In memory of my generation’s Chekov: Anton Yelchin (1989-2016).
Today I was doing that thing that bored young adults do when they haven’t honed their minds to making the most of the time in front of them - I was on Facebook. While flicking through statuses and interesting stories provided by Buzzfeed and Mashable, I came across one I REALLY hoped was a hoax.
It was an article announcing the passing of a bright young actor, Anton Viktorovich Yelchin.
Our generation’s Chekov.
Before I start talking about the special young actor who will no longer grace our screens as Chekov... Star Trek.
To give Star Trek it’s due, it has single-handedly converted me to Star Trek, the TV show. The number of reruns I’ve seen on Classic TV and I skipped it immediately, because I was WELL bored, and because “it wasn’t Star Wars”... New life goal: get through the original versions of Star Trek. I’m sure they will allow me to properly appreciate the reboots I’m growing up with now comparing William Shatner’s Kirk and Leonard Nemoy’s Spock to Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto’s versions.
In 2009′s offering, we open with my favourite actor this century, Chris Hemsworth, using the opening 15-20mins as an onscreen warm-up, gearing up for his role as THOR in THOR, and showing us why our new young lovable rogue, James Tiberius Kirk, has a chip on his shoulder, yet craves Space. (With a capital ‘S’. As in stars, planets and zero gravity. Although his behaviour would lead one to believe he probably needs some lower-case space too.) We are slowly introduced to our ragtag band of standout characters, and even though I want to dislike Spock, I loved the eventual awkward bromance between him and Kirk. Full-on action is never more than 10mins away, even with the slightly slower pace when meeting Scotty, and I loved the clever way that they have used time travel to allow Leonard Nemoy’s cameo - hats off to them! And Eric Bana’s EXTENSIVE time in the make-up studio meant I honestly didn’t believe he was ever in the movie. I was like, “No, he wasn’t. He WASN’T IN THE MOVIE.” (”He was Nero.”) “.........Oh.”
Altogether, it’s one of those action movies where you knew it would end ok: the baddie would be defeated - you weren’t sure how, but you knew they would be - you knew the core cast would survive and it would have a great patriotic feel for the closing credits.
Except now, one of the core cast hasn’t survived.
I’m honestly not so very in tune with Anton Yelchin’s career. I’m not a mega-fan. I haven’t seen every single movie he as ever made. Or even close to half. However, I have seen Star Trek. And Star Trek Into Darkness. And I have even seen Alpha Dog, during which I sat bolt upright when I saw “that Russian guy off Star Trek!” A 16 year old Anton Yelchin. They are two very different kinds of film - Alpha Dog is low key, with more of a nuanced acting style from our man, where Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkenss is all action and very ‘BIG’, with Yelchin playing a pronounced character with a very memorable accent! For me, I only needed to see those three films to know that there was something very natural about his acting style, and that I would enjoy watching him in the future.
So, for me, it’s more than desolating that an accident at his home has robbed us all of seeing his talent stretched across many different movie genres over the coming decades. Now, my aim is to see the films he was a part of, like Cymbeline, Along Came a Spider, and Star Trek Beyond (obviously), and remember his contribution to the acting world.
Anton Yelchin (1989-2016). I’ll miss you.
(Comment here or on Twitter - @hmswilliams04)
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“I’M MAD AS HELL, AND I’M NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!”
Imagine saying THAT line live on the BBC!
I have to admit, I went through a phase, where I was looking up movies that had won Best Picture at the Oscars, just out of curiosity. And I stumbled across Network.
And I was intrigued.
Peter Finch’s Howard Beale, the ‘Mad Prophet of the Airwaves’, does what we are ALL dying to do at least once in our lives, and just SAY IT HOW IT IS! ON THE JOB! The only difference is, he gets a new one after his outburst.
Most of us would just get sacked. With no reference.
Max Schumacher, played by William Holden, walks us through his senior-life crisis, from telling jokes about the good old days with Ed Murrow, to indulging in an affair in “the autumn of his life”. Which doesn’t even last! And at first, Faye Dunaway’s character Diana was interesting - bright, peppy, full of ideas and energy, but by the end, you can see how the pressure of always having to ‘deliver’ had caused her to become jaded as a person.
I only ever knew Robert Duvall from the Godfather Parts 1 and 2. So I’ve only ever seen him as a morally dubious lawyer, able to speak Sicilian and happy not to get blood directly on his own hands... So his performance in this is quite a sucker punch to the senses! ‘Different’ isn’t enough.
Overall, it was only at the end, when the final shocking scene happens (I’m not going to give it away!), that I realised it was a satire - a tongue in cheek look at how news and celebrity is generated and controlled... I had watched a group of adults slowly lose their minds chasing audience ratings (and one of them chasing skirt...), and in the end, no-one won.
Which happens so often in life.
So, here are my 7 key moments in Network:
When Max tells Howard his ‘George Washington bridge’ joke. And then a few scenes later, tells his colleagues. We all do it - cling to ONE good joke…
When Howard tells the viewing public that he plans to kill himself live on television. And apparently only two production workers notice!
When Howard tells people (on a stormy night in some parts of America!) to stick their head out of the window and yell the immortal lines: “I’M MAD AS HELL, AND I’M NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!” And people ACTUALLY do it.
Diana meeting Laureen Hobbs. What’s said between them is wrong on so many levels!
When the Great Ahmed Kahn shoots into the air to silence the people arguing in the room he’s in. THAT’S POWER!
The end of Max and Joanna's relationship - Max's final words to her completely eviscerate her. You can see it in her face.
The grand finale. Just... Wow.
For me, Network teaches you the dangers of ruthlessly chasing success. We see it psychologically break a man, ruin the health of others, break up a marriage, and eventually directly kill a person. Success is good. But the merciless way that it was pursued at all costs - this film showed that it can cost lives too.
You either spend time making sure your blog site is perfectly updated daily (as my intention was from the beginning)... Or you spend time researching the companies behind the jobs you apply for.
For a period of time - over two months - the job research won.
But then I realised (today) that if my prospective employers looked on my blog site, they would see an absence - a bit like the gap in your CV when you left your job and had no work until you get another job... The inevitable question is this: “Well, what did you do with your time?”
So! I’m back with more of the movies that moved me, and somehow find themselves socially relevant...
I do recommend Good Night, and Good Luck. It’s a film that will hopefully put the current Presidential primaries into focus... There are people who should ALWAYS be held accountable for what they say or print. ALWAYS.
No-one is above scrutiny. Not even the people worth $4 BILLION.
Set in the era of McCarthyism, it’s all about McCarthy v Murrow.
The hunt for Communists v Innocent till proven guilty.
I saw this black and white movie George Clooney starred in. And I thought, “Hmm. Different.” And then I saw it. And I heard the music.
And I was hooked.
The fact that in the 1950s, society allowed someone with a title to run around and terrorise members of the public - some of whom probably did have Communist links (which itself ISN’T a crime!), but some who were completely innocent - reminds me of current times... Where the people who society allows to hold sway (the Donald Trumps of this world) get to determine what the leading opinion of the day is. We see it occur over and over again, simply with a different generation each time...
Here we see Communism being used as the stick to beat people with... and the worst thing? Once you’ve been named or associated, it was decades before the stigma left your name... In Hollywood, the careers of actors, actresses, screenwriters, producers... all put indefinitely on hold or simply erased, terminated altogether with the slightest rumour of being ‘a Red’...
The hero before us, Ed Murrow, knowing that he’ll be attacked for his views, still puts himself out there as a target, to make sure there was at least one voice challenging McCarthy... And in the end, all are grateful for his solitary voice, and he is left with the consequences of his bravery - cuts to his airtime.
But the most important thing was this: censorship was fought, and freedom of speech was upheld and defended.
So! Here are my 7 Key Moments from Good Night, and Good Luck.:
Dianne Reeves, a.k.a the Lounge Singer. She sets the tone and the era so simply. With class. I now want to buy her albums.
When Murrow is asked to check the backgrounds of his staff members. Right there, McCarthy is winning already.
Poor Don Hollenbeck’s endorsement feels... feeble. Which is so unfortunate.
And then Hollenbeck gets attacked in print by a McCarthy-supporting columnist. It creates that moment where a situation doesn’t seem critical or important, but only because it’s not happening to you...
Annie May Moss’s cross examination, and McCarthy’s obvious failure in nabbing a ‘Commie’ spy. He well and truly scores an own goal. On camera. In front of a ROOMFUL of people.
The news that McCarthy was to be investigated by the Senate for his conduct. Followed by the news of Don Hollenbeck’s suicide. The great high followed by the impossible low.
The speech Murrow began the film with is ended. His acidic words regarding the television industry resonates because of everything we have just seen. And still see today.
A cool, calm, and collected film from George Clooney here, taking me back to an era of American history and broadcasting I didn’t know very well. An era of fear, but one with a suitable hero.
Even if a cigarette is elegantly perched between two of his fingers.
More soon!
(Comment here or on Twitter - @hmswilliams04)
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“I can smell trouble right here in this apartment.”
A Hitchcock classic. Puts a totally new slant on being a voyeur...
A grouchy photographer is stuck in his apartment due to his broken leg. Armed with his pair of binoculars, his long-lens camera and his boredom, he peers into the lives of those outside his window with little interest, until his curiosity gets the better of him. And then draws him in.
He hears a scream. The shattering of glass. Silence.
And his remarkable imagination does the rest.
Rear Window stars James Stewart as L.B Jefferies a.k.a Jeff, a photographer used to danger and excitement, who is recovering from a broken leg he obtained whilst photographing racing cars. Bored with his mundane recovery period, he eats and sleeps in his wheelchair, stationed at his large rear window, where he can watch his neighbours from their rear windows.
His relationship with Lisa Fremont, a society beauty played by Grace Kelly in captivating form as ever, somehow takes a back seat to his growing interest in the actions of one apartment in particular - the apartment of Mr and Mrs Lars Thorwald. But Grace takes it well - she fights, argues, kisses, saunters sumptuously around the room, and ‘cooks’ for Jeff, before finally coming to agree - something isn’t right with Mr Thorwald’s behaviour.
The movie builds slowly, and kicks into life in the last half hour, with a frenzy of activity - people playing at being amateur detectives, dogs being attacked, breaking into apartments... And then almost out of nowhere - the action comes to Jeff’s front door.
To me, Rear Window is a quiet film, not as loud or exciting as other work by Alfred Hitchcock such as North by Northwest (a film I only know on reputation). It’s not a ‘shock and awe’ film, but it’s a neat psychological caper. And I do like those.
So, my 7 favourite moments in Rear Window:
When Jeff uses a stick to scratch the part of his leg which is in a cast - everyone who has ever had an itch on a part of their body they couldn’t reach knows that feeling!
Grace Kelly’s slow-mo kiss with James Stewart. For yrs, I thought someone had just slowed down this clip for the adverts it was used for. Never knew it was ACTUALLY this slow! Iconic moment.
Miss Torso, and Lisa and Jeff’s psychoanalysis of the activity in her apartment. Lisa takes to defending Miss Torso’s behaviour around her gentlemen callers, because she sees herself on trial too.
Miss Lonelyhearts leaving her apartment and going out for dinner. Progress... of a kind. One giant step into the big bad world.
The episode of the neighbour’s dog. I thought curiosity was meant to kill cats...?
When Lisa goes into Thorwald’s apartment - it’s dicey stuff! And then when Thorwald pays Jeff a visit... I know these are actors, but GOSH, I thought Raymond Burr’s character (a.k.a ‘Perry Mason’) might honestly kill them!
The final look we get at each of Jeff’s neighbours - we see resolutions to the situations that they started out with: certain neighbours meet new people, get new pets, or even new flatmates.
So, my first taste of an Alfred Hitchcock film was a very satisfactory one. And it does whet my appetite to seek out more of his work.
And I will.
More tomorrow!
(Comment here or on Twitter - @hmswilliams04)
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“You all KNOW he’s guilty! He’s GOT to burn! You’re letting him slip through our fingers.”
“’Slip through our fingers..’ - Are you his executioner?”
“I’m one of em.”
No. This isn’t just a random bunch of angry men.
There are 12 of them. Although that’s quite misleading, because not all of them are actually angry...
12 Angry Men - a film showing us the deliberations of 12 men stuck in a room, unable to leave until they have determined the future of 1 young man charged with the murder of his father.
These 12 men are members of a jury.
(CAVEAT: I won’t deeply discuss the fact that there is a TOTAL lack of diversity in this film, other than with the ages of the jurors. There are no women, and no-one who isn’t white. However, that may have reflected the social norms - it was probably unlikely that a woman would serve on a jury in the 1950s, and it was nigh on impossible to have had a non-white jury member.)
Back to our 12 ‘angry’ men.
Initially the evidence seems to be overwhelming. The boy did it. So a vote is called. ‘Hands up if you think he did it.’
The hands slowly trickle upwards (not scientifically possible, but you get the idea...)
All of the hands. Except one person’s.
Henry Fonda’s hands.
Henry Fonda a.k.a Juror No.8 a.k.a Davis, an architect by trade, is the driving force of this film. Yet he doesn’t communicate his opinions forcefully at all. His calm and considered discussion of the evidence at hand made me think of him as “The Quiet Man”.
[A quiet man with the kind of influence that I think Iain Duncan Smith would have wanted to have...*]
*A bit lost? Do Google it, my dears.
At no point does Fonda claim to ‘know it all’, or even believe that the kid is innocence. He’s just not sure.
And his being unsure = reasonable doubt.
And as we hear often in this film, you can’t kill a man if you have a reasonable doubt in your mind that he’s guilty.
I won’t let the cat out of the bag and say how this ends. It’s a film that needs to be experienced rather than explained. Anyone could go on Wikipedia and read a movie plot.
But Wikipedia can’t explain an experience. Not completely.
And 12 Angry Men deserves to be experienced.
So, this leads me to my 7 key moments in 12 Angry Men:
The 1st secret ballot. “Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. ...Not guilty.” Henry Fonda’s Juror No.8 gets some backing from Juror No.9, who also votes “not guilty”.
“He’s an old man! How could he be positive about anything?!” Juror No.3 unwittingly undermines his own argument supporting the old man’s testimony.
“You’re a sadist!” “I’m going to kill him!” “You don’t really mean you’ll kill me, do you?” Henry Fonda baits Juror No.3 - and he falls for it.
The single drop of sweat rolling down Juror No.4′s head. A man who NEVER sweats.
The outburst from the bigoted Juror No.10. And everyone turns their back on him.
The reasonable doubt caused by the two little marks left on the sides of a woman’s nose from her constant use of glasses. Devastating.
Juror No.3 breaking down spectacularly. His incoherent arguments, leading to him eventually weeping for his lost relationship with his son. A broken father.
I highly respect this film, because of the journey those 12 men go through in each other’s company. They would never choose to enjoy the company of the men they found themselves with, but each of them learns something from those few hours.
I learnt something just watching them. And that’s a good thing.
A good thing indeed.
More tomorrow!
(Comment here or on Twitter - @hmswilliams04)
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“I love you, but you have no idea what you are talking about.”
So, I bought this book simply on the strength of it being a Wes Anderson film. I hadn’t heard about or searched out the critics’ reviews and opinions, so I went into this film fairly blind. It could have been another The Darjeeling Limited for me.
I jumped in blind.
And I discovered another favourite movie.
And then I find that the critics wet themselves with joy over it. (Just an expression. I don’t think anyone actually wet themselves.)
These are children who are at most 15 yrs old. Yet they have the presence and self-awareness of actors twice their age. Either this is excellent casting, or mindful directing from Wes Anderson.
Personally I’d say a bit of both. The leads, Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward have a natural youthful exuberance, enhanced by the plot and the directing, but they also hold my attention when they speak. There’s an intensity to their acting, which I enjoyed. There were a few adult moments, like Sam’s nude watercolour, Sam and Suzy’s rather ‘close’ canoodling on the beach and their desire to get married - it’s Leanne Battersby and Nick Tilsley from Corrie all over again - but other than this, I enjoyed what these young actors brought to this movie.
The adults were all supporting actors, pretty much.
So! I LOVE Moonrise Kingdom for these 7 reasons:
The Music. It starts with classical music from Benjamin Britten - BENJAMIN BRITTEN!!!!! - and continues further on in the movie with Saint Saens!!! Culturally on a different level here!
The standoff in the forest between the young lovers and the Khaki Scouts. And the Scouts lose!
Bill Murray being a cuckolded husband. AGAIN! (He plays it so well though.)
Sam and Suzy’s dancing on the beach. Extremely 60s and unafraid.
Wes Anderson gives Sam, Suzy and their posse a slow-mo walk after their wedding. Impossibly cool moment.
The lengths that Suzy and Sam will go to to stay together. Running away from home (twice), fighting fellow Khakis, getting struck by lightning, climbing onto the roof of a church during a thunderstorm...
The narrator. Bob Balaban. He actually looks like an adult elf. And you don’t even realise he’s talking half the time. And he gets himself involved in the action halfway through! Talk about breaking the 4th wall...
I find this film delightful. Absolutely delightful.
Watch it. It’s definitely a personal favourite of mine...
More tomorrow!
(Comment here or on Twitter - @hmswilliams04)
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So much so that I ACTUALLY rented this movie on iTunes.
And that’s rare.
So, background on my watching this film...
I rented it on iTunes last yr, having heard RAVE reviews about it for years, but wondering if I would enjoy it as much as everyone else.
And I was surprised. I loved it as much as they all said I would.
So much so that I immediately bought it from iTunes, so that I could look like Royal does in the pic below:
(If you don’t know who Royal is, you can take a wild guess...and you’d probably get it right.)
The Royal Tenenbaums. Based on a real family name, apparently!
I love this film.
Whenever I finish watching it, I want to watch it again.
For me, it’s always the delight of seeing Gene Hackman - an actor I have only ever seen in serious roles - play a perennial prankster; watching Danny Glover behave awkwardly and at times foolishly; and observing Ben Stiller rein it in for once!
...Not to denigrate ANY of the other actors - Bill Murray playing a cuckold; Gwyneth Paltrow somehow being some kind of sex bomb with panda eyes (a look probably only she could pull off without looking pallid); Luke Wilson being emotionally conflicted behind his headband, neat caveman beard and specs; Anjelica Huston keeping the show moving as ‘Mom’; and Kumar Pallana, our Pagoda, our insider on what’s going on, who never makes his presence felt too strongly.
Unless it is to stab someone.
I had a sneak peek at a real family. With the odd wild occurrence, but with domestics like any other family. Struggles for power. The need to be loved. Wanting attention.
I felt right at home.
SO! The 7 key moments I LOVE about The Royal Tenenbaums are:
The 'Hey Jude' Prelude. I've never watched a film (that isn't a James Bond film) that tells us the background story, and THEN goes through the credits...
The way the movie is split into bookmarked chapters, with kooky pictures of the characters opening that part of the plot. Very different.
"The black man asked her to be his wife." Pagoda is our version of a human fly on the wall. With no filter on what he says. Real.
Royal v Henry. From the way Royal engaged in stereotypically racial/cultural language in Henry's presence, to Henry dropping Royal RIGHT in it, proving his dishonesty in front of the entire family. A game of one-upmanship.
A dark moment dealt with tactfully: Richie's suicide attempt. Even so, we still see clear traces of Wes Anderson, ie, Henry's tie caught in his glasses at the hospital...
Eli's car crash. And Chas's mad race through the house to beat him up. And Richie getting elbowed in the eye by Chas. And Chas throwing Eli over the wall in rage. And then their admissions of their individual need for professional help. The calm after the storm.
Royal's tombstone. Blatent lie, but a real reflection of the kind of guy he was.
If I could have a list of my top 20 movies, this would HAVE to make my cut. Even though it’s got a suicide attempt, and lying about terminal illness, there is something still very real about it. And that makes it a favourite of mine.
We’re taken on a journey - not like The Darjeeling Limited, in terms of a physical journey - but Royal’s journey in regaining the respect, if not the love, of his family.
When I first heard of this film, I really wanted to watch it. I remember it being advertised at the time, and there was something alluring about it. The East, 3 men looking to truly embrace the culture, Wes Anderson’s bright colours...
But I didn’t get to see it.
And I’m glad.
I came upon this movie after watching Fantastic Mr Fox (and loving it), and then seeing The Grand Budapest Hotel (before all the Oscar hype - and loving it), and I thought it would be another episode in my love of Wes Anderson movies.
I was wrong.
I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first two. It felt boring. Slow-paced. Taking forever to say something which could be said in 5 seconds.
I felt disappointed.
However....
I watched it again today, fully expecting to still find it boring.
But I didn’t.
Perhaps I’m in a different place in life than I was a year ago. A place which allows me to appreciate the subtle sentiments that Mr Anderson was putting across.
I understand Francis’s controlling nature - his brothers still need looking after, even though Peter has a wife of his own and Jack has his own relationships... And I understand Peter and Jack not sharing their lives with Francis, because he would commandeer their situations, and give his overarching opinion.
I understand Peter and Jack’s inability to accept things in life - Peter’s difficulty with impending fatherhood, and Jack’s reluctance to let go of his ex-girlfriend, and general need for companionship.
Their experience in trying to save 3 young boys crossing a fast-flowing river on a raft changes their lives though. And they begin to come to terms with events that happen to them.
Allowing them to visit their mother, and accept her rejection of them again. And leading to them discarding their father’s luggage - the final family ‘baggage’.
So, Francis’s insistence on a journey of spiritualism and self-discovery for them ends on a positive note.
And I come to enjoy this film for its own merits.
So, here are my 7 key moments in The Darjeeling Limited:
Adrien Brody running past Bill Murray to catch the train. And Bill Murray’s face after he misses it. We’ve all been there.
Peter, Jack and Francis self-medicating on the train. We ALL do it!
Owen Wilson’s tooth. Like, was he taking his art very seriously and knocked his own tooth out, or was this just something that got worked into the film? Hmm.
The 3 children crossing the river who fall into calamity - the way the boy’s father, played beautifully by Irrfan Khan, collapses in his grief whilst ceremonially bathing in the river, after his son’s cremation. Heart-wrenching.
Meeting their mother (Anjelica Huston), and realising that she has chosen not to mother them anymore. Harsh.
The 3 brothers running after their next train with their father’s luggage. And then they decide to let go of them all. And move forward.
The way Peter and Jack allow Francis to keep their passports, as they accept that his controlling tendencies are just his way of looking after them.
So, not my favourite of Wes Anderson’s offerings, but like all films he makes, I do like it, and it improves on closer acquaintance.
A deliciously attractive-looking place. I almost wish it existed...
First things first.
One thing I DO like about Wes Anderson is that he tends to use some of the same actors over a number of the films he makes; Owen Wilson, Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman make appearances SO often that I now sit watching a film WAITING for any of them to make an appearance!
Now, to the point.
The Grand Budapest Hotel.
I’m breathless just thinking about it. It’s SO kooky. It’s SO clever. It’s SO stylish. It’s just SO... much of everything that makes Wes Anderson films stand out.
Ralph Fiennes in a silly role, but taking it SO seriously. And taking Jeff Goldblum, Adrien Brody, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Owen Wilson, Willem Dafoe, Edward Norton, Mathieu Amalric, Lea Seydoux (she of Spectre fame) and Harvey Keitel(!) along for the ride!
I remember seeing the movie posters when this film was being advertised, and there were simply pictures of most of the high-profile actors in boxes next to each other. And I was going through each of the pictures, becoming more and more awestruck with the collection of people gracing this ONE film.
And it’s not even an ensemble film!
A sad story, told at the end of it all, when we are yet to grasp the full meaning of what we are witnessing at the time. Sad, because of the sentiment it generates - a loss of decency in society, and because of the loss we understand that our narrator feels.
And yet, it doesn’t leave us on a sad note. I like that.
So! Here are my 7 reasons why I love this film:
The way Jude Law and Tom Wilkinson present this story to us, almost like a news report. Different isn’t the word.
Ralph Fiennes shaking off Voldemort completely! And very successfully...
The weird and wonderful places and pictures that we see on our journey with M.Gustave and Zero - ‘Boy With Apple’ (and its rather rude replacement..), life in prison with M.Gustave, the monastery up a mountain, the rather violent train journeys they go on together...
The palette of colours Anderson uses to show us his world - pale pinks, vivid purples, bright oranges, and the deepest of blacks. I can actually imagine this world existing a VERY long time ago...
The camerawork done. It’s very sharp in places, and almost dizzying in others, such is the excitement of the moment - for example, Zero and M.Gustave on a sled, speeding after Jopling - it’s practically blurry!
‘The Society of the Crossed Keys’. Anyone who has worked in an institutional occupation, or with a company which has many branches has its own version of ‘The Society of the Crossed Keys’. Believe me.
The reality that money doesn’t bring happiness. For all of the money Zero has, the lost of Agatha and his infant son cannot be compensated. A strong sentiment.
So, although it is utterly strange, and in terms of energy, leaves you utterly spent, The Grand Budapest Hotel is a place you will want to visit again and again!
More tomorrow!
(Comment here, or on Twitter - @hmswilliams04)
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“Boggis, Bunce and Bean. One fat, one short, one lean. These horrible crooks, so different in looks, are none the less, equally mean.”
One of my FAVOURITE Roald Dahl books, Fantastic Mr Fox comes to us in ‘rustic’ animated form from Wes Anderson.
[‘Rustic’ in the sense that it’s no Toy Story. You can tell that just from the movie poster.]
And do I like it? Y.E.S.
I remember walking past a fairly random cinema in Loughborough (don’t ask why I was in Loughborough), and seeing the title Fantastic Mr Fox in big letters. And I thought to myself, “Well, I didn’t know this was being remade. Hmm. Let’s have a lookie.”
I walked into that screening, and was one of a handful of people present - which I liked, but in all honesty, was worrying for the film... I was sat there nodding in my appreciation of the obscure jokes and trying to work out who each of the voices were. (I didn’t even CLOCK Willem Dafoe.)
Each of the voice actors worked in their own way... Owen Wilson’s brief appearance as an albino river otter explaining to us the logic of ‘Whackbat’ was a highlight for me - I recognised him INSTANTLY! He’s got something slightly nasal about his voice... And Mrs Bean, voiced by Helen McCrory (a.k.a Draco Malfoy’s mum in the Harry Potter series) was also a superb addition - her distinctive voice marries up with Michael Gambon’s VERY well. Aces.
Special mention to Boggis, Bunce and Bean! Michael Gambon’s Bean just drives these villains... The sinister nature he gives this is just lighthearted enough not to give any children nightmares, methinks.
For me, the kooky soundtrack, the eccentricities of each of the characters, and the nutty action sections being embedded alongside the main plot of Roald Dahl’s book made me feel like he was making this film himself
Thus, I now want to see EVERY film Wes Anderson had ever made.
Yup.
So, my 7 Key Moments in Fantastic Mr Fox will end up being the 7 reasons why I love this film so much:
You’ve managed to get George Clooney and Meryl Streep to lend their voices to this film, and in homage to their star power, have made the two main characters two of the coolest, fliest ‘cats’ Roald Dahl has ever given life to.
“Cuss”. That’s a joke just for us adults...
Foxy and Kylie. Their dynamic is perfectly balanced - Foxy’s trademark whistle, and Kylie’s attempt at of his own; Kylie’s Titanium card, and Foxy’s obvious surprise and slight jealousy; their bonding session over phobias... I do love Kylie. “Apple juice. Apple juice flood...”
Latin. WHO knows Latin these days?! Just another Anderson eccentricity.
The music. JARVIS COCKER pens and performs ‘Petey’s Song’, and even voices Petey; The Beach Boys songs ‘Heroes and Villains’ and ‘Ol’ Man River’ make an appearance; we hear ‘The Ballad of Davy Crockett’. Brilliant song choices!
The animation. It’s not slick like so many other animated films we are used to seeing - and one of my friends refused to watch it for this very reason! But BECAUSE it was different, I know I enjoyed it more.
Roald Dahl’s story made sense before this film, but this version tweaked parts and fleshed it out even more. Didn’t think that was possible. Kudos.
So, one of my favourite animated films (alongside Kung Fu Panda 2 and The Jungle Book). And for me, a worthy addition. They all use different animation techniques, but for the way Wes Anderson definitely also had his eye on the adults in the room watching this with their kids, and catered for us too, it’s got a special place in my estimation.
More to come today!
(Comment here or on Twitter - @hmswilliams04)
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The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Based on the TV programme I used to watch when I was younger (I’m not THAT old - I watched reruns!), this movie does well to capture the feel whilst remaining wholeheartedly a Guy Ritchie picture.
Henry Cavill (one of my favourite actors at the moment) and Armie Hammer (who really started growing on me!) play our dashing duo, combining - in spite of their initial mutual animosity - to help a woman in their care and save the world!
Why do I love this film? Well... very many reasons.
The opening credits. Honestly. It’s been a long time since the opening credits of a film has grabbed my attention THAT quickly. (It HAS been a while since I saw a Guy Ritchie film though...) The blocky yellow font, Napoleon and Illya’s arguments over fashion, Illya’s fanaticism over his father’s watch, the shaky camerawork at certain points, the bromance between our leads... For me, as a minor Guy Ritchie fan, it was like he made a film with my sensibilities in mind.
My soul was being FED.
The jokes are obvious at times, but the carefree way that the actors all go about this film, it doesn’t look like work AT ALL - everyone looks like they are having such fun in 60s clothing!
So! My 7 Key Moments from The Man From U.N.C.L.E:
“The giant with a gun.” I laughed so hard! Had to look up Armie Hammer’s height - 6″4. Wow.
“My woman would never wear anything like that.” It’s the Russian accent, the presumptuousness of claiming Gaby as ‘his woman’... A masterful moment.
Anyone who knows music and movies knows how dangerous playing ‘Cry to Me’ (by Solomon Burke) is! Poor Illya...
Napoleon eating a late lunch in a truck while Illya is avoiding the gunmen on a speedboat... Whilst Italian music is playing over any (no) dialogue. Quite surreal.
When Gaby rings Room 304 and tells someone that ‘the meeting is set’. And the silence that ensues...
Napoleon’s torture scene. (I couldn’t watch. It was too real.) And then the torturer’s willingness to inform... “on anyone! I don’t even need to know them!”
The final chase. Guy Ritchie’s cinematography makes this BRILLIANT. It’s more shaky camerawork with a touch of visual effects, but I LOVE it. It feels more realistic this way.
This was one of few movies I pre-ordered on DVD as soon as I could.
One of my absolute favourites. Can’t wait for the sequel!
More to come tomorrow!
(Comment here or on Twitter - @hmswilliams04)
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As I realised I can’t change the title of my Film Blog year on year, I’ll just change the #hashtag it relates to!
....and as you may have seen, I’ve hijacked another famous film line... To Infinity and Beyond: My Film Odyssey!
And to start off my new year, here’s the one film I literally could not get out of my head. Superman does take most of my attention... Except when The Lone Ranger speaks. Or looks angry. Or in pain.
As the poster states, the defining chapter of The Hobbit, our prequel to The Lord of The Rings. And battle seems to be before our eyes almost every waking moment.
Battle with a dragon. Battle between friends. Battle with worthless members of society. (I can relate to this.) Battle with unwanted violent invaders. Battle against (and for) love. A whole heap of fighting.
So I’m going to go straight into my overriding opinion of this final installment.
Brace yourselves.
If I’m honest, The Battle of the Five Armies isn't my fave of the 3 Hobbit films. I almost wish Smaug's death had come at the end of the Desolation of Smaug... It feels like one thing after the other in this film, and it's not very well balanced.
There are many moving moments - Thorin asking Bilbo for forgiveness; the discussion about love between Thranduil and Tauriel; and the loss etched into Legolas' face knowing he's lost her to Kili...
The actors of this ensemble all do very well in their ways, but it almost feels like too many cooks had a go at trying to grab this movie by the scruff of the neck... And it shows.
In a film encompassed with death and destruction, it’s hard to find the light moments... The moments of triumph. The - dare I say it - humorous moments.
However, I have tried.
And succeeded.
Here are my 7 Key Moments of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies:
Bard v Smaug. An uneven battle until it became Bard and Bain v Smaug. Beware the Bain!
My man Thranduil coming to visit. On a reindeer. Now THAT is making an entrance! (Actually, it's an Elk.)
Gandalf and his crew v Sauron and his posse. It was like watching a medieval version of The Avengers... And Galadriel v Sauron was like Harry v Voldemort from The Goblet of Fire... The Deathly Hallows Part 2...
When Thorin wants Bilbo thrown from a great height, even Thranduil looks shocked! That says something!
Of course Billy Connolly comes in riding what looks like a pot bellied pig, headbutts the enemy, and has a mohican - or is it a mullet?
Fili and Kili’s deaths. Kili’s in particular. There's nothing like trying to protect the one you love, and dying in front of them instead. The heartbreak was REAL.
Thorin dying. Just... redemption. In many forms.
So, for me, an unsatisfying end to a very good trilogy.
Maybe I get my satisfaction at the end of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
More to come tomorrow! Comment here or on Twitter - @hmswilliams04.
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Part Two of the prequel to The Lord of The Rings sees our ragtag band of dwarves, a wizard and a hobbit meet up with all manner of creatures - a skin-changer, a load of elves, some more orcs, a dragon and - shock! Horror! People!
We see Thorin Oakenshield slowly become overly enamoured with the pursuit of his own power, to the point of ‘backbenching’ his nephew Kili (for both sensible and heartless reasons), and having a right downer on Bilbo. We see Gandalf abandon the group and set off on his own adventure with Radagast the Brown, tracking down the Necromancer a.k.a Sauron.
*A word about Radagast. Bird droppings on his face and hair. Really necessary? The Hobbit is going to have a re-reading VERY soon.*
Must say - Gandalf gets forgotten about in this one like he does in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers! Poor thing! Goes off on his own, runs into trouble, and needs bailing out. And he’s a wizard! I guess this shows - no man is an undefeatable island.
Luke Evans as Bard. You can see shades of Viggo Mortensen’s Aragorn in this character - moral to a fault. His care for his children, and his BRILLIANT aim. I wouldn’t mind having him as my Da. (Watch the film. You’ll understand.)
And Thranduil. The Icy Elvenking. Exudes sheer Arctic tendencies, who is somehow playing the father of an actor who is older than he is. Well, they are elves, after all…
And to my favourite character - Bombur, played by the EXCELLENT Stephen Hunter! He more than makes up for his lack of dialogue with his interaction with others in the film. When he emulates Usain Bolt... When he turns into a barrell-clad kamikaze samurai... His very haircut and beard combo (plus bald patch!) For me, he is the dwarf that keeps on giving!
So, in the spirit of giving, here are my 7 Key Moments in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug:
Bombur emulating Usain Bolt. On an open field. Against his fellow dwarves. Enough said.
The entrance of Legolas. And Tauriel. Quite dramatic, if a little heavy-handed with the CGI.. And Orlando Bloom’s coloured contact lenses are MUCH better this time round.
Kili’s pitiful attempt to flirt with Tauriel - it’s the kind of line you’d hear on Eastenders. Cover your face Aidan Turner. Cover it now.
Lee Pace’s Thranduil is icy cold. But he has tasted dragon-fire… His ‘reveal’ is deeply chilling. Shades of Aaron Eckhart’s character Two Face in The Dark Knight..
The moment between Kili and Tauriel after she heals him. The definition of a pair of “star-crossed lovers”, to borrow from Shakespeare.
Sauron’s appearance - I almost wanted to shout “Yay!” when I first saw this scene in the cinema! The visual effects are hypnotic and so, so powerful. Kudos.
Smaug. Benedict Cumberbatch is on top form here, lilting his way through his dialogue with Bilbo, his voice dripping with malice and sarcasm.
So, for me, the most enjoyable episode of The Hobbit so far! Does The Battle of the Five Armies stand up to the test this installment provides?
We shall see. More tomorrow!
(Comment here or on Twitter - @hmswilliams04)
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When I heard it was being split into 3 books, I honestly didn’t know if that was a good idea. But this spritely film and its simple story of overcoming odds and pre-formed opinions to gain respect sets us well on our way!
I have read the book, but this is a good 10 years ago, and many books and films have come and gone since then, and I honestly can’t say I remember it as clearly as The Lord of the Rings. So I looked forward to what the films would offer, being able to watch it with “fresh eyes” simply for the ‘movie factor’.
So the opener to our trilogy introduces us to a group of angry, stereotypical, and possibly ‘fragrant’ dwarves. And Thorin Oakenshield, their leader and heir apparent leading them through dangers alongside Gandalf the Grey, a friendly wizard. And Bilbo. Our hobbit. A ‘burglar’ for hire! Along the way they encounter Goblins, Orcs, Wargs, friendly Elves... Yup. A cross-section of Middle-Earth.
For me, there were many parts that I found enjoyable. One particular piece of dialogue between Gandalf and Radagast the Brown (a lesser but still powerful nature-oriented wizard) always sticks in my head:
Gandalf: “These are Gundabad Wargs. They will outrun you.”
Radagast: “These are Rhosgobel Rabbits. I’d like to see them try...!”
Take THAT, Gandalf!
It’s not only the words, it’s Sylvester McCoy’s delivery of them. That’s a man you don’t want to play Poker with - he’ll sit there with a Royal Flush and take you for all you’re worth! That, and other small moments allow me to truly enjoy this move.
So, here are my 7 Key Moments in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey:
Dori, offering Gandalf a cup of camomile tea. Delicacy in the middle of chaos.
‘Song of the Lonely Mountain’. Moody, and full of emotion. You can tell these men aren’t natural singers, but the feeling they pack into every word they say and note they hum - it’s considered and powerful.
Balin’s BEARD has to get a mention. That is a thing of BEAUTY at the start! With a little flick at the end and everything!
Radagast face after smoking some ‘Old Toby’ of Gandalf’s... It’s like someone who has come home to Mum’s best cooking. And she made his favourite!
Gollum’s appearance. Andy Serkis nails it spot on EVERYTIME. Almost a decade has passed, but it’s as though it was yesterday... (I understand that it’s all CGI, but his voice is just the same.)
Barry Humphries as the Great Goblin. “...That’ll do it.”
Thorin. Doing the ‘Swag Walk’ with sword in hand. Walking, striding, running down from his tree, hair flowing in the gentle breeze (no fan machine required) as he prepares to do battle with his nemesis Azog. All in slow mo.
For me, this was a strong lead-off into the trilogy - in the same mould as The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001). I’m quite eager for what the next two have to offer!
More tomorrow!
(Comment here or on Twitter - @hmswilliams04)
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“Fate be changed; look inside - mend the bond torn by pride.”
Does she change her fate, or adjust to accept it willingly?
Brave. The story (most likely set in medieval times) of a young princess seeking to change her fate. To live her life free from the ‘expected’ path a young lady should take - grab a husband. Have kids. Be done with.
Here we see Merida, our heroine, use the fire within her to forge her own way in the world, and stand up for what she truly believes. The freedom to choose IF she marries someone. In her own time. We could all take a leaf out of her book - be comfortable with who you are.
And don’t compromise.
Unless it does you good.
Now, to look at something outside of the message of the film - does the success of an animated film lie in forgetting the original actor behind a voice, and becoming lost in the story of the character in front of us?
If so, Brave does very well in my opinion.
I’d never have guessed that Emma Thompson or Julie Walters graced this film with their dulcet tones, and Billy Connolly is brilliant as always! His voice-work really shines when Fergus is speaking to Elinor about how to really communicate with their daughter. The subtle inflections in his voice really comes through, as he shows that he’s more than just a ‘Bear King’ - he’s an understanding husband and a father.
Kelly MacDonald - although not as well known to me just by her voice - truly encapsulates Merida. The youthfulness she lends to her voice to portray a teenager belies her real age. I imagined an actress my age at the very least - in her early to mid 20s. Never did I imagine a woman of nearly twice that would convince so completely...
Outside of the voice cast, the animation is exquisite! Just to look at one part of it - Merida’s hair. The sheer detail that goes into highlighting every strand - tight curls here, wavy parts there, the multi-tonal qualities… My hair is just like that! (Except my hair isn’t red. Or that long.)
This was a film that Pixar took care over. So much so that they dramatically altered the very animation system they use, just so that this film would have a totally different feel to anything gone before.
And I appreciate that.
So, here are my 7 Key Moments in Brave:
Young Merida. Her characterisation reminded me of some children I’m especially fond of...
“How do you know you don’t like it if you won’t try it?!” Elinor’s words come back to bite her in the bum when she's a bear! Love it!
“SHUT IT!!!!!!!” Merida’s definitely her father’s daughter!
“Legends are lessons: they ring with truths.” Merida 'owns’ the hall - embodying the poise of her mother, the command of her father, and her own force of will.
Fergus v Merida. It’s David and Goliath all day long.
The departure of the Prince's spirit. In that moment, a legend becomes a truth. And it's another example of utterly beautiful animation.
The suitor from Clan MacGuffin - who speaks SUCH thick Scottish even his fellow Scotsmen can’t understand him! I think I understood one of his speeches. Once.
I love this film. The girl doesn’t get married. The girl fights like a man, and commands like a Queen. And makes archery very exciting. (I’d love to learn!)
It’s like Mulan, but with no guy coming to dinner at the end. And I’m perfectly fine with that.
More to come!
(Comment here or on Twitter - @hmswilliams04)
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