My week in film: Point Break and suspending disbelief, in Life of Pi

Posted on by harrietwarman

Warning: this post has curiously ended up being about the endings of films, details of which are revealed!

This week’s film journal excitingly includes films watched whilst suffering from post-hogmanay celebrations, i.e. A New Year’s Day Hangover. I’m sure readers will have their own favourites or go-to films when under the influence of dehydration and/or nausea and perhaps the consensus would be that a hangover film should be an unchallenging watch, possibly comedy and generally intended to make one feel better. My choices this new-year were, in order: Point Break (Kathryn Bigelow, 1991), The Breakfast Club (John Hughes, 1985) and Gran Torino (Clint Eastwood, 2008).swayze-point-break

Until The Hurt Locker, Bigelow’s films always made me feel a little creepy. Strange Days (1995) is an elaborate dustpan take on ‘unmediated’ virtual reality and The Weight of Water (2000) does nothing to promote poetry as a form of seduction. Nevertheless I anticipated good things from Point Break, which has been much celebrated for its action set pieces, including surfing, skydiving and gunfights. Its also been much critiqued and theorised with regards to its treatment of the male body; which appears the object of the fe(male) gaze as stars Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze are seen either showing flesh and/or fetishised for the feats of strength and agility that their toned bodies are capable of (books about this can be found here and here). point_break_patrick_swayze_kathryn_bigelow_010_jpg_hfne

Point Break is less of a cop buddy movie – though Reeves does have a cop buddy in the form of Gary Busey – and is more that classic love story between the officer of the Law (Reeves) and the criminal he hunts (Swayze). My perspective on seeing the film was therefore clouded by preconceptions such as those mentioned above; but what surprised me (aside from just how awesome the action is) was that I didn’t believe the decisions that Reeves character makes. Such is his respect and awe for Swayze’s surfing Zen master, he puts aside justifiable anger at his girlfriends kidnapping and torture (not to mention the death of several people) and gives his blond beauty what he wants: a glorious death rather than a humbling imprisonment. True love I suppose and though not plausible considering the lengths gone to catch him, a more spectacular ending.

The-Breakfast-ClubWatching The Breakfast Club for the second time in my life brought the realisation that a lot of the running time is spent in boredom watching bored, boring adolescents. So many quiet scenes of broad characters and their representative foods/wining/body language/dance moves. Also noticed that after that scene “I HATE you!” its actually inexplicable how Clare (Molly Ringwald) ends up with Bender (Judd Nelson) at the end – and I’m not convinced this was Hughes dark comment on just how much Clare hates herself. Anyway, on new-year’s day it ended up being the perfect segue into a nap… clint_eastwood_gran_torin_2008_movie_photo_18

Gran Torino also came loaded with expectations and contained lots of drawn out repetitive scenes involving Mr Eastwoods’ parody of his own classic Dirty Harry persona. It’s really quite convenient that his character talks to himself; otherwise one would be robbed of many witty asides about how he hates everyone. Ultimately I thought Gran Torino dragged out its set-up and was simply too long.

LRA_life_of_pi_14At the cinema, Life of Pi directed by Ang Lee was thrilling and spectacular, proving that some films do benefit from the third dimension. Adapted from the book of the same name by Yann Martel, its framed as a conversation between Pi Patel (Irrfan Khan) and a writer i.e. Martel (Rafe Spall) as the former tells the amazing story of how he survived a shipwreck alongside a Bengal tiger called Richard Parker. Early on in Pi’s story, we see his father warn his two sons not to be fooled by religion, as its all ‘spectacle’. The adventure includes glowing jellyfish and a whale breaching over the lifeboat, a carnivorous island and of course, living alongside a dangerous predator – spectacle – it could be argued, is the film; as suspension of disbelief allows one to be caught up in Pi’s incredible quest. This makes for a very enjoyable cinematic experience, particularly the seamless way in which live action is blended with CG. life-of-pi-fishThe final part of Pi’s account is that of relating the story to the Japanese Transport Ministers whilst recovering from his ordeal. Not believing him, he tells a different version of events that is more believable and less fantastic. What is problematic is the simplistic way that Pi’s story is related back to his faith. Having heard both accounts of his survival, the writer is asked; “which do you prefer?” to which he responds; “the one with the animals, it’s a better story” eliciting the reply from Pi; “And so it goes with God”. The ‘better’ story is one that allows for belief in the incredible without reliance on facts or logic – in other words, pure faith. To be a cynic, or atheist is to lack imagination – to reject spectacle – as Pi’s father did.

This is a particularly banal and reductive way to understand faith carried over from the book and one that is disarming, if – like me – you’re an atheist who’s just allowed the preceding adventure to entertain and amuse you. Life of Pi is perhaps best thought of as a wildly successful exercise in suspending disbelief, whilst affirming faith in that fantastic thing: cinema.

Also watched:

The Lady Vanishes, Alfred Hitchcock.

Where Do We Go Now? Nadine Labaki

Up, Pete Docter, Bob Peterson.

My (two) weeks in film: The Hunt, Alps, The House I Live In and some festive fare

Posted on by harrietwarman

Pre-Christmas deadlines have kept me from my regular writing routine so this week’s reviews are somewhat abridged. The Hunt - main imageThomas Vinterberg’s The Hunt (2012)was tense, invigorating filmmaking that employed a rewarding, and steady pace and showcased a sympathetic, subtle performance by Mads Mikkelsen. Less about fighting a false accusation, than recovering from it, The Hunt tackled issues of child abuse and close-knit communities with humour and a lack of sensationalism that proved engaging viewing.

Alps (2012)by Dogtooth director Giorgos Lanthimos proves that it is possible to make a film more opaque than the latter – and happily demands an involved, inquisitive audience. 13ALPS_SPAN-articleLargeClearly accomplished filmmaking and an important political and social critique of contemporary Greece, nonetheless it would be a stretch to suggest that Lanthimos’ film is enjoyable per se, rather that its playful way with language and blurring of fiction/reality represents an intelligent and vigorous talent.

tokyo-gaorigTokyo-Ga (1985)was a suitable film to watch in the week that saw the anniversary of the birth of legendary director Yasujirô Ozu. Wim Wenders’ ode to the director of over fifty features including much loved Tokyo Story attempts to discover if anything recognisable from the humanity of Ozu’s oeuvre is present in modern Tokyo. Training his camera on fascinating practices such as the creation of wax replicas of restaurant menu options or Americana loving teens, Wenders also tenderly interviews Ozu’s leading man; Chishû Ryû and cinematographer; Yûharu Atsuta – who dedicated his whole career to assisting the great director, and since his death in 1963 laments being unable to find work as satisfying as that with his former colleague.

TheHouseILiveInDocumentary The House I Live In by director Eugene Jarecki combines personal experience with testimonies from professionals related to illegal drugs and their effects; including those from policing, law, imprisonment, psychology, history, media and politics – all of whom tend to support the argument that the War on Drugs has been a failure. Jarecki’s thoughtful voiceover connects persuasively the accounts of said contributors with the first-hand experiences of convicted men and women – predominantly African American – most of whom have been subjected to harsh minimum sentence rulings. This is a first class combination of investigative fervour and thorough, sensitive filmmaking.

The-Return-of-the-King-Sam-saves-dayPrior to seeing The Hobbit – which I’m sure I’ll get round to at some point – I decided to re-watch the Lord of the Rings trilogy and was delighted to find that the films are just as enjoyable ten years later. Fellowship grips on to you gloriously and demands you hold on through each passionately detailed set piece that follows in the two subsequent epics.

 

Other viewing took on a festive theme (of sorts): if it wasn’t Christmas itself, the presence of snow was enough to satisfy.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Andrew Adamson (2005).

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, David Yates(2009)

Miracle on 34th Street, Les Mayfield (1994)

Wonder Boys, Curtis Hanson (2000)

Coming up – my best (and worst) lists for 2012 with the promise not to repeat the dozens already widely celebrated and berated.

My week in film: Sightseers, Magic Mike, For a Good Time, Call… and more

Posted on by harrietwarman

The week began playing catch-up with seemingly everyone in the UK (or at least the hundreds of enthusiastic tweeters) who had seen Sightseers (2012) on opening weekend. Ben Wheatley’s third feature following Down Terrace and Kill List emerged at Cannes this year to great acclaim and having just last night won the Best Screenplay Award at the Moet British Independent Film Awards; it looks set to take the US by storm when it premieres at Sundance in January. sightseers-2012-001-chris-and-tina-up-mountain-posing-to-camera_0

The film follows a road trip undertaken by Chris and Tina (writers Steve Oram and Alice Lowe) to Yorkshire from Birmingham, caravan in tow, in the hope that Chris will finding his writers ‘oeuvre’ and Tina will temporarily escape her world of dogs, knitting and her mother. These romantic aspirations reach darker territory when Chris allows his bitterness and resentment to take violent form and Tina is soon enthralled by the opportunity to unleash her id upon the world. As uncompromisingly bloody as Wheatley’s previous work, Sightseers is also comically broader and delights in musical juxtapositions that render the whole exercise innately fun. Caricatures they may be, but Chris and Tina are also distinctly British creations that ring true as representations of national reserve abandoned in favour of unchallenged, manic, fervour. Chris is aghast at Tina’s newfound rage, a far cry from the ostensible rules of choosing a victim that he initially employs. Unlike other examples of couples on the run however (see Bonnie & Clyde review, below), Wheatley offers another dark comic twist by skewing the idea of lovers united forever in death – but I won’t spoil the ending for you.

I also caught up with a couple of this year’s earlier releases in what turned out to be an excellent double bill. magic-mike-0

Magic Mike (Steven Soderberg) and For a Good Time, Call… (Jamie Travis) both reconsider assumptions about sex-related work (stripping and sex lines, respectively) with a focus on male/male and female/female friendships where business is a component of their intimacy. Despite what you might assume about a film about male stripping, Magic Mike is poignantly as much to do with ageing and the impressionability of youth as it is a fantastic demonstration of Channing Tatum’s dancing and Matthew McConaughey’s depth as an actor. for-a-good-time-call-movie-review

 

For a Good Time, Call… plays out like a rom-com only this time its female solidarity that’s at stake and the chemistry between Ari Graynor (the new Goldie Hawn that Kate Hudson wishes she was) and Lauren Miller is infectious. They’re also both very funny and entertaining films.

 

 

A new addition – though whether it will prevail is questionable – Phantoms (Joe Chappelle, 1998) is my bad film of the week and could safely be considered to include some of the worst acting and dialogue in a film that also features Peter O’Toole. One spectacular example, Sheriff Hammond (Ben Affleck) to Deputy Stu (Live Schreiber) “Are you OK? ‘Cos I need you to be OK, OK?” befophantoms027dh3re they take on the ‘ancient enemy’ in a small, Colorado town. The film does manage to provide some effectively unsettling images in the third act, notably when O’Toole’s Dr Timothy Flyte challenges the ‘phantom’ to reveal itself, only to be faced with the whole town’s possessed inhabitants staring out from the darkness. Live Schreiber is also brilliantly creepy and puts in a sterling effort to bring charisma to a highly derivative, Invasion of the Body Snatchers/The Thing creature horror.

bonnie-and-clyde-gene-wilder-1

 

Finally I ended this week’s viewing in much the same way it started, with a couple-on-the-run classic, nay, the classic, Bonnie and Clyde (1967). Arthur Penn’s highly successful and critically acclaimed cinematic account of real-life criminals Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, who robbed many and killed thirteen people in depression era America proved to be even better than I expected. What stood out for me was the complexity of Clyde’s feelings for Bonnie (Faye Dunaway) – that he is portrayed by Warren Beatty as deeply conflicted about corrupting his accomplice and holds off from consummating their attraction to each other until quite near the film’s end. Also a surprise treat was Gene Wilder as car-thief victim turned temporary tag-along, expressing a fearful glee at his captors wild abandon and shock on learning that is female companion is older than he thought – a nice comedic touch.

 

Also watched: X-Men First Class (Matthew Vaughn, 2011) a very entertaining super-hero movie that reminded me – through the ethical dilemmas and character’s identity anxiety – why the X-Men are my favourite heroes.