Be Our Guest
May 23, 2016
The first teaser trailer for the live action Disney version of Beauty and the Beast is here! Starring Emma Watson as Belle this new film will join Cinderella and The Jungle Book as Disney works through its animated catalogue including alternative stories like Maleficent. The cast is extensive and from this first look it seems mood and music are at the forefront of Beauty and the Beast. The film will include music from composer Alan Menken along with Menken’s original songs he wrote with lyricist Howard Ashman. Two more songs will be added, but the film down not release until March 17, 2017 so that could still change. Looks to be the first full musical for Disney so get ready!
Beauty and the Beast
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.
Bibbity Bobbity Blah
April 1, 2015
Cinderella (2015).
D: Kenneth Branagh. DP: Haris Zambarloukos. W: Chris Weitz. Starring: Lily James/Cate Blanchett/Richard Madden/Helena Bonham Carter/Derek Jacobi/Nonso Anozie/Stellan Skarsgard/Sophie McShera/Holliday Granger/Ben Chaplin/Hayley Atwell.
This spring Disney brings another of their beloved royalties to the big screen in the live action version of Cinderella. All glass and little substance, the film is clearly geared towards children and lacks much to make it memorable.
Well known Shakespearean maven and now director, Kenneth Branagh (Thor & Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit) tackles this literal live action rendition of Cinderella with little creativity and far less wit. His fairy tale world looks too commercially cooky and lacks much depth from its central character. Lily James, mostly known from Downtown Abbey, is beautiful, blonde, but a little to saccharine for my tastes. Ella, as she is known prior to her nickname, has a fierceness of character despite the loss of her family but somehow is cloaked with too much breathless adulation on James’ part.
The script from Chris Weitz lifts so much from the beloved 1950 animated version that oftentimes you are left wishing that it was the film you were watching. Right down to the mice, which are incorporated here. Branagh and his cinematographer do bring nice breath and scope to the larger scenes, the dancing scene at the ball is particularly hypnotic. This can also be attributed to Cinderella’s ballgown, made to swish and swirl like the original animated image, it is mesmerizing. What is not is the sadly de-beareded Richard Madden who has lost all his presence as this prince. His Rob Stark from Game of Thrones was a force whereas this white panted prince is not.
Helena Bonham Carter, who plays the fairy godmother, narrates the film, which gives it a storybook quality that is distinctly geared towards children. This is where the film diverges from last year’s similar project, Maleficent, which was able to appeal to a much broader audience. One without children, for example. Maleficent is superior in other ways as its more creative approach to a well known tale brings new life whereas Cinderella falls quite literally flat. This is also the fault of the story as Cinderella is often a victim of circumstance and can do little to change her own path if you will. What message does this send to this children’s audience, really? Another post could be dedicated to just this.
Cinderella in general is faulted with a lot of earnestness and good nature. The lines “have courage, be kind” told Ella by her dying mother, played here by Hayley Atwell, are repeated so often they lose all meaning. The sequence with the most wit and character belongs to Carter’s appearance as the venerable fairy godmother. Carter brings her expert twinkle to a moment that is so iconic it could be boring. Rather her bibbity bobbity boo moments lift Lily James out of the cheerful glib and breathe some humor into making a pumpkin into a carriage. Even menacingly statuesque Cate Blanchett as the evil stepmother cannot compete with her. Blanchett does her best with some limp lines, nonetheless striking in her costumes and dismissive of her daughters which gives much needed comic relief. It is just simply not enough to save this over-produced project, complete with crappy pop song over ending credits.
Singing Sondheim with Success
January 11, 2015
Into the Woods (2014).
D: Rob Marshall. W: James Lapine. DP: Dion Beebe. Starring: Meryl Streep/Emily Blunt/James Corden/Johnny Depp/Anna Kendrick/Chris Pine/Lilla Crawford/Tracey Ullman/Daniel Huttlestone/Christine Baranski/Billy Magnussen/Mackenzie Mauzy/Lucy Punch/Tammy Blanchard. (Based on Stephen Sondheim’s 1987 musical of the same name)
The musical genre has been struggling for a comeback for the last decade. Since 2002’s Oscar winning Chicago, filmmakers and studios have been chasing that same success. Yes 2008’s Mamma Mia made the big bucks, but 2012’s Les Miserables dragged us through three hours of labor and drama. Into the Woods joins a difficult cannon, but I am happy to say it does its Broadway mother justice.
Director Rob Marshall, responsible for both 2009’s Nine and Chicago, is clearly in his element here. Cinematographer Dion Beebe (Edge of Tomorrow) is at his aid again, they worked on both previous musicals together. The pair give space to their actors and thankfully, do not let the camera linger on reaction shots. The entire film has a fantastic sense of space and gives magic to its story without abandoning all realism.
There is definitely a bit of Disney gloss happening here. With a PG rating it is implied that the darker elements of the musical would be toned down, especially with the implications of the Wolf’s song, ‘Hello Little Girl.’ However, Johnny Depp is delicious as The Wolf and the Rat Pack vibe the song is given is simply pure fun. The deaths are also moved off screen and certain story lines are nipped and tucked to clearly fit this ratings margin. By no means is Into the Woods a disappointment for it, but it does change the overall palette of the project, especially the humor. Mostly this is aggravating as regardless, the film to me, is still for adults.
There is also some merging of characters, omissions of songs, and the on stage narrator now is serviced through the Baker’s (James Corden) voiceover. Luckily this voiceover does not inhibit the pacing of the film, though one or two times it feels repetitive. Despite all that Into the Woods pulls stellar performances out of the entire ensemble. The standouts are of course Meryl Streep’s Witch whose costumes (supremely done by Colleen Atwood) and make up merely enhance a fun, dynamic delivery. Chris Pine as Cinderella’s Prince oozes glorious giggle inducing charm with his duet with Rapuzel’s Prince (Billy Magnussen) a highlight, as it is in the show. I am very sad the reprise was cut. The youngsters Lilla Crawford and Daniel Huttlestone are excellent and hold their own with big solos. Emily Blunt’s Baker’s wife is great opposite Corden and Anna Kendrick does well as Cinderella, singing in a very difficult key. Lucy Punch steals a huge laugh as one of Cinderella’s step sisters, still waiting for someone to give her a bigger shot.
Into the Woods is overall an enjoyable addition to the musical genre. The first half is definitely stronger than the second, as it is in the show, but James Lapine adapts his work well. Stephen Sondheim’s music and lyrics actually works well on screen as his walk and sings balance the big numbers with character development. And what happens after ‘ever after’ is so on trend right now its ridiculous. But as a musical lover I couldn’t stop smiling and that is a beautiful thing.