Sightseers [2012]

Back in September, at the FDA showcase event in London, I had the chance to watch Sightseers, a very interesting, quite distinct film, directed by Ben Wheatley (of Kill List fame), and written by the two leading actors, Alice Lowe and Steve Oram. It tells the macabre story of a couple who go on a romantic cross-country trip, only for her to discover Chris is a serial killer.

You have to see Sightseers- it's one of the best, most creative and funny movies I have seen in a while, despite its violence and gory details. The script is a definite highlight of the film- it features realistic and approachable characters in strange, highly unlikely situations, and most of all, it tells a story. What I admired most about the script was the perfect mix between darkness/violence and humor  done in a funny way, but also balancing it properly to create a good film to watch.

One of the other things I liked about Sightseers is the fact we can see a definite transformation, on both accounts, especially personality wise, although the action is also thrilling. The man tries to adapt and hide his condition, but ultimately can't hide back his true nature, while the woman starts as an innocent person, who is faced with a horrifying truth and has to decide what to do next- her future actions are quite shocking. The two actors, Alice and Steve, work perfectly together and deliver their lines in a fun to watch manner, the dialogue and setting making it unmistakably British. Side note- favorite line: "he's not a person, love, he's a Daily Mail reader".

From a filmmaking point of view, I thought it was well-made and realistically portrayed a violent nature of humankind, knowing when to shock and when to hold back, especially when it came to the actual deaths. I did find the slow motion use for the dramatic scenes a bit weird at the beginning, but I got used to it by the end.

Sightseers is one of this years' best British films, in both story and characters, and I highly recommend it- I enjoyed myself and I hope you will, too.

Private Peaceful [2012]

Last month, at FDA showcase event, I had the pleasure of seeing a number of new movies, some I haven't even heard of before. One of the more pleasant surprises was Private Peaceful, a very well made war movie, considering its budget and casting. It's the story of two brothers who fall for the same girl while trying to cope  with the pressures of their family life, the war, and the price of courage and cowardice. Based on a Michael Morpurgo novel, written for screen by Simon Reade and directed by Pat O'Connor, this small film should be on your radar in the next following months.

The story is not overly creative or unknown- two brothers like the same girl, and as they grow old, the girl eventually chooses one of them, while the other is left hurt and abandoned, and so he decides to join the army in order to forget about her. The situations worsens when both brothers end up in war, and get in trouble for disobeying orders. I won't give up too much details of the plot, but it is a touching story, with approachable characters and a steady, yet intriguing storyline.

One of the things I appreciated and remembered was that, for such a small budget and unknown names, it had surprisingly good quality in both acting and filmmaking. The cinematography was beautiful and used simple, yet effective techniques, the direction was on point and didn't overreact on certain occasions (see War Horse) and the sets, costume and music helped the story come across in a much more realistic way.

The casting was definitely one of its strongest attributes. Starting with very good young cast (Izzie Meikle-Small, Hero Fiennes-Tiffin, Samuel Bottomley) who set up the movie, and its high class supporting cast, starring Richard Griffiths and Frances de la Tour, and ending with the three main leads, Alexandra Roach as Molly, the girl who wins both of the men's hearts, and the two brothers, Jack O'Connell as Charlie, the older, smarter and more charismatic brother, and George MacKay as Tommo, the younger, more sensitive and heartfelt boy. There are some things I noticed about them and their acting that I want to mention. First, interestingly enough, younger Molly was much more interesting and appealing than older Molly, as Roach was quite bland in her part (or maybe the script didn't allow her to shine). Second, George MacKay gave, probably, the best performance out of the three, with his sweet nature, misunderstood character and brave facade. Third, Jack O'Connell, the guy who played Charlie, very much reminded me of Anton Yelchin.

In the end, Private Peaceful is a very good British war movie that proves that you can make a wonderful film without enormous amounts of money. Some might say it is a more normal, less dramatic, low budget, version of War Horse or Saving Private Ryan, and I think I would agree. You should see it!

The Full Monty [1997] + a short screening madness update

I recently re-watched Full Monty and I must say, I still liked it as much as I did the first time I saw it. The Full Monty is one of the most famous, most loved British films ever, because of its success in highlighting a social problem in a funny, entertaining way. It tells the story of a group of unemployed men who decide to put on a striptease show for the local women in order to raise some money, since their job hunting so far wasn't that successful.

As far as British movies go, I think this one is quite memorable. It's not perfect, but its beauty lies in the fact that it treats the British culture and challenges with a lot of humour, heart and realism, and here is where the film's magic sits. It has the accent, the dirty mouths, the crazy characters, and the actual story is both funny and heartwarming. Some scenes, in particular, are hilarious: the auditions, stealing Flashdance, the practices (the Arsenal analogy, and especially, the part where they get undressed in Gerald's house). My favorite moment has to be the dancing in line at the job center, I just love it for its simplicity and fun factor.

It features many fine British actors, like Robert Carlisle, playing Gaz, the main character, a broken man who is trying to keep his son from a messy custody settlement, or Mark Addy (King Baratheon) as Dave, the shy best friend who is reluctant to the whole situation. I also have to mention the famous Tom Wilkinson as the uptight Gerald, most likely to succeed out of the group, who gives a wonderful performance.

In the end, Full Monty is an easy going, funny British comedy that deserves a shot. It might surprise you.

P.S. Advice: put on the English subtitles, if you have the option- sometimes it's hard to understand :)

Short personal update- screenings madness

So you know I told I'd be back after the 1st of september, super active and committed to twitter and blog? Well, I am kind of breaking that promise now, but I have a really good excuse. By some miracle, I got accepted and now attending a special event organised by the distributors of UK showcasing some of the falls biggest films and it's been a crazy, but highly enjoyable and entertaining experience.

I am pretty paranoid about what I can or cannot say and I did sign some embargo papers, so I think I am just going to mention the movies I've seen so far and what I will see today and tomorrow- that should be ok, right? Reviews will be up shortly, especially for the ones coming out in the following weeks, but I will have to wait for others, because of the said embargo.

So far, I've seen Madagascar 3, Hope Springs, Private Peaceful, The Knot, Holy Motors, Anna Karenina, Sweeney, Untouchable, Sister, Rust&Bone, End of watch.

Going to watch: Frankenweenie, Ruby Sparks, Lawless, Now is good, Sightseers and probably Killing them softly

Favourites so far: Anna Karenina, Private Peaceful, Untouchable
You should avoid: The Knot, Sweeney

Please do come back tomorrow, I have a nice special post for you :)

Vera Drake [2004]

Written and directed by Mike Leigh, Vera Drake is a 2004 British film which tells the story of an older woman who performs abortions in the 50s. It is quiet, subdued and heartbreaking at points, as she must ultimately face the consequences of her actions.

Vera Drake is portrayed as an incredibly positive, outgoing and slightly naive person, with a heart of gold, who is available and willing to help anyone who requires it. Married with two children, a son and a shy, introvert daughter, she goes on her day to day life, cleaning houses as a way to pay the bills. The harsh discrepancy comes when we find out Vera is also known, to many women, as the lady who performs abortions. She does it because she thinks she is helping girls out whenever they can't manage, and because she has been doing it for such a long time without any problems and without receiving any money for it, she is sincerely upset when one of her "patients" is admitted to the hospital in terrible conditions after it.

Misses Drake's world collapses when, in the day of her daughter's engagement, the police come knocking on her door, demanding information about her rituals, after the sick girl's mother tells the police Vera's name. That scene when the detectives come to confront the woman is probably one of the most moving, heartbreaking moments of the whole movie. We can easily see the change as she realises what she has done and what might await for her, we can feel her emotions, her terror, and her performance was quite extraordinary. I loved the fact that everything was quiet, there were no shouted accusations or cheeky attitude, there were only silent voices and normal conversation, as she admits to the detective and the police that she "help girls out, when they can't manage"; she answers the questions, but her mind always goes back to her family and her children in the other room.

Vera Drake is a bleak, rather slow movie- it seems like it's just waiting to burst, but there is no fire, not even at the end. The cinematography and the direction are wonderful and they perfectly use the 50s sets and costumes, which are all realistic, and I always smiled at the use of the very British language (Ta, crikey, be back in a jiffy). The supporting cast is very good, especially Richard Graham who plays her husband, the insanely talented Eddie Marsan as Reg, and I do have to mention the dorky Chris O'Dowd, as well, even though he had a very small part.

Imelda Staunton, portraying the main character, is, as expected, absolutely brilliant. She brings so much joy and kindness to her part at the beginning, but so much angst and fear after the reveal, and she does it with conviction, passion and immense talent. I was impressed by her performance, especially in scenes like the one where she had to take off the wedding ring.

Overall, Vera Drake is a very well made film, with a great lead performance and a sensible topic, but that might bore or unsatisfy some, just because of its slow, rather bleak rhythm. I liked it, but I wouldn't recommend whole hearted to everyone, it depends on what people usually like.

Fish Tank [2009]

Fish Tank is a 2009 British film written and produced by a brilliant individual called Andrea Arnold. It takes you through the life of Mia (Katie Jarvis), a 15 year old with a big mouth and a bad temper, who likes to dance. Her ordinary life changes when Connor (Michael Fassbender) comes into the picture, as he becomes her mother's boyfriend. The man, unknownly, changes their life, in a way, as he becomes a father figure and husband for a short period....and in Mia's case, maybe something more. I'll try to be spoiler free, as I usually tend to give out important details, although I don't do it intentionally.

I would describe this film to be...British. I don't know how to properly explain it, but it has that feeling, that look, and of course, the language that immediately reminds you of the UK. In some cases, I was actually put off by the extreme behavior and language of Mia, Tyler (her sister) and their mother- I couldn't help asking myself "Is this considered normal in some parts of London or UK? do 10 year-olds really smoke and swear worse than a 40 year old?"

Anyway, that was probably one of the very few weak points of Fish Tank. Besides that aspect, which might be just a thing of perspective and personal belief, everything else was quite remarkable and beautiful.

80% of the cinematography was just wonderful (the remaining 20% are negative just because of some shaky camera shots that annoyed me); I especially loved the slow motion moments, like the wind blowing the shirts away, or Mia being undressed. My favorite scene happens around the middle to the end of the movie, when Mia shows Michael Connor her audition dance- I loved the lighting, the music, her innocence and the performances. What happened after? well, that was a bit shocking- I thought he was just the father figure she needed in her life, but I guess he had different feelings for her, after all. That scene went up and down for me: at first, I liked the fact that she let her guard down and finally opened herself to Connor; when he made her move on her, I was shocked, but found the continuation to be quite erotic, which again, made me feel bad, because what was happening wasn't right (maybe that was just the Fassy effect, he is one sexy man).

Another thing I was surprised by were some the directions Andrea Arnold took when it came down to the script. First of all, although I do like Harry Treadway (he was great in Control, too), I think his storyline was pretty useless, except for, of course, the end- sometimes, unnecessary characters or actions in a movie bug me. Second of all, I was pretty shocked and didn't quite understand Mia's choice of action when she found out the truth about Connor- I know she was hurt and trying to get back him in way or another, but that? it was a rash decision that didn't got her anywhere. Yes, I know it's a normal reaction and that was the first thing she thought of doing, still...

But then again, that didn't put me off. I still think it is a wonderful coming-of-age movie; yes, it is more raw and extreme than most, but it has a similar effect on the audience and on the characters. The end is bittersweet, and I can't really say she has evolved or grown to be a better person, but at least she has changed and even matured, a little. What will happen to her? Is she going to go to school or get a proper job? I don't think so, but at least she got something out from this whole experience.

Overall, I though Fish Tank was a solid movie, with good performances by Fassbender and Jarvis and well- written and directed by Andrea Arnold [ Jury Prize winner in Cannes for FT in 2010, and she won an Oscar for her short film, Wasp, in 2003,  which I saw in a festival years ago (it has a very similar vibe to Fish Tank, you should check it out, maybe on youtube), and I will definitely watch Wuthering Heights soon, as well!]  The Brits have done it again!

Weekend [2011]

Weekend is probably one of the best British movie that was released in 2011. It tells the bittersweet story of two men who end up sleeping together, after a drunken night spent in a gay club, but decide to continue their  little fling, as more emotions and feelings come to surface.

Written, edited and directed by Andrew Haigh, this movie is simple in storyline, yet complex in his characters and speaks volumes on gay relationships and how they are perceived in today's world; but, at the end of the day, it's a romance, a love story between two men, told in a beautiful, touching, realistic way and you can't stop being attached to them and caring for both at the end of the film.

The two male leads, Tom Cullen and Chris New, deliver great performances and have perfect chemistry, which can be hard, considering it is a gay relationship- their interaction, paired with realistic dialogue, makes you believe every second of the time spent together. I don't know if the two actors are gay in real life, but if they aren't, more props to them- the film features at least 2 rather explicit sex scenes and I guess it was a delicate, strange situation to be in for any actor. Tom Cullen plays Russell, a sweet, shy, introvert lifeguard who doesn't like to talk about his sexuality and is too kind; Chris New is Glen, an outspoken art student who is an advocate for gay rights and believes America is the answer. You might think you have them figured out, but one of the best things about the story is to see how their character develop and, more than that, you get to learn more about their past and how it influenced the present. It's very interesting.

I liked the fact that Haigh tried to make things as normal and real as they could get, because the viewers were able to see the whole romance-love story thing happen for gay people, and I think that is more interesting and somehow, it has a bigger impact on viewer. Maybe because of the topic, maybe because it involves two people of the same sex, or just maybe because there aren't too many films portraying gay love- not like this, anyway. Yes, there was dirty talk, it had sex, drugs and alcohol were involved, and it can shocking and disturbing for some, but it was about more than that.

One of the most  interesting scenes happen in Russell's living room, after the second night spent together, when the two have a serious discussion: first, they talk about the gay culture and how they are perceived in the world, and after, they share their stories and feelings, but mostly, they realize they see and want different things from their life. For some, that will be boring, but it maintained my interest, and I loved the fact that you could feel what they were going through and all of their love, desperation, frustration was transmitted through the movie screen into people's minds and souls.

The ending was not typical and that made it ten times better for me. It was bittersweet and sad.

Weekend is my type of movie- interesting characters and new, provocative themes approached, good performances, beautiful cinematography- sometimes I don't need action and elaborate scenes- two people in a room talking can be enough!

I don't know your opinions on gay relationships and I don't know if you like simple, character-driven movies, but if you do, you should definitely see this movie! I personally loved it!

p.s.1 I love the poster and its colors!
p.s.2 The movie is out on DVD and Blu-Ray in UK now!

Control [2007]

The 2007 British film, directed by Anton Corbijn, tells the story of Ian Curtis, the lead singer of Jov Division, a famous rock band of the late 1970s. Married young, he decides to pursue a music career after 3 guys casually tell him, at a Sex Pistols concert none of the less, that they need a singer for they band. They start as Warsaw, but quickly change their name to Joy Division and begin touring UK and then Europe.  But life is not easy for Curtis, as he has to battle epilepsy, an unhappy marriage, and hard work.

The story is interesting and sad, as it depicts Ian as a very mellow, introspective, troubled young man, who just doesn't seem to fit into this world, either if it's at home, with his wife and daughter, or on stage, or just around his friends. He always feels out of place, outnumbered, caged in and can't make up his mind on one spot, on one place where he can feel comfortable. That is the saddest thing to see- a man who is always looking for himself and his happiness, but never gets to see it or enjoy it, and that lack of control over his life is what pushed him to take that radical decision in the end.

I must say that Control is one of the best British films I have ever seen. Shot in Black&White, it perfectly captures the mood and essence of that era, and the performances are superb. Sam Riley absolutely shines as Ian Curtis and plays him with such ease, but, in the same time, with such complexity and wisdom, that is wonderful and moving to watch. Samantha Morton, as Debbie, his wife, stands in the same high league, adding so much passion, love and sweetness to her character, making it believable and endearing. Actually, all of the cast is very good, continuing with Alexandra Maria Lara as Annik, Ian's lover (she is now happily married to Riley and they live in Berlin), Toby Kebbell playing Rob, their manager, and the band, formed by Joe Anderson (as Peter Hook, the bass player), James Anthony Pearson (as Bernard Sumner, the guitarist) and Harry Treadway (as Stephen Morris, the drummer and percussionist). The moments were you see them playing on stage are live and the actors are actually playing the instruments and singing, as they wanted to make it as real as possible. If you look up on youtube the same performances of the band (like Transmission or Dead Souls), you will see they are very similar and they encapsulate the style and vibe of Joy Division.

As expected, the soundtrack is amazing, and I just discovered a new love for Joy Division; their sound is so simple and catchy, yet very specific and Ian Curtis's vocals are haunting and interesting, perfectly mixing with the good melody. I especially loved She's lost control, Love will tear us apart, Trasmission, but others, as well.

You should definitely see Control soon, because it is a great film and well worth your time, especially if you like biopics or British films- it stands out in both categories.

Music: Wretch 32 ft Josh Kumra - Don't Go

As I am getting ready for my London Experience, I keep listening to British music!

Of course Adele and Amy Winehouse are on my list, even Olly Murs, but today I'm listening to the song above! It's really good; I love the beat, the chorus, the first 5 seconds of it and even the rap part, although it isn't exactly my cup of tea...I like it, but I don't listen to it a lot- rap music, that is :)

Hope you have a nice day!

Movie: JANE EYRE [1996]

Director: Franco Zefirelli

Writer: Charlotte Brontë (novel), Hugh Whitemore(screenplay)

Starring:  William Hurt, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Anna Paquin

[SPOILER ALERT] Detailed review

You all know the story about books being adapted to the big screen. In 99% of the cases, the movie is not as good as the book and it doesn’t capture the essence.

In this case, and in my opinion, I have to agree to the majority. As much as I loved the Charlotte Bronte’s novel, it’s characters, the story, the scenery, I have to say that I hated the screenplay, the cinematography on the 1996 adapted version.

The first thing I noticed is the fact that many details are wrong or put in different order, so different that it changes the story. How can Franco Zeffirelli pass so fast through Jane’s childhood, how can he not properly recreate the moment between the little girl and miss Reed, or mix the dialogue so much that they use some parts in different context(for example, the discussion about uglyness or the incredible change of St John Rivers’s story line).

The second thing regards the dialogue, of which I spoke before. It is wonderful that they used the original novel as a source and quoted many important parts, but everything seemed so rushed, so fast, you couldn’t even focus on an important scene before passing to the next. A perfect example is the end of the movie and the quick change from love, to running away, to enheriting the fortune, to returning to mr Rochester.

Regarding the actors, I actually liked William Hurt much more then Charlotte. He was far more expressive and interesting than her, although I must say that Jane Eyre is, indeed, a very plain, simple, unexpressive person, so I guess she did justice to the role, but I would have liked more passion from her.

It is a good movie, but for the recent reader of Charlotte Bronte’s novel, it can be underwhelming. 

Soon, the post about Jane Eyre, the 2011 version!