2010. Dir: Alejandro González Iñárritu. Starring: Javier Bardem, Maricel Alvarez, Hanaa Bouchaib, Guillermo Estrella and Eduard Fernandez. ●●●●○
Inarritu's first film without screen-writing partner Guillermo Arriaga (the split appears to be permanent) is a departure in stlye from the multi-character story arcs he's used to, but the overriding themes of multiculturalism and the interconnectivity of fate remain. The miserablist Biutiful reminds us that life is cheap and full of heartache, even it's brushes with magical realism do nothing to lift the spirits of the audience.
Barcelona criminal Javier Bardem is having a bad time, his schizophrenic wife has abandoned the family and is casually sleeping with his brother, the illegal immigrants he acts as a conduit for police bribery are hawking their goods in the wrong area, and his connection with the recently deceased is getting out of hand. Plus he's also dying of Stomach cancer so of course it's down to Bardem to ensure that his daughter is able to spell Beautiful succesfully (needless to say he doesn't totally achieve this).
Ultimately the plot is irrelevant - this is a movie about suffering - it explores the lengths to which Bardem's soul is able to deal with the inequality of life and the desparation of his circumstances. It's deliberately bleak with further trials heaping themselves on his fractured conscience.
Bardem's performance is superb, the suffering is etched onto his face. As is Maricel Alvarez as his imbalanced wife, neither overplaying nor sugarcoating her mental illness.
The star though is Barcelona, unrecognisable to the tourists in it's handling of the inherent poverty and underclass of major city life. The production design is also superb, each flat, each factory, each location seems recognisable and lived in with the subtle distinctions of class, taste and ambition.
There is also a refreshing sense that this film is for adults, the visions of the dead that Bardem is subjected to are fleeting and on the edge of the screen, the relationship is referred to without being overt. Visual metaphors on the delicacy of life are allowed to drift in the shadows but aren't forced down the viewers throats. Saying there there are obvious attempts to elicit emotion from the audience. There is a tragic event about three quarters of the way through which would be enough in itself but due to the characters involved pushes us to an unnecessary extent. The simplicity of the bookend, snowbound scenes are much more poignant - especially in the closing credits.
I would recommend this film, but take a tissue and be prepared: there are no happy endings in Inarittu movies.
Thursday, 17 February 2011
Biutiful
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.
Monday, 1 March 2010
Javier Bardem
Happy Birthday to
Javier Bardem
41 today
Very few actors get a birthday mention from me two years in a row, but for Javier I'm willing to make an exception. After all he's gorgeous, smart, talented and sensitive. Plus he drinks wine from the bottle whilst wearing a pink dressing gown. What a man. Next up is Biutiful, one of my top 20 for 2010, and if it's good there'll be a third birthday wish next year!
Friday, 1 January 2010
20 for 2010 - Numbers 17 to 20
It seems hard to believe that I've been blogging so long that I'm returning to a theme I've already covered, that of the films I'm most looking forward to in 2010. In case you don't remember (or more likely weren't reading last year) on 1st January 2009 I counted down the top twenty films I was anticipating.
In retrospect it wasn't a great list. I have, so far, seen 11 of the films and only one of these made the top ten of films I actually saw - admittedly it was the final number 1 - Where the Wild Things Are. Therefore 10 were just not good enough. Of the remainder I'll be seeing The Lovely Bones and Brothers in January, Whatever Works has no sign of a UK release date, My Own Love Song has disappeared and Hachi looks like it's going striaght to video. The rest have been bumped into 2010 schedules and will be listed below as part of the countdown.
You could extrapolate that experience and try to second guess which of the top 20 will move to 2011 or drift off (I already know that one of the list has a UK release date in Jan '11), alternative you could tell me in advance which of these will make the year end top ten. There will actually be a competition later in the rundown with a bag of minstrels as the top prize (It's my cinema snack of choice).
The rules are simple.
1. I use the US release dates and schedules. I know this flies in the face of the way I do my top ten, but it's impossible to estimate how long it will take between releases here and there and it's often easier to find those details in the states. This means that It's Complicated and Precious aren't eligible even though I will see both of them.
2. On IMDB the filming must have started, and it must be recorded as a 2010 film. It's arbitrary I know, but it helps to reduce the likelihood of a film slipping into next years schedule.
3. (New Rule Alert) Films that made the list last year will be shunted to the back of this years list no matter how excited I am about them. I call this the Shutter Island rule because last year Shutter Island was the top film and I am still looking forward to it more than any other film on this list - but it wouldn't be fair to lead 2 years in a row so that, and all the other projects that have been delayed are at the back.
So, with that in mind, here are the films 20 to 17 that I am most looking forward to seeing in 2010.
17. Shutter Island Dir. Martin Scorsese. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Kingsley and Michelle Williams.
18. Love Ranch Dir. Taylor Hackford. Starring Helen Mirren, Joe Pesci and Sergio Peris-Mencheta. (No, I couldn't find any decent screen pics apart from the one I used last year)
19. The Tempest Dir. Julie Taymor. Starring Helen Mirren, Russell Brand and Djimon Hounsou (below as Caliban).
20. Biutiful Dir. Alejandro González Iñárritu. Starring Javier Bardem, Rubén Ochandiano and Blanca Portillo.
If you want to know a little more about why I was interested in these films then take a look at the labels below and you'll see last years posts.
Look out for number 16 in the 20 for 2010 countdown tomorrow.
Sunday, 1 March 2009
Javier Bardem
Happy Birthday to
Javier Bardem
40 today
Isn't that a great photo. I have nothing else really to say, except that Javier always makes a film worth seeing, can't wait for Biutiful.
Saturday, 3 January 2009
20 for 2009 - Biutiful
Here's a thing. Number 18 on my most anticipated films list is one I know virtually nothing about.
I know it's an Alejandro González Iñárritu film, so expect many cross cuts and a cavalier attitude to timelines, and I know it stars the incredible Javier Bardem. I know nothing else.
IMDB states it's about "A man involved in illegal dealing is confronted by his childhood friend, who is now a policeman." Or basically the plot from Angels with Dirty Faces, only without the angels.
Here are some library pictures of Alejandro and Javier, in case you've forgotten what they look like.
We do know some background to the film, though. This is the first film Iñárritu will direct without a script from Guillermo Arriaga after their much publised creative split. He has however surrounded himslef by the same technical crew that worked on 21 Grams and Babel, so there will be some parity with previous work.
It is also worth noting that Bardem dropped out of Nine, the musical adaptation of Fellini's 8 1/2 in order to take a rest, and has then come out of that rest by taking this role. So the part, if not the film as a whole, must be reasonably tempting.
Thursday, 30 October 2008
Catching up - Film news
I'm going to now squeeze into one post all the news I've picked up over the last 5 weeks that I feel is fit to print. Enjoy wading through for anything that you might like.
By the way I'm deliberately avoiding release schedule changes (Bye Bye The Soloist, Cheerio The Road, see you in 2009) and I'm trying not to dwell on castings in films I've already mentioned before (Helen Mirren in The Tempest - Yeah!!! - Helena Bonham Carter in Alice in Wonderland - really?).
Biutiful - Javier Bardem is set to join Alexandro Gonzales Inarritu's latest crime drama. Seems to be a modern update of Angels with Dirty Faces/Dead End only without the Bowery boys.
Book of Shadows - apparently a book chock fulls of spells and wicca and in need of closing to restore balance to the world. I'm not sure why Rob Reiner is the choice to direct this.
Coming after the jump - Brad Pitt's Bum and lots of drugs...
Only not straight away...
Buried - Todd Field's next project will concern a couple so desperate for money they bury a rich man alive and nick his dosh. Given that in Field's last 2 films (Little Children and In the Bedroom) he directed some great performances of desperation this could be worth seeing.
Steven Soderbergh - I manage to spell his name incorrectly in a different way every time I do it - has 2 new films on the go. The Girlfriend Experience about prostitution and [potentially] a Cleopatra musical starring Catherine Zeta-Jones. If that's not diversification then I don't know what is.
Dear John - I'd love this to be a cinematic rehash of the classic BBC comedy series about a depressive who's wife leaves him and then reenter's the singles circuit, but apparently it's about a soldier and a college student. Now starring Henry Thomas.
Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test - Following their successful (looking at the internet buzz) collaboration on Milk Gus Van Sant and writer Dustin Lance Black are to team up again with this true life tale of Ken Kesey, a small van and lots of drugs. Competition to the Hunter Thompson biopic?
High and Low - English Language remake is usually a phase that turns me off, but with Mamet writing, Mike Nichols directing and the source coming from Kurosawa (who's films often translate well) I'm unusually expectent. And the tale of a executive choosing between buying out a company or paying the ransom for his driver's son (it's complicated) sounds like a great dilemma movie.
Matarese Circle - No, I don't understand the title. However it's written by the guy behind the Bourne trilogy, will star Denzel Washington and has Cronenburg at the helm. Could be brilliant, could be barmy, can't wait to find out.
Brad Pitt Double bill - Brad's always choosing interesting films, and hasn't appeared to seek box office championship status since Troy but he's about to return to swords and sandals with the Homer's follow up - The Odessey (since Achilles is dead he's taking the Odysseus role). Hopeful it will be another chance to see his naked torso mmm. He's also lining up Moneyball about computer modelling in baseball. Yes you heard that right. Brad playing a computer nerd - gotta love it.
Scorcese's next move - After tiring of Leo, Scorcese has lined up Robert De Niro to star in his next film about the killer of Jimmy Hoffa (influential corrupt union boss in the 50's). Given their shared history includes Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and Goodfellas this is a must see.
Sunny and 68 - Vince Vaughn is a better actor than he is given credit for. I'm not sure this family drama is the way for him to prove that though.
Thor - has been greenlit with a tentative 2010 release date. I like the idea of a comic book movie based on Norse mythology (even if I am unusually ignorant about the source material) so I'll keep my eye out for news on this.
