Saturday, 14 January 2012
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to 2012. Now that the new year has had time to settle in, take its shoes off and make itself at home, I think it's about time to start having a look at what awaits us over the next 12 months. We begin with our in depth look at 2012 in films.
This list looks at films released after the deadline for the 2012 Oscars. As with every year, we can only express our condolences to top films like the Artist and the Descendants which open during the awkward lapse between the end of year Debbies and the Oscars. Sadly they will not be considered on this list as "2012 films" despite their apparent excellence and 2012 release date.
So behold, here is the top ten list of key films to keep an eye on in the coming year (trailers linked in the title where available), starting with number 10:
10. The Great Gatsby
This could be a bit special. F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel is being brought to the big screen again, this time courtesy of director Baz Luhrmann and starring the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan and Tobey Maguire.
With the array of talent involved in this project great things are to be expected, and the Christmas day release date suggests they mean business.
It will be interesting to see how Luhrmann approaches this film given his track record for heavily stylised, overly sentimental romantic films, but it might just be a perfect fit for him. DiCaprio meanwhile will be hoping to make up for the likely disappointment of not winning the Oscar this year for J. Edgar (yeah I'm calling it) and Mulligan, who is pretty much the hottest up and coming young actress in Hollywood, may finally find the role that takes her to the next level.
Release Date: December 25th 2012
9. Les Miserables
The legendary musical will finally get a proper musical film adaption, and now I'm going to tell you why that's something to get excited about. Les Miserables is the longest running musical in the world, based off Victor Hugo's timeless novel, and 1998's mediocre non-musical adaption not withstanding has never had a proper film interpretation.
That's going to change now, with none other than King's Speech director Tom Hooper at the helm, and an all-star cast including Hugh Jackman (fresh from his smash hit show on Broadway), Russel Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Eddie Redmayne and Helena Bonham Carter.
Sweeney Todd showed us that musicals can still be taken seriously by the Academy if done well, and this production has more than enough pedigree to make that happen.
Release Date: December 7th 2012
8. Prometheus
Ridley Scott is back and so is the Alien franchise (kinda, sorta, not really), although not in name. This is technically a loose prequel to Alien, however it is intended to be taken as a standalone story, almost entirely unconnected to the Alien movies.
The plot details are a bit thin at the moment, but Prometheus stars Noomi Rapace, the up and coming Michael Fassbender, Guy Pearce, and Charlize Theron, who between them have tallied a number of great movies and numerous awards.
Some pretty top talent involved then, with creative control in the hands of one of the directors who pretty much invented modern sci-fi. Expect this to be pretty big when the summer blockbuster season comes around.
Release Date: June 8th 2012
7. World War Z
After a long bidding war and production issues going back over five years, Brad Pitt's zombie baby is ready to make an appearance.
Mind you this is no ordinary zombie movie. World War Z is based on a best selling novel, directed by Oscar winner Marc Forster and starring Pitt himself, with a cast that includes Matthew Fox and Bryan Cranston.
It may not be the next 28 Days Later, or up for awards in 2013, but all signs point to this being one heck of a ride, with some pundits speculating that this film could do for zombie movies what Blade Runner did for sci-fi.
Billed as a trilogy grounded in the realistic gun-metal style of the Bourne series tethered to the unsettling end-times vibe of the Walking Dead, keep an eye on it.
Release Date: December 21st 2012
6. Skyfall
James Bond returns for our next entry, hoping to atone for the misstep that was Quantum of Solace. Skyfall happily breaks away from the story arc of the last two entries in the series for a bit of original storytelling, which sees Bond fighting for the very survival of MI6 and in particular Judi Dench's maternal "M".
Daniel Craig makes his third and allegedly final appearance as James Bond alongside a cast that includes Oscar winner Javier Bardem and Ralph Fiennes.
But the real news here is that legendary director Sam Mendes is directing. Those of you who don't remember Mr. Mendes from his time as artistic director of the Donmar theatre will certainly remember his Academy Award winning work with American Beauty and Road to Perdition, as well as his other films Jarhead and Revolutionary Road.
Here's hoping that this one will be a bit more Casino Royale, and a bit less Quantum of Solace. For now though there is plenty of reason to be excited.
Release Date: October 26th 2012
5. Gravity
Another highly mysterious project about which very little is known. What we do know is that Gravity is a thriller about astronauts who get stranded on the International Space Station after some kind of disaster, and that it will star this year's current favourite to win the Oscar George Clooney as well as previous Oscar winner Sandra Bullock.
The other big piece of info is that this film will be directed and written by Alfonso Cuarón, best known for his Oscar nominated work on the brilliant Children of Men. I'll be honest, the only reason this film is so high on this list is because that was such an excellent movie.
Little additional info has been made available, but the insider buzz on this one is quite positive, certainly one to keep an eye on.
Release Date: November 21st 2012
4. The Dark Knight Rises
What more can be said about Chris Nolan's Batman films that haven't already been said? Dark Knight Rises marks the end to this trilogy and the end of an era.
Of course the likes of Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine will return, and this time they are joined by Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anne Hathaway, and Marion Cotillard. That's an extremely well stocked cast.
It remains to be seen if this can match the runaway success of its predecessor the Dark Knight, but either way the level of talent involved is undeniable, and with Chris Nolan at the helm anything is possible. This trilogy looks set to go out with a bang.
Release Date: July 20th 2012
3. Django Unchained
The unmissable Quentin Tarantino returns with his next film following the success of Inglourious Basterds. As with most of his films, details are being kept tightly under wraps, but it's safe to say we can expect the usual mix of violence, great acting and sharp dialogue.
A typically all-star cast includes Joseph Gordon-Levitt (who appears to be doing a Ryan Gosling and appearing in everything this year), Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L. Jackson, Christoph Waltz, Kurt Russel, Jamie Foxx, and interestingly Sacha Baron Cohen. It's a fantastic cast, featuring a lot of old Tarantino favourites and an abundance of award winning talent.
Not much is known about the plot except that it's about slavery, set during civil war times in the American south. Tarantino himself describes it as a spaghetti western set in the south, or as he calls it a "southern".
Release Date: November 20th 2012
2. Lincoln
This one is actually pretty difficult to talk about without molten Oscar gold dripping out of your mouth. Steven Spielberg directs this biopic of Abraham Lincoln, one of America's greatest historical figures, starring Daniel Day-Lewis, who has allegedly been in character as Lincoln since last summer.
Between the two of them they have more than a dozen Oscars and they are backed by an impressive ensemble which includes Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (seriously, he's everywhere!).
I don't have to see a single frame of footage to know that this film is going to be in the running for awards this time next year. It's hard to believe that it took this long to make a big budget film about our 16th President, but if any film maker is up to the task it is Spielberg, despite his disappointing 2011.
Release Date: TBA Q4 2012
1. Cloud Atlas
The most intriguing entry on this list is the long mooted film adaption of David Mitchell's challenging and complex best selling novel. A profound telling of six interlocking story arcs that span generations and geography, it sounds like the sort of subject matter that can't possibly be adapted for the mainstream.
Enter the Wachowski Brothers. Best known for making high school philosophy into a mainstream blockbuster with the Matrix, revolutionising the action genre in the process; if anyone can turn Cloud Atlas into something presentable it's them.
Add to that a great looking cast featuring Tom Hanks, Hugh Grant, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent and Hugo Weaving, and you've got yourself the makings of something a little bit special. Let's just hope this doesn't go all Matrix Revolutions on us.
Release Date: October 2012
This is just the cream of the crop, but an honorable mention should go out to The Avengers, which forms the culmination of the recent deluge of Marvel franchise films, and Men In Black III, which will probably be absolutely awful, but still deserves a watch through merit of the original film. Meanwhile on a more serious note we have The Master, a controversial commentary of all things on Scientology starring Phillip Seymour Hoffman, which has not been included on this list because it may not even come out in 2012.
Tune in next week for the best upcoming music of 2012!
Sunday, 8 January 2012
Directed by Michel Hazanavicius
Written by Michel Hazanavicius
Produced by Thomas Langmann
Starring Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, John Goodman
Running time 100 minutes
So maybe this hasn't been the most exciting year for cinema in recent memory. Maybe there's no King's Speech or Avatar, but when February rolls around the Academy will still have plenty of traditional Oscar fare to contend with like War Horse, the Descendants and the Help.
Yet it isn't any of these that is currently considered the frontrunner for the most coveted of film awards, that honor belongs to a french silent movie shot in black and white, starring and directed by complete unknowns. It might just be one of the strangest and most unexpected awards campaigns of all time, but the Artist has captured the zeitgeist of critics and movie patrons the world over, and heads into 2012 as favorite for the big finish.
Naturally I was curious as to how such a thing could be possible, and made sure to book tickets for opening night, which just happened to be my birthday. I'm pleased to say that I can now understand why such an oddball of a movie has elicited so positive a reaction, this film easily surpassed my expectations.
First of all: yes this film is (almost entirely) silent, with scenes backed by a continuous score, rarely any diegetic sound, and dialogue displayed sparingly with intertitles. The Artist is a love story for sure, but the real meat of the plot lies with the tormented silent movie star whose dumb pride and stubborn ways render him unable to cope with the changing times in Hollywood. The Artist is a tender homage to the early days of cinema, and particularly the period of transition between silent movies and "talkies", but any fear that this aesthetic is merely some self-indulgent gimmick is quashed within the first few minutes.
As hard as it may be to believe, I was glued to the screen for the entire film, absorbed into the moment in a way that few recent films have managed. The Artist is uproariously funny, perfectly acted (not least of all by a scene-stealing terrier), at times heartrending, and always sublimely stylish to look at.
It turns out there is an art to conveying story and emotion using the minimum dialogue. While we like to think of such a style as some archaic relic from the silent era they still form some of cinema's most eloquent and affecting moments, from 2001 to Cast Away to Wall-E. There's a surprising amount that can be said without words. The Artist uses that effect better than any of these films to the extent that, far from a gimmick, this heavily stylised tone actually adds to the content of the film. It also doesn't hurt that the score which accompanies almost every second of the film is so excellent.
So is it really a contender for best picture in February? Most definitely. The Artist is one of those films which grows even fonder in memory; certain scenes are so brilliantly clever and well executed that they border on cinematic perfection. The spellbinding and utterly committed best-actor-at-Cannes-winning performance of Jean Dujardin is also almost certain to earn a nomination, though halting the Clooney buzz that seems to be building will be a tall order, no matter how deserving.
Yet at the same time the Artist is a film that in hindsight might look strangely lightweight next to other winners of the coveted best picture. This is not a "deep" movie, it doesn't tell any groundbreaking story that hasn't been done before, and on the grand scheme of things it doesn't have anything pivotal to say. The Artist is simply an exceptionally well made encapsulation of Hollywood and everything that people love about movies. It captures the devoted torment and the unbridled joy of an artform, and it does so in a way that is simply absorbing for the moviegoers.
Skeptical? I was too, but give this a go and the irresistible charm will suck you in and win you over.
Loves:
Extraordinarily clever filmmaking
Tour de force performances
Daring and ultimately vindicated stylism
Hates:
That skeptical patrons may not give this a shot
Saturday, 31 December 2011
Here we are again for the traditional end of year awards, where our esteemed panel of judges (ie me) lay down the ultimate verdict on the year gone by for everything, and we do mean "everything". 20 categories, 20 hard fought and well earned trophies.
It's been a year of much excitement and transition, of folk-rock revival and Ryan Gosling, and whether you find yourself overwhelmed by it all, or simply haven't been paying attention, you can't miss our final and definitive look back at all things 2011.
So happy holidays you magnificent bastards, and without further ado here are the:
2011 Debbie Awards
Cinema & TV
1. The Debbie for TV Show of the Year
Winner: Curb Your Enthusiasm
Runner Up: Dexter
Curb Your Enthusiasm , the brainchild of comedy legend Larry David, is quite simply the funniest thing on TV right now, and this latest season might just contain some of its finest moments. It's all the more impressive when you consider that between this and Seinfeld, David has been writing at the forefront of comedy for more than 20 years, his is a rare kind of genius.
Dexter comes in second, with the series still defying all expectations in keeping the premise improbably watchable as the seasons advance. The series may have peaked, there may be only a year or two left waiting in the wings, but for now this still remains one of the best shows currently on TV.
2. The Debbie for New TV Show of the Year
Winner: American Horror Story
Runner Up: Falling Skies
It's safe to say that many eyebrows were raised when the creators of mega-sensation Glee said they wanted to move into horror for their new TV series American Horror Story, especially for people like myself who hate Glee. The result however is far better than anyone could have expected, proving that some people simply have a knack for making compelling television regardless of genre or style.
Also worthy of note is new Spielberg produced alien invasion series Falling Skies, the spearhead of TNT's new lineup, which got off to a very promising start this fall.
3. The Debbie for Film of the Year
Winner: Moneyball
Runner Up: Source Code
While it may be a premature statement with so many of the films tipped for next year's Oscars still to be released, the Brad Pitt starring Moneyball goes down as the best of 2011 in my books. For the second year running, an Aaron Sorkin scripted film takes the prize, this time adapting the best selling true story of a manager who turns a tiny baseball team into record setters through the magic of statistics.
Duncan Jones (who no longer has to be known as Zowie Bowie now that he has escaped his father's shadow) follows up his critically acclaimed debut Moon with the bigger budget Source Code . The result speaks for itself and provides another hint of things to come from one of the most promising directors in cinema.
Music & Theatre
4. The Debbie for Theatrical Production of the Year
Winner: Frankenstein
Runner Up: Anna Christie
For the second year running, we snub the Donmar for the coveted Theatre Debbie. Michael Grandage must be phoning it in with his final year in charge. That being said, the winning production is something quite spectacular indeed: Danny Boyle's stunning interpretation of the classic Frankenstein starring a superb cast of Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller, and the music of Underworld. Truly it was the kind of theatrical blockbuster that comes along only so rarely, and one that will live long in the memory.
The Donmar's Anna Christie takes the silver medal with Jude Law proving his stage acting chops with a role cast completely against type, and all the better for it.
5. The Debbie for Album of the Year
Winner: Hurry Up We're Dreaming - M83
Runner Up: Helplessness Blues - Fleet Foxes
Some Debbies are easy to award, but in this case there has been much deliberation and disagreement over which of two great 2011 albums should take home the gold. Ultimately we went with the more creatively adventurous effort from M83 and its rich, ambitious soundscape. Dreamy, nostalgic and quite remarkable, Hurry Up We're Dreaming is a worthy winner.
Fleet Foxes take the runner up price, but make no mistake they would have been a worthy winner in another year. Helplessness Blues improves upon their successful debut in every way, refining the wistful folk-revival sound and adding a lyrical narrative richness that was often previously lacking.
6. The Debbie for Debut Album of the Year
Winner: Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
It's not been an especially groundbreaking year for debut acts, but there are a couple which come to mind when considering this most coveted of Debbies. This year the winner is Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, the latter and greater of this year's two post-Oasis solo albums. Noel is on song here on his own for the first time, staking his claim as a standalone artist in his own right.
7. The Debbie for Song of the Year
Winner: Helplessness Blues - Fleet Foxes
Runner Up: Wait - M83
In a reversal of fortunes from the best album Debbie, it is Fleet Foxes who take the top prize for song of the year with their lead single Helplessness Blues. Building on the smooth harmony-laden melody of a White Winter Hymnal, Helplessness Blues forms the crux of the new album with its driven angst and impetus.
Meanwhile the sumptuous Wait from M83's album takes second place with its beautiful, yet understated melancholy.
Videogames & Technology
8. The Debbie for Greatest Technological Innovation of the Year
Winner: Kepler Spacecraft
While technically speaking Kepler launched in 2009, 2011 was a big big year for the project, and a year of many firsts for space exploration. 2011 saw the first Earth-size extra-solar planets discovered as well as the first extra-solar planets discovered within the so-called "goldilocks zone"; there has been much talk of the death of the space program, but in many ways now more so than ever before is an exciting time in this field.
9. The Debbie for Lamest Technological Innovation of the Year
Winner: Kinect
At some point the Microsoft bigwigs gathered in a smoke-filled and i'd like to think poorly lit room and decided that the best way to copy Nintendo's motion control idea was Kinect, a device which involves controlling games by flapping about like an idiot with absolutely zero physical feedback. Needless to say it has not exactly taken off, nor has Microsoft's grand vision of a house controlled entirely by waving your hands at Kinect.
10. The Debbie for Videogame of the Year
Winner: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Runners up: Portal 2, LA Noire
The winner of this year's Debbie for best video game may raise some eyebrows for its lack of review on this website, but then I'm a busy man, so deal with it. The fact that it's winning game of the year against some pretty formidable competition should say all that needs to be said; Skyward Sword sees the most radical shift in gameplay arguably in the series' history while managing to stay faithful to the elements which make Zelda one of the world's most critically acclaimed franchises.
In a year full of tough competitors for the top prize, the choice of runners up was equally difficult, but ultimately second place is being shared by Portal 2, the more ambitious sequel to one of the greatest games of the past 10 years, and LA Noire, Rockstar's technologically innovative homage to the 1940s.
Sports
11. The Debbie for Footballer of the Year
Winner: Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi, retains his trophy, being that he is frankly not in the same category as the rest of us mere mortals when it comes to footballing ability. For this reason I have decided that picking a runner up would bely the gulf in class between him and the rest. Also I didn't even bother changing this blurb or picture from last year's awards.
12. The Debbie for Sports App of the Year
Winner: iFooty
It's been a big year for iFooty with the launch of video content and other new features, one which has seen the app attract even greater media attention, including a write up in prestigious football magazine FourFourTwo.
Social
13. The Debbie for Party of the Year
Winner: Halloween Pub Crawl
Maybe I'm just a sucker for Halloween, but year after year they tend to produce the best nights. This year's pub crawl through the seedy depths of Camden Town set the scene perfectly.
14. The Debbie for Restaurant of the Year
Winner: The Oxo Tower
Runner Up: O Ya
This year belongs to the Harvey Nichols brasserie in the Oxo Tower, consistently one of the best restaurants in London with its superb changing menu and newly redone bar. With unrivalled panoramic views across the Thames this is truly a restaurant for special occasions.
Content to hold the runner up position again is O Ya of Boston, one of the best restaurants in the world, so good as to make reference to it as a "sushi place" seem almost ludicrous.
15. The Debbie for Nightclub of the Year
Winner: Piccadilly institute
If there's one thing I am a sucker for it's creative drinks and themes. Piccadilly has this going for it in spades with several uniquely themed rooms and drinks to match including a science room containing the steaming foamy beakers pictured above, and a Moulin Rouge styled room where drinks are served in a top hat with sparklers.
16. The Debbie for Best Brother
Winner: Jeremy Debate
You're welcome bro.
17. The Debbie for Douchebag of the Year
Winner: 99.9% of all London bike riders
Bikes, the scourge of London drivers and pedestrians, and with the new influx of "Boris bikes" (actually a brilliant idea, though we stole it from the French) there are a whole lot more of them all of a sudden. Don't get me wrong, bikes are a great thing, the trouble is 99.9% of people in London ride them like an idiot. So to those of you in the 0.1% I raise a glass in gratitude, to the rest, a middle finger.
Travel & Literature
18. The Debbie for Book of the Year
Winner: Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson
Not exactly a new book, but read for the first time this year and unique to say the least. Don't just catch the films, make sure you read the books as well.
19. The Debbie for Wine of the Year
Winner: Castello di Fonterutoli 2004
Runners Up: Cerviolo 2001
Castello di Fonterutoli 2004 is, for my money, the best vintage of the best wine from one of the best vineyards. Fonterutoli has become one of the biggest names in wine, but if you want to do it right, try to find one of these bottles, which are understandably becoming scarce.
Going for something a bit on the heavier side, Cerviolo 2001, takes the silver medal this year having tracked down the last remaining bottle at the San Fabiano vineyard. Quite the wine.
20. The Debbie for Champagne of the Year
Winner: Champagne Mailly L'Air Blanc
Champagne Mailly's latest Grand Cru continues the "four elements" theme, this year bringing air to the table, and it might just be their best yet. This delicious 2005 vintage is rich, fruity and irresistibly smooth.
Well there you have it, another great year, and here's to the next one being even better!
Monday, 12 December 2011
As you have probably noticed, I haven't had a lot of time (read: any time) to write new articles lately. However, now that the holidays are upon us I intend to get started again. A few big articles coming up, but before then I'm going to get a few essentials out of the way, with a round-up of all the recent reviews I haven't been posting.
"Drive" Film Review
Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
Written by Hossein Amini, James Sallis (novel)
Produced by by Michel Litvak, John Palermo, Marc Platt, Adam Siegel
Starring Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston
Running time 100 minutes
The plot is your standard heist-gone-wrong, with Gosling's unnamed stunt/race/getaway driver getting caught up in the illegal shenanigans of Irene's (Carey Mulligan) jailbird husband. This story may not be particularly remarkable or compelling, but the performances bring it to life with Gosling showing again why he is held in such increasingly high regard. More impressive are the outstanding supporting roles played by fellow up and comer Carey Mulligan, multi Emmy award winner Bryan Cranston, and the two mobsters played by the superb Albert Brooks and Ron Perlman.
However, what most stands out about Drive is undoubtedly the bold style of film making, with events being told through heavily stylised noir and some admittedly captivating cinematography and production. Sadly pretty visuals can only go so far, and this focus on style over substance simultaneously hurts the film more than anything else. The repeated reliance on music-backed montages and segments often makes portions of the films feel like a long music video, and with little meat to fall back on the end product feels superficial in the extreme.
This perception is not helped by actual shoe-horning of other films' scores into this film. On first viewing I noted the 28 Days Later score used repeatedly, and one extra long sequence set to Trent Reznor's Academy Award nominated score for the Social Network. For such polished production, this feels incredibly tacky, and quite jarring when you're familiar with the score in its original use.
In the end Drive is a flashy, but at times fairly grating crime noir film that nevertheless deserves notability in a year so far bereft of classics.
"Mylo Xyloto - Coldplay" Album Review
Genre Alternative Rock
Don't get me wrong I love classic Coldplay as much as anyone, but this time around the memorable songs are few and far between, with just the dance-riff based Every Teardrop is a Waterfall pushing the band into new and exciting territory and only Don't Let it Break Your Heart doing justice to the classic stadium busting Coldplay sound. Credit where it is due, these are very fine songs indeed, but they are the diamonds in the rough rather than highlights.
Mylo Xyloto has been billed by the band as a move into more "poppy" music. Strangely though I have yet to find a single person who was of the opinion that Coldplay's biggest problem was that they were not "poppy" enough. Nevertheless it is unfortunate that their interpretation of "poppy" seems to mean bland rehashes of their old music. Even less forgivable is the apparent shallowness of the album as a whole, devoid of any coherent theme or structure that one might have expected from their earlier albums.
Coldplay has never been everyone's suit, but even for long time fans Mylo Xyloto is a disappointment. Too early to say that the band's best days are behind them? Either way, this one is just Coldplay by the numbers.
"Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds" Album Review
Genre Alternative Rock/Britpop
Noel is the man behind some of Oasis's finest hours like Don't Look Back in Anger, often described as the more creative force within Oasis. So it is with great interest that we finally get a look at what he can do on his own, and finally determine once and for all which Gallagher is best.
Happily I can report that this album is not only a triumph, but also the best collection of Gallagher written songs since the early days of Oasis. Embracing his new central role, Noel's fingerprints are all over this album; from full blooded sing-along anthems to grittier rock and roll songs, the self-titled album captures all the best elements of Oasis and imbues them with a new charm and panache rarely seen in the band's back catalogue.
The album maintains a refreshingly high quality throughout, with several excellent songs and a handful of strong supporting songs. The soundscape is richer, the melodies more grown up and the range broader, with standout tracks like If I Had a Gun, Soldier Boys and Jesus Freaks, and A Simple Game of Genius.
Noel's solo career is off to an excellent start. You should buy this.
Thursday, 3 November 2011
Directed by Terrence Malick
Written by Terrence Malick
Produced by by Dede Gardner, et al.
Starring Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jessica Chastain
Running time 139 minutes
The enigmatic director stormed this year's Cannes Film Festival with his ambitious magnum opus, but does it deserve its success or is it a sprawling mess?
How to describe what the Tree of Life is all about? The hint is right in the title; it's about life and all existence, from the macroscopic to the very personal level. This film spans from the dawn of time to the end of the universe. We see the big bang and the dinosaurs, and finish with judgement day and the end of the Earth. So how can this film be anything other than an unfocused, pretentious flop? Well it's unlike anything you've seen before, that's for sure.
The central plot tells the story of Jack O'Brien (Sean Penn), jumping between his troubled childhood in 1950s suburbia at the hands of his overbearing father (Brad Pitt) and his aimless adult life where he continues to struggle with the memory of his tragically deceased brother. At it's heart this is a story about love, loss and the grieving process, the rationalisation of life and death in a greater context. The all consuming sorrow of a single lost life and the weight of a man's entire 50 year experience is paled into insignificance against the birth and destruction of the universe, and the scale of all time.
What makes this film special is the way it manages to cover such cosmic distances and contrast issues of such profundity with those on the personal level without collapsing under its own weight, something which is accomplished by its quite unique storytelling methods.
The lack of spoken dialogue in this film is striking. Most scenes pass outside the diegesis, narrated instead by evocative music as years of memory and story flow in minutes. Partnered with stunning cinematography and visual imagery, this is a story told mostly through sensation and mood rather than words, unfolding implicitly rather than through explicit dialogue or exposition. An apt analogy of the comparison between the Tree of Life and other films would be that of classical music to the pop music of today: telling a story without vocals, but still lyrical.
The film is a beautiful spectacle then, a statement which not many will disagree with. This is definitely not a film where it would be appropriate to spend a lot of time critiquing the writing or the acting as so little prominence is given to these elements of the film. On the other hand, this is certainly not a film for people who are used to being dictated a story when they go to the cinema, as opposed to inference.
What many will no doubt find objectionable are the overdone religious overtones, particularly in the last season and the conclusion of Jack's story. My preferred interpretation was to view this as merely the character's chosen method of internal rationalisation of his situation, rather than some attempt by the film maker to press his ideology upon us. However I can see why it would bother others.
What does, however, trouble me is the unsatisfying dramatic nature of this resolution, and indeed much of the narrative structure. The film essentially revolves around this one grand notion to which I have alluded, and fails to really add much over the course of two and a half hours. A great many scenes feel overcooked to the point of self indulgence, or simply unnecessary, and often I had the impression that what I was watching served more as an exercise in the technical aspects of film making than an attempt at really poignant storytelling.
This is a film that will inevitably polarize audiences, with some driven off by the opaque, demanding nature of the film, and others drawn to its artistic splendour. It may end up being a film that will be remembered more for its technical excellence and experimental cinematography than for any deeper meaning, but in this humble reviewer's view there are few scenes in cinema which are as touchingly beautiful and relatable as some of the childhood montages set to the backing of Bedřich Smetana. Malick is to be applauded for his vision and his ambition, but is perhaps a little too self indulgent for this film to really achieve the kind of status it seeks.
Loves:
Stunning cinematography
Evocative music
Hates:
Overdone and Preachy
Difficult to get into
Saturday, 22 October 2011
Developed by EA Canada
Published by Electronic Arts
Genre Sports
Platform Xbox 360, PS3, PC, OSX, Wii
After a few years of doing this, the annual FIFA updates inevitably seem to start blending together. This is not necessarily a bad thing as it allows me to half-ass my reviews and get back to more important things. However, this year EA Sports have decided to delight millions of fans, and mildly inconvenience me, by bringing about the biggest revolution that FIFA games have seen in a generation.
I speak, of course, of tactical defending. It's no secret that defending has always been the weakest area in FIFA; the timing is imprecise, the AI is terrible, and close friendships have ended over arguing who has to sit back and defend. But this year's update looks to change all that.
Positioning is now the key element to defending in this game, and much of the process involves applying pressure to defenders and then making the correctly timed tackle, process which seems much smoother this year than it has in the past. This new mechanic is buoyed by the all new physical collision engine which aims to add yet further realism to the art of defending. When it works, it works very well, and yet I can't help but feel as though EA are barking up the wrong tree.
You see, it doesn't work all the time. Even aside from the steep learning curve, the fact remains that by far the biggest issue with defending in the past has been the dreadful AI, and this has been the case for a number of years. So for their big defensive revolution to leave this aspect completely untouched is bizarre to say the least, and if anything the more cerebral defending in this game only serves to highlight these inadequacies.
As for the shiny new physics engine, don't get me started. People laughed at me for being skeptical when it was first announced, but anyone who has played FIFA and seen the general patchiness of EA Sports' recent attempts at animation and "realism" should have seen this coming, or this. You see, EA Sports has a habit for trying to be far too clever and overdoing it, which is why they took the concept of referees getting decisions occasionally wrong out of the game. The sad thing is that these comedy issues are not the rare glitch, they are incredibly common, I would be surprised if you can get through more than one or two matches without seeing a few slapstick moments like this.
However, it is a valiant, if misguided attempt at fixing the defensive side of the game, and aside from these issues, the gameplay is pretty damn good. In almost every other way the football on offer here has been honed and improved from last year's iteration and the attacking play feels incredibly satisfying and versatile. In the old days it would often be the case that all goals would end up being scored in the same way, but now it really is a more varied affair, and passing the ball through the defense, putting crosses in, shooting from range are all perfectly viable solutions.
The biggest issue with the game for me is more a case of design. Once upon a time there was a game called FIFA 98, which incredibly included all the domestic football content, the whole world cup from qualification to final, and a series of scenarios or "challenges" which could be played through to keep things from getting stale. Since then, however, it seems that the actual content of the game decreases more and more every year.
In FIFA 12, the challenges from previous iterations are gone, replaced with a periodic online challenge which can be played if and when the developers come up with one, so on the day of purchase there was only one challenge I could play, as opposed to literally dozens that came with the old FIFA.
Of greater concern, however, is the new career mode. EA Sports seems to have bizarrely decided that it would be best to combine the regular career and the be-a-pro mode into one single feature. The effect of this is that be-a-pro career mode has essentially been removed from the game. In FIFA 11 this gameplay mode would start you off as a youngster in the reserves, and then let you play your way into the first team and even the national side. Well in this year's edition none of that is true, there is no 'narrative' so to speak, you just start in the senior team and there is no career progression and no international call ups. Basically, the be-a-pro career mode is now exactly the same as the regular mode, except you control one player instead of an entire team. A big step backwards then.
So we find ourselves in a familiar position here. FIFA is undoubtedly the strongest football game on the market right now, but it is still so riddled with gaping flaws and astonishingly amateurish design choices that one really wishes Pro-Evo would step up their game a bit to apply greater pressure on EA.
Loves:
Defending is... slightly better
Attacking side of the game still a delight
Looks beautiful
Hates:
Overcooked physics engine (but funny)
Dire lack of be-a-pro gameplay features
Saturday, 8 October 2011
Directed by Tomas Alfredson
Written by Bridget O'Connor, Peter Straughan, John le Carré (novel)
Produced by by Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Robyn Slovo
Starring Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, Benedict Cumberbatch
Running time 127 minutes
An all star cast and crew team up in an attempt to adapt le Carré's classic novel to the cinema.
Skepticism was rife when a cinematic adaption of Tinker Tailor was announced. After all, the novel is a celebrated and layered tale of espionage, which up til now has only been successfully adapted into the BBC's seminal seven part miniseries. Fitting the entire piece into a two hour film was always going to be a tall order.
For their part, an impressive array of talent has been assembled for the project. Director Tomas Alfredson is one of the big up and comers in the cinema world following the critical acclaim lavished upon Let the Right One In, while the cast features such luminaries as Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hardy, John Hurt and Mark Strong. It all makes for one of the more impressive ensembles in recent years, with a good mix between experienced old hands and hotly tipped newcomers.
It is no small praise then that this crew damn near succeeds in their efforts. The end result is an entertaining and cerebral two hours, one which appears almost flawless from a technical standpoint. Alfredson more than lives up to his billing, crafting a visually striking and generally well articulated film of some style. A great deal of credit must go to both him and the scriptwriters who have done about as good a job as can reasonably be expected in fitting the story into such a short narrative running time. Tinker Tailor is a satisfying and complex story regardless of format, and fans of the genre will find much to enjoy here.
Additional kudos must go to the actors involved. It is inevitable that they will be unfairly compared with those that have portrayed these characters in the past, notably the late Sir Alec Guinness, but they do themselves a great service, standing tall alongside their esteemed forbears.
Gary Oldman delivers one of the strongest performances of his career, a fine-etched tableau of a world weary being sleeping under well trained exterior. Familiar faces like Colin Firth and John Hurt also bring their typical level of quality to proceedings, but special note should be afforded to relative new boys Tom Hardy (who viewers will recognise from Inception) and Benedict Cumberbatch (who will be familiar to fans of the recent BBC adaption of Sherlock Holmes, or to any regular theatre patrons in London), both of whom have seen their stars rise considerably in the last few years and will see it take off still further here.
Yet despite this, Tinker Tailor still falls short of the standard set by its other iterations. While this may be a highly entertaining and well made spy thriller, it consistently falls flat when addressing some of the meatier contexts of the original plot, and at key moments. A perfect example is the final climactic scene, which sadly finds itself lacking in any real suspense or sense of danger. The big reveal of the double agent traitor thus feels disappointingly indifferent; what was supposed to be a wrenching and deep conflict of friendship and betrayal ends up with a complete lack of emotional impact.
So what went wrong? Ultimately it seems inarguable that two hours is just not long enough to fully appreciate the details of this story. The ending lacks tension because the stakes have not been well established, and the pacing inconsistent. The character drama lacks impact because the characters have not been fleshed out with any substance, and their relationships have not been explored in any real sense. Colin Firth in particular, for what is a pretty central role, has fewer lines than I can count on my fingers up until the final scene, and as far as I can remember doesn't share any lines whatsoever with Mark Strong's character, which is intended to be one of the deeper and more meaningful relationships in this story. These characters, simply, do not have anywhere near enough time to develop sufficiently.
This movie feels like an abridged version of Tinker Tailor, a bare-bones outline of events, offering newcomers to the story only a touch more emotional depth than a wikipedia plot summary. However, it would be foolish to only criticise this film for what it isn't, rather than appreciate what it is. This is not a novel, nor is it a miniseries, but as a film in its own right it is a fine piece of work, albeit one that finds itself oddly lacking in bite.
Just to be clear, this film makes a valiant attempt at adapting the classic novel. The production and cast are superb, and one can't help but be impressed at how close they have come to condensing everything to film length. In the end there simply is not enough time to devote more than the most superficial of attention to the characters and relationships, which is where the real meat of this tale lies.
Loves:
Quality of film making
Fine acting
Satisfying and intriguing classic plot
Hates:
Too short to flesh out character drama
Sometimes lacking in suspense
Often lacking in dramatic impact
Wednesday, 21 September 2011
Genre Dream pop, Electronica
Label Mute
Producers Justin Meldal-Johnsen
Release Date October 18th
Even though Hurry Up, We're Dreaming is the 6th studio album of Anthony Gonzalez's M83, chances are you haven't heard of them before. That may all be about to change.
Gonzalez has spent three years pouring over every detail in this latest album, and it shows. Hurry Up, We're Dreaming stretches out over 2 discs and 22 tracks, a rarity for music these days, and yet each song is so meticulously crafted that every synth note, every chime, every buzz feels as though it has been placed with intent and fastidious care. Even during the album's more adventurous, abstract segments there is method and purpose and the end result is that the album sounds exactly as described on the cover, like some ephemeral, velvety dream.
I do not say this merely with regards to how the music sounds, although "dreamlike" would be an apt description for the ethereal, lush quality of this music, but more to its ability to be emotionally evocative. In equal parts uplifting and deflating, this is an album that can be wistful and reminiscent, thought provoking and introspective. In this regard the album feels very much like a dream.
The easy comparison that will no doubt be a feature of every review is one with 80s music, and indeed much of the album will evoke a distinct John Hughes aesthetic, but to characterise the album as simply an 80s revival would do a disservice to the great variation throughout.
Hurry Up, We're Dreaming runs the full gamut from anthemic pop-heavy tracks like Midnight City and Ok Pal, harkening back to the likes of Simple Plan and OMD, to the more stripped down hushed harmonies of Wait and Splendor.
Throw in a few eclectic tracks like Raconte-Moi Histoire, more a throwback to pre-80s psychedelia, and even full blown orchestrated songs like My Tears Are Becoming a Sea and you have some idea of the kind of range we have here.
It is impressive then that the music is so consistent; one gorgeously crafted melody after another and a good balance of instrumental and vocal elements. Each and every song merits a listen, and at its best moments this is an album that absolutely sparkles. If I have one qualm with the music itself it would be that the vocal style is quite the departure from M83's usual subdued yet quietly affecting lull, with Gonzalez taking on the reins himself and Morgan Kibby absent entirely. It almost sounds more in the vein of Kings of Leon or Arcade Fire; that's not to say that it doesn't work, it's just different. Some people may like it, others won't.
The bigger issue is that there seems to be no real structure to the album as a whole, no logical thread running through the length of either of the two discs, let alone the whole package. If one were to listen to the album on shuffle, I doubt they would notice a difference in the experience compared to progressing from start to finish. Hurry Up, We're Dreaming ultimately feels more like a collection of pretty sounds than a cohesive whole, although indeed one could say that this simply adds to the overall dizzying dream-like quality of the album, for better or for worse.
But despite this, Hurry Up We're Dreaming is an album that is hard to resist. Few other albums have captured the dream-like state to such a degree and portrayed it with such elegance and beauty. The attention to detail belies the talent of a true perfectionist and produces a record that may lack the clear narrative to which we are accustomed, but is undoubtedly the embodiment of this man's vision.
Hurry Up, We're Dreaming is M83's most ambitious album to date, and certainly their most impressive. This is a contender for album of the year, it's time to start taking notice.
Must Listen
Wait
Midnight City
Steve McQueen
Splendor
Saturday, 17 September 2011
song of the week: "Lungs Quicken" by "Lanterns on the Lake"
thing that makes me smile today: Going to my first Chelsea game of the season.
pic of the day
M83
Daniel Sturridge
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
OUT:
Cut Copy
Nicolas Anelka
Jane Eyre
Thursday, 15 September 2011
Directed by Rob Ashford
Written by Eugene O'Neill
Starring Jude Law, Ruth Wilson, David Hayman
Theatre Donmar Warehouse
Eugene O'Neill has always been the sort of playwright who will appeal to a certain crowd, whilst putting many others off with his overwrought dialogue and turgid stylings. Anna Christie is a play which, at first, sounds like a typical entry from his back-catalogue; there is depressive boozing, jaded old men, rough around the edges sailors, and of course the supposedly innocent girl with a shameful past. But to dismiss this production as such would be to do yourself a grave injustice.
Rob Ashford and the Donmar have crafted a superb production which manages to embrace the depth of drama, whilst highlighting the kernel of optimism and indeed throws lashings of good humour into the mix. This is a finely pitched, intense piece of theatre brimming with energy and deftly sidestepping the potential pitfalls of melodrama, one which will take even the most skeptical of theatre patrons and keep their attentions glued to the stage for the entire two and a half hour production.
Indeed much of this quality can be credited to the strong cast, with particular note for the three main characters. David Hayman gives a superbly nuanced and often heart-rending performance, even if he lays his Swedish accent on a bit too thick. Ruth Wilson is accomplished in every department as the titular main role, balancing the acerbic qualities of her world-weary character with a touching sense of vulnerability, although for some her demeanour and vocal qualities might come of as a bit too textbook for such a role.
But of course much of the focus will rightly go to one Jude Law, who has produced a potentially career-changing performance here, breaking free of his effete typecasting and transforming on stage into a gruff, surly sailor with such fervor and character that it is honestly difficult to believe that this is the same actor. Jude Law far exceeds anything he has ever done before, anyone who is not a fan will be after they see this.
The production is notable from a technical standpoint as well. The entire stage is replaced by a mechanical platform which pivots and emulates the tossing of the sea, while dry ice pours fog in from all angles and water sprays on deck. Such is the obsession with detail of setting that reportedly the front rows of the audience in the early showings of Anna Christie were soaked.
Fans of Eugene O'Neill will love the quality of the drama and the level of detail, while those who would not normally consider themselves fans will nevertheless enjoy the range of this production, a highly enthralling and well pitched production for all comers.
Sunday, 11 September 2011
Directed by J.J. Abrams
Written by J.J. Abrams
Produced by by Steven Spielberg, J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk
Starring Joel Courtney, Elle Fanning, Kyle Chandler
Running time 112 minutes
Geek deity J.J. Abrams returns with most ambitious foray yet into cinema.
Better known for his Television credits, with the likes of Lost, Alias and Fringe to his name, J.J. Abrams has in recent years started to delve into the world of cinema. Beginning with franchise films like Mission Impossible 3 and the recent Star Trek remake, Abrams also saw great critical and commercial success with his first original creation, Cloverfield. Now in Super 8 Abrams teams up with his childhood idol Steven Spielberg to produce a film that is arguably his most mature and polished work to date.
The director's veneration for his producing partner here is apparent throughout, with homage paid repeatedly to Spielberg's classic sci-fi from the 1970's and 1980's. Everything from the setting to the style to the dialogue will evoke memories of Close Encounters of the Third Kind or ET. There are numerous other references of iconic pop culture (eg. Romero, the Twilight Zone, amongst others), but it is certainly a distinct Spielbergian vibe above all else that pervades.
That is not to say that Super 8 is lacking in originality or its own identity. Indeed, Abrams straddles the line between respectful tribute and basic mimicry perfectly, and adds in a few of his own modern touches that make this film distinctly a J.J. Abrams production.
The story itself concerns a group of kids in small-town America (So far so Spielbergian, even the classic character archetypes are all here!) who are in the process of making their own home movie on a Super 8 camera for a school competition, when all of a sudden strange things begin to happen across town. Naturally their childlike curiosity and desire to make a good movie compels them to dig deeper, and thus the plot unfolds.
The narrative that unravels is traditional sci-fi conspiracy stuff, you have aliens and military cover ups all accounted for, and if I were to have any complaint to make about this movie it's that this element of the film feels a bit hackneyed in a 'been-there-done-that' sort of way, and the alien itself was a somewhat uninspiring creation. Not to give too much away, but think more Cloverfield than Close Encounters, a concept which clashes quite strongly with the more simple and down to earth style in which the rest of the film is made (I suppose this would be the Abrams twist on the classic Spielberg formula). Meanwhile the military suits themselves are not fleshed out at all beyond 'look out, bad guys!', which leaves these antagonists lacking the real bite or intrigue that other better movies in the genre have produced.
Fortunately, the quality of the film making here is such that these flaws can be overlooked. The direction and production in general is so spot on and superb that you find yourself caught up in the story even if you don't really buy into it. Ultimately the secret is that none of the sci-fi or alien stuff really matters that much in this film. As strange as it is to say for something which is billed as sci-fi, these elements feel more incidental than central to on-screen events.
The real purpose of this movie lies with the characters, and the magic of film making in general. Super 8 is really a celebration of the passion of film makers, all the way up from the little kid with a cheap handy-cam to the big name Hollywood titans to whom this film so lovingly pays homage, and that desire for storytelling. It succeeds wonderfully.
Go see Super 8. It is a wonderful film, and certainly one of the better I've seen so far this year. Its few nagging flaws or lack of depth do not detract from its many strengths, and to focus upon them inordinately would be to miss the point entirely.
"Loves":
Quality of film making
Loving tributes to classic cinema
Hates:
The "alien" (ok "hate" is too strong a word)
Thursday, 25 August 2011
Genre Rock
Label Warner Bros.
Producers Rick Rubin
There has been a long hiatus for the Red Hot Chili Peppers between their last album, released in 2006, and this newest release. It's been a time of upheaval for the band, with lead guitarist John Frusciante leaving (again), to be replaced by Josh Klinghoffer. It's a perilous time for a comeback.
The first thing to note is that the band is definitely missing something without Frusciante. You don't lose arguably the best guitarist of a generation without noticing. Indeed the band appears to have lost some of their edge.
Album opener Monarchy of Roses typifies everything that the band has become known for; the duality between the dirtier funk stylings and the more melodic, soaring chorus. It's a hopeful and exciting start to the new era.
Unfortunately the next track Factory of Faith is more representative of this particular album. Awfully repetitive and frankly bland, this track sounds more like a parody of incredibly phoned in, inspiration-less funk.
Indeed much of the album seems to consist either of similar songs like this or more uncharacteristically low-fi rock like Brendan's Death Song and Meet Me at the Corner, the likes of which are perfectly listenable, but again, strangely flavourless for the band.
However there are brighter moments, including the typically radio-friendly lead single The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie, which features the classic RHCP funk/melody combination and one of Flea's classic swaggering bass lines.
Meanwhile, Did I Let You Know becomes one of the surprise highlights of the album with it's sunny demeanour and multi-vocalist chorus, while Happiness Loves Company is a delightfully bouncy throwback to the 1970s. Also worthy of note is the laid back Police Station, this album's answer to Californication.
In the end, I'm With You seems to be more about the band finding it's footing following the recent shake up and time out. The album as a whole is mercifully less sprawling than their last effort, the two-disk Stadium Arcadium, but it feels unfortunately lacking in memorable tracks. Their are some fine songs here to be sure, but they are few and far between, and overall, not of a high enough quality to stack up next to the band's back catalogue.
Must Listen
The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie
Happiness Loves Company
Did I Let You Know
Police Station
