2011. Dir: Alexander Payne. Starring: George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller, Robert Forster and Nick Krause. ●●●●○
I need to see Alexander Payne Hawaiian dramedy The Descendants again. This is not just because the story is insightful and the performances compelling - although they are - nor is it because I need to see it again to fully appreciate the complexities of the parallels between the two priorities pulling at Clooney's Matt King - although I probably have to. No, the reason I need to see the movie again is simple. At my screening Gorgeous George and the even more gorgeous vistas were upstaged by Mus musculus*, a brave example whose relentless search for abandoned popcorn led him up and down the aisle where I was sitting and in and out of the rows in front and behind.
Therefore please take this review with the tiniest pinch of salt. I may come back to it in October, watching the film again, and update, but for now even being distracted I thought it was a fine dissection of modern morality and the process for dealing with the complex emotional response to grief.
There are two main plot strands concerning our protagonist property lawyer Matt King, an expert performance from George Clooney, on the one hand his wife is in a coma, on the other the vast swathes of Hawaiian land his family have held in trust is reaching the end of it's legal tenure and a decision needs to be made on it's future. If that wasn't tough enough Clooney finds out, in the first half hour it's no spoiler, that his wife had been having an affair and the film develops a mini-mystery aspect as he identifies the man and finds a way to confront him.
Clooney once again proves he is one of the best actors of his generation building on his recent performance in Up in the Air he is the consummate everyman star, easily slipping into roles where you can forget he's one of the most famous (and attractive) Hollywood exports. Once of the most amazing things about the performance is how subtle it is on the dramatic stretches, quiet, still everything happening behind the eyes, a lesser actor would burst through the tough scenes with his daughters (Shailene Woodley and Amara Miller) or play the emotions when facing his wife's adulterous other half. At the same time he's unafraid of the comedy, the slapstick running and hedge scene are played to all they're worth.
The rest of the cast also do a fine job, Shailene Woodley as the elder daughter, conspiring with her father whilst constantly breaking boundaries has garnered the best feedback, as well as the mighty Robert Forster who came the closest to eliciting an emotional response during his wordless hospital visit. I'd also like to give a shout out to Mary Birdsong who as friend Kai has a couple of big moments with Clooney both and in and out of the hospital.
The land sale half of the plot, whilst latterly surprisingly connected to the infidelity, is a touch underdeveloped and the resolution is predictable and pat. It almost feels as if Payne was rushing that aspect of the screenplay in order to it the relevant marks for Clooney's personal growth, perhaps teasing it out a little more and allowing the final decision to feel more organic and less reactionary might have felt more natural.
As a writer Alexander Payne has always been able to dissect relateable even within extraordinary circumstances and Matt King is no exception, indeed the family unit as presented is more realistic in it's depiction than the majority of his previous characters, less obtuse than Miles and Jack from Sideways and less obsessive than the protagonists of Election or About Schmidt, they slowly seep into your subconscious, like Clooney's King you feel the turmoil of emotions when saying goodbye to the woman you love. At the same time there's a resultant lack of tension, King's reaction to the situation is how we all like to think we'd react, this safeness takes the edge off the piece.
Payne is most interesting as a writer than a director, and whilst this film is competently put together there's little of interest in terms of the filming styles, early use of voice over and Indiana Jones style flight paths aside. The pacing is good though and it's virtually unique seeing Hawaii as just a beautiful place with the same family troubles as everywhere else.
I think I can recommend the film, as gentle and predictable as it is, for being an interesting slice of life drama, although I do reserve the right to change my opinion later in the year.
*Note I am not going to reveal which mouse infested cinema I went to as they very kindly gave me a free Premier IMAX ticket to say sorry, which I'm going to save for The Dark Knight Rises in 6 months.
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
The Descendants
Saturday, 28 January 2012
Reflecting on what you didn't know (Out this week - 27/01/12)
So it's been Oscar nomination week, and as usual there have been a number of films that I thought were excellent that haven't come close to a nod, likewise quite a few I disliked that the Academy have swooned over. That said the 9 films listed as the best of the year seem like a good bunch even if there were some notable snubs elsewhere in the pack. Here in the UK we are still working through the big contenders as they arrive in cinemas, and one long considered favourite opens this weekend and naturally takes my top spot. Elsewhere we see wolves, monsters and doomed romances. Last week, to my surprise, Haywire was the biggest new release just beating Underworld: Awakening but missing out on the top spot to the second week of release from Spielberg's horse epic. I'm learning from my mistakes and given the imbalance in screens and it's likeable, kid friendly trailer I predict Monster in Paris will be the chart topper, although almost certainly second overall. The Runs like a Gay film of the week remains less commercial, but it should pick up some strong audience numbers, it's The Descendants
Descendants
Gorgeous George has just picked up his fourth acting Oscar nomination, although Shailene Woodley as his daughter noticeably missed out, for this Hawaii set dramedy about a father coming to terms with the death of his unfaithful wife. Alexander Payne directs for the first time in 7 years, getting an Oscar nod for his efforts, and brings his caustic, unemotional gaze to family dynamics. Robert Forster also stars.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●●●●○
Grey
It's Liam Neeson versus the wolves, as the Ulsterman's later career as a kick-ass action hero continues into even weirder directions. The basic premise of a bunch of oil workers getting picked off by the man eating artic residents sounds fairly watchable, even if the whispered oscar campaign for Neeson next year seems strangely optimistic.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Intruders
More Spanish horror, although with a geographical twist whereby we spend equal time in London as in Spain, following two families united by a teenage child with a monster in the cupboard. Clive Owen is the doubting father in the British section.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Like Crazy
Highly buzzed Sundance title from 2011 with Felicity Jones and Anton Yelchin entering into a doomed, mostly improvised romance bound to get caught up with VISA difficulties and enforced seperations. Jennifer Lawrence has a minor role.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Monster in Paris
Fun looking French (no kidding) animation involving a radioactive flea with a remarkable ability to play guitar and a series of slapstick chases. It's been re-dubbed into L'Anglais and should do well in these kiddy unfriendly months of winter.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Agneepath
Popular Bollywood adventure, which opened one day early to capitalise on it's pre-release buzz. Saying that the plot, which follows the standard rise to criminal kingpin then return to village story, seems fairly soapy and the trailer did nothing for me.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Alls well ends Well 2011
Not quite the Bard update it seems like in the title, this Cantonese rom-com has been released to coincide with Chinese New Year. Not quite as barmy as last weeks sex shop romp.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Berlin Kaplani
Turkish-German film collaboration (Berlin has a huge Turkish community in case you weren't aware) with a surprisingly chubby pugilistic protagonist looking for that miracle fight to propel him into the big time.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
House of Tolerance
Don't take your kids to this French movie by mistake, it's laborious, nostalgic look at the working of a turns of the century Parisien brothel may make for an awkward car ride home. Apparently the leopard steals the show.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Polish Roulette
It's like a UN meeting at cinemas this week, with this Eastern European gangster comedy, sometimes known as Sztos 2, being the eighth state contributing to cinema this weekend. I've not seen Sztos 1 but the alternative title suggests that may not be completely necessary.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Spanish Masala
Fish out of water Mayalaman comedy, like a reverse version of Like Crazy with an Indian national stuck, VISA less in Spain unable to return home. Only for a Spanish daughter of an Ambassador to rescue him and set him up as a chef.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Acts of Godfrey
Odd British drama, with a distinctly unusual delivery style. Yes the entire screenplay has been written in rhyming couplets. As an exercise it appears to work quite well, however countless reviews indicate the story isn't compelling enough to make the film worth watching.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Wednesday, 2 November 2011
Ides of March
2011. Dir: George Clooney. Starring: Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti and Evan Rachel Wood. ●●●●○
I've not seen "Farrugut North", Beau Eillimon's play that forms the basis of George Clooney and Grant Heslov's latest venture, so far as I know the play hasn't made it to the UK, however right now I don't feel that I need to. Ides of March hews so closely to a theatrical experience that seeing it live can hardly bring much more to the story. The inherent staginess of the adaptation is hard for this movie to shake off, it's structure and style of moving from room to room with powerfully dressed men with distressed ties underlines how little has been changed. That said, in spite of this limitation, it's themes of loyalty and corruption (mirroring the more successful Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy) are presented so thoroughly and realistically that the quality of the screenplay and acting pushes through.
Stephen Meyers (Ryan Gosling) may only be 30 but he's a veteran of political campaigning, something he's very keen to stress to Marisa Tomei's political hack in an early pace setting introduction, and after years of backing the wrong horse he's finally found a Presidential candidate he can believe in, a man whose proto-Liberal values are only matched by his personal integrity, ladies and gentleman I give you the next president of the United States, Senator (and co-writer/director) George Clooney.
Anyone who's ever watched a political film will know that Clooney isn't all he seems to be, and in this modern sex-crazed post Clinton world it's hardly going to his atheism that's going to be his undoing. Not that Meyers guesses it, he goes right on with his hubristically unchallenged behaviour, seducing intern Molly Stearns (Evan Rachel Wood) and getting played by rival strategist Tom Duffy (Paul Giamatti) until both storylines collide dramatically turning Meyers from wide eyed idolised to deft spin-doctor.
Much has been said about how Ides recalls Political thrillers from the 70's with it's intense paranoia, but to me it most closely resembles Gore Vidal's tight 1964 screenplay for The Best Man, that too was a fraught political fight between two prospective Presidential candidates set in one city during hustings, and like this modern antecedent the drama came from guys whispering poll figures, however where Henry Fonda was a flawed but moralistic politician trying to do the best for his party and desperated avoiding mudslinging, here Clooney is sidelined. Modern politics has taken the candidate, the celebrity, out of the picture, now we're more concerned with the spinners on the sides and everyone accepts the personal is part of the game.
This is an actor's wet dream, with everyone on top form. Evan Rachel Wood as the intern whose sexual precociousness hides an inner turmoil is superb, and watching Giamatti and Philip Seymour Hoffman as two old school campaigners, with their personal vendettas and careful strategies, is a joy. Hoffman has the best scene in the movie, a rip roaring speech on loyalty that somehow seems out of touch with the modern world. All this would be for nothing if Gosling couldn't handle the lead role, bringing the same blank canvas he displayed in Drive the character arc seems both irresistible and inevitable, and the final scene, of Gosling looking to camera about to give the most important interview of his life, will no doubt be one of the most hotly discussed cliffhangers of 2011 cinema.
This movie is also designed to within an inch of it's life, no decoration, no lighting set-up is left to chance, we're in no doubt that this is a movie about politics (even if it's not about Politics) from the stuffed campaign office with it's inspirational posters to the functional hotel rooms and dimly lit bars there is a real sense of place in each of the scenes. Clooney also does a good job as director keeping the tension and unpredictability of the characters even when you can see the direction where the plot is heading.
Overall I would recommend this film, of course I'm the crowd it's playing to, but it's presentation of the modern political game is both damning and compelling and short of the play coming to your town this is the next best thing.
Thursday, 6 January 2011
2010 in Review: Best Actor
The Leading actor choice this year was easy, whilst I remain ambivalent about the film few could deny the power and commitment in the lead performance, indeed it should have won the Oscar last year (and yes I did see Jeff's work). Maybe they'll make up for it this year.
1. Colin Firth as George Falconer in A Single Man. I expect you guessed it from the intro. Colin gives one of the most convincing portrayals of grief in screen history, using the British stiff upper lip and the homophobic worldview as excuses to hide his emotions they are there and leak out in poignant and realistic ways throughout the movie. 
2. Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerman in The Social Network. In the race to heap laurels on The Social Network by American critics it's surprising that more kudos hasn't been given to Eisenberg's central role. Taking on such a infamous character must have been a daunting task for the 27 year old but he manages to capture the essence of a man who needed to create Facebook.
3. Leonardo DiCaprio as Teddy Daniels in Shutter Island. Leo had two opportunities this year to present characters obsessed with their ex-wives in movies that aren't all they first appear to be. It's the sweaty claustrophobia of his role in Shutter Island that works the best for me, and the final line delivered to Mark Ruffalo on the steps of the Asylum is delivered perfectly.
4. George Clooney as Ryan Bingham in Up in the Air. I think many people wrote off this performance as George Clooney playing himself. But ask yourself this: could any other actor carry off this blend of self assurance and disguised contempt for his life over this sort of character arc?
5. Alden Ehrenreich as Bennie in Tetro. From the moment Ehrenreich appears in his ill-fitting naval uniform you know that here is a star in the making. He carries the film rising above the petty squabbling of his family and slowly realising the truth about his brother.
Saturday, 27 November 2010
Runaway movies (Out this week - 26/11/10)
Last week all the studios were afraid to compete with the might of Harry Potter, so now we're facing a tsunami of mid range fodder none of which are likely to break into the top slot in the box office. There are a few that could be worth a look though. Film of the week is a toughie but I think assassin George Clooney is beaten at the last fence by Denzel Washington's train driver in Unstoppable
Allah Ke Banday
Not only is it a busy week for US output it's also a bumper week of Bollywood offerings - not that any of them are really jumping out at me. This one concerns two slum kids getting involved in crime gangs.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
The American
George Clooney stars virtually alone in Anton Corbijn's follow-up to his Joy Division biopic Control. He wanders aimlessly around a small Italian village, philosophises with a local Priest and has an affair with a prostitute whilst we figure out if he's a contract killer. Slow and deliberate - should be a good bet.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Break Ke Baad
Bollywood love story about two sweethearts made for each other who have to see if their relationship survives a number of unfortunate twists - largely based on her desire to bcome an actres. Have a guess!
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Girl who kicked the Hornets Nest
The final part of the Millenium trilogy drifts around the titular heroine, splendidly played by Noomi Replace, as she spends half of the movie in a hospital and half in a prison cell. That said it ties up most of the loose ends and as a moody thriller probably efficiently moves along.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
London Boulevard
Colin Farrell is an ex-con trying to go straight by bodyguarding Keira Knightley's model/actress. The reviews of William Monaghan's (The Departed) script and direction have not been kind, but I expect the two leads look lovely and it's partly influenced by Sunset Boulevard.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Machete
Robert Rodriguez turns his fake trailer from the Grindhouse movies into a fully stretched movie, probably losing all it's charm in the process. Danny Trejo is probably taking his only chnce to lead a film, curious supporting cast includes Robert De Niro, Jessica Alba, Lindsay Lohan and Steven Segal.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Nandalala
We've been here before - or at least this film has meant to have been released before. Small child and idiot adult go on a long journey to find their parents. This will be moved again, I suspect.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Ordinary Execution
French movie investigating the final days of Stalin through the eyes of his personal doctor. Skirting with ideas of paranoia and the principles of medical ethics.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Ratha Charithram
Trilingual Bollywood political biopic. Apparently it's a sequel but that shouldn't stop anyone that's not seen the first - this does seem to be the best of the Bollywood releases.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Scar Crow
British horror movie which seems to take the set up of Hocus Pocus and remove all the charm and laughs and heighten up to horror. Probably not worth the bother.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Tere Ishq Nachaya
Final Bollywood release for this week, about a girl torn between two men, one of whom is rich and reliable, the other a poor dancer. I'm guessing she goes for the latter.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Unstoppable
Tony Scott and Denzel Washington reunite for the fifth time, to better effect than their last collaboration, in spite of the train connection. Whilst we can probably second guess the ending the plot about a runaway train full of dangerous chemicals being stopped by Washington and Chris Pine looks like it's exactly what it should be.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
These next couple of movies slipped out with out me seeing:
Vay Arkadas
Turkish movie with very little explanation out there n the net as to what it's about. If anyone's still reading or still cares please feel free to bring me up to speed.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Action Replayy
Another Bollywood film, that was released back on 05 November, with Ashwaiya Ray and Akshay Kumar. Big enough names so I don't need to do any explaining.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Thursday, 6 May 2010
George Clooney
Happy Birthday to
George Clooney
49 today
Gorgeous George is celebrating his birthday today, probably by relaxing in a spa with another anonymous woman on his arms. I'd like to tell him that he's missing something by not settling down with someone to love bu I doubt he'd listen. Next up is The American in which he plays an (American?) assassin, but I'm far more interested in seeing his forthcoming team up with Alexander Payne: The Descendents.
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
Up in the Air
2009. Dir: Jason Reitman. Starring: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman and Amy Morton. ●●●●●
Jason Reitman has a bizarre talent of hitting the zeitgeist. In his last film - Juno - it was largely due to the up-to-the-minute hipster dialogue from Diablo Cody. But in his masterful follow-up we are drawn to the timeliness of the storytelling, and it's connection to the current financial crisis. Reitman is well aware of this, using brief interviews with people who have recently been made redundant, that insight into real lives works well to underline how dramatic and devastating losing your job can be.
Up in the Air cannot be so easily defined. It is a movie about recession and joblessness. The main character Ryan Bingham (expertly played by George Clooney) may work for a company that provide redundancy outsourcing, a firer-for-hire if you will, but it's also about resistance and acceptance of change.
Bingham, in his own way, is wholely resistant to change. He lives his life as detached as possible, spending over two thirds of the year travelling and quietly toting up his air miles (as he aims to achieve a high water mark). During the film he encounters three women who challange his lifestyle in different ways; Anna Kendrick who aims to shake up the company procedure, fellow traveller Vera Farmiga who offers Bingham a glimpse of happiness and sister Amy Morton whose no-nonsense cynicism hits to Bingham's core. It is through the developement of these relationships that Bingham begins to understand his place and his future.
For me the film worked as a quality piece of cinema - I wasn't in tears at the end or desperately wanting to be part of the action - but in a detached way I could see the depth of the filmmaking. The conversations are both humourous, more so than you'd imagine, and deeply true. When Kendrick and Farmiga discuss the qualities they need in a man, and the consequent differences between their demands, there's a believable aspect to it, and the underplaying of the lines really works.
In fact there isn't a weak performance in the film, and certainly the leading trio will heartily deserve the Oscar nods coming their way, especially Clooney deconstructing his own image and Farmiga who nails the tough exec prepared to take the best of both worlds. Their chemistry together is palpable, albeit one that's used as a major plot device.
The editing and cinematography is largely detached, fitting the airport lounge feel of the film, and the design is also suitably spartan.
Overall the film manages to be something we don't see very often, an adult comedy which isn't afraid to address issues that really worry us in the 21st century, as well as being a workplace drama that throwsback to the star-driven studio output of the 1950's. I loved it.
