Film Review: MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN

How is it that we now live in a world where we can make contact without ever touching? How it is that we can interact, torment, and embrace others without ever having to say a word? Jason Reitman's (Juno, Up In The Air) latest feature, Men, Women & Children explores what makes this possible by delving into the extremes and possibilities of the internet. No longer a purely functional service, the internet has become a removed yet entirely absorbing ecosystem that now coexists alongside reality. Reitman successfully considers this crux of the modern day: where displaying more and more of our identities online is leaving what is left in our bodies in a fragile position. How does the internet affect personal development and relationships when it becomes the ultimate mediator that filters into every facet of our lives?   

An array of shocking and unusual narratives converge as the film presents us with a selection of characters whose stories all intertwine, networked like the internet itself. Reitman's film takes place from a distanced perspective, beginning interestingly in outer space whilst a omnipresent narrator observes the human race's new and strange technological behaviour as David Attenborough would of a colonised species, where something very odd has interfered with the direction of our evolution. This allows the viewer to become removed as heavy issues such as infidelity, eating disorders, porn and privacy are addressed. But above all, the viewer begins to notice how the uncontrollable acceleration of the internet can harbour obsession.

Top 10 Films Watched in 2014

I got through significantly more films this year than last as well as managing to go to the cinema a lot more often. I'm planning to write another post about watching films at home vs. the cinema, but I really liked that I made watching films more of a social activity this year and shared my favourites with my closest friends. So here is my countdown:

10. Her (2014)

I hadn't heard much about this film actually before going into the cinema to watch it apart from an offhanded synopsis of "it's about a man and Siri getting together". Of course, a man's relationship with an operating system is the basic plot outline of this film, but its real merit comes from the cinematography and set design. It was a stunning film, the visuals made up of a selection of bright block colours that go against the stereotypically grey colour scheme of futuristic films. I particularly found the opening and the idea of a corporation that write letters pretending to be from other people really fascinating. The narrative itself wasn't amazing, but the themes and emotional resonance you draw from the film is extremely thought-provoking and powerful.

Film Review: THE BLING RING

The second and most recent of Sofia Coppola's films I've watched, The Bling Ring, presents the story of five Hollywood Hills teenagers who find thrill, excitement and belonging in stealing from the houses of big-name celebrities. These continuous burglaries brand the group with the film's title: The Bling Ring. Based off real events, Coppola reconstructs the tale with artistic flair, showing rather than telling.

Having no prior expectations or knowledge of this controversial event, I walked into The Bling Ring with intrigue and curiosity. However, after finishing the movie with an unease in my stomach and a bad taste in my mouth, I couldn't stop thinking of this film's subtle and impacting suggestions of gratuitous materialism and idolised infatuation. Instead of receiving a detailed documentary on the happenings of these Hollywood burglaries, Coppola instead presented a very ambiguous but nuanced depiction of this group of teenagers and the society they live in.

I found myself subsequently thinking about this film from a Modernist perspective and realising that despite the overt and at times suffocating 21st century edge to its direction, The Bling Ring highlights a mirroring of Early American modernity. From its fast-paced and almost Imagist portrayal to the darker moments of materialism and falsity, I felt like the film could be viewed as a social commentary on our growing technological fascination and the inevitable corruption that follows. A great example is the film's frequent inclusions of various red-carpet photos and videos of celebrities which flicker across the screen in quick succession. The small images are blown up to fit the big screen, pixelated and distorted as a result. Is this our lifestyle as "millenials"? An obsession with looking and watching other people through screens and lenses of other people's cameras? If so, it makes it possible for ordinary people to live vicariously through the lives of the rich and famous, in a candid and perverse way.

Film Review: DIVERGENT

(This review contains a few spoilers and direct references to scenes in the film)

I went into Divergent feeling relatively neutral, not particularly excited, and not expecting anything that great. The trailers were interesting, and I liked what I had seen so far cinematography-wise, but I didn't really know what to expect and how the director, Neil Burger, was going to interpret and develop his impression of Veronica Roth's fantastically fast-paced novel.

Even when the title sequence began rolling, I knew that there was going to be something a little special about this film. I couldn't have been more accurate. Divergent was unique in its stance on the YA novel turned film adaptation as it didn't compromise the visuals or screenplay and yet maintained a good, gripping pace. Although there were a few differences between book and movie, there were also a lot of positives about this adaptation. 

Let's start with what I liked about the film:

The cinematography and appearance of the film was stunning. The attention to detail was fantastic and I really liked their artistic representation of this crumbling but surviving futuristic Chicago. There was a good combination of futurism and technology intermixed with the more simple and mechanical appearance I imagined from the book: for example, whilst the Erudite and Dauntless compounds had a very stylised newness about them, the trains that ran through the city still looked old and weathered. It was this juxtaposition alongside the eroding skyscrapers scattered through the city that really created an exciting visual effect.

The film was also shot in a very intimate manner in which the viewer feels very close to the main characters during the action. Specifically, I really enjoyed the visual choice to make frequent close-ups of Tris whilst the film progressed which allowed us to really notice the small changes in her disposition. My favourite element was the reoccurring motif of her reflection. After the viewer becomes familiar with the Abnegations' uneasiness with mirrors, the simulation where Tris becomes multiplied again and again into infinite copies of herself is a beautiful symbolic representation of her choice. Tris' reflection then follows her throughout the remainder of the film in moments of novelty or excitement, such as the zip-wire scene and the fear landscapes. She is forced to connect with herself.

One of the changes that, in my opinion, really benefited the plot of the film was the construction of Tris as a character. In the book, she does gain bravery and confidence immensely, but still holds something childlike and naive in her demeanour. However, Shailene Woodley's portrayal of Tris was more mature, hard hitting and wittier. Contrary to the dystopian genre, the film was full of light-hearted humorous lines which were timed effectively and because of this, I found it a lot easier to warm to Tris. I ended up preferring film-Tris to book-Tris just because I feel like the journey from girl to woman is a lot clearer in the film and there's something a lot harsher and more determined in Woodley's Tris. 

Furthermore, I enjoyed the beginning of the film a lot where we were able to get a sound and thorough introduction of all the factions and how they fit within the structures of the society. Moreover, it was interesting to see Tris slowly noticing more and more of the Dauntless until she becomes one. The scene where she climbs the bridge amongst the running Dauntless with music pounding and smile spreading across her face is magical: the viewer really experiences a certain exhilaration with her.

As for other changes that worked really well; I liked how the action was more serious, for example, the paintball activity in the novel changes to war games with fake bullets that feel like real ones. Suddenly, that omnipresent danger becomes all the more clearer even in the activities they consider "fun". The fighting, battle and action scenes were also very extensive and the stunts were very well crafted. I really valued this choreography and that they didn't minimise the action as Divergent is characteristically fast-paced and tense.

Similarly, I like how the fear landscapes were interpreted. Unlike the book, the Dauntless can only escape their fears by solving how to stop and escape it, much like a logic puzzle. This made the viewing experience a lot more satisfying and exciting however it didn't really make sense to show bravery by using puzzle solving skills which seem more suited to Erudite. I especially liked Tris and Four's journey into his landscape where he taught her the difference between Divergent actions and Dauntless actions. I felt this made more sense within the context of the tests as well as allowing a more plausible reason for Four to allow Tris into his mind.

Talking of Four, Theo James presented a version of him that was completely different to anything I had imagined, but worked surprisingly well. Theo's Four had such an intense masculinity about him whilst still retaining the tenderness and honesty so integral to his personality. Other characters which exceeded my expectations in a good way were Tori (Maggie Q), Christina (Zoe Kravitz) and Eric (Jai Courtney).

"I don't want to be just one thing. I can't be. I want to be brave, and I want to be selfless, intelligent, and honest and kind."

As for elements that didn't work as well: I really wanted more from the secondary characters. The movie was very focused on the main story-arc as I mentioned before, following Tris very closely. However, in choosing to do this, a lot of the thorough and rich subplots with the secondary characters were lost. The viewer wasn't able to see the romance blooming between Christina and Will; we weren't able to see the true extent of Peter's maliciousness; and we were unable to get introduced to any of the Dauntless-born initiates. It is fully understandable as to why these small details were cut, but the real appeal of Divergent was its set of characters, and it was a real shame that we couldn't get to know them all as well as we did in the book. This also meant that when certain characters did die, the impact was cushioned by the fact that we didn't get that intense connection.

The pacing also felt extremely rushed due to the fact that they were trying to maintain most of the plot points. A lot of scenes were included, but they all seemed to happen briefly, especially during the Dauntless initiation which loses some of its apprehension and fatality. Again this lowered the viewer's investment in the plot and characters and I struggle to think what non-readers of the book would think of this film.

Overall, Divergent was a nice accompaniment to the book. I appreciated the artistic interpretation and creation of this wonderfully corrupt future. The visual design was fantastic and the acting very good although the rushed pacing made it quite difficult to grasp the scientific side of the narrative. A great, cinematic experience but not mind-blowing.

p.s. The actor who played Will (Ben Lloyd-Hughes) looked so much like Ezra Koenig from Vampire Weekend in this film. Scary.

(Screencaps from http://www.divergentlife.com/)

Film Review: THE SPECTACULAR NOW

(This is a spoiler-free review)

The Spectacular Now is a charming and organic story of Sutter Keely, a easygoing boy drawing to the end of his high school years. He lives by the philosophy of The Spectacular Now and concentrates solely on the the moments at hand. Despite his quick-wit and fast talk, Sutter is painfully confused and distant. Through his relationship with the sincere Aimee; acceptance of his unexpected breakup; and a reconciliation with his father, Sutter realises that the Now may not be as simple as he first thought. 

This isn't a bland or typical teenage romance. This isn't predictable or cheesy or simply heart-felt. Instead, The Spectacular Now succeeds at being a kaleidoscopic and shockingly honest record of this boy's journey. There are confusions and illusions within many levels of his life and there are no doubts of this film's ability to portray realism. Teenage life - especially one that is balancing on the cusp of adulthood - is not simple at all. It has its expectations and betrayals and understandings and lessons. This film manages to capture them all with a satisfying mixture of humour and candor.*

Sutter was such an interesting character to undergo this exploration with. The beginning of the film really did him no favours. I didn't particularly warm to him or respect his decisions. However, I began to really care for him due to this true kindness within his personality that was impossible to ignore. Sutter radiated this multi-faceted mix of effortless charm and distracted sensitivity. It was in the little unspoken gestures which really illicited this vulnerable side of him. For example, the way Sutter is extremely charismatic to the customers of the suit store he works for and then turns around to douse his fountain soda with whiskey from his hip flask. He sips out of one of these strawed drinks for the duration of the film until it becomes this omnipresent symbol of his childish exterior with a hidden maturity within.

Miles Teller does a fantastic job reflecting this character. Not having any previous knowledge of his acting, I was blown away by his performance. Likewise, Shailene Woodley's portrayal of Aimee was strong and there wasn't a moment when I didn't believe Aimee's kindness. 

I really liked the family arc for both Sutter and Aimee. Unlike a lot of teenage-centric film and literature, their backgrounds were addressed but weren't exaggerated. When Sutter finally meets his father, there is a simplicity in the way that it plays out. The same goes for the rest of the cinematography. It didn't need any outrageous dialogue or designer costume design or loud music. Every moment and every experience was stripped down and therefore felt all the more honest. This direction made the characters and their lives more believable. I think that's why Aimee and Sutter's on-screen relationship worked so well. It was effortless. The same goes for the ending which I think fit well within the format.

"But the real challenge of my life, the real hardship, is me. It's always been me."

I would highly recommend this film. It is a beautiful story of expectations, intentions and doubts. You never quite know what will happen next because that is ultimately what it is to be human. It's not about the relationship you have with your girlfriend or mother, father or boss. It's about the relationship you have with yourself. The one you never quite realise is there. A truly humbling viewing experience. 

*Ha-de-har. With Miles Teller acting as the Candor-born initiate Peter in the upcoming Divergent, it was too good to miss this pun.

(Images from imdb.com and grande-caps.livejournal.com)

Film Review: THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER

Based on the best-selling novel of the same name, The Perks of Being a Wallflower charts the coming of age journey of Charlie, a quiet but endearing freshman in high school. Following his explorations and challenges in a letter formatted narration, Charlie speaks to the viewers of everyday struggles as he tries to understand.

Although I watched and bought this film back when it was released, I only just got round to listening to the director and cast audio commentary on the DVD a few days ago; inspiring me to write this review. There really is true depth and surprise in every re-watch of this film due to it's ability to get anyone to relate.

Having the same writer of the novel write the screenplay was a genius decision as Stephen Chbosky captures the same beautiful essence of first encounters and innocence in the screenplay. Doubling up as the film's director, the whole composition of Perks oozes the same tone as the novel, making it one of the most accurate book to movie adaptations. As well as including startlingly harsh scenes of topics rarely discussed, Chbosky's script still retains humour and wit. There isn't a shortage of smart one-liners that were so befitting with the characters and moments, that when more serious scenes ensued, both became hyper-realistic in comparison.

However, undoubtedly, the film's real asset is its choice of a stellar cast. Front-lined by a powerful performance by Logan Lerman (Charlie), there are similarly strong additions of Emma Watson (Sam), with her first breakthrough part since Harry Potter; Ezra Miller (Patrick), who brings brilliant comedy to the film as well as executing his own emotive storyline; as well as Mae Whitman (Mary Elizabeth) and Paul Rudd to name a few. Individually, every member brought something magical to the movie, but once all together, the way in which they all interacted made their friendships and relationships seem so convincing that nothing made me doubt that these were a real group of friends going through the same heartbreaks and laughters as ourselves. Some of my favourite scenes were those of the main friendship group where you could tell how real and organic their acting became; for example in the living room of Sam and Patrick's house during Christmas where the team chuckle and playfully insult one another as they play Secret Santa. Cue one of my favourite Patrick quotes: "Mary Elizabeth, why are you trying to eat Christmas?" 

Another aspect of the film that I absolutely adored was the soundtrack. As well as the all important "Asleep" by The Smiths, the soundtrack also included the perfect tunnel song - "Heroes" by David Bowie, and a score that managed to radiate compassion, nostalgia and innocence. The majority of the score were these gentle tinkling piano notes that fit with the closeness of the cinematography. And of course, there was the brilliant moment at the Homecoming Dance where Sam, Patrick and Charlie dance away their youth with a backdrop of Dexy's Midnight Runners with "Come on Eileen".

Comedy aside, the artistic execution of this film is of such high calibre. The only way I can describe the style and cinematography is beautiful. Every shot of the film was so incredibly beautiful. With intimate camera shots that got right to the heart of the characters and their emotions and struggles, the camera filter itself had this old-style fuzziness where the edges seemed slightly out-of-focus and frequent appearances of bright lights would bleed into a visually stunning luminosity. This was such a brilliant effect as it added a subtle feeling of remembrance and dreaminess which led to even more honesty and familiarity in the viewing experience. Especially during my first watch in front of the large engulfing cinema screen, I was completely absorbed by Charlie's story. The wide shots in conjunction with the gentle music all encompassed to this out-of-world experience where it felt as if I were literally crawling into the mind of someone else. I eventually became unconscious of the fact I was watching someone else's story but believed that I had been assessing the sadnesses and happinesses in my own life, and my own mind in turn.

So when the film closes with that last pass through the Pittsburgh tunnel, you don't just see the characters transforming, but you feel changed yourself. It is one of the simplest but most cathartic endings I've seen in a good while and I come away from the film each time feeling different about myself.

"You are alive, and you stand up and see the lights on the buildings and everything that makes you wonder. And you're listening to that song and that drive with the people you love most in this world. And in this moment I swear, we are infinite."

I absolutely recommend this film to anyone, and although it is hard-hitting and emotional, there is such a myriad of emotions that are experienced whilst watching that the film definitely endures long after the credits have rolled.

(Pictures from of imdb.com and kissthemgoodbye.net with some self-editing.)

Teaser Trailer Review: DIVERGENT

Summit gives fans a first glimpse of the upcoming film adaptation of the popular and well-loved YA novel, Divergent (written by Veronica Roth) in a thirteen second teaser trailer. However, unlike plenty of teaser trailers I've seen in the past, this preview of Divergent doesn't disappoint. Filled with a rapid succession of the main characters in action, fighting and the titular line, these thirteen seconds are packed with small details to tame expectant fans until the theatrical trailer is released. Let's break it down:

First and foremost, it begins with the first moving shot of main character Beatrice (Shailene Woodley) in Abnegation uniform. Hair tied back and insecurity in her eyes, Woodley's performance seems promising. When I first heard of Tris's casting, I had unsure first impressions. Although I haven't seen much of Woodley's prior acting bar The Descendants, I'm keeping an open mind until I see more.

Cut to Divergent's antagonist Jeanine Matthews clothed in Erudite navy blue portrayed by elegant Kate Winslet. This too, seemed like an interesting casting choice as I'm intrigued to see Winslet in a film targeted towards a younger audience.  Nevertheless, the quick one second shot exudes sternness from her expression as she glances at now Dauntless Beatrice as they pass each other. Beatrice is now Tris, in black attire instead of grey and decorated with her notorious raven tattoo. In short, looking very kick-ass. The next cameo we see is of tattoo artist Tori (Maggie Q), warning Tris of her Divergence.  Next we see a series of quick snapshots: Tris in the Dauntless compound perhaps; Four wielding a gun; kicks, punches and dodges as Dauntless initiation plays out; Capture The Flag; and finally ending with a slow-motion jump of Tris taking Christina's hand as they leap out of a moving train onto a rooftop.

Short but sweet, hopes are high for Divergent: release date 21 March 2014.

(Watch here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agWN5gkiOls)