In Review - Blue Jasmine (2013)

In Review - Blue Jasmine (2013)

Some people slow down as they approach eighty but, not Woody Allen. Admittedly, some of his recent efforts have been patchy at best, bogged down by muddled plots and generally lack of the magic that characterised his greatest films, but a recent foray to Europe has proved rather fruitful, delivering as it has the acclaimed and rather delightful "Midnight in Paris" and  "Vicky, Christina, Barcelona". 

 

Which bring us to possibly the finest of this late renaissance, a reimagining of "A Streetcar Named Desire", Blue Jasmine is a masterpiece of precision and beauty, a tightly scripted, efficiently shot and perfectly acted gem of a film. Telling the story of Manhattan socialite Jasmine who falls head first into poverty and mental illness after her banker husband is caught up in a scandal, it's a bleak but gently funny look at owning up to the past and moving forward with dignity. 

 

Allen writes and directs with precision, weaving character and plot through a time hopping narrative that shifts from dark comedy to tragedy within a beat.  

Blanchett is nothing short of astonishing in the lead, investing Jasmine, an intrinsically unlikable on paper, with genuine pathos and no little humor. Jasmine is a broken woman, shorn of her grand lifestyle, reliant on alcohol, in a city she doesn't know and surrounded by people she could never relate to , and yet she manages to sustain some level of dignity and humanity throughout. It's a walk along a knife edge that shines from the first breath to final shot and an Oscar is surely on the cards. 

Kudos too must go to Sally Hawkins who more than holds her own as Ginger, Jasmines sister and foil for much of the film. Likewise, Alec Baldwin is at the top of his game as a slimy wall street player who destroys the lives of people around him with nary a grimace. Elsewhere, Allen wisely casts strong character actors and comedians in supporting rolls, letting them work magic with minimal screen time. 

Of course Allen has never shied away from putting his characters through the wringer, but this time he really goes for it. Although there is humor here it is dotted sparsely, and fans of his more light and upbeat output may be put off by its bleak outlook. For everyone else, it's a sharp and convincing portrait of a life falling apart. 

5/5 

Into the Wild Blue Yonder - Fairwell to Breaking Bad

*Warning* For the few people left who have yet to watch the Breaking Bad finale , spoilers lay ahead.

Endings are always tough, but here it must surely have been infinitely more so given the overwhelming weight of anticipation. And so it was with no little fanfare that the world was greeted with the finale of Breaking Bad last Sunday. A global phenomenon, the fate of Walt, Jesse and co was on the lips of millions around the world.

"I'm sure it'll make a hell of a story", says Walt early on knowingly. Rising from cult cable classic to outright global phenomenon in 5 short years thanks to tight ingenious writing, cinematic direction and some truly amazing performances across the board, it never once dropped the ball. So how does the finale hold up?

Well, once again kudos has to be given to Brian Cranston and his towering central performance. In a show full of great acting, his is the crowning glory. One of the best aspects of the show has been in showing the rise and fall of Walter White, almost Shakespearian in its aims and execution. From pitiful bit-player in his own life, to megalomaniac custodian of an empire, to a lonely isolated shell with nothing left but his cancer eating away at him. It's a hell of a role, and it's a hell of a performance.

It is inevitable that Walt would have to die. But the main question, and the thing that kept people watching, was how much of his humanity, how much of the original Walt would remain intact? And what would his ultimate fate be? Who would he drag down with him?

Season five as a whole has shone in its depiction of this fall, his descent into isolated wreck, empire crumbled. All the chess pieces are positioned, the clock counted down. All that's left is the demise.

So it's perhaps a pleasant surprise that he gets out with some sliver of humanity remaining. Redemption is a strong word to use after all his terrible behavior, the murders, destroying his family piece by piece. No, redemption was never on the cards, but he does get something close. A touching final moment with Skylar was loaded with all their intense history, his admittance that all of the Meth, all of the scheming, was done, not for the family, but for him bristled and burned. Likewise his final moment with Walt Jr, wordless and seen from a distance evoked sympathy, despite the knowledge of his crimes.

It's interesting to note that, after all his misdemeanors, he does achieve his one ultimate goal from way back in the beginning. Setting up his family up with enough money after he dies, giving them a good chance without him. It's just a shame he had to destroy them all in the process. The most poignant part of it all is that they despise him, some are dead. Everything he loved is broken, and his money is worthless to them now.

Of course the show isn't entirely perfect. A small lapses in narrative logic creeps in late in the game with the execution of the final scene with Uncle Jack and his neo Nazi posse leaning heavily on the old narrative crux that these men are proud and don't take kindly to having their motives questioned. Surely just shooting Walt there and then would be far simpler than parading poor Jesse in front of Walt. But then again, it's the only way to do it. It's a rare instance of overly transparent writing, Gilligan gamely positioning his chess pieces for the final time with so little time to spare.

It's a minor blip, though and come the final ten minute stretch, there's no denying the power of what's on screen. The culmination of 60+ hours of television, churning its way to its inevitable and satisfying conclusion, the emotion is almost palpable.

Almost a guest star in the latter half of this series, it's good to see Jesse get a an emotional and redemptive pay off. His final moment with Walt, turning the screw on the balance of power and showing that there is goodness in these men. It's a poignant moment. I just wish he had a bit more to do that stand there looking sad.

But, obviously it was Walt's final moments on screen that touched the most. Duties fulfilled, money delivered, Walt stumbles into the Meth Lab, his one real love, the place he was happiest, the place where he was king. As ever with Breaking bad, the execution is exquisite, going out with a knowing wink and a swagger.

"I never will forget the special love I had for you, my baby blue"

5/5

In Review: Hawking

Hawking (2013)

Hawking is a very is a very intimate film. Co written and narrated by the man himself, the narrative, such as it is, follows a conventional chronological path from his early days slacking off at Oxford, to his Motor-Neuron Disease diagnosis and parallel scientific breakthroughs right through to his current standing as global science superstar. 

This kind of thing is the usual preserve of BBC 4 or late night channel 4 , so the fact that it has a cinematic release at all shows the high regard with which he is held. Indeed his fame is one of the key focus points here, and Hawking is admirably frank about his fondness for the limelight, he himself raising the question (but never answering it) of whether he is famous just as much for his disability as for his breakthroughs in science. 

Although much time is given to trumpeting these achievements, mainly through stories recounted by his contemporaries (Caltech legend Kip Thorn is one of the more interesting talking heads), there's not much time for anything more than shallow simplistic descriptions of the theories, which is a bit of a shame if, like me, you were hoping for a bit more nitty gritty science. 

Where the film really shines is in the more intimate moments, either showing the deep affection his assistants have for him, or in the interview with ex-wife Jane who was there from his time as a student right through to the early days of his stardom that destroyed their marriage. It's also hard not to feel admiration for the man in allowing some of the less than flattering aspects of his dayly routine to be filmed. It humanises and gives a depth to a man who is often seen as a mystical figure from decades of exaggerated reporting.   

In the end, it's a compelling and sometimes heartwarming portrait of a remarkable man, lacking a bit in the finer details, but admirably honest. 

4/5 

*Originally written for York Vision

Editorial: There's No Place Like Home: Hollywood Returning to its Greatest Hits

There's No Place Like Home: Hollywood Returning to its Greatest Hits

Familiarity is comfort. In times of austerity it's no surprise to find Hollywood returning to the old safe hands, mining the past to secure a hit. Here's a run down of some of the biggest come backs over the next few years.

First up is the return of Harry Potter. Well, sort of. FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM is the story of Newt Scamander and, according to Ms Rowling herself, is "neither a prequel nor sequel to the Harry Potter series, rather an extension of the wizarding world". 

Although she doesn't seem overly fussed about returning to Potter in novel form, JK Rowling is scripting this one which bodes well for quality. Plotwise all we know is "Newt's story will start in New York, seventy years before Harry's gets underway", which is nice.

No news on director or cast yet, though a 2016 release is likely. The  prohibition era New York setting is enticing and given their steller work on Potter, the effects whizzes will surely work wonders with the plethora of beasties for our hero to get to grips with. Looks promising.

Sticking with fantastic beasts, Jurassic Park 4, now titled JURASSIC WORLD, is now in production after years of development. Goodwill for the original Dino-romp is infinite and the creative team here top notch, so at the very least we can expect spectacle. Although original honcho Senor Spielbergo is taking a back seat, newcomer Colin Trevorow, known for directing accalaimed indie comedy Safety Not Guaranteed is a safe bet.

Regards plot, there is no official news aside from original star Sam Neill calling it a "total re-jig", implying we're either getting a reboot or new story set in the same universe.The petition to bring back Jeff Goldblum starts here. Released: June 12th 2015

Speaking of Goldblum, big news on mega destructive franchises as INDEPENDENCE DAY 2, nicknamed ID4-EVER (cringe) is also a-go-go. Original director and master of smashing shit up Roland Emmerich (The Day after Tomorrow, White House Down) has bigged this up for a while now with no luck. But now Big Willy Style himself has hopped on board, this is getting fast tracked for release on July 4th 2015.

On a lighter  note, the wonderful folk at Pixar are deep in production on FINDING DORY. Dory is one of the more compelling and lovable characters from a studio who excell at compelling and loveable, and given their recent success with Monsters University and Toy Story 3, we can expect this will be all kinds of wonderful. Bad news though, it isn't out until summer 2016. Sorry folks!

Onto STAR WARS EPISODE VII. While the prequels may be varying degrees of meh, the franchise is now free of George Lucas's iffy decision making and things are looking up. Disney are investing in quality for the new trilogy with Toy Story 3 scribe (and oscar winner) Michael Arndt on scripting duty, and Star Trek wunderkind JJ Abrams directing part one.

Details are thin, but the confirmed return of godlike genius John Williams bodes well, as does the fairly certain return of stars Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill as older incarnations of Han, Leia and Luke. With Benedict Cumberbatch also rumoured to be playing the villain, the Force is strong with this one. Expect it Summer 2015.

Before slipping back in the Falcon, Harrison Ford takes a rare comedy turn in the hugely anticipated ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES, relocating the anarchy of the first film to New York, this will otherwise  continue where the last film left off. As expected, it looks hilarious and is released this Winter.

Speaking of bonkers, next year will see Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels return to Dumb and Dumber after 2 decades in the form of DUMB AND DUMBER TO (sic). Expect it to be mad, and very very funny.

The biggie next year is X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST (Released May 23rd), supervised by original director Brian Singer, this crunches together the time frames of the original X-trilogy and recent First Class whilst bringing in fan favourite villain the Sentinels. Word is good, with a cast to die for and a possibilty it may be the last time we see Hugh Jackman as Wolverine on our screens, which is sad.

Also released next summer, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD sees everyones favourite hottie Tom Hardy taking over from drunken racist Mel Gibson on the classic  franchise, where he'll be seen driving through a desert for some reason.

Further in the future, James Cameron's AVATAR 2 hits in 2016. Cameron has been working on scripts for a while now, so at least we know he's going for quality. Still, with three (yes THREE) sequels currently in the pipeline, it seems he's milking it. Rumours hint that old Terminator pal Arnold has been cast as the big villain which is quite frankly ace, and at the very least we know the films will be pretty to look at.

Finally, speaking of Arnie, the aging Austrian Oak is on somewhat of a comeback bender at the moment, starring in both TERMINATOR 5 (July 4th 2015) and another CONAN THE BARBARIAN film (ignoring the recent reboot). Strange times, folks.

*Originally written for York Vision

In review: Kings of Leon - Mechanical Bull

Kings of Leon - Mechanical Bull (2013)

It's ten years since vibrant debut Youth and Young Manhood, five years since they were wrongly written off by indie snobs for being too commercial, and three years since the genuinely piss poor fifth album Come Around Sundown killed the buzz. So where do we find the Followhills in 2013? 

Well, it's definitely an improvement on the last one, but only just. While Calebs distinctive vocals still drip like treacle over the knife sharp guitar work, there is a debilitating lack of genuine fire in the heart that characterised their first four albums. It's like a picture that's been photocopied a few too many times. 

It's a problem that is symptomatic of the whole album. While they try in vain to evoke their greatest moments, there is nothing here that can come even close to the dizzying heights of zeitgeist seizing  Sex on Fire, let alone the joyful and charmingly quirky earlier days of "Mollys Chambers" or "Charmer".  

It's not bereft of its moments, though. A decent opening salvo hints that the album might be better than it actually is, while the ironically titled "Comeback Story" is the standout track. Positioned as the centerpiece, it comes complete with echoey string section and that distinctive  melancholy reverb that had them filling arenas a couple of years ago. It's not a bad tune at all. 

So while there is some faint evidence of the earlier fire breathing KOL, it's far too fleeting and the rest is all a bit flat and, well... airy. 

2/5

*This review was originally written for York Vision

In Review: Star Trek Into Darkness

Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)

By equal measures visually compelling , thrilling and very funny, Star Trek Into Darkness is also possessed with an air of the faintly clunky that, barring a classy opening, undermines a lot of the jeopardy.

These minor flaws arise from a script that, although light and full of humor, has a whiff of predictability that removes a lot of danger from proceedings.  It's difficult to engage when it never really seems the characters are truly in peril. That being said, when it boils down to it those end up being relatively minor quibbles and there is far more to enjoy here than not.

The cast are all on great form and share an easy chemistry. Particular kudos to Chris Pine as Kirk who has more to do this time round and continues to make the role his own; and also to Zachary Quinto as a surprisingly comic, Sheldon Cooper-esque Spock. 

Top marks, predictably, must go to Benedict Cumberbatch though as the mysterious John Harrison who steals the show with a difficult villain and a couple of great monologues. It's a shame that he didn't have more to do.

Elsewhere, Michael Giacchino continues to impress with a rousing score that undercuts the action perfectly, and the superlative visual effects from ILM gives the action a real dynamism.

There is also much here for the old school Trekkies, with plenty of fun references to the classic films, especially a tricky third act which reignites flames from a much earlier tale to enjoyable and surprising effect. Spot the Tribble.

In all then, although the characters never really seem vulnerable, it's nearly impossible not to be won over by the sheer razzle dazzle of it all. Abrams snappy visual style, the endearing performances and the impressive action keep the film near the top of the blockbuster pile. Nice work.

4/5

*This review was originally written for York Vision

In Review: Epic

EPIC (2013) 

Director Chris Wedge has previous form in animated family fair with the original Ice Age proving he can provide amiable characterisation with good thrills. Here, however he falls short of his own high watermark. 

Epic stars Amanda Seyfried as MK, an isolated teen magically shrunk down to tiny proportions and forced to take part in a battle between good and evil in a magical forest behind her back garden. 

The tiny people in the forest idea is a compelling one, as is the journey of the hero. In fact, there's no shortage of tried and tested ideas here that should work but don't And therein lies the problem. The crammed script jumps from one half baked idea to another making it difficult to get a real grasp on anything much at all. It's like it was cobbled together from a million other decent ideas and, as such, ultimately ends up being less than the sum of its parts.  

The voice cast is hit and miss too, with the ever reliable Christophe Waltz nailing it as the sinister baddie Mandrake and Colin Farrel giving good Gaelic as the gruff foot soldier Ronin. Elsewhere though, the blatant stunt casting of Beyonce as the bizarrely sassy Queen is jarring, and the rest just seem to blend into the background.  

On the plus side Wedge is a genuinely skilled filmmaker, and as such Epic is certainly not short of its fair share of positive attributes. It's truly lovely to look at, with the CGI artists doing a cracking job of oversizing the forest and manufacturing some dazzling  backdrops for a host of surprisingly entertaining and hair raising action sequences. 

And at the end of the day then, it's engaging in parts and offers some decent action but struggles under the weight of too-many-cooks and ultimately ends up being less than the sum of its parts. Adults will probably struggle to find a great deal to write home about, but it's harmless fun for the kids and ultimately that's what matters. 

3/5 

This review was originally written for York Vision