The Rights of Romance & Death
June 6, 2016
Me Before You (2016).
D: Thea Sharrock. DP: Remi Adefarasin. W: Jojo Moyes (based on her novel of the same name). Starring: Emilia Clarke/Sam Claflin/Janet McTeer/Charles Dance/Stephen Peacocke/Jenna Coleman/Samantha Spiro/Brendan Coyle/Matthew Lewis/Vanessa Kirby.
Usually obtaining the rights to a highly profitable bestselling novel is a coup. With the adaptation of Me Before You by the author herself, Jojo Moyes, the story has been opened to greater scrutiny. The film has received negative reactions from disability groups and has the filmmakers and author defending their project in the press.
Me Before You follows recently unemployed Louisa Clark (Emilia Clarke) who answers an ad for a carer of a disabled man. This man is Will Traynor (Sam Claflin), a young handsome former entrepreneur whom after an accident is a quadriplegic. Louisa’s small village life is shaken and changed through her friendship with Will who cannot fathom the life ahead bound to his wheelchair and routine infections. Me Before You certainly did not read as young adult fiction. Its leads were written as twenty-seven and thirty-five, but here Will is made a tad younger. But mainly the filmmaking clearly targets the YA crowd drawing comparisons to adaptations like The Fault in Our Stars (2014), which are misguided.
Many changes exist between novel and film. Most are for the better with plot and characters scooped out for time. An entire element of Louisa’s backstory is removed and was the right choice. However, it does represent a crucial intimate turning point in their friendship, which Moyes mistakenly does not replace in her film script. Lousia’s family situation, specifically how she financially supports her parents as well as her single mom sister is glossed over. In a piece of flimsy commercial fiction sadly its adaptation by its own author removed the edges that allowed its couple to feel a bit three dimensional.
This includes the elements of Will’s situation and care. In the novel Louisa does tremendous research into Will’s care and the specifics of his daily maintenance are an important element in the couple’s progression. In the film we get another spirited montage that trivializes the actual outreach her character does in the book. By removing the specifics the romance is put to the forefront surely, but also the realism of the able-bodied versus the disabled is quite weak. This is at the core of audience’s negative reactions to the film. The book was better able to handle the scope of information while also having more beats of protest from Louisa (she quits at one point early on) that spark a debate about quality of life, the right to ones own death, and Will’s wish to go to Dignitas in Switzerland.
I present these arguments because they are valid and in a cinematic climate like today these reactions will probably hurt the film’s profits. The ending is causing controversy, but I do not believe the film or the novel endorse any specific choice. Yet for me Me Before You panders to the audience not only in its content, but in its filmmaking. First time film director Thea Sharrock creates a picturesque English town whose postcard castle hides many secrets. Yet her film seems not in her hands. It is overproduced from the get go. Louisa’s gregarious wardrobe feels like a Zooey Deschanel like gimmick and is relied on too much for humor. The soundtrack alone is relentless. Under every scene is music with barely a moment of emotional transparency allowed. A pivotal scene on a beach finally feels organic and it still has crashing waves underneath it.
Me Before You has some gorgeous leads that help support its romance package. Clarke, best know for her Mother of Dragons role on HBO’s Game of Thrones, is a smiley perky warm presence that is not given enough of her own story. Her chemistry with Claflin (Hunger Games Mockingjay Parts 1 and 2) is good, but not infectious the way Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdmas were in the Nicholas Sparks’ tent-pole adaptation The Notebook. Most romance films have been chasing The Notebook‘s formula for the past decade. Yet chemistry like that cannot be cast and that story works because the couple are eventually together despite the sad context. Me Before You sports a British cast that does their best to be supportive. Australian Stephen Peacocke is the most memorable as Will’s nurse Nathan who does the tremendous daily physical and intimate part of Will’s care.
Ultimately, Me Before You had roves of women crying in the ladies room afterwards and that is exactly what it wants. Yet for me its motives are too obvious from the onset so no tears for me. Its clipping pace never really allows you to fall in love with the pair. Maybe a bit with Clarke whose crinkly expressive face fills the frame for most of the first act. Yet by the end you just want her eyebrows to relax. This film is sure to wash out with this summer’s trends, but here’s hoping the next film tackling this subject handles is better. Maybe a film specifically using a disabled actor, which is surely limiting as there cannot be any narrative about the able bodied version of that character. Even disabled Christopher Reeve used able-bodied Lacey Chabert in his A&E television movie, The Brooke Ellison Story (2004), same with John Hawkes in The Sessions (2012). Yet neither dealt with suicide. Discussion for someone’s next production meeting. In the meantime you can miss Me Before You.
Ring Around the Rosy
June 4, 2016
Love & Friendship (2016).
D/W: Whit Stillman. DP: Richard Van Oosterhout. Starring: Kate Beckinsale/Xavier Samuel/Morfydd Clark/Emma Greenwell/Justin Edwards/Tom Bennett/Jemma Redgrave/James Fleet/Chloe Sevigny/Stephen Fry. (Based on Jane Austen’s epistolary novel Lady Susan)
Writer and Director Whit Stillman’s newest venture, Love & Friendship, is out in theaters just in time to save us from the comic book boredom of films like X-Men: Apocalypse. Even non-Austenites will enjoy such a scintillating tale for both the eyes and ears.
Love & Friendship is based on Jane Austen’s epistolary novel, Lady Susan, that was published posthumously. Although very familiar with the Austen canon I have not read this particular work as it mostly made up of letters. Yet Stillman’s film is a self-conscious work that is aware of the Austen film adaptation history as well has heritage cinema. Working with conceits aware to him and the assumed audience, Love & Friendship introduces its cast of characters more like a play than a film, presenting each in vignette with a snarky description beneath their face. Immediately wit wins all in this palpable play of society chess.
At the center of the story is Lady Susan whose new widow status leaves her hopping houses, relying on family and friends hospitality for herself and her daughter. Kate Beckinsale stars as Lady Susan and looks the part which is not surprising since she played the lead role in Emma in a boring 1996 version for A&E on US television. Normally wooden this part suits a now older Beckinsale and her delivery of the script is a testament to Stillman. She helps to center the world around herself and covers her wickedness in a heavy head of curls. Xavier Samuel is a fine young suitor not unlike his fleshier role in 2013’s Adore. His earnestness is a bit Bingley-esq, but he eventually has enough Darcy to find his way. Morfydd Clark is an excellent Federica, Lady Susan’s daughter, and gives youth a frantic rage rather than a demure submissive role.
Stillman resists the urge to show off every home and make his film one centered on English heritage. Instead he hints at the tedious nature of rich country life in this time and focuses on the intricate verbal play of his characters and Lady Susan’s maneuvering between homes. Stirring up little pools of melodrama, her check ins with American friend Alicia Johnson (Chloe Sevingny) allows scheming to be the name of the game. Love & Friendship provides all the sleuthing of Emma, but uses a character we are never asked to like. Lady Susan is manipulative, clever, and ultimately treacherous yet Stillman thankfully never berates the audience into liking her. Rather he presents his film as fun and clever mischief to be enjoyed.
Leave the Bare Necessities Alone
May 9, 2016
The Jungle Book (2016).
D: Jon Favreau. DP: Bill Pope. W: John Marks. Starring: Neel Sethi. Voice talents of: Idris Elba/Ben Kingsley/Bill Murray/Scarlett Johansson/Giancarlo Esposito/Lupita Nyong’o/Christopher Walken. (Based on Rudyard Kipling’s novel)
It is simply hard to forget the 1967 Disney animated version of The Jungle Book. ‘The Bare Necessities’ tune has become synonymous with our favorite lackadaisical bear Baloo who helps shepherd man cub Mowgli through the forest. Phil Harris who voiced Baloo would go on to work with Disney on The Aristocats (1970) and Robin Hood (1973). His jovial bellow was only matched by George Saunders’ velvety Shere Khan. When I saw his Oscar winning performance in All About Eve (1950) all I kept thinking was, he’s the tiger. Safe to say much of my generation grew up on Disney animation, even films as old as this one.
This live adaptation of The Jungle Book also follows a forgettable 1994 live action with Mowgli as an adult man, which was released by Buena Vista Pictures. Taking on the mantle is director Jon Favreau (Chef, Cowboys & Aliens, Iron Man 2) who tends to produce and direct on a large scale. Executive producing for Marvel, Favreau also continues to act and dip his fingers in many pools. In his version he blends Kipling’s novel and the animated feature with film influences that give the The Jungle Book a fantastic look if nothing else.
Mowgli (played by newcomer Neel Sethi) finds himself once again rescued by Bagheera (Ben Kingsley) and adopted by the jungle’s wolf pack. With the rains gone the jungle animals create a peace treaty that allows them to all co-habit a certain watering hole without threat. However, this cannot last for long with the return of Shere Khan (Idris Elba) whose hatred of man threatens the pack and forces Mowgli to be chaperoned by Bagheera to the man village. Thus begins Mowgli’s journey to find his new home and meet new friends along the way.
Regrettably Sethi is not much to watch. He lacks charm and wonder, instead his Mowgli is petulant without tenderness which does not allow you to invest in the emotions of such a familiar tale. Kingsley’s Bagheera is rightfully regal, but is not a voice to match Elba’s Shere Khan. The tiger’s mangled appearance gives him a ruthlessness that is new. Along the road movie timeline Mowgli also meets famous Baloo voiced by Bill Murray. The pair’s friendship gets the most laughs and eventually the shtick of Murray wears away to create a palpable connection between the two. The ‘Bare Necessities’ tune comes up organically, unlike King Louie’s (Christopher Walken) song ‘I Wanna Be Like You.’ Much too much like a musical number, the segment seems part of a different movie and merely acts as a gimmick to get Walken’s signature delivery set to music.
Like the animated feature Favreau uses Disney’s traditional image of an open and closing book to illustrate the story book quality of the film. The ending credits are gorgeous as the book opens to 3D pop-ups of certain scenes. Cinematographer Bill Pope creates a mystical and lush jungle and The Jungle Book at least moves at a good pace. Even with certain changes like making the snake Kaa into a female character, voiced by Scarlett Johansson, I do not that think the film brings anything staggeringly new or different to the tale. Disney and Favreau were perhaps too conflicted in wanting to include the musical songs while also lending a more realistic sheen to the sort material. Details like the fact that the monkeys seem to have no language when they are the closest animal to man get lost in the action sequences that create the beats of the film. Better than the literal Cinderella, the movie cannot compete with its original.
After seeing this version I am intrigued and excited for The Imaginarium’s (Andy Serkis’ motion capture company) take on the Kipling classic that will not release until October 2018. With another all star cast that includes Christian Bale, Benedict Cumberbatch, Cate Blanchett, Naomie Harris and Andy Serkis, the film is being released by Warner Bros. Serkis has already claimed in interviews it will be darker than this version. Even with the Disney owned songs safe to say this The Jungle Book is certainly not light so we shall see where how far this one takes us into the shadows.
Women on the Verge
April 20, 2016
The first trailer from Universal Pictures has dropped for the film adaptation of Paula Hawkins’ novel The Girl on the Train. Directed by Tate Taylor (The Help, Get on Up) and re-located to New York City (the novel was set in London), the film stars Emily Blunt as alcoholic Rachel Watson whose intrigue into the lives of others unravels her messy life. The film releases on October 7th and the trailer gets the full Gone Girl wash complete with a Kanye West song. The novel is not up to Gillian Flynn’s book, but perhaps it might make a good film. We shall see!
The Girl on the Train
View From the Top
April 7, 2016
High-Rise (2016).
D: Ben Wheatley. DP: Laurie Rose. W: Amy Jump (adapted from J.G. Ballard’s novel). Starring: Tom Hiddleston/Jeremy Irons/Luke Evans/Sienna Miller/Elisabeth Moss/James Purefoy/Keeley Hawes/Dan Renton Skinner/Louis Suc.
High-Rise is true to its name as the film explores the life and destructive times of residents of a new residential complex in 1970s era London presumably. The film focuses on the newest resident, Dr. Robert Laing (Tom Hiddleston), whose boxes are left mostly unopened and whose past is never revealed. Laing soon meets fellow lower floor couple Richard and Helen Wilder (Luke Evans and Elisabeth Moss) along with sociably sexy Charlotte (Sienna Miller). Soon invited up a mirrored elevator to meet the grand architect of the building, Mr. Royal (Jeremy Irons), Laing finds himself in a microcosm of capital classism.
At the center of High-Rise is Hiddleston’s performance, one where his eel-like charm and sinuous figure lend a statuesque quality to the anti-hero. His complex yet at times vacant take on Laing is a clean counter balance to the ruthless messy energy of Evans’ performance as Wilder. Sandwiched between them at times is Miller who continues to be a pretty face with little to do. She is dragged across the floor at some point in a menacingly real act of terror. Moss is better here as the heavily pregnant wife of Wilder who is trapped in a concrete created suburban nightmare. Louis Suc as Charlotte/Miller’s son Toby is charming and unaffected.
As a novel before the film devotee I am shamed I did not have the time to read this before seeing it. J.G. Ballard’s work is unfamiliar to me, however, that being said the film inspires me to still pick up the book. The imagery alone of the towers as analogous to an open hand makes me curious what part of the novel were deemed by some as un-filmable or impossible. As life in the high-rise breaks down and groups of floors depreciate into debauchery style becomes the focus.
Cinematographer Laurie Rose worked with Wheatley on his previous films and along with Mark Tildesley creates a world of angular walls and beige for Laing. Such that when he steps out onto the penthouse garden of the Royals you feel almost flushed. His obsession with a can of paint then seems a tad over the top amidst a grocery store looting. The editing is well balanced between stylized moments and narrative propulsion and the use of a cover of ABBA’s ‘S.O.S’ is quite startling. An adult Lord of the Flies trapped within concrete hell, High-Rise is worth a watch. It’s the sort of film I would imagine Patrick Bateman would be fascinated by.
Freaks and All
March 16, 2016
Add this one to your reading lists for the summer. Here is the first trailer for the Tim Burton directed adaptation of Ransom Rigg’s 2001 novel, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. It is set to release in the US on September 30th. Looks like French actress Eva Green might have finally found a role where her pronunciation of English actually fits!
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
The New Face of Marvel
February 22, 2016
Deadpool (2016).
D: Tim Miller. DP: Ken Seng. W: Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick. Starring: Ryan Reynolds/Morena Baccarin/T.J. Miller/Ed Skrein/Brianna Hildebrand/Stefan Kapicic/Gina Carano/Leslie Uggams/Karan Soni.
Deadpool has already become the sixth biggest R-rated box officer grocer of all time in just two weekends of release. Without going into statistics it’s safe to say that’s impressive for a February release and a film that would seemingly be targeted for a specific geek audience of a certain age. The comedy and violence definitely deserve the rating, but also allows Deadpool all the freedom it needs to hit the mark.
For first time director Tim Miller the plate and palate of this film was a big one. Previously on creative teams and the second unit director on Thor: The Dark World, Miller and his star, Ryan Reynolds, clearly understand the Marvel universe and the deft hand it takes to parody it. Parody is almost the wrong word because yes it finds humor in its mimicry, but it also unabashedly enjoys. Almost pastiche if you will. Reynolds had been attempting to make a Deadpool film for over a decade, with his character teased in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine. 20th Century Fox was taciturn about the project until a teaser bit of footage of Reynolds hit the web and caused a frenzy.
The Deadpool character is not only officially anti-X-Men, whom appear in this movie, but also anti-hero in a uniquely modern narcissistic messed up way. 2010’s Kick-Ass clearly came from this world as well. In its graphics and marketing Deadpool blatantly riffs on the Marvel universe, which cloaks itself in pseudo seriousness. Yet underneath that it unearths plot points and rattles typical narrative structures to call its audience attention to what they enjoy and why. The film follows Reynolds’ Wade who is a hot hired meat head as he meets a girl named Vanessa (Morena Baccarin), has a lot of sex, falls in love, and then tragedy strikes. The tragedy leads him to becoming Deadpool and seeking revenge.
Deadpool is full level meta with Reynolds talking to the audience through direct address. He even wipes something off the camera lens at one point. He commentates on everything with Reynolds bringing delightful joy to a cynical character whose dark past is used as hot competition with Vanessa. Baccarin (HBO’s Homeland and Fox’s Gotham) is a good match for Reynolds and it is refreshing to see an age-appropriate couple on screen. A lots has been made of the violence and sex. However, the violence is nothing worse than in other films and to me the sex references merely match that level of violence. It works here, but that does not mean its a formula for all future films.
As I am not a comic book reader nor come from a pool of Deadpool knowledge (see what I did there) I cannot speak to its adaptation. Yet as a fan of the X-Men universe Deadpool is a fun and exciting counter point to the mutation argument. Reynolds previously played an imaginary superhero in the 2009 indie film, Paper Man, and his delivery as Deadpool is again the highlight of the project. Lastly, I must commend the use of music as a humor device as well as a narrative one. Much like the superb Guardians of the Galaxy its self-reflexive quality is well handled so even if the content is not for everyone you can at least admit the film knows what its doing.
Such a Pretty Picture
January 12, 2016
The Danish Girl (2016).
D: Tom Hooper. DP: Danny Cohen. W: Lucinda Coxon. Starring: Eddie Redmayne/Alicia Vikander/Matthias Schoenaerts/Ben Wishaw/Amber Heard/Sebastian Koch. (Based on the novel by David Ebershoff)
2015 was certainly the year of high profile transgender projects and media attention. With shows like Amazon’s Transparent and Netflix’s Orange is the New Black winning awards and the birth of Caitlyn Jenner before us on TV, transgender images are abound.
In the 2000s they were mostly relegated to the side lines as TV movies like Girl Like Me or Soldier’s Girl were, but we shouldn’t forget the 2005 film Transamerica starring Felicity Huffman. This saw a woman play the male into female part rather than the opposite, rare are the film that deal with the female to male transformation like 1999 Boys Don’t Cry. This is certainly not a new subject in cinema as the brilliant Lawrence Anyways from Canadian direct Xavier Dolan proved again in 2012, but what is new is its profile. Big budget films that are given award season roll out and (let’s hope) a greater consciousness of what these projects mean to their audience. The Danish Girl is the newest member of this tribe.
Loosely based on the lives of Danish artists Lili Elbe and Gerta Wegener, the film is set in the mid 1920s in Copenhagen where the couple have already been married for six years. You don’t need to know much else, they paint and laugh and Einar (Eddie Redmayne) begins to express his desire to put on his wife’s clothes. His wife Gerta (Alicia Vikander) dresses him up one night as Lili and slowly through the next two hours Einar is abandoned and Lili takes over. Once again so much was revealed in the trailers there is little need to say much else.
Director Tom Hooper, responsible for The King’s Speech and the atrociously long Les Misérables, is at home with beautiful Copenhagen and working with his usual DP, Danny Cohen. Cohen shot the complicated Room (as well as The Program) and allows the landscape and city to really be seen. Yet it is the sort of film where everything is a bit too pretty and too clean. A devastatingly emotional journey for the two leads is enveloped in so much gorgeous costume drama that it starts to feel unreal. As a ballet fan though, the use of the ballet space is a delight, all those tutes strung up in the air.
The emotional center of the film is Vikander’s performance. Her loyalty to her husband and love and understanding of who he turns into traps her and gives Vikander the scenes to shine. Excellent in Ex Machina and Testament of Youth, she is partnered well with Oscar winning Redmayne. He will clearly need a vacation after such physically focused performances in this and Theory of Everything. Redmayne’s tall lithe androgyny makes him a great choice and he carries Lili excellently.
Ultimately, The Danish Girl also suffers because we get so little time with couple before this transformation begins. It’s all too ‘off to the races’ and we can’t catch up. Thankfully Belgian actor Matthias Schoenaerts does appear as Lili’s childhood friend and gives the couple a third party to weigh in on the drama. A calming powerful presence, Schoenaerts (who was excellent in Far from the Madding Crowd) provides balance through third act. Yet by the end everything is a bit too much and The Danish Girl turns a personal journey into a beautiful cold portrait.
A Screen Giant
December 9, 2015
Here it comes. The big screen Disney adaptation of Roald Dahl’s The BFG. Directed by Steven Spielberg with a John Williams score, the film takes on the mighty children’s book that is tender to many a reader out there. Mark Rylance (currently in Bridge of Spies out now) steps into the giant’s shoes. The first teaser for the summer 2016 release is below.
The BFG
A Golden Time For Love
November 27, 2015
Carol (2015).
D: Todd Haynes DP: Edward Lochman. W: Phyllis Nagy. Starring: Cate Blanchett/Rooney Mara/Sarah Paulson/Kyle Chandler/Jake Lacy/John Magaro. (NOTE: Based on the Patricia Highsmith novel originally titled The Price of Salt)
Every now and then a movie lives up to its hype. The buzz around Todd Haynes new film, Carol, has been strong since its debut at the Cannes Film Festival back in May. To most it is certainly, arguably, the film of the year. I would quite agree with my heart also still with Brooklyn.
Set in 1952/1953 New York the film follows Therese (Rooney Mara) who works in a department store as the Christmas holiday approaches. After an encounter at her shop counter with Carol (Cate Blanchett) the two women begin a slow mounting love affair that is set against the dissolution of Carol’s marriage to Harge (Kyle Chandler) and a custody battle over their daughter.
Mara’s Therese is all short bangs and blossoming independent womanhood, taking pictures of a world she’s still deciding if she’d like to blend into. Her chemistry with the elegant enchantress that is Blanchett’s Carol is subtle and sustains the film. She, and the audience with her, is caught in the glow of Blanchett’s mesmerizing turn. Blanchett balances the mother and the woman in her performance giving the struggle between societal duty, motherhood, and personal happiness and sexuality such precise sophistication and desperation it will make your heart break. She is seen through Therese’s camera, aware of her own image as much as we are aware of the palpable feeling of falling in love we experience.
Much can be gushed about Carol, but Sandy Powell’s costumes must be mentioned. A three time Oscar winning designer for Shakespeare in Love, The Aviator, and The Young Victoria, Powell elevates the mood and look of the film. From Therese’s pompom striped hat of her youth to the jewelry that jangles from Carol’s wrists above heavily lacquered fingernails, the world is alive in every detail. The look of the early 1950s is given a grainy haze by veteran cinematographer Edward Lachman and Haynes decision to shoot on 16mm. The pair have worked together on all of Haynes’ projects including the Mildred Pierce series for HBO set in a similar time like his film Far From Heaven. Carol is all its own and is given warmth and depth by the 16mm decision and is heightened by a great score from Carter Burwell.
At the core of this film is a lesbian love story, but unsurprisingly its universality still rings true over fifty years after Highsmith’s novel was first published. Yet it is so important that a same sex couple story will get a wide release platform and hopefully awards attention. A flawless film, Carol drops a gauntlet for every other filmmaker to pick up. Go see it the minute you can.