LFF 2017: Loveless *****

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Posted: 24/02/2018

There is an overwhelming feeling of stark ambiguity in Russian co-writer-director Andrei Zvyagintsev’s new film Loveless. A sense of soullessness that is initially attempted to be filled by things that matter but is defeated by greater evils, those of pride, greed, self-service and broken bonds.

When their young son Alyosha (Matvey Novikov) goes missing – after only noticing his absence a few days later, warring couple Zhenya (Maryana Spivak) and Boris (Aleksey Rozin) who are divorcing and leading separate lives in one flat must put differences aside and unite to find him.

Parent or not, the catalyst for this film is the intoxicating, tragic loneliness of the boy that Zvyagintsev does well to portray and immerse us in. Alyosha is from a comfortable background but is being so neglected that you want to scream at those who are supposed to be ‘adult’ and in control. These scenes of family destruction are given a thorough airing from the start, so that we can make assumptions and form opinions before the inevitable happens. After that, you need there to be a resolution in all respects.

This is the film’s tour de force. It takes you through the emotional spectrum in its journey to solve the mystery, set against a cold, bleak background that emphasizes the situation further. The performances from all the cast are utterly superb. Ironically, you do support their individual desire for happiness, all in their own way. However, the one who is most ‘at risk’ from the fallout is the one who is most vulnerable. It is quite heartbreaking.

In fact, Zvyagintsev’s beautifully-shot Loveless ought to be compulsory viewing for any couple with children going through hard times, to test their true resolve. Short of that, it should come with a warning for the rest of us as it forces us to get some clear perspective on what matters in life. Indeed, happiness, but at what selfish cost? Powerful and unforgiving, Loveless is one not to miss.

5/5 stars

By @Filmgazer

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Den Of Thieves ***

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Posted: 24/02/2018

It’s the start of 2018 and we always need another heist movie in these cold winter months to get the blood flowing. It’s irrelevant that Den of Thieves feels like a Heat copycat, with the age-old ‘cop versus robber’ cat-and-mouse game at play, it has up-to-date effects and weaponry to enjoy. Ignore the fact that the gamble is on-screen tough guy Gerard Butler to bring home the goods, especially in what are notoriously ‘slow months’ for any release while the big awards season proceeds.

Even with its bloated twists and turns, and lost narrative (sadly) during the main heist, debut director Christian Gudegast’s final outcome still manages to entertain because the action is exhilarating enough to mask this, and it’s not all about Butler. In fact it sort of feels like an ensemble cast at play, which is a credit to the other actors billed, in particular Pablo ‘Pornstache’ Schreiber and Straight Outta Compton’s O’Shea Jackson Jr.

Butler plays ‘Big Nick’ O’Brien, an out-of-shape and bent veteran cop who has been hardened by many years at the LA County Sheriff’s Dept., steering his wayward crew. After a shoot-out (small war) outside a donut shop that leads to the theft of an armour cash vehicle, Big Nick crosses paths with one of the most successful bank robbery crews, headed up by ex-marine Merrimen (Schreiber). Big Nick and team press the designated driver, Donnie (Jackson Jr.), to tell them where the crew’s last big job will be: the seemingly impenetrable Federal Reserve Bank.

The film starts out rather impressively, complete with a bicep-pumped-action ride of bullet power that means business. We are in for grit and body count as the cop-killers set the pace. Gudegast grabs our attention. Cue ‘Big Nick’ Butler who resembles a less healthy version of Mel Gibson’s Riggs from Lethal Weapon, but with the same baby blues and chauvinism at work. Big Nick might seem like he’s about to pass out from exertion at times throughout, but the end catch keeps him going – even as his personal life crumbles miserably.

The real acting moments come from exchanges between Butler and Schreiber, with virtually little said, but everything meant in knowing looks, nods and fire-range standoffs. Schreiber makes a formidable and easy-on-the-eye opponent on screen as the guarded Merrimen, a role that seems to suit the Orange Is the New Black actor very well indeed. The world of heist movies is Schreiber’s oyster with a more skilled script in the future.

Jackson Jr. does well to keep the twists going, sweating at times under pressure as Donnie, but keeping tight lipped about the final end whammy. He does match his fellow actors’ screen presence, having far more to do and greater impact than 50 Cent does as gang member Levoux. However, the Queens rapper-cum-actor boasts one very funny scene that every parent of a prom-aged kid should note; 50 Cent’s only moment of glory.

The characters are not the problem here though, the error lies solely in the writing; note Gudegast was part of the team behind mediocre 2016 Butler offering, London Has Fallen. Both films suffer from implausible scenarios, with endings that are plain silly. This aside, the biggest sin in Den of Thieves that critically damages all the hard work – and gritty graft – is the gaping plot holes in the Federal Reserve Bank robbery. At least any Ocean’s film is diligent in making sure all questions regarding the planned heist are addressed. Accurate detail is paramount in these crime capers, especially when the run-time well exceeds the two-hour mark.

If you can excuse the above and take Den of Thieves as it comes for pure action and character titillation, it works. Just don’t dig deeper, or you’re in trouble. It’s a crying shame as Butler actually delivers one of his best performances to date. Big Nick makes quite the first and lasting impression.

3/5 stars

By @FilmGazer

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LFF 2017: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri *****

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Posted: 27/01/2018

Film festival films – such as this one from In Bruges’ director that closed BFI London Film Festival in October 2017 – are often the best on offer in the months leading up to end of year. But to the average cinema-goer, may be regarded as not necessarily ‘mainstream entertainment’, worth spending hard-earned cash on. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri satisfies in both respects: it’s both a work of art and fine acting and highly entertaining – profanity aside, if that offends. It has all the pitch-black humour and delivery of In Bruges too.

The story follows a grieving but no-nonsense mother, Mildred, played by the brilliant Frances McDormand, who believes local law enforcement of a rural town is not doing anything about bringing justice for her daughter’s murder and finding the culprits.

Mildred decides to take out three billboard ads – or messages – that challenge the local police chief, Willoughby (Woody Harrelson). This stirs up a hornet’s nest of opinion in the locality, as well as deep-seated prejudices, perpetuated by local bigoted officer Dixon (Sam Rockwell).

From McDormand to Rockwell, the acting in this film is outstanding. Every character initially appears a stereotype, only to take those preconceptions and smash them with fully fleshed and very real (and individually flawed) personalities. This does not detract from the hilarity and irony of the situation, but goes to enhance it further. From the bleakest of subject matter comes humour, something writer-director Martin McDonagh is highly skilled at – without trivalising matters.

Three Billboards runs you through the full spectrum of emotions, too, concentrating on a pocket of small-town life to do this. It also does not shy away from un-PC and polarizing views, examining their impact with full vigour, and laying them on the table for all to see and digest – a refreshing stance indeed, and one that takes the bravest of film-makers like McDonagh to handle.

If you like your comedy pitch-black and controversial but with a lot of heart and soul, you can do no better than to catch this film: Believe its billboard poster ratings – like the ones in the film, they speak the absolute truth.

5/5 stars

By @FilmGazer

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Darkest Hour ****

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Posted: 27/01/2018

Winston Churchill was formidable figure in history and is always portrayed as one of Britain’s greatest and highly respected leaders. What Darkest Hour does is not destroys that myth, but ‘distorts’ it by showing his immediate rise to wartime leadership position and his unpopularity – the more questionable elements of his character. It needed a strong actor for the job, to coax out Churchill’s multi-faceted traits, and Gary Oldman is pitch perfect.

The film is very topical today: war or peace, force or peace talks? It follows how Churchill was instilled as prime minister, still with the former PM, Chamberlain (Ronald Pickup), and his supporters lurking in the shadows after Chamberlain’s resignation in 1940. In fact, very much like today with Theresa May, placed in the position of power (unelected by the public), and trying to avoid the in-party knives that are out, while dealing with tricky foreign policy.

Oldman embodies Churchill, so much so that you forget who is behind the prosthetics. He is both physically and mentally the man, carrying the weight of the leader, both literally and metaphorically. Awards are on the cards for his portrayal, almost as though Oldman’s whole career has been building up to play this one mighty character.

If there was any criticism to be had, it would be small: that the whole film is one long character piece that doesn’t escape the ‘awards bating’ label. If you are neither an Oldman fan nor care for a lesson in Britain’s political history, this may not come top of what to go and see at the box office. Shame though, as it’s still all-absorbing with enough verbal battles and psychological warfare going on just within the war cabinet to fruitfully warrant its run-time.

4/5 stars

By @FilmGazer

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Pitch Perfect 3 ***

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Posted: 27/01/2018

 

The Bellas are back, older, perhaps none the wiser, but not succeeding in adult life completely and desperately needing the comforting source of singing sisterhood they got at college. For fans, it’s the latter that keeps episode 3 humming along, the idea that we have invested so much in these girls that we need to see them reunite – just like with a favourite girl band, even though we know, deep down, the magic won’t last.

The Bellas are recruited to entertain the troops in an overseas USO tour this time around, competing against other artists to win the chance to tour with (real-life) DJ and producer DJ Khaled. However, one of their parents wants more than a reunion, which puts the Bellas in danger.

Writer-director Trish Sie is no stranger to musical drama, with Step Up All In in 2014. She has taken over the girls and kept the harmonies and toe-tapping and going. The girls still have their charm, and some will relate to having to suppress one’s dreams to earn a living in the adult world. Hence the plot of having the opportunity to reform and do what they really love – and get somewhere doing it – is infectious and so the scene is set.

The thing that will swing the fans is whether they want to see their beloved girl group placed in an action movie, or not? This time around there is a ‘thriller’ element to the story that actually does not detract from the core soul of the films, but seems like an add-on, rather that taking the saga further onto a new genre path. Still, John Lithgow as the ‘baddie’ has a ball, again, hamming it up and over-acting like we’ve recently in Daddy’s Home 2 as Don. Also, if you’re already tired of Rebel Wilson‘s character’s juvenile retorts, you will have tired of this.

That said there is still plenty of performance to be had from the Bellas in this, and it’s all about the journey (and struggle) getting to the final one that is the crux of it all. Film 3 does not add anything new – apart from the odd action scene, it just fills us in on the next saga in the girls’ lives. Not a bad thing for any fan, really.

3/5 stars

By @FilmGazer

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The Disaster Artist ****

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Posted: 27/01/2018

The saying “it’s so bad it’s good” applies to the Franco brothers’ latest film project, The Disaster Artist. The other saying that “art imitates life…that imitates art” could also apply: The Francos’ acting track record is highly debatable, with each brother’s own fair share of ‘dodgy’ performances to boot. The success of The Disaster Artist is how touching it turns out to be, as well as being a different comedic take on the underdog triumphing in Hollywood.

Based on a true story, writer/director Tommy Wiseau (James Franco) makes a film called The Room that transpires to be about his own life, starring his good friend, aspiring actor Greg Sestero (brother Dave), after Hollywood is less than kind to him. The story chronicles the odd, badly-acted film’s troubled development, with guest appearances from Seth Rogen (Sandy Schklair) and Zac Efron.

The film has its ready-made fan base that have attended all the midnight screenings and turned The Room into cult status. It’s the rest of us that need convincing. It earns new fans because it takes the oddballs bromance theory that Franco is so familiar with and adds a level of survival to it to give it gravitas that real-life Wiseau could only dream of.

The question isn’t lack of money – the usual downfall of those seeking fame in Tinseltown. The whole mystery of the source of the film funding – Wiseau’s wealth – is still as much a mystery today as it was in back then. The survival aspect to it is taking on Hollywood’s populist label that closes its doors to all whose face does not fit, and winning in a roundabout way that no one could have foreseen. In that sense it’s a breath of fresh air that slowly and gradually makes sense and entertains, climaxing in a fist thump at the ending.

The Disaster Artist turns life’s losers into winners; it is inspiring, tragic, painful and courageous all at once. This is one performance the Franco brothers get spot on.

4/5 stars

By @FilmGazer

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Wonder ****

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Posted: 26/11/2017

Following on from Anti-Bullying Week 2017 in the UK, and based on the New York Times bestseller, this heartwarming screen story adapted by Beauty and the Beast writer Stephen Chbosky is highly poignant, reminding us that we are all different but the same inside. In the same vein as the 1985 film that propelled Cher’s on-screen career, Mask, there is a central character that is extraordinary, both physically and mentally, trying to fit in and be ordinary. Personal journeys cannot fail to hit the right chord, if attempted well.

This is the story of August ‘Auggie’ Pullman (Jacob Tremblay), a young boy with facial differences who has had years of corrective surgery. Homeschooled by his mother, Isabel (Julia Roberts), he decides it is time to enter fifth grade in a mainstream elementary school. It means going out in the world without his trusted spaceman’s helmet. He encounters many reactions to looking ‘different’.

Chbosky and team have developed a convincing back story to the Pullman household – that includes Dad Nate (Owen Wilson) and big sister Via (Izabela Vidovic) – without relying on schmaltz for reaction. We get a very real sense of each character’s place in the family unit and their hopes, frustrations and reactions to the position they find themselves in. Indeed, the Pullman world does revolve around Auggie and protecting him, but the little boy resists this to an extent, wanting to be judged on merit and personality alone.

The strength of the tale lies in the comparisons between siblings. Wonder juxtapositions their life experiences, and examines how one child gets more parental limelight than the other, through no fault of their own. In fact there is a great deal of ‘selflessness’ to all four characters making truly inspirational viewing. It is outside forces and opinions that propel the narrative forward, using Auggie as the litmus test in each new scenario.

This sweet coming-of-age tale does not leave any of its leads behind either – each one gets a chance to grow their character arc, not just Auggie, which is refreshing. This means none are left as two-dimensional caricatures propping up another, pointing to some great writing and direction.

We are used to seeing Roberts in fighting mom spirit, though this is commendably understated in Wonder, complimented by Owen’s gentle humorous input as Nate. Both Tremblay and Vidovic give engaging performances as the Pullman children. Even though Roberts and Owen are big names on the project, the film belongs to the younger stars.

This enlightening family viewing is full of morals, incentives and solutions for all – not just the standard “you can accomplish anything if you put your mind to it” mantra. It is in the little details that Chbosky’s film speaks its greatest volume and empathizes with all characters: There is no black and white in Wonder as the storyline unfolds – even the school bully has a back story that goes some way to explaining his hurtful actions.

4/5 stars

By @FilmGazer

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Daddy’s Home 2 **

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Posted: 26/11/2017

Family dynamics around the festive period are ripe for the comedy picking. Everyone can relate to the age-old saying “you can’t chose your family” when faced with spending the requisite time with them. Indeed, even the most cynical of us will cherish at least one memorable moment – event if it’s at the expense of a loved one.

The thought of comedy duo Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg – who had a natural flow in The Other Guys – returning as Brad and Dusty respectively for a second Daddy’s Home edition, and trying to create the ‘perfect’ Christmas does prick the interest. Such enormous comedy potential, considering all was at peace with dad and stepdad at the end of the last film in 2015.

The potent mixer here is introducing the chalk-and-cheese granddads, played by John Lithgow (Bard’s emotional, touchy-feely dad) and Mel Gibson (Dusty’s macho, womanizing, guarded father) to stir up dormant feelings of inner inadequacy in our boys. Throw in some tinsel, snow and cute kids, and you have the perfect recipe, right?

The biggest crime committed here is the writers is not attempting to pen any original festive film gags, considering all four leads can do comedy with great ease. The ‘waste’ of talent is shameful. After the fun, fantasy meet-and-greet at the airport, it’s cue fairy lights going wrong, cue someone falling flat in snow, and cue a festive sing-along to remind all what the silly season is about how we should love one another. In truth, in a world in turmoil at present, this message should not be squandered lightly, but the film’s musical number leaves a sickly-sweet taste in the mouth – even though there’s a potential Marky Mark moment for fans.

This time around utter idiocy is in command. There are moments you can pick out of the festive-film déjà vu that do resonate, especially if you are a parent, and these are always a comic given. Indeed Christmas with the family does mean repetition of old ways and habits, and the predictability of it all is what the film-makers give a nod to here.

Part of the film’s other issue is bad timing of outside forces at play on its ‘innocent’ storylines – through no fault of the film-makers. With Hollywood under a cloud of abuse allegations, Gibson’s rather misogynistic character Kurt is a tad uncomfortable to watch, especially in a family film. The other is a loose attempt at tackling the gun control issue in a family-centric way, with both sides of the argument given, though the pro lobby shouting louder and even glorifying it further. The danger of polarizing characters and their beliefs renders the status quo as caricatures, with any depth and empathy for them in danger of being lost.

This does come across as Ferrell/Brad and Wahlberg/Dusty fight to be heard in the crowded screen space. Their central dynamic key to the first film and their past comedic success is muted to the point that when the cracks appear and the tipping point comes, there is a sense of disappointment. Perhaps making it more about the others – though Linda Cardellini as Brad’s long-suffering wife is woefully under-used – is to the film concept’s detriment: Too many personalities, big and small, grappling for the limelight?

Daddy’s Home 2 does bring more daddies into the domestic fray with a couple of snatched laughs – more in disbelief at what is being delivered on screen with hindsight. It also will appeal to the Bad Moms crowd too, with adults behaving childishly and without consequence. Even a sweet coming-of-age storyline about girl trouble fails to rescue this completely – and Ferrell and Wahlberg, however much we want it to.

2/5 stars

By @FilmGazer

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LFF 2017: Mudbound ****

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Posted: 26/11/2017

This year’s BFI LFF was full of richly layered film-making that seemed poignantly relevant to current affairs, even though the story may have been set in another time and era. Perhaps we never learn our past mistakes?

One such example is writer-director Dee Rees’s Mudbound, based on Hillary Jordan’s novel of the same name, a beautifully rendered tale set in the Deep South about the impact of post-war America on the various communities. Not only does it explore racial tensions of the time, present-day unrest in Charlottesville, for example, makes us project latter-day opinions on the film’s events.

When two men – one white (Garrett Hedlund as Jamie McAllan) and one black (Jason Mitchell as Ronsel Jackson) – return home from World War II to work on a farm in Mississippi, they struggle to deal with racism and adjusting to daily life after war. One belongs to a white family who own the land (the McAllans), and the other to family who, along with its descendants, works it (the Jacksons).

Nothing is taken for granted in Mudbound. No back story is left untold. Hence there are no plot holes to contend with. Rees fully fleshes out each character, as well as gives them an individual journey to embark on. Coupled with some fantastic casting/acting in Hedlund and Mitchell and Carey Mulligan, Jason Clarke, Mary J. Blige and Rob Morgan, this film offers a plethora of events and surface tensions to dissect and submerse in that parallel present-day tensions in America.

The storytelling is emotive in nature, as is to be expected. However, it is not drawn out for effect and exploitative in sentimentality. Events play out with real-time significance, with some of the most violent scenes very real indeed. In fact, Clarke’s McAllan brother, Henry, actually hits actor Hedlund for full effect in the brothers’ confrontation scene. The irony is there is also sensitivity invested in the characters and their story that Rees’ coaxes out on screen that is powerful in the mundane of moments.

Mudbound could fall into the clichéd Deep South screen story of racial divide but addresses all injustices using the most traumatic, humbling and leveling device: war.

4/5 stars

By @FilmGazer

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