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.
Star Treatment
December 1, 2015
Since its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival the Hank Williams biopic, I Saw The Light, has not been talked about. Pushed from its original award season release, Sony Pictures Classic has finally given us a trailer. Starring Englishman (AKA Loki) Tom Hiddleston as arguably the grandfather of country music as it is known today, the film looks the typical musical biopic of a talent with demons. I’ve been waiting for this one, but it looks like all the rest. However, we could be surprised as with an R rating who knows?
I Saw The Light
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiiuMiLfl_4
Something Wicked This Way Comes…
October 21, 2015
Crimson Peak (2015).
D: Guillermo del Toro. DP: Dan Lausten. W: Guillermo del Toro & Matthew Robbins. Starring: Mia Waskikowska/Jessica Chastain/Tom Hiddleston/Charle Hunnam/Jim Beaver/Burn Gorman.
Halloween is nearly here and timed to the holiday comes spook master Guillermo del Toro’s newest film Crimson Peak. His first directorial effort since 2013’s Pacific Rim, the Mexican director has been involved with other projects in many ways. His departure from Warner Brother’s The Hobbit Trilogy was discussed at length in a recent profile in The New Yorker. He brings to this new film the same visual style that was so glorious in his 2006 film Pan’s Labyrinth and won the film three Oscars (cinematography, art direction, and make-up).
Crimson Peak is visual splendor. Set in the vague time of the turn of the last century the film follows Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska) who as a child is visited by her mother’s ghost who warns her of Crimson Peak. Once of age Edith turns to writing, ghosts included, but is quickly enchanted by the arrival of the tall, dark and English Sir Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston). After her father’s untimely death, Edith marries Thomas and embarks to his home to live with his sister Lucille (Jessica Chastain).
Without giving much away the film’s tone of Gothic horror is as rich and red as the clay that Thomas peddles from his estate. Wasikowska’s Edith feels like Anne of Green Gables, too sharp for her time and easily seduced by puff sleeves and romance, and that is a compliment. Australian Wasikowska whose Alice in Wonderland days are soon to resurface, brings a stylish innocence that works for the heroine of a dark tale. Although not as emotionally demanding as her fine performance in 2011’s Jane Eyre she is great here, her blond tresses working in stark contrast to Chastain’s auburn ones. Originally Emma Stone was cast who would not have fit though Benedict Cumberbatch could have made a good Thomas.
The trio have good chemistry that revolves around Hiddleston’s ability to dazzle in the dark. Known for his role as Loki in the Thor and Avengers films, Hiddleston has the right balance of danger and sex. Yet his hair could have been better, seems trivial, but it’s too reminiscent of Loki. The few flaws in Crimson Peak lie with Chastain and Charlie Hunnam. Her stiff and diabolical Lucille lacks complexity and unfortunately she is never quite able to nail her English accent. Chastain’s Edith is rather too two note, up or down, hot or cold. Del Toro is said to have been inspired by Italian horror master Mario Bava. I see echoes of Black Sunday here, but Chastain is no Barbara Steele. Visually she looks the part, but it never quite takes off. Hunnam is simply too clean and earnest, his snooping is fine, but obvious.
Crimson Peak‘s greatest achievement is the Sharpe estate. Nearly sinking into the red clay of the land the house is so dilapidated the distinctions between outside and in is blurred. Snow comes through the house as bugs live and die. It’s Disney’s Haunted Mansion, but for adults. The ghosts themselves are part vision and corpse. Del Toro’s masterful hand is breathtaking and subtle. He builds worlds not creatures. To think of his what his Hobbit films would have been like is to think of the dream so intricate and beautiful you cannot remember it.
The Master Has a New Project
February 14, 2015
Check out the new trailer for Guillermo Del Toro’s new film.