[MINI MOVIE REVIEWS] – March 2013

DARJEELING LIMITED

Director: W. Anderson   Starring: Brody, Wilson, Schwartzman   Run-time: 91 mins

Wes Anderson and I don’t get along at the best of times. For me, he’s all style, no substance. I find his movies very cold and showy. Darjeeling Limited is no different, in fact it’s the worst Anderson film I’ve seen. The plot sounds more exciting on paper but the execution is messy. The film is essentially a rehash of The Royal Tenenbaums quirky family dynamic but set in (for some reason) India. The colours are rich and the cinematography is lush but the characters are annoying, sloppily written and pretty much insufferable. I could say that the performances were good but then, none of the cast were stretched by their characters. In fact, Owen Wilson annoyed me because he played the same old role – a free-spirit, hippie who’s running away from his problems. Anyway, if you want to see India on your TV screen, just watch Slumdog Millionaire.

THE MASTER

Director: P.T Anderson  Starring: Phoenix, Seymour Hoffman, Adams  Run-time: 144 mins

Paul Thomas Anderson has the uncanny ability of making his audience feel stupid. I sat through The Master mostly bored and unengaged with the story, but I hoped my patience would be rewarded. Alas, when the credits came up, I felt like I’d wasted my time. This film feels really empty. It appears to be a satire of daft religions like Scientology but it never fully commits to that idea. Somewhere in this 144 minutes there’s a great film but I feel Anderson didn’t tie all the elements together. He’s essentially created two very powerful characters in Freddie and Lancaster Dodds but not an accompanying storyline. The acting is first class and Joaquin Phoenix in particular, dominates the film with a scarily convincing portrayal of an alcoholic. But the stellar performances aren’t enough to save a rather flat, one-note film. Very disappointed.

CLOUD ATLAS

Director: Wachowski + Tykwer  Starring: Hanks, Berry, Grant  Run-time: 172 mins

Cloud Atlas is a multi-generational movie that tells the story of different people in different eras all at the same time. The film’s scope is epic, covering many genres including comedy, sci-fi, fantasy, drama, thriller and romance. It’s scope is also its downfall however, as the jump between story lines can be jarring. I found myself favouring certain short stories more than others, i.e. Ben Whishaw’s romantic turn as a sexually tormented musician who writes the Cloud Atlas Sextet is engrossing and beautiful. I was often left confused by the films purpose and message. I went in expecting the film to explore the ‘ripple effect’ but there’s no real evidence that what Tom Hanks does in 1800 effects what his character does in 2321. As I walked out of the cinema I was left frustrated by the films vagueness and dream-like quality. I’ve gone for a one time watch rating but in truth, it probably deserves a second watch but this isn’t a film for everybody as the run-time is very draining.

ALL GOOD THINGS

Director: Jarecki    Starring: Gosling, Dunst   Run-time: 101 mins

All Good Things is one of the creepiest films I’ve seen but there’s no climactic pay-off to justify the tension. Let me explain. The film chronicles the relationship of David (Gosling) and Katie (Dunst). When the relationship turns sour, Katie goes missing and David is a prime suspect. However, police can’t find any convincing evidence to link him to his wife’s disappearance. The script is based on a true story and directed by Andrew Jarecki, who made his name with the chilling documentary Capturing the Friedmans. Jarecki opts for a low-key, naturalistic shooting style which makes for a creepy atmosphere. Jarecki’s style is more akin to a police investigation and although the plot bubbles with tension and intrigue, the obscure ending feels very dissatisfying. Gosling fans will find his role interesting as it’s a million miles away from his charming, good-guy performances in things like The Notebook and Crazy, Stupid Love.

THE SAVAGES

Director: Jenkins   Starring: Seymour Hoffman, Linney   Run-time: 113 mins

The Savages is another film steeped in naturalism. It tells the story of two siblings (Hoffman and Linney) as they’re faced with the responsibility of caring for their sick father, a man who didn’t do much for them when they were children. The Savages raises many important questions about family and Tamara Jenkins script is often very bleak in its realism. Laura Linney was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance  as a struggling play-write and lonely singleton. Phillip Seymour Hoffman, an actor with such a consistent output, is also strong as a frustrated intellect who’s scared to commit to his long-term girlfriend. This may sound like another film about self-entitled middle class white people and their first world problems, but I find the script very sincere and powerful. A major criticism is that I found the film overly long and sometimes repetitive. It’s also a film that doesn’t really warrant a second viewing, thus the one time watch rating.

THEY LIVE

Director: Carpenter   Starring: Piper, David   Run-time: 93 mins

Now we’re taking a trip back to the 80’s with a John Carpenter classic that I shamefully hadn’t seen until a couple of weeks ago. Roddy Piper (yes the wrestler) is Nada, a drifter who finds a pair of glasses that allow him to see the aliens living amongst us. Part campy-action film, part biting satire and sometimes a horror film too, They Live is a unique product of its time and the brain of Mr Carpenter. The premise, although initially ridiculous, is interesting when read as a parody of capitalism and consumer culture. Nada walks down the street and instead of seeing film bill-boards and fast food advertisements, he see’s the true message such as ‘OBEY’ and ‘STAY ASLEEP’. With ridiculous one-liners and farcical fist-fights, They Live is downright good fun too. The absolute highlight being a bloody violent scrap between Nada and his friend Frank as Nada screams ‘PUT THE GLASSES ON!’

THERE WILL BE BLOOD

Director: P.T. Anderson   Starring: Day-Lewis, Dano   Run-time: 158 mins

After being disappointed by The Master, I immediately watched There Will Be Blood for the first time to see what all this Paul Thomas Anderson fuss is about. This film, although sharing many of the same traits as The Master, was such a riveting, captivating experience. The huge difference between the two films is that with There Will Be Blood, there’s a clear thematic drive and structure to the narrative and characters. Daniel Plainview is such an interesting character and his transformation and subsequent fall from grace, makes for a memorable film experience. It also helps that Anderson cast Daniel Day Lewis, the acting god himself. Anderson’s visuals are ofcourse exemplary with beautifully smooth tracking shots and masterful framing devices. I also want to give a shout-out to Paul Dano. Sharing a scene, and film, with DDL must be a daunting experience but he more than matches his performance.

RAISING ARIZONA

Director: Coen   Starring: Cage, Goodman, Hunter   Run-time: 94 mins

 

Whenever you next get into a conversation about Nic Cage and somebody is saying he can’t act, point them in the direction of Raising Arizona. It’s a shame that he’s ruining his once respectable reputation with crap like Stolen, Trespass and Ghost Rider because there once was a time when the very best directors sought out his abilities. This late 80’s Coen brothers film may well be my favourite Cage performance. As H.I, Cage is a recently released petty criminal who’s married to ex-cop Ed. Ed longs to be a mother and H.I will do anything to please his impulsive wife. Whilst watching TV one day, the two learn of local businessman Nathan Arizona and his wife’s quintuplets. Ed and H.I decide to steal one of the babies because nobody needs that many babies… For me, the Coen’s are hit-and-miss but this is a definite hit. The film is stupid and the characters are imbeciles but there’s a charm to their trailer-trash nature. And with this being a Coen bros film, the unpredictable twists and turns just keep coming. Highly recommended!