2012. Dir: Woody Allen. Starring: Woody Allen, Roberto Benigni, Alec Baldwin, Ellen Page and Penelope Cruz. ●●○○○
There's good and bad news to consider when reviewing Woody Allen's latest Eurocentric release. On the positive side it's not an offensively bad film there are a lot of nice moments of subtle amusement and clever tie ins to the history and genre of comedy and in that respect Allen has clearly carefully considered the outline of To Rome with Love. Unfortunately once the spark had been formulated it seems the creativity quickly stopped. Much has been written over the years about how Allen moves quickly from project to project without retrospection, so it's possible he had one eye on his next San Francisco set movie whilst in post, or maybe the pressure of plugging last years delightful Midnight in Paris was too much? Either way that simply isn't good enough, having some good ideas and tossing off some throwaway jokes for the characters won't make the finished project anything more than a pseud on celluloid.
There are a couple of significant milestones that take place in Woody's Italian holiday. In the first instance it appears to be the last leg of his current European tour, which started with Match Point, with it's London locale in 2005, and has since visited Barcelona, Paris and now Rome, although this was broken by his New York travesty Whatever Works, an obscene piece of misogyny masquerading as free-spirited liberality. Notably WW followed Vicky Cristina Barcelona which wowed critics and made $23m in the US box office, this allowed Woody to fund a US set film, which flopped and sent him back to his gallic backers cap in hand. So when last years Midnight in Paris took over $56m, the highest ever box office take for one of Woody's directorial efforts, he once again returned to America. This also marks the first time Woody has directed in a foreign language, sure there were snippets of Spanish in Barcelona, but the story focussed on American tourists and the language barrier was used to exclude our heroines from the action. Here half of the film is in Italian, with two of the four storylines featuring no English at all.
The film opens with a traffic policeman talking to camera, introducing the variety of life he sees from the roundabout by the Coliseum in broken, effete english. There's the American student and the Italian socialist and the absurdest clash of cultures when their prospective parents meet, there's the sex farce involving newlyweds a film star and a prostitute, there's an ordinary middle class man who will wake up one morning to find his life overturned in a satire on celebrity culture and there's wordplay and insight as an architect takes a walk down memory lane. There isn't much that connects the segments, other than mostly taking place in a public and (possibly) geographically suspect version of the eternal city. They all belong to a heightened reality, but the closest to our normal perception would be the farce, and the timeframes are all over the place ranging from a few hours to over six months. This lack of connecting tissue hamstrings the movie as a whole, as we jump from scene to scene between each competing plot it feels as unstructured as a ramdom chat with a traffic warden, meandering through four simultaneous jokes, weakening the punchlines of all of them.
The most interesting strand involves Alec Baldwin as a gifted artisan, wasting his talent on designing shopping malls, strolling though the back streets reminiscing about his gap year decades ago, when he stumbles on student Jesse Eisenberg there's a look of recognition and soon Baldwin is sagely offering advice to the lovestruck youth, torn between his live-in girlfriend Greta Gerwig (utterly wasted) and her seductive best pal Ellen Page. There's a fascinating premise hidden underneath the usual Allen mannerisms and stock characterisations concerning the emotional scripts we live by and how we're the sum of our experiences, supported by sly sarcasm mixed with genuine pathos from Baldwin. It's a shame that Eisenberg is forced to play the Allen surrogate (he even uses them in films he stars in!) and Page's actress vamp has no ultimately redeeming qualities other than her sex appeal. Although I confess Allen might be using that to underline the unreliable narrative of memory.
On the other end of the scale, in that the concept seems cliched, is the neurotic adventures of Alessandro Tiberi and Alessandra Mastronardi. Arriving for the first time in Rome, their Honeymoon also needs to double up as an interview for Tiberi, when he introduces his wife to the disapproving in-laws who run the family business (no, I don't believe it's an Olive Oil import company). When Mastronardi nips out for a haircut she gets hopelessly lost in the big city and (in a nod to classic Commedia dell'arte stories) local call girl Penelope Cruz gets drafted in to impersonate her. Hijinks ensue. As I've said before Allen should be applauded for trying something different here, but his erudite script, even when translated, is too wordy to allow the inevitable bedhopping any momentum, in spite of how hard the cast are working.
Roberto Benigni gets his chance to shine in the segment addressing the sham of celebrity, morphing from incredulous to bitterness to craving his fifteen minutes of fame with ease, but alas the segment messages are hammer home by some needlessly profound speeches from his chauffeur. Finally the segment involving Allen himself boasts a shrewdly bitchy turn from Judy Davis but the opera in the shower plot and cheap national stereotyping makes it the one to skip through on the DVD.
On the craft side there's nothing of note here, but at least there's nothing negative.
For the ideas alone this might have been a worthwhile entry in Woody Allen's canon but he fails to bring the script up to the necessary standard making this one for the fans only.
Thursday, 20 September 2012
To Rome with Love
Friday, 8 July 2011
Illuminating the Almighty (Out this week - 08/07/11)
This week I'm all about joining the conversation. Everytime Terence Malick makes a movie it's front page news, the masterful arthouse agitator is able to present concepts that few understand let alone consider when going to the local multiplex. It's an odd week for films otherwise with the gap between Transformers and Harry Potter being curiously empty of big box office releases meaning anything could happen at the top of the chart. I confess I'm wary about the film, but I will go and film of the week must therefore be: The Tree of Life.
The Tree of Life
It's the most talked about movie of 2011, and a cinematic marvel that has enraged and astounded critics in equal measure. Eschewing conventional narrative Malick charts the history of the universe and our relationship to God through the experiences of one family in small town America. Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain are the twin forces of Nature and Grace (or Father and Mother) that battle for the control of their son Hunter McCracken, later Sean Penn.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●●○○○
Holy Rollers
Pleasing looking comedy with Jesse Eisenberg as an Hasidic jew, bored with his early twenties closeted life, finding himself embroiled in a smuggling ring carrying pot over international borders.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Super
The film that Kick-Ass could've been. With Rainn Wilson's fragile mental state tipping over the edge after his girlfriend leaves him and electing the way of the masked vigilante dishing out extreme violence. Ellen Page co-stars as his sidekick "Boltie".
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Film Socialisme
If you thought Terence Malick had the arthouse market cornered this week stand by for Jean-Luc Godard's symphony in three movements, where he explores his various passions with little linking structure to the snippets of conversations and moods he films. Godard (80) has threatened this will be his last movie so it could well be worth catching for that reason alone.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Princess de Montpensier
The film I really want to see next week looks like it may be the hardest to find, with a distinctly limited independent release pattern. Based on the true story of an affair that nearly ripped apart the French court, the film won dedicated admirers at Toronto last year.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Sawako Decides
Japanese comic drama about female empowerment, certainly the most leftfield film to come from Japan this year it opens with a intimate scene of colonic irrigation.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Trust
Former "Friend" David Schwimmer continues to confound all expectations with his directorial career, shifting from Simon Pegg comedy Run Fatboy Run to this paedophilia drama, exhibiting the worst case scenario from teenagers dating on the net. Clive Owen and Catherine Keener (as the parents) headline the cast that also includes Liana Liberato as the vulnerable daughter and Viola Davis.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Devil's Rock
New Zealander horror movie, set on the channel islands during the second world war with two Kiwi commandos uncovering a secret Nazi occult plot. Sounds like a well-worn cliche of a plot, but there must be an audience for this sort of thing.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Murder 2
Bollywood sequel to the 2004 film "Murder", which at least makes sense of the title.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○p
Venghai
Tamil action thriller that translates to Leopard and involves Dhanush rising up against his aggressors like the invoked big cat.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○p
Huge
Film about stand-up, starring a whole host of stars of the British comedy circuit, that somehow fails to be either funny or insightful about the cutthroat business. Probably best avoided.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
There's something odd going on in the world of Bollywood releases, with a large number of smaller films getting a limited release at a couple of cinema over the next week or so. I've seperated them from the wide releases and included only the most basic plot descriptions (sorry about that), hopefully if you're interested you'll still want to find out more.
Rang Rasiya
Biopic of 19th century Indian painter Raja Ravi Varma. In Hindi, originally released in 2008.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Veettilekkulla Vazhi
Malayalam movie about a doctor reuniting the 5 year old child of a terrorist who dies in his care with their father.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Monday, 21 February 2011
Ellen Page
Happy Birthday to
Ellen Page
24 today
Page has had a curious year, she appeared in a thankless expositionary role in Inception and did a marvellous job given the circumstances, however was largely ignored when praise was given out for the film. Next up - possibly - is Lesbian equal rights drama Freeheld.
Wednesday, 21 July 2010
Inception
2010. Dir: Christopher Nolan. Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy and Ken Watanabe. ●●●●○
To misquote Zhuangzi (4th Century BC Chinese Philosopher) "Last night I dreamed I was a butterfly and now I'm now sure if that was Inception". Although given the nature of the films climax that pithy (and not terribly original) start veers awfully close to spoiler territory. Chris Nolan's 7th and most expensive movie to date is all about the nature of our existence and our understanding of how dreams interface with reality.
Or is it?
Nolan has created a universe where accessing and manipulating dreams is a commonplace business, which is both tolerated by the establishment whilst being technically illegal. The main purpose of the procedure is to steal ideas and concepts from within the brain of the subject - it would appear to be generally industrial secrets - although it was strangely originally developed to allow soldiers to practise beating the crap out of each other in their unconscious.
After Leonardo DiCaprio and his right hand man Joseph Gordon-Levitt botch a robbery from the id of Ken Watanabe's Saito, Ken hires them (partly to protect them) to go to the next level and implant an idea into Cillian Murphy's brain. This theoretical implanting process (it's never been done thoroughly successfully) is named Inception. Like in all heist movies we then go through the process of getting a team together with the architect (Page), forger (Hardy) and untitled chemist Dileep Rao joined our band of mercenaries.
During this process the movie goes through the most interesting set pieces, including the folding Parisian street we saw in the trailer and exploding cafe scenes, as this serves as training for Ellen Page the exposition fits nicely into the scenes without feeling too talky. We also get introduced to Marion Cotillard as DiCaprio's deceased wife who's place within his tortured mind may just lead to his downfall.
The majority of the film then takes place in Murphy's dreams (yes that's dreams within dreams within dreams) as the team delve further into the recesses of his mind to place the macguffin of an idea.
As a heist movie Inception works very well. The team compliment and re-inforce each other strengths. The fuzzy action sequences are, at least, an improvement on The Dark Knight and nicely paced even if the stakes never seem as high as they ought to be - if you get killed you go to limbo where your brain works at an incredible rate possibly atrophying the faculties before your physical form wakes up... or something. In fact the film as a whole nips along at a fantastic pace ebbing and flowing in a way that seems both natural and easily carries you along with it.
The cast do good jobs with little to work with. I especially liked Ellen Page for her straightforward delivery of some of the more unlikely lines of dialogue and Tom Hardy for his slightly fey Britishness. Leo is unfortunately coasting on his far more complex performance in Shutter Island where the character had much of the same issues on his mind. Cotillard is icily beautiful as always and I couldn't help wondering what she'd be like as a pure femme fatale in a modern noir that really exploited her passion and poise. The fringe of the movie also holds some nice cameos for Michael Caine, Pete Postlethwaite and Tom Berenger.
The production design is crisp and precise, the way you would expect within the dream world, all tailored suits and new furnishings. The stand-out technical performance goes to Hans Zimmer for his delicious action score, it pounds it's way through the movie as both heart and soul and is an album I have no reticence in recommending.
I am slightly disappointed by the film as it introduces some interesting concepts but then drops them. We are in a world where people become addicted to dreams but this is barely touched upon as is the inevitable psychological effect of spending so much time hopping from dream to dream. There is also a strange lack of surrealism in these dreams, apart from a misplaced train and the ultra-cool hotel fight (which is horrifically justified as being natural consequence of dreams on another layer as opposed to being part of the way dreams are) there is little that doesn't take place in any major blockbuster. The act of Inception itself - snow covered bunker, hospital bed, safe contents - is a nice touch but it's not enough. It hardly seems fair to say that the subconscious of the victim will fight off attacks from a group like this but only allow them guys with guns as a means of defence.
There has also been plenty of Internet chat about whether the final scene is still within a dream and indeed whether the entire film takes place within DiCaprios head. In answer to that whilst the final shot is pleasingly ambiguous and the Mombasa chase sequence seemingly unlikely in reality (tapered alleyways and fortuitous arrivals et al) I find myself caring less and less about the issue as time passes. After all if Nolan doesn't really care about the effect of dreaming on his characters (see my comments above) then why should I?
Overall I would say Inception is a roaring heist movie that will keep you entertained and gripped throughout it's run time, but don't be fooled by the early reviews or solid marketing strategy this is not as clever as it thinks it is.
Friday, 9 April 2010
Out This Week (09/04/10)
It's quite a quiet weekend, although frankly that's a good thing - I've been so busy that I've hardly had a time to stop and think; let alone got a chance to go to the cinema this weekend. I'll be letting you know all about it on Sunday with the personal news post (and what a post it will be). Still if I was going to the cinema this weekend I'd definitely be up for Drew Barrymore's directorial debut with Whip It.
I Am Love
Tilda Swinton gets a rare chance to lead a major film, albeit clearly European arthouse in it's feel. She plays a Russian immigrant in Italy married into a loveless and wealthy family who has an affair. Doubt it ends well.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
I Know You Know
I had spoken about this film back in November, when it was originally scheduled for release, but here's a chance to ignore it again. Robert Carlyle is a distant father who's son slowly works out he's a MI5 agent. Based on a true story.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
The Infidel
Gifted alternative comic David Baddiel's first movie script focuses on an Muslim father who shockingly finds out not only that he was adopted but that he was born Jewish. The trailer is very funny, but I worry that the hook is enough to sustain an hour and a half.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Prince
At one point this Bollywood actioner was subtitled It's Showtime, but I very much doubt that helps explains the sci-fi tinged heist movie that the trailer indicates - nor does it explain why one of the girls on the poster doesn't just look like she's been photoshopped in, but that a cardboard cut-out of her has been photo-shopped in.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Shelter
Did anyone notice Julianne Moore and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers making this? All of Rhys-Meyers' multiple personalities are murder victims and Moore must find out why before the credits role. Like a knock-off of Identity, then.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Whip It
If you like Roller derbys then you'll love this seventies throwback, with Ellen Page rebelling her middle class by joining the local team under the moniker Babe Ruthless. The great supporting cast includes director Drew Barrymore, Marcia Gay Harden and Juliette Lewis.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●●○○○
And last week I missed:
Jawani Zindabaad
But I can't write anything about it at all as there are no reviews, trailers or plot descriptions that I can find...
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Thursday, 14 January 2010
20 for 2010 - Inception
No countdown for 2010 could be complete without my number 5 choice Inception.
Christopher Nolan's twisty looking sci-fi thriller is primed to be a major contender in the '10 summer market. Not linked to a comic book franchise, save that of the auteurial connection to the Dark Knight, it's rumoured to have a budget north of $250m. This will make profitability extremely hard to achieve, although the fan boy anticipation is pretty high, and James Cameron's proved just this month that you don't need a tentpole title to make some cash.
The story, which is being kept very guarded, involves hacking into peoples dreams and stealing intellectual property. This metaphysical angle to the heist movie at least explains the gravity defying action, and folding cities we've been witnessing in the trailers. Nolan has also hinted in interviews that the themes of madness and lost love, as well as the thriller elements are indicative of how persoanl the project is. This is his small movie between Batman films - only it's not small. In fact he's proud to admit it's his biggest challenge to date.
Nolan has assembled a top notch cast with Leonardo DiCaprio and Ellen Page leading the pack. This is also a good hint that either this script is fantastic, or there's enough goodwill towards Nolan based on his previous projects that Hollywood elite will sign up to anything with his name on it. Let's face it, whether this turns out to be masterpiece or a very expensive turkey, it's got must-see written all over it.
Don't forget to join in the competition to win chocolates with my countdown. Click on the Minstrels in the top right.
Saturday, 21 February 2009
Ellen Page
Happy Birthday to
Ellen Page
22 today
Ellen is looking slightly miffed with me for 3 reasons:
- I'm running late on standard blogs - yes Miss Page I am. Weekly run down of films coming next as is film news. Thursday talk point cancelled for the week but I may use the subject next week.
- I haven't celebrated the birthday of a girl in 11 days. Odd, I know, won't happen again.
- I'm not interested in any of her upcoming films. And to that all I have to tell her she will need to get involved in films that sound vaguely watchable.
