The BAFTA nominations for this year were announced on Wednesday. They weren't high on surprise, but there was enough dotted about to raise an eyebrow or two. This post is the nominations in full, with my thoughts and predictions in each category. Would love to hear all your own thoughts and predictions so please do get in touch. The BAFTA ceremony itself will take place on Sunday 16th February in a typically glitzy ceremony at the historic Royal Opera House in Covent Garden.
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BEST FILM
12 Years A Slave
American Hustle
Captain Phillips
Gravity
Philomena
I can see the Best Film award going to Steve McQueen's slave drama '12 Years A Slave', which I should be seeing next week. 'Gravity' may have weighed in with the most nominations but I would still be surprised to see it walk away with this over the more awards-friendly, hard-hitting '12 Years'. 'American Hustle' has emerged as a surprise favourite for the Best Picture Oscar (though I still think it will go to '12 Years'), but I can't see it winning here.
'Captain Phillips' has a bronze medal feel about it both here and across the pond - it's certainly a terrific film but exists just below the frontrunner level of 'Gravity' and '12 Years'. 'Philomena', meanwhile, will have proved extremely popular amongst BAFTA voters with its British director/cast as well as its emotionally involving story and warm, very British humour.
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OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
Gravity
Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom
Philomena
Rush
Saving Mr. Banks
The Selfish Giant
Sometimes the terms and conditions of this award baffle me slightly, with some films not exactly what I would describe as a British film, but hey ho. This is a very difficult one to call because it may be dependent on where the 'Best Film' votes go. If 'Gravity' wins that particular award then it may pave the way for Outstanding British Film to be awarded somewhere different, at which point I could see 'Philomena' triumphing. It's terrific, I should mention, to see Clio Barnard's devastating 'The Selfish Giant' pick up a nomination.
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OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER
Colin Carberry (Writer), Glenn Patterson (Writer) Good Vibrations
Kelly Marcel (Writer) Saving Mr. Banks
Kieran Evans (Director/Writer) Kelly + Victor
Paul Wright (Director/Writer), Polly Stokes (Producer) For Those in Peril
Scott Graham (Director/Writer) Shell
I'd like to see Kelly Marcel win for her beautiful 'Saving Mr. Banks' screenplay.
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DIRECTOR
Steve McQueen - 12 Years A Slave
David O. Russell - American Hustle
Paul Greengrass - Captain Phillips
Alfonso Cuarón - Gravity
Martin Scorsese - The Wolf Of Wall Street
The directorial flourishes displayed in all five of these films are of the highest level, but I think this will come down to the very same fight that will constitute much of Bafta 2014 awards night, that of '12 Years' versus 'Gravity'. Here I can see Steve McQueen winning and it would be fully deserved for a director that has fasttracked his way to the top level of dramatic filmmakers after the similarly brilliant 'Hunger' and 'Shame'.
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ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Eric Warren Singer, David O. Russell - American Hustle
Woody Allen - Blue Jasmine
Alfonso Cuarón, Jonás Cuarón - Gravity
Joel Coen, Ethan Coen - Inside Llewyn Davis
Bob Nelson - Nebraska
Although 'Gravity' is very strong technically I would argue that its screenplay is perhaps its worst element, with some of the dialogue clunky (indeed some internet critics have responded to this nomination with 'Gravity had a screenplay?!'), so it would be nice to see one of the others reign victorious here. My vote is going to go to Woody Allen for 'Blue Jasmine', though the screenplays for 'American Hustle', 'Inside Llewyn Davis' and 'Nebraska' are all very strong so this really could go any which way.
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ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
John Ridley - 12 Years A Slave
Richard LaGravenese - Behind The Candelabra
Billy Ray - Captain Phillips
Steve Coogan, Jeff Pope - Philomena
Terence Winter - The Wolf Of Wall Street
The frontrunner for this will be John Ridley for '12 Years a Slave', but I certainly wouldn't bank against Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope triumphing with the Bafta voters for their wonderfully warm yet never oversentimental adaptation of Martin Sixsmith's investigative 2009 book.
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LEADING ACTOR
Bruce Dern - Nebraska
Chiwetel Ejiofor - 12 Years a Slave
Christian Bale - American Hustle
Leonardo DiCaprio - The Wolf of Wall Street
Tom Hanks - Captain Phillips
Chiwetel Ejiofor has been universally praised for his performance as Solomon Northup in '12 Years a Slave', and the momentum seems to be with him to win the Bafta here. Christian Bale is a slightly surprising nomination for his part in 'American Hustle' and it will be interesting to see now if an Oscar nomination follows, though he would have to be considered a major outsider to win on either side of the pond. On the basis of trailers and reviews I think I'm going to be pretty blown away by Leonardo DiCaprio as Jordan Belfort in 'The Wolf of Wall Street' but the reported extent of the sex, drugs and rock'n'roll of the film may not work in his favour when considered by the older voters. Bruce Dern is absolutely wonderful in 'Nebraska' and can't be completely discounted from the running in either the Baftas or Oscars, but I really do think that this is Ejiofor's to lose.
It's truly been an extraordinary year for lead acting performances. To put this in perspective, there is no nomination for Michael Douglas as Liberace in 'Behind The Candelabra' (though it's great to see that film recognised in other categories, especially considering it will be ineligible for any US film awards) or Idris Elba as the titular president in 'Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom'. It's also surprising, given that 'Dallas Buyers Club' was eligible for the Baftas, to see no nomination for Matthew McConaughey's staggering performance as AIDS victim Ron (also surprising to see no Supporting nom for Jared Leto's extraordinary transformation into transgender Rayon in the same film). The nominations also exclude Joaquin Phoenix for 'Her' and James McAvoy for 'Filth', amongst many, many more astounding performances in the past year.
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LEADING ACTRESS
Amy Adams - American Hustle
Cate Blanchett - Blue Jasmine
Emma Thompson - Saving Mr. Banks
Judi Dench - Philomena
Sandra Bullock - Gravity
This is a strong field, and it will be interesting to see the voters end up going with this category. I would say the Oscars are likely to be a two-horse race between Cate Blanchett and Sandra Bullock, but it's made more interesting this side of the pond with Emma Thompson and Judi Dench so beloved in these parts. Dench has clocked up a record 15th Bafta nomination and really shouldn't be ruled out of the running here - Bafta voters absolutely love her. I still see this award going the way of Cate Blanchett, though, and it would be fully deserved as she turned in the performance of her career as troubled socialite Jasmine in Woody Allen's latest.
As unlikely as it was always going to be, it's still disappointing to see no nomination for Adele Exarchopoulos ('Blue Is The Warmest Colour'). This likely means that she will miss out at the Oscars as well which is a shame as I found hers to be the finest female performance of the year. After Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuele Riva's recognition at the 2012-13 awards season I'd hoped we would start to see more stars of foreign language films receive acting nominations - here's to next year!
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SUPPORTING ACTOR
Barkhad Abdi - Captain Phillips
Bradley Cooper - American Hustle
Daniel Bruhl - Rush
Matt Damon - Behind the Candelabra
Michael Fassbender - 12 Years a Slave
It's fantastic to see newcomer Barkhad Abdi nominated for his chilling performance as Somali pirate Muse. It's also not unthinkable now to see Abdi go on and win this; certainly I would place him above Cooper, Bruhl and Damon in the race. Whether he can offer real competition to Michael Fassbender's terrifying turn in '12 Years a Slave' remains to be seen, though. I'll plump for Fassbender for this one, though Abdi winning would be a pleasant surprise.
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SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Jennifer Lawrence - American Hustle
Julia Roberts - August: Osage County
Lupita Nyong'o - 12 Years a Slave
Oprah Winfrey - The Butler
Sally Hawkins - Blue Jasmine
Should be between Jennifer Lawrence and Lupita Nyong'o, as I would imagine the Oscars also will be. Lawrence is fast becoming one of the Academy darlings after a nomination for Winter's Bone in 2011 and a win for Silver Linings Playbook in 2013, and could this year become one of the only people to ever win back-to-back acting Oscars. For the Baftas, I'm going to predict a win for Nyong'o for her much praised turn as slave Patsey in '12 Years a Slave'.
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FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
The Act Of Killing
Blue Is The Warmest Colour
The Great Beauty
Metro Manila
Wadjda
I've yet to see 'The Act Of Killing' (for shame, I know) and know very little about 'Metro Manila' and 'Wadjda'. 'The Act Of Killing' has received overwhelmingly positive reviews and will certainly be a contender for this, though it may be more likely to be recognised in the Documentary category. Palme d'Or winner Blue Is The Warmest Colour is probably the favourite and my choice, though it will be interesting to see if its explicit sex scenes with more conservative Bafta voters. 'The Great Beauty' is a wonderful piece of work and certainly has a chance of winning here.
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DOCUMENTARY
The Act Of Killing
The Armstrong Lie
Blackfish
Tim's Vermeer
We Steal Secrets: The Story Of Wikileaks
I'm expecting a win here for 'The Act Of Killing', Joshua Oppenheimer's bizarre documentary about former Indonesian death squad leaders. 'Blackfish', about the sometimes devastating effects of keeping killer whales in captivity, has been very well received and shouldn't be discounted. I'm surprised not to see Sarah Polley's fantastic 'Stories We Tell' pick up a nomination.
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ANIMATED FILM
Despicable Me 2
Frozen
Monsters University
I'd be very surprised if Disney's 'Frozen' doesn't triumph here.
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ORIGINAL MUSIC
12 Years A Slave - Hans Zimmer
The Book Thief - John Williams
Captain Phillips - Henry Jackman
Gravity - Steven Price
Saving Mr. Banks - Thomas Newman
My money's on Hans Zimmer for '12 Years a Slave'. I love Zimmer's music and his score for '12 Years' has received nothing but universal praise.
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CINEMATOGRAPHY
12 Years A Slave - Sean Bobbitt
Captain Phillips - Barry Ackroyd
Gravity - Emmanuel Lubezki
Inside Llewyn Davis - Bruno Delbonnel
Nebraska - Phedon Papamichael
Barry Ackroyd's work is always incredibly solid, with 'Captain Phillips' no exception, and 'Nebraska' is brought to life by Phedon Papamichael's beautiful black-and-white photography. The likely winner, though, is Emmanuel Lubezki for 'Gravity', his work playing a huge part in how successfully the film manages to bring space to life.
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EDITING
12 Years A Slave - Joe Walker
Captain Phillips - Christopher Rouse
Gravity - Alfonso Cuarón, Mark Sanger
Rush - Dan Hanley, Mike Hill
The Wolf Of Wall Street - Thelma Schoonmaker
I've no doubt that the work of regular Scorsese collaborator Thelma Schoonmaker on 'The Wolf of Wall Street' will be nothing short of exceptional, but on the basis of having actually seen it, I'll go for 'Captain Phillips'. Christopher Rouse is Paul Greengrass' regular collaborator, so it is no surprise to see this film share the same frenetic, tension-building editing style as the Bourne films and 'United 93'. It's probably wishful thinking on my part to not see 'Gravity' completely sweep the technical categories, but 'Captain Phillips' certainly has a good chance here.
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PRODUCTION DESIGN
12 Years A Slave - Adam Stockhausen, Alice Baker
American Hustle - Judy Becker, Heather Loeffler
Behind The Candelabra - Howard Cummings
Gravity - Andy Nicholson, Rosie Goodwin, Joanne Woodlard
The Great Gatsby - Catherine Martin, Beverley Dunn
It's pleasing to see 'The Great Gatsby' pick up some much-deserved nominations in the technical categories and it would be my pick out of these five for the greater production design. Baz Lurhmann's film perfectly captures the Jazz Age decadence perfectly, as Lurhmann's wife Catherine Martin creates another world of lavish, vibrant sets - in her hands 1920's New York City breathes on screen, more than simply a background to the classic love story of Daisy and Gatsby. The party scenes at Gatsby's mansion are particularly impressive.
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COSTUME DESIGN
American Hustle - Michael Wilkinson
Behind The Candelabra - Ellen Mirojnick
The Great Gatsby - Catherine Martin
The Invisible Woman - Michael O’Connor
Saving Mr. Banks - Daniel Orlandi
Catherine Martin was also responsible for the costumes in 'The Great Gatsby', and she worked with Prada to create over 40 looks for the film, each inspired by styles from the Prada and Miu Miu archive. The costumes during the party scenes are wonderful, displaying all the wealth and glamour of 1920's Long Islanders, and Carey Mulligan looks radiant in the outfits created for her character Daisy. I wouldn't be surprised, though, to see 'Behind The Candelabra win this for the incredible outfits worn by Michael Douglas in his portrayal of Liberace. We'll see come February 16th.
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MAKE UP & HAIR
American Hustle - Evelyne Noraz, Lori McCoy-Bell
Behind The Candelabra - Kate Biscoe, Marie Larkin
The Butler - Debra Denson, Beverly Jo Pryor, Candace Neal
The Great Gatsby - Maurizio Silvi, Kerry Warn
The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug - Peter Swords King, Richard Taylor, Rick Findlater
'American Hustle' certainly has the greater awards traction of any of these films so may well find itself the victor in this category, but the finest hair & make-up for me exists within 'The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug', so here's hoping that the Bafta voters share my opinion.
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SOUND
All Is Lost - Richard Hymns, Steve Boeddeker, Brandon Proctor, Micah Bloomberg, Gillian Arthur
Captain Phillips - Chris Burdon, Mark Taylor, Mike Prestwood Smith, Chris Munro, Oliver Tarney
Gravity - Glenn Freemantle, Skip Lievsay, Christopher Benstead, Niv Adiri, Chris Munro
Inside Llewyn Davis - Peter F. Kurland, Skip Lievsay, Greg Orloff
Rush - Danny Hambrook, Martin Steyer, Stefan Korte, Markus Stemler, Frank Kruse
Has to go to 'Gravity' for me. As I wrote in my 'Review of the Movie Year 2013' blog post, 'the sound design is nothing short of incredible, nailing the difficult task of creating realistic noise in a vacuum and cleverly incorporating Sandra Bullock's breaths and heartbeat as true thematic elements'.
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SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
Gravity - Tim Webber, Chris Lawrence, David Shirk, Neil Corbould, Nikki Penny
The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug - Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton, Eric Reynolds
Iron Man 3 - Bryan Grill, Christopher Townsend, Guy Williams, Dan Sudick
Pacific Rim - Hal Hickel, John Knoll, Lindy De Quattro, Nigel Sumner
Star Trek Into Darkness - Ben Grossmann, Burt Dalton, Patrick Tubach, Roger Guyett
The visual effects in all five of these films are fantastic, really top level stuff, but I would be very surprised if this award didn't go to 'Gravity'.
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BRITISH SHORT ANIMATION
Everything I Can See From Here
I Am Tom Moody
Sleeping With The Fishes
I'm yet to see any of these short animations and know very little about them so am ill placed to voice an opinion about a potential winner.
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BRITISH SHORT FILM
Island Queen
Keeping Up With The Joneses
Orbit
Ever After
Room 8
Sea View
Again, I haven't seen any of these yet so cannot really comment.
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THE EE RISING STAR AWARD (voted for by the public)
Dane DeHaan
George MacKay
Lupita Nyong'o
Will Poulter
Lea Seydoux
I've already placed my vote for Dane DeHaan for his scintillating performances in 'The Place Beyond The Pines' and 'Kill Your Darlings'. This category is probably even more unpredictable than the others where voted for by the public, and this year is particularly difficult to select an obvious winner. I can maybe see this going to Brit George MacKay though after strong work in 2013 in 'How I Live Now', 'For Those In Peril' and 'Sunshine on Leith'. Of all the nominees is it is Poulter who has starred in probably the more mainstream film recently, summer comedy 'We're The Millers'.
Lupita Nyong'o has received rave reviews for her performance in '12 Years a Slave' and may well end up winning Best Supporting Actress at both the BAFTAs and the Oscars, but her lack of recognisability may count against her in this public-voted category. Lea Seydoux put in a beautiful performance in 'Blue Is The Warmest Colour' but had already been established, particularly in France, for a couple of years before and her inclusion instead of 'Blue' co-star Adele Exarchopoulos is perhaps a surprise. You can place your own vote at the following link - https://explore.ee.co.uk/bafta
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Tuesday, January 07, 2014
14 Most Anticipated Films of 2014
Below are my 14 most anticipated films to be released in the UK in 2014. For this list I decided not to include films that I am likely to see in the next couple of weeks, as much as I am looking forward to seeing them, so this means no place for '12 Years A Slave', 'American Hustle', 'Inside Llewyn Davis' and 'The Wolf of Wall Street'. I took a punt on some of these choices as there are a few that haven't a confirmed release date and so may well end up drifting into an early 2015 UK release. Would love to hear whether you agree with the films in this list and if there are any others that you are particularly looking forward to this year.
FRANK
'A comedy about a young wannabe musician, Jon (Domhnall Gleeson), who discovers he's bitten off more than he can chew when he joins an eccentric pop band led by the mysterious and enigmatic Frank (Michael Fassbender)' (IMDb). Lenny Abrahamson's last film as director, 'What Richard Did', was one of 2013's best and yet most little-seen. I'm really looking forward to 'Frank', in which the on-form Fassbender will spend the majority of his screen time with a huge fake head as cult character Frank Sidebottom. Looks quirky and a lot of fun. May 2nd.
NYMPHOMANIAC
'A self-diagnosed nymphomaniac recounts her erotic experiences to the man who saved her after a beating' (IMDb). Lars von Trier's four hour, two part account of a woman's sex life has been garnering impressive reviews, with many critics surprised by the depth of the storytelling in a film some had dismissed as a showcase of von Trier's depravity gone too far. Stellan Skarsgard, Shia LaBoeuf, Christian Slater, Jamie Bell, Uma Thurman and Willem Dafoe lend support to Stacy Martin and Charlotte Gainsbourg, who play the younger and older Joe respectively. February 21st.
HER
'A lonely writer develops an unlikely relationship with his newly purchased operating system that's designed to meet his every need' (IMDb). I've always been a big fan of Spike Jonze's films, and 'Her' looks like it may even be his best, a tender love story with a unique, futuristic twist. Joaquin Phoenix is arguably in the form of his career after a blistering turn in Paul Thomas Anderson's 'The Master' and looks set to continue that here as loner Theodore. Scarlett Johansson provides the voice of operating system Samantha, and there is support from Amy Adams and Rooney Mara. February 14th.
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
'The adventures of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars, and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend' (IMDb). Wes Anderson's next film after 2012's magical 'Moonrise Kingdom' is this adventure caper set in Eastern Europe and showcasing a truly exceptional cast led by Ralph Fiennes and supported by... Saoirse Ronan, Jude Law, Léa Seydoux, Tilda Swinton, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Tom Wilkinson and Harvey Keitel. Looks like it will have all the quirk and humour and stylish shots we've come to expect of a Wes Anderson picture. March 7th.
SIN CITY: A DAME TO KILL FOR
'The town's most hard-boiled citizens cross paths with some of its more reviled inhabitants' (IMDb). Retaining Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba, Bruce Willis and Rosario Dawson from the first film and adding in Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Josh Brolin, Eva Green, Juno Temple and Ray Liotta amongst others (including Lady Gaga?), Rodriguez's next Sin City film will hope to build upon the stylish noir universe he so successfully adapted from Frank Miller's graphic novels. Again split into three separate stories, expect the second film to match its predecessor in OTT sex and violence, and visceral thrills. August 29th.
INTERSTELLAR
'A group of explorers make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage' (IMDb). Christopher Nolan's new film comes as shrouded in secrecy as ever, but I couldn't be more excited to see what he's come up with. A sci-fi concept and script from his brother Jonathan, Interstellar's November release (much like Cuaron's 'Gravity') suggests that Paramount are looking for not only big box office results but also perhaps success in the 2013/14 awards season. Stars Matthew McConaghey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Wes Bentley, Michael Caine and Casey Affleck. November 7th.
HOW TO CATCH A MONSTER
'A single mother is swept into a dark underworld, while her teenage son discovers a road that leads him to a secret underwater town' (IMDb). A directorial debut from actor-of-the-moment Ryan Gosling is enough to appeal to me, but in addition the story sounds genuinely intriguing (written by Gosling himself) and he has managed to get together a strong cast in Saoirse Ronan, Matt Smith, Christina Hendricks, plus his 'Place Beyond The Pines' co-stars Eva Mendes and Ben Mendelsohn. TBA
GONE GIRL
'A woman mysteriously disappears on the day of her wedding anniversary. Based on the novel, "Gone Girl."' (IMDb) Gillian Flynn's page-turning bestseller is a perfect fit for cinema and perhaps a perfect fit for director David Fincher. Fincher is working from a screenplay by Flynn herself and has amassed an intriguingly odd cast in Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Missi Pyle and Tyler Perry. TBA (3rd October USA)
NOAH
'The Biblical Noah suffers visions of an apocalyptic deluge and takes measures to protect his family from the coming flood' (IMDb). Director Darren Aronofsky is given his biggest budget yet to take on the huge story of Noah and his Ark. The film has reportedly run into trouble, with religious focus groups upset with the film's deviations from the original Biblical story, and studio Paramount have been rumoured to have ordered cuts which Aronofsky has refused. I'm hopeful that we will get to see the cut of the film that Aronofsky wants us to see, or the closest we can get to it. My mind isn't quite made up after watching the trailer, but I have been a great fan of Aronofsky since the beginning and am keeping the faith. The film stars Russell Crowe in the title role, with support from Emma Watson, Jennifer Connelly, Anthony Hopkins, Logan Lerman and Ray Winstone. March 28th.
INHERENT VICE
'In Los Angeles in 1970, drug-fueled detective Larry "Doc" Sportello investigates the disappearance of a former girlfriend' (IMDb). New Paul Thomas Anderson means an immediate addition to this list, regardless of anything else. Joaquin Phoenix (in his 2nd appearance on this list) stars, and Jena Malone, Reese Witherspoon, Josh Brolin, Owen Wilson, Maya Rudolph and Benicio Del Toro provide the support in this adaptation of Thomas Pynchon's crime novel. TBA
BIRDMAN
'A washed-up actor who once played an iconic superhero must overcome his ego and family trouble as he mounts a Broadway play in a bid to reclaim his past glory' (IMDb). Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, director of films such as Babel and Amores Perros, surprises with his next choice 'Birdman', which on the face of it looks like a bizarre dark comedy of sorts. An inspired casting choice sees former Batman Michael Keaton take the lead role, and the support includes Emma Stone, Edward Norton, Naomi Watts, Andrea Riseborough, Zach Galifianakis and Amy Ryan. I'm really intrigued about this one. TBA
KNIGHT OF CUPS
'A man, temptations, celebrity, and excess' (IMDb). I was a big fan of Terrence Malick's 'Tree of Life' but found 'To The Wonder' slightly disappointing. It should prove interesting to watch Malick weave his usual grandiose themes into a story about the notion of celebrity. The excellent cast includes Christian Bale, Natalie Portman, Teresa Palmer, Cate Blanchett, Wes Bentley, Freida Pinto and Antonio Banderas, though with Malick's notoriously tight editing process who knows how many of those will make it into the finished product. TBA
THE HOBBIT: THERE AND BACK AGAIN
'The Company of Thorin has reached Smaug's lair; but, can Bilbo and the Dwarves reclaim Erebor and the treasure? And, if so, can they hold on to it?' (IMDb). The Hobbit films have failed to live up to the stunning Lord of the Rings trilogy, but The Desolation of Smaug, as much as it differed from its source material, was a very enjoyable romp with plenty of terrific set pieces. I can't wait to see how Peter Jackson and his cast and crew bring everything together. December 19th.
MAPS TO THE STARS
'Complex look at Hollywood and what it reveals about Western culture' (IMDb). David Cronenberg's latest boats a stellar cast in Julianne Moore, Robert Pattinson, Carrie Fisher, Mia Wasikowska, John Cusack and Olivia Williams. Hopefully it will represent a return to form for Cronenberg after the slightly underwhelming 'Cosmopolis' and 'A Dangerous Method'. TBA
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Honourable mentions should go to... 'Only Lovers Left Alive', 'Under The Skin', 'Muppets Most Wanted', 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2', 'X-Men: Days of Future Past', '22 Jump Street', 'The Fault In Our Stars', 'The Inbetweeners Movie 2', 'Godzilla', 'Macbeth'
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FRANK
'A comedy about a young wannabe musician, Jon (Domhnall Gleeson), who discovers he's bitten off more than he can chew when he joins an eccentric pop band led by the mysterious and enigmatic Frank (Michael Fassbender)' (IMDb). Lenny Abrahamson's last film as director, 'What Richard Did', was one of 2013's best and yet most little-seen. I'm really looking forward to 'Frank', in which the on-form Fassbender will spend the majority of his screen time with a huge fake head as cult character Frank Sidebottom. Looks quirky and a lot of fun. May 2nd.
NYMPHOMANIAC
'A self-diagnosed nymphomaniac recounts her erotic experiences to the man who saved her after a beating' (IMDb). Lars von Trier's four hour, two part account of a woman's sex life has been garnering impressive reviews, with many critics surprised by the depth of the storytelling in a film some had dismissed as a showcase of von Trier's depravity gone too far. Stellan Skarsgard, Shia LaBoeuf, Christian Slater, Jamie Bell, Uma Thurman and Willem Dafoe lend support to Stacy Martin and Charlotte Gainsbourg, who play the younger and older Joe respectively. February 21st.
HER
'A lonely writer develops an unlikely relationship with his newly purchased operating system that's designed to meet his every need' (IMDb). I've always been a big fan of Spike Jonze's films, and 'Her' looks like it may even be his best, a tender love story with a unique, futuristic twist. Joaquin Phoenix is arguably in the form of his career after a blistering turn in Paul Thomas Anderson's 'The Master' and looks set to continue that here as loner Theodore. Scarlett Johansson provides the voice of operating system Samantha, and there is support from Amy Adams and Rooney Mara. February 14th.
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
'The adventures of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars, and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend' (IMDb). Wes Anderson's next film after 2012's magical 'Moonrise Kingdom' is this adventure caper set in Eastern Europe and showcasing a truly exceptional cast led by Ralph Fiennes and supported by... Saoirse Ronan, Jude Law, Léa Seydoux, Tilda Swinton, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Tom Wilkinson and Harvey Keitel. Looks like it will have all the quirk and humour and stylish shots we've come to expect of a Wes Anderson picture. March 7th.
SIN CITY: A DAME TO KILL FOR
'The town's most hard-boiled citizens cross paths with some of its more reviled inhabitants' (IMDb). Retaining Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba, Bruce Willis and Rosario Dawson from the first film and adding in Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Josh Brolin, Eva Green, Juno Temple and Ray Liotta amongst others (including Lady Gaga?), Rodriguez's next Sin City film will hope to build upon the stylish noir universe he so successfully adapted from Frank Miller's graphic novels. Again split into three separate stories, expect the second film to match its predecessor in OTT sex and violence, and visceral thrills. August 29th.
INTERSTELLAR
'A group of explorers make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage' (IMDb). Christopher Nolan's new film comes as shrouded in secrecy as ever, but I couldn't be more excited to see what he's come up with. A sci-fi concept and script from his brother Jonathan, Interstellar's November release (much like Cuaron's 'Gravity') suggests that Paramount are looking for not only big box office results but also perhaps success in the 2013/14 awards season. Stars Matthew McConaghey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Wes Bentley, Michael Caine and Casey Affleck. November 7th.
HOW TO CATCH A MONSTER
'A single mother is swept into a dark underworld, while her teenage son discovers a road that leads him to a secret underwater town' (IMDb). A directorial debut from actor-of-the-moment Ryan Gosling is enough to appeal to me, but in addition the story sounds genuinely intriguing (written by Gosling himself) and he has managed to get together a strong cast in Saoirse Ronan, Matt Smith, Christina Hendricks, plus his 'Place Beyond The Pines' co-stars Eva Mendes and Ben Mendelsohn. TBA
GONE GIRL
'A woman mysteriously disappears on the day of her wedding anniversary. Based on the novel, "Gone Girl."' (IMDb) Gillian Flynn's page-turning bestseller is a perfect fit for cinema and perhaps a perfect fit for director David Fincher. Fincher is working from a screenplay by Flynn herself and has amassed an intriguingly odd cast in Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Missi Pyle and Tyler Perry. TBA (3rd October USA)
NOAH
'The Biblical Noah suffers visions of an apocalyptic deluge and takes measures to protect his family from the coming flood' (IMDb). Director Darren Aronofsky is given his biggest budget yet to take on the huge story of Noah and his Ark. The film has reportedly run into trouble, with religious focus groups upset with the film's deviations from the original Biblical story, and studio Paramount have been rumoured to have ordered cuts which Aronofsky has refused. I'm hopeful that we will get to see the cut of the film that Aronofsky wants us to see, or the closest we can get to it. My mind isn't quite made up after watching the trailer, but I have been a great fan of Aronofsky since the beginning and am keeping the faith. The film stars Russell Crowe in the title role, with support from Emma Watson, Jennifer Connelly, Anthony Hopkins, Logan Lerman and Ray Winstone. March 28th.
INHERENT VICE
'In Los Angeles in 1970, drug-fueled detective Larry "Doc" Sportello investigates the disappearance of a former girlfriend' (IMDb). New Paul Thomas Anderson means an immediate addition to this list, regardless of anything else. Joaquin Phoenix (in his 2nd appearance on this list) stars, and Jena Malone, Reese Witherspoon, Josh Brolin, Owen Wilson, Maya Rudolph and Benicio Del Toro provide the support in this adaptation of Thomas Pynchon's crime novel. TBA
BIRDMAN
'A washed-up actor who once played an iconic superhero must overcome his ego and family trouble as he mounts a Broadway play in a bid to reclaim his past glory' (IMDb). Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, director of films such as Babel and Amores Perros, surprises with his next choice 'Birdman', which on the face of it looks like a bizarre dark comedy of sorts. An inspired casting choice sees former Batman Michael Keaton take the lead role, and the support includes Emma Stone, Edward Norton, Naomi Watts, Andrea Riseborough, Zach Galifianakis and Amy Ryan. I'm really intrigued about this one. TBA
KNIGHT OF CUPS
'A man, temptations, celebrity, and excess' (IMDb). I was a big fan of Terrence Malick's 'Tree of Life' but found 'To The Wonder' slightly disappointing. It should prove interesting to watch Malick weave his usual grandiose themes into a story about the notion of celebrity. The excellent cast includes Christian Bale, Natalie Portman, Teresa Palmer, Cate Blanchett, Wes Bentley, Freida Pinto and Antonio Banderas, though with Malick's notoriously tight editing process who knows how many of those will make it into the finished product. TBA
THE HOBBIT: THERE AND BACK AGAIN
'The Company of Thorin has reached Smaug's lair; but, can Bilbo and the Dwarves reclaim Erebor and the treasure? And, if so, can they hold on to it?' (IMDb). The Hobbit films have failed to live up to the stunning Lord of the Rings trilogy, but The Desolation of Smaug, as much as it differed from its source material, was a very enjoyable romp with plenty of terrific set pieces. I can't wait to see how Peter Jackson and his cast and crew bring everything together. December 19th.
MAPS TO THE STARS
'Complex look at Hollywood and what it reveals about Western culture' (IMDb). David Cronenberg's latest boats a stellar cast in Julianne Moore, Robert Pattinson, Carrie Fisher, Mia Wasikowska, John Cusack and Olivia Williams. Hopefully it will represent a return to form for Cronenberg after the slightly underwhelming 'Cosmopolis' and 'A Dangerous Method'. TBA
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Honourable mentions should go to... 'Only Lovers Left Alive', 'Under The Skin', 'Muppets Most Wanted', 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2', 'X-Men: Days of Future Past', '22 Jump Street', 'The Fault In Our Stars', 'The Inbetweeners Movie 2', 'Godzilla', 'Macbeth'
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Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Review of the Movie Year 2013
Another year over, another Review of the Movie Year blog post (apparently the only blog posts I write these days). 2013 was overall a terrific year of film, with great colour and diversity and some truly original productions. It does make naming a ten best list incredibly difficult, and I honestly believe that were I asked for my list tomorrow, or the day after, I may provide something entirely different to what you see below. This is the list that I came up with today, so it's the list I am standing by. As per usual I have wimped out of ordering the ten films, so it is simply what I deem to be my favourite ten films of 2013. This does not necessarily mean the 'best made', or the films with the higher production values, but rather the films that have stuck with me the most as I reflect back on the movie year, that perhaps created the greatest emotional resonance. These are the ten that I look back on with the clearest and fondest memories, that I have or will be rushing out to buy on DVD.
I was somewhat disappointed by the summer blockbuster output this year, with only 'Star Trek: Into Darkness' exceeding expectations. 'Man of Steel', 'Pacific Rim' and 'The Lone Ranger' all left me pretty cold, while some, such as 'After Earth', 'Jack The Giant Slayer' and 'The Host' bordered on awful. This is all perhaps reflected in my top 10 list, which includes fewer tentpole Hollywood releases than previous years. This blog post, as with previous years, also features several other awards, including Actor, Actress, Scene-Stealer, Soundtrack and Trailer of 2013.
To make the list a film must have received its UK cinema release within the year 2013. Several of the current big awards buzz films, including '12 Years A Slave', 'American Hustle' and 'The Dallas Buyers Club', are not released in the UK until the early months of 2014. One of my favourite films I saw this year, 'The Spectacular Now' (London Film Festival), cannot be included on this list as it will not receive its official UK cinema release until 2014. There are a few critically acclaimed recent releases, including 'Nebraska' and 'Kill Your Darlings', that I have not seen yet and am unlikely to until January so I could of course not consider these for the below list. Similarly, 'All Is Lost' and 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty' are not released until right at the end of December so have not been considered. Anyway, happy reading, and would love to hear all your end-of-year lists!
TOP 10 FILMS OF 2013 ------->
BEFORE MIDNIGHT
'We meet Jesse and Celine nine years on in Greece. Almost two decades have passed since their first meeting on that train bound for Vienna' (IMDb). The third in Richard Linklater's masterpiece series about the relationship between Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) is arguably the finest, and the patience to set the films each nine years apart has really paid off. So strong is the writing that it doesn't take us too long to catch up, yet we are never unaware of just what the couple have been through during this time, and the changes they have undergone. The dialogue is sharp and true, the result of much hard work by Linklater, Delpy and Hawke, all now so in tune with the characters' thoughts and feelings. The interplay between Delpy and Hawke is as beautifully cohesive and natural as ever, albeit tinged with a sense that there is something about to break, some harsh truths needing to be spoken.
One of the unlikeliest trilogies of all time but easily one of the best, these films explore the relationship between these two people in such depth that come 'Before Midnight' we are so familiar with Jesse and Celine they are like family. When we see them hurting, or hurting each other, it hurts us too. You'll laugh, you'll cry. It'll warm you up and then break your heart, and then warm you up again. But please see the other two films first, to really get the full character arc of this wonderfully real, human couple.
THE KINGS OF SUMMER
'Three teenage friends, in the ultimate act of independence, decide to spend their summer building a house in the woods and living off the land' (IMDb). Nick Robinson and Gabriel Basso are both terrific as best friends Joe and Patrick in this lovely coming-of-age story with echoes of Stand By Me. Joe, frustrated by his father's attempts to control his life, enlists the help of his friends to build a new home in the nearby woods so that they may live off the land and be their own men. Comic relief comes in the form of Moises Arias as the tag-along oddball Biaggio.
Support is provided by the ever dependable Nick Offerman as Joe's Dad Frank, searching for his missing son and learning about him as if for the first time. The Kings of Summer may be slight, but it is also touching, sweet and funny, 'perfectly evoking', as Robbie Collin writes in his Telegragh review, 'that too-brief time of life when you could pass the evenings drunk on stolen beer and all the spare time you could dream of'.
THE WAY, WAY BACK
'Shy 14-year-old Duncan goes on summer vacation with his mother, her overbearing boyfriend, and her boyfriend's daughter. Having a rough time fitting in, Duncan finds an unexpected friend in Owen, manager of the Water Wizz water park' (IMDb). Dripping with nostalgia, The Way, Way Back came out of left field as one of the sweetest and funniest films of the year. Steve Carell has fun playing against type as the bullying, narcissistic Trent, and there are great supporting turns from Toni Collette as Duncan's nice but slightly unaware mother, Maya Rudolph as a water park staff member, and Alison Janney is a hoot as the boozy, brash neighbour.
The film belongs to Sam Rockwell, though, as the wisecracking Owen. Rockwell is the film's main source of humour, warm and likeable and delivering endlessly quotable dialogue (credit to writer/directors Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, fresh from their Oscars success with The Descendents) in a deadpan manner reminiscent of Bill Murray. The Way, Way Back surprised me with its injection of warmth, heart and fun - almost the perfect summer movie.
STOKER
'After India's father dies, her Uncle Charlie, who she never knew existed, comes to live with her and her unstable mother. She comes to suspect this mysterious, charming man has ulterior motives and becomes increasingly infatuated with him' (IMDb). Park Chan-Wook's first foray into English-language cinema after the success of Korean flicks Oldboy, Lady Vengeance etc was certainly a divisive one, with some considering it genius and others ludicrous. I was in the former category, finding Stoker to be a deeply atmospheric, moody mystery tinged with eroticism and yearning and anchored by a terrific cast.
Mia Wasikowska has gone from strength to strength in recent years and gives one of her finest performances to date as the troubled India. The film marks a return to form for Nicole Kidman as India's mother, and Matthew Goode oozes a wonderfully slimy charm as the sinister Uncle Charlie. The cinematography by regular Park Chan-Wook collaborator Chung-hoon Chung is nothing short of stunning, and the score by Clint Mansell (one of my favourite composers) is unsurprisingly beautiful. As a horror, Stoker is more psychologically disturbing than full-blooded and shocking, a slow-burning, provocative, creepy mood-piece.
WHAT MAISIE KNEW
'In New York City, a young girl is caught in the middle of her parents' bitter custody battle' (IMDb). This modern day adaptation of Henry James' novel is a small-scale but heartbreaking, beautifully acted study of the effects of her parents' divorce upon young Maisie. She is thrown from one parent to the other with a truly shocking lack of care or attention. Steve Coogan is enjoying quite the year, adding his strong performance here as Maisie's selfish and shallow father Beale to the hilarious Alan Partridge film and his fabulous screenplay and performance for the much lauded Philomena. Meanwhile Julianne Moore excels as the desperate, somewhat ugly character of Maisie's ageing rocker mum Susanna.
Alexander Skarsgard and Joanna Vanderham are absolutely wonderful as the new partners of Maisie's parents, struggling themselves with the neglect and mistreatment that Maisie is encountering. They give so much heart to the film and allow us to see, rather devastatingly, what Maisie's life could be like with parents who gave her the time and attention she deserves. The star of the show, though, is six year old newcomer Onata Aprile as Maisie. Aprile is an absolute revelation, turning in one of the finest child performances in recent memory and causing the entire audience to warm to her and suffer with her.
THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES
'A motorcycle stunt rider turns to robbing banks as a way to provide for his lover and their newborn child, a decision that puts him on a collision course with an ambitious rookie cop navigating a department ruled by a corrupt detective' (IMDb). Director Derek Cianfrance moves comfortably from the small, quiet but devastating relationship drama 'Blue Valentine' to this sprawling three act story set in the leafy environs of Schenectady, New York. Much as with 'Blue Valentine', The Place Beyond The Pines' greatest success lies with the power of its two central performances. Ryan Gosling, in a very different role to that of 'Blue Valentine', plays stunt rider Luke with a quiet but strong presence, a man driven to desperate measures to support the son he has only just discovered he has. Bradley Cooper, meanwhile, builds on his excellent work in Silver Linings Playbook with this performance as cop Avery, wrestling with his own sense of morality as all his ambitions take hold. Support is provided by the always excellent Ben Mendelsohn and Ray Liotta.
The third act requires the audience to accept certain coincidences, but if you can move past this it proves to be incredibly rewarding. This is where Cianfrance's full vision comes alive, helped by an electrifying Dane DeHaan as Luke's son Jason, as we see the long term effect of decisions made 15 years before. The Place Beyond The Pines deals in an accomplished manner with a number of big issues, chiefly those of and actions and consequences, of right and wrong and how often these concepts can be blurred. It wasn't for everyone, some finding it overlong or implausible, but I found the epic scope of this melodrama something to be commended - a film that isn't afraid to take risks. It confirmed Cianfrance as a new filmmaker of real note, and I can't wait to see what he does next.
THE BLING RING
'Inspired by actual events, a group of fame-obsessed teenagers use the internet to track celebrities' whereabouts in order to rob their homes' (IMDb). Largely misunderstood, The Bling Ring has actually wound up on a few worst-of lists but finds itself a place in my top 10 of 2013. Sometimes a film that features vacuous characters ends up being mistaken for vacuous itself, which seems to have been the case with Sofia Coppola's latest. I've been a fan of Coppola's since the very beginning, including 2010's equally misunderstood 'Somewhere'. There was no film released this year which felt as current, as of its time, a snapshot of a celebrity-obsessed culture high on social media. This is not the first time in recent times to find itself occupied with the excess of our current generation, with The Bling Ring cut from the same cloth as Harmony Korine's similarly divisive Spring Breakers in its depiction of a modern youth driven to the thrills of crime through boredom and dissatisfaction (this trend looks set to continue, most notably with Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street). In fact many parts of The Bling Ring felt very Korine-esque, coldly presenting a story of young Americans and their debauchery with very little attempt to pass judgement.
There is something refreshing about a film with no particular interest in critiquing, rather in simply capturing a piece of modern culture and leaving it to the audience to critique. Coppola's touch is present throughout the film, which features a number of terrific visual flourishes. In one bravura scene the Bling Ring rob Audrina Patridge's house of floor to ceiling windows, allowing us to watch the entire robbery in a single extended CCTV shot. I would argue this as one of the shots of the year. Emma Watson continued her great work in The Perks of Being a Wallflower with this revelatory performance as Valleyspeaking, unintentionally hilarious Nicki ("I want to lead the country someday, for all I know"), and Katie Chang was also very strong as the group's ringleader Rebecca.
GRAVITY
'A medical engineer and an astronaut work together to survive after an accident leaves them adrift in space' (IMDb). Gravity signals its ambitious intentions from the off with an astonishing 12 minute unbroken opening scene unlike anything seen before, as we are introduced to our protagonists. Alfonso Cuaron's latest broke new ground, making the most of updated technology to deliver the most visually arresting film of the year. The sound design is nothing short of incredible, nailing the difficult task of creating realistic noise in a vacuum and cleverly incorporating Sandra Bullock's breaths and heartbeat as true thematic elements.
Gravity, as good looking and good sounding as it undoubtedly is, would only be half as watchable if the central performances lacked, but fortunately they do anything but. Sandra Bullock, an actress I have at times struggled to warm to, is left to carry the film for great parts and gives a career-best effort as Dr. Stone, forced to summon incredible strength in her struggle for survival while still grief-stricken after the death of her daughter. George Clooney, as Matt Kowalski, is as dependable as ever, his laid-back calm a perfect foil for Bullock's barely controlled panic. Gravity is Cuaron's best work so far in a career already displaying a number of quality, varied films. It begins by acknowledging that 'Life in space is impossible', but Gravity does a magnificent job of bringing space to life.
STORIES WE TELL
'A film that excavates layers of myth and memory to find the elusive truth at the core of a family of storytellers' (IMDb). Sarah Polley's third full film as director after the very impressive 'Away From Her' and 'Take This Waltz' (one of my favourite films of 2011) is this wonderful little documentary about her family and the way in which their memories of events differ. Polley plays detective as she tries to discover the truths behind the relationship between her father Michael, a retired actor, and her mother Diane, a Canadian TV personality who died of cancer when Polley was 11, but with this film it seems that the truth depends on who is telling it.
As she grew up Polley was the subject of many comments regarding the lack of likeness between herself and her father, and this forms much of the focus of her explorations. Stories We Tell is a startlingly intimate and personal film, Polley unafraid to lay herself and her family bare. It's complex, grown-up watching, humourous and heartbreaking, with much to say about family, relationships, love and truth, and the effect of these human relationships on a much wider web of people.
BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOUR
'Adele's life is changed when she meets Emma, a young woman with blue hair, who will allow her to discover desire, to assert herself as a woman and as an adult. In front of others, Adele grows, seeks herself, loses herself, finds herself' (IMDb). Blue is the Warmest Colour is the love film of 2013 without question. Director Abdellatif Kechiche manages to coax (through whatever means he did - we won't go into that) the performances of the year from his young French stars. Léa Séydoux, as the blue-haired free spirit Emma, is tough, daring, a creative bohemian energy and a ray of light in Adele's life. The film's beating heart, though, is Adele Exarchopoulos, producing a totally believable, totally staggering performance as our protagonist Adele.
Much has been made of the lengthy, explicit sex scenes, which is a shame really in that it has somewhat distracted attention away from the fact that this is easily one of the films of the year. Yes, those particular scenes are full-on and extended, but so is every scene. The film is a meticulous, slow study of Adele's life and love, exploring themes of not just sex and lust but also education, art, romance, literature, discrimination. Some have classed it as overlong at 3 hours, but I barely felt it pass, so invested was I in the story and its many beautiful, devastating moments. I must admit I'm not a big fan of the film's English title - the French is 'La Vie d'Adele', directly translated as 'The Life of Adele', and works much better. The focus of the film is, after all, Adele's life, and the audience go on a truly epic journey with her. Ian Freer describes it well in his Empire review - '"How do you understand that the heart is missing something?” is a question posed at the start of Abdellatif Kechiche’s Palme D’Or winner. The answer is as emotionally shattering as movies get, the ecstacy and agony of first love, real love, in all its magnificent simplicity and complexity'.
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Honourable mentions go to 'Ain't Them Bodies Saints', 'Blue Jasmine', 'Captain Phillips', 'Spring Breakers', 'Short Term 12', 'Prince Avalanche' and 'Frances Ha'.
ACTOR OF 2013 -- TOM HANKS
The last couple of months of the year have seen Tom Hanks in not one but two excellent turns in awards buzz movies. First up was Paul Greengrass' unbearably tense 'Captain Phillips', in which Hanks' titular sea captain and his crew find themselves the victims of Somali pirates aboard their container ship The Maersk Alabama. Hanks is all clear-headed, calm professionalism, a Boston everyman, which makes his breakdown at the end of the film so much more devastating, and one of the most powerfully acted scenes of the year.
He followed this up with a totally different, but similarly brilliant, performance as Walt Disney in 'Saving Mr Banks'. He hints at the multi-faceted nature of Disney, the likeability and showmanship (a perfect fit for Hanks' natural charisma), the childlike wonder, the ruthlessness, and perhaps impresses most in the quiet scenes with Emma Thompson (the way they play off each other makes for the most humourous and warm moments). Add these to his six (yes, six!) roles in the Wachowski Brothers' mind-bending, massively underrated 'Cloud Atlas' earlier in the year and it is very clear that 2013 was Tom Hanks' year, confirming to the world that not only is he a 'HUGE MOVIE STAR' but he is also a fabulous actor capable of great versatility.
Honourable mention should go to Hugh Jackman for 'Les Misérables', 'The Wolverine' and 'Prisoners'.
ACTRESS OF 2013 -- ADELE EXARCHOPOULOS
19 year old Adele Exarchopoulos came from nowhere this year to deliver certainly one of the bravest and most committed performances in recent times as her namesake in French love film 'Blue Is The Warmest Colour'. Exarchopoulos laid herself bare, both physically and emotionally, fully investing herself in a tour de force performance so natural that you lost yourself completely in the emotional rollercoaster that her character undergoes. She was unafraid to snub beauty for realism, often in tears, snotty.
What was most impressive was how well she nailed the subtle but very present transition that Adele goes through over the years that the film covers, from unsure youth to mature, heartbroken teacher. There is a particular moment later on in the film with Adele teaching her kindergarten kids, maturely containing her emotion from the kids that she loves so much, before breaking down in the classroom after they leave, that ranks amongst the finest acting I have ever seen. Time will tell as to whether she makes the leap across the pond to Hollywood or stays within French cinema, but whatever comes next a star is most certainly born. What will be interesting to see, in the long career that she undoubtedly has ahead of her, is if she can genuinely top this performance.
Honourable mentions should go to Cate Blanchett for 'Blue Jasmine' and Judi Dench for 'Philomena'.
DIRECTOR OF 2013 -- WOODY ALLEN
It's Woody Allen, and I love him. I'm really enjoying his return to form recently, and this year's Blue Jasmine was his most accomplished film in a long time, an effective character study featuring a sharp script by Allen, and stand-out performances. In it, 'a New York socialite, deeply troubled and in denial, arrives in San Francisco to impose upon her sister. She looks a million, but isn't bringing money, peace, or love...' (IMDb). Allen gets a career best performance from Cate Blanchett as the titular Jasmine, and she is rightly being discussed as an Oscar frontrunner. Sally Hawkins and Alec Baldwin provide reliably excellent support - Hawkins has been rewarded with a Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe nomination. In fact the more I think of it, the more I think Blue Jasmine should have been in the Top 10 list. No, no, I will not change my mind! Anyway, it's great to see Allen back in business and I'm looking forward to his next film, 2014's Magic in the Moonlight, starring Emma Stone and Colin Firth.
Honourable mentions should go to Alfonso Cuaron and Paul Greengrass.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OF 2013 -- THE GREAT BEAUTY
As I have already written about 'Blue Is The Warmest Colour' I decided to give this award to 'The Great Beauty', a wonderful Italian movie that could easily have made the Top 10 Films list itself. 'Jep Gambardella has seduced his way through the lavish nightlife of Rome for decades, but after his 65th birthday and a shock from the past, Jep looks past the nightclubs and parties to find a timeless landscape of absurd, exquisite beauty' (IMDb). Much has been made of this as a homage to Fellini's La Dolce Vita, but that in some ways does a disservice to Paolo Sorrentino's film and the originality of much of his vision. The Great Beauty is a sumptuous affair, exquisitely shot (if you needed any other reason to visit Rome, this could be it) and by a mesmerising central performance by Sorrentino regular and veteran actor Toni Servillo as the charming, reflective Jep. Italy's contender for 2014's Best Foreign Language Film Oscar is uplifting, thought-provoking, and features the most breathtakingly beautiful music.
BREAKOUT STAR OF 2013 -- BRIE LARSON
Brie Larson was for me the obvious choice for Breakout Star of the year after excellent supporting turns in The Spectacular Now and Don Jon, followed up with one of the finest performances of the year in the lead role of foster care drama Short Term 12. As supervising staff member Grace, Larson breaks hearts and raises spirits in equal measure, nailing the strong, compassionate, beautifully human character perfectly. Next up for Larson is Rupert Wyatt's The Gambler, co-starring Mark Wahlberg, and The Basmati Blues, opposite Donald Sutherland. Watch out for this one.
SCENE OF 2013 -- 'EVERYTIME' SINGALONG IN SPRING BREAKERS
A scene in the much-derided Spring Breakers in which some girls stand around a piano and sing a Britney Spears song with James Franco may not seem like an obvious choice for my scene of the year. But thinking back over all the great scenes in the great films of 2013, this one is still sticking in my mind more than most, so it gets my vote. Yes, it's absolutely OTT and ludicrous and trashy, but also wonderfully provocative and gloriously bonkers. Michael J.W. Stickings, in his the-reaction blog post, gets it right when describing Spring Breakers as 'an intriguing (and shocking) presentation of postmodern American nihilism, of a dream turned dystopic, of the dark side of youth culture and so of a terribly bleak future'. Franco underwent a manic transformation to play creepy gangster rapper Alien (one of the most underrated acting performances of the year), and it is him that kicks this scene off as his piano begins the Everytime singalong, assisted by his three Spring Breakers (Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Benson and Rachel Korine, clad in pink ski masks and 'DTF' printed sweatpants and clutching machine guns), all bathed in the beautiful pink Florida sunset. The scene then begins to intercut shots of the girls assisting Alien in the torturing and robbing of other vacationers.
This bizarre contrast between the hauntingly beautiful innocence of the girls (leading into Spears' own voice) singing Everytime and the horrific violence of their crimes works surprisingly well and lends the song a truly disturbing edge. Harmony Korine's musical choices throughout the film are strong, but the decision to use Spears' arguably finest song in this scene is certainly his best (the story of Spears herself bears an odd parallel to the fall of modern American youth that this film immerses itself in). The cinematography of Benoit Debie (the visionary DoP behind 'Enter the Void' and 'Irreversible') is excellent in this scene and throughout the film, all hypnotic slo-mo, lurid colour and voyeuristic lens work. The scene fades out to Franco's whispered 'spring break bitches', an aural motif cleverly used throughout this trippy, twisted film.
SCENE-STEALER OF 2013 -- SAM ROCKWELL (THE WAY, WAY BACK)
As explained in my piece on 'The Way, Way Back' above, Rockwell steals the show in that film as the wise-cracking water park worker Owen. Laughing all the way as he delivers priceless quote after priceless quote in his deadpan, warmly sarcastic style, it is easy for us to see why geeky kid Duncan finds an idol in Owen. Rockwell has been quietly turning in superb peformances for years now, notably recently in Moon, Seven Psychopaths and Choke.
SOUNDTRACK OF 2013 -- LES MISÉRABLES
Loving the music of Les Mis as I do this was probably always likely to be the winner this year, unless the music had been poorly delivered in the film. Fortunately this is not the case, whatever you may think of Russell Crowe's singing. Anne Hathaway's 'I Dreamed A Dream is worth every bit of hype it received, heartbreaking and full of naked emotion. Hugh Jackman, already renowned for his appearance in musicals, delivers a powerful and tearjerking 'Bring Him Home', and Eddie Redmayne perhaps teases the tears the most with 'Empty Chairs at Empty Tables'.
Honourable mentions should go to 'Gravity' and 'The Great Gatsby'.
POSTER OF 2013 -- SPRING BREAKERS
'WISH YOU WERE HERE' - suggestive, hypnotic, and a neat reverse on the standard picture-postcard use of the phrase. The lurid colours that abound in the film itself. The sexualisation of violence that the film finds itself invested in, refusing to comment on the morality of it in typical Harmony Korine fashion. Beautiful and disturbing.
Honourable mention should go to 'Gravity'.
TRAILER OF 2013 (SHARED HONOURS) -- THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
Martin Scorsese's latest is one of my must-see films of 2014. The brilliant, bold trailer showcases a reel of glorious excess in this 'true story of Jordan Belfort, from his rise to a wealthy stockbroker living the high life to his fall involving crime, corruption and the federal government' (IMDb). Leonardo DiCaprio has yet to falter in his various collaborations with Scorsese and looks to be bang on form here (he now has a Golden Globe nomination to boot). Support from Jonah Hill (a revelation if early whispers are anything to go by), Matthew McConaughey (what a year 2014 looks like being for him) and the always brilliant Kyle Chandler.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iszwuX1AK6A
& THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
Sharing the honour of Trailer of 2013 with 'The Wolf of Wall Street', The Grand Budapest Hotel looks like it may well be the most Wes Anderson-y Wes Anderson film so far, which is saying something. The latest from one of my all-time favourite filmmakers, TGBH looks like typically quirky fun in this tale of 'Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars, and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend' (IMDb). This could be the ensemble cast of 2014, led by Ralph Fiennes and also featuring (pause for breath) Saoirse Ronan, Edward Norton, Jude Law, Bill Murray (of course), Léa Séydoux, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, Willem Dafoe, Tilda Swinton, Adrien Brody, Jeff Goldblum, Harvey Keitel and Tom Wilkinson. Phew!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Fg5iWmQjwk
Honourable mentions should go to 'Anchorman 2', 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty' and 'Gravity'.
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Finally, here is my rating out of 5 for every 2013 release that I’ve seen. I have left a few gaps for films that I intend on seeing over the next few weeks, so I can edit this post to include my ratings.
The Impossible – 3/5
Quartet – 3/5
Gangster Squad – 3/5
Les Misérables – 4/5
What Richard Did – 4/5
Django Unchained – 4/5
The Sessions – 3/5
Lincoln – 4/5
Movie 43 – 1/5
Zero Dark Thirty – 4/5
Hyde Park on Hudson – 3/5
Hitchcock – 3/5
Warm Bodies – 3/5
Wreck-It Ralph – 3/5
This Is 40 – 4/5
Cloud Atlas – 3/5
Song For Marion – 3/5
To The Wonder – 2/5
Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters – 2/5
Broken City – 3/5
Stoker – 4/5
Oz The Great and Powerful – 3/5
Robot & Frank – 4/5
Side Effects – 4/5
The Paperboy – 2/5
Welcome To The Punch – 3/5
Identity Thief – 2/5
Jack The Giant Slayer – 2/5
Trance – 4/5
The Host – 2/5
Spring Breakers – 4/5
Oblivion – 2/5
The Place Beyond The Pines – 4/5
Evil Dead – 3/5
Iron Man 3 – 3/5
The Look of Love – 3/5
21 And Over – 3/5
I’m So Excited – 3/5
Star Trek Into Darkness – 4/5
Mud – 4/5
The Great Gatsby – 3/5
The Hangover Part 3 – 3/5
Byzantium – 3/5
The Purge – 2/5
After Earth – 2/5
Behind The Candelabra – 4/5
Admission – 2/5
Man of Steel – 2/5
Much Ado About Nothing – 4/5
Stuck In Love – 4/5
Summer In February – 2/5
Before Midnight – 5/5
World War Z – 2/5
Despicable Me 2 – 3/5
The East – 4/5
Stories We Tell – 4/5
This Is The End – 3/5
The Internship – 2/5
Now You See Me – 3/5
The Bling Ring – 4/5
Monsters University – 3/5
Pacific Rim – 2/5
Breathe In – 4/5
The Frozen Ground – 3/5
The World’s End – 2/5
The Wolverine – 3/5
Frances Ha – 4/5
The Heat – 2/5
Only God Forgives – 3/5
Red 2 – 2/5
Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa – 4/5
The Lone Ranger – 3/5
Kick-Ass 2 – 3/5
Elysium – 3/5
The Kings of Summer – 4/5
Lovelace – 3/5
We’re The Millers – 3/5
What Maisie Knew – 4/5
The Way, Way Back – 4/5
Pain & Gain – 2/5
Upstream Colour – 3/5
About Time – 3/5
Ain’t Them Bodies Saints – 4/5
Any Day Now – 4/5
Rush – 3/5
Diana – 1/5
Blue Jasmine – 4/5
Filth – 4/5
Girl Most Likely – 3/5
Prisoners – 4/5
Runner Runner – 2/5
How I Live Now – 3/5
Le Week-end – 3/5
Machete Kills – 2/5
Romeo and Juliet – 3/5
Captain Phillips – 4/5
Enough Said – 4/5
Prince Avalanche – 4/5
The Selfish Giant – 4/5
Thor: The Dark World – 3/5
Drinking Buddies – 3/5
Philomena – 4/5
Short Term 12 – 4/5
Gravity – 4/5
The Butler –
The Counsellor –
Don Jon – 3/5
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire –
Blue Is The Warmest Colour – 5/5
Parkland – 3/5
Carrie –
Jeune Et Jolie –
Saving Mr Banks – 4/5
The Class of ’92 –
Kill Your Darlings –
Nebraska –
Oldboy –
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug –
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues –
All Is Lost –
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty –
I was somewhat disappointed by the summer blockbuster output this year, with only 'Star Trek: Into Darkness' exceeding expectations. 'Man of Steel', 'Pacific Rim' and 'The Lone Ranger' all left me pretty cold, while some, such as 'After Earth', 'Jack The Giant Slayer' and 'The Host' bordered on awful. This is all perhaps reflected in my top 10 list, which includes fewer tentpole Hollywood releases than previous years. This blog post, as with previous years, also features several other awards, including Actor, Actress, Scene-Stealer, Soundtrack and Trailer of 2013.
To make the list a film must have received its UK cinema release within the year 2013. Several of the current big awards buzz films, including '12 Years A Slave', 'American Hustle' and 'The Dallas Buyers Club', are not released in the UK until the early months of 2014. One of my favourite films I saw this year, 'The Spectacular Now' (London Film Festival), cannot be included on this list as it will not receive its official UK cinema release until 2014. There are a few critically acclaimed recent releases, including 'Nebraska' and 'Kill Your Darlings', that I have not seen yet and am unlikely to until January so I could of course not consider these for the below list. Similarly, 'All Is Lost' and 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty' are not released until right at the end of December so have not been considered. Anyway, happy reading, and would love to hear all your end-of-year lists!
TOP 10 FILMS OF 2013 ------->
BEFORE MIDNIGHT
'We meet Jesse and Celine nine years on in Greece. Almost two decades have passed since their first meeting on that train bound for Vienna' (IMDb). The third in Richard Linklater's masterpiece series about the relationship between Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) is arguably the finest, and the patience to set the films each nine years apart has really paid off. So strong is the writing that it doesn't take us too long to catch up, yet we are never unaware of just what the couple have been through during this time, and the changes they have undergone. The dialogue is sharp and true, the result of much hard work by Linklater, Delpy and Hawke, all now so in tune with the characters' thoughts and feelings. The interplay between Delpy and Hawke is as beautifully cohesive and natural as ever, albeit tinged with a sense that there is something about to break, some harsh truths needing to be spoken.
One of the unlikeliest trilogies of all time but easily one of the best, these films explore the relationship between these two people in such depth that come 'Before Midnight' we are so familiar with Jesse and Celine they are like family. When we see them hurting, or hurting each other, it hurts us too. You'll laugh, you'll cry. It'll warm you up and then break your heart, and then warm you up again. But please see the other two films first, to really get the full character arc of this wonderfully real, human couple.
THE KINGS OF SUMMER
'Three teenage friends, in the ultimate act of independence, decide to spend their summer building a house in the woods and living off the land' (IMDb). Nick Robinson and Gabriel Basso are both terrific as best friends Joe and Patrick in this lovely coming-of-age story with echoes of Stand By Me. Joe, frustrated by his father's attempts to control his life, enlists the help of his friends to build a new home in the nearby woods so that they may live off the land and be their own men. Comic relief comes in the form of Moises Arias as the tag-along oddball Biaggio.
Support is provided by the ever dependable Nick Offerman as Joe's Dad Frank, searching for his missing son and learning about him as if for the first time. The Kings of Summer may be slight, but it is also touching, sweet and funny, 'perfectly evoking', as Robbie Collin writes in his Telegragh review, 'that too-brief time of life when you could pass the evenings drunk on stolen beer and all the spare time you could dream of'.
THE WAY, WAY BACK
'Shy 14-year-old Duncan goes on summer vacation with his mother, her overbearing boyfriend, and her boyfriend's daughter. Having a rough time fitting in, Duncan finds an unexpected friend in Owen, manager of the Water Wizz water park' (IMDb). Dripping with nostalgia, The Way, Way Back came out of left field as one of the sweetest and funniest films of the year. Steve Carell has fun playing against type as the bullying, narcissistic Trent, and there are great supporting turns from Toni Collette as Duncan's nice but slightly unaware mother, Maya Rudolph as a water park staff member, and Alison Janney is a hoot as the boozy, brash neighbour.
The film belongs to Sam Rockwell, though, as the wisecracking Owen. Rockwell is the film's main source of humour, warm and likeable and delivering endlessly quotable dialogue (credit to writer/directors Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, fresh from their Oscars success with The Descendents) in a deadpan manner reminiscent of Bill Murray. The Way, Way Back surprised me with its injection of warmth, heart and fun - almost the perfect summer movie.
STOKER
'After India's father dies, her Uncle Charlie, who she never knew existed, comes to live with her and her unstable mother. She comes to suspect this mysterious, charming man has ulterior motives and becomes increasingly infatuated with him' (IMDb). Park Chan-Wook's first foray into English-language cinema after the success of Korean flicks Oldboy, Lady Vengeance etc was certainly a divisive one, with some considering it genius and others ludicrous. I was in the former category, finding Stoker to be a deeply atmospheric, moody mystery tinged with eroticism and yearning and anchored by a terrific cast.
Mia Wasikowska has gone from strength to strength in recent years and gives one of her finest performances to date as the troubled India. The film marks a return to form for Nicole Kidman as India's mother, and Matthew Goode oozes a wonderfully slimy charm as the sinister Uncle Charlie. The cinematography by regular Park Chan-Wook collaborator Chung-hoon Chung is nothing short of stunning, and the score by Clint Mansell (one of my favourite composers) is unsurprisingly beautiful. As a horror, Stoker is more psychologically disturbing than full-blooded and shocking, a slow-burning, provocative, creepy mood-piece.
WHAT MAISIE KNEW
'In New York City, a young girl is caught in the middle of her parents' bitter custody battle' (IMDb). This modern day adaptation of Henry James' novel is a small-scale but heartbreaking, beautifully acted study of the effects of her parents' divorce upon young Maisie. She is thrown from one parent to the other with a truly shocking lack of care or attention. Steve Coogan is enjoying quite the year, adding his strong performance here as Maisie's selfish and shallow father Beale to the hilarious Alan Partridge film and his fabulous screenplay and performance for the much lauded Philomena. Meanwhile Julianne Moore excels as the desperate, somewhat ugly character of Maisie's ageing rocker mum Susanna.
Alexander Skarsgard and Joanna Vanderham are absolutely wonderful as the new partners of Maisie's parents, struggling themselves with the neglect and mistreatment that Maisie is encountering. They give so much heart to the film and allow us to see, rather devastatingly, what Maisie's life could be like with parents who gave her the time and attention she deserves. The star of the show, though, is six year old newcomer Onata Aprile as Maisie. Aprile is an absolute revelation, turning in one of the finest child performances in recent memory and causing the entire audience to warm to her and suffer with her.
THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES
'A motorcycle stunt rider turns to robbing banks as a way to provide for his lover and their newborn child, a decision that puts him on a collision course with an ambitious rookie cop navigating a department ruled by a corrupt detective' (IMDb). Director Derek Cianfrance moves comfortably from the small, quiet but devastating relationship drama 'Blue Valentine' to this sprawling three act story set in the leafy environs of Schenectady, New York. Much as with 'Blue Valentine', The Place Beyond The Pines' greatest success lies with the power of its two central performances. Ryan Gosling, in a very different role to that of 'Blue Valentine', plays stunt rider Luke with a quiet but strong presence, a man driven to desperate measures to support the son he has only just discovered he has. Bradley Cooper, meanwhile, builds on his excellent work in Silver Linings Playbook with this performance as cop Avery, wrestling with his own sense of morality as all his ambitions take hold. Support is provided by the always excellent Ben Mendelsohn and Ray Liotta.
The third act requires the audience to accept certain coincidences, but if you can move past this it proves to be incredibly rewarding. This is where Cianfrance's full vision comes alive, helped by an electrifying Dane DeHaan as Luke's son Jason, as we see the long term effect of decisions made 15 years before. The Place Beyond The Pines deals in an accomplished manner with a number of big issues, chiefly those of and actions and consequences, of right and wrong and how often these concepts can be blurred. It wasn't for everyone, some finding it overlong or implausible, but I found the epic scope of this melodrama something to be commended - a film that isn't afraid to take risks. It confirmed Cianfrance as a new filmmaker of real note, and I can't wait to see what he does next.
THE BLING RING
'Inspired by actual events, a group of fame-obsessed teenagers use the internet to track celebrities' whereabouts in order to rob their homes' (IMDb). Largely misunderstood, The Bling Ring has actually wound up on a few worst-of lists but finds itself a place in my top 10 of 2013. Sometimes a film that features vacuous characters ends up being mistaken for vacuous itself, which seems to have been the case with Sofia Coppola's latest. I've been a fan of Coppola's since the very beginning, including 2010's equally misunderstood 'Somewhere'. There was no film released this year which felt as current, as of its time, a snapshot of a celebrity-obsessed culture high on social media. This is not the first time in recent times to find itself occupied with the excess of our current generation, with The Bling Ring cut from the same cloth as Harmony Korine's similarly divisive Spring Breakers in its depiction of a modern youth driven to the thrills of crime through boredom and dissatisfaction (this trend looks set to continue, most notably with Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street). In fact many parts of The Bling Ring felt very Korine-esque, coldly presenting a story of young Americans and their debauchery with very little attempt to pass judgement.
There is something refreshing about a film with no particular interest in critiquing, rather in simply capturing a piece of modern culture and leaving it to the audience to critique. Coppola's touch is present throughout the film, which features a number of terrific visual flourishes. In one bravura scene the Bling Ring rob Audrina Patridge's house of floor to ceiling windows, allowing us to watch the entire robbery in a single extended CCTV shot. I would argue this as one of the shots of the year. Emma Watson continued her great work in The Perks of Being a Wallflower with this revelatory performance as Valleyspeaking, unintentionally hilarious Nicki ("I want to lead the country someday, for all I know"), and Katie Chang was also very strong as the group's ringleader Rebecca.
GRAVITY
'A medical engineer and an astronaut work together to survive after an accident leaves them adrift in space' (IMDb). Gravity signals its ambitious intentions from the off with an astonishing 12 minute unbroken opening scene unlike anything seen before, as we are introduced to our protagonists. Alfonso Cuaron's latest broke new ground, making the most of updated technology to deliver the most visually arresting film of the year. The sound design is nothing short of incredible, nailing the difficult task of creating realistic noise in a vacuum and cleverly incorporating Sandra Bullock's breaths and heartbeat as true thematic elements.
Gravity, as good looking and good sounding as it undoubtedly is, would only be half as watchable if the central performances lacked, but fortunately they do anything but. Sandra Bullock, an actress I have at times struggled to warm to, is left to carry the film for great parts and gives a career-best effort as Dr. Stone, forced to summon incredible strength in her struggle for survival while still grief-stricken after the death of her daughter. George Clooney, as Matt Kowalski, is as dependable as ever, his laid-back calm a perfect foil for Bullock's barely controlled panic. Gravity is Cuaron's best work so far in a career already displaying a number of quality, varied films. It begins by acknowledging that 'Life in space is impossible', but Gravity does a magnificent job of bringing space to life.
STORIES WE TELL
'A film that excavates layers of myth and memory to find the elusive truth at the core of a family of storytellers' (IMDb). Sarah Polley's third full film as director after the very impressive 'Away From Her' and 'Take This Waltz' (one of my favourite films of 2011) is this wonderful little documentary about her family and the way in which their memories of events differ. Polley plays detective as she tries to discover the truths behind the relationship between her father Michael, a retired actor, and her mother Diane, a Canadian TV personality who died of cancer when Polley was 11, but with this film it seems that the truth depends on who is telling it.
As she grew up Polley was the subject of many comments regarding the lack of likeness between herself and her father, and this forms much of the focus of her explorations. Stories We Tell is a startlingly intimate and personal film, Polley unafraid to lay herself and her family bare. It's complex, grown-up watching, humourous and heartbreaking, with much to say about family, relationships, love and truth, and the effect of these human relationships on a much wider web of people.
BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOUR
'Adele's life is changed when she meets Emma, a young woman with blue hair, who will allow her to discover desire, to assert herself as a woman and as an adult. In front of others, Adele grows, seeks herself, loses herself, finds herself' (IMDb). Blue is the Warmest Colour is the love film of 2013 without question. Director Abdellatif Kechiche manages to coax (through whatever means he did - we won't go into that) the performances of the year from his young French stars. Léa Séydoux, as the blue-haired free spirit Emma, is tough, daring, a creative bohemian energy and a ray of light in Adele's life. The film's beating heart, though, is Adele Exarchopoulos, producing a totally believable, totally staggering performance as our protagonist Adele.
Much has been made of the lengthy, explicit sex scenes, which is a shame really in that it has somewhat distracted attention away from the fact that this is easily one of the films of the year. Yes, those particular scenes are full-on and extended, but so is every scene. The film is a meticulous, slow study of Adele's life and love, exploring themes of not just sex and lust but also education, art, romance, literature, discrimination. Some have classed it as overlong at 3 hours, but I barely felt it pass, so invested was I in the story and its many beautiful, devastating moments. I must admit I'm not a big fan of the film's English title - the French is 'La Vie d'Adele', directly translated as 'The Life of Adele', and works much better. The focus of the film is, after all, Adele's life, and the audience go on a truly epic journey with her. Ian Freer describes it well in his Empire review - '"How do you understand that the heart is missing something?” is a question posed at the start of Abdellatif Kechiche’s Palme D’Or winner. The answer is as emotionally shattering as movies get, the ecstacy and agony of first love, real love, in all its magnificent simplicity and complexity'.
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Honourable mentions go to 'Ain't Them Bodies Saints', 'Blue Jasmine', 'Captain Phillips', 'Spring Breakers', 'Short Term 12', 'Prince Avalanche' and 'Frances Ha'.
ACTOR OF 2013 -- TOM HANKS
The last couple of months of the year have seen Tom Hanks in not one but two excellent turns in awards buzz movies. First up was Paul Greengrass' unbearably tense 'Captain Phillips', in which Hanks' titular sea captain and his crew find themselves the victims of Somali pirates aboard their container ship The Maersk Alabama. Hanks is all clear-headed, calm professionalism, a Boston everyman, which makes his breakdown at the end of the film so much more devastating, and one of the most powerfully acted scenes of the year.
He followed this up with a totally different, but similarly brilliant, performance as Walt Disney in 'Saving Mr Banks'. He hints at the multi-faceted nature of Disney, the likeability and showmanship (a perfect fit for Hanks' natural charisma), the childlike wonder, the ruthlessness, and perhaps impresses most in the quiet scenes with Emma Thompson (the way they play off each other makes for the most humourous and warm moments). Add these to his six (yes, six!) roles in the Wachowski Brothers' mind-bending, massively underrated 'Cloud Atlas' earlier in the year and it is very clear that 2013 was Tom Hanks' year, confirming to the world that not only is he a 'HUGE MOVIE STAR' but he is also a fabulous actor capable of great versatility.
Honourable mention should go to Hugh Jackman for 'Les Misérables', 'The Wolverine' and 'Prisoners'.
ACTRESS OF 2013 -- ADELE EXARCHOPOULOS
19 year old Adele Exarchopoulos came from nowhere this year to deliver certainly one of the bravest and most committed performances in recent times as her namesake in French love film 'Blue Is The Warmest Colour'. Exarchopoulos laid herself bare, both physically and emotionally, fully investing herself in a tour de force performance so natural that you lost yourself completely in the emotional rollercoaster that her character undergoes. She was unafraid to snub beauty for realism, often in tears, snotty.
What was most impressive was how well she nailed the subtle but very present transition that Adele goes through over the years that the film covers, from unsure youth to mature, heartbroken teacher. There is a particular moment later on in the film with Adele teaching her kindergarten kids, maturely containing her emotion from the kids that she loves so much, before breaking down in the classroom after they leave, that ranks amongst the finest acting I have ever seen. Time will tell as to whether she makes the leap across the pond to Hollywood or stays within French cinema, but whatever comes next a star is most certainly born. What will be interesting to see, in the long career that she undoubtedly has ahead of her, is if she can genuinely top this performance.
Honourable mentions should go to Cate Blanchett for 'Blue Jasmine' and Judi Dench for 'Philomena'.
DIRECTOR OF 2013 -- WOODY ALLEN
It's Woody Allen, and I love him. I'm really enjoying his return to form recently, and this year's Blue Jasmine was his most accomplished film in a long time, an effective character study featuring a sharp script by Allen, and stand-out performances. In it, 'a New York socialite, deeply troubled and in denial, arrives in San Francisco to impose upon her sister. She looks a million, but isn't bringing money, peace, or love...' (IMDb). Allen gets a career best performance from Cate Blanchett as the titular Jasmine, and she is rightly being discussed as an Oscar frontrunner. Sally Hawkins and Alec Baldwin provide reliably excellent support - Hawkins has been rewarded with a Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe nomination. In fact the more I think of it, the more I think Blue Jasmine should have been in the Top 10 list. No, no, I will not change my mind! Anyway, it's great to see Allen back in business and I'm looking forward to his next film, 2014's Magic in the Moonlight, starring Emma Stone and Colin Firth.
Honourable mentions should go to Alfonso Cuaron and Paul Greengrass.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OF 2013 -- THE GREAT BEAUTY
As I have already written about 'Blue Is The Warmest Colour' I decided to give this award to 'The Great Beauty', a wonderful Italian movie that could easily have made the Top 10 Films list itself. 'Jep Gambardella has seduced his way through the lavish nightlife of Rome for decades, but after his 65th birthday and a shock from the past, Jep looks past the nightclubs and parties to find a timeless landscape of absurd, exquisite beauty' (IMDb). Much has been made of this as a homage to Fellini's La Dolce Vita, but that in some ways does a disservice to Paolo Sorrentino's film and the originality of much of his vision. The Great Beauty is a sumptuous affair, exquisitely shot (if you needed any other reason to visit Rome, this could be it) and by a mesmerising central performance by Sorrentino regular and veteran actor Toni Servillo as the charming, reflective Jep. Italy's contender for 2014's Best Foreign Language Film Oscar is uplifting, thought-provoking, and features the most breathtakingly beautiful music.
BREAKOUT STAR OF 2013 -- BRIE LARSON
Brie Larson was for me the obvious choice for Breakout Star of the year after excellent supporting turns in The Spectacular Now and Don Jon, followed up with one of the finest performances of the year in the lead role of foster care drama Short Term 12. As supervising staff member Grace, Larson breaks hearts and raises spirits in equal measure, nailing the strong, compassionate, beautifully human character perfectly. Next up for Larson is Rupert Wyatt's The Gambler, co-starring Mark Wahlberg, and The Basmati Blues, opposite Donald Sutherland. Watch out for this one.
SCENE OF 2013 -- 'EVERYTIME' SINGALONG IN SPRING BREAKERS
A scene in the much-derided Spring Breakers in which some girls stand around a piano and sing a Britney Spears song with James Franco may not seem like an obvious choice for my scene of the year. But thinking back over all the great scenes in the great films of 2013, this one is still sticking in my mind more than most, so it gets my vote. Yes, it's absolutely OTT and ludicrous and trashy, but also wonderfully provocative and gloriously bonkers. Michael J.W. Stickings, in his the-reaction blog post, gets it right when describing Spring Breakers as 'an intriguing (and shocking) presentation of postmodern American nihilism, of a dream turned dystopic, of the dark side of youth culture and so of a terribly bleak future'. Franco underwent a manic transformation to play creepy gangster rapper Alien (one of the most underrated acting performances of the year), and it is him that kicks this scene off as his piano begins the Everytime singalong, assisted by his three Spring Breakers (Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Benson and Rachel Korine, clad in pink ski masks and 'DTF' printed sweatpants and clutching machine guns), all bathed in the beautiful pink Florida sunset. The scene then begins to intercut shots of the girls assisting Alien in the torturing and robbing of other vacationers.
This bizarre contrast between the hauntingly beautiful innocence of the girls (leading into Spears' own voice) singing Everytime and the horrific violence of their crimes works surprisingly well and lends the song a truly disturbing edge. Harmony Korine's musical choices throughout the film are strong, but the decision to use Spears' arguably finest song in this scene is certainly his best (the story of Spears herself bears an odd parallel to the fall of modern American youth that this film immerses itself in). The cinematography of Benoit Debie (the visionary DoP behind 'Enter the Void' and 'Irreversible') is excellent in this scene and throughout the film, all hypnotic slo-mo, lurid colour and voyeuristic lens work. The scene fades out to Franco's whispered 'spring break bitches', an aural motif cleverly used throughout this trippy, twisted film.
SCENE-STEALER OF 2013 -- SAM ROCKWELL (THE WAY, WAY BACK)
As explained in my piece on 'The Way, Way Back' above, Rockwell steals the show in that film as the wise-cracking water park worker Owen. Laughing all the way as he delivers priceless quote after priceless quote in his deadpan, warmly sarcastic style, it is easy for us to see why geeky kid Duncan finds an idol in Owen. Rockwell has been quietly turning in superb peformances for years now, notably recently in Moon, Seven Psychopaths and Choke.
SOUNDTRACK OF 2013 -- LES MISÉRABLES
Loving the music of Les Mis as I do this was probably always likely to be the winner this year, unless the music had been poorly delivered in the film. Fortunately this is not the case, whatever you may think of Russell Crowe's singing. Anne Hathaway's 'I Dreamed A Dream is worth every bit of hype it received, heartbreaking and full of naked emotion. Hugh Jackman, already renowned for his appearance in musicals, delivers a powerful and tearjerking 'Bring Him Home', and Eddie Redmayne perhaps teases the tears the most with 'Empty Chairs at Empty Tables'.
Honourable mentions should go to 'Gravity' and 'The Great Gatsby'.
POSTER OF 2013 -- SPRING BREAKERS
'WISH YOU WERE HERE' - suggestive, hypnotic, and a neat reverse on the standard picture-postcard use of the phrase. The lurid colours that abound in the film itself. The sexualisation of violence that the film finds itself invested in, refusing to comment on the morality of it in typical Harmony Korine fashion. Beautiful and disturbing.
Honourable mention should go to 'Gravity'.
TRAILER OF 2013 (SHARED HONOURS) -- THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
Martin Scorsese's latest is one of my must-see films of 2014. The brilliant, bold trailer showcases a reel of glorious excess in this 'true story of Jordan Belfort, from his rise to a wealthy stockbroker living the high life to his fall involving crime, corruption and the federal government' (IMDb). Leonardo DiCaprio has yet to falter in his various collaborations with Scorsese and looks to be bang on form here (he now has a Golden Globe nomination to boot). Support from Jonah Hill (a revelation if early whispers are anything to go by), Matthew McConaughey (what a year 2014 looks like being for him) and the always brilliant Kyle Chandler.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iszwuX1AK6A
& THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
Sharing the honour of Trailer of 2013 with 'The Wolf of Wall Street', The Grand Budapest Hotel looks like it may well be the most Wes Anderson-y Wes Anderson film so far, which is saying something. The latest from one of my all-time favourite filmmakers, TGBH looks like typically quirky fun in this tale of 'Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars, and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend' (IMDb). This could be the ensemble cast of 2014, led by Ralph Fiennes and also featuring (pause for breath) Saoirse Ronan, Edward Norton, Jude Law, Bill Murray (of course), Léa Séydoux, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, Willem Dafoe, Tilda Swinton, Adrien Brody, Jeff Goldblum, Harvey Keitel and Tom Wilkinson. Phew!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Fg5iWmQjwk
Honourable mentions should go to 'Anchorman 2', 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty' and 'Gravity'.
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Finally, here is my rating out of 5 for every 2013 release that I’ve seen. I have left a few gaps for films that I intend on seeing over the next few weeks, so I can edit this post to include my ratings.
The Impossible – 3/5
Quartet – 3/5
Gangster Squad – 3/5
Les Misérables – 4/5
What Richard Did – 4/5
Django Unchained – 4/5
The Sessions – 3/5
Lincoln – 4/5
Movie 43 – 1/5
Zero Dark Thirty – 4/5
Hyde Park on Hudson – 3/5
Hitchcock – 3/5
Warm Bodies – 3/5
Wreck-It Ralph – 3/5
This Is 40 – 4/5
Cloud Atlas – 3/5
Song For Marion – 3/5
To The Wonder – 2/5
Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters – 2/5
Broken City – 3/5
Stoker – 4/5
Oz The Great and Powerful – 3/5
Robot & Frank – 4/5
Side Effects – 4/5
The Paperboy – 2/5
Welcome To The Punch – 3/5
Identity Thief – 2/5
Jack The Giant Slayer – 2/5
Trance – 4/5
The Host – 2/5
Spring Breakers – 4/5
Oblivion – 2/5
The Place Beyond The Pines – 4/5
Evil Dead – 3/5
Iron Man 3 – 3/5
The Look of Love – 3/5
21 And Over – 3/5
I’m So Excited – 3/5
Star Trek Into Darkness – 4/5
Mud – 4/5
The Great Gatsby – 3/5
The Hangover Part 3 – 3/5
Byzantium – 3/5
The Purge – 2/5
After Earth – 2/5
Behind The Candelabra – 4/5
Admission – 2/5
Man of Steel – 2/5
Much Ado About Nothing – 4/5
Stuck In Love – 4/5
Summer In February – 2/5
Before Midnight – 5/5
World War Z – 2/5
Despicable Me 2 – 3/5
The East – 4/5
Stories We Tell – 4/5
This Is The End – 3/5
The Internship – 2/5
Now You See Me – 3/5
The Bling Ring – 4/5
Monsters University – 3/5
Pacific Rim – 2/5
Breathe In – 4/5
The Frozen Ground – 3/5
The World’s End – 2/5
The Wolverine – 3/5
Frances Ha – 4/5
The Heat – 2/5
Only God Forgives – 3/5
Red 2 – 2/5
Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa – 4/5
The Lone Ranger – 3/5
Kick-Ass 2 – 3/5
Elysium – 3/5
The Kings of Summer – 4/5
Lovelace – 3/5
We’re The Millers – 3/5
What Maisie Knew – 4/5
The Way, Way Back – 4/5
Pain & Gain – 2/5
Upstream Colour – 3/5
About Time – 3/5
Ain’t Them Bodies Saints – 4/5
Any Day Now – 4/5
Rush – 3/5
Diana – 1/5
Blue Jasmine – 4/5
Filth – 4/5
Girl Most Likely – 3/5
Prisoners – 4/5
Runner Runner – 2/5
How I Live Now – 3/5
Le Week-end – 3/5
Machete Kills – 2/5
Romeo and Juliet – 3/5
Captain Phillips – 4/5
Enough Said – 4/5
Prince Avalanche – 4/5
The Selfish Giant – 4/5
Thor: The Dark World – 3/5
Drinking Buddies – 3/5
Philomena – 4/5
Short Term 12 – 4/5
Gravity – 4/5
The Butler –
The Counsellor –
Don Jon – 3/5
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire –
Blue Is The Warmest Colour – 5/5
Parkland – 3/5
Carrie –
Jeune Et Jolie –
Saving Mr Banks – 4/5
The Class of ’92 –
Kill Your Darlings –
Nebraska –
Oldboy –
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug –
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues –
All Is Lost –
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty –
Wednesday, January 09, 2013
Ten Most Anticipated Films of 2013
Another annual must, blog-wise, is my most anticipated films of 2013 list. Another toughie! I was loath to include too many films that aren't yet guaranteed 2013 release dates, which means that Spike Lee's 'Oldboy' remake and 'Anchorman: The Legend Continues', both of which would've made the cut, have been left out for this reason. I have included one film which has not yet been given a 2013 UK release, 'Beyond Midnight', but its January Sundance premiere suggests a good chance we'll see it this year.
LES MISÉRABLES
'In 19th-century France, Jean Valjean, who for decades has been hunted by the ruthless policeman Javert after he breaks parole, agrees to care for factory worker Fantine's daughter, Cosette. The fateful decision changes their lives forever'(IMDb). I remain slightly sceptical of how well one of my all-time favourite musicals can be translated to the big screen, but I'm full of excitement nevertheless, thanks in great part to those breathtaking trailers (goosebumps!). Tom Hooper has assembled a really superb cast - Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe (I even love his singing voice), Anne Hathaway (huge Oscar buzz based almost entirely on her 'I Dreamed A Dream' rendition), Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen.
STOKER
'After India's father dies, her Uncle Charlie, who she never knew existed, comes to live with her and her unstable mother. She comes to suspect this mysterious, charming man has ulterior motives and becomes increasingly infatuated with him' (IMDb). 'Stoker' represents the first foray into English-language features for the masterful Park Chan-Wook, following Korean successes such as 'Oldboy', 'Lady Vengeance' and 'Thirst'. Looks truly creepy, less of a horror as some have called it and more a chilly, psychological mystery drama. Featuring the immensely talented Mia Masikowska and Matthew Goode, the film should also represent a return to form for Nicole Kidman, her moments in the trailers bringing to mind her haunted performance in 2001's 'The Others'.
MAN OF STEEL
'An alien infant is raised on Earth, and grows up with superhuman abilities. He sets out to use these abilities to guard his adopted world' (IMDb). Directed by Zach Snyder, produced by Christopher Nolan, the latest Superman incarnation bears all the dark, haunting hallmarks of Nolan's Batman movies, though it is worth remembering that Zach Snyder brought us one of the greatest superhero films to hit the big screen in 2009's 'Watchmen'. Hopefully this will succeed in banishing memories of Bryan Singer's ill-conceived 'Superman Returns', perhaps re-invigorating a franchise that had almost seemed dead in the water. Henry Cavill looks like he will make for a suitably brooding Clark Kent/Superman, physically similar to Christopher Reeve's iconic portrayal. He will be supported by Kevin Costner as Clark's father Jonathan, and Russell Crowe as Jor-El. The potential is certainly there... now to see if they've realised it.
THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG
'The Dwarfs, Bilbo and Gandalf have successfully escaped the misty mountains, but Bilbo has gained the one ring. They all continue their journey to get their gold back off the Dragon, Smaug' (IMDb). 'The Hobbit' may have had its critics, but Martin Freeman made a perfect Bilbo, Richard Armitage a perfect Thorin, and the film was overall an epic adventure with a real sense of fun. The second part of the adventure promises Mirkwood, much more of Benedict Cumberbatch's Smaug, and building towards the absolutely huge Battle of Five Armies, in 2014's 'There and Back Again'.
THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES
'A motorcycle stunt rider considers committing a crime in order to provide for his wife and child, an act that puts him on a collision course with a cop-turned-politician' (IMDb). 'Place Beyond the Pines' reunites man of the moment Ryan Gosling with director Derek Cianfrance after their brilliant and heartbreaking first collaboration, 'Blue Valentine'. This looks to be an altogether different beast, a sprawling crime drama that has thus far divided festival critics. Also starring Bradley Cooper and Eva Mendes.
THE GREAT GATSBY
'Nick Carraway, a Midwesterner now living on Long Island, finds himself fascinated by the mysterious past and lavish lifestyle of his neighbor, Jay Gatsby. He is drawn into Gatsby's circle, becoming a witness to obsession and tragedy' (IMDb). An entirely original take on F.Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel, Baz Lurhmann's latest promises a whirlwind of colour, crazy costumes and epic romance. The only fear is that amongst all the scale and grandeur of Lurhmann's reimagining, some of the heart and character emphasis of the novel may be lost, but this remains to be seen. 'Gatsby' will be a visual treat for sure, but with a cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan and Tobey Maguire, should also prove a showcase of terrific acting. The intriguing decision to hire Jay-Z to score the film could well prove a masterstroke.
KICK-ASS 2
'The costumed high-school hero Kick-Ass joins with a group of normal citizens who have been inspired to fight crime in costume. Meanwhile, the Red Mist plots an act of revenge that will affect everyone Kick-Ass knows' (IMDb). Again following the escapades of Aaron Johnson's Dave Lizewski, this sequel will also see the return of one of the greatest screen creations of recent times, Chloe Moretz's potty-mouthed Hit-Girl. We'll also be introduced to some new characters, including Doctor Gravity (played by Scrubs' Donald Faison) and, intriguingly, Jim Carrey as Colonel Stars and Stripes. Here's hoping it retains all the fun, energy and frenetic action of the first film, despite the lack of Matthew Vaughn's involvement.
THE WORLD'S END
'Five friends who reunite in an attempt to top their epic pub crawl from 20 years earlier unwittingly become humankind's only hope for survival' (IMDb). Director Edgar Wright and stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost have thus far managed to keep many of the details about their latest collaboration well under wraps, but you can expect much of the same silliness and big belly laughs that made 'Shaun of the Dead' and 'Hot Fuzz' so enjoyable. The central cast of Pegg, Frost, Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine and Eddie Marson will be one of the finest British ensembles of the year. 'The World's End' probably won't break any real comedy barriers, but could be one of the most fun cinematic experiences this year.
TRANCE
'An art auctioneer who has become mixed up with a group of criminals partners with a hypnotherapist in order to recover a lost painting' (IMDb). Danny Boyle's latest, coming off the almighty buzz generated by his truly magnificent Olympics opening ceremony, looks to be a fine thriller amongst the world of hypnosis. The trailer goes live on Thursday (10/1/13), so we can have a better idea of what to expect then. Starring the superb triumvirate of James McAvoy, Rosario Dawson and Vincent Cassel, 'Trance' looks set to build on Boyle's reputation as a truly adept 'genre skipper' of a director.
BEFORE MIDNIGHT
'We meet Jesse and Celine nine years on in Greece. Almost two decades have passed since their first meeting on that train bound for Vienna' (IMDb). I'm a huge fan of the previous two films in Richard Linklater's series, 'Before Sunrise' and 'Before Sunset', and have high hopes for the latest. The films are so simple, so beautiful, and the chemistry between stars Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy so natural, that I can't help but expect the third part of Jesse and Celine's journey to be another little gem. Though 'Before Midnight' is not guaranteed a UK release in 2013 (nothing has been announced yet), it is receiving its premiere in this month's Sundance Film Festival, suggesting we may well see this before the year is out. Here's hoping!
Honourable mentions must go to 'Django Unchained', 'Lincoln', 'Elysium', 'Iron Man 3', 'To The Wonder', 'Star Trek: Into Darkness', 'Elysium', 'Romeo and Juliet', 'The Wolverine', and 'Oz: The Great and Powerful'.
So, what would make your list?
'In 19th-century France, Jean Valjean, who for decades has been hunted by the ruthless policeman Javert after he breaks parole, agrees to care for factory worker Fantine's daughter, Cosette. The fateful decision changes their lives forever'(IMDb). I remain slightly sceptical of how well one of my all-time favourite musicals can be translated to the big screen, but I'm full of excitement nevertheless, thanks in great part to those breathtaking trailers (goosebumps!). Tom Hooper has assembled a really superb cast - Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe (I even love his singing voice), Anne Hathaway (huge Oscar buzz based almost entirely on her 'I Dreamed A Dream' rendition), Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen.
'After India's father dies, her Uncle Charlie, who she never knew existed, comes to live with her and her unstable mother. She comes to suspect this mysterious, charming man has ulterior motives and becomes increasingly infatuated with him' (IMDb). 'Stoker' represents the first foray into English-language features for the masterful Park Chan-Wook, following Korean successes such as 'Oldboy', 'Lady Vengeance' and 'Thirst'. Looks truly creepy, less of a horror as some have called it and more a chilly, psychological mystery drama. Featuring the immensely talented Mia Masikowska and Matthew Goode, the film should also represent a return to form for Nicole Kidman, her moments in the trailers bringing to mind her haunted performance in 2001's 'The Others'.
'An alien infant is raised on Earth, and grows up with superhuman abilities. He sets out to use these abilities to guard his adopted world' (IMDb). Directed by Zach Snyder, produced by Christopher Nolan, the latest Superman incarnation bears all the dark, haunting hallmarks of Nolan's Batman movies, though it is worth remembering that Zach Snyder brought us one of the greatest superhero films to hit the big screen in 2009's 'Watchmen'. Hopefully this will succeed in banishing memories of Bryan Singer's ill-conceived 'Superman Returns', perhaps re-invigorating a franchise that had almost seemed dead in the water. Henry Cavill looks like he will make for a suitably brooding Clark Kent/Superman, physically similar to Christopher Reeve's iconic portrayal. He will be supported by Kevin Costner as Clark's father Jonathan, and Russell Crowe as Jor-El. The potential is certainly there... now to see if they've realised it.
'The Dwarfs, Bilbo and Gandalf have successfully escaped the misty mountains, but Bilbo has gained the one ring. They all continue their journey to get their gold back off the Dragon, Smaug' (IMDb). 'The Hobbit' may have had its critics, but Martin Freeman made a perfect Bilbo, Richard Armitage a perfect Thorin, and the film was overall an epic adventure with a real sense of fun. The second part of the adventure promises Mirkwood, much more of Benedict Cumberbatch's Smaug, and building towards the absolutely huge Battle of Five Armies, in 2014's 'There and Back Again'.
'A motorcycle stunt rider considers committing a crime in order to provide for his wife and child, an act that puts him on a collision course with a cop-turned-politician' (IMDb). 'Place Beyond the Pines' reunites man of the moment Ryan Gosling with director Derek Cianfrance after their brilliant and heartbreaking first collaboration, 'Blue Valentine'. This looks to be an altogether different beast, a sprawling crime drama that has thus far divided festival critics. Also starring Bradley Cooper and Eva Mendes.
'Nick Carraway, a Midwesterner now living on Long Island, finds himself fascinated by the mysterious past and lavish lifestyle of his neighbor, Jay Gatsby. He is drawn into Gatsby's circle, becoming a witness to obsession and tragedy' (IMDb). An entirely original take on F.Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel, Baz Lurhmann's latest promises a whirlwind of colour, crazy costumes and epic romance. The only fear is that amongst all the scale and grandeur of Lurhmann's reimagining, some of the heart and character emphasis of the novel may be lost, but this remains to be seen. 'Gatsby' will be a visual treat for sure, but with a cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan and Tobey Maguire, should also prove a showcase of terrific acting. The intriguing decision to hire Jay-Z to score the film could well prove a masterstroke.
'The costumed high-school hero Kick-Ass joins with a group of normal citizens who have been inspired to fight crime in costume. Meanwhile, the Red Mist plots an act of revenge that will affect everyone Kick-Ass knows' (IMDb). Again following the escapades of Aaron Johnson's Dave Lizewski, this sequel will also see the return of one of the greatest screen creations of recent times, Chloe Moretz's potty-mouthed Hit-Girl. We'll also be introduced to some new characters, including Doctor Gravity (played by Scrubs' Donald Faison) and, intriguingly, Jim Carrey as Colonel Stars and Stripes. Here's hoping it retains all the fun, energy and frenetic action of the first film, despite the lack of Matthew Vaughn's involvement.
'Five friends who reunite in an attempt to top their epic pub crawl from 20 years earlier unwittingly become humankind's only hope for survival' (IMDb). Director Edgar Wright and stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost have thus far managed to keep many of the details about their latest collaboration well under wraps, but you can expect much of the same silliness and big belly laughs that made 'Shaun of the Dead' and 'Hot Fuzz' so enjoyable. The central cast of Pegg, Frost, Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine and Eddie Marson will be one of the finest British ensembles of the year. 'The World's End' probably won't break any real comedy barriers, but could be one of the most fun cinematic experiences this year.
'An art auctioneer who has become mixed up with a group of criminals partners with a hypnotherapist in order to recover a lost painting' (IMDb). Danny Boyle's latest, coming off the almighty buzz generated by his truly magnificent Olympics opening ceremony, looks to be a fine thriller amongst the world of hypnosis. The trailer goes live on Thursday (10/1/13), so we can have a better idea of what to expect then. Starring the superb triumvirate of James McAvoy, Rosario Dawson and Vincent Cassel, 'Trance' looks set to build on Boyle's reputation as a truly adept 'genre skipper' of a director.
'We meet Jesse and Celine nine years on in Greece. Almost two decades have passed since their first meeting on that train bound for Vienna' (IMDb). I'm a huge fan of the previous two films in Richard Linklater's series, 'Before Sunrise' and 'Before Sunset', and have high hopes for the latest. The films are so simple, so beautiful, and the chemistry between stars Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy so natural, that I can't help but expect the third part of Jesse and Celine's journey to be another little gem. Though 'Before Midnight' is not guaranteed a UK release in 2013 (nothing has been announced yet), it is receiving its premiere in this month's Sundance Film Festival, suggesting we may well see this before the year is out. Here's hoping!
Honourable mentions must go to 'Django Unchained', 'Lincoln', 'Elysium', 'Iron Man 3', 'To The Wonder', 'Star Trek: Into Darkness', 'Elysium', 'Romeo and Juliet', 'The Wolverine', and 'Oz: The Great and Powerful'.
So, what would make your list?
Monday, December 24, 2012
Review Of The Movie Year 2012
If one thing was going to make me write a blog post for the first time in nearly a year, it would be my 'Review of the Movie Year', including my top 10 films of the year. And what a year it's been! I'd have liked to have named a top 20, or perhaps a top 25. 2012 really has been a terrific year for films, from huge tentpole releases ('Avengers Assemble', 'The Dark Knight Rises', 'Skyfall', 'The Hobbit') to awards season favourites ('Argo', 'The Master') to smaller indie fare ('Martha Marcy May Marlene', 'The Perks of Being A Wallflower', 'Take This Waltz').
As per usual, I'm chickening out of ordering the ten. I've found it hard enough, particularly this year, simply to pick a ten, let alone have to number them! And, as with previous years, sticking to UK 2012 releases means that although some films were released in other countries in 2011, they'll find themselves considered for inclusion in this list. It also means that films getting huge awards buzz in the States at the moment having been recently released, namely 'Les Miserables', 'Zero Dark Thirty', 'Lincoln' and 'The Sessions', will not be considered for this list (as they haven't been released over here yet!). The only release in the remaining days of 2012 that I intend to see is 'The Life of Pi', so it should be noted that I have not considered that for inclusion here. I've obviously missed some other big releases here and there this year, though do have a look at the long list of star ratings at the end of this blog post to see briefly what I thought of all the films I saw at the cinema this year (there really are a lot of them!). Happy reading, and do comment below and let me know what you would have done differently in your list.
TOP 10 FILMS OF 2012 ------->
BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD
Faced with both her hot-tempered father's fading health and melting ice-caps that flood her ramshackle bayou community and unleash ancient aurochs, six-year-old Hushpuppy must learn the ways of courage and love (IMDb). 'Beasts of the Southern Wild' is a remarkable first film for director Benh Zeitlin, and anchored by a truly beautiful, naturalistic performance from nine-year-old Quvenzhane Wallis as Hushpuppy. It's sheer poetry on film, a small movie with a big, big heart, stunningly shot by Ben Richardson, bringing 'The Bathtub' (home of Hushpuppy and her family) to colourful life. 'Beasts' teases your tear ducts and makes you smile - a little marvel.
ARGO
A dramatization of the 1980 joint CIA-Canadian secret operation to extract six fugitive American diplomatic personnel out of revolutionary Iran (IMDb). Ben Affleck, having impressed with his first two directorial efforts, 'Gone Baby Gone' and 'The Town', takes a huge leap forward with 'Argo' and deserves to be inundated with project offers after this. The film, based on a peculiar and astonishing true story, sizzles with almost unbearable tension at times as we follow the unique operation that Tony Mendez (Affleck) undertakes to rescue the American diplomats. The thing that really sets 'Argo' apart from other recent political thrillers is its undeniable sense of fun, brought out in particular by Alan Arkin and John Goodman (both terrific). In the end, you'll feel like fist-pumping your way out of the cinema.
ON THE ROAD
Young writer Sal Paradise has his life shaken by the arrival of free-spirited Dean Moriarty and his girl, Marylou. As they travel across the country, they encounter a mix of people who each impact their journey indelibly (IMDb). Adapted from the supposedly unfilmable Jack Kerouac classic - one of my all-time favourite books. People had their gripes – that it was overlong, that it was too full of hedonism and not a lot else. This has been the case for the book, and the film was always going to encounter the same criticisms. To see the film for just this is to do it a great disservice, and to miss the inherent, overwhelming sadness at its heart.
‘On The Road’ follows characters who embrace the madness of the road, the colours and smells, the culture, the jazz music, the women, on their search for ‘it’ (that point of all-consuming joy), and characters who swiftly reject all those who try to bring them down to earth. Characters who are too young to understand or take responsibility for the damage their actions so often cause. Garret Hedlund was an absolutely perfect Dean Moriarty, all charisma and freedom until the cracks begin to show, until he can ignore the world and his responsibilities no more. Kristen Stewart has never been better, bringing a wounded beauty to the character of Dean’s wife Marylou, and the film features memorable cameo roles from Viggo Mortensen, Amy Adams, Kirsten Dunst and Steve Buscemi. Walter Salles has done a remarkable job of translating Kerouac’s autobiographical novel to the screen, featuring a beautiful score by his usual collaborator Gustavo Santaollala. A sad, reflective paean to youth and freedom.
LOOPER
In 2074, when the mob wants to get rid of someone, the target is sent 30 years into the past, where a hired gun awaits. Someone like Joe, who one day learns the mob wants to 'close the loop' by transporting back Joe's future self (IMDb). Writer/director Rian Johnson adds to his sterling work on 'Brick' and 'The Brothers Bloom', stepping up to the bigger budget and greater pressure with consummate professionalism. He has crafted a science fiction film that takes the best of classic sci fi while adding a new spin to it, a really quite original idea, and comes up with one of the few recent fresh entries in a sometimes stale genre.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, having previously worked with Johnson on the little-seen but terrific 'Brick', showcases not only his range ('Looper comes amongst the comedy of '50/50', the superhero thriller of 'The Dark Knight Rises' and the period drama of 'Lincoln') but also his ability as a leading man. Bruce Willis (as the older Joe) is the best he's been in years, excelling in both the action scenes and more emotional moments. There are also superb performances from Emily Blunt, and young Pierce Gagnon as the creepy, troubled Cid. 'Looper' is not only successful in its full throttle action, but in its thought-provoking concept and matters of the heart, connecting emotionally with its audience as well as getting their pulses racing.
AMOUR
Georges and Anne are in their eighties. They are cultivated, retired music teachers. Their daughter, who is also a musician, lives abroad with her family. One day, Anne has an attack. The couple's bond of love is severely tested (IMDb). Described by some (aptly) as the best horror film of the year, 'Amour' makes for truly uncomfortable viewing in its unflinching, uncompromising depiction of ageing. Of course, you'd expect nothing less than uncomfortable and unflinching from master filmmaker Michael Haneke, the Austrian crafting perhaps his best film yet. From Anne's first attack to Georges' one moment of frustrated weakness to the heartbreaking ending, Haneke is not afraid to show anything, the camera lingering on the tormented faces of the film's protagonists.
'Amour' follows the majority of Haneke's output in having no non-diegetic (added after filming, ie music) sound, adding to the intense, claustrophobic feel and meaning that sentimentality is not shoved down the audience's throats. The acting is nothing short of astounding. Though all the fuss has been made of Emmanuelle Riva as the rapidly deteriorating Anne, I think the real gem of the piece is Jean-Louis Trintignant in the subtler, less showy role of Georges. As he tries to hold it together and attend to his dying wife, the cracks begin to show and you can see the real pain in his eyes, a real testament to the deliacy of 82 year old Trintignant's performance. Isabelle Huppert is also memorable as the couple's daughter Eva. If you haven't seen it yet, do. And take tissues.
THE MASTER
A Naval veteran arrives home from war unsettled and uncertain of his future - until he is tantalized by The Cause and its charismatic leader (IMDb). Paul Thomas Anderson's latest challenges and unsettles, and is led by some of the very best performances this year. It may not be the easiest film to love, as such, keeping itself at a distance from the audience at all times, but it is certainly easy to admire, beautifully shot and filled with haunting moments. Think of Hoffman's creepy, vaguely threatening rendition of '(I'd Like to Get You on a) Slow Boat to China', eyes fixed on Phoenix the whole time.
The film can be read in several ways, but translates most easily as a take on post-war America and those who chose to rise up amongst all the uncertainty and take these uncertain, vulnerable people under their wing, bend them to their beliefs. Phoenix's Freddie Quell is just one of these people, a man broken by war and the things he has seen and done, and really quite unsure of what to believe in anymore. He finds his comfort at the bottom of a bottle, and is a perfect target for Lancaster Dodd (Hoffman) and his brand of conditioning. Phoenix gives the best performance of his career so far - Freddie is an actor's dream of a character, bruised and battered, and Phoenix gets the very best from him, all slurred words and big laughs, anger always threatening to boil over. Hoffman, in his fourth collaboration with director Anderson, brings a dark, dangerous quality to Dodd (a thinly veiled representation of Scientology founder L.Ron Hubbard), his surface warmth often hinting at something uglier beneath. Amy Adams, as Dodd's wife, is also terrific.
LIBERAL ARTS
When 30-something Jesse returns to his alma mater for a professor's retirement party, he falls for Zibby, a college student, and is faced with a powerful attraction that springs up between them (IMDb). Written and directed by 'How I Met Your Mother's Josh Radnor, 'Liberal Arts' is a lovely little coming of age story about a man who is struggling to accept his years. Jesse (played by Radnor) has never been able to truly leave college behind, so much so that he works in New York in Admissions just to feel closer to that college environment. It is commonly said that college/university equals the best years of a person's life, and Jesse looks wistfully back at that time, unable to shake the idea that nothing has been quite the same since.
Radnor is brilliant - just the right mix of boyish energy and enthusiasm, and the intelligence and sensibilities of his years (his character is not dissimilar to 'How I Met Your Mother's Ted). He captures the dreamer/lost soul side to the character so well that you wonder if the film is perhaps semi-autobiographical. Elizabeth Olsen, as Zibby, is an absolute gem, and it is quite easy to see why Jesse would be attracted to her despite the age gap that always plays on his mind. The two are supported by a reflective Richard Jenkins and a very amusing Alison Janney. 'Liberal Arts' breaks no real barriers but is a memorable little film, funny and warm and full of heart.
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
After a stint in a mental institution, former teacher Pat Solitano moves back in with his parents and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife. Things get more challenging when Pat meets Tiffany, a mysterious girl with problems of her own (IMDb). 'Silver Linings Playbook' is made by its performances. Bradley Cooper is the best he's ever been, finally finding the right role to showcase his talents. Robert De Niro is the best he's been in years as Pat's Dad, all worry and frustration at his son's self-destructive nature. The film is really set apart by Jennifer Lawrence, in one of the performances of the year. 'Silver Linings' flits successfully between genres - a rom-com, dark drama, sports movie - creating a unique mix. It's very much a follow-up to 'The Fighter', David O.Russell's last film, a real ensemble piece that says much about family bonds and the fragility of the human condition. I would be surprised if this didn't do well come Oscar nominations time. Despite its rather clichéd, rom-com ending, the film overall achieves a superb balance between dark and fun, pulling at the heartstrings and making you truly care about its oh-so-human characters.
MOONRISE KINGDOM
A pair of young lovers flee their New England town, which causes a local search party to fan out and find them (IMDb). The new film from the marvellous Wes Anderson ranks as one of his best, a whimsical little tale and really a tribute to youth and adventure. It's certainly one of his funniest, and boasts the best cast (and one of the best ensembles of 2012) - Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray (of course), Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton and Jason Schwartzman all support the strong central pairing of Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward as the youngsters in love. Willis and Norton in particular are wildly against type (note Norton saying lines like 'Jiminy Cricket, he flew the coop!'), which is really very fun to watch. It's unlikely to win over any Anderson detractors - in fact the quirkiness is perhaps lifted to a whole new level in 'Moonrise' - but if you're a fan then you'll struggle to do anything but love this.
MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE
Haunted by painful memories and increasing paranoia, a damaged woman struggles to re-assimilate with her family after fleeing an abusive cult (IMDb). A wonderfully understated little movie, 'Martha' is thought-provoking, intelligent, and acts as a fitting showcase for Elizabeth Olsen's burgeoning ability. Olsen's Martha is withdrawn, hiding some dark secrets about her past, and her behaviour starts to become more and more erratic as she struggles to separate dreams from reality. John Hawkes followed up his Oscar-nominated turn in 'Winter's Bone' with another tremendous performance here as cult leader Patrick, unsettling and unpredictable - his 'Marcy's Song' is beautiful and yet horrifically disturbing, knowing what we know of him. The film, non-linear in its storytelling as it flits between Martha's new life back with her family and her old life in the cult, is slow-paced and atmospheric, getting under the audience's skin. 'Martha' represents a great calling card for first time writer/director Sean Durkin, a creepy, paranoiac indie film with an ambiguous ending which frustrates and fascinates in equal measure.
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Honourable mentions go to 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower', 'The Hobbit', 'The Dark Knight Rises', 'The Descendants', 'Take This Waltz', 'Skyfall', 'Rust and Bone' and 'The Muppets' (yes you heard right, I bloody loved it).
ACTOR OF 2012 -- MICHAEL FASSBENDER
2012 was an absolutely huge year for Michael Fassbender. Having already established himself previously with terrific turns in 'Fish Tank', 'Inglorious Basterds', X-Men:First Class' and, most impressively, Steve McQueen's debut feature 'Hunger', this year saw Fassbender cement his reputation as one of the greatest character actors around. He reunited with director McQueen for 'Shame', a bleak and harrowing depiction of sex addiction, in which Fassbender's subtle performance brings to life a man always seeming on the edge of a breakdown. Fassbender's Brandon is a cold, really quite creepy creation, all long, lingering glances and forward mannerisms. He sometimes brings to mind the more reigned in parts of Christian Bale's Patrick Bateman, a simmering madness barely buried beneath manly charm.
As Carl Jung in Cronenberg's 'A Dangerous Method', Fassbender put in yet another solid, memorable performance. His scenes with Viggo Mortensen (playing Sigmund Freud) crackle with tension, a titanic psychological struggle between two masters at work. Finally, he was arguably the best thing about 'Prometheus', Ridley Scott's 'Alien' prequel. Playing android David, Fassbender always hinted at a darker side, at hidden secrets, at being one step ahead of all those around him. 2013 should be no less a year for the actor, as he reunites with Scott for 'The Counselor', McQueen for 'Twelve Years a Slave', while appearing for the great Terrence Malick for the first time in a currently untitled project.
Honourable mentions must go to Joaquin Phoenix for 'The Master' and Jean-Louis Trintignant for 'Amour'.
ACTRESS OF 2012 -- JENNIFER LAWRENCE
Rising to prominence in 2010's wonderful 'Winter's Bone', Jennifer Lawrence hit the big time in 2012, producing performance after performance of class, and ending on the highest note of her young career so far as Tiffany in 'Silver Linings Playbook'. Firstly she played the 'other girl' Sam with warmth and likeability in Drake Doremus' Sundance favourite 'Like Crazy'. Next up was her biggest role to date, the leading lady of the blockbuster adaptation of Suzanne Collins' 'The Hunger Games'. Lawrence nailed the role of heroine Katniss Everdeen, finding the right moments for Katniss' hard-edged nature and the right ones for her vulnerability. Showcasing her range, the film has catapulted Lawrence into the Hollywood limelight and proved she is perfectly capable of handling the pressure of leading a franchise - indeed, I found her to be by far the best thing about 'The Hunger Games'. She was solid in horror 'House at the End of the Street' - another genre successfully conquered.
Finally, she gave one of the best acting displays of the year in David O.Russell's 'Silver Linings Playbook'. It was a performance well, well beyond her years - there certainly aren't many actresses of just 22 who could have pulled off the role of depressed, damaged Tiffany with quite the skill that Lawrence has. Her chemistry with Bradley Cooper (who is also superb) is electric, as they give one of the great one-two Actor-Actress displays of the year - both deserve to be rewarded with Oscar nominations. Taking into account Lawrence's age, it is scary to think how good she could be in the years to come.
Honourable mentions must go to Marion Cotillard (Rust and Bone) and Emmanuelle Riva (Amour).
DIRECTOR OF 2012 -- PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON
I love Paul Thomas Anderson. Love love love him. I've yet to feel anything but blown away by one of his films, and this year's 'The Master' is no exception. Almost a companion piece to his previous feature, 'There Will Be Blood', Dodd/Quell's master-disciple relationship similar to that of Plainview/Sunday (Daniel-Day Lewis/Dano), 'The Master' continues Anderson's skill at bringing to life characters who display both the highest power and lowest weakness of human beings, characters who you simply cannot tear your eyes from. He gets the most fantastic performances from his actors, truly remarkable - think the ensembles of 'Boogie Nights' and 'Magnolia', Adam Sandler in 'Punch-Drunk Love', Day-Lewis in 'There Will Be Blood'. The acting from Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman (one of my all-time favourite actors) and Amy Adams in 'The Master' is so spectacular, the story so thought-provoking, that I felt it only right to bestow this year's Director award upon the brilliant Anderson.
Honourable mentions must go to Michael Haneke (Amour) and Ben Affleck (Argo).
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OF 2012 -- HOLY MOTORS
Rather than simply bestow this award upon 'Amour', which has already made it onto my Top 10 films of the year, I have decided to look at my 2nd favourite foreign language film, and one that very very nearly made my Top 10, 'Holy Motors'. Director Leos Carax's first feature since 1999's 'Pola X', 'Holy Motors' is a truly original take on the themes of identity and features arguably the performance (or should that be eleven performances?) of the year by previous Carax-collaborator Denis Lavant. It's certainly one of the most bizarre films released in 2012, following Lavant's Monsieur Oscar around Paris in the back of a limousine, as he 'journeys from one life to the next. He is, in turn, captain of industry, assassin, beggar, monster, family man...' (IMDb).
In turns a thriller, a melodrama, a comedy, a horror, 'Holy Motors', just like its main character, constantly changes before your eyes, leaving you unsure of what to trust. The film is dominated, owned, by the astonishingly powerful Lavant, and also features a couple of inspired cameos from Eva Mendes and, intriguingly, Kylie Minogue. 'Holy Motors' is a surreal, twisted portrait of the fluidity of identity, making interesting comments about the nature of performance, the human condition... I really do recommend it.
Honourable mention must go to 'Rust and Bone'.
BREAKOUT STAR OF 2012 -- ELIZABETH OLSEN
Displaying a real versatility, Elizabeth Olsen produced two wildly different performances this year, both fanastic, to step out from the shadow of her older sisters and achieve an acting reputation that they never could. Her title role in 'Martha Marcy May Marlene' brought critical acclaim and awards buzz. Playing the wounded, disturbed Martha with such dedication that her performance, and character, became unnerving, Olsen set her name in lights across Hollywood and beyond. She followed this up by playing the ball of youthful energy that is Zibby, in Josh Radnor's 'Liberal Arts'. Always smiling, laughing, Zibby is almost the antithesis of Martha, but Olsen plays her with just as much enthusiasm and skill. Interestingly, both films ended up on my Top 10 list for this year. Watch out for Elizabeth Olsen, who will be seen as Edie Parker in 'Kill Your Darlings', before appearing in Spike Lee's US remake of 'Oldboy'.
Honourable mentions go to Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild) and Shailene Woodley (The Descendants).
SCENE OF 2012 -- THE SHOOT-OUT AT THE END OF SKYFALL
Director Sam Mendes brought the world the best ever James Bond film this year with 'Skyfall'. In this scene, Javier Bardem's Silva arrives with his minions at Bond's childhood home, intent on destroying Bond (Daniel Craig) and M (Judi Dench). The house gets blown to pieces in the ensuing shoot-out, but not before M and house gamekeeper Kincade (Albert Finney) escape. Chased across the marshland by Silva, Bond not far behind, the scene crackles with electricity, the audience's hearts in mouths. It is stunningly shot by the masterful Roger Deakins (this could, and should, get him his tenth Oscar nomination, and perhaps his first win), much of it bathed in orange light from the burning house. Oliver Lyttelton's Indiewire blog post wrote that 'every frame could hang in a gallery'.
This is more than just a great action scene - it's a genuinely terrific piece of filmmaking, beautiful, full of agonising tension and superbly acted by Craig, Bardem, Dench and Finney. The scene contains a very real threat, unusual for a Bond film, culminating in that devastating finale at the church, when the stakes seem greater, more real, than in perhaps all previous Bond films put together. Mendes has created an emotional connection with the audience that is like no previous Bond movie, worked Craig into the most human and vulnerable of 007s, and there was stunned silence around the cinema at the great shock at the end of this scene.
SCENE-STEALER OF 2012 -- MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY IN MAGIC MIKE
Often the laughing stock of the acting world (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74MZNhBC5No), Matthew McConaughey shocked critics and audiences alike this year by being, actually, rather good. First there was the creepy turn as the titular killer in the little-seen but brilliant 'Killer Joe'. Then he ended up being the best thing about the otherwise disappointing new Soderbergh effort, 'Magic Mike', stealing every scene he is in as the fun, slick, slightly sleazy Dallas. All this has led to McConaughey being cast in Martin Scorsese's next film, 'The Wolf of Wall Street', alongside Leonardo Di Caprio and Jonah Hill.
Honourable mentions must go to Anne Hathaway (The Dark Knight Rises) and Zac Efron (Liberal Arts).
SOUNDTRACK OF 2012 -- ON THE ROAD (Gustavo Santaolalla)
Gustavo Santaolalla's score for 'On The Road' manages to beautifully capture the colour and energy of the road; if you close your eyes and just listen, the sights and smells and tastes soon enter your consciousness. The soundtrack also features a number of lovely songs (in particular Santiago Laserna's 'Goodbye' and Billie Holiday's 'A Sailboat in The Moonlight') to backdrop Sal, Dean and Marylou's journeys across the heart of America.
Honourable mentions must go to Jonny Greenwood for 'The Master' and Howard Shore for 'The Hobbit'.
POSTER OF 2012 -- MOONRISE KINGDOM
Old-fashioned, beautiful, playful.
Honourable mentions go to 'Ted' and 'Shame'.
TRAILER OF 2012 -- THE DARK KNIGHT RISES (OFFICIAL TRAILER #3)
The ominous opening music and lines ('There's a storm coming'). Anne Hathaway's delectable Catwoman ('I'm adaptable'). The awe-inspiring shot of the bridges being blown up in succession. The broken, beaten Bruce Wayne, showing a superhero's vulnerability like perhaps no film had before. Tom Hardy's near-camp delivery of 'Your punishment must be more severe'. Bane dropping Batman's mask on the ground. Alfred's teary 'I won't bury you. I've buried enough members of the Wayne family'. And the light relief of 'This isn't a car', as 'The Bat' takes to the sky. Pushed excitement levels to breaking point, as fans worldwide prepared themselves for one of the biggest film releases of the new millennium.
Honourable mentions go to 'Les Miserables' and 'The Hobbit'.
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Here's the full list of films that I saw in the cinema this year, along with my star rating of each film.
THE IRON LADY - 2/5
MARGIN CALL - 4/5
SHAME - 4/5
WAR HORSE - 2/5
J.EDGAR - 2/5
THE SITTER - 2/5
LIKE CRAZY - 4/5
THE DESCENDANTS - 4/5
CHRONICLE - 3/5
CARNAGE - 3/5
MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE - 4/5
YOUNG ADULT - 3/5
A DANGEROUS METHOD - 3/5
THE MUPPETS - 4/5
THE WOMAN IN BLACK - 3/5
THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL - 4/5
PROJECT X - 2/5
THIS MEANS WAR - 3/5
WANDERLUST - 2/5
BEL AMI - 2/5
21 JUMP STREET - 4/5
WE BOUGHT A ZOO - 3/5
THE HUNGER GAMES - 4/5
THE PIRATES! IN AN ADVENTURE WITH SCIENTISTS - 4/5
SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN - 3/5
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE - 4/5
AMERICAN PIE: REUNION - 3/5
DARK SHADOWS - 3/5
THE DICTATOR - 2/5
MEN IN BLACK III - 3/5
MOONRISE KINGDOM - 4/5
SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN - 3/5
PROMETHEUS - 3/5
ROCK OF AGES - 3/5
COSMOPOLIS - 4/5
THE FIVE YEAR ENGAGEMENT - 3/5
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN - 4/5
MAGIC MIKE - 2/5
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES - 4/5
TED - 4/5
TAKE THIS WALTZ - 4/5
KEITH LEMON: THE FILM - 1/5
ANNA KARENINA - 3/5
LAWLESS - 4/5
HOPE SPRINGS - 3/5
TO ROME WITH LOVE - 4/5
NOW IS GOOD - 3/5
KILLING THEM SOFTLY - 2/5
HOLY MOTORS - 4/5
LOOPER - 4/5
THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER - 4/5
LIBERAL ARTS - 4/5
PRIVATE PEACEFUL - 3/5
RUBY SPARKS - 3/5
FRANKENWEENIE - 3/5
BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD - 5/5
SKYFALL - 4/5
RUST AND BONE - 4/5
THE MASTER - 5/5
ARGO - 5/5
AMOUR - 5/5
THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART 2 - 2/5
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK - 4/5
THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY - 4/5
LIFE OF PI -
Phew. So that was where all my money went this year!
As per usual, I'm chickening out of ordering the ten. I've found it hard enough, particularly this year, simply to pick a ten, let alone have to number them! And, as with previous years, sticking to UK 2012 releases means that although some films were released in other countries in 2011, they'll find themselves considered for inclusion in this list. It also means that films getting huge awards buzz in the States at the moment having been recently released, namely 'Les Miserables', 'Zero Dark Thirty', 'Lincoln' and 'The Sessions', will not be considered for this list (as they haven't been released over here yet!). The only release in the remaining days of 2012 that I intend to see is 'The Life of Pi', so it should be noted that I have not considered that for inclusion here. I've obviously missed some other big releases here and there this year, though do have a look at the long list of star ratings at the end of this blog post to see briefly what I thought of all the films I saw at the cinema this year (there really are a lot of them!). Happy reading, and do comment below and let me know what you would have done differently in your list.
TOP 10 FILMS OF 2012 ------->
Faced with both her hot-tempered father's fading health and melting ice-caps that flood her ramshackle bayou community and unleash ancient aurochs, six-year-old Hushpuppy must learn the ways of courage and love (IMDb). 'Beasts of the Southern Wild' is a remarkable first film for director Benh Zeitlin, and anchored by a truly beautiful, naturalistic performance from nine-year-old Quvenzhane Wallis as Hushpuppy. It's sheer poetry on film, a small movie with a big, big heart, stunningly shot by Ben Richardson, bringing 'The Bathtub' (home of Hushpuppy and her family) to colourful life. 'Beasts' teases your tear ducts and makes you smile - a little marvel.
A dramatization of the 1980 joint CIA-Canadian secret operation to extract six fugitive American diplomatic personnel out of revolutionary Iran (IMDb). Ben Affleck, having impressed with his first two directorial efforts, 'Gone Baby Gone' and 'The Town', takes a huge leap forward with 'Argo' and deserves to be inundated with project offers after this. The film, based on a peculiar and astonishing true story, sizzles with almost unbearable tension at times as we follow the unique operation that Tony Mendez (Affleck) undertakes to rescue the American diplomats. The thing that really sets 'Argo' apart from other recent political thrillers is its undeniable sense of fun, brought out in particular by Alan Arkin and John Goodman (both terrific). In the end, you'll feel like fist-pumping your way out of the cinema.
Young writer Sal Paradise has his life shaken by the arrival of free-spirited Dean Moriarty and his girl, Marylou. As they travel across the country, they encounter a mix of people who each impact their journey indelibly (IMDb). Adapted from the supposedly unfilmable Jack Kerouac classic - one of my all-time favourite books. People had their gripes – that it was overlong, that it was too full of hedonism and not a lot else. This has been the case for the book, and the film was always going to encounter the same criticisms. To see the film for just this is to do it a great disservice, and to miss the inherent, overwhelming sadness at its heart.
‘On The Road’ follows characters who embrace the madness of the road, the colours and smells, the culture, the jazz music, the women, on their search for ‘it’ (that point of all-consuming joy), and characters who swiftly reject all those who try to bring them down to earth. Characters who are too young to understand or take responsibility for the damage their actions so often cause. Garret Hedlund was an absolutely perfect Dean Moriarty, all charisma and freedom until the cracks begin to show, until he can ignore the world and his responsibilities no more. Kristen Stewart has never been better, bringing a wounded beauty to the character of Dean’s wife Marylou, and the film features memorable cameo roles from Viggo Mortensen, Amy Adams, Kirsten Dunst and Steve Buscemi. Walter Salles has done a remarkable job of translating Kerouac’s autobiographical novel to the screen, featuring a beautiful score by his usual collaborator Gustavo Santaollala. A sad, reflective paean to youth and freedom.
In 2074, when the mob wants to get rid of someone, the target is sent 30 years into the past, where a hired gun awaits. Someone like Joe, who one day learns the mob wants to 'close the loop' by transporting back Joe's future self (IMDb). Writer/director Rian Johnson adds to his sterling work on 'Brick' and 'The Brothers Bloom', stepping up to the bigger budget and greater pressure with consummate professionalism. He has crafted a science fiction film that takes the best of classic sci fi while adding a new spin to it, a really quite original idea, and comes up with one of the few recent fresh entries in a sometimes stale genre.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, having previously worked with Johnson on the little-seen but terrific 'Brick', showcases not only his range ('Looper comes amongst the comedy of '50/50', the superhero thriller of 'The Dark Knight Rises' and the period drama of 'Lincoln') but also his ability as a leading man. Bruce Willis (as the older Joe) is the best he's been in years, excelling in both the action scenes and more emotional moments. There are also superb performances from Emily Blunt, and young Pierce Gagnon as the creepy, troubled Cid. 'Looper' is not only successful in its full throttle action, but in its thought-provoking concept and matters of the heart, connecting emotionally with its audience as well as getting their pulses racing.
Georges and Anne are in their eighties. They are cultivated, retired music teachers. Their daughter, who is also a musician, lives abroad with her family. One day, Anne has an attack. The couple's bond of love is severely tested (IMDb). Described by some (aptly) as the best horror film of the year, 'Amour' makes for truly uncomfortable viewing in its unflinching, uncompromising depiction of ageing. Of course, you'd expect nothing less than uncomfortable and unflinching from master filmmaker Michael Haneke, the Austrian crafting perhaps his best film yet. From Anne's first attack to Georges' one moment of frustrated weakness to the heartbreaking ending, Haneke is not afraid to show anything, the camera lingering on the tormented faces of the film's protagonists.
'Amour' follows the majority of Haneke's output in having no non-diegetic (added after filming, ie music) sound, adding to the intense, claustrophobic feel and meaning that sentimentality is not shoved down the audience's throats. The acting is nothing short of astounding. Though all the fuss has been made of Emmanuelle Riva as the rapidly deteriorating Anne, I think the real gem of the piece is Jean-Louis Trintignant in the subtler, less showy role of Georges. As he tries to hold it together and attend to his dying wife, the cracks begin to show and you can see the real pain in his eyes, a real testament to the deliacy of 82 year old Trintignant's performance. Isabelle Huppert is also memorable as the couple's daughter Eva. If you haven't seen it yet, do. And take tissues.
A Naval veteran arrives home from war unsettled and uncertain of his future - until he is tantalized by The Cause and its charismatic leader (IMDb). Paul Thomas Anderson's latest challenges and unsettles, and is led by some of the very best performances this year. It may not be the easiest film to love, as such, keeping itself at a distance from the audience at all times, but it is certainly easy to admire, beautifully shot and filled with haunting moments. Think of Hoffman's creepy, vaguely threatening rendition of '(I'd Like to Get You on a) Slow Boat to China', eyes fixed on Phoenix the whole time.
The film can be read in several ways, but translates most easily as a take on post-war America and those who chose to rise up amongst all the uncertainty and take these uncertain, vulnerable people under their wing, bend them to their beliefs. Phoenix's Freddie Quell is just one of these people, a man broken by war and the things he has seen and done, and really quite unsure of what to believe in anymore. He finds his comfort at the bottom of a bottle, and is a perfect target for Lancaster Dodd (Hoffman) and his brand of conditioning. Phoenix gives the best performance of his career so far - Freddie is an actor's dream of a character, bruised and battered, and Phoenix gets the very best from him, all slurred words and big laughs, anger always threatening to boil over. Hoffman, in his fourth collaboration with director Anderson, brings a dark, dangerous quality to Dodd (a thinly veiled representation of Scientology founder L.Ron Hubbard), his surface warmth often hinting at something uglier beneath. Amy Adams, as Dodd's wife, is also terrific.
When 30-something Jesse returns to his alma mater for a professor's retirement party, he falls for Zibby, a college student, and is faced with a powerful attraction that springs up between them (IMDb). Written and directed by 'How I Met Your Mother's Josh Radnor, 'Liberal Arts' is a lovely little coming of age story about a man who is struggling to accept his years. Jesse (played by Radnor) has never been able to truly leave college behind, so much so that he works in New York in Admissions just to feel closer to that college environment. It is commonly said that college/university equals the best years of a person's life, and Jesse looks wistfully back at that time, unable to shake the idea that nothing has been quite the same since.
Radnor is brilliant - just the right mix of boyish energy and enthusiasm, and the intelligence and sensibilities of his years (his character is not dissimilar to 'How I Met Your Mother's Ted). He captures the dreamer/lost soul side to the character so well that you wonder if the film is perhaps semi-autobiographical. Elizabeth Olsen, as Zibby, is an absolute gem, and it is quite easy to see why Jesse would be attracted to her despite the age gap that always plays on his mind. The two are supported by a reflective Richard Jenkins and a very amusing Alison Janney. 'Liberal Arts' breaks no real barriers but is a memorable little film, funny and warm and full of heart.
After a stint in a mental institution, former teacher Pat Solitano moves back in with his parents and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife. Things get more challenging when Pat meets Tiffany, a mysterious girl with problems of her own (IMDb). 'Silver Linings Playbook' is made by its performances. Bradley Cooper is the best he's ever been, finally finding the right role to showcase his talents. Robert De Niro is the best he's been in years as Pat's Dad, all worry and frustration at his son's self-destructive nature. The film is really set apart by Jennifer Lawrence, in one of the performances of the year. 'Silver Linings' flits successfully between genres - a rom-com, dark drama, sports movie - creating a unique mix. It's very much a follow-up to 'The Fighter', David O.Russell's last film, a real ensemble piece that says much about family bonds and the fragility of the human condition. I would be surprised if this didn't do well come Oscar nominations time. Despite its rather clichéd, rom-com ending, the film overall achieves a superb balance between dark and fun, pulling at the heartstrings and making you truly care about its oh-so-human characters.
A pair of young lovers flee their New England town, which causes a local search party to fan out and find them (IMDb). The new film from the marvellous Wes Anderson ranks as one of his best, a whimsical little tale and really a tribute to youth and adventure. It's certainly one of his funniest, and boasts the best cast (and one of the best ensembles of 2012) - Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray (of course), Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton and Jason Schwartzman all support the strong central pairing of Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward as the youngsters in love. Willis and Norton in particular are wildly against type (note Norton saying lines like 'Jiminy Cricket, he flew the coop!'), which is really very fun to watch. It's unlikely to win over any Anderson detractors - in fact the quirkiness is perhaps lifted to a whole new level in 'Moonrise' - but if you're a fan then you'll struggle to do anything but love this.
Haunted by painful memories and increasing paranoia, a damaged woman struggles to re-assimilate with her family after fleeing an abusive cult (IMDb). A wonderfully understated little movie, 'Martha' is thought-provoking, intelligent, and acts as a fitting showcase for Elizabeth Olsen's burgeoning ability. Olsen's Martha is withdrawn, hiding some dark secrets about her past, and her behaviour starts to become more and more erratic as she struggles to separate dreams from reality. John Hawkes followed up his Oscar-nominated turn in 'Winter's Bone' with another tremendous performance here as cult leader Patrick, unsettling and unpredictable - his 'Marcy's Song' is beautiful and yet horrifically disturbing, knowing what we know of him. The film, non-linear in its storytelling as it flits between Martha's new life back with her family and her old life in the cult, is slow-paced and atmospheric, getting under the audience's skin. 'Martha' represents a great calling card for first time writer/director Sean Durkin, a creepy, paranoiac indie film with an ambiguous ending which frustrates and fascinates in equal measure.
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Honourable mentions go to 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower', 'The Hobbit', 'The Dark Knight Rises', 'The Descendants', 'Take This Waltz', 'Skyfall', 'Rust and Bone' and 'The Muppets' (yes you heard right, I bloody loved it).
2012 was an absolutely huge year for Michael Fassbender. Having already established himself previously with terrific turns in 'Fish Tank', 'Inglorious Basterds', X-Men:First Class' and, most impressively, Steve McQueen's debut feature 'Hunger', this year saw Fassbender cement his reputation as one of the greatest character actors around. He reunited with director McQueen for 'Shame', a bleak and harrowing depiction of sex addiction, in which Fassbender's subtle performance brings to life a man always seeming on the edge of a breakdown. Fassbender's Brandon is a cold, really quite creepy creation, all long, lingering glances and forward mannerisms. He sometimes brings to mind the more reigned in parts of Christian Bale's Patrick Bateman, a simmering madness barely buried beneath manly charm.
As Carl Jung in Cronenberg's 'A Dangerous Method', Fassbender put in yet another solid, memorable performance. His scenes with Viggo Mortensen (playing Sigmund Freud) crackle with tension, a titanic psychological struggle between two masters at work. Finally, he was arguably the best thing about 'Prometheus', Ridley Scott's 'Alien' prequel. Playing android David, Fassbender always hinted at a darker side, at hidden secrets, at being one step ahead of all those around him. 2013 should be no less a year for the actor, as he reunites with Scott for 'The Counselor', McQueen for 'Twelve Years a Slave', while appearing for the great Terrence Malick for the first time in a currently untitled project.
Honourable mentions must go to Joaquin Phoenix for 'The Master' and Jean-Louis Trintignant for 'Amour'.
Rising to prominence in 2010's wonderful 'Winter's Bone', Jennifer Lawrence hit the big time in 2012, producing performance after performance of class, and ending on the highest note of her young career so far as Tiffany in 'Silver Linings Playbook'. Firstly she played the 'other girl' Sam with warmth and likeability in Drake Doremus' Sundance favourite 'Like Crazy'. Next up was her biggest role to date, the leading lady of the blockbuster adaptation of Suzanne Collins' 'The Hunger Games'. Lawrence nailed the role of heroine Katniss Everdeen, finding the right moments for Katniss' hard-edged nature and the right ones for her vulnerability. Showcasing her range, the film has catapulted Lawrence into the Hollywood limelight and proved she is perfectly capable of handling the pressure of leading a franchise - indeed, I found her to be by far the best thing about 'The Hunger Games'. She was solid in horror 'House at the End of the Street' - another genre successfully conquered.
Finally, she gave one of the best acting displays of the year in David O.Russell's 'Silver Linings Playbook'. It was a performance well, well beyond her years - there certainly aren't many actresses of just 22 who could have pulled off the role of depressed, damaged Tiffany with quite the skill that Lawrence has. Her chemistry with Bradley Cooper (who is also superb) is electric, as they give one of the great one-two Actor-Actress displays of the year - both deserve to be rewarded with Oscar nominations. Taking into account Lawrence's age, it is scary to think how good she could be in the years to come.
Honourable mentions must go to Marion Cotillard (Rust and Bone) and Emmanuelle Riva (Amour).
I love Paul Thomas Anderson. Love love love him. I've yet to feel anything but blown away by one of his films, and this year's 'The Master' is no exception. Almost a companion piece to his previous feature, 'There Will Be Blood', Dodd/Quell's master-disciple relationship similar to that of Plainview/Sunday (Daniel-Day Lewis/Dano), 'The Master' continues Anderson's skill at bringing to life characters who display both the highest power and lowest weakness of human beings, characters who you simply cannot tear your eyes from. He gets the most fantastic performances from his actors, truly remarkable - think the ensembles of 'Boogie Nights' and 'Magnolia', Adam Sandler in 'Punch-Drunk Love', Day-Lewis in 'There Will Be Blood'. The acting from Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman (one of my all-time favourite actors) and Amy Adams in 'The Master' is so spectacular, the story so thought-provoking, that I felt it only right to bestow this year's Director award upon the brilliant Anderson.
Honourable mentions must go to Michael Haneke (Amour) and Ben Affleck (Argo).
Rather than simply bestow this award upon 'Amour', which has already made it onto my Top 10 films of the year, I have decided to look at my 2nd favourite foreign language film, and one that very very nearly made my Top 10, 'Holy Motors'. Director Leos Carax's first feature since 1999's 'Pola X', 'Holy Motors' is a truly original take on the themes of identity and features arguably the performance (or should that be eleven performances?) of the year by previous Carax-collaborator Denis Lavant. It's certainly one of the most bizarre films released in 2012, following Lavant's Monsieur Oscar around Paris in the back of a limousine, as he 'journeys from one life to the next. He is, in turn, captain of industry, assassin, beggar, monster, family man...' (IMDb).
In turns a thriller, a melodrama, a comedy, a horror, 'Holy Motors', just like its main character, constantly changes before your eyes, leaving you unsure of what to trust. The film is dominated, owned, by the astonishingly powerful Lavant, and also features a couple of inspired cameos from Eva Mendes and, intriguingly, Kylie Minogue. 'Holy Motors' is a surreal, twisted portrait of the fluidity of identity, making interesting comments about the nature of performance, the human condition... I really do recommend it.
Honourable mention must go to 'Rust and Bone'.
Displaying a real versatility, Elizabeth Olsen produced two wildly different performances this year, both fanastic, to step out from the shadow of her older sisters and achieve an acting reputation that they never could. Her title role in 'Martha Marcy May Marlene' brought critical acclaim and awards buzz. Playing the wounded, disturbed Martha with such dedication that her performance, and character, became unnerving, Olsen set her name in lights across Hollywood and beyond. She followed this up by playing the ball of youthful energy that is Zibby, in Josh Radnor's 'Liberal Arts'. Always smiling, laughing, Zibby is almost the antithesis of Martha, but Olsen plays her with just as much enthusiasm and skill. Interestingly, both films ended up on my Top 10 list for this year. Watch out for Elizabeth Olsen, who will be seen as Edie Parker in 'Kill Your Darlings', before appearing in Spike Lee's US remake of 'Oldboy'.
Honourable mentions go to Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild) and Shailene Woodley (The Descendants).
Director Sam Mendes brought the world the best ever James Bond film this year with 'Skyfall'. In this scene, Javier Bardem's Silva arrives with his minions at Bond's childhood home, intent on destroying Bond (Daniel Craig) and M (Judi Dench). The house gets blown to pieces in the ensuing shoot-out, but not before M and house gamekeeper Kincade (Albert Finney) escape. Chased across the marshland by Silva, Bond not far behind, the scene crackles with electricity, the audience's hearts in mouths. It is stunningly shot by the masterful Roger Deakins (this could, and should, get him his tenth Oscar nomination, and perhaps his first win), much of it bathed in orange light from the burning house. Oliver Lyttelton's Indiewire blog post wrote that 'every frame could hang in a gallery'.
This is more than just a great action scene - it's a genuinely terrific piece of filmmaking, beautiful, full of agonising tension and superbly acted by Craig, Bardem, Dench and Finney. The scene contains a very real threat, unusual for a Bond film, culminating in that devastating finale at the church, when the stakes seem greater, more real, than in perhaps all previous Bond films put together. Mendes has created an emotional connection with the audience that is like no previous Bond movie, worked Craig into the most human and vulnerable of 007s, and there was stunned silence around the cinema at the great shock at the end of this scene.
Often the laughing stock of the acting world (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74MZNhBC5No), Matthew McConaughey shocked critics and audiences alike this year by being, actually, rather good. First there was the creepy turn as the titular killer in the little-seen but brilliant 'Killer Joe'. Then he ended up being the best thing about the otherwise disappointing new Soderbergh effort, 'Magic Mike', stealing every scene he is in as the fun, slick, slightly sleazy Dallas. All this has led to McConaughey being cast in Martin Scorsese's next film, 'The Wolf of Wall Street', alongside Leonardo Di Caprio and Jonah Hill.
Honourable mentions must go to Anne Hathaway (The Dark Knight Rises) and Zac Efron (Liberal Arts).
Gustavo Santaolalla's score for 'On The Road' manages to beautifully capture the colour and energy of the road; if you close your eyes and just listen, the sights and smells and tastes soon enter your consciousness. The soundtrack also features a number of lovely songs (in particular Santiago Laserna's 'Goodbye' and Billie Holiday's 'A Sailboat in The Moonlight') to backdrop Sal, Dean and Marylou's journeys across the heart of America.
Honourable mentions must go to Jonny Greenwood for 'The Master' and Howard Shore for 'The Hobbit'.
Old-fashioned, beautiful, playful.
Honourable mentions go to 'Ted' and 'Shame'.
The ominous opening music and lines ('There's a storm coming'). Anne Hathaway's delectable Catwoman ('I'm adaptable'). The awe-inspiring shot of the bridges being blown up in succession. The broken, beaten Bruce Wayne, showing a superhero's vulnerability like perhaps no film had before. Tom Hardy's near-camp delivery of 'Your punishment must be more severe'. Bane dropping Batman's mask on the ground. Alfred's teary 'I won't bury you. I've buried enough members of the Wayne family'. And the light relief of 'This isn't a car', as 'The Bat' takes to the sky. Pushed excitement levels to breaking point, as fans worldwide prepared themselves for one of the biggest film releases of the new millennium.
Honourable mentions go to 'Les Miserables' and 'The Hobbit'.
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Here's the full list of films that I saw in the cinema this year, along with my star rating of each film.
THE IRON LADY - 2/5
MARGIN CALL - 4/5
SHAME - 4/5
WAR HORSE - 2/5
J.EDGAR - 2/5
THE SITTER - 2/5
LIKE CRAZY - 4/5
THE DESCENDANTS - 4/5
CHRONICLE - 3/5
CARNAGE - 3/5
MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE - 4/5
YOUNG ADULT - 3/5
A DANGEROUS METHOD - 3/5
THE MUPPETS - 4/5
THE WOMAN IN BLACK - 3/5
THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL - 4/5
PROJECT X - 2/5
THIS MEANS WAR - 3/5
WANDERLUST - 2/5
BEL AMI - 2/5
21 JUMP STREET - 4/5
WE BOUGHT A ZOO - 3/5
THE HUNGER GAMES - 4/5
THE PIRATES! IN AN ADVENTURE WITH SCIENTISTS - 4/5
SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN - 3/5
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE - 4/5
AMERICAN PIE: REUNION - 3/5
DARK SHADOWS - 3/5
THE DICTATOR - 2/5
MEN IN BLACK III - 3/5
MOONRISE KINGDOM - 4/5
SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN - 3/5
PROMETHEUS - 3/5
ROCK OF AGES - 3/5
COSMOPOLIS - 4/5
THE FIVE YEAR ENGAGEMENT - 3/5
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN - 4/5
MAGIC MIKE - 2/5
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES - 4/5
TED - 4/5
TAKE THIS WALTZ - 4/5
KEITH LEMON: THE FILM - 1/5
ANNA KARENINA - 3/5
LAWLESS - 4/5
HOPE SPRINGS - 3/5
TO ROME WITH LOVE - 4/5
NOW IS GOOD - 3/5
KILLING THEM SOFTLY - 2/5
HOLY MOTORS - 4/5
LOOPER - 4/5
THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER - 4/5
LIBERAL ARTS - 4/5
PRIVATE PEACEFUL - 3/5
RUBY SPARKS - 3/5
FRANKENWEENIE - 3/5
BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD - 5/5
SKYFALL - 4/5
RUST AND BONE - 4/5
THE MASTER - 5/5
ARGO - 5/5
AMOUR - 5/5
THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART 2 - 2/5
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK - 4/5
THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY - 4/5
LIFE OF PI -
Phew. So that was where all my money went this year!
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