2010. Dir: Clint Eastwood. Starring: Matt Damon, Cécile De France, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jay Mohr and Frankie McLaren. ●●●○○
Last week I heard an interesting pair of interconnected stories about the pre-production process of Hereafter, both of which mainly concern the passage of the script from Peter Morgan's bottom drawer to Clint Eastwoods shooting schedule. After Morgan's success with The Queen and Frost/Nixon he was well aware he needed to get more scripts out whilst on top, keep the money coming in when the goodwill's there, you know what I mean. So he dug out his draft script for a piece about three characters linked through death, and sent it to his agent. Some time later he was called to a meeting with Steven Spielberg (which allegedly involved sitting for ten minutes in a pitch black room) where he was told that Eastwood loved the script and planned to direct. Morgan then asked for the script back so he could work on it and get it ready for filming - at which point he was told it didn't need any revisions.
Cut to the finished product; a film which virtually screams "This script isn't finished!"
Each of the three storylines explore characters with differing attitudes and experiences of the possibility of life after death, and you could easily have made a better feature that concentrated on two of those then trying to mix them up, with the wholly uninspired way of bringing them together at the end.
In section one we follow Cécile De France as a Parisien TV reporter who through surviving the Boxing Day Tsunami in South East Asia goes through a near death experience. It's worth noting the special effects at this point are spectacular, not only is the tidal wave and it's destruction rendered with spine chilling precision (you've probably seen the trailer which showcases the trees falling in the distance) but it also features the most realistic underwater movement shots I've seen. De France then researches the phenomenon of near-death experiences at the cost of her job with the network. It's a neat concept, but without a central thesis or the evidence of rigourous research it somehow cheapens what could have been an interesting segment on scientific dogma and political discomfort around the whole idea of death.
The second, and by far the most successful, strand follows retired medium Matt Damon as he tries to live his life without lapsing back into the old habits. The script treats his abilities as real but unwelcome, as a psychological affliction he cannot be cured of. The tentative romance he builds with Bryce Dallas Howard, a co-student in an Italian cookery class, is wonderfully judged from the tasting tests to preparing dinner at his apartment. That later scene is heartbreaking as Damon tries to convince Howard not to have a reading. There's a final reading that Damon does towards the end of the movie that lets you into how much might be show - it's perfectly judged, Damon giving a performance that should have had better notices.
The final section involves two wooden twins and their mockney heroin addicted mother, and before you can say green cross code one of the boys is hit by a van. I realise it's early days for Frankie and George McLaren but neither of them have much of a future in film acting based on their performances here. This section also sees the biggest emotional jumps from broad comedy to mawkish sentimentality neither of which work.
Eastwood directs with the steady assuredness we've come to expect but there's no real connection to the material, so even the emotional beats seem forced. Perhaps if he'd only let Morgan play around with the script a bit more it may have worked.
Wednesday, 2 February 2011
Hereafter
Saturday, 29 January 2011
I see Dead people (Out this week - 28/01/11)
In three weeks time we'll be out of the Oscar season and the quality of films will drop ac down to it's usual level of mediocrity. In the meantime we have another week with four movies that could easily have come top of the heap, and a quality animation for the kids as well (which might actually be the film to knock The King's Speech off the top of the charts). Of course a winner has to be chosen so for now film of the week is Biutiful. 
Biutiful
Picking up a surprise (ish) nod for Javier Bardem this week in the Academy Awards, Aleandro Gonzalez Inarritu's first self-penned movie has divided critics since it's Cannes bow with relentless misery. That said it looks gorgeous in the trailer.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●●●●○
Barney's Version
Highly respected adaptation of Mordecai Richler's novel which gained an oscar nomination for it's make-up this week. The titular Barney is played with schlubby aplomb by Paul Giamatti as we travel through his life of failed marriages, lack of career integrity and, possibly, murder. Dustin Hoffman and Minnie Driver are among the co-stars.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●●●○○
Hereafter
Matt Damon stars as a medium in Clint Eastwood's latest drama based on a Peter Morgan script. Feted for it's opening tsunami and Damon's underplayed performance the reviews have been negative about the overall structure.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●○○○○
How do you Know
Broadcast News and As Good as it Gets are now drifting a long way into the past as James L. Brooks seems to have forgotten what it was that made his earlier movies worthwhile. Reese Witerspoon agonises between two suitors, both of whom reveal inner anxieties throughout the movie.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●○○○○
Tangled
The Rapunzel-lite adaptation has taken over $180m in the US, putting it at number 10 of the 2010 releases and a solid entry in Disney's canon. By the way did you know this is their 50th in-house animation cinematic release? Should do well in this weeks crowded market.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji
I think thi is the only Bollywood release of the week, although given that we've got more under the radar releases from last week that could prove incorrect. Slight variation to the usual mismatched romantic comedy, this has an (awknowledged) 15 year age gap between the protagonists.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Accursed Blood
Kellen Lutz tries to pretend he's the draw for the Twilight crowd with an above the title mention on a dirty looking stalker drama. He will probably fail.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
The Mechanic
Jason Statham takes his shirt off, has sex with a girl to prove he's not gay, then teaches Ben Foster (why?!?) how to be a hitman in this remake of Charles Bronson's star making turn. Probably not worth seeing at cinemas.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
And more films missed from last week - 21/01/11
Portuguese Nun
French/Portuguese collaboration about an actress playing a Nun who experiences a religious epiphany. Leisurely and respectful this should have been better advertised.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Kutsal Damacana 3 Dracoola
The Turkish comic-horror (which looks neither funny nor scary) comes back with a third bite at the filmgoing public. There must be a market for it, but I can't think of anyone who'd go to see this.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Pranchiyetten and the Saint
I believe, from looking at the trailer, that this Bollywood film does actually concern Catholocism in India in a positive way, even the soundtrack mixes Eastern beats to religious plainsong.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Charlie Noades RIP
Independent British comedy (don't laugh) written by Bafta nominee Neil Fitzmaurice and starring a notable slection of small screen comedc talent, problem is this looks from the trailer like it's much more suited to the small screen, maybe late night Channel 4.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Tuesday, 18 January 2011
Tuesday Trailers - Hereafter and Biutiful
There are still three more trailers I want to show for January films (it's madness Januray here, it really is) and given there's only to more weeks I'm having to double up this week. Actually it makes a little sense doubling up on these anyway, both of the films were in my top 20 most anticipated for 2010 and both films appear to discuss the issue of death in one way or another, with Clint Eastwood's latest looking at grief whilst Aleandro Gonzalez Inarrittu ponders the imminence of death.
If I had to choose between these two meditations on the afterlife which should I see?
Both Hereafter (above) and Biutiful (below) open on 28 January 2011.
Friday, 8 October 2010
Matt Damon
Happy Birthday to
Matt Damon
40 today
There are few actors today who are consistent and hard working as Bostonian Damon. Frankly he is a delight to watch even in the most stodgy of films. I'm currently looking forward to five films that he's signed up to. Eastwood's Hereafter as a retired medium, playing a cowboy in True Grit, as a dancing penguin (probably) in Happy Feet 2, reuniting with Steven Soderbergh for Contagion and - should it ever be seen - there's also a role in Kenneth Lonergan's much delayed Margaret.
Tuesday, 12 January 2010
20 for 2010 - The Hereafter
Will number 6 on the list let us know what is in the Hereafter.
The closest Clint Eastwood has come to horror before was his first directorial effort Play Misty for Me, which was essentially a stalker movie. The main draw with Hereafter is that Clint will once again flirt with horror but this time with the supernatural.
To be honest it's hard to see why Eastwood hasn't tried this genre before, after all in a majority of his films there is a throughline of guilt, redemption and forgiveness the sort of concepts that would easily fit with an understanding of what death brings and ensuring you're at peace. I don't know what his personal beliefs are (there's a cynical view of Catholocism in many of the pictures) but it will be curious to see how the 80 year old is able to view death.
The script has some pedigree, coming from The Queen writer Peter Morgan and Matt Damon is returning to Clint for the second film in a row to play a blue-collar American dealing with death in a differnt way from a French journalist (Cecile de France) and a London schoolboy - the one in the picture who's name I don't know.
Saturday, 19 September 2009
Film News (19/09/09)
Sometimes I do get mad with myself, I'm stuck in a cycle of self loathing as I continuously get interested in the product of a limited number of filmmakers, then get really angry when they turn up time and time again in the film news. This week I'm reporting on projects from 5 directors, who between them have been connected to 14% of all the stories I've run this year. I must find some other people to idolise.
Hereafter
I like Clint Eastwood. Sure he's no auteur, but he is a proficient, efficient director who does a good job more often than a bad. What I especially like is his willingness to try new things, and play with different genres whilst retaining the use of themes - in the past we've has Westerns, Romances, Sports movies; all of which have dealt with guilt and redemption. Now that his Mandela biopic is completed next up is a horror film, reuniting him with Invictus star Matt Damon. Press releases indicate it's like the Sixth Sense, by which I hope they mean it's a slow burner and not that it turns out he's a ghost which really spoils the film if they tell us know. I'm betting Damon has caused the death of someone in the past, and is now haunted by them, but is it a real ghost or just his fevered imagination?
Yes, I;'m expecting a full length adaptation of this road safety advert:
Harvey and Lincoln
Steven Spielberg has come out this week to assure everyone that his long gestating Lincoln biopic is not dead in the water, and that it can peacefully co-exist alongside Robert Redford's Conspirator about the aftermath of his assassination. I believe that the two films can work together, but I can't believe, with everything else Spielberg's working on that Lincoln will be made this side of 2015.
Tucked away in the Variety article was the hint of a casting rumour with Robert Downey Jr. linked to the Harvey remake. I'd just like to say I like that, very smart casting choice, provided that Sherlock Holmes and Iron-Man 2 don't lead to over-exposure.
Liberace
Matt Damon (again) has been spilling the beans on his association with the up-coming Liberace biopic from Stephen Soderbergh. Michael Douglas will play the flamboyant pianist, Damon his younger lover who outs the star to the press. It seems to unbelievable that people didn't know he was gay, but Liberace did manage to successful sue anyone who suggested it so there must have been plenty of housewives who thought they had a chance. Douglas has been trying on costumes, so that's a good sign that things are on their way.
Netherland
The critically acclaimed 2008 novel by Joseph O'Neill which takes in 9/11, cricket and the impact of an international community is being adapted by Christopher Hampton (Atonement, Dangerous Liaisons). Description as a Great Gatsby for the modern age it should make an interesting film.
The Passage
Anyone like vampires? C'mon hands up. There are hundreds of vampire fans judging by the extraordinary output of vampiric movies coming from Hollywood. Even Sir Ridley Scott is getting in on the act, circling as he is the adaptation of the Jordon Ainsley novel. Part blood sucking apocalypse, part government conspiracy picture it concerns medical experiment with death row inmates and vampire bats before it all goes wrong... If you fans didn't go and see this sort of rubbish then I wouldn't have to write about it.
Quite cute, really.
