I have very little option this week with the film of the week, obviously I expect the underperforming US genre mash to take the box office top spot, although the two TV spin-offs hitting cinemas this weekend will want a slice of the action, however the most intriguing movie with several weeks of success in the Irish cinemas and therefore film of the week is The Guard.
The Guard
It's easy to be blasé about John Michael McDonagh's indie mismatched cop story, but it has all the hall-marks of a classic of the genre. With Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle perfectly matched to rub each other up the wrong way. The most interesting off screen connection to note is McDonagh's brother Martin directed In Bruges also starring Gleeson.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●●○○○
Cowboys & Aliens
Oh dear, the fallout from this expensive flop (apparently $200m was spent on the a movie that's only going to make $96m domestically) is quite broad ranging, from the closedown of The Lone Ranger to the panic over the box office draw of it's leading men Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig. That's what happens when you use a randomly generated selection of buzzwords to create a film, I guess.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
In a Better World
Susanne Bier's relationship drama may cover themes she's been to time and time again but who can dissect modern Danish families better, also this controversially won the Best Foreign Language film Oscar earlier this year. However in spite of all that pedigree the trailer looks a little overwrought.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
The Inbetweeners Movie
Aimed squarely at the fans of the BBC2 comedy series, and using the classic characters go on holiday tactic of opening the action to a 90 minutes session, there's certainly a market for this not-quite-cool boys on holiday lark. Not sure it's me though.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Villain
Fascinating looking Japanese drama about guilt and redemption and the aftermath of a senseless, almost inadvertent murder, the two main suspects and what it means to love and sacrifice for someone. Could well be worth a second look.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Glee! Live in 3D!
I was in two minds about even including this concert documentary, after all it doesn't appear to conform to my rules for inclusion in the breakdown of releases (no docs, no live shows, no re-releases etc) however after bombing in the States where it didn't even make it to the top ten in it's week of release and with the actors (including Gwynneth Paltrow but not Jane Lynch or Matthew Morrison) appearing as the characters they play in the TV series I felt it wouldn't hurt. No-one's going to see it anyway.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Spy Kids: All the time in the World in 4D
I'm assuming the 4D element of this totally unnecessary kiddies sequel is time, in that it drags on and on and on. Plot appears to revolve around a magical sapphire that stops time and some drivel about step-mothers being spies. Charmless.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Friday, 19 August 2011
Of the Peace of Ireland (Out this week - 19/08/11)
Thursday, 10 February 2011
Morning Glory
2010. Dir: Roger Michell. Starring: Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton, Patrick Wilson and Jeff Goldblum. ●●●○○
Formulas are meant to work, they are meant to work because the plot is tried and tested with a million other examples in the relevant genre. They work because we, as an audience, often don't want much more than the formula. In Morning Glory writer Aline Brosh McKenna (The Devil Wears Prada) and director Roger Michell (Notting Hill) both know that formula and work very hard to follow it. They should have tried something different. The formula restricts them so much that the great chemistry and situations are buried under the relentless forward motion of the plot contrivances.
Of course the plot does not have an original twist in it's 107 minute running time. Rachel McAdams, as perky as possible, plays a workaholic TV producer who gets the enviable job of trying to save Daybreak (no, not that one) the ailing breakfast news programme on IBS (couldn't thay have found better initial than that). Recognising things have to change shesacks the pervy male anchor and replaces him with grumpy high-minded journo Harrison Ford. In the meantime she's in the early stages of a relationship with current affairs producer Patrick Wilson.
Does the show get to the magic share that will stop Jeff Goldblum's exec cancelling it? Will Ford and co-anchor Diane Keaton put away their differences and work together as a team? Will Wilson and McAdams find a way to co-exist with the demands of their high pressure jobs? We know the answers to these - they all fit within the formula.
On the plus side, other than the bleeding obvious throughline of the movie, just about everything work fine. The comic element works well throughout with some choice one-liners from the older cast and the occasional bout of slapstick, the romance seems a little tagged on but both McAdams and Wilson are beautiful people and you can't help hoping it will be OK for them in the long run, although frankly I have my doubts. The audience that were hoping for Broadcast News level bite at the dumbing down of hard journalism shouldn't be too disappointted as the thesis seems to me to suggest that - in Breakfast anyway - the big story should be able to rub shoulders with culture.
The cast all put in fine work, with Diane Keaton and Harrison Ford particulary proving what great comedic performers they are; she's all ditzy and charming, he's deadpan with solid timing.
For a change I'd like to suggest how this film could have been significantly better. Instead of showing the arc of the characters over several months I believe we could have followed behind the scenes during one morning show, from the pre-production meeting to the final credits. I think the same beats could've been hit, and the emotional storyline for the characters who learn might have had a better chance of translating with the audience if it were a single day of getting there. The jokes would also have had more time to develop. Any Hollywood producers who agree just give me a call and we can discuss Morning Glory 2.
Overall the film was pleasant enough viewing in spite of it's straitjacket. I fully expect this to be the best romantic comedy I see this year.
Tuesday, 13 July 2010
Harrison Ford
Happy Birthday to
Harrison Ford
68 today
I know it's not a particularly recent photo, but be honest when you saw it was Ford's birthday you immediately thought of either Han Solo or Indy. As well as passing my best wishes for his birthday I'd like to wish Ford and Calista Flockhart hearty congratulations following their wedding in June, and to say I'm looking forward to seeing Morning Glory.
Saturday, 27 February 2010
Out This week (26/02/10)
You will struggle to find a good film out this week - odd after the glut of high profile releases just seven days ago. Personally I sahll be seeing Amy Adams going all blarney, but I certainly don't think I can recommend that. So I suppose the film of the week will have to be the latest embarassement in Robert De Niro's CV: Everybody's Fine.
The Crazies
Remake of George Romero horror classic sees Timothy Olyphant and his heavily pregnant wife avoiding a horde of psychotic townsfolk and a military plot to kill everyone in the town to contain the virulent cause. Hokum, which has probably lost all trace of it's paranoia roots but the trailer looks fun.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Everybody's Fine
Robert De Niro tries hard to copy Jack Nicholson's recent successes by playing a recent widower reconnecting with his children who never felt able to communicate with the old man. This ain't About Schmidt by a long stretch but with Sam Rockwell, Kate Beckinsale and Drew Barrymore as his kids there are some pretty things to look at.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Extraordinary Measures
Is Extraordinary measures, with it's medical research storyline give a reasoned arguement against a profit based medical system where orphan diseases get no funding? Or does it say that if you have the money you can cure your terminal children? Who cares when the trailer was a dull as this one?
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Freestyle
British girl has to choose between completing her studies or following her dreams to become a professional baseketball player. At the risk of being incredibly insensitive I wasn't aware women played basketball.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
From Paris With love
Pierre Morel's Taken was a surprise hit in 2008 thanks to Liam Neeson's committed performance, some chewy dialogue and quality action choreography. The follow-up has camply bearded John Travolta and bored looking Jonathan Rhys-Meyers.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Karthik calling Karthik
It's an evil doppleganger movie from Bollywood. Starring Farhan Akhtar. (Sorry I don't know anything more about this.)
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Leap Year
Absolutely rubbish looking rom-com with Amy Adams falling for Matthew Goode during an unnecessary dash across Hollywood's version of Ireland. Both Adams and Goode are riding high on other projects at the moment, and it looks like the sales weren't so bad this will destroy their careers so naturally this is the film I intend to watch this week.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Micmacs
Jean-Pierre Jeunet is one of the few international directors with a clear auterial style, and with his latest, which looks at illegal gun trading and a community based around recycling rubbish (no, not the Wombles) has many of his usual visual tics - such as a brown palette and Dominic Pinon. Well worth braving the subtitles.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
She, A Chinese
Depressing looking view of a Chinese woman who exchanges an unhappy life in China for an even more unhappy woman as a mail order Bride in Britain. See this if you think your life has too much fun in it.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Teen Patti
Hindi movie directed by Leena Yadav about a mathematical formula concerning probability and randomness that profoundly impacts the life of the mathematician who discovers it. In a casting coup Ben Kingsley plays another statistician who aims to helps publicise the formula.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa
Boring looking love story from Sri Lanka, noted lack of conflict in the trailer. I really can't imagine why anyone would want to see it.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Sunday, 3 January 2010
20 for 2010 - Morning Glory
As we move up the list to number 15 we are met by Morning Glory.
I am rather hopeful that this will be a modern take on a screwball comedy, with Harrison Ford playing a News Anchor who's quits do to the pre-ponderance of gossip on his own channel and moves to a local show.
With any luck they'll be lots of bitchiness on screen between Ford and Diane Keaton as his co-anchor, and hopefully even a love blossoming story with their producer Rachel MacAdams and Patrick Wilson. There's even Jeff Goldblum in the cast which guarantees a few "hmm, let the punchline sink in moments".
Of course all of this is pure conjecture. We know nothing about this movie but a very loose plot description and the casting. We do know that director Roger Michell and writer Aline Brosh McKenna both have good form in the rom-com sector (Notting Hill and The Devil Wears Prada respectively), so with that sort of talent on board we could be on to a good thing.
Wednesday, 23 December 2009
Crossing Over
2009. Dir: Wayne Kramer. Starring: Harrison Ford, Ray Liotta, Ashley Judd, Jim Sturgess and Cliff Curtis. ●●○○○
I have tried to make allowances for watching the multi-storyline drama Crossing Over on video over the weekend, rather than at the cinema. I know that at home even if you're watching an excellent film your mind can wander off as you look at your bookcase or hear birdsong out of the window. However even being lenient the film, a remake of director Wayne Kramer's previous short, still fails on many levels.
The idea of taking a large number of parallel storylines to illustrate a point have been arond since the beginning of cinema. Grand Hotel with it's "galaxy of stars" and ideas of emotional equality (even with groups who are massively unequal socially) is a good example. The technique was later honed by Robert Altman - look at his masterpiece Nashville which confronts ideas of patriotism as well as cleverly interweaving 20+ rounded characterisations. The last 10 years have seen Crash and Syriana use this tool to highlight particular issues, and it's the critical succes of these films which probably led to Crossing Over being green-lighted.
Crossing Over does not compare well to any of the titles I've listed above. It aims to take a long hard look at U.S. immigration control and the dilemmas facing people at various stages of the process as well as the very essence of what it means to be American, however it shoehorns so many plots and characters in that the central conceit is muddled and many of the performances seem flat.
In a butchered 108 minutes (40 minutes less than Traffic, which it is clearly aiming to be - there must have been a lot more filmed than this) we have actresses selling their bodies for a green card, honour killings, the lure of gang violence, the effect of 9/11 on the freedom of speech, the disparity between immigrants of different cultural and economic backgrounds, I could go on. In reality any single issues addressed could have filled a movie of their own. I want to know understand more about the life experience of Summer Bishil's character, to find out how she has the confidence to speak out at the beginning. The family politics in Cliff Curtis' background would be more than enough to satisfy me.
So why do we get Ray Liotta gurning his way through every line, or sit through lots of time with Jim Sturgess' loveable Jewish rogue; is accent was all over the place, but at least the religion stays contant through the film.
Harrison Ford, clearly the marquee name for this, does an adequate job as a honorable man working for the immigration service but the stand out performances are Bishil and Curtis. Curtis in particular has a lot of heavy lifting to do, however the screenplay lets him go without the payoff he deserves.
Talking about the screenplay this is strictly plotting by numbers. From the first time we meet any of the characters we see virtually every side to them, with no-one going through an arc or showing any depth. Needless to say the end is also nicely resolved with all the loose ends tied off, the bad guys going to jail and the morally questionable ones getting their comeuppance.
Wayne Kramer can be an interesting director, the shoot out in the liquor store is tightly choreographed and the bleached flashbacks with unflinching sex and shocking violence are done with the same hard edge he used in Running Scared and The Cooler, however he needs to find a good thriller plot to hang his technique around and not waste time with passion projects like this.
Sunday, 13 July 2008
Harrison Ford
Happy Birthday to
Harrison Ford
66 today
There are few actors who can leave a role for nearly 20 years and then when they return the shadow is all that is needed to get the fan boys excited. It's a shame the film was a mess but Harrison was spot on throughout.
Look out for him next in Wayne Kraner's upcoming immigration drama Crossing Over.
