Due to a viral outbreak in the year 1997, the human population of Earth has retreated underground to survive. The animals rule the planet surface. Convict James Cole (Bruce Willis) is assigned "volunteer" duty, a survey of the surface. He is able to return from the surface, and meets with the ruling council of scientists, who are working on a way to return the human race to the surface. They send him back in time to stop the spread of the virus. First they send him back to 1990, a mistake that puts him in a mental institution with Jeffrey Goins (Brad Pitt) with whom he shares about the fate of the human race. This meeting sets off a chain reaction that ends, in one possible future, with the creation and release of the virus responsible for the outbreak. Or does it?
Terry Gilliam's bleak world is felt throughout the picture. For instance, the film takes place during winter, underground during the future sequences. The sets, costumes, and photography paint a hopeless universe as Cole fights against the odds to right the world and stop the virus. The color schemes are earth tones, metallic shades, painting a cold world, along with the winter landscape. However, as the film goes on and Cole begins to hope for a life outside of his mission, Kathryn Railey (Madeline Stowe) and Cole's costumes take on a brighter color scheme.
Very notable is Brad Pitt's Jeffrey Goins. Pitt struts with a powerful presence oozing with insanity. He easily steals each scene from whomever he shares the screen with. It's this film that put him on my radar in the first place, and it's his performance that makes this movie one of my brother, Adam, and my favorite films. In fact we quote some of his lines quite frequently. Also brilliantly done is Bruce Willis' James Cole, he's perfectly disoriented and wonderful. His child-like performance when he arrives in the past paints a wonderland of ideas and thoughts. In another nicely-executed part, is Dr. Goins' assistant, played chillingly by David Morse.
Time travel films are an interesting adventure. Wrapping your head around the causal nexus of events and figuring out who is the cause has the potential to drive the audience as insane as Jeffrey. However, this is the reason this film intrigues me. I enjoy the reconstruction of events in the end. And 12 Monkeys allows just that in the conclusion.
***
IN: Bruce Willis
OUT: Brad Pitt
Coming Soon: Interview with the Vampire/Queen of the Damned
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
The Sixth Sense
After being shot by a former patient (Donnie Wahlberg,) Dr Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) is having trouble relating to his wife, Anna (Olivia Williams) and their marriage is off track. Dr. Crowe takes his first new patient since the shooting in a young boy, Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment,) a disturbed soul who claims he sees dead people. His mother Lynne (Toni Collette,) a single parent is protective and scared their small family is falling apart. Things surrounding them are not all they seem and Cole is afraid to tell her the truth, and he doesn't want to be scared anymore.
This film is built from its foundations to make its audience feel off-kilter with the photography, music, acting direction and long cuts. James Newton Howard's score is partially an homage to old hysterical thrillers, the screeching violins and minimalistic scope. The tension in the score with long codas and discordant outbursts assists the audience (me in this case) to jump at the right places and engage in Cole's terror. The etherial combination of the strings and the piano drives the audience to believe Cole's story and also to hope for help.
The prolonged silences between edits draws out the frustration in the story releasing the emotion needed to connect the audience to the story and the character's in it. I'm drawn to hope that Cole gets through his terror and confronts the problem, I'm also drawn to see Dr. Crowe and his wife get back on even footing. The beautiful mechanics of this film is what engages the soul.
The crux of this film is in the acting direction, photography, editing and acting. There are wonderful subtleties with the way the film is shot, certain angles are only revealed at the beginning while others are used in the denouement to reveal more, cluing the audience into what's really going on. The acting and directing is equally clever, hiding the true nature of the universe director Shaymanlan has created. What something looks like may not be what it really is, so look carefully.
As much as I am not a "child" character lover, nor a big fan of child actors, I fully respect the work put into Mr. Osment's Cole. He captures both frightened child, but gives him an adult wisdom which allows he and Mr Willis' Dr. Crowe to switch roles sometime during the second half. Bruce Willis' Crowe is both warm and savvy, but also childlike and innocent. His chemistry with Osment flows between the two actors connecting them emotionally, clicking together so well. Also great is how the chemistry fits with Ms. Collette and Osment. Their mother-son relationship is completely solid, credible and beautiful.
The Denouement is something I cannot discuss. For all you newbies; you must see it for yourself. The twist is all the point. And, in typical Shaymalan fashion, it stings with finesse, beauty and skill.
****
In: Toni Collette
Out: Bruce Willis
Coming Soon: 12 Monkeys
This film is built from its foundations to make its audience feel off-kilter with the photography, music, acting direction and long cuts. James Newton Howard's score is partially an homage to old hysterical thrillers, the screeching violins and minimalistic scope. The tension in the score with long codas and discordant outbursts assists the audience (me in this case) to jump at the right places and engage in Cole's terror. The etherial combination of the strings and the piano drives the audience to believe Cole's story and also to hope for help.
The prolonged silences between edits draws out the frustration in the story releasing the emotion needed to connect the audience to the story and the character's in it. I'm drawn to hope that Cole gets through his terror and confronts the problem, I'm also drawn to see Dr. Crowe and his wife get back on even footing. The beautiful mechanics of this film is what engages the soul.
The crux of this film is in the acting direction, photography, editing and acting. There are wonderful subtleties with the way the film is shot, certain angles are only revealed at the beginning while others are used in the denouement to reveal more, cluing the audience into what's really going on. The acting and directing is equally clever, hiding the true nature of the universe director Shaymanlan has created. What something looks like may not be what it really is, so look carefully.
As much as I am not a "child" character lover, nor a big fan of child actors, I fully respect the work put into Mr. Osment's Cole. He captures both frightened child, but gives him an adult wisdom which allows he and Mr Willis' Dr. Crowe to switch roles sometime during the second half. Bruce Willis' Crowe is both warm and savvy, but also childlike and innocent. His chemistry with Osment flows between the two actors connecting them emotionally, clicking together so well. Also great is how the chemistry fits with Ms. Collette and Osment. Their mother-son relationship is completely solid, credible and beautiful.
The Denouement is something I cannot discuss. For all you newbies; you must see it for yourself. The twist is all the point. And, in typical Shaymalan fashion, it stings with finesse, beauty and skill.
****
In: Toni Collette
Out: Bruce Willis
Coming Soon: 12 Monkeys
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
SHAFT
After an assault-turned-homocide by a playboy, Walter Wade (Christian Bale,) who walks and jumps bail, John Shaft (Samuel L Jackson) is transferred to narcotics. Two years later, Wade returns to a pair of handcuffs. During an unscheduled drug bust in Peoples Hernandez's (Jeffrey Wright) territory, he comes up empty due to Peoples being tipped off by an insider in the unit. When Shaft insults Peoples, and arrests him, he ends up sharing a cell with Wade. After Wade walks again, Shaft quits the force and tracks down the only witness to the murder, Diane (Toni Collette). But Shaft isn't the only one searching for her. Wade is hot on her trail with Peoples backing his play.
From the furious drumsticks to hi-hat that signifies the start to Issac Hayes' soulful ballad, to the all-busines-all-attitude swagger of Samuel L. Jackson's John Shaft, the vintage action show feel is all there, man. And this one feels smooth from the beginning. The photography is clear, sleek and gritty, just like our titular character. The music is sleek, sexy and soulful illustrating the emotion of the piece and the attitude of the main character.
The characters are well fleshed out. Samuel L. Jackson, as much as Richard Roundtree before him, was born to be John Shaft. His ever-present sense of cool, with a great wardrobe (I want his jacket!!!) and the right cadence to line delivery is off the hook!! Christian Bale's chilling, apathetic performance of Wade is a bit of Jack Kelly (holla back, Newsies fans!!) shaken over Bruce Wayne (Batman) with more than a slice of Patrick Bateman (American Psycho.) Jeffrey Wright's Peoples is brilliantly researched, the accent alone is brilliant. So different to the other roles I've seen him in, adds a splash of color to his resume.
This one's not deeply meaningful, nor does it explore any aspect of humanity and it does not inspire some personal change. What it does do, with distinction, is give the audience that respite, inviting us to kick up our feet and unplug. From start to finish, the action is compelling, the story is tight and the package is smooth. It's cool, baby...can you dig it?
****
In: Samuel L. Jackson
Out: Toni Collette
Coming Soon: The Sixth Sense
From the furious drumsticks to hi-hat that signifies the start to Issac Hayes' soulful ballad, to the all-busines-all-attitude swagger of Samuel L. Jackson's John Shaft, the vintage action show feel is all there, man. And this one feels smooth from the beginning. The photography is clear, sleek and gritty, just like our titular character. The music is sleek, sexy and soulful illustrating the emotion of the piece and the attitude of the main character.
The characters are well fleshed out. Samuel L. Jackson, as much as Richard Roundtree before him, was born to be John Shaft. His ever-present sense of cool, with a great wardrobe (I want his jacket!!!) and the right cadence to line delivery is off the hook!! Christian Bale's chilling, apathetic performance of Wade is a bit of Jack Kelly (holla back, Newsies fans!!) shaken over Bruce Wayne (Batman) with more than a slice of Patrick Bateman (American Psycho.) Jeffrey Wright's Peoples is brilliantly researched, the accent alone is brilliant. So different to the other roles I've seen him in, adds a splash of color to his resume.
This one's not deeply meaningful, nor does it explore any aspect of humanity and it does not inspire some personal change. What it does do, with distinction, is give the audience that respite, inviting us to kick up our feet and unplug. From start to finish, the action is compelling, the story is tight and the package is smooth. It's cool, baby...can you dig it?
****
In: Samuel L. Jackson
Out: Toni Collette
Coming Soon: The Sixth Sense
Friday, September 17, 2010
Pulp Fiction
Smooth tunes and chopped story-lines paint this film including the tales of a date gone horribly wrong, a fight not thrown, a diner stick-up and a strange briefcase. The stories interweave, but do so in a shuffled fashion. They're all connected to the business of Marcellus Wallace (Ving Rhames) a local Los Angeles hood. The film opens with a couple's robbery of a diner at gunpoint. We follow two patrons, Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) and Vincent (John Travolta) as they collect a briefcase from a bunch of slackers who owe Wallace some money. As the film drives on, we see a night between Wallace's Wife, Mia (Uma Thurman) and Vincent, ending in a near-fatal overdose. We follow Butch (Bruce Willis,) a boxer who is in debt to Wallace and is supposed to throw his final fight, a decides not to, prompting Wallace to pursue him for vengeance for his betrayal.
In trying to describe this film, I am lost. Mostly due to its fractured nature. The story line is not told in the correct order, and when the characters cross paths, it's made to look as if the meeting is a chance-meeting. Therefore, as my film watching books encourage, a second or third viewing is needed. It is vital, as well, to pay attention and ask questions in order to ascertain meaning and clarify structure. This fractured nature mirrors the film's creator and director, Quentin Tarentino, whose demeanor during interviews is chaotic and hyperactive. But his stuff works out pretty well, and this film is now a cult classic.
The dialogue is what makes this film memorable. The one liners are what makes it a conversation piece, more fun to quote and talk about than to see. As well, the content of the briefcase; which is never revealed and has had fans baffled for over a decade.
This film must be experienced to be understood, and taken in the right frame of mind and emotional state. There's not much interpretation to be said, this film just functions and runs its course. Its contribution to cinema is the fractured storytelling, memorable dialogue and great casting. But it's hard to explain, extrapolate and examine, and I'm sorry: I'm lost, overwhelmed and this is just one of those movies.
***
In: Uma Thurman
Out: Samuel L. Jackson
Coming Soon: SHAFT
This film contains very adult content, please examine my essay "On Discretion" (Here on Click's Flick on a Stick) and check yourself before plunging into any of the films on this blog.
In trying to describe this film, I am lost. Mostly due to its fractured nature. The story line is not told in the correct order, and when the characters cross paths, it's made to look as if the meeting is a chance-meeting. Therefore, as my film watching books encourage, a second or third viewing is needed. It is vital, as well, to pay attention and ask questions in order to ascertain meaning and clarify structure. This fractured nature mirrors the film's creator and director, Quentin Tarentino, whose demeanor during interviews is chaotic and hyperactive. But his stuff works out pretty well, and this film is now a cult classic.
The dialogue is what makes this film memorable. The one liners are what makes it a conversation piece, more fun to quote and talk about than to see. As well, the content of the briefcase; which is never revealed and has had fans baffled for over a decade.
This film must be experienced to be understood, and taken in the right frame of mind and emotional state. There's not much interpretation to be said, this film just functions and runs its course. Its contribution to cinema is the fractured storytelling, memorable dialogue and great casting. But it's hard to explain, extrapolate and examine, and I'm sorry: I'm lost, overwhelmed and this is just one of those movies.
***
In: Uma Thurman
Out: Samuel L. Jackson
Coming Soon: SHAFT
This film contains very adult content, please examine my essay "On Discretion" (Here on Click's Flick on a Stick) and check yourself before plunging into any of the films on this blog.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Paycheck
Michael Jennings (Ben Affleck) is the worlds greatest reverse engineer. Top corporations hire him to improve the design of their competitor's products in order to out-do the market. In order to keep his work secret, his memories of the project are erased to provide maximum deniability. His technician and physical therapist Shorty (Paul Giamatti) is his only real friend, those he meets during his projects disappear with that erasure. That is until his friend Jimmy (Aaron Eckhart) hires him for a new project, one that will make much money and will be longer than any of his other projects. While working for Jimmy, he meets Dr. Rachel Porter (Uma Thurman) and falls in love with her. However, due to the memory wipe, he doesn't remember her or what he's done for Jimmy's company. He does, however, have an envelope full of common, everyday items that he's exchanged for his compensation for the project and he is clueless to what they'll be needed for. Pursued by Jimmy's relentless security chief (Colm Feore) and two FBI Agents (Michael C. Hall and Joe Morton), Michael must stay alive long enough to figure out the clues.
In his usual hybrid-speed, hyper-stylized, adrenaline-packed ride, director John Woo presents a science fiction world in which memories can be erased and extracted without serious side effects. The package is seamless with the present world and the present world's rules. Yet it's high-concept enough to keep our interest. And filled with a message that inspires, even if it's only routine.
The players are all quality: Eckhart, Feore, Hall, Morton, Giamatti, Thurman and Affleck give solid performances with characters that are as routine as the message. But it's their chemistry that makes it good. Thurman and Affleck's chemistry is warm, witty and emotional. Feore and Eckhart give chilling performances with a Machiavellian flair, but with equally reasonable motivations to provide a credible adversary to Affleck's Jennings. Hall and Morton provide the quintessential incompetent law enforcement contingent, with balancing humor and wit. And Giamatti's quirkiness rounds out cast to balance the talent and blend the atmosphere that surrounds our characters.
A change from his other works, Woo's Paycheck lacks his usual staple of a hero who is stricken by an over abundance of tears. This one is realistic in emotion, fueled by the puzzle instead. The everyman feel is also a welcome respite to hyper-emotion and overplayed action. The concept blends together with the plot, picture and setting quite well and I'm very comfortable with the package, in fact it doesn't get old or tiresome. This one's good, no doubt about it.
***
In: Paul Giamatti
Out: Uma Thurman
Coming Soon: Pulp Fiction
In his usual hybrid-speed, hyper-stylized, adrenaline-packed ride, director John Woo presents a science fiction world in which memories can be erased and extracted without serious side effects. The package is seamless with the present world and the present world's rules. Yet it's high-concept enough to keep our interest. And filled with a message that inspires, even if it's only routine.
The players are all quality: Eckhart, Feore, Hall, Morton, Giamatti, Thurman and Affleck give solid performances with characters that are as routine as the message. But it's their chemistry that makes it good. Thurman and Affleck's chemistry is warm, witty and emotional. Feore and Eckhart give chilling performances with a Machiavellian flair, but with equally reasonable motivations to provide a credible adversary to Affleck's Jennings. Hall and Morton provide the quintessential incompetent law enforcement contingent, with balancing humor and wit. And Giamatti's quirkiness rounds out cast to balance the talent and blend the atmosphere that surrounds our characters.
A change from his other works, Woo's Paycheck lacks his usual staple of a hero who is stricken by an over abundance of tears. This one is realistic in emotion, fueled by the puzzle instead. The everyman feel is also a welcome respite to hyper-emotion and overplayed action. The concept blends together with the plot, picture and setting quite well and I'm very comfortable with the package, in fact it doesn't get old or tiresome. This one's good, no doubt about it.
***
In: Paul Giamatti
Out: Uma Thurman
Coming Soon: Pulp Fiction
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
Lady in the Water
At The Cove Apartment Complex, there's someone living in the pool. And she's all alone, terrified of something living in the grass. A chance meeting, when she's caught in the pool by Cleveland Heep (Paul Giamatii) the caretaker of the complex, propels us into the realm of children’s stories as we come to know this mysterious girl. The girl introduces herself as Story (Bryce Dallas Howard) and she has a mission to complete: to be seen by the one person who is chosen for her; and seeing this person will spark change in the world. Assisted by the colorful tenants of The Cove, Cleveland searches for this chosen person in order to help her fulfill her destiny.
This haunting tale is rich with emotion, assisted beautifully by Giamatti and Howard, who each give knock-out performances. Assisting Giamatti and Howard is a brilliant cast with Bob Balaban, Jeffrey Wright, Bill Irwin, Sarita Choudhury, Freddy Rodriguez and featuring M. Night Shyamalan, in his usual cameo appearance; this one being the longest. I am drawn to feel with Cleveland in his loss and also in the hope that Story draws out of him. James Newton Howard's haunting and powerful score breeds an ease to surrender to the mystery of the tale engaging the audience in Story's mission.
Impressive is Sarita Choudhury and Shyamalan's chemistry as brother and sister. I really believe that they are brother and sister. When Vick asks Story if his writing would eventually spark his assassination, his concern is for her and I empathize, being a sibling myself. I also thoroughly enjoyed the smoking guys; they are the perfect snapshot of apartment life. I just met my neighbors last night, and I can tell you these guys are a perfect representative of the quirkiness of apartment life. As is Cindy Cheung's Young-Soon Choi, also a knockout performance, I enjoyed her completely.
But of all the talent which is spot on, it's Shyamalan's pen and revealed vision which touches me. The theme of purpose is especially potent. As nobody in this life knows who they are and what effect they, as individuals, will apply to history, we must live our lives with meaning and touch the lives around us every day, every moment, and cherish our own lives with hope. Cleveland's sorrow has masked his life and clouded his purpose and destroyed his hope, until he's forced to confront his life and release the hope hidden deep in his soul, restoring his purpose. The package is what makes this film so beautiful, the direction, characters, plot and score; it's catharsis is released every time this film crosses a screen raising the goosebumps on the back of my neck and shoulders, stopping my heart, weighing my breath and glistening my eyes. Films like this come along so rarely for me (when a film raises and completely captures my emotions to the level of tears due to its beauty) that I am inspired to believe some stories are true, which allow me to feel like a child again.
****
In: Bob Balaban
Out: Paul Giamatti
Coming Soon: Paycheck
This haunting tale is rich with emotion, assisted beautifully by Giamatti and Howard, who each give knock-out performances. Assisting Giamatti and Howard is a brilliant cast with Bob Balaban, Jeffrey Wright, Bill Irwin, Sarita Choudhury, Freddy Rodriguez and featuring M. Night Shyamalan, in his usual cameo appearance; this one being the longest. I am drawn to feel with Cleveland in his loss and also in the hope that Story draws out of him. James Newton Howard's haunting and powerful score breeds an ease to surrender to the mystery of the tale engaging the audience in Story's mission.
Impressive is Sarita Choudhury and Shyamalan's chemistry as brother and sister. I really believe that they are brother and sister. When Vick asks Story if his writing would eventually spark his assassination, his concern is for her and I empathize, being a sibling myself. I also thoroughly enjoyed the smoking guys; they are the perfect snapshot of apartment life. I just met my neighbors last night, and I can tell you these guys are a perfect representative of the quirkiness of apartment life. As is Cindy Cheung's Young-Soon Choi, also a knockout performance, I enjoyed her completely.
But of all the talent which is spot on, it's Shyamalan's pen and revealed vision which touches me. The theme of purpose is especially potent. As nobody in this life knows who they are and what effect they, as individuals, will apply to history, we must live our lives with meaning and touch the lives around us every day, every moment, and cherish our own lives with hope. Cleveland's sorrow has masked his life and clouded his purpose and destroyed his hope, until he's forced to confront his life and release the hope hidden deep in his soul, restoring his purpose. The package is what makes this film so beautiful, the direction, characters, plot and score; it's catharsis is released every time this film crosses a screen raising the goosebumps on the back of my neck and shoulders, stopping my heart, weighing my breath and glistening my eyes. Films like this come along so rarely for me (when a film raises and completely captures my emotions to the level of tears due to its beauty) that I am inspired to believe some stories are true, which allow me to feel like a child again.
****
In: Bob Balaban
Out: Paul Giamatti
Coming Soon: Paycheck
Friday, September 03, 2010
Gosford Park
In the English countryside, where the rich are haughty and their servants are equally pretentious, a weekend gathering filled with teas, suppers and shooting begins. Tensions are already high as the guests arrive and nobody can stand each other, really, and pretenses are at their highest. In the middle of the weekend, the host, Sir William McCordle (Michael Gambon,) is found dead with a knife in his chest and everyone has a motive for his death. From his wife Lady Sylvia (Kristen Scott Thomas) to his brother-in-law, Commander Anthony Meredith (Tom Hollander) to a visiting valet, Robert Parks (Clive Owen.) When the bumbling local detective inspector (Stephen Fry) shows up to investigate, he finds his hands full; but everyone else has their own explanation of the crime.
In a classic whodunnit, Robert Altman's brilliant ensemble drama is a real who's who for British Actors with heavy hitters including Jeremy Northam, Alan Bates, Clive Owen, Derek Jacobi, Michael Gambon, Richard E Grant, Stephen Fry, Maggie Smith, Kristen Scott Thomas, Emily Watson and Tom Hollander. Accompanying them are equally brilliant non-British players Ryan Phillippe, Bob Balaban and Kelly Macdonald, who plays our protagonist. The production design, cinematography and editing are equally well performed making this a exceptionally well done film. And Patrick Doyle's perfectly balanced score, bright, warm and haunting, is well cut with Jeremy Northam's performance of the real-life crooner Ivor Novello's ballads.
With a massive 32-part speaking cast, Gosford Park's story-line is complex and multi-layered with each character having their own story-arc. My favorites are that of Robert Parks and Mrs Wilson, The Meredith's, Elsie (Emily Watson) and Mabel Nesbit's. We've got one of revenge, one of finance, one of freedom and that of unrequited love. Mrs. Nesbitt's (Claudie Blakely) story involves her domestic abuse at the hands of her husband and the general scorn from everyone in the house, aside from Mr. Novello who comes from a meager upbringing, too. His treatment of her gives her strength to stand up to her husband and the rest of the guests. Ms Blakely and Mr. Northam's chemistry is so comfortable, there's room to consider if Mr. Novello carried that much compassion in real life. Elsie's story involves the tipping point of impatience with the upstairs snobbery and household gossip and she speaks out of turn, liberating herself. I am particularly fond of the romance of The Meredith's, Anthony and Lavinia. Their heavy financial burden begins in desperation, Anthony's business is failing and Sir William's death makes the investment secure. After an evening conversation with one of the kitchen maids in the pantry, he realizes that love is important and he returns to his wife with a new purpose. Wonderful exchanges between Helen Mirren's Mrs. Wilson and Clive Owen's Robert Parks is so subtle that the dark tension that is their history is clear. Such a brilliant cast!!
The story is so well told, and is one of my favorites in my collection. Kelly Macdonald's Mary Maceachran tells our story so very well. I enjoy her innocence and her role as our eyes, she does what we're supposed to be doing: solving the crime and figuring out the politics of service. But in the end, it's not the whodunnit that's important, it's that it was done...and this is the reaction.
This is such a rich piece, well written and fantastically acted, along with a fabulous score. It has everything a classic murder mystery wears: plenty of suspects, torrid affairs, gossip and poison on every windowsill, perfect recipe for a beautiful film..and, I can't help it, it's so incredibly British!!
****
In: Jeremy Northam
Out; Bob Balaban
Coming Soon: Lady in the Water
In a classic whodunnit, Robert Altman's brilliant ensemble drama is a real who's who for British Actors with heavy hitters including Jeremy Northam, Alan Bates, Clive Owen, Derek Jacobi, Michael Gambon, Richard E Grant, Stephen Fry, Maggie Smith, Kristen Scott Thomas, Emily Watson and Tom Hollander. Accompanying them are equally brilliant non-British players Ryan Phillippe, Bob Balaban and Kelly Macdonald, who plays our protagonist. The production design, cinematography and editing are equally well performed making this a exceptionally well done film. And Patrick Doyle's perfectly balanced score, bright, warm and haunting, is well cut with Jeremy Northam's performance of the real-life crooner Ivor Novello's ballads.
With a massive 32-part speaking cast, Gosford Park's story-line is complex and multi-layered with each character having their own story-arc. My favorites are that of Robert Parks and Mrs Wilson, The Meredith's, Elsie (Emily Watson) and Mabel Nesbit's. We've got one of revenge, one of finance, one of freedom and that of unrequited love. Mrs. Nesbitt's (Claudie Blakely) story involves her domestic abuse at the hands of her husband and the general scorn from everyone in the house, aside from Mr. Novello who comes from a meager upbringing, too. His treatment of her gives her strength to stand up to her husband and the rest of the guests. Ms Blakely and Mr. Northam's chemistry is so comfortable, there's room to consider if Mr. Novello carried that much compassion in real life. Elsie's story involves the tipping point of impatience with the upstairs snobbery and household gossip and she speaks out of turn, liberating herself. I am particularly fond of the romance of The Meredith's, Anthony and Lavinia. Their heavy financial burden begins in desperation, Anthony's business is failing and Sir William's death makes the investment secure. After an evening conversation with one of the kitchen maids in the pantry, he realizes that love is important and he returns to his wife with a new purpose. Wonderful exchanges between Helen Mirren's Mrs. Wilson and Clive Owen's Robert Parks is so subtle that the dark tension that is their history is clear. Such a brilliant cast!!
The story is so well told, and is one of my favorites in my collection. Kelly Macdonald's Mary Maceachran tells our story so very well. I enjoy her innocence and her role as our eyes, she does what we're supposed to be doing: solving the crime and figuring out the politics of service. But in the end, it's not the whodunnit that's important, it's that it was done...and this is the reaction.
This is such a rich piece, well written and fantastically acted, along with a fabulous score. It has everything a classic murder mystery wears: plenty of suspects, torrid affairs, gossip and poison on every windowsill, perfect recipe for a beautiful film..and, I can't help it, it's so incredibly British!!
****
In: Jeremy Northam
Out; Bob Balaban
Coming Soon: Lady in the Water
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Emma
Wit, gossip, charm and marriage are the pillars of the plot driving a story of a meddling socialite, Emma (Gwyneth Paltrow) who believes her calling is to secure a marriage for an unfortunate girl, Harriet Smith (Toni Collette) to the local vicar, Mr. Elton (Alan Cumming.) Emma believes that she is the expert in matters of station, class and lovemaking. However, she is mistaken, as her friend Mr. Knightly (Jeremy Northam) already knows. When the mysterious and charming Frank Churchill (Ewan McGregor) comes into town, she falls into the trap she usually sets, but not all is what it seems.
From the outset, Jane Austin's wit and jest is clear from the soft tones of Rachel Portman's score to the first introduction to our cast. The dialogue is quite well written and delivered with such excellent cadence by the players. The blend that the cast produces allows for the prime comfort of the audience in between the space that fills the tactically-placed uncomfortable silences, and comically-aimed heartache. But equally well done is the soft photography and picturesque color palette as love flies everywhere, dripping its juice on every aspect of the film.
The sword plunge as Emma insults poor Miss Bates and Knightly rebukes her is perfectly executed. The casting of Sophie Thompson as Miss Bates is superbly done, she executes the scene against Jeremy Northam and Gwyneth Paltrow exceptionally well discomforting the audience with great efficiency. Comprehensively splendid!
I am always impressed with the wit of Ms. Austin's characters and their interactions with each other. This one is particularly witty and the humor works so well for me, as both comedy and love stories are the wrench of my literary experience, as I am completely hard to please. My mother knows: I am a "chick flick" snob, and a comedy connoisseur. And this one reaches high above the bar.
****
In: Ewan McGregor
Out: Jeremy Northam
Coming Soon: Gosford Park
From the outset, Jane Austin's wit and jest is clear from the soft tones of Rachel Portman's score to the first introduction to our cast. The dialogue is quite well written and delivered with such excellent cadence by the players. The blend that the cast produces allows for the prime comfort of the audience in between the space that fills the tactically-placed uncomfortable silences, and comically-aimed heartache. But equally well done is the soft photography and picturesque color palette as love flies everywhere, dripping its juice on every aspect of the film.
The sword plunge as Emma insults poor Miss Bates and Knightly rebukes her is perfectly executed. The casting of Sophie Thompson as Miss Bates is superbly done, she executes the scene against Jeremy Northam and Gwyneth Paltrow exceptionally well discomforting the audience with great efficiency. Comprehensively splendid!
I am always impressed with the wit of Ms. Austin's characters and their interactions with each other. This one is particularly witty and the humor works so well for me, as both comedy and love stories are the wrench of my literary experience, as I am completely hard to please. My mother knows: I am a "chick flick" snob, and a comedy connoisseur. And this one reaches high above the bar.
****
In: Ewan McGregor
Out: Jeremy Northam
Coming Soon: Gosford Park
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