Danny Boyle – Movies Spotlight – April 2013

Danny Boyle, 56, is one of the great British auteurs currently working today – bringing a hip stylistic vision and indie sensibility to Hollywood Prestige filmmaking. This month he has a new film coming to theaters entitled Trance – a crime thriller about an art auctioneer who gets caught up in a heist. The problem is, he cannot remember where he hid the merchandise and thus a hypnotherapist must work with him to recover the lost painting. It stars James McAvoy, Rosario Dawson, and Vincent Cassel. It looks very much a return to Boyle’s more gritty crime dramas and filmmaking (like Shallow Grave). Boyle is also again working with frequent collaborators screenwriter John Hodge, producing partner Christian Colson, composer Rick Smith, cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle, and production designer Mark Tildesley. View the trailer: here.

Early Career:

Boyle started his career in the theatre in the early 1980s. He worked with the Joint Stock Theatre Company, Royal Court Theatre (directing The Genius and Saved), and the Royal Shakespeare Company (directing five plays for them). Years later, in 2011, he returned to the theatre directing a brilliant stylized version of Frankenstein for the National Theatre Live (it starred Jonny Lee Miller and Benedict Cumberbatch).

He next worked extensively in British television, getting his start as a producer for BBC Northern Ireland in 1982. He then began directing, helming a number of TV movies and episodes of series and mini-series. Most notable are his TV movies The Nightwatch and For the Greater Good.

Transitioning to Feature Films:

Boyle’s love of Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now inspired and influenced him towards directing feature films. For his first, Boyle teamed up with producer Andrew Macdonald and writer John Hodge for the crime thriller Shallow Grave. The film stars Ewan McGregor (launching his career), Kerry Fox, and Christopher Eccleston. It is about three flatmates who discover their new roommate dead and loaded with cash, leading them down a dark path. Boyle knew that the film was going to be a hit when it was very warmly received at the Cannes Film Festival by audiences and critics (the festival organizers had to set up additional screens to satisfy demand). It went on to be the most commercially successful British film of 1995, winning the BAFTA for Best British Film.

Hot off the success of Shallow Grave, Boyle, Hodge, and Macdonald acquired the rights to Irvin Welsh’s novel Trainspotting and quickly went into production. McGregor returned as well in the leading role, with Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller, Kevin McKidd, Robert Carlyle, and newcomer Kelly Macdonald co-starring. The story centers around Renton a Scottish heroin addict who tries to get clean, but he keeps getting pulled back in by his friends. The film was a breakout hit for Boyle internationally, playing to acclaim everywhere (garnering Hodge an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay). It is both among IMDb’s Top 250 and number ten on BFI’s Top 100 British Films of All-Time (and among my personal top 50 favorite films).

Hollywood Calling:

Shallow Grave and Trainspotting (along with Bottle Rocket, Pulp Fiction, Fargo, Clerks., Swingers, and The Usual Suspects) were among the films revolutionizing cinema in the early to mid-1990s, as independent film was becoming the way forward for great films and filmmakers with new visions. In this changing landscape, studios started subsidiaries (or purchasing smaller distributors) to acquire these indie films (like Disney’s purchase of Miramax in 1993).

Boyle signed a production deal and moved to Hollywood (as other indie filmmakers were also signing deals with studios). The first project that he was approached for was Alien Resurrection, but he declined, instead wanting to continue to work with his creative team.

A Life Less Ordinary became Boyle’s first Hollywood film (though with British financing), again with a script from Hodge, Macdonald producing, and McGregor in the lead. Cameron Diaz was also cast, fresh off her breakout success in The Mask (as well as She’s the One and My Best Friend’s Wedding), along with Holly Hunter and Delroy Lindo. The film is about a cleaning man in L.A. who takes the boss’s daughter hostage after being replaced by a robot. Meanwhile, two angels are charged with a mission to make them fall in love – a tall order. The film opened to mixed reviews and box office failure. It is probably a bit too weird for mainstream audiences.

For his next film, the studio wanted a bit more control and wanted Boyle to cast a bigger star in the lead. Boyle agreed and cast Leonardo DiCaprio (who had just made Romeo + Juliet and Titanic) in The Beach, which left McGregor upset (only very recently have they made up) as he had expected to be cast in the lead (they have yet to work together again). However, Hodge stayed on, writing the script based on Alex Garland’s cult novel, and Macdonald as producer. The film is about Richard, a young man who goes to Thailand to find himself. Boyle cast Virginie Ledoyen, Guillaume Canet, Tilda Swinton, and Robert Carlyle in the main supporting roles. He also brought in Darius Khondji to shoot the film (his first time not working with Brian Tufano). All the pieces were in place for Boyle to have a hit, but again the film just did not connect with mainstream audiences or critics. After two films made for Hollywood, Boyle was burnt out and looking for something different.

While A Life Less Ordinary and The Beach are among Boyle’s weaker films, they still have some interesting aesthetics and make for entertaining viewing for fans of Boyle’s style.

Experimenting with Digital Photography:

Boyle saw the Danish film The Celebration and was fascinated by the digital photography. He immediately wanted to meet Anthony Dod Mantle, who shot the film, and experiment with the medium himself. Together, they made two digital films for BBC television – Strumpet and Vacuuming Completely Nude in Paradise.

Happy with the results, Boyle, Macdonald, and Dod Mantle set out to make their first digital feature. Boyle tapped Alex Garland to write the script, and together they reimagined and reinvigorated the Zombie genre with 28 Days Later…. Starring Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Christopher Eccleston, Brendan Gleeson, and Megan Burns, the film is about a young man who awakens in London to find that the world has been ravaged by a virus. To survive, he must band together with a few strangers and look for somewhere safe to hide. The film was a huge commercial and critical success (essentially resurrecting Boyle’s career). While it is not the first digital feature, it had a major impact on how audiences viewed the medium and garnering its acceptance among filmmakers (though the night scene at the end was shot on 35mm film). Boyle has said that the film would not have been possible if he shot on film, especially the exterior scenes in London. He also aesthetically liked the look of DV for the post-apocalyptic landscape.

Next, Boyle returned to crime dramas with his heist film Millions. However, it has a very different feel (at times) compared to his past work, and is his first film not to be rated ‘R’. While he again shot on digital using Dod Mantle, the film marked his first without producing partner Macdonald. The story centers on two children who discover a bag of money (which was lost during a heist, but the criminals are looking for it). It stars newcomers Alex Etel and Lewis McGibbon, with James Nesbitt co-starring. Audiences and critics did not really know what to make of it, as it is oddly different than anything Boyle had done before tonally, but also sort of the same in moments too.

Prestige Films:

Again wanting to do something completely different, Boyle set out to make a psychologically-minded sci-fi thriller/drama akin to Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey and Andrey Tarkovskiy’s Solaris with Sunshine – as the film deals with what happens when man meets his maker (in a sense). Boyle again worked with producer Macdonald, composer John Murphy (a frequent collaborator of Boyle’s, working on five of his films), production designer Mark Tildesley, writer Alex Garland, and star Cillian Murphy on the film. He hired brilliant photographer Alwin H. Kuchler to shoot the film (and he does a spectacular job). In addition to Murphy, the film also stars Chris Evans, Michelle Yeoh, Rose Byrne, Mark Strong, and Hiroyuki Sanda. The film is visually incredible and emotionally powerful (but had a tough time with domestic mainstream audiences). It is a must-see for fans of hard science fiction (and it is among my favorite films in the genre). Boyle had such a grueling experience making the film that he has claimed that he will never make another sci-fi project.

Continuing his trend of trying new genres with each film, Boyle decided to make his next film in India – a romance thriller called Slumdog Millionaire. He also put together a new creative team, working with producer Christian Colson (who has since produced all Boyle’s films) and writer Simon Beaufoy. However, Boyle again brought in Dod Mantle to shoot the film digitally. Starring Dev Patel and Freida Pinto (and making stars out of both of them), the film is about the amazing adventure of an impoverished boy in Mumbai who grows up in the slums only to win ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?’. The film was a sensational hit for Boyle, being both his highest grossing and most critically successful film. It won eight Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director at the 2009 Academy Awards. It also marked the first digitally-photographed film to win an Oscar for Best Cinematography.

Next, Boyle adapted the true story of Aaron Ralston, an outdoorsman who gets his arm trapped under a boulder while canyoneering along near Moah, Utah. He must resort to insane and desperate measures to survive. Boyle again collaborated with his Slumdog Millionaire team to make 127 Hours, and cast James Franco to star (who is fantastic in the film). It opened to critical acclaim garnering six Oscar nominations including Best Picture.

With 127 Hours and Slumdog Millionaire, Boyle has asserted himself among the great indie filmmakers to come out of the 1990s who have gone on the be Oscar winners in the 2000s/2010s and certainly as one of Britain leading filmmakers working right now. Boyle is also one of the pioneers of digital photography through his collaborations with Anthony Dod Mantle. Digital is the medium of the future (somewhat sadly, as film still has a certain magical quality to it) with more and more films being shot on the medium each year.

Boyle also directed the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony to great acclaim and praise.

Upcoming:

With Sam Mendes passing on making the Twenty-Fourth James Bond film, Boyle was approached. But, he too passed.

The long anticipated sequel to Trainspotting Porno looks like it will be finally entering production with a scheduled release year of 2016. Boyle has stated that all the cast members will be returning and he will be directing again.

Career Highlights:

1)      Shallow Grave (1994)* – director (Blu-ray, Trailer)

2)      Trainspotting (1996)* – director (Blu-ray, Streaming, Trailer)

3)      28 Days Later… (2002)* – director (Blu-ray, Trailer)

4)      Sunshine (2007)* – director (Blu-ray, Streaming, Trailer)

5)      Slumdog Millionaire (2008) – director (Blu-ray, Streaming, Trailer)

6)      127 Hours (2010) – writer, director (Blu-ray, Streaming, Trailer)

*Editor’s picks

Jack the Giant Slayer (2013) – Review

Review: Jack the Giant Slayer is a fairytale adventure film that is not sure exactly who its audience is – children or young adults. The film is a somewhat new take on the classic story of Jack and the Beanstalk. Here, Jack is a farm boy who dreams of more. Jack sets off to town to sell his house and wagon for supplies to help his uncle manage the farm, but ends up returning with only bean, whereby he is berated by his uncle. Meanwhile, a young princess Isabelle also longs for more in her life. She runs away from her castle home. Caught in the rain, she takes shelter in a small farm house, running into Jack. His beans, not fully accounted for, get wet and a massive beanstalk grows into the heavens, taking the princess with it – though, Jack falls from the soaring house in the calamity. Awakening to find the King and his guard looking for the princess, Jack and a few of the King’s finest men scale the beanstalk to find Isabelle. However, they discover a land ruled by man-eating giants – giants that have longed to leave their kingdom to feed on the world of men. This is now a rescue mission.

I think growing up in the 1980s with films like The Princess Bride, Labyrinth, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, The Secret of NIMH, Time Bandits, The Witches (though, this did come out in 1990), Legend, The Dark Crystal, The NeverEnding Story, and the Disney animated features (among others – like George Lucas’s adventure trilogies: Star Wars and Indiana Jones) has preconditioned me to love adventure fantasy films (or at least have some sort of nostalgic reaction to them). Thus, Jack the Giant Slayer was something I actually wanted to see (despite my complete lack of trust in director Bryan Singer and the poor job that New Line Cinema did marketing the film). Watching the film, however, I noticed that it has a very uneven tone. It is not sure if it wants to be a kids’ movie (action, but with mild violence and nothing too scary and a silly sense of humor) or something for young adults (more intense action and violence, more mature relationships and sense of humor – to some extent). The film sorted wanted to be both, and thus did not really work for either. It is too violent and scary for kids, and tonally too geared towards kids for young adults. It seems like it wanted to be this generation’s The Princess Bride (although, lacking the charm and magic of that film) but also made for fans that grew up with The Princess Bride.

The film, originally titled Jack the Giant Killer, was initially intended to be R-rated, but then New Line Cinema decide to rework it for a broader audience (as is often the case with big budget films). The problem is that the tone just does not work now, as it still has elements of that initial R-rated film mashed together with more kid-friendly stuff. In some moments the film is silly with goofy characters and jokes (like Roderick’s – the film’s villain – sidekick Wicke or the main giant General Fallon having a second head that is only there for comical effect, as it speaks and acts in a goofy manner), while in other moments the film has characters being eaten, murdered, and engaged in violent situations – often these moments happen within the same scene. In an attempt to appeal to everyone, the film (generally speaking) appeals to no one.

However, getting back to my un-bashful love of adventure fantasy, there is still a lot to like in the film. And, Singer keeps the film moving forward with decent pacing. Singer also develops the lead characters well. Jack and Isabelle are easy to root for, because their story is relatable to the audience, or at least very familiar in its narrative language. The supporting characters fall mostly into genre archetypes, but that is fine for this sort of light entertainment. Singer’s action is also entertaining (just, probably not suitable for kids). Overall, I did enjoy the film – but its issues do limit it considerably.

In addition to its uneven tone, the film’s narrative structure felt a bit strange in terms of the villain’s arc. Roderick is presented as the film’s main antagonist in the first act. Isabelle is being forced to marry him, even though she does not love him (which is one of the reasons she runs away, if not the main one). And, he is presented as an overall bad guy (in sort of a kid’s movie way – he just looks like a bad guy). His plan is to use the magic beans and a magic crown to not only bring the giants down from their kingdom, but also rule over them – using them to take over the world. He is clearly the character to root against. Yet, once the narrative gets up to the world of the giants, the main giant General Fallon is presented as the actual main antagonist and Roderick is merely only a catalyst to introduce the giants. But if that was the case, Roderick should have done his business in the first act so the audience could invest sooner in the struggle between Jack and Fallon. As it is, this antagonistic relationship does not really come about until about halfway through the film (and by then, the audience does not really care anymore).

The film also feels inauthentic in the way it treats Jack’s relationship with Isabelle. It goes out of its way to express that a princess can never marry a commoner (which Jack is), yet none of the characters frown upon the blatant budding of a relationship between them – even her father the King. Sure, he is grateful that he rescued her, but his seeming indifference to the complete collapsing of the governing social convention regarding his daughter feels off. Though, at this point, the narrative is so rushed that there is not really time to address barriers to Jack and Isabelle’s relationship.

The narrative is paced well enough, as Singer again keeps things moving forward and the film never feels like it is dragging. But, the structure of the story is the films weakest attribute. It has an overly long first act and rushed second and third acts. The characters and their relationships are not used to their full dramatic potential as well. This ultimately leaves the film unfulfilling both narratively and from a character perspective. Plus, the tacky add-on that ends the film is also laughable.

Jack the Giant Slayer is fun and entertaining, especially for fans of adventure fantasy films. However, it is encumbered by a multitude of narrative issues, holding it back from being among the genre’s better films.

Technical, aesthetic & acting achievements: Bryan Singer has now made eight feature films – some loved like The Usual Suspects and X2 (though, I would argue both are vastly overrated), but most disappointing. He continually makes films that have great potential and are indeed great in moments, but never come together as wholes. His next project is X-Men: Days of Future Past. As someone that really liked X-Men: First Class, I hope he finally reaches his potential (assuming it is there at all).

Singer works again with his frequent collaborators composer (and editor) John Ottman and cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel on Jack the Giant Slayer. Ottman delivers a good score that fits the adventure fantasy genre well, while Sigel’s photography is also strong. However, it is production designer Gavin Bocquet’s sets that really bring the world together. The overall look of the film is very much rooted in the classic genre pieces of the past. However, the animation (the film uses motion capture to create the giants) feels a bit out of place at times – but not enough to hurt the overall experience.

The cast is also a strong component of the film – maybe even the best part as the performances are good, and feel aligned with the genre (despite the uneven tone). Warwick Davis, Ewen Bremner (who is pretty funny), and Eddie Marsan are great in small supporting roles. Bill Nighy, as he always seems to, elevates General Fallon with his measured delivery in his voice-only role.  Ewan McGregor is a lot of fun as Elmont – the best of the King’s guard. He somewhat steals the film with his enthusiastic energy. Newcomer Eleanor Tomlinson is also a bright spot. She certainly has screen presence as Isabelle. It might have been more interesting to just see her adventure sans Jack. Nicholas Hoult is good in the film, but the character does not play to his strengths as an actor – playing characters with charisma, wit, some narcissism, and mischievousness to them. Here, Jack is too simple and good (and thus not that interesting).

Summary & score: Jack the Giant Slayer has a lot of grave narrative problem, yet still manages to be fun and entertaining (but only superficially). 6/10

The Impossible (2012) – Review

Review: The Impossible is a moving drama about human perseverance in the face of extreme tragedy. The film focuses on a family of five on vacation in Thailand, Christmas 2004. They are enjoying themselves when suddenly a devastating tsunami hits their resort separating the family. Now, they must each find their way back together, as well as survive. It is based on a true story.

For the most part The Impossible plays as a disaster film, but much more intimate with its dramatic scope. The most emotionally and visually impressive scenes for the audience revolve around the massive wave that hits the resort and the immediate aftermath involving the main characters. Much like the plane crash sequence in Flight, these scenes are intense, dynamic, and very emotionally involving (and equate to probably the most spectacular moments in the film, as well as the most compelling).

Much like a typical disaster film, most of which are big Hollywood action films, it starts out with normal everyday life and then the disaster happens and then the characters deal with the consequences as they struggle to survive. However, unlike most disaster films The Impossible only concentrates on the characters in the family. Usually, these types of films have broader scopes giving the audience a more general and expansive understanding of what is going on. Here, (though not quite as intimate or dramatically intensive as Melancholia’s second half) the audience only sees things from the main characters’ perspective. This has two main effects on the narrative. First, the audience does very much relate to the struggles of the family, as they are the only dramatic access point; and second, the main characters seemingly are treated as more important than everything else by the narrative (which one could say is true of all films’ lead characters, but here all the other people caught up in the tragedy are discounted and feel trivial).

Outside of the impressive tsunami wave devastation sequences, the characters (particularly Maria, Henry, and Lucas) are the strongest aspect of the film. Their fight for survival is something the audience can easily get behind and care about, thus the audience has a stake in the characters and the narrative. They are emotionally invested in the film, which is always a good thing for a narrative to achieve. However, the narrative is split between Maria and Lucas (who find each other in the immediate aftermath of the wave) and Henry (who is with his two kids for most of the second act), and it jumps back and forth between their journeys. Director J.A. Bayona does do a good job of managing the two stories so that the audience’s focus is where it needs to be – when things slowdown in one story, he switches to the other. That said, Maria and Lucas’s story is much more emotionally compelling because Maria is likely going to die and Lucas has to take care of his mother (versus Henry and the two younger sons being relatively fine and Henry just looking for Maria and Lucas – only, the audience already knows where they are).

The end of the second act feels very hokey. After separating the family into three parties (Maria and Lucas, Henry who is looking for them, and the two younger sons who Henry left with other survivers so he could better look for Maria and Lucas), Bayona has all the characters run into each other at the hospital where Maria and Lucas have been since being rescued by locals, but draws it out as they just miss each other as they wander around, or one character sees another but cannot get their attention and runs after them. Bayona does this to play with the emotions of the audience using tension and expectation, and eventually a happy reunion. However, this type of ‘cat-and-mouse’ sequence is difficult to do without it feeling overly manipulative and blatant. Sadly, here it plainly feels like it was just inserted into the story to draw every possible emotion out of the audience (which is fine, if done right) and ultimately works contrary to all the very good drama that had come before. It takes the audience out of the drama, because they feel the hand of the director trying to emotionally guide them.

Another big issue with the narrative is that the main characters are seemingly treated in a manner placing them before everyone else. They are saved by locals when thousands of others are left to die on the side of the road. They find a place in the hospital and get immediate treatment when thousands are waiting to get in before they ever arrive. They are not only privileged by the other characters in the film, but also the whole tone of the film seems to place their needs and struggle above thousands of other faceless nameless characters (both tourists like them and locals) who seem to otherwise not matter. There might as well have not been any other people injured in the tsunami, because in this narrative it does not seem to matter. This gives the film sort of an elitist feel – like the only reason to tell a story about the tsunami is because a white family survived. The film ends with them being flown out on a private medical jet to Singapore so that they can get better treatment. The plane is fairly big, and they are the only passengers on it. Yes, this is how real life works – clearly, assuming they have money and connections, they would have privileges above the common man – but the film’s ambivalence towards all secondary characters seems to set a dismissive tone. The main characters just do whatever they want seemingly outside the bounds of what everyone else is tethered to. It just gives the film a strange feel (at least for me it did – maybe no one else felt this).

Also, all the secondary characters in the film are portrayed as being good people. Sure this is somewhat of a common aspect of disaster films, as disasters do tend to bring out the best in groups of people (while the main characters just do what they want somewhat selfishly in a societal context). But, self-interest is still a main component of the way a normal human functions (it has to be). So when all the supporting characters are selfless it seems odd – and this probably goes back to the film’s clear interest in only its main characters, all secondary characters are their just to fill up the background or briefly interact with the main characters on some superficial or plot-driven level.

The Impossible is a great drama with a visceral experience for the audience (for the most part), and for most people is going to be emotionally enveloping as it is a fantastic human story. However, it also has some grievous narrative flaws that hold it back.

Technical, aesthetic & acting achievements: J.A. Bayona is now two films in (his first being The Orphanage, which I have not seen), and both are good. Interestingly, The Impossible was made for Spanish audiences and came out in Spain long before it was picked up for distribution in America. But, like The Orphanage, Bayona’s film was a hit in Spain and found distribution in America as well. Spain has a number of good filmmakers (chief among them Pedro Almodovar), and Bayona is certainly a rising star.

Fernando Velazquez’s score has a very sentimental feel to it, tapping into the emotional drama the characters experience. Essentially their worlds are crushed, but they must carry on and try to survive – there is still hope even when things seem bleak, which is the feeling Velazquez’s work creates. Oscar Faura’s cinematography is very good as well. The camera stays mostly close to its characters, but every so often it ventures into wide shots to give the audience more perspective of just how devastating the tsunami is.  Eugenio Caballero’s production design is fantastic. It feels as if the characters are actually in the thick of the damage and carnage, as if the filmmakers are a documentary crew.

There are only really three performances (leading or supporting) of note in the film. Tom Holland gives a breakthrough type performance as Lucas. He carries a main section of the narrative, as he desperately clings to helping his mother (as he believes his father and brothers are dead). Ewan McGregor is good as Henry, a man who just will not give up on his family. He has a heartbreaking scene in which he must call his father to tell him that he is okay but his wife and son are still missing. It might just be the best dramatic moment in the film. Naomi Watts has probably the most difficult role as Maria. She is seemingly on the brink of death, as she is badly wounded but must be strong for Lucas. She is quite good as well.

Summary & score: Emotionally compelling and intense, but narrative issues (especially in the second half) keep The Impossible from being one of the year’s best dramas. 7/10

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2012) – Review

Review: Salmon Fishing in the Yemen is a romantic narrative predicated on great chemistry between its leads as well as an interesting story, bridging, to some degree, faith and science. The film is about Sheikh Muhammed who has a dream to bring salmon fishing, a greatly loved pastime of his, to his native country of Yemen. To do this, he assigns his British consultant Harriet Chetwode-Talbot to meet with fisheries expert Dr. Alfred Jones, who also has Asperger’s syndrome (I kept thinking of Indiana Jones every time someone called him Dr. Jones). The two of them come up with a plan to see it through, and also begin to fall in love. Director Lasse Hallstrom does a great job setting up the characters and giving them moments so that the audience really does connect with them and want them to end up together. (And this film is somewhat different from many romances in that) Harriet and Alfred are both in relationships when they meet each other, making it interesting to see how Hallstrom and the actors navigate around these other characters (staying likable disposing of their significant others). Hallstrom does not take the easy route of making these significant others awful or wholly unlikable, he makes the relationships complicated and thus Harriet and Alfred’s love has to be all the more earned. Hallstrom and writer Simon Beaufoy also do a great job opposing the two characters at first. They sort of infuriate one and other, but on a playful sort of level. Alfred thinks the whole idea of bringing fishing to a desert to be ridiculous, while Harriet seems so positive and optimistic. But through Hallstrom’s narrative device, the viewer can see just how right for each other they really are creating a strong romance that the viewer takes stock in and wants to see come to fruition. Another aspect of the narrative is its take on science versus faith. Hallstrom approaches the discussion from a very non-denominational stance, inferring that while science can answer many of our questions, it is faith that allows us to believe in answers that science cannot quite solve (things like gut feelings or expectations). The whole premise of bringing fishing to the desert seems like it would take a miracle to come off, and thus to engage in its undertaking would require faith (and thus making it a somewhat inspiring story). Most of the narrative plays very well, but there are a few moments that feel a bit exaggerated or a little false affecting the overall narrative in a minor way. Plus, Harriet’s boyfriend at the beginning is used as a dramatic ploy to create an obstacle out of nowhere later that feels very heavy-handed and forced, which does detract from the end of the second act and whole third act (but again this is not a major issue). Salmon Fishing in the Yemen is a good romance because the leads have great chemistry (and we genuinely want them to be together), overcoming minor narrative issues.

Technical, aesthetic & acting achievements: Lasse Hallstrom has built his career around making good romances and dramas (The Cider House Rules probably being my favorite). His films work because he focuses on the characters and their moments (and really the story is secondary to the characters in his film – the story does not dictate the characters rather the characters live within the world of the story), and in doing so the viewer does connect and care about them making his films resonate on a more emotional level (and this is certainly true of Salmon Fishing in the Yemen). Composer Dario Marianelli’s (who always does beautiful and superb work) score captures the emotional journey of the characters complimenting Hallstrom’s directing. It is very delightful and wondrous in its accompaniment (here is a preview). Terry Stacey’s cinematography is very straightforward in style; however the contrast between the color palate and the lighting in Britain versus Yemen is very evident in differentiating both the two locals and also the change in the characters as the narrative progresses. Michael Carlin’s production design is also fairly straightforward creating a realistic environment for the characters, though there is a noticeable difference in Alfred’s home in comparison to Harriet’s (playing off how different they are when they meet). The cast is excellent in the film. Amr Waked, Rachael Stirling, Tom Mison, and especially Conleth Hill and Kristin Scott Thomas are great in supporting roles (Scott Thomas stealing a few scenes). Ewan McGregor is very good as Alfred. He is awkward and emotionally clumsy yet very charming. Emily Blunt has a wonderful comedy to her. She is very good dramatically, but brings so much life to this film (or any film) that it lightens the tone (which is heavy at times). And again (as I have stated a number of times), they have brilliant chemistry together.

Summary & score: Romances are best when the audience takes stock in the characters and wants to see them together at the end, and this is the case with Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. 7/10

Haywire (2012) – Review

Review: Haywire is both a modern and throwback action film. The film centers on Mallory a burned spy who wants revenge on her employers. Director Steven Soderbergh seems to want to make a retro spy thriller with this film, and yet still have the action and physicality of something comparable to the Paul Greengrass Jason Bourne films. The result is a film that is entertaining with very good action set pieces that take full of the film’s star Gina Carano and her MMA background but is also paced oddly with long backstory/exposition scenes that seem to drag awfully, especially when played against the frantic, highly kinetic action. To an extent, it seems as if Soderbergh is in love with the physicality of his star, building everything around her ability to show off what she can do – fighting, jumping, running, climbing, and so on. But, her character is maybe the weakest in the film, as she shows little emotion and does not give enough of herself to the audience (be it through lack of skill, directing or writing). Thus, the audience does not connect and the film is merely spectacle, which only makes the slower moments negatively affect the film even more. Also with many action films being structured to always be moving forward, the pace at which many of the film’s moments play at seem by comparison to be static. Not to say that change is not good – many spy films are slow building pieces that encompass great action scenes but usually they are built around their characters and not the action as this is. Soderbergh has a bit of a confliction. He wants to make it sort of in the 1970s style, which is especially apparent in the music and tone, but have it also work as a modern action film (which to say is not something that is impossible, but this feels more like a test run on the idea than the idea being mastered). In many ways it is comparable to last year’s Drive, a film that was paced very to be slow but had moments of intense hyper violence. However, Drive works because it has wonderful fleshed out characters, while this does not (even though this has a lot more action). There is a lot to really like about Haywire – the action is fantastic, the acting from the supporting cast is very good, the style is cool and interesting – but it just does not quite come together completely.

Technical, aesthetic & acting achievements: Steven Soderbergh should be complimented for trying something different in a genre that is plagued with film after film that are essentially the same, regardless of whether Haywire completely worked or not. I would like to see him return to the genre again in the future. He also served as the cinematographer and editor on the film. It is very well shot and its photography is one of its best aspects. Soderbergh lets the action play out, not using a ton of cuts, which again showcases Carano’s fighting talent much in the same way Asian-made martial arts films do for their stars. David Holmes provides a great retro-sounding score to the film that sets the tone very well (here is an example). Howard Cummings’s production design is also good, especially in the locations that he uses. The cast overall is good. Gina Carano works a bit like a blunt force weapon in the film. She is all fight and not much else, but with a few more roles under her belt I can see her becoming a good action star. Michael Douglas and Antonio Banderas are both their usual selves (which is a good thing), while Ewan McGregor plays off type (and while he is good in the film, I am not sure he was physically right for the role). Channing Tatum is probably the most unexpected member of the cast performance wise, as he is very good. And, of course, Michael Fassbender is brilliant in his supporting role – sly and sort of weaselly.

Summary & score: As far as action films go, this is a good one, but Haywire is not quite among the genre’s best. 7/10

Beginners (2011) – Review

Review: Beginners is sad and honest, with a wonderful naturalistic/minimalist aesthetic. Writer-director Mike Mills structured the film to jump around in time to tell the story – both narratively (this is what happened then and is happening now) and emotionally (how Oliver got to be the way he is). While the film has a certain indie quirkiness to it (which is sort of standard for this type of film), Mills seems to put a premium on exploring the emotions of his characters in a very authentic fashion (though, there is somewhat of a typical Hollywood narrative formula at work as well). The audience can connect with Oliver, because he feels real and his emotions genuine. Mills is not afraid to explore Oliver’s loneliness and deep sadness (the fear being making a depressing film that isolates the audience), and it works both due to the emotions feeling substantial and tangible and to the humor and quirky charm that is sprinkled in throughout (plus a very cute Jack Russell terrier that gives his perspective, almost God-like, when things are not as they should be). The characters of Oliver’s dad Hal and his friend Anna also have a lot of life and kinetic energy that they bring to the film, which helps balance out the stunted Oliver. However, despite the loneliness and deep sadness of Oliver, the film has a refreshing and un-abating optimism to it – it is never too late to make a change or start over (as can be seen both in Hal, Oliver and Anna). It is the kind of optimism that is naïve, but necessary and brings a smile to our faces (we need and crave this type of optimism in our own lives). In addition to the narrative, the film has a very important and socially relevant (and political) message in relation the treatment of gay men and women (or just being different in someone’s eyes). The film compares what it was like to be Gay or Jewish in the 30s/40s/50s in connection to today. (Not to go off on a tangent but) it is ridiculous that even today all Americans (and humans) do not have the same rights under the law. The film has a very accepting and loving affinity to its characters (be them gay or straight), which makes it endearing and promotes such a positive vibe (even outside the narrative). Beginners is an excellent film with great characters and emotional resonance.

Technical & acting achievements: Mike Mills has had a successful career making music videos (a style that lent itself very well to a number of the sequences in this film) and also made the narrative film Thumbsucker (which was received with mixed criticism, and is not a film I liked much). Beginners is his best work to date as it shows his skill in writing very true characters and handling an interesting narrative structure. I, for one, am looking forward to what he does next. The composing trio of Roger Neill, Dave Palmer and Brian Reitzell produce a great score that works well with the emotional journey that Oliver embarks on. Kasper Tuxen’s cinematography is also very good, exhibiting a very natural look. Mills and Tuxen’s shot composition is also excellent – which it needed to be as Oliver’s job is in art and Hal’s is as a museum director, thus giving the film by way of its characters an artistic imperative. Shane Valentino’s production design is wonderful, playing off the indie charm and artistic minimalism to create fantastic sets (much like his work on Somewhere). The cast (comprised mainly of four actors) is fabulous. Goran Visnjic emotes so much empathy and love (though, tapered a bit with mistrust due to a life of being viewed as an outsider, which is a bit of a theme for all the characters – a mistrust of the good things in their lives, except Hal). Christopher Plummer has such grace and love for his character. He is brilliant as Hal. Melanie Laurent (in her second ‘American’ film) once again steals our hearts. She is able to play her character as being everything we would want in a partner (loyal, loving, cute, interesting) while still feeling authentic (no easy task; she is definitely a star to watch). Ewan McGregor is very good as well (probably his best performance in a long time). His character Oliver is so toned down that all his happiness feels a bit jaded as we can see the destructive sadness within. He uses his eyes so well.

Summary & score: Beginners is a special film in which optimism preservers in spite of it being engulfed in loneliness and sadness. 9/10

The Ghost Writer (2010) – Review

The Ghost Writer is an effective thriller but at times suffers from an average lead performance and some resulting pacing issues in the middle. Robert Harris’ novel, to which the film is adapted from (by Harris and Roman Polanski), is a thinly veiled commentary on Tony Blair (and other world leaders), whom Harris was once a political advisor to, and as such the film makes reference to the current political climate. Much like many political films of late, this has an ambience of mistrust to it, which works quite well in the narrative structure of the film as well as the visual composition (the overly gloomy weather for instance). Just hearing the score in the opening shot is enough to alert even the most ambivalent of filmgoers to the nature of the story – something is afoot, and the viewer knows it right off. So then, the question becomes: can the filmmakers still sustain their interest during the buildup when they already know, more or less in a narrative way, what is coming – sort of. Polanski is a fantastic filmmaker, it is completely clear that this is the case just looking merely at how the film opens and closes, both shots are brilliant. But what Polanski has not succeeded in, at least to a degree that he should, is his ability to drive the narrative in such a way as to keep viewers glued to the screen and on the edge of their seats. Rather, he structures the film to sort of meander as it unravels clues to what is going on. But once the thriller aspect of the film does kick in, it is quite good and engaging. Though, it just might leave some less interested audience members behind. The film instead relies on the performances of the actors to carry the film’s middle, and they are rather strong, mostly, but not where it counts the most. Ewan McGregor does satisfactory work here, but not great work in a film whose narrative demands great work and this is really the weakness of the film. McGregor is unable to fully compel, charm or otherwise grip viewers. Kim Cattrall is also not great in a role that needed her to be better. She is not able to sufficiently convince the viewer as to the complete nature of her relationship to Pierce Brosnan’s character, which given her limited screen time and interaction theatergoers must rather gather what they know about the characters through other performances – and more to the point Olivia Williams’ fantastic performance. She is perfect in the film. She has a great talent to play off the other actors in the film and without much she invited the viewers into her world, yet she also conveys something not quite describable underneath, as if she is a façade. Brosnan is also good as he brings a lot of bravado to his character, which seems very fitting. Tom Wilkinson, in a very limited role, is also wonderful. (Similar to Michael Clayton) his performance again demonstrates his fine talent, while setting up the second half of the film – in a sense changing the whole pace of the film. Much in the same way, Eli Wallach is good in his brief scene. Alexandre Desplat (who seemingly could occupy all five best score nominations at the 2011 Oscars, he certainly works enough to do it) delivers another tremendous score which utterly fits the atmosphere of the story and is maybe the highlight of the film. It has the audience’s ear from frame one and throughout. Cinematographer Pawel Edelman also produces great work here, his best since The Pianist. Albrecht Konrad’s production design, specifically the beach house that was entirely built on a sound stage is masterful. The house with its modern over-the-top art and almost out-of-place design again clues in the audience that things may not be what they seem. Konrad also did a terrific job of transforming Germany to look like New England. The film does have an Alfred Hitchcock feel to it, from Polanski’s slowly unraveling mystery narrative to Desplats’ score that is a bit like one of Bernard Herrmann’s. The book itself almost has a MacGuffin aspect to it. While this may not be Polanski’s best, it is certainly a good film (that could have been better with a stronger lead). The film is able to enthrall the viewer with its story though its expert use of music and picture, while also  appealing to the audience on a more in depth analytical way, as it references the political climate and actions of leaders in the last decade or two. 7/10

Movie of the Week - Trainspotting

This week’s movie is Trainspotting (1996).

The film is a comedy/drama based on Irvine Welsh’s novel about a young man deeply immersed in the Edinburgh drug scene who tries to get out and get clean despite the allure of that around him, his friends, drugs, social situation. The film was the breakout hit for Danny Boyle (who won a best director Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire), which got him a deal with Fox and international exposure. Boyle worked with many of his early frequent collaborators on the film including: actor Ewan McGregor, writer John Hodge, producer Andrew Macdonald, cinematographer Brian Tufano, editor Masahiro Hirakubo, production designer Kave Quinn, and music by Underworld. This team helped shape the look and feel of most of Boyle’s work. The film has a great cast in addition to McGregor, especially Ewen Bremmer, Jonny Lee Miller, Kevin McKidd, Robert Carlyle, and then newcomer Kelly Macdonald. What makes the film great is its characters, its soundtrack, the dialogue – the experience of watching the film, being engrossed in the culture that the film portrays. Check out the trailer.

Trainspotting [Blu-ray/DVD]