally only one remains, a lone voice now sounding very unsure of himself, and at last he too departs - a sloppy salute, a march that has no drum to beat time for it, and a sob at leaving home remind us that the subject of the play is the recruitment of untrained men to a life of glory that does not in actuality await them. The inherent tragedy of the situation then comes back to us: these men will die in battle or drown, or else come back disfigured or so forth - and the merriment they cause in the port is their only respite from a life of danger.

Laughter, sadness, good acting, good music, and audience interaction - the ingredients of a great play. From me, a resounding 5/5.

Half Nelson, Tyrannosaur, Sleeping Beauty

#1 - HALF NELSON

Stars - Ryan Gosling, Shareeka Epps, Anthony Mackie

Director - Ryan Fleck

Memorable Quote - 'We're always changing. And its important to know that there are some changes you can't control and that there are others you can.'

Review - Half nelson is one part sweet, one part shock, and two parts skill. Following Gosling as a teacher in a rough area of town, it explores his failed relationship with an old flame, his awkwardness around his family, and the crippling drug addiction that only adds to his general asshole quota. Enter ___, a student in the class who finds him clutching a crack pipe in the girls toilets, and soon becomes his only hope at a saving grace. Rather than the normal white-teacher-helps-ethnic-minority-students storyline which we have come to expect, this rather turns the dynamic on its head, leaving you with a new and interesting experience. Gosling is as great an actor as ever (this time his mannerisms include wiping his mouth on various items of clothing) and any unpleasant stereotypes are quickly blown away. A rewarding watch that will make you think, and hope for a better ending for everyone involved. 4/5

#2 - TYRANNOSAUR

Stars - Peter Mullan, Oliva Colman, Eddie Marsan

Director - Paddy Considine

Memorable Quote - -redacted due to un-family-friendly nature-

Review - Tyrannosaur is a strange, bleak film. From the outset we are hit with the contradictory and conflicting nature of the characters throughout: our protagonist kicks his dog to death in the first scene, making him immediately utterly reprehensible; directly following this is the solemn procession home and burial of he dog, a show of remorse that almost makes so as to redeem him. This duality - the idea of good and bad existing in the same person - becomes a central theme, as does the idea of situation having no impact on morality: a sheltered middle-class marriage can be as broken as a lower-class one. The twist ending is gentle and brings a small note of redemption for both of the central characters, though one remains largely less likeable than the other. It's an interesting one - perhaps not quite enjoyable, though it will come back to your mind again and again after watching. 3.5/5

#3 - SLEEPING BEAUTY

Stars - Emily Browning, Racheal Blake, Ewen Leslie

Director - Julia Leigh

Memorable Quote - 'Such a sleep works wonders.'

Review - A bit of a strange one here as well! Lucy is a poor student (I sympathise) who takes money for the objectification of her body: first as a medical experimentation subject, then as a hostess for exclusive dinners, and finally as a 'sleeping beauty', lying drugged in a bed whilst customers do what they will. It is a powerful film: we are trapped in Lucy's bland, emotionless worldview, everything as sterile as the lab except for the one interaction between her and a dying (suicidal?) friend. Even this is muted and calm; she does not sob or wail, simply allows the tears to run down her face. The colour scheme of the film is also muted, reflecting this same worldview; it is beautifully constructed, and the only truly uncomfortable moment comes as an old man begins to undress. Hint: it may start off being a vaguely interesting scene, but if you do not want mental scars, you must look away when he gets to the boxers. At last she begins to take back control of her own life, and finally at the end she awakes screaming into the real world again, her feelings coming back to life. You get the impression that everything that was bottled up throughout the film now becomes uncorked, and the events will haunt you for a while afterwards with their gentle, lyrical questions. 4/5

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Theatre Special: Richard II at the Donmar Warehouse

RICHARD II

Stars - Eddie Redmayne, Andrew Buchan, Ron Cook, Sian Thomas, Ben Turner

Director - Michael Grandage

Theatre - Donmar Warerhouse

Memorable Quote - 'Within the hollow crown that rounds the mortal temples of a King keeps Death his court.'

Review - What actors Eddie Redmayne and Andrew Buchan are! Allow me to set the scene: you enter the Donmar and take your assigned place, chatter amongst yourselves and wait for the show to begin; all the while Eddie Redmayne sits zen-like on a carved wooden throne, centre stage, his eyes closed. He wears a luxurious white full-length coat with blue lining and a gold crown, and carries a sceptre. Bells begin to toll and music swells; assorted cast members enter the stage, kneel before their King, and take a position behind him; still he does not stir. Finally he springs into action like a toy coming to life, and his portrayal of a boy-like King during the first half is both amusing and somehow hollow. You get the impression that he is playing at being a King, making the right proclamations and joking about matters of life and death, without any real seriousness; only when John of Gaunt reproaches him do we see something "real". He changes his mind at a word or gesture from those who influence him, but cannot bear to stand by even his own proclamations, changing them at the last moment. Buchan meanwhile steals the first scene, before we even know his significance (unless of course you've read the play): he is hot-headed and passionate in his defense of the King, although suddenly withdrawn and less bold when he learns of his exile. There is some foreshadowing there of what his next actions will be.

The stage is gorgeous: light falls as if through high castle windows, the sounds of birdsong are heard faintly, and you arrive to a cloud of sweet-smelling wood smoke. The use of a balcony area and lower stage allows two scenes to go on at once at some points, and also allows symbolism of status and power. Costuming is also impressive - particularly of note is that long coat worn by Richard in the first half, and though Redmayne may not have quite as accomplished a sweep as one Mr Cumberbatch, it suits him well and lends a sense of drama to his entrances and exits.

The second half, when we return from the interval, is a different beast. Now Redmayne truly comes alive - he is lost, broken, unsure, grieving, angry, meek; when giving up the crown he is tormented, wrenching it away from Buchan's grasp with a howl. The boy playing at being King is become a King playing at being an ordinary man. Buchan is no longer the lowly petitioner Bullingbrook but a vengeful and powerful challenger for the throne, his brown and simple clothing a warrior-like contrast to Richard's gilt and luxurious garments.

Over the course of this second part the tide of favour turns: one cannot help but pity Richard and hope for his return to the throne, as he struggles to conceal a rapidly unravelling identity beneath courtly manners and praise of Bullingbrook that borders on sycophantic. He covers the stage, pacing from one side to the other or leaping across with a newfound, desperate energy. Passion appears as he is separated from his wife, and the heartbreak of it is enough to turn the audience against the new King Henry and such rulings as the one that separates them, particularly in contrast to his reluctance to allow duels. Redmayne also demonstrates a singing voice that is not half bad in the final scene, in which a little humour is not misplaced. The great comedic turn comes however in the form of the wry Duke of York, particularly in his delivery of certain lines and the way he opposes the appeal of his wife and son; only one actor seems to let the cast down, as is often sadly the case, and he speaks few enough lines to almost be ignored. The most laughs come, ultimately, at the throwing of multiple gages during Aumerle's confrontation of Bullingbrook's supporters.

As they take their bows it is possible to observe a difference between the two principal actors. Buchan exudes a quiet triumphance as if he accepts his rightful due: not yet Buchan again perhaps, something of Bullingbrook lingers in his gaze and expression. It is difficult to look away from Redmayne in order to notice this, however - with an ever-moving eye he seems desperate to record the faces of every single audience member, sweeping each row as many times as he can. He returns almost to the boyish uncertainty of the King, seeking to see whether what he has done was good; and good it most certainly was. Though he may be older already than his looks and mannerisms seem to imply, a long and accomplished career may yet be waiting for him.

5/5

This Is England 88, Sherlock: TV Special

#1 - THIS IS ENGLAND 88

Stars - Joe Gilgun, Vicky McClure, Johnny Harris, Rosamund Hanson, Thomas Turgoose, Danielle Watson, Andrew Shim

Director - Shane Meadows

Memorable Quote - 'I wanted to die because of you.'

Review - Phew. I previously reviewed 'This is England '86' as being "a bit harrowing at times", but two years later 'harrowing' is the rule rather than the exception. There are rarely glimpses of hope in this three-parter, mostly concerning Joe Gilgun's interactions with his boss, and those are only of a dark humour as you watch his painful attempts to fit in with people he has nothing in common with. Lol's turn is nothing but dark, dark, dark all the way through, and although it is of course true that not everyone can be happy all the time, I feel a little bit let down by this choice of scripting. What has always been brilliant about the series is that the moments of darkness are matched by those of happiness and laughter, but here it was not so; even Shaun could not provide comic relief, and that I feel was a mistake. The beauty remained intact and the acting as ever was astounding, but if there's to be a next one, let's make sure it returns to the way we loved it before, eh? 3.5/5

#2 - SHERLOCK SERIES 2

Stars - Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Andrew Scott, Loo Brealey, Rupert Graves, Una Stubbs, Lara  Pulver, Russell Tovey

Director - Paul McGuigan, Toby Haynes, 

Memorable Quote - 'Who the hell knows about Sherlock Holmes, but for the record, anyone out there still cares, I'm not actually gay.' (Watson)

Review - I'm not actually sure that I'm going to be able to review this without flailing and descending into gibberish. I'm seriously in love with this series - with all aspects of it: the acting, the casting, the way all the old familiar stories have been modernised, the text on the screen, the dialogue - ALL of it. This season saw Irene Adler appear for the first time - and what an appearance she made! The idea of Sherlock having feelings of that nature was an interesting element to add to the existing dynamic, and I'm glad that it was not pushed too far by her continuing in the other episodes (small doses are the way to go). The relationship between John and Sherlock is brilliantly portrayed - you can feel the tension of their differing worldviews under the surface along with the genuine friendship that allows them to tolerate it. The script was witty and wonderful, and the second episode brought in an appropriate Holmesian level of fear and psychological thrills. The Reichenbach Falls, the third and final episode, brought with it a lot of drama along with - at last - a full glimpse of Jim Moriarty's insane evil genius, portrayed fantastically by Andrew Scott. It was a heartbreaker as well as being the cleverest yet, but of course a true Holmes fan would have guessed the twist ending from the corresponding Doyle story, and therein lies the fun... There was also the development of Sherlock's feelings: in the first season he is accused of feeling nothing by John, but in episode one we see that it may be possible to feel attraction to a woman; in episode two he admits he has one friend, John; and in episode three he admits to four, John, Lestrade, Mrs Hudson - and Molly. There could not be a more perfect update for the franchise, and I can only look forward to season three with the wish it would come a little sooner. Is tomorrow too much to ask, boys? 6/5

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Limitless, The Hangover 2, Cowboys and Aliens

#1 - LIMITLESS

Stars - Bradley Cooper, Robert de Niro, Abbie Cornish, Anna Friel

Director - Neil Burger

Memorable Quote - 'What was this drug? I couldn't stay messy on it, I hadn't had a cigarette in six hours, hadn't eaten, so... abstemious and tidy? What was this? A drug for people who wanted to be more anal retentive?'

Review - 'Limitless' presents an interesting concept - a drug that will allow you to use all of your brain, but the payoff is addiction and eventual death when your supply runs out. Plus, everyone who hears about it wants it, most of those people have guns, and our protagonist doesn't know who the suppliers are. Using his new found powers he earns money at a ridiculous rate, cleans up his act and begins to attract prestigious jobs, but how long can it be before it all catches up with him? It certainly packs a few punches and forces us to ask some intriguing questions, and the execution is perfect - as well as the ending: quite the opposite to the "moral of the story" I would have expected, it twisted any preconceived ideas I had upside down and gave a whole new perspective on the plot. I actually really quite enjoyed it, and rather than shoving the "big star" in our faces as you usually find with, say, Russell Crowe, de Niro was really quite subtle here, and I mean that in a good way. 4/5

#2 - THE HANGOVER PART 2

Stars - Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms, Ken Jeong, Paul Giamatti, Mike Tyson, Mason Lee

Director - Todd Phillips

Memorable Quote - 'Oh, you are having a bad day. Did you die?'

Review - Oh hey, Bradley Cooper again, being in every movie ever. Returning with just as much chaotic humour as the first time, this sequel is smart and pitched just right. Why fix it if it isn't broken? With recurring performances from the popular Chow and all four original hangover-ees, we follow a very familiar pattern (Cooper has to make the call to a worried fiancee whilst he, Helms, and Galifianakis despair, Doug stays out of it, and someone gets lost), but presented in a new way. This time it is the brother of the bride who is lost, and though the conclusion seems remarkably casual (shouldn't they get him to a hospital? Is he not gutted that he'll never be able to play cello properly again?) the journey is just as enjoyable as it was last time out. Effortlessly combining a kind of backwards detective genre with frat boy humour, one wonders if they might score a hat trick next year. 5/5

#3 - COWBOYS AND ALIENS

Stars - Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Paul Dano, Keith Carradine

Director - Jon Favreau

Memorable Quote - 'I don't know much about boats, but I'd say that one's upside down.'

Review - Listen, seriously, guys. Cowboys. And then aliens. Cowboys, okay, and then aliens. Cowboys and aliens. It's right there in the name. Do you really need to know anything more about how awesome this movie must be? Really? Well, alright then, I'll tell you: Daniel Craig is an incredibly convincing Man With No Name type (honestly, becoming James Bond may have been the worst thing to happen to him, because it hides the fact that he's actually a real actor), Harrison Ford makes a decent bad-guy-with-a-heart, and the aliens aren't half bad either. I don't understand any bad reviews this gets, I just don't. Seriously, cowboys. And aliens. Plus, I do love seeing Paul Dano yet again play a tiny supporting role with more skill in his little finger than most A-listers; it is getting a bit tiresome to see such skill wasted in the background, though, and I'm hoping the rest of Hollywood will begin to wise up and get him back to those stronger roles he deserves. But anyway; Cowboys. With aliens. Doing battle. Awesome. 5/5

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Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Escape from Alcatraz, Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey

#1 - VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA

Stars - Penelope Cruz, Scarlett Johansson, Javier Bardem, Rebecca Hall

Director - Woody Allen

Memorable Quote - "Maria Elena used to say that only unfulfilled love could be romantic."

Review - A lot of this movie passes by without much seeming to happen, although undoubtedly it does; there is just such a weird sense of calm emanating from the voice of the narrator that it is difficult to feel moved or rushed by the events of the plot.  The storyline itself is, I suppose quite interesting; Bardem and Cruz steal the entire show, unfortunately, leaving Johansson looking like a stroppy nobody and letting Hall fade into the background as they simmer with Spanish passion. I'm more interested in their story than in the story of the two women on holiday, and this I feel is where the film falls down. It was not necessary to go for Johansson - I don't think I've ever watched a film starring her where she didn't distract me by being the same character as always and a terrible actress to boot - but Allen seems to be a little in love with her, and I suppose that's why she was there. Had potential, but did not reach it. 2.5/5

#2 - ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ

Stars - Clint Eastwood, Paul Benjamin, Larry Hankin

Director - Don Seigel

Memorable Quote - "No one has ever escaped from Alcatraz. And no one ever will!"

Review - Hmm, films based on true events are actually a bit less exciting when you already know the ending. Still, this is an interesting look at the way the real escape from Alcatraz was engineered, with, of course, a few Hollywood licenses. Eastwood is as glower-y as ever, pulling off quite well the image of the convict you don't want to mess with, and you can't help but feel the tension rise as they carry out their escape attempt, narrowly avoiding discovery by guards throughout. I can't say really very much about it, to be honest; it was there, I watched it, it was neither devastatingly terrible nor astoundingly good. It introduced no new ideas but did put action to a well-known story, allowing you to see how it all played out. A bit of a strange one, really. 3/5

#3 - BILL AND TED'S BOGUS JOURNEY

Stars - Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, William Sadler, Joss Ackland

Director - Stephen Herek

Memorable Quote - "You might be a king or a little street sweeper, but sooner or later you dance with the reaper."

Review - Ha, I love Bill and Ted. If you're a teenager you need look no further for some good entertainment, and I dare say it still appeals as you get older too. The caricatures painted by Reeves and Winter are excellent (see what I did there), and the Grim Reaper is just hilarious in every way. Though the special effects have aged, the stupid humour has not, and if you're like me you can't help but giggle in anticipation of your favourite bits from childhood coming up. Highlights include playing games to get out of dying, appearing on stage as part of a rock band, mugging people of their clothes in order to get into heaven... I'm not going to review this any further, just go watch it and enjoy it and thank me later. 5/5

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