2011. Dir: Rodrigo Garcia. Starring: Glenn Close, Mia Wasikowska, Aaron Johnson, Janet McTeer and Pauline Collins. ●●●●○
It's fairly common for me to disagree with the majority of critical and commercial response to movies, in fact on a regular basis I watch films hailed as the second coming only to walk away with a "huh?" and a shrug. Sometimes I just don't understand the fuss being made. Oddly though this usually only happens in one direction, I may detest a film everyone else loves but when a film is getting a mauling the best I can usually say is "it's not a complete disaster." However on watching Albert Nobbs I was shocked by the critical derision it have received on both sides of the Atlantic, what's more I don't really understand why, although I suspect it is in part due to the high expectations surrounding Glenn Close's very own passion project. Glenn first played the central role of a male impersonator off Broadway in 1982 and has been working on adapting George Moore's short story for over 20 years, and the sad truth is no matter how good you think the performance and the film is it wasn't worth a 20 year delay.
It's essentially the story of the emotional awakening of a repressed button upped butler who happens to be a woman. In 19th century Dublin with poor social mobility for men, let alone women, Nobbs has spent 20 years masquerading as a man in order to manage a dignified existence and save up to purchase a tobacconist. Her painful but safe life is disturbed when house painter Hubert Page (Janet McTeer) has to share Albert's room for the night and discovers Albert's secret. After a few hours of panic Hubert admits that she too is a woman, opening up a whole new world of emotional connection to Nobbs. Indeed the plan for the shop changes from being a one man show to a partnership as Alberts woo the impressionable young maid Helen (Mia Wasikowska).
Most of the characters are largely unlikeable, Nobbs is penny-pinching and emotionally insensitive, Helen is greedy and cheeky even Brendan Gleeson's Doctor is obsequious and a drunkard. Yet it is to the credit of everyone's performances that in spite of all that we care about the future of the characters.
Glenn in particular completely gets under the skin of Albert Nobbs, although frankly you'd expect that given the amount of time she's worked on the character, it's a totally committed performance as furtive and damaged as she is hopeful for the future, every moment of her history etched on her face, every decision the character makes reflected in her eyes. Janet McTeer is also masterful, less so for the emotionality her relative freeness and frankness leaves less to project from behind a mask, but physically she's perfect. There's a great scene where Close and McTeer put on dresses and take a walk along the beach, and they look like men in dresses, layers of performance which are incredible.
Wasikowska is less successful, her modern mannerisms difficult to get past, but she's the only cast member who seems out of place.
The script does a good job of highlighting the hypocrisies in Victorian society both in terms of class and gender, albeit mainly through the gossipy monologues from Pauline Collins' Hotelier. Where Jonathan Rhys Meyers aristocratic cameo is given free range to sleep with whomever he wants and Brendan Gleeson is conducting an illicit affair with one of the waitresses the merest suggestion of a scandal with Nobbs or Helen causes the eventual doom of their characters.
There are plenty of areas where the film gets things terribly wrong too. The pace is deadly slow - believe me I understand why many viewers consider the film to be dull and it is purely an actors love in - which has the doubled effect of confusing the timeline, about 18 months passes through the film, based on the seasons and certain plot points developing , but there's no depth to the time passing. The moments where Nobbs imagines the future of the shop cheapen both the idea and the film with the sub-standard graphics and finally the relentless gloom works against the viewer. Whilst I have no doubt that things were tough in the 1800's a glimmer of hope would have been nice (hopefully that's not too much of a spoiler).
I also loved Brian Byrne and Glenn Close's main theme Lay Your Head Down, both as performed by Sinead O'Connor in the end credits and as used in the narrative, it's a beautiful piece of music that deserved more attention at the end of last year.
This ranks low on the four blob films but I do believe it fully deserves that fourth blob and I would definitely recommend the movie to anyone.
Tuesday, 8 May 2012
Albert Nobbs
Saturday, 11 February 2012
Tell me about your Mother (Out this week - 10/02/12)
At first it seems like a quiet week with only 7 new features released into cinemas. But of course my methodology is deliberately focussed so I miss the 3D re-release of George Lucas's return to the Star Wars universe and the non 3D release of Casablanca. I suppose I should consider the later for film of the week, and it would certainly give the ultimate winner a run for it's money but I don't want to go breaking the rules as it might reveal areas of my subconscious I'd rather keep hidden. Of course film of the week is David Cronenberg's Freud-Jung-Spielrein intellectual triangle A Dangerous Method.
Of course The Phantom Menace is also tickling the top of the box office charts and with an extra day of release it might be foolish to bet against it, however I'm a fool who remembers it's half term and The Muppets has an awful lot of retro value - I would even go as far as saying more so on this side of the Atlantic than in the States - and I wouldn't be at all surprised if it takes the crown.
Oh, and I was dead right about Chronicle being last weeks biggest seller, amazingly making 26 year-old director Josh Trank the youngest director to have a box office leader in both the US and UK. 
A Dangerous Method
Second week in a row we have a stage play making the transition to film, and like Carnage the plot may in part revolve around the difference between morality and desire. Michael Fassbender continues his extraordinary run of performances as Carl Jung with Keira Knightley, Viggo Mortensen and Vincent Cassell surrounding him.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●●○○○
The Muppets
The gang's all back. I imagine most 30 somethings or older have a huge place in their heart for the madcap antics, big-time show tunes and silly jokes of the not-quite puppets and will go out in droves with their small kids to try and revive those memories. Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo and Animal are all on board, as are Jason Segal, Amy Adams and Chris Cooper to drive the plot but an extra pleasure of the muppets is their fantastic cameos which include Alan Arkin, Whoopi Goldberg, Judd Hirsch and Mickey Rooney.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●○○○○
Woman in Black
Daniel Radcliffe, him off Harry Potter with the glasses and the scar, you'd probably recognise the guy, has to sell off an abandoned house in deepest Devon. Only it's not completed abandoned as there's a sinister spirit at work trying to rip Radcliffe's mind apart in this Hammer gothic horror. Janet McTeer and Ciaran Hinds co-star.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●○○○○
The Vow
If you in the mood for a non-challenging romantic drama about a couple falling in love for the second time following a car crash and bout of amnesia then this could be exactly the movie for you. Rachel McAdams is the girl forgetting her hubby with Channing Tatum either shirtless or wearing chunky knitwear to bring back those hidden memories and Jessica Lange returns in a key supporting role.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Casanovva
Not necessarily what you would expect from the title of this Mayalaman entry. The synopsis states it's about an international businessman and playboy getting revenge on his girlfriends murderers through a reality TV show. WTF?
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu
Bollywood comedy set in Vegas (I know) slightly influenced by What Happens in Vegas as mismatched couple Imran Khan and Kareena Kapoor wake up hungover and married and must learn to love each other. Sweet.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Big Miracle
Finally we have the boring looking family friendly based on a true story tosh about whales trapped under the ice and the massive rescue effort involved fishermen, the army and large groups of volunteers. I expect it's not as bad as I think, but I can't pretend it's the sort of film I want to see.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Sunday, 8 May 2011
Janet McTeer
Happy Birthday to
Janet McTeer
50 today
An award winning stage actress, who rarely gets the cinematic roles to show off her considerable talent, as witnessed with her surprise best Actress Academy Award nomination in 1999 (for Tumbleweeds). Next up is giving cross-dressing advice to Glenn Close in Albert Nobbs.
Friday, 29 April 2011
By Odin's Beard (Out this week - 29/04/11)
Summer's Here!!! We know this not because certain birds are singing, or flowers budding, or even the increasing temperature, but becuase the cinema schedules tell us so. The first of the tentpole movies has been unleased onto the unsuspecting movie public today (although actually it's been on at UK cinemas since Monday) and what with the positive reviews, and the fact that it's the one comic book adaptation this year that interests me, I'm going to say the movie of the week is Thor.
Thor
Marvel have cornered this end of the blockbuster season, with the Norse God taking over the spot from Iron Man last year, even the marketing here in the UK has emphasised this is from the same studio. Chris Hemsworth is the headline but quality supporting turns from Natalie Portman and Anthony Hopkins should be expected.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●●○○○
Cedar Rapids
Indie comedy starring Ed Helms ("The Office", Hangover) as a naive insurance salesman sent to the annual insurance convention. Unfortunately he meets up with other, less strait-laced colleagues - including John C. Reilly - who slowly begin to push him towards an inevitable breakdown. Sigourney Weaver also stars.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Farewell
True life spy story about the eponymously codenamed Russian who slipped secrets to his CIA counterparts in 1981. Serbian filmmaker Emir Kusturica plays our anti-hero with Guillame Canet, Willem Dafoe and Fred Ward among those using his info to good use. Solid looking movie that highlights a lesser-known element of the closing of the cold war.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
I Saw the Devil
Kim Jee-woon flips genre's agian with this Korean revenge movie to end all Korean revenge movies. The plot essentially involves a cop who repeated captures and tortures a killer before letting him go and starting the process again. Expect lots of gore.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Insidious
Original Saw director James Wan has teamed up with Paranormal Activity producer for a derivative horror that's still managed to make back something like 30 times it's budget in US cinemas alone. Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne have a haunted son, Barbara Hershey comes along for the ride.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Chalo Dilli
A Bollywood version of Planes, Trains and Automobiles with a cool headed female protagonist finding herself travelling with the ladies man from hell. Akshay Kumar has a supporting role which should guarantee a crowd.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Shadow
Italian horror movie, that's taken a couple of years to secure a UK release. Concerns a young soldier on a biking expedition running into some unsavoury locals who like nothing more than chopping up strangers. You have to wonder if there really are weidos like that in every rural space?
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Tracker
Ray Winston is a Boer (who does this casting?) paid to find Maori murder suspect Temeura Morrison in this UK/New Zealand co-production. That's a great combo of actors and the film hints at British war atrocities during the empire's heyday however there's a definite sense of familiarity over the whole project.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
The Veteran
Messy looking british movie about an Afganistan vet (Toby Kebbell) finding it difficult to adjust to life in the council estates following his repatriation. It all ends in mass gunfights with marauding hoodies and Brian Cox. Unlikely to be a subtle investigation into the struggles our troops face.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Naturally I missed a couple out from last week:
Island
Janet McTeer, Colin Morgan and Natalie Press are the torn apart family rediscovering each other and working through their differences in this drama set on a lonely Scottish island.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Ko
Tamil movie that opens with a bank heist and from then on proverbial really hits the fan. Frankly Tamil releases are even harder to find a synopsis for than other Bollywood entries and the trailers bonkers crazy so that's all I can give you.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Friday, 8 May 2009
Janet McTeer
Happy Birthday to
Janet McTeer
48 today
As well as wishing Newcastle born Janet a very happy birthday I would like to heartily congratulate her for her Tony nomination for Mary Stuart. Another fine British export.
